WET WEDNESDAY

[DeeClutter]

At least that's the forecast for this part of the world. How is it where you are? Had about an inch since yesterday afternoon. Looks like a lot of rain for today as well. The house that burned last night belonged to the brother of a gal just down the drive from us. Lightening really blasted the top of the new house and started a pretty massive fire.

I am slowly getting moving this morning. Went to take meds and realized I needed to put them up for the next couple of weeks. So at least that's now done & I've taken this morning's. Now for leisurely breakfast.

I can already see the grass is liking the moisture. Dh had planned to water yesterday but it wasn't needed.

Need to get dressed, eat and get busy.

[Cowinkie]

Morning ya'll

Its certainly not wet around here. This is the fifth driest stretch in AZ history. We've been 141 days without rain with no relief in site. The monsoon season has started, but the forecast shows no moisture is around and not expected until after next week. Temps will be 110-114 in the coming days. That means I will run errands in the mornings and stay home in the afternoons. My seasons are mostly reversed to ya'lls. I stay in during the summers and play outside in the winters. That's one of the reasons I'm so glad to be retired. When I was teaching. being off during the summer wasn't much fun because I couldn't get outside for long due to the heat.

I have an easy day planned. Need to do my morning routines...I'm up early this morning and being lazy while Sweetie sleeps. Then I have some genealogy to work on. Want to make copies of my bible records and such to send to my new to me cousins. Need to start planning the side trip I am taking my mom on when I go home. The church and cemetery where my 4g grandfather is buried is still standing. So is his grave stone. Plus we plan to meet my cousin...thats so weird for me to write after all these years of never having a cousin while I'm home. I should explain the reason I don't have cousins is because both my mother and father were only children so my family circle is very small. I married an only child and I only had a one child so that circle is much smaller than most.

I went looking for a new carry-on yesterday. I fly United and they are very strict about the carry-on size. I own several, but none of them fit the new dimensions. I think I found one that will work, but need to bring my tape measure with me before I buy it. The carrier must be 22"x14"x9". The 22" must include the wheels. I want one that has four wheels. In the past I transferred from plane to shuttle train to the train, but the shuttle isn't working at the moment. That means I will need to board a bus to get to the station. The bag I used last year was on two wheels and I swore I would never do that again.

I think of Kathryn and Cathys when I pack. i only travel with 3 pairs of shorts, 6 tops, one dress, undies, swim suit, something to sleep in, one pair of yoga pants and wear pants, a top and long sleeve sweater on the plane. I pack one pair of shoes and wear my heavier ones while I travel. I'm like Kathryn as I lay everything out on my bed and then mix and match my things till I come up with the right combinations.

OK..I'm off to start my morning routines. First..feed my doggies Willis is sitting here right next to me letting me know that HE is ready for his breakfast. Hope ya'll are enjoying your day.

Have fun playing in the rain...Here in AZ we measure rain in inches as in how many inches it is BETWEEN each rain drip

[Twins' Mom]

Dee, I would have thought we've had an inch of rain in the last 24 hours but it appears not. We had two periods yesterday of downpours, rain sideways, wind lashing away. Blew over a "palm" plant on the back porch and broke the ceramic pot that I had put the plastic nursery pot into; without the weight of the ceramic pot it's laying sideways again today.

I have a meeting at temple at 11:30 and tonight dh and I are going to a dfriends for dfriend's mom's BD. I also need to weigh in at WW today. I should be down a little.

Yesterday I never got upstairs to the treadmill so that's on my li&t again for today.

1. set up upstairs treadmill from folded position
2. upstairs linen closet
3. email info to the attorney from yesterday afternoon
4. info for congregational dues
5. a.m. routine
6. straighten up laundry room
7. WW weigh in
9. meeting at temple (put up with little old lady alligators....)
10. 10 pieces of paper gone

For right now:
-unload dishwasher
-s2s
-kitchen counters
-fold laundry from dryer and hang up delicates to dry
-start a lol

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Internet is running slow for me today. That's the issue of sharing a connection with 800 other people!

I'm s2s and have had my tea and chocolate. Tidied two drawers in my dresser while I put away some laundry and tidied the bedroom a little bit. I find the 'unpacking and settling in' and 'general housekeeping' tasks often at odds with each other. To be so close to being finished but to have to stop to do dishes or laundry or ironing (Harriet - avert your eyes!) is frustrating.

The oven has been fixed. Or at least I've been taught how it works (although the super didn't know either.) When you set it to bake, it preheats with just the top element for 5 minutes. Then, the bottom element kicks in at some point. That seems pointless to me (heat rises and in other ovens both top and bottom were used for pre-heat.) As well, it is ineffective. At the end of the 5 minutes, I checked the oven and it was at 105 degrees. Even after 15 it was only at 350 (I had selected 420 since I was heating up pizza.) To reheat pizza took 25 minutes. Could have ordered it fresh and got it at the same time!

The technician demonstrated the bottom element working (something the super and I hadn't seen before) and assured me the reason it wasn't on when I came into the room this morning (I was in the shower when he arrived so dh was dealing with him) was because it was already at temp. Nope, my thermometer said 225. "Well the door has been open." Then why isn't the element on to reheat? "Because it is at temperature and your thermometer is inaccurate." Sigh. I let them leave and kept testing the oven. Although it was already at 350 according to the technicians, it took another 7 minutes to get to 350 on my thermometer. Then I left it another 5 minutes and it only got up to 375 so it isn't an overly hot oven once it gets to temperature but it takes forever to get there. Must remember I need a minimum of 12 minutes to get to 350. That's why we use the counter top oven, my oven at the house was similar. (That's also why I did the test with heating up pizza, not baking cookies.)

The super showed up to fix the trim on the kitchen cabinets and I asked about the lack of ants. There were one or two every day before we moved in but none after. He had the apartment treated when I asked him about the issue (I had just asked where to put the traps, not that we be treated.) He seems to be on top of everything and we really appreciate that.

Why he was here he got a call for water in a bedroom and living room ceiling causing some plaster to fall. Egads! (We did have lots of rain last night.)

Now I'm worried about my furniture, etc. Will try and remember to lower the roll top desk each night so that if something does come down the computers are safe.

Dd is coming in a bit and I need to get going on bookkeeping. *Poof*

[Nancy]

Checking in: I am ok today, doing some kit. Zone work yesterday and got some of my pintrist boards organized & made me smile.

It is sunny here this a.m. got some things donated and put away freed up some floor space as well. Getting ready for Christmas in July focus. Learning new stitches in prep. For that.

[DeeClutter]

When I was teaching. being off during the summer wasn't much fun because I couldn't get outside for long due to the heat.

DD says that's one of the reasons she likes teaching, Cowinkie -she gets the summers off AND comes north to see family. Her dh doesn't mind and it's a good respite for her. Though this year she goes to Washington, D.C. in a few days for TSA (Technology Student Assoc) competition. She'll be gone 5 days.

Need to jot those little notes on packing somewhere so I can perhaps follow them.

Here in AZ we measure rain in inches as in how many inches it is BETWEEN each rain drip

Neat note, Cowinkie.

I've picked up through and done my morning routines. Jury is still out whether to do up the few dishes yet or wait. Need to copy a check I got from Blue Cross/Blue Shield -evidently an overpayment by dShelley over 5 years ago. I'll split the amount between our two dgks (Shelley's dks). I had been returning all mail from them and for some reason decided to open this one -telling us she had $$ that would go to the state. Sure didn't want that ball of wax. Now need to let dgks know I have something for each of them -when they come to visit us. Actually dd put dgd19 on her family membership so she could come to the campground whenever she wants or stay over at will.

Looks like rain or t-storms most of the day. Wonder if dd wants to do anything in particular today. Know we're going to go see the new movie on Firefighting by the "Cars" people when it comes out. Think that's after she returns from D.C.

We've been worried about me stumbling over dBailey when she comes to stay with us this next week. So....we're out in the yard yesterday & she decided to lay down right next to me, didn't see her, stepped on her foot and went stumbling several steps. Only didn't fall because dh caught me.

