Saner (?) Saturday

I always have to thank those that comment to my blog. It lets me know my contribution to the blog world doesn't go completely unnoticed! And I try to spread the love :-)

I didn't go to bed until 3 am last night, because that rant took me so long. I plan on getting to bed very shortly here, and I'm going to have to kick my 11 year old to bed as well. I've got a whole week with her thanks to Winter Break, oh joy. She's not going to be home absolutely every day, though, thank goodness---one of those days she's going to go to a friend's house, possibly over night (it would have been last night, only the kids had their dentist appointment, and she had Girl Scouts---which would have been just fine, since her friend could go with to visit, and I could let the troop leader know, etc), and another she is going to be going to a field trip for Girl Scouts. Another she'll probably go and spend the afternoon with my mom, either Tuesday or Thursday since those are the days mom doesn't have dialysis.

I've had some pauses in the last week, looking at my darling girl. Oh my, when did she turn into a little grown up? Sure, she's no where near there yet, but she's so not my little girl anymore. I was watching her while she was sitting in the audience, with the rest of the Concert Band at their concert on Wednesday, and I realized---hey, she's a SEPARATE PERSON ALL TO HERSELF. With people in her life, experiences I'll never know. Or variations of the same experiences I had myself, sometimes in the very same halls (since she is going to the school I went to until I was in 8th grade). I don't think she's nearly as boy crazy as I was at her age---oh gees, I had a crush on a different boy every month, it nearly seems like, from the time I was in KINDERGARTEN (no kidding, I can tell you who, because he was a friend's boyfriend in 6th grade and the valedictorian for that school the year I graduated) to the day I graduated. Actually, until about my senior year---I was stuck on one I guy I thought really was love at the time that whole year. I don't know exactly what's up with him right now, but I guess he's not doing too bad, ya know? I mean, with her...we've asked if there's a guy she likes, and she keeps saying no, they're all ucky and none of them are nice to her, so she doesn't see the point (woo hoo---mommy's saying all boys are yucky is working, as is her brain, it's good to know! I always liked the ones who were nice to me, or just plain shy). The only boy's name written on her jeans (something I used to do too, though I didn't always write the name of the guy I liked there) is her brother's name (it's not a super easy name to remember how to spell). I don't see any boys names on her books or anything. So I think we're safe for a bit yet with boys. She does say she likes to bug the ones who pick on her or don't like her, just to see them run. Silly girl.

I managed to get a few things done around here---some more dishes (not much, oh well), dinner in our bellies, a bath for the little guy, some clothes washed, even some towels. I so miss being up to par. I'm not all the way there, not at all good enough for me. I'm looking forward to getting the bills taken care of that are blocking my way for doctors.

But maybe it's just SAD. It might be nice if it were as easy to explain as that. :-|

Oh yeah, I've got one other thing I'm happy about. I'm READING SOMETHING. I haven't felt like doing much reading lately, but I think from now on I'll just drag a book with me wherever I go. I have several to choose from thanks to PaperBackSwap.com. Right now I'm working on The Nine Month Plan by Wendy Markham. She's actually a local author, named Wendy Corsi Staub. And she's got a personal connection to my family---she's friends with my sister, who contacted her after reading some of her books I guess. And I guess her dad used to work the same place my dad did (maybe). Anyhow, my sister is mentioned in her thank you notes in her book based in Lily Dale. Because we graduated from CVCS, and my sister's best friend lived there in Lily Dale, my sister was able to help her with some things. What I don't know, but that's neither here or there---it's got everything to do with the writing craft, and I'm sure one day I might need the same help from someone. I have talked to her before, and I will again when I need help breaking into the writing world. I've got stories and such brewing, I've really got to eventually get on them.

It's a great book. I started just last night---I'm already 172 pages in. That either says how fast I read, or how good of a read this is, or both, or something. I like to read, I just don't put as much time in it as I really should. I can devour a book if I really want to. And if I just stay away from the tv. Which I sorta have in the last few days.

Anyhow, church in the morning. I wonder how the tithe sermon will continue this week. And how we'd get the recordings of the sermons we request. Hm.

My Friday.

Finish dishes - nearly there
Finish clothes - not quite
Make cake - done
Make chili (dad's bd dinner) - done

The frosting came out pretty good. It was more like regular frosting than a candy bar, really, but it was still pretty good. It tasted good at least, LOL! And the chili was pretty good too. It had a bit of a kick to it...it was a bit too much for mom, but I really barely noticed it. I guess I must have scarfed it down :-S

There's a load in the washer, and one in the dryer. Actually, the load in the washer is some of D's stuff, so I guess I've got them mostly done then, just need to fold. And do T's clothes. And I've got maybe 1 more sink worth of dishes to do. Maybe 2. Not bad. I'm pretty happy with the state of the floor too. And I really do plan to get to bed soon. I've got to set myself back on track with sleep :-(

I wanted to blog about several important things today. Like the Clinton Obama debate last night. You know, T's said for a while that he thought the two of them would be a really strong ticket. I'd love to see that, no matter which one got the nod from the Democrats. And I'm thinking seriously about making it a point of fact that I'm a Democrat. I would never think of voting for a republican, and most of my political view points are definitely liberal leaning---when the decision comes to decisions about things in my life, then I'm conservative, but I feel people need to learn for themselves, no matter what I think a decision should be. I believe in gentle coercion, not force. Praying and maybe friendly suggestion, not stating that something needs to be so. I believe in leading with my life, not with my mouth. I don't think I always follow that, but I believe that's the best path. I really wish I could live up to my own expectations, no matter how low I put them, sometimes it still doesn't quite seem good enough. :-(

Well, gotta get some water then knit then go to bed!

