Dear Autumn, I Hate Your Guts, And It's My Blogiversary!

Wow.  
I almost can't remember how to write a blog post.  I began this blog on October 1, 2008, and 840+ posts later, I have sputtered to a very slow crawl.

For that very first little attempt at blogging, click here.

Me and That Old House took separate Summer vacations.  All I've written since June are some goofy Facebook posts, and most of those were written by my dog Dylan DiPoochy.

Yes, he is that talented.

While I was being a happy summertime layabout,

poor ol' Summer was KO'd by . . .

 

It sneaks up on me every year.

I never see it coming.

Even displays like this one fly right by me;

I don't even see them.

 What is this called, again?  Oh yeah.  
Denial.

It ain't just a river in Egypt, is it? 

A picture from October 2013, our side yard.  And its leaves.  Lots and lots of leaves, and more to fall.

I am very, very grateful that I do not have to rake all those leaves.  Bless the landscape guys.

I do hate to see Summer fold its tent and take a hike.
And leave all those leaves on the ground.
(Haha ... see what I did?)

Yes, there are compensations.

Fall's colors are crazy-pants -- wild and brilliant. 

Seasonal veggies look like aliens, wacky and warty.

Mother Nature's last crazy fling before winter.

And Fall decorating is stupid easy.  You can't go wrong.

Put a mum or a pumpkin pretty much anywhere,
and POOF! instant Autumn bling.

Fall is both an end -- of warm weather, bountiful crops

and flowers, a life outdoors -- and a beginning.

It's the start of the holiday season, with Hallowe'en kicking off

the parade that won't end until it is 2015.  Yikes.

It was a long and beautiful summer. 

Look . . . Can you spot our Dylan DiPoochy in this picture?  :-)

There have been a few changes here at That Old House.  

Those can wait for another post.

Meanwhile, I wish That Old House a Happy Blog Anniversary.

Six years.  That's a lot of chit-chat under the bridge, isn't it?

-- Cass

Where've I Been? Right Here!

Happy Summer!

Well ... it's been a long time since I've updated That Old House. 

Since 'way back in February, in fact, when we still had

several feet of snow on the ground, and ice-encrusted windows.

(shudder)

It's a prettier picture now, isn't it?

(Even with all the weeds.)

Confession:  This picture is more than a month old.  The garden is much

advanced since then, but I am too lazy busy to take a new shot.

Mr. Dylan DiPoochy, dog-about-town, is happy

that trips to The Great Outdoors no longer mean a freezing bippy.

Mrs. Gilda-The-Red, pictured in that snowy shot above,

luxuriates on the Grandma swing in the garden.

Gilda is a Great Outdoors kind of gal.

Dylan?  Not so much.

He likes a nice cushy sofa better than

a patch of warm earth.

To each his or her own, eh?

And that's it for today.

Many thanks for the sweet messages I've gotten over the past

few months, for your wonderful kindness,

and I apologize for just disappearing with no explanation.

Because ... honestly? ... there really is no explanation.

I just ran out of steam.

But I think my supply of hot air is bubbling up again.

I'm back.  :-)

See you tomorrow, my friends!

I'm off to re-stock my antiques booth today.  Pictures to follow!

Love and blessings to all; I wish you a wonderful Sunday ... Cass

A Getaway Plan

So it is hot today.
Temperatures in northern New Jersey are predicted
to sizzle up into the high 80s by afternoon.

What up with that, Mother Nature?

Our tulips and bleeding hearts other spring blooms are surprised.

They think they are at a spa.

Shvitzing.

 Thank you, Howard, for the early morning pictures along the stone wall behind That Old House.

Weather like this makes me want to be here.

At the beach house, on one of the decks, feet up, soaking in the views.

I conveniently forget that, once there, I'll be faced with the painting projects I didn't finish in November. 

But we have a plan.

On Friday morning of this week, Dion and I are going to toss a few essentials in the red minivan,

and hit the road.  Eastern Long Island, we are on our way.  We'll be there well before lunchtime,

and can take sandwiches and coffee to the beach.  Dion loves sandwiches and coffee . . . .

Howard will join us after work on Friday night, courtesy of The Hampton Jitney,

which conveniently picks you up someplace like this in New York City:

And drops you off about 2 hours later, someplace like this:

And it's cheaper than the Long Island Railroad.

But I have to earn my weekend away.  I've got some furniture painting to do here, and a whole

mess o'cleaning (what else is new?), and a couple of field trips to tuck into the next 4 days as well.

Ladies and gentleman, can That Old Gal do it?

Can she clean the house, and paint a couple of old tables, and go gallivanting

through antiques shops, all in time to escape New Jersey for the weekend?

Check with your bookie before placing bets.

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you find it!  -- Cass

Thanks to The Graphics Fairy for the vintage image of the little beach girl.

And thanks to Mary at Little Red House for hosting Mosaic Monday.

You are always welcome at That Old House!