The agent: "The Bear" a.k.a. "The Picky Eater." (8 years-old)
The mission: avoid eating lasagna at all costs, highly annoying everyone in the process.
The Picky Eater: "I don't like this."
Mom: "You haven't even TASTED it yet!"
The Picky Eater: "I don't have to taste it. I already know I don't like it."
The Picky Eater: "I wish I could turn into Garfield. Then I could eat it all really fast like 'GULP!' and turn back into myself and be like, 'Can I have dessert?'"
The Picky Eater: "I wish I had superpowers. I would make any food I don't like turn into pizza. Pizza from Little Ceasar's. That's the superpower I want. Then I could go 'POOF!' and make all this gross food into something that tastes good."
The Picky Eater: "Mom! YOU ATE MY LASAGNA!! I don't want to eat YOUR lasagna! I want MY lasagna!!!!"
Note: this child and I use the same sized plates and about the same amount of food. The only real difference between "my" lasagna that I did not even touch and "his" lasagna that I inadvertently ate was mine had some cheese on the top.
Mom: "Sit down and eat your dinner."
The Picky Eater: "THEY [the other kids] don't have to sit down and eat!! THEY get to watch TV! THEY get to play on laptops! THEY get to play on the Wii!"
Mom: "THEY already ate their food!"
The Picky Eater: "SO?!? They get to have fun and I don't!"
It was at this point Mom left the room to let Dad deal with The Picky Eater. I am pretty sure I just heard him running into his room soooo I'm guessing:
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Crazy Weird Day!
I got a late start today because quite frankly I didn't feel like doing anything, so I sat on my bed and watched "Evolution" (the movie). When I finally DID get up to get things done today it had been a few hours so I knew the dogs needed to go out. As soon as I got back in my husband called me and requested I pick up lunch for him and one of his friends, so I put the dogs to bed and headed out.
The restaurant he requested was Arby's, and it wasn't too crowded, but I was the only girl there.
Now since we moved I have not colored my hair - have barely done anything to it except shove it into a bun or ponytail and I have not worn the first smidge of make-up. My clothes are almost entirely "work-clothes" (read: not very cute) and I wasn't even wearing my good shoes ~ I was (and still am) wearing my five year-old white tennis shoes that aren't white anymore because I used to wear them exclusively for mowing. So I was kind of surprised at how many guys were talking to me! I mean, I haven't received THAT much male attention since about 45 pounds ago. I was nice to everyone but I checked to make sure my wedding ring was on because I couldn't figure out why they were all talking to me! (I was wearing my wedding ring)
Then after I got my food, my husband's food and my husband's friend's food (so it should have been pretty obvious I wasn't eating alone) THREE guys were running over each other to open the doors for me! I was highly embarrassed but flattered nonetheless.
I was dressed crappy, my hair was a mess (not to mention ALL the GRAY LOL) but I suppose a smile DOES go a long way!! At least I now have a good story to tell my girls when they wear too much make-up and trashy clothes (unfortunately it's the style here now, much to my disgust). It's not what you're wearing girls!
After enjoying my lunch with a bunch of mechanics, I figured since I was in town I'd stop by our storage locker and get a load to take home with me. After I loaded up the van pretty full I took stock of what was left and decided I only need one more trip to empty the storage locker and close it out. I was feeling pretty happy at this point and got in the van to leave.
Unfortunately I had forgotten to shut off the dome lights (the lights in the van that come on when a door opens) and my battery died so I was stuck. I called the husband and he had to send out one of his coworkers to jump my van. I didn't mind so much, it gave me a chance to read my van-book "The Once and Future King."
So I FINALLY got to go home and it just so happens all this took so long I really don't have enough time to clean or unpack anything before the kids get home sooooooo I get another break! Ha Ha!
I will go and start bringing in shelves to my special bookshelves that my dad made me. He made the whole thing: He cut the wood, shaped it, smoothed it, varnished it....the only thing he didn't make were the metal thingies that hold up the shelves. They should be coming in the house this evening or next.
Great Monday so far!!
The restaurant he requested was Arby's, and it wasn't too crowded, but I was the only girl there.
Now since we moved I have not colored my hair - have barely done anything to it except shove it into a bun or ponytail and I have not worn the first smidge of make-up. My clothes are almost entirely "work-clothes" (read: not very cute) and I wasn't even wearing my good shoes ~ I was (and still am) wearing my five year-old white tennis shoes that aren't white anymore because I used to wear them exclusively for mowing. So I was kind of surprised at how many guys were talking to me! I mean, I haven't received THAT much male attention since about 45 pounds ago. I was nice to everyone but I checked to make sure my wedding ring was on because I couldn't figure out why they were all talking to me! (I was wearing my wedding ring)
Then after I got my food, my husband's food and my husband's friend's food (so it should have been pretty obvious I wasn't eating alone) THREE guys were running over each other to open the doors for me! I was highly embarrassed but flattered nonetheless.
I was dressed crappy, my hair was a mess (not to mention ALL the GRAY LOL) but I suppose a smile DOES go a long way!! At least I now have a good story to tell my girls when they wear too much make-up and trashy clothes (unfortunately it's the style here now, much to my disgust). It's not what you're wearing girls!
After enjoying my lunch with a bunch of mechanics, I figured since I was in town I'd stop by our storage locker and get a load to take home with me. After I loaded up the van pretty full I took stock of what was left and decided I only need one more trip to empty the storage locker and close it out. I was feeling pretty happy at this point and got in the van to leave.
Unfortunately I had forgotten to shut off the dome lights (the lights in the van that come on when a door opens) and my battery died so I was stuck. I called the husband and he had to send out one of his coworkers to jump my van. I didn't mind so much, it gave me a chance to read my van-book "The Once and Future King."
So I FINALLY got to go home and it just so happens all this took so long I really don't have enough time to clean or unpack anything before the kids get home sooooooo I get another break! Ha Ha!
