Buddy and I are holed up in Roy's study. The sa-cur-i-ty guy is here and because Buddy hasn't been here during the week, we are nervous that she'll get skittish and run out the door. Interesting, the very rooms she hasn't wanted to have anything to do with are now the rooms that she is crying to get into. Hmm...sounds a bit like me at times. The study has french doors, so at least she can look out and keep her all too vigilant eyes on everything. I thought she would sleep like a cat last night but she wouldn't stay still for too long. I don't think she is a fan of ceiling fans.
Later today, we will make yet another Lowe's run. We need to purchase an 8 foot ladder, another garbage container, some kind of hose (not panty hose thankfully) and other various and sundry things.
On Monday the furniture for the courtyard and the furniture for the back porch will be delivered. Then Thursday Pottery Barn comes and that should be it for deliveries for a while. I do have a couple other things to order, but will wait and see how everything looks once we are really settled.
It is interesting getting used to new noises in the house. I told Roy in the evenings I feel like I am on vacation somewhere because we were turning on the light in the bathroom so that we, OK who am I kidding, so I could find it in the middle of the night. We finally found our night light and that has helped. I'm also getting used to where I have put my make up and stuff like that. We are at that point in unpacking where we don't quite know what to do with some stuff. Looks like another trip to Katy Christian Ministries is in the offering. Other stuff just doesn't have a place. We cut down our storage pieces when we moved. Some of this stuff will go into the attic now that we have the extra plywood in for more storage area.
For those who might be building a house in the future...you cannot ever have too many electrical outlets in the bathroom. We just have the ones by our sinks. It would be helpful to have at least another outlet somewhere in the room or closet.
Roy and I made our first trip to the local HEB Thursday night. Not too bad. In fact they have two items that I like that I have only found at the play grocery store and surprise, for a much lower price than the play grocery store. I still get the HEB-ijittys there but maybe I will soon over come that. I haven't cooked anything but we did bring home prepared food and had dinner here last night. At the quick stop I made at Rice yesterday, I picked up some deli ham with rosemary. It is out of this world good. I should have bought some rosemary bread to go with it for sandwiches. Maybe on my next stop there I will do just that.
We have found a bunch of Mexican food places to eat around here, now we are on the lookout for other options.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Moved and Unpacked(well unpacking)
Long time no post and that is due to the fact that we moved this week. This will be short but we are so thankful that the whole process toward the end of the building a home journey went smoothly. Closing last Friday went without a hitch. We came over and picked up the keys and we dropped off a few things that we had in the back of Sequisha. Then we went and picked up our mail box assignment and keys. We headed back to the condo and began loading up the cars. Dena came over and she helped take a load out to our new home. First things first, we ate dinner then came out here. Saturday, we did the same kind of thing trying to get all the kitchen things here. For someone who doesn't cook, I have a whole lot lot of dishes and cooking type things. David and Emily came over on Saturday and Emily used her natural talents and spiritual gift of organization and she and Dena whipped my kitchen into shape. On Sunday, Roy and I brought out all our hanging clothes and then prepared for the professionals to take over on Monday.
So this week has been unpacking, waiting on deliveries, repairs, professionals and did I mention unpacking? The deliveries have gone without a hitch. Next week I just have patio and courtyard furniture deliveries and Pottery Barn on Thursday. I believe Tuesday will be the first day in a long while that will just be a day, a regular day.
We love it out here. One of my favorite things to do in the cool of the evening and yes there is a nice breeze out here that makes it feel cool, is to water the trees and landscaping. We are trying to put up a victorious fight of keeping our grass alive. We have such a small yard, we didn't think we would need sprinklers. Well, we were wrong. So, we are trying to get someone out here to give us an estimate.
We have been without TV or the Internet until today. It was kind of nice to have quiet evenings, with just the radio and a good book. Believe me, even after purging my collection, between the two of us we still have a whole lot of books. The new furniture looks nice and I really want to play with it, arranging it. But...there are more important things right now like, getting rid of boxes.
On my way in to pick up Buddy, I stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond and did a fairly sizable damage to our home accessories budget. Stopped at Macy's and picked up a few things. Went to the Amish Craftsman to look at benches and tables. Then made a short stop at the Play Grocery store. So, right now, we know Buddy is in the house, we just don't know where. She is a bit overwhelmed by it all but hopefully, she will get used to everything soon.
So this week has been unpacking, waiting on deliveries, repairs, professionals and did I mention unpacking? The deliveries have gone without a hitch. Next week I just have patio and courtyard furniture deliveries and Pottery Barn on Thursday. I believe Tuesday will be the first day in a long while that will just be a day, a regular day.
We love it out here. One of my favorite things to do in the cool of the evening and yes there is a nice breeze out here that makes it feel cool, is to water the trees and landscaping. We are trying to put up a victorious fight of keeping our grass alive. We have such a small yard, we didn't think we would need sprinklers. Well, we were wrong. So, we are trying to get someone out here to give us an estimate.
We have been without TV or the Internet until today. It was kind of nice to have quiet evenings, with just the radio and a good book. Believe me, even after purging my collection, between the two of us we still have a whole lot of books. The new furniture looks nice and I really want to play with it, arranging it. But...there are more important things right now like, getting rid of boxes.
On my way in to pick up Buddy, I stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond and did a fairly sizable damage to our home accessories budget. Stopped at Macy's and picked up a few things. Went to the Amish Craftsman to look at benches and tables. Then made a short stop at the Play Grocery store. So, right now, we know Buddy is in the house, we just don't know where. She is a bit overwhelmed by it all but hopefully, she will get used to everything soon.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Rocking Buddy's World
Lots and lots of books
We are not hoarders as might be supposed from these pictures. In fact I filtered the choices because there are a few pictures that could look possibly hoarder-esk. I worked diligently yesterday getting odds and ends packed away. I also came across some things I had gone through early in the process and a lot of that stuff was shredded or put into the Goodwill box. The old letters from boyfriends met the shredmatic yesterday. Throughout the years I thought the letters might be interesting to those who had to go through things but after helping with my MIL's stuff and dealing with our own stuff, those "interesting" letters bid farewell. No one really has time to read through everything and the fact that these boys and I broke up with each other every other week by mail has really been deemed by me as, boring.
I treated myself to a Le Peep birthday breakfast this morning. Then I went to the bank for a cashier's check, ran a few errands and picked up the birthday cake Roy ordered. Something is not right this birthday. I am 57 years old, with wrinkles, dry skin and a major pimple breakout. That is just wrong! I know the breakout is from all the stress this week, getting closer to closing and seeing everything that needs to be taken care of by tomorrow. Gee, good thing I don't have prom or something this weekend. My beauty regime of late has been Perricone MD. Come on Doc, can't you help a girl out? I mean a senior citizen out and that is only if there is some kind of discount involved.
I like the new ATM cards, they have an arrow on them indicating which way the card goes into the machine. Although, I was good for a few laughs at the bank this morning, because I always choose the wrong door to exit and I also push instead of pull. The bank close to our new home will have all the fun of watching my bumbling and stumbling. They are going to miss me at the old bank.
After a long day of throwing and packing, I treated myself to the Toddler and Tiara/Dance Moms flip a thon last night. Good grief, everyone of those women act like they are still in jr high...and that goes for both programs. Yet still, I watch.
We did our walk through on Tuesday afternoon. I promise you one of our living room walls looked like a blue mosaic of the last supper. Roy being a former auditor and still a member in good standing as a Certified Internal Auditor (a little brag on the hubs. when he took the Certified Internal Auditor exam, his score was one of the top five...not in America, but in the world of the over 2000 that sat for it that year) ...anyway, as a former auditor and being anal retentive man, there was blue tape every where. Of course this ADD rattled brain had the attention span of a gnat, so I got very distracted and could not stay on task. Thank goodness for Roy's tenaciousness. After we finished up all the blue tape business, we headed over to the lake. Everyone was going out to dinner, so we joined them and had a blast. Although saying that Las Almedes was slow isn't descriptive enough...I don't know what is slower than slow or bluer than blue. Afterwards, we wanted to do a nighttime drive by of the house and I am so glad we did. It was not locked up. The security monitor keyboard had already been stolen once. So Roy locked it up and we were on our way home.
Some of the kitchen junk packed up. I am really shocked at how many kitchen utensils I actually own.
