Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Milwaukee!

The first stop on our trip out west with Pearl was Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Yup, that's correct - Milwaukee.  I read that Milwaukee is one of the best cities to visit in the United States in 2016 so I thought we would check it out.

It reminds me of Buffalo in many ways - German heritage, river, architecturally interesting buildings, brats, and beer. We arrived late our first night.  We expected to get in early enough to have dinner downtown but we were delayed for two hours just east of Chicago because of a tractor trailer fire on I-90.  What sucks about this is we were about ten cars in.  The fire was on the other side of the thruway but because the fire was quite intense and they had to get emergency crews to the scene, traffic was stopped on both sides.

Jamie used to drive tractor trailers and he is an engineer.  Bad combination when stopped in traffic for two hours wondering what the hell is going on.  We had all sorts of theories and he was explaining all that could have gone wrong ("What probably happened is the something or other just in back of the cab rubbed on something and that caused the fire."  I felt like the dog in the Far Side comic who recognizes only its name in a conversation with its owner.  He thought it was a catalytic converter fire.  Sure.)

It took so long that we counted up the vehicles that arrived to help with this fire.  This is as much as we could count: 2-3 ambulances, 3 copters, hook and ladder truck, police and fire people, 5-6 water tankers/foam trucks, tow truck, Indiana state troopers, 2 flatbed wreckers, a Bobcat skidster (I don't know what that is, but Jamie said it so I wrote it down).

This is after the fire died down a bit.  Smoke was quite intense for a bit. You can see how close we were to freedom.

Three helicopters circled. I assumed they were TV copters - this is just one.  We found no evidence of this incident on any news outlet.

We got the all clear and we are driving by.

Some of the emergency vehicles called into service.

While we were waiting, Pearl and I ate our little package of blueberries.  I opened them for her, handed them to her and then after a few minutes asked if I could have some.  She handed the package up to me (I was in the front seat, she behind me).  I started eating them and she said, "take some for yourself and pass them back. I'm not done yet."  Hey, she is the boss.

Once we were given the green light to drive, we drove by and saw that it was a truck full of Brawny paper towels.  I joked with Jamie that those damn paper towels sucked up enough of the liquid that was sprayed onto that fire!  No wonder it took so long to put out!

We did joke that if I didn't have to stop and go to the bathroom, we would have made it ahead of this accident.  I said that if he didn't forget something at home at the start of the trip, we would have made it past the accident.  We also joked that if we didn't get behind some idiot at McDonald's asking the folks to remake his eggs because he was sure they were from a can and not from actual eggs getting cracked for him, we would have made it past the accident.  But where's the story in that?

[As an aside, when we drove home we took this same route and Jamie said he thought he saw a cross on the side of the road at this mile marker.  He thought the driver might have died. Again, we couldn't find anything about this incident.  If that is the case, our hearts go out to the family.  Not funny.]

We didn't make it to Milwaukee until late and we went straight to bed, for the most part.  As we were checking in, Pearl asked us if we had two rooms or one.  We told her we got one room with two queen beds.  In fact, we tried to do this for the entirety of the trip for a couple of reasons: 1) it's cheaper to get one room, and 2) we didn't feel comfortable thinking that Pearl might wake up in the middle of the night or the morning not sure where she was or what was going on and then panicking.  We weren't sure if the later would happen but we didn't feel right finding out.

When we told her we got one room (didn't tell her the reason), she said, "well, no hanky-panky you two."

Um, Pearl, you can rest assured that having your mother (or mother-in-law) in the next bed is akin to sexual DEET.  You needn't worry about "hanky-panky."

The next morning, Pearl and I went for a walk along Milwaukee's RiverWalk.  Our hotel was just two blocks away so it made for a nice walk.  We were able to take a leisurely stroll along the Milwaukee River and see the downtown area along with some wonderful sculptures as part of a downtown art project - RiverSculpture.  Pearl also got to wrap her arms around The Fonz (he was bronzed).

Pearl and the Fonz

My selfie with the Fonz

Views along the River Walk

Boat going under one of the lift bridges.

