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What’s Your Fixer-Upper Story?

The air conditioner condenser that drained into the shower. Check. The tile guy who arrived for work at 8 a.m. so drunk he fell off the back step. Check. The electrician who installed the exhaust fan in the wrong room. Check.The disappearing carpenter. Check. Adventures in do-it-yourself sheetrock. Check. The shocking experience of 80-year-old wiring. Check.

I’m a sucker for an old house. Which means that for the past 25 years or so, my husband and I have endured a never-ending series of fixer-upper catastrophes, some of which, I’ll admit, we perpetrated ourselves. If you’ve been following my blog posts lately, you know I’ve been working on my latest novel, THE FIXER-UPPER, at the same time we’ve been fixing up our circa-1943 beach house on Tybee Island.

So here’s a little contest. Post a comment by Tues. Dec. 2, 2008 about your very own true Fixer-Upper story and a photo, and you could win a free Advance Readers Copy of THE FIXER UPPER by Mary Kay Andrews, which won’t be out ’til June. Be the first kid on your block to read it! Three prizes will be awarded. If your entry is chosen, I’ll also read it on a video which will be posted on my website as well as HarperColllin’s website. Now don’t be shy. Tell all.

A good day for writing, and junking

Pinch of the Past Antique Hardware, Savannah

The Tybeeites are shivering–it might have gotten down to forty degrees here this morning, and beach-dwellers don’t love cold weather. I woke up shortly after 5 am, with pieces of the new book jumping around in my brain. I get like that when it’s been a while since I’ve written. Ideas start to bubble up to the surface from my subconscious (or is it unconscious? I can never keep them straight). I get cranky when I haven’t written in a while–I compare it to imagination constipation. Anyway, I was hearing pieces of dialogue in my head. Finally, I got up and made it over to my laptop. After a couple false starts, I started seeing Weezie. And her mother, the long-suffering Marian. I wrote three pages, then took a break to do house things.
Our contractor is starting to make real progress on the beach house. The plank walls are complete in the living/dining room, and in the utility room and stairwell. The lumber company was delivering bead-board as I was leaving. I drove into Savannah to hunt for old glass door-knobs for the gorgeous old doors that will be installed in Breeze Inn. Maybe you remember how I snagged them at a circa 1920s-era house that was being torn down in the Virginia-Highlands neighborhood in Atlanta. I’d answered an ad for a vintage gas stove, but sadly, the stove wouldn’t work for the beach house. When the owner of the house mentioned he was going to start tearing the house down the following day, I started looking for something to buy. He ended up selling me nine or so solid wood interior doors. They were a bargain at $20 apiece, but he had stripped them all of the doorknobs and mortise sets. I can’t bear the idea of putting cheap, contemporary hardware on these vintage beauties. So I hit some of my favorite antique spots in Savannah. I found two sets of glass knobs at Habersham Antique Market, and the owner, who knows me, let me take them on approval. I found eight more sets at a great architectural salvage shop in the Victorian district, Pinch of the Past, which is located at Whitaker and 43rd Streets. This shop was originally located downtown on Broughton Street, but moved to its new spot in the past year. I took the doorknobs on approval, and headed over to President Street Extension, and Youman’s Antiques. Youman’s is a junky-looking old building, but there are treasures within, if you look hard enough. I found two more sets of knobs there, and will go back to get them, now that I know what I’m looking for. While I was looking at the display case full of assorted odds and ends, I spotted a piece of Jadeite something. It was a slender Jadeite glass towel rod. Missing it’s end brackets, but for $8.50, I scooped it up, and I’m sure when I go back to Pinch of the Past, I’ll find a pair of replacement brackets. Or, if that fails, when I get back to Atlanta, I’ll make a trip to Eugenia’s Antique Hardware in Chamblee. If Eugenia’s doesn’t have it, nobody does. What? You’ve never been to Eugenia’s? It’s totally worth a trip to Atlanta, if you’re jonesing for the good old stuff. That towel bar will be the perfect complement to the vintage green sink from Scott’s Antique Market that’s going in the upstairs guest bath.

