At 52 I'm not exactly a pup, but I do still enjoy a physical day, it's somehow liberating.

I've finally caught up on things I had to do, and am looking at Houzz Design Dilemmas. Maybe I'm lucky that I got my condo & then the 1st house, BEFORE the internet, because I loved going shopping with my Mom, and looking for things that really spoke to me, I knew the colors I liked, the atmosphere I wanted to create. I picked out unique pieces, like a chandelier I still love 30 years later, and my furniture. I have artwork accumulated on vacations, and going to estate sales .. every piece means something to me. I can't imagine just asking for general help, and getting the wide variety of suggestions you see on Houzz, from people who know nothing about me or my lifestyle!

OK, I have to report that I did not indulge in my usual Sunday nap! Like most weeks, I started off midmorning with a new book but this time the book was actually good enough to get me interested so that the nap got delayed and then cancelled. It was the Grisham book "The Racketeer" - full of typical Grisham themes and tricks, but a worthy swap for a nap.

It's been a lazy Sunday after using all my energy on Saturday. It's now mid afternoon and I haven't done anything other than reading all day ...yep, perfect Sunday

Linda - After a week of running around, I got up early today & have bedn working on my computer .. but still wearing my cozy robe!! It's too sunny for a nap in my bedroom .. but I could curl up in the guest room.

Dave - thanks for the heads up. Was driving down the mountain. Have answered the dilemma.

Norm - I consider 52 VERY much a spring chicken so no excuses for the exercise .... You gain so much - not only in energy but in health benefits and well being ( and a good dose of self righteousness)

Linda haven't read a Grisham for ages.... His stories are still intriguing and captivating then....?

Now after a great destressing weekend, going back to builders dust tomorrow. Sleep well when you get there and sweet dreams

Morning all, Roo up and about. Gosh I'm clever, while I am sound asleep I have Astraea cramming on triffids, Can revisiting Six White Boomers and Bobbi worrying I'm upset. So now I'm awake ........ teehee.

Of course if y'all hadn't have changed the English language, we wouldn't have a problem. Every sentence with "curb" in, I have to read twice - we have 2 words 'curb' and 'kerb' with totally different meanings.

Can, I love your top 20 too and sadly can relate to too many of them.

Astraea - no computer will ever take the personal shopping experience away from me. It is handy to track down where to buy things but that is as far as it goes for me.

Lisa - these days our weather really is unpredictable. We actually have beautiful blue skies and the big yellow thing today ............ well this morning. I will reserve judgement on this afternoon. Still cool enough for my cosy gown but when I hit the housework I may change down to a t-shirt again.

And talking weather - Norm - you have an ally here when it comes to weather, 98 F is 36.6 C and we were having 40+ in January along with the humidity that feels like 200% some days. I have given up ever trying to get used to it.

Ez - don't stress too much over your hardwear - it is all about what you are happy with and happy to live with. Just because designers say you must do this or have that doesn't mean it is right. I always say the word "eclectic" was invented for a reason - if something doesn't match, it is eclectic and voila - instant fashion. Sometimes I think this website can lead to too much discontent, you really have to stay focussed on what is and isn't important.

Well I'm off to get started on my day, have heaps to do, catch up tonight. Be good.

I like the product research you can do on the internet; sometimes things are only sold thru the manufacturer's website. For example, I've been reading up on organic facial products .. talk about an education .. in Latin!

You read Latin??

OK, slap my hands but the latest "what's the best ..." query irritated me. This case it was "best brand of paint" so I replied the answer was filed alphabetically between replies to best car and best restaurant

At least that poster did say the paint was for a bathroom, but no other info. Does anyone really believe that there is a valid answer to such a vague question???

DE GUSTIBUS NON EST DISPUTANDUM: meaning that "everyone's personal preferences are merely subjective opinions that cannot be "right" or "wrong", so they should never be argued about as if they were." Or, there is no arguing taste. The "Nancy's" should know this. (6 yrs of Latin…poor nuns.)

Hey, NORM, the cutie pie is 72. You come up North and lend a hand. Plus, watching sports in this house will make your trip worth while.

Roo - Often when product ingredients are listed, the Latin names are used: Cannabis Sativa - Hemp Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cera Flava (Bee Wax), Cinnamonum Zeylanicum Bark (Cinnamon), etc. I already have a list of almost 400 ingredients used for organic facial products!

My very first Latin lesson we conjugated paro - paro, paras, parart, paramus, paratis, parant - probably haven't even spelt it right but it stayed in my head for nearly 60 years. Nothing else did, I must have switched off after that first lesson. I remember everyone writing in their text books

"Latin is a language as dead as dead can be,
First it killed the Romans, and now its killing me".

