night out

Another year come and gone!! My husband and I have been married 39 years. We celebrated with him bringing me roses and a card(not mushy this year) and went out to eat. We debated on where to go, but once in the car he changed his mind about where to go. NOT a big surprise!! This has been something he does with great regularity!! Surprisingly enough, he chose for us to go to Joseph-Beth Bookseller's cafe. Which is a waaay yuppie place in their atmosphere and food. Ended up with OK food and an inept waiter. SIGH My dessert was excellent. If they would only do everything as well as they do their tiramisu life would be very good!! To set off the surprise...he was willing to look around shopping in the bookstore. I quickly loaded my arms with books and used a portion of my carefully horded gift certificates. I still have a bit left for more funness later on!! LOL

Turkey Swap

Ahhhh, the power of the blog!! Snagged me some turkey just from whining on here!! LOL Thanks to Jen for coming to my rescue. I now have turkey for both eating and playing out my inner barbarian...wonder what Scott would do if I attacked him with a turkey leg??? Nahhh those thoughts are better left alone...back quickly away!!

Anyway...thanks Jen for bringing me turkey. I'm sorry that my cake options were so slim. Do you all like pies?? I can make you a pie...?? OR...cookies?? Just tell me what flavors and I'll come through for you!!

Thanksgiving has come and gone....

Well, another Thanksgiving day came and went with visits with family, this year his side of the family. All his whole brothers were there and his whole sister...he has two halves left...grin...one a brother from his mother's side, the other a sister from his father's side. They're much older, but he's worked hard with establishing a relationship with both of them over the years. They just weren't able to make it there for the celebration, too. His brother's three boys were all there for the first time in a long time for us to see them. No one was drunk, no one strung out on drugs...not nairy one fight for us to survive. It was surprisingly pleasant, with everyone on their best behaviour.

I did miss being with my side of the family. My two nieces with new babies were going to be at their father's house. One of the young babies I've never even seen before. I wasn't pleased, but resigned.
I called there today and only got a busy signal. I'll have to remember to try again.

I did get to talk with my own children for the holiday. I think it's really important to touch base on these days, even if it's just for a short conversation, as it conveys and reinforces the love and, anyway..makes me feel soothed. This year even my new daughter in law called me specially to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving. When I'd been talking with my son she wasn't around, and then I passed the phone to his father and then it was hung up...she didn't find out later that we were who he was talking to...and, got aggravated that he didn't let her have a turn to say "hi". She can be a sweetie!! LOL Unfortunately, we didn't get to talk with Penny and her crew...I thought about them as we passed their exit...was wondering why we didn't set up something ahead of time to be with them instead of with old people like us!! LOL

One bad thing...we didn't bring home enough leftovers. Not even one piece of turkey for a sandwich. Did get some of the roast beef...but, while good, it just doesn't conjure up that same feeling of contentment!! I do have some cake in there that my friend Lisa made for us. She does a really good job with both cakes and cookies! I am the pie maker, but it's been too many years since I did them regularly enough to stay in practice. Good crust takes practice!!

OH well..nothing is stopping me from baking or inviting more people over...well...except for being lazy and not wanting to mess with my plans for decluttering more...

Guess that's all for tonight...I can hear one of those cakes calling to me....Donnnnaaa!! yep..recognise my own name!! LOL

tonight at church

Our church held it's annual Thanksgiving dinner tonight. I was really pleased with the number of visitors and relatives of our church members that attended. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, but I'm thinking we've about maxed out our space for these types of things!! Maybe we should be setting up tables upstairs in the big open space, too??

The food was super good. Turkey, dressings, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, broccoli casseroles, deviled eggs, all sorts of salads, cranberries in all forms, and desserts of every kind....except chocolate. This is the first time I can remember where there was not even one chocolate dessert served!!! It really wasn't missed, though!!

Guess I'll have to be paying more attention to making sure I get all my water in, and also checking on my calories and portions I'm choosing. This could be a baaaaad week foodwise!! LOL I'm looking forward to it!! LOL

whining

I'm just a bit blue around the edges, while I'm bubbling with excitement over the same thing!! Just a different angle of looking at it..right?