I will go and start bringing in shelves to my special bookshelves that my dad made me. He made the whole thing: He cut the wood, shaped it, smoothed it, varnished it....the only thing he didn't make were the metal thingies that hold up the shelves. They should be coming in the house this evening or next.
Great Monday so far!!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
"Braking" News Of Books & Ovens ;)
If you've been reading my blog during the past month you've already read that even though we bought a brand-new oven in the past six or seven months, it's a gas oven and our new house has only electricity hookups. The house came with an electric stove so we figured it was fine.
Unfortunately, this stove is absolute junk. There is no rack on the inside so I cannot bake ANYTHING. The oven is almost all I EVER use to fix dinner anymore so we've had to "downgrade" and eat out of a toaster oven and a microwave all this time. Out of the four stove-top burners, only three work and one of them lets off such a nasty stench when it's on we don't bother using it at all. The other two work but one is insanely small (I'm guessing it's a warmer only) and the other, although large, I still haven't been able to figure out temperatures on it.
That might be mostly my own mistakes since this is the first time I have EVER used an electric stove in my entire 35 years of being on this planet. I have yet to serve a meal that isn't insanely over-cooked or under-cooked in this house.
So we've already started saving up to buy a new electric oven, and we're hoping this week sometime we can go get one. My husband wants to buy from a used-appliance store since it's cheaper, but I want a guarantee that it will work better than the used one we currently have before spending money on it. Still, it'd be great to be able to use the oven to make dinner again.
As far as books go I grabbed the first book I could find out of the garage and it happens to be C. S. Lewis's "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (from the Chronicles of Narnia)" and I'm already halfway through that. I've never read it before (that I remember) and it's a cute little read.
I'm supposed to be in my garage unpacking some more but I'm grumpy since my daughter's car blew a brake line. Luckily we live in a small town so when I ran a stop sign there was no one around except a guy in a truck who had plenty of time to stop and shoot me a dirty look while I was trying to figure out where my brakes went. I had to drive VERY slowly and VERY carefully around the block and get back home, and I still freaked every time I had to try to hit the non-existent brakes. Thank goodness my daughter wasn't the one driving!!!!
Unfortunately, this stove is absolute junk. There is no rack on the inside so I cannot bake ANYTHING. The oven is almost all I EVER use to fix dinner anymore so we've had to "downgrade" and eat out of a toaster oven and a microwave all this time. Out of the four stove-top burners, only three work and one of them lets off such a nasty stench when it's on we don't bother using it at all. The other two work but one is insanely small (I'm guessing it's a warmer only) and the other, although large, I still haven't been able to figure out temperatures on it.
That might be mostly my own mistakes since this is the first time I have EVER used an electric stove in my entire 35 years of being on this planet. I have yet to serve a meal that isn't insanely over-cooked or under-cooked in this house.
So we've already started saving up to buy a new electric oven, and we're hoping this week sometime we can go get one. My husband wants to buy from a used-appliance store since it's cheaper, but I want a guarantee that it will work better than the used one we currently have before spending money on it. Still, it'd be great to be able to use the oven to make dinner again.
As far as books go I grabbed the first book I could find out of the garage and it happens to be C. S. Lewis's "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (from the Chronicles of Narnia)" and I'm already halfway through that. I've never read it before (that I remember) and it's a cute little read.
I'm supposed to be in my garage unpacking some more but I'm grumpy since my daughter's car blew a brake line. Luckily we live in a small town so when I ran a stop sign there was no one around except a guy in a truck who had plenty of time to stop and shoot me a dirty look while I was trying to figure out where my brakes went. I had to drive VERY slowly and VERY carefully around the block and get back home, and I still freaked every time I had to try to hit the non-existent brakes. Thank goodness my daughter wasn't the one driving!!!!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Lookin for something to read again haha!
"11/22/63" (Stephen King) was SO good I finished it in five days. It was over 800 pages long, but I managed to cram it all in very quickly.
Now I'm looking for a book that isn't written by Stephen King before I dive into another Stephen King story. I have "The Once and Future King" (T.H. White) in my van. I might bring it in and read it since it takes a little concentration to read and it's so old I'm afraid being in the van is more than that ancient paperback will be able to handle. Otherwise I have two non-King books in the garage I might read instead (or maybe I'll just throw one of THOSE into the van to be my "van book."). I'm pretty sure both of those were Dollar Store buys, so they're pretty little.
I need a bookshelf in here already! LOL
Although I will be a little more picky on what books actually get to stay in the house this time around. Only the books I'm sure I will want to read again someday will stay, along with my display books and of course my Stephen King Collection. I just don't have the room for books I liked but will probably not read again any time soon. As far as my "stuff" goes....the new house is really exclusive - not everything is going to make the cut. As far as books, certainly no duplicates will be allowed to stay. I have far too much of everything I own. I am close to understanding why I have kept all the things I've kept, and I am very close to getting over it and working through all that junk.
Blug....it's hot already. Oh well, I have things to do ;) Have a great day!
Now I'm looking for a book that isn't written by Stephen King before I dive into another Stephen King story. I have "The Once and Future King" (T.H. White) in my van. I might bring it in and read it since it takes a little concentration to read and it's so old I'm afraid being in the van is more than that ancient paperback will be able to handle. Otherwise I have two non-King books in the garage I might read instead (or maybe I'll just throw one of THOSE into the van to be my "van book."). I'm pretty sure both of those were Dollar Store buys, so they're pretty little.
I need a bookshelf in here already! LOL
Although I will be a little more picky on what books actually get to stay in the house this time around. Only the books I'm sure I will want to read again someday will stay, along with my display books and of course my Stephen King Collection. I just don't have the room for books I liked but will probably not read again any time soon. As far as my "stuff" goes....the new house is really exclusive - not everything is going to make the cut. As far as books, certainly no duplicates will be allowed to stay. I have far too much of everything I own. I am close to understanding why I have kept all the things I've kept, and I am very close to getting over it and working through all that junk.
