Time flies...

We've been working on our home, but it's been a much slower pace than previous years. Meh! LOL

Recently, we've been invaded by squirrels that have attacked the porch. We had a bird (dove/pigeon - either way - yuck!!) It died on it's own -  probably a heart attack - not really sure. Maybe the ghost was protecting us. Maybe there are ghosts - maybe not - I'm not sure. So far, if they do exist, they've been friendly. Thank goodness!

Back to the original intention of this post - update pics!

This is a project that will be tackled after Thanksgiving. Hubby is going to take off the siding - and put in insulation. This used to be a back porch, then, at some point was enclosed. There's 0 insulation in the walls. Also - the soffit is going to need some assistance - you know - birds - squirrels - they must find a new location!

This is a hobby - stamping metal. This was a first attempt. This will be something I pick back up after retirement or when I have nothing to do prior to that...bwahahahaha!

April 22, 2018 - Some purchases at the auction from the house next door to ours. The owner, Mrs. Joyce Arlene Asher, passed and her family auctioned all the contents of the home. She was so nice! I miss her.

I bought this table - now my nightstand - at the auction, also. Love it!

Feburary 4, 2018 This was a day I thought was our last on the face of this Earth! It wasn't supposed to be a weather issue. We left very early to head home so we would not take a chance in being caught up in the weather that was coming. They got it wrong! A driver, far enough ahead of us we couldn't see it happen, apparently hit the brakes, causing everyone else to hit the brakes. Luckily we stayed far enough behind the truck in front of us, we had time and space to react to be able to pull over to the side and not hit the pickup in front of us. We sat there and prayed that we wouldn't get hit - 3 semis came through past us / beside us. The semi on our side of the highway came from behind us, as did the 2 beside us - then the pickup truck came flying through, hit the semi beside us which sent it spinning - not sure how it missed us! I closed my eyes at that point and thought it was the end. I think the pickup is why that white car was under the semi trailer.  Mayhem continued from this - this was a pileup that stretched about 4 miles. Only 1 person was killed in all of it! Such a miracle! I'll never forget the 2 men's faces in the truck spinning - they were laughing as they came up - then hit the semi - like I said I closed my eyes at that point - not sure what their faces were doing then.

These are old pictures of homes in Aurora. The top one is ours. We own these pictures now - we found them at a flea market in Aurora. They were hanging in Richard's Hogwild Bar-B-Q restaurant - now closed - in downtown Aurora.

This is my new classroom - finally made it out of 6th grade! Now teaching 7th grade ELA! I've absolutely loved the change!

June 2018 The beginning of our trip to North Carolina! Off to a slow start - brake line went out on the interstate in Tennessee - that was exciting!

Kure Beach's coquina rock formation is home to a very rare and distinctive mossy hard rock outcropping. Only visible during low tide, the rock is cemented together by seashells and coral with an estimated origin ranging from 12,000 to 80,000 years ago. (From Wikipedia)

Our view! Love it! - It survived the Hurricane!

June 30, 2018 Back home - back to mowing! Our backyard. The fence will eventually be replaced. We hope to be able to put that back gate into use in the future. 

July 2018 - one (3) of our whys.

July 11, 2018 My friend, Tina, and I after painting with our beautiful masterpieces- no wine or alcohol was available! I got carried away with the blue - even though he said be careful not to do that - I think he should have directed that toward me specifically. Obviously I was the reason he said that. It's clear to me now - I wasn't picking up what he was laying down. Would wine have made this better or worse? HMMMM...

July 22, 2018 This is our new sink in our bathroom in our other non-retirement home. I love it!

July 25, 2018 I learned how to build this in preparation for my after-school Robotics team gig. However, it was not a design they chose to incorporate - not sure why - but it was a great design!

I love our garage - not sure my car would actually fit...but I wan't to figure out a way to incorporate some of these materials into a future garage design that will house a workshop area. The doors slide - 1 was actually a bi-fold door.

September 15, 2018 My husband's 40th class reunion. Sadly not all of these amazing classmates are still with us. Rest in peace friends!

October 21, 2018 A great day with the grands and their cuz at a local Punkin' Patch!

October 28, 2018 - Such great fall colors! It did not show this color this year - it turned and then went to brown. This past weekend it was almost bare!

November 2, 2018 - Finished sanding, staining and polying (is that a word - spell check says no) all the small trim pieces for the coffered ceiling in the Gentleman's Quarters. It doesn't recognize "coffered" either, however.

Still one more piece of trim is waiting to be added to the whole thing!

November 8, 2018 Finally decided how to deal with the tile. We originally were going to keep this in the 1x1 squares - had it layed out so the veins lined up fairly well looking like a solid marble piece - similar to what we've seen on Rehab Addict - but then, well, I put them in the box without numbering them...sad, sad, decision.

Saturday, November 10, 2018 We opted for cutting all of them into 1 3/4"x7" rectangle tiles. This allowed us the least amount of waste so that the tiles went past the wood fireplace mantel. You would've thought that x6" would have been the best choice - but NO it didn't work out that way. LOL Only a few weeks before we host Thanksgiving - let's finish the tile project!

Sunday, November 11, 2018 Here it is back in place without the surround and no grout, yet.

Surround - back in place - again.

Air vent still not centered - oh the madness! I just try not to look at it!

Saturday, November 17, 2018 - Robotics competition. 1 of my 2 teams placed in the qualifying round with their Mechanical Design. Very proud of what they accomplished in such a short time!

Way to go team!

Lots of wins for the day for many of our teams!

November 22, 2018 - Thanksgiving 2018! I am so glad we get to host Thanksgiving! I love this!!! Hoping for the new kitchen in 2 years! Time to start planning to allow how much time it takes for us to decide on things so we will be ready to put it in. SMH LOL

Tuesday, December 4th, 2018 - Finally replacing that pesky knee! Look out ladders - here he comes again - well - after a while!

This amazing little supplement drink is what keeps my joints going up and down the ladders and over night recovery of whatever I put my body through with restoring our home. Chucky had bone on bone - it's not that good, yet!

A trip to the manufacturing and business home of my supplement and home-based business. 

February 21, 2018 - What a great conference and wonderful people! It was so much fun! This is sooooooo out of my comfort zone - social marketer - me? What? Taking personal days from teaching - me? What? Getting on a plane - by myself to Utah - me? What? I hadn't been on a plane since 1986ish? Things have changed people! Short story: Arrived in Dallas to get to my next plane - worries at this point - do I need to get my luggage? I don't think so, but I better check. Nope  - they've got it! Ok - sure, we'll see. Next - find my next gate - ok - follow the signs - self talk - I can do this - I'm sensible - I can read. Follow signs to the next gate - they take me to an escalator - ok - weird - but ok. At the top of the escalator - now where - to the other end - ok - this goes no where. I'll observe. Weird - people are standing at those windows - they weren't there before - where did all these people come from - why are they all standing at the same window - they don't look like they are altogether. Hmmm - more observation. Huh - that's an L-train, who knew - those aren't windows, they are doors. I notice the gate numbers above - oh - that's where I'm supposed to go. OK - I get on and see that I'm headed to another terminal - miles a way - well I don't really know how far - but hey - I've got plenty of time before my flight departs - let's see this through. Lots of people on and off - still not to where I'm supposed to go. Finally - here we are and still with over an hour to kill. (Don't use words like that in an airport, though) Then I start wondering about a ticket to get on the plane - go to where my flight is supposed to be - no one. I see someone in a gate next to it. He reluctantly helped me out and printed my next boarding pass. I thought Texas people were supposed to be so kind and helpful. Hmmm. Must be a myth. I'll tell more about this later. It was a great trip!

Some of the wonderful people I get to work with to grow my little business. (Shameless plug - if you are interested in any products this company produces - I'm happy to provide more information and would be happy to place orders for you or help you set up an account for you to place your own orders - they can be canceled at any time - no questions asked - nobody will bug you about continuing your order - it really has made my body happier - along with being safer for you and your family. Our products are clean! Our toothpaste is EWG certified - and I love it! No gaps in my gums any more! Okay - I could go on for hours...lol) Yes, I make money from what you order and my plan is to use this money so I don't have to substitute teach when I retire. Feel free to help me do that! I absolutely believe in this stuff - if not I wouldn't sell it. Obvsiouly it is one of those companies you also can join me in selling their products - but different from some of the other companies you don't have to. My earnings all come from  sales of products so far. I've been doing this for over a year now. I was such a skeptic and then I tried it. Life changer for sure!

Saturday, March 2, 2018 My mom and I. Love her! She's always supported everything I've done!

April 2018 - A fire burned down the church a block away from our home. So sad. A major landmark lost. From what I read it was being used as a manufacturing facility. I believe people were also living there. I'm sure a sprinkler system was probably not up to date. It was a beautiful church.

A different view of the church on fire.

Saturday, May 11, 2018 - Fun with chalk and the grandgirls! I needed to have gotten out a ladder and taken the picture from higher up. I think Lil' bit was having a sun issue.

Just sitting on a branch with really big birds!

June 12, 2019 Prepping the '04 Honda Element (bought in '03) - my friend and traveling partner for a long time. I knew this day would come, but I was dreading when we would have to part ways. 194,000  miles - no issues - still running great - needs new struts, but otherwise I still love it close to 16 years later. I really wanted to just keep it - only $2000 for it as a trade-in. They listed it for $5,990, but then there's the additional insurance, keeping it maintained, etc., etc., etc.

Original door sticker!

New door sticker...:(

Summer 2019 - Shared birthday present for the 3 grandgirls - hindsight - they are too young to share a present - they didn't get it that that was each of their birthday presents! They all had a great time with it, though. Hopefully it's good to go for this coming summer as well!

