Serious but Simply Sunday

[Harmony]

Our people were here and gone. Plan drawn, dreams shattered. I feel bad for them. Would have been a nice job for us, but also I really like this family (friends from church) and feel bad what they want/need can't be accomplished.

I did some more tidying up around here. Hung up a load of laundry, got garbage all out to the curb for tomorrow, did a sinkful of dishes, hung up a bunch of clothes, folded a basketful. The house hasn't looked this good since before dfil went to the hospital.

Kathryn, I sure hope somebody really interested in your house comes by. I know those days of working like crazy to have house show ready, then nobody interested coming. We did that for a couple years. And we'll have to do it all again some day. Twice more.

Going to take a nap.

[Ivy]

Kathryn, When I first came to PWYC this morning, it was early, for me, without meds, & I had "thought" I read that Elizabeth's roof problem was YOUR PROBLEM! I thought, 'how can THIS happen on top of the septic system, TOO????', but when I re-read, I realized you & Elizabeth are 2 different people with 2 different problems. I'm sorry Elizabeth's having problems, too, but I was relieved, Kathryn, how you didn't have MORE stuff piling up on you, besides the septic!

Dee, Has there been any word on the $$ yet? My DH once told me how he's learned if a person loses $1 or $5, people pocket it, but if it's a large amount of $$, it's generally turned into someone at a desk or something. I hope this will be the case for your DH. Enjoying the parade?

I read my Father's category poem, for the poetry card contest, to DH & he liked it. Then, I read a "Graduation" theme greeting card poem to him. He enjoyed them both. After that, I dated tomorrow's subject for the contest poem, since you can enter as many times as you want to, it's at Blue Mountain Arts, in case anyone's curious and they prefer non-rhyming poetry. Then, I decided which 2 greeting card poems to submit to their company for greeting cards. They pay $300 for accepted poems. My late father was a poet, had a vanity book of published Haiku poems, & loved to dream about writing. He passed away, never knowing his only child/daughter (me) would take up free-lancing at age 53. I sort of feel, in "spirit", he must know or I hope he knows. The main thing is, **I** know, which makes it more special for me.

After I wrote the titles to tomorrow's submission poems, I wrote an outline for a Sept. story, due June 9, but I'll submit it earlier than that. I've decided to just go month by month & get 1 good story in each month. Then, if I have time, I can write stories which occur anytime, & concentrate on poems & get another story done for "Pockets," the children's Christian magazine. Also, I'd absolutely *LOVE* to write a solve-it-yourself mini-mystery with 3 clues, for "Woman's World." They're 700 words, including the clues within that 700 word count and they pay $500 for their mini-mysteries. My challenge is how I've never written a mystery before. But I've saved for YEARS, all short stories, be it short romantic fiction OR mini-mysteries, from "Woman's World," & put them into page protectors into a very thick binder. Now I've gotten so many, there's not room for anymore. All I need to do is study the stories, practice with paper & pencil, to get the "feel" of it, & take it from there. I'm sure enjoying doing something new-to-me now. Poetry's where I got my start though. ♥

(((Harmony))), I'm so sorry the dreams are shattered for that family. It's so sad...... It must be a GR8 feeling to have the house looking good since before your dfil went to the hospital. You must be very happy with yourself. You've done a lot. Do you have any special plans for the rest of the day? Do you completely take Memorial Day off, from work with your DH? Or do you still work? Curious...... I hope you got your nap in, too.

Kathryn, I hope you'll get some interested nibbles today...... I used to make stuff pork chops when we were newlyweds. ♥ ♥ I used to make stuffed cabbage in the crock pot, too, & stuffed peppers & stuffed zucchini, too. Now, DH does the dinners, with a bit of help from me, but I do my own breakfast & lunch. Occasionally we do "fix-your-own" dinners at night, too. ...... Pulled pork for movers is a Super idea, too! It beats a box of doughnuts. More nourishing protein for them after all that work.

Nancy, Are you feeling better today? I hope you are.

Dee, We have a neighbor, who's DH's wood-getting BFF, and the Dfriend of DH's refurbishes antique cars. He also does this for a job, in any of his 3 shops, & has antique cars/trucks of his own, too. He does such beautiful work. Wow.

I need to get my lunch now, need some more protein for energy, & I hear the DW running, so DH just loaded & started it. Somehow, he can get things to squeeze in & fit much better than me.

