Changes......

I just posted to the wrong blog the post for the house! I hate being computer illiterate! Check out todays blog on the Brushstrokes page.

Our Retreat becomes Reality

The Raccoon Retreat Blog officially begins with me posting on a regular basis. The house we were working on for 2 1/2 months had to finally be torn down. There were too many problems with construction, demolition and additional charges for working around existing structure.
I will add pictures of the original retreat as we progress and move forward with our dream cottage on the Eastern Shore.
The photos today are of the working plans I was using to design my kitchen and the "Trickster". Those of you that know me, know I have dachshunds and they are a handfull! Trixie has jealousy issues with
the plans for the house as well as the time involved in working to fit as much of our lives into a smaller space in a short period of time. I was working on the plans for the kitchen at the computer and went outside to photograph paintings for our daughter.
This process took all of 5 minutes! When I came inside, I found a wiggling, grinning dachshund. When I asked her what she had done, she only wiggled and grinned some more! She also desperately wanted to go outside. Only when I went to put her and her sibling outside did I find the source of the grinning and groveling. She happily ran across the plans she had scattered on the floor!
She had jumped into the computer chair, climbed on the desk, grabbed the plans, and did her best I'll show you maneuver ! I chided her strongly, then let her outside and started rolling and laughing about her escapade! The plans are not destroyed, only slightly torn, but she made her point!
Ahhhhhhhh,life with a rebellious, acting out, teenage dachshund! Gotta love her!

We Find Raccoon Retreat

My husband Chris is always hunting for a bargain in houses. We spent a sunny Sunday afternoon looking at foreclosed properties in Baldwin County. We found this house just off of Hwy 98 next door to a bunch of storage units. We walked around the property, tromping through the knee high grass and looking at all the damage of five years of neglect. I was skeptical and not really enthusiastic about the house as it's back roof was caving in! Chris was chattering about the potential while I wanted to get into the car and I was just plain thirsty. We finished our tour of the rear of the home and as we rounded the corner, I noticed a furry body in the windowsill. Chris is that a dead kitten? We walked closer and he said no I don't think so, it's breathing. We stepped a little closer and as we peered into the window, the sleepy raccoon baby popped it's head up to look at us.
That was enough for me! I was out of there! It was bad enough that there was holes in the roof and probably the accompanying mold and mess, but raccoons?!? That was too much.