Amy & Ira
Amy Yahnke & Ira Woyar
August 5, 2016
Welcome to our registry! We are looking forward to sharing our wedding with so many loved ones from near and far. Because we have been together for so long, we have a pretty well established household. We do not expect gifts but have provided a list of items we would truly value for those who wish to give something. This website compiles our list of gift requests, but does not sell the gifts. If you would like to 'claim' a gift, be sure to click on the 'Give this gift' button so the gift will be claimed in your name, and so that we won't receive any duplicates. Then, you can follow our instructions on how or where to give the gift. Thank you!
Amy's birthday is in February, and though it's winter, a first flush of blooming happens in the Pacific Northwest right around that time. Crocuses are one of the first bulbs to bloom, and the birthday flower of February. In addition, saffron crocuses bloom in the fall and carry the prized spice that Ira has been known to use in his many culinary masterpieces. Since he does much of the cooking, Amy would love to provide some of the spice from their own yard. If you are thinning crocuses of your own and have some to share or want to provide a fresh batch from a local grower we will gladly plant the early blooming birthday crocus or the fall blooming spice flower.
According to TerraPass, Amy's commute contributes over 16,000 lbs of CO2 to the atmosphere each year. With the energy use in our house our carbon footprint is over 43,500 lbs per year. You can help ease the paroxysms of guilt that Amy experiences while driving to and from her job where she is supposed to be helping to save the world. (She gets a little envious every morning when Ira whisks off in his electric car.) TerraPass offers carbon offsets for individuals, where Amy's commute could be offset for under $100. Amy has been commuting that distance since June 2014 and plans to upgrade her car in the next year, so we are requesting three years worth of carbon offsets.
Keeping two smart dogs entertained involves a lot of training and play. We would like to take both dogs through agility courses at the Seattle Agility Center (where Sasha, on the right in photo, learned to be too smart for her own good). They offer three initial agility training courses (Agility 101-103) that we think Wyatt (center in photo) and Oliver (left of Wyatt) will love. Please call or email the center to make arrangements for this gift. We would like to plan for the winter-spring 2017 classes. $165.00
Wyatt is jealous of Oliver's fancy harness because it doesn't leave that pesky bald patch. Wyatt needs a fancy new harness so he doesn't have to be embarrassed in front of his new friends in agility class. A Freedom No Pull Harness for Wyatt will give us flexibility for walking and training and return his coat to its former glory. If you go to the manufacturer's site they ask for some info to ensure the correct size is selected. Here are the answers: No extra leash or collar, size: large, breed: rottweiler mix, weight: 70 lbs, girth: 31". $29.99
freedomnopullharness.com/Freedom-No-Pull-Harness-Silver-Harness-with-Black-Loop.html
Access to clean water and disaster preparedness have been the source of many headlines in the last year. If you read that New Yorker article then you know that we in the Pacific Northwest have some work to do. Fortunately we're on high ground, but we could use a good water filter. We don't need the really big one; by an estimate of our combined hourly tea consumption rate, the Travel Berkey Water Filter should do us well. $228.00
www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/travel-berkey.html
$24.00
www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/metal-spigot.html
$34.00
www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/parts-accessories/stainless-steel-wire-stand.html
It's true. We still buy cd's. We're so bad about it we have drawers full of them. Since we'll be scrounging for discs on eBay long after the last music store in the world closes its doors, we're gonna need a bigger rack. Help us free our disc collection from the dungeon of drawers in which they currently reside; let's bring them out into the light of day! We're looking for a cd rack that can hold at least 1500 cds. Maybe you have one that you want to get rid of because, unlike us, you have entered the digital age. Maybe you're handy and want to build one for us. Maybe you want to help us pay for one from a local crafter. We tried to set up the registry to handle the latter option, but the company we listed went out of business... because nobody buys stuff to go on shelves any more? Or, Ikea. Here's an example of a big one from some clearing house website. $279.95
www.hayneedle.com/product/mediastoragetowerregulartriple.cfm
Yup. We also need a place to store our records and set up the player that Ira's dad, Leigh gave to us. We'd love some help paying for this beautiful handmade record cabinet.