See..it's like this...My baby boy sent me the link to his graduation ceremony information this coming spring. Finally!! is what one side of me says....YoooHooo! says another side of me....WHIMPER...says another side...he's getting soooooo OollllDDD!!! Good Grief!! How did it happen over night??? Well...I guess with looking back his graduation from college has been a long overdue process, but I'm proud of him for seeing this through. Now, if we can just get him through this last semester coming up....!!

House building is a wee bit closer

We met with the builder this afternoon to run past him the four houseplans we couldn't choose from. Thought maybe he could look and tell us which of the four would work better and be cheaper to build than the other three. And, basically we totally eliminated two of them. And, actually, probably the third one, too...as, it would take an architect to create a new facade, since none of us like the current one. So, I'm thinking I'll go ahead and order the plans for this one, and then get him back over here to sit down and crunch more numbers. This is so completely NOT the direction my brain works...my brain wants to just tell the guy...I want it, fix it for this amount, don't give me any problems or hassles and we'll all be happy campers! SIGH...sure isn't reality, is it?

Sat Nov 10th

Hey there,
I have a large list of to-do's to work my way through today, but am sitting here playing online first. Which reminds me...my 2nd cup of coffee is in the other room...brb...OK, I'm back....

I'm feeling a bit stronger today, the strange twinges have been still there, but lessening, I think. I do have more energy, which I should have as I've been sitting all morning! What I'm trying to decide now is whether to make a printed list or try to remember things as I go along through the day. Knowing me...better go with the list!

So...after I do that, I'll have to get myself dressed(now I understand why my Aunts always lounged all day!) and make sure I have shoes on for protection and balance, and get started. I'm thinking I'll work under crisis mode first(15min on/go to next for 15/back again)and then switch to regular 15min timings. And, I think I'll start with the yuckiest chores first.

OH....and, also want to schedule in glasses of water...small ones as I hate water...but, none the less--water instead of pop. I've not been staying hydrated and I do know better.

My dear husband is out, once again, shopping, before he can proceed with the actual building of the deck's steps. I don't understand why he insists upon not getting what he needs at one time and just go ahead and build the stupid things...it's just been all summer and half of fall...might have them finished by 2009? But, I'm not having to do it, so I guess I should just shut my mouth and be grateful he can do it.

Oh...and, on another note....received the holiday card address list from my flychat group...it's time for Christmas card sending...wonder where I put those cards when I cleaned up this spring???? Not a doubt it was somewhere easy to find as I was frustrated last year with hunting for them!!

Busy Day

I'm using purple today in honor of my klutsy ways! I tumbled backwards off of a stool onto the floor at work yesterday. The floor is carpeted with a low pile, cheap carpet...barely padded at all. My head made a crunching sound, but other than feeling a bit weird around the edges I don't seem to be overly injured. My daughter is concerned for internal injuries, but I'm still refusing to go in and being poked and prodded and X-rayed. So..I guess I'm taking a large gamble on my life, but all of life is like that to some extent or another, anyway.



I'm backed up with laundry to do, need to finish my AM routines(which includes getting me dressed, too) and in general work on this neglected looking home. I'm also wanting to bake some banana nut bread or muffins. And, it's past time for making out my Christmas list for this year.



Guess I'd better go get started on more than I've been getting done to this point today...bye!!

continued...

well, this didn't work. Started to look at pictures as my final act online before beginning with all those to-do's I had in front of me...when the phone rang...

It was Loris....we talked, and brought each other up to speed on all the info between us....which left me with not much time left to do a lot...

so....managed to clean a couple of potties, and find me some pop to drink, blowing my diet of course, and I think the only way I can do anything to recover this afternoon is to sit down and make a list to ignore and go read a good book?? NO...go do laundry...need those jeans and have to wash towels to replace into the empty upstairs linen closet. Plus, at least a half dozen other things!!!

