Central Florida House Tour - The Kitchen

If there is one aspect of a floor plan that I do not like, it's a kitchen at the front of the house. I never liked it when the kitchen was the first room you'd see whenever you walked into a house. After all, the kitchen is the most used and abused room in any home, and it's always a mess; either you're cooking or you're cleaning up after a meal. Whether it's dishes in the sink, pots and pans on the stove, or clutter on the countertops, the kitchen is never neat and tidy and put together. It should be somewhere hidden away so it won't cause any embarrassment. 

That's how it was in the big house. You'd walk into the formal living room, with the formal dining room just beyond. The kitchen was around the corner, far from peering eyes. It was also that way in the townhouse. Up the stairs, you would see the office, living room, and dining room, but the kitchen was behind a wall. An untidy kitchen could be inconspicuous. 

Now, whenever you come into my home, just to the left of the front door, this is what you see:

 Yep, it's my full-on kitchen in all its glory. Whenever I first walked into the house, I shuddered at the fact that we walked right into the kitchen first. It didn't help that the homeowner had a lot of clutter all over the counters. She also had the curtains in the dining room (which is to the left of the kitchen) closed, so the kitchen looked dark, making it appear even messier. It took some imagination to see the potential of what this kitchen could be.

The kitchen is also the first thing you see whenever you come in through the garage.

That doesn't bother me, though. I like being able to bring the groceries from the car right into the kitchen. 

One selling point for this kitchen was definitely the size. Despite the fact that this house is smaller than either of my previous homes, the kitchen is pretty big - big enough to fit my kitchen island in the center without disrupting the flow. I can walk around, open the fridge, oven, and dishwasher, and still have plenty of space to move. I was very happy about that, because I didn't want to get rid of the island that my daughter and son-in-law had only just gifted me last Christmas. The cabinets are also very spacious. I had to purchase a step ladder because the 42" cabinets are too high for me to reach the top two shelves. It gives me loads of space so that my pantry doesn't get cluttered.

This was important to me because this pantry is about the size of the one I had in the big house, or less than half the size of the one in the townhouse. That pantry was huge, but seeing as I had smaller cabinets it was necessary. Here I can put my packaged food without it getting crowded because of all the space in the cabinets.

I wanted to keep the countertops clear but still pleasant to look at. Thanks to its placement in the house, it had to be inviting and cozy, not cold and stark but not cluttered or messy either.

I started with the counters that are in full view of the front door. I put my Kitchenaid here because it doesn't fit properly anywhere else. It's heavy and cumbersome, and best left on the counter. Besides, I use it weekly, and it is a nice piece. I also put my glass containers here; rice, sugar, and flour, staples in my kitchen. They're esthetically pleasing, and since they're glass they don't appear to take up much space on the counters. To give it color I used this vase I picked up on clearance for $6.99 from Hobby Lobby before we moved, and added some greenery from the Dollar Tree. 

On the other side of the stove I kept it clear because this is where I do most of my food prep. I have my cooking utensils in a jar I picked up years ago from Kirkland's (it's actually a cookie jar but no one needs to know that). Behind it I have a wooden tray because I like this tray but I haven't figured out where I want it. The only other thing here is my toaster oven which, again, we use regularly so it doesn't make sense to put it away.

Beside the sink I have a small ceramic loaf pan that was a gift from a friend, and I have some fake succulents in it that have seen better days (moving casualties). I keep this area clear as well; this is where I put my Instant Pot, slow cooker, rice cooker, all my small appliances whenever they're in use. Above that is the taller counter, something I've never had in any house before. It keeps the view of the messy kitchen from the living area (but not from the front door; clearly the architect didn't cook). 

I put one of my flower pitchers here on a tray, and added blue and green flowers from the Dollar Tree to tie in with the pillows and decor in the living room. I also added a small flag; it's been there since Memorial Day and will stay until after the 4th of July.

Here's the view of the kitchen coming from the living room. It's a bright, open kitchen, and surprisingly, it hasn't been hard to keep neat and tidy. I guess I forgot that I don't have three little kids running around leaving cups and plates in the sink or on the counter. No one forgets to put away the cereal or snack boxes anymore. My son and I put things away where they belong and clean up after ourselves. Having the kitchen here isn't such a hassle after all.

Just beyond the kitchen is a sneak peek at the dining area where my baker's rack is. But that'll be another post. Come back soon!

The Week In Review

 I have to admit, this past week wasn't all too exciting. I did my weekly grocery shopping, cut the grass (which is already growing by leaps and bounds thanks to the rain we got yesterday), went to church...oh, and I got my first haircut in 7 months. 

I know, yikes! It's one of those things I constantly put off, partly because of time and partly because y'all, it's expensive to get a haircut in South Florida. I had my favorite hairdresser that I've gone to for 15 years, but clearly I'm not driving four hours one way to get a $70+ haircut. Instead, I took advantage of the NextDoor app and looked at who was popular and being recommended. I found a place that's very close to home and was able to make an appointment online.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, it's a very simple cut. Nothing fancy or elaborate. But in South Florida, the cheapest I ever paid for a haircut just like this was $54. Plus tip. Here in Central Florida, I paid $27. That includes tax and tip. At that price, it doesn't hurt my pocketbook if I want to go to the hairdresser more often.

I never heard back from the company I interviewed at, so the job search continues. It's disappointing whenever you're sitting around waiting and all you get is crickets. But I prefer not to dwell on it and trust that God has it all planned out. 

The temperatures have taken a drastic turn. We moved to Central Florida in April, and the weather was absolute perfection. Lows in the 50's, highs in the 70's. Humidity was low; we could go for walks in the park and come home not dripping in sweat. Then June came, and not only have our temps climbed into the low to mid 90's, the humidity (especially the dew points) has risen, to where it becomes oppressive to be outside for too long. I'll be glad whenever this summer weather is over. That, and hurricane season. Ugh.

