Wow, SRS, she's lucky to have a mom that will go the extra mile with her stuff.... it sounds like you have hit on a great way to save the memory of the look she would find familiar and keep her stuff findable to her-- and make it poss. for you to zoom thru the 28 remaining cubbies! Is there someone in your circle who could share the "fun" and make a day of it with you?

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Here the task of stowing 50 bulky gallons of water is underway in a way that makes it manageable for me (I can't lift the 55-lb. jugs more than once, yet) and Hardi (who has no time to help). I have several 2-1/2 gal and smaller containers we did not have last time we fetched home so much water.... I'll have to juggle spigots (3 for 6 jugs) and space to set up a pouring-off station like last time, but I've reconfigured the space a tad since last time... the next fetch will allow porch storage and I know where THAT can be managed... I tell you what, tho-- if everyone had to personally lift all the water they drink, as some of us do, the water policies in the US would be different. I'm grateful we have the experience to know how and the water to do it with, but I leave a week from tomorrow on a trip and I do NOT want these huge jugs in Hardi's way.

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In the main house, plans move (slowly) forward to paint the lower level sometime this year. I've just about decided to retain one wall of the weird wallpaper that IS this house to many of its past occupants, our guests, and us. It's the one wall they papered really well-- laying out the pattern so it's centered on windows and such-- that will not be substantially re-arranged post-paint. If I leave it, the fabric we got for drapes will work, I think; after 15+ years here I almost don't totally HATE the pattern as much as the overuse of it in a narrow space. If the fabric works (I have some to hang to look), leaving the one wall will actually look like it was papered on purpose to go with the room decor.

~Susan