Kitty Litter Screen

Prior to being parents to the 2 best kids in the world, we became parents to the 2 best cats in the world. I'm not just bragging here, ok, well maybe a little... but anyone who meets these cats can't believe what amazing animals they are.

Meet Otto and Wojo (Otto is the long haired red tabby, and Wojo is the russian blue.)

Please forgive their mild annoyed appearance, I'd woken them from a nap while taking the picture. Something that you can only do with these guys if you're going to snuggle or feed them. Taking a picture is NOT an acceptable reason to wake them from a nap.

About 3 months ago Otto was diagnosed with diabetes and he has arthritis in his hips. These two factors have made it difficult for him to get in and out of our old litter box, the kind with the privacy hood.

So we had to get something very easy for him to get in, turn around and do his business - the problem, now we have to see him do his business and no one wants to see that.

Just imagine watching that game while watching a cat do it's business... no thank you.

So - thanks to the 4 shutters I scored at the Habitat for Humanity Restore today... I was able to construct privacy screens to place around their litter box.

Not only will it give them privacy but we're hoping it will cut down on the litter scatter as well. Since I got the shutters from the ReStore, it was really cost effective too. $5 per pair, 4 pairs... $20. Plus I've got 1 panel left over that I'm plotting a use for.

At some point I might paint or do something to dress them up but for now, the immediate problem has been addressed.

(Told ya the ReStore finds were already on their way to being used!!!)

Lets take another look at those sweet kitty cats...  

Seriously. Sweetest. Cats. Ever.

The Man Pit

Though we've lived in this house for over 4 years, there are only 2 rooms I consider done. The kids rooms. Everything else remains a work in progress. But another room that is more on the finished side, and I hope to be completely finished in the next couple of months is "The Man Pit". My husband's rec room.

To say my husband is a sports fan, doesn't cover it. The man is a sports freak. He loves sports. Specifically any team that has any ties to Syracuse University. He's an Eagles fan because of Donovan McNabb (lets not talk about Micheal Vick right now, we're in morning over here.)

Here are a few pictures of his rec room in progress.


The sofa and love seat are a little beyond tired, they are about 12 years old but they have to last a few more years.

On of my favorite parts of this room, is the shelf that we ran down the long wall. I was warned not to do this - it would my the long room look longer. And it does... but I think it works. In some odd way, I think enforcing a "negative" feature, can make it a good one. A double negative makes a positive in my world I guess.

The shelf came from Ikea, their Lack collection I believe. We bought 5 of these and put them end to end to end to end to end... where the pieces came together, sometimes it work, others it didn't. Where it didn't - we hung a pom-pom. Thus, making it work.

The wall opposite the long shelf features the Lack entertainment center and the 30 feet of shelving are perfectly balanced opposite the heavy entertainment center.