if you hire them they will come
not so...
our basement renovation has hit the skids
and not for the want of money or planning
there seems to be a lack of skilled artisans about
and those who excel are in huge demand, booked months in advance.
My advice to young people is get yourself a trade, apprentice, work for a high profile firm and then start your own company.
If you do a good job you'll have a secure future.
So we wait.....
Mr. HB is a patient man
I am in the camp of I want my reno finished and I want it done now!
(yesterday)
There's nothing that I can do to help so I have been keeping myself busy in other areas.
I try and occupy myself and put the situation in the back of my mind...
I am replacing some very tired linens
and it's been long overdue.
It's simple linen tea towels
I find this rather exciting.
I LOVE linen.
It took me about 15 minutes to choose these towels over all the others in the store...
Irish, Belgium, French, American
all the linens lined up
all loverly...
being a tactile woman I had to touch each and every one in the store...
a new shop by the way
and one that has such wonderful and tempting stock
that I am already planning what I might purchase next time I visit!
I evaluated the colours, the patterns, and the fabrics.
Price did enter the equation....
would you spend $ 50 for a a tea towel made in Belgium?
I think these are made in the USA
and at $20 each more affordable
they'll last and get softer with use.
The colour is natural looking and will work with any decor
they even look good by candlelight!
Evening and lighting a candle
can make the ordinary something a bit more special
they elevate the mood
and scent the space
I have a few scented ones and the rest are beeswax.
I love the soft scent of beeswax as it melts
plus it has no toxins to worry about.
Speaking of candles...
I am taking Mother out for her birthday dinner
she'd need to have 85 candles on her cake.
(I already know that she wants creme brulee)
Perhaps we'll have one candle!
I am taking Mother a posy of roses for her birthday.
meet
Abraham Darby
a David Austin Rose
many petals do make me happy.
My letter to the local deer might say...
dear deer
please do not munch all the rose petals
I'll be ever so grateful
spare me...
leave me something to pop in a vase
something to dead head
and something to photograph and blog about!
I hope that all my rose photos are not boring you to tears...
it's just that I am so infatuated with them
and I can't help myself!
Happy Birthday to your Mother! It's so frustrating when house projects get stalled. Hope yours is moving along soon. I'm afraid I just buy the cheap cotton dishtowels from Target. With what they have to stand up to in our house, I'd feel bad about using nice ones...
ReplyDeleteI understand!
DeleteBack when my children were small we used cotton ones...
it's been one of life's little luxuries that I have adopted recently.
I'd rather have little ones in the house though:-))
These roses are just gorgeous...and what a wonderful gift for your mother. I find that the older my mother gets (she'll be 80 this year), the harder it becomes to shop for her.
ReplyDeleteWe buy mom "experiences" and flowers...
Deleteshe has everything she really needs and loves to go to the theatre, the symphony, out for dinner and tea. Just spending time together is a gift.
Happy Birthday to your mom!
ReplyDeleteAnd I could never tire of beautiful and interesting roses like the ones you show above. They are magnificent!
Thanks! I can always count on you to say the nicest things.
DeleteThe USA tea towels caught my eye, very nice. Happy Birthday to your mom . . .
ReplyDeleteI just popped over to see that you are having a birthday today! Hope you have a fun day celebrating you!
DeleteFirst, I wish to send my Happy Birthday Greetings to your Mother!
ReplyDelete85th birthday is something to celebrate on.
Second, your flowers, as usual, are beautiful.
Third, I admire your patience with the makeover at your place. Now, how long has it lasted, seems like ages..
So very true about getting proper craftsmen, same thing over here too.
Have a wonderful birthday day : )!
I was naive and thought this renovation could be finished in a couple of months and it's been about 6 months already. At least there is a minimal amount of dust and mess at the moment.
DeleteMette I wish that I was a more patient person!
Happy Birthday to your mother!!!