In order to blast those records we need a set of speakers. We've been surviving off of a little bluetooth speaker tucked into the corner of the living room but we're ready to move into a real audio set up. Amy saw these crafters working in their garage workshop when walking the dogs around our old neighborhood. Blumenstein Audio was our neighbor- talk about supporting a local business! The really cool thing about their Orca speakers is they use a tenth of the energy to create the same amount of sound as your average house speaker. Now we're really moving into carbon neutral territory.
www.blumensteinaudio.com/all-products/orca-3-inch-fullrange-pair
To run that old record player we need an amplifier. Sprout is recommended by Blumenstein audio for their Orca speakers (see above). According to their website, "It features a phono preamplifier for vinyl, a Bluetooth receiver for music streamed from smartphones, a high-quality hi-res DAC to handle anything stored on a laptop, enough power for any speaker, and a headphone amp that drives even the toughest loads." Welcome to the 21st century, old record player!
And speaking of furniture, we have been looking for a sideboard to put in our kitchen for the last three years. We would like to find one that is an antique or made of repurposed wood. We have seen a few that would do but the cost and commitment set us askew. So now we ask you to help us see it through. It seems that the cost is generally in this range. We plan to scour the antique stores in Seattle to find the perfect one for the space we have available. Fortunately, we enjoy strolling through antique stores together. So this is really contributing to an experience for us to share.
www.etsy.com/search?q=buffet+and+sideboards&locationQuery=5815135
We upgraded to a larger bed but the comforter didn't grow with it. We're in need of a queen-sized down comforter for those chilly nights when all one can do to keep warm is to bury oneself in a cloud of down. It doesn't help that we set the overnight temperature on our thermostat at 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Amy swears she wants to return to the days of sleeping caps just before she buries her head under the covers. $99
In addition to the down comforter requested above, we are in need of two covers to fit it- one to serve as the cover while the other is in the wash. No, we are not efficient enough with our laundry/bedding change synchronicity to function with one cover. One is listed here, the other is listed below. $39.99
In addition to the down comforter requested above, we are in need of two covers to fit it- one to serve as the cover while the other is in the wash. No, we are not efficient enough with our laundry/bedding change synchronicity to function with one cover. One is listed here, the other is listed above. $39.99
Even with a down comforter that blanket layer is sorely missed when it's not there. We're looking for natural fiber (silk or wool) blankets to add that extra bit of warmth. This listing is for a queen-sized Pendleton wool blanket in the color of spring (green plaid? Yeah, that's about right). $199.00
Even with a down comforter that blanket layer is sorely missed when it's not there. We're looking for natural fiber (silk or wool) blankets to add that extra bit of warmth. This listing is for a Lennox Silk blanket from Cuddledown (lilypad green, of course). $149.00
We are in need of two sets of flannel sheets (fitted, flat, and pillow cases) for a queen-sized mattress. Garnet Hill offers many colors and their website is designed so that you select each part of the set separately. This listing is for a blue set $100-$150
www.garnethill.com/garnet-hill-signature-flannel-bedding/bedding-home/sheets/flannel-sheets/131926
We are in need of two sets of flannel sheets for a queen-sized mattress. Garnet Hill offers many colors and their website is designed so that you select each part of the set (fitted, flat, and pillow case pair) separately. This listing is for a green set. $100-$150
www.garnethill.com/paintbrush-flannel-bedding/bedding-home/sheets/117597?&defattribvalue=main
Every weekend we make 5 smoothies and freeze them for Amy's breakfast during the work week. We have a collection of foil covers that she reuses until they no longer function as covers. We need some reusable smoothie cup lids. We requested 5 2-packs in case Amy convinces Ira that he needs smoothies every morning, too. $10.95 ea
Speaking of those smoothies, with our current blender it takes at least three batches to fill out the weekly order. We're looking to upgrade to a VitaMix for multiple reasons, not the least of which is the ability to make all of the smoothies at once. And soup. And aircraft-grade blades (so Ira can fix them if they break). $559
We have a mature yard. Pruning one rhododendron results in three compost bins full of debris. We are able to incorporate larger branches into the firewood pile, but we need something to chip the smaller branches. After extensive research we're hoping to fill that need with an electric chipper. It's not as powerful as a gas-powered model but Amy's more likely to use it if it doesn't scream and spew fumes at her. The link is to Amazon for information about the one that looks about right. If you want to shop local, McLendon's carries the identical model under a different name (Power Glide 14 amp). And of course the big box stores list it in their online catalogs as well. $221 on Amazon.
