The Loft

(view from the family room)

(the loft - this will be Brian's reading room)

(view from the loft into the family room)

The Kitchen

(entering from the dinning room)

The kitchen is outdated, but it is clean and functional. To hold us over until we decide to embark on updating it, we are just going to remove the paper and paint it. It will be fine for a year or two in this shape.

(entering from the garage)

The L-shape is interesting, but going from a closet sized kitchen to this is going to be wonderful! Brian and will be able to cook together comfortably.

(the kitchen nook)

East Side

(looking to the east lot from the front of the house)

( Looking down the east lot from the street)

Brian and I got up early to meet a landscaper over at the house to discuss clearing the land in the back of the house to make a yard. At first glace it doesn't look like it would be that much of a deal, but after going around and marking trees to be cut down you realize that it is a couple days of full work from a complete crew and a couple of bobcats.

The surveyor will be out the begining of this week to mark our property. We don't intend on clearing the entire property in the back of the house to make the yard, but it will be nice to know exactly where ours begins and ends. It hasn't been surveyed since 1968. I guess the one owner that had it already knew, so there was no need.

(looking back at the house 1/2 in the east lot)

New Place

(from the drive and street)

We took the old folks over to see the exterior of the house on Friday. It was a surprise for them and they were so excited that they treated us to dinner. The sizes of the lots are amazing, but there is a lot of work to be done. Old trees that either need removed or nurtured, Clearing land, grading, planting (building a pool...teehee. a girl can dream).

(from the drive leading to the front door)

We have dogwoods, magnolias, maple, azaleas, and more!

I only have time to show the home and the west side yard. I will post the east side yard and back yard at a later date.

(from across the street on the west side of the house)

(from the end of our lot on the west side)

Rental

Brian and I spent Saturday, before I headed to work, cutting down the overgrown pines in the front yard and landscaping for turning the place into a rental. It is just a start, but it already looks better. Put in some monkey grass for a boarder along the drive and some decorative pine straw and BAM! the exterior will be finished.

We ordered the french doors and windows for the back patio yesterday and will install them saturday/sunday. We are prepping all of the walls for painting the entire house a beautiful soothing white that will make the home warm and comfy. It is the same white that we will be painting our home to be. We will toss in a wall with closets between the studios to make them back into bedrooms...put in some trundle windows to allow light through and after a a door replacements they will be finished. When all is said and done I think we have a 4 day job ahead of us.

I-I-IKEA

Dad let us use his truck to pick up shelving from the LARGEST Ikea store I have ever stepped foot in. It is always stressful for me to walk into such large shopping venues, but we managed to pick out shelves, load them on the cart and pay for them in under 45 minutes. We are waiting on putting them together, b/c on the way home Brian and I decided to buy a bigger house and rent mine out. The next day we were checking listings and looking at houses and by golly I think we may have found one.

Spike

Spike and I had a wonderful visit on his last trip to Athens. We spent all day at the pool and drank Root Beer Floats for dinner. Perfect way to live!

Nephews

Here is a photo of all three of my nephews. The two older (Brandon top and Blaine bottom) are the little dumplings I would babysit and the little tike is my great nephew. What cuties! I was able to spend a week with them over the 4th of July and it felt so good to be around family. I can't remember the last time my sister and her family, along with mom, dad and I were all together. It was superfly fun.

Say Cheese!

Jayne, Brian and I went out for wine and cheese. I think I will start calling it fika! There was a slight breeze in the air that made it seem like spring. We sipped red wine, ate goat cheese and laughter. After we cleaned the plate we headed to The Go Bar for a little karaoke and YES I did sing. I broke out a little Queen, Men at Work and Hall and Oats. BRING IT ON!

Tomorrow Brian and I are heading to Atlanta to buy shelving for his den and a set for the tv room. We have started renovation beginning with his den. after it is complete I think we will move into the tv room and make it more functional and comfortable. By the time we are finished guest will we able to enjoy a comfortable new guest room/tv room. I will take before and after photos.

Swimming

Nothing like a bag of Sun Chips and french onion dip after a day at the pool. Nolan, my great nephew, has kept all of us on the run. We have spent three days at the pool and have love every one of them. I hope to have some photos from the rest of the week, but you will have to wait on my sister.

Side Car

The boutique has been closed since last Friday and I have been having the time of my life. I went shopping for dressers in Atlanta yesterday. The weather has been rainy, but we have still managed to enjoy every moment. My entire family is in town for a reunion and we have fit in hours of QT. Today I think I will take them by the boutique and then swimming. Hopefully I will get photos today.

YUMMY YUMMY

The best thing about getting out of work on a sunny day is visiting Ron at Healthy Gourmet. He always has out delicious samples and wine to taste and you can't leave without buying something yummy for your tummy. On the last visit I had to buy capers, a delish goat cheese and a bottle of wine. We ate it for dinner that night with Lee.