ReplyDeleteAround here we have the phenomenon called "Surf's Up! Construction." I’ll leave that to your imagination…
We have friends whose daughter lives and breathes surfing she Queen of the Peak and won in Westport Washington and now she's back in Tofino!
DeleteBeautiful roses!
ReplyDeleteOn Sunday night someone left our gate open and two deer had a banquet. I'm happy to say that they found their way out the open gate and didn't trample the fence in a panic to get out when they saw me...but what a nasty visit!
Happy Birthday to your mother. Each birthday is more precious as they progress through their 80s. The David Austin roses are exquisite - I never tire of looking at your blooms.
ReplyDeleteGreat because I picked more today!
DeleteHappy Birthday to your mom! I hope she enjoys your visit and the flowers!
ReplyDeleteConstruction/reconstruction
oooph
When we did work on our home,
It took twice as long as anticipated.
And this is someone whose dad
was in the lumber business
and husband owned an
electrical contracting firm.
I was prepared.
But so not prepared!!!
Well if you experts can take a long time to do a reno....
DeleteI guess we are doing just fine!
Happy birthday, Hostess Mother! I hope you have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHostess, your new linens are beautiful -- elegant in their simplicity.
Our carpet layer asked if he could take a day off to go scuba diving. (surf's up - lol) He's a big guy with a Harley. I said NO!
ReplyDeleteSheree
You are one brave woman!
DeleteA happy birthday to your mother! I can never have too many of your beautiful roses, and David A
ReplyDeleteustin's are my favorite. I just wish I could smell them as well as see them.
A big Happy Birthday to your mother! I'm curious when you say "I'm taking her to dinner" - does that mean you take her alone, rather than with your husband? Does she prefer to have you to herself?
ReplyDeleteI think you have a lot of patience. We're in the middle of a major remodel on a home that we'll be moving into in a few weeks (hopefully) - I have zero patience about it. I often hang around the job site so that everyone will keep moving. The crew will be working this weekend (even Sunday) as we gave them a deadline, and I expect it to be met - I sound like a real meanie!!!
Mr. HB is working to deadline for a major client so Mom and I went solo....
Deletemy sister and her man are playing down in their Palm Springs getaway...he golfs she shops!
Gosh I wish you and I could meet for coffee we could vent together!
Never enough roses, nor Pepper photos, I believe...they bring as much joy to me when I see them as they must to you when you photograph them. Cheers to your lovely mother on her celebration! And here's to hoping you can get the Reno comp,eyed sooner, rather than later. How frustrating it must be.
ReplyDeleteOh if wishes were horses then beggars would ride!
DeleteThose new linens look great -- I love those daily luxuries that remind us how fortunate we are and lift our spirits. Care to pass along the name of the shop?
ReplyDeleteI forget the name of the shop but it is at Mattick's Farm... lovely linens!
DeleteThanks! I'll have to make a visit one of these days.
DeleteI love your roses. I am absolutely stunned that my mary rose has offered up 5 roses this week. It is winter here! I have lots of roses (>100), they are greedy things aren't they? I am forever watering and fertilising and mulching them. But I do love them and wouldn't want anything else there.
ReplyDeleteJodie you are a gal after my own heart!
DeleteYou are lucky, hostess, to have your mother and to enjoy a delightful dinner together. The tradesman come and go (and it always takes longer, costs more), but we have only one mum. Many, many more returns of the day to Mother.
ReplyDeleteDuchesse,
DeleteYou are so wise...
I am so blessed and I really have no complaints.
I know what you mean about tradesmen, I have having my Mother's house renovated and it is very difficult to find good people to do the work.
ReplyDeleteI had a HUGE Abraham Darby rose butfew years ago I had to have it taken out ~ I am definately going to plant another one, they are exquisite!
Oh Adrienne do try to find Jude The Obscure when you go rose shopping......
Deleteit is as equal in beauty and fragrance.
I do know you'll be happy!