Lucy’s Blog Pt. 5 – How to Love and be Loved

Lucy’s Blog Pt. 5 – How to Love and be Loved

BEACH > THIS WAY!!

Just a few more finishing touches and, mostly decorative, and the project will be finished! But it's definitely time to be put to use!! It was a lot of fun and I hope to have lots of beach bums coming to visit!! The BEACH sign was made by my neighbor Katie! She just graduated from Holland High and this was a project from her art class that she offered to give to me! It's just perfect!

A Little Piece of Ludington

I've finally discovered my hidden treasure! When Tyler, the name of the "sandman", delivered my "beach", he informed me that the sand was from a dune that he owns up in Ludington!! I was so geeked!! I have so many amazing memories from there when I was growing up; and now I have a little tangible piece in my own backyard that will be a reminder everytime I look out the window!! Now comes the "fun" part of filling in where the sod once was!!

I was able to get a little bit shoveled before I left for work tonight, and then worked on it again when I got home, by "security light"!! It's a slower process than I expected but it will definitely be worth it!!
So please stop by, everyone, anytime, and spend a little time in Ludington!! lol I have lots of landscaping/decorating ideas yet that I want to add, like an old wood dock for sunbathing, beach grass to line the fence with, and some other surprises that you'll just have to stop by to see!!! I should have the sand all in place by Sunday, hopefully!!! I'm so glad the weather is cooperating!! What a blessing indeed!! Have a Happy 4th!! Thank you to all who serve and protect our freedom, and a special thank you to the ones I am so privileged to know; Carolynn Czepiga, Scott Johnson, John Wilson, and Karl Palmberg; the friends I met from AZ that went to Ghana with us!! God Bless you all!

Just Beachy!!

There's been a little bit of a delay in the Beach construction project! I had a house full of guests this past week; my dad came up from SC, and Tyler, Kelly and Michael were all here! It was nice having a full house again...it sure is quiet now though! (Except for the fire crackers going off non-stop!)

As I continued digging up the sod, I discovered yet another treasure! This time, not a bottle, but a silver spoon! I'm thinking, just one step closer to that hidden treasure that's waiting for me!!

This excavating by hand is definitely hard work but well worth the muscles that I'm developing in my arms and abs!! I even beat Ashley at arm wrestling! There are pics to prove it, but, well, I'm a nice mom and I wouldn't want to embarrass her too badly!!! Boosted my ego a little, I must admit though! lol

The day before yesterday, when I saw the forecast for the 4th of July I just had to get this project moving!! What a great way to spend the weekend---at my very own backyard beach!! So I called the number I had from Craig's List for the beach sand and scheduled a delivery date! That'll get me motivated!!! It was to be delivered the next day! Time to get moving!!

BEACH CONSTRUCTION - Day 2

SONS are wonderful!!! Especially when they surprise you! I came home from work at 1:30 this morning to a much bigger pile of sod!!! Which could only mean one thing!!! Someone's been digging in my yard and it wasn't me!!! lol

And the neighbor is going to fix the tire on my wheelbarrow so we seeing great progress!!

BEACH CONSTRUCTION -Day 1

Day 1 - Began removing the sod today! It's taking a little longer than planned as the wheelbarrow decided to get a flat tire, hence, the pile of dirt you see! At first I was really frustrated, not only did I think I would have to go get the tire repaired, but then there would be the added work of shoveling the dirt back into the wheelbarrow to be moved to the appropriate spot! Ughhh! Then, I had a revelation!! The back part of my yard is sloped slightly so that when it rains, my yard fills with water all the way to the clothesline pole that you see in the center of the yard. So, landscaping expert that I am, had been wondering where I could get some fill dirt, for free, of course, (who wants to pay for dirt, right? Beach sand is different, justifably so!) And now, that "thorn" of a wheelbarrow, provided me with the idea of raking the dirt into the back part of the yard, thus preventing the flooding!! While I will still have some unintended extra work to do, it will be serving a great purpose!! It's all in one's perspective!!

The weather has been cooperating perfectly too! It rains, the ground is soft and easier to dig up and the temps are cool! God is good all the time!!

I even uncovered a "treasure", of sorts, while I was digging! It's a really neat looking bottle to add to my collection of others! Perhaps, as I continue to create my "little island in the city" (hee hee!) I will come across a real buried treasure!! It can't hurt to dream! It's quite possible that a rich dutchman, from long ago, buried a bag of gold coins in a pair of wooden shoes in my backyard and forgot to take them with him when he left! Anything's possible!

Coffee Pops!!!

Mmmmmmm.....Coffee!! One of my favorite things!! Hot, cold, frozen, flavored, coffee-flavored ice cream, candy, so.....why not "gourmet" coffee pops!!

Since I absolutely love the "new" Caramel Frappes at McDonald's, I decided that would be my first "recipe"!! A little sugar, a little cream, a fair amount of caramel syrup, STIR, and pour into the my old Tupperware popcicle molds!! Ta Da!!! Coffee pops!!!

Just think of the different variations that are possible??!!! ENJOY!!