Finding Our Old House

After three months, I found a house that was interesting to me. Then I had my husband look at the house and he loved it. We were looking for a house large enough where we may have several adult children return home from college and/or parents to come live with us. Previously, we lived in a 900 square foot apartment and a 1200 square foot adorable cape cod house with a half acre. I loved planning the gardens in the Virginia house. We had a sitting area that we called the moon garden. It was the shape of a moon gate, similar to the omega symbol, but that was the plan view of our garden. Let me see if I can upload a picture...

So this was our moon garden, kind of looks like pac-man with Cornus florida, Dogwood off to the left. The small flags are where I planted potatoes, then I planted tomatoes and various flowers. Our sitting area was hid when the garden was in full glory and the produce was excellent. Then I designed a sun garden in the front with the picture below. We had Thanksgivings outside with a group of people, family and friends with the table set with all the foods - it was glorious.

The trailer above was filled with horse manure which I utilize with all my beds. That was Virginia's house and we have fond memories.

But I digress, we are in New York and I found this house. I was cautious and my husband loved it. I continued to look at houses, but the Old House kept creeping into my mind. The house was built in 1826 and has 10.3 acres, to be exact. In my mind, I was always thinking what I could grow, what vegetables, an orchard, what designs I could create. My Eden. We had to be out of our apartment by July 31st, we also had planned the year before a family vacation, including 20 people at the end of July. Our children, all four, plus significant others, would be arriving the weekend of July 22, 2014. We had a real estate agent and we were finding our way to purchase a house in New York which is very different. Lawyers are involved and the minimum time to close, as we found was two months, ours was closer to three months because of the original historical papers are required. We went for it and my husband who is the negotiator went back and forth with the pricing - thank you husband! So we got the house, and my husband and I moved with renting a truck because the timing, of course, was an exact science. Our children had scheduled flights a day late and a dollar short. Although, we did have assistance when they arrived. Two of the children missed their flights and were coming to a close airport, but then they were re-routed to a two hour away airport - this was in the evening. Physically and mentally tired, we purchased coffee and drove, luckily to where our household goods were stored, so we stopped in picked up our push mower and continued home to complete our move. What I have heard - while you move into a new place, you set-up the beds immediately so when you are completed and totally exhausted after your move you can just fall into bed. Definitely words of a wise person. We moved and had our first guests/family arriving to drive with us to the vacation spot. Actually a great little vacation spot is called Pyramid Lake, totally no frills, very rustic, in the Catholic Diocese. There's life jackets, kayaks, canoes and two sailboats that we use at our own risk and many hikes throughout. No motors on the lake located in Paradox, NY - very serene, although we cooked our meals as a group - a different type of vacation, but with younger children it was great.

We returned from the family vacation and enjoyed our children at our home - stream, camp fire, eating - friends came to visit - we had a household. Then our children had to return to college - sad. When our children left, it takes several days to not be sad or to adjust to the lack of noise. And then the noise we heard were mice.

What were we thinking.....

We decided to move to upstate New York to be closer to my husband's parents rather driving eight to nine hours every four months. We made the move in February 2014 with my husband driving a 26' rent a truck with a tow for our honda and myself driving a jeep. Mind you I was born and raise in Prince Georges' County, Oxon Hill, Maryland where I remember there was snow when I was very young in the 1970s and then snowmageddon in 2010(?). So driving in snow is a 'white knuckle' event for me.

We started out about 10 am with pretty skies and of course the further north we drove the colder it became. Unfortunately, we started hitting rain and a few flurries and our truck's window washer tubing started to freeze, so we had to stop every once in awhile to heat up the tubing for the window washer to continue through with a bic lighter - I always thought the window washer fluid was flammable but with all the sleet coming down I guess it wasn't an issue although I thought about it.

Following my husband behind the truck and tow, I was gripping the steering wheel and then with the tension my back started aching I needed to come to 'grips with driving in the snow'. And so we stopped, I cried, I laughed and just thought this is symbolism at its finest. Upstate New York is cold and will have more snow - what was I thinking. Also I am a Gardener and enjoy being outside in all weather, because that's what I do. I thought a greenhouse would make the time in New York accommodating for me.

My husband did have a job, thank goodness, and we were renting an apartment for five months so that we could scope the area out and find a house to purchase. My job was to scope the area, create a temporary house, find a house to purchase and get to know New York.

So, we were able to get to our destination - the destination to store household goods in my In-laws basement, because that's the type of people they are - We love them very much. After a thirteen hour drive we arrived safely. I have to say New York does a better job in keeping the roads clear; however, Pennsylvania I think has a very different climate to deal with on a day to day basis. I was thankful to be indoors. Driving in snow is an every day event in New York in the winter time and I guess I will become accustom to the driving, at least I hope I will.

So, we finally arrived at the apartment and unloaded. I walked outside every day and tried to drive every day in the rain and snow. Then we had four 'relo-cubes' or pods (depending on what company you rent) to unload. We rented a three bedroom apartment and it was quick to find out that we have too much stuff and needed to make another trip to the In-Laws to store more stuff.