around the house

a.w. anonymous

Posted on March 5, 2016 by robynbird

My name is Robynbird and I’m an appliance whore.
Hi, Robynbird.

I absolutely adore appliances. They’re my most gasm-inducing items. I don’t know what that’s actually about, but I like it.
Something about having the proper tools to do the best possible job just makes me downright giddy. A mechanic needs the best tools to fix vehicles. A plumber to…plumb? A carpenter needs the proper tools to build. I need the proper tools to prepare delicious meals, and my most favorite of all household jobs, laundry.

When my house in SC was built and all the appliances came in, I cried tears of joy. I literally hugged my fridge every single day. I sat on a stool in the laundry room and watched the washer and dryer run for the first load in each machine. I promise I’m not making this up.
Yes, I have a problem.
Yes, I’m seeking help. (Not really.)

Appliances is my go-to department when YBW wants to go shopping and get his electronic geek on. He geeks out on computers and gaming. I geek out in appliances.
It’s just such bliss!
The folks at Best Buy and HH Gregg always look so disappointed when he comes to “pick me up” in the appliance department and we leave. It’s not like I engage them or anything…they just see a woman looking then a man shows up and they assume. (Sorry, y’all. That’s just not how we roll.)

All the appliances in this home are from when it was built seventeen years ago…this means I’m not working with proper tools. That’s OK though, we’re aware and have kitchen “remodel” plans in the works. (If we hadn’t finished the basement for ‘someone’ to not live there, I’d already have new appliances. But I’m not bitter…I’m actually not really, but it amuses me to say it.)
The washing machine has decided to give up the ghost…Little D’s dad says it sounds like a drive-by. (He ain’t lyin’.) It’s an old top load machine and the belt that drives the spin slips. It also screeches like a banshee. (Warning us of it’s impending death.)
YBW took it apart to see if it could be easily sorted…then came the question. Do you replace the belt on a seventeen year old machine?
This little red haired girl votes: HELL no!
Her blue eyed husband voted the same way.

You know what that means!?!
NEW APPLIANCES!! (Er…sorry. Had a little gasm there.)

I chose replacements.
This wasn’t hard, I’ve been doing research for a while in anticipation of this moment.
I found exactly what I wanted at the best price (LG steam washer and dryer)…the problem is the price wasn’t exactly what YBW wanted. So I went with my second choice machines (LG no steam).
BUT I found exactly what I wanted (the pricier set) in a different brand for only $30 more (than my second choice). YBW was intrigued.
Thank you, Sears for still being kinda awesome in this crazy day and age.
I chose this Kenmore set:

That is actually made by LG. (Boom!)

It’ll be delivered Tuesday.
I seriously cannot wait to do laundry in these new machines!
(Yes, there was clapping and the teeniest squeal!)

Categories: around the house, me | Tags: appliance whore, appliances, dryer, geeking out, kenmore, LG, sears, washer, washing machine, YBW | Leave a comment

new blue loo

Posted on February 5, 2016 by robynbird

I needed a project. A little something I could do around the house to make me feel useful. I chose the main floor powder room because I could knock out in one day.
Tuesday I went on an inspiration trip, and found just what I was looking for at Home Goods.

I fell in love with the deep purpley-blue color in the mosaic and knew that would be the wall color. I walked into Lowe’s with the soap dispenser and sorted that pretty easily. This was the first paint chip I pulled.

It was a bit strange for me as it was the first time I made the decision to change something in this house without running it by YBW. Perhaps I finally feel at home here?
Wednesday morning I got up early and gathered my tools. After removing the mirror and other hardware, I took down a small cabinet and patched the holes. I ate a quick breakfast while waiting for the putty to dry then went to work.

Before:

After:

YBW and I chose a few architectural photos to hang on the wall. (He didn’t know what they were for when I presented them to him.) I actually took both of these with my phone. The first is Loudoun Street in Old Town Winchester. The second is the abandoned Harrison Point Lighthouse in Barbados.
They’ve been printed but not yet picked up and I don’t yet have frames, but here’s a sample:

All in all, I feel exceptionally good about the work I did. I like to feel useful. I like to feel creative.

Categories: around the house | Tags: aqua, architectural photos, around the house, Barbados, bathroom, blue, creative, fun, gray, handy, harrison point lighthouse, hausfrau, home goods, home improvement, loo, lowe's, mosaic, old town winchester, paint, photos, powder room, precious sapphire, project, Target, useful, valspar colors, valspar paint | 4 Comments

early morning trains

Posted on December 12, 2015 by robynbird

This is what we do at my house before 6:30 on a Saturday morning. It’s been fourteen years since I had a four year old in my home.
I forgot how early they wake up!

