Good Morning! A Blessed day to All!

The house is coming along... Unpacking, unpacking, and more unpacking. And hanging pictures!

 These two water color prints were done by Tom's sister Angie. They have been packed away for several years- waiting frames.

 They hang near the china hutch!

This very pretty lithograph has been boxed up and moved several times... always waiting for me to get it framed. This move, I was determined to finally do so. I measured it, and carried the measurements AND a small tape measure with me! I visited several thrift stores, and found this beautiful matted frame holding a lithograph that I thought was really awful. It was the perfect size... and $5.00. The peaceful shepherd scene looks like it was always intended for this frame. (Unfortunately, it did suffer a mishap. I broke the glass in putting the back onto the frame. The new glass was $23!)

I am so excited... Becky and the kids are headed this way today. And if Mr C has learned of it, he is keeping quiet. He does know Tommy is coming up for a few days, tomorrow. Tommy had planned to ride with Becky. Becky had planned to arrive Sunday. But there is a major storm system that is threatening to drop 3" to 11" of snow over the weekend across the route she will be driving. Her sweet hubby encouraged her to come early... and that interfered with a commitment Tommy has tonight. Still, we shall have four of the kids here for his 60th birthday! (Ben couldn't get off work, but he and Paula may get to come next month.)

Mr C discovered the guitar before we moved, so has had that part of his birthday gift presented to him already. I have quite a bag of smaller gifts collected. Two of his sisters went together and sent him a gift card, which arrived yesterday.

When he got home last night, he mentioned that he had forgotten he needed to take a covered dish to work today, and had thought of running to WM for something. However, it was 5:58pm. WM closed until 7:00am Saturday at 6:00 pm. Even at a scant mile from here to there, 2 minutes just wasn't enough. I was going to send some "sweet and sour" green beans. Tom was reluctant, and said he would just not take anything. Turns out he doesn't LIKE my S&S green beans, so assumes no one else would either. I got up at 5 and made some scalloped potatoes that he took quite willingly.

 I have stuff laid out thawing now, to make a lasagna. Becky is doing Trim Healthy Mama, and Tom and I are attempting to get back on plan with THM... so I am going to use zucchini instead of pasta in the lasagna. I can make a big pan of it up, and it should be ready by the time Becky arrives. Depending on how early she starts this way- and how often she has to stop-  she could be here before dark. And dark sure comes early!

On the downside of this visit... it is supposed to rain for the next three days straight. Local weather guessers are predicting a record breaking amount of rain. So the kids will be trapped inside a vehicle for nine or so hours, and then inside the house for the next several days. Last week's rain had us worried that water pooling in the yard was going to run over the foundation and into the house... and that wasn't record breaking rainfall.
Guess I best be getting on with the unpacking + laundry + sweeping, mopping, and general clean up + guest set up! Have a blessed day and Thanks for reading!

One week in the new digs....

Progress is being made daily in getting unpacked and settled. We have now actually cooked and consumed three or four meals here. Some pictures are hung. Some curtains are up. Since all the bedrooms had blinds, curtains aren't an absolute necessity. The back door  had no coverings, so I got magnetic curtain rods and ordered some sheer panels. The back door faces a field, so sheers are good enough to prevent folks seeing inside, yet let in enough light that perhaps  my plants may live.
There are FOUR windows in this place- not counting the back door (French doors). Dan thinks we should count the peephole in the front door as a window.

Yesterday, I got the box of bathroom stuff unpacked. I noted that the little hanging cabinet was held to the wall by a single screw- but that screw went into a stud. Two hours later... a mighty crash- sounds of breaking glass. The  cabinet had fallen from the wall, taking out the poorly placed TP roll holder in its descent. The lone screw remained in the stud... The plastic L bracket had broken. I cleaned up the mess, re-boxing everything for now. My losses included a bottle of essential oil, a recycled cat food dish that held the bottles of oil, and a recycled candle jar that held Q-tips. (As well as the Q-tips, being covered in glass fragments.) I have stuff on hand to repair the wall where the toilet paper holder had been placed. Tom and I had previously discussed its poor location in regards to use... it was already pulling loose through the sheetrock. The cabinet just finished the removal.