Linda - I was kinder but still stated the obvious.

Astraea, gotchya, - 400 ingredients - the mind boggles.

Where is Bobbi today? Hope she hasn't fallen off a ladder hanging curtains.

Princess is quiet too.

I like that comment! Perhaps I'll print that up as a sign and translate it for those who ask as "my preferences are not disputable" I think that would be the educational equivalent to "he who has the gold makes the rules"

I get so tired of having my business partner argue about all matters, get mad at me when I insist and then think he has sufficiently redeemed himself when he later tells everyone what a great decision I made. Making decisions wouldn't be so difficult if he would just listen to me! (of course, he says the same about me.)

Gee, there's a "Paramus" in NJ .. but I don't think it has Latin origins (LOL).

Linda - I think you need a better sign

BE REASONABLE........................ DO IT MY WAY!!!!!

At least he gives you the credit - all great decisions are usually male.

Norm, I feel you.... I've been to Florida and right away felt native as someone who grow in Israel with about 95 degrees (sometimes even more) and about 70-90% humidity - it was not easy running a plumbing business over there....

Overland - Norm - Do you think it is ever possible to get used to and function efficiently in humidity?

Roo - there is an old say... "If you can't beat them - join them". You have no other choice you learn to work with the seasons

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and pray for clouds.

Well, hi gang! Bobbi was off to the flea market after the rain stopped. Got 3 pounds of Starbucks whole bean coffee for $10, not a bad price! Roo, you never answered my question! Came home to 94 emails, most from the greatest olld's ever!

Oh, Roo, I saw your answer on yesterdays post. I don't know why you'd be mad at me but sometimes my foot-in-mouth disease is out of control!

Ok, I have to ask this question! It seems like everytime I leave a comment, everyone deserts me!! Are you all avoiding me?

Here's Rocky waiting for his share of the bbq.

Ez, just sand the knots and use some spray Coverstain. It works on cedar...way more tannin than pine knots. I used to live in Indiana...sweat down the back and no getting dry. No AC at home. People went to the malls to cool off. i would take a shower after work, and another just before bed...stay wet and try to stay calm. 90 deg. F by 10:00 am... Though I would call the day if it hit 100. Here it regularly hits 100 - 105 in the sun. Big straw hats and lots of water. I bought a sprinkler rig to mist the guys down. No humidity..then the temps drop 30 degrees and it is cool. Fog rolls in when bobbi's big valley heats up. Worst was a time up on third floor scaffold in Healdsburg, bad set up and we were doing siding in the sun. 113 degrees in the sun that day. Hide in the shade for as long as you could, then head out for 15 minutes, put up two or three boards, take some measurements and start hallucinating. go back to the shade, get your head clear and cut some boards..grab your manliness and head back out. Brutal. I have to go check in on porch ideas!

David, no wonder you call California 'God's country' :))

Hi Bobbi, I'm here to talk to you and you have my 100% attention. Don't worry I only open my mouth to change my feet. I find I have to keep checking the time too and work out what everyone might be doing.

Can't believe today after our cold wet days, 25 deg which should be comfortable, although there are some grey clouds happening and more rain predicted. At least my washing dried. Only supposed to be 49% humidity but it has to be far more, I'm sweating at every movement and I just hate when it drips into my glasses. Don't know about you Norm, but clouds are not a good thing, only makes the humidity worse and more oppressive. Sometimes you can feel it weighing you down. When I am doing anything active I find a very cold wet cloth around my neck helps a lot too.

Thanks roo, I wonder what I said? Any hints?

Roo, I have a question about your weather! How can they predict 40 days in advance? Our weathermen can't get it right for the next two days, seriously! It wasn't supposed to rain today but it did; it was supposed to rain yesterday but it didn't.

Question to everyone! Especially dog owners. When we got Rocky he was already two years old and scared to death of everything. He's come a long way in the last two years but he's still very timid. So today we bought him a DOGLOO which is a hard plastic dog house shaped like an igloo, and he will not go in. We put his food inside to encourage him, but no dice. Any suggestions?

Bobbi, you expect me to keep up with everything here???? Afraid everything goes in one ear and out the other with me.

I have no idea how they work out the weather. I know we have long range weather forecasters too, almost like short and long term is a speciality. When I was working I used to travel to work with a guy who was with the Weather Bureau and he used to predict the floods. When we have really heavy rain in Queensland and everything floods it comes into the river system in NSW and goes right through the State before crossing into South Australia and heads out to the ocean. These floods take 3 or 4 months to travel down, it has always fascinated me, I would love to up in a balloon watching it to really get my head around it. They predict the speed of the flood and when it will arrive at towns along the way and what level the towns can expect the flood to peak at.

