Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Factory Tile

When I set out to find tile for my breakfast nook I naturally started at the big warehouse stores. They have pretty decent selections at pretty decent prices, but I wasn't satisfied. I wanted something unique and cheap. A quick google search surprised me with tons of listings for tile warehouses in the Tulsa area. I eventually purchased some beautiful tile for a song at Factory Tile on 46th and Memorial. Even though they only have a small showroom, it was stocked with tons of reasonable tile, stone and woods. It has encouraged me to continue my redecorating shopping off the beaten path.

Unleashing my Inner Artisan

Our cozy new home is a blessing from God...but it needs some work.

Chief among it's flaws is the carpeted breakfast nook. I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to put white carpet underneath a casual dining area, but my guess is that they didn't have three small children. So I've bought tile and picked out paint colors and I'm ready to make over my space, but now I actually have to do it. My husband is not so Happy about the challenge of laying 300 square feet of tile in our main living area, so I've been researching different flooring and installation methods and it has got my creative juices flowing.

I imagine myself a master artisan creating a mosaic of elegant proportions on my breakfast floor. Of course I am also a master seamstress with blue silk curtains in the works and an upholstering genius ready to recover my aging wing chairs. I've been pouring through books and the world wide web for tips and plans. I can feel the excitement in my fingertips.

Delusions of grandeur aside I'm started to get really excited about slowly buy surely making this house a beautiful, comfortable place to live.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

The Accomplishments of Man

My Grandmother once told me about how her father was renown for his impeccable lawn. The neighbors constantly rewarded his hard work with glowing compliments and pats on the back. However, she told me, what no one knew is that my Great-grandmother nagged him into it. He didn't perfect his yard because he liked doing it or liked to impress the neighborhood, he did it because she wouldn't get off his back on a Saturday until it was done.

I love this story. I love just thinking about all the marriages in my sphere of acquaintance and the seen and unseen dynamics that make them work. I have the great privilege of know many "happy" healthy marriages that function in completely different ways.

How do we as women get what we want from our husbands? Ideally we both agree on what should happen, but what about when we don't agree?

Negotiation
Subterfuge
Nagging
Begging
Flattery
Favors
How about giving up?
Or just doing it yourself.

The world may never know all the accomplishments of man that were prodded into existence by a loving wife.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

The Movin' On Blues

Our Happy household has successfully transplanted to our new home. We love the house and the neighborhood and the school...but I have the blues about the state of our home. I keep telling myself that it took three weeks to pack up our old house and it could take longer to get settled into our new house but that does little to salve my irritation at the mess that still lingers in the corners of each room.

How can a bigger house not have a place for all our old stuff?
Do wires and cables breed and multiply in storage boxes?
Should I do laundry before I get all the clean clothes unpacked?
How can the floor be the best place for previously precious valuables?
Will I ever, ever be caught up?

To our credit, we have passed several major milestones. On Monday all cardboard boxes were officially moved out of the residence. Two days later the car was officially parked in the garage. Best of all, on Thursday every single toy in the universe found it's Happy placement in the playroom. The latter was accomplished in the midst of a stomach virus outbreak four persons strong.

Give a little prayer for me as I muster all my housekeeping skills and try to turn this new house into a home.