Day in, day out

You know, settling in to a new place really is a process.

I feel bad for not posting more regularly.  However, I also don't think most people care about my search for the nearest grocery store or coffee shop. (I have found both, though...)  
Although, I can tell you that the food here is amazing.  Being a "meat" lover I adore all the local, family owned butcher shops that have been here forever.  There is just nothing like it. 
 Well, except maybe the hole in the wall Mexican market where I found the most delicious chips and salsa on the planet.  You have to stand in line at their "deli counter" to order it.  Honestly, we call it the "crack salsa".  I don't know how they do it, but I have seen them bring it out by the bucket to scoop it out for me, and people are lined up around the store to buy it.  It's THAT good.

Anyway, there's so much more involved to settling in a new place, once you get past the initial hurdles.
Every now and then, simply out of habit, you start to do something or go somewhere when you realize it's no longer an option.  
It stops you in your tracks, and can be confusing.

There will be good days, great days, tough days, and sad days.
I would be lying if I said that every day since the move had been wonderful. Seriously, we live in the real world, so let's be honest here.
There truth is we have had all of the above.  
Then, there is the added wrinkle of my dad's accident.  That was a big wrinkle.
We're talking about a wrinkle that added not just stress, but guilt.  Guilt, because I can't be there.  And he's my Dad.....

For anyone who is not aware, I will catch you up.  
Several weeks ago my dad had a serious accident while working in the yard.  His foot was caught in the lawnmower and he was dragged across the yard before he managed to get free.
As a result, he lost most of his left foot and fractured his elbow.  He spent a couple of weeks in Vanderbilt and is now in rehab.  He has a long road ahead.  We are so fortunate, however, that the initial scare of infection and complications are mostly behind us.  Prayers were certainly answered.

There are things in this situation that you simply cannot prepare for, no matter what you do.  You just have to tackle them as they come along, the best you can.

I have found that keeping myself busy is the key.  I am working hard to use my talents to make our house a home, as well as to possibly earn a little extra income.
I love working with my hands to create something.  Most people know this about me.  I have dabbled in everything from photography, to baking, to painting.  I love it all.  
I have added a little "restoration" to that list now, since I have moved into a house built in 1910.  Oh, what fun that is!  It has such wonderful character.

I will post more pics later, but here is one of my first projects I tackled when we moved in.  I have this amazing front porch that looks out onto our old street.  I wanted a porch swing so I could enjoy it.
Since I cannot just go to Lowe's and buy one (that would be crazy to me....), I found an old one on Craigslist for $25.  It was in bad shape, with paint splattered all over it, lots of splinters, and the poly top coat had long since worn off.   But it had great "bones"!  It was made of solid hardwood (not pressboard.)

Before:  

After a few hours of hard work with the electric sander, I added some fresh stain and poly.  It turned out so beautiful!  It goes with the house just perfectly.  I look forward to sitting there with my coffee watching the snow fall.

After:

So, that is all for now.  Things are moving along, and we are taking it one day at a time.  I can still say that I like it here.  Of course, Nashville will always be my home.  I look forward to the day when I can settle back there.
But, until then, we are making the best of it.  That's the best we can do!

Tammy