Speaking about too much light in the kitchen. Problemo I need to solve, I have 2 sets of bay windows in the kitchen. One set faces west and the other south.... they basically make the corner of the kitchen. The door in the kitchen, is your standard glass garden door that faces west. There is another window in the kitchen at the sink that faces south, plus 2 skylights....just incase there wasn't enough light. All the blinds were original to the house, 1" white aluminium horizontal mini blinds. Basically, they suck and I think there ugly!!!!! Everywhere else is wood 2" white blinds, no drapes or valances. I need to block that sun.Summer is awful with the sun shining in all afternoon into the evening, until the sun goes down. Summer is the only time the blinds are down, other than that, there hiked right up, no neighbours or privacy issues. Ideas?

Deal! But you'll have to put up with R, he won't go to the snow at all! hehehe The lawnmower and weekwacker and leaf blower are all on the side yard. The power washer is in the garage and it has it's own air compressor so you won't have to drag out the big one. The leaf rake is in the garage.

We have no pool, though, be warned!

How about roman shades set inside the window with a spring tension rod? My mother had the same problem, two windows in the corner, no way to put up rods. I told her she needed to think 'inside' the box.

@olldcan. Would it be possible to put up some kind of awning or shade sail just for the summer months? I think you might have to store any outdoor shade option(s) for the winter, with the weather you have.

Cures for leg cramps please! Had really bad cramp in my calf in the middle of the might, it's been sore all day and I am putting off going to bed tonight just in case it happens again. I have drunk a can of tonic water, minus the gin ( for the quinine in the tonic - though I suspect it probably doesn't contain quinine these days), and I have eaten a banana for the potassium. Leg still sore, but I am sure I will wiggle my toes and set it if again!

Maybe some kind of metholated rub, like BenGay, if you have that? Warm compress? Heating pad? I know how much those hurt, poor baby!

Ok. So I refinished all the wood in the kitchen, three coats of Bona polish and I Magnum Sharpie'd the grout lines (oh yes I did, Feeny!!!). Tomorrow morning we're off to church to pick up the supplies we need for the week. Paint, brushes, tray liners, wood, and on and on. R and I work at different paces; I do everything at the speed of light, and he....well, he doesn't. Hopefully we'll get thru the week without killing each other.

What is on everyone's weekend agenda???

Hi Busylady - I think your leg is sore because of the cramps last night. When you get a really bad one you really wring your muscles and that soreness can last for a few days. I was told to alternate between cold and hot compresses, basically forcing a dilation and contraction of your muscles to sort of ease out the soreness. So a packet of peas from the freezer and a hot water bottle....
Hope you do sleep tonight

I have rubbed on some "Deep Heat" rub, filled a hot water bottle, and got one of those ice packs for the freezer bag out of the fridge and wrapped it in a towel, and hubby is trying to rig up some kind of cage thing so that my toes are not pointed down by the weight of the duvet! Not very glamorous, but who cares as long as I get some sleep! Thanks all!

goodnight - headed that direction as well!

Bobbi I have to learn to include links from other people in here. Anyway mylittlehome posed the question or rather statement; "I am using Emerald Green and want to know other colours to use with it" I have asked what they are using it on, but feeling as I do about frog green I don't think I can help, you guys are good with all colours perhaps you can wade in.

Creeser, you are SO MEAN!!! Poor Astraea!!! Have to admit though I can't stop laughing - blame it on not winning the house.

Yeah, princess, great to hear from you. So glad all is going so smoothly for you. Can't wait for your postings - you know what sticky beaks we are.

Asking for directions??? Definitely a male thing - Moses wandered in the desert for 40 years 'cause he was too stubborn to ask for directions.

Bobbi what are you doing with grey, copper and ??? green?

I have heard of the Thunder from Down Under, but they are not as well known here as the Chippendales. I think most of their work they do in Vegas, where the Chippendales do the local scene.
Gotta admit Aussie Males Rock!!!! ............. Thunder, Chippendales, Hugh Jackman, Simon Baker, Rod Taylor, Errol Flynn ......................

bobbi & etzia,there's a foot above one set of the bay windows and the other only 4". So if I stay inside the window frame like the current ugly blinds, i'll be okay. I'd love something outside to block the sun. I have a really nice view of the yard so i don't want to block the windows too much when the suns not blasting in. All the awnings & umbrellas we have tried either get ripped off by the wind or get loaded with snow and break. I'll take a pic so you can see what i'm dealing with. I'd be looking at, doing all 7 plus the door. I may as well share the pain :)

Would someone please pour that glass of missing Gin for busylady1, yup that should cure it :)

Hi busy, nice you could drop by again. We would like Maho beach please - St. Maartens. Tras and I have already reserved seats in the beach bar for exotic drinks made with the native rum based guavaberry liquors while we watch the planes go by. I think we will avoid the nude beaches on the French side of the island though.

olldcan, the gin may not cure her leg cramps, but if she drinks enough, she'll sleep right through them!
busylady, my doctor told me that most cramps are caused from dehydration. Make sure you're getting enough water. Half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, a 100lb person needs 50 ounces of water per day. Also, take a tennis ball and lay your leg on it, so it's on that knot. Move it around so that it'll work that knot out of there.

Olldcan, there are great mesh roller blinds you can get that block the sun, some come with insulation too. I have to get one for my kitchen when I have the reno done, in winter the morning sun is absolutely blinding.

Can, I just had some roman shades made for my kitchen windows. They are screwed into the top of the window frame. Would something like that work for your bay windows?

Busy - do you have any swelling or redness around the area? This could indicate DVT - act immediately!!

Otherwise it could be caused by electrolyte imbalance and you need to look at increasing hydration along with calcium, potassium and sodium. Concentrate on increasing your hydration. Bananas are good for potassium.

Lisa, if you want to attach links, go to the very top of your screen and you will see something like https://www.houzz.com/discussions/home-and-garden-discussions-dsbr0-bd~ #####. Right click on that and "copy" then "paste" into your comment.

Can't believe mylittlehouse didn't come straight here. :)

Roo, it's 6 pm here, what time is it there?

Olldcan, how about the smokey window film? It made a huge difference with light control and heat reduction here! That plus some roman shades and you'll be stylin'.

12.06 Saturday, to be precise Bobbi.

The smokey window film is great, I had it on my lounge room doors for many years, but the only problem is that it does dull and drab the room when the sun isn't shining. For olldcan's winter I think it could make her kitchen depressing.

@olldcan. Could do do a smoky window film for the summer only?

That's PM, right? Like Saturday midnight?

ez, you can peel it off, but then you need to rebuy it fof the next summer.

@olldbobbi and olldcan. Would it be cost effective to get a smoky window film each year?

Bobbi PM yes, as in lunch time. Take 6 hours off your time and add a day.

That film you are talking must be a lot cheaper than the one I had done. It had to be specially fixed (maybe because of the size of the doors) and was quite expensive.

Roo, this film goes on with water and a squeegie, that's all I know. Comes on a roll with a paper backing, you spray water on the window, place the film, spray the film then squeegie the film tight against the window. Trim to fit, done!

Can I just 18 hours? Can't do the math the other way!

ez, definitely! It's only about $20.00 and the energy savings (not to mention the sweat!) qualifies it!

@olldbobbi. I have been thinking about your gray, copper, and (sage) green room off and on all day.

Have you ever seen Raku pottery? It usually has a metallic sheen and irregular colors from the firing process. I am thinking the copper color that sometimes occurs in combination with the other colors on the pot might be a good accent piece for your room. I always go to an arts and crafts fair or an art gallery to get mine, but I suppose you could find just the one you like online, too.

Maybe my big doors were the reason, although it was years ago, maybe they only sold it on an install basis then. I think it was 3M that brought it out.

I still reckon a roller blind would be easier and they fit inside the window frame.

You can do the math anyway you like, that way is easiest for me, I get totally lost your way. I find on here I just add the 6 hours, or 9 hours for East Coast so I know the time of day and what you all might be doing. Sunday after Easter it will go up another hour when we come off Daylight Saving. I will remind you.

ez, those are pretty, aren't they? They kind of remind me of carnival glass. Are all these pieces yours?

Thanks for the total confusion, roo! I was just starting to get it :)) Just kidding.

Where's STK these days? He had too much anniversary celebrating, me thinks.

Particularly like the two bottom ones ez.

Bobbi what are you doing that you asked the green question anyway.

I found a couple of posts somewhere in dilemmas, totally forgotten now, that had comments by people that could only be your twins. Have to try to find them.

Roo, I promise, you don't want to know :))

Sorry for the delay. Mom phoned and had to tell me about her accident. Oh no i said, with the car? (she's 86) "Nope the damn blender. Was making a cheese cake and had all the ingredients in the blender and it was just making a strange humming. I took the lid off to take a peek and zoom, off it goes, fast as it could. Cheese cake all over my hair, face, glasses, clothes, cupboards, counter backsplash, window, floor, island, mail and even in my ear." hahahahaha Now she's mad at the gelatine cause, it set up faster than she could wipe up the mess. hahahaha I can't stop laughing, been there a time or two myself.

