The Castle - Allure Of The Desert

09/05/2026

Jay of All Trades 🏰🔨

Another week of bringing The Castle back to life—and there is definitely no shortage of things to do around here.

This week, Jay was creating a new rhyolite stone windowsill, staining the board-and-batten siding he just installed, and chipping out old, crumbling mortar in what will become the poolside bathroom so it can be properly tuck-pointed.

Meanwhile, Manny has been transforming the original oak floors with stain, Ian the carpenter and Darren the designer were fitting one of the beautiful new alder doors, and the swimming pool has now been completely chipped out and is ready for its new finish.

This renovation has truly been blood, sweat, and tears—sometimes from frustration, sometimes from joy. This week, seeing Manny’s finished stain on the oak floors brought tears to my eyes. They were even more beautiful than I had imagined. In the middle of all the stress, I’m trying to hold onto moments like that.

Watching all of this come together has also been a reminder that restoring a place like The Castle is very much a team effort. I am incredibly grateful for—and frankly very reliant upon—the knowledge, craftsmanship, patience, muscle, and hard work of so many talented people.

Every mason, carpenter, painter, electrician, plumber, tile setter, floor finisher, designer, contractor, and craftsman who puts their hands on this place leaves a little bit of themselves behind. ❤️

Bit by bit, stone by stone, board by board, The Castle is coming back to life. 🏰✨

09/02/2026

08/26/2026

Floors, Doors & Garden Wh**es 🌵

Darren taking the edge off a new suite door. Manny bringing the living room floors back to life. And then Darren again, painstakingly assembling tiny 5/8” squares of black and white marble into a decidedly naughty mosaic for the floor of the big guest suite. Apparently, even our tile work has no intention of behaving.

Meanwhile, the Peruvian apple cactus is refusing to be upstaged with a spectacular bloom. And finally, yours truly atop the Castle tower, surveying my queendom and pretending all of this is proceeding entirely according to plan. 👑

Just another day at The Castle: sanding, shaping, tiling, blooming, reigning—and a whole lot of us getting dirty for the cause.
And coming up next: the pool gets its new finish in a couple of weeks. Remember that pool-color poll I made you all suffer through a few weeks ago? I’ll finally be revealing which color won—and what we actually chose. 💦

08/14/2026

The Castle has always belonged to the desert. This morning, the desert came calling. 🐾

08/01/2026

It’s funny how you can spend months wondering, “How on earth am I ever going to renovate a castle?” Then one morning you wake up and realize...

“Oh... the drywallers are done upstairs. Time to vacuum the ceilings, walls, floors, windows, doors, and stairs so I can finally turn on the air conditioning.” Then comes the second realization... “Oh. I guess I’M the cleaning crew.” 😂

Four days later, after shop vacuuming and brushing decades of dust inside a castle that’s 101° (110° outside), the upstairs drywall is finally ready for primer to lock down the remaining dust—and then... the AC comes on for the very first time! 🎉❄️

The best part? The kitchen cabinets were installed this week, and they look fantastic. (Thank you Missy & Darren!)

It’s never as glamorous as you imagine... but somehow that’s what makes finally reaching these milestones feel so incredibly satisfying. (And yes... once the drywallers finish downstairs I get to do it all over again. 😅🏰)

07/27/2026

🎬 Behind the scenes at The Castle…

This week feels like one of those HGTV montage episodes where everything suddenly starts happening at once.

✔️ The very first new drywall walls just got their first coat of primer (the kitchen gets the honor!).
✔️ Jay is installing Durock in the showers.
🌸 The sacred datura is blooming in the courtyard, while the cacti are putting on their own colorful desert show.
🪚 Wednesday and Thursday, the kitchen cabinets and island get installed.
❄️ And if all goes as planned, by the end of the week we’ll fire up the second-floor air conditioning and start cooling this stone beast for the very first time.

It’s starting to feel less like a construction site… and more like a castle.

(If HGTV is listening… we think this would make a pretty good sequel. 😉🏰)

07/16/2026

Help us choose the new look for The Castle’s pool!

Which pool finish feels the most luxurious and makes you want to get in?

A. White
B. Medium Blue
C. Dark Blue

07/02/2026

This past week was one for the heart.

The Queen of the Castle escaped to Denver for Pride Weekend. 🌈 For nearly 30 years, Denver was home. It shaped me, challenged me, embraced me, and introduced me to people who long ago stopped being friends and became family. Going back was surreal, beautiful, emotional, and a bit of a mind trip. Denver, I love you. You’ll always be my city.

But this trip also reminded me that I made the right choice. Moving to Tucson, staying close to my parents, and taking on this wildly ambitious dream called The Castle was the right path—even if it isn’t the easy one. The hugs, kisses, laughter, and conversations that picked up right where they left off filled my heart in ways I didn’t know I needed.

Now it’s back to the most difficult, exhilarating, anxiety-producing thing I’ve ever done (maybe second only to coming out to my parents as a teenager).

The Castle… you beautiful beast. You consume my days, much of my savings, and far too many nights of sleep. But you also fill me with hope. Every week another piece falls into place. Drywall is up, the gardens are coming alive, The Oasis is taking shape, and for the first time, opening before the end of the year actually feels possible. Or maybe not. I’ve learned this castle has its own timeline, and I’m learning to trust it.

To everyone who’s followed along, encouraged me, visited the worksite, offered advice, or simply believed in this improbable dream—thank you.

I can’t wait for the day these construction updates become shared memories, poolside laughter, coffee in the courtyard, and unforgettable sunsets over the Tucson Mountains. We’re getting closer.

One grateful week at a time. ❤️

06/21/2026

Forty-five tons of gravel. Thousands of shovel scoops. One dream getting closer to reality.

The casita courtyard is complete, the Oasis is nearly ready, and another 10 tons arrive tomorrow to finish the job.
Thank you to Strategic Habitat Enhancements and Sunset Nursery Ted's Mercantile for filling The Castle with pollinator gardens, cacti, trees, and desert beauty.

And inside? Drywall goes up next.

She’s coming together, slowly but surely… and we can’t wait to share what’s next.

Before-and-after photos later this week. 🌵🏰✨

06/18/2026

It rained! 🥰