Dish Drying Rack VS the Counter Top

The most frustrating thing about house rentals is, usually, the kitchen space. I have NEVER rented an apartment with decent counter space. This speaks true for my most current place. When I moved in with my boyfriend and his roommates, they had sacrificed one of the rare counter surfaces for a dish drying area... not a dish drying rack... a dish drying area.

Two whole feet of beautiful counter top was covered in a towel and covered in dishes. Not only did it take up a lot of space, but the towel had to be changed often or the whole kitchen started smelling moldy.

Luckily, soon after I came along, I stumbled onto this lovely Dish draining Closet from Dornob Design:

Unluckily, a full shelving unit like this is way out of our budget. However, I kept an eye out for something that I could use to mimic the design in a frugal way. In the end I found a cheap wire shelf for $5 at a thrift store, purchased an L bracket kit for $3 at the hardware store and was able to create our new dish drying system:

Look at all that open counter space now!

Fistycuffs and Haircuts

I like to cut hair.
Now, I don't claim to be particularly GOOD at cutting hair, but I can manage a quick trim and save myself and my friends a very expensive trip to the salon. Up here in Southeast Alaska getting your hair cut is priii-tty ridiculous. My boyfriend has spent $20-$30 just for a short trim... and he doesn't let his hair get long at all. Like I said, ridiculous.
Last night we decided my boyfriend was long past due for a trim, both hair and beard. When I had the scissors in hand and asked him what he wanted me to do with his beard, he told me I could do whatever I wanted.
Whatever I wanted??
Yes.
Whatever I wanted.

Here he is before the "trim":

 

Just my style. Hairy, manly and bringin home the bacon (well, salmon to be exact). Don't get me wrong, I love his hairy mountain man look, but as I trimmed his ridiculously long hair, I was inspired.

So, here he is after the "trim":

 

 Still hairy and manly, but more in a fistycuffs sort of way. If I wasn't in love with him already, I definitely would be now!