It is sort of like being in vacation.

I'm half way through my last week at work.
Have a box and bag here and there to finish organizing and packing, but the complete chaos of the last week is over.
It seriously feels like I am on vacation.
The leaves are quickly changing on the trees, a sign that winter is around the corner.
From the back deck here I listen to the neighing of the neighbor horses.
Makes me wish for some myself. Tia has been riding this week and thoroughly enjoying herself. It may have to become a part of our lives ... this horse thing.
Today is Anna's last day of work.
I have two more left for myself.
I have had the pleasure of working with such a great group of people for the past four years.
They may not believe me but I am going to miss them.
Time for a quickie nap.

Tuesday and life is a changin'

Here I sit borrowing free internet access and trying to update.
We locked the doors on our home behind us last night.
It was getting dangerously close to 10pm by the time we were done.
I edited some photos late Sunday evening with the intent if uploading them in the morning.
Jari beat me to the computer. It was dismantled before I could get there.
Our trailer is plumb full.
Our world is littered with miscellaneous boxes and bags of leftovers.
The dump got several loadsof goodies and not so goodies.
Presently we've taken over Fred's house.
My Egg drop soup just showed up at the table.
More later.

Wednesday

Closing was planned for Tuesday afternoon.
We didn't close.
Today (at least in my time zone for the next 23 minutes) I was off and had a list 3 miles long of things to accomplish.
House closing completed or not ... we're packing.
Then we had a surprise visit from these folks this morning.

I have an entire post worth of ideas about lenders and their requirements today.
I also have some serious opinions about which lender I'll agree to use in the future.
However, they started surveying property lines and property pieces.
Remeasure the house yadayada.
We were inside chuckling when they headed for the greenhouse.
GREENHOUSE??!?!?!?!
Movable structures that will now be included on the As Built.

The chuckling turned to near hilarity when she went to the chicken coop.
I couldn't contain myself.
The first picture ended up fuzzed ... I went back out for a second one.
Then Jari and I had to go talk to the other guy and find out what the dickens was going on.
I just don't get it.
Can you tell I'd be no good whatsoever working for a government agency?
It was almost as good as our Pictionary game last week!

Dear Duke also had an outing today.
For the first time ever he went to the groomer.
We thought he needed a haircut before he hits the heat of Phoenix.
He didn't get cut (might get sunburnt ya know) but he looks fabulous.
I swear he was smiling in that bathtub!

Alyx spent a good part of the day over here helping out.
She delivered a set of bunk beds to its new owner.
We moved her bed back to her apartment .....

and we did some serious wrapping.
I'm not kidding when I say it was starting to feel a bit like the paper busy of Christmas!

We packed ... we sorted for another sale on Friday ...

 and we pitched. Dried flowers aren't suppose to be good in a home according to something or another. I happen to love them. I'll just have to accumulate some more!

Rooms are emptying and box piles are growing.
Except for the living room photo, all these were taken this (Wednesday) morning.

I was also a bit crazy. Maybe more than a little bit.
Two batches of pulla dough came out of the bread machine today, making me feel that I can now pack that away.
Three batches of strawberry rhubarb something or another (actually one batch of jam and two of intended ice cream topping) went through the water bath today.
A trip to WalMart for another stack of totes and to replace the wrong lids we picked up the other day.
A trip to Target for antibiotics for Tia.
Several trips to Palmer to drop off and pick up Anna from work.
At one point I ran a stop light and decided it was nap time ... got that in as well!

Now it is time for bed ... 9 minutes to pumpkin hour.
Vivian is coming to play with us for the day tomorrow.
Duke is going to the vet to get his required immunizations and a health card that enables him to travel.
Anna has an appointment in the morning for impacted wisdom teeth extraction. I'm quite anxious to sit there and read my book for several hours.
Then .... we have a yard sale to put together and two more rooms to empty!

We are not making it to Fairbanks. I'm starting to wonder if I'll even make it fishing! Fry bread at the fair?

I'll be there.

Getting closer to camping!

I am packing many smaller totes with heavier things.

Maybe Jari was right ... we do have a lot of books.

