Snapshot of My Life on May 4, 2014

Weather in SW Michigan ...
After a long harsh winter with above average snowfall and below average temperatures, nature is a little behind in SW Michigan.

Marsh Marigolds along the creek are usually one of the first things to bloom on my property. They bloom in April. Except this year they have just started blooming in May.

Really? ...
If you think something is simple, you probably don't understand it. Like kitchen layout.

Did you know that an average sized refrigerator sticks out approximately twelve inches from the edge of the cabinets?

Therefore, if you think you have designed a four foot wide aisle past the refrigerator, it's only going to be three feet wide in front of the refrigerator hardly leaving room to open the refrigerator door. You are definitely not leaving room to pull the refrigerator out to clean behind it, and definitely not leaving room for two people to navigate past it, even if they are newly married and don't mind bumping into each other.

Something from the kitchen ...
I have also recently learned that the standard height of kitchen cabinets was determined back in the mid 1900s when the average height of the women using them was five feet four inches.

Jay likes to cook and he is six feet tall. Working at a normal kitchen counter gives him a backache. I am five feet four inches tall.

Compromise. We're having an elevated island workspace for Jay, he gets to do all the cooking. And since the sink is not going to be elevated, I get to do all the dishes. Jay is a very good cook. I like this plan.

I am creating...
My new name. After thirty nine years of being Marguerite Byrne, I am changing my name to Marguerite Hammond. Before getting married I vowed to go through this hassle without complaining because I am happy and honored to take my husband's name.

It has been a project, for sure. Some changes that I thought would be a hassle turned out to be easy, like Social Security and Secretary of State. Other changes left me shaking my head and wondering if I was the only person who ever asked for a name change there.

Shouldn't every agency and company have a procedure for this? That is a question, not a complaint.

I am procrastinating ...
Replacing my 2000 Camry because I don't like the current Camry tail lights. They don't flow nice and it looks like there's a piece missing.

No hurry. My old Camry is a good friend and it's still running fine.

Seen anything good on Facebook lately? ...
You don't have to be a member of Facebook to go to this link at Mentalfloss and enjoy this article. The older you are, the more you will enjoy it.

Retronyms when you're talking old school

Something new for me ...
I am so crazy in love with my new husband my readers may have to put up with some mush for a while. Maybe forever.

A few plans for the next few days
Monday we meet with the builder again and make progress on picking out a hardwood floor, cabinets, front door sidelights, and whatever else it's time to select. The last meeting to make decisions lasted two and a half hours even though we were prepared and decisive.

In anticipation of being braindead after this meeting, we are going out to lunch to regroup and then head to Verizon to merge our accounts so we can save money.

For the record, Jay does not admit to being braindead after these meetings. But he does not understand how colors work together, so he is not using his brain as much as I am.

Giving thanks for ...
Almost everything. Except blackflies, allergies, and dogs who won't swallow their pill.

And ...
Two of my three siblings made it to the wedding from their homes far away. It was so special to have them make the trip to Michigan to celebrate our love and marriage.

I'm in back in the red sweater. From left to right: Sister Doris from Virginia, Mom, Brother Dave from Oregon, and Brother in law John from Virginia. Love them all.