Happy August!

Can you believe its August? In someways, it seems the days have flown by and yet dragged. Its like being in a time warp. Or a black hole, I can't decide which. Trying to focus on the good things is getting easier and then life throws a curve ball. As always, as soon as I can laugh about it, I will tell you so I can forget it.

 Since we moved, I decided it was time to get my drivers licence renewed.  Our DMV was closed in March and I needed a new picture. So I couldn't just mail it in.  It didn't open until July, so I was only a tiny bit late. Which worked out so I could get my new address my new drivers license. Of course, they aren't taking appointments so its first come, first serve. I left the house at 7:30 in the morning. Since we have moved we live further away and there is so much road work, that it took about 45 minutes to get there. 

 

  As I  pulled into the parking lot, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was so early and I thought I had given myself enough time to get my drivers license renewed.

  My heart fell into my shoes, when I saw that the line went all the way around the building. I parked my car, grabbed all of the papers and my backpack and began the trek around the whole building. I finally found the back of the line and prepared to wait. It was going to be over a 100 and already it was hot. I had left my water in the car not expecting to be here that long. 

I decided that I needed to  be nice because not a single person there wanted to be there either and who wanted to wait in line with an old grouchgut. 

A man came up and was waiting behind me and we began chatting. Another lady walked up and we just stood and talked and it was as pleasant as waiting in line can be. The man told me about how bad it is in the town he is from in Mexico. How they have Marshall law and you have to be in your house by 7:00 P.M. with police patrolling the street. We talked about lots of things, for five hours. 

When we finally made it to the corner of the building the employees come out with a I Pad and take your information and give you a number and you can then go back to your car to wait until they send you a text that your number has been called. 

I went out to get some water and call Ron to tell him that I would be there a bit longer. The man I had been talking to had followed me to my car and knocked on the window. It scared me so bad I dropped my phone, my purse and thankfully not my water. I opened the door, and asked him what he needed. 

 He said, "Could I have your phone number?" I went blank. Just blank. I said, " You want my phone number?" He said, yes, he would like to talk again." I just said, " No" He looked blank at me and said, " You aren't going to give me your phone number?" I said," No, I am not." About that time my phone on the floor of the car started vibrating and I picked up my phone and told him that my number was being called. I started to walk away, when he came up to me and handed me his card, so I could call him. 

I walked back up to the place to wait in another line, for people who had numbers. I was pondering what kind of signal I had given off and why the Hell I just can't be nice to people, without them thinking we were best friends. By the time they called my number and I got to the window, my hands were shaking. The woman behind the counter asked me why I was so upset. I had been waiting in line in 100 degree weather, sweat had been running down my back for hours and a man followed me to my car for my phone number. I told the lady only about the man. I said, " I am 62 years old, I have been married for 40 years, I have six kids and soon to be 12 grandkids, and some guy wants my phone number." To tell you how laughable this is, the ladies behind the counter laughed and laughed. Like I was telling them a good joke. 

 

I went back to my car, I decided to stop by Michael's to grab some thread for a project I am working on and there was another long line. I just figured it was not my day and I stood in that line. I didn't be friendly or talk to anyone at all. I kept my face down and just stood there like a grouchgut. 

Now its August and I do have so many other things to blog about. Now that I have told you that story. I can forget it and move on. We have a new grandbaby due this month. Our dear sweet Belle is coming home from the Philippines. She has been in the worst kind of lock down since March. Also Marshall law. They were not even allowed to leave the house without a pass. It should be a wonderful month. I feel really happy to be here. 

I do hope your August is a very nice one too. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading the scribbles of my life.

~Kim~

"We are called to be exceptional in the ordinary things, faithful in the little things, trustworthy when nobody's looking." Elisabeth Elliot

 

Odds and Ends

I am starting to feel at home. I wanted to show you my flowers that I have babied since I moved in. The lady who previously lived here had these giant pots of petunias. Between her trying to move and us moving in the poor petunias were pretty much forgotten. I really didn't think they would come back like they have, but I started watering them and they came back. I have four pots and two of them look pretty good, the other two, I think I am going to plant something in them. I found my seeds finally so maybe some of those. We have such a long growing season here.

