White paper dust jackets, now that would make reading selection interesting...

Now, Jim's two week vacation with all expenses paid, would that happen to be a WORKING vacation, by any chance? I suppose that Mrs. Jim could enjoy it.

The hard thing about the moratorium is that DH is deadly serious. I am going to have to paint the halls when he is off to a gig some night. He now plays with one 18 piece Big Band, led by the Motown trumpeter, John Trudell, and with a wedding band. He does church gigs for some churches on special occasions when they hire a brass section. Then there are traveling shows that hire locally. He did a gig at the big outdoor concert venue for our area with an orchestral Led Zeppelin show earlier this summer. His first real Rock and Roll gig, I think. He usually does R&B, Jazz, and old standards - like backing up the Sinatra stylist who does a show here every year. In his 20's he traveled the US, Europe, and Japan with the Glen Miller Orchestra. He can't wait to get his music room done so he can start composing again. He has a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Music Performance. Of course, he earns his actual pay at a day job. Computers.

ML. I got a good guffaw myself, reading you last post!

I had to hire movers to come empty the book shelf materials out of the pod in the driveway today. My hands are shot. I can't hold or lift much of anything today, and the shooting pains are traveling up my forearms. All I did was spend a few hours yesterday with mineral spirits and steel wool on one side of one of the two french doors. I hate the muddy-looking finish on them and wanted to clean them up. Turns out the muddy stain came off with only the fake mineral spirits from Lowes and steel wool. I have a clear oil-based stain that matches well, so I decided I had to quit and just do that one side. Then one of the movers said that he is a good painter, so I planned to hire him to do all that painting of the bookshelf components, but he hasn't yet called with a bid. I hope he does call, otherwise the painting will not get done. Too much to do! He also proposed sanding the french doors down for me. I chose steel wool so the vibrations of the sander would not result in carpal tunnel. I am simply doomed to not use my hands for much of anything. Phoo!

Hi,
It has been a difficult week. I have a sinus infection and a migraine headache. My cheekbone feels like it is harboring little critters out of Alien that are trying to burst out to escape. Meanwhile, characters from Star Wars are using light sabers inside my eyeball. I feel the burning rays from the sabers cut through my eye every now and them. It is a stabbing, burning pain. Oh- and my hair above the sore parts of my skull hurts. My eyebrow is sometimes on fire. When I touch my skin above the migraine, I expect to find open, weeping sores - like in Dune. My head has turned into cliches from bad science fiction movies. The doc gave me two shots and two pills and I wait for improvement.

Meanwhile, Jim is here with Keith, his helper. They have dry-walled the opening between the foyer and living room so it is the same size as the french doors, installed the french doors, installed two windows (one in the laundry room) and met with me so that we are now on the same page about what trim I want on the bookshelf bases. He has oak trim left to stain and install around the french doors and the windows, plus oak baseboard molding for the living room.

And the bookshelves. No painting has taken place due to: 1. the painter guy working as a mover never got back to me,and 2. I have not been in a happy-go-lucky painting mood.
I now believe that I will have to hire a painter to come and paint them in place, after Jim builds them. It has taken an hour to type this between cat naps. Goodnight, all.

Nancy, for pete sake, cut back on the meds, you are going into orbit there, hon. Used to have sinus all the time, like everybody who lives in Mobile. But if those little green men can hold a paint brush, you'll get your shelves painted quickly.

Be careful of the mineral spirits and getting small scrapes on your hands. I became sensitized to the mineral spirits and wound up with really bad skin problems on my hands and feet. Now I wear gloves to paint and I also avoid any contact with chemical products....especially ChemPrime and mineral spirits and liquid insecticides or herbicides.

What you need is some good voice activated software on your computer. It is getting pretty good at voice recognition too. My new phone (got it yesterday) lets me speak names and numbers into it, and does not make me feel like an idiot because it even recognizes my southern accent. Now that is a smart phone for you.

To answer in this thread or give a remark here about your previous post. Gosh, I see why your DH needs a music room. It is not just a hobby room for him. He can commune with his muse in this space. So yes, make those shelves white. And find a plinth you can put the bust of Cecilia the music muse in Greek mythology on to inspire his composing efforts.

Hi ML, no worry about mineral spirits, I had on 3 pair of gloves! It didn't help, anyway, The blotchy look is still on the door.

This morning, after three days of burning pain, my forehead, eyebrow and lid broke out in blisters. Looks like shingles to me. I have a call out to the doc.