Apparently the blades on that chipper/shredder can wear out on a regular basis. The Amazon link is listed for reference but the Eco-Shredder ES1600-21 Replacement Double Sided Cutting Blades can probably be found wherever the product is sold (McLendon's, big box stores, etc.). $19.99
Twice a year we might bake a cake. In between those occasional cakes we have at times had a need for a cake pan. Our former cake pan was inexplicably sub par for that occasional need. It turned into a disused rusty husk of its former self. It would be nice to replace it with something that doesn't turn the food orange. $59.99 (on sale now for $42.99)
lindysstainless.com/lindys-stainless-steel-covered-cake-pan.html
We like them. Like cakes, we occasionally bake them. And every year Amy bakes sweet potato rolls for Thanksgiving. The rolls have to rise on the baking sheet. Right now we are a baking sheet short for our cookie and sweet potato roll needs. $29.99 (on sale now for $24.99)
We don't. We've been perfectly content with a toaster oven over the last decade. We are on our third. We are expecting it to die within the next year. When it does, we'll be ready for an upgrade. $140
Amy and Ira go through about a million rolls of paper towels per year, mainly due to their habit of grabbing one when in need of a tissue. They made an effort and use the industrial bandanna-style handkerchiefs for yoga class (breathing exercises require a clear nasal passage). They just haven't made the leap to daily use yet, probably because those bandannas are pretty rough. They could use some soft handkerchiefs. The Organic Handkerchiefs Company offers flannel cotton hankies in packs of three for several sizes. This listing is for large, flu-season hankies. Three for $20.99
organichandkerchiefs.com/hanky/large-cream-organic-flannel-handkerchiefs/
Amy and Ira go through about a million rolls of paper towels per year, mainly due to their habit of grabbing one when in need of a tissue. They made an effort and use the industrial bandanna-style handkerchiefs for yoga class (breathing exercises require a clear nasal passage). They just haven't made the leap to daily use yet, probably because those bandannas are pretty rough. They could use some soft handkerchiefs. The Organic Handkerchiefs Company offers flannel cotton hankies in packs of three for several sizes. This listing is for medium, winter-condensation drip hankies. Three for $17.99
organichandkerchiefs.com/hanky/medium-cream-organic-flannel-handkerchiefs/
Amy and Ira go through about a million rolls of paper towels per year, mainly due to their habit of grabbing one when in need of a tissue. They made an effort and use the industrial bandanna-style handkerchiefs for yoga class (breathing exercises require a clear nasal passage). They just haven't made the leap to daily use yet, probably because those bandannas are pretty rough. They could use some soft handkerchiefs. The Organic Handkerchiefs Company offers flannel cotton hankies in packs of three for several sizes. This listing is for small, daily use hankies. Three for $14.99
organichandkerchiefs.com/hanky/small-cream-organic-flannel-handkerchiefs/
Last year Amy gave Ira ballet tickets for his birthday and Ira gave Amy tickets to a play. They love seeing live performances of dance, theater, and music. It's a chance to get dressed up and go into the city. Date night or an outing with friends. Ira studies the sets and Amy tries to convince him to volunteer as a set carpenter. Indeed, it was after a night at the ballet that Ira proposed.
Last year Amy gave Ira ballet tickets for his birthday and Ira gave Amy tickets to a play. They love seeing live performances of dance, theater, and music. It's a chance to get dressed up and go into the city. Date night or an outing with friends. Ira studies the sets and Amy tries to convince him to volunteer as a set carpenter. They find themselves at Seattle Rep a lot, but they're open to any other little theater company you might recommend.
