A Lighthouse and More

Yesterday, the Farmer's Almanac had an Instagram post that said, "As November 21st, so the winter." Then it said, 

farmersalmanac

This old saying suggests that the weather on November 21 sets the pattern for the rest of winter.

Well, the weather here yesterday was a winter I can live with. The fall has been mild and I am sure to some, it hasn't not been like the fall they welcome, but for me it has been just right.

I saw snow happening in Ohio on Instagram, but here it was sunny and bright and yes, cool. Cool for Florida standards. I chuckled when I took Mama for an appointment and saw a lady wearing boots. We more native southerners and especially those as close to the coast as me think winter has arrived for sure and out comes the winter attire. I think what gets me the most in winter is the shorter days with clouds. I need my sunlight as I am sure I have droned on too much here on this blog.

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I finished my Pensacola Lighthouse stitch. 

I love how it turned out. I added the script at the bottom and the compass rose on the upper left as I felt it needed something in that area to balance the stitch.

The day after I finished I saw kids from here had gone on a field trip to the lighthouse. I loved seeing it right after I had finished stitching. The photos were great of the kids at the top and the building too.

My plan is to make a Florida wall. I am taking something down in my bedroom to accommodate this idea. My next stitch is some sandpipers on the beach. I actually have several patterns already bought to stitch for the wall. Stay tuned. 

One thing I have gone back to: is just stitching one thing at a time. It has made me more productive and fits my personality well. I can see how the stitching rotation works for many because we are so different, but I am better sticking to one thing. I do like to have something small to go to if I make a mistake or need a little mental break from the larger piece. 

I will be starting the baby name soon. I am kind of mentally getting my ideas together. I am revealing the name as I know it now. I think they are pretty confident. I am already calling her this....

Valerie Mae

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The room has been started and Katie is off this next week. She will probably pull it all together then.

Palmer won the contest for the best turkey disguise at his daycare. The first photo was taken right after Lindsay, Tucker and Palmer had completed him as a group. He was proud of it.

He was even more excited when he won the contest and got a gift card for ice cream.

I have a very busy week ahead with family, but I am looking forward to all of it. It is supposed to be nice fall weather all week.

Gus is tired just thinking of all the festivities. Just kidding! He will be up and following me around in all of it. He is my sidekick. I just couldn't resist showing you how cute he is.

Tyler had the boys on the golf course to just hit some balls, but they ended up seeing 2 eagles. I am just sharing the 2 in the tree and then the close up. He got some great video. 

Do you spy them in the tree?

Nature is just so amazing.

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I settled down after my last post. We did have the realtor visit. I think we have much to pray about and I know HE HAS THIS! 

After walking around the house, I realized I am not bragging, but very organized. I have spent the last 10 years going through things each year and slowly letting go of things. I think when the time comes I will know what to take and what to let go of. No more stressing until the next time:)

God will guide us on this journey.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving. I will see you after all of those festivities.

Sandy

P.S. I am still having trouble with comments. Many of you are showing up as no reply commenters...even ones who have not been. I don't know if it is from my end or blogger. I will work on it, but until then I am reading them.

A Few Thoughts

Jeff and I slipped away for Veteran's Day 3 day weekend. The extra day was sooooo good as Little Palmer says all the time. We were able to stay up there for both days of the weekend and rest and enjoy, then drive home on Monday. Just what I was needing before the holidays get going.

As we move towards Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mind begins to plan and think, but somehow it is always a time where I am very reflective.

Last October, I pulled the journals out again. I always use Moleskins. I prefer unlined paper, but the one I started with then was lined. I guess it keeps from getting larger and larger as I pour out those emotions. I filled up one and started a new one this week. 

A lot has been thrown at me the last couple of years and there are a few things that keep me grounded. Morning Scripture within the first half hour of my day, walks outside in nature with Gus of course, going downstairs to sit and listen to music and peruse an old magazine (I don't buy new ones anymore), puttering in the flowers, lots of prayer time, and getting the thoughts out of my head via a journal so it doesn't get too cluttered to name a few.

I really really want to blog some Treasures' posts. I want to write about some things that are special that I can't hold on to like my mom's china for one. Those posts are coming. Lately though, I have just had more in a day than I can do. Hopefully, after the new baby is born and I get a little time from babysitting (which I love doing) will leave me with some time to do some of that.

The other day as I was writing I was thinking how much I have decluttered and how my generation has been the generation of keeping things. I am the household of so many family things that I have been left with. I do love them, but I realize I can't continue this forever. I was chatting with a couple who are our friends. They were saying the same thing. We just chuckled and commiserated together.  Now, if I stayed put, it would not be a problem other than thinking my kids would have so much to go through.

