SHEs Organized

We need rain. The ground is cracking and pulling away from foundations, stones, cement etc. A drought is developing and no rain in sight.

Morning y'all

I'm being lazy this morning but it's still early in the day for me. Sat outside in the quiet of the morning while I drank my coffee. Gave me time to think and clear my head. Think I will add that time to my morning schedule time.

Allowed myself time to finish my book. Now it Game On time. I will start like I always do when working the P&P system. Work one room at at time from left to right. Years ago I taught myself to place my laundry basket at the enterence of each room I was working in. That allows me to put misplaced items, like coffee cups, out of my way while I clean. Otherwise I would find myself traveling to the kitchen and then end up getting distracted there doing something else. Works like a charm for me. Off to pickup my foot prints in the mbr. Cya'll later

That phrase sure helped me this morning, Okay! "Game ON!" I've been going to go dd's motorhome for weeks to purge out some things I 'stored' there. Found a whole big pile of magazines that I probably intended (then changed my mind) about taking them south to go through. Flipped quickly through, tore out a few things and recycled them! Big declutter project done -albeit not in my own abode. Still my stuff! Found some things in a basket that I decided to leave behind -some things that I really searched for this winter! Also had ink/toner in there for my down south printer. It's now packed with my 'stuff to go". No wonder I thought I had more.

Had a lot of books over at dd's. Piled them all together and will sort in 'series' this week. Then I think I'll box them and store them under my bed for now. Normally read on my K indle now, but have to figure something to do with all these books! Thinking about taking them to the library at our church in FL.

Now I'm just relaxing. Went up near the store and dh was going to get me a hot dog. As I sat there, waiting, one or our campers got hit in the head/eye with a baseball. The ball was thrown to someone on the other side of the hot dog wagon & it went over, hit her, she stood for about 2 seconds then crumpled. Luckily it was "Kid's Safe Day" so there were firetrucks, ambulance, sheriff cars, sheriff horses, etc here. So she was tended to rather quickly. EMS was called however. Saw her and she already was sporting a terrfic shiner!

I'm recovering from last night! River cruise was fun - the festival itself is just too many people and too much noise for me to handle well. Dh and I took off about 9:30 and I truly felt lousy - my feet hurt, indigestion from the food, back was hurting, and I was generally not happy. In a situation like this, dh "knows everyone" and spends so much time talking to others, and the introvert (me!) feels left out and neglected. At one point he was talking to someone about how great the house is that we'l be selling, and I finally walked off, made a circuit of the VIP area. Was thinking about heading on home by myself (and not telling him ) but he found me. By that time there was no seating left, of course, and my feet, even in walking shoes were killing me. I can handle dh being with other people when we're out somewhere if it's a crowd of people that I know...the problems of being married to an extrovert.

I slept in until 9:30, then meet realtor at 11 at Home Despot (remember that Short, Red headed SHE used to call it that?) We picked out light fixtures for kitchen, then I did a walk through Home Goods, went by the new house, and back home.

I'm wondering if I'm getting arthritis in my feet, or whether I'm just in terrible shape. After I got home last night, I did circles with my ankles because it seemed to release the pain, and the joints cracked and cracked.

So while I was out today, I also decided I would take some ibuprofen that I keep in the car - feet are still achy and I have a headache going. Took two pills w/o checking bottle, and they were motion sickness pills. I suspect that I'll need an extra good nap this afternoon. (Ds still gets motion sickness on long trips, and he occasionally takes them so I keep a small generic bottle in the car.)

At the new house, I'm trying to decide whether to say something about the location of the pedestal sink in the powder room. The sink and toilet are on the long wall together - and the sink seems jammed too close to the corner. The pedestal is right in front of the door into the bathroom, and I think the poor placement is magnified when one looks through the door and sees it jammed to the right too far.

I'm trying to get my game on.

I got up too late to exercise so have to be very careful what I eat today. I did switch our going out to a restaurant to beer can chicken so that means I get to control ingredients and sides. Yay!

At 7:30, just as I was about to pour the milk on my cereal I thought I heard a door knock. Sure enough, a panicked neighbour, thrilled I was up because he needed to print a soccer registration form or he'd be dead-meat with his wife. She went out to walk the dog, he remembered his task and discovered his printer wasn't working! I solved his problem and got a great anecdote to tell. (He's off golfing with work today and she's not pleased but told him to handle the registration stuff - had he failed at that, he was in deep trouble.)

I got off 15 minutes late but had a lunch all made and still arrived before the resource co-ordinator so waited in my car.

The librarians from churches with a proper library came today and there were only 5 of them but they each took about 15 books. I took 20, but I did wait until they were all finished. Several of the titles I had on my list were gone but I still found a ton I wanted. I'll get more once the general Presbytery population have gone through and picked out what they want.

Since we finished at noon I came home instead of eating my lunch there. Picked up chicken for dinner tonight.

Ate, read, hung out laundry to dry, sunned myself and now I'm trying to get some energy to do something. Apparently, stirring the compost pile is still on the undone chore list so I think I'll go do that.