My sweetie, little D needed someone to look after him while his daddy went to a holiday party last night. So I picked him up at school yesterday (after spending an hour visiting former colleagues and students) brought him home where he and Thing G and I watched all the ponies episodes off the DVR then when Thing C came home we ate little D’s favorite dinner: “Apoachlay” (that would be Chipotle to you and me). We played a little while then he went to bed.
Sweet dreams, little D.

This morning at 5:30 my bedroom door opens and little D comes across the room he says: Hi Robynbird! Hi YBW!
Then he climbs in bed for a snuggle and the first thing he says is: You hot Robynbird. (My skin was warm from being under the blankies and his feet were COLD!) He accidentally kicked the blankets on the other side of him and said: Oh! I sorry, YBW.
I told him YBW wasn’t in bed, he was downstairs on his computer.
He said: We go see him.
I said: Not yet, let’s snuggle for a minute.
A minute was not a lie…we were up and he was raring to go. (But he had to be quiet because Thing C and Thing G were still sleeping.)

So trains it was.
YBW and I built the track and little D drove the train all around.
Then he ate two huge bowls of cereal then got dressed. It wasn’t much longer before he got picked up to go to swim lessons.
Did I go back to bed?
Nope.
Why not? You ask.
Because I’m an idiot.

Categories: around the house, love | Tags: babysitting, Brio, Chipotle, early morning, four year old, fun, hugs, love, My Little Pony, snuggles, trains, wooden trains | Leave a comment

outdoor living space

Posted on April 20, 2015 by robynbird

I ordered furniture for the porch from Overstock.com. I was really surprised at how quickly it shipped! I ordered it Sunday last week and YBW told me it was in the driveway when he got home Friday afternoon!
I was one smiley Robynbird!
We put it together early Saturday morning. The sun was hot, but we were undaunted. Everything was wrapped in the teeniest bubble wrap I’ve ever seen. No matter how you touched it, it would pop. (I gotta admit that was kind of cool. I love bubble wrap!)

The pile of cushions amused me so much more than it probably should have.
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Here is is all finished! We sat out here together Sunday morning, reading the Post. YBW with his coffee, me with my Diet DP. It was a bit breezy, we needed sweatshirts over our jammies, but it was absolutely beautiful!

I also ordered a fountain to replace the one that sprung a leak that just can’t be fixed. I’m sad because it was a mother’s day gift from Thing 1 and Thing 2 when they were little. But, I’ve had ten years and have loved every moment of it.
This one makes beautiful sounds and we added river rocks to the base level to cover the drain screen. Makes even better water sounds now!

We ordered an umbrella yesterday and we’re still looking for an outdoor dining set. YBW expressed his pleasure at me putting in the time and effort to make the deck inviting. He’s lived in this house for fifteen years and has never really used it to it’s advantage. I’m happy to help make that a reality. It’s big enough to be it’s own outdoor room and I intend to use it as such. Bring on the gorgeous weather! You’ll find me out on the deck!

Categories: around the house, me | Tags: bubble wrap, coffee, creating a home, deck, deck furniture, early morning, fountain, fun, home, love, outdoor living room, porch, spring, The Washington Post, warm weather, YBW | Leave a comment

digging out

Posted on March 5, 2015 by robynbird

Snow day at home with YBW and Things C and G.
YBW and Thing G are playing games on their computers. Thing C watching Clone High on his laptop. I’m finally reorganizing my “office space” from the chaos when my dad died. (Yeah, it’s been ten months but who’s counting?)
Sunday I redistributed all the books between the old and new bookshelf.

Today I’m tackling the desk tables. They’re a hot, hot mess. I honestly haven’t had it in me to do anything but stack more stuff on the piles of stuff. All the papers needed in dealing with my dad’s estate were in a special basket. Anything else just got crammed on one of the tables.

I have put it off and put it off. I’ve stood here in tears ready to just light a match. I’ve stood here braced and ready only to take one look, shrug, and walk away.
Today is the day.
The day I dig out of the hole I’ve been in.
Wish me bon courage.

Categories: around the house, me | Tags: bon courage, bookshelf, digging out, organization, snow day, YBW | 4 Comments

Y’all come now, ya hear?

Posted on January 1, 2015 by robynbird

The room that was originally built as an eclectic teen space for Thing 2 has been re-imagined into a serene retreat. A place I will occasionally visit when I need to “go away for the weekend” but not really leave home. My friend and mentor has claimed it as her own, much to by YBW’s and my delight. Now to get her here from Charleston…
I’m pleased with the way it turned out and look forward to folks I love coming to lay their head and stay with us a while.

The en suite bathroom has yet to be painted, though I’ve finally settled on a color choice. The enormous closet is filled with boxes and boxes line the wall. Boxes of my family things that came home to me from Richmond and the with holidays I haven’t made time to unpack and sort.
I’ll get around to that pretty quickly. I’m itching to see what’s in those boxes and ready for the mini project of painting that bathroom.