Happy Holidays

 

                          

                                      The Reason For The Season

I guess you could say that I really like to decorate for Christmas.  It usually begins on the day after Thanksgiving.  It is more fun than fighting the crowds in the stores and spending $$ that I really don’t have.

The tree has been in a couple of places, but I finally decided on the bench where there is room for a few presents.

                                      

Nick and Jenny (the other Hosts) gave me this tree.  Nick made it out of driftwood and I added the star, lights and skirt.  Thank you Nick, I love it.

                                         

I have created little vignettes all over the MH.  One of my daughters thinks that it is a lot of “stuff”.  It is, but it makes me happy.  The Rag Santa and Reindeer were made by a friend of mine back in Sacramento.  She has since “passed”, so this is one way to remember her.  The little doll in Santa’s lap was made by my mother many years ago.  I added the sweater and hat and will keep him with the Christmas decorations.

 

I am combining Swedish and Scottish themed things to go with the stuffed animals that share Angel’s space on the dashboard.                                      

 

I even hang the stockings below the virtual fireplace

                                        

and ornaments in the windows

                              

Going into the bedroom there is the poinsettia garland.

                           

There is even a tree in the bedroom.  This one has an Angel topper and Swedish Gnomes hanging out by the presents below it.

 

                                   

More ornaments in the window with dolls and another Santa.

                        

Yeah, I do get carried away at this time of the year, but that’s okay.  It would be more fun with family and friends to share it with.  I guess that’s what I’m doing with this post.  I miss you all, but if you’re in the area, stop by for some eggnog.

I hope that you all have a wonderful Holiday Season.

Thanks for visiting

I’m just enjoying Mom, the heater and last year’s ugly Christmas Sweater.

Susan and Angel

More Mods, King Tide And Crafting

Time really gets away when you get busy.  Once I decided that as long as I am going to stay in this MH, I might as well modify “My Spot II” to decorate it the way that I want it to reflect who I am.  I have always liked plaids and tartans and all things Scottish. Maybe it is because I’m half Scottish and half Swedish.  So that is what the decorating theme is.  The first thing that I changed was the bench that I modified out of the two chairs in front (driving and passenger), pictured in my last post.

Ted came over to help with the shelf under the window of the slide where the sofa/sleeper used to be. I later painted it the same as the little bistro set.  It all weighs a lot less than the sofa/sleeper. There’s even room under the shelves for a couple of plastic drawer units to store odds and ends that I use often.

Ever since I decided to retire, one of my main purchases was a Lazy Boy Recliner.  It has made the move from the double-wide to the 5th wheel and then to the MH.  I really liked it and spent a lot of time in it.  It was soooooo comfortable and sometimes I even slept in it.  The only problem with it was that it was too big for the MH.  Ted would joke and tell me that he would give it a good home.  Well I finally let him take it home after I found a replacement.  I did find an office chair that rocks and swivels. It really didn’t have to recline, because I can always put my feet up on something else.  As you can see, the print just doesn’t go with tartan or Swedish prints, so I just painted it.  I think that it turned out really nice.

                       

Another project was to paint the doors of the refrigerator/freezer.  I wanted to do it in chalkboard paint, but did it with chalk paint.  What a difference.  I can’t write on it with chalk, but that’s ok.  I still like it better than the wood finish.

                                           

Just before Thanksgiving there was a “King Tide”.  At least that was what the hype said.  All it was was an extra high tide.  That’s Nick and Jenny below on a hike to check it  out. The first two pictures are of the same place below the boardwalk on the trail taken about five minutes apart. 

                            

On the way back home I took this showing where the water goes over the road.  From all the hype I thought it would be more dramatic.  Oh well!

 

There wasn’t too much going on in the campground during the week, so I had plenty of time on my hands.  I ended up working on knitting Christmas Presents.  I was going to post a picture, but decided I didn’t want to let the proverbial cat out of the bag.  Last week I mailed them.  What a shock ($$$) for the postage.  It was even worse if I had sent them by UPS.  No wonder I don’t mail things more often.

In addition to making presents, I finally was able to replace the “hair” on this doll.  After searching the internet I found instructions on making yarn wig.  She previously had “hair” that was made out of some kind of curly string that had been glued on and had come loose.  I haven’t decided yet if I will trim it.

