Another Biggie Complete!

The dining room and stairwell ceiling is finished! I really struggle with painting ceilings, and now I only have the three upstairs bedrooms left. That’s a small fraction left, which really makes me feel better about our progress.

We were on the porch last night when a group of lady bike riders went past. One said, “Your yard looks beautiful!” Which made me feel great! It’s nice to have all that hard work noticed. I gave the shutters their second coat and they look good too.

Scott removed the countertops yesterday. He’s getting ready to cut the new one and I’m so excited to have this huge step in the kitchen remodel so close I can taste it. The new sink thrills me too. It’s in the box in the garage and I pass it every time I let Chewy out to go potty. It makes me smile because I’m so utterly sick of my current sink. The kitchen is really close to being finished. This is such a huge part of our remodel! The kitchen and the bathrooms were the big ones, and both bathrooms are finished with the kitchen very close…

There’s an end in sight for the upstairs. Once this part is finished we only have the three bedrooms left and those aren’t huge projects. Refinishing the floors, painting the ceilings and the walls. Then finishing touches.

Redoing a house is a constant challenge living in your home while it’s ripped apart. We’re living out of boxes. We eat on plates in the living room. The hallway is filled with furniture covered in sheets. The closets are empty because there’s furniture in front of them, blocking access. Not that I want to fill them anyway.

Maybe we’ll be able to have the entire upstairs finished by the end of the summer. This seems an attainable goal. Yeah. Let’s shoot for that…

And we’re still planning our Arizona vacation this year. Scott now has a working from home/distance work arrangement. He is able to work from anywhere in the country. He would occasionally have to go in for those few things he cannot do on line, but for the most part he doesn’t need to go into the office. Since he’s always worked while we’re gone anyway, this is a wonderful opportunity to stay longer. We’re thinking of leaving after the first of the year and staying a couple months.

Once there, and since it will be after the holidays, we will be able to talk with realtors, check out doctors, vets, hospitals, churches, and other necessities. It may even be possible to discuss building a home in the desert with locals or even checking out some available properties.

Why do These Things Always Happen to Me?

Early this morning, my mom called to ask for help with a medical issue she was having. I told her I’d be there after I met with a new doctor to schedule two minor surgical procedures. The consult and scheduling took less time than I thought it would. I stopped at Meijers to pick up a very bright and cheerful flower arrangement for Mom because she’s feeling pretty beat down right now.

When I drove in I noticed a young woman sitting in the shade of a tree. I thought maybe it was the bus stop. Ran in and grabbed the flowers, as I was in a hurry to get to my parents house. As I was waiting to turn onto the busy street from the Meijer parking lot, the girl stands up and starts talking to me. I, of course, had the music up and the air on. I lowered the window and noticed she was crying. I asked if she needed help, which she did.

Her boyfriend had gotten angry with her and wouldn’t let her into the car. He drove off, leaving her stranded. She was frightened and crying. I told her to get in the car.

I’ve had fairly extensive training in helping abused people. I took classes, and eventually taught classes, in what to do, who to call, where to go, etc. Today I’d left all my emergency numbers and contacts at home. Normally I have them in a folder in the trunk of the car. But after we’d cleared the car out to pack for our Arizona trip, I never thought to put it back in.

So I stopped at a church and spoke with the secretary. I explained the situation and asked if she had any information packs or printed information I can use. She had nothing. I was stunned, but I’ll get back to that. The young girl needed to get some of her stuff from her apartment so she could go to work. I told the secretary I’d be back shortly.

I drove the young girl, nineteen she said, to her apartment and the boyfriend wasn’t there. She said a friend of hers lived near by and could drive her to work. She told me she was going to call her mom to ask her for help (she’d been thrown out of her mother’s house earlier). We exchanged phone numbers. I told her if she needed help to call me, day or night, and I’d come get her. I told her I’d get the information for the women in transition office and get it to her. I very reluctantly let her out of the car and watched her walk into an apartment.

Immediately I went back to the church where the secretary and (I’m guessing) the youth pastor met me at the door and handed me the information they’d gathered. (The reason I was stunned they had nothing is because our church and every church I’m familiar with has boat loads of info on all sorts of things. Alcoholism, addiction, drugs, depression, etc. Including women and families in crisis. All types of crisis.) I explained the girl was determined to go into the apartment and I couldn’t keep her with me if she wanted to leave. I did assure them I had her number and I know where she works, so I can check to see if she made it in today. I left feeling unhappy with the situation and very concerned for the young girl.

