Oliver’s Bungalow Blog

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A New Addition to Our Living Room

Christine

We are replacing my very sturdy, but in Lewis’ opinion “ugly” shelves that hold the tv with a new tv stand I found at Just Cabinets. I think I got a good deal, if not a bargain. The regular price was $180, on sale for $120. I wasn’t planning to buy anything right away, we were just right next door, so I made my friend Marc go in with me, just to see what they had available and get sizes and prices. I found the perfect thing, and asked the salesman if they had a picture in a flyer or something. I wanted to check with Lewis first, and measure, although I usually have a good eye for these things.

The salesman said he could make a photocopy of the sale sign on the item, that had a picture, measurements, and sale info. When he came back he said he had good news and bad news. The bad news was the floor model was their last one and they wouldn’t be getting any more. The good news was that his manager said I could have the floor model for $100 if I took it that night.

So I impulsively said yes, I’ll take it. That may have been a line, just to sell something that evening. I’m sure they could have come down even further and made profit, but I’m not much of a haggler, so I’m pleased with my purchase.
Shh, just don’t tell my mom. She doesn’t know I bought something this expensive for myself right before Christmas. I want to put it into place and hopefully she won’t notice for a while. When she does, I’ll be able to say, “that? It has been there for ages.”

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Great Progress

Christine

Jessica came over on Sunday and we spend a solid 4 hours clearing out the clutter. I know, there is still a lot left there, but we are nearing the end. I could have worked longer, but we stirred up so much dust that both of us had headaches, so we called it quits. I took a nice benadryll at bedtime. That did the trick. Too bad it leaves me so groggy. I could have taken one and kept working after Jess left. Since then I have somewhat lost momentum. Actually, I haven’t done anything at all in there.

Can you see any improvement at all? I know there is still a lot there, but check out that carpet. So much more visible than when I began this decluttering a few weeks ago.So, there is a bin on top of the tall dresser that has all my favourite stuffed animals from childhood. I want to find a better storage solution for them, but I’m not sure what would be best.

I have an old set of rabbit ears tv antennae there. I guess there is no need for them any longer, so I should just throw them out. The box it the corner is the new bedding. The rack in front of the window is clothes I’m wearing again. The green laundry basket next to that is more old clothes I need to go through.

The rest of that pile along the back wall is office supplies and other things that have homes. I just need put that stuff where it belongs. There is a big stack of empty bins, an old metal doll’s high chair I need to find a box for, then stow it in the cubby. The pile of boxes in the middle are things I want to keep, but don’t really have homes for yet. The bath chair needs a new home, maybe in the basement? I still have one box of papers to go through, then there are several shoe boxes that are sorted by year. Not the best filing system, I know, but better than the stacks Jessica and I went through on Sunday. There are two boxes of lotions and potions that I either found in the linen closet or cleared off the dresser of doom, which still doesn’t look any better: I have two boxes of stuff to give away to specific people, and two boxes for donation. There were three until Jessica went through them. She found more stuff she could use, or knew someone who could. Fantastic!

Hopefully I’ll have more progress to report really soon. I’m getting really close to my self-imposed deadline of the 18th. I know there is no way we will get the room painted, and we have decided to wait on the mattress because I just can’t spend that kind of money right now. But at least we would have a clean, empty room for Kelly and James to stay in. As long as Lewis can find the air mattress, that is…

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Mattress Talk

Christine

With my self-imposed deadline fast approaching, and my decluttering progressing with many stops and starts, I realized that I had better get Lewis to the mattress store so we can make our selection. So Thursday night we met for dinner after work, then drove over to Lemoyne Sleeper, a local mattress manufacturer with a showroom next door.

Two years ago I purchased an all foam mattress from them, and I’ve been really pleased with it. I sleep so much better without springs digging into my hips, aggravating my fibromyalgia. But I wanted Lewis’ input before we put down big money on a king size bed.

We tested many beds in the showroom, and finally settled on a mattress with a firm foam core and memeory foam top. It is from the Night of Luxury collection. Doesn’t that sound nice and promising?

We talked price, sales and financing. Regularly $2,899, Sale $2,399, with an offer of 0% financing for 24 months. That would make payments $100 per month.

Yet there was still one more important decision to be made. King, or California king? Lewis is 6’5″, and I don’t think the poor guy has ever had a bed where his ankles didn’t hang off the end. The salesman showed us the one floor model in king, just for size. We both plopped down there and got to talking about how nice it will be. I told the salesman about our trip to Maine last fall, where we stayed a little bed and breakfast with a gigantic king bed. So nice.

Ready to make the K vs. Cal K decision, wrap this trip up and head home, I turned to Lewis and asked, “so, are you willing to give up a few inches of width to gain a few inches of length?”

So innocent. I really didn’t mean to go there, but Lewis burst out laughing and couldn’t stop, so of cours I started giggling, the poor salseman did his best to remain professional and keep a straight face, but he had to walk away. Several minutes later, when we regained our composure, we got his business card, and I appologised. He said he’s heard a lot of things over the years, but that was one of the best. I’m sure my face was beet red, I was so embarassed.
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Halcyon vs. Drizzle

Christine

So I dug out the handy-dandy Sherwin William paint fan last night, just to see if I could find a suitable color. Somewhere in this range is my perfect color…After flipping through those, I’ve narrowed my choices to Sherwin Williams’ Halcyon Green or Drizzle (just above my thumb).In person last night the Drizzle looked okay, but when I looked at them again in the morning light and in this photograph, I think the Halcyon Green looks better. I was already leaning that way, but I think I’ll get a sample pint of each to test, just to be sure.

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A Paler Shade of Jadestone

Christine

So the comforter set I ordered from JCPenney on Friday arrived on my porch Tuesday. It was much lighter than I had expected. I’m well aware that colors can’t possibly be accurately represented on the monitor, there are too many variables. I understand that. And this color isn’t actually bad, it is just lighter than I had hoped. What I find ironic is that the paper label that came in the package shows the darker color, too! Oh, well.I pulled out one of the shams to take a picture, and this doesn’t accurately show the color (jadestone), either, but I think it is closer to true. I was expecting something a bit more vibrant, this is a soft, subtle, muted color. I searched every retailer I could think of in my price range, and some that were out of my price range, but I still didn’t find a substitute. So I’m trying to adjust my plan.The curtains arrived the next day, on Wednesday. This is what I saw when I opened the box. Way to over package there, JCPenney! Again, the colors are more subtle than expected, but I still really love the print.
I’m rethinking my paint plan. I was going to match the comforter and go two tints lighter, but now I’m thinking match the color and go a bit more vibrant. I have a feeling the comforter will reflect more of the color I want if it is on the walls. Plus it will draw that color out of the curtains.