To Everything There is a Season...

...and a time for everything under Heaven!!
For the past year or so I've been checking my college alumni website in hopes of reconnecting with people I knew in music school. I continued searching for my college roommate, Sue, with no luck. A couple weeks ago I logged onto the website again... BINGO!!!! There she was! Not only was she there... but the address listed was in Lincoln... just on the other side of town!! No phone. No email address. So I sent her a note with my phone number letting her know that I'd be moving away soon & we should get together. She called & we've been catching up like crazy. Drinking coffee, chatting, crying, laughing, thrift store shopping. It's been 20 years... and it seems like yesterday. We just picked up where we left off!

Packing... is still underway... at least for me. Jerry hasn't packed a thing!! He has been working on getting our trailer ready - making side rails. Otherwise it doesn't seem like he's in much of a hurry! Argh! My list of things to take is getting longer. I'm just trying to take as much as I think we can handle in order to get as much done as possible without having to make a 1400 mile round trip back here for more.

Our friends are having their annual Memorial Day garage sale Saturday. In past years it had been a 3-day event... but we're all getting tired of babysitting the garage sale when we could be doing something fun... so it's become just a 1-day event. We're taking some things over to sell. I should probably be digging a little deeper for stuff... I KNOW there's lots more to get rid of!!

.:Wish lists:.

Creative title line, huh? Someone told me I should post a "wish list" here on my blog... let readers know things we're needing for the cabin... but when I sat down to do it I couldn't think of a single thing. Guess I wasn't trying hard enough. Anyway... today I discovered that I did have a few things on my wish list - and believe me when I say that this is in NO way at all like the guy's Freecycle "wish list" I posted a few days ago! Okay, here goes:
1) *comforter set for the queen size bed*,
2) *drapes/curtains for bedroom*,
3) *Corelle dinnerware*,
4) patio table (to seat at least 4),
5) patio umbrella (I have a stand),
6) patio swing...

Preface: The weather is just crappy today! It's chilly & doesn't know whether it's raining or not... so it just drizzles & makes life miserable!

My friend J & I had planned to go to an auction but decided that the "Clean Sweep" garage sale at the Event Center would be dry & warm so off we went. Turned out to be a good thing! Not many vendors... but I found some things that were on my "wish list" for the cabin! We have a queen size bed in storage - but had no queen size bedding. A couple weeks ago one of the local stores had sheets 1/2 off so I picked up a set of queen size sheets. I didn't feel like I could spend even 1/2 off the regular price for a comforter set though so I passed. Today, however, I found a *queen size comforter set* (shams, skirt, comforter & throw pillow) at the garage sale... for $10.00. The set is in nearly new condition & will go great with the sheets I got! I also found a pair of *heavy drapes* (42x84)...for $10.00 & they will coordinate well with the "new" bedding I got today. I may have to size them - make them a bit shorter & use the excess for valances or something. I also found *Corelle dinnerware* - nearly 10 complete place settings - in a green pattern - for $5.00. Jerry has been hounding me about taking my vintage Homer Laughlin dishes to the cabin - not that I have a problem with taking them - I think they'd be kind of an eclectic touch, but he thought that lighter weight dishes would be better. They'll go on the moving sale. Problem solved. I still haven't found a patio table, umbrella or swing... but have no fear... I'll keep looking!

We did end up going to the auction about noon... and it was still cold & drizzling... and my feet still haven't warmed up! J bought a few things... I just stood in the cold, shivering! I knew I should have just stayed home!

I made a pot of coffee when I got home and am now thinking about making some potato soup for dinner tonite.

Ohhhh! My achin' back!

The price of being a good friend & neighbor is often the physical pain that follows. Tuesday I spent the afternoon helping a friend/neighbor cleaning up the back yard of a rental house that new renters were moving into this week. Yesterday... he called about noon wondering if I had plans for the afternoon. I invited him over to have lunch with us... then Jerry & I went over to the rental to help. He had the trees, shrubs & plants all set out where he planned to have them planted. Jerry & I started with the shrubs & day lilies while our friend started digging holes for the large pine trees that would be the centerpiece of the yard. Jerry helped dig those holes since they were to be BIG... and I continued planting the other plants & hydrangeas. It was a very warm afternoon... lots of direct sunlight... thank goodness I remembered my 70 spf sunblock. By the time we got everything watered in & cleaned up we were ready to drop! Jerry & I headed to a local DQ for icecream. Today our friend is expecting a large load of mulch to be dropped off... but he hasn't called & we're not offering. My back & legs are sore... my face is still a bit pink... and I'm a little crabby!



Yesterday morning I had called my hair stylist with a hair emergency! Out of control cowlicks! Add humidity... and it gets ugly REAL fast!! My appointment was scheduled at noon. This morning at 10:30 while Jerry & I were at a garage sale (buying me a bike!) my phone rang. My stylist had a cancellation & could get me in early! Now my hair is under control... and life is sure to be better... at least for a while!

