THE POWER OF THE DOG, THE GLASS CASTLE and GOING ROUND IN CIRCLES

TODAY WENT VERY WELL.  I had a slow start to the day.  I managed to get paperwork done and a load of laundry.  I picked dead leaves off my geranium plants that sit on a metal rack in the utility room.  They will need nursed back to health over the next few months. Placing the plants in the cellar before a cold snap allowed them to survive the freezing cold, but the lack of sunshine was hard on them.  Now instead of having a garden window in the KITCHEN for wintering plants, I have a 4 shelved metal rack for plants and flowers.  It's crowded in the Utility room, but right now every room is crowded.    

I moved the heavy, large mixer from the pantry shelf to the Kitchen countertop.  I thought it would fit in a slender cabinet, but there is a small upper shelf in it preventing the mixer from sliding all the way back into the cabinet so I placed the mixer on the counter top for now until the shelf is removed.

Hubby believes he can get the small shelf taken out then I can position the mixer in the slender cabinet.  A switch-er-roo will take place AGAIN in my small KITCHEN.  Doing a shuffle.  

The large stainless steel pans do not fit in the bottom cabinet to the right of the stove so I will put these pans in the pantry using the cabinets to house bakeware.  It really is a slow process of morphing the KITCHEN to make room for all the items needed.

We drove over to the main house to pick up the urns off the front porch.  Placing the urns into the back of Cruiser took little time as my Husband muscled them.  I placed trash bags over the tops of them and pulled one up from the bottom to contain the dirt while placing in the car and transporting.  

I took the pretty Harvest Wreaths off the front doors.  We'll need to rent a truck to load up the patio furniture, ladders, left over wood in the carriage house and a few other things.  It would be best to get this done with the temps in the 50s before plunging back to bitter cold weather again. We need to completely clear off the property of what we do not want to leave behind.  From here we went to one of our storage units to get a Nativity Scene, a couple of Christmas wreaths and some PIPKA SANTAS.  The car was once again packed.

Drove to our COTTAGE and carried the Christmas wreaths to the porch.  I hung one wreath up and sat the other one on the church pew.  I will need to place a hook or nail on the screen door so the wreath can hang on it.  The rest of the car will need to be emptied in the daylight.  The urns still have live mums in them so these will come out.  Not sure if the urns will sit on the steps or in the flowerbed.  Shall see.     

I gathered the AUTUMN HOLIDAY DECOR and boxed the items in matching storage tubs stacking them in a neat pile in the LIVING ROOM.  We took the tubs to the cellar which has a muscle rack to store the tubs on it.  That's a good feeling to have the HARVEST DECOR out of the Living room.

Since our LIVING ROOM is tiny, I may sacrifice having two BEDROOMS and use one for a TV room.  I imagined what this might look like.  I want to keep the Living room formal with a loveseat, two wing chairs and ottoman.  Because of health issues we'd like to use our recliners and that would make the Living room less formal if they were in there.  Comfortable, but less formal.  With turning loose of so much, I cried that I don't want to give everything up and still WANT a pretty parlour.  This is the smallest Living room we have ever had in all the places we have resided.  With TINY comes challenges amongst the blessings of having a HOME.

With making the front BEDROOM a TV room, the LIVING ROOM will be kept formal.  Having a casual room will be very comfortable for watching TV, reading, computer research, praying, drawing, writing out bills, writing letters, etc.  Think we will do this.  

The Victorian Bedroom Suite will be set up in the SHE SHED which is an individual room attached to the storage side of the garage.  It will be a extra place to sleep when company comes as it has heat in it and we will place a window unit in it for cooling it off in the hot months when we're out there.  We've sketched up some drawings of making the shed a additional place to stay. I think before we purchased the COTTAGE in 2013 that someone had lived in there before.

We gutted the shed 2 years ago and remodeled it to where it doesn't look anything like it did. New beaded board on it walls and new ceiling, painted floor, new entrance door, windows fixed, new light fixture.  Turned out nice. 

SEEING RED.  Red foods for the day in the color wheel diet.  We had Salmon Steak with red potatoes, red onions and red peppers for Supper.  Breakfast was strawberries and raspberries with Lunch being a meatless chili made of red kidney beans.  A red apple was for a snack and we had cherry yogurt for dessert.  All was delicious and enjoyed.

We watched two movies tonight to relax.  The first one was a bit dry and lacked luster, but the cinematography of New Zealand was breath taking.  Supposedly the place in the movie is Montana.  The story line left me scratching my head when Ree Drummond said this flick was in the top ten best Westerns and has suggested watching it.  THE POWER OF THE DOG.  I must have been too tired to appreciate it like she did.  Perhaps I will watch it again earlier in a day and see if I get more out of it than I did.

The other film was THE GLASS CASTLE with Woody Harrelson as a man with a drinking problem when moving from place to place living in extremely run down habitats by being a squatter with his artist wife and four children.  Based off of a true story by Jeannette Walls, it truly shared the heartache of living the way they did.  At one point in the story, it was Christmas where the father had no money for gifts so he let the children pick out a star for their gift plus a planet.  He was what I'd call a free thinker that was very creative to get away with the life he lived.

As I watched the movie, I told myself I do not want to live the way they did.  It was heart breaking to me that there were days that the entire family had no food to eat.  I had wondered how on earth did they have the funds for buying gas for their car?  I'm sure they did not follow the rules of having auto insurance and up dated car tags.  How did they manage to live at all when he continually would lose his job and they'd move on?  The mother was engrossed in her artwork by painting which was the world to her.  The children were neglected. 

Of the two movies, I liked THE GLASS CASTLE better than THE POWER OF THE DOG.

Two movies in one night means we were sitting in the Living room watching the tele.  I believe I am a movie addict.  Seldom does the TV come on during the daylight hours and this is progress for me.

The phone rang.  Our Iowa family has the flu.  Gotta run.  Think we'll go get a moving truck to get the rest of our things off our property while the weather is nice and we don't have the flu. Best get on with this so we can close this chapter of our lives. 

UPDATE:  We did get a truck and loaded it with the last of our belongings from the main house. It is a relief that we finished before dark.  We'll unload tomorrow.  ANOTHER PHONE CALL CAME IN.  My dear 91 year old Mom has  C O V I D  with a nasty cough.  A nodule was found by x-ray on her left lung.  A CT scan has been ordered.  It may be cancer.

Sister and Brother.in.law are ill as well and will get tested tomorrow for you know what.  This is round two with  c o v i d  for my Mom who had her shots and boosters.  She was ill at the start of 2022 with this beast.  What a year she had.  Leading up to C O V I D, she had fallen which put her in a wheel chair.  She recovered and caught 
C O V I D.  Recovered.  Then two months later, she broke her hip.  Recovered.  Two months later she passed out causing her to fall which cracked her pelvis.  She recently moved to IOWA and this has happened.  Praying for her.  I'm concerned this round may destroy her.

