Pajamas All Day Whaaaaaah

THESE WORD ROCKS were amongst our damaged goods.  Perhaps they are for such a time as this.

OUR BELONGINGS HAVE RETURNED TO US 6 months to the day of our home fire.  One suitcase I had was full of pictures.  I spent the day working on laundry, bundling old Martha Stewart magazines and going through a huge suitcase full of pictures.  I wallowed on memory lane going through hundreds of pictures from the past.

I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I frowned, I stared, I wallowed.  THANKFUL.

BABY PICTURES, my dating pictures, kids graduation pics, celebrations, proms, birthdays, wedding pics, anniversaries, moving pics, and the list goes on.  I've started putting individual pics in yellow envelopes for my children so they have their own childhood pictures.  Way over due, but I was concerned they'd throw the pictures away.  Sometimes there isn't a sentimental bone in their body.  Momma here hoards the emotions. 

Perhaps I should make books for them in which the image is in a book.  Hum.  Just might have to give this some thought.  This would be a nice way to share pictures with them and have a back-up as well in a nice hardback book.  

It was a huge relief to get the pictures back as they have been in a Topeka Warehouse for 6 months.  SO many memories.  SO many pictures.  

NOTE TO SELF:  Keep copies of important papers and pictures in the cloud and in safety deposit boxes also share pics with family so they can enjoy having some of the memories in their photo albums, their clouds and in their file boxes.  A book with images in it would be a space saver.

WEDDING DRESS UPDATE: I got the nerve to take my wedding dress out of the KEEPSAKE BOX and look her over.  She was fine.  She didn't Shrink.  She didn't stink.  She survived.  Kind of like my marriage.

Between pictures being saved and my princess for a day wedding gown being saved, I am so thankful.  We lost so much in the fire, but are not empty handed.  THANKFUL.



43 years ago this SUMMER I was a princess for a day.  The Queen would manifest later.


Disappointed when the grass stains on my wedding shoes were cleaned off of the heels of my princess for a day wedding pumps.  When ever I looked at the stains, I knew that these came from the grass that we stood on when saying "I DO."  Still have the shoes though and that's a benefit.  

In my house coat ALL DAY.  Occasionally I have one of these days.  Do you???

Taking a deep breath.  
Tomorrow will come and perhaps it will be a great one,
d

Macho Macho Fern... I want to be a macho fern!

WAITING PATIENTLY for our things to return in a big yellow truck.  We passed the truck at the convenience store and I knew our belongings were inside.  Praying everything goes well.

Two men unloaded our things.  Writing down the number of boxes as each man carried them off of the truck.  They made quick work out of this.

My dulcimer was in its original cardboard box.  She didn't smell of smoke, but the instrument needed oiled and wiped down.  The newspapers that were wrapped around the dulcimer were smoke stained.  I took the instrument out of the box and threw away the paper filled box.  SERVICE MASTER must have ran it through the ozone chamber.  I polished my dulcimer.

My Parents gave this instrument to me when I returned to school to get an Associate of Arts Degree back in 1987.  It was my graduation gift 30 years ago.  Neighbor Joe Brown handmade this lovely instrument.  SO happy to have this come back to me.

It's been 6 months since our HOME FIRE.  6 months.  After we receive all the boxes, we will go through them and deal with what to do with them.  I'll be preoccupied for awhile.

I decided to watch a series on PBS that I wasn't familiar with.  HOME FIRES is the name of it.  Had to laugh as I am recovering from our HOME FIRE.  No pun intended, but it fit the bill.  Watched the first two episodes and am hooked.  British television is so much better than American.  


Call The Midwife is another well written series.  Absolutely.  Downton Abbey, Mr. Selfridge and Paradise are over.  Manchester will be on soon.

~MACHO FERN~

In the cool of the evening, we potted a gorgeous Macho Fern in one of the front porch urns.  Am hoping I don't kill it.  It's such a nice size and will sit on the front porch in the shade.  My dear Husband brought this home to me.  I've wanted a fern for the porch.  So pretty and it adds a lot.

Imagine  singing to the tune Macho Macho Man....I want to be a macho mannnnn.  'Memba that tune?  Instead replace the words with macho macho fern....trying to have fun with this.

Took the two geraniums that wintered in the house and potted them in urns.  Hope they bloom.  The tiny geraniums we bought a few days ago will be potted in something else.   It's been nice weather to spend time outside.  If it decides to freeze again, I'll have to cover the plants.

Our SPRING TIME porch is taking shape.  
IRISES are popping open with blossoms to admire.  This is one of the things I look forward to each SPRING, the opening of the IRISES.  Always so very pretty.  A Peonie plant beside the house has pink flowers on it.  These smell heavenly.  A must in your yard.  

