Farm Sink Project

I knew that I wanted a farm sink in my new house because I just love porcelain and that drain board they have and I love the vintage-y look of them.

SO I went on craigslist and started digging around but they all want $500 and they're just gross and they're in Milwaukee.

And then my brother-in-law surprised me with a free one from his garage! I was so excited! And then I found out my sister really wanted it and he gave it to me instead and so there was that whole mess and I felt bad but not that bad because look!

It was really gross but oh well.

I wanted to paint the cabinet a 50's vintage color and here was some inspiration colors:

And then I found out about a hip-hop store in uptown that sells graffiti spray paint. I marched in there like a proper graffiti artist and bought six cans of this color and then told them I was about to go tag the town.

With my name, only the Y would have an arrow on it.

I thought I was so funny. 

They didn't.

It's so hard to take a picture of color, huh? But it's SO CUTE you guys! p.s. I didn't do the work. My worker did the work. I don't mean to take credit.

I color matched it and painted the wall too! LOOK HOW CUTE!!!

Have You Missed Me?

I'm a pretty darn regular blogger, or I liked to think that I was or used to be.

Here are my excuses for the last several months:

• My mom had cancer.
• I was remodeling a house.
• Work was insane.
• My mom had cancer.

Also, for the last two months I didn't have internet at home (also I didn't have a home, period), so I didn't really write anything.

Lots to catch up on!

My mom is better!

My house is done!

I'm living here!

I'm cooking here!

I hung some pictures!

My pants are too tight!

photo cred to Abby G

The Battle Never Ends...

More Siding and Paint

Getting there!!!

38

Today is the 38th anniversary of my birth. As is my tradition on this day every year, I ask my mom:

"What were you doing xx years ago today?"

And she always says something really cute, like "I had a date with an angel" or "drinking a beer" (she really did -- to induce labor). Usually this is an email exchange, but since she's been living with me for four months getting her cancer under control I just rolled over in bed this morning and asked her.

"Giving suck" she said.

EW! I don't want to think about the fact that she used to breast feed me. EW!

Anyway.

Somehow my coworkers found out the significance of today because they taped this note to my window:

Crap.

Jackhammer

We rented a jackhammer from Home Depot and about 14 seconds into this job the steel head broke in half. They said in eight years that had never happened. Tell that to the poor toe of the guy using it, sheesh!

Anyway, the concrete steps in the back are gone now -- making way for a nice deck.

Being the Boss

I'm nothing if not the most demanding, unreasonable and yet still wildly hilarious general contractor. 

That's the one sink in the background there, not hooked up to water yet.

Siding and Paint

My color inspiration for the exterior:

Behr exterior paint from Home Depot in Asphalt Gray (I had them tint it 10% darker)

Cedar shakes and soffit:

Blue Door!

House

Siding started and cedar soffit:

The garden is growing despite all of the construction dust:

House

Patio door in my new bedroom overlooking the backyard!!!

View from bedroom over the future stairs to bedroom:

Plumbing to the upstairs bathroom!

Ring That Bell, Ma

My mom has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments since November. At first it was one day every two weeks and then starting on February 1st they changed her drug and she had to go every week. 

In the beginning, I wanted to go and be with her for every single treatment (or at least have somebody from the family with her), but pretty soon she asked us all to stop coming with, because:

1. My mom likes watching TV on her tablet with earphones
2. If people come, she feels like she has to talk to them
3. I have a job and being gone every Tuesday isn't impossible, but also isn't ideal
4. Kasey has kids and appointments
5. Kelly has to work too
6. Keri and Kim and Pete live too far away

So we decided that I would just drop her off every week and pick her up. 

This made me feel awful.

Imagine bringing your mother to the hospital and just DROPPING HER OFF FOR CHEMO AND DRIVING AWAY TO GO TO YOUR STUPID JOB. But, it's what she wanted. And she was right, there's really no need to sit there with her for hours.

Anyway, at the end of your chemo, Minnesota Oncology makes you ring a bell to signify the end of a horrible chapter and the beginning of the rest of your life. My mom asked us to come to that, because she didn't want to be there alone ringing that bell, sobbing and by herself because it's emotional and what-not.

I was like, "sure Mom. All the people in the chemo room have been feeling sorry for you for MONTHS because you have NO ONE. 'Here comes the lonely old lady', they say behind your back. And then, suddenly here comes your ENTIRE family for the ringing of the bell. Sobbing, crying and carrying on but never there for you when you REALLY needed them. Just there for the glory. The glory of the ringing of the bell."

But, that's what we did. And it was really neat. And oh, how we cried.

And a few beers afterward, to celebrate:

Is it Just Me, or Does This Booger Look Like a Little Beta Fish?