 We had to run to Home Depot Saturday for things like towel bars, and dryer hose and stuff that you never realize you need. Of course, we had to go through the garden department on our way to the rest of the store. As I have sat and stared at this tiny back yard, one thing that bothers me is there is no food growing. Just bushes that just sit there taking up space and water. We bought a New Improved Meyer Lemon and a Key Lime. I plan on buying another blood orange. That is about all the room I have for trees. Unless I take out the gardenia trees. Which is always a possibility.

This is all the room I have for a garden bed. The soil is so sick that weeds don't even grow. Ron said that when it gets cooler he is going to buy bags of soil amend and just fill the beds with it then in the spring start working it in and making it all healthy.

We of course have this waste of space.

Can you see it there? A hot tub. A broken hot tub. I told Ron I should just fill it with dirt and use it for a raised bed. We will get it fixed I suppose. I can tell you in my whole life, I have never wanted a hot tub. Never! When we were looking at this house, that was almost the deal breaker. Except we had to find a house, and there just weren't any on the market then, or they were selling in one day. Even this one had sold and fell through and we bought it the day it came back on the market. The yard will be pretty once we get started on it. Its such a blank slate.  

Here is some pictures of my lovely sewing/office/library. Its such a nice place to work in, I feel so happy and calm. Ron hung pictures of all of the past things I have made. Except of course rugs.

At my other house, all of my things were scattered all over the house. To have them all in one place is so nice. I still can't find anything yet, but now I know the place it might be. Today I get my first order from Dorr Wool. I think it has been 2/12 years. I do like to dye my own wool, but I can never get good reds or blacks. With Ron working from home until possibly 2021 I don't think I will be dyeing much wool. He just hates the smell. All the men in my family did and the women didn't. I always thought that was interesting. 

One of my last sunflowers before I left.

There are so many nice things about this house. No road noise. My clothes dryer works like a dream. I have a gas stove top. We have so much solar on the roof, the electrical company owes us money. Water is 40 dollars this month. I just have to tell you this our last water bill from the old place was 583.00!! That wasn't even a high one. No, I am very, very happy with our situation. I keep trying to shake the feeling, that the people who bought our old house might try to give it back. Ron told me that was why we signed all of those papers for weeks, because it means, " No Backsies!" Still weird things come into my mind. I haven't found a single tumbleweed. Its the end of July, and I don't have a hula-hoe welded to my hand. I think I could get used to this really fast. I wake up in the morning feeling like I am on vacation, with all of my stuff. Its very nice. Not to mention, I can see the blue sky. There are still lots of birds so all is not lost. I can take Sasha out at 2: 00 A.M. and No skunks! 

So it hasn't been like I thought it would be, Ron isn't smoking cigars and I am not grumpy. I was so afraid, it was going to be Ma and Pa Kettle go to town. :) Its a new week and I am so very thankful to be on this side of the move. Only one more thing I have to get done. Go to the DMV. I have to get a new drivers licence. They aren't taking appointments so I anticipate hours of standing in line. I always want to ask,

"And you want the government in charge of health care?"

Have a great week,

~Kim~

The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone.     

Natalie Babbitt

A New Place

We Made It!! In one piece! I am all unpacked in the house. Ron is getting the garage fixed up like he wants it. I started decluttering last January. I am so glad I did. I had five dumpsters hauled off and three trash cans that were filled every week right up until we moved. The last few days before the movers came, we had a man haul off two truck loads of furniture. I am so glad I did that but we still have so much stuff. As I unpacked, I can't remember what I got rid of or what it was. I didn't have a single thing break either so that was good.

This is the great room. I will work on getting better pictures. Its very warm and welcoming I think. I didn't think my couch would fit but after we fooled and moved and all of that we finally got it to look very nice.

I love this piece of furniture. Its so huge. It can store all of my china. I put my antique dished in here. My tea pots too. I haven't got to the fun stuff yet. Like decorating and making it look homey. I can't wait to hang pictures.

I am so glad I have a mantel. I think I have rearranged it every day since I have been here. I can't wait until fall. I am going to have so much fun decorating for fall and for Christmas.

That room to the back is the dining room. I am still trying to figure out the dining room. I love the doorways and the curves.

