BUILD YOUR OWN HOUSE! Home * Site Menu * At Home with Ailsa *Ask Ailsa * Ailsa's Bio * Photo Gallery * Recipes * Tips * Carbon Monoxide Detector * Home Improvement Shopping * 10 Tips to Sell Your House Faster! * Mortgages & Other Financial Stuff! * Real Estate * Home Improvement * Online Education * Travel * Gifts for Men *Financial Prayer * *Fundraising *Insurance *Linens 'n Things * Decorating *Business Cards * Shoes & Clothes! * My Amazon Page * Jewelry * Skin Care * The Scottish Diet * Fitness At Home *Sex Tip * Freebies! * Books & Magazines * How to Quit Smoking *Personal Breathalizer * Shopping * Astrology * Monthly Horoscope * Flowers * Gifts for Women * Shoes & Clothes* Steve Madden Shoes * Art * Books & Magazines * Shop for Someone You Love * Romantic Recipes * Dads & Grads Gifts * Tell a Friend
< >
Archived At Home with Ailsa
September 28th - 22nd, 2003.
Sunday, September 28th. Hey, Baby! What's shakin'?? I know, you've probably been greeted with that ten times already, this morning...well let me be the 11th! That's not such a bad position to be in -- 11th on your list. Better than not being on the list at all, right??
Ugh, I just had a terrible 'website' fright -- I clicked on the wrong thing and my Main Page disappeared from my screen! Aaaaaah! I'm still soooo new to this whole 'puter' thing! That's what Cara used to call the computer when she was little. One day, when Cara was 4 and we were driving along Santa Monica Blvd. (we lived by ourselves, just me and my kidlet...), Cara turned to me and said, in a desperate voice, "Mummy, I need a 'puter!". It was hilarious! I don't even know where she got that from, because at the time computers were not really commonplace. I had one at the back of my Special Ed. classroom, and I used to send my students back there to turn the thing ON! I could never remember how to do that! ha,ha! They would wheel their way back over to me to say,"Ailsa, you got to learn that!". Yes, my students called me Ailsa, and yes, I loved them all. Special Needs Students are a joy to work with, and they kept me sane during a horrible time of my life...
I think I solved the problem -- I'm not as fearful of the computer as I used to be, but the stakes are higher if I do screw up terribly. (Tia's right up on my leg -- she keeps pushing my hand away from the keyboard with her nose! She is the funniest wee dog!)
So we did get out to work on the Deck, yesterday. Dwight cut and placed the Boards while I cleaned out the Hot Tub. Turned out that the Tarp Dwight put on the Tub had a leak, so I had a lot of cleanin' to do, but now it sparkles and looks absolutely fabulous. Now Dwight says he's actually going to set it up -- it's been a real bone of contention around here. Dwight has a bad habit of thinking a job is insurmountable, until I convince him to get started on it (just so you know, we work together on every project...)... that is an easy mind-set to get into when you're building, so at least one partner in a relationship should have a positive outlook, or the job might never be done! I think it's a matter of balance... Almost every job is easier than you might believe it to be, it's just a matter of getting started on it.
Tip of the Day: Change your furniture configuration. Seriously! Over this past week. we've moved furniture all around, switching stuff from one room to another, and what a huge difference this has made in the functionality of the rooms!
Aidan had the old Dining Room Table in his Bedroom as a Giant Craft Table, and that worked for a while, but after I moved all the big exercise equipment out of my Exercise Room and into the Lower Living Room, it left the Exercise Room completey empty, except for the corner cubby area where my Serger is set up... Anyhoooo, I thought it would be more useful (and fun!) to have a 'Gift Wrapping Room' -- ha,ha! Really, who doesn't want that?? So we carried the Glass-Top Dining Table down to the new Gift Wrapping Room, just in time for the Holiday Season.
Last night (yet another exciting Saturday night around here!), I got Dwight to help me move the Double Bed in Aidan's Bedroom down to his Den, making that a much more usable space for any Adult Visitors who might swing by, and we took his little Car Bed and put it in his Bedroom. Much better! Cara's Den and Aidan's Den are side-by-side, so now they can also act as Guest Bedrooms -- one for the Adult Couple and the other for the Kids. (Cara's Den is set up with 3 beds...)
Often what happens with Furniture is we move in and put the Furniture in pretty much the same configuration you had in your old place, which is most likely the same as however your Mother had her furniture... it's habitual. Next time you're watching a Designer Show, take note of how they 'mix things up', then try it yourself. Stand back and visualize certain peices in a different location, and see how that works. I'll bet you'll be very pleasantly surprised!
Well, Dwight's up, now, so I'm going to go make Breakfast -- French Toast, his favorite. Here's a 'Freebie Tip'! Add about a tablespoon of Vanilla to Pancakes or French Toast mixtures -- it's delicious, and you'll use less Syrup, which is good for the old waistline!