When I got back to the house, I showed the knobs to Keith, my contractor. The knobs will work, all right, but he pointed out I’ll still have to buy lock and mortise sets for each of the dozen or so doors we’re outfitting. Gawd knows what that’ll cost. Restoration ain’t no cheap thang, I’ll tell you that right now. At least I won’t have to buy antique hinges for all the doors–I made sure to save them when they were being removed from the house in Virginia Highlands.
And then it was back to work. I ate my customary spaghetti dinner, had a glass of Two-Buck Chuck chardonnay from Trader Joe’s, and sat down to my laptop. Wonder of wonders, I finished the first chapter. Yay me!

Tybee Island Eye Candy

Photos of Fish Camp Cottoge, above by Richard Leo Johnson
So…I’m back at Tybee Island. Today I gave a luncheon talk at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, and I think I can say a good time was had by all. Then I cruised down U.S. 80 to Tybee. It was a beautiful, sunny fall day. I passed fields full of just-picked cotton, farmhouses, changing leaves. It was a good day to be alive. It was even better when I got to my final destination, Fish Camp Cottage, another one of the adorable Mermaid Cottages. Fish Camp is a Jane Coslick creation, which means every corner of its restoration and decoration was lovingly thought out and executed. I’m going to do a little sidewalk supervising on The Breeze Inn while I’m down here, so stay tuned for new pics of the progress. But mostly, what I hope to be doing is starting my next book. Yes, it’s that time again. The island is quiet, I’ve got my chardonnay and pot of spaghetti, all I need now is some inspiration. Which I should get plenty of from Fish Camp.
If you’ve never been to Tybee for a little R&R, now is the ideal time. Lots of wonderful cottages available for rent, at reasonable prices. Beautiful sunny weather, cool temps, perfect for beach-combing, bike-riding and just hanging out. No traffic to speak of, no waits for a table at Sundae Cafe–our favorite dinner destination, or The Breakfast Club–which has just started serving an expanded lunch menu. Or you could go to The Tybee Market and pick up a steak or some seafood, and stay home and cook. Or drop by the blue seafood market as you come onto the island–do what the natives do and throw yourself an oyster roast. Don’t forget something to read. You could stop by Seaside Sisters and pick up a book–need I suggest a title?

Beach House Update

Here are a couple before pix of our beach house as it looked when we bought it in June. In the living/dining area we found: beat-up, possibly asbestos-laced linoleum tile. Cheesey ’60s panelling below equally cheesey chair-rail. Concrete block walls covered with what looked like contact paper. Fast forward to this past weekend, five months later. Linoleum is outta there. Contact paper and panelling outta there. Drafty windows so outta there. Now showing: gorgeous reclaimed heart pine floors. New energy efficient hurricane-rated windows. Blown-in insulation. Currently nearly installed: horizontal spruce planking. The stuff you don’t see is the unsexy but very necessary expensive stuff: all new plumbing, electrical, heat and air.
Here’s how the kitchen looked when we bought it: dropped ceiling tiles, cruddy cheap-o cabinets, Nixon-era yellow vinyl wallpaper, skanky formica countertops, and more linoleum. The fridge pictured here is but one of the three that were left in the house when we bought it. The other two were out on the screened porch.

Picture the same space–in the soon-to-be Obama era. Dropped ceiling dropped in dumpster, revealing high, board and batten ceiling, which are found throughout the house. Scads of new white cabinets with deep pull-out drawers and roll-out canned good cabinets and under-cabinet lighting. Built-in space for stainless steel fridge. New slot for gas stainless steel stove between windows on the right. More gorgeous reclaimed heart pine floors.

Coming soon to a kitchen right here: black granite countertops, vintage porcelain double sink, white subway tile backsplash, pair of adorable schoolhouse ceiling fixtures, a splash of jadeite green paint, window treatments made from vintage linen dishtowelling.

Stay tuned for more updates as they happen!

SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES!

I’m doing four signings of the newly re-released BLUE CHRISTMAS in the next week–so I really hope to have the chance to see new and old friends. The fun starts tomorrow night, Thursday Nov. 6, from 5-8 p.m. at the Holiday Open House at the fabulous Decatur, Ga. home of Marie Mealor.

