honey...!

I'm home!

I confess that I'm not fond of reentry. I would love to be in Florida still, enjoying the beautiful days of late fall and the pleasure of the company of friends. I like to laugh and leave the cares of my own world behind for a while. But likewise I love being home. It was luxurious this morning to sleep in with McKinlee at my feet, to get up to the pot of coffee that Ken had brewed for me, and to look out the window at the leaves that still cling tenaciously to trees, preening with one final, bold showing their glorious color. Reentry is bittersweet this way, caught between the pleasures and realities of worlds that do not coexist. To shift from one to the other will be helped by the act of unpacking, running loads of laundry, and turning my attention to the pressing schedules and tasks of the day ahead. To ease the transition I have pictures, and the sharing of new, "in" jokes through blogs, emails and chats with friends with whose company I have recently parted.

With the busyness of the week between my return from Melrose and Clare's subsequent arrival and our departure to Florida, I failed to share this particular gem from my visit with Mom. She made the acquaintance earlier in her stay of a woman named Bea, who had returned from a trip somewhere and brought with her the gift of this jar of honeycomb for Mom. Bea quickly became known as the Bee Lady!

In a time in our culture when we seek locally grown provisions, there comes with that change in our habits an appreciation for the natural state of things. Like honey. I simply could not help but feel elation just looking at this jar filled with honey, never mind the delight of enjoying it on my food.

Transitions are aided by things that bring comfort, so today I am sharing my comforting honey with you all as I pick back up the rituals and routines of home. It IS good to be home, and I savor the day with the joys of life on this side of the journey.

hmmmmm

Health * Home * Happiness * Hope * Hearts * Hydrangeas * Hugs * Hilarity * Heritage * Habits * Horses * Heaven * Hospitality * Harmony * Humor * Hostas * Hash browns * Hues * Hope * Hair * Harbors * History * Hobbies * Harvest * Holidays * Humility * Hammocks * Healing *

My thoughts these days are very much focused on my mother, and what her life has suddenly become as a person displaced from her home. Ten days ago a fire in the wing of the retirement community where she lives forced her and 45 others from their apartments. Most of the units escaped damage from the fire itself (which erupted in the roof of the pool area), but all of them were affected by water and some by smoke damage. Mom was lucky that only a few of her belongings were lost, and it is hoped that her antique dining table will be restored.

Gratitude for what was spared is abundant. In the meantime, however, the reconstruction phase of "what happens next" means that she is homeless for the next six months while the apartments affected by efforts to put out the fire have carpets torn out, drywall replaced and repainted, and who knows what else to restore them to liveability. She is fortunate that one of her very best friends lives in this same community and has an apartment with not only an extra bedroom, but a den and storage area. Mom and Sally can manage sharing space and being of assistance to one another. This is wonderful for the present time but it is not a long term solution.

Some have suggested that she head to Melrose, our tree farm in South Carolina. Although there is a furnished cottage there where one could certainly take refuge for a time, it is not the solution either. For one thing there is no insulation. The cottage began as two rooms with adjoining fireplaces, built sometime in the 19th century. Other rooms were added on over time. There is no HVAC system. Though cool temperatures can be countered by the fireplaces and adjunct space heaters there is no relief from the heat and humidity. Ken and I just experienced that firsthand last weekend while we were there. Perhaps more importantly, however, is that my mother's life is in Connecticut, more than 1000 miles away. That life includes regular visits to New York with a subscription to a theater group, and visits with cousins and former colleagues while she is there. It includes her book club, Friends Meeting and responsibilities she has there. It includes her consulting capacity as a retired social work executive, and the multiple committees on which she serves at Seabury, the community where she lives. It includes relationships and interaction with friends she has known most of her life, weekend trips to various places, and the semi-annual visit to Melrose in the spring and fall (to which she drives by herself). Oh, and my brothers are there! This is not your typical 81-year old.

What keeps her local most at the moment is that she had rotator cuff surgery two weeks ago. She is not yet driving and depends on others for transportation to physical therapy and follow-up appointments with the doctor.

