This weekend was a family weekend for my hubby & me. His 3 kids came into town for a visit, between work and school obligations. We were very happy to see them all & it was good to catch up with them & see how they are doing. From left is Ben (21), my hubby, Peter, Nick (19), and Stacy (23). The 2 older ones are still in college in Louisiana & the youngest (and tallest) just graduated from the French Culinary Institute in NYC, where he is still living & working. He said he is really enjoying living up there & loves the fast pace of the city. He’s cooking at one of the top up and coming restaurants, from what we hear.
We made homemade pizza on Friday night & it was a big hit. I used a storebought crust (called Mama Marys & it was very good), with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, & kalamata olives. It was great!
Here we are in the middle of our feast. See we’re eating on the new plates.
One of the main reasons the kids came home this weekend was to visit their grand-pappy, Peter’s grandfather. He is the patriarch of the family & we’ve just found out recently that he has cancer. They aren’t quite sure about diagnosis yet, but it looks like it may not be treatable and at 97, it could be quite a battle for him that I’m not sure he’s willing to tackle at this stage. I love this picture of him & Peter’s grandmother, who they called Mammie. A lot of Peter’s family got together a few weekends ago for a mini-family reunion & one of the grandaughter’s put some pictures together on a CD & gave them to everyone. I just thought this was such a great picture of a young couple starting out in life. What a dashing pair they were!
They built this home here in B’ham back in the 1960’s & he has now outlived 2 wives in it. It’s a wonderful ranch home in an established area of town with lots of trees & woods. He’s a horticulturist & loved working in his yard. Peter tells me he has a lot of fruit trees here on this property & he used to walk around it with his grandfather telling him all about the plants & trees that he was growing.
This is the winding driveway coming up from the road. It’s a beautiful piece of property. I hope somehow they can keep it in the family when Pappy is gone. We don’t know exactly how long he has left, so everyone is trying to make the best of it by visiting him often. It looks like there won’t be too many months left to do that. So, on Saturday a few cousins & us stopped by for a visit with Pappy. He’s a very gentle, sweet man who is still very vibrant & sharp.
I thought you’d enjoy seeing an older Southern home that was decorated in the 1960’s, I’m sure & looks like time has stood still. The livingroom is very stately & elegant.
Nice furniture & colors.
And the diningroom with the floral wallpaper & vintage table, chairs & china cabinet.
Along with the sideboard & an oil painting of someone…not sure who that is.
And here are the 3 great grandchildren with their Pappy. For 97, he is an amazing man. He still drives his Lincoln Town Car (even though everyone would love for him to hang up the keys!). He always remembers names & greets everyone by their name. He has made me always feel welcome just in the 2 short years that Peter and I have been married. He made a mark in the steel industry many years ago & has been a pillar of this community for a long, long time. So, that was our weekend. These moments are very precious, as we don’t often know how long our loved ones are going to be around. We need to take the time while we have it.
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I did manage to get out to just a few sales very early Sat. a.m. before anyone was up. It was a clothes day. I found all of these gently used pieces for $9.00. This is a beautiful black 2 piece sweater set.
Banana Republic long sleeve shirt.
Gap striped tank top & the solid blue one is brand new with the tags still on by Jones New York.
I loved this Gap jeans jacket. It is practically brand new. Remember, everything was $9…not a bad deal at all!
Lastly, this is one of my favorite finds! At the last yardsale I went to today, I found this pretty custom made valance which is going to go in my hubby’s new office. He has already got his new desk filled with his computer & printer & stuff & is enjoying sitting in there. My mission will be to decorate this space on a budget. I wanted something on the windows & this valance will be perfect. I already have a rod stashed away that I bought last year at a yardsale, so I’ll probably paint it white & hang this on rings. It matches the blue paint in there perfectly. And it was $1.00! Can you stand that?? I asked him what he wanted on the walls in there & he wants Alabama football stuff, so that is what I’m going after now. I’ll be on the lookout for some memorabilia, so this will be a sports-themed office. Should look pretty with the blue, since AL colors are burgandy red & white.
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I did manage to get out to just a few sales very early Sat. a.m. before anyone was up. It was a clothes day. I found all of these gently used pieces for $9.00. This is a beautiful black 2 piece sweater set.
Banana Republic long sleeve shirt.
Gap striped tank top & the solid blue one is brand new with the tags still on by Jones New York.
I loved this Gap jeans jacket. It is practically brand new. Remember, everything was $9…not a bad deal at all!
Lastly, this is one of my favorite finds! At the last yardsale I went to today, I found this pretty custom made valance which is going to go in my hubby’s new office. He has already got his new desk filled with his computer & printer & stuff & is enjoying sitting in there. My mission will be to decorate this space on a budget. I wanted something on the windows & this valance will be perfect. I already have a rod stashed away that I bought last year at a yardsale, so I’ll probably paint it white & hang this on rings. It matches the blue paint in there perfectly. And it was $1.00! Can you stand that?? I asked him what he wanted on the walls in there & he wants Alabama football stuff, so that is what I’m going after now. I’ll be on the lookout for some memorabilia, so this will be a sports-themed office. Should look pretty with the blue, since AL colors are burgandy red & white. Busy weekend, but a very good one! Hope yours was too!
