Queenies Little Kingdom

I'm living a new normal.  Not only am I a few hours away from my kids & friends….I'm in a new house with boxes of life piled up around me.  Not literally, hubby & I are classier than that (we've stuffed them in the garage where we're both dying to park our cars!).  The problem with that (besides parking our cars there) is that it is FREEZING in there.

Who builds a house and skips insulating the garage?

When this danged snow melts…..I have a list of "important" issues to tackle.

#1 – Rearrange the boxes and tools and tons of stuff bulging inside our garage.  It's kind of hard finding anything you're looking for when the boxes are in no type of order.  Everything is mixed to death and nothing makes sense.  AND IT'S TOO COOOOOOLD TO STAND OUT THERE SEARCHING!

#2 – Put up insulation in the cold garage!  It would be nice to just blow some up on the walls and be done with it.  However, that's a little costly and because I'm staying home now….saving as much money as possible is the new black!

#3 – Painting furniture.  It's so frigid cold and all the pieces of furniture that I want to paint really need to be taken outside to do that.  I have 2 book shelves (that I want to load up with stuff…but I am waiting), a big dresser/cabinet combo (again, that I want to fill up) and who knows what else I can find.  My house seems to be on hold for these few things.

#4 – Decorate my front porch & the door.  There is no way possible to go out there right now.  It's actually dangerous!  The tile floor is like glass and I can't go out to shop for a good indoor/outdoor rug because of the terrible weather.  If it's not one thing….it's another.  My car may never crank after it thaws back out.

#5 – Put the spare bedrooms together.  I have big dreams for each of them and a tiny budget.  I'd love to paint and build a bed for one room.  Then, I remember all the yucky carpet upstairs and I fall into the pit of despair.  I hate the carpeting!  It is weighing me down.

#6 – Build a new console table for our family room tv.  "One" of these days we hope to replace our tv with a little bit larger one and switch out our small one that we're squinting to see in our new big master bedroom.  Oh, the suffering….right?

#7 – Organize hubby's tool area.  He has so many awesome tools!  And between the two of us and our girls….too many projects on hold waiting for the space to get organized.  Curses to you Old Man Winter!

#8 – Thrift shop again.  I'm beginning to think I am stuck here ALONE forever.  Not only can I not go anywhere, but no one can come see me.  Everyone is busy and the roads are terribly dangerous.  I just want to go thrift store shopping.  It's a great way to get killer ideas for decorating, don't you think? And brush away the missing people blues.

#9 – Meet some neighbors.  I've had to push away some crazy thoughts thanks to this weather.  Little things like, "you've moved to the most unfriendly neighborhood in the Indy area" & "they saw you and decided you people looked too weird to be nice to".  Yea, I've thought both of those.  Lord, melt that snow soon!

#10 – Go to church.  We live just down the road from a very popular and loved church.  I've heard nice things about it and since I've lived here…..it's either been shutdown due to the weather or we were buried under construction & unpacking.  I want to be a part of this new community and by going to church I know I will feel a connection that will soothe my loneliness and open the door for God to work in me and through me.

I'm not afraid of a new normal.  I rather like the challenge, really.  An old friend wrote on my Facebook page this week about how she liked my new house and I thought about it BEING MY NEW HOUSE.  Then, I responded to her with — I can't wait until it feels like home.  Right now it feels like I'm staying somewhere!

FYI:  Today, I unpacked 4 big boxes and organized a ton of bathroom supplies.  I also did several loads of laundry and cleaned up everything that looked messy.  Little by little, I'm making it home.

I’m not  talking about Australia either…it is record breaking cold in the Hoosier state.   It is too far below 0 for frolicking in the deep snow (-12).

You’d think this snow would be your biggest issue but its not.   The bitter temps have us all on lock down!

Either way, think I’ll just stay inside.

Lizzy agrees.

She tried going out with her snow boots on…it was too cold dude!

There’s just no getting used to it, right Lizzy?

Here’s where all pets should be.  Inside, safely tucked away from the very dangerous weather.

If you have a pet or know someone who does…..remind them to bring them inside!

My house has been one big mess.  Each area packed & stacked with junk while the wood floor slave banged and sawed his way through. Last night (early this morning) the last plank was snapped into place and the new mission became CLEANUP!

Chaos.

You gotta make a mess to make it better, right?

Dining room view from living room area. It is even prettier in person. My hubby is amazing!

The foyer with the bright snowy glare coming through the front door glass. I can’t wait for the weather to be nice again.  Hubby is going to build me the shabby bench I posted about months ago. It was meant to be…the huge size of the foyer left us with the perfect space to put it.  Yippee!

I’ve dreamt of making this sunroom my haven….as soon as the snow melts, I’m searching for the perfect furniture to fill it.  I don’t want new stuff just new TO ME.  Its going to be my favorite room, I just know it.

The kitchen shines perfectly now. I love love love it!

This extra piece of furniture and mirror fit just right here in the dining room.  I thought they’d both be relegated to the garage.  Both of them are special. Houses should be filled with the personal items of the family who lives there.

I love every area of our new house.  Especially the many windows.

All that’s left to do now is put down the trim and that’s got to wait….

Indiana is under a severe snowstorm lock down with below 0 degree temps for 48 hours or more.
I can wait…this is worth it!

I’m showing you the view from my hubby’s office today.

It was taken around 4:30pm.  I went to town with him because my car is snowed in and WHO knows WHEN we’ll be able to get out again.

Ole SNOWPOCALYPSE is going to be a big one!

The stores were total madness. I haven’t had one easy or enjoyable shopping trip yet in my two weeks of living here. It’s either been Christmas frenzied shoppers & traffic jams, AFTER Christmas (we have gift cards & money to blow) shoppers or horrible blizzard approaching weather shoppers!

None of them have been nice. Manners & courtesy go right out the window when it comes to doing anything here. I haven’t even mentioned only meeting one of my neighbors!!  One neighbor!!  I’m hoping that it’s all because of the weather because I am counting on being friends with SOMEONE here! 

I know….suck it up and quit whining!

My big plan was to stay home for a while at least but I’m starting to think I need to get out and meet people (by working)!  I have filled out the application to substitute at the schools nearby. It was no small town application either. It was like I was applying to an administrators position. I had to spill it all.

After I submitted it….I prayed, “Lord,  let them see something that interests them!”.  This from a lady that’s been clicking her heels about coming home.  I suppose the reality of our new cost of living added to our almost $1500 a month cut in moola coming in….I’m rethinking my freedom.

I don’t want to live stressed.

It’s probably not good for me to start borrowing trouble, right?

I think I’ll just enjoy the view a bit longer…..whatta ya think?

Col. 3:15 “And let the peace from Christ rule in your hearts deciding and settling all questions that arise in your minds…”

This is what my yard looked like…..yesterday.

I was out with my dog doing a little exploring while hubby was doing this…

He worked ALL day on the floors.

He didn’t take a single break…

I can’t tell you how beautiful they are in oerson.  I love everything about them.

Yes, that’s the sunroom and it is ALMOST complete!

The kitchen…..is thiiiiiiis close!

Lizzy refuses to help out.  Matter of fact, she’s been sick all day which I can’t blame her.  We woke up to this…

Pretty huh?
I thought I’d shovel a path for my hubby to come home.  The blowing wind of ice & snow gave me another plan.

Get back inside QUICK!!  My nose was dripping like a faucet!  Too cold for mama.

The weather is only getting more snowy.   Who needs to go anywhere, right?

This weekend & next week….. single digits & lots more snow.  What a winter, Indiana!