Tool Time Girl

Last weekend was all about outdoor home improvement projects. I pulled my body weight in weeds from the tomato garden, around the base of a still sickly looking Meyer lemon tree and back behind our BBQ turned jungle.

I also got a bee in my bonnet to work on the front entryway, so I pulled more weeds there, dug deeply enough to remove three pernicious hackberry saplings that had taken up residence and turned over the soil.

While in front, I also wanted to get rid of the dead ficus. I gave the trunk a test push and was pleasantly surprised when it MOVED. Once Mike got up, I enlisted his manliness in toppling said ficus. He chainsawed it into pieces while I scooped up its dead leaves for the compost bin and to use as mulch. I transplanted some succulents and spider plant-like plants along the front walkway and envision the now ficus-less space with a bench flanked with flowering vines.

This was the weekend of long forestalled indoor home improvement projects.

Mike took down the hideous living room ceiling fan (all brass filigree and fluted lamps) and installed the new brushed nickel/linen-look lampshades ceiling fan we bought in January. I handed him tools and parts. LOVE IT! It looks sleek and chic. Mike put the old fussy fan in the alley and I bet him it would be gone before dark (but I haven't gone outside to check).

While we were fixin, I asked Mike to raise the chandelier over the dining room table. The previous owners hung it so low that you'd bonk your head standing up from the table.

The chain connecting the fixture to the ceiling was doubled up, so Mike took out all but two links. He also tucked some of the wiring into the electrical box that was previously twisted around the chain (classy!). I washed the lampshades/bug cemetaries. When we rehung it, it was about 10 inches higher than before.

Just those two changes made a huge difference! The new ceiling fan is quiet and stylish and the old chandelier looks great and is no longer a noggin safety hazard.