Lovely to see you, as always! Talk to you Tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa
*********
Saturday, September 27th. Hey, Sweetheart! Hope your Weekend is going well! Dwight got back really late from his Fishing Trip, and guess how many fish they caught?? That's right, NONE! So I can'y verify that whole 'marshmallow' tip, but he still claims it to be true -- it's just that the 'fish don't bite until Midnight...'! Yes, that seems like a fish -- the're little tricksters, from what I hear! ha,ha,ha!
Today the weather is supposed to be nice, so that means it's 'Deck-Building Day' -- again! It's never-ending. Whose idea was it for such a big house, anyway?? Oh, right...it was my idea! Ah, well. I really would like to get all the relatively 'little' things done so I can put the house on the Market around Christmas Time. It's soooo beautiful with all the Lights and the Christmas Trees all decorated! We have a tough time saying good-bye to the Christmas Trees, so I take them down gradually. (There's always more than one tree!) I put them up that way, too -- I have to graduate the process so Dwight doesn't freak out -- he's not the most pleasant 'Christmas Boy' -- he just finds it a stressful time of year, whereas I absolutely love it. So we're not exactly alike!!
On to 'The Tip of the Day': Don't plan a Big 'Fish Fry' until after the fish are caught! No, no, no...I'm just kiddink! Here's your Real Tip -- When you're Building a Deck, Start at the Far End of the Deck with the 'Full Pieces' of Lumber. That way, if the last piece needs to be cut lengthwise (which is almost always the case...), it will be tight against the house, and you won't see it.
The other Decking Tip is to use Screws instead of Nails to get a really nice finish. The nails tend to 'pop up' and you can trip on them, or cut your foot -- ick! That ain't good!
*********
< >
*********
Friday, September 26th. Hi, Honey! You're Home, and I made a pie for you...wouldn't you like to hear that for real?? Actually, I really do make Pies -- they're fun to make and delicious -- you could try my Peach Pie Recipe, or try to convince someone else to make it for you... either way, you'll enjoy it!
Well, did you watch Survivor?? Man, those Beaches are gorgeous! And the 'Survivors' ain't bad, either! ha,ha,ha! Were you obsessed with Pirate Treasure when you were a kid? What?? Still are?? Me, too! Mostly the big pile of Gems in a hidden trunk, but that's probably normal... that and finding a big Trunk full of Candies, which is Aidan's big dream! You know what would help those Survivors? Knowing How to Build a House, right? Sure, then they would know that a Roof and a Floor can really come in handy!
It would be fun to build an 'Ocean-Front' Property, no?? Out of Fronds! And maybe some Mud...
Well, this is Dwight's big 'Fishin' Day'! He worked like mad to get all his Lures and his Fishing Pole (the lucky ones... I hear it's a fine mix of Skill and Luck!) all set up and there's a yucky bag of Bait in the Fridge! He's going with a couple of his old friends, and he can hardly wait to get back into a boat for a whole day! Dwight had to sell his Jet Boat the week before Aidan was born (there was no way I was going to get into that boat at 9 months pregnant! So he traded in the Boat for a Boy -- not a bad trade!).
Tip of the Day: Yep, it's a Fishin' Tip! Dwight says that fish loooove mini-marshmallows -- but doesn't everybody?? Apparently, the mini-marshmallows are just the right size to go on the hook... he was quite emphatic about that. I feel strongly about it, too... wink, wink!
Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow! (Turns out, I've got plenty of time to write a Daily Update -- still nowhere to go! Perhaps one day I'll have somewhere to go, but by then I'll probably get me one o' them fancy 'Laptops'!)
Later, Baby! Ailsa
*********
Hey, did you notice that the Stock Market is doing well, again?! Did I tell you that a fairly large chunk of the money we used to Build This House came from Dwight's Stock Market Days? Yep, he bought some Bank Stocks at $17.00 and we sold them at $65.00. Yes, I did make him sell them, and Thank Goodness, because after that they went straight up to $91.00 -- aaaaaaah! That wasn't my best moment... but right after that, they plumeted to $35.00, and Dwight would have missed the $91.00 mark, anyway, because it typically takes me a very, very long time to convince him when to make a move! So we made a big pile o' cash, which is always fun! And now it's All in The House! Good thing it's Gorgeous!!
*********
Thursday, September 25th. Hey, Sweetie! What's happening?? Hey, drop me a line and let me know what's going on in your life -- and if you're planning a Build or Renovation, tell us all about it! I'll add your letters to the site!
Aaaeeye, I just had a bite of my Apple Crumble and burnt my tongue! Youch! Must remember not to put it in the Microwave for more than a minute! Still, it's sooo yummy it's hard to wait! Now, that's a good sign, right??
