Happy Tuesday. The horrible tragedy of the floods in the hill country have affected so many people. I happen to be one of the ones who lost a family member. My second cousin was camping with her husband and two small boys before picking up their 8 year old daughter at Camp Longhorn. My cousin Julia and her husband John have both been found but not the little boys. This tragedy has touched so many people’s lives~~ and it was so sudden and unexpected. My daughter Riley reminded me this morning that cell phones get horrible coverage there……Harrison my son went to Camp La Junta so we experienced it first hand. Riley knows of a counselor at Mystic that is still missing….and also knows that counselors were not allowed to have their phones in the cabins. I have read so much about what took place and it seems ( I am sorry if I am wrong) that the main warning of a flood is through cell phones . Happening in the night made it impossible for people to take cover and move away from the rising river. My heart is broken over my family’s loss and of all of the others who died in this disaster. I am grieving terribly over it all and it has brought a flood of emotions back for me of my father dying when I was 10. My thoughts and prayers go out to all effected by this.
Fourth of July weekend was full of rain here~~~ so I did not get to go to the club or work in my yard. I do not idol very well so I ended up doing this and that around the house. I was one of the strange ones who worked on Thursday….even though I could not get many questions answered from vendors since the holiday weekend started Thursday afternoon. I am working on enclosing a porch for a long term client~~ I designed their entire home 17 years ago~~ so I worked on my drawings and sourcing fabrics in my office. My new method of ordering fabrics I like from vendor meetings has proved very valuable for me to have so many wonderful fabrics at my disposal here at work. Tutu can take a nap on the sofa while I design away! Of course I still go to Dallas but I can get a great start to a project here in my office.
I am delighted to say that I delivered custom headboards and dust ruffles to a client yesterday from one of my new resources . My world has been turned upside down since AAA Draperies closed at the end of March. The headboards are wonderful as are the dust ruffles! I call my “new world” Design by Committee since I am using so many different people to accomplish my design work. So far so good…… I am blessed to have found wonderful people out there. Do I miss my old way of life…..YES!!!!!! But this old dog had to learn some new tricks!!!!!!!! I am carrying on!!!!! The wallpaper is being installed in the house where I delivered the headboards and dust ruffles this week~~~~ by this weekend she will have more beauty going on in her new home.
I am traveling to New York for my best friend Beast’s birthday on July 23rd . I am thrilled it worked out for me to go! This New York trip and my trip to Newport for the wedding in September will be my trips for the year. I am excited for both!!! Beast and I did not plan right last year when I went for her birthday…the Met was closed the day of her birthday and we were denied. I even tried begging with the man at the door. Not even my best Southern charm worked:( We had planned to spend the entire day in there. We will for sure get to do that this year!!!!! I am spending an extra day in Newport to go tour the mansions that are in the show Guilded Age~~~ which by the way I am enthralled with every new show!
I hope all of my readers are having a good summer. This is the first summer in over 10 years that I do not have a tan line from laying by the pool…we have had so much rain. But my yard is very happy! I am sure the 100 degree days are looming on the horizon for Fort Worth…..but for now I will take the cooler temperatures along with the rain. Prayers go to all affected by the river flooding in the hill country. I will write again after my New York trip.
Take care!
Kay
My cousin and her precious family. Heartbreaking.
The “pouf ottoman” finally came in from Kravet. I now have a Happy husband whose TV watching spot is complete!
LSU won the College World Series again! I did not even know they were in the finals~~ or I would have watched more. This last game was thrilling and I had a happy Harrison!
This is NOT a glamorous picture of my laundry room……but represents a whole day of my life getting the old one that died out and the new one in. My old one was a Maytag that lasted from 2002 until last Monday. I found mother’s receipt in the appliance folder. I sadly could not get another white regrigerator with an ice maker that would fit my tight spot~~ houses in the 1950s were not built to have a big laundry room. Even though this one is only 2” wider than my old one it has so much more room! As you can see from all of my “ decoration” I am a sentimental fool. Seeing my memories every day make me happy. Even though this room is SO small ( and not as much storage as I would like) I adore the wood paneled walls. I don’t know how many people pull out their refrigerator to clean behind….but let’s just say I do not think this one has been moved since 2002. A HUGE YUCK was behind there~~~ I was ashamed!!!!
I got this painting back 2 weeks ago. I ADORE this artist and the painting. I have another of his pieces over my bed at home. Pablo Escuela was from Buenos Aires and was born in 1951. I have tried finding more of his work and have only located one other piece on Ebay. There was an art gallery in Shreveport where mother and my grandmother One Momma ( who lived there) would visit when we went to see One Momma. I have about 5 pieces of art~~ which happen to be some of my favorite pieces~~ that came from this gallery. Mother and One Momma bought this piece for my birthday when I was pregnanr with Riley & Harrison. We are sadly dismatling my ex-husband’s apartment since his cancer has progressed. I am sad for the reason why I have this back~~~ but feel like I am reunited with an old friend.
We took in our old cat New Kitty when my ex-husband became too ill to take care of him. He is about 16. It has been a journey getting him to accept Tutu~~~ but we are making progress! This was a HUGE moment~!!!!
Tutu turned 6 on July 4th!! She gets a hamburger and fries to celebrate her birthday!!!!! I adore this dog!!!!!!
This huge oak tree in my front yard is probably close to if not 100 years old. Of course it has LOVED all of the rain! The limbs span the entire front yard.
I believe mother transplanted this Beach spider lily from One Momma’s house. I have one in the front and one in the back. Everything is still so green~~~~ so unusual for us in July!!!!
My new landscaper planted caladiums for me as a thank you present for using him. This raised flower bed at night with the twinkle lights from the boxwood tree is magical to me. It can be the most simple things in life that can make your heart sing the most.