Now to go exchange the lids.

I picked up the wrong lids for the totes.

Go figure.

Garage sale success!

We had it all set up Thursday evening and I went to work on Friday.

Absolutely perfect if you ask me.

Don't tell them I said that!

A huge tarp got stretched to cover a nice space outside what we call the "tarp garage".

This little bugger came in quite handy!

There weren't many rain drops, but it did keep out the few that showed up!

Then there were the other visitors .... leaving little tidbits for the shoppers.

Free range. Free garage sale. Whatever.

My season of canning is probably over.

I saved a few jars to make some jelly in the next week

and we are canning salmon.

The rest ... they went away.

We were entertained by these little munchkins.

Naomi spent the day chasing chickens while Nolan spent a moment trying to feed them.

There is always time for play.

 We're taking a few things with us.

This would happen to be one of them.

Not the flowers, rather the patio heater.

 If you come to visit me at my next abode in the chill of the evening ...

I'll serve you coffee under the heater.

Outside.

I could almost get giddy thinking about it!

By the way ... we had so much fun we're doing it again next Friday!

Once in a while ....

my brain just has to take a detour.

I was going to share garage sale days with you.

I do not usually photograph people, preferring snow covered mailboxes and things like that.

Until today.

Amber and Noami sharing some moments after several long days of yard sale work.

Amber is our niece and godchild.

Her daughter, Naomi, is our youngest daughter's godchild.

And just in case you're still with me ... that makes Naomi my great niece and my daughter's cousin once removed as well as godchild.

They. Are. Beautiful.

Naomi doesn't understand yet.

She will soon enough.

She is about to share her world with a younger brother or sister.

Lucky girl. 

Oh, so lucky mom.

I just can't manage it anymore.

Can't seem to get up early enough in the morning to get on here before work.
Can't seem to find enough hours in a day. Period.
Can't seem to update here more than infrequently.

So.

Sunday evening my hubby made it home! Yippee! Job got accomplished at Kamp Kipa and he made it home. Super big thanks to Markus.

I've worked the first three days of this week.
Ran my buns off today and am very thankful for the day off tomorrow.

School started today.
Anna started school today ... Tia didn't.
I have to call and see if the school I want her in is having a 9th grade class or not this year.
It was still up in the air last week.
Budget cuts are just so much fun.
I really don't care if she doesn't start.
We should be in a new school district within .... WHAAAAT .... 3 weeks or so?!

House deal.
Closing still hasn't happened.
The projects on the buyers' wish list are done.
Closing is scheduled for next week.
The fingers are starting to feel arthiritic from all the crossing.
I gave my "official" notice at work on Monday morning.
My last day of work is September 2nd.
The application for a renewed Arizona nursing license hit the mailbox on Monday morning as well.

I've been cleaning out nooks and crannies.
Where, oh where, does this stuff come from?
We're having a yard sale this weekend.
Alyx helped me price oodles of stuff this evening and I feel like I've got a handle on it.
Jari got the "tarp garage" cleaned out today and strung out a good size tarp next to it.
You see ... it is raining buckets and we need a dry place for all the goodies.
Come rain or shine we're having a multi family sale this weekend.
And then ... any of the bargains not scooped up ... are heading straight to some charity somewhere.
They are not coming back in here. (Except maybe a bookshelf or two.)
And I'm working Friday.
Jari and Tia will be holding down the fort with a few extras!
Remember my yard sale luck?
Maybe I'll make enough to spring for a pizza.

Tomorrow promises to be busy.
If we're really lucky the sun will peak out for at least a minute or two.
Or perhaps we'll see it somewhere between the rain drops!

Paper ... I think I love it.

For a part of my life I was a bookkeeper.

I really do like paper.

I like it organized and labeled.

I like order.

This isn't order.

This is complete chaos.

Where does it come from and what does one do with it all?

After spending hours in a corner of my bedroom yesterday,

it is organized. It is filed. It is packed away in a a box if it needs to be.

I wonder where my 2010 income tax return is, I couldn't find that one!

Somewhere safe ... I'm sure.

