Howdy out there in Blogland.
Reminding myself that it is still Summer,
I could have easily worn a sweater this morning while taking Lil Miss to school. The Town Temp Sign blinked 50 degrees at 8 o'clock this morning. The air smells so fresh and clean. Time to take a deep breath and exhale ahhhhh.
By the sounds of it, the locust are buzzing indicating that hotter weather will be coming along by mid afternoon.
Husband had turned the window unit air conditioner on and I had to turn it off. Way too cold in the house. Opening the window will allow fresh air into our HOME for this morning. Crickets are chirping early morning tunes with the birds. I can hear our Airedale scampering in the backyard. Almost sounds like a person hammering on a project.
A wonderful blessing today. Soft blue skies with no wind.
Beautiful morning here in my corner of the world.
Peaceful. The Church Bells chime on the hour. Small town treasures to enjoy. That's for me.
What shall I fix for Supper? Think we'll have left-overs with a Salad. It's Tuesday. Tuesday night supper made easy after a very busy three day week-end in which we celebrated our Wedding Anniversary.
Hoping to hang the Autumn Wreaths on the doors. We're getting our money's worth from these wreaths that I use year after year after year and enjoy seeing. I purchased them a while back and store them in colored coded round wreath boxes out in the garage. Each time I enter through the door of our HOME, the bright splashes of Autumn color grace the entrance into our old stone house. Such a lot of pleasure from a simple wreath.
These simple things add contentment to my 'ole heart. Being weary doesn't belong. SO much turmoil out there in the world that I don't care for it to come inside of our HAVEN.
KITCHEN UPDATE: Over the week-end, Husband and I agreed to stay HOME so he could work on our Kitchen. Making progress. There has been so much to do on it. By Christmas I pray that I will have a completed Kitchen to prepare sweets in and cook our Turkey in a full size oven. Tadaaah. Oh, the things we have made in our torn up Kitchen over the past 6 years. KITCHENS are a necessary room to have. I have grown an appreciation for CROCK POT COOKING like never before. With a Micro-wave, a Crock Pot, miniature Oven and Skillet much can be fixed. Running water and a sink is a must.
We bought Hardy Backer Board for the floor to lay tile on when the time comes. Hubby laid the majority of the board down this week-end. I'm cheering him on. He has done so much on our old stone palace. Proud of him. We bought the ceramic tile about 6 years ago. She is quietly waiting in the garage. Soon, the white fridge will be moved from the Dining room into our newly tiled Kitchen. This will be a d a y t o d a n c e when my fridge is no longer in the Dining room. It will not take me long to get use to not seeing our fridge in the Dining room. Praise the Lord. Fridges belong in Kitchens. I am humbled by all of these projects that are a major part of LIFE ON THE PRAIRIE inside our HOME HAVEN.
Humbled.
This time in life reminds me a lot like being newly weds starting to build a life together. Though we have been married 39 years....I sometimes feel like I am just starting out. The ongoing home projects have been c h a l l e n g i n g. I stay busy amongst the messes. It's amazing that I am not having fits. Deanna here has had fits before while waiting for projects to get completed in other houses. I'd get so tired of waiting. For some reason I'm not having these fits. Believe it is by God's GRACE and some maturity on my part that I am wearing better.
Who'd thunk it...that it would take 6 and a half years for our Kitchen to be revamped? God knew. We started out with such high hopes that the Kitchen would be the first to get an over haul after we moved into our Stone Palace. LIFE got in the way... sort of speak. Life does that doesn't it? Because we are living creatures living life. grins. So much for being philosophical. What we thought we'd get done first was moved further down the list than we had originally planned. Patience my Dear. Patience.
Other very important things have taken place during this long haul. I shake my head when thinking about the projects that have come before the Kitchen. Done. It is almost too much for me to wrap my head around. Completed.
