Friday, March 25, 2016

Hi, Everyone!


Yvette is back.

Yeah, it's been a while. Lots of stuff going on in my real life, so please bear with me. And apologies for not turning up sooner. I know some of you guys were concerned.

Here's the break-down:

Rocky and I made the big move (end of February) from New Jersey to North Carolina (not the most socially insightful state as you may know from recent headlines, but hey, nothing's perfect) to be closer to my family (and I am - just 12 minutes away now). When you become a grandma, it's all about those little kiddies and being near them. Can't help it, that's just the way it is. Ask any grandma.

The move went fairly well with nary a glitch except that on The Big Day it was my daughter driving the moving truck instead of my son-in-law who was sick with the flu back in N.C. He had planned to fly up and drive the large rental truck down, but plans had to be changed at the last minute. I asked my daughter if she'd ever driven a big truck before and she said no, but she'd driven a big pick-up. Good enough. She was amazing. We made it down to N.C. with no problems - with an overnight stay in Virginia at a Wyndham motel where in the morn extra biscuits and bacon got us back on the road headed south.

We drove a total of about 10 or 11 hours all told, and were lucky that all the way down there was little traffic to hold us up. Yeah, my daughter, me and Rocky packed into the not-exactly-spacious front cab of a Budget 16 footer rental truck. Lots of laughs. Ha!

But let's back up a bit.

You know how this all came about if you've read my 'I'm Moving!' post so I'll try not to repeat myself. I began packing the very day (the very night) I got back up north to N.J. (from visiting my family over the holidays) on January 9th - give or take a few hours - and never stopped packing until the day we moved on February 26th. Yes, it's true. Don't ask me how I did it all by myself (with some lugging to the landfill help from my brother and later, my daughter) because I just do not know. I guess if you really want to do something, you'll do it, age and sore muscles be damned. Plus, when I was working, I was used to impossible deadlines.

But that's now become part of the continuing problem: I'm truly (and now have the time to be) exhausted and it's all - FINALLY - catching up with me. Oh yes, and in between, I had a bad chest cold. But the way I look at it, it could have been the flu, so I was lucky. I just kept telling myself, 'You can do it.' And I did.

I realize I'm sounding very self-congratulatory here, but dammit, I am proud of myself.

There's still unpacking to finish (it's going to take me at least another few weeks until I get everything put away or, at least, put somewhere). But as Joe Pike was once heard to say, "I didn't know it was a race." Nope, not a race. I'll just take my own sweet time and do things at my own sloth-like pace.

But there's still this:

No matter that I gave away TONS of stuff - half my library and most of my winter clothes - AND left behind furniture and other assorted knick-knacks, I still brought too much stuff! Somehow,
things I thought indispensable suddenly became dispensable once down in my humble little abode. Isn't that always the way?

And as for the blog:

Despite all the heavy lifting and packing and unpacking, I'm still managing to find time to read. No need to worry, Yvette will find the will to read in the middle of a hurricane. So there are plenty of good books waiting for us to chat about. And yes, I was gone from my blog a good long time, but part of the problem was that I couldn't seem to sign back on once my computer was set up. It took a while until my daughter found the problem. (In addition to being an ace truck driver, she's also a computer whiz as I may have mentioned over the years.)

Worst part of my problem: exhaustion. The sheer will to post had evaporated over these few weeks and I debated not coming back to blog-land at all. But then, I realized I'd miss you guys and what the heck, I'll just take my time coming back. Little by little. If I'm not around much at first, please know it's just that I'm so darned tired. While there's still one more box to unpack and belongings to sift through, I won't be the old Yvette for awhile.

My family is well, my grand-kids are superbly adorable and my brother and his wife are thinking of moving down here (from NJ) as well when my sister-in-law retires. It seems that everyone who comes down to this area falls in love with it. It's a special place. Most of the people here are from someplace else (I've already met a few New Jersey ex-pats) and they all tell the same story: came to visit, decided to stay.

Yeah, politically, N.C. is not the most enlightened of states, but then I wasn't happy with the governor of New Jersey anyway. And I lived for 25 years in a county with a Republican congressman and somehow, survived. So, we'll see.

P.S. Yes, believe it or not, Rocky has been very good - so far. He sends his greetings - NOT!

Check out the book listings on the left hand side of my blog and you'll see what I've been reading lately.

Yvette is back.

60 comments:

  1. Yay! Glad you've more or less got settled - looking forward to seeing what you get up to.
    I couldn't face moving again - after jumping around the UK for a few years we've been in our present house for 28 years so the only way we're leaving is in a pine box (...then again....if we won the lottery.....)

