Weekends

Weekends are now very precious. I need to go into the workweek feeling that my weekend lived up to it's potential. This last weekend sure did.

Friday night, Kenny and I went to the first home football game. To see the band, of course. They looked great. I still got nervous when the girls tossed their flags and rifles. I got sad, teary eyed, and a bit wistful when I went over to talk to the girls, but had a whole new kinda fun just being a spectator.......and not wearing a band director shirt with khaki pants......and eating concession stand food.

Saturday: Two faves at Panera first thing in the morning..........Pumpkin Spice Latte (back for the fall, for a limited time) and a spinach artichoke souffle (heavenly). Next, a trip to the Farmer's Market for flowers for the newly renovated kitchen............


Then I just COULD NOT resist buying fresh produce while I was there. Mom's new potatoes and green beans are always so tasty, I thought I'd give it a go!


Later, I shopped for my sister's baby shower and got some mall time in for ME (complete with buyer's remorse.........stupid Express). When Kenny got home, we finally fixed the kitchen outlets.............then I sealed the grout on the backsplash!


Much better!

Now let's get to next weekend..........a THREE day weekend!

The Kitchen

I bought my little fixer upper on purpose, if you're wondering. I wanted a diamond in the rough. The "rough" part being the outdated interior.......wallpaper, fixtures, carpeting, countertops, etc. There are so many projects to choose from in this little diamond, but one that weighed heavily on me was the kitchen.

About a year and a half ago, the kitchen remodel entered "Phase 1." Phase 1 was the flooring. We removed the CARPET in the kitchen and replaced it with TILE. All by ourselves. I was the tiler, Kenny was the grouter and tile cutter. We loved the outcome.

Before...............nasty, gross, indoor/outdoor carpeting...........WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?


After........................So much better!


Our next goal, Phase 2, was to paint the walls and cabinets. Phase two got off to a great start one beautiful weekend 6 months ago. Phase 2 is incomplete. Back to Phase 2 later.

The time had come for Phase 3. Phase 3 could be completed without Phase 2 being finished. So, with the money saved up, and everything picked out, this last weekend, the kitchen got an overhaul! Old laminate was ripped out, and all new was going in. Up til this point, Kenny and I (with help from mom and dad) had done all the work ourselves. But NONE of us had any experience with countertops, so we left it to the professionals: new counters, new tile backsplash, and new hood/cooktop.

Before...................Circa 1967 laminate


After...............Beautiful Wilson Art HD counters and tile backsplash...........


Look how well my counter and floor match.............I found the tile and counter myself............I'm very proud.


We are thrilled with the outcome. Our diamond is polishing up nicely. Slowly, but surely.

Locked Out

Yesterday afternoon, I locked myself out of my house.

It's surprisingly easy to do.

I never panicked. I did pace the yard for about ten minutes trying to decide what to do. Should I sit around for 2 hours waiting for Kenny to get off work? Or should I approach a neighbor to borrow their phone (to call my mom and dad)???

Waiting around for 2 hours in my backyard had no appeal to it. So to a neighbor's house it was. First, I had to decide which neighbor to approach. I had a few options. Did I go with my neighbor who plays the fiddle in the middle of his driveway (on occasion) and who used to ask me out every time we talked, OOORRRR should I ring the doorbell of an older lady who likes to talk about the other neighbors and who you can't get away from to save your life........who likes to tell me what I'm doing wrong with my current house project or tell me what's wrong with my house. For instance, did I know there was a hole in the floor of my laundry room? Well, no.....but I'm pretty sure there ISN'T a hole in the floor of my laundry room.

I decided I'd go with my older lady friend, but before I walked across the street, I tried one more thing.........sticking my arm into my barely cracked car window to retrieve my garage door opener...........which got me nowhere, of course.

About an hour later, I was happily sitting on my couch, after mom came to rescue me. I am thankful for neighbors who let you borrow their phone, and who are very hospitable while telling you that the first owner of the home put new siding over old, moldy siding. Thank you, neighbor, thank you.

