Still UNpacking...

I've slacked off a bit this week in showing progress of putting my house together. That's really because I haven't done much since the Open House. WHY? Well, first of all, on Sunday, I had an allergic reaction to a drug I was taking...chills/fever/shortness of breath/wheezing...I was NOT feeling well at all. But, I'm back to normal (whatever that is for me, hey?).

I just have a few photos to show...

This is one of my dining room walls. Yup, the color really is that bright mustard. It's what it was when I moved in...hmmmm, may have to change it. At any rate, here is my 'brown dog' grouping...minus the antique dog shown in a photo of my living room. AND, that empty space is for a rug that is coming someday. It's another brown dog mat that was given to me for my birthday, but I have yet to lay my hands on it (my birthday was in February).

Here are photos of the basement where I will set up my rug hooking business. Not sure how long the basement is, but the house is about 1450 square feet, so it's a lot of basement...even just using 1/2 of it! There will be no painting of walls or floor done at this time...maybe next year...it's more important to get everything set up. That huge table came with the house...ha! It's HUGE and way too big to get up the steps! Lucky me! I can always use more table space! I have LOTS of boxes to unpack, wire cubes to put together and wool to fold/organize. YIKES! What a mess it is right now! I'm hoping to work on it a bit this weekend.

AND, here's my messy office...part of it, anyway. As you can see, I have lots of work left to do.

OPEN HOUSE

Today was my Open House! I think it went very well...23 friends/family came to help celebrate my move to the country. Travelling the greatest distance was my Mom, Ray (her husband), Aunt Bev, Uncle Babe and Great Aunt Florence, who drove down from Eau Claire (about 3 1/2 hours away). What a treat it was to have them here! Kim, as usual, was a huge help to me! Everyone loved my house (as do I), so I guess that means I can stay here! There was lots of food and a great time was had by all!

I didn't get pictures of everyone, but here are a few of my guests.

Aunt Bev and Uncle Babe...

Ray, Mom (smile!) and Great Aunt Florence...

Don and Elaine...I met E online through the collie email list about 12 years ago. At that time, they lived in Minnesota, but since have moved to Wisconsin...about 45 minutes away from me. We don't see each other often, so I am very happy that they came!

Though gifts weren't expected, I did receive some...what fun! I LOVE presents!

Thank you, everyone! A perfect day!

Still UNpacking...

YAY, I am almost all done UNpacking! My Music is all unpacked and sorted, my bedroom is almost done, the dining room is done and the kitchen just needs a few things put in place (if I can find that PERFECT place, that is). Cleaned at my apartment yesterday and broke a belt on my vacuum cleaner...so, I need to go back today and finish up. Going to be one of the warmest days, of course...temp in the 90's and high humidity. ohluckyme!

No new photos of the house today. Am sure I will have some to share after this weekend. I'm having an OPEN HOUSE tomorrow so my friends and family can see the house.

HEY, but here's a photo someone shared on the Led Zeppelin email list...it's Robert Plant with Strider, his blue merle collie boy that he had way back when. I once saw a video of Robert and his family walking through a field with Strider all grown up...would have been late 60's or very early 70's...Strider was a beautiful dog. (NOOOO, that's not why I have collies...didn't know ole Percy had ever had one until a few years ago.) "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" is a song all about Strider. You'd know it if you heard it. There's a verse that I always thought was 'there's no companion like a blue-eyed girl'...it's actually 'there's no companion like a blue-eyed merle'...guess I never paid attention to the part that Robert sings 'you're the finest dog I ever knew'. HA!

Have a great day!

Getting UNpacked...

WOW...who knew I had soooo much stuff! Holy Schmoly! Kim has been helping me get unpacked...the living room is completely set up the way I want. Here are a few photos...












The office is a mess, but that'll get all sorted out next week. Kim told me to NOT go downstairs...I guess she thinks I'll freak out when I see how much stuff I need to organize for my rug hooking (personal AND business). But, I kinda have an idea...cuz I did pack it all up...so it'll be cool. NOT! I just want to get the living areas all sorted out and stuff on the wall, etc. I am having an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, so lots to do yet before then. I organized my cd's tonight...LOTS of them. I counted the boxes left to unpack and put away, and (not counting the office or basement), there's only 5. So, that's doable! It's all coming together...YAY!

The dogs are loving it out here. Soooo much more room for all of us. Course, when I sit in my easy chair, they're all laying around it close by me, anyway! Silly pups.

I'll be sharing more photos. Tomorrow, I go back and clean my apartment...ugh.

ALL Moved...YAY!!

FINALLY, I am back online! A bit too efficient, AT&T switched my service a week early, so I had no phone and no internet access this entire past week...what a drag that was!

Sunday was moving day and things went smoothly, though one is never quite as ready as one thinks...and now I am here at my place in the country! Ohhhhh, I am loving it! I have a wee bit of experience of being in the country (friends and family)...but I gotta tell you, LIVING out here is going to be the best! AND, today I got my SSI (satellite speed internet) hooked up. Life is great!


Here's how the field of green (gold) looked earlier today. The first crop of hay is all cut and raked into huge rows!

Already tonight, they're baling...HUGE square bales of hay! I'll have to get out there and take a photo tomorrow.

Packing and MOVING!...still!

I was out at the house today unpacking a few boxes....only 8 more days until I officially move in! I am feeling so very good. I took some photos of what is in the backyard...what I see when I look out my kitchen window.

The flowers are blooming. I have no idea what these are, but they sure are pretty.












I know this is a peony...they are so beautiful. I have 4 huge peony bushes...LOVE them!


Here's the beginning of a pear...



Here's my field of green...



I feel so calm and peaceful at my new house...cannot wait to finally be there!

Packing and MOVING!

It's been a busy time for me as I am packing to move! In 11 more days, I will go from city living...an apartment in the midst of a vast neighborhood of apartments...to living in a house in the country. What could be better than that? My rug hooking business will spread out and take up as much space as I want it to in the basement.

My dogs will have room to run (safely in a fenced yard). Tag and I will be able to resume scooter training! I will definitely post photos to show our progress...injuries and all!

There will be no more traffic noise, no more horns honking in the middle of the night, no more shootings or knifings or sirens and police stand-offs. I won't awaken to people yelling outside of my window...I won't be fearful of dogs running amuk.

I will look out my window and see - instead of big apartment buildings and parking lots full of cars - fields of green (or gold).

I will be able to play my music as loudly as I like (and I do like it LOUD!).

So I ask again, what could be better than living in the country?

This is my friend, Kim, who has been helping me so much with moving...YAY, we're almost done! Without her, I definitely could not be doing this. She is my rock! Most importantly, she totally gets me (poor thing). Here's a great example of what a good friend she is...she went to the Backstreet Boys concert with me 9 years ago.

Here is my latest rug, completed in March of this year...entitled Tag E. Butt. Not my design, but I did make it my own.