Want To Check Out My House?

Here's pictures.

The Secret To Stripping Wallpaper And Other Tedious Household Work...

Is listening to The Savage Love Podcast.

Seriously, there's something about listening to the sturm and drang of other people's freaky sex lives and personal problems that makes the tedium of household fixing go faster.

I'm Pretty Sure I'll Never Own Another House

But if I take the plunge, especially out here, I will want an outdoor shower.

For a bit in the late 80's-early 90's, my parents owned a vacation home at the NC Outer Banks. This was a miserable experience except for the fact we had an outdoor shower. No, not the ocean access steps away, crabbing, bewitching views of dolphin pods. Owning a vacation home is a particular kind of self-deprivation--everything is much nicer than what you have at home, and has to be kept so, requires a lot of worry, and is done for people you will never meet. Screw that, in my opinion.

But you cannot imagine the sensual delight of an outdoor shower unless you've experienced it: the naughtiness of being nakey outside, the juxtaposition of hot water and cold air (or hot air and cold water) and fresh air.

And environmentally conscious too!

Just Wait A Second While I Spackle That Dent From Hitting The Wall With My Head

So, if a neutral decor is so important for resale, why buy property in the first place? Wasn't one of the reasons/pleasures of owning your own place supposed if you wanted an orange room, you could go ahead and do it? Those home shows on cable, they are all about the splashy decor and color.

Personally, agonizing over nine shades of white makes me want to slap people. Yet I can do it just as well as anyone!

Having just neutraled up Shambles House a bit for sale (pictures to follow), I'm of mixed thoughts on this. I'm someone who just lives with decor--it's one of the reasons why I'm a lousy homeowner. So I kinda like the neutral look, bit on the other hand I have a strong Slovak side that likes some SW Lime Rickey and other bright colors. There's a sizable contingent of buyers who immediately seek to change their surroundings and put a stamp on their new home, so neutralizing is sort of useless, no?

Product Recommendations: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

If you have mildewed grout, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for Kitchen and Bath does an AWESOME job cleaning that up. Except since it's infused with some sort of Febreeze citrus scent, it smells like you have 9,000 baby asprin in your bathroom.

Freecycle: Pledge

So I cleaned out the metal cabinet where I kept the cleaning supplies. I had 3 cans of Pledge in there. Why do I have Pledge? I was not raised to use Pledge. Hell, I'm so shanty I wasn't even raised to use soap to wash the floor (no kidding!) To Freecycle it goes.

Snow Photos, Part 2

Lots of Snow

More photos later.

I will say, I think this snowstorm was it for me.

Clocky Lives!

Last year I heard about this fabulous prototype alarm clock coming out of MIT called Clocky. An alarm clock on wheels that moves around beeping, annoying you to the point you have to rise, chase it, and turn it off? Put me on the list to purchase! I have sleeping/rising issues--I've gotten to the point where putting the alarm clock in the kitchen so I have to walk downstairs to turn it off is the most viable option to get me to wake up.

I am pleased to let you know Clocky is now on the market.

Okay, and I also want to see if the cats adopt it and treat it like a kitten. Will they groom Clocky? Will they play with it? Will they figure out how to turn it off? Because I can't use them as an alarm clock anymore--they've decided morning is sleepy warm time. Cain lays on my chest to trap me so Sidecar feels safe enough to lay beside me. Mencken contemplates making coffee, but eventually decides I am not worthy of such courtesies.