May 2, 2010 - Camper at the Pavish House

David and I got back into League City late Saturday night with the pop-up camper. We drove to Holly Springs, Arkansas to pick it up from a very nice couple that used it a handful of times in the past 4 years. We were very excited to find our Starcraft 11RT camper for a very reasonable price, in excellent condition. So of course the first thing we did at 9:00 a.m. today was get outside to clean it up.

Since the camper was quartered outside with a cover over it, it was covered in pollen. David and I scrubbed it down with a lot of elbow grease and went over the entire exterior with a fine tooth comb.

It is kind of funny. Two weekends ago we went up to Holly Springs to see the camper to determine if it was one we wanted to purchase. It was sitting outside a pole barn and was set up with the canvas up. It looked like a normal sized camper out in the open like that. Then we got it home and in the drive way and all of a sudden it seemed very tall and immense. David had to get a step ladder out to scrub down the top. I got my scrubbing mop out to work on the clean up.

After hours of scrubbing the outside, bleaching the caulking, washing down the wheels and tires, mopping off the front deck and taking the air conditioning cover off and cleaning out the assembly, we were done with the outside. We were very happy with the exterior condition of the camper.

We then set up the camper and that was quite an adventure. since we weren't really sure what we were doing, we thought it was a good sign when we got everything up and secured in just 45 minutes. :0)

Once we got everything set up, it took just two more hours of cleaning to get the interior scrubbed down and cleaned up. It wasn't that the camper was dirty to begin with, but I went over it really well with the shop vac and wiping every surface down.

I have to say, I can't wait for summer! I want to get out and commune with nature in style. Who knows where we might set up our camper.....it might be your drive way!

April 25, 2010 - Beautiful Sunday Morning

I had my coffee on the patio today. I love sitting out here watching the birds in the water fountain and the plants swaying in the breeze.

I noticed a number of new things flowering in the yard and took pictures of them. How can people not appreciate the beauty of nature and look upon it and see what a miracle it truly is?

I am a fortunate woman to have such beauty around me to appreciate and enjoy.



David works so hard creating these lush vignettes for me to admire. Is it any wonder that we have been together 32 years? He works, I treasure the fruits of his labors :)

April 09, 2010 - Yard Flowers

I love spring!!! 

Our yard is starting to really bloom out and it is looking very pretty. I found the super macro feature of my camera and I am learning how to use it. I think the flowers are beautiful.

March 31, 2010 - Kitchen Is Done

Well it is hard to believe, but the kitchen is FINISHED. I have been able to cook for weeks now, but all the little details like the cabinet handles, the under cabinet lighting, the backsplash, the little details are done!!! We started the process on February 15th, President's day. And it only took a week for the all the big parts to get done. It was a heck of a week for David and the contractors.

After that week, we took some time off since the appliances were back in and working. It was time that David and I both needed to keep our sanity.

Last Saturday, March 27, it took 10 hours for David and me to tile the backsplash, but it was well worth the time and effort. I found out that I love to tile and look forward to my next project (whatever it will be).

Here is a video of the completed project.

February 21, 2010 - Kitchen Remodel

Ok...the kitchen is sorta done. It was finished with all the big stuff Friday afternoon, but for the last 48 hours, David and I have been cleaning out old tupperware, ziplock stuff, getting rid of stuff that has missing pieces, and the things that we have absolutely no idea what it is/was. After 48 hours, I haven't even gotten through half of my boxes.

We also don't have a backsplash or the handles on the cabinets and drawers. This failing is not on my husband's part but mine. I just can't seem to decide on what I want for my backsplash, glass tiles, ceramic tiles, slate, granite, tin, copper, too many choices to make a decision. I am the point where I have way to many options and I have spent hours and gallons of gas going to get samples to bring back to the house and then return them. I just haven't found the thing that makes me say "YES...THAT'S IT!"

As for the drawer and cabinet pulls, I know exactly what I want, I just keep forgetting to pick them up each time I go to Home Depot.

