LANDMARK WEEKEND

I had three amazing things happen this weekend:

#1 It was Homecoming Weekend at the UW and I went to the game. Last year I had to catch the special trolley for people who couldn't walk to the stadium and then take the elevator to the upper deck - only for those who couldn't walk up the huge ramp. THIS year ......... I walked the 7 blocks from where we parked the car and up the huge multi-level ramp and up to our upper deck seats. I try not to dwell on the whole cancer thing .... but this was such a huge accomplishment ..... I just BEAMED. I was with the same friends I went with last year and they saw the difference as well and it was just - well -wonderful.

#2 WE WON.

#3 I came home and the semi was GONE !!

I am only sad that I wasn't home to take a picture - you know how you see a friend and know something is different but can't quite put your finger on it ? And then you realize they shaved their moustache that they have had forever? I turned the corner and thought there was a change - but it took me a few minutes to realize ...........THE SEMI IS GONE.

John and Jessica and their dad came to help me take down the old ramp.

and at the end of all that hard work - they got to go to a great Halloween party.

THANK YOU JOHN AND JESSICA

POWER-unPACKING

Logically - I know I shouldn't be unpacking when there is still so much construction to be done - but emotionally I am so tired of living in rooms filled with cardboard boxes - I don't care.











Somethings put such a huge smile on my face - it makes it all worthwhile..........

finding my mom's ironstone and my white candlesticks made my day.

some people think they are branches - but I think they are white coral .....whatever










I had forgotten about all these wonderful fabrics I bought in Marigot on St. Martin. But I was still in California at the time..........not workin' for me in Wisconsin in the winter.

Looks like slipcovers to me

HOMECOMING

It's UW Homecoming this weekend - I hung the rod in the laundry just in time to wash and hang all my Cardinal Red

now if you all put your hands together and clap - maybe we could win

HISTORY LESSONS

This buffet was dismantled 8 years ago - when I began to put the pieces together Matt said "Hey, I remember that " and the striped chairs are pre-Civil War parlour chairs used in my first design studio and the faux bois arm chair was in my second studio


"Sweet, sweet-
memories you gave to me -
Sweet, sweet-
memories you gave to me "







I LOVE these chairs .......there are so many tacks and staples in them that they are falling apart as I work on them. My mother and grandmother had a millinery business and these chairs were in their shops - many locations from 1920 through 1969. Then they came to the house - the apartment - the nursing home and now they get to retire at the church. They will be waiting for you in the California Suite.

THIS AND THAT

It really is like Christmas - this is an old wedding trunk with the initials on the left and the date - 1826 0n the right
















My grandmother's loom has been in pieces for twenty years and I don't know how I'll ever get it together........I am thinking of calling the UW. I learned to weave at the university when I was a design student - she was so fascinated by the whole process that she took lessons and bought a loom. She was about 83 then. What an incredible piece of work - not the loom .........
grandma !












Matt had his turn


















All these chairs have to be re-covered. I try to strip all the fabric and nails, etc etc from one or two a day....then I will surrender to the local acupuncturist



ouch









Unfortunately I found that the semi was leaking quite a bit in one area ....this lovely old piece will have to have a face lift. We are in the middle of Amish country and I have talked with several about furniture repair and cabinetry - it is a great adventure and I'll tell you more about all that later.

OUCH

My Heroes

JJ is an Iron Man and Gail was born an iron woman

they were amazing









-


and Matt has super- strength as well so
"THANK YOU THANK YOU"


I have also had other incredible friends help me but I didn't have a camera at the moment to record the events - somehow I will get them on this blog.










These concrete pedestals have been outside in the elements for over a year so they were even heavier than usual......like the table in "A Year in Provence"


Matthew actually groaned when he saw them - he has moved them several times - but never up a flight of stairs - it was scary.








ahhhh ........

remember those steel I-beams?

beginning to understand ?

MOVE THAT BUS !

The truck is EMPTY !! I can't believe it. This dining table top was the last thing. Some of you will remember fabulous dinners on this table - it is ten feet long and weighs a TON.

I had girlfriend JJ and sister(in-law) Gail volunteer to spend a day helping me - I don't think they had any idea what that would involve.




Luckily my son Matt was visiting for a few days because I was basically useless. In fact - they told me to get out of the way.













You know -
I think I could have been SOME help........

that right side could have used me.










Anyway - it is all in the church and I can begin unpacking and sorting.... there are things here that I haven't seen in years -it's like Christmas.












The chairs are back.