Which is when I realized this sort of thing happens to me a lot. This is probably the seventh or eighth time a situation presents itself where a woman is in trouble and needs help. (No, it’s actually several more than that. When I worked at the store I ran into situations of abuse regularly). I mean random times. Like once in the bathroom at Walmart. Once on the sidewalk at Tulip Time. Once in a park where we were for a Girl Scout outing. Stuff like that.

Sometimes I approach the person, but more often than not they approach me. There might be five other people near by, but they see me and make a beeline right to me. Why? I actually have no idea why these things keep happening to me. But it happens often enough I can’t really consider it coincidence they come to me…I’m baffled.

I did have a talk with the young girl. I explained she’s a person of great value and worth. Her boyfriend isn’t someone she needs in her life. She also needs to pick better friends, as she was punched in the face by someone she didn’t really know and had to have her jaw wired. It’s heart breaking. I explained the choices she was making now would effect her entire life. I told her she’s a beautiful young woman with great potential. She owes it to herself to give herself the best possible chance she has to succeed. (She had told me her story by this point. I didn’t just launch into this). She cried, promised me she’d get in touch with her mom and that she’d call if she needs help.

She won’t.

By the time he starts smacking her around, her self esteem is in the toilet and she thinks it’s all her fault. She shouldn’t have made him mad…She should have known he wasn’t in the mood to talk…She shouldn’t have asked him about money, the kids, his job, the weather, whatever…If she just tries harder, doesn’t talk as much, keeps the house cleaner-whatever it may be-then he won’t hit her…This is why it’s so frustrating for me. I know it’s very unlikely anything will change…

If you can spare a prayer for a young girl I’ll call “M”, I’d appreciate it.

Quick Project, Big Change!

Today was the day I decided to paint the shutters. I gave them their first coat of Kendall Charcoal and I really like it! Obviously they all need at least a second coat. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the change.

The shutters have been many colors. Dark green, cranberry, orange, lime green, eggplant and now gray. The gray has given the house a softer look, but classic. I suppose the true classic color would be black, but that’s a bit stark for my taste.

This is another quick project which provides dramatic results. In an hour and a half I had a new look to my home. A fresh color on your front door and a coordinating color for your shutters and voile’. A quick, easy and frugal refresh anyone can do.

Thankfully Everyone’s Alright

Large trees came down on Laurie’s house last night. I mean big ones. Fortunately, everyone inside is fine.

Each day we are faced with the unexpected. Sometimes it’s good, other times not so much. I am sending prayers of gratitude for the safety of my dear friend and her loved ones. Because through it all, faith is my constant.

Quick and Easy “Neutral” Home Decor

Obviously since my home decor has been colorful and personal, I need to use more neutral items. Here’s the thing: you want to add color but neutral personality when staging your home for sale. Let’s review the way to stage your home for sale to get the best price possible.

• First, declutter. Purge any excess, unwanted, unloved, broken or battered items which do not help you in your effort to get the most for your home.
• Clean. Once you purge, clean your home from top to bottom. It must be pristine. If your home smells, do everything possible to get rid of that. Our home smelled funky because we had 33 year old carpet in here. It has collected untold spills through the years, saturating both the carpet and the underlying pad. Even with repeated carpet cleaning there is a lingering odor. Once the carpet and pad was removed the entire home smelled fresh and clean. The same is possible with your furniture. Make sure it’s clean and fresh. Wash your windows, Wash your curtains. Dust your ceiling fans. Wash your walls. Scrub your bathrooms so they sparkle.
• Remove all personal items. The goal is to provide an environment in which others can imagine their own stuff. So pack up any family pictures, religious items, political items, kids artwork on the fridge, etc. Neutral, neutral, neutral.
• Once you’ve done the above things, you’ll want to stage your home for selling. (Remember, we’re just discussing staging here. Not repairs, remodeling or updates). Staging is essential in the selling process. The numbers indicate home staging can increase your sale price by up to 25%. That’s a lot. It makes staging well worth your time and effort.

So now that your home is neutral, it’s time to add things which will enhance the features of your home without being personal. Let’s cover a few very simple options for you to explore.