I do have shingles. When I called in to my boss, she was all upset that I came to work on Monday with it because it is so contagious. I checked with WebMD and learned it was not contagious until today, when the blisters and redness appeared. And I can't give anybody shingles, I can only give them chickenpox. And only if they did not already have it or were not vaccinated against chicken pox. My generation all had chickenpox!

So I am off work all next week, maybe longer. That is very nice news, except for the fact that I won't make any money. I have no benefits, no sick leave, nothing. That means that I cannot afford to hire someone to paint the bookshelves. I am hoping that I will be able to do it myself next week.

OMG, Nancy!!!
Could shingles be transmitted by the Internet?
Marti just got through with a similar outbreak on her face as well. I might have to get a plastic bag and read Smaller Homes with it over my face.....but I got a shingles shot last year ($180) which they won't give to anyone younger than 60. And if you've had shingles already, it won't do any good. Let's hope it works so I can keep reading this forum. sigh...

Wish I knew what sets off such attacks.

Nancy, I've been following your ordeal. ML, according to WebMD linked below, stress is one of the causes of shingles and Nancy you certainly have had your share of that! Your symptoms were right on spot.

Since most all of us probably had chicken pox as kids, I guess its time to think about getting the shot. I completely forgot about it - too much stress at home ;-/, I should look into it pronto.

In my next life, I want to be a big band singer.......

Here is a link that might be useful: Overview of Shingles

"I might have to get a plastic bag and read Smaller Homes with it over my face."

we could sell those online - lol! have hair preprinted on them. eye makeup, rouge on the cheek area..

i've heard shingles are painful. hope i never get it. tho, i've been under a lot of stress the last few wks also.

Oh Nancy, I wish I had been reading this thread. But that was a time when I was barely checking in here and trying to deal with everything going on with my life.

You have my utmost sympathy if you are even online now. Mine centered on my mouth and went up to my eye on the right side. Everything I read said that if you catch it within 3 days of the first symptom, the antiviral meds will stop it or make it less intense than it would have been.

I didn't have the horrific pain that others have talked about, but there was intense burning and that non-stop tingling like having an electrode attached to my face. The worst part for me was that it was on my lips and in my mouth. My lips, nose, cheek and one eyelid were swollen and had those big red bumps.

But, all that to say, I didn't start the meds until I broke out too because I didn't know what it was. I started the meds on Friday afternoon and it continued to get worse until Wednesday of the next week, but I could almost tell to the minute when the meds started winning the battle, and I looked fairly normal by Friday, more like I had been shot in the face with a load of buckshot, or as my mother put it, "been dove hunting with Dick Cheney". The nerves continued to be tender and tingle every so often, and sometimes it felt like a needle.

But then, last Thursday, I felt that buzzing, tingling on the other side of my face, and the tingling had intensified on the original side and I kind of freaked out. I couldn't find anything online about that being normal, so I went back to the dr. Friday and he said it wasn't normal and I was probably relapsing and adding the other side as well. That NEVER happens. It is usually just one side of the body at a time. Lucky me. So he started me back on another course of the antivirals, and it continued to get worse. I broke out on Saturday, but the bumps never broke open this time. Today they are very small, not very red, and very little tingling on the original side. Nothing at all on the other side.

So be aware that another surge of stress could bring it right back again, and if you have completed your meds, get started back immediately. It made a huge difference.

Marti,
First you pick the perfect counter for my kitchen, then you are my shingles pal. We gotta meet someday. I am so sorry that you had that relapse! Were you feeling particularly stressed out when the relapse hit? I understand the stress connection, I just question whether it is directly related time-wise to the breakout, or if the general stress level in our lives is just too high. To tell the truth, I don't know how I am going to lower the stress level until the living room project is done.

I love your mom's description, looks like I, "been dove hunting with Dick Cheney." It is a PERFECT line for a couple of people I know and I will borrow it if it okay with you.

I have been in the hospital since Friday. I could not hold down the water or plain rice DH gave me. I called the doc and she did a direct admit. I was just sleeping all day, waiting for the call. My hospital bed was ready around 2 pm. I got IV fluids and IV antivirals and IV anti-emetics with some IV pain meds. Friday and Saturday were pretty much a blur, but Sunday and Monday I have been functional. I go home today.

