Old Routines - New Location

As we settle in to our home in Louisville, I find that we quite easily modify our old routines to fit this new city.  My early morning walks are just as spectacular as they always have been.  The drive to town is becoming more familiar.  The Kroger grocery store is only a 1/4 mile away, Costco just a couple miles, and Starbucks, 2.5.

The Christmas tree is decorated - with all of our favorite ornaments.  The Christmas dishes are unpacked and ready for December 1st.  Christmas cards are ready to be mailed,  the iPod is loaded with Christmas music - all familiar things we have done at every home.

 But then........we meet for lunch at Mark's Feed Store.  I visit shops and antique malls on Old Shelbyville Rd.  Jim discovers a hotdog place that reminds him of G&L from Muskegon - and he promises to take me.  I looked at web sites today and Wild Eggs is calling us to breakfast on Sunday, I am sure.  A juried craft show is being held at the local high school - and I will go in search of crafters.

We are Blessed with the familiarity of Old Routines, but Double Blessed to be adding New Routines in this New Location we call Home!

Here's to the Good Life!

A Thankful Drive

Jim and I drove "home" for Thanksgiving - the town where both of us grew up in northern Indiana.  I have been looking forward to the drive for some time now because I knew we would see the windmills north of Lafayette on Highway 65.  The windmills stretch as far as you can see on both sides of the road for about 12 miles.  The whole time we were driving through them,  Jim and I sat in amazement at the beauty of these towering electric generators which are helping our beautiful earth. 

Although we reveled in the beauty of the drive, there is nothing like being with family for Thanksgiving and this long awaited trip revived the appreciation I have for the people who call me daughter, sister, aunt..........., ----but who all call me friend.  I am thankful for the drive that brought us all closer for a few days, for the many hugs and kisses given and received, and for a heart that returned home overflowing with love and gratitude.

Here's to the Good Life!

Sparking Memories

On Saturday, Jim and I finally hauled everything we own to Louisville.  We made two trips to Madison and wrapped the day up with all of our belongings in the same state.  To accomplish this we spent 4 hours driving yesterday which allowed us lots of time to check out the radio stations.  Jim found a station that is already playing only Christmas music so we sang Christmas Carols until we were bored with those.  On the second leg of the trip, Jim pulled up a station for country legends.  I rarely listen to country music now, but years ago I knew most of the songs word for word. So I was surprised as these songs came on and I knew them.  I still remembered the words, the singer's names but most importantly, what I was doing at the time that I listened to those songs.

The memories that came to me were memories of living in Indiana with our two young daughters.  Jim often worked long days and evenings, and on those evenings I would get Jenn & Liz to bed and I would spread fabric out to make dresses for the girls - usually for the holidays such as Easter and Christmas.  I would pin and cut and sew and all the time I would be singing along to WJJD country music radio out of Chicago.  Tammy, Loretta, Tanya, Conway, Merle, Willie and so many more - making the evening pass quickly and providing entertainment as I spun my creative talents into the fabric.


I don't sew very often these days but I was grateful for the music that sparked these memories.  Memories of a young family, memories of sewing with love, memories of music that filled my days and my nights, but most of all, memories that allowed me a glance back in time to see the beauty of my life, and the beauty of Jenn and Liz!

Here's to the Good Life!

A Million Times

I spent most of last week with Liz and her family and I had the most wonderful time.  I love and adore spending time with her and Thad and their 3 darling boys and this visit was no exception.  The boys are so affectionate and love to be hugged.  They love sitting close to me, if not on my lap, and they love having my undivided attention.  I often tell them I love them and they always respond with "I love you too!"

One afternoon Tucker was so capturing my heart and I told him I adore you!  He paused a moment and then asked what adore meant, and I responded -

I adore you means

I LOVE YOU - TIMES A MILLION

Here's to the Good Life!

The Stories I Will Tell.....

I spent the entire day unpacking boxes at our new home in Louisville and this evening we are quite comfortable.  We sat at our dinning table for dinner tonight, which we have not done since September.  My favorite art from Jenn is hanging in the entry hall.  My beautiful salt lamp from Liz is sitting next to my favorite chair, and we are beginning to feel at home.

As I sit here in the comfort of my new home, my mind is already racing to the stories I will tell, the adventures Jim and I will experience, and the roads we will travel.

Life is good with new stories to tell!

Here's to the Good Life!

Smells Like Strawberries

The past week has been a whirlwind and I am finally taking a time out to write.  Last Friday we packed our moving truck and drove Northwest for 12 hours on Saturday.  On Sunday everything went into storage and Jim and I spent a quiet evening in our new "cottage"  We spent Monday and Tuesday looking for housing in Louisville and then on Wednesday I headed Southwest to Memphis to spend time with Liz and her family.  I have been in Memphis for 5 days now and and in the meantime, Jim has found us a beautiful apartment to live in for the next 10 months.  Although I have not seen, the apartment, I know we will soon make it home and I am looking forward to the Northeast drive that will bring me back.

I have been blessed to spend the past several day with my grandsons who I adore and who thrill me more than words can describe.  We have shared Halloween candy, told knock-knock jokes, and they all did performances for me on the trampoline.  I pushed them on the swing under their big oak tree in the front yard, watched them play kick ball at the field next door, and enjoyed my first trip to Yogurt Nation.  I watched (and cheered) Fynn's last soccer game, I took the boys to Johnson Park - just like I use to - and enjoyed family movie night with all. (A totally boy movie!)

Saturday, as I was cleaning up after lunch, Rollin and Fynn ran outside to play in a pile of leaves Thad had made for them.  They came running back in to fetch me telling me the leaves smelled like Strawberries.  So I put my shoes on and headed for the front yard to see why the leaves in Memphis might smell like strawberries in the Fall.  Fynn bent down first inhaling deeply and looked at me with huge brown eyes, telling me "it's your turn, you've got to smell this!"  As I leaned down to smell this wonderful  strawberry smell that they had been talking about for so long, Rollin exploded from underneath the leaves scaring me--just as planned.  And I fell in love again with these wonderful boys who adore me, and love me more than words can describe.

Here's to the Good Life!