Good to be home---getting my groove back

I have been trying hard to get back in the groove---with some difficulty.  I had classes at home this week so that helped and yesterday I finally got in the dye pots and plan to do a lot of that next week in preparation for the Warsaw hook-in on Sept. 8th and my upcoming fall workshops.

It is now Sunday morning and I did manage two partial days in the dye pots---not feeling quite my energetic self.  Went out yesterday morning for what i hoped would be an hour run in preparation for my 10K run on Sept. 16th---I ran out of gas after 50 minutes and walked the end.  Oh well, there is still time.

My husband got home on Friday night after a long 3 day drive home from California.  It is good to have him back home.  Last Monday when he was finishing up his last project on Chelsea's house he cut his thumb with a table saw and ended up in the emergency room and delayed his start home by a day.  we still have to unpack his truck of all the tools---not a fun job!

These are some pictures of the kitchen being painted---the color is called pistachio---yum, my favorite ice cream flavor!

These are the little windows that were uncovered by removing old wood panelling---Doug built all the moulding and we both stripped the window.  What an improvement!


Here is a picture of a rug that was hooked by Marie---it is Edyth O"Neill's Ipswich with the border added---I think she did a great job---her color plan was based on a rug that another student Peggy had hooked so I give them both a lot of credit---good job girls!!!

When I was in California I did get to have dinner with my sister Barbara and her friend Rock---it was good to see her---you look great sis!!!

Doug and I went to napa on the Monday before I flew home---here he is enjoying a taste of wine.

Here are some pictures of the outside of the house---these two little windows previously were board up on the outside as well.

Okay that is it for trying to catch up---it is a cloudy overcast day here in Kansas, but it is tome to get something done for the day---maybe back in the dye pots!

Flying home today

Well my Oakland time has come to an end---a lot got done but there is still more lots to do.  My husband is staying another week to finish up some more things and will be doing the three day drive home without me.

We did get to go up to Napa on Monday and came home on Tuesday---it was a nice little break and we enjoyed our time there.

There is still much packing and moving to do as we spent most of our time working in the house and needed the room without all their things but the time has come to at least move some of the larger pieces in the truck this weekend.

Kitchen is primed and ready to be painted---they have chosen to do the walls in Pistachio as well as the upper cabinets---lower cabinets and trim in an soft white.

This is a messy view of the dining room looking in to the living room---there are two of the little windows that had been boarded over with wood paneling---we are stripping them and adding new moulding around the windows.


Well I am making this a short post as it is time to head to the airport---home sweet home awaits!

Working in Oakland

Well it has been almost a week since we arrived in California---it was a three day drive during which time I was sick with a sinus attack the whole way here.  Unfortunately I have had a major bout with congestion for over a week now which doesn't seem to want to go away.  I thought I was going to die going through the high elevations.  I did manage to hook on my daughter's pillows even though I felt horrible as it helped pass the time.  Here is what I managed to get done on the road.

Although this is not my normal thing to hook it is her style so I enjoyed doing it.  Although it looks black in the picture is is actually cordovan or dark burgundy black in the centers of the hexagon to match her Chesterfield sofa.

I have spent days scraping kitchen cabinets---the cabinets were painted improperly and the latex paint scraped off in places with your fingernail---other places required more effort.  It would have been easier if they had just left things alone.   It made me very cranky---it is getting closer to being ready to wash down and begin to prime.  We are also building some new cabinets as well as adding some new trims  and mouldings.  Today the kitchen sink decided to plug up and after many hours of my husband trying to fix it we ended up having to call a plumber---roto rootered it and fixed the pipes back together. 

Now it is Wednesday...

Last night their neighborhood had a block party in the street so that was fun for them to get to meet their neighbors---a very mixed group of people---good food too.  The sister of the woman who lived in the house they bought, "Vi" just live two doors down to the left.

I'm sorry this post seems so disjointed---we just got internet at her house last night---yeah for the internet!

Yesterday we went out for a late breakfast and I ordered red flannel hash---so yummy, beets, potatoes, bacon and onions with two poached eggs---yum!

I need to take some pictures of the house today so I can have some progress pictures---I am looking forward to the finish but it seems a long way off---hopefully I will see the kitchen come to a finish before I head home next Wednesday.

The weather here has been a nice break from the oppressive heat in Kansas---they have no air conditioning but it is cool in the mornings and evenings.  It gets warm in the middle of the day but is not bad if you stay out of the direct sun.

They have a washing machine but no dryer so it is a throwback to days of old with hanging the clothes on a clothesline.  It is a moving one so you can stand on the porch and pin up the clothes and roll them out into the back yard.

Well I guess I'll sign off now so I can get something started.

I am looking forward to seeing my sister Barbara this weekend---she lives in Santa Paula  CA and is coming up this weekend to visit me and see the house.