Of Fests and Sprees!

For the past few weekends we have gone to local fairs. Two weekends ago we went to the Canton Liberty Fest. We only go once every few years because we don't have young kids and don't ride rides (at least not that weekend); but we decided that we would go walk around and check it out anyway.

They were giving camel rides.

This little girl was really enjoying her ride, while the girl behind her was looking at her mom as of to say, "Can I get off now?" And camels always look like they have "bedroom eyes" to me!!

They also had the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall there. It is an exact replica of the one in Washington, D.C. but in a smaller scale. They were ringing a bell and saying all of the names of Michigan soldiers that died over there. I am fortunate to not have known anyone who died in Vietnam, although there were some members of my family that were there.

This past weekend we went to the Livonia Spree, and we actually went on a ride! I think it was called the Screamer. Kind of like a Tilt-a Whirl but higher in the air and faster. It actually was a blast but I was a little dizzy and had a headache when the ride was done! We walked around with my brother Don and SIL Linda, ate a corn dog, and danced to one of the best cover bands I've ever heard. They played 80's pop for one set and 80's rock for the other and they were good! As a matter of fact Linda and I were looking at their web site to see where else they're playing so we can go see them again!!

I always love the lights of the big wheel!

Sunday we went to dinner with Chris and Marissa for Fathers Day.

Then back to the work week. Today I opened a package at work and was greeted with brain tissue in shrink wrap! LOL! Love working in Pathology!!

Stuff

This morning I read that one of my regular blog reads, Linda over at All & Sundry had to put her 15-year-old lab to sleep. I've been feeling depressed all morning now. She is such a eloquent writer and the last line just about did me in! I should know better to read this stuff while I'm at work because I tear up and have to go hide in the bathroom!

My coworker is on vacation for the next two weeks so I'm on my own here. So far so good. I'm keeping up with everything and actually getting ahead a little, which explains why I'm able to slack off and do this entry!

Yesterday for the third time this year I got caught in a torrential downpour on my way to my car from work! Third time I drove home with wet clothes. I even had an umbrella but the wind was blowing so hard it was soaking me! One of my few job hazards!!

Next weekend is the 4th of July already! That Saturday we have to go to Rich's nieces baby's first birthday party and Sunday my nephew and his fiance are having a party at their new house. Busy time...unless we decided to chuck everything and just go up north for the weekend! That is sounding mighty good to me right now!

Enjoy the rest of the week!!

The Brenda Photo Challenge-Play

OK I cheated..this is a re-post from the last Play Brenda Photo Challenge but it still holds true!!!

  Relaxing Play

Family Room Play


Play that (sometimes) pays!

Kittie play!

Go HERE
to see more playtime!!

The Front Door

The second part of the painting project involved the front door. Here is a pic of what it used to look like.

In it's day it was a beautiful, oak door. Actually, it still is on the inside. But years of weather exposure has done a job on the outside. It was faded and rough and even slightly cracked in a few small places  I even used a picture of it in the Weathered and Worn Brenda Photo Challenge a few years ago! Plus the handle that used to be brass was tarnished and ugly!

My first intention was to sand it and stain it back to it's original color. That would have looked nice enough. But after thinking on it for a while, like a couple of years, I decided that our house needed some color. So painting the door was the best option. The color, called Merlot, was a easy decision because I have seen several houses with this color door and always loved it. Beautiful and rich looking without being too bright.

I also wanted to keep the original door knob. It still worked well and I didn't see any reason to replace it. So I decided to take it off and spray paint it.

That's where we ran into a little problem, like the darn thing wouldn't come off the door! We, and by we I mean Rich, unscrewed a bunch of screws and removed most of the inside, but the actual lock part, where the key goes in absolutely would not come apart! We didn't want to force it  and risk breaking it so it was either leave it the ugly brass that it was, or spray paint it on the door! So I taped it up really good and carefully spray painted it. That was nerve wracking!

I used Rustoleum primer and metallic silver spray paint.

I also removed and painted the door knocker and the little peep hole!

Then put two coats of paint on the door. I used Behr Exterior Paint and Primer In One on both of the doors. I love Behr paint.

It took me all day on Tuesday with the painting and drying between coats, but the end result was worth it. We love it! That was just what the front of the house needed.

So I got everything accomplished on my days off that I wanted to and actually was glad to go back to work and rest!!

Oh, and I'm thinking that mailbox could use a spray of paint too!!

See you Saturday for the Brenda Photo Challenge!

Painting Project Part One

Well, I got the first part of my painting project done. Got the trim and back door painted. I think it looks pretty good. What do you think?

The door took three coats!

And we installed a nice, shiny new door knob which someone (I'm not mentioning any names but it stars with a "R") dropped one of the knobs and put a dent into it! Luckily it's the inside knob and faces the wall so no one will see it!

A little better view for our neighbor, anyway!

The front door is turning out to be a bigger project than I first anticipated.

More to come on that one!!

Work, work, WORK!!

Being a homeowner is never ending worry, work and expense! That is unless you have enough money to let someone else do all the work, but we don't so we are pretty much stuck doing all our own maintenance! So needless to say, stuff gets done when it REALLY needs it. Take for example the wood trim around the garage and the side door.

I'm sure my neighbor next door, Sue, appreciates this view outside her kitchen window when she's doing her dishes!!

OK I took these pictures after I have been scraping and sanding all of the loose paint off, but believe me it didn't look a whole lot better than before!

So I took Monday and Tuesday off from work for vacation days and guess what I'll be doing? Yep, painting! The trim will be white and the door is going to be Merlot, which is a deep wine color.

Plus I'll be painting the front door, but that will be it's own post later on!

Be back on Tuesday with after pictures!!

Yard Stuff And A Birthday Boy!

We're in full summer mode and it's not even officially summer, yet!

Friday I was off so I got the house cleaned up a little. This is what I dug out from under the stove and refrigerator.

See that beige colored little cup in the top center? That's the bolt cover from the toilet upstairs! I wondered what happened to it, now I know! Nothing in this house is safe from those cats!!

Then I went to a rummage sale at a local church. I got this stuff

Rope, three little dishes, a screwdriver set and a bag of miscellaneous beads. All for $5. I don't know why I bought the rope but I figured for 50 cents it may come in handy for something someday!

Saturday was Dominic's 1st birthday party. He was loving his cake!

Today we planted one more perennial in the flower bed.

This time it was a hydrangea. It's in full sun so I hope it does OK. We may have to shade it in July when it's really hot out so the leaves don't get burned. Now this side of the yard is finished! My friend Marie came over and took a couple hunks of one of our hostas so now we will be transplanting the rest of them.

I actually have been enjoying working outside this year so far.

Well, tomorrow starts another work week! Weekends sure do go by fast!

Have a good one!!