Delicious in Decatur

We have a world famous BBQ joint in our town! It's won numerous awards and been featured in untold number of food shows, TV programs, newspaper articles, etc. I had been in once to pick up some meat to go and take it to an older friend of ours who no longer lives in the area and missed the food, but we had never eaten inside ourselves.

Jeff's mom is a big fan of cooking shows and food TV, and she had heard about our local Big Bob Gibson on some national programs. So of course we had to go! It's nothing special inside as far as ambiance goes, but since it's been around since 1925, you know they aren't coming just for the decor. The food was wonderful and quite reasonably priced. I had the BBQ Stuffed Potato, which is a huge baked potato with all the toppings, plus smoked meat of your choice and options of their three renowned sauces. It was so large I only finished half and took the rest to go! I can't say much for their pies, but with main entrees so good, why leave room for dessert? Come visit us sometime and we'll be sure to take you for a finger-lickin' good time!

Big Bob Gibson, winner of:
Today Show Challenge 2009 Champions
National Barbecue Restaurant of the Year
Fiery Foods 1st Place Champion Red Sauce
Chili Pepper Magazine 1st Place Mustard Sauce
and many, many more

Spring Break!

Jeff is on Spring Break this week, a well-deserved respite from the semester grind. His mom is visiting for a few days, as it's her spring break also. A nice coincidence that they correspond, since it's different schools at different education levels in different states!

We've planned a nice, relaxing stay-cation (or holistay, as they apparently say in the UK, which is quite cute). Since we're anticipating a trip to Italy in June, we didn't feel the need to go anywhere or pack anything extraordinary into the week. A few meals out, some days on the town exploring local attractions, and lots of rest are on the agenda. I still have Master Gardener classes and an equine workshop this week, and our regular dance lessons and tennis practice take up some other evenings, so we aren't straying too far from the norm. But just a little break from the routine and little R&R will go a long way!

Double Date

We had a lovely weekend with two dates in two days! Saturday evening, Jeff took me the symphony for the last pops concert of the season. It featured two soloist and a choir performing music from Broadway, musicals, filmscores and Disney movies. The female vocalist was the woman who performed the original Ariel in The Little Mermaid! That is probably the first movie I remember seeing in the theater. I was about 9 or 10 and my mom took my sister and me to The Little Mermaid while my dad took my two older brothers to a Star Trek movie (I think that's what it was; some sort of sci-fi anyway).

Jeff and I had great balcony seats for the performance, but we also had the trifecta of concert difficulties; loud talkers behind, tall people in front, and a woman with overwhelming perfume beside! At the intermission, Jeff moved us to some empty seats that had an even better view than the ones we had paid more for, and we were able to thoroughly the enjoy the remainder of the concert in perfect comfort.

Sunday evening, we went to dinner followed by the UAH semi-finals basketball game. It might not sound like much, but the UAH team is ranked 7th in the nation for Division II basketball. That's pretty impressive for a bunch of short, white engineers. Okay, they don't all fit all three of those categories, but I think every one of them fits at least one! It was a very exciting game with UAH finally winning by 3 in overtime. We're off to the final game of the regionals tonight to see if they can hold off Stillman!

The win!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I am in the (admittedly privileged) position of having a few too many clothes! We have some incredible thrift stores and consignment shops in this area so I rarely pay more than a couple dollars for name brand outfits. With cost not a factor and storage not a constraint (we have three large walk-in clothes closets in the house, plus many more miscellaneous ones), what is to keep me from becoming the Imelda Marcos of the apparel world?

I'm not anywhere close to that level yet, but I want to take preventative measures. Several people at church have commented that they rarely (if ever) see me in the same outfit twice! In my defense, I do wear some core pieces many times but always try to pair or layer or accessorize differently. And I am not a shoe person (I would go barefoot if I could), so the floor of my closets are tidy and bare.

On a regular basis, I strive to pass on or consign clothes that I don't wear. But now I've come up with a new strategy. For each new item I bring into the house, I have to get rid of two. So, that means that the new article must not only replace something I already own, it must be so worth keeping that I'm willing to part with an additional item.

It's already helping my closets look a bit slimmer, just in time for spring and realtor showings!

Homewrecker

I feel so bad. I've been working around the house today, and on my several trips into the garage, I kept noticing a bird flying quickly out as I entered. We've had birds occasionally venture into the garage during the day when the door was up, or even get stuck in overnight a time or two, so I didn't think much of it. But on my way to the corner cabinet to obtain a paint can for a touch up, the bird flew by in a hasty exit for the fourth time today. I looked up, and finally noticed the evidence of a nest being constructed on the top of the large rug rolled up and stacked vertically in the corner. As I stood there trying to decide what to do, she flew back in, landed on the highrise nest, and neatly arranged another leaf in the concentric pile of pine needles and yard debris. She looked down at me, then flew off in search of more construction material.

