Checklists & Packing & Goodbyes, Oh My!

It's only about one month until we hit the road and head west for our next adventure!  The next chapter in our life...the newest chapters to continue the story that we have been weaving for over two decades.

I have checklists galore, but I am still anxious.  I think because there are things we simply cannot do until right up to the day of loading the moving truck (oh, yeah...we are, once again, moving ourselves!), so I feel a bit like a hamster on a wheel. 

I go to work, even tho it's almost torture to sit around there while the beautiful days are happening around me!  I work on the logistics of the move that I can (setting up utilities, emailing the new landlord, checking cellphone pricing...) while my mind is spinning about the things that must wait a little bit longer.

Chris is amazing thru these sorts of things.  He is our packer!  I have all the confidence in him that we will strategically get everything we plan to take with us to Colorado fit into the 16' Penske truck on Sunday, September 8th.

I am still waiting on those who said they were buying our furniture to come forward, pick it up and pay us.  (This is part of my anxiety!)

My work is throwing me a going-away party on August 28th.  Should be fun!  I might be a bit sad...but not so much!  I might miss a bit of the routine of getting up and going to work (and getting a paycheck!!), but I don't think it will be a bother for awhile, seeing that we will have lots to keep us busy both pre-& post-move for several weeks, at least!

We went to the Lake County Fair on Saturday.  The weather was perfect!  As close to fall as I would want for a summer-time fair.  We ate our corndogs, shared an elephant ear and split "butterfly fries" with nacho cheese and bacon bits!  We strolled the animal areas, pet the newborn piglets, admired the vegetables, played our mouse game, strolled the midway and enjoyed some horse shows.  It was wonderful!!  We will head back there this Saturday at nite to experience it one last time and with everything a-glow!  Plus, we didn't get a funnel cake and there is a place selling one made with red velvet mix!  Whoa!  Gotta give that a try!!!

My days at my wonderful gym are coming to their last and I know it will be very sad my final class (which just happens to be a Hammer circuit).  I am going to miss so much of that place!!!

I want to find a place to meet up with people who would like to see us before we leave, but I can't really think of anywhere other than a bar (which doesn't entice me but might have to do).  But I don't want to just "sneak" away!  I want to see & talk & dance & enjoy our NWI peeps!

It's almost surreal that the time to move is just about here!  I pray for the 4 days of the "big stuff" (loading, 2 days of driving and unloading) to be simply beautiful weather ~ sunny, cool & dry would be ideal! 

Well, back to my checklists to see what I can work on today!!!  Otherwise, I am back to Pinterest searching out Fall and Halloween ideas! 

It's Fall...Wait! What?! It's July!!!

We are experiencing unseasonably mild temps right now.  We had a wonderful Fall weekend for the last weekend of July! 

Now, I am a Fall girl all the time; HOWEVER, since we are living at a beach, and we leave in just over a month, I do want my time in the sun at the water! 

For Saturday's Habitat painting, the cooler temps were ideal!  The windows were open, allowing in fresh air to whisk away any paint fumes, and we could wear jeans (which provided some protection to my knees which took a little beating crawling along the floors while painting base boards).  

On Sunday, while Chris started some packing, I baked Pumpkin Cranberry bread!  Mmmmm...perfect Fall flavor combo!!  We watched Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic, followed up with Hope Floats.  We drank coffee and had all the windows open ~~ I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that we wouldn't be able to find a pumpkin patch in which to walk around!  

But out we went and took a little trip into Valpo to walk around Ogden Gardens, before returning home to have a small bonfire!  

All in all, a productive, fulfilling and delicious weekend!

Habitat for Humanity

On Saturday, I accomplished one of my Bucket List items.

Chris and I, and our friend, Sandra, along with my friend, Lisa, volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity house.

It all began on the drive to the Dirty Girl Mud Run at the end of last month.  Lisa works for Habitat and during our long drive, it came up that helping out at one of the builds would be another fun group event.

We tried to arrange a weekend that worked for most, if not all of us, but nothing was jelling.  So, I just told Lisa what worked for me & Chris.  Initially, Sandra was going to be out of town, but her plans changed and she was able to join us after all.

Up like a regular workday, we grabbed some coffee at a gas station and headed west to Hammond, not really knowing what to expect, other than we would be indoors painting.

