Greetings from Phoenix – the whole family is here which means Mulligan also got in on the family vacation.  He proved to be quite a traveler despite spending lots of time in the back seat of the truck.  Of course Burl put the seat up and installed a platform he built for Mulligan and then added his food and water dish along with his feather bed and favorite toy. 

Trust me, the SPCA will not be coming after us!!

Yesterday was a VERY long day – we left at 7:45 and before we had gone 30 miles, Burl remembered that he forgot to pack my bike pedals.  GRRRR!  He was the self-appointed packer of all biking gear and it wouldn’t have been a big deal except I’m doing a triathlon while I’m here and can’t ride without pedals.  DUH!

So we returned home, got pedals, and left again at 8:45.  It was 11:15 p.m. CST when we arrived at our hotel in Albuquerque and 15 1/2 hours of traveling is about twice my enjoyable limit!

The good news is, I drove less than 200 miles so the rest of the time I got to read and knit.  I finished one Christmas gift, made a baby gift and started another Christmas gift – plus read several short stories in John Grisham’s new book “Ford County”.  A very productive day!

We had a picnic in western Oklahoma mid-afternoon and Mulligan got a long walk which held him for several hours.  When we got to the hotel, I took him out for about 10 minutes and then he crashed on his dog bed which we put in our room.  He’s used to getting up during the night and going outside to eat or whatever but he slept like a log – just like we did!

Today was a much shorter day since we only had about 450 miles to cover instead of 850 like we did yesterday.  We had breakfast in Gallup and then stopped at a great rest stop just inside Arizona and Burl had his morning nap with Mulligan and I got our exercise.  Normally we drive to Flagstaff and head south on I-17 but today we opted for a new route taking 87 south from Winslow and coming out on I-17 at Camp Verde.  We already know we want to take this road on the motorcycle because it was smooth, curvy and lightly traveled - plus it took us through spectacular scenery and we escaped the boring I-40 offerings which we’ve seen often.

We were anxious to get to Mike and Annie’s to see our little Devin and it was fun to hear him talking and saying our names – I’m Nyah Nyah and Burl is Yeah Yeah which are the Chinese names for paternal grandparents.  Cool, huh?

What was really interesting was seeing Mulligan interact with his dog relatives.  Roxie and Rocko are little white furball teacup Maltese and after Devin, they definitely rule the household.  Roxie immediately took to Mulligan but Rocko had to make sure Mulligan understood the canine pecking order!

Just a few days ago, Mike and Annie rescued a 15-month old German Shorthair Pointer named Lainie so she’s not only adjusting to the two tiny terrors but now had Mulligan invading her territory!  So far, so good – all the dogs seem to be getting along well and are playing nicely.

For us as parents, we’re quite relieved since if Mulligan had failed this test, we’d have to stay home all winter since I won’t be a snowbird and leave him behind.

Just hope he doesn’t freak out when he doesn’t get to sleep in our room tonight – he has to stay downstairs like a “dog” and he doesn’t understand that concept!

I’ve been checking items off my “to do” list as we get ready for our trip in a couple of days.  One of the most important things I had to do was finish the Christmas dresses for Julia and Lydia so Tammy can deliver them at Thanksgiving.  They were easy to make – the hard part was finding time to work on them in between laying flooring, trying to train for a triathlon and having company. 

But they are done and I’m very pleased with the results – just wish I could see the girls when they try them on.  The dresses are made of dark green no-wale corduroy and the sashes are a taffeta Stewart plaid – very simple and of course, the dresses are washable.  After all, I was once the mother of a couple of little girls and don’t listen to Tammy if she tells you she never made a mess!

I still have one to make for Bella but since she’s here, I can finish it when we return.  I’m taking the pattern and material with me and will cut out her dress while we’re in Phoenix.  Also need to cut out dresses, pinafores and bonnets to make prairie dresses for Julia and Lydia’s dolls so they will match the ones I made for them.  I’d like to think I’ll also get Christmas doll dresses made too but that’s probably pushing it.

Too much material, too little time………….