Amy had a great juicer. It was a Krups Model 267 basket juicer and she used the heck out of it (thanks Chris F.!). She used it so much the blades in the basket dulled and it started spitting chunks of fruit and vegetable matter into the pulp basket, unjuiced. So we thought we would just replace the basket. It turns out that juicer is now a vintage model and the parts are not available. Time for an upgrade. After some research, it looks like the Tribest Slowstar will meet our juicing needs. $379.95
www.tribestlife.com/productdisplay/tribest-slowstar-sw-2000-b-vertical-slow-juicer-mincer
When we moved out of the last house, with the moldy closet and the clothes moths, we got rid of almost everything and washed anything we had to keep. Much to our dismay, we discovered that living in the Pacific Northwest means you can take the clothes out of the moldy closet, but you can't take the moldy closet out of the clothes. We're hoping to keep the moisture and mildew from taking another foothold by adding these fancy odor- and moisture-absorbing bags of charcoal to our drawers. Two for $9.95
We have two of them. We think they smell like honey and dew drops, but you might not if you came to visit us. It seems that every air freshener on the market is made from some combination of suspicious chemicals and scents that are absolutely intolerable. So far we have been doing ok with candles and that weird cinnamon oil broom from Trader Joe's that Amy hung in the kitchen, but then again, we can't tell what the house really smells like. It would be great to have a little back-up, especially around the areas where the dogs hang out. It turns out the company that makes those handy little charcoal bags we listed for our drawers also makes them for rooms. Fancy that! $22.95 ea
Why not freshen up the cars a bit, too? A few extra are listed in the request because Ira's old Saab could use all the help it can get. $10.95 ea
We have a great coffee maker. Instead of using a new paper filter every day, we have a reuseable filter that we can just rinse out. As much as we wish it would just last forever, the mesh does wear out and start getting holes in it. We were trying to figure out the last time we replaced our current filter and it might have been eight years ago. It's starting to get those little tears in the mesh that mean it's due for a replacement. Just in time for this registry! It's a Cuisinart GTF Gold Tone Filter and it can be found in any kitchen supply store. Amazon currently has it listed at $6.90.
Chris Nielsen is a local potter whose wares we discovered a few years ago at a pottery show. We have four of his ash glaze bowls, two greenish and two reddish. When we host more than two other people and we want to bring out the nice pottery bowls, we fall a little short. We would love to round out our collection of Chris' bowls with four more. Ours are seven and a quarter inches at the top- we're not sure to what size that corresponds in his collection. His website is listed and his contact information can be found there.
Unlike big fluffy clouds, you can actually wrap yourself in a big fluffy towel. This listing is for sage bath towels, $36 ea
Unlike big fluffy clouds, you can actually wrap yourself in a big fluffy towel. This listing is for blue bath towels, $36 ea
One can never have enough hand towels. These would compliment the big fluffy sage bath towels. $16
One can never have enough hand towels. These would compliment those big fluffy blue towels. $16
We will always remember to wash behind our ears with these washcloths. $6
We will always remember to wash behind our ears with these washcloths. $6
Huh. So if you lift the dish rack and add a drain pipe, the water will drain over the rise of the sink edge and into the sink instead of onto the floor. That's brilliant! $80
Whether it's a day hike up Boulder Creek or a camping trek up the Queets, the Discover Pass is the only way to recreate in all of Washington's parks without getting a ticket. $33
Currently our plastic bags/film to recycle are co-mingled with our plastic bags to re-use. It's an incredibly inefficient system. $10
www.simplehuman.com/wall-mount-grocery-bag-dispenser-brushed-stainless-steel
The highest traffic entrance to our house is the door that leads directly into the kitchen. The rug at that entrance is also the dogs' favorite hang out while we're cooking or making their food. That entry rug takes a beating between the wet muddy winters and its constant colonization by the dogs. We need something durable and easy to clean. Mint green 3'3"x5'4" on sale now for $119.99
It seems that a house-sized recycle/trash combo bin is relatively rare on the market right now. We found this one for the laundry room and Ira's shop. We're not sure we're stylish enough for this fancy trash can, but we do have a thing for aesthetics that are useful. $170
www.simplehuman.com/48-litre-touch-bar-recycler-brushed-stainless-steel
One of the great things about where we live is the recycling AND compost pick-up service through our waste management. Did you know you can recycle or compost toilet paper rolls? And you can compost tissues! That does create a need for multiple bins in the bathroom. We have the trash bins covered, but we need something stylish to sort our compost and recycling. $70
www.simplehuman.com/20-litre-slim-open-recycler-brushed-stainless-steel
When we moved into our current house the first thing Ira did was rip out all of the white carpet. We replaced it with a cork floor that had a nice distressed look that we hoped would mask its wear over time. We selected the flooring for its look, hoping that the fact it was our cheapest option would not be a reflection on its endurance.... We're in need of a durable cover for the highest traffic sections of the floor. We tried throw rugs but they were incompatible with Oliver's puppyhood and Amy is still pretty skittish about any materials that might harbor clothes moths. 36" x 115" on sale now for $318
stores.puravidahomedecor.com/pattern-5-miss-havisham-vinyl-floor-cloth/
Unlike our kitchen door, the front entry is rarely used. The door opens onto a "slate" entryway that could use some softening. This is a bit fancier of a rug that would spruce up the place and give a slightly warmer welcome than does the green slate. 2' x 8' runner $80.99
www.wayfair.com/Contessa-Khaki-Green-Area-Rug-CST28409-CST28409.html?piid[0]=15667796
We have a Great Wall of vegetation screening our bedroom window, so we never felt the urgent need to erect curtains. However, for a few days every six months or so, the moon lines up just right to shine brightly into our faces for most of the night. It is during those times of sleeplessness that we realize we really should put up some kind of a screen. We don't want to block all the light or we'll never wake up. Just enough to get the moon out of our eyes. Curtain rail $19.99 ea
It's hard to sell things in one package when so many options exist. This is the bracket we need to hang the curtain rod listed above. $2.50 ea
It just doesn't feel right to stand at the sink on the bare linoleum. Maybe it's because the dish rack is always relieving itself on the floor and we need something absorbent to catch it. This gawdy rug is washable and has three birds on it. It is perfect for in front of our sink because that's where we watch the birds at our suet feeder. Never mind that only one of the three species on the rug actually occurs in our area and American goldfinches aren't really interested in our suet feeder. (That is just a taste of what it's like to live with a biologist of any kind. Ira knows what he's getting in to.) Currently on sale for $23.99
when stepped on. This washable butterfly rug has an odd symmetry with the rug of birds we don't have, listed above. Amy looked at it and suggested that the tulip might have been an afterthought in the design. It's a little out of place with the butterflies, and again, this may just be our Pacific Northwest blinders, but tulips are usually done blooming before the butterflies really get going. That assumes that the tulip is representing a butterfly food item. Maybe it's for the caterpillars? Currently on sale for $23.99
Ira's dad, Leigh, just reminded us about the incredible usefulness of a garden way cart. Amy used to use them when she worked at nurseries. They're easier to load than a wheelbarrow and they don't tip over every time one makes a turn with a heavy load. It would have been really handy to have one of these when Ira had to move all the wood from the giant sweetgum. We had it removed when it started dropping 50 lb branches on the tile roof because of that canker it picked up from someone's dirty pruners. Remember kids, only you can prevent the spread of diseases- clean your gear and remove diseased plant material from the yard! This cart can help with that. Midsize cart on sale now for $279.95
Potatoes and salad. At least once a week we each have a baked potato with a giant salad on top. Recently Ira figured out how to preset the oven so he could set the potatoes up to be ready when he returned from our friend Dean's yoga class and Amy arrived home from work. It's very exciting to come home to a ready baked potato. Many years ago Amy's brother-in-law Burt gave her salad servers. They were put to good use and are now so worn and broken that it's difficult to scoop the salad out of the bowl with them. Perfect timing for an upgrade! These wooden servers are made in America by some guy named Jonathan. $38
www.woodspoon.com/saladservers/u3qdiytyrraq2hrytlfcq2mvx7v612