That's about it for this week in review. Hope everyone has a blessed week.   

Central Florida House Tour - The Living Room

While some of the rooms in a house are deemed most important (and rightfully so; bathrooms and kitchens are the most essential), I needed to get my living room set up quick because most of the large furniture needed to go in there. I didn't want to leave all the furniture in the garage with moving boxes and home decor and everything else. It would make finding anything near to impossible! So we got to setting up the living room mainly to get everything out of the way. What it ended up doing was making this empty shell of a house feel like home.

One of my favorite aspects of this living room is the tall ceilings and very tall sliding glass doors into the backyard. I was standing on my tip-toes and reaching up, and I was still almost a foot away from the top of the doors. I've never had sliding glass doors this tall - they let in a ton of light, especially in the mornings. You can see the patio beyond, and the area where the previous owner's dogs dug up all the grass. That's an area I'll have to work on soon, but for now, let's keep focusing on the living room.

The first day we moved in, all we had was the television set and the futon. All the other furniture was in the second Pod. I'm glad though, because this gave me time to evaluate how I wanted the room set up. On the original house plans, this room is called a great room, not a living room. It's open to the kitchen which is open to the dining area. The room is 17 1/2' x 14', so it's pretty large. However, the layout is a bit...challenging. On the one wall we have the sliding glass doors in the middle of the wall. They're as wide as they are tall - 96" both ways - so I couldn't put any furniture against that wall. The wall opposite isn't a wall at all; there's a breakfast bar that opens up into the kitchen, so furniture can't go against that either. The wall where the previous owners had their television is also the wall where the entry door to the master bedroom is. 

This meant that the only full wall in the living room was the wall opposite the TV wall. This is where the previous owners had their sectional, but it wasn't where I wanted to put mine. For one, it felt like the seating was far from the television set. It left so much empty space in the middle of the room that it felt awkward, and definitely not cozy which is what I like. Second, the wall where they had their TV wasn't going to work for me. I have my fireplace/tv stand with side-by-side bookshelves, and although they would technically fit on the wall, it was an exact fit which would make it look crowded - another look I don't want in my house. Besides, they'd made holes in the wall for the television set. They'd hung the TV on the wall and put in holes to run the cord behind the wall, thus keeping it hidden from view. That's great - if you want to hang your tv. I didn't. It's a look I personally don't care for and I never have liked. So, if I put my tv there I'd have to find a way to cover the hole, either by patching it or putting an outlet cover over it. Or, I could ditch that set up altogether and do something different. I went for the last option.

By putting the fireplace and bookshelves on the largest wall, I was able to space them out so they wouldn't be on top of each other, which actually makes the room look bigger because it isn't crowded.

It also meant I could "float" the sectional in the middle of the room. I was concerned whether this would work or not, since my sectional is pretty big. Once I laid down the area rug, though, I was sure it would fit fine. Here I put the sectional together without the armless chair, but I quickly realized I could add it to the sectional without any issues. Even so, I figured I could fit the sectional but probably not the chair and ottoman. I was wrong.

I put it just at the entry into the living room facing the sectional. I'd wanted it to face the tv, but I like it this way because it's more conducive to conversation.

Little by little the room began to take shape. This is what the living room looks like today, the warm and cozy room that is elegant while still welcoming.

Walking in from the entryway, the living room opens up to an inviting sectional with pillows and blankets for that cozy feel. The sliding glass doors have two sets of curtains; sheers under two-toned curtains which I had at our first house. These let in light during the day but cover everything up at night. I have the same coffee table with my Kirkland's pitcher and Walmart carnations. The Gather sign beyond invites everyone to come in and relax.

One of my biggest concerns was whether my bookshelf would fit in this living room. It had fit just fine in our first house, but that living room was bigger. It didn't fit in the living room in the townhouse, but that was okay because I put it in the den. I didn't want to have to sell this piece; it's a favorite of mine. Not to worry, though. It fits perfectly behind the sectional with plenty of room to walk, and the best part is that it covers up the holes for the tv cord so I didn't have to do anything to them. If I change my mind one day and decide I want to hang up my tv, I can do it on this wall. Though I don't see that happening any time soon.

I really, really like how this wall turned out. Not only because the fireplace, tv, and bookshelves fit so nicely, but because the high ceilings allowed me to layer decor above it. In the townhouse, I had the wall scroll over the television and it looked really nice. Whenever I was pulling out my decor, I found the sign that I'd bought from Hobby Lobby that says "Bless this home with love & laughter". In the townhouse I'd put this in the kitchen, but here I don't have any soffits to put it on like I did in the townhouse. As I looked around I wondered how it would look above the scroll. The answer? Perfect! The color of the letters matches the paint color, and the wood is almost identical to the wood color of the fireplace and bookshelves. It was like it was meant to be there! The wall with the clock took some time, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to put anything there, but once I put it up I knew it was just what that wall needed.

I'm so glad I decided to put this room together early. I didn't decorate it right away; I took care of setting up the bathrooms and kitchen first. But once the furniture was in, the echoing subsided and the warmth of our familiar furniture gave me the motivation to get everything done. This is probably my favorite room in the house - at least for now. Stay tuned, there's more to come. 

While I'm Waiting

I named my blog Accepting Change for a reason. I don't like change. There's something about things staying the same, in the familiar, even when those things aren't the best. There's a saying in Spanish, Mejor es malo conocido que bueno por conocer. Translation: Better an evil I know than something good I don't. I grew up with this mentality and it's been a difficult one to break. I guess that's why God brings me to these places of change. It teaches me to trust the unknown to Him.

