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Friday, November 30, 2012

Feel Good Friday

Well... It's Friday...
Tomorrow is December 1st... How weird is that?
Here's the list from this week...
1. Eating out a lot this week... One really fun night. The rest a result of laziness or due to crazy running around...While good and yummy also bad on the bank account and the way the jeans fit...
2. Sleeping in a little tomorrow...
3. Writing group holiday party tomorrow. So excited!
4. Having my gift and ingredients for my food for tomorrow!
5. K3 landing a major role in the spring musical!
6. Maybe getting my new sink (that we've had for 4 years) installed tomorrow!
7. Bedroom rearranging! While a total pain in the butt, it's also a very good thing.
8. Sleeping in... Oh, wait... I said that already...
9. 25 days until Christmas. I think I need to step it up a little...
10. Maybe getting our tree this weekend. Though who knows when we'll get it decorated. I wanted to have a little tree decorating shindig, but I'm not sure we're going to have time to make it happen... Oy! We'll see...

In other news... Stacy's Pita Chips rock my world. So does homemade hummus. There might be some kind of creature living in my basement thanks to a broken window. That man swears he saw "something" run across the floor earlier and it wasn't the lizard that I've yet to see... And the rodents are both still in their cages.

Make sure you check out my sister's Etsy page... Maybe you'll find something for someone on your Christmas list?

Behave!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Check This Out...


I'd like to welcome my very own sister to my blog for a guest spot!
She has her very own Etsy shop and is selling a whole bunch of fantastic stuff that you might like to check out and potentially buy!
Let's do a little interview so you can see that she's as weird as me...

1. Tell us a little about how your Etsy shop came to be...

      Well, after researching some items , just out of curiosity, I realized that there is a market for vintage anything!  So I decided I would open a shop and see what happened!  Now although, I have not sold very many items I am on a mission to find the item that you are looking for!

*Let me just add here that my sister and brother-in-law inherited a fantastic house from grandma! It was stuffed to the gills with great stuff and even though most of it has gone to auction, they're still finding tons of really cool things. (And my sister loves exclamation points!) Ha!

2. You love antiques... I know this... I've trekked through briers and rough terrain (in heels!) to look at antiques with you... What's the deal? It's just old stuff...why bother?
I feel that antique or vintage items have a story to tell.  I like to imagine how things were when these items were made and used.  What were the people like, how different was the area, did they ever think "wow this may be worth something someday"?
The world we live in now is centered around "disposable things"  if it breaks just replace it. The things I sell were made to withstand normal use, and come from a time where people took pride in their possessions!


3. You moved into a house full of antiques. What's the best and worst part of that?
For starters, the daunting task of deciding what to keep, what to throw away, or what to send to auction.(if I had only known what I know now!)
Finding awesome new treasures every day!

4. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Vanilla
*(Let me just add... This is one of the only areas we disagree!)

5. Favorite television show?

can I have 2??
Supernatural!!
The Walking Dead!!

*Yes, you can have two!! I'm sooo far behind on The Walking Dead!! (And apparently I love exclamation points as much as my sister!)

6. Do you have plans for the zombie apocalypse?
absolutely!! bring it on!

*We'll be there with you! 

7. Tell us about some of the good stuff that can be found on your site?
I have many unique mason jars that would make great decorative pieces, as well as completing sets for a collector.  I also have many mid-century kitchen items.  And there is much more to come!!  The research can be a bit time consuming!

8. You walk into a hall with three doors... red, green, black... which door do you go through and what's behind it?

red, a nice comfy bed.

*I should have asked what was behind the other doors. 

9. Sam or Dean?
both

*Same here! I can never choose!

10. Anything else?
Stop by and check out what I have to sell!


Look at this:
Haeger USA planter/PRICE REDUCED
Thanks to Ami for coming over to answer some stupid questions and hawk her wares! 
Check her site out if you're interested in antiques. You never know what she'll find in the attics and storage spaces on the property!!
Behave!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Sometimes...

