tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-209459992024-03-19T05:01:29.449-05:00it bothers me...And I have to get it off my chest or I'll bustUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger627125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-33810180966555197942019-12-19T09:30:00.000-06:002019-12-19T09:30:02.545-06:00For KarinKarin, it’s not quilting. But I have been sewing. potholders.<br />
<br />
And some require binding. My corners aren’t nearly as good as yours, but they are improving!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-50320415590933777742017-06-14T11:45:00.001-05:002017-06-14T11:45:30.333-05:00An Adventure...A Bucket List item...A Personal Challenge Last week at this time I was hiking the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. I can't say I loved it, but I can't say I hated it either. At times, as evidenced by my text messages to Kevin, I absolutely hated it, but time blurs those memories. Right?<br />
<br />
A couple of years ago, while day hiking in the Wichita Mountains with the Herron Girls, Kim and Bailey, our conversation turned to a curiosity about hiking the Appalachian Trail. We decided we needed to give it a go. We didn't set a date at that time, but we started talking about making it a Girls Only trip and giving it a try. We decided to start at the beginning. Over time, we committed and picked last week to go. So I started gathering my "tools." I bought a backpack--a cheap one. I bought new hiking shoes and got them 1/2 size bigger as advised. I started gathering dehydrated foods. I read. I read guides on hiking the AT. I read peoples memoirs. I tried to absorb as much as I could. I upped my workouts at the gym, walking more, raising the incline, coming in with the packed backpack and working out with it on. I even walked home from town several times to get used to walking on real terrain. (ha...as if the Kansas prairie can ever prepare you for hiking in the mountains of Georgia!)<br />
<br />
I'm not an experienced backpacker or even hiker. I've hiked three times in Colorado. I've "hiked" here in Kansas some. I've never backpacked. I've camped and cooked over a fire, I've slept in a tent. I just haven't hauled everything in a backpack and relied only on what was in my backpack. So this was going to be an adventure.<br />
<br />
I'm 53. Kim is 43. Bailey is 23. We tried to convince Miss Kat to join us, but the thought of no showers for a week turned her off and she declined. On June 2, the three of us left for Georgia.<br />
<br />
We decided to hike from Springer Mt. to Unicoi Gap. A distance of 53ish miles. We had a week. We figured we could make 10 miles a day but would aim for 7 for the first couple of days, as recommended in the AT Guide.<br />
<br />
So on a rainy Sunday morning, we began. We hired a shuttle driver to meet us at Unicoi and drive us to Springer. We started hiking at 10:30 in the rain. <br />
<br />
And it rained for two days. <br />
<br />
At first, I didn't mind the rain or the walking. For the most part, Springer is an easy climb and it stayed that way for the first 4-5 miles. The rain was cooling, it was a gentle rain. We quickly shed our rain gear because it was just too hot. About mile 6, I hit a wall. I was exhausted and probably hadn't snacked or drank enough. I happened to have a Gatorade (which I HATE). It tasted wonderful and gave me some much needed energy. Our backpacks weighed between 25 and 30 lbs. We didn't weigh them because we really didn't want to know how much weight we were carrying. My biggest problem I think, was I was carrying the big bear canister in a backpack that was really to small for it. That first night, we did some switching around and Kim took the bear canister and I traded her for the tent and the snack food which was in a bag. That stopped the canister from digging into my shoulders and hips. (I found some chafing marks later from the canister on my back.) <br />
<br />
Day two was a long day with hiking up Sassafrass Mountain. It had rained during the night, so not much sleep was had by any in our tent. My feet started to be a real issue on day two along with the rain that continued. <br />
<br />
Shoes: it's recommended that mountain hikers get their shoes 1/2 size to 1 full size larger than their regular shoe size. You need this space because your feet slide in your shoes as you go downhill and your toes can slam into the end of your shoe leaving your toes bloody and you can and will lose toenails. I'd bought new shoes 1/2 size larger, but I didn't get <i>good</i> shoes, just normal over the counter shoes. BIG mistake. My feet hurt horribly by day two and all you can do is keep walking. There's only so may places you can get off the trail, so I kept walking, every step painful. Every step UP and every step DOWN. <br />
<br />
I tried not to let my misery show, but I failed. Kim and Bailey knew I was hurting and knew I was miserable. And it kept raining. In fact, while on Sassafrass, it poured. It rained so hard we had streams pouring down the trail ankle deep. It rained that way for over an hour. Just made everyone miserable. Add that to my foot problem, and I was ready to quit.<br />
<br />
At times, I had to walk on alone because I knew I wasn't fit company and I will admit, I told the girls if there was a way out, I'd probably take it. I tried to talk them into stopping at Neels Gap, but they were enjoying the adventure and wouldn't give in to my not-so-subtle hints. (good for them because it made me keep going too.)<br />
<br />
Day three was better. WE took a two hour break at Woody Gap and dried everything out. It was paved, so the asphalt was warm and dried everything. That two hour break allowed me to rest my feet. The walk from there while still painful, was a nice walk. I started to enjoy the trip a bit more.<br />
<br />
Day four found us ready to go up Blood Mountain. We ran into a south-bound hiker with his son who suggested we take the trail around the mountain, Freedman trail, because he was seeing hikers come across Blood Mt. with cuts, and bruises and bleeding. We took Freedman. Which was our toughest hike. It's all climbing boulders and rocks. It seemed never ending. But once we made it back to the mail trail, it was a relatively easy walk down to Neels. Where I bought new shoes.<br />
<br />
Lord what a difference a new pair of shoes made. My toes didn't hurt anymore and I had more support for the remainder of my feet which made such a difference! And Pizza! We had a pizza. It was the best frozen Red Baron's Pizza ever made. Ambrosia wouldn't taste any better than that pizza did. With my shoes, we continued on for another 4 miles. <br />
<br />
Day five, we hiked 15 miles! We had an illusion that we could make the remaining 3 miles and get out a day early, but it was pretty rough headed up to Blue Mt. Shelter, so we camped.<br />
<br />
Day six was a short day, around 3 miles to Unicoi. We were up early, broke camp quickly and were on the trail by 7:30. About an hour in our hike, we came upon 3 bear cubs--who we saw climb a tree. Worried about Mama Bear, we slowly backed up, bunched together, and made lots of noise. We then watched the cubs climb down the tree and head down the mountain to Mama. We gave them plenty of time, then continued our hike down the mountain. Two miles downhill. It was rough. We'd decided early on that climbing sucks, but going downhill <i>hurts.</i> It's just hard on your knees. That two mile hike down was the worst as we knew we were on our last downhill trek. We were at the car by 10:00. Foot sore, knee sore, tired, and so happy, proud, sweaty, and very dirty and smelly.<br />
<br />
I'm glad I didn't give in to my disillusionment and quit. I'm glad I finished our set section. But I don't think I'll do any more hiking on the AT. Camping didn't bother me. The rain? Maybe it affected me more than I thought. What I really think got to me is the fact that all you do on the AT is walk. All.day.long. It's up and it's down. All.day.long--up and down. It was work. Not hard work, but work. And it does take it's toll on knees, ankles and feet. Somehow it just wasn't was spiritually fulfilling as I wanted it to be. It is that for others, but for me it just wasn't.<br />
<br />
Part of me says to try it again and now that I have good shoes, I'll do better. But I've been home 4 days now and my knees still hurt. I don't like that! It wasn't fun enough that I want to go back. It's just not my cup of tea. I'm rather sad about that. I want to love it. I want to feel awe or inspired or something. But I don't.<br />
<br />
I told Kev that I wanted to do this to see if I could.<br />
<br />
I got my answer. I can do it, but for me I guess I discovered CAN isn't fulfilling. I want to want to do it...and I don't.<br />
<br />
I guess that's OK. Trying something new is about self-discovery, and I did discover things about myself. It's OK to discover you don't enjoy something. It's probably as important as discovering you DO enjoy something it's just not as much fun.<br />
<br />
I did it. I set a goal and I met it. I didn't give up when I so desperately wanted to. I hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-854319025886690012017-01-10T08:52:00.003-06:002017-01-10T08:52:30.926-06:002016 Reading list<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 510px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 11776; mso-width-source: userset; width: 242pt;" width="322"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 6875; mso-width-source: userset; width: 141pt;" width="188"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl64" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322">Passenger</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 141pt;" width="188">Alexandra Bracken</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Secret Chord</td>
<td class="xl63">Geraldine Brooks</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Nazi Officer's Wife</td>
<td class="xl63">Edith H Beer</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Jeremy Poldark</td>
<td class="xl63">Winston Graham</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Dirt on Ninth Grave</td>
<td class="xl63">Darynda Jones</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Unbroken</td>
<td class="xl63">Laura Hillenbrand</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Eva's story</td>
<td class="xl63">Eva Schloss</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Ruins of Gorlan</td>
<td class="xl63">John Flanagan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Traveler</td>
<td class="xl63">Arwen Elys Dayton</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Last Midwife</td>
<td class="xl63">Sandra Dallas</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Brotherhood in death</td>
<td class="xl63">JD Robb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Glass Crown</td>
<td class="xl63">Victoria Aveyard</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Great Influenza</td>
<td class="xl63">John Barry</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The 5th Wave</td>
<td class="xl63">Rick Yancey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Rose: My life in Service to
Lady Astor</td>
<td class="xl63">Rosina Harrison</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">My name is Mahtob</td>
<td class="xl63">Mahtob Mahmoody</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Wild</td>
<td class="xl63">Cheryl Strayer</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Kardashian dynasty:
controversial rise of …</td>
<td class="xl63">Ian Halperin</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">A walk in the Woods</td>
<td class="xl63">Bill Bryson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Obsession</td>
<td class="xl63">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Game of Crowns</td>
<td class="xl63">Christopher Andersen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">First Dads</td>
<td class="xl63">Joshua Kendall</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Infinite Sea</td>
<td class="xl63">Rick Yancey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Last Star</td>
<td class="xl63">Rick Yancey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">In the heart of the Sea</td>
<td class="xl63">Nathaniel Philbrick</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Return of the Witch</td>
<td class="xl63">Paula Brackston</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Bay of Sighs</td>
<td class="xl63">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Dark Horse</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">As the Crow Flies</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Curse of Tenth Grave</td>
<td class="xl63">Dryandra Jones</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Schindlers List</td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">It Wasn't Always Like This</td>
<td class="xl63">Joy Preble</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Cold Dish</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Roots</td>
<td class="xl63">Alex Haley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Virgin's War</td>
<td class="xl63">Laura Andersen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Harry Potter and the cursed
child</td>
<td class="xl63">John Tiffany & Jack Thorne</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Bonk: the curious coupling of
science and sex</td>
<td class="xl63">Mary Roach</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Prayers the Devil answers</td>
<td class="xl63">Sharon McCrumb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Messenger</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Spirit of Steamboat</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Divorce Horse</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Hell is Empty</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Jesus before the Gospels</td>
<td class="xl63">Bart D. Ehrman</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Grunt</td>
<td class="xl63">Mary Roach</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Death without Company</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Junkyard Dogs</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Any other Name</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Silent Sister</td>
<td class="xl63">Diane Chamberlain</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Apprentice in Death</td>
<td class="xl63">JD Robb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Mother Tongue</td>
<td class="xl63">Bill Bryson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Notes from a Small Island</td>
<td class="xl63">Bill Bryson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Road to Little Dribbling</td>
<td class="xl63">Bill Bryson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Highwayman</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Another Man's Moccasins</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dry Bones</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Kindness Goes Unpunished</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Serpent's Tooth</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">I am number Four</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Fall of Five</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Revenge of Seven</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Last Days of Lorien</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">I am Number Four: The
forgotten Ones</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">I am Number Four: Legacies
reborn</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">I am Number Four: Nine's
legacy</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">I am Number Four: The fallen
