She Said Yes!
In my last post about a month ago, I wrote, “It’s amazing how much can change in a month.”
Back then I was referring to the upheaval in our lives as Handan started working in a new city and I embarked on the epic quest to sell our house.
Boy, how I wish I had saved that sentence for this post, because JEEZUM CROW, it’s amazing how much can change in a month!
Yeesh, talk about prophetic sentences!
It’s been far too long since we’ve gathered for a nice yap, madam, but lemme tell you upfront, I won’t be yapping about the subject that has doubtless had you glued to your television and computer screen for the last two weeks.
You’ve had more than your fill of that, I’ll wager.
So have we.
So let’s talk about something nicer then, shall we?
Because she said yes!
I can hear you now: what WHAT?!? I thought there were already married?!?
Well, duh, of course we are! And no, I didn’t do some sort of hokey vow renewal or some such. I don’t think we’ve been married long enough for that.
Nope, the “she” in that sentence does not refer to my babes.
But let’s put that on the back burner for a moment so I can get you caught up on just what the heck has been happening at The Navage Patch for the past couple of months.
I hinted where Handan was living in my last post with a single picture. I figured it was sufficiently random that though some might have a guess, no one would know for sure.
Welp, I was wrong. I underestimated you lot of sparkling geniuses!
Handan is in Atlanta, and soon, The Navage Patch will be, too!
She started her new position back in early February, but before I brought her down here, we ordered the first of what would become four POD moving containers.
Together, we worked tirelessly to fill that sucker.
I wish we took more packing pics, but really it was just a lot of grunt work. Handan did manage to snap one of me dismantling our dining room table.
Just one of the thousand little things that go into a move.
We packed the first container so tight, we didn’t need to use any straps or bungees until the end.
Hey, what’s that in there?
Yep, just my babes, crawling among the boxes to fit everything perfectly!
We packed until there was just enough room for a couple of mattresses to keep our stuff from falling back against the door during transit.
One down!
They hauled that POD away and delivered another the next day. The weather had been unseasonably warm, but then it turned bitterly cold. We managed to fill about half of the second container before it was time for Handan and I to jump in the car and head south.
It was 5 degrees when we left for Atlanta.
By the time we hit Pennsylvania, the weather had warmed considerably. We stopped near a Poconos ski resort to grab some Starbucks and gas before continuing our journey.
We called it quits that first day after about 600 miles and stopped for the night in Roanoke, Virginia. I pulled into a Clarion Comfort Inn and hopped out to secure lodging for the night.
There was an Indian couple ahead of me at the front desk. The Indian man working behind the desk asked where they were from, and it turned out they had all lived in the same city for a time.
When it was my turn, I mentioned to him that we had lived in Gurgaon back in 2012.
Turns out, Gurgaon (now called Gurugram) is where he grew up.
Small world.
We arrived in Atlanta the following afternoon and spent two nights in a hotel near the airport. During those first couple of days, I finalized a short-term lease for a studio apartment in north Atlanta.
Handan didn’t need much space, and anyway I was planning to sell our house and get back down there to buy a house as soon as possible.
After a week, I bade my babes farewell and pointed the car north.
I had a lot of work to do.
My first order of business was to move Baris in with my parents. They live in the same town, so all I needed to do was switch his bus.
I stayed back at The Navage Patch with Penny and Pepper.
And then the grunt work started.
For 10 days, I packed and pushed and pulled and lugged our crap from all corners of our house out into those infernal POD containers.
We had started to work with a realtor, and our house would go on the market as soon as I could get it clean enough to show. There was no way I’d be able to get the basement and garage cleared in time, but my realtors assured me that the house would sell anyway.
I had returned from Atlanta on a Sunday night and started packing the next Monday.
My workday started at 6:30, when I would wake up and call Handan. She had an alarm clock, but I didn’t trust it or her.
When I was satisfied she was fully awake, I’d make coffee and start packing. From morning until evening, each day was a blur of coffee, chocolate chip energy bars and screaming knees. By 5, I was spent. I’d pour a martini, throw two Stouffer’s French Bread Pizzas in the oven (they were a childhood favorite) and then I’d collapse onto the remaining sofa to watch documentaries until sleep stole my sight.
Handan never liked to watch documentaries with me, so I used our time apart to watch some great ones on sailing and power lifters.
Ten days later, the house (except for the basement and garage) was cleared and cleaned and ready for photographs. Our realtors had a photographer booked.
But then they saw some of the pics I had taken for the blog, and they hinted that maybe I should take the pics.
This was too important a job to screw up, so I gladly accepted the offer.
Our listing went live that same day.
Here’s The Navage Patch as you’ve never seen it before:
Finally got the clean kitchen I’d always dreamed of!
I was proud of all the stuff I’d packed, but I was also a little sad and nostalgic.
We’d put so much into this house.
But time moves on. It’s time for it to go to a new family.
The house showings went well, but we were waiting for the right offer.
After that first weekend the house was on the market, I really started to miss Handan.
Fortunately, I had a good excuse to get down to Atlanta to see her.
During my first trip to drop her off, we decided to buy a car there.
For six years, we were a one car family. But that wasn’t going to cut it anymore.
So while she was at work one day, I went to a Mazda dealership and got her a new ride.
