Around the House, remodel 50s bathroom, snow pea trellis, Sunset

Beautiful amazing sunset from my front yard

Remodel of Green Bathroom

 The sink and tile in my green bathroom has been in desperate need of a facelift.  The sink has been rusted around the overflow hole for years and I've done my best to patch it.  The tile is very scratch and chipped.  I've decided to leave the tile around the tub and to stick with the 50s gray and yellow tile.  I had to do research and find a place that still makes 4 inch tile in these colors.  I found that B&W Tile MFG in Gardena, Calif makes 50s color tile.  They were wonderful sending me samples after I e-mailed them pictures of my tile.  The match is perfect and cost $82 for enough tile for the vanity. When we took the tile off (Gary and I), we noticed that the words Thynne and  England were printed in raised letters on the back of each tile.  I started doing research and found that there was a H&G Thynne Tileworks in Withington, England about that time period.  Then I actually found a aerial photograph of H&G Thynne Tileworks on britianfromabove.org!  I'm sure that this was the place my original tile was made!  That is pretty fun as the bathtub and vanity backsplash still has the British made tile. 

This is the new sink, faucet and tile.  It was quite an experience learning to cut and lay tile.  I love it!

Snow Peas in grow pots.  I can't start them in the ground because the birds will eat the little sprouts!

Lettuce

My new snow pea trellis.  I wanted something that the peas could grow on and would also look good the rest of the year when the peas are not growing.  I used rebar and heavy duty fencing (7 feet tall) since they grow easily over 6 feet. Gary pounded in the long pieces of rebar and Gary, Ryan and I attached the wire fencing to it.  I think it will work quite well!

First snow peas planted in garden

A triple digit summer! Is it hot enough yet? Are you sure you want to visit?

Family visits Phoenix in July!

We had a busy July.  Sean, Bailey and Airah were here from Alaska.  We really missed Aubree, but she had to stay home to work!  Amazing how time flies!  Somehow I didn't get pictures of Sean and the girls.  They were here for such a short time and I was cooking dinner for everyone and spaced out taking pictures.  Sean brought Bailey to see about going to UofA so they went down to Tucson in the middle of their 2 or 3 days here.  Turns out that Uof A isn't going to work out, so they left to register for Univ of Texas where he still owns a house.  Kirsten and Rob brought Rowan and Dylan to go to their first week long camp (Prescott, Mingus Mtn) so they were here before and after camping.  We really had fun with everyone.  I cooked several meals in the slow cooker cause it is too hot to heat up the house.  They turned out really well, I think.  We had orange, apricot chicken and Bavarian Pot roast (apple juice sauce base).  They were both good, but the pot roast was the best.  Apricot chicken is best cooked in the oven.  I fixed a tent for Rowan and Dilly so they could practice for their week long camp, what fun!

Ryan, Mom, Me, Bailey, Sean and Airah at Fogo De Chao

 

Summer Flowers

I went out this morning and took these pictures of all the summer blooms in my garden.  It was cool after the rain last night.  The bees were happy and so was I.  Emerson said, "The earth laughs in flowers".  He could be talking about today in my summer garden!

Rain!

 

 

Basil Blooming

Addy and Jules

 I delightful part of my life is watching these 2 little girls.  I have Addy every Sunday afternoon and Jules during the week. I pick her up for early release on Wednesdays and usually another day.  On Sundays, Addy and I play for a few hours then we go over to swing at Mom's.  Then we all come back  to my house and Gary joins us and plays with Addy while I'm fixing dinner.  Addy takes a bath and we then have a family dinner with Mom, Gary, Ryan, Paul, Addy and myself. Gary is wonderful with both the girls and they both have great fun with him.  Addy sees him more often because she is here Sunday when he doesn't have to work.  I got pick high heels at half price day at Goodwill to use as planters, but both girls love them and spend part of each day here in pink high heels in which they walk very well, thank you very much.  Jules jumped up to sink to wash her hands and still had the heels on! Very impressive and cute!

 

Jules at an overnight helping to make french toast her favorite breakfast at Nana's house

Jules in an Oliver show at Phoenix Theater.  I'm trying to figure out how to shorten a video add here.  Good luck to me

  

Shall we Dance?  Yes!

Gary and I go Ballroom dancing each weekend.  We look so young (ha), but have to go to the Senior Center, or SunCityWest or a Mesa geezer RV park to find ballroom dancing with live music.  I know that my BFF Janice now lives in Sun City, but we don't feel old.  We really have fun and can keep up with the best of the Senior Ballroom dancers!  

Tango

Swing

My Mom Turns 93!