I'm not gonna lie, there have been some sad moments, some anxious moments, some boring moments... Sadness because I was so excited whenever we first moved into our little coach house, happy as we started to get acclimated to our new environment, overjoyed at being in such a nice place and so close to my daughter, only to have everything fall to pieces through no fault of my own. I read the nine page police report the officer gave me a week before we moved out. It was then I realized my neighbor had called the police on me within a few days of us moving in. My son-in-law's parents had a media cabinet of mine that hadn't fit into the Pod container, and they were dropping it off. Unbeknownst to us, they parked the neighbor's driveway. Rather than knock on our door and ask that we move the car, he called the police! I could not believe it. The police never came because my son-in-law noticed where his parents had parked and he told them to move the car right away. He noticed the man on the phone but nothing was said. From that moment this neighbor decided he didn't like me, and his dislike turned to hate. All because of a meaningless mistake.

I didn't think about anxiety whenever I left my house. I figured, once I'm gone everything will go back to normal. Then I heard my daughter's neighbors. My daughter and son-in-law live in a villa that is attached to another villa on one side. Normally it's very quiet; the folks next door leave for work and there isn't a sound from them the entire day. Even at night they're fairly quiet, but I can hear the television set in the room adjacent to mine. A few nights ago they were in the bedroom watching a TV show that was obviously very funny because I could hear laughter. It was after 10:00 pm and I was in bed. Truth be told, it wasn't that loud. Under normal circumstances I could have easily fallen asleep. Instead, I was wide awake till after midnight because every sound seemed louder than it actually was. It was clear to me that the damage done by my neighbor's harassment is still fresh in my mind. 

Then there's the boredom aspect. This is my daughter's house. She's in charge. I hate sitting around and not doing anything, so I started cleaning up for her. She was not too happy. I think she took my helping as criticism of her cleaning abilities. That, of course, was never my intention. She takes very good care of her home, and my only desire was to give her a hand to show my gratitude for them taking us in. My son-in-law, bless his heart, loves that I clean up so he doesn't have to, LOL. But my daughter made it clear that she wanted me to stop. I cried at the thought that I'm becoming a burden to my kids. My daughter came over the next day and said she understood that I'm bored, so she set some parameters. It allows me to help but only in certain areas. It's better than nothing. This week my daughter and son-in-law are at Disney, since it's spring break. I get to stay home with my grand-dog taking care of him and the house. I dream of all the things I want to do in my new home, knowing it will be at least a month before we're there. 

What do I do in the meantime? I pray for those around me. I pray for my kids, my friends, the sellers of what will be my new home, the buyer of my previous home, even my neighbor. I make lists (because I love lists) and I make sure I've taken care of all the little details of moving, like canceling services I'm not using. The sellers are taking their refrigerator and their washer and dryer, so I've been looking at new appliances. I'll more than likely have to purchase them before I move, since a lot of items are on backorder. I will also need a garage door opener because they never put one in. Then there's the outdoor stuff that I got rid of whenever I moved out of my house: lawn mower, weed eater, pressure washer, those sorts of things. I'm also considering whether or not I'm going to paint. The walls throughout the entire house are gray. My son loves it; I'm not a fan. Not that there's anything wrong with gray, but I like warm colors. All my furniture and decor looks best in creamy whites and beiges, not grays. I'll see how everything looks once it's in the house, then I'll decide. I've painted many times before, so it's not something I shy away from. On the contrary, I love me a project - it keeps me busy, and I need the exercise!

Last Thursday I noticed schools were letting out early. Whenever I looked at the school calendar, I saw that spring break was starting the next day. That was just five days after I closed on the sale of my home. I realized that God had planned it so I would be gone before spring break started, and I praised Him because I knew if I'd been in the house while school was out, the neighbor would be hounding me daily. It made the waiting a whole lot easier. 

Waiting is hard, y'all. I can sit here and dwell on the waiting, or I can find peace in being thankful. I choose gratitude.

The Week In Review

It's February 1st and I'm still trying to recuperate from last week. Hold on tight. It's a doozy.

Monday January 25 my realtor came over and took pictures of the house. We had a nice visit; she hadn't been back to the house in a year. I became a bit sad as she was complimenting everything I'd done to the house. I've decorated and made my house a cozy home and it seemed unfair that I should have to leave it through no fault of my own. I actually started to question if this was the right decision.

Tuesday morning my neighbor got up at 6:00 am and turned on the news. It wasn't extremely loud, just loud enough that I knew it was on. Suddenly, at 7:04 am, he turned the volume up full blast. I could hear CBS News blasting in my bedroom, hallway, kitchen, all the way into my living room. Then I heard his garage door. I was livid. I immediately called the police and reported what was going on. I got dressed quickly, then when I walked out into the living room I heard music. Not only was the tv on full blast but he also left his stereo on with a rap song on repeat. The song he was playing was absolutely vile; there were F-bombs being thrown left and right, and as my son said that wasn't even the worst of it. I went to his next door neighbor and asked her if she could hear the noise, and she confirmed that it could be heard in her house as well. I was so angry I was shaking.

The police officer arrived about 30 minutes later. He couldn't believe the music was coming from the neighbor's house downstairs. He acknowledged that the music and television were beyond loud. I then showed him the Facebook message he sent me where he threatened to report me to child protective services because I was abusing my autistic son. E was standing behind him, and the officer asked him his name. Whenever the officer asked if he was autistic, it was noticeable by my son's face that it upset him. He quickly answered, "No sir, I am not." The police officer looked perplexed and went to his patrol car to look up the history on this gentleman. Next thing I knew there were two more patrol cars and police were in my home listening to all the noise and asking questions about the harassment that has been going on since I moved here.

After two hours the police told me they wanted to go to the school where my neighbor works and serve him with a noise violation, but the principal of the school refused to have them do this while children were present. They explained that all they could do was give him a citation (which is $35) unless I wanted to file charges for stalking. At this point I was in tears. I was so upset and confused. I told them I'd speak to my lawyer and see what he recommended. 