My shingles are in my right eye, on the eyelid, brow, forehead, and into my scalp around my temple. The pain continues to the back of my head, so I have to sit up for the pain to get better. That makes sleeping very interesting. The last two nights we figured out that I have to have the Zofran for my stomach because they hang the acyclovir at that time, a dose of opiates for the pain to put mt head down, and a Flexeril muscle relaxer, all at bedtime. I am out until morning on that combo.

I am on my way home in an hour or two, so we will see how it goes.

I talked with Jim this morning. He installed the oak baseboards and was ready to know if we decided to bring the telephone line to the far side of the door. I told him yes, so he will hide it in the french door woodwork. The TV cable line will remain behind the door, so we will have the internet hardware behind the french door side that opens and shuts. The other door opens too, but it is the one that gets the pin that goes up into the woodwork and holds it closed.

I also talked with Dion at the flooring store. He will have the lino install scheduled for next Wednesday. See - I can still GC from the hospital bedside. I can't see too well, though. I don't think I will be driving yet. My focus is funny.

I have shooting pains in my eye, neck and head, and my eyebrow is on fire, but that is all minor compared to the past few days.

ML, I think I can get my husband to write me a quick program to use an antiseptic spray on all of my posts and emails before sending them out. So this one will be contagious, but we will have that program up and running before I send out another. So Steph and Wanttoretire, and all my other Small Home friends watch out if you have not had the chicken pox and use some alcohol rub if you read this!

Steph, let me know how that plastic bag business goes! Don't forget to offer goth and vampire styles, the kids these days are all into weirdness (as were we, right, ML?). The ones whose parents were afraid to vaccinate are the ones I will likely infect, so the 20 and 30 somethings are your likely market.

Peace, baby.

OH Dang ladies and I thought I was miserable with my PsA. you two take care. My husband had Shingles and he was so miserable and looked so bad and painful.I hope both of you heal soon.

i'm hiding behind a box of saran wrap!!!

I hope I never get that stuff. don't remember having CP but remember my kids having it!

just what i'd need now with arm in sling.

Good Lord, so this is why the board has been so quiet~~ !!!
I have had the shingles shot for what it's worth, and I've had chicken pox as a child, never associated it with shingles. Marti, you hang in there kid.

hmmmmmm.

And Nancy is hanging on to her sense of humor, even on all those good drugs. I await the new program your hubby will write for us to stay safe from shingles, because I know it will have a good bit of classy music embedded in it. To relieve stress, of course.

Stress is a part of our lives these days, and I find that chatting here with you ladies, and gents, gives me a lift. Even if I see imaages in my minds eye of white gloves and saran wrap and camomile lotion all over the beejeez. Slather it on, grab a cup of tea or have it injected via a turkey basting bulb, and just remember this too shall pass.

"just remember this too shall pass"

i think that way too.

keep hoping that 1 will pass before the next 1 gets me tho...

Nancy, we definitely have to meet. I don't see how you are keeping a sense of humor with that level of pain. I was really lucky that I didn't have the intense pain or the nausea that others reported. Except for a few red spots on my face and the feeling that a gnat or 20 is crawling around on my face, I am fine now. I hope the meds work as fast on you as they did me. Once I could tell they had started working, I could see a lot of improvement every day. Feel free to take the Dick Cheney joke. Mom would love it.

We do have too much stress these days, and especially anyone going through a remodel, and double that for you with your foundation troubles.

Looking back, I could see a direct line to events and the shingles. My fil had a stroke, then he fell and fractured his back, the VA hospital put him on methadone for the pain, and he turned into a raving lunatic. Mil couldn't deal with him and wanted dh to spend the night at their apartment every night to get up with him all night. The VA had suggested a rehab center but fil didn't want to go so she had brought him home. Then she decided he should go, but she didn't want to make any decisions, she just wanted to stick her head in the sand and pull it out when it was all over. So I had to find a nursing home that would take him, and a lawyer to do what it takes for medicaid to pay for it.

Then fil got violent and took on 6 nurses. And won. Parkinsons, fractured back and all. Then they said he couldn't stay unless one of the sons stayed with him until the methadone wore off and maybe not even then. So I had to find a nursing home with a secure unit who would take him. None would if he was aggressive. I finally found a psychiatric hospital who would take him.

Then dd#2 got kicked out of her rent house because 2 of the roommates didn't pay their rent. Another didn't pay the gas bill and the meter was removed. We had to go get her stuff and move it back here. The living conditions were disgusting. I refused to bring her stuff even into the garage and we had to rent a storage unit and bug bombed it to oblivion.

