And Life Keeps Changing

It’s time to give everyone a behind-the-scenes update of our BIG move from the city to the country.

Since The End of May

So much has happened since my last personal update three months ago. Thanks to our son for devoting three weeks of his summer to help us, the construction on our little casita, or guest cottage, is in progress. The exterior walls are up and the windows are in.

As soon as hubs is retired (any day now, lol), he and two of his brothers will help put on the roof. After that, the electrical, insulation, sheetrock, and texturing, and possibly the plumbing, will be hired out.

The Sale of the City Home Gets a Hiccup

Our city home went on the market at the end of June and got a contract within four days, and almost all of our belongings have made their way down south. And yet, we are still living between two places.

Two weeks ago, we got word that the appraisal came in too low, so the bank cannot move forward. This means something has to give. Either the buyers have to come up with the difference or we have to put the house back on the market.

Using Plan A, our realtor has requested that the appraisal be appealed.

A house on our street with a very similar floor plan, minimal upgrades, a smaller lot, and no sheds, has appraised for the same amount as our sale price. So, we are hoping the fact that we were not given credit for our sizable lot, the two sheds and shed cover with patio, and bathroom update, will tip the scale in our favor.

I believe the oversight is a reasonable mistake considering the overload appraisers must have on their plates these days. If the appeal does not work, then Plan B is to put the house back on the market and pray for better results.

In the meantime, while we await news, this little hiccup has given us some relief in our stress levels. At best, we get a week’s playtime to remove the rest of our stuff and finish the little repairs we promised to do.

Country Living At Its Best

In the meantime, I have been living onsite at our soon-to-be homeplace since June 28, and hubs is living in our city home until we sign on the dotted line. I am still driving back and forth at least once a week, with the exception of the past week, in which I made the trip twice, and have a two-day turnaround on my next upcoming trip. So, I can tell you that I am super exhausted. Probably not as exhausted as hubs, but still pretty wiped out.

All in all, I am pretty optimistic. I believe we have come a long way in this transition, and all we can do is move forward. No matter what happens.

Currently, I am trying to make this dilapidated house as comfortable as possible. It is a challenge since there are two rooms we cannot use, as well as several cabinets and drawers in the kitchen. So, we are partially living out of boxes and bins as closet and cupboard space is limited.

Grammy Time

Two weeks ago, I was acting camp director at Grammy’s Before-School-Starts Summer Camp. Both my son and his wife are teachers. This year there was no child care, so I was asked to watch my two grandbabes. We had a lot of fun from morning and evening walks to trips into town and the local parks to board games, free time (XBOX), reading, art, and story time.

I had a wonderfully exceptional time and soaked up all the love and hugs that I could. During the school year, our visits average once a month. So, this was a fantastic before school treat!

And Everything Else

Amidst all the road time, I have been trying to stay on top of paperwork, catching up on laundry (now that our washer and dryer are onsite), trying to place a four bedroom house into one bedroom and usable parts of a hundred-year-old house…and also write, do webinars, and keep up with fitness.

Writing Update

I have not done as much writing on my second book as I would like. I had hoped to be publishing it by now. It is in its first draft and is at what I call the major editing phase. I just have not been able to devote the time I need to it at present. The moment I am set to do so, I am pulled away on something regarding our move.

Because blogging does not require the amount of time that a book does, I have been keeping up with my weekly blogs that are divided into the following topics:

1st Sunday – Book Update (so more on this next week)
2nd Sunday – Marriage
3rd Sunday – Healthfulness
4th Sunday – Social Media
5th Sunday – Personal Life Update

I have also been posting on Instagram daily, and randomly on my personal and author Facebook pages.

I also send out a monthly/quarterly newsletter. I hope to send my next one out just as soon as we sign that contract on the dotted line.

Three weeks ago, I was a guest author at my friend’s writing group, the St. Brigid “Writing With Angels.” It was my first book event experience, and I am so grateful to my friend, Mary Olivia Patino, for giving me that opportunity. She has been a great support, and a wonderful spiritual encourager in my post-publication process.

Trainings

I am also squeezing in webinar trainings on writing, social media, the digital world, self-marketing, self-publishing, book circulation, and so on. Again, my plans and goals seem to fall second to what is happening with our move and transition from city life to the country. But I am looking forward to more trainings over the coming days and weeks.

Job Hunt

Most of the available jobs in the local area include evening and/or weekend hours. It is difficult to commit to applying for these positions, as I have never worked shift work other than the usual eight-hour Monday-Friday or ten-hour Monday-Thursday shifts. Plus, hubs doesn’t want me working odd hours now that he will be retired.

I have been considering remote work as a data entry specialist or an online graphic design freelancer. However, I am not professionally trained. Everything I know is learn-on-the-job or as a hobby. Since I cannot yet begin to seriously consider a full-time job, I am simply setting up a profile, developing a portfolio, and continuing to train when I can. I believe the right opportunity will present itself if I am prepared.

How I Am Managing

In an effort to remain positive during this transition from city life to the country, I change up my “game” by rotating what I do on a daily basis. This helps me to not get bored, reduces any creeping anxiety, and allows me to be as productive as I can. For instance, before I publish this blog, I will get up from this computer and tackle the dishes. Last week before I left to the city, I just left the counters cluttered. It was all I could do with my lagging energy. But I promised myself to tackle it when I returned. So here I am!

….and I’m back!

Fitness

The good news is I have upped my fitness, so I am very happy about that. And, from my blog topic list above, you can see that I have added the topic of healthfulness.

In my next healthfulness blog, I will feature a book that I just received, and my topic will be Moving Healthfully.

Time in Nature

Spending time in nature has helped me waylay stress. My Sammie-girl enjoys our morning and evening walks, and those we grab when it isn’t too hot out.

And I love taking photos of the sunrises, sunsets, and anything else I spy around me. Sometimes, it’s bunnies, or the neighbors’ horses or cows, or an insect. I love being here in this little piece of heaven, just smiling and enjoying my day – whatever it brings me.

Until next time….

If you are following my blog on a regular basis, I promise to mention in whichever the upcoming one is when we do end up closing on our city home. I am truly excited about it and can hardly wait for our new life to begin fully in the country – and for the new buyers to get their dream home.

Thank you and God bless you!