EVERYTHING APPROVED! THE MOVE IS A GO!

My good friend Ralph snagged this St. Joseph kit for me on line.  My house isn't listed yet pending some spiffing up, so I wouldn't say I can't sell my home (yet).  St. Joseph is known for helping people sell and I think a preemptive strike would be good.  The directions contain lots of prayers and also instruct the user to price the home reasonably and stage it nicely.  Okay, I can't help wondering if that might be the key.....but will add St. Joseph for extra good luck!

STAGING THE SAN DIEGO HOUSE

This is Jason from Western Flooring, the company that restored all the other hardwood floors in my house.  He is pulling up the old carpeting from the bird room, the only carpeted room remaining.  I kept it to help muffle the noise from Sydney's squawking.  Syd is off to the Purring Parrot, Gracie is set up in the guest room with towels stuffed around the door and the cats are captured in my bedroom. It's a two-step process, so after Ruben finishes up tomorrow,  the painting and new baseboards can begin!

LATEST CREATION

This is a new tote pattern.  The bag is made of vinyl mesh and fabric with webbing handles.  The bottom is vinyl mesh as well as the portion that is visible.  I'm going to experiment with using broader bands of fabric, perhaps in contrasting patterns, to get a different look.  Memo to self - fabric binding sewn over the seams on the inside should be a solid color that matches the mesh, not made of the fabric used in the item.  Too busy and shows through!

WHY I'M MOVING

I'm the one in the middle!  Yay!

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES

Thank God for more chances!  That's the way I'm feeling about this move to Colorado.  A change of venue doesn't change who we are, but it can provide the framework to leave the old and tired ways behind.  Yay!

THINKING OF GRIZZ

Here are pix of Grizz, a wonderful chocolate lab rescued a couple of years ago by my sister Susie and her husband Nick, aka Skipper.  Grizz was found alone in a field near an empty house in Windsor, CO, where he had been hanging around for a couple of days.  There was a terrible thunderstorm with hail while he was out.  Susie and Skipper loaded him up and took him home.  He was in sad shape - very overweight, lots of medical problems and already an old dog. No one was looking for him - his background remains a mystery.   Girl dogs Annie and Bonnie accepted him easily because of his serene manner.  Grizz is declining now and everyone is already grieving the loss of this wonderful, loving dog.  My favorite memory of Grizz is watching him laying on his back outside  in the sun, wiggling and bicycling his legs and singing for the pure joy of the moment.  Hugs and kisses to you, gentle boy!

WHAT WOULD CANDICE OLSON DO?

I'm taking suggestions on window treatments for the dining room and great room windows.  It's the great room configuration that's a bit odd with the window and slider adjacent to one another.  Ultimately I will replace the slider with French doors, but the problem of privacy at night will remain.  The back of the house faces east and a street is beyond my back fence.  When I'm hanging out at night, privacy will be necessary.  Daytime it will all be open.