The only problem was that I didn’t have a Georgia license (nor had I brought the necessary documents with me to get one), so the dealer couldn’t give me temporary plates.
But where there’s a will, there’s a way, so they slapped some dealer plates on her car and told me to get that Georgia licence ASAP.
After putting the house on the market, I finally had the opportunity to get back down to Atlanta, get a GA license, and get the license plate issue sorted.
I booked a flight down there on a Tuesday, with a return flight on Thursday evening.
I took off from Bradley International Airport and headed south to see my babes!
While in Atlanta, we received a couple of offers for our house.
The negotiations began.
During the back and forth, I got my Georgia drivers license and sorted out the plates for Handan’s car.
We kept our fingers crossed to sign a contract on our house that Wednesday, but the day slipped away without a deal.
Thursday’s negotiations were tense, and the day seemed like it would be squandered like Wednesday.
Thursday afternoon, I stopped off at the Starbucks near Handan’s apartment. There is a bulletin board near the pickup area with Post-It notes and a pen. People leave messages for others to read.
One in particular caught my eye:
I filed it into memory, then made my way down to Handan’s office with her car so she could then take me to the airport.
With heavy hearts, we headed to my terminal on Thursday evening. I told Handan all would work out in the end, but did I really believe it myself?
Plus the thing that had been simmering for over a month – the thing that was starting to spread like unseen wildfire – had just exploded in the public consciousness.
I was worried.
But I swallowed my fears and put on a good face for Handan as she dropped me at the terminal.
We said our goodbyes and I headed inside.
Not 60 seconds later, my phone vibrated.
I check the text. It was from our realtors.
We had a deal.
I immediately called Handan to tell her the good news. This was the news we were hoping to celebrate together, but we missed it by one minute!
Who cares! We had a deal!
Our agents worked frantically to get the paperwork together that night. I wanted the peace of mind of having ink on paper that very day.
As I worked my way towards the gate, I was struck by how empty the security checkpoint was at the airport.
Atlanta’s Jackson-Hartsfield Airport is the busiest in the world, and its security checkpoint is a cavernous room that would normally be packed with people in winding, back-and-forth lines.
It was empty.
I wound my way through the cordoned lanes with only one man in front of me.
We exchanged glances, and I commented that everyone must be getting really scared.
But what the checkpoint lacked in human bodies, the concourses and bars made up for. Took me a solid 15 minute back and forth walk through the concourse to find an open bar seat at a sushi restaurant.
I was in high spirits as I enjoyed a whisky and some sushi, elbow-to-elbow with my fellow travelers. Social distancing hadn’t filtered down to airport bars yet.
Outside the airport gates, news of the first school closures was hitting the wires, and the country descended into panic.
Meanwhile, our flight was a little more crowded than I would have liked with an unseen enemy lurking in god-knows-how-many sniffling noses and coughing mouths.
I sat in the very last row. I chose the seat thinking it would ensure me some space to stretch out.
I was wrong. Two travelers decided to share my space. They were first time fliers. What a time to start!
My flight would take me to Baltimore for a brief layover before getting in to Hartford just before midnight.
We didn’t have a signed contract yet, and I was losing hope we’d have one that day.
But as I landed in Baltimore, things started to move on that front.
Through the marvel of modern technology and in-flight WiFi, I was able to receive the email from our agents just before 11 pm as my flight soared over Chesapeake Bay. Handan and I signed, and our house was officially under contract!
I landed to a different world.
While I was in the air, our schools had closed, too.
But we were under contract, and that meant we could begin our search for our new home in the Atlanta area.
We knew we wanted to look in the towns northeast of the city, and Handan spent that first weekend looking at several properties.
Houses were selling like hotcakes at a griddle expo.
It didn’t make any sense!
The world was supposedly melting down around us, but folks were lobbing offers at houses like World War II infantrymen lobbing grenades at enemy foxholes.
It became evident that Handan couldn’t do it alone.
Not while still working a full time job.
Things in Atlanta are s p r e a d o u t, and to make matters worse, there’s the traffic you’ve all heard about.
Yep, it’s real.
Yep, it sucks.
But my babes doesn’t mind! She lived in Istanbul in her Young Lady Years, (Yeesh, where the hell have those gone? Crap! She heard me! RUN!) and she had to endure a two-hour commute each way, so the prospect of a 60-90 minute commute doesn’t faze her in the least.
But that traffic made it hard for her to work until 5 at the airport and then drive for an hour or more to look at houses.
She needed help.
And I was just the sort of fella willing to travel during a national freakout to help her.
I would have hopped on a plane in a heartbeat. I’m rather more blasé about national crises than Handan is.
But she wouldn’t hear of it. She wanted me to drive.
Hey, I’m no stranger to long drives. I’ve crossed this country three times by car and once on a motorcycle.
If my babes wanted me to drive to Atlanta, my babes was gonna get me driving to Atlanta.
I’m no dummy!
So I loaded the car with enough clothes for…for what? The country seemed to be teetering on the verge of lockdown.
How long would I be there if they shut the whole damn thing down?
I eyeballed my underwear collection and snatched up a few more.
Better safe than without underwear.
So the day of my departure (this would be just last Wednesday, if you’re reading this post right away) was an interesting day.
For starters, I ate a huge bowl of cereal.
Yeah, yeah, I know, big whoop, right?
