Elk River Falls!

FINALLY found someone who would go rock climbing and hiking with me and NOT get frustrated because I am too slow! He's a perfect hiking buddy, in my opinion! We stopped at the top of the water fall and threw in dozens of rocks ... all varying techniques. Some of the rocks sort of floated down the water fall, some of them were thrown farther than the eye could see, and some sort of just got lobbed over the edge. It was definitely one of the highlights of the last several days in one little boy's opinion! We've had a wonderfully beautiful bout of weather for Christian's visit, so it has given us the opportunity to do lots of outdoor playing. We have a great back yard for kicking a soccer ball and throwing baseballs and such. And there is always the great tickling matches that reduce Christian to the most glorious fits of laughter I've ever heard! When I asked him what his favorite part of school is, he told me it was going home! We're so enjoying his precious, innocent energy. Paul Paul and I have big giggles with the hide and seek games we play with him. He loves to announce where he's hiding when the counter person says "ready or not, here I come" ... I just want to say thank you to his parents for so unselfishly letting him be a part of our lives. He really is a joy! And it is so nice to have a hiking partner that doesn't fuss at me for having short legs! Until later ... Nana and Paul Paul!

Our First House Guest!

Our first ever house guest arrived on Friday! He's raring and ready to be involved in whatever project we have to get involved in! During his mom and dad's move to their new house, Christian is staying here with Nana and Paul Paul to help us with getting settled in!! Today will be filled with more adventures here, and hopefully a little christmas decorating. Saturday we went to the Valle Crucis park and threw rocks into the river for hours! We also got to climb roped rock walls and swing and slide and all that comes along with the park! It was a beautiful FALL day here in winterland ~ so we REALLY took advantage of it (as you can see by Christian's sun glasses!). Yesterday was AGAIN a most beautiful day ... so we visited the local Elk Park Town Center park and played outside in the glorious blue sky and sunshine! I don't know why the weather has turned around, but we're certainly going to enjoy it while it's here. It's supposed to e nice and clear and warmish until Friday! Yippee!!!! I'm afraid the skiers who were here in droves for the Thanksgiving holiday went home sorely dissappointed in the weather and the skiing, but most of them turned to antique shopping, so maybe it worked out ok in the end! Paul Paul and Christian found some antiques out in the yard while they were metal detecting. The most exciting thing was an old metal toy race car ... seems to have come from long ago. I'm sure Paul has the details, but I forgot to ask about them! Paul got to play soccer yesterday for the first time in years. He came home with a big grin, a few burns and bruises and some sore muscles, but so very happy! That's always a good thing! And we have advil for the pain! So for now, I must go. Something about spilled cereal! Happy week after Thanksgiving to all! Paul & Cheri

It's here!!!

Winter is here! And it has arrived with greatness! It's simply beautiful! I love walking outside and listening ... the crisp clean quiet ... it is breathtaking. Well, of course it is, it's freezing! Walking in the winter wonderland, as the song goes! The first snow picture is our neighbor to the right as you're looking at our house (Bruce) ... the second is our house and the third is what I did on Saturday to invite this!!! Friday I took the pictures of the wood pile and the cropped trees. I just wanted to mention after so much grief, that the tree trimming saga is now history! They are all three trimmed beautifully and hopefully will be much healthier for it! So, now we're preparing to live in the snow. Paul keeps saying, "look where we live"! If nothing else, it's definitely different from the Orlando weather! We've been trying to accumulate warm work clothes for Paul (insulated work overalls and such!) and trying to insulate the house to make life warmer for us. We had a fantastic "root around" upstairs yesterday ... discovered all kinds of things in the attic, which is under the eves of this house. It was fun to figure out where the hidden walkways actually go. I would love to have been a kid growing up in this house! All the adventure~I'm sure there have been many before us! There are parts of the attic which have been insulated and boarded up ... and unfortunately parts which are truly open and letting cold air in! We actually found a HUGE (non living) wasp nest ... quite interesting to see how they're made ... but so far we've found no bags of money. However, we certainly haven't given up on that! We went to the local high school production of "the Diary of Anne Frank" yesterday and it was fun to support the local drama dept. The kids did a great job ... but I'm afraid I'm still just over the top about the Ailey performance!

