Allis, not Alice

I just found out that I had been spelling the name of Dave’s dog Allis wrong the whole time I’ve been writing this blog.  It’s Allis, not Alice.  Come to think of it, I’ve been thinking of Allis as an Alice the whole time I’ve known her too. Turns out she is named after Dave’s Allis Chalmers WD45 tractor.  Great name.  I’ve since corrected it on the blog.

Incidentally, the spelling and pronunciation of a name go a long way in helping me associate and remember a person and their personality.  In other words, I think of people (and animals) in terms of how their names are spelled and pronounced.  For example Katie is completely different from Katy or Kady, just as Zach is different from Zac or Zak. Even though those sets of names are technically pronounced the same, they’re just not the same to me.

Which is why my Alice mistake is such a bummer.  It’s almost as if I’ll need to spend more time with Allis so I can get to know her as an Allis and not an Alice.  I guess I’ll have to find something else for Dave to do at my house once those donations to the “Tile Thomas’ Kitchen and Den Fund” come rolling in.

Be gone, carpet

Right before Dave left, he pulled up the last of the carpet in the house.  Although there weren’t hardwood floors underneath the carpet in the den, it had gotten extremely dusty during all the construction and simply had to go.

Being the clean freak she is, my mom offered to buy me an area rug if I’d just consent to ripping the dusty carpet out (which at first I was opposed to).  With this offer in place, I couldn’t say no.  So out went the carpet.

Underneath the carpet lived a long-hidden gem of a linoleum tile floor that resembles terrazzo.  See for yourself:

While the long range plan is to eventually lay ceramic tile in the kitchen and den, I am out of money in the short run, so I’m going to be living with my linoleum floors for now.

All contributions to the “Tile Thomas’ Kitchen and Den Fund” can be mailed to 402 East Monroe.  Donations are not tax-deductible but will be appreciated all the same.