I have worked on the sentimental things and have made much progress. I still have a ways to go, but....

this morning....

Jeff went off to a meeting. He has allowed himself to be on one board and it has been just enough I think to keep him busy. He also has church duties. He needs a little, but not too much.

While there, my sister-in-law, Donna's bestie called Jeff. I can just hear her now. "Jeff, I have a house for you to downsize too." 

I didn't even know she knew we were thinking of it. To be honest, the fact that she knows puts terror in me. She is go getter.

Anyway, I truly felt a very anxious half hour before I got hold of myself. I was thinking there is no way I am moving at Christmas!

This home is 40 years old next month. Jeff and I married in September 40 years ago, and his parents moved in our current home in December. The tree was up and boxes were all over, but the first of 37 Christmas Eves have been spent here for our family. The only 2 that we haven't spent here were the one before my mother-in-law died and the one just after her death . The first one, she had full time caregivers and she was able to come to our home around the corner. The next year she had passed in October before Christmas and we were in the process of clearing the house and deciding what to do with everything. 

This year will be the 38th Christmas Eve here. I know things will change, but my heart for about half an hour couldn't even register something like that.

I think it was the nudge I need to probably get serious about some things. I am going to pull out the things the children can look at over the holidays and have them go through some items. 

Now, the lady does not have our idea quite down because while the home she wanted us to get is waterfront, one story, smaller and all that, it will not minimize the taxes and insurance one deals with in Florida. I was able to relax for the moment. Oh and while I get up every day and enjoy my view I don't think waterfront will guide our next home. Smaller, one story, newer...things like that will be important. 

Change comes whether we want it or not.

On that note, I am going to go get cracking on preparing my home for the holidays and then as '25 comes in I am going to try and be realistic about some things. Lots of prayer and reflecting will continue through this next month.

That is it for now,

Sandy

BTW, Blogger is at it again. All comments are coming in as no reply bloggers. I even saw this on another blogger. So I can only comment back on the blog. Hopefully, it will fix itself.

New Spaces

The room addition at Paul Allen and Katie's house is complete. It turned out nice. Katie is still working on a few things to hang, but you can see how much space it added to their home. You enter through the door from the hallway. It is honestly right as you enter the home. Behind the wall that the bookcase is on is their laundry room with the new storage closet.

Pictured above is the desk (on the left) that Jeff had in his bedroom as a teen and probably before. They chose to keep it because it has great storage in it for their important stuff. I am actually ordering them a new kid's table and 2 chairs in white instead of the one above. That was is from a thrift store and one of the chairs broke. I told them I would get them what Katie would actually like as a Christmas gift. Christmas will be here before we know it.

Below is a loveseat they found at a thrift store and it is in fantastic shape. She has had to put blankets on it because the dogs love looking out that window to the road.

Then the cubbies were a Facebook marketplace find. It is going to be a great place to play and shut the door if you are too tired to make sure it all got picked up, and it will keep the actual living room much tidier.

I was just thrilled for them. Katie has a 3 day weekend this coming weekend and is planning to get the baby's room painted. I can't wait to see the color. She has shared her idea and I know it is going to be so pretty. Someone Paul Allen worked with just gave them a crib. It is gray and in perfect shape also. They decided to just leave Miles in his crib and I am certain myself that is a wise idea. He is not ready to give up his bed. There is no need to upset that apple cart.

It is coming together and January 21st will be here before we know it. I can't wait to share the name. It is lovely if it remains and I am thinking it will.

I am sharing another picture of our new fencing. It looks so nice. It won't be this color long, but this shot really shows how much brush is gone on the other side. The trees are all still there and our view like that hasn't changed, but no vines climbing up over the fence.

Here is a photo of the trees standing mostly in water during this time of year. The water level will recede quite a bit during the winter months, so hopefully we can tackle these during those months. The water was up a little the morning I took this. As of right now, they say the hurricane is headed west of us and will most likely fizzle out. Thank goodness.

Last Sunday, the kids got together to take the boys to the Fort Walton Beach famous Goofy Golf. It has been around since Jeff was their age and is a landmark in our area for locals. It is kind of off the beach path so very rarely do you see tourists there. Our family has played many games. A young couple about Lindsay's age who grew up here and have a local bait and tackle shop have bought it and plan to keep it going. They have redone some of it and are hoping to keep it very affordable for family fun. We will continue to support it. 

The three boys had their first trip there. Rumor has it Jeff got a spanking as a little one for trying to climb the dinosaur.

Those three have my heart. All are doing well and growing up so fast. I think I am going to love having a new baby to start the new year off.

