Around the Ranch

Can you guys believe that April is almost gone? The weather is so strange here in Tennessee. It's Spring-like during the day and at night, it's in the 30's or 40's sometimes. We got a new birdbath at an estate sale last year and filled it up for the critters on a recent Saturday. That very same day, a big crow started bringing his meals to wash in the formerly sparklingly clean birdbath. It's been pretty gross so far. He's brought a dead baby bird and some other unidentifiable critter...and even a quesadilla! That quesadilla made us laugh pretty hard as we couldn't help but think of "Napoleon Dynamite". After the crow brought a huge wad of coleslaw yesterday, Mister Kitsch decided that he was going to start documenting the crow's birdbath meal remains with photos. Don't worry. I won't show them to you...but I do think that it might be a fascinating project just the same! If only we were hip enough to have Instagram. Those cute filters could add a certain something to the project, don't you think?

The past week has been pretty busy. I've been cleaning out the garage and closets and let me tell you - I had a TON of stuff to get rid of. I liked every single item but have decided that if I don't LOVE something, it's no longer taking up space in my house. After taking two carloads to Goodwill and having my Dressbarn ladies (and a Mister) over to pick through the vintage items, the house feels so much lighter. Of course, I DID buy something new on my way home from one of those Goodwill trips but as I told the Mister: "It goes on the wall so it doesn't count as taking up space". I'll show you what I got tomorrow!

And while we're on the topic of feeling lighter, I feel a lot less weighed-down too. I got ten inches cut off of my hair yesterday! I desperately needed a haircut and bravely got it cut in a haircutting class at a local salon - well, because it was free. I had thought that the experienced teacher was going to be cutting my hair with the students watching her - but once I got there, I quickly learned that I would be getting my hair cut by a very green student. It was a pretty white-knuckle experience, let me tell you! I didn't really walk out of there with the style that I wanted but I think that it will be fine in a few weeks. Have any of you ever had one of those hairstyles that has to evolve? One of those evolving hairstyles that is too short to pull up into a ponytail even though you asked that it be long enough to? I think that I'll go down to one of the forty weave stores that are in my neighborhood and pick out a clip-on ponytail.

And in other news: We got our couch back from the upholsterer today! I think that he did a great job. Whew!  It's pretty nerve-wracking to devote a chunk of money to a final result that you can't predict but we really love what he did with it.

It's very 1960's doctor's office, isn't it? 

"Here. I'll just need you to fill out these forms."

I wonder if we could invite a bunch of people over for a movie party and charge copays?

We kept the old cushions (as they were the only part of the old couch that wasn't destroyed by the hellcats) and I like the way that they look too. 

It's hard to tell with my spastic photos but there is a good deal of wood on the frame of the couch and it matches the old cushions. I'm having a hard time giving those old cushions up as they were the reason that I liked the old couch.

Which cushions do you guys like better? Let me know your thoughts! I'm so nervous that the cats are going to take a liking to it and do it in. I keep walking into the living room just to make sure that it's safe from their wrath. Hopefully since it's vinyl, they'll just leave it the heck alone. They do have three scratching posts so I don't think it would be too much to ask! Jeez...

I'd highly recommend our upholsterer if you're in the Nashville area. We used Pace Upholstery and Mr. Pace is located in Tullahoma. He picked up the sofa from us in Nashville and within a week and a half, we had a brand new sofa. I think that's pretty good turn-around time! Here is a link to his Facebook page if my local folks ever want to use him. He's a very nice guy and he even brought us gifts!

Cowabunga! Phones! 

When he originally came to pick up our couch, he noticed that we had an old yellow rotary phone and thought that we might like some more. Boy, did we! We were super excited about getting these. When he came into the house today and said "Oh yeah. I have a gift for you!" my first thought was that he'd found something dicey inside of our couch - maybe a fat roll of twenties (because I'm always losing those) or a dead mouse - but it turned out much better! If you ever use him, tell him that the wacky couple in the phone hoarding house recommended him.

I've always wanted an aqua rotary phone and heck, I've never even seen that particular shade of orange that's on the wall phone. It's atomic, isn't it? Here's the dial on the bottom of the red stand phone.

Sooooo cool! He didn't even know that we collect phones.

Though I think that we're going to need more shelving now.  And an additional phone operator. Pip is never going to be able to answer them all. Especially with all of the breaks that she takes. She's Union.

Well, that's it for today. I'd better go guard the couch! I hope that you all are having a really great week! 

Until next time,

x's and o's,

Eartha