My new ride

I'm not sure how many of you knew that I sold my Highlander before we moved here. I told Fred that I was planning on making lots of trips to see my kids and grandkids once we moved here. He said "well then we better get something more economical on gas".

Now that I have a part time job, I felt it was time to treat me to a car. We really don't need two cars right now and I actually told Fred that the other day, but he had started researching cars and decided it was the right time to buy. Not that there really is any facts to support that idea, but he actually had talked himself into it and who am I to question?

I wanted a Corolla or Hyundai Elantra. Our son in law Brian originally planted the suggestion of an Elantra. I like the curves of the Elantra and more destinctive body shape. Corollas are a little plain unless you get the sport or LE version. So I got exactly what I wanted. 2013 Elantra silver with gray interior. We brought it home on Saturday morning. It's super sweet and curvaceous just like me.

A little home decorating

This is the arrangement I made in my sewing room. Same pictures as my Pink Room in Bremerton plus a few more. Like my Lunch Bag Award from Fred. 

 Chris Martone & Linda Nyland gave me this sign for a going away gift. 

This is my new happy place.

Thank you.

 Recycled decorations here in the kitchen. I did have the plate in our bedroom for years. I made it for Fred when Scott's preschool made plates.

 It was the time of our 15 year anniversary.

 At the 15 year mark the highlights of our family are represented on this plate.

We enjoyed camping. See the tent trailer and pine trees?

Scott would follow Fred around in the garden Fred would rototill and fertilize the garden.

Corinne and Shannon both played the piano, Shannon the clarinet and violin....

Music was enjoyed in our home. 

And of course, I love Fred!!

I got a job

I found a part time job. I applied on line at Express Professionals and they called me a couple days later and invited me in for an interview. They place a lot of temporary employees at Deseret Laboratories, Inc. here in Washington. It is a is a full service Private Label and custom manufacturer of Rx, OTC, and nutraceutical intermediate and finished products. Focusing on direct sourcing of ingredients, which allows the highest quality of product as well as very competitive pricing. The company provides approximately 120,000 square feet from which to deliver agglomeration, instatization, blending, tableting, hard shell encapsulation coating and packaging to it's valued customers. (I copied that from their website).

The company is in a big building and I'm that person who sits at the information counter when you walk in. I answer phones, greet everyone, sort and deliver mail. I like that it is part time. Monday thru Friday from 1-5. It's about a 10 minutes drive. I've been told by Express and the woman I'm replacing that after a few months, the company should hire me on permanently. Of course, I could do a really crappy job and they not like me and they won't hire me, but I would hope I do a good job and they want to hire me permanently even though I really didn't want to find a job for about six months. I wanted to spend lots of time setting up the house and enjoying my family nearby. But I was trying really hard to get my name out there on job sites etc. so it didn't seem right to turn it down. I am still hopeful that at some point I'll make my way into the school district here. I'm so spoiled with the job I've had the last 10 years. I knew I would miss it.

Maybe this part time job will get me my own car sooner. We actually are getting along with one car, but I miss the independence of my own car.... MY OWN CAR!

:)

4th of July family reunion in segments

Over the 4th of July holiday we had all of our family here to visit. Well, just about all of our family. My Dad flew into Salt Lake to visit with his brother, and then he visited my two brothers before joining up with Corinne and her family to drive here to see us. 

Shannon wasn't able to make it here before Dad had to leave to catch his flight back to Seattle. We did skype with Shannon so he could at least visit with her and see Little Buddy live.

Here is Great Grandpa Burke with Corinne's three boys.

 Here he is with Corinne & her boys.

 And here with Corinne & Ben & Family.

They enjoyed shooting off their own fireworks outside and playing with their favorite toys here. Legos, race car tracks and board games are always a hit.

Next came Shannon. Brian wasn't able to come because of work, but we enjoyed having her and Little Buddy come. Here are our attempts at a group shot. Someone else probably has a better picture.

 Little Buddy enjoys shopping. He is a good little shopper. That awesome shopping cart cover I made. 

 This is Little Buddy sporting my favorite and only outfit that I saved of Scott's. It is soft and snuggly.

A little here and there

I decided that I can' wait until everything is unpacked and in it's place. It is going to take a long time so I decided to post pictures of what we ( I ) have accomplished. This is the entry table that we bought at Pier 1. It is super cute, but we feel like it cost more than it was worth. Fred still had to put it together, BUT it was the only table we found that met our needs and criteria.

When I was at Shannon's, we went shopping for a little home decor. That arrangement in the corner what we put together. It smells divine too.

Most kitchens in our neighborhood have these stepped and blocked kitchen cabinets so everyone has their own little decor going on. My dream was to have beautiful water pitchers of varying colors.....I don't know if I will accomplish that very soon, but I will work on it. This pitcher my work friend gave me when she moved into her new home and it no longer met her needs. Good for me.

