Kristie's Craziness

All the random things in life that I think we should talk about.

Recent Posts

  • Haunted House Hunting

    Haunted House Hunting

    We are cruising towards closing on our house and have no idea where we will end up. The original plan of moving to Texas has been re-cataloged to the maybe back burner now that I have this new job that I actually enjoy. We’ve been looking for the right property within an hour’s drive, but at the moment pickings are slim.

    Goodbye house that never quite felt like our forever home

    My husband has found 1 house that meets all of his criteria. It’s cute and I love the kitchen. Unfortunately it’s at the edge of my travel circle, so it will require a lot of podcasts for my commute.

    I have a good feeling about this one.

    Of course as we get closer to Halloween I’ve started to wonder about haunted houses for sale. In Michigan a seller doesn’t have to disclose if there has been a murder, suicide or haunting on the property. All they have to disclose is if there is structural damage. That means we could in theory be about to purchase the next Amityville Horror House.

    There is even a website called Spooky Houses for Sale. I didn’t find anything on there currently available in my area or price range. I did find a former listing for a spooky mansion with a carriage house though.

    There has to be ghosts here

    I’ll have to let you know if our house tour is spooktacular on Sunday.

  • Henson’s Woodland Hideaway

    Henson’s Woodland Hideaway

    I don’t always make sense. I have a million things to do, but when I’m overwhelmed I go for a drive to reset my brain.

    Today I discovered Henson’s Woodland Hideaway. The use of the word hideaway is a perfect description. I’ve been exploring in this area for almost a decade, and this is the first time I’ve come across this little getaway.

    Maybe I missed it before because the entrance road looks like long driveway. Just past the entrance I noticed this hunting blind in the woods. It looks more like a mansion or clubhouse, but I’m not the hunter so who am I to judge.

    Just before the end of the extra long driveway or road, whatever you want to call it, there are two white cabins on the lake. According to the website, they are available to rent year round. I would have loved to walk the property and take a closer look, but they were occupied.

    The view of the lake is spectacular though. This would be a great place for hunting, ice fishing or kayaking. If the inside is as nice as the outside, I think I’ve found our next weekend getaway.

    If you’re interested, there is more specific information on their Website.

    I hope you’re enjoying these hidden gems I’ve been visiting in Hillsdale County, Michigan. Maybe we’ll run into each other while exploring.

    Kristie

    *I am not affiliated with this business nor am I paid to promote it. I just stumbled upon the property and thought it was pretty.

  • Update

    Update

    Hello Lovelies.

    Sorry I ghosted you all this past week. Life has gone from 0 to 90 miles an hour in a blink and I haven’t quite caught my breath yet.

    First of all, I start my new job TODAY. I’ve been doing onboarding from home, which has pointed out what a terrible packer I am. All of my work clothes are in the way back of storage where I can’t access them. My important paperwork is in the safe, in the way back of storage where it can’t be reached. I somehow remembered to pull my husband and the kids’ stuff and transfer it to the fire box, but I guess I don’t exist in my own mind. I’ve had to order a new birth certificate, buy clothes and brush up on my excel skills.

    Because of this new job, my husband and I discussed pulling our house off the market. We only had 10 days left of our realtor contract, so we didn’t figure it would sell anyway. We were wrong. We’ve received a cash offer for exactly what our asking price is. The catch is that we have a little over a month to move.

    As you can imagine, I was already a little high strung on Saturday when all the kids came over for my eldest’s birthday. Everything was going great. We were laughing and making plans to visit my youngest son at college. Then the birthday boy mentioned that he had been having episodes with his heart. By episodes he meant that he feels like his heart is racing and the vein above his heart starts jumping to the point where I could see it through his shirt.

    We went to the emergency room. They hooked him up to telemetry and did an EKG. Luckily what they found isn’t life threatening, but it does require a referral to a cardiologist. He will have to wear a halter monitor for a couple weeks and get an echocardiogram before we know more.

    I know I asked for a sign about whether we should stay in Michigan or move, but a kid with heart issues was not what I had in mind. I guess I need to be more specific and tell the universe to help me find the perfect house next time.

    Sending love and prayers to you all.

    Kristie

  • Please Stay

    Please Stay

    I’m in a weird place right now. I’m not depressed, but I also wouldn’t say I’m happy. I think it’s more like a weird case of anxiety that makes me feel like something bad is about to happen and all I want to do is make sure the people around me know I love them.

    Maybe it’s the stress of going back to work, or the countdown to the anniversary of my brother’s death. Maybe it’s the biological wake up call that I’m getting older, even though my brain still feels like it’s on 25. 🤷‍♀️ Whatever it is, I’ve been spending a bit more time quietly reading memoirs, like Please Stay by Greg Payan.

    I relate to this book. My husband was in a terrible motorcycle accident in 2004. He died 3 times, lost a leg and spent 10 months in the hospital. We weren’t together at that time, but his mom saved all the cards and well wishes they received during that time. We had dated in high school and had mutual friends so I followed his progress and prayed for him from my soul.

    The emails and texts Greg and Holly share in Please Stay remind me of the memories she collected. They are proof that thoughts and prayers mean something, even if they just make the people closest to the situation feel less alone.

    The aftermath of Holly’s aneurysm is nothing short of a miracle, but Greg is honest when he says life isn’t perfect. He is experiencing the less thought about side effects of anxiety and insomnia.

    I think I’ll say a little prayer for both of them tonight.

    Kristie

    If you want to join me for next week’s book review, I’ll be reading If I Should Die Tonight by C. C. Avram.

  • Welcome to Jerome

    Welcome to Jerome

    Today I feel like I have stepped out of whatever funk I was in last week. I am making plans and even went on a fall photo adventure with Hannah after acro class.

    Town sign as you enter Jerome

    Jerome, Michigan is an unincorporated municipality in Hillsdale County. It’s one of those blink and you’ll miss it places, but sometimes those are the best ones to explore. I mean look at the pop of fall color we found as we entered.

    We found the Jerome Post Office at the other end of town. It looks more like a bait shop/ camp store than a post office from the outside, but they seem to get the job done.

    The Jerome United Methodist Church is in the center of town. it looks like it belongs in an episode of Little House on the Prairie. At first I thought it was abandoned, but the board seems current, so I guess not.

    Our final stop this evening was to the Jerome Community Center. It used to be a public school, but closed years ago when the district merged with North Adams. There is a super cute park on the side that we will have to come back and play at another day.

    Thanks for wandering a small town with today. I hope you enjoyed the photos.

    Kristie