House Update

OK, so it's time for our weekly update on how the house is going. This week's edition is about paint.

I heard from reputable sources that Benjamin Moore was the only way to go so we jumped in with both feet and got 22 (!) color samples from Waters and Brown in Salem and went to work.

Here are some of the rooms, and we hope you can see the color choices.

First, we have the fireplace in the living room. The wall will be raspberry truffle. The rest of the walls will be stardust. If you want to see them, look 'em up on the Benjamin Moore site.

Here's the dining room, right next to the fireplace. The red wall continues around the corner and meets back up with stardust.

Finally (for now), here's the basement, BKDM's domain. He picked Myan (yes, that's how they spell it) gold for the main color and a metallic copper for the contrast. Mostly, I just like that you can get outside to our back yard from the basement. Perfect for cookouts.

Oh, just one more picture

View from the back yard to the porch. The builder and I are discussing details of landscaping.

Our new home

Jym and I went to see the new house. It's coming along well and it looks like we'll be able to move in in May. I am so excited!
Tomorrow we're going to Home Depot to pick out granite, tile, paint and appliances.
I can't believe this is actually happening for us.

Fun in Vermon

While Jim works, I run all over town having fun.

Fun at the Zoo!

We took Doris for Zoo Lights, but I think El Dubb had the most fun! Here are a few pics to prove it.(that's a real reindeer - her name is Noel)

It's true.



BTW, I found out this zoo has a snow leopard on the premises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hallelujah!

RuPaul's Drag Race will be back for a second season in February. Plus, any excuse to post a picture of RuPalin is OK by me.

At Bruins/Flyers game. Thank goodness I found a sport Jym can enjoy.

Whither the comma?

At Longwood Symphony Orchestra at Jordan Hall in Boston. The amazing thing about these kick-ass musicians is that fully 80% of them are physicians and scientists. This is a fund-raiser for the Susan Spenser Clinical Epliepsy Research Fund.

Hey Santa. Check it out

From the fine folks at Hammacher Schlemmer comes the only botanical air purifier. This is the kind of crap you see in a SkyMall catalogue, like a bigger-than-life-size Peanuts nativity scene with Woodstock in for the baby Jesus (I made a link here so you can see I did not make that up) or a water fountain for your cat. You know what I mean. But I must admit, I'm intrigued. I can grow herbs and purify the air at the same time.
(Via: Random Good Stuff)

Hero

I love this kid. He decided (at ten years old) that he won't say the pledge of allegiance until there is really is "liberty and justice" for all, including gays and lesbians. And he lives in Arkansas, not Boston or DC.
There may be hope for us yet.
And BTW, "Gaywad?" I had no idea kids still used that epithet.

Dee-lish hand-pulled London-style in-house-brewed cask ale from American flatbread tap room in Burlington. Yum! I await my carmelized onion and goat cheese pizza.

Speaking of things they do well in Vermont, I just took the Magic Hat brewery tour.... the samples were amazing. I am in love the the Winter seasonal Belgian chocolate stout. I hope it's available in Boston. Next time we come up here, I'm bringing a growler for them to fill for me. Hooray, beer!

Coffee, ice cream, beer, cheese. Vermont seems to have the bases covered.

At Ben and Jerry's in Waterbury VT for factory tour.... then free ice cream!

Brother Jim awaits the T.

Cornmaze with my sister's kids

Ming Tsai cooking at a fundraiser for the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence at the new Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Boylston.
He made delicious shrimp treats with some sort of amazing reduction drizzled over-top.
I bid on a night at the symphony during the silent auction. Good times.
Edited to add: I won the night at the symphony for four. It's December 5th. I think Jim's parents will be here. If that's the case, we'll have a blast...plus, they'll think we're really sophisticated.

Ruby on rails workshop for women at harvard

Helping to teach a beginning class in ruby on rails this weekend. It is targeted at women in the hopes of increasing the female presence in software development. Venue is harvard law school. Hooray for gender diversity!

Goodbye, New Orleans. We had fun!