The Downtown Farmhouse

I am so lucky!!!

Just about every day for an hour or an hour and a half, I get to hang out with this little one.

Jack is almost 8 weeks old.

He’s not so much of a lump anymore. 

Most days, we retreat to the porch.

One of the best places at the old house is the front porch. 

It’s big.

It has ceiling fans, light and the best thing…..

A swing. 

There are a few negatives too.

Mosquitoes in Florida are like a right of passage. Blood sucking little jerks. 

And the swing, as wonderful as it is, makes me motion sick. 

If I look down too much, I’m sick.

If I rock too fast or too slow, I’m sick. 

And don’t even think about reading or looking at my phone. I’m green. 

So we rock. 

And we sing.

He loves high pitch singing so that’s what he gets 

Lots of wheels on the bus and Old Jack Wissinger had a Farm is a fan favorite. His new favorite is the Annie soundtrack from 1982. 

Lots of “the sun will come tomorrow” and “it’s a hard knock life” 

I can only image what the neighbors think.

Soon our porch talks might not be so public but for now who the heck cares if they hear. 

And this week, we got smiles. Smiles for days and we melted…..just a little.

Happy Independence Week friends. 

Be Safe

Eat Much. Ribs are calling my name 

Love those you are with.

I work on projects in the carport.

Sometimes I have company and sometimes I don’t.

Today was a don’t day. I don’t mind being alone.

Currently this piece of nasty is my project

I have great friends who call when they find prizes on the side of the road. This one has been waiting patiently in the hoard for her makeover.

When I work alone, Pandora usually keeps me company.

Sometimes it’s some praise and worship cause you know I like to sing me some Jesus.

Today was Country.

And there’s nothing like a little Tim McGraw.

I usually like his oldies but the song “Always Be humble and Kind” came on today .

I was painting the final coat on the ugly beauty when the song started.

Of course I’ve heard this song 100 times but you know how sometimes you hear new things if you just listen.

Don’t just sing the words but really listen

Here are the words:

You know there’s a lot that goes by the front door, Don’t forget the key under the mat

Childhood stars shine, Always stay humble and kind

Go to church ’cause you momma says too. Visit grandpa every chance that you can

It won’t be a waste of time, Always stay humble and kind.

Hold the door, say please, say thank you

Don’t steal, don’t cheat and don’t lie

I know you got mountains to climb, but always stay humble and kind.

When the dreams you’re dreamin come to you, when the work you put in is realized.

Let yourself feel the pride but, Always stay humble and kind.

Don’t expect a free ride from no one, don’t hold a grudge or a chip and here’s why

Bitterness keeps you from flying, Always stay humble and kind.

Know the difference between sleeping with someone and sleeping with someone you love.

I love you ain’t no pick up line so always stay humble and kind

When it’s hot, eat a root beer popsicle, shut off the AC and roll the windows down

Let the summer sun shine, always stay humble and kind

Don’t take for granted the love this life gives you.  When you get where you’re going

Don’t forget to turn around, help the next one in line always stay humble and kind.

I love the line that says

Everyone is climbing some kind of mountain.

I usually say “we all got crap.”

But always, no matter what, stay humble and kind.

It’s really pretty simple

Have a wonderful Thursday.

Small group friends…. See you tonight

When I retired from my job, wait for it, almost 3 months ago, I had a plan. A plan how my days would go. A plan how I would get so much done, it would be amazing! 

As I look back in the last 3 months, the plan didn’t necessary go as “planned.”

Why isn’t my house spotless?

Why do I not have a gourmet dinner prepared every night?

Why do I not look spectacular when my husband comes home from work every evening?

Why? 

I’m retired.

I have all the time in the world to make everything perfect. 

Last week  we had small group at my besties house. 

Her beautiful, brand spanking newly renovated house and back yard. It’s a show stopper. It’s smelled so clean when I walked in. Everything had a place. It was immaculate and I immediately felt like a slacker. 

So what’s the problem? Am I just not motivated enough to get everything done in a day that needs to get done? Well I don’t think so? 

Sometimes I just need a little time to figure stuff out.

I’m seriously trying to reevaluate what life is all about and how to be ok with the “right now.” Am I the only one that struggles?

Never enough?

Not good enough?

Yesterday is a prime example.

Friday…….I love Friday.

Steve will be home for the weekend. We have big plans to finish a wall in the carport renovation. This means hard, dirty work outside in the blazing sun all day. 