We decided it wouldn't be fair to her to leave the nest. As cozy and perfect a spot as she had located, we couldn't leave the garage door up indefinitely. She would be constantly either trapped inside or excluded from her nest and subsequent young. So we carefully carried the rug out, gently removed her cozy home, and left it where she could reconstruct it.

I was sorry to have dashed her little avian hopes; after all, she had scouted out what must have seemed like the ideal setting and spent all day diligently building it. But Jeff pointed out that birds are much more resilient than we humans and she would just go build somewhere else. I guess we can take a lesson from the bird, as well as the ant.

Dining Dream

The dining room is completed and back together. Jeff got home from CA yesterday evening and stayed up late to get the quarter round molding cut and installed. I caulked and touched up this morning and moved the furniture back in, all just in time for company this evening. It's coming together very nicely!

We've been meaning to do this flooring for over a year now, so it's nice to have it completed. It was the same situation back in Arkansas; we got all the lingering projects done just to pass on the beauty and convenience to new owners. Ah well; if this house doesn't sell, then we simply get to enjoy it ourselves!

The overview
(I know the area rug is too large, but it's what I had extra in the garage)

Come on over and join us for dinner!

Promised Pics

I know I promised photos, but I didn't want to frighten any of you. I was waiting to get some nice glamor shots of the old lady, but I think she really needs a face lift first (or perhaps major reconstructive surgery, as you'll soon see)! I love all the little details, though, like the built-in twist ringer on the door and the skeleton keys (that have survived 85+ years of misplacement and are still hanging on a little hook in the kitchen ;-).

The Good

(Okay, I had to photoshop her portrait just a little to smooth over some blemishes)
Good bones, deep porch, large lot, many windows

Three fireplaces..........French doors

Built in china cabinet..........Fabulous original kitchen

The Bad

Dirty, dated bathroom..........Odd paint choices

The Ugly

Horrible laundry room..........Water damage (and clutter!)

The Potential

Great future foyer focal point..........Gardening galore

Future master suite!..........Jeff's Man Cave

(oh, the possibilities)

Dining Done (almost)

The floors are done! The quarter round trim still remains (the paint is drying as we speak), and the transition strip to the family room carpet needs to be cut and stained, but that is much less back-breaking and knee-aching work, so I don't really count it.

I almost had the job done in one day. I could have, too, except yesterday was the quarterly evening Master Gardener meeting and I had to stop to clean up and get decent, make something for the covered dish dinner, and attend the two hour plus gathering. So when I installed the last piece this morning before 10:30, I was rather pleased with my pace overall. Especially considering that this flooring was purchased as seconds, so I was constantly hunting for a board with the "right" flaw that would be cut off or hidden. I can only imagine the luxurious ease of installing perfect flooring where you can grab any piece you want. Maybe on the next house!

Race to the finish

We are really striving to work our commanded six days a week! After a few months of relaxing Sundays with tennis, leisurely yard work, and miscellaneous activities around the house, we are back at it full force. The house goes on the real estate MLS officially at the end of this week, and I have to get the dining room floors laid.

Jeff is presenting at a conference in San Diego this week, so it's a good thing I decided not to accompany him this trip. He'll be gone about four days, which should be plenty of time to get underlayment, flooring, and trim in place (plus some other odds and ends around the house). He'll be back just in time to help move the furniture back in!

We got the old carpet and padding out together Sunday morning before he had to pack for his trip. Jeff snapped this lovely picture in progress.

The history...

So I promised more details on the reason for selling and our new opportunity. It all started with some friends of ours from ballroom dancing (the same couple I've mentioned before who owns the berry farm in the next town over). We got to know them well and would invite them over for dinner on occasion. One such meal a few months ago put the whole thing in motion.

Our friends mentioned that they had been swamped lately because his aunt had died and he had inherited a bunch of land and an old farmhouse in his town. I know the town well (only 2500 people) because my riding stable is there, and there are barely any older houses in the area (believe me, I notice these things ;-). I immediately asked what house, and to my amazement, our friends described the one house I regularly looked longingly at on my way to the stables! By the time dinner was over, the wheels in my head were turning and I had the whole renovation planned out (without ever having seen the inside, mind you).

