Ready for Vacation....

Nearly ready to jump in Jerome and head south.  My plan is to head to the Biltmore for Thursday and into Jeff's for supper.  Lee is balking at the Biltmore so we'll see how that goes.  Maybe we'll hit it on the way back when he's more amenable and relaxed....or maybe we'll just stick to MY plan.
My carpenter is back after a week being AWOL..... I think he tries to make too many people happy at the same time and ends up just the reverse when he "goes away".  We're too close to stop now.... Trim, lobby and bath flooring, sink and we're pretty much done except for seating and decorating....Need wallpaper border in the bath and the 'woods mural" in the man cave. That will be my project to look forward to when we get home.... Then Halloween, Birthday, Hunting, Thanksgiving, another birthday and then CHRISTMAS.......Can't wait....The anticipation is more than half the fun.. Just ask Carly Simon.
I'm not sure how many blogs I'll get to while we're gone but will keep you all updated from Jeff.s....(for those who give a hoot)

Off to make our traditional travel feast of egg salad, tuna and LOTS of munchies !!  We try hard not to dig in till we hit Rt 90......

Wicker (fall) Wonderland

We had a beautiful, fall day yesterday.  Bailee and I took a tour to the inlet, through the corn and played outside...She said, "Damma, isn't outside awesome?"  She was right.  We also celebrated the Canadian Thanksgiving with a family gathering at the Pond.... The leaves reflecting on the pond was an "awesome" sight!

This morning, as I sit pondering the days events, I finally learned how my favorite wicker furniture meets it's demise.... The little critters that I unsuccessfully tried to exterminate, our having it for lunch :-)  He sat there, munched away and all but waved to me through my den window.

Lee's off to Pulaski fishing for salmon, Jess, B and I are off to visit Grandma and have lunch at A & W and then to maybe start the wallpaper mural in the man cave ( a fall scene with deer -shocker).  Trim up in the H.U.T. this afternoon....

Happy Columbus Day. We're off to discover something too!!

Invested....

Nope, not stocks or bonds, real estate or commodities... just being invested with your day to day jobs.  As you all have heard (ad nauseum), we're putting in a media room.  As I have also reiterated time and time again, I love a project. Today I'm bragging about the guys I've chosen to help make my project a reality.  All good things take time and this one took several months to get off the ground.  I had drawn and planned and shopped and compared most every detail.  My decisions had been made and I was waiting for my "carpenter of choice, Josh!  I knew my painter would be Billy and I just had to find a carpet layer....wasn't sure who I wanted....was very sure who I didn't!  Anyway, back to being invested.  Both Josh and Billy have made wonderful suggestions and I seldom hesitate to ask their opinions... they're the experts, not me. I hired them to make our room appear as I had sketched.  The other day Josh came up with an amazing idea for the concession area.  It would mean a bit more work for him but his lighting idea would transform this wall into a retro work of art.....Whoever invented rope lights....Kudos!  Speaking of works of art,  Billy cringes when I tell him we have a "little project".  I think his words this time were "God help me!"  It is SO coming together and it is awesome....Once again, we collaborated and are making a teeny, weeney extra 1/2 hours work for Josh but boy will it pay off. I love paint, stain and poly...3 of my favorite decorating words.  No longer is paint made to just roll on a wall and stick there....It's much happier when it has some other colors join in and make it fabulous.  We're nearing completion. It's almost time to decorate.  I'll be thrilled when it's finished but then what......?  No more projects?  Oh wait, I did see a beautiful leaf area rug in reds, goldy yellows and an amazing red leather chair in a catalog this week.. I just happened to tear out the pages and slide them into my "projects" folder. We haven't been here quite long enough to redecorate yet so...... I may just have to add on a room....a sun room...hmmm yellow and leaves.......perfect!

Media update....

For those of you that don't enjoy or use or care about Face Book..... here are some updates of the H.U.T.  (Hatfield Underground Theater)... It's coming along really well... considering it's actually 3 rooms (media, lobby and bath) we're in good shape. The next step is wood..... crown, chair moldings, baseboard, Pergo lobby and bath floors and that will be the majority of the construction.  Still need the sink and "barrel" installed in the bath, the wallpaper border applied and pictures hung.  Then (maybe this week-end) we can bring in the TV.. all 73 inches...I'll be ordering the seating soon so it arrives when we return from Jeff and Heathers.  The I can put up my posters, wall art and poster lights, stock the candy counter and roll in the popcorn machine.  Sounds like just in time for a Paranormal Premiere at the end of the month.....

