Back and Forth, Forth and Back

My it seems a long time since writing, but in reality one  unbelievable  week plus a  few frantic days. I have missed sharing a few thoughts and photos with you.

Truth be told: we have been going

BACK and FORTH 

 FORTH and BACK,

UP and DOWN, 

DOWN and UP. 

Liken it to riding a TILT-A-WHIRL running on adrenalin. Selling a home and purchasing a home within a few short weeks is a test of endurance, patience, bouts of sorrow, sprouts of excitement,  quick wits, challenges and a liberal dose of GOOD LUCK. The good luck was in having the second person to walk through our home make an offer. It was sudden. It was quick. It was unexpected. And it caught us up in a maelstrom of emotions and activity.

The ink barely dry on our  buyer's contract,  we decided to zip on down to Charlotte, NC where we are moving. Hurry, hustle,throw some things in a Trader Joe's shopping bag: don't forget sunglasses, camera and computer, fill the tank, stock up on peanut M&M'S and gooey orange Circus Peanuts, then Ready- Set- Go!  We set off at dawn, poorly prepared, with out a clue as to what we were doing. Nine hours later,  found us in the WARMISH TO HOTTISH Charlotte with sweaters, heavy jeans, and for me the only shoes I had on my feet and NO extra socks in the Trader Joe bag!!  What is a GAL to do without a personal planner????

We arrived in North Carolina, the sun shining, the pollen count high, and blissfully unaware of how unprepared we were for the southern climate. We pulled into the North Carolina Tourist Bureau  (red brick and white wood--pure Southern architecture) stepped out of the car and into the SOUTHERN HUMIDITY that watery atmosphere that clings to one's skin, clothes and hair and enables all that luscious growth of Southern blossoms, vines, moss and a thousand hues of GREEN!

 

As though the sweet smell of blossoms wasn't enough, we looked UP!

And there shines a most magnificent azure umbrella dotted with clouds tinged in mauve and gray.

Pretend with me that you are lying on your back beneath a hundred year old tree... where do your childhood memories float off to? Want to go for a climb and stake a view of the world?

We were now in the land of Southern Hospitality, wisps of  Southern drawl,  new freshness and new adventures just ahead.

Previously I mentioned our good fortune to sell our home in a flagging economy, and a wonderful Seller Realtor, Astrid Ermanis who made it happen.The next bit of brilliant blessings was taking the suggestion to invite Joel Bennett to work with us in purchasing a new home in Charlotte

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Joel is a true blue Southern Gentleman by way of Maine!!!  He and his wife, Gwen gave us undivided attention, listened to our needs and wishes, then set out to find them.

If you every move to Charlotte be sure to call Joel and Gwen to represent you. You will not find more friendly and hard working people to help you find your dream home on a shoe string budget!

In TWO DAYS and one evening we found the perfect home for us. 

Now this is the amazing part of our tale. Joel sent us a website listing of homes near our daughter and her family. Scanning the home prices first on the website, I opened THIS VERY HOME!!! Next came viewing the Virtual Reality Tour, as the entrance photo popped up, suddenly I FELT US LIVING there, like we were on the other side of the door!!! It was an overwhelming feeling. Would have purchased unseen, the vibes were so strong.

For surety sake we toured  many homes and came back to this first home two more times. A delightful family own it and are ready to move to a larger home. I am sure we will become friends.

We will live one block from our grandchildren and the swimming pool they call their second home!

And there is a large, airy, periwinkle blue bonus room for my ART STUDIO!!

And more tidbits, Joel, Gwen and their four children live just down the street in an identical home! We will be neighbors.

We can hardly believe our good fortune.

To seal the deal we went to a tiny cobblestone BBQ diner to start our Southern affinity for all things BBQ'd a mere few blocks from our home!

There was even a friendly pig that escaped being cooked!

A Bluebird welcoming us to Charlotte,

 

 And when all that southern barbecue, pecan pie, banana-cookie pudding and all things fried start to mount the calories, in back of the BBQ diner is a produce stand.The South has an abundance of farmers' markets, many organically produce.

Give a hands up to OPRAH oops mean OKRA!!!

 

"But I always think that the best way to know God is to LOVE many things."   van gogh