WOW!

Tom and I would never have thought of piecing the tile together this way - and I LOVE IT! I love the Art Deco/Frank Lloyd Wright look to it!

The colors didnt come out well in this photo tho....

PS

Since it is supposed to rain again this week, someone (dang, and who could that someone be??) decided we should start prepping for a garden. So we took all of these....

From here. This will become a second veggie bed.

Why didnt we do this when the kids were younger and still at home - while we still have 'free' labor? Instead of waiting until we were old?

This was about 1.5 hours of work - 3 breaks worth......and there is still so much brick left in this ugly yard....

Weekend and blather

What is it and left knees in this family? My daughter just called and apparently she 'did a mom' last night and fell chasing a suspect - when she didnt see the low chain link fence! Makes me think of a story she once laughed at - when my cousin was a cop and he didnt see the chain across the driveway.....anyway I guess her wrist is pretty sore and her knee is banged up....

This was something I have never seen before. This was at the Joe DiMaggio (or as my hubby calls him - 'cugino') Playground in SF North Beach. And they are playing soccer on inline skates!

My favorite church in SF on Washington Square. I think it is so beautiful - yet I dont think I have ever been in it before. And arent these hollyhocks gorgeous? You dont see them much anymore.

My SIL's grandfather was one of the owners of this restuarant in SF. Decided to take some photos for my grandsons.

The topsy-turvey cherry tomatoe plant is doing well. The bell pepper not so well. But I heard that farmers int he area are complaining that so much rain is preventing them from planting their bell peppers so I think all the rain has caused our to rot. Saw some heirloom tomatoes today that I am dying to get and plant!

New basil plant. Had some spaghetti and fresh tomato dish last night that was so like the one we make but they use fresh basil in it and I think that is what made the difference. So we will try it that way this year!

Replacment parsley - curly and flat.

A columbine plant - such a pretty plant. Dont recall ever seeing them for sale before - must not ever have noticed.

Well, hubby was going to get a compost bin for Fathers Day - was going to have to order one cause we couldnt find one to buy like he wanted. Today we found it ($50 less than the one I was going to order!!!).

One of the two planters our front that I pplanted with pansies. I love pansies. They are such a happy plant.

Got the stove pulled out, and the bricks cleaned off. Son's friend comes tomorrow to re-tile. We are still waiting on the wall mount that we ordered. And I think our shelves and mantel are pretty close to done - the neighbor was going to finish sanding them yesterday and take them to be sprayed. I think he is perplexed that we dont want them stained. But the LR/DR/kitchen are on the dark side of the house so I prefer light wood for those rooms. My very favorite wood is cherry - but even the light cherry might have been too dark (and besides, way too expensive). I cant wait for all that to be done.

Then we work on new LR furniture. I wanted a small couch and 2 recliner chairs - now hubby is talking about another recliner couch! Geez. After that we will think about some window treatments.

I scheduled myself on a summer schedule (I think it is July) to do a dreaded 4 day in a row. Yikes. But it will give me mucho days off to hopefully paint the bedroom. And then we can decide on wood (wide ones) blinds or wood shutters. And then maybe finally get the upstairs 'office' done.

Wonder how much of this we will finally finish???

And if it ever stops raining (they are calling for more rain this week) we can get to work on the garden. And some time or other work on the back yard in general.

New Find

On my ME Day I only had time to go to one of my favorite thrift shops. I found this pitcher - have never seen anything like it before. No markings on it. Didnt really plan on spending that much money - but I had to have it because it was so different!

Chatter

Well, I have surpassed my minimum goal for my walk - thanks to a co-worker who apologized for her 'small' donation! Made me laugh when I saw it - I thought it was very substantial!
Still trying to raise money for a very awesome day.

My junkmail account has been compromised. So I am trying to get rid of it by changing things to another email address. Some are important enough to go to my personal email - but I want another junk mail acct and I jsut cannot think of a name for it - any suggestions?

The rian has stopped I believe - hubby it at jury duty - I have a day off - and it is all MINE now! whoooeee! First time in months! And of course before he goes he tells me that so-and-so will be dropping something off for him - and someone is coming by to look at a job to make a bid and I need to be home for that.....grrr......so I will be leaving momentarily to do some ME errands!

Have my bra almost done - well, knit except for the straps. So now I want to find some breast cancer charms to decorate it - and I cannot find any! Typical. Am going to try another store in a few moments and see if they have any. Then I have a few more stores to try....

It is so fun to see our new bookshelves and mantel coming along in the driveway next door. Our neighbor is a carpenter - who actually started out as a cabinet maker - and he is a true artist.
I cant wait till they are in place. But before that the fireplace needs to be tiled and my hubby doesnt think he can do it now with his knee problem (which is much better after the cortisone shot). So that is who is coming over this afternoon to look at the job - a friend of son's.....

And then, if it stops raining long enough, maybe we can get started on our garden. Hubby planted 2 topsy turvey's this week - a cherry tomato and a bell pepper. But the pepper plant doesnt look healthy at all......He also planted 6 strawberry plants - which, considering where he planted them, I think will turn into a buffet for the squirrels. Oh, and after years of wanting a watermelon - and hubby saying "no, there isnt enough room" - guess what he bought and planted? Yep, a watermelon....

