IT'S A MIRACLE!

US Journal

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

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It’s a Miracle!

How many people can honestly say that they put their house on the market to sell one day and got 5 offers the next day!!!???

It’s true! Peter listed his condo for sale last Friday; and by Saturday night there had been 8 couples by to see it. Five of those sent us an offer! One even said that they would pay $1,000 more than anyone else’s reasonable offer! It was definitely a “feel good” day! We accepted an offer of $7,000 more than we were asking! Done! We are to close on September 6^th!

While all this was going on, I went to visit Julie, John and baby Jillian. We had a wonderful lunch, and I felt really bad when I left, and Jillian wanted SO BADLY to go with me. I had to make myself walk away from her bawling at the front door.

From there, I went to have supper with Monica. I gave up the idea of tennis when I saw Monica’s face. She looked exhausted, and she said she had had a really long and trying day as a nanny for 4 children ages 7-12. I sent her up to take a good shower, and as you can see in the picture, she came back down a new woman! We went to  Seed Restaurant, a new place that her parents had recommended to me. We shared a peach salad and a pasta dish, then a wonderful prosecca gelato with goat cheese flan. It was definitely our kind of meal!!! The super food, paired with great conversation made for a splendid evening. Thanks, Monica, I enjoyed the evening and was glad we could solve the world’s problems together!

On Sunday, we celebrated Kyle’s 28^th birthday by having all the “kids” over for Sunday Supper. Peter was in his usual rare cooking form, and the prociutto, salmon and pasta dishes were superb! Thanks for the addition of the roasted vegetables, Jill, and the birthday cake, Victoria! We always enjoy our Sunday Suppers with the family!

We’ll be ready to list our house on the market next Monday, and I’m SURE that it will sell in one day, too. As my mother would say…”We’ll see!”

:)

Colleen

4TYEARS

US Journal

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

4TYEARS!

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When I returned from shopping at the Marietta Square Farmers’ Market on Saturday, I smiled as I turned the corner going to where I had parked Thelma, Peter’s silver 2005 Porsche 911. A family was getting out of their van close by (not close enough to touch, scratch, dent, etc., Peter…not to worry!), and the 13-year-old boy was enjoying checking out Thelma. As I approached, he moved to her front and backed away a little as if to take an admiring permanent picture in his mind. Then, he went all the way around the car, said something to his dad that made him smile and shake his head up and down, and was trying to look inside as I got close enough to speak to him.

“You’re the one we’ve been looking for! You know, it’s for sale! You want it? My husband was your age when he started wanting a Porsche, and it took him 40 years to actually buy one. Did you see the license plate?”

4TYEARS

The young man looked at me and laughed in understanding. His dad quipped, “I’m surprised he lets you drive it!”

I understood his meaning…actually I hadn’t driven her in 3 years - since the deer came out of the forest and ran along beside me as I sweated bullets driving Thelma for the first time. When the deer ran back into the forest, Thelma unharmed, I stopped the car and got out. Peter’s been driving her ever since. But, now we are letting our son Nick use our second car for the summer, and Peter has gotten tired of taxiing me everywhere, so he suggested that I just drive Thelma when I needed to go somewhere.

Back at the parking garage, I said to the young man, “Be patient and save your money. If it’s important enough to you, you will end up with one, just like Peter did. Now, he’s selling it because we have a plan for our future that would include leaving her behind for long periods of time. We don’t want her to sit by herself, unused. It’s not good for that car not to be driven regularly.”

I really wanted to offer the young man a short ride in Thelma, but I didn’t know him or his parents, and I didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable. As I started to drive away, I revved the engine so the young man could hear that sound and put it in his memory with his mental picture. I watched him in my rear view mirror with satisfaction, as he clapped for Thelma. It made me wonder if, in 40 years or so, he might be driving around a “Thelma,” too!

Thanks for all the fun we’ve had together, Thelma! You’re the best!

Colleen

ASHLEY AND THE BOYS

US Journal

Sunday, July 21, 2013

ASHLEY AND THE BOYS

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It was worth missing the KILLER TOMATO FESTIVAL in Atlanta today! My niece Ashley and her two boys Jacob and Zach were visiting her parents Tom and Beth in nearby Carrollton for the week, and I joined them today for the day. Peter didn’t get to go this time, but he let me take Thelma, his Porsche! That was a treat!

It’s been 2 years since I have seen my niece Ashley and her 2 not-so-little-anymore boys Jacob and Zach. When I learned that they were coming to visit her parents (my brother and sister-in-law), I immediately started planning to meet them there today.

