Wednesday, January 8, 2020

New Year at Home

Goodbye, December.  Welcome January!


Aren't these calendar pages wonderful? My friend Kate does a new calendar every year for our annual sale and I'm wild about this year's (ab0ve). And last year's! (Below)


We had an odd New Year's Eve. For the first time in decades -- since before this photo (below) taken at the turn of the century -- Rick and I were in different places. He had volunteered to babysit the Toddler Twosome at their home and I was still recovering from my Christmas Eve fall on a slate floor in Livonia on scattered toys from the toy box. (And on the beginning of a period still going on of being sick as a dog.)


It was a good move and we talked on the phone but I wasn't quite up to the car ride or the activity! And, it got me to bed at a decent time!


We celebrated on New Year's Day. His bread, French Onion Soup, salad, all good. At home.

Home. That's my "word" for 2020. And that means the physical house here and the cottage as well as my personal "home" -- body, mind and soul.


For Christmas Rick and the kids are giving me a kitchen re-do. Well, Rick calls it a kitchen enema. I don't like that, though it might be closer to the truth. New paint, new stove. Clean slate! Counters will have to wait; the 1964 "ants and gold speck" counters will be here a bit longer.  Home.


So, I emptied all the dish and food cupboards for painting inside and cleaned off a shoebox-plus-more of photos, recipes, eyeglass prescriptions and who knows what else off the fridge. We'll keep the old cupboards, which I rather like with my knotty pine family room adjacent. But if you're going to do it, do it!). Home.


Everything was taken to the guest room (and the family room, and the dining room table and the coffee table, and the hall) -- unless it made it to the basement (things I need to keep but don't use regularly) or to charity (several bags already).  There's a pile to take to the cottage, too. My junk drawer doesn't look like a junk drawer anymore!

So, along with this, some of you know that a few days before New Year's we had a huge rain and since the ground was frozen, it rained in through the basement windows. Well, that was a mess -- not as bad as last year's spring basement flood -- but enough.


So between that and the kitchen, guess what? New lawn grading and replacement windows will be required for the basement. Home.


Christmas is still up. To be fair, it always stays up till Twelfth Night but this time it might be a little longer. And to tell the truth, it's beginning to bug me! But till some things get moved back to the kitchen and I'm feeling a lot better than I am right now, it will have to wait.  I want to bring up the snowfolk. Preferably before spring! Home.

After Christmas I was recovering from a fall. On the 29th of December I started having low grade fevers and after a week of feeling progressively worse, I finally went to the doc. Antibiotics, Xray and hopefully no pneumonia. So, I'm sort of dragging. But listening to others and taking care of my personal "home," my health.

Rick is getting ready for his first official concert with his trio on January 12. They had a dry run at an assisted living center the other day that went well, Rick said. Then the public concert. If you're anywhere near Lansing, MI, ask me for details! It's free (and snacks, too!)


He's pretty excited. If you are into 45 seconds of listening, enjoy the video from a rehearsal.

Then we'll be headed to Dallas for a few days for the memorial service for his stepfather, who died the day after Christmas. It will be good to see the family again, most of whom I've not seen since the reunion in June. Then, back home.


The kitchen was in full power-mode this weekend and is nearly done. I was banished, my primary job being runs to the hardware store and to pick up lunch. Kevin, Molly and Rick worked their tails off and as I write this, we just need half-a-wall and the chair rail painted and hardware replaced on the cupboard doors. Most of the food and dishes are back in place. There will be another post with more photos when it's all done -- and about the lessons I learned about myself during all their hard work. (See, I can be productive when I'm sick.)


I'll tell you one thing -- I need to "dig out" more often. While they were under the sink they found a set of shoe-related things from the previous owner. This box of shoe polish was 38 cents at Kresge. Kresge hasn't been around in decades, and the 38 cents might be closer to the vintage 1963 of the house.


Just keeping it real! So that, in a nutshell, is January. And, my Word of the Year. It's as ambitious as I make it. So, we'll see!

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51 comments:

Iris Flavia said...

Now, this has to become a good year with a calendar like this!
I just read the Atlantic puffin uses tools :-)
Ok, he uses it to scratch himself, but using a tool is using a tool, right?

