Normal-land Tuesday

[lucylee]

I had dgs all day today, by myself b/c dh played golf -- it was kind of a spur of the minute thing, planned last night, and I really didn't mind. DGS and I get along fine by ourselves. After he had his breakfast I put him in the playpen and took my shower, and he was fine... then we went outside and he rode in his little car (that he can still only go backwards in, LOL) and we explored all the rocks and leaves around the yard and swung in the porch swing a little while. After that, he had lunch and I put him BACK in the playpen and he seemed pretty happy -- and finally took a much needed nap. After dh got home we took him to dmil's and met ds there.
DS/ddil/dgs are leaving tomorrow to visit her family for a long weekend.

I got in a much-needed nap while dgs slept, too, but I still feel sorta draggy. I did make a pan of cornbread for supper and sent half of it to dmil, who has already called to tell me how delicious it was, so I'm feeling kinda proud of myself tonight, after all. Plus, I've already got the kitchen cleaned up again, too!

Bathroom probably needs a s/s... but I think I will join dh on the couch with the newspaper and my book.

Glad to hear Mr. Harmony's pain was less today and continuing to keep him in prayer... and YOU, Harmony...

Exciting to think about the grandkids seeing the arrival of new chicks, Nancy. I miss seeing dgs here get to pet dsisil's horses... (Still sad about dsisil leaving... I was telling dgs about that this afternoon, actually, and how I wished we could still watch the horses.)

Some things about the apartment sound sooo, sooo nice, Kathryn!!! And some of your concerns... yeah, I'd be thinking about those things too.

Lilac, we are having forecasts of severe weather Thursday! Possible tornadoes! I am thinking maybe tomorrow would be a good day to complete my errands, too. Someone said, "If you experience all four seasons in one week, you must live in Alabama." That is about the truth. We have gone from snow to rain to 70 degrees by the end of the week and tornado watches. And my eyes are already itching just thinking about spring. But I am sooo ready to put coats away and quit shivering everytime I go outside. It was beautiful today.
C B Hashbrown Casserole sounds delicious!!!

(((Dee's dd))) w/hip-femur problem. That does sound terrible. I have another cousin, actually ddad's 1st cousin, whose husband must have had a similar problem as you are describing, Harmony. His wife said his bone had "died." I'm not sure if he was a candidate for surgery, either, b/c he has about a million medical problems and complications... so I don't know what his prognosis is.

I never watched Seventh Heaven when it started, but I know I would love it. Maybe I will get caught up on it after this season of Downton ends. I haven't watched Sunday night's episode, so NO SPOILERS!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dishwasher is running. Load of laundry is done. Kitchen looks good.

Dh says we have to pick a place to live soon because we are spending too much time being distracted by this. That's how dd ended up in the place with the rats so I'm a bit more cautious. Dh is getting excited about a place that is much smaller (and cheaper) so we will wait to hear from an agent.

Surfer Dude's parents wrote to say he has a ticket to Germany right after graduation so I've written him to see if we can meet up with him next week to hear details. He intends to emigrate.

[Lilac]

lucylee, no DA spoilers but I have a question. Have you watched it from the beginning? In Season 1, Cora/Lady Grantham is pregnant and they are all concerned it will be a boy, etc. The next thing you know, there is no mention of a miscarriage or anything, so Matthew is the heir. Then this season Lady Edith is pregnant and going to get an abortion before changing her mind. Now no mention of it. Kind of convenient, don't you think?

Another thing lucylee, do you think if your dm redecorated her room in feminine colors and/or rearranged her bedroom, that she might be able to sleep in there? I realize it might be too soon. Does she have a security system? I was wondering if she is scared at night?

Kathryn, I hope you find the perfect apartment soon, so that you don't have to "settle". I can't believe how fast the time has went by, since you first mentioned selling your house.

Dh told me that yesterday a man who had been hired over a phone interview, had came here to check the place out. He is from Mississippi and dh can believe that the wife would be willing to move here. They have lost of lot people that don't want to live here, once they come to check it out. I would be the first to admit, there are prettier places to live, but as long as our kids and grandkids are here, this is our home. Well anyway, dh told me that he is very tempted if the guy turns down the job, to quasi retire at 62 on March 5. He would take out his retirement and turn it over to the investment counselor. Then he could do that job which is running the simulator school, which trains new employees and turn his stressful job over to a younger person. I don't think dh is ready to not work anymore but he is ready to be rid of his super stressful job. That would be an ideal situation but we will have to wait and see.

[Ivy]

Quick CUOP here, with very little to say.

I cancelled the visit with my 97 1/2 year old BFF because I had the stomach flu for most of the day. Will do it on a day I feel healthy, then will call THAT same day.

DH's buddy took apart out chimney cap, blown off and damaged Sun. p.m. in the 50 m. p. h. winds, completely rebuilt it, so DH will take his buddy out to breakfast on Thursday.

