On The Move

This week marked the big move for sister Jean, from Florida to Tennessee.  She has been preparing for this for three months now, sorting and divvying out Mom's things from the condo, going through her own belongings and purging some of her stuff, and doing a lot of cleaning as she went. 

Last week we moved an SUV full of stuff for us, our kids, and Carol. 
This week Joe flew down to FL, picked up the rental truck, helped load it, and drove it back here.  After Jack and Mary moved out of the ranch house, I got it ready for Jean; putting Christmas decorations away, cleaning, making her bed, removing some furniture and other items to free up space, and getting some groceries.  We were all 'On the move.'

Saturday 1/8 - I finally unpacked the last of the several boxes that came home from Florida.  This is the sweet little birdhouse I brought from Mom's that will be cute on the mantle.

After my usual blogging I headed to the gym in an effort to stick with my resolution to be a regular customer there.  I had a good workout, chatting with various friends, which gave me a chance to rest between sets.  

 

After a quick lunch, Joe and I went over to Jan and Mike’s to pick up their 9 x 12 shag carpet rug that they were donating to us for the ranch house.

We took the rug to the ranch and Joe did chores while I started cleaning in the house.  I wanted to wipe everything down again before Jean moved in.  I also wanted to empty cupboards, closet shelves, and drawers of things we have out there that Jean probably won’t want, and that would be taking up space she needs.  

Before Joe headed home, he help me spread out the rug upside down and I washed the back of it, which really wasn’t dirty but I wanted to get any dust and hair off of it before placing it permanently in the living room.  

I was going to clean out the refrigerator, but when I saw the amount of food Jack and Mary left for us, I decided I would leave it for Jean.

 

I gave Amiga and Zorro a little lovin' during afternoon chores (feeding, medicating, and mucking their loafing shed and field).  It was quite windy so I didn’t hang out with them very long.  One has to keep movin' in this cold.

I brought all the sheets and towels home to do laundry here, in an effort to keep our gray water system less stressed. 

Then after a quick sandwich I went to Karen’s for movie night.  Patty and Sharon were also there.  We watch the movie Togo which I highly recommend, especially to sister Carol.  It’s based on the untold, true story of the real hero sled dog rather than Balto who got all the credit at the time.  In 1925 Togo led a dog sled team in blizzard conditions to Nome, Alaska, to deliver a life saving antitoxin during a diphtheria epidemic.  He traveled nearly 300 miles, further than any other dog in the relay.  Balto was the lead dog for the last 55-mile leg of the run as the team entered Nome carrying the lifesaving serum.  As a result, Balto received an outsized portion of the fame from the journey, but Togo ran the longest and most dangerous part of the trek.  

Sunday 1/9 - I started laundry and then Joe and I ran out to the ranch together to open the gate for the horses and move Jan's rug and some furniture.  We moved the rug out-of-the-way and I vacuumed and mopped the wood floor.  While the floor dried, Joe helped me move the heavy furniture (no longer wanted in the ranch house) out into the garage.  Once we put the rug face up, I vacuumed it very well and then we came home, bringing the perishables (fruit and veggies) from the fridge.

Continued work on Christmas take down and put away, along with laundry occurred.  Patty came over to watch the Vols Football game with Joe and then take him to Nashville.  She also helped me line up a seamstress for Britney's bride's maid gown and fix this lamp I snatched from the white elephant give-away pile.  I think it will look so cute and right at home at the ranch.

A little after 2pm I headed back out to the ranch to meet Marj's trainer who was picking up her trailer.  While waiting I cleaned house.

Seen below, circled in yellow, a Bald eagle that flew over the front pasture, soaring around it for a bit.

Long story short, if ever you try to find our ranch, do not (and I repeat NOT) trust your GPS.  This has happened more than once.  The trainer's GPS sent her in the opposite direction she needed to turn, and proceeded to get her quite lost and left her stuck on a small gravel road with barely a place to turn around.  She called and I gave her directions on how to get to us.  She arrived 40 minutes later than expected.  

It rained all day and was miserable out.  The wind gusts did not help any.  While mucking manure, I noticed that this pile (I put here to fill in a low spot under the fence) had partly washed away.  I didn't realize this was a drainage area.

I bailed many bucket loads from Amiga and Zorro's over flowing 100 gallon tub that catches run off from the roof of their run-in shed.  I didn't stay out any longer than necessary because of the rain.  This photo doesn't show just how wet it was.  There was a lot of standing water all around the run-in shed, except at the door where we had put a bunch of gravel.

Joe and Patty made it to Nashville where they met Dan, Val, Ava, and Courtney for dinner.  Joe sent this photo, and I didn't realize until later, that Dan had cut his hair and shaved his beard. 