This is looking the other way you can see the front door, which is a double front door. Then you can just see Ron's office. He said last night its the nicest office he has ever had. Since he works from home now until this junk is over, I am so glad he is here. Once I get my room situated I will show you my lovely sewing/library room. Its just perfect for me but I haven't had the brain power to even think about sewing or hooking yet. Its nice to have all the things I love out of boxes and in places I can get to them.

You will have to look at pictures from my old pictures. There are no flowers here. Just bushes.
Moving was as I think moving-is always is, stressful. The people who bought our house, had sold their house and the people who bought their house closed escrow on Tuesday. Our escrows didn't close until that Thursday. The people who bought our house had to be out of their house on Thursday night. The owners started moving in as the people who bought our house were trying to move out.

We had asked and had it signed and approved. We had three days after escrow to move out. Thursday night, they were calling and asking could they just move their stuff to our house? So they did. They put it out in the pasture because we had moving trucks coming on Friday morning. I was so thankful for Emilie, Peter and Elliot who came and helped us. We made a few loads before the movers got there but then when they got there it was crazy. Like moving always is.

The movers got to this house about 1:00. Ron and the kids went back to the house to get the stuff that we didn't have the movers move. Peter was vacuuming and Emilie was cleaning up where the fridge and washer and dryer had been. I was here telling the movers where to put everything, when the people who bought our house, called and wanted to move in ASAP. Of course we said. Ron reminded them that we had the house until Sunday at 6:00. They said okay, because he still had all of his trees to bring over here. On Saturday, Ron went back with Peter to get his trees. 50 of them. He has gone back a couple of times to help the people find and fix stuff. He is so nice. I am not so much. I think they just need to get over it and figure stuff out. But of course that is me. I feel like I have put up with so much garbage from people, that I am just done.

The evil side of me wonders what they are going to do when they see one of these things jetting across the floor at night or on the patio. We didn't tell them about the skunks or the raccoons or possums, or foxes. Or even the occasional scorpion that comes in sometimes. They will get to live with tumbleweeds by the thousands. I am very glad to be here.

The way I look at it when the walls start  closing in here, I can just get in the car and go over here to see the sky. Though, this house is nice, I can see the sky just fine. Its weird though, I have yet to see any neighbors. Its like living in the middle of nowhere there are houses, just no people. I was so afraid it was going to be like Ma and Pa Kettle go to town, but I don't think anyone has noticed us. 

I haven't got to the point where I can laugh at myself and everything else. Once I do that then I will be back to normal. I am looking forward to living here. To feel like I am at home. I am thankful I should say that. On July 2nd, Ben and Megan were in a terrible wreck. The truck rolled twice. They all walked away. Here I was in California and I couldn't do a single thing. Selling a house. When Kessie went into labor and had the baby, I was selling a stupid house. Then again, I couldn't do a thing. That day we had a inspector there. I called him Charles Manson. Weird guy. So I had Charles Manson junior traipsing though my house, wearing a mask, gloves and booties. It was freaky. The people buying the house were there and  there are times in my life that I describe it as putting my arm in a fire and watching it burn. Selling and buying a house has been like that. Especially, during the age of lock-down. I might be feeling a bit shell shocked. To add to it, we had to put our kitty down on Tuesday. All it shows me is that I can push beyond way beyond anything I thought I could. 

I leave you with this, because I have just lived it. Over and over. "God sometimes asks of us things that look impossible, but they never turn out to be---because God's command is always His enabling."

He told me over and over that nothing was impossible and that He would do it. He did. I just didn't know how hot the fires would be. So today, I am here, a little singed, but better for it. 

Thanks for following along on this journey. One, I never dreamed in a million years, I would take. So as I close the door on one place, I open the door in a completely different and new place, excited for this next chapter God has led us to and into a new place of dreams. I am still Farmgirl though. I am already planning my next gardens. 

~Kim~

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

(Langston Hughes)

Good-Bye to My Field of Dreams

Good Morning. I just wanted to write this last post, from My Field of Dreams. I will keep blogging, and it will be maybe Field of Backyard or something. But we are packing, the movers will be here at 10:30. The new owners have already have moved stuff in because they had to be out of their house last night. Lots of juggling.

I will give you a tour soon. Its all good.

Thank you for following me through all of the ups and downs of life. Thank you for following me on this next chapter of our lives.

Blessings to you all,
Kim

Moving doesn't change who you are.
It only changes the view outside your window.
Rachel Hollis