The  little island is several years old and starting to look a bit tired.  Since I've got black paint left over and it was standing still, I decided to paint it!  Started with washing and sanding on the 3rd, finished today (the 5th) with new pulls.  The bonus?  I cleaned out the drawers and filled a bag with stuff for the thrift stores!  The boyz are fair warned, stand still and you might get painted too!

Bought a couple of very heavy brass lamps (with shades) at the SPCA thrift shop.  While walking around with the lamps another lady wanted to check them out.  It makes you so certain that you are making the right choice when someone else wants your stuff!!  After bringing the lamps home, my neighbor immediately identified them as Stiffel lamps that are quite collectible!  Cleaned them up with some Brasso and they really shine.  I decided to surprise the boyz with a little modification to the shades for their apartment.  I added a little bling around the bottom of the shade and put something inside.  Hope they like them!!

We've bought a house in Medford, Oregon.  Right now it is in the finance stage.  Once it's officially ours, I'll be posting pictures.  It will be a rental for a few (2) years...sorry neighbors... but then we will move in and fix 'er up proper like!

A nice home with a beautiful yard.

The ugly green before...

With a few coats of black paint and a raw silk seat,

the chairs look beautiful.

Chairs!  Every table needs a few chairs.  After all, it makes eating more enjoyable :)  We aren't trying to push the boyz out (not much),  but we are getting more and more supplies ready.  The coffee table is midway through it's transformation.  We found two beautiful solid brass lamps today that will get red paint added to their shades....  These are two of the chairs, we have one other that will have the red/black cushion tied on.  It's an old fashioned oak chair with a carved headrest.

Getting ready for baby birds to leave the nest.

The boyz are moving into their own apartment.  Together!  Another friend will be joining them, probably just to keep the peace!  We have been collecting furniture and kitchen items for them from the local thrift stores.  We found a beat-up drop-leaf table at Savers.  It was marked $24.99, but the kind employee changed it to $19.99, just to get it off the floor.  Plus we had a 20% off coupon, so it was a great deal.  After hours of sanding and stripping off the junky top, repairing and painting the legs, the table is ready for its new home.  The 4 oddball chairs will be painted a cheery red to add a punch of color to the dwelling!

Of course, I get so excited to start the new project, that I forget to take the 'before' picture.  So, sadly, all we have is a 'during' picture and two 'afters'.  You  can see the two leaves in the background, they have been stripped and sanded and still look a little rough.  It was one messy table top!

A trimmed bush...

Some of the harvest

Happily harvesting my small crop of lavender this weekend, I was remembering Dad's last birthday at Park Place; the boyz and I brought the fixins' for homemade ice cream and some sugar cookies.  While the ice cream churned away in the gazebo, I harvested a TON of lavender from the grounds (with permission!).  I promised to come back with some dried lavender and have an 'art lesson' for the residents at a later date.  We served ice cream and cookies to all who would partake.  In October I came back with lots of dried lavender and sachet bags.  The residents removed the dry flowers and put them into the bags for their drawers.  The entire compound smelled heavenly and everyone got a little fine motor skill workout.  Plus, I had lots of lavender left over :)

Sadly, the other father of the mother has gone on to the 19th hole.  Hard to believe that only a week ago he was teaching me how to make a Manhattan (with brandy).  EP was always a part of my life, attending every single important event.  I will miss him terribly.  Via con Dios!