Sunday Sweats: The Walk-In Closet Edition

Alert! Picture heavy post here folks.  That's because it is about clothes or, more importantly, where we store our clothes.  Yes, finally. We have our walk-in closet!  It is not 100% complete, but pretty close and we can use it.  How fun is that?

Remember when I told you back in July (note: when it was very warm and not freezing cold like now) that we had plans? The plans were finalized and the closet "built" although not by our hand.  So maybe the title is a bit of cheating.  We have found, however, that when it comes to walk-in closets hiring it out is best.  Also, no one wants to work. Seriously. We can explore that issue in another post.  Right now let's enjoy the closet.  I feel so SJP in SATC!

First a trip down memory lane when we first got the house.  Here is the closet, formerly a bedroom, formerly a cat room or something:

I am going to be a closet some day!

Then we repainted it and it quickly become a storage area or as B would probably say a "trash dump":

Look at all my junk!

Okay, this looks like trash.

So first we cleaned it out:

So shiny and clean!

And then we called in the professionals.  Can I just say that there is a weird trend between B and I that whenever I am going to trial, he has something big that we need to take care of right at that moment.  He does not plan it. It just happens.  I find it very strange though.  During this trial we needed to refinance. During this trial we needed to buy a new car.  Two days before this trial we had our holiday party.  And during this trial I had to approve plans for the closet. Hmmm...maybe I need to try more cases?  They seem to result in some good stuff.

So in went the shelving:

Look at all that wonderful shelving!

More shelving and some drawers:

Look at that nosy cat!

Then we got to fill it up. First B's side (with some overlapping by me) which you see when you first walk in:

Yep, I like to take up space.

The view when you look right in the door.  Did you notice we also replaced the light fixture?  Also, we are going to expand under and next to that window. Soon.

More closet space? Yes please!

Then my stuff, including a space for all my shoes:

I need more shoes!

I found those little red boxes and Bed Bath and Beyond, but I need two more. They are perfect for holding smaller things like gloves:

And a place for my formal dresses and my purses:

I need more purses!

The top pair were placed first a la SATC!

I added those two jars for buttons and safety pins which I seem to have an abundance of:

The view with the real closet door open. There is still space for more closet. Can you see it?

See all my space?

We are in love with this closet and it is not even done! We will probably add carpet since we are going to dress in there and bare feet get cold.  Also, an island in the middle would give us more space and a place for me to iron clothes rather than the bulky ironing board that just takes up space.  We also are going to add a valet which pulls out for dry cleaning or outfits for the next day.  We are also thinking about more drawers.  For now, though, we are good.

What do you think?

Crime Watch Wednesday: I Lost My Dog and My Man, But This Ain't No Country Song

It's been a while, hasn't it?  Over two weeks. I am tried of giving you the same refrain "I had a trial. It is tiring.  Litigating is hard." However, I will say this one was crazy because I basically had to try the same case twice, one week at a time, in front of a different jury each time.  And guess what? I won one and lost the other. Go figure. The best news? I think I am done with trials for a while.  Whew! It has been a long 10 months.

It is Wednesday which is typically Crime Watch Wednesdays around here. When I remember. This week I bring you a special Crime Watch Wednesday starring me, B and Jersey. We haven't made the Crime Watch Chronicles. Yet.

So it was the night before my trial. The first one. I decided to go to bed around 11 and B thought he would let Jersey out for one more bathroom break so she could go to bed with me.  As I am making the bed (yes sometimes I make the bed at night) I hear B yell out Jersey's name in that panicked you-better-get-back-here-right-now voice. The last time he yelled that out, she had run across two streets to go "play" with some dogs being walked by their owner. They were not fun dogs and she was soon cowering back.  Anyway, I ran over to the bedroom window to find B walking down the street with a flashlight. Not a good sign.

I did not even put on a coat, but just ran out in my pajama pants and sweatshirt. I could not see either of them. Having no idea what had happened, I decided I would go in the opposite direction that I saw B head, just in case Jersey was some super ninja dog that went left, fooled B, and then went right.  Just as I made it to the corner I heard B yelling Jersey's name again from the opposite end of the block.  I turned and started to make my way back there, all the time hearing B yelling her name.

At this point I am walking down the street with the following thoughts going through my head:

"I cannot believe we lost our dog the day before my trial."

"How am I going to sleep tonight?"

"How am I going to try a case tomorrow when I will be thinking my dog is lost and dead somewhere?"

"Why do we keep losing our flippin' animals?"

Just then, I see Jersey dart across the street and on to my same sidewalk.  I excitedly called her name and clapped and she came booking straight toward me just as I heard a car come down the street.  I prayed she would just come straight to me and thankfully she did.  I made her sit and called B's name a few times, but he had vanished.  So I walked Jersey home, locked her up inside and went back out yelling B's name.  Well trying to yell quietly. It was late at night after all.

Finally, I spotted him far away, got his attention and told him I had her.  As he got closer he said "did she have a rabbit in her mouth?" Um, no.  Apparently she took off after a rabbit before B could even say her name. When I heard him yell the second time when I was in the street she took off between some houses never to be seen again.  As we are discussing this two more cars drive down the street. Police.  Of course. Our yelling was not going to go unnoticed.

They did not stop.

You see two people out in the cold late at night, yelling, one wearing pajama pants and you just drive by.

Policing is hard work people.

Apparently so is pet ownership.

Could I ever do anything wrong?

I Think This is My Floor, Even if it Isn't.

Guess where I am? Why, yes, preparing for another trial. Not like I didn't just have one last week.  Not like this trial isn't practically the same trial from last week.  

Man I am tried.  