Gertie Gets Her Ducks in a Row by Benjamin Rothschild

Cow and Ballerina by Schomer Lichtner

We left Pearl in the hotel room to rest while Jamie and I went out for a walk. I am a tad bothered because I took several others pictures that seem to have disappeared from my camera.    Several of the pictures were taken as we walked through the Milwaukee Historical Society.  They had an exhibit on beer and brewing in Milwaukee - Brew City MKE.  Now, I don't drink beer and could normally care less about beer but it so defines this city that it would be foolish not to take a look.

What an interesting exhibit.  In many ways it reminded me of the tour I did a few years ago in Utica.  Prohibition played a huge role in our history and it's interesting to note that "brewing" still happened during prohibition but in a very different way.  Non-alcoholic beverages were brewed as were "kits" that were given explicit directions that you should not add 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar, stir and then heat (I don't remember the exact directions but it essentially told you how to make alcohol by warning you against it - very clever).  And then once prohibition was repealed, beer was available in no time flat even though it takes quite some time to brew beer.

We also found our way to the German corner (hell, the whole city is German corner and we were okay with that).  There was a restaurant we want to try when we return - we didn't think Pearl would like it - full of German sausages and other delicacies and dishes.  My mouth is watering thinking about it.  We did find a wonderful sausage/deli market and a cheese shop.  Of course we purchased something in each store.  The woman in the sausage store - Usinger's -  apologized that the jerky/sausage we bought was expensive "because everything is hand-made."  Funny, we didn't find it pricey and thought that if this was expensive, we are living the high life!  (It is Miller country.)

At the Wisconsin Cheese Mart we got some curds and some other cheeses to eat on the way as well as a little souvenir cheddar for Pearl - the cheddar cow pictured below.

Love this little cheese cow!  Peel the wax and eat the cheddar. I can't seem to do it, though.

Thankfully, both shops ship so we can always order more.

We left Milwaukee vowing to return.  We were only able to see the city in about four hours which is not enough time and did not do it justice.  I think the RiverWalk was an excellent experience and would welcome staying in the area again when we return.  And you can get here in one day - a pretty long day - but one day.  If anyone would like to share experiences of Milwaukee, please do.

Where's Pearl?

I do plan to talk about the individual places we visited as noted below:

• Milwaukee (my new favorite city, great small city)
• Corn Palace (the world's only corn palace)
• Badlands, SD (one of my new favorite National Parks)
• Mt. Rushmore and Black Hills, SD (hotter than....well, it was hot)
• Montana (Glacier National Park, Nevada and Virginia cities - all fabulous)
• Yellowstone National Park (too crowded for me)
• Grand Teton National Park (just stunning)

I thought it might be nice to highlight some of the pictures of Pearl.  When we dropped her off at home this past Saturday she said, "I loved every minute of this trip. Where are we going next?"  This trip was very much about her and we were happy to have spent this time with her.  Some of her highlights.....

Pearl with the Fonz in Milwaukee on the River Walk path.

Pearl with 'Corn'elia at the world's only Corn Palace in South Dakota.

Need more be said? In South Dakota

You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, when you play cards with Poker Alice.
At Wall Drugs in SD.

At the New York State column at Mt. Rushmore.

Pearl and Jamie in Glacier National Park.

Nevada City just before we boarded the train.

We tried to take a selfie with mom as we sat on the train between Nevada and Virginia cities, MT.
We told her she had to step it up.  This face wasn't going to cut it.

So she did.

In Yellowstone National Park overlooking the canyon.

In Yellowstone National Park overlooking Mammoth Hot Springs.

Rubbing the "beard" of a moose in Grand Teton National Park.

Pearl is normally camera shy.  She never poses for pictures.  I was lucky to have these shots to commemorate the trip.  Also, she was quite bossy ordering me to "take a picture of this," "take a picture of that, Pauline."  I was happy to oblige.

Happy Father's Day

[This will be the first in a series of posts about our recent trip out west with my husband, mother and me.  Pearl (mom) has always wanted to go to Montana because she'd heard "it's beautiful out there," so we thought we better get her out there.]

