October 2, 2008

A Look Ahead - October

October has arrived!
Changes in the season and temperature occurred as soon as I flipped the calendars over to October. Yesterday, I started out by wearing shorts and then had to don some socks in the afternoon. By evening time, I was cuddling under a lap robe while resting in my recliner. Today, the sweats are on and we had hot soup for lunch! We’re too frugal to turn on the heat just yet.

The brisk fall air has arrived, and a look outside our cottage shows the changes occurring. We have a couple of trees that have jumped the gun on their color changes, and the rest are beginning to show initial signs. As we begin the month, we think ahead of where we will be at the end of the month. In our thoughts, we are jumping ahead too.

We have just learned that the buyers for our home want an extension on their contingency contract. We don’t know how much longer they want, but we’ll find out later on today. We wish we could get on with the business of selling, moving, building, and moving again. We want to get settled into a new chapter in our lives, yet the current chapter doesn’t seem to want to end any time too soon. I have to have faith that it is all working out for the best. But, I still pause and utter a a frustrated “grrrrr” under my breath.

Impatient? Why, yes! I have enjoyed our cottage homestead for 16 years, with one full retirement year in the mix. It has been joyful to see four full seasons pass without the distractions and stress from working outside the home. But, my eyes are on the clock and the calendar, wondering when we can say goodbye and have a new beginning.

We had planned to be frantically packing this month and making all the selling and moving arrangements. Now, we have to rethink our goals for the month. Raking and mulching leaves will certainly be on the list. The flower beds will need to be cleaned out. There will be time to do some more decluttering activities. Perhaps I can get an early start on some handmade Christmas gifts. We will be getting flu shots toward the end of the month. Along the way, I will be working to improve my bum left knee because it is really starting to annoy me, LOL.

It will be an interesting month because these are interesting times. The national financial mess has been coming to a head for quite some time. Adjustments will be in order for people, businesses, and our government. Heaven help them all in making smart choices. It will be fascinating to watch as it all unfolds.

16 comments:

  1. Hallo donna, I hope everything works out well with your cottage and I also wish you all the best for your knee. It is a bad thing when you love hiking. I hope it gets well soon!
    Have a nice weekend!

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  2. Thank you so much, Maria! We are getting impatient with the house selling, and I am getting quite annoyed with my hurt knee! It was doing a bit better and now it is giving me fits again. This getting old business is the pits, LOL!

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  3. SO TRUE...When you know you are on the move you just want it to HAPPEN!
    It's like you tie up all the loose strings and then you find yourself hanging mid air by them!!!
    It'll all work out but patience ain't one of my strong points either!!!
    Hope that knee lets u abit it must be very frustrating for you.
    Take Care and enjoy the next season rolling in...Next year you will be watching out of a whole new window:)

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  4. your retirement sounds heavenly!with each day that passes I long to be retired. And to have some calmness in my life.

    Sorry to hear about the knee, take care of it.

    Isnt fall awesome?

    Have a great time watching the debates tonight. OMG I hope Joe B doesnt make too many gaffs, what he thinks is funny and what americans think is funny is sometimes different. LOL

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  5. Sweet and wise words, Country Cupcake! I like the thought of looking out a whole new window next year! My patience is wearing thin these days, and it is just something I have to deal with. In the meantime, I am trying to concentrate on the everyday joys.

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  6. Tonjia, I know exactly where you are, biting on that bit to escape to retirement. It seemed like the last few years took forever and a day, LOL. It is wonderful now that I those days of stress are behind me. Perhaps I will work again someday, but for now I don't have to or want to. It is sweet freedom.

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  7. We've had some cooler weather these past couple of days but no autumn colors yet.

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  8. When we had our house on the market for a year about a year ago it was the most stressful time. We finally took it off because houses just weren't selling around here. I hope yours comes to a closing soon. I know what it's like to want to move on.
    Blessings to you!

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  9. Thanks, Kim! We had no idea that it would drag on this long, and we have worked hard to stay optimistic. It's been a race to get this done and overwith before physical issues come into play. With my latest knee issues, we're losing the race.

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  10. Thank you for the kind words and wishes, Cindy! We're trying not to be discouraged.

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  11. We've seen our weather go much the same. Definitely time for the heavier quilt on the bed and like you we fight using the heat as long as we can. I suppose you have to be grateful you have a buyer for your place in these uncertain days so the wait will eventually be worthwhile.

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  12. Hiya Donna,
    Oh sweetie try not to worry about things, everything will eventually fall into place and yep, like Kylie said, next year you'll have the view from another window :)
    Patience is not one of my virtues either but i think sometimes we just have to be patient, we dont have a choice.
    Hope that knee isnt causing you too much grief.You poor doll. Take it easy ok.


    Love Shann xx

    and thankyou for my birthday wishes as well :)

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  13. Thanks for the good wishes, Jeanne. We sure didn't expect the house selling to drag on this long. Me and uncertainty have never gotten along very well, LOL.

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  14. Aaawwww, thanks, Shann, for the verbal hugs. I am normally pretty patient, but this is taxing me sorely, LOL. The sore knee doesn't help to sweeten my disposition any either - hahaha!!!!

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  15. Tell me about Grey Havens - location, price, MLSID, whatever. We're looking to move to somewhere near Oak Ridge (so you're probably over Sevierville way).

    I should have my green card in December and then we'll be cash buyers if you're in our range.

    Tim

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  16. Donna, these "stages" of life are sure out of our control aren't they? You sound amazingly calm and deserve an at a girl for that :)

    It's never until we look back that we realize why things happened the way they did. You know this. I'm sending you hugs and hope things get settled for you soon!

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Marty, here! Donna loves comments, and I faithfully pass them on to her. Thank you so much for visiting!