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| Shabby Chic Beach Cottage Jewelry Box - Starfish Lovers |
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| French Country Romance Jewelry Box |
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| Paris Romance Antique French Postcard Jewelry Box |
Monday, January 30, 2012
Jewelry Box Love!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Work Day
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| All finished! |
Here is the finished fence with our artwork:
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| The shabby white fence Michael built is pretty cool, too. ;D |
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Old Injurys
Michael and I used to buy fixer-uppers, fix them up and sell them. The latter part of 2005 was our last purchase, just as the economy was heading downward. The house was on the Mendocino Coast in a little ocean community called Irish Beach. The two of us, along with our hired friend, Greg, did all the work ourselves driving three hours each way every weekend for six months.
I became good at tearing down walls, taping and texturing walls and fixing Michael and Greg's mistakes; lol, painting, tiling, you name it. If we didn't know how to do something we'd learn. Greg was the expert plumber and electrician, (that is not Mike's thing.) ;-D
Anyway, it was in very early 2006 that I was tiling the whole house using 18" square tiles, room by room. On my knees in the kitchen/entry area I remember reaching out with a big, heavy tile in my hands to lay it in place and something went rip in my shoulders and I cried out in pain. Didn't think much of it and continued my work.
From the completion of that house we went on to remodel my aunt's home. It was then I knew something was truly wrong with my shoulders, more so in my right one. Went to the good doctor, had X-rays taken, found out both shoulders had a minor tear, not enough to warrant surgery but enough for injections in each side. That offered me immediate relief. For about a year. Then another injection in my right shoulder which did not help a bit. Had an MRI done last year before the holidays which showed complete separation of muscle and bone in my right shoulder.
Here I am today, getting ready for surgery next Thursday, Feb. 2nd. Approx. 10 days or so of wearing a sling (I'm right handed and have been practicing using my left), no lifting over 5 pounds for 3 months. Not yet sure if I can drive during that time or not, physical therapy: yes. Questions to ask my doc next week.
I've been preparing for this operation since being put on the waiting list last November: I have my freezer full of more than a few good meals: spaghetti sauce, chili beans, beef stew. Planning on deep cleaning the house next week, just before surgery, so I can come home to a clean house. Not that it's dirty but I want everything spic and span so I won't have to worry about cleaning or asking Mike to do it. He's got enough work.
Hoping that I'll have enough time to make a few more meals...
I became good at tearing down walls, taping and texturing walls and fixing Michael and Greg's mistakes; lol, painting, tiling, you name it. If we didn't know how to do something we'd learn. Greg was the expert plumber and electrician, (that is not Mike's thing.) ;-D
Anyway, it was in very early 2006 that I was tiling the whole house using 18" square tiles, room by room. On my knees in the kitchen/entry area I remember reaching out with a big, heavy tile in my hands to lay it in place and something went rip in my shoulders and I cried out in pain. Didn't think much of it and continued my work.
From the completion of that house we went on to remodel my aunt's home. It was then I knew something was truly wrong with my shoulders, more so in my right one. Went to the good doctor, had X-rays taken, found out both shoulders had a minor tear, not enough to warrant surgery but enough for injections in each side. That offered me immediate relief. For about a year. Then another injection in my right shoulder which did not help a bit. Had an MRI done last year before the holidays which showed complete separation of muscle and bone in my right shoulder.
Here I am today, getting ready for surgery next Thursday, Feb. 2nd. Approx. 10 days or so of wearing a sling (I'm right handed and have been practicing using my left), no lifting over 5 pounds for 3 months. Not yet sure if I can drive during that time or not, physical therapy: yes. Questions to ask my doc next week.
I've been preparing for this operation since being put on the waiting list last November: I have my freezer full of more than a few good meals: spaghetti sauce, chili beans, beef stew. Planning on deep cleaning the house next week, just before surgery, so I can come home to a clean house. Not that it's dirty but I want everything spic and span so I won't have to worry about cleaning or asking Mike to do it. He's got enough work.
Hoping that I'll have enough time to make a few more meals...
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Camille Pissarro
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Fire Orange
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| Our little fire. |
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| Toby's Fruit Stand |
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| Toby's - Pt. Reyes Station |
Point Reyes National Seashore
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| Woodpecker Trail - Hundreds of woodpecker holes |
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| Hygrocybe Conica Mushrooms (poison) |
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| Hygrocybe mushrooms (aka witches hat) |
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| Dainty woodland ferns |
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| Morgan Horse Ranch |
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| Morgan Horses |
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| Meadow Grasses |
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| Gray Fox - Taxidermy inside the visitor's station |
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| Sweet fawn |
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Popcorn
At our house, we love, love, love popcorn! We just purchased a new popcorn popper and love it so much that I have to share it with you. We bought ours at the Vacaville Outlets at a store called Kitchen Collection.
You do not need to buy expensive popcorn to get good quality. Here's a very good tip:
1. Buy a bag of popcorn (I love the white, but it's your personal preference)
2. Open the bag of popcorn and put it in a glass jar or container with a tight fitting lid. (I used a glass mason jar.)
3. Put 1 tablespoon of water per quart of popcorn in the glass jar over the popcorn, put on the lid and shake it. Continue to periodically shake it a couple times per day for the next three days or until the water is absorbed completely.
4. Pop your now fresh and moist popcorn. You'll love it!
Oh, and here's a tip if you have or purchase the popcorn popper above: Read the entire manual first. Use very soft real butter, about 2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp. and put it in the top opening area where the butter goes. The butter melts onto your popcorn as it pops. Better than theater popcorn or as good as theater popcorn used to be in the good ol' days. ;D
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| Presto Stirring Popcorn Popper |
1. Buy a bag of popcorn (I love the white, but it's your personal preference)
2. Open the bag of popcorn and put it in a glass jar or container with a tight fitting lid. (I used a glass mason jar.)
3. Put 1 tablespoon of water per quart of popcorn in the glass jar over the popcorn, put on the lid and shake it. Continue to periodically shake it a couple times per day for the next three days or until the water is absorbed completely.
4. Pop your now fresh and moist popcorn. You'll love it!
Oh, and here's a tip if you have or purchase the popcorn popper above: Read the entire manual first. Use very soft real butter, about 2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp. and put it in the top opening area where the butter goes. The butter melts onto your popcorn as it pops. Better than theater popcorn or as good as theater popcorn used to be in the good ol' days. ;D
Monday, January 9, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Two More!
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| Cupids Bow |
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| The Samaritan Woman with Jesus |
Monday, January 2, 2012
My Newest Jewelry Boxes
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| St. Anthony di Padova |
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| Romeo and Juliet |
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| Romeo and Juliet |
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| A Sweet Little Treasure Box |