So it's true what they say...

The washer actually does eat socks! All these years I never believed it but now I've seen it with my own eyes.

For the past week I have been led to believe that the problem with my washer stemmed from us using too much laundry detergent and fabric softener thus causing a nasty blockage prohibiting water from exiting the tub of the washer and causing a very foul odor. And for the past week I've secretly been kicking myself in my tiny hiney trying to be okay with the fact that I, yes I, basically sent my washer into repair-mode. But wait, I now find out that the problem was not due to my inability to use the proper amount of detergent and fabric softener, it was due to the loss of my sock, one of two that I have so desperately trying to find for a good, probably nine months. All this time I was telling myself that my sock~ yes, it's just a sock, but not just any sock, one of my socks that I wear when working out ~ was hiding within the confines of one of our many (and I do mean many) sets of sheets tucked quietly away in the closet. Well, when the diagnostician (yes, I just made this word up) came out to diagnose my washer (and no, I didn't realize this goes on, sending someone out to diagnose the problem and then repairs come later, way later) he had me, and later Eric, convinced that we had mucked up our washer with the use of yes, you've got it, too much detergent/softener. When he walked in he confidently handed me a sheet of paper that specified how much detergent/softener I was supposed to use when doing laundry. Mind you, 1 ounce isn't much when you measure it out in a shot glass. Yes, I've resorted to using my trusty shot glass that has accompanied me on many evenings of libation enjoyment to measure my detergent. Anyway, the diagnostician (there's that word again) spent nearly two and a half hours here playing with said washer and in the end diagnosed it as us being basically stupid. Okay, I admit, sometimes I do some not so smart things but not knowing how to do laundry after how long? Well, no, you don't want to know how many years of doing such a chore I've got under my belt. But he's the professional appliance man so he's got the last word!

Okay, fast forward a week and the story is completely different. A completely different appliance professional comes out to replace the parts on the washer and wouldn't you know it, the washer doesn't drain well not becuase of a lack of washing machine "edumacation" on our part, but simply due to the fact that one of my socks snuck it's little 'ole self down where it doesn't belong and into the drain pump thus forcing said pump to work harder and ultimately blow out. How's that for a trusty diagnostician coming to diagnose said ill washer. How he did not know that is beyond me and for the life of me, I still can't understand but whatever. I can now stand tall and proud knowing that it wasn't me who actually caused the demise of the drain pump but a small insignificant sock that crept its way between the rubber boot and tub of the washer and down into the hose of the drain pump. This means my LG washer and dryer are now piggybacking again and we are in business tackling the laundry. Still not sure where the other sock is though. Hopefully it's not stuck somewhere it does not belong in my dryer.

I have started the facelift of our bedroom/bathroom. Yesterday after I finished working I headed over to the Home Depot to get some paint so I could get started and not have to do everything all at once. Delivery is the 8th and it will be here before I know it. I picked up a new cabinet for the laundry room which I will sand and stain before the weekend arrives so it can be put up in the laundry room and I can finally put my 3-pocket laundry basket thingy where it belongs, in the laundry room and not in my hallway. I grabbed a quart of Minwax Walnut gel stain so I could give staining my less than drab cabinets a shot and I also got that paint I was mentioning earlier in Glidden Whimsical . It's a very vintagy pink and exactly what I was going for! Eric really likes it which makes me very happy since I'd hate it if he had to use a bathroom he despised.

Once home I was feeling quite energetic (which is typical for me) so I got started on staining the cabinets in the bathroom hoping to finish before the appliance fix-it dude showed up. They really turned out great so now it's full force ahead with the staining of the kitchen cabinets. Not sure that I will get that job accomplished before the new kitchen table arrives but it is on my task list. After dinner I decided I would prepare the bathroom for its new face lift so I started taping and trimming so that I would be ahead of the game today. I finished and had everything back in order by 11 a.m. and I cannot tell you what a difference it makes. The room looks great. I went out and purchased some super cool outlet covers and a new shower curtain rod. Who knew they had such cool rods out nowadays? I wasn't able to find a new shower curtain but the one we were using has a really tight spot in my heart so I threw it in the washer and it looks amazing. The whole room has a very vintage/modern look now. I have a few more things to add once I figure out what is missing but I'm just basically rearranging what I have and it's saving us big bucks and making me very proud! I wish I would have taken before photos (I can always take after photos, right?) - that would have been smart, huh? The photo does not do the room justice but it's the best that I can get. I will be on the hunt for one or two items to add to the bathroom to
be able to grasp the feel of the room that I am going for.

I'd like to take that big old mirror down and put up two smaller ones but I'm a little leary of trying to tackle that chore since I'm uneasy about it breaking into a million little bits. Eric said he posted the question somewhere on the internet and they said to cover it with duct tape and then pry it off the wall but I'm not sure what sort of adhesive is holding it there, how much of my wall will be coming off with it or if it will break. Where's my daddy when I need him? Eventually we will replace the floor with tile. I'm getting antsier for that. We really want to replace floors in this house and put up some crown molding. Again, where's the daddy when you need him?

The bedroom will be painted next week and we'll sleep in the art room for a few nights while I tackle that one since the bed is coming completely down in preparation of the new bed. The last time my bedroom was painted my sister was here helping me (before she had kiddos) and the dogs that lived behind us at the time barked the entire day. It's funny because that is the first thing she mentioned when I asked her if she remembered helping me paint.

Okay, I'm off to peruse some websites/magazines for cool items for the bathroom/bedroom to see if I can locate the one or two items that just fit. One site I have already checked out is Wonderful Graffiti! If you haven't ever seen this place, check it out, they are the bomb! I've got several items that I have picked out and may order to use.

I wish I could go to Canton again this weekend. It's already First Monday Trade Days.