We usually reserve eating in the dining room for when we have company or on Sunday evenings when I actually use the good china and silver.  But tonight was a celebration of the completion of the last few weeks of chaos and confusion – plus lots of sawdust, noise from the automatic nailer and numerous “gosh dang it” comments from my personal handyman.

This morning he was inches away from completion of the dining room floors but those last few rows of flooring proved to be the toughest – especially when you consider our house was out of true by about an inch. 

Almost finished.......

 I offered my assistance which fortunately was not needed so I spent the morning doing laundry, packing for our trip and generally staying out of the way.  Next up Burl had to reinstall all the wood around the stairwell and at that point I got to start cleaning the floor.  Several dustpan loads and 6 Swiffer sheets later, we were ready to put down the dining room rug and start moving furniture out of the living room.

Before we ever started this project I knew I would be totally rearranging everything I could – Burl doesn’t seem to realize that going 7+ years without moving furniture in this house has been pretty difficult for me!  We started by turning the dining room table and from there I was off and running.

The dining room looks pretty good now and all I need to do is unpack all the crap/stuff that was in the cabinets.  That probably won’t happen until we return in a couple of weeks and I have decided that a lot of it will stay in storage bins as I got for a more minimalist look and only put out what we actually use. 

Ready for a dinner party

 

The living room is another story because with luck the piano will soon have a new home in Des Moines which means I will then move the entertainment center/bookcase to where the piano is.  Then I can shop for a couple of chairs and another table or two to make it more inviting.  I hate to get too settled until I know what furniture will actually reside in this room but again, I’m going for the “less is more” look.

Clutter be gone!

Temporary living room arrangement

 

For now it will stay like it is but I have added a table at the end of the couch near the French doors and have a new lamp that should provide a great place for me to be comfy and read.  I’m not totally enthralled with the couch but not sure what I want (loveseat maybe?  leather?) so this area may be in transition for many months given our travel plans through March.

But it’s nice to be settled again and my handyman gets a well-deserved break for a couple of weeks.

When we return – the main hallway awaits.  Hopefully putting down the flooring there will be a breeze – it will only take 2 boxes of hardwood and we’ve already used 25! 

Now it’s time to finish packing and wrap birthday and Christmas gifts that need to go to Phoenix.

When I came to Drury to attend college many years ago, one of the first local icons I heard about was Riverside Inn.  Nestled on the banks of the Finley River just east of Ozark, Riverside Inn was the scene of many fraternity and sorority formals during my Drury days.  My mother-in-law was a huge fan of Riverside Inn and I remember fondly having birthday and anniversary celebrations there during the 70’s and 80’s – even attended a Junior League Charity Ball there and can recall dancing on the patio on a lovely spring evening.

Riverside was built in 1923 when flooding on the Finley River was not a concern.  Sadly, over the last 76 years, environmental issues have shifted the course of the river and now it floods quite frequently.  I’ve often wondered how they get insurance because common sense dictates that with continued building in the area, flooding is just going to increase but heh, they didn’t ask me!

Enter government (that’s really “taxpayer”) money to the rescue.  To the tune of $1.7 million (small change to Washington, DC), Riverside Inn will be bought by the city of Ozark, town down and turned into a park.  No more insurance claims for flooding, no more fried chicken and corn fritters from Riverside either.

Last week the owners announced that their last day of business will be December 12th.   I quickly got on the phone and called for reservations for Saturday night and then called our friends Larry and Nancy to join us.  They are fairly new to Springfield and while they had heard of Riverside, they’d never eaten there – we didn’t want them to miss the experience.

The place was packed when we arrived at 7:30 but we were immediately led to our table which was covered with white linens and set with lovely china (and charger plates) and real silver (who cares that my soup spoon needed to be polished – it was silver!).  Within five minutes our waiter had placed a plate of cheese, fruit, olives and pickles on our table along with some super-yummy breadsticks.  We ordered a bottle of wine and started perusing the menu which included old photos and a history of Riverside Inn along with the appetizer, dinner and dessert choices.

