can i have some cheese to go with this whine? plus meet the new lewis & clark ...

oooooohhhhhh, I'm depressed. After THREE reschedulings on our part, we (okay, mostly Jason) worked really really hard and slept very very little to have the upstairs pretty much ready for carpet this morning. We painted, patched, brushed and swept, nailed, secured, laughed and wept and dammit we were READY.

They're not coming.

WAAAAAAHHHH!

They said something about being shorthanded, yet I can't help but feel it is payback for our postponements. Originally this was scheduled exactly thirty days beforehand (Feb 14). But we've just been so damned BUSY. And of course, there was a lot more than we realized to do! Isn't that always the case? argledybargle. #@?! See why I need the cheese?

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In other news, Merlin and Cosmo have been rechristened Lewis & Clark, after a breakout expedition last evening that took them 'round the Humphrey House neighborhood. Yep, you got it folks, Cosmo/Clark is officially a bad influence. For years Merlin has looked through screen windows at the world outside, occassionally pawing but never daring an actual escape. So I felt little to no trepidation last night opening the basement level window in our makeshift bedroom to allow some fresh air in, knowing the screen was locked firmly in place. The cats jumped up to the sill and sniffed at the air, and I left them there. Two hours later, when I came into the room to check on them, they were nowhere to be found, and the screen was laying on the ground outside. I went outside and called them, and Cosmo came out of hiding almost right away, trying to sneak back into the window behind me - but Jason caught him. Merlin was more elusive. After about fifteen minutes I'd made two trips up and down the alley, and found two teenagers making out and a pretty white kitty, but no Merlin. I had just finished my first trip down the street when I saw Merlin coming out of the brush next door, heading for the still open window and looking like a kid sneaking in after breaking curfew.

Damn cats. But you'd all be proud - I reigned the panic in pretty well, if I do say so myself. The power of pinking thositively is not to be underestimated ... but still, damn cats.

Which brings us to a whole new dilemma ... what to do about the windows upstairs with their measly screens now that Cosmo has gotten wise?

Welcome To Humphrey House University ...

Looks like this weekend is gonna be a worker after all. Our previously scheduled plans to celebrate Jay's dad's b-day have been scrapped due to dog fungus - yes, you read that right - so we've got a three-day weekend to fill. Since I've been on house hiatus for a while now, I think this weekend will serve as a good educational tool for me. Classes planned include:

• Experiments in Drywall 201 - I passed Drywall 101 during the basement phase, so I should be ready to learn a bend. Of course, I realize I passed only because I was the sole girl, and because at least I didn't do what Scott did on his first sheet and put the drywall on backwards. Regardless, we've created these little glass block niches (we just like our glass block, dammit) that we need to wall in. However, we don't have the lovely screwguns like before so it may not be as much fun ...
• Studies in Shower Scenes & Toxic Fumes - For too long, we've lived with a bizarre situation: A wood-framed window painted shut in the shower. While I no longer feel (too) self-conscious showering in front of a five foot window that's five feet from my neighbor's living room windows, the lack of ventilation in this, our only bathroom, has been suffered through too long. Having to wait an extra ten minutes after waiting for the bathroom all morning just isn't working. The window must be replaced! We've got a glass block window, complete with vent, ready to go - just haven't had the time or focus or whatever. Bring on the tile destruction! Let's go!
• Fun With Screening - I had to re-screen a window when I was in college and my sublettee's son played with razorblades and hacked out pieces of my screening to spell out his name (at least the first two letters before he got bored). So this is more of a refresher course. I want to rescreen the windows on the front porch so we can open them all, not just one. It'll be fall soon, and I'm so looking forward to that breeze blowing through the porch into the living room with yellow leaves falling outside. Which brings me to ...
• Organizing Your Life For The Clutter-Prone - I've taken this class many many times, thank goodness repeats are allowed. The front porch needs some serious attention. After all, Halloween is coming, and how can I be expected to maintain our "Halloween House" status if the front porch is covered in boxes of Care Bears, weight benches, old purses and my art supplies?

Hope I graduate soon ...