Wolf's Den

Got around to doing the April Daring Cooks Challenge last night. It wasn't as difficult as it seemed. Only took 15 minutes to do the main part. And man was it good too. No, I can't tell you what it is for 4 more days.

I have all my windows open and have had them open, day and night, for the past two days. This is nice. Aries and Morrigan are loving it.

The forsythia out back is in full bloom. The mock oranges are leafing out. The Wisteria vines on the fence, that I can see from my desk, are loaded with flower buds that get larger by the day. Most of the irises have all come back and several of the daffodils and narcissus have either finally bloomed or will soon.

Whatever was causing Caena's skin issues seems to be ever so slowly clearing up, finally.

Almost finished with a new cuff. Just doing the last of the beadwork, then it can get photographed today for listing this evening. This was a fun cuff.



Mark got me a real Mah Jongg set. Hee. Now I just need to learn how to really play.

And I turned 40 today.

Being Caena. It's hard holding that pillow down and the couch that threatens to run away.



It's hard being an Aries too. So much lovins, so little time.

It's been essentially nonstop since Friday. And not going to be much better for this week either.

Friday, I packed up nearly every book in the bedroom. 7 boxes worth. And we're not talking small boxes either. One I couldn't move by myself and neither could Mark, it took both of us.

Then I moved 2 3 shelf, 3 foot long bookcases, 5 shelf book case, both end tables, the pseudoclock/bookshelf, and miscellaneous odds and ends.

When he got home, we moved the last box, and he took apart the bed. That night, we slept on the mattress set on the floor- after vacuuming the carpet for a last time again.

Sat saw us moving the mattress set out, after we took the drawers out of the dresser and chest of drawers, then we moved them, the upstairs TV and cable box to the center of the room, covered with plastic and primed the walls and ceiling with Kilz. The outside walls were done twice. The areas were the mold/mildew was, was done in three coats. Luckily the topcoats of actual color will also be mildew resistant. If that doesn't stop it, nothing will.

Then the dressers were moved and the mattresses put back down for the night.

Sunday, I took Caena over to the InLaws so the dust and potential mold/mildew spores that may have been in the carpet wouldn't irritate her when we were tearing the carpet out. She had a puppy play date in other words. She's looking immensely better and it's only been 2 weeks since we got rid of the mold/mildew. Note to self- give her a bath today.

When I got home, Mark had moved the mattresses and started in on the carpet. 3/4 was gone already, bagged up and out of the house. Between the 2 of us it took another 3 hours to get the rest out, get the staples out of the floor, pull up the tack strips and nails, then scrub the floor twice, mop it again for good measure, moving the dressers, TV and cable box twice in the process and then, finally dropping the mattresses back on the floor again.

Needless to say, the cats are freaked out right now, especially Aries.

This week, I paint the room. I like to paint, so no biggie doing it by myself. Mark will help with the ceiling. (Valspar Waverly Classics Blue Sail for the wall, Nordic Blue for the trim and Blue Boy for the ceiling, from Lowes. )

Sometime this summer, we'll see about renting a floor sander and sanding the wood floors up there, they are that screwed up in a few areas. Doing it by hand is out of the question. Then we'll restain and seal it to match the downstairs and hallway.

Then we get to do the back bedroom. Whee fun. If we ever own our own house again, we'll be pros at this.

I don't think my body remembers how NOT to ache or be stiff anymore.}:/ And to top it off, yesterday I woke up with a slightly sore throat. *sigh* And thanks to being so worn out, I'm constantly seeing Max out of the corner of my eye, laying on the floor right behind my chair. It's disconcerting to say the least.

No, nothing's happened to him, other than not getting his morning ration of cream on time.







Hard to believe he's 17 yrs old too.

I miss Max.

It's by the same person who made Dante's. Kristin from Urns handmade both and they're absolutely gorgeous.




It's empty right now. We pick up his ashes on Monday. It's perfect for him.

Thursday night, I couldn't sleep (nights are the worst as that's generally when he wanted attention the most), and I was at the top of the stairs, heading back down to the couch, where I could toss and turn and not keep Mark awake. I swear I saw Max waddling down the stairs ahead of me. When I reached the bottom, he turned the corner, walked around the coffee table and was gone.

This morning, I was laying in bed- I managed to catch Mark's cold, go me- watching a dvr'd episode of BBCA's Copper, and I swear Max tried to get up on the bed, in his pawing at the covers, then claw his way up style.

It's strange, really. After Dante passed, MARK saw her standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at him. I've never seen her. And yet, I'm seeing Max every few days.

Fickle cat.