Progress

Recently, I read this comment, "My goodness you post a lot. I can hardly keep up!" Never worry about keeping up. It's always SSDD (same story-different day) around here. Honestly, I don't myself know what I find to chat about, but chat I do and if you show up that's great; if not, no troubles.

Molly the Poodle Poopy (I know, terrible name and we shouldn't offend her, but John just stepped in it again and hence the name sticks just like...okay, I'm not going there). Where was I going with this? Oh, yes, Molly had a grooming appointment today and look what I found outside the groomer's!

Silkies! They are so friendly and docile. Groomer thinks that she has a couple of roosters and would love to give them away. I asked John about it and he thought it highly unlikely that we could take them, but I was thinking of Farmer Sam and all that "gold," which is just about the most euphemistic way to talk about it that I've ever heard.

***

So this is how things are progressing:

1. Deck is washed and this year I did it all by myself with just a little help from John (oxymoron alert).

The fencing is just hanging around waiting...

2. Windows are washed inside and out

When I discovered that the deck wash was good for vinyl windows, the washing of windows became a breeze.

3. The kitchen is cleaned.

Love the product placement! But really, placing a recipe book atop the jelly cupboard is so nice because it is at the right height for reading with no bending and it is out of splatters' way.

4. Let me go check on John's progress...

Oh I just love it...and did you notice that tiny bit of decorative trim at the eave line? Look in the upper right corner. Good job, Hon, now lunch will be ready when the last four shingles on this side are up. ;>

Have a lovely weekend...

So Confused It Hurts

Once upon a time, and it was a long, long time ago, my father and I were housebound together. It didn't last long, perhaps a few weeks. We whiled away the time by watching soap operas. Our discussions consisted of my father asking, "How can she be married to him? She's married to the blond guy!" I would patiently explain the convoluted genealogies of the soap opera world. What I didn't know in the beginning, but finally pieced together, was that my father was combining four or five hours of soap opera programming into one giant lump of a story.

And now it's happening to me! Just substitute Blogdom for soap operas.

Why just yesterday it happened twice.

It began innocently enough when I commented that I hoped Linda's bathroom would get straightened round soon. Linda emailed assuring me that her bathroom was just fine. Oh.

Then Penny painted her table for the umpteenth 20 time and I commented that I loved the yellow incarnation and had missed it. She emailed pointing me to sometime in 2008 when she had painted the table yellow. I soon noticed with horror that I had been there and commented. Dang comments records. Shouldn't they be wiped out after a year?

So, if you are the blogger who has contacted gazillion contractors to come look at the bathroom and no one has shown up yet, would you let me know? Thanks. I'll feel so much better knowing that I didn't make the whole thing up.

***

Some early morning pictures of some progress on the house and peonies.

You might be fooled, looking at the bud, into thinking that it will bloom pale pink. It will, though only on the outer petals.

The centers will be the most gorgeous buttery cream with just a few petals, paler again in the immediate center tinged with hot pink.

Hmmmm, I think I need a croissant.

***

Terribly hot and humid yesterday it was (much cooler today) and still the carpenter worked through the day. He now has a sunburn and he won't mess with sunscreens. I don't know what to do with him!

There was a lot of behind the scenes work such as improving the insulation. He'd take off every other board and insulate and put it all back together. Hopefully, the addition will be accomplished with time to spare.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Graduation Day

If you are a doting grandmother and every little expression that flits across your grand's face makes you grin and you can't help thinking that he or she is top shelf, then you may be guilty of taking 100 or more photos of said grand on any given day. Oh me!

Looking slightly confused...a bit bewildered...what's it all about?

The heat truly was oppressive.

A good rule for life: When things are a little dull or a little too warm, get down on the floor and have some great conversation with a friend.

Well done!

His other grammie was so thoughtful and brought flowers for him to present to both of his teachers. He was delighted and looked a bit like Ralphie giving his teacher the fruit basket in A Christmas Story.

And I learned something new about my grandson. Many of his classmates have fascinating aspirations for adulthood. There are two who wish to become the tooth fairy, one who wishes to be a toymaker (what fun!) and good, practical Sam who wants to be a farmer. A farmer who can dance!

Have a great day!

Setting the Stone

Sometimes life's events are juxtaposed with each other in such bizarre ways. Such was my day as this morning I watched my mother's gravestone be set and this afternoon watched my grandson graduate from Pre-Kindergarten. I'm saving the graduation story for tomorrow. What's not to love about a class of four and five year olds. They're so cute!

You may remember our desire to honor my mother's love of the cottage and the lake. At that time, I shared *this photo.* (I'd repost it, but my Lacie exterior hard drive is on the fritz. Computer troubles...ackkk.)

