Sorting, Packing, and To Do's

"BEFORE WE MOVE" TO DO LIST

DONE - Master Closets

DONE - Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

DONE - Laundry Room

Children's Bathroom

Boy's Bedroom

Girl's Bedroom

DONE - Kitchen Drawers
DONE - Kitchen Cabinets

Library

Living Room

Office Area

DONE - Cellar

DONE - Barn Loft

DONE - Barn Storage Area 1

DONE - Barn Storage Area 2

DONE - Barn Stalls & Tack Area

DONE - Barn Workshop

Downsize Attic Contents

Clean Out Kitchen Cabinets

Clean Bathroom Cabinets

Clean Laundry Room Cabinets

Clean Kitchen Appliances

Clean All Light Fixtures

Schedule Spring Vet Appointment

Schedule Dog Grooming Appointments

Schedule Horse Clipping Appointment

REPAIRS

Fix Kitchen "Trash" Cabinet

Paint Touch Up (all rooms)

Mop/Polish All Floors

Polish Granite Counters

Repair Wind Damage to Screened Room

Replace Light Globe

Burn Fire Pit

Adjust Front Screen Door

Re-press Screens (loose)

Patch Picture Holes

Clean House

Clean Ceiling Fans

PROJECT RESEARCH

DONE - Measure New Pasture Fencelines (1400 ft perimeter)

DONE - Count New Pasture Fence Posts

Measure New Pasture Gate Openings

DONE - Research Fence Options for New Pasture

Buy New Fence Materials

CALLS & ARRANGEMENTS

DONE - New Power Company

DONE - Current Power Company

DONE - Current Internet Provider

New Internet Provider Options

DONE - Current Water Company

DONE - New Water Company

Collect Barn Building Estimates

DONE - Television Service Option Research

DONE - Septic Inspection & Servicing

DONE - Request Marking of Utility Lines

DONE - Arrange for Excavation Work (driveway)

Arrange for Horse Trailer

Arrange For Pick-Up of Moving Trailer

Call To Request Boxes

Van to Ford Dealer (repair)

The Best Plans ....

We said, "If all goes according to plan, and the weather cooperates, and the TO DOs get "done" .... in 6 weeks we could be moved, lock, stock, and barrel, onto Two By Two Farm" ... or at least that WAS the plan.


So -- what's left to do ?


        Everything.


What did we get done ?


        Nothing.


Two weeks ago, we made great plans to immediately begin very-serious de-cluttering and downsizing, realizing that it's simply silly to move all of this "stuff" that we never use and simply don't need, to the new place, only to clutter up another space.  


We had planned on starting in the barn (where much is stored, and precious little is ever used), and then coming into the house to "downsize" room by room.


However, the flu had other plans for us.  Headaches, chills, fevers, coughs, head congestion, nausea, and intense fatigue .... it was rough.


So, after nearly 2 solid weeks of family-wide illness, and while we are still struggling with coughs, we are "better", and so will begin again our efforts.  


TODAY ... after lunchtime.


IN THE BARN ...


...  this afternoon .... armed with the trashbags, boxes, and the van with trailer nearby .... out with the old and unused .... out with the "saved" things that we haven't touched or even thought of for more than a year .... out with the unnecessary ... organized inventory of the essentials ... and packed for the move ...


Then we'll head to the dump, the recycling collection area, and the donation centers.


With God's Grace, we'll finish decluttering the barn by this time next week (we hope) ...


 ... and then will begin our efforts inside the house ... downsizing, decluttering, and hopefully packing too.


It seems hard to believe that in 4 weeks, with God's Grace, we could be all moved .... and could be living on Two By Two Farm.


WOW !!

Lord, we thank You for Your protection while we were ill, and for your healing.  And we thank you for the excitement ... the THRILL ... the beauty that is to come ... all of the promise that a new farm can possibly hold.  Please Lord, help us as we prepare, guide us in our steps, as we finally begin to pare down unnecessary belongings, and assist us as we prepare to move to the new farm.  Keep us healthy, and protect the JOY in our hearts as we embark on this huge project ... bind us together as a team, because many hands make light work ... we humbly ask that You bless and multiply our efforts, and that you strengthen our bodies and spirits ... that, as we de-clutter our physical spaces, You de-clutter our hearts and minds.  We as these things in Your Holy Name.  Amen.