That's silly

The latest craze for the kiddies (and their grandparents) is Silly Bandz.  They're inexpensive, colorful, they don't take batteries and they come in wonderful shapes.  When you stretch them and let go, they come right back to the shape they originally were. As you can see, they're also the latest fashion statement for the fall season. Please note the wrinkled arm pictured above.... Now there's a craz(y) Grandma.  She has the Italian charm bracelet from several years ago, the breast cancer rubber bracelet of the 2009 era, the Pandora bead bracelet from 2010 and the ever fashionable, silly band.  This particular band has great significance. It says I♥U !!  Bailee, her Mom and I all proudly wear one. Bailee did, however; lose hers last week-end and we were several seconds short of hiring a private detective, a bloodhound and the F.B.I.   Luckily, Grandma found an extra and all was right w/ the world.
Teachers are lamenting this latest invention as kids are fiddling with them , trading them and in even some cases, stealing them.  The media says they're unhealthy and showed photos of them digging into the wrists of (obviously morbidly obese) children and cutting off the circulation. Doctors say they really don't present a health problem and Grandmas, who should ultimately have the last word, say they're educational, fashionable and will be a thing of the past by spring.... So lighten up everybody, we probably have bigger and sillier things to fret about.....like finding a black one to match my outfit today.....I'll bet there are Halloween ones being sold somewhere.....Be right back!

Our Ladybug!!!

I LOVE LADYBUGS....especially this one ♥♥♥♥3♥♥♥

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home
Winter Is Coming, The Summer Has Gone!
~ The Flowers Have Bloomed,
Autumn Leaves Are Falling ~
Time To Find A Cozy Spot Til Spring Comes Calling! (That would be Grandma's house)

Who's the Leader of the band that's made for you and Me?

M-I-C   K-E-Y   M-O-U-S-E.....!  Today, way back in 1971 (doesn't really seem so "way back" to me) Disney World opened in Orlando.  I vaguely remember the hype but this was my first year out of high school and large black ears were not top on my agenda. I can remember the first time I was there and it was with my kids.  Our parents weren't very theme oriented in terms of vacation unless it was connected to golf.  We went to Florida almost every year but it wasn't to take the kids on any type of adventure.  We were around and either had to go with them on their treks or they'd have to find a babysitter willing to spend a couple weeks with 3 very different.kids.... not necessarily different,.. just different from each other. We were 5 and 8 years apart from youngest to oldest.  I was the baby....shocker.  I do remember going to McKee Jungle Gardens and Cypress Gardens so we weren't in total deprivation.  After all, we were in Florida and all of our friends were home in the cold going to school.  We never went to the North Pole to check out Santa or camping at the Glen. We never went to concerts or the Ice-capades. We did go to Hotel Syracuse every year for a special shopping, dining and overnight experience in the "city".  We'd drive to Auburn occasionally and get to sit in the big leather corner booth at the Elks Club. That was always a treat to smell the cigars and whiskey and enjoy the small bowl of pretzels we were allotted with our small cokes in a glass with more ice than soda.  Funny the things you remember.  Don't get me wrong, we had a good childhood.  We'd spend 6 months a year at the lake boating, skiing and entertaining. I'd get to go to the country club every Tuesday and Thursday with my brown bag lunch and get to play with all the rest of the spoiled children of Auburn's doctors and lawyers. Maybe as I think back on our vacations, they (being Mom and Dad) were right!  They were enjoying the fruits of their labor, we were certainly not neglected and had experiences which I obviously remember. They enjoyed their lives and lived them fully if not exactly as I have chosen to live mine.  I learned from those times that I wanted my kids to have some different memories.  I wanted them to realize that our time spent with them was exactly where we wanted to be.  I wanted them to hear me say "I love you" but instinctively know it if it wasn't every day.I know there's a point here somewhere....and I guess it's the old adage of quality vs quantity.  It doesn't make any difference if you all go to Disney World or the pool at the Motel 6 as long as you all do it together.  "We've" promised Bailee that she could go to Disney World when she's 5..... that was when she was 3...no we're only a year away.  The best part is, she'll remember it and we'll be together.

One of my favorite stories is: When Jeff  was a toddler and would be asked how old he was, he'd answer "FOUR, except when I go to Disney World then I'm THREE!"  Damn cheap parents!