Ohhhh pretty

I just finished installing the first of three new pleated shades in our bedroom.

I've hated our old blinds since we moved in. They are a dingy color. Our walls have some bright white in them, and they don't look right. A few years ago, when the strings broke, I bought new string rather than new blinds. Sometimes I can't replace what is perfect functional if not pretty.

This time, when the string broke, and I couldn't get the locking mechanism to work, I BOUGHT NEW!

It took me a few times to figure out how to get them installed because of bracket placement - but I got it up - and it's SOOOO pretty. They are bright white and look nice. I can't wait to get the others up in the morning and see them in daylight.

For the first time in three years, I can easily put my blinds over my bed up! And I did it myself (ok, DH stood by while I tried to figure out the problem. Talking with him helped me find the solution).

And now the refrain

The heat is fixed. This time it seems for real. As in, the house actually is warm.

Some hose was knocked loose.

So, we may actually have heat now.

Took the girls to see Monsters vs. Aliens. Sydney was a little scared by the movie, but liked it in the end. Sarah really liked it.

Where timestep whines about the heat while drinking coco with Kahlua.

This morning, our heating guy drove to the UPS site in town. The truck hadn't arrived yet, but he asked that they look for our package as they unloaded and if they found it, to call him.

By some miracle, our package arrived, being a small town the UPS guy called, and mid-morning, heating guy arrived to install the new control panel. All is good. . .

except we waited all day for the house to warm up.

By dinner time, it was obvious that more is broken as the furnace will turn on, but it won't force hot air.

So, it's not as cold as the heater is doing something, but it also isn't warm.

I'm not a happy girl.

Not unhappy enough to call repair guy (I have his cell number), but not happy either.

The furnace needed part, so we had a dead furnace last night. Lovely repair man is picking up part at UPS rather than waiting for delivery. So, I have a fire in the fireplace, I'm making coffee, and will clean house 'til repair guy shows.

I hope he's not offended that I'm in my jammies, but I have unders on and a turtle neck. But, my fleece jamies are WARM.

I might change into a fleece pullover just so it doesn't look so much like jammies.

I promised the girls that if the furnace isn't fixed today, there will be a hotel or mini heaters for the weekend.

Motivation to clean or exercise

When you aren't sure you have the energy to clean, all you need is for your heater to stop running. When it's 60 degrees in the house when it should be 65, perpetual motion helps to keep the blood moving. So, my choices are exercise or cleaning.

I think I'll clean a bit first, then exercise if the heating guy still isn't here.

open mouth, be thankfully only DH saw me insert foot.

So, today I was chatting with our two ice dancers after the show about the rules of ice dancing and the timing of when they are allowed to be separate from one another. I remember clearly the discussions that occurred after Torvill and Dean performed their routine to Bolero the first time in the 1984 Olympics the pushing of the rules that routine created.

We chatted a bit about how the rules have relaxed a bit since then - allowing for more separation during certain routines (i.e., not compulsory where you never separate).

When I got home, I decided to look up the name of their coach - which I knew from the program was Christopher Dean. I knew the name, but could not place who the skater was.

ThankgoodnessIdidn'tsayanythingstupid


Um yea, Christopher Dean is THAT Dean, as in Torvill and Dean.

(such a dork).

Ice Show

Ice Dancers Jane Summersett and Todd Gilles skated at our local Ice Show this weekend. It seems that Jane is from our area and skated with our skating academy when she was little.

Jane and Todd are the alternates to the U.S. Ice Dancing team for the 2009 Worlds next week in Los Angeles and stopped by our little ice show to skate their programs from the 2009 U.S. Nationals. They are so nice taking pictures and signing autographs. In fact, they spend most of their time standing in the hallway where the skaters dressing rooms are rather than hiding in their own room - so all the skaters can stop by and talk to them, take pictures, and ask for autographs.

Here is the link to their pic at nationals:

http://www.universalsports.com/PhotoAlbum.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23000&PALBID=59504

And here is a picture with the girls. We took this at intermission. After Sarah and Sydney got Todd's autograph, tomorrow we will get Jane's.



The girls did a great job at the show. But, I'll be a bit happy when the show is over today.

Kirsten

Disgusted

It's the first day of spring.

It's snowing.

It's not right.

I want to ban Murphy from my house

I keep stubbing my toe - my broken toe - on things. Do I ever stub the right foot? NO. . .that would be to convenient. No, I keep stubbing the broken toe.

And, last night I couldn't fall asleep. Too much on my mind. I finally forced myself to walk to bed at 2:30. It took a little bit more to fall asleep. I woke up to help get the kids out of the house.

It's going to be a rough few days while I try to get my groove back. I'm too old to lose sleep.

AND, I just realized that I forgot to start the chicken in the crock pot. I'm bringing dinner to a friend who tore several things in her knee, has two kids, and her DH is on travel this week. I need to bake brownies too because life is always better with a little chocolate.

Oh, and I decided to give up equal and splenda. My craving for sweets was getting a little out of control. I decided to see if there was any truth to the studies that artificial sweeteners leave your body craving more sugar. Most of my artificial sweeteners come from coffee or tea.

And, I've actually seen some improvement in what I *need* to eat.

But, now I need to get dressed and get stuff going for dinner.

Mom, the Girl Scout Cookies exploded in our basement!

I'm cookie mom for Sarah's troop. The cookies arrived on Thursday.

Sarah's troop sold 1080 boxes, which means we had over 90 cases of cookies. I had to sort all the cookies for the troop. Then, I have to sort the 157 boxes Sarah sold and the 76 Sydney sold.

I've still not sorted Sarah's cookies out of the troop cookies and I then need to sort the girls cookies.

It's almost 9:00, we have to leave for church in 45 minutes and I have to bring Sarah's cookies so she can deliver them.

But, I'm going to drink a cup of coffee and wake up a bit before I go sort.

Oh, I'll be so happy when cookie season is over!

Custom blinds

I am in search of a reliable (and fairly quickly) place to order custom window shades. Our front bedroom window is BIG (three panes, two small, one bigger).

I really like Smith and Noble, but they are a bit pricey.

I'm leaning towards Next Day Blinds, but I thought I'd see if anyone else has a site they trust.

The other advantage of the NDB place is that they can inside mount in a shallow window frame.

Anyway, looking for ideas!

TIA.