September, 2026 — Wrapped

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Thirty days hath September and I tried to be fruitful each and every day.

Looking north over the marsh just after dawn.

Here are some of the things I worked on:

  • Hung the new shade (ordered last month) in the kitchen.

    The window treatment when we moved in was an orangish Venetian blinds.

    I abandoned this window valance because it looked odd from outside the house and gave no privacy.

    This shade looks nice from both inside and outside the house.

  • Saw a new dentist a little closer to home.
  • Started a new Bible study  —  Walking with God.
  • Survived the biting black flies. Barely.
  • Changed the filter in my Blueair room air cleaner.

    Definitely time to change the filter — old on left and new on right.

  • Even though I didn’t want to poke a hole in the kitchen panel that faces the living room, I decided to hang a hook for a heavy antique mirror to reflect the bay water outside.

    Before

    After

  • Watched The Devil Wears Prada 2. Fabulous costumes.
  • Went to Touch-a-Truck Community event.  Every kind of first response vehicle was there. My 2 favorites are pictured below.

    A bomb disposal robot is a remotely controlled vehicle used by police and military bomb squads to inspect, handle, and neutralize dangerous explosives from a safe distance. Here pictured with its handler, a bomb squad technician, who can do everything the robot can.

    The Blackwater Fire Management team uses these heavy, tank-like buggies because they  travel easily across deep muck, soft mud, and open water where standard brush trucks or bulldozers would sink.

  • With Charlie’s help, hung the large mirror (formerly in the primary bathroom) on the side of the shed.

    Mirror added.

Now to the numbered list that I planned to complete before the end of the month.

  1.  Celebrate our wedding anniversary. I bought Bluetooth headsets for both of us and a fancy little cake to share.

    A black set for Charlie and a blue set for me.

  2.  Transplant columbine and lavender.

    We planted new parsley and columbine among the other plants since the basil will die off in the winter.  Lavender is in pots.

    I also planted some creeping thyme and replanted parsley which had been decimated by Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

    These caterpillars are 3-4 inches long and really very beautiful but highly destructive.

  3.  Work on 2027 travel plans.  I planned our trip to Seattle next spring — airline tickets, hotels, rental car.

    Planning to see the Skagit Tulip fields.

    I also reviewed the already-scheduled cruise from Helsinki to Copenhagen which is about a year from now.

  4.  Hire a contractor for bathroom renovation.  Rehired the crew that installed our kitchen with which we are very satisfied.  Work slated to start at the beginning of 2027.

    The renovated kitchen is working well.

  5.  Arrange annual trip insurance.   I bought Allianz annual insurance (All Trips Premier) to cover the maximum number of planned trips. An annual coverage policy can be purchased no more than 90 days in advance.
  6.   Read a book.  I read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides that we discussed in our book club.  It was a psychological thriller which I didn’t care for — too dark.  As I was reading I was hoping for a happy ending — No.

    The Silent Patient

  7.  Remove large mirror from primary bathroom.  Charlie and I removed this 3′ by 4′ monster with great care.  I have plans to mount it on the side of the shed.

    Before

    Very strange with no mirror but much easier to fill holes and paint.

  8.  Redesign primary bathroom. (#32 101 in 1001).  I have redesigned the bathroom and added some new details.  Our contractor might also have some input.  Everything has been ordered and is being stashed in the primary bedroom which is a tight fit for now.

    The direction I’m going for the primary ensuite bathroom.

  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word  : CREATIVITY.
  10.  Write a goal list for October, 2026.

Jo

Primary Bath: Getting Ready to Renovate

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Two years ago we moved into our home on the Chesapeake Bay.  Since then we have replaced the floor on the ground level, renovated 2 downstairs bathrooms to become one better-functioning one, and redesigned and replaced the kitchen.

This is how the bathroom looked when we moved in.

The next room on my redo list is the primary ensuite bathroom which is upstairs (#32 on my 101 in 1001 days).

I have already changed the vanity light and the one over the toilet.

So far I have added a battery operated light over the shower and changed the vanity light fixture.

The finishes I’ve decided on so far.

While I am deciding on finishes and layouts and fixtures I want to get started removing baseboards, filling holes, and painting walls that will remain.

The new shower configuration might be something like this without the step up.

The plan is to remove the wall at the end of the vanity which is the shower water wall and replace it with a glass enclosure.

The floor should look something like this.

I would love to have a zero-threshold shower and have purchased mosaic tile to go throughout the room.

I’d like to retain the towel storage with a slight upgrade.

The dark corner at the back of the room is shelving for towels which must be preserved because it opens to the furnace vent underneath.

A configuration something like this may be possible for the towel storage area.

Although I have purchased most of the fixtures, tile, and supplies to renovate the primary bathroom I’m still working on the feasibility of details like the above closet.

The new vanity is blue.

I’ll keep working on it.

Jo

September, 2026 — Gonna

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September has crept up very quickly this year.  The weather will stay warm but I’ll try to get some outdoor tasks completed.

I was all set to walk across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge last year but the bridge was closed due to high winds.

I also plan to start walking to get ready for a 10K in November.

Now to the numbered list that I hope to complete before the end of the month.

  1.  Celebrate our wedding anniversary. Furniture anniversary?? Hmm.

    I’m working on this project.

  2.  Transplant columbine and lavender.
  3.  Work on 2027 travel plans.

    Seattle, Washington.

  4.  Hire a contractor for bathroom renovation.
  5.  Arrange annual trip insurance.

    We usually buy annual trip insurance.

  6.   Read a book.
  7.  Remove large mirror from primary bathroom.

    This is a huge mirror — I’ll need help.

  8.  Redesign primary bathroom. (#32 101 in 1001)

    The primary bathroom needs a total makeover.

  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word:  CREATIVITY.
  10.  Write a goal list for October, 2026.

Jo

August, 2026: Wrapped

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In August it’s really too hot to do anything in Maryland but to soak up the air conditioning. Sea nettles fill the warm water of the Chesapeake Bay so even taking a quick dip to cool off is not very likely.

We have nice sunsets over the marsh.

In addition to the plans below I (we):

  • started renovating the top of the breakfront which I had detached from the bottom to use as the kitchen island in our former home.

    Only the top remains to be transformed.

  • ordered floor tile for primary bathroom.

    Natural Blue 12.01 in. x 12.01 in. Geometric Polished Marble Mosaic Tile

  • made meringues to add to the cookie table at my high school reunion.

    My go-to recipe when I need cookies or dessert that must travel.

  • ordered a blind for the big kitchen window overlooking the street.

    The big window over the sink in the kitchen needs some privacy.

  • attended a 4-week Bible study.

    Follow the Healer

  • changed the hardware on an old cabinet from silver to gold.

    A subtle change.

  • hung a light-blocking curtain in the bedroom on the south-facing window behind the television.

    Before (left) and after (right):  Watching TV looking into the bright sky was always difficult.

  • welcomed Charlie’s mother for an extended visit.
  • read The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and discussed it at the book club.  I enjoyed this book.

    The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

In August I planned to:

  1. Take a road trip. We drove to Bentleyville, PA, to stay at a midpoint between Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and my high school reunion at Nevillewood Country Club.

    Fallingwater was built over a waterfall to encourage the inhabitants to explore nature.

    This sojourn completes both #31 and #57 on my 101 in 1001 days list.

  2.  Work on rental car, plane, hotel reservations, and travel insurance for Panama Canal cruise. Once I received the flight information I updated the flights to be more convenient, finalized pre-trip hotel, and made a rental car reservation for post-cruise travel. I have to wait another month to purchase annual trip insurance to start later in the year so that it will cover a maximum of trips.  Then we’ll be ready to cruise.

    We’ll be traveling through the Panama Canal on the Viking Mars.