Yes, that is a basket full of tennis shoes and thank you, yes, there are tennis shoes in the boxes. When I find a shoe that I like, in my hard to find size, I buy as many of them as I can. Although in the quest of getting things ready for moving, I think it is safe to say I don't need to buy tennis shoes, flip flops or t-shirts for a very, very long time.
This will be an extendomatic birthday year...love that. Today is also Buddy's birthday. I believe she is six years old today. Little does she know, that she is going to camp next week or she might call it prison. Doesn't matter, they both tell you when to eat, when to sleep, when you have free time and they always tell you what to do. I prefer calling it camp. But this little Russian Blue cat is going to be upset then happy with her new home. Russian Blues like consistency, they don't like change. Buddy, your whole world is getting ready to be rocked!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
On the Home Front
Slowly but surely we have almost everything packed and the back end of Sequisha is once again full of drop offs at the Goodwill. We are still moving way too much stuff but I think most people feel that way once the final inventory is in. It is interesting to see one's life stacked up in boxes. I will probably take some pictures to remember this season of life. In retrospect, I probably needed all these months to go through paperwork, memories, clothes and the like. When we moved into the condo, we moved in pretty lean and clean but after living here nearly 18 years, it is amazing but not amazing, amazing to find all kinds of things that haven't seen the light of day for a long time. Oh, is there a market for dust bunnies? I believe we have a very prolific bunch. Too bad we aren't moving around Easter. Surely everyone wants a dust bunny along with the chocolate bunny in their basket.
To get into moving shape I did a little practice run through last night by helping a friend. She had found a chair for her home and the back of Sequisha was just the right size to carry it home. So, we picked up the chair and then stopped for dinner. One must pace themselves and have proper nutrition in the moving or in this case, the delivery process. Once we had properly energized up, we carried the chair into her home, successfully, without too much wear and tear, not on the chair but on the ol' body. Think I'm ready coach, put me in.
To get into moving shape I did a little practice run through last night by helping a friend. She had found a chair for her home and the back of Sequisha was just the right size to carry it home. So, we picked up the chair and then stopped for dinner. One must pace themselves and have proper nutrition in the moving or in this case, the delivery process. Once we had properly energized up, we carried the chair into her home, successfully, without too much wear and tear, not on the chair but on the ol' body. Think I'm ready coach, put me in.
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Re-purpsosed Driven Life
The Toyota service has kind of messed up our Saturday morning plans. Roy had a 7:30 appointment to have Sequisha's oil changed and have all the required maintenance taken care of so the stupid light will stop flashing. Usually, he is out of there by 9:00 and our plans were to go to Le Peep for our last Saturday morning breakfast, well last as in living in this area of town. Doesn't look like it's going to happen. He took the book Unbroken to read and I'm here packing up misc items that we can't quite do without thus, we are moving them until our attention is directed to them once again. I'm taking a break, I can only do so much wrapping and packing on just a snack of a banana.
My designer vocabulary has increased in these past months. As I have written before, coffee tables and end tables are now called accent tables, but it seems a bit redundant because when referring to an accent table one must delineate where the accent table should be located. I have recently learned the term "floating a couch" and all that means is this, it is a couch that is not pushed up against a wall or windows. It is a couch floating in the middle of the room. I prefer floating couches due to the fact that for so many years because of a room's design, the only choice I had was shoving a couch against a wall. The new look in fencing is called "friendly neighbor fence." This is a wooden fence that alternates the slats so that no one only has one side of the fence. Our fence is mostly complete and we are happily surprised to have a little more backyard than what we thought we would have. Of course there are the old standbys of window treatment and floor covering. The hottest buzz in the midst of all these floating couches, accent tables and window treatment is, re purposed. So much of the furniture I've been looking at is re-purposed. Re-purposed is just a relevant term for used. The wood can be from an old barn, an old house, a junk yard or garage sale. I've been contemplating a desk made of re-purposed wood from China. Something tells me, it is faux re-purposed wood.
All this attention of re-purposed materials has me thinking a tab bit on the spiritual side of life. God's purpose and plan for me has never changed, He knew all that before I was even born. Which, we are going to take one of those famous Monablog detours right now. There are a lot of songs written that say something to the effect of, He died for me and He didn't even know me, He gave abundant life to me and He didn't even know me...you're getting the drift. That might be a really sentimental and poignant thought but it is biblically untrue. Psalms 139 comes to mind and dismisses the whole, He didn't know me but...thought. These kind of songs are usually Southern Gospel in nature and Enlighten on XM Sirrus radio has been my choice of station for the past few months. Anyway, I digress. Oh yes re-purposed life. Some say re-claimed in this genre of reusing materials. I find myself re-purposed and re-claimed. Bad decisions, believing people who I shouldn't have, bad self image and self talk took me farther away from God's original purpose for my life. Thank God, He's reclaimed me and re-purposed me to use me in the way He plans. Most of that re-purposed wood from barns and homes look really good by floated couches, accent tables, window treatments, and floor coverings. May my life be just as beautiful in the Master Carpenter's Hands.
My designer vocabulary has increased in these past months. As I have written before, coffee tables and end tables are now called accent tables, but it seems a bit redundant because when referring to an accent table one must delineate where the accent table should be located. I have recently learned the term "floating a couch" and all that means is this, it is a couch that is not pushed up against a wall or windows. It is a couch floating in the middle of the room. I prefer floating couches due to the fact that for so many years because of a room's design, the only choice I had was shoving a couch against a wall. The new look in fencing is called "friendly neighbor fence." This is a wooden fence that alternates the slats so that no one only has one side of the fence. Our fence is mostly complete and we are happily surprised to have a little more backyard than what we thought we would have. Of course there are the old standbys of window treatment and floor covering. The hottest buzz in the midst of all these floating couches, accent tables and window treatment is, re purposed. So much of the furniture I've been looking at is re-purposed. Re-purposed is just a relevant term for used. The wood can be from an old barn, an old house, a junk yard or garage sale. I've been contemplating a desk made of re-purposed wood from China. Something tells me, it is faux re-purposed wood.
All this attention of re-purposed materials has me thinking a tab bit on the spiritual side of life. God's purpose and plan for me has never changed, He knew all that before I was even born. Which, we are going to take one of those famous Monablog detours right now. There are a lot of songs written that say something to the effect of, He died for me and He didn't even know me, He gave abundant life to me and He didn't even know me...you're getting the drift. That might be a really sentimental and poignant thought but it is biblically untrue. Psalms 139 comes to mind and dismisses the whole, He didn't know me but...thought. These kind of songs are usually Southern Gospel in nature and Enlighten on XM Sirrus radio has been my choice of station for the past few months. Anyway, I digress. Oh yes re-purposed life. Some say re-claimed in this genre of reusing materials. I find myself re-purposed and re-claimed. Bad decisions, believing people who I shouldn't have, bad self image and self talk took me farther away from God's original purpose for my life. Thank God, He's reclaimed me and re-purposed me to use me in the way He plans. Most of that re-purposed wood from barns and homes look really good by floated couches, accent tables, window treatments, and floor coverings. May my life be just as beautiful in the Master Carpenter's Hands.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
This Just In...Tropical Storm in the Gulf...
Nothing like a tropical storm in the Gulf to energize everyone. Last night on the news, several channels had reporters at Home Depot, grocery stores and at the American Red Cross. For a brief moment in the coverage I had the urge, nay, the compunction to run over to Kroger and pick up hurricane food. That urge subsided but then I almost left to run over to the late night Shipley's and pick up some donuts. Nothing says survival like life ring shaped food. My crazy friend Debbie and I always thought donuts should be in supply for any long term rain shower. Needless to say, I stayed at home flipping between Toddlers and Tiaras and Dance Moms. Wow, there is a whole lot wrong with those shows and there must be something wrong with me wasting time watching them. You can be sure I will repeat the same pattern next Wednesday night. ID TV also has I Married a Mobster on at 9:00. I would like to watch that too and one thing we are going to get when we move into the new house is DVR. We don't have it now and didn't think we would ever have anything that we would want to record and watch. Well that is until this highly stimulating, educational programming hit.
