OMIGODITSSNOWINGHOLYCRAPTHERESALOTOFSNOW!!!

The citizens of Baltimore and DC have been bracing themselves for a snowpocalypse. Although I'm irritated by missing ANOTHER Saturday of teaching, there's something undeniably exciting about over two feet of snow. To combat wine, risotto and peanut butter cookies I decided to do some shoveling.


I have fabulous winter footwear.


The scene on our block

The extreme makeover was somewhat successful; office is 100% better and more functional, as is the bedroom. Today (after an extreme pig out this weekend) also marks the beginning of my return to weight watchers, so here's to new beginnings and clean living!

Not being able to consume anything I want to is particularly hard today. I don't want to go into details on the interwebs, but I finally addressed something with a partner organization that had been bothering me for a long time. Its the last possible instant to be bringing anything up, I know I should have done this sooner but shit happens...I am so very stressed and frazzled I can barely function. But life goes on, time to finish cleaning the house before my students come over. and then I can continue stressing out.

Today I have no teaching to do...I canceled my morning MT class due to the snow and the apparent lack of any snowplows or salt in the city of Baltimore. So today is the extreme home makeover of 3830 Evergreen ave. Time to re-organize, and clean, maybe I'll take pics of the kitchen when I'm all done.

Its been a long time since I've posted; I'm sure no one is reading this anymore, but I'll post anyway. I've reached the end of negotiations with my new baby-dancing location, and am ready to move. Haven't signed a lease yet, but I will. In retrospect, I maybe should have done a little more market research before presenting an offer because I think I should have gotten it for a little less money. I do think everyone is being treated very fairly though, and I'm certainly getting a good situation. This does mark the start of my little enterprise becoming a little more like a real business, which kinda frightens me. I remind myself though that what I want to do is make the BEST program, not the most PROFITABLE program. A better location where families aren't made uncomfortable by other groups using the building, that will be cleaner and in a better neighborhood, where I have the opportunity to schedule classes whenever I want to and I don't have to work around other groups...that will be great.

I don't know why this is, but its so easy to lose sight of what I want my career to be...I really want my program to be the BEST it can. I can't give into parent's misunderstanding and/or lack of cooperation. Maybe I have to fire some students to get the point across, but the theme of this week, or two weeks has been "taking control of your situation"

Time for some silly music and performance art.

These past two days or so were more centered on electrical work...Oneil installed the high hats and wired new outlets...





This is going to be the bottom of the pass thru...



...and the dog got into some spackle.

Kitchen Project Day 3

So, Friday was a day that started way too early. AJS and I enjoyed a little too much wine at Miss T's new digs to celebrate our parallel home improvements Thursday night and were awakened on Friday not only by the alarm so I could go dance with babies, but also the contractors showing up at 8:30 to start work. I certainly appreciate their punctuality so I can get back to a life without TV dinners sooner, but the mornings when you've just gotten out of the shower and see people coming into your house while you're wearing a towel is a bit awkward.

On Friday, the beautifully cut and laid tile was grouted.







Then rather than trying to strip the two layers (at least) of wallpaper and two or three layers of paint, Oneil made the call to sheetrock over it so we'd have a smooth wall texture.




The poor doggie has not taken well to all the uproar in the house. She cannot enjoy the new cabinets, floor, appliances, lighting, extra space, and general joyous-ness that a new kitchen (or even the promise of a new kitchen) provides. So she spends her days in the man-cave helping my husband make transcriptions on finale.

I believe that our awesome contractor recognized her strife and when the basement door had to come off of its hinges to allow for better grouting/sheetrocking, he allowed for her to supervise the operations.

Kitchen Project Day 2

I realize that between facebook and babydancing there may be a redundancy of information about the kitchen but the fact is it has pervaded every aspect of our lives and will do so until its done. so.....more photos.



This is the tile that was laid today. Both Oneil and his assistant were cutting tile all day on our deck using some sort of table saw and a lot of water.



When I was a kid and my parents re-did the kitchen at 19 ridgefield ave, I walked on the tile while it set. I remember getting in a lot of trouble about it...and so those of us in the family that don't know any better must be prevented from doing so. That big ass box is a dishwasher btw....



Holes were cut into the ceiling to allow for 4 high hats. After some consideration we are going to get a fan (WITHOUT lights) to put in the kitchen for when I smoke the house out on stir fry night.