legacies</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">I am Number Four: Six's Legacy</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Rise of Nine</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Power of Six</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Fate of Ten</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">United as One</td>
<td class="xl63">Pittacus Lore</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">An Obvious Fact</td>
<td class="xl63">Craig Johnson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Turbo Twenty-three</td>
<td class="xl63">Janet Evanovich</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Chemist</td>
<td class="xl63">Stephanie Meyer</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Undesirables</td>
<td class="xl63">Chad Thuman</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-16307973162129737482016-01-13T10:15:00.000-06:002016-01-13T10:15:01.824-06:002015 reading list<br /><br />I didn't post my list of books last year and was asked about it in, oh, July or so. Because at least ONE person had asked, I decided to list books this year. Now, looking at the list, there's only 60 some titles on it. Which makes me wonder if I just didn't do a good job of writing titles down! On the other hand, this year, I had a need to re-read several series. I re-read the entire JD Robb "In Death" series (30+ titles) as well as Anne McCaffrey's Pern books. McCaffrey's titles are listed below, Robb's aren't. The Only Robb titles you'll see are the new releases. I also re-read the Outlander series and they aren't listed.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of the nice parts of reading ebooks is I can check my reading history. But for titles I read in print, if I didn't remember to list them, they didn't get listed. That is what I think has happened to me here. I'll try to do better this year!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My favorite first reads of the year? <u>The Red Queen</u> it's a fantasy/young-adult title but very well done. Favorite non-fiction reads are harder to pick. One that has inspired me to reduce the sugar I eat (knowingly and unknowingly), <u>A year of No Sugar</u>. One that was fun? <u>Pioneer Girl: the annotated autobiography of Laura Ingalls Wilder</u>. The most moving and disturbing? <u>Born Survivors</u>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, without further ado, here's my reading list from 2015.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 510px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 11776; mso-width-source: userset; width: 242pt;" width="322"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 6875; mso-width-source: userset; width: 141pt;" width="188"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl64" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 242pt;" width="322">A year
of No Sugar</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 141pt;" width="188">Eve Schaub</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Return from Gap Creek</td>
<td class="xl63">Robert Morgan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Carnal Desire</td>
<td class="xl63">Crystal Jordan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Wilder Life</td>
<td class="xl63">Wendy McClure</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Bound by Flame</td>
<td class="xl63">Jeaniene Frost</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Tempted by Midnight</td>
<td class="xl63">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The miniaturist</td>
<td class="xl63">Jessie Burton</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Transcendence</td>
<td class="xl63">Shay Savage</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Gap Creek</td>
<td class="xl63">Robert Morgan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Clockwork Angel</td>
<td class="xl63">Cassandra Clare</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Pioneer Girl: the annotated autobiography</td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">A 50 year silence: love, war,
and a ruined house in France</td>
<td class="xl63">Miranda RichmondMouillot</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">There was a little girl</td>
<td class="xl63">Brooke Shields</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Obsession in Death</td>
<td class="xl63">JD Robb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">As You Wish</td>
<td class="xl63">Cary Elwes</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Hatshepsut</td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Sweet Poison</td>
<td class="xl63">David Gillespie</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Glass Arrow</td>
<td class="xl63">Kristen Simmons</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Red Queen</td>
<td class="xl63">Victoria Aveyard</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Seeker</td>
<td class="xl63">Arwen Elys Dayton</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">To Marry an English Lord</td>
<td class="xl63">Gail MacColl & Carol McD. Wallace</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Liar</td>
<td class="xl63">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragonseye</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragonsdawn</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Renegades of Pern</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Masterharper of Pern</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dolphins of Pern</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragon's Kin</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragonflight</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragonquest</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">White Dragon</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Skies of Pern</td>
<td class="xl63">Anne McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragon's Fire</td>
<td class="xl63">Todd McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragon Fire</td>
<td class="xl63">Todd McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Dragon Heart</td>
<td class="xl63">Todd McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">A Desperate Fortune</td>
<td class="xl63">Susanna Kearsley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Whose Names are Unknown</td>
<td class="xl63">Sanora Babb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">After the Red Rain</td>
<td class="xl63">Barry Lyga et al</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Bound to Darkness</td>
<td class="xl63">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Virgin's Daughter</td>
<td class="xl63">Laura Andresen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Dragon War</td>
<td class="xl63">Daniel Arensen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">One year After</td>
<td class="xl63">William R. Forstchen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Devoted in Death</td>
<td class="xl63">JD Robb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Perfect Nazi</td>
<td class="xl63">Martin Davidson</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Winter Witch</td>
<td class="xl63">Paula Brackston</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Midnight Witch</td>
<td class="xl63">Paula Brackston</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">A Name of her own</td>
<td class="xl63">Jane Kirkpatrick</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Death on the Western Frontier</td>
<td class="xl63">Eugene D. Fleharty & Gary Hulett</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">How to be a Victorian</td>
<td class="xl63">Ruth Goodman</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Outlander series again :)</td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">tis herself</td>
<td class="xl63">Maureen O'Hara</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Lights out</td>
<td class="xl63">Ted Koppel</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Underground in Berlin</td>
<td class="xl63">Marie Jalowicz Simon</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Tricky Twenty Two</td>
<td class="xl63">Janet Evanovich</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Stars of Fortune</td>
<td class="xl63">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Born Survivors: 3 young
mothers and their story…</td>
<td class="xl63">Wendy Holden</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Heir</td>
<td class="xl63">Kiera Cass</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Tournament at Gorlan</td>
<td class="xl63">John Flanagan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Pack</td>
<td class="xl63">Jeaniene Frost</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Droughts and Dreams</td>
<td class="xl63">Glenn Beck & Matt Redhawk</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">The Virgin's Spy</td>
<td class="xl63">Laura Andersen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Brighter than the Sun</td>
<td class="xl63">Darynda Jones</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Silver Witch</td>
<td class="xl63">Paula Brackston</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Eragon</td>
<td class="xl63">Christopher Paolini</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Eldest</td>
<td class="xl63">Christopher Paolini</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Brisinger</td>
<td class="xl63">Christopher Paolini</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">Inheritance</td>
<td class="xl63">Christopher Paolini</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-59773676378688969442015-12-03T12:50:00.000-06:002015-12-03T12:51:24.728-06:00The Dish cabinet.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the things that I like to do is to restore furniture. Specifically furniture that I will use and that has belonged to someone else in the family. I've done a dresser, a library table, the Hoosier, and others that aren't coming to mind right now. This most recent project is exactly like all the rest, it was a piece of furniture that belonged to the family. I really thought I'd taken a picture of it "before", but I can't find it now. Maybe I never did take that picture, but always thought I should take it. That would be completely in character!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQO8trt8Ur_vPIBTG-a9UD_k5e0CziPEa4NeI6jFEz1CbVrEjP4YefeIcBNLGFYxdoAQPkKZzZBMfXPTJs1foWQtoqeYQZ84YqOky543JelClXx3g9xuDeAsMT_J908wAk1p1Eg/s1600/014d9feb8155d0ee858b71f7746df7b1246b0de247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQO8trt8Ur_vPIBTG-a9UD_k5e0CziPEa4NeI6jFEz1CbVrEjP4YefeIcBNLGFYxdoAQPkKZzZBMfXPTJs1foWQtoqeYQZ84YqOky543JelClXx3g9xuDeAsMT_J908wAk1p1Eg/s320/014d9feb8155d0ee858b71f7746df7b1246b0de247.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting in the garage, ready for its new home!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This cabinet belonged to Grandma and Grandad Woodruff. Before the tornado, it sat in the kitchen, right inside the kitchen door, to the right hand side. It's a solid black walnut cabinet, probably homemade. There aren't any shippers marks or makers marks anywhere on the piece. Grandma didn't have a "modern" kitchen, she had this cabinet and the Hoosier and I think the sink had a few cabinets under it. This cabinet was the home of her dishes. Silverware went in the drawers. Under the drawers, she kept those dishes she didn't need as often. Boxes of cereal were kept on top. On the south end of the cabinet (or left side as you look at it), they kept a wire hanger that had been un-twisted. Then they'd stick all their receipts on that wire. Sometimes, it was behind the cabinet, but later in the year, it would stick out to the side.<br />
<br />
After the tornado, Grandma and Grandad moved to town and left this cabinet in the basement. (Which was covered by a metal roof to protect everything they left at the farm.) About 3 years ago, I finally convinced Kevin to bring this cabinet home for us to restore. It sat in the garage until this October when we finally decided to get it restored and to give it to Andy. So, we washed it and assessed its condition.<br />
<br />
We knew there was some termite damage. Everything stored in the basement suffered in varying degrees with terminate damage. (The termites were discovered and eradicated during the 80's, after Grandad died.) So, Kevin looked at the cabinet to decide what he would have to do. I thought all the termite tracks could simply be filled in with wood putty, but Kev disagreed. He took the back off, which was a walnut tongue and groove. It was so brittle that it splintered when he tried to remove it. <br />
<br />
One of the shelves was too far gone, so Kev pulled it out and replaced it. Fortunately, he had an old piece of wood that was exactly the right dimensions. One other shelf he could simply fill in the few tracks with putty. One front edge, we just sanded the remaining tracks down until they were stable and left it. One of the lower cabinet shelves had a knot hole about 3 inches in diameter. The knot had long ago disappeared. We left the hole. We also left the spot where mice had chewed into the bottom corner. There were huge gouges in the top. Several deep dings in the sides One of the sides still showed the saw marks. We left it all for character, and because, well, it is an old, beat up cabinet. It had survived at least 7 children and 20 some grandchildren <i>and </i>a tornado. It's old and it's a survivor. We wanted those scars to be a part of its story.<br />
<br />
We bought some new tongue and groove car siding and replaced the back with new wood. The top of the cabinet wasn't centered. One edge was flush with the side of the cabinet, so we pulled it off and centered it. We had to replace one of the pieces of glass. All the hardware was sanded to remove rust, but we didn't remove it from the piece because we were afraid of losing screws or stripping them out and we wanted to retain the original as much as possible.<br />
<br />
We wanted to keep the character, but we just didn't think staining and refinishing was the answer. So, I convinced Kev to let me paint it with chalk paint.<br />
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I'd been wanting to use chalk paint on something, and this became my first project. Andy wanted it to be black. I chose Rustoleum new line of chalk paint. The inside is painted in Aged Grey and the outside is called Charcoal. I wasn't sure how we were going to like it once I had it painted, but then I sanded it and distressed it a bit. And once we got the top coat on, I really quite liked it. It looks old and rustic, and yet the paint gives it new life.<br />
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We took it over to Andy on Thanksgiving day. My folks helped us deliver and set it up. Dad thinks <i>his</i> grandad, (Harvey Woodruff) made it for his Grandma. I wouldn't be surprised. It had been built using square nails, finish nails, and 16 penny nails--in other words, whatever was handy and available. It had been varnished, or waxed, and stained, but not touched in a very long time, so not much of the original finish was left. I'm not sure if the latch on the bottom doors is original, as there were tiny nail holes right above this latch that looked like it was for a latch. But, then again, maybe he started to put the latch there and realized it wasn't centered, so moved it down. <br />