Saturday, June 29, 2019 New fire pit for the McClurg home! Can't wait to use it!

Yet another picture of my mowing that was included in many Facebook posts this summer. I think about a lot of random stuff when I mow and share it on Facebook. I don't know - I think it annoys some people - but they can scroll on by.

June 12, 2019 - My new traveling partner. I've wanted a Honda Pilot for years. I always thought it would be white with tan or charcola interior, but after last winter - we notied that people that drive white vehicles tend to be crazy drivers who cause a great deal of mayhem, so I really didn't want to get a white vehicle. Recall the 2 crazies who were laughing as they were headed toward the back end of a semi during the I-44 pile up February 2018? After that, really started noticing how ridiculous white vehicles drive. Start noticing!!! If you drive a white vehicle - I'm sorry if this has offended you - consider your driving habits - is this talking about you? If not, please disregard - could just be a correlated with no causation!

July 11, 2019 Yes, I started taking more pictures of food. Why? Why does this happen? This was the start of eating more avacados - which sounds really good right now. The other day I saw an ad for wool socks to put your avocados in - does that help with ripening?

July 13, 2019 Cutting 2x4s to help shore up the fence until it gets closer to the top of the list of time to take care of this...It's very far down the list currently.

July 17, 2019 MMMMMMMMM

August 3, 2019 Every time I mow I curse whoever decided that this needed a curvy look to it. Why? It's probably going to be removed next summer. We haven't come to an agreement of how to replace it. Hubby wants the Redbud gone. I agree it's too close to the house, but it's sooooo pretty! When you plant trees - please realize they will be getting bigger - keep this in mind regarding the roof!

There's actually a French drain here already - but it isn't working properly and the basement gets water if these pipes aren't here. Also down on the list.

August 7, 2019 This is a new food find located in Battlefield, MO. It's amazing! It's called: BillyNeck Food Station. Absolutely delicious!!! Great price as well! I found this through doing a search for Food Near Me when I was traveling from Springfield. Love these fun finds - trying new things! Score!!!

Saturday, August 24, 2019 Here's the wall we built forever ago for the air return for the HVAC that we designed to put up a faux fireplace. The airvent was also our created made from a screen. I believe these can still be purchased. I'd like to get one to put outside behind the porch swing also - hang it by chains. I think I'll get a piece of the one we used for the vent and see how it holds up to the weather before purchasing. I think it's a plastic type material if I remember correctly.

Again  - the fireplace surround removed to put the grout on the tile surround we made.

Another trip to BillyNeck's!

September 1, 2019 Remember the built-in we bought from the house they raised in Billington? Here it is - still not stripped. :( I hate stripping paint.

9-1-19 Finally - stripping has begun. We used a heat gun and the SpeedHeater and KleanStrip KwikStrip Paint & Varnish remover. We also have a couple scrapers that came with the SpeedHeater that I absolutely love. Still hate paint stripping, in case you were wondering. Yep. Hate it!!

And all the other parts...

And the glass doors...

September 1, 2019 Here's the tile surround with grout finally applied...how long has this project been going? I've lost track. Still not done at this point. It's been a busy weekend.

The brick is going to go inside to make it look real. That's been a thing - do we do the whole thing? Cut out the floor? UGH!

November 8, 2019 Found this! Yum! 

November 9, 2019 - These were stripped a couple weekends ago, but apparently I didn't take any pictures. Weird. Time for the next step

November 9-10, 2019 Detailing final bits and pieces before we apply the stain. I'm glad hubby can deal with this tediousness - I can't!

November 9-10, 2019 Prior to today - we removed the paint with heat first and scrapers - 5 in 1 and a clapboard scraper from SpeedHeater (LOVE this tool!), cleaned up with chemical stripper (KwikStrip) and followed up with a stripper wash so she's as clean as possible!

We plan to use a stain marker to cover up the white specs if the stain itself doesn't cover them.

Fireplace - done! Andirons were purchased at a flea market, white paper birch logs were purchased probably 3 years ago from Amazon. You can see the brick is now attached using a construction adhesive. Look at that beautiful grout! We have currently chosen to leave the floor bricks loose. I think I may put double sided tape on the front ones - we'll see how it goes. The interior side walls is thin board 1/4" that is painted with a tan camouflage and gray primer spray paint.

Side panel with stain applied (dark walnut - Varathane)

This is the bottom part of the cabinet. We are turning it upside down. When we originally purchased it we were going to put it on the opposite wall and it would have been turned the right way. That wall is too short and we decided we wanted to keep it full size. Originally, I think we had planned to cut it down to fit. It's not in yet, this could still change! You just never know!

You can see in the background - the remaining wood that is left to finish detailed paint removal using dental pics and then stain. I don't think we will have to use a marker to cover up much. I also applied some stain to the white paint that we left on the interior. I didn't take a picture yet, but I really liked how it turned out. Hubby - not sold, yet!