2017 - Our First Year - Settlin' In~

Our first year at the Home Place!  Twelve-months that will go down in our history as a basis of comparison for future years. Whether the routines, the weather, the landscape or the memories.

1-14-17 Our new norm - sunshine!

January, the first couple weeks we were in Boulder. Once we returned home, I was busy hacking, pruning & hauling years of accumulated trash up from the creek area.  The weather was so mild!  Butch was installing cabinets & new sinks in the master bath.

1-21-17 Nika & me - hard at work~

With such nice weather, I started bringing up trash from the bottom of the hillside between our backyard area & the creek.  Projects of one sort or another dominated most of the year.

2-15-17 Butch, Nika & the new fence~

By mid-February, the fence was finally in!  Nika was free to run & was the happiest dog ever!

Butch installed tile backsplash & the new kitchen island.  Farah & I enjoyed trails at Two Rivers, NE & the local Wabash Trace for the first time.  Butch & I joined the newly formed BCHIA, SW Chapter.  Butch was elected Secretary of the Mills County Trails Board - which we both joined.

3-19-17 Clearing~

March, the weather was still wonderful.  I started to clear & clean out the area between our south fence & the creek.  Vines went high into the trees & were covered with thorns.

4-16-17 Dutchman's Breeches

Spring was Grand!  We'd been taking walks around town all winter & continued them into spring.  The local parks were fun to explore & I loved finding new-to-me native flowers!  We took down a large Mulberry tree at the east end of the house.  We were referred to the best deck contractor in the area & John agreed to take on our deck & porch projects.

6-11-17 - Done!

Butch tore off the old deck & John began work on the new one mid-May.  It was complete the first week of June!  The front porch was delayed by our wait for a variance, which we eventually received.  John started the third week of June & by the Fourth of July - it too was done!

7-1-17 Summertime~

Farah & I were busy finding anyplace somewhat local - to ride.  Waubonsie was our usual haunt, but we branched out to Indian Caves State Park, NE, Glen Cunningham Lake north of Omaha, Lake of Three Fires near Bedford & Pierce Creek outside Shenandoah.  All of these places roughly a 100-mile round trip.

Butch was driving the big yellow school bus & doing maintenance at a small apartment property.  Between the two jobs, working full-time.

8-15-17 Mason, Butch, Cassidy & Courtney

August was the month we'd looked forward to all year! Courtney & the kids came for their first visit! We toured the Omaha Zoo & drove to Indian Caves State Park to see the total eclipse. It seemed like every day went by faster than the last... The kids were happy to see the things they remembered were still with us. Farah was thrilled to see them too!

9-3-17 Sliding Door in~

September, Butch installed a sliding door in the family room - where we'd just had windows before.  Huge improvement in the views & accessibility to the back deck.  We had volunteered to help with the BCHIA Poker Ride & camped at Brushy Creek Recreation Area.  Wow - what a great place to ride with miles & miles of trails.  So fun to see all the new to us country!

9-30-17 At Brushy Creek~

October of last year, we were in Sheridan, WY, this year, enjoying our 35th Anniversary weekend at Lake Okoboji.  The drive up was beautiful & the lakes incredible.  So great to find a place that we like so much, easy drive & no traffic!  Yes, we're spoiled now!

10-13-17 Touring the largest of the lakes~

November & fall - gorgeous weather - some of the nicest of the entire year.  Farah & I were on the trails more than any other month & had traveled 400-miles by year's end.  Not the huge number's we used to accumulate, my priorities are changing as the years continue to march by.  We found the north end of the Wabash Trace is closest to home & the longest ride in the area - so we do it often.  We also had fun horse camping weekend with a new friend at Lake of Three Fires.

12-12-17 NW Corner of our second lot~

Though we were still waiting for the survey, I took advantage of the nice weather to start clearing into the timber areas.  After some reconnaissance, it was obvious the area was totally overgrown, forgotten & covered in trash.

December we flew to Washington - then drove south to Oregon - to visit the Grand-kids!  How many ways are there to say how much we miss them?  The two weeks have flown by...  We packed as much fun into each day as possible.  Making memories that will last a lifetime for us & hopefully for them too...

After spending the day at the beach, with the Wrights & loving every minute, they left for home  We drove south - to what was in the past - our favorite get-a-way Cannon Beach, OR.  Though the day had turned cloudy & cool - just an hour before sunset - the sun broke through the low hanging clouds.

We stood witness to a gift from God, humbled to be in such a place, at such a time.  2017 left us in a blaze of glory~

Past Year - 2016~

An Ending~

Another road-trip, which coincided to the week, with the last time I saw Mom a year ago.  Back to Boulder to finish closing Mom's home.  After almost 50-years, it's not hard to imagine how much work was left to do.  We had the help of our daughter Courtney & my sister Laura during the November trip.

Mom's backyard~

The wait for the attorney to get the paperwork in order, is taking quite a while.  Dad's estate was handled quickly.  The difference between a small town attorney who actually cares & a large city firm.  We had to watch the weather too - finding a window of opportunity in January is always a challenge.

Oregon Grape~

I came down with a awful cold while we were still on the road...  No fun, but the drive out was smooth, clear & cold.  We used Google Maps to try a different route coming in & ended up on a newer toll road.  The first exit I recognized was for Louisville.  It was dinnertime & any excuse is a good excuse to eat at the Blue Parrot.