Hope you are better now? And what a great pressie that is! An official concert, that must be exciting! Sad when family only meets to such ocasions. I hope it will be a good service with also some laughs about old nonesense...

What a find from under the sink! Maybe you can sell it even!

To HOME!

GretchenJoanna said...

That is very exciting about your kitchen newness! I was fairly shocked when I got to the end of your post to read that it was nearly done - you have quite a crew!!

I can relate, about the things in the back of the cupboard. :-) When I read that, I thought, Of course, some people would have had all those corners cleaned out years ago, while Others of Us had our attention everywhere else, including the writing of blog posts!

Linda said...

Home in every sense of the word. It’s a beautiful thing.

Thank you for a year of creativity, travel and contagious joy.

Valerie-Jael said...

Sorry about your fall and not feeling well, that's not good. Hope you still enjoy your trip. And thanks for the lovely card which arrived this week, so pretty! Hugs, Valerie

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

A bummer way to start the year. I hope you're feeling better.

My brother did a kitchen redo like you're doing and left his cabinets, too, but got new pulls and, boy did that make a difference. Something to think about. Can't wait to see your finished room.

Rick and his buddies sound great!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Kate's calendars are GORGEOUS! I love both Dec and Jan so am sure the other months of 2020 are gorgeous, too! She's so talented!

I am sorry to hear you had a fall when visiting the grands. There's always a risk of a fall in our house as you never know when you will encounter a toy - especially in the dark! I try to tidy up (with paul's help) before putting him down but sometimes we miss something. Ouch. I haven't fallen but I've come close!

I can't wait to see pictures of your kitchen! What a great gift!! I want to get our cupboard in our kitchen painted eventually but that needs to wait a while as Phil is kind of burned out on projects/expenses... we will hire someone to paint the cabinets and while the cost is reasonable from what we've heard, it's another outlay and we need a break from those after buying a house and some furniture!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

My only question is about picture number three. Who is that young boy you scooped up? Is this a cougar at work? My word he looks angelic. And as for his rehearsal, I say, "It is sounding good, Rick. Break a leg, my friend!" I am sure that he will be besieged by agents wanting to represent him and he will be in the recording studio in no time at all. I will look forward to his first performance in Canada with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra or maybe even the TSO. I will brag about my connection with the star attraction to all who care to listen!

Pom Pom said...

Home is a fantastic word for 2020! How exciting!

Jemma@athomewithjemma said...

Jeanie,
I just hate that you took a tumble. Since we moved to Colorado, I am always so wary of falling. We have so much ice everywhere. A neighbor friend recently fell while walking and broke her wrist. I hope you are resting up and recovering rapidly.
Oh a Kitchen remodel! How exciting is this! This will be so lovely for Spring time cooking.
I had forgotten about the sani-white! I remember Mom freshening up my white sneakers!
Jemma

Lowcarb team member said...

I hope you are feeling better now after your fall.
I like your word choice - HOME - it's good :)

All the best Jan

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

So sad to hear you are unwell, Jeanie. And a fall as well! I love makeovers and look forward to your post. What a wonderful gift of a reno of your kitchen. We had our kitchen cabinets painted ( after 43 years ) and I love them white after being stained all those years. The shoe polish you featured was the brand I used when our children wore those white Stride Rite shoes that required polish daily. Take care and enjoy your HOME.

My name is Erika. said...

Kitchen redo is so exciting. I hope you keep us in the loop. That is such a fabulous Christmas gift. I have vintage 70's in parts of my kitchen (like cabinets and countertop) and I need a redo also. One of these days. Maybe seeing yours all finished will inspire me. Hopefully you made out with good news on your test result as pneumonia is not what you want. I like the vintage photo of you and Rick. 2000 doesn't seem like it was all that long ago, but wow, 20 years. Take care of yourself and good luck with the kitchen work. Hugs-Erika

Sandra Cox said...

The music was wondrous!
Getting a face lift for the kitchen...purrfect.
I'm so sorry to hear you've been unwell. Looks like the baby had pneumonia too, but the antibiotics have kicked in.
YOU take special care.
Hugs

Deb said...

How exciting, Jeanie to have a renovated kitchen. That's so fun. You will love it I'm sure.It's amazing how those types of changes can give us a lift. I'm sorry to hear of your fall. How awful. I'm always tripping over toys when the kids visit.I got your beautiful card. Thank you so much. Christmas is all put away now and it's back to finishing up a few things in the house that needed doing.I'm working on the loft right now putting together a reading area and a small office. Lots of fun. :-) Happy New Year to you and Rick. xo

Anonymous said...

HOME. Now that's a good word. I'm so excited for you getting a kitchen redo! It always may you feel better to purge, says someone who is almost a hoarder! :)
I pray you feel better really soon!!
Happy New Year, friend.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

Pam said...

Oh my...working and changing things! I sit down while waiting to see my chiropractor the other day and made a list for each room on what I to get done or wanted to do. I planned on hanging each list in the room and marking things off as I went...however I might have a new plan now. Later on that....will get back to that once I know more. Anyway, I had builder grade cabinets and I painted mine years ago. Yes, it need of painting again...but you know there is always something that needs doing.

DUTA said...

"Personal home- body, mind, soul" - I like that. This is the most important home, actually top priority.
Enjoy your renovated kitchen!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

It's horrible to read about your fall, then to get deathly ill afterward. I hope by now the antibiotics have worked their magic and you are feeling better.

How exciting to get a kitchen redo. I was impressed that yours is almost finished. I actually couldn't believe it. After two days of unnecessary cleaning (had to do it again when the projectwas finished), my fried Joseph and I removed a popcorn ceiling, sanded and painted every cabinet, put in a new countertop, and I painted the kitchen sink. It took almost two weeks to complete, mainly because the paint didn't stick right the first two times we painted. You have a great crew and a wonderful Christmas gift. Feel better soon, dear.

Joyful said...

Happy New Year Jeanie. Sorry to hear you have been poorly but it doesn't look like your 'to dos' have suffered at all. You have been given a marvellous gift of a kitchen re-do. How I envy you. So many hands make light work too ;-) I'm glad to hear you don't have pneumonia and I hope you are feeling fit as a fiddle real soon. You are ahead of me in picking a word for the year. I haven't selected a word yet as my theme but I think I have most of my goals in mind. Nothing too exciting but it keeps me moving forward. All the best to the trio on their upcoming performance. That is pretty exciting for them.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

So sorry you are under par and hope nothing nasty by way of pneumonia. You have to be so careful, I developed pleurisy from coughing too much with a virus I am struggling to shake.

I keep seeing this 'word of the year' and must investigate.

