Last Trip for a While!

 It is Friday!  I am back working and putting in 10 hours today.  Will only get 20 hours in this week, as we were off Monday and I took off Tues - Thurs for my hiking trip.  But I am glad I worked Sunday so i will at least get partial check!

It was nice having Monday off, but I spent much of my afternoon making a couple of dishes to take to the hiking trip for our pot luck the first night.  I made a bean dip and nachos fixings and made a cinnamon roll/caramel apple "lasagna" bake dish that I found on Pinterest.  It was yummy.  I also put out a few fall decorations like some pretty leaf garlands and a couple of metal pumpkins I put out on my front porch and a couple of wreaths - and that is about the extent of my fall effort!  Felt weird, because it was still mid 80's earlier this week!

Went to bed pretty early, so I could get early start to meet my friend to ride to the hiking trip.  I belong to a hiking club and they do overnight spring trip and a fall trip each year.  Last spring we did the spring trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas.  This was literally right before Covid shutdown.  

The hiking club fall trip was to Eminence, Missouri.  If you read my blog before today, you will recall that I went here a month ago to kayak on 3 of the area rivers and LOVED it.  

This is an area in Southern Missouri about 1.5 hours Southeast of Springfiend.  It is a beautiful area consisting of beautiful pristine forest protected in the Mark Twain National Forest and limestone and dolomite rock caves and springs resulting in rock formations, caves and spring fed rivers.  Very pretty area, sparsely populated, but popular for travelers wanting to hike and enjoy the rivers and look for the wild horses that live here.  

I will probably write and post pictures in multiple different entries on my blog because I took so many pictures and enjoyed it so much, I want to capture a record of it for myself as much as for the blog!  It was a great trip and I am so lucky to have happened across this hiking group that I joined a year and a half ago and have met so many wonderful people and made friends that I enjoy and admire so much.  

The officers of the club pick the hikes and scout the areas, researching and access maps and then doing the hikes before they invite the entire group.  We have suspended carpooling and mask up when we are doing our group photos to be respectful and careful due to the virus.  The officers work so hard to give us interesting and pretty hikes.  They even find lodging and reserve blocks of rooms for our overnight trips.  This trip to Eminence, we stayed at Echo Bluff State Park.  There is a lodge and cabins and RV camping.  It was very nice.  Beautiful setting and wonderful accomodations.

I will post more about our hikes and what pretty things we saw here.  I am just about ready to go for a short walk around the neighborhood with my DH.  The weather is just gorgeous now that I am back home.  I got home last evening around 7 and since there was a frost advisory, we rushed around for an hour trying to fit all our plants back in the house and garage.  We did not get all my cactus from the front porch in yet, but they seem OK today.  So maybe it didn't get below 32 last night.

My DH was glad to be home and I sure missed him too.  I told him how much I want my next trip there for him to be with me, we will just have to fork over some money for dog care, so we can have a little get-away together.  I sure was glad to be in my nice, new, comfy bed last night!  I was the last one in the cabin to pick my room (3 bedrooms) and I got the horrible mattress in the bunk bed room at Echo Bluff cabin.  The dogs sure were glad to see me too.

OK and TX trip

 I had a whirlwind trip to see my cousin in Southern OK.  Left at 3pm Friday and got there 7:30pm.  Just starting to get dark and a little cool.  I drove our convertible and had such a nice drive to and from.  Cousin and her husband have been very careful getting out too much and being in crowds since the Covid 19 virus, as have DH and myself.  But we decided to go ahead with this little visit, because she and I both needed it.  This time of year she usually comes to NW Arkansas and my aunts come south and we all do the War Eagle craft fair.  This is the first year we have missed this women's weekend since 1995 when we started.  So, cousin and I decided just she and I would visit...I just saw one aunt last weekend and saw my sister when we moved my Granny.

