More Pictures

Well posting those pictures in the previous post didn't work quite like I wanted it to. I am going to try again.

The Kitchen

Many of you heard about revamping the kitchen. It is done and has been for about a month. I am posting pictures of the done project.

The before kitchen had dated wallpaper all over. It was a struggle to get that off. As I pulled, steamed, & ripped I realized that there was something that I still liked about that wallpaper. It was cheerful. But I was feeling the need to update and that did have to come off.

My goal for the kitchen was to have it very clean and simple. Only enough stuff to give it my personality.

The before kitchen had a warped and stained laminated counter top. There was no back splash-only the wall paper which was curling very badly behind the sink.

Picked out the counter top the first thing. Now remember I wanted simple and plain--nothing busy. Found a granite composite which fit the bill. It was white with a very tiny fleck. Then of course, one thing leads to another. Next it was a new sink, then might as well do a new faucet too.

If you remember the backsplash was a struggle. I had a very hard time picking that out. After about 15 visits to the tile shop and bringing home many samples--it was chosen. Then it was somewhat of a problem to get workman here to get in installed. It was 2-3 weeks of waiting and then another 2 weeks to get the grout on.

I ahd forgotten the what kind of shape the walls were in underneath the wallpaper. I was thinking that we would be able to do the repair work on the walls before we painted but the more paper that came off I knew it was out of our league. Now we had to hire someone to skim coat the walls. Then we had to prime and then paint.

Fabric was bought, curtains were made and some (not all) stuff was put back on the walls and counters.

Now to try to get pictures on this blog of the final product.

Another Try

On the Wedding Wagon

Sinead & Dan

Tried to post more pictures in the blog about the wedding but it would not let me do it. Going to give this another try.

I see what I did wrong. I didn't click "add another image."

Now there must be a way to put the pictures in a different place on the blog? Like if I wanted to put them in the middle of my post or the end. Anybody know how to do that?

Where Do I Want To Start???

Paul (Sinead's dad) walking her down the aisle

Will start with renditions of the wedding--Sinead Barry (Gemma's daughter) started planning her wedding. I got the idea that Gemma & I could be in charge of decorating the tables for the outdoor reception. Checked with bride and she thought that would be a good thing. Sinead secretly told me that she wanted her mom to be involved somehow but was not quite sure how so she was grateful for the offer. Date for the wedding - July 3rd.

Now one thing was that this was to be done on a tight budget. Good!! I like the challenge and to be very frank I have a hard time spending money on things that I know could be done cheaper.

First idea--pretty white hydrangeas in borrowed vases surrounded by borrowed votive candles. I knew my bush would be blooming as well as neighbors. This was nixed by the bride. She said "too white." She wanted color. She wanted orange & black. ORANGE & BLACK!! Yuck. OK--not my wedding. Now back to the drawing board. How can we do orange & black?? To make a long story short we gathered tiger lilies and other small white flowers from the ditch. Took the borrowed cylinder vases that were graduated sizes-grouped 3 together-colored the water orange-put in the lilies, white flowers and some fern and this all went on a black mat. We were going to put a black ribbon around all 3 vases but because of lack of time that was not done. The votive candles were placed around as well as quotes about love & marriage matted on black paper with an orange ribbon on top. We had borrowed tulle as well as big puffs. The head table was draped with the tulle with little white lights and big puffs of tulle were fastened at each of the places where the drapes were brought up. Some artificial tiger lilies were also placed among the tulle to add color. Cake table was covered with one of my antique, lace edged table cloths and tulle was draped around. We had to do all of this the morning of the wedding.

We got to the reception yard and only a few of the tables and chairs were set up. We scrambled to get the others set up. Mom was placed at a table to start arranging the flowers in the vases. Gemma, Vickie & Al (couple whose yard it was) Mom and I were the only ones there to do all of this. At least the tents were up. We were hustling.

