Moms...Things I love

"If someone creates a Nobel Prize for Unsung Hero my nominee will be the divorced single mother"
                                                                                                                          E. Mavis Hetherington

I have the best Mom. She is going to be 86 years old this year, and can run circles around most people I know.  She just came back from a 42 day cruise with her boyfriend.  He is 4 days younger and calls her his cougar.  You have no idea how her life now makes my heart happy, and there is no one that deserves it more.  They are like two 16 year olds in love. 

Her life hasn't always been so charming.  To start off let's talk about Gene, the father to my sister, brother and I.  More or less he was a sperm donor that hung around long enough to have 3 kids.  He told my Mom he had embezzled money from his company and was leaving the country (nice don't stand up for your own %#*&).  He had my Mom load up all 3 kids and move to her Mother's miles away. To make a long story short, his "country/embezzlement" consisted of a new family and job around the corner.  But Gene was a real  M(&^#&  F#%$#* (you're welcome Mom), So here my Mom was with 3 kids, hadn't worked a day in her life, no child support and living with her parents and 3 kids. Did that stop my Mom?  Not at all.  She found a job at Denny's as a waitress and worked 6 days a week to support her family. Yes, she raised three kids on tips.  We never went without a single thing. I am so grateful for her choice to tough it out and be both Mom and Dad.  Not only that, she did the best job at being both.

High School PICture.

My Mom had the classic 9 mile high hair, then she would put her Denny's hat on top of that! Oh there are PICtures to prove it, and with all that hair and hat she was still beautiful.  After we were grown she eventually went to work at Albertson's.  So she went from one hard job to another and succeeded at it as well. She worked her butt (you're welcome Mom) off until she retired.

1969.  She some how pulled that hair off?

She isn't a big drinker but one night we went to a Mexican food restaurant and for some reason she decided to drink margaritas, yes plural margaritas. So we got home and she was not feeling well No S#@*) . She laid down on the couch and fake spit for hours.  Nothing coming out just pucht, pucht and my sister and I were running around the house singing Margaritaville.  She found no humor in our song choice. Or one time we were in the mall and I kept calling  her and she kept ignoring me, so I yelled at the top of lungs, "Hey lady with the red wig on".  Again no humor.

My Mom has survived it all and still is. But she is finally having the time of her life.  Her and Bob go dancing until midnight.  Last year they went on a 30 day cruise to Italy, Greece, and Spain.  They just got back from a 42 day cruise to Bora Bora,  New Zealand, and on to Australia. Now they are talking about going to Asia. Couldn't be happier for her. She is strong, beautiful, dedicated, and I love her.

Bob and Mom after getting off the boat for 42 days.  I would be asking for an ambulance.

"God made a wonderful mother,

A mother who never grows old:

He made her smile of the sunshine,

And He molded her heart of pure gold;

In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,

In her cheeks fair roses you see;

God made a wonderful mother,

And He gave her to me".

Pat O' Reilly

I know that is cheesy as HECK (again you're welcome Mom) but it really does sum up how I feel about my Mom.

Cheese on,

Sue "CiCi" Cook


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Home Bars...Things I love

"When life hands you lemons, make Limoncello"

                                                              Sue Cook

Do you see a theme going on here?  I came across some PICtures on Houzz and Pinterest that inspired me to write about home bars.  Honestly most of them were hideous but a few were really cool.  First of all if you have a home bar you're not in college anymore and you don't need to display your entire stock with everything but empty beer cans stacked in a pyramid.  There is reason these photos look good and none of the above is included.  By the way since I have the Shit Ass Disease that is exactly what my bar looks like (minus the empty beer cans stacked).  My husband has everything on display, The only thing that is missing is the cinder blocks and plywood and if he didn't have to think about it he would do that as well.  Of course it's not organized just thrown up there like the frat boys are going to walk in any minute.  I kid you not, he has a bottle of tequila from the 1970's with the worm still in the bottle.  Who Hoo, tequila at the Cook's, oh wait it's been in hiding for 40 years.  At least the glasses are clean but still shoved on the counter. So I stroll by on my chair, pick up a wine glass (oh he thinks of me in this boyhood madness) swing around to the fridge and get my glass of wine.  I cringe every time I look at it so my speed on the chair is up to about 45 miles per hour as I whip by it. So take a look at a few of the bars/bar carts I found and enjoy.  I will keep working on my miles per hour to overlook mine.

