Drowned Rats, I Mean Cats!

The Maven's apartment has been having flea issues. 

Well, rather her kitty, Darcy and Darcy's roomie, Zeke, have been having flea issues.

Zeke and Darcy are spending the week here as well as Sassy the Chihuahua from across the street. 

(Remember her?  a couple of posts ago?)

Since we have reached kennel status this week, drastic measures needed to

be taken with the two feline guests because monthly flea treatments were not working and

we needed to halt the formation of a pandemic.

It was not a pretty sight:

Darcy, a former shell of herself, and The Maven

Darcy and Zeke, in the aftermath.

I actually swear I could hear the Bostons chuckling outside the bathroom...

Note:  the cats actually tolerated the bath very well.  I've bathed cats before and it is usually a struggle of claws, paws and lots of yowling.  These two uttered not a sound.

But why do I feel itchy?

I Hate to Brag About My Chest, But I Must...

Now if that doesn't get some new readers I don't know what will.  Probably the kind I don't want necessarily.  Hmmmm..

Anyway, I finished the hope chest I was refurbishing for The Maven.

It was her Great Grandmother Rose's hope chest and Orlando Grandma passed in on to The Maven a few years ago.  It had been suffering in a storage unit for several years and had many battle scars from a long life.

The Maven asked me to try the painting/distressing technique on it to bring out it's suppressed beauty.

It was a good chance for me to try the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and it was a good experience.

Sanded a bit first, mainly the top to get out some scratches and deep gouges.  Didn't want to sand too much as the look and the character of the piece is a bit rustic in nature to begin with.

Painted with ASCP.  Didn't even require more than one coat except on the top.

Sanded to bring out some of the carvings and to give the piece a nicely used look. Then applied wax and buffed for protection and a hint of gloss.

And voila!  All parties are pleased with the end result.

It was actually one of the easiest painting, sanding, waxing projects I have ever done.

This has inspired me to try my hand at a few other pieces of furniture around here that could use a facelift.  What shall I pick on next????

******

Thoughts and prayers to all who have endured and are threatened by the horrible weather across the mid-section and southern portion of the country.

No Stress Guests are the Bestest!

Can you tell by these pictures of the poor stressed out dogs and cat that rule this house that we have had company this week?

I thought not.

It's obviously not The Maven's Miss Darcy who creates great excitement and upheaval during her visits here at Boston Manor.

I mean, have you ever seen Bumby THIS laid back?

Who is this perfect guest, you ask?

Meet Sassy, the Chihuahua.

She lives across the street and is staying with us while her human takes a nice few days to see Savannah, Ga.

The only thing that is quizzical is this:

Sassy has such short legs she needs these stairs to get up and take over the couch along with her friends, The Bostons, and yes, Bumby as well.

"Sassy, you are welcome here any time" > a direct quote from Panda, I kid you not.

Oscar Reflection and Sneak Peak at Progress....

Some in my family (including me) were disappointed I didn't get my act together for a "Boscars" post prior to the Academy Awards as I did last year. Take a peek if you dare...  I had hoped to make it an annual event, but perhaps it will be an every-other-year thing.

I've had my hands full helping some friends, getting some repairs done around the house and of course catching up on some tv and reading.  And, well, I must admit a certain amount of time was spent figuring out Pinterest and then looking at everything on there for-ever!

However, I did watch the ENTIRE broadcast last night and was pleased to see "The Artist" pick up a good number of awards. It was my pick for Best Picture because of it's originality and it's nod to the early days of film.   

The category I felt the most ambivalence about was Best Actress.  I had wanted Michelle Williams to win for "My Week with Marilyn", thought Viola Davis would win it for "The Help" and was pleased nonetheless that Meryl Streep actually got the win for "The Iron Lady".  I loved her somewhat embarrassed acceptance speech, because that had actually been my inital reaction as well. "What? Again?!?!?"  But it is only her second win for Best Actress and after being nominated 17 times, it was time for her to win again.  Her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher was spectacular.

I also did some work on the hope chest I am refurbishing for The Maven.

Here is a picture of the design on the front before:

And here is a peak at it after some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint has been applied and some sanding has been done:

Still have to fine tune the look with some stain to deepen the exposed wood and apply some wax to finish and protect the whole piece.  I hope to get that done this week. And catch up with my favorite bloggers - going to to that right after I hit "publish"!

What will keep you busy this week and if you saw and cared about the awards, what did YOU think?

Scary Dinosaurs, Good Roof

We had a big whopper of a rainstorm last night.  It was the first real test of the new roof

and the roof passed with flying colors.

I rode the storm out in the family room and watched the "dinosaurs" swaying in the

woods behind our backyard.  I call the trees that because at night and during rough 

weather that's what  they look like to me.

While they were swaying in the strong gusts, I riveted my attention on one dinosaur in 

particular because it is one of the lone "headless" trees that haven't fallen

in the years since 2004 when Hurricane Charley took so many trees from our 

woods and many other's streets and yards. See it there in the middle, just like a huge 

Brontosaurus?

