It’s Mike’s week to cook. We take turns. On yesterday’s menu was smoked chicken.
In colder weather, it takes a whole lot longer to smoke stuff. Yes, outdoor temperature matters.
He went downstairs yesterday around 10:30 a.m. to get the chicken ready. A minute or so later he came back upstairs and said, “Did you just get out of the shower?”
“Um, no,” I replied. “Why?”
“I hear water running,” he said.
I went down to the kitchen and, sure enough, there was water running somewhere. A lot of water. It actually sounded like the dishwasher was running, only it wasn’t.
He said he’d checked the basement, and all looked well. So I went down in my stockinged feet, into the storage room at the bottom of the basement stairs. All LOOKED okay, but you could really hear water running.
Then I realized my feet were wet. Which meant the carpet was wet. Ruh ro.
Hose Bibb
Lucky for us, the water shut-off valve is in that room. Both the main shut-off and the one for the hose bibb on the front of the house.
That’s how Hubby discovered the problem was at the bibb.
There were no visible signs of leakage outside of the house, only inside. Not only was the carpet wet, you could see signs of water damage in the wall and ceiling in that room. Which means the pipe leading to the hose bibb had burst inside the wall.
Lovely.
Lucky for us, we caught it early. The wet carpet was confined to about a third of that room. But we’re going to need a plumber. The wall and/or ceiling will likely need to be torn apart, too, to get to the site of the problem.
We notified the insurance company yesterday. A claims rep is supposed to call us today.
It’s a good thing he went down to start that chicken when he did. All sounded well from our offices.No telling how long it would have continued.
Although we do have a slightly wet carpet, I was able to get all of the boxes off of the floor in that room before any of them were damaged. It could have been a lot worse.
Hopefully, it won’t be too big a deal getting the thing fixed. I dread the thought of needing exterior excavation to reach the thing…
A week or so ago, Hubby sent me a traffic advisory link. I was intrigued. It isn’t often you get to see hundreds of motorcycles riding grouped down Main Street.
In 2011, CVMA 27-2 decided to make a difference in Virginia veterans lives by devoting its time and energy to help a cause that would make a significant improvement in their lives. The chapter decided to support the fight against Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/Traumatic Brain Injury (PTSD/TBI).
The obvious choice of charities to support was the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP). This legislatively mandated program is operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and is dedicated to improving and expanding support services to Virginia’s veterans and family members whose lives have been touched by stress-related injuries or traumatic brain injuries.
In our inaugural run in July, 2012 we raised $10,000 for the VWWP. We thank all our sponsors and the almost 200 bikes that donated to our cause. We look forward to making 2013 even better.
I thought I’d calculated their arrival pretty accurately. I had plans to walk up to Main Street and position myself perfectly to capture the event. Alas, I calculated wrong. I’d only gone a few blocks when I heard the procession coming through. I did manage to capture some okay pics, but they are definitely snapshots taken on the fly. The lighting sucks as I was shooting into the sun. But, still, they deserve to be seen. These are veterans after all supporting a valiant cause.
It was all very cool. Gave me goosebumps.
I love that there were quite a few women among the riders. I also think it’s awesome that there was such a wide variety of machines, including sidecar rigs and Can Am Spyders. Not just big ole LOUD cruisers.
It was pleasantly quite as they rode through. And very organized. I have a feeling there were quite a few riders experienced with large group rides. You have no idea how hard it is to stay evenly spaced like that.
After they’d passed, I continued down Main Street to grab a pastry. I stopped to admire these bikes parked on the street. Yes, I snapped a picture. I laughed out loud when I realized I’d caught a dog admiring the rides, too.
Oh, and look at this cool helmet.
That is just a brief glimpse of my Saturday. It was a productive weekend here at the Kirkpatrick abode, which, more often than not, can feel like DIY central. More on that later…
I had big plans for this weekend. Saturday was Janet’s one-year anniversary open house at her store, The Empty Nest. I had to make sure I was in town so I could attend. Sunday was for finishing a painting project. A nasty turn of events Saturday evening changed all that. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Main Street in OTW
Saturday dawned hot, but otherwise nice.
I spent some time at The Empty Nest first thing in the morning. Then I went to the Farmers’ Market (had to get my tomatoes), stopped at Kelly Ann’s Quilting and Sherrie’s Stuff to say hey. Went back to the Empty Nest for lunch (I figured I’d be helpful and make sure Janet didn’t get stuck with too many leftovers).
