Kath and Kim

Just finished watching a new television show, "Kath and Kim." Apparently aimed at those in need of a good laugh during the turbulent financial times, the show about Kath and Kim makes fun of current social media news. Segments that include this question, "Is Brittany Spears dumb?" or "My marriage is over, o-v-u-r" beg the question, just how stupid have we become? Apparently this is a rhetorical question.

Physical appearances, sexual innuendos, and continuous bickering filled the 30 minute debut. Kim, an extremely spoiled recently married high school graduate decides to move back home after her new husband has the audacity to ask her to microwave dinner, instead of going to Appleby's every night. Kim considers herself a trophy wife, as funny as that sounds. Kath, her forty something mother, is in a new relationship and wants nothing to do with her daughter in distress.

Funny? You betcha. Sad take on current life in some households, probably. Here's a news flash to all Kims and Kaths out there. Be flexible, take care of each other, get a college education, learn to cook, read a book. But wait, there's more -- in a sudden turn of events Kath counsels Kim's husband to take her back, even though she can't cook. And Kim, as spoiled and irreverent as she is, returns to him, until next week. Though the show was ridiculous, it did create belly laughter which is good for one's mental and physical health. And what did you do last night to lighten your load?

Horses Hanging Out

Everyone needs some R & R, and horses are no different. Here are Annie (with the black mane) and Sammy resting, and pregnant Belle looking eastward. Life with horses is enjoyable as their independent personalities remind one of children on a playground. To those who wonder why the horses are laying down: they get tired, just like humans get tired and need to rest their legs.

Photo attribution: somewhatfortyplus

Bathroom/Mudroom Redo - Part 5: Grout Added

The remodeling of the mudroom and adjacent bath started on Thursday, and has progressed quite rapidly with tile installation completed late Friday night. Once tiles were laid and allowed to set for 24 hours, grout was added. Since the installation was in a mud room, the grout color selected was a medium grey instead of a lighter tone which would have gone well with the various colors in the travertine tile.

New baseboards will be installed, and all old tired woodwork will be primed with an oil based primer. Previous owners of the home covered all the woodwork with an oil based paint, which could be covered with latex now, except they did one more thing no one should ever do. The previous owners sealed all of the painted woodwork with a shellac or varnish of some type to keep paint from chipping. What other reason would have driven them to add varnish as a finishing coat on top of the paint?

As a result, before painting any woodwork in the house it is first lightly sanded then primed with an oil based primer, allowed to dry, and then painted with a Benjamin Moore semi-gloss latex paint. Though I thought all of the priming had been done, alas I was wrong, so today is oil based primer day. Doors and windows will be opened to allow the fabulous fumes to escape. We are one day closer to an updated mud room and bath completion. I can't wait to show it to you or see it myself, for that matter.
Photo attribution: somewhatfortyplus

Gary Vaynerchuk -- Wine in Woodstock

Wine guru Gary Vaynerchuk made it to Woodstock, IL a few weeks ago for a benefit to support the Woodstock Fine Arts Association. He was great! From the moment his feet hit the ground he was kind, generous and amazingly energetic. He talks wine because he really knows wine and can, from the top of his head, quote stats on all things wine, including the percent of people who drink a particular wine, how much of it was sold, etc. You get the idea. His kind heart and inspirational attitude left those in the audience inspired for several days. Gary was quoted in two local newspapers and his visit will "live on" for quite some time. Word on the street is he hopes to return to Woodstock next year for an all day event. Go Gary!

Woodstock native son Frank Gruber flew in from DC to introduce Gary on the stage of the beautiful Woodstock Opera House. This was one quick trip, lasting only 16 hours from airplane to airplane, with a wicked two hours of sleep. Frank and Gary were able to chat, enjoy dinner at Pirro's Italian Restaurante on Main Street in Woodstock, visit Arlene Lynes at the Reading Between the Lynes Bookstore, and enjoy the beautiful Woodstock Opera House. Check out this interesting video on the short visit to Woodstock. We loved you Gary and you are welcome at my house anytime you're in town!

Photo attribution: somewhatfrank

Bathroom Remodel -- Part 4: Tile Installation

Mud rooms get their name from being the room adjacent to the outdoors, separating the public spaces, which one hopes to keep clean, from the work spaces, which often sport sand, grass remnants, mud and dirt. Mud rooms allow one to enter the home, remove one's muddy shoes and then continue into the clean space, leaving the mud behind. The name mud room is more appropriate on some days then others.

