Is it Straight or Level?

This has been a standing argument since we started hanging pictures on the walls. Himself walks in the house, looks at a wall and secretly sighs. I know he does this because he gets this crooked set to his mouth that means he's not going to say anything, but he's sure going to think it and think it with all his might.

What he's thinking is, "That wife of mine does not know how to hang a picture. And I've told her repeatedly I'd do it." I tell you that I do know how. I locate the photo, locate empty wall space, and locate hammer and nails. This is all done in about 11 seconds. Now to hang the picture. I put the photo in several places that look balanced on the wall. If there are several photos to hang, I might arrange them on the floor first. Then I eyeball it a couple times to figure out the space and dimension. I do not bother with two nails as this is taking up time. I whap the nail in place, slap up the picture, push it left and right so it hangs straight on the nail and I am done. The whole process maybe takes 5-10 minutes.

However. Himself has an entirely different routine that I've yet to understand the first time I asked him to hang a mirror. He locates his Dewalt Impact Wrench with the philips end, the sheetrock screws, finds his tape measure, his carpenter pencil, the level and piece of paper. Then he asks ME where to hang the photo (he's smart btw) and I stand back while I'm giving six instructions of where it goes. Finally he yells enough, asks me again if this is where I want it, then proceeds to measure, mark, locate, level, remark, measure, level, etc.  He does this for even a 5x7 wall hanging. Of which can take up to an hour.

I am a watch-and-do-kind-of-girl- completely visual. So I saw all that he had done hanging a mirror and proceeded to do as he had done with a housewarming gift we received. I measured, subtracted, hung the first screw, saw it was definitely secure, leveled the picture, made a second mark, put in a 2nd screw, and hung the picture. Admittedly it was not the most level thing I've ever seen. Admittedly also, I was quite irritated that it had taken me 3 tries to get it as level as it was (It's not easy to drill through plaster) and I blamed the level considerably because obviously it didn't help me as much as I thought it should. But I was done, especially dangling 3' in the air and I called it good. Homey even. Quite sweet and thanked my thoughtful sister-in-law for such a nice housewarming gift. That evening he walks in the kitchen, looks up at a newly hung picture and gave an endless sigh. I laughed, completely unconcerned and went back to making supper. I did not know my little act of putting things in their place was gouging the part of his level-laid-out-evenly brain at regular intervals. 

For this is what I found this morning: Note the included level.

It's even funnier because at this angle, I see two more screw holes –NOT mine. I was definitely not that off. 

So we agree that he hangs the photos. If I hang them, he will only rehang them. I have no use for a level- they tax my abilities and leave the whole business to him. We're happier this way. The house is content, the occupants at peace. Oh the things you learn in the first year of marriage…..

Bunk Bed Room/ Office

Here is the Bunk Bed Room/ Office

Mom I did not paint sloppy. It's gorgeous!

I call it this because the beds were made for a family that had triplet boys here eons ago. The beds are built in and has also dubbed as my office. It's a very cozy place! Ready for company and no, not our kids,* but kids are welcome! 

I chose a color called Cinnamon because I knew it would offset that fabulous light wood. It turned out beautifully and yep it's dark. I know that white is supposed to lighten things up but white is sooo boring. I have a white bathroom because it's had mold-board that keeps mold from forming and the only color it comes in is, you guessed it, White. I appreciate a bolder color that makes a person want to snuggle in and feel cozy.

I need an office and I'm picky about an office. I can't work in a sterile environment, an unorganized one, and neither can I be cold. As it works, this room is warm because the sun shines right in the window (I won't tell you the direction because I don't know- I think it faces South) so I'm warm! HUGE factor of motivation. There is also a built in filing cabinet to the right of the desk at the foot of the single bed. Bingo! Now to do bookwork. 

Yeah right. I am painting. Still.... 

*Disclaimer. 

Not that we don't like kids. We love kids, but there is not an 'our' kids and not anytime soon either.... Thanks for asking.

(The SaySo of House Mgmt)

A Little House Called Home

Here is the original photos upon moving in to our little house. It's always intimating to me to have all these boxes piled around which you've long forgotten what's in them despite laborious efforts to label every box. As we continue to move in and arrange things, I'll keep a little commentary of each rooms progress.
What you see here is:

The Entry Way
Which happens to be the entry door opening right into the washer/dryer combo. This room really bugs me because I like to have things hidden and tucked in their little corner. It seems this room is where everyone stays to talk, which is of course where all the odds and ends go of a nut and a bolt that don't fit, extra light bulbs, coats, mouse traps, etc all land.

The Living Room
Which is a huge room and awesome. The hard thing? It's a rectangle with no angles so I have to 'create' rooms in a room. If that makes any sense.

The Kitchen
Ah yes. The kitchen which is where so much of my creativity lies. Currently cooking is Zesty Chicken which is really really yum and super easy. This morning Breakfast Cookies formed. This room is *gasp* green! I have to laugh because I am NOT a green person. And what is even funnier is we got a lot of green wedding presents... What's shocking is this kitchen refuses to be any other color BUT green. I've tried making it blue so many times, but it's rejected blue. So I'm resigned.

The Sewing Room
It has barn wood shelves. What else could be cooler?!

The Bunk Bed Room
So called because there are three built in beds that a few renters back built for their triplet boys. It's a very sweet little room and will also dub as my office.

Not Pictured
The hubby's Man Cave.

The Strawberry Cat

Meet Strawberry the Cat. She is a sweetheart, a little princess and rules the barn with an iron paw. All cats bow to her and I believe mice cringe at her coming. She never lets you pet her unless it's her idea and then it counts as your privilege, not hers!

Days of Moving

We had been married a month and I still didn't have all my stuff over east side. We made 4 trips back and forth and finally I can say I have all my contents here- and what I left I don't need! So glad to be moved completely and I'm thankful that we're done with that!

In one of our many trips, we saw some pretty inclement weather. These clouds were scary looking but all was at peace it seemed with a fabulous sunset that I promptly missed trying to find the camera in a pickup driving 80. Not too bad a shot though!