Clean Windows

What a differnce clean windows & no valances makes in a room. I tried to lighten the first picture up, so that the items around the window could be seen in something other than shadow, but for some reason my blog won't post modified pictures, so this is what I get to show off.

Anyway, so much for NOT doing anything but be lazy yesterday. DH got in a cleaning mood, which doesn't happen often, but he's scary when he gets going. Anyway, he first decided to vacuum, then decided to move the furniture & vacuum, then decided to move ALL the furniture, take down the window valances, clean the windows, and vacuum. Then he decided that the living room wasn't enough, the computer room had to be done as well. Suffice it to say, spring cleaning was done yesterday. Kinda late in the season, I know, but as Alaskans we've got to wait till any mud & moisture on the lawn is dried enough to move things outside while we clean. Kinda makes for an early-summer cleaning instead of a "spring cleaning". So, back to the story. I'd been bugging DH to let me replace those nasty, heavy, dark gray & brown & black valances (came with the house, it's a modular & the stylists for modular homes have SUCKY interior decorating sense) that we've had for the 6 years we've lived here. He finally agreed a couple of weeks ago to let me make some curtains, but even so he's been hemming & hawing about my doing it, insisting he didn't see what my issue was with those valances. (I'm sorry now I didn't get a picture of them before we tossed them). Well, as he was tipping them up yesterday to bare the windows, all sorts of dust & sand from living on a dirt road for 5 years came tumbling out, and as they were tucked up he realized HOW MUCH more sunlight comes into the room without those heavy, dark things. So he took them off and said how much better it looks without curtains at all. I told him, though, that my plan is to get white eyelet fabric and make just two long simple panels (won't even have to hem the selvedges, just the top & bottom) for those windows. They'll let in plenty of sunshine still, but will be a bit of privacy as well. He said he thinks that'll be ok, esp. when I commented on how I've always wanted a little cottage with white curtains blowing in the windows. *grin* So he said that on my next paycheck I should run over to Joann's, pick up the fabric, and while I'm out of work recovering from my surgery I can sew them up. LOL Like it'll take me that long..... Silly man. So 4 yards of white eyelet, and 2 decorative drawer pulls, it is (for the curtain tiebacks on the sides).

So, the living room got an overhaul. We got rid of the dog kennel. We're going to try letting Jenny stay loose in the house during the day while we're at work. I'm kinda nervous, but DH didn't throw the kennel away yet, just stashed it in the shed in the back yard for now. Just in case. Ohhhh, I love the look of those windows without the valances.

The computer room (which is still cluttered, so I'm not showing it off) got a going over, as well. DH cleared out all the clutter & went through our storage chest (big rubbermade "toychest" kind) and closet, and tossed & weeded. He was kinda wishing we could have a garage sale & get rid of some of it that way, but realized that we don't have enough junk to have a garage sale. I've been pretty ruthless about going through our items on a regular basis (about once a year) and weeding outgrown clothes, unused toys & books (ok, not so good on the books), knick-knacks that aren't appreciated, etc, and sending them to Salvation Army, or having him take them to the spot at the dump where good quality, but unwanted goods are left, free for the taking. And freecycle is also fabulous for that. Anyway, not enough junk for a garage sale. Not entirely a bad thing, I think. But I suggested that he go ahead and hang all his racing & sports memorabilia (huge Earnhardt Jr., Packers, and Red Wings fan) in the computer room. So it's mostly decorated in his stuff now, with an Earnhardt Jr. throw tacked up on the wall, surrounded by his collectors cars (matchbox style, but collectors editions of cars driven by his favorite nascar drivers), with his "Nascar Racing Fans Parking Only" and "Packer Fan Parking Only" signs hanging on another wall, a third contains a poster of several drivers that I found for him, the fourth has a pic. of Earnhardt Sr., a Jr. callander, and his Nascar Cup Series clock. So, he was rather thrilled that I suggested turning the computer room into his sports memorabilia room, and even suggested hanging shelves for his books on Brett Favre, Earnhardt & Nascar Drivers, and his larger size model cars. LOL Tay was even insisting that he REALLY must get some Red Wings memorabilia in here, as well. He doesn't have any Red Wings "art" to hang on the walls, yet. He finally gets his own sporty space, and he's much happier, now to let me do what I want with the rest of the house. He was actually talking about painting the kitchen and the master bedroom, as well as my living room curtains.

By the time we finally got things put back together, and had dinner last night, it was about 10 (well, we took a break at 8 for dinner, then had to finish cleaning up our "mess"). We sat down and watched "The Sandlot 2", which was pretty darn cute. I remember loving "The Sandlot" as a girl, and I think "The Sandlot 2" was almost as cute as the first one. Finally finished that and got Tay to bed at about 12:30 (it's memorial day weekend, she can afford to stay up a bit late), and Scott headed to the dump with all our trash & cast-offs. Then we headed to bed, finally. What a day.

On a side note, I never did get my sourdough fry bread made yesterday. But I must have some pretty kick-ass sourdough, because I added a half-cup flour & a half-cup water yesterday morning, and last night while watching the movie, it overflowed twice (I've only got about 2 cups of the stuff in a huge pickle jar), and a third time after I'd gone to bed. Fortunately, after cleaning up the first two messes, I wizened up and put a plate under the jar, and covered it with a clean towel. So all I've got to do now is clean off the sides of the jar, and put the plate in the dishwasher. LOL No more cleaning off the stove. I'm not going to get a chance to do anything with the sourdough today either. Gotta head over to my dad's for lunch here in a couple of minutes. The Tay's got her first summer hockey practice this evening. Then back to Dad's to drop her off, as she and Dad are going on the Alaska Railroad to Denali Park for a 2 day trip. They leave at 8 am tomorrow (Monday) morning, and they'll be back sometime Tuesday afternoon. This is the second year for Tay, and the third year for Dad, and they both really enjoy trains & the ride, and the chance to spend some time together. And Scott & I sure can't say we don't like the chance for an evening to ourselves, either. LOL So maybe tomorrow I'll get to do something with my sourdough. LOL

Have a Blessed Day!