Well, hello old friend!

For anyone still out there, hello!  We hope that you're all healthy and happy.

I know we've been a long time away from the old blog.  I'm not sure why, really.  I enjoyed keeping it updated.  But, then, I just stopped.  Odd...

Man, so much has gone on around here since our last updates.  We've all but finished our main living space.  We did a full tear out and remodel of our kitchen, and replaced the flooring throughout the entire house.  We've redone the living room, including a complete reworking of the base and surround for the wood stove.  With both of these projects, we tackled things we hadn't done previously.

Outdoors at the homestead, we've finally rid ourselves of the last vestige of the previous owner.  There was a large, ramshackle chicken coop that was one serious eyesore.  We tore that sucker down, and filled a large dumpster and then some.  Now THAT felt good...getting that one final thing gone.

This being the year of the 'rona and the staying at home, we explored a new hobby.  We've taken up beekeeping.  We have two hives, and had what we think is a phenomenal first season.  In our first season, we managed to harvest 56.9 pounds of honey, while still leaving the bees in great shape for getting through a tough northern Michigan winter.  We've learned a ton, and have a ton and then some yet to learn.  Fortunately, the bees are very good teachers.

We added a second deer blind at the far rear of our property, which will allow friends and family to come up and hunt on the property.  We're very proud of the fact that we're now at eight years of having purchased no beef.  We've been living solely on the venison taken from our property, and we love to share that same opportunity with friends and family.

We're beginning to plan for our retirement, which is now within about 5-7 years.  We want to be able to see some of this amazing country we live in.  We took the leap, and bought a class C motorhome, which we'll be taking delivery on sometime later this month.  We're buying it now with the intention of having it paid off by the time we pull the pin on retirement.

We've certainly seen some losses since we last blogged here, with family members leaving us broken hearted and hurting.  But, we go on, and we let them remind us that our time here is limited and wonderful, and that we should be stockpiling as many good deeds and good memories as possible before we also move on.

We also saw the loss of a deer family pet.  We said goodbye to dear old Peanut about a year ago.  She was old pit mix mutt, and was nearly 15 when we said goodbye to her.  It's taken us this past year to grieve and then want to get another dog.  Just last month we added Bailey to our family, a cattle dog/pit mix rescue mutt.  Aside from some separation anxiety issues we're working through with him, he's fitting right in.

By and large, our lives are pretty damn good.  We're mostly healthy and remaining very active.  We have good, close friends who we get together with whenever possible.  We both have jobs that we value, and that bring us satisfaction.  We've set goals for ourselves and have been able to attain them, and have set new ones to work toward.  We're still very much in love, and still each other's best friend.  Long story short... life is very good, indeed.

I don't know how much I'll come back here to the old blog, but coming back with an update now just felt right somehow.  We'll see what the future holds...