One Week from House Closing Day!

 I hope this post finds everyone in good spirits!  I am wrapping presents today and playing some Christmas Carols.  I need to get a little more Christmas spirit going on in here.  

One week from today I close on my new home.  I am excited but also a little nervous.  This will be the second house I have bought alone.  It is just a little nervewracking for me.  I guess that is to be expected.  It also brings up the fact that this is not the course I thought I would be taking right now, but it is what it is.  I am getting very excited to be out of my apartment and in a home again.  I want to paint, decorate and enjoy having a home again to love and take care of.  Over the weekend I went to Pike's Nursery to spend some of the Christmas money my Mom gave me.  I bought a Lenten Rose for the new house.  I also bought myself a new Christmas Cactus, lemon thyme, and a cyclamen.  I think I'm giving the cyclamen to my sister, Sue for Christmas though.  I bought a beautiful pottery pot to put it in and that would be a perfect gift for her.  I also bought her a mug that says JOY on it and some tea.  

The movers come on the 20th to move me from the apartment to my new home.  After the closing on the 18th, I'm going to take some boxes, my clothes, small pieces of furniture over to the new house.  I will also do that on the 19th and get my kitchen all set up.  My realtor said she hopes the refrigerator will be delivered to the new house in time.  The builder waited to the last minute to order it.  If not, I will just use my big cooler with ice until it is delivered.  I can keep things in the apartment freezer until it comes in, I have the apartment until the 30th.  I have all the furniture I need except for a coffee table.  I am thinking about building my own.  Just a simple one, but I am more than capable of doing that.  I have also been looking on FB Marketplace.  I might go down to the antique mall in Concord and look there also.  I'm going with a farmhouse/country theme in the new house.  Pretty much what I have been doing all along.  

I was able to have lunch and visit with Mason, Scott's son yesterday.  We got through lunch without mentioning his father.  Then we came back to the apartment.  Mason told me some things about his Dad, we both got upset and cried.  I just hope Scott keeps getting the help he needs.  It is a shame that things turned out the way they did, but I guess as they say that is life.  Mason told me his father will let me come over to the house after Christmas and get my patio furniture, my gas grill, step ladder, rototiller, gardening things, painting things, circular saw and sanding equipment.  I was so afraid I was going to have to fight for my things.  Mason is going to load up his truck after Christmas and bring them to my house.  He is such a good young man.  I'm glad we are going to stay in touch.  

Well I'm off to wrap and pack!  I hope I don't need to get more boxes.  I'm hoping to get by with what I have.  Everyone have a wonderful day!  Stay warm and enjoy the sunshine if that is what you have in your area!

Sherri

Things are moving along!

 I hope this post finds everyone doing good.  With Christmas fast approaching, I am sure we are all very busy.  I just thought I would stop by today and update everyone on things.

My closing on the new house is set for 12/18 at 9:00 a.m.  That is less than 2 weeks away!  I have the movers all set up for the 20th.  I wanted to give myself a few days to move some of the smaller things over by myself.  I'm trying to keep the moving fees down.  I've been on the phone with Spectrum also about my cable and internet being started over at the new house.  There is certainly alot of things to change over.  Next I will have to contact the post office of the new address.  I have some things to pack up, not as much as I usually have though.  I have only the minimum of things here at the apartment, but together I guess it adds up.  

I had a very nice Thanksgiving in NJ.  I will be going back up to NJ for Christmas.  I don't want to be alone and my sister, Sue and my Mom are happy I am coming back up.  I won't go if the weather turns though.  Hopefully it will just be the same as it was at Thanksgiving.  

I have all my Christmas shopping done, except for my sister, Sue.  I'll need to run out and get something small for her.  I have to wrap all the presents I have for the boys and Jenny.  I will see them on the 22nd down in Lake City.  I will only go for the day though.  It will be good to see them and exchange gifts!

Well that is about all I have right now.  Better get back to writing my Christmas cards out.

Everyone have a lovely day and holiday season.  I don't know if I'll make it back here before the holidays with the move and everything.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Sherri

New Beginnings!

