Hansford County Public Library

This past Thursday I went to Spearman, TX to the Hansford County Public Library. I took a friend with me and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The librarians were so kind and a lot of fun to get to know. I think one of the best things about book signings is meeting new people. If you haven't gone to this particular library, you are missing a treat. They have whimsical murials for the children and a very nice coffee bar for the adults with comfortable seating for all.

We enjoyed looking at the arts and crafts that were displayed and for sale. There were some very talented people represented in the work on those shelves. We laughed and visited until we realized that the time alloted for the book signing had come and gone.

Thank you, girls for the great time.

... and so the quest continues...

For those of you who want to know the outcome of our painting the tub...It worked out fine except we should have bought one more kit of tub spray. We needed just a tad more to give it the brand new look we were after. It is very much an improvement even now. We are going to purchase another round of paint when we get back to Amarillo...someday, but the bathroom quest is still not completed.

Thank goodness we got the pot reinstalled. No more fast trips up the stairs, through the bedroom, and into the far reaches to the upstairs bathroom. Yea! Terry is going to install the new vanity, sink, and faucet we purchased along with the new tub hardware ...handles, spout and shower spray thingy. (technical term) He will also cut the door off and reinstall it so that we will again have some privacy in the bathroom. (Its a good thing we live in the country.)

The ceramic tile floor looks great if I do say so my self. I guess that the next project will be refinishing the hardwood floor. (Which will be nice because I have to watch to not get splinters now...) Boy howdy, this sounds like a lot of work!

Bathtub Painting

Money will motivate where nothing else does. Am I right? Yep, you know I am. Terry and I looked at new whirlpool bathtubs and really desired to purchase one, had the money from our tax refund, and the pickup with us to haul it, but...$800, well... I had other stuff I wanted too. We really needed a new tub because most of the enamel finish was worn off. I think someone had spilled a lot of acid or drain cleaner in it. We saw a package next to the new tubs that held paint to refinish tubs, showers, or anything of that nature. Having read about said paint, we decided to give it a go. $30 was not too much for an experiment in refinishing. Besides, Terry was not all that thrilled about removing the old cast iron tub with the help of his muscle-less wife.(me) He named off all the pros and cons of each. Being the "con-man" that he is, we opted for the paint. "That old tub couldn't get worse than it is now!" I agreed.
For those of you who have contemplated this venture...here is the scoop. There are a lot of steps to it. Not hard steps, necessarily, but a bunch of them. First, before you leave the store, read the list of things you need for the procedure. We thought that we could just clean the tub with comet and then spray paint it....No. You need rubber gloves, face mask, eye protection, a chemical that cleans the surface (it says on the box),a sponge, 0000 steel wool, and a lot of paper towels and some other stuff. (I'm too lazy to get the list and write it down right now.) The tub really does come clean and then it is ready to apply paint to. Tape off the area and put down a plastic drop cloth.
The next step (really the first step if you are organized and read the directions all the way through before you start. hahaha) Is to put the can marked "cold " in the frig for a couple of hours. (See, you could have it half-way through if you would do this step before cleaning the tub.) Then, after two hours, put the can marked "hot" in to 120 degree water for 10 minutes. The directions tell you how to combine the two cans into one....interesting, but Terry did it and I stayed in the next room because, to be truthful, I was a little afraid of the process.
Finally, it is time to spray the tub with a thin mist of the paint. Yea!
Then....wait....36 hours!!!!
Rub the surface with 0000 steel wool.
Spray the rest of the can of paint.
Wait 4 days to use!!!
Terry is sure going to get tired of taking baths upstairs! He is a shower man and this is about to kill him. (I am sure he will survive.)
Right now we are on the 36 hour wait. When I get home from work I will to the steel wool thing and when Terry gets home he will do the last spray paint. (I don't have the patience for spray paint and everything tends to run.) So far, everything is looking good. It really needs the second coat and even if it doesn't turn out perfect, it is a lot better, even now, than it was.
I'll let you know how the finished product is.

Heart Chocolate: Two Cups

Heart Chocolate: Two Cups

I Did It! I Bought "Speaking For Dummies?"

My last post posed the question, "Is there such thing as 'speaking for dummies'?" My sweet dil answered that burning question. So....I ordered it this morning...just in case there are a few tidbits not addressed in the book I am reading on public speaking.
The way I see it, if there is a way I can improve in any area, I am game. Some things are unattainable, but becoming informed and studying pertinent subjects are something I can do. One of the basic things I have already learned is to stand evenly on both feet and to remember that when you are speaking to a crowd, project a little more volume even if you have a microphone. I'm ready to learn!

Public Speaking for Dummies?

Is there such a book as Public Speaking For Dummies? Having lead various women's ministry groups in my church over the years and being a member of the local Toastmasters here in town, I have had quite a bit of practice in public speaking. I found a book on my shelves that my oldest son's wife loaned me on public speaking. She studied it in her college classes and knew there was information between the covers that her dear mother-in-law needed to learn.

