SHEs Organized

Another clear, chilly morning here. It is 43*F and the sun is finally over the mountain so the amps are being collected by the solar panels.

I turned on the water heater today for a shower and to wash dishes. Not many dishes to do but I needed a shower. I think I only used about 1 1/2 gallons so that isn't bad. We have lots of water in our tank but limited waste water tanks. I will wash dishes in a dish pan and use that water to flush with to even out the tanks.

I know - TMI!!! But it is of major concern to us as we sit in the desert with no electricity, water nor sewer. It seems like every conversation turns to water tanks or batteries somewhere during our get togethers.

As soon as I get the dishes done and the footprints erased this morning we will head to the bank and then to our regular luncheon back at the lot. Then tonight it is Taco Tuesday - Huge tacos for $1. We eat well and frugally. Last night we had a hot dog pot luck. Hot dogs and buns furnished and everyone brought something else to share. I turned my bean soup into baked beans by adding a couple more cans of beans. We served about 50 people, I guess. It was fun but then the wind turned cold and we all headed to our heated RVs.

Good morning everyone! In answer to the morning's question: change scares me, I like security. Last night I folded laundry and remembered to call mom on her birthday. I also found some scrap fabric to use to design the hands and feet of the Bug-A-Boo. However, I was too tired to start. I went to be an hour early (8:00) and still I wake up tired. At night all I want to do is go to bed. In the morning, all I want to do is stay in bed. The cats are not bothering me anymore, it's just me.

Tonight is Girls Night Out, so Chinese food, then Chuck E Cheese. Unless DD9 decides that she wants to go to the library. I need to go to the library whether we do that for GNO or not. I also need to balance old checking account at XDH's house. The files he gave me to do it at my house do not work. What I'd really like to do is nap.

Changes here include letting the house for sale contract expire so we can have a shiny fresh new listing in a month or so. ~sigh~ created stress last night yuck I hate that! Realtor wanted to come by today to discuss the new contract strategy; today I did not want to even think about it. As I need to clean and with my back I need a break. Other things OMM like taxes, clean freezer etc. H. & I had words. I want to get the leaves out of here before the next round of Realtor's comes traipsing through and clean the shop but it need's to warm up. I think H. used the wrong word "open house" instead of "realtor's tour" I was snippy. I was up in the night this upset me I could not get to sleep right away. Seems we fight after one of us talks with this Realtor wish I knew what was up with that! She mentioned raising the price a bit too. That was a surprise.

No new snow today like they were predicting.

Trash day here, and I'll be spending time in the cave basement doing floors and laundry prep. for defrosting deep freeze.

re: Paula D. I singed up on the web site figured since so many in the family deal with it I might as well took a few tries but got that done. http://www.diabetesinanewlight.com/ I'm a bit underwhelmed with it.

Gorgeous day in the Valley of the Sun - but it has been raining. Certainly cleaned up the air.

We had a night out over the weekend with Cowinkie and Sweetie. Had burgers and perused a car show for a bit. The best part is just sitting around their table visiting, drinking coffee and eating Cowinkie's chocolate chip cookies! I have been thinking of purchasing an MP3 player and finally did it after seeing Sweetie's and his offer to download his library to mine. OK! I'll do that.

It has been a little slow here mostly because of the rain and gloom, but hope that will be gone for awhile. Tonight is a favorite activity for everyone here during the year === Swiss Steak Dinner prepared by the Biliards (sp) Club. It is delish and everyone really waits for it.

OKAY - KPHO here ran a story about grandparents raising grandchildren. It was very good and I thought about you and others I have known. You are to be commended.

Happy Day to all.

29-37* our temp. range here today we can see it snowing on the mountains south of us but no new snow here, we were supposed to get up to 1/2" last night the day is not over however!

One round done

Half of the squash is all that would fit in the oven squash seeds are separated and are drying now. I used my "she-raw" muscles to open that up it took three knives and I had to pry it after cutting around that thick skinned winter squash. H. slept in is up now he said he was upset yesterday b/c he could not find one piece of paper work for the farm taxes.

Laundry has been rounded up sorted and the washer is going now.

Bed is not made as it's sheet changing day here today.

Hi, I'm feeling better today - almost over the cough/cold. And it always helps that the sun is out and shining brightly. Very cold last night - 23 degrees. Expecting rain for the next three days, so that should bring the temps up a bit.

