Now We're Cookin'

Next instalment of house pictures...  I was going to do a separate blog on the whole house restoration, but that never materialized, so I suppose I'll just stick a few pictures in here and there.  These are some of those.  When we moved in, there was no kitchen.  There was a room that looked like the zombie apocalypse had come and gone.  So, for your edification:  Our kitchen before and after...  Or after and before as the pictures may suggest.  Bear in mind that the kitchen has been in place for 8 months or so, these pics were from that time period.  It is still almost as clean...  Almost.

The back door, with obligatory blue heeler on guard duty.

All the door hardware is original aside from the round deadbolt.

Some of the bead board was missing, so I salvaged some.

It came from an 1830's house that was beyond saving.

Gas stove with convection oven and convection oven microwave.

We had a bench put under the windows by the back door.

It gave some extra storage and a place to sit...

Everyone knows all gatherings end up in the kitchen.

 Kitchen sink, and dishwasher.  We left the chimney exposed.

White carera marble counter tops and glass front overhead cabinets.

The picture is Mother Egan. 

When Mother Egan's Pub in Austin, TX closed, she came to live with us.

 Breakfast is always nice on our antique English drop leaf table.

The table is almost round.  when open it measures 48"x49"

We found matching chairs since this picture was taken.

The windows are original wavy bubble glass.

 Freezer on bottom refrigerator

Laundry room door with bulldog bottle opener.

Again, original door hardware.

Where The Magic Happens

As some of you may know, I'm restoring a victorian house here in the Carolinas. It's a lot of work, but it's a labor of love. The first room I completed was my study. My happy place. The war room as the Red Queen has called it.

When the world gets to be too much... When I'm writing... When I need time to think and breathe... When I need to be in touch with my creative side...

I come and sit and read. I surf the net. I watch movies on my computer. I sort and scan old photos and documents. I research for my novel. I smoke a cigar and drink bourbon. Sometimes I just sit.

It's my home inside my home. It's MY place. The Red Queen has no rule here. Sanctuary.

Blogging is sort of a narcissitic activity anyway... I thought I'd open the door a little wider. Come in, won't you?

Still Life

I suppose sometimes it seems like all I do around here is bitch. Sometimes that is all I do around here.

Well, all things considered, yesterday wasn't a bad day. Work was fairly productive. I left for home an hour and a half early, which means I walked early, which means more time at the dog park.

I love watching happy dogs play. Jack got attacked by a big sheppard/yellow lab mix that had 30lbs on him, but I have to say he handled himself well, and he finished it with no human intervention.

I got home just as one of my neighbors did too. She rarely drives her car, so I let her park in my driveway rather than the street. I hadn't seen her in two months and she was very complimentary about my weight loss.

She had taken her roommate's dog to the river and so Jack got to meet Oscar and play some more before I went inside. She had also picked some wildflowers at the river and gave them to me to brighten up my house. Women are funny that way, aren't they? I thought the flowers along with the bowl of tomatos, peppers and squashes really did brighten up the kitchen. Don't you?

Cold Shoulder

The guy came out and fixed my AC yesterday afternoon. I got home and it was 82 inside. That ain't bad considering it was probably closer to 100 when he turned it on. Only cost me about $150.

I went for my walk, fixed a meal and hit the rack early. I woke up freezing this morning as he had left the thermostat set on 61 or something.

Beats being hot though.

May Flowers

Back in March I posted about being kind of down... Not realizing what it would turn into... I also mentioned my flower beds and lamented that I had sown seeds instead of plants.
I pulled into my driveway yesterday to see little spots of orange and yellow around my chimney. Soon I hope to see more color... maybe in the form of butterflies.
I may get through this after all.

Return Of The King

Or maybe not... I'm back. Been back a couple of days now actually. Back at home, back at work. It was a great trip. All the family was there. The food was incredible, my brothers and I burned up a bunch of ammo, and I think a good time was had by all. So good a time that we forgot to take any pictures.

Ma was glad to see me and sad to see me go, but that's what moms do. I brought a little care package home from my big sister, but left 4 homemade pimento cheese sandwiches in Ma's refrigerator. I was a couple of hours out when I started jonesing and almost cried when I realized what I'd done. Nabs and Nekots are a poor substitute for Ma's pimento cheese.

I miss back home, but I'm glad to be back home, if you know what I mean.

Someone's In The Kitchen...

One down... Still need to get the Jeep inspected.