We went to a few garage sales... like we need anything else... I got a wood tray (to use as a base for all the wine corks my friends save for me), a little pottery candle holder, and a chef's apron; Jerry got a life vest. Total haul: $4.00. This weekend there is a "clean sweep" garage sale at the Event center... so we'll spend some quality time there tomorrow I'm sure... although I can't imagine WHAT in the world we'd need!

I know what I said.. but what I meant was..

Yeah, yeah, yeah! I know I said this was a No-Buy month... but what I meant was food. Just eating from the pantry or freezer... only buying fresh fruit & veggies, eggs & milk................. so I'm off the hook, right? Probably not!
This morning Jerry was reading the paper & noticed a few garage sales starting today. A couple of them sounded interesting but I didn't think we'd find much. We drove out to a development in the country and discovered a gentleman selling a TON of stuff from his outbuilding! I scored a set of nice silverware (service for 8) AND the wood silverware divider box thingy... an old cream can, a metal box (probably had flour in it during its previous life), a gun case and an old white cabinet - perfect for towel storage at the cabin! This man had several old library tables, stepback cabinets, pie safes, guns.... you name it! We passed on a wonderful cabinet for $35 because we figured it was too tall for the cabin kitchen/pantry - it must stand 7 feet tall - and it would have been a pain to haul. We left with our treasures and grabbed a bite to eat.
While we had lunch we discussed the things at the garage sale & almost at the same time mentioned this half canoe that had been made into a bookcase. And we both had the same idea about using it as an entertainment center. Our current entertainment center is large...much too large to fit in the cabin. We drove back, hoping it was still there, to take a second look. Luckily (?) it was still there.
The canoe is about 5 1/2 feet tall... 32" across at the bottom. Good size but about half the size of our current entertainment center. We figured the top shelf could be removed which would allow room for a small flat screen TV; the other two shelves could be used to house our DVD & VCR players (yes, we still have a VCR) and several DVDs & VHS tapes. Strangely enough, everything that was displayed in it came with it... a fishing creel, empty shotgun shell boxes, miscellaneous fishing lures, a trap (like one might use for coyotes?), and several duck decoys. It was our LUCKY day!
Now... what to do with our entertainment center? Craigslist - here I come!

The Mother of All Garage Sales... was a success!!

WOW!!! Where did the weekend go? We spent Friday setting up our booth at the Mother of All Garage Sales - we shared a 10 x 20 booth with friends whom we've done this same garage sale with for years. For a change WE had more stuff than our friends did - not that this is something we're proud of you understand! Usually the Friday nite set up turns into more of a swap meet for the vendors and we were NOT disappointed!! While I was unloading boxes & arranging stuff Jerry set out to scope out bargains! He found 6 of those heavy plastic patio chairs for $10... and also a wash tub - on wheels with a shelf below - complete with lid & drain hose for another $10!! Perfect for the cabin!!! Other treasures were glass chimneys for a couple kerosene lamps we had that had none - 50 cents each, a set of 6 plastic wine glasses (in 6 colors!) for $3.00, a set of 8 cloth napkins for $1.00, a Tupperware dressing shaker for 50 cents, two cream/green round enamel pans for $5.00, three cream/green valances for $1.00 (these will be great in the cabin kitchen!), a black basket with 4storage jars, and a saucepan for $1.00. I also bought a birdfeeder for 50 cents. The other thing we got was a couple of small tires (probably for a wheel barrow?) for $1.00/pair - for Skeeter. Jerry bought some birdhouses from another vendor for 50 cents each then sold two of them for $2.50 each! I can't tell you how many people asked about the wash tub - wanting to know how much it was. When I told these folks I had plans to use it I got varied responses - mostly about planting flowers in it - and nearly everyone who asked about it was surprised that I was planning to use it for its intended use - to wash clothes!
Don't get the idea that all we did was spend money because we did quite well selling our stuff and came home with much, much less than we took!! We also donated some of our unsold stuff to the People's City Mission. All in all it was a HUGE success! But we were VERY tired by the end of the day!

This morning we were getting ready to walk to Walgreens about 10-12 blocks or so from us. We noticed our neighbors across the street had set a couple loveseats out on the curb with a sign that said "FREE"!! We walked on by because we needed to go to Walgreens... but then I remembered I hadn't grabbed a bag out of the pickup... so we walked the 1/2 block back home... but not before we gave this loveseat (covered in cheesy southwest fabric) the sniff test. Didn't smell like animal or cigarettes so we picked it up, hauled it across the street & tossed it into the back of the pickup. We noticed when we picked it up that the legs had been replaced.......... with four 2x4 pieces on each corner! Again - cheesy, but an easy fix. We really didn't plan to get any more furniture to take to the cabin... but this was free... appeared to just need a slip cover or reupholstered (too much trouble) as the skirt around the bottom was torn & there were a couple places that had been worn & patched. The whole time we're moving this thing we're laughing about what rednecks we are... and what our friends would think. But hey! Free is free!!

