Quotes + A Rant

Old age deprives the intelligent man only of qualities useless to wisdom.

Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

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We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.

Maya Angelou, poet (b. 1928)

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We're still housebound, but not because we can't get out. I choose not to leave the neighborhood until I have to; the rental van needs to go back to the company in the same pristine condition they gave it to me. If I try to leave now and drive on barely melting ice and snow, I might have a problem - so I'm staying put. Our esteemed painter made it here Monday (along with his able helper) so the rear hallway and stairwell are getting closer to the finish. Of course now, it makes the bonus room at the top of the stairs look shabbier than ever. Isn't that always the case? I forgot to ask the painter to do the ceiling too, so that will have to be done before too long. I'm always forgetting something.....lol

Update: I went out on Tuesday for a chiropractor's appointment and took my life and limbs in my hands trying to get from my garage to the van. The slush is melting slowly, but it is still very slick out there. There was a hefty amount of snow/slush/ice on top of the van, which was impossible to remove because it was stuck between the rims of the luggage carrier. On the way home, I stepped on the brake for a red light and all that snow and slush fell off the roof and onto the windshield. I immediately turned on the wipers to remove it and when the windshield was cleared, I saw a crack on the lower left side. It didn't go all the way through the glass; you can't feel it either on the outside or the inside - but I called the rental company to report it. They asked me to return that van on Wednesday and pick up a new one. The crack is oval shaped and if you measured the line from start to finish, it would be 8-9" long. Very odd. I don't know how long I will have to drive that new one until my van is ready, but there is a prediction for more bad weather here on Friday - so it's anybody's guess.

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Our dentist will think we don't like her. The day after my accident, I had to cancel an appointment for cleaning, and Monday, mr. kenju had to cancel his cleaning. When the office manager finally got there Monday, she called to reschedule and there were no dates we could take, due to already scheduled chiropractor appointments. It may take weeks to get in there! I found out they are moving the office at the end of February. I've been going to the dentist in that same building for over 20 years, so it will seem odd to go somewhere else. Silver lining? They are moving closer to where we live - only a little over three miles away.

Accidents, Silver Linings and Paint

The phone calls are incoming and outgoing here with a frequency and intensity not seen in many a month, due to the recent accident in which we were involved. I can think of better reasons to be on the phone, but we do what we must, right?

I heard from the insurance adjuster yesterday morning; the original estimate has gone from $1500 to over $2000 - $2,010 to be exact, plus change. How's that for number synchronicity? You may recall that the state trooper who came to the scene said my damage would be less than $1K, and he didn't really want to file a report. I think he needs some lessons in on-site estimating, don't you? The guy appeared to be about 17 years old, so perhaps he just hasn't had enough experience with car wrecks yet.

It has been a long time since I was involved in an accident, and I had forgotten how aggravating all the details and paperwork can be, to say nothing of the pain and soreness and all you have to go through to get repairs to both yourself and your vehicle. All this crap for a really small fender-bender. I can't imagine how horrendous it would be if we'd had a more damaging wreck, and I will be forever grateful that it wasn't.

A silver-lining has been found as well; the rental van has Sirius satellite radio - YAY! I can listen to all the jazz and blues I want - commercial-free - for the next ten days!

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My kitchen/back door hallway and stairwell has looked like it had a wreck for over a year. I wrote about taking off some of the wallpaper and discovering royal blue enamel underneath, but I can't locate that post. That area should have been cleaned up and re-painted just after the kitchen was done in 2008, but I couldn't bear for the house to be torn up any longer. Mr. kenju hated the way it has looked for a long time and finally we hired someone (a very pleasant and competent someone) to remove the rest of the old wallpaper, sand the walls and repaint. I bought the paint today and as soon as it is finished, I will show you how it turned out.

Originally, I thought we would paint it the same color as the kitchen (the pale green of cucumber flesh). The color should be the same in the hallway and up the stairwell because there is no logical place to stop one color and start another. The painter's friend suggested we may want to use a neutral color in the hall and at first I disagreed with him, but after thinking it over, I see a good reason for having a neutral, off-white color there.

Eventually I want to paint my office (the bonus room). It is at the top of that stairwell, (with no door or separation between them) and if we paint the hall the same color as the kitchen, then the paint I choose for the office has to match or blend with that pale green. I decided that might limit me too much when it comes time to paint the office - so I chose the color Glidden calls "natural wicker". I cannot wait to see it finished and get stuff hung on the walls again (assuming I can find that stuff).