Dreams Becoming Reality

Ladies and gentleman, a drum roll please........

After more than six months of dreaming, planning, and working, we now have countertops! I say we, when what I should really say is Bill has granite, however, since it has been a group effort, I'll leave it at that. This is one of the few areas that has gone faster than we could have imagined, with Bill and Fallon picking out a slab on Saturday, as in about 10 days ago, the fabricator meeting with Bill at the house last Monday, and calling Friday night saying they would be there in the morning before 10. Well, they didn't get there before 10, making the next two hours feel like forever, however, they eventually arrived to do the install. Needless to say, it generated much excitement! I just love the look on Fallon's face.

Bill is a big stone guy, the more exotic the better, however, in an effort to be just a wee bit more conservative, they picked one that is wild, but not too wild.

He could not be more pleased with how it turned out. Omar, (below), putting the final touches on the granite. I can't remember the name of his shop, but if you are in the market for granite, I'll get it for you.

Long ago, or what seems like long ago, Bruce cut that hole in the wall, with Herbert doing the plumbing on that side of the room. This post from February details all of that work, which was considerable! In fact, when I look back at all of the photos from this remodel, it is hard to imagine just how far we have come. Case in point, the yellow living areas! Bill's dreams are truly becoming a reality. Herbert connected the water on Monday afternoon--woo hoo!, running water in the kitchen!

Bruce's work on Saturday was varied, including installing brackets to hold up the granite pass-through, as well as fabricate the remaining seven shutters from the boards he'd cut at home.

He'd set up a painting station for me to prime and paint them all. Meanwhile, Herbert was working on the trim, as well as the decorative arch things on the upper floor. After tossing around a few ideas for a color scheme, it was a mutual decision to go with the brown, matching both the shutters and the balcony. In the future, the plan is to put some sort of decorative travertine pattern inside them, which I think will show off nicely against the brown.

Let's re-look at the front before the paint job, shall we?

We all know in our minds how dramatic a good paint job is, but, wow, wow, wow! What a change. Once all of the shutters are installed, we are thinking it will all tie together. We were worn out by 5, but Herbert and Bill kept at it for a few more hours. The new lanterns are hung, and all of the front is completely painted. Happy, happy days--Bill had a vision, and with a little help from his friends it is coming together. It won't be long before we'll be run out of there, and that's a good thing too because people are requesting Bruce's services left, and right. That said, it has been a joy to help our son, and we'd be most happy to do it for any of them should the need arise. Of course, London is just a wee bit far away, and with a brand new flat, I suspect there is little to do, however, it is the thought that counts---right?

While in the street, checking out the brown arches, I noticed the most beautiful, soft shade of hibiscus in the neighbor's garden.

Another reason we needed to get home is we'd agreed to some dog sitting. Remember Max?

Baxter mostly tolerates his presence, relaxing only once he was picked up Monday night!

So, I mentioned a few posts back that I dug up some salvia along the parkway on Pershing. The color is a lovely deep coral while blooming, but once those blooms dry up it looks maybe even cooler.

Aren't they neat? The garden is filling in with a lot of volunteers from last year spreading like mad. The purplish plant is a pop-up from one I brought home from Angela's garden.

The spider plant, in the top left, has been around a long, long time. I got it from Christy Sellers yard about 17 years ago. To date, babies from her yard, went to my yard, which went to Angela's old house, and now to her new house. How's that for spreading some garden love? Now, if only I can find a place to put some in Bill's yard.

Sunday we managed to stay at the market until 3:30 before a small downpour shut us down. In good news, well make that really good news, in the morning I had a customer order FIVE of the new frames, the distressed turquoise ones, with baby canvases!!! I just knew they would sell, sooner or later. Can't tell you how happy this makes me....

I guess that makes three of us with a dream becoming a reality!