Yesterday I got to play chauffeur for a friend who had a medical appointment. The waiting room was stocked with drinks, snacks and samples of Dove and Aveda products. Free Wi Fi to boot. How can one not enjoy the wait with those options. The chairs were comfy and I came prepared to read last months Texas Monthly about the battle over Camp Mystic in the hill country. Growing up here, I didn't run with the crowd that went to Camp Mystic or Camp Longhorn. I once got to go to a dude ranch though. No my camp experiences were mainly at Peach Creek Baptist Assembly Camp and one year a camp in Illinois, Camp Ill-Mo. In retrospect, I hope the name of that camp has been changed. I only got to read a little of the article because there was so much to amuse myself with. And my friend got to sit in the waiting room while they sent off stuff to the lab. So we chatted over coffee, Diet Coke and animal crackers. Almost like we were on vacation except she has never ever packed a hospital gown, much less worn one on any of our trips. And just like vacation we like to valet park and then we searched for someplace to have lunch after everything was wrapped up. To make the whole time complete, we drove though Mc Donald's for a snack size Rollo McFlurry. I wish I never read what Amanda had to say about the goodness of the Rollo McFlurry. They are so good! Well, actually I am thankful that I read her review, cause with the house and all the emotional eating that has gone on during the ups and downs of this adventure, the Rollo McFlurry has eased some of the anxiety and stress. Oh yes, that and God's Word.
This morning I met Marsha T for breakfast at Le Peep. We had a great time catching up...it has been awhile since we've sat down and talked. We have been more or less grabbing bits and pieces of conversation in the hallways of church or in the loft. Afterwards, I went next door to Tanglewood Gifts and ordered some "new address cards." That didn't take too long, so then I was on the phone looking for someone to go to the house with me. I don't really like going in by myself when all the workmen are there. Didn't have any takers, so I ventured alone. Made the obligatory stop for a Diet Coke with Lime and then headed on my way. The house was locked when I arrived but workmen were leaving. I had to go and find Jamin. We went back to the house but realized the doors were locked because they had floated the floor for our wood flooring or for those professional types, floor treatment. They had done a lot of work on our outdoor fireplace, so that was good to see.
Yesterday I got to play chauffeur for a friend who had a medical appointment. The waiting room was stocked with drinks, snacks and samples of Dove and Aveda products. Free Wi Fi to boot. How can one not enjoy the wait with those options. The chairs were comfy and I came prepared to read last months Texas Monthly about the battle over Camp Mystic in the hill country. Growing up here, I didn't run with the crowd that went to Camp Mystic or Camp Longhorn. I once got to go to a dude ranch though. No my camp experiences were mainly at Peach Creek Baptist Assembly Camp and one year a camp in Illinois, Camp Ill-Mo. In retrospect, I hope the name of that camp has been changed. I only got to read a little of the article because there was so much to amuse myself with. And my friend got to sit in the waiting room while they sent off stuff to the lab. So we chatted over coffee, Diet Coke and animal crackers. Almost like we were on vacation except she has never ever packed a hospital gown, much less worn one on any of our trips. And just like vacation we like to valet park and then we searched for someplace to have lunch after everything was wrapped up. To make the whole time complete, we drove though Mc Donald's for a snack size Rollo McFlurry. I wish I never read what Amanda had to say about the goodness of the Rollo McFlurry. They are so good! Well, actually I am thankful that I read her review, cause with the house and all the emotional eating that has gone on during the ups and downs of this adventure, the Rollo McFlurry has eased some of the anxiety and stress. Oh yes, that and God's Word.
This morning I met Marsha T for breakfast at Le Peep. We had a great time catching up...it has been awhile since we've sat down and talked. We have been more or less grabbing bits and pieces of conversation in the hallways of church or in the loft. Afterwards, I went next door to Tanglewood Gifts and ordered some "new address cards." That didn't take too long, so then I was on the phone looking for someone to go to the house with me. I don't really like going in by myself when all the workmen are there. Didn't have any takers, so I ventured alone. Made the obligatory stop for a Diet Coke with Lime and then headed on my way. The house was locked when I arrived but workmen were leaving. I had to go and find Jamin. We went back to the house but realized the doors were locked because they had floated the floor for our wood flooring or for those professional types, floor treatment. They had done a lot of work on our outdoor fireplace, so that was good to see.
Jamin took me over to another house being built like ours so I could check the measurement for a couch. They went with travertine floors and a brick island. They also had all the embellishments for the dining room and bedroom that were in the model home. I still like our choices better, well except for our garage door color. The sample and the actual look didn't look anything alike. We are working with them to see if we can get the door painted in one of the neutral colors we picked. If not we'll be out there with paint and rollers after we get moved in.
On my way home I stopped in at Basset and paid the balance for the furniture we ordered in June. I also added another couch for the family room but we'll have to wait a month before it gets here. And now I'm home listening to the rain and Buddy is sitting in my lap trying to help me write.
Monday, July 25, 2011
This Time in Two Weeks....
Nothing like a refreshing lunch of cherry yogurt, bing cherries and cereal. This combo really hit the spot after spending most of the morning doing errands. City Centre parking is frustrating at best and I opted to park and pay on the street. Worth the buck and a quarter for a little over 30 minutes of parking. Got everything done with 3 minutes to spare. I needed to update some info at Life Time Fitness (notice I didn't work out) and made myself go into Anthropologie ( I joke) for some bathroom storage jars with brass tops on them. Most storage jars have silver lids, so these from Anthro should fit in quite nicely. The Sur La Table in City Centre had the grill accesory I've been looking for, and score...on sale. Also made a stop at the Pottery Barn in Town and Country. It was a spur of the moment thing and mainly it was to daydream about the furniture I am going to order once we close on the house. Made a trip to the play grocery store for dinner tonight and tomorrow and came on home before the heat became really unbearable.
We went to the house last night. The sidewalks in the front have been poured and the concrete patio extention we wanted off the back porch is done. Light fixtures are in, well most of them. We also made notes of all the things wrong and unfortunatley, it was kind of a long list. Roy emailed the builder last night, but we haven't heard back from him yet. Peggy came over to look while we were there and I wanted her opinion on the color of the garage door. It's ok but I don't think this is what Dani envisioned when we went with the color. On the samples it looks to have a lot more tan in it but on the door, it is green. So, we'll see if we can get them to repaint and if not, we'll have a painting party after we move in. Tomorrow, they will start building the outdoor fireplace. That is pretty darn exciting to me.
After church yesterday, we went out to lunch with Bill, Peggy and Dena. We all had a blast and the conversations were all over the place. Love that. Roy and I picked up a few more towels in chocolete brown, to go with the white towels. I know us, white towels are not a smart choice for our daily use.
Saturday, Roy and I went to see our BFFs, Goodwill, twice. I think we have a couple more trips this week and the purging is done. I've kind of stopped doing any unnecesarry cleaning since our condo is just boxes and bags stacked everywhere. Buddy did a vertical leap out of her basket in the window trying to reach birds taunting her by their presence and chirpping last week. She flew up and into the blinds and then did the slide back to earth thing making a wake of broken slats from her descent. Since those blinds are in our bedroom, we had to take the blinds out of another window in a room not used too much by us, except for the mounting boxes in it. Roy originally took the blinds out of the window in the dinning room but they looked horrible. So we have two bare windows and I am sure the condo association would love for us to do something about that...but hey, we are moving in two weeks. That can be the landlord's problem to replace since we bought the blinds in the first place. Roy and I made major strides in getting his stuff packed and boxed on Saturday. I am beginning to feel we have done just about everything we can to prepare, that is with the exception of those things we use daily.
We went to the house last night. The sidewalks in the front have been poured and the concrete patio extention we wanted off the back porch is done. Light fixtures are in, well most of them. We also made notes of all the things wrong and unfortunatley, it was kind of a long list. Roy emailed the builder last night, but we haven't heard back from him yet. Peggy came over to look while we were there and I wanted her opinion on the color of the garage door. It's ok but I don't think this is what Dani envisioned when we went with the color. On the samples it looks to have a lot more tan in it but on the door, it is green. So, we'll see if we can get them to repaint and if not, we'll have a painting party after we move in. Tomorrow, they will start building the outdoor fireplace. That is pretty darn exciting to me.
After church yesterday, we went out to lunch with Bill, Peggy and Dena. We all had a blast and the conversations were all over the place. Love that. Roy and I picked up a few more towels in chocolete brown, to go with the white towels. I know us, white towels are not a smart choice for our daily use.
