We Have Arrived at our Destination!!

We are home!  The moving van has not arrived yet but we are home.  We are sleeping on the blow up mattress but we are home.  Last night Jim put new chains on the porch swing.  My dear brother John found it in the rafters and power washed the birdie dodo off.  When we have a drill we will hang it. 

So far I have discovered peonies, irises, all kinds of trees, pachysandra, periwinkle, cherry tree, an unknown fruit tree, hosta, lily-of-the-valley, and other misc. plants.  I have a raised bed for my veggie garden and a compost pile that has been started.  Yes, we are home.

On The Road Again

We are in Flagstaff AZ at a beautiful LaQuinta and heading for Amarillo TX.  We slept well last night and got up at 5 am with dogs.  They are sleeping in the Car for the most part.  Today is about 10 hours of driving with us taking turns.  Since we are on the same highway (rt 40) until St Louis, I don't have to worry about getting lost.  We are weary travelers but we have a mission!  I love WiFi!

The Avoidence of Pain

I know.  I am being philosophical this morning.  We are waiting for the packers to come and I have to set aside all that I don't want them to pack.  They will pack your wastebaskets full of trash if they are there.  So, as I putting stuff aside (that will go in the car) I'm thinking.  What if I get a headache? (Aleve).  What if I get a tummy ache? Prilosec.  What if my back goes out? (Ice Pack).  What if none of those things happen and I fill up my car with things I didn't need to take in the car all the way across the USA?  Ok, I'll take my art and my camera.

In my life I have been really stuck in places that I knew I should not be.  All to avoid the pain.  Often, when I get off dead center, there is little pain or none at all.  Walking away from someone or something that makes me unhappy is the tough one.  I have a family who loves me, a few good friends and a kind loving husband.  My blessings far outweigh my difficulty. 

Oh No! My o is broken!

Ok, so I'm typing along and my o works when it wants to.  I have to hit it harder than the rest to type.  OK, That's one of those small things that I'm not supposed to sweat.

We signed the papers on the sale of the house last night and we sold my big desk to a realtor who saw it when she was showing the house.  This morning the consignment company is coming for the couch and chair.  We plan to buy new living room furniture in Ohio.  Well, not new, but new to us.  I love to make slipcovers and I love the country look of slipcovers so......I want to find furniture that has good bones and is confortable and I will slipcover it.  I started to make my chair pads yesterday for my dining room chairs.  I am doing toothbrush rag rugs in the round for the chairs.  When it starts to look like something, I will post them.

Today is Friday.  Tomorrow is Jim's Birthday.  Happy Birthday Jim!  We will go out to dinner to celebrate.  We agreed that he would order his own present and he did.  As the years go by, it gets harder and harder to buy for each other.  This is our solution.

Sunday the moving company will be here to pack us and Monday the moving Van arrives.  Now remember, our moving man's name is Moses.  He will take us out of the desert!  We plan to sleep here Monday night and leave early Tuesday morning.  Am I repeating myself?  Well, it's because I have one last nerve and this move is on it!  Now that I told you that my o is broken, it's working.  Oh My!

It's Wednesday and We are out of Fruit and other Random Thoughts

The days are going slower.  Jim is still really sick.  He went to the doctor yesterday and had a fever and chest/ear infection.  Now he is on meds and hopefully getting better.  Yesterday a big box arrived from Overstock.  I wish I had had my camera close by.  I looked over to see Jim holding his pocketknife over the box that read "Do Not Open With Sharp Instrument"!!  I had ordered a new Mattress pad for our King sized bed.  It survived the pocket knife.  Ok, we are out of fruit.  I have been trying to plan enough to get down to near nothing in the fridge by the time we move on Monday.  We are starting to eat really weird.  But, I must run to the store this morning because we are out of fruit.  At our age, we cannot run out of fruit.

I have a Boo Boo

Everytime I move I hurt myself!  yesterday I cut my finger on a knife.  Not a bad cut..just inconvenient.  I have what Barbara calls good/bad stress.  yep, that describes it.  Today I plan to shampoo a dog.  One dog a day should get them ready to travel close quarters in the car for 4 days.  Today I am thinking about fresh eggs, free range chickens, and beef that is not pumped full of drugs.  I am anxious to plant my veggie and herb garden.  I realize that it has been many years sice I have grown a garden and my body got older.  I will just have to pace myself or get help.  I am part of the Back to the Land movement and I love it.  We leave in seven days.  That's how long it took God to create the world and I plan to create my new world starting now.