I know y'all are wondering about the Queen B at the top of the page. Well, it's Paul's mum's birthday ... and so, Happy Birthday, Mum! Her name is Beryl, "B" for short ... so it's in her honor. It was one of the most fun mosaics I've done to date ... the whimsical stuff is a lot of fun and it's a nice compliment to all the painting I'm getting to do! Speaking of which, should go for now and get some of that done. I was rearranging the office and ran over Paul's x-box power cord and broke it. Now I'm trying to figure a way out of being hung at sunset! We certainly hope all of you are safe, warm and loved this Thanksgiving. I know we all have plenty to say grace over and I think Paul & I are especially blessed. We certainly wish for everyone else the same blessings and good fortune. Take good care and Happy Thanksgiving, Paul & Cheri

Before and After

Thought I'd show some befores and afters ... the horizon as we see it, before and after the frost hit yesterday (it is officially cold now and really quite beautiful!); before the x-box and after (the office is now gold w/ white trim ... but couldn't find that photo); the living room has gone from pink to whatever the hue is, but it's called some kind of dust (which is desert related, I'm thinking?); and the library went from half peeled off wallpaper and grunge to "paprika". On the photo of the paprika library you can see how pink the living room once was. So now you have an idea of what our color palette is doing ... as much of an idea as we have, anyway! The blue dining room will be going to an olive/steel green ~ the hallway and dining room are next, as well as the bedroom (which will be wallpaper, too many problems to hide with paint!). It's been great fun watching the transformation occur ... but the journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step ... we're about 5 steps into it now!

Paul and I went to see Alvin Ailey II last night in Boone at Appalachian State University. It was by far the best dance show I've seen in ages ... we were both so very impressed and inspired when we left. There was a male dancer in the company, Jermaine Terry, who had been raised and trained by Judy James in Orlando ... he was excellent and it was so nice to see him "on the big stage" after watching him locally. Always give dance teachers the chills when a kid "makes it" ... bravo! I hope Judy is proud, he's excellent! The last one-third of the program was Alvin Ailey's authentic personal archived choreography to black gospel music and it was spectacular! It was the Revelations, Pilgrim of Sorrow, Take Me to the Water, and Move, Members, Move and it was MAGNIFICENT. The opening pose had me in tears ... it was so good. It was such a lovely program, and I'd like to openly thank Paul's boss, Dirk, for the gift of the tickets. What a wonderful welcome to NC indeed! IF any of you kids are reading this, ASU is a great school and has a wonderful dance program if you're interested at all. Paul and I'd be glad to host your visit if you want to come! Pass the word. :-)

I'm hoping today will take us back to Johnson City for a few supplies as it's supposed to begin snowing Monday ... for the season, I'm hearing. Apparently they started making snow on Sugar Mountain last night. The stars were so bright last night you could see constellations that you never knew existed before! It was brilliant! But it was really too cold to stand outside and name them all ... we had to do that in intervals! The last temperature reading before coming out of Banner Elk was 28 degrees. Brrrrrrr!! Apparently the beginning of ski season is Thanksgiving weekend ... so I guess things will be all "a-buzz" by next weekend! Maybe in a few weeks I'll get up enough nerve to try to ski ~ hmmmmm!

There are lots of birthdays and celebrations in our circle this month ... Paul's mum is Monday (20th), our friends: Sabrina is Wed.(22nd), Pennisu was the 5th and Valerie was the 8th and Dwayne was the 11th! Happy Birthday to ALL y'all!!!! :-)

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a very happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday! Paul & Cheri

Might as well dance!

