Keep Calm and Carry On

I am not one for loose ends.  Once I start something, I like to finish.  Dot the 'i', cross the 't'.  So our Phase I move-in this week is testing my limits.

My running internal conversation goes something like this:

Moose flag and moose

metal sculpture near

front porch

"The snow is melting - everything looks like a mud pit - I can't show that on my blog."

"What an opportunity to demonstrate you are letting go of perfection."

"Despite all my efforts, the movers didn't get the piano onto the lower level."

"The piano is undamaged and even sounds in tune".

Piano originally belonged to my maternal

great-grandfather Clem

"Boxes basically everywhere.  Dining room chairs in the master bedroom until we get protectors on the legs.  Yikes!"

"How blessed you are to have this house.  OK!"

View from back deck

Original paperwork from

June 23, 2016

So, now that I have my attitude firmly planted on the positive end of the spectrum, let me start at the beginning, June 23, 2016, the day that two-thirds of our household possessions were packed and transferred to a United Van Lines warehouse near Cleveland, Ohio.  And on March 19, 2018, Billy, Eric and Levi delivered them to our new house near Kila, Montana.

We'd had a couple of inches of snow overnight, which made for serene views but less than ideal moving conditions.  The guys quickly determined that it would not be safe to maneuver the piano down the hill to the lower level (sad face).  I will not bore you with the details ('cause my attitude is in the right place!), but we had worked very hard ahead of time to ensure this would not be an obstacle.  Oh well.  Ultimately, the moving company agreed to come back when the weather is better and transfer the piano to its proper place (at no charge to us).

Elsie's Corner Unit

Over a three-hour period, the truck slowly emptied.  It was a bit like Christmas to watch items emerging.  The corner unit, which was purchased with hard-won savings by Spousal Unit's maternal grandmother.

The dining room table and chairs, along with the hutch.

The family room furniture that has seen 5 houses and 10 Super Bowl parties, and now occupies the lower level.  (My attitude creeps in again when I ask myself if the red/green colors work with the blue walls ....)

The overstuffed formal living room furniture looks like it was made for the loft - and you can still see the divot in the cushion that was Maggie's (the cat) go-to sleeping spot for many years.  (We are going to need some decorative cushions/throws to add some color here .... sorry, can't help myself!)

First meal at the dining room table

Paperwork complete, Billy, Eric and Levi drove off and left us to satisfy our noisy stomachs with home-made vegetarian chili, and our eyes with the view from the dining room table.

Soon I will bring my spotting scope to the house, and perhaps I will see these critters through it in real time, rather than after the fact via our trail cam.

Note how hind legs are sinking deeply into the snow

Running through the snowflakes

Breaking through fresh snow

We wrapped the day, tackling a couple of dish boxes.  It's probably no coincidence that wine and beer glasses were near the top!

Tomorrow we return to carry on.








Linking to

All Seasons


Mosaic Monday


Nature Notes


Saturday's Critters

Skywatch Friday