SEASONS OF CHANGE

So much has happened since my last blog, I don't even know where to start!

First of all there was a lapse in my blogging because my laptop died.  I went without a laptop from January until my birthday 10 days ago when I received a new laptop from my husband and kids!

So now I can chronicle all the changes which have been going on in our lives. Our top story is that we have moved to Utah! I truly thought it would never happen.  Chuck and I have been talking about moving to Utah, specifically Park City for about 8 years.

 During most of those years the state of Utah was in Chuck's district and he could have managed it just as easily from Utah as he did from Washington as long as he was in commute distance to a major airport, which obviously SLC has.

We chose Park City because after living in Western Washington for 30 years among the trees and lush greenery we couldn't bear to move to a desert. Park City was within commuting distance year round, was high enough in elevation to give us the evergreen trees we sought, not just the aspens so we would have greenery all year, is always 13 degrees cooler than SLC, and doesn't deal with the smog/inversion layer, or traffic of the valley.

Best of all, it would put me 8 hours closer to my grandkids!

Chuck kept trying to get his company to relocate us, but they said no.  It was ok if we wanted to live there, but moving would be on our dime. We knew it would be expensive to move so we just kept waiting, hoping they would change their mind. Then the company realigned districts and removed Utah from the Northwest District to the Southwest District, which meant there was no hope of moving while Chuck remained manager of the NW District.

After every attempt to convince the company to move us failed, we would decide to be happy where we were and update or remodel something in our Bellevue home. Bit, by bit, we had changed every single room in our home and the front yard, back yard, even put in a new driveway, until there was nothing left to remodel but the kitchen. Finally we tackled that, and we finished all except the backsplash tile.

When we were at the point where we only had about 2 days worth of work to complete the project, Chuck's company, out of the blue offered to relocate us to Utah.  They would pay for the move, put us in temporary housing (which we are still in), until we could find a house to buy, pay to store our furniture, etc.- the whole package. Within 2 weeks our house was on the market: FOR SALE BY OWNER, which sold in 10 days for $35K OVER our asking price. Truly all those years of prayers were answered, but on the Lord's time table.

 

So, here we are in Park City for 3 weeks living in a cute 3bdrm 3.5 bath condo looking for a house to buy.  Apparently, we are very picky! Our poor real estate agent has shown us probably 2 dozen houses and none of them are quite right.  I feel like Goldilocks unwilling to settle for anything less than perfect.

 But we want what we want, and worse yet- we know exactly what we want.  It isn't just the house, the setting is just as, if not more important.
I have always wanted a cabin in the woods as a vacation home, but now we are living our vacation setting dream and Chuck has bought in on wanting a home set in the woods, surrounded by trees and wildlife, where you can't see or hear your neighbors. Eventually, we will either buy or perhaps build the house we have been looking for. 

 

 

 

WATERFRONT VIEWS AND CURDS AND WHEY

Chuck was scheduled to work a medical convention in downtown Seattle, with acomodations on the waterfront. Sounded like a lot of fun, so I tagged along.  While Chuck was downstairs glad handing physicians, I was up in our corner suite enthralled by the view. The waterfront was directly across the street from the Marriott where we were staying.



 

I could lay in bed and watch the ferries run all night

The next day, while Chuck was working the convention, Becca picked me up for a day exploring downtown Seattle.

It was an overcast day, so my photography is somewhat dark, but this was a curious sight noticed in an alley we were walking down. I don't know if this is functional or just an example of funky Seattle art, but interesting, nevertheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMBRACING FALL

Since I am newly retired (heehee), and currently bored, I have the freedom and desire to accompany Chuck more when he travels for work. A couple weeks ago Chuck needed to go to Provo Utah on a recruiting trip. He has a couple of open territories in his district he needs to fill, so he was interviewing soon-to-be graduating seniors. I decided to tag along and keep him company.

What could be more autumncentric (I just made that word up) than fall foliage, turkey and football???? We got to experience all three on this trip!

It was gorgeous fall weather during our 3 days there. I got to spend a day with Dick and June Elder.  June and I did some shopping, a lot of visiting and went out to lunch. After Chuck got off work the two of us took a drive up Provo Canyon to Sundance to enjoy the beginning fall color, which was lovely.

While driving through Sundance we came across a herd of about 20 wild turkeys wandering through the woods and across the road.

The highlight of our trip was attending a BYU football game. BYU is Chuck's alma mater and he is an avid fan.  Unfortunately, this was the game that their star quarterback Tayson somebody (you can tell I'm not a real fan) broke his leg about halfway through the game and BYU lost to Utah State- a huge rivalry. I don't think they have won a game since. It was a fun evening, not as cold as we were expecting, even though it was a very late game, not starting until 8:30pm due to ESPN coverage. At halftime they retired Jim McMahon's jersey, so there was a nice ceremony with him and Lavell Edwards. It was easy to get swept up in the excitement of the game even though not the ending we would prefer.

UNOFFICIALLY RETIRED

I have declared myself unofficially retired. I am no longer raising children, I no longer have my dog business, in fact I no longer have any dogs of my own or any plans to acquire any (sigh). Actually no pets of any kind, no dogs, no cats, no rabbits, no guinea pigs, nothing , nada, nil, zilch.

I still have long term hopes for my garden art, however it is a very seasonal endeavor, and I haven't quite found the right market for it.  Friends that see my art seem to really like it, and it sells very well at my garage sales. But, as yet, I don't know the most efficient way to reach the RIGHT customers.