Harmony, in our garage, to the right of the garage door, as you're facing it from the porch landing going into the utility room, on the ceiling, there now is a hole! DH is a procrastinator, we don't have any leakage marks, from the roof leaking- ANYWHERE- and we built our home in 2004, moving in that August. DH said he'll take a look at it. I don't know how holes form in the ceiling, when there's no sign of water damage. So I'm "assuming" he'll probably be doing a patch-up job on it. Do you have any suggestions, being that you're in this line of business?

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Forty minutes to go in the open house and no-one here yet. Sigh....

It isn't as if I don't have a nibble, I'm just sure their house won't sell because it is so over-priced.

I haven't done a lick of work. Double sigh there. My deadline is tomorrow for that so I need to get my head in the game.

[Ivy]

Kathryn, I HOPE you DO get a "nibble"- because you're working so HARD & you *DESERVE* a nibble, too! (IMHO).

Harmony I hope this doesn't embarrass me too much, but.... DH told me there is NO HOLE on the ceiling of the garage, where I described there is/was. He said, when the garage door opens, when we drive in & out, how the rains from outdoors, fly into that 1 spot, & it's rain water, which has taken the white paint off the ceiling, making it black there. I have dry-form macular degeneration & other eye problems, so when I look up there, the black paint-less spot looked like a deep dark black hole! It goes to show you how Ivy cannot trust her vision! DH said all he needs to do is paint that spot, when the weather's nicer. I'm SO relieved now that it's not a hole, busted through the drywall on the ceiling, but am a bit embarrassed because I was making it a more serious problem when it's not. Now I'm giggling.

I had lunch, took 2 Gas-Ex pills with my supplements, to help with the gas problem from eating the banana, which was making me burp & having a gas pain in the esophagus-upper tummy area.

I did a Sept. outline for a story, cannot seem to come up with a good outline idea for my October titles. I decided to write an outline for a November story instead. Oct. stories are due July 11, so I'll be busy with grandsons visiting, Christmas gift crochet, & I'll probably take that month off for "those" types of stories. I'll try to concentrate on poetry & challenging myself to do a mini-mystery with clues. I love the mini-mysteries, which have humor & 1 author or 2, have a series of the same detective involved with a side-kick, which makes it fun for readers, to reacquaint themselves with old characters they've read before.

I might not be on-line as much tomorrow because of our T-Storms & storm. I think I'll write letters, write by hand, putter around the house & do laundry, if there's enough to do. Today there wasn't enough to do anymore. But that's NICE!

[helia]

Go Kathryn! Very impressed by your packing and downsizing.
((Harmony)) I understand wanting to have your home to yourself. I feel that way sometimes too. I've also noticed that though you might be disgruntled about having people in your home, after their time in your home, you also seem very compassionate and caring about them and what is going on in their lives. I sometimes joke about our home being grand central station with people coming and going here, mostly our kids' friends, but when kids are at school and dh is at work, I do have time to myself. For me, this is a stage in life as the kids will be gone sooner than I think, and I may actually miss the open door and steady stream of visitors.

Speaking of visitors, tonight, S and R will be here for dinner, dd15's bff is here already to sleep over, and dd18 has a friend sleeping over as well. So, 10 for dinner tonight + baby J. Dinner will be simple, either the standard bread and cheese or something on the grill.

It is a gorgeous gorgeous weekend here, a bit hot if anything right now. This afternoon, the troops and I did some yardwork, and it was amazing what we could get done in 2 hours. Dd15 finished mowing the lawn (it is over 1 acre), ds cleared out debris from the ground ivy and trimmed it back from the stone steps leading down to our back patio, dh and GG cleaned out the 2 garden boxes and planted the tomatoes I bought a couple weeks ago, and I weeded one garden area of our front yard, which ds and dh then mulched. I also weeded a bit around the edge of the garden box closest to the house since some spots had been missed. Dd18 slept. Our yard looks so much neater! There's still a lot to do, though. I think dh is going to hire the garden guy to help out.

Alright, I'm going to tend to laundry and then go to WF with dh to figure out what we're eating tonight.

[DeeClutter]

Dee: It is worth a call to the store where he bought the paper.

Stopped by there on our way home this morning -no dice. Or perhaps someone found it and figure they won the roll (of the dice). We just went back to pick up the car -dh looked again inside the firehall and where he'd been sitting in a recliner. NOtta. So we just have to chalk it up. Dh is pretty sure he probably pulled it out when he got his wallet for money for the paper. There's little time/places between the time I handed it to him here and the time he reached for it to give the detailer. Just part of life -could be a whole lot worse than $80.