Hope your weekend goes well, I will be doing some blog hoppin' tomorrow night hopefully! :-)

Monday update

Wow, I'm tired. When I'm done here, it's bed time for me!

Well, one good thing that came about today---I found the camera. So we will be back in pictures soon. I've got a promise to fulfill to Sarcastic Mom! :-)

I still wish I could find that book. I mean, where in the world could it have gone? I hope it turns up soon *sigh*

I need to hit the sack...:-|

Mild Monday again...so far :-)

Today seems okay so far. The worst part is that I currently can not find a library book that I've had out since the end of December. It's The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Panley, and it's really good. I got as far as the end of techniques to teach your kid to fall asleep...there's 8, I believe...which is good because it reminded me of something I really should have remembered myself---teaching them relaxation techniques. I did one suggested in the book, but that I had also sorta met up with once when I first learned of Tai Chi. I used it last night and earlier for his nap time. He went out very quickly after I started---before I even got to his shoulders earlier! I start with his toes and work up. I've looked just about everywhere I could think of, but so far it hasn't turned up. I don't remember taking it out of the house anywhere, and I checked the bags of garbage I worked with last night (which are all now down to the dumpster, since T took care of them this morning. Finally).

The rest of today is going to be dedicated to some wash, and dishes. Otherwise, the house looks pretty good. :-)

I've still got a good cold going on here. My nose tickles, but it's just this side of sneezing. It's not draining right now, but it was earlier.

I took a break from here yesterday because I was just exhausted. I looked at my email at one point, but other than that, I spent a lot of time on the couch after returning from delivering the Penny Savers and getting D to youth group. I did start the list for tomorrow's 10 on Tuesday meme. And it's going to bleed over until Thursday! Because I had a hard time starting my list, but once I got going, I am finding a lot of things. And I find that many of them are "small" items. You'll see :-)

My afternoon, an update

Not going to start the blog hoppin just yet, but I thought I'd sit down and regroup before I put P down to bed tonight. I'll do some blog hoppin' once he's asleep, and I'll hopefully get to bed at a decent hour :-) Tomorrow's church :-D

Vac - done
Stuff and bag Penny Savers - while Blog Hoppin'
Degarbage the futon - done
Sort and toss stuff in the fridge - I wish
More Dishes - not a chance
Sort cabinets - this coming week (along with all the dishes left to do)

I didn't just clear the futon and vac. I also picked up the floor a couple times (due to Hurricane P), and organized the area just to the right of the futon, which is a corner filled with all my crochet stuff---the boxes with all my yarn---plus some other crafting items. And I removed the bags from old undelivered Penny Savers. Also, I went through all the stuff here around the computer tower and monitor. So it looks a bit prettier. :-) I've got to talk to T about jimmying open the filing cabinet---it seems to have jammed itself. Definitely time to sort through all the folders---I've at least got everything sorted by subject/utility/bill. Maybe a new cabinet is just one more thing we'll have to get when we get our income tax refund. :-|

Off to help P calm down :-)

Updates and----Good Morning!!! :-)

Well, the watch seems to have a small hitch. 3 actually. Each time the bigger hands pass, or try to, another of the hands, they stop. Also, the watch is no longer winding. I think I'm going to have to seriously look into bringing this baby to a jeweler's. And the cover story would be easy with mom, since I've been wanting to do it for a while anyhow...it can get cleaned up and fixed if need be. It's an old watch, having it looked it wouldn't be a BAD thing. I just really hope running it through the wash hasn't completely ruined it!!!

So, I was thinking, I have no meme to do today. It's Saturday, and I only do them Tuesday thru Friday. But that's where the Weekend Blog Hoppers comes in. Cause now I have a public to cater to (ha ha), and I'll write something interesting just for them. It will all help me keep up with the commitment to Blog 365.

But, BuzzeeDad---you're evil.

SmartassticMom---you too. You don't know all of the debauchery you have put in my mind. Including inspiring me to be a lot more myself, in so many ways you will never know!

Love ya both!

Enough sentimentality.

I didn't get to bed until after 2, and I didn't fall asleep until 4 (P woke up just as I fell asleep, so I had to start myself all over again once I quickly got him settled). I'm feeling a bit off thanks to that, but now I know why. I've got a list to attack, and a sunroom to deal with as well (T looked thru his tools, so he made a bit of a mess, but at least put most of it back). As much as I can do before bed tonight I will. And I'll see about a nap during P's. But I've got to make a commitment to going to bed by 11. Just as I have to make a commitment to getting P to bed at 8. No later. If I can seriously help it, and nearly 100% of the time I can!

What else I've done with my day...