I could tell the officers wanted me to file charges; one of them said if I did he'd arrest my neighbor immediately and most likely he'd be suspended from his job. Sounds like the best scenario, right?  Not according to my attorney. What he explained to me is this: first off, there have been 44 complaints between my neighbor and myself in the last five months - 26 of those from me - and yet only now were they ready to issue the first citation. This citation could make the neighbor leave me alone, but more than likely it would make him mad. He's already shown himself to be vindictive and evil, so there's no telling what he might do if he is arrested and loses his job. He also explained that it was not likely that the judge would issue a restraining order since this neighbor can't be kicked out of his home. There would be an order for him to stay away from me, but would he abide by it? There's already an order for him to stay off my property, but it hasn't stopped him from harassing and stalking me. My attorney's advise was simple: Get out. Use the money I would have spent on court fees and get a nice air BNB and stay away. I've spent that night and every night since at my daughter's house.

 Here's what really convinced me that I need to leave this place. The officers told me they would wait for my neighbor in the school parking lot and serve him the citation there. At 2:30 pm I see three patrol cars in front of my house; clearly they hadn't gone to the school. They waited about a half hour and he didn't show up. About 5 - 10 minutes later, I was in my son's room talking to him when I glanced out the window and saw my neighbor walking into his house. His car wasn't there. I ran and called the police to report that he'd finally come home on foot, either leaving his car somewhere or after having been dropped off. We could hear him slamming doors left and right in his house. Before the police could arrive, he left and walked away. I'm sure he parked his car in another area of the community in a guest spot. He has cameras all around his house, so he probably sat in his car waiting for the police to leave so he could come back. He left with a messenger bag and didn't turn any of the noise off. 

Wednesday E and I came back to the house and I realized he was home. At 12:30 he started playing music, though not so loud as he'd done before. I imagine he didn't go to work because he feared the police were gonna look for him there. I called the police and let them know he was home and playing music so they could add it to the existing police report. Did they come to serve him with the citation? No. To this day I don't know if they've been able to make contact with him. I feel let down because the abuse has been going on for so long and everyone knows about it but he continues to get away with it. Anyway, I began packing things like decor that I don't use on a regular basis, when my realtor called to let me know she had a couple of showings already scheduled. The listing had gone live late Tuesday night so to have showings that fast got my hopes up. Both were scheduled for the next day.

Thursday afternoon my realtor called again. She was coming over earlier because now she had three showings. She lives about 45 minutes away from me so she tried to get all the showings back to back; this, she says, also helps get people who are interested to move quickly. I got the house ready and left her here to do her work. Thanks to my Ring video doorbell I could see the people who were coming to view the house, and I prayed God would send a man to buy my house. I don't want to sell to a woman; I don't wish this harassment and abuse on anyone. The last gentleman who came seemed very interested. After his realtor left he asked if he could take another look at the house. He asked my realtor not to show the house to anyone else because he was very interested. She told him she doesn't work like that; until she has something in writing she is obligated to continue to show the house. We both believed he was the most likely candidate to put in an offer.

Friday at 8:30 am I got the call from my realtor. Just by the sound of her voice I knew it was good, but I didn't know how good. I got an offer above asking price! That was totally unexpected! I see God's hand all over this. Everything I asked for He did, then went above and beyond to show me that nothing is impossible for Him. I signed the paperwork Friday night. We are now officially under contract.

The buyer has seven days to do the inspection so I'm anticipating that will be done this week. In the next couple of weeks I'm gonna have to head up to Central Florida to start looking at homes as well. Part of me is excited but another part of me is getting anxious about the whirlwind that is coming. Homes in Central Florida are being snatched up quick. As a cash buyer I have an advantage, but my cash is limited and homes start to get more expensive as sellers see more movement. I have faith that God will open the right doors for me and I trust in His timing. My problem is that I like to take things slow and think things through; I may not have a lot of time to do that. But we shall see. As the song says, 

"I've seen You move, 

You move the mountains, 

and I believe I'll see You do it again." 

A Difficult Decision

I haven't been posting as I'd promised myself I would because the last couple of weeks have been an absolute nightmare. It's also been a time of prayer and seeking the Lord's will. 

I don't want to go into a long detailed explanation now; there's too much that needs to get done right now and I don't have the time for lengthy posts. Suffice it to say that the harassment has intensified. I've turned to my attorney for advise. He told me I have 3 options: 1 - I can file charges of stalking and harassment and have this neighbor arrested (this is the route the police want me to take); 2 - I can sue the neighbor and the HOA for intentional infliction of emotional distress and failure to enforce the association rules (making me the hero); or 3 - sell my home and get out ASAP. After discussing this with my attorney, my best friend, and my children, I've made the difficult decision to go with option 3. 

I've tried through every possible means to resolve this problem amicably but my neighbor only gets worse. My attorney explained that with options 1 & 2, I would probably win a court case, a court order would be issued, but there's no guarantee he would abide by it. If anything, his behavior shows he wouldn't, and I would be in court every month trying to force him to obey the court order. I don't have the desire to go through all that, nor do my children want it for me. 

I have prayed and prayed asking the Lord for guidance and clarity. He has shut every door, so that the only clear option is selling and leaving. It's not what I expected nor wanted; I've made this a comfortable and pleasant home for my son and me. But God has other plans. 

My home is now on the market, and it looks like the Lord is going to grant me what I've wanted for many years. I have a realtor looking for a home for us in Central Florida. I've wanted to move back to Central Florida for years, decades really. If that is the door God is opening, then I will obey and be thankful.

That's it for now. I'm off to start packing. I'll try to post but life is on the fast track right now. Prayers appreciated.

Taking Down Christmas

 I realize that my intentions and my actions don't always line up. It was my intention to post pictures of my home decorated for Christmas. With everything going on (both good and bad) I never did that post. Now my Christmas decor is down and winter decor has gone up, but I can still share a glimpse of what I did and what has changed since.

Let's start with the living room. Compared to years past, this year my living room had very little decor. I did manage to get a few pillows and I used some items I'd had from whenever I was selling Christmas Around The World and Kingdom Treasures. 

