We're off on *vacation*

Our little farmhouse is

~calling~

We need a break from our

~puppy~

I am exhausted...

It's a good thing he is cute

because he likes to get up at

2:00 a.m.

every morning...

I haven't longed for a

~vacation~

like this in a really long time

We are going to check on our little

~farmhouse~

Look what Brother Bill & Linda

put up for me...

I love and can't wait to give them a hug

can't you just see some clematis growing up...

while weeding our place up last week

sister-n-law

~Linda~

fell off the steps and broke her ankle

she's in a

~wheelchair~

Oh my gosh I can't wait to give her a

~hug~

and I can't wait to see my

~girlfriend~

and do some of this

~sans Spanky~

I'm sure there will be lots of yard work

But I don't care...

BECAUSE

Grandma is coming to

~babysit~

thank goodness

for

~grandmas~

I've decided no computer for a whole week

it will be hard as I am addicted I fear

to all my blogger friends

and all the design ideas they come up with..

Maybe I will take some of those magazine and books

I have not gotten to in a long time

and sit right here all afternoon

enjoying our beautiful view of the

~lake~

Do you think I can do it

no computer...

could you?

Be well my friends

see you in a week

or maybe

~two~

don't tell Grandma

the two part...

Whidbey Island Weekend

I did some shopping this weekend

while visiting with a dear friend

on

 Whidbey Island

 we go all the way back to sophomore year gym class

for some reason living on an Island seems so

~far away~

over the years we just haven't made the time

to get together very often

~that will change~

I drove up to Port Townsend...

you all remember the movie

~an officer and a gentleman~

it was all filmed there

here is the paper mill where he grabbed her

and walked off with her and that

~hat~

be still my beating heart...

a short ferry ride and I was at 

Fort Casey State Park

then drove up to Coupville

~whole thing about 2 hours~

It was the first day of salmon season and the boats were out

despite the rainy weather

we toured the Island a bit

and stopped at the famous

Penn cove

~oyster farm~

Have you ever heard of them?

Once I saw in Martha's Magazine

they were listed in the top 10

~in the world~

but I don't do oysters

so I wouldn't know

anyway...

we just mostly hung out

at her fire pit

and I enjoyed every second

she lives on a 5 acre farm with

~3 horses~

it was so cool to wake up in the morning

and see horses right out the window

on the way home I stopped in at

~port townsend~

the cutest little Victorian town

where the sea captains

built these gorgeous homes

for their wives that stayed at home

~pinning for them~

and don't get me started on the shopping.....

I finally had the chance to go in a store I have

been lusting after

Vintage Hardware

this store is full of antique furniture

and all sorts of pretties

If you want old you will find it there

Fabulous place

great website to order

those unusual period pieces

It was a fantastic weekend

and good for her too..

she ended up with a new table and chairs

from the same place I got my sisters!

~Free~

 is always going to make you smile

when you sit down to breakfast

every morning

Thanks Shar

I had a fantastic weekend

~love you~

Free Furniture Finds

Look what came home with me

yesterday..

these beautiful

~sisters~

My Seattle City Slicker Bestie

has a cabin on

~Whidbey Island~ 

which I have had many

great weekends at

It was pouring down rain so I

didn't get any pictures...

~bummer~

They are putting it up for sale and getting rid of

~everything~

I went up for the weekend

to visit a girlfriend

more of that on another

post

Took the Hubs pick-up

just in case we got the chance to hook up

~Bonus~

they made it over

I....well the guys

filled it up

look at that blue locker

isn't it a perfect

~toy box~

for my grandson

You don't want to know what was

said as the Hubs was unloading...

Let's just say I better

~do something~

with this *&@! stuff

or I'm gonna be in trouble!!

I couldn't resist this interesting lamp base

and well the teapot...

how could I allow that go to the dump

She's got all her own original

~jewelry~

She just needs a good plastic surgeon

for this make-over

poor thing is going to be my

guinea pig...

I have promised the Hubs

these girls won't be sitting in the garage

~too long~

What is it with men and garages...

Do they all think only their 

*stuff*

is allowed in??