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I’m glad to hear you had a good weekend with the kids. Sorry to hear about your DH’s grandpa. He sounds like an amazing man.
Great yard sale finds! The valance will look great in your hubby’s office. Can’t wait to see how you decorate it.
Have a great week!
Sorry to hear about your FIL, Rhoda. He looks so chipper in that picture for 97! It’s nice that the kids were able to visit.
That’ll be fun to decorate your hubby’s office! If anyone can do it beautifuly on a budget it’s you, Yardsale Queen! 🙂 The valance is gorgeous!
Manuela
Thanks for sharing your weekend and all the pictures. It is amazing how good grandpa looks at 97. He has a beautiful home. How wonderful that he has been able to stay there for so long. Wishing him the best.
Rosie
Good Morning Rhoda!
I really enjoying meeting the rest of your family! They all seem like very special people and I know you are treasuring them. ((hugs))
And that is cool that you found more wonderful treasures while ‘saling! Love the valance! Can’t wait to see what you do in this space!
xo,
Kim
That was a nice story about Peter’s family. I enjoyed seeing pics of the kids & the house with all it’s furnishings. It was very good of the kids to visit Pappy, he looks good for his age, so sorry to hear that he is sick.
That valance looks extremely well made & was a real bagain. Show more of the room please, as it progresses.
Rhoda, I wanna learn about grits from a true southern gal….I have NEVER eaten grits! Honestly….You mentioned stone ground grits, how do you eat them? Butter, syrup. gravy….a northerner want to know!
Sending good thoughts your way, DebraK
What a great looking family. Your FIL looks like a truly lovely man, I will say a prayer for him…
What a lovely story. Sorry to hear about granpa, he is lucky to have such amazing family around him.
I love the story about your husbands grandfather. Who would not be happy to have been blessed with 97 years? I hope that he can remain pain free for the rest of his days. Nice that he has family around him.
My husband came home from a trip the other day and brought a calendar that he found at Cracker Barrel with vintage programs from the Tennesee Vols. I would think you could find one at a CB near you of the Crimson Tide. The pages are 11X14, printed in soy ink and made for framing. It’s pretty cool-he bought it for the ‘man cave’!
Rhoda, you took me back to my Aunties’ homes…each of them (all five) had beautiful homes and the insides decorated in similar style.
Your FIL seems to have had a wonderful life and it’s good that you have gotten to know him..
Thanks for sharing…
what a joy to be on your blog. such excitement and great looking food!! Pappie – what a terrific smile!!!
have a great day! leigh
What a wonderful weekend. It’s always a treat to come see what you’ve done or found. I am sorry to hear about grandpa but I rejoice in the fact that God has given him 97 wonderful years on earth. That’s amazing! I will pray for him, that the end of his life would be sweet and filled with grace. Your hubby is a very blessed man to have this man in his life for so long.
I love the Gap jean jacket you found!
It was fun to see the interior of the house. It is gorgeous. I love your yard sale finds. Pretty amazing! Be sure and show us your hubby’s office once you hang the valance.
Rhoda,
I’m so sorry to hear of the news. Your FIL seems awfully “with it” for any age let alone 97!! That’s amazing. Cherish these times for sure.
I have to laugh. When I first looked at the valance, before reading about it, I thought it was a skirt. You know one of those hip-hugging skirts that flare out at the calves. Like something from the 40s. HA HA!!
Love,
Julie
Looks like you had a great weekend. The kids look happy with dad.Pappy was a goodlooking man wow.I bet he kept all the women jumping. I will be praying for him.
97! He really looks good and sounds like a wonderful person. So sorry to hear about his cancer.
Peter’s kids are all so good looking…they must take after their Daddy 🙂
Wow…it’s lunchtime and that pizza looks soooo good.
Hugs!
Kat
How nice! Man, he does not look 97! Lost my grandfather at 99 – it had it all til the every end! Good lookin’ family!
Wow! Pappy looks great for 97! Looks for 77, even! In his younger picture, he looked a bit like Ricky Nelson to me. I know y’all will make his last months (or more!) comfortable and enjoyable.
Rhoda,
Sounds like a great weekend….handsome family……wishing for Pappy good days…We have friends whose granddaughter calls him Pappy and her Yappy….fits her to a T……
Your yardsale finds don’t surprise me in the least….you have a nose like a pedigreed bird dog for wonderful bargins…..Betty
What a sweet story of Pappy. And you’re right – he and Mammie do look dashing in that photo. I’m very sorry to hear of his cancer, but it’s wonderful to hear how everyone is treasuring their time with him!
Kari
this is a blessed time for your family…memories that can never be taken away…glad that you had it…your father is precious…blessings, rebecca