The pup is not mine; it's my grand-dog Kuzco who stayed with me during the Thanksgiving weekend and who followed me around like my shadow. I'm really loving the black and red buffalo check pattern for Christmas time so I added this throw I picked up last year from Ross to my sectional. Most of the pillows I had before; the Merry pillow is from Hobby Lobby and the stocking pillow is from Costco.

The next decor items that I can never get enough of in my house is nativities.

These are my larger nativities; I have small ornament sized ones as well. While I do enjoy the story of Santa Claus and all the pretty items that are unique to Christmas, I never want to forget why I'm celebrating: the birth of Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Redeemer, my King. I want Him at the forefront of the celebration.

Now that Christmas and New Year's day have come and gone, I've simplified some of my decor and kept it very neutral for the winter months - though let's be honest, winter in South Florida is not as dark and cold as it is in most areas of the country. Still, our temps have gone down, the sun sets earlier, and my house is resting in wait of springtime decorations.

 The only color on my sectional now is the minty blue/green throw I tossed over the back of the longer side. The furry white pillows were another Costco find. I was in the store at the right time; whenever I saw someone had one in their buggy I went in search of them and found they were flying off the shelves. At $9.99 each it was no surprise. I had all the other pillows and together they give a soft, cozy vibe.

All my other decor stayed the same as before, but the living room looks bigger and roomier now that the tree is gone.

I tried two different looks for my dining room table this year.

The first used items from a more traditional Victorian style. I've had these for many years, from back whenever I sold Christmas Around The World. The Lloyd rabbit family in the back was from the same company. Christmas Around the World sold items by themes based on what country they represented, and this set, if I remember correctly, was from old world Britain. I really loved it for a long time, but whenever I put it on the table I realized how out of place it looked. My style is more rustic, with hints of farmhouse; far from this Victorian style with the frosted fruits and red velvet bows. I took it off and tried something else.

The two tiered dish was a gift from a sweet lady who passed away a few years ago. Rather than cakes or candies I filled it with shiny glass ornaments in red, green and gold. I then set these reindeer candleholders on either side. They are ceramic but are painted to look chippy. While not perfect, it looked much better than the previous look so I kept it instead. I've decided that the Victorian decor, while still beautiful, doesn't fit anywhere in my home, and I'm donating all the pieces (including the wreath and garland) to Goodwill. I know I could sell it, but I won't get much for it and I don't know that it's worth the hassle. 

Now that everything has been put away, this is what the dining room looks like:

There's a big change in this picture: the baker's rack that was in the kitchen is now in the dining room! Why, you may ask? Because of a lovely Christmas gift my daughter and son-in-law gave me that I'm super excited about! For now let me just say I'm loving how the dining room looks. The baker's rack is black, yet it's lighter than the media cabinet that was there before. It has all my fancy dishes and a few decor pieces as well. There's so much that has changed, but I want to save some for my next post. Right now I've gotta run to Goodwill to drop off some donations and maybe pick up some new-to-me goodies. In the meantime, have a blessed week!

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Welcome to 2021! A new year has begun with hope and promise. Expectations for this new year are high. Yet, does a new year mean the end of a bad year and the beginning of a good one?

The year 2020 has been a struggle for the entire world. COVID-19, coronavirus, pandemic...words we wish would go away once and for all. Folks are expecting a vaccine to fix the problem, but will it? Only time will tell if this virus or one of its strains will finally disappear into oblivion and be nothing more than a mention in history books, or if the situation will worsen and wearing masks becomes the "new normal" (I hate that phrase). 

The 2020 hurricane season is over - thank God! This season has been called "hyperactive" for a reason. There were 25 named storms, nine of which were hurricanes, 10 storms hitting the U.S., five just in Louisiana. I've prayed year after year for protection from the storms, but never had I wanted a hurricane season to end like this past year's. Yes, it's finally over, but what will 2021 bring?

And let's not forget the 2020 elections. You know what? Never mind. Let's forget it. 

Personally, there have been painful moments as well. The passing of my ex-husband's younger brother, then his mother just two months later, has been devastating. His sister's double mastectomy was a shock as well, though thankfully she is recovering well, physically anyway. Emotionally she's a wreck, understandably.

The biggest and most pressing issue in my life right now is the decision I have to make regarding my home situation. My neighbor's harassment has hit an all-time high. He called the police on me five times in the month of December (that I know of); one of those times he told the police he heard gunshots in my house. Gunshots?!?! Really?!?! The lies he tells are off the charts. My only comfort is that the police in our city don't believe him. They've told me the complaints have been shown to be unfounded, which is a huge relief.

I also had to call the police on him five times this past month. One of the times he was banging on my front door like he wanted to knock it off its hinges. He was ordered to stay off my property for 90 days, but that hasn't stopped the incessant noise. These last two weeks have been horrible. As a school teacher (yes, he's an elementary school teacher) he's off from work, so he has lots of time to make a nuisance of himself. Calling the police on me, playing excessively loud music and television, pounding on the walls, and revving his motorcycle in the garage, causing our walls to shake. He often will just go into the garage to rev the motor on his car or motorcycle without actually going anywhere. 

Wednesday he started playing his rock music at 10:25 am, and played it on and off for hours. By 2:30 I was sick of it. I stepped outside and realized I could hear it across the street. I called the police. They tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't answer his door. Instead, he raised the volume on the music. Finally he did turn it off when he saw the police weren't giving up, to my great relief. Of course, that relief wasn't going to last.

