This [familiar] Old House

I read just about anything with words that comes into the house. Books, magazines, whatever. Doesn't matter. It's the words. They are like pecan pie...they call my name. 

So when This Old House came in, I picked it up. The last page of the magazine is always an article titled "Save this Old House," which includes a picture and information about an old house that is for sale and needs lots of TLC. 

This month I thought the picture looked familiar. I took another look. Hmm. I read the words. And they told me exactly what I already knew. This old house lives in Moreauville, a small town in Avoyelles Parish, about 20 miles away.

A transom and sidelights
surround a large single door
on the wide, deep porch. 

Dr. Eugene Amet and his wife immigrated from France and built this house in 1856. The woodwork trim, which was added later, is unbelievable. 

View of addition which includes a large
kitchen and several other rooms

Gingerbread trim around front porch

  My hope is that someone will purchase and save the house. It's perhaps one of the oldest homes in our parish. It comes under the umbrella of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation (LTHP) which will assist new owners in restoring the 3,576 sq. ft. home.

(R) right side view of back addition
(L) side views of original house

Do you think the home has a chance of being bought and preserved? Would you consider restoring an old building if the opportunity arose? I just need the money!

Welcome Parents Booth

the whole picture

Every year our school board puts on a parental involvement fair to encourage parents to learn more about our schools, our teachers, and our policies. There's all manner of legal must-do and better-not-do rules but I won't bore you with all that. 

I'd rather we just get to the finish of the week. It is sort of interesting in a how-are-we-going-to-pull-this-off kind of way. The central office, preschools, K-6 elementaries, and 7-12 high schools all have to create a booth where parents and community members can pick up information and learn about our services, special initiatives, and programs. 

I won the opportunity to head up a PFE committee. The perk: a half-day off to haul stuff to the venue and create the booth. The theme: Louisiana's Best. The plan: get a committee to help. The committee: administrators who didn't want to have to explain why there was no booth. Okay, then! We are ready to roll.

The front table for meet and greet

The first order of business was to bring everyone up to speed on all the details of the event itself. This event has become something of a keep-up-with-the-Jones kind of thing, but we weren't buying it. We decided we wanted to showcase our school and our new magnet status.

a large screen television to show
videos and pictures of our students.

That being said, we quickly came up with some ideas and pulled together a plan. On Wednesday I gathered all the red/white, panther-like, BHS stuff I could put my hands on. On Thursday I garnered some Louisiana trinkets and home decor stuff. By noon we were ready to go. Our counselor, teaming coach and I arrived at the venue and started setting up. 

The schools next door to us had gone all-out and set up banners, backdrops, pirogues, Spanish moss, bamboo, cypress knees, and a plethora of other stuff. "Too much," we said as we went about our business.

The main stage--mixing it up

We had fun and pulled together a great-looking booth. Parents and others came for visits, picked up information about our new magnet status, and learned about the Louisiana Quick Start Program. 

Decorating became easy as we had all the basic items. Once those were in place, we added Louisiana trinkets, mementos , and magnolia leaves to the mix. And, while we didn't have the biggest or the faniest booth, we are quite proud of the one we did have. 

Is it a finish in the technical sense of the word? Probably not, but it was difficult and creative. Besides, it's all I have for now!

Excited Granddaughters and Relay for Life Event

Last weekend I made a few small purses for our little granddaughters who are three year olds (read the post here).  Marley got her purse on Sunday and on Monday Richard mailed off the other two purses.

 
 








I packed everything up into a box on Sunday and got a very excited phone call on Wednesday with Caki and Sophie both trying to say thank you at the same time. 

That was an interesting call!  I asked about the shorts that I'd made and tucked into the corners, but neither of the girls had noticed the shorts.  Caki knew that I was making the purses and was so excited that, when she grabbed one purse, the pair of shorts flew to the floor where her dad found it.  I don't know whether they fit quite yet, they'll try the shorts on this weekend, if it warms up enough!

Also this weekend is the Avoyelles Relay for Life event.  I purchased a few luminaries for my mom and grandmother.  Because I also helped in decorating the luminaries, I was able to decorate their bags myself.

 I got a few of my students involved, and of course the Betas and Explorer Club students, so that Mrs. Higgy, our in-house RfL guru and luminaria chairperson, was able to get all the bags decorated and ready for tomorrow's big day.  It's a good feeling to know that we helped in a small way to raise money for cancer research and to help cancer victims. 

  

The front of the bags.

These are the bags for my mom, Ellen, and for Ma-ma, my grandmother Volcie.  Both were cancer victims just before their deaths, although Ma-ma's cancer of the blood lasted for three or four years.  Mom's cancer was much more aggressive.  

The back of the bag in the
center names all eight of us
girls on one of mom's bags.

My one consolation is that neither one was in much pain.  I've heard and seen horror stories of pain and agony from cancer and am grateful that I did not see that with the two women who raised me and were such wonderful influences in my life. 

When is your Relay for Life walk?  Do you participate?  In whose memory or honor?  I'd love to hear from you!