Projects, Projects Everywhere

Good Morning All! It's Monday and I'm ready for the week. B starts teaching again which means more time at the office for me again. I guess I'm ready. I love having time off but with people in and around my house it is hard to find "quiet" time to read or paint so not much was accomplished in those departments. This week we should have the marble stuff complete and the painter will start applying color. I'm getting really excited to have it done. Nearly 8 months of constant traffic around the house is just too much. It's really a good thing I'm pretty patient. I guess all the waiting I do pays off. Construction coming to an end does not mean we're done. We just purchased a rent house to fix up. Actually, it might have been a flip house but that market is at a standstill in this economy so a rental it will be.

Sort of looks like our first home.  

It was a one owner, lived in for about 50 years or so but not fixed up in many years. 

First task, cleaning up the greenery around the house.  The reason we found it in the first place was because we were called to put the electrical service back up after a tree limb tore it off the house after a recent storm.  The guy we hired did an excellent job but WOW! 

The hardwood floors are in excellent shape after the carpet was pulled up.  They need a bit of cleaning up from the pad underneath that had deteriorated but should be great. 

We got a bit of furniture in the deal, including this working Kimball organ.  Not sure what to do with it but A in California wants it.  Not too keen on shipping an organ to her.  May have to store it for a bit.  Thought about donating it to a small church somewhere. 

This bathroom is not functioning right now and this one works but runs and runs and runs. 

Kitchen cabinets are in great shape and the Formica too.  The oven/stove is weird but cool.  It's a Tappan with the ovens on top and on the bottom you push a button and pull out the burners, four I think.  They are a bit rusted but it works great.  A bit of cleanup and voila.  

Yes, that is ICKY carpet in the kitchen.  Not sure what is underneath but a bit of flooring and it should be good. 

Hey, we love projects!

Bacon & Tomato Pasta

I saw this on Giada's show a couple of weeks ago and have lusted for it since.  I didn't copy the recipe from her show but thought it easy enough to recreate myself.  Actually, I have changed it up by adding bacon to make:

Bacon & Tomato Pasta

Saute shallots in a bit of olive oil. 

I added a couple cloves of chopped garlic and then cherry tomatoes cut in half.

Salt and lots of black pepper.

In a saucepan I cooked some pasta, I think fusilli here.  I used a lot of salt in the water to cook the pasta.  Really works well to cut down the salt I use at the table.

Chiffonade about 3 tablespoons of basil.  I cooked bacon crisp in the microwave (about 3 minutes) and chffonade that too.  Then I cut into cubes FRESH mozzarella cheese (YUM).  I drained the pasta, tossed in the tomato mixture and tossed in the pasta/tomato mixture over the cheese mixture and tossed.  The hot pasta and tomato sort of melts the cheese.  It was so yummy and I was so anxious to dive into it I forgot to take a picture of the finished product.  Tee-Hee!  Enjoy.

Old Friends

Yesterday I had lunch with my dear friend C for her birthday.  It was so nice to visit and be with my friend.  We then came to the house so she could see the progress of the construction.  Chat, chat, chat, my day was really nice but it wasn't over.  As I have mentioned before my old high school best bud contacted me and over many long emails we made plans to meet.  It had been 37 years or so since we have seen each other and in high school we were "thick as thieves."  We just took different paths, even though she lives close we just never contacted each other, till now.  Last night we met for dinner.  I was anxious all day long, just couldn't wait for 5 o'clock to roll around.  Finally, I walked into Abuelo's at about 4:45 to sit and wait.  I sat and watched the door in anticipation and then right on the nose of 5 p.m., in the door S walked.  I stood up and approached her as she took her sunglasses off, then we kind of ran into each other arms hugging each other tightly and crying.  Why in the world did we wait so long to mend this falling out.  Oh my goodness, we stepped back wiping tears and then embraced again and sobbed, tears of happiness and sadness that we were fools.  Wiping the mascara and tears we were seated in a booth, ordered drinks and smiled as we looked at each other, a few more tears falling.  Memories and stories were shared again with laughter and some sadness.  I was very sad to know that all those years ago and she has and had to deal with some horrible health issues and family woes, I was not there to be her friend.  Makes me mad that we parted that way but we both agree it was probably what we needed, our paths that were meant for each of us to walk.  Although I don't think we could pinpoint what facilitated the breakup we agreed there were a few things that attributed to it.  We are not blaming or angry about it, we are just glad we are talking now.  A few hours later, 5 to be exact we finally decided that it was time to let them try and close the restaurant.  I did not get to my car until 10:30 last night.  We talked for 5 solid hours.  Amazing.  We can't wait until we see each other again, very, very soon. 