• An abstract art piece. This is a fairly simple option. You can build a large substrate from thin plywood, called luan, and a wood frame behind it. This becomes a substrate similar looking to a gallery wrapped canvas. Once your substrate is well primed, you can easily create an art piece with acrylic paint. A couple simple options include filling balloons with paint and throwing them against the “faux” canvas substrate. They break, causing the paint to splat on the wood. Fill balloons with all sorts of colors (or one color family) and just throw them randomly. When the wood substrate is fully covered, remove any balloon pieces from it with a tweezers. Let dry completely.
• Another option is the drip method used by Jackson Pollack. Dip old paint brushes, wood dowels, old kitchen spatulas-whatever you want-into fluid paint and dribble it over the surface until you fill it as desired.
• Mixed media canvases are another option. Add images and words to your substrate as well as paint to create a unique, one of a kind art piece.
• Framed fabric. This works well when you have very simple pattern and limited color. For example, you may have a fabric with a dark green background and a large white geometric pattern. Choose the part of the pattern you want to use as your focal point and attach the fabric to a cardboard backer board. Put into a simple, black (second hand) frame. If this fabric has more than one distinct image, you can use different parts of the fabric as your focal point. This will give you several of the same color/pattern but each distinctive. Hang them together in groupings of 3, 5 , 7 etc. for drama.
• Pressed Flowers, herbs or leaves. Pick several flowers, weeds, herbs or leaves and press in a heavy book until dried. Once dried, glue to covered cardboard backer board and place into a frame. Again, several can be grouped to create a larger, more dramatic art “piece”
• Pallet Wood Art. This is a very frugal option, as you can usually find wood pallets for free. The challenge comes in when you have to break the pallet down into usable pieces. They are generally made from cheap, fragile wood and pulling it apart often results in broken bits and pieces. Nevertheless, if you’re careful and patient you can make some truly lovely art from this free/frugal supply. One of my favorite projects is to add several boards (as many as you want for width) together and then painting a simple image and/or quote or phrase. This was done by me several times. I painted a tree with two birds and a “carved” heart with the initials of the couple marrying. Another was simple flowers and a bible verse. I think one was a little girl on a swing, done in silhouette. As you can see, there are lot’s of simple images which can be used to create a lovely art piece. You can use all one color, like black for silhouettes, or multiple colors as you wish. Either looks great and this is one of my favorite art projects for the home.
• Painted vases. Purchase or gather several vases of different styles, sizes and shapes. Use chalk paint, in whichever color you wish, and cover the clean vases completely. Now place your collection on a shelf, table, tray, countertop, etc. The reason you use several of the same item in different shapes and sizes is to create a more dramatic display. Remember, you’re limiting the amount of items used to stage your home. So what you do use needs to make a statement.

Now these are several very simple to do options to create art for neutral home staging. I am using color in my artwork, as this can add a bit of drama to an otherwise very neutral environment. While the art won’t reflect my personality, it will have some personality. There’s a fine line you walk when you’re staging a home for sale. It needs to be neutral but color can, and should, be added judiciously.

Above your couch is one place to add color. Other ways to add color is with throw pillows, towels, chair cushions, rugs, or photographs. Beautiful sunsets, mountains, rivers, flowers, etc. all make lovely framed photos. Black and white pictures are also very dramatic. Particularly when made into large sizes. Red in a gray and white room is very striking. Navy looks beautiful with white or cream. Black is like an exclamation point in your room. Whether that is in frames, occasional tables, lamps, or hardware. Again, adds drama to an otherwise neutral space.

I recommend you choose an accent color and then a coordinating color to use sparingly. For example, I chose turquoise because it’s both blue and green mixed into a bright, cheerful color. This is what I’ve used throughout my outdoor spaces. Bringing that color inside my home was a bit more challenging, as it wouldn’t be my choice for my home. Nevertheless, I’ve found ways to incorporate it. I made a faux metal petal art piece, I have turquoise in fabrics I’m using, and I’m including it into the pallet wood art piece I’m making for the stairwell. Other ideas might be a mat in a framed photo, a tray upon a bedside table, a light pull on a lamp, towels in the bathroom, the base color to an antiqued dresser, etc. These little touches of color, while not in-you-face, do register in our minds. This leaves us with a sense the entire space works well together.