I've managed to wash 2 loads of laundry (special item coming up---praise GOD!!!), do 2 sink fulls of dishes (maybe 3 or 4 more---all pots and pans now :-S), pick up the living room after putting P to bed, put P to bed (I think if I miss the really easy 8 o'clock bedtime, then he's guaranteed to fall asleep by 10:30 if we go in after 9. Let's hope I didn't just jinx that!), finally put away the groceries, and go through several blogs while blog hopping---plus get supper excited each time I found more comments.

Remember, I'm a COMMENT WHORE and I admit it.

Let's be boring and review my list. This is more for my benefit than yours, so you can skip to my elation and praising God. It's a good thing, trust me, and you'll agree with me. :-)

more dishes - yup, 2 sink fulls
Vac - nope, tomorrow
Fold clothes in dryer - nope, but the path is clear
wash more clothes - yup
Review and pay bills - yup, 1 online (the car insurance), 2 in handwritten checks
Make dinner list - yup, but it will need some adjusting because I have the chili (dad's birthday dinner now) on the list, and that won't happen until next Friday
make up grocery list - yup
Go grocery shopping - yup. And only spend $80.06! Which for me is a good thing, since I've completed what I wanted, and got some extras (popcorn, more fruit than I anticipated, hot chocolate for the kids, etc). And I got garbage bags :-)

Tomorrow I plan to:

Vac
Stuff and bag Penny Savers (maybe when I had planned to arrange the innereds today---while Blog Hoppin')
Degarbage the futon
Sort and toss stuff in the fridge
More Dishes
Sort cabinets (this can run all weekend. Because I don't want to overwhelm myself)

I feel good that I got the washroom done. Now maybe when the landlord looks in that door, he won't see a mess...not that he has said anything before, but you know, I'm really worried about what he might say about the house when he just shows up like he's want to do (I prickle any time I see a truck like his. Dead Beat Slum Lord. Hey, that might just fit!), so I've got to start making this place look better. He doesn't violate the law, but I worry. I saw a truck that I thought was his. Might not have been, but it got my butt in gear in the washroom.

So...for the Praise.

Now, I've got to give you some backstory. When my mom thought she was on her deathbed, when she was REALLY sick, not totally with it, when she was down in Erie, she assigned certain items that she had from her parents to my sister and I. One of the things she gave me was a watch that I didn't really remember, but that she had gotten from her mom. Maybe when her dad died, since he died after, but the watch had been her mom's. My mom's mom died when mom was 18, and so I never met her, but I always wanted to. Any time I have gotten something my mom says was her mom's (there was also a wooden crochet hook, which is still around here someone, that mom said "here, this was my mom's" years and years back, when D was still little, way before mom had her knee surgery), I've always cherished it (hey, I might not know where the hook is, but I know it's safe-ish). Unfortunately, not long after I got the watch, somehow I misplaced it in one of my bags for college. A few months back---maybe August or September---it showed up in the bag I still have down here (the one with wheels went upstairs way back, and THAT'S the one I thought I had lost it in. But I had searched quite a bit through both.). Wind her up, and the watch still worked. I ended up wearing it quite a bit, and one day mom saw I was and commented that she was happy it was being used. There were a few times I had washed dishes with it on, and took it off when I realized it was still on my wrist. I'd put it on the sill right there in front of the sink. Take note: this is where I THOUGHT I had put it this last time. But, it would still work...I guess, now that I think about it, that makes sense because it's an old watch, and you wind it, not use a battery for it because it's electric.

A day or two ago, I realized I didn't have my watch on, and I forgot where I had put it. The last I remember was, like I said, I had taken it off and put it on the sill in front of the sink. Or at least taken it off while I was at the sink. But it wasn't on the sill. And it bothered me when I thought about it, because I couldn't figure out where else it would be. But I think because I was still in my funk, I didn't look hard for it.

Fast forward to about 45 minutes ago when I got up from here to put away the groceries, do that last bit of dishes, and take out my nightgown. Out falls the band, without the watch face.

Yes, I gasped just like that.

I fell to my knees, and started pawing through the rest of the clothes in the dryer, crazy to find where the rest of it was. The face thingie---the plastic bit that protects the face---it fell out next. The workings of the watch were no where that I could find in the dryer.

All the different permutations of the disarray the watch could be in ran through my mind.

The workings would all eventually fall out, a hand here, a spring there, a gear in the lining of my shorts (oh great, another tenth of a pound added to my weight when I go to weigh in on Tuesday).

What.am.I.going.to.tell.mom???

"You're going to hate me, but...."

"You're going to be pissed..."

"You know how I've been wearing Grandma's watch...."

I got to the end of the load in the dryer. I sat the rest of the way down on my butt, and looked at what I had out in front of me, and the basket with the rest of the stuff. Still, the thoughts ran wildly through my mind. Mom's unimaginable reaction (really, I knew she might be mad, but then it's old and it's bound to eventually die, right? No, it's old and it's a good watch....she'd be upset.), the pieces I'd find.

I pawed through the basket, searching the few pairs of pants and shorts I have. Nothing.

Then, the heavens opened and the angels sung.

That only really happens when I pause for a moment when I walk into a library alone.

There it was.

Just the workings of the watch.

Will she still tick?

Is that a burn spot where the 2 should be?

How about at the bottom?

