Old, very old pictures

In my parents house, for as I can remember, these two "paintings" have hung in the living room.  The girl, is my great, great aunt, Mary Broyles.  She died at the age of 16 from a ruptured appendix.  The "painting" is about a 30x24 or so, very large and was totally sealed up in a frame with glass.  I took it to have it reframed because the frame was broken and covered with dust and nicotine stains.  When we opened it up and took the glass off we were surprised to see that it was a pastel, unsealed and was just beautiful.  Some of the pastel had adhered to the glass obscuring the beauty and detail and the signature.  I have the original picture the pastel was taken from with directions on the back for the detail colors.  I was so pleasantly surprised by the discovery.  Topping off the find was the signature and date, "Nelson 1910".  That means it is nearly 100 years old!

Now this painting, and it is a painting, was just setting in a frame, unattached to it and hanging on the wall.  I love it.  It is an oil but has major nicotine stains and lots of flaking going on.  Even the stretcher bars of the canvas are showing through.  I'm really torn about whether to have it cleaned and risk more flaking or to just frame it and leave it be.  It too has a signature, "F. Miller", yeah like that is going to be easy to track down.  I have no idea where it came from, it has just always been there.

Sunday nothings

This has been a whirlwind week with A home for the Thanksgiving feast.  Plus the ongoing renovation of Daddy's house and work and me trying to squeeze a little painting time in (it's not happenin').  The turkey is now a pile of meat in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator, part of it became a turkey enchilada soup last night.  I decided on Turkey day to invite the MIL, BIL and his loverly partner, and the girls with hubby over for eats and a Christmas decorating gala.  Well, the gala was really a thrown together soup and rush to get the decorations out of the attic.  I set up the tree with lights and waited.  The family arrived and we ate all the delicious soup then proceeded to tackle the tree.  We had 7x2 hands all at once trying to find a branch to put ornaments on the tree.  It was really great fun and it was all done in about an hour.  Now I look at a lot of empty storage boxes sitting in the corner needing to be hauled out to the garage until after the holidays.  I'm glad we were able to share the Thanksgiving day with A and the family but I think it was nice to add a little Christmas with her to share since she will be staying in Californina for the Christmas season this year.  Now that the decorations are done I don't have to worry about getting it done.  I'm going to have the family Christmas Eve here and probably a Jazzercise girls Christmas party here.  This also goes along with still working on Daddy's house.  The kitchen floor will be finished this week and then we need to carry on to the laundry room that is also the pantry and once housed the kitty litter...ICK!, and the pack porch that is just full of junk.  Anyone want a 1982 Radio Shack computer.  Just not sure what we are going to do with that little gem.  We are going to get rid of his dishwasher too as it is not used, it's a rollable.  That little space we hope to fill with a butcher block thingy.  I also need to find a "cheap" loveseat sofa for his living room.  I ditched the hand-me-down couch that my sister bestowed upon him.  You would sit in it and have the arms of the sofa around your head, no springs whatsoever, GONE!  

The past week has also been a bit sad as the BIL's partner lost his very dear 98 year old grandmother.  My  friend Tracy also lost her father and our little puppy Clayton lost one of his previous owners.  In fact in the obituary they listed Clayton as their dog!  Hmmm, not sure I was too keen on that one. 

Also, a milestone is about to happen.  I've written about losing my best friend Gail nearly 4 years ago and the sadness I have dealt with.  Well, next Saturday her husband, The Hubby's best friend, is getting remarried.  The Hubby set him up with a girl they all went to high school with and it has been a good match.  They are very, very happy.  I wasn't sure he was ready to move on but on Facebook yesterday I read their daughters entry saying that they had released Gails ashes in the Pacific ocean and I would say it was because he has moved on.  Good for him.  Kind of sad too.  Smooth sailing Gail!

Just pictures

Momma in front of the stove of the kitchen where she lived as a senior in high school.  My parents bought the house and it was where I was raised. 

Now we are in the middle of the remodel of it for my father...

There will be a lot more dinners cooked here I suspect.  

Happy Thanksgiving (house update)

This year was totally not last year.  I had my family around, except for The Daddy as many readers know is away for a few months.  Thanksgiving this year was AWESOME!  I decided that it would be fun to celebrate the gathering at the cabin.  I was right!  Both of my girls were there along with B's hubby, my MIL and BIL, my sister and her fam.  My girls plus one son-in-law and us arrived at the cabin Wednesday afternoon to a most beautiful day as was Thanksgiving and today.  I picked up Papa Murphy's pizza to munch for dinner, to make it easy on me and that was perfect.  Wine, a roaring fire in the pit, a little guitar courtesy of A, cigars and we had a perfect evening.  It was too bad I was exhausted and ready for bed by 9 as is the case most nights.  But, before I could hit the sheets I had to chop celery and onion and make a couple of pumpkin pies.  That done I was ready for the next day and time with the family.