Tom took us to Steak and SHAKE for lunch. There was a long wait, and Zach especially was VERY HUNGRY, so I pulled out my camera and let them take pictures while we waited. I think they did a great job, don’t you? And, it made the time go faster waiting for a table.

We all got a SHAKE, and Jacob and I really enjoyed our mint chocolate chip one. Tom insisted on waiting until after his meal, when he ordered a large one to go. The rest of us had finished most of ours before the meal was brought to us. It was wellworth it, though; and, I still saw only empty plates in the end.

Carrollton is coming up in the world. They took me past the new outdoor pavillion that was built just behind the shops on one side of the square. VERY NICE! Behind the shops on the other side of the square, a beautiful new Art Center had been constructed, and we were looking forward to seeing 2 of Beth’s art pieces that were on display there. Alas, it was closed when we went by. We missed Beth’s work, but we did enjoy the Chinese Dragon made of only different colored plastic bottles…talk about recycling!!! Also, a HUGE spider’s web was constructed in a tree, and you could see through it to the portrait of Susan Heyward, a famous movie star from Carrollton, on the front wall of the Art Center. VERY IMPRESSIVE! It was a fun visit.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at Tom and Beth’s house, enjoying the dog Sugar, the 2 boys and having some precious time with Ashley. Beth made some homemade peach ice cream for us later, and we loved it…not one mention that we had already had milk shakes at lunch, just happy to taste that homemade ice cream.

The beginning of a ferocious rainstorm encouraged me to start off for home before it hurt Peter’s “baby” Thelma. That turned out to be a smart move. Weather all over Atlanta began to be severe, but I arrived home with no trouble.

Thanks for the WONDERFUL DAY, Ashley, Zach, Jacob, Tom and Beth! I hope to see all of you when the San Francisco Johnsons come to Atlanta in October!

Much love,

Aunt Colleen

LOTS GOING ON - DEER/BRENDA/PICK UP STICKS/NICK/CONDO

US Journal

Thursday, July 18, 2013

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These pictures are rich. You’ll see why! Lots going on here…trying to take a decent deer picture for H2, picking up sticks in preparation for putting down pine straw and enjoying lunch with Brenda while Ramos replaces part of the garage door, Thanks for bringing me lunch, Brenda!

Welcome, Nick!

It was splendid to have Nick come to stay with us last night. He has had a “fascinating, growth-producing” experience at his internship this summer doing physical therapy with children. As he explained it, the difference with P.T. in children is that most of the time there is nerve damage, which means that there are several factors that affect how well the child will be able to do Nick’s exercises on a given day. Diet, exercise, temperature, the amount of liquids they have and even the weather can make drastic changes for those young clients. Nick has had to attain a good “bag of tricks” so that he can be impromptu and address the issue that is presenting on any certain day. It was very interesting to hear about his work. We’re glad you came to see us, Nick… and to shorten your trip to Canton. Come back any time!

The Painter is Here! The Painter is Here!

Tim made good progress on his painting the outside of our house yesterday. It was 92 degrees, but he kept at it until about 4pm. He actually finished all but about 1/6 of the house and the decks.  He’s working as a fireman tomorrow; then, he will return Friday. On Tuesday of next week, he hopes to finish. The garage door panel was replaced today, so that will work perfectly for Tim to be able to paint the garage door, too. We’re very pleased with the work he has done.

Condo Preparation

Peter is working hard to get the condo ready to list early next week. He has spent all day there every day this week. Minor spackling and paint touch-ups have taken most of his time. The cleaners are going there on Monday, so Peter is hoping to have everything else completed by then.

In the mean time, I am trying to get the yard ready to receive 100 bales of pine straw on July 31st. I’ve learned that it’s best to break the sticks into as many small pieces as I can so they will fit better in the large bags. I filled 3 bags yesterday, and I worked on it some more this morning while it was cooler. Unfortunately, when I found my 3^rd yellow jackets’ nest, I threw in the towel! Che Sera Sera!

We keep seeing a small  Siamese cat wandering around outside. We don’t know whose it is, and we can’t catch it. I don’t think it has a collar on to give the owner’s number anyway. I hope it finds its home soon. We sometimes see coyotes here, and they love small animals!

