Starting over

I can actually post that we have finished moving! Yay! Wasn't sure that I would ever be able to say that at one point! If had my wits about me more while we were moving I would have taken some pics, but then again those might have been scary shots! The house we moved into was fine,this is a pic of the outside above, just needed a little cleaning, but packing up and moving our house was a MESS!!! We have some furniture, pictures, and some boxes of items left from the flea market still in storage and one bedroom has several boxes still to unpack or go through. These include knick knacks and office/personal business stuff. We have almost all of the house set up pretty much except for the room that Holly and Chris will use. My craft/art room is a big mess right now! I unpacked boxes so that we could reuse the boxes for other items. Because it was raining a lot of the time when we were free to move, we ended up using plastic storage boxes with lids. This way we could load up the back of our pickup with the boxes and still be able to move the little items when we couldn't move furniture. Anyway, I still have to get in there and play around with all my supplies and collections of fine junk to get the craft space in workable order. If I'm brave enough I'll take a shot of that so you can get a good laugh and maybe to motivate me to it to where I can take a nice "after" picture.

Ok, here are 3 shots of the mess that is my craft room right now. Want to get it to where it is functional, but inspiring. Several stacks of things in the floor still to sort. I lost a few storage pieces and a couple of closets and window seat that had storage, but have brought in the wardrobe as a substitute and have a couple of shelves that were formerly used somewhere else in the other house. Trying to create a sewing station in here as there was already a built-in ironing board. Also, want to do paper arts here and possible painting, but have put my jewelry-making elsewhere for now. I have a utility room with a sink and a good bit of room so I may move out there for painting or messy crafts. There is a deck right out the door of the craft room, so on pretty days I could go out there, too. We only have a carport now instead of a garage, but there is an old workshop where we have set up our tools. It needs some work, like a new roof and some new siding, but hopefully we will be able to get that done before too long. Want to try to make it look nicer to dress up the yard, maybe like a garden shed.

Kerry and I ended up moving the entire household of furniture and appliances entirely by ourselves. I was proud of us, at our age, being able to hold up. We never were sure what my schedule would be so it was hard to plan ahead and arrange for someone to help us, so we just kept on keeping on for about 3 weeks! That is not counting that we had moved the previously mentioned items that were put in the storage unit.

Kerry turned 50 on Feb. 5th. Emily and Holly wanted me to try to have a party for him in spite of the fact that I had not finished unpacking so they encouraged me to persevere. Emily came in Friday evening and with her help we did a marathon of sorting, unpacking, and cleaning, getting the house to the point where I felt comfortable enough to have some family and friends over.

The highlight of my weekend was getting to see my grandsons, of course! They are both growing so much! We only get to see them every couple of weeks, which makes all those subtle changes much more noticable than I'm sure they are for Emily and Craig.

Short update

We are in the middle of the changes I mentioned earlier. We are having to let our farm go back, and, as a result, will be moving. There are still some procedures and processes that we have to go through, but hopefully things will continue to work out at least as well as they have so far. I am also gong to be changing jobs, as of this week! So no more long commute for me, although my trade-off is going to be a way more irregular schedule. This does come with a higher paycheck and I will be gaining money from not having to spend 2 hours per day on the road x 5 days/week. I am hoping the pluses will outweigh the minuses for the new job.

Have been trying to pack and go through 26 years of accumulated "stuff/junk"!!! I have been donating and throwing away a lot, but some things I'm just not ready to get rid of yet. This has been made worse by the fact that Kerry and I had a flea market booth for a several years. We had been to auctions and acquired some pretty nice things that never made it to the booth or had not found a home by the time we closed it down last year. I'm having a hard time letting the nicest of these things go, because I keep thinking I could sell them on Ebay or Etsy if I ever had time. So I am packing the nicest items up to try to do that later. We don't live in a good place to have yard sales, even if my present work schedule had allowed it. The new place we are moving to is not really either, although it would be better than where we live now.

The next few weeks will be moving and transitions from this job to another and from our home of 26 years almost to a new older home. I was having a hard time with letting this house go at first, only because Kerry and I built almost all of it ourselves and my Dad did almost all of the cabinet work. I have reached the point where I am ready for all this change to be over and done with, so we can start adjusting to our new place.

