27 June, 1928 – 17 January, 2011

My Gramps passed away last week and today I am in the UK attending his funeral.  Below is a copy of the tribute speech I am making at the funeral:

“To tell you the truth I had a hard time putting all Gramps’ good traits into writing. No matter how hard I try, I can never do justice to what a source of love and support he was, and such an inspiration for all of us. I know we are all grieving today for we all lost a great man.

He was a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather and great grandfather.  A friend to all of us. I’m sure each and every one of you here today has something to share on how he touched your life.  I would like to share with you some of the special memories I have of Gramps.

Gramps was a very easy going man.  He was happy with life, with himself and with his family. He was happy to fit in with whatever you wanted to do.  He never moaned. He was liked by everyone. His solid, consistent presence was a calming influence on those around him. Gramps never had a bad word to say about anyone. He would offer an unbiased listening ear whenever you needed it. He was a man of few words. But when he did offer his opinion or advice, you listened because it was important.

For those that didn’t really know Gramps, you might mistake him for being an average guy.  Friendly, likeable, easy going.  For those of us who knew him well, we know he was anything but ordinary.  He was extraordinary.

Gramps defined himself by loving his family. He literally was our rock. He was a stable source of love and support for my family when we were going through tumultuous times. Gramps loved my Nan more than anything.  He always put her first. In December, they celebrated their Diamond anniversary: 60 years of marriage. This is an exceptional accomplishment – not just 60 years of togetherness, but seeing the look of devotion and love in his eyes when he looked at her.  I took some photos of Nan and Gramps in the summer. They are sitting on a bench, holding each other’s hands and looking into each other’s eyes. The amount of love that was shared cannot really be explained.

Gramps was a role model. He showed me the important qualities to find in a mate.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but I now see that I married a man that has all of the positive qualities that he had. I know my brother Sam thought of Gramps as his hero. That was why he chose Gramps to be the best man at his wedding.

I have many special memories of Gramps and have much consolation in the good feelings they give me.  Gramps had such a mischievous sense of humor. He always had some kind of jokey comment or phrase or rhyme to say about most situations.  I loved his playful nature. As we all know, Gramps was quite a hairy man.  I fondly remember this one time that Sam and I used his hairy chest as a dartboard for shooting those little plastic golf balls that had Velcro strips around.  We all had great fun that day.

Another time, I remember one Christmas we were sitting around the dining table after Christmas dinner, getting ready to play cards. We had some nibbles on the table, peanuts and crisps and so on.  And when my mum wasn’t looking, I’d throw a peanut at him. He’d throw one back at me and then get in trouble when my mum told him off for throwing food.  So, I kept throwing peanuts every now and then and he didn’t throw back.  Until he picked up the whole bowl and tipped it over my face.  I was wearing glasses then and the peanuts just filled up behind the lenses.  It was an important lesson.  Don’t mess with the master.

I have many memories of Gramps sitting in his chair by the fish tanks. He’d tell me all about all the fish he kept, their proper biological names and how he looked after them. He taught me how to play cards.  Many evenings when I was younger, myself, Nan and Gramps would pull a small table over by his chair and we’d play late into the night. Many times I have caught myself saying the same things as he taught me… “if you’re in a card school my dear, you don’t touch the cards until they’ve all been dealt”.

Gramps really loved his music.  We’d listen to it together, and he’d be sitting in his chair tapping his fingers on the stool. If he was listening to the radio and something came on he didn’t like – he’d screw up his face and make some comment about how they didn’t make music like they did in the old days.  It is no coincidence that my iPod is filled with many of the same songs we used to listen to, and I have all my music organized into neat, alphabetical folders, just like Gramps had all his music ordered.

Now he is no longer sitting in his chair.  There is an empty space.  It’s a very large void, not so much because his physical presence is now gone, but more because our relationship with him was something that filled us all with the sense that we were someone special to him – as he was special to us. And that space can never be filled by another person.

I was honored when Nan asked me to say a few good words about Gramps.  I have just scratched the surface of his great qualities and the memories I shared with Gramps.  But he and I shared a very special relationship based on silly jibes and insults.  In fact, he was the only person in the family that could insult me and I didn’t get upset by it. It was always done in a loving way. We’d poke each other in the arm or stick out our tongues.  It was our way of saying we loved each other.  So instead of a few good words, I’d like to end by saying this.

I love you big head, twit face. You’ll be dearly missed”.

