CHRISTMAS AT THE CONDO-DOWN GINGERBREAD WAY

  I started out with one little gingerbread sign.

Yep!  After that--well, 

you know how crazy it can get

when you love something.

Loving my kitchen this year

with gingerbread and snowmen.

I think they kind of go together, don't you?

We partially remodeled the kitchen 

when we moved in.

Due to Covid 

(we moved the day of the lock down)

one part of the kitchen did not get finished-

I hope to get the rest of the built-ins done this coming year.

However,

I love what I have!

A little gingerbread tree

with a VW bug and travel trailer

and one of my Gingerbread dolls.

Notice the little black Cockapoo ornament

that my friend, Kris-JunkChicCottage, 

sent to me.

To the side is this sweet Mary Engelbreit picture

and a snowman that is lit day and night.

                 

On the wall where the built ins 

will eventually go

is a little coffee & cocoa station

complete with a gnome sitting on his butt

to guard the cups on the tiered cup holder.

Next to that is a bookshelf

that holds a couple of travel trailers.

The gypsy in me wants to pack and go

but reality keeps me grounded

so I live vicariously and pretend

I can shrink down to toy travel trailer size.

(If I keep eating Christmas goodies, 

I will be looking for a semi to haul me around).

On top of the fridge is another cookie jar

camper and behind it is a picture my grandson

painted for my birthday--a perfect 'sky' backdrop.

There is a round table in the dinette

that has a gingerbread theme.

This faces our condo porch and front courtyard.

I saw this tablecloth on Liz's blog

Home & Gardening With Liz

and ordered one.

Click the link above to see Liz's beautiful

home and her gardens are spectacular.

Anyway-The tablecloth?

I love it! Polyester and wrinkle free!

On the kitchen wall to the side of the table

is a large mirror surrounded by

Christmas paintings and cross stitch pieces.

I did the two Santa folk art paintings years ago.

My daughter did the large cross stitch for me

while she was in college.

The small one was a gift from my 

wonderfully talented friend, 

Neadeen Masters.

She is the most talented artist

I have ever known.

She is now doing miniatures

and if you want to see some 

amazing talent

click here.

Pictures of the pictures are not the best

but it is what it is.

By the door going to the laundry room

is this sweet Santa head from my son & his wife.

So-not wanting to bore you further,

I will save the pictures of the dining room

and odds and ends of Christmas for

another day.

Here is someone else that loves a 

GINGERBREAD TOY...

sent by my friend, Kris.

He will bump that against me about 

100 times per hour so that I will throw it 

for him.

If I don't react fast enough he will

run his teeth, nip,nip,nip, against

my leg.

I am thinking of sending him to visit Kris 

and taking his Gingerbread boy with him.

After all, 

What are friends for?!

Back soon with a Christmas wrap up!

 

JUST CAN'T DO IT! Taking A Break!

I know many of you

are just like me!

You think you can do it ALL.

You think you can 

make the coffee, 

drink the coffee,

wash the coffee cup,

wash the laundry,

dry the laundry,

fold the clothes and

put them away.

I think I can do all that...

ALL the time.

Now, add in MOVING,

a sprained thumb, wrist,

and upper arm.

Add in a home we are leaving

that will need to be cleaned

top to bottom,

and things that need to be finished

in the

NEW PLACE.

Add in purging and packing

and hard decisions.

I can do ALL that, 

BUT........

I have to take a break from 

blogging 

until after I get moved.

We are moving at the end of March.

After that,

I PROMISE

to come back and share 

the new place with you.

Befores AND Afters!

Here is just a sneak peek

at the far end of the kitchen.

Fridge was not in yet

but was delivered this week.

A counter depth SS--

My son orchestrated all this work

while we were gone.

Color on walls is

Irish Mist-Cabinetry is Dove White

Counter top is Quartz.

Backsplash is white subway tile.

Microwave can also be used as

an oven or hot air fryer.

Lots more to show....

So---I promise to come back

with room by room makeovers

as I go along.

Please bear with me...

and pray I don't kill anyone 

die during this move!

Thank you all so much

for being such faithful followers.