BACK ON THE VITAMINS FOR ME AND MY HUNNY.  I encourage taking good quality vitamins to assist with keeping you healthy.  The last two mornings I woke with severe feet and leg cramps.  Drank some pickle juice each time and it does help stop the cramps.  Vitamin D deficiencies can be the cause of such cramps.  

Reading about are Vitamin D injections better than supplements.  I have a tendency to have low levels of Vitamin D.  I think this may be the culprit behind these leg cramps.  Injections get the Vitamin D into your system faster than supplements.  I believe I may visit with my Doc about a injection.       

After Supper, I tinkered in the KITCHEN grouping the stainless steel cookware.  I'm moving the pans from a lower cabinet to the pantry.  Freeing up a shelf made another mess to deal with. Shucks.  This seems to be the way it goes.  In order to make some order I have to make other messes to accommodate the new order.  This Kitchen does not have the drawer space for pans that the main house had.  Moving makes challenges.  Give a little take a little.

Later, we will remodel the KITCHEN and then perhaps the KITCHEN will have more bells and whistles to make the room more likable.  Anyhow, the KITCHEN will change a few more times before it is all said and done.    

Where the pans were, the bakeware will now be with the nesting mixing bowls.  Cookie sheets will probably go in the warming tray in the bottom of the oven.  This rearranging of the Kitchen is like a merry go round as I am going in circles getting dizzy.  Tis a slow process and this evening I am a tad bit flustered.  Making progress, but not very fast.  MOVING is a work out.  I have to remind myself that if I don't like the set up, I can always rearrange the Kitchen again, hang loose and chill out.

If I concentrate on individual rooms by taking a full week per room getting the room organized and cleaned up, I believe I will see great progress.

HOME LIFE is for me,

~d

 

MAKING SENSE FROM THE MOVING MESS

🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃

ONCE AGAIN, evening came too fast.  The dark of the night took over.  It seems to come around faster than I am comfortable with.  By 5:30 it's dark.    

Being THANKFUL for so much.  A HOME WITH CREATURE COMFORTS, FAMILY, RELATIONSHIP WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, SALVATION THROUGH THE LORD JESUS, FINANCIAL INCOME SAVINGS, HEALTH, FRIENDS, FREEDOM, LIVING IN AMERICA WITH A CONSTITUTION, CREATIVITY, BOOKS, FOOD, HEALTH CARE, PRAYER, COMMUNITY and the list goes on.  Embrace this time and stay humble.  Walk upright before the LORD.  As a child of GOD through the Lord JESUS as one's personal savior, we are HIS righteousness.  AMEN.  THANKFUL that I can go boldly into the throne room of prayer and share my concerns and petitions with GOD. GRATEFUL.
   

🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃

THOUGHTS ON THE DAY.  A bit chilly this morning in the 30s.  Should reach in the high 50s this afternoon making for a pleasant day.  No SNOW blowing with beautiful weather. Now come next week, we may experience an arctic blast.  Best keep the parkas near AND BLANKETS IN THE CAR.    

I need to make sure I have everything ready for our Saturday meal.  I'll need to go to a grocery store for canned whipped cream to top the pumpkin pie.  Pretty sure I have most of the meal's ingredients in a box by the front door and in the fridge.  

Although I know where the serving pieces are, I will need to place them in a box and take with me.  Once I get to my daughter's I will wash all the dishes to sanitize them. 

Gathering the serving dishes and bakeware for the THANKSGIVING MEAL that we are having this week-end is going to be very challenging and interesting amongst this chaotic Kitchen MESS.  Today, I will continue working on this chaos.  Lord have mercy and please help me.

Can you make any sense out of this MESS?
An organized and clean person's NIGHTMARE.

THIS WAS NOT A CLEAN MOVE.  It was a HURRY UP AND GET OUT OF HERE ONE.  I HATE THESE.  Added chaos happens when in a hurry.  No time to neatly pack each thing then unpack.  

Tis best that THANKSGIVING
will be spent elsewhere.  

ON Sunday, repeat shopping for THURSDAY's THANKSGIVING MEAL.   

ON THE HOME FRONT.  As you can see from the Kitchen pics, it's a mess in real time.  The KITCHEN is to be conquered.  I rounded up cleaning products all in one area.  Temporarily, I will place all of these products under the kitchen sink just to get them out of sight.  LATER, and I mean later, I will do a thorough tidying.  

Then I will clear the work station which is a portable table to group ALL the pots and pans and bakeware so I see what I have to work with.  I had started putting the pans and bakeware in various drawers and cabinets, but was getting too spread out.  The Kitchen is quite small and I'll have to come up with a workable solution.  Having to figure out where the things are going to go this go round as each KITCHEN is different.

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD...rest a bit, work a bit, rest, work.  Eventually it will be organized.  Lil Miss came over and worked in the LIVING ROOM.  She made a huge dent.  The center of the room was full of stacked boxes.  She said she'd come over again and work on the PANTRY.  I believe she will figure this out.

My temporary OFFICE is a laundry basket!  HA.

    Shall see how the day goes.
COTTAGE LIVING has begun,

~d

WELL, WELL, WELL...

MY DAILY PLANNER didn't see this one coming.  Hubby decided he wanted to get a rabies booster since the little stray cat bit him on Halloween.  He went through the rabies series back in 2012 when he was bitten on the top of the head by a bat.  Kitty bit him on the hand to where it drew blood.  

OKAY.  Where do we go to get rabies booster?  He called the doctor's office leaving several messages about wanting to see the doc.  They were so slow to reply back that he grew irritated.  I typed into the computer who gives rabies boosters for humans in Topeka?  The Shawnee County Health Department does, so I phoned them and visited about the situation with them.  

We made a trip to their facility and considered walk-ins.  I really thought we'd be there all afternoon, but we weren't.  They administered the booster and he'll have to return for the second shot later in the week.  All went well at their very nice facility.

FOUR medical appointments this week.  4.  Oh well.  Blessed to have medical attention.  

It wasn't in my plans to make a trip to Topeka, so I tried to make the best of it.  I was going to work at unpacking, but health is a priority.   

AFTERWARDS, we went to Jason's Deli for a Baked Potato.  Then stopped by GOD'S STOREHOUSE for a quick visit.  Dollar Tree and Target.  By this time I was getting extremely tired and wanted a NAP.  HOME we went and that's exactly what I did.  NAPPED for an hour then it was my Husband's turn.

