Week two!

We (the cats and I) have been here two weeks today and Paul is celebrating four weeks! It sure doesn't seem like it. As they say, time just flies when you're having fun! As the time goes on, everyone is getting more comfortable with the new digs and we're just loving life! The cats love their outside screened in porch ... I'm sure they feel like kings overlooking their kingdom! Today is about 58 degrees right now, (about 9AM) the bluest sky I've seen in ages and a nice brisk breeze blowing (last night the breeze was 95 miles an hour on Grandfather Mountain and 27 degrees!). Hopefully my charming prince will wake up sometime soon and we can go for a ride for some well deserved R & R. I found a great antique sink we need to pick up later today ... as well as an antique stove (4 burners, an oven and a water tank for consistent hot water for tea! ~ all wood powered). Probably not how we'll cook! HAHA! Paul finally took the clawfoot bathtub out of the back of his truck. When it was snowing earlier in the week, he thought it might keep his truck from sliding around on the roads ... but when the weather cleared, it became embarrassing (for me) and so ... he now has a truck bed empty enough for us to load up a bunch of "stuff" the previous owners left on the front porch and in the front room. I'd hate for the trick or treaters to come up to the porch and be swallowed up by the debris ... nice trick but where's the treat in that?!?! When I was in the local hardware store the men in there asked me if I'd seen our house ghost yet. Well, no, I haven't seen him ... but he keeps opening the door to my "Florida Room" so I kind of figured he was here ... and his name is Earl (of all things!) so ... as long as Earl stays friendly, he can stay! :-) I've managed to get all that drywalled popcorn down off of the kitchen walls and have primed and painted the base coat. So now it's to the fun part where I can wash the walls or faux them, or plaster them ... etc., etc. You get the picture! It's better! And it's cleaner! Yesterday I took all the carpet strips up around the walls of the office, and all the staples out of the floor! The previous tenants took their green shag carpet, but they left all of the remnants behind (like the strips and staples for the foam under the carpet). I bet we're going to pull out 10 pounds of staples by the time it's all said and done. We have lathe and plaster walls in this house and try as I might, I've yet to find anyone who does that work! Drat! If you know anyone who does old fashioned plaster work, please let me know! I did find an electrician last week ... it's financially equal to a college education! Better than Paul and I trying to do it though ... so, onward ho!!!! Also, Paul is working 12 hours a day/6 days a week ... so he's got NO TIME to do it. Maybe I can figure it out. I like working with textures ... hmmm. I have, of course, been working on mosaics right along with the other projects ... always a nice treat to get to that part. And, I've pulled the ballet barre into the living room so I can take a class daily and keep my sanity. It's such a blessing to have sanity ... We found a lovely restaurant on Friday night ... on top of a mountain. It's an old farmhouse that they've converted into a very nice restaurant called the GameKeeper Restaurant. Paul was very happy with the menu which offered all kinds of game (ostrich, rabbit, buffalo, venecine, snake etc.)! I had fish, of course! It was so nice to get out of the house, but trying to find appropriate wardrobe in amongst the mountains of boxes was slightly stressful! Once we settled into our evening out, it was delightful! The kids from The Dancer's Pointe had a performance last night at Lake Eola in Orlando. I thought about them all day yesterday, as well as the teachers. Do so hope everything went perfectly! (thanks for the pictures David! I was wondering if Aric received his costume!) Today is my sister's birthday. Happy birthday, Cyndie!!! We're also very happy to report that Paul's dad, Mel, is recovering with great success from his recent illness and returning to his normal self. And, my good friend (and tap teacher) Dana graduated yesterday with her Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration ... congratulations, Dana! We're so very grateful for all of our blessings!!! Ok, so it's evening now and our ride through the Cherokee National Forest yielded these pictures of the beautiful view and the deer feeding. We had a wonderful ride and it was lovely to get out and see where we live! The picture of the mountains and the deer were taken on Roan Mountain, which is about 15 minutes from the house. BEAUTIFUL!!!! One word of warning, on Sunday around here there are not too many businesses that are open ... so don't go out expecting to find any lunch! We drove about 40 miles before we found an open restaurant! But well worth the time we spent out enjoying our new neighborhood! Y'all take care! Paul & Cheri

First Week!