The DIY projects around the house have taken a back seat lately. Let’s just say, life has got in the way. In approximately 4 weeks, my mum and her husband will be coming over from the UK and visiting the new house for the first time. It’s giving us the push we need to get back on with a few “really-need-to-do” projects, and if we have time a few other “I’d-really-like-to-get-this-done-too” projects. I’m calling our new found DIY fervor …

It will be nice to have my family visiting – a few more English people round here is always a good thing! For the week they will be here, home will become a little more like home. I’ll post about the projects we are currently doing and are planning on tackling in a later post. But for now, while we’re on the subject of home, check out the shoes I made for my Halloween costume this weekend (it’s amazing what a little mod podge and some glitter can do):

They probably need a second coat of glue and glitter to fill in some of the small gaps, followed by a final coat of mod podge to seal everything. 

Cute, huh? Despite having my own set of ruby red slippers, I’m not going as Dorothy, even though I have a Toto stand in:

I’m going as a bedevilled witch, and as most of my costume is black, I wanted some red shoes to match my devil horns. Witches can be cute too, y’all! What Halloween costumes have you got planned for the weekend? Do tell.

When I left for the UK at the end of June, I packed one medium suitcase of clothes, shoes and toiletries. When I returned last week, I brought back two large suitcases. What caused the extra baggage?

Mmmm, english chocolate.  How I love thee.  Oh, and not to forget our other finest export…

There’s nothing like a good cuppa tea.  It solves all problems. Well, according to most English soap operas.

In addition to the case load of chocolate and tea I brought back, I did manage to squeeze in a few home decor related items. Like a pair of these crystal pineapple lights:

Although it is designed as a pendant lamp, I’m planning on using it as a wall sconce in the spare bedroom. I also had that makeover in mind when I bought these curtains:

The duck-egg blue, cream and chocolate brown work well with the color scheme I had in mind.  However, I’m not sure I’m actually going use these as curtains.  I might use the fabric to make a pelmet instead, and use the leftovers to make some coordinating pillows for the bed.  I’ll be posting an updated moodboard and inspiration photo for the bedroom makeover shortly.

I also brought back a candlestick very similar to the one below – it was a lovely surprise gift from my mum.

In case I had an extra square inch of room that was not being used up in my suitcase, I brought back a duvet set for our master bedroom (very similar to the one below):

I LOVE that teal color.  So much so that I got a table runner for the dining room in the same palette:

The last items I managed to pack into my overstuffed suitcases were this modern chrome clock, and these wooden letters (actually in white), both of which will live in the dining room.

In fact, the only thing I didn’t manage to bring back was my brother’s adorable spaniel puppy, Ginger…

If I could’ve, I would’ve.  So, that’s the tale of how I managed to double my baggage coming back from the UK.  Let’s not get into how much it cost me in excess baggage charges.  I’m sure it will be all worth it when I see these items in place. What items have you brought back from vacation to use in your home?

For those of us living in the Northern hemisphere, today marks the summer solstice; the beginning of summer and the longest day of the year.  The weather in Chepstow this week is uncharacteristically good:

Maybe the UK might actually get a little summer weather this year?  Wonders will never cease.  Of course, it’s nowhere near the temperatures Rick is having in North Carolina…

You’ll notice that the current temerature in Bahama (22 degrees Celsius – about 72 degrees Fahrenheit) at 8am is about the same at 1pm in the UK. In other words, it’s gonna be a scorcher in North Carolina today.

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you’re having a fabulous sun-filled day. Well, unless you are in the Southern hemisphere and today is your Winter solstice.  Or, if you’re in Eastern Asia and it’s currently night time. But hey, you get the idea.

Wow.  Where did the time go?  The two weeks we were in England absolutely flew by.  And now we are back in the US and back to work already.  Boo. Although I didn’t get a a chance to post on the blog when I was across the pond, I wanted to share some of the amazing photos I took of the English countryside in all its Winter glory.  Although technically it didn’t snow on Christmas day, it did snow in the days running up to Christmas.  And on Christmas morn, the part of the world we were currently inhabiting looked like this…

and this…

and this…

 

and this…

Gorgeous, huh? Of course, all the snow and ice played havoc with the traffic.  At one point, it was touch-and-go whether my grandparents would be able to make the 2 hour journey to Wales to celebrate with the family (on the account of them living on a 45 degree angle death-hill). But Christmas eve, we braved the slushy death trap and brought my grandparents safely to Chepstow where we all spent a lovely Christmas in each other’s company.