And then your space feels cohesive and natural to your potential buyers. They feel more comfortable within the home and can more easily to envision their own lives there. These are all steps needed to not only get you the best price possible, but to rapidly move the home from for sale to sold.

More Simple DIY’s to Improve your Home

I’ve posted several DIY’s on this site. Most involve art or the creation of it. Here are a few for your home. Simple, easy things anyone can do. They are inexpensive too, which is the focus of this entire blog: lack of money doesn’t mean you can’t create stuff.

Let’s start with furniture. If you have old, wood furniture you have the base for some really terrific DIY’s. Scott has pulled the drawers from a massive dresser to repair them. So this is what I’m doing with this piece of furniture:

• Remove all hardware
• Sand down the exterior of the dresser and drawers
• Wipe down to remove dust
• Prime with a high quality primer-my preference is Kilz
• Let dry completely
• Begin with the base coat. Choose the color you want to show through in areas. My choice is sage green. Let dry completely
• Now cover the entire piece with your finished color. I’m using a buttery cream color.
• Once the paint has dried, use sandpaper to remove the cover coat in areas of natural wear and tear. Where you grab the handles to open the drawers. Around the outside edges of the dresser itself and drawers. This will reveal the green undercoat.
• In some spots sand down to bare wood
• Once the furniture is distressed to your liking, either use a quality furniture wax or a clear varnish to seal the piece. This will ensure the furniture is usable and durable.

Old mirrors and pictures often have ornate frames. These are perfect for use in your home. I have one particularly ugly large mirror. The frame is ornate and gold. It’s from the fifties, but not the cool retro kind of fifties. The old, ugly kind of fifties. Here’s how to re-do an ugly frame:

• Remove or cover the mirror within the frame.
• Clean frame well to remove dust and dirt
• Depending on the frame, either sand lightly or (in my case) leave as is, Make sure the frame is free from dust prior to the next step
• Prime the frame. Let dry
• Paint the frame your main color
• Use a second color to dry brush over the ornate pattern, just hitting the tops
• If desired, dry brush a second color randomly over about half the design.

Refresh your couch by covering your throw pillows with “new” fabric. This can be recycled from sheets or clothing if you don’t have a vast stash to choose from. You can sew a “pocket” and slip the pillow inside. Add hook and loop tape to the edge so you can close it. This will give your space a new look with little effort or cost.

Rag rugs are wonderful additions to a porch or deck. Rip old clothes into strips. Begin with three strips if fabric. Stitch at the top of the three to hold them together. Pin to the arm of the chair or couch to secure. Begin braiding the strips into one. Add more fabric strips by laying them over one of the three and just braiding into the whole. I like to have at least two inches of fabric laid over the piece I’m adding to. This gives the new fabric strip a few braids to really keep it secure with in the rag braid. Once you have a substantial length of fabric braid, begin sewing it into a circle or oval. Once you’ve reached your desired length of braid, stitch the ends secure. Then start circling it around, stitching it with strong thread and a stout needle. I sew it fairly loosely to begin and then go back and add more sewing to the places I need it. You will have a large, heavy rug once completed. These are particularly charming in a farmhouse setting. You can use them in any room you wish. Add non-slip rug stuff beneath them if they’re on wood or laminate floors.

Chalk paint is another great way to change things up. Search this site for DIY chalk paint. I’ve used this to paint glass mason jars, furniture, lamps, and wood. It’s great stuff. I particularly like the matte finish. I used chalk paint on Dollar Tree containers, trays, buckets, and signs. It covers well, can be stenciled over and refreshes everything I’ve used it on.

A couple cans of spray paint can really change up your space. Maybe your cabinet hardware is looking rough-take it off, clean it and spray it with whichever color you like. I’ve used oil rubbed bronze extensively throughout our home during this renovation. I’ve used it on hardware, door knobs, hinges, light fixtures, flower pots, and decorative items.

Refresh your out door spaces as well. I used turquoise (as my accent color outside) on Adirondack chairs, occasional outdoor tables and flower pots. I used white to cover words on empty drywall buckets which I used as flower pots. I spray painted metal containers, a decorative table and chair set, buckets and planters. When I’m able, I’ll take apart our patio tables and spray paint the metal of those too.