I dropped by Shirley’s on my way home from the ranch to give her the little birdhouse as a project to touch up some of the paint.  Finishing the last of four loads of laundry (which was mostly towels, sheets, blankets, and a bed spread) was included in my usual evening chores.
 

Monday 1/10 - The gym would have to wait, I needed to deliver Britney's dress (which was bought in Chicago while Britney was there on business, taken to Nashville, then driven to Florida to be fitted when Britney was there for vacation, delivered back to Nashville to hopefully be hemmed, and then brought here last night when Patty returned from taking Joe).  At 9:30 I dropped the dress off at a seamstress' house (one we could find that could get it done by the wedding).


I proceeded to the ranch to open the gate for the horses.  I checked the gray water basin which was a little fuller than usual (probably from all the rain) and then noticed that my two patches of grass seed had germinated.  I didn't think this would happen until spring.  Just goes to show how warm it had been for many days in December.

Work at the ranch house included moving the rest of the light weight stuff into the garage.  Below is a photo of Carol's boxes and the rest is a keep pile that will probably go to our FG house. 

I did a deep cleaning of both bathrooms and was working on baseboards when Cheryl dropped by.  We had a good (nearly two hour) visit.  The primary goal of her visit was to tell me about her horse (she had given to a good home) that needed to be re-homed.  This is the second horse that has been offered to us here at Mountain View Ranch.  We just aren't ready to make the decision of a third horse yet.  But it would give Patty, Jean and I each a horse to ride, and be a good back-up for me when Amiga is lame.

This is a photo of the stuff in the garage to go to the Restore and a thrift store.

It was a muddy mess doing chores although some manure was still frozen to the ground in the shady areas.  Amiga was walking much better, but I am still giving her Prevocox because the footing is not great in the muddy/frozen areas.

I didn't get home until 5pm.  Maggie was glad to see me after being in the Mancave for almost eight hours. 
 

Tuesday 1/11 - Jean sent this photo of her essential pile and her cat (Parm) going into the cat carrier, which he normally hates.  Maybe he was worried he'd be left behind? 

Before going to the gym (and having a great workout by the way) I tried neatening up around the house.  But all this Christmas 'crap' still needs to be dealt with.  I just don't have a big block of time to tackle it.  








Maggie was enjoying her Christmas gift from Mary and Jack. 
 



I hit the bank and grocery on the way home from the gym, organized my to do list while eating lunch, and packed up and headed to Mountain View Ranch mid-afternoon. 

I did chores first and then worked inside the house until after dark.  This time I did 'finishing touches' especially in the master bedroom, making Jean's bed and setting out towels and her welcome home gift.  

I did another load of laundry once home and got word that Joe had made it to Mom and Jean's condo in Winter Haven.

Wednesday 1/12 - Some mornings it is hard to get motivated to get going.  I so enjoy my tea, my seat looking out over the back yard, and computerizing.  But once I get up and on the move, motivation often occurs, just like this quote from Leah Marshall says on the Western Dressage Association of Florida site.

I had left the gate to the front pasture open, so did not have to hurry out to the ranch to open it for the horses, so I took down the Christmas tree (finally).  This is Zorro, enjoying the sun a few days ago when Patty was out doing chores.  Often he, and/or Amiga can be seen laying in the grass on a sunny day.

 

I went to the ranch after an early lunch, and Patty came out a little later.  About the same time I got word and photos that Joe had gotten the rental moving truck and he, John, Robert, and Jean had started the loading process.  


It looked to be a beautiful day for moving, a blessing to Jean and the guys.


It was also a nice (mid 40's and sunny) day here in Crossville.  So I did this little project of adhering a memorial plaque to this big stone bench in memory of Mamma.

I wasn't very organized, so I ended up making three trips down to the machine shed to get the tools and supplies I would need.

 



Patty had been in the house vacuuming up the little bit of dirt and dog hairs off the big sectional in the sun room, and came to help hold the plaque in place while I set up the cinder blocks to apply pressure for 24 hours so the cement type adhesive would hold.

Patty and I did chores together, and got word and this photo, that the 'movers' were making good progress. 

Below left, Patty pulling some hay out of Amiga's forelock while Zorro was looking for dropped food.  Then they both searched Patty for treats.
 

I had driven the SUV to the ranch to leave it there for when Joe arrived with the truck, so Patty gave me a ride home. 

Soon I got word, and this photo, that they were done loading the truck.  This is brother John, nephew Robert, and sister Jean.

Soon after feeding time for the house pets, Shirley came by to drop off the bird house (photo later) she had fixed up.