I hurt from the top of my head to my feet. I found muscles I had forgotten I had (and by the way I think there is a law that prevents women over 50 from getting down on the floor and sitting for hours putting things in cabinets and if there isn't, there should be one.) Poor David has to go back to work tomorrow to get some rest from being off this past week. I hate to post pictures until I get it completely finished and do the BIG REVEAL. So hang with me and I hope to have the reveal pictures posted soon.

February 18, 2010 - Kitchen Remodel

Tonight I am exhausted. Let me just say that all my cabinets are in, including the pesky pantry which had to be disassembled, cut down and reassembled along with the over the fridge cabinet. The drawers all open to the left of the pantry too. The granite counter tops are all and look beautiful. Tomorrow the recessed lighting goes in along with the under cabinet lights, the sink light fixture, the ceiling fan, the wood flooring goes in the plumbing in the sink and dishwasher are connected and hopefully, I will have a working kitchen again by Saturday!!! Of course it will take a couple weeks to get everything put back in order, but I will be happy to have a working kitchen again.

February 17, 2010 - Kitchen Remodel

Ok...today we hit our first glitch. The day started well with Gary and Dave coming to the house and putting texture on the ceiling and walls. Next they started working on putting the base cabinets in place. It all seemed like it was going really well. I have two beautiful corner lazy susan cabinets. My kitchen sink will finally after 28 years be centered on the wall and under the kitchen window, instead of 5 inches off to the left. David and Gary started placing the cabinets along the outside wall of the kitchen and got to the last two cabinets when all of a sudden the calculations were off by an inch.

Now an inch may not sound like much, but believe me that inch ended up being about an hour and a half of discussion and debate. If you look closely at the picture to the right, you will see my new cabinet pantry that goes from floor to ceiling. Somehow that pantry sticks out about 3/4 of an inch past the wall on the left hand side which wouldn't be a problem if we  had that inch along the back wall of the kitchen that we seemed to have lost. But as it is with the missing inch, the bank of drawers on the back wall won't open because they don't clear the doors of the pantry.  Oh lordy...that had really caused a dilemma because it would take at least a week to order and receive a new narrower drawer cabinet, which means that the granite can't be installed tomorrow and the project get put on hold. It also means that I have dust, dirt and chaos for another week or more at my home. I really don't believe my sanity can take another week or more of this mess just waiting for one stinking cabinet....I mean, were the heck did that stinking inch go?  We measured that back wall at least 100 times, and the cabinets at least 50, but as hard as I and the men folks searched, that inch was just gone.

So as the men folks debated, discussed, drew, discoursed and detailed possible ways around the issue, I asked why they couldn't just take an inch off the back of the pantry so it would be back far enough for the drawers to open? Then after another 45 minutes to an hour, they finally decided that taking an inch off the back of the pantry was the way to go and it would allow the project to continue!!! That means that tomorrow, my granite counters are going to be installed and my upper cabinets installed. Then on Friday my wood floors and appliances should be installed and the general clean up done.

So barring other unforeseen issues cropping up, or more inches going missing, I might have a kitchen by Friday yet. But, hey....if it takes one or two additional days, I won't be complaining because I will still have a completely new kitchen in under 10 days. LOL

February 16, 2010 - Kitchen Remodel

It is really hard to believe that an entire kitchen can fit into a small dumpster like this one. This picture represents my old kitchen, the cabinets, the tile floor, the dry wall, the insulation, the counter tops .... everything. Many happy meals were made in that old kitchen. Many happy gatherings occurred there over it's 27 year existence. Many friends poured glasses of wine, soda, ice tea, and coffee in that room with the fake butcher block counter tops and natural oak cabinets that I thought were the cat's meow back in 1982, when we bought the house. I loved how that kitchen looked.  