This is the stone in Canadian pink with the scene etched in it. I like it a lot.

The monument guys came through. There's a lot to do in this line of work. I was properly impressed.

Guess that's it for today. I'm so behind with my list. It just keeps telling me what to do and I keep doing something else. Hope that it comes out even in the end.

Projects and Gifts

Do you tend to muddy the waters when extremely busy by not staying focused and adding extra projects that don't need doing at that point? I'd really like to know because if I'm not perfectly normal, I probably should face it now before wasting any more time.

Projects and Planning

So I thought that there's so much to be done that I should make a plan. I could write in my notebook, which I lose all the time or I could waste time visiting a lot of free daily planner sites and select the best one. I finally settled on *this one* and printed off enough pages so that I have two days per page. So far there seems to be enough room. I've filled in the appointments and I've started working backwards knowing what needs to be done on the final morning. Sometimes that's a great technique for planning. So if I know that a deli platter needs to be picked up that morning, I can assign someone to do it (already done) and I can work backwards to placing the order a few days prior.

Then, just to toss a wrench into everything, I decide that making my new dessert cookbook would be a good project. I've already made up my categories and tabs because, you know, I don't have enough to do.

Dessert Recipes Notebook

Dessert Recipes Categories

Yesterday, I was able to approve the design on my mother's headstone. The Canadian pink is beautiful. I am pleased. The monument guy said that, until recently, the headstone was under water in Vermont's floods. Hmmm...

Also yesterday, we shopped at Lowe's for stockade fencing. Yes, the chippy white fence is about to move to a new home and cedar fencing will move in, which will be allowed to gray naturally minus any paint. While looking around, I found a pretty pink knock-out rose, which I will plant sometime this week at the cemetery. (Hope that my friend has also been able to find one for my grandparents' grave. She was so willing to take on the task.)

Knock out rose

 Pink Knock Out Rose

And to brighten my day, my bookmarks, *smelling so sweetly of iris,* arrived from Brenda at It's a Beautiful Life. Thank you, Brenda! They are a little piece of heaven.

Bookmarks from Brenda

I'm already using one in my Flea Market Style magazine that I found at my local Wal*Mart yesterday. I couldn't believe it and had to open it to check for Margo's picture. When I found her, I knew that I had the real deal. Haven't had much of a chance to look at it yet. I'm saving that for my morning break.

So what am I up to today? My plan says that I am to be cleaning the kitchen, the pantry, washing down the cupboards, and scrubbing the floor. Guess I'd better get to it!

Mosaic Monday Dud~Not

And so the countdown begins to that busy weekend after next. (Yes, you can just bet that the monument guy is getting a visit this morning.) While I hope to visit you as usual, if you don't see me, you'll know what happened. Life!

You poor thing suffering last week with my ongoing saga about clothes and getting nothing for the time spent. So I am sharing what my daughter wore to the event (see Sunday morning's post for that story).

in quadruplicate

And now, just because you can't see the setting so well...

beside the rhododendron

The reception was held at a beautiful new hotel along the river where the rhododendrons were in full bloom. And, fortunately for me, they perfectly matched the waistband on L's dress and the color of her sandals. One of my dear commenters suggested I request her help with future clothes shopping. Unlikely that she'd be willing, but I know that I could certainly use her advice.

Have a happy Monday!

Around the Yard~Mosaic Monday

I missed last week's Mosaic Monday. Just found it today! Good grief. And I love Mosaic Mondays.

Nothing terribly inspiring this week, just a walk around the yard. I know that you'll be able to guess which two photos are my favorites.

1. He's doing the dishes! (I can not tell you how exciting it was to find that hubby was doing the dishes. Always a lovely peek inside to discover that.)

2. Purple wave petunias

3. Pink Columbine with Peony buds behind

4. Container Garden with Zinnia, herbs, and Lantana

5. Lavender phlox

6. Rhubarb

7. Crimson azalea

8.  Molly asking, "What'cha doin'?"

9. Deep purple columbine and one lonely iris. (So glad that they bloomed. I was pretty sure that I had some somewhere.)

10. Pink baby azalea

11. Decorative potato vine in my mother's old bike basket

Connecting to Mary's Little Red House. Hope that you have time to swing through and see some of the beautiful mosaics. It's always a treat.

Many Waters

Because Christ describes our relationship with Him as a marriage...

These are two of the dearest people I know. Yesterday, they celebrated their 50th anniversary, which is a joy when the couple still loves one another more than on their wedding day.

When a marriage has not grown into something richer, fuller, deeper, these kinds of events are not celebrating a whole lot. I have attended both types. Yesterday, we celebrated in the truest of ways. Just as, one day, we shall celebrate at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Have a delightful day...


As always, Sunday comments are closed.