Jose Gonzalez

Literally so sick of celebrities trying to get their photo taken with me!

House

A couple shots of the upstairs:

What a Difference Six Months Makes

It doesn't seem that long ago my mom was in for her lumpectomy which started all of this cancer business. She's been living with me since February.

She's all done with Chemo, and smack dab in the middle of 7 weeks of daily radiation treatments. We sneak away for a pedicure when we can...

The House

Karaoke

From that time my mom went out with her favorite daughter and also Kasey to go and sing "Brown Girl in the Ring" by Boney M.

Shashage Links

Recognize anybody here? 

I thought these flyers were funny.

Sheesh! How can you even listen to any of them?

I am so in love with this designer. Why oh why am I building a house instead of buying her clothes?

We can all learn a think or two about food waste from France.

Good LORD Hollywood. I would probably never date a 55-year-old in real life. I'm sure that's hilarious to all of you since I haven't dated ANYONE in over five years...but seriously.

Here's your version of hell based on your personality type. (ESFP for me)

Here's why you're still single based on your personality type. (I'm going with ESFJ on this one)

Here's what you most need on a bad day based on your personality type. (ESFP again)

Here's how to figure out your personality type.

House

The Worst Kind of Turd is an Honest One, Vol. 7

On Record Store Day, Hanna and I were walking down to the festivities and I remembered that while I had carefully picked out my outfit, I hadn't considered my undergarments. 

"Hanna! OMG! Can you see my underwear lines?"

"...um...yah...kinda..."

"Take a picture of my butt and show it to me so I can see."

*she takes a picture of my butt and shows it to me*

"OMG. We have to go back to my house so I can change my grungies."

*she rolls her eyes*

_____

Two days later she texted me this photo of my panty lines, floating in mid space because she's hilarious and really, really mean. 

Hal-isms, Vol. 60

"She's watching Traveling With Angels or Ten Wives in Atlanta."

"If I click there I'm liable to find pornographic content."

"You should be watchin' Blue Bloods. There's three things going on at once!"

"When you change things it changes things."

"I just wanna say to you that when we disagree...I still love you."

That's like 15 gallons

Sunday Favorites: Wait, You Can't Microwave Metal?

New to A Lady Reveals Nothing? You've missed SO MUCH. Not to worry. Every Sunday, I dig through the archives to repost an old favorite. Mostly because I'm too lazy to come up with new content every single day. Enjoy! This story originally appeared when I was waiting tables in International Falls way back on July 24, 2010:




A couple nights a week I wait tables and bartend at a local resort lodge.  I used to think I was a smart cookie, back when I worked in an office cubicle.  But that's because we didn't have to know things like: 

1. It's not OK to pick up the 468 degree dishes out of the dishwasher with a towel, so as not to burn your hand. Unsanitary.
2. Bars close at 1AM. It's not OK to stay open after that, even if your customers insist.
3. People under 21 are not allowed to drink, and so you should really confirm people's age by asking to see their identification.
4. You really can't carry that much stuff in your arms or you're going to drop it in front of everybody.
1. It's easier to bring a tub and clear the table than it is to clear it one dish at a time.
5. You not only have to clock in when you get to work, you have to clock out when you're done.
6. Pork tenderloin comes with cream sauce, and if the cook forgets the sauce, you should remind him to put it on there because people notice missing sauce.
7. Don't walkie talkie the owner to come here, without telling him why.

See what I mean? Lots to know. Don't get me started on the use of the register.

Tonight, a table of two arrived before I was completely ready for them, and I noticed that the buns in the warmer were still frozen. WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO??? Oh right, we have a microwave. Crisis averted. The more experienced waitress told me to just throw the whole ziplock baggie (filled with six dinner rolls) into the microwave for like 20 seconds.  But, she didn't realize that I won't microwave plastic, and also I really only needed two rolls. So I took the bread basket, wrapped up the two necessary rolls in the cloth napkin that goes in the bread basket, and chucked the whole thing in the microwave and patted myself on the back for being so SMART. These buns would be ready to bring to the table when the 20 seconds were up.

As I stood there in front of the microwave, I rolled my eyes at the faulty equipment. Lights were flashing on and off inside. Sparking, almost. "Crappy microwave," I muttered under my breath. Then I saw a flame.  

And then it dawned on me. Apparently there is metal in the bread basket. I almost burned down the Lodge, folks.

This right here is a member of Mensa

The House, Vol. 9

Framing the upstairs went so quickly I couldn't believe it! Here it is from the back and side:

The House, Vol. 8

Here's me, in my new kitchen, under my new bedroom and the new second floor loft floor where there used to be no roof and before that it was a dining room: (got that?)