Saturday, Roy and I went to see our BFFs, Goodwill, twice. I think we have a couple more trips this week and the purging is done. I've kind of stopped doing any unnecesarry cleaning since our condo is just boxes and bags stacked everywhere. Buddy did a vertical leap out of her basket in the window trying to reach birds taunting her by their presence and chirpping last week. She flew up and into the blinds and then did the slide back to earth thing making a wake of broken slats from her descent. Since those blinds are in our bedroom, we had to take the blinds out of another window in a room not used too much by us, except for the mounting boxes in it. Roy originally took the blinds out of the window in the dinning room but they looked horrible. So we have two bare windows and I am sure the condo association would love for us to do something about that...but hey, we are moving in two weeks. That can be the landlord's problem to replace since we bought the blinds in the first place. Roy and I made major strides in getting his stuff packed and boxed on Saturday. I am beginning to feel we have done just about everything we can to prepare, that is with the exception of those things we use daily.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Blast From the Past
Round two is happening in my closet, or maybe it is round 3. I have lost count. It has been a successful venture because things I didn't think I could live without in February are saying goodbye in July. Sad truth of the matter is, there is still way too much stuff. While going through pictures I decided to keep photos that were meaningful and keep those pictures that have people in them I actually remember. I've had a lot of fun looking back on some fun times.
Dani and I went out to the house today. Tile work is almost complete and they were installing the master bathtub while we were there. All the light switch and outlets are white and they are supposed to be almond. So, they will have to go through all of that and replace them. Since it has rained they haven't been able to do any of the concrete work that is left. We ran into Jamin and he assured us that it would be done by the end of the week. The back splash in the kitchen is up and pretty darn beautiful if I do say so myself. The fireplace pieces were there and ready for installation. The lot next door is no longer vacant. The framework for the foundation is up and ready for the cement once the threat of rain is over with today. All in all it was a good trip. We also stopped in at KT Antiques and I found another piece of stain glass window. So, I now have my four pieces.
Yesterday, I met a friend from my tennis days at lunch...at the Nord. It was the last day of double points. Didn't even look at clothes, went straight to the Home Dept. Towels and bath rugs were on sale. So, to make sure they would look good with the shower curtain I liked at Pottery Barn, I went to PB and bought the shower curtain. Last night I returned to the Nord and got white towels for all three bathrooms and white rugs. Love the feeling of crisp white. A friend told me she had read if you used white in the bathroom, it would have that luxurious feel of a well stocked and well designed hotel bathroom. Of course the Inn on Biltmore Estate came to mind. So, I was sold on that. I'm thinking of installing one of those curved curtain rods to give guests using that tub, a little more space to move around in the bathtub. The jury is still out on that decision.
Here is a sampling of pictures from yesterday.
This is from a WM Christmas event, the decorate a table thing. Of course I have no talent for that whatsoever, so I enlisted my friends Mary and Marti. They told me buy the table, we will do the rest. And they did... We had antique Victorian place settings with a Victorian themed center piece. Marti had the table covering made for the event, but only because it was the same size as one of her tables at home. We even used Chris Jessen silver. I didn't even have a clue what that was until that day. Because of Mary and Marti, our table won the whole shebang.
This is Mary, me and Marti.
This is one of my favorite pictures. We helped the senior adults celebrate Gerald and Trev during the year of the Rays. Well, that is what Brother John called the year, but it just means, Gerald was retiring. It was a great night and I was thrilled to be there because I was trying to overcome food poisoning. I learned my lines in between my long naps and well trips to the necitarium. I made it through the performance but I was sweating like a big dog. Don't you love all these details into my view of the evening.
- I had another picture but it has mysteriously disappeared. Oh well... I also blogged during my transitional hour, so no Father Knows Best for me today.
Monday, July 18, 2011
To Be Father Knows Best or I Love Lucy?
On days that I stick near home I seem to follow a prescribed schedule. Mornings I go through and pack up things, eat lunch, do some more work and just about 3:00 there comes a transition to the day. The TV is hardly ever on during the day, but around 3:00 vintage shows come on channel 318. They call this block of time and shows, Antennae TV. These are the shows that were watched when the ol' rabbit ears sat at top the console TV or the black and white portable television. 3:00 - 4:00 is two episodes of Father Knows Best. Even back in the day, it wasn't really one of my favorites. I was an I Love Lucy or Leave it to Beaver girl. It has been interesting watching the cultural shift from 1954 -1961 shows. On Father Knows Best, there was the dad Jim. He worked as an insurance agent. Mom, whose TV name escapes me, stayed at home, cooked, cleaned, and belonged to a few women's clubs. Betty, was the oldest and she is a teenager. She always got on my nerves as a kid and now watching as an adult, my opinion hasn't changed. Bud was the middle kid, the only boy. He was always in some kind of good natured trouble. Then there was the youngest, Cathy. Cute, precocious but kind of needy, looking at her today but back in the 50's I guess that is how she was portrayed. One thing that I've noticed as an adult is, Jim and Margaret...that's her name, are pretty romantic and had some long, on screen kisses that weren't seen much back then. Of course they slept in twin beds, but you know they must have pushed them together almost as much as Ricky and Lucy. :) Yep, Father Knows Best, the transitional hour of the day. It hasn't inspired me to run to the door, in a dress complete with apron, full make up, and greet Roy. Maybe I will do that one day when we move into our new house. That will freak him out and I suppose he'll think I'll have dinner in the oven and a newspaper to hand to him. Nah, better not. He knows that I am more the I Love Lucy affection ado and Lucy only did those things when she wanted something or had spent too much money. Hmmm...maybe after moving into the new house, that might not be a bad idea.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Closing and Recollections
Another cabinet conquered and more boxes packed. A bunch of stuff to throw away and another box started for Goodwill. This seems to be the repeat pattern of life these days. I'm not complaining, but find myself rather excited and full of anticipation because the plan we began way back in February is coming closer to fruition. We've bought a refrigerator and as of last night a washer and dryer is added to the list of things to cross off the list of things that need to be taken care of for the move. I'm glad that we've gone ahead and made theses purchases because nothing that we picked out at Lowe's were part of the in stock, next day delivery promise. We would have been sorely upset if we had gone in on August 5 to buy these things only to find most items are on a 7-10 day waiting list. We weren't even planning on going to Lowe's last night. We had eaten dinner, gone to the Container Store and still had time before stores closed, so we headed over that way.
Our sales consultant emailed this week asking for our electricity and insurance providers. The closing date for our house is August 5. We went out to the house late Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised to see all the trim work up, doors hung, granite installed in the kitchen and in our bathroom and some of the detail features on the outside done. Peggy came over and took the tour with us and then we met Bill and Peggy later for dinner at Fuddrucker's. Fudd's have those new Coke drink dispensers where you have all kinds of choices and mixers to put into your soda water. It was kind of cool.
Of course Saturday was the wedding of the century for First Baptist...well, since I tend to hyperbole, maybe wedding of the decade. John and Paige got married and the ceremony was beautiful. It has to be one of my all time favorite weddings. As a favor for friends, I volunteered to take back all the cake decorative pieces to Who Made the Cake. Did that this morning and then ran a couple more errands before returning home...right before the rain shower. Yesterday, I attended the funeral of a friend and former co-worker at HFBC. Her funeral was so honoring to a life that glorified God.
Tomorrow I'll meet David Bain out at our house to measure windows for blinds. Another item to cross off the list. Roy has booked our movers, got an electricity provider lined up, given notice to our landlords and booked the elevator here for the day of our move. It's all moving along.
I am reminded to stay in the moment of transition. There are always joys we overlook when our focus is onto the next stage of the journey. Of course sometimes it is easier to dodge the momentary transition vision because the very moment of time doesn't seem to possess joy but pure anxiety and aggravation. Since several new families have moved into the condos in the past week or so, it has been easier to remember when we were so excited to make the move here. We were so close to everything and we were just so sure we would be at Memorial Park every minute we could spare. We've not spent that much time there. I only stood out on the street the first two years we lived here to watch the trail riders mozy by on their trek to Memorial Park. We even thought we would walk over to Uptown Park for dinner every once in awhile. Never did it. But we did ride our bikes all throughout the neighborhoods, we were thankful to be so close to church, we were just a hop, skip and a jump from the Galleria, Memorial City and Washington Avenue. I have loved living here. In the winter months when it seems everyone is more inclined to cook, the hallways were filled with delicious fragrances of dinner on the stove. I was really glad when our neighbors who loved to cook corned beef hash moved. We have seen the cyclical pattern of residents. When we moved here, we were the young people. Some of the old people who lived here when we moved in are no longer with us, whether their absence is due to moving on or passing on. The man and wife who lived in the corner unit down the hall who never looked liked they loved each other anymore moved to Florida. I found out quite by accident when I worked at that horrible company briefly in 1993, that the man down the hall was a Harvard graduate. The crazy lady who lived downstairs finally had to be moved into assisted living. This year Fern and Deloris have given up the pool domain. They were fixtures every summer, spending almost every sunlit moment out at the pool. The grouchy, older gay guys moved away from over the pool to a first story unit off the back. Don't see them much. The engineer who helped tremendously around here died in the spring. The mean lady down the hall has become friendlier over the years. The crazy lady at the end of our hall had to move elsewhere. Of course casserole lady is still around and from time to time I hear the loud talker out by the pool. Seems like the condos are in a young people cycle, so maybe all the older ones have retreated until the next old person wave. This was a respite from our townhouse that we lived in that quite unexpectedly became part of the hood. We rented it out to others until we were able to finally sell it in 2004. That is when we began to ponder moving. The recession hit and it seemed to be a buyers market and we found ourselves finally ready to begin the arduous process of sorting, throwing, giving and packing.
