What I'm reading this spring

 

Zoe Saldivar is more than just single—she's ALONE. She recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend, she works from home and her best friend Jen is so obsessed with her baby that she has practically abandoned their friendship. The day Zoe accidentally traps herself in her attic with her hungry-looking cat, she realizes that it's up to her to stop living in isolation. 

Her seemingly empty life takes a sudden turn for the complicated—her first new friend is Jen's widowed mom, Pam. The only guy to give her butterflies in a very long time is Jen's brother. And meanwhile, Pam is being very deliberately seduced by Zoe's own smooth-as-tequila father. Pam's flustered, Jen's annoyed and Zoe is beginning to think "alone" doesn't sound so bad, after all.

I’ve been an avid reader my entire life.  And yes, I’m shallow, I like easy, breezy romance novels, written only by women.  Susan Mallory is one of my very favorite authors, and this book is a good one.  Take some time for yourself, put your feet up, relax and read.  It’s one of life’s most simple pleasures, and for me, one of the best.

~ Jan

The hills of Tennessee are showing their green...

 

I know I constantly gush about how pretty it is in Tennessee, but just look at this picture.  I snapped it from the car window this week, and I’m just in awe of how how beautiful it is and pinch myself because I’m so lucky to live in such a lovely part of these great United States.

Middle Tennessee sits in a valley, so everything is surrounded by hills.  This spring has been so rainy, everything is lush and the views are  just magnificent.

The weather has been warm, we’ve been doing a lot of landscaping, and I’ve been doing a lot of sitting on the front porch.  It’s just a tiny little porch, but we enjoy it more than any outdoor area we’ve ever had.  For hubby it’s because there is activity.  We often say we live on Sesame Street because there are so many young families with children.  Fortunately for us, Don and Jacquie moved in last month across the street and they are also children of the 60’s.  We were doing the happy dance the day we saw their car pull in with age appropriate people inside :) 

But back to hubby and sitting on the porch.  People walk by with their kids and dogs and stop to say hi, he watches traffic, he isn’t bored.  We had such a pretty patio in Heavensville and he never sat outside.  He’s not a nature lover, there was nothing to watch except the birds and when we moved here, I was totally shocked to see him actually sit on the porch and relax.  I bought an outdoor lamp, it seems to be a southern thing, people  in Nashville often have lamps on their porches, and of course I jumped right on that bandwagon.  He mounted it to my table so the wind doesn’t blow it away and I sit early mornings in a chair with my coffee on the table, checking mail on my laptop and it’s a beautiful thing.  Our outdoor areas in Heavensville were beautiful, but the condo faced west and there was nothing to shield it from the sun so I rarely sat outside.  I sat on the back patio a lot, but usually by myself since hubby wasn’t a fan, so this works far better than I ever imagined.  Our house now faces north, so there is always shade.   I hung ferns, plopped a topiary in a pot by the front door, planted our iron tiered basket that we’ve had forever with impatiens and now I’m on the hunt for the perfect wreath for the front door.  LC put in the micro irrigation, so no watering for me this summer.

I have two mandevillas planted on trellises on either side of the porch and they are flourishing, the entire front of the house is landscaped with trees and bushes.  V and Rich visited last month and she helped me plan things.  The azaleas are flowering, there are big buds on the mountain laurels, the beds of Stella D’oro day lilies are blooming and the birds are singing.  The crape myrtle has leafed out and I just love watching everything grow.  LC knows I’m a sucker for a birch tree, he got a lovely one and planted it, we bought a dozen boxwoods to line the driveway and now we’re waiting on the sprinkler company to come and work on the system.  Then we mulch and we’re pretty much finished.  Well, gardens are never finished, but for this spring we’ve done enough.

Our back porch is covered as well, it only gets early morning sun, so it’s accessible as well.  Summers are hot in middle Tennessee, but hopefully we can sit outside some evenings and enjoy dinner. But what’s been a defining moment for me is the realization that it doesn’t take a lot of space to make an area your own.  We brought all of our favorite outdoor pots and statuaries and were able to use most of them.  My big concrete roosters are sitting under the birch tree, my stone rabbits are tucked under bushes and my favorite big clay frog is sitting on the back porch.  I planted hydrangeas in pots and sat them in the landscaping since there was limited space on the back porch for pots, I hung colorful baskets and planted herbs.  It’s small, contained and just the right size for me to putter around in without being overwhelmed.  