Sat. Nov. 8 I’ll be at Seaside Sisters from 1-4 p.m. on Tybee Island, Ga. for our first anniversary celebration. I’m bringing lots of vintage treasures to re-stock my booth, so you don’t want to miss a chance to snag the goodies, as well as do some early Christmas shopping.

Mon. Nov. 10, 11: 30 a.m., I’ll give a talk and sign copies of all my books, including DEEP DISH, at the Cobb Library Foundation luncheon in Marietta, Ga. Tickets to the luncheon are $25 and can be purchased online at http://www.cobbcat.org/. Books will be available for purchase.

Thurs. Nov. 13, I’ll give a talk and do a signing at the Bowling Green/Warren County, Kentucky Public Library main branch at 6 p.m. Check here for details.

Yes We Did

I’ve deliberately stayed away from politics on this blog. I’m a novelist, not a pundit. I write for pure entertainment and cheap laughs are what I’m selling. But last night, when I was watching the election returns in bed, beside the sleeping Mr. Mary Kay, this is what I felt like. Tears running down my face. My late father–bless his heart–(as we say here in the South) was first generation Irish-American from the Southside of Chicago. With a name like John Patrick Hogan–this is no surprise. When I was a child he was a Kennedy Democrat, who late in life, morphed into a Reagan Republican, W-stalwart and dedicated Hilary Hater. At midnight, I was watching the celebration in Chicago’s Grant Park. I nudged MMK and asked him “you hear that sound?”
“What?”he asked groggily. “That sound. That’s the sound of my dad, spinning in his grave at the thought of a black man from the southside of Chicago being elected president. And I helped.”
OK, that’s it. I swear, no more politics. But peeps, I gotta be me.

Aussiedoodle Puppies

Can you feel the love tonight? My sister-in-law Laurie is thrilled that the first litter of puppies for her Abounding Grace Kennels has arrived. Four darling little females. Check her website here, and spread the word to anybody you know who is thinking puppy for Christmas. Or birthday. Or just because. Remember what Linus said: “Happiness is a warm puppy.”Or maybe that was Charlie Brown? Anyway, just this time last year I started hunting for a puppy for Mr. Mary Kay for Christmas, and our own Weezie turns one this week.

Blue Christmas Signing, Shopping Opportunities

If you live anywhere in Georgia I hope you’ll join me for the first of three fun signings I have coming up in the next week. The first event is this Thursday night, Nov. 6, from 5-8 pm. in Decatur. My old friend Marie Mealor–who many of you will know as the former owner of the fabulous FINAL TOUCH BOOKS AND GIFTS and later, MEALOR-BENZ Antiques, also in Decatur, is hosting a holiday open house and gift show at her beautiful art-filled home. In addition to having the newly re-issued BLUE CHRISTMAS which I’ll be signing and personalizing, Marie and friends are offering all kinds of gifty goodies, including antiques, framed original art, lamps, home accessories and much more. If you’ve ever seen Marie and Annie’s booth at the Scott Antique Mart you’ll know just how chic and elegant their offerings are. In addition, Marie’s talented daughter Stephanie Corder will be accepting commissions for her charming children and pet portraits. Please do join us Thursday night. Believe me–you’d pay admission just to see Marie’s home. I’ve been buying art and antiques from her for years, and she even much of the fluffing for me last year before our home was on the Avondale Holiday Tour of Homes. Did I mention there’ll be wine? and nibbles? Above are some photos of just a tiny portion of the offerings. Don’t miss it!

A big loss and a tiny win

Sigh. We went to the big football party down the street. Everybody was dressed in red and black. Katie actually brought UGA pasta salad. Apparently, you can buy collegiate-shaped pasta. Who knew? They had a movie theatre-sized viewing screen set up in the carport. It should have been fun. But our team lost. Wait, they didn’t just lose. They sucked out loud. Our team lost the biggest game of the year. I just hate it when that happens. The only good news was that my Gatorhater Chili won the chili cook-off and everybody scarfed up the crockpot-full of chili we brought. We won a festive red insulated totebag. Oh well. It’s only football. We’ve got much bigger fish to fry. Like the election. I early voted the first week the polls opened in our county, way back in early October. Come Wednesday morning, I’m hoping for a huge, huge, history-making win. Also a return to civility between people of opposing opinions. And that’s all I’ll say about that.

