try as i may, i just can't seem to get the picture i want, "a room with a view" of the progress of the pizza oven & fireplace being set in stone, literally. TONS OF STONES. so let me make an attempt to describe what i see out my kitchen window. a larger than life structure, much bigger than i had thought. you see, we are in an Arkansas "hollow" so my oven and fireplace must have tall chimneys to draw. it's so beautiful,tho. i picture the new stairs with a banister and beautiful gardens spilling down the wall.

You see, i watch the progress looking down on it from my kitchen window, my deck, my bedroom. it is beautiful in it's ugliness, the cinder blocks and it's form, it's height and girth. There's a new oven and fireplace in my home, but outside.

today Tye, the stone layer (and a good looking young man, BTW) set the facing on the oven. it looks so good. i can see he ponder which stone to fit in the large puzzle. unfortunately, the recent rain had made a puddle, making his scaffolding unsafe. Another day delay.

REAL men do clean toilets...really

Today is the first day that the new housekeepers started. Although my previous housekeeper is recovering from the gangrene on her legs, she doesn't think she clean houses anymore, much to my dismay. It had been at least 3 weeks since her last visit and my house needs it every week because of all the dog hair. This company works in pairs so that it will get done faster, 4 hrs. instead of 8, plus they have a backup person who will eventually train with the pair. One's a gal and - get this ladies - the other is a man, albeit young, he does toilets!!! WOW/ I thought it was against their DNA to be able to do toilets, vacuum, dust, do windows - yes - even windows. Now, don't that beat all!!! SO far, they seem to be doing a good job for their first day. I am so relieved to finally have all that dog hair vacuumed, the stove top cleaned and the floors mopped. Yippee!

Dream vs. Reality

DREAM OUTCOME


FUTURE PIZZA OVEN AND FIREPLACE


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I can guarantee that the one I'm going to get looks nothing like my dream picture that I printed to give to the contractor. Welcome to Arkansas.

Grandchildren I LOVE

What would Betty do?

The other night, while I was cleaning  up, waiting for my 10 farm-fresh egg frittata to bake, I had a FREAK ACCIDENT. I dropped the NEW bottle of canola oil on my tiled floor,  it broke the cap, and the bottle of oil spilled on the entire floor!!!! Frantically, I grabbed the bottle and a bunch of towels to soak up the oil. My husband comes in with a couple of towels bigger than my drawer of kitchen towels. I get one more terry towel... it was the one I got in Minneapolis, at General Mills. Betty Crocker is the known queen of domestic cooking knowledge. Embroidered on the towel is "What would Betty do?" What would Betty do? I think to myself. I get the towel and dread the mop up job. Crocodile tears and sobs sputter out of my mouth. I am in misery...snif sniff. My dear husband says," don't worry, honey, it's only a spill, I'll mop the floor". 

That's what Betty would have done, cried.  and I did and he did. and the eggs were good.