Guest Quarters

Doesn't that title sound elegant?

Doesn't it sound ritzy?

Who wouldn't want to be worldly enough to have Guest Quarters?

(Well, yes, there have been times in the past when we were sorry we had them but mostly we have enjoyed having the extra space)

I have been working to reclaim our Guest Quarters.  (Actually, it is just the basement but it is a really nice basement.  Can you tell I think I'm lucky to live here?)

We had the carpet cleaned and I have been working to clean everything else.  (Not an easy job - and I am feeling far more decrepit than my actual 54 years.)

Since my budget won't allow for professional painters right now, I am simply wiping down the walls with a good cleaner and living with the marks and dings on the wall as if it were simply character winking back at me.

We started with the floors.  The carpets were cleaned and the tile was mopped...and mopped again...and will be mopped again later today.  Then, the upholstery was cleaned on the sofa and oversized chair in the den.  We did a little furniture shuffling with my daughter because anticipated little Luci needed some storage pieces.

Then, my friend Angela came over and spent the day as my slave manual-labor house-stager favorite child.  She helped me dig the bed out of the storage area under the front porch.  The headboard, the footboard, and the mattress and box springs.  Whew!  We dug a dresser, mirror, bedside tables, and chair out and drug scooted carefully moved a bookcase into the blue bedroom as well.  Then, Angela dug around and found some dust-collectors set-abouts decorative items and books to make the room look welcoming and homey.  I'll do a full reveal on it in the coming days as it is falling into shape and looking more like Guest Quarters.

Next, she and my son, Bryan, moved a table into the green room and we began setting it up as the creativity room.  I have my sewing machine and serger on the table, some tubs of fabrics on a bookcase, paints and tools on another small bookcase, and scavenged a table and a couple more chairs for a crafting area.  Angela has promised me a cast-off desk of hers to use as a gift-wrapping station and that room will be practical and useful.  I've spent some time scrounging around Goodwill and Hobby Lobby and painting frames again to get some artwork hung on the walls.  I'll do a full reveal on it later, too.

Mike and I replaced burned out light bulbs yesterday.  So, that put a whole new light on the subject in the kitchen.  It still needs some attention but the fridges are clean and the sink and counters are as well.  Soon it will truly be Guest Quarters and not just the basement!  I haven't had much time to be blogging lately because we have had lots of projects going on...I am looking forward to sharing the progress in a few days!

Then, we hope to have some guests who will enjoy our Guest Quarters!

Lucky to be a mother

I really feel lucky to be a mother!  I am grateful for the reasons I've had to experience that sheer joy and incomparable love of my children.

Bridgette, Corey, Lillie, Lydia

Bryan, Jessica, Harris

Stephen and Bonnie

Cassie and Evie

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Support sometimes rises unbidden and barely recognized

This has been a week when I've really needed the support of my mother.

Some days this week I just needed to fall back on the teachings she gave me all along the years.

Little things.  Things like...

Make your bed and your bedroom is already about half cleaned.

Wash dishes while you are preparing the meal and clean-up after you eat is a whole lot easier.

Wipe that up as soon as you spill it and you won't have a sticky spot later.

A good book is always a good friend.

Hard work seems easier when you sprinkle it with a little laughter.

Don't hide your excitement but do hide your disappointment.

Help others even when they don't deserve your help.

Don't be afraid to be a kid no matter how old you happen to be.

Share your talents, your blessings, your compassion, and your patience - everybody needs a little more of that.

Don't go out the door without clean clothes, a clean face, and a positive attitude.

There are multitudes more of these that I carry with me daily and they arise to my consciousness unbidden and barely recognized.

I also needed the support of my Mama this week when I had some work done on the house and really needed to be at work.  My sweet, retired little Mama came over and served as my house-sitter to let the workman in and keep me informed of the progress - even when things got a little sticky.  I'm grateful for her calmness, patience, and presence in such situations.

We are making some changes here around the house and I have fallen back on Mama's housekeeping and homemaking advice.

When you find an item you love, ask yourself will it work in more than one room.

Select something classic and it never goes out of style.

Quality lasts a lot longer than trendy.

Put things away when you have finished using them and you will always know where they are when you need them again.

Nice things don't have to be fancy or expensive.

Choose things in colors that could be moved from one room to another and you will enjoy those things a whole lot more no matter where they are at the time.

Buy the best you can afford and treat it like it is the very best ever made.

Everything needs some cleaning and freshening up at times.

There are multitudes more of these that I carry with me daily and they arise to my consciousness unbidden and barely recognized.

I've called Mama more than once lately seeking advice about furniture, painting, fabric, recipes, flowers, cooking, and more.  Always that wisdom has been given with patience, thoughtfulness, and savvy that can only come with age, experience, practice, and confidence.