ROCKY - GET IN THE B&^%$ IGLOO!!!!!

Sounds like a Doctor Harry question, he always has answers for things like this. I know for cats you put catnip in. Doesn't he have a kennel anyway in his bedroom?

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-introduce-your-dog-to-his-kennel-or-crate.html

Just had a blubber in my lunch. This is so moving.

Roo, yes Rocky is kennel trained but he came that way! He's just afraid of new things, old things, regular things, everything! Thanks for the link we'll def work on it. Great video! I love flash mob stuff. When you look at the fashions everyone's wearing in 20 years we're all going to look back at it and laugh, don't ya think?


Ok, going to watch the Lion King cartoon now nothing else on, I'll talk to ya in the morning!

Lion King - you must be desperate!!! That is when I start on my Waiting for God reruns.

I read on another site that the plastic might have something to do with it - does it have much smell? That could put him off. Maybe put the two kennels side by side, put a treat in the igloo and leave him to explore in his own time.

Gosh you just reminded me, I missed half of Downton Abbey last night, can't believe I wait a week to see it and then fall asleep in the middle of it.

Ez, I was hoping Bobbi wouldn't take offence, co-incidentally it was one of those sites for dummies.

OK ROOSTERS - here is one for you

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/what-kind-of-wood-is-island-made-from-dsvw-vd~378295

I just had to sit on my hands and stop my fingers twitching.

Thanks, ez. Roo, you're TOO funny :)) I asked R to cut a hole on the opposite side of the opening to let some light in the dogloo, it's totally dark inside and I'm thinking that might scare him.

If no one opened 3/4 I'll do it now!

R could string up some fairy lights for him.

If Rocky is still timid then definitely a dark spot wouldn't help.

The lights are a good idea, the ones that burn cool would work! Thanks for the suggestion, I'll pass it on. It's not only that he's scared of everything, he's also stubborn and set in his ways.....hmmm.....like his owner (not me! I love change!). I thought of putting his favorite toy inside but his favorite toy is a cheeseburger and I haven't cooked dinner yet!!!

When is your carpet being installed, tomorrow? What color is it?

Bobbi - I jest!! I would be worried he might chew the wiring.

Yep carpet in tomorrow - 9 am. Same colour as the other rooms, an off white on white. Can't wait to start organising the rooms.

Roo, nice carpet! You've been doing this for so long, if it were me I would have totally forgotten how to oranize :)) Actually, if it were me I'd have had a nervous breakdown from the chaos by now. I don't know how you do it!

You sort of get over it Bobbi and see the positive side. I walked out into the family room today and noticed a little glass table I have piled high with dust. I can't dust it, work has been done there too which doesn't help, so as we move things away I'm cleaning first so everything goes away spotlessly clean. I have to switch off and just keep the important areas like the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and lounge room clean and then I can switch off to the other rooms as I don't feel like I am living in chaos. It is rather quite fun, I've had a few neighbours come through and with having the workers here and they all see the fun side of it too and focus on how great (hopefully) it will all look when it is finished.

Roo, you're definitely a better person than I am. I'm sure I would have moved out by now! Of course, I could always move into Rocky's Dogloo :))

Now that would be interesting - could we trust you with fairy lights??? Actually when you say dogloo, it sounds like a toilet - at first I thought you were referring to a doggie version of a kitty litter tray

I'm not a better person than you - just more laid back, all about priorities. Stressing over it isn't going to achieve anything so why waste the energy.

That's hilarious! I get it - dog loo! hahahahaha

Hi, everybody, I've been on Houzz for a while, but did not know there were discussions until Astrea told me. And the way that cam about was in AARP I asked to join OLLD, I was curious as to what kind of "design" it was about. When she e-mailed me it had to do with HOUZZ, I almost jumpedout of my skin, I love anything to do with decorating houses and gardens. My favorite magazine is Romantic Country with Vintage and Victorian coming in a close second.
I'm looking forward to catching up with everybody!

Welcome Kathryn! Nice to see another face from south cackalacky! I chat mostly on the AARP site, but wanted to tell you hello. :)

Glad to see you made it here Kathryn!

I see Kathryn is from Greenville. I think you guys have mentioned Greenville quite a few times, does that mean you live fairly close?

roo, she actually lives where MP does. Which is just a couple of hours from me.

I guess it had to happen sometime. The world is a small place.

I think she's changing her screen name, for privacy, to Bellasgirls.