More pictures

Most of this afternoon and evening I have been busily dragging pictures out of my 7 media cards. The time span is roughly 3-5 years. It's amazing to see some of them - all those trips I took, lots of beagle shots, my old house, my new home in progress, all kinds of things. Many I had forgotten about. I have to decide if this is going to be a house or a dog picture entry. I want to do the dogs - everyone loves dogs, almost - but I recently finally got my fans up, so I think I will do house tonight and dogs next time. Forgive me?

I have lived here since July 2006 with just bare bulbs in the ceiling in two rooms. I became inured to the decor, but I am sure first-time visitors thought I really had no clue at all about decorating. While that is a true statement, even I know better than to leave ugly bare bulbs hanging around from the ceiling.

It took me forever to pick out the correct ceiling fans, the right light fixtures, the best fan blades for my rooms. I ordered them once, brought one home, and found it was not the correct one. I had ordered one finish, and the guy gave me another. I shoved the box in a corner, disgusted. I kept telling myself to call them...and I didn't. Months passed. Finally they called me, and offered to credit it all back to my account and start over. That sounded good to me, so I asked when the first lady would be in whom I had spoken to, and I returned to drive her batty. Poor lady. We did finally find what I wanted, and by some miracle it was all in stock except one down pole, which they promised me the following day. The one fan was in stock because I had special ordered it in the fall, but we won't dwell on that.

I picked up the down pole the next day. There must have been some special planet alignment, because I seem to have issues with follow-through on anything to do with decorating. I just lack confidence and skill. That's all. Oh, and taste.

Plans were made to have them installed and I was giddy with excitement! I have never had ceiling fans in my life. This was to be a new chapter for me. I quickly assembled my support staff.

That small picture in the lower right section of the picture will be installed in my front bathroom as soon as ST gets around to it.

We sorted the various boxes of parts of the fans and set them in the correct areas of the house for installation and awaited arrival of the gentleman and his assitant to make sense of it all. He was expected at 6:15 pm. Around 7:30 pm, he arrived with his girlfriend. I hoped they weren't here for a date and expected my fans to be their entertainment.

Boxes were opened and parts were accepted and others tossed aside, seemingly randomly. Orders were given. Molly kept her nose firmly in the tool box except when the girlfriend was petting her. Baby, being more skittish, stayed back a couple of inches. A huge ladder was set in the middle of my living room. The ceiling is about 15 feet high. I got nervous and decided to find something less stressful to do than watch. I went and paid my bills. Quietly.

Eventually, I had two fans perfectly installed. My support staff approved and demanded extra treats. The installers demanded money. I demanded instructions on how to operate the buggers. There was a snafu when one remote didn't work, but it turns out they sold me the wrong one. I can't say I was entirely surprised, even though this was from a lighting company and not a big box store. The error was admitted and will be corrected. What else can I ask for?

I took the pictures at night, so some of the colors are off a bit. Both have white lights, not yellow. Here is what I have in the living room:

Actually that is my foyer, or two foyers, depending on how you see it. I personally see three foyers. It's odd, but it does give me open space. The fan is between here and the actual living room. I still say that wall hanging leans a bit to the left, but maybe I am the one with an astigmatism. I doubt it, but anything is possible.

Like this.

If you go back to the support staff picture, the rest of the room is showing. The staff is lying very close to straight below the fans.

This is my artwork in my living room. Yep, that is it. Just one item. But I love it :-) The colors are very intense, and the picture always shows me something new that I had missed before. I will probably never tire of it. The TV below it is still to be donated when I find an organization to take it. Then I will never be able to snag a dog sitter.

A closer view of my boring, dull, staid, 6-forward speed and I don't remember how many reverse speed fan. The light is great. After speed 4, it's helicopter time in the living room. It's great fun to play with! It beeps every time I change the speed or reverse it. We already know I am easily amused.

On to the master bedroom. Currently the only bedroom, since the front room is being used as a junk drawer. This room drives me nuts because I have no idea what to do with it. I will toss the furniture and get something new. I have a hard time finding a bedspread that is best described as a dorm spread - just one layer of fabric. I am going to have to make my own to get something that is not ugly. It's not that easy to find fabric that is around 100 inches wide, but I know I can get quilt backing fabric. I just need to decide what I want. Then I need to make some sort of "thing" for around the bay window, using the same fabric. Or close to it. Maybe a slightly different shade or texture. Styrofoam and/or wood will be involved. It will be messy and a lot of fun. I will not use a pattern or anything. Wish me luck! Maybe I can glue my support staff to the wall while I am at it.

Anyway, this is the fan in the process of being installed by the gentleman and his girlfriend:

This fan is not so boring and staid. It's gorgeous! I love the palm frond blades. If I grow up some day and want real ones, I can change the blades. The lighting I was unsure of, but when the fan is on, the lights are on very dim, and the rest of the room is dark, the cracked glass throws a delightful pattern on the walls.

It sort of dominates the room, but I don't mind.

Remember, the glass is white cracked glass. Not yellow at all.

The support staff wore themselves out helping the installers and proceeded to snore within minutes of the departure of the installers.

They get lots of blankies so they don't damage the leather. (It has worked so far.) I got the leather because I can wash it off. Fabric just soaks up doggy butt juice.

On that note, I shall say goodnight!

 

 

 

 

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