I don't often write on Father's Day since my father has been dead a number of years.  It seems odd to bring it up even though I certainly do think of him on Father's Day and many other days during the year.

My husband and I took my mother out west the past two weeks for a grand adventure.  What most folks don't know, however, is that before my father died the two of us were planning a road trip out west.  He had mentioned to me that when he was younger, his family had driven out to California to visit his aunt who was living in Long Beach at the time.  He talked about having visited Mount Rushmore among other sites.  I told him I thought it would be awesome if we did something like that.

My dad was never one to take more than a few days off at a time - if at all.  Workaholic sums him up. I asked if he would be willing to take more time off so that we might make this trip even more memorable.  He said, "yes."

That would have been just before I went to college at St. Bonaventure University.  Plans discussed the summer after I graduated from high school. The plan was to take the trip during one of my summers from college.  My brother would still be in high school or would have just graduated, depending on timing, and my sister would be in middle/high school.

Death has a way of foiling your plans.

The trip never happened.  He died December of my sophomore year at Bonas.  Taking a trip like this was out of the question at the time.  The idea was abandoned.

Cut to nearly 30 years later and here we are in a truck heading across the country to Montana including Mount Rushmore and other points of interest.  We were listening to the car radio in South Dakota and what did I hear but a commercial for John Hoffman electrical. It freaked me out a tad because John Hoffman(n) is my dad's name.  Yes, John is a common enough name.  Hoffman is also.  My dad wasn't an electrician by trade but he did work on electronics while in the US Air Force.  It was enough of an odd coincidence to give me chills and make me pause.

I am one to look for signs and I saw this as a sign that he was watching over us on this trip.  I mentioned it to no one in the car.  Pearl would have likely laughed it off; Jamie would have thought I was nuts, as usual.

It made me feel as though he was along for the ride we never got to take 30 years ago.  This trip was for my mom, but a part of it was for him, too.

Dad, thanks for everything you've given me, my ambition, drive, curiosity, intelligence, sense of wonder and awe, family, sense of humor, and life (to name far too few).  I'm glad you were able to join us if only in spirit.

Weekend Update

I know it's Wednesday and everyone is looking forward to this weekend but I want to comment on last weekend.

I participated in the WNY Fiber Arts Festival at Emery Park in Wales, NY.  I've sold my products, Wild Mountain Organics, for several years at this show.  It is one day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and it is usually a glorious day.  This past Saturday was no exception.  Temperatures were in the 70s and it was nice and sunny.  A great start to autumn.

I don't spin, weave, knit, or crochet but I do love to look at the wools and other crafty fiber materials that folks use to make wonderful creations.  I also love to look at the animals.  Last year I was situated next to the llamas.  They hum, did you know that?  And it's quite hypnotic.  My job is stressful much of the time and it's nice to do low key shows like this to relax as much as to have conversations with customers.  The humming nearly put me to sleep last year in a good way.

This year it was nice to have a steady crowd with an interest in the products and great questions.  I also met some folks I might end up collaborating with in the future so stay tuned.

There was a llama (or an alpaca - I'm not savvy enough to tell them apart, physically) pulling a little cart. I want a llama and a cart!  I have heard that llamas are incredibly intelligent and incredibly loyal. [They can also be quite mean if they need to be and will defend the homestead against intruders like coyotes, fox, bad people.]  I figure I can go out on the town and get completely wasted and have the llama cart my happy ass home.  They will know the way.  Is it DWI if your llama is sober but the rider is not?  I will have to check on that one.

This next comment has nothing to do with llamas or fiber.  I was looking at the Kohl's ad this past Sunday and noticed this picture.  I love dogs.  You don't often see them in ads for baby onesies and shirts, but here we are.  I am not familiar with babies and all things babies.  Is the Carter's mascot a bulldog?  I do not know.  What struck me was the dog and the little dude next to him.  Tell me they don't have the same expression on their faces?  It reads:  "Hey, where's my kibble?"  or "Hey, where's my pureed peaches?"  Just an observation.

Rural Sunday....What to do? Take Five

I had dinner with a friend of mine the other day. She is decidedly urban and I am decidedly rural.  Now, I can be urban if I want to, but why?  There is so much to be said of rural living.

Today is Sunday and my husband and I decided to go to a couple of "events" happening in our neck of the woods.  There is always so much to do in the Western New York area that if you get bored, it's your own damn fault.  I wonder, are these activities you engage in?  Five things we did today.

Fly in, Drive Up pancake breakfast at the Olean Airport.  I don't think this airport is international, but it could be, I guess.  Small planes only - and helicopters.  I love pancake breakfasts for a couple of reasons.  First of all, breakfast.  What's not to like about pancakes, eggs, sausage, real maple syrup, yum?  Also, pancake breakfasts benefit a charity, in this case the Olean Airport.  I am more than happy to support local organizations.  There is also something just damn cool about watching people fly in in their little planes (I am sure they would be insulted by me calling them "little planes") and then take off.  You can get so close.

They also offered helicopter rides.  The airport is located at the top of one of the mountains in our Enchanted Mountain range.  I said that if get really into training, I will ride my bike up the hill to get to the airport.  I might need a lift down although down is the best part.  My husband said that the helicopter ride might not be the best for me since I am terrified of heights.  Here's what doesn't make sense - I can fly without a problem.  For some reason when I get so high, everything looks like the Land of Make-Believe from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and then it becomes unreal to me.  So it doesn't bother me that I am hundreds or thousands of feet in the air with nothing below me.  But a bridge or a cliff?  Forget it!

Cuba Garlic Festival.  I love food festivals (is there a theme here?).  We have plenty of food festivals in the area dedicated to particular foods.  Franklinville has the Maple Festival, Eden the Corn Festival, the Peach Festival up north, I am sure I am missing a food.  I think all foods should have a festival.  I think we should start the melon festival.  Of course we will need to be careful how we sell that one!  Come see melons.  Big, juicy melons.

I digress.

The Cuba Garlic Festival had plenty of garlic and other vendors.  It was also a tad overpriced for my liking.  $7 to get in seemed a tad steep.  It wasn't that large a show.  Other than that, we didn't eat any of the food because we went just after the pancake breakfast so we were full.  Unfortunate since there seemed to be many food vendors with all kinds of goodies.  Perhaps then I wouldn't complain about the $7 entrance fee.  We did get a couple of different kinds of garlic.  Every meal should have garlic.  It should be the law.

Cuba Cheese Shop.  This is worth a trip by itself.  Why?  Cheese.  All kinds of cheese.  We are currently in love with the grilling cheese.  Halloumi cheese is perfect for grilling.  How come it doesn't melt and ooze all over?  Who cares!  Just eat it.  Some things don't need an explanation.  (There is an explanation but it doesn't matter to me - it's just delicious.)  Spread it with some jalapeno jam and you are all set.  The Cheese Shop has all sorts of other cheeses as you can imagine. It's worth a trip but the garlic festival gave us our excuse.

Drive through the countryside.  It isn't peak leaf-peeping season yet but it is still amazing country down here in the southern tier.  We could drive all day and never be bored or never get tired.  In addition to the views, we also like to look at houses, barns, land, landscaping, etc.  We are interested in paint colors and landscaping ideas.  We area also in love with old homes.  Cuba is perfect for old home viewing.  Such a beautiful town.  Franklinville is also full of old homes with character and charm.  In fact, I challenge you to find an old town in the southern tier that is not charming.

Tractor Supply Store.  This is my favorite damn store ever!  I have more fun in this store.  They sell pink and purple Carharts. I just think that's a hoot.  We get all sorts of things for the farm here. Today we needed dog food and a leash for Maggie.  See, we don't think just of us when we eat.  We also feed our dogs.  They are thankful.

Next week I will be selling Wild Mountain Organics at the WNY Fiber Arts Festival.  Please join me on Saturday at Emery Park in Wales.  I will be near the alpacas and llamas, I hope.

