HAPPY NEW YEAR

I'm back.  I think the moving knocked the blogger out of my brain and I am just coming back to life.

We are in Franklin tucked into our little house on Kendall Street.  Lots of big fixins have gone on since we bought the place a year ago.

An old house has so much charm but you have to be vigilant about leaks and old plumbing.  I think we finally have them all fixed.  We replaced the old toilet off the kitchen in the mudroom yesterday.  It's the higher new model - great for us old folks.

The best addition to our house is the fireplace stove insert.  It's pretty to look at and gives off the most wonderful wood heat.

We discovered we can store a cord of wood outside the front door in the porch area.  It's under cover and hidden by shrubs.  We have less than half a cord left of dry wood and will have to start on the "not so dry" wood before winter ends.

Bobby and I had a wonderful Christmas with all the family congregating here Christmas Eve.  Even my ex-husband Roger came and we had so much fun.  I had stockings for everyone, filled and hung over the fireplace.  Thank you dollar store.

We have a neighbor staying at the farm in Maine for the winter.  She had a nice Christmas party and we're glad to have someone keeping an eye on the place.

Bobby sold a lot to some really nice folks from New York and they will start building in the spring.  Denise and Mike will be staying in Clara's old apartment upstairs along with their three dogs.  I will get my dog fix.   Their new house will be a stone ranch and sounds quite spectacular.

I am taking water color classes and flubbing along.  Water colors are very different and a most interesting medium to work with.

Kelley and Jeff are building a house on the Bay Road, so we have been back and forth keeping track of their progress.  They hope to be in by spring.

Roger, my ex, is moving into Jon's little house on the Bay Road.  It's all spiffed up and looking really nice.  Jon made an apartment downstairs and it adds a lot of appeal to the house.

We are planning on doing the kitchen over and will start with the ceiling.  It will be a lot of work, but worth it in the end.

May will bring the grass back at the farm and that's our signal to move north for the summer.  We'll be back and forth from then on.  There will be lots of action this summer and we look forward to seeing old friends and all the folks down in the Cove when they return.

I have a new camera coming, so will be able to add more pics.  In the meantime, I'll see what's downloaded that might be of interest.

Happy trails and good health in the New Year.

New home in Franklin.  We loved the two car garage, especially last winter with all the snow here in NH.  It's nice to live in town with the grocery store and the outlet mall just down the street. 

We are four minutes from the hospital.  We timed it when I had my first gallbladder attack. 

Bobby and I each had surgery in March.  Bobby is cancer free - again.  The third time's a charm!

I still have to be careful what I eat with the gallbladder gone.  Darn!

The rhodies are in bloom and really pretty.  Bobby transplanted some lilacs from the farm. 

It's all good!

The lost has returned.

I apologize for my absence.  I have been repeatedly blocked from my gmail account.  I usually just give up and say "forget it!"

Bobby and I have been moving steadily since last fall.

We love our new home in Franklin, NH.  It's a large ranch with lots of room for all our treasures.

The farm in Maine is looking pretty good.  We are selling the lot we subdivided out instead of the farm.

Our farm was built in 1798.  No - it doesn't have granite countertops - the floors would probably cave in.  And No - it doesn't have stainless steel appliances.  They are still gun metal gray not matter what you call them.

We will leave the sign up till the contract runs out, but are happy to keep the farm in the family if we don't find a buyer.

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there.  The family came yesterday for lunch and then off to the baseball field for Tyler's play off game.  It's nice to have grandchildren involved in sports and great fun to watch them grow and improve.

The Canadian flag flies out front on our garage with the American flag on the other side.

Update on Farm and Condo

Time has slipped past me.  It took awhile to get over losing my little Gator.  He stayed with me for six weeks in my dreams.  The last time he came to me he had on his little red coat and was running in the fields with his hair flying back in the wind.  That was Goodbye.

Here we are at the farm, just back from Concord.  The condo has been sold and it's empty with the exception of a new blow-up bed.  We'll go to Concord on Thursday and finish up for the closing on Friday morning.   We enjoyed it for the time we were there but it's time to move on.

Our farm in Harpswell is for sale.  A broker is bringing a looker tomorrow morning.  We keep telling our broker that we're selling the land - the house is free.  After all, the house was built in 1797 so don't expect it to be like a new house.

Lots of exciting developments since February.  Chris and Gabby tied the knot in May in Las Vegas.  Bobby and I broke the "no fly" curse and went to the wedding in Vegas.  Quite an exciting place.  We really had a lot of fun.  

We took a trip to Nova Scotia in June for our niece Krista's wedding.  Saw my brother Phil there and we had a chance to visit.  It was a lovely wedding and we enjoyed seeing Halifax.  We stayed with Phil on the way home in Moncton.  He has moved again since then.  I think we are trying to outdo each other in the moving department.