The bottom right hand corner of this photo is a pile of radiology exams.
CT scans, MRIs, xrays.
I think there may be serious advantages to parking your life in one spot and leaving it there, although then again ....

In another part of my closet (who needs room for clothes anyway?) I have stored another box.
One of those cute ones you can find at Ross, JoAnns or wherever.
It has been with me for a while.
Had I thought of it, I would have started one when we first got married.
It came to me empty.

This box has gotten quite full over the years.
It holds cards and letters I've recieved.
Some are from my children.
Some are from my friends.
There are postcards from my traveling parents.
Some I have added dates to.
Many are in the envelopes they arrived in.

Someday when the kids are grown and gone.

When my husband is off fishing or golfing and I'm at home with fingers that aren't willing to craft or create.

On a day when I make sure I have a full tissue box at my side ....



maybe I'll just take a journey through time.

And look through this very special box.

Jari has been at Kamp Kipa for the past few days working on the bath houses. He has been gone from Alaska for over a week already and will, hopefully, be home again in the next several days. I can't wait to get up to the camp ... it has been a long time. A dream is an idea that just needs some motivation behind it, right? I really want to spend a good part of my summers high up in the mountains above Prescott. Just have to figure out how to make it happen!

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Zucchini Bread Recipe

Grate squash to get 2 cups and let drain while adding other ingredients.

3 eggs

1 c oil

2 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3 c flour

1/2 c nuts (optional)

2 c grated zucchini

Bake 45 to 60 minutes at 350.

We grew up on this very special bread. It is so moist and absolutely scrumptious.

I prefer to bake it in the mini loaf pans rather than regular size ones, and works well in muffin tins as well. A great use for frozen zucchini!

.... we're rolling .....

The final inspection was done yesterday.

A phone call yesterday evening assured me that I could start packing.

That means disassembling a life,

as well as catching up on "assembling" other little pieces.

Grandma K makes graduation quilts for all the grandkids.

Someday I must showcase them for you. At least the ones that I have in my house.

Alyx's needed the tag attached.

It has been sitting on my dresser for a looong time.

Last night I finally took 5 minutes and attached it!

These little things just seem to be my undoing!

Oreo finds any spot of fabric she can ... always.

It doesn't matter what I'm working on. If there is an available surface ... she perches.

I sorted pages that I've been collecting into my Ideas & Dreams binder.

I'm all about 3 ring binders. Let's just say I have many of them.

I've even gotten so bad as to put grown kids' income tax returns into labeled binders.

This one happens to be my dream book.

I love flipping through magazines and ripping out pages.

Some of those pages eventually get tossed because I've moved past the idea.

Other times ... they hang around ....

and I continue to dream.

Today was my day off and we started the obvious work.

It is one thing to start emptying pantries and cupboards that no one sees.

At least in my mind, it is a different thing to move things that make my house a home.

Another one of my children who is afraid of heights, yet scaled the ladder perched on top of the kitchen benches to take down my forest from up there.

Yikes! It really is up there a bit! Empty and scrubbed.

Vivian spent the day with us today. I think I said many times today that having her here for an entire day is a whole lot different from several hours. Without her mom here, I even got called "mom" and we were able to catch a full day of her action. She's quite the little helper girl!

On to the collection of white glass. I have been spoiled with my collecting.

They're clean, wrapped, packed and the box is taped shut.

The zucchini is cleaned out of the freezer ...

and formed into loaves.

Has to be my favorite bread ever.

If you want the recipe, jot me a note and I'll share.

I picked up Mariah today and she spent the afternoon over here.

Girl time out in the sunshine.

We had rain again today, but we also had sun.

It's amazing how at 50 and raining, I'm ready for boots and jacket.

At 50 and sunshine ... it's tank top (well, almost) and flip flops.

I got both today.

We also managed a dentist appointment today with Anna.

By the end of the month we're scheduled for wisdom teeth extraction for Anna.

Root canal for myself.

Good times, hey?

In between that, we'll pack.

We'll pick berries.

We'll make jelly.

We'll can salmon.

Oh yeah .... and we have Silver Salmon fishing to do!

It's a downright wet Tuesday.

