This & That, Here & There

It has been a busy week.
I spent Monday, Thursday & Friday moving the oldest Baby Girl from Muncie, Indiana back to Indianapolis, Indiana. She has left her college town, and is to begin enjoying living in a condo with a Bestie. She still has one class in Muncie. A Teaching Math class.  She will commute twice a week to "Teach" Math to elementary children.  She doesn't know what grade yet, but is excited for this adventure. She also has landed her old Nanny position for the other three days a week here in Indy. At least until January, when she will begin her Student Teaching with 1st graders for a semester.  Emily's condo is BEAUTIFUL! Her sweet Roomie has done such a grand job decorating it. Emily is replacing a roomate that is getting married, perfect timing, (although Hubby would rather her stay home & save the money... I think it is a perfect arrangement for now.  Brittany has always been one of my favorites of Emily's friends. They have been friends since 6th grade! I love her Mom as well.

I snuck a couple of pictures...Emily, like her Dad, hates me snapping pictures, but I wanted you to see how darling this condo is. Isn't it snazzy with the browns & reds? Brit did this and a grand job. She said she is debating on changing it now. Getting tired of the brown. Emily will be ready to help if she does want to change it.
She took Izzy with her.  Izzy's new "litter mate is Ava.  Brittany's kitty. We miss them both. Izzy...well she has lived her this past year since Emily couldn't have her in her last house.  It's a love/hate relationship (I love her/ she hates me).  Our other ark pets wonder where she went... Emily & Izzy joined us for dinner last night which was great for all the pets to see she is fine.
Hubby is out on business this week. Teaching classes on Grievances. It's an interesting turn of his usual work actually handling grievances and negotiating.  I think he makes a good instructor.
I am hoping to get much accomplished this week, unlike my do nothing week a while back.  Busy Busy Busy is what I must be this week!
Projects to work on (Annie & I have some great ones we are hoping to finish this week!), friends to meet up with, Hospice family to visit, practice of my sign language, and the usual housework to boot.  I MUST get some letters written.  Catch up on a new book, and gets some Bible reading in too.
With that in mind & seeing that I have already spent too long in Blog World, I must bid you goodbye for now.  Have a Lovely Sunday. Blessings to you all♥

Ahh! To Breathe Again

The is something to be said about, "Home Sweet Home". I love this home. Feels like home. I am comfortable. I am happy. I am even sleeping!

The funny thing about this house is it was on the market for over a year! We had chosen not to look in this neighborhood because of the strict covenants. Also, our "list" had certain amenities that we tried to meet. This fell short of the list on paper. Finally after looking at over a hundred homes (yeah, crazy! At least I could look without another agent, since I still have a Real Estate license, I never worked with a client that made me show this many, and ALL OVER THE MAP!). Anyway, I finally told Sergio, after countless homes that were not fitting, lets just take a look. I knew the work of the investor that had bought this property, and although, working with him could be ...difficult, I knew he did beautiful work pulling a foreclosed home back to its beauty and stature.

Luckily for us, his Realtor, did not do this home justice. He failed to mention it had two masters and a perfect "In-Laws' suite. He failed to mention all the fabulous features and the beauty this home held. It is now understandable why the agent and seller were at bad terms in the closing. We got a great deal on this home.

For we feel in love at first sight.

This house is build just right for us. It is the kind of home we have always wanted, and hope to keep till we die. Plenty of room for guest, plenty of room, need one of our oldies or daughters later need a place to share.

I am feverishly laboring away. Putting my stamp on the home. Finding places for everything. Still looking for some "lost" items from the move.

We have a few issues that need to be dealt with. Nothing we can not handle. Some good blogging on this later. It has been a Hell of a couple of weeks!

For now, it's good to be home.

Because once again, "There is no place like Home!"

MOVING!!!!!!!!!

Finally closed on the new house!
I am running around trying to get everything moved and making the utility calls. Such fun stuff! My internet is already down at the old house so I will be out of commission a bit. I am most upset about getting behind on reading up on my favorite Blogs.
Anyway...
I am so excited.
I am so tired.
I am so giddy!

I promise to get caught up soon.

It's A Wonderful Life

I have had a crappy week.
My allergies are in full force. I have a horrible cold or flu or something mean, that is causing me much grief. I am sweating and freezing at the same time. My head is like a balloon. Sergio is afraid to sleep in the same room with me (sorry Baby, you WILL catch this anyway. Too late!)
I know I will feel better soon. This will pass...
I have had some finance crisis that has had me in a frenzy. My job had me stressed too.
I have that settled now.
Our closing on the new house was suppose to take place a week ago. We finally got a Clear To Close on Thursday morning. But the jerky seller is being an ass, and although he knew we had movers planned for this perfect, extended weekend to close, decided to make us wait till Tuesday. So we have lost four days that neither of us had to work, plus the girls were planning to come home to help, just because the seller wanted to be a jerk. After the closing, Sergio has to go out of town on Tuesday so, it is going to be a slow difficult move alittle each day move now.
BUT...
I am okay with it.
As my daughter reminded me, worrying about it or getting angry, won't change things. It is, what it is. I have always said this and now it is time for me to take some of my own advice.

I had a funeral to go to earlier this week. Betty, a lovely woman that was the assistant leader in my Camp Fire Troop. She was 86. I felt so bad that I had lost touch. I had not seen her in years. Occasional run into her daughter, my childhood friend, and would catch up, but we rarely saw each other. Before the funeral I met up with three other Camp Fire Sisters and we got caught up before arriving at the funeral home. We then gathered with our friend that lost her Mom and promised each other we would keep in touch better. No more only seeing each other at times like these. We have a get together planned already. Betty, will be so proud to know she has brought us back together.
Some good from a sad situation.

I have so much to be grateful for.
God has truly Blessed my life.
Sometimes we (I) get so caught up in the things that drag me down, that I forget to look at the big picture. All the wonderful things in my life. I have such an exciting future that is only going to get better. Good things are happening. So a few things do not go according to MY plan. Am I forgetting this is all a part of HIS plan for me? I need to remember to truly give all my worries, my fears, my anxieties, and my joys to God. Then, and only then, can I enjoy what I have.
ps.. Thank you Mary for reminding me of this.
Mine is a WONDERFUL life.

Proof is in the Iris'

I have been anxious. Really anxious. I have good days and bad days. So much going on gets me... bugging. Much is hanging off each other. My physical health will get better once my mental health gets better, my mental health will get better once my financial health gets better, and so on. So, if I get a better job, hence better income, happier mood, hence mental relaxation and de-stressing which will in turn be less taxing on my physical wellness. Make sense?

Sunday, I stepped out in the backyard. I was thinking about how grateful I am that Emily and the girls did not get hurt in the accident. I was thinking about my little truck, and the fact it has stopped working (it's okay, it had 254,000 miles on it, it lived a good life). I thought about how much I don't "love" this house, and how I ponder if it was a mistake. I was thinking about Annie growing up and moving on. I thought about my folks getting old. You know, this & that, whoas me. Okay, I was feeling sorry for myself.

One of the things I know I will miss the most about the last home is my Iris'. I had been planting, breeding and loving them for ten years. I have posted about them before. I had some beauties that I was proud of. When we moved here, I tried to transplant some. I had hope but, no guarantees.

While I walked the back yard, I went over to the area that I had planted the twenty or so, iris plants. Low and behold! What is that I spy? Could that be the green stems poking their little leaves up from the ground?

I am exhilarated!

I felt at that moment seeing these little stems, that if my Iris' could transport into this new soil at this new experience then I can too. That I can survive here as well. I do not have to have what I had to have normalcy. Even when you want the comfort of what you are use too, doesn't mean you can't change, move and grow.

I think seeing this with my Iris' is a sign for me. It opened my eyes. It helped me to look forward and not behind.

Chaos

Sorry I have been MIA. My life has been complete confusion. I have been chasing my tail trying to complete too many tasks.

We have pretty much moved. I have been sleeping at the new house for two weeks now. We still have a "shitload" of stuff at the old house & I am befuddled at how to get this finished. I have stuff I want to keep, but no where to store. Stuff to give to Goodwill, but hate to give it away. Also I have way too much that needs to be trashed. Alot of clutter. And I really need to CLEAN! The dust bunnies from behind furniture that hasn't been moved in 10 years are more like dust puppies. Hair and all. The Banton house is stuffy & stinky from being closed up without the air on. There is also the sentimental attachment, we have ten wonderful memories raising the girls in this house. I have gotten more emotionally then I expected.

The new house is coming along quite nicely. We still have many updates and corrections to make. Everyday I find a new problem. It is starting to look like home now though. It has been fun trying to find a place for everything, improvising and decorating. I have a ton of stuff stacked in the garage and I can't find several things in the stacks. Slowly it is getting there.

My allergies are killing me! The pollen is bad this year. I have sneezed so much my nose is sore. Plus, the double sneezes make me pee a little! My face itches, and my throat & ears tickle. I am miserable. At least it makes me less focused on the depression. I can't wait for the first frost. That always makes the pollen go away.

I am glad to have my Internet up and running. I have lots to write about but little time. In fact, I must sign off for now, but will try to finish playing catch up this evening.

Missing My Blog

I am without Internet & cable at the new house for another week!
We kindof moved in this weekend. If you saw the old house full of stuff you wouldn't know it. Where on earth am I going to put all this?

I know! Purge Purge & Purge!

I am trying. The kind people at Goodwill wave to me and know me by name. The trash men (at both homes)are pissed at me because my trash is SO HEAVY & FULL! I have given tons of stuff to a single mother I am friends with. Amazing what you accumulate in ten plus years.

I don't have a good method anymore. I wanted to move room by room. Doesn't happen that way. I then tried to prioritize. Nah, not going well either. I need stronger muscles, a bigger truck and storage space!

Sergio had to run out of town last minute & I really want to surprise him with getting as much done as possible. I keep getting side tracked. It would help if I had Internet & cable at the new house. I waste a good hour or so reading emails, blogs, and trying to play catch up here at the old house when I should be packing and moving! Also, the new house doesn't have many overhead lights so I find myself in the dark alot moving & organizing at midnight.

I have so many things I want to write about but do not have the convenience of my computer with me, then get rushed when I do get to sit and play catch up.

Ugh! I can not wait for things to get back to normal!

Still Packing

Packing has been very interesting.

My family all have different theories on the best way to thin out, pack, and move.

Sergio just wants to get EVERYTHING out of the old house and over to the new then figure it out. He reasons that it will help sell this house once we empty it. He is driving me nuts. He keeps moving trash, and items we don't need to keep. I don't want that stuff at the new house! What the heck?

Emily doesn't want to double move. She wants to move her College apartment stuff first (August 10th) then go through what is left to decide what will go to her room at the new house. This does make some sense, but she won't really be coming back after the 10th. Guess who will get stuck moving her leftovers to the new house?

Annie is my biggest pack rat. She keeps random things. She is keeping games that have not been played, ALL her TEEN VOGUE's from the past two or three years. As well as enough clothes and shoes for ten girls. Every time she starts to go through her stuff to thin out she gets caught up in something and loses her train of thought. She is a dreamer! Also she is going from a 25x18 room to a normal 11x12. She is in shock.

I just want to move room by room. Filing them as I go along. That way I take the important things first for each room and toss or give away what I do not need. I spent six hours over at the new house last night decorating and emptying boxes.

It is hard. Amazing what you accumulate over ten years. It is so hard to throw away things that give you the sweetest memories.