Noticing that the front flowerbeds need de-weeded I'll have to find some time and get that completed.  Soon.

SPRING is here and so am I!
d

April Birthday

Daughter had her 37th April Birthday 

as we celebrated her LIFE 
with a nice meal and cupcakes.

Grand fixed her Momma a SURPRISE surprise SUPPER.

Sweet times as a family,

d

Lilacs

Lilacs were in bloom at RETIREMENT COTTAGE with a fragrant aroma filling the air close to the bush.  Lovely lavender colored blooms with perfume to the senses.  Nicely shaped bush to enjoy SPRING TIME.  Something so nice to have on the property that we are now living on.  Happy to have a lilac bush.

As we leave the rock house property snapping a picture of what took so long to bloom leaves me with a sentimental sigh.  At least we were able to finally see a good crop of lilacs before we say good-bye forever.

Husband planted Abraham Lincoln Lilacs over ten years ago.  They were not a disappointment this Spring as they bloomed with lovely flowers to beautify the landscaping about the house.  It is bitter sweet to say good-bye, but we had to and now we will look forward to landscaping the cottage.

Lilacs have faded and Spirarea are in full bloom.  

Two bushes that bring childhood memories to mind.  

Oh how I loved them.

I will have to plant a Spirarea bush on this property.

Early signs of SPRING are when the Mock Pear Trees produce white blossoms amongst dead looking branches throughout the landscape.  Forsythia bushes splash with yellow blossoms that slowly turn into green leaves as Tulips pop through the ground after Grape Hyacinths and Jonquils.  

Tulips open morphing into colorful blossoms and then the Lilacs bloom forth.

The Irises leaves begin to shoot upwards with widening green blades.  

Just waiting for the buds to appear.

Then the Spirarea take its turn to show off puffs of white flowers.

All the while the Tulips grow to the tune of nature.

Soon blooms will grace the grounds as SPRING arrived.

More flowers.

The mornings are cooler than comfortable 

then as the day progresses

the temps warm into the 60s and 70s.

This won't last for long 

as Kansas will heat up until we wish it were 

still a cooler SPRING.

BLESSINGS,

d 

Life AFTER Downsizing and A CHURCH PEW

~GRAND-DAUGHTER and DAUGHTER that are Grand~

IS THERE LIFE AFTER DOWNSIZING?  

There had better be!  SO my answer is YES, there is.  Thankful there is, but I have my moments.  I finally admitted today, that I was devastated from our house fire.  D e v a s t a t e d.  What a word.

To be fair, I don't need to expect so much out of myself.  Feeling this loss has been real and I need to feel it before I can successfully move forward and not be stuck in place.  

I use to tell my daughter, it's alright to cry, just don't cry for too long.  Same advice for myself.  Cry, but not for too long.  I have to remind myself to count my blessings, lighten the load and move on.  Trust in the LORD and move on.  We are not going to live here for ever.  We're passing through this world.  It's not our HOME HOME.  Heaven is.  All of this will pass away.  All of it.  I have to embrace the pain and move on.  

FIGURING OUT how to go from what was to what is causes challenges.  Morphing from the old to the new and being comfortable in my own skin is like being the new kid on the block and learning the ropes.

Count my blessings.

We are presently living in RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  I get overwhelmed with what we have to do.  This is one of those moments.  Earthly possessions will be returning to us this week.  I know this will be emotional.  I'm bracing myself for this event.  SO be it.  It will take some doing to go through the 500 boxes.  500.  Mercy.

This week my dear Husband will be digging up HOSTAS and SOLOMON'S SEAL from the other property.  After the Irises bloom and fade, then we will move them over to this property.  It was in our contract when we sold our rock house remains to the new owner that the Irises would go after they bloomed.  

A SIGH OF RELIEF THAT IS HEARD ACROSS THE FLINT HILLS:  PRAISE GOD.  We have cleaned out the garage and she's locked up.  We officially are out of the garage.  Deep  sigh.  I was moving so slow and could not have done this task by myself.  My Husband was the muscle and brawn to this TASK.  It was a huge task.  We started clearing out the garage last MARCH.  Finished up today.  Stunned I am.  sigh.  We really have sold the property.

Tonight I will go over to the garage and stare at it's emptiness and walk away from it.  Bye.  When the property is completely remodeled, I'm not sure I want to see the inside ever again.  It hurts.

I was brave enough to walk through the old rock house to see what has been done.  Reaching our old bedroom, I sat on the window seal and cried me a river.  Said my good-byes and left to return working on the garage.  A very long good-bye to this dream that went up in smoke.  

I have my memories and some pictures.  A new start at retirement cottage.  

