Its in the bag!

June 26th

Cassie is suppose to leave tomorrow, and since we are stuck at this apartment in Grahm we haven't been able to do anything.  I look for a dog boarding facility, and find out it will only cost us $30 to board the dogs all day!  Soo is feeling much better and I decide that today we are dog-free and going to do something!!! We first go to Lake Cammak, we thought we might be able to rent bikes and go around on those.  There's nothing there except ramps to launch your own boats.

We snap a picture and then leave to find Lake Mackintosh, which is suppose to have rentals there.  We stop on the way and get some lunch items to take with us, we are told there are not bikes but we can rent boats.  That is better, we are looking forward to being out on the water.  When we get there, we find it is only $15 to rent a kyak - perfect! Neither of us has done that before and we think it is the perfect thing to do together today.

She is laughing because I almost tipped the boat trying to turn around and get her picture

We have a blast tooling around on the lake.  We stop to eat lunch in the boat under a bridge, and drift in the wind. The day is perfect and sunny, not too muggy.  This feels like heaven! Cassie skypes Tom and he gets to see us in kyak on the lake.  We all laugh at that - is that really right, to skype from remote nature?

Just as we are pulling back to shore, my phone rings and it is Norma.  We have the house! She wants to know if we can make it to the lawyers office to sign papers by 4:00.  What a relief, and just as we started to have fun.  Immediately we start thinking of all that is going to need to be done, and that Cassie is suppose to fly back home tomorrow.  I can't even believe we sat together in that apartment for two weeks and now she is leaving just when I get the house.  Last week we had gone over to the house to get an estimate for fencing, and met our new neighbors.  Jan who lives right next door was so excited to meet us, and had come running over when she saw us there.  We got to talking with her and discovered she is a  Christian, and that made us all cry.  She has been praying for two years that God would bring her good neighbors to this house.  Cassie said she felt she could leave then, knowing I would have Jan. They hugged each other and cried.  Then Jan invited us over for dinner, and we are suppose to go there tonight.  Jan is having over all the neighbors to meet us, and a few folks from her church as well.  Cassie and I just can't believe that when we go over there tonight, the house will be ours!! 

David calls, and is super excited about the house closing.  He asks if I want him to come pick me up and we can meet Chris there.  Cassie and I rush home so I can get showered.  It feels surreal when we arrive and start signing all the documents.  Can this really be happening???

We are late getting to Jan's for dinner because of the signing, but when we get there we are able to tell her that we are officially neighbor's now.  She is thrilled! We get to meet her husband Rocky and neighbor's across the street, Lolene (87), Peggy (78) and Karen and Hendel - who have a special needs son who is 24 and in a wheel chair.  There are also friends from Jan & Rocky's church, and we all have a great time. Chris and I are so annoying, watching after the dogs in the yard, trying to keep them from getting out or getting into things they shouldn't.  People probably think we are nutz!!  The whole group of people want to go tour our house, so we take them all over and show them around.  Karen and Jan had been helping David with suggestions for renovations, so they tell us what all their input had been.  

What a day!  That night at the apartment in Grahm, I ask Cassie if she would consider staying with me until Friday, and she agrees.  I know Tom is disappointed, but I really need her help.  I know she hates the thought of leaving right now too.  I am so grateful we don't have to say goodbye yet.