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Monday, November 23, 2015

TWTW - the one with the cleaning ladies

I believe your life is only as good as the people in it. Mine is pretty damn good with these people who have been there for over 20 years plus their people we've picked up along the way. Friendsgiving at Zorba's in Fairmount on Friday. Missing: MFD, who was being head boss at the shore.
I drove to the shore from there, fell out around 12:45 and was up for the sunrise. I met Lori down at the beach.
Lori is so good that she folded my sheets and wiped down my baths and vacuumed my house at home before transporting my dogs to the shore with my mom. At the shore, her and my mom were my cleaning ladies and cleaned the whole house. They were also in charge of the dogs all weekend.  I drug them on a mission outside of town to buy a cheap dresser (completed) and pillows for the remaining bedrooms plus some other odds and ends. I was in search of some shore decor so we hit Asbury Avenue and they were having a big small business thing.

I got half priced paperbacks for the house in a discount bookstore I could live in and we ate lunch at Bennie's Bread. SO GOOD.
We even saw Santa. Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving is on my naughty list but one does not pass up the opportunity to get a photo with Santa in a row boat.
I largely struck out in the decor department but Lori bought me a so bright it hurts pink sweatshirt and a tie dye tee because I can't and won't quit tie dye clothing. Back at the house I put shit away and did some kitchen organizing and brought the dogs up to the main house while MFD, Joe, and Dan put the tedious dresser together down in the efficiency. Apparently if you want to score a very cheap dresser the assembly is going to be a bitch.
This weekend was mostly a finishing touch weekend. I hung valances on the main floor and curtains in the powder room - imagine these actually on a rod, which will happen next weekend so they don't look like someone with hair too long. When that's done, the powder room will be done.
Something that has been vexing me: where to store books for our future renters to peruse and take to the beach? Since I was a little girl the beach has been synonymous with worn paperback books. I couldn't own a home there and not have some to share with others. There is no room even for a skinny bookcase anywhere other than the third floor or the bathroom so I'm storing them under the coffee table. Not ideal but better than nothing! And yes, of course I bought a used copy of Jane Eyre. My mom and Lori contributed some books from the discount bookstore too. The rest will be coming from my house. I also happened upon this Jack Vettriano wall tile in the thrift shop. We modeled one of our wedding photos after one of his beach scenes so I had to have it.
The sofas also got new pillows - all of them are washable with cases that unzip and can be swapped out and washed as well because who wants to lay on the spit of hundreds of other people? No one. I got a cushion for the bench from Kohl's and the last two coral boat cleats were hung, one on the stairs and one over the powder room door (hanging sign coming for that).
MFD went down Wednesday night to receive appliance delivery and to pick up and install new bottom cabinets on the one wall in the kitchen. He totally kicked ass down there. The top photo is updated canvas art in one of the bedrooms. As with downstairs, I used my pics and put them on Canvas when I found a sale online. Boom. The bottom is appliances. Counters get measured this Friday. I was initially reluctant to replace the appliances but it is nice to know going into our first rental season that everything is solid and they look nice. So I have to concede that MFD was right on this one. Plus the kitchen is the easiest area to update and in a 115 year old house, a little update is good. The rest can stay old beachy. 
While he was down there alone with no cable or wifi MFD also laid area rugs and pads in the bedrooms and built the remaining nightstand in the blue room. Target storage pieces rock for cheap nightstands. That room got updated canvases too and is now complete. 
I was hot to get out of there on Sunday since we'll be back for an extended time next weekend. I dropped the dogs off at home and hit Marburn Curtain for my missing curtains. Of course one of them was out of stock, so I put it in a bubble, blew it away, and got a mismatched one because I was not driving an hour to another store. I survived Trader Joe's  on a Sunday with a trip for a turkey and some other things. Why are Trader Joe's parking lots always like hell on earth?
No real food prep this week. I rarely do any the weekend before Thanksgiving. Breakfast is breakfast burritos I made last weekend, lunch is a veggie burger over baby spinach, and dinners are scrambled eggs and salmon with steamed veggies. Snacks are granny smith apples, cucumbers, and orange bell peppers.