Blug....it's hot already. Oh well, I have things to do ;) Have a great day!
3 weeks of 7 people using ONE bathroom!
The switch from all seven of us using two bathrooms to all seven of us using ONE bathroom has been a lot better than expected. We are still adjusting some things to make it better (it mostly has to do with the teenage girl and I clashing on where all our important bathroom stuff goes LOL) but overall it hasn't been too traumatic for me.
My only real complaint is that I have NEVER ONCE, since we moved, been able to take a shower and step out onto a DRY bath mat. NEVER. ONCE. EVERY SINGLE TIME I get out of the shower the bath mat is SO SOAKED that water comes squeezing out the sides.
I know why....it's because the kids have school and therefore bedtimes ~ so they get first shot at the shower (that's 5 kids dripping onto that bath mat nearly every night). Then the husband is usually grungy from his day at work so he gets next shot. All six of these people apparently don't understand that you can get most of the water off of you while you're still standing in the shower.
So by the time I get a shower the bath mat is a cold wet squishy thing....it's like stepping on a dead drowned fuzzy worm.
It helped a LITTLE when I started instructing kids to hang the bath mat up over the side of the tub so it will dry a LITTLE before I use it....but it doesn't help much, so I've decided I'm getting a second bath mat to set out right before I take a shower. Then the first one can dry and by the time all six of these people I live with soak the second mat I can whip out the first one again.
It's a plan, anyway ~ we'll have to see how it goes.
;)
My only real complaint is that I have NEVER ONCE, since we moved, been able to take a shower and step out onto a DRY bath mat. NEVER. ONCE. EVERY SINGLE TIME I get out of the shower the bath mat is SO SOAKED that water comes squeezing out the sides.
I know why....it's because the kids have school and therefore bedtimes ~ so they get first shot at the shower (that's 5 kids dripping onto that bath mat nearly every night). Then the husband is usually grungy from his day at work so he gets next shot. All six of these people apparently don't understand that you can get most of the water off of you while you're still standing in the shower.
So by the time I get a shower the bath mat is a cold wet squishy thing....it's like stepping on a dead drowned fuzzy worm.
It helped a LITTLE when I started instructing kids to hang the bath mat up over the side of the tub so it will dry a LITTLE before I use it....but it doesn't help much, so I've decided I'm getting a second bath mat to set out right before I take a shower. Then the first one can dry and by the time all six of these people I live with soak the second mat I can whip out the first one again.
It's a plan, anyway ~ we'll have to see how it goes.
;)
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Settled
Tomorrow we will have lived in this house for three weeks. I think everyone is pretty settled in at this point (I was settled the first night ~ actually I had more trouble with the displacement when my husband moved our bed than I did switching from sleeping at Farfa Yccono to here); even my two reluctant kids have told me this place now feels like home.
I have been feeling a love for this house, new as it is, that I haven't felt for the past four places I've lived in (pretty much every place since I moved to Illinois from California). Maybe because it's mine and I'm paying to own it, maybe because it's a real house with real floors and real walls (which I haven't had since California). My husband often complains about the comments (and dreams, and Sims houses I made to duplicate) I make about "The La Mesa House." He feels like no house we've ever had can "compare" to what I believe is the fabulousness of that near-mansion. Well he's right. No house CAN compare....but I didn't love it because it was fabulous. I loved it because it was mine. The entire downstairs (with the exception of bedrooms) and the entire backyard (with POOL!) was basically mine to maintain. I was responsible for all the animals, cleaning the ENORMOUS bathroom that basically I was the only one who used on a regular basis, cleaning the hallway and bookshelves, trimming the rosebushes (that my grandpa taught me how to take care of), and cleaning the pool and it's filters. It was all mine and I loved it. So maybe, even though this shabby little house doesn't have the grandeur of the La Mesa House, I'll grow to love it in the same way because it's all mine, and so far I am the only person taking care of it :).
=-00-==-00==-00-==-00-=
I have been slowly compiling a "Rule List" as we go ~ and I make sure to note the person or persons who can be blamed for having such a rule in the house. I hardly believe what my own kids do LOL. Here's what we have so far:
"NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE TRASH CAN IF THERE ISN'T A BAG IN IT!! EVER!!!!" (unknown)
"No skipping stairs when going DOWN the stairs. You can skip going up as long as you do not touch the walls" - Star (middle child)
"NO ONE is allowed to leave the house when [parents] aren't here unless we specifically said you could" - Star
"NO ONE is allowed to come over when [parents] are not home" - The two oldest (15 & 14)
"If you are in Illinois you HAVE to have a sweater in the vehicle NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER from September to May. NO EXCUSES!!" - me (mom [I am not above making rules to learn from my own dumbassery])
"You are NOT allowed to play outside or do anything that might get you dirty (i.e. climb trees) right before school!" - the two oldest
Seeeee? What normal people consider to be common sense we have to make rules over LOL.
I have been feeling a love for this house, new as it is, that I haven't felt for the past four places I've lived in (pretty much every place since I moved to Illinois from California). Maybe because it's mine and I'm paying to own it, maybe because it's a real house with real floors and real walls (which I haven't had since California). My husband often complains about the comments (and dreams, and Sims houses I made to duplicate) I make about "The La Mesa House." He feels like no house we've ever had can "compare" to what I believe is the fabulousness of that near-mansion. Well he's right. No house CAN compare....but I didn't love it because it was fabulous. I loved it because it was mine. The entire downstairs (with the exception of bedrooms) and the entire backyard (with POOL!) was basically mine to maintain. I was responsible for all the animals, cleaning the ENORMOUS bathroom that basically I was the only one who used on a regular basis, cleaning the hallway and bookshelves, trimming the rosebushes (that my grandpa taught me how to take care of), and cleaning the pool and it's filters. It was all mine and I loved it. So maybe, even though this shabby little house doesn't have the grandeur of the La Mesa House, I'll grow to love it in the same way because it's all mine, and so far I am the only person taking care of it :).
