Painting the House Step #1: Afternoon

The project continues.

Painting the House: Step #1

They started power-washing the house this morning.  Some parts were fine and the north side (see below) needs a lot of paint in spots.  After it dries comes scraping, etc.  

Italy Trip - October 2011

Just in case you are wondering why there are no Italy pics yet.  Welllllll, I haven't gotten them sorted yet.  I have around 1,500 of them so it has been a stumbling block.  So far only Deb and Suzanne have seen them all, so I guess there isn't a pent up demand by the rest of the world.  But I need to do it soon and will post some of the best before my next trip in October.

Huge Garage Sale - May 2012

We had a huge garage sale in May and cleaned out a lot of the things in the basement and kitchen of mom's as well as a lot of things that I had moved down from Fairmont and finally had had a chance to go through and decide what I wanted and didn't want to keep.  Since then I've gotten rid of more of my stuff and plan another garage sale soon.  It's kind of an ongoing process.

The workers in a quiet moment before the sale began.

Deb is a whiz at collecting money and keeping things straight.  Wes can do it all.  I never could have had a sale without him.

June in Florida - 2012

I drove to Florida in June and met Nora (16) at the Tampa Airport and we spent a week roaming the beaches around Captiva and Sanibel Islands. We collected shells, ate well and relaxed.  I tried to get her hooked on shelling, but I don't think it took.  She enjoyed sunning more than shelling. 

Nora in front of the banyon tree at Edison's Estate

Downtown Historic Fort Myers

Naples Beach and Pier

Downtown Naples

Randy Wayne White's restaurant on Sanibel Island.  Named after his famous character who lives on Sanibel.  We had great food there, but the author didn't join us for lunch.

This is how I spent my time in Florida, no comments about my bathing suit and hat.

Six Cooks - Christmas 2011

With six cooks in the family we finally resorted to these crib sheets to keep things straight.  What was available that was new, what had been eaten up, and what was left.  All one had to do when they came in the door was check the current postings and head to the kitchen.

Our Christmas Eve Buffet was outstanding this year.  Something for everyone.  Our Christmas Dinner was turkey with all of the trimmings.  Why am I telling you about the food, because it was outstanding and I am still trying to lose the pounds I gained last Christmas and it's eight months later.  Now you know why!

Boston Marathon 2012

Tam ran the Boston Marathon again this year, and I drove out there and joined her for a five day vacation in Boston.  I spent four days on the way east in northern Indiana in "Amish Country" visiting quilt and fabric shops and getting a feel for the area.  I had visited the area before and just wanted to spend more time looking around.  I also stopped in Cleveland, Ohio's Little Italy at a wonderful bakery to get my fill of gelato and Italian bakery items.  It was a fun stop and kept me fortified until I reached Boston's Little Italy.  You may remember that it was very hot this Spring in Boston, one of the hottest Boston Marathon's ever.  Well I have to give credit to Tam she finished the race when I almost didn't survive just watching the finish.  It was beastly!  While Tam prepared for the marathon I played tourist and revisited all of my favorite Boston places and found many new fun ones.  With public transportation so good in Boston, I parked my car at the hotel and never used it again until I left.  After the marathon Tam's sister Abby joined us and the three of us played tourist.  We visited every bakery in Little Italy one more time to find the best cannoli.  Here are just a few pics from my trip.

Christmas Morning in Boise, ID - 2011

A few things never seem to change in our family, Christmas breakfast is one of them.  We have the same menu, the same dishes, but most importantly the same fun opening up lots of packages from our stockings.  Our stockings have gotten bigger through the years but they no longer contain apples and oranges, just lots of fun creative things. 

Xmas Party 2011

Our Annual Christmas Party took place in January this year in Minneapolis at Pat Wittrock's home.  We have become a small group some years, but we maintain our enthusiasm for our shared love of good food, good friends, and each other.  This party has gone on for over thirty years with the Murphys, Bonks and many good friends.

Suzanne & Friend Rose Spent a Month in Thailand

Suzanne (20) and her friend Rose spent a month in Thailand last fall absorbing the culture and visiting the area around Chiang Mai.  They rented an apartment and did some touristy things but mostly just enjoyed being there.  This October they are going to Hong Kong, China, and India for six weeks.  Lucky them

Nora Enjoys Volleyball - 2011-12

Nora (15) participated in volleyball at East Junior High this year and had lots of fun with her team-mates and coach.  Going for treats afterward was an added bonus for me when I visited.

I can't figure out how to turn my pics, sorry.

Florida Trip - April 2011

My first trip south on my own without mom or another sidekick went well. I visited with friends then walked the beaches on Sanibel and Captiva for a week. It was relaxing and I now have lots more shells to show for my efforts and no more calluses on my feet.