This Wasn't In My Plans for Today!

 Just this past Thursday, I posted about the Garden - Where My Pups Run Free on the TOHOT link party, so when things went from good to bad during our High Wind yesterday, I thought....This WAS NOT in my plans for last Saturday - Antique Shopping was.  I haven't been in an Antique Shop in years!  And, those of  you who have known me for any length of time, know it was one of my favorite things to do!  I used to buy...
things for my home and then others to sell in my Etsy and E-Bay shops.  

But, alas... 

Antique shopping will have to wait...for another time.

Something much more urgent came up, or should I say came DOWN during the night.  That's right...a large section of my courtyard wall, came DOWN. That's the wall I shared last week at Jemma's Link Party.   All the concrete blocks fell over...and it's a huge mess.  I have to see if I can fix it.  It's going to take alot of muscle to get this back into shape.  First of all the blocks each weigh 43# and when wet, as they are now...they weigh more.  Alot of the blocks are muddy, because they hold the soil in the wall for my garden.  Ughhhh.

There have to be at least 100 [I didn't count them all] blocks that fell down.  It's not just a matter of picking them up and putting them down...as you'll see, when you look at all of the photos.

This is the outside wall....at least half of it has fallen down.  The falling blocks stopped about 2 feet from the gas meter on the lot next door.

First, I have to make room for me to walk and work where the blocks are now.  I also have to shore up a section that is threatening to fall over.  There is an electric and a gas meter near it...and I wouldn't want that wall to fall on those!

But, if you look, you can see that the bottom row of blocks twisted and are nearly on their sides...so that means I have to pull them all out and then make sure there is gravel or sand beneath them before I can stack them.  And there is garden dirt that fell, that will have to be shoveled back on top.

Oh, boy...what a job!

At least it will be around 60-65° outside today!

Here's the inside wall, in front of my remaining hydrangeas...that I built a week ago.

While I was surveying the damage, the Pups were at play...so I snapped a few...

left to right:  Rosie, Jasper [the butt] and Angel

And off they went, while Jasper shook his head.

Now...I'm off too!

Here's my latest link to:

--- UPDATE ON THE WALL ---

I'm joining the Link Party Thoughts of Home on Thursday at:

Laura at Décor To Adore

Stacey from Poofing the Pillows

Jemma from At Home With Jemma

Laura at White Spray Paint

My Garden - Where the Pups Run Free

Following damage to our property and an injury to me by a neighbor, we planned a courtyard wall...where I could plant flowers and vegetables and be safe.  At the time, we had thoughts of bringing a dog into our home...but they were only thoughts.  About 8 weeks later, we got our first dog, Jasper.  Three weeks later, we got a playmate named Benny and we needed a way to keep our Pups in our yard!  Since we can't have fences...
 So, the plans were perfect.

Here is the courtyard plan I came up with on my computer.  After ordering all of the materials and having a HUGE truck deliver it all...Tom got busy laying the blocks and building our plan.  When finished, I got my chance...to make it pretty!!!  I planted many varieties of HYDRANGEAS and one variety of ROSES.

Here's a Drawing I did on the Computer...for our new Garden and Patio!!Things sure have changed in the last year...and for the better!  Tom and I formed a PLAN for our yard and garden and how it would "shape up" for 2009.  And I'm happy to say, we got it finished. 

Now for BEFORE and AFTER photos.  Summer flew by so quickly and with only getting plants in the ground in mid to late July...the garden didn't progress enough to take GREAT photos.  There's always 2010 and the GARDEN!!!

Wall Courtyard Garden

Oops...see the ball?  Guess who that belongs to...yet another CHANGE in the past year!!!

The black surface was our BRIGHT WHITE concrete patio, which had been previously stained and NOT touched this year.  See the PATCH of green grass?  It measures about 15' x 9'...a nice spot!!!

[the patch of grass has since been removed because the pups were allergic to it]

The following are BEFORE & AFTER Photos...

BEFORE  Summer Garden 2008 - looking from the back corner of our yard...toward the street

and NOW - AFTER!!!

The raised planter walls are about 28" tall - with a double tier (one shorter) at the very back and at the front of the patio.   We now have an 950 square foot Courtyard for our Outdoor Furniture, Grill and Pups!  

******

The NEXT CHANGE...Are you ready????  REMEMBER THE BALL ON THE PATIO - A FEW PHOTOS BACK?  IT BELONGS TO......

Our Pups...Benny on the left and Jasper on the right.  We got Jasper when he was 9 months old - from a breeder in Indiana - on May 16th.  Three weeks later, we got Benny - from the same breeder.  He was 12 weeks old.  When Benny became a member of our family, he weighed just 5# and Jasper weighed 5 1/2#.  Jasper was taller, so Benny could scoot right under Jasper's belly.  Not so anymore!!!  Jasper weighs 8# and Benny weighs 13#...and still growing.  They are the BEST dogs we could have ever gotten!!  They play well together and keep themselves occupied.  They entertain us all the time!!

