A list of accomplishments

Instead of listing what Home Improvements we didn't do the last 2 years - I want to encourage myself with all that we did.

New energy-efficient roof
replaced all the windows in our home
hardwood floor down the hall
painted living room, kitchen, dining, hall, office, master bedroom and laundry room.
replaced carpet in the living room and master bedroom.
new soaker tub in hall bath and new faucet
picket fence in the front yard
re-did our back patio and extended it toward the pond and waterfall
new washer and dryer
new stove
painted kitchen cabinets
new curtains in the living room
new curtains in the office
new shower curtain in the hall bathroom
new floor in bathroom and laundry room
Storage shelves in garage
sold our motorhome
new dining room chandelier
new living room ceiling fan and light
new entry fixture
new light fixtures down the hall
fixed backyard flooding problems

I no doubt, am forgetting some things but that is the list. Yeah okay, so we still have things to do. I'll actually put that into print tomorrow. Right now, I want to bask in that list of accomplishments. They weren't easy or cheap! The cost of a wonderful trip to Europe. NO REGRETS. Everyone is different in what they want out of life. I'm an introvert, so making my home a sanctuary is monumental to me. Making it a home that we can both grow old in comfortably and where our children can bring their families to visit.

Husband can retire in 5 years, Lord willing. That is the plan.

I'm pleased!

A new year to work on my house

Last Jan I had a new carpet installed. 

I've been going through a lazy time. I could say I am just tired from the holidays...but I know better. Today I HAVE to get my butt up and clean this house; put away the Christmas decorations and get started on some projects that have been taking up so much space in my mind - like it's TIME to get cracking on what I love to do. Work on my house.

I'd go into all that I want to do - but it would take me away from scrubbing out my shower!

I always look forward to a new year. A new year for me to work on this house. I don't believe I will ever get it the way I want, not that I am not content with it because I am. I just love home projects. It's fun to make your house the way YOU want it to be. Of course, my constant goal is to make my home a place of sanctuary for when I am too old to do anything.

The Perfect Christmas Tree

Wow.

This time of year, all we see are these beautiful houses, with their absolutely gorgeous Christmas trees - homes decorated just right, and their outdoor space, perfectly balanced with the right amount of yule decor. 

I love to look at the photos I see online, and in magazines.

"That's what I want"

 "That's what I want," I tell my husband. Whereas, he would be fine with popcorn garland around the tree.

Would I be that much happier, if my tree was as perfect as I see on the decorating blogs and magazines? It must be nice, to live as if you are in a Christmas store display. 

Wow. Everything is so perfect. 

But, where are the extension cords? The Christmas Cards? Their children's artwork from school?  Even down to their perfectly built fire in the fireplace - the kitchen counters are free from clutter, no cookie sheets, no batter bowls in the sink soaking - even the bedrooms and bathrooms are a sight to behold. 

So how do normal, regular people like us, decorate for the holidays? 

My Christmas Tree 2010

We chopped this one down - and I like just the tree -
I did very little decorating. 

All lit up, shining brightly at night, it doesn't matter if your tree is not as beautiful as the cover trees on House Beautiful. They say, Art is in the eye of the beholder and one could say that about Christmas Trees. 

Without a professional digital camera, many of our regular trees look better in person, than in photos. 

Who cares? Has Christmas been whittled down to who decorates their house the best? Who has the perfect tree?  Who has the most beautiful tree Wins? 

Yeah, each year I TRY to get that perfect tree for my home. Funny it always looks the same. I'm not willing to part with my old ornaments. Opening that box every year, a flood of memories come barreling out.

Whenever I get off my butt, I hope to take some pictures of my decorations for 2017.

Visit World Wide Christmas Tree Photo contest and give one of them your vote. Let's hear it for the regular tree! 

To each his own

We've all seen those gaudy Christmas outdoor displays. 

You can find at least one in every neighborhood. 

I told my husband if I should ever break down and

want to buy a blowup Santa or any inflatable lawn ornament -  to just shoot me. 

Then there is How to use your empty beer cans.

I have an outdoor nativity that I have had since the late '70s.

 It belonged to my parents

Some might think it is tacky - 

I call it Vintage. 

You can't buy that particular set anymore 

and definitely NOT with the *cat!

Kitty Koo is no longer with us. 

He was a character and a half and we still miss him to this day. 

RIP Mr. Kitty Koo aka The Big Kahuna. 

