Our Very Merry

It was our first Christmas in the new house.

Finding Your Right Path

It's been an exhausting couple of months, but in a good way.

 We finally found the home, here in Orlando...

And are all moved in.

All the furniture we left behind in Georgia is moved in, along with the entire contents of a huge rented storage unit we've had packed to the gills for over two years, and even the contents of our tiny (not so) temp rental house.

It was no small feat.

With help from friends we basically moved everything in the matter of two days. The  (two car) carport was filled with our things and boxes and  so was the two car garage beyond that.

The detached garage in the side yard is full of left over furniture, book shelves, and future projects to eventually make their way into the actual house.

Behind this garage/workshop is a utility shed big enough for my Johnny Dear, all my yard tools, and two of Johnny's buddies if any happened to drop by for a visit!

Every yard, front, back, both sides and anywhere you look, even from a window  is a tiny slice of paradise.

Massey has a nice screened in  side porch off her bedroom...

with this view.

This is the corner view of our lot, from our side yard.

Really?!

 A tree hut (ladders nailed to the trunk) with a perfect view of sunset over the lake, across the street.

Every yard boasts a different garden or place to explore.

Stone pathways line the way from front to back.

Can hardly wait for it to get warm enough to make this screened in porch, complete with Tiki bar, mini fridge and two ceiling fans, Muh She Shed!

Even the view from the street is almost stunning.

From the front yard, is a most inviting view, and exactly what I've always wanted.

The vines in the massive Live Oaks look like ones Tarzan could swing from.

Cold snap?

No worries, we have an awesome fire pit!

We could never shut our blinds, and still be unseen in our house, from neighbors, or the street!

 Only because of the fact that it's almost 2019,  I unfortunately feel compelled to close them every night after dark to deter any Crazies (which mean people crazier than me) who may happen upon us, especially with Tim working out of town sporadically. 

We always have one pup out and one pup in, for constant  all round protection.

Ham has the most seniority so he mostly gets the inside gig...

and has found his fourteen year old Forte'.

No worries... Ziggy is happy as a pig in slop, in his new (literal) digs.

And for me?

I'm the happiest pig in slop round these parts.

If I never have to pack a cardboard box again, it will be too soon.

This is us now.

It was an almost ten year journey I wasn't real crazy (small pun) about making, but ended up being a most valuable lesson for all of us.

Life is what it is.

Roll with what you got, and hope it gets you what you need.

There will hopefully be more peaks than valleys from here on out, but you simply never know.

This house was an enormous leap of faith for us, and as Tim pointed out more than once, if God didn't want us to have it, He wouldn't have brought us this far.

You can be in a place in your life one day, minute, or second, that feels like you are at Disney World at the front of the line for your favorite ride, then just as suddenly that same world shifts...or tilts, everything changes, and you're at the very end of the line.

My advice?

Be a good person, no matter what.

Not because something could happen, but becuse it's the right thing to do

 After almost sixty years on this earth, have found that more times than not, good things happen to good people...

And good people who are dealt bad hands, will always have an army of loyal friends at their back to help and cover the losses best they can.

My goal in life?

Wishing each and every one of you a wonderful Holiday Season.

Til next time...

COTTON

Lots of Thanking To Do

My brother picked me up around three on Wednesday afternoon at my house here in Orlando and we headed up to our sister’s house in Senoia, about forty five minutes south of downtown Atlanta.
...JawJa, that is.

My brother drives like someone in panic mode on their way to the emergency room.


At least he always uses blinkers, seldom uses the horn (or finger) and gets us there in record time, beating it each and every time.

Round trip, we were gone from Orlando for about forty two hours.

Twenty four hours after leaving Orlando, we sat at the dinner table together, all three of us Sibs, the rest of our Georgia fam (sans a few) and
celebrated Thanksgiving.

A few hours later, we climbed back into my brother's rocket (truck) and were back in Orlando by nine AM Friday morning with all my furniture left from our house in Newnan strapped into the bed of his giant Ford.

The purchase of our new home went pretty smoothly (for a Clampett) but those last two days were a nightmare once it went to underwriting for approval to close.

ie:
"You must provide this or that (once again) and resend the requested PDF (for the third time) and have such and such e-signed, filled out, printed off then scanned back, using the Lender's portal and must be received no later than midnight for the possibility of closing on Tuesday."

I  didn't relax until the wire transfer for downpayment was sent, received, papers signed

and saw this sign hanging out front, after driving to our new home.

I'm really going to enjoy this ride home.

I even brought Ziggy over late this afternoon to explore the place while I dropped off some cleaning supplies. We took a video of our walk through together (while my finger was over part of the lens).

Then I found this video posted on YouTube.

It's not a mansion, but it is eclectic, solidly built and screams "Home" to me.

The house is great, but the yards are absolutely amazing.

I'm so ready to play in the dirt again, and what a great place to play!

I can honestly say, for the first time in quite a while, I'm happier than a pig in slop.

When life gives you lemons make lemonade, even if you have to ask for help making it.

Be a decent person... and people will treat you decently.

#FrankLeach

My Diddy (above) was right, and am thankful I was lucky enough to be his kid, walk hand in hand with him,  and learn life lessons from him. (and who tied my my top way to the left?)

Bonus points I had a Momma (also above) who taught me the same.

