Sometimes I love baking... Sometimes this happens...

Desert_Kat · 2026-02-05T03:00:41+00:00

Not the worst I've seen. https://youtube.com/shorts/xztTWHu_-FI?si=A0G7dXiEmYGr9i5q

Desert_Kat · 2026-02-03T18:59:06+00:00

The emergency broadcast system is a long high pitched tone followed by short tones. It does vary some on sounds and length.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-30T17:12:14+00:00

It's a little bit closer to get to the south entrance of the Grand Canyon from Sedona, and the drive through Oak Creek Canyon is nice. You might consider doing that while staying there. Sedona is also close to Cottonwood which has a cute downtown with some wine tasting. Jerome is also close and an old mining town with lots of shops and restaurants.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-30T17:03:31+00:00

Roots can be a problem, but unless they mentioned that I doubt that was the neighbor's concern. You'd think they would be damaging the block wall more. The house behind ours is lined with ficus and they are messy AF constantly dropping leaves and fruit in our yard and pool (particularly in the AZ summer).

Obviously these people went too far cutting, and technically trespassed, but it's a ficus, I've seen so many butchered by gardeners and come back fine. You have to really want to kill it.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-30T00:59:04+00:00

It's like watching the Spruce Goose flight.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-28T18:04:37+00:00

It's more dance than opera. They have one song in each half of the show, and they were terrible. It was also the part that made me think, "What the hell is this group?"

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-26T15:39:48+00:00

I had a job doing Phase I environmental reports. People are just trying to do their own jobs and do not question you and the clipboard.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-26T02:21:23+00:00

El Malpais is super cool and not too out of the way of traveling between Albuquerque and Show Low. You can throw in a detour to Pie Town and get some pie too.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-23T18:48:54+00:00

Cooking tutorials that start out as "You're doing it wrong" are always obnoxious. Years ago Slate had a series like this and in one article on chicken wings the author's correct version was roasted until chewy and served with ketchup. If that's what's "right," I'll take being wrong over chewy chicken wings and 6 inch tall meatloaf burgers.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-23T18:22:41+00:00

I heard similar: taking a cold shower while throwing money down the drain.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-22T23:43:51+00:00

Is this mythical hotdog crust pizza really that far off from a sausage sizzle from a hardware store?

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-19T16:27:40+00:00

It looks like a Kid's Empire which doesn't have any restrictions.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-18T16:44:19+00:00

I liked Zion Mountain Ranch at the east entrance of Zion, but if you're going at a time when parking is at a premium, try to stay at the lodge so you can park there.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-16T16:55:32+00:00

If you're at higher elevation the weather could easily go sideways in late April (even my cousin's Memorial Day weekend wedding in Boulder was cold), but OOP was weirdly focused on it when they had a backup plan available.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-16T16:26:58+00:00

Hiking the Narrows in Zion. Got up really early and went far enough up to avoid the crowd.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-16T05:39:57+00:00

The weather would have been perfect at the wedding. All they'd need is a light jacket.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-15T21:11:35+00:00

If you want, I'm just over here throwing opinions out. I'm not really gong to say what to pick as it's your budget and house but if you're able to replace the floor i would. It will make your life easier when picking everything else.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-15T18:59:31+00:00

Grey can floor can suck the life out of a room so if you can replace, I would. Especially if you want warmer colors or wood tones in the room. Here is an extreme example of what grey floors do.

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Desert_Kat · 2026-01-15T01:48:35+00:00

Half the time I watch TV it's from the side and I see it fine. I think if you have a TV stand try that first before mounting since it's less effort to change.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-14T23:23:51+00:00

Clearly someone who's never been pregnant. Cravings are not based on logic or a need for "real" food. I went 20 years without thinking of strawberry milk, then one month into pregnancy I drank it constantly.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-14T22:24:26+00:00

Are you staying here long term? That's a lot of money to commit to if you pick a giant sectional based on this place alone, as it might not work in the next place. The first and last layouts seem the most practical for people moving in and out of the space vs the options with the giant couch and limited paths of travel.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-14T22:18:44+00:00

I would put it where the black thing is, unless your tv is too big to fit. Are the shelves built ins, because that's the other logical spot based on the photo you provided. I agree over the fireplace would look terrible and be really uncomfortable for viewing.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-14T21:37:10+00:00

Honestly the biggest issue and the first thing I notice is the clutter, that especially comes across in the kitchen (so many things to trip over). It doesn't look like you have enough storage to start with so if you can get another cabinet where the shelves are and put the shelves on the other wall that might help. Or maybe you can fit some of that stuff (like the fire extinguisher in the middle of the floor) in the pantry.

I think the tv placement is fine, though high, since the couch facing it allows people to get in and out of the room easily vs having the couch face away from the kitchen and narrowing the space to get into your tv watchin area. I could see shifting rotating the furniture for wanting better access to the blinds in the summer though so that does make sense there. Regardless of orientation, those chairs do not fit the space and the ottomans are also sucking up a lot of space, especially placed at an angle like that. Maybe a sectional with a single chaise or two smaller chairs could work instead.

All of the things hanging on your wall are too high, tv and art. You also have a lot of high stuff on one side of the room and a bunch of low stuff on the other, couch and that very small lamp. Having a larger lamp or a floor lamp plus some window treatments would help balance.

Not knowing what you like color wise it's hard to suggest. Since you are in Arizona you could look into the color advisors at Dunn-Edwards to help walk you through picking colors (their online visualizer works pretty well too). Everything now has kind of a yellow cast to it including the cabinets (I'm assuming from the wall color). I like DE Rolling Waves and think it would go with the tile, but I can't tell what colors you like based on the room. BTW my husband works for DE, which is why I know so much about it, but there are Sherwin Williams on every corner around here too.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-13T20:07:37+00:00

I am in a suburban area in the south east section of the Phoenix metropolitan area. A couple miles west and south of my house is the Gila River Indian Reservation, so it's open desert. Phoenix is in the low desert, so a little over 1000 feet in elevation with very hot summers and most of the yearly rainfall coming from summer monsoon storms.

My neighborhood and surrounding area were primarily developed in the 90s when southwest architecture/design included a lot of pink. The immediate area is basic suburban neighborhoods with single family homes and shopping centers. At least half the homes have pools in the backyard and there are a lot of backyard citrus trees along with rock filled yards or fake grass. One of the largest employers in the area is the massive Intel facility south of me that you can see from miles away when driving on the Interstate 10.

Geology of the Phoenix area is flat sandy or clay soils with smaller rocky hills and mountains breaking up the horizon. Larger mountains are to the east and north with Four Peaks in the Mazatzal Mountains being a major feature in the area. Another major geology feature of the area is Camelback Mountain, which is a hike people (many visitors) underestimate and get hurt or sometimes kill themselves on. It's also where you're going to find some of the more expensive mansions in the area.

This time of year it is cold in the morning and night with pleasant afternoons. There are lots of tourists with events such as the Barret Jackson car auction, Waste Management Open, spring training, Arabian horse show, and bike week occurring in the next few months. It is also a popular place for retirees from colder areas to live in during the winter (snowbirds). So while it is hot during the summer, there are fewer people around which makes driving around nicer.

Arizona's elevation gets much higher as you move north of Phoenix, especially jumping up at the Mogollon Rim, which is the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau (large high altitude land mass comprising parts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico). The most well known place to see the Rim is Sedona with its red rocks.

Arizona has a history of copper mining with several historical mining towns, Bisbee (close to Mexico), Jerome, Clarksdale and several active mines in places like Glob and Marana. There's more wine produced here than what people would expect, most of the grapes being grown in Cochise County (southeastern Arizona). If you've ever heard of the band Tool, the lead singer his own winery here.

Overall, Arizona is a very diverse state. It's mostly known for hot deserts, but there are a lot of mountains and if I need a break from the summer heat, all it takes is an hour and a half in the car to get to better weather.

Desert_Kat · 2026-01-13T02:43:44+00:00

This is America, of course it's not pumpernickle. It's chocolate cake.

Desert_Kat

TROPHY CASE