And that’s what I’ve been up to.  It’s starting to feel like home, it takes awhile to adjust to new surroundings, but I’m getting there and loving it...

Old Barns in Tennessee

Anything that reminds me of my childhood is so special at this time in my life.  I grew up in a family of farmers and played countless hours in old barns very similar to this.  I’m so nostalgic about the look, the smells, the creaking boards, and now that we live in Tennessee I’m lucky enough to see old barns everywhere in the countryside.

Unlike Illinois and Indiana, who have long since destroyed so many old barns and put up aluminum pole buildings, Tennessee seems to preserve theirs, they are everywhere.  We drive through the country and around every corner is another old barn and often silos sitting behind them.  I think a road trip just to take pictures of them would be so much fun.  It’s something that this generation knows nothing about, old barns, and oh are they missing out.  There is no greater joy for a child than to play in a barn, climb in the hayloft and make forts in the hay, feed the animals, smell the corn in the crib, and seeing so many of these wonderful barns brings back so many good memories. 

If you get a chance to just wander through the backroads of Tennessee, you will be richly rewarded of a life we don’t often see anymore.  Small towns, meat and three diners, cattle grazing, country people, it’s well worth the trip...

Thank You Pioneer Woman!

 

 

I’m a big fan of the tablescape, but since we’ve moved and have more company I’ve decided to only set the table with things I actually use.  Well, kinda.  And it’s spring and Pioneer Woman has her new spring collection at Walmart, so I was all over it like mayo on white bread.

The fun thing about her products is that they’re so affordable.  This cute little butter dish was $5.46, the round rug placemats were $3.00 each, the underneath yellow bandana placemats $1.50 each, napkins were $6 for a set of 4, the set of 4 plates were under $20 and they have flowers and yellow polka dots on them, I’m a huge fan of yellow polka dots!  The 4 glasses were $15.86, this great old fashioned pitcher was $12.72, the fluted pie plate was $12.  I got the cow last year for $5 and change.   I also have a napkin holder and coasters, you’re getting the picture, you can have a whole lot of fun for not a whole lot of money.  And you’re thinking, but.. it adds up.  Yeah, it does but you could easily spend this much money on an Easter outfit or a spring purse.  

Now I’m eyeing up this cookie jar, okay I admit, it’s in my shopping cart, okay, okay, so I bought it just now.  It was $15 - I’m the queen of justification, just ask my friends, I can justify anything and I really wanted this cookie jar to complete my collection.  I love the old fashioned look of it, the glasses are sturdy and the pitcher is the perfect size.  Do I need this stuff?  Of course not, but I had a heck of a good time buying all of this and it makes me happy.  I walk into the kitchen and I smile.

And did I mention her knife set?  We’re in overload here, I’m saving that little gem for another post.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper is retiring

It’s a sad day for her fans, I’ve listened to this woman on NPR for years and enjoyed her throaty chuckle and her velvet voice.  Her programs were always fresh, always interesting and I learned so much from her.  And thanks to Podcasts, she will live on in repeats so I can pretend she isn’t really gone.  There is a time for all things, we grow old(er) and I hope she has many more golden years to come.

I read about her retirement recently in the StarTribune, if you want to read her article in full, here’s the link…

Bon Appetit, Lynne, you were the BEST!  ~ Jan

85% of All Women Wear Wrong Bra Size

 

Do your boobs hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Chances are they do if you’re of a certain age and a full figured girl —eight out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra!  When you actually know your exact size if you're a busty lady, trust me it’s a humbling experience.

I just read an article about this today, and it jogged my memory because I’ve meant to blog about this for some time now.  

Here’s what works for me, Wacoal Underwire Sports Bras.  They’re a little pricey and they aren’t pretty but they hoist the girls, you won’t sag and you won’t bounce.  When you first put a new one on, it’s quite a feat, you will think this will never work because they are tight and unyielding.  But don’t give up, once they’re on, they aren’t really uncomfortable, just feel a little snug, and after a few wears they relax.

