Major Award

Last week I received a call from Magnum Trucking Company informing me that they would be making a delivery to our house with a 56 foot semi-truck.  Huh?  Maybe Santa couldn't fit the new living room couch I requested in his tiny sleigh.  Yes, Vickie, there is a Santa Claus!!!

Then I remembered Bill's major award.  After 35 years of service, he was given a catalog from which he could choose one prize.  What to pick.  Hmmm........surround sound system?  No, the TV in the man cave is already loud enough.  Wine refrigerator?  To hold Diet Dr. Pepper?  Nah.  Elliptical?  Been there, sold that.  Electric fireplace?  Now we're talkin'!  We already have a fireplace in the living room, but I've been wanting an electric fireplace in the dining room to make it more cozy.  So......that's the prize Bill I chose.  :@

I must have overlooked the fine print that said assembly required.

There it is.  Fruh  gee'  lay.  Yup, major award.



The fireplace took less than an hour to assemble.  I placed it under the church window in our dining room after I drilled 3 new holes in the plaster walls so I could move the window 5 1/2 inches higher to accomodate the height of the fireplace.  I'm not totally sold on this location, but I wisely added felt furniture pads under each corner so I can easily slide it around the room.

Even though we aren't hosting our family Christmas celebration until the 21st, I couldn't stand looking at my Crhistmas decorations in the dining room any longer!  So, I switched out Santa for some green and red that doesn't shout Christmas.

I even hauled my old typewriter out of storage.  I probably should have dusted it first. 

Nice cozy faux fire.

I do have plans that involve painting the fireplace and all the windows and crown molding a warm white, but for now this will do.  The fireplace also includes a kit so it can be placed in a corner.  I would like to try it in the corner where the secretary is, but I would have to switch out the current secretary for a smaller one in an upstairs bedroom.  And that would involve the help of the award recipient who is currently at work.  Five or ten years ago, I would have tackled the job myself.  I am older and wiser now and can patiently wait for my moving assistant to get home.  Not only that, I don't want to damage the stairway that took over a year to refinish!

And I really don't think Bill wants to come home to this.......

Ouch!!!