As my friend Valerie reminded me today,

"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."
— Japanese proverb

Saturday was a glorious t-shirt, yard working kind of day! We got out in the yard and began stacking, toting and chucking wood! We took a load to an elderly neighbor ... stacked a bunch on our fenceless land (yeah, the fence is gone!) and just left some for later! As you can plainly see, Paul was having his usual serious moments :-) making the task at hand a real pleasure instead of a chore. He's working on the "might as well dance" theme! We sure did enjoy the beautiful day ... but evening turned into a stormy night and Sunday morning brought snow! You don't have to wait long up here for the weather to turn! And the locals say it gets "hung up" here in the mountains. I think they've got the phrase just perfect! We actually made the long journey to Johnson City on Sunday afternoon and found a Barnes and Noble and had a GLORIOUS afternoon of lattes, teas, and books! It was delightful and quite the treat for us to get out away from the work and just enjoy life in the book store! So today brought work ... for us all. The tree trimmers came back after much ado about nothing over the weekend (they really just don't want to finish this job for some reason) and I'm hoping by tomorrow's end of business the trees will be finished and our business will conclude! Then it'll be more wood toting, chucking, stacking and delivering! But tis' nice to share ... I primered most of the what was left in that arena today ... the 30 foot hallway walls and cieling, the library wall that had to be "redone" after stripping the yuk off ... and the woodwork in the office. The library and the office are almost completely painted (halleluiah!) and the next step is the bedroom (which I think we've decided to wallpaper due to wall issues). The living room and dining room will be easy as they are straight paint jobs. Then we'll sand the floors downstairs and all will be well!!! Paul did a couple of installations at work and all went well for him, so today's been a good day! However, the best news of the month so far is that Christian is coming to visit the day after Thanksgiving for a week! I can't wait to get him up here. I sure hope he gets to see some snow and have some fun with it ... PaulPaul can't wait to share this big ole' yard with someone! It'll be a grandparent feast, I'm sure! So, until next time, be well and be happy. Paul & Cheri

One week today!

It's been one week today since we've seen hide or hair of our tree boys ... my friend Mike at the hardware store says I am a VERY impatient lady! Can you imagine that!? When I came home from my local grocery store visit yesterday, there was a VERY LARGE dump truck in my driveway. I'm hoping that means the tree boys will be here today ... and not that someone has stolen a truck and parked in in our yard! As of Sunday night, we no longer have any missing drywall in the kitchen ceiling! Yippee! Paul was quite impressive walking this large pieceof drywall up a ladder to our ceiling, (using his head as a mid balance point!) which is taller than 10 feet we've discovered. Guess we can have a pretty tall Christmas tree this year! Also, on Sunday, Paul installed our new beautiful pedestal sink ... so we are making progress around here! I rode up to Newland yesterday (about 8 miles from us, the town with 2 stop lights) and talked to a young lady who's opened a cheer and dance studio. She doesn't teach dance ... so I might just have a work opportunity very close to home. That would be lovely. I don't want to work until January, and she doesn't need me until then ... so perhaps it's a fit. We'll see! I'm practicing my patience! HA! I'm going to try to find Johnson City, TN today ... that's my big outing for the day! Johnson City has a Target and Old Navy ... Best Buy and things I haven't seen since I left the city. I think I'm hearing the buzzing of chain saws in my front yard! Apparently mountain time is different from the rest of the world ... a new dimension! Halleluiah! There are 6 men outside cutting, chopping, loading a dump truck, etc., etc.! Welcome to the country ... Happy weekend all! Paul & Cheri

