Our new home

We were able to move into our new home the 4th of December. We tried to bribe the tenant to get him to move. It worked the second time which was cheaper that going though the whole eviction process. I had two guys come and move his stuff out and the next three days they took out the old carpet (see pictures below of the house) and other junk left behind. I spent the time starting to clean just the rooms we needed to live in, kitchen, living room, bedroom and a bathroom. I don't think it had been really cleaned for years. I still have several rooms to clean. We want to do some remodeling. We have been working on a floor plan that will make the most of the space with the least amount of work.The above two pictures are the kitchen

There are two bathrooms and they are both bubble gum pink! Yek

These two pictures are showing the room that will become the living room. If you look close you can see how wonderful the carpet looks.The three above pictures are the hallway which is shaped like a U. When we took out the carpet there was two more layers of flooring and then a gummy tar paper which we could not remove. I found some $1.00 a yard fabric and stapled it down. It is so much better.



My sewing and craft room. It is upstairs and has wonderful hardwood floors. I am really excited about putting my sewing machine in front of the window and having time to sew.

45 Lessons Life Taught me

This great. I really like it.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents
will. Stay in touch..
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it..
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17 Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain...
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26.. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life..
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business..
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life.. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come....
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45 Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

Alice invited me to attend the concert with her as Jeff has to work at the concert so he is never able to attend. We had fabulous seats, right in the center 20 rows back and also three people between us and Mitt Romney and his wife. How's that for good seats. Thanks to Jeff. The concert was so good. Natalie Cole and David McCullough were the guest artist. What a wonderful way to start the Christmas season off.

Home Sweet Home

We signed the papers last Monday on this house. As soon as the renter moves out we can start moving in. Well, after we take out the carpets and clean and steam everything to sanitize it. It is a old house that we will remodel and update as we live in it. The yard will be one of our first project next spring. I want to have the part right in front of the house planted into square foot type gardening. We will plant flowers along with veggies. The part of lawn that is closest to the street will be kept in grass for now. The back yard has a large walnut tree which provides lots of nice shade. This will be greatly appreciated come summer. There is also a large red delicous apple tree which has really good tasting apples. Because of the the trees, the back yard doesn't have very much full sun for a garden. In the back is a four car garage which has Joe in heaven. This will allow him to have a place for his wood working tools and electronics equipment.

The house inside (pictures coming when we can move in) has lots of very small rooms and hallways. We plan on opening up the rooms. We want to have the kitchen, dining and family room all open. We hope to have an office--extra bedroom on the main floor along with a master suite. The upstairs has two good sized rooms. One will be a guest room and the other sewing etc room. It will take us quite a while to get everything done we want do but it will be fun (I hope). It is not like we haven't done this kind of project(s) before so I think we know what we are getting into. Of course there is always the unexpected that shows up.

Let's Make a Deal Week

I love a good deal and a bargin. It makes me get very excited when I have found some really good deal on something, especially when it is something I need. Well, this past week has been a good week. First: Winco is in Salt Lake City!! Yahoo. My favorite grocery store. They have the best deals for produce and bulk items. Second: for our Relief Society activity this month the Grocery Guru came and did a presentation which was really good and I think I will be able to find some even better deals. Yahoo!! Third: Yesterday I went Deseret Industries to find a vase for my fall decoration. I found one for $.75. While I was there I found three plates for a $1.00 each that I wanted, some Christmas glasses to match the ones I already have and two women's dress jackets. One is a black Pendleton wool jacket. The jackets were $8.00 each and are really nice looking. What a week for good deals!

The Final Chapter of "How Does My Garden Grow?"

This past week I went to Idaho to work on getting the yard ready for winter. I think winter decided to give me a little clue of what is in store for winter and I had better not lounge around but get right to work. Later in the day as soon as the snow had melted I went out and cut the cabbage. It was so cold I was afraid that the cabbage would not survive the freeze that night.
As you can see the cabbage made it. I didn't get as much as I had hoped for but look how big the one is. We will enjoy cabbage, coleslaw etc for some time to come.
The last of the red potatoes. It is hard to see how large they are but some were the size of a soft ball. I am really pleased with the spud harvest this year.
My poor apple trees didn't do very good this year. Carl did say he had picked a few but this all I have to show for this year.
But the peach tree made up for the poor showing of apples. My Mom and my wonderful neighbor froze peaches for us. My neighbor also canned seven quarts of peaches for us. I wish I could move my neighbor down here. They are the best neighbor's you could wish for.
Our red onions did very well. The only problem is that they have a really strong flavor. They will be great to cook with.

And so our little garden was put to bed last week for another year. Sweet dreams little garden and get rested for a new year.

A fun working vacation

Day one: Flew from Salt Lake City, Utah to Portland Maine. We stayed with our great friends Steve and Linda. We have been friends for many years. We met at BYU when we were going to school. Joe and Steve were called to serve as counselor's in the Branch presidency together. Linda and I became friends while Joe and Steve were gone many hours. Our friendship has continued for 35 years. It is wonderful to have friends that we have so much in common and have shared so much with.

Day 2/3 Went shopping with Linda to a craft store to purchase beads etc to show her how to make jewelry. We spent the afternoon making bracelets. So fun, mostly because we are together and got to talk and talk and talk...... We have to catch up for a whole year since we have seen each other. Went to to the Sanford Ward in Sanford Maine. They have a wonderful ward. Also got to see Mimi, another BYU friend who happens to be in the Sanford Ward. Great fun to catch up. After church we had a great dinner and then got talking about a great book Steve had been using with his calling. It is called “Bridges out of Poverty”. Very interesting.

Day 4-6 Stayed at Gloucester MA. The hotel is right on the beach and it was great except that Joe had to be up to catch the train into Boston between 5:30 and 7:00 so no sleeping in. :(
Day 7 I caught the train then subway into Boston. I was able to attend the Museum of Fine Arts. I used to go quite often when we lived in Nashua so it was a treat to get to go back. I was a little disappointed as they are adding a large addition so a lot of the art was being transferred to the new part. This is my favorite painting by Renoir. I love all his work.

The view from our room
Day 8 The classes are finished and a day off. We were going to go out on a whale boat watch but it was canceled due to high winds. We decided to drive up to Booth Bay, Maine and spend the night. It was really neat and lots of great food. We found a little one man booth that sells just lobster rolls and a few other items. We also got fresh Wild Maine Blueberry pie. In fact it was so good we had it the next day. We then spend the rest of out trip with Rose and Ken. What fun to see them again. A great trip, now I need a vacation to catch up on my sleep.