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Antique switch plates, home notes

I was amazed by these switch plates. They are everything I want in a switch plate. I want them in the music room and parlor. Their golden tones will offset the warmth of the floor and contrast with the wall color I have chosen "Spanish Bluebell."

Other rooms will have subtle switch plates, but I actually want to replace everything, including the telephone jacks, which we won't use, because the plastic is so old they have yellowed and become dingy.

This weekend I weeded one front bed but didn't dig up the bulbs. I think they are amaryllis because I saw amaryllis blooms earlier this year. They need to be thinned out and replanted elsewhere because they have migrated randomly and are really on top of each other. For the front of the house I best like a color scheme of blue and yellow. The side yard will be white flowers, and an accent of red won't hurt. I also see them looking well near the gates. I still don't know where to plant a rose garden. There's no obvious good place. The front yard is very shady.

I cleaned one of the tables. I'm thinking they may stay in the shed for a while. I have become so familiar with spiders and beetles today. The spiders aren't the same as in east Texas, not at all. The ones south are rangy and move quickly, are often tarantulas. The spiders here have large, decorated abdomens and those bent-needle like legs. They look like black widows, but are brown with white markings. They make me uncomfortable, I need to look them up. It's amazing how it comes back to you.

I find I am not that excited about chickens right now. Maybe I find the stables too intimidating. I more desire a dove cote. Not very useful, I know. I also wish for ducks, but I'm afraid we don't have enough water. I also don't know if something would eat them.

I painted one pole over completely. I didn't strip the old paint that well, and I've applied two new layers. For the next pole I stripped it twice, and next I will repaint it, compare it to the first. If my extra stripping made a big difference I'll strip the other poles likewise, including the one I already painted, which will probably peel quite easily since it is so fresh. Actually painting is pretty tiring! The muscles in my hand hurt for clenching the brush. I'm sure I'll toughen up. If two strippings don't improve the texture of the second pole I'll resort to three. Need more Simple Green and white paint. I turned my rubber gloves inside out because they've gotten so moist. They have red mold growing all over the palms apparently. Maybe I should just throw them away.

Already I feel life changing so much. I am not writing anything right now. I feel this is not the time for that. This is a time of great change for us, a time to live and experience things.

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