Adios To Many Things

Tomorrow is my last day of high-speed internet and cable. I will miss many things from this house we have made so homey. Dial-up only for those of us who choose to move to the boon-docks! Won’t be connected for a little while, but checking email at the folks’.

As far as cable goes, I spent way too much time today tanking up on it. 2 hours watching various creepy haunting stories. They have always given me a thrill. And I will be up late tonight getting in as much Ina Garten as I possibly can! All while folding cloths like a mad woman and packing away the last of the stuff-we are in the middle of a move here and the cloths keep multiplying. SO nice to have my new laundry room be above ground!

Moved our table and chairs up to the Dial a couple days ago. Wow, made it all seem very cozy and REAL! Need to get the trim inside for the new windows, and along the floor boards. Feels like so many things are in the place of ‘almost done’. Makes me a little anxious. Big haul this weekend with our friends truck and trailor. Then next week will be spent cleaning W Main. Memories everywhere I look. Lots of leaf raking from under our very one Ent Wife. Many positive pregnancy tests in that sweet bathroom. Not all of them mine-(Righ ‘Re?) Babies home from the hospital. Falls and Winters spent without Marty while he worked in AZ. Charlie was adopted while we lived here. 3 of our girls have their “First Day of School” pictures on these back steps. I have loved decorating this house for Christmas. It is a Christmas House, for sure. Perfect fireplace, wood work all over. Ahhh. I’ll miss that. There are many things I won’t miss, but for now I will focus on the positive.

So-tonight we take up more loads of odds and ends, Marty will get a better idea of how to design our new hearth, I’ll give the stove another going-over, and swiffer my new bamboo floors just for the fun of it.

TTFN,
next post will be from our very own farm!

“And so with diligent hands and good intent we set down our Dial in the earth. We wish it may resemble that instrument in its celebrated happiness, that of measuring no hours but those of sunshine….”
-Emerson

Cars and Trucks and Things that GO!

Nanna Vevi was very conscientious and packed all of Marty’s favorite toys away when he out-grew them. She gave us the box ages ago and it was unearthed recently. All four of our girls have spent the last 3 days sliding around the floor on their hands and knees, pushing tonka trucks, matchbox cars and trains. It is a fascinating study in child behavior. Four girls driving, crashing and organizing work crews. Playmobil has been the main ‘play-thing’ till now. I think we will pack away the doll house when we move. There will be so much else to do. Mud pies and Pioneer Days!! AND, by the looks of it, tonka 4x mud rallies!!

Soaking in the Days

It is nearly October. My favorite month. I picture our little family, cozied up by the new fireplace this Halloween….after trick-or-treating in the old neighborhood, of course! (Some of my favorite childhood memories are of my brothers and me, laying on our living room floor, spreading out all the loot and trading for favorites. I totally lucked out, since neither of my brothers like chocolate.)

Big week ahead at The Dial:

Windows are all in. Dry-wall goes up this week. Tape/texture all over the place, ceiling in the dining room, living room walls, around all the new windows, bedroom ceiling where a leg dropped through while roofing…. Once the dust has settled, I am eager to start painting!! Alder-wood panels are going along the largest dining room wall. It is a true pleasure and joy to plan and dream of all these things. Marty is full of wonderful ideas, and I am very grateful he convinced me to put a large glass door in our bedroom. The Outside comes In, gently and beautifully. One of my special treasures is the laundry room. (It’s the simple things, right?!) I have been doing laundry in a semi-dungeon these past 8+ years. The New One has two lovely spanking fresh windows(one we added), looking out over the orchard and barn/chicken yard. The walls will be a glossy light moss color. With black hooks lining one wall. Six people = a seemingly endless number of hoodies, sweaters, coats, bags.

The kitchen is spacious, warm and inviting. Even in it’s present state. I love to bake…and am looking forward to many batches of cookies, muffins, crisps. I find it so comforting to just pull out my favorite paper-back Betty Crocker Cookbook and leaf through the pages. Every single thing I have taken from it’s pages has turned out delicious. Even with my tweaks and twists, allowing for sugar/flour/dairy alternatives. A reliable cookbook is a wonder, indeed!

So, here’s to Fall! I love it so much. And this one, especially. May each day build peacefully upon the next.

Days with Omi

Now that Fall is here and the Big Girls are in school all day, things would be very quiet: just Omi and me at home. As it is, we catch peaceful moments during trips back and forth to The Dial. It is lovely to have this time with her, one on one. I try to be very present and absorb it all. Baby-hood is nearly past. Once she turns three I won’t be able to pretend any more.

Farewell, Auntie Kari

Petite Provence with Auntie Kari before winging it to TX. Muffins make goodbye easier.

Living Room Wonder

It is turning out better than I could have imagined. Thank you, Mike and Marty!

Clean Slate