Average Jane Improves Things

I spent about equal amounts of time this weekend trying to improve the community and trying to improve my house. I'd say they were equally successful.

On Saturday, I volunteered at a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic. It was my job to greet people as they came in with their animals and fill out paperwork for them to take to the payment table. It went well until the very last family, who didn't speak English very well. I should have called over a Spanish speaking volunteer, but instead I forged ahead and completely failed to comprehend that they wanted their dog to be microchipped AND get vaccinations. Oops. I blame the fact that I hadn't eaten breakfast or drunk any coffee beforehand. I won't make that mistake again.

Earlier that morning, I took my own cat to the vet. Ever since she finished her second round of antibiotics for a kidney infection, she's been unusually round through the belly. The vet x-rayed her and found that she is retaining fluid in her abdomen.

Apparently she's in the tenuous position of having kidney problems and heart problems at the same time. Thus, her body can't process fluids properly. She's now on a small dose of a diuretic, but it only flattens her out for a few hours and then she fills up with cat juice again. The vet referred her to a cardiologist at another clinic and I'm taking her tomorrow morning.

On Sunday, I decided that I needed to paint my living room to prepare for the new chocolate-brown leather couch and chair that are being delivered on Tuesday. I chose a color that Lowe's calls "Purple Earth." It's pretty much the color of a Hershey Bar wrapper, only a shade or two lighter. It took me about five hours to do two coats on all the walls. I'll have to get to the white trim later; I failed to tape before I painted, so I ended up with quite a lot of sloppy spots infringing on the baseboard, window and door frames, and ceiling molding.

The living room walls started out the color of chocolate milk. The new color is very dramatic in comparison, but it looks fantastic, particularly with the white trim and hardwood floor.

Meanwhile, the bathroom remodeling project continues. There's been a mixup with the tile supplier and it turns out that I won't be receiving my shipment tomorrow after all - it was shipped to the retailer instead. For those of you playing the home game, that means we haven't had a shower in our house for five days now. I'm getting mighty tired of washcloth baths in front of the sink.

I'm hoping we'll get the tile by mid-week and have the new shower up and going by this weekend. Until then, I may have to start dropping in on random friends with a towel, shampoo and conditioner in my hands.

Well, I'm sure I've bored you enough for now. This post is really just so I can look back in a year or so and be reminded how lucky I am to have my nicely decorated and remodeled rooms.

So what's new with you this week?

Comments

[Blondie]

Cat juice?? I know it's not funny, but it's so funny. I hope your little baby is OK.

[Keith]

1. So what is the Spanish for micro chip ?

2. You fell for the bloody sofa adverts !!! (see my new years post).

[Jane]

Blondie - Thanks! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Keith - 1. They managed to get "microchip" across okay, but we fell down on "rabies vaccination."
2. The sofa purchase was inevitable, but we liked to think that we were getting the ultimate sale price after the holidays. Ha!

[Rozanne]

Dude, you sure do get a lot of shit done! It would have taken me a week to get the living room painted (and ours is likely smaller than yours). Five hours. Wow!

I'm such a slowpoke.

[Jane]

Rozanne - I don't know, our living room is pretty small. :)

[Suzanne]

oooo... nothing like a bathroom remodel to make one appreciate the finer things in life... like a daily shower!

Your tales are almost motivating me to get busy again in our own house. Almost. :)