Hey, did you see the First new episode of The Bachelor? We love that show -- and not just for the Girls (and Bob, who is hilarious!) -- we watch for the Houses! You know what I would love to see? A website and/or Show dedicated to showing all of us 'House-Junkies' the fabulous houses that are featured on these Shows. I'm pretty sure there must be one Producer out there reading my Site instead of going to a fancy schmancy 'Producer's Meeting', just looking for new ideas! ha,ha,ha!
If you haven't seen The Bachelor, try to catch an episode and check out the Blue Up-Lighting along the Walls of the Front of the House. It's gorgeous, and now I want that, too! I think I can do that behind the plants on either side of the Fireplace in the Great Room ... you could try it, too, then all our houses would match! WooHoo! You'd always feel right at home no matter where you went because we'd all have exactly the same thing! I DID put those little tiny Christmas Lights around the Base of Each of the Plants, which looks really lovely, especially when the Fireplace is on and the rest of the Lights are out.
Tip of the Day: Use Plants to Decorate Your Home for very little. You'd be amazed at the difference a big plant will make. Start taking note of Designer Shows, and you'll see that the Large Palm Frond Plants (must find out what they're actually called!)are often added to bring in a lot of color and freshness into the room. If you have a tough time with Real Plants, have a look at the new Silk Plants -- that's what I have in my Office.
Yesterday I was shopping at Walmart (one of my favorite stores!) and I found 5 matching Green and Burgundy Clay Pots and 5 matching Green and Burgundy Plants (I'll run up and take a picture and find out what they're called...). They're gorgeous! I lined them up symetrically along the Stair Wall (no one knows what to call it, but it's the wall where a Railing would typically be -- Aidan was so little when we built this house that I was concerned that he would shoot his cars under or through a regular railing, leading to a terrible accident, probably involving Dwight, who always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when it comes to 'accidents' with Aidan! So I designed a Solid Wall around the Stairs, which turned out beautifully...).
Anyway, today I have to re-pot my nice new plants. Wonder if I could figure out how to get Lighting in Behind them???
Oh,yeah. Price-wise, all the Plants and Pots came in under $100.00, which is great. Solved my Decorating Dilemma (yes, I just checked my Oxford Dictionary for the spelling on that! It's within easy Arms Length of my computer!) for under a hundred Bucks! Scoooore! My other options were Glass Inserts (my original design, and the Stair Wall was Framed in for that, so the next owner -- which may be sooner than later, since I'm thinking of putting our house on the market -- could still do that...) and a giant Mural. I also thought a huge mirror with a Mountain Scene Etched into it would have been nice, but Dwight said that was a stoooopid idea, so that ended that conversation...! Anyhooo, any of the other options would have cost between $300. - $1500., so that's a huuuge savings and now it's done, which is the important thing!
Dwight's going Fishing, tomorrow (painfully early, and I'll have to get him up...ugh!), so I'll give you a special 'Fishing Tip' after he leaves. He's going to a Lake about an hour from here, and is very excited! If only he felt that way about Grout! ha,ha,ha!
Thanks for Coming Over to My Place! See you tomorrow! Please, feel free to bring a few hundred of your friends, too! I don't even care if you don't like them...just bring 'em along and I'll entertain them, leaving you free to drink more, should that be your personal choice! ha,ha,ha! Later, Baby! Ailsa
*********
*********
Wednesday, September 24th. Good Morning, Sweet Cheeks! (I know, I know -- that's a little racy, ain't it?? Well, perhaps I'm making reference to your face, and not where ever you might be thinking....or not! ha,ha! Now you'll never know!)
I've been trying to get a picture of the Breast Cancer Research Support Stamp on my Breast Cancer Research Supporter Page, and I can't seem to figure that out. Remember that I am really new to this whole 'computer thing', so when I run into a problem I have to have Steve over for dinner to show me how to do whatever I'm lost at... Must invite him over for a BBQ on the weekend! But the Stamp is very cool -- it looks like African-American Art, so look out for that next time you're buying Stamps (in the U.S.).
Hey, did you happen to catch the Oprah Age Defying Show? Great show, except for the snag-n-a-half who asked that poor woman (who happened to be 40) whether she knew what the hell she was doing wearing a mini-skirt....Puh-leeease. You know the great thing about being 40 (or any age, and a Free Spirit!!)? You can wear absolutely anything you want. Forget about 'The Rules' -- what do you care what some snagasuarus thinks of you??? I've been wearing a mini-skirt since 'way back when', and I hope I'm still wearing one at 120! (That's the age I hope to live 'til, and that's why it's soooo important for me to set up a steady income for life with The Internet and Real Estate!) Now there's a nice image for you -- but I also plan to look as good as possible for a really, really long time!