This morning I began reading it and really studying it. I have been taking notes on it. "What is the title of this book?", you may ask. It is The Fifth Edition of Speaking With a Purpose by Arthur Koch. It is a real gold mine of information. There is a lot of information in it that will create much study on my part..."Thank you, Aimee!"

I am hoping that with improving in this area I will become more confident and at ease in situations I find myself in. I have always had the theory that if I could talk to one person at a time in a room, I can save myself a lot of energy speaking to all of them at once...with a speech. Am I right?

Books, Books Everywhere!

Reading has always been one of my favorite pastimes. When the boys were tiny I did housework after they went to bed and then I curled up and read. I might read into the wee hours of the night. In those hectic years I needed the nourishment I got from those books.

When it comes to non-fiction books such as something Joyce Meyer, Rick Warren, or Charles Swindoll wrote, I have a notebook that I jot down my thoughts regarding my reading for that particular day. The ever present notebook was with me during Scripture reading too.

In fiction, I love a well-turned phrase. I make note of it and listen to see when the next time I hear it is. Everyday that the boys were small, either Terry or I read Dr. Seuss to them. I have to admit that I found a lot enjoyment in those treasures too.

One year I put a road map up in the laundry room. (The only map I had was Colorado) The assignment for the summer was for each of the boys to read for points. A preassigned number of points paid for a trip to the swimming pool, skating rink, or spending money. A point was given for each page read in their library books. As the boys read they charted their points (miles) on the Colorado map. They could travel anywhere in Colorado, taking any road they wished. I have to admit that I did learn a lot about where the different little towns are located with this exercise!

That summer I believe our youngest son read every Curious George book known to man! He was just beginning to be able to read a complete book and he stumbled a lot over the words so I had him sit on the bed while I lay down to listen.... well...er... nap. I don't think I ever heard the last half of any Curious George book that summer.

Terry read "Farmer Boy" from the Little House on the Prairie series to the boys each night at bedtime when they were too old for Dr. Seuss. I sat with my knitting and the boys lay on the floor or couches listening. He changed the names of the characters from Laura, Mary, and baby Carrie to Larry, Mary and baby Carrie. As he dozed off while reading, he changed up a lot of the plot. So sorry Laura Ingles Wilder. I think if any of the boys read that book as an adult, they wouldn't recognize it at all!

All I can say is ...Books are fun!

Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Amarillo

This Saturday, March 8, 2008, I enjoyed the experience of a book signing in Amarillo. Terry took time off and Mikey helped us too. Cari and baby Maci were in Houston with her grandpa who is very sick. The people who stopped by my table were very sweet and encouraging and the staff of Barnes & Noble were very kind and courteous.
Some of my friends stopped by for a bit of encouragement. Thank you Rhonda Cornell Price, Debbie Stollings, Melissa & Amber Otto. You guys are too much! Terry remarked repeatedly about the sheer volume of books in the store. He plunged in and spent an enjoyable two hours getting caught up on the new releases. He also meandered around the store and handed out bookmarks to unsuspecting shoppers. He was a lot of help and encouragement. The next book signing will be at Spearman's Hansford County Library on March 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Inspiration

This morning I watched Life Today and heard the story of Jim Daly. I must read his book, Finding Home. It is about his life and how he has lived in every family dynamic imaginable, the family of mother, father, and children, single parent, foster parent, sibling as head of home, and much more. I was amazed that this man had a great sense of humor and that even though his situations in life were as hard as they come, he was full of joy.

Opening a BIG can of worms

Have you ever started on a very simple project only to see it go to extremes! That seems to be the norm around our house. Terry and I noticed a bump in our downstairs bathroom. After a few weeks the bump turned into a few small bumps with a larger bump. Then it started to look like the floor was a series of green waves. Terry decided that on this particular day off he would plunge in and check out the floor. He had an idea that the stick on tiles would come up in such a fashion that he could reuse them with a little glue. Right off, the plan was not to be. He then dug into the floor finding a subfloor of particle board that was very spongy and wet. After scooping up the whole floor he came upon some nice linoleum and a firm board floor. The floor was ugly... but firm. We then decided that we would like to put ceramic tile on the floor. Terry wanted to do a test of the floor under the carpet in the hallway. It was very nice hardwood floor. Sooooo Terry tore the carpet off the hallway....then the dining room, which involved unloading china cabinets. The floor will need to be sanded, stained, and varnished. We decided to take the carpet out of the living room too. It is completely necessary because it is about 30 years old and very threadbear. Terry even wants to take the carpet out of the bedrooms on the main floor. Boy, he must have a LOT of energy. I think he was very glad that he could save the money for a new floor. Soooo what started out to be a small bathroom floor redo, turned into a big project. That is how it is these days.

Breeni Books: Read 'American Gods' for free!

Breeni Books: Read 'American Gods' for free!