Elk Park, NC ... things that make you go hmmmmmmmm

Now I ask you, if you had a perfectly beautiful brick chimney in your kitchen, would you dry wall over it and apply various different linoleums to it, finally settling on a brick pattern that looks like the brick underneath it????????? Well, they did that here! So ... yesterday I decided to begin the arduous task of removing the drywall and layers of linoleum and display the real thing! Things that make you go, "hmmmmm". The sink installation process has begun ... and oh, what a series of comedic moments we have had! As with any home project, it came with it's challenges, but when you add the age factor in of this home ... you just get some fun variables that you'd NEVER expect. We're learning! I chose the picture with the sink so you could see all the different wall coverings that have been installed through the years here ... the tile underneath the sink cabinet is actually linoleum! The backsplash above the dishwasher has the tile linoleum, then the brick linoleum, then some fruity contact paper over the whole thing. That, of course, will be coming off ... just trying to get the sink fitted first. So when the granite is cut to snuggle up to the sink, the fruity paper is removed and replaced with something a little more "us" ... (not that fruity doesn't describe us, I know!) and the fireplace is exposed, clean, and happy, this kitchen is going to be beautiful. This, of course, is our phase 1 remodel for the kitchen. Eventually we want to turn the whole thing around to face the mountain ... later! So, the plumbing parts are old and stripped and we went to our favorite hardware store right here in town center, Brinkley's. I'm sure we've paid their heat bill for the winter by now. Mike, who is also our neighbor, was so delighted to see us ~ especially because Paul was with me and it's a boy's club around here. So, they got to talking about things, and Mike realized we might need another piece of plumbing pipe later after store closing. He told us we could always just come on down to the house and get him ... and Paul said, "you mean, in case of emergency you will help people after hours?" and Mike said, "no, it don't have to be no emergency ... they're always just coming down there and getting me for stuff" ... so, you know we live in a small town! He only insists on whoever is in need be the one to drive him up to the store ... which is less than a mile from his house (he lives right behind us) !! The next conversation with Mike was about the guys next door shooting off their big guns ... and he was almost jumping up and down when he thought Paul was interested in buying a rifle. I thought he was gonna faint for a minute when he thought we didn't have a gun at all in our house. Poor man ... so far Mike's in a quandry as Paul (being a bonafide man) does not hunt, does not watch football, does not chew (tobacco) and does not have a cabinet full of guns. As Paul says, "we're not in Kansas any more"! Now, I have a few new friends too, of course. Jane Smith owns the antique store where I'm buying my new found old sink and stove ... and who knows what else. She's restoring an old theater here in town center, which I hope to get involved up to my elbows in. And she's all for that! Donna owns the Blessings coffee shop, which is attached to the antique section owned by Sherry, who I bought a gorgeous oriental cashmere 8 x 10 rug from for $30. I am not sure if it's going to match anything we have, but it was such a deal I had to buy it! Is that girlee, or what!?!? A local young lady has opened a cheer and dance company place in Newland, which is about 7 miles up the hill (where we have to go to do any real business - driver's license, etc.) and Paul ran into her at the DMV. She doesn't teach dance, only cheer, so I might be able to get a job at her place. There are opportunites every where I look ... the community center is in real need of after school stuff for the kids, elementary and middle school ... but what I really see around here is a desperate need to clothe and keep warm. There are so many folks here who live in little campers and trailers that are not heated, and some that aren't even plumbed. It reminds me of how lucky and fortunate we are and it keeps me remembering to say grace and be humble. We have tried to make sure no matter what else we do, we try to offer a smile to EVERYONE we see. I think some people haven't been smiled at for a very long time. And I know some of these folks in the remote areas around here don't get to eat on a consistent basis. The news is always reminding everyone to give coats that have been outgrown or no longer needed ... and I think that'll be my project for the first part of this coming week ... if I can find the box I put them all in!!! The picture of the half trimmed maple tree will give you an idea of the difference in 75 feet and say, 50 feet. Tree trimmers are apparently also a boy's club thing ... and my tree trimmers are not very good at scheduling. So, I'm going to set Paul in charge of their next "payment" and see if they might just finish the job. More things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. If they wink at you and call you honey, don't hire/trust them! Especially during hunting season! :-X We went to Elizabethton for dinner last night. It was fabulous to get away. We also go to go to Lowes for more plumbing parts (we decided to let Mike rest!) and we even went inside the Walmart for some paint for one of my mosaics. The drive home was incredible with the full moon over the mountains and the stars twinkling ... it is beautiful here. Today is once again a gorgeous day filled with blue sky and the sun is out, although it's still only 50ish. I'm learning to wear 3 shirts, it helps! Our chore for today is to get the plumbing working so we have a sink ... the bathroom sink also collapsed from the wall and busted last night ... so our plumbing is first on the list! Then I hope we get to take our Sunday drive and forget about everything but what the universe has provided for us to enjoy. Happy Sunday to all and have a wonderful week! Paul & Cheri

