A Visit with S2

S2 moved into his apartment last week. Filled up his car with his worldly possessions and went to live in apartment with tiny rooms. The next day husband and I went up with other items and took him out to dinner. The apartment is small. His room holds everything but barely. But it barely is still good and it looks fine and will look better when items are on the walls.

A metaphor for life

It took me over a month to get our school field trip schedule to the library sorted out. We go once or twice a month. I started the process in late July and got final confirmation yesterday. For teachers, school started today. It was down to the wire.

The past week has been like that. Projects are moving along but slowly. But at least they are moving. I have started shipping things to Hawaii. US mail seems to be the cheapest. To pack and mail a record player, records and a wall hanging the store- where men in brown shirts pick up packages- want $375 to mail everything. So far US mail has charged $20 to mail half of the albums.

Maybe the pace of life is slowing down a bit. Might not be a bad idea to embrace it.

Updates

The rice kind of worked with the cell phone. I can call out but cannot text or receive calls. S2 has given me his old phone and I'm having husband go to the phone place and transfer the number.

The flooring is all in the 3rd bedroom/guest room as of this morning. And it looks beautiful.

S1 has found a roommate and an apartment. Thanks to google earth I know what kind of a neighborhood it is in. Am wondering if the apartments next door have been fixed up since the google people drove by and if those cars are still in the tall surrounding grass.

S2 is in his apartment and seems to be happier than he/we thought he might be. The new roommates are nice and he has settled in nicely.

I have a pile of stuff that goes back to school on Thursday - meeting day. My plans for the first 2 months are finished and the field trip to the orchard has been scheduled.

I put my

cell phone through the washer last night with the load of towels.

Sigh.

I can see the moving van

through the trees at the house down the street. The retired couple is moving to Georgia to be close to family and we are getting new neighbors from? I do hope that there are children. It will keep the street from aging too much.

We moved here when the boys were 5 and 3. Our area in Florida was increasingly no place to raise children. Home invasions had happened twice within an eighth of a mile of our house, the one neighbor was beating up her husband, children (except for mine) stayed indoors and people didn't answer their doors. Only curtains moved, letting you know that someone was watching. An older couple came to the door one day taking a survey and told me that the neighborhood creeped them out.

So we moved our little family 13 hours north. Rented a uhaul and then put a small trailer on that. Then gave away the rest of the stuff.

Husband, S2 and my father-in-law drove the truck while I drove the minivan filled to the brim with household stuff, a 5 year old, my mother-in-law and two unhappy kitties. We lived with my brother-in-law and his family for a few days and then on to our tiny town to a new life. Lots of changes. It snowed after we moved in. My children wore plastic bags on their feet tied around the ankles so they could play with new friends outside. Kindergarten was now full day.

But it was a good move. No helicopters out with search lights at night. Neighbors spoke and stayed outside to do lawn work and play.

I hope that the new family enjoys their move as much as we enjoyed ours.

Thank you

for the messages of condolence.

Our Corn Patch

seems to be doing quite nicely so far. I guess the proof will be when we eat them but everything is looking fine now.

Husband is in charge of this plot. He took out the old, half dead, some dead azaleas and decided to plant corn. The ground was actually quite fertile and there have been no growth issues. A perfect use of space.

I have drawn a map of that side of the property. It is not to scale but gives you some idea of the layout of the place.

Today we cried

The minister spoke of love and the responsibility of comforting each other. The young man's aunt sang a song that came into her head Friday morning. She wrote the words and music and it was absolutely lovely.

And he is gone

on to the next part of his life.

27th anniversary - sculpture

At least that is the way that I choose to look at it:-).

This photo

is bittersweet. S2's best friend/roommate took his own life this morning. A very nice and funny guy. It breaks my heart.

Overwhelmed

was the word that started off the week.

After driving/being in a car for 13 hours, we got home at midnight Saturday night. But something wasn't right. The new refrigerator didn't look right in the kitchen. Seemed to be a bit bigger than I thought it would be. But then it was a gray look, not white so . . .

They delivered the wrong refrigerator.

Sigh. That problem has been taken care of.

But then there was a cat odor from the upstairs spare bedroom. Actually it smelled like a cat box. Like one that was full and I had stuck my head into.

OH MY WORD!!!!

It looked/smelled like Heinz had used the carpet at the beginning of the week. And #1 son didn't notice as he spent most of his time downstairs. And as he says - I cleaned the litter box Mom.

As of yesterday the carpet has been ripped up and taken to the dump. Flooring has been bought. But not the original that I had looked at on Monday. The price quoted on Monday was $256. The price in the written estimate was $1119. A wee bit of a difference.

So I went back to place that cannot deliver correct frig and bought much cheaper flooring. It is tongue and groove but each piece has to be glued down. I guess because it is kind of thin?

Anyway, I am painting the room today a soft teal. And will be painting the trim. And calling the manufactuer of the flooring to answer the questions that developing.

Did I mention that S1 leaves Saturday for Hawaii. Maybe this mess is a blessing in disguise. Does keep my mind off of his leaving. But on the other hand I think that I want to be spared more of these kind of blessings :-).

Wishing us all a peaceful day.

24 hours and 700 miles ago.

Goodbyes were said and promises made to get together again next year.

The new head gardener here

at the compound is a 75? year old woman. The gardens look better than ever and she has started a composting program which a few of us were lucky enough to have her give us a talk this morning.

I have drawn a partial diagram with notes. Also have included some photos. Sorry for the short post but dinner is in 15 minutes. Tonight we are celebrating a birthday of a friend. Should be fun.

Blueberry Picking Time

 

 

 

 

The berries seem smaller this year. But still just as delicious. Will probably go back and get more. I picked in the drizzle which kept any crowds down and the picking itself was quite enjoyable.

We treated ourselves to breakfast at the lodge this morning. Peach muffins, omlets made with farm fresh eggs, vegies out of the garden, coffee and juice. I love going out for breakfast more than any other meal. Just sets the day off right.

So, we are back in the land of mice.

But this year you can add bear to it(haven't seen one yet, but the dumpster for the place is locked with chains now:-). And there was whatever tipped over our empty trash can last night. Bella never barked so your guess is as good as mine.

We have never stayed in this particular cabin before and have been really enjoying the room. We could certainly handle a smaller one, but it is nice for the 3 of us and Bella to have some elbow room.

Husband has pulled a muscle in his back (getting out of one of the rundown chairs here yesterday. Should be more up and around tomorrow. At least he can now get up by himself. S2 injured his foot. I'm the only one who is healthy.

On the plus side we have had wonderful dinners here. I went canoeing by myself this morning. Bella loves everyone (and so far everyone loves her - well almost - the pit bull mix a few cabins up is a tough one to crack and as he didn't like her last year either I don't hold out hope for this week.) The annual visit to the local thrift shop has been made.

All of the families are here - minus a few adult children. Which will become more of the norm here. S2 and one of the friends will be going to college together in the fall (her first year, his third) so lots of talking about college and poring over her class schedule. For 5 families that only see each other once a year for a week or so our children have become quite close.

These are the photos of the interior of this years cabin. This afternoon I laid on the sofa and while petting Bella and absentmindedly throwing a ball for her, I redecorated the place in my head :-).