As Promised

 As I promised when I last posted, the next time I would be back we would start our Valentine 2026 decor tour...and we are...barely! We are going to start-and stop-at the porch today. I have been working on a few tweaks and I wanted to get them done before going ahead with more photos. And so...

The porch is pretty much as it always is for this holiday. I don't like having the poinsettias here after Christmas but, once again I checked the local nurseries and there are no other red flowering plants available just yet. Fingers crossed these things hang on until February 14 because I have to lug them in and out every time our temperatures drop below 50 and that is already getting old! Lol

I am also noticing that the flag is definitely starting to show its "fade"-especially the border. I may just have to use my "magic" and get it re-painted but I'm already knowing that that will be a job because those are little gold embroidered Xs and Os and painting around them will be "fun". We shall see how that ends up. Any bets? Lol

There are a few things that have been bothering me since I decorated-if I am honest, I think they have bothered me for some years but I just never did anything...until today.

So here is what the mantle was looking like.

I have really loved this sign since I added the word "love" to it. But, the sign only stands out when the room is well lit. The rest of the time it kind of reads as a big brown rectangle. I have thought about a solution for awhile but never really came up with a great idea. I always thought the heart could look cute and vintage outlined in some way but, this sign is painted on some very rough sawn boards and I knew if I tried anything and didn't like it, there would be no way to get it off or cover it up. And then I surprised even myself and came up with a relatively easy answer to starting with paint. 

I could punch out holes from white paper and arrange them on the sign to see what I thought. And so, I got started on that.

I started with the smaller holes close together and pretty quickly decided that that might be too "busy" so I tried them farther apart. Next I thought they might read again as too busy so I went with a larger hole punch and honestly thought I had it. But, so unlike me, I didn't jump straight into it because, luckily, I had another tweak to work on. I just left it on the dining room table and caught a quick glimpse each time I walked by and soon I had my answer. I actually liked the smaller dots better.

So, out came a pencil with a pristine eraser and some acrylic paint and...there's no going back now.

Is it my favorite thing? Not really but, now the heart definitely pops and that was the point from the very beginning so I guess I'm OK with it.

The other thing that has bothered me is this natural wood "LOVE" sign. It also is in the family room on a shelf in the TV unit in front of the very large, very neutral pot. I love that pot but it doesn't yell Valentines so I thought this little sign would help but it is definitely UNDERwhelming! And so, since there are the gold metals on the coffee table and on a frame on these shelves, I thought I would add some Rub N' Buff and see if that would help. I used a combination of antique gold and Spanish copper and, as the name says, it always looks better after you let it set for a minute and then buff it out. It's not the biggest transformation ever but it also works for me.

And this was about when I realized just how much I love my life. I am having a lovely day doing just as I please and doing things that make me happy. I am also getting things done like laundry and guest bedrooms packed up but they qualify for things that make me happy as well. 

Yesterday daughter #3, her hubby and I set off for dinner before soccer. We were actually off to a favorite Italian restaurant near the school when she spied the Sushi/Thai restaurant right there as well and asked if I would like to try it. Apparently they have been before and gave it their stamp of approval. I can always find something anywhere so we gave it a shot. They recommended that I try the veggie Pad Thai-which I have seen prepared so often on cooking shows but had never tried-and it was delicious. I have enough left over for dinner tonight as well. And then to top it off, they had one of the best sauvignon blancs I have ever tasted so I was a happy camper.

The weather was perfect and we enjoyed the game although we didn't get a win. Presley was in as goalie for a fair amount of time and did a great job saving the ball even though she did let 2 goals get by her. This team had an incredible record so we were happy to do as well as we did. I only got one picture of the field and none afterwards as the hosting team has much to clear up on the field and field house and it got a bit too late for pictures. And, I got a sweet message from her this morning thanking me for being there so that is a "win" in my book.

I thought that would lead me into a very quiet weekend until I started getting messages from the same daughter this morning. It seems as if grandson #2 was flying over my house on his way to Flagler Beach for lunch with a friend of his who is getting his Bachelors degree in aeronautics in hopes of becoming a commercial airline pilot. Even though this is exciting, to this "does like like to fly especially in miniature planes Nana", I was pretty much on alert until I knew they had landed safely back here after their trip. This is what Hud loves. He is in his high school's aeronautical program run by Embry Riddle University and is what he is training for. Somehow that doesn't quiet my anxiety. 

Look at the size of that plane!!! Yikes!!!!

And, while he was enjoying our warm weather here in Florida, his brother was enjoying just the opposite up in Vermont as he had a long weekend break from the Academy. Nothing like fishing through a hole in the ice. LOL

I love my family...and I love my life here with my feet on the ground doing all of the things that make me happy these days. And how lucky am I to have this family who keeps me on my toes and never lets my life get dull. Lol

I'm off to catch up a bit more and then I will be ready to take you through the rest of the house. I will admit to being in no hurry to take down my Christmas tree...unlike the me of the past. Even though I missed my colored lights this year, I do have to admit that the clear twinkling lights are just so beautiful that I'm going to enjoy them just a bit longer. I'm not one to have trees decorated for holidays other than Christmas but I will have to admit that I can kind of see the draw now. Lol Stay safe and stay tuned.