Kick....

I got up way too early this morning because Consuelo called last night and asked if she could come today and I asked her three times morning or afternoon.  She said morning all three times.  So this morning, waiting for her to arrive I busied myself with a few things and more time went by until it was the time to check in with her.  Oh no, she said afternoon.  She knows I HATE Wednesday afternoons.  So I am leaving written instructions and added be done by 5:00.  Not a happy camper at this moment and I need to leave before she gets here because I don't know if I would be able to mask my aggravation.

So on my last Wednesday of my fifties I got up early and acted a little cranky.  But I have gotten a couple of needed things done for our trip.  Buddy knows something is up and she is my little gray shadow.  I think I have taken care of the little details that sometimes get over looked or rushed through at the last minute.  Not time to pack clothes yet but getting stuff gathered.    

On my last Thursday in my fifties, I am really tired.  Since the schedule got messed around I ended up doing something I have escaped all summer and that is staying out of the afternoon heat that is until yesterday.  I stepped out of my parameters and I am paying for it today.  My cardiologist told me that if I stay in the parameters I will feel good and have energy...step out...boom.  Unknowingly I stepped out.  Today I am taking Gena and Kathleen to the Nord, but I am not spending any extra time at all in the great outdoors with a heat index of 108.  When my heart went out of rhythm last night I knew.  Thankfully I awoke this morning to it being back in sync.  

Last night I got an email from the owners of the cottage giving details about checking in etc...  I love their signature, "Arrive as strangers, Leave as Friends."   The route we are taking in from Georgia has a wonderful produce stand that opens tomorrow for the season.  It is the beginning of apple season in the mountains.  I think we might stop at a little shop I have always wanted to visit but since we are usually in Waynesville on Sundays, it hasn't been open.

Just like God's compassion, my thoughts on different houses is new every morning.  Only my faithfulness to the homes isn't the same thing as God's compassion and new mercies for us.    We started at condos and townhouses, then added single family homes to the mix.  Then we thought about homes at high elevations to get killer views but killer views plus mountain fog and wet roads and older eyes screams, 'what in the world are you thinking?'  At first we wanted to live either east or north of Asheville.  Now we are heavily favoring west and south.  Love the arts and craftsman style look and there is one home I really want to see, another great home got nixed because we are ruling out every home with crawl space.  The term crawl got my attention...no crawling here on these knees.  Again, we are good for the economy because the fourth house we had high on our list has been sold.  A couple of days ago I came across a home that looks to have motivated sellers, huge wonderful upgrades, a great view of the mountains, A/C, built in 2010 and living is all on one level with a partially finished basement and a completed workshop.  Even has a parlor.  I think that is just fancy talk for living room.   It also has a formal dining room, which we would make a little more casual and great built in bookcases in the great room.  We've been considering two story houses with a finished basement thinking of our guests comfort.  One level home wouldn't bring that comfort, but it is still a great house to stay in for free with good friends.  The reason the house is being sold, the grandparents moved to be closer to the grandchildren.  Yes, an older couple with good taste and disposable income built this house....no wonder we like it so much.  Sadly the outside of the home is drab, no arts and craftsman style.  So here is the dilemma...arts and craftsman with great view but minimal upgrades and $20,000 higher than the other home or a home with great upgrades but not the arts and craftsman style.  The upgraded home was originally listed $100,000 higher and has now come into do-able range for us.  Ah, the dilemma continues but I hope to keep y'all somewhat updated.