Turn Around is Fair Play

 I'm back and, quite honestly, much sooner than I expected. I have been busy taking down Halloween-which is a bear!-and putting up Thanksgiving. After that, my plan had been to tackle everything I need to do outside-rebuild a fence, scrub all of the cushions, replace the umbrellas, wash down all of the metal furniture, weed, trim, clean the fountains and anything else I happen upon-in preparation for the engagement party to be held at my house. I have a fairly large house but, if all of the guests would happen to show up at the same time, I'm thinking some folks might want to spill out by the pool and it needs some TLC. 

In any case, I thought I HAD it all figured out until I got a message from daughter #3 asking if I would keep their dogs for 3 days this weekend and 4 the next. There are two important football games for grandson #1 that they need to be at and so, of course, I will keep my grand dogs. But, as much as I love them, these are the 2 Vel-Cro dogs and it is impossible to get anything much accomplished when they are here-especially if it is outside!

And so I panicked for a minute thinking I would end up doing all of this on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week when family would probably start arriving on that Wednesday until...I somehow caught a glimpse of the calendar and I realized that I actually have yet another week!! So, the week that I lost last month was just given back to me and I now have more than enough time to get it all done and still maybe cook a few things for the holiday. Lol

And so, with that in mind-even though I still have much to finish this week-here I am. I want to memorialize my Halloween week down in St. Pete before starting our Thanksgiving tour.

I love Halloween in St. Pete. I have been there way more times than I can count and it is always so much fun! And, this year was no exception. Daughter #1-who lives in the historical district-has so many friends and so many things going on that it is so much fun for me to be a part of all of that! And, this year, both of her daughters (granddaughters #2 and 4 for me) were going to be able to join.

I haven't been down there since she redid the guest rooms upstairs and "my" room-which was always pretty is now really beautiful! Everything is new and was decorated for the holiday!

I've never seen a piece like this. There is a chest inside of the cabinet and it is beautiful. If there had been a way for me to sneak this into my luggage and back here with me, I would have! Lol

 I love that rug...and, as it turns out, she doesn't...so, when she finds a new one, this one will probably be coming my way. I have NO idea where it will go but I'll figure it out. LOL

Her downstairs was beautifully decorated for the holiday and I love all of her new furniture. She was still picking fabric for her new living room and dining room drapes and also new rugs for both areas so I got to help with those decisions. As an interior designer, she has privy to SO MANY swatches that my eyes started to blur. I don't know how designers ever make decisions for clients and she says it is actually harder for her to make decisions for her own home. I hope I helped a bit. Fingers are crossed that fabrics and rugs arrive in time for drapes to get made and rugs to get laid by Christmas.

Two different rugs and drapes for two separate rooms and two seasons each.

Here is where things stand right now-definitely in need of drapes and rugs but pretty none-the-less.

Kris and I started the week with shopping trips. As I have told you, she recently did some major renovations and is in the market for lots of new holiday decor. And so, while we were also food shopping for the week, we hit some of our favorite haunts as well. Suffice it to say, we "might" have been successful on our journeys...and this was only one of our stops!!

Our first Halloween adventure was a trolley ghost tour through downtown St. Pete and since it was on the night of the last game of the World Series, downtown was BUSTLING!

We met five of her friends at Bacchus for dinner before walking to the museum to catch the trolley. My pictures from the tour are few as we were just riding, listening and enjoying the evening.

The tour stopped at a new "Ghost Museum". Honestly, I wasn't all that interested in walking around with a "ghost detector thingy" so I grabbed a picture of about the only area worth viewing and then headed out to enjoy the evening. Lol

When the trolley tour was over, we walked to the veranda at the Vinoy-another favorite of mine-for a late night glass of wine before heading home.

The girls both arrived late Thursday so on Halloween Eve we headed to another favorite, Nueva Cantina, for a late lunch. This place does it up big for every holiday but Halloween is over the top!

And then came Halloween. We spent part of the day cooking for the evening and then we caught the Gator game-which we probably shouldn't have as we spent much of the time yelling at the TV and then trying on the animals costumes. Granddaughter #2's dog and cat weren't here this trip because she flew down but granddaughter #4 had her new kitten, Charlie Day here. Not too sure how Charlie was feeling about all of this. He did OK with the hat but would have NOTHING to do with the rest of the costume.