=-00-==-00==-00-==-00-=
I have been slowly compiling a "Rule List" as we go ~ and I make sure to note the person or persons who can be blamed for having such a rule in the house. I hardly believe what my own kids do LOL. Here's what we have so far:
"NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE TRASH CAN IF THERE ISN'T A BAG IN IT!! EVER!!!!" (unknown)
"No skipping stairs when going DOWN the stairs. You can skip going up as long as you do not touch the walls" - Star (middle child)
"NO ONE is allowed to leave the house when [parents] aren't here unless we specifically said you could" - Star
"NO ONE is allowed to come over when [parents] are not home" - The two oldest (15 & 14)
"If you are in Illinois you HAVE to have a sweater in the vehicle NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER from September to May. NO EXCUSES!!" - me (mom [I am not above making rules to learn from my own dumbassery])
"You are NOT allowed to play outside or do anything that might get you dirty (i.e. climb trees) right before school!" - the two oldest
Seeeee? What normal people consider to be common sense we have to make rules over LOL.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Been a while
I've been busy! Let's see.....I had finished "Delores Claiborne" in two days...I had only had a few more pages before I was done when I had to run to town (I already knew how it ended so it wasn't a big deal to leave it [it was the eighth or ninth time I've read it]).
On the drive home from town I was already thinking about which non-Stephen King book I was going to pull out of the garage to read next when I drove past the library. On a whim, I decided it was as good a time as any to get my new library card, so I parked, strolled in and requested one.
The library in this small town wasn't exactly "high tech" yet so I stood and waited for my new card to be typed up on an actual typewriter. While waiting I looked around. This library seemed to be a bright and cheery place and I saw popular reading for this town was "romance novels" (which I do NOT enjoy) and next to it was a large shelf with just so happened to have authors J-M on it. A large light-colored book drew my eyes and excitement shot through my system.
"11/22/63."
I have been wanting to read that book for a year!! The library at my old town never got it (it's too soon, I imagine). Even though I was thinking of my "non-King books between every King book" lifestyle choice, my hand reached out (seemingly without any instruction to do so from my brain) and pulled it off the shelf. The first thing I noticed was it was a LOT bigger than I expected! So then my brain thinks, "Well my old library never had it (yet) so this might not last long before someone else borrows it....it might not BE here by the time I finish my other book!"
So I plopped it on the table and as soon as my card was handed to me I gave it back to borrow "11/22/63."
It had me HOOKED by the second page!!!
On the drive home from town I was already thinking about which non-Stephen King book I was going to pull out of the garage to read next when I drove past the library. On a whim, I decided it was as good a time as any to get my new library card, so I parked, strolled in and requested one.
The library in this small town wasn't exactly "high tech" yet so I stood and waited for my new card to be typed up on an actual typewriter. While waiting I looked around. This library seemed to be a bright and cheery place and I saw popular reading for this town was "romance novels" (which I do NOT enjoy) and next to it was a large shelf with just so happened to have authors J-M on it. A large light-colored book drew my eyes and excitement shot through my system.
"11/22/63."
I have been wanting to read that book for a year!! The library at my old town never got it (it's too soon, I imagine). Even though I was thinking of my "non-King books between every King book" lifestyle choice, my hand reached out (seemingly without any instruction to do so from my brain) and pulled it off the shelf. The first thing I noticed was it was a LOT bigger than I expected! So then my brain thinks, "Well my old library never had it (yet) so this might not last long before someone else borrows it....it might not BE here by the time I finish my other book!"
So I plopped it on the table and as soon as my card was handed to me I gave it back to borrow "11/22/63."
It had me HOOKED by the second page!!!
Friday, September 13, 2013
blah blah blah - why is she still talking?
As far as the reading goes...my stepson went to his bio-mom's for his court-appointed visitation and he left his library book behind. I knew if I decided to read it I would have to finish over the two days he was gone. But I HAD to read SOMETHING, and it looked like an easy read (AND it was NOT a Stephen King story, so I could go get Delores Claiborne later and not feel guilty LOL)
So I grabbed it and read it while my stepson was gone and I finished it just in time!
Having finished it (it was "Don't Look Behind You" by Lois Duncan) I ran out to the garage and even though it was pitch black, I grabbed "Delores Claiborne" and took it in the house. I ended up not even starting it but it's in and I'll get to read it hooray!
My next big project will be organizing the garage. All the stuff that needs to be unpacked relatively soon will stay by the door, then I want all the decorations in one spot, all the bags of clothes in another (I'll get back to that as per why), all the OATs boxes (my boxes that I need to work through One Atta Time) hidden in the back and all the "unimportant"-but-still-needs-to-eventually-be-unpacked boxes in the middle. I'm also going to make a quick list of what's left out there so if someone says "I NEED [something I didn't deem important enough to pack in the needs-to-be-unpacked-right-away boxes] BUT I CAN'T FIND IT!" I can look at the list and know right where it is.
(Yes I know I have WAY TOO MUCH stuff....working hard on getting rid of a lot of it)
Now - the BAGS....as I was lining up kid's boxes to bring in the house I noticed all the kid's names on their respective boxes except one. I searched and searched but I could not find one single box with my stepson's name on it. So I asked him and he said he just shoved all his stuff in bags! So now I have to go through all the bags and try to find his stuff. More work, thanks.
Anyway after it gets too hot to work in the garage I will give the pups their monthly bath. Then the usual laundry and cleaning. ;)
I think it's quite ironic that I started out cleaning and organizing my garage, then it turned into moving, and now we're in a brand-new place and already I'm having to clean and organize the garage! LOL! I've come full circle!
So I grabbed it and read it while my stepson was gone and I finished it just in time!