Marble & Wood

Life around here is busy, very busy.  The cabinets and molding stuff is here and being installed!  A few little kinks here and there but it is moving along.  I think the painter should be here next week which means wallpaper too. 

My closet, one side...those are pull down hanging bars...

cubbies,  I like cubbies... 

...the laundry area and the door that is opened will house The Hubby's folding ironing board.  I was not too pleased that this cabinet monstrosity was so large and was the first thing you laid eyes on when you walked through the door but it is here and I'm not paying to have it remade.

Clayton doing a bit of inspection...

That shiny stuff by the red wall is the marble for the shower that is being installed as I tap-tap-tap. 

More pictures will surely follow as we near the end finally.

My World

I promise I'm still here but I've just had a HUGE case of writers block.  A few good things have happened though:

They delivered the cabinets and woodwork stuff for the bathroom.  These are the sides of a cabinet area that will house the washer and dryer.  They are actually cabinets and one side will have a hidden ironing board. 

This is one side of the sink area.  The rest of the stuff will be delivered today.  And as I type I hear the sweet sound of hammers!  Finally!  It starts getting depressing seeing a tarp over your bedroom door after nearly 4 months. 

Last week I received an email from my old high school best buddy checking to see if my email was the same.  I was so excited and since then we have been playing email tag back and forth.  I can't wait till we get together and have lunch soon. 

Daddy is doing very well now.  The stitches are out and he's just waiting until The Hippy doctor feels it is time for him to put weight on the leg.  He's still on IV antibiotics but when that stops he will go home!  It's been 4 weeks since surgery and The Hippy doctor said 4-6 weeks so we are in that magic window I think.  Sis finally went to see him again on Sunday.  He gave her a hard time for not even calling on his birthday.  She had no excuse.  Poor guy.  So that makes twice she has seen him since July 19, and she lives all of 5 or so miles away. 

Just found out this morning that one of my oldest friends and neighbor has breast cancer and starts chemo this morning.  Had no idea.  It's funny that right after I heard that when on Good Morning America they showed the world premiere of Martina McBride's new video, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It".  Perfect.  Made me cry.  Sending out a prayer for Susie! 

Weekend of Errors

This weekend we opted to stay in town and enjoy just being home.  The weather has finally settled down to tolerable temperatures and made it a nice weekend to hang out in our backyard.  The Hubby first had me take some snapshots of his hair that he has been growing to send to our girls.  When I met him he had long beautiful hair I LOVED and for awhile he was having it buzz cut, like a Marine.  I HATED it.  So now he's growing it. 

Wasn't he a cutie!  Oh my bad, Isn't he a cutie!!!!!

Saturday morning we both got up with the thought of visiting the local flea market.  Walking around I saw this little guy taking a nap in a box of scarves while his owner sold wares.

Back home, the weather good I was bound and determined to make use of the new air chairs that The Hubby got for me.  I sat, drank a glass of iced tea and finished a book while The Hubby did a little cleanup.  I LOVE to watch him piddle around and he does it so well.  Keep it up my dear!

The book finished and getting a bit sleepy I didn't want to go inside so I got the in-town hammock (no picture) out.  I'm not as fond of it as the one at the lake (see below).   I just can't seem to break it in.  The fabric is slick and has absolutely no give.  That also explains my twittering yesterday. 

