House – Page 4 – Rippled Effects

November 30, 2010December 9, 2010

Late November happenings at Squirrels Manor

Ah, the last day of November, my parents wedding anniversary. I am assuming they are celebrating in some fashion up in heaven. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I miss you both.

And, back here on earth, Thanksgiving has come and gone, not without a bit of adventure however. We didn’t have guests scheduled this year as my kitchen was supposed to be under construction. Construction being somewhat delayed, we could still cook there so hubby and I got up on Thanksgiving morning, not too early, and began the prep of the turkey and the stuffing ingredients. Somehow, (how?, perhaps we’ll never know) hubby managed to drop a big glass mixing bowl and break it. I was turning away from what I was doing to ask him what the <>?L:!! was going on and saw blood dripping on the white tile floor. He didn’t know at first he had cut himself. So, turkey back in the fridge and us off to the Emergency Room for 9 stitches in his index finger. He COULD have just said he didn’t want to help this year — such drastic measures weren’t really necessary! At least it wasn’t the new hardwood floor (yet to be installed) that he was dripping blood all over just as it wasn’t the new ceiling and lighting rail system (yet to be installed) that I smoked the night before when I burnt the cranberries. Anyone thinking what I am — that maybe we weren’t SUPPOSED to be cooking this year?

And the Christmas cactus is it’s usually impatient self and couldn’t wait ’til Christmas for full bloom . .

The hibiscus is trying not to be outdone. I didn’t think it would live inside over winter and said so to hubby — in the plant’s presence the other day. Something like — “this plant is not looking too good, I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep it“. The next day he (all my plants are he) opened a beautiful bloom and two days later, this one. Guess I was wrong and was being told so in the only way plants can talk — with outstanding beauty!

Oh yeah, it’s advent now. Not much Christmas decorating has been done here — not much will be possible. But I did purchase the advent candles. I imagine every picture I take will have construction items in the background.

If I turn my back and concentrate on my computer, I can almost pretend that my sitting room doesn’t actually look like this (photo on left). But this beauty (photo on right) will soon be in my kitchen — with some handles on it so I can get the drawers open.

And, last but not least, we have had two visitors for about a week that are to go home tomorrow. They have been real quiet and don’t eat much. Good house guests.

November 29, 2010

Let the picture taking begin

It’s finally here! Start date for the kitchen remodel, that is. Hubby and I both took some photos of the old space so we can look back on them with fond (or not so fond) memories. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I smoked the ceiling accidentally with burning cranberries on the stove and hubby cut his hand badly on broken glass and got blood all over the floor. Then early this morning, the coffee maker malfunctioned for some reason and for the first time ever and ran coffee onto the counter, down the cabinet face, and onto the floor. Guess we are getting our last oops in with the old kitchen and I’m certainly glad this didn’t happen with a new ceiling, new wooden floors and cabinet doors. Time to charge those camera batteries and get ready to document the big (read that “expensive) renovation!

January 20, 2010

In the bleak midwinter . . . . .

I should probably look back at the historic posts as I bet I have used this title before. But, sometimes January in Connecticut is kind of bleak. Grey skies, grey trees, grey rocks, — my house is even painted grey on the outside. The winter starts seeming long this time of year and, according to the calendar, we are only one month into it. But since we had our first snow in October, many of us are feeling it should be over already. It doesn’t help that we are past the winter solstice, sunset still comes too early and the nights are too long.

However, occasionally, sunset is worth waiting for and watching. This photo was taken out my upstairs bathroom window of a beautifully developing sunset. This is the only window high enough to see the sunset well and I had to take the photo through glass. I cannot get that high on our hill from outside unless I go slogging through the snow to the top of the hill. And it was too cold and snow-deep to do that. Maybe next time.

From the old poem — “red sky at night, sailor’s delight” —

January 2, 2010January 2, 2010

Happy New Year!

It’s 2010! Where did 2009 go? If I look back at my posts for 2009 (a bit too infrequent), I know where 2009 went. It certainly went fast and was not a great year, particularly the events of the last quarter. But, many things were not within my control and I have just had to go with the flow, finding out what God has intended for me as it has happened. With no magic crystal ball, I have no idea what’s in store for 2010, but I’m ready for it (I think).

Happy New Year!

December 25, 2009January 2, 2010

Merry Christmas

Joy, Love, and Peace at Christmas.

August 15, 2009August 18, 2009

All Hands on Deck

Well, we finally had weather appropriate for working on our deck sealing project. We needed two days in a row without rain and with good drying conditions followed by at least a third day to work on the deck and then 12 hours following that work day for the deck sealant to dry appropriately. With this goofy spring and summer weather here in Connecticut, four days in a row of dry weather were a rarity – as in not seen until this last week. So, the deck was washed, the drying occurred and all hands were present to brush on the sealant, then later mop off the excess. Hubby is shown here working his way to the far edge of the deck — on the last four boards. Everything to the left and right of him is finished, if not all wiped down. Then, he went back onto the deck with old t-shirts tied to his shoes and wiped off the excess.

Arms, wrists, knees, you name it — were all sore on both of us today. What were we thinking when we rebuilt the deck and made it BIGGER? Certainly not this task.

Furniture is back, umbrella is up, and we’re planning on dinner there tonight.

January 7, 2009

Baby, it’s cold outside!

We’re having an ice storm today. The trees are getting more and more burdened with their loads of ice. A branch just came down somewhere on the property making a huge crashing sound. Must have been a big one, though we cannot see it from the windows. Hopefully there will not be too much tree damage — we have enough firewood.

The new deck railing is collecting icicles too!