In light of all of this, I am abundantly grateful on this "H" day for my home and my health. Home isn't just a roof over my head. It is a refuge and sanctuary where "I" live. It contains furnishings and posessions that reflect who I am, where I've been, and in some regards, where I am going. It is a place that contains my grounding, through my husband, my dogs, talismans of faith, beloved friends and family, and yes, fabric. It is a haven in which I am free to explore, discover, express and be renewed. Norman Rockwell's "Four Freedoms" includes an image of a child being tucked into his bed by his parents, the title of which is Freedom from Fear. Home is that for me, all encompassing. It is also the place where I find strength to hope for what can and may be. Restoration, transformation, healing, peace...

Among the things I have come to understand in life is that we all face challenges, are underminded by disappointments and brokenness, and seek a heart that is content and a life that comes close to resembling something whole. In light of that understanding it is my prayer this day for all of us that hope will undergird what we live this day, and that come what may, our hearts will be lead home.

soul satisfaction

My office is really beginning to come together, and it is enormously satisfying to see things finally have a place to call home. Like photos that have yet to be scrapped. The corner cabinet came with a lazy Susan--not my first choice, but I am working with it. The top level I am using as a stationary section for, you guessed it, photos and their archaic counterpart, negatives. The lower, swiveling level holds containers of ribbon, glue and heat guns, and a miscellany of other craft items. It is amazing how much space is now free elsewhere to be designated as home for other items.

Scrapping accessories are a real challenge. There are some obvious items of like kind: embellishments, for instance, and buttons. But then there is the solitary item acquired at a workshop, or which is a one-of-a-kind by virtue of its function. Does all that get stashed in a bucket collection like the Isle of Misfit Toys? I'm not overly concerned about what I do with those things, but such decisions slow down the process of putting things in place.

It is that "putting things in place" stuff that drops pearls of satisfaction into my container of joy. On the Meyers-Briggs scale I am decidedly a "J," a person who prefers order and structure in my world. I like symmetry and precision, and the poetry of coordinated movement (hence my attraction to Scottish country dancing, and the heart-tugging "missing man" formation of military aviation). I enjoy the bonus of having very good spatial relations skills, so fitting things into spaces is a no-brainer for me. Is it any wonder that when clutter abounds in my life I feel fragmented and distracted? I am giddy with the release of energy resulting from this reorganizational coup!

My eupohoria, however, is not simply about accomplishing a task. The soul satisfying aspect of this experience reminds me of the simple (if delayed, in this case) ways available to us to connect to the inner sacred. A general label of what resonates with my inner sacred is the aesthetic. I appreciate beauty and respond to it in ways that perk up my soul. Call it spiritual endorphines. Whether it's the flowers at the nursery (since I have none in the garden this year), or music that stops me in my tracks, a certain combination of the world's elements is pleasing to me and connects me to the divine. I can appreciate the value of chaos, but balance contributes to my well-being.

So this morning I am grateful for achieving a degree of soul-satisfaction in my space. I will continue to organize and place things, aware that some things never quite "fit" anywhere, a reflection for another time, but doing my best to restore order to what has been my chaos. Who knows what will flow from the resulting peace, but I am more than ready to find out.

behold, the garden!

The other morning Ken told me he was going out to clean the gutters, which have sprouted a couple of hundred maple tree saplings in the last two months. Ah, I thought, good man! Imagine my surprise (not) when a few hours later I discovered him hard at work fabricating containers for garden beds. This is not a new thing in this household--and I confess that I do it as well--to head off to do one thing and end up entirely redirected on another project. I felt slightly chagrined at the time, but got over it quickly since by day's end we had herbs and vegetables planted in one of the beds.

Let me just say that I am entirely tickled at the prospect of eating out of our garden. I know that this is a common occurrence for many, but it has been absolutely ages since I've had any success with herb or vegetable gardening. The garden smells fabulous, and yesterday we even picked up some onions to put in.

