@creeser. Yes, a bug light will zap anything. Bats are better.

judyg....she probably does have some travel time involved....either that and/or traffic jam! remember last time they went...got caught on the freeway because of a wreck or something and had to reschedule. hope everything turns out okie.

judyg...where are you sleeping in the olld houzz/dreamhouse?

Does the olldhouzz/dream house have a sleeping porch?

MM and I can share. We'll share Granny gossip. *L*
I didn't look, MP, does the house have a sleeping porch? That would be so nice. We rented a house on Hunting Island when the kiddies were small and it had one. Loved that.
We have tiny bats around here. I was out at dusk a couple of weeks ago watching one swooping around and eating the bugs. He needs friends.

*LOL* eztia, I must've been typing my question when you posted yours.

Ok.. mosquito info from webmd:

Mosquitoes do exhibit blood-sucking preferences, say the experts. "One in 10 people are highly attractive to mosquitoes," reports Jerry Butler, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Florida. But it's not dinner they're sucking out of you. Female mosquitoes -- males do not bite people -- need human blood to develop fertile eggs. And apparently, not just anyone's will do.

Although researchers have yet to pinpoint what mosquitoes consider an ideal hunk of human flesh, the hunt is on. "There's a tremendous amount of research being conducted on what compounds and odors people exude that might be attractive to mosquitoes," says Joe Conlon, PhD, technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association. With 400 different compounds to examine, it's an extremely laborious process. "Researchers are just beginning to scratch the surface," he says.

Scientists do know that genetics account for a whopping 85% of our susceptibility to mosquito bites. They've also identified certain elements of our body chemistry that, when found in excess on the skin's surface, make mosquitoes swarm closer.

"People with high concentrations of steroids or cholesterol on their skin surface attract mosquitoes," Butler tells WebMD. That doesn't necessarily mean that mosquitoes prey on people with higher overall levels of cholesterol, Butler explains. These people simply may be more efficient at processing cholesterol, the byproducts of which remain on the skin's surface.

Mosquitoes also target people who produce excess amounts of certain acids, such as uric acid, explains entomologist John Edman, PhD, spokesman for the Entomological Society of America. These substances can trigger mosquitoes' sense of smell, luring them to land on unsuspecting victims.

But the process of attraction begins long before the landing. Mosquitoes can smell their dinner from an impressive distance of up to 50 meters, explains Edman. This doesn't bode well for people who emit large quantities of carbon dioxide.

"Any type of carbon dioxide is attractive, even over a long distance," Conlon says. Larger people tend to give off more carbon dioxide, which is why mosquitoes typically prefer munching on adults to small children. Pregnant women are also at increased risk, as they produce a greater-than-normal amount of exhaled carbon dioxide. Movement and heat also attract mosquitoes.

So if you want to avoid an onslaught of mosquito bites at your next outdoor gathering, stake out a chaise lounge rather than a spot on the volleyball team. Here's why. As you run around the volleyball court, the mosquitoes sense your movement and head toward you. When you pant from exertion, the smell of carbon dioxide from your heavy breathing draws them closer. So does the lactic acid from your sweat glands. And then -- gotcha.

Are you kidding? I will sleep anywhere as long as I can come along. (The next night I may have that room all to myself. C P says I snore.)

Boy that's complicated!!

My "unusual for me color" is BM Swept Away. I used in my guest bedroom with that icing woodwork and brown silk check bedskirt and euro shames. It looks very pretty when I look in from the living room. But, like my bedroom, it too gets a lot of sun in the afternoon and the fabrics are fading. I guess I'll look into Sunbrella fabrics. Then I think well how long will we be here? I know, if we move, I will want to change a lot.

eztia, I have not found a sleeping porch...but we have all kinds of options for sleeping! :)
I have a sleeping porch at my house though, that I love and sleep out there when I can.

I need a sleeping porch. Something to start whining to hubby about. *L*

I couldn't sleep on a sleeping porch here. We live on a very wildlife active pond and it is so noisy out there are night, I wouldn't get a wink of sleep. Have you ever heard the cry of a fox? The first time I did, I thought a woman was being attacked and I called the police. We have mute swan, who though mute, make a racquet with their wings when they take off. Then the Canada geese are honking away. When the fox is absent the coyote takes its place. There is a screech owl, a regular hooo, hooo owl, the marsh hawk, the racoon, the otter, and my neighbor's barking dog, who wants to go after everything. Nope, closed doors and sometime ear plugs and an Ambien for judyg.

judyg, the Swept Away color is very pretty. I have no unusual colors in my house....just boring basically. Everything is white except the bedrooms and bathrooms. My bedroom is Squirrel by Behr. Had it in my living room apt and loved it, so used it again at new house. My bath off the bedroom is white tile 2 thirds up the wall and top half is painted Garden Wall by Behr. I also painted the trim in my bedroom the Garden Wall instead of a white and absolutley love it.

oh yea and pale blue ceiling in bathroom!

mp, I love the sound of your room, as my bedroom is brown, white and my bathroom neutral. Tell me, how does the painted woodwork look with the rest of the house white?

