The Bathroom Project

We built our house 27 years ago. The bathroom has pretty much looked like this the entire time:

It's been painted, of course, and once I had wallpaper on the walls, but the flooring had been down all of that time.

They were sticky tiles that we put down ourselves, because we built our house hands-on and did almost all of the work. After all of these years, the tiles of course had lost their sheen and were coming up. They also had ground-in dirt. They weren't made to last nearly 30 years, but they held up remarkably well.

All of the hardware in the bathroom, indeed in all of the house, was antique brass.

When I had surgery earlier this summer, we discovered (a) I had a difficult time getting in and out of the bath tub until I healed up a bit, because I am short (and older), and (b) the tub had cracked. My husband put a patch on the crack, which you can see in the left-hand part of the photo, but it didn't hold.

The tile really did look this bad.

It was time for a fix-up, don't you think?

 

The only way to replace the leaking bathtub was to tear it out. A new tub came in three parts and we were concerned about mold in the cracks.

 

 

So we decided to build a walk-in shower.

 

It has a corner seat. This photo is the closest to what the tile actually looks like, it is whitish-gray but for some reason it keeps showing up brown in my pictures.

 

Antique brass is no longer the "in" thing, so we went with oil-rubbed bronze fixtures.

 

We hired someone to do all of this. The tile man works a second job and it took 3.5 weeks but he wasn't here all of that time, of course. And no the flooring is not this brown!

 

But I am happy to say it is done now. And yes, we added grab bars so we could get in and out as we age. We are planning on being in this house until the caretaker comes and takes us away.

 

A Rabble of Butterflies

Down by the mailbox the other day I spied a yellow something fluttering around.

Fortunately I had my camera so I snapped some photos.

These are called "southern dogface" butterflies.

Sounds like fightin' words to me!

They were very pretty in the gravel.

A bunch of butterflies is called a rabble.

These were southern dogface rabble-rousers.

A middle-of-the day squirrel: Q&A

1. Are you a young heart or an old soul?

A. I have been told by some that I am old soul.

2. What makes someone a best friend?

A. Empathy, good listening skills, and a desire to make the friend a part of your life. Bringing chocolate is good, too.

3. What Christmas present do you remember the most?

A. A blue bike I received when I was 5. Santa put a Batgirl doll on the seat.

4. Tell me a movie/song/TV show/playbook that has changed your life.

A. Xena: Warrior Princess. It was the first "fandom" I was ever involved with, and I made a lot of cyberfriends that I am still in touch with because of that show.

5. Name one physical feature that you like about yourself and one that you dislike.

A. Like: my smile. Dislike: everything else

6. Can money buy happiness?

A. No, but it sure helps pay the bills.

7. What’s more important in a relationship: physical attraction or emotional connection?

A. Emotional connection

8. Is there anyone close to you that you know you can’t trust?

A. Yes.
 
9. Where was your favorite place to go when you were a little kid?

A. Grandma's house.
 
10. Have you spent a night in the hospital?

A. Oh boy, have I ever.
 
11. Do you enjoy being only with 1-2 friends or with a large group of people?

A. Introvert all the way - 1-2 friends.

12. Have you ever been bullied?

A. Yes, and I've been sexually discriminated against, too.
 
13. If your partner wanted to wait until marriage until having sex, would you stay in that relationship?

A. I have been married for 30 years, I don't think this applies to me.
 
14. Do you believe in God?

A. Sometimes.
 
15. Out of all the social networks in the world why use a blog?

A. I like the freedom it gives me to write for however long and on whatever I want. It's my personal outlet.
 
16. What is your quirkiest habit?

A. I sing very loud when no one is home.

17. What is normal? Are you normal?

A. Normal is what the majority of any group deems it to be. I am not normal because I don't really belong to any single group. I live outside the lines.

18. Someone close to you is dying! You have the choice to let this person live for 10 more years but if you do you cause the death of 10 strangers.