I wound her, and the hands started to move. But it stopped when the second hand hit the minute hand, which was pointing nearly perfectly at 12. It showed about 10:30.

I fiddled with those 2 hands, and it moved again. But stopped at the minute hand again. And I realized I had to push it back and not forwards.

And she works smoothly.

But she's in pieces...



Well, we'll figure out how to put her back together, at least I don't have to tell mom the truth awful news.

Then, I played with her a bit more....



Woo hoo!! Crisis averted. Now only I (and my blogging friends) know the truth.

But you know, I did want to bring it to a watch maker anyhow, to see if it needs any work. It's from an amazing company---look closely and you will see it's a Bulova!

I think if I play with all that a bit, I might have a great 55 Flash :-) Finally. :-D Oh, and at least around the 2, what was there is just lint from the dryer :-| Guess a lot of the old things are better than the new fangled electronics. I'll look more into this watch later, I've been meaning to anyhow.

Now, I NEED to get to bed. It's well after 1---I wonder if T will come home at his lunch break again tonight? I'll tell him about all this too. But I need to get sleep, because P insists upon pulling my butt out of bed at 8:30, sometimes 7:30. Really, he goes "mom, up." Too cute....

And remember.....I'm a COMMENT WHORE...



P says---please leave a comment for my mommy. She just won't feel like she's good enough if you don't!!! And she'll start looking just like me...

Just had to do it. He looks TOO CUTE!!! It's an old picture...he's a year older than this now...:-)

Finally!

After several trials and tribulations, both that did and didn't include the little guy, I'm finally on the computer! I came in here to get on the computer when T (FINALLY) went to bed, and it wasn't connected to the internet. Not even the cord. I found it, thought I had it plugged in right---nope, still nothing. Then I figured maybe it just needed to be restarted....tried that, it wouldn't even start. I figured I'd just wait until T got up---since he and P were sleeping, and I wanted to clean the wash room some, so I did. P got up, I did some dishes, we had lunch, he needed his little butt changed, and in the process got his pants dirty by sitting in his lunch (totally by accident, he had been sitting on the floor in front of me eating it, and got up on the couch next to me, fell off---gently, with me catching him as best I could. At least he didn't go head first. And landed in the bowl. So, everything came off. Nakkid baby running around. Jumping on the bed where his daddy slept, waking him up. I sorta mentioned something about the computer, but told him he didn't have to wake up and help me, I was fine with him sleeping until the time he had asked to get woke up so he could work on P's godfather's laptop. But I told him the problem and he told me how to fix it, and here I am. Lucky you.

Other things I want to do today:

more dishes
Vac
Fold clothes in dryer
wash more clothes
Review and pay bills
Make dinner list
make up grocery list
Go grocery shopping

Oh, that's good and doable. I'll report more later. We haven't had any more snow, so there's no reason to go out and shovel today. Dang, and I wanted to, too! Crazy, huh? BTW, let's have some fun and go over my list for yesterday:

Come up with a Thursday 13 post - done
Finish voting for the Weblog Awards - done @ nearly midnight, which kept me up until then (didn't help that with T sleeping until 8, and dinner not ready until then, I didn't get P into the bedroom for bed until after 9, and he didn't fall asleep until nearly 10:30), and I'm now anxiously waiting to see if I've been accepted into The Weekend Bloghoppers. I wouldn't barhop if I were single (well, not much anyhow), but it still looks like fun!
Dishes - some, not all
Clothes - T's are NOW all done, I've got mine and P's going thru the process now
Pick up garbage - some, I have to put garbage bags on my list
Make a grocery list (including garbage bags) - going to do soon
Figure out dinner tonight and dinner list - at least dinner, and I did Spanish Chicken and Rice from Weight Watchers. That was lunch today too.
Pay bills that need it - will do in minutes!
Spend time with kids - while D may not believe it, I did this even with her
Crochet or knit something :-) - wow, one thing I didn't do yesterday that I wanted to. But I did some today, so I'm good :-)

Late night

Okay, I'm going to take a shower and go to bed just as soon as I'm done here. But today ended up going really well. I even shoveled the driveway. 3 times. I've got to keep this up, I feel like myself again!!!

So later gator, I'll talk to you then! :-)

Big duh, dippy dippy!

Well I've figured out part of what will make me feel better....

Getting a good night's sleep. I feel TOTALLY on my game. And I didn't need any sleeping pills or anything (we know those can be deadly---oh, see, here I'm making a cultural reference [see my "Say it isn't so" post on Tuesday], see how with it I am?), I just needed to hit the pillow before 11pm, and fall asleep before 11:30. I really need to do this more often, I feel great. And the cup of coffee has little to do with it---I was rather awake before that, the coffee's just a recreational treat. Hmm...I'm doing stuff recreationally. Not good. But now I'm thinking about all the things I need to get done....

clothes---hey, I've already got 2 loads in---one's in the dryer now, and needs to be taken out, the other's in the washer and needs to be put in, and there's also the load that I folded, so I guess that's actually 3 I've dealt with.