By 7pm I was feeling quite exhausted (for some reason) and was in bed with the lights out 45 minutes later. 

Thursday 1/13 - It was moving day for Jean, with her on the road at 7am and Joe before 8:00, after he finished packing up food and cleaning out the fridge.  This is the cute little bird house with the new, red feed sign Shirley painted, and also a shutter added to the side window you don't see. 

I was at the ranch by 8:30 to open the gate for the horses and get more cleaning done.  I put the little bird house on the mantle next to the moose lamp.

I had left the iron cutout of the sleigh ride as part of the winter decoration.  It will get switched out come spring, which I hope is soon. 

I started in with vacuuming, but my chargeable Shark died, so I swept some by hand, followed by mopping. 

Here I am, in a tight spot, lying on the floor between the wall and sectional, sweeping up hair and dust and wiping down the floor with a cloth.  I joked that we'll send Jean's cat Parm back there to dust in the future.

I decided to unveil the memorial plaque before the 24 hour drying period was over, because I had things to do at home and needed to get going.  Mamma will live in our hearts and memory forever and I hope as Jean sits here and looks at the view, she will feel Mom's spirit.

This is the photo Joe had sent of the inside cab of the truck once he was loaded and ready to roll earlier. 

Once home, I plugged the vacuum into the charger, moved laundry into the drier, walked the dog and then headed to the gym.  I ran to Food City on the way home, folded laundry, walked the dog, and loaded the vacuum back in my car and drove to the ranch.  Jean was due to arrive in an hour.

Patty was at the ranch when I arrived, starting feeding chores.  I unloaded the groceries, finished vacuuming and moping bedrooms and bathrooms, and then moved vacuum, trash and dirty towels to my car just before Jean pulled in.

She was happy to have arrived, but beat.  We got Parm, plants, and food unloaded.  After a frozen dinner and beer, we quickly went over a few instructions, and then Patty and I left to let Jean get to bed.

No photos had been taken, so here is one Jean took of Parm hiding in her bed sheets.

Friday 1/14 - Jean was needing and wanting a day of rest, but with a weekend snow storm forecasted, we had to stay on the move.  Even though the rental truck wasn't due back until Monday, we needed to get it mostly unloaded today.  Joe had stayed in McDonough, GA. and left early to beat the Atlanta traffic.

This is Parm, checking out his new view from the bedroom window at sunup.

Joe arrived at 9am and skillfully backed the 24 foot truck into position for unloading.  

He and Jean pulled the ramp out, saw the truck needed a little repositioning, and then got it all the way out.  It was perfect, and would make off loading a lot easier.  

The only draw back was we each hit our heads on the light hanging from the porch roof, more then once. 

Once all the plants were off loaded, we sent Joe home to rest.  He had a few workers lined up to come help unload in the afternoon.

Jean and I proceeded to unload all the stuff from Mom's garage that had been put onto the truck last.  We wanted to clear it from the back of the truck so when the workers came, the furniture would be ready to come off.  We used the gator to run several loads to the garden shed, garage, and even down to the machine shed.  Jean met Wanda while we were in the barnyard area.

We took an early lunch break and went over some house and ranch details that Jean would need to know.  Then we continued unloading the truck of boxes and lighter weight furniture.

Joe and Patty arrived, and much later only one of Joe's helpers.  The two of them got the rest of the truck unloaded.  But there is a story to tell about this character.

By the time we were finished, the house was a MESS, but all Jean's stuff was off the truck.  We still had furnishings to take to our Flossmoor house, but they could wait. 

Joe headed home to care for Maggie, and we girls went to do chores.  While down at the barn, we introduce Jean to Polly.  Then Patty multi-tasked in the kitchen, unpacking boxes and cooking lasagna and bread for our dinner.  (I had chopped greens for the salad earlier).  And Jean and I put together the futon and moved boxes to the correct room.

I got a fire going while Jean showered and Patty finished up dinner in the kitchen.  Joe had returned with some libations, and soon we all sat down for dinner.  

Dinner sure hit the spot, and the fire gave the house a feeling of warmth and of a home. 

Patty, Joe, and I were out of Jean's house by 6:30, so she could have some privacy and get to bed early.

Near the end of the unloading process, I had caught a little lizard (anole) in the back of the truck, that had hitch-hiked with the load.  I couldn't stand the thought of it freezing to death, because Tennessee was soon to become very inhospitable for a little Florida lizard.  As soon as we got home, I set to work putting together this little terrarium for him.

I started laundry, cleaned litter boxes, fed the four cats, downloaded photos from the day, and tried to figure out what to feed the little pilgrim from Florida.