Surviving Small, Living Large with Deana

Today the electrician came and put in the lights. WOW! If I was worried about being in the basement and being in the dark that fear has been erased. I am very pleased with the lighting in my living space. My sister came up with the idea in the bathroom to put the medicine cabinet in the wall. That was great until we figured out the light fixture I'd found placed above the mirror above the vanity and then that placement of the medicine cabinet (to the right of the vanity) well, the door wouldn't work so well. We were running out of options as we were looking for the traditional mirror /light above the vanity. But I tell you, my sister can figure stuff out so she said something like, but I'm sure more to the point and not so wordy, "What about a mirror above the vanity that would provide the light so you wouldn't need to find that just perfect size, not protruding too far light fixture?" Then she went a step farther and found me one. It dims too. I may never lea...

Things are progressing well. Got the flooring down, cabinets in and my peg board framed and nailed to the wall. Who would have ever thought that when I decided to follow through on using the idea I'd seen a few times using peg board that I'd see it used like crazy during a recent trip to the Ikea store. Of course their peg board was modern and the the holes weren't just little circles. Theirs was more of a plastic as well, of course, but I like my pegboard. Peg board like my daddy would have used in his garage. Anyway, as I told my contractor I don't get numbers real well. He told me what dimensions he had in mind for the cabinet under the TV. I agreed, but I couldn't "see" it. I did wonder later if it would take up too much of the very little floor space I would have left after bringing in a small couch, or loveseat, or whatever I come up with, but I dismissed my wondering. My contractor knows my request for storage and yet a pleasant living space. When I...

Some things got done while I was gone to the Conference and some of that was some drying. Drywall mud was applied but then it had to be allowed to dry. When I returned my contractor gave me an assignment. He is a Christian and I'm sure he knew I'd jump at his suggestion. I'd heard of folks doing this but just didn't think of doing it on my own.    He asked me to write some of my favorite scriptures on the unfinished door jambs. So I got write on...I mean right on that.  Also this last week the paint went on. I'm told the next steps will be quicker. I've got a coupe pictures purchased for the walls, a small refrigerator on the way and my mind is consumed with the excitement of unpacking my stuff that's been in storage. Two years and 4 months ago I shut the door on most all of my things. Of course I've opened that door a few times, but only to grab a thing or two. The majority of my things has been out of sight. You know there has been little that has been...

Just wanna catch you up on my trip home, on some things I learned and report how wonderful the Conference was. As always I do a better job recording notes on things going THERE then coming HERE (home). I didn't start out for home immediately after the conference as it ended at 2 o'clock on Saturday and I just didn't have it in me to push myself for the almost 6 hour drive home. I stopped at a motel a bit out of town. It felt good starting out fresh on Sunday.  I saw...... at least 5 (and I think I lost count) deer that apparently wasn't able to understand about the deer crossing signs cause they met their fate by the side of the road. I figured out how to listen to my churches Online Sunday AM service and it was just wonderful listening to our little orchestra playing. I love being a part of that and to hear, on the other side, how nice it sounds was quite a blessing. I didn't realize. I stopped at a Burger King to use their potty and also order some little somethin...

I've been very excited to get the Studio Apartment completed and work is certainly progressing well. It's very hard to get in the car and go, but I'm also over the top excited about the 2024 Cedar Falls Christian Writers Conference I am attending this week.  My trip to this Conference, in Iowa consisted of.... *345 miles *Approximately 5 hours and 13 minutes *1 Soda and 2 Hershey chocolate bars *2 Stops - 1 right outta the gate to grab that soda and those chocolate bars and 1 for a Potty Break and to get gas. (YIKES...so expensive in Iowa!) *2 sticks of gum, perhaps to keep my jaws busy (?) but those slices were one at a time. *1 brief rain shower, really, really brief. It was like Hazel and I just ran thru a shower. Very weird.  *An extra almost STOP after I dropped my phone between my seat and the console. UGH! Finally was able to reach it. Stop avoided.  *2 crazy, in a really hurry drivers! *1 CD - I took a few CD'S but I love, love, L.O.V.E the sound of silence. It ...