I'm going to be putting the little guy down for a nap shortly, and then we'll see where we go. I have to soon, because it's almost 1 and he sleeps really well the earlier I get him down. Yesterday it didn't help, because we got real comfortable after he fell asleep, so I sorta dislodged him when I got up---almost had the same when he went down for bed, but somehow he managed to stay, after some shushing and D telling me to leave him alone. Sometimes mommy just needs to remember that. Anyhow, he's going down a lot easier because he is staying rather busy and even though the tv's on even now, he's not WATCHING it. Neither am I, I'm barely listening to it. But I should change the channel, not sure what to because DIY isn't doing their usual line up (at least yesterday they didn't---I like Knitty Gritty and Uncommon Threads), so I might change it to the Christian Music station.

Anyhow, I've got other things I'd like to do, and it looks like I might actually get them done. Here's my complete list:

Come up with a Thursday 13 post
Finish voting for the Weblog Awards
Dishes
Clothes
Pick up garbage
Make a grocery list (including garbage bags)
Figure out dinner tonight and dinner list (will probably do Spanish Chicken and Rice)
Pay bills that need it (might move the electric bill to next month [it's really small], and pay just the car insurance, phone bill with the local phone company who is no longer our provider but I have to pay it so it doesn't hit our credit report, and the kid's dentist so they can have their dentist appointment next month. Or when the office calls with a cancellation again. Gotta get the kids to brush their teeth more often again.)
Spend time with kids
Crochet or knit something :-)

I've got to alternate my computer time with my housework time. Right now I have to answer the call of the coffee going through me! :-S

P.S. Go vote for my friend, Lotus on Sarcastic Mom---she's sweet and so awesome, and I'm voting for her!!! She's up for Best New Blog, you'll have to scroll down to the bottom!

Tuesday's Challenge

I've decided I'm going to do my best to just bust through whatever it is that's making me feel so bad. I've considered carbon monoxide poisoning or something, considering I DO feel a bit better when I leave, and I feel worse at one end of the couch than the other, but we've got a CO detector, and if there was something wrong, it would be screaming, right? It's not. It did last year (and from the gas company came in to check around), but it's not now. So, I think I'm just suffering from an extra long cold or a touch of the flu. It's not like I can go to the doc and get checked for it anyhow. It would cost me $300 just to think about it.

Speaking of which, T mentioned that the government/Bush is thinking of another tax refund thing this year, and we'd get roughly $1600 from it. Well, I think it's stupid---give us the break with the taxes we give them every day, not some large chunk that's probably really not in the budget. I mean, if you think our money situation is bad---look at the government. And who's calling them asking for their money? No one can touch them, and they do way worse than any citizen.

Anyhow, I'm going to suggest to T that we use that for the bills we owe on. We should have something left over---maybe enough for a lunch or something. He's thinking about going out to Colorado to visit again this year (prompted by his brother asking me if we were coming out, and telling me to talk to him about it. I told him up front I don't want to go, due in part to the fact that I don't want to have to deal with his grandma :( Not my idea of FUN and that's what a vacation's supposed to be!!!). We could work around that too, but I really want to start thinking about our long term, and start paying things off so maybe one day we CAN get a house! :-| We'll see :-|

So, I've done some dishes already, picked up the floor a bit, and rearranged the stuff on the futon a bit. I've also removed the clothes that were there, and I plan on folding them. Then picking up all the clothes around the house (namely in our bedroom and the bathroom), and poking and prodding the washer to see if the pipes have thawed yet :-|

Monday....ugh

That's pretty much how I've been feeling all weekend. And before that some too, which is why I haven't been fulfilling the Blog365 requirement :-| I don't know what it is, my head hurts some still (as in I often feel like there's cotton up there), parts of me still hurt like the time for my period, I have no motivation to get this place done, all I seem to want to do is sit and crochet or knit. Okay, there's nothing really wrong with that, as this means all I've got left on Rosa's afghan and pillow are to weave in ends. I guess this is going to be shorter than I thought.

I just pray every night that things will be better in the morning, that I will feel up to cleaning this house and doing wash and everything in the morning. :-(

And I'm solid on the fact that I'm going to bed SOON tonight!!! Hopefully tomorrow will be better!!!

Finally Friday.

And I feel pretty good! :-) I didn't get to sleep as quickly as I wanted to, since after I got done with yesterday's post we still had to wait a bit for pizza and wings (it's been a LONG time since we had that, T was wanting some, so we just had some :-|), and I couldn't get P down until after that....so he was still up at 10. I'm working so hard on getting him down at a decent hour (8 or so), but this is just a little bump in the road :-) It's okay, tonight WILL be better!!!

Hmm...since I sat down and my daughter has come home, I've started feeling low again. I should get up soon and start cleaning soon, or else I'll lose the hope I had when I left the room after putting P down for his nap.

Well, after I finish the letter I'm writing to one of my new pen pals (long hand---love to do it that way :-)), and I fill out a Friday's Feast, then I will get to cleaning around here, because I've gotten myself back to the state where I want to do it. Just by thinking. Wow, I must be feeling better if I can do all that---multitask, and not feel bad for long because I force myself not to. Sometimes it doesn't always work!

Mild Monday....

Though if you were to look outside you might not think so, LOL! We've finally got snow again, woo hoo! I'm happy, because I like snow during winter. :-) It's really good snowman snow, but unfortunately the kids didn't go out to make one because we weren't home long enough during daylight hours. I went and cashed that check from mom, and spent some of it.

I was right on target on one of the things that didn't help my mood yesterday.

At least I'm getting something up now, because I really don't feel like writing much more beyond this. But I want to keep up the blogging every day, so here you go!

:-P

Sunday starts a new week

Unfortunately, I'm still recovering from the last one. As is not unexpected, I'm feeling low after this weekend's adventures. I'm still working on the praying thing---but with all my eating (insert eye roll here) and possibly the onset of my period causing problems with my chemistry and making my head hurt more than it should after having caffeine, I'm on a major let down. The thoughts (not unhelped by my mom's whispers in my ear) of what kind of a parent I am (or what kind I guilt myself into thinking I am) start up. I realize I'm actually a really good mom---I've got great, reasonably obedient kids, smart kids, sweet kids. They know how much they are loved. :-) But that doesn't mean I feel all that much better about my parenting all the time. :-( I need to go to bed soon, I think a good night's sleep will do me good. I wanted to go to bed even earlier than this (I'm going to be able to get to bed before midnight---not that I couldn't before, but this time I'm going to make it, I swear!), but at least I'm going to get to bed at a decent hour, right?

My ankles and half of my lower body hurts from delivering the papers. We got them done slightly different than usual, but we got them done. And that's all that matters.

My plan for this week, notably tomorrow, is to get that check cashed, vacuum the floor, do some dishes and do some clothes. I hope I can get it done, and declutter some around here too.

Good news, I finished the main body of Rosa's afghan. I just have to weave in all the end. Now I'm starting to work on the pillow :-)

Okay, done. :-)

Yet another set of reasons to praise God

Today was a crazy day. It started out fairly normal, getting up later than usual because D and T watched P for about 2 hours after he woke up. Then I got up and worked on Rosa's afghan some, then got ready to go see my mom, because she had told me she had something for me waiting in her room. I had no idea what it would be, but I decided I'd go find out today.

While I was sitting here for pretty much the only time I would be at the computer all day, my dad called. They have one of those turbine thingies you see spinning on top of people's roof, and the top part that spins had come off with our wind storm last night. He asked if T would go up and do something about it---my dad was figuring he would go into the upper attic, that my parents have never used, because that was the best access to it without going on the roof, and my dad figured T could put up some wood or something. T ended up going up on the roof, twice, and putting a tarp up there, covering the thing. During part of that I was outside and the kids were in.

Well, while I was, P got ahold of 3 bottles of my dad's meds. Only Ibuprofen, Naproxen and a diuretic. We have no idea if he took any, but I called my mom because I figured we'd be going, then I called the hospital who put me through to poison control, who said there was nothing I could do to help counter effect the stuff before we got there, so off we went.

They really did nothing, other than count the pills in the bottle, and put leads on him to keep track of his little heart, etc. They figured in part from us and in part from the number of pills, he probably didn't take any. I certainly hope so!

And last night, while it's not a real big thing, it was big to me then---D's Girl Scout troop was an hour late getting home. It's not so bad because they did get home, but before they get home you don't know what's up. Ya know?

So, you might ask why it is that I call the triple threat to my family here a reason to praise God. I hope you don't think I'm a glutton for punishment. Or that I'm a sadomasachist. Heck, I don't even think I'm all that paranoid (though that can creep in from time to time.).

No, I'm not going to take it when others decide how my life is going to go. And I don't ENJOY the pain, or the fact that, yes, sometimes it's a result of my own mistakes. I can't imagine who would be out to get me---I look at my God as a loving God, who allows some things to happen so that we LEARN from them (and because we all got together and wrote it into our charts).

So, what do I think I can learn from this? That God is always there. Even when it was just me and P in the room---or the car, because I felt it when alone with him then too---I didn't really feel as if we were alone. I prayed, somewhere deep down inside or just in my head, at one point in time or another during all of the events. I know he got us through each of these things, and he would have gotten us through all of them no matter what the outcome of any of them was!

And if you read this far and still remembered there was a reason for me to stop and see my mom today---she had a check for me. For labor for making the roses. I told her all the money I was looking to get from it was to replenish my supplies that I didn't have on hand when I started making the stuff. Heck, I didn't even worry about the money I spent getting the green thread (because I like to make sure I have all of one color on one ball before I make threaded items, and I was able to find a good sided green one for cheap at one point). It doesn't come out to much per flower, but she wanted to do something. :-| Part of that money is going to go towards the biz, part is going to be some yarn money for me :-) Maybe some stationery too.

And of course things never end. I left the Penny Saver garage with 3 bundles of circulars to insert into the Penny Savers---I can only find 2. And this one was distinctive, because it had the slip about the house that I have to stop delivering to!

Oh well, bed time. Hope your day was better! :-)

A mile past stupidity - or Another reason to praise God

Today was pretty much our usual Friday routine, except for one small bit. And I really believe (and believed as I sat there) that it was actually one of the BEST parts of my day personally (my husband wouldn't TOTALLY agree, but I know within it, I got one of my prayers answered.