    SueH

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    1. The funny thing is, Sue, that in my life I've moved many MANY times, but once I settled in Newton for what was supposed to be a short term in-between move after my divorce, I wound up staying put for 25 years only moving once and that was just across the street so it hardly counts. Like you, I don't want to do this again - unless I win the lottery - HA!

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  2. You made it!

    While reading your post I could hear Eddie Albert singing "Green Acres we are there!".

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    1. Oh, definitely!! HA! I'm hoping to pick up some southern expressions soon. :) Besides 'you all' I mean. I've been using that for years. My best friend (who lives in Ohio now, also near her grandchildren) is from Mississippi so I'm kind of used to bits and pieces of southern slang. Though truth to tell, her accent has mellowed out over the 35 or more years we've known each other.

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    1. Thanks, Rainette - and thank so for dropping by. I'm happy to be back.

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  4. Yvette,

    Glad you made it safe and sound. Relax and ease your way back in.

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    1. Thanks, Fred. Yeah, little by little. One good outcome of this whole thing is that I realized today I've lost almost 20 pounds. How can that be? Well, hard work, stress and lots of walking Rocky over new terrain.

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  5. It is lovely to see you back again Yvette - I have been wondering how you were getting on. I am presuming, as an outsider, that you are talking Trump when you say that North Carolina is not the most socially insightful state.
    What a brick your daughter is coping on the road with a truck for all of those hours and then later helping to sort your computer for you. She sounds like wonder women.
    Trust you to find an appropriate painting for this post - it makes moving look much more fun than it really is.
    Wishing you great happiness in your new abode, it sounds as if it is going to be wonderful, and especially if you are joined by even more of your family there.

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    1. Thank you, Rosemary. I'm glad to be back in the saddle again. We had a remarkably smooth trip down, my daughter and I. In a way I enjoyed it. I hardly ever have her to myself anymore. :)

      Skye (my daughter) didn't do the computer biz till a few days later by the way. She's wonderful, but she's not perfect. HA! No, she nearly is. Almost.
      Though she was a horrible teenager as I like to remind her now and again. HA!

      As for North Carolina not being socially insightful - here's a link to the news I was referring to:

      http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/us/north-carolina-law-antidiscrimination-pat-mccrory.html?smid=fb-share

      I hope serious economic backlash will soon have the state singing a different tune.

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    2. Thanks for the link - I see I was barking up the wrong tree, I was on the wrong track.

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  6. Glad you are safely ensconced. Be well and happy.

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    1. Thanks, Patti. I know I made the right decision. That's half the battle. :)

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  7. Hello Yvette,
    What a marvellous accomplishment "Two women and a truck" I think you two could go into business. Well done. I admire you both for taking on the task.

    Hope you enjoy living in the Carolinas. It is a beautiful state.

    It is refreshing to see some of the "silent for a while" bloggers returning.

    Happy Easter

    Helen xx

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    1. Thanks, Helen. I think I will enjoy living here, as you say - it is a beautiful state. "Two women and a truck" - yup! But NEVER again. Though I must admit Rocky was SO well-behaved and I did kind of enjoy the adventure.

      Happy Easter to you as well, Helen. For me, it's going to be a very special one. :)

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  8. "Yvette is back." Yay! So glad you've survived the trek and I hope you enjoy your new home. Looking forward to hearing more about your life down there.

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    1. Jacqueline, I promise to post some actual pix of the place once I get everything done. Or at least, once I get everything mostly done. :) I really am glad to be back.

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  9. Great to see you back Yvette. Good luck with the moving in - at least you are on the home stretch now.

    Michelle Ann

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  10. I, for one, am glad you're back! I'd been wondering how the move went and how you and Rocky had managed. When you quoted Joe Pike in this post, I remembered one of the reasons I missed you! Yes, Joe Pike! I think you're getting settled in a flash. We moved ten years ago and still have some unpacked boxes. Jack says we should throw them away, but they're full of sentimental stuff that I just don't have a place for. Best wishes in your new home. I look forward to more of your posts - after you rest up!

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    1. I know exactly what you mean about 'sentimental stuff' - I have tons of that still waiting for me to find a place for it. :) The detritus of our lives. Some of it makes little sense to anyone but me - but that's part of its charm, I suppose.

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  11. Welcome back. You are correct - it is not a race! Take you time doing it all and come back rested and refreshed! We will wait - your health is the most important thing.

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    1. Thanks so much, Gram. I am absolutely taking your advice.

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  12. Very glad you are back, Yvette. I will be happy to see more posts, but taking care of yourself is most important. It is wonderful that you are liking North Carolina and close to your grandchildren.

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    1. Yes, Tracy, it is wonderful. :) I'm really feeling very blessed.