I ended up on the ground not once but twice in that stupid hammock.  Not the green one above but the orange one I hate.  I actually slid off onto the ground and my glasses flew off in the yard which I didn't realize until I got situated back in the damn thing.  I had to get up again which I slid out again and look around to find my glasses.  Good grief, there is no give in the thing.  I wiped off the mud from my backside and knees and finally got settled yet again to read and try and doze.  All this probably explains the crick in my neck this morning.

Last night The Hubby took me to dinner at a place called Campus Grill across from the University of Tulsa.  You know there will be students and there were.  It was not busy at all so we sat in a booth by the window.  Shortly after we sat down a couple of guys, students walked in.  The first guy walked up the steps where we were sitting to the booth behind us.  While he walked up he, very loudly, read the blackboard special of beer for $1.50.  They sat down, my back to them and the loud guy just got louder.  My first observation was he looked like "Where's Waldo.  He had wild hair, very skinny and a strange striped t-shirt with black rimmed glasses.  He was going on and on about his girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend.  She apparently cheated on him.  He couldn't understand why.  I could, Mr. Waldo Loud-Mouth.  This guy COULD NOT whisper or talk softly for nothing and everyone in the place could hear him.  Then he started talking about some teacher and how weird the guy was with no social or people skills.  Really.  Must say his conversation was very interesting but obnoxious, and made my meal the fastest I've eaten because I couldn't wait to leave, as did a few others. 

Floors, Chairs and Movies

Not much has happened in the bathroom the past couple of weeks except the finish of the floor, shower floor and shower threshold.  For two weeks it has been DEAD and I'm about to scream, but, next week it should all be people upon people.  The cabinets and woodwork will be done, the shower walls will be installed and outside the sod will be laid so we will quit bringing red dirt inside.  Ick.

Last night I came home to these hanging, temporarily.  I wanted air chairs for my birthday in June and they just now got here.  The Hubby surprised me with them, hanging after I got home last night from the girls night out for dinner and the movie The Help. 

He's decided that he likes them so much we may have to have a couple more.  They can't stay yet because the steel awning has yet to be painted or the concrete patio stained.  Soon, very soon!

Now if you haven't read the book or seen the movie The Help, do both.  The book was awesome and the movie was great.  We laughed and shed tears during both. 

Yawn!

It is 3:10 AM and I'm awake.  I don't often have insomnia problems but I do tonight and the causes I can pinpoint. 

• An email from my old high school best friend with updates of her life and family (sad) and an apology, "Even though we drifted apart after high school (something I will always regret), you can’t imagine what it meant to me to have you as a friend. I will always be there for you if you ever need me."  This truly made me cry and set me off emotionally today.  She wasn't a person that my family liked at all, neither did The Hubby, which he reminded me, but she was my best friend for 6 years and impacted my life.  I was glad for the contact but mad for the insensitivity from him.
• On top of all the construction stuff, Daddy stuff, work stuff, I was informed by The Hubby we bought a little house for either flipping or rental property.  Great, another project.  Can't say I'm too unhappy because I love those kinds of projects but, just great timing.
• The talk of selling some more property has me in a clinch a bit.  I'm not sure I want to.  It can change part of our lives a bit. 
• The Hubby's STUPID cell phone he has left on has rebooted itself 3 times, once every hour, just about the time I have drifted off to sleep.
• The huge thunderstorms that have literally blown through in the past hour making me run to my usual place to wait, the toilet.  Sometimes they scare me. 

So here I am at 3:10 AM, Wednesday morning posting to my blog.  Oh, and Wade, if you are reading this, I'm not going to be there this morning.  Hopefully I will get to sleep sometime. 

Yawn!

Music and Memory

I'm doing the Monday morning prompt from Mia Magazine a day late.  It's about music and memory.