[Cowinkie]

Dee .. Many people believe we get the summers off and are paid during that time. Cause for many arguements concerning teachers and their salaries.

What the general public usually doesn't understand is we, teachers, are unemployed during the summers and our 9.5 month salaries are divided into 12 monthly payments. Some states only pay for the 9 months. So you have to plan your salary accordingly to stretch over those summer months. Some states allow the districts to pay us twice a month.

We are only paid for the days we work, not thanksgiving. Xmas, Spring break and such. Different states school days vary. Here I worked 181 days and in nj where my sil works its 191 days. As you are well aware of we work hours of weekly overtime and many weekends. Is it any wonder after dealing with 150-190 kids a day every day week in and week out for months at a time ... Not to mention our own at home .. We needed a break. We just laugh at parents who complain about having several children home for the summers.

[DeeClutter]

All so true, Cowinkie. DD's pay is divided over the 12 months. Dbil always thinks teachers are overpaid. Certainly not in dd's area! In fact I think their county is about the lowest pay scale in the state. She could go a few miles west and do better. She has applied for an opening at a career center 3 miles from her house, simply because it's in the field of her 'first love' and it's probably time for a little vacation from a lot of the children she does have. There is very much of the 'gang mentality' where she teaches -not all, but enough to make her task very difficult a lot of the time. And this is only K-8! This has been a very difficult year for her. If she gets this job that's good, if not it's also fine.

Left leg is bugging me today so I'm trying to prop it as I can. Should get out and do something but not sure what.

[Dove]

Hi there !

Washer & dryer are spinning, vacuum is cooling off after a whole house workout, both bathrooms are cleaned, towels have been washed/dried/rehung, & bed is waiting for clean sheets to be put on. I think I deserve an extra long tea break here after all that .

We went to a Farmers Market the other day & I thought of SuzeLew because someone had a kettle corn booth. I remember she popped (no pun intended ) in here recently after being away for a long time. It was good to see her & I hope she comes back again soon. We picked up lots of fresh veggies, one of our favorite things to buy there. We passed a T ractor S upply store on the way home, which made me think of so many of you who have posted that you like the cherry candy they sell there .

I'm off to skim through past posts -- it's been at least a week since I was last here so can't read it all. Hope you all have a wonderful day!

[Ivy]

So Far:
1. Ate, took pills & 2 supplements.
2. Stripped the sheets w/DH help & washed/am drying them.
3. Did a 1/2 hour "Sit & Be Fit" workout.
4. Put TP around in the bathroom cabinets.
5. Did QT, journals' writings, etc....
6. Did QVAR & Peak Flow Reading for a.m.
7. Did calendar reminders.
8. Worked out with soup can weights, as per P. T. for shoulder strength.
9. Confirmed an appt.
10. Dumped trash in the waste baskets (garbage day tomorrow)

Need to:
1. Make the bed sheets.
2. Work on Dr. list.
3. Need to get out Dr. clothes.
4. Need to put day planner together with large wallet-clutch.
5. Would like to do more lol after dgs showers after coming back from the woods.
6. Want to shower after DH & dgs return from Costco.
7. Will help put groceries away.
8. Will get ARC's donation boxes to the covered porch this evening. (Pick-up day tomorrow.)
9. Want to shampoo.
10. Would love to walk or do some yoga moves.

I was totally "blown away" how much of a workout I got with Sit & Be Fit. You're not in the chair the entire time. I worked up a sweat.

DH said he'd look at clothes for me, at Costco. Hoping he can find something that fits, looks nice, so I can wear it to appt.'s.

I have some letters to write, a story to add something to before subbing it, & look forward to a good day. It's Way to Go Wednesday on my daily small office card. Hope I can live up to it.

Dee, Hoping your leg gets better soon.

Cowinkie, Sometimes I think that teachers get a lot of time off, but other times I believe they do a good job & their job is a thankless job, too. Some teachers are amazing & a LOT work during their time off, too, or go back to school.

Waving to Nancy, Twins' Mom, & Kathryn, & others, like Booksaver, Sunny, Sadie, & Lucylee, etc...