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  13. SO, so , so good to hear from you. And I'm happy to hear that you are so happy! If you write just occasionally that is fine. I write so much less often now that the grandchildren have arrived, but people still come by and read and comment. You'll find that your friends do, too. I think exhaustion usually hits after the fact. You'll be fine.

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    1. I think I'll be fine too, Nan. :) I love where I'm living and my new surroundings and that's half the battle right there. I'm taking my time and just doing what I can each day. Moving is no joke, that's for sure. But on the whole, I think it went as smoothly as it could have. No horror stories to share. Ha.

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  14. Glad the move is done and you're back to blogging! Don't judge North Carolina too quickly. It's a lovely state and, by the way, I was born there and lived in NC until age 18.

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    1. Oh, I won't, Rick. Nice to hear from a real North Carolinian. :) Although I suppose my family and I are North Carolinians now too. Well, adopted ones, anyway. It's a gorgeous state and so far everyone has been friendly and VERY accommodating. I'm loving it here.

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  15. Welcome back! Congratulations on the big move and to your daughter for the driving. Glad Rocky made it without a meltdown.

    Will be glad to read about your new home and the books you've read. And eager to see photos.

    I know what you mean about North Carolina's political scene. Some people I know got arrested protesting the new anti-anti-discrimination law. Shameful! And to the south of your new state is the state where 9 beautiful people were killed by a white supremacist -- but that darn flag came down! There are always people pushing for progress; that's the good thing.

    Hope your new home is all you want. The beautiful area and the proximity to your family, so you can see your grandkids grow up and enjoy them is what grandparents always want. And now you have it.

    Take it easy. Rest. We can't bounce back from a lot of hard work like we did in our 20s or 30s. It doesn't happen. Now is the time to read more, watch dvd's, enjoy nature. You'll get your energy back.

    And, my mother said she should have sent us to camp from ages 12-16 year-round, and then we turned out fine. I don't know what it is about being 15. My father told me not to read a crummy, but popular book, when I was that age; my friends were reading it, so I had to do it. I ended up thinking it was trash and didn't take my friends' reading suggestions every again, but made up my own mind, and decided to only read good books.

    Best wishes to you and Rocky in your new home.

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    1. Thanks so much, Kathy. I knew you were worried - glad you saw my new post and now know that all went well. I look at this whole thing as an adventure and all I can say is: so far, so good. Yeah, the South has a lot of crazy drama going on at the moment, ill-advised laws and such but here's the way I look at it: The more people with different ideas move down here, the more likely there is that change will be affected - hopefully for the better. This is a lovely state which deserves a more enlightened government. But that's what voting is all about. I never thought I'd wind up living in the South, but you just never know what life has in store for you. And besides, my best friend is from Mississippi, though she lives in Ohio now - to be near her grandchildren. So you just never know.

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  16. Welcome back. The body may be weary but I see the spirit is strong. Happy Easter!

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    1. Thanks so much, Bill. I hope you had a Happy Easter as well - ours was wonderful with our whole family together.

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  17. What a wonderful update! Thank you! You are a brave soul. Grandkids are worth it for sure. Silly me moved 3 hours further from mine in our recent move! I've still managed to see them twice since then and they are coming for the summer!

    Looking forward to your reviews on those books, some good ones in the list!

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    1. Thanks, Peggy Ann. Yeah, my grandkids are just 5 and 3 and I wanted to be close enough to babysit and do all the grandmotherly things that I never had growing up. I think extended family can be so important to small children - gives them a sense of continuity, I think.

      I'm not so brave - more like I throw caution to the winds. HA! No, it just seemed the right thing to do at the right time.

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    2. Absolutely, extended family is important! I got to see the grandkids at least every three months and we Skype and send packages and cards and they come spend a month with me in the summer and we take them to Maine for a week each summer. Now they are getting very close to the teen years and especially my granddaughter very busy with their lives at home. Grab every moment while you can!

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  18. Welcome back Yvette and well done on the move. I t can be so utterly exhausting at the best of times, so well done on managing such a major move so well.

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    1. Thanks, Sergio, glad to be back - slowly but surely. :) As for the move, well, I've learned a lot about myself, I must say. But I've also learned I sure wouldn't want to do this again. Ha!

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  19. Well, I was lucky to get a sneak preview of sorts in your email a few weeks ago. But welcome back all the same! I understand about that solo packing all too well. Amazing that you managed. We do somehow find reserves of energy and strength and PATIENCE when we need them, don't we? Like you I never want to have to pack up nearly seventy boxes of books for another move. Ever. Again. I'd sooner give them all away! ...uh... almost all of them.

