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Monday, October 24, 2011

This Old House

Some minor kitchen repairs are underway in this household
YAY! 

The Kitchen Before.

   

1972 yellow backsplash.  Isn't it lovely?


Step one:  Remove backsplash.


Step Two: Repair walls with drywall mud in preparation for new backsplash.


Oh my goodness! Lets see those pictures side by side,
 shall we?


 Thats enough of a change for me. 
I think we can call it done. 








But we're not.  

One Saturday afternoon as we were looking through the ads we noticed that Menards had micro ranges on sale.  So we thought "Why not?"



I also bid farwell to my  beloved border.




 Once removed, we were reminded of why it was put up in the first place.  The previous owners used some atomic extra super strength wallpaper paste to attach their border with.  This took me over two hours to scrap away.



Yeah.... its not going anywhere.  So unless any of you loyal readers wish to volunteer to come spend countless hours standing on a chair doing tedious work then a border must go back up.

Bummer.

I was kinda hoping for crown molding.

Stay tuned for more on this kitchen make-over.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Gettysburg Trip - Visitors Center

If you ever get a chance to visit Gettysburg Pennsylvania, you must follow this advice:

Drive straight to the Visitors Center.



At the Visitors Center there are four main attractions, for lack of better word, to see and can be purchased in a bundle package, which I highly recommend.


The first attraction is a History Channel film on Gettysburg narrated by Morgan Freeman.  I know what you're thinking. 

"You just drove all the way to Gettysburg to watch a movie on Gettysburg??"

Its all part of the experience.  It gives you the history and background on the famous battle fought there shown on one of the largest screens I have ever seen to prepare you for what comes next. 



After the film you are lead upstairs to see the Gettysburg Cyclorama.

Whats a Cyclorama?

A cyclorama is a panoramic painting on the inside of a cylindrical platform, designed to provide a viewer standing in the middle of the cylinder with a 360° view of the painting. The intended effect is to make a viewer, surrounded by the panoramic image, feel as if they were standing in the midst of a historic event or famous place.

The original painting was 42 feet high and 365 feet in circumference.


As you look at the pictures below see if you can distinguish between whats the recreated scenery in the foreground and where the painting starts.  I've never seen a cyclorama painting before but I can assure you if I'm ever anywhere that has a cyclorama in the area, I will pay to go see it, no matter what it is. 
They are amazing.







Due to not being allowed to use flash photography, I didn't get too many good pictures.  So its possible you're thinking:

"Well that was a pretty picture but you just paid how much to see that?"

Let me introduce you to the (illegal) video I took to give you a small portion of the experience of seeing this painting.


Impressive isn't it?  Even more so in person.

After watching the film and viewing the cyclorama, you can stay in the visitors center to go through the Civil War Museum.  We didn't have time for that so I cannot say whether its worth it or not.  OR you can grab a bus tour of the battlefields.  And after everything you've just learned, its all put into perspective.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Gettysburg Trip - Jennie Wade House

Jennie Wade House


Jennie Wade was the only civilian to be killed during the Battle of Gettysburg.   This picture below (was not taken by me as it rained the entire day) was the house Jennie Wade was staying in at the time of her death.  Jennie actually lived a couple miles away in a wood sided house.  Her mother believed they would be safer to stay here, in a brick house, during the war.  Or so she thought...

Image Detail

The Battle of Gettysburg started in the fields North of the town of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863.  With the Union soldiers being defeated after the first days battle, they retreated to Cemetary Hill on the south side of town, just a few blocks away from the McClellan house where Jennie was staying.

Many soldiers warned the McClellans to leave the house during the battle as the house was situated between both armies.  They refused to leave their home.

On July 2nd, a 10 pound artillery shell hit the house and knocked out a portin of the wall that separated the two living quarters of their duplex house.



They still chose to stay in the house.

In the early morning hours of July 3rd, Jennie's sister Georgia was about to give birth and for the ease of taking care of the baby they decided to move a bed to the main floor living area.




As Georgia lay in the bed, maybe perhaps in labor, a stray bullet from the battle broke through the window, hit the bedpost and fell on the pillow by Georgia's head.

They still decided to stay.

By mornings light, Georgia had given birth to her baby and Jennie was heard saying this prayer:

"If there is anyone in this house that is to be killed today, I hope it is me, as Georgia has a little baby."

At 8:30am, Jennie Wade was working in the kitchen making biscuits for the Union soldiers when a stray bullet went through the front door...


(The holes in the brick are also bullet holes from the Civil War)

 ... through the open living room door....


...and right into Jennie Wade's heart, killing her isntantly.


After Jennie was killed, Union soldiers carried her body up through the broke wall, down through the duplexs other living quarters, and into the cellar.


Here are the cellar stairs.


Heeeeere's Jennie!


Legend has it that if young unwed women, like Jennie, put their ring finger through the bullet hole she will receive a marriage proposal within a year.  The letter that accompanies this legend is about a woman who followed through with the legend just as a joke.  A week later she met a man but had no intentions of becoming serious with him.  A month later they were engaged a shortly there after were married on October 28, 2000.  Kinda funny isn't it?  Jim and I are here in wonderful historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania celebrating our wedding anniversary, October 28, 2000.


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Gettsyburg Trip - The Journey

Day One - The Beginning
Wednesday, October 12, 2011


Day One and a Half - Our destination
Thursday, October 13, 2011



After a 7 hour and 11 mintue drive and with only one potty break, we made it to Gettysburg.  First thing on the agenda is a hotel room and sleep.  Then its time for the history lesson to begin.

Stay Tuned.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Fall Experiences #2

I'm so glad I have slave labor this year.


However, she doesn't see it that way.  To her it's all part of the Fall fun.




By the way, has anyone noticed how absolutely beautiful this Fall has been?