BACK to going through more boxes on the HOME FRONT.  I took a cardboard box out to the car to load up stuff that was on the floor board from the move.  This moving thing is just about too much.  While the car was being filled with fuel, I washed the back end of the car to get the dirt off the back window and the backside of the car.  I am determined to make this the start of being squeaky clean.  A great place to start by cleaning the cars. 

I have to rest a great deal and that's alright, I am 68.  

Somewhere in here, I need to launder some new blue jeans for Hubby.  The utility room is crammed full of STUFF.  I cannot at this point get to the washing machine.  That will be a job and a half making clearance to get to the machines.  I figure I can sweep off the front porch tomorrow, clear off the church pew that's in the utility room, make a path to the back door and carry the pew outside to the front porch.  I have a little table that will sit beside it.  Right now this table is in the Dining room so getting it out of the house will free up some room as well.

After the pew is outside I will move the foot pedal sewing machine into this space freeing up room for a metal rack to sit so I can have a place to winter the geraniums and coleus.

This moving in is interesting.  A good kind of interesting.  By the end of the week, I wonder what we will have accomplished?  I hope I can stay HOME today and work on the unpacking.

It's cheese and crackers time.  Will watch some tele and have a peaceful time at HOME.  

~d

BOO BAGS

I'VE ATE MY FAIR SHARE OF REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS AND miniature HERSHEYS BARS before Halloween.  It seems like one habit that is still practiced in the month of October.  A ritual that comes to mind.  I buy miniature candy bars and some of them find their way into my diet.  Maybe it's the magnesium that chocolate has that I'm craving or the sugar.  grins.  

The BOO BAGS were made up for the Grandchildren.  Lil Miss called the treats BOO BAGs and it stuck.  I like the term.

Using brown luncheon bags for the BOO BAGS, I wrote the child's name on it, printed from Gma and Gpa for HARVEST TIME as well, filled with miniature candy bars then rolled the opening of the bag down and simply stapled them shut.  I have no idea where my twine is to close them so a staple had to work.  Nothing fancy, but I really don't think they will care so long as they get miniature candy bars like a Milky Way bar, Hershey's, Mister Goodyear, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

With that out of the way, I need to go to the storage unit and look for my boys' childhood Christmas ornaments that are in vinyl sweater boxes.  Need to give them these.  Daughter got her's last year.  

We woke in the COTTAGE being our 5th night here.  I'm not sleeping the best as I miss my recliner like crazy.  Going to have to figure out how to make room somewhere in the COTTAGE for one.  I don't see this happening until we have cleared out much that's in the middle of the rooms.  Mazes everywhere.

I find myself tossing and turning on the Victorian Bed mattress and then laying down on our loveseat.  Tossing and turning requires a great deal of effort in which I let out a groan as I am extremely sore.  My neck still aches, but is better.  Lower back...well that's questionable.  I pray I didn't ruin my back lifting too much weight as I was moving boxes out of the house to the COTTAGE or storage unit. 

The house is on the market.  Pause.  We did it.  We have officially moved into our small COTTAGE.  Wanting to keep a cheerful attitude.  Looking at all the things longing for their place and a place for everything is mind boggling.  TODAY, I will go EXTREMELY SLOW as I go about moving things.  This morning we hooked up the KEURIG as Hubby loves his morning coffee.  He embraced the small pods that he found carrying them to the coffee maker like they were gold nuggets.  I found some throw away coffee cups and lids.  Placed them in a acrylic container and sat it beside the Keurig.  Whalaah.  Some order took place just like that.

My hands this morning are stiff and the fingers swollen.   They look fatter than usual.  Also my feet are puffy.  Locating the Vitamin B6 and taking some should help with the puffiness.  I stopped taking vitamins and minerals plus the apple cider vinegar a while back, but I know I must get on the wagon again.  TODAY IS THE DAY.

I fixed a large salad for Lunch and took a CO Q 10, 2 Ceylon Cinnamon capsules, and a Vitamin B6 pill with water.  That's a start.  When I find my Apple Cider Vinegar pills, I'll take some.  I've got to gather the meds in the Kitchen for easy access.  Right at this moment a weight scale is stacked on some boxes, a frying pan leans off a box, small electric fan in a box awaits a new home, tea, and a whole lot of stuff crowds the middle of the room.  I'll have to get this thinned out as my dear Hubby said he'll try to work on the TV so we can watch late night television.

THE GILDED AGE series started on Sunday and I missed it.  This is what I'd like to watch this week as a reward for working so hard and diligently for months.  I need to rest throughout the day as I am worn out.  The muscles are weak.  Whaah.  With each new passing day, may we regain our strength.  Right now I am beyond the comfort zone.

We HOPE to see one of our Oklahoma grands play Basketball.  The drive is long, but I think we can handle sitting in the car making our way to OKLAHOMA.  He turned 14 on the 26th so I want to give him in person his Birthday card and gift.  I have some BOO BAGS for the grandchildren and a couple of Soccer figurines for the youngest.

After we get the house sold, I'm in hopes that we will go stay at our Sons' towns and visit with them and their families for a little longer than we have in the past.  I am hoping we slow our pace down in a good way.  Have FAITH and TRUST GOD that we will get to do this soon.

SOON.  

Halloween is here.  I think we'll stay at the main house this evening to keep an eye on the goblins so no vandalism occurs with an empty house on the market.  This will be a good time to just sit and talk and REST.  

November is inching its way to our front door.  NOVEMBER!  How did this happen so fast? Time has flown.  Blink and the week was gone being Friday again.  

SPRING was taken up with health issues, medical appointments in Topeka, trips to Kansas City for test and working at getting moved into the COTTAGE one piece at a time.  About as quickly as Spring appeared it was gone.  SUMMER was spent having medical tests, recovering from a hysterectomy and continued house projects.  Wham...AUTUMN arrived with brightly colored leaves, a cold weather snap, finishing house projects and getting the house on the market.

Here we be.  In the COTTAGE resting and attempting to unpack.  I am in a navy blue housecoat resting.  The noon hour passed right on by.  Hubby went to get some washers at a special store so he can tighten an old fashioned door knob.  We need to go to one of the storage units this afternoon to look for a few things.  Trying to figure out what Supper will be as the KITCHEN is in complete disarray.  May have to go to the store and get some sandwich material.  Eating out gets very expensive.  

I just heard the car door shut.  Hubby is HOME.  Steps heard on the wood porch.  It's him.  Off we shall go.
~d

100 Mile Marathon

AS HUBBY AND I WERE LOADING THE CAR WITH ALL OUR CLEANING SUPPLIES AND TOOLS, I noticed the FOR SALE sign in our front yard.  Our Realtor had placed the sign before 5 pm.  We knew the house would be listed at 5, but were too busy to notice the exact time when the Realtor placed the sign in our yard.