Can You Unplug? Why, yes I can!

I have had several discussions recently about unplugging.  People question whether or not it is possible to unplug from electronics, emails, text, etc. for any period of time.  My husband and I took a week off in July to go to Port Austin, Michigan (our second trip there).  We rented a rustic cottage right on Lake Huron and unplugged.  The only people I texted were the two wonderful Lee's who were watching our dogs.  Otherwise, you could wait until we returned.  I don't think I even posted to Facebook, but I could be wrong.

I essentially spent the week reading, eating, swimming, kayaking, picking my bottom.  It was sublime!  The Take Five Vacation list:

1. Relaxation is bliss.  Sometimes you just have to sit back and read or drink wine or stare at the water and the wildlife.  Selfies required.  BTW, orange is my favorite color so when I found this awesome beach towel, I had to have it.  And this suit is so old it's ridiculous.  White fish on the orange tankini. Yes, please.  I can't part with it.

2. Water, water everywhere....and that's how I like it.  There is nothing more restful than water.  I could sit by the water all day for the rest of my life and never be bored. I have views from our "front porch." The sunset and Jamie in his kayak.  I had just finished swimming was sitting in the deck chair while he kept kayaking looking for fish.  Ah, the simple life.

3. Wildlife is your friend. Okay, so I have birds, but there were other animals present.  The first picture is a bald eagle.  Jamie stared at it for an inordinate amount of time while I kayaked about.  It's a tad hard to see, but trust us, it was worth watching.  Truly majestic when it took off.

The area in which we stay is quite shallow so you need to be careful when you are in the water not to run your kayak up on a huge hidden boulder.  Birds tend to flock to these locations and don't seem to mind kayakers coming up on them.

4. Find an activity you love and it won't be a workout. That's what "they" say.  It's true.  I could swim and kayak all day.  Both are excellent fitness activities.  I never really notice that it's a fitness activity until the next day when I'm sore.  Honestly, does this look like the face of someone who is engaged in a fitness activity?

5. Where will we retire?  Can it be next week?  There was a house not far from our cottage that I fell in love with.  It looked like a very old home, not the usual modern lake houses you see.  This is the view from the water.  It didn't look inhabited.  I said we would need to look into that.

Lighthouses have captivated me for years.  I am not sure if it's the mystery and the intrigue or what.  We were next to Lighthouse Park and it was nice to see the lighthouse when we were kayaking and swimming.  The park itself is very nice and offers trails to walk.

 It is possible to unplug.  We left feeling completing rejuvenated.  I was able to return to work with renewed vigor.  We already talked about returning the next year.  One week away from everyone and everything is doable and recommended by me.

Cycle The Erie Canal

I haven't posted my Take Five in a few weeks.  Things have been a tad hectic at work and I've been traveling quite extensively.  I have a week or so off before I leave town again.

I was reminded of an amazing trip I took last year - Cycle the Erie Canal trail.  You start in Buffalo and end in Albany and average about 50 or so miles per day.  Most of the cycling is on the Erie Canal Trail but some is on roads because the trail is not complete across the state.  This is the largest fundraiser of the year for Parks and Trails New York.  It is also intended to serve as an awareness campaign of the trail itself.  Many places, as I mentioned, are incomplete or are in bad shape.  I would love to see a completed trail and would do the trip again in a second.

The 2015 event kicked off yesterday.  The cyclists would have started this morning from Medina, New York on their way to the next stop in Pittsford, New York.

I want to note my five favorite memories and photos from last year.  Amy Moritz, Bona alumna,  Buffalo News sports writer, blogger (amymoritz.com - byline to the finish line), former wellness coach, and friend enjoyed the trip with me.  She wrote an excellent piece for The Buffalo News Refresh section this past Saturday.  We are also planning something for summer 2016 so stay tuned for that!

The one and only time I have been hosed down
On our third day it was pouring rain at the start of the day.  Pouring rain.  We had to cycle anyway because you have to get to the next point.  Unless there is a thunderstorm, you suffer through.  At first I was pissed that we had to struggle in the rain.  Then I embraced it.  It became my favorite day of the ride.  You got to see the canal and the canal trail in a very different way.  You had to figure out how to maneuver through mud and yuck on the trail.  I wore a white rain jacket as you can see below.  It was sparkling clean throughout.  Someone asked me how it stayed so clean when the rest of me didn't?  I have no damn idea.

At one of our rest stops a gentleman was manning a hose to wash some of the dirt off of our bikes to ungunk our gears and chain, etc.  He looked at me and asked me if I wanted him to hose me off.  To be fair, he asked everyone so I wasn't special.  Um, yes, please.

Bona"Tent"ure
Each night we camped and each morning we packed up.  I dubbed our "tent city," BonaTenture because Amy and I are both Bona alumnae.  Comfy Campers is a God-send.  We paid extra for someone else to set up our tent each day and take it down each morning.  Brilliant business model.  After a day of cycling and sightseeing, the last thing we wanted to do was set up a tent.  It came with air mattresses, which they inflated and deflated each day, and coffee each morning.  Cheers!

We also met a couple of other Bona alumnae.  We aren't the only two who are crazy!  And it shows the Power of a Bonnie.  We are everywhere.  We run the world.

New York State is incredibly beautiful
Everywhere you turned (literally) you could see idyllic settings.  Barns and farms, fields of crops, former locks now overgrown with greenery, the trail itself, the smooth as glass water.  All are worth the trip.  All photos taken from the Erie Canal trail.

Sense of Humor and History
One of the highlights of the trip was a stop in Seneca Falls.  I was brought to tears as we toured the Women's History Museum.  To think about the battles our ancestors fought to ensure we have the liberties and freedoms we have is moving.  The fight is far from over, but the trip reminded us that we have come a long way and we have what is required to continue the fight.

With Amy Moritz at the Women's History Museum.

The Erie Canal is teeming with history.  While some visits were serious as above, some were tongue-in-cheek.  The picture below is at the Canal Museum in Syracuse.  I thought I would see what this guy is looking at.  It's the museum itself.

The Finish

I was exhausted by the end but also exhilarated.  I biked across New York State.  That's pretty damn good!  And I'd do it again.

Gnocchi and Mushrooms

I purchased some mushrooms last weekend thinking I would use them with a steak we grilled but we did not.

I didn't want them to go to waste so I thought I would whip something up. I had some gnocchi also and Googled recipes to include both.  I then combined several recipes to call my own to great fanfare.  The fanfare was mine, my husband wasn't as excited.  That means that I have some leftovers that will become lunch today.

How I did it:
1 package gnocchi (I use the vacuum-packed fresh gnocchi not dried - in the future I will make my own)
2 containers of mushrooms - your choice. I used shiitake and portobello
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
olive oil
Meyer lemon olive oil (I got a small sample of this in a gift basket I recently received.  I think you could use lemon juice.)
1 T butter
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
White wine
Chicken broth
2 T tomato paste
1 T parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Boil the gnocchi according to package directions.

Heat olive oil in a large pan - I used about 4 T.  Slice garlic and shallot and add to pan.  Cook until fragrant and soft.  Add 1 T Meyer lemon olive oil.  Add the mushrooms and cook until soft.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Add basil and oregano and stir until blended.  Add white wine and chicken broth, stir to blend and cook about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir until blended.
Drain gnocchi and add to the pan.  Stir to coat.  Add cheese and parsley and stir until blended.

Mangia!

Take Five - Five Exercises you need to do to Farm

This Take Five is two days late.  Why?  I was gardening on Sunday and that is some hard work!  My back hurt, my ass hurt, my arms hurt, my legs hurt.

Now you can attribute that to the fact that I am grossly out of shape, old and fat, or it could be because I didn't "train" appropriately.

Five exercises you must do in order to garden with out pain (keep in mind that I've not tried this but my Spidey senses tell me it is true).

One: Squats.  You are squatting down to pull weeds or squatting down to plant seeds, or plants.  Squats are necessary for your legs and butt.