You can see it more clearly in the day time and how tall it is.

Which way will it fall? That's the scary part.  It's tall enough to reach the house, I think, if it falls towards us. 

It will wreak havoc on the power lines and possibly

 bring the poles down with it.  

But, at least the roof held up and the grass got watered.  

May the wind blow from the

east the day that dinosaur goes down and push it away from the house.

Monday, Monday

Some Mondays you just want to laze in a sunny window...

Miss Darcy

Zeke, Darcy's roomie.

Sadie and Bumby

Or just not get out of bed at all...

Panda

Ditto

Have a great week my friends!

Good Bye to an Old Friend....And Hello to Another Old Friend

This weekend our piano will be finding a new home.

A lovely new home with Orlando Grandma.

I've polished it up and it's ready to go where it will be played more and appreciated.

Believe it or not I took piano lessons for nine years when we lived in Toronto

until we moved when I was fifteen.  I found many of my old piano books

that were used during those years of instruction.

They sound fancy.  They sound like they should have produced a piano virtuoso, 

but I was a reluctant student.

Not to mention the overwhelming stage fright I would experience during

recital time.  We had to memorize our pieces and that added to the pressure.

 It was excruciating for me and I think it ruined the joy of playing for me as 

I would anticipate those twice yearly recitals.

I had the same teacher all those years, Miss Aiken. Right out of 1960s central casting

for a piano teacher. A spinster who wore skirts and jackets and hats to each

lesson, with a purse dangling from one arm

and a satchel of theory work (ugh) in the other.

 - AND, she came to our house. She was scary to me.  I'm sure she,

in reality, was quite kind and probably was frustrated at my lack of

progress at times.

I loved to play popular music as you can see by a couple of pieces in the piano bench.  

I remember when I was about thirteen,  Miss Aiken let me work on The Beatles' "Yesterday"

for lesson work.  Probably to motivate me.

I wonder if she liked The Beatles.

The well-worn copy I played from for Miss Aiken.

This is not the original piano I took lessons with.  This is the one my parents bought 

when we moved to Florida in 1974, hoping I might

take more lessons, but I was busy with marching band and

high school distractions.  Besides, Miss Aiken didn't move with us.

My dad could play by ear and had a talent for sight reading. 

I think he hoped that I would get the enjoyment he

got from playing the piano.  I'm not sure he ever had a 

lesson.  Maybe that's why he enjoyed it so much.

Original sheet music of my father's.

The Writer liked to pick out tunes on this old friend and The Maven took lessons for a few years,

and she had the talent for it, but I think her teacher

ruined the experience for her unbeknownst to me.

Even Mr. Tennis took lessons for a time during the early years of our marriage.

He definitely has the talent for piano as he can also play by ear and

sight read after he learned the notes.

Orlando Grandma, I know you will have fun with my old friend.

Meanwhile, this other old friend is getting a facelift.

It was Mr. T's paternal grandmother's hope chest.  It has been

passed on to The Maven after being in storage for many years where it's

top surface suffered a bit.

The Maven has asked me to see if I can bring out the beauty of this gem 

and I'm going to give it a try with the help of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

A distressed finished was requested and I think the light paint and subsequent sanding,

staining and waxing will bring out the elaborate carved design.

So, that's what I hope to be working on in the near future - I started today

by emptying the chest and admiring it's cedar interior.

Some old friends leave, some stay and become new friends all over again.

Florida in February - You Never Know What You Will Get!

Last Sunday, Mr. Tennis and I were enjoying this.....

New Smyrna Beach, on Florida's East Coast.

And this...

Worth the drive!

Towards the end of the week, Darcy and Bumby were enjoying open windows

and light breezes....

This Sunday, we woke up to 34 degree weather and Sadie is looking like this.....

And Panda is seeking comfort with her latest "woobie",, the decapitated head of a

duck stuffie.

And I'm a happy camper because I'm not ready for the hot and humid temps yet!

Have a great week!

Pay It Forward - Handmade

I took Pat, from Corn in My Coffeepot, up on a little blogging fun project to have the opportunity to create something handmade (yes, by me - stop laughing) to the first five commenters on this post.

Don't worry it will be MY hands, not theirs that will make it!

Before you comment, make sure you read the rules:

By commenting you agree to these rules-

So, here are the two rules:
1.  I promise to make something and send it (before the end of 2012) to the first five people who comment on this post.
2.  If you are one of the first five, you must promise to re-post the rules on your blog (or even Facbook) and send something to the first five people who comment on your post. The item must be hand made by you and the recipient must receive the gift before the end of 2012. The item may be as simple or as complicated as you would like. You just have to promise to follow through.

Because if you do decide to play along, then you need to follow through!

I hope someone will take me up on this offer and thanks Pat

for bringing this to my attention - can't wait to see what you are

going to make me!!