Autumn Update

A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen!

Uncluttered counters leave room for food prep!

I took the white chair rail off the walls and like the look better. Eventually I'll remove all the wallpaper and paint the walls my favorite pale pink.

TopDad surprised me with a bouquet of gorgeous flowers!

Our first snowfall on October 14.

It began to look a lot like Christmas! And I'm not ready.

The cold, gloomy weather called for a pot of "Cowgirl Stew".

This image of the dining room ceiling is proof of why I can't just quickly paint. There is tons of prep work to do and I'm not sure of how solid the plaster underneath is. In other places the plaster is actually falling down!

The painted over wallpaper is cracking and separating from the wall. I had hoped to paint over it, but in the spots where I tested paint, it looks terrible so it must come off.

More cracks and separation in the dining room.

The living room is even worse!

No way I'm going to paint over this mess. It has to be removed.

More of the living room.

The walls are over nine feet tall, and the middle of the ceiling is almost eleven feet tall. It makes me tired just to look at it! I'm a slow worker so I'm not eager to tear into it and live in a mess for a year or two. I have to "gird up my loins, fresh courage take" and proceed! Anyone want to come over and help?

I love the space of this home. It is what I wanted for our family. Just have to get rid of the soul-sucking decor and paint it the colors that enliven my soul, put up my artwork and pretty plates, and then it will be as close to perfect as I'll get in this life.

Is There Anything Better Than Grandchuns

I visited our adopted grandchuns recently for Miss Reader's thirteen birthday, and had a wonderful afternoon and evening with them.

l-r Legoman, Miss Reader, Nana Rozy with Princess, Miss Precocious 

Princess took her much needed afternoon nap on my lap. I was in heaven!

We met this wonderful family when we attended a new church congregation a couple of years ago. For some unknown reason Miss Precocious just took to me (and I to her). Their parents invited us over for a Sunday dinner and we became fast friends. We have both moved from that area, but are close enough for occasional visits. We couldn't love them any more if they were our blood relations.

Mother's Day Revisited

We aren't known for being "Speedy Gonzales" when it comes to doing things around the house. But today was a good day because TopDad helped me plant the Lilac bush he gave me for Mother's Day this year. I've been nursing it along in its pot on the front porch. It is a Common Lilac; we planted it near what will eventually be a fence between our property and our neighbors. He has a gorgeous deep purple, very fragrant lilac there that I enjoyed this year. Hopefully mine will bloom next Spring and we'll enjoy both of them.

My young plant with the large deep purple lilac behind.

In other news, I made a pot of tomato basil soup from four huge beef steak tomatoes given to me by another neighbor. Yummy!

Intruder Alert!

You know the season is changing when the mice show up inside.

Our antique house is rather porous and as summer turns to autumn the critters seem to think they can move inside. This week we began to notice evidence of a mouse in the kitchen so I got out my trusty little snap traps, baited them with almond butter and set them out last night.

It got in one good meal without setting off the trap.

It was not so lucky on the second attempt to stuff itself.

The face of a filthy varmint!

Critters belong outside. When they come in and make messes they deserve what they get!

Finally got a photo!

We had sons visiting on Friday, helping with more tree felling and clearing out of the back yard. I won't bore you with photos of that (because I didn't take any!), but want to share a photo of Mr. Movie and I. He was the one I neglected to get a photo of at the Family Reunion.

This isn't exactly how we planned

Our home sits on an acre and a quarter and is covered with mature trees. Some are more than mature, they're in need of euthanasia and a decent burial. But we haven't gotten to them quick enough.

Downed limbs with Noble for perspective

Difficult to see, but this is where the limb fell from.

We want to replace these dying trees with fresh ones in the spots we want, (there seems to be no rhyme or reason to their current placement) and enjoy them growing here for the next few decades. We'd just like to do it on our timetable. However, death often comes at inopportune times and we have to deal with it.

Family Reunion Highlights

Mr. Movie, TopDad, JET at our shooting activity

Noble and Miss Pasta relaxing in the car while the rest of us shoot

Back to front - Miss Pasta & Lt. Lehi, TopDad, JET, Mr. Movie

TopDad

Mr. Movie and JET

JET trap (or skeet) shooting

JET and PFCMom

Miss Pasta, PFCMom, Noble

Before . . . 

. . . during . . .

. . . after!

Miss Pasta, PFCMom, Lt. Lehi

I feel really bad because I neglected to get a photo of Mr. Movie and I. 😔

This was our seventh annual Family Reunion, and they just keep getting better. Join us next year!

Wednesday's Wisdom

A competent, patient teacher is helpful for improving at shooting. Thank you JET!
Photos from our Family Reunion Shooting Activity:

Learning to fire the Glock

Shooting the AR15

Nice tight grouping!

Tuesday's Treasures

Recent finds at a thrift store:

Darling little school desks, just the right size for my American Girl doll.

Just the right price too!

Lovely brown transferware platter for my wall. More examples here.

Antique child's highchair -- I swapped a neighbor 2 unwanted chandeliers for this treasure.