Until this trial is over, I leave you with another court related story.  This one from about a year ago. Yes, I am THAT behind in my post writing.

So I was in an elevator at court, the same court I will be in this week, when a guy gets pushed onto the elevator with a bailiff. There is already one bailiff on the elevator, I notice.

I sense trouble.

A couple of floors later my friend gets on the elevator. I tug on her sleeve so she moves behind the troublemaker.

A couple of floors later a THIRD bailiff gets on the elevator.

Then the trouble starts:

B: You are leaving the building

G: No I'm not. I got business here.

B: I don't care what you got, I am making you leave the building.

G: MAN YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

B: YES I CAN. AND I WILL. YOU ARE LEAVING. YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.

Me: Can we discuss this on the ground floor?

G: I know what this is.

B: CALL IT WHATEVER YOU WANT, YOU ARE OUTTA HERE.

G: I know what you are.

B: I really don't care what you think I am.

G: I know what you are.

B: Whatever.

G: You are jealous.

I know what you are thinking. What in the hell were they even talking about? I have no clue. I think there was about to be some accusations of racism, sexism, ageism, and any other ism you could think of by G.  However, I am fairly confident that no matter what was going on, the bailiffs were NOT jealous of G.

I was just glad to be outta there myself.

Crime Watch Wednesday - You Can't Ring My Bell, Even If I Asked You To

This week's Crime Watch Wednesday brings us yet another tale of a suspicious man that turns out not to be all that suspicious after all.  It was just about this time last year that I brought you the story of the man who thought he was going to be murdered because someone had the audacity to ring his bell?  This one is even worse, folks.

A woman reported a suspicious looking man possibly attempting to break into her house around lunch time. She told police that he was knocking on her door and she was afraid that was the gateway action to actually breaking in. When police responded and demanded identification from the man, it turns out he was the woman's insurance agent and was there for an appointment that the woman had just made the day before. His story was confirmed with the woman. There is no indication as to whether she actually purchased insurance that day.

I know I was harsh on the first guy last year. Ignore your doorbell, no one is murdering you and so on. This woman?  She made an appointment THE DAY BEFORE.  Since she made the appointment, I can only assume she knew WHAT TIME HE WAS COMING. Therefore, she should have know the man KNOCKING ON HER DOOR was the guy SHE INVITED OVER.

Maybe I am asking for too much here?

Also, I have never had an insurance salesman even offer to come to my office let alone my house. I remember one time I had to sign some official paper crap (seriously not even necessary) and they wanted me to drive over an hour on my "lunch hour" to their office. Um, hi! I am your customer.  Could you perhaps do something to accomodate me?

Yep. Still bitter.

Guess Where I Am? Here's a Hint: My Mind Is Mush

I have been missing lately because I am preparing for yet another trial. Seriously. Remember when I had one in March, then there was one in August, and then one in December right before our party? Three in 9 months was not enough. I have another one starting today. This one is a two-fer, meaning when the trial is over, it just starts back up again with the same parties and the same court but fighting over different money.

Who wants to be me?

I didn't think so. In any event, as you read this I will be arguing my butt off.  To commemorate this event, I will share an exchange with the Judge from the first day of the March trial:

Judge: Are you sure you want to proceed with this case?
Me: Yes....
{Later}
Judge (to the other attorney): Are YOU sure you want to proceed with this case?
Him: Um...yes...?

I can only hope today is going half as well.

Sunday Sweats: All That Hard Work Was for the Dog(s)!

It has dawned on me that I have not really posted much about stuff that we (meaning mostly B) have been doing around the house.  Since nothing major has happened, I tend to forget about the little things. Luckily, we do take pictures though.  I stumbled upon them and thought I should start posting about them.  I am going to try to do a post at least weekly about what has been happening until I exhaust all that has been done. Knowing B, that could take a long time! He definitely doesn't like to sit idle.

Remember when we felt bad for Jersey and B built her an area so she could roam free while we were out or at work instead of being cooped up in a crate?  Well, I forgot to follow up and tell you how that worked out.

It didn't.

The very first day we tested the new enclosure, I came home and was shocked and puzzled as to why I could see Jersey through the back door wagging her tail at me as if to say "what too you so long?"

Turns out, wood is not going to stop our dog. She chewed a hole in the wood and escaped.  How long did it take her to do this you wonder? Was it our entire work day? No.

It took her less than an hour.

Do you see that hole? It is not even as big as the dog.  She managed to chew through there and get free.  It is not even close to the ground!

Our dog is a beast and she will not be contained!

I felt bad for all of the time that B put into the enclosure.  Jersey did not feel so bad. She felt pretty good, roaming through the house free for an hour. At least she didn't destroy anything in the house.  Jersey was all for freedom.  B had other ideas.

Stay tuned...

Don't Hand Me No Lines and Keep Your Jokes to Yourself

Sometimes, at stores, people just want to talk to me.  Usually, I do not want to talk to them.  That does not deter them.  For example, the other day (or month) while in CVS, the man in front of me in line turned and said:

Man:  I am a cop.* 

Man:  Nod if you believe me. 

I don't nod.

I stare blankly.

Man:  Just kidding. 

I don't nod. 

I don't smile. 

He leaves. 

The cashier then says under his breath after the guy leaves "get outta here you crazy ass old man."

Now that got a nod and a smile from me.

*I am not sure what the man was trying to say or joke about with his cop line. I couldn't be bothered to figure it out.  I just needed some sunscreen.**

**Clearly, this happened a while ago what with the sunscreen reference.***

***Did you know that you are supposed to wear sunscreen in the winter? That means this really could have happened yesterday.  But it didn't.