Sometimes - a brief gathering of thoughts...
Sometimes when things don't go the way you planned them, the end result is better than what it would have originally been.
Sometimes you have to stop talking about it, stop thinking about it, and just do it.
Sometimes you want to drive your car like you can in video games. But don't do that because you will either get arrested or die. (especially if you drive like me in those games)
Sometimes the people you wish would reach out to you can't because they're struggling, too, and might need you to reach for them.
Sometimes I wish I could move to Alaska.
Sometimes it would be good if people actually listened when you explained things to them, especially when you explained it in writing - several times.
Sometimes its best to listen and not say anything.
Sometimes its hard to remember there are several sides to every story. The biggest question would be to ask yourself is it worth making yourself another side, or is it best to stay out of it?
Sometimes you have to be angry, or sad, or hurt. And Sometimes you don't.
Sometimes hope is the only thing you have left. And Sometimes hope starts to fail you and you have to run off of another strong emotion until hope comes back. Sometimes that strong emotion is just hope in disguise.
All very cryptic, huh? Not intentional. As I reread the list I realized most things could be applied to many different situations, but it's heavily influenced by my feelings on my writing career at this particular moment.
And you should still never drive in real-life like you can in video games...
Behave!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Feel Good Friday - The Post Thanksgiving Edition

Wow....Time really got away from me... All of the holiday prep, moving, tree sale stuff, and trying to make sure there is food in this house...
Let me sum up with a list...
1. Holiday cooking. I didn't have to do much this year - a few pies and some sweet potatoes. Bob made his apple turnovers. I love being in the kitchen the night before Thanksgiving.
2. Thanksgiving with the family - we drank a little wine, ate a lot, laughed, trekked through briers to reach old buildings on my sister's property (in good clothes and heels), looked at antiques and had a blast!
3. Helping K1 & J move into their place. We're still not done, but it's mostly done. They are thrilled and we're thrilled for them.
4. The tree lighting ceremony in our town. We work it with the scouts and then always go out to dinner afterwards. We had a lot of fun, except it took K4's dinner way way too long to come and then when it did, she choked on the cheese. That was awful. (She's okay)
5. Hauling Christmas trees with the scouts this morning. It was freezing and the wind nearly knocked us down. Even though it's a lot of work, it's fun.
6. Grocery shopping with That Man.
7. Naps!
8. Short weeks at the day job.
9.  Playing video games with the K's.
10. Writing time tonight.
That is all for now!
Behave!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Dear...

Dear Son,
I am so proud of you for finding your own place to live. It's not perfect, but it is because it's yours. I am so glad my grandson will have a home that is yours to live in. It took a little longer than any of us wanted, but after we're done getting all of your stuff moved from the various places its stored, you'll be good. And before Christmas, too!

Dear Computer,
Why does a simple update mean I have to relearn all of my favorites and tool bars? You suck! All I wanted to do was update some applications...

Dear Work Week,
End already. Yesterday was brutal. Today was brutal. What in the heck is tomorrow going to be like? I hope it's quick.

Dear Child,
Do and turn your homework in before I have a nervous breakdown! Parent-teacher conferences...

Dear Work in Progress,
I need you to flow a little faster. Thanks!

Dear Holidays,
Hi! It's been a while since I've been excited about you! I'm glad you're upon us! We'll talk soon!

That's it... I'm so far behind... Must catch up and sleep before it turns into Wednesday!
Behave!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Feel Good Friday - The Almost Sunday Edition

