The 'Program' Starts Today

Can't go wrong starting a blog with a pic like this!

To start here are a few pics of the completed driveway - literally hours before the snow/sleet arrived. The guys showed up on Tuesday after the workday around 8:30 or so and worked into the dark - around 7:00 or so. I even turned the headlights of the truck so they could finish up. A good indication of the right decision of this neighborhood, the nextdoor neighbor even turned on the lights in his car for the crew - totally cool neighbors. The finished product came out looking great and REALLY made shoveling this winter bearable. (I also got a new snow thrower for the front of the mower - so that helped a little too.)
The back turn around/Working the front walk

Getting ready for the next truck/Back steps

North side of the house/The crew

Uhhhhh yeah./Back to work with day light

Removing the street entrance/The girls watch and have fun

Pic taken BY Ellie/Just hamming it up a bit

My Elliebird in a great mood

Hamming it up - where she gets these things...


About the same time as the work was being done on the driveway, my master bathroom was getting tiled. This was one job I knew was WELL beyond my skillset. I had two guys from Universal Flooring (Kelly and his cohort) come in and lay the marble floor and shower with an intricate glass/marble inlay as well. It came out looking beautiful and every bit as fantastic as I had always hoped. Although it wasn't photographed for a magazine as originally promised, it looks every bit as inspirational as you'd find one to be. I feel proud that I was able to create such a fantastic space without 'professional' help and made the crown jewel of the master suite just that. It gave me a lot of confidence that I questioned often before. If you'l remember in previous entries, that was an area that I whole heartedly trusted Leslie with and to be thrust into that additional role for this house really freaked me out. Although there were some things that really turned out well for the magazines, I have to say that I can definitely now play the game of interior designer for my style and my space just as well as anyone. In that regard, I look forward to having the Grand Opening in the Spring to bring back all those that have helped on this house - I hope you can make it. If I don't have your contact info, please email me so that I can get you an invite!
The soap dish insets/With marble around them

Glass tile detail/Back wall glass tile inset

Kelly checking level/Nice shirt

Kelly 'butters' the tile backs/Layout of tile before installation

total concentration/I swear it's James Hetfield from Metallica!!

The finished shower/Roger shows me how to install the drain correctly

Of course I have to redo the work/Steve rests after moving the tub

I work to get teh plumbing in place


Speaking of being published, I was SO blessed to have multiple rooms published in differeing magazines in the psat few months, with one more on the way. I say blessing and I honestly mean BLESSED to have the great teams at Meredith continue to create great rooms for this house. The project editors, the tradesmen, the photographers and the layout designers - all put their best into each room and I am forever indebted to them for it.
Kitchen & Bath Makeovers - Summer 08

Bath Makeovers - Spring 09

Storage - Early Spring 09


Let's fast forward to more recent times. I've just come back from visiting my brother in Minneapolis and helping him with HIS home (putting in tile floors, painting, etc.) and I had some windshield time to ponder some things. I'm not sure that any one thing was revolutionary, rather i think there were a bunch of smaller thoughts. In no peticular order here are a few:
1. I REALLY miss Leslie and I can't get away from it
2. I'm happy for Sean and Sarah and their new home. It's fun to see a young couple with all the hope and bright future awaiting them
3. Sean has a great sense of humor, it's worth the effort of pulling it out of him
4. I have the best family in the worl - hands down. When anyone is in need we all swoop in to help. THAT'S what family is all about.
5. Although ending the relationship with Shana was difficult I still think it was the right thing to do (and that's still not easy to say out loud)
6. I'm spending more time with God and I'm more at peace when I do
7. Although I was gone 4 days to MN, it took 4 minutes to miss Ellie
8. Life seems so full of opportunity, I'm tired of waiting for that opportunity to turn into reality
9. I love being a designer, but I am flexible enough to run a business and hopefully will some day (maybe sooner rather than later... who knows)
10. I think the 2 years that have passed since the accident have served well as a 'perspective finder' in that going into the next mourning phase I am better prepared because I think the shock has worn off and I can better accept some of the pain and loss that I am starting to go through when I open another box in the 3 season porch and then bring the contents into my new house
11. Although this house doesn't feel 'empty' by any stretch, there is a void
12. All of the people that have helped on this house have realy given me someting that I'll never be able to repay, say thank you enough for or can ever be taken away
13. Although I don't currently have a job, I think it's not only going to turn out okay, but I think that I'm going to come out ahead in many ways - most of which I can't even describe as I write this entry
14. I often times think of other people's lives I've run into over the past 2 years and the only one I wish I had done something different was not stopping myself to pray for a good friend of mine in the middle of the grocery store parking lot whose child was in the hospital fighting for his little life - damn I wish I had done that. I pray for hime often now

It's been a very interesting couple of dayssince the last post and a lot has happened, one thing is that I have recently looked in the mirror and honestly, have been ashamed. Yes the past two years has been rough, but there is no excuse for my disregard for my own health and well-being. In response to that, I am now 'back on the wagon' (hopefully for life) of diet and exercise being a critical part of my everyday. I have a very special day coming in July that I want/need to be ready for. So my goal is aggressive, but would I have it any other way? If anyone out there wants to join me in the effort (create your own timeline or goal) and help each other remain accountable, let me know!