A quart of paint can make all the difference in your curb appeal. It’s easy to change the color of your front door and shutters. Takes no time to speak of but the results can be dramatic. I’m using Kendall Charcoal on my shutters and garage door interiors. But you can use any color you like. The general consensus is to keep your homes exterior to three or four colors. Since our roof is green and the house is white, this leaves me with one color for the front door and another for the shutters. Again, I’m thinking of turquoise as my entrance door color. That should really stand out well against the white of the house, and brings in a hint of green to coordinate with the roof.

If your home doesn’t have shutters, this is another easy DIY. Measure the size you need. Come up with a simple shutter style. My preference is a solid wood shutter with wood cross pieces. Stain with an exterior stain/varnish and hang. You can also paint them if you like.

If you have dining chairs with a fabric seat, remove the seat and recover with different fabric. This can change the whole feel of the room and it’s quick and easy. Paint your ceilings. A fresh coat of white can really brighten the space. Change your light fixtures shades. Measure and take those with you to the second hand store. Find some new to you shades. Replace your lightbulbs with soft lighting. This can give your room a very different ambiance.

A quick DIY is a fire pit area in your yard. These can be created with next to nothing. Begin by spraying the area with weed killer. Once the weeds are dead you can add crushed concrete, stone or even mulch to this area. Dig a hole, as large as you want but I’d recommend at least a 4’x4’ diameter circle or square and at least a foot deep. Add crushed concrete, patio blocks, bricks or whatever you have available to the bottom of the hole. Add corrugated metal, patio blocks, cement blocks, etc. to the interior edge of the hole. This keeps the sides from collapsing inward. You can build this edge upward to make a deep pit. Now add the top edge, I recommend at least a foot all around the fire pit. Some of these have been used as seating. Add a simple, sturdy table to hold s’more ingredients and drinks. You could use an old desk or dresser-well covered with exterior paint-for this if you have one. Add freshly spray painted furniture around the pit for comfortable seating. A strand of lights surrounding the area will add a cozy feel to the space. Stack you wood in neat rows to provide wood for your fires and for privacy if you need that. If you’re feeling really ambitious you could add an outdoor kitchen and spot for your grill.

If you have an exterior wood fence, paint a mural on it. A cottage garden, sunrise, meaningful words, a city scape, mountains and valleys-anything you want! Make it as wild and funky as you like. Paint one for your children. I painted Noah’s Ark and animals on our barn, including a life sized elephant with a parrot on his back. Or keep your mural subtle and muted to blend in with your landscape. If you lack a view, this is the perfect way to create one. I’ve painted countless murals- use exterior paint over primer to make your mural as long wearing as possible.

A current trend is to have open cupboards. This is easily achieved by removing your cupboard doors. If this appeals to you, you can paint the interior of your cupboards to highlight what’s within them. Choose one of your accent colors and bring a whole new look and feel to your kitchen. Just make sure you sand well, wipe clean, prime and paint 9with at least two coats) of good wearing paint onto the shelves and cupboard interior. Prep is always the most important part of any painting project. Do not skip this.

Create a home spa. Gather lotions, soaps, bath bombs, salts, creams and shampoos. Fill a basket or Dollar Tree metal bucket with everything needed to duplicate those things you’d find in an exclusive spa environment. Thick thirsty towels. A cozy, comfy robe. Candles. Soft lighting. Relaxing music. A chilled glass of your favorite beverage. Perhaps a cushion for your neck while in a steaming hot bath. Imagine your muscles relaxing in the warmth of the water…There are several recipes on my site for creating a pamper basket, which I gave to every female in the family for Christmas one year. They included lip balm, shrubs, eye masks, corn filled heat wraps, and countless other things for a complete and delightful spa experience.

Unfortunately one of the best ways to improve your home is to deep clean it. I say unfortunately because I don’t like cleaning that much. But it is a very easy way to greatly improve your enjoyment of your space. Reduce clutter-keep everything to a minimum. Less is more should be our mantra. Get rid of excess furniture. This will make your home feel more fresh and spacious. Get rid of your excess clothes. If you have a closet of clothes that don’t fit anymore-get rid of them. If you think you’ll shrink back into them, think of it this way-if you lose that much weight don’t you think you’d rather have new (or new to you) clothes to celebrate your accomplishment? Now these clothes are taking up room and making you feel guilty because you can’t wear them. Nonsense! Get rid of them all. Donate, sell or use the fabric for countless projects. Like rag rugs, for example…

There’s collections and then there’s hoarding. We artists tend to hoard supplies. This is stupid because the older the stuff gets the less well it works. Use it up and buy more if needed. The same goes for any other collection. If you’re packing away most of your possessions because you have so much-purge. If you have a room filled with holiday stuff, for example, but really need the room for your new baby, keep your absolute favorite pieces and donate or sell the rest. You own your stuff, it doesn’t own you.

