Making Martinis

Here is my first martini!  We got a recipe booklet in the mail from Hy-Vee with nothing but cocktail recipes.  So I decided to invest in a few bar basics: shaker, strainer, martini glasses. I followed the recipe except I used gin instead of vodka.  Shaken, not stirred.  Delicious!! I also made the Old Fashion...pretty darn tasty! I could really get into the cocktail hour, I guess.  But, maybe not something I should do on a daily basis....

FURNITURE REDO....cont'd.

 Here's my first coat of paint on the writing desk.  It is upside down and I am using French Linen, first.

 The unpainted portion shows the repair work that Bob did to the legs. Lots of wood putty later.....

This one had 1/2 of the foot missing, so Bob sculpted a new one!  What a guy!!  Now I'm painting this puppy...hope it holds together!! I need to put on another coat on this side then turn it over and paint the top. To be continued....

Another Furniture Adventure

 Well, here's the next project.  I found this writing desk at TLC Vintage in Des Moines.  It's got several issues, to say the least. The veneer is very chippy and looks bad.  Hope my Annie Sloan works its magic!

 I'm planning on painting it with French Linen and maybe Old White.  We'll see.

If you look at the left leg, you can see how one foot is missing.  Bob say's he can fix it!  Sweet.  I'll post more pix of the process as we work on it. Soon...

Transplant News

David and Marcia were here October 10-13.  This photo was taken on the Saturday of the Lung and Heart Transplant Picnic sponsored by the U of I.  Everyone who has had a heart or lung transplant is invited plus their family or support.  If you have received your transplant in the last tear, you receive a t-shirt.  David got his t-shirt last year.

Above, he is telling everyone about the Transplant Games that he and several others attended in July. (He got a bronze medal in Golf).  He hopes to get the games in Des Moines in 2016!
David continues to do very well since his heart transplant.  He had his annual angiogram  and biopsy when he was here.  Everything was great and some more of his medicine was reduced.
 Marcia and he celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary on the 10th!!  We ate dinner at Iowa Power.
Lauren came home on Friday, Oct.12.  She had a mid-term break for about 9 days.  We watched both seasons of Walking Dead; last season of 30 Rock; The Music Man and Annie Get Your Gun.  Got some shopping in and ate out a few times (kitchen was being tiled).  Today I made some cheddar cheese crackers and she went back to Beloit about 2:30... : (    sniff..sniff.
She'll be home soon for Thanksgiving!! : ) Yay!!

A Beautiful Autumn

Wow! the colors this fall are spectacular!  We all thought it would be drab and dry because of the drought, but mother nature has stepped up to the plate!  This is the little maple in our neighbors back yard, just to our north.  It is a gorgeous red. Below, is the back deck.

September 28, Bob and I went to Beloit for parent's weekend.  For us, it was Parent's Day.  We drove back  on the same day.  We got to see Lauren's room and had lunch  with Lauren and her friend, Zoe.

We laughed a lot at the restaurant and visited a little while longer, then Lauren had class.  So, Bob and I headed home.
The following week we started the process of getting our new counter top in the kitchen!  So on Wednesday, Bob and some friends took out the old counter and sink.

On Thursday, the new counter and under mount sink was installed.  We got it through Lowe's.  It is Quartz with a single, stainless sink.  LOVE IT!!!

Next, we got a new back splash.  It also came from Lowe's.  It is polished marble subway tile.  LOVE IT, TOO!!

Sorry the lighting isn't better.  But, trust me, it is beautiful!  The center island remained its original black granite.  The quartz is called Silver Lake. The original counter was Formica and the sink was  a standard double bowl mounted on top. Sorry I didn't get the 'before' picture.  I need to close this entry because I feel the need to get in this new kitchen and bake some kind of 'autumn -spice-something'!!!