Maybe a new course of life for me

if I get the hang of this...

would be to take over the 3rd bay of the

~garage~

better keep that one to myself for now

I'll see how I do with the

~girls first~

wish me luck!
Joining my
SavvysouthernStyle
sista Kim
for her party!!

Look what arrived...

Take a look at what I got in the mail on Friday..

Don't you think it is perfect on my coffee table?

 I had pre-ordered it

~last spring~

I have been reading

 Brooke's Blog

Velvet & Linen

everyday for almost 2 years now..

Her and her Hubs are such a

dynamic force in the world of design

I am just plain captivated with them

and can't wait to indulge in this new piece of art

~they have created~

Also my neighbor dropped by with some of the roses out of her garden

aren't they spectacular too?

Friday was a good day..

I had a great weekend with one of my very best friends

up on Whidbey Island

I took the Hubs truck and came home

with the back

~full~

I am so excited to share that adventure

stayed tuned for tomorrow!
Now I have to go make peace
he's not too happy....
you see my side of the garage is
~full~

NW Harbor Architecture & A Boat Party

I love living in

~Gig Harbor~

I get to say Gig Harbor

because that's our address

We are not actually in the

~harbor~

we are around the corner in

~Henderson Bay~

just over the

~Purdy spit bridge~

I love coming home and crossing that bridge...

seeing the tide way out..

or sometimes the waves are wildly whipping in the wind

or some days it is so calm it is like a lake...

We've only been here 4 years

and I have really grown to

~love~

it here

 last Saturday..

our good friends from Seattle

just hopped in their boat and came down for the

weekend...

we got to go touring around the area with them

~Captain Doug~

Just a last minute

"are you going to be around today?"

YES WE ARE COME ON DOWN!!!

Lucky Us

I love the homes on the water but don't

get the chance to take pictures of them often

I grabbed my camera and here is what you find

on the water in the NW

these are in the Harbor

The one on the right

I toured a few years ago

it was for sale for

4.5 million

they wanted to move to L.A.

where their children are in the movie industry

the son is a movie star and darned if I can't remember his name

it's still for sale..

and I'm guessing for half the price it was

I loved everything about it..

I wonder if the boat comes with it?

These are condos

I'm not crazy about modern

especially in the Harbor

are you?

Now this one I love

I would love this home in

Montana

This is at the end of the Harbor

Our good friends just bought the home with

the A-frame roof and tall chimney

we are so glad they made the move here

On the far right is the famous

Anthony's Seafood Restaurant

after having dinner there our friends

climb those stairs home

can you see the stairs?

The gray house on the left with the white trim & blue awning

is another set of friends

this is the area where they take the pictures of the Harbor for

magazines...like the one I used at the top

they have the million dollar view from their place

Leaving the Harbor

we troll past the famous

~tides tavern~

These homes are right at the mouth of the harbor

There is new construction going on

They have to park up above..

hmmm not sure I would like that

look at these cute little cabins...

all have to be walked down to

There were so many beautiful homes above the water

I could be out there all day!

Ok this one I would have to say is a

~favorite~

and our destination...

our good friends

and their

beautiful home

I am in love, no

~lust~

with their home

inside and out done to

~perfection~

both the new one and the

"yellow house"

belong to them

The yellow one is for sale...

we are trying to get our

Seattle Besties

interested so they will be closer...

just look at their new view

can you see

Mt Rainer above Tacoma?

I think they're bonding...

We headed back to Gig Harbor

under the Tacoma Narrows bridge

that afternoon my Dad brought his boat over

and we all hooked up together

Did you notice the name of my Dad's boat

he loves me...

yeah they did jump in their boat and meet us in town for dinner..

They are going to tie up to our

Seattle Besties boat

notice they fly the Swedish and Finnish

flags

we had a bit of wind but it was a nice warm day

I somehow missed a getting a picture of their marvelous boat

that we spent the day on

the whole family came

more bonding...

Dad BBQ'd hamburgers

&

we enjoyed the harbor

and the company

and it was

a fantastic evening

Thanks to our good friends

who just called to say

"are you going be around today?"

I hope she can someday leave her darling

cottage on Lake Washington and come

south to be closer

we have so much fun together!