The Clawfoot Tub

I am a convert. 
We were ambivalent about having a tub but we knew we had to have one for resale.
I would have used the extra floor space for a chaise lounge.
We never used the old ugly, gigantic jetted tub unless the dog needed a bath.

This one has captured my heart and now I am a bathtub person. 

 I am smitten with the spray nozzle. It's not only gorgeous but it's perfect for cleaning the tub and for rinsing off my feet at the end of our hot Texas summer days. 

I cannot sleep if my feet stick together! 

Now you know...  

 My grandmother wouldn't let us play with the sprayer on their tub. It was an old ugly rubber thing. Remember those? It took me about a week to get in the habit of turning all the handles the right way otherwise I sprayed all down the back onto the floor. 
  

I am even crazy about the plug.
It's magnetized to stay put in the drain!

We had a choice of white or chrome feet. Bill thought we should get the chrome to match the faucets. 
Love them.

This tub is the Wessex by Victoria and Albert. 
It is 60 inches long but only 105 pounds so  
it's perfect for a second story. 
An old cast iron tub can weigh 700 pounds filled with water.
For a moment I wasn't sure it was so perfect. 

The plumbers told me to be careful not  to bump the tub that it could easily move and break a water line. 
Sure enough the next day the hot water pipe started leaking. 
I think one of the other workmen bumped into it. 
I was freaking out. 
They came out to repair the line but when I asked about securing the tub to the floor the plumber said that once the glass was installed it wouldn't be an issue.
 I wasn't convinced. 
No person should be able to jar a tub. 
I don't know if I have mentioned this before but I am not graceful. 

I knew that at some point I would nudge that tub in my klutziness. 
I envisioned myself falling out of the tub and breaking a water line. Imagine!
Go ahead try to picture it. 
Scary!
I got on-line and started doing some research. I also called the assistant at the company that installed it. 
She did some research too because the next morning they came back to bolt it down through special holes that are in the feet.

The owner of the company told me that they took pictures of it for their portfolio so they would know what to do in the future.  
My plumbers were awesome. They were clean and they came in on time and under budget. :) 

While Rebekah and I were picking up some stuff for her new apartment, I saw this little darling table on clearance. 

 



Since now I actually use the bathtub it is perfect for a little silver soap dish and a vase of flowers. 

It adds a bit of contemporary to an otherwise traditional space.

This tub was twice what a drop in tub would have been but 

we didn't have to build and surface a surround.

This bathroom is more than I could have hoped for. 

I'm thrilled with it and I'm happy to be a bathtub person! 

Katie

See the whole remodel here.  

Linking with,

French Country Cottage

The Scoop  

Coastal Charm

  

Alaska is so cute!

I love small town charm. 
Alaska has that hands down. 
Of course my suburb near Fort Worth has more residence than the largest city in Alaska so really it's made up of nothing but small towns. 

Our first stop was Ketchikan. We had two excursions that day so we didn't have time to look around. 

Some of these towns have no road access. You can only get to them by plane or by boat. 

Icy Strait Point in Hoonah is adorable. 
It has restaurants and shops in an old cannery. 

We had a whale watch and a bear search planned but we still had ample time to shop even with or excursions. I would have liked to do the zip line but we couldn't fit in anything else. 

Our next port was Juneau.

It was the "big town" on our ports stops. It wasn't visible from our side of the ship but I did get a few shots of the main street. Stores lined both sides of the road.

One thing you will notice about each town except Hoonah is the presence of jewelers. These places sell in Alaska in the summer and in the Bahamas in the winter. I don't feel that they bring an authentic feel but basically I bypassed all of them and shopped in the local stores farther down the street.

Our main goal at these ports was to take excursions to see the animals. Our focus wasn't about the shopping but if we had time to browse the ladies were happy. 
The guys liked checking out the local saloons.  

When we left Juneau we went to Skagway. It was my favorite of the towns. It had it's share of the cheesy jewelry stores but there was more to see. 

There was a little museum which only cost $2.00 to get in. A bargain in a world of high priced tours and excursions. Don't get me wrong the excursions were awesome and wonderful and I would do them again but this was simple. 

Know what I mean? It felt touristy.

Is this Klondike Kate or Pea Hull Annie?
Local "girls" guide folks around town giving a history tour.  
It ends with a look at the old brothel. 
None of our group chose to partake of that experience.
  

You can see the large influx of people that the ships bring in. 

