Shrubs, electricity and free boxsprings

Boy, do we have a lot to talk about. I'll just list it off with pictures...easier that way.

1. We (Todd, along with help from Dad McD) planted our laurel "hedge" out front. He measured, strung the line, dug the holes and planted our little shrubbies. They look tiny now, but in a few years, they will be four or five feet tall. They'll grow as high as we want them to.

2. This is my stupid heirloom tomato. Running about two months behind schedule. I am mostly mad because it actually did get around to making an actual tomato, but I don't think it will ripen. Not enough bright sun during the day anymore.

3. Here is a before:

and after, or midway:

picture of where I'm patching the hole in the wall where the light switch for the bathroom used to be. It's right outside of the bathroom, and it's just an empty box. Or was, before I started the first round of probably three applications of spackle.

4. Most recent accomplishment: replacing a light fixture! I did this just a few minutes ago. Who knew electrical work was so exciting (at least according to these sketchy instructions)? After seeing these instructions, I enlisted the help of my trusty Sunset "You Can Wire" book. Sounds cheesy, but it's an incredible book. I do not trust suspect Chinese instructions around voltage.

Found a super-cheap schoolhouse light and decided to swap it for the ugly brass-and-glass deal that was up there. I'm not suggesting it's gorgeous, or possibly even permanent, but it's an improvement. More importantly, look at me!! I can do electrical work! (Sorry for the blurry picture; the camera said it was blurry but I thought it was lying.)

5. Nabbed a free boxspring from craigslist for the twin bed upstairs. It's like a real bed now!

You can try this nifty trick I picked up somewhere...if you don't have a dust ruffle (like this bed). Fitted sheet over the boxspring, and voila! finished look. Or at least a lot better than the gaudy floral patterns all boxsprings seem to come with.

6. Lastly, here are some shots of upstairs. We've made a lot of progress scraping up the glued-down carpet pad (boy would I like to have a chat with the moron who had that idea), though the floor looks pretty much as gnarly as the green carpet did. After water and fabric softener made almost no dent in the glue, we busted out the Wagner Power Steamer. Worked like a charm, steaming the gross glue and pad right off the floor. There's one patch on the landing where we haven't finished yet, but the rest of the floor is "clean."

Downstairs, looking up....
Upstairs, looking down to the halfway landing...
Looking at the upstairs landing, outside Todd's office

Upstairs landing from the guest room.

So, I think that's pretty much it. Oh, well, I will leave you with one other picture of an amazing hike we took a few weeks ago.