The first week of the new year

We are enjoying the sun and 50-60 degree weather!

I made them come in so I could take down Christmas.  This is the earliest I have ever taken Christmas down!  It just seemed like I needed to this year.

I pushed the TV off to the corner so I could get the light from the window.  For the evening...I put the picture in the window so no one can peek in.  Ha.  And it is a good reminder still!

Tuesday...I met Alisa for lunch!

What a pretty place!  We walked across the street to Jason's Deli and enjoyed the salad bar and conversation.  Oh how sweet to share these times with our big chair-fillers now!

From there I went to do our laundry...at the laundromat.  I had rugs and comforters and clothes.  I used 5 washers and 4 dryers and was done in 1 1/2 hours.

I then found the carwash and got all the salt washed off!

I took the time to reset the house and make it inviting to January.

I made breakfast for supper with yummy eggs from Teddy and Sloan's chickens.

Thursday....I met Ashlynn for lunch at her branch.

We walked across the street to another place that I have never been!  Ashlynn had coupons and we ordered...but didn't have to pay...and I still don't know why!  Ashlynn and I looked at each other and said, "Thank you!"

We chatted over the chili bowls.  I sure love my girls!  What a blessing to have this time to meet up with them.  I enjoyed the sweet tea with a hint of orange!  YUM!

Teddy has been working on projects on this house since he bought it.  I got to help add some more layers of drywall compound so it is ready for him on the weekend.

The dogs keep bugging me to go outside, so I grabbed my computer and phone and sat out to do some work.

They disappeared around the house and I followed as I talked to our tenant...and could not yell at them when I saw Chica rolling in something and Velle inching closer.  I finished the call and then hollered at them to go to the deck.  There was a horrible smell and nasty on Chica's neck.

I chewed them out as I gathered towels and shampoo and filled the sink.

I think she is sorry.

Velle hid in her cage and was mad that she got a bath too.  They both needed a freshening up.

Velle continued to be crabby and growled at Chica who kept nosing her while I dried her off.  They reminded me of the kiddos when they were little...got into trouble while Mom was on the phone and then blaming each other when they all got "punished".

 

A way to challenge my brain!

It took me about a week off and on to finish this puzzle...all by myself.  

 

An extra day in Michigan

Ted woke up early and wasn't feeling so well.  He rested while I did laundry and stayed close.

I found some things in the freezer to make something for us to eat.  I found all the components for chili with smoked meat!  

Cheese and bagel thins...

I found blueberry muffins for our breakfasts.  I found lemon fluff. MMM!

Ted caught up on sleep between periods of watching football.  He started perking up late afternoon.

Thankful that we had loaded everything on Friday and that we had a buffer day!  We left early Sunday morning to head back to TN.  With a stop for gas and a Dunkin, we left the 22 degrees and snow!

God gave clear weather and easy traffic.

We made it to Richmond before we needed to stop!  Sunny and 40 degrees was feeling good.

Our new favorite...the Club sandwich!

SUNSHINE!!!

As we rolled into the Knoxville area...the temp jumped to 57!  "Looks like you will need to run the van through the carwash this week to get rid of the salt!"

We got home and unloaded and Ted needed to check out something on his car.

Vehicle maintenance on a gravel driveway with no garage or tools makes things challenging.

 

Spending the beginning of the new year in MI

Headed north to take care of some business...knowing we will hit cold and snow in a few hours!

Snack to get us to Buc-ee's for supper stop!

God gave clear roads to start the trip.

And then we hit Ohio...who did a terrible job with prepping the roads for the snow band that moved through the area!  We were going 38 miles per hour for a period of time on I-75!  Not a smart way to prep for the Happy New Year's Eve party-ers who will head home later!  Yikes!  We lost 40 minutes in the slow down.  When we reached Michigan...the roads were treated and clear and the temperature dropped even more!

We got in safely and took some time to decompress and open mail before heading to bed.

Snow...coffee...rest...

Update from TN...and the girls...

Celebrating the new year was rough!

Cold and snow...pretty from the inside looking out!

It looked like a snowglobe most of our time in Michigan.  Ted had to snowblow the driveway two times.

Friday night date night with friends to Bahama Breeze and then a fire for dessert.

Tim Horton's coffee...

Conversations...

And doggie kisses...just what we needed as we wrapped up our time.  Our day didn't go as we planned...and landlord responsibility just got amped up for the start of the new year.  

On the 31st day of December

Bags are packed for a trip to Sisa's house for the dogs and a trip north for the parents!  A quick trip to start the new year and grab a few more things to bring south.