But, madam, I don’t drink a lot of milk, and sometimes it refuses to play nicely on its way through my digestive tract.
I packed up the car to go, but something pulled me back inside. Remember – at this point I was living at my parents’ house with Baris.
The day before, I had returned to our house to empty the medicine cabinet and to pack Handan’s jade elephant collection.
She had wanted them to watch over the house while it was being shown to prospective buyers.
Now that the house was under contract, I felt I could remove them.
So anyway, the elephants and the contents of our medicine cabinet were in a small cardboard box on my mom’s dining room table.
On a whim, I grabbed that box and loaded it into the car. I reasoned that Handan might want her fragile elephants, and besides, the box contained some valuable items: hand sanitizer that I had bought back in January when I first started reading the news out of China and rubbing alcohol, which may as well be liquid gold.
As I headed out to toss this box in the back of the car, my mom offered a box of tissues.
Yeah, why not? Never know when the old beak will start leaking.
So off I went with a heart full of longing and a tummy full of milk.
I made it all the way to Pennsylvania before the need for coffee forced me to leave the interstate.
As fate would have it, I pulled into the very same Poconos mountain Starbucks that Handan and I had visited the month before.
But this time was different.
The chairs were on the tables.
It was grab-and-go only.
So be it. Coffee was coffee, and I certainly didn’t plan to sit around Starbucks when I could be laying miles behind me. I looked up at the ski trails. A month ago they were covered in snow despite the mild winter. Now there were just patches of white scattered here and there.
In the east, this was the worst winter in recorded history if you like snow.
If you were packing to move though?
Best. Winter. Ever.
I got back on the road and slurped my milky latte.
Normally I’m an iced coffee man, but that day I just wanted a big milky latte.
I chewed through the miles, and then somewhere in southern Pennsylvania it happened.
A seismic shift.
In my guts.
I knew that feeling.
Everyone knows that feeling.
There are places in the body for liquids and places where liquids absolutely should not be.
I cursed my luck and then thought back on the big bowl of cereal and the latte.
Gah!
I exited as soon as I could and pointed the car at Trusty McDonald’s.
On the road and need a clean bathroom? Over all the years and miles, I’ve found none better than Mickey D’s.
But not last Wednesday.
McDonald’s was closed.
So was Burger King
And Wendy’s.
And every. Other. Restaurant.
Drive through only.
F*@$
I U-turned and pulled into a run-down gas station next to the highway.
Gas station bathrooms – the wild west of sanitation.
But beggars can’t be choosers, so I let out a breath and waddled inside.
Gods be praised, it was unoccupied.
I won’t go into detail. This is a family blog. But I will tell you this.
Take note of this, madam!
The toilet paper shortage is not just in grocery stores.
By the grace of every god, this particular gas station still had old fashioned paper towels instead of those jet engine hand dryers. Thank god for small miracles
I left there shaken, but unbowed.
As I eased into the car, my insides whispered, “I’m not done with you yet.”
Twice more I had to pull off the highway and search about some small hamlet for a toilet.
Nowhere was toilet paper to be found.
Fortunately, I remembered the tissues my mother had given me. They saved me that day.
And after the third stop, I remembered I was carrying the contents of our medicine cabinet, so I rooted around and found the last two little blue pills.
No, not those blue pills! Please madam! Mind out of the gutter! We’re speaking of gentle matters here! ( 😆 )
Crisis thwarted, I put Pennsylvania in my rear view and crossed through Delaware and West Virginia with comfort and ease.
During our first road trip to Atlanta, we stopped in Roanoke, Virginia for the night. I had left far too late in the day to make it that far, so I settled for the halfway point of the trip, which turned out to be Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The country was in full-blown panic at this point, so I was surprised to see so many people on the roads and in the traveler hotels and motels.
Here’s a middle-of-the-day shot of some random stretch of highway in either Virginia or North Carolina – I don’t remember which.
Just to be on the safe side, I skipped breakfast and coffee the next morning.
Best not to tempt fate.
I timed my arrival in the Atlanta area to coincide with some house showings Handan had set up the day before.
We had 4 houses lined up – 3 in Suwanee and 1 in Johns Creek.
I pulled into Suwanee about an hour early, so I found a taco joint, ordered 2 and a coke from the deserted restaurant and munched away in my car until Handan met me after work.
House #1 was in a great subdivision. Beautifully maintained. The house had been empty for a while. Or at least that was my guess based on the dozens of enormous dead roaches that littered the floors of the bathrooms, kitchen and basement.
Pro Tip for Potential House Sellers: check on your vacant home from time to time and sweep up the roaches!
House #2 was in the same neighborhood as House #1. It was also vacant, but it was kept clean, and if there were roaches, they were not on display. I really liked the house, and I could see us living there.
But House #3 was the one we were all waiting for. Handan was frothing at the mouth – she couldn’t wait to get there. It looked good in the pictures, and the price was incredible.
We pulled up to the curb, and a little sign on the lawn proclaimed, “I’m Beautiful on the Inside, too!”
For Handan, it was love at first sight.
Our realtor got the key from the lockbox, opened the door and oops! The owner was home.
I guess we were a little late, and she had already returned. She seemed like a nice older lady, and fortunately for us, she agreed to skedaddle again so we could gawk at her home.
She had a beautiful home! She and her husband were the original owners, and it was obvious they had taken very good care of this house.
