HAS IT REALLY BEEN A YEAR!!!

BEFORE I START MY POST I WANT TO SAY THAT for some reason my post from a year ago seemed to have gotten posted again because I had two comments this week.

I had a new post all done and when I previewed it I only saw the first paragraph - but when I went back into the 'edit' it was all there...it kept doing that the whole time I was creating the post and previewing...but somehow I lost it all except the first paragraph and lo and behold last years must have posted. Anyway...here's my new post

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Well I guess it has been a year!
I don't know how I let so much time get away from me...so this is going to be a LONG ONE!!!

For those of you who saw my foot surgery it was one year ago today.  Foot/toes are doing much better but I still get some pain - doctor said for this kind of surgery I will have healing for quite some time internally.

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For those who have kept up with my posts over the years know that we had our dream home (a dream for us anyway) but a few months ago after some lighthearted talk we decided to sell.  We are getting older and taking care of that much home is tiring and after awhile things need to be done and we just didn't want to put more money into it.  We did the big things like roof, furnace, even updated the electrical box and had the house wired for a generator.  All the big things were kept up with.
The other small things were starting to add up.

So one day in September I said 'we are selling' and it took off from there and was listed the middle of October and sold the middle of November and we moved December 15th to a much smaller place.  A 2 bedroom open concept condo.  Boy did we downsize!!!

But from the moment we moved in we felt at home and comfortable.  Less upkeep and Doug doesn't have to worry about things breaking and needing to be fixed and the big thing...no snow blowing/shoveling snow or mowing a double sized corner lot.

We will however move again come summer.  We needed a place to live when it sold so this place was just built, nice and brand new so we took it and the plus was that we could
do a 6 month lease.  It's in a little town 9 miles up the highway from our town.

We are waiting for a new condo to be finished being built and we will move back to our town for a final move.  It's not ideal to move twice in a year but we so want to be back in Burlington....this condo is built and managed by a corporation and it seems you have ton jump through hoops to get results (although we haven't had any problems yet) whereas the new ones being built are local and we know the builder/owner somewhat so that's a bones.

So you are probably wondering where we put all our furniture....we rented a 10x40 storage unit (very close to the new condos being built that we will be going to)
and believe me it sounds big but it's almost full.

When I packed up our things at the house I kept out just basics to use/live with and packed up the rest for storage.  As it turns out we find that we need just those things...
we need so little to live on.
All of our pictures/framed art is in our sons basement where it won't be effected by extreme temperatures.

Now and then we have had to go to the unit for one thing or another but nothing big.

We didn't put the upholstered furniture or the wood dining chairs there because of fear of moisture so they are here with us. We are fortunate to not need the second bedroom
as a bedroom so the extra things went in there.
And, we didn't bring much at all for décor - it's all still boxed up in the spare room or in storage.  We couldn't see having to pack it all back up again in 6-7 months

This condo is an upper on an end and we have a wonderful view
(we chose it for this reason).
We love activity and seeing things happen.  

There's a natural pond and retention pond that wraps around the front and
side of the complex. We can see the pond.

To the left of the pond/road there's a new children's hospital
being built - we like seeing the progress weekly.

Just outside the unit there are some business's - pizza restaurant, bowling, burger place and a few other business's.  So there's lots of activity by us.

Living area

Dining area

Kitchen

Main Bedroom

Main Bath

Guest Bedroom
We are using it as our office and my sewing space
Our large black desk is in storage.  It was way too large to bring to an upper

Guest Bath

So there's the short grand tour

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Prior to moving we purchased a new chair...we loved the fabric and style but after getting it we realized it sat too deep for us - we are both rather short.  So we sold the chair and purchased a new one from a shop up north from us.  And we love the chair.  The fabric of it is actually one of the samples we had to choose from when we bought the other chair - guess this one was meant to be after all.

If you are in the Wisconsin Rapids, WI area visit Joni's shop
https://www.facebook.com/countryfreckleswi

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While we were at the shop buying the chair I also bought some more wool for my penny rugs and hooked rugs - and I bought another hooked rug pattern.  I probably shouldn't have because I have 3 more I bought this past year I haven't started plus two that are works in progress.  I have good intentions but preparing for my craft show every year seems to take over my time.  Which by the way I have decided to stop doing.  I'm getting too worn out when I do them and poor Doug has to do all the heavy work.  I will continue though with punch needle, penny rugs and hooked rugs to sell.

These are the one's I bought this past year that need to be started
I think I had better stop buying patterns

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This past year I had a special order for a penny rug.  She wanted this specific design and colors.  It was fun but the angles and measuring gave me lots of stress.
She loved it though and so did I once it was finished.  She's been a great customer over
the years ordering many special order penny rugs. 

I just sent one out to her this past week that she special ordered.

I've been keeping busy with my penny rugs and designing punch needle patterns.
I added some winter/Christmas ones to my Etsy shop in October....
I also have some sweet heart patterns!!!

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The middle of October our granddaughter Alexandra got married in New Orleans.
It was a destination wedding....we didn't want to go at first being it was so far away for a down and back plus our house was to go live on-line that day....
but we are so happy we went.
It was a short 4 hour wedding at Rosys' Jazz Hall...but like a fairytale, so beautiful.  We stayed in a huge Air B&B with our son Dan/wife Jamie and her parents and brother.  It was a gorgeous home and gated so we felt very comfortable.

Alexandra, Jade and their family Zayne and Kira

Zayne loves and dotes on his sister so much it melts your heart!!!
He's a huge protector and big brother.

Thank you so much for sticking with this to the end...I warned you at the start it was long lol
Blessings
Karen