Did you ever?

Well I didn’t really get a hobby, though I did start painting PYOs more. I’ve sold a few of my Birthstone Ki-Rins on ebay (need to relist Emerald and put Alexandrite up for the first time, along with some other things). I did start getting out with friends and their children more so Gavin and I weren’t cooped up in the house too much.

R&R was bittersweet. His dad wasn’t doing well at that time (but he’s much better now…almost normal) and it was the first visit home after Sam-dog died. We just tried to take everything easy and enjoy what we could. I’m so grateful my parents live as close as they do to the “Gateway” airport he flew out of. They let us spend the night at their house the night before and then drove us all to the airport. We stayed until just before he boarded the plane. If we had to take him to the local airport to then catch a connecting flight to the “Gateway” we would have missed out on about 6 hours together. Even though we were in the airport I’ll treasure that time.

We aren’t planning on making it a career. Hubby’s eight year contract is coming to an end so he will ETS out and get a job in the civilian world. He’s a lucky one that can take his job outside and get paid MUCH better (at least 2x what the Army pays him). He’s been applying for jobs steadily since March, but since it’s still a little ways off for him coming home, he’s not getting a lot of bites. We’re trying to squirell away all the extra cash that we can now so we have it in case things don’t work out right away.

Hubby really wants to get closer to family so he’s been applying for jobs in the Florida panhandle. That would be nice because then his mom and brother would be less than an hour away and his dad and my parents would be about 4 hours away vs. the 4 hours for his dad, 6+ hours for my parents and 12+ hours for his mom and brother.

We’ve even been having a realtor in the area send us listings of houses for sale so we can get an idea of what the market is like. It will be nice to be in a place that is all ours, and not something we are renting. We’re hoping for a 3 or 4 bedroom with 2+ baths, 2-car garage and nice yard for the kiddo to play in.

I think it’s depressed in a lot of areas. Unfortunately we can’t buy just yet. We want to know for sure that he’s got a job before we make a committment on a house. Would hate to go and buy one only to have to sell it immediately to move to a different area of the country. Everything is in a holding pattern until he gets home, then everything will be happening fast and furious.

You’re talking about SPORTS hobbies, right? Hummmm… I don’t know about that. The only sports I practice are long-distance walking and swimming. Because my main hobbies are sitting activities (no wonder I’m so blubby).
Since you’re in Florida, have you considered collecting shells? You know, picking dead, dry shells and go to the library to discover what molluscs they come from?
Or, if you’re curious, you could study the local flora of your region. I’ve been doing this in my own region for four years, now (I’m starting to know every single species by heart). You could discover a lot by yourself.
What about photographing? You could photograph the sea, sunsets, trees, people… I don’t know. But photography requires as well as a curious mind as an active body.
That’s what comes to my mind, right now. What do you think? 🙄

I spent a lot of time sitting and waiting when the kids were younger and couldn’t drive. Karate and math tutor, too far to drop and drive home so I sat and waited. I used the time to work on learning to crochet.
Got one afghan done 😆 Now they both drive and I’m stuck home. I’d like to learn to Quilt when I have some time.

Green **Grey