The Great Couch Caper

 

The couch--in progress

When my children were all here in January for rodeo, we came to a collective decision: I do not need a playroom any more. The grandchildren are all--sob!--too old. I need a "hang out" room. Accordingly, after much web searching, debates, etc. Jamie ordered a 45 inch TV--back-ordered--and a LoveSac sectional couch. Six sections.
It arrived this week in 18 boxes, some of which had an oh-so-appropriate puzzle piece on the box. The first shipment was six large heavy boxes which I found sitting on the porch--apparently the Fed Ex guy didn't ring the doorbell, etc. I was napping but didn't even hear Sophie throw a fit--and she always does that. I managed to get three or four in the house by turning them end for end and then once they were inside, sliding them--which involved picking each up enough to get it started sliding on the rug. Neighbors Jay and Susan arrived to help bring the rest in and open one to look at what we had. Gray cushions, base, etc.--I had ordered beige, but this was an okay color--a little dull, but okay. Jordan arrived, and we did a tandem operation--I opened the cartons (carefully) and she moved them to the former playroom, now to be called the sunroom because it is all windows and has the most delightful light.
By that evening there were five adults (including me), four dogs, and Jacob helping to assemble the couch. We got it into a rough position and quit. I ordered hamburgers.
The next day 12 boxes arrived. Fortunately I caught the Fed Ex man as he was delivering, and he cheerfully brought them all inside for me. I opened four square smaller boxes and found slipcovers--the beige I'd ordered in a nice durable, washable fabric. Put those carefully aside, because each bag is labeled as to what part it fits. The other eight boxes were big and unwieldy. I opened four and gave up. Christian arrived, unboxed them all and carried them into the sunroom. I defrosted frozen spaghetti sauce (homemade and very good, if I do say so). Meanwhile all the empty boxes are stacked in my dining room. Christian said, "I hope you're not having a dinner party soon." Words of encouragement.

This morning, Jordan looked at what remains to be done and said, "Let's take a vacation." But by this afternoon, she suggested I cook supper tomorrow and they work on the couch. Jay said he'd come over on the weekend if he had help. It will get done, and it will be wonderful--I know it will. Meantime I'm exhausted.
Wonder if I could order BBQ for tomorrow night?

The solar system, a great dog, and a hectic evening

It was hectic at my house tonight, but the afternoon started out calmly. Jacob brought his latest project--the solar system--home. I had seen it before but he painstakingly explained it to me, describing each of the planets and some of their remarkable statistics. Truthfully, I was pretty impressed--it's a good presentation. He got 100 on the project, and 100 on his presentation. Kudos to his dad who helped and who, thank goodness, is good at this kind of thing. Homework was a different matter--his class had moved on to the geography of South America, and it was hard for him. They provide a small map, but we ended up using Google; still we were both frustrated. His mom arrived and in minutes they finished what Jacob and I had labored over for a half hour. She tells me I'm too intense and should not sit by his elbow while he does homework--but shoot! Truth is he sits by my elbow, and yes, I probably do give too much help. I'm reforming. I admit I got in a snit about homework, cooking, and conviviality, but I recovered my good disposition. Think I'm tired.
Then the evening got hectic--Jay, Subie, and Phil arrived, ready to try the new TV and move furniture. Big problem: TV didn't arrive, and we learned it's backordered until early March. But they all moved furniture, measured, and we got a new sectional ordered for the "sunroom"--that's what I'm going to insist people call it. During all this I was making a double batch of my version of sloppy Joe, and occasionally stopping to sit and sip wine when my opinion was called for. The couch has been ordered--tan, but we will put lots of bright pillows and throws on it.
Subie, who hates sloppy Joe and will not eat it, liked mine. In fact, I think she had two helpings--just not on a bun. She and Jordan ate theirs in a bowl. I loved mine and look forward to the leftovers. Everybody else seemed quite content--Jacob followed his sloppy Joe with a peanut butter/jelly chaser.
Phil comes accompanied by Santiago, his seeing eye dog, who is one of the sweetest dogs I've ever known. He is nine years old and more than ready to retire, but Jacob loves him. Sophie loves him too, though she gets a bit jealous at times, and Santiago does try to eat her food. He's also a bad counter surfer, and we watch that nothing is where he can get it. A big lab, he's easily able to reach up and steal food.
Everyone was gone by seven-thirty (having arrived at four-thirty), and I did the dishes (not much to do since others had gotten a huge start on it) and settled down for a quiet evening. Whoosh!
 

Redecorating blues

My current couch--recover? replace? forget it?

 

I have lived in my house twenty years, seen four children grow and leave home, and welcomed seven grandchildren. In that process, my furniture has taken a beating--I swear I never let my kids jump on couches and beds but some of my grandchildren seem to think that's what they're there for. Inertia has held me back--I couldn't get a fabric I like as well for the living room couch, those barrel chairs are a little worn but not bad, it would cost too much.
A couple of factors got me thinking about sprucing up the house. The grandchildren no longer need a playroom--their play is not stuffed toys and a huge hobby horse and things like that--we sold most of it at the last of Jordan's garage sales (oh, how I wish it were the last but I guess I meant most recent). I did hang on to a trike that is at least 80 years old and obviously repainted with loving hands. It has a huge hole in the solid rubber front tire--I can still hear three-year-old Maddie when she looked down and said, "There's a hole in my tire," drawing out the word hole in dramatic fashion. It was given to me by dear friends, now gone, when their grandchildren outgrew it but it had belonged to the grandfather and probably someone before him. Sentimental value. Meantime, my grandchildren's idea of toys is mostly iPads and X-Box or at least cell phone.
At the same time, my grown kids said if I want them to visit often, I need a place for them to hang out (I am blessed that they always want to be together whenever possible), so I'm converting the playroom into a sunroom--it gets marvelous sun all day long and much of the year is downright hot in the late afternoon. Eleven-year-old Eden (who is going to be a designer, architect or fashionista--I don't know which) did drawings, and she was the one who envisioned a 45" TV (ordered and to be delivered Monday) in the middle of the bookcase, a couch across from it, and comfortable chairs. Plus we'd take the doors off the storage area below, add adjustable shelves, and showcase the collection of my own books that are now tumbled in there. This would seat eight or more, and for the overflow, there's a round oak table with four sturdy chairs and a few straight chairs with cane seats--hard to protect from children.
The first plan was for a sectional which sounded fine until I started looking at sectionals--I wanted something bright until I figured out a red sectional would overwhelm the room. Since I hate shopping I did all my browsing online. I decided if  I was updating the look, I should have the living room couch reupholstered. Today Jacob suggested putting the current couch back there and buying a new one. We decided it sounded good, but we already have one objection already--the current couch isn't comfortable and we should stick with sectional.
Then my neighbor said the only way to do things was to empty the living room and start over--rearrange but not discarding. I sort of like the way my living room is arranged right now. Truly, my head is spinning.