Well, it's been nearly a year since my last post.  It's July 4th weekend again and almost ten years has passed since we moved to Alaska.  Seems like forever and also like yesterday!  K is counting the days until he turns in his resignation.  We will soon join the ranks of the semi-retired.  With that in mind, we will be returning to New Mexico sometime in the fall; provided that all goes as planned. 

During our time here we have moved three times and had many adventures, although not near as many as K would've liked.  There are countless things I will miss, but I so look forward to being nearer to my family.  Although we live in the largest populated area of Alaska, I've felt somewhat isolated here.  I never really found my niche.  I have discovered a love for gardening, as well as a passion for cooking.  I do plan on honing these activities further with my grandchildren!   

I used to make friends easily, but since relocating here I have found that not to be the case.

I don't know if that's because of age or my waning confidence.  Time will tell with our next move.  I worry,  as the town we are going to reside in is a conservative, Bible-belt burg in Southeastern New Mexico.  I'm a high desert girl from Northern New Mexico.  I will also be looking for employment after ten years of being the house-marm around here.  Needless to say there is some apprehension due to this matter!  I've been very spoiled and that's been a delight, but I have gotten pretty lazy.  That is coming to a screeching halt soon.  I pray for strength to be up to the task.  Time to re-boot!

I DO look forward to growing many vegetables and not have to wonder how we'll manage to get out beloved green chile.  I'll also be relived to maybe not have to deal with TSA much any more.  I used to be afraid of traveling by air.  That has since morphed into stress over just getting through airports to make my flights!  I'll be thankful that there will be less of that. 

So soon, on to a new chapter in our lives!  May it be as kind to us as our present one has been.  Wish us luck!

That being said, have I told you how much I hate moving?

Limbo!



Yup!  That's my life in a nutshell.

Finale

Lost another loved one recently.  What is it about Death?  It's so rude and terminal and nobody has any say in the matter.

There's no last goodbye.

No lingering embrace.

No closure.

Just a cleft in the heart that never, ever mends.

No answer to why.

vincentwardfilms.com

Adios!

This year has been quite the year.  Can't say I'm sorry to see it go.  That is all.

Bookmark

Just checking in to see if anyone is still here.  (Knock, knock, knock)

Lots of things going on around the casa in the home improvement department.

More on that and pics later!

Reboot

Hi there!

Remember back when this blog had a life?  When there were recipes, photos, ideas and sometimes even reflections and sorting out jumbled thoughts?

That is what I want to get back to.  Facebook has turned me into a sideliner who can't muster up much more than a random drive-by "like" or some sort of emoticon left as evidence that I was still out there.
Somewhere.

Well, I'm back and ready to try again.

Watch this space and let's get reaquainted!

Oh, hi!

                        

Wow.

September.

Has it really been that long since my last post?  Most people would think that I must be living an exciting life, right?  Wrong.

That would maybe help explain my reluctance to keep up to date here, but really I just haven't had anything of interesting to share.  I don't know if it's the winter doldrums or what but I just seem to be going through the motions these past months.  I must need a boost in my vitamin D levels, or just maybe just some sunshine would do the trick. While I know that tanning beds are not good for our skin, I wonder if I should do five minute sessions two or three times a week to help with that.

Not much going on in the kitchen department.  With K. being out of the state three out of the last four weeks, I haven't seen the need to get carried away.  We'll see what happens when he returns...

Usually this time of year I start looking forward to spring and thinking about the yard.  I get so excited about making plans for the pots and the pallet garden.  This year I'm going to scale it way back.  I can't even venture to guess how much money we have spent on plants for this place each year.  Most of my perennials don't make it through the winter although we group them together and bury them under a huge pile of leaves. This year we didn't get them gathered up in time due to the fact that we had constant rain at the end of fall.  And for most of a way too cold summer season as well.  When we had a break in the rain, I did make the attempt to cover them with leaves but most were frozen to the ground and what I did use ended up blowing away a week or so later...Best to just do a few hanging baskets, my rock garden and a few containers of kale, lettuce and maybe some Brussels sprouts.  I've got way too many containers and pots so along with getting rid of some of our unnecessary junk  items from the interior hoard, I'm going to cull the gardening collection extensively!  Wish me luck in this endeavor and pray that my yard sale will be an amazing success!  I need to simplify--stat!

See what I mean about excitement?  Woo-Hoo.

What are some things that are weighing you down?  What makes that mid-winter slump a little lighter for you?