It can't be possible that the weekend has so few hours left! Wah! I want at least another day! Please?
To say it's been crazy would be a little bit of an understatement, but let's go through the week first...
1. Managing to stay sort of organized this week, even if I screwed up some important things I shouldn't have.
2. Completing the household administration duties and filing! (It might have been close to 2am when I finished, but it got done.)
3. Opening night for K3's play. I'm so proud of him! The cast and crew did such a fantastic job! My kid did such a fantastic job!
4. Heart to heart talks with my youngest.
5. Shopping with the kiddos - even if it was a quick lunch, then to buy new charger cables, and visit the bookstore.
6. Christmas ideas... and there were a lot of them after the bookstore visit.
7.Making sure I claimed my writing time! I have only missed one day in our 50/50 challenge!
8. Doing the grocery shopping for the week for a change. Yeah, I'll have to go back for milk and a few things I forgot, but I even managed to get my stuff for Turkey Day. I saved $68.00 and did some necessary stocking of the pantry. And I spent way less money than I do when I end up going every other day.
9. Getting to see K3's play a second time on closing night. It was just as good, if not better, than opening night. He did such a great job. And he got to go to an after party when they were done. (Picking him up at 11:30 sucked for me, but I'm glad he had such a good time. Last night they all went to Denny's and That Man did the driving duty.) I love seeing K3 in his element and hearing his excitement!
10. One more day left in the weekend. We're in that day now though... and I haven't slept... and I was up way too late last night and up far too early. And tomorrow is full, of course.
I don't know how long it'll take this house to adjust to the play being over. We've been living in chaos for the past few weeks. Constant rehearsals and the rescheduling of our regular patterns have been the norm. Of course, now we're heading into the holidays. That means the Scout tree sale, other Scout holiday community commitments, work holiday parties, shopping... Yeah, we're looking at chaos for the next 6 weeks or so... but wait... my grandson is due in 9 weeks, so...
Oy! I'm going to bed!
Behave!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Wreckage...

Every November we go through this "Season of Breakage", or "'Tis the Season to Replace All Kinds of Crap".
It's always something different, or a lot of somethings... On the very first Thanksgiving dinner we hosted, our hot water heater crapped out, the cat knocked down my brand new "good" dishes and broke half of them, and the wind caught the storm door and busted out the glass.  It's gone on from there with anything from kids putting sandwiches in the VCR, to major and really serious things like That Man's dad having a stroke Thanksgiving morning.
We always joke about it (not the stroke because that was hands down awful), but this year we seem to have started a little early...
Here's the list of carnage for 2012:
1. Water heater - fixed now, but major research, inconvenience, and information was required to fix it for only $10.
2. That man's car - flat tire. And it needs new wires.
3. My truck - Something electrical that keeps draining the battery and a bad tire. (Or 4 tires in need of replacement)
4. The dishwasher - the switch is broken. Guess who is doing dishes by hand until the part comes in? (Just ordered because it just broke over the weekend)
5. Washing machine - the switch that makes it spin is busted. Really? (This just happened tonight)
6. Microwave - The clock is on the fritz and it seems to only heat anything at half power.
7. My iPhone charging cord - I don't know if it's my phone, or the cords I keep borrowing from my sister, but I can't seem to find one that I can depend on. My original cord met with an unfortunate accident and I'm not having much luck finding a replacement. (This started last night. I borrowed a cord from my sister on Sunday. It worked great the first night, but last night I had to fight with it.)
8. K3's iPod. His LED screen is busted. We went to a repair place at the mall on Sunday they promised to call us with the price and how long it would take yesterday, but we've heard nothing yet.
9. The house computer - fried. Completely. Now K4 begs me nightly for a few minutes on mine. Homework is a no brainer. Of course it  must be done and of course I'll let them use mine for that, but the constant "Can I check Facebook" pains me. A new house computer is not in the budget at the moment - not with cars and major appliances needing repaired or replaced.
10. The light fixture at the top of the stairs.
11. The toilet tank and guts. Really? How do you break a toilet?
12. A major part on the furnace. So far we've managed to get around it, but this is probably the last year.
13. The checkbook - for the next 10 years at least.... Or so it feels.
Add to that - 90% of the light bulbs burned out over the weekend. It happens, we're near a transformer and our electrician warned us this would happen. The rat keeps breaking out of her cage because one of the connecting pieces broke off. She comes and goes as she pleases now. (I'm not even going to go into the depression that is my writing career at the moment, because trust me, you don't want to know...)
Ahh... the holidays. I am still determined to have amazing Christmas spirit and be totally into it this year, but we shall see...
No. It will be fantastic.
That is all.
Behave!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Feel Good Friday - The Sunday Edition