Hey Girl, Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Table Decorations

Our Thanksgiving table back in 2011

We're not fancy here at my house. I do enjoy a pretty table setting but honestly, "who has time for that?"

 I'm also practical. To me, a decorated tabletop, means I have to move all of it in order to fit the food on the table. Okay, so we don't really need the turkey, on the table or bowls of food. But then, the decorations can be distracting or too high to see over. I think it gets in the way, of the conversation plus when it is all said and done, does anyone else really remember except for you?

via Monmart

This is actually more my style. I never seem to snap a photo of my table before.

via Country Living Magazine

Attractive but centerpiece too tall - I like to see my guests!

via Pinterest

I like this one. Pretty

via sluccadesigns

Way too busy for me and having to move all that crap, before we sit down to eat. Nooooo, thank you!

via Wikipedia

Now, this is what I'm talking about. 

Imagine, a Thanksgiving table decorated with FOOD!  

Thinking of christmas decorating

So, I will be cleaning my house really well before Thanksgiving and hope to have my tree up and decorated, that weekend. I bought a new imitation tree. It's cashmere and has little pine cones. I did not get a pre-lighted one. Every time, I have bought one, the lights go out. No biggie for me, to just have my husband put on the lights. Haha, did you catch that? 

I'd love to go with more earthy-type decorations but once I open the box, I get all warm and fuzzy with memories.

With our new picket fence in the front yard - I am excited to decorate that as well.

Snow would be a gift from God - since it rarely snows here. Maybe once every 3 years. We all hope, that maybe this year will bring some measurable snow.

I can't wait!

Over the years

I've been living in this house going on 10 years. You don't think, things change much until you look back at photos. My front yard no longer looks like this. Those pesky junipers are out - we put up a wooden picket fence and the trees have grown. I can't wait to get some recent photos, this Fall - with the new "look."

After a very HOT summer, we didn't get to laying the patio, by our pond. We're not giving up. If it doesn't rain, we still have time.

My backyard is a disaster! It's hard for me to live like that. My husband is putting in drains and there is a lot of mud. Then we will patch that one part of the old lawn, with seed and block it off from our dog. The patio by the pond (that my husband fixed this summer) will hopefully be ready in time for our family campfire in October. My brother in Alabama and his family have one in October and I try to hold ours, here in California at the same time.

Are you excited for the Fall and Winter? Living in the far north part of California, I do get to see a good representation of Autumn and Winter (I have to drive to the snow but it's usually 30 minutes away) Every few years, we get a good little snowfall. We love it.

Happy Labor Day - or is it?

Are you giving your laundry the weekend off for the Labor Day weekend? 

I'm not. 

GOT Zucchini?

Good Morning  ~ It's Sneak-Some-Zucchini-Onto-Your-Neighbor's-Porch-Day

Looks like this guy wasn't good at the sneaking part.

   

Painted the Patio

It's better than what it looked like before - so I'm pleased.

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth - time just got away from me. It flies, you know...

So the husband and I were starting a project - painting the patio with this textured paint. We moved everything onto the lawn - then he bends down and his back goes out. We spent Friday at the VA. They sent him home with muscle relaxers and he's been taking it easy.

So I decide I will do the patio all by my lonesome.

I am rolling this thick gravy-like paint on the patio when the roller stick breaks. I am sweating and have paint all over me. I am not about to clean up and go out and buy a new one so I sit down and roll with what is leftover. Oh, my aching back! Took me twice as long, but I did it. Then my shoulders and arms started to hurt. I missed some spots. BIG DEAL. 

Yesterday I went out and bought more paint and a new heavy-duty roller and stick

 - Used it this morning and it was so much easier. I think I am pretty much finished - with the exception of a few little spots I missed.

Now while I am doing this, my husband is sitting inside the sliding glass door, watching me. He didn't say a word but he was thinking...

I had told him, to just keep his mouth shut and no criticism, that at least it is getting done.

I know he could have done a better job, but once we put all our stuff back on the patio, who's going to notice????

I plan to get one of those patio rugs anyway - 

snipping, chopping, lopping, and pulling.

These OMG-sized junipers are being cut. Then we will pull out the rest of the plant - roots and all.

My dad planted these junipers and I guess when he died, that last year, mom just let them grow out of control. They are waist-high. They basically are a Hotel for Spiders. A couple of years ago, my husband cut them in front, and we had bare branches until this year. I kept wanting to spray paint them green, they looked so bad.

I was patient though.

We have to be careful when we pull the plants out - their roots are wrapped around, our irrigation pipes.