I luxuriated in being in the presence of beautiful, flowering plants these last several days, and miss terribly not having garden beds well on their way to glorious blooms this summer. We are drowning in bills, so beauty to bathe my soul will have to wait until another time. In the meantime I can enjoy the fruits of our new herb garden in the immediate realm: basil, oregano, cilantro, parsley and rosemary, with the promise of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and lavender to come.

I am a happy camper, and a contented new gardener.

it's all about the chi

If you've been visiting this blog long enough you know that I struggle with clutter. This is not a life-long affliction--in fact, in many ways I am the organizational queen: got a closet that begs for transformation? I'm your girl. No more space to store the lastest gadget? Let me at it and I'll have you fixed up in no time. When I lived in a one bedroom cabin with a loft in the eave of the place, I rocked every square inch of that establishment.

Where I live now the challenges are manifold. Closet space is pitiful. Our bedroom closet can't contain our collective clothing (and Ken is not a clotheshorse), so we spill over. My dresses share space in the hall closet with stacked drawers of craft supplies and vacuum cleaners. And oh, did I mention that there are ball gowns from an era of Scottish country dancing there as well? (They need to move on--not only am I not dancing these days, but they're also size 8's). The front hall closet hosts Ken's suit jackets and sports coats, his shoes, my winter coats, the slide projector, tablecothes, wrapping paper and gift bags for ordinary time (as opposed to Christmas). The guest room closet is filled with fabric and some of my skirts, as well as clothes that I have outgrown in the last year (another subject for another day). The closet in my office is, well, crammed with more things than one would think possible and still look organized. Really! Somewhere I have a picture to prove it!

Awhile back I posted that I was on the way to revamping the closet and the rest of the office to ban the clutter that has taken over this space. I made an auspicious start, emptying the closet of its contents so that I could redo the shelves and install some drawers that presently occupy space elsewhere. I was psyched. And then I got stalled.

While looking for an image for another post the other day I happened upon a web site featuring an article about feng shui. I've known about feng shui for several years, read up on it several years ago and sought to bring some of the principles of it into my abode to help bring balance to a sometimes chaotic life. But then I moved, and life became really, well, crappy, and survival crowded out feng shui principles. (As I look back at this I am hearing a letter being drafted: "My dear Wormwood...").

I welcome the rediscovery of feng shui and for the first time in a long time, feel the twinge of long-absent hope. Not spiritual hope, space hope! The sense of feeling overwhelmed by so much to do, of tending to details, of tackling mundane tasks that are, nonetheless, essential to a good credit rating could all be vanquished with a little office feng shui. Is it any wonder that I feel like my energy has been sapped when there are piles on my desk taller than I am when seated? How can I help but feel discouraged when there isn't a square inch of surface left to put down something that really does need attention like, now?

My mother gave me some money for my birthday, and I told Ken that I was going to use it to buy shelving accessories for the closet. He gave me a blank look. "Why don't you spend it on yourself--you deserve it?" he asked. That was sweet, but does he not get it? Being able to get my space organized makes this girl exceedingly happy! It's all about the chi. Stay tuned for updates. I'm thinking that this might just be my Memorial Day weekend project...

sixes and sevens today

This morning's post comes from a remote location: Ken's office. We switched communication carriers yesterday from AT&T to Charter (an economic decision), and whatayaknow, my wireless router only takes input from a phone line! (Ah, the speed at which changing technology makes perfectly good accessories obsolete.) Ergo, no internet on my computer until we resolve that situation. And let's not jump to conclusions about how relatively simple that would be--a boatload of ideas are afloat here about the least expensive way to accomplish this! In addition, only one of our three land-line phones are operating. This, after the guys came back TWICE yesterday to resolve that same problem once already and to take care of another installation matter they overlooked on the first run. I'm not happy about any of this, but I'm not spewing discontent the way Ken is. Let's just say that's not pretty.

As if that isn't enough to throw my equilibrium, we are also on pins and needles today for Ken. We are going on the fourth week of his less-than-good health. He is walking with less pain, thank goodness, but reality hit last night that foot health, while manageable, won't ever be restored. Picture a grumpy person. But that's the least of our issues. He has been short of breath, the white blood cell count is out of whack, and antibiotics to counter whatever infection is at work have not done the trick. This morning he goes for additional bloodwork and CAT scans. There's a chance that the infection is in his heart (though his lungs continue to generate phlem). He has decided to close the LLC aspect of his business which, in short, means no more big jobs, and no more employees. The expense of that was eating him alive in this slow economy. Did I suggest picturing a grumpy person? Add mopey to that. I'm not trying to be unkind. It's just a reality with which I live at present.

When I have a moment to myself--standing in the kitchen with a topped off cup of coffee in my hand--I look out the window at a world that looks radically different from the agitated and swishy one (think washing machine) that I experience within. It's quiet, peaceful, blossoming and green, and the morning light seems to caress every aspect of my view. It serves to remind me that other worlds are available to me, I simply need to visit them (in my mind, in my heart, in my dreams...) and stay open to looking at it all with a broader perspective. I wish I could wave a wand over Ken that would serve to encourage him to depart from his chaos and disappointments. I have lived in those shoes (pardon any projected pun), and I choose not to let them do my walking for me. "Give me grace to accept the things I cannot change, and the will to change what I can." Or something like that. It works.

The TV/phone/Internet issues? They'll get fixed. Maybe not as soon as I would like to, but I'll deal with it. His health? For myself I can pray and take action where I am able. I can, and do, seek support and affection from my circle of loved ones. For him I am here and available to him, and will do what needs to be done to support and provide care for him. These are not fun times, but I've been through worse. We'll get through it.

We can use your prayers, your good thoughts, your candles, your hopes, and all other good things sent our way. Winning lottery ticket numbers would be welcome as well. I promise, we'll play them.

the dooley dogwood

It's been a bit over a year since we lost Dooley. I continue to miss him deeply, though I confess, as well, that McKinlee's presence has begun to patch the vast hole that Dooley's passing tore in my heart. When he died Mom sent us an azalea that was intended to be hardy and plantable. In the meantime a magnolia seedling that we had transplanted from Melrose showed evidence that it had not survived our transplant efforts. The next step was clear. We wanted a tree where the magnolia had been, and a dogwood was next in line.

This spring as trees came into bud and began to bloom I crossed my fingers that my care-taking through the last seaon had been sufficient for the dogwood to take root and survive. More than that, I was eager for it to bloom. Bloom it did! The flowers are plentiful and radiant, and a new shoot has appeared just below the branch I had to cut off where Rigel had found a young limb to claim as his after planting.

It's a treat to have this favorite tree planted in memory of my beloved Boolah (a nickname), and for it to thrive and bloom. It will be with joy that I watch it grow and flourish in the years to come, just as my love for Dooley did.

friday five: closet dreams

Over at revgals the friday five challenge is about appliances and dream kitchens. Much as I dream about the kitchen that would satisfy all elements of my cooking, entertaining, nurturing and containment needs, I am presently in the throes of designing the closet in my office.

Designing is a bit of a stretch, given the limitations the space presents, but in reality making the most of a space is what design is all about. Picture me rubbing my hands together with enthusiasm, because this is the kind of challenge that revs my engine. I am all about efficient utilization of space.

The closet pictured here is not unlike the space with which I am working. I have bifold doors that span a four-foot opening with about 15 inches of space to the left and right of the doorframe. The closet itself is about two feet deep. An air return vent occupies some of the floor and wall space tucked into the left side, but there are otherwise no real hindrances.

What impresses me about this picture is the lighting. I'm not sure that lighting is necessary in my closet, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. I will consult my resident handy man to determine if installing some lighting would require feats of extraordinary means.

And in the "for better, for worse" category, I have some existing storage containers that I would really like to use in the closet. One of them already occupies space in there now, but I think it could be relocated to better advantage all around.

My real problem is the quantity of "stuff" that I have to store.

