Blooming Azaleas

We have some strange azalea plants in the front of The Mouse House. They do not bloom during the early spring. They sometimes bloom in May, July, and occasionally a lone blossom appears out of the blue in the fall, like the one I saw today and photographed. The picture does not do the blossom justice; its solitary existence is quite striking, surreal, and beautiful.

(click to enlarge)

This past week I had the pleasure of creating three hugh mirrors for the Forest Lake Club in Columbia. They were picked up on Saturday and probably hung today. I took pictures but they turned out awful. As everyone knows in my family, and they don't let me forget it, I am generally a lousy photographer. But practice make perfect so I continue to snap pictures in hopes of creating one good image. I am leaving for Hilton Head on Friday to spend the weekend with Linda, Henry and Ann Feller. I am also delivering a framing order to the island, and thus the rental car becomes a business deduction. Nice!! We are going to Magiamo's on Saturday to hopefully watch our beloved Buckeyes annihilate the Nittny Lions of Penn State. This restaurant is a must for all Ohio State fans visiting Hilton Head. The head Mouse returns from her island paradise in Maine in nine days. We expect to be quite busy in November.

Results of Utility Van Auction

As you know, Our utility van recently died. Specifically, the transmission went kaput. No one I knew wanted to buy it, although I probably could have junked it for several hundred dollars. I decided to give it to ETV as a charitable deduction and have them auction auction it off. Yesterday I received a letter with the amount that it sold at their auction. It went for $1800.00!!! I am amazed! Maybe I should have tried to sell it; however, I have no regrets. I don't have to give them any money for awhile, and I like to support their organization. Hopefully, I'll see it around Columbia in the near future.

I have finished all the inside painting that I wanted to tackle. Weather permitting, I'll move outside and do some touch-up painting around the windows and side of the house. Linda and Henry and close family friend Ann Feller are coming to Hilton Head this weekend and are planning to stop for a visit. The following weekend I will be joining them in Hilton Head. I've rented a car since I am not quite up to a road trip on a Moped. Maybe someday!

Katie's Room is Finished

A view of one of the walls before the painting. Notice those sexy legs in the mirror!

I've spent the last week painting the left back gallery room. Before we downsized, this area was a work area where employees cut fillet and applied powdered panels and French lines to mats. We have affectionately called this room "Katie's room" in honor of our last employee. The room became a nice viewing area for mirrors, Susan's Fiber Arts, and antiquarian prints but really needed an update. The walls had not seen fresh paint since the gut restoration of 1990. The room is really bright now and complements the right gallery room (Susan's work area). I hate to put holes in the walls and hang mirrors and artwork. I conned Susan to help me hang the gallery completely when she returns from Maine (if she comes back!).


A view of the same wall after painting.

The little room near the back door is next. I'll let the next owners of this building clean and replace the counter tops and sink area. Fourteen years of washing paint brushes, cleaning rapidograph pens, and other such artistic horrors have taken its toll on the poor stainless steel sink.

AS A REMINDER, ALL FRAMED MIRRORS ARE 20% OFF THROUGH OCTOBER 30.