~~~Mani-Pedi and vacation~~~~

 HI everyone!!! I got my nails done today and then came home and gave myself a mini pedicure.  Geesh, my hands are wrinkly:(:(

 This may seem like a weird shot but I didn't know how to take my left hand while holding the camera in my right:):) I have gel nails, they NEVER chip. You get them filled like acryllics. I love them. You can also put a colored polish over the french if you want and when you take it off the french stays!!!!!!!!!!!

 I did my toes in a pretty, summery fushia color.

 I am leaving on Sat. morning for PART of our vacation. We were supposed to be gone for a week but I am only staying for part of the week. I am going alone, well driving myself, cause Joe has to stay home while the new septic system is being installed. We go on vacation with our best friends and their kids and grandkids!!!! Ther are usually around 22 of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a fun time, let me tell you.

We are VERY organized and each day one family is in charge of all 3 meals. BUT, it works out really well cause you only have ONE day to worry about and your DONE!!!!!!!!!! How great is that!. So for breakfast I am making egg casserole and sticky buns and fruit salad. Lunch will be meatball parm sandwiches, and a sald or pasta salad.. The meatballs are all made and in the freezer!!!!! Joe made them yesterday. He makes KILLER meatballs! Then dinner on our night is easy, peasy. You see, the "kids" wanted to take their parents out to dinner without the grandkids. They have never been able to do that. SO, Joe and I and Wenda's sister were supposed to babysit. Now it will be me and Gwen babysitting. It will be FUN!!!!! So dinner is probably going to be pizza!!! Easy. I wopn't have access to a computer, so I will be MIA from Sat. til probably Wed. night. I think I will come back Wed. I feel so bad that Joe can't go, he NEEDS a vacation. I so look forward to lying in the pool in my raft and sitting at the beach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am almost feeling relaxed just typing those words. See you all when I get back. Love to you all, Pinky

~~~I've been snapping pictures again!!~~~

 Hello everyone! I hope you aren't getting SICK of seeing pictures of my gardens but since all I can do IN the house is KEEP IT CLEAN AND READY TO SHOW, I have to take pics outside:):)  Pictures of me cleaning would REALLY be boring, and NOT pretty:):) As I said before, we have 10 hydrangea bushes and they are all in different stages of bloom, depending on where they are and what light they get. Isn't this a pretty color! The edges are just tinted with blue.

 We did get 15 YARDS of mulch spread. That is a MOUNTAIN of mulch people, trust me. I am taking this pagoda with me to the new house. We bought it many years ago and now they are VERY expensive. Plus I have the perfect spot in mind at the new house.

 After I took these shots I did cut all the blooms that were lying on the ground and brought them in. They are so pretty in the living room.

 That bush is way in the back yard.

 This bush was WHITE for over 20 years. Then 2 years ago it bloomed blue. The only thing I can think of is that when they put the new driveway in, it changed the PH of the soil???? I miss having one white bush....

 White astilbe in shadow.

 Pink astilbe.

 This is the side yard off the kitchen. It is GORGEOUS in the Spring when all the rhodos and azaleas bloom.

 HOWEVER, part of it is destroyed now. When they brought in the BIG piece of equipment to do the perk test for the septic they dug up beautiful blue hostas and other plants. Joe was so upset he had to just walk away.

 These are smaller blue hostas that escaped the dig.

 This is a view from that side. The bottom deck is off the breakfast room and the upper deck is off our master bedroom.

Thanks for your visit, I so appreciate you hanging in there with me. I will have more to post about as soon as the new house is started!!! BTW, last night we drove over to the lot and they had removed the BIG dirt pile and out the stakes in the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOO HOO, it is started!!! XO, Pinky

~~~Father's Day, 2012~~~

 Good Sunday evening and I hope ALL the Father's out there had a great day!!!! Yesterday Joe and I went shopping for his NEW GRILL. I had promised it to him at Christmas but he wanted to wait til now when they went on sale. And they did!!!! This is a BIG GUY. Joe decided to start putting it together in the garage. Boxes and packing all over the NICE< CLEAN garage!!!

"Are you really taking pictures of this"?:):)

 When it was partially put together Joe and Dave got it out to the deck. This deck is off the breakfast room.

 Dave is getting our old grill, for their new house. He spent a long time cleaning it all up today!

 Isn't she a beauty???? If you think a grill can be a beauty!!!

 It even came with a griddle. Pancakes, anyone???

 It has "infrared heating". I do have to say our "fat hamburgers" came out better than ever!!!!!

 Here is Joe making the fat hamburgers. Last night he decided on the menu he wanted for today. He chose these to honor his Father. His Dad always made these. They are like little, mini meatloaves. Excuse the DRILL in the picture!!!!!!!!!!!!! He brought it in and put it HERE?????:):)

 For every pound of hamburger, you mix in 1 egg, 1/2 a cup of breadcrumbs, some Worchestershire, 1/2 a Tbls. of garlic powder and LOTS of diced onions!!!! Form into LARGE patties and grill!!!!

 A little over 2 pounds of meat made 6 large burgers.

 We just LOVE these Bush's grillin beans. (I am not compensated to say this). We really DO love them!

 This is the card that Dave got from his 2 "kids", (the dogs):):) Hope you can read it. I thought it was so cute!

 But we still think you are the BEST DADDY a dog could have.

 The beans cooking on the side burner.

 There are 2 window boxes on this deck. The impatiens are doing great!

 He is happy with his new grill. I am happy he is happy!!!!!

 MMMMNNNNN!!!!

 These look awful I know but are delicious!!! They are called black onion jam. Joe had them in one of our favorite restaurants and the chef gave him the recipe! They were yummy. Joe put them on his burger. I just eat them:):)

 We also had potato salad and fruit salad.

It was a beautiful day here. Joe was happy to out the grill together and cook on it for dinner. Hope you all had a great weekend too. Thank for your visit. XO, Pinky
Links:

Tabletop Tuesday

A Stroll Through Life

Wow Us Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style

Open House Thursday

No Minimalist Here

Tablescape Thursday

Between Naps On the Porch

Inspiration Friday

At The Picket Fence

Feathered Nest Friday

French Country Cottage

Fridays Unfold

Stuff and Nonsense

Seasonal Sundays

The Tablescaper

Let's Dish

Cuisine Kathleen

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Potpourri Friday at 2805

 On The Menu Mondat with Yvonne at http://www.stonegable.blogspot.com/
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~~~"SHOWING" off my Living Room!!!~~~

 Happy Saturday everyone! This morning we had a "showing" of the house, so last night I went out and cut some hydrangeas for the living room. They are PROLIFIC bloomers and I have 10 bushes so plenty to cut!!! I LOVE them. And since I have a collection of blue and cream pillows on the sofa they are the perfect accent.

 What a beautiful welcome. The day is PERFECT today, sunny but NOT too hot.

 This is MY kind of weather.  You can see out to the back deck here and that is my FAVORITE place to be.

 We turn ALL the lights in the house on for a showing, as the realtor suggested. It is weird to have lights on with the sun shining brightly but, OK.

 I love the big mop heads of these flowers.

 The mantle is lit too. The carved wooden lanterns came from India. I had always admired them at my in-laws and LOVE that I got to inherit them.

 I ahve MOST of my blue and white collection of jars etc. packed away. It was suggested so that nothing really valuable got broken.

Hope you all have a GREAT weekend. Thanks so much for your visit. XO, Pinky