April 23 - May 7 Busy, Busy, Busy!!!

     I returned to the beach house and saw that David had gone thru almost $1800 of new decking (!) which sorely needed to be replaced. Fortunately, I have all the tools needed for any work that has to be done each spring. He also took off the rear screen that never closed properly, and repaired it with new screening and paint. With a small amount of help from me, he stripped all the windows and door frames and caulked areas that need prime and paint, which will be my job once he leaves. I was very lucky to have his help during these very important weeks before the house opens for the season. 

My baby screen door needs repair. Stay tuned for the reno soon.

Back deck set up for work!

David is a handy guy, for sure.

More David.

I'm helping out by eating a banana so it doesn't go bad today.

As you might notice, I'm checking the work from a prime location.

And this was only about half of the old wood.

I know...it's a mess.

Windows need repair every 2 or 3 years.

A couple of newbies while "shopping"on my walks.

We treated ourselves to drinks at Island Breeze. 

David - Gin & Tonic, AX- vodka & pineapple. I think I had two.

Stopped to say hello to Brett at Floyd's.

He's reconfigured seating for better separation of the human's eating.

Thank you Reggie, for taking care of feeding us before the season starts!

I'm not the only one who looks for beach glass.

Too tired to cook, so it was an eggplant parm for dinner.

  CG 4/16-19 RAMBLINGS

Now the house opening work begins! 

I was here for the weekend with my guys Santo and David, and we’ll return next weekend for more. They set up up outside furniture, and cleaned out the garden and house surround, filling 25+ large trash bags of yard debris, assorted wood and dead bamboo!!! David started the exterior trim scraping, priming, and painting, a task that has to be done every other year...color: Athena Blue. 

Mulch coming in at the end of the week, along with deck lumber to replace old boards. Patio lights are up, along with new rust pieces (is that an oxymoron?) along the fence.

Had dinner and catch-up with friends in their lovely cottage. Went down to the Island Breeze both evenings for a couple of beers and camaraderie with the locals! 

Too beautiful a night not to take a long walk and take photos!

BTW: You’d be lucky to find a vacation rental at CG this summer. I was fully booked by early February! No summer week for me this year. I’ll be at Arondavous most of May and June, and back again in mid Sept until closing sometime in October.

Other news: Verizon has been up and down the walks installing cable. Good news for all of us who have a Fios! I also had a new Internet antenna installed yesterday, and with the new router from last year, all communication, should be much improved.  

Hello Beach Lovers!

I did a quick Sunday trip to have all of the entry grasses at the walk removed, in preparation for a totally new look as you approach the gate. The rain the day before kept us away, but we lucked out waiting an extra day. Fortunately, Santo was able to adjust his schedule so he could do the heavy garden work needed. 

The healthiest grasses were moved to the new space I’m creating off the pergola. He also cleaned out the dead bamboo-like reeds along the side path to the backyard, so the new wood fence could be installed. I spent part of the day weeding, pruning, and refreshing the containers for new annuals. 

Before the yard work could take its toll on my bod, I spent some time doing a few loads in the spanking brand new washer! The 18+ year old GE served us well, but it was time to christen a new “smart’ GE, and it’s partner, the Pure Wash Pro, which cleans clothes with oxygen…no laundry detergent needed! And I must say, I was very impressed. The machine did a great job on sheets, quilts, and towels, and was a breeze to run. Not complicated at all, because you know reading manuals is not my forte!  

There was little time to roam around and check out the shops, etc. Next time. Stay tuned!

Hello Beach Lovers!

The Grove was in full throttle last weekend, with a full ferry going over, packed with (mostly) owners setting up their houses. Overflowing carts and wagons were jammed with beach essentials, garden tools, boxes of food and drink, and lots of dogs! Floyd’s was serving breakfast and brunch, Grove Pizza and the Breeze were filling up as well, as I walked with Sheba and my helper, Santo, past the iconic Cherry Grove P.O. on Main Walk. Fire Island Goods (F.I.G) had a few racks of new shorts and tops outside, and I must say, their shop inside is absolutely stunning this year! It must be on your go-to list if you visit the beach! 

Santo and I did a lot more this weekend to set up the house. A brand new washing machine was installed, trim paint was nearly completed, outdoor lighting was restrung, closets were emptied and reorganized, and the garden got its mulch! And…what better way to celebrate than to visit Cherry’s Bar for a night of dancing! People were lined up three + deep to get a drink and qualify for their VIP card. Difficult to get since there were only 2 bartenders, 100 cards available, and a time limit was imposed. You can imagine the cacophony! Of course, with my voice, honed by 35 years of teaching above a roar, I got my Amstel and my VIP bracelet in no time! 

As warm and sunny a day Saturday was, Sunday had a bit of a chill in the air, although we were spared the rain that was forecasted. We finished the major stuff, packed things up and jumped on the 1:45 ferry. After more than 2 hours on the dance floor the night before, I was achy but happy on the drive home. More to come next weekend.

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Hello Beach Lovers!