If you don’t know your size, and trust me, you probably really don’t, go to your local department store for a measurement or use Wacoal’s guide.  Just don’t faint when you realize what size you really wear, we are all in denial.   Wacoal makes more than one style of sports bra, but this one is the holy grail, it works better than anything I’ve ever found.

It’s a good idea to buy your first one from Nordstroms, free shipping, free returns, and I do find them new on eBay for less money, but whatever you pay if you don’t go around with your tata’s hanging to your waist and flopping in the breeze, it’s worth it.  Pinky swear it is.  ~ Jan

Here’s the Nordstrom’s link for you...

Decluttering...

Okay, let’s talk...

When we moved, three months ago, I dutifully promised my family that I would declutter and get rid of stuff.  Oh, I had such good intentions, but it just isn’t happening like poor hubby had hoped it would.  But everybody that comes here thinks my house has a lot less in it than my condo did.  And when they tell me that, I just shake my head and laugh, because I still have it all, it’s just spread out.

In my defense, and I can justify pretty much anything, but seriously I have a thousand more square feet than I had before, more closets, and they’re all walk in, more bathrooms, are you getting the picture?  I have a lot more room to organize things.  And I have done a good job, patting myself on the back here, everything is 100% organized thanks to hubby and his penchant for having things neat.  It’s been pure torture, though, what a mess we’ve had getting to this point.

But back to getting rid of things.  I have sixty totes, yes that’s right,  S . I. X. T . Y  totes n the garage for the mother of all garage sales.  And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had him dig through those boxes because I need something I thought I didn’t want.  We are seeing the finish line, however.  The house is done, the garage will be soon, well it will when we got rid of all those totes.  And the picture above?  This is just some of the things I had in the sunroom at the condo.  But look at this, it’s all the treasured cards that Holly has made me, which I will keep forever and then pass down to my granddaughters, it’s colored note cards, and pencils in every color of the rainbow, fun scrapbooking scissors to cut paper into cool shapes, things that little grandchildren hands will love to mess with, and so it goes.  

See all the drawers in this old piece of office furniture?  And what’s in these drawers?  Not much, so i can transfer all the things that I have in the picture above, to these drawers.  Everything in it’s place and a place for everything.

See, the queen of justification...

Several of you keep asking for pictures, and when I take them, there is so much light in this house that I get a lot of blowout. You can tell in the picture above, that rug is not the color that you are seeing, and there aren’t stains on it as it appears in the picture.  Things like this just drive me nuttier than I already am.  So, I need to take pictures really early morning, which would entail me getting up really early, or late in the afternoon, and I always forget.  But I will, soon I will.  Pinkie swear I will… ~ Jan

I did it, I bought a ROOMBA!!!!

 

A couple of years ago, my friend Holly told me that I needed a Roomba, she has cats and swears by hers.  The price point is a bit hateful, so I didn’t buy it, but since then I’ve seen over and over again on Facebook people singing it’s praises, and nobody seems to have negative things to say about it.

The first time we saw our house, I told hubby I loved it but the floors would be a b*tch to keep clean because they were dark.  He kind of shook his head, I don’t think he really understood how unforgiving dark wood is.  But boy, does he ever get it now.  He’s the floor guy, and it’s a daily job, using the Swiffer and cleaning them with the Bona wet system.  We bought a Shark Cordless Vac and it helped but it was still a royal pain in the patootie.  

Out of desperation he started reading about the Roomba, and was quickly onboard.  We snagged a great deal, but that’s another blog post, fired it up and O . M. G. it does a phenomenal job with the floors.  This thing is seriously awesome, seriously!  I was worried about the sensors, since my floors are so dark, but she has no problems at all.  It runs for a long time, I walk by and say “Hi Hazel, great job you’re doing” while grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary.  If you have stairs, you can set up zones so that she doesn’t go near them, these are highly engineered, the company that builds them does a wonderful job.

Every morning she undocks herself, cleans the floors and then redocks to charge again.  And since I name everything, I named her Hazel, after the 60’s maid in the sitcom Hazel, one of my favorite shows of that era.

Here’s a video of Hazel in action, boy was she a “doozy."

If you’ve been considering a Roomba, I highly recommend it.  She goes from wood to carpet to tile with no problems.  She vacuums my closet, under my bed, along my cabinets, and she never complains or gets tired, Hazel is da bomb!!!!!

