Saturday, January 16, 2010

First post of 2010

This is my first post of 2010, and part of that is because my blog is messing with me! All of a sudden one day my words started turning into hindu looking words, and it doesn't matter if I'm in compose or edit html, one way or another it's messing with me. If anyone has an idea why it's doing that, please let me know. So far so good on this my hundreth try, but we'll see if I make it all the way to the end before it turns into hindu again. (UPDATE: Problem solved...somehow I had enabled the English to Hindu setting under Global Settings. I don't even remember being on settings since I set up almost a year ago, so I must have been in a black-out!)

One of the things I've been doing the last two weeks is clean out my pantry/storage/laundry room (though room is a misnomer, because it's actually a closet). If you read my last post you know that it was one of my 'wants' for 2010 because it had gotten out of control. Some of you will think that my 'before' looks better than your's does on a good day, but the problem is that it's so small that even a can out of place leads to frustration, especially when paints and pesticides and crackers and cereal are in the same small room, along with a washer and dryer! Basically, the room is three doors wide. Anyway, here's the before and after:





Ok, so now that I have the photos here I can see that the 'before' doesn't look all that bad on first glance, but I took it long before the area was at it's worst. The dryer on the left and the washer on the right were piled high with 'stuff', like a basket of dog grooming supplies, plastic containers of misplaced household items, etc. They all had a 'place', but getting them to their place was hindered by...all the other stuff that wasn't in it's place.

Remember my post about demented mawmaw, when I had a temper tantrum in response to Garrett's temper tantrum, and smashed his just purchased gun with a hammer? Well, I threw most of the pieces into a recycle bag, but put these smaller ones into a zip lock bag and stored it in the laundry room...as a reminder of my flash temper and the need to get it under control. I have thought of that moment so many times, usually when we're in the midst of another drama, and it's not one of my prouder moments. Though I still think he deserved it! And it did serve it's purpose in some ways, because to this day I can say "do I need to mention the hammer incident?", and he knows exactly what I'm talking about!



You may have heard that we had a snow event a couple of weeks ago, and frigid temps in the 20s. The snow was a whisper, but the temps kept us all in the house for a couple of weeks, including the dogs. You've heard about a dog's life...here's a perfect example of it:







And here's our snow event (please don't laugh too hard):
(Eva Jean thinks I'm taking another picture of her!)

Conner rolled up a snowball about the size of a marble, but it was big enough to pretend to throw at me!


You can't tell from this photo, but the pond at the phone company is frozen.

And even with the frigid temps, mother nature graced us with a perfect sunset:


I hope your first few weeks of the new year are going well.

15 comments:

Lorna said...

Okay, first off? I laughed so hard at your hindu spewing computer conspiracy -- tho wish I had a solution. Your laundry room after is gorgeous! LOVE the organization. My favorite pic is poochy on the porch looking up at you, in the snow, asking "Well? Where's the rest of it?" so pretty, like a dusting of powdered sugar making everything white. Hope the hindu doesn't come back...

Anonymous said...

I'm going to have a TON of "before" photo opportunities when I get home. Just looking at your before, versus after, wore me out. IF ONLY THEY WOULD STAY LIKE THAT.

I wonder what a professional cleaning crew would charge just to get the toilet cleaned for me before we get home. arghhhh

Bernie said...

Great job on your laundy/pantry room....looks so well organized.
I have no idea why blogger is turning your words to Hindu, is it just when you are posting or does it happen when you are typing anything on your computer.....I hope someone has an answer for you.
I did chuckle at "all" your snow but the cold can be horrible as well, in fact I don't mind the snow but I do mind the frigid temperatures. We have warmed up here for a few days and I am loving it.
Loved your photos, your dog does has a wonderful life.....
Have a great day and so glad you are back as I have missed you very much.......:-) Hugs

Rosaria Williams said...

I see the dogs don't mind the freezing weather as long as they get uninterrupted sleep.

I'm still waiting for motivation to get my closets cleaned up.

Jeanie said...

It looks like you have been very, apart from trying to blog in a foreign language. I had HTML issues at the end of last year and it drove me crazy trying to figure out how to fix it....I finally got someone else to do it. The dogs look like the are loving the cold weather. Eva Jean looks especially comfortable on the bed. Your pictures are great...dogs, Conner in the snow, and the sunset. I wish I could help you with a solution to your blog problem.

Jeanie said...

Oops, that is very busy.

Ginger said...

Hi Lin..just got back home yesterday afternoon and catching up on some blog reading. I need to post, but I am getting so lazy and posting the pictures takes forever on my slow dial up. I hope you get your hindu problem straightened out. Not fun when you are fighting with the blog.
I straighted up my laundry room and pantry before Christmas and it's already getting messed up again. Yours turned out nice.
I remember the demented gramma post. Had to laugh over it though, cause I've been there, done it.
Well, maybe not break a toy, but lose my cool.
The dogs look so comfortable.

Unknown said...

Better snow than rain. Every time my dog goes out (which is often), I have to wipe the mud off her feet when she comes back in. Even so, I still end up having to mop the floor every day.

The pantry/laundry room looks great! Although it reminds me I've had clothing, books and other miscellaneous items stacked up for donating for the last 6 months...

glnroz said...

Pantry looks great. Tantrum throwing is ok. but.. you aint gonna quit posting. lol.. Set up a new gmail account, set up a new blog, change name by adding a number after the ...wayside99" (example) and link the two together. Everyone will read, add to favorites and following and maybe you will be back in business. You can't just retire. Remember back when somebody got on my ass about stopping,, lol,,

Donna B. said...

Hey girl...do you use internet explorer? If so, that is the problem. Download Mozilla Firefox because it works so much better and you have less problems.

Congrats on the organization. I stopped mid-organizing due to my back. Now, here in CA, I just threw it out again...gotta go check out the weather for tomorrow when I leave.

ethelmaepotter! said...

Yeah, your snow event looks exactly like ours - what a disappointment!
Love the pic of Eva Jean stretched across the bed. I'm gonna be a dog in my next life. Or maybe a white persian pampered kitty, living in sime ritzy NYC penthouse, with market fresh seafood and my own personal pet psychiatrist.
Yeaaaaaahhhh.

ethelmaepotter! said...

I just want to add that I soooo very much appreciate the kind comments you always leave on my blog...especially on my latest post. It's painfully obvious that you understand all too well what I'm going through.
Pills in the pillowcase? Mine were there this weekend, but Fred forgot to hide his. I also slept with my wallet and checkbook under my head. And you are so right...not WHEN it will end, but HOW.
Thank you. Somehow, I feel as though we've known each other a very long time. Sisterhood of the traveling blogs?

glnroz said...

Ms. ...Wayside, please visit my front porch and pick up your reward. You have earned it..:)

Girl Tornado said...

I DO remember your hammer incident, I think that was around the time I first started following your blog, so I thought wow, this woman is out of control (just kidding!!) But when you said in this post all you have to do is mention the hammer incident to Garrett and you have his attention, I truly laughed out loud. THAT is funny.

No, your pantry didn't look too bad before you cleaned it up, but it does look better! Our washer and dryer are the same on our back porch - repositories for all sorts of stuff. But I don't let stuff sit there too long, because ultimately it annoys me and it's so cluttery looking. I guess flat surfaces just invite "schtuff".

LOVE the pic of Eva Jean on the bed, too funny! :-)

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Hi I came by you via Mary (Holy Mackerel) I thought this blog extremely uplifting to read. also the pictures were great.I will say I am greatly impressed.

Take care.
Yvonne.