Well I hope you noticed my new look.  Of course I’m talking about my blog.  The old blog looked “old” to me and believe me, I have enough “old” around me and on me so I decided to give my blog a facelift.  Wish I could give myself one as easily and I did this.

Speaking of facelifts….a few months ago, I decided our home needed a facelift.  I think it all started with the green door, then it moved to the foyer and into the family room.  After some major convincing of my sweet hubby, we decided to put down hardwoods.  What a difference!  We had it done in the bedroom and his office also.   

Next we painted the walls in the family room and had a wall unit built to house the TV and some of our collections.  Updated the sofa and chairs with new fabric and we still have a few things left to do.  Like a rug under the coffee table and painting the fireplace but this will come in time.

Check out the pictures I have included and give me a shout on what you think.

Painting of aspen trees I did for over the fireplace.

Aren’t you glad I finally decided to put up a new post?  I know I am.  Anyway, I tend to get cabin fever in the cold months and want to hibernate.  At least my brain does!

Now that Spring is here, my energy level seems to be picking up.  Speaking of Spring and energy, everything seems to be busy buzzing, chirping, blooming, growing, etc. 

Yesterday I was working on my computer designing invitations to our highschool reunion (45 years) and I noticed these two little birds checking out the columns on our covered porch.  They went from one to the other and finally settled on the one in the corner.  Very well protected from the weather and any predators like cats, etc.

I watched them as they brought in sticks, twigs, grasses and vines.  They worked very hard all day until dark.  Then this morning at daylight, they were back again still building their new home.  They fly off together sometimes and then one will come back with material and place it just so.  Then the other will bring something and she (I assume it’s a she) will take it and weave it into the nest.  She will wiggle around and sit in it and move things around until it feels just right.

I can just imagine their conversation a few days ago…She says “Honey, it’s time we built our new home”.  He says, “Why do we need a new home?  The one we had last year is still perfectly good.  Just needs a few more twigs and it will be good as new.”  She says,  But Honey,  we are going to need more room for the little ones and beside that I’m tired of this same old look.”  He says, ” Huh?  Little ones!  Okay, we need to find the perfect place and I think I know where that is.”

As I was watching this yesterday, I thought  wouldn’t it be wonderful to get a nice new clean home every year?  Or would it?  Somehow, I don’t see human husbands being so agreeable.  The conversation would go something like this….she says, “Honey, we need a new home”.  He says, “Have you lost your mind”.

Here it is 5 days until Christmas.  Aaaaaagh!

I had very good intentions this year and the Christmas spirit was with me.  Fa-la-la-la-la…la-la-la-la!  Love all those Christmas songs like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”,  “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree”….etc. 

Put up my two trees….got them decorated in record time.  This is the tree topper in family area and some of the ornaments on foyer tree.

If you have seen Christmas Vacation  you know that the Griswolds have a critter in their christmas tree which terrorizes the household.  Well we have our very own critter…namely “Lil Bit”.  She thinks I put this tree up just for her to play in.

Next I recreated the wreath for the front door and decorated my pots with topiaries, ornaments and lights.  Yay….moving right along.  Fa….la..la..la..la.

Then I moved on to putting the lights on the bushes.  All was great for about 3 nights and then “lights out”.   This is when the Kranks met the Griswolds.  Called an electrician and he thought he had the problem solved.  We got another 3 nights or so and then “lights out” once again.  Not only have all the lights gone out on the bushes, our porch lights and flood lights are also out.  It’s dark. 

If you know the movie Christmas with the Kranks, then you know what my street looks like at Christmas.  Every house has outside christmas lights.  It’s a sight to behold!   The closer it gets to Christmas, the more cars we see driving through the neighborhood to see the decorations.  I’m sure they think we are “Skipping Christmas” this year. 

I was finally able to get my topiaries lit by running a long extension cord to another outlet and so far so good. 

My brother-in-law thinks it’s the curse of the pot soldiers.  Many, many years ago I made some toy soldiers using large terra-cotta pots and would sit them on my front porch each year at Christmas.  Well a few years ago they blew over during a wind storm and one of the heads got broken.   I painted another one and needless to say it got broken too.  I was able to glue it back but this year when we pulled them out,  it came apart.   It was time to retire the soldiers and we decided not to put them out.  Hence they are angry and put a curse on my lights.

Next year, I hope to get the electrician out to install outlets on a separate breaker box to avoid this problem.

“City street lights even stop lights blink a bright red and green as the shoppers rush home with their treasures….la..la..la..la”

Merry Christmas!!!

This post is to and for my Daddy who would have been 93 today, May 27. 

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

I didn’t forget to post about you today.  How could I ever forget?  I loved you so very, very much.  We just got back from Atlanta where we attended Katie’s graduation and I didn’t have my computer with me. 

I have been thinking of your birthday all day and wanted to let everyone know what an amazing husband, father, grandfather, son, son-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, neighbor and friend you were.

You left school in the ninth grade to go to work in the Godchaux sugar plant in Gramercy, Louisiana to help support your mother, father, brothers and sisters.  There were 12 children in the household and you were the 3rd oldest with a great sense of responsibility. 

When World War II started, you enlisted in the Army and became a paratrooper in the 101st.  You met Mother in Nashville while stationed at Fort Campbell for training and waiting to be sent overseas.  While over there you got two purple hearts among other medals.  Thank you for your service and fighting for our country and giving Carol and me the best values and life anyone would ever want.

(For those of you who don’t know their story, it can be read at my post Smitten.)

Once back from the war and married and living in Tennessee, you worked for an upholsterer in Nashville and learned that trade.  After moving back to Hohenwald, you began building houses and doing upholstery as a second business. 

Daddy, you were a great builder, if not the best, and people still talk about the houses you built.  They were built to last and you put your heart into each one.  You could do it all from the design, to building, plumbing and electric. 

Once you slowed down with your building and in the last few years before your stroke, you built furniture.  I have several pieces that you built and think of you every time I look at them.

You were the best of best and I am so proud to be your daughter. 

I love you and once again HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

I will never forget!