I hope these simple DIY’s give you both projects to try and inspiration for others. Improving your enjoyment of your home is well worth the effort it takes to do. No matter the space or the size of your wallet, you can create a home you’ll enjoy and feel comfortable in. A little elbow grease combined with creativity and you’ll be thrilled with your results.

Political Post: Don’t Read if you Don’t Want to Know!

Here is a post. In it is the figures of both white and black people who owned slaves prior to the Civil War. This is important information for a couple of reasons. First, it shows slave owners were not a huge segment of our population. Second, it shows the vast majority of people in this country at the time of slavery did not own slaves. Third, it highlights the vast difference in the percentage of slave owners to those who fought to free the slaves in the Civil War.

Yes, this country has done horrific things in our past. Even our recent past. But there is never a word spoken about all those Americans who offered, or gave, their lives to free the slaves from their hideous reality. Because the percentage of those who fought to free slaves is far higher than those who actually owned slaves. Most people were not the oppressors, most were the liberators. Instead of focusing on the minority of slave owners, focus instead upon the vast majority who fought against it.

We the people are tired of being held responsible for the actions of people long dead. No one living today ever owned anyone. Stop beating this over our countries head. It was a long time ago, hideous and evil. Part of this countries history. It is not ongoing, current or supported by anyone. Americans today are supportive of positive change which can bring our country closer to equality for all. All people treated fairly and equally under the law. Every person, no matter their race, faith, gender or economic level.

Fighting for freedom for all people is a noble and honorable thing. Offering, or sacrificing, your life for that which is right is to be commended and treasured. Equality for all is the goal of our country and one we strive for each and every day. Are we perfect? Of course not. There is still much to do. We the people know this and we’re willing to do what we can to make this a reality in every area of life. But the hatred spewed at this point in our history isn’t helping our country reach the lofty goal of equality for all. It’s dividing us.

Our country is great because we unite together to change things. We’ve fought, and won, both world wars. We have liberated many people throughout the world who live under tyranny and oppression. We step in when others run away. What is happening within our own shores is destructive to us all. Equality under the laws of our land is a fundamental right for each one of us. Justice, in a perfect world, is blind. Unfortunately for those on the lower end of the economic scale, this is not the case.

I see this current unrest, not only in terms of black and white, but in terms of have’s and have not’s. Because poverty is a real and present danger to those who live in it. Politicians don’t have this problem. They live in wealth most of us cannot even imagine. They live in safe, gated communities with armed protection. Their children can attend the best schools money can buy. They have unlimited options and opportunities. Their lives are made easy because they have money to make it so.

Poverty is the true poison in our society. And it knows no race, faith or gender. Poverty destroys. It destroys your self esteem, saps your inner strength, breaks your mind and your spirit. This, more than any other thing in my opinion, is what’s fueling the current unrest. George Floyd’s murder was the match which lit the raging fires of anger and frustration cause by poverty.

Those who live in the inner cities do not have access to opportunities the wealthy do. They do not have choices for education for their kids, job opportunities, health care, safe communities and the abundance of good things this country has to offer all it’s citizens. Because they don’t have money to access these things.

Why is this? Why do the inner cities lack the basic necessities and fundamentals offered elsewhere? We the people have poured buckets of money into the inner cities but the results remain the same: pour education, lousy living conditions, no job opportunities, terrible health care, and crime ridden streets. We are one of the wealthiest countries on earth. We can’t figure out some way to turn the inner cities around?

Of course we can. We the people can do anything we set our minds to. But let’s be honest here: there are those who do not want success for the poor. They do not want good education, health care, safe streets and affordable, high quality housing. They do not want job opportunities and abundance in these areas of our country. This is obvious because some have been in power for decades. And the problems continue to this day. So who, exactly, is responsible for this profane inequity in all areas of life?

Politicians.

