Thursday Think it Through

[Harriet]

Thanks, helia, I wondered, too.

Best wishes for blessed's dd's fast healing.

Dee, I hope you can get the cylinders figured out to suit. I would just forget the 4, personally. If there were even a potential for an 8, I'd think it would be disappointing to go as low as 4.

Elizabeth, that would be very "you" to make a request (permission?) like that of funeral attendees.

I am such a sucker for timers! Walked past one in the grocery yesterday. It was cute. So what. I refused to look. But later a missed item sent me back down that aisle. That kitchen timer sure was cute - was that a bumblebee? I picked up my item and sternly walked on ahead, then started back - was it the last one they had? Yes, but that was not my problem. Then walked ahead. Then finally went back and bought the cutest little bumblebee timer I don't need. My rationalization ... .. I mean, my reasoning... .. is that the bright yellow and black stripes are easy to spot from across a room and I won't lose it. See? That makes sense, right?

Twins' - every time we have a friend/family member do something for us we have some kind of negative feeling later. If anything doesn't hold up, we just hate having to contact them, when it would be no big deal if it wasn't personal.

Nancy, everyone has a different idea about what they would fix/improve, so don't let that discourage you. Some people don't want to have to touch a thing and others just dream of their own renovation ideas, others are quite content already. I bet no two people who look at the house would have the same thing at the tops of their renovation list.

Morning Dailies done with a new phenomenon for me - Second Morning Dailies. We are generating more dishes and I actually had another load after breakfast and some cooking. Also it seems like we've had more laundry but I haven't really seen dd bringing much to the baskets, so a little mystery there, but I got a second load done.

Cooking this morning. Weather broke a little, so I don't mind the heat in the kitchen so much (or humidity from dishwasher). And, of course, I have this great timer... ..

Ds and ddil are struggling with the children's care schedule next week. The following Saturday is ddil's brother's wedding and reception, so her mother and sister are naturally overwhelmed and need to beg off the times they usually help. (Also, dd38's family arrives here Friday, making that day a killer for me, too, but ddil can cover Friday - whew.) So far it looks like I will fill in and take both Monday and Thursday. The next week ToddlerC's "school" starts and the pressure will be off - until someone gets a virus.

[lucylee]

*** aaauuuggghhh ***
Nothing serious... just lots of aggravations this morning... no TIME to think through anything!
As soon as I woke up -- ds was on the phone -- he had to swap days and do lessons today and get tires tomorrow, whenever Wmart calls. Sooo... both dgrands will be here after school, and dgd will be here tomorrow whenever the tires come in. And I'll probably be picking up dgs at school.
THEN ds asked about NEXT Thursday... which is the day I take dmom to the neurologist (about 30 min away). Ds found out this morning that he has to leave at 9:00 a.m. that day, and dgd has an appt in Big City. DDIL will take her, but can I pick up dgs after school? Well, of course I can, b/c I am SuperWoman, right? The appt is at 12:30, so I think there will be no problem getting back to our town by 2:30-2:45, surely. I don't think this doctor keeps people waiting for long periods. Anway, dh said he could pick up dgs if we are not home. * whew *
Elizabeth -- telling them when we are available is good in theory, but easier said than done. I do tell them when appts/etc interfere with everything, but if it's something I CAN change, I usually do. (((HUGS))) to Harriet who appears to be doing this same balancing act.

Well, as if all THAT was not enough... then dh asked ME to make THREE phone calls to various athletic departments, inquiring about our seats at three away games this fall. One IS on the aisle, so he is thinking he may try to make that trip with dbil... but he wants me to call back and see what their handicapped parking situation is. * sigh * I can hear you, Elizabeth... LET HIM MAKE HIS OWN PHONE CALLS...

Oh -- and then he told me we had an email saying AT&T had not received our payment for this month. So I called THEM... and that involved a lot of automated phone instructions which drives me insane... and the result was a paid a second time, with the promise that if the check I mailed on the 18th shows up, today's payment will be credited to my account.

So now... after I strangle dh... (I HOPE Y'ALL KNOW I'M JUST KIDDING. I DO NOT WANT TO END UP ON DATELINE!) and call dmom to explain why I'm am not visiting today...then finally, perhaps I can
* s2s
* change sheets
* clean bathrooms
* work on uploading photos I started last weekend
-- That's my top priorities for today!

