Before, during

and hopefully soon, an after.  My very small dining room that is not used will be cleaned up and brightened. 

After reducing items in the hutch which started the it all.

 

 

Forty some paint samples throughout wall and trim, two curtain samples, and I like the bareness.  Wayne made it feel closed in, mostly because of the dark color.   Mark prefers the previous plain curtains, I'm leaning toward the woven tablecloth with fringe (gold) in natural/off white.  The wood chandelier is going, but where?  I want a simple black iron to match the hinges on the hutch.

Thought dark wood beams would go well with all light trim and walls, but not sure since the room is so small.  Also haven't decided if a simple wainscot will be too much, but the carpenter thinks it would be a good idea to match the shaker profile of the built in hutch on the walls.  We'll see.

Enjoy your weekend.  Mine requires a jacket!

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Rush job

Hello people.  I'm sitting on my swing during the last day of hot weather.  We are getting storms later and all will change to the 60's.  The wind is a welcome change.  The change in temperature is not.

 

A gentleman that I called for an estimate to do our carpentry work just left.  He worked for his brother who has been building McMansions for decades.  He took out his tape and notebook and before I knew it, he told me he will start early next week.  I never told him he had the job.  I didn't ask what he charges.  I didn't get an estimate. He talked about being a Vietnam veteran (Tet Offensive) suffering from PTSD and depression and can't work a five day week because of Thursday trips to the VA.  If not for his weekly sessions and medication, he could not function.  Mark knows him and all his life he has worked hard, overtime, in the steel mill and building homes, and it wasn't until he retired six years ago that the nightmares and terrors started.  He can come to work here all he wants and I hope it helps him through his days.  I will certainly benefit from having him here. 

 

We had planned on removing the old trim and drywall door casings ourselves, and wanted the ceilings painted before the box beams are installed.  I will be a busy B this weekend and try my best to prepare what I can.  I have two days to decide on cedar or pine beams, knots or not, stain color, ceiling color, style of Wayne's coat, and the width of the other room's shiplap.

 

My chiropractor may not know wall coverings, but she knows more about the spine, neck, and muscles than any other I have ever been to. 

 

Hope your weekend is relaxing and dust-free!! 

 

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Who?

Today at the chiropractor's (she is very young and excellent) the doctor inquired what had happened since I was just there last week.  I started explaining that I was removing wainscot and the top part was already loose.  But when I yanked to get the lower part off, it was held tight and jerked me in.

 

"It's been pretty warm here", she said.
Yes it has.
"And you had trouble getting it off?"
Parts of it.
"Is that your son?"
Puzzled, I looked around the large room and answered that I don't have kids.
"I know your husband is Mark, so is that your brother?"
What the hell is she talking about?

"Who?" I asked.
"Wayne.  The guy whose coat you were taking off."

 

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Extra extras

After counting the charts sold, putting them in recipient piles, double and triple checking, even stuffing the mailing envelopes of buyers, I kept coming up with several charts left over.  This was driving me nuts.  Who would have thought that some designs were duplicates?  Never dawned on me!  I finally got it straight and I hope when you open your envelopes, the right charts are in there!!

 

Bud is enjoying what is left of warm sunny days. 

 

 

The last of our tomatoes aren't ripening properly yet aren't green enough to fry.  The final zucchini was picked.  All that's left are hot peppers and I have no intention of canning this year.  Stuff and freeze, saute with onion and sausage, chop and freeze for chili.  Chili.  Damn.  It's coming way too quick for me.

 

I tore off the rail and wainscot for two days figuring if I can't decide on a second color for all the trim, do away with it.  So I did. We planned on changing it to a different style anyway so once the walls are painted, maybe we will.  But it sure looks minimalistic and clean cut without it.  Even with 37 color samples on the walls.  So maybe we won't.

Went to the cemetery today to add fall flowers and a candle to my parents' grave.  Today is their anniversary.  As always, when removing the stationary vase liners filled with silk flowers on each side of the stone, I am concerned about hidden spiders.  I keep a large bag in the car to hold them just in case some creepy would escape into my car.  When we got home and I asked Mark to remove the flowers from the inserts, he found nothing.  Until he decided to shake the bag.  Inside was the biggest fricking spider I have seen in a long time.  Needless to say, he is no longer with us.  If that bag wasn't tied shut and he entered my car, either the vehicle or my heart would have crashed. 

 

Hope everyone is safe and getting through the result of Florence.

 

September is more than half over.  I'm like a spoiled child having a tantrum.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Wow

This may take a while to get back to everyone with their purchase and shipping.  Please give me a day to work it out.  I had 17 emails that were clocked at exactly 8:00 so I had to take them in the order they appeared.  I thought the box sales were confusing!!  I'll do my best to notify you which of your choices were available as the sale progressed by tomorrow evening.  Thank you very much!

 

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PS sale at 8pm and pumpkin zucchini bread

Greetings folks.  Just wanted to pass along the recipe and also remind everyone that the sale starts tonight at 8pm EST.  I posted instructions and time at the beginning of the PS page for purchase when I listed the photos/prices.  I've received many emails for many charts and it seems there are favorites that almost everyone is asking for, but I only have one of each.  As I mentioned before, to be fair, I am waiting to take the requests from the emails that come in order after 8.  Since requests have been coming even before I posted them, I really can't honor early sales or the charts would have been gone days ago before I even listed prices.  There are so many emails that I may not be able to answer them all and specify the sale start time. I did not realize how many stitchers are interested in the old PS designs.  While going through them to verify I had the correct photo for each, I took a closer look and they are really nice!  Especially for the number of designs they offered in one chart, a real bargain. .  Don't forget your address so I can reply with postage for the charts that are available per your request.  If you are international, I have no idea what postage would be so the starting at $2 rate would not apply.

 

I've used both of these, and both are very good.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pumpkin-zucchini-bread/

https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/pumpkin-zucchini-bread/

I make my own pumpkin spice blend by following the ratio on the can of Libby's pumpkin and store it.  For either bread, I use 2 1/2 - 3 tsp of it.  I like the stronger pumpkin flavor when using the entire can and only 1/2 cup oil or butter, but I then have a heavy bottom to the bread.   My friend spread this into two 8x8 pans instead of bread pans and it came out fine so I may do that next.  I also use the 2 full cups of shredded zucchini. 

 

That's it for now.

 

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