    For those who imagine my days at my beach house as relaxing under an umbrella on the sand, this certainly was not one of them. Springtime at Arondavous is about tearing the house apart, moving furniture out of familiar spaces, so that walls and floors can be rejuvenated for the incoming summer season. Yes, the walls, moldings, ceiling fans, and floors get the white glove treatment, which involves moving every stick of furniture out. I, of course, in my increasingly gentle configuration (I ain’t 37 anymore!), could not tackle any of these moves without my long term brute-friend, Santo, who has been my go-to guy for at least 10 years. He spent this past weekend doing the heavy stuff, while I got to washing kitchenware and linens, and taking down & cleaning photos and art pieces, and storing them before new ones arrive in the coming weeks. It was definitely more than a 2 day job, so he and I will be back on Sat and Sun to do windows, paint trim, and hopefully, mulch the garden. After next weekend, and up to Memorial Day, I’ll be going alone for days at a time to tackle some house projects, as well as finally getting to work on small dune paintings for the upcoming Dune Fundraiser and Artist Tour of Cherry Grove weekend that will happen the weekend of June 8 - 10. More about that in future posts. 

    
    Sheba, of course, bored with nothing to do, followed us around the property so she could sit nearby while we worked. I took her down to the beach for her walk, and nearly lost her in the fog! I have to say, I have never seen beach fog like what I encountered on Saturday. Normally, you can see people walking toward you from a great distance coming from the Pines beach. On this day, a couple came into view from about just 50 feet away! It was like beige colored smoke. Sheba found some fowl to chase, so she was able to let off some steam in the water before she returned to her chaotic looking abode. 

    The weather was sunny and pleasant much of Sunday for outside tasks and another beach walk, with just a light sweatshirt, shorts, and no shoes in the sand.  I paid a visit to my pal Susan Thornton at Casita, for some hugs and chat about our upcoming art events. After a glass of white, Santo and I caught the 4:45 ferry. 

    I plan on spending a bit more time outside on the weekend, so there should be more pics from the sand and the boards next post!

Hello Beach Lovers,

Had a lovely few hours at the beach yesterday. Plenty of smiling faces, all happy to make the ferry trip on a sunny Sunday. I had made a long list of items to check off, but Sheba knew the beach was not far away, and so we strolled down the steps to the sand, both of us feeling fine just to be on it. No need to keep her on a leash, so we each walked our own paths: me shooting some photos, and feeling the glory of the moment, and she, smelling what seemed like every pebble along the way. This is one of her new favorite things to do. Even in her daily walks in Huntington Village, every blade of grass or reed must be considered and sniffed. Is it something like for adults to take the time to smell the flowers as we age…but for dogs to smell whatever greenery is in their path? I like to think that her new pursuit is a signal for both of us to pay attention to the real things around us. 

Back to the house, I went to my list, checking off things I need to do before June: buy new exterior lighting and a front screen door, repair teak patio chairs, and decide on placement for new photos and paintings. I met with my landscaper Todd, to discuss new plantings that will greet guests as they walk by the front gate, and some ideas on creating the new space near the rear deck. 

I made a quick trip through town and chatted with Reggie at the Grove Market, Frank, who was prepping the Grove Pizza outdoor area, and stopped in at Cherry’s Bar, which was already busy with a few customers. 

Next week, I hope to have 2 full weekend day at Arondavous. Hope it doesn’t rain. Or snow! 

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Hello Beach Lovers!

Here's my first blog entry of the 2018 season! 

My Opening Day Man Jeff and I took the 10:25 ferry on Saturday, with some food and warm clothing to begin the job of removing tarps, moving outdoor furniture to their summer locations, emptying the house of items stored inside from winter weather, and making small repairs as necessary. Okay, it wasn't 80 degrees, but 60's and sunny wasn't too bad, as long as we're at the beach, right?

Our dunes did a great job of protecting us this stormy winter!

Cherry's is opening mid May!

 

Waiting for the Arondavous sign, and new lights.

There's lots of work to do to get the house ready for the season, with some tasks more involved than others, so I'll be there next Sunday to make a list of needs, coordinate with Grove people for landscaping, Internet & cable, electrical and water, etc. I'm hoping for continued sunny and warmer days so I can get the garden set up with new perennials and annuals. 

Beginning at the end of the month, I'll be spending chunks of time there, both during the week and on weekends, and I'll keep y'all up to date with pictures and text of the going's on both at my house and at the Grove in general. 

Winter look at the beach house.

 Other news: The ferry schedule has been blossoming nicely, with many trips added both on weekdays and weekends. Island Breeze was open and serving drinks and a limited food menu already. 

The Grove Market has scheduled a "soft' opening on Friday, April 20th, and Cherry's on the Bay's Grand Opening is on May 19th. You can check their 2018 events at http://www.cherrysonthebay.com. 

Also, if you haven't heard the news, the Grove Hotel is finally up and running for the 2018 season, and from the exterior, it looks pretty spiffy. 

The back deck pre set up.

Sheba and Buddy kept Jeff company.

Two views of the early Spring garden area.