Making a House a Home

We've been kind of home bound with a lot of rain the past few days (Tuesday and Wednesday). The land needs it here, so I'm not complaining. Well, just a little because Tuesday was the day I wanted to paint the front door. Humidity and paint don't mix; but you know me. I just had to do it. Normally, I would have loved the dark red door. Kind of my trademark--black shutters, red door. But, I'm trying to liven the place up a tad so I went with a brighter color. The kid and I chose Sherwin Williams' "Ablaze." Yes, this is at coat two--and four coats later and it still needs yet another coat. I think I'm going to give it a few days and see if it truly needs another coat (maybe it will look better if it sits a day or two, giggle). I was so glad to get that old yucky hardware off! The back door gets the blazing sun all afternoon. That with the humidity wreaks havoc on that stuff. Since I've been painting it for three days with no door knobs, we haven't been able to leave the house! Duh. Today, I decided, no more layers and put the hardware back on. I'm on the lookout for an old basket that I can fill with flowers to hang under my tree frog doorknocker. Oh oh oh! I also added an old fashioned brass door bell. You know, the kind you turn the key and it rings the bell. Too fun! As soon as that little project is done (the back door), I'll photograph it for ya.

I got all my pegs hung in the laundry room for towels and swimsuits, etc. I love it. Put a light in the closet under the stairs, just piddling around getting little things done when I see it needed.

As I mentioned above, we've had so much rain that Tuesday I heard some warnings for flash flooding in areas. Since I don't really know what "area" we're in, the kid and I took it upon ourselves to move everything into our little "bunker" under the house. Lord. Didn't want to see our chairs and hammock floating away! And then I thought, well, I'm going to move all the wood that the guys have painted for the decking, don't want that to float away either! Of course, it didn't flood. Poor carpenters probably thought someone had taken everything! hehe. I guess better safe than sorry. I'm still a novice at this coastal living.

Speaking of decking, the ramp is coming along. Got the screen door and all the surrounding screening up today! Yea! That means we can again spend time out on the porch without getting eaten alive. Life is gud. Some critter came up the ramp and into the porch and strew trash everywhere last night. My own fault for putting trash out there, I know. Aha! Wait 'til the little buggers try getting in tonight! (I won't put any more trash out there anyway, promise.)

The hub is flying in tonight for the weekend. Wooohoooo! He has a kazillion air miles and it will come in handy for little jaunts like this. Momma was still quite confused until yesterday. I spoke with her today and she is finally back to normal. Gee whiz, I won't do that again. I threw her whole life into a tailspin bringing her down here. I guess her mind is so fragile these days, I just need to keep that in mind. I was trying to do right by giving her a wonderful place by the river to relax since she loved the water in her younger years. Guess that's not her comfort zone any longer. Live and learn. I just thank God that she is happy at home. I thought maybe I had scarred her for life! Phew! What an absolute relief!

Well, the weekend is beginning on the river. The boats are starting to appear every once in a while along with an occasional jet ski zipping by. I hope I can relax this weekend. I have just been beside myself worrying about mom that I couldn't focus on much else--that and having a cold that hit me on Tuesday didn't help matters any either. Now that I spoke with her, she is herself again and my cold is leaving my body, I'm breathing a little bit easier, literally!

This is the little wetlands reserve by the house--home to our tree frogs. Click here to listen to our evenings on the front porch. Gotta love 'em!