In lieu of winterizing the yard and raking leaves, I got a manicure/pedicure/brow wax (OPI Bogota Blackberry on the feet and Baguette Me Not on the nails), put a new duvet cover on in the spare room at home since the quilt that's been on that bed for five years is making its way down the shore, and made roasted brussels sprouts that I served with some garlic parmesan bread topped with mozzarella and a side of olives. I also started this book of short stories by Nickolas Butler. His writing is just incredible to me. When I read it I feel it inside.

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I would be remiss in leaving you for the day without wishing my fabulous friend Gwen (Confessions of a Gila Monster) a happy happy birthday today. You'll be seeing more of her here on Wednesday for this month's recommendations. I had to borrow her facebook profile pic for this because I just love it. Happy birthday my friend!

Short week. Hallelujah and amen! Are you working this week or off? 

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Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

34 comments:

  1. Your life is as good as the people in it... I love that!

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  2. Looks like a very full weekend but surrounded by great people. The shore house is looking great, it's all coming together. This week will be very low key thanks to the holiday, only two work days. Woohoo. We got this!

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  3. You definitely have some great people in your life--what a fun get together! Love all of the stuff you're doing with the shorehouse--it looks fabulous!!!

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  4. I love that you are leaving books for renters to take with them to the beach and read at the house - that is such a great touch and so nice of you guys! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  5. A great weekend with great people; what more could you want? :-) The books are a nice touch. I'm sure renters will leave others as well. It will be fun to see what comes and goes. The house is looking great! And that sunrise. Good God! So beautiful!

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  6. Working the three days and off for five, hallelujah! Love all the bright colors at the shore house and the used books, yessss! That looks like the used bookstores down here I like to frequent. Just enough room to walk and lots of books to choose from. Happy Thanksgiving Week!!

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  7. The house is beautiful and I am so thankful to have been a small part helping to get it in shape for you.

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  8. I'm at work Monday-Tuesday but off the rest of the week, which is fair enough since the school gives it to us and no vacation is needed. As for the books - bookends on a table or dresser for a few, maybe? I love the orange comforter and the pic with Santa on a boat is fantastic. Guess he needs some R&R before things get too busy for him?

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  9. Everything looks so lovely and welcoming! I love that you're planning on keeping some books there, it's so true that books & the beach go together perfectly!

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  10. It's so stinking cute. It just has so much personality, and so many touches of you and MFD. It makes me want to stay! If I ever get the nerve up to fly again, I'm renting it.

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  11. Your shore house is really looking amazing! You've done such a great job in such a short amount of time. I love the idea of leaving the books there for guests to enjoy, that's such a nice touch. I work part time right now and I think I'm just working Tuesday and Wednesday and trying to avoid going anywhere at all costs on Friday! I just want to stay home and decorate.

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  12. What time does the sun come up over there? It just seems too early to get up after going to bed at 12:45. Haha! The house looks so awesome. I love that you bought a bunch of books! The beach condo we rent every summer has Good Housekeeping magazines from 1995, so I appreciate this! Haha! I just started Beneath the Bonfire last night!

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  13. "Framily" is so important. I'm glad you have so many good people. Um, I try not to do Christmas things before Thanksgiving, but yes, how could you pass up that photo opp?!

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  14. I love that you're adding books for renters, all my favorite beach house rentals came with books and outdoor showers!

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  15. It looks like you had a very busy weekend getting more things prepped for the shore house! I love the fact that you have a library of books for your renters to choose from, because like you the beach isn't the beach to me without a good book!

