Friday, July 25, 2014

Friday Smiles, week 79: a trip to Kathy's

I know it seems like I  crawled in a hole and didn't really know how to get out, but I've had massive computer problems, and very few smiles these past two weeks.  Yesterday was different though, because I visited my friend Kathy, who lives in a town about 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) away.  So, today I'm once again joining Annie at A Stitch in Time for Friday Smiles.

When I got to Kathy's, I gave her a gift. 

I had finally finished the poppy scrappy journal.  I'll show the entire journal next week.

For now, at least, you can see the front cover.  The entire journal cover was dyed in some way or another.

I also reworked a cuff I gave Kathy for her birthday in April that was too big for her wrist.  I HATE rework, but I was finally able to finish it Wednesday.

Here, she's trying it on, but she has it on backwards, so I didn't get a shot of it on her wrist right side up.

Then Kathy looked through the scrappy journal I made for her.   There are 98 pages, so it took me awhile to scan them, let alone make them.

Kathy made this floral candle arrangement in time for me to see it.  I think she's giving it to a sick friend sometime next week.  She even glitzed the flowers with bling.

I had a couple of places I wanted to go, and she also suggested we look for garage sales.  Unfortunately, there were none in the newspaper that were on Thursday.  Ironic, since most start on Thursday in Wichita, but not so in her town.  Kathy's "baby" Watson watched us intently from his bed in the laundry room.

First it was off to eat at a Chinese buffet, since we both love Chinese food.

It was my treat, so I told her to pick where she wanted to eat.

The food was actually quite yummy, and being a vegetarian didn't affect my appetite, either.

As we sat and talked after we ate, Kathy showed me what her latest project is.  She's been making these fobs.  Hers goes on her purse, and is filled with things that have meaning to her, including the soldered gift I gave her for Christmas.

After we ate, and before we went to the museum we both wanted to see, she asked me to show her where I lived when I lived in her town.   I tell people it was all downhill from here (grin), because this was the very first place I ever purchased.

The house has six bedrooms, three car detached garage with a working bath, four fireplaces, a maid's quarters, 4 1/2 baths, and a complete room sized closet made of cedar that was next to the laundry room, which was upstairs (the ideal place for a laundry room, in my opinion).  After all, it's a whole lot easier to take a couple of guest towels and a few dish cloths and towels to the second floor than it is to take loads of clothes and bed linens downstairs, then have to cart them back upstairs when they were clean.  That's why I'll NEVER buy a house with a laundry room in the basement.  But I digress.

When I owned the house, the windows in the turret were original and curved.  There were stained glass windows that overlooked the open staircase and front door side windows.  The porch wraps around the entire right side of the house.

I was a bit saddened by the look of the house, because all the yard work I had done and all the plants and flowers I had planted were gone.  And it had a bit of a disheveled look to it, even though the bones were still solid.  At least I got to see it, and reminisce a bit.  I was silly to have sold it when I moved, but I had no choice, since I didn't have much capital at that time in my life.  Some things come back to haunt us never change (grin).

Before we visited the museum, we also drove through the park.

I had always loved this place, because there is a water feature that lights up at night,

and the fountains usually run all the time, although it appears a city worker was cleaning the wading pool when we were there.

I won't take up any more of your time, although we also visited several other places, including the museum. We also did a bit of shopping.  I'll save those photos for another day.  Back at Kathy's, we went through her fabric and lace and she shared her abundance of fabric she assured me she would NEVER use.  I felt SO honored.  Now I must sew a few scrappy journal covers!

I hope your Friday begins with a smile, because mine has, with the memory of a fun day with my dear friend Kathy.  And please visit Annie for more smiles that are probably shorter than mine this week.


25 thoughtful remarks:

Helen said...

nice to have seen your former home; even if it wasn't quite how you left it, lol!! hope your computer problems are resolved soon, hate that! Enjoyed reading your post though.

froebelsternchen said...

What a great visit ! Thank you for sharing this amazing day with us!
Happy weekend!
xxx
Susi

Annie said...

How lovely to remember your former home with so much detail and affection. I will always have happy memories of here too but am so excited at the new adventure we can hopefully start soon in our new home :-)
Such lovely photos of a day spent with a good friend...life should be filled with special days like that :-)
Hugs,
Annie x
ps you have been missed xx

Robyn Oliver said...

What a lovely post Elizabeth, I would be sad to leave that gorgeous house and yes it's not nice to revisit and see it all changed, I've done that too. Yummy lunch, love Chinese too and you and Kathy had a wonderful day. Cheers and keep smiling Robyn

Judys Lace Creations said...