 

Things have been a bit hectic here, lots to do during the week and then on the weekends we have campers.  Fortunately the campground can almost run itself, so I can take off  any time I need to.  With it getting closer to Christmas, it seems that it is getting busier and busier. 

I hope that you all are having a wonderful holiday season and not getting too stressed. 

Thanks for visiting

I’m just hiding, while Mom decorates.

Susan and Angel

I’ve Moved Again, Visits, Mod Updates

 

Yes I’ve moved “My Spot II” again, but only from one spot to the other one after the other camp hosts left.  The main reason was because the back fence where I was, was angled and I couldn’t open my back compartment open all the way.  In the new one the back fence is straight across.  It is so much better.                                   

                    from here                             to                       here

                                   

                                        My yard is also a little bit bigger.

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Visits

Last month Santa Clara County Parks had their Volunteer BBQ, so of course I had to attend.  There I am listed under 1000 hours.  In the picture is me, Angel, Ranger Theresa, and two other volunteers, Mike and his wife, Alfonsie. (not sure of the spelling)      

 

Last month, Ted and Leslie came for a visit and we went to the Melting Pot for dinner in Larkspur.  It was a lot of fun cooking our own meat and dessert in a fondue pot.

         

Last month I had a comment asking me to say hello to Lorraine and Bethany from the R&B girls.  They are pictured below with Lorraine on the left, Ronnie in the middle and Bridget on the right, standing by their MH and Toad.  They are former camp hosts here at China Camp and were on their way to their next gig.  It was great to meet them.

                          

There was another visit, this time from the EMTs to assist a fallen bicyclist.  That happens occasionally, but at least they are not as far away as they are at JD Grant.

                             

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Now for the Mod Updates.

I have deconstructed the platform for the Queen Size Mattress.  It had storage under it, mainly Christmas decor and Yarn projects.  For a while I just turned the Q S mattress sideways supported by storage tubs but since then I was able to replace that one with a 12” memory foam mattress.  It’s just me, so, I’m happier with the added floor space.  There is enough room now for a rocker next to the bed where I can watch movies on my larger flat screen TV.

 

   One of the side closets next to the bed is now my Christmas Closet.  the other, I still have to put in shelves.  In my bathroom I have taken small 3 and 5 plastic drawer units to put all those little things that get lost in larger drawers.  Just to make them a little bit more decorative I added different patterned Duct Tape on the drawer fronts. It really works well.                                                        

            

In addition to the bench across the captain and passenger seats,

                                   

I have been saving 1 liter bottles for an ottoman.  On the left is what I was going to use, but it really didn’t work out well, so instead I put them in the box that the mattress came in.  I cut it in half to reinforce it and then used regular Duct Tape to strengthen it and then covered it in the Celtic Knot patterned fabric.    In the picture on the right is where I removed the Jack Knife leather Sofa.  I gave it away along with the Q S mattress to one of the guys in maintenance.  I also replaced my big Lazy Boy Rocker Recliner.  I am really sad to see that go.  It was just too big.  It was so comfortable, but it has found a good home at Ted’s.  I found an office chair that swivels and rocks and fits on the slide where the sofa was.  The price was right, however the fabric just doesn’t go with the rest of the room.  It is another project.  I’m thinking about painting it instead of recovering it.  Behind the chair is a shelf project in progress.

Since it is just me, I decided to decorate “My Spot II” with decor that makes me happy.  I really enjoyed Scotland when I was there, so I am recreating the “feel” of that visit.  The Scottish Highlands are beautiful.  It was like “coming home” when I was there.  My living area celebrates my heritage.  My descendants are from Scotland and Sweden, so that is what I am combining.  There are Scandinavian prints and tartans.  So far everything is working.

Then there’s the mural that I painted on the wall and door separating the kitchen and bathroom.  Below are the stages, first the sketch, then the background.  I finally finished it a couple of days ago.

When I open the door, Mama and Baby Highland Cows disappear.

                                    

Now that it is getting colder and there are fewer campers, especially during the week, I have quite a bit of time.  I have been making some things with the leftover yarn.  Angel has a new sweater. 

  Sometimes it is so cold that I wrapped her tent with a knitted shawl that I made several years ago. She likes to hide in there.

I guess that’s about all that has been happening here.  I hope that you are all keeping warm.

Thanks for visiting

I’m just keeping track on what’s going on in the parking lot.

Susan and Angel