So where was I before I was so rudely interrupted by a spate of (last minute) pet-sitting, and just plain busy-ness?
Sometimes we get a “communal” present, such as when we got the new TV (and said communal present may be gotten anywhere from a couple weeks before Christmas until a couple weeks after Christmas). This year, we didn’t go the communal route, but we each picked out (and bought) our own presents a little early.
The Wonderful Spouse decided that although his sled does the job, riding a “brick” (especially with his bad back) was not the way to go. Chris, the neighbor, had an extra sled that has a lot more suspension, so the ride is smoother. WS got a bonus from work 2 weeks ago (very unexpected), so he used that and his BD money to entice Chris to sell.
I’ve been wanting to get rid of the old entertainment center. It holds our stereo equipment, our albums and other things, but it also has a 28’ x 28 hole where a TV is supposed to go. When we got the new TV a couple years ago, it wouldn’t fit in the entertainment center, so we bought a stand for it. 1/3 of the entertainment center is unused now, so it looks funny and it takes up way more space than I would like (it was perfect when we had a TV the right size for it).
I have looked at nice wood and glass stereo cabinets, but the prices have been enough to scare me off. I was talking to Heather a couple of weeks ago on the subject and she told me I should get something cheap for now, then later get what I want. Well, why in the heck would I spend money for something that isn’t what I want? I already have that and it is solid as well as functional, I can live with that for a while more.
A while more will only be a couple more days (or a week). WS took me to an Unfinished Furniture place on Sunday. I picked out what I wanted, in the wood that I wanted (oak). It got in on Thursday and WS picked it up yesterday on his way home form work (Thursday he had to pick up the snowblower form the shop). I will need to stain it (the stereo cabinet, not the snowblower) and polyurethane it before we get rid of the old entertainment center, but that is a small price to pay for saving some pretty serious dough.
I also got a wood CD tower (the entertainment center has a built in CD rack which means that the CD’s need a new home). The CD rack was available for me to take home that day, so I broke it down to it's component pieces and started staining it Sunday night, and finished staining it Monday night after work. Polyurethaning commenced Tuesday night and a coat went on everything each night. I did have one small setback on that project; Shadow started playing with the papers that the door was on and managed to get a very large piece of newsprint on the door - naturally while the polyurathane was still wet. So I had to strip off the polyurathane and start over, which means that everything has at least two coats on it, but the door still has none. I plan on getting 2 coats on it today and calling that good for now.
Next, I get to start on the stereo cabinet, which should be interesting just in trying to find a place large enough to do the work. And don't forget, I committed to painting at least part of the basement next week too, so it looke like I'll be living with a paint brush or roller in my hand most of next week.
We thought we would have plenty of snowcover for WS to try out his new sled this weekend (on trails, not just in the backyard), but last night it started warming up and it looks like we are going to have a thaw that will squash those plans. That's okay, he just needs some time away from work and the long hours he has been putting in. Three days of sleeping late and relaxing will be good for him!
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