They do not want people educated, because then they are armed to think for themselves, take on the world and succeed. Which means they wouldn’t be dependent on politicians. They do not want to provide safety for people, because then they are free from fear and can build successful lives for themselves and their loved ones. They do not want affordable, high quality housing because when people have homes for their families they can focus on bettering their economic situation. They do not want health care for the poor because then they’ll be able to pursue their hopes and dreams unhindered.

Am I suggesting the poverty and despair in the inner cities is deliberate? Yes I am.

Please, look at the areas which are overwhelmingly economically distressed. Who, exactly, is running these areas of our country? We the people need to hold these politicians responsible for their catastrophic failure to help low-income areas improve and thrive. It’s a disgrace and a travesty of justice for all Americans. Just because you’re poor doesn’t mean you’re less valuable as a person. But it seems like it when you really look at the policies of so many elected leaders.

While there are a few politicians I can name, I don’t know all of them. The people living in poverty within our cities need to step up and educated themselves about the issues they are most concerned about. Education, healthcare, economic opportunities, safety, crime and affordable housing would be concerns for me, but I live in a rural area not in an inner city.

So folks, get involved. Find out who is responsible for the policies which are keeping poor people poor. Reject these politicians and vote in people who actually will help poverty stricken parts of our country. Those who hold political office work for us. If what they’re doing isn’t helping us live better lives, vote them out. It is essential to the country we vote in people of integrity. People who will ensure equality for all under our laws. People who will fight for those with no strength left to fight for themselves. The most vulnerable among us. We all deserve better than what is happening to this country. We need to vote in those who have our best interests at heart and not those who are in it for power, prestige and personal gain.

May God bless you and this great country of ours as we struggle through this current tragedy. And remember, we are strong when we stand united. Stop listening to those who would diminish our great nation. We’re not perfect, certainly, but we are the best game in town. Instead of destroying this country, let’s work together to improve and heal it. We can always get better. And we’re willing to do that. But the negative rhetoric from each extreme does not bring us together, it rips us asunder. Don’t play their games. They want us broken and alone. Tell them to stick it and let’s stick together instead.

Bugs, Plants and Replacements

I mentioned earlier, I suffered an infestation of bugs in my flower pots. Unfortunately, my lobelia suffered tremendously from this roaming band of wretched potato bugs. Few have survived the attack. Which means I need to replace the dead plants with living plants.

No one has any lobelia left. No one.

Which means I needed to find a replacement which will do the same thing-cascade over the edge of the pots in a beautiful glorious purple wave of color. That’s not at all a specific requirement is it?

Fortunately, Laurie needed to pick up some things at Meijers yesterday and was willing to help me search the remaining plants in the garden section. She found nine pots of lovely purple cascading petunias. While I have 10 pots to fill, the one extra will hold the remainder of my living lobelia and be set nearest my porch steps. The purple color will look similar to the purple in the petunias, yet not be that noticeable as different because of the less visible location from the road.

I also bought a couple herbs for my indoor pots, as the herbs I planted from seed haven’t done much. These were from old seed, which I think made the difference. The large pots of herbs beside the back deck are doing much better. Those were more recently planted from the seeds I bought at Home Depot three weeks ago when they were on sale.

The point of this is sometimes plants die. That’s part of gardening. Whether from an unexpected, ruthless attack by starving bugs or for any number of other reasons. Don’t become discouraged if you lose some plants. It happens to all of us. It’s frustrating at times, but not at all unusual. Beginning gardeners can give up when these minor set backs happen because they think they’re the cause. This is not the case if you’ve taken the time to research what your plants need to thrive. That means amending your soil appropriately and provide them with the right growing conditions like sun and water.

Here’s the thing: If you tenderly care for it and it dies, it’s a plant. If you pull it and it comes back, its a weed. This is the life of gardeners. And the reason I’ve suggested nearly indestructible plants appropriate for your zone. You’ll have better luck keeping them alive if you buy hardy varieties which require little care and maintenance. And if you purchase plants from reputable sources. A healthy, hardy plant has a better chance of survival if they are attacked by bugs, suffer from benign neglect or inexperienced gardener efforts.

Do not become discouraged my friends! This is part of the joy of gardening. And when you have a gorgeous, thriving landscape you’ll be glad you made the effort. Trust me on this one. Little makes my heart leap for joy more than an abundance of beautiful flowers. And this is a goal we can all achieve. We just need to face some realities dealing with living plants.

There Has Been Progress!