Having finished it (it was "Don't Look Behind You" by Lois Duncan) I ran out to the garage and even though it was pitch black, I grabbed "Delores Claiborne" and took it in the house. I ended up not even starting it but it's in and I'll get to read it hooray!
My next big project will be organizing the garage. All the stuff that needs to be unpacked relatively soon will stay by the door, then I want all the decorations in one spot, all the bags of clothes in another (I'll get back to that as per why), all the OATs boxes (my boxes that I need to work through One Atta Time) hidden in the back and all the "unimportant"-but-still-needs-to-eventually-be-unpacked boxes in the middle. I'm also going to make a quick list of what's left out there so if someone says "I NEED [something I didn't deem important enough to pack in the needs-to-be-unpacked-right-away boxes] BUT I CAN'T FIND IT!" I can look at the list and know right where it is.
(Yes I know I have WAY TOO MUCH stuff....working hard on getting rid of a lot of it)
Now - the BAGS....as I was lining up kid's boxes to bring in the house I noticed all the kid's names on their respective boxes except one. I searched and searched but I could not find one single box with my stepson's name on it. So I asked him and he said he just shoved all his stuff in bags! So now I have to go through all the bags and try to find his stuff. More work, thanks.
Anyway after it gets too hot to work in the garage I will give the pups their monthly bath. Then the usual laundry and cleaning. ;)
I think it's quite ironic that I started out cleaning and organizing my garage, then it turned into moving, and now we're in a brand-new place and already I'm having to clean and organize the garage! LOL! I've come full circle!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Gotta Getta Book in here!
Yeah, it's time to get a book in here. I brought in the Bible and read some of it, but like Shakespeare and Milton, it takes dedication and concentration. I love heavy reading, but at night right before bed sometimes I want something I can devour quickly; a quick ride where all I have to do is sit there and enjoy it. Since I have no other books in the house except the Bible (which I've already read cover-to-cover once back in 1996) and "On Writing" (Stephen King), which I finished reading last week, I decided to re-read "On Writing." I think yesterday I read about 30 pages of my NIV Study Bible (and all the notes + essays in between) and I read 84 pages of "On Writing." Part of it was I had JUST READ On Writing, so I could skim. Part of it was "On Writing" is an easy enjoyable read. A fun little ride. Where as the Bible, fun in it's own way, is like mountain biking: It's awesome, but I've got to do all the work myself.
I know where a box of books are in the garage, and I'm pretty sure "Delores Claiborne" is right up at the top. I usually try to read a non-Stephen King book in between King books, but Delores Claiborne is one of my favorites. It's in the top 4 spots that jostle around for first place among my favorite Stephen King stories.
It's also fascinating because there are no chapters. It's all one person's side of a conversation in one long stretch...there's no one else talking. It's brilliantly written and I have never EVER gotten tired of it. So I might look around for a non-King book...but I am really excited to unpack Delores Claiborne so I might just go ahead and snag it. ;)
I know where a box of books are in the garage, and I'm pretty sure "Delores Claiborne" is right up at the top. I usually try to read a non-Stephen King book in between King books, but Delores Claiborne is one of my favorites. It's in the top 4 spots that jostle around for first place among my favorite Stephen King stories.
It's also fascinating because there are no chapters. It's all one person's side of a conversation in one long stretch...there's no one else talking. It's brilliantly written and I have never EVER gotten tired of it. So I might look around for a non-King book...but I am really excited to unpack Delores Claiborne so I might just go ahead and snag it. ;)
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Quickie Post I gotta get stuff done today!!
I MISS MY BOOKS!
I did not pack the book I borrowed from my brother (Stephen King's "On Writing") because I didn't want to lose it. I've already finished it and now I'm desperate to start reading again, but I don't want to start hauling books into this house until I have bookshelves!!! I keep thinking I'll only take ONE book inside....but that's always how it starts LOL.
I'm running out of clean clothes and I know I'm not the only one, so if my husband doesn't get the washing machine and sump pump connected today I'll be going to a laundry mat for the first time in six years.
Seven people sharing one bathroom has been QUITE an adjustment, lemme tell ya.
I've asked the kids if this house feels like home yet and they all say no **giggles**. Guess I'm the only one :D
I did not pack the book I borrowed from my brother (Stephen King's "On Writing") because I didn't want to lose it. I've already finished it and now I'm desperate to start reading again, but I don't want to start hauling books into this house until I have bookshelves!!! I keep thinking I'll only take ONE book inside....but that's always how it starts LOL.
I'm running out of clean clothes and I know I'm not the only one, so if my husband doesn't get the washing machine and sump pump connected today I'll be going to a laundry mat for the first time in six years.
Seven people sharing one bathroom has been QUITE an adjustment, lemme tell ya.
I've asked the kids if this house feels like home yet and they all say no **giggles**. Guess I'm the only one :D
Monday, September 9, 2013
Short Post: We're Done
We only have one item left at the old house. After hauling away the garbage bags we will be completely moved out!
Things at the new house are going well. We are cleaning and organizing things as we move them in. I imagine after our last load tomorrow we will be able to devote a lot more time to unpacking.
Thanks to my brother in-law and his father in-law for helping us out. Lots of love to ya!
Things at the new house are going well. We are cleaning and organizing things as we move them in. I imagine after our last load tomorrow we will be able to devote a lot more time to unpacking.
Thanks to my brother in-law and his father in-law for helping us out. Lots of love to ya!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
This is it. There's no turning back.
After an exhausting marathon of hauling loads, running to town to get a few more things, and another last-minute load, we are finally spending the night in our very own house!
I am super-excited! This place feels like home already. Of course I could live in a box and feel perfectly comfortable (as I've said) and I love change to an extent.
