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Just yesterday when my parents visited...
(depending upon how I am feeling in the moment)
...my Dad did some great improvements to our place.
The first was building us a screen door! Glory hallelujah!
It keeps the skeeters out of the house but the breeze (on occasion) and the green IN!
We all love it. Even H has perfected the right angle and pressure needed to close it properly and N loves to sit by it and look outside.
Or actually I should say that she loved to sit by it and look outside (like in these pictures) before she learned that she herself could push open the door, crawl over to the sandbox/plant pot/stray leaves/half-full bucket and become a little (happy) sandy dirtball before her Mama had time to think... "Where did sweet N go?" and then rush outside to find her grinning, with dirt smeared all over.
Just happened (again) this morning. A good Mom would have wiped her off and changed her clothes. But this Mom just threw her in the car as-is to go visit a friend. Whatever.
A simple lock would remedy that problem, but we haven't gotten there yet...
The second improvement has also been A.MAZ.ING.
This was my old countertop.
It was well used, to be sure.
I'd tell you something clever like "It was original with the house" but I don't actually know. And anyway, isn't that information useless unless I knew the year that the house was built?
Oh well.
After numerous trips to tile stores for the right tiles and numerous trips to the market for cutting and supplies the work began.
I think I tried to prepare my father ahead of time for how not-easy and not-straightforward doing house projects is in this country. I don't know if it sank in until he and I spent about three hours combing the market, chatting with people, asking questions, making exaggerated motions, drinking tea, and going on wild-goose hunts just to come home with some wood, some screen, and some screws.
Then maybe he got it.
But maybe not.
Because that was just the beginning.
But he sure did persevere. Did I tell how all how amazed and impressed with my parents I was when they were so willing to experience everything about daily life here with no fear and no complaints?
I mean, my Mom even ate orange wedges every day.
And my Mom never eats orange wedges. (yes Mom, I noticed...and I love you all the more for it!)
Aaaaaaaanyway. Back on track, Suzanne.
Right.
Good thing Poppi had an apprentice. No matter that that small apprentice apparently has some sensitive ears.
I was also a (not so small) apprentice. And look! I was wearing sweat pants! Amen.
The finished product is wonderful! (and yes, we moved the fridge, in case you noticed.)
So smooth, clean and white. And so nice and not chipped and not dirty and not stained. You know... it's just so smooth and clean and white! I don't know how else to say it people.
Can you sense my joy?
My joy is great each time I wipe this counter. Even a million years or one day (or actually, a few months) later.
Thanks Mom and Dad for all you did. For coming here. For being here. For doing life with us for two weeks.
And thanks, too, for the screen door and new tile counters.
:)
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