The Great Flooring Project of 2007

We are in the process of installing flooring over the first floor of my house. Spouse and I are installing. A while ago we learned that we don't work well together, and if we're working together we have to have one person in charge and one person only doing exactly what he or she is told. I'm much better at taking direction than Spouse. Which is not to say that I'm exactly stellar at taking directions, but I suppose an oak tree is slightly more pliable than a brick wall.

We decided to get some new flooring because our wonderful puppy caused the need in one room (he had some dietary issues), lucky for you unfortunately for you guys - we don't have before pictures of the carpet. And it's also unfortunate I didn't get pictures of the carpet padding while I was painting, nobody will ever get to see how well the carpet padding went with the blue 3M painting tape.

This is taking longer than we expected. I will give kudos to the folks at iFLOOR. They sell both flooring and installation. The salesman we bought our stuff from comes from an installing background. We were having trouble, we went back to the store, and got a "hands on" demonstration. And I'm sure that it will continue to take a while. But I'm trying to remember the "mommy mantra" this too shall pass and eventually it will be done.

After all, myself, my Spouse, hammers, and power tools is not a really great combination.

Spouse at work

we sent this shot to Crem for a phone consult as to what to do with the doorjam.
We're not suppose to "need" to tape the floor, but we discovered it works better.

I'm looking forward to sending the after pictures.

Magicicada

Ah yes, another 17 years have come and gone and Magiciciada is back. You can find Ciciadas in the Chicagoland area by following this map

We have not been blessed with the cicidas in my neighborhood. I understand it's because of the use of grubix? or something when our development went in.

Today however, Chip, Princess, and I went to the annual Pignic (guinea pig pignic) for The Critter Corral, A Guinea Pig Rescue.

The Pignic was held at a forest preserve in a nearby town. As we were driving every now and then I'd open my car window and say "THAT sound is the cicadas." We hadn't really heard them yet. Little did we realize that once we arrived at the Pignic we would be subjected to the noise for 2.5 hours able to hear the lovely songs of Magicicada.

And now that I got to do that, I'm more then willing to wait 17 years to put up with hear that sound again.

For those of you on the other side of the Mississippi that will never experience it, and want a taste of it, go find a very old gas powered lawn mower. Fire it up. Forget about your hearing protectors. Now get about another dozen or so lawn mowers and fire them up. Then play that sound endlessly for the next 6 weeks.

Interesting California Bill

Was reading news today and ran across this article about the possibility of a law in California that requires people to spay and neuter their pets. It's passed the Assembly, and now moves to the Senate and then the Governor's desk. There are exemptions for breeders and owners of guide dogs (and some others -- I think there's like 20+ exemptions). Some Republicans consider this bill "micro-managing." Governor Arnie will not disclose whether his dogs are neutered.

There could be a fine for up to $500 for each unneutered animal.

A couple of things stick out in my mind when I'm looking at this ... First of all, I've read between $250 MILLION and $300 MILLION dollars (of taxpayer money) is spend on caring for unwanted animals in California per year.

But hey -- it's the state budget of California -- so really whats a couple of hundred million -- I mean who cares?? right???

OH - and another thing that sticks out in my mind. One common comment is that if this bill passes there will be NO more shelter animals in California for people to adopt. People in CA will have to go out and spend really big money on purebred animals because all the shelters will close down.

To the people of the great state of California ..... If this bill passes, I will personally make you two promises.

1) while there may be a reduction of unwanted animals in California, there will never be complete compliance with this bill and there will still be plenty of mixed breed animals to adopt.

2) even if by some really odd circumstance there are *NO* unwanted animals left in California, I assure you there are enough idiots in the other 47 contiguous states that will be having enough unneutered strays running around, there will be no shortage of unwanted animals.

I've looked at some of the articles and discussion on this bill (I find it far more interesting that whether or not Paris Hilton is in jail and whether or not she's eating) and HAD to laugh at the following quote from The San Jose Mercury News ...

(Assemblyman Plescia, R- Sandiego) said the Assembly should stop crafting legislation in the "crazy bill factory" before Californians pass a ballot initiative "mandating the spaying and neutering of legislators."

Spaying and neutering legislators ...... hmmmmmmmmmmm