Burl chose the traditional fried chicken and  I opted for the salmon – both served with homemade chicken noodle soup and an excellent salad.  By time our meal arrived, I was already getting full!  My salmon was a generous portion (I’m guessing 7-8 ounces) accompanied by new potatoes and carrots and green beans that were flavorful although a bit overcooked.  The waiter guessed correctly when he automatically brought to-go boxes at the end of the evening.

So – we enjoyed one last night at Riverside Inn.  We walked through the numerous rooms and admired the murals that Howard Garrison painted on the walls many years ago.  I looked for ghosts of college friends and reminisced the excitement and sophistication  I felt going to formals there.  And I thought about my mother-in-law, Lucille, and how much she would have enjoyed one last evening on the banks of the Finley River.

Looks like the next time I ride my bike through that area, I’ll be greeted by a park instead of a historic Inn.

Thanks for the memories, Riverside Inn.

In this month of giving thanks, I’m thankful for my friends Robin and Vickie.  We three are the Women of Substance – a self-appointed committee designed to critique the rest of the world – or at least those we know – and report to each other on a regular basis.  And of course, all this work is fueled by good food every month.

Tonight we continued our Year of Italian with dinner at DiGiacinto’s where my buddies treated me to a birthday dinner and showered me with cute cards, goodies and the best gift of all – their friendship.  Here are the topics of the evening that can be publicly shared:

• Vickie feels it is my personal responsibility to stimulate the economy – which includes buying all new furniture for my refurbed living room and dining room.
• Robin lost 18 pounds on Alli in 5 months.  She looked like a dominatrix tonight in her skinny jeans and high black leather boots.  Vickie is thinking of starting Alli in January.
• Robin has a little voice inside her head that tells her she needs to lose more weight and go down one more size.
• Vickie shared some very exciting news – actually it was no surprise to Robin and me – but we are sworn to secrecy for now.
• I recently lectured for a couple of MSU classes about community engagement.  One question I got asked how I got involved in local activities since I didn’t grow up here.  When I mentioned volunteering through my college sorority, one girl wanted to know what sorority I was in.  I deemed that the lamest question I received.
• Last evening Vickie attended a meeting regarding the proposed east/west arterial that will go from Campbell to Evans Road and run behind her neighborhood.  There was lots of loud opposition but for now, she is taking a “wait and see” attitude.
• Hannah wants to get layers in her hair and her current hairdresser likes her hair the way it is and won’t cut it that way.  SO – Saturday she’ll be going to a new stylist.
• Robin’s company will have a scaled-down Christmas party this year – Vickie’s won’t be scaled down but instead of the employees getting gifts, the money will be donated to charity.
• Springfield will be getting a very high-profile speaker in the spring – too bad it will coincide with a couple of other big events.
• Robin’s husband was upset that since the sales tax issue passed, the city now plans to hire more policemen and firemen.  He thinks the voters were misled with how the funds would be spent.  Robin thinks with the new sales tax $ going into the pension fund, the city now has $ they can devote to hiring.  Were the taxpayers duped?  We don’t think so.
• A very high percentage of military applicants don’t meet the educational standards or can’t pass the drug tests.
• Vickie’s mom just bought a new stove on her own and even asked for a “deal” which is reminiscent of what Vickie’s dad would have done.
• Vickie and Hannah are going to start a yoga class at the Meyer Center tomorrow.  Robin won 8 weeks of yoga free at a wellness seminar.
• Vickie recently past the milestone of the one-year anniversary of her dad’s death.
• Robin belongs to a group known as “The Coven”.
• Robin got her H1N1 shot and now feels better about overseas travel.  Vickie doesn’t have access to the vaccine and I probably have an immunity because I’m so old!  Hannah will get her shot at school.
• Vickie and Hannah are going to a Lady Bears game this weekend that will benefit Polio Plus.
• We predict a couple we all know who haven’t been married for long are headed for divorce.
• Robin wants a pair of authentic Chanel sunglasses – but she wants them at a bargain price.
• Vickie asked if there is any product we like so much that we would endorse it.  She recently heard someone respond to that question and say they loved the Garnier Fruitiste eye roll-on cream.  Robin would endorse Spanx.  Vickie and I have no clue.
• Currently I’m listening to 106.7 The River, Vickie listens to KTXR or KSMU and Robin listens to 96.5 whose demographic target group is 16-25 years old.
• For Thanksgiving, Robin and Jim will be with his family and since it’s his dad’s birthday, they will have steak which she doesn’t like.  Vickie will be with Chaz’s family in Highlandville and I’ll be in Phoenix
• Someone who is obsessed with a celebrity is a “focused fan” and not a “stalker.”
• Funny real names that Vickie recently heard were twins named Toyota and Cressida, a lady named Formica Dinette and a guy named Orangejello.
• A friend suggested a business idea to Vickie – coaching kids on hot to get into college.  It would include applications, essays, interviews, deadlines, financial aid, scholarships, etc.  The business would be geared to working mothers who don’t have time to do all this for their kids.  My question – What about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY on the part of the kids?