I make a mental list in my head all the things I want to get done on Friday so that I can be ready for the work day on Saturday. 

I get ready and head out for some errands. 

Ok that’s done. 

I return home and have a list as long as my arm to complete. It’s date night ❤️

I walk in and hear a baby cry.

All I want it to hold him but the list is screaming in my head. 

I have been “babysitting” every day for about an hour so that Courtney can either take a nap or do whatever she needs to do. 

Me: “Do you want me to take him for a few minutes?”

Courtney: “sure I’ll be down in a a few minutes.”

I struggle with guilt as I know that I won’t get the laundry finished and the floors mopped before Steve gets home. So what can I do? 

I’ll pick up and dust. 

I’ll wipe down the kitchen counters and it will at least look clean.

Here comes the baby.

He’s snuggled in a blanket and fast asleep. 

Here’s where the story gets good.

I could have laid him on the bed and continued my work.

Instead……. I sat on the couch and held this precious child. He won’t be 6 weeks and 4 days ever again. He won’t snuggle in a blanket for much longer. 

I held him.

I looked at him and decided that for that moment I would sit. I would relish in the moment that if I worried about dirt, this moment would be gone. 

Now he didn’t sleep for long and later in the day we went to dinner with Pops (Steve) and he was an angel. 

The moral of my day is to chill the heck out.

Housework and chores will be there FOR-EV-ER. People will not.

Happy Saturday friends.

Do you need to chill the heck out today? 

Today is Fathers Day.

Fa-ther (noun)

1. a man in relation to his natural child or children.

Ok….

 So what.

Most guys can help make a baby right? So that means they are a father. 

My issue is that most guys can be a father but how many can be a Daddy? 

Let me tell you about a few Daddy’s in my life.

This is my Father. 

My biological genetically connected father. 

But more than that he’s my Dad.

There have been theories about Dads and their daughters. I believe that is true.

We have a relationship that I treasure. 

Even as a little girl, I was daddy’s girl. Princess material even when I didn’t deserve it.

Loved for who I am.

Protected and guided to the woman I am today.

I believe that I inherited the genetic ability to make old things new again.

Dad loved and loves old cars. Restoring from total abliteration to works of beauty.

Some wonder where my love of old things comes from. Wonder no more. I might not have the ability to restore an old car but the life of vintage comes very close from the heart.

The best thing my Dad did was to show and continue to love my Mom. A testament of what love and faithfulness can do. 

Happy Daddy’s Day to my Daddy. God knew what he was doing when he chose you for me

This is my baby daddy.

Our babies are all grown up but I have watched as this man raised our kids with love, guidance, discipline, fun and like a Dad. 

They watched him work hard to support our family. We played hard as a family and now as we watch them “adult” he stands proud and offers opinions when asked.

Love is what he portrays. 

These are our pack of weirdos 

Our kids might not “need” us much. But the best news is, they still want us. 

Happy Daddy’s day to my favorite.

Happy 1st Daddy’s Day!

This is my grandsons daddy. 

Jack is 6 weeks old tomorrow so being a daddy is brand speaking new to this guy. 

Lack of sleep

Lack of baby know how. 

But there is no lack of love.

I have watched this daddy step into the daddy role like a rock star

Everything is new and sometimes it’s hard but the Daddy title fits you like a glove.

And to all the rest of you Daddy’s out there, keep it up! 

What you do is important. It’s noticed, I promise. Even the small stuff. 

Daddy’s make the world a better place.

Love,

Daddy’s girl 

This past Sunday was Growth Track.

Growth track is a meeting for new and olds at Church of Hope to learn more about who the church is, how to be a better disciple of Christ and to learn more about Small Groups  and Dream Teams/Volunteers.

As an employee at COH, part of my responsibilities involved Growth Track. I have sat through many of the classes mentioned above.

I am no longer employed at COH but I still understand the process and how sometimes they might need additional hands. 

I offered. They accepted.

Emily spoke first and she said something that I had not heard before or maybe she had said it, and it was the first time I heard. 

As a follower of Christ, Trusting God in all things is part of the gig. 

She continued to speak about how a friend once explained to her that trusting God is like your hands being open like this –

When we hold onto our issues, problems and heartaches ourselves, we look like this this, with our hands clenched. Keeping it all to ourselves.

Holding tight.

Squeezing the guts out of it.