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I sure wish someone was around who knew the origins of this piece just so I would know and could pass that history on down with it. It doesn't really matter though. I'm very happy we could save it. I'm even more happy that one of my kids wanted it. That Andy wanted this part of his roots means a great deal to me. He never knew my grandparents. He never knew the farm as it was when they lived there, and yet he wanted a piece of them. Hopefully, this piece of them will live on for a very long time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-36316234511419806752015-07-20T09:31:00.001-05:002015-07-20T09:31:37.695-05:00Yoga thoughtsI went to a yoga class on Thursday night and again on Saturday morning. It was the perfect class for me, it was small. There were 6 of us each time. I knew all but two of the ladies. (Since I'm still a "foreigner" in Bucklin, knowing this many ladies was comforting!) And, we were all "older", the youngest is in her late 30's. None of us are without tummy rolls either, which is comforting too!<br />
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I had a nice time, enjoyed the work out. And had these reflections:<br />
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1. I'm more flexible than I thought I was.<br />
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2. My balance isn't what it should be!<br />
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3. I do more yoga poses when I stretch than I ever knew I did!<br />
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4. I know some folks who won't do Yoga because it's a false religion. So, I enjoyed the irony as we worked out to Christian music.<br />
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5. It all felt really good and I didn't think I worked that hard until I got home and realized that i was <i>tired</i>!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-53751060928601048222015-04-27T09:54:00.002-05:002015-04-27T09:54:42.975-05:00reflections down memory laneIt's been a long time since I've blogged. Mr. Blue is fine, he's growing and is a handful! But he's a sweetie. I say he's a smart dog. Kevin says he's not very smart but what does he know!<br />
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I'm kind of in a reflective mood today...on Saturday, My Mom, myself, and my Aunt Sandy (Mom's sister) went on a trip down memory lane. More their memories than mine, but it was fun. I drove them down to their Grandparent's homestead. It's on the Oklahoma border, on the Oklahoma side. It's now owned by someone outside of the family, but they were kind enough to let us go and explore. My Great Grandfather settled the place in 1912ish. (I add the ish because I'm not sure of the exact year they bought the place. And I <i>think</i> all 12 of their children were born there...probably 10 of the 12 were now that I think about it...) But I still think they moved there in '12 because my Great Aunt Leatha wanted to hang on to the place so she could be a century landowner. She was the last person in the family to own the place. I just wish she'd put some money into it and had taken better care of it...but that's another story for another day.<br />
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Mom spent quite a bit of time at her Grandad's place. The youngest Aunts were 7-10 years older than Mom, and she had 5 older cousins who were there often to play with. Of course, by the time Sandy came along (10 years after Mom), there were more cousins for her to play with (all boys). So really, both girls have lots and lots of memories. I have a few...a very few. By the time I came along (I'm 10 years younger than Sandy is,) the family had spread out and didn't come home for holidays. Grandad lived there still with Aunt Florence and she was raising 2 of her grandchildren by then. Mike and Oleta were my age, so I remember going down and playing with them a bit. So my memories are very limited compared to Mom's and Sandy's. But, we walked through the house and they remembered where Grandad's chair sat, where the piano sat, how <i>little</i> the house was for 14 people! Grandad had built a small "house" right outside the kitchen for the boys to sleep in. It's called "The Boys house." It was built on top of the cellar. But they also had a basement under two rooms of the house. I know when Grandpa was a boy, all the kids slept some in the basement, until they built the Boys house. Then the girls got two bedrooms inside the house. Grandad and Grandma slept in a screened in, unheated porch. My Grandma said when she first started going there, they still had a dirt floor in their bedroom... (this would have been 1939-1940.) <br />
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The doorway to the cellar is starting to fall in now. In fact, we were careful about going down due to the falling in brick <i>and</i> because of the 6' snake who wanted to stay outside sunning, but kept going into either the brick or down into the cellar because we scared him. (hey, he made us nervous too!)<br />
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We also walked back to the garden areas. Grandad had built 4 or more dams that he used to irrigate his garden and orchard. I'm guessing 10 acres of garden and orchard. Both Mom and Sandy remembered the gardens and the fruit trees. <br />
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It was fun for me to listen to them talk about their memories and adventures.<br />
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After lunch at Mom's house, we then drove out to where my Grandparents lived...where Mom and Sandy grew up. Grandpa leased it, but they lived there for 20 years before moving in to town. Their own house was small...4 rooms. Let me repeat. FOUR rooms. A kitchen, the "north" bedroom, Grandma and Grandpa's bedroom and the living room. Notice the missing bathroom. Mom and Sandy spent a great many years of their childhood without indoor plumbing. In fact, Mom shared that w hen they moved into this house, they didn't have running water. Grandpa ran water to the house, but it wasn't until after Sandy was born that they had Hot water. And the water went to the kitchen only. (Remember, no bathroom.)<br />
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The girls talked about how much stuff grandma had in the kitchen. Her Hoosier, kitchen cabinets, stove, washing machine, sink and table. It's not a 10 x 10 room... Then the girls laughed about every time Grandma added something to the kitchen, something got put in their bedroom (the North bedroom). Like the Refrigerator, later the freezer, the cream separator, etc. (In my memories, the North bedroom had those items, but was also where Grandma kept her ceramic supplies.)<br />
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I can remember having Mom, Sandy and Grandma taking me out to the Outhouse as a little girl. But when I was 3 or 4, Grandma and Grandpa finally got a bathroom--by moving in a trailer house and using the bathroom there. (In those days, you only needed a cess pit.) And, you know, the kitchen drained through a long pipe outside the house that drained somewhere out in the trees. (Steve and I used to sit on that pipe, or do flips around it...but only until Grandma came out and yelled at us to get off it!)<br />
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The Chicken house has fallen in...the brooder house was still there. And we walked out to the barn. I don't have many memories of playing in the barn. But Mom and Sandy did of course. My only memory of playing in the barn was when Steve and I were playing in the fleeces of wool--and getting in trouble for it. The barn is falling down now, but it really was a cool design! I'm going to take Kevin out. He'll get a kick out of how it's set up.<br />
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We ended our day by finding the trash pit and digging around in it some. Found some glass jars and other treasures that were partially covered by years of dirt and weeds, but we found it! <br />
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I really enjoyed our trip down memory lane and laughing and wondering how our memories meshed and differed. There are 20 years between the 3 of us...and it was funny what we remembered differently. For example, we each remembered Grandma's garden in different locations! And we are all correct because they did move the garden over the years. But Mom and Sandy argued about if the Windmill was there the entire time. Mom says yes, I said yes, but Sandy said no. There is one there now, but it's a newer "model". <br />
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My reflectiveness revolves around those who could answer all our questions. Those who aren't here. I'd love to ask my Great Grandfather about building those damns. I would ask if they went dry during the 30's. I'd ask about why they built a separate building for the boys bedroom instead of just adding on. Heck, I'd ask WHY they built the house down in the hole instead up above where it was more accessible during bad weather! I've got a million questions for my grandparents. It's funny...I asked millions of questions. That's my job in the family, to ask questions! But now I have a million more and they aren't here to answer them. I miss them...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-82074528256388234602014-11-12T15:30:00.001-06:002014-11-12T15:30:14.387-06:00Meet Blue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have a new man in my life. Meet Blue.</div>
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This was taken three weeks ago, when we brought him home. He's an Australian Shephard. Kev knew a lady who gave him to us for free. Usually Aussie's sell for big bucks. He's from working parents, so they could have gotten a lot of money for him. Instead, they generously gave him to me to love.</div>
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We haven't had a puppy for 10 years, since Midnight came to live with us. I'd forgotten what a new puppy means... Taking him potty, taking him out to poop, taking him to the pen. To bed, to play. I'm sleeping with one ear open again, waiting for him to let me know that he needs to go outside. Just like I did when my kids were babies! Oh for the oblivion of a full nights sleep again!</div>
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But it's short term...right???</div>
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Here's Blue today. Yes, he has a sore, red eye. The vet is pretty sure he's going to lose it. I mean, he'll lose vision in it. If he hasn't already. We're not sure if he jabbed something in it or if he just had an infection. He did have a goopy eye for a week, but I just thought it was something like my cats get...Not. So, on Monday, we brought him to the vet. We got antibiotics and eye ointment and have been trying to save his eye. Because he has to have his medicine 4 times a day, he comes to work with me. (Yes I cleared it with my Boss. And if he gets too rambunctious, we'll stay home.) After seeing the Dr. again today, we're pretty sure he's going to be blind in this eye. (And it was his BLUE eye!) Still not sure if he poked it with a stick or something or if it's just an infection. If it isn't better on Friday, the vet wants to sedate him and look to see if there is something in there somewhere.<br />
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At this point, I don't care if he loses his sight. I just want him healthy again! He and I can deal with blindness.<br />
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He's been such a good boy. He has gotten carsick two of the past three days coming to work. Today, I didn't give him as much dog food. Which must have worked--he didn't get sick today! But I bring a little "diaper bag" for my baby. It has a baggie of food (in case he got car sick again.) Some snacks, a rawhide chew bone. Water, a towel, and sock that he likes to chew on and drag around and his wolf beanie baby. And his blanket. See, it's a diaper bag!<br />
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He comes in on his leash (and at 12 weeks, he's young to do so well on a leash.) He makes the rounds of the library with me to open up and then he comes in the office and lays down on his blanket and sleeps. We go out to potty and then it's time for lunch. I've had some errands at noon lately, so he just rides with me. Today, he felt well enough to run around and "chase" me outside. Then he either takes a nap, or checks out the college kids. When we get home, he goes with me to let the big dogs out of the pen and he chases and runs with them, mauls the kittens, and hangs out. <br />
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I'm hoping we can leave him home again next week... and we can if his eye heals enough that we can leave off the cone and if he doesn't have to have medicine 4 times a day...<br />
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Regardless, he's my baby and the new man in my life.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-18352988666457238432014-10-10T08:28:00.002-05:002014-10-10T08:28:41.650-05:00Siding part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Siding is complete!</div>
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Not painted yet, but it's up!</div>
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Not Caulked yet, but up!</div>
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Kim and Bob came out to help us finish the east side. The four of us work well together. Kim did most of the cuts, I was the gopher and I was the third ladder person for those high sections. (I did better than I thought!)</div>
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Here's the house looking towards the front. We're looking Southwest. If you check out the last post, you can see how much grass has grown in the last 7 years!. It's fall, so it's not green, but it's not dirt either!<br />
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The East side of the house, showing the rock area. We installed the big bay window at the top. Right below that, the long skinny window was where we'd taken out a set of French doors. We just didn't see the sense of having them with the entry door, and that's where we put in the pellet stove.<br />
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Another shot of the front...There's only one door on this end now, the sliding doors. There used to be another door on this side also. (The person who built this house must have had a thing for doors!)<br />
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We're still debating colors...We looked at shades of brown--similar to cedar. We looked at grays. (Kevin then veto'd gray.) Now we're considering green. An Olive green? Grayish green? We haven't decided yet.<br />
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This weekend we hope to get it all caulked and some trim put back up along the roofline. I'm guessing paint won't come until spring. We're getting late in the year to think about painting.<br />
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It's done, and it looks so nice! Can't wait to see the difference in our heating bills!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-48636044397281948452014-09-22T12:55:00.000-05:002014-09-22T13:00:25.264-05:00The Siding ProjectKevin and I have been re-siding our house. It's been an adventure. In exhausting adventure. A real work out. A slow process. Here's some "Before" pictures. This first one is WAY before. Because all that bare dirt? It's now grass! And the three windows at the top? They were replaced by a bay window. Gosh...I really need to take some updated pictures of our place! <br />