This was a day that we knew would come.  We started working on the last of the projects we had hoped to get done before 5 early in the day.  

The fronts of the Living room stairs that lead to the upper floor were painted.  

The toe kick under the Kitchen cabinets was painted.

Reflector tape was placed on the newly painted Basement stairs.

Touch up polishing of the fridge was done.

Cleaning more on the large stove.

A small repair to the Kitchen wood floor took place.

Fridge cleared out.

Freezer cleaned out.

Living room closet cleaned out.

Outside Basement stairwell cleaned out.

Some sweeping done.

Tidying done with paint cans and supplies.

I think that was it.  

I was about to fall over from being fatigue.  I fell asleep in a sports chair.  Zonked.  SO tired and ready for this day to be done.  Finished.
We drove around the block and took a picture of the FOR SALE sign in the yard.  Drove through the Public Park and then headed over to our Daughter's for Supper.  Exhausted.  Completely exhausted.  We needed some Ibuprofen from Dollar General and as I was waiting in the car, our Realtor called and said that we had a looker at 6 pm.  That was fast.  Less than 50 minutes after being listed the first appointment was schedule.  

We shall see how things go.  We'll take a few days off before getting serious about unpacking our COTTAGE.  I need some time off from working so hard and I know my Husband does as well. We are both extremely tired and worn out.  This fixing up the house to sell, packing, shuffling, MOVING THINGS has been our 100 mile Marathon for two old peeps.  Time to recover and regain our strength.

~d

MOVING ON

A FREEZING 27 degrees Saturday morning.  We didn't want to miss the STATE High School Cross Country event as one of our grandchildren was running.  So we bundled up and went.  It was difficult for us to walk as we have been working at moving,  house projects going on and moving things into storage units.  These old bodies feel the work that's been going on.  It was wonderful to be able to be there for the big MEET.  By running time it was only about 47 degrees.  Chilly weather with some sunshine.  Bundled up and still cold.  

In Lil Miss's group there were 112 runners and she placed 5th.  Very proud of our champion.  She ran well and beat her time from last week by 2 seconds.  She had some tough competition.  The 2023 season has come to an end.  It seemed to pass so quickly.  Now to take a break and MOVE ON.

 

MOVING ON

WITH THE COLD FRONT HAVING MOVED IN, the porch plants were carried to the cellar late last night as we arrived at our COTTAGE.  I was going to move them indoors on Saturday, but changed my mind and did it a day earlier and boy am I glad I did as the front came in earlier than I was expecting.  For now they are in the cellar allowing me some extra time to get the Utility room prepared for them.  A metal rack will be adorned with the Geraniums and Coleus.

Keeping the out of doors inside is part of making a HAPPY HOMEMAKER.  I will smile when I see these plants alive and well in the dead of WINTER.  

We spent the rest of Saturday working at the main house that we are selling and we were beyond tired.  

The Kitchen walls needed a second coat of paint after I saw how spotty they appeared the next day after it dried.  More painting?  Nooooo.  My hands and fingers feel the effects of being over used and here I need to do more painting.  Not my idea of excitement as I was hoping the painting was done.    

This morning when I woke up my fingers did not want to move.  Arthritis I guess.  Wiggle wiggle and bend them helps the normalcy return and then I can move them easier.

Hubby painted the basement stairs and this sure beautified the old rugged appearance they had. He finished painting the Basement floor.  He showed me a picture and the basement looks a million times better than it did a month ago.  The painting cleaned this part of the house up.

Now the basement is move-in ready.  The space could be used as extra living space such as a family room, bedroom, storage, office, craft room.  We used the basement as a storage space and a safe place to get away from storms.  It was crowded with racks for decorations, dishes and food storage once upon a time.  If I had to do this over again, I would have had it less crowded.  

As I rethink how to store things, I know I must downsize and be more orderly especially since we are relocating to tiny ville.  The COTTAGE will present a new challenge as we will not have the space we did.  It can be done as I have moved from small spaces into larger and back again through the years.

We have to wrap up our projects today as the word on the house will be out to the Realtors.  May the buyers come forth.  I am disappointed that it is so cold outside and will be till the middle of next week before it is in the 60s again.  OPEN HOUSE will be November 5th and the temps are suppose to be in the middle 60s.  That will be just about right.  

As we finish up our house projects, I HOPE to begin the TASK of slowly unpacking the COTTAGE.  Things are stuffed and crammed full in each room.  We look like a couple of hoarders that need therapy.  Where to begin?  One PIECE at a time so I can have PEACE.  A little here and a little there and over time it will take shape.  I am feeling the adrenaline starting to flow through my body as I want to get settled sooner than later.  

Speaking of shape, I will be working at this for my old bod in the days to come with a specific walking program.  First I have to make some sense out of the mess that comes with moving.  We are officially out of the main house and sleeping at the COTTAGE.  Meals will have to be modified as the KITCHEN is a complete mess.  I bought some bagged salads for easy meals. About a week's worth.

Since I have been so physically active with this move, I want to continue staying physically ACTIVE as best I can.  Slow the pace some, but continue on with moving on.

We saw the photographs the Realtor received from her photographer and are extremely pleased how they turned out.  I will share later, but for now the selling of the house is moving straight ahead.  

Last minute details are taking place.  Hubby managed to finish painting the second half of the basement floor.  The closet got a touchup.  I managed to get another coat of paint on the Kitchen walls.  There's a small repair that needs repaired on the Kitchen floor and the toe kick needs a fresh coat of paint.  The freezer needs cleaned.  What else?  Reflector tape placed on the basement stairs and the other set of stairs in the Living room needs the fronts freshened up with paint.  Then we call the realtor and tell her that we are ready for the house to be listed.  Go for it.

She'll place a FOR SALE sign in the front yard today and we can take a deep breath of relief.  

WE HAVE MOVED ON,
~d  

 

HOARDERS DO NOT LIVE HERE

I CAN'T FIND THIS AND I CAN'T FIND THAT.  You know how it is when packing up everything to move.  Little by little we will dig out from under the boxes and make some sense out of all this disarray.   

My body is exhausted and it's difficult to walk.  Will have to spend some time recovering after all that we have done to prepare the house to sell.  My Husband feels the same way as I, exhausted and weary.  Our bodies are tired.  We're excited that we are at the place we are in the chain of events, but cannot deny the fatigue.  It truly is difficult to lift my legs to walk. 

Rethinking when we began our journey to downsize and start making preparations to move seems like a very long time ago.  It's taken years.  2023 though has been an incredibly busy year and I'm blinking trying to grasp how quickly the year has gone.  A week would be gone before I knew it.  Just like that, it was gone. 