New Year's Eve I planned to stay home. I'm not a party person anymore; just give me a peaceful night at home and I'm happy. At 3:00 the music started up again. I tried to ignore it but it was too loud. I turned on my air purifier to see if I could mask the sound; it wasn't working. I ran the clothes dryer and could still hear it. Even the vacuum cleaner didn't mask the noise. Then at 5:14 he went into his garage and began revving his motor. To our shock he took off, leaving the music blaring so loud my floors and walls were shaking. I lost it. I called the police in tears and told them what was going on. The officer has been to my house multiple times so he knows the situation. He waited around for my neighbor, but when he spotted the officer he took off. I know the officer went after him, but I don't know if he was able to catch up with him at any point. I was a wreck; I called my daughter and asked if we could go to her house. My son-in-law not only told me to come, he said I didn't even need to call. We are always welcome at their house. God has blessed me with the best son-in-law I could ask for. We stayed at their house till almost 1:00 am. My daughter wanted me to stay over but God has not given me a spirit of fear. I came home.

I have tried so many ways to get this problem resolved, but I feel like doors continue to be slammed in my face. I don't know if I should fight this, or sell my home and leave. My son wants the latter, but after living here only one year, I would lose a considerable amount of money. There's no way my little townhouse has appreciated enough for me to sell and make a profit; I can't say I'd break even in such a short time. But my son tells me we aren't safe here, and I'm starting to think he might be right. 

Today I spoke to my best friend and realtor. I hadn't told her what was going on because I didn't want her to feel bad knowing she's the one that helped me buy this property, but I needed to vent. I'm convinced God sent her to encourage me. She's a spitfire, is what she is. She is gonna call our attorney next week and the three of us will brainstorm what can be done. I say our attorney because we all went to the same church years ago, and we both have used him in the past. I had emailed him earlier to get advise but he was busy with a court case and said he'd get back to me. She said that's not good enough, and we will speak to him. This way I hope to get a clearer answer from the Lord, whether I should stay here or sell. If I sell, I'd have to move out of South Florida. It's gotten way too expensive to live here. My oldest son lives in Central Florida, and I would head up that way. It's not what my daughter wants to hear, though. She depends on me so much and likes that we are close by. It doesn't make my decision any easier. Ultimately I want to do God's will and not my own. I'm seeking Him for the answers I crave.

God extended His grace to me today. The neighbor played his music on and off all day, but I was able to keep busy and ignore it. I noticed that he turned on his vacuum cleaner and left it running in his entryway or garage (not sure which), thinking it would bother me. It didn't. I only realized what he was doing because I had to get storage containers from my garage to put away the Christmas decor and I heard it then. He was also blasting his television in his bedroom, but I closed my bedroom door and couldn't hear it. 

If there's one thing this situation has taught me, it's to depend on God even more. In my own strength I can't handle this; I would've lost my mind by now. "The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him." (Exodus 15:2). This verse is my reminder each and every day that I have to put my trust in Jesus who redeems me, in my Father who comforts me. I know God will provide a way where there is no way. I don't have to figure this life out on my own, and for that I can be truly thankful. I'm ready for you 2021. Well, my God is ready, and that's enough for me.

The Week In Review

I thought I'd update y'all today on everything that got done - and everything that didn't.

I say what didn't get done because I had scheduled an electrician to come this week and change out the light fixture in my entryway, the one that is too high up for me to reach. We agreed on Thursday at 9:30 am, so I got up bright and early to be ready. Just as I was about to brush my teeth I got a text message: the electrician's daughter was sick, had been taken to the doctor, and was given a Covid test. Although the electrician had no symptoms, since they didn't have results yet he wisely decided to cancel all his appointments until they knew for sure. I haven't heard back from him, so I don't know if he'll be available this coming week. It's a reminder that, while I make plans, God decides what gets done and what doesn't.

A lot of studying was done this week. I was serving in children's ministry on Saturday so I had to study the lesson. This was week 3 of our ladies bible study so I had to prepare for that as well. We studied Matthew 25:1-13, the parable of the 10 virgins. And my son had his Astronomy final plus a research paper he had to turn in, and he asked me to help him study for that. He's done very well in the class thus far, but the final was a disappointment. The professor directed the class to a study guide which my son worked on, only to find out none of what was on the study guide was on the actual final. He ended up with a 68%, much lower than any of the quiz grades he's had. However, since all his other grades have been good, I think he will end up with either an A or at least a high B. Since this is just a gen-ed class I'm not concerned. It's still a good grade for what was a pretty difficult class, and he did it in 8 weeks so I'm proud of him.

Thursday was a day of unexpected stuff. Around 8:30 at night I got a call from my son-in-law. He was at a local gas station whenever his car battery died. Thankfully I have charger cables - though at first I couldn't remember where I'd put them (they were in my toolbox) - so E and I were able to get his battery jumped so he could get home. My daughter had been using his car to go to work because she needed new tires, and my son-in-law is currently working from home. Now this little predicament meant she couldn't take his car until he got a new battery, and she'd have to get her tires changed right away. I teasingly told them it's a good thing I live nearby. I was able to pick them up and/or drop them off at Pep Boys so they could get their vehicles taken care of.   

When my daughter's car was ready she asked if I'd go with her to TJ Maxx to look for some bathroom decor. She and my son-in-law are remodeling their master bath and she wanted to look for some new towels and organizers. I can't say no to TJ Maxx; it's my favorite home decor store because I always find great decor at even greater prices. I'd mentioned before on my blog that I was thinking of upgrading my bedding, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money. I'd looked at Costco since they usually have some high quality affordable bedding, but I hadn't seen anything lately. Then I saw this at TJ Maxx:

And this is why I love this store! Y'all, this comforter is so soft and luxurious! It came with 2 standard sized pillow shams and the cost is $39.99. I could not believe it was so inexpensive! I couldn't wait to put it on my bed and see how it looked.

While I was at it I picked up some new pillows. The pillows I had were very soft, a little too soft for my liking. I picked up these extra firm pillows for $16.99 for a set of two. 

I tried several different options on my bed. This was the first idea I had.

I folded the current bedding, which is a mint green bedspread, and put it over the new comforter. I also used all the pillows I had on the bed previously and added pillows in the new pillow shams.

