86'n It

This is one of those dishwasher moments. Remember how we had a dishwasher NOT installed for 11 months? Well we've had a back porch 75% screened in for 11 months also. 

What good does 75% screened do? NONE. Actually, it is worse, because then the bugs can get in, but they can't figure out how to get out and they just make the porch floor a bug graveyard. (See photo.)  This brings me to...

Bunny-ization #5

Marc has had a really hard time finding wood to make the back porch screen door, so I finally got sick of not being able to use it that I just rigged up a "door".  All I did was staple some screen fabric to the top and one side of the door opening, and then stapled a wood block to the bottom for weight. Took about 10 minutes.  I instantly felt like a giant idiot for not doing it sooner.

And because I can't just make a "door" and call it a day, I had pick up some paper laterns and a new table cloth too. 

It is absolute heaven being able to leave the house doors open!

There are many reasons that I didn't complete the office renovations: not wanting to use the heat gun with Franca sleeping, the desk/door being used as a surface to make the back porch door, my laziness... but the one excuse I want to highlight makes me sound good. Franca was such a great sleeper that I actually got some productive (read: paying) computer time in.

I used to work for a cool company owned by my old architecture professor. The company name is Touch Graphics and they make computer devices and products for the blind. My old boss, Steve, is a crazy guy and I mean that in a very good way. He is an architect by certification, but a inventor at heart. Great ideas, mad work ethic, and fairness to the bone. He could improve on eating without slurping and remembering to button all the buttons on his shirt, but I digress...

So while Franca was sleeping, I updated the look of his website. It's a pretty simple website, with a ton of content and of course, accessibility issues. Here's a screen capture up there. (the website link)

Here is a very cool news segment about the WiiCane project. WiiCane is Steve's idea about using the Wii gaming system remote to help teach orientation and mobility to visually impaired people. Pretty amazing.

And just to tell you how much of an amazing mad-scientist Steve is: years ago when he was my professor, I remember him going on and on about this idea he had about a device that you would wear or hold that would tell a computer your exact location and about your movements. He did some research on it, and discovered that it had just recently been patented: by Nintendo! If he'd only gotten the patent a little earlier, he could be rich.

Anyway, this is all a distraction to say that, shit, I didn't get the renovation done but damn, I did something cool for a cool company.

Oh, and hung out with this little lady too. =)

(Baby in a bikini, gets 'em every time!)

Franca's dresser came yesterday. We really love it. Great quality and really stylish! We hauled it upstairs and I put her clothes away. Then, of course, we did a photo shoot. Here she is hanging out:

In addition to our countertops (due in 3 weeks!), we also have some other exciting deliveries coming up.

First, I think it is fitting that Franca is getting our first *real* piece of new store-bought furniture. We have a lot of furniture that I love, but all of it is second hand or from Ikea. Don't get me wrong, I love Ikea, bargain hunting, and our friends & family have been very generous giving us furniture, but it will be nice to have a piece that is new.   

Before Franca was born, his parents wanted us to pick out a piece of furniture as a gift from them to her. Of course, we couldn't find anything that we liked that wasn't either Ikea or $2,500. Until recently, when Marc stumbled upon this True Modern dresser. Pretty cool huh? We should have it in 5 days or so.

Here are some detail shots:

The second delivery will be furniture too. I happened to go to Kohl's this weekend and saw this $100 coffee/end table on clearance for $19. It has a solid wood top and black painted metal legs. Of course I had a coupon for 15% off, so I got it for $16! 

When I got it home, Marc and I decided we liked it best as a side table in the parlor and quickly realized that we needed another one. I put out an APB email to my fellow bargain maniacs: my mom and sisters. Heather quickly came thru for me when she found another one at her Kohl's. Thx Heather! 

It will be sad to retire the trusty Benjamin stools that we have been using for side tables though.

This second pic is not the best of the table, but I had to use it because Franca looks so darn cute! She went to the doctor this morning and is very sleepy, so we've been snuggling on the couch all afternoon.

I needed to take a shower, but instead I redid the look.

(check out all those rolls!)

Guess who just ordered epoxy countertops from a real company with like a real physical address and business license and land phone line and employees and customer service reps and a loading dock and no felony charges and... Ok, you get the point.