Well, we've been here one week today! We're very happy to be here and feel quite at home, which is a good thing! There is of course, as lot of work to be done ... but we're o.k. with that as we have a L O N G time to do it in, if the Good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise, as my daddy would have said!
Mr. Paul is as happy as a pig in dirt with his x-box on line and working incredibly well!!!! All thanks to David for patiently consulting and instructing over the phone. Thank goodness for good friends! We've set up a couple of things that are functional for necessities. One being the kitchen, before I started scraping the "popcorn" off of the walls to get it back to normal drywall. Now the kitchen is a big dusty mess ... but the walls are going to be beautiful! Also, our angel is hanging in our front room to keep us safe and sound. As you might be able to see, things are in disarray... boxes everywhere ... lamps in random places ... but in another couple of years, it'll all be ok! :-) I was also hoping you could tell how high the ceilings are from the view here ... they are either 10 or 12 feet ... we're still working on figuring that out! We found a claw foot tub at a roadside antique shoppe yesterday for our "new" bathroom, so we've begun the accumulation process for the house. I'm so full of great ideas ... hope I don't run out of energy first, or wear Paul out with projects before it's done. Yesterday he spent hours removing carpet strips and bits of green shag carpet from the staircase. Then after the scrubbing, it just looks amazing! The wood under the paint is just gorgeous ... can't wait to get to that part! If you look at the picture of Paul above, the staircase is to his right. The area where he is sitting is destined to be the office so I'll be working simultaneously in it and the kitchen. There's enough variation that I won't be bored!!! I'm just hoping the kitchen drywall part gets finished before we have to endure much more of the dust! Y I K!!! Paul also fixed all the screens on the side porch so the kitties can now actually go outside where it's safe for them. Although ... I did find them on the front porch once yesterday looking very "guilty" for being there. They came back in with no problem, but that motivated us to get the porch set up ... little stinkers! We had someone (Steve and Bunny, I think) stop by yesterday saying he used to play here in the late 60's and early 70's when his grandmother and grandfather owned the place. He was apparently a part of the "Jobe" family who originally built the house. The signature is even on the foundationn of the house in the crawl space, dated 1929. Oh, the crawl space is actually pretty much a walk in closet type thing with part of the earth in the form of a mountain inside. It has several signatures of people who've built and added onto this house, historic novelty, I suppose. Every where we go in Elk Park there is someone with a story of how they played in our basement as a child, or their son grew up playing in the basement. It would've been a very fun place to have been as a kid, and I can so imagine playing Raiders of the Lost Ark down there! Hopefully our grand children will get the benefit of adventure seeking. The Jobe family sold to the Davis family sometime in the early 70's apparently, and we bought if from the Davis family. So ... I'm sure there will be more "dropping by" to visit their old homestead. It's fun to have history with the house ... and of course, Paul knows every one of the details! (especially the details involved with the Tweetsie Railroad history ~ which this house was a part of also) The view above is what we see when we look out the kitchen window! Isn't it gorgeous! The leaves are so vivid in color now that it is a true gift! Just wanted to share it with you all. Unfortunately, you can't really see the golds the way we see them in real time. They're magnificent! They're calling for snow coming this week. We'll see, but you can tell in the clouds that something's brewing! Until next time, be well and be happy. Paul & Cheri

Home at last!

Well, here we are, safe and sound and grateful for every bit of it! The truck was a 26 foot, packed to the brim, piece of transport that also pulled a dolly with Paul's pride and joy 1973 Saab 96, a canoe, a ballet barre, bed frames and various other things jammed into the canoe, which was jammed under the Saab! There wasn't any room left for even a toothpick. We had the best friends in the world helping us. Pedro, who is the man who owns the company (Cumex Metals) where Paul worked in Orlando, helped us load and UNLOAD the truck. He rode w/ Paul in the truck up here and helped unload, then flew home. Can I just tell you what a HUGE deal that was - thank you Pedro! He told us later on Monday that he'd never moved before as he's from Cuba and they live in their home for their life ... and when he came to America, he brought a back pack! Bet after his experience with our move, he'll be an expert when it comes time to move into his new home with his family, who has also moved here. As Paul had a road trip buddy, so did I. Ms. Kelly, who is the director for the studio where I've been working in Orlando, was sweet enough to load my car to the point of a sardine can (!) and ride with me and the 2 cats all the way up here, then flew back with Pedro. We are ever so grateful for these 2 good sports, and angels in our lives. Also, the night before we left it was looking pretty hopeless for finishing when the Marozzi family cavalry dropped in and became undeniably the most intergal part of our second wind! I can't believe how much work those 4 people were willing to do on their Sunday off! We sure did have some very special friends come to our rescue, and we just want to say THANK YOU in the biggest possible way!!!! There were others who popped in, David helped undo the computer chaos and packed it up so it could survive the journey, which we certainly appreciated gobs and bunches! Now I have to get Paul online with his xbox ... but I think I'll wait until I have most of the big furniture where it needs to go (otherwise, well ... you know) Paul had a welcome home sign that he hand made for me, just made my day! And Monday was our wedding anniversary, so what a way to celebrate. We are very lucky, grateful and oh, so tired people. I think the trip was mostly uneventful as far as traffic conditions, car and truck conditions, etc. But there were those little nuances that made the trip fun and special. There were a couple of "out of this deminsion" moments that we'll just keep there ... So, yesterday I woke up to sideways freezing rain and wind blowing hard enough to blow me across the yard. In celebration of that, I locked myself out of the house and had a little adventure that I'm sure only Cheri, the magnificent, could have enjoyed and endured. Thankfully, I had my car keys in my hand (because apparently the house is very secure and impossible to get in to without a key!) and I drove to Paul's shop and got his key. With angels watching over me, he was there and not in some remote location of an installation for the day! Around here, when you have to go someplace, it takes a while! We have so much to do here that I'm sure I will NEVER get bored or still! The cats have finally come out of hiding and are quite entertaining running around the place, but as you can see, they are living up to their reputation with the frequent cap naps ... all cuddled up in this colder climate. Will catch up with more soon, but most go scrub stuff now. Thanks for all of your good wishes and help to get us home. Best wishes to Paul's dad who is unfortunately under the weather. Get well soon, Mel! Be well and be happy! Paul & Cheri

Today is the Day!!!

I've opened my eyes and realized, this is it! The kitty report is, the little miracle kitty has found itself a home with my sweet friend Valerie and her two girls, Samantha and Vanessa. It will be loved and taken care of, a fate much better than living under the back porch. Although she has had many offers, the mamma would like to remain outside and free, we gypsies can understand that for sure! Artemis has found a great hiding spot to keep from getting packed, but his expression is how I feel this morning! Today is the day! Paul made it back to Orlando around 11:30 last night and boy was it good to see him! I think he might be enjoying sleeping in a real bed as he's still fast asleep! He's been sleeping on an army cot and waking up to temperatures of 40 and below. Guess he might be glad to be warmer for a little bit! He was also glad to see the T.V. when he got home, and actually got to catch a bit of his favorite, "Dr. Who" before bed. We have a huge day ahead of us with picking up the moving truck, packing it and etc. It's a large job normally, but including the garage filled with Paul's treasures, it's a HUGE job. :-) It's been a week filled with my having to say goodbyes to my good friends and students and their families. I am ever so excited to begin our new chapter, but the saying goodbye and moving out of this chapter has proven to be a BIG task filled with sorrow on many levels. Thank goodness we live in modern times and have these lovely computers, telephones and etc. I guess it's just time for us to get a web cam and visit our friends that way! For all of you here in Orlando, please know that I take you with me in my heart and when we finally get "hooked up" on-line again, I'll be in touch. We are supposed to be live on Tuesday ... we'll see! I have to take this computer down around noon today ... so if you don't here from us for a few days, that might be why!!! You are all welcome to come and visit, but bring an air mattress if it's any time in the near future! So ... with the house fully packed, the "crew" coming to load the truck and the whole day ahead of us, I'll say goodbye to Orlando for now. I will miss everyone dearly. Hope this finds you all well and happy. Paul & Cheri

One week from today!

Well, in one week from today we should be on the road with everything we own headed for the blue ridge mountains and our new home! As exciting as that prospect is, this whole packing thing is a never ending process. As my friend, Valerie said yesterday, "it does just seem to go on, doesn't it". Y E S! It does! I am on target to wrap it up today ! as well as the income taxes as my extension runs out Oct. 15th. Nothing like planning it all to be the same deadline. Then I can't forget anything! The 2 little boys in the picture are my grandson, Christian (left) and his best friend, Nathan (right) at their school fall festival yesterday. They are just TOO cute to leave out of the picture here! And the mosaic is the one I had to drag out all that mess for, but I'm sure glad I did. My mosaic artist mentor (Chrissie Grace) has a little boy who named the mosaic Lulufly ... and so here she is! Paul has begun some major work on the house already. Poor man ... drove up there, arrived last Sunday around 4pm and worked from that moment on! He's enjoying his job with Blue Mountain Metal Works and seems to like his fellow workers. He's also enjoying the views when they go out on job sites! I'm so envious! Yesterday he put kilz on the walls in the 4 major rooms and painted the one room we'll be living in so the mildew won't kill us! Isn't he such a nice guy!?!? So at least while I'm staying up until the wee hours of the morning packing, he's awake too. Yesterday he was eating his lunch outside at our cement table watching the world go by when a BILLY GOAT went strolling across the yard ... horns, beard and all!!!! As hard as he tried to make it a deer or a doberman pincher, it turned out to be a goat! He also said it was not interested in being neighborly! We will be in another dimension up there, no doubt about it. :-) Hope this finds you all well and happy. Paul & Cheri

The next chapter has begun!

The sign has now gone up in the yard ... an official hint that we really are moving. The truck is packed and Paul pulled out of the drive way about 5:30 on Saturday. He arrived at our new home, some time around 2pm this afternoon. He had his usual "Paul adventures" on the road ... helped an elderly lady change a flat tire "because she had a kayak on her roof rack", slept in the truck overnight at a rest stop "because I'm a guy and guys do that ~ it's girls that you can't ask to do that", and drove half way up a mountain that was too steep to climb (thank you once again, Mapquest.com) and had to retrace about 6 miles and forge a new trail! He said he could definitely smell burning breaks when he got back to the bottom of that one! He sounds very happy to be there and has apparently already met a neighbor who has relatives that live in the surrounding houses! Yep - it's a small town! Can I just say it's very quiet around this house now! The cats sleep most of the time, and I'm certainly getting a mountain of boxes packed. I started on the kitchen the minute Paul left ... as there is no need to cook! YIPPEE!! I think the kitchen will take forever ... judging from the amount of stuff that I'm pulling out of the cabinets. Holy Cow! I've included a picture of our miracle kitty ... soooo cute to watch. Momma and kitty have been hanging out on the back porch entertaining me (since Paul's not here for that)! The festive packages are beautifully sweet gifts we got at our spectacular going away party hosted by Margie. Such a lovely and generous group of folks we have been so fortunate to know. I'm hoping to get pictures of the party so we can post the actual people. Thanks so much to everyone who came and shared laughter and spirits, and extra thanks to Margie for thinking so much of us that she'd actually have all those people in her home! You are all so very special. There will be tears ... but for now, it's back to the packing. Cheers to all, Paul and Cheri