NEW YEARS DAY 2019

Helloooooo?  Anybody there?

I'm just checking in with a quick post today because we are down at the beach having a low key holiday. 

I know you remember how bad Cami is in the car....

I gave her the sedative.....we put the bark collar on but the minute we pulled out of the driveway she started barking like crazy.  My husband and I looked at each other and realized that the collar wasn't working so we drove straight to Pet Smart for a new one.

Priorities people.

Last night I cooked....I know.....who am I?  ha ha  I found this quick and easy recipe on Pinterest called Hoppin John [find it on myPinterest page] which I have never heard of but looked simple enough that I could handle!

I added some turkey sausage with it for protein and actually put mine on arugula instead of rice.  I'm nothing if not creative in the kitchen...haha.  I know you are supposed to eat black eyed peas on New Years Day but I like to buck the trend....

We had a wedding in the family last Saturday.  My step son got married and inherited 2 beautiful sweet girls....

In February he will be headed to Casablanca to live and in March we are going over there for another celebration.  I am already dreading that plane ride.  Have I mentioned what a crabby traveler I am?

On Friday I had lunch with my core group of design friends.....These girls have my heart....I am like the "mama" of the group though cause they are all younguns....

This is 2 days after I had my IPL laser treatment and what you can't see is that I had to put my makeup on with a spackle knife. Today is almost a week later and the brown  spots are still pretty dark so note to self.....I am thinking it's gonna take about 2 weeks for them to fade out completely!

I went to Ladisic Fine Homes holiday party and I thought I would share my outfit with you!

Jacket

Top

Shoes

Pants

Bobbie Pins

Necklace [similar]

I stayed true to my fav colors.....

Here are a few other things I grabbed after Christmas for dirt cheap....

Scarf

Scarf

Sweater Coat

Sweater Jacket

I know....yawn.  Black cream and beige.  My "box" is small.

I hope all of you had a great NYE.....We finished watching The Wire....which was great so now I am on the hunt for something else.  I did manage to stay up until midnight:)

I wish all the best for you in 2019!

Shachillin

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BEACHY RENTAL REFRESH

I made it home from the beach with chipped and broken nails but my spirit was still intact.  If you have been reading DI for a while then you know that we purchased this beach rental down on 30A at the peak of the market back in 2006.

Yeah.....it's definitely been a struggle but thank goodness it is finally breaking even with good rentals.  Whew.....those were some lean years for us.

I think I have mentioned before how much work it is keeping the place spiffed up as it sleeps 10 and that many people can be hard on a place.  Word of advice.....just rent.....it's much easier:)

The same furniture had been there for 11 years and lawd....it was not a pretty site.  Time for a refresh!  The last time I did one was here

I knew it was slim pickens down there for furniture shopping because everything is so expensive!  But I stumbled on a store called Stock and Trade Design Co and it was the motherload.  Reasonable prices and tons of merchandise.  

I got a sofa that was sunbrella AND slipcover. 

I purchased the coffee table and rug also.

The chair in the corner is so comfy and performance fabric also.

I have to tell you that I went in one store and asked the sales women if she had any sofa's or chairs in performance fabric and she looked at me and said "what is that"?  

Crickets......

I said you know "fabric that sings and dances"......what the heck.....are you kidding me?

We left.

Yes it drives me crazy that the sofa can't be centered under the window.....

I got that original watercolor picture a while back at a thrift store for 35.00

So this small table and chairs were purchased a few years ago from a flea market and then I stumbled across the place called Not Too Shabby  and bought this mirror!

I painted this Pottery Barn wood and glass console while I was there and I took about 5 coats and 3 full days.  Don't you hate when you start a project that you think will be so stinking easy and.....it's so not!

This piece is original [I bought when I first did the place]

I found this little occassional chair at a place called Retail Therapy.  Good deals in that place!

There are still a few things to do....but it's so clean we backed out of that place......call me done!

Got home Tuesday night and it's already Friday.  I could be a little happy about that:)

After Cami wined for 3 hours she wore herself out.  Traveling with that girl is not for sissy's.

