"Army Wives" and other Odds and Ends

Fact:  We have not had TV at our house since December. 


 Why?  Because almost all of the satellites that transmitted signals for Big Dish reception have all gone dark.  This process has been gradual over the last year or two.  First we lost the East coast stations, then a couple of the networks, finally all were gone in December.  We can sometimes pull in a signal for a Costa Rica station, but we never bother to try. We have had several antennas but they have all blown over in storms, and we don't have cable in the Mountains.


As all of this was happening, Craig wanted to get a small dish system.  For me it was just  another expenditure, another tie down to this house. 


 Except for sports, Craig hasn't watched much TV for years.  I always had it on, but felt I could live without it quite easily. So far, not having it has been no hardship for me. In fact I think my life is far more peaceful without CNN, Fox News and MNSBC.


I did enjoy the food channel  and HGTV. 

I  watch movies from Netflix, and have also watched many HBO TV series that way. 


 I am currently watching Army Wives. 


I didn't think I would like it, but find it is really good!  I have it playing on my laptop while I'm working in the studio.  


I have watched the entire first season in the last two weeks.


I find myself wondering if life for the young military wives is anything like what these women experience.


  Not the drama parts, but the politics. 


 Because Craig was not in the service, and I really don't know much about the military. I can only imagine what it would be like to have your husband deployed.


Odds and Ends:  I took a couple of weeks off from working on the house to catch up with some other things.  The art biz has been remarkably good this spring.  I have had a number of orders and have also sold several pieces that I had done in the past on "spec."


I am currently working on a new design for a  restaurant in Chicago.  As with many of my more commercial commissions it has been ordered thru a decorator.  I wish I had kept better records of where some of my work has gone.  I'd love to be able visit as we travel across the country!


This past week has been a bit nerve racking.  The new drapes were done and we have been working on putting them up.  This is not as easy as it may seem since we are using the same old traverse rods.


Because of the size of the span of windows covered on each side, the main drape rod requires extra supporting brackets.  To get the sheers to slide under the brackets I had to repin them 1/4 inch lower.


As I was hanging the sheers I noticed the cord on the main drape rod on one side was badly frayed. I had to get new cord and Craig installed it.


The drapes themselves are very wrinkled.  I have located someone (thru freecycle) that is willing to loan me a steamer.  Picking it up tomorrow.


This whole project has been very hard.  I can see why someone would want to use a decorator and have them professionally hung.  For us the price difference was  $6000.  And that was with a consultant thru COSTCO! (There are two panel that are 185" x 96", plus sheers, a patio do and five dining room windows.)


I did make one mistake in ordering the dining room sheers.  I think I can change them myself, but if I can't and have to reorder one pair it will only be about $125.    I can live with that!


I have also started working on the walls of the bathroom by my studio.  Yes, you guessed it.  More horrible wallpaper to remove.


Onward!