He Sold the House While I Was Gone!

Colors from our garden



By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Go on vacation, buy an RV trailer.

Go to see my friends, the hubby sells the house.

What next?

The rest of the story . . .

When we sold our first home, I was at a conference in New Mexico with some wonderful ladies. Kevin repeatedly called me, updating the news and asking questions. Finally, his calls took on a list-like look.

"Honey, I sold the fridge."

"Honey, I sold the boat."

"Honey, I sold the . . ."

In desperation, I turned to my ladies, who were totally tuned in to the situation. "I've got to get home before he sells the kids!"

Many, many years later, the story is similar.

Last week was vacation. We enjoyed a few days with my cousin. We shopped for RVs but didn't find one we could live in for any length of time. We discussed in great detail EVERY single option of selling our home and finally beginning our bucket list plan to build a small home. And I mean EVERY detail.

After returning home, we made an appointment with our realtor to ask questions and prepare to sell. That was Thursday.

The following Monday we met again and listed the house. The signs went up and photos were taken.

Tuesday was the realtor walk through day, so I loaded up the cats and headed to the other Quantrell's for most of the day. Not only did several realtors visit our home, we had a showing with a different realtor. Just as I was putting quiche in the oven, we received a text for another showing. We quickly ate, grabbed the cats, and vacated the premises.

On Wednesday, I headed to visit college friends, leaving Kevin in charge of the home selling adventure. Kevin was texted for yet another showing. This one lasted almost 2 hours.

On Thursday morning, we received an offer! After another already scheduled showing later that day, paperwork was completed, and we accepted the offer for our home.

Guess where I was? Not at home. I was with friends on the other side of the mountains. Texts flew back and forth.

"We got an offer."

"We are meeting to discuss the deal."

"You need to sign these papers."

I really need to not leave my husband at home alone! There's no telling what he is planning on selling next . . .

Providing all goes well with the various sale-of-home proceedings, we will soon be living the RV life.

I guess that means we really are old Nana and Papa grandparents. (And we love it!)

Meeting in the Middle Really Works

 

meet in the middle

drive separate roads to where

catching up is fun

 

~ Haiku by Angie Quantrell

Meeting in the middle works.

Yes, the sort of meeting in the middle that signifies compromise and working together - that works.

But also the physical, drive and meet in the middle between two far flung locations - that works as well.

Making the most of a federal holiday, a friend and I recently met in the middle for a fun day of rubber stamping, visiting, and eating. We've been discussing the idea for quite a long time, but could never put wheels on our vision.

Until we stopped talking and started driving. She booked a hotel room for her daughter and a friend and herself. I met them. We took over the hotel's business conference room table, where we were front and center for the excitement of the day.

It was great!

Due to the limited amount of time, we really focused. We only brought some of our mountains of supplies and ideas. We only shared one meal. We only began some projects, stacking them for completion later at home (one of the best unintended parts of the day). We only spent a short time visiting a local thrift shop.

Success.

Now we know where the middle is and plan to take advantage of this knowledge again.

You should try it. Who do you want to meet in the middle?

beach (noun)

beach (noun): a sandy or gravelly part of the shore of an ocean or lake (Merriam-Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2006)

beach. salty, fragrant, windy, sandy, wet, smelly, misty, sunny, crowded, relaxed, rocky, noisy, invigorating, desolate

beach. waves, tides, sand drifts, rock piles, seaweed, footprints, campfires, shells, driftwood, seagulls

beach. fun, kites, games, sandcastles, horse rides, wading, swimming, fishing, crabbing, walking, dogs, families

dream. play. rest. relax. gaze. melt.

vacation

beach (noun)

Photos by Angie Quantrell.

The Monday AFTER Vacation

Looking at the Puget Sound from Bainbridge Island

We are back. Home sweet home. Back to the regular schedule. Responsibilities to be met, chores to be done, catching up required.

But first, shall we have tea?

Grab a cup and enjoy while I share a few things about the last week.

Let's pretend you are right with me, seated and facing me across the little patio table. It only has one chair, but that's ok. I'll pull one out of the house.

So, you ask, how was vacation?

~ We spent lots of time driving. Many miles. But we had AC and snacks. It was all good.

~ At the beach, we lazed our way from favorite spot to the next favorite spot. Ocean Shores beaches (two separate stops) equaled lunch, lounging in our chairs, putting up the kite, and wading in the water. Brown Point Beach by the marina provided plenty of wind, surf, and curiosity. What were those pelicans, seals, and seagulls feasting on anyway? Pacific Beach was our napping spot, though the wind was picking up and we were slightly sandblasted. It was all perfect. We just went from place to place, doing whatever sounded good.

~ I had ice cream. Good ice cream. Twice. (If you knew Kevin as I know Kevin, the hubby, you would see that indulging in ice cream two times in one week is amazing!)