I then put the fall pumpkin pillow in front of it. I love that pillow so much, and it ties in all the fall colors that I've added to my bedroom, so I knew I wanted to incorporate it.

I liked the idea of keeping the bedspread folded onto the comforter, but I felt like it covered too much of it, so I folded the bedspread further. Now the comforter showed up more, and it looked like a fancy hotel. This was much better, but there was still something I wasn't feeling that I couldn't put my finger on. Yesterday I tried something else, and I think this is my favorite.

I took off the throw pillows with the teal design and left just the plain teal pillows along with the fall pillow, and I think it's just enough. I figured out that it was too many pillows and that was throwing me off. I feel like now it's just the right amount, and all the fall colors make me smile.

As my daughter looked at bathroom decor, I spotted something that was perfect for my own bathroom.

I knew I wanted to change my shower curtain. Not because I didn't like it; it's a very pretty and simple design, just what I like. But I had a bit of a mishap with the shower curtain and some Clorox cleaner.

I cannot even express how upset I was whenever I saw that I'd gotten Clorox cleaner on my new shower curtain! Thankfully it was at the bottom and it stayed covered by the bathroom vanity. Still, I knew it was there and I wanted to get a new shower curtain; I just didn't want to spend $25+. That's what this one had cost at Target (I had a gift card so it was free to me). The curtain I found at TJ Maxx had all the colors I love and it was only $14.99 - $10 cheaper than the one I already had but much nicer quality in my opinion.

The bathroom went from this:

To this:

It may not seem like a huge change, but to me it makes the bathroom seem brighter and more cheerful. I am so happy I found this shower curtain!

This week was also bittersweet for me personally. My oldest son R got married yesterday. In California. That's where his fiance has been living with her family. I wanted to be at his side on his special day. That had been the plan since they got engaged last year. Then coronavirus hit, and California has so many restrictions that it would have been a waste of time to travel all the way there and not be able to celebrate with him. So we stayed, and I cried. We love his new bride, my new daughter-in-law, and my one comfort is knowing she never wanted a big wedding to begin with, so she got her wish. But oh, how I wanted to be there! Still, I know God is in control, and He has gifted me another daughter, so I will rejoice in that. Welcome to the family AB!

That's my week's highlights. Looking forward to what God has in store for me next.

The Week In Review

Good morning! I hope everyone had a productive and pleasant week. I had some highlights that I want to share.

My son has a small desk fan in his bedroom which he has pointed on him during the night because he insists I don't keep the house cold enough. Clearly he doesn't pay the electric bill. Anyway, the fan was acting up (it was a cheap old thing) and Sunday night it simply stopped working. He had a terrible night sleep and had to get up early for his computer class the next day. I felt sorry for him, because it's no fun trying to learn while you're falling asleep, so on Monday I decided to run over to Target and get him another desk fan. I found one for just $15.99, but I also found something else.

I always check out the clearance sections at Target, especially the purse section because I've found some absolute treasures there. This trip didn't disappoint; I found this adorable mauve purse that was originally $36.99 marked down to $18.49. This is going in my Christmas gift stash!

I did go to the Dollar Spot, though not expecting to find anything I wanted. I was wrong.

These little pumpkins are adorable! And at $3 each I couldn't pass them up. I put them on the corner of my dry bar, and only then realized how perfect they were.

The colors match my Dollar Tree florals exactly! How cool is that?!

I hadn't been to Ross in a while, and since it was on my way home I decided to stop in. I had gone back to Ross whenever the stores reopened but twice left empty handed because the store had virtually nothing in the home decor department. Like, empty shelves everywhere. This time it wasn't as bad (though they certainly aren't well stocked yet) and I was able to find this beautiful throw blanket:

It's cream color so it can go pretty much anywhere. It is so soft and cozy, too. I wanted something different for my bed because the throws I have are the same color as the bedspread so they blend in. I wanted something that would stand out but just a little. This fit the bill.

On Tuesday I was on the phone again, this time with AT&T. I use AT&T for my home internet. Last year when we moved into our new home, they offered me 300 Mbps for $50 a month. I'd been paying about $84 a month at the old house, so a savings of $34 a month was music to my ears. Of course that promo was for 12 months, and it was coming to an end, so I decided to see what other offers AT&T had going. The service I currently had, with 300 Mbps, would be going up to $80, but an offer for 1000 Mbps was available for only $59.99. That obviously made no sense, so I started up a chat with one of their agents asking why the discrepancy. After beating around the bush he finally told me that it was because "we want everyone to have fast internet!" Give me a break. I asked a couple of times if the price was actually $59.99, if there were any hidden fees or if this was the actual price. I was assured this was the true price. I also asked if there were any other promotions, and the agent said he'd send me an email with more information. I thanked him and went on looking for other options.

A couple of days later my son asked if I'd gone ahead and upgraded, since he had checked and was able to download to over 900 Mbps. I was pretty surprised and said no, but I remembered I'd received an email that I hadn't looked over yet. When I did, I saw that not only had the agent gone ahead and switched our plan, he upped the price to $69.99. Well, Mama wasn't happy about that. So Tuesday I called and explained what was going on. I quickly realized it was an error on their part. I should not have been offered this promo because it was only for new customers, but since it was their goof-up the new agent said she'd go ahead and honor the price. Then she came back and said she couldn't offer me $59.99 but she did have an offer that was $20 off the $69.99 price and it included the 1000 Mbps plus HBO Max for free. I don't care about HBO but I was only too happy to take the higher speed internet for $.01 less than I'd been paying the past year. Lesson here: always question what doesn't appear right. It can end up saving you money.