AND we're in the midst of another wild wind and rain storm right now, tonight! Many places are on flood watch, too, as well as wind advisories.

Got a card, L. L. from my closet pen pal, and magazine and free book in the mail today. The free book is devotions for widows, so will mail it in June, to my widow friend, who is also my diet buddy.

Have a great night, Everybody and HAPPY HUMP DAY tomorrow, too!

[lucylee]

Lilac -- I have watched Downton Abbey from the beginning -- go back and watch again -- Lady Cora lost the baby b/c she had an "accident" in the bathroom... and her lady's maid... what was her name? Mean woman, friendly only w/Thomas... she had something to do with it.
Also -- I saw where last week, I think, Edith changed her mind re: the abortion -- so this week, they are just ignoring it? Hmmm... That IS odd. But I thought I saw something online -- a little "sneak preview" or something -- where she was talking to her grandmother about it. Must watch.

I've just been dilly-dallying around on the computer all this time... doing nothing. DH was asleep on the couch and I didn't want to disturb him. Now it's almost time for Perry Mason. Around 10:30 pm, he's the only man I want to be around anymore, it seems. LOL.

Oh -- re: dmom... yes, she might be a bit nervous about sleeping in her bedroom at the other end of the house. However, a person would have to make a HUGE amount of noise to get into her house -- breaking double-paned windows of sunroom, or managing somehow to break into garage w/locked doors or past glass storm door on front door. BUT... yes, she may be uneasy. (OTOH, locked in her bedroom w/a shotgun, she would be much safer than in the sunroom, anyway, you'd think.)
I think it's partly (at first) thinking she was more comfortable on couch -- could prop her legs up against the back of it, you know, and relieve pressure on her back. However, she has a hospital bed in her guest room, and she might move herself in there, if she had a tv in that room. It's adjustable, of course, and has a much firmer mattress than the couch, so would be a nice change.
It's partly just not wanting to move into that bigger bed all by herself now, I think, and sometimes difficulty sleeping makes her cling to the tv, too.
I might ask her if she thinks she needs a security system. Even those door things Harriet mentioned sometime back would be an extra barrier of precaution. (This is one of my phobias -- we had a murder, still unsolved, years ago in our newspaper area, and one of the main suspects was an employee of the security company! LOTS of people are still certain he was the murderer... but of course, lots of people are still suspicious of the husband.)

I can't quit eating. Aunt Flo should arrive tomorrow. Remember, I think she is just making her appearance b/c I'm still forcing her presence by taking birth control pills. Which is kinda ridiculous. But until my next annual check-up, I shall continue, and I guess whether it's forced or not, along with her come the hormones and mood swings and wanting to eat everything in sight and all that. (Just kinda afraid if I STOP the pills, it'll be like I have PMS 365 days of the year. )

[Lilac]

The ladies maid was Mrs. O'Brien or Baxter. They were both in cahoots with Thomas, one then and one now. After watching episode after episode, for the life of me I can't remember which was which. Also, since I watched so many episodes Sunday and Monday, maybe they did mention Edith's baby on this weeks episode and I was confusing it with earlier times when she wasn't pregnant. All I know is that I really like that show. I want to rewatch Season 4 when it comes out, now that I have seen the earlier episodes.

lucylee, I know I am nervous when dh is not here at night. He worked 28 1/2 years of shiftwork and I did fine. The last 11+ years he has worked all days, so when he out of town for business or pleasure, I have a hard time.

[Elizabeth]

Hi everyone! I am checking in kind of late. However, I have completed another job application online rather than having to do it late. I am doing better on my plan to feed myself better. I had pot roast and rice for lunch. I have taken out cube steak for tomorrow lunch. I will cook green beans tonight, so I will actually get a vegetable in. Dinner tomorrow will be ham steak that I don't have to cook - I will eat dinner at church before Bible study.

Tonight was Girls' Night Out, so of course dinner was Chinese. Then we came home and DD12 wanted to write a book on one of her school's websites. She wrote about dragons, but was disappointed that she could not do a chapter book there. Then we watched some videos and I tested some yarn for my animal org crochet. I have decided I will NOT use the yarn I tested. I want to use something already in my stash. After she left, I got some transcripts scanned for the job application, did cat care, and put trash and recycles out.

My house looks like a tornado went by, but next up is a snack with some reading, cooking, then bed.

Tomorrow the essentials are: Hobby Lobby for some stuff for animal org, job search (always!), Bible study homework, church dinner, Bible study. There are other things I ought to do, but those are the absolutes!

Kathryn: A 2000 square foot apartment! That is bigger than my house (1250). In fact, I have determined that my whole house, including garage, can fit in one of my friend's house's playroom. It suits me though: bedroom for me and DD + a sewing room, and the laundry closet is inside rather than in the garage.