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The "old new door" has been replaced.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrXUppjWAUO-FKega-GCVGJbZZug9U9w0Au9AbZ7who8-_rd3WCn_WZ884L9kFy5McyTu7aJNKKr7AJmdcrzfHJIL36v0Ba0YaTB5s6afU7-WgBZJa4dgfI1Wu4HAWWN2XLj0bQ/s1600/summer+2011+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrXUppjWAUO-FKega-GCVGJbZZug9U9w0Au9AbZ7who8-_rd3WCn_WZ884L9kFy5McyTu7aJNKKr7AJmdcrzfHJIL36v0Ba0YaTB5s6afU7-WgBZJa4dgfI1Wu4HAWWN2XLj0bQ/s1600/summer+2011+026.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The garage doors are staying. Because they were a project from a few years ago. Still work beautifully. But that siding? It's all gone. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb5IFcMFzywI3XJMLcmzasq3M9cEEfy1ZViIRwGeHcoPvQrBNEd_c2IOPEb0XhKetGvJi3t0Szv5LCPP11m4cpYwkMPOgxCFxf71jTEPnOr6Uf1t2MCA9jcrz5jvsYv5bp3pTeA/s1600/siding+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb5IFcMFzywI3XJMLcmzasq3M9cEEfy1ZViIRwGeHcoPvQrBNEd_c2IOPEb0XhKetGvJi3t0Szv5LCPP11m4cpYwkMPOgxCFxf71jTEPnOr6Uf1t2MCA9jcrz5jvsYv5bp3pTeA/s1600/siding+1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Right now, the house looks like this!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4RmGGb0gWsYHQ1Ahm5L7llzXzB4WLiUx72IeKF5uWEqOAOUCYRlz_79-3Be9fVSknLTyv-D0ZgpJ9_EGu1DYmesqD3LKfosKlm54QEnQs2UQu7a4tfOWwNK9NlWNSVDsQCAKqg/s1600/siding+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4RmGGb0gWsYHQ1Ahm5L7llzXzB4WLiUx72IeKF5uWEqOAOUCYRlz_79-3Be9fVSknLTyv-D0ZgpJ9_EGu1DYmesqD3LKfosKlm54QEnQs2UQu7a4tfOWwNK9NlWNSVDsQCAKqg/s1600/siding+2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvHceKSqUDcxQn7j2SERPJMJ0Ad8byIJioEK1_4QkCLrCzm0m-Uzkc9kNG-oSuhH-irVI_vTwRQUTI053NPOJ-2nDzz6mEo5W0tKctRSts87xxtg588rB57kONeTt_wpnpzzFHw/s1600/siding+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvHceKSqUDcxQn7j2SERPJMJ0Ad8byIJioEK1_4QkCLrCzm0m-Uzkc9kNG-oSuhH-irVI_vTwRQUTI053NPOJ-2nDzz6mEo5W0tKctRSts87xxtg588rB57kONeTt_wpnpzzFHw/s1600/siding+4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Right now, the North side is the only side with intact siding. (it was probably the easiest side to do!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRIuJReinQzl5tkJ2qzy-O3AD_X4MOOCl96t2xDHzkJK27rKqnv0Hsi4hmqk8u2OsbXvKEsaOq_VBRbNdwLJ66S0lZY1ryRGcspCP-2ooECxu34pp6U3mCPXFIqQ6BSNXhT646Q/s1600/siding+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRIuJReinQzl5tkJ2qzy-O3AD_X4MOOCl96t2xDHzkJK27rKqnv0Hsi4hmqk8u2OsbXvKEsaOq_VBRbNdwLJ66S0lZY1ryRGcspCP-2ooECxu34pp6U3mCPXFIqQ6BSNXhT646Q/s1600/siding+5.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Kev and I have debated for over a year about what kind of siding we wanted. I really wanted to put up siding that looks like logs. He vetoed it simply because of the maintenance it requires. We discussed the merits of vinyl, or cement fiber board. We discussed if we wanted to stay with the current look of our house, or change it. We discussed hiring the job out, or doing it ourselves. Anything you can discuss about siding, we did.</div>
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Finally, this year, we decided we couldn't put off the decision forever. So, we bit the bullet and decided to go with fiber cement board siding. Why? Well, a big factor was it's fire resistance. We live in the country, surrounded by pasture and wheat fields. Prairie fires move fast. Cement board is fire resistant. It is also relatively cheap and very durable. </div>
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We picked the width we thought we liked and bought it. But there was one issue that stalled us. We felt like the east side (the walk out basement side) needed something...<i>more</i>. It was such a huge span of space that we felt it looked...bland. So we then debated whether to go with a stone facade, or something else. Whether to go with stone panels, or individual stone blocks or faux stone. We priced it, and gave up, finding it would cost as much as the actual siding.</div>
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But then we walked through our favorite store, Menards, and found a siding display that used stone. <i>Paving stones</i>. What a novel idea! We priced it, and discovered it was MUCH more affordable. So that's what we did. We put the stone (above) on the walls stopping three feet above the ground. It took a while--a long while--to install, but we love it! (and yes, that's a new front door!)</div>
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We intended to start and finish the project over the labor day weekend. Oh, we were so naive. We had help that first weekend. But we got to the point you see here. We discovered the old cedar siding was brittle and just shattered and splintered as we pulled it down, taking forever. </div>
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Our house had never been wrapped, so we wrapped it for a better weather barrier (and to hopefully stop the breeze that blows under my bathroom cabinet.) After our help went home, Kev's only help was me.</div>
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He and I have spent every weekend this month working on the house. (Well, except one weekend, when he had to work at the hospital.) Yesterday, we finished the West and the South sides. All we have left is the East side, above the basement level. It's a side I'm not looking forward to doing. I can do ladders, I just don't <i>like</i> to! Hopefully, our help can come back next week and help finish this final side of the house.</div>
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So, how good of help am I? Well, I've gotten better with the nail gun! Lifting and holding the siding isn't an issue, but carrying 3 to 4 pieces very far very often gets tiring. And I have this hitch in my hip that really has objected to the activity. Today, I hurt! I can say, with complete confidence, that I don't ever want to earn my living by installing siding...all the measuring and math to figure where to start each course on each side is frustrating. We've stopped working every night exhausted. Kev asked if it was because we're getting old, or because it's just simply hard work. I voted for the hard work. </div>
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But, we're getting it done. It will look nice (once I pick out a paint color and paint it all.) It should make our house more energy efficient. I just hope we finish before the snow flies.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-72560269931092507322014-09-10T14:28:00.002-05:002014-09-10T14:30:25.861-05:00I lied<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I lied.</div>
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I said I was going to stitch "Glory in the Morning." Instead, I started this one:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9IXP5HVpsUCJ1rw9nM0rwhcOgJqrhfg7NwRFC4nVngBPzff64FYdOZK8o8DpH_2Eh1ASJQr_WF0rVi96OVB3uptSV-Tg7AXT726gXVA0D2knhi31w32r9jZNrtHcD6dWUl4wVA/s1600/nativity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9IXP5HVpsUCJ1rw9nM0rwhcOgJqrhfg7NwRFC4nVngBPzff64FYdOZK8o8DpH_2Eh1ASJQr_WF0rVi96OVB3uptSV-Tg7AXT726gXVA0D2knhi31w32r9jZNrtHcD6dWUl4wVA/s1600/nativity.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's by Blackberry Lane Designs and called</div>
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"Nativity Story Square Table Topper"</div>
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Three colors, Navy, Yellow and Gold.</div>
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I bought the pattern and the fabric five or six years ago. I also bought some hand dyed thread to use instead of using DMC floss.</div>
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Just to try something different ;)</div>
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I'm working on the star first. Of course the star consists of the yellow blended with the metallic gold floss. Which is reminding me why I <i>hate</i> stitching with metallic floss. I love the end result, but hate the actual stitching. Metallic floss just twists and knots and doesn't lay as flat as it should. Thankfully, the star is the only place I'm using it!</div>
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I will stitch "Glory" it's just when I started getting ready to pull the floss, I found I really just didn't want to do it. This project jumped out and said, "stitch me, stitch me!" instead. You should always listen to projects that beg to be stitched.</div>
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When I bought this, I thought I'd frame it and hang it above our couch at Christmas. Don't know if it will be finished for this Christmas, but the thought has entered my mind that this might make a nice Christmas gift.</div>
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We will see what my instincts tell me to do once it's finished.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-37524457551041342662014-09-08T12:18:00.003-05:002014-09-08T12:18:52.125-05:00Eldar's Secret--FINISHED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Da da da DAAAAA!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyQKGdFp9s2KZ0P27Niygehwk4E9KZTUx3SZuF4jkcV6DGa-grINlbTOxcgIHOO6yQ51_YCrfoFOw4gsWcRK2LDaPUB5ONPm6kQI8x5EEpnXHda1tocTNc4HUvSK4Yvicd5likw/s1600/Eldar+finish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyQKGdFp9s2KZ0P27Niygehwk4E9KZTUx3SZuF4jkcV6DGa-grINlbTOxcgIHOO6yQ51_YCrfoFOw4gsWcRK2LDaPUB5ONPm6kQI8x5EEpnXHda1tocTNc4HUvSK4Yvicd5likw/s1600/Eldar+finish1.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Finished! After 18 months, Eldar's Secret is FINISHED!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUBCv5kFZdJsNIz_-fkHOqq-3m2lIPP8XkUlozPPnZFulgFWjzHHdxUy9xGQKFv4ETw7KulvyCyTsc9E53r5cI0b-yg7Hh0GtjpZZs0Bs9b_ZLeGuLA6m0nSR4GtMdhq-c0ABOw/s1600/eldar+finish+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUBCv5kFZdJsNIz_-fkHOqq-3m2lIPP8XkUlozPPnZFulgFWjzHHdxUy9xGQKFv4ETw7KulvyCyTsc9E53r5cI0b-yg7Hh0GtjpZZs0Bs9b_ZLeGuLA6m0nSR4GtMdhq-c0ABOw/s1600/eldar+finish+2.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Can I express how satisfied I am to have finished this HUGE project?</div>
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567,000 STITCHES.</div>
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90 colors of floss.</div>
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Hours of time.</div>
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But it's finished. I'm not sad to finish. It's very fulfilling and satisfying to finish. This hasn't been my most difficult project. By difficult, I'm thinking of those projects with lots and lots of 1/2 stitches and 3/4 stitches with lots and lots of backstitiching that you have to count out exactly or rip and start over repeatedly. But it was difficult in the amount of short sections with lots of color changes. The blocks at the top of the project had the biggest run of single color blocks. The dragons the least. I can't tell you how often I'd finish stitching a color and then realizing that there was ONE stupid stitch of this color in this next section. ONE STUPID STITCH. Sometimes I'd pull that floss color back out of the box and stitch that one stitch in the correct color. Other times, I admit, I looked at the picture, at where we were in the picture, and I'd substitute a color (usually the one I was presently using). </div>
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Am I ready to attack a full sized Heaven & Earth design? Not right now. Maybe when I retire! 12 pages took me 18 months...how long would 30 pages take? Or 60!</div>
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Nope. I'll turn my attention to a new project, one not so challenging or time consuming...I hope! My next project is below:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZhzsOUs_GljHbOZbGc5Ncmh3ZNQbWoArm-XxC79H0Xy7ey4tt8b9GLteRSWOl_eRjhYzpWji4UPc9HKRz49f3zBlISzcJjquAqk-E7Hmpg9d3BuudKkWRo4E3H4dyjePs8f-KQ/s1600/glory+in+the+Morning.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZhzsOUs_GljHbOZbGc5Ncmh3ZNQbWoArm-XxC79H0Xy7ey4tt8b9GLteRSWOl_eRjhYzpWji4UPc9HKRz49f3zBlISzcJjquAqk-E7Hmpg9d3BuudKkWRo4E3H4dyjePs8f-KQ/s1600/glory+in+the+Morning.JPG" height="320" width="101" /></a></div>
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Glory in the Morning</div>
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It's 3 feet tall! Hand dyed two-tone linen fabric.</div>
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I can't wait to start!</div>
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I also can't wait to see Eldar framed and up in my office.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-85172516218671069952014-06-23T10:06:00.000-05:002014-06-23T10:06:27.911-05:00The finished Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You know us, we don't go very long without remodeling <i>something! </i></div>
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Miss Kat's High School Graduation is over. Track season is over. School is out, which means that I have Friday's off. Which also meant that I had lots of "free" time to do projects!</div>
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After much thought and discussion, Kevin agreed that I could paint the kitchen cabinets. Remember back in January when we replaced the counter tops? I said then that the Oak just didn't match the new tops or the trim that we stained to match the counter tops and new back splash. We (I) decided to take a chance and paint the cabinets.</div>
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I looked at lots of examples of rustic cabinet treatments on Pinterest and the web. I thought about what I wanted, and decided on a Barn Red with a black glaze. Except I wasn't sure I wanted to go with black, but thought a dark brown would work. I asked opinions from lots of friends and family members. I especially picked the brain of Megan, who had recently painted her cabinets. She's in the design business and I value her opinion and experience. She let me know that it was a lot of work, and she was right!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXO6HaDWLrY2CWDNP032P6XAG0PEI5KXZSyHqoPjQ2xPTiZ6Fh9VkbSk2bWJDrhDd2VIjTTdOM8VqgE13O6jWQklyY5ItpYDtA7wQxKBcJQ2dsnG_lBYg9Scoiapb5LU9i8n-8A/s1600/2014-03-05+07.04.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXO6HaDWLrY2CWDNP032P6XAG0PEI5KXZSyHqoPjQ2xPTiZ6Fh9VkbSk2bWJDrhDd2VIjTTdOM8VqgE13O6jWQklyY5ItpYDtA7wQxKBcJQ2dsnG_lBYg9Scoiapb5LU9i8n-8A/s1600/2014-03-05+07.04.55.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcFjCt2vc17fg39wk27z3eFQD8fIBHHpXMGrssunU9pFYKi7wsTe5hiWsHqBaImh1KsgPXWE3DY6450KVBAHF42czjnWHXrxA9Cw3zgw_xHxTgZZqc6xcEG7OPjbFEjvv4fCKjw/s1600/kitchen+old2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcFjCt2vc17fg39wk27z3eFQD8fIBHHpXMGrssunU9pFYKi7wsTe5hiWsHqBaImh1KsgPXWE3DY6450KVBAHF42czjnWHXrxA9Cw3zgw_xHxTgZZqc6xcEG7OPjbFEjvv4fCKjw/s1600/kitchen+old2.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Before pictures: just as a reminder of where we started!</div>
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So, three weeks ago, I started sanding the cabinets. I removed the doors, removed the hardware, and sanded.</div>
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And sanded.</div>
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And bought more sandpaper.</div>
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And sanded.</div>
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Then I stopped by Sherwin Williams for paint.</div>
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I got primer (tinted dark grey), and the paint.</div>
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Two weekends ago, I painted. On Friday, I painted the primer. Two coats. On Saturday, I painted red. Two coats. (actually three on the cabinet doors.) I painted from 8 in the morning until after 9 p.m. both days. I held a brush so long that I had blisters!</div>
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I also made a mad dash to the paint store for wall paint because we knew we weren't keeping the green, but I hadn't decided on a color.</div>