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    1. Reluctantly, John, I gave away many MANY books before my move, but they went to good places: a local library sale AND The Salvation Army. So I stopped worrying. Still, I wasn't happy about it. Of course, I'll begin buying books once again at some point - won't be able to help myself. HA! I'm still sitting here and staring at piles and piles of books and wondering where they'll go. I'll probably wind up buying another book case.

      Nope - I wouldn't want to do this again.

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  20. Brava! As a fellow book addict, I look forward to reading about your reading. I wish you much happiness in your new world adventures!

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    1. Thanks, Tim. Book-Addicts of the world - UNITE!! :)

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  21. Well, you are one person who is bringing the winds of progress to North Carolina, so that is a good development.

    And you can teach a lot to your grandchildren, too. My grandmother was important to me, and one reason is that I had a relationship with her at an early age.

    Enjoy the beautiful area and your family -- and the local library and bookstores. Even though you gave up books, you'll probably accumulate a lot of new ones.

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    1. Thanks so much, Kathy. I THOUGHT I had given up many MANY books, but I still brought down too many. Ha. I can't wait to begin accumulating more. No - just kidding. I think. :)

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  22. I don't know how I am on face book?? Can't get a deleted post off my side bar.
    I will be 79 today. Things are getting a bit much to handle. I looked at a Senior
    place yesterday, Forget me in a Hotel room, I'd go nuts. Better I die in my own yard. yvonne

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    1. Oh I get lost if you turn me around at the doctor's office. Ha. I'm lucky to have found an apartment in Senior (55 and Over) housing here in N.C. I'm really enjoying the change and the scenery and being near my family.

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  23. You know how long I was gone, and I'm still just dipping my toes back in the water. Welcome back, and take your time.

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    1. Thanks, Ryan. I really do want to be back on a regular basis. We'll see what happens. :)

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  24. Hi Yvette! Sorry I'm late to the party. But I'm glad to see you back. I'm happy, too, that everything worked out fine and that you are close to your family, and especially your grandchildren. Good luck to you, Yvette.

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    1. Better late than never, Prashant. Ha! Thanks so much for the good wishes.

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  25. Having finally emptied my apartment at the end of March, and dealt with the water-damaged books and mold I hadn't previously been aware of (much repacking), I have nothing but sympathy and admiration. Congratulations on escaping NJ...I'll let you know how Chris Gristle gets along in his Trumping days.

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    1. Oh that man! I never liked him though my daughter thought him a plain speaking good guy. Now I think she might have changed her mind. Obsequious Chris wanting to be Vice President and willing to back anyone who might get him there. I have news for him, Trump ain't it.

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  26. I for one am so happy you are back. That was a hard trip. I once had to drive a Uhaul and my pants were wet the first 2 miles. Hair standing on end. You do what you have to do. So how are you adapting to NC? I had a hotel in Saluda, it's now called the Ole Orchard Inn. On top of a mountain, built in 1920 by the Southern Rail Road for Exec. Vacations. When I had it there were still grey and pink UGH paint. Eight years of running an Inn was enough. Have I got stories on that place.
    IT's Haunted. Where are you in NC?? I deleted some posts, thinking it would give me more space. Now I can't get the deleted post off my side bar. I tried everything I can think of. Yard work is waiting. Hugs to you and TAKE IT EASY!!!
    yvonne

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    1. I'm so far loving N.C. (except for the dummies who run the state and pass ridiculous laws) - the scenery, the people, everything pretty much has exceeded my expectations. I'm finding everything remarkably calm-inducing. So I think I made the right move. And of course, my family is just a few minutes away so I get to see my grand-kids much more frequently now.

      I am taking it very easy, Yvonne. No fear of over-work around here. Don't have the stamina anymore. Rocky and I are luxuriating.

      I am in Cornelius (a quaint and lovely little town), just outside of Charlotte.

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  27. Your daughter liked Christie? With his hype on Hurricane Sandy and then not accounting for all the money that was raised which is spouse was in charge of?
    And his kidnapping of Kaci Hickox, the nurse who volunteered for Doctors without Borders to help treat Ebola patients, and who tested negative for the disease? She, with the help of the ACLU is now suing him.

    I get a kick out of the fact that he looked miserable at the Trump rallies and then disappeared from the scene.

    I can't stand either one of them, no surprise.

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    1. I can't stand either of them either, Kathy. I think my daughter liked Christie in the very beginning when he seemed like the 'real' thing. Now of course, he has shown his true colors.

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  28. Well got the sidebar fixed and up and running again. I found a story
    about General George Patton, World War-ll I was starting to paint a few
    General's, after I had painted West Point. I made me mad and sad.

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    1. I'm heading over to your blog to check it out, Yvonne.

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Your comment will appear after I take a look.