Here are a few more photos of them...

AREN'T THEY CUTE???  WE THINK SO!!!

Now they have a Courtyard to Play in! ♥

[this post is from May 1, 2012 - brought back for today]

***Sadly, Benny passed away from a Neurological Disorder at the age of 4 years and 9 months...on December 7, 2013***

I'm joining Jemma today for the Link Party she's hostessing...stop by and see her.

- - - UPDATE ON THE COURTYARD GARDEN - - -

Wedding Gown...A Re-Design - for Pauline

What a lovely WEDDING GOWN...is there a wedding in someone's future? There have been some things taking place recently. Here are photos of the gown, the front, with the train showing underneath it and then just the train, by itself.  CLUE:  It is NOT mine.  What do I mean? Over the weekend, Pauline (our silent dinner hostess) let us know that she had indeed found someone special, someone she wanted...
to spend her life with...his name is ALBERT. They met some time ago, in a window display at Macy's. They lost touch, but recently Albert had seen Pauline on his owner's computer...while she was viewing our blog. Imagine that. Next thing, Albert is asking for Pauline's "base" in marriage. Here is PAULINE!!! She is so excited about the upcoming nuptials.

She was all a-tither, trying to figure out what she would do for a dress, since what she was wearing would never do. I suggested that she allow me, a former owner of a Bridal business, to re-design the beautiful Wedding Gown we purchased last weekend, into a gown just for her. She was elated at the thought. So, what was once the bottom of the gown, became the bodice of the new gown. Although armless, Pauline has sleeves that float beautifully. She always wanted a crinoline, and that is exactly what the skirt of her gown is.

The off-the-shoulder sleeve cap, loaded with roses, is her headpiece. There is no train and it is not even missed on this gorgeous gown. As I fit the gown on Pauline, she and I conversed and imagined who had worn this wedding gown before. We were envisioning a Princess...a Commoner...a young girl and then............then we found a name in the hem of the gown. It was Marie Ann Hermann. In doing some checking on this woman...we found that Marie Ann had gotten married at a young age of 18 to a man she was head over heels in love with. When they moved to Michigan a few years later...Marie Ann decided to let the gown go to someone else who would it enjoy it as much as she had. How wonderful is that? *Dabbing eyes* Here is PAULINE in all her beautifulness...in her gown...just days before the special occasion.

Below...you will meet ALBERT. Don't they make a beautiful couple?

Ohhhhhhhhhh...shhhhhhhh...the wedding march is beginning. The vows are gorgeous. "To have and hold still forever...to stand next to each other always". Cake and Punch were served after the private wedding. Pauline and Albert will honeymoon in Medina, Ohio...and plan to Move into their New Residence when they return home.  We wish them both well and thank them for all the help they were while they lived here.

And this is Albert!

Congratulations to Pauline & Albert!

Paris Brest Dessert by Jacques Pepin

PASTRY

3/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

CHOCOLATE CREAM

3/4 cup milk

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into 1-inch pieces

GARNISH

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

(6-8 servings)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

THE PASTRY

Combine the milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, add the flour in one stroke, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Then place back over the heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 to 20 seconds, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the dough to a food processor and let cool for 10 minutes.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and mix them well with a fork. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg for use as a glaze. Pour the remaining eggs into the processor bowl and process for 20 to 30 seconds, until the eggs are well incorporated and the dough is smooth.

Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat, or use a nonstick cookie sheet. Spoon the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip. Pipe a ring with an outside circumference of 8 inches on the cookie sheet. Pipe another circle of dough inside and another on top of the rings until you have used all the dough and have a circle that is 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches high with a hole in the center that measures about 5 inches across. Do not start and end the dough circles in the same spot, since this can cause the pastry to open at the seam during baking.

Brush the dough with the reserved tablespoon of egg. Using a fork, mark the surface and sides of the dough, running the tines of the fork gently around the circle to create a cross-hatch effect. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35 minutes, or until browned. (If the pastry begins to brown excessively, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.) Turn the oven off and let the pastry remain in the oven for 30 minutes with the door partially open to evaporate some of the moisture. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before removing from the cookie sheet.

THE CHOCOLATE CREAM

Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, combine the yolks and sugar in a bowl, mixing them with a whisk for about 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and mix it in with the whisk. Pour the boiling milk in on top of the egg yolk mixture and mix it in well with a whisk. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil, mixing constantly with the whisk. Boil for about 10 seconds, then remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and is incorporated into the pastry cream. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let cool, then refrigerate until chilled.

THE GARNISH

Whip the cream, rum, and sugar in a bowl until stiff. Refrigerate until ready to use.

TO FINISH THE CAKE

Use a sharp knife to remove a 1/2-inch-thick horizontal slice, or “lid,” from the top; set it aside. Using a spoon, spread the chocolate cream in the bottom of the pastry round, pressing it gently into the cavities of the pastry. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag that is fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip, and pipe the cream on top of the chocolate cream. It should come at least 1 inch above the rim of the cake.