Back to another idea I had. Bride has 2 adorable girls ages 8 & 5 (as well as 14 yr. old Shaun). Groom has 1 adorable 5 yr. old girl and 3 yr. old boy. Why not let the little girls pass out favors to the guests. Favors would be chocolate chip cookies in cellophane bag tied with ribbon and tag that says "Thank you for coming." So Mom baked cookies the 2 weeks before. 2 days before Gemma, Mary Beth, Mom & I (Denny came over to visit) bagged & tied the cookies. We had decorated baskets for them to carry the cookies.

Another idea- (I was driving Gemma crazy) Why not make the Patty Wagon into the Wedding Wagon. So Gemma & I decorated it but they had to all be taken off to transport it and then put back on again once there.

Wedding started at 5:00 and it was over in Minneapolis. We got home at 3:30. Quickly showered, dressed and were on our way. Church was gorgeous. I loved this wedding. Everything was so elegant and tasteful and it was done on such a budget. Sinead was absolutely gorgeous and I am not kidding. Her dress was bought on Craigs list.

Everything went well. Patty Wagon--no Wedding Wagon was a big hit.

Blogging

This was written last week and I am only posting it now. Just so there is no confusion.

Why haven't I blogged lately?? I have asked myself this question. Answers I cam up with:
-Did not want to take the time.
-Need my creative juices to flow and that hasn't been happening.
-Just not in the mood.
-What makes me think that people want to know about my world? Someone said they thought something like blogs were very narcissistic and egotistical. There may be something to this. But then again if people do not want to know then it is very simple. Just don't go into the website. I very much like hearing about everybody else and what is going on in their lives and I do not consider it narcissistic and egotistical on their part.
-I need quiet where I can think about what I want to say and I do not like to be pressured by people (husband) to hurry up so he can use the computer.

OK--with all of that said I am going to attempt to put down what has been going on. The mood has struck me. I am in a quiet place (Gloria & Jim's cabin--Gloria is getting showered and dressed. The guys left for the golf course.) The day is glorious--sun shining, lake calm and glistening, birds are twittering and singing, squirrels chasing each other and we all have full tummies from a wonderful breakfast that Gloria made. Dishes are washed, dried and put away. Lots of good natured teasing was done between Jim and me. Gloria and Pudge had a wicked game of cribbage which the 2 of them seem to enjoy very much. It is probably their 50th game that they have played this week. Yup-right now life is good.

Now Gloria and I are off to check out some shops. To be continued..... (hopefully soon)

Gregory

About 10 years ago in the summer I got an email from Nancy Veenis (teacher friend) saying that she could not wait for me to meet one of my students at the start of school. I was puzzled. When school started that August she brought me this so called student. It was a huge teal colored stuffed gorilla with lots of personality. She & other friends had found him at a garage sale for $.50 and they named him Gregory and gave him to me. I immediately fell in love with him.

He was in my classroom every single day after I received him. No that was a lie--he was absent for about 2 days. He got kidnapped. There was a ransom note on my desk. I had to leave food in order to get him back. I thought about calling the police but was not sure how to describe him. He had so many facial expressions because one could change his eyes in different ways. Anyway, I did as the ransom note asked and he reappeared. Oh yeah, he disappeared one other time only to be found in someone's car in the back seat. He was scolded.

He would hold the "welcome back" sign at the beginning of school. He would hold the "have a great summer" at the end of the year. He was dressed up during spirit week and held a big foam #1 finger. I pulled him in a wagon in the homecoming parade. He made a big hit.

He was on my roster and like I said before he did not miss many days at all. I think about 5 years in a row he had perfect attendance. His seat was on top of the file cabinets and if he was gone from there (sometimes he would be in the child development room) the students would immediately miss him and ask about him. Some days I would see him perched up there looking bored, other days--silly, sometimes looking the other way. His big eyes were changeable and he was able to portray these different expressions.

I loved him. He had a special place in my heart.

