Thrilling? Thursday

[Emptynester]

I feel like I don't know what is going on as we haven't had TV since May. I'm looking forward to getting it connected at the new house - but hope I don't get back to my mindless watching as before. I do miss it a lot.

BIG SIGH!!! The money transfer went thru this morning. We should be good to go on the close.

I found out that AZ is very different from many other states. You have a signing where you sign all the papers and pay all the $$. (Like a normal closing would be anywhere else) Then all the stuff has to go to the county or state and, after they approve everything, then you get possession of the property or close. It takes several days to a week to "close" after all the other stuff is done.

So I guess we will make two trips to Wickenburg. One for the signing and then to pick up the keys and all the completed paper work and to move in. We might take the Rhino and a few other things to our friend's lot when we have the signing and then pull the cargo trailer and take the MH after we get possession.

Just talked to Indiana. She is able to take Jake for his morning walk but has security do it in the evening when the wind is too cold. She said she is feeling better now that the mold count is down but is taking a long time to heal. She thanks you for your concern. She has just been resting and not posting.

[Nancy]

Elizabeth that is thrilling news thank you so much for sharing! I slept well neighbor's dogs did not wake me up yea! <- I'm thrilled about that.

I'm up B.S. is a bit elevated today too but not as much as yesterday so that helps. It's cloudy out here today. Sunday we are supposed to have near 70* degree weather yea! 44*-63* is our temp. range for here today.

I finished another puppet last night and got it in the car ready to do with some others that are older in the back seat for the grand kids to play with.

CNN has some news today I'm sure the armed forces the US finds thrilling.

[Harmony]

Having one ell of a day here. ...sigh......

Thinking about all who are (or who did have yesterday) stressful day, Kathryn (Ouch!), Nancy (yes, BS sure seems to be BS all the time for you, sorry it's so hard all the time) MT (additional waiting another pain) Harriet (more important decisions) Indiana (more healing time). At least some good news, no broken arm for Elizabeth's DD. Lilac (sending patience you way as you begin to clean out & pack). Lynlee hoping today is better. Bittersweet how is DBaby?

Got laundry out. Mail to the box.

DH got couple calls, was on his way when another call comes, sure I'll meet you for this chore. Ah, no, not current with this county, and paperwork flurry of magna porportions starts, downloading forms, filling out, making checks, copying ins., with lots of instructions for DH. Had to tell him to go away and quit hovering. Every paper I touched got misplaced, every one copied disappeared...he thinks I'm a maniac.

I knew this task needed completing but I was awaiting last form to arrive from state, which it did the other day. I would have sat in quiet room and got all together, took him to get sig. notarized, mailed off packet...in my own time and sanity... but now was all in a rush when phone call came. Sometimes I hate my life.

[OKay]

(((Hugs to those having difficult moments)))))

I've been on the go since my feet hit the floor this morning. I've mostly been on schedule but staying on-target is a bigger challenge with DGS16 right beside me (as well as LO). We have used the time together to have some deep conversations. While hauling blocks this morning we discussed why bad things happen to good people.....and why doesn't God do what we ask on our time table? While digging dirt and hauling it to another spot, we discussed Satan as a fallen angel.....then moved on to deacon/elder responsibilities. All these subjects were selected by DGS16 - I mostly listened to him voice his opinion and waited until he asked a question to voice my belief. All this is a joy - but takes extra mental effort to focus on what he is saying while doing normal activities too.

We had our first frost of the year. The garden survived it.....but it is only a matter of time before my babies (plants) I have been tending for the past 7 months are just a pile of compost. I always struggle to watch them die after carefully caring for them. Tis the season for it to happen though.

I pulled DH winter clothes out this morning and also pulled his dress clothes from about 10 years ago (purchased for DSon wedding). SURPRISE!! They fit him!!! He wore them to the funeral this afternoon.

I've got LO down for his much needed nap. DGS16 is playing a game (3ds). I'm waiting for the repairman to show up. They give a 4 hour windows so I could be waiting awhile. drumming fingers.....drumming fingers.....

[Elizabeth]

I am so tired. Proofreading is a long job and I did wake up last night in the middle of the night. (My fridge was making strange noises and the motion lights outside my bedroom came on a couple of times). Tonight is my late night too, with art class. I can't quit yawning so i took a break and came here.

