Who Is This?

By now, you have forgotten that I write a blog. I agree, it’s been a long time since I’ve written anything. I deserve to be forgotten. I could make excuses as I have plenty, but I will skip all of those excuses and write about our new home town and surviving our first winter in 43 years.

We are finally in our new home, although not wholly unpacked, wondering why I moved certain things, what was I thinking. Did I really need those three legged frogs, all those teapots, pans I didn’t use at our last house but MAYBE I’d use them here and you get the picture. So I started a box for all of those things I moved and wished I hadn’t. Although we’ve downsized twice ,this is the largest home we’ve ever owned and it’s so open there is nowhere to put anything. As I was opening yet another box, I unwrapped two sets of Chinese figurines from my many trips to China. One set was of thee men standing and the second the same but the three men were sitting.

“I am going to give away these figurines of the men sitting” I told Tom who was in the room. Dumb move. “Why?” he said, “I like those.” “Why?” I asked. “We have two sets, the standing ones are better and don’t look like mass produced tourist traps.” “I like them better than the standing ones, and it’s my house too. I should have some kind of say.” “OK”, I said, “then they’re yours and you can find somewhere to put them.” “No problem” he said and walked over and put them on his desk which is our old dining table. I knew he’d do that. He had to shove aside reams of paper and small wooden animals to find room where they look totally out of place. I waited a few days, then moved them which he didn’t notice at all. Is it safe to box them?? (Tom here: NO! I thought I moved them) With a bigger house, we are light on furniture. Because we had to buy a bed, we went for a king. We have the new king mattress but the bed frame which was promised in February is now maybe coming in by the end of May. We are one of many victims of the supply chain.

We think we like it here, ask me when the weather gets a little better and all the snowbirds are back. We made it through one of the worst winters they’ve had in a long, long time, according to the locals. A throwback kind of winter, a way below zero kind of winter, with lots and lots of snow. It’s April and still snowing, along with howling wind. All the smart people left for Arizona and Florida a long time ago and will be back shortly I’m told. That’s good because when it’s just you and your husband, it doesn’t take long to look at each other with murderous intent. Usually that happens on the 8th day in a row that it’s been 34 degrees below zero.

But let me tell you the joys of small town living. We couldn’t get the gas fireplace to work so Tom called the local fireplace shop and asked if someone could come out. “Sure, are you home? We’ll be right over.” The first time that happened we were in shock. Then it happened with a stuck garage door, not to mention leaving something at the hospital and the lost and found department calling me several times to let me know their progress in finding my item, which they assured me they would, that their detectives were on the case. Then they called and proudly announced that with the help of a nurse they found that phone charger and I could pick it up right away. Things like this seem to happen all the time. Then you have the very friendly store clerks who like to chat and really seem genuinely interested in your story or the grocery clerks who share recipes or give advice on how to cook something you bought.

We love our new home, the remodel is next to finished with just a few things left to do. We have a wonderful view of the lake. Our next big purchase? A boat. I hear they’re really hard to get, there being a shortage of boats, just like cars. We have put off this hunt for a boat long enough so Tom is out today in the snow and howling wind to peruse the boat shops. I will let you know how this hunt goes. Our friends and kids who are all coming this summer to visit are expecting a boat, imagine that. But it’s April, and we need a couch.