CHURCH PEW UPDATE:  Here she be.  I love her.  Eventually she will be located in our Utility room.  Sitting pretty as a 4 footer.  We were guessing that she is at least 117 years old as a pew, but the wood itself is probably in the neighborhood of 200 years old. 

I will be busy with the next step in our FIRE RECOVERY.  Taking baby steps is about all I can do for the time being.  Little tiny steps.

I can see the light at the end of this tunnel.  We will be really downsized to fit into our place.  By next October...I have hopes of being where we need to be.  I so hope so.

Blessings,
d

Tis Quiet

TIS GENTLY RAINING.  Please, no thunder.  It's really quiet in the house as I am typing a post.  Staying up late after watching a couple of movies with some of my GRANDS.  They are camping out on the living room floor.  Plenty of pillows, soft blankets and bedrolls.  NICE to have them spend the night.  Both asleep and so is my Husband.  Catching a quiet moment to blog.  

My Honey made his famous Chili Nachos and purchased some A&W Root Beer that was made at the restaurant.  Really good root beer.  His Nachos are a favorite in our family which made our Friday night just right for them.  

THE FIRST movie we watched was BFG.  BIG FRIENDLY GIANT.  The graphics are outstanding.  We all enjoyed the food and movie.

THEN we watched ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS.  I asked the kids which of the two movies they liked the best and they both agreed on BFG.  I have to agree.

MY WEEK flew as I can hardly believe EASTER was last week.  I pop a malt-ball in my mouth from time to time.  Foiled wrapped Chocolate Kisses is another favorite.  Skipping the jelly beans makes room for comfort.  Made Deviled Eggs to take to a MEAL.  Easter candy all delivered to Grands.  The HOME decoration bunnies are slowly finding their way back into lime green storage tubs that will migrate to the cellar.  

He is risen.  He is risen INDEED.

I finally ran the vacuum today in just the Living room.  The Dining room is cluttered full of boxes and things that have to disappear.  My week was busy with clearing out the rock house garage.  We are sooooo close to calling it done.  Soooooo close.  There will be a sigh of relief heard across the Flint Hills when it is done.  DONE.

A HUGE TASK as you would have to have been there to believe how much has been shuffled out.  I am finishing up going through ancient magazines of MARTHA STEWART's LIVING.  The oldest one I found was dated from the 80's.  I have arrived.  I finally am throwing away my stash of LIVING.  Perhaps I should take the magazines to a NURSING HOME.  Better think about that one for a minute.  I do try to be resourceful and recycling these might be a better course of action.

The magazines start to get heavy in their boxes.  Awful heavy.  It is a freeing moment to say I downsized my STASH of magazines.  Swish.  Two points.

We'll have to take a break, catch our breath THEN forge ahead.  Going through newly returned boxes will be like CHRISTMAS presents.  A SURPRISE IN EVERY BOX.

My dishes, crystal, nic-nacs, pictures, suitcases and everything SERVICE MASTER took to clean will be finding their way back into our hands next week.  I've missed my THINGS.  I sometimes get HOME SICK for the rock house.  Like losing a very good friend.  sigh.  Time and prayer will surely help and I will be just fine.  HAPPY MEMORIES of when we use to live there. 

I wasn't ready to leave my HOME, but had to.  This one at least.  My present HOME really is a PRESENT.  A gift to still be alive and a gift to design a new HOME.  Where I now hang my hat.  A new thing has taken place.  Get ready, set, go.

Next step in FIRE RECOVERY will be to tidy this small cottage a little more, trash what came back as SMOKEYS, and then next week our personal effects that were taken 6 months ago will be returning in boxes.  We'll receive them and then comes the delightful task of opening the boxes, documenting items that came back alright and rejoicing of their return.  I'll have to keep so much of the dishes in boxes until the WOOD FURNITURE returns. 

Photographing items for new inventory will be a must.  I am still taking notes on what was damaged from our HOME FIRE.  This will be on going for awhile.  Still hunting for Living room furniture and Bedroom furniture.

STILL WORKING on this thing as it is very time consuming.  THANKING GOD for everything that was saved.

The flowers are blooming and this makes me smile.  

LOVE the flowers.  Came across geranium care in which I needed to read again.

http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2012/04/geranium-care.html

Purchased some tiny geraniums and patio tomatoes.  Next comes potting geraniums in our new location.  Going white and pink.  I moved two geraniums that wintered in RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  Placed them on the porch just today.  HOPE they make it.  Potting soil made it HOME.  So I will make haste getting these planted to beautify our tiny porch.