Now dd is here and she has some problems that I liken to someone who has been in a cult. I think she needs a psychiatrist and am looking for one who can help her.

Dh is exhausted from dealing with his father and I am exhausted from dealing with mil and my dd. Dh is going to the lease this weekend and I'm staying here to keep an eye on her.

No surprise to me at all that I got shingles.

Oh wow, Marti. Put MIL and DD#2 in the same quarters, and hope that helps. Your downward spiral should be over before long, because you can always pitch a tent out in your neat little fence area....I see now why you were out there working on it. Hope the DH rests up and straightens out both the older and younger generation you've been stressed by.

And for whatever reason, which reached a climax today with the SIL losing his job on his birthday, my skin rash is back in high gear too. Only I hope it is not shingles. I was so distracted last night, that I thought I'd taken the fast insulin instead of the slow insulin, if so 5 times too much, and I'd have gone into a coma, so I was pretty alarmed. But, it took about an hour to tell the glucose level was not freefalling on me, so I went to bed. Still could not sleep, but at least I went through the motions.

And DH is wanting to get the bathroom downstairs installed from the remodel which he's worked on since mid-May, so I do not expect that will look any better than when he started. But that is really not my business as he told me.
Hmmpp!!!! Be it on his head when the house won't sell quickly. Hmmpp!!!

oh no, ML, not you too! Does the skin rash tingle? I didn't know you had diabetes either.

That really stinks about losing his job on his bd.

I had started the fence long before fil had his stroke, but I am itching to get back out there and finish. I don't think I could live out there, but I could definitely send dh. lol

We had thought about putting mil & dd together, but dd needs counseling first. It would help both of them though to be able to live together - if they could stand each other. Mil is a neat freak and dd is a slob.

Nancy, did they do a blood test on you to determine that it was really shingles and not just a herpes virus?

I went to the dr today and he expressed doubt that mine was really shingles. I sooo wish I had let dh take a picture when it was at its worst.

Anyway, I'm going in tomorrow for a fasting blood test and they are going to run a test for the shingles virus too.

No, they did not do a blood test to my knowledge, but, then I was in the hospital and lord knows what they did with the blood the drew!

I have a classic case, and enough pain for there to be no question.

Enough about shingles, how about a progress report on the library shelves?

Here are pictures from a few days ago.

This one is titled: "The Library Shelves are In Place!" Molding, trim, doors, all still need to be done. This is the rightmost of five sections, and one and a half of the three center sections that have base cabinets.

"Moving Toward the Left, Toward the Window."

Three center base cabinets provide storage and a counter top area. One bookshelf on each end is recessed in comparison to the center sections.

"The Four Left Sections"

Photo is missing the rightmost section.

"The Three Center Bases Sit Further Out, Giving a Counter Space Area."

The library shelves at each end are recessed in comparison to the three center sections. This picture was taken standing in front of the window.

"The New Window in the Library/Music Room."

The library shelves are on the right. The seating area will be in front of the window, with a loveseat (second-hand purchase from my late mother's friend) on the left and a rocker (hand-me-down from my mother's childhood) on the right in front of the last bookshelf. I have a choice of a side table (an estate sale find that I refinished), a glass-topped sofa table (the only store-bought item in the room - but I did get it on clearance!), or a small side table that my husband brought from his childhood home that I have stripped and still need to sand and stain and put a finish on. Three different tables in three very different sizes are available, I will try them and see what looks best.

"The Space That Will be the Sitting Area."

See the edge of the window on the right and the french door on the left. The loveseat will sit in this space.

"The New French Doors."
Looking out into the foyer. There is no flooring in the foyer or halls yet.

I went to get a few supplies at Lowes on Wednesday and I saw this pendant light. Golly, it looks made for the space above the desk! Look at that fluted look. The molding on the bookshelves is fluted, too. This light adds lighting for the desk area that eliminates the need for a desk lamp, leaving more room on DH's simple desk.

Jim just sighed and said he would try to make it happen, when I brought it home. He is a saint. I picked up a dimmer for it today. We also agreed on where it will hang. It will be centered in front of the french doors, halfway between the doors and the bookshelves. Here, it will be above the desk, almost any way we situate the desk. I had thought of centering it in the room, but Jim pointed out that it would be better centered over the desk area. That was my first idea, but I was second guessing myself by putting it in the center of the room.

