Goodbye AL, Hello MA

Okay, it's time to get back to blogging...I have lots of excuses that I could give, but

I won't bore you with those.

So where better to start than back at the beginning....and the beginning of another move. 

From one empty house

                                                           and another moving truck

                       after a little mishap with the mail box - was the truck, not me.
                                                        the car was packed and we were off  

                                                             onto those ribbons of highway

                                                                    we got some rain

                                                               some temptation? not.

                               you can't avoid the traffic jams - but right about here we pulled off...word was  out that the house had just sold and signatures were needed....I needed to print off an email, sign about 15 pages and fax them back....hmm.....I found the solution at the nearest Hampton Inn - a Hilton Hotel with a business center. We are Hilton members, so I flashed my card, was given access to the business center and 30 minutes later walked out with a house sold..yeah to Hilton!!

                                         
                                               ooh...did that sign say Davey Crocket birthplace?

                                                           through some farm land

                                                             

                                             another Woodstock? or is that the "Woodstock"?

                                                           there were a lot of these.....

and plenty of welcome signs too.

                                                       this was right about half way too.

                                                                   this is corn country

                                         our back seat passengers: Kiwi and Mr Swarkers

                                                                       and Chester

                                                                           and the driver

                                                                       
                                                                       nearly there

                                                            the first sign of Cape Cod
     

exit #3 - that's us

                                                                    2817.4 K's  later

                                              We arrive  at the next empty house

and then the work starts again.

                                                                          piles and piles

                                                     paper and cardboard - lots and lots of it

we finally saw the bottom of these piles

finding a place for everything that came out of all this cardboard was one of the excuses 

I can use for my lack of blogging.

Frost on the Pumpkin

The Fall season has settled in, we are seeing the golds, the reds and pumpkins. 

It's going to be a year of firsts:

                                                         
                                                        our first snow...was just a dusting

and our first frost,

                                        on the first calm day after our first wet and very windy Nor-Easter storm
                                                   - the view,  just a few steps from our gate.

                                     

and a perfect night for trick or treating.

Morning Discoveries

A little exploring within walking distance....

Turn left and arrive at Buttermilk Bay

Go straight to see cute tool sheds

Look down and see discarded shell fish shells.

Turn right and see more of Buttermilk Bay.

Greetings from Buzzards Bay, Massacheuttes

Blog posts have been neglected lately, I have a lot of blogging to catch up on!! 




We have made the big move..... and I have time for Just a quick note while I have coffee and toast for breakfast..(found the pot and found the coffee) the day ahead will be another busy one with unpacking....mostly looking for a place for everything. 

First night in the house last night, weren't really ready but we managed...Frank was having a shower before I had found any towels for example!!  leading him to discover that the hot water had not been turned on yet and later on to a lengthy search of all the light switches to figure out how to turn off what seemed 100's of lights. Frank went food shopping so we were able to have a picnic type dinner with a cooked chicken and we slept well with windows open, nice breeze and oh so quiet in our spot here.

We don't have tv yet but am watching the hurricane on the internet...will seek out my candles and bottled water just in case. I think I may have felt the earthquake, as I was leaning on the kitchen island and commented that I thought it was moving, two very subtle shakes,  then in a few minutes I got a text from a friend in Atlanta asking me if I felt it. Am not sure really.

Am making the flight bookings for Rose pick up late next week..should have her room ready and inviting by then.

And...haven't seen a single Eiffel tower since I arrived... oops not true, I did unpack one, my lovely glitter one given to me by Leslie...Priorities you know!! 

So I might need to start looking for something new,  lobster rolls maybe!!

Introducing the Blonde

We all want to know if blondes do actually have more fun, or if life is better blonde.

So to test the theory, I made a drastic change.

 From a dull brown/lots of highlights with a lot of light gray to this:

                                              All that light gray I have is not as light as I thought it was...
                                      I am now faced with the "what to do" with all those dark roots??

                                                                                     
And do blondes have more fun? ...yes it's been fun, but more fun? I say it is all in your attitude  :-)

Joanne comes to stay

Had a busy and fun visit from a girlfriend I met in Saudi. She's a kiwi too. Recently moved to Chicago from China.

                                       
                             Put a  little book on her bedside table to help her adjust to the local culture.

 At Winchell's Oyster House we got an order of fried pickles to go with our oyster and shrimp po-boy sandwiches.

Showed her our resident armadillo - who lives in a hole under the Crepe Myrtle trees.

I really need him gone....the digging for grubs he does leaves nice little holes all over the yard.

During her visit we stopped and walked through several parks, visited the Art Museum, several galleries,  took a tikitour around the garden district, central city, the beaches, bay and Fairhope. Took her to the Mardi Gras shop - second best after the museum which was closed for a private function.

Joanne had recently taken a five day "French Pastry" class up in Chicago (yes I am envious) where she made macarons...so I suggested she helped Leslie and I perfect our technique. We had a fun time cooking the chocolate ganache -delicious, and chocolate macarons, that were hopeless...I will forever blame the humidity!

Before we knew it the visit was over and I shifted gears and got to work in Rose's garage...anyone want an old Amelia Earhart suitecase??