I started by clearing out the COTTAGE two maybe three years ago.  The front bedroom looked like a warehouse.  We had stored a great deal of just about everything in there after our house fire in the rock house that wasn't damaged.  The COTTAGE had become our attic and overflow from the garage.  Slow job clearing the COTTAGE out.  Got it cleared out and started making plans where all our furniture from the main house would be going.  To downsize means huge reductions in present inventory.  I am very attached to HOME THINGS.  Turning loose means turning loose.   

Two years ago, Hubby dug three large flowerbeds at the COTTAGE and planted our Irises.  I wanted them to go with us after leaving the big house.  

A year ago, we cleared out the junk from the COTTAGE storage side of the garage and gutted it to remodel.  I started shredding all those old stored papers and checks then gave the pantry a paint job.  Located pottery, dried foods, mixer, canned goods to the pantry. 

Metal racks went into the storage side and Christmas decorations began to migrate to the racks.  Trip after trip to haul decorations reminded me that I am downsizing.  I did on the decorations, but still need to reduce a great deal more.  What am I going to keep.  Nativity Scene.  Garland.  Some Pipka Santas.  Ornaments.  Some wreaths.  Thinking about this. 

We began bringing pieces of furniture over to the COTTAGE. 

When you have an abundance of items, you either have to have a larger space to hold everything or know how to use what little space you do have OR do without.  Less is more concept.  LIVING LARGE in a small space.  As I sit here inside the COTTAGE with so many boxes and things about me, I have a ways to go to be LIVING LARGE in this small space.  Another round of getting rid of STUFF has to take place.

In January, I started packing up our books after the Christmas decor was put away.  Box after box, I hauled over to the COTTAGE.  Books, crystal and dishes.  I was amazed at all the dishes I had in the china cabinet, sideboard, buffet and antique walnut chest.  Not to mention the everyday dishes in the Kitchen cabinet.  Dolls galore were boxed up and moved.  The dolls were placed in curio cabinets and then boxed again as the COTTAGE is too small to have the curio cabinets in it.  Cabinets were moved into storage.  Clothing thinned out.  Records, movies, CDs, etc. thinned down.

Hubby is asleep right now on the sofa.  I hope I can fall asleep tonight and not toss and turn.  SO tired, but wired.  

We have some more stuff to carry out of the basement before painting it.  This will take some time.  I want to dust the Kitchen walls.  Some touch up paint where nail holes were patched will need to get a once over.  We have another trailer load of things that will get hauled off on Thursday then we will need to do one more load out of the Carriage house.  Our recliners are in the Carriage House.  I miss my chair already.

I know I will miss the house, but after all this work of packing and stacking, carrying box after box, repairs, etc.  I think I will be alright with saying good-bye.  Each day I have said a small farewell to the place.  We are truly moving.  When we leave after Wednesday at the end of the day we will probably not be in the house unless I am vacuuming and dusting to freshen up the place while on the market.  I will do my best to be quick at cleaning.  

We met with the Realtor and I liked her very much.  We chatted about comparables and what needs to take place after today.  She is getting the ball rolling with homework and photographer lined up for pictures of the property.  When the place is fully listed then the waiting game begins.  I will busy myself with getting settled in the COTTAGE each passing day.  Very slowly.

Right now walking through the COTTAGE reminds me of what I have seen on the show HOARDERS.  We look like we could do an episode and if you didn't know we had just moved in, you might think HOARDERS live here.  Not to make light about HOARDERS.  Now we are downsizing out of what square footage we had to what we will have.

That saying that you spend many years gathering and collecting things then you spend years getting rid of so much comes to mind.  That is exactly what we have done.  AND AWAY WE GO. 

OUR SWEET LITTLE COTTAGE AWAITS US.  We'll sleep in the Victorian Bed tonight.  I hope we sleep well as we are exhausted.  

When a person has worked to the point of being exhausted and it's difficult to walk and the neck and back aches then it's time to rest.  I have my bill book, address book, a few office supplies in a laundry basket by my feet so I know exactly where they are.  I have one check left that I can locate as I wait for new checks to arrive in the mail.  May they come soon, I didn't realize I was so low on checks.  I cannot find my stash of checks.  Where I put them I don't know!  

As I sit in the quiet of the COTTAGE, the ceiling fan is quietly running and I am typing on my Husband's computer as I have misplaced the power source to mine.  It's somewhere around here and it's a mystery.  We had to go hunting for my Husband's medicines.  Found them.  I keep my meds in my handbag and that's a good thing so long as I don't misplace my handbag.  grins.

TIS MID-WEEK AGAIN.  The days have flown by so quickly as we have busied ourselves getting things done on the house.  The house is the cleanest it has been since we moved in 6 and a half years ago.  It seems a little odd to me that we will no longer be living there.  Odd.

THIS MOVE has been so different.  Another chapter to life begins tonight as we say good-night.

~d

STAYING ON TOP OF THINGS

GOOD STUFF.
Mr. Clean showed up to help me.
The tile is sparkling once again.

WHILE DEEP CLEANING THE OVEN, I noticed how filthy the back splash tile behind it was.  Tis white and easy to see grease spots.  Embarrassed to say, I should have stayed on top of cleaning the tile every day/week and taken care of all the appliances BETTER than I have.  Having a bad back and other health issues were used as a reason to not thoroughly clean my KITCHEN.  I took too many days off and didn't deep clean at all.  frown.  sigh.

When I move, I could just leave the filth and try to comfort myself by saying, "They will just think I was a lousy housekeeper."

I can't do that so I must really use some elbow grease of my own to clean the grease speckled tiles and the mammoth oven.  The fridge wasn't as bad, but I have been better about cleaning it even with my bad back.  It is engrained in me to keep a clean fridge.  I have never had a problem with keeping the fridge clean ever.  Not bragging, but I prided myself with clean appliances through the years.  Especially the fridge.  You wouldn't know it by the way I have handled the oven.  It's not the best.

I could use a crew of HAPPY MAIDS to scrub and scrub the interior of my oven for hours.  Perhaps it would already be sparkling.  I've used oven cleaner, SOS Pads, water, paper towels, more SOS, more oven cleaner, cleaner, cleaner.  It's not where I'd like it to be.  So off and on throughout today and tomorrow I will continue cleaning it until I can clean no more.

Started cleaning with Mr. Clean and this product has made all the difference.  GOOD STUFF.  A++ product.  Recommend it.

SPARKLE TIME.

The backsplash is looking so much better.  I will need to do a few more rounds on it and all the rest of the tile.  The Kitchen cabinets are empty and cleanly lined.  I will have to wash the doors until they are where they need to be.  I take turns cleaning the Kitchen as I go.  I work on it and then rest my back.  Repeat. 