Between the 4 of us, Chris & I did the trim work and Lisa & Sandra had the walls of the 3 bedrooms.  Yep, Chris & I had the somewhat painstakingly detailed duties!  We used mud putty on the nails, taped the 3 windows and got to work painting the base boards and trim of all 3 bedrooms (to include 2 closets ~~ which for some reason had trim INSIDE around the door frame!!) plus the front and back of the 3 6-paneled doors.  Only our first bedroom allowed us to be a tad "sloppy" as Lisa & Sandra were coming after us to paint the walls.  But in the other 2, we had to be precise and careful.  Ingenious guy that he is, Chris searched out and found a piece of wood trim that he could use when painting the outside of the trim, so as not to run onto the wall paint.

At the end of our day, Chris & Lisa did a bit of painting in the kitchen, too, then we rinsed our brushes and rollers ... and ourselves a bit. 

The home's future owner was there, too, along with a friend of hers.  They were doing the trim work in the living room and along the hallway.

As we were leaving, she came to thank us and gave us a hug!

It was a fulfilling experience.  One that we plan to repeat in Colorado!!

Full Moon Carousing

Gorgeous full moon this month, Full Buck Moon, to be precise! 

On Monday (the day of the week named in honor of the Bella Luna), we walked to the beach to bask in her beauty!  We took a stroll along the water's edge while bathed in the moonlight.

Last nite, however, the weather took a bit of a turn to much cooler temps, so we decided to do what anyone in their right mind would and we headed next door for some nekkid hot tub time!  Yep, we did!!!  There was a very delicious breeze, which made being in the 102 degree temps even more inviting.

And after a really hard workout, my muscles thank me for the relaxing heat!

Tonite, if The Guys aren't yet back from their Ireland vacay, we are headed back!

Healed....Almost Back to 100%

Luna's split came off yesterday!  WooHoo!

She isn't really using her right leg...yet, so she's a bit of a tripod.  But you should see her ~~ that little girlie can move! 

Monday morning and this morning, she hid under the bed because I think she was worried that she would be put in the dreaded carrier.  Poor thing!  After once a week for the past 4 weeks, I don't blame her!  We had to chase her down yesterday. 

So, it shouldn't be too long before she tests the waters and is putting weight on the injured foot. 

But it will be another 2 weeks, at least, until we put the ladder to the loft back in place! 

A Place to Call Home....Home on the Range!

We found a rental in Colorado!!! 

After being surprisingly (and a bit disappointedly) turned down for a townhouse, I have found us an even better one!!!  Thank you, Mama Goddess!!!

We will be living, for at least our first year, in Longmont!

Two bedroom, two & a half bathroom townhome with a fireplace, washer & dryer and one-car garage.  It has an unobstructed southern view of the Range!!!  No one behind us!!!  And, the complex has a pool & gym! 

We will be able to run outdoors and do strength training in the fitness area!  Plus, we have our punching bag that we will hang!

I cannot tell you how relieved I am to have this part of the process complete!  We will now have a forwarding address! 

On to the remainder of our pretty long checklist, like getting a moving pod, ending dates for utilities, beginning dates for utilities, oil changes for our cars, brakes for Chris's car...packing.  I could go on, but I won't!

It's all great stuff and we couldn't be happier for this, our next adventure!

We MIGHT even move a week earlier than planned!

I'm so giddy!  Must be tonite's full moon!! 

Blessed be.

What to Eat Now: Watermelon

I would eat watermelon everyday if it was available! 

Not kidding!

I love, love, love it!

I picked up 2 seedless beauties the other day for only $2.99 each!

When I got home from the gym yesterday, Chris was cutting up half of one!  I could smell it when I walked in!

I had decided while at work that I would make a watermelon salad.

Here's what I threw together:

Watermelon, Tomato, Onion & Blueberries

With a little bit of balsamic vinaigrette.

I let it sit overnite in the fridge so all the flavors & juices would blend together.

I am just now trying it for my work lunch ~~ Holy Yum! 

The only thing that might make it over-the-top is some pungent cheese!!!  (Guess I know what we'll be picking up at the store this weekend...along with more almond milk!)

Happy Summer Eating!!