The second coat went on so easily . . . and then I tackled the area that serves as entrance to the laundry room, the back vestibule and the garage. Three doors, solid wood ones with five panels. Lordy, it took forever. It doesn’t look too good now, but I’m hoping the second coat will remain my faithful friend.

I have my aspirin bottle sitting right here next to me. Maybe I’ll just be a little preemptive.

On April Fool’s Day, I painted, going up and down the ladder I don’t know how many times – not to mention moving the ladder back and forth. Then I contorted myself and painted way low down to the floor. I’d say all this stuff I did at 20, 30 and 40 and 50 ain’t as inconsequential now that I am 60+++++.
I guess maybe I was my own April Fool.

But, it’s okay; it’s better to be able to do things than not. And, today, after this aspirin kicks in I am going to do it again. Today will be easier – second coats always are, especially the psychological part of seeing the forgiving aspect of that second coat.

I think I’ll forgo my walk today, given my sore muscles; I walked yesterday and by nightfall, I felt as if my legs and feet were like “L‘s”.

Okay, here I go.

Some of the regulars here at the Peanut Butter Cafe & Roadhouse have hit the road because they claim their skin doesn’t handle latex paint as well as mine, and the feel I am not a dripless painter. They took off with Der Bingle down to the Ohio Redoubt. I’m wondering if they might start their own little eatery – with balcony seating.

From left to right, they are E4, Roxanne, Guido the Bat and Pernilla. I notice that two others tried to get in the picture, or were trying to get out. The LED flashlight is for Guido, who is afraid of the dark.

At least with the paint color designated as Vanilla Milkshake, I can honestly tell the folks still stopping by that they may get a free milkshake. There used to be a shoppe here called Mama Moo’s; maybe the new decor will attract their clientele. Also we have cows leaning around.

Rats, I am feeling very silly, but not creative so that leaves me with uninspired, boring paragraphs . . . and so, I will leave for awhile until my brain zaps back into its capable crazy mode, instead of just the ditsy airhead setting it is on now.

I took my first walk of 2014 that was not a head-down-against-the-chill/cold trek from car to store or store to car. I wore a sweatshirt and an earwarmer and was comfortable. When I came back inside I immediately had to take my sweatshirt off and had some sweat in my hair. The sky was a brilliant blue and I passed a couple of people walking dogs – both dogs had their noses to the ground continuously. I think they had forgotten that the earth and smells were still there.

After I passed one house, I heard a rustling behind me but didn’t think anything about it until seconds later when a dog whacked into the back of my leg and an angry shout of a name rang out. I didn’t look back and just kept walking. Living with my own herder leads me to understand how these things happen.

I could write some routine stuff, but I’m going to be brief and just mention that Der Bingle and I drove home today with a rug sticking about two feet out the window. Come to think of it, I guess that’s better than him driving with me sticking my feet out the window.

I started painting today – Vanilla Milkshake. With a sigh, I have to say that of course, with all the poetic titles in the paint color selections, I would choose to put Vanilla Milkshake on some of my walls. Actually, it has already given more brightness and warmth to the house, even though only a bit is painted. I’m going to be doing a bit at a time because I don’t see any benefit in doing a marathon session. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

We had rain this morning that turned to snow and back to rain, along with a 20+ mph wind. It is not a day to be outside and I have decided to start a fire in the basement and let the smell of woodsmoke remind us that the dampness is being fought. The wet, gray, creeping chill of this weather is, in some ways, more trying than bitter cold.

Ironically, spring break for East Noble begins tomorrow. Summer counted 10 days, when you include the week-ends and said, “You and me, Grandma, 10 days – together.” I am thinking about that.

I finally got in gear and found the post about the knitting shop that is related to the items in the posts below by Sue: Strandsofpurls.

AND – Here’s a picture of Cool LeRoy in his nifty sweater, followed by Wanda in a more demure poise:

Wanda wanted a post all to herself, so the clerical worker here at the Peanut Butter Cafe & Roadhouse had to make a separate entry to show you the really nifty ear warmer/ neck cowl/ all-around cozy head comforter made by Sue, Little Jody’s mother. I could link to her business card, but my clerical worker (previously mentioned) told me I could take care of the details later since she announced she was quitting – something to do with mitten-like hands and little keys.

So I will do that link – when my former clerical worker tells me my password . . . for a price.

Meanwhile, what I will be wearing today:

Thanks, Sue.

Sue was the mastermind behind LeRoy and Wanda, but you’re going to have to wait to meet LeRoy because Wanda has a bit of Miss Piggy to her – she doesn’t share the spotlight. So, without farther ado, and before I let slip any familial connections* and wind up in deep doo-doo . . . Here’s Wanda.

*When I went to transfer the photo from iphoto to desktop, the screen told me wanda.jpg already existed there and asked did I want to replace it? Without revisiting the entire post, let us just remember Summer coming out to see me laughing at a picture and telling me I was cruel and then Summer looked at it and fell onto the sofa in massive guffaws.

I stepped outside today and found a big white box filled with all sorts of Peeps and two sock monkeys – LeRoy and Wanda, and knit earwarmers AND a DVD that features FIVE movies of the outrageously mutated species ilk. That’s going to be next week-end’s watching. I’ll post pictures tomorrow.

From where cometh this box? Well, the gnome-meister himself – LZP and an accomplice.

And now, of course, we are thinking of a very special box to send out to him. Zombie gnomes, perhaps?