[Harriet]

Elizabeth, stand up and do some brisk, brief exercise to get yourself going again and ward off the sleepies.

((Harmony)) yes, I agree that I can be an efficient multi-tasker too, until somebody starts watching me.

Thanks for the update from Indiana, Emptynester.

We did make it to the library but could not make it to other errands I'd hoped because of construction and traffic. I gave up and picked up Subway on the way home. We learned that dd got a reprieve on her last few points of AR goal because AR has now published a test for the book she read, it's just that her school hasn't gotten/purchased it yet. But the points that the AR powers-that-be have given to the book are greater than expected, so by turning in her report she exceeds the goal.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dh made the man at the donations to Goodwill laugh today. I was in the store while he was dropping off our big bag of stuff and he asked the man if he could do dh a favour and not put out the donations until after I was done shopping. Dh didn't want me to buy my own things back!

The girl at the checkout made me laugh too, but I held it back until I was out of the store. I was wearing a thrift store jacket with a liner also bought at the thrift store but at another time (I'm lucky that it zips in even if it is the wrong colour). My blouse was thrift store and my jeans Walmart. I was buying a 'new' sweater. Her comment was, "I love your necklace." She has good taste. Despite my outfit's modest cost, the pearls I'm wearing are real and cost more than the combined value of most of my wardrobe. I own only 6 pieces of 'real' (not plastic or fake) jewelry and was wearing three of them today (my pearls, my engagement ring and my promise ring from dh.)

Dinner was fabulous. It was dh's Shepherd's pie which is usually good, but made better by our Thanksgiving host's tip to put bacon strips across the top before cooking.

I need to clean up the kitchen now and make my snacks and lunch for tomorrow. I laid out my clothes for tomorrow while watching Big Bang. I also have to move my purse contents to a travel purse I can carry around with me all day since my pants don't have pockets and there's no secure place to put my purse.

[OKay]

Done!
Done!
and
DONE!

****WHEE** My body is reminding me of every effort I did today. Shoving dirt, pushing wheel barrow, crawling under the house, climbing antenna tower, teaming up with DGS16 to carry 9 stones weighing about 80lbs each......I know there was more physical activity but my mind is too tired to remember it.

All this activity resulted in the finish of a couple projects -
** stone pathway in the garden
** Ice maker repaired. What I thought would be a quick repair by Sears repair person turned into a 3 hour effort with 3 of us working on it. That was the part that required crawling underneath the house.....DH was doing the plumbing repairs but needed tools so I crawled underneath to deliver them to him.

I gave LO his bath an hour early. He was so tired that he didn't even notice.

We will all sleep well tonight. In the morning, we all need to be out of the house as early as possible. DH and I are having fasting blood work done. The sooner the lab visit is over....the sooner I get my coffee fix.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Haven't done my purse yet but got the kitchen cleaned up and all the meat I bought today into the freezer in single meal portions. I also cut up veggies for tomorrow and Saturday's lunches and prepped most of my lunch for tomorrow.

I'm off to hang up the laundry and then go to bed.

Dh is busy going through his closet. He got 3 more shirts and pants from Hong Kong (just ordered them by email based on what he had this spring) and I had to point out that he has too many clothes for his closet now. If he was working in an office, 6 pairs of dress pants (plus 3 suits, each with 2 pairs of pants) would be reasonable. He also has about 10 dress shirts now and 15 Hawaiian shirts for summer.

His custom made clothes don't cost much, less than $80 per pair for the pants and about $40 for each shirt - which is completely reasonable compared to store bought. But he works in shorts and Hawaiian shirts in the summers and jeans and flannel in the winter. So he gets to wear his dress clothes only on Sundays or when we are on the ship. Thus, he has too many things and I'm a bit peeved. Just the other day I noted we had invested almost $400 in his boxer shorts (he buys a special kind.) He doesn't cost me much in other ways but the excess of it all is starting to get to me. (Does he really need 14 pairs of boxers? I do laundry at least weekly.) Unlike me, he doesn't have duplicates in different sizes, his size has barely changed since we got married, except for the better (he was awfully scrawny back then and now feels like I won't break him when I hug him.)

