Magical Monday

[Indiana]

I wrote a post and pushed the wrong button and it erased. I'll do it again later.

[lucylee]

We could really use some magic around here....

Kathryn & Lilac -- dh does listen to too many news programs & reads too many newspapers... that's for certain. But I don't think that's the real problem around here. * sigh * He's just got a lot on his mind, I guess... and everything frustrating or disappointing just seems to pile up, sorta a domino-effect.

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~

So far today I've been on computer catching up on Email and blogs. Normal Monday morning stuff.

We went to see Prometheus yesterday in 3D at the cheap theatre. My opinion: The art direction is great, it's very interesting visually. Plot and characters are Swiss cheese and the science is even more full of holes. DH had been saving a podcast of a few scientists talking about how ridiculous some of the stuff was that would have been very easy to fix, so we listened to that on the way home. I'm glad we went to see it on the big screen because it did look so good and there has been so much improvement to the 3D technology. I'm more glad that we only paid $5 per ticket.

DH is taking another vacation day, and is sleeping in. He mentioned wanting to go shop for a new camera. I think we'll go out for lunch and then I'll let him go off by himself, I've had enough shopping for awhile.

5 x 7:
* finish writing 2 articles for the sewing newsletter
* pay bills
* start decluttering closet (will take several days)
* trace new purse pattern so if it works, I can make more
* gather deposit bottles & cans, put in car trunk to return to WM

From Kathryn:

We are on water conservation restrictions, although how I'm to cut 20% of my water usage when I don't use that much to begin with is a question I have.

Ignore it then, they aren't talking to you. We do not water anything outside, so the water restrictions here are not for us, either. If it gets bad enough that I can't do laundry at home, then I'll pay attention.

[BookSaver]

from Harriet:

BookSaver, has your Flip-Fold been sturdy? That's one gadget I may regret not buying.

Yes, the FlipFold still works well. I recently saw them sold as a pair on HSN - choice of either 2 full size or 1 full size and 1 junior. However, I found mine as a single, several years ago at WM in the "as seen on tv" aisle.

I was surprised at how much time it saves. I'm not as obsessive about using it as Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory. I get such a kick out of watching him use it to fold his socks!

I'm amazed at anyone who shops and actually finds clothes.

I've just been really lucky recently finding clothes that both fit and are in colors I like. I can go out several months in a row and not find anything. The seasons when the popular colors are things like olive, orangey red, brown and mustard, I just have to go without.

I'm grateful to have been so lucky because many of my clothes are worn out to the point of not being able to wear in public any more, so I'm replacing entire outfits.

[Harriet]

Best wishes, Mr. DeeClutter!

What a wonderful time you are having at your dd's place, Emptynester. I used to do that change-lids thing with my ddad's B-12 lozenges lid, on which I had written "Under Tongue" in Sharpie marker. But I never thought of doing it with bottles for different people.

Thanks for each opinion, BookSaver - that helps me. Won't bother with that movie, but may look around for a FF. Yes, I think of Sheldon with the FF, too - that was certainly product placement beyond the wildest dreams of the manufacturer. The colors you mention won't work for me, either. I need the colors they call jewel or winter.

Kathryn, she's right - they aren't talking to you, especially if you have a well and a septic system all contained on your own property. Help that you would give wouldn't be beneficial to your community in the near term when needed. It would be best not to be seen as wasting on big sprinklers, of course. Otherwise, you are probably doing the best you can already.

That was nice of you to say, Lilac. You seem to be handling your present situation very well, too. HRH is tender-hearted and he himself knows what a panic attack feels like. He was actually frantic to help dstepfil in his heart, but he stayed in poker-face so nobody could see it but me. He thinks that something that requires you to address it and control it - like dealing with a foaming glass of red soda - can divert attention from the anxiety of the moment. And he thinks a "big" taste surprises the senses and causes a need to control that, so suddenly your brain is concentrating on something different and you can use the break to escape the attack. Nobody else saw it, but he also turned on the tv and threw a "Best of Barney" DVD into the player. He told his mother she needs to put on old black-and-white comedy when these attacks loom. They are starting to happen with regularity, nearly once a day, which is why HRH thinks a med may just need to be changed.

[Cowinkie]

Morning Y'all...

Well its a very Magical Monday morning for me. This is my FIRST official day of retirement Had I still been working I would be sitting in class right now, and for the rest of the week, taking a required math class . Then next Wed my work would begin. Next Monday and Tue would have been spent getting my classroom ready, but THIS year I will be visiting my mom in NJ. See Me Smile again!!!

Oh, Harriet, I had to laugh at your clothes shopping comments. I needed to pick up a few t-shirt kind of things for my trip. Because my warm weather season is so long, my summer stuff really begins to look raggaty after a while. The gods must have been smiling on me last week. I headed for Jc penneys and didn't find a thing....I have a tee-shirt I absolutely love and it came from M acys'. All their summer stuff was on sale. I found 7 shirts, a couple of the same style, but different colors and a pair of shorts that I liked. I'm a plain jane kind of girl so the colors were basic red, white, navy blue and black. The shirts are made of heavy cotton and I thought they were on sale for $7.99. When I went to pay for them the guy said I also qualified for a 20% discount. In total I paid 48 bucks and save $150 in the process. Thats my kind of deal.

