Just when you thought all the painting was done!!!!!!

Hi Everyone.  Most of you know that follow along with my decor crazy blog that we moved into the new place just about 6 weeks ago and we have been painting every inch of this place.  We left the "Fireman Cave" basement alone since it was the identical gray to Terry's old office in the other house.  We liked that gray with all his fire stuff.

Ok with all of that said the previous owners liked flat paint and that in my book is a no go!!!! Flat paint just shows all the flaws and is not easy to clean.

They had twin 2 year old boys and a 5 years old so you can imagine the walls going up and down the stairs. 
At 2am one morning you know when all those creative ideas flow!!!! At least for me that seems to be when it happens!  

 I thought hmmm maybe painting that stair case down to the fireman cave might be a good idea since the walls looks so bad. Maybe using a lighter shade of gray would lighten things too.  I usually wake Terry when I get a brilliant idea in the middle of the night but I thought maybe a better approach for more painting in this house would be better after he had his morning coffee!!!!!

The color of the walls is a dark flat gray.  It is hard to see in this picture but the walls had crayon marks, finger prints, dirt etc. all the way down the walls.  We got this color paint from Lowe's.  It is Valspar Tempered Gray.  Looks white here but it is a medium color gray.

I really like this gray.  It is not too light and not too dark especially for going down to a basement.


So there is my hero painting the walls going down the stairs to the Fireman Cave.  Love this man he goes with whatever crazy I call upon for decor.  I have to say in my defense he agreed these walls really needed to be painted to fix up all the wear and tear and also to lighten things up a bit.



So there you have it shadows and all.  The new medium gray compliments the darker gray of the fireman cave.  Now going down the steps to the fireman cave it is brighter and in a semi gloss for keeping clean.





We like the contrast of the dark gray with the medium gray walls going down the stairs.
 Terry actually said he might like to paint the whole downstairs in this lighter gray to brighten and lighten his man cave.  For now we will keep the darker color.  Poor guy needs a break from the paint fumes!!!!

Have a great week end.  Finally cooling down here a little bit.

With all the wicked storms of late this little guy has been hanging out a lot in the fireman cave.  He does not like storms. 


Poor Cooper really has a rough time with storms.  We even had to get him some doggie medication to keep him calm.  I have never had a dog that got so upset with storms like he does.  Thinking about him being tethered outdoors most of his life he must have been caught in a storm or two.  He is just so afraid.  Breaks my heart how upset he gets.  The medication seems to help and having a safe place like the fireman cave for him to go helps too.   It is his safe place where he does not see or hear the storms as much down there.



All this rain is bringing in some cooler temps for us.  Woo Hoo it is only going to be high 70's this week end.
Hope your summer is going well.  Enjoy the week end.
Hugs,
Kris

69 comments

  1. Love that color and finish! Betcha the rest of the room is painted for the week's out. Take care, Cooper, little buddy, you're in a safe place and you've found your people who will keep you that way!
    Have a great weekend, Kris. Fingers crossed for good news.

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  2. Love the lighter color. You guys have done so much and it looks fabulous.

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  3. The gray looks amazing! I like the tiny little bit of sheen that it has.

    Our dog has recently decided she's terrified of storms too! It's hard to deal with they just shiver and shake.

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  4. I like the new color and I agree, I hate flat paint. I am so happy to see that Copper is still with you. I think that the good home life he has now with your family has extended his life. He looks so happy with you all.

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  5. It looks great. I love flat paint. My dog is so scared of the storms. She hides in the bathroom until they are over. I'm sorry that Cooper is having a hard time. I'd take some of those temperatures. It's supposed to be 100 degrees tomorrow.

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  6. Poor Cooper...love the new gray color. I thought flat paint didn't show issues with the walls. Today was a perfect summer day. I even did some yard work.

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  7. The new color looks great and really compliments the darker grey in the man cave. Our border collie/lab Judy absolutely hated storms too!!! We found draping an old comforter over her crate made her feel safe and secure and lessened her anxiety. It took us years to figure out that it wasn't the loud thunder that freaked her out but the lightning!!!!! I can only imagine how scared they must be since sometimes the storms scare me to death too.
    ~Des

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  8. I really like the lighter grey and knowing Terry, he will be painted his man cave soon.

    Poor Cooper, he is just like my two dogs. Only we have had so many fireworks going off that they are s scared .
    I also have medication for them when it gets to bad. Waldo just goes into my shower stall and stays in there until they quit. Lili wants me to go to bed and snuggle with her. We normally do not get thunder storms here, thanks goodness.

    Hugs,
    Mary

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  9. Great greys!! Ah ~ but poor Coop! Please give him a cuddle from me.
    Thanks heaven's he has a more 'safe place ' to go!!
    And blessings to you guys for providing him with that!!

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  10. That is a very nice grey Kris.
    I quite like it against the dark grey on the man cave. I agree, how can anyone like flat paint and kids together. Oh no!!
    Poor pup. I can only imagine. Glad he has a safe place to snuggle during the storms.
    Hugs, Gee

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  11. What a difference paint makes!!! Very nice!

    Storms freak 'me' out too. Glad Cooper has the man cave to feel safe in.

    Have a lovely weekend ~ FlowerLady

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  12. That's a nice improvement Kris, and Terry is one sweet guy. Speaking of sweet, Cooper is such a doll. So sorry he gets so frightened, but you're right...who knows what he's experienced up until now being outside all the time. What's wrong with people?.!

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  13. I LOVE THE GRAY! It's a perfect choice for the fire engine red details of his space. Wow, Kris, it looks MAN-NICENT! teeeheeee

    Hey there, Mr. Cooper!

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  14. Good Morning Kris
    Look at that sweet face on Cooper, oh my gosh he is precious
    Love love love the lighter gray on the walls doing to the man cave. Wow does it brighten it up. That dark gray is very pretty also.
    Hope all that rain doesn't bring mosquitoes :) that happens here. We are having cooler temps too and I am loving it.
    enjoy this gorgeous weekend Kris
    deezie

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  15. Buy a thundershirt for Cooper; it's really helpful. If not that, put on an old t-shirt and tie it around him so it wraps him snug. The pressure seems to help dogs a lot. My son is a fireman so I sent him photos of your hubby fireman cave. Just fabulous!!

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  16. Hi Kris,
    I am sure all the kisses Cooper gets from you and Terry lets him know how loved he is and through that love in Terry's man cave he will get through those scary storms. Breaks my heart to know there are monsters out there that can abuse sweet animals. I think your color choice looks great with the contrast of the darker gray. I didn't know you painted gloss ... the most sheen I've ever used was an eggshell finish. I love a velvety matte finish and have always used a Mr.Clean Magic sponge and it's always removed any marks without leaving residue. Have a relaxing weekend and enjoy all your hard work efforts that turned into one amazing and beautiful home. Oh by the way I forgot to mention last post I love the little sign on the guest bathrooms door.
    xoxo,
    Vera

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  17. Awwwww poor puppy! How lucky he is to have found you two!

    Love the two shades of gray together. Perfectly done! again!

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  18. I like the contrast of the two grays, Kris. It looks great! I'm sorry that poor Cooper has such a hard time when there is a a storm. He is so lucky to have been adopted by you two. I look forward to some cooler temperatures but we probably won't get them before September.
    Have a wonderful weekend! :)
    xo Julia

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  19. I love the lighter new shade of gray. Have you heard of Thunder Shirts for dogs? I don't know if they work, but it might be worth a try. Here is a link.
    http://www.thundershirt.com/

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    Replies
    1. From Thundershirt's website:
      "ThunderShirt's patented design applies a gentle, constant pressure on a dog's or cat's torso. Using pressure to relieve anxiety has been a common practice for years. Prior to ThunderShirt, there just wasn't an easy and safe way to do so for our dogs and cats. It is believed by many experts that this type of pressure works in a similar manner to swaddling an infant or people with autism using pressure to reduce persistent anxiety."

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  20. I really like the lighter with darker gray look too. And with 3 dogs of our own, I really understand how they can get so scared in thunderstorms.

    OK...now I'm not a professional painter, nor a paint company rep for anyone, but if you still think flat paint isn't washable, you haven't tried any of the new 'versions' of it!

    In 'the old days' flat paint really wasn't washable and if you used it for houses with kids or even a lot of activity from grownups, you'd be painting those rooms almost every other year...my neighbor was in that category (3 kids + old-fashioned flat paint = painting every other year!).

    BUT...today's flat paints from almost any good quality paint company, are wonderfully washable and durable. If you want to give it a try some day, if you like the look of flat, check it out ;-) I recently used flat in a laundry room and am truly surprised how wonderfully it looks and washes.

    All that being said, most people just have a preference for what sheen they prefer from flat, to eggshell, to satin, to high gloss and for what project they're using it on. :-) Also, certain areas of the country will tend to use more of one gloss than another. So at the end of the day, it comes down to what you like...just like wine :-)

    I LOVE your entire home and am being very blessed by seeing how paint is the big transformer once again :-) That Cooper is a gem :-)

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  21. Poor Cooper. A friend has a dog who hates storms, bangs, firecrackers, etc and he gets meds and wears as thunder coat. It helps. Home looks great!

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  22. You mean I'm not the only one in the wee hours of the morning with flashes of ideas flying from my head!! Hands in the air from me to you. Love the lighter gray with a feature wall of the darker gray, it really makes a statement. Poor Cooper, you are probably right that he sat tethered outside during a few storms. I can't imagine someone doing that to a poor dog. We've been getting a lot of storms here lately that had me screaming at the top of my lungs a couple of times.

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  23. Hi Kris, I do hope that your storms are flying west, we surely do need them here in the Salt Lake desert. Poor Cooper, we (KIDS & I) had a lab like this and she would knock be right off of the sofa when fireworks or a thunderstorm was coming down. That's when they really look for our comfort. Buy the way you surely have that man of yours trained! I need to find one like that this ol' body is struggling doing it all by myself. Good thing that our landlord won't let us paint the walls or I would be in big trouble. Love the freshness of the paint on the stair way. Have a amazing weekend my friend. Love ya, Jo

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  24. Kris, I am happy about the cooler temperatures too. Poor Cooper, that's sad when animals are frightened. The color you chose for the stair walls would brighten the man cave.. I do like the grays together in the corner. Terry is a sweetheart. I don't know if I could trust Ted to paint...I am pretty picky . LOL. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  25. going to try to get some painting done myself today...it is just too hot to be outside with expected over 100 degrees...yesterday we hit a record 107. YIKES Love the lighter grey. Poor Cooper. We have a black and tan cocker who is also afraid of loud noises. It has been a blessing the last few 4ths, that he appears to have lost some hearing as he ages. I did note that this fourth when I was out sided with my pups for a potty break during fire works, that my neighbor behind our house decided to take an opportunity to play his drums outside with all the other noises. To my surprise the dogs seemed less anxious...maybe the rhythmic noise vs loud sudden bursts of noise were a nice distraction. I know many experts recommend camouflaging the noise with a tv or radio...maybe something with drums would help. LOL Hope he is able to find some relief to his anxiety...nothing could be worse...speaking from the perspective of a human who is easily startled and anxiety prone.

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  26. Kris, I agree about the paint finish. It makes such a difference when there is a little shine to it. Much easier to clean and looks prettier too. Poor little Cooper. I can sympathize with him and you. Buddy was the worst I have ever seen with thunder, gun shots, fireworks, etc, and Kai seem just as bad. It is good for them to have a safe place. Kai uses his alot!..Have a great weekend..xxoJudy

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  27. Looks great! Dogs are the best !

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  28. I am so impressed, you guys have such an eye for decor. It looks great and Cooper is so lucky to have landed in your care. He really is the luckiest little pup to have such a wonderful, warm, loving home.

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  29. What a great place for the man cave. I love the fireman decor! Love it! I guess a man needs a break from all the lace and white and chippy:)

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  30. Cooper is so cute! And I love that gray ♥

    summerdaisy.net

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  31. Love the color contrast of the light and dark.
    I only use satin paints I do not like anything that shines or reflects on the walls it feels to cold and not
    Cozy for my taste.

