Happy Fall, Y'all

Since Hurricane Sandy and a low jet stream has brought us lots of wind and cooler temperatures it feels much more like fall.   Instead of high  80's with humidity, it is in the low 60's with no humidity and lots of wind.   Yeah!   I finally have all my windows open.

I decided to send a little surprise to Jeremy and our nephew, Tyler, who is in his first semester away at Moravian College.  These guys love to snack so I bought a container for each of them and filled them with the following mix:  square pretzels, mini Reese's pieces, kettle corn, Cheese Its, honey roasted peanuts, and cashews.  Yum!  Then I topped them both off with a label and a note and sent them cross country.  

Hope they enjoy their surprise.   When they've finished eating their snacks they can use the container to hold chips, or in Jeremy's case, rice or pasta.

More shipments to come,
Debbie

Here Comes Winter

When Joel and Jeremy arrived in South Dakota the area was having a mild warm up for a few days.   The guys walked around in short sleeved shirts during the day and used light jackets at night.  Well, this morning Jeremy texted me and this is what he woke up to......

Yes, during the night sleet and snow had come down.   He said it's only about 1/2", but it was enough for him to fashion a small snowball from the snow on his balcony.   He was pretty excited as he has only seen snow once before when we were in Pennsylvania at my brother's house.  I can't wait to see how he reacts to a foot or two of the white stuff!

New Beginnings,

Deb

Taking a Break

So I need to take a break from all the stress of the last two weeks.   The best way I know how to decompress is to work out in my yard.   It doesn't matter if I'm planting veggies in the garden or figuring out what new plants to put into our landscape, working in the sunshine with the breeze in my face lifts my spirits.

Recently I planted a living wreath using succulents.  I purchased a wire form online at Kinsman Gardening and lined it with sphagnum moss, then planted many different varieties of succulents to fill it in.   After letting the roots of the plants take hold for more than a week I hung it on our side gate that leads to the backyard.

Of course, the gate was kinda dreary, so I painted it a coral pink!  Then it seemed like that whole area needed just a bit more color and I pulled out 2 old purses and hung them from plant hangars and planted coleus and begonias in them.   Ok, now you're talkin'!!!

All of this is outside my sewing room studio, giving me something cheerful to look at while I work.  What do you think of it?   Joel just shook his head.....LOL.

The old gate we repurposed from up at the river was replanted with the vine (not sure if it's bleeding heart or fuschia) that we had up there and now it has gone nuts!   It is blooming like mad and looking really pretty.

Now if I could just find the time to finish planting my veggie garden.   I'm a little behind this year......gee, I wonder why?

Debbie

A Pictorial for You

Beautiful Sioux Falls

Right in the middle of the city!   Joel and Jeremy were really excited about visiting the falls in between errands.   Jeremy is so stoked about his new city and he says he loves his apartment.   Tonight the guys are having dinner with an old colleague of Joel's from our days in Kansas City.   She and her husband live 10 minutes from Jeremy now!    Amazing, isn't it?

Doing better,
Debbie

Smooth Sailing.......mostly

The trip was mostly uneventful for Joel and Jeremy, they made it to central Georgia Friday night and just south of St. Louis, Mo late Saturday night.   They got an early start Sunday and 20 minutes into their drive the truck swerved and Joel limped to the shoulder of the interstate......on a slightly mountainous curve......under a craggy cliff.   The axle on the trailer towing the Jeep broke and one of the wheels was at a 45 degree angle and rubbing and creating a lot of smoke.  

Joel called Penske who said it would be 90 minutes till they could get there so Joel called the State Troopers who were there in a matter of minutes.   At least their flashing lights would give some protection to their broken down rig.    The trooper said he couldn't stay there very long and they decided to unload Jeremy's Jeep and have Joel drive 2 exits with the broken down trailer while Jeremy and the trooper followed.   That worked well and they ended up at a truck stop and waited for Penske.   The breakdown could have been a whole lot worse and they felt they were protected by the hand of God because Joel said where they were it would have been easy for the trailer to flip.  

