I thought we’d have a Sunday morning chat today, to catch up on what’s been going on around here. Not that it’s much exciting, but it’s my life and Ivy’s life nonetheless.
I ordered blinds from Amazon for my kitchen window last week.
It was pretty dark in there with the red and white curtain I had over the window. I might want to put a plant or two in there, so I wanted to lighten up the room.
The Window Blinds Dilemma:
I ordered 34 and a 1/2 inches by 48 inches wide blinds. However when one of the maintenance men installed it the other day, I noticed that it wasn’t quite wide enough.
I measured the new blinds and they were 34 inches wide. So I emailed the store owner on Amazon and told him my problem. The owner said that if you order 34 and a half you’re getting 34 inches wide.
So, she said, you should have ordered 35 inch wide blinds.
But then why have the 34 and a half inch width listed?
Well, I don’t want to ask maintenance to come take them down, so I guess I’m stuck with their not being quite wide enough.
Greg was here yesterday and had helped me in ordering them in the first place. So he went outside to see if you could see in. He said all you could see was the sink and refrigerator. So I guess I’m not lacking much privacy.
Their Amazon Listing:
Here is the store owner’s email to me:
Please note, all of our blinds are in compliance with the Industry-Standard 1/2 inch width deduction. Thus they will measure 1/2 inch less in width than what is ordered. This is noted in the first bullet point of the product page and in the picture.
The product you received with a Final Cut size of 34.0″W is correct for the product ordered, 34.5″W. If the product you received will not work, you may submit a return for product refund in the Amazon system and then place a new order. If you need a Final Cut size of 34.5″W please order a 35″W blind.
Well, I guess I missed this vital bit of information. I thought if you measured them at a certain number, then that number was what you ordered.
Adding A Valance:
Then I added the red and white valance at the top to hide the top of the window blinds. Either the maintenance man didn’t put the blinds up quite right or something is wrong with the wall around the window.
Probably it’s a bit of both.
The Book I’m Reading:
The book I’m reading by Barbara Kingsolver called “Demon Copperhead” is quite good. I will have to look for more of her books.
A young boy loses his mother to a drug overdose. Then he’s shifted around in foster care until his luck suddenly changes.
I could feel the anxiety he experienced in wondering how long a placement would last. None were permanent of course.
He was always wondering when he was going to be snatched up and moved. To another family, another school. Someone else taking him in for the check and using him to work for them. So sad.
Whenever he experiences something good in his life, he is startled because it feels too good to be true. He fears his new fortune will be jerked away from him any minute.
A child should never have to experience being the lowest on the totem pole and the first to be moved. It’s no wonder we have disenfranchised adults who grew up in the system and are full of anger.
Ivy & The Stuffed Hearts:
Ivy kept managing to get that brown heart I used at Valentine’s Day out of the drawer in the closet. So finally I just let her keep it.
She drags that thing around in her mouth all the time. I figured out that she was using her paw to push the drawer from the back in order to open it.
Then she has an open drawer and can take what she wants of the hearts. But Ivy only wants the brown one. You’d think that heart was a mouse the way she trots around with it in her mouth.
Is there anything that cat can’t do?
I’m still working on my office/craft room.
I do have two bulletin boards on the wall and the art out of the closet to choose for the walls. Then I just need to get things off table surfaces and the craft space organized.
Then I’ll be able to show you what I’ve done with the room.
Beyond Paradise On Britbox:
I’m watching “Beyond Paradise” on Britbox. This is the first season of this show, but it is an offshoot of “Death In Paradise.” So I suppose I shall finish this one, and while they’re filming the new season, I’ll go back and start watching the others.
“Beyond Paradise” follows DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) solving murder mysteries in the UK. He follows his fiance Martha (Sally Bretton) back to her home town, Shipton Abbott in South Devon.
She opens a restaurant and works there while he’s out solving crimes. There’s a bit of a comedic element that makes the policing less dramatic.
Someone asked on Google about “Death In Paradise”, and this was the answer:
Question: Will there be another series of Death in Paradise 2023?
