Friday, August 13, 2010

Because it's time for another random post

If you've had the "pleasure" of staying at casa de Blaustein, you've know what I'm talking about below and likely heard me try to explain that, while it looks like I don't know how to clean a bathroom, I really have scrubbed it clean.
We have rust stains in our bathroom. Crazy rust that won't come off for anything. Around the drains in the the tub and sink and also in the toilet. It looks gross and I have tried everything to get them off since we got here. The only thing that was working to get most of it off was scrubbing for upwards of 30 minutes with a scour pad and a baking soda/vinegar paste. Like, SCRUBBING, wearing down fingernails, sweating, swearing, kind of hard. Even then, it took off only a few layers and thinned it out, making it not so icky.

I tell you that to tell you this...

Thanks to Mom, we acquired a bottle of this magical potion.

I'd like to announce that for 2 days, my sink drain was rust-free. Because of the cheap fixtures and sunken in drain, it came back very quickly, but those 2 days were blissfully, sparkly, clean! I thought it was impossible. The grout that I've been unable to get perfectly white is now bright white. The drain in the tub is rust-free. I am unabashedly excited about this. I wanted to call everyone I know and tell them about it, but instead I went around the house trying to find all those stubborn marks and discolorations that I've been fighting with. It was intoxicating, but, it wasn't the fumes (because it's non-toxic, yo). It was the pure bliss that comes with finally beating the stain-monster. It's how I felt when I discovered the magic of the baking soda/vinegar mix that has magically removed the black marks that were all over my tub and sink for 6 months after we moved in. I had all but decided that they simply weren't coming off, since no amount of harsh chemicals (read: bleach products, etc) worked. Turns out, the most simple, green concoction and some elbow grease was all it needed. Suck on that crappy landlords that didn't clean anything prior to our move in. I beat you. I win.

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California is now back on it's way to being as progressive as New Hampshire and Iowa.

What?

Yes, that's right folks. Prop 8 has been ruled unconstitutional and is being overturned by Judge Walker.

It's about damn time.

Of course, it will be taken to the Ninth District Court of Appeals (it'll take about a year) and fought over by people who have no right to determine the rights of other people.

I keep coming back to this segment that Keith Olbermann dedicated to the subject back in 2008. It (not the segment, the reason for it) makes me angry. A rare form of seething anger reserved for situations where no other emotion seems quite right.

But for now, justice has been served.
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Last night, So You Think You Can Dance came to an end. It was the first time that I really couldn't say that any one of the contestants was better than another. This season was SO good. Even Jordan enjoyed it this year. So many great dances that I have already watched and rewatched too many times. Lots of talent and lots of injuries. But now I'm sad that it's over.

Hell's Kitchen also ended this week. Also a great show, though nothing spectacular this season - it was not unlike seasons past. Some annoying, untrained and over-confident "chefs" in the mix with a few really talented chefs. Lots of food-smashing, garbage can kicking, and red-faced yelling. Good fun. In honor of Chef Gordon Ramsey, SHUT IT DOWN, YOU DONKEY! He's an angry, angry man and I love him.
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Our home-visit with our midwives was last night. Brodie and Lucy only went half as nuts as usual when people enter the house, which was good. Still, half of the usual is pretty crazy and includes shrill barks and nervous pacing. Hopefully Brodie will be less crazy when they come for the big day. On a high note, Lucy tried to enter their mouths to give kisses. This doesn't sound good, but it means she likes you. Promise.
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I'm making strawberry-peach cobbler this afternoon and I am stoked. Jordan's patient (the one that brings us delicious produce) picked a ton of peaches from her tree for us and I cannot wait to use them for evil. They've been delicious on their own thus far, so I have high hopes that they will not disappoint when combined with sugar and strawberries and other goodness. Mmmm.