Shelved

These are the new shelves we put in the laundry room.  I seem to have lots more space with them.

Eventually we are going to put cabinets over the washing machine and dryer, but that has to wait for awhile.

Alasandra's Movie Review ~ Avatar

Enjoyed the movie. We saw it in 3D and the special affects were awesome. The plot was rather predictable but it was still enjoyable and I am a sucker for happy endings.

Hummingbird rarely seen in Mass. hospitalized - Weird News - SunHerald.com

Hummingbird rarely seen in Mass. hospitalized - Weird News - SunHerald.com

Books Read in December

1. Homeland by R. A. Salvatore ~ very dark story line but very interesting. Drizzt is a drow. The drow are fanatical worshipers of the Spider Queen and will do anything to please her. The book begins with Drizzt's birth. His family is completely wiping out another drow family that fell out of favor with the Spider Queen as the 3rd living son he will be sacrificed to the Spider Queen to insure their success, but luckily/unluckily for Drizzt the elderboy is murdered so he becomes secondboy and his life is spared. As he grows up Drizzt can't accept the cruelty of his people so he flees into the Underdark with his only friend a mystical panther (Guenhwyvar).  
2. Exile by R. A. Salvatore ~ After spending a number of years living alone in the Underdark Drizzit  reconnects with Belwar a gnome whose life he saved from a drow patrol.  He is able to spend some enjoyable time with the gnomes until Matron Malice sends the spirit-wraith of his Father, Zaknafein to kill Drizzit in order to regain the Spider Queen's favor. Drizzit flees into the Underdark once again although this time he is accompanied by his friend Belwar. They encounter Clacker a pech who was turned into a hook horror by a human wizard and befriend him. The three are then captured by mind flayers. After their escape they are attacked by the spirit-wraith and one of Drizzit's friends loses his life. Drizzit heeding Zaknafein's warning that Matron Malice will stop at nothing to see him dead decides to leave the known dangers of the Underdark for the unknown dangers of the surface.
3. Sojourn by R. A. Salvatore - Drizzit meets prejudice on the surface but he also make new friends and finds a home.
4. The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson ~ Enjoyable read.
5. Legacies by F. Paul Wilson ~ Dr. Alicia Clayton inherits a house, a house that holds a secret that could revolutionize the world. Her half-brother and his Arab pals will do anything to prevent the secret from getting out. Can Jack discover the secret in time to save Alicia?
6. Conspiracies by F. Paul Wilson - Lew's wife is missing and when she contacts him she insist that only Repairman Jack will be able to find her. Since the case seems simple enough Jack agrees to take it only to discover that nothing is what it seems.
7. The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore - The barbarian tribes attack Ten Towns but thanks to Drizzit's advance warning the towns people defeat them with the help of the dwarfs. Bruenor decides to spare the barbarian boy, Wulfgar's life and takes him under his wing. Bruenor uses all his ability to fashion a magical ax for Wulfgar and gets Drizzit to teach him to fight. A mediocre wizard finds the Crystal Shard and uses it to summon a demon and fashion an army to destroy Ten Towns. Wulfgar returns to his barbarian tribe and challenges the King. After defeating the King Wulfgar persuades his people to aid Ten Towns. After surviving the battle Drizzit, Wulfgar, Bruenor and Rumblebelly  set off to find Bruenor's ancestrol home, Mithral Hall.
8. Wicked Prey by John Sandford - Randy Whitcomb blames Davenport for putting him in a wheelchair and plans to kidnap Letty to get back at him. Of course Letty isn't your typical teen and throws a wrench in his plans all by herself. In the meantime Davenport is busy tracking down a gang of cop killers.
9. Heat Lightning by John Sandford ~Someone is going around murdering men who were in Vietnam. Can Flowers find out who and why in time to stop them?
10. Streams of Silver by R.A. Salvatore ~ Wulfgar, Bruenor & Drizzt set out to find Mithril Hall, Bruenor's birthplace. Regis joins them in order to escape  Artemis (the assassin sent after him). Artemis takes Catti-brie prisoner and sets out after them after joining forces with a powerful magician who is after the crystal shard and believes Drizzt either has it or knows where it is at. Believing Drizzt is dead the friends despair of escaping the dragon who drove Bruenor's clan out of Mithril Hall.
    

Before and After

Walls are primed ready to be painted.

Shelves will be torn out.

The wall are painted. I just love the Raspberry color.

I found this rug and I thought the wall picked up the colors from the poinsettias nicely, since it isn't too Christmasy I'll probably use it all winter.

The white trim sets off the raspberry walls nicely.

Starting work on the pantry.

Repairing the wall.

Wall primed.

New light fixture. They just had a light bulb in here no fixture at all.

Pantry walls painted blue. I love the contrast between the dark and light.

Hangers for the shelves in place.

We are almost finished. The trim still has to be painted, the laundry room door replaced and the water heater put back where it belongs. Maybe (fingers crossed) by New Years.

Dining with Alasandra

Mediterraneo great atmosphere and delicious food I enjoyed DOLMADES ~ grape leaves stuffed with lamb, rice, and Mediterranean spices; PIQUILLO PEPPERS red Piquillo peppers stuffed with honey goat cheese and SPANAKOPITA spinach and Feta cheese stuffed in a Phylo pastry. All three Tapas were yummy and I look forward to going back and trying other things on the menu.

Floored

The floor is down now and it looks really nice.

Unfortunately to put the floor down Hubby had to take the hot water heater out. I wound up taking a COLD bath the day my eldest son graduated from the University of South Alabama. Hubby was able to temporarily install the hot water heater and he takes the washer and dryer in and out so I can wash clothes during the week when he is at work and unable to work on the laundry room. The first coat of primer is on and it makes a HUGE difference. The walls had never been painted so anything is a huge improvement from when we moved in.