Wow Elizabeth!What an amazing house you owned back then.Full of character.Always sad to revisit.Still you have your memories.Glad you had a lovely day.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Ah Elizabeth very interesting post. You made some beautiful things for your friend :) love your old home what a lot of stories it could tell... sad about your flowers, etc. Shaz in Oz x

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Ps pray your computer woes are resolved asap. Shaz in Oz.x

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Spending time, even virtually via blogland, always makes me smile. Thanks for sharing your visit with Kathy. I'm looking forward to seeing the museum photos! Happy weekend!

Nan G said...

Hello, hope all the computer problems are in the past for you. Lovely pics of your former home. What an enjoyable day you had visiting with Kathy. Have a wonderful weekend! Hugs from me and the Girls!

Halle said...

Hope your computer issues are behind you. I've been too busy to make art lately. Not sure that will change much in the coming week either.
Your old house was amazing. I have always dreamed of living in a house such as that. I'm sure the upkeep is a killer bith on the body and the bank account.

Mrs.D said...

It is so frustrating seeing previous homes and the way new owners have 'ill treated' them, or at least, not appreciated what we considered to be the best bits of the house. It looks to be a very wonderful house.
I agree entirely about the basement or ground floor utility room not always being the best place, however, I think I'd rather carry light dirty washing down the stairs than lug heavy damp washing around to hang on the line. Current line is just the outside of the door from utility room.
Glad you hada wonderful day with your friend, those times are the stuff of preciuos memeories.

Darla said...

Looks like you had a great day out with your friend. I like the things you made for her and I like her fob. Fun to see your former house.

Darla

Divers and Sundry said...

I love that fob she made! Really love it! :)

I never eat the meat at Chinese buffets, because by the time I'm finished with all the veggies, rice and noodles I'm full.

It is sad when you see how a previous house has fallen. I think some people are house-poor, sinking everything into the purchase and having nothing for basic maintenance much less renovations. What a shame. On the other hand, it still looks grand to me.

What a nice park. I like the water feature. Looks like y'all had a great day. No wonder you're smiling :)

Nancy said...

What a lovely and sharing day!

~*~Patty S said...

Getting to spend time with friends always makes me smile...Looks like you and Kathy had a really nice time with gifts and sharing and so much more!
What a grand house...one of my thoughts was that is a lot of house to keep clean.
I have a thing for thimbles and really like Kathy's fob idea...super nice soldered piece you gave her too E.
Let's hope your computer problems are history very very soon...NOT fun!
Take care and Happy Friday to ya
oxo

Elizabeth said...

What a lovely time you had with your friend, Elizabeth. And how wonderful is your former home - love the turret. I've been having broadband trouble today - was offline for several hours - but making up for lost time now. Have a great week. The other Elizabeth xx

Anonymous said...

What a most beautiful old house you owned, so elegant and romantic(to me anyway). But that is a big house and I have no doubt required a huge amount of work. But it sure must have been a looker when you were there. Nice gifts for your friend.....you are always most thoughtful. xox

Jo Murray said...

Computer problems area pain in the a... Good luck with that. LOVE your old house!

Mrs.D said...

Thanks for visiting me, I am amazed that a house that large didn't have a garden large enough to put up a clothes line. In UK almost anyone with a garden hs a clothes line of some sort, I much prefer my clothes dried outside than indoors if at all possible.
Further to your message about teh ATC, no I didn't receive your message, but very pleased it arrived. I have been having trouble with my email so I expect it is still out there in the ether somewhere.
Chris

Carol said...

Love your former home!!!! I love that style and wanted to own one so much,,,but the ones in my price range were in far to need of major restoration. I was fortunate enough to live in one for a short while as a house sitter while the owners did missionary work in Africa. It was on a larger scale and had a huge natural swimming pool in the back that look like a lake. Thankfully they also contracted with a company to maintain it while they were gone. All I had to do with it was enjoy ♥♥♥♥♥

Cindy McMath said...

I always enjoy reading about your excursions! Looks like you two had a great day.

Denise Price said...

Oh my goodness, you lived in a house with a tower!!! Just like Anastasia Krupnik!!! That is so cool!!!

Denise Price said...

PS I almost forgot to mention (in my excitement over the tower) that I name checked you in my blog post today. I used a filter from PhotoFunia, a site that you introduced me to on T-Day awhile back.

tilly said...

lots going on in your world lol, love the old house, pity it's rundown,...... lots of gifts on show as well
Tilly

mamapez5 said...

What a lovely visit you have. It is so good to have a 'like-minded' friend. There is so much you can share together. The house is amazing. I would have been so sad to leave it. Keep smiling at all those happy memories you and Kathy have made. Kate x