CHURCH PEW UPDATE:  We have a church pew that we've owned for about 23 years that was bought in Hillsboro, KS from a church that was remodeling.  Replacing their sturdy and true pews for chairs.  I did not understand why they did this, but hey it was theirs to do with as they wanted.  I suppose so they could clear out the chairs and use the room for multipurpose activities?    

It took 23 years to downsize our church pew, but it happened for such a time as this.  Husband did the cutting down of our 9' Oak Church Pew.  She's a tiny 4 footer now days.  

I don't recommend putting off too many projects, but it all worked out for us.  Having this cut down has made my heart sing.  One day, this pew will go into the Utility room so there will be a sitting area to put boots on, etc.  Doll up the Utility room.  

LAST TUESDAY EARLY MORNING, I believe I had a gallbladder attack of the mean kind.  It lasted about an hour.  I was about to go to the HOSPITAL but upchucked nine times and sat on the floor feeling better.  Took it easy.  Read up on natural remedies to stopping gallbladder attacks.

I am drinking lemon water, V8 with fiber added, apple cider vinegar in apple juice.  It's helping.  I pray it continues to help.  

Well, that's the skinny.  Busy with RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  Soon I'll be sitting on the porch swing sipping' iced tea.  That will be the day.

May you have a blessed LIFE!
d

Easter Medley | Anthem Lights

Beautiful Savior - Easter Hymn by Claire Ryann at 4-Years-Old #PrinceOfP...

On My Way To Getting Set Free

Recently I came across my collection of vintage hats, I'll photograph them and keep some, but part with the rest.  One of the hats still has a Montgomery Ward Tag attached to it.  grins.  

JUST IN TIME FOR EASTER.....

Remember the day when all those Mommas wore hats to Church, Social events, weddings?  Sweet memories.  You were not dressed properly if you did not have a HAT on top.  Today as I see so many that don't even comb their hair, I sigh.  Messy is the norm.  

Gender roles are morphing into something different.  Not all happy about dat.  OLD FASHIONED.  I am alright with being old fashioned.  Perhaps there are some perks with knowing how to be old fashioned.  Yep.  There's so much push in society to blur the lines of gender.  Blurry vision requires corrective lenses.  Have you ever wondered if your appearance is a witness or not?  If I have to witness to others without words then the way I dress can be a witness.  

The way my front yard looks can be a witness.  The way my house is in order can be a witness.  The way the exterior and interior of my car can be a witness.  I have so much tidying to do so I can be a witness.  Can I hear a witness on that?

What's got my undies tied in a knot?  Preach it, Sister.
Today I saw a very pregnant woman mowing her yard in shorts.  Her Husband, a well able soul, was picking up trash.  SHOULDn't he be the one to mow especially when the wife is very very very pregnant?  I think so.  What is it with not taking caution when pregnant?  What is it when the Husband knows not to pamper his beloved as she is in a delicate way?  growl.       

SOMETIMES one must have their vision corrected.  I'm getting set free.  Praise God. 

STORM CLOUDS are suppose to blow in this afternoon and evening with rain saturating the ground.  River water is high.  I took a Friday afternoon drive by myself to discover a low country road that I have never traveled on.  Driving slow down a dirt road I could see water running across the road which jogged my memory that you should turn back to safety.  Do not cross roads that are flooded.

I could just see me floating down the river with a write up in the local paper, LOCAL WOMAN BURIES CAR IN WATERY GRAVE.  Being blonde has her advantages when having more fun.

I did a 39 point turn on the dirt road turning around my oversized auto to make my way to the Court House to have some papers copied.  Beautiful SPRING day the kind that one should enjoy the out of doors soaking in sun rays letting the breeze blow in your face.

THIS WEEK-END is inching along.  Working on that old stinky garage.

BACK TO IT and all must be well.  Slaving away in the garage clearing out this place.  Blue jeans and sweatshirt on as I will be working away before the rain storms blow in and make me have to hide out in the cellar below the house.  Have about two more full weeks on this and then hopefully she'll be done.  

WHAT A SUPER GREAT FEELING THIS WILL BE.  

I'll stand in amazement when the garage is empty vowing to NEVER EVER AGAIN have so much stuff to store.  Never ever again.  Never.  EVER.  It has been an ongoing drama in our lives.  The courage to downsize has been a process.  The process to let go has been a real big challenge for me as I became a pack-rat in some ways.  I enjoyed ENLARGING MY ESTATE.  AND boy did I ever collect the STUFF. 

Was organized by storing things in those really nice vinyl storage tubs.  Colored coded even.

After we clear out the garage....the next step will be dealing with 500 boxes returning from Service Master.  This makes me shiver.