So hopeful blessed's dd has no complications from the injury. (((HUGS))) and prayers.

At least timers are cheaper than planners, Harriet -- and not as time-CONSUMING...

every time we have a friend/family member do something for us we have some kind of negative feeling later. If anything doesn't hold up, we just hate having to contact them, when it would be no big deal if it wasn't personal.

Yes. Amen to that.

Nancy, I saw your picture, and I thought it looked very nice! Harriet is right -- if 100 people view your home, you'd get 100 opinions about what they liked/disliked.

Somehow, I just do not envy you the class schedule and grading process, helia. I told someone just the other day, I just can't believe I loved teaching soooo much... and now I love NOT teaching soooo much, LOL!

(((HUGS))) and prayers for all of you in the loss of your dfriend, Elizabeth.

Waving to Twins... Dee, LadyM... AND EVERYONE ELSE !

[Nancy]

Thanks for your input, the neighbor with a friend coming to look called the place move in ready.

S2s happened.
Winds coming to clear out the air.
Realtor is coming for a key in 2 hrs.
Cooling trend coming as well yea!

Did a couple of outside chores.
Restaged the m. bedroom.
People have a different ideas of realtor prep as well, I prefer to do room by room h not so much.

Laundry is going. H is putting up detectors smoke and radon.
The smoke got worse today here yuck.
Realtor did not come by for the key and other people did not come either.
Thanks for the positive comments everyone!
So glad I went ahead and started laundry.
Got both bathrooms drawers and cabinets cleaned out decluttered and wiped down on the inside!

H had to go to the W store this afternoon and experienced the back to school rush school begins Tues. Here.

[Sunny]

Hello everyone. Things have finally caught up with me; I have lost all track of time today. After dh's Dr. appointment last Wednesday and his INR appointment on Tuesday I have to keep looking at my calendar to see what day it is and the clock to see what time it is!

Even though dh's blood work came back acceptable, as soon as he told the Dr. (actually, his PA) that he had fallen again and has been feeling weaker and more wobbly she suggested a round of physical therapy. The PT that he had the last time came on Tuesday for the initial evaluation. She is supposed to come again tomorrow for the first session.

I putzed around this morning doing my daily routines, then decided we'd better go pay the gas bill downtown. So mid morning we started out. Traffic was light and we didn't have to wait in line at the drive-in window so we were home by lunchtime. After lunch was a DPC to trash company again. They did pick up last Friday after talking with the supervisor, but I got a letter in the mail saying we had a balance due and would suspend our service if the bill wasn't paid by the 30th of this month. REALLY!! I had taken the amount off what was due and paid that amount, verified by the lady I talked to that day, which left the credit for no service. Anyway the lady I talked to today said the credit had been applied and there was no balance due. "Thank you very much", I said!

Harriet, I was laughing as I read about your new bumblebee. She sounds so cute! Confession: I have a "Thing" about pens. I love trying out new, different pens. When dh was working, he knew if he brought one home from work and set it on the dining room table it would be in my possession within 15 minutes! One of the souvenirs I would choose on a visit to a new city, or theme park etc. would be a pen.

Blessed, I hope dd's foot heals quickly and doesn't cause any trouble for your upcoming trip.

Nancy, I looked at your house link and I think you have a very nice home, definitely move-in ready!

I have enough clothes gathered for a lol, guess I should toss them in the washer now. The PT will be here tomorrow at 1 p.m. so that gives me enough time to get most of my weekly cleaning done in the morning. They use the kitchen counter as a place to practice strength and balance exercises, so a clean kitchen is a must!

[lucylee]

A thought worth remembering from my devotional reading today:
The brain is wired to strengthen what we focus on.
The passage was about a person getting an eye exam, and being instructed by the eye doctor to not focus on the "floater" but to try to look past the shadows she was experiencing.
A lot of good applications there for all of us, I thought.

So -- I am s2s, waiting for my little thundering herd to arrive.
Talked to dmom on the phone; she is fine, she understands all my complications...