Love the blue and white vase, it's organized and just pretty.  Now the sofa and art????

Now this is where I belong every day at sunset and well just anytime.

This is how a bar should look. I don't know if it is the gold cart or the pink, but it has my initial so pretty sure it should be what mine should look like.  Only problem is two empty wine spots.

So it looks like a restaurant but I would take it  There needs to be wine listings on the black board wall and not so much dessert.  Duh it should be cheese, fruit, and Cheetos.

Love the orange walls with black trim, art and patterned wood floors.

I really like the gold grass cloth more than anything else.

This just calls out to my friend Darla.

Mirrors and geometric.

Eclectic and then some.

So now you can see why I am working on getting my speed up on my drive by wine glass pick up. The tequila is behind the first wine glass. I was not kidding.

Wow I didn't even know just how bad I have it until I took that PICture. Lord what has my life come to???  Well maybe I can figure out how to make the wine glass swoop with a blind fold. However you don't  have to.  Take a few minutes and look at these cool bars and work on your own.

I will work on my blindfold swoop.

Sue "CiCi" Cook 

Shit Ass Disease with Attitude

"Life would be tragic if it weren't so funny"
                                          Stephen Hawking

OK so you have the Shit Ass Disease.  If you are just finding out you will have all the emotions that go with it.  Sadness, depression, fear and what the hell do I do now? Well I am almost a year into my diagnosis and things aren't any better but your attitude has to be. I know you have heard all the doctors say, "Be positive", "Positive people live longer", blah blah blah. I think it's about taking one day at a time and going from there.  I am a pessimist by nature so every time a doctor tells me positive people live longer I think well then I'm fucked. But I no more so than the next person with the Shit Ass Disease.

At this point it's all sense of humor.  For instance my grandchildren have had a blast with my apparatuses.  I don't know what they played with before my toys came along.
First was the fall from the Escalade... it was crutches.  They both almost killed themselves trying to walk with them, but they had fun trying.  Next came the cane, Truett used it as a sword every chance he could get his hands on it. Everyone of us has been at the other end of that cane/sword. He is strong and has a really good aim.  Now I surprised them with the next toy a Rollater, they thought it was a "roller coaster".  They would jump on it the minute they saw it and have anyone that would push them, push them. Then "Oh man, now she has a wheelchair!!! SCORE!" They could push each other around in it, run into walls and people. Great fun.  Finally came the electric wheelchair with a horn! A horn that drives all the adults crazy, it kills two birds with one stone!! They love to snuggle up in my lap then turn it on and try to take off, that's really fun especially when you can move tables faster than a speeding bullet

Speaking of the electric wheelchair, I have taken every wall and door jam in my house out.  I mean there is no doubt where I have been.  There is not only black scrapes on every corner, but the base boards are pretty much taken out.  My refrigerator, dishwasher, cabinets, and island are abused as well. Now this is where the anti-depressants come in.  I don't care!!! I was pretty much a perfectionist when it came to my house,  That's what they make paint for.  Now lets talk about husbands...mine may not out live me if he doesn't quit being such an asshole one minute and nice the next! Every time he sees something new I've ran into he yells at me like I'm a 5 year old. So of course I will accidentally (oopsie) run into one more item.  I can play this game all day long. Maybe he should get some antidepressants to help with his irritation.  One day I snapped at him for some random reason, his response, "Did you take your meds today? " One more scratch on the wall. He was sitting in his chair which I could not get by, so I asked him to move, he just sat there so Channa said, "Push him with your chair!"  So I did, I pushed him about 4 feet. Wish I could have seen the look on his face.  Channa and I thought it was pretty funny!

Right now we are having to remodel the bathroom to accommodate the Shit Ass Disease. Mind you I have been a designer for 30 years. But NOOOOO he knows better.  We are two weeks into this project and not one thing has been done. If I could get out of this chair I would beat his ass!  The word divorce has been thrown around several times (by me).  We have been married 41 years this June. Of course he finds it funny when I say it,  What am I going to do with all the holes and scrapes I made??

I love how she is looking at him like he is a little coo coo.

Twinkies!

So I am glad you got to meet my husband before I kill him or tear my house to the ground. We will get the remodel done all I need to do is get my wheelchair in the bathroom and let her rip. Volia, demo done.

I got a little off track with, "Take one day at a time", to my rant about my husband, so don't listen to a word I say.  Handle your situation the way that works for you.  Whether you have the Shit Ass Disease, loss of job or life is overwhelming, just remember you can always borrow my wheelchair!