Their little detour cost them four hours Sunday and made it a really long, tiring day of driving.  The guys arrived in Sioux Falls late Sunday night and were welcomed by our friends who generously opened their home to two weary travelers.   They sat down to enjoy a couple of cold beers and chat.   Both Joel and Jeremy were relieved to get a good night's sleep.  

Monday morning Sue made them scrambled eggs and filled them with coffee to prepare them for the busy day ahead.   By 10am they were at the apartment complex signing the papers for Jeremy's first apartment.  But first I need to tell you how they got this apartment.   Jeremy and I had been looking online at different apartments in the southern part of the city which puts him close to his work in Canton.  We had an hour to kill Friday before Joel got home from work, so we got on the computer once again to scope out what apartments were available.   I had a list all compiled for Joel to use to weed out apartments that weren't potentials.

On a whim, I decided to call the one that was at the top of our wish list.   I spoke to Patty who is the manager there and explained that Jeremy would be moving from Florida and that we had a short window to find him a place to live.   She said that all her one bedroom units were taken until Dec. 1st.  Yikes!   Apparently the apartment availabilites were slim pickings as she said they were having the best year for rentals in 15 years.   Hmmmmm......guess a lot more people are moving to Sioux Falls.

Jeremy and I continued to call about other apartments and were about to pack the last things into the truck when our phone rang.  It was Patty.   She said that this never happens, but someone just backed out of a one bedroom........on the second story......in the building that allows dogs.......with the criteria we had given her.    Amazing!   Once again, God provided!  And it is our first choice.....

She faxed us the application and we filled it out and sent it back.   By the time the guys were getting into the truck on Friday, she had called us back and said he had been approved and he could move in on Monday.   So that's exactly what they did......by noon Monday Joel had hired two guys to help lift the furniture and boxes and they completely emptied the truck by midafternoon.   Joel and Jeremy returned the truck and began unpacking boxes.

So now Joel can leave Wednesday knowing Jeremy is in a great apartment in a safe neighborhood close to shopping and entertainment and the church he hopes to attend.  There is even a washer/dryer in his unit.  He has a balcony and says he intends to buy a small grill so he can cookout all year long.   He will have parking in the underground garage so he won't even have to dig his car out of the snow to go to work every day.
Whew!    What a crazy couple of days!

Worrying less,
Debbie

Two Thumbs Up!

I tried to type this post all weekend, but just couldn't make myself do it.   Saying goodbye to Jeremy was just too fresh a pain in this mama's heart.   But I'm feeling a little better today and decided this morning to finally look at the last pics I took as Joel and Jeremy were preparing to leave our house.

Friday after work, both guys got into comfortable traveling clothes while I packed a cooler full of snacks for them to take in the truck.  Jeremy loaded a couple last minute items in the Jeep and we all tried our best to avoid what was coming next.  Saying this kind of goodbye is new to us as Jeremy has lived with us his whole life, even when he went to school.

First I got a picture of the traveling duo in front of the trailer.   Then, it was Joel's turn behind the camera to get one last shot of Jeremy and I together.

I tried my best not to cry......I think we all did, but that didn't work very well.  Jeremy's dog, Winston, didn't know what all the fuss was about and he just stood quietly while Jeremy loved on him one last time.   At some point in the future, we will either take Winston out there or Jeremy will come and get him.  But for now, Jeremy has enough on his plate getting settled and starting a whole new life in a whole new part of the country.

We couldn't avoid it any longer, the guys really needed to get on the road.  We had one last group hug while Joel prayed as we hugged each other and quietly sobbed in our front yard.  They loaded the cooler and their cell phones into the truck cab and clicked their seat belts and I got one final "thumbs up" from them both just before they pulled out.

Watching them drive off was one of the toughest moments I've had in a very long time.

Now all three of our kids are off in the world making their own way.   I"m really proud of all of them, but I'm sure most moms will agree with me that it's really hard letting go.  Now it's time for Jeremy to find his own way and see what the world has to offer.