Love to listen to the locus and crickets Okay, but not here in the desert. Crickets are scorpions favorite food. So if you have crickets hopping around, you're sure to have the other guys around. I was telling Sweetie that one of the best things about this summer is that we haven't found any scorpions in the house. I'm not afraid of them, but dreaded getting up in the middle of the night in fear that I might just step on one. In fact the bug man just left.

Sadie is wearing her bark collar today because I knew the bug guy was coming. She goes nuts and barks like crazy when the door bell ring, so we were doing some training. I thought of you Twins....the bug guy said he had an electric invisible dog fence at his old house that his dog really responded well to. He told us that one day he somehow managed to change the area that was electricfied. When he came home from work he found his dog was stuck in the middle of his yard. He said his dog was fine, but it took him a very long time to convince the dog that he could walk to the front door.

I have bunches to do between now and tomorrow...I leave early Wed....so I need to be on my way. Waving to y'all..I'll be back later. Enjoy your day...see me still dancin'

[Norma]

Good Morning! Oh, Cowinkie, have a really really great time with your dMom. I wish we were closer and Sweetie could come hang out with Mr. Guy while you are away. I probably don't cook as well as you, but I would cook him meals too!

Two big fires going here yesterday. We were covered in smoke. When we went to bed last night we smelled like we were heavy smokers. During the night a huge storm came in - the biggest in a long time - and I am sure it either put out the local fires or certainly helped. It really scared me because the last one we had - last summer- I was in the hospital in Carson and when Mr. Guy called I couldn't even hear him the hail was hitting the house so hard. In fact, had to replace the porch and fence paint. I sure didn't want that to happen again.

Sweetie sent pictures of Wllis and Sadie the Wonder Dog this morning. I miss them! Willis was in the pool really shining for the video. He loves that pool.

Good day to all. We are headed for our fave Monday resturant - Monday Big Burger Day and I hope for me there is that wonderful Philly Cheesesteak I had last Monday. Can't get any better than that!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harriet: when I have a panic attack (which are thankfully, currently, years or decades apart) moving is the only thing that calms me. I used to rock on all fours in my crib as a child. It was on a hardwood floor and my parents said I'd literally rock it across the room, turn around in the crib and rock it back again. When my panic attacks started around puberty, rocking was one way to deal with it and the one I had a few weeks ago I dealt with by rocking hard back and forth in my seat and then as I felt myself calming slightly, getting up and walking around the house, rocking back and forth as I walked.

Dh watched me get one when we barely knew each other and sensed that getting me up to walk around the restaurant might help (we were at a large business dinner.) I guess he saw the panic in my eyes because I thought I was controlling everything else quite well.

Back from visiting my friend. Today is a 'wrap' day for her bad arm (lymphedema) and she refuses to leave home on wrap days because she hates having to answer questions from people as to what is wrong with her arm. She feels fine on wrap days, just a bit more bitter than usual, so she was up for a visit from me. Her brother-in-law is not doing well right now, he has leukemia and the chemo is knocking everything out of him at the moment, so she is thinking about death and asked if I could do her funeral. I can but she isn't planning a funeral but I can also do a graveside. She, herself, is just plagued with the lymphedema, her breast cancer is clear but she's just in a dark mood today.

Went to lunch after at Subway. It is hot here so I'm dressed a bit slutty - my top has a built in shelf bra and is just spaghetti straps. (My definition of slutty is that I would be sent to my locker for a cover up if I was in high school.) And I've got on a quite sheer, white skirt. Sure enough, there was someone from church there! At least I had my cross on!!! I got to meet his wife who is delightful. She doesn't attend church but dh and I enjoyed the conversation enough that we thought we'd invite them over for waffles after church some day.

We picked up milk at Walmart and headed home. I need to do data entry for a while but was taking a short break to clear my head from all the conversations I've had today.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Wicked, wicked, storm over us right now. More rain has fallen in the last 30 minutes than has fallen all month.

My computer and tvs are unplugged and candles are lit as the power is up and down but not long enough for the generator to kick in. I've managed to stop all the ceiling fans in between power outages so their motors should not be damaged.

Dh saw it coming and said if we wanted to walk for the mail we needed to leave immediately. Since it was two cells converging I suggested bikes and we made it with 8 minutes to spare. Debated putting the car out for God to wash it, but decided the risk of hail was too high. That was a good call as we've had a bit of hail already.

I did water the indoor plants as it started (I have 3 'indoor' orchids on the front porch so I went out to watch the rain and decided they should be watered since they are well sheltered.) Now I wouldn't go out on the porch at all, the wind has swung around and it is getting soaked by the door. The temp has gone from 86 to 68 so far during the storm.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Much calmer now. I think the rain has stopped but it is also cool out now. We got .8" of rain and are still under a storm watch so may get more. Radar is no good right now, something got knocked out at 4:30 so there are no current radar results.

I made a huge salad to have with my dinner. Dh will make fettuccine for himself and I'll just add some chicken fingers to a salad. The power has been steady for 85 minutes now so we should be able to use the oven.

I did get distracted, though, and didn't get anything else done during the storm.