Diary No. 6
There has been quite a lot happening around the farmhouse these days, and I have been a bit overwhelmed on just how to share it all with you. It often feels like my day is overbooked with my to do list before my feet even hit the ground in the morning. So, in order to hit the reset button, and get a grip on how to move forward from here, I think it’s time for another catch up chat with Hello Thoughts.
AN UNLIKELY VISITOR
Believe it or not, the day of my last post we had an unlikely visitor here at the farmhouse. A visitor I decided to name Bear. Well, I only gave him that name when I found out that he was not our neighbor’s missing dog, the next morning. More on that in a bit. Bear started scratching our front door around 9 pm, he wanted in.
At first, I thought he was our neighbor’s missing shepherd because I called out his name and he came running over. But, the darkness of night can play tricks on your eyes because the following morning when I took one look at his face I knew it wasn’t our neighbor’s dog. Who is still missing by the way. So, in one way I guess it was just wishful thinking.
The weather was promising temps in the high 20’s that night, and Bear would not leave our front porch. Furthermore, he was not allowed in the house. I shouldn’t have to say this but letting an unknown animal in your house is not a good idea. Especially with kids, and animals of your own.
So, this sweet boy spent the night on our front porch – barking, scratching, and sometimes howling. It was torture for me to leave him out there but we had no choice. The next morning I did some investigative work and found out that Bear likes to galavant around town. In fact, he happened to be picked up by the local animal shelter the week before.
And, the best part is the shelter posted that they found his owners. So, I called the local shelter and they came to pick up Bear, promising to reunite him with his owners. I’m not sure I would have called them otherwise.
After Bear was picked up, Justin and I were able to celebrate a marriage milestone….
OUR TENTH ANNIVERSARY
It’s hard to believe that Justin and I have been married for ten (TEN!!) years. But, it’s even harder to believe that we’ve been a couple for 15. Life has been a wild ride once we said I do. Two babies, 2 cross country moves, not including our recent move to Tennessee. And, of course, a lot of adventures in between.
Honestly, Justin and I feel like we blinked and found ourselves another decade older. It’s just crazy. And, just now thinking “what do I hope for the next 10 years?” kind of freaked me out so, I’m not even going there…
THANKSGIVING 2022
We were very grateful to be invited to Thanksgiving dinner at a new friend’s house here in Tennessee. As a complete introvert, I was completely taken aback by the invitation, and usually in those circumstances I would automatically say no. But, something told me not to, and I’m glad I listened to whatever that something was.
We have been welcomed so warmly in our new home state. I honestly cannot say enough good things about the people of Tennessee. Whether natives or transplants, everyone still values family, faith, tradition, this beautiful country we get to call home, kindness, and constitutional rights.
I had to throw that last one in there because if you’re following the political climate, it matters.
After getting to know our new friends a little bit more, and eating some delicious food, we decided to head home when the girls were getting a bit punchy. And, to be honest, when my comfy pants were calling me 🙂
On Black Friday we decided to have a second Thanksgiving dinner at home. Truthfully, I started to buy the items for our holiday dinner in October so I was well stocked before we were invited over. You can learn more about what our traditional Thanksgiving menu entails right here.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. For me, it celebrates family and friends – togetherness. Reminding us that what we have to be grateful for is right in front of us. And, it kind of embraces the simplicity of life. Good friends, good food, good time. No pressure. That’s why it’s my favorite.
DIY PROJECTS
I’ve been sharing a lot of our DIY projects over on our new YouTube channel, Spotted Rooster Farm. But, one project that I am most proud of is my diy attempt to reupholster our dining room chairs. Now, take it easy on me, the chairs are not perfect.
But, I am so happy that I tried and got a pretty fantastic result. If I do say so myself. Here, take a look at the before and after…
We were given this dining room set from my parents when we moved back to Long Island from San Diego. And, if you know my Mom, well then you know that Linda is an absolute clean freak. I mean, not OCD standards but, I have clear memories of telling my mom the following when she would voice her concerns over the state of the house – “people live here!” and “this is NOT a museum!”.
Okay so, that gives you a pretty good idea of how she took care of these chairs before handing them over to us. Guys, we damn near demolished these chairs. I gave it serious thought on whether or not to add them to a brush pile. In other words, they were in great need of a mini makeover.
Thankfully, I was able to pull it off, and I am kind of shocked at how little of an effort it took. A comparable dining set (if we were looking at replacing it) would be thousands of dollars. My DIY project? $35. Yes, don’t be afraid to get your hands a little bit dirty folks. This dining room set still has a couple of years left in it!
Well, I guess that kind of catches us up to the current holiday season. And, there’s just so much happening, from parades to tree lightings, get-togethers to holiday shopping, baking, gift giving… you get the idea. I am going to do my best to keep you posted on life right here. And, if you read this far (or even if you scrolled right down to the bottom), I wish you and your family a very happy holiday season!
