Making Caseville home

When I finally arrived in Caseville, I knew I would be confronted with a difficult time. Richard and I struggled with our packing up 12 years of memories, and pieces of our lives that represented so much special to us individually and together. We pitched, we donated and we packed...and packed and packed. We sold most of our furniture, knowing that the Florida furniture wouldn't fit our lifestyle or our house in Michigan. I knew we would need to buy new furniture and thought Richard understood this also. I was a bit wrong there!

The photo above is the large number of photos and pictures which need to be hung...and then, there are many that I wanted thrown away or donated while in Florida but they were packed. NOW I will have to get them outta here. Finding a wall to house these pictures, many hand painted in Ethiopia or Honduras will take some time. We have managed to get our bedroom organized...that leaves three more bedrooms to go!

Stressful is trying to take 12 years of Florida and incorporate those items into about 25 years of our cottage expansion and our memories here. Each item which was perfect for here or there...is now being questioned as to whether or not we need to keep it or should keep it. IF it was good enough for us in the past...why not now? Trying to explain that a home is where one lives and a cottage is what one visits has not worked too well yet. We have had years of wonderful weekends and visits here at the cottage and now, we have to start calling it home. Transitions are sooo difficult. And add to those the fact that we have not seen the sun in days and it is cold, dreary and rainy. And I miss my friends and have to make more up here.

We had a great surprise the other night when our friends, Dennis and Kat came over with wine in hand. They also brought some pulled pork and cheese and crackers and we sat and laughed and relaxed. A great start weaving new friends into our new home. And they were lovely and didn't laugh too hard and our disasterous decorations found around the house.

Travels to Michigan

Travel went fairly slowly from Ft. Myers up to Michigan but fortunately, I was able to spend a couple of days in Marietta with my younger sister, Sheryl and her family. While there, I was able to see my nephew, pictured here. I haven't seen Kyle in a couple of years and he has grown up and acquired a lovely young lady friend. We had dinner with Kyle and Maya and then, went to see Kyle's new and quite classy apartment.

My second day with Sheryl and her husband, Larry and their daughter, Allie, we went to the Taste of Marietta event down at the square. Food looked yucky so we didn't buy anything other than a coffee but we did enjoy listening to several musical groups. Made it up to Michigan from there in one day and was totally exhausted...stopped at Heidi and Chris' house in Davison, slept over and made the final trek to the cottage. And while there...I had an emotional break down. Richard and his buddy had delivered so much of the Florida house and placed the stuff all around the house. Piles confronted me everywhere.

What really does "neighborhood" mean? I have given this lots of though over the past month as we separated ourselves from our Aqua Cove Lane neighborhood. I try to tell friends and family about the feelings I have for the people and space we have occcupied for the past 11 and a half years and sometimes, the words just don't convey the depth and breadth of what I feel.

As I was driving up to Georgia, I mulled over the leaving of my neighbors and was reminded of the years the girls, aged 2 and 4 at the time, and I spent in married housing living in Cherry Lane at Michigan State University. Most of the inhabitants were married and graduate students from one foreign country or another. I was a 20+ undergraduate, living alone, still married with the girls, working part time jobs, and taking 20 credits a semester. Our neighbors helped raise my girls, and I helped raise theirs. We ran in and out of each others' apartments, used each other's food, shared food stamps (yes, I received welfare for a few years but have more than given back!) and helped with chores.

That is how I have lived these past years, minus food stamps, with my neighbors. Several have had keys to our home, many have given a knock and opened the door to come in for a beer, to share a glass or bottle of wine, to borrow some needed ingredient or to just share a gripe about one's child or family member. We have been to funerals together, celebrated family occassions, cried together and hugged hurts away. These people know us, warts and all. We know them and have experienced their ups and downs, also. Neighbors can and do tell war stories about each other...going to miss that alot. Going to miss them alot.

It has been months since I have written and apparently the whole look and feel to my blog has changed. Will need to update this but realized today, as I was driving to our new home in Michigan that I have missed writing and sharing with my family and friends. Like others, I am sharing on Facebook but it occurs to me that the feelings, flavor, zest and angst are just missing when one only writes about three sentences.

And so...the past couple of months have been very stressful and incredibly trying for our family. We arrived in Florida in mid-January and a month later, I had my second knee replacement which has gone very well despite a slow rehab and recover. Slower than I would like...but my doctor says I am on target.

Within a couple of weeks of my surgery, we listed our Florida house for sale, using a recommended realtor who got us a great price. Unfortunately, the new buyers wanted in the house within two weeks which we couldn't do because Richard was in Atlanta with his family for his mother's funeral and I was hobbling around. The new purchasers were wonderful and they allowed us six weeks before the close today.

Today was incredibly sad for me. I returned a twin blow up bed to Carolyn and fortunately, she was out so I hugged her once again. Same when I returned Vicki's blow up bed and then, Deb was around when I returned her fold up chairs. And surprise of all surprises...Louise knocked on our door. She was home from the Virgin Islands and came to say, "bye." Then, I hopped down to say good bye to Tammy and Wayne because they hadn't been to our going away party. Tammy's mom is dying so they are waiting and feeling overwhelmingly sad.