~ I filled up my camera memory card. It wasn't empty to begin with, but I really added some photos. I didn't realize it was that close until I clicked the very last photo standing on a beach on Bainbridge Island. That left no spots for ferry shots.

~ We went to Bainbridge Island. It was our first trip. I researched it in advance. Could we find anything? NO. We were completely lost the entire time. Though we now know the tiny, single car backroads, we were unable to actually follow the roads to any place significant. We did manage to find the ferry dock at the end of the day. That was because we found our restaurant, which overlooked the harbor, after stopping for directions. We could see the ferry coming in from our table. I should add that we did stumble across a delicious ice cream spot, Mora.

I felt eyes upon me when we tried to take a beach nap. Someone was watching us. Very closely.

~ We did not find any public beach on Bainbridge Island. I'm sure there are some. But not easily discovered or located. No signs. Google maps did not assist in this area. At all.

~ Lunch on the Bainbridge Island day was not on the island, but just outside of Bremerton. Scenic View State Park is lovely with a very accessible beach. This little gem is right outside Seabeck, Washington. It's very rocky though, so water shoes are a necessity.

~ We purchased some snacks at Trader Joe's. We forgot the chocolate covered almonds. They no longer even remotely resemble almonds. The chocolate part is easy to see, but is now shaped like the bottom of the bag.

~ Road crews were blasting rocks on the top of Snoqualmie Pass. They do this on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. We hit two of those days when traffic was stopped both directions. One evening traffic was already moving by the time we got there, though it was crowded and we had to drive slowly for many miles until the vehicle crowd stretched out. The second evening we hit it perfectly and had to stop and wait. I got out my beach chair and watercolor paints and enjoyed myself. Many travelers were out playing around, tossing softballs, chatting with friends, and jumping the barrier to find a private tree or bush. Sneaky as they appeared, we still knew where they were headed.

~ We spent the days between our trips doing little projects at home. For me, that meant writing responsibilities.

If I had snorkel gear, I could figure out what they were catching.

~ Oh, the first day of vacation was salsa day. We helped my sister, brother-in-law, mom, and dad, can way too many jars of homemade salsa. Mmmm. Hot, spicy, sweaty work. The fruits of our labor should be ready to sample in six weeks.

~ We met my parents, sister, and brother-in-law at the theater to see Mr. Holmes. It was very good. Dumbledore, nope, Gandalf played Sherlock Holmes. Dad, you are still right about that. For a moment there, my sister and I both confused our favorite heroes and movies.

~ The last day of vacation we got up early, as the temps were supposed to be in the triple digits, and went for a motorcycle ride. It was actually cold on our way up Chinook Pass. We looped behind and came home on Highway 12. That was where we hit the heat. Nothing less refreshing than leaving the delightful cool forest fragrance to swelter in the sauna heat of high summer.

~ The cats did not like us much during vacation. We were not here often enough for them.

~ Having iced coffee with my honey was and is one of my favorite treats.

~ The garden survived just fine, though I am still behind in garden chores.

Scenic View State Park Beach

That's our vacation in a nutshell. I did not get good clam chowder at any time. That was one of my goals. Next time, clam chowder goes to the top of the list of vacation necessities.

How about you? Have you had any vacation time this summer? I'd love to hear.

Harvest Time ~ The Fruit of Vacation

It's full harvest time in the Yakima Valley. Farmers are reaping the rewards of hard work and blessings from the Lord. Families enjoy the abundant fruit and vegetables that fill farmers markets and produce sections of grocery stores. It is a good time to live in an agricultural area.

Just as the time comes for fruit to be harvested, when farmers and even untrained eyes can pretty accurately tell the best time to do so, there is a certain time for taking a break.

Vacation time is now for these two middle-aged bodies. We are going to spend some time relaxing and refreshing. This gift of time away from daily responsibilities is a gift from God, and one we do not take lightly, but with great thanksgiving.

I will be back to blogging after vacation, hopefully with tales and photos of some of our adventures.

Until then, enjoy your summer! I appreciate you being a part of my blogging family.

See you soon.

Chilling with Friends

Monet and Mabel are sisters as well as friends. And in the kitty world, they are also co-conspirators, hunters, fighters, sneakers, racers, destroyers, and makers of great messes.

But when their work is all said and done, as twin girls often do, they recline in similar positions. Most of the time, this is true. I've never seen two cats pose so identically.

Copycats.

This week I will be off running around with friends - eating and rubber stamping and chatting. I will also travel to the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference to see old friends and make new ones while learning more about the trade and career of writing. Due to all that gallivanting around, I will not be blogging.

Mostly I will be learning and listening and creating. A vacation and an academy for my mind, all at the same time.

May many blessings and wonderful times grace your home and family this week. Enjoy summer!

See you next week.

Breaking News: Grandson Demonstrates Social Graces

The grandson beats out Papa!

Nana enjoyed a weekend away with her college friends, a time which mainly consisted of eating, talking, eating, stamping, walking, and eating.

