Noir and DIY

I didn't get to the "put up a new blind" part of my weekend--for no reason other than I couldn't be bothered.  Saturday was wild and stormy, too wretched and miserable for walkies...assuming I even could have dragged the boys out in the deluge, so I read, and watched a few film noir movies on TCM, like...

Thunder Road, with Robert Mitchum.  It was totally great.  Loved his voice, the cleft chin, those droopy eyes.  The guy wasn't handsome at all...and yet...oooh baby.

Maltese Falcon.  I've always wanted one of those statues.  The BFF--originally from LA--used to work in the movie industry. She told me about going into this massive warehouse, filled with props and costumes and paraphernalia, stuff that went back to the silent films.  She mentioned a shelf.  With dozens of Maltese falcons. I've had dreams about that shelf...and a little B&E.

Sunday was too nice for January.  Bright sunshine, temps edging into high 60s.  The boys and I had a long walk at the VA, then I dinked with the two photos I might enter in the art exhibit. I started out with a possible three, but I've already eliminated one and I'm not too sure about the remaining two.

These two...

Click on the photo and look at that scary, scary body.  See those strange dimples?  It's like the spider has been tucked and rolled...eeewwww, really creepy, but bizarrely cool...

Creeping Beauty

I'm still debating with myself on this one.  I really like it.  But again, it's sort of creepy, mainly due to the fog and the empty swing.  It could be poignant, or utterly heartbreaking, or frightening.  For me, when I took the photo, the scene made me think of lost childhoods and days gone by and dreams of being a kid--a dream shrouded in...

Mists of Time

Frankly, I don't know if either photo is worth submitting.  I'm still pondering.

So.  Today I decided to do the blind. I gather my tools, the drill, the ladder. According to the frigging worthless does anyone speak English? instructions, it was a fifteen minute install.

Come on.  When has it ever taken just fifteen minutes to do a DIY project? Everyone knows the equation:  any job X 4.  Hours, days, weeks, months.  Just multiply the initial time frame by four, and you'll be close.

In my case, it was an (alleged) fifteen minute project that took three hours, although part of that time was lunch, two loads of laundry and a couple backyard trips for the boys. But finally, and a crapload of aggro later...

Before:

And can I just say, I don't like this door.  I truly don't like that a front door is half glass.  Makes no sense to me.

I was very glad to get rid of the cheap, skinny blind and switch over to the wider, plantation style like the rest of the living room.  It's also a sun and cold blocker.

Almost perfect.  And considering the time it took to get there...I'm good with almost.

After:  Ta Da...the new blind...

It's dark out now, a bit after 7:00, the blinds are closed and they look great.  So even though DIY is a total pain in the butt while it's happening...if you get the right result in the end?  Totally worth it.