Measuring Tape

I love Menard's hardware store.  I willingly fall for their get-you-in-the-door gimmicks.  One that I particularly love are these measuring tapes.  They are FREE after a mail in rebate so I always pick up a few when I go in.

There's nothing more annoying than needing a tape measure and not being able to find one, right?   I figured I could label each one and keep them around in each place that I typically need one.  Smart thinking, no?

I was so touched that The Conductor seemed to be on the same wavelength as me as he spied them and commented, "Wow.  You have a lot of tape measures!"  His tone implied that he was impressed by the forsight I showed by having so many on hand.  I was about to proudly imform him that I got them all FREE, when he enthusiastically continued,  "You could put one in each room of your house!!"

I wanted to jump up and scream, "Yes!  Exactly!"  But before I could jump up with excitement, he sarcastically added, "Orrrrrrrr you could just pile them all around the toaster oven."  His back was to me but I'm pretty sure his eyes were rolling. 

 
Sigh.  So much for being on the same wavelength.  I finally got around to labeling them in such a way that I'll know just where to put them away when I'm done.  (As opposed to storing them in a pile by the toaster oven).
 

The one on top is for the utility closet, which is painted lite green.

Next is the one with the dress, for the hallway outside the sewing room.  The tape with the cars obviously goes in the car.

The back porch which always has a bug or two on it gets one.  My last name is Thomas, and like the train, I'm also a really useful engine so that one goes in my errand runing purse.  The last one goes in my step stool/tool carrier painted the same shade of Oriental blue.

But watch.  Now that I finally got them labeled and put away, I bet that smartypants Conductor won't even notice they aren't clustered around the toaster oven anymore.....

Me Time

Happiness is



a sweetheart

that totally gets it

when you tell him

"Yes, I have the night free

but I really need some me-time."

Little Orange Dog

Today I had to put my poochka to sleep.

I rescued her from the Humane Society who picked her up as a stray in Tennesee.  She lived about 14 years, about 7 of them with me.

She was known for two things.  One was her ever-wagging tail.  My friend's elderly father couldn't get over her waggely tail and remarked that you could tape a fan to it and she'd cool the whole room down. 

Her tail was wagging right up until I had to leave her. 

The other thing she was known for was being a dope.  Chakra was a good dog, and a sweet dog.  But she was also a dumb dog.  Her most famous move was getting her cord wrapped around the silliest things. 

Like the planter box:

And the walkway railings:

She also got her cord stuck around a small flag holder I have in the yard.  It's about a month too early for planting in Wisconsin.  But in her honor I planted two orange primroses by the flag holder.  They're perrenials so they'll be a pretty reminder of my pup every spring. 

Little orange flowers for my little orange dog.