Tip of the Day: You know how I mentioned yesterday about going ahead and coloring your hair if you have been thinking you'd like a change? Well, here's another little tip from my Teaching Years. I used to Teach Grades 5/6, and one of the things we had to do was a Lice Check, which totally freaked me out. (I was very young and naive at the time... and that's when I decided to start working with Older Students...plus, the smaller kids didn't always get my jokes...Teaching is often quite a bit like Stand-Up Comedy, only you have to squish a Lesson in there amongst the laughs!)
Anyway, we used to let Parents know that if the regular Nix Treatments didn't work, they could try Hair Color in the same shade as their child's hair. And that old myth that you have to immediately run out and cut the kid's hair all off is simply not true -- just do the treatment, pop bedding into the Dryer for 40 minutes on high (and other soft toys the child has come into contact with -- and don't forget to pop the pillow in the dryer, too...). Wash the rest of the regular bedding and clothes. Most importantly, stay calm and make sure your child knows this is something easy to deal with and a common part of childhood for many, many children.
*********
< >
*********
Tuesday, September 23rd. Hey, Babe! Hope all's well in your neck of the woods (is that the new name for Central L.A.??)! I just had a bowl of my favorite Apple Crumble for One (Meee!) -- man, that stuff is sooo delicious, I never get tired of it, even though I have it every day. I've lost another 4 pounds, so that brings me to a grand total of 31 Pounds! WooHoo! (Think I was replacing food -- namely chocolate -- for something else! ha,ha!)
If you haven't tried it yet, mix up a batch and let me know how you like it -- remember, it's just a healthy and tasty treat, and you don't need to be on a Diet (Ugh -- I always hate that word -- food management is much better!) to enjoy it -- it's a yummy thing to add to your Daily Routine!
Tip of the Day: I colored my hair, yesterday (right after I wrote my Daily Update!), and I thought, 'Why not tell everyone how easy it is to take off about, oh, 5 years...unless you're 12, then maybe only a couple of months...' Anyhoooo, I use L'oreal B1, which is a nice shade of Blonde, and I think it beats any shade of Grey! Some people really suit Grey, but it ain't for me, Baby! So if you've been looking in the mirror and wondering if you should try to restore your old color or go for something brand new, give it a shot! You can always color it back, or just let it fade away... And the 'At Home' version (so-to-speak!) is a breeze. You can do it and watch your favorite TV Show at the same time!
Later, Baby! See you tomorrow! Ailsa
Click Here for The Apple Crumble Diet!
*********
< Lowest mortgage rates and the best service in the industry! >
*********
Monday, September 22nd. Hi, Honey! You're Home! (I think I like that one the best!) Well, did you see the Emmy's?? YaaHooo -- The Sopranos got some Top Awards! We can hardly wait for the new season! Great Show, though -- very fnny with all the Comedians! We always love to see all the Canadian 'Home-Grown' Comedians ... imported to the U.S. (where I hope to be soon enough! ha,ha,ha!).
We got a lot of work done on the Sunroom Deck, and it's fantastic -- the View from this Deck is sooooo beautiful. There was a tremendous amount of 'debate' over whether we should keep the Hot Tub or Not, but the Final Decision was made and we built the Deck around it. We had already spent so much in prepartion for the Tub -- special electrical stuff, a special Steel Frame for the Tub itself, craning it from where we bought it to our old house, then to the other side of our new house and then finally over to the deck, so getting rid of it would have been weird...!
Tip of the Day: One very cool feature that Dwight just put in the Master Bath and the Sunroom (and we bought another 5 of them for a variety of other rooms...) -- we put in Dimmer Switches. Such a simple thing, but the Dimmers are great for the Bathroom, especially in the middle of the night, when your eyes just don't like anything glaring! They cost around $25.00, and make a big difference for mood lighting, too. (The Bathroom Light that we did is right over the Double-sized Jet Tub and it's very nice in the Sunroom, where we like to sit and chat last thing at night. And soon we'll be able to get the Hot Tub hooked up and we'll be out there! WooHoo!)
Later, Baby! See you tomorrow! Ailsa
Check out Overstock.com for Anything You Could Possibly Hope to Find!
Recipes -- Cheesecake ,Cinnamon Buns, Salsa Chicken , Macaroni Salad ,Chicken Noodle Soup, Taco Spaghetti , Easy Pie Crust , Creamy Peach Pie , Great BBQ Marinade , 'Pass da' Pasta, Rosemary Steak, Onion Barley (an Aphrodisiac!), Stuffed Green Peppers, Fruit Puffs , BBQ Veggies, Apple Crumble for One , Barbequed Meatballs, Everything Else!!
< >