Halloween Boys

Here are our boys from Halloween! Christian, the train conductor, Cade, aka Captain Hook II, and Austin, aka Captain Hook Sr. I woke this morning to a memory of driving home from work one fine Georgia afternoon to see a lot of firetrucks parked on my street, in front of my house .... and the slow realization that my son, Jon, had tried to burn down the neighborhood. Well, he did have some help from the neighborhood hooligans, but he was the one left standing to "take the heat" quite literally! So, I thought I'd post these boys this morning in honor of boys everywhere and all the energy they seem to muster up for life and it's adventures. Today is the day Paul has deemed sink installation day! So we're off for breakfast to insure there is fuel in the tank for the day's big events! I will be hanging wall paper backing and trying to face painting yet another day ... as well as continuing to pull those darn carpet staples out of the floor and carpet strips from around the perimeter of each room. The day here today is simply and absolutely G O R G E O U S ... big blue skies and not a drop of moisture in sight! AND, it's over 40 degrees this morning - a heat wave! Happy Saturday to all! Paul & Cheri

Adjusting to the neighborhood

A brief story about our last two days ... because there could be no pictures that would ever describe what we've learned in the past 48 hours. Yesterday Paul chose to go to the DMV and become a member of the North Carolina driving club. So, in order to get your driver's license, you need certain information. In order to get your license plates, you need yet other information. The DMV office is up the road about 7 miles in the town of Newland, which has 2 stop lights in it! He called home and needed the titles to the truck and Saab. No problem! I know EXACTLY where those are (AMAZING!) Second phone call, and honey, "my social security card is laminated so they need my passport and my marriage certificate". "Ok, I'll be right there". So ... up the "three lane" I go with the said papers in tow. Where's my social security card? I don't know ... thought you had it as you told me it was laminated !!! You're getting the picture, right? Ok, another trip home (we both went as Paul needed to eat!) and we found the laminated social security card, his very first British passport (what a cute kid!) and his original visa which was supposed to have some number on it that was mysteriously missing. Back he went to present all the newly acquired documents. Apparently after a call to"the main office", he was given the benefit of the doubt that he is, in fact, Paul Glover. D A N G !!!!! I could've just told them that! While taking the test, they gave him a verbal clue of a round sign by saying to him "whew, whew" .... :-X. Anyway, I got another call an hour later or so, "honey, I need the titles". I GAVE you the titles ... no, you gave me the registration. Oh SHOOT! Back to the house he came ... and took the examiner some lunch this time! poor guy - he probably really needed a good stiff drink! FOUR HOURS later, Paul was a licensed driver of the North Carolina and had license plates for the truck AND the Saab ... and now I know what documents to take with me when I go!
TODAY we woke to mid 30s and no furnace, although we didn't notice the furnace wasn't working until Paul had gone to work. He left late because we were supposed to be blessed with the tree cutting crew, but they showed up around 10 or so to say they weren't going to be able to get 75 feet up with the wind and ice. No kidding! Anyway, I went out to the oil tank with my big stick (mop handle, if you must know) and upon trying to find oil in the 550 gallon tank, realized there wasn't any. D A N G !!! So we called Mr. Forbes, who is my hero, and he came and filled up 268 gallons worth. Thank heavens! Meanwhile, I'd gone to Lowes and gotten some space heaters so I don't have to freeze any more. Unfortunately, if you plug more than one in, the circuits blow. Today I learned how to measure the oil in the oil tank, reset the furnace after it's been parched, and I found the circuit breakers and reset them too. To make myself feel better, I painted ... and when Paul got home he joined me! We're adjusting ... thank goodness we have each other! We're expecting freezing temps in another couple of hours, so I'm grateful the oil tank was filled. When I came back from Lowes, each of the mountain tops I past had on frozen top hats. The frost on the mountains looks beautiful. I expect we're getting into winter for real now. There is a wonderful coffee shop on the corner and I'm so thankful for Donna, the owner and her gift for making lattes with a smile! The tree guys are supposed to come back tomorrow ... and the termite man will be here at 9 AM. I'll keep you posted! I sent out a surround of pictures from the outside of the house to everyone we thought would be interested in them. Thanks to all of you for your sweet, supportive and wonderful comments about our pride and joy. If I missed your address, let me know and I'll send them out. It's just too hard to post that many pics on this temperamental blog! And for those of you who promise to visit, please keep your word! We should thaw out sometime in late April, early May. Just bring a paint brush or some sand paper or the like. By then, we'll be in need of supplies again, I'm sure! Stay well and be happy! Paul & Cheri

