Begin life at forty

Category: DIY

  • Our Baby’s Nursery

    At week 34 of the pregnancy, we felt pretty confident. We had gathered most of the essentials for our baby, including the nursery furniture and decorations, and we thought there was still plenty of time to put everything together. However, things didn’t go as planned. I ended up delivering at week 37—three weeks earlier than scheduled. With only two days left to prepare, our schedule was thrown off, and S had to rush to get the nursery ready before our little one came home.

    One of the first things we had done earlier was painting the room. S got started quite early, before week 34. He didn’t just give it a quick coat of paint—he filled every tiny nail hole, repaired cracks, sanded everything smooth, and then carefully painted the walls, trims, and baseboards. It was a lot of work, but the results were beautiful, giving the room a fresh, clean feel. And he didn’t stop at just the nursery; he decided to paint the whole house. This wasn’t part of our original plan and ended up taking much more time, which delayed the assembly and decoration of the nursery.

    During that time, I worked on the curtains I ordered online. Cost only around $15 for 2 pieces, I could tell they were thin and flimsy, but I chose them for their bold, playful prints. To improve them, I added a blackout layer, which not only blocked the sunlight but also added more weight and since it’s longer than the curtains, it helped extend their length. This method saved me a lot of time since I didn’t have to buy extra curtains, cut them & sew extra pieces onto the bottom. A simple fix ended up as a design feature, and I was happy with how the curtains turned out.

    It’s interesting that at first, I loved how vibrant they looked, but as the rest of the room came together, I realized I was instinctively moving toward a calmer, softer vibe. The curtains feel a little too sharp compared to the rest of the room, but it’s an easy fix. I can add a sheer layer to soften them or use some “bridge colors” to help the bold tones flow more smoothly with the softer ones. Or maybe all I need is just a little time to get used to this new color mix.

    Since the main color of the room is creamy white, (…) , with late blue as a secondary color and sunny yellow and bright red as accent tones, we chose a rug that picks up some of these colors and features an abstract pattern, reminding me of clouds, or moonlight on the water. At first, I hesitates a little bit to get the rug because I was afraid its pattern might clash with the curtains’. But it looks so cool that I decided to go for it, especially with S’s encouragement. I especially love the rug’s round shape, which softens the boxy corners of the room and furniture.

    One of my favorite purchases was a bookshelf lamp. Instead of a traditional bookshelf, I wanted something space-saving functional, which I found in that lamp. I’m usually a bit nervous buying furniture that’s less than my price range for something like this because it can look worse than in the photos. I didn’t expect it to feel fancy or luxurious, just that it wouldn’t look cheap. Happy to say I’m not disappointed. I got it for $50 after a “50% off” discount. Anyway, the discount is a joke. You can find the same lamp on Amazon for the same price without any discount. I got mine on Wayfair, fyi.

    Currently, it serves several purposes: Lighting, storing books, and decoration. However, once M starts crawling and walking, I’ll probably have to move it elsewhere since the sharp corners of the shelves could be dangerous if he bumps into them.

    If I had to pick the most functional item in the nursery, it would be the diaper trash can. It locks in all the odors and holds a lot, which makes such a difference once you realize how many diapers you go through in a day. They would stink if left in a regular trash can, and you’d be exhausted taking the trash out after every single change. I didn’t even think of buying one when I made a shopping list, but S got it—he’s always careful about sanitization.

    Beyond the practical stuff, the sentimental details are what make the nursery feel special. We framed M’s newborn footprints together with a birthday card to create a keepsake. We also displayed a tiny pair of shoes that S wore when he was one year old—carefully kept by MK all these years. MK made & gifted us a colorful painting of animals, which adds playful energy to the room, and then there’s the lamp — a family heirloom passed down from M’s great-great-great-grandmother. These pieces bring history, love, and personality into the space.

    There are still a few things I’d like to do—such as adding sheer curtains, putting a rug under the rocking chair, or refreshing it with a fabric cover , but I don’t feel in a rush. For now, the nursery is beautiful, functional, and filled with meaning—a love-filled space for our baby.

