Holidays, 2015

Holidays, 2015
A Winter Scene - red door, a dusting of snow, and a vintage bicycle

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A first look.....

Many of you know that we are in 'transition,' and sometimes transitions don't go exactly as planned.  You know the saying:  "Life happens while you're making other plans."  Well, that's the adventure we're on right now.  We've been looking for a bed and breakfast or land to build one on for several years.  It wasn't happening, so about a year ago, we decided that we needed to make a true effort to move in that direction and that involved letting go of our beloved log home.  AND I mean beloved...that's another story!

We wouldn't be able to qualify for a loan on another property with this one already attached to us AND, with the economy the way it is, it could take forever to sell it.  Well, life handed us surprise #1 when the first folks who walked in the door bought it.  Fortunately, we were able to stay in it until Aug. 15, even though they bought it in May, but between May and Aug. 15, a lot of twists and turns shook things up a bit. 


First of all, a home that we were very interested, IMMEDIATELY went under contract.....it's still not sold, but we can't make another offer on it because it's a short sale and that's just the way Bank of America does their short sales. 

 Moving on, we had this piece of land in the back of our minds that is zoned correctly.  We made an offer on it, but the owner didn't even counter.  He just said, 'no.'  We asked the listing agent was he flexible at all and he said 'NO.'  OK....well then, we'll concentrate on finding a rental house and begin getting our household goods packed up.  This past Friday, the lot SOLD for 40K less than it's asking price.

Oh yes, and then, on July 11, hubster gets a call from his employer telling him that he's been laid off after 26 years of stellar service with the company.  OK, forget any future offers right now because banks don't like to lend money to people who are unemployed!!  Quite a twist in the plot....

 My youngest daughter was doing an internship in Ohio for the summer and they needed help with dog sitting, cat medicating and plant watering.....OK: check.  We had a brief trip to Ohio for a family reunion and to see daughter: check.  Visit Grandma Weber in nursing home----where she, by the way, tells us NOT to have a b&b because it's too much work AND tells us to move back to Ohio to be closer to her......We see her on a Monday; she dies that Thursday.

My middle daughter's back/disc situation became increasingly painful and so we accompanied her to several neurologists/surgeons who ALL said that surgery was her only option, so she had back surgery: check.

One of my daughter's dogs died while she's away in Ohio....

 Oh yes, and her cat developed a kidney problem and was in the animal hospital for 5 days.

My back went out for a few days and I've been 'baby-ing' it with a brace while we pack/move.

We developed a SEVERE grasshopper infestation at the log house and we've been battling that so that the property is not destroyed before closing. I'll be posting a video of this because you won't believe it!
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OK, I've saved the GOOD news for last.  We made it through and I feel like I've been through the birth canal......really and here I am in a brand new world!!

AND....
middle daughter is doing great after her surgery....pain is diminishing and she's in physical therapy several times a week; she's also returned to work

Rod JUST GOT HIRED ---he starts this week, if we can find his clothes/shoes somewhere in all this mess--it's a long story but he spent EVERY day sending out resumes, interviewing, etc. and got a job within his former employer by a woman who was laid off many years ago, went somewhere else and then came back to this company, saw his resume, and made a place for him....thank you GOD!!

Youngest daughter who is in Ohio returns on Sunday or Monday....

Closing went fine and the people are in LOVE with their new home (so are we)

There's groceries in the refrigerator- can't find plates yet....but we have paper ones!

We have each other

We have our dreams

We are feeling blessed and thankful and grateful....

So......Universe......as we're unpacking, we KNOW there's a plan out there for us....
In the meantime, here's a look at the new abode and I'll take pics of the 'box life' and then what I end up doing with the place----can't make too many changes as it's a temporary rental, but I'll be making it 'our own' as much as I can....thank you ALL for hanging in there with me. 

AND for my tweetlettes, many THANKYOU's!!!!!!! Honestly, I thought of you while I was sweating and hurting and so tired and I said to myself...I gotta keep going; they will want to see pictures of how this goes and I miss them so I've got to get this computer moved safely over there.....

I love you girls!!!!

Thank you to my family for their love and support through all of this and for believing in me and my dreams.  Thank you for the help, the love, the kind words and the trust in me....

I love you so much!!
XOXO

So, here it is!!
This is the 'front room' as you come in the front door to the left.....

the 'family room' which is open to the kitchen

the door of the family room that looks out to the back yard....

upstairs loft....my computer is right by this window!!

laundry room

linen closet

master bedroom

bathroom

master bedroom closet

'guest' room ---this room makes me laugh

AND.....the best part, is that on THREE separate occasion, on my way to driving to the rental home to bring stuff, I saw one of these.......

 
Guided by HIM.....

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

One of the Most Fabulous things to do in Colorado....Red Rocks Amphitheater

About 4 months ago, I bought tickets to see Sarah McLachlan at Red Rocks Amphitheater....they were the 'cheap' seats....we saw here this past winter in a very small venue up close; this was about the experience of Red Rocks, not to see how Sarah's been doing age-wise!!  She looks magnificent, by the way!!  

As the day got closer, it was easy to see that our lives did not have TIME for the concert....a recent job loss, a huge move after selling our home, and a host of other 'minor' things....so I offered the tickets to one of my daughters.  She, however, said, "Mom, you need to go; you LOVE Sarah....just make the time and go."  

So we did. 

It was a Sunday evening and as we headed south, the skies became more threatening....




Dark Skies.....Rain....Lightening.....at an open air venue?  Was it to be??

 If it was going to rain, we were going to be there with THOUSANDS of other people, too.....
 Red Rocks......here we are!!

 You can begin to see the huge rock formations that make up this
amazing venue....


 After finding a place to park, we began the HUGE climb to our seats....
 After finding our seats, we just looked all around us and were so thankful we had just taken the time from this terribly hectic schedule of ours to go....

 And.....there it was, THE COLORADO SYMPHONY....warming up, tuning up, prior to
Sarah coming out on stage....


 And here she walks out in a beautiful black evening gown that was flowing in the evening breeze....
 I've captured a small bit of her performance for you to all enjoy....
 And as the sun went down, the evening lights came on.....what a night to remember!!

There's a lesson in all of this; take the time to enjoy every minute of every day.  Be thankful.....Even when things aren't their best, make it awesome anyway.....
  • make a favorite dessert
  • take a nap
  • hug someone
  • tell someone you love them
  • be thankful
  • listen to music you love
  • be patient
  • have Faith
I hope you enjoyed my post....the next time you'll be hearing from me, I'll be in my new 'temporary' home....the place of inspiration for what comes next....I hope you'll follow along!!

xoxo  Joann

Thursday, August 4, 2011

A last look......

Before I remove the pots, pick up the rugs, haul the furniture away, and carry the potting bench to its new home, a last look.....

I'm moving from 3 acres to a backyard the size of my kitchen, and it's a plot of ground that has never been gardened at all.  It is full of weeds about 3 feet high and has a small deck that is beginning to rot....

I know it's temporary, but I want to make the best of it, so I'll take you on my journey from my little paradise oasis back yard which I treasure and feel blessed to ever have had and I will honor the small space I've been given instead and make it my own....



the pots will all come along with me on the journey; however, the pond must stay, of course



   
My STARGAZERS are now blooming!!!!!!!!!




                                                                          And there it is.......all of it!!!
    Truly, I am not as selfish as I sound here....just a bit melancholy, but I do know that all of this is for a reason.  The lovely folks who have purchased our home lost their log home in a terrible and devastating fire in the early part of the summer.....now THEY have a new place to call home.....and our future story is still a mystery, so I will make the best of each day and count my blessings......

Stay TUNED!!!