We recently did a broad sweep of getting rid of all of our wooden spoons. Mainly because Amy broke them. It turns out that Thanksgiving sweet potato roll dough can be pretty heavy and those cheap, unfinished wooden spoons you find at the grocery store are not very durable. Fortunately, Jonathan makes a wide variety of spoons. This one is for stirring. $18
We recently did a broad sweep of getting rid of all of our wooden spoons. Mainly because Amy broke them. It turns out that Thanksgiving sweet potato roll dough can be pretty heavy and those cheap, unfinished wooden spoons you find at the grocery store are not very durable. Fortunately, Jonathan makes a wide variety of spoons. This one is Amy's favorite kind for making her famous lentil soup. $24
We recently did a broad sweep of getting rid of all of our wooden spoons. Mainly because Amy broke them. It turns out that Thanksgiving sweet potato roll dough can be pretty heavy and those cheap, unfinished wooden spoons you find at the grocery store are not very durable. Fortunately, Jonathan makes a wide variety of spoons. This one is Ira's favorite kind for scraping. He says it's for when he burns stuff, but that rarely happens. $22
That guy Jonathan who makes the wooden things (see above) also developed his own food-grade coconut oil/beeswax mix to keep his wooden implements working in tip-top shape without giving people lip splinters. It probably works for other people's wooden spoons, too. We liked the sound of that. By the way, if you happen to meet a guy named Jonathan at the wedding, he's not the one who makes the spoons. $10
www.woodspoon.com/ladles-accessories/jonathans-own-spoon-wax
Our last large baking spatula died years ago and we never got around to replacing it. This one tested well for durability, comfort, and withstanding the effects of sitting in a boiling pot of tomato sauce for an hour, according to Cook's Illustrated. Currently $13.79 on Amazon.
We have been looking for produce bags that keep produce from wilting as well as those grocery store plastic produce bags. We have not found them yet, so we keep washing and re-using the plastic produce bags, along with our Zip-locs. We jerry-built a dryer for the bags out of all of our shishkebab skewers and a jar full of old dry pinto beans. Often, when we leave bags to dry on the counter, one of our dogs can't contain his curiosity about the bags and the beans, and we end up with a mess of old beans on the floor. It would be nice to stop having to clean up old beans and be able to make shishkebabs again. This bag dryer can handle half our typical bag load (sometimes we get lazy about cleaning the bags and end up with a big pile to clean), so we're asking for two. It doesn't have to be this one. Maybe you're handy and want to make one. Please don't make it out of a jar full of beans. $17.95 ea
I mean pads. Hot pads- you know, pot holders. They get old and burned and gross and eventually it's nice to get some new ones that have fewer holes. We have a couple of beautiful hand painted hot pads that Amy's sister Anna gave to her. They're on display and Amy won't let us use them as anything other than trivets. She doesn't want to muss them up. So we just need some solid working hot pads and/or mitts to replace our old nasties.
We have Amy's grandmother's cast iron pan, which is an essential tool in out kitchen. We always use our kitchen towel to grab the handle, often resulting in a burned hand (though Ira would deny it). This leather pan handle cover would work much better than a towel. We also looked at cotton handle covers, but one of the crafters went into a lot of detail about how flammable they are. Since we're likely to leave the handle cover on the pan, we should just stick with the leather.
Amy's first weekend in Seattle was that of Labor Day, the holiday weekend shared by Seattle's famous music festival, Bumbershoot. She rode the bus into downtown that first weekend from her dive apartment in Burien, made friends with some mental health patients from the local half-way house, spent the day bouncing from stage to stage, then caught Ben Harper's headline show. At that time the tickets were not much more than $20 for three days. A few months before Amy and Ira started dating they independently attended the Pixie's headline show at Bumbershoot. Their best man, Peter was there, too, on his grand tour of the west coast before making his official move west. Amy and Ira had run into each other a few times in the preceding weeks and the Pixie's show was mentioned. What Ira didn't know was that Amy was keeping an eye out for him, kind of hoping they might run into each other at the show. They didn't, but you know how it turned out. Since then Amy and Ira have popped into Bumbershoot for specific shows or whole days, over the years. They're looking forward to the Macklemore headliner this year, among many others. They just need to get the tickets!
We have the strangest bathroom off of our laundry room. We call it the salon because it's framed by two bright blue curtains that serve as the door, the sink is so tiny one can barely wash one's hands in it, there is no counter top, and for some reason it feels like a hair parlor in there. It had a glass shelf poorly attached to the wall above the sink. "Poorly" as in things set on the shelf immediately slid off due to its jaunty angle. We saw Ikea's shelf hanging from a rail and figured that might be a good solution less prone to the beguiling ways of gravity. This is the rail. Next we'll post the shelf that hangs on it. $7.99
We have the strangest bathroom off of our laundry room. We call it the salon because it's framed by two bright blue curtains that serve as the door, the sink is so tiny one can barely wash one's hands in it, there is no counter top, and for some reason it feels like a hair parlor in there. It had a glass shelf poorly attached to the wall above the sink. "Poorly" as in things set on the shelf immediately slid off due to its jaunty angle. We saw Ikea's shelf hanging from a rail and figured that might be a good solution less prone to the beguiling ways of gravity. This is the shelf. We posted the rail on which it hangs above. $9.99
When the dogs do get into trouble, and it is rare, it usually has to do with unpacking guests' bags. So we added automatic hinges to all of the doors to forbidden rooms. But sometimes we want to keep the doors open. These door stops will help us open doors we really should just keep closed. $44.14 on Wayfair (and they have another set with a turtle and crab)
Amy inherited an 8ft pool table from her graduate advisor when he cleaned out his family home. It was a surprise gift for Ira, who is, as many of you may know, a pool shark. the table was the finishing touch on our rumpus room. In fact, it quelled the existential crisis our rumpus room was having, with only a computer streaming TV reruns for entertainment. Now the rumpus room is happy and Amy has given up trying to win any game against Ira ever, but the pool table does need some protection. The flimsy cover we have is torn and we would love to replace it with something more sturdy. Billiards.com claims to be rated #1 by pool players, and they have heavy duty covers, but you might find a better one somewhere else, and we're ok with that. If you go to billiards.com, we're interested in this one in "wine" color. $70.95
www.billiards.com/game-room/billiards-com-8-foot-heavy-duty-table-cover
While cleaning the kitchen recently, we moved the old knife block Amy picked up years ago from Goodwill. It was sitting on the counter next to the coffee maker and blender, and somehow just moving that one thing opened the whole counter up. That was when we realized we should give in to the craze and get one of those fancy magnetic strips to hang our knives and get rid of the knife block. This one is notable for its aesthetic and we like it. $45
Ira and Amy drink an impressive amount of tea. Amy has a 20-oz cup of tea with her at all times. Ira sips green tea throughout the day. Between the two of them, they boil a couple of gallons of water per day. They rely heavily on an electric kettle to do so. The kettle they have used over the last few years has served them well, but has sprung a leak. So it's time for an upgrade. The Cuisinart CPK-17 tested well in reliability and a lack of adding strange flavors to the water. MSRP $99 (but you can probably find it for less than that)
We didn't forget. We aren't not going. We're just not going right after the wedding. It turns out summer is a very busy time for each of us. Amy is in the midst of one of the most intensive field seasons of her career (she will be adorned with bug bites, bruises, and sunburns at the wedding). Ira is busy keeping summer travelers in the air. We will definitely need a break, but we have to finish the season first. We're planning to find a beach to sit on somewhere. We're planning to go in February. We'll add more details and update the budget when we figure them out, but for now we would love some help getting it started. And we're open to recommendations- what's your favorite beach to sit on? Add comments to our honeyfund site, linked below.