Happy Fourth of July Weekend

It rained on and off on the 4th of July in Rural Retreat and I didn't do any of the traditional 4th things. Instead I met a group of folks from Wytheville and we all went to Bland to play tennis.

Mark Sarver is the coach of the Men's and Women's tennis teams at Bluefield College and has worked or USTA, and many well known tennis clubs. He and his family have a beautiful house and two clay tennis courts on which our group had been invited to come play. There were eight of us so we played doubles.. Five sets later, we sat down to talk and the heavens opened up in Bland.  We had a lot of fun, good tennis, good company, and the weather on the other side of the mountain (in Bland) was just right for tennis.  I think I will go get a lesson or two from him over the summer.

Saturday, though it was back to the hard courts and the WCC - weeds in the cracks and all. Of course I needed a singles match with lots of running and funny bounces as on Friday we finally had our 4th of July cookout with Nelson's sister, Luci, and her husband Butch. Yummy ribs, corn, baked beans, pasta salad, and pie and lemon bars.

Luci and Butch are making lots of progress on their house and have added chickens to their menagerie of animals. First they got two chickens and a rooster and now they have 4 more chickens. The chickens apparently need some adjusting since not one egg has been laid as of this morning.  I didn't have my camera so will have to add pictures later.

In between various others things, I have been recovering the dining room chairs.

Before seat cover

There are six recovered chairs, probably as many holes in my fingers, and lots of debris (in process of cleaning up). I could only take the staples out of one seat a day as this was quite difficult for me and my hands hurt. John's friend, Jimmy, even finished removing staples in one of them for me when my hands were really giving out! But then he went home and I was on my own again.

Chair seat after dust cover removed.



The side rails of the chairs were always covered in what I thought was dust, but once I took the seats off, I realized it was disintegrating foam padding under fabric that was coming out all the time. What a mess that was.  Once everything was taken apart, then I put on a new foam layer, covered with batting, and then with the seat fabric, and finally put the dust cover back on and put the seats back on the chairs.  The stapler broke half way through the job, so had to go buy a new one.


Disintegrated foam- this actually was one
of the less messy ones

with foam and batting



Finished product.

Bottom line is the chairs are recovered and no one would ever guess that a professional did the job. :)  I've just learned one more thing I am not very good at.  Just don't look to close next time you are here.



Went to Abingdon one rainy day this week to browse the antique stores. Saw a chimney cabinet that I was very taken with but wasn't sure I should buy. But after several days of thinking about it decided, I did want it and so went back today and purchased - getting a 25% discount off the asking price.  I brought it home and quickly filled it up.  I think it fits perfectly.  The cabinet that was in this spot is now in the TV room and has dog stuff, vitamins, medicines, and miscellaneous other items in it.

Lots of leaves on my garden plants, but still not seeing much being produced. Maybe soon. Will leave that all for another day. It has to stop raining one of these days.