We had endless parties for Mom this year.  Sean, Bailey and Airah were here from Alaska for a very quick trip, but long enough to take us all out to Fogo De Chao a Brazilian Steakhouse for her Birthday.  The South Phoenix Lunch Bunch also had a party for her that was very sweet and Faye and Jules were able to come for that.  The DBE also had a birthday cake for our 4 over 90 year old members whose Birthdays are in June and July.  All these women demonstrate the best of the British Empire and the WWII Generation!  Mom is amazing and like the energizer bunny just keeps going!  I am so blessed that she is my Mom!   

 

Mom and Hazel, two Aussies, blowing out candles on their Birthday Cake

Union Jack Chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire.  We celebrated Elizabeth's, Hazel's, Daphine's and Mom's   Birthdays, part of our over 90 group!

Jules turns 6 and Nathan leaves for his mission in the Phillippines

A triple digit summer! Is it hot enough yet? Are you sure you want to visit?

Family visits Phoenix in July!

We had a busy July.  Sean, Bailey and Airah were here from Alaska.  We really missed Aubree, but she had to stay home to work!  Amazing how time flies!  Somehow I didn't get pictures of Sean and the girls.  They were here for such a short time and I was cooking dinner for everyone and spaced out taking pictures.  Sean brought Bailey to see about going to UofA so they went down to Tucson in the middle of their 2 or 3 days here.  Turns out that Uof A isn't going to work out, so they left to register for Univ of Texas where he still owns a house.  Kirsten and Rob brought Rowan and Dylan to go to their first week long camp (Prescott, Mingus Mtn) so they were here before and after camping.  We really had fun with everyone.  I cooked several meals in the slow cooker cause it is too hot to heat up the house.  They turned out really well, I think.  We had orange, apricot chicken and Bavarian Pot roast (apple juice sauce base).  They were both good, but the pot roast was the best.  Apricot chicken is best cooked in the oven.  I fixed a tent for Rowan and Dilly so they could practice for their week long camp, what fun!

Ryan, Mom, Me, Bailey, Sean and Airah at Fogo De Chao

 

Summer Flowers

I went out this morning and took these pictures of all the summer blooms in my garden.  It was cool after the rain last night.  The bees were happy and so was I.  Emerson said, "The earth laughs in flowers".  He could be talking about today in my summer garden!

Rain!

 

 

Basil Blooming

Addy and Jules

 I delightful part of my life is watching these 2 little girls.  I have Addy every Sunday afternoon and Jules during the week. I pick her up for early release on Wednesdays and usually another day.  On Sundays, Addy and I play for a few hours then we go over to swing at Mom's.  Then we all come back  to my house and Gary joins us and plays with Addy while I'm fixing dinner.  Addy takes a bath and we then have a family dinner with Mom, Gary, Ryan, Paul, Addy and myself. Gary is wonderful with both the girls and they both have great fun with him.  Addy sees him more often because she is here Sunday when he doesn't have to work.  I got pick high heels at half price day at Goodwill to use as planters, but both girls love them and spend part of each day here in pink high heels in which they walk very well, thank you very much.  Jules jumped up to sink to wash her hands and still had the heels on! Very impressive and cute!

 

Jules at an overnight helping to make french toast her favorite breakfast at Nana's house

Jules in an Oliver show at Phoenix Theater.  I'm trying to figure out how to shorten a video add here.  Good luck to me

  

Shall we Dance?  Yes!

Gary and I go Ballroom dancing each weekend.  We look so young (ha), but have to go to the Senior Center, or SunCityWest or a Mesa geezer RV park to find ballroom dancing with live music.  I know that my BFF Janice now lives in Sun City, but we don't feel old.  We really have fun and can keep up with the best of the Senior Ballroom dancers!  

Tango

Swing

My Mom Turns 93!

We had endless parties for Mom this year.  Sean, Bailey and Airah were here from Alaska for a very quick trip, but long enough to take us all out to Fogo De Chao a Brazilian Steakhouse for her Birthday.  The South Phoenix Lunch Bunch also had a party for her that was very sweet and Faye and Jules were able to come for that.  The DBE also had a birthday cake for our 4 over 90 year old members whose Birthdays are in June and July.  All these women demonstrate the best of the British Empire and the WWII Generation!  Mom is amazing and like the energizer bunny just keeps going!  I am so blessed that she is my Mom!   

 

Mom and Hazel, two Aussies, blowing out candles on their Birthday Cake

Union Jack Chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire.  We celebrated Elizabeth's, Hazel's, Daphine's and Mom's   Birthdays, part of our over 90 group!

Jules turns 6 and Nathan leaves for his mission in the Phillippines