Saturday, was a very busy day. It's Monday evening now so I have to try and cast back and remember why it was a busy day. We decided to sell the four chairs from our old dining room table. I bought those chairs from an unfinished furniture store when the kids were still in elementary school, I think, making them over 30 years old. I sanded those fuckers down and stained them and we had used them ever since until I bought the new table and chairs at an estate sale. My granddaughter Jade claimed the table and chairs and then returned the chairs forthwith because they are really uncomfortable, she says. So since we have 8 chairs (6 with the new table and two 'closet' chairs, you know the chairs that masquerade as a closet, for clothes too dirty to be hung up or put away, clean enough to wear a few more times) we decided to see if we could sell them at the 'estate' sale so I loaded those in the back of the truck along with the mini-fridge and a queen size bed frame that got abandoned here by our grandson and a spiral library staircase for the upper shelves that belonged to my father that I did not want but ended up with after he died and took them over to Pam's old house where the ladies conducting the sale were doing what they do, unpack and set up and price. Her two daughters and one son-in-law were here and she borrowed another truck from a friend so two trucks we got the buffet for home and white chest for the new room in the shop I was taking and backyard furniture and stuff. Did I mention I was soaked when I came in? That I stripped down naked and waited til I cooled off enough to take a shower? That evening I went over to my daughters house to do the dog and cat thing while they were gone for the weekend.
Sunday morning the same thing. Dog and cat thing. My sister and her daughter, here for a week from New Mexico, got the garage at the old house empty. One more thing to mark off the list.
Monday, Pam and daughter went and got one truckload of plants in pots. I joined them with my truck for two more truckloads of plants. Still at least another truckload or two of plants and yard stuff. Stopped a little after 11 AM.
Did I mention I was soaked when I came in? That I stripped naked and stood there til I cooled off enough to take a shower? Our friend Gene whose studio we stored for three years had cabin fever and so brought out the three section steel sink he was giving us that he didn't have room for and we had a nice visit. After our late lunch I went out to my daughter's house and visited and appropriated 7 spindles from their bundle so Rocky could finish the last handrail of the little porch on Pam's new house.
I noticed a 'maker's tag' on the inside of one of the doors of the buffet, or sideboard as the company called it, I got from Pam...Summers guaranteed hand-made furniture.
I looked them up. They have a FB page. English company which closed in 1950, the year I was born. The son and granddaughter live in the US. I sent them pictures and he says this piece was probably late 1930s.
We got 3/4” of rain on Sunday, at Pam's old house 2 1/2”, accompanied with thunder and lightning. Not enough to lift the burn ban which is a shame because a very large limb fell off the native pecan at the back edge of the property sometime Sunday or Sunday night. Too bad it didn't land on the bitch's container and fall onto her property. It probably did hit her container but it fell our way onto the end of one of the flower beds which is mostly daylilies and salvias so I don't think it damaged anything but it's going to be a bitch to cut up and haul away. The big end must be 10" in diameter.
All that work wore me out I guess because I didn't wake up til almost 9 this (Tuesday) morning.
I would say all of your work is inspiring me to do some too but it's just making me tired to think about. Lord, woman!
ReplyDeleteI have a very similar sideboard. I need to check and see if it has a maker's mark. I love mine. Had it for years.
I like the way the pecan branch almost hides the hideous container. Reading about all that physical labor in the heat and humidity made me want to shower, too. I would say you put the Labor into Labor Day. No wonder you slept until 9!
ReplyDeleteI swear you make me tired just reading about your escapades. We are scheduled for thunder storms all week and into next Monday. I wonder when they are supposed to begin?
ReplyDeleteYou are just a little action figure! You GO!
ReplyDeleteI like the artful way the branches fell in front of the dumb box car.
They are great right where they landed- no need to remove them, it is your property.
well, except it's on some of my daylilies and this fall when the native pecans start falling I won't be able to find them to pick them up and then I'll have hundreds of little pecan trees coming up next summer.
DeleteWhat a lotta work. It will be big hot here again this week. Eighties and nineties. Don't like it.
ReplyDeleteI wish Pam every success in the house sale. That sideboard is so Art Deco.
That's really a neat sideboard. It's even better that you were able to contact the people and get some idea of its age and such. Speaking of rain, I saw the first really big fire ant mounds I've seen in weeks -- maybe months. Perhaps their prediction of rain is going to verify this time around. We had a nice shower this morning, and may have gotten a half inch. We could use more, of course, but I'd prefer it come between midnight and six a.m. so I don't lose work hours. If I can make that happen, I'll give up varnishing and sell my services as a weather magician.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I tried to follow your example and started to clear the weed sprouting through the paving stone gaps on Monday afternoon, full sun etc. and as expected, packed it in after an eternity of 20 minutes.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sideboard. And that house and garden is coming along so nicely.
That's a lot of work! I can see why you were exhausted. And I thought WE had a lot of plants in pots, LOL! So did your chairs and the other stuff sell, or has the sale not happened yet?
ReplyDeleteThat sideboard looks really nice. I wonder how it made its way to Texas?
That sideboard is the kind of piece they might values at many thousands on Antiques Roadshow. Wouldn't it be nice. It's a lovely piece in good condition.
ReplyDeleteNice Deco piece. Gosh that's a lot of work in the heat. Bravo to you. You are getting lots done. I just tell everyone that I may have a truck, but it has a lid that doesn't come off. I don't tell them that it came off in my sixties. LOL
ReplyDeleteOn Monday we weeded some of our flower beds, then I hauled the weed eater around & got limp noodle arms and THEN I vacuumed & mopped! So nice to have some manual labor to report here - ha! Love the sideboard, and I LOVE all the plants at Pam's house. It's looking like it might actually belong to her now :)
ReplyDeleteI like that sideboard a lot. Great style.
ReplyDeleteAnd I admire your ability to muscle through!