As with many other Fridays, T asked me if I wanted to go for a drive with him, which basically means that with the money he's got from his portion of his paycheck, he's got a few things he wants to go get or take care of, this on the days he didn't cash the check at one of our local grocery stores. Even though I had things I needed and wanted to do (like the last 4 rows of Rosa's afghan), I said sure. I can't pass up a chance to have time just me and him (and P), and to spend his money (hee hee). Besides, due to how he set the withholding from his check and how much he worked last week, he didn't have a small paycheck---it wasn't as big as with the time he worked on Christmas, but it was still good sized, and I happen to know he's got money left over even now.

So, off we went to cash his check, pay the cable (and phone and internet) bill, stop at WalMart for a few things, then off to drop off some money so the EZ-Pass is taken care of (one more trip up the thruway would cause them to take $25 more out of our bank account, and this was that trip), then we headed up to the reservation to get some gas.

Only problem with that was that unlike most of the other times, when the gas tank started dinging to let us know it was nearly completely empty, we (read: T) drove around town on it without even putting a little bit in it. I'm sure I'm in part to blame too...T said he did blame me because just before we got on the thruway, he asked me if I thought we'd be able to make it up the 30 miles on the thruway. Most of the time we are....

But not this time. The GREAT thing about it is that we weren't even 1 mile from the off ramp, and we have a small gas can in the trunk. We've had that thing for YEARS. It was obvious that T was going to be the one to walk that mile, then another mile, but I can't tell you exactly why. He can walk much faster than me a lot of the time, and I'm sure P would have loved to stay with his dad (who would have let him out to play instead of insisting he stay in the car seat). But, T set out in the slight cold and dampness/rain, and I sat in the car.

I was amazingly patient, if you ask me. I would often, in past times, be flipping out a bit...I've always known I'm one who is big on keeping control of the situation. In fact, I'm a bit surprised that before we got on the thruway I said "no I think we'll be fine" even with knowing how much we had driven around, instead of "you know, just to be sure stop and get a gallon or so."

But I thought for a few minutes while I was first sitting there, and I realized that I had a great opportunity to take some time just me and God (and P), and do some talking. It would have been nice to think about other things, but I think I got some practice in praying either way.

I was rather specific in my prayers. First, I thought about it, took account of how far we were and how much time it might take to walk that distance and back. I figured that if he returned before noon, I'd be surprised. We got on the onramp at just about 11am. Then I told God I knew he was with us, and that I can depend on Him, and that He will get us through this.

Then I started on a small repetitive prayer---take care of T, me and P, and get T a ride! I remained rather calm---in fact, if you had looked in the car while I was sitting there, you would have thought I thought I didn't have a care in the world. I just sat there, knitting and praying to myself, trying to keep P calm by pointing out all the semis that drove by while we were waiting. He got a large board book for Christmas from my parents with 3 books in 1, and big trucks of all kinds are in there, plus trains and emergency vehicles.

I was extremely surprised---T showed up at just before 11:40---and he had gotten a ride from some one in a red car. T said the guy was up from Pennsylvania, had seen someone who he thought was walking with a gas can already, but when he got back around to that person, he found they were just walking. Then eventually he saw T, and he was the 3rd or 4th car after T said "boy, it would be nice if someone stopped and gave me a ride about now." :-|

Ending Thursday on a GOOD note

There are some lower points, but I'd have to say that my day has ended decently. I did some grocery shopping, and spend nearly all I had left (it's amazing I didn't pass out at the register, but that's in part because there IS some money held aside still, enough that I can do what I want for the offering at church, and also there seems to be a nearly $80 difference between when my checkbook says is out and what the computer [when I try to balance my checkbook and keep it in line with the bank, using my online access to my account] says is in the bank---in my FAVOR mind you. If it wasn't, then the money would NOT have been spent. I mean, can my math be THAT bad??? I don't know what it is...:-S I know what you're going to say---but it's a GOOD thing, right? I'm not going to use it though! Or I'm going to try not to---oh well, Feb's a 5 paycheck month---in that there are 5 Thursdays this month, and that's the day the money hits the bank account each week, so that's when I consider payday. Most of the time there's also 5 Wednesdays and sometimes 5 Fridays :-) But Thursdays are my money days, and that's all that matters!!!---anyhow, so I won't have to worry too much about the other bill I was going to pay this week, because I can do it next week or the week after. :-) Yes, I have a rough outline of when things will be paid! My math must really be bad, when I do the subtraction in my head!).

I finished clearing off the futon, now the only things on it are the bag of garbage, the basket of towels, etc, that I need to fold (dishes and clothes are my big thing tomorrow, which will be good because I'm working on being on my feet as much as I possibly can while P's up and getting into everything), the quilt (made by my husband's step mom) and the blankets and pillows I normally keep there. I'm nearly done putting away everything that's just sitting on top of my craft boxes in the corner, I've gone through the drawer sitting here that was the paper stuff in the box that had been on the futon, I've put my 2 (yes 2) empty boxes at the bottom of the stairs---on top of everything, and I'm just a bit worried about everything falling, but another trip upstairs to put things away is in order. Just gotta find a way to do it that I don't have to worry about the possible heart attack I'll get worrying about P following me up. Yesterday was NOT happy for me because of that, and T disagreeing with me on not wanting him up. I'm sorry, but that sort of thing just scares the DICKENS out of me---my worst fear is my babies falling and hurting themselves from a high spot. And I wanted a boy this time :-|