 

It is such a great creative outlet for me and so fun to do.  I would probably continue to do it just for my own garden. I love each aspect of the project, from combing the aisles of local thrift stores to search for interesting pieces not really knowing beforehand how they will be used, to lining up all my supplies and figuring which pieces look good together and in what order to assemble them.

I would love to find an endeavor to keep me occupied, but getting an actual job is problematic. At this stage in my life I want to travel a lot, and I have opportunities to do so. So every couple of months it seems I am leaving for a few days to a week to travel to Idaho to visit grandbabies, to Utah to visit Dick and June, to Hawaii, Mexico, etc.  An employer isn't going to put up with that, even with a part-time employee, and I am not willing to give up the chance to go. Even most volunteer opportunities want at least a 6 month commitment.

So it is time once again to reinvent myself.  To find a way to create, learn, serve and be useful while still allowing the freedom to travel.



  

SO LONG, FAREWELL, ITS TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

The end of summer is always a bittersweet time for me.  I love the warm weather and spending so much time outside.  In fact when the sun is out, I can not stand to be inside the house, I just HAVE to get outside. Which is part of the reason my garden is so important to me. It gives me a legitimate reason to go outside and be productive.

But I love my garden for other reasons. It allows me to nurture which is a basic requirement of my personality.  Without kids or pets around, it is one of the few ways I can satisfy that need.  Even my bird feeders play a role in my need to nurture.

 

However, I also love autumn weather and the fall colors.  I love wearing sweaters and snuggly clothes. It is a thrill to have the first fire in the hearth for the season and make the first pot of soup.

 

 

It is time to say goodbye to the lake and paddle boarding

 

 

And time to say hello to fall color

 

and hot chocolate (not that I don't drink that year around- but it just seems so much yummier this time of year)

 

 

 

 

FAMILY UPDATE

Chuck:  In his job as a sales manager for a pharmaceutical company, things are never static. He manages 11 sales reps over a 4 state area.  New drugs are always coming onto the market, new marketing strategies being implemented, new people being hired and trained to replace others retiring or being moved into management, and territory and district boundary lines are forever being redrawn. I don't know how he keeps up with it all. He continues to enjoy riding his road bike 30 miles or so on sunny days, and on a trainer inside in inclement weather. The two of us continue to each the Marriage and Family Sunday school class at church, which we really enjoy. The principles we teach surely help our marriage more than the people that attend.

Shelley: Enjoying being semi-retired (from child raising, seminary teaching and dog walking) and trying to convince Chuck to retire as well. I enjoy making my garden art, and am always looking for new ideas to add to my list of creations. I seem to cyle through working on my glassware in good weather, and crocheting rugs from recycled materials in cooler months. Caring for my garden is sustenance to my soul- literally.  I find myself in my garden every day there isn't a torrential downpour. By this time of year there isn't a lot of work left to do but watering and deadheading, but it is still necessary for me to get out there and commune with the humming birds and bees and just admire the beauty of it all.  Then there is my bird feeders that need attention so I can be facinated by the variety of wildlife out my kitchen windows. Chuck and I have started stand up paddle boarding this year, beginning with taking lessons when we were in Hawaii in January. We have continued all summer and are really enjoying it.

Jared:  Continues to live at home and attend Bellevue College. He works at Crunch which is an exercise facility in the Crossroads area and gives him the opportunity to keep in shape. He missed his girlfriend Ujong when she went back home to Korea for the summer break, and is glad she has returned for the fall semester.

Becca: Is also living at home after graduation from college while she saves money to attend grad school. She is working as an aide at a physical therapy clinic to accumulate the clinical hours she needs to apply to Physician's Assitant school. She loves to bake and is frequently taking goodies to work to share with coworkers.  She has been bit by the stand up paddle board bug as well, but she takes it a step further and gets out in the middle of the lake and does yoga on her board!

As a family, we have enjoyed the gorgeous summer weather of the northwest and the opportunities we have had to travel to see family and friends.

 Although it is sad to say goodbye to warm weather, I adore autumn in the northwest and the beauty it brings.

LOVIN' LEWISVILLE !!

After Education Week was over, Chuck and I drove up to Idaho to visit Rachel, Nate and the kiddos.  Chuck had not seen their new house and I was missing the grandkids big time.

We had a really fun week. Chuck brought his road bike on our trip, so between exploring the countryside by bike, helping Nate with his home improvement projects and playing with the grandkids, he was able to keep himself entertained.

When our children were small Chuck often give them rides around our yard in the wheel barrow.  He and I continued that tradition with Evelyn and Douglas.

I, on the other hand got to do all the things I love to do: play with the grandkids, garden, play with the grandkids, go hunting through thrift stores and estate sales, play with the grandkids, go looking at houses and property for sale and go to the lake and paddle board. I even scraped and sanded the railings on Rachel's front porch and then painted it with her and Evelyn's help.

 Every day I also got to play with the two new kitties they got as barn cats to keep the rodent population down on their three acres. One is a very young mama cat, and the other is her 3 month old kitten. They are both pretty friendly for barn cats and will come out to play when ever they see people. And Surprise!! The mama cat was already pregnant with another litter when Rachel got her, so they will have more kittens in about a month.

It was hard to leave Idaho behind, but I am always happy to get home and sleep in my own bed.