I know Kerry was past ready for all the headaches with the farm to be over. Hopeufully, we will have more time to spend with the grandbabies and to go camping some. I do need to get some pictures of our newest grandson, Sam, on here. I have posted on Facebook, but will here, as well, since some might not be on Facebook.

Wanted to get an update posted. More to follow later.

Changes...

are on the horizon. I can't really say a lot about them right now, but hope that they will be the beginning of some good times, the end of some bad ones and the way to answered prayers. This transition time will be difficult as will just changes themselves for me. I'm not one to love change so am having to make myself think of the "who moved my cheese" philosophy and what that little book meant to me. We were supposed to read it at work, as some kind of administrative motivational propaganda but I had already read it when my daughters had to read it at school. The message for me was, although I might feel safe in my familiar little world, being forced to leave what I know and venture out to search for the "cheese" could lead me to rewards only imagined. The journey may be scary because I won't have a GPS telling me when and where to turn. Provisions may be scarce at times but I do know my Father will always provide what I need. I hope to look back at where I was and be amazed that I was ever afraid to venture on.

We are in the middle of getting ready for this new part of our lives. At the same time, amazingly it seems, life still goes on. Everyday tasks must be performed. Jobs and the associated stresses must be dealt with. Holidays approach and we try to decide how we are going to incorporate them into a life that can not be visualized. I feel like there is not enough time for everything I need to do or think about. I see others who continue to be creative even during difficult times. I have even done that myself in the past. When my Dad had Alzheimer's and my Mom had a stroke I found some solace in journaling and in art, but right now it is taking all of me to deal with just life. I am holding onto hope that there will be the time and creativity left when this all settles out.

Beautiful art received for my birthday

I realized that while I have not been creative lately, I did receive a beautifully-created piece of art for my birthday.  To explain the gift, I have to give a little history.  A few years ago, I participated in an art quilt swap hosted by one of the Yahoo groups of which I was a member.  I received a gorgeous art quilt but a few months later the artist asked if I could return the quilt to her so she could use it in an upcoming book and to feature in some workshops she was doing. She promised to send a replacement art piece in return, but unfortunately has never remembered to do so. I understood her need for using the piece, indeed, I think she sent off something that she really wasn't ready to let go of.  Still I felt a sense of loss, because I had spent time making a quilt myself and was really excited about getting one in return.  My friend, Kim, knew how I felt so she took the time to make this lovely little quilt and gave it to me for my birthday.

Wish my photography skills were better, but then it is hard to capture the beauty of a dimensional piece in a picture.  You can't feel the textures or see the small details all at once that make it so special.  The fact that she spent all this time making this just for me makes it all that more dear to my heart. The wording inside the doors reads, "You are inscribed in the palm of His hand."Isaiah 49:16.  Maybe I didn't get to keep the other piece because I was meant to have this particular art piece made by a friend so that I can cherish it all the more.

Above you see a close-up of the heart that hangs at the bottom and below a closer view of the center inside the doors.

Besides my big present of a trip to the beach and the art quilt mentioned above I also was blessed with some other remembrances from friends and family.

We had our friends, Terry and Michele, over the weekend after we got home from the beach to watch Alabama football and they brought the beautiful flowers, lavender candle, and the sweetly wrapped organic chocolate bar. Michele had also wrapped the candle beautifully in the same fashion with the pink and black stamped images, but I didn't get a shot before I opened it.  Another friend at work, Kendra, picked out the monogrammed lunch bag and notepad as well as a "Happy Birthday" glass and then I also got some beautiful cards from my daughters, Mom, and friends.

In spite of some difficult times we are going through at present, I am so blessed with family and friends.  I know that really having those that love you and that you love back is one of the things that really matters when all is said and done.  Material things can come and go, but "love remains". 

Beautiful Saturday in October

We went down this past Friday evening to Tuscaloosa, spending the night so that we could be there for a baby shower for Baby Sam being given by Emily's coworkers at Sealy.  Above is the cute wreath that her friend, Valerie, made for the front door.  Didn't notice that some of the letters had been blown over by the wind, but it says "Welcome Baby Sam". 

This was inside taken before the party started. There were more gifts there later on. Valerie made all the decorations.  She is very talented.

Above you can see the cute cake that we brought all the way from Vinemont with the main part sitting in my lap and the top in a separate box.  Emily loves the cakes made by a friend's Mom, Sarah Yarbrough, so Valerie arranged with me to get her to make it.  She does a great job and the cakes are so moist and yummy!  The rest of the tables look lovely, as well.

