It's Summertime

 

 

Big Kids: you're breaking my heart!

JA at 6 years.

 

LE at 4 years.

 

Dr. Seuss Knows Best

 

 

Trilogy

Always enjoy a dialogue-rich movie. Before Sunrise is set in Vienna--one night in 1995.

 

Part 2, Before Sunset, picks up the story of Celine and Jesse 9 years later--2004--in Paris. If you'd ever wondered about their plan to meet in 6 months, December 16th, in Vienna...

 

Just released (May 24), Before Midnight, Part 3, is set in Greece.

 

 

I've just watched Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Hoping to find Before Midnight at a nearby theater tonight or tomorrow.

 

 

These are not action films. Mostly dialogue, with important cities as a vague backdrop.

 

Vespa Dreams

 

R

 

 

 

Even though our townhouse community and the adjoining luxury home community have covenants against motorized bikes... I'm repeatedly drawn to the fantasy of owning and operating one of these sweethearts.

 

Really, it's now or never. Really.

 

Craigslist

We've found vacation rentals on Craigslist. And, our French dining chairs were listed there. JE has sold several things on Craigslist, as have DM+MK.

 

Tonight I listed my first items for sale. The two pairs of orthopedic-designed thongs I purchased when I was in Michigan. They are so, so supportive.

 

They are also devastating to my feet. I guess my latex allergy extends to the EVA--Ethylene Vinyl Acetate--used for the footbed. Made my feet very, very hot. And wet. Annoyingly and burningly uncomfortable.

 

My bias toward leather-only shoes holds firm. I thought the open-air ventilation of the thong-style would supercede any other potential issues.

 

Nope!

 

Holiday Weekend Alone

Plenty of time to work on my projects.

 

 

Pots to fill.

 

 

 

Lemon Zest Petunias and Blue Lobelia to arrange.

 

 

 

My nightstand to finish priming. Paint colors to consider.

 

 

But until this sunny morning, the rain and wetness has precluded all outdoor tasks. Unfortunately, I've been lulled by the lazy, hazy cloudy and wet weather, sucked into the Internet-app world trying to figure out how I'm going to enjoy following my blogger friends post-Google Reader. This crucial problem requires much research. Hours and days.

 

 

Maybe a double espresso under the lemon trees will get me moving.

 

 

 

Or not. Those martinis aren't mine. Definitely not mine. What do you guess? Lemon-drop?

 

 

Well, it is Mother's Day in France. And the Cannes Movie Festival was exhausting...

 

Progress... Finally

From this...

 

 

To this...

 

 

Next incremental step happens June 21st when the Corian guy refinishes and recaulks the countertops.

 

Then, the painter.

 

Bracing Idea

So... Months and months of trying to figure out how to add support to our angled peninsula counter-top. Not a question of aesthetics, but of gravity. There was a distinct and potentially disastrous slant. Turns out the heavy Corian piece is supported by a 4" wide half wall of mostly drywall and caulking.

 

Loved the look of substantial wooden corbels, but slowly realized the extreme angle on the left side allowed no room for the corbel.

 

 

Inspiration photos from Houzz...

 

 

Finally, on Houzz I found a solution...

 

 

 

 

And, the right carpenter to make it happen. A perfectionist who was greatly troubled by all the out-of-plumb hindrances. But, 8+ hours later, we have...

 

 

Now, we get our Corian refinished and re-caulked. Then the painter will finish it with Benjamin Moore's White Dove, eggshell finish. Like this from Flickr...

 

 

 

Funny how much money a practical solution costs. I'd originally planned on changing out to a farmhouse sink, but real life intruded and I'm settling for keeping my much-hated white porcelain sink.

 

 

In another lifetime, I'd have the nerve for something like this (also Houzz).

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Blossoms Snowfall

 

Change is a Bite

Not yet convinced I'm lovin' Bloglovin or Feedly.

 

I've gone from Reader to Bloglovin to Reader to Feedly to Bloglovin to Reader ad infinitum. Reader is best for me, but alas (don't think I've ever writtem or spoken that word previously)... Reader is going away. I'm moving on. Soon.

 

My blogs were conceived and shaped by Blogger and my blog reading habits by Google Reader.

 

Both of the above-mentioned highly recommended alternate Readers have wins and losses in comparison to my expectations.

 

Change is always difficult, and both Bloglovin and Feedly feel awkward and overly complicated, requiring me to sort through way too many pre-selected blogs to get to my preferred sites. And, there are inconsistencies and limited editing options; repetitive postings. A lot of repetitive postings.

 

Feedly seemed superior until I'd experienced a few days of their content-format manipulation. Weirdly random.

 

Reader is going away. I'm moving on. Soon.

 

Travelin' Man

 

King of the Hill. Capital Hill, that is. There was never any doubt.

