I have an idea ...

for an advertising campaign for Lowe's.

It has to include the fact that you only need to spend $20 (less than lunch these days)

to spend an entire day working beside your loved one.

Just think of the possibilities!

Mission accomplished today ... after that $20 trip to Lowe's.

When we moved into our home there was a large coat closet (seems much smaller now) between the entry and the kitchen.

Coats? Why on earth would you keep coats upstairs when you have a mudroom?

Now, I know. My current coat closet is the railing above the stairs.

We had a greater need for a place to put computers. The living area here is not very big ... and we are sort of connected computer junkies.

Keeping the devices, printers and all the assorted cords in the living room was out of the picture.

We revamped that coat closet and it has gotten progressively worse looking.

It doesn't matter what I say, eating utensils always show up there.

You get the idea.

This was the before ... and I just recently cleaned it.

Computer hard drives sitting on the floor.

So many cords that you'd trip over them if you could.

I'm off today so we headed to Lowe's, spent our $20 and then came home to work.

2 computers, 2 printers, modems, cable boxes and 13 million cords out of the room.

Carpet out. Holes doctored.

Then on to paint. Don't you just love the paint tray?!

Gotta love the extras from the hospital.

Paint went on ....

cabinet went up, all cords were stowed in the cabinet and wound securely.

Both computer boxes went up on the shelf leaving nothing on the floor except for

8 chair legs.

Flooring went in. It still needs some baseboard, but the carpet is now history!

Several things that we are reserving for a later date.

One is to add a white shelf on the right side wall for books, labels, paper, etc.

Another is to replace the shelf that the printers sit on. I would love white to brighten up the room a bit. If not, that's okay too.

Hooks. Somehow, someway, hopefully kind of cute and catchy.

Something to hang headphones, webcams and other hangy kinds of things.

  

Lastly ... my favorite.

We used a piece of plywood for a "desk top" since we started using this computer nook. The kids have written and drawn all over it. It has oodles of character. Has family names, phone numbers, messages ... everything.

I hit it lightly with a sander and then lightly stained it to darken up the edges to match the part where we've all rested wrists or elbows for the past several years.

Then I put one coat of polyurethane on it. It really needs several more coats.

Not today. Maybe I'll be able to move things and do one half at a time on different nites. In all likelihood, it will stay the way it looks right now.

And that folks ... was my Tuesday.

I did take some pictures outside as I walked around picking up rakes and trash ...

in my sweatshirt.

It is just wrong, this 40 to 45F temperature we're having.

The snow is melting much too fast.

It is, however, conducive to things like spring cleaning.

I remember having the same fervor last winter.

Hurry up and clean it quick.

Soon winter will be here again ... and we can nest in comfort.