I think I am going to drown.
It is raining ... raining ... raining.
I'm sure it's a good thing.

I tried to get some pictures off my phone this morning to add on here and couldn't.
I slept last night which seemed to be a miracle.
Maybe because my front steps were completed yesterday.
The buyer of this house wanted some wood rot fixed on the stairs and it just took a little longer to get done than I anticipated, but it is complete.
Another inspection (dare I say this is the 3rd one!) this morning and then we should be moving forward.
Jari is in Arizona and heading to Kamp Kipa today to look at a project he's down there to work on. He's hitting the golf course bright and early in Prescott this morning. Probably at a tee box as I type ...

Once today is over I think I can start packing in earnest.
Then maybe I should even apply to reinstate a lapsed Arizona nursing license.
Might be handy to have a job once I get where I'm aiming to go!

In the meantime .... I might go find me one of these for my ark.

Friday and Saturday ... of last week

G & G did some touristy things during the week.

They went to the Transportation Museum, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the Tsunami Warning Center, got the oil changed in the car and never managed the haircut.

Friday evening we took several cars and headed south. The gals several hours behind the guys. The guys hit the Kenai River and started fishing. We didn't get there until after midnight. After they were done fishing, we drove to Ninilchik to set up a tent or two and sleep for a few hours. G & G slept in the vehicles, I have never been so glad to stretch out in a tent. Couldn't quite believe it myself.

In the morning 4 of the group left for a halibut charter, my car load plus Jari headed to spend the afternoon in Homer.

Breakfast at the Caribou Family Restaurant ....

and then on to Ulmer's.

I didn't realize that the store front would have signs for all the things this "hardware" store holds. The back corner is chalk full of fabric. Yummy fabric. In towns where Walmarts and Targets don't exist, the hardware store is one stop shopping for everything.

On down to the Homer Spit.

Anna S was with us for the excursion. Super fun to have her along.

Artwork galore with plenty of shops to browse through ...  

and a great coffee shop when you're ready to just sit a spell.

Down to the waters edge to see if we could score a starfish ... which we did!

I was plumb out of starfish and needed another one.

We found many rocks for Grandma's Grandchildren Rock Garden.

This bell tolls for all the souls set free upon the sea.

It was a breezy day in Homer, but the sun was shining and the weather warm.

We didn't have time to get everything in.

Some of it must wait for the next trip to Homer.

Fred texted us that they were on their way in from fishing and we sort of

flew down there with the hope of seeing them come in.

We made it!

The halibut were small, but they got some!

Amber probably won't appreciate this photo, but she knows it exists. :)

Someday this child will tell his/her siblings that he/she got to go on a halibut charter!

At least if he/she is anything like my own!

The filleting of delicious fish!

Jari spent the afternoon with us in Homer. He sat in the car and tied hooks so we

could head out fishing again after the halibut charter was over.

Good guy, eh?

After the fish was in the cooler, it was back to the Kenai River again.

For those of you who don't live here and have no clue what kind of travel I'm talking about ....

 4 hours from my house to the Kenai River.

45 minutes further driving to Ninilchik where we slept and the charter left from.

45 minutes further driving to Homer.

We drive a lot here.

Fishing season means sitting on your tookus in the car seat.

We did hit the Kenai River and my camera stayed in the car.

I caught salmon.

That would be a major accomplishment for this gal.

I don't catch fish ... as a general rule.

Amber was my fish netter and I learned something Saturday.

I love the net.

It sure beats the dickens out of backing up on shore, slipping and sliding on slippery

rocks ... just knowing you're about to plop down sitting.

Unless your helper is wearing shorty rubber boots and then she's soaked!

The laughing was worth nearly peeing our pants.

We fished for several hours and then headed home.

Made it home about midnight Saturday night!

Is it any wonder Mom didn't feel good on Sunday?!

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Today I am finding it hard to believe that this excursion was only a week ago.
Jari went to Phoenix last night.
He's sweltering and I'm thinking about putting on a sweatshirt at the moment.
The sun of the morning has gone into hiding this afternoon and
the porch is a whopping 63F.
Blanket weather to be sure!