  3.  Attend a concert or 2. We binged on service bands:  USNA Band Electric Brigade, US Army Field Band, US Navy Band Cruisers.
    What a treat!

    A small contingent of the US Army Field Band (in fatigues) played a nice concert.

    Especially enjoyed the evening we sat on the terrace of the Tidewater Inn and had dinner at Hunters’ Tavern during the concert.

  4.  Work on a house project.  I painted the laundry hall Light Sandhill Crane (walls) and Sherwin WIlliams’ Lakeside (ceiling).

    The blue color helps a low ceiling recede.

    Then I mixed Lakeside with some old yellowish paints to coordinate with the dining room mural in order to paint the adjacent knee wall.

    The knee wall in the dining room was painted Alabaster which didn’t seem to work.

    Now the wall is custom blue to match the sky of the mural.

  5.  Set up old VHS video player. I sat the TV on top of the video player.  The tricky part was finding some old RCA cables to channel it into the television.

    This TV has a built-in DVD player so I’m all set for a little offline viewing.

    Now it works and I plan to watch some of our old home movies.

  6. Work on Christmas gifts.  I have come up with some useful and unusual items.  Can’t share the details until after Christmas.

    Last Christmas we had a lit tree at the end of our dock.

  7.  Plan something fun.  I went on a boat tour of 6 lighthouses – Part 1 and Part 2.  (#87 on 101 in 1001 list) .

    Thomas Point Shoal screw pile lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay.

  8.  Get rid of 3 boxes of clutter in the garage. I also got rid of a few more vases when a shelf in the garage pulled away from the wall and the contents crashed to the floor.

    It seems the more I get rid of the more I have.

  9.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: WELCOME.
  10.   Write a goal list for September, 2026.

Jo

Lighthouse Cruise: Part 2 of the 6 Hour Tour

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My cruise to view Chesapeake Bay lighthouses began here.

As we approached Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse the weather started to turn cloudy and stormy.

Continuing north heading toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge we next encountered Thomas Point Shoal Light.

Upon close inspection coyotes can be spotted on the dock on the left.

Since January, 2024, a faux coyote named Drew has been stationed on the dock of the historic 1875 screw-pile lighthouse to solve a persistent bird-dropping problem.  The decoy family has now expanded to include a companion named Debby (with painted red toenails) and a young pup named Nugget.

As we left Thomas Point behind we could see rain squalls surrounding us.

Public tours of the interior of Thomas Point Lighthouse leave from Annapolis and must be arranged in advance for about $103 per person.  These charges help to maintain the lighthouse.

The first lighthouse at Sandy Point Shoal was erected in 1858.

As we watched the sky get darker and the rain begin to fall on us, we came upon Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay.

Many of us on the cruise brought raingear to protect us from stormy weather. (Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the distance.)

Since 2005 the lighthouse has been in private ownership who is required to allow Coast Guard access to the structure for periodic maintenance of the light.

Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse is out of commission but doesn’t look as dilapidated as some of the others.

In 2019, the Coast Guard notified mariners that Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse was being discontinued: “Due to the deteriorating condition of the Sandy Point Shoal Light structure, which has become a severe health hazard and a hazard to access for maintenance crews, the Coast Guard discontinued the light. The structure is privately owned and maintained, the Coast Guard is continuing to work with the owner concerning maintenance.”

Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse was finally commissioned in 1902 after 4 years of wind, water, and weather problems.

Our final lighthouse, Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse, marks the entrance to the Baltimore Channel at the mouth of the Magothy River.

Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse is now privately owned and available for tours and events.

Heading southward toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge the seas became rougher.

As the storm and rough waters increased we headed back to Cambridge Harbor (approximately 3 hours away) at top speed.

Yee ha! Love an adventure.

I was soaked through to the skin even with my rain gear. However the water and air were warm so getting wet was not much of an issue for me except I dared not take out my phone for any more photos.