I had an ulterior motive for staying away from the house. Hubby is installing a hardwood floor in his office. There’s nothing I can really do to help him, and it’s quite noisy. Big-ass air compressor running, pneumatic nailer going, the sound of planks hitting the plywood floor. Life in a construction zone.
Not that I’m complaining. I just don’t enjoy sitting around an otherwise quite house with all that stuff going on.
It was much more pleasant hanging out in Janet’s nicely air-conditioned shop, meeting some of her old and new customers, and listening and she and her lovely assistants, Carol and Sue, interacted with folks.
Of course, I captured a few pics to share here…
Janet talking with customers.ButterfliesThe Empty NestMom’s punch bowl.
I find that last picture sort of interesting. My intent was just to capture Mom’s punch bowl, loaned to Janet for the day, which was sitting on a table in front of a dresser with a mirror. Completely unintentionally, I got a perfect reflection of a nearby cabinet full of chalk paint. Cool, eh?
I got home around 1:30, planning to do a bit of painting, but Hubby needed me to go to Home Depot for some staples and floor stain. Of course, Home Depot’s stain selection isn’t very big, so I brought the staples home then went out again to The Paint Shop here in OTW to get the stain.
It was around 3:30 when I got back home again. I knew we’d be going out to dinner, so it was too late for paining. Knowing I had all day on Sunday, I wasn’t too concerned. We went out to dinner and then afterward I took the dogs for their walk.
Belle
They all really enjoy their daily excursion around OTW. I do, too. I enjoy it more when it’s cooler, of course.
The walk was uneventful until the very end. We were about 50 yards from our driveway when a neighbor’s German Shepherd decided to attack.
It was completely out of the blue and unprovoked. We’ve had no issues with the dog before. My girls were all very relaxed. There were no other critters in the area.
Unfortunately, the dog grabbed Belle and tried to shake her. I pushed the dog off and it went back to its owners. That’s when Belle started crying and we noticed she was bleeding. The other dog’s owners were right there, very apologetic, and very helpful. I kept our other dogs calm while they stopped the bleeding. It looked like two small surface wounds.
I brought Belle home, Hubby helped clean her up, we looked at her more closely and weren’t too alarmed. She wasn’t even limping at that point. But about an hour or so later when she did start limping and the wounds were still bleeding, we decided I’d better take Belle to the pet ER.
I have to say, the people at the Prince William Emergency Veterinary Clinic are great. I’ve been there twice this year with Meg, so they were surprised to see me show up for a third visit with a different dog. Lucky for us, they weren’t very busy and we were seen right away.
Upon examining her, the vet said they’d need to sedate her and shave her shoulder to get a closer look at the injuries. They needed to see how deep they were, determine if there were any underlying issues, if sutures would be needed, etc.
As it turns out, when the big dog tried to shake her, she pulled Belle’s muscle away from the bone a bit, forming a fluid-filled sac, which required insertion of a drain. They sutured the upper wound close, cut a new hole below that for the drain, which was also sutured into place, and left the other two wounds, which are not as deep or big, open so they could drain. Belle got a lovely e-collar (cone), too.
She was still pretty groggy when we left the hospital. It was after midnight when we got home.
As the drugs wore off, she got more and more uncomfortable. And the cone terrified her. I finally removed it around 3:00 AM, resolved to just stay awake and make sure she didn’t disturb her injuries.
She was a pathetic mess. I did take pictures to share. I have to warn you, some of the images that follow are pretty graphic. Proceed at your own risk.
The first one was taken around 4:30 or 5:00. Right after I had to cram a pain pill down her throat. (Talk about feeling guilty!)
Belle at her most pathetic point.
Neither of us got a wink of sleep. She alternated between panting, and trembling, and just could not get comfortable. And I had to make sure she didn’t try pulling the sutures or drain out.
Oh, and drains really do drain, which is why she’s got so much blood on her.
Close-up of Belle’s shoulder.
Once the pain pill kicked in, she started feeling better. Thank goodness. I was really starting to think I needed to take her back to the ER.
Belle later in the morning.
After Hubby got up, he watched her for a bit and I got some sleep. Then I went to Petco to buy her a better injury collar (prevents her from licking her wounds and disturbing the sutures), which she likes MUCH better. She acts like she doesn’t even know it’s there. It even sort of acts as a pillow.
Belle this afternoon.
I couldn’t take Belle to the basement since its floor is covered in cream-colored carpet. So I just hung out with them in the living room all day. I actually slept a lot, too. Which was refreshing, after our ordeal.
Belle is doing very well. She’ll need to have the drain removed in 3-5 days, and the other sutures removed in about 10-15 days. The hair should grow back just fine. Now we just need to see if she’s been traumatized by the whole incident. She seems to be fine, mentally, but time will tell.