We finished clean up of the Vaughn house. Yard and all was looking quite well when we turned over the keys. Or, sort of turned over the keys. Former landlord was supposed to have met us there. When they didn't show or call, I texted them. They called to allow as they had had a change of plans, we should just leave the keys in a designated location, and they would mail us our deposit. Saturday was the final page to that chapter of our lives.
The Vaughn house was where son Chris got married. Where Bill Joe called to let us know the tornado was bearing down on us, from his vantage point at the XNA security tower. (missed us by 1/4 mile!)
It was where Becky found out she was pregnant with Tyrel, on a visit to see us. It was the place where I got the terrible calls about Bill Joe, and about Roger. It's where several pets passed on.
It was the only place any of our grandchildren remember us living. A place full of good and bad memories.

We are looking at this house as a temporary measure, while we continue to house hunt. But Sam and I have decided to treat it as if it is long term. To be comfortable here. To bloom where we are planted, even if it seems like just being uprooted and over-wintered in a garage. Thus, curtains are going up, pictures on the walls. The dining room table placed where we can (and do) actually eat on it.

I have gone through some long packed boxes. One was packed back when WalMart bags were blue! I tossed many items I had held on to... time had cured the sentimental issues with many of the items. I uncovered some things I had wondered where they had ever gone- I found a little knick knack that had been given to me when I was at the hospital birthing Christopher... I discovered it on his birthday. (He turned 36 a few days ago).
Speaking of birthdays, our "LG" Becky will be 30 tomorrow. Wow. Happy Birthday to Becky!
I suppose I best hit "publish" on this post, and get busy. I still have so much to get done.
Thank You for reading!

Here We Are...

If there is no other place around the place, this must be the place, I reckon.
Or so Curly said.
There are other places around this place. For the first time in more than 20 years, we have a house in town.
I had expected/ hoped for a slow move, taking the week. Instead, I got a wham bam/ here I am move.
With the exception of hauling off trash, and a few items in the well house, and the canoe... we are all moved. The old house is cleaned. If I were moving to it, I would take a look and not need to clean. It is nigh spotless. (Unlike what might be said of our new digs).
So now, the unpacking begins. Lots of elimination still to do. I am trying to bear in mind, we are downsizing not only in physical space, but soon in number of people. We moved to the old house with six people, and that was a few months after having eight people at home.
Ten years there. Wow. That was as long as we lived in our Marlow home... maybe longer by a few months.
We have a new phone number as well as a new street address. Contact me if you need it. Blessings... ~Tammy~

*sigh of relief*

For the first time in weeks, I feel like I can relax ... if only mentally. We found, and were approved for, a place to rent.
We were left with very few options on what we could do, and still be out of here before the 18th. We had not found a place to buy, and just stopped focusing on buying for now. We will have one year to look- as we couldn't get a six month lease. The rental application process is a very trying experience in the modern era... a $30 PER PERSON application fee for those over 18. And we are ALL over 18. In a "happy coincidence" (as Aunt Jean would say, Divine Appointment), this property management company also manages a couple of properties for the people who have been our landlords for the past 10 years. When the management firm recognized their names as our former landlords, and spoke to them, we were able to do only TWO applications, rather than four.
I go sign paperwork on Friday morning. Tom will be signing on Monday, but this will give us the weekend to get started with some of the cleaning/ moving.
I know it *should* be clean when we move in, but I am squeamish and will need to clean it myself- at least the wiping of shelves and scrubbing of bathrooms. Since we have already been packing, I have a week to get stuff transported and unpacked as we go. A "slow move", rather than a fell swoop. One of the boys' bosses has kindly offered to let us use his truck and trailer next weekend.
The place is in town... it will certainly be an adjustment all the way around. Daniel and Sam have never lived in town.
I don't know when we will be moving our computer stuff over- or when I will have TIME to blog again.
Call me, or leave a comment if you need the new address. (Don't send us mail at the old address past the 9th or so.)
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers!