U.S. Election Day Tuesday

[Harriet]

Neglected to give hugs to ((OKay and LO)). Soon this will be but a memory.

Neglected to tell Ivy I laughed at her completely inappropriate phone callers! "Is this too young to die?" (Calls meant for an entertainment place related to popular figures who died young.) Oh my goodness! Pull the shades because it sounds like a B-rated scary movie! I'm so glad you were able to find out they were sincere people who didn't mean to frighten.

Great to hear about Emptynester's sewing and crafting space and inspiration!

Our ballots are cast on stand-up machines, so had I tried to walk around with one I would have caused quite a stir, Harmony! But, yes, you are supposed to be able to ask questions while you are voting, so they shouldn't have been too surprised. I admit to being only partially informed on some of the questions regarding many, many judges and 3 different bonds. ONE phone call here made a difference in my vote - it was a judge and he spent the first 10 seconds of his recorded message apologizing for calling and the last 5 seconds saying he didn't know the answer to a particular question he had been asked during the campaign. I was so struck by the humility and plainness of the call that I researched that race and it turned out he did deserve my vote. Otherwise, phone calls, many from far-away places and very professionally done, were wasted on this household.

[Ivy]

Harriet, I'm glad I made you laugh at my "crank" calls.

I posted a Joy at J & C's board, which happened to me today and I'm SO excited!

Not feeling 100% today. IBS awful, hope my meds work soon. Came back here to write my PODA down on a post-it note, to focus on actually getting my PODA done today. I sometimes log it here, butget sidetracked doing "other" things and forget about my posted PODA. A post-it notes fits everything all in one spot.

Oh, no! Kathryn! An earthquake! NOT fun! I hate them! So scary! I feel so out-of-control when they happen.

I have a dejunking (I think it's called) video or DVD from P & P, from a few years ago. They sure were comical in it. I miss them, from the good old days when they appeared on TV, too. So cute, funny, and made Earth laugh.

I'd better go sort laundry for Bert & Ernie. They won't be happy if they're not fed.

[helia]

That is great news, Ivy! I went over and read it in J and C. That reminded me that I need to get over there more often.

I picked up dd14 from her play date. It was a group of 4 girls from elem. and middle school that got together at one friend's house; they ended up at the elem. school playground after walking to campus to get some lunch. I have also finally trimmed back our front hedge. I'm not sure it is short enough, but I took off a good 6 inches. I have taken dd14 to her oboe lesson; dh will pick her up b/c dd17's friend is coming over for the evening, at 6:30, and so I need to take dd17 out for our dinner date earlier than would be possible if I were bringing dd14 home from her oboe lesson. Laundry is going, but there is more I need to do. I also have not exercised today.

I am waiting for dd17 to get home from an errand she ran. I don't know why she did that right now when we are tight for time w/ her friend coming over. . .

[DeeClutter]

Think "up home" is probably just far enough 'west' and should not be affected too much by the next nor'easter coming in the path of Sandy. Looks like they'll have rain, but too warm there to snow. At least that's how it's looking right now. Hate to think of those downstate and in PA & NJ getting more on top of what they already are dealing with and all they are still dealing with in the wake of Lee and Irene (at least I think those were the names). DH went down to the southern tier of NY this summer to help with some of the cleanup and refurbs from those storms last year.

When I went back to get dgd this afternoon -parking and cars getting in/out were just as bad as this morning. On the one hand it's good to see so many voting. We voted by absentee ballot a couple of weeks ago in New York State.

I'm slowly getting into the mode of being here. So far we've done all the running with dgd. DD didn't get home until 8 last night and it will be the same tonight. tomorrow she plans to take gd to her youth group.

I have chili cooking but I didn't have the heat up high enough so it's going to be a while. Called this afternoon to get a new script for dh's stomach meds. It used to be one capsule, once a day -now it's twice a day and the script had to be changed to reflect the increased number. Think we're all set with prescriptions for a while now.

DH and I decided to stick with our present health coverage. Were unable to find out info on the other one -though I'll try again tomorrow. Thought is that there is most likely a deductible and larger co-pays. Our co-pays are good and we have no deductible. The new rate will all but eat up dh's annuity from Kodak from here on. (he had to take an annuity when he retired for the last year & a half he worked at Kodak). Meantime I am going to be asking questions and researching. Never could reach the B Choice office. One number said they were sorry they couldn't talk to us and the other was for a dental referral???? If I find anything out tomorrow I will change, but it's looking like we're staying with M V P for this year. I feel fortunate to at least have health insurance. DH's division of Kodak was bought out 6 years ago by I T T. All Kodak retirees now will be without any benefits as of January 1. That includes a lot of people we know and love as well as my DB & DSIL.

[Ivy]

Helia, Yes, I'm very excited!

I put on a deep red APRON! It's sort of "Apron Day" at my house.

TA DA:
- Dumped trash
- Scrubbed 3 toilets
- Did journal writing
- Made DH laugh
- Fed Bert & Ernie. Bert & Ernie are still eating.
- Re-decorated & dusted my office desk
- Read on "Writer's Digest". I'm currently reading an interesting interview about the author who wrote "Game of Thrones."
- I worked on my calendar reminders, so I'm more organized until the end of the year.

DH's Ta Da:
- He vacuumed.
- He tended the fire.
- He cleaned out and re-filled the bird feeder.
- He unhooked outdoor hoses.
- He put those protective things over outdoor faucets.

It's supposed to freeze here this week. And be cold, too, so we're getting ready.

On my PODA still left to do are:
- Work on my story.
- Work on grson's afghan, but plan on doing it during election coverage, so it'll be later today.
- Decorate envelopes. I might save this job for another day. Haven't decided yet.

Helia, It sounds like, with your trimming of the hedge, you're getting ready for winter, too. Oh, about dd17 waiting to the last min. and causing tight time--- that's what teens do well!

Dee, It's glad you're in FL now. I hope people don't get a nasty nor'easter on top of Sandy, too. Could be disastrous. You're safe where you are, right?

Sorry about the cars where you pick up and drop off dgd, but it's great people are voting.

It might take you a bit of time to get into the mode of being there and how long does it generally take you?

YUMMY! Chilli sounds delicious! I hope you're set for prescriptions for awhile.

I'm glad you and DH decided on your current health coverage, which means one less thing to have to be concerned about. I hate things like that hanging over my head and it's a relief when I've made up my mind and it's final. Less stress; more peace comes.

Emptynester, is your sewing and craft space neat and tidy all the time?

I find that while I'm working on projects, I'm a messy lady. I had small bins lined up against the back of my spare room desk because I was making cards. DH's friend had gotten soot all over himself, while fixing our damper, etc... and needed to wash up in our main/guest bathroom. On 1 hand, I felt proud as a peacock because the bathroom was thoroughly clean and the drawer with neatly stacked hand crocheted washcloths was clean, too. I was so proud and happy with me. Prideful, is what I was! Is that a sin? One of the deadly 7 sins? When DH's friend walked down the hall to the bathroom, he looked at my craft desk, full of medium bins, paper, craft supplies, and it was a big messed up ugly cluttered terrible mess! So I went from being proud about my bathroom, to being mortified about my craft desk.

So, Emptynester, How do you keep clutter tame, while you're in the midst of working on projects? I find it nearly impossible to craft and be tidy and orderly at the same time. I don't know what to do about it. Any ideas? Do what FlyLady says and pull out only what you can put away in 1 hour and pull out only what you need? To me, it's like I might need it all! So it's all OUT there. I feel that organizing hobbies things is difficult. At least it is for me.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Slowly waking from my nap. Long day as I thought it would be.

Got the church service finished with 5 minutes to spare. But it is finished and handed over to someone else.

Made a quick lunch and ate that while driving into the city. Hair cut went well (actually I like it and will like it better as it grows out since it is a bit short now.)

Dh ran his errands. At the hospital, I had just found a place on a side street to wait with the car when he called me to come pick him up. (He has to have his blood work done at the hospital, local clinics won't do it.) That saved us $4 in parking fees. His probiotic drinks weren't back in stock yet (the main brand is Yokult and it is from Japan or China, dh starting drinking them 15 years ago in Japan.)

I was driving at that point and kept driving which wasn't good since I was pretty exhausted. Finally swapped drivers when he went in for the mail so he drove the last mile.

Our internet was out and there was other stuff to do before I could go for my nap so I didn't get into bed until 3:45. Got out just past 6 and we'll have dinner now and then I'll start my second shift of the day. It is like having 2 days in each day since I literally wake up and get dressed twice a day now. (Sometimes I go to put my night guard in, just out of habit, when I go for my nap!)

[blessedw2]

dIvy better to have a clean bathroom! I am on this site for a long time now and have been following pam and peggy program from longer than I can say - and I still fall into can't have anyone over syndrome. lol. (and you work very hard so be proud!!! )

hi
Helia (we had school but no voting at our school) it is at our park district
lynn hi
hi twins (mac)))
harriet hi
hi dee
hi mt
hi nancy again hope you are feeling better
hi book
hi ok
hi lucy and everyone

[Emptynester]

LOL AND ROTFLMAO here. ME???? Neat????? Oh, no - I am an almost hoarder and from the school of why make the bed - you are just going to get back in it in a few hours.

I HAVE to be neat in the MH as things can't be out when we travel - but here in the house is a whole different story.

I didn't get my sewing room set up. Got sidetracked (WHO ME???) and will not be home tomorrow.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Done dinner.

Confession time: While dh had a dessert, I pulled out a map of the US states with only electoral vote for each state marked on it and we tried (mainly me but I sucked dh into the project) to label the map with all the states. We had one more state on the map than name (apologies to those from Arkansas) and, including the unlabeled one, had 4 mislabeled. All flyover states but one was a border state so that's embarrassing (of course, it borders with our flyover provinces but they are easier for us to keep track of since there are only 3 of them!) I got Colorado right (dh thought it was Utah) but I had to fight for that - after months of looking at the US map with swing states marked, I ought to have got that right. I guess my eyes just glazed over the block of red states in the middle so that's why I muddled them up.

We did remembered more state names tonight while looking at the map than we did in the summer as we drove home from holidays and tried to list them all without a map in front of us. Don't try me on state capitals. I knew a few of the odd ones (like Albany, Carson City, Sacramento, Augusta, Tallahassee) but in general there are states where I couldn't name a city, let alone the state capital.

[OKay]

Kathryn - I'm impressed! I seriously doubt if I could do it.

Today's stops went well -
** OBGYN = everything looked good. Pap results will arrive in a week or so, but are expected to be good. Doc confirmed my decision to choose to wait on mammogram/ultrasound findings. He said Dr S (radiologist) would have been pushy about getting a biopsy if he thought it was needed (rather than give me the option of having one).
** Pharmacy - picked up 3 meds for LO to take after surgery. One of them is a controlled drug that cost $72 (our cost) and required me to show an id twice (once upon handing over the prescription and again to pick it up). It makes me nervous to think of giving a drug this powerful to a 4 year old.......but on the flip side.....I'm glad we will have something on hand to handle any level of pain he has.
** 4 other stops - Home depot (special light bulbs) and flowers, Staples (refill for space pen), gas station and last but not least the oil change place.

I made it home in time to eat lunch and put my feet up for 44 minutes before heading back out the door. Picked up LO from school, voted and then visited with DParents.

CCC = 59 Pretty good considering I've been out of the house most of the day.