Demented Betty demented domestication at its happiest!

We’ve passed our one year anniversary here in the house! In some ways it’s hard to believe it’s already been a year and in some ways it’s hard to believe it’s ONLY been a year. Every day we are still grateful and amazed at the beauty in which we are lucky enough to live. Yesterday we had a flock of 30 wild turkeys come wandering through the yard. It was pretty awesome to watch! The sunsets here are magical, swaths of colors that you can hardly believe are real. It’s part of why I can’t/don’t paint. I can’t even come close to capturing the depths and beauty of the colors I see! That’s why I like the camera; sometimes you get lucky enough to capture a good shot that comes close to the reality. Sometimes.

Part of the reason I haven’t posted anything in ages is because I have been dealing with sciatica since February which makes it hard to sit or think straight. Apparently I have been in worse shape for the last month than I thought, but I suppose it explains why I feel like I’ve not accomplished a thing. It certainly explains why I haven’t been able to look for a job, really, let alone find one. But yesterday I had an epidural injection, so steroids and anti inflammatory directly into the spine. Fortunately I was able to put my headphones on and with the help of Xanax and a good playlist, I was able to space myself out long enough for them to do this and not get freaked. And I walked out under my own power to where the Husband of Wonderfulness was waiting for me. How we just wait and see how well and how long this works. I have no expectations; so any relief will be appreciated. After more than seven months of this daily pain, I’m grateful for any help.

Remarkably, even with the sciatica, we’ve made it out to a whole bunch of events this summer. Most recently the Weston Antique Show and Manchester Arts and Crafts Fair. We’ve also been to the Scottish Festival/Highland Games, a Native American Pow Wow and the Southern VT Arts and Crafts Show. We’ve done tourist things like the Ben and Jerry’s Factory tour as well as the Bennington Battle Monument. We’ve become familiar with a lot of local booze and hard cider. The farmer’s market has become a weekly staple in our lives (I haven’t bought eggs from the supermarket since we’ve been up here!). Yes, we’re pretty much in the middle of nowhere so quickly running out for something is not so quick. The nearest general store is 12 minutes each way and they close at 8 pm. 8 pm!!  There is a 24-hour supermarket 20 minutes away, but you have to cross state lines to get there. So we have to plan more than we used to with what there is in the house. I grew herbs on the deck this summer- a first for me! We had an amazing mojito mint plant that completely took over its pot and at one point threatened to take over the deck. We had two different kinds of basil- a green one that grew incredibly well and bushy and a purple one that was just lovely and then started to flower! I also had a citronella geranium. I don’t know how much it helped with the bugs when we were out there but it was nicer than the candles were.

So where am I? I’m still looking for a job, which hopefully I will be able to get back to in earnest next week. It’s hard to think about a job when you can’t think about sitting, or doing anything else for that matter, for eight hours. And I couldn’t even fathom looking for something ELSE to do, when I can’t walk or stand up for more than 30 minutes at a clip. Now, maybe now, I will be able to get my head back in the game and get this done. I need a job before I start to lose what’s left of my sanity.

Health-wise? Other than the sciatica, we are pretty much at a plateau, and I’ll take that. My physical therapist is going for her yoga teacher certification, so we are starting to add yoga poses to my PT exercises, which is great. I still haven’t made it to a class yet, but hope to get clearance in 3 weeks when I follow up with the spine specialist if not sooner.

And that, as they say, is that. I’m waiting for the Husband to come back from a drink with our neighbor and then we’ll likely go out for dinner. It’s Columbus Day weekend, the busiest weekend of the year, so I doubt we’re going to get out to dinner at all this weekend with all the tourists around. We’ll go leaf peeping and just plan to eat at home. We live in everyone else’s vacation spot! Hopefully I’ll start posting more from here on in. At least that’s the plan in my head.

So the rest of 2014 whirred by in a head-spinning frenzy. We closed on the house and moved to Vermont. We rented the house in NJ and have, until just a few days ago, been dealing with remediating a house full of black mold. Nope, didn’t know it was there when we were; we only found out the day AFTER we moved, when the new renters were coming in to get the house ready to be painted. So that’s been three months of an unexpected and very expensive hell.

Vermont is all sorts of loveliness. The view from my front windows is enough to take my breath away on a nearly daily basis. Watching the changing faces of the mountains, every day is different. And stunning. And reminds me of why we did this.

It’s most definitely been an adjustment. There is nothing- NOTHING- within walking distance or even “close by.” There is nothing open 24 hours. The post office won’t deliver packages to the house and half the time neither will the other carriers, if they can’t get up the driveway, so we get deliveries to a shop down the road and go pick them up. No running out to the store for something you forgot. I forgot to buy heavy cream the last time I was out (sorry, Husband!). The supermarket was out of it and I forgot when I went into the local store. Nope, can’t just run back out and grab it; it’s 15 minutes away. But there’s peace and quiet like I have rarely experienced. And the beauty and wonder continues to enchant me. Despite everything I know unquestionably that this has been the right thing to do.

The big question is…..what does 2015 have in store for us?

For me, probably a new job- either with the same or a new employer. Better health- being out of the moldfest we didn’t even know about has to be helping, as does cooking more of our own meals (and better quality take-out when we do get from places!). Less financial stress would be nice. Selling the NJ house for a decent and fair price. Settling in and creating our life up here (which we’ve started on quite nicely!). Better contact with friends. And hopefully better and greater things that I can’t even imagine right now!

It’ll be an interesting year, that’s for sure!