~ Jan

It'll Blow the Lid Right Off the Popper

If you are a certain age, you will remember Orville Redenbacher, the geeky guy from Valparaiso, Indiana, and how he always blew his lid right off the popper.  Our family has coughed up the big bucks for his popcorn since it first came out, nothing else compares with his big fluffy kernels, but we don’t do the microwave bags, too unhealthy.  We have had several Presto Microwave Poppers, you know the ones with the nasty little paper disk in the bottom.  But the poppers worked well, so I just spent a chunka change replacing those disks.

A couple of weeks ago, hubby was popping corn and the whole lid just broke in half and fell apart, so it was obviously time for a new one.  I checked them out on Amazon, decided that I just couldn’t handle that Presto one any longer, it’s time to update to silicone.

This silicone popper had good reviews, the price was right, $12.97 Prime, so I ordered it.  It’s pliable, folds flat, easy to store, at first hubby thought it was a bit small, but we quickly found out that it pops just the right amount.

No more nasty disks, you can put oil in the bottom (Orville Redenbcher’s Popping Oil, of course) and salt along with the popcorn, 1/4 cup seems to be the right amount, and in less than 3 minutes you have popcorn.  When you put the lid on, it sinks down in the bowl, but raises as the corn pops.

It’s a winner, winner, chicken dinner, check it out here if you need a new popper, too.

Ree's Mercantile Salt and Pepper Shakers

I’m such a sucker anything that Pioneer Woman has, does and sells.  She has these in her store and I’m literally sitting on my hands to keep from buying them.  They’re only $14 and just as cute as can be.  I keep telling myself I’m trying to declutter, I don’t need these, but oh they’re perfect.

Hubby says, just buy them, but I’m resisting.  Will I really be able to not to?  Time will tell...

They’re very 50’s retro, and I do have those adorable Dept. 56 egg plates.

I have really scaled down my table, at least for me I have.  Nothing on it but the lazy susan and these “few” collectibles.  But wouldn’t those s&p shakers look really cute with the egg plates?  But the Campbell’s Soup Kids s&p shakers look really good, too.

See what I mean, it’s a dilema, should I or shouldn’t I?  Scarlett is going to worry about this tomorrow but in the meantime here’s a link in case any of you want to order these.

Here’s they are, go for it...

~ Jan ~

Decluttering

A place for everything and everything in it’s place.  Sounds so simple, but it’s not that easy.  I’m a nester, a collector, a person who surrounds myself with things that make me happy.  I had such lofty ideals about minimizing when we moved last December, and I really have tried.  Everything is organized in the house now, hubby is still working in the garage, sorting, separating, filling dumpsters, thank goodness they are building a house next door.  But still, there is a lot of stuff in my house and how I ever had all of this in the condo I’ll never know

But onward and upward, we somehow keep bringing boxes in the house, It’s things I had forgotten about, so why do I think I need them?  And things I’ve told him to pitch, I somehow wish I had back.  Today, he unearthed wind chimes in the garage, and I heard the tinkle and yes, they made me smile.  I do love wind chimes.  I’ll find a place for them, tomorrow I will.“

*Sigh* We’re both ready for this to be over, to have everything sorted, sold, cleaned away and have life back to normal, if I even remember what “normal” is. 

We’re getting there, slowly and steadily, and spring arrives early in Tennessee, I’m ready...

Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes Review

 

I’m old(er) I get excited about the strangest things and I’m absolutely estatic about this find!

Ya’ll know (I live in Tennessee now, had to throw that ya’ll in there) that I got that fancy schmancy French Door Fridge with all the bells and whistles that I had drooled over for years.  Well the honeymoon was over quickly.  It’s absolutely wonderful inside, but oh the outside.  I’ve had stainless appliances for years, but never had the fridge in the direct sunlight.  It showed every streak, smear, you name it that I tried to clean it with. 

I was desperate, I even tried alcohol, which was a total waste.  But finally I hit holy grail.  Weigman Stainless Wipes, oh my, they are perfection.  You just wipe them on with the grain of the stainless, they leave a filmy residue that quickly dissipates, but allows you to see where you’ve cleaned, then you just buff with a dry cloth and voila, no smears, no streaks, nada, none.  Next I’m trying their granite cleaner, I’m definitely sold on this brand.