This will be my next bedroom if we move to a condo.
https://www.houzz.com/photos/1512-dolphin-terrace-beach-style-bedroom-los-angeles-phvw-vp~235528

Ok! Back from the oncologist, and as I was leaving his office he said 'Bobbi, I don't think we should see each other any more. I think we're through'. Woo Hoo! My white CBC went down under the maximum and I am good to bitch another day!

Good grief, creeser, I hope you copied/pasted all that!

Talk to you all later!

Here's the explanation I got from Emily re: Commenter's List

We pushed out a change last night that made it so if discussions are hidden by a user on their profile, they will not show on the top commenters widget either, so you can have a bit of control over whether or not you will show there. :)

MP, you need to show us a photo of the room with the trim painted garden wall. It's so hard to break the tradition of stain, white, black or cream, that I'd love to see what it looked like.

bobbi, how did the appt. go?

Thanks creeser, I got the all clear! And the boot, he doesn't want to see me anymore! hehehe

Woohoo! Great news bobbi! You deserve a special treat this weekend. Dinner out? Shopping trip?

Thanks creeser, maybe a handful of Advil and a siesta! Very stressful.

Has anyone been with a loved one while they're getting chemo treatment? I don't know how it is anywhere else, but in this office they have a row of about a dozen comfy recliners with patients and IV's. Spooky. I would def want more privacy than that.

Bobbi - I seem to remember it being that way, when I went with my Mom once. Maybe they feel that for people who are by themselves, it's better to have a little company.

I love the subtle color difference in the bedroom between the walls and trim. Since you don't really see much trim work looking into the bedroom...just the walls mainly, not a big deal. The ceiling is still white in the room. Not sure if I'll paint it yet. Going back and forth on that one. I'll try and take a pick of the bedroom so you can get a gist. Headboard is black with a silver chain detail. There was an indention line about 4 inches from top/sides of headboard and I found some decorative chain that I glued into that around top and sides. You kind of get the nailhead trim look, without hammering it! and the side tables are silvery. I have 2 swag (black drum shade) light fixtures that hang over the side tables.
I THINK J and I are headed to IKEA tomorrow for my curtains. FINALLY. I am thinking about doing a stenciled trim on the inside edges of them. I was investigating the fabric spray paint yesterday for that. They have a grayish silver color I noticed. The curtains are between a light grayish khaki. I have black metal curtain rods to the ceiling already waiting for curtains. We have been living with sheets hanging from ring clips...driving me insane every time I see them. Coverlet I recently bought has 3 large bands of color; grayish of the walls, light grayish khaki and teal. Beigey euro shams and fairly dark gray sheets.
The whole room is very masculine looking. And it looks more gray than the gray/green. The carpet is a taupe color with an oriental rug with black band on outer edge and other neutral colors inside. The rug was a donation, and I cannot afford to replace it right now. It will work for now and really doesn't look terrible or anything.

bob, I am soooo glad to hear your great news! excellent!!!!!

Astraea, you're probably right. I'm just thinking if I'm going to toss my cookies, I'd rather do it alone!

Thanks, mp!

judyg I love that bedroom above. I love the whole thing, but you know what i love most? the ceiling, the floors and the windows!

Olldbob, best news I've heard all day. MP, I call the top bunk! Judyg, loved your descriptions of the wildlife noises. We occasionally hear coyotes and enjoy the loon calls on the lake during the summer.

MM, thanks, me too! Never want to go there again!

Morning all, OMG I totally slept in this morning. Woke up with a terrible start at 9.30!!

Bobbi I am thrilled to hear all is well with you, even better when you get the boot.

I thought mozzies died when they bit you, the ones that bite me do, I make sure of that, but maybe I'm thinking of bees. I read somewhere that eating bananas makes you attractive to mozzies.

Citronella candles and bug zappers are almost mandatory here as we spend so much time outdoors. The bug zappers are kept reasonably close to the house, around decks and outdoor eating areas which are usually immediately adjacent to the house as the food and lights attract the bugs and the zapper gets them before they get into the house. We have a product here called Aerogard, it is a personal insect repellant, that is almost mandatory in summer. We also have sandflies that are a bigger pest than the mozzies, at least you hear a mozzie coming, sandflies just appear on feet and legs like tiny black dots with crocodile sized teeth. When it is really hot in summer I wait till around 5pm to go out and do a spot of gardening, but that is just the time the sandflies are coming out to play so you really need a heavy dose of Aerogard.