The guy who delivers my oxygen tanks was just here to replace my empties. He walked into the mudroom and said “doing some renovations?” Then stepped into the kitchen, paused a heartbeat and said “Holy sh**!” Which I took to mean he noticed significant differences.

He’s such a nice guy. The last time he was here was February, I think. We were still finishing the main bathroom at that time, according to Scott’s recollection. That means we finished the main hall, all closets, the laundry room, mudroom, living room, most of the kitchen, and started the stairwell and dining room. Not to mention all the landscaping.

I guess when you put it into that context, we have actually accomplished a lot.

But we are trudging onward. I finished the trim in the never before finished hall closet, painted four kitchen drawers and two cabinet doors. Scott has four left to sand. I also painted the interior side of our doors in the garage. The dark Kendall Charcoal from Benjamin Moore.

Scott opened one of the rolls of countertop and I am thrilled with it. He hopes to cover the countertop over the cabinet (which will become the coffee bar) today. I confess, I’m anxious to see how the countertops will look with the Chelsea Gray paint of the lower cabinets. The sample looked good, but it was a different brand of Calcutta Marble. We ordered the Formica brand for the counters.

Yesterday, while paint was drying, I arted. First I had to clear my desk, as it’s become a catch-all spot these last few months. But once I had put everything away, I enjoyed a couple hours lost in paper, glue, lace and buttons. I printed a paper kit from Shabbydabbydoodah. I think that may be used in my “Bee” journal, as the colors are right. It was a lot of fun to get back to creating. I’ve missed it terribly, in spite of the daily work I’ve been doing to the house and yard. There’s no color to speak of. Just white, Revere Pewter, Chelsea Gray and Kendall Charcoal.

Gray, gray, gray.

Blah, blah, blah.

At least in the next house there will be color.

Happy Father’s Day

To my own incredible Dad and to the incredible dad to my kids, Scott. To all other fathers and positive male mentors out there as well. Your influence and integrity are just exactly what young people need desperately today. If these last few weeks have taught us nothing else, integrity is vital to both our very lives (George Floyd’s murder) and to our society at large.

Men of integrity, I beg you, step up. Step up and help shape this country into greatness once again. Step up and show young boys what real men look like. Step up and share your wisdom and knowledge with kids of all walks of life. Step up and make a difference where it really matters: in the lives of children.

Men of honor and integrity are losing their way in this upside down country of ours. They are being maligned and insulted at every turn. It doesn’t matter their faith, race or economic level, men of integrity are being dismissed as invaluable or obsolete. Do Not Fall for This!

Real men take personal responsibility for their children and the women who bore them. Real men lead by example and not by fear. Real men accept their God given responsibilities and do not walk out on their families just because things get tough. Real men teach and train their kids to be people of integrity too. Through love, example and corrective discipline when needed. To many kids today never know the security of discipline. Knowing where the line is drawn and not to cross it. Learning respect for all people, “not based on the color of their skin but on the content of their character.” A quote from the late, great Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Learning kindness and compassion for the less fortunate and the infirmed. Learning to reach out to help someone, not reach out to destroy someone.

Please men, if you’re able, mentor an at risk youth. Work with kids in tough situations. Work with the boys in your communities. Train and teach these young people how to be good husbands and fathers to their own future families. Teach them to become productive members of our society rather than lazy, entitled little warts. Show them the honor and dignity of a hard day’s labor and it’s rewards. Share your experiences and your wisdom. We the people are in desperate need of you right now! Time is of the essence. I beg you, please help this nation by being men of integrity and stepping up to get us all out of this mess we’re in.

And may God bless each and every one of you for being a good father to your kids. You really cannot understand how important that is, to both boys and girls. You’re unappreciated on the national stage, but you’re deeply appreciated in your homes and communities. And most importantly, your kids appreciate you. Even if they’re in that horrible, smelly teenager phase. It does pass, but for some that road is rocky. Stay strong, stay connected and get your kid through the pit falls as best you can. And remember-this too shall pass. And once it does, hopefully you’ll have a young adult who will step up with their own families as you’ve done.

Thank you all for your great service to our country. For it is through the strong influence of fathers that our country remains, in spite of recent upheaval, the greatest country on earth. Stay strong, stay focused and stay the course. You are our greatest chance to move this country forward in positive and productive ways. Thank you all.