REDO NEWS

I know most of you don't give a flip about these piddly details, but I thought John, who is in Houston this week, and Lex, who was the designer on this project, might appreciate being updated stage by stage.

Yesterday they installed something they were calling Hardy-back on the walls, then they coated it with a water-proofing paint that smelled so strong, I had to throw open all the windows and crank up the fans, even though it was 100 degrees out.  By mid-afternoon it was so hot, I just had to get up and leave for a while.  Fortunately the smell went away, once it had dried.  I know we can get healthier paints nowadays, that don't off-gas, but I didn't even know they would have to do this water-proofing step (I thought the tiles would be waterproofing enough!), and have no idea how toxic it is, or if there is a healthier alternative available.  Guess we should have done more research, huh?

They also formed the concrete lip that the glass walls and door will sit upon.  Not sure what's on the agenda for today, but I'm happy that it's finally starting to look like a shower!

SHARING ONE'S PASSION

 

Here you see Outdoor Woman, doing what she does best -- not just teaching, but engaging these young Wimberleyites, as she explains to them how Jacob's Well is the living pulse of this place we call home, and why it is so very important that we keep it healthy and pumping.  She is passing on a legacy, grooming our planet's future caretakers.  We are so very proud of her.

ONE THING I LOVED ABOUT FRANCE: SHUTTERS AND DOORS

I always thought the periwinkle blue shutters of Provence were so quaint and charming, but did you know their color is based in practicality? They are the same color as lavender blooms, which are believed to repel things like mosquitos and scorpions.  The same goes for those luscious windowboxes overflowing with geraniums.  Geraniums are in the same family as citronella, another insect repellant, but have prettier blooms and a fragrance more pleasing to humans, and that is why you see them at most every window.  Too bad they go into decline here, just as our mosquito season really kicks in!

RE-DO NEWS

I am happy to report that the new plumbing is in, the water is back on, and the big gaping holes in the floor are now closed.  I had trouble getting to sleep at night, thinking of all the scorpions and centipedes that might be trying to climb up out of there while I wasn't looking.

Today a new crew has arrived, to start building the shower pan, install the hardi-backing, waterproof everything, pour concrete, etc.  They estimate this will take three days.  Once that's done, they can start on the tile work, and that's when it gets to be fun.  I can't wait to see how the recycled glass tile border looks when it's up!

HER FRENCH CORNER

OMG!  I just stumbled onto a new blog called My French Corner.  You need to stop by, look over at her right sidebar, and glance through the titles listed under Weekend Simple Posts.  Is this woman my soulmate, or what?  I'm so glad I found this, 'cause I'm fixin' to run out of stories and photos from our French trip to post, and once I do, I'm going to suffer some serious withdrawal pains!  Perhaps visiting her blog will help.

ONE THING I LOVE: ALL MY ROWDY FRIENDS

This was taken the day Le Mistral blew in.  Bbbrrrrrrrr!

We got "adopted" by a very fun group of people on this trip, almost from the get-go.  In fact, J and D were there waiting for us (or rather, for our shuttle ride to the hotel) when we stepped off the plane in Paris and made our way out of the baggage area.  The group blossomed from there.

It was easy to spot us in the dining room.  Much like what happens whenever the Muses and I meet for coffee, we were the table that someone came up to almost every day, saying "You people are just having waaaay too much fun!" (I think that translates to "Could you hold it down a bit?")

C, JJ, and DH

HCH & D

DH & J at a vineyard

D, C, M & HCH, ready for some wine-tasting!

Who knows?  Maybe we'll all meet up at a villa in Tuscany some day!

THE NEW BLUE (HOLE, THAT IS)

Just got back from checking out the renovations, and I'm happy to say, I totally disagree with the report we got from Fiber Woman's son, 007, who worked there every summer when he was in high school.  007 is now a helicopter pilot, and was always a bit of a daredevil.  His favorite thing about Blue Hole was climbing to the tippy-top of those huge tall trees, and jumping into the water from there!

Anyhoo, he got a sneak preview of all the work they had done over the winter, and told his folks "They poured concrete everywhere!  It's totally ruined!"  I thought he meant they had paved the banks of the creek, but as far as I could tell, they had just laid two nice pave-stone pathways, one down each side of the grassy area.

I guess we all hate to see our favorite childhood places change in any way.  I know it was hard on me to go back to our favorite vacation spot in Colorado, and find it all modernized.  However, I think they did a pretty good job here of preserving the original feel of the place, and it's gonna make it so much easier on us old folks.

The Blue Hole, in days gone by.

Most importantly, every person we saw yesterday seemed to be havin' a helluva good time!

There are two new little dock thingies, where the kids launch themselves out on the rope swings, but we Muses will still have the deep end all to ourselves, and now we have a ladder to climb in and out  on, instead of having to hoist ourselves up those tree roots. There are beautiful stone picnic tables, nice lush sticker-free grass to lay our towels out on, and best of all, really nice bath/changing rooms!

Hip Hip, Hooray!  Time for the Muses to go afloatin' -- before this drought makes the water unfit for swimming.