Stolen forever ago without shame or remorse from Chatty over at Whatchutalkinbout.
What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now?
Some form of body wash - both Mr. Chili and I dislike what becomes of bar soaps after the first few uses.
Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator?
Sadly, no - we’re well out of watermelon season in New England. There’s some apple cider in there, though!
What would you change about your living room?
I’d like for Mr. Chili to buy and install surround sound speakers, so the wires that are hanging from the walls would no longer be a focal point for me. Other than that, I love our new living room…
Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty?
The dishwasher is, I believe, holding dirty dishes at the moment. There aren’t enough in there from breakfast to run a cycle, though, so we’ll wait until after dinner tonight.
What is in your fridge?
A lot of food - how about I just give you some highlights? Two gallons of milk (1%, grocery store brand), the better part of a dozen eggs (in the door holder, where everyone tells you NOT to put eggs), a package of sliced mozzarella cheese and some of my homemade spaghetti sauce, which will figure heavily into tonight’s dinner. Yum!
White or wheat bread?
Yes. The latest purchase was split top wheat, but I also love Canadian white - thick, heavy white bread, please - no Wonder for us…
What is on top of your refrigerator?
Not much - the new cabinets are bigger than the old ones, so there’s only about four inches between the top of the fridge and the bottom of the cabinet. There are some big platters up there, a small, flat basket and a bunch of magnets that are in reserve for sticking things to the fridge.
What color or design is on your shower curtain?
Our current curtain is a dark blue plaid. Once spring comes, I’ll switch it out to a light green cotton canvas.
How many plants are in your home?
Oh, good lord! Hold on, let me count… 25 - four of which are 20+ year old ficus trees - oh, and a Christmas cactus that’s actually flowering now…
Is your bed made right now?
Yes. I always make my bed in the morning - unless Mr. Chili makes it first.
Comet or Soft Scrub?
Neither. I own no cleaners of the scratchy variety unless you count the stuff that came with my glass cook top…
Is your closet organized?
Depends on your definition of “organized.” We’re in the process of moving clothes from the closet in what used to be our bedroom into the wardrobes we bought from IKEA this fall. That means that our clothes are in two different places. This isn’t a problem for me, as I know what I’ve moved and what I haven’t, but it’s still kind of a PITA.
Can you describe your flashlight?
We have two - one big, bulky, brownish plastic one that takes huge batteries and one mini mag light that takes double-As. I think I even know where both of them are at the moment…
Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home?
Glass
Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now?
No, I don’t! If I did, it wouldn’t be in a pitcher, though - we make it in a recycled milk gallon that says “Iced Tea” on the side in black Sharpie, and the reason I don’t have any at the moment is because I can’t find the lid to the gallon, so I’m waiting to finish another container of milk so I can poach the lid for the tea…
If you have a garage, is it cluttered?.
Not really, though it could stand some organization. My biggest pet peeve is that I keep those fridge cases of soda cans in the garage in the winter (it’s cold out there - it’s like having a free fridge) but I’ve nowhere to keep them but the steps on the already-too-narrow little deck thing that leads to the house. I want Mr. Chili to install little shelves over the recycle bins so I can stack the soda there and stop knocking it over as I’m struggling to bring in groceries.
Curtains or blinds?
Neither, actually. There are only two openings to our house that have treatments of any kind - one of the girls’ old bedroom windows has a roman shade on it, and the patio doors have plain, linen-colored curtains. Every other window is nekked!
How many pillows do you sleep with?
Two
Do you sleep with any lights on at night?
NO!
How often do you vacuum?
Quite often, actually - at least once a week, sometimes more. I’ll vacuum later this afternoon.
Standard toothbrush or electric?
Standard, sorta. I brush with a Radius, which most people don’t think of as “standard.”
What color is your toothbrush?
My current color is kind of clear, actually; it’s not really a color at all.
Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch?
It’s not a “mat” exactly - it’s a wooden thing that was given to us when we first moved in 16 years ago.
What is in your oven right now?
Nothing.
Is there anything under your bed?
NOTHING! We’ve moved into the new bedroom - you know, the one with the heated floors? - so we’re keeping as much stuff off the floors as possible…
Chore you hate doing the most?