Jim and Keith finished the molding on the bookshelves today. Jim called me out to see a problem he had run into. It turns out that the molding between the base cabs interfered with the opening of the doors. He was talking about taking off the doors and cutting them down some. I studied the situation and asked if cutting the squared edges off of the fluted molding would help and Jim did not think so. I asked if he had the ability to cut down the "depth" of the fluted trim, giving the doors more clearance to open. He tried it, and they will open 90 degrees. That was good enough for me!

So the bookshelves are done. Keith (Jim's helper) will be here to paint the primer tomorrow (Friday). I guess I can try to get the topcoat paint done over the weekend. I planned to return to work on Monday, but my boss has informed me that I cannot work out on the road on Monday because the office is closed for the Columbus Day holiday. I am just heartbroken. Can you tell?

Nancy, it's looking great! I love the windows and your French doors, and it's hard to believe those bookshelves weren't built in place. Jim is a wonder. Now fess up, have you asked him if he would like to spend the winter in Texas and Arizona? ;)

Ha! Make him an offer. Maybe after deer hunting season is done here, he may show some interest. His kids are still in school, though, the oldest is probably just starting High school or is still in Junior high. You'll only get him during school breaks, I bet.

Marti, will you please mosey on over to my new thread on my hallways? DH has that gig on Saturday night, and I want some opinions on whether I can paint one long hall off my foyer in the purple-over-green style of our Loretta, while leaving the other walls in Spice Delight (the color in the foyer and library/music room). Gig nights are for painting!

Nancy, been following the progress - it looks wonderful. I love that light fixture and have always wanted to fit French doors somewhere in my house.

Painting gigs!! Nice.
That is how I got the wall paper stripped off the upstairs bedrooms in the old Cape. I got DH busy elsewhere, and I simply disappeared........I even dismantled a sleeper sofa and took it out of the house piece by piece and he never noticed. But he is on to my tricks now, so my project days up in MA are pretty restricted.

Nancy, you made a great choice on the chandy over the desk, centered with the french doors and thus with the view coming down the hall. That will be impressive. Get yourself a nice low light loving plant, a live one of course, and find a place for it either behind the desk in the corner, or in front of the desk to give it a more secluded feel not totally exposed when someone walks down the hall. I suggest a large fiddleleaf fig or maybe a large rubbertree. Clean the leaves with some alcohol every now and then to make sure scale and aphids dont take up residence. I don't suggest scheffelera because they are magnets for scale, which makes sticky honeydew secretions all over everything. I finally just KILLED my scheffelera!! On purpose.

Monday update:
Jim did not come today, but he sent Keith to paint. He got the entire bookcase done with the first paint coat. It is looking SO GOOD! I had to go back out there after dark and turn on my big halogen work lights just to see it again. Tomorrow, the last coat. I did paint about 25 of the 32 shelves. Keith joined me in the garage to finish them when he was done with the installed parts in the library.

Tomorrow, I expect Jim to install the light and I hope that the Wilsonart beveled edge for the countertop arrives so DH can pick it up. I also hope that we will get to remove the covering over the cork floor, vacuum and dust the floor and see what it looks like. Then I want to bring in the rug, loveseat, file cabinet, desk, and chairs and SET IT ALL UP. It has been a long, long haul and I can't wait. I have not let DH in the room since the bookshelves were installed. I am waiting to do a big reveal with him, hopefully tomorrow night.

ML, you plant murderer!
Unfortunately, the view down the long hall ends at the front door, not at the library. When you enter our front door, the hall in front of you leads to our bedrooms and ends right outside our bedroom door, where those two barn drawings are in the hall pictures in the other thread. I know with the plastic up, you can't see this in my pictures.

I am glad that you approve of the light. No one has really seen it, so comments from you Smaller Homers that are positive are reassuring.

ML, I do have a rubber tree plant, it is about 2 feet high now. I can place it on a pedestal. I have short one here 1.5 feet tall, or a 3 ft tall one that is an office at work where I used to sit. I am in the office next door now, and I bet my old office partner will not mind if I steal it and take it home. BTW, I did do a Ebay search for St. Cecelia. I found an interesting drawing of her hovering over a small child at the piano, but I did not bid on it. Not sure DH would want it.

I did not get the halls painted when DH went on the gig, not enough time to plan, and my stamina still needs some improvement.

Nancy, I am excited for you and your big reveal. Just like a real HGTV remake!!!

