Work is steady, but kinda slow.

This will be Skye’s nursery in Germany.

What do I do with a pole right in the center of the room?  And a sloped ceiling?

On the other hand, the new refinished crib will look great with this warm Nordic wood!

My Grandmother Peggy and Grandfarmer Armour bought it in 1941, I believe. They bought it because their first-born, my dad, was born in October of that year, just a few weeks before we were thrown into WWII as a nation.  Interesting times, to be sure.

Solidly made* of maple (the two ends) and poplar (the two sides), my Aunt Sara also used it about 5 years later.

In 1969, I used it. And Armour followed in December of ’75.

Dad shipped it to me a little over a month ago…its lead-based paint a “must-remove”…

…but the lustre of the beautiful natural wood beneath the layers of paint (our restorer found multiple layers beneath the white – a pale salmon pink and a powder blue) only needed a slight stain that mimicked the maple’s color and that came alive with a burnish achieved by lots of elbow grease and a soft cloth. (Thanks, Neil!)

I love furniture that has a history.

I love that Skye will grow up in it, too.

And I love that Neil found teethmarks that he didn’t remove.

*…for concerned readers, please know that this crib meets all up-to-date safety standards – turns out that the balls are safe because they rotate…and the slats are within the limits of what is allowable in cribs manufactured today.  We would NEVER place our girl in danger. I guess they were onto something 70 years ago!  ;)

We’re remodeling our master bathroom.

Mmmm Hmmm.  That’s right.

We adopted Skye, we’re in the middle of an international move…and we have decided now is the time to remodel the master bath.

One thing is for sure:  Life with John Silkman is never boring.  ;)

“Everything in moderation.”

Wow, what a concept.  And the Seven Sages only said it 2600 years ago or something like that?

About a year ago, I decided to quit drinking.  I still might have a glass of wine with supper sometimes – but it’s not a regular event. I can now say that I “rarely drink.”

I’m proud of that.

I’m happy to explain the decision to anyone who asks – I would say it was a spiritual decision that I felt compelled to make, but after I made it, the physical benefits have kept me going.

I lost 35 pounds.

Running became easier.

Waking up became easier.

Concentrating became easier.

I just felt better.

And last night, John and I decided to do something with the truckload of corks we had amassed during the years I was drinking…and I was a little shocked at the volume of wine and Champagne and sparkling wine and Prosecco bottles they represented.

We filled three bulletin board kits that we got from The Wine Enthusiast.

That’s a lot of corks…and a lot of money…and a lot of calories.

I wish I wasn’t such a slow learner, but I’ll never forget the lesson.

It was too dearly learned.

…work.

Work hard.

It’s been a tough week, finding reminders of my Old Man around the house…washing the kitty bed only he used (can’t bear to part with it yet), cleaning off “his” section of my kitchen counter, where he always ate his supper, and folding the soft blue blanket and putting it over the back of the couch like always – but not really “like always” because I know he’ll never get up there again.

So, we worked hard. Got ready for the painters to come, unloaded dressers and bookshelves and vacuumed, and swept.

And dusted. Ugh.

And when we (and the painters) were finished, we had a beautiful, tranquil guest room ready to go.

Not so bad, I guess.

And then we went to a wedding (truly:  every bride is beautiful, yes?) and had a great tapas evening … followed by fire, and conversation, and Life with Spectre.

Life goes on. *

* Job 1:21b

Well, the countdown to Armour and Tanya’s “Save the Date” event has begun in earnest…and it will all be taking place here:

Is it the whole “happily ever after” thing that is making them so productive?

Probably not.  (They’re ready!)  But whatever it is, they’ve been busy, ya’ll.  And their house is looking great.

Tanya took the time to arrange my brother’s study with his I-Love-Me paraphernalia – which is a gesture that I love…because Love’s what her gesture represents.

Nice ManCave, bro.

And here’s a space I’ll be enjoying spending some time in…with a fresh coat of warm-hued, paprika-colored paint that ties in nicely with the front and back doors…

I also like (really, really like) that I can see a cook book here that is stuffed full of what I can only assume are recipes they’re waiting to try:

…and a back door that coordinates with the front! I think it only needs one thing…

…a doggie door for Rufus!

See you in about two months, you two!

Armour and his fiancée, Tanya, have a great house in Northwestern Delaware – and Armour is one of those guys who is really handy. He can fix or install anything.

Today he sent me pictures of their new office – cork flooring installed by him, and a beautiful shade of blue (I love blue!) on the walls thanks to Tanya.

I also admire their miniature greenhouse…a terrific idea considering the crazy snowy weather they’ve had in their region this year…kudos for initiative!

All in all, very nice, I think! 

Ah…Cardinal Sanctuary, more like.

That’s a tiny bit of safflower seed, which the squirrels don’t like, and the cardinals do.

Check out the birdbath to the right:

Love it! And I LOVE my yard!!!!

My Grandmother Peggy would be proud.

My oldest and dearest friend (who is more of a sister, really, since we are so close) is within hours (she’s already three days late!) of having a baby girl – and Lily is taking Her Own Sweet Time. I told Sisi in an email yesterday that Lily must want to be a December baby.

Mom is up there with her and Jason and the Bandits – and Spectre (!) helping her this week because:

1. Lily was due last Tuesday

2. The Bandits are out of school

3. Jason is working until Lily’s born, and

4. Sisi is now officially 10 months pregnant

I was supposed to be there, but the Army saw things differently. Enter my ma, to save the day. God love her!

Anyway, I really can’t blame little Lily for waiting, seeing as December’s birthstone is turquoise and all. Who wouldn’t want that for a birthstone?

Not me, that’s who.

So, anyway, Sis sent me some awesome pictures of the nursery that she and Jason did THEMSELVES (leave it to her to make it a cool room instead of a typical nursery) and I get to show YOU!

I love this picture, because it is good incentive. How, exactly, does somebody manage to look this beautiful and be this pregnant? If it were me, I would be on the couch, feet up, hair in a barrette, and nursing a Bloody Mary.

Oh, hold on a sec. That’s me every Saturday morning anyway.


But I digress.

So there you have it – a great post because it featured my beautiful sister and my little soon-to-be-niece’s beautiful room (sans custom-made bedding by Jenny which is coming soon!)

Hope you enjoyed them!

I did. Albeit vicariously.

Love,

Lily’s Tía Holly.