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And on Sunday, I made another mad dash to Dodge to the paint store because I hated the first color I'd picked! It was too light and just didn't work.</div>
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This past Friday, I mixed my glaze color. And instantly began second guessing my color choice. It wasn't as dark as I'd envisioned. But I was NOT making another trip to town to change colors! And I persevered. And texted photos to Megan and Bailey for their input. Both said they liked it, but I wasn't sure...</div>
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I finally decided that if I hated it when done, I could put another glaze over this one, but use black.</div>
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On Saturday, I took a break and went with Kevin to Wichita. He was helping some friends move. I went along and helped unload the truck. We also stopped by Menards on our way home to get a few items we needed. Like spray paint.</div>
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We'd decided to re-use the existing hardware, but we both really disliked it. So, we spray painted it Oil-Rubbed Bronze. </div>
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At Menards, we also bought a piece of beadboard to put on the front of the bar (the dining room side.) I'd painted it, but it was that paper-covered plywood, like what we had on the sides of all of our el-cheapo cabinets. That large of an area didn't take the paint well and I really hated the look of it--even after I glazed it. It just looked awful. We had to do something with it!</div>
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<br />On Sunday, we rehung the cabinet doors, and I put on all the hardware. Kev put up the bead board. (which necessitated another flying trip to Dodge, because his staple/finish nail gun died. We bought a new one. He uses it <i>way</i> too often to be without!)</div>
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Here's the finished project (pre clean-up):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DsDy5kqLp6-S02Cb9G6KA5eAwGLUQGvRuKwtNccOVruov3eFY2XtaNtAB5Fp9mFx28ZABD2tI12AqJP7WA8tCqGBoLmVraQcEOXJq9OorOSGFBU8iSJkEUfshQbOcthkD7J_dg/s1600/kitchen+east.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DsDy5kqLp6-S02Cb9G6KA5eAwGLUQGvRuKwtNccOVruov3eFY2XtaNtAB5Fp9mFx28ZABD2tI12AqJP7WA8tCqGBoLmVraQcEOXJq9OorOSGFBU8iSJkEUfshQbOcthkD7J_dg/s1600/kitchen+east.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The east wall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRo0gSl26Jq3sQIucmKCAPVhfLOgRYAj-_lEH3jFTsNc4WxfV7J4K6XsehoLQgkwa-4J3Ijl9jFiUwDL0JhxDvzMhPesdSAqzTvhCrBicqu5mkTe78Ihlp8agInh2NII7xOz_iA/s1600/kitchen+west.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRo0gSl26Jq3sQIucmKCAPVhfLOgRYAj-_lEH3jFTsNc4WxfV7J4K6XsehoLQgkwa-4J3Ijl9jFiUwDL0JhxDvzMhPesdSAqzTvhCrBicqu5mkTe78Ihlp8agInh2NII7xOz_iA/s1600/kitchen+west.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The West wall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiYrk_V2XbownL3R8mLgIYWKeJ103HPOJHeq5h6BD9yhvyvTY04_mgmLznKiSY2jZYIAxxzbKchWG2U4Wu7rtMLSfJkYJNXMqeqxjWIlenOnOHF6qjlae-QgEgwz3vewKkVNL7Q/s1600/kitchen+bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiYrk_V2XbownL3R8mLgIYWKeJ103HPOJHeq5h6BD9yhvyvTY04_mgmLznKiSY2jZYIAxxzbKchWG2U4Wu7rtMLSfJkYJNXMqeqxjWIlenOnOHF6qjlae-QgEgwz3vewKkVNL7Q/s1600/kitchen+bar.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The Dining Room side of the bar with it's new beadboard walls.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIcOKiT5jDHE14YCt8ZBV-onv8pRZvStS-THDjWGsnv-w5h2EN5s-FT3hnbsBsF4ymhmDmJLp4v4ZamyQFwWZVf-4UrvfGMVszdyZbumNuOs4PlBdwWD1f50rl54iO84hbySP7Q/s1600/kitchen+sourth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIcOKiT5jDHE14YCt8ZBV-onv8pRZvStS-THDjWGsnv-w5h2EN5s-FT3hnbsBsF4ymhmDmJLp4v4ZamyQFwWZVf-4UrvfGMVszdyZbumNuOs4PlBdwWD1f50rl54iO84hbySP7Q/s1600/kitchen+sourth.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The South wall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqMLagfRo2IKSrfkLAJ3KL9GsTb4qrHIC6JJZlmqhTLXBdOzDHHgxgVH7Aa2xgXMV95l2gauqgk6lR2E7eRinl3G8oo27pJwyPzyhL4k4S7yezYiOKV9BkcsaM5kJ7QSYcFPAFA/s1600/kitchen+north.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqMLagfRo2IKSrfkLAJ3KL9GsTb4qrHIC6JJZlmqhTLXBdOzDHHgxgVH7Aa2xgXMV95l2gauqgk6lR2E7eRinl3G8oo27pJwyPzyhL4k4S7yezYiOKV9BkcsaM5kJ7QSYcFPAFA/s1600/kitchen+north.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The North side/kitchen side of the bar.</div>
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I still need to paint the dining room. It's still green. I'm happy with the beige/tan wall color (it's darker in person than in photos.) It goes great with my window treatment, so I'm keeping my chicken valances. (Yeah!) </div>
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I do have a small confession. It's been humid enough that drying time is a wee bit slower than anticipated. I stacked my doors to bring upstairs, and a couple of them stuck together! I have to touch up two cabinets. And I think I will take Megan's advice and get some water based Polyurethane and give everything a coat--including the hardware. I'm hoping I can apply it without dismantling everything...we'll see. I also need to find some little pads to put in the corners of the cabinet doors to help with the "bang" upon closing.</div>
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And, for some reason, a couple of the big pantry doors don't line up like they did. Kev tried leveling them, but that caused a gap problem. So, we have to be a little careful about closing them <i>just right</i>, but I can live with that. Hopefully this will last us till we can remodel the entire kitchen, in three or four years.</div>
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Kev is not a paint guy. He really likes the beauty of natural wood (if you hadn't figured that out by now!) He admitted that this looked nice, and looked better than what we had, and that he didn't necessarily have faith in me. He just KNEW that I'd get started and that something wouldn't work right and we'd be forced to buy new cabinets. He of little faith :)</div>
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I decided that the brown glaze works well. It brings out the browns in the trim, the back splash and the counter tops. The black hardware brings out the black in everything...so it does work. (I shouldn't doubt myself as much as I do either!)</div>
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I'd like to say this was a cheap fix, but it wasn't cheap. I spent $200 in paint and primer. I guess that's cheaper than a new kitchen, but it was more than I hoped to spend :). However...I think buying GOOD paint is worth it. </div>
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Right now, I'm ready to retire my brush and get my kitchen back to normal. I need to finish Kat's scrapbook/album (with graduation stuff.) I've got a cross stitch project to finish. (I haven't touched it since April!) I've got flower beds to weed, and hopefully some canning in my future. </div>
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Today, I'm tickled...red...about the new look in the kitchen and am ready for normal. However...Miss Kat did mention that her bathroom is the only room in the house we haven't touched. We might have to look into that!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-7812000649313800952014-04-14T09:24:00.001-05:002014-04-14T09:24:43.349-05:00Never ending remodeling.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You'd think we were done with the remodel of Andy's bathroom.</div>
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But you'd be wrong.</div>
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We thought we were done in that bathroom. </div>
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We were wrong too!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1R51CReDMwb36cJ2hM3lOVyAYfAJUKOQStNiGVeKXG4JzR-B15hpwSDihyphenhypheninfQXMrgtfo2Y65zWX-Nru8A0PtpxJMKoeCfCX5ilJXVq_INGDN_N-6Sp7KnXGNbZY200H_nfsZQ/s1600/bathroom+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1R51CReDMwb36cJ2hM3lOVyAYfAJUKOQStNiGVeKXG4JzR-B15hpwSDihyphenhypheninfQXMrgtfo2Y65zWX-Nru8A0PtpxJMKoeCfCX5ilJXVq_INGDN_N-6Sp7KnXGNbZY200H_nfsZQ/s1600/bathroom+1.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
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Here's the towel rods we originally installed. They looked nice, but they kept pulling out of the wall or would fall off the brackets. These are the kind where you don't have any visible screws, and they hook over brackets that you tighten a screw against the bracket to hold them to the wall. </div>
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Nice in theory. Not so nice in actual practice.</div>
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So, I've been brainstorming, and shopping, looking for something that would stay on the wall and still be "oil rubbed bronze."</div>
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I got the idea for the new ones we have by thinking about the stair rail in Mom and Dad's house. It's simply a galvanized pipe screwed to the wall. Now, granted, as a pretentious teenager, I thought it was cheap and hokey, and just lived with it. (It was better once we painted it bright apple green!) But now, I was thinking how it has been on that wall for almost 100 years and was trying to think of a towel rack that would do as well...Eureka!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVVIAXGDXla_Sfz5pzy7Qcb7YEsbQDgE-bvks_eEkBth9HvR_FJHRWQWwjZSGH8CITGLA5Dctw5pAG3Ujtb537qw1Avrnhc-pAO-aiC3HaETHMvVwaxDiwrP9qGNm9mGe6-e2HQ/s1600/shelf+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVVIAXGDXla_Sfz5pzy7Qcb7YEsbQDgE-bvks_eEkBth9HvR_FJHRWQWwjZSGH8CITGLA5Dctw5pAG3Ujtb537qw1Avrnhc-pAO-aiC3HaETHMvVwaxDiwrP9qGNm9mGe6-e2HQ/s1600/shelf+1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I presented my idea to Kevin, to make towel racks out of galvanized pipe. He was skeptical, but I searched Pinterest and found several examples. I even found some painted black and a couple with a shelf.<br />
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I had him hooked on the idea with the shelf.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUto7l1XrijqDsm2tdz3x0BvDYEXtxBvlWfUbxlXrg_rtMU2c1tqlcubgWz6Dxj6M3vCUGtyVNNZpu4GdsTpnAyb9fYl_eVhmpaYYuVuj-cBsGF6FTETuY96itIO-USzqD29yTQ/s1600/shelf+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUto7l1XrijqDsm2tdz3x0BvDYEXtxBvlWfUbxlXrg_rtMU2c1tqlcubgWz6Dxj6M3vCUGtyVNNZpu4GdsTpnAyb9fYl_eVhmpaYYuVuj-cBsGF6FTETuY96itIO-USzqD29yTQ/s1600/shelf+3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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So on Saturday morning, Kev went to town and came home with all the hardware for new towel racks.</div>
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I washed them up--to scrub the protective coating and oil off the metal. Kevin built his rack. I spray painted it. Kev then went out and found a piece of wood, cut it to fit, drilled the holes for the pipe, and we were in business!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fQMUpIgawXxQfWbjqThY26KUGwDDeg-xFj1cqMZsjcRMRkZLC5Nd5Hd5f7ogpOEyVelqmoLYsYmt4QsAf8qFt6ytCH2fG-4OAmg958RcNrI8Amb7bDNnrr7hB4mV8dFOe-yyqQ/s1600/shelf+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fQMUpIgawXxQfWbjqThY26KUGwDDeg-xFj1cqMZsjcRMRkZLC5Nd5Hd5f7ogpOEyVelqmoLYsYmt4QsAf8qFt6ytCH2fG-4OAmg958RcNrI8Amb7bDNnrr7hB4mV8dFOe-yyqQ/s1600/shelf+2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I washed the piece of wood, because it was pretty dirty! Kev spaced his brackets so that two were in studs and he installed those plastic brackets in the other holes. THIS towel rack isn't going anywhere! <br />
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I LOVE it!<br />
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(Note, we did use ONE recycled pipe out of some that Kev had at home. We didn't have any brackets or elbows. I'm sure we could have found some if we'd gone to the farm, but it was easier to buy new. But rest assured, I'm thinking of other ways to use some old pipe that's laying around!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-47705771023131452642014-03-12T09:09:00.000-05:002014-03-12T09:09:35.013-05:00Eldar update Page 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnlHUJVstTMsJcqelffQU9X14ihTo_wbYpAmVRN2QbgEWyB8jSsQjZrMyreVXLVkCFsaFM6uPz25MXwT6EMGlo0SSV2uIMaiOfWpQY_0CzOvHTwWPkTLbpDOJO1VAuwBG4UeLlg/s1600/dragon+9+part+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnlHUJVstTMsJcqelffQU9X14ihTo_wbYpAmVRN2QbgEWyB8jSsQjZrMyreVXLVkCFsaFM6uPz25MXwT6EMGlo0SSV2uIMaiOfWpQY_0CzOvHTwWPkTLbpDOJO1VAuwBG4UeLlg/s1600/dragon+9+part+2.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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It's been a while since I've update progress on Eldar. I'm on page 9 now. Pages 8 and 9 have proven to be confetti heavy and have taken me much longer than anticipated. Or maybe my finishing speed has had more to do with the holidays and working on the house.</div>
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I started this project a year ago. I see the end in sight, and have hopes to finish this by the beginning of summer. I'm taking some vacation time next week, but I won't be able to stitch much because I promised Miss Kat that I'd finish her scrapbook/photo album by graduation. I need to spend some crunch time on that next week instead of stitching. Since we finished laying floor in Miss Kat's room, and moved her big stuff in, I was able to stitch for about an hour last night.</div>
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I think I needed to step back today and look at the big picture of this project again. I've gotten tunnel vision with this, and had forgotten what a big accomplishment this will be for me! You know, over all, I've enjoyed working on this. Sure I get frustrated with the thousands of color changes, and it annoys me to no end when I think I've stitched all of one particular color in an area and then find that ONE darn stitch that I missed. But still, this has been relatively enjoyable and relaxing for me.</div>
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I've thought about doing a normal sized <i>Heaven and Earth Design</i>, but it's taken me over a year to stitch a mini design. The bigger designs can run 30+ pages! I'm just not sure I'm ready to spend that much time on a project!</div>
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I'll be glad when Eldar is finished. This page, page 9, is the last of the full sized pages. The last 3 pages are about 1/3 of the size, so they should go fast. In the meantime, I think I'll take a minute and just sit back and appreciate what I've accomplished so far!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-60365587923777575722014-03-10T10:53:00.000-05:002014-03-10T10:53:00.165-05:00It's time for something to go right. Isn't it?Our basement is a mess. Carpet is gone, laminate is gone. Miss Kat is sleeping in Andy's old bedroom. She's also taken over the newly remodeled bathroom. (And she broke off one of the new towel rods.) She has stuff upstairs, downstairs, and in the garage. <br />
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The garage is so full of her stuff that I couldn't get to the recycling yesterday. I can get to the freezers, but can't get to much else.<br />
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Kev and I went carpet/flooring shopping in Wichita Saturday. It's rather overwhelming when you don't know what you want, and you don't really know what you want to spend. We'd discussed our options. We decided to go back with carpet. We tossed around the idea of carpet tiles, but we wanted more information about them before committing. We've tossed around radiant heat with tile or wood. But we just didn't really feel strongly one way or another about anything.<br />
