Dumped

Since our daughter and her family decided that we were not good enough for them, my blog has been in the dumper. Jim and I are moving on.  There is nothing we can do to change the situtaion.  There are lots of cute babies in our new neighborhood--and some just might be in need of grandparents!

My animals never cease to be a topic of entertainment.  Jim and I have one dog, Skye,our border collie, and one cat, Yoda Beth.  Then, we inherited another cat, Boomer from Erin, a big himalayan.  Her husband didn't like him any better than he like Jim and me.  There was another inheritance as well--Sooner, a blue heeler that came to us when Austin was transferred to San Antonio, and had to move into an apartment.

So although we are over the city animal limit of three.  We are not over the cat or dog limit which is a limit of two dogs and  limit of two cats--confusing I know.  The biggest problem we have faced so far, is that the new comer to the group, Skye, has never properly been initiated by the cats.  Sooner has had her nose split several times, and knows to to take the long way around if the cats are in the room. 

I forgot to take water with me yesterday, and since I had the top down on the car I was parched.  In a weak moment, I stopped at Sonic to get a drink--a RT 44 Dr Pepper.  It was so big that it sort of warped going into my cup holder in the VW, but it worked.  I pulled into the garage, struggled the cup out of the holder and started inside.  Both dogs were yowling at the back door, and forgetting the cats were in sleeping somewhere, I let the dogs in.    Skye and Sooner were standing looking anxiously at me--after all it was only 2 hours until supper time.  I picked up (my now worse for wear cup), and  BLEWY!  The bottom of the cup  completely blew and the huge DrPepper and all the ice was on the hardwood floor.  The dogs started licking at the spill with all their might , but before I knew it  the  two cats had appeared.  

As soon as Boomer saw the dogs he let out a ferocious hiss,  which is more than Skye could stand.  She lunged at him . He took off around the island  feet slipping and sliding like one of those cartoon cats.  The dogs took off with Sooner loosing her back legs, looking like she was in the roller derby.  DrPepper and ice were quickly being thrown to the far corners of the kitchen and into the family room.  Then Sooner engaged with Boomer, and before it was over Yoda Beth was also in the brawl--everyone slipping and sliding in DrPepper, ice cubes spinning across the floor.

I grabbed as someone went by and got Sooner by her harness.  She put her four legs out like mule as I dragged her, DrPepper and ice across the family room.  Fortunately everyone in the frey followed, barking and hissing right out the back door.

SLAM! I leaned up against the door and looked at the mess.  I need to rethink that animal limit a little more--maybe there is something to it.

Definition of a Bungalow

Since I have told everyone we are building a bungalow--the question has been asked,"What is a bungalow?"
A bungalow is a small house with one of each room on the first floor, extra rooms are in the attic.  In other words there are no formals.  They will always have a front porch either half way across the front or a full porch all the way acrtoss the front.  The word bundglow comes from India.  In England Bungalows only have one floor.

Originally a newly married couple would build the house, with one floor, living room, dining room, kitchen, one bedroom and one bath.  When they decided to start a family they would add additional bedrooms in the attic.  Some bungalows were built with one flloor and the stairway to the second floor before the second floor was built.

When we lived in Beaumont one of hte museum docents had one of these houses.  The couple had the house built when they married.  In the front foyer was the stairway to the--blank wall.  They never ended up having any children so the stairway never did anything but decorate the foyer.

Bungalow Progress

The sheet rocking is almost done.  This is from the second floor library (loft) looking down at the living room.

At the top of the picture, below,  the green is the floor of the loft.  The big wooden thing in the middle is the frame for the two sided fireplace.  On either side are the arched doorways going into the dining room.  I especially love the two sided fireplace.  When I was a little kid I went to my Great Uncle Rufus and Aunt Treva's new house.  They had a two sided fireplace and I have always wanted one!!

This is looking from the dining room into the kitchen.  The larger arch will be a pass through from the kitchen.  The door you can see on the right goes out on to the dining porch.

This is the master bedroom.  Notice all the doorways are very wide and can accomodate as wheel chair.

You can see a tiny part of the tray ceiling--I didn't ask for that, it was included!  The doorway goes into the master bath.

The bricking is about half done.  We chose the red brick like so many of the old bungalows on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle have.

Here you can see the "3 over 1" windows--also a staple of the old Bungalows.  Around the windows will be pale blue siding.  The trim on the corners and around the eaves will be the color of the windows.  (That is me peeking out.)

BUT we still need to sell our other house in Regal Park!!  We close on my parents house this Friday. 1 down 1 to go!!

Quilts, quilts and more quilts

Although I am far from being a good quilter, I find it so much fun.  It is relaxing because I can use my creativity--something that there is little market for these days. 

The Monkey quilt is for a friend's new baby.

The Monkey quilt is for a friend's new baby.

                                   This is just a quilt top so far.  I have just finished piecing it.  I am going to use it for the guest bedroom in the new house.

Another quilt top.Making this one for someone special--

This was the quilt that was in the silent auction at Chocolate Fantasia--the annual Parkinson's Foundation fundraiser.  Can you tell I like this pattern?

This one was just a silly pattern that I thought was fun--don't know what I will do with it though----

This one is called the Cowgirl's Closet.  I made it for a cousin who

is expecting a new baby boy in August.  She was the Ellensburg Rodeo Queen in 1997 (I think).  On one of the buckles it has Ellensburg Rodeo Queen.

The Bungalow

This is where we are on the house construction. The roof is almost finished, it is plumbed and wired.  They are starting to do some of the interior work.  We are beginning to see what it is going to be like when it is finished (dimensions and all).   Even though we are downsizing it doesn't seem that small--I guess because we don't use all of the house we are in.   I can't wait until they put the porch rails on the porch.  I think Skye and I will go out there and sit on the porch.