  • Last days of April, 2025

    Thursday, April 24th, 2025

    I vacuumed the first floor, cleaned the kitchen, did the laundry, and put groceries away after a trip to Aldi. I also prepped and cooked potato chicken soup and spaghetti, and later had the soup for dinner while S had spaghetti.

    Friday, April 25th, 2025 : Refresh Guest Room

    I woke up late and felt upset about wasting time, but decided to do light exercise to start my day. I had potato chicken soup and banh u—a small pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumpling, filled with mung bean paste and pork, wrapped in banana leaves for breakfast. Then, it was chore time! Vacuumed the downstairs, got the dryer going, did the laundry and after that took a shower. The whole afternoon just flew by placing three Walmart orders. Ended up getting Euro gray shams (26×26), Euro pillow inserts (same size), standard pillows (20×26), a clay duvet insert and cover for the queen bed, and other household stuff.

    In the evening, I cooked meatballs, cleaned the kitchen, and put another load in the dryer. S was back at painting after work, focusing on filling wall imperfections and painting the trims and doors. We’re using the same wall color— a tad brighter, I think — just giving it a fresh look. We’re really hoping to finish soon so we can focus more on Oriahn’s room.

    Saturday, April 26th, 2025

    I did exercise and attended a 3-hour virtual class (Boot Camps for New Dads). Later, S&I went to the Habitat for Humanity store and luckily found two nightstands and an end table for a really good price, plus they gave us a sweet discount. I was happy with the finds. After that, S and I went to the Depot at Gibson Mill, a huge antique space. It was massive, but we were only there for half an hour cause S wasn’t too interested and wanted to get back to painting. We had Mexican food in the Gibson market next door before heading home.

    I took a short nap when we got back while S kept on painting. When I woke up, I gave D his meds, fed him and Sam, washed a blanket, put away the Walmart deliveries, and did some cleaning.

    Later, we got on the baby registry and bought a bunch of stuff: a car seat, a bouncer, a diaper backpack, a changing mat, a diaper box, and a toddler mattress. I also ran the dishwasher and the dryer. The evening ended with me chilling with a latte and relaxing for a bit. But then late at night, D had a seizure, which seems to happen once a month despite the daily medications he’s been taking.

    Sunday, April 27th, 2025

    Started my day with some exercise and had a breakfast of milk, mandarins, banh u, and strawberries. I then put the dishes away, ran the dryer, and took a shower. Later, I cleaned the bathroom and talked to MK.

    At 1:30 pm, S&I attended a 1.5-hour virtual infant massage class. I was a little confused at first cause it seemed to be for parents with babies already, and mine isn’t due until the end of May. S made it fun by joking, “we’re going to massage our dog,” which made the instructor and I couldn’t help but laugh. I almost left the class but S said to stay, saying it wouldn’t hurt to learn the techniques early. After the class, I cooked a late lunch: zucchini soup, and fried catfish dipped in the mix of fish sauce, lemon, sugar, hot chilies, crushed ginger, and garlic—it was so good, I was full afterward. I then started cleaning up O’s room, and fed D and Sam. I also threw the bathroom mats in the wash and got the dryer going.

    In the evening, while S was putting the finishing touches on painting the living room, I cooked steak, spaghetti, and a salad with blue cheese ranch for his dinner. Tomorrow, I might get the results from my blood work and liver ultrasound. Not sure what’s going on with my health lately, but fingers crossed, it’s nothing serious and just a temporary thing.

    Monday, April 28th, 2025 : Love Publix’s BOGO Deals & altered curtains

    Got out of bed at 10 a.m., feeling disappointed in myself cause I wasted, like, three hours again in the morning, just like yesterday. Had a boring breakfast, took a shower, then headed out to Walgreens to pick up Dozer’s meds. After that, I stopped by Publix for groceries. Really love Publix’s Buy-One-Get-One deals — got Nature’s Own butter bread for only $2.01 vs. $3.42 at Walmart. And their frozen seafood is awesome. They usually have my faves on sale, and it’s often just pure seafood without additives, preservatives, or even added salt. Plus, it’s so great that you don’t have to buy two for the BOGO; you can just get one at half price. Love that!

    S’s favorite things, like snacks, pizza, cheese, ice cream, and drinks, are often part of that deal too. However, I’m planning to cut back on the snacks cause S tends to overeat them in the middle of the night, which isn’t good given his high blood pressure. We’ll see how long this “snack break” lasts.

    After I finished my grocery shopping, we both got home—S was off work earlier—He moved the nightstands upstairs, and together we rearranged the guest room. I felt quite happy with the new look. Later, I had a late lunch of fried rice, shrimp, and kimchi, and then drank some milk.

    Around 5:34 p.m., I removed things from the dining room and covered the table and chairs with a plastic sheet to get ready for S’s painting. At 6:11 p.m., I gave D his meds and fed both him and Sam. At 6:41 p.m., I cleaned the hydro vac.

    In the evening, I steamed shrimp and made a meatball sandwich for S’s dinner. Then I ran the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen. Later, we hung the new curtains in the living room. They’re blackout, grommet-top, and patterned. I couldn’t find anything better within our budget, so I was pretty happy with them, even though they were only 84 inches long. Ideally, for our 8-foot (96 inches) ceilings, we’d want 92-inch curtains to almost touch the floor. Together with1.5 inches for a new hem, 1.5 inches for joining fabric, and about 1 inch for the portion above the rod, we were short by at least 12 inches per curtain panel.

    Since the curtains had large hems, I decided to unstitch them, gaining about 3 extra inches per panel, which meant I only needed to add about 9 more inches.

    I bought two extra panels and cut them up to attach to the bottoms of the originals. It seemed like it would be a super easy project – just cutting and sewing straight lines, it turned out to be much trickier. I messed up a bunch of times: my measurements and calculations weren’t always precise, I sometimes sewed the wrong sides together, the patterns on the original curtains and the added pieces didn’t always line up perfectly, and my stitching was sometimes too tight or too loose, causing slight puckering or waviness. Despite the imperfections, the final curtains looked pretty good to me. Happy!

    Want to mention that we’re a little worried about Dozer. He had a seizure two days ago. His vet said we should give him an extra dose (500 mg) of his usual meds whenever he has one. If he keeps having them this often, the plan is to up his regular dose. If that still doesn’t do the trick, the vet may add a second medication to the treatment. We’ll have to wait and see.

  • Yard cleanup

    Our new house has an unfenced yard, so S’s priority was to build a fence asap, for Dozer and Sam, especially Dozer so that he can have a place to run around freely and do his “business” without being on a leash.

    It was expensive to build a fence even by ourselves. Also, it would take a lot of work and time to get this done, so I told S about the idea of just building a small fenced-in area for Dozer. That way S wouldn’t feel overwhelmed. It’s not that he’s afraid of work. He’s amazing at renovating stuff, even starting from demolition. He faces challenges like a total warrior, putting in 110% effort. But once he gets into a project, he would “abuse” himself to get it done asap while still feeling “overwhelmed” by the other things on his to-do list. However, he preferred to build a full fence around the whole backyard – 400 ft.

    Before starting the fence, he cleared out the yard. It was a total overgrowth – trees everywhere, and the ground was completely covered in leaves and vines.

    First, he mowed all the leaves down; second wrestled with branches, hacking and yanking vines off the ground; third chopped down the trees, loaded all the mess into the trailer, and hauled it off to the dumpster. Sounds easy and simple, right? but it was a massive job, and it took a lot of skill, patience, focus, and determination to get it all done, especially since he did it all by himself.

    Removing branches

    To take down trees and chop them up, S used everything — ropes, a chain, a handsaw, and an axe. Especially, he rented a small excavator to dig out the stumps and drag the logs. Though he picked smaller trees, those stumps were a pain. They had deep roots, and the excavator was small with a short crane, plus the ground around them was uneven. However, S still patiently and skillfully got them all out. Watching him on the little excavator, bouncing around, I was praying it wouldn’t tip over. But it was also cute because it was like he was playing with a toy.

    I have no idea how many trees he took down, but he filled up the trailer at least six times. And surprisingly, he rigged up the posts on the sides to make the trailer taller so he could fit even more stuff in there! I also have no clue how he got the heavy logs and branches in there. I wasn’t out there much while he was working, just going out every now and then to bring him a drink or a snack, or just ask if he needed anything.