Our sales consultant emailed this week asking for our electricity and insurance providers. The closing date for our house is August 5. We went out to the house late Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised to see all the trim work up, doors hung, granite installed in the kitchen and in our bathroom and some of the detail features on the outside done. Peggy came over and took the tour with us and then we met Bill and Peggy later for dinner at Fuddrucker's. Fudd's have those new Coke drink dispensers where you have all kinds of choices and mixers to put into your soda water. It was kind of cool.
Of course Saturday was the wedding of the century for First Baptist...well, since I tend to hyperbole, maybe wedding of the decade. John and Paige got married and the ceremony was beautiful. It has to be one of my all time favorite weddings. As a favor for friends, I volunteered to take back all the cake decorative pieces to Who Made the Cake. Did that this morning and then ran a couple more errands before returning home...right before the rain shower. Yesterday, I attended the funeral of a friend and former co-worker at HFBC. Her funeral was so honoring to a life that glorified God.
Tomorrow I'll meet David Bain out at our house to measure windows for blinds. Another item to cross off the list. Roy has booked our movers, got an electricity provider lined up, given notice to our landlords and booked the elevator here for the day of our move. It's all moving along.
I am reminded to stay in the moment of transition. There are always joys we overlook when our focus is onto the next stage of the journey. Of course sometimes it is easier to dodge the momentary transition vision because the very moment of time doesn't seem to possess joy but pure anxiety and aggravation. Since several new families have moved into the condos in the past week or so, it has been easier to remember when we were so excited to make the move here. We were so close to everything and we were just so sure we would be at Memorial Park every minute we could spare. We've not spent that much time there. I only stood out on the street the first two years we lived here to watch the trail riders mozy by on their trek to Memorial Park. We even thought we would walk over to Uptown Park for dinner every once in awhile. Never did it. But we did ride our bikes all throughout the neighborhoods, we were thankful to be so close to church, we were just a hop, skip and a jump from the Galleria, Memorial City and Washington Avenue. I have loved living here. In the winter months when it seems everyone is more inclined to cook, the hallways were filled with delicious fragrances of dinner on the stove. I was really glad when our neighbors who loved to cook corned beef hash moved. We have seen the cyclical pattern of residents. When we moved here, we were the young people. Some of the old people who lived here when we moved in are no longer with us, whether their absence is due to moving on or passing on. The man and wife who lived in the corner unit down the hall who never looked liked they loved each other anymore moved to Florida. I found out quite by accident when I worked at that horrible company briefly in 1993, that the man down the hall was a Harvard graduate. The crazy lady who lived downstairs finally had to be moved into assisted living. This year Fern and Deloris have given up the pool domain. They were fixtures every summer, spending almost every sunlit moment out at the pool. The grouchy, older gay guys moved away from over the pool to a first story unit off the back. Don't see them much. The engineer who helped tremendously around here died in the spring. The mean lady down the hall has become friendlier over the years. The crazy lady at the end of our hall had to move elsewhere. Of course casserole lady is still around and from time to time I hear the loud talker out by the pool. Seems like the condos are in a young people cycle, so maybe all the older ones have retreated until the next old person wave. This was a respite from our townhouse that we lived in that quite unexpectedly became part of the hood. We rented it out to others until we were able to finally sell it in 2004. That is when we began to ponder moving. The recession hit and it seemed to be a buyers market and we found ourselves finally ready to begin the arduous process of sorting, throwing, giving and packing.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Houston, We Have a Window!
Houston and for that matter Katy, we have a WINDOW! We were so excited to see it last night and the glass block window in our bathroom has also been installed. Now it can rain lots because the inside is protected from elements! Trim work and crown molding has started and maybe by the weekend, the granite will be installed. They gave us a window for our closing date between July 29 and August 5. The back patio extension and the stamped concrete for the courtyard will probably be done very soon. They had most of those areas graded. I had to go back out to Katy today to pick up some produce and I made a drive by trip. The rest of the brick is up and since they are pouring the slab for another DW Home, I'm thinking that maybe it will get done today. Who knows? We are just so thankful that the windows are in. The lining in the cloud would be during that down time waiting, interest rates went down and Roy locked in a great rate. Interest rates are beginning to go back up so in hindsight thankfulness, we are praising God. But you know at that time, praising and thanking were a bit on the slow side from me.
On Wednesday after dropping Roy back at his office, I headed over to West Gray. A friend has gifted me with an Events gift card. Since there is so much to look at, I wanted to window shop and think through all the choices before making a decision. Before going into Events, I stopped in at Sur La Table. They are having a great sale and I picked up a few things. I might have bought more but the resounding cry of Roy is in my head, "that's just more stuff to move." Since I was in the neighborhood I went to the new Barnes and Noble. Well, it is new to me. Huge store, really neat but I didn't have my Nook with me, so I just browsed.
So, since I am new to this flat iron thing, I went to Ulta to get some kind of heat spray or something... Anyway, they showed me what they recommended and since I have no clue whatsoever, I went with it. Also stopped in at the Town and Country Pottery Barn. Sad to report, no rain came. Must just work at the one in River Oaks. Went out to Katy, did the drive by at the house, stopped for a moment at La Centerra and then over to Excessories for produce and a gift. Now I'm home exhausted and considering a short nap. We are going out tonight and then we have the wedding of the century tomorrow. That will be so joyful and fun.
Here are the latest pictures. Not too shabby since Dani and I only had little samples to see while envisioning the big picture. The trim and doors will be painted another color. I can't for the life of me remember what we picked. I do know the garage door will be one color and have no contrast.
Glass block window in bathroom.
Window installed to complete the set of 3
Side view
Ta da! The long lost window is now in place.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Sales, Shoes and Parking Lots
I know this will be difficult to believe, but the Anniversary Sale at The Nord doesn't really interest me this year. The catalog has great clothes and even with my secret code to view everything on sale online, not much is tempting me. OK, a necklace, but that is about it. I even looked at all the offerings of home goods, not much grabbed my attention. Guess this is due to the fact that outfitting a new home has a greater hold on me this season. I'll not go into fall fashionable and attractive but wearing clothes from last season or even a couple of seasons ago. Not too much to really think about since I nearly live in work out clothes, t-shirts and sweatshirts at the first hint of cooler temps and only have to dress up a little more for Bible study, church and all the social events not on my calendar.
Dani met Roy and me at the hard to find granite yard yesterday. Quick work in hot heat. So counter tops are ready to roll. Roy and I are heading out that way this evening to do a little peek a boo on progress. All the brick and stone work should be done, well except for around the missing window, the window of opportunity. When God hides a window, you get an upgrade on a door.
I happened to be by the preschool area of the church last week. Talk about carpet ADD or carpet vomit. There must be at least four different patterns in that short hall way. Surely someone notices how bad that looks. I still believe that the church is the showroom for Carpet Giant due to all the different patterns and textures available. Think I will go back and take pictures for the blog.
The morning has been somewhat productive in packing. I went through shoes again and there are a lot more heading out the door to our BFF's, Goodwill. I am embarrassed to tell you how many pairs of flip flops I own. Really! Funny, I tend to wear the ones I bought for the Rosemary Beach vacation, one pair brown and the other black. Much more support than regular flip flops. I have corralled the flip flops into a dairy packing crate and will need to expand to a second crate because the tower of shoes keep tumping over.
