Caturday

I generally try to keep my cat-love on the down low, so as not to appear as the crazy cat lady that I sometimes am. But they're just so darn cute, I can resist no longer.

Pig, not amused, but pretty in pink

Alex, relishing the guest-free goodness of the guest bed. Mmm...

Mikko, the partier (dude you need those brain cells!)

Many more here if you're a glutton for punishment.

Kitchen Chaos

My new appliances have arrived and we spent all day yesterday dealing with them. The boy was amazing and had to go above and beyond to remove the old dishwasher and install the new one. I'm still exhausted from all the action and I mostly just watched.

What made this job a total PITA is that a previous owner installed a new laminate floor after installing the dishwasher and did NOT leave room to get the dishwasher back out. Things that make you go hmmm (actually they make you cuss a lot).

My tip about buying a new dishwasher, especially if you have an old house, is to get the total measurements of the dishwasher beforehand (especially the depth!) and make sure it fits your space. We checked this, but not carefully enough. If you can find the installation directions online, check those out. Our installation directions gave minimum measurements right up front (why don't they give this info. to you in the store BEFORE you buy it?) and we didn't quite meet them. Yeah. I think we're going to make it work, thanks to the boy's trusty wood chisel, but hopefully someone else can learn from our little lesson.

Obviously we're not ready for the big reveal yet, as I still need to clean the new fridge and deal with the chaos. I think this is the messiest my kitchen has ever been. Time to fix that. Right after this next cup of joe.

All Decked Out

My deck hasn't looked like a very welcoming place to relax lately. It's been grimy and cluttered with winter-sown seedlings I've yet to plant, annuals in cell packs I purchased two weeks ago, and other junk.

I fixed that today and now the annuals are all in their permanent summer homes and the grime has been banished. Now the deck makes me smile and looks like a great place to relax. I would be out there now if not for the pollen (stupid allergies) and the need to finish watching the Redwings beat the Penguins. Go Wings!

Ever Get Buyer's Remorse?

Today, after countless trips to to the local appliance deals warehouse, I took the plunge and made some purchases to correct my multicolored kitchen appliance situation. I've been living with an old, noisy black dishwasher, a basic white fridge, and a nice stainless stove. Guess which one won?


For once I didn't get the cheapest appliances I could stand; I got the ones I wanted more. Yet even though I got a GREAT deal on the long-coveted, bottom mount fridge, and a decent deal on the classy-looking dishwasher, I'm feeling a bit of buyer's remorse. Will I still like them once they're installed in my kitchen? Would buying white appliances that would blend in have been a better decision?

I always do this and it drives me nuts, although it's worse for those around me. Does anyone else get buyer's remorse?

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day -- May Edition

I just love, love, LOVE these tulips. They're beautiful and super long lasting. I believe these are the Triumph Tulips I bought from Meijer last fall which included 6 each of Holland Beauty, White Emperor and Don Quichotte. It's almost time to say goodbye to them for this year though.

This might kinda be cheating, as I just bought and planted these last night. But they're blooming and they're pretty. So there.

My $5 baby Miss Kim Lilac survived last summer's drought and is just about to bloom. I just had to include it as I'm sure it will be long gone by the June bloom day.

I totally stole this idea of using the chiminea as a planter from another flickr user. Might as well use it for something, I'm scared to light fires in it.

My chives and light pink tulips are still blooming too. See pics from last week's Green Thumb Sunday post.

What's blooming in your garden?

Visit May Dreams Gardens to find out what is blooming on gardens across the globe on this Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

Garden Mysteries: What the Frick Is This?

The picture does not do it justice; this is one wicked looking plant that is growing out form under my box hedge. Check out the bloom in the top left. But is it a friend or foe?

Actually it's one FAST-growing wicked looking plant. I swear it wasn't there yesterday when I was weeding. It seems like everything in the garden is loving this cool, wet weather.

I can't wait to see what the flower looks like.

Green Thumb Sunday: Blooming Chives

Last year I bought chives, plunked them in the ground and waited for them to bloom, but they didn't. I didn't even remember to snip some of them to cook with. Then fall and winter came and I thought that was that. But this spring they were back (I forgot they are perennials) and now they're blooming.

Chive blossoms are edible and this year I'm determined to eat some in a salad. Which should be ready soon.


These were the last of the tulips to bloom, and while not the fanciest tulips I have, their long-lasting blooms and pretty pink color guarantees them a permanent place in my garden.


What's blooming in your garden?

** Gardeners, plant and nature lovers can join Green Thumb Sunday every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.