Catching up
06 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Animals, Family, Home, Pups Tags: Animals, Knitting, Settling In, Unpacking
There are so many things I need to catch everyone up on. Obviously we (the dogs and I) have moved and thanks to the help of wonderful friends we are actually settled in to the house.
Mini blinds are hung, air-conditioners in windows, gate built, etc. I love the house, more than I thought I would. It is bright, cheerful, clean, happy. The dogs are completely different too, they are happy, playful and love being outside.
I am ready to work on the yard and porch. I want to add plants and flowers to the porch and yard maybe even around the mailbox. Lots of different ideas, I know I will add hanging baskets, then something that likes shade for one side of the porch and partial sun on the other. I will take pictures as I go.
I will work on posting at least a few times a week so I can keep everyone updated. In the meantime here are a few pictures to enjoy.
Packing and moving is exhausting work.
Looking into the kitchen from the living taken on the day we moved in.
The back wall in the kitchen from the living room after unpacking. Still adding the finishing touch when this was taken but it is close to finished.
Another wall in the kitchen from the living room, this wall is visible in the first picture. This picture was taken while unpacking, settling in was in full swing.
Peter is really enjoying the new braided rug in the living room. It makes laying around so much nicer.
The rug also helps with scratching your back if you wiggle just right.
The big back yard, it is huge and Priscilla runs full throttle very enthusiastically. I will try and get a picture of that too.
More to post later with all the knitting news and pictures of WIP’s.
Backyard play
11 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Animals, Family, Friends, Home, Knitting, Pups Tags: Comfort, Getting Settled, home, Moving, Organizing
The dogs are really enjoying having a backyard and being able to play and run free. Free as they see it. Since they have always been leashed when going outside this is a nice change and you can see why they would feel free.
We have adjusted well to the house and are settling in nicely. We have a routine and all seem to be happy here. It is one of those things that happens in life. In the beginning you are not happy and feel forced to make “the change” (whatever it is). Then it turns out the change is actually better than the original. This is one of those things.
Now it is a matter of getting all settled in. The list of things that still needs to be done continues to grow and now includes a little yard work. I am excited about the whole process but some of the list is going to require assistance or help from someone. I am trying to convince some friends and family to come hang out for a few days in April to help get it all done. The mere thought of being settled and for everything to be in its place is so relaxing. Something I truly look forward too.
Growing list:
- Hang Mini-blinds
- Move air-conditioners around and insulate
- Move furniture around bedroom
- Finish Kitchen Pantry
- Move rocks in front flower bed
- Plant Flowers in front flower bed
- Paint planters
- Plant flowers in planters
- Place lights and yard deco in the yard and flower beds
- Hang stuff on walls
- Organize Sewing room
It will all cone together, just a matter of time. This house already is feeling like home. Maybe it has to do with my things aren’t all “new.” The last move, the house was new to me, my things were new to me, the pups were new to me (and me to them). This time it feels comfortable already. I don’t think the other house ever really felt like home and this one is feeling pretty close.
6 Days and counting
25 Mar 2012 1 Comment
in Animals, Family, Friends, Home, Pups Tags: Boxes, Moving, Organizing, Preparation
The days seem to be passing faster now and yet the list isn’t dwindling down enough. I have taken Thursday-Tuesday off from work. This means the packing will be wrapped up on Thursday and everything will be ready for the help to arrive on Friday morning. Jerry is going to supervise the paid help and the disconnecting of things at the old house.
I have to be at the new house Friday morning to allow for all of the utilities to be turned on. I will be taking the animals with me that morning and few other things in the car. I also have a friend that will be able to be there Friday morning until I get there so, I have the new place covered pretty well.
Jerry and the guys are actually going to start at the new house to get the fence fixed so the dogs can be safely outside during most of the moving. I know the dogs are going to be so happy to have a nice fenced in yard.
I will have Saturday-Tuesday to get everything unpacked and settled in. It should feel like home by the time I go back to the office on Wednesday morning.
Next on my list after the move is completed and I am settled. A new refrigerator. The one in the new house has been mistreated a bit and the door does not seal well.
The animals just aren't sure about all of the packing of things. They all just want to be held and reassured.
They are also very curious and want to look or climb into all of the boxes.
ETA: My nephew, JP races Jr. Dragsters and he is actually very good at it. He won yesterday and today. I am very proud of him. Racing is in his blood, my brother (his father) raced from the time he was 16 – 30 (something), both of JP’s grandfathers race as well as his mom and uncle. The poor kid didn’t stand a chance.
Packing Day 1
24 Mar 2012 1 Comment
in Family, Food, Home, Pups Tags: Anxious, Help, Hired, Moving, Packing
7 Days and counting, since we are moving everything up a day and actually moving on Friday instead of Saturday. One day closer which will allow an additional day to get settled before I have to return to the office.
Mary came to visit today, to help me pack and to help with the layout planning of the new house. We went to see it and plan where everything will go and plan the move as well as pack. We spent so much time at the new house and grabbed lunch so the packing time was not long. Surprisingly it didn’t take long to pack the kitchen. One room down and four more to go.
I am very glad I have taken the time off from work, there is much more to put away than there was for the last move. I am excited to get moved and anxious to get settled in. The nervous, must organize and coordinate jitters have started but I am hoping I have figured out a way to keep them at bay. Mary will not be here for the move since she has a previous commitment. I am adjusting to the fact she is not going to be here. I also am adjusting to the fact I can not control everyone’s actions during the move timeframe so I have decided to hire help. I can then depend on my brother (Jerry), uncle (Marlo) and nephew (Marcus) to fix fence, hang mini-blinds and hook everything up.