Handan fell even more in love.
As we were no longer rookie home buyers, we knew the important things to check.
Everything looked great.
There would still be plenty we could do for the blog, but overall, the house was amazing.
And the price just couldn’t be beat.
We canceled the final showing in Johns Creek.
Handan had seen enough houses in person, and we’d both seen enough online to know that this was the one.
We put our offer in that very night and hoped for a quick response.
But nothing’s quick in real estate, so our offer wasn’t finalized in contract form until Friday at about 2:00. Our agents submitted the offer, and we eagerly awaited the response.
None came.
Saturday morning (that’s yesterday, if you’re reading this today), I was still confident – after all, we offered her price – but we still hadn’t heard back.
“Don’t worry, my babes.” I kept repeating to Handan.
And then my phone buzzed.
I looked down.
A text from our agents.
I looked back up.
“My babes.” I looked at Handan. “She said yes!”
Congratulations on getting the house y’all love!
Thanks, Ju! We’re so excited!
So happy for you two! I grew up with my Dad saying “keep a goin”
I have lived my life with that in my mind. Words to live by, especially now.
Best of luck. ?
Those are great words and perfect for these times. It’s all any of us can do right now! 🙂
Congratulations on the house! I love reading your blog and you sharing the wonderful DIYs. Thank you!! Best of luck to all of you in this new chapter of your life!
Thank you so much, Renee! 🙂
Welcome to Suwanee!
Those large cockroaches are called Palmetto bugs. They are very common in the south. They live in the wood mulch every one uses in their flower beds.
Ahhhhh…good to know! We can’t wait to get in there and settled in May!
Somewhat like you, I was left behind to pack and prepare the home for sale while the hubby moved across country for a new job. But my endless and exhaustive “fun” lasted 3 months as I was still working and had a 5 yr old to deal with! And, we were nit as lucky as you on finding the new hime. After seeing 70 himes and two failed contracts, we finally got the home that we knew would be perfect after our 1 yr remodel. The spoiler alert sticky is spot on, thank you for sharing. I so look forward to seeing the inside pics!
70 homes! Holy crap, I couldn’t imagine! That really must have exhausted you – not to mention the packing and moving! Thanks for sharing Ronda, and I’m happy you found the perfect home for your family!
This is by far your best blog post ever! I couldn’t stop reading till the end. You, sir, have a gift for writing! Informative, humorous and extremely interesting! Beautiful house!
Awww shucks, thanks Annette! We are so excited for our move. I just hope the world is in a better place when we get down south for good.
I stumbled across your blog recently and started following it. We too moved our daughter from Sandy Springs, Georgia to Gainesville, Georgia near the lake at the same time they told everyone to stay home. That was hard to do when we were moving her, so for you to move from PA to GA, I applaud you. We live in Lawrenceville, Georgia close to Suwanee and I also work at an engineering firm in Suwanee. Suwanee is a great town and you will love the parks and all it offers. Great to have you here.
Hi Neighbor Susan! We’re thrilled to be here in Suwanee, and we absolutely love it so far!
Whooooooooop, whooop so happy for you guys <3
Oh and write that book alredy. I’ll supply the milky latte, blue pills and loo paper on condition that I can have a signed copy!!!!
LOL, one of these years…
Thank you, Michelle! 🙂
Welcome to Atlanta!!
Thanks, Sharon, we love it so far and can’t wait to fully move in May!
Congratulations! Will miss you here in CT but cant wait to see what’s next for you & yours!
Thank you, Melissa! 🙂
I enjoyed your post. The home is beautiful! Congratulations!
Thank you, Polly. We can’t wait! 🙂
Now were “state neighbors”! Congratulations!
Thanks neighbor! 🙂
Happy for you in these scary times. Beautiful home.
Thank you, Marge. We needed a little good news in all this bad!
Wow! What a journey. Wondered where you have been. Praying for your wellness and sanity in these trying times. Your new home will be beautiful!
Thanks, Susan – it has been an interesting journey to be sure!
Wow. I’ve just started to read the blog ( this was my first)
I’m so happy she said Yes !!!!
I’m Also happy that you found wipeable paper, 2 little blue pills( OF COURSE, not THOSE ones ) AND THAT
You are safe with your babes.
I’m So sorry you left the other house ( GORGEOUS – couldn’t have pulled me away with a Team of Horses).
Take Care
Hi Lisa and WELCOME! We’re so happy, too! In a little over a month, we’ll be down here in the new house. Can’t wait! We hated to leave our house in CT, but Handan’s job has carried us south, so that’s where we’ll be! 🙂
Congratulations! Happy for you all! House looks fabulous!
Thank you, Ellen – we are so excited!
Welcome to the South! You will love it!
Thank you, Jan – we already do! 🙂
Fab post – you have my sympathy on the milk aversion. What a beautiful home, and I can’t wait to see what you do with it. Congratulations!!
Thank you so much, Betty! We can’t wait either! 😀
I’m so excited for you, Handan, and Barish! I had been a bit worried about you all this past month and not hearing anything, hoping it was ok, only move related. So sad to see the gorgeous old house go, but excited to see the new one and all the amazing things you will do there. I’m keeping you all I’m my thoughts and hoping your move goes smoothly and safely! Stay healthy! And good luck finding toilet paper!