This resonated so deep with me.

I trust God.

I truly do, with all my heart.

But I’m human and it’s super easy to try and fix it MYSELF. 

All by myself 

Leave me alone. I can do it. I’m a big girl.

But really……..

I know, I really do, yet most times I try to fix it myself. This option doesn’t work or it takes every ounce of energy and emotional stamina I can muster up.

So today? Are you clenching your firsts so hard that your fingers are blue or your knuckles are white?

Or are you opening your hands to the possibilities? 

The possibilities God has promised us.

His love and mercy endures and is ever faithful. 

It’s time to open up those hands. 

Think about it.

I have moved this hideously ugly little dresser at least 3 times. 

I ask myself why? 

The boards on the top are wonky.

The side boards are not salvageable 

And the knobs? I don’t even want to talk about them.

However I need a bedside table upstairs in the guest room so I decided to embrace the ugly and forge ahead.

The first thing was to remove all the wood/fake wood on the sides. 

What to use?

What’s in the hoard?

Lathe comes to the rescue again.

It’s free.

It’s easy to cut and this is pretty much my first time repairing something all by itself using the chop saw and nail gun. 

It’s so far from perfect, I hesitate to show you but I am again embracing the ugly. 

Lathe is crooked and rough to the touch. It does not sand straight but it worked for the purpose. 

I painted the whole shell white.

I bought a cute rug and matched the drawers 

I had some black pulls in my stash and they just so happen match the black iron bed.

Score! 

Sometimes ugly is really cute. 

I’ll repost soon showing it in the space all dolled up with her accessories. 

I will definitely be using the chop saw and the nail gun again. It was fun. 

I acquired 2-11 foot pews and kneeling benches from a funeral home remodel a couple of years ago. I had zero ideas what I should do with them but it seems to always work.

The pews have been moved a couple of times to the duress of my wonderful, sweet and patient husband. 

A couple of weeks ago the pews came to the front of the project list. 

My pew has been completed and is getting ready to be moved to its permanent home. 

The second pew still needed a new life. What to do with an 11 foot pew? What will a person do? 

The basement has not been a topic of conversation much on the blog but yes, in Florida, at the old house, we have a basement. 

The basement was dark and stinky. Full of junk that absolutely no one would want. I had a couple of ideas for the basement during renovation but while packing up Mom and Dads house, I noticed how much memorabilia Dad had. 

Car trophies 

A fancy truck bed couch

Records and cassette tapes

Dad needed a man cave so the basement has been turned into a retro place of enjoyment 

What does a vintage, car loving, Elvis listening space need? 

It needs a diner table using pews as benches!!

It starts like this 

It was cut in half 

It was painted hot rod red. 

The table was my first purchase in Ocala at a thrift store. 

The table was cut on both sides to be retrofitted for the space. Add a leg to the front and painted white with a red stripe. Of course it must have a pin stripe like an old car 

Ya’ll…..

Come on!!

I can’t even.

I see a raging game of dominoes played on this table.

I love it when a vision comes to life.

I had a picture in my head

Spoke it out loud to my ridiculously talented family and poof.

Done and fabulous.

Have a great Tuesday friends!

It’s 1:53.

AM.

It’s one of those nights .

Sleep comes and sleep goes. I’m not sure why, but what’s a girl to do? 

I have been pondering a comment made to me at church this morning. 

“Through the many obstacles I have watched you go through, you have always stayed the course. You have been constant and I admire that about you.”

This friend is quiet.

She is strong and resilient.

She is cautious and I know that she has careful consideration before speaking. 

I’m not sure she knows what an impact this statement made on me. This statement has resonated with me all day and I knew that it deserved more thought. 

Wikipedia says “Stay the course” is a phrase used in the context of a war or battle meaning to pursue a goal regardless of any obstacles or criticism. 

Ok?

War or battle?

Sometimes every day feels like a war. 

A war against what? Fatigue? Not eating the Oreos that my son in law insists on buying? Keeping my mouth shut? Getting the ever constant paint off my legs?

Or maybe things a little more serious like watching someone I love fight cancer every day. 

It’s a battle.

Every single day.

Today is a monumental day.

It’s not every day you turn the day after you are 79 and the day before you are 81. 

Now I could have chosen a picture of him clean and all fancied up. But I like “real life” better. 

My side kick.

My garage buddy

My dad.