We had an awful hot spell in the summer and ended up putting three air conditioners in at the farm.  I keep reminding folks of "global warming".  It isn't going to get any better.

Had a wonderful boat trip in August with friends Donna and Alan.  When you live this close to the water, it's a must do at least once.

Our broker convinced Bobby to keep a lot here at the farm.  We picked the best one overlooking the ocean - what a view!  We hope to have a little cottage there eventually.

New developments as they happen.

Gator Champagne Davis - 08/05/1999 - 02/12/2013 Faithful and Loyal to the End.

A week ago today I lost my best friend.  No one could ever love me as much as that dog did.  He never took his sweet eyes off me and followed me everywhere. 

When I was married last summer we were all out on the hill saying the words and I could hear Gator barking.  I almost said "Would someone let the dog out."  He would have just sat beside me quietly.  Somehow he got locked inside the house - probably when I went in to get changed.

I have shed lots of tears and am sure I will continue to do so for quite awhile. 

On a good note, my Bobby is free of cancer.  It was a long six months, lots of appointments, two surgeries and a lot of waiting around.  Thank goodness we have the condo in Concord.  Sure beats staying in a hotel. 

The farm is beautiful, even in winter.  We love the storms and don't imagine we'll go the Florida route just yet. 

Our neighbors in the cove will be coming back before you know it.  The Canadian geese have arrived.  It didn't seem like they were gone long, but maybe there were a few that never left.

Our son is having a destination wedding in Las Vegas.  We are going even though we aren't crazy about flying.  Some things you just gotta do.  

We have another wedding in Halifax this summer so we have a lot to look foward to.

Here is our favorite cardinal at the feeder. 

Columbus Day Weekend

Fall is well underway and Bobby has just mowed for the last time. 

It will be a long winter, but we have projects lined up and we'll be going south to Concord whenever we can get away. 

Bobby is having surgery for a malignant melanoma  fairly soon.  The doctor thinks it's early on, so he doesn't seem to be too worried.   We are confidant all will be well.  We just want to get it behind us.

This is Canadian Thanksgiving, so I wish all my Canadian friends a wonderful day and lots of yummy turkey and pumpkin pie. 

I joined a couple of art leagues and have taken up painting again.   It's been quite a few years so I'm not expecting to land in a museum.  I've had fun getting acquainted with all the new products available.  I've met some wonderful new friends and after all - that's what it's all about, isn't it?

We ask for your prayers in the days ahead.  I keep telling Bobby that God wouldn't drop him in my lap and then take him away so soon.   How wonderful to have found the Love of my Life in my golden years. 

Sumer in a nutshell

We have been wicked busy since the wedding.

We started moving out of my apartment in Concord and into our new condo in Concord.  Moving is not my favorite chore - you just have to keep you eye on the ball - the end result.

Bobby and I went on our honeymoon cruise - his 12th and my 1st.  We had a wonderful time and even managed to visit old friends and relatives in Halifax.  I loved having our breakfast served in the morning.  I could get used to that.

Continued moving in that God awful heat.  We have to leave Dukie, our cat, at the farm when we go to Concord, so our time is limited. 

Went to Calais/ St. Stephen for International Festival week and saw some old friends.  Visited our best man and family on the way to Calais and met the new fiancee.  Nice to have a wedding to look forward to. 

Back home for a few days and back to Concord for the countdown on the final move.   Our bedroom  furniture had been moved while we were on our way back to Maine with the dining room hutch.  We weren't sure how they fit the bedroom furniture and closet in, but everything fit just perfectly.  Allelujah!

Broom swept the apartment, locked the door and otta there.  We hired a cleaning lady for the heavy cleaning.  I just didn't have it in me.  The heat never let up. 

It was the hottest summer I remember so the swimming pool at the condo was a welcome relief.

My wonderful son-in-law came to the condo and put up cabinets, mirrors, shelves and whatever else needed to be attached to the walls.  I am so lucky my daughter married such a giving man.

We are back at the farm with a dazed look in our eyes.  We did it!!

The barn swallows left on the 22nd - the same day as last year.  We were so sad to see them go.  Thank you little swallows for keeping the farm free of mosquitos for the entire summer. 

Our replacements are out in the field, Canadian Geese.  There are about 150 of them.  They'll stick around for a couple of months before they head south.

The kids and grandkids are coming for the weekend and we have 20 lobsters on order.  Time to get into high gear and get this place in shape. 

I'm planning my quilting strategy for winter and have all my quilting supplies upstairs in Clara's old apartment.  What a perfect spot. 

We are so blessed.