A. Ah, one of those questions. Fortunately I am never in this position, and neither is anyone else.

19. What is one thing you could never forgive?

A. Betrayal. This takes many forms - lying, murder, stealing, adultery - all are betrayals.

20. When you’re alone in your own home, do you talk out loud to yourself?

A. Why yes, yes I do.

21. Who is your favorite super hero?

A. I have always had a tie between Batgirl, The Invisible Girl (Fantastic Four) and The Black Widow (Spiderman).

22. Could you be in a long distance relationship?

A. Sure. You didn't define relationship in the question, and isn't friendship a relationship? I have several long-distance friends. One lives in England. We correspond every day. Likely we will never meet. I don't think you can get more long distance than that.
 
23. Do you know what makes you happy?

A. I have a general idea.

24. Who was your first crush?

A. A boy named Jamie.

25. Where is your favorite place to go out and eat?

A. Bellacino's. It's close by, has good atmosphere, and decent food. Plus I can actually hear my companion talk and we can carry on a conversation. That's rare these days.

26. Are you an early bird or night owl?

A. I'm a middle-of-the day squirrel.

27. Give me an unpopular opinion you have.

A. I think churches should be taxed.

28. Do you believe in giving kids medals and trophies for participation?

A. No. Certificates are okay, though.

29. What song best describes your life right now?

A. The rest is still unwritten. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.

30. How do you express your creativity?

A. Through writing and music. Sometimes through cooking.

31. Describe your neighborhood.

A. Rural farming community with a few kooks and characters.
 
32. Give me the story of your life in 6 words.

A. Rode too hard, put up wet.


From Sunday Stealing

The Hollow Tree

On a recent walk, I inspected a tree that blew over in early July.

 

It was hollow inside.

 

 

 

Mushrooms were growing in the tree innards.

 

 

And at the bottom of those mushrooms was a big hole where some critter lives.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I like about summer . . .

1. Fresh home-grown 'maters. Yum!

2. Fresh home-grown cucumbers. Double yum!

3. Watermelon. I know you can get most fruits and veggies year round these days, but they certainly taste better when they are in season and come from local markets.


4. Thunderstorms. One of my best memories of my grandfather involves sitting on a back stoop with him, his arm around me, as we watch the lightning streak across an August sky.

5. Green colors. I love that everything looks lush and healthy, especially this year when we kind of missed July altogether and so far have not had that brown, too-hot look that most summers have.

Is this a view, or what?

6. Colorful roses. I love my roses, and though they have not seemed to enjoy the cooler summer, they are still blooming for me.

7. Ice water. That used to be iced tea, but I stopped drinking that in favor of water some years ago. I don't drink ice water in the winter but I enjoy it in summer.

8. Short sleeves. Okay, yes, I wear them year-round but in summer I don't need a sweater, too!

9. Cloud formations. The clouds seem fuller and, I don't know, happier, in summer.

10. Butterflies! You certainly don't see those when the weather turns cold.

11. Fireflies. You don't see these unless it is warm out, either!

12. June bugs. I remember we used to chase them around as a child, and sometimes we were very cruel and would tie a string around their leg and then fly them around. I was six, I didn't know better. I wouldn't condone this today but back then it seemed fun.

13. Summer rains. I can walk outside in the rain during warm weather, something I would not do in freezing temperatures!



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 308th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

August Wildflowers

Queen Anne's Lace

I thought at first this was an anemone or a wood sorrel, but it has six petals, not five like those flowers. After searching through two different guide books, I think this must be a hepatica, a type of buttercup, except it is growing out of season. This is usually a spring flower, but we've had such strange weather I suppose anything is possible. If you have a better name for this wildflower, please share. I like to get the names correct.

Bull thistle. We try to keep this off the farm, as it is hard on the cattle, as they get the thorns in their feet. It grows well by the side of the road.

Goldenrod. This, along with ragweed, is the reason I generally can't be outside from now until we have a heavy frost.

A Feather in the Cap

On Sunday I took a walk and I found this turkey feather.

