THE TRIPLETS....

LINKHORN.....PIERPOINTE....TRADEMARK.....

LINKHORN BAY CONDOMINIUM #25.....Virginia Beach

Before two years had gone by.....both Master Carpenter and I could no longer take all the stairs......so you know the story.....................

Without too much trouble, being that I kept up on newly built condominium developments , I had Master Carpenter in the model of what was going to become home #25. The deal was (as always) we had to sell where we were, this time, the three level condo...... I think Master Carpenter expected it to take months.

I sold it in one day!!!! Didn't hurt that after being the Site Manager on the project, I had a list of buyers who were waiting for a resale of our model to come on the market. One phone call ......and I had a contract in hand! Carried it over to Master Carpenter, who was at work, for his signature, and put him into shock!

So ...Linkhorn Bay Condominium became our next adventure.

We were planning our first cruise to celebrate our 40th Anniversary. The plans went like this:

• Booked Cruise to Europe
• Cruise Canceled
• Money Returned
• Bought New Furniture With Money!! Simple

Enter Bill Shaver.....We headed out to buy our new furniture and Bill was the first person we saw after entering the store. We gave him an idea of what we were looking for. He made a visit to our home and then we set to work. Started with a curved Sherrill sofa and chair, two silk needlepoint rugs and a great bed. The rest is HISTORY!!!!!!!

With Bill's help the sofa, chair and iron bed made a fabulous 40th Anniversary!

Loved the Kitchen ....Black tile floors, black granite counter tops and white cabinetry

PIERPOINTE CONDOMINIUM #27....Norfolk, Va.

Really can't put a reason on why I was itching to look at something else, but I was. I had heard about a great new project in the Historic section of Norfolk. I took a trip over to the site and knew we would be there some day!

The trick was selling Master Carpenter on moving to Norfolk!!! It took awhile, but with some strong convincing I was successful.. We sold our condo in about three months...not one day, but still in a reasonable length of time. The problem was now there weren't any units available in PierPoint. They were sold out!!! The third building was just starting construction and was about a year out from completion. We rented an apartment and decided that we wanted to live in that neighborhood and would look at any, and all, condominium buildings that had units that would come on the market. I am counting the apartment as #26 because we moved into it not knowing where or when we would buy our next home! We thought we could be there a year!!! I am not counting it into the title of this Post though because it was not really our choice, just a holding place!!! After two months, a unit in the second building of PierPoint came back on the market................you know the result ...signed a contract for #27.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!!

The project consisted of three buildings. They were built on a 100 year old pier. The Wisconsin Battleship was docked on one side of the pier and an Asian Pagoda and Gardens were on the other. The middle shot was taken during a Harbor Fest weekend the first June we were there.

This was a great period of my Epiphanies. (with Bill's help) I would describe an idea, he would tweak it and Master Carpenter would do the work!!!! Except for ONE project that Bill did. He loved to faux paint and we asked him to do the surround on the fireplace wall. It was a day that the three of us would always remember and a special day that Master Carpenter and Bill shared.

The Great Room With Bill's Touch of Genus

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALLS

MIRROR BACKSPLASH AND ITALIAN GLASS TILES

This was the period of GREAT PAINTING!!!!! Bill pushed me to go "outside the box" ... try dark colors.... and paint ceilings!!!!! We had a ball. The unit was so, so dramatic! Don't know what was more striking....the Decor..or the View!!!!

THE FIRST OF ERICA'S ART WORKS

OUR SECOND ERICA CREATION

Now...you say what in the world would prompt me to look further........ A developer introduced a spectacular new high rise ....unbelievable 32 story condominium with a concierge, doorman, and amenities one would expect a Trump building to have!!! The design resembled the Empire State Building and I was taken in 150%!!!!! So.....our PierPoint unit went on the market. We had plenty of time to sell. The ' Empire State Building', AKA, Granby Tower, was a good three years from completion. In fact, all that existed was an empty lot, a gorgeous mock-up of a model, and a beautifully appointed Sales Trailer. It took one year and 6 months, but we finally got a contract on our unit.....BUT..... no sign of anything with Granby. The "talk" was that it would never get built !!! It was the beginning of the down turn in developers getting financing. It was 2007 and we had signed our contract in late 2005!!!! So again we had our home sold and no place to go..................

GRANBY TOWER...STILL A DREAM

TRADEMARK CONDOMINIUM #28...Charlotte, N.C.

EPIPHANY HOUSE NUMBER ONE

Being that I had my heart set on a high rise with Trump amenities....I searched the web and discovered Charlotte, North Carolina. Within a couple of days we were again under contract. We bought a unit on the 17th floor and dreamed we had our home in the sky!!

This was the setting of the birth of Patty's Epiphanies ....... please go to the archives ....all of the pictures of our masterpieces while living here are there.....

We had no idea that this would turn out to be the worst mistake of our lives. The building was acceptable, the views were amazing, the unit OK (all 1100 sq.ft.), but we lived with aliens.......our neighbors were all under 30, hip, and party people! Now can you see us in this environment??? The unit was on the market after nine months! I was a mess and Master Carpenter announced it was his turn to find our "resting place" and a 55+ Community..................Sun City Peachtree

We are about at journey's end!
One more to go.................................

MEET ISABELLE PARK DELGIORNO

ISABELLE PARK DELGIORNO

Angela and Steve are the proud parents of Isabelle Park DelGiorno!! Born 10:15 am, June 18, 2010, (Korean Time) ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL .......

Please respect Angela and Steve's request that this picture not be posted on Facebook, Twitter, U-Tube, etc.

#23 and #24

MY "YELLOW" PERIOD ....House #23 Virginia Beach, Virginia

In the 80's I became a Realtor specializing in New Construction. A great profession for that period...... if anyone can remember what home sales and interest rates were in the 80"s!!!!! For those of you that weren't even born.....interest rates were over 20%!!!!!

In 1990 I started working in a new development where one of the models" worked" perfectly for Master Carpenter, Grandma and myself. So of course, we bought one! The master bedroom was on the first floor, perfect for Grandma, and the second floor had two additional bedrooms and a loft overlooking the Great Room. It was ideal !



About this time, my design "Epiphanies" were beginning to form. One of my first Epiphanies was to paint all the walls this gorgeous yellow I had seen in a magazine. It was a very Classic, Traditional "Gold" Yellow! These years were also big into wallpaper. I found one that had large flowers with lots of yellow. Knowing nothing of how to choose paint colors, I boldly hired a painter, had him match the yellow color in the wallpaper. He bought the paint and proceeded to paint............ I never did see a swatch or check the color. Big Mistake, but who knew. This was my very first experience with "Paint"! There was NO turning back.......
The best way to describe the result........We lived in house painted School Bus Yellow.... Not even close to what I had envisioned!!!! It has only been recently that I have even considered having yellow as just an accent color anywhere!

GRANDMA READING IN THE DINING ROOM

AND..GRANDMA SIPPING TEA IN THE KITCHEN!

Erica has asked if I could find a picture of the first "crazy" Epiphany she can remember. I found one and if you look real close you can see the fabulous design "seat" I created in our Powder Room. The home had three full baths and we used one as a Powder Room. I wanted the bath to have a "furniture" look and figured out that if Master Carpenter cut a piece of plywood the size of the top of the tub, I could pad it , cover it with a sheet, and toss a bunch of throw pillows against the tile wall. Gave it a "skirt" out of another sheet that I tucked under the board and put more of the sheeting as a drapery on both sides with a valance, using the shower rod. I thought it was GENIUS........AND I had discovered a new design tool......... SHEETS!!

There....on the left is the bath with the "Seat"!
Before the yellow paint!

Master Carpenter found a little time to do one other project .....a wall unit of shelves in the den. He was now General Manager of a new Golden Corral and again not home very much........
Our son, Bobby, was a Captain in the Army during Desert Storm. When he returned from Saudi Arabia, We were able to show how happy and proud we were with our window display!





THE RALPH LAUREN PERIOD !

After the sheet discovery, I started mixing as many different prints as possible. I would take weekly trips to a Ralph Lauren Outlet to see if an odd sham or sheet was reduced to pennies! It didn't matter what the color or print, it would "blend" with what I already had. This "design" stage continued into our next home.

ONE OF THE "BETTER" EXAMPLES!
THIS WAS LABELED THE "APPLE PIE BED"
IT IS MADE WITH TWO DOWN MATTRESSES THAT YOU PUT OVER YOUR REGULAR MATTRESS. THEN I ADDED THE DUVET WITH TWO COMFORTERS IN IT!!!
LOOKING AT IT TODAY I HAVE TO SAY ....WHAT WAS I THINKING?

