Bath and Vanity Renovations

Here is our new master vanity light.  It is actually brushed nickel (silver), but the picture makes it look bronze. The light we used to have was a long fluorescent, like the sort that belongs in a garage.  (What were they thinking??)

Mark is super tall, 6-1/2 feet to be exact, and the dropped ceiling above the shower crowded him.  I can't imagine taking a shower with only a few inches to spare above my head!  The ceiling is going UP. The old light fixture reminded me of the schoolhouse type that is on a ceiling fan.  Out it goes!  After the ceiling is raised and green mold resistant wallboard is in, they'll install a flush can light fixture that is specifically for damp places.  This little room contains the toilet and a huge garden tub. (What were they thinking??) Eventually the tub and tile will be removed and a nice shower and more updated tile walls and glass enclosure will go up - but not this week.  See the gawdawful fluorescent lights behind our contractor?  OUT they go! The weak exhaust fan is coming out and a lighted fan is going in.  Along with the can light in the shower, this should provide enough light for this small bathroom.

Contractor is Chuck Porter is younger brother to a friend from high school.

The guest bath renovations include removing the crappy exhaust fan, replacing it with a lighted fan, and they'll be changing out the icky fluorescent ceiling lighting with this pretty vanity light:

You can see pictures of the house before we moved in here.

The rain keeps raining and somehow a huge crop of Wandering Jew weed has made its home in my backyard, totally covering the ground.  The lawn spray service came yesterday and sprayed some sort of KILL that will murder everything green back there, leaving sand.  We plan to plug St. Augustine grass and make some pretty garden areas and also figure out a good spot for the fire pit my sister Patty gave us last week.  It looks like this one.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis

My  22-year old daughter in law has a chronic auto-immune disorder, juvenile dermatomyositis.  Amanda's started in middle school after getting a  required vaccine.  She has not had a remission that I am aware of.
I've been researching and the link I gave above pretty much sums it up.   Here are some other links:
NINDS
Cure JM Foundation
Life In The Autoimmune Lane blog
Online Study Get paid for it having dermatomyositis.
The Spoon Theory - what it's like to have a chronic illness
Myositis is a blanket name for a bunch of neuro muscular disorders
You can just type in dermatomyositis in FaceBook and come up with a few groups.

Anticipating The Holidays

I came across this cute musical invitation to enjoy Hanukkah.  It's sort of early to be thinking of the Holidays, but I didn't want to lose this link.

Jax Home Repairs and Upgrades

UPDATE:  I found a man that will do some of the repairs!  It turns out that I knew his sister in high school, Maureen Porter (she died several years ago from cancer).  He begins work this Tuesday to: 

• Replace fluorescent light fixtures in both bathroom vanity areas with more attractive lights above the mirror, then patch ceiling where fluorescents hung.
• Remove fluorescent light from master bath above toilet and replace with can light.
• Replace old bathroom vent fans with new lighted vent fans.
• Raise ceiling over master bathtub and replace old light fixture with a can light.
• Patch master bath walls where Mark removed old drop ceiling above toilet area.
• Patch roof over garage where a large tree limb dropped and poked a 3" hole an inch deep.

This is what we need to find time and money to do -

Major renovations:

• Replace master garden bathtub with a shower 
• Raise dropped bath ceiling
• Add a bathroom window
• Change light fixtures in both bathrooms and master vanity
• Replace carpeting in all 3 bedrooms
• Replace great room and dining room carpet with wooden flooring
• Replace kitchen cabinets/counter top
• Re-tile kitchen and foyer

Outside::

• Get the lawn up to par; weed and seed, plug more grass in bare spots -HIRED A LAWN SPRAYING SERVICE!!
• Remove those damn pygmy palms
• Move the two baby crepe myrtles to a better location to thrive
• Clear out front gardens and plant a hedge of azaleas, mulch
• Eliminate evil bougainvillea, replace with plumbago 
• Plant some gardenias and camellias and knock out roses
• Get a satsuma tree and a lemon tree
• Replace stockade fence
• Repair boards on back deck, pressure wash and seal
• Purchase a storage shed for back yard to store lawn equipment
• Add fill dirt in back yard low spots, plant some roses and other foliage in back
• Move both hibiscus plants to back yard
• Start a 4x4 raised veggie garden
• Get some mosquito repelling potted plants for front and back porch
• Buy a bug zapper - DONE!! FOUND ONE AT THE COSTCO OUTLET STORE $30.

When we get time we will:

• Take down family room vertical blinds, hang drapes
• Change light fixture in kitchen - DONE!  MARK SURPRISED ME!
• Remove awful bathroom lights
• Install new lighted exhaust fans in both bathrooms
• Remove kitchen wallpaper, paint walls solid color
• Fill hole behind recliner
• Spot paint walls where Mark filled holes
• Sew room darkening/noise cancelling liner to master bedroom drapes
• Unpack guest rooms
• Hang drapes in back bedroom
• Buy full sized bed for front bedroom