Saturday, July 17, 2021
The sale of our house finally closed on July 3rd. We are living on the Mays’s land in my sister-in-law’s old house. Cluttered and half-packed, we are making do with only the essentials. Minimalism is unfamiliar to us, but we can’t complain. My favorite thing about living here is the view. This home has large picture windows, but I’m looking forward to hilly Missouri views.
The weather here has been cool for a Texas summer—no triple-digits to report. Rain is predicted for next week.
The Corona Virus is back in the news. Infections are back to March numbers and vaccinations have slowed significantly. There is one case of Monkey Pox in Dallas. The carrier is from Nigeria and this is reported to be the first case in the U.S. since 2003. The CDC says there is no cause for concern.
We finally found a property in Missouri and got our offer accepted. It is a beautiful place set in the rolling Ozark hills. Cabin-style, but not too rustic on the inside—cabin on the front, party on the back, complete with a screened-in porch and hot tub. Its location near Branson was a bonus considering that wasn’t our primary search zone. Our real estate broker calls Branson “Party City for Old Folks” and we hope the vacation hotspot will entice our Texan friends to visit.
Stephanie and Hayden are searching for an apartment in Brownwood, TX, and will live there while they search for a property for their home site. We’re sad they’re moving south and not north. What a difference a few months has made in all of our lives!
Saturday, July 24, 2021
I went to the zoo with friends visiting from out of town yesterday. It was hot. Today was our first 100-degree day in north-central Texas. Everything’s still spring green, which is very unusual for late July. The weather’s been wetter and cooler than normal around here.
The Covid Delta Variant is still spreading across the U.S. and making the news every night.
The fire department issued Ray a hotspot so we are able to access the internet some while we’re living in the farmhouse between moves. We’re still in limbo about when properties will close and if we will need to find temporary housing before we can move into our new home. I try not to worry about it, but it is a concern.
Saturday, July 31, 2021
Texas remains sunny and hot this week, but Monday brings a chance of rain with a slight cool-down of the high nineties temps instead of triple digits for a few days.
The Covid Delta Variant has the medical field concerned as cases continue to rise and hospital beds fill up. Palo Pinto General has visitor restrictions beginning Monday and they reopened a testing site. The media suggests we wear masks but no mandates have been issued. Restaurants and bars remain open and school is scheduled to start in a couple of weeks. At Dollar General, masks have been marked 70% off.
I cannot remember a time in my life when so many businesses struggled to find employees. Nearly every retail door has a now hiring sign on it. A popular restaurant was closed last Sunday due to a shortage of employees. And our Starbucks coffee shop cannot open its dining room for the same reason.