Good to see Sunny popping in! Sounds like your trash company is operating about the phone company here. Pens are also a cheaper and less time consuming habit than planners.

I just don't know how this new planner is going to work out. There IS room to leave it open on my bathroom vanity/desk space... and I used multi-colored highlighters to brighten it up. I entertained myself by watching some YouTube videos on DIY planners last night. WOW. I mean, one woman spent FOREVER putting stickers on her page for a weekly layout, and she barely wrote ANYTHING down that she had coming up that week. She used stickers from at least half a dozen different little sticker books. There is no telling how much money and time she spent on making that planner look pretty. I was just shaking my head and LOL!

Well... here they are.

[lucylee]

EDITING --
[x] s2s
[/] change sheets * sheets ready to go back on bed
[/] clean bathrooms * two of three done
[x] upload photos
[x] cooked supper and s/s kitchen * dishes (clean) still sitting in drainer though
[x] picked up dgrands' toys, straightened up "baby" room
[x] organized floor area of master bedroom closet which had been OMM for a while * just a small space but still, an improvement
[x] found phone number so dh could call The Man -- dh discovered (while poisoning fire ants) that actually, there is a very good reason our water bill was over $100 this month... aside from the hard-to-fix drip in my tub, we have a HUGE leak outdoors at the main line/shutoff valve? Whatever. Sooo... plumber will be here bright and early tomorrow and I suppose I'll be without water for the day.
[x] walked one mile outdoors
[x] talked to ddil on phone, checking plans for bday party dgs is going to this Sunday * yes, dgd is going too
[x] talked to elderly lady (95) re: newspaper article in local weekly paper

^ The article about the black family who made their own brick and from whom my dgf learned the masonry trade was published this week. It was a pretty good article. At any rate, she did include a note in a box at the end telling people to contact me by mail at my PO Box or by email if they knew of homes my grandfather bricked. And then -- she left out the email address. But this lady has known me all my life (her sister was married to my dgmother's brother) so she just called on the phone. Nice talking to her, and she has some really nice pictures of her house that she will share with me.

[Harriet]

Doing yet another load of laundry, but this has to do with houseguests coming. I want to be sure a nice set of sheets is ready and fresh. Kinda forgot I won't have anyone to help me fold ... .. hmmm ... .. not the best planning! But I'll get it done.

I did a round of Desk Day and it looks like tomorrow will be a good Errand Day for the things that weren't accomplished earlier in the week. Will pick dd's brain on whether morning or afternoon would be best.

She still needs to get me a hard-copy of her class schedule. They are always so confusing I can't keep her comings and goings straight (and of course now she has work added in).

Dstepdil has signed up for 5 classes at community college to marathon her finish of an associates degree in administration. She will do it while hanging on to part-time status at her current job, which she likes a lot. She just wants to use her courses while they are current and keep her options open.

Ds just finished a certification in forensic fire investigation, which he seemed to dislike. It was a solemn, dreary course of study, he says. I'm sure he's glad to have it under his belt, even if the course itself is not a pleasant memory.

Does anyone else sometimes feel everybody's getting educated except you?

I think I was spoiled by my nutrition course last year. I have a deadline of Sept 3 to sign up for a course I'd really like to take but... .. I'm worried it will be difficult to juggle since it goes through Dec 6. Maybe I should wait for spring.

[lucylee]

I used to love going to school... loved teaching school... loved being a student in school. No more. I'm sorry. When I finished my Master's, I told dh I was as smart as I was going to be. (I started it before ds was born, finished sometime shortly after). I had a friend/mentor encouraging me to go on for the next level, an Ed.S., but nope, not for me.

And I am deleting my critical comment above. It was nice to be included here. Many people think MANY of my statements each and every day are unnecessary. I apologize for being snarky.

[lucylee]

And, as luck would have it, while I am bothering myself criticizing others...
I find I have put clothes in the washer and shut the lid... but did not turn it on...
and I have utterly no idea whether I added detergent or not.
Now they are possibly getting a double-dose of detergent... * sheesh *

[Nancy]

OMM ~ tomorrow & next up I need to wash sheets. Clean insisde of kitchen cabibets and declutter drawers in kitchen.