Happiness is . . . .

When I started this blog, it was more as a personal journal for me than anything else.  I had so much happening in my life, I needed to write it down for posterity.  I never dreamed how many dear friends I would make from all over the world, just by penning my daily accomplishments and foibles.

It's been quite some time since I've written here, mainly because I have been so engrossed with my new life.  Anyone who has followed me here knows of the changes I've gone through, and some days, you just don't have the energy to sit down and write.

Well, so here I am.  I said I was looking for a new direction for my life, but I never expected it to be marriage to a wonderful man.  And after returning home from a 10 day vacation, I realize how happy I am to be home.  A year ago I insisted I would never live in this little house in this area just south of Seattle.  Of course, at that time I was looking for all the reasons I could find not to get married again.

Yesterday, the sight of our little piece of heaven was a delight to return to.  Before we even went indoors, we had to take a tour of the yard to see how our gardens had survived our absence.

 

So to catch you up on what we have done since we got married on June 4, 2013, I thought I would show a few before and after pictures.

 

This picture is the living room BEFORE.  Terry had been single for about 6 years, and this is the bachelor pad.  Then I came in and we tried our best to combine his with mine.  We still don't have everything put away, but are making great progress.

 

 

I loved my red couches.  We tried to make them work here, but they just didn't fit.  I got quite emotional about it, but had to admit they were a reflection of my life as an independent woman and a statement of such, so I had to sell them.  Too much clutter drives me insane.

We had a two day yard sale and sold a ton of stuff, especially the big items.

 

 

It's a good thing we have both worked at Farmer's Markets.  We had the tents and tables we needed to pull this off.

Then, two weeks later, we threw a big party for our friends to help celebrate our marriage.  Our dear friend, April, is a personal chef, and she helped us in a big way.  I came up with the menu, she added a few things, and we were off.  I prepared Ruben Spring Rolls, a succotash salad served in small canning jars, a watermelon, basil and feta salad, a molded rice and vege salad, and the biscuits for the pulled pork sliders.  April brined the pork, smoked it for 5 hours, cooked it low and slow overnight, and it was a taste sensation!  She also made salmon skewers, caprese skewers, strawberries with Devonshire cream (oh, to die for) and a wedding cake, the first she has ever done!!!

 

Above is the succotash salad.  Made with fresh corn and beans, it is so delicious.

Terry and I with our wedding cake.

Isn't this cake beautiful?  It's carrot with a cream cheese frosting.

In the back of the picture, you can see the strawberries, then the Ruben Spring Rolls with thousand Island dipping sauce, and in the forefront is my rice salad.

 

Two days later, I started painting the living room.  This treatment on the wall was put there 14 years ago.  It had to go

 

While I started painting, Terry started assembling the greenhouse.

 

And the night before we left on vacation, I made Victorian Plum Conserve.  Our neighbor's plum trees hang over our property, and we get way more than we need from them.  This conserve is just yummy.  I can hardly wait to use it on some chicken or pork.

 

I think I will end this for today.  I might come back and edit, but for now, it is pretty long.  I may have exceeded my picture allotment.  We shall see.

To be continued.

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