Current Concerns

Right now, plans for the trip to Vermont are solidifying I have contacted two real estate agents in the area we want to move to and let them know when we are going to be up there and the type of houses we want to see. The Girl is going with me so she can can visit family that lives up there during the trip.
Still debating the train vs. bus issue.

The Darlin' Man and I had a l-o-n-g discussion about our *dream house* and things we want and don't want. Turns out, we have some VERY different ideas about home decor. This includes flooring, paint colors, furniture, etc. and so on.
He likes the walls painted white. Plain, boring, bland white. His logic is that EVERYTHING goes with white.
I like color. Lots of color.
I think this is because I grew up in a lot of military housing and the walls were ALWAYS white. UGH!
When my dad retired and my parents built their own house, my mom let us pick the colors for our own rooms. I shared a room with one of my sisters and we picked ....purple! My oldest sister picked an electric semi-neon-but-not-quite blue. My mom picked a color called "Ripe Peach". I'll leave that one to your imaginations, lol! The kitchen was teal green, the bathroom pink and brown and the living room was a cheerful mint green. What a mix!
I don't want to go THAT far. But still, I don't want all white walls, either.
I despise wall to wall carpet. Hardwood floors all the way! The Darling Man says he wants stone/slate/tile on the ground floor.
I tried explaining to him about how this will be in Vermont and it gets COLD there and stone on the floor would be VERY cold and would make it harder to heat. Also, stone weighs more than wood and it may compromise the load bearing floor joists, etc. He grumbled about my obvious logic, so I think I won that round!
Here's my thing...I don't want an uber-modern house/decor. I want a house that looks like what it is supposed to be. If a house was built in 1875, I want it to look like a house was supposed to look like in 1875.ESPECIALLY the kitchen! I want sturdy solid wood cabinets, wood counter-tops and a wood stove.
Darlin' Man wants the cabinets to be "rustic raw wood"...I want to white wash the cabinets so the grain is still visible, but so they have a neater, more finished look.He wants the kitchen to be painted white (of course) and I want it yellow. Not BRIGHT yellow, but a pale, buttery yellow.
Here's the thing...The Girl, my son, the Darlin' Mans son and I will move up there first. So, if all things go well, a few months later the Darlin' Man will move up when his retirement is completed. Hopefully, I will have the kitchen complete by the time he gets up there!
We'll see how it goes.

In the meantime, I have a customer showing up tomorrow to get some milk and butter. I made the butter last night and I'll have plenty of milk. OH! And he wants eggs, too. Fortunately, through this unbearable heat, the hens are still laying! So, I'll have plenty of eggs, too. A lot of my neighbors have chickens and most are complaining that their hens are not laying in this heat. They keep asking why my hens keep laying and laying...
Easy...I refill their water at least 3 times a day. I spray down the chicken coop to cool it down twice a day. I make sure the hens have shade to relax in.

Roy, the animal guy, has collected most of his animals. The ducks, the baby goat, the puppies and most of the roosters are gone. (WHEW!) I have about 20 of his chicks still, but they aren't much trouble.
I moved his chicks on the porch, moved Betty and her chicks to the annex coop. They are doing fine there.
He only has 3 roosters here still and they are little banty types and Pender has already let them know who is the coop boss, so I just let them wander with my chickens.

Time for me to go take a cool shower and lay down in front of a fan...the heat is getting to me.
I am SO looking forward to the trip to cooler climes!