I don't know if I'll get my game on or not... I've had a long nap, and I might have another.
I do need to call dmom, I guess... apparently she is not calling ME to make plans for tomorrow. My family is sooo last-minute.
And of course, dh is so OCD, must plan every little thing down to the tiniest detail... * sigh *

That shower was just as I expected... these people just live entirely different lives than I do, I think. I mean, nooo, they're not sooo different -- the hostess is a retired teacher, the parents of the bride are retired teachers, we all attend the same church... but just like at the engagement party, I was not offered anything non-alcoholic to drink. This just amazes me. This morning they were serving mimosas. And I noticed quite a few ladies appeared to be abstaining. I mean, for goodness sakes, we are in the absolute middle of the Bible Belt, you know? I bet 99% of the people there belong to Baptist, Methodist, or Church of Christ congregations. Now that is not to say they are all teetotalers!!! I am not saying that at all!!! A great many of them drink, but they definitely would NOT drink in front of their various pastors. And I'm not being judgmental of those who do drink -- so I hope I have not offended any of you. Personally, I am a teetotaler, but dh has no objections at all to an occasional beer, although, actually, he abstained at the engagement also -- probably b/c of me.
I'm just saying IMHO, nonalcoholic options should be provided and should be offered as promptly as alcoholic beverages.
I just think that is good manners, and I can't believe they don't feel the same way. Surely they realize that in this community, there are going to be people who prefer not to drink. Just like at the engagement party, I believe there was water available... but no one pointed it out or offered it to anyone. Like I said, this is what passes for society in our little town. * sigh * I'm glad I'm not really a part of the society clique.

OTOH, dsisil gave the neatest gift. She was not at the party -- at least not at the same time I was -- and she did not attend the engagement party, either, but she got two wine bottles from the engagement party and had them made into either wall hangings or trivets/hot plates -- I'm not sure which, maybe they can be used for either? The were just melted down and flattened, and had a sort of decorated chain/band around the necks. I thought that was such a unique idea! I don't know where she had it done. I don't know anywhere around here that does that. I told y'all my dbil married Martha Stewart!

Oh -- and it was worth going to see the house. It is fairly new, and it is sooo beautiful. The master bedroom closet was the size of a small bedroom, with shelves and hanging space almost all the way around, a make-up table w/sink built in, with a large window providing light from behind, and of course lights above the mirror, too, AND space for a small computer desk and printer. It was BEAUTIFUL.

So now I'm envious of the Fiestaware dishes AND the wonderful closet!
(Y'all know I'm just kidding, I hope. I'm really happy with my dishes and my house -- except for the bathrooms!)

(((Twins))) I know ddil has that experience often, of ds talking to EVERYONE and she feels left out and doesn't know anyone. DS would say HE was an introvert, too, but he has a lot of my dad in him. He can talk to anyone about anything. Hope your feet feel better now!

Waving to Kathryn... Dee... Cowinkie... Indiana... OKay... Nancy... -- hope dh has a better day today, and oh my goodness... (((HUGS))) for ds & family! * phew *

Waving to cathyy & BookSaver, too!

Breakfast at the Sr. Citizens and picked up two pies for tomorrow's picnic. Registered at the HS. Watched the parade sitting in our pickup as it was raining a bit. Lunch was loaded Baked potatoes at the Am. Legion.

We are back at the MH now to take a nap and then get ready for the banquet tonight.

Tomorrow morning we boogie down the road about 40 miles and then reunion with my family for about a week. My DS and family couldn't get standby airplane to this town so they flew into Rapid City, SD and will drive here. Today they are touring the Black Hills.

Next up - dishes here and pack a bit for the road. The trailer ooze has happened this week so I'd better scoop it back where it belongs.

Lucylee I can't believe anyone, in this day and age, would host a party without non-alcoholic options offered alongside alcoholic. With the aging population many simply can't drink because of medication. Others because of alcoholism, others because of beliefs. Since the South prides itself on hospitality, it would never occur to me that they would not have something to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. To only offer alcohol is something I associate with being Northern or European (certainly finding a non-alcoholic drink in Northern Europe can be a challenge and in our rural north alcohol is too common.)

Praise report I just got invited to preach 2 weeks in July at the Market Village's church. Yay! I was quite upset I wasn't working this summer. My minister knew and has been pushing my name forward to all the ministers she knows. She is a wonderful friend.

It does go to show, you almost always need to know someone in order to get a job (even a temporary one like pulpit supply.)

Second Praise Report dsil called last night to say he'll be having his security clearance interview in the next few weeks and after that we might be contacted by security agents to corroborate his answers. This is a long process (6 months) and he may not have a job waiting for him at the end but it is the most promising news he's had yet on the job search front. The government is hiring mathematicians and he's a brilliant one so hopefully there will be a job waiting for him in the future. Dsil is cautiously optimistic and dd has posted on FB that she's tossing caution to the wind and being optimistic. Maybe this will help her relax so she can get pregant.

Good luck to dsil, Kathryn! I hope everything works out just perfectly for them!

I am glad to know someone else agrees with me on this. These people are the only ones I have ever known of to do this -- offer only alcoholic drinks -- and like I said, I believe water WAS available. I saw something that looked like a very nice decorative dispenser of water w/lime slices, maybe, with punch cups sitting there beside it -- but no one actually OFFERED it or pointed it out to me, anyway. And bottled water was available at the engagement party, but again, no one called our attention to it.
You are exactly right -- it should be a mark of Southern hospitality that we would have something for everyone.
Something BESIDES water, IMHO! I mean, yes, this little affair started at 10:00 in the morning, but what would have been wrong with PLAIN orange juice, or lemonade, or SOMETHING?

At that other gathering we went to, w/ds & ddil, one would certainly say the host & hostess were less "sophisticated" and "cultured" than those today... but they offered beer, soft drinks, & water, and had those little kool-aid packs for the kids.
And maybe real "moonshine." I'm not sure.

Game on here was completing rehearsal dinner invites. Got those printed with DH's help on the cardstock that I had. They are addressed, sealed, and stamped. Need one more address from the happy couple. Was in pajamas here 'til 2pm--totally focused on the task at hand. Will be a relief to drop those in the mail!

Missing my Daddy this weekend. He was a good man. Passed away 11 years ago. I think he would be proud of how his grandchildren turned out.

Lucy--Your posts are so descriptive. Your family sounds wonderful.