Long Time No See

 What Have I Been Up To

My…but it has been a long time since I blogged.  This past year has been a tough one personally for me.  Of course COVID restrictions along with my testing positive to COVID (I am fully vaccinated) but luckily my symptoms were mild with a head cold only.  

Last summer as a screened in porch.

My oldest and last brother, Robert, had a turn for the worst in his battle against cancer last July and lost his battle in August 2021.  He was 78 years old and a wonderful brother to me.  Unfortunately I realized his wife was unable to live by herself having several medical issues including severe hearing loss.  So, I made the decision to move her into my guest bedroom last August.  Her adult children live on opposite coasts.  Taking over her finances, getting her house and car ready to sell took up most of my spare time.  Not counting all the doctor and test appointments to take her too.  I have a full house now with my sister-in-law, niece and my niece’s fiancé living with me.  Oh, I can’t forget the two doggies too, Jewels and Lucky!

Hubby at the beginning…

As I have mentioned in previous posts I decided to convert my screened in porch to a 4 season room and work started finally on it at the beginning of January 2022.  The windows didn’t come in until the middle of December and with the holidays January worked out to start the project.  I am so fortunate to have a good friend who is a designer and she accepted the job as the project manager.  The porch isn’t completely finished but it is probably 99% done.  The only items remaining are the exterior siding, another tramson window on order, another coat of interior painting and finishing the trim on the new and old sliders and Great Room exterior window.

I have loved my porch from the beginning especially after purchasing the new porch furniture several years ago.  But as I age cleaning the porch in the spring and breaking it down in the fall became harder to do.  

Ready for winter

My favorite spot is my chaise lounge chair.  Relaxing and reading out here is heaven.  

My chaise lounge chair!

I am typing this as I sit out in my new 4 season room watching it lightly snow and I am warm as a bug in a rug.

Lucky out in one of our snow days.

We had several heavy snow storms this winter.  I have a few heated mats for the doggies to get to the back yard.  This is our young Lucky.  He’s a rescue and very loving.  

The screened in porch…stay tune!

I will share the porch project with you all so stay tune!  More to come!

My Hydrangeas, Daisies & More

 My lovely hydrangeas and daisies are in full bloom.

When we landscaped our yard six years ago, I deliberately told the landscaper I wanted to keep my plants small.  After having over grown shrubs in previous homes, I knew how fast and huge plants can grow over the years.

The original landscape design was loaded with plants.  I cut it under half what was shown.  

I didn’t want shrubs that would obscure the view of the house or allow someone to hide behind them.

One thing I miss from our Pennsylvania home is the flower window boxes on our cute shed.

My plan is to someday add window boxes to my garage windows.

I’m holding out running the sprinklers in the front yard.  It’s so expensive to water the yard here.

I was shocked when I received my first several water bills the first season the grass was put in and watered frequently.

I didn’t even know how to run the sprinkler system.  I googled it and learned.  This is the first house we have had sprinklers.  One thing I learned over the years, the brown grass will turn green again.

I was in pain the last week.  So I didn’t get much done.  I even had to cancel one of my strength training sessions on Friday.  I don’t know if it was bursitis and/or arthritis in both hips.  All I know was it hurt and it disturbed my sleep.  Last night I finally took an Aleve and slept better.  It’s not gone completely but it’s not bothering me as much now.  We have had a lot of rain and more is forecasted for the next week. 

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A friend gifted me her Brother Cut n’ Scan machine.  I have misplaced the manual but I found the DVD with all the information and the manual.  I’ve printed out the manual and it is much easier to read than the original one that came with the machine.  So maybe it was a blessing I misplaced it.

I have to rearrange my sewing area [..again] to accommodate the machine.  It has to be connected  to my PC.  I’m hoping I can get it connected  so I can at least tell my friend I used it.

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I went out to lunch for the first time since March 2020!  It was wonderful to visit with a dear designer friend who is helping me plan to convert my screened in porch to a 4 season room.

We looked at Pella windows to replace my screens and a sliding door to replace the current door which has never closed properly.  

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I had hoped to finish a July 4th wall hanging in time for Independence Day but I don’t think it will happen.

It’s pieced but needs to be sandwiched with batting and back and quilted.

We plan to BBQ for Independence Day.  

I might fix Strawberry Shortcake because it such a nice summer dessert.

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I keep changing the subject, but I have 34 Inspector George Gently books by Alan Hunter (pocketbooks and kindle versions).

There are more but I haven’t found them all yet.  I’m going to try to see if Barnes and Noble can order the ones I am missing.

So what have all of you been up to this summer? 

Have a wonderful day!

My Screened In Porch

 I spent Saturday last week scrubbing down my screened in porch with Spic n’ Span using our boat brush and rinsing with the hose to remove all the pollen, dirt and grime from winter and spring.

 

I almost finished it in one day and didn’t feel sore, although maybe a little tired.  But so pleased it was done and I could use the porch before the hot and humid summer weather starts.

I had already paid to have the house, deck, driveway and sidewalks (sealed too) professionally powered washed a few weeks before. 

I store the porch furniture cushions in a storage bin over winter and I always cover the furniture with painter’s drop cloths.  

I am thinking of turning the screened in porch into a 4 season room.   Breaking it down, setting it up and all the scrubbing is more work than I want to do as I age.  But I would love to be able to sit out there anytime, any season.  My plan is to have large windows that I can open to make it feel like a screened in porch but be able to close it up to keep out the pollen and dirt.

I made a big change in my routine recently adding weekly strength exercising sessions.  I’ve read that strength exercises are even more beneficial than cardiovascular as one ages.

MaxStrength Fitness was running complementary free sessions so I decided to bite the bullet and try it out at age 74!  They recommend two twenty minute sessions a week.  The exercise room is kept very cool so you don’t even work up a sweat.  They work you on different machines until your muscles are fatigued.  I like it because it it nearby and I can be done and home in an hour.  

Next Friday I’m having my neighborhood lady friends over for lunch out on my screened in porch.  Everyone brings a lunch and I will provide the drinks.  We are all vaccinated and can social distance on the porch easily.  

Thanks for visiting!