Big Changes

As you know my wife left Easter Monday. Our divorce was final October 10th. The terms are agreeable to both.
I have over worked myself here on my 5 acre hobby farm since my surgery 8 years ago. The farm work was my physical therapy. I recovered as well as I could. Since the Mayo surgery, my limited eye sight prohibits me from having a driver's license. County bus service is sporadic at best. I have visitation of my grandaugther Nessie every other Tues- Wed- Thursday in summer and every third weekend during the school year. My family is very gracious making sure Nessie was delivered and picked up for every viist.  My family, Ness and close cousins all live 40 miles west of here in and near Fergus Falls.
I had a couple health scares. I fainted and banged the back of my head hard. Was unconscious and rushed to the ER.  Recently I bent over to pick up a pail, and not seeing the steel T post in the fence row, received a full force blow to my right eye.......my only eye that I have some vision. Most of the impact was the bone around the eye socket.  My sight was like when I first went blind 8 years ago, blurred and lights looked like stars. 
I tried to see my eye in the mirror with my strong reading glasses........I couldn't see it,
I called my mother, She came from Fergus and we went to the ER. ER  Doctor put in eye contrast, it revealed an abrasion on my cornea-- the white part of the eye..pupil was OK. Vision should return in 24 hours. I was prescibed an antibiotic eye drop to ward off infection. ER doctor advised me to see an Eye doctor in the morning. Mom stayed overnight, next morning we went to an Eye doctor.  He confirmed the diagnosis. My vision returned in 48 hours, OK now that was scary.  I need the sight I have to live alone  On Monday I have a follow up eye appt. to confirm all is well.

Three weeks ago I sold my beloved Shetland flock.....the entire flock to a great couple from Fargo. They have sheep experience and wanted a smaller sheep. It was an easy sell as all my ewes eat cookies out of my hand..tough day for me.  I sold my extra hay and chickens.With all my family in Fergus, I decided to sell my farm to my daughter Jess and her husdand Dave and move to Fergus Falls. They were thrilled to buy dad's farm. I feel like all my hard work is appreciated by Jess and Dave- meant to be.
After selling their house........Dave went to Afghanistan- They have lived in their apartment 2 years. Their 2 dogs  Abby a Husky and Tonka a Rottweiler/Mastiff have been living with friends 15 miles from town.  So they are getting their 'family' back.

I found a nice 2 bedroom home on the edge of Fergus. Big eat in kitchen open to the living room, main floor laundry.....no reason to go down the staris to the basement... Set back off a quiet street with a private back yard. Close to family. It has a small  garden shed/barn  in the yard. Fergus Falls allows rabbits, hens- no roosters. So it will house 6 silkie hens and a pair of Lilac Angora rabbits. I could say they are for Nessie and they are...but they are for me too.  With Jess' permisison- she said "Dad take whatever flowers and shrubs you want"......I moved this year's purchases of new variety day lilies, iris and shrubs to a fenced in nursery row and will transplant them next Spring to my new home.  My white fence is not Jess and Dave's thing so I will move it and fence in my backyard.

I am putting all my furnture and boxes in the first living room by Thursday Nov 3,  Sorting for our rummage sale in Spring  now stored in mom's garage, stuff to take, and stuff to throw.  I close on my house Friday Nov 4th and move in Nov 6th. Family is going to help paint a couple rooms before the move--all freshly painted but I want different colors in my living room and bedroom.. I told my daughter she could start moving in......so as I am packing up she is bringing in her boxes.  I reserved a small U Haul truck. Jess and Dave will pick it up Saturday and move in here. On Sunday they will help me move out and drive the U haul to Fergus. They will drive it back here and return it.  Hopefully our fall weather will hold for 2 weeks yet. Get everyone moved before winter hits.

This is a good move. This big house was my ex wife's idea. Two living rooms, 2 baths, separate computer room 3 big bedrooms..much too big for just me. I really love my smaller Fergus house. Built in 1953 it is solid well built-- back when lumber was full dimension and siding was cedar. New shingles, exterior and interior paint, new rain gutters, facsia and soffit, new plumbing, hot water heater and  furnace.

A nice level back yard just begging for my perennials and shrubs.  I am happy.  I live alone but I am not lonely. Inner peace and all that. "Jerry, party of one"    Yes and I am having way too much fun!
Jerry