Yeah, I know I am a plant murderer. But I was so totally disgusted with that plant, my sunporch was a sticky mess and I could not figure out why. It was scale and it was jumping from the scheffelera to other plants that I really loved, like my staghorn ferns for pete sake. Then the nursery lady told me that scheffelera were "scale magnets." So I punished it by setting it outdoors and sure enough the late freezes killed it and now no more scheffs for me.

The rubber tree is a hardy soul. Just feed it some Osmocote pellets now and then, do not overwater it. Give it some fresh soil and a slightly larger pot, maybe set it in a cachepot (I think what they call those pots w/o holes in the bottom)... You don't want to let mold grow on your new cork floors. A grouping of three is fantastic. One on that pedastal or maybe a plant stand. I even use wooden unfinished plant stands as bedside tables where space is precious, and of course they come in all heights. Really tall books fit upright beneath, even my atlases and maps. Or, in your case, perhaps sheet music or song books.

In the corner on one wall near the desk, do you have any beloved LP album covers that can be cheaply framed or put on a cork board vertically? From about the height of the bookcases down to the electrical plugins? Or, just have a cork board for DH to pin his notes to the wall. Not on his desk top, which I can see as a clean surface.

You go girl, and we'll be excited to see the reveal in your albums, or maybe on here. Incidentally, PLEASE give us a shot of the French doors closed, and you take the shot from the hall, no flash, so we can see the desk and hanging light? Like a real vignette, and a pleasure to enter the room. It all adds up to something special.

'My reveal keeps getting delayed. I guess it took all day for Jim to get the light wiring snaked where it needed to be. I fear he had to go through the attic, through all the blown-in insulation that he put up there for us last year. when I got home from a few hour's worth of errands, they were gone and there was a big work light bulb hanging from the ceiling. But the dimmer switch I bought is in place and the light works!

Today, Keith painted the doors when they were off the cabs. So today's pictures have better paint, but the doors would have been in place if I had taken them yesterday. So maybe I will just give some teasers...

WOW! I have bookcase envy!

OMG, he put in the tracks for the adjustable shelves!!!
That is so over the top, real Cadillac detail, and what I asked DH to do but while I was not around, he put in pieces of wood and made fixed shelves. Whole different sort of
craftmanship when Jim does it.

I love that soft sheen on your white. Is it a satin white?
It sure looks great with the Spice wall paint. Thank you so much for keeping this work in one thread so I don't go crazy looking for the details.

FAN-tas-tic....

Golly, just what I needed, after a hard day, your appreciation and having someone to share this all with is so helpful to me. Keeping DH out of the room until the reveal has its downside! So thanks Loretta and ML.

As I look at the pics, it seems to me that the caulk that Jim applied today had not yet been painted. Maybe they did not give the woodwork a second coat today, just the stuff that needs three coats. It makes sense that the caulk would need to cure a bit before paint.

I am not sure if that is part of the sheen you are seeing, ML. I know that we are using semigloss on the bookshelves, so some sheen should be there. Jim suggested gloss for the woodwork, but I already had the semigloss, so told him I could add the full gloss if I think it is better later.

Wow! They're great. I think I have bookcase envy too. The stuff I could put in those!

So true, Marti....bookcase envy. And the molding is like icing on the cake. Nancy, be sure to tell Jim he has a fan club on GWeb Smaller Homes Forum.

Nancy, it is now 11:40 eastern time, and no update for the day. Are you up yet? I see your last post was near midnite, so perhaps you are having brunch in your fine new kitchen. About the only room not torn apart by all the foundation work I bet. Well, I am keeping an eye on the updating of this thread, not putting any pressure on you, you understand, but (tap tap tap tap tap)......ahem.......
............tap tap tap tap tap tap.......I would love to be there when THE BIG REVEAL happens.

I will be showing MY DH every single picture here, because I want shelving built on the fireplace wall in our AL living room. Since that involves no DEMO WORK, which I will point out to him as a big PLUS, he should agree to it. And if there is no DEMO, then it is NO PROJECT.

Okay, like a kid on Christmas Eve, go to bed, wait for Santa to come......close my eyes.....is it the Big Reveal?
:) just teasing, Nancy!!!

Nancy, I was just wondering if the people who have worked on your house leave for lunch, bring their lunch, or do you provide it?

Tell Jim I make a mean pulled pork sandwich.

