The Apple Street Cottage

In July, I shared that we bought a house and would be moving.  Well, we did it and I can't wait to tell you all about this new adventure!   Unlike the last house, this one is a single floor.  So much better for a gal with vertigo and bad knees.   But, before going any further, let me clarify a few things: There will be LOTS of posts about making this little house our new home.  Please keep in mind, the updates will not be fast and furious since we're retired aaaaaand....I believe bad knees were already mentioned.  Wink-wink! It was a rental property.  In other words, we are (and will be) dealing with lots of 'landlord specials'...affectionately nick-named by our daughter. We have down-sized and   I don't mean it's a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1800 square foot house.  No, this is just a little over 900 sq. ft.....Did I mention 'dowwwwn-sizing'? I want to create a home that is cozy, relaxed, and welcoming while incorporating practical elements. ...

Hello, my friends!  It's been a while and even though I've been very busy, not a whole lot of it has been blog-worthy.   Why, you ask?   We bought a house!   It's a small house but it will be BIG on blog posts when I share everything that goes into making it our own. It was a rental property and there are a few things that need to be 'taken care of". Here's a peek at the kitchen: Before you ask, yes, that's a dishwasher to the left of the stove.  Interesting, right?  Never fear, there's a story and a solution coming up in a later post.   There are also some interesting colors that need attention: It may not show in photos, but this color is actually 'popsicle green'.   The bathroom also needs a few 'fixes' so stay tuned for those updates, won't you? In addition to dealing with paint and a few other projects, I've been a bit busy doing this: Over 50 boxes packed here and another 40+ in the living room. This post may contain...

It's safe to say that this summer has been one for the books for a couple of reasons.  First, when it wasn't raining, the humidity was so high I felt like I was living in the tropics.  I did not have to water my gardens at all this summer - that's how much rain we had.  It was so wet that my Lamb's Ear actually started to rot, but in spite of it, there were flowers. The hydrangeas were quite happy. And I harvested a good bit of lavender.  This is just a sample. The zucchini and tomatoes did well and I made plenty of sauce for winter . However, the most interesting part of this summer is the fact that we sold our house!  That's right, we did it.  The market was just right for selling and to be perfectly honest, the stairs were killing my knees.  So we did it.   We decided to rent for a while and see what happens with the housing market and the pandemic.  Let's face it, these are uncertain times so we packed and we moved - just last week! ...

We moved.   It's all here...somewhere.   We LOVE the new Cottage.   Let's talk about Moving... You've heard all kinds of advice, but it's time to narrow it down.  Let's get started with the countdown... #10 - Purge Do it now.  Why move it if you're going to get rid of it anyway?  Go through everything - clothes, dishes, small appliances - if you're not using it, it goes!  Throw it out, donate it, sell it.  Trust me, it will be fewer boxes to pack and move. #9 - Reuse Boxes/Totes There are free boxes everywhere!  You know that tote-full of clothes you just purged?  You now have an empty tote! You're welcome!  Check with liquor stores, grocery stores, and schools - those copy paper boxes are great!  Craigslist is another great source for boxes, sometimes free or a low price.  Just be sure to use plenty of tape,  No one wants a box breaking open while they're carrying it! #8 - Label, label, lab...