First of all, thanks for all the great comments and suggestions on Wednesday’s post. I’m so excited, I want to move right away. However, this is more like a five-year plan (sigh). Lots of people suggested Greenville, SC. Other suggestions were Louisville, Albuquerque, and Prescott, AZ- to name a few.
After Birchie wrote about her trip to West Virginia, I was mildly interested in that state. It looks SO BEAUTIFUL, plus it has the lowest cost of living in the country. But guess what- I googled “how many sunny days in West Virginia per year?” and the answer was…60. EGADS. Cross West Virginia off the list immediately.
Lisa suggested Knoxville, TN and I’m very, very intrigued. I’m looking into it.. and perhaps a trip to Knoxville this summer? We’ll see.
In the meantime, here I am, living my life in Florida. And there are plenty of things to look forward to this weekend, like…
COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS STARTING!!! I’m going to make something semi-festive for dinner, and hoping to find some of this delicious non-alcoholic beer I had at my sister’s:
I also got some great books (well, great-sounding, at least) on my day off this week:
I found The Sparrow at a used bookstore for $3, and the other two I got from the library. Has anyone read these? Which one should I start first?
The third thing I’m looking forward to this weekend is… getting some sleep. As I mentioned in my last post, Muffin has been waking us up multiple times a night. This is… not really working for any of us. Until we can get that third cat (which I’m sure will solve all our problems… ha ha… well at least it couldn’t get any worse) we’re stumbling around like zombies. Muffin will probably still meow loudly, but at least I don’t have to get up at 5:30 for a couple days.
What are you looking forward to this weekend?
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30 Responses
change brings excitement right? even if it’s 5 years away.
this weekend I want to watch a TV series that were recommended by a colleague friend called nada, and we are trying our first BBQ in brasilia.
Yes, and I’m having fun thinking about all the different possibilities… I enjoy planning and researching these things!
Have fun… your weekend sounds nice.
Death of the Author is a really interesting novel.
Yes, it sounds interesting and I heard some great reviews!
Now that you have all these suggestions of places to move, it probably feels more real! But you can do research and even take trips to some of these cities in the meantime to keep up the excitement until it’s time to make the big move.
I’m still gonna have to wake up early on Saturday because we are under a heat advisory for the millionth time this summer, and I’m planning to go up to the mountains to escape the worst of the heat so it’s an hour drive each way. But hopefully Sunday I can sleep in later!
Yes- you can’t sleep and do a long run this time of year, unfortunately. Btw Prescott is on my list of cities that I’m definitely looking into!
Yay! I know Prescott is pretty far away from where you are now, but I really think it checks most of the boxes you’re looking for. And I forgot to mention that there’s lots of lakes in the area — not quite the same as the Florida beaches but there is some water!
I hope you can get some sleep this weekend! I had a terrible sleep earlier this week and I was a complete zombie. Like, how did I even function when I had small children?
Yes, we need our sleep! Things were going so well for most of the summer, and I felt so good. Ah well- we’ll get this situation resolved soon, I hope.
This weekend might be tough. We’re all getting home today from vacation/work trips and there will be laundry and unpacking and we left the house right after having company and my daughter has to leave for camp on Sunday and my son has back-to-back soccer games on Sunday. So I’m kinda dreading this weekend, TBH. BUT, I bet it will end up being wonderful and I just need to head in with a good attitude.
Because we were at the lake most of the week, I think I’ll let the kids veg out on screens quite a bit. And I have some books I’m really excited to read, so I might spend some time reading outside in my hammock. Okay, now I’m getting excited!
I haven’t read any of those books, so I’ll look forward to your update.
Yes- let the kids have their screens, and you get some reading time in! No need to feel guilty- they just spent a week in nature.
It’s fun to have a list of fun places to check out for a future destination!! I hope a place strikes you as the right place!
We head home tomorrow and I will get to wake up on Sunday and leave for my long run whenever I feel like it (no kids!!!!). It’s been a really great week at my parents.
Well, I hope the weather cooperates and you have a great run! You have a fun week coming up.
I’m sure we’ll hit on the “right” place, eventually. Right now there are a LOT of choices.
OK, WV is off the list as far as moving there goes, but it sounds like you might end up moving closer to it, so if that happens we’ll meet up and go hiking at New River Gorge. I can’t wait to get back there! Also is KY a contender? It was sure a lot warmer than Ohio when I went there this spring.
Doggo sleeps very well 9 nights out of 10, but she has her moments. If there are any security breaches, such as one of the boys moving around in the night, she will start barking. There was one night this week where she needed go out TWICE in the middle of the night, which almost never happens anymore. I got her the first time, and Hubs got her for the second round. When she needs to go out, she’ll start by making her “tea kettle” noise, and if that doesn’t work she’ll make noise by throwing one of her toys around. If necessary she’ll hop on the bed and nudge us until we wake up.
KY is definitely a possibility! You’re right, it seems like I’ll end up closer to WV- in which case we will definitely meet up to hike!!!
Ha ha… Doggo isn’t very subtle, but I mean if you have to go…
I’ve read Death of the Author (not as good as Binti) and The Sparrow (good, but Speaker for the Dead did it better). I think you’ll like them!
I think you should reconsider the Midwest as a retirement option. The coolest people live in the Midwest! Okay, I do get the sun thing, of course. I would say that Minneapolis does have a lot of sunny days even if it does get super cold. And Minneapolis is the best city. (Fine. I know you won’t come here, but the Midwest rulezzzzz!)
We have IRL book club this weekend and we haven’t met in a couple of months and I can’t wait to see all the people and discuss all the books!
Okay, we’ll compare notes once I read these books.
I agree- the Midwest has the coolest people (remember, that’s where I’m from!) Maybe I’m a wimp, but I know I can’t take the weather.
Just finished the Borrowed life of Frederick Fife – loved it (even though I cried through the end.)
Have read of those you mentioned.
I have two cats and they rarely sleep though the night. I think I need to go to sleep earlier but that’s my only reading time.
I’ve never heard of that book! The title in interesting though.
I definitely need to go to sleep earlier- but I stay up too late reading as well.
Beginning a whole new chapter anywhere you like is so cool, Jenny–I kept thinking it made your life feel like a “choose your own adventure” book! Knoxville, TN (which Lisa mentioned) is a thumbs up from me as well. I couldn’t remember the name when I put Louisville and Greenville on the list…
Looking forward to some social stuff and then getting ready for the new semester this weekend.
I appreciate all the suggestions! I can’t wait to take a trip and check out some of these places.
I hope you enjoy your weekend!
I haven’t read any of these books, but my husband read and really enjoyed The Sparrow.
I’ve heard a lot of great things about The Sparrow- I’m looking forward to it.
A stack of books is a wonderful thing to look forward to!
I’m looking forward to taking the kids to a KPop Demon Hunters singalong this weekend. They don’t know yet that we’re going… I love surprising them with fun things!
Oh, that sounds fun! They will be thrilled.
We have 187 sunny days! Which is… below average **whomp whomp**
Well, at least you’re doing better than West Virginia!
Albuquerque is so gorgeous but I don’t know if I’m a west coast/earthquake kind of person.
I’m curious to see what you turn up in your hunt!
But yay for Fridays and the weekend!
Jenn, I feel like we should talk! I’m curious to know where you’re looking to move, as well.
I looked it up – Charlotte, NC, has 215 days of sunshine per year, which is just a little below Florida. So that’s still an option! I would definitely struggle in a place with not enough days of sunshine, especially if I had to deal with a more extreme winter!
My weekend has been excellent! It’s been SUPER rainy here all weekend long, which is unusual. We haven’t seen the sun for a few days! I’ve been enjoying it, although I wish I could have spent more of the weekend inside and not driving around in the pouring rain! Ack.