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

Paul is leaving!

We have been so blessed with the company we've been able to keep this week! Everyone has been so generous in their "see ya later" gifts. I know we've gotten nice and plump over the past couple of weeks from the breaking of bread together with our friends here in Orlando! Thank you to everyone who has showered us with their friendship and hospitality! Your kindness is very appreciated! We've also had the opportunity, twice so far, to celebrate Paul's birthday, as he will be on the road on his actual birthday, which is Sunday, October 1st! I'm getting a little anxious about his leaving and my staying here for 2 weeks ... but I'm sure the time will fly, as always. A miracle has happened! We have discovered that the ferral (sp?) momma cat who we thought had lost her whole litter (due to drowning in the rain) has actually been blessed with a precious little orange marmalade living kitten. Although the idea of yet another litter is exasperating, the kitten did wonders for the big whole in my heart that those 3 little departed kittens left, and I'm sure for the momma cat, Connie as well. She's been a fixture here since she came to us the December after we moved in. Both of our kitties are her offspring. Notice a pattern here? I'm expecting the "for sale" sign to go up in the yard any time now. Coldwell Banker is the listing agent. If you know anyone who is in the market for a charming little block house, let them in on the listing! That's it for the update for now ... hope you are all having a wonderful beginning of fall! Thanks to everyone for their support, Paul & Cheri

Gypsy

My friend and artist (mosaic) mentor, Chrissie Grace made us a gypsy to go along with our new adventure. Gypsy is beatufiully created and perfectly matched to what our new adventure is! The quote in her middle is so perfect ... we should consider everyday lost in which we do not dance at least once. Chrissie is a genuis multi media artist and if you have not seen her work, it's a MUST! http://www.wildtilesmosaics.net/and http://www.chrissiegracespace.blogspot.com/. She has some incredible works on both sites ... and her book is being released in the next couple of weeks ... so you too can learn how to be a mosaic artist!! (I got a chance to peak at it yesterday --- SO great!) Also, there is a group of artists who make these little books called chunky books. The idea is that about 20 artists each make one page to go in the book, the hostess assembles them, and everyone has a very special creative collaborative unique book! Well, I have a GREAT little chunky book that is LaBoheme Live A Colorful Life - that goes right along with the perfect mosaic. Thank you Chrissie!!!!
As each day is passing I am becoming more and more aware of how close our moving date is! Paul leaves in less than 2 weeks and I know he's thinking about it too. Parting is sweet sorrow, we have a lot of friends we will surely miss. We are busy trying to make sure we get to visit with everyone before we depart, which is making our calendar a bit different from the norm! Additionally, I am so enjoying teaching again. Looks like I've missed it after all! Guess I'll have to find a dance related job, or (gasp) open my own studio next season. Paul assisted me with a class on Monday, and it felt like "old times" and very comfortable! We both came home much less intense and a lot more at ease. There are adventures in store ... I can feel them in the depths of my soul. However, we are greatly going to miss our Orlando based friends. Bitter and sweet ... all those cliches seem to be true! Well, off to tap class and beyond! Happy Thursdays to everyone. Just us gypsies, Paul & Cheri