Sunday, October 30, 2011

Progress Report

So - I have been falling into old habits - not posting because things are not done. I have been chastised - friends and family want to see the progress !! And since many came thousands of miles to help me - they are right - they deserve progress !!







Some assembly required? how about ALL assembly required

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Mission at St. Mary



When the ladies arrived, with tools and plants from their gardens, I said "The Marines have landed"!! They went at my weeds with a vengeance. Jayne ( here from Alabama with Twinkle) did the entire perimeter with that weed whacker - it never looked so good.
Another Jane (friends since college) - from Chicago - this is her idea of working in the garden.

Diane - the garden is her favorite place - except when it's 90 degrees....the heat was relentless.

Bertie (another college friend and Jane's sister) - giving my tomatoes some much needed TLC.

Marcia is a wonderful gardener - we've been friends since we were 14.

Patty , and below her is Mary Kay..... amazing friends.... we go back to when we were 10. And actually I don't think we've changed a bit.


Consultation with The Tin Man.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Mission at St. Mary

Align CenterThese are just random snaps taken during the week.......some beautiful faces of people I love

( OK - that's me )



Michael and Meghan (both from Laguna Beach) Looking like characters in a Bob Fosse movie



McGiver/Michael


Taste Master/Guardian Angel Diane from Laguna Beach, CA


Darling Randy - Contractor from California




My Meggie

Meghan's oh-so-darling Arnn from Laguna

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Mission at St. Mary


This dear friend Nancy made it her personal mission to finish my ( well, actually START and finish) my ceiling before all the others arrived. I had been down with vertigo since June 1, and was under threat of death if I climbed the scaffolding. We decided - after trial and error and listening to both solicited and UN-solicited advice that we would chip away all the loose paint but not try to strip the whole ceiling. If it was still hanging on tight - we decided it will probably outlive me anyway. So it was scraped , treated with a rust prohibitor, primed with a metal primer and painted with aluminum paint. Sweet girlfriend looked like the Tin Man.

Nancy's Fearless Son Hunter



The Tin Man




and her Sweet Daughter Stevie








FINISHED !!

(and speechless)

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION


This was a birthday like no other:
I turned 60 last month and was wanting to do something monumental - I mean, who wouldn't right? My dear friend, Twinkle, cooked up this scheme.......she had visited last summer and loved the church and knew it would be years before I could ever finish it so she set out to organize a "mission trip" - Mission at St. Mary. Well, it took on a life of it's own and over the next week or two I will bring you up to date.
My friends and family gave me the most amazing birthday E V E R .

Friday, July 1, 2011

Big A** Fan


Amazing birthday/housewarming gift from my girlfriend .........really unbelievable.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A FUNNY THING.......



A funny thing happened on the way to finishing my kitchen island:

I got a job. It's the age old story - if you have the time ( not working ) you don't have the money.....if you have the money - you don't have the time.

I am thrilled with my new job but it has taken all my time.....however, I seem to be reaching that level playing field where I may get to do both. This speaks volumes of what's ahead.

Friday, January 7, 2011

ALMOST





It is so hard to believe that it's almost two years since I first put these cabinets together. The doors were missing - it took a month to get that straightened out....and then things just came to a stop. That was a hard year. And the blogging stopped. This is going to be a great year , I feel it in my bones. When I review my life I see that I seem to live it by decades.....this will be a new decade and a new beginning.

I reconciled with the fact that I couldn't afford marble or granite - the island is almost 12 feet long - by 4 feet wide. I found a tile that is huge and looks like slate and was very reasonable...I can get the job done and always change it down the road as it is an affordable DIY. My neighbor is helping with this stage as it's a bit "big" for me. But he has limited time so it may be another week - but I promise to keep posting the updates.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

FROM THE DESK OF..........

Lots of things going on in the church - and I'll post some pics tomorrow. In the meantime I wanted to give you this visual. This is my new desk......so when I write a post for the blog remember that I am speaking from the pulpit.