It’s been a couple weeks so I suppose we’re due for an update. Last weekend we were at the Neubert’s wedding in Milwaukee. We got just enough snow to make the pictures really beautiful. Most of my paintball bruises from the bachelor party have even healed! That weekend we didn’t really get anything done around the house. Barkley got a vacation to Waggin’ Tails Doggie Dude Ranch in Verona and seemed to have a good time.
As far as recent home projects go, basically Tatum has been getting things somewhat organized such that it’s starting to feel a bit like home. We got some art hung around the house, all of the critters made the trip to Portage and are adjusting well, and the kitchen is pretty well packed full. We’re going to make a basement room into a pantry to help alleviate some of the fullness; we also plan to take some of our “makers” downstairs (quesadilla maker, egg mcmuffin maker, bacon bowl maker, blender, etc). Before we were able to start on the pantry, though, we had to get the asbestos covered up and the ducts cleaned out. The cleaning happened on Friday (Dirty Ducts) and the before and after pictures are kind of gross, quite frankly. I’ll be sure to add those to this post when I get them.
Saturday and Sunday we celebrated my 30th birthday in various ways. First, we went to Cave of the Mounds National Natural Landmark. We took a tour of the cave and learned all about stalactites, stalagmites, and cave bacon. Then we had lunch at the Nitty Gritty, visited some garage sales, and worked on hanging curtains over our ten foot wide living room window. At one garage sale we found a great Coca-Cola serving tray and cart from the previous owner of the Rhinelander Coca-Cola factory. Sunday my mom and step-dad visited with a nice table and a grill in toe. We just barely started cooking some meat Sunday night when the storms rolled through, so we finished grilling a tuna steak and some hamburgers in the garage. The table didn’t fit through the back door, because nothing can ever be straight forward! So we unlocked the bottom and opened it up as far as it can be opened and we were just able to slide one end in, turn the table, and slide the other end diagonally in. After the front door, it fit through the kitchen door just fine and we now have a place to eat meals! So if you’re keeping score at home, we have one guest bedroom just about finished, the master bedroom finished, and the dining room just about finished. We still need to get our entertainment center and sofa from the apartment to finish the living room.
We also had a pair of surprise visits last weekend. First, my brother and his family stopped by on their way through to see the house. Second, we got a surprise visitor from Louisiana. Tatum’s mom will be spending some time with us as she adjusts to life in Wisconsin. She couldn’t have picked a much better time to get up here! She’ll be staying in the finished guest bedroom with her little poodle, Annebelle.
Eco Flick Lab 