It feels like fall...

Hello everyone!

No I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I am still here. I'll tell you why I was away for so long or at least one excuse. I told myself when I started this blog that I didn't want it to turn into a bitch fest, an open forum for me to be snarky and mean about people in my life or if shitty things were happening to me at the time. To tell you the truth, I had quite a bit of that going on in my life for a good portion of my summer. Not to go into details, but...I had a falling out with a person that I volunteered with and now it's quite impossible for me to go back to that activity while this person is still involved. I would like to send out an electronic F.U. to this person. So there it's done!

On to better topics...

As I sit here I have most of my windows open and there is a chill in the air that I look forward to feeling all year long. I love fall. I smell that one of the neighbors is having a fire. It's not my crazy neighbor who burns his garbage in his fire pit. Thankfully. That's a story for a different time. This summer has been hot and somewhat miserable here in central Minnesota so the change in temperature is very welcomed. I heard some geese fly over the other day. Everytime I hear their honking I stop whatever I am doing and just listen. It's one of my favorite sounds in the world.

Things are progressing slowly on house projects. I did take a couple of days off last week to clean and tackle my project list. It was awesome to cross things off the list. All the moving boxes have been carried in to the house. They aren't all emptied but we are getting there. I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel.

For my step-sisters' 40th birthday, they wanted to go skydiving and needed a group of ten to get a discount. So, on August 21st at around 5:30 pm, I put my foot on the step of a plane that was flying at 11,000 feet and jumped head first out of a perfectly good airplane. It was awesome!!!! I would highly recommend everyone to try this at least once. I believe that I'll be doing it again. It was the biggest rush I have ever had. Some one described it to me as "air-gasm" and it really was.

Well, that sort of catches you up on what I've been doing. I know it seems like not a lot. But don't forget I work two jobs and that keeps me pretty busy. That and I still managed to drink some beer from time to time. The sound of a beer can being cracked open is another favorite sound of mine.

Until later,

Thanks for stopping by Nelle's Nook.

Here I go again...

Well, it's been a while since I've posted (again). I keep telling myself that I should do it more often and then one thing or another creeps into my life and boom it's been weeks and weeks. Often I don't blog because I don't think anyone will want to hear what I have to or even scarier I won't have anything to say. My friends think that I could write a Minnesota version of Sex and the City. Let's face it, I could with probably a lot less sex. I have a great, wonderful, funny life and yet I edit myself here because I want to this to be a blog that doesn't offend anyone. I can't just right about the characters at the bar where I bartend, or the the crazy nights out with friends where we drink way too much and talk way to smart. I think that I thought that this would be a way to explore the other sides of me. On my "bucket" list is to write a novel or at least publish something. Maybe this way I can work on my creative writing skills. I guess I'm not sure.

Recently, I've been I've been spending a lot of time reading blogs about letter writing. For those who follow me (ha ha), you know that I love to write letters and receive them. This too is a hobby or interest that I have let go because I felt like I didn't have anyone to write to. I'm going to try and change that. The Missive Madame, 375 letters, the Letter Writing Alliance and a letter a day are all good blogs. You should check them out.

So what have I been doing...well I am slowly working on unpacking the never-ending stack of boxes since moving. I am ready to just throw the rest of it away instead of unpacking it. The house has a long list of to-do's, including having the bat guy come out and rid my house of bats. Good thing was that he didn't find any (I had one - that's another story which includes me hiding in the bathroom and calling a friend to come and get rid of it - proud moment). I have curtains either to buy or make. I hoping to find some vintage dish towels to use in cafe style in my back entryway. There is painting to be done, flowers to plant, lots and lots of things. I know that is how it is with every home owner. I'm not complaining. I just wish I had the funds and the time to make some major progress. I guess I've only lived here from 3 months but patience isn't really one of my virtues.

I am in the middle of helping to plan and pull off another city festival. Did I mention that before? I am on the board of directors for our city festival which includes a pageant, parade and food fest. It's very rewarding yet challenging to work with all the personalities involved. Sometimes I wonder why I do it and I am sure my friends, who have to listen to me vent (bless you) wonder the same thing. Then I think, I don't want to miss out on doing something fun that brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. I guess part of it is that I want to be part of something big and we are. We throw one heck of a festival.

I like to think that I'm challenging myself to find more sides of me, to make my life rich and full (even more then now). Maybe even to make new friends, you know who you are. Maybe that's why I write this blog. Hopefully, I'll have time after the festival to figure out how to post some pictures.

Until then, be patient with me and keep stopping by Nelle's Nook. Who knows what I'll say next.

Fleeting moments...

Since moving into my new house, I have had "moments" in which this "house" felt like "home", my home. One time was last week when I was sick in bed all day. I got to see the sun come up an pass over the whole house. Each hour bringing a different glow or shadow to a room.

The very first one was before I bought the house. I was with my realtor and a friend in the basement when another friend arrived and I was running up the stairs and I stopped all of a sudden because a sense of "home" came over me. Like being in my home with my friends coming to visit was a sense of completeness.

Tonight was another one of those feelings. I had come home after a particularly crappy day at work. Finished raking some leaves and decided that it was too nice of a night to just do chores in the house. I wiped off a new lawn chair, got a soda (yes...soda), brought my book outside and sat down. I just looked around my lawn and my house and my garage and my trees and my birds (yes...they are my birds)and breathed. In and out. Out and in. Again I was overcome by a feeling of completeness.

Now I know that as time goes on these won't be fleeting moments anymore. They will just be how I feel all the time. Will it become the norm. Will I not stop and look at everything when I first come home? Will I just go up the walk, start the laundry and look at the bills? I hope not. I hope that while they are fleeting moments, they are the moments that fill me with pride, happiness, and yes completeness. I hope they never go away.

