Revisiting the living room

I've shown this room a couple of times since my mom gave me some of her furniture, after she moved, but since then, there's been a few minor changes.

I'm not sure what the deal is with the paint color in there, but depending on what time of day or what angle I take a photo, it's always changing. The picture above shows it being darker than in real life, but pretty close.

If you remember this room before, you'll notice a chair missing. I felt it was too crowded, so... poof!... into another room it went.

See what I mean about the color? 

So weird!

I found this table at a local antique store recently.

This is the part I fell in love with:

Bubba still loves his perch :)

Great grandma's lamp and some pictures of Alex, Annie and my nephews when they were small.

The mantel decor has been changed up a bit, but I'm not sure I'm loving it.

That plant doesn't seem happy with it either ;)

Looking towards the dining room, you'll see the biggest change.

I was reading something about Bunny Williams and she recommended having something in your living room that will make you use it. 

I'm not a tv in the living room kinda gal (it's in the den), so my desk was moved in here and the library piece was moved into the library.

Makes sense, huh? ;)

On top of that, she has a desk in her living room, so if it's good enough for her, it's certainly good enough for me!

The chair belonged to my friend's mother in law and she gifted me with it.

Hi Sharon! :)

I think the desk suits the space better.

Although, I'm thinking of selling that file cabinet. 

I really love it, but it just feels like too much to me and I don't have anywhere else to put it.

I know it doesn't look like I use this desk at all, but I do.

Trick photography ;)

Happy belated Autumn, everyone!

xo

rue

The Bathroom

Of all the things to post after a long blogging hiatus...

Ah well, it's one of the many projects that happen to be almost complete.

The only thing it really 'needs' is a shelf to go under the medicine cabinet.

But if I waited until I found the perfect one, it would probably be another 6 months til I posted this room.

I'm just a tad picky ;)

Speaking of being picky,  I'd like to replace the lights with something vintage and find the matching sink and toilet to the bathtub, but that could take years.

So here it is, as close to finished as I could possibly get it right now.

And it's as close to what it probably looked like in 1950, which is what I wanted.

For those of you that don't know the tale of this bathroom, click here.

But here's a quick glimpse of the bathroom during the restoration:

A lot of work, but definitely worth it to me :)

More to come soon.

And by soon, I actually mean soon, not 6 months ;)

xo

rue

Judgy McJudgerson

I've been gone awhile again.

I can't seem to get my blogging groove back.

I start, I stop, I start again, and I stop.

Over and over it goes.

This time though, I've been taking some time getting my ravens ducks in a row.

Yes, those are ravens on my bird bath!

After Christmas, I started to clean house mentally and took a long hard look at myself. 

One of the things I've realized is that I've always been a Judgy McJudgerson and sometimes that side of me shows on this blog.

Not all the time, mind you, but I know when I'm doing it, because I'll hesitate before I push publish, knowing full well that when I do it'll chap some hides.

Then, for whatever reason I'll just say "screw it" and poof! I verbally vomit all over this place.

That is not what I'm going for here.

Or anywhere, for that matter.

Anyway, it's a hard job to change my judgmental ways, since I come from a long line of McJudgersons, but I'm getting there.

Slowly.

I just want to be a better person and for this blog to be a place that will hopefully make people feel good.

I think that package says it all ;)

love,

rue

PS

Thanks to all of you for your sweet words on my last post about Mini's passing. It means a great deal to me that you care and that some of you even shared your stories about your fur-babies passing on. My heart goes out to all of you.

The last picture I took of Mini.

All dogs go to Heaven

At least that's what I believe.

Mini passed quietly away on December 5th.

She had been failing to the point where she wasn't enjoying life anymore and we knew it was time.

When she went to Heaven, she was lying in her favorite chair, with her head in my lap, as the vet gave her the gift of forever without pain.

She was 13 years old.

That's a long time to have a dog in your life and I'm thankful for it.

I'm not sure I've ever shared her story...

We had just moved into the first house in Ohio. Annie had gone for a walk with Shiloh and somewhere along the way, a little puppy had joined them.

We had two dogs at the time and I didn't want another one, but she wiggled her way right into my heart after finding out how she ended up at our house.

You see, we asked around the neighborhood and some people told us that the neighbor down the street had a habit of buying puppies for his daughter while she was visiting him during the summer and when she would leave he'd let the puppy go.

We went to the house to confront him, but he wouldn't answer the door.

The garage was open and there was the leash tied to a pole.

She had no water or food.

That did it.

She was ours.

I called her Mini, because she looked like a miniature version of Shiloh.

Now, she's in Heaven with her brother, Shiloh

and her sister, Fluffy.

Some of you might remember them from my last blog.

I tried to find a picture I had of all three of them together on a chair, but sadly it's missing. 

Maybe it'll turn up one day.

Anyway, I'm thankful she found us and had a good life where she was loved and taken care of.

Bubba was heart broken for a while, but he seems much better now and I've stopped looking for her under the kitchen table or in the living room, but I still go to hand her a treat when we're eating sometimes.

But I'm sure that'll stop eventually, just like the tears did.

Well, until I sat down to write this post.

When I brought her ashes home from the vet right before Christmas, I talked to her all the way home about how it was the last time she had to go for a car ride and that she was in a better place.

When I got home, I kissed her little box and placed her with Shiloh, Fluffy and another sister of theirs, named Hildy, that none of them knew in life.

All of their ashes will be put with me when it's my time.

It makes me feel better knowing that we'll all be together one day.

xo

rue