I would have very much liked to say that we are done with the Porch. That we finished all that we planned and are getting on with our winter projects and holiday preparations.
Beautiful Autumn Harvest shingles
Front view
However…it is not so…and I am ok with it now (;
To read the full story, please go to This Very Old House – The Porch Saga
November 11. Winter in MN, season 4.
On the first day of snow we got…over 12″. And it kept coming down. I took my car out to the road, so I don’t have to get stuck in the morning. Alice and I hooked up the plow to the Yamaha and promptly got stuck not even half way down he driveway. That was about 3pm. Of course we should have started plowing sooner, but we never thought it would get that bad that fast. Denial is a powerful thing. 
By this time Frank came home. He didn’t even brave the driveway and walked to the house, dress shoes and all. He plunged right into the heat of things and pulled the Yamaha out. I plowed the driveway, which, by the way, about 1/4 of a mile long. 
I brought my car back to the house. After all, the snow stopped, the wind was not too bad to create drifts, I should be able to get out in the morning…I was wrong. In the morning it looked like this 
. Husband got the VG Rover succesfully stuck right in the middle of the driveway and Yamaha decided to have a flat tire. He fixed the tire and pulled the VG Rover out with the help of the Kitt-Tan Rover. Then we got into the heat of the battle.
We were digging and plowing from 6 to 1030 in the morning, after which I finally made it to work and Frank was able to stay and work from home. First battle with the snow was won! But we see a new snow thower looming on the horizon. Yamaha alone just won’t be able to do it.
Thanks. Tat.
After some experimenting with different DIY Chalk paint recipes, I found my favorite combination of ingredients and ratio.
1 Cup of paint
2 tbsp water 4 tbsp Calcium Carbonate.
I like this combination because it gives you a little thicker paint, which is more opaque and has better coverage.
Thanks. Tat (;
To Read more about my Chalk Paint projects please click on the lamp picture.
This post is dedicated to my Husband and Daughter.
As a thank you…
There are days when you think that you failed. In an epic sort of way. Everything is your fault. You screwed up so bad, that you just want to crawl under the covers and cry. And never ever get out.
Family is not just about love. It’s about trying to understand, accept and forgive. It’s also about setting limits and respect. You don’t let anyone disrespect and insult you. Least of all the people that are close to you. Those who see you in your most vulnerable state tend to hurt you the most. And there comes the time when you have to set limits. You don’t stick around because you have to, but because you want to.
You try to think before you talk, but it doesn’t always work and you hurt the only people that matter in your life.
I thank you both for allowing me to see that and become a better person. For being there when we bring in the horses from pasture, cook dinner or dig a hole in the pet graveyard.
There wasn’t a whole lot that we haven’t been through together. Was it always seamless and happy? Of course not. Did we always like what the other person did? Heck no! And we said as much, for the most part at least, so the same mistake is not repeated.
We grew as family and friends. We don’t have a lot in common, but we have the most important basics that make up US.
I would be lost without you…
Thank you!
For teaching me to be a better person.
However, I was not very exited about the price of Annie Sloan Paint. Apparently I wasn’t the only one. Pinterest to the rescue, looking for DIY Chalk paint.
Quite late posting this, but on the week of our wedding anniversary two weeks ago, we made a trip to Stillwater, MN to see some of the antique shops. We don’t often get out, because two tings I dislike is leaving the house and spending money. Having said that, we had great time spending the day together without any apparent purpose, just hang out, talk, eat lunch.
Added bonus, we didn’t spent a lot of money. Most of the stuff in the shops was of the sort ‘it’s hard to dust, it’s probably an antique’, and unjustly expensive. We did buy some trinkets though. Mostly, just looked. It is very inspiring to look at the old things.
And on the way home we stopped at the Goodwill store and got some ugly looking lamps in
just the style I was looking for our bedroom. I since have repainted them and will make a post in Chalkpaint Wonders section in the next few days.
Happy Anniversary! Looking forward to many more (;
I enjoy going to the barn to feed, especially in the morning. I would not call it chores, since in my opinion, chore is something that drags you down, boring routine. Feeding is fun, so it can’t be chores. Throwing grain and hay in the feeders, being greeted by all the barn dwellers is a special treat, something I have been looking for since I was little. Since 3, actually. Apparently I was drawing horses already in that tender age, they were green (;
If you lean against the horse, you feel warmth, and kindness, and power. There is also this special smell… For the longest time I could not figure it out. Now I know, it smells of sand…and sea.
In Greek Mythology horses came from the sea and Poseidon is the God of Horses. Maybe back many centuries ago someone leaned against a horse and felt it’s smell, and it smelled of sand, and sea. The smell of happy.
Sweetheart near heater
Next we will see geese flying south…
We are often asked if the animals we have get enough attention, being that there are quite a few. We like to refer to them as Heartbeats.
This question makes me think.
They are warm, have plenty of food and treats. They are loved and cared for. They get taken to the doctor if anything is going on. And while there are no expensive beds, collars or toys, there are plenty of blankets, towels and thrift store plushies.
The important thing is that they are alive.
Most of our animals are special needs, and also quite old. They have no other place to go. People are untrustworthy, you never know if the person you have trusted with the animal won’t chuck it out of the house just because it’s useful/playful time is over.
And while some cats live in the garage, referred to as Cat Appartments, they have a pellet stove in winter, AC in summer, furniture and plenty of litter boxes. These cats don’t get along with the ones inside the actual house, and some of them can’t be trusted to use their litter boxes properly. 
We do what we can with what we’ve got. We save heartbeats and give them a comfortable place to stay.
They need us more than we need them.
bunnzai
Tat
Home of Many Tails 