Heeellllooo 2011!

Maybe peeps will still read this, maybe not..I don't care really..I am back to the blog world. I think I felt better when I blogged. Facebook has taken over most of my energy..and most of my bloggy friends..I am going to try and write more often. My life has expanded since IMWA, Australia and New Zealand. I find myself referring to old posts just to remember what the hell I have done the last few years. Isn't that sad? My brain cells are just not firing like they use to..unfortunately..So documentation is really necessary if I expect to leave any legacy at all, which more and more seems to be the goal in middle-aged life! My grandchilren can read about me or at least see a little bit into my world, when I am long gone and they become curious..someday..as I did in recent years. I wish my mom had kept a diary or something just so I could imagine more  what she was like, how she thought, felt..I am filling in some of the blanks. My kids can fill them in on the rest!

The past year has been pretty rough. My mother in law became pretty sick in May. She was one tough older lady, had fought some pretty courageous physical battles over the last few years. But alas in August, she lost the battle and she departed this world. It is very strange to think loved ones are not here anymore. Many times I have wanted to pick up the phone and call her..just to check in like always..I believe on some level she is still around. When she appears in my dreams, this is when I feel like she is present, helping us out, laughing at our latest escapades, wagging her finger and giving us her opinion (she liked to do that sometimes!).. Following dear Bea's death, I went to a dark place emotionally, probably the darkest since I lost my own mom in 1994. After about 3 months I emerged to find the world had gone on without me and if I wanted to still ride, I would have to jump back on the merry-go-round! So I did, maybe slowly at first-eventually running up to speed and jumping on..

We did what most normal grieving people do-we bought a house! Not that we were really looking..just checking out lots to maybe buy, etc. And just "by chance" a friend told us of a lovely home on the  market just behind them. We checked it out and it was love at first sight for both H & I. We scurried and made an offer which finally worked out and the keys were ours! Should we move before or after Christmas became the big question. One of our friends told us they moved before Christmas and it basically ruined their holidays. Oh, that was a no brainer after hearing that! All of our clan was coming home for Christmas so we stayed in the old house until after Christmas. Half our house was gone to the new house but it was fun nonetheless. We even managed a family picture session, in which the 3 little ones cooperated so much, I watched in amazement. We are all hams, it seems!

This makes me smile.. Our bunch are quite the crew..I have so much love for my family-I can hardly stand it! 

Two days after Christmas, we made the move. Granted it was only a 2 mile move but it still took mega energy. This was met with vigorous enthusiasm as we took dozens of loads of "stuff" even though the movers took the bulk of it; we still had bunches to get over here. It was a fine time to purge all our old s^&*t! I love purging organizing. You can ask H-this is one of my favorite things ever. I can organize for hours, days and never tire of it. The new house is almost as perfectly organized as I could imagine. Old stuff, new stuff, different stuff. It is all here. The one difference in this move was the partnership of  H & I planning and decorating the new digs. H is really good at decorating it seems, so between my compulsive organizing and his brilliant decorating skills, we make quite the team! There were minimal "discussions" about where to put things, how to fill the rooms, etc. I was able to be as flexible as my little Virgo brain could be and had to walk away a few times to keep from acting like a 2 year old. It was remarkable how much we both have the same tastes after all these years. I love my hubby and moving to our new home was one of the most fun experiences we have had together!

So as I am settling into our new abode, I am walking into the wrong room less and less. We have a whole new kitchen and appliances. The new GE Advantium oven is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! It is, as one friend described a " triple threat microwave, convection and ultra-violet oven  cooks and browns and does it quickly and better than an actual oven." 

I have actually COOKED 3 times since we moved in. Two successes, one failure. Not bad for a rusty chef..do I like cooking? Well, I guess when it is a new toy, yes!

More about training, health issues in future posts. And since I can't figure out how to change the damn font, I will stop for now!