6/5/14

Home Sweet Home!

 

I knew it had been a long time since the blog had been updated but did not realize that it had been this long!  So out of practice writing…could not even think of an appropriate title!

Don’t know if we’ve adjusted to stationary living.  Noticed that I am drawn to looking at pictures of Montana, Wyoming…hoping next summer we will find a way to be in big sky country!

There is progress being made on the whole downsizing adventure!  In the past few weeks Craig's List has become a friend and surplus sporting gear, a refrigerator and our old solar kit have found new homes.  We can see space between the stacks of stuff!

IMG_0367

IMG_0369

David has dissembled his shop…it’s still in boxes….but, hey, it’s a start!  And we have a new past time, flea marketing…selling, not buying.  Each Friday morning we take a load of “stuff” a few miles up the road and proceed to unload it on the buyers looking for bargains.  Almost give it away but our possessions need to go somewhere…might as well get a few dollars!  And it becomes a social event…swapping tales with some of the old codgers.   We are not working at it…just trying to enjoy ourselves for a few hours.

IMG_0277

We could be working harder at the purging of possessions….but believing that one must enjoy the process we open one box at a time, looking, remembering and (mostly) discarding.

While surfing one night I stumbled across a video by the young full timing couple known as Technomadia.   In this video Chris is broadcasting from his storage unit in California. He talks about the process of clearing out his old treasures and how he does not want them to just go to anybody…..just those who will value them as he has done.  video.

I realized that is exactly what I have been doing. Holding on to precious memories and wanting these items to go to special people.  Watching the video shows me how this is impeding the process; now my possessions are moving out the door much more rapidly!

We have been home without a camping trip for 5 weeks!  Some days time stands still, other days…it flies!  Still struggling to have fun at home but it’s getting easier.  We’ve cooked in the Dutch oven for the family a few times…every dish turning out perfect! 

On Memorial Day weekend the Pro National Bicycling Championships were in Chattanooga.  Thrilling to watch the elite bicyclists tear down familiar streets a just a few miles from home.

IMG_0345

 

IMG_0337

During the race I became fascinated with this drone….taking numerous photos.  Someone suggested that it probably had numerous photos of me, taking mine as I was taking his.

IMG_0306

IMG_0324

Think I’d like to have a pet drone!  Don’t you think it’s kind of cute?

Back to the life at home update!

We are going to the gym, walking regularly and riding our bikes infrequently.  There’s been some talk about paddling but it’s gotten hot, humid and sticky.  Not sure if it will happen.

The three cats are getting along better.  Princess still screeches like a banshee when Sylvester gets too close…very annoying!

We are hoping to shift into phase two within a few weeks.  Phase two is painting the kitchen walls, removing wallpaper and painting in the back bathroom.  And I hope phase three is listing the house!

Outside our “dead” plants are showing green.  My fig tree has new growth at it’s base and the completely brown gardenias are sprouting tiny leaves.  The yard still looks pretty from a distance…where one can’t see all the weeds.IMG_0361

IMG_0363

IMG_0366

Well, that’s all I got!  A long hot boring summer stretches out before us!  Very thankful for our blogger friends who are in Canada, Washington, Oregon (by now) and Colorado….(you know who you are!)  Keep us entertained and informed!  We will be making lists of more places to visit…once the downsizing hell is over!