#AnnLeach

In my life?


I'm one of the luckiest, hands down.

If you have to wait for the right thing, it will be well worth it.

Till next time...COTTON

The Final Countdown

It appears to be time to turn yet another page in this book of our Life.

After almost a decade of struggle, trials and hard work, we are not only back to where we were beforehand, but even slightly ahead of the game for once. 

Once Massey and I found our soon to be new home for sale, we pushed and pulled at Tim until he finally joined our team.

#TeamDreamHouse

He wasn't crazy about it at first. When I asked him what he didn't specifically like about the house (on our second walk through) his response was that the archway from the fireplace and breakfast nook into the kitchen was a little low. He's six two but cleared it by several, if not half a dozen inches.

My response to him?

"Tim, you are one of the hardest working men I've ever met and appreciate every single thing you do to take care of us financially. But when you're clocked out and at home, you're almost always sitting down. I don't think that low archway will be much of an issue, and if that's your biggest gripe, we've definitely found a winner. Let's put an offer on it."

We did.

And they accepted our offer two days later.

It's been over twenty years since we've bought a house and (especially after the housing mortgage fiasco) paperwork and documents required have seemingly tripled. Each step of the process they ask for things you've already sumitted twice and always find one last thing  needed to be sent before the end of the business day.

Here's been my problem.

With Tim working out of town so much, I've had to find, scan, download, upload and send more than quite a few documents and records...in record time.

I simply don't possess (or want) these type of (recently necessary) technological skills.

I'm a Flinstone, having to survive in a Jetson world.

If Massey was home, I had her help with or just do it for me.

 Doing it for me was the much quicker and preferred route.

For both of us.

If Massey wasn't home and something needed to be done, I'd call her, after spending ten minutes, trying to just open the attachment to see what needed to be done. 

I get extremely frustrated, very quickly.

I'll take a book or pen and paper over a wireless mouse any day of the week.

I have no desire, whatsoever, to be a part of all this new or even older technology mess. 

That's why I'm a waitress. I enjoy social and face to face interaction. They ask me for something, and I write it down. Then I bring it to them. I like to make people smile and be able to see them smile, from a foot away.

I can use a computer system for ringing in orders, and ringing up orders. No other computer skills are required or needed.

I like it that way.

I can do the things I need, or want to do.

 Text, email, FB, Blog and pay bills.

I don't want to have my face stuck in front of a keyboard, screen or cell phone.

So we're down to the last stage of buying this house. The closing is scheduled for the 27th at the latest but hopefully will close earlier, before Thanksgiving. At least that's the plan.

The owner of our rental house has been showing our rental can to perspective new tenets. A young girl came by the other day, showing her boyfriend the house via Facetime. 

Today another realtor came by with a young couple. They had a little girl about five and an infant son snoozing away in a carrier that Dad toted the entire time. They were a really cute family.

You know what?

 I've liked this house okay and it certainly served its purpose, but I just want to own a home, that is ours, has big yards like we had back home in Georgia, and more importantly feels like home.

The young family who came by to look at, and possibly rent our cracker box humbled us both beyond belief.

Of course I've tried to keep the place tidy (with the house being shown) but it ain't no mansion, with all its 1,100 Sq Ft.

The wife went on and on about how big the walk in closet was in the master bedroom (not that big). The little girl said it was big enough to be another bedroom!!

The parents went in to look at the spare bedroom and the little girl told me, "We only have one bedroom right now."

I immediately said, smiling, "Well maybe now you'll have three...and that big closet!"

She jumped up and down...literally.

My only gripe about our rental can has been the appliances. After moving here, someone asked me where we were living? 

My reply?

"The eighties."

The Magic Chef stove top and oven are kinda like the ones my parents owned, but definitely from the same time period. The Frigidaire is straight outta the late eighties. The one Tim and I had when we got married almost thirty years ago was nicer.

The guy who came to replace the broken garage door opener made fun of the washer and dryer in the garage. He asked if they were ours?

 Massey said no.

 His reply? 

"And they work?"

The washer always goes off balance and you have to redistribute the load and the dryer now takes three hours to dry one load of clothes.

Least they work!

The woman told me the place looked beautiful and couldn't believe how much room there was.

I told her (trying to hook a sista up) that it would be a great place if they just replaced the appliances. 

Her comment?

"They all look beautiful to me."

This tiny little house we've been living in... taking care of, and often making fun of, seems like a dream come true for this young couple.

It isn't our dream house now, but decades and decades ago could have been, and would have been.

I wish I could find out if this particular couple ends up renting this house. I'd leave them a house warming present.

They were so excited to see a back porch, screened in none the less! And the rooms...they were so big and open! And the back yard was fenced in so the little girl could play in it.  (She jumped up and down again)

I feel good about them renting the place. The Landlord does okay by you and the neighborhood is decent.

I'm indeed a very lucky woman.

This is how crazy I am. The mosaic thresholds from room to room are one of my favorite things.

 And a mud room off the laundry room.

 I'm moving into my Final Countdown home, and feel grateful to be doing so.

The young couple who came to see our current rental digs are also excited to be counting down the days until they have a home, even if it's rented.

It truly is a circle of life.

Do one thing nice for someone, every single day.

What goes around comes around.

Till next time...COTTON