Olga Wins a Combination Planter & New Dwarf Spruces

We had some time to kill while we were waiting for Bridget to get her haircut so we went to the Darien Garden Center.  We bought the dwarf spruce trees you see above for our planters.  When you buy some thing at the Darien Garden Center, you get to spin a wheel for a prize.  Olga spun and won the big prize -- a combination planter.  The funny thing is, it came with a ornamental cabbage, which Olga HATES.  I don't mind it. 

The Bump - 24 Weeks

Some More Photos of the Man Cave

Painting the Basement Walls

We primed and painted the basement walls over the last week.  (The photos above are in reverse order.)  They don't look like much but it took some time to get the spackling right (though in the end it was not perfect) and then waiting for it to dry.  Priming, then waiting for it to dry.  Then painting and waiting for the coat to dry.  Then another coat of paint. We used the paint we had left over from painting the kitchen pantry, thus the yellow. 

The Man Cave Floor

We bought the Pergo floor many months ago from Lowe's.  The deciding factor was that it was called Springdale Cherry -- Springdale being the area in Stamford where we live. Who knew it would take this long to get it down.  Joe came down and he did a great job cutting the edge so it lined up with the stone wall -- no easy feat.  He also had to cut around the sump pump.  The main bit went down fairly easy and then... we ran out of wood at the very last section.  We actually had enough wood -- but just not the right pieces that slot in where they should.  Sheesh. What's unfortunate is that we now have to buy a whole package.  Joe also installed the heat, coming back two days later to finish job.  The room looks great and heats up very quickly.                    

Dragon's Breath Paint Just Right

I had read Benjamin Moore Dragon's Breath 1547 was a very good ceiling paint color but when I saw it I had real doubts.  I didn't want a black ceiling.  Even after the first coat went up I was worried.  But as it dried the worries faded.  It looks great.  Not a color you'd use anywhere else in the house as a ceiling paint but this is a media room and it absorbs the light off the screen just great. Next step:  the floors.  

Herb Harvesting

The Light Goes On

Wow, lights make a huge difference.  Before Joe installed them, we had to prime and paint around them.  Now the electricity is almost done.  

Leaves

This was just the first round.  We had much, much more.  This year, however, we were smart enough to buy a gas-powered blower... and we used a tarp to drag leaves right out the back door.