Summer Sunday Scenery!

Following the upset of yesterday, we decided this is as

far as we'll venture until I return to work on Tuesday!

 Hear that?

That's the sound of no one complaining!

I think I can handle 48-hours of do-nothingness...

Although I do suspect the hours will fly!

In the meantime, I plan to soak up the sunshine...

And, enjoy the fact that everything around us that was recently underwater...

Is drying out!

In a few weeks from now, these sweet plants we picked up at the

Farmer's Market will be spilling over the sides of these planters!

My pool-boy doesn't know how to relax as immediately as I do...

I see the water and I'm chill. He gets into the water and finds a spot he missed!

I rather enjoy that part of him!

I also enjoy the part that didn't mind picking up...

My new market umbrella at Costco last week...

After I realized that it wouldn't fit into the Mini!

And, I especially love the part of him that's worked

so hard to bring back the gardens after the flood!

It's hard to believe that less than two weeks ago...

All of this was under sticky, muddy water!

I hope to never see it like that again!

Nature has once again proved to be as resilient as it can be destructive!

Lucky me!

Very lucky indeed!

I'm thrilled that the pond is back!

And, that the majority of the hostas have sprung back to life!

I see the path through the shade garden...

Has been refreshed with a new covering of bark mulch!

The size and shape of the creek has changed a lot. It's wider and

much, much deeper in many spots. I keep throwing fish food into

the pools hoping to find that some of our koi might have survived...

But so far... No such luck!

Old Salem Farmer's Market, Vintage BMW's and one very Considerate thief!

We finally made it to the Farmer's Market at Old Salem this

morning! One of my most favorite things about living here is Old Salem!

We had no idea there would also be a vintage BMW show

happening too! The BMW Isetta 600 is one of my favorite cars!

And here's one now! It was a lovely morning to be at Old Salem...

We ran into neighbors...

We strolled and sampled a few goodies...

Then we went to lunch and made plans for the rest of our day!

Then we took an unplanned detour...

And while I was distracted for only a moment...

Some wonderful human being grabbed my wallet!

Dear Considerate Criminal...

Thank you for only taking the cash from my wallet and then stuffing

it into the pillow section for safe keeping until an honest store clerk

could find and return it to me. It would have been horribly upsetting

to lose nearly $400 in gift cards, a brand new books of stamps, the

keys to my luggage and post office box... Not to mention my driver's

licenses, my voter registration and my Realtor identification cards!

Your thoughtfulness helped turn my disappointment into gratitude!

As for the cash... Consider it a deconstructed reward for doing a really good thing!

After all... I was told you probably needed it more than I did!

Built-in Bookcase Project is Underway!

As soon as I saw this I knew a built-in bookcase was the answer for

the problem, (I have with his exploding book population) in our den!

                                                                                                                     Photo: Hudson Cabinetry Design

The symmetry, the clean, the white... All of it spoke to me! Thankfully,

the man I love agreed with me. So he took me bookcase shopping...

Where I calmly explained to him, in my best Swedish/Chinese accent,

that the built-in bookcase for our den must only be exactly this!

                                                                                                                       Photo: Hudson Cabinetry Design 

But while picking up the phone to contract with a New York cabinet design house

is something I would do... We all know that even suggesting such a thing would

make a certain-someones eyes roll back into his head just before it popped off!

So I offered to compromise with him on the new flooring... Which, oh, by the

way, is also part of the built-in bookcase I must have! My compromise was to

allow him to install the new flooring I picked out. See? Not unreasonable at all!

He worked hard and, it only took him a week!

A week that just happened to coincided with the start of a

new after-work bootcamp and spin class for me. Wink, wink!

All worth it though because I do love it as much as I imagined I would!

So about that built-in bookcase... How was I going to get exactly this without

making that call to Hudson in New York? I mean, I know the best trim and

molding guy in the business but framing out my map isn't building a bookcase!

Fortunately, great trim and molding guys know other great craftsmen. And,

my guy just happens to know the most amazing cabinet maker! Now, I was

more than nervous... I mean, how many times does the burger on the menu

actually look like the one on your plate? Still, I handed over the photo...

And, hoped for the best. The best solid maple...

Along with the best construction...

Capped off with the best installation money can buy!

And, in the end...

After comparing what inspired me...

                                                                                                                    Photo: Hudson Cabinetry Design

With what I got. I do believe I got...

Exactly what I aspired to have!

And, true to my natural tendency to compromise... The man I love gets to caulk

and paint it! If you're in the spirit to remodel an area of your home or if you need

custom cabinetry or trim, let me know because I have the guys! They're reliable,

very reasonable and, quite obviously able to build from inspiration photos! Of

course, if you can get away with it, do call Hudson Cabinetry Design in New York! 

To see further progress since installation, click here!