She won’t be going for any walks until after the drain is removed. Until then, we won’t know how she reacts to seeing other dogs.
The German Shepherd was on us so fast, none of us saw it coming. That may be a good thing. Maybe she won’t associate the attack with seeing an approaching dog.
So that was my weekend. Sigh. I could do without that sort of excitement.
The other dayI told you about my pre-lunch stroll around Old Town Warrenton. If you didn’t see that post, you may want to take a peek to see my pretty flower pics.
I did have an ultimate destination in mind when I left the house. I just took my time getting there, capturing flower shots along the way. I was headed for Jimmie’s Market.
Jimmie’s Market
I’ve taken quite a few photos of the market’s storefront, but only ventured in a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea what took me so long. It’s even more charming on the inside than it is on the outside. And that says a lot.
Jimmie’s was first established in 1939. The current owner, Susan Feeley, bought it in 1975. Then, in 2009, “updated the format” of the place. It’s a coffee shop, cafe, and tea room all rolled into one. Visit their web site to get the full story.
Not being a tea person, I’ll probably never experience the afternoon tea that they serve. I may have to try a scone, though. Scones are one of my favorite things. Authentic scones, the dry kind. I love me some dry, crumbly pastries. I did have lunch there a couple of times, though.
On the day these pics were taken, my lunch consisted of a large serving of Mascarpone Caramel Pistachio Gelato with a side helping of Quarisimale cookies. Think almond biscotti. According to The Cookie Factory web site…
Quaresima is the Italian word for Lent, the 6 week period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Quaresimali are a specialty of the Lenten season because they are supposed to be so hard they are a penance to eat!
Eating those crunchy little delights was no penance. Seriously, I adore dry, crumbly pastries.
But back to Jimmie’s. It has the feel of an old mercantile. See for yourself.
The places oozes old-time charm. There are antiques scattered about for perusal and/or purchase. Lots of culinary delicacies, yummy home-made drinks, a rotating gelato selection, sandwiches, and even adult beverages.
This past Monday, I had to return some books to the library so I stopped in for lunch. The grilled Havarti and Bacon sandwich on sourdough bread was as tasty as I’d heard it would be. It was accompanied by one Quarisamale and a glass of homemade limeade. Delightful.
I’m so glad I finally stopped in.
Back to the day these photos were taken…
After lunch, I decided to drop in on Janet at The Empty Nest. On July 20th, Janet will be celebrating her shop’s one-year anniversary. In that short time, her store has become an institution. I stop in often to say hello, always mindful that she has a business to run. That day, I had time to share a Quarisamale with her, but then several customers came into the store and cut our visit short.
I was sad to have our chat cut short, but glad I got to nose around to see what new delights had arrived and/or been transformed since my last visit.
I’d seen this darling little hutch previously, but had never photographed it. I think she said she aquired this late-1800s piece at auction. It won’t be painted, since it’s such a delightful piece.
Tea Cozy
She’d recently gotten a shipment of tea cosies from her Aussie friend, Claire aka Sweet Birdy Love. Seeing Claire’s work in pictures is nice, but actually feeling the wonderful textures and seeing the quality of the artwork up close and in person is an opportunity I hate to miss. Claire is a genius with needle and felted wool.
I just love visiting Janet’s shop. Not only is she a super-sweet lady, she gets the coolest stuff. Every visit is a feast for the eyes.
She paints AND sews. The woman is very talented.
Farmer’s Market Tote, hand-made by Janet
Americana
Sorry if I seem to be gushing, but it’s all true.
Oh, and one more thing.
Janet loves vintage linens and often acquires them for her shop. I didn’t plan on buying anything that day, but when I saw this vintage doily, I HAD to have it.
I’d been needing something for under the centerpiece on my dining room table. And this doily was absolutely perfect.
Vintage Butterfly Doily
My Mom loved butterflies. The purple butterfly pick you see in that arrangement actually came from one of Mom’s funeral bouquets. The doily fits, right?
Coincidentally, that chair you see in the background was transformed by me after Janet taught me how to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
This last shot was captured on my stroll home.
So ends another stroll around Old Town Warrenton, a place I am proud to now call “home.”
I’m a bit behind, but I’d still love to tell you about a fun event that happened in Old Town Warrenton on June 29. Billed as the “Daisy Days of Summer Shop Hop & Wine Tasting,” it was hosted by The Shops at Fifth & Main.
The Shops at Fifth & Main is a project of The Fifth St. Coalition, an eclectic group of merchants who are convinced that by supporting and collaborating with one another, we create a dramatic opportunity for mutual success and a vibrantly local shopping experience for our customer community.
I have befriended many of the coalition merchants since moving here to OTW. They’re lovely people. I firmly believe that small businesses are what “makes” towns like ours so special, so I do what I can to support them. Whether it’s visiting their stores, making purchases, attending events, etc., I feel like they need all the support they can get. Plus, they are very cool places.
The Fifth Street Coalition was featured in the February 2013 issue (page 18) of Warrenton Lifestyle magazine. According to that article, which does make for an interesting read, one of their goals is to make OTW a destination spot for guests as well as a regular hangout for locals.
The Daisy Days of Summer event accomplished both. There were tons of visitors in town and locals like me had lots of fun.
I started off at Kelly Ann’s Quilting.
The theme for the Shop Hop was Daisies and the Roaring Twenties. Participating stores included The Red Thread, Great Harvest Bread Co., Latitudes Fair Trade, Kelly Ann’s Quilting, Tagaloo, Sherrie’s Stuff, The Empty Nest, and Ciao Bella Photography. Each store had one visiting winery, including Barrel Oak Winery, Capitol Vineyards, Notaviva Vineyards, Mediterranean Cellars, The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek, Gray Ghost Vineyards, Desert Rose Ranch and Winery, and Cobbler Mountain Cellars.
It was perfect for me as all shops are within easy walking distance of my house. It really was a good time. I was amazed by the great turnout, too. I didn’t realize it had been widely advertised.
Since I stopped taking photos about halfway through (I think the wine distracted me), I didn’t want to post a bunch of individual shop pics and have anyone feeling left out. So I shared that montage (above) instead.
I had to share two shots, though. The first is a very cute patriotic quilt, which is on display at KAQ.
Patriotic quilt at Kelly Ann’s Quilting.
The next one is a shot of the interior hallway at Tagaloo. The web site describes Tagaloo as “Warrenton’s premier social, interactive and unique destination for creative minds.”
Tagaloo
I’d never been inside before, and was delighted to see the charming space.
I am SO looking forward to the next Coalition event. I’ve heard rumors that it may be a Beer and Bacon Festival. How cool would that be? I’ll be sure to let you know once details are announced.
Yesterday was one of those days where, while working, I reached a point where I absolutely could NOT sit at my desk for another single second. Literally. I got all fidgety. Couldn’t sit still no matter how hard I tried. Could not concentrate.
I wasn’t sick. I’d just been staring at and comparing spreadsheet data for four straight hours. I needed a break. Lucky for me it was lunchtime. The sun was out, too, which was nice, since it had been raining all morning.
So I decided to go for a stroll. With my camera, of course. And, in my opinion, I captured some pretty cool pics.
I love how the town flies flags during holidays.
It was a gorgeous day. Temporarily.
I did have a particular destination in mind, but enjoyed meandering along, taking it all in. Old Town Warrenton is very pleasing to the eyes.
For you locals who are curious, those images were all shot in the vicinity of North Sixth Street and Horner Street.
The following flowers pics were taken near the corner of High Street and Academy Hill Road.
As for that particular destination I mentioned, I’m getting there. But first, I had to share this house image.
Moving right along to that special place…
I absolutely LOVE this hydrangea bush in the side yard of the house at the corner of High Street and Liberty Street.
It’s just the coolest hydrangea. Not only does it have flowers of multiple colors, it sits atop and hangs over an old stone wall.
Remember, these pics are all from the same bush. The same location, at least. I guess there could be more than one bush planted in that spot.
The next image is my favorite capture of the day. It’s got the flowers AND that awesome wall.
See what I mean? Do you love that bush and wall, too?
It was really humid yesterday, and by that point I was getting quite hot. And drippy. Ugh. So I headed over toward Main Street. The next two images were captured behind the house near the corner of North First and Main Streets.
Actually, I snagged this shot of the water tower from that spot, too.
Big Blue
Although this church sits on Alexandria Pike, I captured this shot of the steeple from the parking lot behind the bank at Main and North First Streets.
I was pretty much done by that point. I hate being hot. So I crossed over Main Street to Jimmie’s Market, which was my other goal for the stroll.
Jimmie’s is a delightful little place. I cannot believe I only entered for the first time a week or so ago. I’ll tell you more about Jimmie’s later. This post is already way too long. But wait, there’s ONE more pic.
In colder weather, it takes a whole lot longer to smoke stuff. Yes, outdoor temperature matters.
