Finally, on Friday

[Twins' Mom]

Dh and I had a nice Shabbat dinner - pan seared salmon with orange/rosemary sauce, 1/2 a sweet potato baked, salad for me, and challah. Kitchen is cleaned up and dishwasher running.

Ivy, it's Macs who has the bladder stone. We don't believe he's passed it, as it would have been painful at the time. Except for the cancer scare last year, Moses is the healthiest, sweetest, best dog anywhere. Macs has had chronic health issues with weird liver enzyme test results, a Cushings disease diagnosis at one time that probably wasn't correct, underactive thyroid, extensive surgeries on both of his back legs, one of which has a lot of arthritis and is very stiff. The biggest symptom of the liver issues is his extremely excessive thirst. Since he's doing okay otherwise, it's hard to tell how much to treat the liver issue and bladder stone.

I walked dogs before dh got home so we're done for the night.

Kathryn, it does get easier as one goes along. I'm still getting rid of stuff I moved. I expect I'll do a lot more of that when I get upstairs to my craft stuff in the bonus room. In our closet, I pull out something for Goodwill almost every day. Why did I move stuff I haven't worn in ages? I've also decided that I'm not buying more of the non-slip coat hangers. When something new comes in, something old must go to free up a coat hanger.

[Nancy]

We swap grand kids in a few min. the other granny called and said that she had talked to dd and she was really missing the kids. Dgson did well on his spelling best he's done all year so it was good to get some good news yea for that! It was not perfect but an improvement.

The rain was needed but with the ground still frozen in places it's puddling in some spots.

Dinner will be something we had in the house as we are dining in clam chowder or some thing simple. I sort of wanted to get out but the grand kid swap has messed that up, plus h. was late in getting home one of the guys had probs. with a rig and he helped and followed him home.

One letter is in the mail I"m working on the other one still.

I need to do hubby's wash to get work clothes ready for Mon. and dgson has a few things that need done too.

I did some knitting today working on a cap that might be for next year now that the snow is gone.

[OKay]

Kathryn - I enjoy reading about the process and decision that lead to keeping something or letting it go. It helps me to evaluate my own things.

I ***try*** to limit what I post about the MPB here. After years and years of hearing about it, I am sure most of the regulars are well acquainted with the inner workings of MPB. Somedays are a bit unusual like today.....DH was late coming home for lunch because the police pulled someone over for a traffic violation and they pulled into our MPB to get off the highway. One thing lead to another and eventually there was multiple law enforcement vehicle at MPB because the vehicle they pulled over was a mobile meth lab. This evening DH called from MPB attic and said "I need you". I scooped LO up and ran for the car. Upon arrival I found DH problem....a customer had decided he wanted to use the bay that was being repaired (DH was up in the attic above it) so the customer took it upon himself to move the cones blocking it off. He was definitely acting like an IT-D-UT Did the customer stop when the ceiling was raining water down on him from the light fixtures above him.....nope. He was determined to do what ever he wanted. He was definitely a part of the 3% that we wish would go away and never come back. It is probably a good thing that LO is with me at times like that......I have set a good example and not say words that I wanted to him.

I'm pleased with what I accomplished today. I stayed on track most of the day and worked my plan. The house looks MUCH better than it did this morning. Meals are on track. Laundry & ironing are completely caught up. Now......if I could only find something positive to say about the paperwork stacks......

[helia]

Kathryn - I enjoy reading about the process and decision that lead to keeping something or letting it go. It helps me to evaluate my own things.

I agree, OK. I also enjoy hearing about the MPB. I think of you whenever I take my own van to the car wash, which I really should do more often. In fact, I enjoy hearing about everyone's activities here b/c they are different from my own and/or they help me think about activities and rhythms in my own life.

I got some things done today, but not as much as I would have liked. I got sucked into my book club book. We're meeting Monday evening, and I still have a lot to read, so getting into the book is not necessarily bad. It is a good book, but a little dark and heavy, about a refugee to the UK from Nigeria b/c of political violence, some of which is described, though not too horrifically. Still, it is not a book I will be reading before bed. I also took dd14 to and from synchro and spent an extra half hour dropping off 2 other synchro team members who did not have rides home on a cold snowy Friday night. One is the Chinese exchange student I think I've mentioned here before.

I'm going to try to straighten up horizontal surfaces now. Dd14 has been making cake pops so the kitchen is a complete wreck. I will get her to clean up her mess too. Dh should be home soon. . . He'll be out again next week.

[Lilac]

Let me go on record here. I enjoy reading each and every post and I like how helia, worded it. I too think of Okay, when I drive by a carwash. I feel like I have learned a lot over the years by lurking and then joining in. I found myself nodding my head at Twins comment that she moved stuff she shouldn't have. This truly a great place to belong. Kathryn, it may be 18 months before you move, but I know one of these days we will realize just how fast those 18 months went by.

One of the things that is so special here, is that there is no fighting. Everyone is supportive and if anyone gives unsolicitated advice, it always said in a loving and caring tone.

