More Than a Few Deep Breaths

These past seven days of working on getting the closing done on the Riverhouse has been trying, to say the least. I can't describe it as stressful but more infuriating. To tell you we have been dealing with the utmost of incompetence is an understatement. I have had to literally do people's work for them in order to get this closing done. I am amazed at those who are hired to handle real estate transactions, right from the agent, the banks, the insurance companies, the title companies, and so on.

Honey, if we had a couple of days to sit and chat, you too would be amazed with how this deal transpired. Oh, and it's not done yet. We don't close until Friday, God willing.

Paint's Drying

I am so glad to get the painting finished. They finally finished today. Since I messed up the date they were coming (was supposed to be Monday), it took them three days to finish the hall ways, foyers and doors/trim. It sure looks nice though. Tomorrow we begin putting everything back and I will take some photos. It's sure stinky though. Oil paint is the worst. I thought the floors were bad, but this lingers even longer. Again with my lampe bergers burning and candles everywhere. Pee-ew.

Yesterday was spent all day, literally, working out the logistics of closing on our "Riverhouse." I suppose since Ivan and Katrina hit the Alabama Gulf coast pretty hard, insurance is a pain in the rump to get going; and let me tell you, no bank is going to give you a mortgage unless the insurance is in place. We were told, several times, that everything had been done on the insurance. Come to find out, nothing had been done. We're supposed to close, now, on Wednesday. This is the THIRD closing date on this house. I have a feeling if this one comes and goes, we may have to say bye-bye to this house. I feel so bad for the seller at this point. It has been utterly ridiculous. It's amazing the hand holding that has to go on in real estate. If you don't stay on top of everyone, things get lost in the cracks. It is amazing to me. Each time we buy a house, it gets worse than the last. I can't figure it out, myself. Grrrrrr.

These are postcards I made for a swap I'm doing. The top one is van Gogh, needless to say. I wish I had scanned the back of it. Hmmmm, what was I thinking? I wasn't, obviously, as usual. I put this letter with illustration (left) Vincent had written to his brother Theo on the back of the postcard. They are always so much fun to make. I need to make more, but I have been so busy with the house(s), I haven't had much time to do much more. I will be happy when everything is said and done in regards to the home.

We're having thunder storms tonight. I was taking a shower and saw a flash of light and thought, "Hmm, is someone taking a picture?" Ew. What a thought. Nope, it was lightening and then came the thunder. How fun.

Boudoir

Well, I actually share it with the hub, so it's not quite a "boudoir" in the real sense of the word.

At any rate, here 'tiz. The comforter came in today, so I can now show you the new bed (without the haphazard look we've been living with since the mattress arrived!). We have been so pleased with our new mattress, I can't say enough about it. It fits us to a T. So comfy and cozy, can't wait to crawl into it at night and don't want to get up in the morning!

So much going on these days! Geesh. Nothing like doing everything at once, right?

PS Yes, the windows and doors are open. It was a gorgeous day today!

Finally Figured It Out

I am so tired of not being able to access some blogs. I sat and pondered today--painters here, not able to do much else. Why am I able to get on some blogs and not others? What was the difference? What has changed? Beta, I guess. So, I carefully studied the addies I was able to access and compared them with the ones I wasn't. The difference? The backslash at the end. The ones that had more than one backslash from my link wouldn't go through. If there was one or less, it went through fine. Now why Beta would have changed my being able to access only the ones with one backslash makes no sense to me. But, then again, I don't understand all this geek stuff anyway.

At any rate, I have gone through my template and changed all my links and deleted all backslashes in my links' addresses. Voila. They all work fine now. Go figure.

Now, I think I need to spend a week catching up with everyone.

Goodies from Near and Far

Our postal service has run amuck lately. We don't get our mail until after 4 p.m. on most days, sometimes after 5! This past Saturday, we didn't even get any delivery. Of course, Monday was a holiday. You can imagine how full the box was yesterday.

Along with all the normal junk mail came two wonderful parcels from my buddies. From near, or kinda near--St. Louis-- came a sweet little package from Connie. It was a RAK (random act of kindness). For no reason at all, except she is so sweet, she hand made a little pillow scented with rose buds and adorned with a beautiful vintage pin. She didn't stop there, oh no. She then went on to make a lovely card for me. Is she just not the best? Thank you Connie. I put the pillow by my bed and it smells so good! We kept the door open to the deck and the breeze blew the fresh rose smell and lulled me to sleep last night. Sigh.