Happy New Year everyone!

Just like the ones I used to know. This weekend, Rick and I are heading over to the UK to spend Christmas with my family. Rick’s niece, Ashley, is flying in today from Oklahoma – she has graciously agreed to look after our house and babies while we are gone.

As I’ve mentioned before, Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.  There are a few English Christmas traditions that I miss when we celebrate in the USA, so it will be a treat to experience them again. 

Christmas crackers.  We put these on the dining table, along with party poppers and little chocolate treats (and the usual table setting fare).  After dinner, you pull the crackers with your neighbor – they go off with a large pop!  Whomever gets the larger end gets to keep the contents.  This usually includes a party hat, a really terrible joke or riddle, and some kind of small gift.  The quality (and usefulness) of the gift is directly proportionate to the cost of the crackers.  Read: more expensive crackers = better toys. One year, I tried to bring crackers in my carry-on luggage from the UK to the USA, but they were almost confiscated because they contain gunpowder.  Mmmmm yeah, not the best idea to bring explosives onto a plane, Amy.

Christmas Cake.  Ahh sweet, moist fruit cake covered in marzipan and icing, I adore thee.  There is nothing better than having a slice of Christmas cake on a cold Winter’s morn with a steaming cup of tea.

Christmas Pudding. Another version of the Christmas cake, except rather than being baked in the oven, it is steamed.  It comes without the icing, and is usually served with cream.  It is also heavily laden with brandy.

The pudding is traditionally served after Christmas dinner (not that anyone has left enough room for this dense dessert after all the turkey). To serve, you are meant to pour a *small* amount of brandy over the top and light it.  A little dinner table fireworks show, you see – the piece de resistance of the holiday meal. 

I always remember one year my mum got a little heavy handed with the brandy.  The resultant fire managed to sear the dining room ceiling.  Fun times.  I wonder what shenanigans we’ll get up to this year?  Stay tuned for my next blog post winging its way from England…

On our day trip to Charlotte, NC to peruse Ikea, we also visited the Southern Ideal Home Show.

Whilst we’re not in the market right now to splurge loads of money on the many great products on show, it was definitely a great source of inspiration. Like these cool glass doors for the shower. At first they looked like they had a metallic covering, but they are made of reinforced etched glass (which come in a variety of patterns).  This set up would be perfect as a replacement for our outdated shower in the master bathroom – the half wall on the left would be where our bath tub meets the double shower.

Instead of replacing your outdated laminate counter tops, how about resurfacing them to make them look like Corian or granite? We came across this great service that refinishes the counter tops and bevels the edges to make them look much more expensive and sophisticated.  For smaller kitchens which have less than 25 square feet of counter tops, this is a much more cost effective way to update the look without the price of installing granite (the at-the-show special price was around 750 bucks, including installation).  However, for larger kitchens, the price went up quite drastically – about $35 bucks a square foot.  Still not a bad price, but there are some places that are offering granite for that same price. And talking about resurfacing, how about this resurfacing texture for your garage floors?  Looks good enough to eat!

How cool would it be to have these front doors? Talk about grand entry!

And whilst I’m dreaming, I can also fantasize about having some lush landscaping like this in my back yard one day…

And finally, the last thing to catch our eye was this system that keeps all the leaves and debris out of the gutter…

I can pretend and rationalize that it was the functional nature of this product that caught my eye … but who’s kidding, it was the cute fishies!

Before you ask. It’s Swedish. For Happy Anniversary. September 1st was our 4th wedding anniversary. Why Swedish, you may ask? Well, to celebrate our anniversary, we took a day trip to Charlotte, NC to peruse that well-known Swedish mecca…. Ikea!

I’ve been to Ikea in the UK a few times and am familiar with their modern (and relatively inexpensive) design. The Ikea in Charlotte has just recently opened and I have to say … the store is H.U.G.E. We spent several hours walking aroung the two story building and I’m not sure we even saw everything. Even though we didn’t buy anything (well, apart from a cheap “to-do” project we found in the as-is aisle – details coming soon), we came away with a bunch of ideas and inspiration of how we might decorate the house in the future. You know. When we actually have extra money for luxuries, such as furniture. And curtains. And lights. Oh, and flooring.

Look at this beauty. This is my dream library. Other girls have dream outfits, dream shoes, dream wedding dresses … I have a fantasy library.

