She Cried Uncle – June Wrap-up

On By Suzanne@PictureRetirementIn On My Mind, photography

Uncle! The universal term for surrender. Uttering that simple word means that you have had enough, done, finished, kaput. I cried ‘uncle’ a few times these past weeks and I meant it every time. Moving stinks! But, the alternative wasn’t great, so here we are again – an inflamed shoulder (Malcolm) and several aches, and bruises later (me). But, we got it done and are happy with the decision.

This, our latest move, was to a townhouse community not far from where we lived for the past year. We moved for a variety of reasons, which I outlined in the previous post, but mostly because we wanted a little more space. Thus far our progression has been from 5,000sf to 1200sf, to 2600sf, to 1400sf, to our current 2000sf. There were some trade-offs, like having the master bedroom upstairs and the lack of amenities, but overall, we felt it was a trade-up. We signed a one-year lease with the option to extend or renew. Hopefully, we will find our ‘forever home’ in the upcoming months and the next move will be the last one.

What made the move worthwhile:

  • The Kitchen (spacious and lots of cabinets)
  • A third bedroom (extra storage space)
  • A loft area (great for home office, exercise space, and reading nook)
  • First-floor walk-out to patio and barbeque grill (Malcolm is a happy camper)

Since we folded up the big house with all its colorful rooms and dark furnishings, I have been in a beigey kind of mood. I did add a hunter-green throw to the sofa and the picture above the cabinet has the same green. So, there’s that. Otherwise, our home has a completely neutral palate with essential furniture and no clutter. I am very tempted to buy a decorative light for over the dining room table and one for the center of the living room, and I could add some plants to brighten the place up, but…this is not the forever home so why go to the expense just for aesthetics. What do you think, should I?

The major plus for both of us is the kitchen. It is not how we would design a kitchen, but it’s pretty close. I also like the ‘open concept’ floorplan which includes the kitchen, dining area, and living room all together. It suits our casual lifestyle and I can definitely see how the design might translate into a permanent home.

Front of our Rental Unit
Close-up of patio before the grille arrived
Malcolm’s Domain

Moving to a new home always necessitates a reevaluation of stuff, right? With the added space, we were able to remove yet a few more items from our storage unit, but not enough to qualify for a downgrade, ugh…. I ordered a couple of new things from Wayfair, which sort of negates the whole concept of downsizing, but at least they serve a practical purpose.

With the additional loft space, we can now have a workstation for Malcolm, and the downstairs entry has a nook that creates a perfect landing spot for shoes, purses, hats, keys, etc. Both pieces of furniture are functional and that is how I justified the purchases. These are the two items I purchased, assembly required, of course!

photo from Wayfair catalog

When Life Wasn’t All About the Move

Granted, most of our time for the past four weeks was consumed with packing for the move, setting up electric, water, garbage disposal, internet service, and cable, transferring insurance policies, moving, unpacking, and supervising repairs to the new place. That last one was unexpected, but not a terrible thing. We had hot water issues for the first several days and the garage door was problematic. Two electricians and three plumbers later, all is well. Our new landlord came over to house-sit the repairs when we couldn’t be around.

With all that busyness, we still managed to carve out some time to enjoy life and maintain our regular routine with some modifications. Malcolm injured his shoulder a few months ago, and all the heavy lifting has aggravated the injury, so he is on a Doctor imposed lockdown except for physical therapy twice per week. So… most of our entertainment for the month included eating out – a lot, cooking, and watching TV – a lot.

Yummy Food

Our favorite Farm to Table establishment, Kai Kai Farms, hosted a Chef’s Demonstration Dinner that we attended with a couple of friends. It provided a much-needed relaxing night out and we had some delicious food.

The four-course meal started with roasted vegetable focaccia with an artichoke heart spread that I forgot to photograph. After watching the process, I will no longer be intimidated to make focaccia. The other three courses are pictured here.

roasted oysters
Pasta with lamb ragu
Chocolate Mousse

The event seated 50 people and the place was sold out. Two big screens inside the open-air pavilion allowed us to see a preparation demonstration of each course, and the chefs shared their recipes with us as a take-home gift. If you have an establishment like this in your area, I encourage you to support their efforts. It doesn’t get more local than this.

