The Awful Truth Porch Party Entry, and a Beach House Mosaic!

There's good news, and bad news, on this Monday. . . and first, the good news.



Howard and I drove out to eastern Long Island on Saturday to check on our family's beach house. It was a glorious day, we wanted to stay longer (like, forever!), I took scads of pictures, and put just a few of them into this mosaic --- for Mosaic Monday, hosted by the gracious Mary of Little Red House.



Click here for more lovely mosaics, and check back for more on the beach house later this week -- I will be asking for advice on a makeover!

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And now for the bad news, which has to do with my post for Rhondi's fun Porch Party today. Visit Rose Colored Glasses here to see what's happening on people's porches!



Meanwhile, here at That Old House, I had big plans for the porch. Read on. . . .

You will need Rhondi’s Rose-Colored Glasses

If you take a close look at my porch.

It will knock you right down on your … ummm… derrieres;

Warn the villagers -- Come with a torch!

For you might want to light a bonfire

When you see what my porch sadly lacks,

Which is anything remotely lovely --

Our poor porch is the Saddest of Sacks!

It needs scraping and sanding and painting,

It needs furniture, flowers, and more.

We’ve a mish-mash of castoffs and orphans

That others might toss out the door.

There’s an old wicker rocker -- too chippy!

And a wood one whose twin bit the dust.

There’s an unfinished IKEA table,

And two chairs, one is covered in rust.

What to do? What to do? I thought deeply

Of ways to transform what we had.

And I dreamed a big dream. “We can do it!”

I said. But my hubby said, “Honey, you’re mad!”

“If we have a few hours,” I told him,

“You can coat the porch floor with fresh paint!

And I, armed with a spray can of Home Depot’s best,

Can make beauties of things that now ain’t!”

So dear Howard picked up a fresh roller

And lay down a smooth coat of new gray,

While I picked up a spray can of glossiest red

And . . . and . . . and . . . . . . .

.

. . . it began to rain. Not a lot, not a downpour, but just a drizzle, a spritz, a sprinkle.

Enough to scuttle my plans to spray paint the wicker rocker, and the wood rocker,

the IKEA table and the two wire chairs in a bright and glossy red.

We don’t have a garage, and the barn is long gone. I spray paint outside, or I don’t spray paint at all. Today, the wisest course was not to spray paint at all. Every time the sun came out, it ducked away again.

We should have done the spray painting on Saturday, but we were gone all day.

So, my Porch Party Post is markedly Party-Pooping!

I love seeing the gorgeous porches and decks of others. My porch will have to stand on its own – naked. Chipped. Cracked (that crazing isn’t a faux paint effect!). But we will get it in good shape. Yes, we will. I am not completely mad, despite what Howard might say! Some things just take time.

Meanwhile, before it got dark I stuck the camera out the front door and snapped a picture of

the newly painted front porch floor. Well, half of it anyway!

And yes, the edges haven't been cut in yet. Howard's a good sport, but every husband has his limits.

I'm thinking that's a great project for when my girls get home from their travels!

Dion and I kept Howard company on the porch, until the unpainted area got too small for us.

Dion was more interested in watching tiny flies than in the painting. He even caught a few. Yummmm....

Have a lovely Monday. My apologies for the silly rhyme, and to Rhondi for the unfinished porch! Have another party in a few weeks! -- Cass