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On the drive, we were enjoying music on the radio, when we noticed the display going bonkers. (Bonkers IS an adjective!) It started flashing, the display kept blinking, going dark, becoming normal, going bonkers again. We were almost to Wichita when it went OFF. Just blacked out. Then we smelled hot plastic. Wei figured it had shorted out and all was well. Who really needs the display of the clock and the radio station?<br />
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Then we attempted to turn it off. Nothing.<br />
I attempted to turn it down. Nothing.<br />
I tried to change the station. Nothing.<br />
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We had no control of the radio. We finally pulled the fuse just to turn the darn thing off.<br />
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At this point, I was fed up. Frustrated. We paid off the loan for this car one month ago. I was ready to go buy a new one.<br />
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But, logic prevailed, and we continued with our flooring shopping. We took a break for lunch and our friends, Kim and Bob called. They were headed to Wichita as well, so we hooked up with them and spent the rest of the day running around. We even went to supper. If they hadn't come down, I'd have probably bought a new vehicle. Not because I want to, but because I just want <i>something</i> to go right!<br />
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Yesterday, Kev went out to start our Diesel pickup. <br />
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It wouldn't start.<br />
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He fiddled with this and that. Nothing.<br />
He changed the fuel filter. Nothing.<br />
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I tell ya, after all the water issues, along with trouble we've been having with our home internet, and now TWO vehicles acting up...I've just about had it! <br />
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Maybe we <i>should </i> have gone car shopping!<br />
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After the events of the last two weeks, I'm ready for a break. It's time for something to go right!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-1149242464972705592014-03-05T11:43:00.001-06:002014-03-05T11:47:09.084-06:00Good bye laminate floors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last Thursday morning, Kevin went down to feed the dogs at 6 a.m. He quickly came back upstairs, very angry, and said, "The basement is full of water."</div>
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He then disappeared back downstairs.</div>
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I went down to find him mopping up water in the main room. You know, the one we'd finished remodeling a little over a year ago. The floor was soaked. Laminate floor + lots of water = disaster.</div>
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Also soaked were the bathroom floor, and both bedroom floors. But where did the water come from? The main floor bathrooms are both over the garage. The garage was dry. We checked the middle bedroom, because the kitchen drain and the laundry room are above it. Dry ceiling and walls. That left the basement bathroom. But no water was running in there.</div>
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Finally, through process of elimination, we decided it had to have been the toilet. The top of the toilet was wet, but it wasn't running over, and the water level was normal. Kev flushed it, it flushed just fine. We decided it had to have been plugged and eventually, after running over for hours, resolved itself. Either that or the dogs did something.</div>
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Poor Miss Kat, she was blamed for the fiasco.</div>
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Poor us, we had a mess on our hands.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUeheDR-XjCp_DFIjCbftmn37HZHNmqCUH2kLtKycyFqbu8tMN2ZMqbfPYxGR7xJVYH5udf2fVd4VHYaO25jQ5QDI4MMBMPBxpMgu7DQghkIN_FLBmuI2MjGgmJ8NCP_HiTird5g/s1600/2014-02-27+18.05.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUeheDR-XjCp_DFIjCbftmn37HZHNmqCUH2kLtKycyFqbu8tMN2ZMqbfPYxGR7xJVYH5udf2fVd4VHYaO25jQ5QDI4MMBMPBxpMgu7DQghkIN_FLBmuI2MjGgmJ8NCP_HiTird5g/s1600/2014-02-27+18.05.44.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
See the swollen seams?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHTutXRYWjXJyiFOM-gBTFLzLifgVTAKw3Lth-WdefneagOh49gVDwRxJKgwguUoydvYjmT5WxaXEZrT5UxFdri8jLS_tn5y1Chejg33Y_3JOTijngSGHh2T2EQL-jb_4XcHp1g/s1600/2014-02-27+18.07.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHTutXRYWjXJyiFOM-gBTFLzLifgVTAKw3Lth-WdefneagOh49gVDwRxJKgwguUoydvYjmT5WxaXEZrT5UxFdri8jLS_tn5y1Chejg33Y_3JOTijngSGHh2T2EQL-jb_4XcHp1g/s1600/2014-02-27+18.07.56.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Here, the trim bowed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMyCtG00dK965KtxR95nnRLRS4YLwH1E7x5R1XO95X5bstNq8S0JvGm_khcj0ZL0v9-dLrMbhDf70TJs2AzDQUqXOG8io9-8s8V15EHuCdDa-W811gSiJtE7cWntVuUjds5L70g/s1600/2014-02-27+18.05.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMyCtG00dK965KtxR95nnRLRS4YLwH1E7x5R1XO95X5bstNq8S0JvGm_khcj0ZL0v9-dLrMbhDf70TJs2AzDQUqXOG8io9-8s8V15EHuCdDa-W811gSiJtE7cWntVuUjds5L70g/s1600/2014-02-27+18.05.54.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
The floor in the middle bedroom<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1miy_Qm1DsZwFZZixfaXMro8pb0ZKGB5ivRGtbJIZ3yl3qYPDJMQ6pPQpblo5AG23tNHol92Jwmn-t1TOF7eu6CNCC9p9P6YLLkbwSmKH_X9YHWEQzAQZu_aJ2AinQod7QYfJw/s1600/2014-02-27+18.08.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1miy_Qm1DsZwFZZixfaXMro8pb0ZKGB5ivRGtbJIZ3yl3qYPDJMQ6pPQpblo5AG23tNHol92Jwmn-t1TOF7eu6CNCC9p9P6YLLkbwSmKH_X9YHWEQzAQZu_aJ2AinQod7QYfJw/s1600/2014-02-27+18.08.27.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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The floor in Miss Kat's room. (Yes, she's a pig. she had stuff all.over.the.floor.)</div>
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I contacted our insurance company. An Adjuster came out on Monday. I stayed home from work to visit with him. All went well, we're set with insurance to replace it all.</div>
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On that same Monday morning, around 6:20, Kevin came rushing back into the bedroom, turned on lights, started throwing clothes around, and said, "We just had a pipe burst. I'm sorry, but I had to turn off the water."</div>
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What?</div>
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Yes, it was -4 outside. Yes, a water pipe broke in the wall by the stairs. He just happened to be on the stairs and heard it break. His quick thinking saved us from MORE water damage.</div>
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But, this meant that I'd be home all day without water. Which meant no bath for me. It also meant no laundry as well!</div>
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But, we're prepared. I keep bottled water, and I keep one of the water coolers full in the garage. So I had water. Kev repaired the pipe that night and put extra insulation in the wall. We've ripped out the carpet and the laminate floor. We're now deciding just what to put down now.</div>
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I think we've both agreed that we won't put laminate down again. While it's pretty, the basement was colder this winter. We really think we need that insulation aspect of carpet. Miss Kat wants laminate in her bedroom, and we might do that--simply because it's a small area and we think we can salvage enough to do her room. </div>
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But for the main living area...we're leaning to carpet tiles at this point.</div>
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Who knows. All I know is I'm going to miss my wood floors. I also really hope that we are DONE with water issues!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-30574674186291517702014-03-05T10:29:00.002-06:002014-03-05T13:22:43.077-06:00Countertops...check!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Miracle of all miracles, we finished putting down our new counter tops. Formica is down. New edging is on and stained. It's finally a functioning kitchen again!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u7TgOdU8yErugzxUWnBjKuS_yHDhR0xYZ3-B5Ir6IWs-UTpXQfxAYLDZAunkeNk0t-L6JgMifxaVBCVqqiDRWOKGY0FL2g9D7X3PaXVmuAudTXidy9UUM0g97mRfZ5CqM_feqw/s1600/2014-03-05+07.04.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u7TgOdU8yErugzxUWnBjKuS_yHDhR0xYZ3-B5Ir6IWs-UTpXQfxAYLDZAunkeNk0t-L6JgMifxaVBCVqqiDRWOKGY0FL2g9D7X3PaXVmuAudTXidy9UUM0g97mRfZ5CqM_feqw/s1600/2014-03-05+07.04.55.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
This is the bar area where it meets the west wall. Here you can see the finished shelf Kev built.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAC2-uhS4o5NuqsiqP2mYCe5nL_sXTNnJ976qmYuUjJZ2D2rFtJDVT2WOpF9UMQa3pPdmXkJHKOYuuZtwpXFOMQbI1nX4_QK0RTmUm1bHdZcbY7Bh3TRpuaDjCjOiL7S8d-PPJA/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAC2-uhS4o5NuqsiqP2mYCe5nL_sXTNnJ976qmYuUjJZ2D2rFtJDVT2WOpF9UMQa3pPdmXkJHKOYuuZtwpXFOMQbI1nX4_QK0RTmUm1bHdZcbY7Bh3TRpuaDjCjOiL7S8d-PPJA/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.06.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
The sink area... note the nice wood looking back splash! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqe820-gcujIBsIq8K3D-1m6d1Xrk7lxvNF8dHiohW2LrogSwZrFc7shyphenhyphenKjRd6RLAB_-WUBopmX51ZDtGU3eaRQkQDdbIUl1zuvRYJQ-iIBEkbZxQ6uBhZLv7wN0yDkNPWWqeBw/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqe820-gcujIBsIq8K3D-1m6d1Xrk7lxvNF8dHiohW2LrogSwZrFc7shyphenhyphenKjRd6RLAB_-WUBopmX51ZDtGU3eaRQkQDdbIUl1zuvRYJQ-iIBEkbZxQ6uBhZLv7wN0yDkNPWWqeBw/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.14.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Over by the stove. (Yes, that's two new loaves of homemade bread on the counter.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rki5pzfCpmv_oJO9SNk-8-QmtrcL4rs1-ZojCRzY9acYvLaBirRktE5e9SAjoacs0j99O2enw3xZvv7xAApQc_-XuGqL-c52k3mfYzpD43HC9KOZgVSwON5QqaL5Ri4xj-ylSg/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rki5pzfCpmv_oJO9SNk-8-QmtrcL4rs1-ZojCRzY9acYvLaBirRktE5e9SAjoacs0j99O2enw3xZvv7xAApQc_-XuGqL-c52k3mfYzpD43HC9KOZgVSwON5QqaL5Ri4xj-ylSg/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.22.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Here's a close-up of how we finished the front edge of the counter top. It's a wee bit distressed and jagged. On purpose!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxkTkpFAScydt6i7k7q9Y_JaqebAHXrDifWderpq_nkT0kpUNiniOr-_sAFBf6SGVWUc-MXj21Gh0V_7XNrPsskfXonndJMruWBWRfxnsdG4PDyRiPogr1CEhlCF3BUyzAfm1dQ/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxkTkpFAScydt6i7k7q9Y_JaqebAHXrDifWderpq_nkT0kpUNiniOr-_sAFBf6SGVWUc-MXj21Gh0V_7XNrPsskfXonndJMruWBWRfxnsdG4PDyRiPogr1CEhlCF3BUyzAfm1dQ/s1600/2014-03-05+07.05.32.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
The cabinet on the left is one Kevin built me years ago. We stained it to better match the edge of the new counter tops.<br />
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And, we're trying to decide about staining the cabinets. The doors and the fronts won't be a problem--they are solid wood. But the sides of the cabinets...they aren't wood. They are thin plywood covered with vinyl. So, do I paint that vinyl to match my wall color (to be determined. I'm still thinking of leaving it green.) Or do we spend MORE money on cabinets that I hope will be temporary. Right now, Kev's leaning toward leaving the cabinets alone and not re-staining them. I was ready to stain them, until this past Thursday. (that post is above.) <br />
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I think we'll worry about the basement, and then we'll come back to the kitchen and make a final decision about whether or not to stain the cabinet fronts. (But I'm always open to advice and ideas!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-73011369763828398662014-02-18T09:13:00.001-06:002014-02-18T09:13:25.798-06:00Andy's bathroom remodel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When we bought this house, there was <i>one</i> room that was not painted white. It was this bathroom, the main bath, the guest bath, or as we call it, "Andy's bathroom." He doesn't live with us anymore, but it will probably always be "Andy's bathroom".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M3S5iUaWOfat4gDt1QIKcbQ5ysozEVcDndD9R1cPJoHxijrRiV3YmrnPe0nBjJv5Omqot5HwyTz04xZJFhuAAHhLIHXChf09-0P9ldYDViJb2I1er6UDNNCF5ScafiJqdSOYNg/s1600/purple+bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M3S5iUaWOfat4gDt1QIKcbQ5ysozEVcDndD9R1cPJoHxijrRiV3YmrnPe0nBjJv5Omqot5HwyTz04xZJFhuAAHhLIHXChf09-0P9ldYDViJb2I1er6UDNNCF5ScafiJqdSOYNg/s1600/purple+bathroom.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
When we first walked in, it was a little overwhelming, all this purple--even the ceiling was purple!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpKhB2e89t2_Rq1A80bHwpB3VD7GAgjpbaXsrVYMcUUKv82-R3bI8Ydw-vMAdkxPG3qsyNzIlCAyZVm8jac2Vllr36XMlnvuKvSLmk25PIOiewCQgQtWABvo8H0mUkIQTO-qtmg/s1600/purple+ceiling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpKhB2e89t2_Rq1A80bHwpB3VD7GAgjpbaXsrVYMcUUKv82-R3bI8Ydw-vMAdkxPG3qsyNzIlCAyZVm8jac2Vllr36XMlnvuKvSLmk25PIOiewCQgQtWABvo8H0mUkIQTO-qtmg/s1600/purple+ceiling.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
But, with daylight streaming in the skylight, it's a nice bright room! That skylight is the only window in this bathroom, and I really love it. I'd like to put a skylight in my laundry room too, but that will have to wait until we have to replace the roof. I would never have picked this color, nor would I ever have painted the ceiling. It's textured. Not a popcorn ceiling, but with what I call a swirly pattern. Like it was combed with someone's fingers. Unfortunately, this bathroom had a crappy tub. It was a one piece unit--walls and tub all made of fiberglass. Molded into one piece. And it never drained well. And the faucet was crap. We decided to remove the tub and install a walk in shower. We've still got 2 bathrooms with 2 tubs, and since this one is used primarily as a shower by guests, we decided to make the change.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8YZB8Ib7qqFIX8VYs90FLcDbDhmh2iDY4a2Rqo0RVy2XED_3xtOFfivUZdfanZytrNi_4aWou1TDEVDXlaiPnqj_1ETcF_7ExY5RIVhK3t_0_wgBTZsVKiZhkfXkkB-Pn1fHrw/s1600/bathroom+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8YZB8Ib7qqFIX8VYs90FLcDbDhmh2iDY4a2Rqo0RVy2XED_3xtOFfivUZdfanZytrNi_4aWou1TDEVDXlaiPnqj_1ETcF_7ExY5RIVhK3t_0_wgBTZsVKiZhkfXkkB-Pn1fHrw/s1600/bathroom+1.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
Construction wasn't without some challenges...the vent pipe was under the tub, the water lines came up through the floor instead of in the wall and we had to move the drain 6 inches. We chose the above shower kit. It's an Onyx product. Solid surface. And it's manufactured here in Kansas. It also has a lifetime guarantee. My brother had one installed in his house and he really likes it. It's easy to clean (vinegar and water) and needs very little maintenance. Someday, we can even add a bench of we desire. We also replaced the floor in front of the toilet/shower area. We found a wood looking tile in barnwood grey. Was super easy to lay the tile and used very little grout. (In fact, I have a nice big bucket of grey grout if anyone needs some. I bought <i>way</i> too much grout!) <br />
