Billy? Is That You?

I never got around to showing you the transformation of the library. I only started writing this in July. Ready to see some pictures? -

And to answer the question in the title, yep, that's him. That is indeed the ubiquitous Billy from Ikea:

except, you know, with the glass front doors and moulding. But more about the moulding later.

I wish I had pictures of this room from before The Destruction. But, there was really nothing to photograph. Before we moved in it was just another room with white painted paneling, Listerine green carpet, broken louvered windows with security bars on the outside and an air conditioning unit stuck into the louvered windows with a piece of plywood holding in the a/c's lower half.

Yeah, it was something to look at.

Then, we took it apart. The door to the living room used to be way over to the side

With the old window gone, we had a view to the great outdoors -

we also created a view to the living room -

Fast forward to putting in the new window -

And the light shelf. Remember the light shelf?
Here's a start -

After installing rope lights (not florescents as had been threatened) K put up moulding -



Finally, to give Billy that built-in look, K had to build him up with a little moulding at the base -

(before)


(after)

Now, K had to cannibalize a third unlucky Billy just to get the shelf that would straddle the window space. But first he had to create a way to hang the shelf, as it would have no natural support (the width of the window was greater than the width of Billy)

At last! we were ready to unpack our precious books that had been in storage for 6 1/2 years:

(I know, the timeline is not successive here. For some reason, the books had to be unpacked before the moulding was complete. I don't remember why.)

And here we are, theatre books on the left -

(remember the desk?)

All non-theater related books on the right -

(note the painting, painted by an actual movie star. I'll tell you about that one day.)

The weirdly fortuitous thing is that that Billy's width exactly matched the wall space available on both sides of the window.

On the other side of the room, another fine Ikea product, Benno, holds our CDs and is dwarfed by the giant vintage armoire K bought at a thrift store -

We bought this old wicker trunk at Montgomery Wards, probably in 1985. We've had it ever since and now it gets to be a window seat -

That's a patio seat cushion. I don't think I love it but it'll do for now.

She seems to like it -

(update: I should have included in the original post that we don't have the luxury of having a room solely devoted to books. This was house's original and only bedroom and it now holds the only closet - the door is between the CDs and the armoire. So really, in addition to storing books, it also serves as a dressing room and with the desk, an alternative office space, alternative to the office space upstairs.)

Why Why? don't Wii

Enough said.

Turns Out, We Live in a Mansion

At 1100 square feet, I thought our house was small. I never realized it's practically palatial. Everything is relative.

Check out this video to find out about this house that measures 84 square feet:

Imagine the effect on the planet if we could all live like this. (I couldn't do it, but I think you should.)

Dee Williams is my new hero.

The Gravity of Gravity or A Really Messy Kitchen

Last summer I wrote about my recent experience in Eureka, CA. A week ago, the area experienced a 6.5 earthquake. Our friends there wrote to say that while there was a lot of broken glass to clean up, they were all ok.

Of course, that wasn't the only earthquake in the news.

It all forced me to start thinking again about putting latches on our kitchen cabinets. After the Northridge quake in '94, we had a lot of glass to clean up and so we put latches on at that time. Personally, I hated them. They were a pain. Every time you wanted to open a cabinet you have to unlock the childproof latch. I was constantly grabbing a handle and thoughtlessly pulling a cabinet door open, only to be quickly stopped by the stupid latch.

But now I have a lot more glass to worry about. This is but one cabinet of two devoted to glass ware -

We plan a lot of entertaining in our future. No more plastic cups for us.

Anyway, with the way this particular type of cabinet is constructed, I don't know if those childproof latches are feasible. Maybe just a little magnet thingy will be enough.

I don't want to seem ridiculous writing about my potential floor full of broken glass when there are millions who are truly suffering right now after a horrific quake. Still, I do think about all that glass tumbling out one day. I think about possibly running through it in bare feet. I think about the cat, who will definitely be running in bare feet.

Speaking of tumbling out, when you have a spare 11 minutes, have a look at this video from an art installation in Dusseldorf -

rotating kitchen from Zeger Reyers on Vimeo.

