This old house

We bought a new ceiling fan for our dining room today. It's to replace the 1980's-tastic chandelier that's currently in there and add some air flow. This is also part of the larger project of updating our dining room. We've had contractors in our house the last few weeks installing new cabinets in the dining room for storage. It wasn't a cheap project to add hardwood custom cabinets and quartz countertops, but I'm hoping this will last us for a very long time. Of course, while the contractors are in the house I keep thinking of other things I want to do once they're done in the dining room. But it was hard enough coming up with the case for the cabinets, so I'm not sure when any of these other things would get done.

I want the shelves in our downstairs bathroom ripped out and replaced with an attractive linen closet. The previous owner had his washing machine in that bathroom (and the dryer on the porch!) so the configuration is a bit odd. Since the light switch is actually inside these 3' deep shelves, no adult knows how to turn on the lights and no child can reach the light. To remove the bizarre shelves we'll end up with a bare spot of floor so we'll need to replace the vinyl in there. And then while we're at it we should upgrade the tiny sink to one a little taller. And then it would be nice to have a matching mirror and lights. And next thing you know there's $5000 gone when we could just put a post-it note on the door explaining where the light switch is.

I want a second story on our detached two-car garage. We're short on storage space despite all our square footage and that second floor could make a great climate controlled storage unit. It would also make for a bitchin' guest house if we put heat, A/C and plumbing out there. And one day our son will need to move home for a short time or at least visit for Christmas and it's a place for him to stay. And if we add a small elevator, my parents could stay there too. Look at me, I'm building an assisted living facility in my back yard! The loading dock will be on the west side of the house.

And while we're revamping the garage and running plumbing out there, I'd like to dig a well for my garden in the back 40. That way I'm not running a hose for city water all that ways and my tomatoes will actually get water. And we've already talked about how I'm going to have corn and a myriad of other veggies out there.

Ooh, and I want chickens! Rich really hates this idea, but I'd love to have my own chicken coop and a few hens. I just need to make it raccoon proof (or as best as I can). Perhaps motion sensitive lights. Our chickens can have ADT too!

Since we'll be raising our own eggs, I'll need a better kitchen to create master recipes in. So we'll have to remove the chimney that runs through the center of the house all the way up through the kitchen, upstairs bath and attic. Of course our kitchen renovation would involve all three levels of the house. I want heated floors in the kitchen since there's no radiator in there. And I want new countertops. I don't actually want much in there other than some better storage and the 15" square chimney removed from the corner of the room. Simple, really.

Oh, speaking of simple, we need someone to come pour us a concrete driveway. Actually, we need a sugar daddy to afford concrete for us since it's a million dollars. I want it double-wide all the way from the street to the fence (100') so it meets up with the laundry room entrance and has a little sidewalk over to the front door. And while we're paving things, I want an asphalt track that runs around our back yard for roller skating and go-cart racing.

Some of these may get done and some will never in a million years ever happen. But for now, we bought a ceiling fan.

Living Out Loud volume 27: Blue sky

First congratulations to Ben on his new job as Senior Editor. We're all very excited for you! I was chatting with his wife Megan the other day about how this new position is a great opportunity for him. In addition to health benefits for him and his family, he is able to stretch his legs in the editing studio again versus being that proverbial manager with a clipboard.

Megan lamented it had been so long since he'd blue skied and that he was so good at it, it was a shame. I replied "yeah" sympathetically and immediately started googling "blue sky". I figured this was some video editing suite I'd never heard of. After a few dead ends I gave in and asked her what the hell she was talking about.

Blue sky (as a verb), according to Megan is "to float big ideas around, like brainstorming with no limits." It's "thinking an idea that's not subject to limits" or "to play suppose." But she followed quickly that this is very much Ben's thing, not hers. It's his term and his talent.

This sounded like fun! I haven't done much blue skying in a long time, too busy dealing with the day to day items. Do you blue sky? What are your dreams that have no limits? My parents still talk about what they'll do when they win the lottery. What's the thing you'll do when you stop listening to others telling you it's not possible?

Let's try it out together this month for our Living Out Loud project.

Details include:

• Write something personal about yourself using the previous paragraphs as a guideline. Do not feel that you have to address each prompt above. The spirit of this project is to share something about yourself; I'm just throwing out ideas.

• Once you have completed your entry and posted it, please email me the link at genie [at] inabottle [dot] org. Remember, if you don't email me, I'm likely to forget to include you in the recap!

• If you do not have a blog to host your story, you can email me the story directly and I will add it here as a guest post giving you credit. The more the merrier!

• The due date for entries is Sunday, April 3rd (the first Sunday of the month) at 5pm Eastern.

• Once I have collected all the entries, I will post a wrap-up to list them all and announce a winner. The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card but all participants will receive fame and glory and a link on our Living Out Loud blogroll.

In honor of Ben, let's all blue sky to see how fun it can be!

Recap of Living Out Loud volume 26: Tempting fate

I'm telling you guys, you all rocked it this month! I really enjoyed reading all the entries. So many stories of change meetings and golden opportunities and perfect storms. So let's see what we've got ... Peg's Twists of fate A life time can hinge on the difference 10 minutes can make. Makes me think of the couple on the train where they go backwards from their child being the next president to him switching trains to be on hers.

SuziCate's Doggie friends Love the dog photo! I've always wanted a standard poodle or poodle mix but Rich is not a fan. Maybe we just need one to find some long lost friends.

Erin's Fate on the high seas I may have to quiz you on what cruise life is like. Rich read some Reddit article and now never wants to go on a cruise ever (not that he was a fan before, what with the sharks and all). But I like the idea of all that live entertainment and feathers and fun!

Jen's No answers here Talk about a lot to live up to for your mother. But fascinating all the same. I love when you talk about your parents; they seem like such good folks. And hooray birthday topic! :)

Terry's Semester abroad I remembered the drug trial story but was riveted and grinning through all the rest of it. I love stories of the vagabond years (which could include the present even depending on one's perspective)!

Megan's Audition or destiny? I love Ben's line at the end. It made me grin. And who knows, you may have seen him another time, but it wouldn't be the same. This is your story and it's a good one.

Ruth's The last 0.38% Oof, this just ... oof. Stars aligning and just hoping you get the best you can. Using the choices you to have to their maximum and not beating yourself up over the ones you don't.

Candice's Doggone It Our wonderful dog Sarah was not always so wonderful. I can remember sobbing to my ex-husband saying we can't get rid of her because who would take her?! But over the years she turned into a great dog. While it was rough in the beginning I'd still take her home if I had to do it all over again.

And my own Great things come from shelving

I'm torn on a winner! Ruth's entry just really ... man, the number of ways their encounter could have never happened. And would that have made a difference? It's wonderfully written and haunting.

And Jen's entry ... first, our deadline was on her birthday (Happy Birthday, Jen!) and then to have her very existence be a cornerstone of her mother's faith. I don't consider myself a religious person, so hearing about how others choose that path is fascinating to me.

But I got all wrapped up in Terry's entry! One knows German and the other knows Spanish so that covers ... two countries. How bad can it be? And I learned what an arrondissement is. I've enjoyed being a voyeur on the "ridiculousness" that is his life and am super pleased he wrote all this.

So this month's prize goes to Terry. He will receive our customary $25 Amazon gift certificate. But I do want to note that Jen and Ruth get honorable mentions so they both get a resounding HUZZAH for a job well done.

As always, thank you all for participating, whether it's writing, reading or just pondering what you might write if you had the time. I look forward to our next topic!