Here I caught Valerie touching up her face before the shower as I took a shot of the bar area decorations. 

Emily was chatting with some of her friends.  Since I am bad with names I won't try to name everyone in the pic.  If I find out later on for sure I will edit this. 

Thomas came, too, as did Kerry and Craig(Em's husband). Emily was very blessed with some really cute outfits and many practical items, too! Thomas wanted to help open the presents.

Grampy helped get Thomas ready to go.  Here Thomas was singing while Kerry got his shoes on him.  Emily has sheets on the furniture, btw, to protect the furniture from the dog hair.  We usually bring our 2 with us and they have one of their own.  That is a doggie blanket on the floor beside the chair.  Our dogs are spoiled, what can I say.

Had a wonderful day overall.  Besides the shower, it was great to have some time to play with Thomas.  He and I spent several hours having fun while Kerry watched Alabama football with Craig and Emily. He tells me all kinds of things only part of which I understand right now.  I really look forward to whatever time I am blessed with to spend with my grandbabies as they are born and grow up.  All those things you hear about the blessings of grandchildren are so true!

Ending of the perfect week

We saw the sun sparkle on the water.

We left our footprints in the sand and observed the beauty of Mother Nature.

We saw the tropical beauty of sparkling blue clear water lapping the shore.

And ended the week with a sunset that could not be equaled in it's beauty, although impossible to be captured on film.

I could not have asked for a more perfect week.  We didn't do a lot but that was exactly what I needed.  I left behind stressful work and personal situations that I know will be waiting for me when I get back.  This week was an escape from reality and I knew it and took it with both hands, embracing it fully as just what it was.  It was a gift of respite from stresses that have been overwhelming.  They won't go away and will probably only be worse when I return, but now I've had time to commune with Mother Nature and with God, resting for just a brief while from what I know awaits. 

In looking back over recent years, I have seen that often we have had the opportunity to get away right before there was a time of great stress.  I hope and pray that this is not the case this time, but know that if it is, that at least we've been granted this gift of rest and enjoyment of the beauty that is the ocean. 

Birthday present

My fifty-first birthday has sped right up here and for this birthday I am getting something I have wanted for a while, which is a trip to the beach. Kerry is not really a beach person, so he is always resistant to my suggestions about going there. It does seem like there have always been other places we needed to go when we have been able to take time off, like to visit family or we just have not had enough time to get this far from home

  The last time we were at the ocean for a vacation was 6 years ago before the girls got married. We took our last family vacation then and made a spontaneous trip to Panama City Beach, Florida. That is where we are now, enjoying several days on a budget vacation but I am finally here, breathing in ocean air, feeling the breeze off the water, hearing the waves lap the shore. There is just nothing like it to me to restore the soul. I can find communion with nature anywhere. I love being in the woods, in the mountains, near a lake. God is there and so obvious to any observing eye, but, indeed, there is a special something extra for me about the sea and just BEING there. By that I mean "being". Perhaps the rhythms of the water and wind cause me to slow my mind down, let it empty of all those busy and often harmful thoughts, and actually "be" in the moment.

That is something that is hard for me to do, live in the moment.  I try to constantly remind myself to, but it is easy to start worrying about problems and solutions, the "what if's" and next thing you know another day has slipped by and then another.  Having a birthday past the half-century mark will definitely remind you that time is "slipping into the future". When a moment is as beautiful as this it is so much easier to savor, though, than those days spent working or doing mundane tasks.

I love a pretty sunset and those over water are so awesome.  Don't think you can ever tire of seeing beauty like this.

We enjoyed eating out the other evening at a restaurant recommended by my friend, Kelli. It was a very popular local establishment, J.Micheals, that was pretty busy for a Monday evening. Hard to see the detail of all the decorations in the pic above, but it was quite colorful and the food was delicious.

 

I was walking back to the room from the pool when I noticed the cool shadows of the railing. This might be a cool background for something.  I keep saying I want to get back into art more, but I've not been too successful.  There are some personal business issues that have been on my mind and I have got to get to where I can put these to the side instead of waiting for the perfect day. 

I did bring some fabric stuff and some journals with me.  So far have started a couple of pages in my "Blue Traveler" journal and worked on some needlepoint in the car on the way down.  I've read one book and started another. Lazy stuff and that is just what I wanted to be doing.