    Since it wasn’t cheap to rent the excavator and the truck to tow it home (we paid around $300 per day, I think), S made sure to get this money’s worth and used every single minute he could. He was in the yard early in the cold and didn’t stop, even when the sun went down. He’s a workhorse. I’m constantly amazed by his drive and how hard he works.

    After filling up the trailer with stumps and branches, he hauled it all off to the dumpster. He didn’t have to do that – the county comes by every so often to pick stuff like that up. But S didn’t want a mountain of leaves, logs and debris sitting in front of the house.

    With the yard cleared and ready, S was finally able to move forward with his next big task – building the fence. Will update soon.

  • Lampshade makeover under 30 mins

    We have a creamy lampshade, which fit right in with the surrounding items in the old house. However, with a new spot in our new house, it looked plain and dull, so I wanted to add some colors to freshen it up. I have acrylic paints and brushes that I bought a few years ago, intending to take up a new hobby. But I had never opened them until I decided to redo the lampshade. Painting is not easy and takes patience and attention to detail—two things I don’t have much of. How to makeover a lampshade when you have zero painting skills, no experience with brushes, and only a little time to spare? Here’s what I did.

    Instead of using brushes, I used flowers. When I looked at the flowers I bought for S’s birthday, I noticed the mums and thought, “Why not use these as brushes?” They were sturdy enough to use for dabbing without getting all mushy, large enough to cover more surface area quickly, and their many small petals would give the texture some extra oomph. Since our living room has slate blue as the dominant color, so different shades of blue would work well for the lampshade. I threw in green and purple as well. Honestly, I didn’t have a clear vision or a detailed plan. It was quite impromptu. After a rough, tiring day, I just wanted a quick, easy way to get it done and off my mind.

    The flowers already had their own textures and shapes, so all I had to do were dip them in paint and dab them onto the surface. I focused on different spots, trying to make it look natural, like it wasn’t planned or anything. I wasn’t trying to create any specific picture, partly because I wouldn’t know how but mostly because I just wanted to finish quickly. Abstract patterns are a safe option in this case as their interpretation would be up viewers. I simply dabbed the flower heads on different areas, letting the randomness create a natural flow.

    Next, I mixed all the leftover paint, which turned into a teal-green shade, and used it to paint some areas without the pattern. I actually preferred slate blue, but since the teal-green looked decent, I didn’t bother adjusting it further. I left some areas unpainted to enhance the contrast and let the “design” stand out naturally.

    To make a smooth transition between the teal-green top and the flower pattern a little better, I dabbed some burgundy purple in that in-between area using the flower. The deep, cool colors added a bit of a mysterious vibe to the overall look of the lampshade.

    That was it. Super easy and stress-free for someone like me with no painting skills. I finished it in less than half an hour. It looks pretty good, at least, not like something a kid made. Love to hear about your DIY lampshade makeover.

  • Backyard Renovations: Flower bed & Deck

    When we first moved into our home, there was a corner of our backyard leading to a side gate that remained untouched—a neglected area under a large tree where nothing seemed to grow. It wasn’t a priority for S to improve this space, so we left it alone.

    Since the area was just a bare ground, I always avoided using that gate to minimize dirt and dust tracked into the house. However, that gate is S’s favorite entry, keeping the inside clean needed a lot of attention.

    This area never got much sunlight, so planting anything there was out of the question. I also noticed some utility flags in the area, which made fixing up more complicated. We never really had a serious conversation about working on this area, but it was always on my mind that I wanted to do something about it.

    From time to time, I considered a few ideas, like using gravels or pebbles, but those options weren’t right for us. Gravel would be difficult to maintain because the leaves from the big tree would be nearly impossible to clear. Pebbles may get slippery when it rains and could be dangerous. Pavers or concrete slabs were ruled out since S wanted to keep the area well-drained. Flagstones with rocks or gravels around the edges could be a good choice but again we had never seriously pursued it and it remained on my wishlist. 

    Then things changed. With S home more and us preparing to move and possibly rent out the place, we finally had a good reason to improve the area. But we were on a tight budget, and time was short.

    At first, I thought about creating a pathway  using flagstones, but I couldn’t quite figure out how to make it blend with the rest of the bare area. I tend to see things as a whole rather than in pieces, so I wanted something that would fit well. While brainstorming, I remembered how much I wanted a bench or a seating area around the tree. I started looking for photos of similar setups online, which sparked an idea: building a shallow deck.

    Inspired, I shared the idea with him, and he got to work designing a deck that would be affordable, easy to build, and leave room for future improvements if we wanted to expand it later. He’s built decks before, so it didn’t take him long, especially since it was a small area.

    We used leftover materials from previous projects, which kept the costs down. For the deck, we repurposed old bricks, originally used as a pathway that had become buried over time. S dug them out, laid them in rows to create a solid foundation for the wooden joists. While working, it started to rain, turning everything muddy, but he didn’t stop. That’s one of the things I respect most about him—his tenacity. Whether it’s raining or scorching hot, he works tirelessly to get things done.

    We used a thick wood panel for the joists, which we got at a 70% discount because it was warped. To straighten it, he first hammered wooden wedges on each side of the joist before nailing planks in place.

    Also, since we didn’t have enough joists as whole pieces, S joined short ones together. This isn’t ideal as a whole joist would be stronger but S made sure they were secured well.

    It took him just over two and a half days to finish, including time to buy materials and figure out the details. The deck is small but it’s enough to solve the problem of needing a pathway while leaving room for future expansion. I had really wanted a pathway to address the dirt issue, but I ended up with a deck, far beyond my expectation. So pleased!

    One of my favorite features of the deck is the small slopes he added at the ends. Initially, he used just one plank but the transition was quite abrupt. By adding a second one, the slope becomes more gradual, reducing the risk of trips and falls. Additionally, I love how he shaped the deck that followed the lines of the new flower bed and gate. It looks more integrated with the rest of the yard, rather than just being a plain rectangle or square.

    We also decided to designate a spot on one side of the deck for the trash can, keeping it simple with just a foundation. With some extra wood, he built a bench,  near the trash can. While it might be not ideal in terms of aesthetics or potential odors, adding a vertical panel in the future will help separate the two areas. Planting a bush or placing a flower planter next to the panel could keep the area looking vibrant and fresh. Personally, I don’t mind the trash can odors because I always try to keep everything, even the trash as clean as possible.

    Previously, we built an edge for a flower bed using timbers, but it wasn’t really to plant flowers or trees—just to find a place for some leftover soil. However, we didn’t use much soil since the new bed didn’t need a lot as S didn’t want to affect drainage near the house. While it looks a bit empty now, I’m still happy. I love how contours enhance shapes and structures. Also, with generous mulch and the right plants, I’m sure the bed will look beautiful.

    Overall, I think the total cost to fix up this area was around $800. This included leftover and new materials and accessories like timbers, lava rocks, mulch, planks, and more, which feels a bit pricey given the deck’s size. But it would have cost a lot more if we’d hired someone to do it.

    You might wonder why we’re still working on the house when we’re about to leave. The truth is, it’s our home, and we’ve put so much effort into it since we moved in. Even though we won’t be here much longer, we still want to finish what we’ve always planned to do.  

    PS: I”ll update more once the deck and bench are stained and sealed, and the trash can spot is set up.

    Update: Our new trash can pad

  • Renovations: Before and After

    Fence & Gate

    Timber edging



    Backyard

    Walk-in Pantry

  • Walk-in closet renovation

    Since we’re probably going to move soon and S’s home now, we’ve been working on the house to get it ready for rent.

    We started renovating the walk-in closet in the master bedroom. We are currently tight on time and budget, so we kept the project easy, simple, quick, and low-cost.

    I’m mainly in charge of the closet—organizing and arranging everything—so I know how we want the space to be. I sketched out an initial design. S took all the ideas we discussed and created a detailed digital drawing.

    We spent $60 on plywood, $20 on a metal pipe and $20 on rod hangers, that is pretty much all the cost. We already had lots of other materials from previous projects, like nails, paint, and trim wood. And since he’s an expert handyman – his words, we have all the tools needed.

