Bye 2024, Hello 2025!!

 Whew!

What a year!!!

We started the year off purchasing a new

little house in WaKeeney, KS.

In March Kyle made a trip out there and ripped up

all the carpet and discovered HARD WOOD floors!

He also repainted the kitchen!

It WAS the ugly "boy scout camp beige" you can see

 in the next room to the right...

(And on the cabinet above the fridge... ugh!)

While he was there he got to experience his first Kansas snow!

And made a traditional snowman!

Meanwhile, back in Florida we put carpet in my office.

And put the house on the market.

Which meant open houses EVERY WEEKEND.

April saw another trip to WaKeeney, this time with me driving

Rod's F250 and pulling this UHaul trailer.

The trip was not without its challenges...

While there we sanded and refinished all the floors!

Once we got back to Florida, there were the obligatory beach

trips with the red toes in the sand pictures...

Another milestone was when Kyle sold his mulcher head.

It made him a good living for several years...

We took our final walks through the woods

near our house.

And then our FINAL trip to Kansas!

We were gratified to see GREEN GRASS as tall as the truck

since when we first saw the property it was at the end

of a horrible drought and everything was scorched earth.

It was skimpy, but we got moved in.

Kyle was happy to see his house still standing

and ready for more work...

We got a new (FREE) roof on the little house and garage.

Kyle built a fence to keep Beau in the yard.

And we started gardening.

The living room progressed to two nice chairs.

And the farm garden started producing!!!

(We were SO nervous...)

We started attending the WaKeeney Farmer's Market.

Our first table was kind of slim pickin's... but we were

happy to have ANYTHING to bring to market.

The AC died on the HOTTEST day of the year. (107)

Beau was not impressed.

We got a new realtor and .... UNDER CONTRACT!!!

I got the freeze dryer out of storage and fired that baby UP!

Rod RETIRED!!!!

His very last day at the airport, a flight instructor was

also celebrating his last day so took him for a spin over our farm.

My market table started to expand...

And then there were THREE comfy chairs!

We discovered people LOVED freeze dried stuff, so I tried

to bring something "new" every week to the market.

The guys built a privacy fence and dog yard for the big girls.

Kyle continued making progress on his house.

And then we switched focus to our house.

Got the foundation dug!

(With the help of his new excavator!!!)

I took a quick trip to Tucson to celebrate Mom's 89th Birthday!

It was so good to spend time with family!

And then right back to the farm.

We got a POWER POLE!

(Actually, two, one at Kyle's house as well!)

In November Jim came for a quick visit!

And took a turn in the new machine.

Then came the concrete for the crawlspace.

WHEW! That was a LONG day...

Just before Thanksgiving we got our first snow!

(And a peak of the new chicken coop still under construction...)

We switched focus back to Kyle's house.

Rented a scissor lift to finish the siding and

get the roof shingles on.

And another trip (of MANY) to Home Depot

to pick up all the cabinets for the kitchen and bathroom.

And then it was CHRISTMAS!

And the year was OVER!

Here's to another GREAT YEAR!

Welcome 2025!