Well the bags are packed, tickets bought, cars rented all that is left is a couple of nights sleep and a drive to Atlanta to the airport and away we go!

Not a permanent move yet but I really hope this short trip home lights a blazing inferno under the Misters behind and across the pond we go permanently sooner than later.

I can't wait to share pictures of England at Christmas with all of you......

Happy Thanksgiving.....

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and I learned a few good lessons do not listen to Celebrity Chefs and before you rely on a dessert you have never made before, make it ahead of time and try it!

All passports are here and tickets bought so England here we come....it has been 16 years since we have set foot on English soil and our teenage son has never been...hope he likes it there since we will be picking up roots and moving as soon as possible. Got to get my Indefinite leave to remain first which looks like may take up to a year. So as soon as we return I need to get started on the process.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and see you real soon........

Today I started packing up the linen closet, who knew we had so many sheets! so far I have packed 6 -44qt totes of linens. Granted we have a large linen closet and a lot of our linens are vintage,  I could never part with them...I am now more than 1/2 through, it looks as if 2 more totes will do it. Will have to get a few space bags for the comforters and the linens should be done ! I did take a car load to my favorite Charity thrift store, my loss their gain.

also checked the US Passport service and although they have removed the passport fees from our account no news on our passports...I hate the waiting game!

Hope you all had a marvelous Monday! see you again real soon.

                                                                                    photo by Wes Schultz
Chattanooga lost an Old Friend this week, sadly the Osage Orange tree at the Courthouse was fell by a storm that blew through on Tuesday September 18th. This tree was planted on the courthouse lawn sometime around 1879 and many couples used to get married under this tree, as it gnarled old trunk made a beautiful backdrop. One of the oldest Osage Orange trees in the State. Hopefully they will plant another in it's place.

Happy first day of Fall! Looking forward to another beautiful fall here in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains...

Did not have a great thrifting week and only went to one yard sale which was a complete bust, sadly. I did get one thing I loved this week at the thrift stores.....

Hope everyone is having a lovely week-end, I am so thankful the weather is starting to cool off...until next time "Happy trails to you..."

Not such a good thrift store day, win some you lose some, only spent $4.39 including tax. Got 2 curtain panels that I love, the pic does not do them justice, they are beautifully iridescent  and 4 brand new linen napkins still in the package. Will have to find some solid color panels to go with the ones I got today to use them in the master bedroom.

 I love Yard and Estate Sales and Thrift store shopping,  I try not to ever pay retail if I can help it! I bought this leather chair and ottoman for $30 bought some fabric and my husband, Steve, recovered the arms since they were badly cracked. I treated the chair with Lexol Leather Conditioner(amazon $6.90shipped) and we have an awesome Leather chair and ottoman for under $50.00, can't beat that!

Today's thrift store find...Oneida brass inlaid round box. Date marked for 1880-1935. I believe it is about 1930 because I think the black material the copper is inlaid into is Bakelite. Paid $1.50

What's for dinner tonight?  

Traditional English Chicken and Mushroom Pie

2-3 Chicken Breast, cut into chunks
3 sticks of celery, chopped
4-5 large mushrooms cut into 4ths or more if you really love mushrooms
1 leek
1 medium onion or two small ones, chopped
3 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, I use dried garlic slices
2 large carrots sliced
4 pieces of cooked bacon, optional

Cook all of the above in vegetable oil for at least 15 minutes.

 Your favorite Pie crust recipe

Add 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup to cooked mixture and heat well. Then add to your baking dish, top with your crust, cut steam vents and cook at 350 degrees until brown and bubbly

This week was spent getting paperwork in order for our trip to the UK in December. Had to get passports for myself, mine was expired, our son, who had never had one and start the paperwork for my husband, who's British passport is a little more difficult to deal with. Been thinking about what items to sell, what to donate and what to take across the pond with us. How to do let go of 30 years of items of a life together?

Hi, my name is Jan and this is my first attempt at creating a blog so please bear with me... I have been married to my wonderful husband, Steve,  now for 28 years and we have 1 terrific 15 year old son. My husband and I have been in the antique business for all of our married life, he restores all antiques and we buy and sell together. This blog will be about our transition from life in the USA to returning across the pond and living the life we have dreamed about for so long...to find the quintessential English home hopefully with a separate cottage so we can host brocante tours several times a year, expand and share our love for all things vintage and antique so please join us on this journey .