 

 

With constituents.

 

 

Retail Rant

An open letter to every single one of the retail establishments and restaurants I visited yesterday--and any future day...

 

Cashiers...

• No, I do not have or want another Customer Loyalty or Rewards Account.
• No thank you, I don't need an explanation of the wonderful benefits.
• No, I won't give you my personal email or telephone number.
• When you see my credit card, please do not call me Marielle.
• Don't call me by any name. Corporate is wrong. Over familiarity is alienating, not loyalty-building.
• A simple smile and polite acknowledgement is sufficient.
• No, I do not want to complete your survey or the survey of every retail establishment I have frequented today. I'm willing to miss out on the sweepstake's drawing. I might be bought for $5 or a free beverage. Doubt it.
• I may need 3 seconds to deal with my change, credit card, receipt, packages. Please wait 3 seconds before summoning the next customer. It's awkward moving, carrying, juggling all at the same time.

 

 

If you are my waiter...

• Please do not ignore my table while standing around and chatting to co-workers. I came into your restaurant because I am hungry. And tired.
• Please do not stand next to my table holding my food while side-tracked into conversation with yet another co-worker. I am hungry. And tired.
• Do I really have to ask for water? Or more than one thin, paper napkin?
• And really, when did cheap olive oil taste better than real butter. Bring the butter.

 

 

Drive-through employees...

• If I had wanted "fries with that" I'd have ordered them. Americans are fat enough, don't force it.
• One napkin is never sufficient when eating in your car.
• Don't hand me a dripping beverage. I only have one (or none) napkin and fries are greasy.
• Super-sizing and combos are never a good idea, no matter what corporate suggests. Americans are fat enough, don't force it.
• Coins have never, ever balanced well when stacked on paper money, mid-air. Coins first, paper bills second.

Liliana is 8! Breakfast at the Silver Grill

 

 

 

 

Sidetracked

Friday morning began innocently. The first day all week that I could loll in my pj's and mosey through the hours. Except before 7:30am it became clear that my sister in Michigan needed me there. Immediately or sooner. By 9:30am, I was on the road for the 4+ hour drive.

 

It's been chaotic, frustrating, funny, confusing, concerning, and endless.

 

Did I fail to mention my cold? My two-day old mind-bending head splitting cough, head and body aches, and congestion? The one that escalated for the next 3+ days before loosening its grip.

 

We were at the ER for my sister on Sunday, two doctors on Monday, phone calls to doctors Tuesday, an ultra-sound today and a phone call to a doctor.

 

She's experiencing nothing life threatening. This will be resolved soon and with good results. At every juncture her glass is not just half empty, but dry and shattered on the floor, and she's just walked on it in bare feet and has severed some life ending artery. Yet, time marches on.

 

Right now it's a wild ride and I'm extremely tired. Reinforcements arrive tomorrow.

 

In the meantime, at every possible moment I plant myself in an appropriate spot to view her gorgeous lake and to bask in the warm sunshine and refreshing breezes.

 

Tomorrow I'll get out of Dodge at the first plausible moment and head home to recover and regroup.

 

It's what families do. Tough times lately in the Jacobs family. But, really good things have happened, too. It's called real life.

 

Grandma Korta

Aunt Margie's mom is being featured in a display at Margie's assisted living facility. My sister GJ wrote this tribute.

 

Frances Korta

Frances Elizabeth Smith was born on February 7, 1897 to Ross and Amy (Crusen) Smith in Cuba, IL. She was one of 7 children.

 

Frances met her future husband, Louis Korta of Peoria, IL when he came to work on a construction job in Cuba, IL. They were married 10 years later in Cuba, IL on June 14, 1922. They lived in Peoria in a home Lou had built for them.

 

Frances and Lou had three daughters, Juanita, Amy, and Margaret (Margie Lou). She later became “Grandma Korta” to 7 granddaughters and one grandson and, before her death, great-grandma of two.

Frances and Lou lived in the same home until their deaths. Lou died in 1968 and Frances died October 20, 1970. In addition to her daughters and grandchildren, she was survived by two sons-in-law, three brothers and two sisters.

 

Her home, family and church were very important to her. Scripture memorization was important to Frances–she taught her young granddaughters to “hide God’s word in their hearts.” She was a faithful letter writer and a prayer warrior–spending much time on her knees, in her closet. Frances had a gentle spirit and was dearly loved by family and friends.

 

While Frances and Lou were initially uncomfortable with their youngest daughter’s missionary call to the mountains of Virginia, Margie’s dedication to touching so many lives and reaching so many young hearts for Jesus in Dickenson County, VA became the crowning achievement of their lives.

 

Hey, Big Guy. Do you miss me?

 

 

This Afternoon's Further Tales...