Thanksgiving coma

Ok, the food was consumed, the dishes done and the traditional Vaughn Thanksgiving football game survived by the players. Now the television is playing football games that we wake from naps to catch the score and then go back to sleep.

We had so much fun today with 13 people around the table and lots of laughing and story telling. Great music playing with singing and dancing. The family had a very special time and I was glad to share the day with everyone. This is Chucks last holiday with family for a while.

The support of family will be important while I am here without my honey. It has been fun to be with mom's friend Bob, he is a lot of fun and fits right into the crowd. Kris and Heather's kids are getting so big. I remember the Thanksgiving day when Trinity was in a high chair and Austin was in the tall stool. Now they are so grown up.

Gave some stuff to Mary and Mom to take with them to start clearing out the stuff.  Time to start planning the yard sale.

Happy Thanksgiving to the troops serving all over the world. Thank you for your service.

-N

Thanksgiving melancholy

I've been off for a few days getting ready to host my last holiday with Chuck for a while. I go back and forth between excited for the holiday and a bit of mellow about not being with him for our anniversary and Christmas. I keep holding him and touching him.  We will have our 34th anniversary on December 22nd.

He is ready to go and start his new career. I'm thinking constantly about what need to be done next. I've been drinking a bit more wine that usual, and get aggravated easily. No telling how obnoxious I will be when he is gone. He arranged to arrive in Tioga on the 17th. My heart will be with him.

 Two pies are completed, the fixings for cherry crumb cake, green bean casserole, stuffing and deviled eggs are ready to go. The turkey is thawed out and we will have a very fun time. Hope to Skype with my kids and watch a football game in the yard.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING all!
-N

Gearing up

Chuck will be starting his new job December 16th, so we are gearing up with the planning. Everyday we talk about what is first, then next and how to put it all in place.

Today is a thoughtful day with the rain, clouds and wind. It is cool out and I am feeling reflective. I do not care for the idea of being apart from my husband, however this opportunity will give us a boost into the future.

Once when Chuck left for a week to look after his parents in Reno, I realized that in my sleep I reach over with my foot and touch him. Him not being there woke me from my slumber. I piled the pillows onto his side of the bed and had  Mocha sleep with me.  I was able to rest after that.  He laughed when he got home to see the pile of pillows. 

I know I wil have bouts of gloomy, sad and blue during the holidays but I will be with my children and they understand me and my co-dependence. I have even promised Chelsea I will go to a movie theater with her! If anyone knows me they know I have a kind of germ phobia about theaters. I think it stems from working in biology. I feel like I am sitting in an incubator with bacteria swarming over me.  I know - that is extreme so my agreeing to go is pretty big.

This week while the family Thanksgiving celebration is happening I plan to have my sisters take the things they want from the house, the things that are inheritances. When Melissa is here at Christmas time I have things for her as well. Since we will be traveling back and forth and perhaps having people rent the house while visiting Tucson I want to depersonalize the house. I want no chance of anything of emotional value to be at even minimal risk.

There is a time for everything under heaven.
-N

Finally

Finally, Chuck heard from the company he applied to and was told he was in and to make plans to head to North Dakota! He can give official notice to TMC and we can start to plan for his (and my) relocation.

He is glad to know for sure and is excited to venture out. I'm proud for him and happy he has this chance to do something very new and interesting.

We have a storage building to put up and some weather proofing and clean up to do around the house. We also have a real opportunity to "lighten the load". Time for a yard sale!

Making plans

Its hard to make plans when we don't have a start date. My husband is ready to make the transition and I am ready to support him. There are things in process which are part of the preparation for relocating and should it all fall apart these are good things to have done. I'm really enjoying the whole activity, and as items come up there are long and short terms plans to make. Something as simple as what do I do with cleaning supplies really takes thought. Bigger things like what do I do with my plants really involves a lot more preparation.

Chuck has been daily doing home maintenance and improvements while he waits and ponders his future. He has much to meditate on where his work task transitions are concerned.

I woke this morning to the sound of him texting and when I aksed him what he was doing he indicated he was communicatiing with his contact  in North Dakota. Wow!

Holiday plans which in the past were easy to make have been compromised by this lack of a start date. We were skyping with Melissa last night and as we tried to plan Christmas travel there are contengencies for every option. We will get through  it. My philosphy is "A year from now I won't be thinking of this". 

-N

Amazing response

I am overwhelmed by the wonderful responses to my blog yesterday. My friends rock!

Tioga, ND


Fri

48°  30°Sat  snow

39°  25°Sun snow

27°  10°Mon snow

41° 10°Tue

48° 18°Wed
  This weather is the forcast for our destination!  I look really good in cold weather clothes-you know layers.    -N 

I've put the word out

I've told a bunch of people about my blog-we'll see what everyone thinks. I found this wonderful picture of Chuck and Melissa which pretty much tells everyone about our family.

A Change In the Air

Sometimes it takes the chance of a change to make the things that have kept you in one place seem unimportant. My husband has the chance to make a big change in his career and thus our lives.  Not only is it a change in jobs, but it is also a change in location, style of living and proximity to family. It is a move to a place I've never been with climate as opposite as possible from Tucson.

North Dakota.

Ok, I can do this.  The move for him will happen sooner than my move due to living accommodations. He can live for free in company apartments that are set up for singles only.  Once we are able to set up house for both of us and the dogs I will join him.  I am not looking forward to being a bachelor for a couple of months, and there is much to get ready before he leaves. 

At my age I wonder how I will make this transition? I'm not young, but certainly not old, yet things will be very different. We have grand plans for this time and the money we can make. I hope for stability and freedom after this experience. It will be profound and unsettling, exciting and challenging and will test us in our ability to adapt. For our relationship we will depend on each other more than we already do and I'm sure the encouragement we give each other and our mutual faith in God will be foundational in finishing this course of life.

My children are excited for us and I think a bit concerned. We will keep our home in Tucson for the time being, it will be the touchstone for us as we abide 1800 miles away. I won't have to sell my possession, store the keepsakes and put myself out there with no home base.

So here we go-our adventures are ahead.

-N