I claim the title of Daddy’s girl. Always have. Always will. 

Stay the course is genetic right? 

It’s what you get from your parents? 

It’s the tenacity to work hard and not expect someone to do it for you. 

It’s the get up and go attitude even when you hurt all the time? It’s suck it up and go to work anyways. That’s what I watch every day. 

Constant derives from the Latin verb meaning “to stand with,” so something constant is continually standing with you and not wavering.  

Sometimes life sucks.

It just does. 

How you deal with the deck you are dealt shows a lot about who you are. 

I have been shown from Dad that I am loved even when I’m stupid. 

I am loved not only by him but by my Heavenly Father who loves me first and loves me the most. 

Becky and I comment that we are His (Gods) favorites. I believe that.

I have been shown love and acceptance my entire life. I think that it had a big impact on my ability to stay the course, no matter what life throws my way. 

I will be eternally grateful that my Heavenly Father chose the perfect earthy Daddy just for me.

Happy Birthday you cute old guy. Sometimes you just gotta hang on! 

Love,

Daddy’s girl 

Most days you will find me in dirty paint speckled clothes. I’m either sanding and or painting something. No pictures please, cause it ain’t pretty. 

No matter how much I like to be outside, inside still has things that have to be done.

Since Jack has arrived, I have been on laundry duty. Baby clothes, baby linens and even baby diapers. Yep you heard me right cloth diapers. You remember my granola daughter? There will NOT be any Jack Wissinger poopy diapers littering up our landfill. Nope not one. 

With all the baby duties, some of the other household chores have suffered. 

Vacuuming is big in our house.

Let me show you why?

Reason #1

Big Hairy Dog aka JR Kern 

12 year old semi psychotic yellow Labrador Retriever. Sheds like a beast 

Reason #2

Little Hairy dog aka Fender Wissinger

5 year old slightly hyper French bulldog/jack Russell mix. Little bitty black hairs. 

Double trouble 

They will sit and stare at their food bowls until someone says “go!”

I recently made a commission. 

Did I get a pedicure? no

Did I buy some new clothes or that new pair of shoes I wanted? nope

Do I go out for an exciting evening on the town? Not even close 

I bought a robot vacuum!!!

Her name is Helen.

I love her and to top off an already good thing, she was the Amazon deal of the day. Half price baby!!!!

She is quiet and doesn’t complain. 

She is scheduled and I never have to tell her twice.

Sometimes she gets stuck but I’m a natural helper so I’m good with her shortcomings. 

JR could care less that she’s there. He just watches her drive by.

Fender hates her. He growls and barks and tries to be intimidating. I’ve already told Fender that if there is choice, he will lose. 

Helen allows me to feel just a little like a Queen  every day as I watch her sweep away the dog hair. It might not be a big deal  to most but it allows me to spend some extra time with this guy.

Love,

Queen 

Do you have a counter top where everything lands?

Purses, keys, the mail, items to be returned to others?

I know you do. 

We all do and mine is in the kitchen. 

It’s the keys that drive me a little batty. They are everywhere and when you need them, they are lost under a dish towel or a big stack of mail. 

So I looked for a solution and you know that I can’t just screw a hook into the wall or something as easy as that. I needed a plan. 

The old house had plaster and lathe walls. The goal was to keep them but they were beyond repair  along with everything else in the old house. They would need to be replaced with drywall. 

Sounds easy? Nope.

Weeks and weeks of hammering down the plaster. Creating piles of gross dirty plaster which in turn has to be shoveled into buckets and wheelbarrows and taken to the dumpster. These weeks were some of the hardest of demolition. 

Under the plaster, there is lathe. Little strips of wood. Each little piece had to be pryed off  with a crowbar and then each little nail had to be removed or hammered in. 4400 square feet people. And 90% of it all was done by these people and me. 

Of course I saw potential in the lathe. It’s wood. Project after project bursts into my brain while watching the lathe be pulled off the walls. I want I keep it all!!!! Ok well there were 1000’s of pieces so I didn’t keep them all but I did keep a few hundred. 

I received a few eye rolls but whatev.

Back to the crap on the counters.

First project using lathe 

Cut to size

Screw together

Go to hobby lobby twice to buy hooks because I need/want/have to save 40% on absolutely everything not already on sale. 

Attach the hooks

Screw to the wall

Hang the dreaded keys and have cute wall decor all at the same time.

I love it when a plan comes together……..