Friday night we caught up and had wonderful late salad meal and went to bed pretty early after I got the tour of her home she shares with her delightful husband B.  They have a view of the south over the Red River, into North Texas that is about 15 miles.  I should have photographed it.  They also have 3 barn kitties, a big dog a little dog and 10 new chickens and a rooster.  She and I both enjoy gardening and so i took her a kalanchoe and a mother of thousands plant (both succulents).  Earlier this summer I mailed her a banana plant start off my plant my friend from Florida mailed me last year.  In this year of Covid, i have mailed and received seeds/plants from a few friends - it makes me smile.  I have also mailed a few care packages and that makes me smile too.  Food, cards, candles, blankets, etc.

Sat morning cousin and I got up and went to the Dallas Arboretum to see all the pretty fall pumpkins and gourds and we had such a nice time.  It was beautiful there!

 

Sat evening we went to Sam Moon and Bucees, because...well it is Texas!  Sam Moon and Bucees were busy, but we felt comfortable wearing our masks like everyone else and keeping our distance.  We got to go food from the Cheesecake Factory in Lakeview (?) which was crowded!  That was the only time we sort of felt uncomfortable, but again, we just kept masks on and washed our hands frequently.  We ate in her car!

Sunday morning we visited more (non stop gabbing for us, lol) and talked about books and podcasts we recommended to each other.  I recommended the Bible Recap podcast to her and told her i recently had listened to Sally Field, Demi Moore and Jessica Simpson memoirs and she told me some of her book picks, including this Crazy Sexy Diet book and I ordered it on the spot from Ebay, along with one of her favorite books, Steering by Starlight, by Martha Beck.  I was lucky to find these 2 books used for $3 and $4 dollars, buy 3 get shippin free on Ebay!  I also got a couple more of my husband's fave authors (Nelson DeMille and Harlen Coben).  I have many of our favorite authors in hardback displayed in our library/dining room and I have all the ones we have in a digital file so when i find used book deals shopping, i can look to see if we have the particular title.  I use Inkpad app and i can share my notes among diff formats (laptop, cell phone) and i can share the notes with DH if he does the grocery shopping.

I am working this afternoon and enjoying my candle I got at Bucees.  We both smelled about 40 and decided this one was our favorite.  DH even likes it.

Do you have a favorite candle that you enjoy?  This one smells sort of masculine, with hint of cinnamon maybe.  I also liked My Dear Watson from Scentsy, but i am not sure if they still make it.  

I like this mug my cousin had, trying to stay positive in this uncertain time of Covid and leading into an election...yuck I don't like discord and confrontation.  I avoid political talk then feel guilty like i should get better at discussing and hearing diff views.  Uggggh.  Well, i did have a great discussion with cousin and her husband about politics, beliefs, even religion and spirituality.  We can all discuss with respect - that is what is missing from social media today - the respect.  Like the disrespect i felt from a former friend the last year and a half which made me ask for distance from her - she tells you her beliefs and how they differ from yours and makes you feel like you are wrong and i don't need it!  Plenty of people in my life who make me feel inspired and energized, not defective and broken!  Stay away from people like that!

Well, back on the healthy eating bandwagon.  I splurged way too much the last 2 weeks, so i made some squash and zucchini soup and will have that tonight.  Had a nice salad today for lunch.  I walked yesterday (my zoom yoga cancelled yesterday, my yoga instructor is on a meditation training).  I will walk another 4 today and tomorrow going on a challenging hike -5 miles, so that will be good for me.  But, it is supposed to be 84 tomorrow!  Whew.

What are you doing to enjoy the fall?  

See you soon

It's September but Still Feels Like August

 So, I am not sure exactly what i was so busy doing last week, but it did seem like i was busy everyday with more than just work...that last weekend after my last post my sister and i ran up to the city to see my Grandmother.  All we could do was sit outside and so we brought our own chairs and planned to just be able to visit with her 1 person at a time, but the woman working the front desk let my sister and i visit with her in the lobby and my aunt was there too.  My Grandmother is looking good, alert, but very thin.  My aunt said she was down to about 93 pounds.  She is very small anyway - like 4'11".  But she was in pretty good spirits and enjoyed the visit.  It was awful not getting to hug her.  I took her choc chip cookies and tomatoes.

Then we finally broke down last week and subscribed to Dish satellite TV.  I figured as long as I am working and with winter coming and continued numbers of Covid 19 increasing in my state, we will just pretty much plan on staying home and staying safe, so let's get something to watch on TV!  I do have a couple of driving roadtrips and a couple of long weekend kayaking/hiking trips with a small group, but DH will appreciate having something to watch.  We had that done Wednesday and the Dish customer service setting up the service and the technician who came out and did the wiring and setup was great.  So far, we are really enjoying it.

Then, we got a wild hair and decided to get a king size bed and sell our Queen - so we did that last week.  We ordered our king - and decided while we were at it to get the adjustable kind - i LOVE watching tv and reading in bed.  So, we had some back and forth with the bed store saying the bed was on backorder, no it's coming tomorrow!  Etc.  So we sold our old bed quickly to get it out of the way and the couple paid for it last Thursday on Venmo and then came to pick it up on Sat.  We also sold our guest room mattress (used less than 20 times) and will move our old tempurpedic into our guest room.  I will show picture next week and include my guest room makeover!  We got my Ikea order Monday last week and put the furniture together and finished the guest room Wed.  It looks so nice and i can store twice as much clothes.

The garden still producing tomatoes, i have made salsa and given several jars away.  I have had tacos, nachos and taco salad, made stewed tomatoes and put some in vegetable soup.  My peppers are still growing too, so i decided to dry some.  They were all green and now that they are drying, turning yellow and red.  Very pretty.

My sister and i talked plants and gardening while we were driving, so i am putting together a succulent sampler plant for her from my little growing collection.

My husband and i are both enjoying this cypress vine that is growing in the lava rocks behind my trash container, next to my ivy topiary.  It is also called Cardinal vine.  It is so fine and dainty, but it is anything but timid - once it grows, you will never get rid of it!  But it is pretty.

I really am loving my ivy topiaries.  One on each side of our shop/covered car port.  It was so much metal and concrete, we knew we wanted plants on each side to break up all that metal and concrete, it faces west, so i wanted something drought tollerant - plus i can leave it out there all year and it winters fine.

This is a picture of my sweet little girl chi, Chili.  She has such a cute face.  But she is not a friendly dog to strangers.  During the time the satelite installer and the people who bought the bed were here, we had to keep all the dogs outside and they were not crazy about that!  They are so spoiled!

Right now for the next week until our new bed arrives, we are sleeping on our old mattress, on the floor in our master bedroom - good luck keeping all the dogs off the bed right now!  It is only about 15 inches off the floor!  Even the 2 chi's can get right on it now.

Well, i guess i better get back to work.  No rest for me on this Labor Day, i am working so that i can take off this friday.  I am going kayaking with a couple of girlfriends about 4 hours away.  We are going Friday, Sat and a little float Sunday before we drive home.  It is going to be so fun!

I hope you are having a great Labor Day, and staying safe.  Maybe having something good to eat, on the grill or not.  I know thought it is hot and i am ready for cooler weather, I am not altogether ready for summer to go either.  See you next time.

Hot and Dry Here!

 My work computer system is down most of today, so i am taking a break to post this.  It is so hot and dry here, we are watering stuff about an hour or hour and a half a day just to keep our bushes, new plants and some young trees alive.  Was very dry June and July, had a couple good rains in early August and dry again.  My thoughts go out to all the people and animals affected by both the fires and the hurricanes.  What a disaster on each end o the spectrum!

One of my success stories is this cool trellis of ivy we have grown for nearly 3 years.  We started it in the spring of 2018 before we moved to this retirement house full time.

This past Friday we had a program for DH uncle who passed away early last week.  He had military funeral at the nearby national cemetary.  It was nice.  DH sister and his mom had been going through his house and papers and had moved some stuff to be salvaged out (dishes and a little furniture).  They saved the truly personal effects (keepsakes and pictures to be passed out when all the family was gathered.  After the service, we went to his house to finish this task.  His house was dark, dank and filthy.  Very sad.  Much of the trees and shrubs outside had become overgrown and an eyesore.  The cousins all split up the pictures and a couple of antiques.  He had 2 overgrown plants that i am going to take a cutting from and make a nice plant for his sister - DH mom.  SIL asked if i wanted the overgrown plants and i opted for cuttings instead.  This type of reminders make me 1)  sad because who is going to go through my stuff?  We don't have kids.  My sister?  My neice and nephew?  My SIL and her husband have no children either, she stated this weekend that she and her husband donating their estate to a charity.  Not a bad idea.  And make me feel 2)  more determined than ever to always be cleaning out and aware of my possessions.  