Sorry, ladies. We are delayed again. There is wet paint everywhere. I got home around 2:30 from a trip to drip off clothes to my friend in the hospital and to Jo-Ann Fabrics. I needed ribbons to decorate ponytails and buns with. Of course,I also ended up with fabric samples "just in case" I need to reupholster a chair for the library and another for the foyer. Well, I am IN LOVE with a silky green and orchid striped fabric that would look so sweet on this little chair I bought on Craigslist for $20. If I use the light olive (in my Hall thread) on the inside of the front door and as the bottom half of the hall leading away from the front door, then paint the top half the pale orchid (which I do not have a gallon of, I have light crocus), this chair will carry the color from the foyer into the hall.

I may not have made this clear befor, but the Library/Music Room is off the foyer. It is not on either one of my longish halls.

Where was I? Oh, I got home this afternoon to find Keith putting away paint. Jim was gone. Keith says we will be loading the furniture tomorrow, they expect to work a half day. Smile, Smile Smile!!!

I am having fun with my graph paper and little furniture cut-outs, deciding which way everything is going to go. I am thinking that the loveseat is not long for this house. It is a waste of space, with its fat,fat arms and two seats that only close friends or spouses will share. I envision myself learning how to reupholster furniture this winter. I have this very comfortable wing chair and ottoman in the basement. I bought it in Baton Rouge at JC Penney's clearance center in 1986. a couple of years later I got the ottoman for $50 when I left a message the manager to call me when she was ready to accept $50, since I was the one who owned the chair and the only one in the area who would want it. Here it is with my Casey enjoying it with me.

Yes, we were likely on the Garden Web!

Sorry, ladies. We are delayed again. There is wet paint everywhere. I got home around 2:30 from a trip to drip off clothes to my friend in the hospital and to Jo-Ann Fabrics. I needed ribbons to decorate ponytails and buns with. Of course,I also ended up with fabric samples "just in case" I need to reupholster a chair for the library and another for the foyer. Well, I am IN LOVE with a silky green and orchid striped fabric that would look so sweet on this little chair I bought on Craigslist for $20. If I use the light olive (in my Hall thread) on the inside of the front door and as the bottom half of the hall leading away from the front door, then paint the top half the pale orchid (which I do not have a gallon of, I have light crocus), this chair will carry the color from the foyer into the hall.

I may not have made this clear before, but the Library/Music Room is off the foyer. It is not on either one of my longish halls.

Where was I? Oh, I got home this afternoon to find Keith putting away paint. Jim was gone. Keith says we will be loading the furniture tomorrow, they expect to work a half day. Smile, Smile Smile!!!

I am having fun with my graph paper and little furniture cut-outs, deciding which way everything is going to go. I am thinking that the loveseat is not long for this house. It is a waste of space, with its fat,fat arms and two seats that only close friends or spouses will share. I envision myself learning how to reupholster furniture this winter. I have this very comfortable wing chair and ottoman in the basement. I bought it in Baton Rouge at JC Penney's clearance center in 1986. a couple of years later I got the ottoman for $50 when I left a message for the manager to call me when she was ready to accept $50, since I was the one who owned the chair and the only one in the area who would want it. Here it is with my Casey enjoying it with me.

Yes, we were likely on the Garden Web!

AWWWW! He's such a pretty lil' baby!

Schoolhouse, I missed responding to your post. I really appreciate your encouragement. I do like the light, too. It is just pretty enough to add glamor to the room, but not too feminine to be DH's room. I only hope he thinks so, too!

The first time I saw this house, I wanted to put french doors on the front room. It opens into the foyer, which can be cold in the winter. French doors also allow nice inside the room or quiet inside from a noisy house.

I was shocked at how many french doors we saw on Craigslist. Some were over a hundred years old and seemed to have the patina, while being well cared-for. We opted for the cheaper ones. Ours have a muddy-looking finish that we will end up removing and then we will re-stain the doors so that they match the frames better. That is a whole 'nuther project to do!

And Marti, Jim and his helper have always brought their own food and drink. I don't think I have ever noticed him stopping to eat, though, so maybe he skips lunch.

Thanks Loretta! He is so soft and I love feeling the weight of him on me. He used to cuddle regularly. but since he was diagnosed with a brain tumor almost two years ago, he feels less confident in his balance and skill, and he won't come up very often. He also cuddles lower and not with his face pressed to mine like in the photo.

I have no idea what I did to post twice! I kept getting messages about why my post was not accepted. Obviously, the messages were wrong!

