What Can I Say Wednesday

[Sadie]

Hello Dear Ladies,

Sunny here again.

One Dson, our youngest was trying to play April Fools jokes on everyone.

Finally sent our taxes out!!!

Average day here and going to work soon.

[Lady Maverick]

I haven't been at the computer very much today. Last night we had another severe storm come through. The electrical substation took a direct hit from lightening which put everyone in the dark. The electric company was able to reroute some and get our town back on. Thankfully our electrical was only out for 3 hours. However 2 local towns were still completely without power today so they had to cancel schools. DMom & MPB electric was restored about an hour ago.

LO is still home sick today. He isn't comfortable being away from bathroom and was afraid he might have an accident if he went to school. However, he is starting to eat again so hopefully he will be better tomorrow. I went to school this morning and got his assignments so he can do them at home. He has almost finished all of them with only 4 more to go.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Well it's official. According to the Dean Martin Party Slot Machine, I'm a big winner!

And certainly, the $20 I've cleared at the slots (original stake was $10) is an impressive return when you consider I was playing the penny slots!

On the weekend I was down to $2 and got up to $13. Today I gambled that away to $4 and then one 2700 pennies. I gambled that back to $30 and cashed in.

Now that we are in the cabin for the evening we've pulled out suitcase #1 and will pack our formal wear.

[Harmony]

Kathryn, I'm sorry you missed your tour, especially seeing elephants. That would have been wonderful.

LadyM, saw those storms on the weather channel, glad you weren't hit directly.

Today was errand day, I managed to do them all. 7 stops and 1 phone call in the middle. 2 banks, stop at resale place, ran in a supply house for a trim chart, back to jobsite with it; WM to get an easter lilly which I took to my lady friend at nursing home. That's at the other end of town and takes a while getting there. She was very happy to get the plant.

Helped DH in the office for a bit this morning. And that was basically my day so far. Oh, I sent out 3 Easter cards. Got the idea to send them while I was picking one out to take to my friend with her lilly. I might have to take helper home, today's DH's early day when he must get ready to go to youth group.

Helia, I read your post last night. That's a very busy work schedule.

[lucylee]

Hello, hello!
I managed the morning routine, and walked 2 miles outdoors again. The weather here is so beautiful right now, even though we had thunderstorms with hail last night! More storms headed our way by Friday, (what LadyM got last night?) but right now all is well, and hopefully, it will stay that way until we can get our first (of four) loads to the auction people today, and dmom's stuff moved tomorrow.

In case any of you missed my JOY post... yep... grandchild #2 is on his/her way. Ddil can't keep a secret so it is pretty much public knowledge now.

(((LO)))

Congrats on your big win, Kathryn! Maybe that's your consolation prize for missing the elephants...

Harmony, looks like you've had a busy day!

And helia -- oh my... your schedule just exhausts me to read it! But that's how teaching is... I well remember those late nights.

Waving to Sadie... Elizabeth... (that's a pretty long list you've got there, too!)

Waving to Nancy... Dee... Twins... BookSaver... and Harriet.

I'm going to follow Harriet's path to Health and Fitness. Maybe if I'm logging in with you girls I can do better. Although I don't know if that helps me or not. I've gained probably 40 pounds or more since I "met" y'all.

Should be vacuuming but this is the first chance at the computer I've had all day, and I am waiting for dh to get s2s and go help ds load auction stuff.

[helia]

What can I say? The best laid plans. . . . I couldn't stay at work after subbing this morning b/c dd16 wasn't coming straight home from school, and we try not to keep the dogs crated for more than 6 hours during the day. So, I came home, let the dogs out, finished prep for my afternoon class, and posted last week's grades for one class online. I also got the breadmaker started for dinner tonight before I headed back to work.

I went to the library after work to return a book on CD and pick up a new one. I got home about 4:30. I chatted a little with dd16 and then went for a jog, which didn't go well. What can I say? My weight is not up from last week, but maybe travels affected my body. Also, the park was overrun with runners in one of our city's running club's "Twinkie Run." What an odd juxtaposition of concepts. . . . I suppose the run's name should be said tongue in cheek, though I think finishers do get a twinkie at the finish line.

Thanks for your empathetic comments. Even as I write about my schedule, I know that many of you here have insane schedules. Many of you have so much going on. . . .

I'm tracking my hours b/c dh has made comments along the lines that though I'm working, I'm not behaving like a working woman in terms of setting boundaries with volunteer responsibilities (mainly moms group). And so others don't know what my limits are - b/c I don't really know either, and I'm not doing well (1) figuring them out and then (2) communicating them to others.

Yesterday's payroll total: 8.5 hours.

Today: 5.33 hours so far - and I still need to prep for 2 classes, make a review sheet, and find and print out a bunch of pictures of animals for a writing activity tomorrow. . . . .

I'm sorry you missed the tour, Kathryn, but happy you won at the slot machine!

Woohoo!! Congratulations, lucylee! How exciting! Yes, that kind of is the life of a teacher, right? I thought I'd be a bit immune b/c I'm not full-time and I'm not in a K-12 classroom. However, teaching is still teaching. . . .Fortunately, I do enjoy it.

((LO)) I hope he can go back to school tomorrow.


Dinner guests left at 8:30. So, I can get to work!

[Harmony]

Took helper home and bought something to eat while I was out. Too many calories, but I was too tired to cook.

Lucylee, DH says if you have a beam in the middle and it is adequate (should be right over the metal support - don't take that out he says) and if the rafters cut at 8' are cut & anchored right at that beam you should be ok. Though he says he'd lay another subfloor of plywood. How thick is the floor there now (he says you can see that to measure at the top of the stair opening). If those rafters are just 8' and 8' simply overlapped and nailed together to make the 16' span with no beam underneath that is NOT strong enough. So, all depends on the beam situtation and he asked what the beam was made of, how big. That's from my resident builder, hope that helps.

I did big sink full of dishes, watered bushes out front, did not make it around to the veg. garden. My neighbor gave me half a carton of onion bulbs now I have to plant those somewhere, she had too many.

Sat on the couch in a stupor. I'm off to bed.

[RunKitty]

Congratulations to lucylee and family on the happy news about the new grandbaby on the way.

[helia]

Hi RunKitty! I don't think I've greeted you yet. Welcome! This is a wonderful place to be, very supportive - as you can tell.

[lucylee]

Oh, thanks, Harmony! Yes -- definitely a beam running the length of the ceiling -- looks like it is made up of 2x4s, and as far as I can tell, the rafters are well-anchored to it. I think extra flooring would be good, too. We will be putting a "fake" hardwood on top of the plywood, though, so that might be enough. We of course are not taking this on with our own "expertise" * or lack thereof * We'll get the contractor who is working for ds right now to do the work, and I'm sure he will know what we need to do. I just wanted a second opinion, and I am so glad your dh didn't immediately say, "What are they thinking??? Are they out of their minds???" LOL...

Everything for first round of auction was packed nicely in ds's truck, so dh and I did not accompany him to friend's house to unload.
DH and I went to Chick-fil-a... and then by the mall and I bought wedding gift for shower on the 11th (which I do not plan to attend, and need to rsvp.)

Thanks for the congratulations on the new baby. As I told a dfriend, I have never ever ever been ready for anything that ever happened to me in my entire life, but for the most part, it has all been good... so maybe in 9 months * 8 months??? * I'll be ready for this new arrival! We ARE happy; don't misunderstand. Just me being me...