This time last year we were into some heavy duty construction. We had torn off the old carport and were putting in the foundations for the new construction.
We kept at it for the entire first part of the year. My mom made great improvements in her health along the way and was able to stay by herself for longer and longer periods of time.
So over the course of the year, I went from this:
To this:
From this kitchen:
To this kitchen:
There were some bad times during the year too. My heart was broken in April when I lost my beloved Lovely dog to a speeding school bus. Her absence is still sorely felt and I miss her more than I can say.
As the year has gone along my transition from jack-booted thug to tomato queen has been taking place at a steady pace. I planted a garden
Got chickens
got a tractor
and in general have had a grand time returning to my agricultural roots.
I have the best neighbors
and the view off my front porch can be spectacular
The inside of the house is turning out to be pretty wonderful too. I have tons of living room with great views all around, lots of windows
A beautiful wood stove to curl up in front of
The kitchen is grand, but the pantry is something dreams are made of. I'm cooking for half the neighborhood, so having lots of food on hand is oh so nice. Having all my pots and pans in one place and easily available is quiet grand too.
Baby dog and I moved into the house the weekend after July 4 and immediataly threw a party. I've spent the time after that, getting my things in the house and making it a home. So much junk and so little storage space. Looks like some downsizing is in order.
In the meantime greens grew
and fall arrived
The guys came back to work after working their summer elsewhere and installed my woodstove and took care of a gazillion little details that needed doing.
I had planned to decorate the house from stem to stern for Christmas this year but on Dec. 8 my mom had surgery. She had stints placed in the arteries leading down to her legs. She was having some severe circulation problems and it was getting critical. She went through the surgery fine and did great for a day or too afterward. Then on the following Friday she started having heart fibrillation problems and we've been fighting that ever since. Since she's so weak from the afib and needs help to get around, I simply moved into her guest room for the duration. So the house will have to wait a bit. Mom comes first. I'm happy to report though, that the new medicine her cardiologist put her on is starting to show some results and she is getting stronger daily. Her blood pressure now seems to be under control and her pulse rate is steady so things are looking up. Who knows, by New Years I may be back in the house working on it some more.
So that's the year, folks, here at the Farmette. Some highs, some lows, but overall good. Retirement is turning out to be a really good thing. I wish I could have done it sooner. I'm getting to enjoy life at my own pace and do so many of the little things that I always had to put off before.
Now, on a soft morning I can take my cup of coffee onto my porch, sit in my rocking chair and watch the world go by, as Baby checks out the bug and bird population in the yard. I watch the sun rise and the sun set and get to enjoy everything in between on both sides.
Stay tuned for more of my year in review posted as the week progresses.
Life is good.
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