Cajun Snapper, saffron rice and beans and Mango Salsa (us)
Roasted red pepper and onions EXTRA CHEESE pizza (us)
pulled pork with grilled onions, white rice and beans (Old Havana Nights)

Most of our meals have been extra hearty this past month. I don’t know if it was because we craved comfort food among the chaos, or if we just needed the extra energy. Either way, we nurtured ourselves with food. There were several nights just prior to the move when we ate whatever was in the fridge and could be cooked on a baking sheet. Roasted veggies were a popular choice, but pizza was always a good option. We found a cute little Cuban restaurant just around the corner from the new place and had the best pulled pork I’ve ever eaten. Our fisherman friend supplied us with fresh fish and a couple of mangos from a neighbor’s tree, which had the potential for a lighter-calorie meal, but alas, the body needed more carbs so we added saffron rice and black beans!

TV Time

Pacing myself through the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime was my favorite guilty pleasure these past weeks. The last episode was somewhat predictable, and although not particularly satisfying, it was as it needed to be for the writers to remain true to the main character. After all, how could things end for a quick-witted, self-absorbed workaholic comic whose goal in life is to become famous?

Set mostly in the 1960s with flash-forwards into early 2000, the show explores a multitude of social themes as the main character (a female comic) tries to break into a man’s world and won’t take no for an answer. Much like reading historical fiction, the storyline and some of the characters will have you consulting Google for more information. For instance, the Gordon Ford character. It takes about two minutes to figure out that he is likely based on Johnny Carson. And, if you didn’t already put two and two together, you will start to see parallels between Joan Rivers and Mrs. Maisel in the last season. Witty scripts, great actors, a dysfunctional family storyline, and of course, the costumes all make this show a win.

Family Time

It was a slow month in terms of visiting with the family, but Malcolm checked in on his mom a few times and delivered a few homemade meals for her freezer. We had her over for a Memorial Day barbeque. Playing cards with her and watching her win most of the hands was a highlight worth mentioning. The kids popped in for a Father’s Day meal and quick catch-up before heading back to their busy lives. But, we will see them again, very soon.

Simple Pleasures

Did I mention our backyard has a pond? During the first week, only a family of ducks visited, but then one day, out of the blue, or should I say pink, a magnificent Roseate Spoonbill arrived. She stayed in the pond for four days before flying away. On Father’s Day, three beautiful Wood Storks arrived, but it started raining shortly after and they didn’t stay long enough to be photographed. I will remain watchful and keep my camera battery charged.

And just like that she came back – with a new friend. The beautiful bright pink stripe on the new arrival makes me think it is a HE, but I don’t know for sure. It just seems appropriate.

What’s Up Next

We are off to Europe for a little relaxation with the kids. We haven’t traveled with them since their grand elopement last September and are looking forward to some quality time together. We will split eight days between La Bastide de Marie and Chateau de la Chevre d’ Or in the South of France, and then return to London for two nights. The trip is essentially a repeat of one they took a couple of years ago, and we have happily stayed out of the planning. The region obviously made an impression on them and they wanted to return and be our tour guides. Sounds good to me.

Reflecting

It has been a grueling month of mostly self-imposed drudgery, and self-inflicted wounds, coupled with off-the-charts heat, oppressive humidity, and excessive rain. Even with the occasional bright spots, we couldn’t be happier that June is in the rearview mirror and we are off making memories with our kids.

Sharing With

What’s On Your Calendar hosted by Donna, Jo, Sue, and Deb

Sunday Stills – Monthly Color Pink

34 thoughts on “She Cried Uncle – June Wrap-up”

  2. Hi Suzanne – I’m so glad you’re settled and enjoying the new townhouse. It looks lovely inside and out – and great that it ticks most of your boxes. Thanks for the little sneak peek and I hope you’re both feeling more relaxed and rehabilitated as July unfolds. Enjoy your time away and travelling with loved ones – you can’t beat that!

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  3. Wow, moving is the worst, Suzanne, but you did it and hopefully it is all behind you now. June was certainly memorable for you. Your new home looks amazing and I would have bought a few new things to for organization. Think of it as “right”sizing as blogger Kathy Gottberg explains.
    BTW, I loved the last MM Maisel show and the entire series. I thought it was well-done and literally cried when she finally got the validation she deserved from her boss and family. Thank you for adding some beautiful pinks to the post for the color challenge. Enjoy your 4th of July long weekend!

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    2. Suzanne, your “right sizing “ experiment has been fascinating. I admire how you and Malcolm have been so diligent throughout and being able to narrow down exactly what you want from your forever home.
      Your townhouse looks great, thank you for the photos.
      We moved to a townhouse when we downsized and we have never looked back, it has been a very easy property to just lock up and go, when ever we travel for long periods.
      I hope you are having a great time with your kids and are getting to relax a bit also.

