Five Months...

LaGrange, GA
May 11, 2020

Our last stop as full-time RVers was Freeport, FL.  We stayed at Live Oak Landing (Nov.19-Dec.11, 2019) and had a great time exploring beautiful Florida State Parks on the Gulf and enjoyed some very yummy seafood.

Five months ago today, we backed into the driveway of our Georgia home.  It was a mixed bag of emotions...sad, happy and anxious.  We were sad to be cancelling reservations in Arizona with its beautiful winter weather and adventures, happy to have space to call our own again and a yard for the puppies to enjoy, and uncertain as to what the future would unfold.  

Winters here are rainy, chilly and down right yucky!  In fact I am pretty sure we had record rainfall amounts for January and March.  Good for us the "Must Do" list quickly filled a sheet of legal size paper and our work began. 





So, when the pandemic with its "stay in place" and "social distancing" rules were put into place, it was life as usual for us.   Painting seemed never ending, the list kept growing, and we kept busy.  Today, after all these months, we are beginning to slow down and take the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.   The downstairs is mostly finished..it's roomy (well any space is roomy after living in a bus for 8 years) and cozy, warm and bright, colorful and peaceful, and we have settled into a different way of living than we had when living in Belle. 

Some highlights :
1) The most difficult project was taking out the efficiency kitchen that Joe built when his Mom moved in with us in 1995.  He inclosed the existing garage and made her the neatest little apartment...a MIL suite.  Today, that space is our bedroom-hobby room.
The kitchen counter with sink, under counter cabinets, and overhead cabinets were removed.  In its place, I have a few shelves in the nook and Joe has a hobby space.  

2) The most frustrating project was installing a floating floor in the den, 1/2 bath and small hall floor that leads to our bedroom.  

We chose a ProCore Tudor Oak.  The color is great. But, it didn't float very good and it didn't help that our subfloor was not level.  Live and learn and thank goodness for big rugs !  



3) The most time consuming project for me...painting !  3 bi-fold doors and a glass paned door, 8 ceiling to floor windows, 6 doors and casings, banisters, floor moulding in the foyer, living room, kitchen, den, bedroom, laundry room and on and on. 


I thought it would never end and Joe quickly got the message...do not ask me what I am doing today !

4) The project I am most proud of is the dining room table.  Joe made it !  



I asked for a farm table...simple and plain and he delivered.  

The table gets prettier and prettier...it has been lightly sanded and varnished at least half a dozen times.  

5) My favorite project was/is the porch.  I primed and painted new screen molding.  


Off with the old...

on with the new.











I painted the floor red...












and voila !  I can't wait for warmer mornings (It is still in the mid 40s when we get up.) and coffee time in the rocker.





















The most fun we have had  was taking a few days off and heading in the bus to Gaffney KOA to see this little guy.

That's right, Felix lives in Greenville, SC with his mom (Jena) and his dad (Joe).  It was a great visit the end of February before the pandemic.  We wandered around downtown Greenville and had lunch at Joe and Jena's favorite place to eat.  We went hiking at Paris Mountain State Park and hung out at Felix's house and played.  

Sometimes you just have to show your "Must Do" list who is boss and sneak in a fun project from the "Wish" list.  This past week-end, we added a little comfort and color in the kitchen.  Our $15.00 kitchen chairs were not padded.  We wanted the comfort of some padding so Joe cut seats out of luan, then cut foam to fit the seats and we covered them with fabric.  We had enough fabric left over to use on the window.  Since we left the sewing machine in the storage room in Moab, Joe built a cornice board.   We covered it with batting first and then the material.  What a difference a little color makes.

We were quite proud of the way we matched the pattern on the end pieces.  

It's a ritual to raise the shades every morning...just ask Sally.  







Tah dah...

April has been a good weather month...still cool in the mornings and warming nicely throughout the day.  Perfect combo for getting things done in the yard.  A few days ago we decided to clean the woodsy area on the side of the house.  It was messy with lots of fallen limbs, some downed trees and nasty vines.  It took right at 7 hours to go from the street to the fence (which is on the back corner of the house).  Joe will be able use the weed eater now...whew! 

Yes, I was covered from head to toe and even stuffed my jeans inside my socks.  And yes, I still got poison ivy on my arm. 

We did take Belle for a drive through town to get new front tires last week.  We are hopeful !  And missing Dee and all our friends in Moab.  

I'll close with some more pics.

I planted cone flowers in the backyard...yellow, orange and purple.

Sally says "What? Isn't this vinca here for me?"

Cardinals are the most frequent users of the bird bath so far.

Dover enjoying a sunny day in the middle of all the rainy weather. 

The bottle is under the eve outside the kitchen window.  Carolina Wrens make the best breakfast entertainment.

Our little champion...

I have new front porch planters...one on each side of the door.  I planted pink begonias and creeping jenny.  It's the first time I have ever planted pink, but they are very pretty next to the black door.   

Gaffney KOA...a great and much needed get away.

Until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS !