Plan C and a Part 1

This is a post in a series, if you missed previous posts, click here.

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Ok, on to Plan C.

After falling head over heels for homes with character and a history, 

we decided to build our own "old" new home.

There were a few things that were "must haves" on our list:

a bit of land

one story

porches

beautiful trim

interior brick

room for all of our "stuff" things

open floor plan

warm, comfy, and an inviting, relaxed feeling.

My mother saw this house in a magazine and casually sent it my way.

I was smitten instantly...love at first sight.

After reading every single word about it and each credit,

we decided this was it.

We loved the exterior...

it would be our beginning.

No big deal, right?

Hm...where to begin?

We were a couple of smart folks,

our son was soon to be an accredited architect,

and

our other son was willing and able to do whatever we needed.

But as we read and read and read, 

we decided that this job was way too big for us, 

being novice home-builders and all.

So we called in the professionals.

We decided to use a custom home builder 

who would work along side us 

providing information at each step with qualified subcontractors.

Here was the plan:

We make all the decisions, 

pay all the bills, 

and call on the builder for advice.

So the process began.

We found a nice lot with a bit of land...

that had great personality...little trails and beautiful trees.

We cleared only what we needed...

and the forms began.

Plumbing and a few electricals were put in place...

and the slab was ready to be poured.

We were on our way!

Stay tuned for walls!

It's the personality and perseverance.

For as long as I remember,

I have always been fascinated with Galveston, Texas.

I remember visiting as a child...

not so much in playing at the beach

 but 

visiting the shops and restaurants

 and just plain sightseeing.

Yes, the beach was also a favorite, 

but since we were usually not staying the night,

there wasn't a place to wash that inevitable sand out of our suits.

So, we just looked from afar.

I must admit, 

there's nothing like the sea breeze.

Galveston has quite a history...the 1900 storm was tragic.

If you're not familiar with the story, click here.

Talk about perseverance...

These images have been ingrained in my brain...

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But they learned lessons.

Like building a seawall,

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and raising the grade of the city.

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Just amazing.

Various other storms blew through the area

such as Katrina, Rita, and Ike.

And during these seasons, we evacuated as instructed by local officials.

It was such a scary time:

boarding up windows, 

putting furniture up in case of flooding, 

having a ration of supplies,

taking valuables and important documents.
Isn't it all important?

ugh.

Thankfully, our current home didn't have much structural damage, but Galveston was once again devastated.

Buildings and houses were flooded, historic sites washed away.

And once again, the citizens rebuilt.

Just amazing.
Perseverance.

Well, it was on the last evacuation, (while sitting in 22+ hours of bumper to bumper evacuees),

 that I decided that we were moving.

Moving far enough away so that I didn't have to worry about flooding and the danger of hurricanes.

However, after a few years and the humongous cleanup, one tends to forget (kinda like childbirth.)

We were tempted to buy a historic home in one of our favorite cities.

Something like this...

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Beautiful, isn't she?

...the front porch and the baby blue ceiling...

...hexagon tiles in the bathroom...

...the transoms, trim, the pocket doors...

Oh...we were tempted. 

It was in perfect condition, a little drafty, a little pricey, but with a history right?

But then we considered this...

 nope, those stairs were not in our plan.

So we thought about plan B...

and thought about a loft like this: 

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We'd be up a few floors, high and dry...

but that posed another problem.

You see we have this little one,

...and taking her out at all hours wasn't very appealing either.

However, those interior brick walls were beautiful!

Maybe we could teach her to press the elevator buttons?

Just kidding.

All this to say, we wanted to move, to get out of harms way,
 but obviously Galveston wasn't the best place for us.

So we began planning...

There could be a plan C.
Hm...
Stay tuned!

If only...part 2

In continuing with possible repurposing, 

this home was also listed on our local real estate site.

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Isn't she a beauty? 

I love all the personality.

Each May, around Mother's Day, the Galveston Historical Society hosts a historical home tour. 

Believe it or not, this one was on the tour...in this condition.

Being historical home junkies,

 the trio {my mother, sister, and I},

we were not deterred by her appearance. 

Just look at this view!

Apparently, there had been a fire...