Hoping 2020 turns you around quickly and restores you to full health so you can get on with everything!

~~~Waving~~~Deb in Wales

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jeanie,

I am sorry to hear about your fall. Hubby and I enjoyed a quiet New Year's at home. In fact I was asleep at midnight. The calendar images are beautiful, I love Puffins. I would like my kitchen to be renovated. I hope all goes smoothly. Take care! Wishing you a happy day and a great weekend ahead!

La Table De Nana said...

Crappy timing not being well during the holidays..so many expectations we have to live up to in our minds and hearts..I think a kitchen revamp is a great idea..Youth serum..smitten with the calendars and the shoe vintage product:) For reeels lol.
He loves his passions..it shows!
Does she paint each calendar individually? Or have them printed..super cute!Take care!

Sami said...

Congratulation on the kitchen redo, what a great present! Looking forward to the photos of the new kitchen.
So sorry about your fall and your flu, at this special time of the year, hope you're feeling better now Jeanie.
The calendars are very pretty.
Congratulations to Rick on his musical performance, hope the concert is a success.


Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

Thanks for sharing Rick's performance - fabulous!

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

Jeanie, so sorry about your fall and then the flu on top. Falls can be so scary not to mention dreadful. I did love listening to Rick's performance. They are really so good. Best wishes for their concert. However, it couldn't be anything but a success.
You will enjoy your new kitchen. I, too, love your cabinets. I had similar cabinets in our home in VA, which was a log home.
Be good to you and get well soon. January is a good time to rest - at "Home."

Arti said...

"Home" now that's a great word to dwell on for me. Yes, I'm back home now. Even though the visit at the big TO is good, I'm glad to be back to my base, despite the forecast of a -30C low!! (That's close to -30F.) Love your credo, I've it on my desk too, from an old tea box: "Keep Calm and Carry On". Thanks for your card, Jeanie! And from my home to yours, all best wishes for a great new decade!

Victoria Zigler said...

Considering how you've been feeling, I think you did well to do as much as you did so far between Christmas and now.

Great about the new kitchen, and sounds like the cleaning before it's put in was very much in order (though it is a shame it needs to be done while you're feeling so unwell). Good luck with it all.

Oh, and great word for the year.

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, I am so sorry about your fall and then to get sick. A kitchen reno is bad enough if you are well. I enjoyed Rick’s trio, beautiful music. I love your word for the year...home. Take care dear one!

Carola Bartz said...

Good word, Jeanie! I'm quite eager to see pics of your new kitchen. What a lovely Christmas gift!
I hope you feel better soon - I'm dragging along with that terrible cough since we returned from NYC. What I hate most is the low energy level that comes with it. Add on computer problems at work and it's truly miserable.
That little piece of music was delightful! What were they playing? It sounded like some Baroque music which is my favorite period in music.

Rita C at Panoply said...

I like your choice word. I hope you are feeling much better as you read this, Jeanie. I love Rick's music, reminds me of a time a few of us danced to a trio of the same instruments from our local orchestra. It was a very intimate setting. I'm sure the event will be well-received, and I hope you can go!

Crown and Cottage said...

Hope you are feeling better soon. Lot's going on in your world, wishing you many enjoyable and comfortable days at HOME.

The French Hutch said...

Oh Jeanie, you've had an awful lot going on and while you were recovering from being sick and goodness a fall! Hope the bod has healed up and your fully recovered. After Thanksgiving I was sick with an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis. Took me a while to get over that and with Christmas coming. What a thoughtful and sweet gift from your family and I know it's been a lot of work. Moving everything out of a kitchen is a killer job. We went though that a few years ago. Look forward to seeing the brand new kitchen and paint color. Hope you are feeling one hundred percent now. Take care and enjoy your time at home. We all know it's the most wonderful place to be.........

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Jeanie, what a whirlwind. I would be in bed until at least the first of June. I didn't know that you fell on the toys, things like that can happen so quickly when you least expect it. Hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself. I love your word. Home can stand for so many places and things and they all need to be taken care of. How nice of Rick and the kids to do the kitchen for you. I bet you will be glad to have it all done and now with the basement, you have really had it. Let's make this a better year..xxoJudy

Susie said...

Get well Jeanie. Remind me to tell one day about my fall. :( I loved the little video of your sweetie. Yes, I would go see their concert. Oh you are going to love your new kitchen. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie

Little Wandering Wren said...

Happy new year Jeanie. I was sorry to hear that it started with a fall. Looking forward to seeing the kitchen reveal photos, I hope it also includes one with you looking super excited saying Wow -I can't believe it is the same kitchen!'

I am sorry that you have been sick with it, I have been whizzing all over Australia - Asia - Europe - Asia - Aust and have been surrounded by people really sick. I am trying to avoid it by keeping moving! I hope you are back to full health very soon.

Wren x

Anonymous said...

We had a quiet NYE too.

Get well soon, Jeanie!

Cath

thepaintedapron.com said...