Oh, Tannenbaum

Everyone who knows me knows that I am not a Christmas person. Years of retail sapped my christmas spirit. I think it really bothers Ma that I get so down this time of year. So, this year I'm gonna try.

I bought a tree (artificial) and lights and decorations. I decorated it all by myself. I have been catching a load of crap from friends because I picked my college colors, purple and gold, including some chocolate flavored purple candy canes and purple lights, but I think it looks good. I also bought purple wrapping paper and gold ribbon. Hey, I'm an amature at this.

It is a little strange for me. Mainly because I leave the tree plugged in and when I went to get a drink late the other night I thought my living room was on fire. That'll wake you up.

I'm trying though.

I'm really trying.

Deserve's Got Nuthin' To Do With It

I can sum up the main problem with the United States if not the world in one word. Entitlement. The firm belief that some people (maybe even most people) have that they are owed something. Rights. It's my right. Give me my due.

I have been robbed twice in a little over a week. The cops showed up at my house last night because my neighbors saw someone jump my fence. They were going to try to hit me again, and I was at home. Why would someone be so blatent? Because I have more than they do, and they feel it's OK to take part of it. After all I won't miss it, I have so much, I make more money, I can buy more to replace it.

You know why I have more money, more stuff? I gave up my life for it. I work 60-70 and sometimes 80 hours a week for it. I have no wife, no girlfriend, no dog. I have a few friends whom I rarely get to see because I'm at work. I missed the opening game Red Sox vs Rangers (free ticket) because I was at work. I visit my family, my 81 year old mother less than once a year because I'm at work. I do this blog from work. My house got robbed last Tuesday while I was at work. I suppose the robber doesn't have a job because he robbed me during business hours. He doesn't need a job, I gave him a guitar, three bottles of whiskey and a jar full of change, because I wasn't at home. I gave him a CD player and some tools because I have a Jeep with no top. He was coming back to make another withdrawal from the bank of Knine... Maybe a DVD player or a TV.

That's one of the biggest things that kills me about all the politicians for this "undocumented worker amnesty" bullshit. "They do the work Americans won't do" Well you pompus piece of offal, the reason American's won't do it is because we pay them not to. Why in Hell do we have unemployment at the same time we have "jobs that American's won't do"? Because we have created a generation of "entitled people". They want their welfare check. They want their unemployment benefits. The government owes me. You owe me. Illegal aliens want the right to break the law. We owe it to them because we took Texas and Arizona and California away from them 160 years ago. We owe people of African decent reperations because of an institution that ended 140 years ago.
I have a question, What the fuck have you done to rise above what happened to your ancestors? As far as I'm concerned the only thing you're entitled to is the same thing I'm entitled to... What you earn.

If you want stuff like mine, get off your ass and earn it, don't try to take mine... because if I catch you trying to take mine, I am going to try to make you pay very dearly indeed. I will try to make you pay for every shit job I've done, every asshole boss, every missed weekend, every angry customer who yelled at me. Right now jackoff, the only thing I owe you is a beating.

*Bonus points if you know where this post's title came from.

Homely

OK, all moved in. I will be unpacking boxes for the next month, but I'm in. I got my welcome to the neighborhood last week when yet another CD player was stolen out of my Jeep... in my yard... under a shelter... 10 feet from my kitchen. I'm a little bummed as this was a nicer (read more expensive) player. I can only assume officer helpful and his partner were up north where I had no CD players stolen for a year and a half. Luckily the disk in it was a burned one of Todd Snider songs from various other disks I still own.
On the bright side the neighbors behind me own and run Boggy Creek Organic Vegitable Farm. A nice 6 acre garden right there in the middle of east Austin. Wednesday and Saturday are market days, and there is fresh bread, goat dairy products (goat milk is really good in coffee, and goes very nicely with Baileys, and the homemade goat-milk ice cream is just awesome), fresh eggs and veggies.
Grizzie really digs the front yard too.

A Moving Experence

Posting will be light for a couple of days, I'm moving. I'm staying in Austin, just moving into a house. A friend of mine got married and is moving in with his wife, I am taking over his house. It's older and on the east side, and I am excited. Especially since he has a big shop with lots of cool power tools to use. WOOO-HOOO! This means a second bedroom in case anyone visits. A yard to play in (plant stuff, work in the dirt &tc). Wednesday is the big day. Wish me luck.

Oh, yeah. Almost forgot. April first will be my five year anniversary in Texas. Not bad for an old road dog. I havn't lived ANYWHERE for more than two since I was 21.