On Wednesday we went back to our old neighborhood. My son had been lamenting for the past year that he hadn't found a barber as good as the one back home. I knew it was true; the barbers where he was going, the same place my son-in-law C goes to, were always rushed and did a mediocre job at best. Lucy takes her time and gives him the royal treatment, plus it's always exactly what he wants. I surprised him and made him an appointment with Lucy. After I dropped him off I went to visit my BFF and realtor. We had a nice visit for an hour before it was time to pick E up again. Then we drove by the old house. It doesn't look the same. The new owners painted the exterior, changed out light fixtures and a window, put in new front doors, took down all the coconut palms and the palm trees in front of the house. They even put in a new mailbox and new numbers on the house. It was bittersweet; of course I knew they wouldn't keep the house the same, but it's strange to see it look so different after 20 years. Still, I'm constantly reminded of how God has blessed us, and I'm happy for the new owners.

I didn't do much on Thursday except rest. I pulled a muscle in my back so I took it easy. I studied for our women's bible study on Friday. Since my old church is still doing everything virtually I'm able to participate in the group bible study which I am so extremely thankful for. We are studying Jesus's parables. This past Friday we studied Luke 18:1-8, the parable of the persistent widow. We learned about praying continually and not losing heart. Such a timely Word for the season we're living!

Then yesterday I served in children's ministry at our new church. I like the lady I'm co-leading with; she's a hoot! I also love teaching the children. I'm normally pretty shy, especially in large groups of people, but with the kiddos I come alive. God has shown me that teaching is what He wants me to do, and I'm blessed to be able to do it.

Well, that's been my week. I'm heading off to online church now. I encourage everyone to find a Bible teaching, Bible believing church. Start a relationship with Jesus Christ. It's never too late, and there's no time like the present. Have a blessed week.

The Itch To Switch

 One of my favorite YouTubers is Ashley from Til Vacuum Do Us Part. She loves switching her furniture and bedrooms around to create a new look, a process she calls the Itch to Switch. I know that itch only too well. As a teenager living with my parents, I would often rearrange the furniture in the living room. Thankfully my mom didn't mind; she knew I'd clean as I went, and she wasn't going to stop me :D. We switched bedrooms a few times, though it was hard because there wasn't a whole lot of space in the hallway of our apartment. Once I was married and had a home of my own, moving furniture and decor or painting a room became so commonplace it didn't surprise anyone. 

When we first moved into our new home, I set up the living room furniture similar to how the previous owner had hers set up. The sectional was against the stairwell. It worked perfectly, especially at Christmas because I wanted the tree over by the sliding glass doors.

When the spring came around and we were stuck at home because of the shelter in place order, I got the itch to switch. I flipped the sectional and put it in front of the sliding glass doors.

I really do like it in this configuration. It's open and welcoming whenever you come up the stairs. But as I began thinking of fall and winter, the holidays and the decor changes, I got the itch to switch again. The Christmas tree, I believe, looks best in the corner by the sliding glass door. Granted, Christmas is still over 3 months away, but I start decorating for fall in a couple of weeks. I couldn't help wanting to start the new season with a fresh look. The itch to switch took over and the rearranging began.

I started by  moving all the furniture off the rug and giving it a good vacuum (pause to appreciate vacuum lines). I got this rug from Costco, I wanna say three or four years ago, and it has held up beautifully. 

I pulled the cushions off the sectional to make it easier to move, and while I was at it I vacuumed underneath. No matter how careful I try to be, dust and crumbs get in there.

I lifted the coffee table to make it easier to move off the rug, and found this under it. My son E's drawings from when he was about three years old. You can't leave them alone for a second, y'all!

I should mention that I was doing this on my own; my son E was still asleep. I don't mind doing this by myself; I'm thankful I still have the strength and ability to do it. Unfortunately, you don't always catch the mistakes until afterwards. Everything looked good so far so I continued moving furniture.

I brought the chair and ottoman over and set it up like it was before but on the opposite side of the living room. 

I replaced my current decor because I'm not ready to start decorating for fall yet. By now I was pretty satisfied with how the living room looked and I began focusing on the dining room. 

My dining room table is a six seater with a removable leaf. Whenever I put the sectional in front of the sliding glass doors, I took the leaf out of the table to make it smaller.

Now that the sectional was switched, I felt like the table looked too small. So I got the leaf and added it to the table. I also changed the configuration of the chairs so they fit properly on the rug.

 By this time, as you can imagine, I was tired. The furniture is heavy, I was cleaning as I went, and I needed a break. I went and fixed lunch, woke my son up for school, and went about my day. As I did, I began to notice something that really bugged me.

It's probably hard to tell from this picture; it might be something that would only annoy me. But the rug was not centered. I don't think it's very noticeable unless you see it in person. The rug was over to the far right instead of being centered in front of the fireplace and bookcases, which then caused everything else to be off-center as well. Every time I walked by I saw it and I knew I was gonna have to fix it, but by then my neighbor was home from work and moving heavy furniture around would disturb him. I waited till this morning and got to work again.

Moving the rug meant moving all the furniture off the rug again, scooting it over and putting everything back. I should have take better pictures, sorry about that. I moved the furniture a bit more to the center and moved the chair and ottoman further back. It looks more balanced now which was what was lacking before. While I was at it, I took my olive tree from the kitchen and put it here in the corner. I really like how it looks. I don't know if it'll stay here permanently; it might go back before the day's end, but I'm enjoying it in the meantime.

I like switching my furniture for two reasons. First, it gives the room a new look without spending any money, and if I don't like it I can switch it back. Second, it allows the furniture to be used more evenly. Let's be honest, everyone has their favorite spot on the couch. Whenever you sit down it's always in the same place. If you look at someone's couch, you can see where that spot is because that's where most of the wear on the furniture is. By moving my sectional around I'm forced to change my favorite spot; it's technically the same spot in the room, just not the same spot on the furniture piece. I also rotate my cushions once a month so that they too wear out evenly. I find this gives the furniture a longer life.

This won't be the only itch to switch going on in my house this month. Fall is coming, and that means pumpkins and pillows and throw blankets, oh my! Come back soon!