Counting SHeeeeeP

One of the challenges of the last month has been to get the place cleaned up, so we can start making it our own. In some ways, it feels as if we've been at this a really long time. But in reality, it has only been 30 days since we first broke down the door to get in the house[- the renters didn't leave a key behind - they all but disappeared after they moved their furniture out.]
We spent hours taking junk out of the house and the barns. Dusty, dirty, used items of all kinds have been rooted out. Of course, my adventurous #1 son has had a blast, because he found all sorts of things to enjoy - the orange battery operated, shoes which fit over his shoes and make him sound like he is Big Foot; the guitar with two strings; the cowboy hat which I insisted he wash so we wouldn't have to clear his head of unknown animules. We have thrown out a whole bin's worth of other people's stuff. A few times I have muttered "Blessed be Nothing".
More hours were spent bashing out walls, and ripping up floors, and finding pennies. Yes, pennies. There were enough for the boys to share "Buddy Day" at school - the older 'bought' the younger with the amount he found.
Another twist in the process, was a meeting with the B.C. Farm Assessment people. My husband found out that to claim farm status, we had to have eight sheep and a greenhouse up by the end of October. That's today. We found a greenhouse at a garage sale. It's now at the property, but not operable yet. We found sheep on Criaigslist - but only four of them. So today, we go to the auction to buy four more. Setting them up has also taken time- watering systems, sleeping quarters, and fences.
The month has flown by. I'm sure the neighbours wonder if anyone is actually going to move into the place - since we drop in and do a few things and then leave. However, when we look at the checklist, the jobs we've gone about doing, have helped toward the bigger goal of making something out of the place.
It's a little like being at the end of the pregnancy. You haven't had the baby, but you need to get out and get groceries, so you go out and meet someone who is surprised you are still there. So many people have asked us "So how's the moving going?" The moving isn't going. But we are going forward. We'll get there. Eventually..