Shaydoneforanotheryear

6

THIS AND THAT

I have been making a few changes around the joint.....

WHAT?

Don't look at me like that...you know you do it all the time :)

I had this mirror hanging around [left over from a client install about a year ago] and decided to give it a coat of white paint and hang it in my black and white foyer.

  

I saw this picture a while back on Pinterest and that gave me the idea

Kind of makes me want to paint my front door white....

I got my mirror at Homegoods.....haven't really accessorized it yet....but I might keep it for a hot minute.

We have been at the beach all week and the weather has been incredible.  It can be hot in May but there were a couple of days where we turned off the AC....

If you follow me on Instagram then you saw that I fell while running.

This was after I cleaned it up.....Seriously one minute I was looking at blue sky and then I was pulling grass and dirt out of my mouth.  

I thought I had turned into a bird cause all of the sudden I was flying through the air....only I was trying to figure out the best way to land without losing all of my teeth.

I got up and finished that run.  #nopainnogain

I wasn't too injured to take a stroll down to the Tracery and drool over these awesome pillows.  2 of my favorite Schumacher fabrics.

Zimba and Betwixt.

I was also able to talk my friends into this picture.....#imprettyconvincing

Before I left....I was working on a couple of plans for a bachelor....

Last day in paradise and then back to reality....which I compare to the actual landing when I fell.....

Jump into the weekend....

Shaclutzy

20

What was I thinking????

I got an email from a friend of mine and she wondered why no post????   Well, here is one of the reasons....

 Yep.  I took my dogs to the beach for the FIRST time.  My sister usually dog sits for me and she wanted to go, so I thought "why not".  Here they are in the car, and if you think his mouth is dirty, try having him hover over you for 5 hours in the car with hot dog breath.  They have NEVER been on a road trip longer than to the park or the vet.  The first 48 hours were reaaaaallllllyyyyyy hard [think having a tooth drilled for 2 days].  Dogs thrive on routine, at least mine do, and this threw them into outer space.  My male dog, Zipper, was dropped at birth.  Seriously... he hyper focuses on everything to the MAX.  The first night we came into the bedroom to sleep, and when he jumped on the bed he somehow glanced up and saw the ceiling fan [a huge 5 armed monster that had it out for him and was on the verge of landing right on his back] and the next 40 minutes he stared it, crouched down like he was a sniper waiting for the enemy.   I am serious and it was not even on.  He was frozen.  That truly set the tone for the whole night.  Patches just sat at the end of the bed panting.  No sleep for anyone.  

It has gotten better [yes "has", I am still here!] but 1500 sq feet with 3 dogs [my sister brought hers, a miniature schnauzer] and 5 people.  Busy.

  

I came down for 2 reasons, to scope out the place where we are having the rehearsal dinner for my stepson and to clean.  Clean what you ask?  Well.... in a complete moment of true craziness we bought a place down here in 2005.  Before you think "shit, are you kidding me?" change that to "shit, were you smoking crack?"

 

Yep,  Florida, the worst investment in real estate in 30 YEARS!  So, since we can't SELL the dang place [unless we want to lose a gazillion dollars] this is where we spend EVERY vacation.  

Which leads me to why I was down here in the first place.  The end of the busy summer rental season, and I had to come down and clean.  There was enough sand under the beds for a small beach.  AND...the kitchen......I organize them 4 times a year and every. time. I. come. it looks like someone just dumped it all in a bin and then piled it into the drawers.  Is it a game?  

I won't bore you with the details.  We've all cleaned before.  The kind of clean you do before your mother in law comes for the first time. Sucks.

BUT...I did get to see this every night.

And, we did go out to dinner.

That is my sister on the left, my friend Jan and me.  You can't see my arms because I still have the rubber gloves on and a sponge in them.  And....why is my head cocked like that?  Note to self:  Look up at the camera, it makes you neck look better.

I am supposed to leave today.  Patches and Zipper did manage to settle down.  So not looking forward to the drive back to Atlanta with their hot stinky breath over my shoulder.

Sherry

8