Checking It Out

So when Linda went looking for a new home, I sent her some houses for sale in Edgewater a 55 and older community in Elgin I had no idea what the place offered.
I knew she was looking into Huntley's Del Webb and I told her she owes it to herself and Deanna to look here. They wouldn't have to change shopping habits or look for a new doctor and it was closer to family. It also was completely gated for security.
I'll be damn if she didn't find something she wanted and bought in Edgewater.
Well it's been around 7 weeks since she moved in and I was curious to see just what it offered.
Linda invited me and Sharen for a lap around the pool. OUTSIDE!
All my exercising is in the pool over at LA Fitness and I love it, but I couldn't wait to get outside.

We met up with Linda at her house - which is walking distance from the activity center - to sign some waivers to let us in.
To get into the building you have to have a key card.
Linda paid our $4 each for the privilege of using the pool. We were given visitors wrist bands.
I am loving all this security.
The place is enormous. She showed us around.  Visit area with a fireplace! Puzzle room! Library! Workout room! Exercise Room! Beautiful Locker room! Indoor Pool with a hot tub! Wowwie... I'm loving it ALL. They had a running bulletin board with events coming up. All looked like fun to me.

We store our stuff into a locker and hit the outdoor pool. A few ladies came and went, but for the most part we had it all to ourselves. The weather was perfect and the pool even better. Music playing the 70's. It was all good and we talked about doing it once a week.

me and Sharen

I did stick my toe in the hot tub, because Linda said it was VERY hot. Sorry, Linda not hot, but the jets were really strong.
When we finally left, there was a hot dog lunch going on on the patio. Co-ed volleyball in the indoor pool, card playing in the fireplace room and an exercise class. And it was only 12:30.

I told Mike when I got home that I could see us living there in the future.

New Coat of Paint

You know how you want to do something and it's hard to get going - You start by telling everybody you meet. Puts you into "I told someone so I have to do it" mentality. Kinda like a diet.
Well, Mike and I didn't have any more vacations planned for the summer and I needed a project so I decided to paint our house.
I told EVERYBODY "I'm going to paint my house!"
next question was always - Inside or outside?
OUTSIDE.
I told...
My family.
All my neighbors.
I told my dentist office.
I put my Chiropractor on stand by.
I asked Logan "If I get stuck will you come and help me - I'm painting our house!"
I found the perfect color. I was tired of the white. Boring! (Mike agreed).
It's a green/gray. Looks gray in the sun and green in the shade. I was kinda limited on the color. The windows are all aluminium and hunter green - Not changing the trim.
I bought a platform ladder. It's perfect and I can reach to the top of every side of the house.
I told the guy at Ace hardware, where I got the paint, I'm painting my house!
I treated myself to a new paint pan and roller.(which I ended up not using. I found a smaller foam roller worked better)
I Bought my first gallon. I decided to get one gallon at a time. I didn't know how much I needed (took 3 gallons) and I new this was going to take some time and I didn't want the paint to sit around.

Mike went to work - Sharen left on vacation. I had nothing to do and no reason to not get started. So I put my painting clothes on and grab my tools.
I had big dreams of painting a side every 2 days.
I had no idea the prep work involved.
Scraping! Caulking! and Power Washing! UGH
But I knew that stuff was important.
I started on the back side of the house.

After looking at this picture. I'm thinking - Can you even tell I painted? So I then started taking some before and after pics.
I knew asking for help was a no go. It was hot. I wanted to work at my own speed and my own schedule. So I just plugged along. Sometimes slugged along.

Me - plugging

Green in the shade

Mike did help me with taking the brackets off the down spouts so I could paint behind them. He also removed and replaced the light fixtures.

I was so happy to see some rainy days I really needed a break.
I was determined to finish up this week.
I turned the corner on Thursday and finally saw the end in sight. I waited to finished up on this side. It was in the sun. I did mention it was hot...

The house is painted. I still want to go around looking for spots that need some touch up but the white is all gone.

Front before

Front after

Oh my,  what a project. Our house is clean and freshly painted. Only took me 2 1/2 weeks.
Me, Karen, actually painted our freaking house.
All by myself.  I can say that because Sharen offered to help a few times after she got back from vacation, but she always stepped back so I could say it. "Yup, I did it all by myself!!!

My Baby turns 40

Bryan is 40.
He didn't want a big deal made about it and certainly not a party.
We had them over for a little celebration and it was all about fun for the boys.
I bought a slip n slide for our hill out front. Boy did the little guys have fun. Score one for Grandma.

taking turns



Mike of course had to join them

Singing happy Birthday!
Red Velvet (his favorite) Cupcakes. I made half with cream cheese and the other half with plain buttercream frostings.




Looking up to Daddy

I found a Star War Darth Vader piñata and we hung it in the tree above the slip n slide to see if someone would notice. Luke spotted it right away. 

Hit it hard, Daddy

Scoping up the candy

I couldn't help but think back about Bryan's first time swinging at a piñata. I handmade it. I don't have a picture. 

Bryan and his future

So Goodbye Thirties. Hello to being 40.