 I hope this post finds everyone well!  I am doing better than I was.  The break up with Scott took alot more out of me.  I have had my pitty party but I am trying to start anew.  My lease in my apartment is up in February, so I thought I better start looking at homes in the area.  I found one and made an offer.  Well it wasn't meant to be because my clever realtor found 2 old right of ways on the property and someone could have put 2 driveways on either side of my house.  One would only be 20' off the side of the house.  Oh, that would not work!  I thank God for my realtor everyday, she is wonderful and we have become friends.  Then I looked at a new ranch house in Rockwell, NC.  This house is 12 minutes from where I live now.  It's a cute little town.  I made the offer last week and the builder accepted!!  I am supposed to close on 12/18, but it might close sooner.  I am so happy that things are looking up!  Here is a photo of the house:

I just love this house!  It is easy for me to manage and now I can decorate to my heart's content again!  I have missed having my own house.  I will be moved in before Christmas, so I'll be able to decorate a little.  I bought a 4' tree, which is more manageable for me than the 7' one I had in my house in SC.  I will have a Living Room, Kitchen, Eating area, 2 full baths, 3 bedrooms, laundry room, lots of closets, the Master Bedroom closet is huge and a 2-car garage!  The house is about 1,500 sf so that is just the perfect size for me!  It is all on one level too, which is awesome!

I've already decided after things calm down, I'm going to get a dog.  I really miss having a dog.  Even though I know Emma and Ginger are well taken care of, it has been hard not having a dog of my own. They make good companions. 

I have already drawn some rough sketches of gardens I want to plant and things I want to do with the outside.  Mason, Scott's son is going to bring my patio furniture, 2 rocking chairs and my grill down to me from their house after I move in.  He is so good to me, just like a son.  He said he is going to visit alot once I move.  He misses talking to me and hanging out with me.  We always gardened together too.  There isn't any reason we can't continue to do that at my new house.  

I will be leaving on Wednesday to go to my sister, Sue's for Thanksgiving.  My Mom lives with her.  It will be good to be with family again.  I'm staying for a week this time.  I will be seeing some of my friends while I'm there.  It will be good for me!  When I get back it will be pack up time!  Atleast I don't have to purge anything, I did that when I moved up from SC!  That is one plus!

The job I mentioned and thought I had, didn't pan out.  That is ok, I will find another part time job that will be even better!  The other job would have been very stressful, commercial construction always is.  Things always happen for a reason.

Well I'm going to get some lunch now.  Everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving and say your thanks on that day for everything good in your life!

Sherri

I Guess All Good Things Must Come to an End.

 Good Morning Everyone!  I hope this post finds you all good.  I am having a really bad week.  On Sunday, I broke up with Scott.  I am not putting this on FB or Instagram, but he started about 1.5 months ago gambling quite a bit.  He is also taking alot of CBD gummies with THC in them and is in a fog most of the afternoon.  His whole personality has changed.  I'm not going to go into a whole lot about this, but I will say it had become very toxic and he said he doesn't have a problem.  When people don't see they do, they won't get better.  There were alot of other reasons I'm not going to get into, but I am better off alone than put up with that.  I am still at my apartment in Salisbury.  I have it until February, when my lease is up.  I will be looking for a place down in the Mint Hill, NC area.  I really loved living down there.  I'll keep everyone informed about my new place.

When something like this happens, you realize how many friends you have and I have to tell you they have been coming out of the woodwork to tell me I am loved.  This means more to me than anything!  I want to thank those of you that have reached out to me.  Sometimes you just realize you can't fix something and you have to take care of yourself.  

On a good note-Monday thru Thursday I went to NJ.  I stayed at my sister, Sue's house where my Mom lives.  We went out to lunch on Tuesday and had a great time.  Wednesday, Sue and I went to Home Goods and walked around.  It was so nice to have some fun for a change.  I am going back up for Thanksgiving and staying about a week.  This time I am going to visit with alot of my NJ friends.  That is always a good time!  I will go back up for Christmas also but not stay a whole week.  I have been asked to interview for a construction assistant job, which could be part time or full time.  I hope I get it!  I go to talk to them on Wednesday.  

Well that is my tale of woe.  I am in a much better place now.  I know I am worth something more than I was when I was with Scott.  It is hard when you love someone and they just start taking a wrong path, but you have to know when to say enough.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Sherri

Fall Has Arrived in Salisbury!

Well everyone I think we can officially say Fall has arrived!  The leaves are changing different colors, the mornings and evenings are cooler and sometimes really cold.  Produce at the farm stands have changed to pumpkins, squashes and other Fall items.  The cider this year has been wonderful!

Scott and I made a really quick trip up to PA to deliver his nephews John Deere tractor Scott sold him.  It was so beautiful looking at the fall folliage on the way up and back.  I love PA's old stone homes and there were alot in the area we were in.  Here are some photos of the folliage:

Route 81 VA

Double Rainbow in PA

I have been doing alot of baking.  I love baking in the Fall.  I've made alot of cookies, pies, breads.  Here are some cookies and a pie I made:

Apple Pie

Thumbprint cookies with cherry jelly.

I decorated the apartment a little more with 2 paintings of pumpkins I painted a few years ago.