I won't be buying a new EASTER DRESS this year.  
I think I'll live,
d  

Lilacs In Bloom and Having a Bad Disposition

Glancing out the KITCHEN window seeing the lavender Lilac bush in bloom.  One of my favorite smells is the perfume of Lilacs.  Last year we didn't have Lilacs in bloom. Not sure why, but this year it's a different message.

After supper we worked in the garage.  The temptation to smell the blossoms over took me as it was a heavenly scent that I wanted to partake in.  So I did.  Have you heard to take time to smell the Roses?  You are missing out if you don't smell the Lilacs.

When we lived in the Houston area the Crepe Myrtle were imitating the Lilac's appearance.  They are a beautiful tree, but it does not have fragrance like Lilacs.  Kind of like hybrid Roses that have that gorgeous appearance with no perfume fragrance.  Nice to look at, but lacks that intoxicating aroma that Lilacs have.

Snapping small branches off the Lilac bush outside the garage would become the contents in a large crystal vase that is now sitting on the Kitchen table.  The Lilacs are early this SPRING.

RETIREMENT COTTAGE has a Lilac bush loaded with blooms just outside my Kitchen window.  The first hint of Spring peeks out at me as I notice the purple color.  One day we hope to have a fenced in backyard for privacy.  I think I'd like to have several Lilac bushes in the yard.  Irises as well with Tulips.  The first signs of SPRING are these lovely things.  Later comes soft pink Peonies.

I will deliberately smell the Lilacs and when the bubble gum fragrant heirloom Irises bloom, I'll take note of them.  Anxiously waiting for them to bloom this year as we will mark the leaves with black sharpies and relocate the plant to our new HOME location.  The contract of selling the rock house included that we are allowed to dig up the heirloom Irises after they fade.  There are quite a few to transplant.  Part of the fun in planning a landscape is to dream a little.

Thinking about their colorful blooms makes the wait even harder.  Hoping the blooms last at least a month.  Beds will have to be prepared.  SO much to do.

BEST to allow the Irises to bloom then fade before digging them up and replanting.  We'll be thinking about landscaping the yard here.

Loading the car trunk and the back seat with items that have to be moved out of the garage as the new owner is being patient with us during this month to finish clearing out the garage.  Already he has had a crew inside the rock house tearing out the old radiators that warmed us for nine years.  We peeked into the house and the Kitchen is gone.  The wall between the Kitchen and Dining room vanished.  Both bathrooms have been gutted.

We could see that the floor was gone.  You can see the upstairs ceiling through the invisible floor.  I had to look at the open space that is now there.  It's not easy seeing a house that you lived in almost ten years not be like it was.

All of this has taken place in four days.  I couldn't believe it.  The house is no longer ours.   I continue to remind myself that we have to move on.  The ideas come to mind what we will do to the cottage.  We're taking this in baby steps.  The fire recovery is harder to go through than imagined.

We hope to have the majority of the garage cleared completely out this week-end.  This is kind of like a three ring circus taking care of details all at the same time.  I am working on documenting the damaged items and the things that we know were completely destroyed.  Going through the fire recovery items returned and accounting for what has been damaged, while clearing out the garage, waiting for wooden furniture to be worked on and all the items that were gathered like dishes and crystal will return sometime soon.  

My head spins.  It's gotta be done.  God give me strength to get it all done.  Then there's the planning of where to go with items in the small cottage.  New living room furniture to hunt for and then order up.  Want to have fun with this.

I want it to be finished,
d

Need To Find Some Of This!

Cougar Handbag By RUTH SALTZ

Well, VINTAGE HANDBAGS are out there.  Found one at the THRIFT SHOPPE the other day.  I would never have thought it was as old as it is.  

Called VINTAGE from the 1970s.  

Where ever this lovely white leather handbag 

was stored, it seems to have stood the test of time and not aged.

These pics are from the web, but my bag looks identical to these.  

Identical.

I couldn't find out very much info 

about Ruth Saltz.  If you've heard of her, would you let me know a little about her.  I read she was ahead of her time with her name printed inside the lining also she did not like calling a handbag a PURSE.  A purse is something you put change into inside your handbag.
What say you?

I felt lucky to have come across a leather 

RUTH SALTZ's handbag

with gold chain and cougar head.

Happy Shopping,

d

Mortgaged To The Hilt And Then What

YESTERDAY was a milestone for us as a couple.  We paid off our retirement cottage.  Still can't believe this happened.  TIS SOAKING IN....we paid off our cottage.  Praise God.  We paid off this mortgage.  

No house payment...RETIREMENT COTTAGE is small, but we have such plans to doll her up.  She's ours lock, stock and barrel!  It is a sweet thought that puts a smile on my face.  WARMS MY HEART WITH CONTENTMENT.