Until later....Nelle's Nook!

PS When I picked my blog name, I had no idea that Nelle's Nook would actually become a real structure and not just a feeling.

Moved In...

Hello out there...

It's official and the papers are signed, the boxes have been packed and some are unpacked...I have purchased my first house. It was a very scary step, but I'm glad I've done it.

What have I learned in this adventure? Well, first and foremost, I learned or should I say I was reminded that I have the most amazing friends in the world. They supported me through the initial process, they moved, they've painted, they've racked my lawn. They have done so many things for me that I'm not sure how I'll ever thank them. The fact that in 24 hours my little house went from drab to fab... No really it did. The previous owners really, REALLY like sponge painting. It was everywhere. Now unfortunately, my camera batteries went dead the minute I started taking "before" pictures so I'll have to figure out a way to get some pictures on here for you to see.

I've spent more money in the last three weeks at the Home Depot then I ever thought that I would. I've really come to love walking around the aisles. Plus they are very show a lot of patience for a girl who doesn't know grass seed from her a...well you get the picture. So any advise you can give me...I appreciate at.

Now I want to wonder off to a totally different topic. April is National Card and Letter Writing month. If you've been reading along, you know that letter writing is a topic that is dear to my heart. So I challenge you to send one letter a week, at least, for the rest of April. It doesn't have to be long or pretty, it should just come from your heart and should brighten the recipient's day. Of course, finding fun, pretty stationery doesn't hurt.

Until next time...Time to close the nook up for the night. Thanks for listening to my ramblings

Randon thoughts

Random #1: So it's roughly two weeks until I move into my house. I'm getting very nervous and scare and excited. I hope to have pictures to show you - before and after. I pray that my friends will help out their inexperienced friend with her house woes.

Random #2: Is watching "Real Housewives" really that bad? I was having drinks and apps with some friends and one thought it was appalling that some of us watched it.

Random #3: How do people who you don't know get listed under the "suggested" friends on Facebook. It's stalker like

Random #4: Will this blog ever be viewed other then the two people who I know are reading...Thank you by the way.

Random #5: Thank God for friends...I'm starting to doubt finding a man that wants to be with me.

Random #6: Why is Coor's lite soooo good. (yes it deserved 4 "O"s)

Random #7: How much crap does a girl and two cats really need?

Random #8: What is it that a cat sees when it stars at a a spot on the wall.

Random #9: I miss when I don't see my church ladies group.

Random #10: How did the Pioneer Women get to where she is.

Well, time for another beer...everyone have a good night

Church ladies and cats

I think that I've talked before about my church lady group. Tonight was our second official meeting and it was poorly attended. I'm hoping that people weren't there because they were glued to the TV to watch the Olympics, however, I still made it...
Anyway, there were four of us there and I was for sure the youngest person in the room. Our bible study question was "When God says no" It was about answered prayers. During our conversation I said I sometimes feel that it seems that God is punishing me for something by not bringing just one good man. Of course we all laughed and I said I know that God doesn't punish us but just brings things to us when we are ready for them. The conversation continued to online dating. I said that I wasn't really into it "wasn't how I rolled". It was then when the oldest woman in the group who is probably 65 said, now this is 13 years ago so there wasn't really online dating but I put an add in the singles section and that's how I met my "P". She launched in the best story I've heard in a long time. She said that by the time she hung up the phone after talking with him for the first time, she turned to her cat Daisy and said "well, Daisy are you ready to become a farm cat?" She knew just after that one conversation that this was going to be the man she was going to marry. Now this was her second marriage but still a love story worthy of being put to paper.
I was struck by two things I thought were incredible, 1) she knew right away that this was a good man...one for a lifetime and 2) she talks to her cats TOO! See I'm not crazy.
So I left there feeling recharged with spirituality, the potential of blooming friendships and the hope that true love can find you at any age.
By the way, it's hard to type with a kitty on your lap.
Until next time...

Elm Creek Quilts

Hello Blogworld

I have a confession to make....I'm lazy. I know there are probably better terms such as overworked. But I'm not one to sugar coat things sometimes and so it's out there...I'm lazy. So instead of packing, cleaning, organizing, paying bills, knitting, quilting, cleaning, packing, I've been reading. What have I been reading that has been so good that I have been neglecting my chores. It's a book series called "Elm Creek Quilts". My sister, who you can visit over at needles threads & crafts has borrowed to me the first six books of this series. I cannot, CANNOT put them down. If you are looking for a good read whether you are a quilter or not, you should pick these up. I'm sure that you can find them at the library. The problem is, I think that I'm missing one. Now these books don't need to be read in order, but I would suggest that. While they do talk about quilting and use some quilt terms, the basic story is about the lives and history of a group of women who support each other. In other words, if you are looking for a good story, you should check these out.
Of course, it does make me want to break out sewing machine and start in but if you reread the first sentence, I have work to do. However, if my sister is reading this, I need to know what book comes after the "Master Quilter". Is it "The Sugar Camp Quilt" or the Christmas one? Help your sister out.
I hope that you are enjoying reading my blog. I don't hear anything from anyone, although I'll admit, I'm a creeper too. I visit blogs without leaving a message. However, I wonder, what happens to my words once I press "publish post". Do they just go away never to be read again. But I guess the point isn't to have them read so much as it is for me to just write them down.
No house news. However, for those of you that are like me, I have my idea binder purchased and the pictures of all this cool to go into it. Isn't that a start at least?
ta ta for now