This is done in acrylic paint.  I took a class in Waxhaw, NC.

This pumpkin I painted with watercolors.  

I also found some beautiful Fall colored roses at Harris Teeter to decorate the apartment with.

Last Friday I took a day trip down to SC to see my daughter, Jenny and my grandsons, Owen and Jack.  We had such a good time!  We had lunch out, I saw Jack's new little pig, Biscuit, we did some antiquing and shopped in a few of the other shops in Lake City.  

Jack (left) and Owen (right)

Biscuit-Jack's piglet

Owen having fun at the Mexican restaurant in Lake City.

Zinnia blooming in Jenny's garden.

The scenery going to SC and at Jenny's was beautiful.  The area is harvesting cotton now and it was everywhere.  

Cotton Field before Harvest.

Cotton field up close.

Beautiful barn on the way to SC.

This is the field behind Jenny's house.  There is a large herd of black angus cows back there.  I love to watch the baby cows playing when ever I visit there.

I guess the final news I have is I finally finished knitting my Habitation Throw!  This is monumental for me.  I started this throw on the very first day of chemo 4/2022 and then I completed it a few days ago.  Every time I had chemo and when I was resting at home, I would work on this throw.  I didn't think I would ever get it done but I did.  All the yarn was bought from Heidiandlana.com.  I belong to the Patreon club and I get a mini skein every month with a stitch marker.  I used the mini skeins to make this and in between I used the solid color farmhouse.  I had such a wonderful time knitting this.  Here are some photos:

Full Habitation Throw before washing and blocking.

I folded the throw so you could see it up close.

Well that is all I have today!  I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather and Fall.  Everyone take care!

Sherri

Fall Has Begun!

 Hi Everyone!  I hope you are all doing ok.  I have a terrible head cold right now.  I am starting to feel better but it is very annoying.  I have been napping alot and resting.  I also have been drinking lots of water to flush it out.

Well after the Texas trip we were home for 10 days and then we left for Missouri for Scott's son, Ben's Army MP training graduation.  We stopped in Tennessee one of the nights on the way to Missouri and stayed with our friends, Troy and Karen.  They have a lovely home and we had such a nice visit.  Then we got up and left for Missouri.  We had Lilli, Ben's girlfriend with us too.  We spent one whole day with Ben for Family Day and then the next afternoon was graduation.  It was a very nice ceremony.  Right as soon as the graduation was over we left for home.  We drove straight thru (14.5 hours)!  Scott drove most of the way.  I drove for about 4-5 hours so he could sleep.  I think that is why we are both sick with this head cold.  The temperatures have changed and we were run down.  I have been sick for about 4 days now.  Here are some photos from the graduation:

A visit to the PX on Family Day.

Graduation Day

The Arch in St. Louis Missouri

The Ohio River

There is definitely Fall in the air here in Salisbury.  The leaves are dropping/changing color, the air is crisper and it smells like Fall.  I decorated the apartment a little with a few pumpkins and some grasses and feathers but that is it.  Oh and I put a nice Fall wreath on the door.  I usually go all out, but truthfully alot of my things are packed away or I gave them away when I moved.  I still have been buying lovely roses at Harris Teeter-see below:

Pretties for this week.

I have felt like knitting too, so that is a sign Fall is here.  I love knitting in the Fall!  I wound some yarn yesterday-see below:

There is about 4 different projects right here all aready to go!

With not feeling good that is about all I have today.  Off to get some homemade chicken soup I made the other day, rest and relax!  Everyone have a good rest of the week!

Sherri

Where did the summer go!

Hi Everyone!  I hope this finds you well.  I have had a whirlwind summer for sure!  It started out doing things around Salisbury with Scott, finally closing on my house in SC, going to Waco, Texas, having the Shingles (which I still have) and on Sunday we leave for Missouri to pick up Ben from his Army training.  Time just flew by!

Scott and I have been taking apples and corn up to the property for the deer.  The does had a abundance of babies this year and it has been dry up there, we decided they needed some treats.  The second batch of apples (475 lbs to be exact) fermented a bit.  We caught a group of bear drunk on the fermented apples on the trail cam.  We had a good laugh about that!  They just layed there after eating themselves silly on fermented apples. The deer seemed fine.  Here is a photo:

Bear drunk on fermented apples up at the property.

My house finally closed in SC.  The couple buying the house are so nice.  I met them at the closing.  I am so glad they bought the house and have many happy years there.  That chapter of my life is now closed.  I am ready for new adventures.

