Thing Two has discovered the joys of playing with toy wooden railroads. It was only a matter of time before Thing Two would join in the fun, as all of his cousins on one side of the family are toy train devotees. Recently when one cousin was told he would soon be visiting his Seattle relatives, he asked: “Do they have trains?”

Thing Two likes to play with wooden puzzles, and I think the connecting rail pieces are like a big puzzle to him. He seems to have more fun laying out the track than actually running the trains on it. He may have had a little help from Mommy with this layout. A few design suggestions here and there, perhaps.

While sitting on the floor with Thing Two, I happened to look up at the window. The view of the back yard from an adult’s height is pretty standard: fences, houses, parked cars; the usual city neighborhood stuff. But from Thing Two’s perspective, all you can see are these towering, majestic evergreens. He lives in a forest!

Time for a JASNA ball gown update! First, here’s a set of fabric, ribbon, and beads. The picture doesn’t really do justice to the ribbon. It’s actually mauve-colored, but looks gold when held at just the right angle. The ribbon will trim the neckline, sleeves, and skirt hem. Little beads will be sewn into the ribbon and lace to add some sparkle; the larger beads hold the lace overdress together across the front. Tamara is continually thinking of new ideas for the dress; after she sent me these samples she decided to add a layer of gold mesh to the underside of the lace to add substance and depth to the color. It looks stunning, and the combined fabric still has a nice classical drape to it. The mesh will also peek out from under the ribbon for a tiny ruffled effect.

The first fitting was last Friday. I wore the corset and petticoat while Tamara made adjustments to the petticoat, the bodice of the gown, and sections of the lace overdress. The overdress will be detachable so it can be worn with a different gown, or the gown itself can be worn alone. Given Jane Austen’s own fondness for mixing and matching her accessories to make multiple outfits, this is very appropriate.

The second fitting will be in a couple of weeks. Tamara’s enthusiasm for the project is infectious; I was already very excited to see how the gown will look, and now The Gimlet (!) has agreed to don a waistcoat and cravat for the banquet and ball.

Team Gimlet recently returned from their summer visit to Cache Valley, where the number of the week was 100 (degrees and mosquito bites).

To liven up the drive, we broadened our musical horizons with a classic collection of location-appropriate tunes. Who knew The Gimlet would be able to recite all the lyrics to “Convoy“, apparently a childhood favorite? I also tried to take photos of the familiar landmarks we pass every trip. Most of the pictures didn’t turn out (the highway was too bumpy to capture the spectacular sunset as we crossed the Idaho/Utah border), but a few did, and can be seen in the Gimlet Gallery.

Unusual highway signs keep us entertained; we always like to see the set in Oregon’s Blue Mountains indicating the use of runaway truck ramps and warning once, twice, and “LAST WARNING” before the steep and winding downward plunge begins. In our current Gimletmobile, which was made for speed and hugging curves, this section of the trip is a thrilling ride (Things One and Two: “WHEE!!”). But the thrills were a bit different Back In The Day, when we eased our way down the mountain pass after our respective college graduations, towing a trailer larger than our little car (aka Little Red Jug) … in the snow.

Okay, back to this vacation. | …continue reading Utah in August: it’s a dry heat. (Repeat as needed.)

Editor’s Note: Having successfully passed two bars, it should be no surprise that The Gimlet’s third bar was a breeze.

Done, done, done! (Except for the blinds, carpet on the stairs, and doors in front of the electrical panel and water shut off valve.) For once, this last phase was completed much faster than expected.

I drew a sketch of what we wanted for the bar. First I laid down a chalk line and then put the two cabinets in place. Then I cut the ¾” birch plywood to the proper size and nailed it to the cabinets and into place for the walls of the bar. Next I put ¾” plywood down as a base for shelf on one cabinet and as a base for a tile counter on the other cabinet. Finally, I put a piece of plywood over the bar area as a base for the tiling. Next came a plastic barrier, and Durock placed on top of the barrier. Taping and filing in the cracks with thinset got things ready for tiling. After setting the tile in place dry, tile was placed with thinset. I then put the wood trim on the bar, and followed up with grout. While waiting for the grout to dry, it was time to touch up paint.

I caulked a variety of joints between sections of molding and then brushed touch up paint throughout the basement. Next came preparing the floor for carpeting. Scraping the floor with a 10 inch drywall knife to break off chunks of dried mud followed by serious vacuuming with a bit of mopping prepared the floors.

Next I laid chalk lines to determine where to lay the carpet squares. After finding the place for the carpet squares and laying a row dry to make sure the placement worked, I rolled glue on the floor with a ¾” nap roller and started laying down carpet. This job took two evenings and on the second evening/night I was able to finish off the baseboards. Now that the floors were carpeted there was no place to store the baseboard lumber, so I had a good incentive to get that job done. I finished at midnight.

The next day I sealed the grout. Then … off to Utah on vacation, where I relaxed by watching the DIY Network. But I was mostly done.

On our first day back from vacation, I installed doorknobs throughout the basement and sealed the marble stone tiles on the countertop. The next day I installed the bar sink and have been checking it for leaks (None yet!). It is beautiful.

Here’s Thing Two, engaging in a little You-Are-There-Reading: we took Corduroy Goes to the Doctor with us for Thing Two’s annual checkup. He lived the story, from being weighed and measured, to examining the doctor’s instruments, and even had a shot. (He likes fancy bandages but is wary of them, knowing full well that they are purchased with pain.) Afterwards he had to read about Corduroy’s adventure all over again, but this time with the wisdom of experience.

Three short books just out this summer are Austenland, Curios, and The Jane Austen Handbook. They’re very different from each other, and all worth a look. Follow the jump for the reviews. | …continue reading Post-Potter summer reading

Trying to find time to do the last items has become difficult. I finally managed to extract some time from my schedule and put in the window surrounds and casement in the back bedrooms. The doors to the back bedrooms, work room, and laundry room followed. With the completion of the crown molding in the back bedrooms, I could take a short rest. Last night I scrubbed the floor in the laundry room and the location for the bar in the rec room. I hope to complete the bar soon, then caulking and touch up painting on the molding. That will leave the carpet and baseboards as a last major project.

Editor’s note: Thing One has been taking karate classes this summer.

This week in karate class we had a tip test, where you show the instructor moves you had recently learned and have a tip added your belt. When you get your second tip added to your belt, you go up a rank.

For the test, you first got into an attention stance (where you stand up straight) and bow to the instructor. You then get into a ready stance, and then another stance saying Ke’i, a Japanese word about strength or power, holding our hands up to protect the brain. Then we did a jab (a front hand punch), a cross, (back hand punch) and a rear leg roundhouse kick, where you kick with your leg in the back and got into a horse stance. And then we slid up standing up straight while holding your hand out, and then did a side kick where you kicked with your front leg sideways, and then back to a horse stance and knelt down and did a cross saying Ke’i!

We also did an obstacle coarse called the Death Star Destroying where we tried to get a ring over a manikin and then we went through a mini maze and went up a ramp pad and a flat pad and through a few weight masters as instructors threw pads and beach balls at us and threw a Ninja Turtles ball in a square of tape and got back in line to do it again while the Star Wars music was playing.

It is fun to do karate because the games are fun and it’s also good exercise.

When Austenblog reported that there was an advance screening of Becoming Jane in town, I had to go. Sure, the logline brings on a twitching fit (”Their love story was her greatest inspiration”) but it was a great opportunity for a girls’ night out — and free!

JASNA’s web site features an excellent article: “Becoming Jane: Sorting Fact from Fiction.” So much has been said about this film already; without repeating others too much, here are some of my observations. (Spoilers follow after the jump.) | …continue reading Movie Review: Becoming Jane

Editor’s note: This year’s Very Cool Patent Lawyer Client Appreciation Event was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Thing Two did not attend but enjoyed playing with the goodie bag contents afterwards. Goodie bags included glasses, leftover Triwizard Tournament decals (We scored Hogwarts and Beauxbatons but couldn’t find a Durmstrang one), and light-up wands. Accio Milk Duds!

Last Saturday I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We got free goodies, including a triwizard card, Harry Potter glasses, a wand, and 2 books, 2 about the history of broomsticks, and Harry and Ron’s book on magical creatures, which Ron and Harry wrote in. where it showed the classifications of animals. Ron or Harry wrote next to the most dangerous types of the animal “or anything Hagrid likes”.

In the movie, Harry saw Sirius Black’s house. When Harry, Fred, George, Hermione and Ron were listening to an Order of the Phoenix conversation, Hermione’s cat grabbed the extendable ear and played with it. I also liked when Professor Umbridge (Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher) interviewed Snape and asked “So you were unsuccessful getting the job of defense against the dark arts?” and Snape said “Obviously!” and she said stuff cutely and her room had cute kitten pictures. I also liked when the Weasely twins barged in the great hall and set off fireworks shaped liked dragons and shattered all the rule posters.

I think the movie would be scary in some parts for younger children, in the end, especially.