It’s early, 2:30 am, I just returned from taking the dogs for a brief morning jaunt. There is a slight layer of frost on the ground. I am sitting here, sipping on a fresh cup of coffee with a splash of almond milk. An excellent way to start a new day. The house at Hidden Valley Rd in Charlestown, NH sale’s closing papers should be signed today at 930 am.
For the first time in twenty-one years, I will no longer own a house. Bittersweet. I loved having a place called my own, yet with home ownership came great responsibilities. Many pros, cons, the best part?  I will cherish and carry the memories in my mind and heart of all those years, raising two children, friends visiting, laughter, even some of the tears. All a glorious chapter in my life.
Today, is the official beginning of my next chapter.
Now?
Me? I am sitting, on my bed, in Statesville, NC. My interim home, a real estate house that belongs to my new landlord. I have been here since December 8th.  Almost everything is still packed into boxes.
My, new apartment, should be ready within the next two weeks. It has gorgeously, original, re-discovered hardwood floors.  Perfect for sock sliding!  My dogs and I will have the whole upper level of an older home, with more square footage than I had in the upstairs at my house in NH. All revamped into a new apartment. Fresh paint, cupboards, pantry and a whole lot of closet space! 
I will call on my daughter’s keen sense of decorator style to assure my two-bedroom, 1 bath emits the warm country charm, I envision for my new home. Sure thing, you can take the girl out of the country but…. Well you know the saying.

Yesterday, was the perfect 59 degrees, sweatshirt weather, is what I like to call it. The skies were a vibrant blue with stark white clouds scattered throughout. A gentle breeze blew all day. 
According to my I-phone’s weather app, today will be sunny with a bit colder temps, high expected to be 48 degrees. NOT, the same weather as I was experiencing in southern New England, December 2017. 
Good ol’ Facebook, popped up last year’s memories, showing the land, trees and cars covered in 6 plus inches of fresh snow. Also, the click of the 7” ice curl hanging over the back deck, off my green metal roof.
One thing that, I shall NOT miss. Shoveling off that back deck! Often, lying in bed, in the middle of the night, you could hear a deep rumble, then silence, then another longer rumble, as the snow began to slide. Then a even louder, deeper rumble paired with a THUNK, BETHUNK-THUNK as the roof’s snow cover fell at the front and back of the house! Often, if the slide went fast, the whole house shook as the avalanche hit the sturdy back deck. Scared me fully awake the first time I heard it. More storms and winters came along, it continued to alert the dogs, but for me, it became the norm.  The plus side? No climbing up a ladder onto the roof, to clear all that snow away! 
 I will however, long for the view out my kitchen window at my tall green pines and country woods, covered in sparling white crystals. My own private view of winter’s magical wonderland. 
