It’s a little cliche but holds some truth.  Sometimes you need to take a look at where you started to move forward.  Think about it; you are cleaning out a closet, get a little sidetracked, and have to go back to where you started to finish the project.  Life is an ongoing project of You.

Just over a year ago, I took a little road trip.  The anniversary of the date I met Gerry, my late husband, was approaching, and I thought, “What better way to kickstart the next chapter of my journey.”  I hope you enjoy my little trip down memory lane.  It’s taken a bit to write this — a year actually.

May 1 — 29 years ago.

I had no idea when my friend, Janet, picked me up in Fargo for a weekend road trip that I was in for the adventure of a lifetime!

Let the adventure begin! Andy’s Body Shop, Napoleon, ND.  A crazy great group of friends painting a 1950’s milkwagon van red.  Nicknamed Nootz, the vehicle was up for all kinds of adventures!  Carpeted walls and whatnot!!

 

 

    

 

Over the next 25+ years, this group of friends has remained the same, only to grow stronger as wives and families were added.  Napoleon would become one of the places I would call “Home.”  First photo is where Janet lived in Napoleon, apartments above the Post Office.  The second photo is the back of The Downtowner – many memories there along with Johns Corner Bar and The Blue Parrot.  In the early years, we would spend almost every weekend in Napoleon.

I moved to Bismarck in October 1992; we shared a 2 bedroom mobile home in Mr. B’s for a few months with several roommates while we looked for our own place. That home is no longer there so no photo opp.  ;(  We did buy a house in Lincoln that had been renovated and that would become our home for the next 17 years.

We didn’t have that huge shop in the back but we did plant those trees. ☺️  This is where we would raise our daughter.  We had the best neighbors!  Brooke loved to talk to Wally out her bedroom window while he would work in his garage next door.  She would also say “Goodnight Wally!”  Across the street was a family with kids around Brooke’s age.  Life-long friends they will be.  Several of Gerry’s classmates also lived in Lincoln.  Our kids were raised by a village of good friends with more kids than adults!!

We moved into Bismarck in April 2010.  I thought I had found our new to us long time home.  I loved all the character and couldn’t wait to make it mine!  I started renovations approximately 30 minutes after closing.  We hosted Junior Prom Dinner the next weekend.  Imperial Flooring totally rocked the first of many projects in that home.  May have to write a post about all of the reno’s and show the before and afters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gerry called me one day and said  — “I think we should sell the Augsburg house.”  Really I shouldn’t have been surprised and probably should have been glad that he hadn’t already done so!  He had a habit of buying and selling things and I would be the last to know!  He once took me camping, handed me a beer, and said: “Hey – thought I would let you know – we bought a business today.”  Wade Vogel still laughs at that one!!  I got a new home in AZ the same way!!  Only I got to go down and design it.  So there were upsides too! 😂

We had bought a lot in Whispering Bay – had always been a goal to have waterfront property.  The timing was right for us to sell and consider building on that beautiful lot.  We sold Augsburg and moved into a condo in Lakewood.

Imagine downsizing from almost 5000 sq ft to 1600 sq ft!

We then started dreaming and designing the biggest project that we would ever tackle together from this deck.

 

 

If this deck could talk — there were tears, reassurances, and lots of laughs!  Lots of dreams too.  We were designing our forever home.  He was worried about the budget and I was worried about the design, the style, the build, the everything – he held the checkbook but I was responsible for everything else!  He would say — it better look good.  I’ll save some of those details for another post!  It was such an adventure – Gerry couldn’t visualize anything!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still live in our forever home.  I feel comfortable here.  I enjoy a cup of coffee looking out my patio doors, working in my home office, slowly making small changes to make it mine and mine alone.  I’ve changed out some of the furniture, added more decor…think he knows I had one of his best buds put holes in the walls to hang decor??  I’ve learned how to fix the garbage disposal, deter mice, the furnace system still has me a little perplexed, the dock gave a little trouble but I’ve learned so much.  Sometimes it’s just asking a lot of questions to find the answers or the right person for the job.

That road trip last spring was so good for me.  It reminded me of how far we had come and that I could do the same.  Determination, hard work, learning from mistakes along the way, great friends & colleagues are all part of the journey.   I am still very much a work in progress and I have my days that just do not go the way they should.  Time is moving forward and there’s no stopping it.  I have said many times over “I am going to give this life journey my best and enjoy life to its fullest!”  I mean it.  This house that I live in was a goal.  One of many.  I now have my own goals.  They are in writing and they are both far-fetched and attainable.  Stay Tuned!  Life is Good!  #BigGoals2021!!

Live Life Fully

Love

Be Kind

🧡❤️

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My Home! Photos taken Fall of 2020