  

and various uninvited guests that used this as a "simple" shelter.

But, can't you just see the potential?

She's just waiting for someone to restore her to her former glory.

The Galveston Historical Society has done a bit of work

 and has the house on the market for

$399.000

Again, way out of my budget, 

but 

a great project  for restoration.

I love this shot because in some of the restorations,

if you're lucky,

original pieces are found hiding in attics or behind walls.

When these original pieces are replaced,

you can almost feel the old "gal" smiling...

her "jewelry" is back!

Wouldn't this be a great window to read by or to view the Gulf?

Oh...the possibilities...

If only...

If only...

I love vintage buildings.

I love it when historical teams take a place at it's current state and give it new life.

Perhaps a new purpose...perhaps this same.

Looking through real estate listings this afternoon, this one just make me think...

...if only.

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This one is on the market in one of my favorite cities, Galveston, Texas.

It's listed for $1,049,900.

Yes, way out of my budget, 

but,

what if a group bought it and turned it into

an event center

or perhaps

a

bed and breakfast?

Just look at the potential!

It doesn't look like too much needs to be done structurally with this beauty...

hm...

if only.

And the Winner Is.....

I had so much fun participating in the Grow Your Blog party! 

There were about about 400 different blogs on so many different topics! 

What a treat reading and learning from everyone!

Thanks again to Vicki over at 2 Bags Full for hosting such a fun party! 

Meeting new people, some even in my hometown, was priceless!

OK...as promised,

I was offering this give away:

Using lumber from our current building project, 

adding a few seashells from a recent trip to Sanibel Island, 

I was hopeful that this sign would make someone smile!

Ready for the winner?

... drum-roll please...

Congratulations to:

Pam Marion!!!

Pam, I hope you smile each time you look at this sign! 

Please email me with your mailing address and 

 I'll get this sign to you as soon as possible!

Congratulations again

and

thanks to everyone who dropped by to visit!

A New Salad to Try and a Give Away!

Here's a new recipe to add to your list of healthy, yummy salads!

I found it here on Kristina's site. She's a ROC star here in Houston, not just because she's so amazingly energetic but also because she's bring health to the masses. She's even got You Tube recipes for all!

 She's a star in my book!

Raw Macho Taco Salad

Mix the following ingredients together and top with lime juice.

corn - 1 can -no salt, rinsed

romaine - 1 head, cut and sliced 

mango - 1 peeled, cut into cubes

avocado - 1/2 cut into cubes

cilantro - about 1/4 of a bunch, finely chopped

onion - 1/2 finely chopped

cherry tomatoes - 6 halved

celery - 3 stalks finely chopped

lime - juice only

I also added 1 can of Mayocoba beans (they are very similar to pinto beans) - any favorites will do. Kristina has a dressing she used with this, but I liked just using the lime juice.

The great thing about this salad is that you can add or delete any ingredient you'd like...it's that versatile!

Today is the last day for entry to my give away, you can read all about it here! 

The winner will be announced tomorrow, Feb. 1! 

A Little Something Extra

I eat a lot of salads...

usually twice a day.

Lunch and dinner.

It's all due to my quest to be healthier and Dr. Oz.

Do you watch him?

I really like his show...it seems that there is always something new to learn.

Ok...back to salads.

I have tried just about every low fat/no fat salad dressing on the market 

and they just don't cut it for me anymore.

Turning to Pinterest, I found several recipes...

some good 

and

some not so good.

Here are two {I've modified a bit} that we consider keepers!

Enjoy.

Green Goddess Dressing (inspired by Green Cuisine Cookbook)

1 garlic clove

1 c packed avocado

7-8 tbsp water

5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

4-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 c packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 c packed fresh parsley

1/2 c packed green onion greens

Put all ingredients in a blender/food processor until smooth. Makes about 1 cup.

This one's a little sweeter.

Nathan Pritikin's Italian Dressing (submitted anonymously on Pinterest)

1/2 c freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 c rice vinegar

1/4 c frozen apple juice concentrate

1/4 c water

2 green onions chopped

1/4 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in blender until well mixed. Makes about 1.5 cups.

Now, with something a little extra, and really healthy, my salads are even better!