Home Improvement

Does anyone else have a major major major crush on Mike Rowe?

I’ve always had a thing for dirty guys, and well, he’s as “dirty” as they come.

My parents got me an early birthday gift this past weekend.

They bought me this -

Yep, they got me the gazebo that I was in love with from Target. It is part of the Madaga collection and it is beautiful. I can’t wait to get this baby up!!

Thank you Mom and Dad!! You guys rock!

Licorice has gone missing again. She has a tendency to disappear for a few days at a time, but now, it’s been 8 days with no Licorice sightings. . .

I’m worried about her, and I miss her. She had just started letting my touch her, and even running around my feet when I fed her and Elsie in the mornings.

I know she is “wild” and can take care of herself just fine. But that knowledge is little comfort right now.

I installed all the interior door knobs all by myself - I was very proud. It was the one thing I didn’t any help on. . . (my dad installed the exterior door knobs)

Turns out I suck at installing door knobs.

Now my dad has to come over and fix them for me so that they will actually work. Good thing the house only has three interior doors.

So my birthday is coming up soon and every year when asked what I want I have had the same answer - “Surprise me”. . .

Not this year! I’ve got myself a list (so friends and family that read this, take note).

From Target:

I have always wanted a picnic basket,
and this one is super cute and cheap

they have this ice bucket in many colors,
but the red is the most retro looking one in the bunch

either the Gingham or the Bandanna print picnic blanket

(at least
they look like old school paper plates, but they’re not

Bandanna cloth napkins
they come in packs of 2

and glass mug jars
they look like jelly jars with handles and come in a set of 4

And that concludes my birthday list, thank you, thank you very much. . .
Now no one can give me the “you’re just too hard to buy for” line

p.s. I will also happily except Ikea gift cards

It has been three full weeks since I last saw Licorice. I have at this point given up hope and moved on to grieving.

I would like to think that someone grabbed her up and made her a pampered indoor kitty somewhere. . . It is a much more comforting thought than any alternatives. . .

Wherever she may be I miss her very very much and my prayers are with her.

My family I spent a long weekend in the Keys and of course, Emmett tagged along.

(on the ride down)

He was such a good traveler - he did his best to stay awake for the whole ride, but ended up taking a little nap.

(running around at the marina)

The “resort” where we stayed had a small beach, but Emmett preferred to stay in the shade of the marina.

(the ride home)

Sleep finally won out and he slept almost the entire way home

My birthday was last week, so I made my second annual birthday trip to Ikea. While they were out of the chair I planned on buying (for my patio) I found this beauty instead -

Except that at nearly $1400 it is way out of my price range at the moment - but lord is it comfy, plus it’s large enough to fit 5 people no problem yet small enough that it wouldn’t over power my tiny house. . . so if anyone wants to donate to the Laurendy Really Needs This Couch Fund drop me a line.

Bonus edition:

First I must admit that I pretty much love anything and everything with a skull on it, but this is just wrong. You may be able to pull off the skull and crossbones bathmat in say a little boy’s (or Uncle Pirate’s) bathroom - but the fitted toilet rug and matching toilet seat cover? Come on now, that wouldn’t even be acceptable in plain violet in your great grandmother’s house. . .