End of Summer

As I left the movie theater today, a panic attack ensued. I found myself short of breath, and my chest felt heavy. I felt like my throat was closing in! I think I was hyperventilating.

Why?

Work!

Meetings begin tomorrow. Students arrive a week from today.

Today marked the end of freedom.

But I couldn't have had a better summer....................

• Got married
• Had a Hawaiian honeymoon
• Went on a camping/float trip
  
• Got a pedicure with sissy and friends
• Watched a matinee at the movie theater
• Had lunch out more than once
• Enjoyed lake time with knee boarding, tubing, and laying on a raft
• Got to babysit my nephew
• Had lots of pool time
• Went to the farmers market and got bouquets
  
• Spent sissy's birthday with mom, sissy, and Alex......shopping and lunch
• Was in a photo shoot at the Ozark Empire Fair in my wedding dress
  
• Had an hour massage
• Went to visit Grampy
• Visited favorite antique shops

It was so good, I'm not ready for it to end. I'm still sad, but my toes look good.


I've gotta get my head in the game!

Should I already be thinking about and hoping for snow days?

Buying & Selling

While preparing for the garage sale, I came across a few items I really didn't want, but knew they wouldn't bring the right price at a garage sale. That's when I decided I needed to try the Ebay thing. I decided to list some Home Interior candles (something I seem to hoard) that I had an abundance of. They sold, but my shipping estimate was WAY OFF. I made exactly $1.70 after my shipping calculation mishap.

For about an hour, I stewed and fumed and complained (to and at myself......it was my fault after all). Then I thought, "I can' t give up that easily! Give it another shot!"

So I did! I decided to list two separate auctions, really researching shipping this time. As the bids came in, I got more and more excited! The prices kept getting higher and higher! One exceeded my expectations, and the other didn't do too bad either! ANNNNDDD I'm happy to report that after shipping both items yesterday, I was right on the money with my shipping estimates!!!

So what did I sell?

Up for auction first, we have SEVEN vintage embroidered day of the week towels on old feedsack material. These babies were a HOT item! After 11 bids, the final total came to $41.00! YEEEEEHAW!!!!!!!!!


Second, I had SIX vintage tablecloths in an array of colors and designs. After 20 bids, the final total was $24.50. Not too bad!


And while SELLING on Ebay is getting a bit addictive, so is BUYING. Doesn't that cancel out making money? Nevermind! Who CARES!!!

The latest obsession?? Vintage watering cans............


I'm up to SEVEN of them, but I've decided, you can never have enough watering cans.

Well, that's not what Kenny thinks......

Third Annual Garage Sale

An event I look forward to every summer is the annual garage sale at Whit's house. How is it that from year to year, we can fill a driveway with stuff to get rid of?

Last year, we had plenty of time for some fun. This year, after listing the sale on Craigslist, we did NOT have time to do anything silly, which was fine, because we made the BUCKS.

The first thing to sell was my infamous sign. This special sign did not sell last year. But after listing a picture of it along with our ad on Craigslist, my high priced vintage sign was vindicated. No more mocking the sign. It sold for $45.00.


The new elephant in the driveway became my chaise lounge.


It was priced pretty high, due to sentimental value and an original price that was pretty hefty. But when you have three sofas in a house with two living areas, and one sofa is very impractical, you have to make sacrifices.

Day one went by with a few askers but no takers. But then day two came, my price dropped, and my beloved chaise was hauled away. I took a moment with my sofa......had our final words.......


And then it was gone.

It did make me sad. We'd been together for over ten years. I had wanted that sofa so badly when I worked at JCPenney. I'd walk by it daily. And one day, finally, it was mine.

There's a little hole in my heart now, but as the days go by, it'll heal and the pain will go away.

Goodbye, sweet sofa, goodbye.