Jo

Lighthouse Cruise: Part 1 of the 6 Hour Tour

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I was up bright and early on a Sunday morning to meet Captain Phil, his first mate, and a group of 14 other lighthouse enthusiasts.

Captain Phil welcomed us aboard Fish Magnet out of Church Creek, Maryland.

The plan was to cruise up the Chesapeake Bay to see 6 lighthouses in various states of disrepair as many have been taken out of service.

Cambridge Creek Drawbridge on Maryland Avenue.

We sailed from Cambridge harbor through the drawbridge down the Choptank River.

Choptank River Lighthouse is located on the end of Pier A at Long Wharf Park (Water and High Streets) in Cambridge.

Our first lighthouse was the Choptank River Lighthouse which is open for self-tours from the land side.  This is a replica screw-pile lighthouse.

Sharps Island Lighthouse at the mouth of Choptank Bay.

After about an hour’s cruise to get out of the Choptank River onto the open Chesapeake Bay we saw Sharps Island Lighthouse. Once upon a time Sharps Island was over 600 acres, by the 1830s it was about half that size.

While unable to actually climb aboard the lighthouses we got nice and close.

By 1960, Sharps Island had been reduced to an underwater shoal, completely lost from view.

Sharps Lighthouse

Now all that remains is the third lighthouse on that spot, currently featuring a 15-degree list after it was damaged by ice in 1977.

Bloody Point Lighthouse has solar panels to power the modern lens, which is still an active aid to navigation.

Bloody Point, built in 1882, is named for the nearby point which has been the scene of a number of violent events throughout history. In the early days of the US, a group of Indians was reportedly enticed to the area by English colonists, who then butchered them. It is also rumored that a villainous French pirate was hung at Bloody Point.

Bloody Point Lighthouse has had a tilt almost from the beginning.

Bloody Point Lighthouse is now charred and rusted as a result of a tragic fire in 1960 that very nearly killed two lighthouse crewmen. Finally, in 2006 the lighthouse was auctioned to the private sector.

The clouds rolled in and the bay water became dark.

Check back for Part 2 of the tour when the weather turned ugly and the water became rough.

Jo

Silver to Gold

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We have a little blue cabinet under the steps next to the piano that holds tuners, music, and router among other things.

The blue cabinet with silver hardware.

Years ago I painted it blue and painted the hardware silver to match the brushed nickel details in our former home.

The blue cabinet (behind the chair) is not a key feature.

Ever since I painted the wall behind the piano orange the silver was not working for me. Also all the fixtures in this house are slowly being changed to champagne bronze/gold.

A small tube of Rub ‘n Buff next to a still-silver hinge.

I transformed the silver to gold by applying Grecian Gold Rub ‘n Buff on the metal drawer pulls, hinges, and door knobs with a gloved finger.

Silver (left) became gold (right).

This was an easy transformation since I already had all the components on hand.

The little cabinet back in place.

Not much of a change but I do like it better now that the hardware is gold.

Jo

Fallingwater

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On our road trip to western Pennsylvania for my high school reunion, Charlie and I planned a side trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.

Fallingwater was a unique design for a family weekend home in the 1930s.

In March 2026 the property completed a major three-year, $7 million “World Heritage Preserved” restoration project.

The outdoor areas of Fallingwater are free to visitors.

I purchased a timed entry tickets for our date of choice about a month in advance. I opted for the Guided Architectural Tour at $42 per person.

In addition to drinks, a limited menu is available for snacks and lunch.

We started in the Visitor Center where I had an espresso coffee at the cafe, looked around the gift shop, and toured the small museum.  This is the only area with restrooms so we were encouraged to use them before the house tour.

Fallingwater is built over a waterfall instead of with a view of the waterfall so the inhabitants will be lured outside of the house to view the scenery.

Charlie and I walked down the path that the map described as the best place to view the exterior of the house.  Ultimately we were glad to have done this first because we were fairly exhausted after climbing all the steps to the three-story dwelling plus guest house.

The view from the entry bridge shows steps that start inside the house and continue into the natural pool under the house.