Thank you so much, Karen! It was a tough month for me in terms of the blog – without a home and without any closure on selling or buying, I was in no position to write. But now? The words will flow again! 🙂
Wish you every bit of love and happiness in your new home. Keep safe and keep well
Thank you, Jayne! You as well!
I live north of Suwanee in Jefferson. Welcome to Georgia and the pollen. The spring time is beautiful just take your Claritin. Your house is really pretty and I know you will love living here!
LOLOLOL! Handan is going through that already! I thought she might have gotten the Big C-V, but it’s just really nasty allergies. Yeesh, you’re not kidding about that!
Congratulations; so happy for you guys! It DOES always work out 🙂 Stay safe!
It does – just sometimes not in the way you thought!
Congratulations on all fronts! Does Handan’s new job allow her to wear her pjs to work?!
Ha! She wishes! Well, now that I think about it, I guess she can for the next couple of weeks. :/
So so happy you got what you wanted. Your smart, beautiful wife got her promotion. Your mom and dad were close enough for your son to stay with. Your mom is a mom who knows about Kleenex. My insides do not like milk or lettuce either. You got the house of her dreams. And it all came together as she said yes!
It was a long and circuitous route, but we’re on our way! 🙂
A beautiful new house! But can I just say how VERY lucky the new owners are of your previous one?!! I LOOOOVE that one!! The windows, the flooring, and even the glass block, which isn’t normally my thing. Gorgeous!! It must be hard leaving that one.
It is hard. We put a ton of work and a ton of ourselves into that house. But now it’s time to put our stamp on a new home!
Wishing you much happiness in your new home!
Looking forward to all your new projects
Safe travels ????
Thank you so much, LeAnne! 🙂
Awwww….this IS the BEST!! HAPPY HOME!! Missed your column…changed world is right. franki
Thanks, Franki! I’ll try to keep my posts as ‘normal’ as possible. There’s enough gloom and doom out there already.
Congratulations on the new house! Welcome to the south. I moved to central Florida last June from northern Ohio so I’m enjoying a cool beverage in the shade of my Live Oak (!) I’m glad you have managed to miss the virus and send wishes for an easy unpack and good health to enjoy it in!
Thank you, Margie! We’re delighted to be in the South! 🙂
I have been so worried! I could not imagine not hearing from your smart ass mouth!!!! lol lol Really, I enjoy you and Handan so much. Geez, talk about busy! No grass grownin’ under your feet! I love your new home. You are so lucky……I wish only wonderful thing to come for you and Handan in Atlanta. Be safe and healthy.
Thanks, Linda! You’ll be hearing from me a little more often now, but the big projects won’t start until May or so. Don’t worry – The Navage Patch may be moving, but it ain’t going anywhere!
Oh My!! Your new home is gorgeous – I love it!! Our daughter lived and worked in GA. Her town was Dacula. She met Mr. Right, and now they live in the FL Keys.
Greg & Handan, may you two love birds enjoy making new memories in GA while sipping Sweet Tea!!
Thank you, Laura! I saw a few houses on Zillow in Dacula. That town name is a hoot. I don’t know how I’d be able to say it without a Transylvanian accent and then cracking up at the end! 😀
It’s hard to believe you could give up that beautiful CT house. But, your new digs look wonderful. I always look forward to your posts. I’ve tried a couple of the crafts to great success.
Good luck in the new job, Handan.
Thank you, Cynthia! It is hard to give up that house, but the South is calling! 🙂
Thank you so much, Cynthia! 🙂
So glad everyone is ok! I also was worried! I always had a dream of attending a tag sale at your house since I lived so close but alas, it is not to be. 🙂
I hope all goes well with the move. I assume Barish is up here with your parents. It must be difficult to be apart! My kids and I talk through the glass door when they come to visit. And thank goodness for face-time!
Good luck, please keep up posted, and stay healthy!
Awww, and we were planning on having one this spring if we had stayed! Yes, Baris and the dogs are with my parents. I’m now in Atlanta indefinitely, but I need to get back to CT at some point to finish clearing out the basement before we close on that house. Still lots to do. Let’s hope everyone involved stays healthy!
Congratulations on both the sale and purchase! You are going to love Atlanta. There are so many things to do there! We have always loved visiting there. I always look forward to your blog with all the exciting ideas the two of you come up with. Now I can hardly wait to see your new home and what you do with it! BTW aren’t you glad you aren’t military and have to move every 2-3 years!
We aren’t military, but civil engineers have to be a close second! This will be my 20th move since graduating college in 1994!
So glad to read your blog post again! Congrats on the new house too! That’s great the pieces are finally falling into place for you guys & you soon can settle in to your new home. I’m looking forward to reading more about your adventures.
We’ll have plenty more to tell, Michele, so stay tuned! 🙂
Congratulations! I enjoyed the entire saga. As I’ve mentioned before, you are a skilled writer and kept me riveted. Best of luck. I’ll be looking forward to seeing the inside of your new house. The exterior is impressive!
Thank you, Teddee! We can’t wait to show it to you!
What a great post! So excited for y’all! Welcome to the south! Stay safe and I’m looking forward to your future blog posts in your beautiful new home!
Thank you, Collier – we’re thrilled to be down here!
From one Southern Yankee to another…..welcome home y’all. I’m yonder in Alabama, holler if y’all need anything. And if your like me you will be amused and befuddled by the cultural differences.
Enjoy your new home.
Thanks, Melita! We’re already enjoying learning about life down here. So far, we love it! 🙂
Brought back memories of our move back to Washington State after living in Hawaii for 16 years. Of course we didn’t have the long drive and no pandemic to deal with. Moving sucks!! But so glad to be home!!! Can’t wait to see inside your new home!!c
We can’t wait to show it! 🙂
Congrats!. Looks beautiful on the outside, can’t wait to see the interior. Stay safe and healthy in this craziness.
Thanks, Laurie, you too! Nutty times, indeed.
Welcome to Atlanta! Thought that photo looked like this area. Can’t wait for you to get back to regular posting, always enjoy your projects! I live 20 miles south of the airport in the home I grew up in. We retired here and gutted our small home over a period of about a year. It’s all done now and the focus is outside now. You’re in for a treat with summer fast approaching! I lost my temperature regulator somewhere in Ohio while I lived there for 38 years and am still getting used to the humidity and heat again! Hope to see lots of posts soon!
Thanks, Anne, we’re so happy to be here! I’ll be ramping the posts back up, and we’ll be back in the full swing of things when we move into the new house in May! 🙂
Wow! What a journey. The house is beautiful. Believing it will be a safe haven, full of inspiration and a joyful home for the Navage family. Believing that your son will make may new and great friends too. Many blessings to you. Looking forward to your future blogs.
Thank you, Dorothy. Our blessings to you too. Please stay safe and take care of yourself during these difficult times.
No WONDER there hasn’t been a peep from the Navage Patch since January! Congratulations on the new home! It looks beautiful (your old house was SO gorgeous, as well)!
Glad you’re back.
I’m glad I’m back, too! Time to get moving with our new lives! 🙂
My youngest son and his family live in Suwanee! Great town, and great schools! I love the little town center. Enjoy living there!! (Let me know, and I’ll email you their address/phone number-nice to have friends, right?
Oh cool! Absolutely! Thanks, Terra! 🙂
“Better safe than without underwear.” ? I just love your sense of humor and your writing style! I haven’t been reading for long and didn’t know that you were planning on writing a book. I’m a voracious reader and I have to say that I’d read whatever you wrote as you write well! I really enjoyed this post!
Good luck to you, Handan & Baris in this new journey! How exciting! I know that house hunting, buying and moving has been & will continue to be a lot of work! But soon you’ll all be settled.
So congratulations you all! Keep doing what you do and I’ll keep reading!
All the best to you and your family! Keep yourselves safe and healthy. I’m praying for everyone!
Thank you, Debra and welcome! Hey wait, I didn’t know I was writing a book either! Honestly, it’s on my to-do list, but so are 1001 other things that Handan keeps adding, lol! Our best to you and yours – stay safe!
Wow! The new house looks amazing I hope you’ll all be happy in your new home.
Thank you, Melanie! Happy and healthy – the only two important things in life! 🙂
Boy, this was a real go-go month for you guys! I’ve lived in Los Angeles (Pacific Palisades) for years now and raised my kids here so it’s home now. But I grew up near Charleston, SC and it’s still my ancestral home. As more and more people “discover” Charleston it seems to become less really Southern. So, I’m wondering if that’s happening in Atlanta, too? I hope not and I’m sure I’ll get a sense of an answer from your future posts!! But one thing’s for sure: when I go home I’m always aware of how NICE everybody is!!……..something I didn’t realize when I was growing up and just considered normal ;-D Hope everybody’s nice to you guys! I’m just wondering……are your parents kind of crushed by your moving? How does Baris feel about leaving his crew? Rots of ruck to you all and I’ll be looking forward to your posts!!
You’re not kidding, Constance! It’s been the nuttiest two months of my life, I’d wager, and it’s getting nuttier by the day. We’re already getting a good sense of southern hospitality – it’s a welcome change from other parts of the country! My parents aren’t crushed. I think they understand that the move was necessary. We keep trying to convince them to move down here with us, but so far, no luck. We’ll see what the future holds, though! Keep safe there in sunny PP!
Congratulations!! I can’t wait to see what you two do with this home.
Thank you, Pam! We’re so excited!
Congrats and welcome to the South!
Thanks, Erin, we’re so happy to be here! 🙂
So nice to read a story with several,successes included. I’m happy for you! Enjoy and love to the three of you (oh, I mean five-but where re the dogs)?
Thank you, Karen – these successes were hard won! The dogs and Baris are currently with my parents. 🙂
Congratulations on your new home!! I was so glad to see your post this morning…I had been worried about you! I hope the moving in goes smoothly…stay well!
June in KS
Awww, thanks, June! We’re all good here. Busy as beavers and spun every which way, but good! 😀
Congrats and best wishes on your next great adventure for you, Handan and Baris! Loved reading this post – it certainly brighten my day! The new home looks beautiful and can’t wait to read more about your new life in Atlanta! Stay safe and healthy!
Hi Gail! Thank you so much, and I’m happy to have brought a little sunshine to your day. It seems to be in short supply lately, so I’ll do my best to keep things light! 😉 Wishing health and safety to you and your family!