Is it a benign brain tumor? How awful. He looks so sweet, and he even looks soft too.

Ok then, tell Jim I cook for people who work here. lol

Marti, you are SHAMELESS, I tell you!!!! If I help paint, can I have a serving of the pulled pork? :)

Glad to see that Loretta is following along with this thread.
(Hi, Lo!)

Nancy, sorry if I did not contribute to your solutions. I have a hard time with words describing the house shapes, do much better with the drawing of the floor plans.
Here is what I meant about adding a painted line across the hall doors to integrate the look with the walls, if that happened to be where your two tone paint color appeared. This is what I did in the small study in the Cape cottage. There are two closet doors on either side of this computer desk, enough space between for a daybed actually, and having the doors appear different chopped up the room. Now the eye just ignores the pocket doors which are flat and hollowcore things anyway, not nice enough to let them stand out. So this is what I did. Have not finished yet, but you get the idea. The color on bottom is FRESH PRALINE (BEHR) and on top it is LILTING LAUGHTER (BEHR) with the trim all in ULTRAPURE WHITE (BEHR) satin. All are latex enamels and wear very well. I love this little room, spend most of my time here because it is a cozy space with lots of molding detail on the walls.

OOO, that is yummy, ML.

I keep forgetting to tell you, ML, that the book shelves that we bought used from the lawyer's estate CAME with the shelf tracks in them already. Remember that the bookshelves and the bases were both used furniture. Of different colors. That is why we painted them.

So here are some pictures of the new Library/Music Room. Furniture is in place, but the decorating still needs to be done. There are no shelves in place yet for two reasons - I want to wait until the paint is totally dry and set up, and we can't locate the shelf clips yet!

Click below to go to my photo site and see all the pictures and read all of the captions.

Here is a link that might be useful: My pbase site

You betcha ML, all the pulled pork anyone can eat if you can paint. I'll even make an apple pie for dessert.

Nancy, how did they paint the cabinets? It doesn't look like there is a brush stroke on them.

Mostly using a roller on the big areas, but brushes on the moldings. I guess Keith is a good painter, even if he doesn't like it!

Nancy, how deep are the top part of the shelves?

Hi Marti!
The bookshelves themselves are about 10 inches deep. If DH will declutter the counter, I can take pictures with the books in place, now. All that is left to do in the room is to unpack and install a printer and to hang (and maybe buy more) decorations.

Oh good, that's the size I was considering.

OMgoodness that is beautiful!

Thank you, Shelayne. A lot has changed since those pictures were taken. Just after Thanksgiving, the countertop went in. We have moved all of the files into the cabinet and filled the base cabs with other things that were taken out of the room originally. We have not hung pictures, though. I spent an afternoon at Fathead.com looking at cheap cling-on versions of other Impressionist masterpieces so I could fill the wall next to DH's desk. The Van Gogh looks too lonely there by itself, and I am not sure I want it above the loveseat. DH and I filled the shelves with books and CDs. DH has a whole lot of odds and ends sitting out that need to find homes, and the printer is still sitting in the box! That means that the old printer is taking up my craft table in the bedroom where my sauna hut lives and an old fax machine is on the floor blocking access to the closet in that room. Plus, my late father-in-law's bedroom is still full of stuff taken out of the library/music room and I cannot get to my seed-starting set up in there. So no masses of annuals this year. I also can't clean out that room for it to become my PT room until we decide where everything will go. To tell the truth, we have reached gridlock. One room somewhere has to get cleaned out so that we can see progress and feel like we have accomplished something!

' One room somewhere has to get cleaned out so that we can see progress and feel like we have accomplished something!'

that's how it is here too!

you should post a pic of the room with the shelves in and stuff on them now!

Oh Nancy I can understand your frustration. And you being ill does not help either. I am so sorry. I wish I could lend you a hand.

When we redid the flooring in here I kind of felt the same way. This is why I had to do it it two sessions. There just was no where to go with all the stuff.

A friend rented one of those temporary storage containers. I know many places do not allow this. But it might work for you.

I bought a wireless printer last year and it has been a dream. It can go anywhere and work. You can even get them as printer and fax machine. Also you can fax through your computer now. Or just send PDF as a scan through email. We do not even have an actual fax machine any more. Always thinking on how to save space. My office desk is also my sewing table and my printer sits on a little end table that has a big drawer on the bottom.

Hugs to you. I know you are doing the very best you can.