That's how I roll,

Sue "CiCi" Cook

Winter I'm Over You...Things I Love/Hate.

"Smell the sea, and smell the sky let your soul and spirit fly"
                                                                        Van Morrison

I like the winter for a day or two, I like a 100 degrees a day or two, but what I really like is 80 -85 degrees on a beach.  Since the chill factor was in the teens this weekend and it's 40 degrees today, I'm over it! OVER IT! I know I shouldn't be complaining because the people in the north east have been snowed in for weeks, but I have the Shit Ass Disease and I can complain if I want to.  Any time I want to be a brat I use the Shit Ass Disease, end of story.  So I am fantasizing about the beach.  Growing up around the beach I always loved the time around sunset.  It's  peaceful and most people are done for the day so you usually have the beach to yourself.  So while I sit here typing feeling sorry for myself, I thought I would download a few photos of  the beach  and blame the Shit Ass Disease that I don't own one. 

Wheelchair accessible????

This will do.

In my mind this is on a beach.

Ahhh sitting on this deck reading a book.

A glass of wine, cheese platter and some Van Morrison.

First beach trip for this angel face. She owned it.

Get your beach on.
Sue "CiCi" Cook

Friends...Things I love

"There is nothing better than good friends, unless it is good friends and wine"
                                                                                                           Sue Cook



Some people tell me I am hard to get to know.  I am not hard to get to know I just like to observe my surroundings then judge you like the horrible person I am!  I guess it works for me because I really do have the best friends.  Once you are truly my friend it is for life. It's true what they say, if you can count your friends on one hand you are lucky.  I am lucky.

My oldest friend came to visit me from California last week.  We have been friends since 6th grade.  Why is it so many years can go by and you can still laugh at the same things.  She was my partner in crime, the instigator (that's my side of the story) and I would do it all over again if I could.  Well maybe not all of it. We both had older sisters that were total bitches.  They would make us sit on the floor board in the back seat if they ever took us anywhere.  Sue (she is also Sue) said, "Well we were the little sisters, so its understandable".  Bullshit we were ten times cooler than they would ever be. Well we certainly became cooler when we didn't have to sit on the floor board anymore.  Anyway I am very blessed to have such a great friend and will always cherish our friendship.




Sue on the left, me on the right.  If you only knew the trouble we were gettng and going to get into. Nice hair!

Laguna Beach just a few years later.  We are much more mature, well maybe not much more.

The Little Shits

Brittany, Melissa, Me, Channa and Katy

On this particular trip to Perdido Key, Florida we were having a great time as usual.  Channa and her friends decided to go out one night to the Florabama Bar.  Now if you don't know about the Florabama, it's a bar where, say the bride and groom are in bikinis doing shots on their heads.  You never know what your going to see there.  Anyway they left and I told them to call me when they needed a ride home.  I of course would be sleeping.  My phone rings about 1:30 - 2:00 and its Brittany with her fake cry, "We got arrested."  I didn't believe a word she was saying until...she said, "No really, look out the window!" So I get up look out the window and there is a cop car with lights flashing away.  I of course get 50 gray hairs, then a man voice gets on the phone.  "Mam they are alright, I just gave them a ride home"  So Sheriff Scott (who's their age) thinks it's as funny as they did. I had a photo but unfortunately couldn't find it. Hence the title, "The Little Shits!"




Katy squeezing a penis cloud. Love the look on her face.

What made me happy when Sue was here is we had a chance to do a happy hour with some of my besties.  We laughed and drank until midnight.  I am usually in bed by 8 or 9 with the Shit Ass Disease, so you know we were having a good time.  Of course these bitches were making fun of me and my pronunciations of words. I will screw up the pronunciation of "the" if given the chance.  I asked my daughter one time if she wanted some "Havart-tay" cheese.  Of course I now know that it is pronounced Har-var-ti, and that it is in 1952 Havarti cheese was named after the Havarthigaard in Ovrod, north of Copenhagen, where the owner Hanne Nelson had developed modern cheesemaking in Danish agriculture during the last half of the 19 century. So shut up and eat some Havar-T Channa!  Then Amy and Darla have to pipe in and make fun of me for saying PITcher instead of PICture.  Well I learned my lesson from now on I will say, "I need to hang that PICture" over here or Darla and Amy shove that PICture up your asses. I'm not bitter. I'm a very good sport! But that is what makes friends, friends you can give each other shit and it just gets funnier.  One night we (not mentioning any names) went to a happy hour and it ended up being lesbian night. Not that I have anything against lesbians but probably wouldn't have picked that place on that night.  Anyway the lesbians were hitting on one of us (you know who you are).  So we of course we will not let her forget it.  It really became brutal until she finally said, "Don't be jealous I'm beautiful".  So she may or may not swing both ways but, (you know who you are) they weren't hitting on me or anyone else we were with...just saying.