Welcome to the South. I live about 1 1/2 hours up I75 in the little town of Ringgold, GA. BTW I think I was the first to guess Atlanta. I knew it was Atlanta. Congrats on the new house
Yes you were! Well thank you so much, neighbor! 😀
As always, very entertaining to read your blog! Great house!!!! I can’t wait to see the inside. Loved seeing the previous home pictures, it was a gorgeous home as well. Wishing you all a smooth move, and stay safe in these crazy times. Yes, Everything always works out.
Thanks, Rev! A smooth move is just what the doctor ordered! 😀
So good to hear from you again, and happy to know all is well. You have a beautiful new home. Congratulations!
Thank you, Linda – all is well, thank god! 🙂
Ahhh, Greg, thanks once again for bringing a smile to my face, especially now, in these crazy times. No one tells a story like you do! I remember the first time I read one of your wonderful posts. I was so impressed, I had to leave a comment about how it was so cool that you joined your wife in the crafty fun. I quickly learned that you do as much or more than she does! I absolutely can’t wait to see all the wonderful projects you and your babes come up with in that GORGEOUS new home! I’ll be a little sad not seeing your old house anymore (it’s beautiful, even empty), but at least there are plenty of blog posts to look back on, huh? Hope it has a big basement and/or garage for the workshop! Also hope the move goes smoothly and that you’re all together again soon and that your family stays safe and healthy.
Well thank you, Deb! Your comment just brought a smile to my face! Oh wait until you see the basement! Bigger than our last one and with high ceilings (but still unfinished!) It’s incredible!
Glad you’re back!! Thanks for the great story and distraction! Congrats on your house from up here in Canada!! Can’t wait for you to get settled and back to business!! 🙂
Thank you, Faye, I’m glad to be back!
Love this post! Such a wonderful adventure also. So happy for the two of you that “she said yes!” These times are scary for some, most, but I see it as a chance to reconnect with home, family, friends, each other, even from a distance. Congratulations!!
That’s a great way to look at it, Kathleen! Thank you so much!
Congratulations! You will be living near my oldest and youngest daughters! One is in Cumming and the other in Buford. I work in a real estate office and know first hand that you can get a fabulous house in that area at a great price! My youngest daughter and husband bought their first house a year and a half ago and the agents here (I am NOT an agent) couldn’t believe the price they paid for their house! I live in Prescott, AZ, and the same house here would be over 500K! They got theirs for only 200K. My oldest daughter’s house in Cumming cost them only 350K in 2016. Now houses in her neighborhood are going for about 425K, However HER house would likely be over a million here!
So you are very fortunate for relocating to a great area! Your old house pics are amazing! WOW! I can’t wait to see pics of the new one!
Hi Jana, oh wow, we’ll practically be neighbors with your daughters! Real estate is so much cheaper down here, but not only that – property taxes are less than half what they are up north! Can’t wait to get started on our new life down here!
(read syllables slow with a southern twist).
Welcome y’all! We are so glad to have you in Jaw ja. You’ll love the cost of livin’ down here. If you ever find yourself heading east on I-20, make a stop in Augusta.
LOLOLOL! I read it just like you said, Ruth! We’ll certainly stop in Augusta if we’re heading that way. 🙂
Congrats! The house looks gorgeous! I can’t wait for the upcoming adventures!
Thanks, Giselle – we can’t wait either!
Wow Greg, what a mammoth effort but so worth it. Your new house is gorgeous! Can’t wait to see the inside. Best wishes to the three of you for so much happiness in your new venture. Your new neighbours will be thrilled with their new neighbours.
Suzanne (Australia)
Thank you, Suzanne! Stay safe down there and lock your borders for a while! 🙂
Greg Glad to know things are working for all of you..I missed your blog. But I bet it is a new turn.All is new and beautiful..New start…Just waiting with time for your new ideas with your blog on your new house.. Hope barish can enjoy the south also,
Hiya Shelley! I’ll be writing more and more now. It’s been a tough couple of months (for everyone!), but I need to keep writing and keep on keepin’ on! I think Baris is going to love it down here. Our best to you and yours. Please stay safe and keep yourself healthy out there!
Congratulations on selling the house in CT and finding the right one in GA!! You have followed Handan much farther as she follows the jobs, but I think you have more “stuff” to move this time!! Being the one left behind to pack everything is a pain, but at least you should know where everything is when it comes time to unpack!! Enjoy your new home and state!
Holy crap, you ain’t kidding, Susan, lol! I just counted, and this will be my 20th move since graduating college in 1994, but this one move is probably more difficult and time consuming than the previous 19 combined!
Congrats you two on your new home! I can’t wait to see all the great things you will do once you’re settled.
Thanks, Vic, we can’t wait! 🙂
Best wishes to you all as you “transplant” the Navage Patch to the south! Be safe, he strong.
It’s one hell of a transplant, but I think it’s going to grow like gangbusters! 🙂
Congratulations!!! Welcome to the south!! We’re a friendly lot down here and I hope all of you will be happy here, I just live two states over in Mississippi. 🙂 Please tell Handan congrats on her job too, y’all are a great couple. Be safe out there!! 🙂
Thank you, Kathy! We already LOVE it down here, and I can’t wait to finish my business up north and get down here for good! 🙂
The house is beautiful! Imodium AD is like the American Express card……never leave home without it. I.m in Va. & we just heard on the news that all non-essential businesses will be closing. The ABC stores, however, will remain open. As one Martini lover to another, I know you can relate. 🙂 Stay safe, and keep us updated when you move in.