So...better drag out my trusty note pad and set my timer, too!!
Bye...

Sunday, November 4th

There's tons of work to be done here today. So, what am I doing? Fluffy stuff!! Playing online and rearranged some things with this blog and my other pages.

I need to be settled in, studying my Bible study for the week...class is 6pm. I also really need to get serious about dragging those sheets out of the dryer and making sure I get my jeans in to dry...and immediately start a load of towels washing and I could easily keep doing laundry all night and probably not be done. I very seldom get behind on laundry anymore...maybe one load for an afternoon, but nothing like this is. This is a reminder of what my life used to be like pre-flylady days. There's stuff everywhere needing attention.

Also...need to check in and see if Denise got any better this week...Jo called and said she had to go back to the hospital...they've probably had to give her a plug for the spinal they gave her...she was leaking fluid...not such a good thing!!

And...beyond that, there is any number of directions my attention could be applied...it's a case of which one to choose...family phone calls? house cleaning? more bookcases to go through? packing up things to donate? call the builder? bleaaaaakkk!! I'd much rather stick my head in the sand and maybe read a book?

My third weekend in a row to work..YAY..it's over! I had a good day with both books coming in and what went out. I believe that the majority of the customers were pleased, but there were a few that weren't expecting their purchases to be as high as they were...some put some books back, but the other went ahead with their choices....I glad that we're set up to refigure their choices easily....if we were computerized it would be a much more difficult process, or at least much more time consuming. I did have one customer that wasn't very happy with the new policy that will be going into effect in a couple of weeks...I guess two customers in 3 weeks time isn't too bad for all those others that have expressed their support for our attempts at staying open. I am not proud of myself that both times I've gotten really extremely angry over it, but hopefully I've put it behind me and can manage to not let it effect my opinons of these two forever and a day?? But...really...why would it bother me if they could care less if we go under??....uh...maybe because it's my job and Lisa's livelihood?

Noticed where my daughter was blogging about being well on her way toward being finished with her Christmas shopping. Good for her!! I can remember a time or two where I was almost done by the beginning of Dec....but, many, many more times where I'm still out there a couple days after Christmas still trying to fufill my list! Sometimes I wonder if she's really MY child! LOL Well...guess I should say offspring, as she's definitely no longer a child, but an adult almost old enough to be no longer a young adult! LOL

I've gathered all my stuff to go into my shoeboxes for Christmas. Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas...uh..Child? Shoebox? Whatever..can not keep their title in my head, and it's something I can look up if I need it! LOL I do need to start putting it together as I need to take it with me tomorrow. After this it will be time to choose toys for the Christmas Toy Drive for the association...Like that they let the parents purchase presents for their children instead of just giving them away...seems to be more in the spirit of allowing them their dignity.

OK...this is it for now...will check in later sometime....

more random thoughts

I'm thinking that I need to stop eating all these cheetos and leave some for the person that purchased them!! Why in the world would he bring yummy snacks into the house and expect me to be able to resist them? Well, to be fair...when I'm in full out dieting mode, I can resist most anything in the line of snack foods...but, it's so rare anymore that I'm in full out dieting mode...I'm more often in a cutting back mode. Which rarely survives the temptation of cheetos!!! ARGH!!

So...went to work today and kicked butt!! Did manage to get a ton of work accomplished and the store looks way better!! GO ME!! Of course, I was almost 1/2hr late getting there...I was messing around here at home, but...then again...I got some things done here, too. I'd be worried or concerned about my bad habit if I received regular paychecks....since I don't, I'm into full out passive aggressive mode.

Now, admitting my nasty habit of being a passive aggressor...what do you all do when you're faced with a perpetual situation that you're resigned to stick with but irritated by??

Supper time...am thinking pork chops and broccoli with something....it's the something that's holding me on here instead of in the kitchen cooking...just not quite got the urge to go cook just yet. Tired of fried/baked potatoes and don't want to concoct a rice dish from scratch. Maybe I should look into some mac and cheese? I think I might have enough cheese to pull it off.....maybe.