Two: Push-ups.  This may seem odd, but if you think about raking and hoeing, the push-up action makes sense.

Three: Squat Thrusts (I think they are called Burpees now.  We called them Squat Thrusts in the day.).  In addition to squats, these are the next step in digging, weeding, planting.

Four: Bicep curls. This works for lifting soil, mulch, compost, water buckets, heavy plants (not sure what plant is so heavy it would require bicep curls, but a flat of plants might).

Five: Corpse Pose.  There is nothing better than finishing your yard work, taking a shower and laying on your back.  This can be on the grass, on the floor, on the bed, in a hammock.  You choose.

Looky Loo

Well, the upstairs loo is nearly complete.  I am not bothered that we don't have trim around the window or floorboards.  We have a toilet, shower, sink, shelves.

It took nearly 11 months.

I thought, we could have had a baby in that time (we won't ever).  What else could have given birth, you ask?  A quick Google search yields:

• dolphin
• horse
• premature giraffe, black rhino, walrus
• llama
• whale
• zebra

All of the above animals could have spawned young in the time it took to redo our bathroom.

That said, I am so excited at how it turned out!  Below please find before and after shots of the eleven month loo.

Before:

Full frontal.  This is what the bathroom looked like when we moved in.
Carpet, toilet straight on, sink to the left, tub surround to the left.

Closer picture of the tub surround and toilet.

Sink in its own little nook.  Notice how wonderful the wallpaper is.
We had a fight over keeping it or not. Puleeze.
Dangle ball lights scream "contemporary."

 After.  Brace yourself, it's quite a difference.

New loo straight on.  Notice that the shower is now against the back wall (no tub).
The toilet is to the left.  The sink is to the left in the same spot as the old one.
No carpeting, no wallpaper.
Notice to the right the doors to the built in drawer/shelf.

With the shower curtain open so that you may see our tile work. White subway tile with a line of brownish glass along the top third.

We put a shampoo nook in the shower backed by the brownish glass tile we used.

No hanging ball lights. Replaced vanity. Added a nice mirror.

Changed the wall color to add a splash.

My brother and master carpenter made this built in shelf with drawers. 

When we removed the wallpaper and as we got down to the original plaster walls, we found this wallpaper.
It was too cool to abandon so I saved a piece and had it framed.  Pretty fragile stuff.

Side-by-side of the before and after for effect:

Certainly, the loo didn't come together without some problems that still need attention.  For example, Jamie hooked the toilet up to the hot water rather than the cold water.  He needs to go to the basement to fix that.  In the meantime, going to the loo at 3 am is nice.  When you lean back, the toilet is warm.

When we were painting the walls, Jamie said to me, "You're lucky I let you paint these wild colors."  My reply, "Aren't you cute thinking you have a choice."

I have wanted a floor with those little white and black tiles forever.  I think they look awesome in a bathroom and I'm right.  They look fabulous in this room.  It took some time to convince Jamie but he came around.  He agreed.  They were actually easier to install than either of us expected.

Jamie did the bulk of the work on the front end.  I helped gut the room but he had to do the plumbing and electrical (with friends who are experts including a licensed electrician), flooring, and walls.  I became the tile master.  I could wield a trowel to spread the mastic like nobody's business.  I was very level-headed making sure everything was uniform.  (That was supposed to be funny because I manned a level when installing the tiles.)

The two of us designed the loo.  Jamie is an engineer and I am a pain-in-the-ass.  My mantra for him, "less thinking, more doing."  Let's get a move on and get the shit done.  Eleven months, man, for a small loo.

Oddly, we didn't fight when we were in this little space working together.  We knew what we needed and wanted to accomplish and did just that.  I am so happy and proud of us.

Vanity, subway tile, brownish tile (discontinued), floor tile, toilet, ceramic tub base all from Lowes. Paint color: Valspar La Fonda Teal.

We have used quite a few of the La Fonda colors offered by Valspar.  For whatever reason, we gravitate to them.  One of these days we will have to visit this house as the colors are based on an historic house in Santa Fe, NM. And it's alleged to be haunted.