Week in Review: Jan. 27, 2012

Another week gone by and January is almost over.  Here goes . . .

New Year's Resolutions - How Am I Doing So Far?
Well - so far I'd say I'm doing ok.  Doing really well on some resolutions, fairly well on others, and pretty much slacking on the rest.   Kitchen cabinets - check.  (more on that later!)  Running - half a check, not consistent enough but getting there.  Calling one friend a week - nope, slacking on that one.  Jack's Ukrainian blanket - check. (perfect activity for long car rides!)  Secret date night once a week - hmmm, well, month is almost up and our weekend is jam packed so John and I get a big fat "F" for that one, but I have several ideas in the works so will just have to double up next month.  Writing this blog - double check!  So far I've written over ten posts this month, a new record. 

So I'd say I'm doing ok so far on those resolutions.  I'll check myself at the end of each month to see if I'm improving in any areas.  February's goals are to start calling those old friends and going on those secret dates - I think both activities will significantly improve my whole outlook on life.

Kitchen Cabinets
Ok - so back in December I wrote about how John went out of town and I took advantage of his absence to start ripping apart our kitchen.  Not that he would have minded - but he kept saying we needed to call someone to come paint our cabinets and walls and I just kept thinking "But I think I could do that!".  Anyhow - I decided to do one section to see how it would turn out and if it was a disaster THEN we could call someone in.  Earlier this week, I finished that section and here is how it turned out . . .

Repainted cabinets!!!!

Now - that's just one section.  The rest of our cabinets still look like this . . .

Work in progress . . .

The previous owners had painted over the original cabinets in this horrible, bizarre color that I can't even begin to describe. I don't think they prepped the surface before painting because in the five years we've lived here it has slowly started chipping and peeling off, resulting in a really disgusting look for our tiny little 1960's kitchen.  We will eventually bump out the back of the house and completely re-do the kitchen, but until that happens, something had to be done.  So I'm doing it.  Very slowly.  But I'm doing it!!!

Tato's Birthday
Tomorrow would have been my dad's 71st birthday.  Last year I remember wondering if that would be our last birthday with him.  It was a terrible thought - I really didn't dwell on it too long because I was just trying to take one day at a time at that point.  I think we all were.  I remember the night started off a bit rough because Tato wasn't feeling well, but he finally made it downstairs and we had a fun night.  Things started off fairly calmly with us posing for nice family photos like this one . . .

Then we started goofing around as we usually did, things got a little crazy, and we were all laughing and being a little nutty.  Someone kept taking pictures and captured this little bit of kookiness . . .

Now, I'm not really sure what was going on here - but it's pretty obvious that we were having a great time!  I'm sure we'd had a few drinks too at this point . . .

Anyhow - we always had a good time together and in memory of Tato we are all going to get together tomorrow, play his favorite music, watch some videos, have some gin and tonics and perhaps listen to some Donna Summer or Laura Branigan or some good old country tunes.  I'm sure he'll be smiling down from heaven, happy that we can still have a good time even though he's not physically here with us.  That's the gift he gave us, the gift of laughter and being a little crazy and not caring how ridiculous we might look.