::alio!::

Kiwi Fun

What a weekend. I think I have developed tennis elbow, though I've never played a day in my life.

This was a long weekend in Newfoundland, celebrating Discovery Day, and the weather, for the most part, held up beautifully.

Friday ended with my boss closing the office early, because it was sunny, followed by a reception for staff and lawyers because our firm was voted one of the best places to work in Atlantic Canada. Of COURSE we had a party. We really don't need an excuse to have a party in this place.

I skipped the reception and met up with D and C for coffee instead, which I think was more fun. We wandered home through Georgetown and I got some bread from the bakery, which was lucky considering it was late afternoon at that point and they're usually completely out by then. They'd just made a batch so the loaf I took home was still warm.

I had a lot of reading to do this weekend (still trying to catch up where I am behind, but I managed to finish one book, read the entirety of another, and make it a third of the way through another. I feel I did good that way. Now I only have four and two-thirds of a book left to read by 12 July. It can totally be done. I am no longer stressed about it, first, because I've made it through the books I borrowed from the library, so I'm now on to books I actually own, which means I don't have to worry about the library recalling something I haven't actually read yet anymore. Plus, it seems I lucked out on my instincts when it came to book-buying. The ones I bought are actually very interesting, which means I go through them faster, and I won't mind that they're on my shelves in years to come. So that's something.

Andy and I also hiked downtown on Saturday and back, then played catch for an hour or so (for the first time in over a year). That is, I think, where my elbow problems started. I have pretty good form and accuracy when I'm throwing, but I have to put my entire body behind the throw in order to give it any power whatsoever (and even then it doesn't go very far), so I think I may have overextended myself a bit.

Sunday I moved out of my office officially. I've been kind of using it these past two weeks as I slowly spackled, sanded, and taped it up. Sunday was the day for me to quit it for good, and, I thought, for a lengthy period of time.

Because the move went so well, we decided to start painting right away. We used a VOC-free paint from CIL, and so didn't have to worry about fumes. It also is very satiny to the touch, and dried remarkably quickly. After a second coat yesterday morning, I was already moved back in by the early evening (no fumes means you can use the room the same day you paint -- plus, as the window in my office doesn't open, it was a life-saver, literally).

So instead of the "rotten oatmeal," as Andy called it, that was chipped and cracked and peeling and full of mystery holes and bulges, I have a rich, bright green. It's called Kiwi Fun and is very similar in fact to that fuzzy fruit's interior. I haven't yet seen the colour in bright sunlight, but on a cloudy day I felt like I was surrounded by spring leaves. I feel like I can actually get some work done in that place now, instead of avoiding its dreary interior (because for some reason the passable beige elsewhere didn't carry through to the office) for somewhere more cheerful. And the green goes better with this crappy faded stained lino floor that I have in there (which of course I spilled paint on, but you can't really tell).

I'm more than a little sore today, from painting, throwing, and moving all my things in and out (including my famous $15k book collection -- some people have a home gym, while I have a home library), but I'm in an incredibly good mood.

The bathroom is my next project, while Andy will start on the bedroom at some point soon. I can't wait until beige is no longer the dominant shade in my life!

Posted by Ally at June 23, 2009 09:37 AM