I <3 Good Chocolate

"Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

In the midst of the chaos that was hardwood floor installation, I received several packages which I tossed into a pile to be opened when I had time. I assumed, wrongly as it turned out, that they were all books for review or giveaways for The Long and the Short of It. Most were.

One wasn't.

Some time ago, Anno blogged about something she'd found. And I commented about it... and, GUESS WHAT SHE DID???

She sent me some.

Of what am I speaking?

I am speaking of what is apparently the World's Best Chocolate!!!



And Anno is the World's Best Friend.

THANKS! I really needed that.

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Regarding hints about hardwood floor installation. My first hint would be to hire someone else to do it. *G*

Okay, seriously.

First: Use the right tools. We sprung for a power nailer that is specifically for installing hardwood. We could have rented one, but didn't want to worry about how long we had to install the floor, and figured it would be cheaper to buy one in the long run. We're fortunate to have an air compressor on hand, as well. You'd need one to use this tool.

Second: Remove EVERYTHING you don't need far, far away -- preferably behind closed doors or outside, because if you don't it will be covered in dust and/or sawdust. Take down your curtains or blinds. Paintings. Chair cushions. Seriously, folks, cleaning up is taking me longer than doing the floors -- there is a fine (and sometimes NOT so fine) layer of dust on EVERYTHING. I've been dusting and mopping and wiping and doing dishes and laundry since I stopped doing the floor, and I'm nowhere near done.

Those are the two biggest suggestions I have. Oh. And knee pads. I would have given my left elbow for knee pads. Owie.

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To answer the other questions:

Dru, the floor level only went up a teeny bit because we removed the subflooring beneath the original flooring first. And, I put rugs under everything! LOL... I have little, bitty doilies and potholders under all my plants and knick-knacks as well.

Brandy, we did the stairs in the room over the garage that used to be my Mom's apartment. DH used unfinished wood for the steps, and about a three inch piece of a step at the top, and finished them himself, and then just regular hardwood for the rest. We didn't do the stairs in the main house this time. First we need to recover both physically and financially from this job! Maybe NEXT winter, LOL.

Ceri, no R&R. I cleaned. And cleaned. And cleaned. And, then when I finally sat down I worked on the LASR website. Maybe today?

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I have to write 3000 words today to catch up on my losses over the past few days. Ugh. Here's hoping. DH is going fishing, and DD... well...DD will have to figure something out for an hour or two.

I need to write. I NEED to write. I am burning to write. I have hated the past couple days of writing deprivation.

Okay, so enough gabbing, right? I'm off to write.

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From Melissa's blog:

You Are 16% Hypochondriac

While your physical health isn't always perfect, you don't freak out about it. You know there's only so much you can do, and worrying doesn't change anything.

Are You a Hypochondriac?

I only wished my poor bod looked as good as the one in the picture.