I figured out while making my dinner and grocery lists that I'm SICK OF TOMATO BASED MEALS. I'm going to have to scour my foodie blogs to see what I can come up with for different ideas. Got any suggestions? Hmm....to bring more attention to my blog, I think I might come up with a contest for that. I think I know a few people who might go and help me promote it! :-) Second runner up for sick of meals is pasta, but that's actually good. Sometimes you can have pasta without red sauce! I love making this meal I had on our date for our 11th anniversary---it had penne, tomatoes (but not a red sauce), onions, olive oil and parmesan cheese. I omit the tomatoes most of the time I make it (as I don't often have fresh ones, and I tend to prefer grape or cherry tomatoes, when I do), but I like it a lot, especially the onions. I LOVE onions!!! I don't much like some kinds cooked, but I'd have sauted onions sauted in onions, with a side of sauted onions, but hold the onion juice, LOL!

P went down fairly easily tonight---little fuss, little disagreement. Wow, I am just LOVING watching this little guy grow. Even the times when I'm wanting to pull my hair out (maybe something a little less self-mutilation related, but I'd never) and/or cry because he's just being himself into EVERYTHING. Such a typical little boy. I think he's feeling better, getting over his cold, because he's so much back into himself again---you know, Hurricane P. :-) My baby boy....

The rest of my Wednesday....

For anyone that cares---the Wordless Wednesday picture is that of water splashing up over the railings along the walkway at a local park on the shores of Lake Erie. We live within 5 miles of Lake Erie :-) My husband loves to take pictures of such things. I say it shouldn't happen in mid-January like that because it was unseasonably warm for about 3 days, and the water that splashes up like that (as it's wont to do on such a windy day---we had wind advisories for all over the Western New York area) SHOULD BE FREEZING NOT JUST FLYING UP IN THE AIR AND LANDING BACK ON THE GROUND! T also had a few pictures of the water on the car, through the windows and windshield. I think it looks pretty when it freezes on the railings, and also there where it was flying up, period :-) But then I'm crazy and I just LOVE our area :-) T's taken pictures of it freezing before, I'm just not too sure which memory card they are on or where said memory cards are! :-|

The rest of the day has prompted me into some introspection. I won't be on here much longer, and I really hope to hold to not taking much longer getting to bed. P was quite a handful today. But I don't think it was all him, some of my problem (a lot of it) was how I reacted to it and how fit I am right now. I'm dragging tail a lot. And not just because I've been sick. I guess it really started when I began eating all that garbage, and went terribly off program. I've just got to give the kid some running room. And he hasn't been out of the house for "play groups" much these last couple weeks, just right before Christmas, and church just before New Years Eve. But that's not much, and he wasn't feeling well then. I think he's missing MOPS and all that. And he'll probably be staying 2 services worth real soon here so mommy can go to the classes the church is having for the Foundations of Harvest. I need to get going. But I'm going to ask some friends to do some praying for me! :-| I need it!!!

I hope to have the Thursday 13 up tomorrow, not sure when though. Hopefully not too late :-|

Too many :-|'s around here :-P

Things are....

Somewhat better now, thanks for asking. I am working very hard to pull myself up and out of not feeling well, so I can work on the mess that seems to have invaded my home. :-( I've done yet another sink of dishes, I've put away the rest of the clothes that I folded yesterday, gathered up a bag of garbage from the futon, gathered up more clothes that will soon be heading into the washroom to get washed, got D's blankets OUT of my living room (they had been in our bedroom, and yesterday afternoon I threw them out of our room and told her to take care of them), and worked on one more letter.

All while working on keeping a little boy from burning the house down. Okay, he didn't put anything into outlets that don't belong there (I've got to keep him from playing with cords half the time too :-(...ugh!) (he didn't play with any cords this time though), but he was acting up like one would not believe. His nickname isn't Hurricane P for nothing! He did a few PURPOSEFUL headers off the end of the couch, climbed up on the pile of clothes that I've gathered, wouldn't sit and play with his blocks even though I asked him several times...I've got to get him to understand to KEEP the PullUps on until we've gotten to the changing table, no matter if he's wet or dirty. I've got to find a way to transfer his understanding of waste producing movements from taking care of them after to going to the bathroom to do them in the right place. I KNOW he knows what the bathroom is for, not just for baths, but I'm not sure how I'm going to do it! When I've figured it out...I'll let you know.

On the online front, besides having fun with all of this blogging and finding friends on Blog365 (see badge to your right), my WNY_C co-owner and I got a rather unsavory invite to an "adult content" group yesterday. Now, I'm the least prudish person I know (really, if you knew some of the things T's co-workers know I've done for him---things that only belong between 2 consenting adults...I'm surprised they don't think I'm a W or something---but then it IS within the confines of a marriage, so...), but I'm not going to join a group like that without looking for it myself. Heck, if the person had just approached it in a different manner, I wouldn't have been so insulted. I'm concerned that they have used our group to troll for members to their group, and have done just as they have with us, and sent this invite to EVERYONE.

Okay, I've got to do 10 on Tuesday now...