This is my gift from my favorite girls from Bremerton. It's honored spot is in the entrance of my new home.

Thank you!!!

Slow progress

No pictures yet because nothing looks very different. We did mostly shopping last week. We bought a few new pieces of furniture, but we will wait until they arrive to do that portion of the home decorating and setting up. Can't set up if you don't have a shelf or surface to put things on or know where furniture is going to land to hang stuff. Fred did get all my sewing room furniture pieces anchored down. Not ready to hang stuff yet there.

We have found all the hardware for the furniture, except the bedroom armoire shelves, and the tv that we had in the living room we are missing the screws for securing it on the stand. Our washer and dryer are being delivered today so I won't have to go to my in-laws to wash clothes anymore. I'm excited to wash all our stuff. Everything feels dirty from the move in the van.

It's hard to put holes in new walls, but we will have to bite the bullet. It won't feel like home until familiar things are hanging to give it a homey feeling.

Our neighborhood ladies (all church) have a monthly lunch get together. I went to that yesterday. With a bunch of retired ladies (I'm pretty sure I'm the youngest) the conversation was pretty much about our housing development and who is sick with what in the ward. I hope I get an opportunity to make some young friends, but I'm concerned that I may get plugged into the retirement crowd.

I'm adjusting to the heat. It was 80 this morning and we had our windows rolled down instead of the air conditioning. You just adjust and know when to go outside. At 8:30 or 9 PM that is our walk time. The valley here is beautiful. Lights everywhere and the low mountains and cliffs are a beautiful sunset setting. Colorful skies at night.

All our kids will probably be here for the 4th as well as my Dad will be here. I have my first baby sitting duty with Shannon in Las Vegas next week. Brian will be going to Scout Camp so I will watch Little Buddy while Shannon works in the morning. It will be super fun to hang out with her.

I have been so busy with all this newness that I have not really had a chance to contemplate my life left behind in Bremerton. It is so exciting to be given this opportunity for change. Even my eating habits have changed. It is just easier to be different. I have lost about 6 pounds already from sweating I think. Even that little bit makes one feel much better.

I had my first in a series of spinal injections for my pinched nerve in my neck. I've had tingling in my right arm since December and limited motion in my right shoulder as a result of the pinched nerve. I have already felt improvement. Next is the dermatologist to check ugly leg bumps. I have double medical coverage until the end of the month so I have been trying to take care of these things.

I'm surviving without a chiropractor or a massage. We are making all the big purchases now and then start living on the budget we "developed" to see how it feels to live on our retirement. I am still checking positions on the school district website here for a job. I want and need to work. Get me out and about and give me play money. I do absolutely love my new neighbor. Her name is Sharon. She has her own long arm quilting business. She is about 10 years older than I am, but she is a kick and a bit sassy.

Hopefully I will post some pictures soon of our home that actually look nice.

Internet!

No pictures for now. This is the first time since we left Wednesday morning that I've had access to the internet. We have to figure out what internet provider we will sign up for.

We made it safely to Washington Utah at about 12:30 AM on Friday morning. We did have one mishap. A half hour outside of Nampa ID for the night, one of the tires on the car trailer blew. We only heard a bang and I looked in the side mirror and saw smoke coming from the tire. We pulled over and called the Penske help line. Within 1/2 hour to 45 minutes the tow truck arrived. We took the car off the trailer and the tow guy took the trailer on his tow truck. Fred and I drove separately to the hotel for the night. In the morning we drove to Boise and picked up another car trailer. After the car was loaded, Fred noticed the lights weren't working. The truck connection was bad so we stayed there while the mechanic repaired it.  We stopped in Provo to take Corinne and the boys to McDonalds for a quick visit.

Friday morning we had members from our new ward arrive at 8:30 AM. It took two hours to unload the trailer. It was over 100 degrees. We are experiencing a heat wave (surprise). I have unpacked all the kitchen boxes I could find.

Scott arrived at 7:30 PM to help us. Today we returned the truck to the Penske dealer in Las Vegas. Now we are at Shannon's house visiting and playing with baby. It's 107 here. We will head back to St. George so we can get home before dark.

Tomorrow is church and visiting more with Scott. I have already changed my attitude about my new house. I had intended to make it picture perfect....but I'm going for comfort and what I am used to so I feel at home.

Pictures to follow. As Fred and I were driving out of Bremerton, we had not had a prayer yet. So, of course, it was my turn. That was the first moment I almost lost it. I was expressing gratitude for the adventure we were embarking upon, and then began to express my gratitude for our Bremerton Life.....couldn't get anything more out at that point. I had to close. I have to look forward and not behind. Letting go of our home of 31 years and our entire married life of 34 years in Bremerton I'm not ready to address.

It's great to be retired so far. We have no deadline!!! Oh and my neighbor saw my piano and asked if I played and I said yes. She was excited. She said the ward only has two pianist. So hopefully I will be able to serve somehow with music!