Today is my first day at home...all day. I have been employed for more than 30 years and most of those were at positions requiring close to 60 hours a week. Today I am unemployed- my choice and in our new house. I hope that I am able to stay this way until the fall. It is not even 10:00 AM and I have cleaned a bathroom, done 3 loads of laundry, made and froze 3 dozen meatballs and a meatloaf and baked a pumpkin pie plus washed all the dishes created from the cooking.

What to do next.....UNPACK BOXES. Afraid I will be doing that until the fall and beyond. Still have not unpacked my camera.

Wishing I could kiss this silly face.

Rush is Right!

Have you read today's Wall Street Journal? Great article by Rush Limbaugh.

Unfortunately some folks have the wrong impression of Rush. Take the time to read it and digest it. His points are so valid! I am so frustrated about all of this money we are throwing away. I am concerned for my grandchildren's future.

Still in limbo as far as the move. Tomorrow is my last day at work and then we will head "home." Wonder how long it will take for NC to feel like home? My first item on my Monday AM agenda....contact the local GOP and Republican Women's groups. I am going to put off getting a job and spend some time volunteering. Want to wait and see what the tax plan really is- may not be worth it for me to get a job!

Where am I?

We have been back and forth between PA and NC so many times that sometimes I am unsure where I live. My intent was to take pictures this weekend and post them HOWEVER my camera is somewhere safe but I can't remember where that spot is!! We spent the weekend unloading boxes but still not done! Drove back to PA last night and hit some awful ice so were relieved to arrive safely. I am finishing the month at my job in PA and then we will be in NC full time. I can't wait! I mean, I will miss my kids, etc. BUT I want to be in our new house and start getting really settled in. So much to be thankful for! I will find that camera and share the mounds of boxes and the rooms as they get set up.

In NC

Things went very smoothly with closings on both houses. I am surrounded by boxes! Internet connection has been a challenge- we get ours today and this connection is floating out there from some nearby person who did not secure their wireless. I will post pictures, etc. once things settle a bit. I am actually returning to work in PA on Monday for the rest of the month so still really feel in limbo. For some reason blogger does not allow gmail as a primary email on the account so I have to wait to get a new email address with the new internet connection. Sorry if you have sent emails and they have not gone through. I am loving the house!

Moving has begun

The movers arrived early this morning to start our packing. They went into our basement and saw my stacks and stacks of boxes, bins and stuff and their eyes just about popped out. One mover asked my husband what we are going to do with all the stuff and my husband replied that his wife just likes to collect it. For some reason it has given me an uncontrollable case of the giggles everytime I think about it. If only he saw what I gave away, trashed and gave to Salvation Army. I may never get a job as unpacking all these boxes will take me years! Good thing we are moving to a bigger house!




















My surgery went well thanks to a super surgeon. I am feeling so much better than I imagined I would. Christmas was low key this year but still wonderful. Adding this bundle of joy to the celebration made it extra fun- next Christmas will be even more fun with more grandchildren!

Our House

We bought a house! Before going on this weekend's house hunting trip we had narrowed our list to two favorites of which I was sure we would end up choosing one. We had given our realtor a list of 19 other homes we looked at online and wanted to see. After a whirlwind tour on Thursday of almost all 19 homes, we found one, not on our original list, that had EVERYTHING we wanted- gas heat, gas cooking, master on main, etc. This is what we BOUGHT on Friday. Back home today with the task of cleaning out the attic and shed because we close on our old house Dec. 30 and the new one Jan. 5. To complicate matters I have a hysterectomy on Dec. 22! Fun time at our place this Christmas. Not sure if this blog will get any attention between now and the move.

Still here

Had an offer on the house that we accepted but still on pins and needles to make sure nothing causes a snag. They want us out at the end of DECEMBER! Lots of work to make that happen but we are working on it. Back to Greensboro as now we have to make a decision on a house! And it has to be a house with a quick turn around. Glad I did not finish the Christmas decorating! Had some fun this weekend as my daughter in law was the pianist for a one man show in Philly. It was very good but it was during the show that my husband was getting text messages from our realtor!

Things you never think about

I have a lot of contact with farmers and their families in my work with Cooperative Extension. Today a farmer wanted me to help him figure out the cost of each load of laundry done in hot water and then an electric dryer (just under $1). He has 450 cows and each uses 2 clean washcloths a day so they wash 900 washcloths each day. Tomorrow I want to find out how many washcloths they put in a load. I do know that they go through machines quickly as the farmhands tend to overload the machines. This expense is minor- the electric bills to keep cows is tremendous as well as the fertilizer for the corn they grow to feed the cow. Milk really is a bargain. When I see the work that goes into raising our nation's food I realize how blessed we are to buy food for as little as we are able yet we complain about the cost. At least I did as I paid 98 cents for a cucumber when I could not give them away this summer and peppers were $1.45 each this week! In August I had a ton and no time to freeze them!

Looking for a home

We have looked at so many homes in the Greensboro area- there are so many for sale. We are not making any decisions until our house sells but we keep thinking about a few of them. There is one house- older brick ranch that has been meticulously cared for, a kitchen that I LOVE with great appliances and a layout that I dream about. Our only problem is the neighborhood. At the next block there are a few homes that are not maintained well. Yet there are others that are lovely. How to know if we would be happy there or regret the choice. I guess if the house is still there when we are ready we will have some thinking to do. The selling agent actually contacted our realtor and offered us a price drop of $15,000 if we would make a commitment. We had been through the house twice so they knew we were interested but at this point we are not ready to commit to anything...yet I still dream of this house and arrange our furniture in it as I fall asleep! There are lots of new homes and this is one that we are also enamored with. We have watched the price drop on this as well as there are so many new homes out there. My husband LOVES the extra garage that is built to hold a car lift with an extra high ceiling and a fantastic room on the second floor- think craft studio!! I love the porch that is in the back that neither of these pictures show.

While we struggle with choices and worry about timing and selling a house I am assured knowing that He has it all planned out and knows why we are moving, when we are moving and where we will live. Why can't I just sit back, relax and enjoy the journey?

Birthdays.....

My mom always made birthdays special. She created fun parties for both my brother and me. I remember this party as though it were yesterday- but it was close to 50 years ago! She made a cake with a Barbie in the middle of it and decorated the layers as a skirt. What a novel and unique idea way back then! She was forced to be creative as we lived in Aruba and the shopping was meager. Catalog orders were delivered by boat!

Today is my mom's birthday. I wish I was closer and could plan a creative party for her. (Next year I will be a little bit closer!) Happy birthday to my wonderful mom. I love you so very, very much! Now don't you wish you could relive this day? I do!