With moving so many times, we had mortgages and rent payments over 42 years of marriage.  We always had a roof over our heads.  Some roofs were bigger than others.  Some cost more to have over our heads.

This cottage roof is small, but still a roof.  Over the years I have no idea what the tally is that we paid on house payments or rent.  If I figured it up I think I would be sick.  When you have a mortgage you still are renting from the financial institution in a way.

Back in the day when I was young and we were just starting out I thought the day would never come that we would have a house of our own.  My thoughts were in the way that thinking having a mortgage we owed the house.  We didn't own.  We were mortgaged.  Even businesses refer to you own your home when mortgaged.  It's not truthful.  You own a mortgage.  You're a servant to the lender.  A HOME is different.  HOME is what I embrace everywhere I have lived.

A HOME is what you have all the time even if you have a mortgage, rent, or live with others without paying anything.  A HOME is where you hang your hat.  HOME is where you live and live life.  We have owned our HOME the entire time we were married and entered into a HOLY UNION back in 1974.  

We had a mortgage most of the time and paid payments with interest to the financial institution.  They made plenty as we struggled to make payments.  We made the payments and yesterday was one for the BOOKS.  We paid off our mortgage.

This is a dream of mine that has come to fruition.  I hope we can stay in this state for a very long time.  Shall see how it goes.  

We celebrated by talking about this over a steak dinner during the LUNCH HOUR as Husband went back to work and I SHOPPED.  It was Senior Discount Day at GOODWILL with 50% off on PINK tagged items.  I found a couple of items with pink tags and took advantage of being over the hill in age because I am a SENIOR.  grins.

One suede blouse which I liked was selected to go HOME with me.  Priced just right.  Also picked up two cute purses for little of nothing.  One of these purses I'm going to check the internet because I am not familiar with this brand.  She looks like she once was an expensive bag that found her way as a cast off.  The adventure begins.  It's a entertaining game.  She's a very cute white handbag with red moire interior and gold chains.

I found a SANTA TEA POT that smiled at me and thought....okay this one is really nice and it's not even Christmas.  I am a SANTA FAN.  He's my hero.  Have you  ever thought about running a CHRISTMAS SHOPPE all year round?  I've been to a couple and think I could do this.  Not sure I'm suppose to, but I have sure thought about it.

My son worked at a shop for a time that was a CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND to the shopper all year round.  It was a place to disappear to for hours dreaming up how to decorate.  He was one lucky kid when he got called to set up a huge Christmas tree in a HOME.  He has the magical touch making branches flare out just so-so.  He did a beautiful job and the couple blessed him with a sizable tip.  He was a college student at the time so this cash gift was welcomed.

He flared out my CHRISTMAS TREE one year and I was amazed at how well our artificial tree stood.  She was a beauty.

My afternoon was pleasant as I went to several shops to price what certain frames cost.  My oversized graduation portraits of my children were smoked and stained so badly in our house fire that when they are returned the frames may be cleaned, but the portraits damaged beyond reason.  My dear Mom gave me her smaller pictures of the kids.  I went looking for fancier frames to use as I'll hang these portraits with pride once again, but they will be in our smaller HOME.  I'll be just as pleased to have these back up on the wall in our bedroom.

Frames for portraits and a frame for my Dad's Kansas flag also frames to display the quilt my Grandma made me that is completely falling apart.  I'll cut the quilt down and display it in the utility room.  I have a place picked out and I will LOVE seeing the quilt framed to display.

I'll wait to purchase these frames until I have coupons or the items are 50% off.  Same with skirt hangers I need to put 5 broom skirts on one hanger.  I have to find ways to make what space we do have go further.  Every little bit helps.  grins.

It was a misty raining day as it rained most of the day.  In the evening it continued to rain.  Through out the night it rained.  We have received moisture to water the flowers and everything else.  Skies remain grey and cloudy.  This is our SPRING.

I'm getting ideas about where flowers should go after they bloom and can be moved.  Our yard is noticeably smaller.  This will take some thinking and muscle to landscape with purpose.  Out front we have some tulips that have not bloomed yet and some irises.  If we plant some shrubs in front of the house then the flowers will have to be moved again making the flower beds larger which makes them located further into the front yard.  There will have to be weed pulling and maintenance along the way.

Flowers along the sides of the house is one way to stretch the collection we have.  Then there is thought about putting up a backyard fence which means flowers could be planted along the sides of this fence.  Not all at once, but the flowers will be planted and we will have a nice, small backyard to enjoy.

TODAY is my darling Daughter's Birthday.  She turns 37.  WHAT A BUSY YEAR SHE HAS HAD.  She got engaged, married and became a step mom all in one swoop.  

