A Sidewalk!!!

Normally not an exciting or interesting topic

however this time, we are very excited!

We have been waiting so long to get one. 

 

We had gotten a couple estimates, one being $8,000!! 

Granted it is a very long sidewalk

however I wasn't going to spend that kind of money.

 

So we waited and kept putting it off. 
Until this year and we said enough,

we are getting a sidewalk even if we have to do it ourselves. 

 

You could say it is "homemade" and not professional

but it is functional and we are happy.



It was a lot of work for Ray and

he was exhausted and very sore afterwards.

He bought some strong weed and grass killer a week or two prior.

I think he got a little carried away with that.  haha

When I called to order the sand,

they suggested that we use stone dust instead.

So since they were the professionals, we took their advice.

 

 Thankfully some friends showed up to help out.

 

 

It was kind of funny.  One person would show up and say I can help for a couple hours then I need to leave.  Then later on, someone else would come along and say the same thing. 

So help came in shifts.

 

 

We need to come up with something to do for edging.

 

Our wonderful neighbor, Bill, after working all morning long on another job, showed up to help finish.  He was also a big help in lending tools for the job.  Thanks Bill!

 

We had several drenching rains last week which caused us to notice a couple draining issues.  It will take some time for it to all settle into place.  However it was so nice to walk on a sidewalk instead of wet grass and get your shoes muddy!

 

Thanks to everyone who helped out!

Graduation Banquet

As some of you know, I was asked to decorate for a graduation banquet a couple weeks ago. 

 

Of course I love decorating, coordinating, and planning parties, banquets and weddings. 

 

Sometimes it is easy to get ideas and

other times it is a little bit of a struggle. 

It all depends on what you are given to work with.

So this is what I was told...

Theme:  Classic English

Entertainment/Game:  Clue (a live version)

Photo Booth:  Something with a Thatched Roof

Not much to go on, however the wheels in my head started turning...and they kept on turning.

I had two rooms to work with and several other variables to work around.  So I started drawing up some plans and gathering supplies.

 

 

Looks like a mess, I know. 

 

The first room I had my ideas down without any problems.

 

The second room, where they would sit, eat and have the game...well, that room....let's just say that I went through a lot of paper drawing out plans and reworking things.

 

The first room that they came into was an English rose garden, with a Terrace (where they served cake), and a porch with "thatched roof" and lattice work for pictures.

 

We literally spread out mulch, used brick as a border and lots of flowers.  There was a white dove perched on the fence.

Don't laugh at our "thatched roof".  We tried. 

There were lights and vines on the lattice work.

 

A long steam rose for them to hold for pictures.

 

From this room, they went into the second room...

or should we say they went from the Garden into the Manor.

The head table for the two graduates.

 

 It's all in the details...the folded napkin on the head table.

 

This was the "gift table".  There were large pictures of the graduates with matting for the guest to sign.  They had also made time capsules for the graduates.

 My mom's rose lights.

 

 

There are six characters to the game of Clue: 

Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Scarlett, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard

 

Professor Plum's table had hard back books, bow ties, a hat, a pair of old spectacles, and a plum colored

flower arrangement.

Scarlett's table had a red boa, gold beads, perfume bottles,

a gold heart mirror, a red hand bag, and red roses.

Mr. Green's table had a top hat, gold coins, old paper stocks and bonds, money, gold dollar signs, a handkerchief with

Mr Green embroidered on it, a bank book,

and a green flower arrangement.



 

Colonel Mustard's table had a safari hat, long rifle, safari animals, an old pair of binoculars with their case,

a long leather whip, a burlap runner, 

and a yellow flower arrangement.

 

Mrs. Whites table had a small feather duster, a white maid's cap and apron, miniature tea sets, a black runner,

and a white flower arrangement.

 

Mrs. Peacock's table had 'of course' peacock feathers, pearls, white gloves, a small teal handbag, a small glass etched tea cup, and a blue flower arrangement.

 

It was so neat to see the tables come together. 

Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of each table before people sat down.  Remember how I said it was all in the details...well each character was represented with lots of detail.  I am really disappointed that there isn't a picture of each table to show you. 

 

Dinner was served in courses.

 

The first course was

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

(it was actually pretty good)

 

I don't have pictures of the remaining food.

 

Cake (made by someone else) 

was served on the Terrace along with a spot of tea of course.

 

 



And what's a party with out balloons.



Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

Wishing my wonderful Husband a Happy Father's Day.  We were never able to hold our precious babies in our arms but you would have been a fantastic Dad.  I love you.

 

Dear Dad
            I thought of you today ,but that is nothing new.
            I thought of you yesterday and days before that too.
            Your memory is a keepsake from which I'll never part.
            You taught me so much,
                       not just in words but through example.
            The world is a better place for the life you lived.
            God has you in His Arms
                       I have you in my heart and
                                     there you will always be.

 

Anyone can be a Father

but it takes someone special to be a Dad.