Kitchen Renovation Homestretch

Because Once in a Lifetime Isn’t Enough We’re about 98% complete on our new kitchen renovation. It’s been a long road since we had our demolition party in February, but the hard work (mostly by others) and investment is paying off. The cabinets are beautiful. The honed granite counter tops are awesome. The island, black with a teak counter is superb.  Jason did a great job with the bead board around the window (Getty's new favorite lookout...

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A Journey to New Lands

Like our ancestors before us, Jason and I are about to explore new lands. We're leaving the kitchen renovation in the capable hands of Warren King and heading south on our third annual Civil War Harley Tour. We're packing the bike and riding to West Virginia, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Charleston, Savannah and then up to Virginia through the Smokey Mountains.  If you're interested, come with us by following the Civil War Harley blog. Enjoy the ride. I know we will.  See you back in the Bay State in a few week...

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In Search of John Brock

Genealogy is a bit like detective work. You look for evidence; you follow the clues, and hopefully, find your man (or woman). Sometimes, the clues lead to interesting discoveries, and sometimes, sadly, they lead to a dead end.  With so much information available on line, and more added every day, sites like Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org, Americanancestors.org and the occasional Google search, have made it easy and convenient to add leaves...

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Fear of Flying (Things)

We all have our fears and phobias. Some have more than others. While I’m a big animal lover, I’m not a fan of small, scurrying rodents. That’s why I have a cat. When they were younger, my kids were not allowed to have pet gerbils. It’s something about the tail. I did, however, concede to a succession of hamsters, all named Petey. No tail. I’m terrified of bats. They are horrendous mice with wings.  That’s why I have a husband, a good...

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(Sheet) Rock and Roll

I realize that it's been quite some time since I posted, but I just couldn't fathom writing about electrical wiring, gas lines or insulation with any eloquence. But sheet rock, well that's a different story! Sheet rock in our otherwise empty shell of a kitchen was a milestone. It gave us walls were there were none. It was a blank canvas to paint. On Sheet Rock Day, as it has come to be known, Jason and I arrived at the house at 7:30 with anxious anticipation. We would no longer have to look at wires threaded through ceiling beams or copper pipes...

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Deja Vu All Over Again

In response to my last blog post, my Uncle Bill pronounced me married to royalty, but royal was the last thing I felt on Sunday, covered in dust, plaster and paint. Instead, I was feeling the realities of renovation, especially in my back! After spending six years restoring our 1868 Victorian home, Jason and I swore up, down and sideways that we'd never take on another restoration or renovation project. Then we moved to Massachusetts.  The "Man Cave", as I affectionately called the quaint Lincoln condo Jason lived in during the week, was...

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Welcome to Massachusetts

My husband has always beamed with pride about his Mayflower ancestry. Richard Warren, one of the original Mayflower pilgrims, is his direct ancestor. His 11th great grandfather to be exact. Although the Warren surname stopped with Richard (the line continues through Richard's daughter, Ann Warren Little), the heralded ancestral name has been recognized through the generations, most recently with my late father-in-law, named Richard Warren Brock...

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