    The plywood, being a cheap material for shelves, however, had surface imperfections, so we filled holes and cracks with joint compound before painting. The edges of the plywood dividers weren’t attractive due to the visible layers, so we used trim to cover them to improve the appearance.

    We used cream for shelves, white for the walls, and brown for the trim to create some contrast. Since white on the walls has different shades, there are some uneven colors on some spots. But those won’t be noticeable once the closet is going to be filled with clothes. Also, we are not going to stay here for long and our main goal was to use up the leftover paint, so we’re not too concerned about the unevenness.

    Instead of buying a hanging rod, S chose a metal pipe and cut it to the required length. This saved us money, as the pipe was much cheaper than purchasing a pre-made hanging rod.

    We repurposed trim to cover the edges of the plywood dividers. This trim, originally part of the house’s exterior boards, is very solid, and we’re pleased we didn’t waste it.

    The top panel on the ceiling is actually a leftover panel from an overhang. We glued two panels together to fit the space we needed.

    It took us 5 days to complete the project, but we only worked for a few hours each day since S was busy with other tasks.

    We still haven’t built the storage boxes for the sides or developed the areas facing the central part of the closet. However, we decided to stop and focus on other priorities before we move. The closet is already looking nice and functional, and it’s a significant improvement over the original one we’ve had since we moved here.

    I forgot to mention that I bought paintings from a thrift store for around $5 each. They match the color scheme of the closet and the rug. Also, I love the colorful rug squares that I bought two years ago on Google Shopping. I recall getting a great deal on them, and the quality is excellent.

    With the closet complete, we can move on to the next tasks we want to touch up around the house before our move. Our current situation is unexpected but it’s understandable given life’s unpredictability. I hope our journey will go smoothly, that we can keep things under control, and that we end up in a place where we can build a peaceful and stable life.

    Check our detailed closet renovation below:

    Day 1:

    Day 2:

    Day 3:

    Day 4:

    Day 5:

    Update: I double-checked the price of the metal pipe, and it was $40, not $20. It’s not cheaper than pre-made hanging rods that S told me about.

  • Oct ramblings, 2023

    An exhausting month with a happy ending!

    New door installation: One day, S was tired of the old door’s color and decided to give it a fresh coat of paint. So, he started by stripping off the old paint, but that left the door’s surface rough and uneven. The attempts to smooth it out and change the colors turned into a disappointment. He tried two different colors, but each attempt made it look worse, to the point, I even joked, “We don’t need to decorate for Halloween this year.” We had the Halloween-like door for a few months, and eventually, we decided to buy a new door at SSHE. The new door came finished, but a glass door next to it wasn’t. This led to a time-consuming and frustrating process of mixing stains, trying different shades, and making countless errors to finally achieve a perfect match. Then, S had to make trims, and go through the staining and sealing process again. S did the entire project himself. The effort, commitment and determination he put into are truly admirable.

    Deep cleaning: First, I started indoors: I touched every corner, closets, cabinets, drawers, baseboards and hidden nooks and crannies; decluttered and dusted…Next, cleaned the outdoor areas, including yards, doors, and overhang areas…

    Shopping: S and I took several trips to outlets, malls and supermarkets, all in search of looking for gifts and everything I needed for my upcoming trip. I had rarely gone shopping in the past couple of years since the start of the Covid pandemic and my IVF treatment. Plus, being at home most of the time, I didn’t really need many clothes, especially those for dressing up. However, this trip to VN wouldn’t be only for medical purposes but also a chance to reunite with my family and friends, and recharge my energy. Therefore, I want to live a soulful and aesthetic life this time, just like I used to be. I’m excited to enjoy some precious “me time” at coffee shops. Spending time at coffee shops whether alone, with friends or for work, is a very typical pastime in VN. I can’t wait to experience it again.

    Paperwork: I took detailed notes of my medical records, which were quite time-consuming, but I wanted to make sure I had enough information for doctor consultations during the trip; updated my SSN; changed my DL; sorted out 2023 receipts and arranged them in categorized folders…

    Flight to VN: I had to pay $100 for a second checked luggage for my American Airlines flight to DFW. Right before checking in, S found out I would have to make a detour to NRT after landing at HND, then take the next flight to HN. In HND, I would have to claim my luggage, and the whole transfer would take at least 3 hrs in case everything went smoothly (on-time arrival from DFW, quick luggage claim/check-in, no missed buses, etc.), leaving me just half an hour before the next flight. I could tell I had mentally prepared myself for missing that flight.

