projects waiting

Do you have problem getting your husband to do projects around the house?  Like painting?  I do.  Some times.  I can bring it up in a conversation many times over and still nothing.  I know plenty of women who would just take the bull by the horn and head to the paint store and get the paint and stirring stick and trays and anything else they need and do the job themselves.  My husband won't let me paint.  He knows how I would do it....  and he's right....  I'm a sloppy painter.  I wouldn't tape baseboards or trim or light fixtures.  I would paint right around it all.... 

Confession:  When I get to that point that I'm ready to paint myself.... all I have to say is:  "I think I'm going to paint the bathroom" and my husband will be on it it just like THAT!  Do I actually intend to paint myself?  No!  I just know my husband will realize at this point that I am dead serious about getting the job done and he will, at that point, get on board with me.  He's a good man. 

With that said, I am "allowed" to paint outside!  Where the spray paint can dissipate throughout the neighborhood and the paint on the blades of grass will get mowed.  Yes, here I am master!  Well, kinda sorta.  He still directs me, which is fine, because what do I know about the proper way of using a can of spray paint.... 

I have a couple projects this week.  Lawn chairs.  Those ugly, white, plastic lawn chairs that over time get stained and you dread having company sit in them.  So I decided to paint them.  A lime green.  Or the closest color I could find. 

I have to say that even spray painting is hard for me.  I end up with drips, and runs, and dark blotches.  So I sigh a heavy sigh of frustration, and my sweet man will take over and fix it all for me.  Does he know I plan it that way?  We do make a good team. 

Another project is this old chandelier I found at a garage sale for $5.00.  I painted one a few years ago, but it turned out so well, that I thought I'd do another one.  I bought white paint.... but am tempted to paint it a color much brighter! Say lime or light blue....?  

What do you think? 

Tracy Arm Fjiord

For those of you who don't know..... Juneau is land locked.  We're part of the mainland, but there are no roads in or out of Juneau.  The only way you can leave is by plane or boat.  This makes it not only expensive, but also difficult, to get away for the weekend.  For those of us without a boat, a day trip is usually a drive "out the road."  From one end to the other of our road system is about 60 miles. 

Another option for a day trip is to take a cruise to Tracy Arm.  This is a full day of pure enjoyment as you join Adventure Bound Alaska for some of the most beautiful scenery in the world! 

That's what we did on Monday.  My sister is visiting Juneau and it was a challenge to come up with some kind of activity that would keep her mind occupied for the day.  This was important because it was the one-year anniversary of her husband's passing....  We knew it would be a difficult day for her.  That there could be a lot of deep sadness. 

So we packed some survival food.... and headed to the Captain Cook, a 65' sightseeing boat.  Along the journey we saw so many whales....

And icebergs....  Deep deep blue in color.  They say 80 percent of the berg is under water so just imagine the damage this berg could do to our little boat! 

I love finding shapes in objects--like this mushroom. 

We saw some of the most incredible scenery, with sheer cliffs etched out from glaciers long ago.  There were deep deep cracks in walls of rock that look like it would break away at any minute.  Dainty yellow, orange, blue and red wild flowers creeping along any inch of surface they could find. 

This is a trip everyone should take.  At least once in their life time.  I know Steve (my sister's husband) would have enjoyed this trip immensely as he was a mountain climber in his younger days.  I bet he would have imagined himself climbing these very sheer cliffs. 

But Steve is in another place now.  Or so we thought....  Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Captain's name on the boat was Captain Steve!  Coincidence?  I think not.  I hope my sister found peace on this day. 

Father's Day

Well, a little late posting pictures of Father's Day, but things have been busy here!  It doesn't get much better than my son fixing us dinner.  He's some kind of master chef, and everything he makes is a 5 star meal.  I could certainly make the same meal, but it would never taste the same. 

Like vegies roasted on the grill.  They would be over cooked, or the onions would be under cooked.  I'd have too much olive oil on it or not the right spices...  It would be edible but wouldn't have that "just right" taste. 

Our menu meat consisted of slow cooked country ribs.  And by "slow cooked," I mean slooooooowwwww cooked.  Four hours of cooking on a briquette bbque.  They were the best ribs I've ever had. 

Hunter learning to be a camera man: 

Ellis and Grandpa Soapy.

Little Miss Avery.  She's all tom boy!  Look at  how dirty she is!

The finished meal:  slow cooked ribs, marinated flank steak, grilled vegies, and a salad.  A meal certainly fit for any king!

Thank you, kids, for the best day ever! 

what my birds do....

I love my Blue Jays, don't get me wrong...  But my beautiful flower boxes go from this:

To this:

The Blue Jays scatter my soil all over the place, and new seedings get tossed to the ground....

They pick the lettuce and the green onions.  They peck off the flowers from my plants as if they're saying, "he loves he he loves me not, he loves me he loves me not...."  This is (WAS) a beautiful rose....

I don't know what to do about these birds of mine.  I suspect they're planting the peanuts I give them, so I have no one to blame but myself!  But some times I think they do it just out of spite, because I didn't feed them when they thought they should be fed.  I guess I'll never know.

today....

Today  is my birthday.... 
I am a "young" 59...
Well, my mind feels like a young 45, but my body...
yea... 59... maybe 60....

 

Today my sister also comes to town....!

We'll celebrate my birthday, then tomorrow go on a day cruise to Tracy Arm Fjiord.

Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the death of her husband,

and I'm hoping a day trip will help ease the pain of the day.  

We'll put in a full day of babysitting.  I suspect the grandkids will be on their best behavior with someone new in the house....

Then the birthday celebration.... 

I've never cared for birthdays and probably need to do some deep reflecting on why....

Maybe I don't want to be forgotten.

Or maybe I WAS forgotten once....

I know I'm not keen on a lot of personal attention.

Or picture taking (I take HORRIBLE pictures!), of which there will be some taken.
Maybe I secretly DO want all the attention....
But don't want to be disappointed when people don't show the love....
so I pretend like it doesn't matter to me....
(course, you'd have to LET them know it's your birthday
if you want the attention)

Maybe I've been disappointed in gifts before....

Like the jump rope I got many many years ago from my husband... because he thought I could lose some weight....  (yea.... he's no longer my husband!)

I'm certainly not one of those people who celebrate all week long. 

I dread this day and only wait for it to be over....

But then there's all the love from family and friends,

and it makes it a good day

and I wonder.... why do I hate birthdays so much?