CHANGING THE BLOG-IT'S A BIG DECISION...THANKS FOR WEIGHING IN

Speaking of 

WEIGHING IN...

There are days when I feel

BIG 

and then seeing something like this

puts it in perspective.

Not the greatest picture-

taken from the road this 

misty morning.

I imagine this is here waiting

for the Daytona 500

to officially kick-off.

So---the results of my poll~

Between my blog, 

Facebook & personal emails,

I had about 120 responses.

Here is the breakdown:

8-Voted for a Condo Blog

14-Voted for a Camping Blog

31-Voted to combine Condo & Camping

23-Keep blog and add to it

44-WHATEVER or ANYTHING

 Some suggested calling it The Next Chapter.

There were several suggestions of 

names I might use.

So- I think, at this point in time,

I will add to the blog I have

and just headline different subjects.

I have lots of fodder for both

camping and condo living

(or will have after we move and start camping)

Think March and Early Summer.

So, bear with me.

For now I will continue with my 

USUAL NONSENSE.

And show you pictures of

whatever happens to strike my fancy.

Condo Update:

I asked my son to show me a peek

of what was happening at the condo.

He showed me a 4" square of quartz countertop

and a close up of his teeth.

uh-huh

Gotta love a kid man son like that.

Kid has a million dollar smile

(literally-check the invoices)....

He is keeping me in suspense like

Chip Gaines

waiting for 

THE FINAL REVIEW.

Is it time to go home yet?

Okay-back to the matter at hand~

Thanks again for weighing in.

I will be back soon....pinky promise!

LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK & OPINIONS-NANA DIANA IS GOING PLACES.....

Hello to all my

WONDERFUL FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS.

I think I am at a 

CROSSROADS IN LIFE!

I have been blogging for

10 YEARS THIS WEEK!

I can hardly believe it.

During that 10 years,

a lot has changed.

We moved three times,

(counting the upcoming move on March 1st)

John has survived 3 bouts of cancer,

I retired once and went back to work-

now 'retired' a second time. (maybe)

My local grandkids are growing up

and don't depend on Nana like 

they once did.

(Well, except for little CJK who is

always up for some homework help-lol)

and I do see him often.

My other daughter and her 3 kids

live 6+ hours away so I don't 

have the hands on with them

like I did/do with the local kids.

Other grandkids are grown and gone.

So--while

Nana Diana Takes A Break

was a good escape from all

the rigors of daily life,

life is changing.

First off-

I have no intention of 

quitting blogging.

(you can smile now)

but---here are my questions for you -

with some input 

from me.

I am thinking of taking the blog

in a new direction.

I have searched online and cannot

find a blog dedicated to 

CONDO LIVING

(which is a bit different from 

living in a regular home).

I have been thinking about 

doing a blog that would show

the ins & outs of condo living,

the remodeling we are doing,

adapting to a new lifestyle,

along with all my daily stuff as well.

(you know--my usual nonsense)

(Nana Diana Conquers Condo Living)

My 2nd idea is this~

We bought a 30' Class C

Minnie Winnie Camper.

I will be driving us around

as we 

LEARN TO CAMP-

omg-IMAGINE THAT!!!

Can't wait to get my first

spray-down during

PUMP OUT.

I already have her named-

MINNIE MANOR!

(Nana Diana On The Road With Minnie Manor)

OR-

3rd Choice-

I could combine the two-

depending on what I am doing-

or where I am-

and call it something like

Nana Diana's 

Condo & Camping -

or

Nana Diana's 

Condo & Camping Comical Chronicles,

or something along those lines.

So-throw it at me-

what do you think?

I would leave the old blog in place,

but close the comments to it

with a link to the new blog.

I think I am ready for a change-

but don't want to lose touch

with any of you.

I have seen that happen 

too many times

in Blogland.

Would you follow along if I

take a new direction?

I will still do the 

Pick Your Favorites

(cuz I know you all love that)

and feature family moments

but will make some changes.

Now if I could only change/erase these 

wrinkles....sigh.....

Be back in a few days with the

Pick Your Favorite Results-

I like to give it a few days so 

that bloggers have a chance to weigh in.