Busy weekend!
Here's the list:
1. My niece's play Friday night. She did a fantastic job!
2. Sleeping in Saturday.
3. Writing time.
4. Playing video games with the kiddos.
5. Running around the mall with K3 this morning.
6. Baby showers for and with very good friends!
7. Having K5 from noon until a few minutes ago. I love that kid.
That's the highlights! I'm exhausted and I need to meet my 50/50 word count before bed.
Behave!

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Thursday?

How did this happen? Thursday, and the downside of Thursday even? Wow.
Well... I suppose I should have something interesting to say... Or not...
Here's a brief list...
1. School projects that get left to the last minute due to student laziness / poor organization suck! Kid was warned about last minute crap (a million times) and project commenced to creation last night. Due today. And of course, the lesson that should have been learned about quality and last minute prep was not learned. The project turned out awesome (even if I still have green and silver nail polish all over me). Awesome enough that her teacher asked to keep the props we made at almost 11pm last night. *Sigh* (But yay for good presentations!)
2. Some people should not breed. 'nuff said.
3. Hot showers rock my world.
4. Writing time also rocks my world.
5. I missed Supernatural this week thanks to #1. I'm sad. But I will catch up.
6. Kids who love being in the play and have been researching performing arts schools are also very awesome... If only that kid had super rich parents... *sigh*
That is all for now. Feel Good Friday might be late as we will be attending my nieces play tomorrow night...
Behave!

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Tuesday is Better...

Than Monday.
And here's why:
1. We have hot water again! Whoo! (They wanted to charge me $20. to guarantee the part would be here today. I refused, and guess what? The part was here today... hmmm)
2. I voted. I hope you did to. (That's as political as I get. Voting is your right and privilege!)
3. The funky karaoke going on in my house when I got home.
4. Taking a walk with That Man.
5. Hot water.
That's enough for Tuesday. I'm wiped out and still need to write.
Behave!

Monday, November 05, 2012

Stupid Monday...

I hate this Monday.
That is all.
Behave...

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Dear...

Dear Election,
Can it just be Tuesday already? I am sick to death of the phone calls, Facebook, Twitter posts, and commercials. I'm irritated and cannot wait until you are over.
Just remember to vote, folks!

Dear Hot Water Heater Part,
Get here already, please.
Thank you.

Dear WIP,
Thank you for filling my head with ideas and making me giddy with excitement over you.

Dear 100-year old House,
Please stop breaking. Let us get things fixed before something else falls apart, please.
We can't do it all at once!

Dear Vehicles,
Two flat tires and a dead battery in one weekend? Really?
Thanks for nothing!

Dear Grocery Store,
Why are you always out of the things I need to buy? This is the second week in a row and I'm not a happy camper!

Dear Neighbors,
Why are you so stinking loud all of the time?

Dear Rum,
Why are you always gone? LOL

That is all...
Behave!


Friday, November 02, 2012

Feel Good Friday

Well... Friday is here again. It was a weird week, and it's November already! Geeze!
Here's the list:
1. Writing meeting tomorrow. Looking forward to it, though it's my last official meeting as president. I look upon that with mixed feelings.
2. The laughter coming from my living room right now. I'm cranky, but that I don't mind.
3. Doing enough research to be able to convince the company that made our hot water heater to send the replacement for our faulty part for free. Go me.
4. Being warm.
5. The storm not being as devastating here as it was other places. I feel bad for other areas.
6. Sleeping in a little tomorrow.
7. A K5 visit on the horizon.
8. Writing time. I'm holding my own in our 50/50 challenge, though my counts haven't been as high as I would like.
9. That man doing the grocery shopping.
10. And planning tomorrow night's dinner.
That is all for now.
Behave!