A Very Exciting Day

It is now official ... Byron and I are in debt 'till we die. In other words, we got our house!!! After my last rather premature post, I wasn't going to say anything until I actually got the keys (and made sure they actually went to the right house - thanks Papa). I received the keys at 10 am this morning - and then proceeded to call all of the utilities. We will have electricity and water tomorrow, there is already propane in the tank but they will fill it next week, the phone will move on Monday, the computer connection on Tuesday, and we will officially begin to receive mail there also on Monday. Whew! Now I am just gnashing my teeth because I want to get everything done NOW!!! First thing to be done - remove the extraneous wood-burning stove (hoping against hope that there is still carpet under the temporary hearth they laid down) and patch the ceiling where the pipe comes through. Byron and I are going to attempt that bright and early tomorrow morning - so that he can have the measurements he needs to get the patch materials I will need to finish the job (yes, I can patch the ceiling, thank you sooooo much for the vote of confidence). On the plus side, he is taking ALL of the kids with him so I should be able to get the kitchen done and (if the water/electricity is turned on soon enough) possibly get the bedroom carpets done too. That is the goal. On Saturday, my wonderful father-in-law is going to come and help Byron put the wires for the surround sound, TV, and TV-Computer into the walls so that it looks nice and neat ... won't that be wonderful??? I also (drying time permitting) intend to move up the bedroom furniture. Soooo, if all of my goals are met, we should be sleeping and eating (and watching movies) up in the new house by Sunday!

I also have to mention my failed tree experiment. About three years ago a lovely lady in our ward offered me a few tree saplings if I wanted to plant some trees. My land lady was a bit nervous, but just asked me to keep them far enough away from the house that when they were fully mature there would be no damage to the house. I beat my usual planting average by having one (out of three) actually survive ... flourish even (although there has been a debate for a while as to whether it was a tree or a bush by those of my neighbors who don't think I prune often enough). Just this year, it started looking like a tree and (quel horreur) we find that it is a "fruit-bearing" mulberry. What that means is that it makes a huge mess - and you can't even make a pie or anything. So I decided to pass along the tree to a friend who live on 2+ acres and is looking for trees in general and was not put off by the "mess factor." She and her kids came bright and early this morning and we dug it up. Now wouldn't you know that I would manage to plant that tree right over the ONLY pipe in the front yard???? As we were digging it up we found those roots lovingly wrapped clear around that silly pipe - I am so grateful that we dug it up this year! Even though we are moving, I would have felt horrible when that pipe got busted in half (easily within the next couple of years). Such is my luck - I am just glad that someone up There is looking out for me. :-)