The kids are dealing. One has said even though he doesn't like hte old house better, he's used to it and he's NOT used to this house. One brave little girl wants to spend her very first night in her brand-new room, but she keeps trying to get me to stay with her longer. I finally had to be firm with her and say I'm EXHAUSTED....my feet and my ankles are begging me to sit or lay down, and my back hurts every time I move. I LOVE you but I HAVE to go to bed!!!!
The first dinner we had as a family in our new house was hamburgers and hot dogs my huband grilled, with corn on the cob, salad and chips (Doritos Cool Ranch FYI). The first movie we watched together in this house was Tron (the newer one).
I'm ready for my first night spent at the new house so goodnight!!
I am super-excited! This place feels like home already. Of course I could live in a box and feel perfectly comfortable (as I've said) and I love change to an extent.
The kids are dealing. One has said even though he doesn't like hte old house better, he's used to it and he's NOT used to this house. One brave little girl wants to spend her very first night in her brand-new room, but she keeps trying to get me to stay with her longer. I finally had to be firm with her and say I'm EXHAUSTED....my feet and my ankles are begging me to sit or lay down, and my back hurts every time I move. I LOVE you but I HAVE to go to bed!!!!
The first dinner we had as a family in our new house was hamburgers and hot dogs my huband grilled, with corn on the cob, salad and chips (Doritos Cool Ranch FYI). The first movie we watched together in this house was Tron (the newer one).
I'm ready for my first night spent at the new house so goodnight!!
Books Books and more Books
I have thought (and posted) that there are no books left in the old house about six times. I'll go back and check, but I'm pretty sure six times. I have no more book shelves. Every time I post it I am SURE that there is not ONE SINGLE book left in this house.
Then I open a drawer, or move something off a shelf (and today was one for the record books ~ I looked in a bucket) and there I will find between four and twelve books.
So I guess I'm not sure anymore. We might get the house empty and right before I shut the door I might find yet a few MORE books behind it. I have an addiction!!
Then I open a drawer, or move something off a shelf (and today was one for the record books ~ I looked in a bucket) and there I will find between four and twelve books.
So I guess I'm not sure anymore. We might get the house empty and right before I shut the door I might find yet a few MORE books behind it. I have an addiction!!
Oh. No.
The WORST thing about moving is I'll be forever giving up on finding my wedding ring!
When my daughter was four or so (2008 or 9), she asked to see my rings. I let her. She toddled off and only came back with my engagement ring. As that was the ring with the six diamonds on it I wasn't too worried, thinking we would eventually find it ~ it's not that big a house and it's not that messy.
Now, five years later, we STILL haven't found it. Our theory was it might be in the heating ducts and we'd find it when we tore them out to rebuild. Now we are leaving......
I have had a few kids try to look in the vents but once we leave today we are officially giving up.
I am sad.
I have been using the ring my grandmother left me as a wedding ring, so I can either keep doing that or order a new set. However, I know this engagement ring so well I could probably pick it out of a lineup. I know each and every flaw in the diamonds, so it might be hard to give it up. SIGH.
Unless there is a ring miracle it's lost to me forever :(
When my daughter was four or so (2008 or 9), she asked to see my rings. I let her. She toddled off and only came back with my engagement ring. As that was the ring with the six diamonds on it I wasn't too worried, thinking we would eventually find it ~ it's not that big a house and it's not that messy.
Now, five years later, we STILL haven't found it. Our theory was it might be in the heating ducts and we'd find it when we tore them out to rebuild. Now we are leaving......
I have had a few kids try to look in the vents but once we leave today we are officially giving up.
I am sad.
I have been using the ring my grandmother left me as a wedding ring, so I can either keep doing that or order a new set. However, I know this engagement ring so well I could probably pick it out of a lineup. I know each and every flaw in the diamonds, so it might be hard to give it up. SIGH.
Unless there is a ring miracle it's lost to me forever :(
My Marks
In every house I have ever lived in (except the apartment I stayed in until I was a year old) I have left my mark. I got in huge trouble for some of them. I leave them in obscure places. Places so obscure I have forgotten where some even were. Usually it was my name and the dates I lived in that residence. The Santee House it was on a stud in the garage (I think). The La Mesa house it was in a corner where the drywall overhung the shower/tub (my parents didn't find it until after we moved and I was in HUGE trouble for THAT). The Opera House it is inside a wall. The 915 apartment it is on the inside part of the bathroom door under a hinge (I think [you can't see it until the door is open all the way]). In Farfa Yconno it is inside the toilet room closet where no one could see it unless A) they managed to cram into the closet to hide, or B) the doors got taken down.
The one in Farfa Yconno has obscure references to our names, the kid's names, and even our pet's names. Today I added the names of the three pets who died here (all rabbits) and the date we left.
I have no idea WHY I'm compelled to do this - just that I always have. At the moment I have no plans for marking the new house - maybe because we're not sleeping there yet so it isn't our "home" yet. Maybe I've outgrown the habit, not sure. In any case my husband has announced he's never moving again so hopefully we have plenty of time to decided....and there's more than one way to leave your mark in a house you love.
Deceased Pets we're leaving buried at Farfa Yconno:
The one in Farfa Yconno has obscure references to our names, the kid's names, and even our pet's names. Today I added the names of the three pets who died here (all rabbits) and the date we left.
I have no idea WHY I'm compelled to do this - just that I always have. At the moment I have no plans for marking the new house - maybe because we're not sleeping there yet so it isn't our "home" yet. Maybe I've outgrown the habit, not sure. In any case my husband has announced he's never moving again so hopefully we have plenty of time to decided....and there's more than one way to leave your mark in a house you love.
Deceased Pets we're leaving buried at Farfa Yconno:
Snickers - buried under Rose of Sharon bushes.
Blacky BonBons - buried under the Willows
Ritz Carlton - buried under the Willows
~You are Sorely Missed ~
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Almost there!
We are on our final big push. Either today or tomorrow we will be completely moved out of Farfa Yconno.