All of these towns have ample shopping. 
I had as much shopping time as I needed even with my goal to shop only Alaskan made. 
I tend to gravitate toward Christmas ornaments for souvenirs. They are much easier to pack then other stuff. 
 I wasn't able to find one in every town but I did get a well rounded representation of our sights and excursions. 

That's it for the ports. 
We disembarked in Seward for the land tour so I will explore those towns in another post. I'll also write a post just about the animals we saw. Amazing!

The overcast skies were a perfect backdrop and a great break from the Texas heat. 
Oh I love Alaska! 
Katie

What Is Up With HGTV?

I wanted cable because I wanted to watch HGTV.

It was embarrassing to visit friends who had cable because I didn't want to visit - I just wanted to sit down in front of the tube. 

On vacations I would rather stay in the hotel room instead of sight see. 

We got Chris a Nintendo when he was 7 or 8 because he had the same sort of affliction. 

We finally got satellite and I can watch HGTV all the time but House Hunters is on every time I turn on the T.V.

Is it just me?

Am I the only one over House Hunters?

When I was a kid on any given day we could find an episode of I Love Lucy on some channel.

I counted once and it was on some ridiculous amount. 

Sometimes 5 - 7 times a day. What kid counts T.V. shows?
 I know, I know I was a weird kid.

I was visiting the HGTV website hoping for some new episodes of Sarah's House or Sarah 101.  

Link

No.

Just episode after episode of House Hunters and House Hunters International. 

I will count for you to see how many times it is on.

Hold on a sec, I'll be right back....

tick tock tick tock

Okay, I'm back

11 times

Between 7:00 a.m. this morning and 3:00 a.m. tonight it is on 11 times. 

Argh!

I miss the old HGTV.

I loved Decorating Cents.

Design On A Dime

Even that corny one with the man and the woman.

Courtesy of Matt Fox and Shari Hiller

  

How about Christopher Lowell?

What happened to all the Design Star shows?

There are some great shows out there.

Stuff they could show in reruns. Instead they air episode after episode of House Hunters. 

I've heard it's even staged. 

Ai,yi, yi!
It is time to launch a coup. I am sure it is tempting to just turn on the tele and have House Hunters airing as background noise but we need to turn off our flat screens and send HGTV a message. 
I am more than ready for some new programming HGTV! 

Katie

Thanks for letting me vent.

What do you think?   

Bucket List

You will probably be sick of me by the time I am finally finished blogging about our trip to Alaska. 
I have come to the conclusion that it should be a mandatory trip for every American. 
Alaska is breathtaking!
I am sure it will be considered one of our favorite vacations.
We are so blessed and thankful to have been given the opportunity. 

Fireweed

  
We learned so much about the state, the flora and the wildlife.  

It was a bucket list experience.
Cruising wasn't on my list but

I will confess that I used to watch The Love Boat.
Those early impressions were indelibly printed on my memory. 
I fully expected there to be scads of people lined up waving goodbye to loved ones. 
There were a few.

I realized that I needed to set my Love Boat inspired notions aside until we found this in our room. 



We all celebrated as we set sail.



There is an aspect of this trip that gives impetus to other bucket list experiences. 
Most of us had the feeling that we had to do as much as we could fit in. 

A huge thrill was riding on a float plane at our first stop in Ketchikan. 

The day was foggy, cold and rainy. It was exactly the kind of weather I imagined. 
We landed on a lake and stepped out onto the floats.
 This picture taken of my husband sums it all up.

I think I may be moving to Alaska!



Magical and Beautiful!

We also took a helicopter up to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. 
I have always wanted to ride in a helicopter.
It was fun, scary and exhilarating.

I was thrilled I didn't lose my lunch!

We spent about a half an hour looking around. 

and taking pictures.

Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour

We also took a train up into the mountains. 
It's something I have wanted to do since I watched Jillian's season of The Bachlorette! 

I don't really care for heights.
I don't really care for risk.

White Pass Scenic Railway

I am very afraid of scenic overlooks and mountain passes.
Absolute panic attack-afraid.

White Pass Scenic Railway

For some reason these fears were never factored into whether I would do these excursions because we were in Alaska!

White Pass Scenic Railway

They were part of the bucket list.
 I've gotten some major stuff crossed off so I guess I need to add a few more things to it.
Zip lining through a rainforest?
I hope so. 
What's on your bucket list?  
Katie 

Linking with,
French Country Cottage