That is really all I have this week. I can't believe it is almost Thanksgiving. I need to get my mind wrapped around what I need to buy and do before then. We will be putting up Christmas before I know it. Most are doing it now, but I am not in that camp. 

I hope to share some more things as time allows me that are not just family and stitching. We will see. My days get away from me. I always have great ideas but I move slowly these days and couple that with seeing about so many for which I am grateful to do, it puts the brakes on blogging.

Also, this has been the warmest fall ---I am not complaining, but even the summer loving Sandy is thinking it is not like fall at all.

Finishing Up October

I finished up October with strep. I have no idea where I got it and fortuately no one else had it but me in the family. It was not fun and I am looking forward to feeling better as we move along in to November. I sort of feel like my immune system has been down lately and as someone said my stress has most likely not helped. I think that is very true. I have let a few things get me the last few months. One of which is trying to keep Mama upbeat. That is not my easiest job and at this point I don't feel like that is going to magically get better. I do what I can, but I am one who frets over it all.

In other ending October things, we got a new fence down. It looks amazing. The neighbors agreed to help out with it. There was an old chain link fence on the other side and vines and underbrush had just overtaken the other side and were so hard to keep off ours. Our fence was 40 years old, so Jeff approached them about cleaning it all up and they agreed. It looks amazing.

The guys that did it covered the posts on the other side leaving the neighbor's side looking more finished.

It was kind of nice having it open, but Jeff wanted a fence and with dogs and kids I suppose he is correct in wanting one.

The neighbor's gained a good bit of land back from all the underbrush and just overall mess over there on that side. Now, they do have just dirt and will need some of those spring leaves from the live oaks to cover it up. They are coming back in a week to work on it some. They have even agreed to let Jeff get some quotes on getting those gigantic pines down that are more in the water now that on land. They have to be some of the biggest pines left on Choctawhatchee Bay, so that makes me sad. As I said though, they are going to fall at some point anyway and they are frightening in a hurricane. Since I didn't take a picture for reference these are the ones right on the property line that you see outside my kitchen table area. 

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I finished up the Advent calendar. It has a white border rather than red like the one I did back in 2020. That was mostly because I couldn't find a red I liked. 

That feels good to say, "This is done." While I love stitching, I don't love quilting. Nope ---not for me!

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In the words of Palmer, the cutest little Mickey Mouse roadster you have ever seen. "I like Happy Halloween, not Scary Halloween." Me too, baby.

Here are the three grandsons in their costumes ...

First up is Tucker and Palmer. Tucker is Donatello of the Ninja Turtles. They are back in vogue. Palmer chose Mickey Roadster and I can wholeheartedly say he could not have loved his costumer more.

Miles was a pumpkin. They mostly sent me videos so I don't have a good one with his little pumpkin bucket. He loved it all. Really understood it this year.

I thought this next picture was so cute. You can see the excitement in his eyes about Paul Allen carving the pumpkin.

All done and super excited about it.

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The room is completed at Paul Allen and Katie's house. They enclosed their one car garage. A portion of was already enclosed to make a laundry one at some point. The room is going to be a multipurpose room. All of these were from last week before I fell ill.

This first one shows the new room closed in. As you can see the stickers were still in the windows. Her dad it all and it looks great. Looks like it was always that way. They have a huge lot and could build out to the right and the back and have a huge yard still.

The inside which Paul Allen helped with some. Katie's dad had the tile in his storage so that was a help on the expenses. The room has door into the existing hallway that Katie had prettied up a while back, but it still looks great.

Paul Allen took this one so you can see it is going to be nice. Katie can now get to work on the baby room. They needed to move stuff out of the bedroom for that to happen.

This is the laundry room that was once a part of the garage. Katie's dad built her a closet in there where the door had been to come in from the garage. It is going to be a nice addition for storage.

Again all of these were taken in the height of the building. Katie's dad poured them a sidewalk out that door that you see above that goes our to the sideyard were they have a storage room.

It runs to the driveway. I know they are ready to get it all cleaned up and have done lots since I got sick.

I am super excited to see it all finished. 

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I know everyone goes straight to Christmas these days on November 1st, but I so love Thanksgiving and quite frankly it is not until November that it even remotely feels like fall. It appears there is something tropical trying to form late next week which is holding in the warm.  I don't mind the warm, but want no more tropical. I do remember a tropical storm in November 1985. We got out of school early one day. Those things are important to teachers! I am not interested in too much rain, just some as it hasn't rained at all in October. It is pretty dry, so just some rain will do. No torrential stuff nor wind, please!

Welcoming in November,

Sandy