flea

We hit Atlanta again yesterday.

First, to Ikea, where I always want everything to be cheaper than it actually is. We bought a bookcase for the study, because mr. flea has several boxes of books still (because he has no shelf space in his office), and 4 folding chairs, so that we can actually invite people over to things that involve sitting. We notably did not get a desk for the computer. We had lunch there, and the whole experience was loud and stressful to me. Much less successful than last time; I may be done with Ikea except for targeted trips where I know what I want and get it.

Then to the Atlanta History Center to look at the muppet exhibit. The kids raced through, just looking at the actual muppets, and then mr. flea entertained them and several other parents in the play area by singing "rubber duckie," and "I love trash," as the appropriate characters and doing a pretty good Kermit and Piggy skit, too. Then I took the kids outside, to explore the gardens and run run run, while mr. flea went back and actually looked at the exhibit. It isn't exactly any garden's best moment right now, but these are clearly nice, and the kids loved the two play houses on the property; we didn't get tours of the historic houses or see any of the rest of the museum, but I'd like to go back, probably without the kids, and do both things.

The History Center is set in a very schmancy neighborhood in Buckhead, and as we drove to it I was struck by the large number of million-dollar houses in the vicinity with For Sale signs in front of them. It's gonna be bad, people.

Then we went to get more fancy Yolo paint, and picked out the color (Grain 01) very quickly, but the woman working in the store didn't know how to mix the colors and couldn't reach anyone who could tell her or help her. We spent about an hour there all told, with Casper reading Calvin and Hobbes in the store, mr. flea looking at the paint and waiting, and me charging up and down the sidewalk after Energy Boy. I did see the exact chair we bought at the outlet for $400 this summer for sale for $1100 in a schmancy furniture shop, which was nice. We left without our paint, and I bought some online this morning, with only $10 UPS shipping for 3 cans. Unfortunately neither the online images not the booklet we have are very good approximations of the color, so it really helps to go to the store where they have big posters painted with the actual paint. So we may end up there again as we work through the house.

The children were pretty much melting down by this point, so I hit Trader Joe's around the corner as fast as I could and we headed home, with Dillo thankfully falling asleep after about 10 minutes of crying.

Today I am at work and mr. flea is home with the kids, going to the doctor's to see if he has strep, and trying to pawn Casper off on some other family so he doesn't kill her. She has been terrible about TV and candy this break, and we are considering going to once-a-week "candy day" (which is what I had growing up, though frankly I think it just made me cave candy MORE) and mr. flea proposed cancelling our satellite dish tv (except then we'd have no tv at all.)

We want to paint several rooms of the house. Consumer Reports is now saying that Valspar (Lowe's house brand) is as good as Behr (Home Depot's house brand). But they don't rate low or no - VOC paints. Anyone used them? Are they any good, or as good? We are a high-use household. Sometimes people color on the walls, and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is our friend. Environerds, are they really better for the environment?

I am currently thinking robin's egg blue for the upstairs bath, a related color, maybe with more green, for our bedroom, pale kingfisher blue for the dining room, a darker version of the same for the kitchen (which has white cabinets and can take it), and one wall lettuce green in Casper's room. (Note: mr. flea has not yet voiced his opinions.)