Our bungalow is our home.

....and so we have arrived - in our adorable, cozy, comfortable bungalow.  We are very happy and feel so blessed to be here.  The actual move was fast and orderly.  We had lots of help and we had a lot done and set up before the final moving day.
We fed everyone well - subways and donuts at noon time and five large assorted topping pizzas at 4:00.  By 5:00 our home quieted down as folks left - we made our bed and organized and took a much needed rest.  Saturday while the powerful snow storm raged on we unpacked and put our stuff out and hung pictures and wall decor - those precious items that are "us". Oh we are SO here! :-)

Sunday was another day of unpacking and getting rid of trash and empty boxes as well as shoveling out the ten inches of snow that arrived with us!  Today, a few finishing touches and it is all done. Friends have been so kind by bringing over meals all prepared.

And tonight, since  my guy returns to work after 10+ days off :-(   my Sis and I are going to spend New Years Eve together -   some appetizers and wine, left over lasagna and we have a big can  of flavored popcorn to munch while we watch a movie together.  Sisters - our Mom is SO happy we are close - and right next door to one another.
 And our bungalow that was our Mom's place that she and my Dad paid for with  their hard earned money is such a gift to us - my Mom used to say that Dad was still taking care of her when she had this place built since she used the money from the sale of their home they paid for and lived in together.  It truly is all so bittersweet.  And like I have said - the financial freedom is such a gift to us.
Here are some pictures - welcome to our home - our bungalow of  love and blessings -  and Happy New Year to you all :-)

 Living room

 Living room windows etc

Another view of LR

 Corner of LR

 Kitchen area

 another kitchen view

 entrance to master suite

 another view of kitchen table

 our bedroom

 more of bedroom

more of BR

 our bed and that is the picture of Chatfield Hollow  over it where we gather greens every year for the graves -

 my lovely vanity area - the paint is sand paint and has gold sparkles

 bathroom vanity

shower area

view from our door

so, what do you think?  We have arrived - hallelujah!

Time to go

Hello all my blogger friends/.

Well, the time has come - we have a date to move - Friday and Saturday December 28th & 29th.  Lots will be moved over before those dates but the big move with the big pieces requiring help will take place as mentioned above.  We will pick up the U-Haul on Friday and some young strong guys will come over around 4:00 and load up the truck - everything but our box spring & mattress and a few essentials for morning coffee and clean up.  On Saturday morning more young men will help us load the bed and then we will head on over to our new place and unload it all.

This is the plan barring any glitches...none are expected but even if there is a glitch in a closing date etc. we are still moving since it is freaking time and I/we cannot do this limbo here and there life any longer.  Nope, Enough!  Ya know?

We call our new home "The Bungalow"  - it is cozy and quaint and homey and easy to manage and maintain.  I promise pictures once we are settled in.

Also, we are shutting down my computer, internet, phones and cable on Wednesday the 26th of December so we can have all the components at our new place for the Cable guy to set us all up on Thursday. I probably wont be back on line until New Years Day or so.

We are taking time to gather for Christmas Eve as a family - honoring our Mom and carrying on time honored traditions - specialty food items and activities - and Christmas Day we will have our lovely traditional brunch of "everything bagels-smoked salmon- cream cheese - fresh fruit and poppy seed rolls ( a sweet delight my Mom made every year)...coffee and orange juice too.

  And then, come Tuesday - the final laps begin - it is both the ending and the beginning of the road - we are holding on tight and stepping off together - in love, in truth, in earnest, in kindness, in simplicity, in peace, in gratitude, in blessings, in hope, and faith and surrender,  Amen......

The Trail

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OUR HOME ON THE TRAIL

Our last Thanksgiving here - 2012

Looking back, I become quite overwhelmed - mostly in a good way. I am filled with memories and gratitude of our life here on the Trail for over 20 years......

We knew this was going to be ‘home’ when we first saw it, and so it has been just that, home for us and for many. This home has served us well and owes us nothing.
We weren’t here long when Kristie, pregnant w/her second child came back from upstate NY  to live here with her daughter Leanna when she was just one.  Four kids all in one big room.  We managed.

It wasn’t too long after that, that Skipps’ Mom couldn’t live alone and we moved her in here so she would have round the clock care and eventually went to a nursing home because she  needed skilled nursing care.

Dolan and Jen shared the big room. We divided it by the furniture.  When Jen left home we moved in to the big room and Dolan had the back room - which has the best view in the house.  We built him a sleep loft.

Jen moved back home too with her son when he was 8 months old.  They stayed 2 years. Oh my...... :-)

Skipp’s brother stayed for a week or so while he sorted out his life’s transition.

We celebrated every holiday here and honored family tradition.  We survived storms of nature and those of life.  We loved with passion and compassion. We created a home where we and others could find solace, music, laughter, hope, guidance, food, shelter and warmth.  

We were married here - in our back yard - surrounded by family and friends. A beautiful event that celebrated us and those we love.

SKIPPSTOCK - the music event of the decade! People still believe Mick Jagger was here.

Jacob’s baptism - his life, a miracle.

SO many birthday celebrations, Mother’s Day and Easter dinners, table adorned with flowers and lilacs from our beautiful garden.  We grew vegetables too.

Thousands of songs have been sung on our back deck and glasses of wine enjoyed.  So many cozy fires enjoyed in our wood stove, so many wood deliveries and gatherings to stack it all.

Christmas trees beautifully decorated, white lights strung out front, meals prepared and shared, dreams realized and some lost, births, graduations, deaths, friends anew and friends gone, family missed and far away, millions of laughs and millions of tears - our love grew stronger every day. Candles remained lit in every window to guide the way home for those who lost their way.......

In sickness and in health - a life changing diagnosis, - our love and family support sustain us...still to this day.

Mom would ask, “So, what’s new on the trail?”.......I can hear her words.......pretty soon Mom all that is new on the trail will be a memory as we move on to Old Nod Road - to your home - which is such a gift to us as we begin a new adventure.....”thank you”.......

And although I did not write letters to all of you here today, I will add a line or two.

SIS - for your strength and love and support during this and so many transitions in our life I am so thankful.  And for your sense of hunor - we h ave a gazillion laughs to look forward to. :-)

JOSH - I love your mind and detail about all of your creative projects.  I love how you interact w/kids and your sense of humor is amazing.  I love that I ma your favorite Aunt!.

ETHAN - I admire how you have forged on to meet your dreams and goals and pursue a career path that you believe in.  I love how kind and sensitive you are and you too have a delightful sense of humor.

DOLAN - I so believe in you and your commitment to your writing pursuits, no matter what!  I am so thankful you call me every day and that you include me in your joys and concerns. I am thankful for our relationship, it and you mean the world to me.

SKIPP - where do I begin?  You have made my, - our, life possible.  I love you more than words can express.  I love your musical abilities, your voice, and guitar playing and song writing all bring me such joy.  I love and appreciate deeply how you tend to me and never complain.   I love every moment with you.  “Thank you” for 20+ year of a beautiful, loving life here on the Trail.  It is very hard to leave here, I know, and yet, moving forward with you makes it all okay, YOU make everything okay just by being you. I LOVE YOU......

and there it is - our last loving Thanksgiving on 'The Trail'...........