    S tried to contact American Airlines to switch flights so that I could skip HND and fly directly to NRT from DFW. However, since my luggage was already on its way to HND, I would have to go there.

    He then contacted JAL to see if they could offer special assistance, but it was already late evening in Japan. He was very worried; unsure how I could handle the transfer alone. Honestly, I was nervous about my trip, but it wouldn’t have been a nightmare if I had delayed or missed the flight; I was mainly upset because I had made S worried. He only had one or two hours of sleep before taking me to the airport, and he had to stay awake afterwards due to my issue. However, when we came up with an idea to switch the flights so that I could travel directly from HND to HN, instead of from NRT, a miracle happened.

    I received an email from JAL, informing me that I had been booked on an alternate flight to HN due to the delay of my reserved flight. It was great that the alternate flight would be from HND. I also didn’t have to claim my checked luggage. It was such a stroke of luck! I really thought my prayers on the way to the airport had been heard and Higher Powers were looking out for me.

    I arrived in HN one day before my mom’s birthday. My sister’s family greeted me at the airport with a bouquet of beautiful roses. So blessed!

  • To do – Mon, 10/02/2023

    1. Wear a facial mask, do yoga & take supplements
    2. Prepare documents, visit the DMV and SSO
    3. Clean the vacuum, vacuum and mop the floor downstairs
    4. Wash unused clothes and donate them
    5. Contact the CLO for property tax receipts
    6. Shop for gifts for the VN trip
    7. Check and order supplements

  • DIY curtain-making

    I started my curtain-making project by looking for the colors and patterns to match the walls’ Sherwin Williams Carvern Clay paint. I wanted a cozy and tranquil ambiance space, so I chose warm earthy colors such as red and brown. Red is already the color of the walls, creating a flowy connection between the curtains and the walls. Though red and brown are dominant colors but they don’t look overwhelming thanks to the Chevron insignia pattern, an ancient V-symbol. The symbols break the colors into small pads, keeping the curtains bright and bold without being overpowering. Also, the Chevron insignia adds a retro and nostalgic feeling to the room.

    To make my curtains, I bought pre-made curtains on Amazon that are 50″x96″ each, and made of polyester satin. Since I needed the curtains to be at least 1.5 times wider than my window to add volume and depth to the curtains. I sewed two panels together to create a larger size. With two pre-made pairs, I customized one pair of my curtains.

    The pre-made curtains had the grommet style on the top edge but they looked a little too industrial for my taste. So, I cut the top off, and made double pleats instead to create a more traditional and elegant look. This part was easy. I sewed a pleating tape designed for pleats using hooks. This saved me a ton of time creating evenly spaced pleats. However, the pleats weren’t well-defined as I had expected as the fabric isn’t soft enough to drop down. Therefore, I sewed a 1.2″ line on each pleat, starting 3.5″ from the top edge to secure it.

    Then, I added a lining to the curtains to block out light completely for S’s sleep. To save time and money, I cut the lining to a size that only covers the window. It works perfectly at night, however, during the daytime, it’s not 100% blackout as some translucent light still comes through at the edges of the lining. It doesn’t bother me at all, but if you are a perfectionist or you are very sensitive to any level of light while sleeping during the day, you can always cut your curtains longer to resolve this issue.

    Generally, I’m happy with how the curtains turned out. But while making them, I wasn’t in the sewing mood, I just wanted to finish them quickly. There are definitely some areas where I could’ve improved the technical aspects, specifically sewing the lining more neatly and precisely.

    Curtain: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GW664BZ/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_8QNPAYQ15YSTQ7HJH2RC_1?psc=1

    Hooks: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B094NRB6FR/ref=cm_cr_othr_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

    Curtain tape: https://www.amazon.com/Aageme-Pleated-Curtain-Curtains-10Yard%EF%BC%8CWhite/dp/B09XMNCBB6?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A25Z8GZDC5DP0Z