Today is my 65th birthday and the best gift I will receive is the completion of the remodeling. Here is the finished house – prior to landscaping, of course. The house faces south and the handicap ramp curves southeast. The cedar porch is on the northeast and the other patio is right outside my sewing room door. I have even included some close up pictures of the beautiful rocks. And they are just gorgeous! I had no idea we had such pretty rocks in North Iowa. And Steve is a master artisan who laid each of these rocks after carefully considering which rock would look best. His crew is also talented in laying up rock. When the rocks were all in place, they were washed with muriatic acid to clean off all excess mortar. After that the rocks were sprayed with a sealer that makes the rocks look wet and brings out the colors. I am in awe of these rock walls – I never believed I would ever live in such a beautiful house!
Here is a toast to a job well done. Steve, Rick, the crew and I all had a beer before they left last Friday. A person loves to see the carpenters come but one also loves to see them go. They were here for over 10 months! What a birthday celebration!
Remember that heavy planter that Rick and I hauled home from my grandmother’s house a couple years ago?
It’s looking pretty nice this year with a combination of full sun loving plants.
Susannah strolled up to the house last week as we were sitting outside after hours.
Here is my sister, Becky, holding Ernie Joe Maurer.
We are heading up to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for Rick’s final appointment on his knee replacement today, Wednesday, July 3. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Mary
Here’s a funny joke …
One day I accidentally overturned my golf buggy.
Elizabeth, a very attractive and keen golfer, who lived in a villa on the golf course,
heard the noise and called out, “Are you okay, what’s your name?”
“Its Jack , and I’m Okay thanks,” I replied.
“Jack , forget your troubles. Come to my villa, rest a while, and I’ll help you get the cart up later.”
“That’s mighty nice of you,” I answered, “but I don’t think my wife would like it.”
“Oh, come on,” Elizabeth insisted.
She was very pretty, very sexy and persuasive…. I was weak.
“Well okay,” I finally agreed, and added, “but my wife won’t like it.”
After a restorative brandy, and some creative putting lessons, I thanked my host.
“I feel a lot better now, but I know my wife is going to be really upset.”
“Don’t be silly!” Elizabeth said with a smile, “She won’t know anything. By the way, where is she?”
“Under the cart!” I said….
The house is just beautiful!!!! The stones are awesome…..
Happy, Happy, Birthday.. Celebrate on the new porch!
Happy Birthday! Lots of good finishes here…knee replacement! Remodeling! Beautiful rock!
Have a wonderful celebration!
Well Happy Birthday to you. The place looks beautiful and I know you feel like it was finally worth all the trouble and wait and mess.
Hope you are having a very Happy Birthday from another “moon child”, crab, cancer person. My birthday was July 1. I believe in horoscopes when I agree with them!
Happy Birthday Mary! You look great. I’m sorry that I missed the Rosemont Quilt Show, I so wanted to visit you and get my Susannah update from you. (My Susannah photo has a very prominent place in my sewing studio) Talk about getting old, I turned 61 this year and thought the show was the following week. The remodeling looks great and hope to visit Country Threads in August on the way to Colorado. Here’s to many more years of good health and happiness!
Just love the picture of Susannah!! Goats are so inquisitive and have such wonderful personalities. We had them years ago. Really enjoy your farm news. And, Happy Birthday, and your house is gorgeous. I was there for a Bed and Breakfast overnighter 16 years ago. How time flies!
Jeanine
Happy Birthday!! Your home is so beautiful and the rocks are awesome!! It took so much work on your part to get the rocks to your yard and that was no easy task!! Kudos to all of you!!!!
Happy Birthday Mary have a great day love, love the house, and the rocks are wonderful! Enjoy!
Happy Birthday, Mary. Wishing you many more happy, healthy, productive years!!
The house looks great, what a great present to have it done and another reason to celebrate.
The house is gorgeous, Mary! And the rock really is the crowning touch. When we were at camp last fall, you were just starting to gather the rocks, and I thought it would be too much to do – I should have known you would make it happen.
Happy Birthday and enjoy your “new” home – rock on!
Happy Birthday!! Your home is beautiful and so are your critters. Thanks for sharing!
Happy, happy birthday to you!!!!!!!!!!!
Safe travels for you and Rick!
House is beautiful.
Ernie Joe Maurer is very handsome!
Happy Birthday dear friend!! The pictures are beautiful and cannot wait to see the end result!!
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day. Your home is lovely and it has been fun to watch the project (from a distance- ha) Been there, done that! We are heading your way in November so it will be nice to see it in person.
Have a safe trip and a great holiday:)
I hope you have a wonderful birthday, Mary. The house is beautiful; we were there for the first time in late May. I loved your quilt shop and look forward to another visit next June. Good luck with Rick’s appointment.
You are the hardest working woman I ever saw! All that hard work paid off with how beautiful your house turned out. Those rocks are wonderful! Hope you can sit back and enjoy it all now. Thanks for sharing all the pictures.
Happy Birthday, Mary. Enjoy your beautiful ‘new house’. Thanks for the joke.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THE HOUSE. LOVE THE WINDOWS….wow, all those gorgeous windows and the rock really makes the whole thing complete. You can never have too many rocks!! Thanks for sharing……GORGEOUS! Good luck at Mayo’s….have a safe trip.
Happy, Happy Birthday!!
Congrats on the construction completion….it looks lovely!
Loved the joke!
Happy 4th of July everyone!
Nancy
Your house is beautiful,Mary,&you deserve it as hard as you worked on it. You share a birthday with my belated mother so I am thinking of you both today.
Happy Birthday! That is quite a present! The house is stunning
Well happy birthday!!
Your home is gorgeous!! What a job well done! It just looks so inviting.
May God continue to bless you. I really enjoy all of your postings, pictures and hard work you are so amazing.
Happy birthday Mary! When I was at camp last Oct I think they were just starting your house. It looks beautiful.
Happy Birthday and happy end of restorations (for now!) The house is beautiful and what skills your workers have. Can’t wait to visit the shop soon.
Good for you and Rick!! I love how it looks…your vision was wonderful. I can’t wait to see it in person, I am sure it will be even more amazing…and HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I hope you’re not thinking about retirement…
Thanks so much for sharing all of you photos with us. I think you’ve all done an excellent job with the remodel and all that went with it.
Have a happy birthday. Put your feet up and have another beer.
M
Happy Birthday! Love your house and the beautiful rocks. And the curved walkway. And little Susannah.
Tell Rick that knee replacement will feel so good, after it all heals, that is. I’ve had two of those and am so glad I did.
Just went to the best rehab place in town and they did an excellent job. Hurts at first but gets better and better. Could kick up my heels now, but I won’t.
The place looks fantastic! Marv and I stopped on the 3rd to see you and Rick on our annual run through North Iowa. Sorry we missed you.
Happy Birthday Mary!
That’s another thing we have in common………my husband, Jerry has had both knees replaced ( about five years ago)and his recovery has been complete, and successful. I know that Rick will also have good luck.
Look foward to seeing you soon!
Happy Belated Birthday !! Everything looks so nice.
Hope you had a good 4th of July…..
Happy Birthday Mary and WOW the house is wonderful.
Love it.
It looks like I missed your birthday. So, happy belated birthday. (I am the lady who rolls her ‘r’s)
You are right those stones are beautiful and the kitty is handsome!
Enjoy, Felicia