Hauling stuff out of the Kitchen.  When the floor is cleared I will sweep, damp mop and polish it. 

My mantra is A HAPPY HOMEMAKER is one that can keep up with having a clean KITCHEN.  When I hand the house keys over to the Realtor I plan on having THAT SPARKLE back in all the rooms.  Especially the Bathrooms and the KITCHEN.

TEAM WORK.  I taped up cardboard moving boxes and then loaded them with Bathroom and Linen closet things.  Sheets, shampoos, First Aid stuff, grooming supplies, toilet paper, etc.  Filled 9 boxes.

Hubby brought the boxes downstairs and placed them in the Dining room.  I took my turn by carrying them to the Kitchen closer to the back door.  He backed the lil PT Cruiser car up closer to the Patio to where I will not have as far to carry the boxes.  He's returned to staining the main stairs as I load the car and drive over to the COTTAGE to unload the boxes into the new old Bathroom.

I'll need a break after I drive HOME.  There I will rest my back some more before HELPING clear out the CARRIAGE HOUSE.  In between breaks I will clean more on the KITCHEN.  

The boxes should all fit in the car and if there is any room left, I will squeeze some fridge items in.  I'll have to make room in the COTTAGE freezer to house some frozen meats.

I love a clean house.  Getting to that point takes effort and time.  I should look like a body builder as busy as I have been.  How do they do it?  I will continue eating more greens, some fruit and of course protein.  The exercise thing will continue as I left boxes to carry.  When this move is said and done, I will continue a walking program and pray for fitness.  I'd rather be fitter than what I am.

I have to be PRO-ACTIVE when it comes to all the avenues in LIFE I need to have a part in.  All avenues.  Just thinking about all of this doesn't cut the mustard.

I had mentioned to my Husband that I would like to start out the mornings and end the evenings by saying the Lord's Prayer together.  He agreed.  A week has passed and he is taking the initiative of leading.  This is a huge leap of FAITH for us.  We've been married 49 years and this is a first to say the LORD's PRAYERS as Husband and Wife on a daily basis.  It is truly a blessing to be in this together.

  

Matthew 6:9-13  
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.

Off I must go to load the car and get on with my day.  I have HOPES of being better at keeping a clean and tidy HOME.  There is HOPE.  It involves a hands on kind of approach.

Blessings to you.
HOME LIFE is for me!  

~d

AWESOME AUTUMN

THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE COLORFUL AUTUMNS WE HAVE HAD IN A VERY LONG TIME.  Brilliant oranges, deep greens, sage greens, vibrant reds, burgundies, golds and yellows.  It's beautiful to see the colors mixed together.  The leaves are still hanging nicely on the tree branches so there is a fullness still present.

As I drive from our main house to the COTTAGE and back in the daylight, I am getting a chance to see this beautiful scenery.  I so HOPE it stays for a while as I am not ready for WINTER.  

I worked in the basement this morning boxing dishes as Hubby laid wood floor in our blue room. The previous owners of our 1883 house took what decent wood floor there was in one of the bedrooms leaving underlayment behind.  Not a nice look.  Several years ago, we bought the wood and are just now getting it put into place. Looking good.  

They did the same thing in the Living room and Dining room.  After a few months in the house, we'd have professionals lay wood floors.  Thinking back when we bought the house, we should have offered them way less than what we did with underlayment for floors.  There was a hole in the basement stairwell wall.  Hubby has repaired this.  In the entryway, the initial P was laid in the tile.  We joked and said, we need to make the P disappear.  Our Insurance agent had seen the P on the floor and had asked us what would we do with the P on the floor.  Hopefully clean it up! The P has disappeared.

During the day, I managed to repack the ARABIA FINLAND RUSKA China dishes we have that were stored in cardboard boxes.  The life of the cardboard has gone ka-put.  We bought plastic boxes with lids to replace the cardboard.  I bubble wrapped the China and placed the pieces into storage boxes.

Carrying these storage boxes was difficult as I placed them on the steps that lead out of the basement to the backyard.  We have quite a few large storage boxes for the dish sets that I cannot lift.  Thought it is best to buy smaller boxes and reuse these extra large ones for Christmas Garland and lights.  They are see through which will make them very handy being able to see the contends inside.

In the afternoon, I boxed up canned food, dishes, pot and pans, spices from the Kitchen. Carrying these to the car took some effort as they were heavier than I want to admit.  I loaded 4 potted Coleus plants in the front seat of the car for their trip to their new HOME.  I cleaned some on the interior of our oven.  About 4 in the afternoon, I drove over to unload the goods.

The Coleus plants are on the front porch for now while the weather is still tolerable.  I'll WINTER them in the Utility room or in the storage side of the garage when the weather turns colder. Same with the Geraniums on the porch.  The potted Mums will need planted in the ground soon in hopes they will come forth in the Spring.  There's a cellar door that could have Mum beds on the side.  That would like nice.

I folded a load of t-shirts and put some blue jeans into the wash machine.  This was going as I unloaded the back of the car.  First I carry the boxes to the porch, take a break then carry them into the Living room.  They will sit here until I have more time to distribute them into the Kitchen after we get over to live here.

Driving HOME, I got to thinking about going to MENARDS to buy some smaller storage tubs for other dishes that are in large tubs.  When I got HOME, I told my Husband that I needed to go buy some tubs.  He needed some more supplies for the house so he came with me.  He is working so hard on the projects.

A quick trip to Manhattan and back again.  I took the storage tubs to the basement to repack the China.  Our Thanksgiving dishes were stored in very large tubs too heavy to lift easily.  I rewrapped these this evening in bubble wrapped and placed them in the smaller storage tubs. Needed to take break as I am out of gusto.

If I could work like I have been for a full year, I think some weight would physically come off of me as I have NEVER worked this hard before ever.  Not physically.  It has been a learning time for me.  Tomorrow, I will continue to rewrap Thanksgiving dishes into smaller tubs and take them to the storage unit.

The clothing rack that is in the Kitchen bump out must be hauled over to the COTTAGE tomorrow.  The rest of the Kitchen things plus the dishes in the basement.  The Basement is getting emptied.  That's exciting to me knowing how full it was a few months ago.

With so much chaos in the world, HOME LIFE is for me.  Praying for so many about much.

LIFE GOES ON and so must I.  We hope to have the house on the market next week.  
~d

ORGANIZING, VACCINES AND ALIENS

MY INTEREST IN BEING ULTRA ORGANIZED became a interest of mine during C O V I D when I was isolated in the house.  Wondering what was going on in the world and staying away from daily practices of being out and about made time to stay indoors at HOME using the internet more than ever before.  AND THE VIDEOS WERE A PLENTY.