The pies were perfect and when I was up and ready to start the turkey the next morning I moved them to the dining room table to get them out of the way.  Didn't think too much about it.  I got the huge turkey out of the fridge and prepared him to roast and continued with the prep.  Then I took my coffee and went to the living room to enjoy a cup of coffee.  B&B brought their sweet Mondo which Clayton had a great time playing with.  B2 got up and fed Mondo and went back to bed.  I was sitting on the couch reading my Kindle and head this strange lapping sound.  My thought was that he was drinking funny out of his water bowl....WAIT...the pies.  I rushed to the dining room calling his name and he was running towards me, very innocent looking...

The wedge was actually a round hole missing from the pie.  I cut the much larger wedge...

Oh well, the meal must go on.  The turkey absolutely fell apart during the cooking time.  YUM!

I made the usual creamed corn , sweet potatoes, dressing and gravy while the BIL brought mashed potatoes, B made green casserole and the MIL brought pecan and apple pie while my Sis brought the relish plate.  We were all just stuffed and rolling around trying to find a place to lay our heads.  That was of course after I cleaned the kitchen which was surprisingly easy. 

We all piled around the television to watch a video of A singing with Curt Smith in LA.  Before we only had snippets of the whole concert and were very happy to see the whole thing of her singing.  I was so very proud.  We watched a bit of football for the SIL and then bid goodbye to those heading home.  We enjoyed yet another evening with the girls and the SIL.  We have had a most awesome Thanksgiving and it was made better to have A home too.  My family is complete.  Sadly she flies home to Californina on Sunday...Tomorrow night we will all put up Christmas around here since A won't be here for that. 

Update on the house - The kitchen floor started to be laid today...

Cigar and Flowers

Finished another one.....

Cigar and Flowers

She's Here

A arrived and was hugged and kissed by all.  We piled into The Hubby's truck to have dinner at her sis's, our oldest, B&B's just as soon as she arrived.  The evening was filled with food, three-way, wine, laughter and a lot of Rock Band.  What fun we had last night.  Today A and I took a drive to Daddy's house so I could show her the progress we have made.  While there I had her take a picture of me by the fence that I once stood in front of some 52 years ago.  I have been trying to find the picture of mother in the same place but can't at the moment but enjoy the snaps of me and ME. 

The Homecoming

I feel like it is The Walton's Homecoming show today.  This is my all time favorite show and today I will live it.

Today our youngest A is jetting across the country to spend Thanksgiving home. 

Our  beautiful, multi-talented baby girl is coming home for the holiday. 

It has been several years since she has been here for Thanksgiving and 11 months since we have seen her at all.

So welcome my little world traveler.  The bed is clean and warm.  The food is good and plentiful.  Welcome home my sweet.

Love Momma!

Boots On...

Had to share

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001

The Smell

Yes it is the smell of new carpet and the lack of smell of old, musty and animal urine.  Yesterday the new carpet was laid at Daddy's and it is just beautiful.  The POD was emptied and now I have to empty boxes. 

Now comes the task of the kitchen, more boxes and painting.  The Hubby has decided (YEAH) to put a new floor in the kitchen for Daddy too.  (I love my The Hubby). 

We've been scrubbing the cabinets with a mixture of Murphy's oil soap and some diluted Spic-n-Span to get the sticky of old grease, nicotine and just old off the wood.  Then we oiled them down with Old English which the wood is sucking up like a sponge.  That may take a few rub-downs to get the wood feed but pretty.  The pic is one side is clean, without Old English, the other with the OE. 

Last night The Hubby began Kiltzing the two walls and the ceiling. 

This and That

This past weekend was so beautiful and Clayton and I enjoyed a nice walk at the cabin. I should say Clayton enjoyed stopping and going. It really wasn't a walk as he had to water every little plant and bush and rock along the way.

Back at the ole' homestead my poor little canary has been non-stop laying eggs and I've just given up trying to stop it. She has lost all the feathers on her bottom and most of her back. She seems happy, actually singing (unlike female canaries) but the eggs just keep coming...

Now to share a few sketches that I've been working on. I know they should be on my art blog and they will but for now enjoy. The first one is blurry but you can see it an get an idea how it is to be. I will eventually paint them. The first one, blurry and all, is of the oldest, B at the beach in Destin some many, many years ago but I love the picture. The second is of my Daddy, fishing at our lake place. The last one is of a basket of Daddy's tomatoes and "fake" eggs and the basket is a very old egg basket that was my Momma's.

Gobblity-Gook

This is just a gobblity-gook kind of post so bear with me...

