Holiday Home Tour

We had a nice turnout for the 3rd Annual Whitehouse Community Library Holiday Home Tour last Sunday. Numbers were a little bit down, I think, from past years. In part, it was due to the weather. We finally got some snow and of course it started right at 1 pm when the tour started and by 2 it was really coming down. At our house, we took turns shoveling the front steps.

We not only got the house decorated nicely, but it forced us to get several much needed fix-it/do it projects done. Since we didn't exactly finish the house 15 years ago when we finally moved in, we're now faced with repairs and finishing all at the same time. Among the 'do it' jobs were painting all the closet doors (only one left to do--the pocket door on the pantry), putting up a hand rail on the basement stairs, and trimming the bathtubs. Tom got them all up, now they all need to be painted. I hid several of the ickier looking trims with old woolen Pendelton coats. Yep, buffalo plaid was my decorating scheme. Among the repair jobs was to rebuild the bottom two basement steps. When we had the new floor with hot water heat added, the steps ended up being the wrong height. He made a new set and they look terrific and work terrifically.

And now that the Tour is over, and the house is clean and decorated, I actually got to spend some time sewing up jammie bottoms for the great nieces/nephews. 5 pairs down, 6 to go. I stumbled upon the world's easiest, one piece pattern so I can do one pair in less than an hour. Since the kids will all outgrown these jammies in a month or two, I really whipped through them--no pinked or finished seams, etc., etc.. If only I had some elastic here. Oh well, guess I'll have to make another trip to the fabric shop. After all, I used up my first coupon, and have one that's only good for the weekend. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Another Birdie Day

This could become addicting--siting on the back deck while the birds buzz my head. It was so warm again today that I spent as much time outside as I could. That included catching up on some reading on the back deck. The birds must really be hungry because they just couldn't stay away. This is a pic from last winter, by the way, but I don't have any with no snow. I was quite surprised at the activity~~almost frenzied. And the birds really could have cared less about me sitting there. In the winter we let the kids sit on the deck with seed in their hats and wait for the chickadees to dine. I've rearranged the feeders in my never ending attempt to keep the squirrels and raccoons out. So far--no coons. They must not be desperate yet. But now the chipmunks have invaded. If they weren't so dang cute.

Later in the afternoon I was doing some computer work on the front porch, and saw the hawk cruise through the woods just across the street. Couldn't id it, but I'm guessing red-tail. It's been hanging around so I'm hoping it stays all winter.

On another note, the Whitehouse Library Holiday Home Tour is one month from today--had to believe with such great weather. And Sunday we set up the trains for the Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas. Way before Christmas this year!

Getting Ready for the Bout

My Christmas shopping is 99.32% finished, the stockings are hung, I can't find the special treat we brought back from Montana just yet, but everything else is coming along. So it must be time for. . . . ROLLER DERBY! Yep, its time for the Glass City Rollers second home bout. Seagate Center, 7:00 Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, tickets available in several Toledo locations. I picked a lime green shirt at the thrift shop tonight, and felt to make banners for each of the girls--really cheesy ones, of course. I'm still amazed that I like this so much. Must be my alter-ego at work.

The Whitehouse Library Home Tour was loverly again. Raised some good money for a good cause. I'm pretty seriously considering having our house in the tour next year. Unless 6 other homeowners just jump at the chance, I'll do it. This year, I'm keeping it simple. Just the bestest ornaments and a few garlands. Okay, there is my Yooper Christmas Village that's taken on a life of its own. YooperVille and ranger-y stuff cover my cutting table, which is taking up all of my foyer, the Acadia Cool Damp & Foggy Village is on the buffet, and there are some other pieces here and there. I could only find one new piece that I liked this year, and a bunch of new people, including Rangers on horseback. They do need to be 'snow painted' though so they fit in. I'll have my crafty corner up and maybe running by Christmas. DH and newest nephew-in-law worked all afternoon in the basement again today. DH has put in a couple of hours here and there. I'm hoping the paneling goes up in the Crafty corner tomorrow or the next day. I'm taking over then. The drywall is up for the 'river portage' wall mural. Yours truly just has to mud and tape the seams and holes. Arg. We have 7 years experience doing this. All 7 years were spent trying to finish the kitchen ceiling in the old house. Finally, I just painted the dang thing, dimples and all. Hey when the house is over 160 years old, who cares about drywall dimples?

I've also been offering unsolicited advice for my daughter's Etsy Store. If you actually prefer handcrafted, made in the USA gifts, check out Etsy and BadAmyKnits. Tons of cool stuff.

Back to Those October Random Thoughts

Here's the update on October's Random Thoughts:

The new Nevada Barr Book is okay. She's experimenting with other writing styles, and this one is okay for folks who like this style. It doesn't have any of her incredible, descriptive prose of the parks and without that, the story leaves me wanting. It's also about how poorly the juvenile justice system works--or doesn't work--and that's always hard to read. I know we all need to stretch our wings and try new things, but Nevada: bring back that rascally Ranger Anna!

We have 6 homes lined up for the Whitehouse Library Country Christmas Home Tour and yours truly is off the hook! Yea! I'd really like to do it some time, so maybe next year. That is if we get the basement finished, the upstairs, and well--same old same old.

Speaking of birthdays (we weren't) I got Tom a new brad nailer for his birthday. And I got me a new chain saw--cool. Don't have time to use either one yet, because of Niece's wedding plans, but soon. Speaking of wedding plans, K2, the groom, isn't here yet. Yeah, that's stressful. If he doesn't leave Texas in the next 2 days, he'll miss his own wedding. Swell. It'll be a wonderful, small wedding and much nicer with him here.

Cleaning Time Again

For a house that hasn't been fully lived in for nearly 3 months the place is a mess. Yep, there were dirty clothes and linens to be washed (even tho DH said he did them all), and little annoying stuff had to be done--like put the dish ware back where it belongs, ditch the 4 month old food in the 'fridge and so on. But alas, I repeat myself.

So yesterday and today was work on basement and outside day. I could barely move when I went to bed last night. But my alleged flower beds are weeded, some of the pine needles are raked up, and most of the camp boxes are back where they spend the winter. Well, all but DH and FTD's boxes--they are definitely cut from the same cloth--both oblivious slobs. Ah, well. . . .

And I know why 'taupe' is such a popular color for houses--it's the same color as fly and spider poop. Dang for such little critters they sure can pile it up!! And why oh why do they have to use my front porch when there's 4000 acres of real honest to goodness woods out there!?!?!?

I'm also trying to get caught up on upcoming projects--basement of course, and the Whitehouse Holiday Home Tour scheduled for Dec. 13 this year. If my next door neighbor opens her home for the tour, I'll do ours also. That means I have to get rid of my entire family for a week, so that could be tricky. We'll see. Last year's event was terrific. Good fundraiser for the local library.

So back to the yard--I sure know why condos are sooooo appealing! The downside would be having to share the view from my front porch. . . hm m m m .....