Update: Why Blogging Has Been Sporadic

In getting ready to finally write a blog post that has been planned for over a week, I am thinking that my readers deserve a little insight into the reasons for sporadic blogging.

It is not that I don't want to blog, and it is not that I have nothing to say. Many great ideas have come and gone with no blog post because I had other things I did not want to do as much, but that nevertheless needed to be done.



This is the way the world works when your Engineering Geek retires and you begin to do more than plan a move to a new part of the state. When doing takes the place of planning, that alone takes a monumental investment of time and energy. But when insurance companies first extend coverage and then rescind it, because--quite frankly--they don't know what they are doing; when it takes a10 minute hold time--and thus 10 wasted minutes of cell phone time--to establish long distance service on the ranch landline--; when time gets eaten by all of those little annoyances that used to be non-existent back in the days of real customer service--something has to give. And what has given (and given!) is the time alloted to writing the blog.



Yesterday, computer technical problems required an otherwise unnecessary trip to Gallup, the closest New Mexico Radio Shack to the ranch. Today, I was scheduled to write my blog.

And then--a major snowstorm watch was issued for most of the state. So a trip into the grocery store in Springerville became a must, to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables that would have run out in the next few days, and to get a few other items to make a snowstorm more bearable. Such as makings for hot chocolate . . .

And upon my return, the CIT and I dedicated a few hours to cutting wood. With the help of logging chains and good old Henry, the F-150, we pulled out four logs from the discard pile--too messed up to use in a house--and then the CIT took out the chainsaw and cut them into fireplace size pieces. We now have enough wood for the snow and cold temperatures that are on their way to us.



Now I am ready. I do hope we get a good snow so that I can finally write the planned blog!



In a few weeks I will be able to begin blogging more regularly again. Until then, know that I am thinking of all my blogging friends, and I am spending some time reading other blogs. It is easier to read than write after a long day of packing and hauling boxes of books. In the meantime, my planned blog for last week will go up tomorrow.



Let it snow!

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today, we closed on our mountain house.

After closing, we picked up N., loaded Henry with the first load of many boxes and drove on up to see our new home. Because we planned to paint some of the rooms before we moved in, we actually moved on May 19. We took our camera on that first afternoon. Above is the house as we saw it the first time we drove up as proud new owners.

This was the kitchen as it looked on Wednesday evening April 26, 2006. The sellers left us a card and loaf of bread. The wall below the wainscotting on the far right is dark blue.

Here is what the kitchen looked like after we moved in. We painted the wall below the wainscotting on the far right Belmont Green.

On the right is the dining room as it looked on April 26, 2006. Note the blue walls below the wainscotting, the chandelier and the blue flowered curtains. Although very pretty, we thought the blue was too dark. Which is why we replaced it with a color called Belmont Green.

This is the dining room after we moved in.

We replaced the curtains to match the walls, and we put in a new chandelier that we thought was more elegant and matched the upper wall color and complimented our dining room furniture.

To the right is the living room south wall on April 26, 2006. We did no painting in the living room at all. We liked it just the way it was.

We did paint Bruce's office, MLC bedroom and bathroom, N.'s bedroom, my office and the master suite and bathroom, however.

Here is the living room as it looked after we moved in. It is amazing what furniture and pictures on the wall will do.

Last year at this time, we embarked on a three-week project. Every Friday evening during that period we drove up, painted until it got dark, and had a "picnic" Shabbat dinner in our new dining room. Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday were devoted to "working on the new house." N. and I would drive up on Wednesday afternoons as well. I was teaching part time and left early on Wednesday. In Albuquerque, the elementary schools let out early Wednesday afternoon for teaching planning time, so N. was available as well.

Every time we came up, we loaded Henry the Big Red Truck up. By May 19--a Sunday--we had brought most of the boxes. That day, the Bruce and Friends Cooperative Movers rented a U-Haul and moved the furniture, washer, dryer, and other "big" items up. MLC and I brought up the cats and then the dogs, cleaned the new house and directed traffic. N.'s BSA troop obligingly had a camp-out that weekend, so he was safely out of the way.

It was a good move. We were able to pay off the new house with the proceeds from selling the old house--which was our plan. It all worked out very well. But I am glad that that three week period of chaos is over! I always forget how much work making a move is.

But at the same time, I remember that time with a certain nostalgic fondness. It was exciting to be picking out paint, going up to the new house as a family and working together to get it ready for a new phase of life...

But please, do me a favor. Sit me down and give me a good talking-to if I ever start mentioning wanting to move again!