Packing status...

I have been packing books for what seems like forever--I don't mean hours, I mean days!--and yet I still cannot see an end to the job. Each time I tape up a box, I turn back to the shelf to find that it is still full. They seem to be breeding! It's very frustrating, and saps my drive.

The bookcase in the photo is one that Carey salvaged and refinished about twenty years ago. You have to understand that he is utterly opposed to painting wood. What is it about men and wood finishes? But a little while ago, he was walking through the room, and we were talking about where furniture pieces are going to be located in the new house. When out of the blue, he looks at this bookshelf and says..."I guess we can paint this." I could not believe it. I have never even asked, because I was sure I knew the answer. Hmmm.

I had better not be doing all this packing for nothing, as we STILL have not closed on the sale or purchase of properties. ugh

Soup of the day...

Lentil Soup...recipe found here.

Soup weather is on its way! It's supposed to be much cooler and less humid in the coming week, so I am happily adding a couple of soup nights to the menu this week.

I love soup!

It is generally easy to make. So many are slow cooker friendly. It tastes just as good warmed up the next day. And it's my comfort food.

So I ask you...what is your favorite soup? And if you want to leave the recipe in the comments, that would be WAY cool!

Oh, and my favorite? Probably a very yummy Jalapeno Sweet Potato.

Outside our windows today...

I was walking through the kitchen earlier, and Carey was standing at the kitchen sink, staring transfixed out the window.



Wild turkeys! I went and grabbed the camera. The photos aren't great as they were taken through the windows so as not to frighten them away, but beauty like this deserves to be documented and shared.



This is only about half or less of the flock that wandered slowly by. Carey said that numbers of them kept flying down out of the oak trees where they probably roosted last night.

We see them periodically, but this is a larger group than normal. I'm glad they came while we were still here to enjoy them.

Agape...

...ah-gah-pey...noun: unselfish love of one person for another; brotherly love.

Nothing can lighten a dreary day and put a smile on my face like homemade fig preserves in my mailbox! I know they were made by the loving hands, and are shared by the generous heart, of a sweet and very dear friend.

Thank you, LB. You have no idea what a blessing this was today. I have to confess that I haven't been to pick up my mail at the post office in at least a week, so I apologize for the delay in letting you know they arrived safely...but of all those days in the past week, today was the day I needed a reminder of how blessed I am by the love that surrounds me.

Thank you...and know I give thanks for you.

More positive procrastination...

My friend Kelley has a new job. (Yes, she of the snarky Facebook comments, but I love her anyway. lol) She is so happy, and I am so proud of her.

She has to swipe a badge to enter her workplace, and asked me if I would make her a lanyard for it. So of course I had to do this before I packed away all of my beads!



It turned out rather well, I think. And she loves it, so that's important too. I even included a few mood beads on it, so she can tell what kind of day she is having. :)

Self medicating...

This is my anti-anxiety medication of choice.

I have been so stressed. Both closings were supposed to be behind us by now, but neither has been accomplished. Delay in the sale of the land has pushed the purchase of the house back.

Deep breath.

Unwrap.

Melt in mouth.

Ahhh.

Procrastination redeux...

Dear Kelley,

Regarding the love-filled (albeit snarky) comment which you left on my Facebook wall: I absolutely do not need the Internet to procrastinate!

(See photo above.)

I really did make an honest attempt to get a quick start on the day. I showered and dressed, and then I started wondering if I would get a call from the title company to drop everything and come sign on the dotted line. So I decided to put on just a little makeup.

But then I wondered if anyone (besides me) really notices when I put on makeup. So I decided to do just half of my face and compare.

Then I thought I would send you a photo thereof, to let you know that the Internet is not the be all and end all of my entertainment / lack of packing progress.

But, of course, I thought that perhaps I should blog my results, so here I am back on the Internet. (See photo below.)



I have to go make up the rest of my face now.

Love, Kathleen

********************************************

Dear Kasey,

If you rat me out about this to your father, you are out of the will!

Love, mom

Seven...

...pennies for my thoughts :)

It occurred to me a few minutes ago that I absolutely forgot to write seven thoughts on the seventh this month. I probably didn't have seven separate thoughts on the seventh, focused as I have been on just one thing. But I can't let this month go by undocumented, so here are seven not so random thoughts on the twelfth.

1. If you want to get some work done of a day, do NOT turn on the television! It matters not at all that you have never read Tolkien...or that you don't know what a hobbit is...or that you have the rare distinction of never having watched any sequel movies...if you are a TRUE procrastinator, the majority of your day will be lost following the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tomorrow? Star Wars, The Godfather, Star Trek, Rocky, Rambo, Benji...?

2. If you eat your way through the pantry, you won't have to pack it.

3. If cleaning out the office/craft room was too overwhelming to tackle organizing it in the past couple of years, the thought of packing it all within the next couple of weeks is downright panic attack inducing!

4. Do I REALLY believe that I will use all of these craft supplies if I live to be 100?

5. Boxes, boxes; I need boxes!

6. I keep reminding myself that if you can't let go of something, you no longer own it...it owns you.

7. Fingers crossed, toes crossed, eyes crossed...pleeeease let the closing on the sale of land be tomorrow!

Positive procrastination...

Yes, well, I am spending time on the computer instead of packing...big surprise.

But I got this fifteen-second video in an e-mail today, and it is SO simple and yet I can foresee using this 'skill' inumerable times in the future. Teach this to a child...they will love it.

A must see!

The big announcement...

Remember my beautiful porch that I waited decades for? The one that seems like it just got finished? I'm leaving it behind.

We are moving.

It's not something that we actively sought. We never put our land or home on the market. Someone came to us, and wanted to buy it. And after thinking about it and weighing the pros and cons, the checks and balances, the daily wonders and the daily grind, we decided that it is a good time and a good change.

We'll be trading in our 100 acres for 4 acres...our house where most of our to-do list is done, to one filled with new projects...and to an area where the grandbabies are only about a mile away instead of an hour away.

Things have really been rolling rapidly. It's been a week since we came to an agreement on selling our home, and a few days since we found a great new one. We should be closing the sale on our property in the next week, and the purchase of the new property a few days after that. We are truly blessed that the buyer of our property is allowing us time to make the move without pressure to be out immediately. Still, we are not wanting to take advantage of his kind nature, so we will be very, very busy. Today I am starting the big packing event.

And because I know that some of you may have heard things recently that make you worry or wonder...Carey has not been at work this week...he's safe and sound at home, running hither and yon trying to get everything done yesterday. As if the house news isn't change enough, we are also waiting to hear about a new job that he interviewed for last week. (I know that sounds strange on the heels of the move news, but we are in an unusual category of people who can move without giving a lot of thought as to work location.)

Please keep us in your prayers.

ps: the new house has no front porch!