We went to watch dgs9 race his go cart. In between races ddil and I ran to Geneseo to W mart. She was getting just a couple of things. I was picking up paint rollers for dh and looking to see if they had wave petunias. When I went from our car to her car I felt a couple of wet spots on my capris & thought I had dripped some of my drink. We drove all the way to Geneseo & I touched my leg again & felt wet and sticky. Looked and my whole leg was covered with blood and was still bleeding pretty good. Couldn't remember hitting anything -looked at that point like my whole leg was scraped. Lots had soaked into my capris, into my sock and my sneaker. Finally stopped. DDil went into the store to get bandages and by the time she came back out I had my leg up and it had quit. Just got home & washed it off. Entire leg was actually where the blood had run down and dried in spots & some clotting, not scraped. All that came from one little spot below my knee. Must have had a scab or something, I don't know. But there sure was a lot of red for a spot I can hardly see now. Suppose I should ask the Dr about it when I see her in a couple of weeks. Know there's been a 'spot' there.

[Lilac]

I didn't ci yesterday, so I want to wish a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dee.

As I read thru posts from Friday afternoon until today, I had comments I wanted to make and now I am drawing a blank.

Everything went well at dd2s on Friday night. Dd2 and her dh really enjoyed having some time to themselves.

After I came home late yesterday morning, I mowed the yard. I then showered, did hair and makeup with the intentions of going to the nursery. Instead I read the book that I had started at dd2s. I finally put the book down long enough to go spray weed killer. All evening I read and dozed, never once turned the TV on.

Today I finished the book. This afternoon I went to dd2s and watched the girls so she could grocery shop. She has invited me over for homemade Bierocks. I came home to get started on switching out my summer and winter clothes. So far, I have cuop. So I guess I better get off here and get started on the clothes.

[Ivy]

Dee, Sorry about the cash loss, but true, it could've been a lot worst.

Lilac, It's nice to "see" you pop in.

Been thinking about Sadie & Lucylee today.

I just wrote a computer letter to a computer-letter-writing pen friend.

We're having chicken for dinner tonight.

[CathyS]

Hi everyone.

Went to Niagara Falls yesterday. The tulips are in their prime there right now. A bit behind schedule, I think. The lilacs were also in their prime. Almost completely bloomed except for the tips. We had the field to ourselves almost. Less than 10 others there. Niagara on the Lake was wall to wall with people. We sat in a restaurant and the stream of people outside just didn't stop. Mike figures it took $40 worth of gas to drive there and back.

Haven't done a thing today. I think it's due to not having to do anything at my dads, so I rested. That included a nap earlier this afternoon.

[Elizabeth]

HI everyone! For some reason, I set, but did not actually turn on the alarm last night. Instead of going to church, I slept. My friend who was having the Tae Kwon Do test has bee postponed because the tester (who was coming in from Austin) is sick and can't make it. This is such a high level test, that there are few people who can actually give it. The upshot is that I did not watch the test, and should have been able to get lots done. Got some done in the kitchen. It's raining and I don't have anyone over, so I can't work on the roof. Thank you Harmony for your advice on not doing the attic caulking. I will follow it! I may still have dinner with some other people, but I am hungry now. They may also come over, not sure yet. I have dealt with a feral cat crisis successfully, run some LOLs, repaired a kitchen table, cleaned and wood treated both kitchen tables, and swept the kitchen which needed it badly after the cats knocked over a plant. I need to study and will do that until my friend calls about dinner.

I have also been giving some thought to my frustrations with my mom. It all boils down to a difference in socio-economic status. My furniture belonged to my grandparents, both hers and dad's. When Mom inherited her mother's furniture, her attitude was, "This was old when I was a little girl. Depression era parents never buy anything new. Well, I suppose my child can use it until she graduates from college and gets real, permanent, nice things." For her, the idea of getting rid of the 'junk' (actually now considered antique pieces that need some restoration work), brings up visions of shopping sprees culminating in nice, new stuff. Tremendous fun. At my level, an empty apartment conjures up visions of concrete block and board bookshelves; kitchen tables that also do duty as craft table, computer table, desk, etc.; saving up for a while before being able to scour yard sales for furniture; and, in a good month, getting something new, but cheap, from Target. When she has car trouble, she thinks about a new car. When I have car trouble, I wonder how much longer I can keep it going. I actually know the limit on the number of tows you get from AAA, she never knew there was a limit. I am NOT telling my mother about the returning leak in my roof.

I will study until I find out whether I am eating with friends or on my own. I wish they would call, I am hungry. It is imperative that I get dishwashing powder tonight.