G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E.

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia ~ 10.24.15

Our Thanksgiving Week has been AMAZING!
It wasn't just the food,
{which is always tasty}
B.U.T.
JPE & I spent quality time with Mom!

Monday - Cambria, Splash Cafe clam chowder, & the Palm Theater to see "SPOTLIGHT" {a thought-provoking movie}.

Tuesday - Massage w/Patricia {mom}, began House of Cards-Season 3 Marathon, & watched a PBS Special about the Mayflower & first settlers.

Wednesday - Another episode of House of Cards, saw "BROOKLYN" {sweet, love story} at Fair Oaks Theater, early dinner at Old Juan's Cantina, Oceano & a few more episodes of House of Cards.

Thursday - Started our morning with House of Cards & oatmeal, Thanksgiving with Lars & Kathryn's family/friends in Solvang {incredible food, company & wine}, & a nightcap of House of Cards.

Friday - JPE put our turkey in the oven, watched an episode of House of Cards w/am coffee, turkey dinner w/Mom, JPE & Lars {sorry, you missed it}, the thirteenth & final episode of House of Cards, followed by evening news w/Gwen Ifil, & Andre Botcelli {both on PBS, our favorite channel}

We chatted on the phone with our girls, texted other family members... and just R.E.L.A.X.E.D.

Unfortunately, Mom insists it's time to board Amtrak to head home tomorrow. Bummer! But, it's only a month until Christmas, so time will pass quickly.

There's SOOO much to be thankful for!

F.O.O.D.

F.I.L.M.S.

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

How was your holiday?

GOOD RANDOM FUN {WEEK 28}

we had a "smattering" of raindrops, too!

looking through my "stash" of spray paints! 

ta! da!

some patio changes! ZERO money spent!

posting with Tamar @ RANDOMOSITY

STAYING HOME...

resting, reading, relaxing, reclining... recuperating

from a 'little surgery"

my male nurse (JPE) is amazing!

BLUE... SPRAY-PAINT-SATURDAY!

LOVE the detail on this clay pot, but it needs some color

to give it some pizzaz!

Looked through my stash of spray paint & remembered I had selected this color for another project --- a year ago! 

Don't ya LOVE the blue dirt!!?

and, how about the blue bricks lifting the pot off the ground?

Actually, I do think the addition of color has made

the scallops really "POP". What do you think?

AND, I also applied a "textured paint" to the square ceramic pot! It was the end of the can... actually, an experiment to see if the paint would keep the pot from crumbling into pieces. 

This pot is not in good condition... it's pretty awful, so the fact that it looks decent with just a quick spray is good enough for me to consider buying another can of paint to finish the project. 

We're planning to set both of these in the front planter & fill with some annuals or ??? something that can thrive on shade, with a touch of afternoon sun.

Oh, AND, in the background --- check out the chair frames I repainted. I found a piece of fabric to recover the seats, so out came the spray paint to give the frames a NEW LOOK.

This project is completed --- I've even used the chairs... will try to remember to take pictures of the completed chair reno!

UPCYCLE - RECYCLE

{to reuse in such a way as to create a product
of a higher quality or value than the original}

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 12.22.13 + SONG-OGRAPHY

12.22.13

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY
words this week:

LIGHTS, TREE, BIG, MAKES YOU FEEL MERRY & ON THE DOOR

Celebrating Christmas this morning... with Lydia, Tasha, Jack, Taylor & Morgan in Big Bear...

looking up at the Christmas tree LIGHTS
(from outside the guest cabin)

Lego TREE... Big TREE...

larger than a normal cupcake... a BIG ceramic cupcake...

three adorable 6th graders playing their "strings"
in downtown Big Bear...

hoping to earn money to go to a music festival in Salzburg, Austria...

MAKES YOU FEEL MERRY!

beautiful garland, ON THE DOOR frame

NOW, for SONG-OGRAPHY!

check in with Kathy at DON'T SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!

SILVER BELLS

"Silver Bells, Silver Bells

It's Christmas time in the city

Ring-a-ling, hear them ring 

Soon it will be Christmas Day"


"Silver Bells" was first performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the motion picture The Lemon Drop Kid, and released in March 1951.

But, one of my first memories of someone singing "Silver Bells" was Bing Crosby & later Frank Sinatra.

What memories of this song do you have?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 11.17.13 + SONG-OGRAPHY

11.17.13
OKAY, MOM - - - This post is for you!

I know how much MOM looks forward to pictures from my week! After a whirlwind two weeks, I think I can once again get my camera out (this coming week).

ASHLEY at RAMBLING & PHOTOS continues to host

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY. This week's words are:

PATTERN, SUNGLASSES, ROUND,

LOOKING IN and CRUNCHY.

Photos were taken on my i-Pad mini.

PATTERN

Zig-zag PATTERN in the dining room rug! YES, the rug is actually a muted yellow, but the bamboo floors soften the color.

SUNGLASSES

I know! I know! I should wear SUNGLASSES when I'm in the bright sunlight. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old... plus those horribly uncomfortable "hard" contact lens, and now alternate between glasses &  soft contact lens. Constantly changing glasses to sunglasses, sunglasses over contact lens... I'd need a backpack to carry all the cases. Urghh! (SO, I don't own a pair of SUNGLASSES --- that'd I'd want to take a picture of)

ROUND

A quick picture (remember, I'm using my i-Pad)... ROUND dishes in our newly painted kitchen cabinet.

LOOKING IN

We're already getting ready for the holidays. JPE unpacked & set-up his "holiday houses" yesterday (so, we enjoy them for a longer period of time). We love window shopping & LOOKING IN these miniature windows is no exception. I'll post better pictures of what's inside the shops, another time.