Scott was going to hunt below Eagle Pass in Texas for Nilgai Antelope and Axis Deer.  He had this planned since April.  He asked if I wanted to go but wasn't sure where I would stay.  I told him if he dropped me off in Waco, Texas I'd be happy.  I always wanted to go to Magnolia there.  Well Magnolia wasn't what I expected but I found (thanks to my friend, Lori) the Heritage Craft Center.  I loved it there.  It is a small little village with all sorts of crafts like weaving, knitting, spinning, woodworking, grinding flour and grits at the gristmill, a blacksmith shop, potter shop, general store, etc.  The buildings were beautiful stone and the inside had exposed beams, wood, etc.  I loved it there.  I bought some yarn (of course), a handmade stitch marker, soap, loose tea, 2 mug mats, and a woven coaster.  It was so nice there and the people were so friendly.  I had to take an Uber there.  That was a first for me!  Her are some photos:

Grist Mill at Heritage Craft Center, Waco, TX.

Grinding Flour.

Yarn and pattern I bought at the Craft Center.

Handmade soap.

Loose tea (Cream Earl Grey), 2 Mug Mats, 1 Woven Coaster and a handmade Stitch Marker.

Beautiful woven coverlets at the Heritage Craft Center.

I loved this!  Woven hand towel.  Those bees are beautiful!

I bought this cute bag in South Carolina at The Mercantile for Waco.  It is a Myra Bag and I love it!

While in Waco, my 2 friends, Lori and Jacquie came for 1.5 days to visit me.  I couldn't wait to see them and we had so much fun together!

Blackberry Mojito at Hotel Indigo.  It was so good!

Me on the left, Lori in front on the right and Jacquie behind Lori on the right.

I bought a few things at Magnolia but not alot.  Below is what I bought.

Such a pretty flower pot from Italy.

Even though I had a million mugs, I had to get another one!

I always wanted a wax seal set.  This one is so nice!

Scott got the Nilgai Antelope and the Axis Deer.  The Axis Deer gave him a run for his money.  He is having both heads mounted and both hides tanned.  The Axis Deer has beautiful spots and markings down it's spine.  Can't wait to see that all done up.  

I have been seeing some beautiful sunrises and cloud formations on my trips to the closing in SC and while we were on our way to Texas.  See below:

Moon-Salisbury, NC

Beautiful cloud formation-Louisiana

Sunrise on my way to SC for my house closing.

We saw the Mississipi River and a beautiful lake on the way to Waco.

A lake in Louisana.  The cypress knobs were huge as well as the cypress trees.  Such a beautiful lake.  Can't remember the name though.

Mississippi River

We have gone up to the property a few times to work up there and take apples and corn to the animals.  Fall is definitely evident up there.

Apples and corn (in the bags) for the animals.

Graded trail.  Scott bought a scrape blade for his tractor and it worked really good on all the trails.  This part of the trail was so rutted and washed out from the rain.  It is all smooth now.

I had never seen kudzu bloom.  The blossoms were so wonderful smelling.  I know kudzu is a nuisance but it's flowers and scent are delightful!

Leaf strewn trail up at the property.

Scott on his John Deere Tractor scraping the trails.  It is a long process, but the results is wonderful!

Leaves turning up at the property already.  Fall is on the way!  I look forward to cooler temps for sure!

Before we left for Texas, Scott went to the gun range and made sure his Lapua rifle was ready. I also shot his Legend Rifle and did well with that.  A bull's eye and one slightly below the bull's eye when I shot the Lapua and I was pretty close on both shots for the Legend.  Annie Oakley look out LOL!!

There have been 4 new additions to Scott's family.  4 pullet chickens.  They are a little scared but are warming up every day.  Can't wait to get fresh eggs from them.

4 Sexlink pullet chickens at Scott's.

My beautiful Cafe au Lait Dahlia bloomed right before I left for Texas.  It is so pretty!

Cafe au Lait Dahlia.

Well I think I have caught you all up to speed except the details about my Shingles outbreak.  The Sunday before we left for Waco I thought I got bit by ants on my underarm (right side).  There were bites and then blisters.  Well that wasn't what it was-it was SHINGLES!  I was so miserable on the way to Texas and on the way back.  I went to the Dr. the day after I got back and he prescribed a few meds and it make sit bearable.  I have to tell you they are so painful and unconfortable!  Last night I had a rough night, so today I am not doing anything at all.  Just resting and sleeping.  I don't wish these on anyone!  I will be able to have the vaccine in May and I will definitely be doing that.  I wasn't able to have it before because of chemo.  Now that I have had the shingles, I have to wait 6 months to have the vaccine.  Everyone should have the vaccine if they can so they don't have to go thru this!

Well I'm signing off now!  I'm going to rest and a nap sounds good about now.  Everyone take care!

Hugs,

Sherri