Before the granite yard yesterday, I ran to The Container Store for a couple of sale items. I was limited on time, so I only picked up a few things on my list and plan to make a return trip soon. The strangest thing happened in the parking lot. As I was getting out of my car I heard someone yelling but I didn't see a soul. The voice was coming from the backseat of a SUV parked nearby. The voice was mean, mad and violent in the demands it was directing toward me. Of course ID TV went through my head as I walked away and wouldn't look or make eye contact with the voice. He became even more agitated and made even more angry threats. I halfway believed I would be shot or tackled as I made my way toward the store. Once inside, I became a little more unnerved. I decided I would ask for security...SA.CUR.I...TY to walk me out to my car. Probably the staff in the store had me under surveillance because I kept going to the front of the store to see if the SUV had left yet. When I checked out, I asked for security and the really nice woman from the store said she would walk out there with me. I appreciated the offer but nothing says I'm serious about security than a golf cart and a uniformed driver carrying a flashlight. We got halfway to my car and I noticed the SUV was gone and I assured the nice woman that I could make it the rest of the way. I still have some leftover PTSD from an incident that happened as a child. My mom left my brother and me in the car while she went into the bank. A stranger danger man started banging on the car windows and he was yelling to let him into the car. He hurled quite a few threats our way including death. Funny, my brother and I didn't say a word to my mom at the time. We knew it would upset her more than we were scared. I don't think we told her about the incident until we were both in our twenties. Even back in the relatively safe days, there were crazies out and about, hanging out in parking lots.
Dani met Roy and me at the hard to find granite yard yesterday. Quick work in hot heat. So counter tops are ready to roll. Roy and I are heading out that way this evening to do a little peek a boo on progress. All the brick and stone work should be done, well except for around the missing window, the window of opportunity. When God hides a window, you get an upgrade on a door.
I happened to be by the preschool area of the church last week. Talk about carpet ADD or carpet vomit. There must be at least four different patterns in that short hall way. Surely someone notices how bad that looks. I still believe that the church is the showroom for Carpet Giant due to all the different patterns and textures available. Think I will go back and take pictures for the blog.
The morning has been somewhat productive in packing. I went through shoes again and there are a lot more heading out the door to our BFF's, Goodwill. I am embarrassed to tell you how many pairs of flip flops I own. Really! Funny, I tend to wear the ones I bought for the Rosemary Beach vacation, one pair brown and the other black. Much more support than regular flip flops. I have corralled the flip flops into a dairy packing crate and will need to expand to a second crate because the tower of shoes keep tumping over.
Before the granite yard yesterday, I ran to The Container Store for a couple of sale items. I was limited on time, so I only picked up a few things on my list and plan to make a return trip soon. The strangest thing happened in the parking lot. As I was getting out of my car I heard someone yelling but I didn't see a soul. The voice was coming from the backseat of a SUV parked nearby. The voice was mean, mad and violent in the demands it was directing toward me. Of course ID TV went through my head as I walked away and wouldn't look or make eye contact with the voice. He became even more agitated and made even more angry threats. I halfway believed I would be shot or tackled as I made my way toward the store. Once inside, I became a little more unnerved. I decided I would ask for security...SA.CUR.I...TY to walk me out to my car. Probably the staff in the store had me under surveillance because I kept going to the front of the store to see if the SUV had left yet. When I checked out, I asked for security and the really nice woman from the store said she would walk out there with me. I appreciated the offer but nothing says I'm serious about security than a golf cart and a uniformed driver carrying a flashlight. We got halfway to my car and I noticed the SUV was gone and I assured the nice woman that I could make it the rest of the way. I still have some leftover PTSD from an incident that happened as a child. My mom left my brother and me in the car while she went into the bank. A stranger danger man started banging on the car windows and he was yelling to let him into the car. He hurled quite a few threats our way including death. Funny, my brother and I didn't say a word to my mom at the time. We knew it would upset her more than we were scared. I don't think we told her about the incident until we were both in our twenties. Even back in the relatively safe days, there were crazies out and about, hanging out in parking lots.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Happy July 4th!
*** I never got back to finishing this post after Roy got home with pizza. So I hope you all had a fun and safe July 4th. ****
Happy Independence Day! It is a hot July 4th but it is cool inside. I'm getting onto the computer for just a moment while Roy has gone to pick up a pizza for lunch. He has been busy working in the den/office shredding old documents and going through his files. Yesterday he emptied his file cabinet and took it out to the dumpster hoping someone would give it a good home. Some one did. We took a load of things to Goodwill yesterday afternoon. We made a second sweep through his clothes and filled up a couple of bags. It is always such a nice feeling when something else leaves the condo and that is just one less thing to deal with.
Roy took off Friday. We had to go to the mortgage office and resign loan papers because the officer we were working with, quit. We also locked in a great interest rate while we were there. Afterwards we stopped in at Le Peep for breakfast and then headed out to Katy. We needed to go over some things with our sales consultant and we wanted to see if by chance we had a window...yet... :( Once we got home we began working around here and then took the evening off. Saturday was our major work day. Yesterday we went to church, napped and then went back out to the house for Roy to take pictures. We didn't do that on Friday because there were so many workmen on site and we didn't want to disturb progress.
Last night once I dropped Roy at home, I met Dena for a quick bite at the Hobble and Gobble, the Luby's on Post Oak. Neither one of us had been there since they opened the new location. It is really nice. It might even warrant a return trip.
Here are the latest and greatest house update pictures.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Give Me A Beat, But Hold the Heat
The old ADD has kicked in. Can't seem to focus on any one thing. Right now there are several projects that have been started yet none of them finished. If I go to another room, I just begin something there and leave it in midpoint when I move onto another room. So the closet is a mess, the kitchen throw away extravaganza is at critical mass, the shredder has papers stacked on top of it and yet, here I am in front of the computer blogging away. It's not that I am trying to keep anyone informed, but rather to have a record of the days leading up to closing and moving into a new house.
That my friends is an encouraging statement. We go back tomorrow to once again, resign loan papers because the loan officer we were working with quit. So our official papers have to have the name of the person we are working with now. They sent us a copy of the appraisal which is rather interesting reading. The projected closing date is now the end of July into the first few weeks of August. That news is welcomed. Now we know a better time frame to take care of some details.
that would be in Roy's realm of influence. We have learned a few lesson from this journey and we aren't banking on any type of accuracy to give official notices etc...but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. After we resign the papers and sign some other junk, Roy and I are heading off to breakfast, then a trip out to Katy to check progress and if need be talk with our sales consultant.
I finished up my leftover errands from yesterday. This weekend Roy and I are making our big TO DO and TO BE DONE list. If you see some unofficial fireworks in our area of town, it might not be the illegal kind but the sparks that could fly as we decide the importance of timely TO DO and what can be left on the list for awhile. Of course most of my decisions have emotional pull to them, such as furnishings, window treatments, outdoor furniture and the like. I'm not that frivolous to what needs to be taken care of first; meaning once we close on the house we will go pay for the choices we've made in regard to refrigerator, washer and dryer. Probably the last thing we will have on that list is big screen TV. We both want one but are willing to wait closer to football season...at least college football season.
Update on Buddy and the collar...the collar is still on but she tries in earnest to remove it. We have had a couple of annoying moments in the middle of the night but nothing too disastrous. Last night it didn't matter, I hardly slept at all. Roy and I talked about the house before going to bed and of course that set my mind off into a gazillion directions of things that need to be done and making note of some things we've seen that we'll purchase. Also my heart seems to be trying its best to go out of rhythm. I would like to be able to be very proactive and involved in our move. The Dr is adjusting my meds constantly to help me deal with the beat and the heat.
That my friends is an encouraging statement. We go back tomorrow to once again, resign loan papers because the loan officer we were working with quit. So our official papers have to have the name of the person we are working with now. They sent us a copy of the appraisal which is rather interesting reading. The projected closing date is now the end of July into the first few weeks of August. That news is welcomed. Now we know a better time frame to take care of some details.
that would be in Roy's realm of influence. We have learned a few lesson from this journey and we aren't banking on any type of accuracy to give official notices etc...but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. After we resign the papers and sign some other junk, Roy and I are heading off to breakfast, then a trip out to Katy to check progress and if need be talk with our sales consultant.