While DH brother was in town for the service, we played golf on Saturday.  It was HOT!  And i got off to a slow start.  Feeling hot and not hitting well.  I played with my new driver for the first time and it took a few holes to get used to it.  Then, viola!  It was really great.  I hit a few really nice drives, over 130 feet and seemed to really see progress with this driver!  Yay.  This is a picture of the many creeks running through the golf course we usually go to.  I got a 48 on the back 9, my best score every!  So happy.

We finished the show Merlin on Amazon Prime.  It was really fun and enjoyable.  We both got tired of some of the repeated plot lines and some of the gaps in reasoning some of the characters displayed, but we enjoyed the theme and the time period and characters immensely.  It is about young King Arthur of Camelot, his trusty sidekick Merlin and Gwenivere (sp?) and the Knights of the Roundtable.  I give it 7 out of 10 stars.  I just heard on the radio they are doing sometype of limited comeback show about West Wing (which is one of my very favorite shows ever) this fall re voting.  Will probably be too political for my taste, but we shall see.  We started Yellowstone last night and will enjoy catching up on that - the season 3 final episode aired this past Sunday.  It is a ranch family, father is screen legend Kevin Costner - and it started a little slow, but by 2nd episode I was hooked!  I told DH if we get to a point we cannot find something to watch this fall, we will have to designate a couple nights a week for just reading.  We have a huge collection of mystery and crime novels.  But i still seem to find several shows i want to watch, including Friday Night Lights this fall, and Homeland this winter.  

I just got a couple bags of small tomatoes for our friend who grows about 50 plants, since my work system was down - i made a 2nd batch of salsa.  I am going to take a jar to my high school friend whose step dad came home on hospice this past weekend.  She texted me.  I have a loaf of zucchine bread for her mom.  She is the gal i have distanced myself from and frankly have found it quite a relief to NOT be in daily multiple text/couple group text situations with her any longer.  She referenced the space she was giving me as i asked for.  I wanted to respond back that i did not request space, i requested RESPECT.  Maybe subliminally she took my request for respect and turned it into space.  Oh well.  I have known her since 3rd grade and love her mom and step dad.  It is sad.

My own dear grandmother is not doing great either.  She is slowing way down, unable to take care of herself daily and falling.  We have hired daily care for her and my aunt is arranging to have her moved into same building my aunt is, right next door.  

Well, my IKEA furniture should be here Friday and hopefully i will have before and after photos soon!  I haven't sold much lately or cleaned anything out.  But i will have to gear up for some fall clear out!  Here is another before and after (sort of)...

This cool round firepit area concrete was here before we moved in.  We usu store away the chairs when not in use to be able to mow around and move the water hose easily.  The firepit area had these 3 stacked concrete 'things' in a half circle around the far side of the concrete - i found them useless and inhibiting to movement.  We never sat on them.  DH didn't want me to get rid of them for some reason.  So we kept 2 of them for 6 years.  Recently i asked again if i could get rid of them and he said yes.  So a couple weeks ago i decided to surprise him while he was out of town.  Turns out i love using a sledg hammer.  I like the clean look MUCH better.  You can see all the temp fencing i have up right now trying to get some new grass to seed - its a mess.  And a lot of watering!

Movement Restricted Monday

So, I am a little troubled lately by the aches and pains that seem to be increasing in my life.  I am having a lot of pain in my back, knees and hips lately.  I do have an autoimmune condition that I have dealt with for many years, i am wondering if this is something related.  If so, perhaps my new-found commitment to cut out some sloppy eating will see results in my aches and pains.  I know before when i am in an autoimmune flare, i have a lot of general soreness and fatigue that is helped by multi facted approach (rest, meditation, movement, nutrition, supplements and yes, sometimes medicine).  I also know that since i am up about 15 pounds, that could be a big factor, so that might also benefit from my diet.  That being said, i am approaching mid 50's, so i am told - get used to it by several people!

