The weather is a bit odd here. The leaves have turned beautiful colors and started to fall, even though it was 80 degrees today. A bit strange? Maybe not. We have decided to build a new house on the property directly behind the old house. It's the most wonderful spot on the whole 20 acres for a house. The oak trees are at least 200 years old and beautiful. After the new house is built, the old house will be disassembled, moved and rebuilt into a combination guest house/garage. Probably more garage, I am guessing. Hopefully it will be a little bit guest house. Of course that is up to Genius, so we'll see. I am not the least bit concerned. It will be beautiful. It always is. He has never built anything that was ugly, ever. Even so, Genius and I are still in negotiations about the old smoke house. I want it moved to the back yard and restored. He says "maybe" but it will be the last thing on the list. I am strongly opposed to "maybe" and "last thing on list." We shall see. The old barn will probably stay where it is and in its current condition. That is okay by me because it is beyond saving. Plus I like the look and feel of it. I will salvage the mangers for who knows what purpose. I like the look of them I suppose. Storage for extra towels in the bathroom maybe?


It is so beautiful here with the fall colors. Daughter and I take long drives and she takes lots of pictures. The area around the property is referred to as "Little Texas" because all the cattle farms in the area. The neighbors down the road (I use this term loosely since there are only 4 houses on a four mile road) have a most unusual collection of pets. There is the burro. Then there is the one and only Texas longhorn steer who resides in the pasture with the burro. There are the chickens in the coop. There are the ducks guarded by the ever present Great Pyrennese. Then there is the one and only hound dog who resides on the front porch on a lawn chair. When you drive by, Mr Hound leaps out of the lawn chair and bounds a good ten to fifteen feet down the knoll as if to say "yeah, I told you to keep going." A quick look in the rearview mirror reveals he is on his way back to the porch and the chair. As there is only one, I am guessing it belongs to him.


I have actually met two of the neighbors. Wonderful people who keep to themselves and I assume expect me to do the same until I know them better. We are outsiders of course since we came from Arizona. I understand completely. This is a very remote area 13 miles from the nearest small town and I know they are wondering, "how did these people find this place anyway?" The wonders of the internet. Plus the fact that I was born and raised in the area. These people are not familiar with the fact my ancestors settled the area over 190 years ago. Once they find out, I'm sure I won't be considered such an outsider. My husband, on the other hand, was born in Ohio and raised in Arizona, so he probably will always be considered such. However, being the extremely wonderful person he is, they are bound to come around sooner or later. If not, its ok. The closest neighbors - Twister, Cheyenne, Misty and Thunder don't care where we are from. They only care that we bring clover and know where the oats are.

And so it begins . . .

Finally I have arrived. I am now somewhat settled in Tennessee. I am living in a cute little house on an adorable street in a small town. No more desert for me. I spent the last three weeks of August working like mad on getting everything packed and the house ready for the new owner to move in. However, my family let me know that the average seller does not repaint the pantry, put new shelf liners in the cabinets, etc. for new owners. Also, apparently we are not required to make sure every nail hole is filled and painted. Oh well, I hope she appreciated it. It wasn't just a house to me, it was my home for the past 24 years. As hard as Genius worked to build it and I worked to decorate it, I hardly wanted to leave it in less than perfect condition.

As for the first three weeks of September, I spent my time driving to every remote corner of this county, the neighboring countys and other remote places looking for property. I drug Daughter along with me as well as Jones and Daughter-in-law whenever possible. And believe me, we located some remote places with beautiful property. There was the trip to the western edge of the county to view a property. It was quite memorable. The driveway was a good mile in length and unpaved. The unpaved part was not the problem, the problem was the six inch ruts that ran the length of the driveway. Oh well, good thing we were in a Jeep Wrangler. It was too remote for me. No one could ever have visited you unless they owned a 4 x 4. And maybe not even then during inclement weather. Needless to say, I readily nixed that property. There was the trip to the most awesome cattle farm complete with not one, but two old houses to remodel (my idea of heaven, Genius idea of Hell). Unfortunately I was short on funds and Genius has no desire to go into the cattle business. Why not? I ask. Limited experience with cows, he replies. Research. No? Oh well.


Then there was the Sunday I took daughter on an adventure. The property for sale could be reached, the realtor said, by driving behind the old church, up through the woods to the top of the hill. I have a Jeep, so no problem I thought. Daughter was not impressed. So off behind the old church, up through the woods we went. Believe me, it was through the woods. I am guessing at some point it had been a logging road but not for the past 20 years at least. So it was not only through the woods but over the woods as well. Just a little frightening for Daughter. No worries we made it off the hill.



