Planning the remodel started 18 months ago. They broke ground (or walls) last June. It was supposed to be done by October. Now it is May and it is done - almost. A few little things still need to be handled, but they are just little things.
Being so close to the end, we held the promised open house to show it all off. It started with Jeanne flying in from Vegas on Thursday. Then Friday we spent an hour in CostCo and several hours cleaning the place up and putting furniture in place. Whew. We were exhausted.
Saturday morning we made the major food. Jeanne made her baked pasta. It was a tremendous hit. She made gazpacho from one of my recipes. It was ice cold and delicious. I made chili colorado, which came out a bit spicy, but I loved it.
We tried to invite everyone we know and over the day about 90 people came by. Wow, the place was crowded. If you didn't get an invitation, it was a complete oversight on our part. Call us up and let's do a dinner together.
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Jeanne helped us sweep the place up. |
Meat is ready for the chili
colorado |
 Joe is the master craftsman who made the cabinets. With his wife and Matt Grocott, the designer. |
Me, JP, Denise, Don
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 Carson assists Jackie with wine |
 Kitchen conversations - Margaret |
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Dean |
 Doug and Leonard |
 Me in the kitchen. |
 Edie and Richard |
 Friends from Visa |
Richie and Leonard |
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Marian and Eileen |
 Deanna, Michael, Carolyn |
 Jeanne |
 Carol and Yvonne |
 Aunt Jackie, Aunt Mariane, Mom |
 Practicing WII skiing |
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Thom and Vance |
 Jim Lyons, Pat, and Richard |
 Elaine, Danny, Susanna |
 Hal and Carolyn |
 Clint, Steve, Carol, Jeanne |
 JP with Jeanne's baked pasta |
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Jodeen and Steve |
 Cindy and Don |
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JP and Denise |
 Joe and his wife with Georgia and Bill |
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Doug |
 Stephanie |
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I can do better on the WII |
 Glenda, Morgan, and Marty |
 Michael and Cookie |
 Wendy |
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Glenda, Rhona, Gary |
JD, Ken, Ben |
My new iPad made an appearance and you couldn't keep people from touching it. It can be mesmerizing, but I didn't realize how seductive it would be. And so easy even for those who haven't used iPhones before. Young and old were able to pick it up and start using it. I was surprised to see the collaboration it encouraged. Several times groups of three or four would be using it at the same time.
 Pat plays marble drop while Bill watches |
 Alyson was able to just use it |
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Marty drives while Wendy and Nancy look on. |
 Drew, Julie, and Wendy all using the iPad |
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Mary shows something to Rhona and Jim |
 And now two people have their hands on the tablet. |
 Even Richie spent time with the pad. |
 And this says it all. Julie cradles the iPad and I wondered if she was planning to take it home. It looked like a natural in her arm. |