I finished up my leftover errands from yesterday. This weekend Roy and I are making our big TO DO and TO BE DONE list. If you see some unofficial fireworks in our area of town, it might not be the illegal kind but the sparks that could fly as we decide the importance of timely TO DO and what can be left on the list for awhile. Of course most of my decisions have emotional pull to them, such as furnishings, window treatments, outdoor furniture and the like. I'm not that frivolous to what needs to be taken care of first; meaning once we close on the house we will go pay for the choices we've made in regard to refrigerator, washer and dryer. Probably the last thing we will have on that list is big screen TV. We both want one but are willing to wait closer to football season...at least college football season.
Update on Buddy and the collar...the collar is still on but she tries in earnest to remove it. We have had a couple of annoying moments in the middle of the night but nothing too disastrous. Last night it didn't matter, I hardly slept at all. Roy and I talked about the house before going to bed and of course that set my mind off into a gazillion directions of things that need to be done and making note of some things we've seen that we'll purchase. Also my heart seems to be trying its best to go out of rhythm. I would like to be able to be very proactive and involved in our move. The Dr is adjusting my meds constantly to help me deal with the beat and the heat.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Errands and a Flat Iron
It is stupid hot. Just like the Bible says, we go from strength to strength, I went from A/C to A/C. The in between times outdoors, almost unbearable. Happy to have run all my errands and return home before noon. There were several to do's on my list today. To guarantee an early start I decided breakfast out would be just the thing. After a leisurely breakfast I went next door to Tanglewood Gifts and dropped off the mail. Then I went to Nord. Yesterday, while going through things I found some items that didn't fit into the clothing picture of the present and near future. Why I keep thinking I'm a little cardigan girl, I don't know. Anyway, did that, then picked up a golf gift card for a birthday gift and then went to Nord Rack. Found Roy some shirts and I bought another set of sheets. Stopped at the bank and then went to the Walgreen's to pick up a prescription. If Walgreen's had cold Diet Cokes I would have continued on with a couple more things, but their Cokes are always warm...so headed home and will do the other stuff later in the week.
We went out to see if there was any progress on the house last night. Yes! No window, but bricking has started and all the Sheetrock has been floated. Everything looked so different now that the rooms are defined. We go next week and pick out the slab of granite for the kitchen.
I almost forgot to tell of an earth shattering moment...she says in jest...that happened last Friday night. Dena and I went to the Bistro for dinner. And of course, it was delicious. The nice thing about the Bistro at night, you don't have to fight crowd noise to be heard. We did a little look see in a couple of depts and then decided to call it a night. We encountered a lot of construction going on in the area and just as we had cleared it, I said you know if it wasn't a Friday night and knowing the parking lot will be jammed at the Rack, I would go and get a flat iron. Who knew that small sentence would add life for two otherwise worn out and ready to pack it in girls. Dena came alive! What? I was going to start using a flat iron! She is the flat iron queen and told me I shouldn't buy a cheap one but instead should buy a Chi brand. It was then she offered to let me borrow one out of her vast collection and I was up for it, but then I remembered parking at her place is now a premium. Nah, so we turned around and went to Ulta and got in right under the 9:00 closing time. A few minutes later, I had purchased a flat iron that passed Dena's seal of approval. I used it for the first time on Sunday morning. I even got up early just in case the whole hair thing went south. I think I did pretty good. So I flat ironed this morning, but didn't do such a hot job. Guess it will just take practice. But I needed to announce to the world I have finally bought into using a flat iron.
Here are a few pictures Roy took last night.
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The dinning room ceiling. This is really going to be a sitting room.
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We went out to see if there was any progress on the house last night. Yes! No window, but bricking has started and all the Sheetrock has been floated. Everything looked so different now that the rooms are defined. We go next week and pick out the slab of granite for the kitchen.
I almost forgot to tell of an earth shattering moment...she says in jest...that happened last Friday night. Dena and I went to the Bistro for dinner. And of course, it was delicious. The nice thing about the Bistro at night, you don't have to fight crowd noise to be heard. We did a little look see in a couple of depts and then decided to call it a night. We encountered a lot of construction going on in the area and just as we had cleared it, I said you know if it wasn't a Friday night and knowing the parking lot will be jammed at the Rack, I would go and get a flat iron. Who knew that small sentence would add life for two otherwise worn out and ready to pack it in girls. Dena came alive! What? I was going to start using a flat iron! She is the flat iron queen and told me I shouldn't buy a cheap one but instead should buy a Chi brand. It was then she offered to let me borrow one out of her vast collection and I was up for it, but then I remembered parking at her place is now a premium. Nah, so we turned around and went to Ulta and got in right under the 9:00 closing time. A few minutes later, I had purchased a flat iron that passed Dena's seal of approval. I used it for the first time on Sunday morning. I even got up early just in case the whole hair thing went south. I think I did pretty good. So I flat ironed this morning, but didn't do such a hot job. Guess it will just take practice. But I needed to announce to the world I have finally bought into using a flat iron.
Here are a few pictures Roy took last night.
The kitchen
The fireplace and the TV nook
Sunset over Cinco
View from a bridge too far
Nite, nite to the sun.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Shifting and Shredding
So a new thing has started here at home with Buddy. Buddy has never worn any kind of collar and since we will be moving to a house where the odds of her getting out the door increase if we fail to be vigilant, she needs to have a tag on in order to be returned to us. That is if a hawk doesn't get her. That image is burnt into my consciousness after hearing a story about hawks in Katy and the untimely end to small animals. Even now tears are in the corner of my eyes because that end is just unthinkable. Buddy has had her new collar on, which I might add is very stylish and attractive, for about thirty minutes. She doesn't like it. I'm trying to encourage her with play but she stops every few steps and attempts removal of the collar. In the middle of the night I might not be thinking this collar complete with small bell is a good idea. But it will be a warning when Buddy sneaks up to me in the night and meows, thus signaling she would like for me to turn onto my right side in order to curl up on my arm. Tonight, she might be seeking out Roy for company instead of me. Dang, I should have had Roy put the collar on her.
Today, I'm going through little places where junk piles up. I have come across warranties and information on appliances that have come and gone. Found some funny pictures, some poignant cards and interesting things like that. Getting ready to fire up old shreddy is just a moment.
Once we really hit Roy's office stuff and some clothes can could maybe head to Goodwill I will feel like we are in a good place packed up wise. We are getting to the point that the things not packed are the things we are using.
I'm going to check on Buddy. She has given up for now but once she has had her mid afternoon nap, she will intently give her attention to removing her collar.
Today, I'm going through little places where junk piles up. I have come across warranties and information on appliances that have come and gone. Found some funny pictures, some poignant cards and interesting things like that. Getting ready to fire up old shreddy is just a moment.
Once we really hit Roy's office stuff and some clothes can could maybe head to Goodwill I will feel like we are in a good place packed up wise. We are getting to the point that the things not packed are the things we are using.
I'm going to check on Buddy. She has given up for now but once she has had her mid afternoon nap, she will intently give her attention to removing her collar.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Waiting and Failing at It
Isaiah 40:28-31
Amplified Bible (AMP)
28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding.
29He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound].(A)
30Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted;
31But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.(B)
Noticing and thanking God in advance that He is preparing you and strengthening you are two different things. I noticed... Even knowing that this particular passage is the one the Lord gave to me for this year, I noticed and even said to myself...is this a message to pay particular attention to? Dismissed it...
On Thursday our sales consultant from David Weekley Homes emailed us to let us know the windows that have not been installed were boarded up to protect the inside of the house from rain and that insulation and sheet rock would be going up, even though the house is missing two windows. So on a whim Thursday evening after dinner, Roy and I went out to the house...NOTHING... NO NOT ONE THING that he said would be done, had been done. That irritated the fire out of me. On our way out of the subdivision, we made a special jaunt to a house, same floor plan, being built around the way. Dang it! They had in all their windows and the majority of their house had been bricked! This house started three weeks after ours. What the heck? This is where I so wish I could report that I let the power of Christ rule over my flesh, but I deed-nt. Nope, I got angry, raised my voice and generally acted like an idiot. You know, I'm saying to Roy...call them...email them..tell me, what do you think is going on....do you think this is a conspiracy? The last statement comes from watching too much ID TV, where every story they show has conspiracy intertwined all through it. Roy is the spiritual one that night and refuses to buy into my anger. I could not go to sleep that night...it was well past 2:30 am when sleep finally came. The next morning after a slow sizzle, he wasn't happy about the house situation and he made some phone calls. He got the ball rolling again. We went out there last night, insulation in, partly sheet rocked, but no windows. While we were there several trucks and cars pulled up. Construction workers, doing the overtime thing, working on the rest of the sheet rock. We thanked them in English and espanol. According to our David Weekley home page, all sheet rock is up.