Then, from afar, came my swap packed that Ms. Robyn had set up. My partner was non-other than Mrs. Nesbitt. She sent scrumptious fabrics of roses and hearts, a beautiful hand-made card and lots of bits and bobs. Look at how sweet the pinks and reds are! Thank you Mrs. Nesbitt! I can't wait to get my artsy mo jo back and get to using these wonderful materials!

In going back to yesterday and the paint job, you know how I was having second thoughts on how light it was? Well guess what? It was. You couldn't even see the white trim molding I have everywhere. What's the point, right? So, I called the lady last night and she gave me a suggestion for another color that would look pretty. They had to put a second coat on today, so it all worked out fine. Phew! It looks lovely. It's the more yellow version above. You can see how white the other is now compared with the new color. Live and learn. I guess I was just so bent on getting rid of that ugly tan, I went a little too far. I'm going to really like this, I know.

A Good Recipe Gone Horribly Wrong

So much for chicken etouffee for dinner. I got snagged on one ingredient. Too bad the hub walked in after I had added "stout" instead of dark ale. Hmmmm. It would have all been ok.

It all started out fine and dandy. Got the chicken seared and roux cooked to a beautiful brown. Added all the other ingredients and wasn't quite sure on the beer part. Not a beer drinker. We had a Heineken and a Murphy's Stout. The recipe called for a dark lager or amber beer. I did a toss and the stout came up. Wrong choice, the hub says. I tasted it and it wasn't quite right. The hub walked in just as I was questioning the taste. Quizzical look still on face. He tasted it. Not quite right. No use wasting good chicken. Grrrrrrr.

Don't you hate when that happens? All that time and effort being thrown out, going down the drain. Yuk. It really wasn't tasty at all. Ew.

Oh well, ah-yeee. (I'd never make a good Cajun with my accent--or lack thereof)! Happy mardi gras, Emeril! I'm going to Puck's!

Mardi Gras 2007

This photo was taken in 2005, pre-Katrina, on Bourbon Street. It's one of the old buildings' eves with all the beads hanging. I thought it was so pretty (even with the barbed wire), I couldn't resist capturing it on film.

I'm not doing my usual red beans and rice tonight. I've had the painter here all day and have been unable to get out. I think I'll make some other New Orleans' specialty that doesn't take all day to cook--seeing that it's already almost 4 in the afternoon, I guess so. You can see how light I'm going. The darker is the old paint. Too light? I always go through this. Do I like it? Don't I? Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Well, tonight we feast for tomorrow we shall fast. I'll update this later when I decide what we're having.

Busy Work

I told you about busy work last weekend. This is what I mean by that comment. I found two miniature wooden chairs in the clearance bin last weekend. Did I need them? No. Did I know what I was going to do with them? Not really. I was in such a state on Sunday, I just whipped them out and started going to town. Busy work. They didn't need to be painted and distressed; I just needed something to do.

I took those two nice wooden chairs and started painting them with whatever acrylics I had in my junk case.

Layer upon layer of colors.

Then I briwaxed them, which takes some paint off, knocked them a couple of times with a knife and called it a night.

I now have them on my dresser. What I really need to do is put them outside until the spring. I think now that the wax is on them, though, they won't peel as easily. Oh well. I guess I did too good of a job "distressing!"


Here are some pics from yesterday. We had snow mostly all day. It never really stuck to the ground though. But, it sure was pretty.


More busy work and cleaning this weekend. Got my desk all cleaned up. Look at my wall of goodies. So many wonderful items from so many wonderful friends.








Here's Abby lounging. You'd think it was summertime looking at her through that plant. Not quite ready for summer, but spring? YES! I am definitely ready! You??

And here's Dave doing Lord knows what. I think he's looking at the birds feeding just outside the window. The kid took this, and I kinda like the effect.

I'm waiting for a new comforter to come in before I can show you the new bedroom. (I have a quilt ordered; but it is back ordered until, get this, APRIL! Good price, I guess everyone jumped on it!!) I had forgot that I would have to buy all new bedclothes to fit the new king. Duh. We're now sleeping with all the old queen blankets and covers. I thought they would "do"--everything being "oversized" these days. But, of course, they aren't oversized enough. Oy. We are so enjoying the new mattress and the new floors though. Simply scrumptious. And as close to dust free as it's ever going to get. Deep clean breath!

Happy 83rd Birthday!