Genius dispatched us to numerous locations. Did I mention Genius is still going back and forth to Arizona for the time being? So Daughter and I are alone a couple weeks a month. Anyway Genius hit paydirt via the internet. He found the perfectly remote location for the perfect price and can you believe it, we had the winning bid. Twenty acres, 15 miles from town on a gravel road. It has the cutest old farmhouse on it, well over a hundred years old. Only problem the floors are beyond wonky. I am told that is not actually a word. However, if you saw the floors, you would agree - wonky for sure. No problem, Genius has decided to build a reproduction farmhouse behind the old one. Disassemble the old one, salvage the good stuff and move to different location on the property. I told you he is defintely "Certified Genius". It will take time. I completely get that. But it is in the most beautiful location with oak trees that have to be at least 200 years old. There are creeks, streams, cattle farms, trees and animals galore. It will be wonderful. It is already wonderful. Finally I am truly home. Well... almost.

The beginning of the end

The house has sold! That's the wonderful part. Now for the hard part. Packing up and leaving. First of all, let me just say while I am thrilled it sold, August is the worst possible time to be packing in Arizona. Especially for "certified genius" trying to get both garages loaded up. We sold all the "toys" except for one. We have sold at least half the furniture in the house, given away probably a quarter more of it. We are so lucky to have wonderful people in our lives who can use our things. Heaven knows, we didn't want to move it all 1600 miles. I have kept the sentimental and favorite things and let go of the rest. This is a new adventure and I don't need weighed down with things from the past that are unimportant. Most of the time in our lives, things are only things. Its the people in your life that matter most, not the stuff. In fact, right now, I am totally sick of stuff. I want a smaller, compact life with way less stuff. So not only am I purging the excess stuff from my loft, my two garages, extra closets and cabinets, I am also purging the excess stuff from my head. It is time to lighten both the physical and mental load.

Son and Jones are already gone. They didn't want to wait for us. They are settled out in the country on an acre and loving it, especially Jones. Nothing quite as wonderful as being able to run around like a "chicken with its head cut off" with your favorite dog all day. Oh to be 4 years old again in the country. Daughter has decided to take pity on us and wait for us to leave before leaving herself. She is looking to settle in Nashville. Far enough away to be independent, but close enough to come home should she so to desire. Hopefully she will so desire quite often. If not, its close enough for mom to make impromptu visits. I am sure Daughter will be thrilled by the thought. Not.

We have to be out in a couple of weeks. The time both flies by and stands still at the same time. It is difficult to explain. But while this has been my home for the past 24 years, I am excited to leave. I will take away the wonderful memories and look forward to the new ones. I am sure I will shed many tears thinking of all the wonderful times with my children, my husband and my grandson in this wonderful house. But I will remember it with fondness, not longing to go back. It is truly time to go home. Wish me luck. When next time I write I will truly, finally be home.

The Pink Chair

It is quite amazing how you can actually live with someone for almost 25 years and they still surprise you. In my first blog I somewhat introduced you to my husband, aka "certified genius". This is the name our 21-year-old daughter gave him while raving to her friends about the full house remodel with 1400 square foot addition he constructed. This addition came complete with a new balcony off her bedroom, the perfect place to daydream or cram for finals. It also included a huge backyard entertainment area with outdoor fire place (perfect for about 20 girls to make smores), built in grill, cobblestone pavers, lots of lush grass and flowers, plus a fountain. Hence, after showing these new additions to friend after friend, led her to explain her dad is a "certified genius". Not one of them disagreed.

This is the same man who, for a group of college girls celebrating Halloween by carving pumpkins, will whip out the skill saw and the drimmel tools when knives and other implements prove too time consuming. Who wants to spend all night creating a master piece when you can have it done in a matter of minutes with minimal mess? Of course, by minimal I mean the pumpkin mess is only on the outside of the house, not the inside.

Now we are talking about one of the most macho guys on the planet. He is 6'2" and about 210. I've been married to him almost 25 years and never seen him without a beard, or at least sideburns and goatee. He owns his own trucking business for heavens sake. This is also the same man who on any given Thursday can be found crashed on the couch with "Daughter" (as he calls her) watching The Vampire Diaries. For graduation, her friend purchased Daughter the third season of The O.C. I am not sure who was more excited- Daughter or Certified Genius. And while Daughter and Certified Genius spend their nights camped out in the man cave with the big screen TV, guess who is regulated to the 27" TV in the bedroom to watch Forensic Files? Why me of course. Although I can't complain, Certified Genius installed surround sound in my master bedroom.

The End of the Beginning

In a few short weeks I will be leaving home, or going home. I suppose it would depend on your perspective. Twenty-six years ago I left what I had known as home for the first 19 years of my life. I was raised in three or four different houses on the same dirt road. I suppose it depends on who was counting. The first couple I wasn’t old enough to remember. By the way, my dear brother still lives on the road. Luckily it isn’t still dirt.

I left Tennessee as a young woman. I will be going back as “ganny”. In the past 26 years, I have made a life in a very “different world” than what it would have been had I stayed in Tennessee. I met the man of my dreams, became his “sweetie”, his wife, a mother and now since 2005, “ganny”. I married young, had children young, and became “ganny” very young. I would not change any of it.