OK...now my random thoughts are even boring me....gotta go...bye

final thoughts to share

Well, it's been a good day, even if I wasted most of the morning. Ended up going shopping for the shoeboxes...I found all sorts of things, but not some of what I went looking for. I decided to aim these two boxes at the older set of kids. I think they're harder to do....more expensive that's for sure! I also think I probably over purchased, but if it's possible at all, I'd like to squeeze everything in the boxes. I'm wondering if I can put some of the things like scarves/mittens/socks into a ziplock bag and suck out all the air to make them shrink down?
Scott had supper ready for us by the time I wandered home. I'm so grateful that he doesn't seem to get all bent out of shape about taking on the chore of cooking when I'm doing other things. His cooking has greatly improved over the years, but tonight we had to have the discussion about when you're cutting bad spots out of potatoes you take the time to look at the potato to make sure the bad is allllll gone!! He's still stuck on the thought that if you cut at it, it's gone...well...not always.

My niece is experiencing a spinal headache from some tests she had to undergo. I'm miffed that they, the professionals, didn't keep her flat, nor did they impress upon her the need to stay as flat as possible meaning someone else needs to be taking care of her kids for her. I have a headache in sympathy for her. I've had spinal headaches...they are NOT something to be taken lightly.

OK...gotta go...need to do some laundry tonight and I keep putting off folding the sheets that are in the dryer...causing a back up in the laundry process...

lost words...arghhh...

arghhh!! I forget on occasion how to get back to my page after previewing what I've written...if you hit the wrong button, you lose everything! arghh!!

I wrote everything I wanted to say on the blog I lost...do I want to do it again??

Nahhh...I'll write some when I get back from getting some things accomplished. I need to clean up and get out to shop for Operation Christmas Shoebox...this Sunday is our church's deadline for getting them into the church.

OH...and, that's not all I have on my agenda for today...it's going to be a busy day if I can ever get myself up from the computer and started! LOL

Hope you all have interesting things in store for yourself to do today!!

I found my lost blog! yay!!

Today has been interesting in a couple different ways. Of course, only interesting to me...the chances of anyone else finding them slightly intriguing is slim. So...think I'll keep that to myself and go on from here.



I received notice from my daughter that she'll be using blogging to try and stay in touch a bit better from here on out. I've not noticed that blogging is any easier than emailing, but she didn't ask my opinion! LOL Guess the main advantage is she can do it leisurely without dealing with immediate feedback.



I'm planning on preparing two shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Shoebox. Never have done just one, as I like to do one each...boy/girl. This year I'm thinking of aiming for the older child. I have the shoeboxes, and the wrap. But, I need to gather the stuff to fill them with. I found a few things when I was shopping with Linda the other day. Very few things considering the stores we were in....I need to hit a Dollar Store, WalMart, Target or Meijer's...etc..to get the main things. I've also had good luck at Walgreens or CVS stores for goodies to pack in there. Main thing is, I just need to DO it today!!



Halloween trick or treating was last night here in my community. There are restrictions set up for who is allowed to participate....I think my last person didn't read them. She had to be 40 if she was a day!! Scary "country" witch!!



Let's see....anything else going on? Uh...I have two new pairs of shoes....wore one pair while out with Linda and then to work yesterday...I thought they were extra comfortable when I purchased them...I no longer feel that love for them! LOL I need a pair of shoes to wear with dress slacks or dresses...for winter...I HATE SHOE SHOPPING!! ARGHH!!



OH..yeah...Husband has been officially diagnosed with arthritis...still has one more appointment with the doctor to discover if there is any injuring involved, also. I don't think he has understood the meaning of switching exercise programs from jogging to non-load bearing exercises like cycling or swimming. He promptly went out yesterday and walked for 2miles!!! SIGH



OK...guess it's time for me to go finish my AM routines and get myself up and out of the house. Once back I have a ton of things to do...the house still looks like a tornado hit from when the kids were visiting.