We're Here!

I guess you figured out that we actually moved and are living in the new house now. There are still unfinished areas, repairs to be made, landscaping to be done, etc., etc., etc. I've decided that houses are never complete, there is always a project to do. Many changes have been made since the last post. I am sorry that it has been so long, but I had this idea that my "next" blog would be a "finale" of sorts and you'd get to see a finished project. I don't think there will ever be a finished project. I must have thought I was on an episode of extreme make-over and in one week's time everything was signed, sealed, decorated and landscaped.... not so unless you are on tv. That is ok though. I do have a few pictures to share with you.

First of all, WE HAVE GRASS! You can see it in the picture up top! It isn't fancy grass, mainly field weeds, lol, but it isn't mud so I'm happy with that for now. Below is the expensive sprinkler system we had installed to keep the landscaping beautiful. ;O)

Check out that sod! Nice, till the 30 straight days in the 90's hit. lol Oh well, it isn't MUD! I'm happy.

There is still a ton of clean-up from all the trees they cut down and the holes they dug uprooting the stumps. It has been so dry and hot we haven't done a lot of burning, but occasionally we get a good burn night. I love to watch the flames and this night the moon and clouds were beautiful as well. This is the stress free part of the clean-up.

The landscaping would be further along if I could decide what to do. Every time I decide... I change my mind. I can picture it... but then I change it. It is worse than paint colors, and I thought that was the hardest decision of this whole process. Notice the cat in the picture? Let me tell you a cat story. New house = new cat... I didn't know that was the rule. We moved and kept OUR cat inside for the first two weeks. Partly to acclimate her, partly because Morgan was terrified to let her out in case she ran away. We obviously have a crazy or confused neighbor (no Nana, not you) who took our cat in as their own. We would let her out for three hours, and she'd come back with her nails completely trimmed and spritzed with good smelling stuff. If you have an indoor/outdoor cat, you probably know that you aren't to trim their nails... they can't defend themselves like that. The cat would have to stay inside for two weeks to let her nails grow....she'd then go out for three hours.... come home with nails trimmed and spritzed! This happened three times! Finally, the fourth time, she didn't come home at night. Instead, a kitty that is her exact replica showed up! She was a very young kitty... well under a year... exact same markings and everything except she was very vocal whereas out cat doesn't meow so much as just purr at you. The next day, our cat showed up trimmed. We now have two cats.
The new kitty, Jelly Bean, spent the first 6 wks on the porch. She never left once she decided this was her home. In other words, she lived in my favorite room of the house... the front porch. She still does, but she will now venture off into the yard or driveway from time to time. She is never out of sight though. Our original cat, who showed up in the same manner a couple of years ago... just walked into the kitchen once when the kids left the door open and that was that... anyway, she isn't convinced this new kitty is a good thing yet. Sorry, cats, landscaping, porches... I'm jumping all over the place tonight!

Anyway, the porch is my favorite room. Marshall and I sit out there nightly and talk and watch the moon. One rainy afternoon, I fell asleep in the chair and every time I'd wake up a different kid or two would be sitting, reading or texting down from me. We spent two hours sitting on the porch listening to the drizzle. It was awesome.


I guess that is it for now. I'll post again as things get changed and we settle in even more. I still have many things to hang (I hate putting holes in the walls) and yes, there are still some boxes to unpack. We haven't even begun to get things ready for the old house to be put on the market, but with today's market, I don't think there is a rush. I've skipped many details of our early days in the new house because it has been so long, but maybe you'll get filled in as the issues are dealt with. The horse still isn't moved, the barn isn't done, the fencing isn't done, the dogs aren't situated, there are still giant ruts from the gutter mishaps and the flooding in May.... the list goes on and on, so we still have plenty to share in upcoming weeks and months. I can't wait to post pictures of the first year all dolled up for Christmas! I leave you today with a picture of a sweet bouquet that my daughters brought me from my neighbor, Penny's. Some day, I'll have flowers of my own to pick... I hope! ;o)