But who cared most about her being away (besides two gray kitties with newly discovered neurotic tendencies when mommy is gone)?

The grandson.

How could I tell?

1. He awoke quickly the morning I left, got ready, and helped me load the car.

2. He said, "Nana, I will miss you while you are gone."

3. He quizzed me on what I would be doing with my friends.

4. He totally enjoyed our early morning trip to - gasp - get gas, chocolate milk, and a cookie.

5. He saved me half of his cookie, saying, "Nana, I'm going to leave you this so you can rememberize me." (New word alert - love it.)

6. He knew I was going to visit my friends and asked, "Nana, did you share that cookie with your friends? And the chocolate milk? (He also left me some milk for rememberizing.)

7. And today, just barely awake, he asked, "Nana, where are your cards? Can I see them?"


My bubba wins the prize of being most interested in Nana's trip - and the first to ask to see her card creations.

I just love kindergarten kids. Especially if they are my grandkids.

15 Disneyland Marathon Tips

In case you didn't know, a visit to the wonderful world of Disney in sunny southern California requires intense preparation.

Intense.

In order to get the most from your visit, pre-shopping and planning is in order.

We love going to Disneyland. So much so, that we spent our honeymoon there 29 years ago. Our family has since enjoyed (and endured) many additional trips to the Magic Kingdom.

Here are some tips that helped us during our recent trip to Disneyland at the beginning of this month. We have only been home a few weeks and already want to go back!

1. Go after Labor Day. If you can swing it, this is a great time to go. I would suggest the latter part of September. We just missed the seasonal decorations at the Haunted Mansion by 2 days. TWO days. Crowds are smaller. Lines are shorter. But beware - the hours are shorter as well. Heat is still a factor to be considered.

2. Take your own digital camera. I hauled around my big Nikon, wishing often for a pocket version with good quality shots. When a character photo opp is imminent, allow Disney cast members to take your photo - with both their camera and yours. They don't mind. Really! The Disney photographer will take your photo and give you a little card that has a link to your photo. What they didn't tell me right away was to then hand the photo card to each subsequent photographer so all of the photos are linked together. For a while there, I was collecting photo cards left and right. You can purchase all of the photos on a CD, some of them, or just use the ones that are on your camera. Mine turned out great.

3. Wear clothes with pockets. Please, no short shorts or skirts! No one wants to see your underpants while you climb in and out of rides. Well, maybe someone does. But really? Those rides are dirty. People always step on the seats to get in and out of a ride. Ick. Cover it up. Use your pockets to haul things like fast passes, lip gloss, and so on. Love my pockets.

4. Use a pocket lanyard. Disney pin trading is big right now. Our package deal (tip number 5) had a free lanyard for each member of my party. The lanyard came with a free pin to trade (we kept ours - they are expensive) and a pocket for your Disney tickets and entry cards. This is a very easy way to keep track of everyone. And absolutely necessary for fast passes.

5. Buy a package deal. Save big on entry costs, hotel, airfare, and rental cars. Even when we purchased just the entry passes and hotel, we saved money. Plus you get a few freebies - one 5x7 photo, lanyards, Magic Morning entry, and so on.

6. Do fast passes! This is a great way to hit some fun rides or attractions while waiting for a turn on the big rides.

7. Single rider lines are great and save loads of time. One morning I was able to ride the Cars race cars 4x in a row in less than 30 minutes. It only works well if you don't have small children to supervise. Your party WILL be split up.

8. Hit Costco before you go. We purchased a huge box of individual nut packs. We took several with us each day. They saved us money on meals and gave us enough energy and salt (due to sweat factor) to stretch out our meal times.

9. Wear a small backpack. Fill it with necessaries - nut packs, granola bars, phone, camera, hand wipes, hand sanitizer, and so on. Saved our life. Easy to take on and off for rides. A small backpack fits in the little net pockets in Indiana Jones. Though it will still get wet on Splash Mountain. I did have a plastic shopping bag I shoved it in for that ride. PS You WILL want hand sanitizer after some of the rides. Like Autopia and the sticky steering wheels.

10. Sunblock. September temps hit nearly 100. Add lack of shade and time in line and you could end up with a burn. I saw several very red people.

11. Hats. Wear one. Buy or bring a hat. Make your own shade.

12. Water is a must. We forgot to drink when we were rushing from ride to ride. Bring water or purchase a bottle on site and refill it as often as possible. Disney allows you to bring in food and drinks. Though one must allow for special treats and meals that can only be enjoyed at Disneyland.

13. Start a walking program well before you leave for the land of Mickey. Miles spent walking = a zillion. Miles spent walking and standing will put your feet through the ringer.

14. Wear tennis shoes. See 13.

15. Leave the fancy jewels at home. Many of the attractions are quite bumpy and turbulent. You may be saying good-bye to your favorite pearls.

Disneyland is a blast! With a little planning and organization, your time in that wonderful make-believe world can be truly filled with pleasure.

Welcome to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. All Aboard!

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