The same stairs from inside the living room.

Our guide met us at the Visitor Center and handed out earpieces so we could hear his commentary as we toured.

The house is built of local Pennsylvania sandstone cantilevered on top of a natural rock foundation.

Once inside we were permitted to take photos on the first floor only.

The dining area is part of the open-plan first floor.

The description of Frank Lloyd Wright’s plans and thinking helped to explain some of the concepts of our own mid-century modern house.

The kitchen is very basic since the family had onsite staff who did all the cooking and cleaning.

Fallingwater was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built by the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, PA. between 1936-1939. It became a landmark of organic architecture and was donated to the public in 1963.

A salmon smoking a cigar is a comic symbol of the smoked salmon prepared on the premises.

We had a busy morning and headed to a nearby restaurant, Out of the Fire Cafe, in Donegal, PA.  The food was delicious.

These stairs are reminiscent to ours at The Landing.

Open-back stairs at our home seem inspired by FLW.

Then we headed back to the hotel about an hour away.

Jo

 

101 in 1001 #7: 365 Days In

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I have been making 101 tasks in 1001 days lists since 2009.  I’m one year into list #7 which began August 2, 2025 and runs until April 29, 2028.  Today is August 2, 2026.

My 6th list began November 4, 2022 and ran until August 1, 2025. My 5th list began February 6, 2020. It ended on November 3, 2022. Fourth list started May 10, 2017 (first list ended 11/13/2011, second list 8/11/2014, third list 5/9/2017) Black is the color for original post. Completed items are in blue.  Pink items are plans.  Red items are cautions due to the situations out of my control.

  1. Buy a car.
  2. Start taking RMD in 2026. Complete! 1/9/2026
  3. Visit Wallops Flight facility.
  4. Send 10 handwritten cards. Complete! 12/2/2025
  5. Build frame for full length mirror.
  6. Throw away or donate 30 things and don’t replace them.  27 down
  7. Organize trip to a Caribbean island.
  8. Redesign kitchen.  Complete! 10/10/2025 

    The kitchen design.

  9. Picnic on the sandbar.
  10. Refinish tall dresser.
  11. Make a photo album of Mommie.
  12. Bird tour at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.  Complete! 9/28/2025 

    There’s an eagle in those trees.

  13. Night Sky Tour at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.  Complete! 8/22/2025 

    Top to bottom– the moon, Venus, Jupiter — 3 items I can identify in the night sky.

  14. Refinish green vanity.
  15. Read 30 books.  12 down
  16. Attend 5 concerts. Complete! 9/27/2025

    The Sea Chanters — one of my favorite service music groups.

  17. London theatre trip.  Complete! 3/16/2026 

    The Devil Wears Prada in London starred Vanessa Williams.

  18. Tour Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
  19. Go dog sledding.  Complete! 3/8/2025 

    The sled was sooo much fun.

  20. Increase net worth by 25%.
  21. Zipline in rainforest.
  22. Parasail or hang glide or skydive.
  23. Work on side hustle.
  24. NYC/Broadway/Cabaret.
  25. Visit Morocco.
  26. Take a repositioning transAtlantic cruise.
  27. Get rid of 5 big things. Complete! 6/20/2026
  28. Shampoo rugs. Complete! 1/14/2026 

    The gray rug on the 2nd floor landing was especially full of hidden dog hair.

