Another week of house projects, work, and getting acquainted with local businesses. My sailor has been busy organizing the garage, trying to fix the broken garage door, disassembling the leaning toilet, and of course, raking more leaves. In between those tasks, he successfully earned his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, had several interviews, and spent time editing his resume. This past weekend, he turned 50.

I have been working on the covered patio, cleaning off everything, including vacuuming the screens, since we have not had enough rain to wash them naturally. I also started an herb garden, began the slow process of removing wallpaper from the wood paneling, and celebrated my husband’s 50th birthday.

On Wednesday, we went blueberry picking. It is the start of blueberry season here in Florida, and we each filled a bucket. While we were at the blueberry farm, I picked up some local honey. Let me tell you, this is the best local honey I have had in a long time. I prefer the lighter amber variety, and this one had a faint blueberry taste that made it even better. I am hoping it will help with my allergies. Right next to the blueberry farm is a Trading Post and a Farm and Feed store. The Trading Post offers a nice mix of locally made and produced items, including meat, vegetables, oils, and soaps. My husband grabbed some birdseed at the Farm and Feed store, and we could not resist stopping to admire the baby chickens and ducks. They were absolutely adorable.

On Thursday, we ordered subs from a local sandwich shop. These were some of the best subs we have had in a while. The meat was sliced fresh when we ordered, the vegetables were crisp and fresh, and we stayed full until dinner time. It was a nice change from our last Subway experience, when we were hungry again just an hour later.

New Neighbors

Have you ever seen a Sandhill Crane? Have you ever heard one? Our neighbor likes to call them pterodactyls because of their loud, prehistoric-sounding calls. On Saturday morning, I went for my usual walk around the lake and made a small detour to pick up some birthday decorations. On the way home, I spotted two Sandhill Cranes standing in the somewhat empty lot right next to ours. At first I was not sure if they were being protective of something, so I approached slowly. As I got closer, they walked farther into the lot. Once I passed them, they began wandering around and checking out the neighbors’ yards. I wondered if they might be looking for a good spot to nest. We did not see them in the neighborhood on Sunday, but we definitely heard them when they flew over the house.

Happy 50th!

I love celebrating birthdays. I am not sure if it comes from growing up in a big family where my birthday and Christmas were the two times a year I felt truly special, or simply because there was always someone’s birthday to celebrate in a large family. Either way, I enjoy making the day feel special. On Saturday morning, while Nathan was in class, I hung up the big 50th birthday banner. After my morning walk, I picked up a few more birthday items. On Sunday morning, I made breakfast, and at noon I put a pork roast in the oven for a slow cook. After a nice dinner, he opened his gifts and enjoyed some flourless chocolate cake. He spent time talking with a cousin, responded to several thoughtful text messages from my family, and we called his parents in the evening to catch up.

These small moments, from blueberry picking and discovering local honey to fixing up the house and celebrating a milestone birthday, are helping our new Florida home feel more like ours with each passing week. During this move and settling-in phase, it is the everyday wins and new local connections that make the transition smoother and more enjoyable. I am grateful for the steady progress we are making, both on the house and in building our routines here.

Originally published on LinkedIn on April 23, 2026. [Read it here]