When I retired I almost took him with me but decided that he needs to stay in school. He did attend my last after conference get together at a Mexican restaurant where we always went for awhat we called "debriefing"." I have pictures of him at the head of the table with a big Mexican hat on and a margarita in his hand. He was sooo cute.

When I left I gave him an extra pat and told him how much I enjoyed having him. The few times I have gone back I always made it a point to go in and see him. I made the teachers in my department promise not to get rid of him.

Well, the dreaded day has come. Email came from Nancy saying that the fire marshalls came through school with a vegeance and stuffed animals need to go. She asked me what to do with him. I struggled with the decision to take him but remembering my New Year's resolution about simplifying and he is big and where would I put him. But then again--he would look cute riding on the patty wagon with me at times. Decision was made. I emailed Nancy back and told her that it was with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes to find him another home. In my thoughts he will be with someone who will love him and he will have another life with them. I am not going to think the unthinkable about him ending up on a trash pile. Nope--not going there.

So I quietly said goodbye to my friend who only cost $.50, was low maintenance (he had to be Febreezed once in awhile), and brightened up my classroom in more ways than one.

LRAFB Reunion Weekend - May 29-June 1, 2009

Little Rock Air Force Base Reunion took place in Chicago. These were with people that we were stationed with 1965-1967. I am going to try to recap some of the highlights but I know it will not capture the whole picture of the events or situations. Also, it would take too many details to be able to do that.

• Arrived on Thursday and went right to Jack & Mary's (Pudge's oldest brother & wife.) Had a great visit and of course, Mary put out a big spread of delicious food. Pudge enjoyed whipping his brother's butt 3 times in cribbage
• Stayed at Quality Inn in Schiller Park. It proved to be a great place--very accommodating, convenient to air port and John's house, nice rooms, decent breakfast and very reasonable.
• Fran & Jim came from Milwaukee, Diane & Ed & Pat & Frank came from Little Rock, Cappie from New York, Catrotti from Arizona and John from Chicago. Pudge made several trips to airport for pickup.
• Lots of catching up to do which started immediately.
• Memories were talked about and so much laughter that my face got numb & sore.
• Went to a hot dog place where there was no seating. Not because it was full that is just the way the place is. So it was out to the parking lot where I opened the back of the van where some sat and I also spread a blanket on the parking lot and some sat there. Of course, we giggled and laughed while eating our world renowned Chicago hot dogs.
• In the evening went to the Moose Lodge. John is a member there. He introduced all of us to many friends. This was (what I would describe) a very blue collar, folksy place. Everybody was so friendly and nice. John ordered pizza for everybody that night.
• Back to sit around the pool and reminisce some more until the wee hours of the morning.
• Saturday ventured into Chicago via the el. It turned out to be an adventure and it was so much fun to be with people who thought about it that way.
• Trolley to Navy Pier where we had lunch and took pictures of the skyline.
• Trolley to Magnificent Mile and we walked quite a bit of it. Diane and I checked out the new American Girl place. Others got ice cream and people watched.
• Getting late and it was quite a hike back to get shuttle to el. I am used to walking but by this time some of the others were struggling with sore feet, knees, exhaustion, etc.
• Went to a very nice restaurant for dinner.
• Back to pool to talk some more. It just so happened that the flight pattern for O'Hare was right over us that night. It was a thrill to have the planes come right over us and they were low. That was fun.
• Next morning it was breakfast and packing up. Slideshow in Jim & Fran's room from when we got together in Little Rock in 1973, Oh my gosh!! Was that funny!!
• We said good bye to our friends about 11:30 am. We all agreed that the weekend could not have been any better.

Now as I read over this it doesn't sound like it was all that awesome but, people, I'm here to tell you it was one of the greatest weekends I have had. Like I said in the beginning there would be no way to capture the experiences with words and even if I did it probably would not be funny or amusing to you. It is like the saying goes, "you had to be there." It is one weekend I will never forget.