We are having some overcast skies and a little bit of relief in this hot weather.  We have chances for rain every day this week - we have our fingers crossed - so dry here!  Saturday we took 2 large chests from my guest room i am redoing - my neice decided she just couldn't find time/room to get the furniture, so we took it to my sister in law's consignment/2nd hand store.  I have also recently sold 3 golf clubs, a motorcycle seat back rest and some Harley Davidson luggage.  Here is a picture of the backpack i sold for $100!

This back rest we sold for $175!  

I ordered the 2 cubes from Ikea that will be replacing all the large, heavy and dark wood furniture that came out of the guest room.  Pictures to come - it will take a month to get the pieces delivered and another few days to put it all together!  LOL

DH and my anniversary is tomorrow.  DH let's me buy whatever i want for the house.  One year we got a windchime.  One year a tree, etc.  This year i got 2 new crepe myrtles - the fragrant white Nachez crepe myrtle.  I planted them Saturday in the late afternoon heat and it was hot digging holes for them!  The ground is so dry and hard here, i was worried i would not be able to dig deep enough!

This is what they will look like.

I also took my potted geraniums and planted them out in my raised beds.  I got these geraniums from friend so i hate to lose them, but they are sort of boring little blooms and not a great pink, just a pastel - sort of boring.  I also moved some portulaca (i had to look up how to spell that!) that was growing in a pot.  I am trying to move as many of my perennials from pots to beds so i don't have to winter so many pots in the house this winter!  The advantage is, i had a lot of pretty greens that i wintered inside to provide color and interest in my deck pots and only bought a 6 pack of petunias and a 6 pack of impatiens to spread out with the greenery (vinca, asparagus fern, airplane plant, mother-of-millions and purple heart).  Next year i am going to do the same thing - focusing on these plants that do well and buy a few pretty flowers to add pretty color.  I am looking for a couple of the cool iron planters to add some height at the corners of my deck.  I saw some beautiful ones at the nursery Saturday but they were $100+ each!  I also planted a hyacinth vine that i started from a seed - it is already way bigger than 2 clematis i bought - but clematis are sort of slow to get started - and the hyacinth vine is an annual.  But they grow really fast - so i am going to try to plant several from seeds next year really early, like late winter.  I also see that some of my lettuce has gone to seed and i am going to see if i can get a little lettuce from seed next year.

I am such a garden nerd, that i have big plans that inspire me that involve design and seeds.  LOL.  My DH thinks i am making the yard way more complicated, but i really do have a 2 year, 5 year and 10 year plan.  My plan is to get many areas of my garden/yard so that i can do as much or as little as i want from year to year (i.e. raised beds, bushes and mostly potted flowers).  But i really do enjoy creating it a lot.  I intend to get to a point where i am just maintaining...wonder if i am kidding myself?!  LOL

I know much of my plans will be evolving and from trial basis - what i learn and adjust.  For example, in out front yard it is very sunny so i have English ivy (don't worry, it is contained to a small area) and cactus and i am increasing the cactus and succulents to reduce how much i have to water out front.  Right now we are watering even the bushes and shrubs, do to this dry summer we are having.  The important thing is 1)  i enjoy it and 2)  i hope it makes the house look nice and someday 3)  increase selling time/value.

This little cactus my friends from Florida mailed me a piece and i am going to keep it going/repot it.

What is your summer plans looking like where you are?  

Well It's Friday...Time to Post

So heard this week I was indeed scheduled to start my new (temp - 6 months to a year) job.  It is a branch of the federal government using temp agency and agency hired me.  I started training yesterday.  It was a bit of an ordeal to get all the clearance/paperwork submitted.  I hope it is worth it.  I am excited, but also a bit sad to lose the freedom of my days any way I want to structure them/and miss staying up late.  I will adjust.

I did do a small hike outdoors with a few of the hiking group ladies.  Just 6 of us.  We do NOT carpool and mind social distancing very carefully/cover our face with masks if pref.  It was a beautiful day!  Lots of wild flowers.

