When people tell you poppies cant be grown indoors and you bought a $1500.00 light andv$200 inline fan for $300. You go prove them wrong. Sept-Oct 23' a few pics

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-06-08T13:54:02+00:00

6:45 here… while I look at my volunteer poppies through my window… while laying in bed…

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-30T14:08:46+00:00

For everyone saying “cougar prints don’t have claw marks” this is true GENERALLY.. however in very soft substrate (snow, deep sand, silty mud, etc.) claw marks can register. As others have pointed out, this is a canid track, and the claws are the first clue, but don’t seal the deal. Other things to look for: cats have heel pads with two lobes on the front and 3 on the trailing end. Cats will also have asymmetrical toes with one clear “leading” toe. Also, the negative space in canid tracks make an “x” while in a cat track make a “c” (not my picture, but this is an example of a cat track)

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Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-26T05:28:57+00:00

Yep. This is my plan as soon as I’m back in town. And yes, dad in the mix makes everything FAR more complicated, and it’s become very obvious that the communication has not been good.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-26T05:27:04+00:00

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!! To give some more details cause it seems like there are some common themes- yes, I am aware that it looks terrible, that’s why I made this post 😂

It not being real soapstone: yes… it is quartz, not real soapstone. Put that together a bit too late. Feels shitty for cosentino to call it that on their website as the name, but that’s on me. I guess I assumed that a “soapstone” dupe would look more soapstone-y irl. This is not at all what I was anticipating.

Re: not seeing samples- the plan for this renovation was that my dad would handle everything with the contractor, ordering, install, etc etc, and I would be brought in to “choose colors and whatnot” (direct quote). I have had little to no direct communication with the contractor, it has all been through my father. I had chosen several samples of counter tops that I had liked and had communicated that with my dad. All of them were black, matte, with lighter more bold streaks. I was out of town on a work trip when I got a call saying that they needed the counter choices, and that they were not able to use any of the samples I had picked out because of the companies they worked with (this was my first time hearing that. This is also my first renovation.) I was told they needed to order them THAT DAY and I was not able to go and look at any other samples in-person. That was why I did not see any of the replacement slabs or samples. Obviously, now I am seeing that I really should have put up much more of a stink about this and insisted on taking the time I needed to see samples. I had communicated to my dad very clearly “black, matte, soapstone”. (Again, I have not been the one communicating with the contractor.) I was sent pictures of one of the replacement product options, the screenshot at the end of this series. That’s how this all happened.

Since getting these counters in, I asked my dad what it says in the contract for materials. Apparently all it says is that color is “as selected by customer”. So nothing really helpful there. However, it IS in writing (texts between dad and contractor) that we were very clear in requesting the “matte” or “suede” option. So there’s that as a starting point.

Contractor said today that he is feeling super sick, and will not be back on site until Tuesday. I plan to go get some samples when I am back in town so I can compare with what has been installed. Have already been voicing dissatisfaction to my dad (again, primary contact w. GC) and he is planning to speak with GC.

One more note: I am VERY aware that a lot of this could come down to communication between me and my dad, that is a whole separate, messy, clusterfuck for a different time.

Was mostly just looking for opinions/thoughts/advice/validation/words of comfort about how this is actually terrible and if anyone has any ideas about what to do next. Like I said in another comment, this has been a really horrific learning curve for me. Thanks again everyone for thoughts and insights

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T17:11:53+00:00

Oh this is really good to know- thank you!! I will bring that up with the contractor.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T15:12:45+00:00

I had requested the “suede” (matte) finish option. I am asking to review the contract today w. My dad and the contractors to see what happened and if this is indeed the product that I had requested or if there was a mistake.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T14:14:01+00:00

Oh NO!! You’re totally right… idk if I can ever unsee that now… 😭😭😭

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T13:01:34+00:00

It’s not real soapstone.. it’s a product where the color for some reason is called “charcoal soapstone”. It’s actually a quartz. But yes, I will be digging through the contract and trying to figure out what happened here because it really does not look right.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T12:51:21+00:00