Closing went smoothly but the packing and decision making that went into the past month of packing, donating and pitching has caused undue friction and pain. Richard and I are barely talking which is sad because we are both committed to this decision to move closer to the kids and to our northern friends. This also will save us a bundle of bucks which will allow us to do some things we really want to do. For me, more travel with kids/grandkids and for Richard, more time hunting and fishing with his buddies. He wants to also teach his grandkids a bit about his passion for outdoor enjoyment.

I cannot imagine what I will find when I get to the cottage but I know I will need the patience of Job and will have to keep my mouth zipped. For those of you who know me well...you know how well I will probably accomplish this little task.

Tomorrow, I want to share our neighborhood party with you. We had a ball and I am going to miss my neighbors and friends so much. Seeing Bud for breakfast tomorrow morning in Tifton. Can't wait.

Christmas, 2011

Christmas Eve day was the time we all congregated at Heidi and Chris' home in Davison to exchange gifts, eat our hearts out with a humungous amount of special treats and family traditional dishes, including: Kristin's famous deviled eggs; Heidi's cheese pies; brussel bombs; ham, and sweet potato casserole.

I was eager to see if the outfit I bought for Owen last December in Sana'a, Yemen would fit him and fit him it did. This will be his Halloween outfit this next fall.

Gifts were opened by one and all, and mostly in an organized fashion. Alex looked mighty dapper in his red shirt and Santa hat.

We had five of our six grandkids with us at Heidi's house, including McKenzie who isn't in this photo; her brother, Chase who has his grey shirt on and his back to us and then, the three McNamara kids who were wearing their "things" shirts from Amy, Kristin's bestest friend. They were: thing 1,thing 2 and thing 3. Kristin said she needed a shirt that says, "Mother of all things" to wear when the kids wear their special shirts.

Here are Kenz, with the long hair, Alex and Addison. Pat, Kristin's husband is kinda cut off. We had an hors d'oeuvres buffet prior to the official dinner later in the afternoon. We did not go hungry. Everyone brought a dish or two to pass, making it easier on the host and hostess whose house I am sure we trashed.

Here are the "McNamara things" in front of the fireplace at Heidi and Chris' house.

Chris' mom, Zee, came over to spend some time with us and share dinner. She is mending from her recent hip replacement and I didn't realize I didn't have her in any of my family photos.

Touching moments,Christmas 2011

Several years ago, I found some glitzy special Christmas boxes and began a family tradition of sending something special and significant from the giver to another family member, along with a note of just why this particular gift is so special and important. This year, Owen, Kristin and Pat's six year old, had the box and gave his Uncle Alex his special home made pillow that he has had for several years. He gave it to Alex to take back to Alaska with him to remember him by and to snuggle with. Note the silver box on Alex's lap. Next year, Alex will be tasked with sending a piece of his heart or soul to another family member in this box along with a special keepsake note.

The other box was gifted by Kristin, to her sister, Heidi. Kristin's note left not a dry eye in the room. Her gift to her sister, besides a note of many special times and places shared as we moved around the country was paired with her old...and I mean OLD Mickey Mouse comforter which is now about 35 years old and which has travelled with Kristin from home to home, in both good and bad times. It kept her warm when she lived in her car and has travelled the country with her, keeping her warm and reminding her of better times. This past year, Kristin had the comforter repaired and patched by her mother in law, who did a miraculous job with fabric so old.

As many of you know, Heidi has been experiencing tough times with seizures and coming to grips with what she now calls her, "new normal." Kristin gave her a snuggle blanket to keep her warm, while protecting and comforting her as she weathers these hard times.

Heidi will give someone a treasure of hers this next Christmas. These notes will last into history and the specialness of giving of self has been so wonderful amidst the commercial gluttony that has become Christmas. We stop and give thanks and sharing ourselves is so memorable and so cherished. Love traditions.

Jerky Making

One of our new friends, made here while in Caseville, is Dennis Sturtz, husband of my friend, Kat and an area chef and caterer. He and Richard got together the other day to make some duck and goose jerky, using an old recipe that a former employee, Barry Pratt, gave to Richard about 20 years ago. Dennis and Richard made the marinade and then, Dennis came back to our home the next day to get the meat strips into the smoker...and then, back he came for the final reveal and taste testing.

Richard checking the duck and goose strips to see if properly leatherized and toughened up for jerky eating. They weren't done...so back they went into the smoker til the next morning.

And here we are with many, many strips of duck and goose jerky which family and friends are now enjoying.

Tough to see, but on th counter to th left of the meat is a tall, footed, canning jar which was a gift from some friends from Tegucigalpa days who remembered that I drink my wine out of jelly or canning jars. This is a Kerr canning jar, atop a pedestal and which came with canning lid and seal and a tag indicating that this is a "redneck wine glass." Love it. Another friend and neighbor up here, Kathy Harris gave me another version...it is a footed candlestick holder which was delivered for my birthday with the same note on it. Now, this canning jar, unlike the candlestick holder...holds SOME wine!