It was a good year, and it was a bad year. The good was that Mr. Granny and I are still alive and kicking, the family stayed healthy and happy, the Arizona property sold (that took a lot of weight off my shoulders), and the garden produced a lot of good food for our table. The bad was the tragic death of our little pet rabbit and the garden was the worst it has ever been in my entire gardening life. As far as the garden goes, I don't know if the blame should be placed on the purchased compost, which wasn't nearly as nice as in past years, the weather, which was so much cooler than normal, or the gardener, who is getting so very old and addlepated. Oh well, we'll try again, and hope the 2012 garden is beautiful and bountiful.
While many of you have already started your 2012 garden plans, I sit here in the middle of 20 boxes of Rhino flooring waiting to be installed. New counter top materials and kitchen sink have been ordered, and there will be much varnishing and painting going on in my house. We've lived in this house for over 20 years, and it was last updated in the mid-70s. It's past time to rid it of the Harvest gold sink and counter tops, and move into the present time with wood flooring. It's a big task to take on, and I'm not without worries that i'll absolutely hate it when we're finished, but Robin is holding my hand and giving advise through the entire process. I don't always listen to her, sometimes I just follow my gut feelings....If the floors look horrid, it won't be her fault. We each picked a different wood, and I stuck with my favorite. At least with the new laminate flooring, if I absolutely hate it, it can be pulled back up and used in the bedrooms!
Stacks of flooring in the front entry.
It's called "Embossed Oak". Yes, that's the new vacuum in the background, along with my step stool for reaching up to the ceiling. They really aren't part of my living room decor, LOL!My vacuum cleaner decided to poop out on my just before Christmas. It wasn't old, maybe two years, and it was the best (most expensive) Kenmore that Sears sold, but I'd had a lot of problems with it. When a much less expensive Shark Navigator went on sale, based on the good reviews I decided to buy it. My goodness, I cannot believe how much dirt it is pulling out of my carpets! I'm definitely happy with the purchase. Of course, a new vacuum cleaner means I must clean the entire house. I've vacuumed floors, walls, ceilings, upholstery and fireplace brick. I've scrubbed baseboards and light fixtures. I've polished furniture and rearranged and rehung pictures. The dining room is finished, the living room is almost done, and I'll be moving on down the hallway by evening! There will be no New Year's Eve celebrations in our house tonight. Granny will by too worn out, and probably in bed by nine!
I'd like to wish all of you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. May your gardens be blessed and bountiful
good luck on all your renos..i am sure everything will work out great. Happy new year to and your family too!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a beautiful update in store for the house. Congrats. Maybe that fresh start will carry over to the garden? It's been a TOUGH year for gardeners everywhere. I don't think we all got the same crappy crap. Let's just blame Mother Nature and hope she shapes up next year.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you!
Granny, I really don't think that the garden production was the gardeners fault at all! It was Mother Nature! I hope that she is in a better mood next year!
ReplyDeleteThat picture of the flooring looks much different then the other one. I think your kitchen is going to turn out beautiful!
Oh, when your done cleaning your house, you can stop by here and give this place a good cleaning :)
Happy New Year to you and Mr. Granny! Here's to 2012 being a bountiful gardening year!
Somehow I missed the fact that your Arizona property sold. Don't know how that happened since I have you listed here on my page and you're supposed to pop to the top with new posts. I knew you came back early and was puzzled by that. Congratulations! That's a weight off your shoulders.
ReplyDeleteThe oak wood flooring looks beautiful in the photo, as does that old sewing machine cabinet. Is there a working sewing machine in it? I hope you'll keep the house pictures coming. I need the inspiration.
Mrs. Pickles, I sure hope so! My son is doing the installations, and if you've read my blog for very long, you know he does really good work.
ReplyDeleteSue, my fingers are crossed that it all turns out well, especially since Mr. Granny is griping about it at every opportunity. To him, if it looked good enough 30 years ago, and it still works, it doesn't need fixing/replacing!
ReplyDeleteRobin, that's what amy said about the flooring in the first photo...it doesn't have nearly the variance in color like that one looked.
ReplyDeleteI just now finished the living room, right down to washing the windows and curtains and rehanging them. I'm pooped, and it's time to start dinner :-(
Dianefaith, if you go back to my November 21 post, that's where I told of selling the AZ property.
ReplyDeleteYes, the old sewing machine works. I did remove the belt, as small grandchildren tried to kill themselves on the moving parts ;-)
That machine was purchased, USED, by my husband's parents when they got married in 1929, so it's been in the family for over 80 years. I actually inherited it back in 1962-3, and used it to make clothes for my children for many years, as well as curtains and things for the home. Now it just serves as a well loved decorative piece of furniture.
Hey Granny , your starting the new year off right :o) and your going to love that new flooring..beats rugs any day..I don't think you did bad with the garden at all..
ReplyDeleteBlessings and bounty to you too, Granny! I hope your flooring goes in without a hitch and looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGinny, I can just see Otto having his crazies, running up and down the hallway on the new wood floor! Is he ever going to be surprised when he can't just come to a full stop, LOL!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alison. I'm anxious for it to become "acclimated" so John can begin installing it.
ReplyDeleteoh, i was thinking of poor cookie today while watching a video of a sweet little rabbit. i've never seen a rabbit as cute as cookie, and probably never will...
ReplyDeletei like the color of the wood you chose. wishing you a smooth renovation and the happiest of new years! xoxo
Does this mean you're back online? I've missed you!
ReplyDeleteYour house is going to turn out great. I know it.
It was the compost. I know it was, 'cause I just harvested radishes today that you recommended planting, at just the right time last year. If anyone knows gardening, it's you!
Thanks, Kelli. We do miss our little Cookie. One can certainly get attached to those little fur babies. I've been sitting in front of the fireplace tonight, and Annie and Otto have been taking turns sitting on my lap and getting spoiled rotten....as they should.
ReplyDeleteJody, yes, I've been back and on line since Thanksgiving. No more internet outages, thank Heaven! I'm happy to hear your radishes turned out well, as I'll be able to take my own advise next fall!
ReplyDeleteThe garden performance was definately not your fault. Mother nature seems to have been mad at us all and decided to give us all her worst last year.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the renovations, I'm sure they will turn out great.
Send me your snail mail address to ed.tftm@gmail.com so I can get your seeds to you.
Happy New Year, Granny! Good luck with the renovations. I am sure you are eagerly awaiting the project to be complete. I am also wishing that 2012 is a better gardening year. And no, it was NOT the gardener...I blame Mother Nature. She certainly made gardening challenging in 2011.
ReplyDeleteRenovations can be stressful but the results oh so satisfying. I'm glad I "found" you in 2011, and look forward to following your progress in 2012. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThe visual of Otto sliding across the new wooden floors had me cracking up! I hope this year's gardening turns out better for you. From lots of blogs that I read it was a rough year with odd weather patterns across the board. Let's hope 2012 is much kinder!
ReplyDeleteNew flooring! I'm so happy for you!! I have been considering doing the peel n stick laminates because they are just cheaper and pretty darn easy to lay down (did them at the old house) most people that came over thought they were actually new wood flooring..lol. We have lots of projects happening this year around here so will just have to see when and if the budget allows.
Love the review on the new vacuum though... I'm looking for a new one. Right now we are using a shop vac and that is NOT easy on the lower back!
Love n hugs to you and Happy New Year's!!!
~Wendy
Your house will feel so fresh and beautiful between your mid winter cleaning and the new flooring and counters etc. Our kitchen is really really outdated but we have a kid in college and until she is done there will not be any major money spent on the house or ourselves. Some day though!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year. I'm with you on hoping 2012 will be a better year for gardening.
ReplyDeleteI am excited for you to be able to freshen up your kitchen - I'm sure it already worked very well from the looks of all the dinners and preserving you show, but you deserve a little updating and a new look! Have fun with it, I'm sure it will turn out great :)
ReplyDeleteRachel, heck...I'm still waiting for the project to start! It should begin today.
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David, I'm glad I found you, too! I'm looking forward to reading your blog in 2012, and many more years to come.
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Wendy, the only drawback to this vacuum in the small width of the power head, which is only about 9". It is so lightweight, however, it doesn't take a lot of energy to cover a large area quickly. I got the cheaper model ($139 @ Walmart), but the new lift off one might be even better, and it's still under $200.
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Kitsap, I worry more about how well the project will turn out than about the cost. At least with this type of flooring, it can always be pulled up and used elsewhere, as it won't damage the surfaces beneath it. The new counter, however, will be there permanently...like it or not! I am very anxious to get rid of this gold sink!
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Mr. H., your garden is always terrific. I think I've about worn out my soil ;-)
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Erin, I hope you're right!
I blame the garden mishaps on the weather... it seems like everyone had troubles this year!
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the renovations. Once I get a steady income, I am going to put wood flooring in our house, too.
And hey, I have the same sewing table that you do!
Happy New Year Gran! I'm sure it will be beautiful when it is all done. I have wood floors but the real kind. I always worry about them being wood in the kitchen as the kitchen gets wet a bit too often. You won't have the issue with laminates.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I think I'm getting too old for this updating stuff. I may not survive it ;-)
ReplyDeletePrairie Cat, if you do the flooring, be prepared to tear your hair out over the stress of it all! Our house isn't built as square and plumb as we thought, so we're running into more than a few problems with the re-do.
ReplyDeleteOh no, I am so sorry to hear about Cookie. :( I will miss seeing that bunny.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are very happy with your updates when they are done, it will feel like a new house! Take lost of pictures for us okay?
Happy New Year AG, I hope your new garden season is a better one than last!
Kelly, I'm mostly happy with the floor update....it had its ups and downs.
ReplyDeleteI hope all our gardens excel this year!