heavens above

One of the hardest things to capture with a camera is the moon.  Especially with any haze or cloud cover.  The moon looked incredible tonight!  From plain vision you could see the surface.  I sat in the back yard tonight, admired and looked for some help from the heavens above, maybe tomorrow will help as well.  It was pretty clear so the moon and the stars really could be seen well.  Of course I grabbed the camera and did what I could without a tripod, I didn't label what box I put it in and I didn't feel up to uncovering any more treasures, I came across some earlier today.  Oh, look at the time, make a wish; hit the jump, for the pics.

All Saint's Eve

Well some treaters came by, not as many as I was anticipating.  But I made a few kids really smile so that was really nice, nothing like seeing a child light up with joy, it made me smile seeing their excitement. I do have quite a bit of candy left, so I will be breaking out and adding a hundred or so pounds in the short term. Or you could come over and eat some of it so I don't. There is plenty of chocolate and peanut butter! I'll reuse the wrappers to recover the sofa, you can see I might have enough. Today was a beautiful day outside, I snapped a picture out back, hit the jump to see it. I also got some more progress done on the house, put some new outlet and switch plate covers on, makes the paint job look a little more finished. Took down one of the nasty ceiling fan/light fixtures that was above the counter in the kitchen, I didn't take a before picture, but the after pictures are here. I have some fixtures that will be going up to replace all the existing ones, as soon as the ceiling gets painted. Finished up all the hardware on the doors, makes a huge difference. For the most part a good day as far as work getting done, one step closer. To what, I'm still figuring out. Jump = Pics

paint trays

Well more got done, thankfully.  After family came through once again progress continues.  I can't stress enough how much family and friends really come through in times of need, I am blessed with some awesome people around me that don't have to care, but they do. And its not even what gets done, its just having people around who care to share some time together and make you feel a whole lot better.  Some more things got painted upstairs and the floor I think might be finished downstairs. The rolling machine knocked that out fast!  A future post will show how that turned out.  Paint trays were filled and then emptied again and again. The main living level is looking better and better. The mantle was painted by some awesome painters and a built-in cabinet in the dining area got a coat.  No pics yet, finishing touches need to be applied. Some leaves got raked and even the candy got put into bowls for tomorrows onslaught of neighborhood kiddies. I can't go a day without a post, even if it isn't a mind boggling change, it wouldn't be fair to those who want an update. So I shot some "artsy fartsy designer" pic as my snow covered friend would put it, for your viewing pleasure.

pumpkin carving finished

Well pumpkin carving has happened. (insert suspense)  I have a ton of respect for those people out there that can really make great carvings.  It's time consuming and tedious if you are trying to get creative.  I've been thinking about what to carve, I didn't want to do the crazy mean pumpkins, this time of year doesn't have to be evil stuff.  I wanted to do something that was creative, but was also meaningful, nice, and people could relate to. I did my second idea first, cause I thought it might take two nights, but I knocked it out.  Just this summer I was blessed to go to NYC for the first time in my life.  It was an absolutely incredible weekend!  Walked everywhere, got caught in the rain like a movie, Bryant Park, Central Park, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Times Square, Dylan's Candy Bar, and saw Jamie Cullum at Carnegie Hall!  And that's not even why the trip was so incredible!  So somehow when I was thinking of what to do, the trip and this idea just jumped into my mind, and sums up a lot. Hit the jump for the finished product. (more suspense)

discovery

When you are looking for something you need after moving you inevitably come across things that stop you right in your tracks. I think everyone has been there during some move. You totally forget about that... what was it... oh yeah, the knife you wanted so bad to carve pumpkins and what you came across takes you to the place, the time, the sight, the sound, the smell, the feeling, etc, etc, etc... Many times a laugh is shared over its discovery, or a smile, a kiss, or maybe some tears, and you take that discovery and hang it up or put it on the shelf as a constant reminder, its part of making a new place familiar.  Rarely though, between moving and rediscovering these treasures, something has drastically changed in a way you never wanted or imagined.  So the question is... What do you do when you find it in every container, in every room of the house, and on all that you posses?

doorknobs

The quickest way to spruce up an interior is with some new hardware.  After some fresh painting on the doors, they shed their brass knobbed glory and picked up some new brushed silver lever handles. I would have liked to got some sleeker ones, but for now the budget conscious ones will have to do. Besides, these doors may not exist some day, or I'll be moved on before I get to that point. Some matching hinges were also applied to complete the hardware transformation on the interior doors. This gives the old a little flavor of the modern.  Finally!  Uncle Jonathan's corn cob pipe!  Hit the jump for more!

unrelated break

Well I must admit I have been slacking on the house work for sure.  But I had good reason to tonight.  I was blessed with the opportunity to go to the Cavaliers home opener!  You might have been watching it on TNT.  You might have saw me, I know I was on camera twice. Once walking in, they were filming people coming through the turnstiles, and of course I walk right past the camera, head shot.  Then during the game I was in the background of one of the shots when they were interviewing a fan for a contest, you could see it on the jumbo screen.  Pretty funny.  But anyway, I was really blessed with getting to take it all in from a suite with a great view and great food!  Thanks to my boss for giving me the chance to go, and thanks to the outside company that gave the invite!  I took some pics with the phone for posterity.  The Cavs should be pretty awesome this year, they jumped way ahead early but ended up losing, no worries, plenty of games left, you can't win them all. Totally unbelievable seeing Shaq in a Cavs uniform. What an awesome time!  Being in a suite is a blast, I remember an awesome night there for a Coldplay concert a couple years ago.

More pics after the jump, including Shaq's first tipoff at home!  (I just figured out how to make the jump so I thought I would test it out)

basement teaser

From walking around the house and looking at my posts I think I've contracted ADD. Anyway, so I changed my mind on the order of the basement.  Logic would approach from the top down, kind of like a two minute shower. I wouldn't put a garbage disposal in so I could wash my vegetables at the same time. But I digress, the basement floor was dusty and dirty, so after cleaning the best I could, I decided to go ahead and start painting it. This works well cause now I can stage some other stuff down there and also stop tracking dust and dirt up and down the stairs.  This is a little teaser of it, you can see the fresh grey paint sheen. The finished product will be up soon hopefully.  I guess I'll have to wait until it dries to get that paint can.  Don't worry, I didn't get painted into the corner, I was able to get out to post it. Don't be afraid to click on the pics I take, they open into a larger version so you can see them better, I like taking the photos, so I extend to you some higher res enjoyment!

preparations

So when you own a house in a kid friendly neighborhood trick or treat time brings all the kids out.  I heard from one of the neighbors that there usually is a lot of traffic, so I thought I better get prepared.  Hopefully there is enough candy.  Pumpkin carving will have to commence as soon as possible, check back for the glowing results.  And yes, those are eco orange bulbs, leave it to me to find those.  Come by for plenty of chocolate and peanut butter!