Remembering well when she was born on a sunny, Saturday morning and I became the momma of three children.  I was one busy momma with these blessings.  Wished I had played more on the floor with them than I did.  We played, but I still wish I had done more of this as the time passes so quickly and they grow up right before my eyes.  Bedtime prayers and conversations.

WISDOM tells me to there are times to just be in slow-mo as the time vanishes before your eyes.  Learning can be entertaining and fun.  HUGS and more hugs.  Not so much on the go, but right at HOME fun and nothing to do but be.  Slowed way down to a crawl and enjoy the sound of laughter and little voices asking why.  Sitting on the sofa reading children's books and drawing circles to color in.  Playing music and doing a few chores to make HOME life a HOME.  Meals at the table and desserts outside.  Long family walks and family talks.  I miss it all even the dirty laundry.  It is truly a special time in LIFE to embrace and call on God to show the way.  

TODAY I will simply sit and think about my children.  I'll be praying birthday blessings on my daughter.  TODAY is a good day to sit and think about good memories and happy times.  Sit and think.  Sip some coffee and probably cry happy tears and I have been blessed to marry, make a home for my husband and children, birth children and have a part in raising them.  I have been blessed to be a woman that has been a wife and mom.  Homemaker and keeper of the HOME.  BLESSED.

NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD.  God is able to deal with all the details.  I cannot, but HE can.

As we continue to go through this fire recovery, it is a emotional work-out.  I am having to think about living in a different way.  My children are grown with families of their own.  I have this opportunity to change the interior of a house that we are calling RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  We are taking steps to prepare for my Husband to retire from employment.

Taking steps to lighten the load of belongings and streamline a simpler way to live and clean and take care of our old bodies that continue to age.  Vitamins and prayer.

Living below ones means isn't a nightmare.  It's a way to live while saving more money if possible and focus on a simpler lifestyle.

Time for a second cup of coffee,
d

Jibber Jabber and LIFE Goes On

Too many irons in the fire sort of speak with recovering from a house fire, squeezing into cottage, documenting damaged items, cleaning out a fully stacked garage, shopping for replacement furniture.  We're doing our best to get all that needs done finished.  WRAPPING IT UP.

Knowing to take time to just REST, sit, sip coffee, THINK WHAT MUST BE DONE, pray, get outside instead of being inside so much, relax.  BEING BALANCED requires being.

WE MADE AN EVENING OUT shopping for coffee pods.  grins.  Settled for Dunkin' Donut Coffee.  Decided to live a little by using our Keurig instead of coffee perculator while we gain our ground during recovering from home fire.  Having a quick cup of coffee without going through filling the coffee perculator and waiting is what we are doing for the time being.  LATER we may return to perking.  It's economical to perk.  Easier on the budget, but we decided we needed some pampering as we recover.  It's our medicine.

Still looking at furniture.  Huge decision to make concerning what type of sofa to get...a regular size or love seat size.  Still out to lunch on this one.  I know I want two comfortable matching chairs and a sofa.  Now to find the style and sizes.  REJOICE.  THIS SHOULD BE FUN.

Wardrobe downsized.  Adding to it as we go.  This is ongoing and should be enjoyable.  I hope to do some sewing after I get a new sewing machine.  I'd like to sew a quilt, some women's blouses and maybe matching shorts.  I may try to stitch a blue jean skirt as the one I had melted in the fire.  MELTED.  

The shoes that were saved that the cleaning company took have come back with curled labels inside the shoes.  Sigh.  I have to sniff them to see if they stink, try them on and go from there.  I have replaced two pairs of SHOES as I needed black pumps for my Dad's funeral service back in December.  I have also purchased black clogs.  With the weather warming up it's sandal time.  Inside I go barefooted, but not in public.

THIS WEEK, I'll continue clearing out the garage.  I found storage boxes needing wiped before placed in auto to transfer.  They'll go to our cottage cellar and placed on monster racks that HUBBY already took apart, transported to cellar and reassembled.  

A little here and a little there, we are making headway with completely relocating to the cottage.  I'm praying that God will bless me with more energy as I have so little.  Once again my thyroid meds were tweaked as I was on too high a dose having heart palps.  Very uncomfortable.  Feeling better after reducing dose.  Better.

I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY!!! I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY that it's April!  

We took a load of goodies to Topeka's Goodwill, ate supper at SAMs,  treated with a White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks then slowly returned HOME by route of a scenic drive.

Gorgeous scenery to see as the sun was setting.  Misty and colorful sky.  Scenery looked like we were elsewhere in the world as the part of Kansas I grew up in is not as scenic as the Flint Hills.  No camera.  Mistake to not bring camera when we are out and about.  If I could just sit and absorb the surroundings in the country I WOULD.