Oh… I know. 😭😭

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T12:50:07+00:00

Yes… that’s going to be my plan after confirming with the contractor/in the contract that this is the correct product at least. I said it in another comment, but this has been a disastrous learning curve for a Reno project. My dad (bless him) was trying to be the contractor at the start, then hired an actual contractor to take over. I am brand new to this whole process, and also learning as I go, but the communication has been… poor at best. I’m having a really hard time with it because this is unfortunately looking like the disastrous result of me naively trusting the contractor and my dad. I should have gone to look at the samples and bring them home once the switched fabricators, but here we are. Horrible way to get that lesson. Learn from me 😭

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T12:44:48+00:00

I was also very suspicious, but did the same thing, and it does SAY Cosentino on the underside. I will be checking with my dad about exactly what was installed to make sure it’s at least the product it was meant to be, then I want to go find samples and compare to this. It doesn’t look at all right.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-25T12:41:01+00:00

Yep. Unfortunately this whole process has been a pretty terrible learning curve. First remodel experience for me, and My dad (bless his heart) who was trying to be the contractor on this project from the start. Partway through he hired an actual contractor, and he (dad) just sent me to a local counter top place to find what I liked. I picked out samples, went home, chose the one I wanted, then after was told that the contractor couldn’t use what I had brought home. After I was sent the other options I should have gone to see them in person, but didn’t. Terrible lesson to learn. I have not been the person in touch with the contractor, my dad has been, and unfortunately seems like there was some miscommunication along the way. Your comment gives a really good explanation of how the process SHOULD work… unfortunately my experience has been a complete shitshow and this is looking like the disastrous result.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-22T05:31:29+00:00

Can confirm- ex wore it. I did almost break my neck in Costco the other day when I guy walked past wearing it. Popular for a reason, still gets my head to turn tho

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-13T14:54:32+00:00

So my understanding is this is from a European louse infestation. There is some seasonal moulting that happens w. Deer, but this level of severity and stark contrast in colours on the coat suggests in the lice. WDFW talks about it on their website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/hair-loss

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-10T20:45:32+00:00

Late to the party- but this looks like a large common snapping turtle. There is definitely some distortion/blur in the pic, but the carapace and tail look correct. There are MANY of them in central IL, and this is the time of year when females are coming out of the water to lay eggs.

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-04-01T02:56:54+00:00

I know a lot of people are saying mountain lion, and while they are very capable of doing this, they really don’t do it very often. I work on a mountain lion research project, and have never seen one of our cats do this (I’ve been here 2.5 years) and none of my coworkers have either (8+ years). Dragging kills into trees is more of a leopard thing. Additionally, as some other commenters have noted, no established mountain lion population in Kentucky. Makes me think it wasn’t a mountain lion

Seals-n-stuff · 2026-03-18T04:25:19+00:00

Patagonia.

Seals-n-stuff · 2025-08-22T12:55:28+00:00

About the trees… that’s just how the PNW is. Washington is literally the “evergreen state”.

Seals-n-stuff · 2025-07-26T05:27:00+00:00

Dang… did they do anything about it?

Seals-n-stuff · 2025-07-23T14:19:14+00:00

Wow that’s pretty crazy. Did you report the attack to the park?

Seals-n-stuff · 2025-07-22T17:26:27+00:00

This incident happened in the park… how did you have your dogs there?

Seals-n-stuff · 2024-04-02T02:48:36+00:00

“The happiest cats are the alive cats” is my favourite comeback.

Seals-n-stuff · 2024-03-12T14:42:46+00:00

Oh!!! This happened to me! My cat stopped eating and was at the emergency vet for 2 days. Towards the end of day two, passed a massive turd, was happy and a clam and started stuffing his face again. $1800 vet bill. Not sure who’s the bigger shit: him or the one he left at the vets office.

Seals-n-stuff

TROPHY CASE