  29. Visit some place out west – Seattle.
  30. Try 5 new restaurants. Complete! 11/27/2025
  31. Go on a road trip.
  32. Redesign primary bathroom.
  33. Landscape front yard.
  34. Get together with sister.
  35. Order new curtains for living room.
  36. Paint or replace venetian blinds.
  37. Focus on entry window coverings.
  38. Take 3 Bible studies.  2 down
  39. Paint the entry hall.
  40. Design and rebuild top of breakfront.
  41. Host 5 get-togethers.
  42. Finish painting trim in DS bedroom.
  43. Find new dermatologist.  Complete! 12/23/2025
  44. Stain interior wood doors.
  45. Rejuvenate the deck.
  46. Clean up the marsh.
  47. Collect driftwood.
  48. Get new vanity for heron bathroom.
  49. Repair dining room rug.
  50. Get a new music system.
  51. Visit 2 states where I’ve never been (not just driven through).
  52. Sort out my wardrobe and donate or get rid of 10 items. Complete! 7/7/2026
  53. Have a dinner by candlelight.
  54. Take a trail ride on horseback.
  55. Fix curtains in master bedroom.
  56. Visit Mount Rushmore.
  57. Visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Southwestern PA.
  58. Have ring appraised.
  59. Shred old files.
  60. Find tai chi on Eastern Shore.
  61. Clean up and organize old photos.
  62. Eat vegetarian for a week.  Complete! 2/27/2026
  63. Work on studio/office in back bedroom.
  64. Put outdoor shower at shore house.
  65. Install dual system heater/AC in master bedroom at shore house.
  66. See 5 theatrical productions. 4 down, 1 to go
  67. Carpet stair treads.
  68. Visit Canada. Complete! 9/14-17/2025 

    Halifax

  69. Get a security camera. Complete! 3/21/2026
  70. Paint and renovate laundry room.

    Needs an upgrade.

  71. Drink a glass of water every morning for a month.  Complete! 10/24/2025 

    At least one tall glass every morning.

  72. Organize personal files.
  73. Set up a music system at the house.
  74. Paint the exterior of the house. Complete! 7/15/2026
  75. Visit 5 local thrift stores. 3 down
  76. Meet and remember 5 new people. Complete! 11/30/2025
  77. Hang some art.
  78. Take dance lessons.
  79. Paint trim in downstairs bedroom.
  80. Add shoe molding to downstairs.
  81. Outdoor shower at The Landing.
  82.  Repair and refresh dock.
  83.  Upgrade railings on back deck.
  84.  Visit Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay
  85.  Paint one wall an outrageous color. Complete! 7/2/2026 

    A little splash of color in the entry hall with a Baltimore Oriole theme.

  86. Paint studio walls.
  87. Visit a lighthouse.
  88. Clean car headlights.  Complete! 8/2/2025 

    Before and after

  89. Watch a meteor shower.  Complete! 11/17/2025  
  90. Take a cruise to the Panama Canal.
  91.  Wear Shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day. Complete! 3/17/2026 

    Freshly blessed shamrocks from St Patrick’s Soho in London.

  92.  Walk across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
  93.  Eat no sugar for a week. Complete! 9/7/2025
  94.   Plant a dogwood tree at The Landing.
  95.   Buy a stranger a meal.
  96.   Travel first class.
  97.   Get rid of 10 pieces of clothing. 3 down
  98.   Have living room bergère chairs slipcovered.

    These chairs were always slipcovered when I was growing up.

  99.   Get a boat.
  100.   Transplant my orchids.  Complete! 8/2/2025 

    The orchids have been freshly replanted.

  101. Private

Jo

August, 2026: Gonna

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We have a busy month planned in August.

The downstairs bedroom suite is almost ready for a special guest.

Lots of concerts, projects, and guests.

In August I plan to:

  1. Take a road trip.

    We’ll be driving almost 6 hours to attend my high school reunion.

  2.  Work on rental car, plane, hotel reservations, and travel insurance for Panama Canal cruise.

    Looking for good weather, good fun, and unique situations.

  3.  Attend a concert or 2.
  4.  Work on a house project.

    So many projects from which to choose.

  5.  Set up old VHS video player.
  6. Work on Christmas gifts.

    Our theme this year will be Norway, London, Panama Canal.

  7.  Plan something fun.
  8.  Get rid of 3 boxes of clutter in the garage.

    It seems the more I get rid of the more I have.

  9.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: WELCOME.
  10.   Write a goal list for September, 2026.

Jo