Too Much

 Too much sugar today, so no sleep for me tonight. You would think a person would learn! Now I live in a place where donuts turn up unexpectedly, and a person is inclined to indulge at times when it is simply not a good idea.

On the sunny side, my life seems to be going along nicely. The pool table parts are lying in wait for the expert from DesMoines to come put it back together again. This will happen on Monday, and I am not the only one anxiously awaiting. There are fellows here who ask me when it will happen, and if they can watch. I expect a fair-sized audience.

I have two people interested in my house. I have no idea who will win the race, but I wish they both could!

I will be having an auction of some sort later in May, and once that is behind me, perhaps I can get back to making earrings. 

It takes a lot of doing to change your life as much as I have in the last year. It amazes me how everything falls into place exactly when it should. I just have to relax and let it happen.

I am pleased with my choice of Evergreen Ridge. It is a bit like my South Texas home, as there are always people around to visit with. Happy hour here is from 3:00 to 4:00, which dips into Jeopardy, so I don't make it every day.

My desk here is in front of a window, and it is a treasure trove of activities. Not always good. Today, a local cat, whose whereabouts no one seems to know, was "playing" with a baby rabbit, right outside my window. The cat would flip it in the air and watch it run, recapture it, and repeat. After what seemed like forever, it finished it off and had a partial snack. A crow swooped down twice to pick up the remains. 

Sometimes nature is hard to watch. As it is, the people who have lived here longer say we are overrun with rabbits and lack the sympathy I was feeling. Oh well.

Mostly Moved

 There is still plenty to do. Gary, Susan, Jason, and Laura worked very hard to get me moved to the point where I can live in my new home. They moved all the big stuff and a large portion of the small stuff. I think I can take care of the rest of it by moving a few things at a time. It is so heart-warming to have that kind of help.

This is my bedroom and my office. Remember, this is a rough draft. I am barely moved in, much less settled.

My bedroom/office.

Living room

View from Kitchen

There are all kinds of things happening outside my "office" window

And here is one of them. I am charging my good camera to be always ready.

And then on Saturday, Devon and Zach Hiller came, and between the four guys, moved the pool table to Evergreen Ridge for me. It didn't even take that long! It is now ready for Pool Repair Bob to finish putting it together. He called me a bit ago and said he will be here next Monday. Yippee!

New Place

 This week family moved me into my new digs, Evergreen Ridge in Jefferson Iowa. I am mostly moved. Today, Gary and Jason earned themselves a golf round or two...maybe three. Susan and I are going to manage the small stuff. When I get my wits about me, I will take some photos and post them.

Sometimes when I am looking for something, especially in photos, I will run across something I forgot about or I hadn't seen for a long time.

Here is one of them. A whistling duck, taken in Magnolia Park around 2015.

Getting on with it

 The trip home was smooth as silk, and I could not have had better people to be with. Sherri and Sam are so....fantastic! The whole world is better because they are in it.

So now I am getting on with the rest of my life. It is currently very busy! I had a CT scan yesterday. I am okay. There are a few things we are checking. The truth be known, if I eat like I am supposed to and refrain from overdoing everything, it works like it should. It is like an old car; the body needs an overhaul now and then to make life worth living.

Today I got an updated driving licence. Yup, I can be on the road legally for the next two years. I also got my passport renewed.

I have access to my new apartment at Evergreen Ridge. I don't have a bed! Butch built an RV-type bed in our home, and it is queen-size and nailed to the wall. So, in my downsizing process, I ordered a bed from Amazon, and all the parts of that are here except for the mattress. It will be next week before it is here. One day at a time...I keep telling myself...one day at a time.

I have lots of good help around me, and I am so very grateful.

Tonight, as I was writing this, I experienced a big old lightning strike! It has been a long time since I heard one of those!

Home!

 It was a very quick trip to get me home. Sherri, Sam, and I left at 6:00 AM on Saturday. I told them they had a free rein in all aspects.  They took turns driving, and Sherri got the short end of the stick on that one! We hit rain near Austin, and it was heavy rain on the whole stretch. I don't know how many miles of that we had, but it seemed like forever. Sherri handled it well, VERY well! 

We were in Wichita, Kansas, by 7:00pm Saturday night. That is 800 miles in case you were wondering. We all felt pretty good, too in spite of it all. The next morning, we met up with friends of Sam and Sherri that they had not seen in 20 years. It was a great reunion for them and me. I knew the folks on a lighter level. As we played golf with them when we lived in a town near Atlantic, Iowa. We made it to Atlantic, IA, by early evening, but too late for me to take off on the last leg, a 75-mile drive to my hometown of Jefferson, Iowa. I have come a long way in a short time in my driving skills.😀

When I arrived in Jefferson, I went directly to Evergreen Ridge, my next new home. I dropped off items I had in the car that I didn't want to move twice, signed some papers, and wrote a check. I was greeted warmly by all, and it reminded me of Trophy as everyone was telling me how nice it was and assuring me I would like it. I know I will.

Jason came over to help me with several items, and we played some pool!  He was rusty, and I was not. I'm sure we will learn a lot from each other this summer.

My current bed is an RV-type bed that Butch built, so I won't be able to move it to my new home. So I have ordered a bed. It should be here on Thursday. It is not easy trying to live in two places, so I will be very happy when my new bed arrives,

I am showered and tired, ready for another busy day.

 

Iowa Bound

One more day, and I'll be on the road again with my very good friends Sherri and Sam. These are friends from Atlantic, IA, who came to look around South Texas a little bit and drive the very long distance back to Atlantic in my car, with me in it. I feel confident enough in my driving skills now to drive myself back to Jefferson from Atlantic, a distance of 75 miles. It is a familiar road, and I have driven it many times in years past.

Once I am settled in Jefferson, I assume I will have more free time. 

Ghost Town?

 To those of us who winter here and stay till April or more, it can get downright spooky towards the end. It is like you hosted a big party, and this is the day after. It really is! I have done far more cleaning up than I have all winter, and I am getting to unfinished projects that have been waiting a while. Yesterday, the whole day went by, and I waved at a few folks, but that was the most of it. I am not complaining by any means. It just is!

Sunday, friends Sherri and Sam are coming to help me make the trip north. We will have a few days to get some touristy stuff done before departure. I am excited about all of it.

I was looking at some pictures on my phone taken recently and transferred a few to my Chromebook for blog viewing.

Bill and Sandy kept their bird bath filled all season, and they got some regular users. Most noticeable was a grackle who came at least twice a day to drink and bathe.  I swear he must be the cleanest bird in the park. He is now coming to my house!

This is one of the doves who are also regulars.

Barb , Sandi and Bill at the Alamo parade. 

And next:

I wish I could take credit for this one, but I can't. Friends of ours were workcamping as gatekeepers when all of the fracking was going on, and we stopped to visit on our way north. She took this photo, and I asked her to send it to me. Being out in the wide open spaces offers a much different way of getting good photos.

That's it for now, Till next time.