A day of home repairs

I originally bought these chairs to use in SFe,
but they were too large. Now what?

Mr. B was up and at it early this morning. He manages the house across the street for a woman who lives in ABQ. She is a doctor who moved from Houston to Denver and then to ABQ. I honestly don't think she'll be back to Houston, but that's not my decision. In the meantime, Mr. B is the property manager and takes care of collecting rent and making repairs. Today there were many repairs that needed to be completed. As long as he was making repairs to the house across the street, we needed to replace the toilet in the guest bathroom in our house.

I was able to escape to brunch with Sweetness and Raff. Then we went to look at a house for them to rent. I feel sorry for the two of them because they don't have any debt or a credit history, which means leasing is difficult. I went along today in case they needed a co-signer.

Today I'm creating nothing. That's my story!

A quiet Saturday

Mr. B had his normal Saturday breakfast with his buddy Keith. Their "bromance" has been going on for several years now. I know they both look forward to male bonding on Saturday mornings.

In the mid-1990s I paid $180 for the pair of mid-20th-century chairs to the right. The served as the guest chairs in my office. Then Dr. Mc and  #1-son-in-law Nick took them to Denver for five years and have had them in their Houston home for seven years. During the past couple of weeks, the chairs got new leather upholstery and springs, making them good to go for another 60+ years. Next up for new life is a rocker that came off a farm in Madison County that belonged to my great aunt Callie. My grandparents were the next owners of the rocker. I think everyone in the family since my father was rocked to sleep in that chair. My parents had the rocker before I inherited it. We have had the rocker in Pettita Casita in Santa Fe for seven years, but I just brought it back to Houston. I told Dr. Mc the rocker is mid-century: mid-19th century. I love the size of the rocker and the way it squeaks. It's very calming.

Today I'm creating a list of items to take to Santa Fe with me next week. I know I need to take some tins with me. Hopefully cousin Susan won't complain about the noise of the Dremel sanding as much as Mr. B. The noise interferes with his television viewing. Well, I'm heading out for about 10 days of cousin bonding.

Fried Day

The guest room at the casita where Susan will call home.

For any of my Houston friends who wonder why I spend July and August in Santa Fe, NM, open your front doors. We have been having the most beautiful weather in Houston and this is what I experience in Santa Fe when I'm there during the summer months. In fact, July is typically the hottest month in the high desert. By mid-August, when I begin thinking about my journey back to H-town, it starts cooling down, way down, in the desert.

One of my favorite stories is how one year Mr. B and I got up to drive back to Houston. It was 49 degrees when we left Santa Fe around 7 a.m. When we reached Houston around 9 p.m. that night it was 94 degrees. Another one of my favorite stories is leaving Santa Fe to come back to Houston and getting here just in time for Hurricane Ike to hit the coast. I could have stayed in Santa Fe where it was cool and the humidity was super low. Instead I came back to Houston and lived without electricity for 13 days.

Today I'm creating edits to an ad, and looking forward to next Wednesday when I'm heading back to the high desert for another 10 days. It's good to be me!

Movie night

These mojitos look very refreshing!

My big toes were looking scuffed and I have an event tonight. I didn't have time to get a pedicure so I did as all women do … I pulled out my polishes and touched up my big toes. Ladies, you know you have done it before! My problem is that I sometimes have a problem distinguishing colors, especially when they involve red or green. So, I'm not sure that I didn't just put hot pink on my big toes while the rest of my eight little piggies are orange. I guess I should paint over the other nails, also, just to be on the safe side.

I felt bad today after whining to a friend and then finding out that another couple I know and care about have split. Or do we now call it consciously uncoupling? This situation reinforces to me that I should appreciate what I have and complain less!

Today I'm creating movie night for my client. This happens bi-monthly and the films are usually interesting, but I'm not sure about this month's documentary that deals with the benefits of plant-based foods. Yes, this type of diet is healthy, but I would rather have two bites of something that is really tasty rather than a plate full of food that tastes like cardboard. However, to go along with movie night, in addition to the popcorn and concession candy that is usually available, I've added apples with yogurt and carrots with hummus to this evenings menu. I'll probably sit on the back row and drink my wine and eat a Kit Kat. Yum!

Alone Time

Ferns in the front yard are loving the weather.

I'm home alone tonight. Mr. B is out with friends and probably won't be home until 10 p.m. or so. When Roz was alive and Mr. B was away for the evening, I would take the opportunity to enjoy the food of her people, which Mr. B doesn't care to eat. But I wasn't in the mood tonight so I ate a salad with salmon. To say the least, it left me longing for real food!

It was a rainy day in Houston, which seemed to match my mood. Oh, there is plenty I could do around the house, but I decided to ignore all of my responsibilities and just watch bad television.

Today I'm creating not much. I did write a testimonial and a couple of social media posts for clients. I also wrote an e-blast that is scheduled to go out tomorrow. My dad was only about a year older than me when he was forced into retirement. He was miserable. I don't think I'm adjusting to a lesser work load any better than he did.

A clean kitchen

Mother's Day 2014 with my wonderful daughters.

I had a terrific Mother's Day, thank you very much! Many of my favorite people were here celebrating with me: Dr. Mc, Sweetness, #1-son-in-law Nick, Nick's brother Alex, Raff (Sweetness's long-time beau), Mr. B, The McKlines, The Zamoras, and The Gusses. There were 15 here all total and because the weather was so beautiful, we dined outside under the shade of the backyard trees.

Our yummy meal included Dr. Mc's homemade biscuits; Richard's sausage gravy; Michele's green salad; and Alex's specialty cocktail. Nick and I fried up chicken strips that were served with waffles. Michele brought a cake and I made Mr. B's favorite Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake with chocolate icing. It was a delicious meal and fun company.

Today I'm creating a clean kitchen. There are just a few pieces left to wash by hand, but first … is there anything wrong with waffles and chocolate cake for lunch? After all, it's meatless Monday.

Promotion Plans

The yard men came today.
Looks and smells yummy.

Being a Texas girl, I'll probably always love the smell of freshly mowed grass. At our Houston house it normally happens on Thursdays. When I was growing up, it always happened on Saturdays. Daddy spent all day Saturday working in the yard. He didn't really bother with flowers, but we always had the thickest turf and perfectly manicured hedges on the block.

I'm inspired by friend Mitzie who sent me a photo today of a new cabinet she is having built. Let's see. In the past couple of years she has redone her kitchen, then her closet and bathrooms, next built a stunning swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, and patio, and now a built-in cabinet in her dining room. She's a lucky woman!

Today I'm creating a promotions plan and making contacts. It's all coming together.