I'm not looking at the bedroom photos, they will just make me want to crawl back into mine and I have to wake up and get the bathroom painted. I couldn't help but notice though that one of the 4 poster beds is a dust collector waiting to happen.

Don't know much about your bats, we have fruit bats here, they are protected species and have specific corridors they travel around the city. You definitely do not attract them they are so noisy and attract vermin. There have been places they have had to try to re-route their flight path and nesting spots away from homes because of the noise and mess - well we all know what happens if your diet is all fruit!!

Lisa, thanks for the rundown on your home prices. It is interesting to gauge other countries. Just realised we don't have a Pound sign on our keyboards anymore! Haven't checked lately, I mainly watch the $US, but your Pound is usually around twice our $, so $400K for a house is really cheap here but I think your wages are a lot lower which makes a big difference. Don't know how costs of living compare. We are the world rip off centre.

By the way, Judy, that house you showed us the other day for $625K, I meant to tell you, there was a feature on our news that night about Sydney home prices and the MEDIAN price now is $649K. You sure get more bang for your bucks over there!!!!

Bobbi, you are okay and that what we all were waiting to here. I got nervous when you had been away for 2 hours and we had heard nothing. Thank God. Heard from Emily.

roo, judy, thanks so much! Yes, it's good to be evicted from that place, that's for sure!

Ok, judy, you know what to do!

Creeser - I'm a bit worried about your front and back doors - very bad feng shui!!! I read up on it a lot but haven't really studied it, but I'm wondering if you have the patt rug at the front and a complimenting plain on at the back, whether it will break up the energy flow, to stop all the good energy coming in the front door rushing straight out the back.

http://fengshui.about.com/od/fengshuiforhome/qt/doorsfengshui.htm

Hey, creeser, can you show us the rug? If Burt Reynolds is lying on it nude, you need to find another.

WHY????

Funny!

Thinking DESPERATE!!!!

OK looks like I might be catching Judy's bug. I just got an email with Bobbi's comment 4 HOURS AGO, when she came back from the oncologist.

Glad he had a sense of humour, I often tell professionals "we have to stop meeting like this" when I have had enough.

Anyway, my theory is "only the good die young" so lets keep on being naughty.

Naughty! I like that, except around Christmas when we're ALWAYS nice!

I think Houzz has a bit of catching up to do.

What I hate, hate, hate is the "we will call you with the results" stuff. Then they never call and 8 days later you get a letter in the mail,( not a personal one,mind you, but one where they check off the appropriate line), check….benign…..check….normal….check….call for your yearly exam. CHECK THIS, I want to say.

Haven't had that but I did do my block one time after a test when I got a letter telling me my details and results had been put on a National Register. I really let them have it but it turned out my dr had forgotten to tick a box. Made sure she did so the next time.

Been with my Dad when he had chemo treatments. His were done at the hospital in a private room. Haven't been to the new treatment centers, but the recliners are a good idea as it takes so long and I don't think the privacy issue is bad. Probably has a calming effect to be with others going through the same thing. The sickness from the treatment hits the next day. At least for Dad. You get it, get sick as a dog and about the time you feel better a week later, it's time for another treatment.

Looking for a photo of my rug online to check my shui... feng? fung? Ok.. too early for this...

Here it is. Pattern is called Carolina Wild. So appropriate.

Keep in mind I have a lot of stained wood in my house. The halls have cypress up 5' and trimmed with knotty alder and a 3" plate rail at the top. A 6" knotty alder rustic crown moulding at the ceiling. and medium brown hardwood floors. Then there's my 8' double doors in knotty alder. You get the picture. The pattern lightens things up.

Oooooh I love your rug creeser - what I call modern "olde worlde".

Thanks roo! I like it, too. Just was too small for the living room and too busy for the curtains I have in there, so it got a new home in the hall.

Know what you mean, I was going to have a pattern about as busy as that for my ottoman, I absolutely loved it but then realised that it would fight everything else I tried to put in the room. I wasn't even happy photos or art would blend. We will have to look at the feng shui. Too tired right now, another day. 'Night.

creeer, I LOVE that rug! Very good choice!

Judy, there is definitely a gremlin working against you. I just got this email but note it isn't here. I have done a cut and paste for everyone to see. Looks like nice colours to go with all the timber.

" If you can't find another rug, would something like this work?"