We ended up having a pretty fun time at the Blenker open house and were simply in awe of the house itself. To say it’s over the top doesn’t even begin to cover the 4000 square foot interior and its finishes. The thing goes forever in multi-levels but the most stunning feature was the wall of windows running just about ceiling to floor (house has 12 foot ceilings throughout) for around 20 feet in the great room. We figured it would be gauche to be the only ones there taking photographs so all we got was the front exterior, the back fountain/pond/swing area (they have grandkids) and the “tiny” house. Blenker had built the tiny house as a demo for the energy fair held in Plover last year and it was a big hit in its simplicity and cute factor. Believe me, I could very well envision it lakefront up in the Northwood’s and being snug as a bug for long weekends of bliss.
So Marc surprised me the same weekend with new furniture! I had thought for sure we were going to live at least for another year with the thrift store hand me down couch covered in its painters drop cloth and the worn out recliners we stole out of the RV. I had always said I didn’t like the looks of the recliner couches so what do you suppose I ended up with? Actually, it really isn’t too bad at all and we both also got new recliners; mine matches the couch, his is a different brand and darker brown. I love this material; it looks like worn leather but in actuality is polyester and so far seems imperious to cat claws.
So far we’ve had good luck with the wing back chair pictured next to the couch, which has become the sacrificial cat chair. I paid $50 for it and they decided it would be the one to use as their scratching post so we totally succumbed and gave it up to them. It doesn’t match in now very well but if it saves the other stuff…oh well. The brown in the new stuff is the perfect neutral to blend in well with my gray and is a knockout against the tribal looking area rug. You will note I also repainted and upholstered the free coffee table from red to black, using the $10 horse blanket I bought at the antique store. It looks MUCH better in here!
Our Seller Stan, bless his heart, saw me shoveling then lunging and lugging the wheelbarrow full of gravel in an attempt to do more of the house surround and called Marc and told him I shouldn’t be doing work like that at my age so he is bringing his tractor down tomorrow morning to help me which will allow me to get it all done at once instead of daily ten foot increments. My back will thank him.
Our temperatures remained warm for so long that fall was just teasing us with a few flickers at first. Then all of a sudden, I didn’t leave the house for three days and the next time I went out it was in full blaze. I suspect the peak could even be within a week which will make it a very short season. Last year it seemed to ease in and out over the course of an entire month. Look at the difference in 8 days. Regardless, this is just a magical, beautiful time of year here.