Life and death

I don’t understand how there can be world hunger with zucchini plants around!  Take a look at ours dominating the backyard where the bamboo used to be (which was, in hindsight, remarkably easy to eliminate).   We’ll soon be putting bags of zukes on doorsteps, ringing the doorbell, and running.

On July 4th, in preparation for a small bbq to welcome my best man, Mike, and his entourage (Glenda and Jack), Emily and I did a massive housecleaning.  Wow, this old house actually has potential–it’s starting to look like people live here.  I was opening the basement door to get a hose out when–phew!–I got a whiff of death.  If you’ve ever smelled it, you know what I’m talking about.  Turns out, some hapless squirrel had expired on our basement steps and was just starting to decompose–right under the porch where we were to hold a party in a few hours.  That wouldn’t do, of course, so yours truly got the–gag–job of using a shovel to bag up Mr. Squirrel and dispose of him.  I decided to not take a photo for the blog.

Whiter, brighter

Remember our dark wood kitchen?  Several weeks ago I painted it off-white with some paint I found in the basement.  Since we are leaning toward a lighter kitchen, what better way to see if you still like it than see it full-size? 

Here’s a picture of Emily enjoying every minute of kitchen shopping:    The other day we saw a “glaze” on maple–which we like because it showed the tight grain of maple (as opposed to being painted, which doesn’t show the grain at all).  And how about this potential countertop–if you can stomach the installed price?