I think the good Lord wanted us to find a slower pace of LIFE here in this old house nestled in a very small Flint Hills community where Life is what it is. He has had His Hand in all of this and I believe that He wanted us to find more healing here for our own marriage with what comes to parents from a Daughter's challenges with being abandoned by her husband, helping to raise a granddaughter, some health issues, bumpy financial challenges and preparing for retirement down the road.
The house projects have not gone as planned... as we planned, but believe God had plans of His own for us and so the plans are ever changing. Not predictable. Can I relax knowing that God has other plans for us? I need to trust Him.
The Utility room was the first to be beautified. Under the floor work was orchestrated. Plumbing completed. Floor tiled and nice coat rack built. Walls bead boarded, trim down, room painted. Ceiling light changed out. Washer and Dryer relocated to make room more functional. First room ready to roll. No more doing laundry at the Mat. Hauling baskets of dirty laundry was a task. I would do my best to make it fun, but was relieved that the laundry could now be done at home one load at a time.
Then our roof on the garage and two story house would be shingled but not before the many layers of ancient shingles were removed. Heave hoe. Husband up on the roof through out a very hot also rainy Summer. He grew a beard full of grey hair. Before roofing was completed rain stained our bedroom ceiling that would have to be repaired. She will get textured before long. Waiting.
The old front porch that disintegrated before our eyes, had to have attention right away. The old porch was torn out and a new porch with new columns were put into place. Painted and admired. A few children's toys were found in the dirt under the porch. I suppose that these children had hours of fun hiding out under the porch playing while using their imaginations with marbles, toy gun, and a metal soldier.
Racing against time to get a old out dated boiler removed before snow fell, a new boiler was put in. Major ordeal. He-man had to build a special floor in Mechanical room to lift old boiler out of small space that it occupied. He managed but not without prayer on how to get this boiler out and a new one in.
A new electric hot water heater came to live here with us as well. It was during this time that Deanna was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer and had two surgeries plus Radioactive Ablation. PAUSE.
The Family room walls were cleaned of ancient wallpaper and the plaster walls that needed repaired got a facelift. New rolls of wallpaper are hidden behind the overstuffed chair waiting for a hands on experience to take place. When it takes place will be when it takes place. An entertainment/bookshelf unit was built. Bead board covered the wall by the stairs.
New Porch lights were installed. The small Guest room was bead boarded to add some country charm. Still waiting to put my work clothes on and tackle this paint job. Different Chandeliers were hung in four rooms.
Dog kennels were relocated in the back yard. The backyard fence needed replaced. That meant rebuilding. A flower bed went in. A old Parlour door that matches the Dining room door was repaired and replaced the front door. Also a different bathroom door was installed. So much nicer than what was there.
My Husband did the BRUNT OF ALL THIS WORK plus worked a full time job and has taken care of an ailing wife. I am in awe of him. As I type this, I am exhausted reading what has taken place.
oh. my. goodness. now he is building new Kitchen cabinets and revamping all the details needed. PAUSE. PAUSE. PAUSE.
I am his side kick. Do what ever he needs done. Take pictures, hold boards, shop for materials and come up with ideas, do paper work, etc. Just tell me what you need Honey and I will fetch it.
I have the easier of the two jobs that's for sure.
Today, I will make the beds, do some laundry. Wash some dishes. Hopefully scrape the paint off the Parlour window above the door. Thin out some children's coloring books and make them ready to go to a thrift shop. Wrap some Christmas presents. Sweep off the front porch. Do some paper work, do some cleaning, pay some bills and take a long coffee break before picking Lil Miss up from school. Prayer time given.
I will be giving Thanks for my Husband that I have been married to for 39 years. 39 reasons to say I LOVE YOU. I appreciate our marriage. I appreciate this man.
Dear Ones out there...I hope your day will be pleasant and you take a coffee break, sip some tea or just put your feet up a bit.
I can hear the harmonious humming of locust now as if the heat of the day is scorching the air. Leaves are already starting to fall off of the trees as Autumn approaches. Better go.
Late Summer Blessings to you.
d
