This Week...

For the week ending Sunday, July 20 ~

Monday: Two acquisition specialists employed with the home investment company that is under contract to purchase my home came by for their walk-thru cosmetic inspection of my NC house. They were super nice, insisted we stay, and spent less than twenty minutes walking through the house and yard. I know he took a picture of my great room fireplace and presumably other areas in the home and possibly measurements.

I forwarded the home inspection, termite inspection, and well-water analysis reports to the lender in Georgia.

I'm still not 100% sure that everything is a done, done, sign on the dotted line, here's the deed, done deal. But...we are supposed to close on the farm in Georgia in about 17 days.

Tuesday: The kids and I have all had our annual check-ups and doctor visits and dental visits and

prescriptions refilled for the next year. Barring any unforeseen incidents, I should not have to deal with finding new doctors until we're good and settled down south. Jeez the waiting to hear is soooo tough! I finally called my sister-in-law and my brother today to tell them the news! I haven't seen them in more than a year, but need to before we go and have so made my first major "announcement" about the move and yes, we have plans for dinner next week.

Pickin' lots of cucumbers and the first squash of the season today! Still using our onions and garlic and harvesting herbs, green beans, and dry beans. The mator plants are full of heavy, green tomatoes! I will harvest all the leeks, carrots, beans, potatoes, radish seeds, and herbs before we go. I'm taking cuttings of herbs and geraniums and jasmine. I hope my potted aloes and cacti survive the trip (well first I hope they make the cut to get on the truck!). A good solid downpour Tuesday night means I don't need to water early Wednesday morning!

• Side note to self: I need to service my car, change the oil, check tires, etc. before the 300-mile road trip.

Still not ready to make any major public announcements about this deal yet...but, we are scheduled to close in 16 more days. (Heart pounding.)

Wednesday: Emails and calls with my Georgia team (my wonderful superwoman Realtor and the mortgage broker and underwriter) began early this morning to tie up all loose ends and ensure everyone is on task to close July 31. My on-the-ball Realtor in Georgia took and submitted the second well-water analysis sample today. My North Carolina Realtor contacted my buyer's agent letting them know I'd like to close as early as possible on July 31. Back in June that agent had indicated that closing on July 31 should be no problem.

I was so pleased to have a planned visit from a dear friend of mine I haven't gotten to hang out with in awhile today! Alicia and her youngest daughter came for a farewell visit this afternoon and we had a wonderful afternoon talking, showing her pictures of the tentative new house, talking about our gardens and kids and church and work. Don't you adore those people in our lives with whom you can always pick up right where you left off, even though you can't spend as much time with another as you once did?

For dinner I made a chili / soup that only included tomatoes and ground beef (and salt & pepper) that didn't come from our garden. The herbs, potato, green beans, carrots, onions, garlic, and hot pepper came from right here in our backyard! If the tomatoes were red, I could've used ours in the soup. Another few days and those big beefsteaks will start turning!

Spent the evening packing up the arts & crafts / game armoire, the china cabinet, and the infrequently used kitchen items. Is this really going to happen? I'd hate to unpack these boxes without taking them to a new place. Check it out - I have updated my Planting Schedule post with my tentative Georgia fall/winter 2014 plan! T-minus 15 days and counting....(stomach does a couple little flip-flops)...

Thursday: This morning  my NC realtor emailed me that my buyer's have ordered the title and that the closing attorney should be in touch ASAP to schedule closing. I'm still holding my breath, but I do believe ladies and gentlemen, that I have sold my house!!! I called my Chief Farmhand, my mom, my sister, and my Georgia Realtor right away. The sign in the yard now shows that the sale is pending! Let the packing continue! Closing is planned for 14 days from today...!

Friday: Well the sign changed my house's status before I got to tell my next door neighbors! But I did get to chat with them this morning about it and they were excited for us and a little sad at the same time. Although the younger son next door did ask if this meant he could have our tomatoes! lol My four-year-old son asked me if the neighbors can come with us.

My daughter and I created four (beautiful, aromatic, and delicious) loaves of farm bread today. I cut back 2/3 of the German thyme plant in the herb garden,we de-stemmed it, and laid out the herb leaves in the dehydrator for drying. We picked more cucumbers and green beans, made more fridge pickles, and sauteed garden onions, garlic, squash, and green beans with fresh herbs for a dinner side dish.

Will the next 13 days go by fast or drag out slowly and dramatically? Let's pray for the first option! :)

Saturday: Packing, packing, and more packing! We ate some super delectable fried green tomatoes (I even fried a couple green beans) from the garden served with my own version of a creamy rémoulade sauce. {Note to self: Must grown my own horseradish!}We ate these with turkey burgers, fresh cucumbers, and pickled beets. The fried green beans were awesome and I will definitely do those on a a larger scale next time. I cut back and began drying Greek Oregano, next is the hot & spicy oregano plant. Tomorrow's forecast? More packing! :) Twelve days and counting until proposed / tentative closings and only 11 more days until we pick up the truck.

Sunday: Yep, more packing!