Anniversary dates never seem to register despite Recurring Reminders on my Yahoo Calendar. I can't remember my age most of the time though I do remember the year. Frank and I forgot our anniversary one year! This year, June 13th was the "gorilla in the room". Couldn't think of anything except it was a year since Frank died. Memories were heightened by an unexpected request by the Video Memorium TechPerson asking me for more music. I spent several weeks preceeding the "anniversary" listening and evaluating music in hopes that the promised Video would finally be completed and I could get that over with. Well, it's not ready yet but I sure have an excellent PlayList! During the process, my lightly propped-up emotional stability was shaken.
At least, I am staying busy nesting in my new home which is an effective, albeit expensive, distraction.
At least, I am staying busy nesting in my new home which is an effective, albeit expensive, distraction.
I am very happy with my choice of community; it has shrunk from over 700 residents to about 100 and it is much easier getting to know who lives here. I go to the Friday night Potluck Dinners and the Monday Morning Coffee Meetings and have recently joined the "Emergency Responders" Committee which is now busy with hurricane preparations. Here is my friend Basil guarding my bowl of ice cream at the recent Ice Cream Social. Feeling part of a new community will take time.
I thought this was a clever photo; the fella who runs the Saddlebag Forum is also a PhotoShop junkie and published this to illustrate how security was being beefed up after a boat trolling motor was stolen...
How many weapons of destruction can you find in the picture? (Answer on the next Blog)
How many weapons of destruction can you find in the picture? (Answer on the next Blog)
Being somewhat of a PhotoShop wannabe myself and an amateur shutterbug, I published this picture on the Forum Pet Zone after setting up my new Sleep Number bed. Naturally, Cassie is not smart enough to operate the Control Wand...or is she?
The biggest distraction in the last couple months has been the renovation of the house I bought. The home was owned by an elderly lady who didn't do anything to it and it needed a facelift. At least renovation didn't cost as much as a facelift!
Here is my 4 Stone Fly Stump sign on my newly-painted stump. BTW, you may or may not know that this is the Official Trash Receptacle at Saddlebag. The sign was a very generous housewarming gift from my friends, Velma and Basil. The color matches the Peacock Green color painted on my awnings and shutters. The sign company let me design the Happy Dog to look more like Cassie with the puffy ears and plume-y tail! The sign makes me feel like I am actually "home".
This is a photo of my house newly-concreted, trim painted and siding pressure-washed.
It is always fun to hire men to do manly things and I always take their picture. Here is Andy the Painter who did my ceiling (I finally cried "Uncle" trying to do it myself--got sick of scraping paint off my parts).
Here is Dave the Door Guy; this is the door that has blinds "between the glass". My new doors have keyless entry and replace crappy sliding glass doors that wouldn't close all the way and had no lock. Dave had to reframe the entire opening because one side of my house had settled a few inches when 2 nearby trees were uprooted during the hurricanes of '05.
His worktruck had a most unique company logo. He told me the sad story of his solitary journey to Florida and then meeting the love of his life after months of loneliness and sorrow. So, he commemorated his good luck in the romance department by calling his business Romance Home Improvement "If Cupid Can't Fix It, WE Will!" Isn't that sweet?
The house interior has been similarly attended to with newly-repainted cabinetry (I did do this; the paint was much more controllable), new lighting fixtures, window treatments and new, smaller-scale furniture. A HUGE HUG to Basil, who supervised the replacement of all my aged, shabby lighting fixtures, helped me install dimmer switches and a 30amp outlet for my RV.
This is my living room "entertainment" wall. I treated myself to an electric fireplace that I have been shopping for months on craigslist. Electric fireplaces are ridiculously expensive and I figured that shopping when it's 96 degrees outdoors is a great time to get a low price. And it was!
This pic also shows the new woodgrain vinyl flooring which is a new process that results in greater depth in the pattern. This is super-cushioned vinyl and has a texture; it is comfy underfoot and quiet. It is quite realistic looking; one workman got on the floor to feel it because he didn't believe it was vinyl. I am very pleased with it.
I indulged in some colormania by ordering a double reclining Power Sofa in RED over the Memorial Day sale weekend. It was finally ready after 6 weeks and I rented a truck and went to haul it back. (It so happens that I live outside of all "free" delivery areas in Orlando and Tampa so any delivery is "custom"--so I figured I could do it more economically myself.) It is so cool to push a button and it scoops your legs up and lays you back in Sublime Supine. I can't get Cassie off the couch.
Here is my Zen Chair Wall; it has my Sedona Zen Fountain (real Sedona rock) with a ball that rotates on water in mid-air with a relaxing gurgle between my combo Recliner/Glider and my Zero Gravity Recliner. I feel completely zoned out...
...and bedroom with my new Sleep Number bed and lotsa pillows to share with Cassie....
My next project is ...ME! Haha...my brother Phil and nephew Luke convinced me to enter a Team in Training (TiT?) Marathon being held in Cocoa Beach after Thanksgiving. My Nephew is a crazed Marathoner and raises money for the Lymphoma Foundation with these Marathon Events which are held all over the country. My brother will be an unpaid but enthusiastic Volunteer and says he will pass out cups of beer instead of boring water to the runners. Runners dress up like astronauts and aliens in a futuristic "Space" theme and run many miles...Anybody want to join us and laugh as I limp across the Finish Line in my Princess Leia running togs? Maybe someone can bring me my sofa? PLEASE?