Then one last major clean and we will leave it and move on to our new town where I will begin the arduous task of unpacking everything.
I'm really going to try my hardest to get everything out today because my husband is really stressed out that we can't do it by this weekend and he doesn't want to pay rent again when we will start making mortgage payments. My husand is one of those men who don't really know how to deal with extreme emotions so when he feels scared or sad or stressed he instantly becomes a huge jerk.
Trying to avoid MY stress by avoiding HIS stress I will empty this house as quickly as possible. I'm even emptying the fridge. All I have left is the bathroom, the kitchen, the boys bedroom and what's left of the garage.
We might be sleeping in our new place tonight!!
Then one last major clean and we will leave it and move on to our new town where I will begin the arduous task of unpacking everything.
I'm really going to try my hardest to get everything out today because my husband is really stressed out that we can't do it by this weekend and he doesn't want to pay rent again when we will start making mortgage payments. My husand is one of those men who don't really know how to deal with extreme emotions so when he feels scared or sad or stressed he instantly becomes a huge jerk.
Trying to avoid MY stress by avoiding HIS stress I will empty this house as quickly as possible. I'm even emptying the fridge. All I have left is the bathroom, the kitchen, the boys bedroom and what's left of the garage.
We might be sleeping in our new place tonight!!
Friday, September 6, 2013
Life on Pause
You don't realize how much junk you have in your house until you try to empty it. Or at least I didn't! I have spent the past three hours cleaning my bathroom and my toilet room. I've filled up four (small) boxes and three bags, plus two sacks of garbage! Just in those two rooms!!
Over the past three days we have taken eight loads (a load = the van full of boxes and bags and the pickup truck full of furniture and other heavy odds & ends) over to the house. The list of items I can't live without keeps getting smaller and smaller. I have a shoe box with my bathroom necessities (toothbrush, etc) and a suitcase full of clothes for me to wear while my life is on pause.
My kids have school and I'm doing everything I can to not disrupt their lives during this move. My husband has work and some severe issues with how he deals with stress (read: he's a huge jerk LOL) so I'm trying to keep his stress level down. Doing all this PLUS packing and cleaning makes me feel like my life is paused. On one hand it might be making me work harder and faster because I can't wait to get moved and get unpaused. On the other hand, there's still all the unpacking so I might not get unpaused until Christmas!! But I'm very happy.
Back to work!
Over the past three days we have taken eight loads (a load = the van full of boxes and bags and the pickup truck full of furniture and other heavy odds & ends) over to the house. The list of items I can't live without keeps getting smaller and smaller. I have a shoe box with my bathroom necessities (toothbrush, etc) and a suitcase full of clothes for me to wear while my life is on pause.
My kids have school and I'm doing everything I can to not disrupt their lives during this move. My husband has work and some severe issues with how he deals with stress (read: he's a huge jerk LOL) so I'm trying to keep his stress level down. Doing all this PLUS packing and cleaning makes me feel like my life is paused. On one hand it might be making me work harder and faster because I can't wait to get moved and get unpaused. On the other hand, there's still all the unpacking so I might not get unpaused until Christmas!! But I'm very happy.
Back to work!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Yesterday :(
We started moving in yesterday. We got three van loads and two truck loads (big furniture) moved into our new garage. Then we took a break. I was very happy with our progress but my allergies were just killing me.
Soon my allergies progressed (rather suddenly, actually) to a full-blown attack. I took an allergy pill, but then suddenly I couldn't see out of my left eye. It didn't phase me much as I often lose my ability to see out of one eye or the other during particularly bad allergy attacks. But then my thoughts felt like they were attached to butterflies and were zooming through my head in all different directions at once. I told the kids not to ask me questions because I couldn't focus on anything anyone was saying.
Then it felt like a club was raving in my head - I still couldn't see but there were colors and flashing lights everywhere - except it was all in my head. At this point I was terrified that either I took the wrong medicine for my allergies or I was having some sort of stroke.
I was really starting to panic until suddenly my vision sort of cleared except for a large glittering circle. I could see through the middle of the circle but outside the circle was still glittering flashing lights and colors. I instantly realized what was happening because I've experienced that glittering circle before.
For the first time in over two years I was experiencing an occular migraine.
Two years ago I suffered five of these horrible episodes in a span of four months. It usually starts as a glittering spot off to one side of my field of vision. Then the spot gets bigger and bigger (completely negating my ability to see ANYTHING) and eventually it becomes a glittering ring. Then the ring gets bigger and bigger until it expands out of my field of vision. Shortly thereafter, the very worst migraine of my life hits me like a sledgehammer to my skull. I become incapacitated for hours - needing to lie down (and not move AT ALL) in a silent, dark room.
They were dangerous because I couldn't see to drive while the glittering circle is present. These ocular migraines are why I keep an emergency stash of migraine medicine in my vehicles just in case one hits while I'm driving. After the first two times, I started taking a full dose of migraine meds right when I noticed the glittering spot, and the migraine part wasn't life-altering.
Then just as suddenly as they started, they disappeared. I've had a regular migraine or two (not a walk in the park but tolerable as far as migraines go) but for the past two years I've all but forgotten about ocular migraines!
After finally realizing what was happening I quickly took a full dose of migraine medicine to stave off the horror that hits after the glittering circle expands past my line of sight. Unfortunately, I had already taken allergy meds, too. As a result, even though I did not suffer a migraine I was high from the many meds in my system and nauseated to boot. So I still ended up spending half an hour laying down in bed.
I'm mostly better now. I'm still a little woozy and still on an extended break ~ but my head is clear and I can see again. It's been a crazy couple of days! I'm still going to work in the garage when it cools off, tonight, though.
Soon my allergies progressed (rather suddenly, actually) to a full-blown attack. I took an allergy pill, but then suddenly I couldn't see out of my left eye. It didn't phase me much as I often lose my ability to see out of one eye or the other during particularly bad allergy attacks. But then my thoughts felt like they were attached to butterflies and were zooming through my head in all different directions at once. I told the kids not to ask me questions because I couldn't focus on anything anyone was saying.