Maybe I've sought the support of my Mama this week because I have been stressed and tired from the hustle and bustle of home, work, and life.  Maybe I've sought the support of my Mama this week because the tasks at hand seemed like something that was more in her expertise than in my own.  Maybe I've sought the support of my Mama this week because it is spring of the year - her favorite season.  Maybe I've sought the support of my Mama this week because I am weary and a little bit babyish.  Maybe I've subconsciously sought the support of my Mama this week because today is Mother's Day.  Maybe I've sought the support of my Mama this week because we always need the support of our mothers.

I don't think that ever goes away.  From birth onward we probably tend to need that support from our Mama.  Today, for the first time my Mama will be celebrating Mother's Day without her own Mama's presence in this world.  So, I'm going to log off this computer and go over to see if I can support her.

Hope your Mother's Day is full of memories, love, and support from those who do it best!

Some links to past Mother's Day posts are:
Mother's Day Leftovers

In Honor of My Mother

Happy Mother's Day!

Want to wish some great gals a Happy Mother's Day!

Mama and Mike's Mom

Bonnie

Bridgette

Jessica

Hope your day is the most fabulous so far!

Walking the Walk

My favorite sister-in-law's husband has been sickly of late.  First he had a pinched nerve and severe lower back pain.  He nursed that along and seemed to recover fairly well after some time, some exercises, and some flat-on-his-back.

Then, he got pneumonia.  He was hospitalized for several days.  Then, was sent home to finish recuperating. I'm not sure that part of the recuperation was for him to get in his truck and drive down to the barn as soon as he arrived home from his hospital stay.  I'm also not sure part of his recuperation was to be in a tractor spreading fertilizer after a week at home.

Suddenly, a couple of weeks ago, he began feeling rather bad and my favorite sister-in-law took him back to the emergency room.  The doctor diagnosed an infection and began antibiotic treatment.  Jim was complaining with some back and shoulder pain.  When his fever subsided and he seemed to improve for a couple of days in a row, the doctor considered sending him home.

Wisely, Jim spoke up and let the doctor know that he really wasn't feeling all that much better.  In fact, in addition to his upper back and shoulder pain, he was feeling some numbness in his legs.  An MRI was scheduled and it was determined that he had an infection around some of his vertebrae.  So, emergency back surgery was scheduled.  This involved a transfer to a different hospital in a rushed ambulance and surgery performed during the wee hours last Friday morning.

Thankfully, he is now recovering and has been moved to yet another hospital for rehabilitation.  The almost complete paralysis in the lower half of his body has improved to where there is only some numbness.  He is working hard to improve and is almost re-learning to walk again to get those muscles and nerves back to firing and working properly.

I made a hospital visit yesterday afternoon and was greeted at the elevator by Jim, a hospital technician, and his therapists.  The therapist is a tiny little woman who is almost dwarfed behind my brother-in-law and cannot be seen as she is helping to steady him in case of a fall.  The technician can be seen peeking over his shoulder.  He almost raced around the loop of hallway encircling the elevators while I was there!

He spends his days exercising, taking four IV treatments of antibiotic, and walking.  His distance has doubled almost everyday with his strolls around the hallways there at the rehab center.  Yesterday while I was there, he made a little over 150 feet.

As I crawl out of bed each morning this week and shuffle around to get my stiff muscles and joints going, I think about how he is walking the walk to get where he is steady and completely independent again and I do a lot less grumbling during my mornings.  How thankful we are to see this guy trucking around those halls!

He even has a bit of a smile on his face!

Local Shopping - Teamwork Style

I've always been one who thinks you need to live, work, and shop in the same area.  Support of the locals is what keeps things afloat.

I have never shopped locally so much as I do now.  The community I live in has so many options and features right here in my back yard.  I am only about 5-7 miles from two grocery stores.  We have a GoodWill store.  The post office, bank and Sonic are all less than 5 miles from my house!

Recently, I joined a local FaceBook Group that is a Want Ads group.  It is a place for folks to upload pictures and offer items for sale (and sometimes for free) or a place for folks to post in-search-of (ISO) items.  I have seen loads of bargains and treasures change hands.  I have been a bit envious of folks who have been able to acquire such bargains and treasures but it seems I am consistently one person behind or even further down the line at 'snatching up' the bargain or treasure.

Of course, that could be because I do not have a FaceBook app on my phone and really only check in once every day or even every other day at times.  I rarely have needs and have to be careful fulfilling my wants because I want WAY too much!

The other day, though...

I noticed where my nephew's mother-in-law, Janice, had made an offer on a nice looking washer and dryer.  Now, here is something I NEED, I thought.  So, I checked with Janice to see if she was shopping for both appliances or was, by chance, only shopping for the washer and might have the dryer available.  Her reply was that she wound up not getting either because the friend she was shopping for had already bought what was needed.  Sadness.

A couple of days later, I got a message from Janice and a picture of another washer/dryer set.  She let me know that my nephew, Jay, wanted the washer for his washing needs down at their milk barn.  My heart soared!

No more would Mike and I have to listen to the squeaking, squawking, and thumping of the 14-year-old dryer that was operating on its last leg.  No more would the sleeves or collars of our shirts come out with black, greasy tips.  No more would wash cloths or socks get hung between the drum and the wall of the dryer and risk being ripped and greasy after I tugged them out of there with all my might.  Plus, the pair were offered for about half what my washer had cost me over six years ago!

