GIVE US THIS DAY......................

Please remind me if I'm mistaken - but I think when we bought this fixer upper there were only 2 salvageable items............one was a rustic ( primitive = handmade ) ladder - which I love - and which I'm too lazy to find the posts to link to them )

And this little thing that was hanging in what we'll very loosely call the mudroom in the back

It looks like something their children might have made in wood working class in high school..................

John was going to toss it - but I thought I'd keep it and make something for the side of the front door.
A year later and another idea was born.

The kids are usually all here on the weekend - I lure them with the pool - but I coax them with food - because there's always something Mama needs a hand with ( hanging lights - plastering drywall - flooring - you name it.
Anyway we're a bread family - a baguette family to be precise - ( next to Paris - Montreal has the most exquisite Boulangeries and Patisseries - seriously - the French have a way with breads and pastries  ) Sometimes 2 or 3 loaves are cut up to go with whatever we're grilling between lunch and dinner ( THERE'S A LOT OF US - in case you think we all have a loaf each )
And last weekend while preparing food -  I had no room on the counter for them..................a regular bread box takes up too much room for this kitchen.

Tada - a breadbox  baguette box !  ( or a boite de baguette )

Suzan says - Can you pick up two loaves of baguette?
John says - Why - who's coming?
Suzan says - No one - I was going to cut some up tonight for us - and freeze the rest
John says - So I'll buy one
Suzan says - I want two please - I have a reason
John says - It's not for the blog is it?
Suzan says - Why on earth would I want 2 loaves of bread for the blog?

He brought home Ciabatta - which is just as good, right?

If you're in your 50's ( or the child of someone in their 50's ) you'll remember a huge treat back in the day that were called " Dreams " which was a slice of bread - with cheese and tomato - placed in the oven and melted -

I still eat them - but I make them this way !

1 Baguette  ( you can grab it from your " boite de baguette " LOL
Tomato
Onion
Bacon
Oregano
Garlic powder
Cheese ( any type you prefer ) I use regular old cheese slices because they melt so beautifully

Slice the baguette in half - butter each slice
Sprinkle with garlic powder
Place cooked bacon strips - tomatoes - onion - a bit of oregano - and top with the cheese
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes -
Oh my gosh - they're to die !

In fact that's what I'm going to make for supper tonight - I have extra bread after all :)

Cost for this project?
Well this dump house cost 300,000 dollars - I don't think the house itself is worth it - but there was the ladder after all - so this baguette box?
150,000 I'm thinking - worth every penny LOL !

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ™
Graphite and Pure White

Have a great one everyone -
Love
Me


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MY UNCOMMON SLICE OF SUBURBIA

PATIO DOORS ( and plans )

I have a big dilemma ...................well it's this month's dilemma because I seem to have one happening monthly in this fixer upper of ours. ( sometimes it's weekly and it's even been bumped up to daily now and then )

Most of you know we're having French doors installed in the dining room....................that will lead off to a deck - the deck is almost done -
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU - James - Gordie - Tony and John !!!!!!!!!!!! 
( I'm praying it gets completely done because we have a habit of moving on to another job leaving tons of things " almost " done )

John says - This couldn't have been done without the boys
Suzan says - I know - we're blessed !
John says - Well I'll think of them every time I sit out here I'll tell you
Suzan says - Won't you think of me too?
John says - WHY?
Suzan says - It was my idea to put a deck here - you didn't think it was necessary
John says - Why do you always do this?
Suzan says - What?
John says - Take credit for every single thing that gets done?
Suzan says - I don't know - I think it's just the way God made me
Suzan says - BUT - it was my idea !

So now we'll be patio door shopping.

I showed you that I plan to do a stone veneer on the back wall.................HERE  but that's definitely only happening next year ( if it happens at all on the back of the house - I finally have him on board with the front of the house though ! ) and we're at a standstill arguing about what color to paint the stucco.
( John wants light with dark shutters - I want dark with white shutters )  so how can I know what to order in the way of French doors until we resolve all of our " issues " ?

This is what we're starting with - I hate even showing it to you -  the walls are filthy - the wood molding was painted brown with a terrible paint ( that bleeds down on to the stucco every time it rains ) it's just awful looking ( these are the moments when I pine for my last place )
But paint works miracles as you know.

So...........I drove myself absolutely insane doing some changes with Pic Monkey - absolutely insane I tell you.. I don't know if it's my computer or me but every time I tried to " block " color it the shapes would shift - the doors would end up crooked - the shutters wouldn't be the same size.............that's why there's only one shutter diagram - you have to imagine another one - it was that or throw my computer out the window
( which would have landed on John's head because he's screwing the last of the decking in now as I type )
I never understood road rage - but I sort of get it now - because sometimes I get computer rage.
It's ugly.

Okay - so this is how I see it

And this is how John sees it

We're going with solid panes of glass regardless - because the room is dark and I think ( I pray? ) it'll allow more light in - even those inches of panes will count - that's why we're putting in 2 sets of French doors - one on the other side of the dining room ( to the left of the photo )

So now the big question of the day/week/month is :
White or Dark?
HELP !!!!!!!

John just called me down to sit on it and " talk " - he had a table and chairs set up- I LOVE that man !

How adorable is that?

Here's how the " talk " went

Suzan says - I'd like to build a pergola for it
John says - I'd like YOU to build a pergola for it too
Suzan says - Do you think you could make a picket fence to contain the flowers in front of the deck?
John says - Can't you just enjoy each step for a little bit before you're on to the next job?
Suzan says - We have to build a new shed you know - that one has to be demolished
John says - I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE
Suzan says - When are we going to install a step ( it's not high ) one step - 2 max - will do
Suzan says - I'd like to buy 2 outdoor sofa's - facing each other - wouldn't that be beautiful ?
Suzan says - And we have to build some planters for the edges - don't forget that
Suzan says - John ?  John ?  Can you respond ?  You asked me to come out for a talk !
John says - Worst decision I've made all day....................
as he sat staring out into the horizon.

Ok - we're headed to Home Depot today - surprise surprise surprise
We're on a first name basis with everyone now :)

Have a wonderful one everybody
Much love,
Me



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