Happy Hour at Mi Cocina. Very entertaining night.  Thank you Amy and Laura.



Happy Hour and Mexican Sugar.

So those of you whom are blessed to have friends like I do, happy hour away, make fun of each other and whatever you do hang that PICture in the right spot.


Cheers,
Sue "CiCi" Cook

Home with passion....Things I Love

"Do it with passion or not at all".

                                   Unknown

I just love dramatic change in design.  I also love clients that are so easy to work with. I made my mind up a long time ago I wouldn't work for anyone I didn't feel we were a match.  I hit the jackpot with this client.  She started out an acquaintance and ended up a true friend.  Hope you enjoy a walk through the process of this home.

Before PICture of kitchen.

Before: This photo is after the demo of the cabinets and wall. Ceramic tile removed, the floors and trim put in.

After: After we removed L shaped cabinets and opened the wall, we added a large island with Carrera marble.  We also moved appliances, painted and added linen window treatments.

Before: Stove and vent a hood. I'm sorry could this cook top be any smaller?

After: Curved vent a hood with large corbels, subway tile wall and new appliances and cabinets.

Before: Living room after demo with wood floors added.

After:  Wood floors with a big fluffy rug, 2 putty leather sofas and linen window treatments.

Before: Dining Room

After: Metallic grass cloth wallpaper, gold accent mirrors, geometric rug over hardwood floors.  Silk window treatments, linen end chairs with aged table and chairs.  Of course this beautiful chandelier.

Before: Study, tile floors and hideous chandelier.

After: Pickled wood finish and new chandelier.

After: A close up of the pickled woodwork and new chandelier.

Before: Master bath.  What can I say?

After: Tile floors and wall, free standing tub, enlarged shower, painted cabinets and shutters with window treatment.  The cat was not part of the design,   

Before: Bedroom.  The bed was just installed. Wood floors put in and walls painted.

After: Floating bed on chains. Mirrored end tables with glass lamps.  White and cream.

Everyone knows what they like and don't like it just takes the right designer to make it happen, and make it happen in the right way. At the end of the day its your home , but my name went on it so it was just as important to me as to you. This is one of the last houses I did before getting the Shit Ass Disease. None of my PICtures are professionally taken (obviously) because who had time for that?

Design On

Sue "Cici" Cook

Pink Done Right - Things I love.

Love, love, love this door.

A. The geraniums in the galvanized cans.

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B.  The striped rug.

C. The old stone and overgrown trees.

This makes me happy for more than one reason.

A. It's on the beach.

 B. The white sofa, multi pillows and the wood table.

 C. The large paper lantern.

 D. Hot pink accents.

 E. It would be perfect with sheer panels in the corners. 

          I imagine this door being in Montpelier, France.

If this doesn't want you to plop down for dinner with friends, I don't  know what does.

            A. Multiple chandeliers in multiple colors.

            B. Pink cocktails.

            C. Moroccan Ginger Jars.

            D. Lemon Tree.



How many coats of paint do you think this door has had?  This has to be an artist door.



Eclectic Door.

A. It's two tone.

B. Navy stripe segmented arch.

C. Broken tile facade. 

The color is so wrong it's right.

 This just makes me happy!

OK now for the hate part... If your designer ever recommends you do this run.  Just run.

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                                              The only room this is appropriate in is a brothel.

  A. Snazzy lights under chair,

   B. Prep vanity for in-between customers.

   C. Eye pillow???

   D.  Lots of fabric to hide from the police from



Even though this is a store, BARF There is not a situation on earth this is ever going to be right. 

  A. Who is going to look good in this lighting?

  B. What customer can stand to be in this store for more than 2 seconds.





I hated to end such a happy color on such a sad note but there are some people out there that just need to be called out on fugly.  Obviously they're out there.  No, hell no is all I have to say.

Sue "CiCi" Cook