Oh hell yes, Gail! If you’re going to force freedom-loving folks to stay indoors, you MUST allow them their daily martini, lol! Stay healthy, stay safe, and pour yourself a double – straight up!
Ooh i wondered where you had got to, nooooo how can you bare to leave that beautiful home and garden you both created?! I hope you will all be very happy in your new home, look forward to seeing what wonderful creations you come up with for it.
Awwww, don’t worry, Catherine – we’re used to resets, and this is just our latest one! We can’t wait to begin! 🙂
Welcome to Georgia! I think you will love the area. I live about 10 miles from you and can tell you we love it here. A tip? Yes, the traffic stinks but remember timing is everything. Ask your neighbors the best time to leave for work. 10 minutes can make all the difference in the length of your commute.
Enjoy your new home!
Hi neighbor! Thanks for the tip! Yeah, we’ve seen how it can change minute to minute. Now, about all those accidents on the highways… :/
Love your blog!! I agree with previous posts, you do have a knack for writing. I was as absorbed as I could have been with any good book. I was afraid I had slipped from your email list as I realized last week I had heard nothing from you for a while. Glad to know you have just been busy. Good luck with your new home and jobs. I have only visited the Atlanta area but it is a lovely place. Can’t wait to see what great things you will share in the near future!!
Hi Darlene – thank you so much! Believe me, I’ve missed writing to you all as much as you’ve missed reading it, and I can’t wait until we get settled, so I can get back into my routine! Stay healthy and safe!
Hi! Welcome to Georgia. My husband and I read your posts together whenever they publish. We live in Georgia too. We spent teenage years growing up in Johns Creek and Suwanee Area. Suwanee has such a fun and active community life. All kinds of free concerts, fairs, and family things. Looking forward to your future posts as you learn all about life in the South!
Thank you, Dinavia! We can’t wait to settle into Suwanee life, and we’re especially looking forward to the festivals and fairs! 🙂
Another neighbor here! Welcome to Georgia! Best wishes to y’all throughout the rest of the move process. I look forward to seeing what you do with the new place.
I don’t know if CT has HMart, but it’s a great place for fresh fruit and veggies.
Hi neighbor! We don’t have HMart here, so I’ll definitely be checking it out when we’re there for good! 🙂
I’m late to the party here, but wanted to add my same well wishes. Blessings to you for all you do in the next few months. Nothing like a move to reset and refresh.
Thank you, Kathy! We’re almost there – I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel with all this endless packing! 🙂
Congratulations on your new home and on Handan’s new job! I’ll miss your musings from my old stomping grounds, but look forward to all that you’ll share from Hot’lanta. 🙂
Hooo boy, it sure lives up to its name! I was down there at the end of March and a couple of days were in the 90s already!
How are you kids holding up with all this turmoil? I sure hope all of your family is safe and sane. Miss ya and can’t wait to see what you have in store for this house!
Hi Karen! We’re holding up pretty good so far. Handan is in her little apartment in Atlanta, and I’m now back in CT living with my parents with Baris and our dogs. This homeschooling thing has been a blessing, as it allows Baris to help care for the dogs while I’m either visiting Handan in Atlanta or spending my day packing at The Navage Patch v1.0. And it’s an even bigger blessing now, because I’m getting to the point where I need help, and having him there with me to clear out the basement is turning a nightmare task into merely a difficult one, lol! Overall, we’re doing great, and we’re helping my parents, so they don’t have to venture out into the panic and insanity more than is absolutely necessary. Thank you so much for checking in, and we wish you and your family sanity and serenity during these ridiculous times.
I can’t believe the journey you’ve been on the last few months! It’ll be sad to say goodbye to the old house (I didn’t realise it was SO big until you showed us the empty pics!) but now we get to see a whole new bunch of projects! Looking forward to seeing the inside and hearing about future plans.
I hope you’re all safe and healthy. Stay home as much as you can until you’re all together again in your new home!
Hi Jay, sorry for the late response! Everything’s been turned on its ear, and I’m all out of sorts – and that’s NOT including the damn virus that has everyone running around like headless chickens, lol! We’ll be moving soon, and by early to mid May I’ll be back posting regularly again from our new home! Hope you’re safe and healthy (and sane)!
I loved reading your story this time as much as the others. Welcome to the South…I’m up I-75 about 1.5 hours, just barely south of Chattanooga. I hope you realize that you’ve given up those wonderful fall days. I lived in DE for almost 30 years, and while I am from here originally, I really do miss those beautiful fall days the northeast serves up so well. Looking forward to seeing all the new ideas your babes comes up with to keep you busy. Your new home is lovely!
Hi neighbor! While it’s true I do love the fall, these past several years, it has only meant the onslaught of another type of yard work, lol! I’ll be happy to downsize the yard and upsize the temps! 🙂
I just found your writing through a link on Pinterest and you printable poetry. I just finished reading “She said yes” and now I am hoping that you are writing a book! You have a very enjoyable style of writing!
Thank you so much, Karla! If I may – please check out our About Us page. It leads to a very long, ongoing story that you may enjoy. 🙂 https://www.thenavagepatch.com/about-us/