Talk about feeling All American. I saw in the paper today that the 191st Army Band will be doing a concert here on July 3d. Thought about talking it over with hubby - but when I went to the site and saw that the tickets are FREE - I just went ahead and got them! That should really put us into a 4th of July mood! Hmmm, now I just hope I am off that weekend....

Harry Connick Jr is going to be here in September for the Wente concert series. Wouldnt mind going to hear him. But I think we are on vacation then - and I am sure he will sell out quickly.

Bras For The Cause Walk

Wow - look at my counter! Less than 4 weeks until the walk. And not much more training done thanks to the weather! Oh well...
Took another fall - this time was chasing my grandson as he ran from his baseball field to the one his brother was playing at. Didnt notice the uneven pavement - and I have been really really good at looking at the ground since last May! - only scrapes and bruises - just on my LEFT knee

(why is it always my left??) and my hands. Altho the knee hurt pretty badly off and on yesterday it is fine today - it is my right hand that hurts the most. And boy, did it knock the breath out of me! Still hoping for more donations. No one else has signed up for the team this year, which is disappointing cause I wanted our team to do even better than last year. Oh well, I will still have fun out there - and I plan on not damaging myself!

Time to get going on my bra decorations. Still have not had any inspirations. Any suggestions???

Disneyland oops and new things

Ok Disney - you use to be the Gold Standard. Cant you at least clean the algae out of your fountains in front of your very very expensive Grand Californian Hotel???

The Rivers of the World, or whatever it is called, was closed down, as was Tom Sawyer Island and the ships. And of course no Fantasmic. Interesting to see a drained river! One gentleman next to us on the train was talking about how worried he was about all the ducks that called this home since it was egg laying time...

Mulholland ummm....whatever....not sure how many times this broke down. Not as much as another ride outside our window. I think these smaller rides just got plain tired! The only 'big' ride that we saw break down was Pirates one time....

New stuff in California Adventure. The best part - Cars Land - of course is going to take the longest to be done!

Even Disneyland resorts to duct tape....at lease they try to color coordinate it!

Got to watch them working on the new World of Color (or whatever it is called) in the early mornings....they did practice runs too which hubby had fun watching...

I wanna go back!

I am soooooo cold! I cant believe that jsut 2 days ago I was sitting by a pool and sweating to death! And I think that is why I am so cold - such a change in weather.

Oh, I wish we had gone to Hawaii! But we went to Disneyland in the 5th week of their Spring Break busy-ness. But it was the only chance to use up some DVC points before they expired and it was nice. We got on every ride we wanted - some more than once. Ate some favulous food....the filet mignon at Blue Bayou was soooooooooooo tender you could have cut it with your fork! And It literally melted in your mouth! And rested at pool side soaking up sun.....Sigh, it was nice.

Look at what is coming to California Adventure! No, not old guys.....the Red lIne trolley cars are coming....eventually.

Must be spring time cause there were baby ducks in the Castle ponds!

I knew I could get him to wear his Geezer slippers eventually....

See? It was sunny and hot! And all the umbrellas were already taken. This was the 2d day we were at the pool. The first day we suffered in the sun because they wouldnt raise the umbrella's because there was a "high wind advisory"....even tho it was for the night before and that AM...and there was not even the smallest breath of a breeeze....by the time they went around raising the umbrellas our section was already in the shade and we didnt need them any more!

Interesting to sit around the pool and watch the attitudes of so many parents. Clearly posted were the "No Lifeguards on Duty Signs" as well as the signs that the spa was not to be used by children withou supervision. And yet here were little kids, many of them who should have been the life vests and werent, and many who were in - who appeared to think the spa was jsut another pool for jumping in and diving in, and swimming under water. And no parents in sight....

Oh well, will have some more photos up soon. Just wanted to whine about the wind and the cold after 4 days in the sun & fun!

Does this remind you of anyone? Ya THINK?

Borrowed from www.drgrumpyinthehouse.blogspot.com. (Click to make larger).

Easter 2010

For some reason, Blogger or the Internet is not letting me post all the Easter photos I wanted. So here are some of them.

The little-est guy - after eating - with pierogies and all wiped thru his hair. But I dont see chocolate on him so this must be before dessert. He was tired but still a happy guy.

The oldest, fanning, well, the oldest. After he was done cooking all the pierogies and we were waiting for the asparagus to steam and the sausage to cook.

Another shot of the little guy.

The middle child - middle children are very special people. He was hiding from me so I wouldnt take his photo - ha ha ha!

I cant believe how big he has gotten. 7 years old and look at him stretched out here. Seems like jsut a week or two ago he was the little elf baby.

The photos I cant upload are from the indoor egg hunt. It was very cold and windy yesterday - and pouring down rain. All the boys went to see the new Dragon movie, while mommy, and the baby and I went looking at bikes.

It is pouring again today. Hopefully it will be nice in Southern Ca since we are going to visit Mickey tomorrow and come back Friday. Dont really care how busy it is - we are using up points before we lose them, and since we were there twice last year, not really necessary to hit all the rides - jsut take it easy and be lazy! Hot tub time I hope! And hopefully we dont feel any aftershocks after yesterday's earthquake!

Missed our other grandkids but saw photos of them and it looks like they had fun which is good!