So if you have the same problem, go to Amazon, order these bad boys, and you too will be a fan.  Pinky swear you will.

~ Jan ~

Happy 95th Birthday Betty White

Who doesn’t love her, she’s adorable, feisty, and just a wee bit naughty.

But she wasn’t always this sweet, cute little old lady and this is a G-rated blog, so I won’t post pictures or even link to them, but if you’re curious about vintage Betty pin-up pictures, just Google “Betty White Nude” and click on images.

They’re pretty tame photos compared to today’s standards, but just thought you all might enjoy a little ‘peek’ at Betty in all her glory in her younger years.  I don’t know how I know this, but I somehow stumbled on this a few years ago and was surprised at what I found.

And why am I sharing this?  Totally clueless,  except it’s a rainy, misty day and I’m just a little bored.  

Ahhhh, Betty, you wild thing, proof positive that you can’t always judge a book by it’s cover.

~ Jan ~ 

 

Happy New Year My Chickies...

It’s such a cliche, but seriously, love of family, happiness, a bit of prosperity, inner peace and good health.  It’s all we need...

~ Jan

Isn’t this chicken art amazing?   It’s the work of the talented Sarah Hudock.  Check out her online store on Facebook.  Here’s the link...

Photo from the collection of Sarah Hudock

Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

 

Our first Christmas in the great state of Tennessee.  It’s been a wild ride so far, I’ve barely come up for air.  The house is starting to look like an actual house instead of a warehouse, thank goodness.  The downstairs is 90% done, next week we tackle upstairs.

It may seem like a strange thing to feature Dish Washing Detergent in a Christmas post, but there’s a message here.

I discovered Method Clementine Soap at the greatest Kroger’s I’ve ever been to, less than a mile away, but that’s for another post.  Let’s just say I’ve never been a fan of Kroger, but this store just knocks it outta the ballpark.  But back to my story...

So I buy this dishwashing detergent on a whim because it has a pump, come home, take it for a spin and oh my, I’m in love.  The clementine smell is so fresh, it’s just amazing.  Apparently they make this in many different scents, so Jan the lemon lover will be trying that one, soon.  I then go back to Kroger several times, thinking I will pick one up for Deanna (daughter-in-law)  and this product is totally sold out, so apparently I’m not the only fan.  A couple of days ago it was restocked, I picked up a couple of more bottles and gave her one.

I talked to her yesterday, the subject came up and she, too fell in love with it.  But here’s the Christmas part of this story, she said to me, “It’s the little things that make a difference.”  She gets it, she totally gets it, it is just the simple little things, a note, a phone call, a simple little joy gift that can bring pleasure to someone’s day.  So this Christmas season, give the gift of yourself.  Pick up that phone, send that email, take a minute to make someone’s day special.

Merry Christmas to you all, I’ll be in touch soon.  People have been asking for pictures, It won’t be long.

Huge hugs from our 73 degree weather here in Florida, um, no, it’s Tennessee, Jan, Tennessee.

XXO XXO 

Moving for Seniors 101

 

We’re IN, we moved last Saturday, however, we are STILL awash in a sea of boxes. It takes a long time to unpack 5,932 boxes!   I do have one piece of advice, if anybody that’s over sixty is reading this and even contemplating a move, do it... NOW!   If we were older, I don’t know how we would have done this.

Here are a few insights for any of you that are thinking of relocating...

1.  This is holy grail, HOLY GRAIL, PEOPLE.  I know better, hubs and I have moved countless times in our forty-six years of marriage, PACK YOUR SHEETS AND KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!  So, did I follow my own advice???? Oh hell no, we’ve been sleeping between two blankets since Saturday night.  I counted  twenty-nine boxes in our bedroom this morning that haven’t been unpacked.  Now why, tell me, would anybody have TWENTY NINE moving boxes in just their bedroom???  I’m clueless, but somewhere in those boxes are multiple pairs of sheets, SOMEWHERE!  On a happier  note, we both do have our own pillows.  Whoeee, life is good!!!