Okay gals, here's the windows. What do you think now. I've often thought about a film but wonder if I'll lose the natural colours looking out to the yard, think that will be affected?

Very pretty! Yes, you will lose some of the color. Think of it as wearing sunglasses in the house.

I want your snow!!!! Oh, and your poor Mom!

eztia, i love the bottom 2, they're gorgeous ;)

Oh, dear, your poor mum, but as you say, been there, done that. Cleaning up the mess is the worst part and it is amazing what it finds to get into. Terrible waste of a cheesecake too.

Ditto Bobbi to losing colour. I really think the mesh blinds will be perfect - you can still see out through them, they just cut the glare and are very easy to wipe clean.

Love your yard - Christmas cards in March.

Bobbi - I DO WANT TO KNOW!!!! You can't ask questions and just leave us hanging like this.

Hmmmm, so you think the clear true colours will be affected, that sucks. My problem with any blind including the one that's currently on the door now is that every time the blind is down and the door gets opened or closed, the damn thing is swinging. Not to mention the slats getting damaged near the handle. I'm replacing the screen door this spring, notice the red tuck tape? maybe I should replace both doors and see what the can do in terms of blocking the heat in the glass garden door. I hate the grill in the glass anyway.......

You want this snow, you got it. I know i'm stuck with R, can he cook? I love mexican food...... any plans to install that pool before I arrive? I have 4, 45gallon water barrels for catching rain water and a leaky hot tub, sorry bobbi, that's the best I can do :(

Good evening ladies and gents.............no, Bobbi one can never get too much anniversary celebrating, just been busy the past two days......today we hit the 70's and I took 2 loads of leaves and limbs to the landfill and then there's the basketball games ....it's championship week.....so much to do and so little time to do it..........

Thinking it's going to be an early night though...........may have done a little too much today in the yard and paying for it tonight. I'm thinking I hear a Loratab calling my name tonight.

Will drop in first thing in the morning before the championship game between the Memphis Tigers and SMU tomorrow........

night all.

Olldcan, I know it will dull your view both inside and out. If you have light on inside the house it turns the windows into mirrors so you see the reflection of the room and nothing outside. I'm wondering if you do your windows with blinds though, will the door on its own be an issue.

Roo, well if you like Christmas in March, I have some deer, I've been watching this past week. Everyday we have up to 16 of them in the yard. Although there not santa's reindeer if they get any closer to coming up on my deck, I'll be saying whoa whoa whoa instead of ho ho ho.

roo, I never gave any thought to treating the door any different than the windows. I guess it's just because there so darn close together, I've always thought they should be treated the same, no?

How about the roller shades you see in restaurants that are tinted like the window film but work like any regular roller blind?

I imagine they're rather expensive, but I like those doors with the miniblinds inside the glass and you have the controls on the interior side of the door.

I also have some impossible doors on my sunroom. Mine are french doors with brass latches about 6 inches long that stick up from the surface about 2 - 2 1/2 inches. The latches are about a foot or so from the top and bottom of the door. I would really like a covering that I can put over the entire door frame because I need insulation in winter. But, with the latches sticking out, the only easy thing is covering the glass panes of the door. I'm sure that would help somewhat, but seems a lot of work for minimal benefit.

I llove the deer in the snow Olldcan. Do you have a problem with them eating your landscape?

To me a door is a door and when it is being opened and closed all the time and privacy isn't an issue I don't see a problem with leaving it. It is a utility thing. Windows are another thing, I just can't stand undressed windows, I have to have something on mine, but that is me.

My front door is all glass with a fixed pane of glass beside it. I've had curtains on them over the years but they have just been a nuisance, particularly when the door is always open. I do need protection from the afternoon sun in summer, so am going to try a blind just on the fixed panel.

Actually, that is another thought, shade sail!! I'm thinking of also trying a shade sail over the front door to keep the heat out a bit. These of course have to be on a tension and I haven't looked into whether you can have them done with a tension release. Having them done in the mesh though does allow them to withstand a lot of weather. The bonus is you would have outside shade too for sitting under.

Awww those deer are so cute. Can you pat them?? I know what I'd be wasting time on all day. Are they pests at all?

Linda - can you go with thermal lined curtains, extend the rod beyond the doors so the curtains can be opened right back when you don't need them

Good morning, all. Sorry to say, none of the Raku pottery pieces are mine. Put "Raku pottery images" in your Internet browser search box to see a much greater selection.