And then Bennett who was OK with his.

Trick-or-Treating started early and went on through much of the night. The historic district gets LOTS of trick-or-treaters and I am always so impressed with all of the parents who dress up as well and how polite all of the children are and honestly, how we had to encourage them to "take more than one". It is always a fun night. Usually after we run out of candy-this year $220.00 worth- we walk through the neighborhood and drop in at some parties Kris is invited to but, this year we were not only pooped but wanting to watch the FSU game so we headed in. Unfortunately, that one turned out to be another one where we yelled at the TV but at least we were together and we had lots of food to munch on so we were good.

So now I am home and catching up...slowly. Lol I'm off to grab a quick lunch and then start to pack up all of the Halloween stuff. That is always a chore but even if I don't get it done today, that is something I can do when the dogs are here-even if they do follow behind every step. Lol

Next time I'm back we will start the Thanksgiving tour for this year. Sorry this one was so long but I needed to get this all down so my "journal" is complete. Stay safe and stay tuned.

"Breathe"!!

 I am back but just for a second! I got home yesterday and had to run out for groceries and then catch up on everyday things around the house. Today I HAVE to start my Halloween takedown but I am really dragging in getting started. It is a BIG one and kind of overwhelming but once I get going, I will be fine.

I thought I would just let you know I am alive. I have tons of pictures to share but they haven't even been downloaded yet let alone edited-they will be for another day.

Just thought I would share some of the goodies I came home with. Can you believe that some of them are Halloween!? They were things I didn't see locally and my daughter decided I needed them in my stash so she gifted them to me. Some of the rest is every day and there is a tiny bit of Christmas.

This is just ONE of our shopping hauls-mostly for her not me. Lol She just recently finished a major renovation of her downstairs-walls removed, all new wood flooring, etc. and the mood and colors are now different so she justified everything because she feels like she is starting over-and, she kind of is. Lol

I always thought I was the original "Shop-a-holic. I saw so much of myself in those books but I have to now admit that I think I raised the original...she puts me to shame! LOL

If I don't get going I will find a way to put this off for another day. I will be back as soon as I can. Stay safe and stay tuned.

And That's a Wrap!

 I honestly can not believe that my house has been decorated for weeks and I am just now getting around to finishing up our tour. I hope that means that I have been busy and having fun with all of the "things" that I love about this season! Let's go ahead and catch the last of it before I head out of town.

The guest bath is pretty much as it was last year.

Here is where the second of these spider lamps landed. I always used to use these as a pair but broke them up a few years back. We'll see where they land next year.

I made this guy many, many years ago as gifts for family. I truly don't remember how I did it so I'm glad he has held up so well because I probably couldn't do it again. Lol

And the obligatory nod in the primary bath.

So that, my friends, is a wrap on Halloween for this year...as far as decor in my house goes. I will have lots to share of my week to come when I return.

We had a pretty successful weekend around here. Daughter #2 came down for a visit and brought lots of my favorites from "The Fresh Market". I think I've told you that we don't have one here in my town and it is my absolute favorite place to shop for food! I would be broke of we did have one.

The one in Gainesville was a favorite haunt of mine whenever I was up there-which for many years was very often. I would actually find my way there even when I didn't need anything just to wander through the ambiance! And, they DO cater to seasonal things so, of course, I ALWAYS ended up finding something I "needed" that I didn't even realize! Lol

And, grandson #1 had his football game in Vermont this weekend against Norwich-and, luckily, they won quite handedly! The rivalry is often called "the little Army-Navy game" and the winner gets possession of the "mug" trophy for the next year.

Har's defense this week was wonderful-as was the whole line...and, I guess there are no germs in football because those boys drank out of that crusty, old mug! Lol

I'm off to start packing for the next week. Daughter#1 has lots of fun Halloween things planned so I need to gather up some fun outfits. We've been on walking ghost tours through downtown St. Pete before but this year we're going on a trolley so that should be fun. We're going to hit up some of the restaurants down there that do it up big, drop into a few parties hosted by friends, possibly host a small party at her house-time permitting-and, of course, enjoy the CROWDS of people who come to the historic district to trick-or-treat! I will have lots to share when I get home and then it will be time for these cuties to make their appearance. Have a happy Halloween and stay safe and stay tuned.