Road Trip and Cleaning Post

I have been a busy and a motivated bee over the last week. After coming back from Auburn, I watched football the rest of New Year's Day and then did some tidying up in my laundry area and sewing room (work room) while Jeff continued to watch football. I will share all of that this next week.
On Thursday, Lindsay, Tucker, Mother and I went on our little trip and had a nice little time together.

Mother and I like to take regular trips to our "home place." Mother and Daddy were born and raised in Range of Conecuh County, Alabama.  After Daddy died, we moved back there from Columbus, Georgia and I attended school at Repton Elementary. When Mother remarried, we moved to Brewton where I graduated from high school. Through my growing up years we shopped either in Brewton, Monroeville, or Pensacola. Mother was not one to stay home. *Range is about halfway between Brewton and Monroeville. She worked like crazy during the week to keep the house spotless, but come the weekend we went to one of the destinations.

*For those that are unfamiliar with those names, all are close together in very south Alabama just above the Florida panhandle.

We regaled Lindsay who has probably heard it all before with stories of shopping at the department stores in Monroeville (Katz and Bedsole's) and Brewton (Weavers's and Robbins & McGowans'). I have such sweet memories of the department stores. 
Our usual eating place on the square, The Sweet Tooth was closed for the holidays. Bummer! We had to settle for the Courthouse Cafe which was just ok, not bad, but nothing like The Sweet Tooth.

We also visited the two family cemeteries where Tucker was able to view his great great great great grandparents' burial sites.

After all was said and done, Lindsay said she thought Brewton was the prettiest place of all. I think she might be right because they do an excellent job of having flowers all through town. Literally everywhere. Someone does a phenomenal job. They are even in boxes lining the bridge going into town.

Here is a sampling of them along a side road with a wonderful mural of the railroad and timber industry that is famous for.

Closer view of the flowers lining the road.

Also no matter the age of the homes in Brewton, it is just a town where everyone keeps their yard looking nice. And that is saying something these days. That is one reason Mother doesn't think our area is too nice because it has some horrible looking yards here in Fort Walton.

She is right... I know it is hard to keep flowers but some pride would be nice in your home.

I mentioned in my last post that I thought I would be spending more time with Mother. That has proven to be very true. I will elaborate in my next post.

Then Friday and Saturday I was like a woman who has been rested and refreshed and had boundless energy. My sewing room, laundry area, and kitchen are all clean clean clean.

I will share a little of the kitchen because it might not look like this in a couple of days. No wait I am determined to keep this island clean!!!

I looked through all the cabinets and I must say the past 5 years of decluttering means there was very little to do. If I had to downsize, now that would be another matter. I would have to get rid of some things that I do use for entertaining.

I polished all of my cabinets. They are 35 years old as of December. Original counters too. I have changed the white tile floor and appliances.
I use Pledge Revive It (used to be called Revitalizing Oil). It works wonders on my cabinets which are wood. I tried other things I saw on Pinterest for getting some of the gunk off of the handle areas only to remove the finish. They had gotten pretty bad when we moved in. I just kept putting this stuff on and it cleans and shines.

Jeff has started refinishing the bad doors and drawers and they look wonderful.
You can see here one he has redone and one he needs to do. The top one has been redone, the next one needs it.

For the most part they are in fabulous shape and I love them, but you can see from up close some are in need of more after this many years.

Here is one set of doors for the dishes that is used daily that needs redoing...

And here is another that needs nothing and really most are like this...

The table always gets seasonal cloth napkins and candles. Light blue for the New Year. Pink will pop out for Valentine's in a couple of weeks.

Jeff and I also took a beach walk Friday morning.

This feather was sticking up from the sand like so ... so naturally, that one was added to my collection of feathers.

I also picked up my mockingbird and discovered that the place where I have been getting framing done is going out of business. I am sad because they were doing a good job.

I will share another picture of it later as I took this after dark.

I have been reading and stitching and finished the U in Tucker's name and worked on the family register so I will share that this next week also.

As promised here is a Lemony pic...

Also after dark and she has retired for the evening. 

The vacation is over for Hubby and Tucker comes tomorrow. Can't wait to have him to myself tomorrow. New toys and he is walking everywhere!

Oh boy,

Sandy