ANNA TELLS OF THEIR NEW HOME

Elmer told me to go first this week, so here I am.  He will be on tomorrow.  He and I were sitting on the porch of our new house, sipping iced tea when I realized in April we were talking of turning our house into a Bed and Breakfast and today we are in our new home. What a change it has been in a few, short, months.

First off, I want to thank everyone that helped in the moving especially Grandmother Olive.  We couldn't have made it without her.  Also to Jean for taking me to her house to get food and rest.  I feel bad that I wasn't there at the moving, but maybe it was the best.

I guess you know that Elmer had some surprises for me in the house that I didn't know were coming.  Back when we first got married, we bought some used furniture for our house.  Elmer said some day he would buy me the beautiful new furniture that I wanted.  At first, I looked forward to it, but as the years passed I thought Elmer had forgotten.  He hadn't.

When I walked into our new house after being at Jean's, I looked into the kitchen and there sits a beautiful new dining room set with a matching china cabinet .  This was handmade by David, Michael and Edward.  It seems Elmer had ordered this over a year ago.  He was going to wait until our 30th anniversary in November, but thought with the new house, it would be nice now.  Also, in the kitchen was a stone counter top and a new wood burning stove.

Glancing in the living room I saw a new couch, coffee table, end tables, rocking chair and a new recliner.  Also, in there was the rocking chair that had been my grandmothers - it was refinished.  Elmer had ordered all except my grandmother's rocking chair several months ago from a local Amish man that made furniture.  The rocking chair he had refinished by Kevin and Michael.  I use the rocking chair most of the time and the new recliner is Elmer's.  His old recliner had seen it's day and needed replacement.  I am so glad Elmer bought something for himself.

I thought that was the end, but Elmer took me into our bedroom and we have a new bedroom set handmade.  Although the others were special, this is extra special because our son had made this.  Elmer ordered this a few years ago and our son had been storing it.  There is a beautiful bed with flowers and every other house we lived in carved in the headboard.  Also there were two night stands and a beautiful dresser.  He also caved in the pieces beautiful flowers.  Elmer took the bedroom set that had been in our room and put it in one of the guests rooms. As well as I know Elmer, I had no idea he was planning all this.

This had been so busy, so when I went into my sewing room, yes, now I have a sewing room, I noticed the sewing machine and stand looked different.  Elmer said he had sent the machine to Kevin's to get it cleaned and decided after all these years the stand and chair needed refinishing - so he had that done.

I told Elmer, this must have cost him a lot of money - maybe emptying our savings account - he said no.  He had been saving up for this day for many years - back since the day he told me some day we would have these nice things.  He had an account at the bank, he would put money in every month or whenever he got some extra money from doing special work or selling something or harvesting.  At first, he thought it would be our 50th anniversary before he would have the money, but he made for our 30th.  So, he said when our 30th anniversary hits in November, we were eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead of going out for dinner.  He is kidding - I hope.

Oh, I almost forgot.  Elmer took me into our basement.  It is a cement block walk out, which I knew.  All I could think of us was my canned goods were in boxes down there.  Moving day, Bridget, Kevin's wife, had been down planning on unloading the boxes, but there were no shelves.  She caught Kevin and Michael before they left after delivering my grandmother's chair and my sewing machine.  Bridget told them they had to do something about the basement.  The men went off and came back with Erin and his wife, Lovina - and some wood.  They build shelves for my canned goods in the basement.    The shelves are built up a bit in case the basement is flooded, the canned goods won't be damaged.  We shouldn't have any floods in our basement as we are set up too high, but with the rain we have had, they felt they should build the shelves up - just in case.

When the shelves were done Bridget and Lovina unloaded the boxes of canned goods.  Fruits all in one section, vegetables in another, and meat in still another section.  They labeled the shelves so I know what is where. We offered to pay for all the work, but none of them would accept it. Like everyone else, it is so kind of them.  Bridget and Lovina reminded me that we were at their houses when they moved in - so it was right that they should be at ours.

Elmer sealed all the windows on one side of our house while they built our new barn.  Oh, that reminds me, I laughed when Marilyn said Elmer had been in the bar instead of barn.  That was funny, but I am glad she corrected it.  Anyway, sealing the windows didn't stop the dust.  Took two days to clean the dust, but am so glad the barn is up.

I still wake up and think I am in the old house.  When I took around, here we are in a brand new house.  Even Elmer admits this house is much easier for him than the old one.  No more climbing stairs all the time.

I will answer the questions that were asked about my herbs.  Sorry for the delay.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna