Is it over yet?

It's hard to believe that this was just one week ago! Since then, we've been pretty much in the 50-60 degree range, with one day actually hitting 80! And now, finally, all our snow is GONE! So, (oh let it be so) this will be my LAST winter picture for a LONG time!

The house has been abuzz with contractors coming to check out our driveway and also the unfinished basement wall and chimney. We are going to replenish the shale on the driveway - it's been pretty bad for several years, but THIS year - well, we're down to the MUD. So the shale lasted for 20 years or so. One guy wants to rebuild the whole driveway for, like, 5000 buckaroos. Uh, no. We'll try another 20 years worth of shale, thank you very much. (We'll be outta here by then, anyway, one way or the other - more on that later). And then we're also going to cover the outside unfinished basement wall and chimney with stonework. Okay, fake stonework - but don't tell anyone, cuz you won't be able to tell. We made a "fake" brick hearth for our cookstove indoors (so it wouldn't be so dang heavy) and it looks great. Oh, gosh, please don't think it's that plastic crap. Ewwwww. No, it's like stone, just very thin.

Okay. So, Chris and I were talking several months ago (yes, we have spoken to each other since then, too!) and I mentioned something about wanting to live in this house until I die. Because I just love it here. Love it in the woods. Love the utter seclusion and privacy. And he goes, "you won't be able to live here after I'm gone". Uh, excuse me, WHAT? How DARE you! Hmmmmmppphhhhhhhhhh........ (read: indignancy and pouting)

So this is how my mind works. I need to chew on things a while. (Dustin is the same way, I've noticed.) And since that conversation, I have come to realize that, no, I won't be able to live here without Chris. Not unless I re-marry some 30-something little chore-boy man or something. Ha! Not bloody likely! Even Chris won't be able to live here in another 20 years (or less) without a chore-boy. Also not bloody likely.

So, we've actually discussed of late the long term plan of selling this house and downsizing. Well, down-maintenancing. There's just too much HARD stuff to do around here. And, to retire comfortably, it would probably be a good idea to get a low (or no) maintenance kind of place so that when Chris goes (cuz men usually go first - statistically speaking) I can still remain independant. Yes, I realize I could be drooling in my plate next month, but, I guess that will be Chris's problem! :) But, I mean, Chris rented the ol' carpet cleaner yesterday and did our downstairs carpets and last night his exact words were something like, "OW! Argh! This is the LAST time I'll be doing these carpets myself". See? If we're going to have to start paying people to do stuff, well then we might as well move to a much smaller place - all on one level with no wood-burning furnace, no treatable logs, no driveway to shovel, no grass to mow, no chimney to clean and no carpets. Hmmmm, is there anything like that other than, say, the Lycoming County PRISON???

Well, we always dreamed of going to Ireland to live. Do they have retirement condos there? I doubt it. One little town we visited in northwest Ireland only got electricity in the 50's. I doubt that they have retirement condos. If I can't be in the woods, I'd like to be on the water. Like on our beloved Pine Creek or on a beautiful lake or even the ocean. But no, we're not moving to Florida. I still want the four seasons. Oh well, There's lots to think about. We're going to formulate a 5, 10 and 15 year plan. (It's all in God's hands, yes, but it's fun - maybe even wise - to plan ahead, anyway.)

For now, we're just happy it's spring!