18 Days and Counting

Greetings. We have 18 days until the BIG truck is loaded and we are on the road. We are making visual progress. We have been working every day. There have been days when I would be up at 6:00 and go non-stop until 5:00 and everything just looked worse than when I started. I hate it when things are half done. It seems like everything we have done had to be done in stages. The dining room is finally done. It is so clean and new looking. Friday we pulled out the fireplace insert and what a mess. The insert has been in for 30 years. It kept is toasty warm in the winter and I loved it. I will miss it. The EPA has banned them so you can't purchase them anymore and they want to stop people from using them. This is a before picture of the family room. I was getting it ready for it's new floor.

This is the black hole. One of the features I loved about this house was the fireplace. I love the brick. When we first put the insert in I was concerned about hiding the beauty of the used brick and the character I felt it gave to the room. It worked well.

The floor is in. It is so beautiful. I will put the area rug in, hang the vertical blinds and put the furniture in and enjoy it for the next 18 days.

Thursday I attended my last meeting at the Manteca Quilt Guild. I'm really going to miss those people. I'm leaving with so many wonderful memories. I encouraged them all to stop in a visit when they are in Oregon. I know a few who will. The quilt below is the new opportunity quilt for the March 2011 quit show. This is one of the most beautiful quilts I have seen in a long time. The focal fabric was so ugly, I could not have imagined it in a quilt, let alone turning out like this.

I must sign off. I have painting and packing to do and a couple of appointments. I hope your day is filled with blessings, I know my will be.

God's peace.

Are We Done Yet?

It's 105 degrees and I'm not in the mood for this game. It's too hot to do anything, except maybe quilt or read a book. This move is becoming a nightmare. Everywhere you look things are half completed. This is Missy looking at the new flooring in the dining room. The floor is beautiful but what about the molding? Where is the furniture? Half done! Oh, by the way, Missy prefers carpet. This is a picture of Paul and Joe finishing up the project, minus the molding.

This is the first floor board, where it all started. No molding there either.

Now here is the living room. It's done except for the window treatment. You can't tell because it has the dining room furniture in it and boxes of who knows what. The two bathrooms and the master bedroom are the only rooms that do not resemble this. It's making me crazy.

This is where I go when I'm about to blow. I love this area in the back yard. I hope I can re-create it when I get to Oregon. I haven't checked out what flowers grow well in that area.

This little plant has been providing little tomatoes for us since the middle of July. I know I will have a small vegetable garden at our new home. There is already a raised bed with a small garden planted. I am really looking forward to it. I might even start with a winter garden.

These are my bell peppers. They weren't originally planned as a container plant but things worked out that way because of the lack of time or my failure to management it better. Maybe a little of both. I will be cooking with these very soon.

There is still so much to do I can't even think about it. Paul hurt his back so things have really slowed down. I'm hoping that we can hold off showing our house until we have moved. As I pack things up I have to stack boxes in corners and what kind of staging is that? I'm praying for a sense of humor so I can laugh at this experience, wisdom to know what is right, and strength to get through it. I'm also thankful for the gift a a new home and moving to a new town with the opportunity of making new friends. I'm focusing on the gifts. Thank you Lord.

God's peace be with you.