As I was driving down the street today, I thought of dIndiana and how much I miss her. She was a wealth of wisdom and left a lot here for us to use.

[Sunny]

((Harmony)), I'm echoing everyone's comments to you about your day. I'm sorry it was so frustrating for you. Everyone forgets stuff, myself included, so you're not alone! Everything I want to remember I have to write down...then I can't find my notes. I think stress does weird things. You are able to take care of all your business work and create all those designs for your quilting ---- there's nothing wrong with your brain!!

I got a lot more done in my office/craft room. Moved everything off the desk and cleaned it; put only some of it back, moved the lighter furniture and vacuumed carpet, consolidated a few stacks of papers to one pile that I can go through a little at a time. I have a box of papers and files to shred; will probably do that after our trip. Things look lots better in here now.

OKay, I enjoyed the driving suggestions! Harriet, I liked the dolphin rescue video. That would surely be something exciting to experience!

I like to read about everyone's decluttering efforts. The older I get the harder it is to keep up with it. Eventually our ds#2 wants to move to a bigger house and have dh and me move in with them. It probably won't happen for a few more years, but when it does it will be a big job for us to downsize. So this is something I've been thinking about and I would like to be ready when they are ready!

So many times as I go about my day, whether at home or out running errands I'll see or hear something that reminds me of someone here. Goes to show just how close we are as a group and how well we all get along. I think everyone needs that in their lives. I, too, think of Indiana and often say to myself: "What would Indiana do about this?"

Hello to Ivy. Is it morning for you yet Lynlee? Hello to everyone. I hope the bad weather is over by now and it wasn't as bad for those experiencing it.

[Lilac]

I will need to get up and around early in the morning, so I can help dd2. It will be a full day but I haven't watched the boys since Dec. 30. I didn't watch the little girls from then until I watched them last Thursday and Friday. Dd2 is getting disillusioned about running a business. It is going well but it takes up so much time. She realizes now that she is losing time with her kids. Plus every penny she makes goes to payroll, bills, restocking, etc. She feels like it is a lot of work for nothing. Dd1 and I were discussing this awhile ago. Dd2 started talking about starting a business early last March. I played devil's advocate and for every con I threw at her, she had an answer. More than once, she was irritated at me. Finally, knowing her as I do, I decided to save my breath. As dd1 says, she is one of those people that have to experience it for themself. I now wonder if she will stick with it until her lease is up in October. I told her if she is serious at some point, she needs to try to sell it, rather than just close down. She would probably take a loss but it would be worth a try. It is popular and maybe someone would have the time to run it. A young mother with 5 kids just does not have the time. Every day she is chasing her tail and she is getting wore out. I do know better than to tell her I told her so.

Our dfriend from our hometown, that dh made a bucket list with, emailed him tonight and he has planned a motorcycle trip to Myrtle Beach in September. He didn't go to Canada with dh and is still kicking himself. Dh had wanted to go to the Pacific NW in July and his motorcycle buddy here was going to go with him. Dh told our dfriend he was going with him. He then talked to his buddy here and he wants to go with them to Myrtle Beach. The Pacific NW will have to wait another year. Their bucket list is border to border and coast to coast. I had commented to both girls that after dh spends all winter on the house, I will owe him some motorcycle trips. They both said that they thought he already collected before he did any work. Maybe so, but around here the cost of renovating a bathroom is the material plus 2 X that amount for labor. Dh is saving us a lot and therefore I feel like he deserves the trips.

Yikes, just looked at the clock. I better start getting ready for bed. It will be a long day wrangling the 4 kids.

[Lynlee]

Saturday afternoon here Sunny.
rain is continuing. low - ex cyclone - is on its way. Its been dumping rain by the feet over a couple of days as it goes along so we have been warned. Mini tornado went with it one place. Rain is needed so I'm not complaining yet.
The years rain is expected shortly. Last year it sort of stopped after March with little rain since until this week.

I need to look at "finally" making little actions - as little actions is what gets me places without burning out and falling apart.
Progress and not perfection
and all that.

[Emptynester]

It is good to be home. The kitchen looks wonderful. The only problem is that they didn't cover the cabinets after they removed the counter top while the sanded the dryeall. Every pot pan utensil and silverware was covered with dust. Yuck.

TTFN

[Elizabeth]

Hello again everyone! I caught the cat quickly and had time to do a bit of cleanup before the vet trip. I finally took the Christmas tree box to the shed! The cat was given a clean bill of health and it didn't cost much. She is 13 and will probably need teeth cleaning next year. After getting gas, I went to the yarn shop and my friend was there. When the shop closed, we got dinner and talked a while. Needless to say my errand to H obby L obby or Jo Anns did not get done, but that is ok. I also have not repaired the plaster of paris dog. When I got home, I found one of the cats had left me a hairball on my bedspread. Looks like a LOL tomorrow.

Now I will eat a snack, crochet and watch a mindless video. I am almost done with the Barbie dress crochet, but there is much assemby work to be done.