Answer: “We’ve got huge plans for the future.” The BBC has announced that Death in Paradise will be returning for seasons 13 and 14, with two feature-length Christmas special episodes also on their way.
My, I have a lot of catching up to do.
This is how DI Humphrey Goodman appeared in “Death In Paradise.” Looks quite different, doesn’t he?
Have any of you watched “Death In Paradise?”
{This post has an affiliate link}
That Ivy is too much! So clever to open the drawer and take what she wants! Reminds me of my cat, Leo, years ago, who would knock the phone off the hook when it rang, and meow into the answering machine.
The new blind looks great, and the book sounds like one I’d enjoy.
Ivy is hilarious? Opening a closed drawer to get what she wants! i miss having a cat.
You might consider a privacy film in a pretty pattern that still lets in light for plants. I saw someone put transparent shelves in a window for plants. Space saver idea that looked pretty. I have always been a renter & my least favorite thing is most places have blinds. They catch dust, too. I hope you keep the pretty valance up.
We need a photo of Ivy with the brown heart in her mouth, please…hope I didn’t miss it. Recovering from the virus going around town.
And how annoying about the blinds! I agree with everyone who said the illogical, unknown caveat about the width ought to be in big, bold letters on the page! Grr…
Sure learned something new about ordering blinds – to me if it says 34 1/2 then that’s what I expect to get. Sigh…
I have watch Death in Paradise for a long time and don’t recall ever seeing the actor look like that second photograph. He looked just like the top photo. Anyone else think this also?
And Ivy girl with her pretty new toy – yes, sort of mousie like at least the soft brown color.
Have a happy Spring, Brenda and give that Ivy some love from me, please.
Brenda, you learn something new every day. I had no idea about the blind measurement either. You would think that bullet point would be in BOLD.
Ivy is so funny and smart.
Hope you have a great week!
I sure didn’t see it. I had these blinds in my Amazon cart for months before I ordered them.
We love Death in Paradise, and have gotten our daughter and grand daughter as converts. We were visiting them last week, and her in laws were there. We began to discuss British TV, and the mother in law said she loves Death in Paradise, though she was disappointed that the first detective was no longer there. We adjust to each new one. We have enjoyed watching Beyond Paradise too.
I am now in watching Death In Paradise. Beyond Paradise’s first season only had 3 episodes.
Do yourself a favor and have someone take down the blinds, return them for the right size. I guarantee that if you took the time to write a post about how much it bothers you, it will continue to bug you going forward. CORRECT the situation and you will feel better about it. This Your Castle and you are the Queen. Make it your own. I’ve had to correct situations that were bothersome and it was sooo worth it. As the saying goes, “Just Do it!!”.
Thinking about it still. Might just be easier to put tape along the sides or something. I don’t know that I trust this company to order new ones from them.
Interesting about the blinds. We’ve always gotten our blinds from home improvement stores and had them cut there, so I’m not familiar with ordering them online. Our living room wooden blinds are custom made, but someone came out and measured themselves and then were ordered through the company. It’s been so long, I can’t remember what company that was.
That 1/2″ difference would probably drive me crazy. Are you going to return them and order new ones?
Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors. I’ve read all of her books. My favorite is The Poisonwood Bible. There were a couple of hers I didn’t care for though.
It’s not bothering me as much as time goes on. Since you can only see my refrigerator, which is just about 4-5 feet from the window, it’s not like anyone can see me in the living room, which is about 30 feet from the window.
Yes , I’ve watched Death in Paradise. I always enjoyed it . Often shows you mention that are on Brit box , I get on pbs. I’m in Wisconsin.
I don’t get PBS. I’ve watched several episodes tonight of Death In Paradise.
Why are we surprised when animals do something amazing or unexpected?
Just because they don’t speak our language doesn’t mean that they are not intelligent beings capable of complex behaviors. I often have to pull myself up and tell myself the above.
We are moving a little closer to getting a cat. If we do adopt it will have to be a older cat so that we don’t die and leave them.
Oh, I hope you get one! Giving a senior cat a home is a real gift because they’re often left behind.