There is scrapbooking, for starters. I have boatloads of paper that already have a dedicated storage system, thank goodness, but there are other accessories and tools that might need to have space allocated in the closet. The jury is still out on that one.

There are card-making supplies: envelopes and pre-cut cardstock, adhesive, embellishments and spools and spools of ribbon.

There are rubber stamps, stamp pads and colored pens, watercolor pencils, alcohol and other inks. And baby wipes. Let's not forget the baby wipes!

There are photography-related supplies: pre-cut mats for photos and camera accessories, and boxes and boxes of photographs (organized chronologically, at least!).

There are cross-stitch patterns, embroidery floss, hoops, canvas and other assorted items.

There are needlepoint canvases, yarn and unfinished projects.

And sewing. Let's not forget the fabric, thread, quilt, clothing and accessory patterns!

Knitting, too. I have actually parted with a lot of my yarn, which is space-consuming, but there is always more...

And then, of course, Pampered Chef materials: catalogs, folders for host packets, mailing envelopes, inserts and fliers for the host packets, two postage scales, and the record-keeping that goes along with that business.

I'm aware that my wee closet is insufficient to hold all of the above, but I've got to start somewhere to store and stash all my goodies. Once they are stored the space in my office then becomes free to utilize all those tools and products! That, after all, is the ultimate goal, and my eyes are on that prize.

Stay tuned, but I don't recommend that you hold your breath.

mind-clog

The revamped home page of facebook no longer offers the "Anne is..." fill-in-the blank status box. It now invites participants to respond to the question, "what's on your mind?" Oddly enough I find this more challenging, perhaps because my mind is often a blank slate when I head to facebook. That should be a clue. The "what's on your mind?" question most certainly applies when I face the empty page of this blog each day.

Often on Sunday mornings I'm scrambling to stay still. Check out the headlines, view emails, visit blogs, read the editorials at the Times, and somewhere in that mix get ready for church. Sunday mornings generally don't allow the kind of thoughtful time to write anything useful here. But thanks to facebook I am aware of what is on my mind. The real question is, who cares? Nonetheless...

This is not my desk, though truth be told, it could be. Like rabbits, the clutter multiplies and begins to take over. It seems that at least once a month I do a full-force intervention by clearing everything out of the room to sort through the chaos and attempt to bring order by purging, putting away or setting aside for action.

A very large problem is that there isn't much space to put things away, and so a neat, deliberate pile is placed somewhere out of the way. Another very real problem is that life is full of what I call "minutiae varietals:" things like church business, Pampered Chef, bills and other items all compete for attention and space "within reach" of where I sit at the computer, a vital nerve center of my life. I used to be an organized person. Really, I was.

Back in the days of corporate life no matter how obscured my desk became in the course of the work day I left a tidy desk before heading home. Papers were put back in folders, computer printouts were stacked in a neat pile, and project notebooks were closed and returned to their slot in the cabinet above the desk. The inbox captured miscellaneous memos, notes for reference were tacked to the cubicle wall, and if a stray scrap with a phone number or short-term "to do" list had no place to go it sat out of the way next to the phone. There was plenty of room for a photo or two to add color and personalize the space. Simple. Expedient. Productive.

Maybe that's the answer. Divide the desk. Pampered Chef at one end, church at the other. Somewhere in the middle the essentials of "high finance" can claim prominence so that bill due dates don't get buried under the latest alumni newsletter or a request to update a professional profile. Maybe I will finally implement with regularity the daily, timer-regulated regimen of "the dreaded filing" that will remove a pile, singularly stacked as it is, from its present place of limbo. Maybe I can reclaim the inner organizer. Maybe.

What's on your mind today?

a blip in the day

I never got to the blog yesterday morning. A certain husband began a conversation when I went to the kitchen to pour my coffee, and the next thing I knew it was time to get dressed to go to work. Ach! I had visions of titling the day's entry as "husband interruptus," and was feeling distressed, caught between desiring that precious morning time to myself and having time for conversation with him.

