Sad but not bad.............

 Well, I learned everything I need to know about 401 K deferred retirement income and mostly what I learned is that if I take it out I will be taxed greatly!  So, since I have never liked throwing  money down the drain,   I have let go of the "dream" cottage for now to focus on liquidating my assets including this house I'm living in which might take some doing as there seems to be a glut on the market down here right now.   But it has got me "moving" in the right direction anyway.
Fall is winding down here but still beautiful with perfect temps.  It wasn't the prettiest fall I've seen here but there are still spots of brilliance and what's not to like about fall anyway?

 the weeds seem to be the prettiest sometimes..........

since we haven't had a freeze things are still growing just not as fast.........

I love the Bradford pear leaves and fruit............

 I am forging ahead with the packing of boxes..........to be ready at a moment's notice!
My biggest and best treasure...........books...........no room designation as they go with any decor in any room..lol!

Here's those yummy Tollhouse Chocolate Chip cookies I made the other day....I always use the recipe from the package of semi-sweet morsels.  I do add pecans to mine but only when the nut allergic grandson is nowhere around!

When I have a project going (which I always do), I have to ensure I have food prepared in case I tire and don't want to fix supper there needs to be something to reheat at least.  So, I have my main meal this week and the cookies for dessert.  I also needed a snack and I try to do healthy.  I decided to make homemade guacamole since I had never done so before.  Delicious and pretty healthy and I utilized some of my tomatoes that are still coming in.  I used this recipe although I left out the jalapenos mostly because I didn't have any.

I had it with these new to me chips my daughter recommended and they are good! 
I like them much better than the regular Tostito chips although you can't load them up like you can the thicker ones but that might be a good thing! LOL!
  Have you tried them?

This was the morning of the storm we had the other day.  They predicted severe but I never heard anything and I had my weather radio on.  It made for a beautiful morning sky though. "Red sky at night, sailor's delight.  Red sky at morning, sailor's warning."  And it was.....

Last but not least in any way was this yummy, delicious, fattening I'm sure, salted caramel mocha latte frapacino 

 

that I made for myself ............who needs Starbucks?  Decadent and delicious!  She also includes a cupcake recipe to match but I didn't want to over do it! LOL!  I'll save that for next week!  Getting ready to move really gives you an appetite! LOL!
HappyTrails!

Follow The Yellow Brick Road......

 Well, I've had plenty of signs and confirmations about my move.  No, I don't have the house yet but even if that doesn't come through (although in my heart of hearts I feel so sure it will..it's a "knowing") I know for sure I am packing and leaving.  So, I went to Walmart yesterday and got "supplies"

There was a "pin" on my Pinterest "moving" board about getting different colored duct tape and color coding the rooms and putting the appropriate colored tape on the boxes.  Brilliant!  You can see it across a room and if the wrong box ends up in the wrong room I think it will be pretty obvious! LOL!  I'll also write the name of the room on the duct tape but I think the colors will really help to keep things organized.   They have lots more colors too in case I need them but this should be a good start!

I was able to get some boxes yesterday at our local store here in town and they said to come back to day and they would set more aside for me.  So nice of them!
Yesterday after getting "supplies" I cleaned up the house, did some laundry and made pork chops and gravy for supper with potatoes and brussel sprouts.  It's an old recipe I've had since my children were young and I just love it once the cooler temps start arriving.  I'm making chocolate chip cookies today as the Halloween candy is long gone! LOL!  And after that there will be some serious packing going on!
Happy Trails! 

House Hunter Part 2

I had to post my YOP progress yesterday so I'm a little late on posting about the second story of the house like I promised.  So,  without further ado, here is the second story......... it has all new wiring and plumbing throughout and a fire alert system that if one goes off they all go off which is nice if you're sleeping especially!  Plenty of outlets and closets since it's all new wiring and they made closets as old houses were pretty scarce on those.

 I absolutely adore slanted ceilings and these are so cool!

 and a claw foot tub?  Be still my beating heart!

 This will be my cardio!  I had 2 aunts that both lived in houses with stairs and they walked everywhere in that town and they both lived into their 90's and I am sure that is part of the reason.

 Glad for the railing though!

 I'm thinking this might be my bedroom with a view to the farm......

 love............so much light too.....

 great storage and closet space in one...waste not want not

 okay....I'm in love...what can I say?

That's all folks!  Wish me luck and say some prayers.  If it is meant to be it will all work out but if not I'm okay with that too.  I'm on my way North though and I know that for sure!
Happy Trails!

YOP Week #16

Well, the big day is over (Halloween) and since the grand boys and their parents got their Halloween care packages in the mail yesterday I can post about what I made them and gave them.  Thank goodness as otherwise there would be little to post about fiber-wise.
This is what the trick or treaters got last night and I had more trick or treaters than usual which was so fun and didn't leave me with lots of leftover candy that I would be forced to eat! LOL!

 

These are the 2015 Halloween collectible ornaments they received this year.  I'm just finishing up one for myself too as my little black tree is empty.   This was a free pattern from Lionbrand.  Lionbrand and Redheart have some great free patterns.  Check them out!

I made homemade pumpkin butter in the crock pot....so easy and your house smells great as it cooks for a long time.  Each family got a jar of it and me too!  I still like apple butter better though.

Sorry for the terrible picture....why does it look great through the "viewer" and then when you download you get this?

This is a set of "Candy Corn" dishcloths.

 More Halloweeny stuff........little notebooks

 magnetic grocery list...........

 window clings............

magazine for the adults...........

some pumpkin spiced tea.......hearty pumpkin spiced tea....is there any other kind?  Very good by the way!

Halloween books.............

I told them this was a book about their Grandmother...Ha! Ha!

 a book for Sam who had the surgery....this was for his hospital stay..........he loves his Lego's

And some Halloween rice krispie pumpkins.  Since we discovered that Grayson is not allergic to gluten or soy just nuts, it freed Grandma up to bake some goodies for the boys and their folks.  These were fun and easy.  You just have to work fast to the get the shapes and stick in the Tootsie Roll stem before they get to hardening. I got 19 of them whereas the recipe maker only got 12 before hardening.  I did good!  I used my iron Dutch oven which I think retains the heat longer and that helped.  A little gel frosting in the tube, Tootsie roll stems and voila!

There's not much I can post or show you as now I am working on Christmas presents and they are 'hush hush" but I did work a teeny bit on my scrapghan...still on the red diamond stitch square though......

I'm also working on some extra large washcloths to sell as I think the patterns make them a bit small for my liking.  I'm hoping to find some diverse methods of producing some income.  We'll see how it goes but it has to be enjoyable! LOL!

I'm also working on a new to me pattern...corner-to-corner crochet?  How fun and I memorized the pattern in about 5 minutes so now I have a t.v. project that is mindless and fun but it's a gift so I can't show it.  But if you are looking for a great looking, easy, enjoyable project to work on and you love to crochet.....this is wonderful and I highly recommend this one.  I watched a You Tube video with Mikey from Crochet Corner....he is such an excellent instructor.  I'm sure you crocheters already have done this but it was new to me and I love it!  No big, long starting chain that you have to count over and over to get it exact.

Well, I hope all of you had a safe and Happy Halloween and you are enjoying that "extra" hour on your day off!  Have a great week!

Happy Trails!