It's a very good thing I married my sensible, conservative, stable Jeff. While I was dreaming, he was calculating. By the time we got in to see the house a few weeks later, it almost wouldn't have mattered what the insides looked like to me. The chance to live in this friendly small town, half a mile from my riding stable, thirty seconds to the highway to cut Jeff's work commute by 40%, in a neat old house with some land was all it took. So the waterstained wallpaper, cracked walls, damaged floors, leaky windows, piles of possessions and trash, oddly configured kitchen and bath, and random boats and cars in the yard went right over my head. I saw heart pine floors, original woodwork, weighted sash windows, lath and plaster, high ceilings, and lots of potential. I must not be the only crazy one because Jeff was soon on board as well (although I think he likes the huge shop building and view of thirty plus acres, ponds, and trees more than the house).

I haven't blogging as much lately because we've been busy the last two months taking measurements, getting estimates, and putting together a plan. The inspection was last Friday, and although the list of problems is as long as my arm, it's all manageable. We are "under contract" (contingent on the sale of our current house) to purchase the 2200 sq ft 1925 brick bungalow farmhouse with 30 x 40 metal shop on one acre with a 15 year mortgage. We will likely have the option to buy more acreage later, but it's all we wanted to pay at the moment (and we'll have our hands full anyway).

Stay tuned for the next installment, with pictures!

Moving on...

What does one do when the house has been remodeled, updated, beautified, and completed? Why, sell it, of course! (Or at least try, given this uncertain economic and housing climate.)

We have had our purchase offer accepted on a dream property. Perhaps it is more like someone else's nightmare, but we are very excited about it!

We have a unique opportunity to simultaneously downsize, get great loan terms, maximize our location, and renovate another old house. We have discussed all of those desirable goals in the past, and this complete package just sort of fell into our laps. If it's really an open door, then we know things will work out with our current home. If not, then we probably have our answer!

So, to that end, we have been wrapping up all the finish details here at home. We've interviewed a few realtors and selected a great team to represent us. It should be an interesting process, regardless of the results! More on the new opportunity later...

The first time we met (again)

...or, A second chance to make a first impression!

While snuggled up Friday night, Jeff pointed out that Saturday, February 19th is the 11th anniversary of our first meeting. Well, it's actually the date I remember meeting him (and I wouldn't even know the date if it weren't for Jeff recalling it). We had apparently met briefly over two years earlier in a group outing, but I have no recollection of it. Our meeting that is, not the activity. I can remember just about everyone else there and the events of the day, but not meeting Jeff! He assures me he was there and that we met, so it certainly wasn't a case of "love at first sight" (or infatuation at first sight, as the case usually is). Good thing God gave us a second chance a little later on.

A date oh so many years ago!

Going Green

Now that we have a string of sunny days, we are finally getting to a few outdoor house projects. One item I have been wanting to accomplish almost since we moved in is the removal of the ivy all over the back windows.

While that sounds simple, it isn't so much over the windows as IN the windows. We have our own little greenhouse going, as the ivy climbing on the exterior brick worked its way between the two panes of glass forming our large immovable picture window. It is happily thriving in a warm moist environment, while simultaneously darkening the room and fogging the panes (due to plant transpiration at the stomata, as I've learned in my Master Gardener class ;-).

Since the window frame had been painted over, it took Jeff some time to loosen all the screws. But manage it he did, and we wrestled the large outer pane to the ground, removed the ivy, and thoroughly cleaned the many layers of glass. Let there be light!

Superbowl!

Jeff and I enjoyed the Superbowl at a friend's house, after subtly hinting a few weeks prior that she might like to host us (given how infrequently we watch TV, we only have a small model and old rabbit-ear antenna)! The food was tasty, the companionship very enjoyable, the commercials quite entertaining, and the football surprisingly tolerable. All in all, something for everyone!

+

(Jeff took the group photo, then proceeded to
take a self-portrait so I could include him!)

Strike up the Band

Jeff took me to another dance this past Saturday evening! It was a semi-formal, so it was another fun occasion to dress up. We enjoyed a fantastic buffet dinner, great conversation with our table-mates, and three plus hours of live music and dancing. Since we have just completed beginner and intermediate level Samba lessons, we even got out on the floor for several of those numbers. Our repertoire now includes waltz, foxtrot, tango, rumba, cha cha, samba, single swing, triple swing, and west coast swing. We can merengue, too, but neither of us particular enjoys marching around the floor with halting twisty-turning moves, so we generally use those songs as breathers!

Being a ballroom band, there was none of the more contemporary music we usually like for west coast swing, but we snuck it in a few times when the tempo and rhythm fit. Returning to our table after one such dance, our table-mates clapped and one said it was definitely our dance. I was flattered, but Jeff confessed later to wondering whether it really meant that none of our other dances were any good!