GATHERING ORGANIZATIONAL IDEAS kept my attention long enough making me be envious of how so many were experts at this task of taking untidy clutter and turning it into WHAHLAH beautiful.  Where did I go wrong with being organized that had no pazazz?  There was NO take your breath away moment that made me about fall down because I lost my balance saying, "WOW.  LOOK AT THAT!!!"

My organization in the fridge and pantry lacked that ah hah moment.  Cleanliness should be a priority along with easy access.  Did I have that in the cabinets, pantry and fridge?  Somewhat, but not to the place I was seeing on videos.  Where was that saying that not all that glitters is gold?  What happened to not everything you see is real?  Truthfully, who can keep their fridge looking like what I was seeing when others get into it and have their messy way that's not as concerned of order than I, the main housekeeper?  Some of these video results look as if no one lives to tell the truth about this being a functioning HOME.  

Still I gathered organizational ideas and tried to incorporate it into my HOME.  Take it all with a grain of salt.  We do not see behind the scenes of these gurus that make these videos.  Where is the CZAR?  Do they have a life with family members that occasionally have jelly on their fingers while getting into the cabinet looking for Cheetos to munch on?

Constant clean-up on aisle one.  Calling all custodians to the rescue.  You are about to have an accident. I'm 68 and last night as I was eyeballing the two stacked boxes of greens in one area of the fridge moving them to the upper level of the shelving...the lid fall off of one of the containers that was upside down to preserve the greens in the box dumping the contents of green slime in the fridge interior, onto the door and onto the floor.  Me, the one that wants order inside and out of the fridge MADE A HECK OF A MESS.  Reality check.  Messes happen.  This was a green mess and a half.  

Where's the ladies of these videos when this sort of chaos takes place in my Kitchen???  They are off in their corner of the world making more videos to entertain others and making some money while doing that.  Clean-up on aisle one will be at my own expense.  Thank you very much.

AS  C O V I D raged on, I continued to watch how to organize my home.  Great ideas out there and I do not regret taking the time to get better informed about just how others are doing this magic in the real world.  How to use the space one has to the most efficient manner possible was a winner.  Different techniques of folding towels and clothing advanced a notch in my think tank.    

C O V I D  was a very controversial time with what was going on.  Still many argue about what the government/deep state were actually doing on the world theatre.  Some say we were being manipulated to see just how far the masses would take instructions from the government. Others had no questions as to how serious all of this was.  Mask.  No mask.  Vaccine.  No vaccine. Closing churches.  Services in the out of doors.  You cannot sing to now you can sing. Businesses were closed and when hair salons opened no hair dryers were allowed to be used. Only x amount of shoppers in the stores at a time to the stores being open again for your business.  Come on in. Stand 6 feet apart and don't shake hands.  Wear your mask.  Don't breath on me.  

Curbside service was a hit.  Ordering things on line was all the rage.

Weird times.  C O V I D  was advancing in the United States.  In February of 2020 we had gone to Oklahoma for a family visit before the orders to stay home were placed.  Driving back from Oklahoma after hearing the term social distancing for the first time in my life with a toilet paper shortage starting, the small towns we went through appeared to be like ghost towns.

We settled in and waited out what the next move would be.  

I had moments where I was alone in the Living room very upset with what was going on in the world health wise.  The isolation bothered me and made me sad.  SO many reported as dying. People were dying left and right.  Morgues were full and could not handle the funerals.  The Hospitals were full and people were turned away.  Debates about what to do.  Our President's vanity got in the way as his bronzer rubbed off on the mask looking unattractive so he did not honor wearing masks.  

Looking back at this era, many think differently than before.  Debates about the vaccine continue.  I put off taking the  c o v i d  vaccines as long as I could until Hubby came back from getting his hair cut at the Barber Shop where a young man shared the horrors of what  C O V I D was like having experienced it.  So we decided we'd get vaccinated.  Made an appointment at the Pharmacy and got the JAB.  First Jab then a month later the second one, but when I heard you needed a booster before the year was up, I said no.  Did that mean frequent shots?  Yes.  FAUCI had publicly said that with receiving the vaccine you would not get the C O V I D.  The story kept changing.  You won't get it as bad when having the jab?  

I had been hearing both sides about the controversy jab.  I overheard an elderly woman talking to another about how older people she knew had very bad effects from the vaccine and she chose not to comply.  

My Brother and Sister-in-law both had the two vaccines then the two boosters.  C O V I D got them.  The same with my elderly mother.  My Mom got it.  My Sister and Brother-in-law took the jabs and boosters still got C O V I D.  My vaccinated brother got C O V I D.  My Son who had the jabs got it.  Hubby and I did not have the 2 boosters and we got a milder case of C O V I D.

After we took the two jabs in March and April 2021, eight months later we both had serious eye issues.  My left eye hemorrhaged twice in December and my Husband developed PVD requiring emergency surgery.  Then we got C O V I D in July of 2022.  What's up with that?  

B I L L   G A T E S  and his early comments about vaccines for population control comes to mind. What exactly is in these vaccines that have not been thoroughly tested?  What is in the vaccines that was deliberately placed in them to do harm to people of all walks of LIFE?  What has been placed in the vaccines for ethnic cleansing?  Killing more people of certain races and age groups. Killing the older generation comes to mind.  Birth control due to sterility for the younger generation comes to mind.  Making people sick with radio frequencies comes to mind.  Ethnic cleansing comes to mind.  Creating cancers that alter quality of health comes to mind.  Falling over dead comes to mind.  New world order comes to mind.  Depopulation so the elitist rule and reign comes to mind.  The future forecast comes to mind.  I still have a mind for such a time as this.

THROUGH  THE YEARS, v a c c i n e s  have helped so many.  Hubby was bit on the top of the head by a bat and I cannot imagine him NOT taking the vaccine to fight rabies.  We took the polio vaccine as children.  When we were children we did not have to be concerned about what all was in the vaccine.  No baby parts.  No nanoparticles.  Through time, things have changed and I know the contents should be monitored.  ETHICAL vaccines do exist, but are not promoted by mainstream doctors and facilities that give vaccines.  Why not?  Ethical vaccines are vaccines made without the use of human fetal tissue.  

Oh heavens, how did I get off being organized to vaccines?  Hey, LIFE happens.

ON THE HOME FRONT:  My 'ole body hurts so much, I think I could cry.  Stiff and sore all over. Somewhere in here, I strained my left neck muscle.  Slowly recovering.  I continue to carry all those neat things out of the basement and carry to the car to unload at our COTTAGE and into storage.  This morning, I did a switch and carried boxes with KITCHEN goodies.  Just as heavy. Not as far though since they were already by the back door.  Hubby helped.  