And now what?   I'm not really sure!  It hasn't sunk in yet that Joel and I will be alone for the first time in our 27 plus year marriage.  I am still really busy with Pink Florida Threads, but there is a hole here and I'm not quite sure that I should fill it just yet.   One thing is certain, the next year is going to be very interesting for Jeremy AND Joel & I!

See what happens,
Debbie

Today's the Day

Well, today is the day that Jeremy and Joel take off for South Dakota.  I have very mixed emotions about them leaving.  I'm really excited for Jeremy's new adventure but every mama gets a little nervous when their kids fly a little too far away from home.   At least Joel is going with him and I know that he will make sure Jeremy gets settled in before returning to Florida.

In my spare time (Ha!) I have been trying to think of things to send with Jeremy that would let him know how much we all care about him.   Last week I tore the two pages of South Dakota out of our old car atlas and glued them together.   Then, I had the guys at Michael's cut a mat to fit around the map and bought a frame that fit the whole piece.  At Jeremy's going away party we had the guests sign the mat and on the map itself so Jeremy would be able to read well wishes from his friends and family.  Now he'll have at least one piece of "art" to hang on his new apartment walls!

Joel has been so busy that he has left all the details up to me.   So, I printed out their trip on mapquest and arranged his flight back home.   Getting from Sioux Falls to Tampa is not exactly a direct flight!  And I've been researching apartments in Sioux Falls, making lists for Joel so they know which ones to check out.

This was our living room and foyer just before the movers arrived to load the truck.   Now it's all neatly packed and secure and ready for the guys to launch after work!

Our mover dudes have moved us many times over the years and I was relieved when they showed up and started loading the truck.  If you live in Pinellas and need an awesome mover, call Lance's Moving, you won't regret it.   It would have taken us a day to load the truck while they got it done in one hour and twenty minutes, including loading Jeremy's Jeep on the trailer!

A lot of our family and friends have been egging me on and asking what I have planned for Jeremy's room.   Well, I have a few ideas, but for now it's going to remain empty.   I'd like to repaint the walls in his bedroom and bathroom and his carpet needs to be replaced.   After that, who knows?  I do (confession time now) have my eye on a longarm quilt machine that would fit nicely in there.  But that is going to have to wait a year or two.  And just in case he decides to come back to Florida, I think Jeremy's room will stay empty......you know, just in case......

Zero days left,
Sigh,
Debbie

Whirlwind

Oh, man!   Our week started off pretty busy.   I've been saving things for when Jeremy would move out into his own apartment.    And when Madalen closed up her house, I added a lot of her things to the bins.   Yesterday I brought all the bins into the house and ran all the dishes, etc. thru the dishwasher so I could pack them for the trip west.   Then I made a list of things I thought Jeremy might need to set up basic housekeeping and scrounged most of those items from duplicates I already had here in our house.

Joel and I made a quick trip out last night and picked up a couple of things to check off my list and I finished packing them this morning.    Sunday after the party, Joel and Jeremy picked up a chair-and-a-half and a coffee table from Jarrad.  Guess that'll be his living room for now!    While they were there, Jarrad gave Jeremy all his cold weather gear from when Jarrad lived in Colorado.   That should help!   All those clothes had to be washed and I got that done yesterday as well.

Now Jeremy has to finish organizing his bedroom so we can start packing all his clothes and his desk and important papers.  I hope I reserved a big enough truck!   The stack of boxes is growing.   Of course, kitchen stuff is always a huge pile, and once his clothes are packed, there shouldn't be much more to add to the pile........I hope!

Three days and counting,
Debbie

Par-tee!

Yes, we managed to put together a going away party with just 3 days of planning.    Jeremy's friends and our family came to our house Sunday to wish Jeremy well and send him off.

We just had to pose for one last family pic because who knows when that will happen again!  Jarrad is in the back, Joel and my mom and I are in the middle row and Julie is sitting with Jeremy.

And what's a party without a cake?    A Publix cake, of course.   And candles that won't blow out, of course!

Some of Jeremy's friends hamming it up outside.

I love having a pic of my three kids.   Hmmmmm.......when did they grow up?    It all seems to have happened much too fast.