There was a pair of off-the-rack pants he'd never worn (but they've been shortened for him so ds can't wear them.) We took 3 pairs of his old dress pants into Goodwill today and his Hugo Boss shirt should go in next since his Hong Kong shirts are much nicer.

I have more closet space than him but I also cycle my things by season and he won't do that either. Thus his dress shirts get crushed in his closet. Sigh.... This house needs more closet space in the bedrooms but I can't figure out how to make room for our freestanding hanging rack in the exercise room (which is also his dressing room.)

Enough whining, especially about excess. That's rude.

I'm off to bed now. I may not be back on line until tomorrow night, depends on how my morning goes - I need to be out of the house around 8 a.m.

[lucylee]

(((Indiana))) I am so glad to hear you're feeling better!!! I've missed you sooo much! Please continue to take good care of yourself and let those nice staff members walk Jake when it's cold & blustery. * It's already getting chilly down here, and I'm already complaining!

(((OKay))) BIG WTG, girl! What a day! Hope everything goes well tomorrow w/lab work and then I hope you get to treat yourself to some r&r!

Thank you all for the anniversary wishes & (on behalf of ds) the birthday wishes.
DS ended up going out to eat with us tonight (Krystal hamburgers) b/c ddil was working.
I talked to dmom this afternoon, and when I found out she didn't need anything, I stayed at school and got a good bit of work done for a change. Since dmom has been house-bound, it has REALLY cut in to my afternoon work time.
Then I went w/dh to visit dinlaws and fill up SUV and his truck with gas. $183 total! They were both pretty empty.

Waving to Elizabeth... I was so glad to hear dd did NOT have a broken bone!

Oh... (((Harmony))) Your dh & my ddad HAVE to be twins separated at birth. Oh my goodness. Yes. Dmom could certainly say BTDT and offer you a shoulder to cry on.

Waving to MT... Lilac... Lynlee... Bsweet... Nancy... Harriet... Dee... blessed... Cowinkie... sher...

(((Harriet's dd))) I hope you get to an English class someday that does NOT do AR.

WTG, Mr. OKay w/wardrobe surprises! That IS thrilling, I think. It certainly would be for me!
(I can't believe it will ever happen for me -- but I'm glad to read about your success!)

My day wasn't exactly THRILLING, but it was a pretty good day. Three classes are watching the 1946 version of Great Expectations; two classes have just started reading it, and I've been reading aloud to help them get into the story and get used to Dickens' style. So -- it makes for a pretty easy day for me. MUCH easier than trying to keep people on task when the task is capitalization, for example.

I do sorta feel relief that I can quit thinking about all the mass hysteria re: this insurance craziness. I'm just going to stay with my plan and forget anyone ever mentioned insurance costs.
Kathryn, the answer to your question about what kind of gov't bureaucracy allows this sort of situation to develop... well... keeping in mind that I am a pretty dedicated Republican, I have to admit, a Republican state govt has created the problem we are facing here. State politicians (mostly Democrats) have been pretty obligated to our teacher association throughout the past 40 years or so. Our association has been extremely strong and helped keep conditions pretty good for state teachers. Our pay has never been anything to brag about, but our benefits are well-known to be very good. Well... Republicans won BIG in last election and now it is like they have declared open season on teachers. We will soon be paying more for insurance as well as making larger out-of-pocket contributions to our retirement funds.
As I said last night, I'll be ahead of the game for the next 4 years, and then I'll break even, basically, for the next 10 years. Then I'll be 65 and I'll be $145 better off every month! So I guess I'm gambling that I'll live past 65 in order to profit from my extra year of work?

As you said, 220 sick days certainly gives me a lot of breathing room. If I need a "mental health" day, I can take it, and if dparents, or dinlaws, or ds/ddil needed me for even an extended length of time, I'd be able to juggle things pretty well.

So -- I'm feeling very happy right now.
Just overwhelmed w/the weekend:
Friday night -- high school football
Saturday afternoon -- dcousin age 5 birthday party
Sunday afternoon -- dsisil party
Plus -- at some point, I've got to find time to do some regular household chores, color my hair, see a movie w/dh, and maybe see dparents.