Today is mommason's 83rd birthday. I was going to take her out to breakfast since I had to be out early this morning, but it was only 17˚ƒ. I don't want to risk her getting phnumonia. I did, however, pick up two birthday cakes for her while I was out. I was told about a new mom & pop bakery in Brentwood, so I headed over there and picked up this little vanilla number. It smells so good. Then I had second thoughts that it looked a little puny. (Don't want mamma to think I'm being stingy! hehe) So I ran down the
street to the big bakery, The Puffy Muffin, and picked up the strawberry one (the larger of the two). I think I have it all covered now. That along with my brother's February chocolate-of-the-month--heart shaped gelato truffles--should do the trick.

We went to Cracker Barrel for lunch. I was going to take her to Ihop, which is about 20 minutes away; but she started looking at her watch. This is a sign that she doesn't want to go far, in "mom language." The fireplace at CB was a welcome assett today. It only warmed up to a whopping 32˚!

I had placed a dozen helium baloons around her kitchen so when she woke up, she would have to walk through all the strings to get through. She seems to enjoy that. I never know what Frankie, her dog, thinks about it all. She received calls from my oldest brother and MJ. I now have a call into my middle brother, who will be calling me back when he can to talk to her. We're trying to get her to go out to dinner, but she doesn't really like getting out much at night. I'm hoping the hub gets home before dark so we can coaxe her out! If she doesn't go, we'll just have dessert first. No problems there!

Today, I also picked up a sample of my new kitchen cabinetry. I'm doing a two-tone color in simple off whites. I think it's going to look gorgeous. I'm still deciding on my farm-house sink. I had chosen to do it in soapstone (the large piece on the bottom--not oiled); but I may be going another direction after having to choose the countertops. I'm not sure if I'm going dark or light there. All I know is, I want the feel of soapstone, no gloss on the stone at all. I prefer the more natural warmth of the matte stone counters. Decisions decisions. But, we are a step closer. Now comes the price of the cabinets. Now that I have agreed I like this look, the pricing comes next. Ka-ching. I don't want to know. And I certainly don't want the hub to know. Hmmmm. Wonder how I could manage that?

Yesterday, I met up with Beth. It was her birthday; and we met at an art store half way between us. They have these gorgeous hand-made Italian papers that we have fallen in love with. And, since they knew Bethy so well, they gave us half off! Way to go, gf! We settled in at Buck's (as in Starbucks) and chatted for hours. It is so refreshing to have a new friend that seems like a persone I have known forever. We just talked about everything under the sun and felt so comfortable. That sure is a rarity, and I am counting my blessings that blogging brought us together.

The hub came in with these sweet valentine presents last night. I told him not to get me anything; but the sweet hub he is, he bought me a book on love poems and a journal. So sweet.

I have been really out of the blogging circuit. Haven't been reading a whole lot. I'm going to try and catch up this weekend and see what everyone is up to.

They Were Lovers . . .

. . . Undercover. Look at my babies loving each other. They were snuggling today like they knew it was Valentine's. Awwww.

I received this last week from Queen Vallen. Isn't it scrumptious? That lady sure is handy with yarn! It's my all-time favorite color. I can't tell you how many comments I have received, especially today. Everyone called it my "valentine pin." "Oh, I just adore your Valentine Pin!" "Thank you, it was made by a friend." Giggle. Thank you for my lovely gift, Vallen!

















These are my flowers of the month from my bro. They make the whole house smell soooooo good. The hub calls them rubrum lilies. He calls every flower rubrum lilies. That's what we used on the tables at our wedding and it has stuck with him.

We got our mattress today. It sure is big. And tall. I think I'm going to have to get me a little step stool to get up into it. My side table is waaaaay down there now. Hmmmm. It's definately going to have to take some getting used to.

Hope your day was full of love and kisses!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you all have your valentines signed and sealed with a kiss. Mine is ready to give to the hub in the morning. Shhhhh.

The blue cow (not quite black!) has been flying overhead for the past week. I have been trying to keep myself busy with busy work and cleaning. I'll post pics later when the cow leaves, hopefully soon. Thank you all for your warm thoughts. They have helped me, each and every one. I miss the little furball, so much.

The kid has been sick with a cold, and I kept him home today. He felt warm to me this morning, so we both just went back to bed.

The new king mattress arrives tomorrow. I think getting back to our bedroom will help lift the funk. It looks so fresh and clean. Cannot wait.

Wishing you all loads of kisses, hugs and lots and lots of love! Happy Valentine's Day!

Some Stuff by Me