2.  Pace yourself, you will be exhausted, both physically and mentally.  Moving is a daunting task at any age, but when you’re in your 60’s, it can be overwhelming at times.  A couple of nights ago, poor LC was asleep in his recliner, I didn’t have the heart to wake him since he was curled up in the fetal position, sucking his thumb ;) and instead I went to the bedroom with the intent of going to bed.  Well, the bed was totally full of stuff, so what did I do.  I just sat and cried for a bit, had a little pity party, blew my nose and cleared the bed.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely thrilled with the move, love the house, but I never could tap dance and chew bubble gum at the same time, so I’m just a little overwhelmed with the chaos.

3.  Know where the tools are that you will need when you start unboxing and getting your house in order.  Apparently ours are buried somewhere in the 3,572 boxes that are stacked to the ceiling in the garage.  And no, this isn’t stuff that goes in the house, the house boxes are in each individual room, it’s just who knows what, important things, I’m sure, that LC has in his garage.

4.  Laugh, OFTEN!  It helps to have a sense of humor about all of this.   Hubby and I should be ashamed of ourselves, but last summer this older couple, I’m talking late 70’s moved into our condo neighborhood.  These people had their house and garage completely full of boxes and for weeks and weeks and WEEKS, day after day after DAY, these poor old people sat in lawn chairs in their driveway going through boxes.  We would go by on our golf cart and wonder if they were ever going to get unpacked.  SHAME ON US, because NOW, WE ARE THOSE PEOPLE.  Poor old things, they looked like they had just had it, and in retrospect, we should have stopped and offered our help.  Trust me, next time we see older people struggling, we WILL do something, a casserole, a hug, a smile, anything would have helped them, but we were oblivious.

5.  So here were are, DAY 5, and still aren’t finished putting the kitchen together.  We’re working on it, steadily, and I don’t feel as exhausted as I did earlier in the week, I just have too much stuff!  I have five sets of dishes, FIVE, and this is after I got rid of some of them.  Oh, and I have Christmas dishes, too.  Arughhhhh… But luckily, this is the largest kitchen I’ve ever had, lots of cabinet space, lots of counter space, I’m really going to love it.  I’ve actually cooked a few times, I made a pot of chili, baked a ham yesterday, and even though things aren’t completely put away, I’m able to function.  And somewhere in the garage, I have a new French Door Refrigerator, the very one that I’ve drooled over every time I went to Lowes.  

We visited our friends Diane and Jerry a few years ago, she had an LG French Door Fridge and I fell in love with it because it had the extra drawer, it was just da bomb!  Somehow I just couldn’t justify buying a new fridge, because mine was perfectly good, but when we sold the condo, we left it.  I promptly went out and bought the Samsung that I had wanted forever, and someday, hopefully soon, it will be in the kitchen.  Our house came with a fridge, but it was a side-by-side, so it’s in the kitchen until we unbury this one in the garage.  The sales manager is buying it, and I’m finally getting the one I want.  Moral of this story, all good things come to those who wait.

And speaking of good things,  hubby just walked in the door with this box of donuts from The Donut Palace.  OMG, OMG, HOW I LOVE THIS MAN!!!!!!   They are still warm, and they are just DECADENTLY DELICIOUS!

Old(er) people love donuts, and when we left Heavensville, I thought nothing could ever replace our beloved Donut Bank.  Well, I’m wrong!  People kept telling us about this Asian couple that own a donut shop called The Donut Palace.  It’s in a strip mall, a mile away, so when LC went to Home Depot this morning he came back with this box of donuts, still warm.  Yes, people, they are as good as they look, they actually blow Donut Bank out of the water.  *gasp*.  Just another reason to love Tennessee :)  V, I know you are checking these out, we will hit this place up when you visit!

And that’s my life so far.  The kitchen picture was taken a few days ago, it looks much better now.  More pictures coming when I get it together.

Just checkin’ in, people have been emailing, wanting to know if I’m still alive.  I am, alive and well in the hills of Tennessee with this big grin on my face.  The sun is shining, Christmas music is playing and I’m on a mission!  

Back to it, that pantry is calling my name this morning.  ~ Jan

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

 

Today, I’m thankful for family and friends, and i’m especially thankful that in six more days hubby and I won’t be homeless….

We close early on our house next Wednesday and then the work begins.  We have 937 boxes to unpack.  Okay, so I’m stretching that a bit, it’s actually 652!

Anybody wanna help???

So we loaded up the truck and we moved to Tennessee..