Mid-morning, however, Ken arrived home after doing some errands and complained of chest pain. Side effect of medication? Aren't you supposed to call the doctor if you experience that side effect? Yes, call the doctor, he said, and then, No, take me to the emergency room. This was a new kind of pain.

And off we went. I don't have a high degree of confidence in our little hospital here, but when it's the heart, you go to what's close, and that means local. Besides, we're about two miles away. We spent the better part of three hours there, most of that waiting for test results that told us virtually nothing. He wasn't having a heart attack, which was good news, but there was nothing to explain to type of pain he had had, either. There are some ills that, without explanation, you can live with. I don't find that acceptable when it comes to the heart. In Ken's case, a tear in the muscle means certain death, and that, particularly, is not acceptable.

We follow up with the cardiologist today, and my expectations are high. Tell us what we're dealing with, offer a diagnositic aid, give us something to go on. Life is at stake. I can live with husband interruptus. Living without that husband is not on my Christmas list.

inching closer to you-know-what

Well, the pressure is on now. The boxes are down from the attic, the wreaths for the front windows are on the living room floor (awaiting a ladder for installation), and our new tree is up and looking naked without ornaments. We ended up getting quite the deal with the tree. We were indecisive between two varieties, and it turned out that one of them was the last one in stock: ours for the taking at 40% off. Now that's the way to make a decision! No assembly required, and three of the staff at Lowe's accompanied the tree to Ken's van (the tree itself rolled along nicely on a cart) cracking jokes and enjoying lively banter.

I'll include pictures later once things are in place--the picture above is a carryover from last weekend's PC party. And now, with a very full morning behind me, I'm heading to my Sunday afternoon nap.

Cheers!

reporting in after the holiday

Happy Day after. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving Day full of good things and bountiful blessings. If your house is anything like ours the inside of the refrigerator resembles a 3-D puzzle where things are crammed into just the right space to accommodate all those leftovers. This cook is grateful for a few days off at mealtime!

We had a nice day that began with church and, upon our arrival home and the discovery that the turkey had popped its timer an hour and a half ahead of scheduled, we plunged into overdrive to prepare all the remaining food as quickly as possible. With three of us trying to function simultaneously in the kitchen I want you to know that I adapted well to working with two military men in this efficient effort,and no blood was spilled or expletives uttered. Go team!

Once we were finished eating the guys suited up to go "zero the weapons" at Ken's gun club in anticipation of going deer hunting today. Junior kindly suggested that we all needed to put the food away first, but in light of minimal remaining daylight hours, I handled the kitchen while they did the man thing. When they returned hours later we snacked on leftovers and then played charades until bedtime.

This morning I was awakened by the phone, Junior at the other end to let me know that he had already shot two deer. He's been taunting me with promises of three deer hanging from a tree for processing in our own yard, but I was clear with him that no such event would take place while I had breath in my body. I may have married into a lifestyle that is completely foreign to my own, but that doesn't mean that I don't have something to say about it. Moms do have veto power. But I have also gained a certain respect for Ken and Junior as hunters. They know what they are doing, and there is a certain peace about all this for me as a result.

For my part, I am enjoying some time at home on this day off to lounge in my jammies and hang out at the computer for a little while. I may start on our Christmas letter, catch up on some reading, or slog my way through the perpetual effort of bringing order out of the chaos that is my office. It is also Ken's birthday today, so somewhere along the way a sugar-free lemon meringue pie is on my agenda.

Enough said for now. Hope you all have a wonderful day after. If you shop, know that I'll be praying for your sanity!

the party day is here

I am tired this morning, having pushed through yesterday nonstop to prepare for this afternoon. Ken asked me if all my effort would be worth it? The answer is, "no," not enough people will come, I won't get the kind of orders I want, but you know what? That's okay. This is about hospitality and doing something I love to do.

So what if it turns out I didn't have to spend half of Friday cleaning out the guest room for Junior, who headed back to Atlanta (think "girlfriend") after the guys finished work yesterday? So what if I didn't make all the recipes I planned, or get all the decorating done that I would have liked? It will be sufficient, and I will enjoy the afternoon and feel good about it.