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  32. Love the new gray, it's perfect. My best friend is an animal behaviorist/psychologist, and the Anxiety Blanket/jackets are a wonderful easy fix for dogs who are upset. Another friend had a cocker spaniel with the same issues, and he became so accustomed to using it, he would fetch it, when he needed it. Think of it as a hug or being held. Good luck, and loving your new home, Sandi

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  33. Amazing how you two get things done

    Poor Cooper so sorry the storms scare him so

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  34. I hate flat paint too, it's the worst! I think you made the right choice for paint color and also letting your man have is coffee before springing another project on him, lol. Aw I feel bad for cooper, have you ever tried one of the thunder jackets for him?

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  35. I like the light gray going down and blending with the darker gray. Poor little Cooper, he seems to have had a rough beginning in life. I am so glad he found you.

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  36. Kris, I'm similar when my ideas pop into my head. When I'm starting to snooze I get most of my ideas.

    Poor Cooper, I'm sure it is from not being taken care of.

    Cindy

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  37. Sweet Cooper! I'm so happy to see his little face. I'm glad he has a safer feeling place down in the man cave with Terry. The light gry looks great and it sure will be easy to keep clean. I'm so jealous of your cool temps!
    I hope y'all have a great week! xoxo, T.

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  38. When storms roll through here, it's doggie slumber party time. Throw blankets and pillows on the sofa with treats for all. We stay up and watch old movies until every pet is calm. Lovely gray you chose. Makes the stairwell lighter and the entrance to the fireman's cave more inviting.

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  39. My dog is terrified too. He shakes so bad I am afraid he'll pass out. I got him some calming supplements and I think they help. Cooper is adorable.

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  40. I was laughing when you said that you wake up Terry in the middle of the night when you have a brainstorm! I like how the lighter gray brightens up the hallway. Poor Cooper! I'm glad he found a safe spot in your house.

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  41. The color looks great, Kris! Cooper is such a sweetheart...hope the storms stay away!

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  42. If I Ever had awoken Mark in the middle of the night to tell him about one of my harebrained ideas, I would have been the First to get to Heaven - lol!! You Terry is a REAL HERO in my eyes! That Cooper is such a sweet heart, his eyes are so sweet! Love the lighter gray heading downstairs! Prayers and Blessings heading your way! Cindy xo

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  43. Hi Kris, wow, your new home is looking so great! Love all you've done so far. Glad the medicine helped Cooper with his storm fear. Have you tried a "thunder shirt" yet? I hear those help alot of dogs. He is a beautiful and special doggie!

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  44. What an improvement. Love the lighter shade of gray that brightens the stairway to your basement. It looks so clean and bright.
    Mary Alice

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  45. I love gray!!! The two colors really compliment one another Kris. Hubby did an awesome job. My mom's Lab gets really upset during storms too. He has to take meds too.. Poor babies! Have a great week!

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  46. That looks so good! I love the two different shades of grey being used together. I don't blame you for wanting to paint over the marks on the walls. Your husband is lucky to have a man cave of his own!

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  47. The 70's??? how great!....love the new wall color...looks wonderful....and I can relate to the bad storms scenario...my granddog shakes and retreats to a closet when he hears thunder...my son tried the thunder shirt...it did not work....so I totally understand what poor Cooper is going through....

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  48. Do you really wake him up at 2 a.m. sometimes? That is hilarious and he must love you bookoodles!

    Really great after pics, though, well worth the work. I've never liked flat paint either, have had many arguments with painters about the subject.

    Cooper was tethered outside previously? That breaks your heart, doesn't it? Again, thank God that Cooper is with you two now.

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  49. Love the lighter grey, it does make it brighter. Poor Cooper, just breaks my heart to hear he was tethered outside. So glad he found you and Terry. My babies are scared of storms too, they are all babies someone did not want. Have a wonderful week! Hugs, Lynn

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  50. Love the lighter grey, it does make it brighter. Poor Cooper, just breaks my heart to hear he was tethered outside. So glad he found you and Terry. My babies are scared of storms too, they are all babies someone did not want. Have a wonderful week! Hugs, Lynn

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  51. Hi,
    Great idea, I like the look :-)
    As you know we have a rescue kitten. I do know what you mean about wondering how they made it when being neglected so. Cooper is loved and I am so thankful for that!!
    Carla

