Gathering Information


 
As I’ve indicated before, Andy and I love information. Steve has sent our plans to the kitchen design folks, and we have an appointment Tuesday morning to see what our options are given our budget. In the meantime we’ve been doing our homework about the differences between the various countertop options and have been figuring out what we like and don’t like.

We’ve also been learning about other people’s experiences, both in conversations and through the internet, in order to get new ideas and hopefully to avoid some pitfalls. Kaitlin and Torben have been a big help because they remodeled their home not too long ago, and I ordered some “like new” books about kitchens from Amazon for a reasonable price. We’re also using the internet to get details about the various products.

This is a picture of the floor we’ve chosen with two samples of quartz for a countertop.

The colors aren’t quite right, but it does give the general idea.

Andy has also been doing research on ventilation systems for an energy-efficient house. The fellow we were referred to for our kitchen fan has a different definition of a quiet fan than we do. It was so noisy we would probably hesitate to use it. Fortunately Andy found some engineers online that sell a kit that should do what we want. We will no doubt write more about this later. 🙂

What about you? What have you been doing/learning lately?

Thanks to Evan, Mike, bikehikebabe, tammy, Cathy, Rummuser, tikno, Maria and Kate for commenting on last week’s post.
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11 Responses to Gathering Information

  1. Cathy in NZ says:

    Well, I’m a data/info collector from old…

    Lately, I have been studying economic survival (mine) using business models to create a + instead of – sign/$ over the year. Plus I have been studying and experimenting with new recipes that hopefully will help the budget a bit better…WHY: I don’t know what my expenses are going to be over the next 2 years because I will not have the usual extra monies I had for Uni to do a BA!

    I have also been studying the current furniture in the house as I’m in the process of making a dedicated small studio so I can recycle/recraft stuff. I have the space sorted out but when I went to look at a suitable workbench downstairs found it was going to be difficult to use…so will need some more thinking 🙂

  2. bikehikebabe says:

    No problem Cathy; you are very good at thinking with all the Uni practice.

    I’d been thinking–It’ll get done tomorrow. Ha! I’m learning that I can never do it all:
    1. Care for big house
    2. Do all the joint therapy
    3. Do the exercise I need to keep going at my age
    4. Sort & clear out. (I love everything I have.)
    5. Right now, shovel snow for my arms–if they can take it anymore. Sad 🙁 I lifted 15# weights in all directions & did 18 (no knee) push-ups a day 2 years ago before shoulder replacements.

  3. Cathy in NZ says:

    BHB: I was always a collector of information, way before University…but yes I maybe am a better analyser of the information now…

    Today: I’m planning on making a dent in the zucchini (courgette) pile. As fast I get in one of the my plant – another one or two have gotten into marrow size! So I have a plan to make some muffins with at least one…I gave away one last week in desperation 🙂 – nice though to have fresh vegs in the garden

  4. bikehikebabe says:

    You talk of gardening & eating fresh vegs, & we have lots of snow & cold air temps. The world is funny that way.

  5. >What have you been doing/learning lately?
    – Trying to balance my scarce PC time evenly with my known contacts and those like you, who I’m beginning to get acquainted with.

    Since I began blogging less than two months ago, I’ve tried my darnedest and managed to restrict the sites I’ve RSSed to three. One of them is yours, Jean. It is quite a struggle to tell myself, “Yes, Kate, you might learn something from that shiny new site with its tantalising title, but you’ve really got to keep yammering like you used to (and still do) with your friends and family who’ve stuck by you all these years.”

    Another nice gesture of yours, Jean? Saying ‘Thank You’ at the end of your post to those who commented on the earlier one. Besides the Ps and Qs being on today’s endangered list, the attitude of gratitude is key to being happy.

    “The most fortunate are those who have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder, and even ecstasy.” – Abraham Maslow

    Kate

  6. Jean says:

    Cathy,
    Yes, I assumed you went to the Uni because you have always been interested in learning. Good luck on continuing to lead the good life even though you might have less money coming in. I have great faith in your creativity and resourcefulness.

    bikehikebabe,
    Yep, doing the best we can with what we have left. Plus knowing how to mourn our losses.

    Cathy,
    About zucchini. I still chuckle about a story I read years ago. A city person was amazed that the people in the small town she was visiting never locked their doors. One women said, that was mostly true, except they would lock their cars when they went shopping in August. Why? Because if they didn’t they would find that someone had put zucchini in it while they were gone.

    Kate,
    I couldn’t agree more about the relationship between gratitude and happiness. I agree with Maslow, that capacity is a gift to be treasured.

    I use this happiness formula a lot:

    The secret of happiness is to ask yourself every day:
    1. What’s good about my life?
    2. What needs to be done?
    3. How can I get this done and enjoy the process?

    I’ve never been interested in houses…our apartment isn’t fancy but it’s a carefree way of living…so I’m asking question 3 a lot right now. 😀

  7. Rummuser says:

    I have been revisiting some old books and buying new books on the same subject to get a grip on a morbid subject. I have also been stepping out a lot and beginning to enjoy myself with meeting old friends and generally making a nuisance of myself. I have every intention of continuing to be the same throughout the rest of the year.

  8. bikehikebabe says:

    Rummuser (Ramana), I love your Humo(u)r. 😀 Please continue to be your nuisance self.

  9. Jean says:

    Rummuser,
    I agree, if what we’re doing is working for us, keep doing it! Glad you’re having some fun.

  10. tammy says:

    bhb… there’s the hare and the little turtle. who cares if we are the little turtles? my favorite t-shirt when i was 5 was a cheery yellow one that said on the front “myrtle the turtle”…
    two shoulder replacements! i think that qualifies you to enjoy life on your own terms. 🙂
    monk… my brother wants to move and since we have become even closer buddies since his wife died 4 months ago… that means he’d like me to set up housekeeping in the new city too. i’m thinking apt living for me again? but i’ve been in my little house for 14 yrs now. it gets to be wonderful after awhile! we’ll see.
    i love the warm color of your floor. very cottage in the woods feel. 🙂
    rummy… you rascal cowboy! keep calm and carry on!
    love to all,
    tammy j

  11. For Jean

    >I use this happiness formula a lot:
    The secret of happiness is to ask yourself every day:
    1. What’s good about my life?
    2. What needs to be done?
    3. How can I get this done and enjoy the process?
    I’ve never been interested in houses…our apartment isn’t fancy but it’s a carefree way of living…so I’m asking question 3 a lot right now.

    – Oh, every time I ask Question 2, I don’t stick around for the answer because I know I won’t like it. Ha ha!

    >our apartment isn’t fancy but it’s a carefree way of living
    – And there’s so much joy in that way of life, isn’t it?

    For Tammy

    >who cares if we are the little turtles?
    – I completely agree, Tammy. The good Lord made them/us all. 🙂

    Kate

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