The last week in Las Vegas

Ahhh, It's Monday.  Jim is still really sick with this flu thing.  Our realtor is coming over today with the papers for the sale of this house.  If the bank doesn't go for the short sale we go to mediation.  Maybe it's close to being over.  I'm starting to pull everything out of closets and sorting to trash, donate or move.  Since we just moved two years ago, there is not much to do.  Sunday, the people will come to pack us and monday the moving van arrives.  We are shipping Jim's car and driving mine.  I drive a Dodge Caravan and there is more room in mine to transport three dogs.  On Sunday and Monday the doggies are going to doggie day care and home at night.  There is no way we could get packed and move with three little furbabies running around.  We are planning to arrive in Ohio on May 27th.  At this point, we don't know when the moving van will arrive.  I can finally breath!

Is it Over Yet?

Now both Jim and I have a cold!  We had to leave twice today to show the house and have one showing tomorrow so far.  Both of us just want to rest!  I finally colored my hair and did my nails.  I feel more human but still have a cold.  I just want to arrive in Ohio looking not so far from death's door!  I will be fine once we close the door on one chapter and open the door on the next.  I swear that this is my last move because I don't think I have another one in me.

15 days until we leave Las Vegas

I slept 12 hours last night and feel so much better.  Between two Dr visits, Benedryl, Mucinex and sleep, I am better.  Bless all of you that have this .....whatever this is.  Is does get better.  Now on the moving day. 

I have created a notebook with pictures of our new home, and lists...lists...lists.  I have budgets, calendars, and treasure maps.  Having been a long time believer in "The Secret", I know that we have to know what we want in order to get what we want.  This experience of the last two years has narrowed down for me what is important.  I want love in all things I experience.  I want to love, better, my God, my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my family of origin, my friends and my earth.  I want to understand before being understood.  I want to let go of "things" easily.  I feel like I am entering a new phase of my life and I am grateful for it.

Oh My!

Our Air conditioner broke 16 days before we move out!  My allergies are terrible!  We vacated yesterday to show the house twice and we were stood up both times!  Ok, That's my rant.  Now the good stuff.  I have a big cup of joe in a big red cup and that makes me happy.  I have started a list of the things I want to take in the car for our trip across the USA.  Me, Jim, Mollie, Maggie and Charlie.  Benydryle, not for me, for Charlie.  Plastic bags, water and food bowls and paper towels.  That's it so far.

Today is Mothers Day and I wish all mothers a happy day.  My own mother turned 90 this year and now I will be closer to her.  Mom is an accountant and is still working.  She lives in her own home alone and is still kicking butts and taking names.  I hope I have her longevity!  Sometimes she is difficult and sometimes she is very sweet.  I just never know which mom I will encounter.  I got my strength and tenacity from her and I think my creative side came from her.  I remember when she used to sew our clothes, needlepoint, knit and crochet.  Out of the necessity to raise 6 children on her own, she had to rely on her left brain and went into accounting.  Happy Mothers Day Mom.

On Mothers Day, I think of my own children, Michele and John.  They have both brought me great joy in their own ways.  My Grandchildren, Lina, Alexis and Aaron are perfect of course.  They all live in Ohio and I am so ready to be there and be with them. 

This is a picture of two Ohio kids.

It's a She!

OK, I now know the name of the shop cat.  It's name is Shop Cat, "Shoppie" for short!  I kid you not!  Maybe we could change her name to something prettier like "Sophie".  I have received word from Christine (our landlady) that she keeps down the mole population  (the cat) but sometimes will bring a bird to the back door.  Oh my! I have had cats before that deposit little "presents" at my feet and I know what to do.  Call for Jim to remove it! 

I have been dreaming of "country" things.  Quilts (yes, I quilt), hand-hooked rugs (yes, I rug hook with my own hand dyed wool),  Canning and baking bread . I know I could have done all of that in Las Vegas but what's the point?  I am a country girl who has been out of her element. 

We will be living in Amish Country so we will have to slow down.  I took this pic not far from our new home.  I'm thinking free range chickens, Amish baked goods and Hand woven baskets.  What an ideal place to take photographs.  The Amish do not want their picture taken so I will be obscure.  Do you think he knew I took his picture?

A Really Good Mouser!

I have just inherited a barn cat. I have agreed to keep the kittie that was born at my new house and has lived there it's whole life. I still don't know if it is a him, a her, or an it. I also don't know it's name. I hope it's an it! I also hope that it is a really good mouser! I have lived in the country before and I know that I need a really good mouser! Mice and snakes have a place in this world but not in my home.

So, let's recoup. I have three dogs, a cat and a husband. Maybe more livestock is in my future. ..or is it are in my future??? I do want a veggie garden and a herb garden. Should I start wearing red gingham check? Maybe bib overalls for DH?