I really wanted to make the party special, even if it happened fast.   So, I put on my creative hat and came up with this sign to help guests find out house.   Jeremy did his best to strike the famous pose from the American Gothic picture with a farmer and his wife posing with a pitchfork.

 He could hardly keep a straight face..............he just kept getting the giggles.

It's going to awfully different around here after Jeremy leaves and more than just a little lonely for me.   But I know he is really excited to start off on a new adventure and Joel and I are happy for him.

After the party, Joel and Jeremy hooked up the trailer and went to Jarrad's to retrieve some furniture that Jarrad was donating for Jeremy's apartment.  Our crazy busy day ended with a picture perfect sunset.

Four days and counting,
Debbie

Tearful

This is a hard one..........Joel and I are still reeling because Jeremy has decided to take a new job........which means he will be moving out of our house...........to another state.......far, far away.   Earlier this week he accepted a job in South Dakota and will be moving there in 6 days!  

We have been very busy tying up loose ends with him, everything from banking to packing.  Yesterday Jeremy emptied our garage of all the steel he had accumulated from various welding projects.  He also had to take back all the compressed gas tanks since he wasn't going to take them with him.

Tomorrow we'll have a Going Away Party for Jeremy so he will have a chance to say goodbye to his friends and family.  We're all really excited for his new adventure, but it's a little difficult knowing he will be so far away.   You all know how I feel about plane rides, and it takes 2 or 3 planes to get to his new home, depending on the airline used.   Guess I had better get used to it!

And most of all, we're going to miss the little moments like this...............
Deb

It's Done!

Finally!   Our back deck at the river is now enclosed in screen and the screen door is on.   It took months while we waited for the inspectors to approve each step.   Joel and l have been going up to the river the last three weekends to do little odds and ends and now we can sit on the porch in our rocking chairs and enjoy a  cup of coffee.

One of the last steps was installing plywood over the existing decking and staining it.   It took a week for that stain to dry because of the daily deluge of rain which made it remain very humid.   Next time we go up there, we'll put the brand new slatted rocking chairs on the porch for the first time.   Now I have another "room" to decorate!  Yippee!

We also installed roll down shades to help keep out the rain, shield our eyes from the rising sun and give us a bit of privacy if we choose.    Billy, our helper dude, pulled out the knock out roses that had seen better days and installed these easy care shrubs instead.    They'll look really pretty against the tan lattice as they grow taller and bush out.

In this picture you can see a portion of the green stain we used on the floor.  

I just like how welcoming the porch looks now with the roof and the screen enclosure.   We barely used this deck before and now I think it will be our "outside" living room.

One of my favorite parts of the whole project, though, is the screen door.   My buddy, Eb, lives at the campground.   Eb knows everyone for miles around and when I told him how I had spotted an old fashioned screen door on a crumbling cabin that was falling into the river and that I would love to have it, he found a way to get it for me!  

 I left the original green paint on the outside(it actually matches our metal roof) and the inside paint is really faded out to a soft blue.   The patina would be hard to duplicate by painting and I love that this door has a history to it.   And I will always look at it with great affection for the time and effort Eb took to retrieve it for me.  We put a spring on it so it slams when you let it go and each time it slams I am reminded of the screen doors of my youth.  

What a great memory,
Thanks Eb!
Debbie

"C" Wednesday

Ummmmm........you'd have to read my other blog, www.pinkfloridathreads.blogspot.com , for this to make sense.   On Monday I posted there that I had sewed in my jammies all day, proclaiming the day Pajama Monday.    Well, I am proclaiming Wednesday, Colonoscopy Wednesday.   Yeah, not nearly as fun as Pajama Monday, but still pretty important.

If you're over 50, you oughta have one..........a colonoscopy, that is.   Every 5 years.    Yup!    The prep is most definitely not fun, but colon cancer is a lot less fun, and it's detectable, and can be taken care of if it's caught early.

So, why not have your own Colonoscopy Wednesday?   It might just save your life.

Just sayin',
Debbie

Billboard

We saw this on a billboard as we were driving home from the river last weekend:

Available now:

God's Long Term Healthcare Plan

Psalm 67:1-6

Look it up,

Deb