You do have a lot going on Jeanie! So sorry to hear you fell and then got sick on top of that and all in the middle of a kitchen redo! That is so sweet of Rick and the kids to do that for you! Your basement again, ugh!! Hopefully you can get that fixed for good this time. I know it's hard to live in a mess, but it will all be worth it and the decorations will get put away! I think Home is a great word for the new year, my goals are all home oriented too, there's no place like home!
Jenna

Lynne said...

Yay, new stove, kitchen . . .
Basement windows, lawn grade . . .
It never ends . ..
Best part . . . it is HOME.

Please, please . . . take care of the “Jeanie, self, home!”
Feel better . . . breathe . . . enjoy some quiet . . .

I heard audio (listening) to Where The Crawdads Sing is wonderful.
I am planning “a listen”
Thinking reading it first Is best.
It was one of my favorites of 2019.

Happy January Springtime!

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Jeanie,
WOW!! Loved this post!! Sorry to hear that you fell and that you were sick at the start of the New Year...That was me last year on New Year's... Can't wait to see your Kitchen re-do!! And to hear all about it too!! LOL!! I too have to clear out somethings but I have been doing that each year and every year, I find more things that I have not used so out they go....I like your Word for the Year.... HOME is very much on my mind too as i do so enjoy being HOME and being retired!! After such a truly negative year for me, I felt I had to make POSITIVITY my theme for 2020! And I will pick a Word of the Month with January's being PRODUCTIVITY!! I may or not change it for February...It will depend.... Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing and keeping it real!!
Hugs,
Deb

Red Rose Alley said...

Oh, look at you and Rick looking fabulous in your New Year's picture back in the day! Wow, you've been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing in the new year. "HOME" is a perfect word, Jeanie, and I smiled big when I read that because Home is so important to me. And you're right, "home" can be your mind and body too. I love that little bird house. But I can imagine you haven't seen too many birds around your neck of the woods cause of the cold. : )

I hope the new year is being good to you so far.

~Sheri

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Sorry, Jeanie, to read about your fall and that not feeling well but good you are taking it easy and being "home" which seemed to be the operative word in this post. Nice to get a kitchen redo at the start of the New year and will be looking forward to the "after" photos. Too bad that the basement continues to be such a headache.

carol@The Red Painted Cottage said...

Jeanie, I sure hope your doing alright after your fall and that your on the road to recovery from being sick. The music is very beautiful! I hope 2020 will be better for you, especially after you fix things up to keep water out of your basement and with a semi-new kitchen. I'm anxious to see how it looks!

shoreacres said...

My word. Any of of those little issues would have been quite enough, but to have them stacked one on another was unnecessarily cruel of the universe. That's my opinion! Was any real damage done with your fall? I've had a couple over the past five years, and when I read 'slate floor,' I really quivered. Stone is the least forgiving surface to fall on. Even wood will 'give' at least a little. From your post, it does seem as though you're recovering a bit from being sick. Slow it down just a little -- there's always time to do what's needed around the house, but your body needs the TLC right now.

Rick's music is so great. I wish I could be there for the concert -- tell him I hope it goes wonderfully well!

Miss Val's Creations said...

Enjoy the kitchen makeover. I have made over a couple of kitchens and it can be a lot of work, but was worth it in the end. If I lived nearby I would love to see the trio. They sound great together! What a great vintage find in the cabinets! We uncovered a 1900 toilet bowl in the basement of our old home. It was quite funny.

Marilyn Miller said...

Home is a wonderful word. What a lovely, thoughtful gift. A kitchen redo would be wonderful. Hope you are back to good health by now. Love the music from Rick's trio. Your friends calendars are beautiful! Love the puffin picture.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jeanie, hope you're completely well and fit soon and stay that way! I'm glad you're not painting the outside of the cabinets. Often just a change of hardware is all that's needed for an updated fresh look. I like the yellow. I always have a yellow kitchen, always will. Can't wait to see the finished product and the new stove!

Sarah said...

I'm trying to catch up with you tonight and so enjoying reading your posts. Sorry you were sick. Our tree is still up. Just haven't had the time to get it down and packed up as I like. We are also in a remodel of a lower level of our home, so things are in a mess. I don't like living like this, but I keep telling myself it will be worth it. It started in November. As can happen, after the first two weeks or so, nothing has happened. Waiting on the structural engineer. Finally have his plans and hope to get moving again tomorrow.
Happy New Year!

Olka said...

Bothe the calendars are awesome! These birds look so real.
Renovating a kitchen... oh, I hope it won't take a lot of time, I know how annoying it could be :D

Katie Mansfield said...

Oh dear. The kitchen will be wonderful. I'm so sorry about the fall. Terrible I hope you are feeling better now. I wish we had to time see each other in Dallas.
Enjoy your trip. We're thinking about a trip to Michigan this fall. I've been. Bill has not.

William Kendall said...

A whole lot of work!

Sketchbook Wandering said...

What a great gift!!! Lots of love in that labor! I'm sorry to hear of your fall and your illness. Sounds like now, at the end of January you are doing better...Yes, HOME, I love home so much, and am so grateful for mine... and I love your various interpretations! I'm going to stop here for now, and continue reading back in time next time...

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