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  52. Glad sweet Cooper has a place he feels safe in the storms. He's a lucky guy to have found you both. I love the new walls! You sure have a great man there to help with all your ideas. He's a keeper, for sure. :)

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  53. Wow! That lighter shade of grey really refreshed the stairway! The contrast looks really good, but as Terry suggested, he may want to continue on into the basement to lighten things up down there. I haven't seen your whole basement and the one pic with both colors looks great, but whenever there's a basement, I just keep wanting to lighten things up! :) You guys are doing a wonderful job! Thank you for giving your sweet dog so much comfort. He must have been so scared, all those years tied up in storms. So redeeming that he has you both! :) Take care Kris! ~julie

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  54. Wow! I love the lighter color. You two make me feel like such a slacker! haha! I thought you might relate to the white decor in my current post with all your pretty white furnishings. So nice that you stopped by!

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  55. Wow! I love the lighter color. You two make me feel like such a slacker! haha! I thought you might relate to the white decor in my current post with all your pretty white furnishings. So nice that you stopped by!

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  56. I like the lighter grey color. Flat/matte finish is the only finish that one can use in older homes because the flatter the finish, the more light it absorbs, and the less you notice any cracks, bumps, depressions or rough spots. So its only what we can use. Cooper like our Ginger is so afraid of the fireworks and thunder. She gets so scared and ran and hide in the master bedroom upstairs....Cooper looks so happy and content...

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  57. The new color looks great on the stairs, and I love the contrast! Oh, that Cooper, he's just too cute, I just want to squish him and hug him and give him big kisses and cuddles! Poor little guy, what he's been through. My old girl, Lily, doesn't like storms any more, although she was fine when she was younger. Go figure!

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  58. Hi Kris, Love the new color. So soft and a nice look and contrast with the lighter colors too. Sweet Cooper is a darling. I'm so sorry he has a hard time with storms. My Miss Beazy Lee did too and even rain was terror for her.
    Have a great rest of the week. xo

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  59. Hi Kris, Love the new color. So soft and a nice look and contrast with the lighter colors too. Sweet Cooper is a darling. I'm so sorry he has a hard time with storms. My Miss Beazy Lee did too and even rain was terror for her.
    Have a great rest of the week. xo

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  60. I love the color and all the fire stuff! Yippie for cooler temps!

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  61. Love the color you picked for the basement walls going downstairs! So glad Cooper has a nice safe home with you guys! My little Shih Tzu boy Trooper is terrified of storms and fireworks! The thunder shirt helps and he loves to be in the man cave over here too. He feels safer down there. Cooper sure is a handsome fella!

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  62. You have painted every inch of your new home and that is a job. Love the medium grey, it really lightened up the stairs! Hope the storms subside so Cooper feels safe! It's been hot here and we could use a rainstorm or two.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  63. The stairway walls look wonderful in the new lighter gray. It makes a big difference. Poor Cooper... such a sweetie. One of our cats, Salty, is afraid of thunder and hides under the bed. It always breaks my heart a little bit, but after it's over he seems just fine. Although, it hasn't been a problem this summer so far because we haven't had much rain at all. Sounds like you and Cooper have some lovely weekend weather coming. Enjoy!

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  64. it looks really nice...i was wondering the other day if he had located a job...hope so/

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  65. The new paint colorful definitely makes a difference, but who can look at painted walls when sweet little Cooper is there.

    He looks so adorable and obviously content in his new digs.

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  66. I'm afraid of storms as well, so I'd be hiding with Cooper in the basement. I love the new lighter gray.

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  67. Paint, paint, paint! Woman, it's a sickness! LL just kidding! I love that light grey color you used on the stairway! It really brightened it up and goes so well with the room's color (if that hasn't been changed by now LOL!) So pretty! Glad to see that Cooper is doing well. Sorry that he is so afraid of storms. I had a dog like that. Have you heard of Thunder Shirt? They are supposed to e great for dogs during storms. I've never used one but thought you may want to look into them. Look at Terry and Cooper sitting together! What a cute couple! On to read more of your blog posts! Hugs, Leena

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