David Battles the Basement

So we have very usable 700+ square foot basement/Garage. The picture above demonstrates just how usable we have found it though. Thanks to busy schedules, traveling, and some good old fashioned lazy, the mess has gotten pretty crazy. Fortunately for us I have decided that the only way to get myself motivated to start working on the house again is to start a project that I can finish completely.

Imagine this scene:

(It's Monday around 6 PM, David comes home from working hard all day)

David: Honey, I'm home!
Adriene: Oh David I am glad your home. I love you so much!
D: Thanks babe, whatcha' wanna do this evening?
A: I was thinking that I would make your favorite dinner and then give you a back rub while you watch Arrested Development and play video games.
D: That sounds pretty good but I think that I would like to work on the house some more. Which project would you like me to work on?
A: Are you sure!?! I know that you worked very hard today assuring the students that all their information technology continued to work flawlessly.
D: Yes, my priority is to get this house fixed up just how you want it Dear.
A: Ok, if you insist. You truly are the best husband ever!!!

(Next scene: David has grabbed his tools and looks into office)

David: Time to finish the closet to desk conversion I started the other day.

(David sees the doors that need to be rehung and exits office)

David: Nope, not doing that.

Fin

Somehow after all this I found myself in the basement/garage and decided that there was no time like the present to start in on the clutter:




So after one truckload, to garbage cans, and a whole pile down by the street, we are coming close to having a great new usable space for arts and crafts, etc. Seriously though I intend to close off the area around the washer and dryer (if you can believe it a dryer has a tough time drying your clothes when the temperature is in the 30's) so that Adriene has an acceptable washroom. Also there may be a chance that I will build myself a little shop and possibly a closet or two down there.

I will add more pictures when I have finished the project. I guarantee that you will be amazed with the transformation. Sorry though folks Adriene owns the copyrights on all my great ideas and designs so if you were thinking about hiring me (!!!) call her.

PS. Special thanks to our newest follower. He is a good friend of ours and gave us some really good feedback after my first post. I won't leak his name out on the internets but I will post a picture. Sorry ladies, he's taken.

Birthdays and Bedrooms

Well David didn't hold back for my birthday this year! During a breakfast birthday celebration at the Crepe Myrtle Cafe with the moms, he gave me a down comforter that actually fits a queen bed. Let me just say that if you haven't tried the Crepe Myrtle Cafe in Auburn, its a must. They do all sorts of different crepes for you to choose from like the Florentine, which has egg, spinach, mushrooms, and feta. They even have dessert crepes! Plus you can check our Blooming Colors fresh market when you are there too. Back to the fun part, the gifts! The trick with finding a comforter that look good with your duvet cover, is you must get a comforter that is 90 x 92 inches or larger. A full/queen comforter with the dimensions of 88 x 89 inches or similar measures will look a little frumpy and your duvet cover won't be as full as you would like. So remember to keep your measurements in mind when you are looking for a down comforter.

After we got home I immediately put our bedding together and presto! Now David says its like his in a sea of pillows. I love it. I still need to work on some of our vignettes in our bedroom. Right now, they look a little rough.

Here's a before shot, the head board and comforter bring more "umph" to the room.

Not only did I just get a comforter, I got a lovely dinner at a great restaurant in town, Zazu's. Dave did let me that I was to get something else but I had to wait for it to come it. And Yes, it was the HTC Droid Incredible from Verizon. Its pretty awesome. But of course my luck would ring true, they already came out with a new version. Oh the joys of marketing!

No Time Like the Present!!!

Ok, so Adriene has mentioned in the past that I should jump in and gift the world with my two cents. I guess that I have starved the world of my literary prowess for much too long now... here goes nothing.

I think that if I can add anything to this story it will be a little humor (mostly sarcasm). My lovely wife has done a great job so far, but sometimes you need to hear the story from the one who squeegees the basement and trenches out the crawl space. These are the truly fun stories!

Hopefully over the next few days, weeks, and months, I will entertain you with some of the pleasant un-pleasantries that have been suffered (I mean enjoyed) to make the house as charming as it is so far. Maybe a post on how much fun it is to mow grass at a thirty degree angle, or a tutorial on the futility of bamboo removal.

Please do not ever take my posts too seriously, or do, but know that regardless of just how much (groan) fun it seems like I am having complaining about some of these jobs, I really do love it. I am a fixer/project kind of guy and I couldn't imagine a better partner in crime to tackle this with.

So ready your laugh-ers, because the nitty-gritty is poised to come out in my posts. Remember the best part of hanging the shelves from IKEA is finding forty-seven and a half studs to attach it to!

Birthday Wishes!

Happy Birthday to me! Well, not yet, my 25th birthday is on Saturday, June 12th. We aren't planning much for my birthday, at least I don't think we are. Birthdays are usually pretty casual around here at the Simon house. We might do dinner or something. Mom might do the traditional pound cake. If you haven't ever had sour cream pound cake, you must try and make it at least once, then you'll be hooked. I love pound cake, unfortunately it does exactly that, packs on the pounds...so Mom if you are reading this; let try to come up with a low-calorie/non-fat pound cake if there is such a thing! I do however want a few things for the birthday, not sure if I'll get them or not but here are a few things I've been spying!

Of course first on my wish list would be the new Droid Incredible. I refuse to change phone companies just for an iphone, plus its so fast. I've had a regular phone that does the simple stuff for ages and now I think I need to join the rest of the world and their trendy phones. Then I also want a plush down comforter for the master bedroom so that I can finally take my Audrey bedding from Pottery Barn out of its packaging. We currently are just using the quilt I bought to go with it, but it would be nice to been one step closer to finishing that room. Then maybe one of those cute low v-neck white Ts from Gap. And maybe some loafers, I know its summer but you can't pass up a cute pair of loafers which you can still wear into the fall season. I could wish for a lot more things but that would be very greedy and I'm greedy enough as it is! As for the house update, we are still working on the office. I'll have some photos to show you kids soon!