Today when I returned home from work, the dry wall has been installed and Dave and Gary were getting ready to tape and mud the walls. My David has been watching over the process as the guys work. I am so glad that he took this week off and is handling the decision making throughout the process. It makes me anxious just coming home to the chaos. 

I have to say, that while this is a very messy and unsettling adventure it hasn't been the nightmare I thought it might turn out to be. I have heard many tales of remodeling woe from friends that have been through the process so I guess in my head I assumed it would be much worse than it has been. Right now the biggest headache, and I mean that literally, has been the dust and dirt that seems never ending. I truly feel as though  a few pounds of concrete and plaster dust have taken up residence in my sinus and nasal cavities. I am afraid if I blow my nose too hard, I could accidentally kill someone with miniature concrete musket balls being expelled like bb-s from my nose. 

It also seems that in the morning when I drink my coffee, my palate detects not only the aroma and flavors of finely ground Colombian coffee beans, but also a hint of drywall plaster 1981. My morning cup of coffee may never be the same after we finish the kitchen. I have an entirely new appreciation for the little things that I so arrogantly took for granted like morning coffee, silverware, dinner on real plates, drinks from glasses, etc.

The other thing  I spend quite a bit of time doing is dusting off surfaces in the house. As soon as I dust though, it seems futile because with an hour later, there is a "not so fine" film of dust that has again settled on the tops of the furniture. I swear I think I will be cleaning dust and dirt for months from this project and it gets absolutely EVERYWHERE! 

Tomorrow is Wednesday and we will be halfway through the remodel...so hopefully when I get home from work, my cabinets will be installed. I can hardly wait to see it.

February 15, 2010 - Kitchen Remodel

David has taken this week off and is working with our contractor, Dave Vice and his worker, Gary. Today, they cut the opening in the wall for the pass-through. They got all the new wiring done for the pot lights that will be in the ceiling. The new wiring for the wall opening and the under cabinet lighting was also done. After they got the wiring done, they installed all the new insulation.

While I am really excited about the remodel, I have found I am not as pliable to chaos as I was when  I was younger. Not being able  to use my living room and dining area have left me floundering. Tonight, I got the grilled chicken from KFC and we had to eat in the bedroom because there was nowhere else to sit down and have dinner. We were both to tired to get cleaned up to go out for dinner.

Everything is covered with plastic to protect it from the plaster and concrete dust. The floors are coated with the same dust and debris. My dining room table may never be the same after this experience since it has become the catch all for tools, drinks, drawings, and other assorted paraphernalia. I also have a sneaking suspicion that when this project is done, there will be a number of weekends where I will be cleaning up the lose ends and dealing with other little projects that will have to be dealt with because of the new kitchen. But those are the kinds of projects I can deal with because everything else will be back in its place.

February 14, 2010 - Kitchen Remodel

Last Wednesday, my kitchen and dining room at my home looked like the pictures above. Then on Friday, Feb. 12th, we got a dumpster delivered to the house.

Saturday, February 13th, saw much destruction in that area. Josiah came over at around 9:30 this morning to help David and I work on demolishing the entire kitchen area. After 6 hours of work, the results are below.

If all goes as planned, by next Friday, February, 19th, I should have an entirely new kitchen. The plan is to open the wall up between the kitchen and dining area. I hope that by the end of the process, I will have a much more open floor plan in the house. It is exciting to see the changes I have thought about for years finally moving toward completion. Each day I am going to post the newest photos on my blog.

Jan. 16, 2010 - Pop's Hospital Saga Continues, Patty's Birthday

It is 1:04 a.m. and I am sitting with pop in his hospital room at Christian Northeast. He got out of ICU two days ago, but I wasn't here because I came down with a temperature and sinus headache. He was moved into a nice semi-private room on the 9th floor where the nurses are wonderful, but overworked. They have about six patience each to attend which doesn't sound like much but most of them are recovering surgical patience's like dad so they need a lot of attention.