I have two new list, they make me feel better.
Ms. Kitty
23 Mar 2012 1 Comment
in Animals, Family, Home, Kitty, Pups Tags: Ms. Kitty, Packing, Preparation, Ready
Well today was a pretty productive day. I posted a listing, looking for a home for Ms. Kitty and we found one. She is now the only inside cat at her new home and appears very happy. There are three kids (mid-teens) and two adults. She will get a lot of attention and they do have an indoor dog but older dog. Not a young hyper dog like my two. She will be living in the whole house not just the safety of the bathroom, where she would find solace when Peter (Peewee) would get stirred up and want to play. He would bounce at her and she would run. In his eyes that meant chase and play.
I was also able to find lots of boxes. The dialysis center, the hospital kitchen and the rehab unit all had boxes from deliveries today and therefore I have plenty of boxes. One less worry.
Everything seems to be coming together, I am making my list and getting things ready. I wish I could avoid the unease, the anxiety and worry that I have started feeling. I wonder if that will ever pass. I am checking things off of my list, seeing the reduction of “things to do,” should be helping. Maybe it is a little, I still have the unease of the unknown factor. The one thing I am looking for. Expecting. Anticipating. Oh, if only we could fast forward past the unknown, to the settled and comfortable time. But then, how would we grow? Learn? Adapt?
Ms. Kitty
The count down begins
12 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Animals, Family, Home, Pups Tags: Count Down, Happy, List, Moving, Preparation
Seems like a good time to start the move count down. I have started the list of things that need to be done and will start on them this week. As usual I have a list for my list, I am just a bit list driven and It does help me stay on track and focused. I have spoken to the landlord about the deposit, rent, move-in time and such. It is starting to feel more real.
Since I am changing the colors of the bedroom I am thinking about how to utilize the few things I have now, such as curtain rods, sconce holders,etc. Of course this is with the exception of the comforter which has been seriously deflated by the dogs. I swear I had no idea how much stuffing these things actually have in them. Every morning I wake in a cloud of fluff.
My co-worker/friend that has just moved from the house I am moving into sent me some pictures of the inside of the house. Every single time I look at them I get more excited about this move. It looks so bright, cheerful and happy.
Master Bedroom looking into the room toward the windows.
Same room different angle notice the two closets.
One more!! I love this room, will be easy to wake-up HAPPY in the mornings.
Tomorrow I will start calling the utility companies. I think I am starting to get a little anxious.
Making a deal
11 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Animals, Family, Food, Friends, Knitting, Pups Tags: Deals, Dogs, Teens
I learned really quickly today how to get things from a teenager. Make him a deal he can not refuse. I had a few extra things that needed to be done around the house and a teenager that really wanted some Xbox garb. Turned out to be a win-win for both of us. Since I had to make a return to Wal-Mart what better place to strike a deal than right there where the props are readily available.
After the return was completed and the needed purchases made it was time to head to the grocery store. After all you can not have a growing boy visit for several days without stocking up on grub. We planned out three wonderful meals plus breakfast cereal and sandwich fixin’s and we were all set for the visit.
Of course since the new house is only a few blocks from my favorite grocery store we had to drive by. I am really starting to get excited about the move. The house has wood floors and a big fenced back yard. The dogs are really going to love the outside space. I am going to enjoy the wood floors and the bright happy yellow walls. I am taking advantage of the happy spring colors and will be changing the colors in the bedroom. I will be posting pictures as soon as they are available.
The rest of the day was spent doing laundry and watching a movie with the boy. We also cooked an awesome meal together. Tonight it was Oven fried pork-chops, homemade mac-n-cheese and green beans. Yummy
I am afraid the knitting has sat idle today since we were so busy doing other things around the house and the current WIP is not a movie watching type project or at least at the current point in the project.
The dogs and cats are really enjoying JP’s visit he gives them all sorts of attention and as far as they are concerned he is wonderful, no crate time when he is staying with them.
Spring Break Visitor
10 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Family, Food, Friends, Home, Kitty, Knitting, Pups Tags: Games, Spring Break
Most of the day was spent doing cleaning and hanging with the dogs. I played fetch and tug-of-war during every little break I took. The dogs were really bored being stuck in the house. The weather was so cold and rainy it wasn’t a good idea to go outside and lay, they wouldn’t have lasted very long at all before they tried to convince me they were melting.
This evening I met Jerry and the rest of the crew at Five Guys for dinner and to pick-up JP for a few days. Since he is out this next week for Spring Break he will be staying with me until Wednesday. I enjoy having him around and I know the dogs are really going to appreciate the fact they do not have to spend so much time in their crates when I am at work.
Now this should be an interesting week. JP brought his Xbox 360 and all of his games. Unfortunately none of these games are games I would play. I wish he had Zelda, my all time favorite.
Found
09 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Animals, Family, Home, Pups Tags: House, Moving, Nesting, Packing, Settled
I was beginning to worry that I would not be able to find a house that all of us could move into together. I had a back-up plan, places we could all go temporarily but honestly, I would have been lost if I had to leave the dogs with someone else. They have been my constant. My rock and someday my very reason for getting out of bed. So leaving them would have been very difficult.
Since I found a house this will not be an issue. I have found a pet friendly house in Bridgeport, Texas. It is about 10 minutes from the office and although not my first choice of location it is going to be just fine. The landlord is very nice and the dogs will have a back yard. There is the option of me being there as long as I need, indefinitely. I can settle in and actually nest, make it ours.
So, I have scheduled the packing get together and the moving party. I have also scheduled time-off from work to get utilities transferred. I am actually going to sleep tonight and not have to wonder as I drift off to sleep where we will be sleeping next month.