The famous sign~

 We were seated, ordered our spaghetti & soon found out after 97-years in business this iconic, family owned & operated restaurant, will close the end of this month.  Any time family came to visit - Blue Parrot was our dinner destination!  Many was the Sunday afternoon, we'd meet Mom & Dad for a meal.  I was here for dinner the night before our youngest was born!

The closer we got to the mountains, the deeper the snow.  The star was lit on the Mountain, Butch enjoyed seeing it!  By the time we turned onto Mom's street the snow was over 8" deep.  Some of the neighbors had taken advantage of Mom's street parking, so we pulled the truck onto the snow covered driveway.  Walking into the house again - was hard.  We spent a jam packed three-day's sorting, hauling & cleaning.  The weather warmed, the snow melted fast & high 40's felt positively warm!

Goodby Chevy~

I'd listed Mom's Chevy on Craig's list, but the only interest was from scammers.  We ended up donating it to a charity that helps children.  It was an uncomfortable car to drive, but had taken Mom safely on many road trips!

As someone mentioned the other day, it's not the items, it's the memories associated, that makes it so difficult to part with them.  There were lots & lots of items & lots & lots of memories...

Watering can & Coyote~

The wood box above had been on the back porch forever, holding Mom's gardening tools.  (Dad had built it as a toy box for me.)  The water can's history is lost, but not it's usefulness.  Dad had made the Coyote - these items came home with us.

Leaving~

Leaving the house, for the last time, was a somber feeling.  My ties to childhood, Boulder & Colorado all gone now...  I was so lucky to have had the experience of living in such a great town, back when it was only a college town.  Now, huge cranes are in the air, construction of new mixed-use, high density buildings going on everywhere.  I hardly recognize where I am & the population has crested a million.

Julesburg, CO Rest Area~

 With weather coming in behind us, we were glad to be back on the road & heading home.  It was about 20 degrees when we stopped for a short break outside Julesburg. Again, we had smooth sailing on our return trip.

Friday, we spent unpacking.  I brought home Mom's kitchen table for the craft room.  Once it was set up, I sat down...  I could almost picture Mom sitting across from me... 

When The Time Comes~

You are never ready for the call...
When it came - when I heard the words - time suddenly stopped.  My thoughts a swirling vortex of emotion...
My mother had lost her battle with COPD...  None of us expected the end would come so quickly.  Just a few days before, I'd received a call from my aunt; Mom was in the hospital & on a ventilator.  Unable to speak, she was still fully alert, responding to the hospital staff & writing notes to communicate.  Within a day, she was breathing again on her own.  When I spoke to her, she sounded stronger than she had in weeks.  With her usual tone, she was unhappy to be there & not excited at the prospect of having to go to a nursing home, rather than return to her home.  I made calls & she was moved to one of Boulder's nicest facilities.  During our last conversation, two days before, she was looking forward to a meeting with the Doctor & staff.   Mom wanted to know the date she'd be released & what type of in-home care she would need.

When the call came - I was caught totally off-guard.  (We'd been working non-stop for two days to empty the last of our things out of storage & move them to the house.)  Butch took one look at me & realized what had happened.  As he wrapped me in his arms, all I could do was stand there as the grief washed over me...   A feeling of emptiness so complete, words can't begin to describe it.  Both of my parents now gone...

I called both daughter's & spoke to my other Aunt before we drove home.  We worked into the night to unload the truck, close the house & pack to leave.  (It would be a shorter trip than if we'd still been in Washington.)  Late the following day, we were in Boulder.  My sister flew in from AZ & met us at Mom's.  As it was when we lost Dad, walking into the house that had been Mom's home for so many years without her there - was awful.

Mom's Home 1-8-2016 Boulder, CO

 Mom grew up in a time when smoking was "in".  Starting with corn husks - behind the barn - she was hooked at an early age.  Dad tried to get her to quit over the years, but as we know now, it's an addiction hard to give up.  Almost 20-years ago, after she passed out at the wheel of the car, narrowly avoiding an accident, she gave the habit up completely.  We were so proud of her!

Mom loved to drive & loved to take long distance road-trips.  While her health was good, she visited family & friends in Iowa several times.  She made the drive to Washington too, by herself on several occasions & loved the state.  With my sister Laurie & her family in AZ, Mom made that trip as often as she could.  She loved the area enough she'd considered moving there.

Mom at the Leaning Tree - 8-1-2008

 Her home & yard were always immaculate!  During our visits over the years - we were still hauling squares of flagstone for new & improved walkways :-) She loved her five granddaughters & grandson.  With three great grandsons & four great granddaughters, she always remembered to send birthday cards.  She spent several years collecting historical information on our family's genealogy & compiled several notebooks full of family lineage & old photos.  Each of her four children had an album of photos she'd complied from both old & newer photos over the years.

Me & Mom - at Dad's 10-2012

Every time I called & talked to Mom, I felt so lucky, to have her in my life.  When Dad passed, our shared sorrow made us closer.  Now, I work to accept her loss as I assimilate yet another major change in my life...  I'm thankful for the family & friends who've provided me with their love & support during this difficult time.  Daughter Courtney is flying in to accompany us on our trek back to Iowa this coming week.  Services will be held at the Greenfield Cemetery on November 11th.

Rest in Peace Mom - know your family will always love you.  We will cherish our memories of the happy times & will remember & appreciate the great gifts you've given us~