Can you say deal?  DEAL!!!

Jay instructed me that I should go look at the appliances and decide if they were worthy of joining our fold.  He also instructed me to offer $50 less than the asking price.  WHAT?  Didn't he know this is already a bargain?  Didn't he know I'm not good at negotiating and dickering over purchases?  He hadn't heard the squeaking and squawking and thumping of my dryer.  His favorite white sweater didn't get a grease stain on it.  His favorite polo shirt didn't have a greasy tipped collar.  His socks or kitchen towels and dishcloths hadn't been ripped after the mighty tug-of-war pull.

So, my personal shopper, Janice, lined up a time for me to go inspect the appliances.  I was met at the door by a fellow who looked to be about 12-years-old.  He was the home-owner and his wife, who looked to be about 16-years-old was about to explode with their second child.  (I did ask.  This couple is a young one.  He is in his late-20s and she is in her mid-20s.  So, I am officially older than dirt.)  We went into their pristine clean-enough-to-eat-off-the-floor laundry room and I opened the doors and asked if I could turn them on and asked about any problems or issues.  (What does one do when inspecting appliances?  My washer I just called and asked for a price range, told them I wanted it to be white, and asked them when they could deliver it!)  I'm sure I looked almost as savvy as my professional shopper would have looked!

It seems they were awaiting the delivery of a new washer/dryer set which is high-capacity and super fast speed since they are going to have "so much more laundry" and "so much less time" to do laundry tasks after the birth of their second child.  So, confidently, I asked if the young fellow would accept $50 less and he never batted an eye but agreed.  SCORE!  Extra deep bargain!

I scurried out to the truck and snatched a crisp bill out of my wallet (the last of our Christmas money - thanks Mom and Daddy!) and scurried back up to the front door!  I called the nephew and arranged a pick-up time.

A couple of days later, I pulled in our driveway with my load of groceries and there was my favorite nephew, Jay, my bonus son, Stephen, and his friend, Mark.  Stephen and Jay were installing the new dryer!

Stephen was so impressed because now I have a matching set.  "The knobs on the dryer exactly match the ones on my washer.  You know, most people do have a matching set," I was told by my grinning bonus son.

 My favorite nephew asked me - more than once - if I was pleased with our purchase.  Of course I am!  Finally, I asked him if he was pleased with our purchase.  To which he responded (with a big old grin on his face), "Tickled to death!"

This personal shopper, pick-up-and-delivery, and installation team is better than D.T. McCall or something!

I do love my new quiet-running dryer.  No squeaking.  No squawking.  No thumping.  No greasy marks.  No tug-of-war resulting in tears.  Plus, there is a light in the drum!  What a deal!

There was also an added bonus in this deal...

While we were OOOOing and AHing over our new purchases, Mark, the bonus son's friend, toted all my groceries into the house!

I am one lucky woman!

Spring Planting

Mike has been bitten by the spring planting bug!  Last week he asked me to bring home some veggies from the farm store.  So, home I came with lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.  He had already been busy with some onion sets.

Don't they look springy and delish?

Then, last week he transplanted some of the other plants which seem to be taking off and thriving.

Lettuce and Spinach salad starts

Yesterday I painted the iron frame which holds the third basin and set of tubs.  Then, today, he planted the remaining lettuce and some broccoli.

Hope they perk up as much as the ones from last week!

We also moved a third iron frame to set in front of the barn and I painted the legs of it.  Then, Mike set the basin in the frame, put a layer of landscape cloth in the bottom and we filled it with more grey tubs.  Next, he filled the tubs with potting soil.  Then, we trekked off to Bonnie's Barnyard and picked up a few more veggies to fill that tub.

I did a poor job picking the cabbage.

Out of nine little plants, only six were alive and one of them had pitiful little roots and may not live.  We didn't even notice till we got home with the little pack that I had picked a poor specimen.  Maybe the owners will give us a discount.  We do have connections...

The bell peppers and the Brussels sprouts look good, though, don't they?

Mike had picked up some tomato plants, so those went in the round tubs at the end of the iron rack.

We had a couple of extra bell pepper plants and an extra tomato.  So, we repotted them into larger pots and will nurse them along till the garden dries out enough to transplant them there.

Our newest transplant area

While Mike did some reorganizing and picking up in the barn, I moved the three stepping stones out in front of the iron rack.  I think it looks rather friendly and I cannot wait to have produce right there at eye level!

Anticipated Yumminess!

The marigolds were salvaged from the trash.  Bonnie said they had been nipped by a recent freeze and the vendor was going to trash them.  So, she brought them home and kept them watered.  She decided that she had too much baby to plant them all.  So, we became the lucky recipients!  They will go in the garden if it ever dries out enough to till it up.

Of course, we are expecting rainy weather for the next couple of days...

I just love the promise spring brings, don't you?