Cut the pastry lid into 8 to 10 equal pieces, and reassemble them in order on top of the pastry to make it easy to cut into portions. Sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar. (The pastry can be assembled a few hours ahead and refrigerated.) At serving time, using the separations on the lid as guides, cut through the bottom half of the pastry, and arrange on individual dessert plates.

Copyright © 2011 by Jacques Pépin. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

More Do's for My "Do" List

Busy with so many other things, I just haven't decided on a New "Do"...and besides that, I've found several more.  If you haven't seen the photos I've shown of New "Do's", in my other posts, you can find them Here and Here.  These are the NEW photos I found...I'm liking the tiny bit longer version of the Pixie Cut, too!!

UPDATE:  still a month later and only a trim has been done on my hair...by myself.  I am really a chicken when it comes to going to someone else to have them...

cut my hair.

Shopping Review - Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

Since December, I've been using ONLY Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Products to clean my house.  I love them.  They cover all the cleaning needs throughout the house and they clean well...and are sensibly priced.  And with any order over $30, shipping is free.

My TWO Favorite Scents are Lemon Verbena and Rosemary.  All of their Ingredients are at least 99% naturally derived.  That's special!  Even though I've used Lavender Essential Oil for years, I...
don't like the Lavender at all because to me, the scent is just "off".

  Ingredients are at least 94% naturally derived. 

Lemon VerbenaKICHEN BASICS SET

Rosemary

KITCHEN BASICS SET

The Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Kitchen Basics Set is an easy way to introduce a friend (or yourself) to our all-natural Rosemary scented kitchen cleaners! The set contains our favorite eco-friendly cleaning products, including Liquid Dish Soap, Liquid Hand Soap and Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner. No substitutions. 

Ingredients are at least 99% naturally derived.

I have used just about every product available in both scents...and love them all.  All of my orders have arrived packaged very well - each item in a plastic zip-loc bag - with spouts taped down and then all wrapped in brown paper - in a compartmentalized box.  How's that for GREAT shipping?

I did order several items in their Lavender Scent, since I use alot of Lavender Essential Oils and other products with Lavender......but I didn't like it at all.  I got a headache, stuffy nose, sneezing and had to re-wash my laundry and dishes in the dishwasher and re-clean surfaces to get rid of the smell.

But, hats off to their Customer Service Department!!  An email, explaining my dilemma and they were very quick to rectify my problem - much to my satisfaction.

They did state the following in that email:
"The Lavender is one of our strongest fragrances. It is an acquired taste."

I have not received anything for doing this Shopping Tutorial...or giving them a Great Review.  I just LOVE their products - shipping and customer service.

Click HERE to check out their Website.

I'm joining the Link Party Thoughts of Home on Thursday at:

Laura at Décor To Adore

Stacey from Poofing the Pillows

Jemma from At Home With Jemma 
Laura at White Spray Paint

I've Been Diligently Working To Get My House In Order

You know how difficult it is to get anything done when you have little children under foot?  Or you have dogs going wild?  Or if you don't physically feel well?  Or you're depressed?  Or you simply run out of time and money?  Well...some of those things interfered in my getting my House in order.  For years, due to stress and Bell's Palsy and just not feeling my best...everything kept getting put off to another day...and
quickly months and years slipped by with nothing finished.

Well, 2015 and 2016 are taking care of that!  I am feeling so much better...and have almost no remaining symptoms of Bell's Palsy...and I'm not letting days "slip" by any longer!

I want to share the Master Bedroom the way it had been for a number of years.  I hope to share what the Master Bedroom looks like NOW, with all the changes a little later in the week!

I have never been a "blue" girl, but decided to paint the Master Bedroom a grey-blue.  With the golden sheers and flowers in the comforter and drapes...along with the little blue flowers in the fabric, it was OK.  I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either...so it remained for a good number of years.  These pictures were from BEFORE I had NEW carpeting put into the house in 2010...see, I told you things haven't been changed in a while.

This is also the old bedroom set - which was replaced in 2014.  YIKES!  The lamps in the photo here were purchased at Lowe's - 2 in a box for $99 in 2005, before moving into this new house.

From the closet door into the Master Bathroom - with a jetted tub under the window.

The door is to my closet which measures approximately 12 feet x 7 feet...big right?  I love it.  I don't only have my clothes in there, but just about anything and everything that doesn't have a regular storage space is in there.  I don't have a basement, an attic and I don't like storing things in the garage...too much trouble getting to it up on shelves and all.

Just a couple of not-so-in-focus photos of the walk-in closet!

A glimpse of the Master Bathroom and it's chandelier.

I really liked the neutral color scheme I had with this blue.  It was very soothing.

But, NOW, after getting out my paint, roller and ladder and getting busy painting...it looks alot different.

Now...to leave you with just a hint of how my Master Bedroom looks is this awful photograph...taken several months ago. 

Until later this week...♥