We were a musical family, but not in the sense of expertly playing instruments or in bands, except for Bro.  Mother played the piccolo, flute and piano, even singing for weddings when she was young and leading the youth choir at church.   Bro, Sis and I all took piano lessons.  Bro played, piano, guitar, trumpet and french horn; Sis played flute and some piano; and I played all of a month or so of flute (broken leg stopped that), and a lot of piano.  I think even Daddy took piano lessons when he was a child and did some guitar.  What we all had in common was a huge love for music and we all could sing, except for Daddy.  We used to sing rounds on car drives of Row, Row, Row Your Boat over and over again in harmony at a very young age.  My favorite memory was Bro playing the guitar in the living room and he and I would sing The Byrd's song, Turn, Turn, Turn.  It was quite beautiful and such fun, and our voices together were awesome.  That was the best time sitting in the floor harmonizing with my brother.  We have always had a very close relationship and that is one of the best memories I have with him sharing one of our passions.

The Saga Continues...

Yesterday I came into town and went straight to see Daddy.  He was laying in his nursing home bed all bundled up and dozing when I arrived.  It was close to his lunch time so I didn't mind keeping him awake.  He actually looks pretty good except for the continuing swelling in his legs but the arm and hand have gone down.  He's still on the antibiotic and now they've started him on lasix to get the fluid out and the blood clot, he said, is dissolving.  Supposedly he will start back with his physical therapy which should help the fluid.  This week will be several doctor appointments and hopefully he will be closer to going home.  His mental state is so much better this time around and he's pretty content to stay until the end of the month.  Daddy's birthday came and went with tons of birthday wishes and visits.  Yesterday I showed him all the ones on his Facebook account and he was so pleased.  His sisters came by, one bringing a huge slab of chocolate cake.  One of his neighbors, the one in the wheelchair that has been tending his two tomato plants came by along with two of his granddaughters (B&B2 in that mix), Bro and myself.  He said that one of the guys he eats with had his wife go to a bakery and get him a cupcake and topped it with a candle.  He was a happy guy!  Except, yesterday when I stopped by and he was telling me all of his goodness I asked him if Sis called or came by.  "No", was his answer.  Really.  I know I said I would let this go but REALLY!  It was his birthday!  I have a good mind to call her and ask if she's mad at him or something or is it just because the world has stopped revolving around her.  ARGHHHHH!

Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go....

I also went by his house and was so sad to see that in this drought his front flowerbed he has been so proud of is trying to die, along with his ginkgo and dogwood, both of which Momma had him put in years ago.  The magnolia on the side, I noticed when I left, is looking sad too.  I hate it and feel guilty that I've overlooked this stuff but there has been so much on my mind that I just didn't notice.  I'm not telling him, it would only make him depressed and mad.  Everyone is losing plants this summer in this intense heat.  I mean, we have a sprinkler system and our stuff is struggling.  This week they are predicting that we will have under 100 degrees finally and chances of rain several days!  I'm excited. 

Escape

I decided that I needed to escape this weekend.  Escape from my life and the stresses that have plagued me lately.  So Thursday I told The Hubby that I was heading for the cabin a day early and off I went.  It was wonderful.  He arrived late Friday so that meant I spent time visiting with Harri, going to Wal-Mart, watering the horribly dying flowerbeds, reading and napping.  Saturday night we had three other couples over and everyone brought their own lobster tail and we joined in cooking them on the grill, which none of us had done.  What great fun it was.  During the afternoon we had some sprinkles of rain and later in the evening actual rain, about 30 minutes worth.  Unfortunately some in the area of home had some wind damage from the summer storm including B&B2.  Today they are still without power in this drought and 100 degree + temperature. 

The first little rain splats! 

My feeders were inundated with starving birds. 

Look, I can see his little tongue. 

This stately gentleman, Mr. Goldfinch was just beautiful. 

Two of the helpers putting the meal together.  We had to prep the lobster tails. 

I found them so beautiful. 

Table set and food served! 

Gosh, it was just delicious.  Oh and we learned how to make lemon clarified butter! 

I really should have kept the shells and made some fish stock for soup but I didn't want to mess with it. 