#24 Chesapeake, Virginia

We lost Grandma after living in the house for about three years.

I was now selling in a condo development and decided there was a model that fit our "new" life! You guessed it, we sold the "School Bus House" and bought a three story condo!!!! The first floor was the foyer with stairs to the main living floor. This floor had two bedrooms, two baths ,a great room with a formal dining area and an eat-in kitchen. The third floor had a third bedroom, full bath and a large loft.

THIS WAS THE HARDEST PART OF MASTER CARPENTER'S DAY AFTER WORKING FOR MANY LONG HOURS AT GOLDEN CORRAL

THE MAIN LEVEL GREAT ROOM

The sheets "multiplied" and another "Epiphany" phase developed!!! Window treatments made with sheets and rubber bands!!! This was so popular with friends that I gave "classes" on different ways to use the technique!!!

MASTER BEDROOM

THE PRINCESS GUEST ROOM!

The first version of the CLOCKS

I do think that between the flower pattern sheets, and having all those stairs, the formation of my Bucket List house was slowly developing............... I had to live through these "periods"......... with more to come, to reach what will be THE BUCKET HOUSE........

THE TWENTY YEAR DROUGHT

TACOMA TO VIRGINIA BEACH ...20 YEARS ---12 MOVES....NO EPIPHANIES........

It's hard to write about these years. There were many ups and lots of downs. Our three children grew up during this period. It was not the way we would have preferred them to. Somehow, someway they grew up to be wonderful, fabulous, loving, sensible, mature adults. Master Carpenter and I could not ask for better children and we are very, very, proud of them. We are blessed!!! They have given us four beautiful Granddaughters AND #5 coming next week...and a Grandson we hope to get to know at some time in the future.

I never realized that day I sat on the steps of the living room of our Tacoma home, that I was going to have 20 very unusual and different years ahead. Years that would test us ...but at the same time strengthen us and our bond.

Master Carpenter left the Air Force after four more assignments, one being a 13 month stay in Korea. After years being a Navigator in the Air Force he started an entire new career....The Restaurant Business!!!!! WHY......WHO KNOWS!!!!!

MASTER CARPENTER IN KOREA

We lived in Tampa, Florida; Cheyenne, Wyoming ; Tacoma, Washington (the kids and I stayed there while Master Carpenter was in Korea; Concord, California; Galesburg, Illinois; Normal, Illinois, Danville, Virginia (two homes), Richmond, Virginia (two homes); Harrisonburg, Virginia and then our first home in Virginia Beach.

DADDY
Daddy and Happy were the only bright point of our stay in Tampa. They came every weekend, driving from Hollywood, Florida. We baked chocolate cakes and had wonderful Saturdays and Sundays.....

During our short stay in Cheyenne we purchase land that we "dreamed" would some day have a log home with a loft. This is Patti walking through our estate

Our children grew up helping to run family style chain restaurants. "Family" style was not only the format, it was the reality that our family ran them! We were the management, cooks, dishwashers, waitress and waiters and Yours Truly.... the often fired hostess.

THIS IS THE HOUSE NONE OF US CAN REMEMBER!
We were in Sambo's 20 hours each and every day and we "took" naps here!

Our Star Waitress, Patti

We had a wedding in our Sambo's in Galesburg, IL between Lowell, a cook and Vickie a waitress.

We took a short break from the restaurant business and opened our own business.....Mr. D's Cheese Shop!! By this time the three kids were married, but Steve came back to help run the business. I was able to experiment with a different field of Design. I was in charge of the merchandising for the store!!! I loved doing it .......

TARA
This is our first home in Danville, Va. Another home we just took naps in. I can't even remember the floor plan....but it was a beautiful home!

Our family grew by one; Grandma, at age 90, moved in with us. She was with us for 9 years and 9 months. Her health was deteriorating and it had always been our wish that she spend her last years with me. We weren't able to do a lot of the things we wanted to, but we did have wonderful conversations and fun remembering the past. Grandma was the most special and the most influential person in my entire life...even to this day!!!!

GRANDMA

WOW......what a ride! And if you are still counting, we are only up to house #22!!!

OUR FIRST HOME ....THAT WE OWNED (MORTGAGED!)

November, 1968

Wow...we did it...we "bought" our first home. No more rent, base house.....this is the REAL THING!!!

We have been in Tacoma almost 8 years and we buy a house!!! That's us! Usually in the Air Force you are at one place no more than 3 or 4 years..... So naturally after 8 years stationed at McChord, we buy a house! Made sense to us.....




Master Carpenter was a Navigator on the C141 Starlifter flying to Asia every month doing his part of the Viet Nam War. He was gone three weeks every month flying all over the Pacific. Out of the blue he got the opportunity for a trip to Australia and New Zealand. During this time a lot of our contemporaries were buying homes. We had been married for nine years and I am beginning to learn how to "work" this guy! I convinced him we had to buy a home!!! Before he left for this "trip" he gave me "permission" to look at homes for sale. He also gave me a "cap" of $30,000 ....not a penny more!

No sooner had that 141 taken off than I was out looking...........I had an idea of the area and what I was wanting so it didn't take long. In about 4 days I found it!!! A dramatic, what is referred to today "Mid Century" ranch!!! Called the number on the builders sign and was in "love" before I had seen the entire home. It sat on a treed lot and was the most gorgeous home I had ever seen. But.........the BEST part............are you all with me? The PRICE......$29,950!!!

THAT WAS IT............

Now, I had to wait 10 more days before Master Carpenter came home. You have to realize we are not in the age of emails or cell phones. I had to WAIT to tell him!!!!!

The poor guy..his plane landed, I picked him up at the base and before he could give me a kiss hello I SCREAMED......................"I FOUND OUR HOUSE!!!!!!" He didn't have a chance! His trip to the other side of the world had to wait to be described, while I went on and on about THE house!!! I don't think it was a week before we had signed our first house papers....AND I am still hearing stories about his adventure to New Zealand and Australia.



Thinking back to those days, I think the two of us have to admit they were some of the happiest days of our marriage. We had so much fun planning projects and doing things together. We had wonderful next door neighbors, that to this day, we consider some of the best friends we have had over our married life. We haven't seen Sandy or Jim in over 35 years, but they are so much a part of our lives. Jim is in poor health these days and we wish him the best. We talk about once a year to "catch up" and it is always like we have talked just yesterday.

Jim and Master Carpenter constructed the Great Wall. A retaining wall to beat ALL retaining walls......I think that was Master Carpenter's first project of any size. It still stands today!!!!




We did window treatments, cornice boards, wall paper, paneling, converted closets to work areas, ....you name it.....


And in case you were wondering..................Did we have Harvest Gold or Avocado Green.......???

and the answer.............

AVOCADO GREEN OF COURSE!!!!

Grandma during one of her annual visits. I miss her so very much. An interesting note, in this photo, she is the same age as I am now!!!!

Next question.....Yes, we had shag carpeting in the "family" room !!!

YES....BURNT ORANGE

This was also the place where we acquired the infamous Stiffel hanging lamp!! The builder was not "QUITE" UP AND UP and had to settle our claim for a dining light fixture. I went to a showroom and picked the most expensive one I could find!!! That stayed with us for years and I think Patti has it now. At the time, it was very valuable!!!!


The wall book case unit was a Masterpiece!!!! It is, to this day, one of his best pieces of work.


Not to leave the "yard" work out......Look...Look at him doing all this stuff!!!! This is the MAIN reason we live in an area that includes ALL outside maintenance. Master Carpenter did not enjoy this intense, hard LABOR!!!!!



One of the saddest days of my life was the day I found out Master Carpenter got his orders to leave Tacoma.........We had to put "Our Home" on the Market and move to Tampa, Florida. I sat on the steps leading to the living room, and spent a long, long time sobbing...............

We are about to "sign" papers on what will be our LAST home!!! I say this because I truly believe it.......It will encompass all the features that make up what for us "today" is our DREAM HOUSE. I am calling this my BUCKET LIST HOUSE!!!! Considering that this first home was #10 and we about to move into #30 (with a short term apartment while waiting for the home to be built ...not counting it), the next few posts will continue the journey to the BUCKET LIST DREAM HOME!!!!!

PS:

Kids...this one is for you. Our famous guest!

This WAS a mountain beaver who was eating our azaleas. Master Carpenter became Great White Hunter and took care of him!!!!!