Boo Y’all!


Above, some Halloween ’08 scenes from our ‘hood. As always, we had a great time. Posse member Jinxie (that’s her, with her dog Patches) and I took a break from decorating yesterday morning in time to hit a few estate sales. One sale was at a sadly neglected old house on a great intown Atlanta street. We knew it had possibilities because the ad mentioned that the previous owner had been there for sixty years, and the sale incorporated “attic to basement.” The deceased homeowner, it turned out, had been a schoolteacher for many years. She had a whole library of vintage textbooks, phonics books, flashcards, and other school type goodies. At the other end of the spectrum, she had a fully tricked-out bar, complete with dozens and dozens of shot-glasses, many of them presumably pilfered from bars and restaurants around the country. So we figured she liked phonics….and doing shots. But the folks doing the sale told us she was actually a teetotaler–who just happened to groove on barware. Go figure! I bought a pair of old hardback Bobbsey Twins books . . . and a delightfully smutty-looking paperback copy of A Summer Place, by Sloan Wilson (better known as the author of The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit) with jacket copy promising “A compelling and adult novel about husbands, wives and lovers.” At the same sale, an elegantly dressed older lady stopped to ask me some earnest questions about a ginormous crate of Poise pads she’d found. Were they better than Depends, she wanted to know? I guess I looked to her like the go-to girl on such matters. The same sale had some elegant vintage clothes, including lots of sequinned cocktail confections. That was one rockin’ old lady–we could just see her dancing the night away in her sequins and Poise Pads. The next sale reminded us of why we love estate sales. It was held at a gorgeous Spanish-revival estate on Habersham Road, in Buckhead, which is one of Atlanta’s priciest addresses. Again, a presumably elderly homeowner, and a house that was sadly in need of repair. But oh, the architectural details! It was such a treat to see a house like that. There were some great antiques–not to mention lots of vintage furs, which we did not purchase. Jinxie got a great faux bamboo and wicker table, and a table lamp for her screened porch, and I bought a pair of nightstands for The Breeze Inn. Then we hurried home to sew up a Halloween costume for Boomerang Boy. Yes, at 22, he and his best friends and roomies were getting suited up to hit the bar scene on Halloween. (They took cabs!). Jinxie had already made the crayons for Michael (red) and Kevin (blue). So we whipped up a third for Andy (green.) As a retired schoolteacher, Jinxie amazed me with her ability to cut-out felt letters free-hand. While we were waiting for the boys to arrive for their costume fittings, we got a little glue-gun crazy and crafted a hat and collar for Patches. Then it was back home to our house to get ready for the great Halloween candy giveaway. We figured we handed out a new record 1200 pieces of candy last night. And we even won a Holiday Spirit award. Katie did all the hard work, dressing up the house–and me, as an old crow. Above are Katie and Mark and their dog Tybee. And Mr. Mary Kay, who is too cranky to wear a real costume. Today I hit a couple more yard sales, and scored a vintage chenille crib blanket for three bucks. The seller, a young woman with purple hair and multiple nose piercings, proudly told me she’d given her other one to the dog. I went on to another sale, which was really a goodie. I bought a 20-yard bolt of flannel interlining for five bucks. This will be great for the new drapes I’m having made for my sunroom. I also left a bid on a gorgeous Mitchell Gold linen armchair. The seller’s kittens had shredded the beautiful linen upholstery, and she’d bought the replacement linen to re-do it, but hadn’t gotten around to ever having it done. I couldn’t quite go the $200 price she wanted, which was actually pretty good for a $1500 chair, so I left her my phone number and a lower bid, and I’m hoping she’ll call. This is a really good strategy if you find something you love at a sale, but really don’t want to pay the stated price. You’d be surprised how many people don’t want to haul their stuff back into their houses at the end of the day. And now, it’s on to a neighborhood football game-watching party, where I will be taking my GatorHater Chili. Go Dawgs!