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  16. I am still on cloud 9 that your shore house is a reality and I think I will stay on cloud 9 because it is so awesome. One of my favorite places in the universe. Books are essential for every shore or vacation house. I need to read that book of short stories. I love short stories. Priceless weekend with my girls. Can't wait to eat turkey. I am glad o do not know the turkey I will be eating. Carpe Diem.
    Love. Your. Momma

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  17. Everything is looking so great there!
    I love so much you are wanting to have old paperback books for renters. Part of the beach experience is totally taking a book down & relaxing with it.

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  18. I'm officially ready to rent your place!!! ;) I LOVE that having books there is non-negotiable. When we rented in Hilton Head this past May they had a nice little nook of books that I loved! Everything looks awesome- seriously. You guys have done an amazing job with the place.

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  19. The place is looking amazing! Is there anywhere you could add floating shelves to the wall to store the books? Or just get a cute basket to store them in?

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  20. everything looks so incredible!! i love the color choices and what a fantastic idea of leaving books for your renters. pinterest some storage ideas for them.

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  21. Still loving the beautiful colors in the shore house! I'd rent it out in a heartbeat <3

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  22. I LOVE that you're including books in the house..I love rental houses that have worn out books in them!

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  23. Woohooo for a short week! The shore house is looking amazing. I still am gawking over the amazing beachy colors. I want a shore house just so I can paint everything teal and sea foam!

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  24. The house is looking lovely and coming together nicely! The new appliances might definitely help sell it faster for renters. Lori and your mom are amazing for helping out with the dogs and cleaning!

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  25. You cram so much in to your weekends with all your house work that it makes my head spin!!!! As far as the books go, might I recommend a floating shelf or two somewhere? Or perhaps a little trunk that you can put a sign on?

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  26. I was just looking at my brussels sprouts post from last year and saw your comment about how you loved them. I still don't :)

    I think TJ's parking lots are designed for expensive-suburbia, where people pay a premium for 5 square ft of driveway. That way, they're used to maneuvering in such a manner and won't complain. Target and Walmart parking lots are easier because the majority of the population shops there. If I showed you the parking lot at TJs here, you wouldn't even know what to do. It's definitely why I only go there every 3 months or so.

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  27. I was sitting here so excited for you as if I was taking part in this fun beach house set-up! ha. So exciting! I was really excited to see "Summer Sisters" in your book selection. That's one of my favorite books ever and is perfect for a beach read. You really do have a village helping you with this house and that is beyond awesome. Sitting in huge sweatshirts, sipping wine and taking pics of your dogs in funny positions is really the best way to unwind after a day of hard work if I do say so myself. :) yes, I suffer through Trader Joe's every single Sunday and it really is a testament to their products that I do. Because it is such a nightmare.

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  28. Thanks for the birthday shout out! The shore house is looking SO great! Love that wall tile and of course love stocking the place with paperbacks.

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  29. You are freaking amazing. I can't believe how quickly and perfectly the shore house has come together. Wow. Just, wow.

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  30. oh i love the idea of books for the renters. so.... like, i can come and rent the place? yes please!! haha. the beach has always meant books for me, especially worn paperbacks. i used to fall asleep (oops) and the water would come up and wet the book (double oops) so all the books in our caravan park were water damaged.. but i didn't mind. anyway. rambles.
    love that 'your life is only as good as the people in it'. so true!

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  31. I love your book stocking!! Your shore house looks so colorful, bright, and welcoming!! You guys have totally rocked it on getting it ready. Hope you have a great holiday!!

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  32. Happy birthday to Gwen!!!
    I love that you picked books that are actually good for the beach house... I've stayed at rental properties before where the books were so bad I would've rather read the back of a fucking cereal box. Good call.
    Your print canvases turned out so nice... I love that they're your own photos, too - cool touch!

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  33. Santa in a row boat?! Awesome. The place looks fabulous! I hope it's both a huge moneymaker and source of fabulous memories for y'all!

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  34. Yes, one cannot miss Santa in a rowboat! You amaze me with how quickly you all have gotten this flipped around! How far is it from the city?? (I'm from Texas. I drive 14 hours and I'm still in the same damn state...). Love Vettriano prints. They remind me of college. :)

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