BREATH TAKING.  I cannot describe the beauty of the sun setting on the misty horizon of the Flint Hills.

MARCH has passed.  Tis raining and flowers blooming.  After working on the garage this past week-end, we made huge progress, but have a long ways to go in order to say she's completely cleaned out.  The backyard has items that need removed as well.

LAST WEEK, we walked through the rock house and said good-bye.  This is a ritual I have done when selling a house and leaving it for the last time.  I SAY GOOD-BYE HOUSE.    

We are able to say we no longer live at the corner of 4th Street and ILLINOIS.  The property belongs to another.  LAST FRIDAY we sold the shelled house to another.  Sold.  It is soaking in, but very slowly.  We sold our house that we loved so much.  

Husband and I went out to dinner at HARRY's as this is our favorite of favorites Restaurant to celebrate at.  

HARRY's

It was a very tamed celebration as we ate the best and sat for an hour and a half before we took a evening drive.  We keep telling each other that we sold the house.  We sold the house.  

House sold to another.

http://harrysmanhattan.com/

We will focus on our cottage and make it comfortable for two older people who want to retire and go at a different pace doing other things.  

I have mixed feelings as I loved our rock house and did a lot of living in this location.  Saddened, but relieved at the same time.  We will not have to rebuild or tear down the house.  She remains in this community waiting to be rebuilt by the hands of another.

For three months we waited to hear back from the Insurance company as they were figuring dollar amounts on the damage etc.

  I knew in my heart that I did not want to rebuild. 

To rebuild her would cost us twice as much as we received from the insurance company.  OUCH.  We are thinking with logical reasoning verses with the heart.  Not easy, but doable.



 I knew that I didn't have it in me to go through this as we have been working on the house close to ten years already.  I knew that we are too old to get another house loan that would take years to pay off if ever.  I know we need to retire.  

It is bitter sweet to say we sold the house.  

Bitter sweet.

The rock house has been emptied.
She's ready for her next phase to happen.  
We have moved into a tiny cottage that we affectionately named RETIREMENT COTTAGE.  
This is where we are living to recover from our house fire that damaged or destroyed everything in the house including the interior that we worked on for nearly ten years.  
It was devastating.

LIFE GOES ON AS I AM THE MAID.  I continue to launder the things that were returned to us.  Most of it has a strong chemical smell, so I have to wash items to see if the smell comes out.  A few pieces still smell of smoke and this doesn't wash out.  BYEBYE THESE GO TO THE TRASH after I write the item description and number down with a picture for insurance purposes.  I WILL REJOICE when this task is completed.  It's going to take a full year to document each item that I can and deal with insurance.

BLESSED to not get injured or killed from fire.  BLESSED.  We are piecing together our belongings that were taken for clean-up or repairs.  Pitching so much that was seriously damaged.  With time and healing, I believe it will be a different time of LIFE to enjoy and explore what God has for us as a couple in their 60s.

MONDAY is here.  APRIL will bring celebrations as our daughter turns 37, celebrates first year wedding anniversary, Mom turns 85 and Father-in-law turns 87.  SPRING will cause flowers to bloom and we will be closer to being settled into our cottage.  Kitchen designs are drawn and I will find ways to make our closet work for us for clothing, shoes and bedding.  In many ways I feel like a newlywed. 

THIS SPRING has to be a NEW BEGINNING in a NEW CHAPTER OF LIFE.  Has to be.

Pacing myself.  Taking time.  When I begin working on it, I am challenged with fatigue and emotional issues.  Taken by surprise that dealing with this destruction emotional strings are attached that get in the way of functioning.

I smiled when a storage tub was opened filled with EASTER DECORATIONS.  They are not damaged and I can use them in my new HOME.  Actually genuinely HAPPY that there are still nice things to decorate with.  HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

So thankful.

The two large metal racks on wheels in the dining room are nearly empty.  Took two weeks to empty.  SO HAPPY that this part is finished.  When the weather warms up, I have boxes to go through of items that were non-restorable.  More documenting and picture taking.  A deep sigh of relief will take place as this is concluded.

AS FOR FIXING UP RETIREMENT COTTAGE.....I continue to go back and forth on carpeting or laying hard wood floor.  It would work better for us if we laid wood flooring in one room at a time as to allow furniture to be moved out of one room at a time, laying floor then returning furniture onto a wood floor.  I thought I could always get nice area rugs to cover the brunt of the floors after the new floor were laid.  hum.

Get hard wood flooring, lay it and then get nice area rugs to use.  It is a big decision for me to know what to do.  Sigh.

'JUST DO IT'  comes to mind.  

Just do it,

d