TravelingMel

Yesterday it snowed. I love snow as much as the next person, maybe more, but it did make me regret putting tomato and basil starts in the garden. I knew it was too early, but I wanted it to work. I think the tomatoes will pull through in their capsules of Wall O Waters. The basil, despite the green tubes, is probably a goner. No big deal, I'll wait until Memorial Day and plant more.

Experimental tomatoes and basil stand strong (I hope)in the storm.

The real bad news that arrived yesterday is our VW Passat needs a new motor. Even replacing it with an used motor will cost about $6,000. (I did not add an extra zero, that's the actual price; if you want to throw up a little go ahead.) The car is worth about $7,500, so I don't see us fixing it.

Part of me is glad that we will be a one vehicle household. Less expenses, less impact on the environment. Part of me is sad to give up the freedom to go where I want, when I want. There will be some shuffling, but we'll figure it out. And we can always rent a car for a day with all the money we are saving.

What sucks (sorry, mom), is that we had tossed around the idea of selling the car before it broke down and padding our coffers.

Anyhoo...I was feeling kind of down when a package arrived from my good friend Tiny Jen. Inside was a book:

Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

The book is about a little bear that gets a package from his gramps. Inside are five seed-related activities that help him learn about seeds, germination and life.

In addition to the book, Tiny Jen packed the stuff we needed to do the same activities as Buddy Bear. How freakin' cute is that? I just love seed activities and I LOVE Tiny Jen. I know it was technically for Anders (just like our ant farm), and he will have so much fun with it, but I'm going to have even more fun.

So much fun and potential in a little package, just like a seed.

It really brightened by car-saddened day to get that.

Anders asked, "Will you take a picture of I and Finn eating muffins?". Of course, I will.

** Did you know that if you click through one of my Amazon links and buy something from the site I get a (very) small commission? It's true. So, next time you want to make an Amazon purchase consider coming here or to Your Wild Child and clicking through--you don't even have to buy what I linked to. You know I need the money for a new car

No doubt you recall that we redid the tile in our shower last spring. You don't remember? Refresh your memory here.

That was step 1 in the Bathroom Improvement Project (BIP). Step 2 was to paint over everything. Well, almost everything.

H took the boys to Ennis for the weekend to play with Mogie and Big H. While they rode horses, fished, played and read books, I attacked the bathroom.

This is really one of the ugliest bathrooms in the world. I've become numb to its horrors, but I remember when I first looked at this house thinking, "Good God, people! Who would do such a thing?". Seriously, it's hideous.

Thanks to hard work, it's getting better.

After H and the boys left I gave Rigby a quick bath. Things were only going to get worse in there, so why not soak and scrub a 100-pound Malamute. (Rigby is awesome in the bath, actually. He just stands there and looks very sad. He can't believe such a thing could happen to such a sweet dog. Easy to bathe, though.)

Riggy fresh from the bath. I don't wash his head because he doesn't like it and I only want to make him happy.

Then I spent the rest of the day in the bathroom. I spackled and sanded. I scrubbed and taped. I removed fixtures and cabinet doors.

Then the priming began. I had to use a stinky, toxic primer to make the paint stick to the plastic tiles. (Yes, those mint green tiles are plastic.)

Since I was doing the ceiling and the walls, it took forever. Finally I got one coat of paint on, took Rigby for a walk and it was dark.

Day 2 was another coat of paint and trip to Bozeman for new fixtures. By the time I got everything done and cleaned up, it was 6pm. Rigby got a quick walk and I made some roasted tomato soup. Then H and the boys came home.

Toilet-side pre-paint.

Toilet-side post-paint. Better, no?

Sink-side pre-paint.

I decided to rip out the medicine cabinet as long as I was there. Now you can see into the bedroom closet and the linen closet. Nice.

Sink-side post-paint.

It's not perfect, but it does look better. Plus, now the sink and tub really pop.

Step 3 is redoing the floor. Unfortunately, the tile I am in love with (it's real pebbles!) is pricey, so that's on hold for a bit. I might wait until H is out of town for three weeks in Oct/Nov and use rocks from down by the river. Shhh! don't tell him!

I've also added step 4 to the BIP. Get a new sink. I think I am resigned to the green tub, especially since I can pull the curtain in front of it, but the sink has to go.

*side note (like this whole blog isn't a side note) I put the old medicine cabinet outside and someone took it within a couple hours, so it is getting reused. I haven't put anything in front of our house that someone hasn't taken in less than a day. Stuff you can't imagine anyone would want, finds a new home; it's great.

Last year I planted a few sunflowers in my garden. Just four or five to pretty-up the place.

Apparently they reseeded themselves. I didn't have the heart to thin them out and they are now totally out of control.

Aaahhhh, they are trying to escape. Hide your children!

The more subtle sweetpea.

The other part of the garden.

Check my other blog to find out what we did today.

Instead of uploading pictures from Easter Extravaganza, I've been messing around with gardening software from Plangarden.

Here is what I came up with for my little backyard plot.

Check back this summer to see if it actually turns out like this!