I have done a bit more work outside with my own flowers and hostas/veggies.  Has been very cold week.  3 nights we dipped below freezing so I was out running around covering things with tarps/sheets/towels.  Most of our stuff escaped unscathed.

I am not complaining, my friends up north about 4 hours are having snow today.  Wed and Thurs were pretty, sunny and nice.  Today it is cool and gray.  I just lit a few lamps around the house and a candle for coziness.  I am stuck again day 2 here at computer for training.  It seems crazy introducing all these concepts to us with no written/electronically accessible material and no context of operating system we will be using - but they didn't ask me.  We get our dept issued laptops and cell phones next week.

Well.  That's about all.  Oh, I did trade my little pick up for an SUV.  I really do prefer SUV's.  I just hope I don't miss the bed of my truck for hauling - maybe it will save me money in the yard!  I can't easily just go buy dirt/rocks/pavers, plants.  My DH is now going to sell his bike and get an older truck.

I hope you all have a nice weekend!

New Table

We had a nice weekend, DH and I went to a concert Sunday.  It was really fun.  It was back up in the city where I am working.  We had to board the dogs, but we had them bathed while there were there and they look nice and smell good.  We had a nice time staying with and seeing my aunt and uncle.  I am glad DH got to see my uncle, he is really slipping last few months.  We also got to play golf with DH 2 brothers.  It was very rainy and cool!  We went by Sat night and saw our former neighbors in the city.  That was nice.  Again, very chilly for August!

We got back home Monday morning and it went from chilly and drizzly to 91 and humid in the country!  We mowed Monday afternoon and I had to stop twice to cool off and get some water!  I also watered real well and all my plants I have planted over the spring and summer look so nice!
I asked SIL how her plants were doing (she got the other half of the plants in May from her and DH cousin).  She said hers look terrible!  She hasn't had the time to water hers like we have (they own a business and have cattle and BIL works full time).  She said she will be embarrassed if/when cousin comes to town!  Ha.  I also switched out hummingbird food and ate dinner, then went to bed! 

On Mondays I go to bed at 8pm to get up Tuesdays at 3:30pm to drive to the city.  Today I am tired, but not too bad.  I will do moderate workout at the gymn after work.  I did yoga for first time in 2 months Wed and Sat and I am still a little sore!  Will not have that big of a gap ever again!
Anyway, here is our new table.  We really like it.  We are selling another table and 4 chairs, a set of end/coffee/sofa tables and a leather chair at my SIL vintage resale store.  I wanted something lighter with a pedestal.  The light pedestal is the new one.

Have a great Monday!

Road Trip

I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend.   have had lovely 4 day weekend before my trip to Arizona.  Today I had to get a new crown.  It doesn't hurt much at all.  I am pretty happy with all my new medical providers I have found here in my new state.  Thst is important as you approach old age!

I had some nice lounge time with DH and we had our first watermelon of the season!  I also got a LOT of planting done.  I wrote DH cousin a nice note for the plants.   I spent 1 day planting the shade ones, one day planting the flowers in my new raised bed DH made me and I spent time yesterday mulching and adding borders (temporary) and more dirt.  Plus much watering and coaxing.  Pictures soon.

My cousin was supposed to drive from city to get here dinner time.  She is having car issues so fingers crossed.   We have s long drive tomorrow.   I guess worst case scenario we leave Thursday and get there Friday. 

Will hope she gets down here safe with working car and not too much stormy weather.

My prayers for all the people affected by storms, tornadoes and flooding.   The Arkansas river is cresting at highest levels ever, so awful.

A little good, a little bad

DH went with his sister to visit their cousin an hour or so away yesterday.  The cousin was thinning our her mother's garden and had scads of extra plants she offered us.  So, they brought back an SUV load of plants to plant.  DH is like, yeah I will just wait till you get home so you can supervise.  Sure, he will.  I have my work cut out for me Sun, Mon and Tues!  Sat I think we are going to visit our sick friend at the lake, as her husband and her just had their 30 year anniversary this week and we thought we would offer a nice pick me up for her to visit.  She is having pneumonia issues however, so we might have to put this visit off.  Evidently she has bilateral.  Feel so bad for her. 

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Speaking of fear, tornadoes ravaged across Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri last night.  I know of no friends or family affected, but my hearts go out to those who are.  3 people killed southwest Missouri.  So awful.  This was 8 years to the day of the devasting 2011 Joplin tornado where 161 were killed. 

Happy December!

Here are photos of my indoor plants.

The Christmas cactus is blooming, right on schedule.  The cool watering can I got earlier this fall at an antique mall.

I like it because the long spout helps me water the plant (philodendron?) on top of living room bookcases and the other photo is the other indoor plants that perch on my tiled area where we used to have a fireplace.

I hope you are having a day filled with things you love.

I got back late last night from my friends benefit.  It was a great success.  I will write more on it later.

I will also post couple photos of some things at my hometown church very special to me.  First, I think it is a perfect time to take a little nap.  Have a great day!

Friday Finally

To stop and smell the roses this week, I went to bed early every night (except last night), went to yoga twice and visited my DGM.  Yoga last night was just my friend T and I with our instructor.  He has been teaching us since 2012.  Last night he told us how well we  are doing.  I was shocked, he is not a talker  I replied that I felt and saw changes in myself that I know are from yoga and that is all I need.  It was good doing yoga twice this week, I want to walk 4 -5 times a week and do yoga 2-3 times when we retire.  I told DH that while I was on break yesterday I went through and did a draft of our new post retirement budget.  This week we both changed our addresses most places we could think off - banks, investment, professional licenses (4), utilities, work, insurance...I also put in the mail forwarding order for post office.  So, now all we have to do is turn in his paperwork, finish our 3 months work (pay off NYC trip off my credit card) and then next week our house will be paid off from the equity in our city house we are selling.  I have been really aware of getting rest and eating right, so physically I am doing well, but dang I am weary.  P.S.  I am well today, but yesterday i had a flare of epic proportions.  I had forgotten just how sick i can get, I had been feeling so well for so long.  Then BAM - out of nowhere...I know DH is tired and weary too.  But this weekend, we essentially unload the pantry/misc stuff (clocks, step ladder, other kitchen stuff) and plants go to MIL house and we are pretty much free to relax Saturday in our new space.  We will just have to try to ignore the ruined, partially torn up hardwood floor in the kitchen.  My pantry is in the utility room, so I can work in there and not worry about the torn up floor.  Oh, and I do have to move a shelf that is currently in utility room to garage so they can install flooring in there too.  But those two things are pretty minor compared to some of our recent work weekends of the past 3 years..  Sunday we will come back and clean where some furniture has been moved while we were gone and coordinate giving away few more things (another briefcase - this time to BIL, a sturdy for-sale sign for their yard, large TV, Armoire) and some stuff to purge (radio that does not work well, exercise ball that is going flat some more clothes and some old sheets) and then we just have to move stuff to extended stay hotel Tues and Wed night (and work a full week).  The buyer of our CH came over last night to measure a few places, she said she is really excited and we are excited for her to take it over and off our plates!

More Move Planning

My husband and I have one more load of stuff to haul and find places to put it.  Then we have a load of cleaning supplies, ladders, vacuum and plants.  The plants will go to my MIL to be watered for 3 months.  Then the last load to the extended stay hotel.  We are tired.  I am moving away from "what I did to prepare for my move" to "what I did to stop and smell the roses"...Saturday I drove my convertible and had lunch with my sister.   Sunday, I sat and watched TV a couple hours in the afternoon and sat in our camp chairs out on our balcony to enjoy our view as much as we can since we only have 3 more weeks.  It was too hot to walk until late 7:30.  When I got home Sun from walking I made a smoothie, took a shower and asked DH if he wanted to sit on our deck in the cool 70+ degree weather.  He said, we don't have anything to sit on.  I reminded him of the camp chairs in the garage.  When I got out of the shower, he had them ready.  We just sat out there for 30 min.  No phones.  It was nice.  We are trying to take it in.  Our view is the favorite thing about our house.  Monday I started a Max Lucado book.  Tuesday will be yoga.  I am going to mentally start the slow down because mentally is where the challenge for retirement will be for me.  And physically, eventually.  Let's worry about mental first.  Deep breath...I got this.