Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

First and foremost, today is the birthday of our twin sons, Bill and David. My life seems really easy these days, but I needn't tell you it used to be anything but. I'd have to admit that the first year of their life was one of my hardest; just thinking about it wears me out! That said, each of our sons have enriched our lives far more than any effort we put in. You might notice I did not put a comma between Bill and David because as long as anyone can remember, there has been very little separation between them, either on the page, or in life. Identical twinship is really something.

If you, like me, live in a Florida ranch style home, you understand perfectly how little help the web is. Think about it--looking at homes online for design ideas, there are very few that look anything like ours. In this slideshow, entitled Ranch-Style Home Ideas, the closest that any of them come to our neighborhood, and many of those surrounding us, is the first one. So, why in the heck did I bother?

In my last post, I said I was choosing Ashley Gray, and then I asked for input from you, dear reader. Except, in spite of seemingly loads of people clicking on the post*, I heard from just one who suggested I use the Chelsea Gray instead. This person, who will remain nameless, is one whose taste I trust implicitly, so, with that in mind, I got up on Monday, and painted the wall all the way around one window in the back.

Whoa--what a change it will be when the whole wall is dark!! Nancy called just as I was finishing and did not like the shutter colors, and neither did my trusted advisor. He claimed it looked like "Miami Vice," and in spite of the fact that I reminded him that we do live in Florida, I went back to Ace for a sample of dark for the shutters. After lunch I went to work on the front porch, and I like it. Especially with my blue door!

Now, we are cooking with gas, as my late Mother used to say. The feedback on this scheme from Fallon and Bruce is the shutters could be darker, and so, perhaps they will be by the time we are finished. One great thing about this is, I will, or so I hope, be able to keep my awning, and my blue bench. Herbert comes around 9 this morning to give me a price. Aside from the trim, the truth is, I could probably do it myself, but I'm, thinking maybe not. The timing is perfect because Bruce has cut all of our bushes way back making things considerably easier for a painter. Finally, and then I'll shut up about the paint, it is interesting to see how the sun changes the color isn't it?

You may recall that last year on this date we were freezing to death in Edinburgh.

Plus, the rain!

Next week I am accompanying B to Vancouver for a few days, and the forecast is for rainy, chilly weather. I'll be getting out my traveling clothes...

The last few days of that trip were spent in the Mayfair section of London. Thinking of this house painting business, going super dark, I was reminded of the gorgeous town homes we saw there. Ours will not be having a Lamborghini parked out front! Or is that a Maserati? One thing I know for sure is it is not a Bentley although we did see one on every street.

Nor do I have the nerve to go this dark, although in person it was stylish to the max!

Speaking of color, driving home through downtown the other day I was pretty surprised at what they are doing to, yet, another high rise residential property. Painting as they go, and very colorful while they are at it!

While there is a building boom going on again, there is the perpetual tearing down boom going on simultaneously. Thinking back to the years when the children were quite young, money was tight, thus, when possible, I would work crazy shifts anywhere I could find work, and Bruce could watch the boys, because day care for three to four children was out of the question. One such place was Lucerne Hospital, or should I say, the former Lucerne Hospital? My time there was difficult because I worked overnight, and portable chest x-rays was a big part of my shift. Nothing too terrible about a portable x-ray, that is, unless it involves pushing the machine up a big ramp, or the patient is quadriplegic. Check on both of those. In later years my dear friend Karen spent many happy years working there, and I took these photos for the both of us.

They seem to be crushing everything, and forming pebbles on site, as there are several large hills of building material. Perhaps it is hard to tell from the photo, but the furtherest ramp thing is doing just that.

Bruce just showed me an article in the paper about how young people today are not interested in any of their parent's things, or memories, whereas, people our age are a nostalgic bunch. I know I am, that's why I wanted to document this change.

Lucerne, aside from having the spinal care unit, was known early on as the place to have open heart surgery, which back then was not the big business it is today. I can't recall a single billboard touting their prowess, however, today you can hardly drive a mile on the interstate without the two major hospitals in town claiming they are the best. So, lots of lives were saved in these buildings and now here is what is left of it.

I think, in honor of having attended a gazillion baseball games when my boys were playing, today, on the last day of spring training, will be a good day to catch a game in Kissimmee. I'll let you know how it goes.

*according to my stats page.

Happy day to you all,
Gail