A little summer project

September 19, 2017

22  comments

 

This is how my summer has looked. We moved to a new house — I know, I told you about moving last year, but this is a house we’ve looked at for a long time, and when we found out it was for sale again, we decided to move quickly. Doug the dog was a bit shaken by the upheaval, but he’s okay now. You can see that the teenager found the kitchen, so everyone is happy.

 

We repainted almost everything, so unpacking had to wait. I can highly recommend Pro 1 Painters in Daphne. Another good experience was using Sexton Landscaping to give the yard a huge clean-up. Very nice people. This time, About the Move- Coastal moved us and we loved them. They sang while they packed everything up. A few things were nicked and broken, but they took care of everything and sent a fabulous furniture repairman to the house to make the needed touch-ups. I was very sick during the move, but they took great care to help me with everything.  I actually had a terrible case of food poisoning that wiped me out for an entire month, and was told not to lift anything. Yeah . . . right, that lasted for about one day!

 

 

My favorite thing about the move was that I got to use my very special talent of arranging bookshelves. Oh, how I love to do that. My husband says there isn’t a horizontal surface I can’t tackle. And yes, that’s him in the frame. He hasn’t changed a bit. Still adorable and he kills me with that smile.

 

 


I have roses in my new yard, so I’m learning how to care for them. Every morning, I go outside and clip a little bouquet (while I sing and birds and butterflies flutter about my head). I’m thinking I’ll add a few more varieties, if you have any suggestions on what grows well in Coastal Alabama.

 

 

More horizontal surfaces . . . but this time I wanted to show all of you who think it’s dreamy to live in South Alabama, how we have to put most of our dry-goods in sealed jars or other containers. Even if your house is bug-free, many times the humidity or bugs from the grocery store will make their way into your house. (That’s a giant jar of cupcake papers in one jar that would otherwise stick together and wilt in the humidity). Several times, I’ve gone to bake something and found creepy things in the flour that wasn’t in a jar. I take it and run screaming out of the house and fling it in the garbage can — then, I stomp my feet several times for general amusement and emphasis.  AGGHHH!!!!!! I spy a little bag of White Lily cornmeal on the bottom I forgot. Rice is also another thing to watch for humidity and such. Next time, I’ll fill you in on our frequent sewer spills into the bay, so you’ll have a real idea of what it’s like to live in paradise.

 

 

At my previous house, darling Bob said I should take the entire living room as my office.(because I’m a best selling author, you know — at least in my house I am). It was large enough for a sofa in case I needed to write while lounging with champagne. Now, this new house came with a home office that is literally smaller than my closet. I’ve redone the green and will show you the updated version soon. (as soon as its clean).

 

 

I scrubbed up these old light fixtures that belonged to Bob’s grandmother to use in my tiny office. = LOVE!

 

Harrison said he was coming home for a visit and girls would be with him, so I ran around like a mad woman finalizing the last few boxes and rooms. You know . . . girls! Thank goodness for that last push because now, I’m 90% done unpacking. I have to hang a few more pictures, but everything is finally in place.

So, other than unpacking, being sick, and having to rework my entire book, this is what I did this summer.  Onward to autumn!

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

  1. Don’t know exactly which variety you need for Coastal ‘Bama, but you definitely need a yellow rose! Love from Houston, where we need varieties that do well under water! A little flood humor. You gotta laugh or you cry. And since I was flooded I can do flood humor!

    1. Bless your heart! Hope all is going as well as possible for you in Texas. One of the very smallest roses has yellow blooms, but it hasn’t put out may flowers at all. I will definitely sing, “the yellow rose of Texas” when I cut it now and think of all of you soggy Texans!

  2. It has to be a really wonderful house to move again so soon.. Congrats!! You “have” to try a Julia Child Rose. Had them in Wisconsonsin & was able to find here in Fairhope this year at “Cornercopia” on Hwy 104. The bushes I bough have really thrived. ?

  3. Oh I’m happy to hear you got your house! Love what I see and I hope you’ll give us a home tour when you are finished. I know it’s gorgeous! Nothing like the boy telling us he’s bringing home friends, girl friends to get every little thing tidy. Cute group. Congratulations on the house……….

  4. How exciting this is! Congratulations on getting the house you love, but why oh why do these things happen when we’re moving? I should think you do have a talent at shelf arranging! I loved seeing it all, and I bet your office will be darling with those pretty family light fixtures.

    Try to rest and enjoy it all when you can,
    Dewena

  5. Looking forward to the tour! I love the artwork over your FP, and the photo of your mister as a child is too cute!

    1. Thanks. The artist for the painting is “Quinby” from Pensacola. We bought that several years ago at the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival. She painted the scene from a photo she took at the Ritz Carlton in downtown Atlanta, which is where we spent the first night of our honeymoon. Earlier that night, we had a similar jazz combo at our wedding rehearsal, so this painting was meant to be ours!

  6. Well, let’s look forward to Autumn for sure. Congratulations on the house. It looks as though memories are already being made.
    You can rearrange shelves forever. I too love doing that. I can so relate to the pantry. Tis true.
    Now, I am loving your new shelves, those lights, but the thing that really catches my eye is that brick floor. My previous home had them. I LOVED it. It would be a must in anything I ever built.
    Enjoy and let’s hope autumn gets that book all settled.

  7. How exciting! I hope you’re feeling better from the tummy issues. The house looks great! I hope y’all are settling in nicely and things are coming together. It looks like it for sure. Yes, guests sure do have a way of making you get your butt in gear. Here hoping the book’s coming together well as well!

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