house to flip

I am thinking that I'd love to flip a house. I've wanted to do it for many years, and I think maybe now is the time.
I found one that I looked at today, which seems to have good potential, as the kitchen is horrid and needs an overhaul, and a new layout.... and the bathroom upstairs is terrible too.
But the house is sunny, and bright, nice hardwood floors, good area, and I liked it. I think the problems are fairly easy to fix, and hoping I can figure it all out, do it, then sell it and make some money :)

writing

I'm trying to write for an article about personal organizing, which I happen to be REALLY good at. Why is the writing part so hard for me when I've been doing it here for so long? I can go into someone's home and help them overhaul and organize, and move furniture around to make it work much better. So why is it so hard for me to write about?

I just did it over the weekend at my parents cottage, (which they don't use, but instead mostly just store things in it). The bedroom was virtually unusable, and had twin beds piled high with boxes and more. When you walked in the door, all you could see were beds with boxes, bags and boxes filled with "stuff" all around the room, and basically utter chaos. (ok, and I forgot to take a "before" photo... again)

Now there is one corner that now has boxes piled high in it, but is hidden from view when you first walk in. So when you first approach the room, and enter it, you see a beautiful king-sized bed, a comfy chair for reading, a "tiny tim" piano in the corner with a table and chair beside it. There are a few prints on the walls, and some treasured items creatively placed around the room to enhance it. There is a sense of peace now in the room, and it is enjoyable to sleep in!

I know I am good at this, why can't I figure out how to make money at it? I know I do better with "company" so it would be great to have a business partner. I need an income. I need to work and feel useful other than what I do in my own house. I seem to always struggle with this.

I have an opportunity to apply for a job writing articles about organizing. I am struggling with writing the one to apply for the job! Aargghhhh. I will keep trying, now that I have vented about it here.

O-AT-KA weekend

We went up to Friends weekend at Eli’s camp. Every year, Labor Day Weekend, they have the camp open to people who are affiliated with the camp in some way. You book it ahead, and each family, or group, has their own cabin. Many activities are open, the waterfront is open, and there is good food. A fun weekend. You bring your own bedding and pay only $30 per person for each of the 2 weekend days. So for $60, you stay Friday through Monday, and have fun.

We brought a friend of Eli’s with us this year, so there were more bodies in our cabin. We had a waterfront cabin this year, which meant my bunk was about 20′ from the water. Heaven.

We did alot of riflery, some swimming, kayaking, woodworking (making pens), and I hennaed for about 4 hours. There was kareoke one night, and a hike one day to Douglas Mountain, where the views are fantastic!

Eli and Cameron on top of Douglas Mountain

Cameron making a pen on the lathe

me making a pen on the lathe

Eli at the riflery range

chai and homemade cinnamon bun!!!

Emmett sleeps like a rock.... even the morning sunshine didn't wake him!

Basically, we had fantastic weather and everyone had alot of fun. We drove home on Monday, and we were exhausted!

school....

I am already tired of the school, and it is only day 4. Emmett is in 2nd grade, and I am so unimpressed with school in general. He has far too much academics, far too little playtime, far too many helicopter adults. And he hates it. How can you hate school at such a young age? They have already ruined his experience.
I am intently reading Free-Range Kids, and it is fabulous! Every parent should have a copy, and should really learn from it.

dinner and TV

Emmett had BLUE ice cream! and pizza. in that order. We didn’t have any ice cream when he asked for it, so I made him fabulous homemade vanilla and cinnamon ice cream…. which he wanted to be colored blue. So it was. Then he had good organic pizza.

This supper was followed by watching TV in his preferred position…..

Blueberry Pie

From the Wilson Farm Cookbook. The absolute best blueberry pie recipe!

1 qt. blueberries, (4-5 cups)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1 pie crust- for top and bottom

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Mix berries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
3. Spoon into bottom pie crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust and seal carefully. Cut vents.
4. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until top is brown and juice starts to bubble through vents. Serve warm.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

from The Whole Scoop. This ice cream is sooo damned good!!!! it is an incredibly rich ice cream with a little bit of tanginess to it from the sour cream. It would make fabulous ice cream sandwiches on cinnamon graham crakers, as those would be like the crust of the cheesecake!!!

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup light cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 heaping cup blueberries, mashed

in a mixer, beat the eggs. Then add the sugar and beat until stiff.

Mix together the sour cream, light cream, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Then add this mixture into the egg/sugar mixture.

stir in the mashed blueberries, and pour into an ice cream maker.

YUM!!
Enjoy!!
Makes about a quart, but hard to tell, since we snitch it while it is churning!

more riding

I do love riding this horse. He has made so much progress in the last few months. I started riding him in November, and he was in a double twisted snaffle before he came up to the dressage barn. We moved him into a much gentler bit, and gave some good consistent riding. He is pretty much the only horse I ride now, and I have loved it! I wish we had video of how he was going when he first came, because he has improved sooo much. I would like to think that at least a good portion of it has been my riding

Wordle... totally fun to make!

This was so much fun to make! go to wordle.net and create one!

horses in Virginia

I was lucky enough to visit my friend Sarah, from college. She lives in Virginia about an hour west of Alexandria. It is BEAUTIFUL horse country there. rolling hills, miles of fenced pastures, many horses and barns. heaven.

It was summery weather, and we rode through the trails along the properties, where there is a right of way..... for miles! we galloped and went through streams, swam in the pond with the horses, rode at the 'community barn and rings, and jumping field'. so much fun. I could be there in a heartbeat. I just am so happy when I am around and on horses!

red velvet cake, and a drive

Had the treat of having a fabulous Red Velvet Cake from Magnolia Bakery in New York City! It was Trish's birthday, so we had a feast in the clubhouse at the barn. Tyra, who rides at the barn a few days a week, owns the bakery..... so every now and then we get treats. Trish requested this cake for the party. I couldn't believe how fantastic it looked when she cut into it!


It looked amazing in the sunlight in the kitchen.....


Then Trish drove me all over the place on the way to her house for the night. I love driving with Trish. It is always an adventure. We drove around Dutchess county where the scenery is mind boggling!

pizza adventures

Over vacation with the boys, I wanted to do something fun with them. They were tired of alot of stuff though, since they had just come back from DC visiting Adam's mom with him. We went for pizza the first day back, and I thought it might be fun to go to some fun pizza places... so we decided to have "Pizza Adventures"

Bohemian Pizza in Litchfield...

this kept us busy while waiting...
Emmett wanted to play 'hangman'

amazing pizza at Randy's Wooster Street Pizza....

this one was soooo good!
believe it or not... white pizza with mashed potato, ham, garlic, and olive oil! amazing!

chicken that is so good!

I've been thinking about this recipe lately, and need to make it sometime soon. I've made it for many years, and it is always good. I even used to make it in my dorm room in college using an electric wok, and making the rice in a hot pot!


Chicken Dijon

3 Tbsp butter
4 split chicken breasts, skinned and boned
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth (or boullion)
1/2 cup light cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1. Melt butter in a large skillet, add chicken breasts and cook until done and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken to a warm serving plate.
2. Stir flour into drippings in the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken broth and cream. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
4. Stir in the mustard.
5. Return the chicken to the skillet, cover and heat for about 10 minutes. Garnish with tomatoes, and serve with rice.

Zulu

I love this horse....