New Patio

I love my new patio.  I have been swinging in my porch swing and watching my color changing solar lights until almost 1:00 A.M. every day.

My critters disappeared while the bulk of the work was being done outside, but they are starting to return now.  

The birds did not have the feeders for a couple of weeks, but we filled the feeders late last week and now the birds are back.  I got tickled at a finch last night that was sliding down a piece of wood in a bucket.  He took the trip several times.  It was a very rough piece of wood, so I hope he had a mate to pick out the splinters. 

Life Update

Since I am still pretty much still "unplugged" as the remodeling continues, I am going to just do a quick "Life Update" while I am on the computer tonight. 

• Medical tests are complete.  Two biopsies were taken during the endoscopy and two were taken during the colonoscopy.  No polyps were found.  Nothing looked cancerous.  The biopsies were for diagnosis purposes only.  The blood work came back normal.  I should hear about the biopsies soon.  Dr. put me on a couple of new medications to try to heal some raw spots in my esophagus and see if he can calm IBS symptoms.  Not a bad experience.  Even the prep wasn't too awful.  Two full days of a liquid diet sucked.  I am so fortunate to have such wonderful "girls."  Loni took me Friday morning and spent the day with me, and Mina came over and stayed with me while Loni drove the youngest to class.  I was well cared for.  
• Remodeling is going very well.  Painters started prepping today. We still have another room to do, but we will be painting it ourselves so it will be a little slower to get finished.
• I am really enjoying my new deck/patio (I really need to pick a name for that space).  I spent two hours out there tonight on the porch swing, in the dark, listening to the fountain splash.  Wish Raymond was here to enjoy the space with me. 
• The color of green that Loni and Mina's company used to paint a large portion of their work space is so ugly it could turn me against green forever if I had to work there, just taking the "family" tour was enough to make me question my choice. 
• Someone really screwed up when they chose the graphics of the frosted windows in the renovation of the building where Loni and Mina work.  One window graphic says something along the line of "Make the Right Choice" and the right choice for the graphic would be a condom. The graphic is supposed to be a gavel.
• I hope the Sherwin Williams "Lemon Chiffon" will be the right color for the bookcase and mantel. It was the closest I could find to the picture in my mind.

Medical Tests

Several months ago I made a bet that if Loni and Mina somehow made my youngest get his driver's license, I would get a colonoscopy.  He got his license almost immediately, but I just had my appointment for my colonoscopy Tues. 

The doctor is the same one that did my BFF's several weeks ago, and seems very nice.  Unfortunately, due to family history, I will be getting an endoscopy and a colonoscopy tomorrow.

The prep is going okay, but the clear liquid diet sucks.  Everything is either too sweet or too salty.  I'm very thirsty, but nothing seems to help.  

I can't wait until this whole this is over. 

Still Remodeling

The remodeling project is still going on.  Everything looks great and John is really a good guy.  He had some other jobs pending so I told him to go work on those for a couple of days and then come back here since I am not in a big hurry. 

The current plan is to finish out the trimming and the bookcase this weekend so they can start painting next week.  The problem today is that the paint I picked for the mantel and bookcase was either mixed wrong or is nothing like the sample card.  We are going to try another coat, and if it is not better...back for another sample.

I miss quilting, but I am doing okay without the television and computer most of the time.

The new patio/deck is very nice and I have already spent many hours out there enjoying my swing, fountain, and the stars.

No Computer/No TV

I have not had a television to watch or a computer of my own since we started the remodeling.  My laptop stopped working just a couple of days after the remodeling started.  I am using my youngest's computer right now as the boys are out at some card tournament.

Not sure how much I miss the television since my shows are not on, but I do miss not being able to watch my new dvds.  

Can't say I miss the computer much since I am on it eight hours a day at work.  

I have been doing a lot more reading and listening to music.  

The downside is I really have no idea of what is going on in the world.  I don't have time to browse websites at work and I no longer get a newspaper.  

It may be another couple of weeks before the living room is set up again, and then we will probably start tearing out the fireplace in the playroom, so who knows what will happen then.  

It will probably be a long time before I can afford a laptop since I am trying to finish as much remodeling as I can, but at least my desktop will be set up again and I won't have to wait for a break in game play to borrow a computer.