Then it felt like a club was raving in my head - I still couldn't see but there were colors and flashing lights everywhere - except it was all in my head. At this point I was terrified that either I took the wrong medicine for my allergies or I was having some sort of stroke.
I was really starting to panic until suddenly my vision sort of cleared except for a large glittering circle. I could see through the middle of the circle but outside the circle was still glittering flashing lights and colors. I instantly realized what was happening because I've experienced that glittering circle before.
For the first time in over two years I was experiencing an occular migraine.
Two years ago I suffered five of these horrible episodes in a span of four months. It usually starts as a glittering spot off to one side of my field of vision. Then the spot gets bigger and bigger (completely negating my ability to see ANYTHING) and eventually it becomes a glittering ring. Then the ring gets bigger and bigger until it expands out of my field of vision. Shortly thereafter, the very worst migraine of my life hits me like a sledgehammer to my skull. I become incapacitated for hours - needing to lie down (and not move AT ALL) in a silent, dark room.
They were dangerous because I couldn't see to drive while the glittering circle is present. These ocular migraines are why I keep an emergency stash of migraine medicine in my vehicles just in case one hits while I'm driving. After the first two times, I started taking a full dose of migraine meds right when I noticed the glittering spot, and the migraine part wasn't life-altering.
Then just as suddenly as they started, they disappeared. I've had a regular migraine or two (not a walk in the park but tolerable as far as migraines go) but for the past two years I've all but forgotten about ocular migraines!
After finally realizing what was happening I quickly took a full dose of migraine medicine to stave off the horror that hits after the glittering circle expands past my line of sight. Unfortunately, I had already taken allergy meds, too. As a result, even though I did not suffer a migraine I was high from the many meds in my system and nauseated to boot. So I still ended up spending half an hour laying down in bed.
I'm mostly better now. I'm still a little woozy and still on an extended break ~ but my head is clear and I can see again. It's been a crazy couple of days! I'm still going to work in the garage when it cools off, tonight, though.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
IT'S CLOSED!!!
It's closed! It's ours! We can start moving in!! I'M SO HAPPY!! I'm really surprised at how quickly this all came together....a month almost to the day! This is such great news! We are going to start moving TONIGHT! If I wasn't so busy looking for home insurance I'd start moving right this second LOL!
We basically have as long as we want to move out (the end of October, actually) but we want to be in our house as SOON as possible heh heh. My husband is going to force our boys (whom've only packed ONE box each) to start going through their room tonight and I've been working like mad on our room. My closet still isn't done either. After that it's just the bathrooms and the kitchen. Then we're done! All we need to do after that is get all the stuff physically moved to the new place and then the fun but time-consuming process of deciding where everything GOES.
The last time we moved it took me three years to get completely unpacked. It won't take that long (hopefully) this time because I'm still committed to getting rid of 80% of everything we own.
I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!!
We basically have as long as we want to move out (the end of October, actually) but we want to be in our house as SOON as possible heh heh. My husband is going to force our boys (whom've only packed ONE box each) to start going through their room tonight and I've been working like mad on our room. My closet still isn't done either. After that it's just the bathrooms and the kitchen. Then we're done! All we need to do after that is get all the stuff physically moved to the new place and then the fun but time-consuming process of deciding where everything GOES.
The last time we moved it took me three years to get completely unpacked. It won't take that long (hopefully) this time because I'm still committed to getting rid of 80% of everything we own.
I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Need a break!
This whole moving thing has me exhausted! I feel like I've been going completely non-stop since we started packing! I am so busy I forget to eat. That's a problem. I have a condition like hypoglycemia where if I don't eat I become almost enebriated. I'll start acting drunk. My speech slurs, I don't remember stuff I do or say. I will start shaking and it becomes difficult to walk. Eventually I'll pass out. I'm told the worst-case scenario is I could have seizures. It's important for me to eat and keep my blood sugar pretty constant.
Yesterday I forgot to eat lunch and when I remembered I started water boiling three times to make something to eat but then forgot about it. I finally had to stand there waiting for it to boil.
The kids are little help to me because they're in school and dealing with their own stuff.
Finally today I asked my stepson to walk the dogs for me cuz I was just too tired to do it. He said, "If you're too tired to walk the dogs then you're too tired to keep working. So sit down and take a break."
It's sad when you need your kid to point out the obvious.
So I'm sitting at the computer, listening to music and enjoying a snack. I need to slow down a little. I'm going to start setting a timer on my iPod. Every two hours I have to sit quietly and eat something. Then I will chat with my kids. THEN I can get back to work!!
My health and my kids need to remain priority ONE! I guess I got too easily lost in my project and moving is a huge undertaking.
I'm grateful to my stepson for snapping me out of it today and I'm glad for a break!!
LOVE YOU TANK!! XOXO :D ><
Yesterday I forgot to eat lunch and when I remembered I started water boiling three times to make something to eat but then forgot about it. I finally had to stand there waiting for it to boil.
The kids are little help to me because they're in school and dealing with their own stuff.
Finally today I asked my stepson to walk the dogs for me cuz I was just too tired to do it. He said, "If you're too tired to walk the dogs then you're too tired to keep working. So sit down and take a break."
It's sad when you need your kid to point out the obvious.
So I'm sitting at the computer, listening to music and enjoying a snack. I need to slow down a little. I'm going to start setting a timer on my iPod. Every two hours I have to sit quietly and eat something. Then I will chat with my kids. THEN I can get back to work!!
My health and my kids need to remain priority ONE! I guess I got too easily lost in my project and moving is a huge undertaking.
I'm grateful to my stepson for snapping me out of it today and I'm glad for a break!!
LOVE YOU TANK!! XOXO :D ><
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