 

Country Music Stars, Steel Guitars...

Hubby turned 71 this past August, and it was a wakeup call for us.  We’re getting older, and we've had several conversations this summer about why we are in living here when our family is in Lexington and Nashville, Versailles and Franklin to be exact.  We love the Lexington area, it’s a beautiful place and we always enjoy our visits there so much, but this old country girl’s heart has always been drawn to the hills of Tennessee.  Mild winters, southern hospitality and beautiful scenery, everything I love. Well, the diners with sweet tea, beans and cornbread are an added bonus, too.

So, after a trip to Florida in early September, we came back thru Nashville, hooked up with a great realtor, looked at houses and on Labor Day, we bought a home in Spring Hill, just a stone’s throw from Franklin, twenty minutes or so down the road from John, Deanna and Lexi.  Then we came home and put a for sale sign in the yard at our condo, and sold it on the same week on Thursday.  It’s been an absolute whirlwind, but we feel that we made the right choice for our golden years and we are so excited about moving to Nashville!  Every time we tell people where we’re relocating to, without fail, they break out in a huge grin and start telling us how much they love Nashville, too.  People are moving to the area at the rate of eighty-five per day, we love that Spring Hill is more rural, and we have easy access to shopping without having to fight traffic.

We’ve decided to abandon the condo life and the pricey HOA fees, and instead we bought a model home in Spring Hill that will work well for us.  Everything we need, including the master bedroom is on the first floor, but the upstairs has a loft that we can use as a sitting area with media center, a bedroom with en suite, two more bedrooms and another bath.  We’ll use one bedroom as a playroom for the grandkids, another bedroom with twin beds for them and the bedroom and en suite for family and guests.  It will be so much fun when Ryan and Lindsay visit, we were always so cramped in the condo, we often stayed at our neighbor Marti’s, so now we’ll have plenty of room for everybody to spread out.

 Foodie Jan is excited about having a big kitchen again, our family always gathers in the kitchen and now we will have plenty of room without being cramped. And since it was a model home, it has great landscaping, too, well, maybe a few changes will happen cause that’s just the way I roll. :)

We won’t be able to move into our house until December, so everything is in storage and Ryan and Lindsay invited us to stay with them, so we’re relocating to their house for a short time.  We’re looking forward to spending extended time with Abby and Ben, giving Lindsay a break so she can get her holiday shopping done, and before you know it, we’ll be Nashville bound.

We didn’t expect this late(r) in life relocation, I always just assumed that my next home would be Shady Acres, but we’ve been here fourteen years and you think differently in your 50’s than you do in your 60’s and 70’s.  I’m excited to get to decorate another house, we’re both excited about exploring the hills and hollers and the country life and we’re glad we didn’t wait any longer to do this, moving is always stressful and this has been quite a challenge., 

 

 

Totino's Party Pizza, what happened???

This is the Pizza of my boy’s childhood, they loved and still do.  It was always $.99, and it was a classic.  Mother was a fan as well, she would bake one and scarf down the entire thing.  Well, the guys still love it, Ryan has Ben eating it now, Lexi isn’t a fan yet, John is hopeful, but what happened to it???

Gone is the familiar red box, the 10.9 ounces of pure processed delight.  It’s been replaced with a cellophane bag and it’s now a rectangle.

WHAT, WHAT???  A RECTANGLE!!!!!!  Pizza is supposed to be ROUND!!!!!

This just isn’t right, you don’t mess with holy grail.  It’s still $.99, the price hasn’t changed, but c’mon Totino’s, it’s just not the same anymore...

 

Wendy's Chili Dupe

I love Wendy’s Chili, and yes, I know they use their leftover hamburger to make it, that doesn’t really bother me, and it tastes closer to homemade than other chili I’ve tried in restaurants.  It’s surprisingly low in calories and I’ve always loved it over a baked potato.

I make really good chili, but I wanted to try a Wendy’s Dupe, and I found my way to MamaLovesFood.  Her adaptation looks good and the comments were positive, so I’m going to try it.  I'll cut it in half though, this makes a boatload and hubby and I can’t eat that much chili and I don’t want to freeze it.

So hop on over to her site and check out her recipe, looks like a winner to me...

MamaLovesFood.com

Picture from MamaLovesFood website