Petroville » Dream House

Ruminating Elsewhere

Kimberly — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:03:08 +0000

Really, my life could not be more glamorous. You wonder why I’ve been so quiet lately?
Normally, I don’t like to brag but…the other day was quite brisk…

Which led me to empty all of the clothes bins to find the jeans and sweatshirts…

Which led me to tidy up the room of the teen who can’t stop sticking things to her walls…

Which led me to clean reconfigure the room of the tween that can’t sleep with less
than one million stuffed animals on her bed…

Finally, I found myself staring at a trunk full of clothes I packed up for my cousin’s new daughter…

Who won’t need to buy anything to wear until middle school.

Don’t be jealous. Some people were just born to live the wild life…

Post from: Petroville No scraping.

Ruminating Elsewhere

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The Cooking Curse

Kimberly — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:39:00 +0000

I had the most lovely of Saturdays. The sun was finally shining on a weekend day and there was a glorious breeze making sure we were kept cool and comfortable. My mother came to stay and we had all kinds of fun by the pool, in the garden and cooking for the holiday weekend.

Just after I finished brushing my veggie kabobs with Italian dressing (thanks, Mir) and pulling the festive red, white & blue cupcakes from the oven, I said to my mother,

“This is such a great day. I love doing stuff like this with you…cooking and gardening. It’s so nice being together”.

I am not usually the one for the sap, that’s her, but I really felt it. I was so happy. It was such a perfect day. The kids were in the pool frolicking away. The flowers we planted were perfectly placed and well watered. The grill was fired up and cooking my turkey brats to sugary, brown deliciousness.

That was when I saw the flames shooting up from the oven. The electric oven that was turned off!

If you know me at all, you know I am no good in a fire. (I blame my mother for making me watch too much Little House on the Prairie on Fire as a child.) I was steady enough to grab the fire extinguisher from under the sink and shriek like a bat out of hell for my husband.

He came. He saw. He shushed and he put the fire out – but not before determining that we had to cut power at the circuit. And of course? The microwave and the oven are on the same circuit. (Before you ask, no we could not just unplug it. It is a crazy wall unit that was built in way before we got this house.)

I regained my composure, thanked God that this didn’t happen on a day that I was turning off the oven and going to bed, and returned to remove my mouthwatering feast on the grill. But uh-oh…when I went to turn off the grill, the damn knob broke.

So, I yelled for my husband again who came out and manhandled the grill into submission with one condition – I can’t use the middle burner.

No problem…I just have company coming tomorrow!!

I called today and OF COURSE the part that I need to fix the oven and thereby use my microwave is on backorder. The grill also will take 2 weeks (at least) to fix. So I’m without anything but my stove top and a busted ass grill to cook on until God knows when.

Let’s recap. I’m down three appliances, all used for cooking, in one day. If that’s not a curse or a sign from the heavens, I don’t know what is.

But I had a lovely weekend…

How was yours?

And more importantly – who wants to cook me dinner?

*Lindsay at Graco just had a brilliant idea. Wouldn’t it be great if the PR/media people from Sears/Kenmore or Jenn-Air could help a girl out? A girl who may need to wait a fortnight to cook again? Yeah, that would be really cool. How do I get that to happen?

Post from: Petroville No scraping.

The Cooking Curse

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It’s Spring. I Gots To Go.

Kimberly — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:58:57 +0000

Just a quick list of what abuzz around here (and in my brain) because, for the love of the Pope who is in town, I need to finish my mulching!

My schedule could not get any crazier. Between the 12 year old’s chorus practice schedule (she made the State Honor’s Choir…yes, that’s a brag) and her two soccer teams (she plays on a rec. team and was made the manager of the middle school team which means she gets to practice and not play), riding & dance lessons for the 8 year old, planning a bridal shower for my sister, trying to get my ass in shape so I can fit into the bridesmaid dress they already measured me for, planning my daughter’s 13th birthday party and keeping up with all of this divine reality television…I’m in a frappy frenzy.

Ali is the Bigger Loser and Chatty Natty is out!! WOOT!

Oh, and did I mention that my husband may be accepting a job in the Bay Area? Like…the California Bay Area. Yeah. And then there’s that.