We ladies celebrated with a glass of champagne with a blackberry.  We toasted those who were not able to join us Saturday. 

Wild Brew - Graduation

Saturday night The Hubby and I and B&B2 attended a fundraiser fo rthe Sutten Avian Research Center call Wild Brew.  Tons of people, food and BEER!  When you enter the venue they give you these tiny plastic glasses to sample the different beers.  I had two because I was the designated driver.  Most everyone else REALLY enjoyed themselves.  Beer's just not my bag much.  But it was fun.  The Midlife Crisis Band was on the stage and so dancing was a must, according to The Hubby. 

See the glasses were pretty tiny and they didn't even fill them very full. 

B and The Hubby taking a twirl on the dance floor.  I did my time too. UGH. 

Thursday night we attended B2's electrical trade school graduation.  That means he went to school one night a week for 4 years and worked a full time job (8,000 hours as and electrician).  His first year he was apprentice of the year!  We are very proud of him and he's very glad it is all over, except for the journeyman test.  All graduates received a ton of gifts and $125 in gift certificates!

Happy Birthday



Daddy and my babies.  My mother crocheted
these dresses for them.

 Today my Daddy is 76 years old and he's spending his birthday in the nursing home basically in bed.  RATS!  He's still dealing with the blood clot and a lot of swelling in his legs and his right arm.  I'm getting a bit concerned but if it continues into next week we are going to two different doctors and hopefully they will see it. 

Happy Birthday dear Daddy.  I love you!

To Be Inspired or To Not Be Inspired

With all that is going on in my life I'm feeling very uninspired.  I love, LOVE to paint but lately I'm not feeling it.  My mind is in such a drag that can't do it.  I still do class work but that is just about it.  I want to sit in my chair and do absolutely nothing.  It could also be the heat that is keeping us all indoors too.  I won't complain about the heat because I like summer and besides I'm saving my complaining for winter, which I so hate.  I've decided to try and find some inspiration.  Not real sure how I'm going to do it but I will dammit! 

The next few weeks I'm going to have some time at home.  My room has become a pit and over run with paintings, books, shoes and piles and piles of papers, mostly Daddy stuff.  The first task will to be to clean it up a bit, get organized.  I need room.  Soon, very soon, the new bathroom will also be done and we can finally move back into that area.  Probably because my guest room is my closet that has me bummed too.  Can't seem to get my house together either with all the chaos that is remodel hell. 

Maybe the chaos that is my home will help the chaos that has become my life. 

Walking

The other day I was rushing to the office yet again after rushing to the nursing home to see Daddy after rushing to the grocery store after rushing to the bank and so on and so on.  It seems like that is all I do lately.  But seriously, I was on my way to the office and while driving I saw a gaggle of women, friends, all walking together.  And yes right now it is WAY too hot for me to do that but that green-eyed monster of jealousy reared its ugly head.  Man what would I give for a gaggle of women like that.  I bet they go to one of the ladies homes for a light breakfast and coffee or something.  Oh jealous, not good.  It was amazing that I almost immediately wanted to cry.  Maybe I'm just down with all the Daddy stuff.  Oops....just a minute...phone call...CRAP...that darned medical collection company for that stupid bill of Daddy's.  The lady was asking about payment and I said I had paid it A MONTH AGO!!!!!  Oh, you've made a payment.  Yes, I paid the thing off, what do you mean payment and there is a BALANCE!!!!!!!!  Crap, there goes the blood pressure!!!!! Talked to Daddy this afternoon too and even though he was great this morning when I saw him he's yammering to go home now, yet he still has a blood clot.  Oh gosh, I have a headache!

Veggie Shopping

Decided to spend Sunday afternoon with B visiting Daddy and then to the "garden's".  When I was younger this was the place we always went to with Granny and Momma to get fresh veggies.    We used to even get to go in the fields and pick our own which was an experience.  Boggs was the best place but this one, Conrad Farms, is also one of the places we went to also and has been around for eons. 

I'm hungry for fresh veggies!