For some reason, I decided to stick it in this tree stump.

It's a feather in the cap. Er. Tree.

I hope it will stay there all winter. I hope the little stump gnome likes its decoration.

Katydid

A hitchhiker who decided my finger was a good place to take a ride.

Once Was Enough

From Sunday Stealing


Let Me Give Your Heart A Break Meme

Q. Do you prefer a lot of ice in your drinks or just a little bit of ice?

A. No ice.
 
Q. Which condiment (ketchup, mustard, etc.) do you use the most of?

A. Mayonnaise.

Q. Does war scare you?

A. Yes. And it should scare you, too.

Q. Do you know any songs that are older than you are?

A. Yes.
 
Q. Are you comfortable sharing drinks with your friends?

A. Do you mean like sharing the same glass? No. I don't do that with anyone. I won't even drink after my husband. The last time I did that was when I was 18 and I got mononucleosis from it.
 
Q. What season were you born in?

A. Spring, ah the Spring!
 
Q. Have you ever spent over $100.00 on an article of clothing? What was it?

A. Yes, my wedding gown.
 
Q. Do you think you’re too hard on yourself sometimes?

A. Yes.
 
Q. What pizza place do you usually order from?

A. Bellacino's. They don't deliver so we always eat pizza out.
 
Q. Honestly, have you ever mooned or flashed somebody?

A. No.

Q. Do you have a least favorite color?

A. Yes. Orange.

Q. Honestly, have you ever written something on a bathroom stall?

A. No.

Q. Who do you consider to be the king of pop?

A. Michael Jackson
 
Q. Do you know all of the words to any childrens song?

A. Yes.
 
Q. Can you name 3 purple foods?

A. You do realize that you're asking yes or no questions, and those are not conducive to interesting answers, don't you? But anyway, grapes, eggplant, and NeHi soda.

Q. When was the last time you made a pinky promise?

A. Probably when I was eight years old.
 
Q. What celebrity do you wish would have a big comeback?

A. I used to be a big fan of Kate Jackson. It's be all right if she could come back young. The last time I saw her in something on TV she looked pretty bad. Too skinny.
 
Q. Do you think your parents know things about you that you don’t want them to?

A. I'm sure they do but that this point in my life I really don't care.

Q. Have you ever walked into a spider web?

A. Yes.

Q. What grocery store do you usually get your food from?

A. Kroger.

Q. What would be your happily ever after?

A. I'd write a book that was turned into a movie and it would sell a gazillion dollars and my husband could retire and farm full time if he wanted, or go play golf if he wanted.
 
Q. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?

A. In July.
 
Q. Who is the worst driver you know?

A. I can't think of anyone, really, at least, not in terms of wrecks or tickets.
 
Q. How about the best driver?

A. Me. My husband, however, would beg to differ.
 
Q. Are you shorter or taller than most of your friends?

A. Shorter.
 
Q. Do you know anybody who was born on a holiday?

A. I know someone who was born on February 29. And I know people born close to holidays. And I know one person who was born on Christmas Day.
 
Q. What is one thing you really don’t like sharing?

A. Saliva.
 
Q. Have you ever been hit on through text message?

A. I don't text.
 
Q. What was the last junk food you ate?

A. I broke bad and had a Milky Way Midnight the other day.
 
Q. Do you prefer sweet or sour candy?

A. Sweet.
 
Q. What was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed?

A. In 2011, I had a little blackberry wine. Aren't I the wild thing? 

Q. Currently waiting on something/someone?

A. Not really.
 
Q. What was the last thing you watched on television?

A. A rerun of Cagney and Lacey on DVD.

Q. How old will you be in 12 months?

A. A year older.
 
Q. Do you sleep naked?

A. No.
 
Q. Have you ever held hands with someone in a car?

A. Good grief. I am married and we're still in love after 30 years. We hold hands everywhere we go.
 
Q. Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette?

A. I don't smoke, so yes.
 
Q. What do you say during awkward silences?

A. I don't say anything. That is why it is called a silence.
 
Q. When will you next see the last person you texted?

A. Again, I don't text. So there. 

Q. Honestly, when is the last time you have been to Texas?

A. 1976. And once was enough.

Wonderous Beauty

Was It the Golden Goose?

Apparently Jack jumped down from the beanstalk and landed with the Golden Goose in my back yard.

Having never seen a yellow bird around here, I can only guess that this is what happened.

Thursday Thirteen

An eclectic Thirteen . . .

1. Google recently sent me a nasty note telling me it was going to do away with another of my blogs, the only one for which I have a registered domain name. It seems Google keeps dunning my credit card for $0.00 and my credit card had expired. Google wants you to have an updated credit card all the time, apparently. I don't like having my credit card numbers on Google. Bad Google, Bad!

2. We only managed to plant four things in the garden this year: cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers. All are doing very well. In fact my kitchen runneth over with these veggies at the moment.

3. We are having September days in August: this morning I woke up to 50 degree temperatures. I don't think we're going to have a real summer this year.

Mums and Roses

4. Recently I went outside and pulled 8 weeks worth of weeds from my flower bed. I pruned my roses somewhat severely, which I don't like to do in August, but they had been neglected while I was recovering from surgery. Then I put some yellow mums out. It looks so much better!




5. The thing about online friends that you don't know any other way is . . . you don't really know them. Maybe you don't have a telephone number for them or even know a last name. But you care about them anyway, and when something happens to them or they are going through something, you worry. However, you can't really do much more than that and it can be a bit frustrating. I want everyone to be happy and well.

6. Yesterday I saw four turkeys in the field:

7. There was also a mushroom coming up in the side yard. Yesterday it looked like this:

 This morning it looks like this:

8. My book club is reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. I am supposed to like Barbara Kingsolver (but I really don't).

9. I have a storage and organizational issue with my entire house. Sometimes I feel like I need a shovel and a truck. It's not a hoarding issue but it feels cluttered to me. Maybe I need a yard sale?

10. I picked up new lenses for my eyeglasses on Monday. Tuesday I took them back. The doctor examined the prescription and there was no astigmatism correction in the new lenses. No wonder I couldn't see! They are replacing them free of charge.

11. My husband told me this morning that I woke him several times last night as I talked in my sleep. I asked him what I said and he couldn't remember. He asked me if something was bothering me. I told him I thought it was from eating too much cucumber.

12. We are overrun with rabbits. When I had a dog we never had rabbits, and for a few years after she died critters stayed away, but in the last 5 years or so they have decided the yard is fertile ground. Sometimes I miss having a dog.





13. The show I'm into watching at the moment is The Newsroom on HBO. One of my favorite characters is Maggie, though I think a lot of people don't like her. The show this season is different and more character-focused than Season 1. My husband doesn't like this season as well but I do. The characters talk really fast, and my slow southern ears sometimes need a second viewing in order to catch up.



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 307th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Botetourt County Fair

On Saturday, Botetourt County had its first local fair in at least 50 years.

Prior to this event, the fairs were held at the Fincastle Fair Grounds, and included horse racing and other activities. This year the new fair was held at the Buchanan Carnival Grounds in Buchanan.

This band had a very young singer, who did quite well.

 

 

An exhibit by Mountain Castle Soil and Water Conservation.

 

 

Erica Moore with Mountain Castle Soil & Water

 

 

An overview of the exhibors set up at the Buchanan Carnival Grounds.

 

 

Ikenberry Orchards sold fruits and veggies.

 

 

This fellow needed to see a man about a horse. . .

 

 

Waiting to show the cattle . .

 

 

A prize-winning pie . .

 

 

Prize-winning photos

 

An interesting exhibit

 

 

More cattle.

 

 

Prize-winning jams

 

 

Lots of ribbons, eh?

 

 

Mr. Bill the goat.

 

Arnold the pig.