And now, while I should be dusting a few last pieces of furniture, I will sit and enjoy my rare cup of coffee and think about each of you. Blesings on your day.

this one is for you, Maria!

Maybe it was the crisp November air, or the holiday decorations in the shop we visited yesterday afternoon during their "Open House," but I've been bit by the holiday spirit! I got a pair of cute little acrylic gift boxes that I'll post later. I've already filled them with Hershey's miniatures left over from Halloween, and now I'm beginning to look around the living room with an eye toward decorating for Christmas. Gotta find a place for my favorite decoration, this Shepherd Santa!

Some decorating will be done earlier than is typical for us, because I'll be having a Pampered Chef Holiday Party here the weekend before thanksgiving. I confess to feeling a little giddy about Christmas this year. It will be a lean one in terms of gifts and other indulgences because we simply don't have the money, but we've already got the decorations, and the wreaths for the front of the house are ready to go. With a different layout of furniture in the living room there are different opportunities for decorating, so things feel new. Plus, I love the Christmas season, and the feelings engendered by holiday doodads and activities. Now if only the weather would cooperate and stay cool!

suggestions, anyone?

I'm not sure there are enough readers of this blog to make it worth posting this, but I need some landscaping inspiration! Here's the challenge: there's a stretch of ground that runs alongside the house by the driveway that is in serious need of help. The problem? dogs. They love the dirt. Juliet digs in it to scratch out the just-below-the-surface coolness so she can lie in it. Rigel, for his part, loves to chew on the branches of the yews that are there and break them off and run around the yard showing off his prize.

We tried some of the small garden barriers that are innocuous to the eye and generally effective in suggesting to the dogs, "don't go there." That was until a few vehicles backing out of the driveway at various times battled with the fences and proved victorious. When Junior was here last spring he fashioned a rudimentary wooden barrier. It has also battled with autos but has proven a tougher warrior than its predecessor. Even so, battle scars are apparent. The whole scene is unsightly. And yes, it needs weeding badly!

So, we are very open to suggestions on what to do with this space that will be attractive for us humans, and less available to the dogs for their purposes (entertaining as Rigel may be when he romps). Ken keeps suggesting a picket fence, but the proportion and location are all wrong, not to mention that we then have no access to the area to maintain it.

Thoughts, anyone?

one last look

We bid farewell to some furniture soon. Tomorrow, a new couch "ensemble" arrives. I bought this couch and loveseat four years ago after ten years of wear left the former one very tired looking, and began to lose its comfort. This set, sadly, began to sag about six months ago (it was sooooo comfortable in the beginning). There's a reason that Rooms to Go prices their furniture cheaply! Now there's no comfort when you sit or recline, and with Ken's already bad back, we had to do something.

Don't ask me why, but I had it in my head to check out La-Z-Boy. Back in August we visited one to scope out possibilities, and were lucky enough to find what we were looking for (this after I firmly said No to Ken's first choice, which looked like a man-cave candidate.)

The outgoing set holds memories. It was delivered shortly before my first In-Real-Life meeting with members of the Cabana Crew, scrapbooking buddies who, up to that point, I only knew through an online message board for scrappers. I think they were the first to see and sit on the new furniture. When I moved to the mountain, Dooley would lie on top of one of the back cushions of the loveseat where it afforded him a great view out the window of the neighbor's yard, complete with dog, goat and chicken activity. (That back cushion still won't return to its original shape no matter how much I manipulate it!) The couch was also a favorite place for Dooley to take a nap, with or without a human snuggle companion.

I am eager for the arrival of the new, however. The new arrangement will open up the room, and make it feel less congested. It will also bring more light into the living room, since the couch now sits in front of the window. It does include a recliner for Ken, as well as a sofabed. Eventually we will replace the carpet with a hardwood floor, but one upgrade at a time!

Now to clear the space for the new (the old will be part of a yard sale on Saturday). Stay tuned for the "after" pic!