• Vickie follows a website that recently suggested these guidelines for professional clothing:  $400-$600 for a suit, $500 for a cashmere sweater, 450 – $800 for a handbag.  That may work in New York with 6-figure salaries but probably isn’t practical for the average working woman in Springfield. 

•  Obituaries should always list the cause of death.

• Men don’t care what we wear as long as it involves red high heels – and nothing else.

That’s all for this month that we can share!  We’ll gather early in December due to other obligations and Robin’s trip to New Zealand to celebrate the holidays.

Today is my Birthiversary and I’ve had a wonderful day – capped off by dinner at Ocean Zen with Burl.  When he asked what I wanted for my birthday, I told him that hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and hall would be perfect and would exempt him from ever giving me another gift.  Not that he had to take me up on that offer but I did mean it!  However, being the wonderful guy that he is, he also gave me some new golf shoes with the insinuation that I will wear them to play golf with him!

For my anniversary gift he added a diamond to the necklace he gave me as a wedding gift so now I have 8 diamonds in it – one for our wedding and one for each year of our marriage.  Pretty special, huh?  He got a nifty automatic hammer from Home Depot which is on back order and which I may cancel because he has something similar that he doesn’t use – but there are some other goodies he’s been wanting so we’ll shop for those.

One of the best gifts I received came from daughter Tammy via her blog  – she wrote a very special post to me today and it means so much to me to hear her beautiful thoughts.  I’d tell her that it made me teary but then she’d accuse me of being too sappy and sentimental so let’s don’t tell her that it really got to me!

Tonight at dinner we started talking about doing something special for our 10th anniversary and I wasn’t surprised when Burl immediately suggested what I was thinking – we need to spend it in Paris and have dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower.  Sounds like a plan to me.  I’ve been to Paris twice and each time I visited the Eiffel Tower but I’ve never been there with Burl so it’s now part of our agenda.  By then we should be finished with all our projects!

Right now we should be experiencing the famous 7 Year Itch but the only itch I have is the one to redecorate our home and I’m making great progress on that.  Since the first of the year we’ve turned a bedroom into my sewing/craft room, completely made over the main bathroom and now we’re halfway through the hardwood flooring project.  Little does he know what awaits him when we return from a winter in Phoenix.

I’m not telling – let’s make it a surprise!

“When I get older losing my hair,
Many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine?

If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oooo
You’ll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah)
And if you say the word,
I could stay with you.

I could be handy mending a fuse
When your lights have gone.
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck, and Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line,
Stating point of view.
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, Wasting Away.

Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

Whoo!”

 What could Paul McCartney possibly have known about being 64 when, at the age of 16, he wrote (co-credited to John Lennon) one of his most famous songs, “When I’m Sixty-Four”? The Beatles later recorded the tune when McCartney was 24, and, from that youthful vantage, 64 could only seem a time of cute, dithering romance as a hedge against loneliness (“You’ll be older too/And if you say the word/I could stay with you”), dead-end domesticity (“Doing the garden, digging the weeds,/Who could ask for more”), and a steady descent into mortality (“Yours sincerely, wasting away”)—all with a wink and a nudge. London was swinging, and the Beatles were the avatars of a seismic youthquake. Come on—who was ever going to get old?

Well I may not feel old but as of today “When I’m 64” is my theme song for the next 365 days.  Yep – I’ve reached that Beatles milestone and the only phrases that resonate with me are “grandchildren on your knee” and “knit a sweater by the fireside”. 

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to act at 64 but then acting conventionally has never been one of my strong suits.  I much prefer to behave according to my own instincts instead of what society or the media deems appropriate for the almost-Medicare-age group.  In fact I’ve already received an e-card from a friend that said “Here’s to another year of complete disregard for age-appropriate developmental milestones.”  She knows me well.

I’ve had a fabulous time celebrating this day already – Ralph and the girls were here for a long weekend and Saturday night we gathered at Tammy and Steve’s along with Cindy, Corey, Tarah and Bella for a wonderful birthday dinner.  Cindy made a 7-layer Mexican dip which we enjoyed along with beer prior to dinner.  The meal was a long-time favorite of home-made Mexican Villa tacos complete with MV taco shells, white American cheese and MV taco and enchilada sauces.  And to top it all off – as if we weren’t already stuffed to the gills – Ralph made a turtle ice cream pie complete with real whipped cream.  Yum, Yum!   And they appropriately decorated it with a little bicycle.

Tonight Burl is taking me to Ocean Zen for my Birthiversary – where not only do I get to celebrate my birthday but we also mark 7 years of wedded bliss. 

I started the day with my coffee and a plethora of birthday and anniversary cards which arrived in the mail last week .  I’ve been saving them to open en mass but since my mom taught me to share, I let Burl open the anniversary cards.  I’ve also gotten several ecards and Facebook greetings.  Between now and Ocean Zen I have a fabulous day planned  (in no particular order) – paint the woodwork in the dining room, go for a 2-mile run, take the dog for a walk, pry up particle board that some dork GLUED to the subflooring in the dining room and work on Christmas jumpers for Julia and Lydia.

But first I need to hereby declare that I am now 46 and dyslexic!  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Tammy sent me the following and since I rarely forward this stuff on email, I thought it was perfect for an evening of lazy blogging.   Feel free to steal it for your blog, Facebook account or to forward in an email.

Change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the person who sent it to you. The idea is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known! Just press the ‘forward’ button then you can erase my answers and add yours.

1. High heels or boots? boots - definitely boots – I don’t do high heels any more. 

2. What time did you get up this morning? 7:15 am – that’s late for us but we’ve had a very busy week

3. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds

4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The September Issue – went with Tammy

5. What is your favorite TV show? Desperate Housewives

6. What do you usually have for breakfast? Fruit and cereal

7. What is your middle name? It’s “Louise” on my birth certificate but when I married, I kept my maiden name, Keckeley, as my middle name.

8. What food do you dislike? bell peppers

9. What is your favorite CD at the moment?  Can’t think of a particular CD – I listen to my iPod Shuffle when I run.

10. Favorite Clothing? Jeans and sweaters

11. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Paris – or Australia – or Africa – or……….

12. Are you an organized person? Sometimes

13. Where would you like to retire? Not sure yet – we may stay right where we are but I’m open to any place as long as it never gets any colder than it does here.

14. What was your most recent memorable birthday?  2002 when I married the most wonderful man on my birthday.  Now I celebrate a Birthiversary. 

15. What are you going to do when you finish this?  Knit – and visit with Ralph when she gets back from the store.

16. Furthest place you are sending this? Have no idea

17. Person you expect to send it back first? Don’t know

18. When is your birthday? November 9 – just 3 more shopping days

19. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night

20. Do you have any animals? Yes, on very spoiled rotten dog – Mulligan 

21. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? I’m going to attempt a triathlon in 3 weeks

22. What did you want to be when you were little? Older

23. What is your favorite flower? Roses

24. What is a day on the calendar to which you are looking forward? 2 weeks from today when we leave for Phoenix

25. What was the last thing you ate? Cinnamon pizza dessert

26. Do you wish upon stars? Of course

27. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red

29. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Tammy

30. Favorite soft drink? Diet Coke

31. Favorite restaurant? Ocean Zen

32. Hair color? Dark blonde covering all the gray

33. What was your favorite toy as a child? A doll that could wear baby clothing

34. Summer or winter? Summer

35.. Chocolate or vanilla? Definitely chocolate

36. Coffee or tea? Coffee!

38. Do you want your friends to email you back? Sure

39. When was the last time you cried? Can’t remember.

40. What is under your bed? Dust bunnies and storage stuff

41. What did you do last night? Visited with Ralph

42. What are you afraid of? Loss of independence when I get old

43. Salty or sweet? Usually sweet.

44. Best qualities you have? I’m loyal

45. How many years at your current job? 17 months

46. Favorite day of the week? Every day

47. Positive or negative? Usually positive

48. Half full or Half empty? Half full – or “who ordered a cheeseburger” (only a few people will understand that one)

49. Wine or Beer? Beer

50. Last person you kissed? Julia and Lydia when I tucked them into bed.

There you have it – all kinds of uninteresting things about me!

Work is moving along at Chez Brown in between tee times, board meetings and life in general.  Mike called today and insisted I take a photo and send it to him so he could join in the fun. 

Burl demonstrates how to use a pneumatic floor nailer!

Since Mike installed hardwood floors in his last home, I know he’s serious when he said he wish he was here to help.  He and his dad would have the job done in record time – but since Burl has to rely on me as his handyman assistant, we’re plodding along!

I have put my organizational skills to work.  I unpacked several boxes of flooring and sorted the boards according to their length.  Tammy said is I was really anal-retentive (What?  She doesn’t think I am?), I would have labeled the stacks.  Actually I considered that but the lengths are pretty random and it’s hard to find too many pieces that are the same length – close but not exact.

Then I check to see what length needs to be placed next to insure we don’t have seams too close together – then I pick out the board, check it for flaws and then hand it (Vanna White style, of course) to Mr. Nail Gun.

I’m not 100% convinced the living room will be done by Thursday when Ralph and her crew arrive but we’re working on it.

Tomorrow is Burl’s day for breakfast and motorcycle riding with the guys and I have my volunteer gig at Cox plus a haircut that can NOT be changed. 

At this rate I just hope we’re back to whatever passes for normal before we leave for Phoenix in a couple of weeks!  There’s a lot of work to do and a short time to get there………..

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in bringing an 840-page fashion magazine into reality?  Well neither had I!  But “September Issue” which is currently playing at the Moxie offers a great documentary on how the largest magazine every printed came to life.

The movie follows the tale of Anna Wintour (the basis for “The Devil Wears Prada”) as she guided/coaxed/threatened/told her staff how things are going to be.  No question about it!  But she doesn’t come off as quite the bitch Meryl Streep played in “Prada”.  We follow her in her office, to the fashion runways and to visits with designers – and along the way we learn about her youth growing up in London and the path her father directed for her based on her interest in fashion.

For me, the real star of the show was Grace Coddington who is Vogue’s Creative Director.  Grace was a teen-model for vogue in the late 50’s but following a car accident she joined British Vogue as a fashion editor and later switched to American Vogue when Anna hired her.  Their respect for each other was evident but Anna clearly has the last word which didn’t always agree with Anna’s opinion – and believe me, she had her opinions!

Tammy was my guide throughout the movie since she obviously knows her fashion and designers while I’m limited to the sale racks at Dillard’s, Loft or TJ Maxx!  She did have to explain to me that there are people who actually have couture clothing made especially for them and if they are photographed wearing the item, will then retire it for about 20 years until it’s considered “vintage couture”.  I probably have a few things in my closet that may come close to the vintage definition but I’m not sure Gap jeans or MS150 t-shirts are truly vintage!

Next up at the Moxie is “Coco Before Chanel” and Tammy and I are already making plans to see it  – without our guys!