May 21, 2012

We have had a very busy five months.  Our last update was in March and we haven't had time to update our blog until now.  Lots has happened since then, and many of you who we are in regular touch with, most of this will not be news.  But for the rest here is a brief update.

Getting settled into our new house in The Villages, we were looking forward to a trip to Mexico to visit Bob's cousin Bill & Brenda Walton when we got the dreaded call from Wisconsin being told daughter Amy is in ICU.

We cancelled our trip and flew back to Wisconsin greeted by numerous medical specialists telling us there was no hope and life support needed to be removed in order to honor her wish for organ donation.  After discussion with doctors and family members the decision was made, and after 14 hours without life support Amy passed on March 14th.  It was a very dramatic event.  Support from family and friends got us through the memorial service.  Received horrible news that Amy's second cousin David also passed and he was planning on coming for Amy's funeral.  Sometimes life just isn't fair.

All this occurred just prior to the sale of our Killdeer house scheduled to close on 4/25 with and estate sale for items not moving south scheduled for 4/19-21.  In between, 4/16th, the mover was in for items going south, which turned out to be a lot more "stuff" then we planned.  Got the truck loaded and agreed to meet in Florida on 4/29.  During the estate sale, with hundreds of people coming through our sale, we had a sump pump fail and flood an inch of water through out the basement.  Ouch!!  A quick response from Service Master corrected the situation, but not until a $10,000 insurance claim settled with $3,000 for remediation and $7,000 for redo work.  Obviously our buyers were concerned as well and the deal almost fell thru, but they accepted the insurance settlement and we closed on 4/25, but what an experience.  We are glad it is behind us.

We got back to Florida to receive our moving van on 4/28.  Overwhelmed with the amount of stuff we brought.  Four days later most unpacked and found a place for.  Since then have still been shopping to complete the furnishing of our new house.  We have since added some solar tube lights, solar attic fan, a bird cage to our Lani, and tiled the unfinished portion of the Lani.  All is well now and things are starting to look up.

Our plans continue to head north for the summer in our motor home, planning on departing The Villages on Saturday 5/26.  We will be in Waupaca for June, then to Door County for July and August.

In spite of all that has gone on in our life, we do love The Villages and our new home.  We have met several of our neighbors and enjoy all the activities offered by The Villages.  It is truly a fun place to live and retire to.  Please keep in touch with our e- or cell.