I potted three containers of coleus.  Pat myself on the back.  They look beautiful.  Will take them to the COTTAGE tomorrow.

I drove the Kitchen boxes over to the COTTAGE and carried them to the porch.  As I lifted one of the boxes to take on into the Living room, I let out a cry.  THIS IS HARD!  I calmed down after I got the box inside and sat to cool off.  This is a HARD MOVE for me.  We're doing this thing, but it is HARD.  If we had stayed at a slower speed and done this over more time, I would be moving slower, but we are aiming to be out of the house come MONDAY so I have to stay on track and be ready to be gone.  All that my Hubby has lined up to do makes me weak in the knees.  Striving to HIT OUR DEADLINE.  Still, this is great exercise for someone like me that wants to lose weight. Cross training for free.  

I did some laundry, looked through an old magazine, paid a utility bill then drove back to the main house.  Hubby wanted to go to MENARDS to buy three stools for a Breakfast nook he will create this week-end so off we went.  I had a GOODWILL DONATION drop to do as well.  Ate supper and drove back to the main house where I promptly took a nap.  Exhausted and hurting. Woke and took it easy the rest of the evening thinking about what we will need to do. Back to clearing out the basement, I think.

I still grub up on organizational videos, videos about health issues, and researching what's going on in the world to a point.  Are aliens about to invade our earth?  I don't think so, but I do believe that there are people who would like to fool others into believing that and will use methods to deceive.
  

HERE WE ARE MID WEEK.  Have mercy.  

~d

  

I CAN HEAR MYSELF THINK

SILENCE IS GOLDEN AT TIMES.  This time it is.  I can hear myself THINK.  I woke to a quiet house as my Husband had headed out very early to go to the COTTAGE to wait for PHONE/COMPUTER SERVICE to be arranged today.  Yesterday, we went over to the COTTAGE to shuffle boxes out of the Living room so the technician could access the wall space behind my blue wing chair.  

This week, the television may get hooked up and I'll have wifi to use for computer time.  I still need some quiet time to myself as I thrive on it.  I love being with my HUBBY, but still I need quiet time to get revived.  Time to think and pray.  It is like a healing balm to my soul.   

Yesterday, my sweet daughter came over to the main house to DEEP CLEAN the upstairs bathroom.  Lil Miss cleaned on the Bedrooms as I babysat lil dude who played a mile a minute. He wore me out in a good way. 

Of all the toys he could have played with he loved the telephone.  It wasn't linked up so he could not call 911 or Japan.  It still lit up and made noises though which is one thing I think he really liked.  He would jabber holding it up to his ear.  He liked to pretend it could take pictures like his Momma's. 

Potty training is taking place in big boy undies so no slacks were worn while at Grandma's.    

His Grandpa managed to get him to take a nap after awhile.  The grand baby is one of these children that when he is fighting sleep he gets extremely wired and doesn't want to slow down. You haven't seen an energized child that fights sleep until you've had the privilege of watching someone like him.  He is so much fun to watch and he is jabbering as well.  Some words are forming to where I can understand his jibber jabber.  He says UP!  very well.  Please is just about understandable. 

 

After the cleaning crew left to go HOME, we took a car load of belongings to the storage unit then went over to the COTTAGE to do the shuffle.  Unloading the car in less than 5 minutes.  Another record!  The COTTAGE got shuffled and we sat to visit about our progress.  The COTTAGE Living room is small, but it felt cozy with the two wing chairs, a love seat, a buffet to set the television on, the old antique walnut chest and the dumb waiter table that the telephone will sit on.  

Lace curtains are hanging on the four Living room windows.  The plaster 123 year old walls need repaired and painted as there are some cracks, but for now it is a very comfortable room.  Small, but practical and useable for two older peeps who enjoy watching late night television.  THE GILDED AGE will be on October 29th and I hope to watch it in the comfort of my blue, velvet chair in the COTTAGE.  

The carpet is beyond being able to clean it with age old stains, but we are considering pulling up the carpet to reveal the 123 year old hard wood underneath.  This will come later.

TODAY, I will reload the car with boxes full of donations for GOODWILL in Manhattan.  We need to make a money run to the bank as the funds are running low again in checking.  We seem to be going through the retirement money way too fast.  After the trip to Manhattan, I will load the car again for a storage unit drop.  Daughter plans to return to the main house to scrub Bathroom floors.  As she works I will babysit the lil guy once again.

Today is MONDAY and there is much to do as we are busy getting the house ready to sell.  The basement is where I will be working at clearing out.  Hope to have it completely cleared out by THURSDAY.  We have made a dent and it is noticeable.  

Sitting in a nearly bare house is kind of pleasant as we have been working at emptying her for months.  A little here and a little there has made a dent.  We're getting there.  FINALLY.

I noticed that Suzanne Somers died yesterday a day before her 77th birthday.  She made her wealth off of selling the THIGH MASTER equipment and of course I had one of those so many years ago I forget how long.  Turned loose of it.  I missed having it so when I saw one for sell at a thrift shop for a couple of dollars I bought it.  Haven't used it yet, but I have one.  grins.  

Suzanne took a tumble down some stairs along with her husband a few years ago.  There were no handrails to grab ahold of when declining the stairs.  She said when she began to fall she reached for a handrail that was not there.  Her neck broke and surgery was required.  She will admit that after this, she found God.  So if anything GOOD came out of this trauma, she found GOD as she had to learn to walk again.  

https://www.survivornet.com/articles/cancer-survivor-suzanne-somers-gratitude-discovering-god/

I don't believe it was the breast cancer that killed her.  She died in her sleep.  For 23 years she combatted breast cancer using alternative treatments instead of CHEMO.  23 years of using supplements and changing the way she eat is quite a run to stay alive.

She was quite a force.  Listening to her share about her life growing up with a alcoholic father that belittled her, but overcame the difficult childhood is heart warming and encouraging.  She developed the will to overcome and overcome she did.

Striving to use things more natural instead of using products with so many chemicals in them, I remembered to take a teaspoon of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil this morning along with a teaspoon of organic coconut oil.  Here's to HEALTH. 

I have rubbed olive oil in my hair for hair treatments leaving it in for a few hours before shampooing it out.  It is also really good to rub on skin when so dry.  

When I took the coconut oil it reminded me of the Mounds candy bar without the candy bar. Coconut oil is also great for rubbing onto skin.  Small amounts goes a very long ways.  

AS THE MONTH OF OCTOBER PASSES, I do think about miniature candy bars for Trick-or-Treaters.  To satisfy the sweet tooth, the coconut oil is a better alternative for me!

Blessings,

~d