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Long time no kitchen update

Posted on Aug 9th, 2008 by onyourleft : Gaia Child onyourleft
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I'll take a good picture of the half bath/laundry room later. For a true before and after picture you'd have to imagine that space (first post on this blog) as 3 tiny dark rooms. 

What you saw in this blog is the first step of blowing walls out and creating one larger room for a more open feeling space. 

The entire kitchen area feels larger and lighter though of course it's not. Oh the tricks design can play with your mind ;-)  Fun, huh? 

Presenting the granite counter. Next time I'd choose a greener option, cement countertop, recycled wood butcher block, stainless steel, marmolium .... my dream home I would use scrap, leftover granite and create a mosaic of different colors. Thanks, Gena for that idea.

But this house ultimately will be for sale. I have to think of the market so I'm repeating the mantra: neutral, neutral, neutral. I'm not saying that buyers would not be attracted to an ecco-friendly counter, or one that's a work of art. 

According to my realtor "the market wants granite" so granite it is!

The market also likes double sinks. 

But what the market does not realize is that dividing space, even small spaces like a sink makes the eye see the space as smaller. I chose a sink as big as I can fit in the cabinet. 

I'm enjoying the faucet, plenty of clearance to fit a big pot of organic whole wheat pasta underneath, or wash a bowl of organic fruit from the farm market. 

After years here with no kitchen, months of remodeling and eating take out, Trader Joes microwaved MRE's .... I've got a workable kitchen. 

Note: why is there a roll of paper towels in the sink? I'm glad you asked. For the first few days of the counter being installed the sink was not connected. K had a brilliant idea to put something there to remind me "don't run the faucet!!" ;-)

It worked ;-)
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Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

Posted on Aug 16th, 2008 by onyourleft : Gaia Child onyourleft
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In May I wrote about the front yard TKD class. Those of us who train in a traditional dojo, a martial arts school with dressing rooms and a shomen (alter) and photos of the founder of the art and mirrors and so on we take these facilities for granted. Not all good teachers have one. 

With the language barrier I don't know why my TKD teacher is instructing on the front lawn but I gather that he just knew someone and agreed "yeah, I'll teach you right here". His love for the art and teaching is obvous. And he is a skilled, supportive and encouraging teacher. 

There's real progress, some are learning quite a bit. 

Then there's me ;-) 

I've been doing Aikido since about 1980,  it's a part of me and new ways of moving, new techniques are a challenge. I'm letting go of some fears, injuries I have from years of taking falls on the mat are challenged by these new movements. 

Aikido has a reputation as a gentle art, and is founded on philosopy of non violence and even protecting ones opponent it's a philosophy I believe in. Yet it's very effective. I can attest to that with the battering I've taken over years of falls. 

Ultimately  learning something new will help my Aikido. TKD's already increased my range of motion and flexibility. And the act of learning new techniques just increases those neural pathways we all need to learn and grow. 

But as one of my teachers said of me "you're a lifer" which means I will always love and train in Aikido. 

Pictured here Lynn shows how you set up koshinage, a hip throw with Marinela. 


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Adopt or foster a pet, recycle love.

Posted on Aug 24th, 2008 by onyourleft : Gaia Explorer onyourleft
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Here's tiny Hoodie, the kitten,  pictured with my fiancee for scale ;-)

My carpenter H. found Hoodie and three littermates abandoned in a neighbors yard. We were happy to help socializing the kittens. Now all 4 kittens have homes. The feral Mom unfortunately may never be socialized but at least she's fixed. 

That family tree ends here. 

Hoodie got her name because she wanted to be with people immediately, instant purr when picked up, instant cry when put down. To stop her crying H. brought her to work, carried the sleeping kitten in the hood of her sweatshirt while working on my kitchen.

All together everybody, awwwwwwwww ;-) 

She's so cute, and that kitten is cute too. ;-)

Please spay, neuter your pets. There aren't enough good homes for all, nor good people like H. who will foster them. 

We both have rescue dogs. My fiancee's mutt, Bean even has his Canine Good Citizen papers. When considering a pet please check your local animal shelter. If you want a specific breed there are breed specific rescue groups. Or get a mutt, and have the best of all breeds. 

PS: Note to Ellen, the ugly blue rug in the background is gone. This is the last photo you'll see with it, ok? 
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Talk about it.

Posted on Aug 24th, 2008 by onyourleft : Gaia Explorer onyourleft
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I was at a major grocery chain which shall remain nameless, checking out when a man came up to my checker and asked "where are the clothes pins?" 

She politely said she did not think they have any, he left. 

After he was gone she said "try at my Grandma's" 

I laughed but then said I dry clothes outside .... inside. My condo association won't allow clothes lines, or trees higher than 10 feet, or windows that aren't almond color, or backing your car into the carport or .... but clotheslines would save a lot of energy. 

Driers use a lot of juice. I've read that line drying saves some families upwards of $20.00 a month in energy costs. And this helps global cooling. 

Maybe she thought that energy efficient solutions are old fashioned, some think you deprive yourself by searching out ecco-friendly options, others think it's quirky or weird o a fad.  

This indoor dry rack from L.L. Bean has handy storage hooks too. Mine stores Mae's leashes, a cloth bag full of plastic bags reused for her, it's also a decorative shelf. The racks push back almost flush with the wall and when pulled out in use has 10 rungs for laundry. 

Note the jersey. www.Fatcyclist.com is an amazing blog. K and I are huge fans. Check it out. 




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