Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Color me blue! (Well, a light bluish green)..oh, and some math!

After living here close to twelve years -- and having paint chips on the walls for the past four—we're finally getting our apartment painted. Everything but the kitchen and bathroom, which have indeed been painted in this millenium.

Mica and I, of course, are happy to join in the fun.

Now keep this in mind. We live in a nice sized one-bedroom apartment in NYC. Some might even say that it's roomy for a one-bedroom in NYC! However, over the past 30 years, Mom has moved from bigger places to smaller places, without really downsizing her belongings too much. In fact, she's acquired MORE.

She describes our home as "a gift shop with a bed in it." No spare Swedish modern clean surfaces here. No siree. In fact, we call our home The Knickknack Paddyshack."

Also keep this in mind - whilst our living room, foyer and bedroom are being painted, we three will be inhabiting those same spaces. Actually, we're camped out in the bedroom now while the living room is getting painted first.

So this is what our living room looked like first thing Monday morning...

By early afternoon, the cracks had been filled and smoothed over. The painter had to shoo Mom away from doing the same thing to her face. Ahhh, the first coat is up!

By evening, the second coat was up and the color was looking more greenish and less blue. It's a Ralph Lauren color called Hazel Woods and the ceiling and trim are Benjamin Moore Monterey White. It's chilly in here because we've opened a window to let out the paint fumes and let in the bus fumes....

Mica has decided to sleep through the whole ordeal in the nest he constructed out of the 250 pillows on Mom's bed.

I am doing likewise, hoping a box full of knickknackery doesn't fall on my head in my sleep! I'm wearing my hoodie so I don't freeze with my new hairdo.

And where is the painter today, you may ask? Apparently, Election Day is a union holiday for residential doormen and workers so no outside workers are allowed in. The painter may or may not have told us this yesterday as we couldn't understand much of what he said. Mom asked him if he'd like a sandwich for lunch and he said, "yes, two." When she repeated what would he like in his sandwich, he replied "30 minutes."

Perhaps it was Mom's English that was the problem...

In other bloggie news, Jake (of Fergi and Jake, not Just Harry's Jake) dreamed he had a Halloween date with Lacie. (Typically I'd insert a comment about dream versus nightmare and Halloween and the hounds of Hell but it's just TOO EASY!)


More news!!! Our buddy Clive and his Not-so-Little-Man are BACK!!! YIPEE!!!!

Hurry over there and read their latest post. If you read the comments from Clive's farewell post, then you know that many of us mentioned the impact that our Irish Dynamic Duo have had on our lives, as well as making us so much more aware of the importance of service dogs and how they can make life so much better for kids like NSLM with autism.

HOWEVER...

Clive also mentioned how the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (Clive's home office, so to speak) is having a tough time with fundraising this year. Approximately 85% of its income comes from fund raising and voluntary donations. Be sure to visit Clive's blog and send an email to their Government Ministers. IT'S FAST AND EASY!

So here's my BIG IDEA that involves MATH!

The holidays will be here soon and I know many of you send cards and presents to other dog blog pals. Well, here in the US, it costs 44¢ to mail a card domestically and at least 75¢ to mail a card internationally. And that doesn't even include the cost of the cards themselves!

So let's say you're sending 30 cards domestically and another 20 internationally - that's $28.20 just for postage. (Or 17.19 British pounds) We can sponsor a guide dog puppy for 250 pounds a year! So what we'd spend on postage could care for a pup -- like baby Clive -- for over three weeks!!! You won't even have the Christmas cards around that long but the puppy will be around for a whole lifetime.

That's what I'm going to do. I'll post a lively Christmas/Holiday greeting on my blog and send the money I'd spend instead to Irish Guide Dogs. Who doesn't want to find a puppy in Santa's bag?

Anybloggie care to join me??? (wouldn't it be great if the DWB doggies could sponsor a whole litter of pups for a year???)

23 comments:

Martha said...

Hi Clive, good luck with the decorating. Our house is also too full of stuff we really dont need.
Great idea with the sponsor idea - we do already sponsor a guide dog in the UK.
It runs for twenty months as opposed to a year and we have also bought sponsorship as gifts.
We agree this is a much better use of money than lots of cards.
love
Martha & Bailey xxx

bbes tribe said...

What a great idea about not sending cards and using the stamp money to donate to Guide Dogs. Your home will really look spiffy when all the painting is done. The color sounds very nice.
Wags
Ernie & Sasha

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

We love the line about exchanging paint fumes for bus fumes! It sounds like Mica has figured out how to make it through in best form!

We are also delighted that Clive is back, and we are awaiting tomorrow's post because we do intend to make a contribution.

the magic sleigh said...

Wooos Petey! I love the dog sponsor idea, who needs cards this year when we can help a dog and a human too! I think I am going to run with your idea to Mom now!
-Kira The BeaWootiful

Asta said...

Petey

I can attest to the fact that youw Mom has a lot of wondewful books, and stuff squeezed in to youw bootiful apawtement, so I can imagine how "cozy"the bedwoom is wif evewything and evewyone in thewe, hehehehe
It's going to look spectacoolaw
Petey, Ithink youw idea is bwilliant!
I'm going to join you in this wowfwhile Chwistmuss gift.
huwwah fo wyou
smoochie kisses
ASTA

Eric said...

Ay yezzz. I can zee it now.Through the buz fumez. The new paint colouz will complement you and Mica'z furz perfectly. Momma might need to have ze Blue Rinzez.

Now Momma will be needing me to come and rearrange ze rooms after zee painter has finished non ? Remember I have tried my pawz at ze interior decorating . Za. Za I have. Tell Momma 1 zandwich every thirty minutez will be my charge.