A presto, Colleen

USJ Marriage Journey/Painter/Hawk

US Journal

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Marriage Journey Groups reunions

Our Marriage Journey Groups were started when we were planning to get married, and our priest wanted to involve us in some preparation for marriage. He invited some other couples to join us and his wife and him for a book study, using THE MARRIAGE JOURNEY/sharing group. That first group met 6 times to study and share before our wedding. Then, when we had our farewell meeting, Ralph, who had said very little all year, spoke up, “Wait a minute! I don’t want our group to end. I love all of you. Why do we have to stop meeting?”  Done! We all sighed in relief, as Ralph had verbalized what all of us were thinking.

That was 8 years ago, and we still meet several times a year. There’s never a dull moment, and we are all very close and committed to our group. Thanks for being you, MJ1!

Since that first Marriage Journey group started, our church has discovered that many couples, married and engaged, are interested in participating in a group like ours, so each year for 5 years after our marriage, new MJ groups have been formed. It has been wonderful to be a part of this mission in our church.

Last weekend, we had reunion meetings with the 2 groups with whom we still meet. MJ4 came to our house for a potluck supper on Saturday, and MJ1 met at J. Christopher,s for lunch on Monday. It was especially good for us to get together with each group. We always have a “check-in” when everyone has a chance to let the others know what’s been going on with them. Sometimes, we still have time left to have a discussion about a topic of interest, determined by the hosts. In both of our recent meetings, we talked so much during the “check-in” that there was no time for other topics. We’re adjustable, so it was perfectly fine that it happened that way. Peter and I have been away for the year, so it was particularly splendid to get caught up with everyone.

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As you’ll see in the picture, our painter came to work today, and we certainly were glad to see him. He started by pressure washing the whole house. At that point, it almost looked good enough to leave it at that, but we decided to let him finish the job. He left to get some paint, and came back with the porch and trim paints, but he couldn’t get a match for the house paint. He’s going back to a different store to see what he can find there. Looks like we’re in good shape there.

Our carpets are all clean today, too. Ryan even convinced me to let him clean our sofa, 2 chairs and a matching ottoman. Everything looks really nice. I only have to stay off of it for another 3 hours, but I’ve got some yard work to do, so I’ll stay busy.

Look really closely at the picture of the white house. There is a hawk sitting on the roof. He and his friend are hoping I will leave so he can go back to chasing the small critters in that yard.

Colleen

Family Pictures/"Girl Dancing in the Rain"/Gardner/Digger

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US Journal

Friday, July 12, 2013

Famous Persons Identification

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Here are some fun pictures for you to identify! This time, I really do know who they are, but I’ll let you guess first. There are also extra pictures just to let you know what I see when I go for a walk. And, no the girl dancing in the rain is not Cati, although she could pass for her, couldn’t she? That’s a watercolor that I thought you would enjoy. Cati has claimed it, though. We’re trying to figure out how to get it to her.

Yesterday, my good friends Heidi and Brenda met me at Taqueria Tsunami on Marietta Square for a Birthday Celebration for Heidi. She has recently retired from her job in education, and it was fun to get caught up on how she is adjusting to retirement. Of course, it’s summer, so she would be off from work anyway. The real test will come in August when Brenda goes back to work, and Heidi and I continue our retirement “schedule.” Actually, I haven’t experienced that August feeling yet either. We were in Italy this time last year.

Peter visited Lowe’s yesterday, and he came home with a pint of trim paint and a small paintbrush. He’s gotten really serious about having this house in tip top condition when we sell it. He went through the inside of the house, touching up any marks on the trim, and I can see a big difference. It looks so much more fresh and clean! Great job, Peter!

Our painter has disappeared, however. I’m getting concerned about the man who said he would paint the outside of our house. He said he would start on this past Monday, and we have yet to hear from him. We have emailed and called, but no response. Even though we are concerned about whether he is ok or not, we have sent word that we will go ahead and arrange for someone else to paint. We have set an August 1^st deadline, and it’s getting closer. NEW NEWS – The painter just called, and he’ll be here Tuesday. He doesn’t know how close he got to losing our business!

Have a happy weekend!

Colleen

ANIMALS IN LK SOMERSET/ELECTRICIANS MARIO & CARLOS

US Journal

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Animals in Lk. Somerset/Electricians Maurio & Carlos

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Still no picture of the flagrant deer that is eating our plants, but we took the camera on our walk just in case. We didn’t find the deer, but we saw an interesting “fishing worm” that was as long as my shoe! The squirrel that we caught on camera was running from us, but near to real death under the truck that just barely missed her. Good thing she was a good runner! Of course, the bunny was just staying still and quiet, hoping that we wouldn’t notice her. Didn’t work, but we didn’t bother her, and she seemed used to having her picture taken!