Floor-to-ceiling glass-fronted cabinets with rows and rows of books, flanked by a comfy chair and a cup of tea. Oh Billy, you’ve stolen my heart.

How about these cute table lamps? They come in a range of colors (white, orange, purple, green, turquoise, pink) and at 17 bucks each, they are a steal!

I love the contemporary feel of this floating media storage unit. Best of all, the unit can be customized by adding glass or fabric. Or how about adding some under cabinet lighting for an eerie glow while watching your favorite scary movie?

This cool sculptural light really caught my eye. I can imagine one of these hanging over each side table in the guest bedroom. Having the light source hanging from above would free up much needed side table space – I don’t know about you but I never seem to have enough space on my bedside table, what with the lamp, alarm clock, several books, a few magazines, a bottle of water and other necessary knick-knacks.

I’m not usually a big fan of white furniture (simply because it takes too much effort to keep clean, especially with 5 dogs around), but this sofa table had me at hello. I love how the white pops against the dark brown flooring, and how the glass top and open storage makes this piece of furniture elegant and functional.

Everyone knows that you can get some amazing deals on picture frames at Ikea. Such a simple and sophisticated way to display photos or artwork in this monochromatic and asymmetrical collage of frames…

These funky light fixtures have interchangeable fascias, so you can change the look of light whenever you want. They can be hung either horizontally or vertically for maximum flexibility. I’m thinking that a couple of these beauties might look cute flanking the front door in the foyer. Talk about mood lighting…

After all that inspiration shopping and walking, it was time for a much needed rest. Great that Ikea has an awesome range of sofas and chairs for us to test run!

You have the test the merchandise before you buy it, right?

Today, I am returning to the US of A, back to Rick and the doggies. 

The trip to the UK has been fun – as always, it is great to see family and catch up with friends.  A LOT of work was achieved, unfortunately at the expense of spending more time with family and getting to visit some great sights.  But we do what we must.  I can’t wait to get back and get some sorely missed cuddles and kisses.  Yes, I mean from the dogs.  Oh, go on then – from Rick too.

Before I left the colonies USA, people asked me whether I would be able to post some photos of the places where I’m staying, so they can get an idea of what a typical English abode looks like. So, as promised to my readers out there in blogland, here is a view of the little piece of the UK in which I am currently inhabiting.  Follow me as I house crash my mum and her husband’s abode in Chepstow.

Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is most notable for its castle, the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain (dating from 1067), and for Chepstow Racecourse which hosts the Welsh Grand National. The town is located on the west bank of the River Wye.  Adjoining villages on the eastern bank of the Wye, such as Tutshill and Sedbury, are located in England (Tutshill is where Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling grew up).

Nestled in the Chepstow countryside sits my mum’s detached 1930′s Art-Deco style home. Hidden from the main road by a leafy driveway, the home is secluded from the hustle and bustle, yet is only minutes away from the center of town.

By the front door is this cute little porch area, perfect for enjoying the front garden when the weather is fine.  The first Saturday I arrived here, my brother and sister-in-law brought my niece, Grace over to visit and all of us had a lovely brunch on the porch in the (atypically) good weather.

As you enter the house, you are immediately struck by the gorgeous stained glass window in the entry way. The afternoon sunlight really makes the colors dazzle and gives the the whole house a warm, inviting feel.

Walking through the entry way, you come to the large kitchen.  The terracotta colored floor tiles set off the modern white cabinetry. The stainless steel stove is the main appliance on display – the smaller fridge and dishwasher are hidden beneath the cabinet doors.

To the left of the kitchen  leads to the conservatory (or the “sun room” as it is known in the States). The door leading off of the conservatory is the utility area and a small half-bath. This space enjoys an abundance of natural light. Although it is a warm and welcoming area when the sun is out, I enjoy sitting out there when it is raining – nothing can beat the hypnotic drum of rain drops on the roof!

As you exit the house from the conservatory, you are greeted with this quaint patio area, that leads to the detached garage. 

Back in the house, the first door on the right of the entry way, just before the kitchen, is the spacious living room. I am not sure which feature I like the most – the fireplace or the bay window with stained glass insets.

The curved stairs lead to three bedrooms, a full bathroom and yet another stunning stained glass window. To respect privacy, I will not post any photos of the bedrooms, but rest assured that the upstairs is just as lovely as the downstairs.

So, this is where I am spending the majority of my time in the UK.  Gorgeous, I am sure you will agree.

house crashing

house crashing