DS19 started Spring semester at the junior college today. I like having the house to myself when he's at school. I always get more done around here when DS or DH are not home, I can get momentum going without interruptions.

Waving hi to all in the village.

I've been home for over a half hour so guessed my timing well.

Driving was slow from downtown to shopping and then home but not too bad. It is still snowing but the accumulation isn't as bad as they said. I'd be surprised if we get 4", let alone 8.

Still not sure if we have quorum for the meeting tonight. It is a bit unclear. If not tonight, then tomorrow night or a week from tonight. The minister is not coming but will phone in (she is required to make it a legal meeting.)

Dh was glad I made him go out today since we got so much done and driving wasn't that bad. I listened to the radio broadcasting the "WINTER WEATHER WARNING" and "ice pellets now!" "Freezing rain has started" (then admitting that was over 100 miles west and 50 miles south of us, on Lake Ontario which always get different weather than we do) and "roads are bad" (but the traffic report had no accidents and things were better than usual with only the regular slow downs for rush hour.) Once I filtered all the doom and gloom out, and listened to the forecast, it said "snow this afternoon, at times heavy, 2 - 8", and after the snow, freezing rain.) Hmmmm, for 8" to fall, even if it started at noon, would take hours and we'd be home before it was all down and certainly before the freezing rain started. It was too cold this morning for freezing rain and 'ice pellets' sound bad but are actually just stinging snow and not a big deal to drive in. Fluffy snow is worse (it sticks to everything and cakes up in your wheel wells so you don't have as much control for steering and braking.)

So I pushed to go out as planned and dh agreed since I told him we could turn around if the driving was bad.

My dinner was started in the crock pot this morning and smells wonderful now. I'm really hungry because of that so will have some salad as a snack. I'm out of WW points for the day because we had lunch at the chip wagon (and enjoyed it fully.)

Hello to everyone from sunny Florida. It is 75* here now. Wish I could send some warmth to all in the cold climes! Bittersweet I know I could not take living in those cold winters anymore.

Change.... I guess we all have our own way of adjusting. I don't like the uncertainty of it. If I know what's coming I know how to plan a reaction and adjust to the situation easier.

Lilac you have reminded me that I need to return a toy to the toy store purchased before Christmas. We found it in another store for less $$$.

Harriet... dh says he feels a tiny bit better each day. His ribs hurt when he moves or twists the wrong way. Thank you for asking .

**Saturday afternoon ds#2 and ddil brought their entertainment center and living room tv. It fits on the one living room wall with about 6 inches on either side. Ds connected the cable, vcr/dvd recorder and Wii all together. The next thing is to go through the cds, dvds and vcr tapes to pull out the duplicates to donate. There's plenty of room for everything. After they left we went to dfam#1 house for supper and to visit for the evening.

**Sunday afternoon we spent with dfam#2. Today is our dgd17's birthday. She is quite a young lady now and we are so proud of her and all she has accomplished so far. She has one more year of high school then plans continuing her education to become a physical therapist. Anyway we went out to eat at Cracker Barrel to celebrate. (The week before we took them out to eat at Chili's for dgd10's birthday; can't do for one without the other!) We all love looking around in their gift shop.

My afternoon tea is finished and I have a few more things to finish before dinner: clean tea towels to fold and put away, load of clothes to put in dryer, sheets to put on bed, etc.

See you all later....

Today's topic of change reminded me of a book I've been reading: "Uncertainty-Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance" by Jonathan Fields. I've just started reading it, so I don't have an articulate opinion yet, but I'll let you know when I finish it. I got it because I have always been very attached to controlling my environment (people, place, etc.) to feel safe and comfortable. I hated chaos. But my life in the last five years has been full of uncertainty, change and others' drama, so that I've had to learn new ways of feeling comfortable or I wouldn't have survived. I'm looking for new insights on how to make uncertainty my friend.

Went out to do errands and now I'm ready for a nap. I still don't have all my energy back since being sick.

Such a total change from yesterday! We had a 50 degree drop in temperature!! We only expected 40 degree drop and the different 10 degrees meant MPB froze. Crazy - yesterday we were running around in short sleeves in bright sunshine in the 70's. Today the MPB had frozen pipes everywhere that took hours to get back into operation.

Last night LO started with the sniffles and by 3am he was running high temp. I was up/down with him until the sun came up when he gave up on sleeping and got up. His fever went down this morning (with meds) but now is starting to come back. He stomach isn't playing nice so it has been a day of staying ready (IYKWIM)