I’d say “ironing,” but I don’t do it, so it doesn’t count. I’d have to say that I hate doing dishes when I’m really tired and all I want to do is go to bed, but I can’t bear to wake up to a messy kitchen…
What retro items are in your home?
Um…nothing, I think. I have an old candy dish from my great grandmother, and there are some games and a toy train set that Mr. Chili had when he was a kid that his mother found and brought over, but we’re really not “old stuff” kind of people.
Do you have a separate room that you use as an office?
It’s not really a separate room, but we do have the loft. There’s a desk, filing cabinet and computer in there, but it’s also a way station for wardrobe-building tools at the moment, so it’s not being used as an office space. My “office” is a corner of the kitchen, and I LOVE it.
How many mirrors are in your home?
There will be six - one in each of the bathrooms (that’s three, but the new bathroom mirror isn’t installed yet), one full length in the closet in the girls’ new room and one full length in our room by the wardrobe, and a beautiful mirror that my adopted mother carved the frame for by the front door.
Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home?
YES! And in the car, too. One never knows when one is going to need to order a pizza or stop for ice cream!
What color are your walls?
Mostly white. The new family room is the lightest of blue - as is a wall in the girls’ new room and the downstairs bathroom - and the kitchen is the lightest of sage green. All else is white.
Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home?
Nope. There’s an aluminum baseball bat in the garage - does that count?
What does your home smell like right now?
Mulled cider. Later, it will smell like stuffed shells and garlic bread.
Favorite candle scent?
Yankee Candle Buttercream. It smells like yellow cake mix. Mmmmm.
What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now?
I’ve got kosher dills in there, and sweet relish.
What color is your favorite Bible?
WOW! THAT’S making an assumption! I know I HAVE bibles - two, I think - one is white (we got that one when we were married) and one is black (that belonged to my father). What I don’t know is exactly where either of them is at the moment. It’s likely they’re in the bookshelves in the library, but I can neither confirm nor deny that from where I’m sitting right now.
Ever been on your roof?
No. I’ve never been in my attic, either.
Do you own a stereo?
Yes - two, actually - the sound system that’s hooked up to the television in the family room (the one without the surround speakers) and a Sony mini-system that we put in the great room. Really, though, the mini-system is only used to amplify the iPod. Does my computer count? I’ve got iTunes on it, and a really kick-ass Cambridge Soundworks speaker set-up - I can shake the kitchen walls with the thing (though I have to admit that, geek that I am, I’m usually listening to NPR live streams or Dark and Stormy podcasts on it…)
How many TVs do you have?
Two, but only one gets watched with any regularity: the other is there in case there’s a serious conflict of watching desires.
How many house phones?
Three; two cordless (which are pieces o’ shit that I want to replace) and one old, black, push button, corded version that Mr. Chili acquired from an old job. That’s the one that gets plugged in when the power goes out.
Do you have a housekeeper?
Only in my dreams.
What style do you decorate in?
IKEA modern
Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints?
Only solid colors, thank you. There are no patterned furnishings in our house.
Is there a smoke detector in your home?
Yes, several… let me count…. seven - two upstairs, two downstairs, two in the basement and one in the garage.
In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip?
We’re assuming all living things are safely on the lawn? Okay, then; my computer, the girls’ baby books, my wedding gown and our wedding album. I know the answer to this because I use it all the time as a writing or discussion prompt in my classes.
Feel free to boost this, and happy Saturday, Everyone!
wow. that was one heck of a meme! i learned a lot!
Two questions:
What’s “Canadian” white bread? Why can’t you keep eggs in the door?
Your answers further my assumptions that you are grounded in good ways, and sane besides.
Good work.
Laurie B.
Ciboulette, I think it has to do with making sure that the eggs stay as cold as possible to prevent the spread of salmonella.
Flashlight. I favor a brand of flashlight called “Surefire.” They are stupid expensive, but are just terrific. The one I have is compact, maybe 5 inches long. It uses a pair of those short fat round batteries. The light is intense, you would not shine it into anyone’s eyes unless you didn’t like them. There is no hole or halo in the center of the beam.
This little gem falls into a category of objects or things which I enjoy having both for utility and to satisfy some atavistic (male?) urge for things which are really well made and can be carried upon one’s person.