Feeling Overwhelmed, again and before pics.....

There are days when I wonder why I did this.  But I wondered that as I was getting ready to make this change.  I also wondered what I should be doing for the last. almost nine years after Rudy's passing.  I am sure it is the same things that other widows and widowers go through.  When you marry you assume it will continue well into your "Golden Years" and when it does not happen as you had imagined, your entire world is off kilter.

So, having survived the first significant snow... my standards not Alaskan standards... I continue to attack the many, many boxes in my life.  The kitchen is beginning to be much more functional.  In fact, I prepared the main course for Dungeons and Dragons get together for Saturday night.  Rob was working all day at the yarn shop, covering for the owner who is out of town on family issues and Kate had Tai Chi and then costume sewing for the Nutcracker.  So I took over the task of preparing the main course.  I made Crock Pot Chicken Chow Mein with rice and noodles.  It turned out well and it was so nice to be able to actually cook a full meal in the kitchen.

The dining room still has a nice layer of boxes.  But you can walk around them now and actually get to the window in the back of the house, so there is progress.  The kitchen counters are still covered with stuff that is searching for a home.  This kitchen is not set up the same as my old kitchen.  Sometimes, as I pull things out they need to sit as I imagine how they are going to be used and then find the best place for them to live.  There are days when I seem have more sitting then being put someplace.  This is when I wish had some of you close by to come help me with these decisions.

There are days when I look at the stuff sitting and then at the unopened boxes and just get a feeling of "Holy Cow, what was I thinking???"

I did get out of the house on Thursday morning last week and went to St Raphael's Catholic Church on the east side of Fairbanks to visit some ladies who have a monthly sewing group there.  They had met the day before and I could not go, but they planned an extra day, so I drove out there and spent an hour or so with them, saying 'hello' and seeing what they were doing.  It is not at all like Sew Much Love.  They are not working on anything for charity.  Everyone brings their own projects to work on.  Patches, they feel like you do... they enjoy sewing with friends.  On this day, everyone was working on quilting projects.  Several were doing Christmas Tree wall hangings.  Others were just piecing quilts that were to be gifts or were to have been gifts that were past due.  (Glad to know I am not the only one who finishes gifts after the giving deadline.)  There were five ladies there... Tammy, the lady who had invited me, her daughter, Maria, Nancy.. who lives nearby and opens the hall for the ladies.  Then two ladies who came later.  I think they were Camille and either Cheryl or Shirley, but I am no longer sure if I have them right.  I have never been good with names when first meeting people.  They were very nice and have another two-day session planned the week before Thanksgiving.  I may be digging into craft boxes to try to come up with a project to dive in to sew.... or at least take my crocheting project.

So here are some more before pictures of what was the family room but is now my Master Bedroom.  I had a blow-up bed for the first few weeks.  Furniture has made it much nicer.  Looking forward to no more boxes.  But I love the room and my lovely space I am making on the lower level.  And the dogs seem to be very comfortable here as well.

Here is my before in the Master Bedroom.  I have found that a comforter is the best topping for a bed here in Alaska.  As the temps dropped, I found that a couple of nights I could not stay warm all night.  Kate loaned me the comforter that they had gotten for their bed.  So I purchased my own.  Glad I did.

The little TV traveled with me.  It was my "travel TV" for spending time in bedrooms that did not have TVs as I have gotten used to falling asleep with the TV on.  This TV will end up in the guest room here.

Just so you can see the boys.  They have some of their toys and sleeping areas in this room and the craft room.

The octagon window looks into the Sauna.  The next door on the right is the bathroom, the almost invisible wall on the right is the laundry and the open door at the end is the craft room.  The farthest door on the left is storage under the steps. The closest door on the left are the stairs going to the front door and the upper level.

This is on the other end of the room.  The door on the right goes into the garage.  The closed door is a closet.  The hooks are quite convenient for taking the dogs out for their periodic walks.

I will have some after pictures soon.  We are prepping for another major storm by the end of the week.  Sounds like it might be more east and south, but as one knows, weather cane be very fickle.  So I am off to pick up a couple of things to be prepared.  Still do not have a generator setup here.  Takes a lot of time to get a new home set up as well as the old home was.  And I seem to have a lot of time....