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Kev left the transition strip brown. Me, I'd have stained it grey to match the floor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89E0uglzBzd5cCP76gjpO4RUqaQHp32bL3Ip1p7HcDI_v2lp9cvao7PdvcX5yWCGhmZoJO5MSWeAmBcoCousn0cDrgsn2I9pJii0BwO4Qe3UBzqErX_J0Mpg5X38AKdzhxR2lGQ/s1600/bathroom+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89E0uglzBzd5cCP76gjpO4RUqaQHp32bL3Ip1p7HcDI_v2lp9cvao7PdvcX5yWCGhmZoJO5MSWeAmBcoCousn0cDrgsn2I9pJii0BwO4Qe3UBzqErX_J0Mpg5X38AKdzhxR2lGQ/s1600/bathroom+2.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
We even switched out the towel rods and the faucet to oil-rubbed bronze. (We'll replace the actual sink soon. Someone accidently did something to the drain and it leaks. He damaged the sink, not the drain pipe. I just need to pick out a new sink and this bathroom is complete!)<br />
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I left it all purple because I really had no idea what other color to paint this room, and the thought of painting the ceiling terrified me! And, I still <i>like</i> the purple! It turned into a very nice looking bathroom ready for visitors!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-48624271882593290712014-02-17T11:14:00.000-06:002014-02-17T11:21:17.477-06:00A simple project...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZ29Bt_fyL6Da7TQwS38ejLtF7u4vEuLkHAAzWW2P-SAEp-euJde2pOaoIOMVLDI8FmmrG2jS7BIEt3gOM4a6eKU9ZI98FN52duic1nAsNucdxlbU153F8RJjgw-7mjYfR1LPpw/s1600/Kitchen--West+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZ29Bt_fyL6Da7TQwS38ejLtF7u4vEuLkHAAzWW2P-SAEp-euJde2pOaoIOMVLDI8FmmrG2jS7BIEt3gOM4a6eKU9ZI98FN52duic1nAsNucdxlbU153F8RJjgw-7mjYfR1LPpw/s1600/Kitchen--West+before.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
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This is my kitchen. I've always had a love/hate relationship with this kitchen. I hate the white floor. (Why would anyone put in a white floor when you live in the country?) I like the counter space, but I dislike the "cabinets." They aren't real cabinets. Well, the upper cabinets are real, but the lower ones are a framework with shelves open from one end to the other. And the corner cabinet by the stove and the one by the dishwasher are so deep and run back in the corners where you can't retrieve anything, or even see anything. They are cheap, cheap, cheap. Functional--to a point, but still cheap.(Please ignore the formica on the floor, and the mess. And keep reading for an explanation of the mess!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsh2uaFNaKuwYtrb8IADrxbFU6m12vKVe79dZMiTad0HAPmOYH2XQdOlS8jrU4_ny_Tf8kjrGzU0eI7CDHSP9bzdfRksQfwxXz2HyXB8CVTK01-EyZ1StNcOI2FDssdXUbR_rVSQ/s1600/Kitchen--close+up+before+(bread).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsh2uaFNaKuwYtrb8IADrxbFU6m12vKVe79dZMiTad0HAPmOYH2XQdOlS8jrU4_ny_Tf8kjrGzU0eI7CDHSP9bzdfRksQfwxXz2HyXB8CVTK01-EyZ1StNcOI2FDssdXUbR_rVSQ/s1600/Kitchen--close+up+before+(bread).jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
And, now ignore the half loaf of bread :) Concentrate instead on the colors and the formica. While I have plenty of counter space, I've never been crazy about the tile on the edge of the cabinets and the backsplash. Just not really our colors. I also don't really like the drawer pulls or the knobs, but that's minor. About a year ago, the formica above the dishwasher and the corner of the cabinet above started popping lose. The glue had lost it's stick. We've looked at new countertops, and new cabinets--upper and lower cabinets. We've priced it all and we've discussed changing the layout. We just haven't made the commitment to actually take the leap and DO the remodeling or spend the money!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiullRLntt86qoKnMm3kz3YjIlDltqwfFwQNaMH9MfKI5aC_n4evUe23svAmsIXCUx-8s2exRGO3ZOAhkqX8HetzUEYdGmk_72HMuHElSyVW9w_V0Bi79eo2UA0c1wE9PqOgpP2A/s1600/Kitchen--bar+(during).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiullRLntt86qoKnMm3kz3YjIlDltqwfFwQNaMH9MfKI5aC_n4evUe23svAmsIXCUx-8s2exRGO3ZOAhkqX8HetzUEYdGmk_72HMuHElSyVW9w_V0Bi79eo2UA0c1wE9PqOgpP2A/s1600/Kitchen--bar+(during).jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
Right after Christmas, we found some formica on sale at Menards. We picked out a pattern we liked and bought it and brought it home. We also bought some tile for the backsplash and some wood for the front edges of the cabinets. Total spent? Right around $100--give or take $25. We figured that when we finally can do the entire kitchen remodel, we can "afford" to waste $100. AND, honestly, it will be 3-5 years before I see us doing the entire kitchen, so we'll get our money's worth.<br />
<br />
We'd recently been to a home show where a rustic bath and kitchen remodeler had a display. One of the ways he finished cabinet edges was to put wood trim up and distress it, even distressing the formica at the edge of the cabinet. Both Kev and I really liked the look, so we decided to attempt it ourselves.<br />
<br />
Before starting, we discussed what we were going to do with our bar. (pictured above.) The counter is deeper than standard countertops. It's 36" across. It's a little low for us, and it tends to become a collector of junk. Since our stock formica didn't come in 36" width, (and we didn't want to special order it) we brainstormed for ideas. Kev's come up with an idea to make a higher shelf on the back side. We'll piece in the formica on that side, which will be covered and not readily visible. It will hide some of the junk that shows up, and will be higher, which we'd both enjoy. I'm still a wee bit skeptical, but he's pulled off other ideas, so I will just have faith in him!<br />
<br />
And, so on Saturday, Kev was restless, and decided to just tear into the kitchen.<br />
<br />
We tore off the bar formica first. Let me tell you, formica is <i>sharp</i>. I have quite a few cuts on my hands! We discovered that using my iron loosened up the glue which made it faster and easier to rip the formica off the countertop. (Didn't do a lot for my iron, it's all scratched now!) Then Kev cut the formica, and started building his shelf. He did all the cutting, and I brushed on the contact cement.<br />
<br />
Now, I've never done formica myself before. I've just watched some guys at work put in a new counter top on my circulation desk years ago. I knew they used a lot of shims as they were fitting the formica, because they told me, once those two pieces touched, they were stuck. There's no repositioning of the formica. When it's down, it's <i>down.</i><br />
<br />
I asked Kev what he was going to use for shims. Nothing. I asked if he's done formica work before. He say's he has. I suggested we get come cardboard for shims, and he finally did, but we had 3 pieces only and well, long story short, we ruined our formica. Yep, it stuck where we didn't want to, and we tore the heck out of it trying to get it un-stuck!<br />
<br />
So Kev said a few not-so-nice words and had a little temper-tantrum and we moved on to the two smaller counter tops.<br />
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They went down easy peasy. He applied the trim, and I put up the tile backsplash. (It's a wood grain 6" x 24" tile. Like floor tiles made to look like wood. Very rustic looking and probably very unique.) In the photo above, he's distressing the wood trim. I've stained the trim on the end he's not working with. It looks nice. BUT...it's so much darker that we've decided we will need to strip and stain all the cabinets. Which might be another issue, because the side panels of the cabinets, and the front of the bar is 1/8" cheap plastic looking wood veneer. I'm going to try to sand and stain it, but if it won't take the stain, we'll move on to plan B. The upper cabinets should take the stain. SHOULD... Who knows, we might have to replace everything before we're finished. <br />
<br />
Miss Kat and I are going to Wichita this coming weekend to get a bridesmaid dress for her, so I'll stop by and pick up another piece of Jamocha Granite Laminate for the bar. We need to do it and the long counter top where the sink is. (the first photo.) I already know I will need to paint again. I like the green--even if it is much brighter than I'd planned. It's not really the neon that it looks above! New paint color will probably be in the yellow/tan scheme. I also joked with Kev that the countertops would look much nicer with black appliances instead of the white. But we are NOT switching them out just for cosmetic purposes!<br />
<br />
Really, replacing the countertops moved quickly--we'd probably have gotten most of it done if we hadn't ruined that ONE piece. But...live and learn! We'll get it. We always do! And it will look nice. Promise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-51993909133351172152014-01-27T15:10:00.000-06:002014-01-27T15:10:16.351-06:00The 2013 Reading list It's January 27, and I hadn't yet published my annual "What I read in 2013" list! <br />
<br />
Looking through the list, I saw that I read several series this year. Some I liked, some I didn't. Some I finished, some I didn't. A couple I gave up on and read the synopsis on Wikipedia. Why waste my time reading a series if it just didn't keep my interest? I discovered Susanna Kearsley this year. I really enjoyed reading her books set in Cornwall, or in the wilds of England. There's a touch of the supernatural in all her books, but they aren't creepy or scary. Just a little mysticism. Very well done. I'm looking forward to more books by her. I don't know why I'd never read Ken Follett's books. With my love of history and BIG books, I should have found them years ago. I know he's fairly prolific, and I know he has a couple newer titles, but I really enjoyed <u>Pillars of the Earth </u> and <u>World without End.</u> I decided to read them after watching the mini-series of <u>World without End</u>. I enjoyed the mini-series, but as usual, the book was MUCH better!<br />
<br />
TV also led me to <u>Call the Midwife</u> and two sequels. I'd watched the PBS series and had to read the books. The PBS series follows the books very well. A couple of Non-fiction stand outs were <u>The Omnivores Dilemma</u> and <u>Salt, Sugar and Fat: How the food giants hooked us</u>. Both made me angry about how big business controls our diets and how our food is produced. Both reinforced my decision to heavily limit processed foods and to produce as much of our food as we can. It all boils down to money folks. <br />
<br />
The last book of the year, <u>A Woman in Berlin</u> by Anonymous will stick with me for a while. I've read WWII memoirs, but this one really stands out. It's actually a diary written by a woman who was a German journalist who wrote of the events during April-June 1945, the end of the War and the invasion of Berlin by the Russian soldiers. It's the first memoir I've read where the author <i>admits</i> to being raped. Most say "my neighbor, my friend, a girl in the neighborhood, I know some were" raped, but the authors always assert "it didn't happen to me." But, it's about more than Rape. It's about surviving in a world where there isn't enough to eat, there isn't any electricity of utilities and you are on the losing end of the stick. It's about how soldiers treat the native population. It was very thought provoking. Yes, it will stick with me a long time.<br />
<br />
Finally, at the end of the year, after reading <u>A Woman...</u>, I needed a little escapism. So, using one of my ereader accounts from the Library, I decided to re-read the entire "In Death" series by JD Robb. There's 30-some titles in the series, and I'm enjoying reading and reliving the continuing story of Eve and Roarke. Since they are all ebooks, I'm reading most at the gym while I'm on the elliptical. It makes the time go fast and is a nice distraction. It's fun!<br />
<br />
So, without further ado, here is the complete list (remember, the "e" signifies those I've read as ebooks):<br />
<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 551px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 1499; mso-width-source: userset; width: 31pt;" width="41"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 11776; mso-width-source: userset; width: 242pt;" width="322"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 6875; mso-width-source: userset; width: 141pt;" width="188"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt; width: 31pt;" width="41"> </td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 242pt;" width="322">Hot Ice</td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 141pt;" width="188">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Don’t Know much about the American Presidents</td>
<td class="xl65">Kenneth C. Davis</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Midnight Awakening</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Wedding Shroud</td>
<td class="xl65">Elisabeth Storrs</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Winter Sea</td>
<td class="xl65">Susanna Kearsley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Notorious Nineteen</td>
<td class="xl65">Janet Evanovich</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Bountiful Creek</td>
<td class="xl65">Steven B. Weissman</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Midnight Rising</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Veil of Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Ashes of Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Shades of Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Taken by Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Deeper than Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Darker after Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">A taste of Midnight</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Rose Garden</td>
<td class="xl65">Susanna Kearsley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Edge of Dawn</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Calculated in Death</td>
<td class="xl65">J D Robb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Pillars of the Earth</td>
<td class="xl65">Ken Follett</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">World without End</td>
<td class="xl65">Ken Follett</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Beyond the Sling</td>
<td class="xl65">Mayim Bialik</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Those who save us</td>
<td class="xl65">Jenna Blum</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Goddess Inheritance</td>
<td class="xl65">Aimee Carter</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65"> Night Drake</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Apothecary's Daughter</td>
<td class="xl65">Julie Klassen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Elisie</td>
<td class="xl65">Barbara Waite</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Allegiance Sworn</td>
<td class="xl65">Kylie Griffin</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Origin</td>
<td class="xl65">Jessica Khoury</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Dark Triumph</td>
<td class="xl65">Robin LaFevers</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Blackout</td>
<td class="xl65">Connie Willis</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">All Clear</td>
<td class="xl65">Connie Willis</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Call the Midwife</td>
<td class="xl65">Jennifer Worth</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Whiskey Beach</td>
<td class="xl65">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End</td>
