The end of September typically marks that magical time of year when Chad and I find ourselves with some mad-money. Last year, we spent all of the moola on house projects and our big housewarming party. This year, we intend to make a big dent in the budget with more house projects and a couple of fun field trips. I've been researching projects, scheduling meetings, budgeting and generally organizing. Like Elvis (Presley, not Costello) was fond of saying, "taking care of business, Baby, TCB." My husband ,Chad, kind of looks like young, hot Elvis. Chad also does the lip-grab gesture that Elvis is doing in this photo. Uncanny.
Anyway, my to-do list continues to grow. Here's a sample of what I've been working on:
• Hired electrician to install three outdoor power outlets. Paul Moreno from Fox Services did a great job and completed the work in one day!
• Took a trip to Lowe's to research and price supplies for outdoor lighting for the front of our house and had aforementioned electrical prep work done.
• Talked to a helpful Lowe's employee about having one new exterior door and four new interior doors installed.
• Scheduled and met with the "door project" contractor.
• Priced and chose all door hardware.
• Found a local shop that will make a new framed mirror for the bathroom.
• Discussed where we want more trees planted in the back yard and chose a nursery to plant the baby trees.
• Reserved ski boat and driver for a fun lake day! Wooo-hooo! Pray that I don't break a leg while trying to remember how to slalom. Should be like riding a bike, right? You never forget how to do it?
• Begged out of working on New Year's Eve this year. After acting in Murder Mystery Player shows or dealing black-jack for charity events for the past eight years at other people's New Year's Eve festivities, I'm ready to just attend a party this year.
• Cursed Evite.com for being down over the past two days as I try to plan a little shindig. Stupid Evite! It's almost frustrating enough to make me print paper invitations...
Chad has been busily (obsessively) researching his new flat screen TV purchase. Presently we're still kickin' it old school with a boxy TV. Of course, getting the High Definition flat screen TV means that we have to get a new DVD player, replace a few beloved movies that we had on VHS tape with DVDs, sign up for High Definition cable and figure out how to wall mount the new TV.
I'm so thankful to have a generous husband who works very hard to give us a nice house and a comfortable lifestyle. However, there are certain moments when I pine for the simpler, less materialistic days as the renter of a 650 square-foot apartment that had all bills paid and no storage space for extraneous possessions. In the future, if you hear me talking about wanting a bigger house or more materialistic stuff, please thrust a well-worn copy of Henry David Thoreau's Walden into my greedy, well-manicured hands. Then hope that I don't smack you on the forehead with the book. Make sure it's a paperback copy.
