"...so the Papa Tomato said to the Baby Tomato...KETCHUP!"

The house is a mess. Has been for (checking the calendar) ONLY two weeks. No (checking the calendar again) - two weeks, two days. Feels like two years.

Finally had some time off (two weeks, two days) and decided to begin the long overdue process of replacing the kitchen floor. When I moved in, the floor was horrible. Too costly to completely replace, I chose to cover it with stick down floor tiles. Never imagined almost six years later, I'd be the one pulling them off, one by one, applying the adhesive remover and then scraping the gunk off hours later. Nightmare project. Next time, I'm leaving the endless floor scrubbing to Cinderella.

The test area. Okay, maybe not so bad...

This floor is a liar. It is bad!

By now, I officially hate these tiles.

The new floor will be beautiful "henna" colored click tiles that, once installed, will "float" over the old floor. Problem is, I didn't order enough. Exactly half of what we needed. Such a girl. I can build a set with my eyes closed, but ask me to measure the square footage of my kitchen - fail!

In the meantime, while waiting for more flooring, I bought a new sleek refrigerator and fell in love! Stainless cabinet depth model - the bottles sparkle it's so bright inside.

waiting for the new flooring, hating the old fridge

...five store visits later, I buy my first major kitchen appliance!

Today, I tore everything out of my office, had a faster internet connection installed, and decided with the amount of misplaced furniture, kitchen items, and odd flea market finds, my place looks ready for an estate sale or an episode of hoarders.

"Yes, that is a canvas monkey painting."

"Yes, that was given to me by Ruth."

Old Advantex film...toss!

Siouxsie Peek-a-boo mask - keep!

Luckily, the remaining flooring arrived today and will be installed next week. See why I haven't written sooner? I'm in love with talking about remodeling and refrigerators. Yawn. Even I know I'm boring you. But that's what's going on.

The heat is finally here, everyone is cleaning up and out their shite, and Grace will be here soon to see the new look.

PS - just so you know I'm not exaggerating, I'll add a picture in the morning. In the darkness, the piles look like cityscapes in the shadows.

And then it was August...

Oooh weeeee!

I turned the page on my "California" calendar to the month of August and there it was, in big red letters. The second to the last box in the bottom right corner.

September 3rd- GO HOME! :)
I have officially begun the countdown to coming home. It's strange to see the big red letters that I wrote back at the end of February. I wish I could fast forward through these last four weeks and beam myself (Star Trek style) right into my bed all squishy and warm in my parent's guesthouse in Downey. I can already hear the customs officer saying "welcome home." It always gets me choked up; it means so much more nowadays.

I can't wait to hear your voices, to give you hugs, to hear all the gossip, to taste real Mexican food and yummy frozen yogurt, to smell the ocean, to drive my car and sit in traffic, to go to Target and Costco, to...to...to...

I just can't wait.

I promise...

...I am going to post soon. I was saving it as my special treat after I finished my expense reports. Now, it will be my special treat after Sunday Weekend Edition's puzzlemaster. Bon Jour and Bon nuit. xxK

**Monday, 9/08/2010 - 3:15pm, PST. STILL working on expenses. xxK

now that it's August, let's talk about July

I couldn't seem to get myself together to post a thing in the month of July... and it was an active month. Before it gets away from me, I'm going to start posting some fun things that happened in that sometimes hot, sometimes gloomy, always active month. First and foremost, there were fireworks (as seen here on the 3rd of July at the Reinika Party House).

No party is complete without a box of old fireworks (will they still work? will we catch Douglas/Todd's boat on fire? just light em up and we'll see!)

It's always fun to try to write your name with a sparkler. It would be more fun if Ruth knew the appropriate setting for her fancy camera to capture the action... a lucky shot or two were captured nonetheless. :)

And thus began our July. Another installment of Americana Fun to follow...