I am starting off this issue with a shoutout to my friend Lynn.... Besides my sweet husband, Jim, Lynn is not only my friend, but my confidant, and a shoulder to cry on. About a week ago, I received a package from Ontario, where she lives, with this beautiful table runner that will be perfect on my 12' long table. I am always excited to get a package from home. I have received several packages with Tim Horton swag from my brother, Duane, (love me some Tim Horton's cups!) and also several packages over the years from Lynn. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE sunflowers and this was such a treat! I love it, and my cabin will love it... So, this is a HUGE shoutout to Lynn. We have been friends starting when we were just teenagers and she's put up with me since that time! This past week, Lynn and Duane have both had my tears on their shoulders and listening ears. Thank you, thank you, thank you... you're both amazing!
And, I was looking for matching bowls for my moose antlers. I had one bowl that was a leaf pattern, but couldn't find a 2nd that remotely complimented. So, finally.... I looked on Amazon and found this pattern... I love it. It it actually a bowl even though my photography skills don't show it and in this picture it looks like a plate...... I work with numbers not cameras! So, I bought two and they are just perfect!
This picture make it look like a bowl a little more, and it is just perfect on my moose antlers. This will be perfect on that amazing sunflower table runner.
And, I found this piece on Marketplace. I know it's not old, old, old, but it reminded me of going to Paris and the amazing time we had... This is going into my kitchen - just to remind me of love and romance and Parisienne cafes...
For Mother's Day this year, Jim found these drinking glasses. I absolutely love this pattern. Years ago, I found a few of them, I don't remember where - but, I have about a half a dozen of them.. and, now I have a dozen more. I love the gold rims and the little maple leafs... You can take the girl out of Canada, but you can't take the Canadian out of the girl... Thanks to my Jim for putting up with all my nonsense.
I was looking for a night light for either the loft bathroom or the downstairs bathroom, and I came across this sweetie. It's super different, but I think that's where my inner nature leans... I always remember a line from Steel Magnolias... "I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special." And, that's how I want the cabin and my life represented.... This piece is wonderful....
I was visiting with my cousin Debbie who lives with her pup Buddy in London, Ontario in the winter, and Thunder Bay, Ontario in the summer. (We all wish for this! Jealous!!) She mentioned that I am a really good shopper. It made me laugh. I visited with Jim about this comment, and he laughed and agreed. I sometimes think he that wishes I wasn't such an enthusiastic shopper, but he gives me a wide birth to explore the art of shopping. Giggle. Debbie is a tiny bit older than I am, and I really didn't know her well when I was growing up. She was in Thunder Bay and I was in Toronto, so we really didn't have an opportunity to connect. But, through this blog site, we are really getting to know each other. She's wonderful... Her father, was my father's older brother.
Jim was coming through Panguitch this past week, and found that the major gas station in the heart of the thriving metropolis of Panguitch has been torn down. Apparently, the EPA found that their gas tanks had problems and it was decided to tear everything down and rebuild. When Jim sent me the picture, I couldn't figure out why and where... then, he explained!
And, this is what is happening in the main level bedroom. The vertical oak slats are getting installed thanks to Jim. I loved this look and even thought it is taking waaaay too much time, Jim is working on this project. This is one of those "Jim: you know what would be really cool in the bedroom?" kinda moments.
And, hey!!! It's completed! I love it! I think it's going to give the room an amazing look...
While Jim was working on the bedroom wall, he had to take down our bed and remove the nightstands - which left him with no place to sleep... I told him he could sleep in the recliner, but he kind of tosses and turns all night, and the recliner was not the best option. So, he brought one of the lounges off the deck inside and slept on it. Not my choice, but he said it was reasonably comfortable and he got a decent night's sleep.
And, here's the bed put back in its place. The big assed bass still isn't back on the wall, but I am sure within the next couple of days, that "delightful" piece of art will appear... Giggle.
And, voila, the bass is back! I bought this piece because I thought it was absolutely terrible... as a gift to Jim. I figured he would tell me to take it back.. BUT, he loves it. So, I guess it has a place on my bedroom wall now. I don't really mind it, I just never imagined a fish on my wall....
And, Jim filled my dried squash bird feeders with bird seed and invited all the local blue jays and crows and sparrows and everything else around there to an open house. I love how these turned out.
And, we are trying these out on the deck. I think they are interesting looking... I just hope I don't get bird poops all over the deck. Jim said that if we do, they are going to be transferred to the trees.... where I am sure the squirrels will find them and partake... groan.
And, the next project is the floors in the hall and the kitchen. The chipboard on the floors has been a little brutal on my feet so I am absolutely thrilled with actual flooring going down... Jim, again, is doing beautiful work. Here's day to day updates.... Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Jim has been working at the cabin for a couple of weeks straight now and he's done amazing work. I am always so impressed with his skill.
The ceiling tongue and groove was up and going again this past week... with amazing progress. I couldn't be more thrilled. It's amazing.
I'm showing different views so you can see the progress...
This is my favourite shot...
Ok... so maybe, this is my favourite shot... I can't decide..
I like this one too. Jim told me that he is putting different coloured pieces here and there, but knew I would appreciate the variations in colour. I definitely do!
And, I found this lamp for "somewhere" in the cabin... haven't figured that one out yet. I absolutely hated the lamp shade, so I pitched that one. But, I really liked the branch look. I'm on the hunt for a lamp shade that will show off the rest of the lamp and when I figure out where it's going to go, I'll let you know!
And, as a true Canadian, I am growing maple trees to go at the cabin. I have a sugar maple, and a red maple. I've been growing these babies since last fall.. and, amazingly enough, they are growing! I have absolutely no idea where they are going to go!
Here's the 2nd maple tree! Planting trees are a gift to the next generation.
I have been cleaning out our spare room in the house in Provo, and I came across some things that I thought Ben and Kelly's grandkids would enjoy... books and stuff. We don't have grandkids that age any longer, so I packed them up and took them over to their house. One of the things was this pair of butterfly wings... I think Ben is going to enjoy them more than their grandkids! I didn't expect this, or should I say, Yes, I should have expected this! Giggle. (Kelly said she thought she should wear them to church... if so, I want pictures.
And, we had a friend come visit our cabin... we weren't there, but he apparently came a knockin'. This is Ben's cat, Big Foot. I guess he was looking to wear those butterfly wings... Giggle.
And, here's our beautiful sunset... I love the colours.... so peaceful and calm.
It's been an extremely stressful couple of weeks... I've had my share of tears and anxiety like no other... But, we're getting through the nightmare and on to better times and smiles. I have learned that if you say things like, "It can't get worse"... it actually can. My boss told me it's a good thing we don't have a dog because, if things got any worse, the dog would be next and die... Giggle. And, I have relied on my Jim heavily. It hasn't been easy, and the situations effected both of us, but Jim always was amazing. The best thing he told me was, "go to work"... just to get out of the situation for a while. You know, when work is less stressful than everything else going on, you know it's not great. And, work was a great diversion. Gotta love Jim. He sooths my heart.
With that, we're making amazing progress... Good job, Jim.
The adventure and madness continues... Love, Jim and Cheri
"Most Everyone's Mad Here" - Cheshire Cat