To friend and loyal reader, GR, the exhibit is at the Kunsthalle until February 28th. Maybe you'd like to see it. Ich wundere mich, was Sie denken.

And thanks to other friend and loyal reader, TMA, for the video.

Epiphany

If I'd traveled for 12 days by camel to visit you (bearing gifts) I'd expect you to leave the lights on for me.

It’s tempting to take down the holiday decorations right after New Year’s Day. Some like to begin dismantling on the 26th. I guess if you were organized enough to have gotten your lights up over the Thanksgiving weekend, you’re probably pretty sick of them by now.

Still, I believe the rule is, or should be, that the lights stay up and on through January 6th.

Last year I ranted about those who leave up the holiday decorations too long. This year I’m cranky about those who take them down too soon (as if I don’t have enough to be cranky about). As much as anyone, I’m tired of the shedding pine needles. The cards have ceased to flow in; the gifts have been unwrapped; the corks have been popped and now I’d like to get back to enjoying my home in its normal state.

Even the snake plant is weary of bearing her burdens.

For once, I want to put things away. But a civilized society must have rules. Once of those is that the trimmings stay up through Epiphany.

Do not dis’ the Magi. They will not want to be greeted by darkness.

If you're one of those who insist that the U.S. is a Christian nation, you had better leave your lights up until January 6th or admit your are living a lie.

Thank you illuminated inflatable Snowman for lighting the way for Melchior, Balthazar and Caspar on behalf of the good citizens of Kent Street. Just make sure to pack yourself away sometime tomorrow, the 7th.

Preparing for a New Decade

The china was out and ready to receive dessert -


The flutes stood ready for their moment -

The mistletoe only awaited someone to stand underneath -

We enjoyed a lovely New Year's Eve in the company of good friends.

We hope you did the same.

Have a happy and healthy 2010 and good luck with all your resolutions!

Good House, Bad Kitty

I’m still alive. Barely. I’ve absent from this blog and from blog reading and commenting for so long that one might think the laws of gravity had failed and I’d been flung from the face of the planet.

Not to fear. I’ve just been preoccupied. K and I hosted a birthday party for a friend’s 50th on December 19th. We entertained about 50 guests with peppermint martinis, cranberry margaritas and a slideshow starring the birthday boy. At just under 1100 square feet, we were really pleased with the layout of the house. Throughout the remodel we focused on maximizing the space for entertaining, with attention to traffic flow and to creating conversation areas. Except for the bathrooms and the guestroom upstairs, each room has two doors, encouraging guests to move freely through the house and limiting congestion. Even though the house is small, I think the layout really kept guests from feeling trapped or crowded in.

Planning the party was fun but nothing would come together if I even glimpsed at my blog or other blogs in the days leading up to the big event. Internet gets a grip on me.

Speaking of getting a grip on me, there was one thing that happened the week before the big party. The quick story is that a neighborhood cat thought she would have a peek into one our windows. The Kitten became enraged and I thought she was going to claw the wooden grill right off the newish window. She’s already done plenty of damage to the wood on the bedroom window. I should have given up after my first two attempts to distract our little demon. The third time she meant business. Before I knew it, I had 9 pounds of angry calico locked on my right forearm.

When I returned from the emergency room, she ran out to greet me with big eyes and meows. She never runs to greet me. I really do believe she came out to apologize. I don’t think she knows that her damage required stitches and a sling keeping my arm still while the wounds healed. I don’t think she knew that I had a lot of work to do for the party that was 6 days away and that her vicious attack would put me behind schedule. I don’t think she knew that even if I could find time to blog, I wasn’t inclined to do it with one hand. And in spite of our decorations, I don't think she even knew that Christmas was looming with all that entails.

I do think she knew that she had bitten (and clawed) the hand that feeds her – and sometimes gives her treats.

Our Kitten is named for a character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; the character, Hermia, of whom it is said “though she be but little, she is fierce.”

Never was a kitten more aptly named.

So if I haven’t commented on your blog lately or if your Christmas card still hasn’t arrived, now you know why.