Monday, June 16, 2008

full swing ahead

full swing ahead

i am so tired that i want to write this tomorrow, but i have to get up early to pack & separate the keep & the sell, so i need to write while the writing is good.

we are back after the monsterweek of graduation (yeah, boothe!!!) & driving to our new old house, working on it all week (lining cabinets, setting up kitchen & pantry, painting, replacing light fixtures, hanging ceiling fans, installing elfa shelving, weeding patios, cleaning out a barn, etc.) and getting a lot done, but not getting enough done...along with volleyball camp, commuting, ballet lessons and the etc.

oh, and uncle sam, if you are reading this--- you know the economic stimulus check that you just sent a notice of its upcoming arrival?---well, it is going towards hiring some painters & tree guys. thank you, uncle sam. i will seal 2008 taxes with a kiss.

my mother had offered me my grandparents' old swing---the peashelling and watchingtheworldgoby swing. i was so happy & grateful and decided to punch it up islandstyle via cans of spraypaint. i need to take another photo of it, since the thrifted doubleknit patchwork pillow (i know it sounds sketchy, but it works!) really knocks it into loveland.

one of those moments that is only Divinelyengineered happened this week. i was pulling creeper vine & kudzu off of the bungalow early in the morning and had just wheeled the filled trashcan to the curb and a new friend pulled up and asked if he could see the house. since i was born at night but not last night, i hesitated and asked for his number for a better time and we started chatting. he had grown up in the house after it was built in 1944 and it turned out that his stepfather & my grandfather had been best friends and thought that my grandfather had helped him build my barn. he walked me through the house and showed me where walls and halls had been. his bedroom is now boothe's and his sister's is now princessV's. it is trippy when you experience those moments.

now off to stop for the day. garage sale is on friday & saturday and a major paredown is in order.

once i get my bearings, i will take photos of the house and plans for it and the garden. i plan to leave all original garden beds which don't have a thing in them except weeds and start all over. major riverrocking will happen there and i want to bring the ambience of a german beer garden to it. there is a lot to do and i hope to get it done before school starts.

13 comments:

Jill said...

have been missing your posts, girl. did you get my long rambling message with chirps from baby c the other day? i think it was so longwinded i got cut off...

Linda said...

Excited to hear about the good time to come - try to enjoy the exhaustion.

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

It's good to get an update from you. I seriously love the color of that swing. Hang in there. This all shall pass.

Sis said...

Aw, you're back! I'm so glad, I've missed you -

Can't wait to see your house and gardens, and ya know? That shopping trip to all the outlet stores during Thanksgiving break, or somewhere thereabouts? The one that fell through, last year (now I know why - cuz you were moving there!) It's in the works, this year...

Face to face, Dawnie, you, me, Steviegirl and VV - I'm crossing my fingers!
XOXO

Diane said...

Dawn~I am loving the swing. My granparents had a swing on their porch, and I can remember many a days there!
Have missed ya!

Anonymous said...

So excited for you, Dawn. Wish I could be there to paint with you :-)

fiwa said...

This is what I have been craving - an informational post. Yay for Boothe! Yay for you & V!

I have missed you.
fifi

Marilyn said...

So good to hear from you! Congrats to Boothe, too.

Love the swing. It's one of the special things that makes a house, a home.

Keep updating us. I want to hear all about the big sale!

~S said...

Good Luck with getting the new house in order and Congrats Boothe! Look forward to the garden pics!

Gin said...

It's so good to hear from you!

I love your peashellin' swing...I have one of those in my memories...you're lucky to be able to put hands on yours! (Or butts, as the case may be)

Congrats on your son's graduation. That's such a big step!

How cool that you got to talk to the guy who used to live in your house.

Can't wait to see your gardens!! It's so fun to plan and execute them! Wish I was there to help.

XOXOXOX

Anonymous said...

Dearest D,
Is that the swing from SA street? It is a beautiful color - same color as the trip on the column rims at my house! So glad for Booth - congrats from JFAP and Happy Homecoming to you all. Great to see / hear the update and look forward to more posts and pictures soon. All is well in Denver. Ginger has been with us one year on Father's / Troy's day.
Miss you and Love, JFAP XOXOXO

A bird in the hand said...

I'm so happy to have your news!! I've missed you. Your descriptions make me want to move in with you. I'll walk the doglet, mow the lawn, make the coffee, and I can cook too... hahahaha!

xoxo

Rachel said...

Hey hey! I was afraid you wouldn't come back to posting!

Tell Boothe I said "congratz", and tell V I said "hi"! I really miss you guys. I bet your doing a great job on your house and I can't wait to see pictures of it and your new garden. :)

BTW~ I love the color on your new swing!