And of course my daughter just lost her brand new soccer cleats and shin guards. The other one is slacking off in school and needed a firm talking to last night about her “lack of effort” (noted by teacher on report card) as well as her professional doctor’s handwriting. Meanwhile, I have put my therapist off for two weeks now and if I don’t go tomorrow, I think she may break up with me. Yeah…I can’t have that happening right now. Who will I call when I totally lose my shit?

Also, I’ll be Jazzercising up on Town Hall stage in Haymarket this Saturday during their Earth Day celebration. If you’d like to come and mock me, you may. Just bring vodka.

I truly and deeply apologize for my own lack of effort with this post but ummm, I gotta go. I got lots to do and the first thing on my list is finishing the damn mulch.

If. It. Kills. Me.

If it does, bring the Vodka AND call the Pope.

On a serious note, Jill Asher, co-founder of Silicon Valley Moms, DC Metro Moms and the rest of the sisterhood, has organized a bone marrow drive for this weekend in Palo Alto. If you are in that area or would like to learn more, please click over to help.

Post from: Petroville No scraping.

It’s Spring. I Gots To Go.

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Two Years Ago, I Stumbled Upon You

Kimberly — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:00:49 +0000

I was the one who found this place and I think that means something.

In March of 2006, I read a small listing for the house online and it spoke to me.

They always said that we would just know it when we found it but I figured that was a load of bull.
This time they were right.

As my husband and I drove up the gravel road and took in the property, we knew.

As we walked around and surveyed the numerous things that had
to be done to this house that was listed “as is”…

…we could see our children growing up inside its walls and rolling down its hills.

Even during the first months when I thought we had a ghost, I felt that we were meant for this place.

In all honestly, I think that feeling is what made everything quiet down. I still see and hear things from time to time but I am so compelled to be here that I am no longer freaked out by whatever shares this space with us. I guess you could say that we made friends.

There were other odds and ends that made us a little queasy but gradually, we transformed those into our own. Yes, this was a ‘hand” soap dish. It scared the shit out of us and rightfully so.

Girl’s Bedroom Before

Girl’s Bedroom After

This is the guest bathroom before demo. It actually was a his & hers 80’s style bathroom with brown tile, shag rug and a sunken tub with gold hardware before we stripped it.

We had the walls blown out and transformed the two rooms into one huge Spa Bathroom.

The pool was its own labor of love and much like birthing a baby,
it will take me years and lots of wine to forget its pain of birth.

However, now we are able to enjoy the fruits of the elective open heart surgery
that was performed on our property.

I continue to miss California like a long lost lover but this house holds me true.
I know that if it weren’t for being here, we’d be back there.

I think that means something, too…as everything does.

Do you know what it feels like to be where you are supposed to be?

Post from: Petroville No scraping.

Two Years Ago, I Stumbled Upon You

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Fresh Air

Kimberly — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:27:33 +0000

We had an ice storm yesterday. This is our view once the sun came out and lit up the ice-covered branches. It looked quite magical. (go ahead, click it)

No Longer a Flu Hostage

Thank the Lord above! This plague had finally been lifted from my house & body! It is a new day and I feel as though I am a new woman. Now that the evil, germy cloud has passed, I have a few thoughts to share.

- The flu can indeed be interchanged with Weight Watchers. There is no point value assigned to food whatsoever because what you are able to stomach won’t stay there long and cough drops have 0 points.

- The last time I weighed this weight was at the peak of my Weight Watchers success. I know it won’t last (I am a piggy) but DAMN am I digging the saggy clothes feeling. If I wasn’t so pale and pasty, I’d totally go bathing suit shopping right now.

-The flu took away all of my best friends. Red wine, cigarettes and snack crackers used to be the only things I could depend on and now I can’t even tolerate their taste or smell. I guess I’ll need to make some new friends…like salad or heroin.

- Too much Family Guy and Walker, Texas Ranger will melt your brain. And after a while, they become interchangeable.

- I wasn’t able to work out all week due to the devil’s plague. Luckily some very kind souls offered to take my classes for me while I recovered. Monday I’ll be back and ready for action. Care to wager if I can make it through teaching an entire class without passing out (or at least sitting down)?

- I am in such a good mood! I have my life back! Now what should I do, hmmmm?

How about a party? (Don’t worry, I’ll Lysol everything down first.)

Post from: Petroville No scraping.

Fresh Air

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