Moving Along ...

The inspections are done and went even better than we'd hoped.  And now all of the "details" are in the works ... and the closing should be on or before March 11th.

In the mean while we're cleaning out and de-cluttering, and will begin packing this week.  Since we have 10 days of warm sunshine ahead, we're going to focus our attention on the barn this week.  We have so many things "in storage" in the barn that we just simply don't need ... so why move them, right ?

Then we'll move to the house .... we're going to go through every room ... every since box, bag, drawer, shelf, and corner .... every closet .... weeding out and consolidating .... it just seems silly to move allllllll of this stuff that just takes up space and collects dust.

Maybe I am becoming a MINIMALIST in my 40th year ?  HA !

And school ... we're going to buckle down A LOT and try to make some serious progress on our school work.  We had hoped to start buckling down last week, but the FLU had other ideas.  So --- Monday --- we will begin working hard again on our school work in hopes of getting a lot accomplished before we move.

Our spring vet appointment will be finished before the move ... all of the critters will get their annual immunizations and well-checks.

The boat will be moved to the marina within the next 2 weeks.  The jetkis will go to the mechanic for good pre-season tune ups.

It's all in the details now .... and so much is dependent on warm sunshine-filled days.

Let's hope March comes in "like a lamb", and goes out like one too !!

What's In A Name ?

Every farm needs a name.

A defining name ... a describing name ...

something perfect.

Would it be about the setting, or the function,

the scenery, or the location ?

After multiple "ideas", our farm name was chosen.

Two By Two Farm

Why Two by Two, you ask ?

The name, Two By Two Farm, was chosen because God told Noah to expect two of every kind of creature, to be taken into the ark and preserved through the flood.  Our farm is not the "typical" farm ... it's a hobby farm of sorts, a collection, and it is our plan to provide a good home to our "furry" friends while enjoying "farm life".

The name Two By Two Farm also was a prefect fit because nearly every creature we've ever added to our family through the years ... getting A horse ... having A dog ... came to us with a friend.  Yes, every animal has come with a friend ... our first horse Estrella was a rescue and was pregnant when we saved her (Sunny was her baby) ... and then after Daisy (our 17yo Golden Retriever) passed away in 2009, Bella (our Great Pyrenees) was alone and very sad, so we got a dog friend (Maggie, our other Great Pyrenees) for Bella ... and after Estrella was accepted into a rescue program, we looked for A horse ... and bought Smokie & Cinnamon (then Smokie passed away in June 2010) ... then after losing Smokie, we looked for A new horse, and bought Applejack & her friend Button.

See the theme ?  Yep - a collection of animals, and of course, every creature comes with a friend.

(Our vet has jokingly recommends that we not attend a livestock or horse auction, as he says sometimes friends come in groups of more than two from those events.  He's so funny !)

The Hunt

So, the hunt began originally for a family place ... big water nearby, and the perfect land ... rolling pastures, a little bit of woods, private ... not too far from town ...

First, there was a piece of beautiful land on the river ... but the river gets too shallow for boating, and the land "rolled" a bit too much ... and then, there would be building.  Nope.

Then there was the old farmhouse that we found ... lovely place.  Barns, and the cutest old farmhouse ... however, the farmhouse was going to be a massive renovation project.  Massive.  Nope.

We saw a few other places ... one was a mess of a house on perfect land ... one was a perfect house on 50 acres that went straight up ... Nope.

Finally .... we found it.  A log home on nearly 30 gorgeous rolling acres.  Long driveway off a small gravel road ... 2 miles from the little town, and 15 minutes to a bigger city.  Only 7 minutes to a gorgeous lake with a nice marina.  Pastures ... plenty of open land ... cows next door.  WOW !!

We're now in the inspection process ... and are working through the particulars.

If all goes as planned, it'll close on or before March 11th.

It's Paradise !!

The Dream

 ... stay tuned ...