Wiry loez and kizzes. Eric xxxx

Clive said...

Hi Petey

Thank you so much for the great comments and more importantly your great idea! You really are the best!

That is a wonderful thing to do and very much appreciated.

We took part in a newspaper appeal on Sunday - article has got copyright on it but trying to get it freed to upload on our post tomorrow.

Thank you so much again for always helping to highlight and help Irish Guide Dogs and the Assistance Dogs Programme!

lots of love
Clive and the not-so-little man!

Clive said...

Hi Petey

Thank you so much for the great comments and more importantly your great idea! You really are the best!

That is a wonderful thing to do and very much appreciated.

We took part in a newspaper appeal on Sunday - article has got copyright on it but trying to get it freed to upload on our post tomorrow.

Thank you so much again for always helping to highlight and help Irish Guide Dogs and the Assistance Dogs Programme!

lots of love
Clive and the not-so-little man!

Sally Ann and Andy said...

I'm sorry your home is upset for now. When it is all done, it will be great. What a good idea for the doggie fund raising. I saw your clone on Halloween wearing a hot dog costume.
Sally Ann

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Why does everything always have to look worse before it looks better - too bad about all that turmoil in your apartment. But we do love that color on the walls - very cool and refreshing.

That is an awesome idea about the donation. We will talk to Mom about finding some more money to share.

Woos, the OP Pack

Dexter said...

Those constructions projects can be most annoying. Especially when they happen in your space! Try not to breath the fumes or get yourself painted over.

Slobbers,
Mango

Gus said...

We think the sponsorship is a great idea. We were planning to go heavely e-card anyway. Is it OK if we just sponsor a fox terrier or a golden? Hope so.

gussie

TwoSpecialWires said...

Aw, come on. It was a good dream (and I'm not so sure it was even a dream) and, besides, it made me happy. I'm not gonna defend it. It was nice. Period.

About sponsorship ... we like the idea a lot. Thanks for bringing it up to your "readership." You know we are always good for supporting furries and fuzzies.

And about your colors. We can tell it's gonna look pawsitively wonderful. Was the color selection based on your doggie designs? Seems important that the upholstery on your bed is complimented by the walls. Yes?

Wirey woofs (of wisdom)
Jake (of Two Special Wires) and Fergi

PS. Thanks for the pawband. Color me blue.

Ziggy Stardust said...

Petey, I hope the disruption is over soon, we just had our kitchen painted and it was a nightmare for me. I think that is a wonderful idea about guide dogs. I love Clive and was dancing when he returned.

licks and sniffs, Sasha

p.s. knickknackery is Mommies favorite new word.

Lorenza said...

Hi, Petey!
Sure you, Mica and your mom are having an interesting time at your home right now!
My mom used to pain our house every 2 years and she has not done it since I came to live with her. She thinks it would be streessful for me!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Mom says the kholours sound nice!


As fur the khard/postage/math exercise, my post on 10/25 touched on the same thing - I shared that I wouldn't be doing khards bekhause it was money that khould better be spent/sent elsewhere -

I applaud woo furry HEARTily!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

What a great idea for all of us to sponsor a guide dog. Maybe we can all get together and 'just do it'.

Good luck with the painting - our Mom has been doing a little painting herself, but she's messy and slow.

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

Clive said...

Oops Petey, see we posted our comment twice by mistake yesterday!! Sorry!

Thank you for the update on your post today - we are really delighted with the response. All these emails going into Government Buildings here must have some effect!

Our pal Lisadom from the Irish Autism Action blog left you a comment on our comments list yesterday! Don't know if you saw it? She was interested in doing something on Twitter with you (if you are on Twitter).

Thanks again for all your help in helping to raise awareness of Assistance Dogs and the funding difficulties.

take care
Clive and Murray

Hamish Westie said...

Hi Petey
I do like the look of that nice warm hoodie. Why do our humans insist on us having new hairdos at this time of year. Can you believe that the very night after my trim yesterday, we had our first frost of the season?
Cheers, H.
PS Petey, do be careful around the paint. I have found out that humans don't appreciate it when we try to assist in the decorating process....

Molly the Airedale said...

Your home is going to look just beautiful with a fresh coat of paint, Petey! We love the color choices and can't wait to see it all finished!
The sponsorship idea is a great one!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Martha said...

Hi Petey, we just came back our walk early as fireworks were going off!!!
We met the postman but sadly no parcel.
He was saying that mail is still being delivered but slower!
It is not a complete all out strike - they have had a couple of days here and there.
We will let you know the minute it arrives - we have never had a parcel so very excited!!!!
We were kinda hoping you might be inside the parcel but after all this time we guess you might be dehydrated!!!!
We wouldn't want you sailing over at this time of year - the sea gets a little rough!!!!
love
from your shaking aunties off to find the Bach Rescue Remedy!!!!Bet a wee dram would do the trick!

Arran, Arthur and Mum said...

That is what my room looks like. Mum tries to say it is hers but since i sleep there it gotta be mine.

What a good idea to help sponsor a guide dog, but it always nice to get and give cards. Maybe we can do both?
~lickies, Ludo

Sunny,Scooter, (sometimes Jamie) said...

Good idea Petey! Mom says the green papers (she calls it money) are scarce this year. So we didn't sign up for the card exchange. Even though last year all the cards she got brought her so much joy.(My mom keeps everything. she still has them all bol)
We love your idea of giving to an organization like eyes for the blind. And since Mom trains her own service dogs, first me, Sunny, and now new pup will learn over the next 2 years to become her 2nd service dog, she knows how expensive it is for these organizations to raise and train them. Good idea there Petey!
Hugs
Sunny,Scooter&Pup(who will have a name soon) and Jamie