Flooring in a mud room needs to be strong and durable and ranges from sheet goods, like linoleum, to ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone finishes. Travertine tiles were selected for this mud room make-over because they are strong and durable and look great against the wood floor in the adjacent kitchen and family room. Travertine is a crystallized, partially metamorphosed limestone of Calcium deposits with hot springs, which, because of its structure, can be filled and honed and is dense enough to be a type of marble. Each Travertine floor will exhibit its own unique coloring, veining and natural characteristics such as hardness and porosity. This non-uniform variety of color enhances the overall intrinsic beauty of the floor. Fading, stains, odors, and dirt and can be cleaned up with a damp mop or sponge or common household cleaners. The grout between the tiles will be a darker gray/brown color, which will be easy to keep clean since the installation is a mud room area. Several online sites offer great buys on Travertine tiles, but in Chicagoland, Century Tile is the place to go for tiles of every type, style and price.

Once the old vinyl flooring was removed from this remodel, previously discussed here, here and even here, the surface was washed. The old particle board was also removed and replaced with cement board. New tiles were glued onto the cement board today and will be allowed to dry at least 24 hours before grout is added. Excellent progress is being made on this mudroom/bathroom remodel and soon all will be completed.
Photo attribution: somewhatfortyplus

Bathroom Remodel -- Part 3: Painting the Walls

This is the third part of the Bathroom/Mudroom remodeling project, previously discussed here and here. Once the wallpaper was removed and the remaining glue had been washed away, the walls were primed with Kilz Wall Primer and the holes were filled. The holes were then sanded and primed again. Note: the word "primed" means to cover the walls with a paint called a primer, specifically selected to help paint adhere to surfaces. Next, the ceiling was attacked: the light fixture from "back in the day" was removed and the ceiling painted a shade of white. Woodwork in the bathroom/mud room remodel is plentiful and in need of priming so that is the next important step. An oil based primer for wood surfaces will be selected for this job.

Many homeowners skimp on the all important step of priming before painting, then wonder why the paint peels and chips so easily. Taking the time to prepare the surface correctly will save time and money later, so don't think your walls are "good enough" and paint over them without priming. Skip a television show instead, but don't skip the priming.

Problem: The small bathroom has a cabinet above the toilet that is not centered, but rather off set to the left, as seen in the photo. Re-painting the cabinet white in a room that will be painted cranberry will only highlight the off-set cabinet even more. Solution: the off-set cabinet will be painted the same color as the walls so the cabinet blends in and becomes less obtuse. The remaining woodwork will be painted a shade of white.

One painter just left to purchase the wall colors: apple green for the mud room walls and a gorgeous cranberry for the small bathroom. Stay tuned.

Photo attribution: somewhatfortyplus

Bathroom Remodel -- Part 2: Wallpaper Removal Tips

Wallpaper can be gorgeous in any room but once the homeowner decides the paper has to go, removing it can be a messy job. After several hours of spraying, waiting and careful peeling, the wallpaper in the somewhat awful looking mud room and adjoining bath discussed previously here, is now history.

Removing wallpaper can be a huge under taking, but several "magic potion sprays" are available to speed removal along. What is the best spray to use, according to HGTV "Designed To Sell?" Something you might already have at home: mixing fabric softener with a little water and spraying it on the wallpaper is the best and easiest way to remove paper. After spraying, wait about 15 minutes for the fabric softener to soak through the paper, then slowly lift a corner. Patience is a virtue here so don't rush now. Carefully pull the paper away from the wall; standing in front of the paper, slowly peel the entire wet sheet away from the wall until the entire sheet is removed and laying at your now wet feet. Continue around the room. Once the paper is gone, the walls need to be washed down to remove any remaining glue. A mixture of dish soap and warm water will work well; use a sponge to wash the area, continuing until all glue is gone.

The good news for this somewhat messed up mud room is the unwanted wallpaper is gone and the walls are free of all glue. The not so good news is the person removing the paper is sopping wet. Oh-oh. After the walls were dry they were primed, and holes were filled. Tomorrow the walls will be sanded and re-primed.

The really good news, as seen in the floor photo, the old individual commercial grade vinyl tiles have been removed, leaving a floor that will be covered with concrete board, then the new Travertine tiles that were purchased an hour ago. More tomorrow.

Photo Attribution: somewhatfortyplus