The Human Stain

I've been moving ever so slowly, dare I say imperceptibly, towards being a home improvement guru. Luckily for me, there are a wealth of resources for information and advice, and though I know I'm getting on people's nerves, I figure if I spread my questions around enough people, I can pull it off.

The current projects in the queue include refinishing a bookcase, building a bookcase, and assembling a picnic table. I know, I wimped out on the picnic table and bought a pre-fab job, but at least I got it locally. Besides, I still have to drill a hole for the umbrella.

The refinishing job is a bear, and I have to admit that I've reached that stage where the difficulty is instilling me with a bad attitude. I went out bought coarser sandpaper but the job is still a pain, and I'm wondering if it has to be perfectly stripped in order for the stain to penetrate. One thing I've found, and one Ruth echoes, is that it's best to take it a little bit at a time. So, when I find myself becoming a whiny baby, walk away and let my mind clear. A new day can do wonders for someone like me.

It's hard to pull off projects when you have to be a domestic diva, as well. Yesterday and the day before I had to cut my work short because I either had to play with Nicholas or cook. It's very disruptive, though when I'm in my bad attitude state, it doesn't take much for me to throw in the towel.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to protect the wood of our picnic table, and I can't seem to get a consistent answer. That, and the fact that everything you use is toxic. What a pain. I bought a product at Ace and then learned in Woodstock that the stuff is toxic. Then again, she said everything is toxic, there's just no way around it. In the end, I'm not looking for a perfect solution, just something that will slow the eventual destruction of the wood and isn't totally poisonous. I'll have to do more research, and I don't mind having to reapply it every year. That's not the problem.

As for the bookcase, Ruth is getting anxious and I understand. I should really make that the priority and will get on it this week. Thus far, I've decided on the stain and a satin finish. I made my first big wood purchase at Britton's, and since it wouldn't fit in our car, I had it and the table delivered. How cool is that? I love that place, and they kick butt for advice, always helpful and friendly. I love that place. Did I already say that?

So the pieces are in place. I got the wood, I may need some hardware like screws and nails but have enough to get started, and I've got my miter saw and sander. What else does a guy need? I really have to get started on this, this is our house and I need to get things done.

Final notes-I ordered a new toilet, we're finally going to replace the black beast upstairs. A little background-the toilet that was in the house when we moved in was black. Why a person buys a black toilet, I'll never know, but I've learned that they are more expensive. Go figure. I've been sitting on this one, literally and figuratively, but I'm going to take the plunge and go for it. I'm thinking this is one of the things I can do on my own, but I always have Kurt or Paul or Gary there to rescue me in times of disaster. At the very least, I've got the wax plug. I even bought an extra. How's that for planning?

And on wilderness front, we've been seeing an amazing number of deer in our yard. It's pretty cool, and we've even seen a mom and her baby. The weather has been crazy, a lot of heavy storms and our garden has taken a beating, but we go out there and diligently put things back together. We've harvested some lettuce and peas, not to mention some broccoli which we let go too far, but we're still learning. Can't wait to see how the beets turn out, as well as the squash.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.