My neighbor is my real-life hero...

As an author, I write about heroes all the time. Fictional heroes with qualities that may or may not exist in people we know. Today, I'm sharing with you one of my real heroes, not in the sense of saving me from some unknown danger...although, my neighbor has done that.

Actually, my neighbor has come to my rescue more than once. He watched out for me when I had an experience with a stalker when I first moved into my home. He constantly checked up on strange cars showing up in my drive. He was instrumental in preventing the person from buying the house across the street from me.

And you all remember earlier this winter when I accidentally locked myself in my office and had to scream out the window for someone to come get me? This is that neighbor. He truly is my hero.

His name is Kenny and he owns Pellerin Siding in Salem NH. I LOVE him! In a neighborly way. :-) His wife, Donna, might get upset if I don't add that in there.

A couple of week's ago I was chatting with Kenny's wife and I told her how what a shame it was that the builders who constructed my house didn't make the deck bigger so it extended to the dining room part of the house. Then they could have put in an 8FT slider instead of an 8FT window. Two things happened then. First, she laughed because she wonders what else I will come up with to do in or to my house. Then she reminded me that decks and stuff is what Kenny's company does.

Next thing I know, Kenny comes down, takes some measurements, gives me a quote and BAM! Yes, I am extending my deck. DOUBLE the width!! Not only did we make the arrangements but they started it...in the snow.

Yesterday morning when I woke and was getting ready to leave I glanced out my window and saw floor boards on the deck. WOOT! I took pictures Oh - and if you look real close you will see the offending ladder that broke my finger last weekend in the window. GRRR!

After leaving the house at 6:30 AM, having my Saturday morning bagel with friends, attending the WZID Women's Expo (great event), finally locating two lampshades I needed for my spare bedroom, I returned home about 3:30 in the afternoon. When I arrived, I found two Pellerin trucks in my driveway and the guys packing up. My deck was done!!

Holy cow, can you believe it? I wake up and it's more than halfway there and before I go to bed, I have a new deck. Truly, it was only a matter of days.

It's beautiful. They are my heroes! Wouldn't they be your heroes too?



Thank you Kenny, Paul, Paul, David for the terrific job. Can't wait to do the door next and maybe a front porch. Thank you Donna for the great suggestion.

Now my summertime writing spot will be so much nicer! Bring on the sun, flowers, and BBQ. Time to write outdoors.

My version of decorating

As many of you know I recently had my bedroom and office carpets replaced by hardwood. I've repainted almost every room in the house and will at some point have them all painted. That is if my arms survive and my behind isn't screaming at me for walking up and down the ladder.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I accidentally locked myself in my office as I ripped up the carpeting. (The story behind this is in another blog post.) Because of that I started removing the doorknob in whatever room I was painting in. Since the doorknobs were off and I did not feel safe in my own house with the existing knobs, I decided to replace them. ALL of them. What can I say, I'm a girl. See my cool doorknob.


Now, if you're going to replace doorknobs why go with something that looks the same as the previous ones. Why not go with something different? Here you will see a picture of my new EGG knobs. Aren't they cool? Not only will I never lock myself in because the office no longer has a lock on it, but the handle is functional in that I can hang something on it without it sliding off. See...

In addition to my wonderful new door knobs, I had the time a couple of weeks ago before a book event to squeeze in going to the local floarl and basket place. This is a warehouse of silk flowers, ribbon, decorative pots, candle holders, on and on. This is a great place if you want like to do your own arrangements. I prefer to make most things myself so this place is heaven.

As a result of my little side shopping trip, I put together 3 fun floral arrangements. Of course, I don't have the furniture to put them all on, but they're ready and waiting. The first arrangement is in the sparebedroom that I just painted a softer blue called Chinchila. What do you think?








The other two are ones that will go in my bedroom whenever I get that furniture. These one actually stopped my neigbor in her tracks when she saw them. Don't you just love pretty things. AHH!