The afternoon held an appointment with our electricians Maurio and Carlos. They installed a new light/fan and made the light in the washroom work again. Great job, guys! We are now only 3 workmen from having the house ready to list. Our goal date is August 5. Peter is going Saturday to help Jill move to her new apartment, so the condo will be ready for listing the week before the house. Gee, wouldn’t it be fun if both of them sold quickly!!! Positive, wishful thinking doesn’t hurt anything, does it!

Keep your fingers crossed for us, just in case!

Colleen

Oh, Deer!

US Journal

Monday, July 8, 2013

Oh, Deer!

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Our sweet, beautiful deer are getting out of hand!

This morning, Peter and I started out for our walk, and I said to Peter, “Have you been trimming these flowers? They look so uneven!” He told me that he had not been trimming the flowers, but that some of his plants in the backyard also had that “unevenly trimmed” look. The neighborhood deer is getting to both of them. I told Peter that my brother Tom had suggested covering them with nets, but it looks like netting would be a good investment for the whole yard if we are going to successfully keep the plants from being attacked! I suggested we locate a place far away in the woods and start leaving food for the deer there. I don’t know why Peter looked at me so funny when I said that! I’m desperate! Although, if we caught the deer and tethered it in the yard, we might not have to mow ever again! Now, there’s a bright idea…sort of, but the rabbits just aren’t getting the mowing job done!!!

Oh, deer!

Colleen

GO, DJOKOVIC!

US Journal

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Go, Djokovic!

Yes, we did consider staying home from church to hear the full report of the Wimbledon Men’s Finals, We don’t have tv, so we hear the radio report of my favorite sport! But, after watching 5 games, with the score 3-2 Djokovic, I realized that this match will probably still be going on when I return from church. Besides, I missed our church all last year, and I really enjoy attending. Also, there’s a highlights report with pictures on the computer that we can get later. I opted to go to church, then come home quickly.

Sure enough, Djokovic and Murray were in their 3^rd set when I skidded back home in Thelma! The BIG SURPRISE was that Murray had won the first 2 sets! He only needed to win this 3^rd one to win the MATCH! Fortunately, Djokovic  was ahead 4-2 in the 3^rd set. It would be hard, but he could win this set and the next 2 to pull out the championship. In the back of my mind, I was remembering the almost 5 hours semi-final he won from Del Potro only 2 days ago. What a smashing  match! (You can hear British English just so long before you start talking that way!) I couldn’t even imagine what anyone’s body would feel like after 5 gruelling hours in hot sun of hard, strong tennis…many of the points had 25+ hits, but Djokovic was in fantastic shape, and if anyone could come back 2 days later with another difficult win, he could do it…He’s number 1 in the WORLD, afterall!

After losing 3 match points, Murray looked like he was faltering, but it was just a mirage. With unbearable screaming from the mostly British crowd, Murray still took the championship 3 sets to 0!

Djokovic is still #1 in the world, and his gracious response on the winner’s platform proved that in spades. He complimented his life long friend Murray for his terrific tennis that day and acknowledged the well-earned pride of the British people for finally, after 77 years and 4 days, having a British man to win the Wimbledon Men’s Championship! I was proud of him. He reminded me of Federer… but, that’s a whole ‘nother story!

Go Djokovic!

Colleen

THIS AND THAT TO HERE AND THERE!

US Journal

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

This and That to Here and There!

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I guess you’ve been wondering what we have been up to lately! Well, we’re working hard to pack up what we can so that we can put our house on the market in August. As you can see from the pictures, There’s some of THIS and some of THAT, and all of it is going HERE or THERE!!!

In addition to Peter and me working hard, we have had the carpets stretched since Navia went back home, and we have an appointment to have the carpets cleaned soon. The plumber came yesterday to put in new tub faucets. The painter is coming Monday to spruce up the outside, and when we find an electrician that will return our call, we will have him (or her?) replace our front door bell and one ceiling fan.  Peter and I are going to do some paint touch ups and some other minor things inside. Adding a sump pump in the basement is the last item on the house agenda, and not a moment too soon. We are having all sorts of ferocious rains this year. Then, our realtor will take over!

In the meantime, we are helping Jill move out of the condo and into a one-bedroom apartment that she found and likes on Saturday of next week. The Saturday after that, we will help Cati store some things until she needs them. Never a dull moment!

We’re really glad we have the time to attend to all these tasks. It’ll all get done…you’ll see!

Colleen