Still on vacation.

I am not so good at 

'resting and relaxing'...lol...

Happy Thursday-

Love you guys!

(blog names I tossed out are only suggestions-

open to input)

WHAT IS CALIFORNIA SHED STYLE?

For all of you that have asked-

WHAT IS CALIFORNIA SHED STYLE?

It might be called something different

in a different area.

Here, it is a late 1960's/1970's style

that has a rustic exterior with a

more modern interior.

It has a slanted roof in the back

and soaring ceilings inside,

usually with a loft (open or semi open).

I am attaching pictures

front and back so you can

see what I am talking about.

People either love the style

or hate it.

LOL- Guess I am an

OLD HIPPY 

at heart 

(although I never lived like a hippy-

too much of a chicken-lol).

because

I like the style.

I have lived in traditional,

coastal, Florida style,

colonial, two story,

ranch style & modern-

but nothing like this.

I will keep posting pictures

as we go along.

All changes will be interior

because we have to abide by

condo rules to not change 

"the look" from the exterior.

Front-We have a lofted area-

each unit to the side is a single story.

Our main living area,

including 2 bedrooms/2 baths,

is on the main floor.

The big windows upstairs overlook

the river one street over,

and that is where my sewing/craft area

will be---whoo hoooo---

finally a place of my own.

I have never had a dedicated space

like this before.

There were always kids, etc.,

to think about and contend with.

FRONT VIEW~

Back-

Units are staggered so we will

not see our side-by-side neighbors

unless we chose to do so.

Upper windows are in the loft area

where there is 3rd bedroom/bath

in case we need live-in care at some point.

Hopefully not-but life 

throws things at us sometimes

that we don't expect.

So...here ya go---

CA Shed Style Back View

There you have it, kids.

Be back with more soon!

I know y'all are dying to see the inside.

Did I say DYING?

Remember...there is a graveyard

right behind us...

and I have a shovel if needed!

BIG NEWS- WE BOUGHT A CONDO

Listen-

Grab your coffee or tea

or vodka-

this is more wordy than most of my posts.

I am the person that has always said,

"I will NEVER live in a condo"~

Yep!  That was me!

NEVER!

Plus, after selling our home on the bay,

we have been renting from

the greatest landlord(s).

A brand new twindo that is gorgeous--

but not ours, you know?

I sure hate letting them know

we are moving.

So-Why are we moving?

Life changes.

Health changes.

Needs & wants change.

There is a small complex

that I have always loved.

45 units total-

3 or 4 blocks from my daughter's home.

NOTHING ever comes up

for sale in this complex.

Well, guess what?

Being in the real estate business,

I pull up new listings everyday

in the price range I am 

interested in.

Lo & Behold (don't ya love that old saying)--

a WONDERFUL UNIT came

on the market in our price range.

I jumped on it.

In less than 30 days the unit 

was ours-

signed, sealed and delivered.

Here's the best part-

the original owner's daughter

is one of the nicest people

I have ever not met.

We have texted and emailed

and she is thrilled that we will

LOVE THIS PLACE

like her mom did.

She is going to come see us

after we get the work done

and we move in.

So-the condo---

California Shed Style Condo.

It was build in 1976 and the

original owners took 

excellent care of it.

It is in wonderful condition

but dated!

My son, Ryan, has graciously

stepped up to the plate 

and is overseeing the work being done there.

The best part is that it has a 

PRIVATE FRONT PATIO

and an even more

PRIVATE BACK PATIO.

We don't back up to any other condos.

However, we do back up to 

A GRAVEYARD.

My wonderful son has said that

"when the time comes"

he can just throw us over the fence.

Yes-it is true!

I raised a kid that has my 

warped sense of humor.

Not everyone thinks we are funny---

starting with MyHero~

So, I will be doing lots of

BEFORE & AFTER 

pictures as this reno progresses.

We are slated to move in by 

the end of March.

Meanwhile-

I have to get busy 

a-sortin' & a-purgin'.

Wish me luck cuz you know 

I will need it.

Just a little teaser for you---

Our backyard---

OH DEER!