Dirty Looking Grout - Be Gone!

Once upon a time I used to have really clean looking tile and grout. Over time the grout started looking a grey color instead of Biscuit (cream). I tried to clean it, scrub it, steam it and even bleach it ... nothing worked.

Then one day while I was perusing around the Home Depot I spotted something called Grout Refresh and like the name says, it refreshes your grout. For $8 I thought I'd give it a shot.

Step One: Clean grout.

Step Two: Spread evenly using a toothbrush working the colorant into the grout joint using a back-and-forth motion to allow the colorant to penetrate the grout.

Step Three: After colorant has dried for 30 to 60 minutes, lightly mist the surface with water and let it stand for up to 5 minutes. Remove excess colorant from tile surface using water and a white nylon scrub pad.

Before:

After:

Oohlala. Me likey.

iCrap

My iPhone. We have a love-hate relationship. Lately it's been a lot of hating even though it is the only cell phone I've owned in 10 years that still works at the end of my contract. Well, sort of works.

I've had the huge, annoying beeping Nextels, some other phones I can't remember, the Blackberries where the roller balls stop working about 6 months in, and then the iPhone. I usually upgrade every year which is usually when my phone is all beat to hell anyway but dear ol' Ingrid (iPhone) is still hanging in there two years later.

I've had to resort to downgrading the firmware because just dialing a phone number was similar to using 1990's style dial up internet service.

(Hit 4) Wait, wait, wait ... 4
(Hit 0) Wait, wait, wait ... 0

I'm impatient and Ingrid was about to get chucked out the window if she didn't get her act together. But then I heard a rumor of a new iPhone coming out this Fall. The 5! Oh boy! I own the 3g. No, not the 3gs, just the old freaking dinosaur 3g. I actually got it in a month before the 3gs came out. Well, I know better this time although I am hoping I can really hang in there until the new model comes out.

In order to do this I did the all time bad thing as far as Apple is concerned. I jail broke it. Now that was a feat in itself. I'm no techy by any sorts but after 8 hours of trying, reinstalling, and restoring ... I did it. Holy sheet! Thank you YouTube! Now if I could only figure out this Cydia business. Arg.

This Day Last Year

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future. These too are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other. These are also the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it the most. These too are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children. These are the hands that will help you to hold your family together as one. And lastly, these are the hands that even when becoming wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

Oh Mudder

We planned to surprise and we succeeded.

A week before Mother's Day we thought it would be nice to go visit our Mothers. Instead of choosing between the two, and because they only live two hours away from each other, we decided to go see them both.

Friday night after work we packed up and headed on South. After a little pit stop at Captain Eddie's in Venice/Nokomis for some dinner we got back on the road for the remaining portion of the drive. We pulled into the in-laws around 11pm. We were hoping to beat them home since they had an evening party engagement that night but they beat us! Stinkers! Dad B. knew about our plan and as he saw me sneaking up to the door he quickly told us that Mom B. was asleep. Drats! We woke her up anyway. Tee, hee. She was thrilled to see us and very surprised. Total success.

Saturday morning we went out to Breakfast and then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out in the pool. I even attempted to get a tan. Chad and I must be dunces when it comes to applying sunscreen though. I ended up with a red blotch on my arm and Chad had a couple of red spots on his back. We had a yummy dinner, wine and dessert at Konrad's and then headed out for Leg 2 of Operation Mudder's Surprise.

We pulled into my Mom's driveway around 10:o0pm. I was afraid she had already gone to bed but she answered the phone when I called. I asked her if she got the package I sent her and she said she hadn't checked the mail that day so I told her to go outside to see if it did arrive. The front doors are half glass so I squatted down so she wouldn't see a person figure when she turned on the lights. The front door opens and the crazy woman doesn't turn on the lights. She looks down at me and I say "Hey". She screams, realizes what I am, screams again, then realizes WHO I am and screams with delight instead of sheer horror. Not exactly what Chad and I planned but total success in our book nonetheless.

On Sunday morning my Dad made some breakfast and then we headed on over to spend some time at my Aunt's house with the family and the Meme. It was a great weekend full of fun, surprises, and most importantly happy Moms.

Oh Baby!

This is going to be the year of the Baby Showers- mine NOT included. A bunch of my friends are pregnant and although kids are nice and dandy, Chad and I aren't there yet. I feel enough pressure from my soon approaching 30th and the general feeling of Getting Older. This doesn't stop the people from asking when we will be popping out any kiddos though. I think it encourages them ... including my Grandmother.


Gerorgiana, Georgie, Memere, Meme, The Meems. She is a 95 year young woman who is the matriarch of my Mother's side of the family. Meme is probably one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She even has a nice way of telling people where to shove it. "That's a nice."

Being a wise old woman with no filter, she asked me recently when I called her to say hello, "Are you calling to tell me your pregnant?" I replied, "No Meme, I'm not pregnant. Chad and I aren't ready to have kids yet." The spit fire says in French Canadian accent, "Well, why not? What are you waiting for? You aren't getting any younger. You know, I was 26 when I got married and that was old in those days. When are you going to give me some great-grand kids? I want more great-grand children."

Thank you Meme for putting it all in perspective. I'm surprised she didn't tell me "That's a nice".

Turning 30 Kicking and Screaming

I've never had a problem with getting older but the next big mile marker is coming up in less than 6 months and I am not a happy camper. I think I will just start the tradition of celebrating my annual 29th birthday instead.

I don't need any more reminders that I will no longer be "in my 20's". I'm thankful I still have my youthful looks with no wrinkles but my body aches sometimes, I'm much slower at getting out of bed in the morning, I don't handle hangovers like I use to and ... I found something that looked like an age spot on my foot. I got that bitch removed.

The Huge Monstrosity

This room has been a work in progress ever since we moved in. We originally didn't have any furniture for this room but it slowly became the catch-all room while we tried to figure out what to buy. Then came "the compromise." Chad wanted a pool table and I wanted a dining room table.

He won.

This room is our formal living/ dining combination room. The tray ceiling divides the areas. This has created and issue for the placement of the pool table. We couldn't put in under the light because it would be off center so to the other side it went and stayed until we could figure out how to make this room work.


We changed out the dining room light for a fan/light and bought a new sofa to replace the futon. This would be our "living area" of the living/ dining room combo.


We then replaced the carpet with Bamboo Flooring and installed lighting over the pool table. I've given up trying to make it look like a huge dining room table.

And now I'm stuck again. This room is missing something. What that something is is my design dilemma. Damn that pool table. Grrr.