<td class="xl65">Jennifer Worth</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse</td>
<td class="xl65">Jennifer Worth</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Ashford Affair</td>
<td class="xl65">Lauren Willig</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Dead Ever After</td>
<td class="xl65">Charlaine Harris</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Somewhere in Time</td>
<td class="xl65">Barbara Bretton</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Silent Truth</td>
<td class="xl65">Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Business of Baby</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Mariana</td>
<td class="xl65">Susanna Kearsley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Firebird</td>
<td class="xl65">Susanna Kearsley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Boleyn King</td>
<td class="xl65">Laura Andersen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Seamstress: A memoir of Survival</td>
<td class="xl65">Sara Tuvel Bernstein</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Shadowy Horses</td>
<td class="xl65">Susanna Kearsley</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Garden Cottage Diaries</td>
<td class="xl65">Fiona J Houston</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Midnight Breed Series Companion</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Preacher's Bride</td>
<td class="xl65">Jody Hedlund</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Remnant: Jewish resistance in WWII</td>
<td class="xl65">Othniel Selden</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">The Long Lonely Road</td>
<td class="xl65">TJ Reeder</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The House Girl</td>
<td class="xl65">Tara Conklin</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Dust Bowl: an Illustrated history</td>
<td class="xl65">Dayton Duncan & Ken Burns</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Omnivore's Dilemma</td>
<td class="xl65">Michael Pollan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Shirley Jones: A memoir</td>
<td class="xl65">Shirley Jones</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Sarah's Key</td>
<td class="xl65">Tatiana De Rosnay</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The False Prince</td>
<td class="xl65">jennifer Nielsen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Twice Tempted</td>
<td class="xl65">Jeaniene Frost</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Orphan train</td>
<td class="xl65">Christina Baker Kline</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Rise</td>
<td class="xl65">Andrea Cremer</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Thankless in Death</td>
<td class="xl65">JD Robb</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">White Lions Lady</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Black Lions Bride</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Lady of Valor</td>
<td class="xl65">Lara Adrian</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Through a Dark Mist</td>
<td class="xl65">Mars Canham</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">For I have sinned</td>
<td class="xl65">Darynda Jones</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Time Traveler's guide to Elizabethan England</td>
<td class="xl65">Ian Mortimer</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Bone Season</td>
<td class="xl65">Samantha Shannon</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">House of Hades</td>
<td class="xl65">Rick Riordan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Notorious Royal Marriages</td>
<td class="xl65">Leslie Carroll</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Mirror Mirror</td>
<td class="xl65">J D Robb, et al.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Assassination of the Archduke</td>
<td class="xl65">Greg King & Sue Woolmans</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Queens Consort</td>
<td class="xl65">Lisa Hilton</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">After Dead</td>
<td class="xl65">Charlaine Harris</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">e</td>
<td class="xl65">Boleyn Deceit</td>
<td class="xl65">Laura Andersen</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Emerald Green</td>
<td class="xl65">Kerstin Gier</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Dark Witch</td>
<td class="xl65">Nora Roberts</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Dragonwriter: a tribute to Anne McCaffrey & Pern</td>
<td class="xl65">Todd McCaffrey</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Thirteenth Tale</td>
<td class="xl65">Diane Setterfield</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Given Sacrifice</td>
<td class="xl65">SM Stirling</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Teardrop</td>
<td class="xl65">Lauren Kate</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Salt Sugar Fat: How the food giants hooked us</td>
<td class="xl65">Michael Moss</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Takedown Twenty</td>
<td class="xl65">Janet Evanovich</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">A Woman in Berlin: 8 weeks in the conquered City</td>
<td class="xl65">Anonymous</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">The Royal Ranger</td>
<td class="xl65">John Flanagan</td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Naked in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Glory in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Immortal in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Rapture in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Ceremony in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Vengeance in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Holiday in Death </td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65">Conspiracy in Death</td>
<td class="xl65"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-40496764534632717912013-12-03T08:25:00.001-06:002013-12-03T08:25:58.026-06:00The interview(s)Miss Kat interviewed my Dad last night. She's writing a paper for her Comp class and it's a biography about someone she knows.<br />
<br />
Initially, she interviewed Kev, but she told us he was too boring. I say she interviewed Kev, but...well, here's a wee bit of how their interview went.<br />
<br />
Miss K: "Where were you born?"<br />
<br />
Kev: "I was born in Akron, Ohio. I think." He turned to me and said, "I was born in Akron, right?"<br />
<br />
Me: "Yes, you were born in Akron."<br />
<br />
Later...<br />
<br />
Miss K: "When did you get married for the first time?"<br />
<br />
Kev: "I married L. in..." Turning to me again, he said, "When did L and I get married?"<br />
<br />
Me: "1984"<br />
<br />
Kev: "Yeah, 1984 and we were married for..." again, he turned to me and asked, "How long were we married?"<br />
<br />
Me: "Four years dear."<br />
<br />
Kev: "That's right."<br />
<br />
Miss Kat thought that maybe she should interview ME about her father's life since I seemed to know the details!<br />
<br />
So, she decided that maybe she should interview someone else. Kev suggested my Dad, so we made arrangements to have Mom and Dad come up last night for supper and Kat could interview him.<br />
<br />
Most of what he told her I knew, and had heard before, but he did share some stories I hadn't heard and some details to stories I knew but not to the extent he shared. It was fun!<br />
<br />
It was also interesting to see Kat's reactions to some facts that I just took for granted. Both of my parents were born at home. To me, it's a fact, not anything special...but to Miss Kat, it was a little exotic. My parents remember when they got electricity and indoor plumbing. Dad went to a one-room country school. Horses were his toys. <br />
<br />
All things I just took for granted that are special and unique. Not just Dad's story, but Mom's too! <br />
<br />
Mom was so proud that Dad didn't have to ask her when they got married, he actually knew! We did argue about when he broke his leg once, but decided that maybe it really was in late 1979...maybe...we're still in debate about that one.<br />
<br />
I've always been one to ask my elders questions. I used to ask all my grandparents for stories. Listening to Kat and Dad last night, I realized that those conversations should happen more often between grandparents and grandchildren. I'm glad it happened in our house last night.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-75521101915364825932013-08-19T11:31:00.001-05:002013-08-19T11:31:14.539-05:00August showers bring...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Since the 23 of July, we've received 12 inches of rain at our house. That much rain while in the midst of a drought is unusual. Much needed, received with much gratitude, and enjoyed. </div>
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Our yard consists primarily of Buffalo Grass. During times of drought, it goes dormant and brown awaiting enough rain to trigger growth. Then it greens up and takes off. Personally, Buffalo is my favorite kind of grass. It's soft underfoot (while green, when it's dormant, it tends to crunch underfoot.) It's a fine bladed grass and is just a nice soft shade of green. Plus, given enough time, it can squeeze out weeds and stickers on its own--without the need of chemicals.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcODUvPt-xqtVdDSUvgp5PGhLB0IOpUIcFKQMJdoKZsby5aKhhk1lyisJhaz4vTRPH-QmnJw2DvDdD7QephIGRwaNGEQUXPZSJwrQ-4qQ8vhwq8Iaz1WbkUoTS4nACOcLVLVNMbw/s1600/green+grass.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcODUvPt-xqtVdDSUvgp5PGhLB0IOpUIcFKQMJdoKZsby5aKhhk1lyisJhaz4vTRPH-QmnJw2DvDdD7QephIGRwaNGEQUXPZSJwrQ-4qQ8vhwq8Iaz1WbkUoTS4nACOcLVLVNMbw/s320/green+grass.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
Rain also can bring a lot of water. This creek runs to the north of our house. During one of our rainstorms, we got 1.5 inches of rain, but those 10-20 miles from us received 5-7 inches. All that water came downstream through our creek. The highway leading to our house was closed for an hour or so as the water crossed over the bridge. The shot below is after the water levels started to drop. There are a lot of farmers/ranchers in our area who are now rebuilding fence and water gaps.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXAMKrBmU6G-rFzPpW1pMLk2pKyOdwJVO6PmoIBDb0jfGxay5xMRqkWY8HrM-KJHksj88COdyt9wUAAnE9N7tZz52tKU-opg8vTyseXXaGt7Co8IkArOZlpWupnJoNvA9fHpfzw/s1600/flood.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXAMKrBmU6G-rFzPpW1pMLk2pKyOdwJVO6PmoIBDb0jfGxay5xMRqkWY8HrM-KJHksj88COdyt9wUAAnE9N7tZz52tKU-opg8vTyseXXaGt7Co8IkArOZlpWupnJoNvA9fHpfzw/s320/flood.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
I've appreciated the rain because it's caused the wildflowers to bloom. This batch is in my yard. Not sure what it is, but they sure are pretty!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HzRshyDcS0Yc_BaEnMDZKfSj21O1jUPNlIbuxB2HF2OaCKOq8pjhYg6jYzhGCWTDUBe9xDyAHqTh-10sdsHnmjs1G6zYPj7YewzISnEjHOTClveUIZMDl9T1SjOIneKTdj7i4A/s1600/wildflowers1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HzRshyDcS0Yc_BaEnMDZKfSj21O1jUPNlIbuxB2HF2OaCKOq8pjhYg6jYzhGCWTDUBe9xDyAHqTh-10sdsHnmjs1G6zYPj7YewzISnEjHOTClveUIZMDl9T1SjOIneKTdj7i4A/s320/wildflowers1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A not so nice "benefit" of rain are these. Stickers, or Goat Heads, or Texas Tacks. They've been dormant until it rained. And now they are popping up all over the place. Kev and I can't go outside without spotting and pulling up a plant or 10. The pretty little yellow flowers will turn into nasty stickers. Any time we see a little yellow flower, we get down, find the base of the plant and pull those suckers out! The plants then go into the trash because we don't need any stickers growing into new plants. With all the rain, the ground is nice and soft, so they pull easily. And yet, we can't walk anywhere outside without stopping to pull stickers. And if you walk off and leave it, you might not spot it again until it's dropped lots of stickers. Simple trips outside now aren't so simple or quick!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wc9hSjRc4BASnia8I_gwm7jhMhPkWtM_1SoT5Gd6wUJi_77pnbwi4RYeG3Dfhe-c8E6q0KRXdXsgNHxv3n6yjRaV35Tw5CNQHJTQ3h7DsTEfLFXSAKuruWlkarpM3hI7Hudu8g/s1600/stickers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wc9hSjRc4BASnia8I_gwm7jhMhPkWtM_1SoT5Gd6wUJi_77pnbwi4RYeG3Dfhe-c8E6q0KRXdXsgNHxv3n6yjRaV35Tw5CNQHJTQ3h7DsTEfLFXSAKuruWlkarpM3hI7Hudu8g/s320/stickers.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
And this stuff also grows. It however doesn't go dormant during dry spells, but grows when nothing else will. Bindweed...the bane of my existence! I pull and pull and and it just comes back! It's become a jungle in many spots now. We've not been very diligent in pulling it. Probably because we've been picking stickers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmcvYVeiQE7NfQum-3Nnwmba_5OQDP0gx_Rue4AHMh3rJFPrhRGDmEARUlAQZH3VpWs6rOuwAbYFq_hFpJtDhMG9oVqoREX4_uR1VT-fRIVtqFeTmvZlQPES3fhER0v_ii6RvkQ/s1600/bindweed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmcvYVeiQE7NfQum-3Nnwmba_5OQDP0gx_Rue4AHMh3rJFPrhRGDmEARUlAQZH3VpWs6rOuwAbYFq_hFpJtDhMG9oVqoREX4_uR1VT-fRIVtqFeTmvZlQPES3fhER0v_ii6RvkQ/s320/bindweed.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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But we'll put up with the weeds, and the flooding, because we love the rain.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-55816217665457755082013-07-25T14:05:00.000-05:002013-07-25T14:05:28.720-05:00Page 4 finished!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcT__qR8Ak3uaH-crszRmhgxE1NKliwI-gfVZ3MHQN-E98-w1y29piAxbYs955Bg_flHd_YYEnqDGHzuc81XE0TtZ1p2f6V-TWUnmIJV69WzN97_xjh2MfYsJRQXBLwyq6Q6c0A/s1600/page+4+flipped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcT__qR8Ak3uaH-crszRmhgxE1NKliwI-gfVZ3MHQN-E98-w1y29piAxbYs955Bg_flHd_YYEnqDGHzuc81XE0TtZ1p2f6V-TWUnmIJV69WzN97_xjh2MfYsJRQXBLwyq6Q6c0A/s320/page+4+flipped.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
See what happens when you have a streak of hot days? <br />
<br />
Don't know about you, but I spent a lot of evenings inside, stitching. Much nicer to be inside where it's 75 instead of outside where it's 100+!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20945999.post-1951114764476970932013-07-03T13:11:00.002-05:002013-07-03T14:20:13.042-05:00page four continued<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS8YK6WAI-YhSrD1J4pu8UoH0fwA_SQaGNxfCsa9uPc-CPuM3Ub6Nmux6lq8zNlYZJKP2hRhva5FA05zQ20LaZLAaheCEU6pgnKmLIDlVJPG9Z_0atQ_1o9IGXwFlY7fqNY6ijg/s448/eldar+page+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS8YK6WAI-YhSrD1J4pu8UoH0fwA_SQaGNxfCsa9uPc-CPuM3Ub6Nmux6lq8zNlYZJKP2hRhva5FA05zQ20LaZLAaheCEU6pgnKmLIDlVJPG9Z_0atQ_1o9IGXwFlY7fqNY6ijg/s320/eldar+page+3.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
I told you that I probably would't work on Eldar much during June! I actually took this shot 2 days ago, and I did work some last night while we were in the house, but it's close enough to where I actually am that you probably wouldnt even notice what I've added in one day. He has an eye now and you can see the shape of his face. It's slow going. Lots and lots of color changes. Lots of subtility in shading. I was so excited to start using green, and now I'm rather sick of green!<br />
<br />
But, we've got the garden weeded, the flower beds are weeded--for now, and as the temps go back into the high 90's and 100's I might stitch a wee bit more in the evenings. Maybe I'll get this page finished before Volleyball season starts!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1