Th blinds on our patio door (which leads to the walkway and parking etc so easily seen by any and everyone and at least some of the humans who live here are criminals) so I got a long white piece of cloth that I had made that has a little cloth “hook” at the top that attaches it to the top of the blind and hung it so at least the gap facing the livingroom is covered, thus at least on the one side facing into the living area, you can see nothing now. I made it for the very same reason in the last spot we lived in…if there is a fairly wide area that can be seen in your living room, why even bother putting up blinds is what I wonder (but who can ever figure out the folks in charge in apts who decide these things??)
That Ivy is one busy cat!! Maybe your giving her the one she wants will make her leave the rest in that drawer alone now.
I love Ivy! She is quite talented isn’t she? She must make you laugh. I do know that generally blinds are cut 1/2″ smaller than a person’s window dimensions leaving 1/4″ ease on each side which is generally necessary to place the blinds inside the window; HOWEVER an online website/order form/product description should clearly state this nuance in big bold letters as many times as the page allows for. It would save both the seller and the buyer from having complaints, returns etc. I love Barbara Kingsolver’s writing and may have to pick up this new book. As many authors do, she commonly writes about her own life experiences in her fictional stories.
HMMM – I’ve definitely learned something new about window blinds. Thank you for sharing, Brenda. Like Kim, I think some wispy panels would look nice. They would diffuse what you can actually see. Just a thought!
Miss Ivy is such a stinker and full of personality! LOL
I enjoyed your Sunday Morning Chat – have a great day!
I just started Beyond Paradise, I just finished the 3rd episode. Death in Paradise was fun to watch too; changing inspectors was challenging to watch for the first episode but it always got better. I’m sure glad t is possible to stream these shoes
I too just finished the third episode.
You could hang some cute curtain panels and then you won’t see the gap on the sides and this will also offer privacy. If you use a fairly light weight sheer fabric you could open them wide or draw them closed if you want to. I use a tension rod in the opening to hang mine.
I’m going to do something. I like total privacy at night.
I love “Death in Paradise”! I love the little beach shack that is the living quarters for the British DI’s. Have you noticed that there’s a huge tree growing inside the little house? My husband and I call the theme music “happy murder music”.
I haven’t seen any episodes of Death In Paradise yet. If I’d known that Beyond Paradise was an extension of that show, I’d have started watching it first.
If you are liking the Kingsolver book, try her book The Poisonwood Bible. It’s an amazing story told by each character. Probably one of my favorite top 10 books.Jan, I thought the same about the brown heart!
I’m putting that one on my list.
Geez, nothing is easy is it? Ivy never ceases to amaze me! Don’t you wish you could know exactly what they are thinking? Enjoy your day.
I have to keep the doors to that closet closed now. She was never really interested in that closet till I closed the doors. Now when I open it she runs right in.
All my blinds are like that. If I go the 1/2 inch bigger which is another 1/4″ per side, they get caught in the “offness” of the window. So that’s pretty standard to have a gap. Most windows (unlike mine which are yucky), have a non-window edge around the glass inside the frame. Mine do not, so it’s quite annoying. I’m actually ready to remove them completely since my cordless are always crooked and the ones with cords get nasty and knotted. I’m just so done with them completely. But I need sun control and you need privacy. Maybe I’ll dream about having the really nice shade type ones in my next life. LOL.
I could always use masking tape around the edges.
I didn’t know that about ordering blinds either, that the size you need isn’t really the size you get! My thought was whether you can find some pretty decorative washi tape that you can use to just frame the glass on the window to add an inch or half-inch wide layer of opaqueness so that the view of your fridge and stove from the outside is blocked off, all a viewer from the outside will see is the back of the tape and perhaps some show-through pattern, while when you have the blinds open you’ll see the pretty washi tape border. Ivy is a Wonder Cat. Isn’t she clever, figuring out how to push open the desk drawer from underneath with her paw. I think that’s downright genius. No doubt a silly observation but to me the “brown” heart looks like a giant fat mouse with really big ears, maybe it does to Ivy too 🙂
I agree. I think Ivy thinks it looks like a mouse.