Hodgepodge Is Back!

Hello dear friends.  I am so happy that Hodgepodge is back!  Welcome back, Joyce.

Today, I am off to the Cape with my partner in crime, new bff, Anne.  We are going to a Show house.  I've already packed my camera and will share all of the photos with you. 

1.  June is National Great Outdoors Month.  Have you spent any time appreciating the great outdoors this month?  If so where, an if not do you have any plans to enjoy the great outdoors before the calendar turns?

Any chance the Mister and I have to eat al fresco, whether it be at home or when we go to a restaurant is a treat.  

2.  What's a current hot button issue for you?

I have signed up for every no call list known to man.  And yet, I receive numerous sales calls at my home as well on my cell phone.  

It drives me crazy.

3.  What's a food or treat that 'disappears like hotcakes' in your house?

Last drug of choice was this addictive bag of empty calories.  The Mister is guilty of buying all of the naughty snacks.  I think this bag lasted less than 30 seconds.

4.  How hot is too hot?

I lived in the great state of Texas for 14 years.  
There's no such thing as "too hot." 

5.  Do you have an artistic outlook on life?  What does that mean to you?

May I have another question?  
This one is waaaaay over my head.

6.  What's one question you'd like to ask your father, or one wish you could ask your father?

I don't think there is anything I'd like to ask my father except for his secret to a long, healthy life.  He is 97 years old and is still going strong. 

 If he tells me to stay away from wine, I don't want to hear it.  If he tells me it's all in the genes, I'm listening.  

7.  Something you learned from your father?

Anyone who books a cruise a year in advance when he's 97 years old has got to have a positive attitude.  Unfortunately, I have not inherited that trait.  But I'm working on it. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Just when I think I that the news stories could not possibly get any crazier, this item pops up on my screen.  You can't make this stuff up.  Or, then again, maybe she can.



Until next time...

A Delightful Way to See Boston

Hello dear friends.  I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.  Ours was busy and packed with empty nester fun.  The Mister took Friday off.  Our #2 gave us a luncheon cruise in Beantown as a  Christmas gift.  When she gave it to us in frigid December, I didn't think it would ever be warm enough to get on a boat.   We lucked out with a sailor's delight kind of day.

We took the ferry into Boston and a cab to the dock.  Here, the Mister is choosing some treats to spoil his bride rotten.

And the Mister did not disappoint.  I feasted on a breakfast fit for a queen.

On our way, I spotted this little beauty.

We arrived at what would be our home away from home for two hours, Spirit of Boston.

Just in case there were rough seas ahead, I spied my apres cruise refuge.

We arrived early and enjoyed a little libation before setting sail. 

We feasted on a beautiful buffet and the wait service was attentive and hospitable.  

The boat was brimming with great music and a dance floor downstairs.  I could sense the Mister's excitement.

Full bar stocked with liquid courage for those who were shy to approach that dance floor.

This is the Mister's look that says, "ok, one picture and then concentrate on taking pictures of the scenery." 

It was a delightful way for the Mister to drool over some boats and for me to see the city.

After arriving home, I picked some peonies that just bloomed.

And played some ball with these two characters.

Thanks, #2 for the wonderful gift.  The only thing that was missing was you (and your sister). 

Until next time...

House Reveal

This post was published June, 2015.  Right now, (May 2016), our flowers don't look nearly as good because I just planted them.  

Hello dear friends.  TGIF!  Yes, I know it's not Friday but the Mister is taking tomorrow off so it's Friday to us. 

I have not done a room reveal in awhile.  I have a very good reason for that.  The year 2014 was dedicated to indoor renovations which you can see on my Massachusetts Home tour.  This year, we concentrated on the exterior of the house.   

Move in day, December 17, 2013.

When we moved into the house, it was in desperate need of a paint job.  The shutters were mismatched and dilapidated.  The roof was on its last legs and the landscaping was overgrown.

This was the Mister's dream.  He has always wanted to renovate an old house.  I did not share that dream, but being the fabulous supermodel trophy wife that I am, I grudgingly hitched my wagon onto his dream.  All I asked is that the house would have two things:  good heating and functional plumbing.  One out of two ain't bad.   

And then January, 2015 arrived with a vengeance.  I learned a new term, "roof dam" and appreciated the value of having a mother lode of buckets on hand for emergency situations.  

Needless to say, the Mister's welcome home from me in the evenings of January and February were anything but warm and cozy.

But then Spring finally arrived and we had the house painted.  It's amazing the difference a coat of paint can do.  We also "treated" ourselves to a new roof.

We had new shutters and window boxes made for the front of the house.

We ripped out almost all of the landscaping and started anew.

Notice Chowdah peeking into this picture.

Can you tell Chowdah's middle name is "ham"?  If he's going to be in the picture, the least he could do is smile.

I think the window boxes add a lot of interest to the front of the house.  Now all I need to do is to remember to water them.

We also invested in new screen/glass doors.

This is my stubborn, non-blooming gardenia.  I try everything to get it to bloom - I fertilize it, water it, talk to it, I even resorted to treat it like my kids - with bribes and threats.  Still nothing.  I am now trying a new strategy by ignoring it.

By the way... I am not telling Chowdah to get in the pictures.  He just sees me point the camera and nonchalantly strolls over to be center stage. 

This is a picture of the house when it was up for sale.

We had the white cedar trees removed to improve the light in the house and on the patio.  It also enables me to keep an eye on the neighbors.  

We naturally kept the rhododendrons and planted a garden where the trees were.

My stylist, Madame Chili, is on the shy side.  Not a ham like her bro.

Another photo of when the house was on the market.

We had no choice but to have the flagstone removed because it was sinking in the middle and very dangerous to walk on in my stilettos.

We both agreed (very rare occurrence) on replacing it with brick.

Mom, when are you gonna play ball with me?

Until next time...

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