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  5. Well good luck on your new home guys – and depending on precise timing, we may well be passing not too far apart in the south of France. Oh, and how come I’ve reached the age of 66 without ever once hearing the word “Uncle” used in that context?! New one on us!

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  6. My vote is to beautify your place, if you find the right dining table light, plants etc. Those things are easily moveable. I bought a dining room light fixture for my apartment which served me well for the 2 years I was there and that is now my bedroom overhead light. Whatever I replaced in my rental went into a box, to be put back in place when I moved. (I also swapped out the toilet seat and the shower head, for ones more to my liking.)
    I hope you both heal and rest from your latest move quickly! Moving is grueling!!!

    Deb

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  7. Moving is always stressful but it seems the new house will suit you pretty well. How wonderful to have that pond outside and especially to see the spoonbill there! I hope Malcolm’s shoulder heals soon and you have a great trip to France with your family!

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  8. Nancy Dobbins's avatar Nancy Dobbins

    Hi Suzanne,
    Your new digs look great. Dan and I are back in NH for the summer and glad to be out of the FL heat…we’ve heard all about it from our FL friends and neighbors. It’s nice to be close to the kids and our new granddaughter too. Always glad to read about what you and Malcolm have been up to. The dinner out sounded memorable; my daughter and I are going together to a BnB in upstate New York in a couple of weeks where the owner is a plant-based chef. Not only is she cooking for us but we are taking a vegan, farm-to-table cooking lesson together from her. Can’t wait.
    All the best,
    Nancy

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  11. Your new kitchen looks very inviting. The pond out back is wonderful. You’ve landed well. I need to get back to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I lost interest but maybe it’s time to see how it all ends.

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  12. Wow, there’s a lot going on in your lives! I think you will love this townhouse, but I agree, moving is exhausting. Not that we’ve moved in 30 years, but before I got married I moved a lot. I dread the day we have to figure out what to do with all the STUFF we have now.

    A pink spoonbill!!!!! Oh my, I have never seen one, though I was close once…she is beautiful, and I’m so glad she came back with her friend.

    AND Southern France!!! With your KIDS! You can’t do better than that, enjoy!!

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  13. Hi Suzanne, Your new place looks beautiful and the birds at the pond are awesome. I once rented a villa in Costa Rica. It had a pool and birds came to drink every day. They provided endless hours of entertainment and many photo opportunities. From the comments, I gather that you’re in the south of France with family. Have a wonderful trip! I look forward to reading your post-trip updates.

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  15. Roseate Spoonbills in your backyard! How fabulous! Congratulations on getting moved in and settled into your new (albeit temporary) home. Since you’ll be there for a year, I would go ahead and add the few small touches you mentioned. Even in our Airbnb travels if we’re staying for a month or longer, we buy a few things to make ourselves more comfortable. Over the last few months in various places I bought a small living room lamp, kitchen towels, throw pillow covers (to replace scratchy ones!), and a kitchen rug. It was worth the minimal expense!

    Your farm-to-table dinners at your local restaurant always look wonderful. I hope we can find something like that here in North Carolina. Enjoy your European trip! I look forward to reading about it and seeing photos.

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  16. I adore spoonbills! How exciting to see them out your window. I’m more likely to see herons and egrets and an occasional osprey. It’s nice that your move is over, and I love your new kitchen and having a loft for extra space sounds heavenly.

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  17. Wow, you new place is big! And I immediately spotted the pond in the back yard. How lovely you get to bird watch. The spoonbills are magnificent.

    I’d say the most important thing about your new place is that it feels like home. If this means adding a few decorative elements, go for it! Comfort and joy are important factors in a home. 🙂

    Mark sometimes makes focaccia in our campers. It’s not difficult and tastes awesome. Your fancy meal out looks incredible and tasty!

    Have fun in Europe with the kids – more special memories to be made.

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  18. Suzanne,
    Well, darn! I read this post when I was hungry, and the food choices you shared made me ravenous! Your new home looks lovely and so inviting. You have a decorator’s touch, for sure. It’s awesome that you can travel to the South of France to unwind after a grueling move, and I envy you both. Travel safely, and please stay in touch. Joe

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  19. I can sympathize as moving is never fun, I’m happy that it is behind you. What better way to relax than a visit to France. Both of the choices are wonderful and I can attest to how great the food is at Chateau Cheve d’ Or is. Enjoy every moment of your trip.

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