We grabbed our bag & headed (again) to Walgreens. We picked up a few things we needed then walked across the street to the BK so Jerry could get a soda. There's a coffee shop next door so I ran in to get "good" coffee (they only sell organic and/or fair trade - and their "to go" cups are organic & 100% recycleable! When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was a large gorilla painted on a barrel. Turns out it was a water barrel complete with a spigot & filter! Gave me lots of ideas! When we left the coffee shop we walked toward home & wouldn't you know it - the Goodwill store was open! Jerry said "What could you possibly need at the Goodwill? We just got rid of a TON of stuff!". My reply: "I just want to see what they don't have - maybe WE have something THEY need!" We went in looked around... I really wasn't finding anything, but Jerry found an oak Eastlake lamp table - in great shape I might add - for $14.99 and a large folding table for $3.99 (we bought it for our garage sale-ing friends!) and a woven drink holder for $1.99. Since we were on foot and still about 7 blocks from home, we paid for our items, walked home & got the truck (which had the loveseat still in it). We loaded our items in the back, then drove to our friends' home to drop off the folding table and show off our big scores of the morning! I LOVE Goodwill shopping!! I just hope our friends don't start shopping there & getting all the good deals before we do!

This afternoon we've been sitting on the deck in our new chairs - enjoying the sunshine even tho' it's not terribly warm out. Tonite we'll be going to a birthday dinner for a friend... and then our week starts all over again.

Liver & Onions and other stuff

Sounds yummy, eh? Not to some, but to each his own! Jerry & I really like liver & onions.... or onions & liver (we use LOTS of onions!) and don't really understand those who don't care for it. Last nite we had our friend T over for liver & onions. He said he'd never had it so this was a first for him. I also made mashed potatoes with liver gravy and homemade wheat bread... with raspberry pie & homemade ice cream for dessert. We had a nice time eating & visiting together. This morning when I woke up I could STILL smell liver and onions. By now - mid-afternoon - it is not noticeable.
Today we picked up tables from a friend that we will be using for the Mother of All Garage Sales on Saturday. Tomorrow morning we'll be heading to the Event Center to get the tables set up and begin setting out all the STUFF we're hoping to sell. Jerry brought out four more boxes of stuff (auction leftovers) that have not been marked yet... looks like that will be my plan for the rest of my day!
Life right now is pretty calm. Once we get past the Garage Sale this weekend I have a week to get ready for my big trip to North Carolina! It's been a year since I've seen my daughter Lani. Thank God for cell phones and email! She emails me pictures of the little girls, Hayli, Kristen & Madeline and keeps me informed about what cute (or not-so-cute) things the girls are doing. I am SO looking forward to spending a week with all of them - getting to know my new son-in-law, Kristopher & his little girl Kristen... reuniting with Hayli and meeting Madeline! It sounds like Lani & Hayli have made plans for things to do while I'm there: planting flowers, making Easter cookies, finishing a toy trunk and going to the beach to name a few!
I probably won't be back online until Sunday...

Auctions... and more auctions...

Every Tuesday night there is a regular household auction in a nearby town. Things go CHEAP at this auction (I don't know how the auction company makes ANY money!). We used to go to this regularly when we had a booth at an antique mall & were doing eBay... obviously since we've been in Colorado we've not attended. In the past month we've gone every Tuesday night. There's usually not much we need or want there - we did buy a coffee table last week - the kind with the little bear on its back with the glass top... BUT we've brought home a few things that we're selling on eBay. When one spends a $2.00 or less for a whole box of stuff... anything you make is PROFIT!

This same auction company buys delinquent storage units & auctions off the contents. It's amazing to me that people would PAY to store some of the CRAP that comes out of the units! We attended such an auction yesterday. One box was full of pots & pans... most looked like they had been taken off the stove & thrown in a box with food still stuck to them! Can you say GROSS!?!?!?!? The little house we're renting has a pantry but strangely, not many shelves. And do you know there were 5 stacking bins at this auction... and I got them all for $1.50. I figure they'll work in the cabin as well so that's a bonus! Included with the bins were 5 t-shirts... all of them in my younger son's size! Bonus for him! My big score (for another $1.50) was this manual hand mixer. It has a canister & three types of beaters & a spatula - everything fits in a base. I don't know if I'd be able to make cookie dough...but it would certainly work for making pancake or cake batter. Jerry bought STACKS of books (Nazi, football, gun) and a stack of pamphlets from the 1950's - 1960's from historical sites across the U.S. One interesting item, I thought, is a recipe book from the FLORIDA SANITARIUM & HOSPITAL. Looks like from the 1950's. We've sold similar paper items on eBay & done well with them. It's amazing what people collect. He was up until about 1:00 a.m. listing stuff on eBay.