Today the doctors ordered a PCXR, video swallow to see if dad could keep the food and drink from entering his brochi, but he failed the test, so he has to remain on a feeding tube for at least another two days. This so depressed dad that he was difficult to deal with for most of the day. Nothing made him happy...nothing satisfied him. Not that I can blame him. He thought that he would only be in the hospital 3-5 days and we are on day 9 and it doesn't look like he will be making it home anytime in the next 4 or 5 days. Sometimes, especially late at night when I am sitting with pop here in the hospital, I can't help but wonder if this has been worth it to him. Is the possible extra months worth the agony he has been fighting through for the last 8 days? I selfishly think "yes", but as I watch him struggling to get snatches of rest as he labors to breath, I think "maybe not".

Today, we will celebrate my sister Patty's birthday. She is older than me by 18 months. I feel bad that she will not be with her husband and children to celebrate, and is instead going to be relieving me in a few short hours. Patty did double duty here at Pop's bedside when I got sick, staying 14-18 hours at a time. Neither she or I are as young as we like to think we are and our age is quickly catching up to us.

Jan. 12, 2010 - ICU Vigil Continues

I arrived at the ICU unit in Christian Northeast Hospital in St. Louis, MO at about 8:00 tonight. I had already talked to my older sister and my younger sister on the phone so I knew that dad's pathology reports were back and that dad had been diagnosed with non-small cell squamous carcino of the lung in stage 2. He looks stronger tonight then he has for the past 3 days.

When I entered his ICU room, Dr. Doerr was talking to dad about what the prognosis was for his type of lung cancer and what options he has open to him. But at 84 years of age, dad isn't sure he wants to do anything but go home. My brother, sisters and I all agree with his decision, but if he decides to change his mind when he is stronger and feels better, we will support that too.

After Dr. Doerr left, dad talked to us girls more than he has in days. He asked for his rosary, which he made me put in my purse before we left the house last Thursday to come to the hospital for the surgery to remove the tumor. He hasn't wanted it though until tonight. As I sit here blogging on the computer, dad is saying his rosary, as he sits in the chair by his bed. He has a couple less tubes coming from his body, as during the day, they removed one of the drainage lines from pops lung, but the posterior line is remaining in place for a while. They also put a picc line in because pop's veins in his arms are collapsing and hard to hit when trying to start new IVs.

I will be glad when they remove the feeding tube from his nose so he doesn't sound like he is all stuffed up in the head when he talks to us. It makes it a little difficult to understand what he needs talking around that line in his throat. Hopefully if he continues to strengthen, they will be able to remove it in the next day or so.

All of the staff here at Christian have been absolutely wonderful. The night nurse, Mona was fabulous with dad and felt so awful when she couldn't get a new IV started. She was the one that requested that a PICC be inserted so that dad wouldn't have to go through getting stuck again like that. Jauna took over for Mona around 7:00 this morning and she flirted and joked with dad all morning. She even got him to chuckle a few times.  I have written it before and I will write it again, "thank God for the wonderful people that work here at Christian Northeast".

Jan. 11, 2010

Well it is 3:55 a.m., a lonely, solitary time when sitting in an ICU room with a fragile, ailing father. In the back round there is the quiet chatter of the ICU nurses and attendants as they go about their business caring for the very ill. Even though they have very stressful and demanding jobs, the staff here at Christian Northeast Hospital in St. Louis, MO are a very cheery and caring staff.

Tonight, dad has been hallucinating quite a bit. Thirty minutes ago, we had a conversation about my dead mother being in the room along with my grandmother and others that have departed this world, as they performed the First Noel, or so it was in dad's mind. He knew exactly where he was and who I was, but he was seeing things that I was not seeing and hearing things that I did not hear.

After being in ICU 3 days now, I guess it isn't that unusual for patients to hallucinate, but I dread these conversations because in the past when dad hallucinated, it was an indicator of worse things to come. I hope that this is not a repeat of last summer's hospital visit.

Well, the ICU nurse has come to do dad's morning blood work and take his blood sugar, so I most go for now.