CRUNCHY

Apple Farm had discounted their Fall decorations before Veterans Day, so I grabbed this wreath for 60% off. Some of the crispy, CRUNCHY leaves have fallen off --- what a pleasant reminder that Fall is all-about color and sounds!

And now, to SONG-OGRAPHY! If you head to Kathy's blog, You'll Shoot Your Eye Out! you'll find stunning pictures for this week's song, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

photo by JPE - Mason, OH - before Veteran's Day

"I see skies of blue,
And clouds of white.
The bright blessed day,
The dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world."

Oh, there's so much to be THANKFUL for!

that's for certain!!!

Will be checking in with Tamar tomorrow.

Back to regular photography! See ya then!!

RIGHT AT YOUR HEELS...

H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S  is...

...hearing the heater come on this morning, FALL is coming.

...catching a ride to work with JPE, one less car on the road.

...seeing the trees in our condo complex, change color.

...cleaning & de-cluttering, ah! such a weight off our shoulders.

...walking up the stairway, no more dirty carpet.

...stripping the bed, clean sheets tonight!

What brings you H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S?

WILL YOU WANT THIS BACK?

My BIL {brother-in-law, BD}
was getting rid of this adorable wire stand!

Of course, I couldn't pass up digging it out of his trash pile

{he kept the other one, I think}... 

Sorry... I don't have a before picture of the "rusty wire look"...

last Sunday, I spray painted it a color called "FOSSIL"
{used a Rustoleum product}...

but, it still needed some pizzazzz!

I decided to use this paint pen...

NOT cheap... just under $5.

ONE coat of paint!

Coat number TWO!

Still need to paint the center!

{use this paint pen outside - it MAY drip}

the "home" for this 

MAGAZINE RACK is our bedroom!

OKAY, BD or SD,

are you going to ask for this MAGAZINE RACK back, NOW?

sorry for the quality of light!

OH... I spray painted the lamp base last weekend too!

Gotta LOVE spray paint!!

Rustoleum-Hammered in Dark Bronze.

Looking for a footstool or poof
{LOVE this ONE! a color can't be requested; recycled fabrics are used}
& new fabric for the chair! 

The kitchen smells yummy!

JPE is "putting up" apricot jam (5 quarts)!

MOM, it's time for JPE's scones!

Hop the train!

We're headed to a retirement party for my

soon-to-be ex-Assistant Superintendent!

STEP RIGHT UP!!

Our second floor landing looked like this ~ SATURDAY, MAY 11th!

{sorry for the crummy light}

walls were being painted, BUT the top step needed FINISHING!

{and floor molding added}

YESTERDAY,

Chris {the contractor} sent someone out to finish the top step!

A BULLNOSE was added...

 UMMM... nice!

I know you're wanting to peek in our bedroom

{SO, come back tomorrow for look}...

At the top of the stairs, {on the left} is the guest room. 

Still unpacking & S.L.O.W.L.Y bringing things back into the house!

Also, looking for different fabric to recover the stool & chair seat!

We're O.N.L.Y bringing items back into the condo that we really LOVE! and placing them in different locations.

the "CLOCK"

{was given to JPE's dad upon his retirement from Merrill-Dow,

the pharmaceutical company in Cincinnati, OH

- he worked there for 30+ years}

...its previous location was on a dresser, inside our walk-in closet!

We'd LOVE to get it working again!

Remember Southern Living parties?

I bought the "ANGEL" years ago!

It's lived downstairs, but, I think it has a new place in the guest room.

You can order similar items from Ballard Designs!

OFF to the movies --- THE GREAT GATSBY

with Tobey Maguire, Leonardo diCaprio, & Carey Mulligan.

GRATITUDE...

quote by Lorraine Hansberry

Loving the fresh new paint... getting our condo put back together... 

painting the master bedroom today!

My friends keep asking if "I'm sore" from all the body contortions required to tape the room, paint & the constant up & down the ladder(s).

YES - I'm sore! but I'm GRATEFUL my mid-60 year old body is holding it together!

Well, off to "don" my painting colors

(old exercise clothes)...

P52 {WEEK 17}

Check out that cottage cheese ceiling... 

that stuff's gotta go!

Getting ready for the reno! Sample paint chip taped to the wall.

Testing paint on the wall!

Thank goodness for those "taster paints" (sample sizes). Don't like either color!

Looking toward the fireplace... more "taster painting"... 

SEE the ceiling? Cottage cheese G.O.N.E.

Ceilings will be painted tomorrow.

Carpet ripped off staircase!

Steps are be finished with a berber (?) carpet.

Don't want to slip & break something.

REMEMBER THIS DAY?

Getting up & down those stairs on crutches was a bummer! Longest six months ever!

Bamboo composite for bedrooms upstairs!

The color is a smidge darker than the bamboo downstairs...

BYW, bamboo composite is stronger than the bamboo floor

we had installed downstairs in 2005.

The "new" bamboo strands are twisted then covered with a resin - resulting in a stronger flooring (more resistant to dents).

The bathroom we call the "master" (it's off the largest bedroom)

has a new wall installed...

...giving us a larger shower stall.

The new wall makes this bathroom smaller, but, we're looking excited about having a tiled shower (not that molded plastic shell).

A light will be installed in the ceiling of the shower!

This "reno" was prompted by the fact that we had MOLD

(no pictures, but we saw job supervisor's pictures)

& a water leak (went undetected for years)

in the bottom left hand corner of the shower stall!

we expected D.U.S.T.

SO, I think we can live with that T.E.M.P.O.R.A.R.I.L.Y!

Gotta go shake out the bedspread & put on fresh pillowcases.

Tonight will be like CAMPING!

Posting this at TAMAR'S for P52!

I hope to have a few rooms tidied by next week at this time.

Keep checking back for updates.