Our friends heard a local radio station advertise "The Mother of all Garage Sales" in March. It's a one-day event... we've done it before & done well. Whatever doesn't sell on eBay will go to this event. Goodness knows I have LOTS of stuff to get rid of!

In the meantime... my house looks like a tornado hit it... and that doesn't seem to bother Jerry. This little house has another very small bedroom (not sure one could actually get a bed in it)... and the computer desk is in it... however the computer sits on the kitchen table so the TV is in direct view. Ugh! Today he goes for a physical of sorts to see if he'd be eligible to participate in a medical study. It's a weeklong stay... and if he makes the cut... I'm going to clean out that extra room, organize it & move the computer & all the auction stuff into that room! I can't live like this much longer!

I'm starting to crack!!!

November news...

November 11, 2008 - Tuesday
SNOW... and cold Current mood: blustery
We got back to our place in the mountains about 1:30 a.m. today! We left Lincoln about 4:00 p.m. What a long drive! We slept in the camper... temperature was about 31 degrees. Luckily we had the usual sheet, thermal blanket & quilt on the bed... topped with a sleeping bag & another comforter. It wasn't too bad but I certainly wouldn't want to make it my normal sleeping arrangement. Anyway, tonite we're staying at a local motel. They're pet-friendly so Skeeter is right at home. He seemed glad to see me... and I was glad to see him.
After we put our truckload of stuff in the storage unit we headed to the coffee shop to visit friends. It was good to see people & catch up on what's been happening in the Valley. While we were there it started snowing & has been doing so off & on all day. I don't know how much is expected but even tho it's below freezing here it's actually not bad. (I'm just not thrilled with sleeping in the camper!)
Jerry has made arrangements to meet someone tomorrow to look at the roof of the cabin & give us a bid. We're planning on having the "standard" green metal roof. Once that's taken care of I think we're headed back to Nebraska.

November 9, 2008 - Sunday
So much for "plans"!...I’m tired of moving!! Current mood: tested
Well... I thought we had a plan... but as with most plans... there should always be a "Plan B"! I thought we'd be in & out of Lincoln in 10 days. HA! The weather didn't cooperate with our plan to have a garage sale the first week we were home... and we were caught up in the excitement of seeing family & friends we hadn't seen for 5 months that we really didn't care if it was raining or not!
Thankfully we have GREAT friends who were willing to buy our excess - lightening our load some... my Jeep, stacking washer/dryer, a rocker & ottoman, TV, sewing machine, the kitchen table, patio swing, a set of antique dishes... I'm sure I'm forgetting something... were BIG items that they bought. I also gave away quite a few things to the kids... but still we had too much!
Then we made a trip to the storage unit only to discover that there was MUCH more there than I had remembered putting in... VERY depressing! Ugh! So... we decided to give away a huge box of Hayli's leftover toys to a son & daughter-in-law who just had a new baby. That eliminated some of the stuff... my younger son took a couple things...and one of Jerry's sons took Hayli's twin size bed & two dressers. We made a trip to Kansas where my cousin has an antique store... and consigned a few larger items there & dropped off my pie safe & grandpa's hutch at the farm! Ahhhh!
We did end up having a 3 day garage sale & got rid of quite a lot... but again we were disappointed at how much was left over. We packed up a couple big boxes of things that we thought were worthy of being sold on eBay & took two truckloads of stuff to Goodwill. With one of our boys out of the house we were able to really start digging into what was left. My piano was the BIG item that I've had the most difficult time with... I hated the thought of getting rid of it... and offered to donate it to the church we'd been going to in Blanca... but they already had a piano (and no place to put another one!). Knowing how stressed out I was about the prospect of selling/donating my piano, our good friends offered to store it at a little rental house they have (it was not being rented) and then generously offered to let us rent their little house for the winter. It was an offer too good to refuse. We hauled the rest of our possessions to the little house & I have been sorting out what will go to Colorado to our storage unit there and what will stay here.
Hopefully tomorrow we can get on the road to Colorado. I'm sure my friend is WAY tired of Skeeter... and quite frankly, I miss having him around. Sounds like our trip to Colorado will be a rather quick one since we'll be staying in a motel (TOO cold to stay in an unheated camper & the cabin is nowhere near ready to live in - even for a couple weeks).
So... friends & family... have no fear... we'll be back in time for the holidays! And BTW... pretty much whatever I post from this point until next spring... is just going to be stuff... very little about the cabin or Colorado. I may mention a few things in the posts but since we're not actually there I won't have much to write about. Just wanted to give you a heads up!