Took the weekend off to go to the cabin and relax, which I did.  I finished another drawing of The Kid and will share soon.  Spent most of Saturday laying around drawing, napping, and enjoying the most beautiful weekend in a long time for me.  The weather was FANTASTIC!  Had to take the fixin's for Thanksgiving and go through the cabinets to make sure we had everything we needed and bring more.  Probably won't be there next weekend as #2 girl, A is going to be home. 

Daddy's house is moving right along.  The painting in the bedrooms, living room, closets and part of the kitchen is done.  Carpet will be laid on Thursday and the move of furniture will begin to be put back in place.  I want to take a break till after Thanksgiving and give our bodies and minds a time to rest.  Plus I want to enjoy the time with my girls this holiday and give thanks for my family. 

On a quick note and question...ponder this...you rise out of bed early, very early on Saturday morning, 4:30 to be exact, to meet your buds at the creek to get bait and fish for several hours.  You catch a few very large catfish.  You are very proud and it is the talk of the community.  Then, when you go back down later to clean them you find they have been let loose or stolen or whatever.  Hmmmm, what do you think.  We now know they've been "set free".  I was a bit ticked I can say but The Hubby was okay as long as they were released off of the rope and not still attached because they would surely die if so, in fact he was really planning on releasing them anyway and someone else made the decision of his fish for him.   

Taking a break from the paintbrush

Last night I/we took a break from the paintbrush to enjoy a night out.  The Hubby went to a dance class...blech...and I went to a "lingerie" party.  Well, it was more a gadget party.  Yes I said gadget.  Some of the attendees had their jaws hitting the floor and some embraced the concept.  I was not shocked and participated a bit in testing of some of the "lotions" (on my wrist!)  Honestly, I was a bit surprised at the amount of ladies buying some toys but, hey, live a little I say.  There was a lot of laughter and giggling and that is just what the doctor ordered for me.  I've been working so hard on Daddy's house and dealing with the ickiness of it that the nightmares are in abundance.  My sleep has been quite disturbed, but last night, I slept very soundly.  We're also taking a weekend to enjoy the cabin and the company of good friends.  I can't wait to head up there to enjoy the cool fall and a roaring fire in the pit, toast with a bit of wine, and laugh into the night.  Next weekend our youngest A will be home for Thanksgiving and I so can't wait.  It has been since Christmas since she was here.  This year I will be doing the turkey thing at our cabin with the family.  What fun it will be since I totally missed out doing it last year.  I've also jumped up to the plate to host Christmas Eve here at our house.  I'm not sure what possessed me except I have missed that tradition too.  That also means I have to deal with the many boxes that I have brought home from Daddy's.  I will have to go through a bunch of it and put away, reframe (for Daddy) or give away. 

The rose picture has come to my house to stay (as Momma wanted) but I need to find someone to clean it.  It has a film of nicotine coating on it that is hiding some of the beauty.  I told The Hubby this morning that I get a comfort from having it in our house.  It is leaning against the living room wall right now and it gives me a sense of home and contentment.  I don't even remember where Momma got it as it has always been in the living room, a part of my life. 

Sock Monkey

Today I started cleaning out closets.  Just let me say ..... YUCK.....YUCK.....YUCK....

I so hate smelly, musty, cob webby closets and that is what I have been doing all day today.  One of the finds was my brothers sock monkey...

along with a very old walker and a lots of Golden Books, wooden puzzles from the grandchildren, all grown up and a lot of 78 and 45 vinyl records.

Some stuff went to Goodwill and some...

Inside the closets that have not been touched in YEARS was a lot of THIS...I can't stand it...digging through it all today I somehow managed to get some on my black shirt without my knowledge.  So when I went to the little girls room and adjusted my shirt a sticky, cob webby piece flew up to my face, hitting my eye.  YIKES!!!!  I almost hurled right in the sink.  It was awful.  I am so getting out of my comfort zone here today but it is getting done.

We've painted the walls and have started the trim and next week carpet will be laid. 

When that is all done the POD will be unloaded and then we will start on the back porch and kitchen.  Still a lot of work to do.

Aching feet and hands!

The renovation is in full swing now.  I spent two days at Daddy's packing up his living room and bedrooms, cough, cough, cough.  My poor hands and feet are paying the price I can tell you. I've lost nails and today they are covered in Kiltz paint. My feet are absolutely killing me from standing and up and down off of a step ladder.

Daddy's  (and Momma's) treasures...

Yes, Momma's treasures....

If you don't like to look at "bodies"...please

Please

Please

Please

Please

Close your eyes and scroll past the next picture.  In the wardrobe of Mother's (above) I found this...

It's a Burt Reynolds jigsaw puzzle that she had and we totally forgot about...I warned you to close your eyes.

Now it is all packed up and put in this...

Then we were left with this....

and this...

this...

this...

and this...

Now we do this...