July | 2013 | designnarrative

Archive for July, 2013

sewer pipes, y chromosomes, and blackberry cobbler

Posted in Ect., Foodie Goodness on July 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(a few examples of one of my favorite y chromosome baring souls)

we were informed that it would be ill-advised to use our plumbing for only the first five hours of the day due to pipe replacement being done by the city

alrighty then, we headed out for breakfast, shopping, and a movie

and we come home to um, well complications from said pipe replacement…
so I follow the instructions left by contractors

and when that doesn’t work, I flag down a worker…
who quickly dismisses me and lets me know that I am probably unaware of additional drains in my basement (NEGATIVE, dude) and perhaps I didn’t properly flush (WHAT is wrong with this guy!)

I hate to be underestimated and especially by a chauvinist with a mullet, knee-deep in waste

one glass of wine and a call to a supervisor and problem solved:
no Y chromosome needed!

a cobbler with Greenback blackberries helped make the day right again

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Happy Birthday House!

Posted in diy, Ect. on July 22, 2013| 1 Comment »

we just celebrated year three in our current home

in her honor we gave the entry way, stairs, and landing a fresh coat of paint, new rug, and light fixture

the front door got a new glossy black face lift as well

so here’s the tally for our misadventures in home improvement in year three:

new paint and updates in three bedrooms (fourth bedroom still in dire need of some love)

three baths with new floors, paint, fixtures, ect.

new paint in dining room (horrible carpet remains but will be eliminated soon!)

chevron bookshelves in living room

craft/wet bar demo and laundry room expansion (my all time fav)

landscaping and tree house out back

new kitchen paint and better but still not great counter top refresher

we fall a bit more in love with this home with every change
it’s quirky and imperfect and the right fit for us
I’m excited to see what changes year four has in store

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civility, painting, and identity

Posted in Ect. on July 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(here is a totally unrelated pic of my mint simple syrup, equally fabulous in tea or mojitos)

I recently finished the Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I have to say it’s a quintessential summer read- thanks for the recommendation Jey! It has rich characterisation, several plot twists, and the overall theme of how we reinvent ourselves and at what cost that reinvention comes.

My 83-year-old grandfather just walked the aisle and said, “I do” for the fifth time. I wish the tough old bird and his new bride the best. Reinvention strikes again.

As I was painting my foyer and stairwell today, I thought much about identity and how we define ourselves. I couldn’t help but play a bit of what if:

what if I was a librarian with a goth look and a granny chic dress, sporting a Hello Kitty tatoo and a chip on my shoulder….

what if I was in academia and plagued by large stretches of monotony followed by political subterfuge and betrayal….

and that was when I determined I like my suburban life with my two kids, the hubs, and my school pycho, tatoo free life, no reinvention required. Thank you Benjamin Moore and Amor Towels.

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