I've got to stop watching Mob Wives on VH1. The show is addicting, kind of like Toddlers and Tiaras. Only T&T doesn't have as much if any cussing but just like MW, it bleeps it out. Sometimes on MW you can't even follow the sentence because it is one long string of bleeps. No, I haven't started talking that way but you know, if that is what I am filling my head with instead of hiding the Word in my heart when I encounter moments where I should be relying on the power of the Holy Spirit...it might just slip out. In fact, I was being funny with Roy on our drive home Thursday and I was bleeping myself out and talking about loyalty and disrespect...(which are two major subject matters on MW)
I got to stop watching this show and I just learned it is being renewed for another season and July 10 is the reunion show...
Yesterday, awesome sermon at church...Heavenomics...dying to self and ego...thinking when things don't go according to our schedule, we have rights.... As you can tell the sermon hit a sensitive spot and yes, up there in the choir loft I asked the Lord to forgive me and help me live life like Jesus taught us. Even in Sunday School, Dena gave extensive attention to, you guessed it, Isaiah 40: 28-31. I said in my spirit, I am doing more than noticing this, I'm looking for what the Lord wants me to learn. That was all fine and good for yesterday, but today... I failed miserably again, at Academy. Why stores don't have enough people for check out is beyond me. One line was open, the line was long and the manager and assistant manager stood there...watching...doing nothing...but (and this is my interpretation of it) "giving leadership." Come on, open up another lane, maybe even the manager could check out some customers. So after waiting in line for significant time, one of my items doesn't have a bar code on it...only the price. The clerk calls someone...nothing...some other employee walks by and says, that is the last one...nothing. Meanwhile the line is growing longer and longer. So I volunteer to go back and get another item, with the bar code, because it wasn't the last one. But the clerk says, yes you can pay for this and go back and get the merchandise and get in line to pay for again. Uh...no. I've already given a lot of time to this purchase, so I said and then apologized to all those in line, then I will just stand here until you get it figured out. And being the ever helpful one, I would say every few minutes, I would have already returned and you could be checking out the next person. Finally, the girl says, OK, go get it and I will hold the line. Back in nothing flat, paid for the purchase and went out the door. Of course when I was telling Roy about it I said, at least I didn't go Mob Wives mad. He said, you've got to stop watching that show... I think he said it to me several times. Really, it doesn't matter if I was just a little mad or a lot mad, I failed. Once again, I confessed and prayed.
Kroger...long lines...but they are moving along. Getting groceries rung up, lady in front of me won't move because she is reading over her receipt. She didn't get credited for BOGO. I was miffed but still didn't go MW angry. Doesn't matter, I failed.
Funny, but I bought a new book the other day, breaking my vow of no new books until after we move, Living on the Edge. Great reading so far and guess what it is all about, Romans 12...which goes right along with Isiah 40. The good news is even though I have failed, I've been forgiven and it is only by God's grace that I can live life that is pleasing and glorifying to Him. Hey, I'm loyal, I'm His girl and I won't go around disrespecting Him...as they say on MW. Better yet, "She's got no spades, so she might as well throw in her hand" which only means in MW talk, I'm giving it all to Him. Well, until I take it back. I hope I don't, but anyway, these are the struggles of the moment. Really rather shallow.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
June 23, 1971
It was the summer of Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World", the Stones, "Brown Sugar," Carole King, " I Feel the Earth Move" and "It's Too Late Baby." It was the summer I went to youth camp in Palacios, TX. Our church plus a couple of churches from San Antonio converged on the old vested Baptist camp grounds for a week of sun, fun, bad food, quiet times, late nights and making new friends. Oh yes and getting closer to the Lord. I was on a spiritual high since I had just become a Christian in January 1971. I was looking for God's presence to be even more real in my life. To tell you the truth, I don't remember very much from that week at camp, but I do remember June 23, 1971. It was the Wednesday that I took the little blue booklet on the Holy Spirit, done by Campus Crusade... I am reminded that this was the year of the 4 Spiritual Laws booklet taking off in a big way. One of my friends gave me the little blue booklet at the beginning of the week. We talked about what it all meant usually at the end of a very busy and fun day. Those words in that booklet were burning a hole into my heart. God was using His Word to get my attention. Since the camp is located right off the Gulf of Mexico, there was a sea wall or something that surrounded the camp or maybe it just seems like that in my memory. But I sat there with my Bible and blue booklet...and read...and let God speak... Right there the perfect picture of taking my sins and casting them into the sea played into the reality of my life. Even though I was saved, this was the next major big step in my walk with the Lord. All I know is this, I came home a changed person. Even my parents noticed some of the rough edges that were major structures of my personality, were gone. The results of that week even led my dad to fund a camp scholarship fund for kids from single parent homes to go to camp each summer. That fund is still sending kids to camp. When I was older and more familiar with this scholarship I had my dad add spending money along with the paid way. That has always been his short sight,spending money. Once you're at camp, ya need a little pocket money rolling around in your hand crafted wallet you've made during camp craft time.
For several years after that week at camp, a friend and I sent each other cards on June 23 celebrating the day that our fledgling faith became sight. After 10 or so years, June 23 didn't hold the same place in my friend's heart and calendar. We stopped sending cards to one another. But each year since 1971 I take a portion of the day, re think and relive that time and then relax and resound my thankfulness to God for His faithfulness and love...yes, even the work He did in me that hot summer day in Texas.
June 23, 1971...Wednesday evening...a milestone on my journey.
Last Sunday while getting ready for church I heard one of my favorite songs from that time. Our youth choir did the musical, Natural High. I don't remember many of the songs, but this one has traveled with me, When I hear it, I am back in high school, remembering those early days when spiritual is all new and wondrous. A time where I was looking for signs of God in everything I did. Don't get me wrong, I still look and keep a watch for His presence, but not with the wonder I had at the age of 16. Here are the lyrics...
My Little World
Oh God of the stars, the sun and the moon
Oh God of the wind and the sea
Though You’re everywhere
How amazing it is
That You can be here with me
The uncharted craters of planets beyond
You know like the palm of your hand
And yet You’re concerned
With my little world
Oh, help me to understand
I know that miracles happen to people like me
The moment we dare to believe
For we are the objects of God’s mighty love
Far greater than our little minds can conceive
The stars could collide
The sun could grow dim
The whole universe pass away
Still nothing can change the promise He made
And Christ in my heart will stay.
(repeat chorus)
Yes, Christ in my heart will stay.
Written by Ralph Carmichael. © Bud John Songs, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
to show up
For several years after that week at camp, a friend and I sent each other cards on June 23 celebrating the day that our fledgling faith became sight. After 10 or so years, June 23 didn't hold the same place in my friend's heart and calendar. We stopped sending cards to one another. But each year since 1971 I take a portion of the day, re think and relive that time and then relax and resound my thankfulness to God for His faithfulness and love...yes, even the work He did in me that hot summer day in Texas.
June 23, 1971...Wednesday evening...a milestone on my journey.
Last Sunday while getting ready for church I heard one of my favorite songs from that time. Our youth choir did the musical, Natural High. I don't remember many of the songs, but this one has traveled with me, When I hear it, I am back in high school, remembering those early days when spiritual is all new and wondrous. A time where I was looking for signs of God in everything I did. Don't get me wrong, I still look and keep a watch for His presence, but not with the wonder I had at the age of 16. Here are the lyrics...
My Little World
Oh God of the stars, the sun and the moon
Oh God of the wind and the sea
Though You’re everywhere
How amazing it is
That You can be here with me
The uncharted craters of planets beyond
You know like the palm of your hand
And yet You’re concerned
With my little world
Oh, help me to understand
I know that miracles happen to people like me
The moment we dare to believe
For we are the objects of God’s mighty love
Far greater than our little minds can conceive
The stars could collide
The sun could grow dim
The whole universe pass away
Still nothing can change the promise He made
And Christ in my heart will stay.
(repeat chorus)
Yes, Christ in my heart will stay.
Written by Ralph Carmichael. © Bud John Songs, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
to show up
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Taking a Break...A Lunch Break
Lunch today is a delicious pimento cheese sandwich and cantaloupe. Guess I have gone with an orange-esk color in my dinning choices today.
Yesterday, I began going through kitchen cabinets. I think we have not only cornered the market on camisoles and sunscreen found on previous packing days, we also have cornered the market on travel mugs. More specifically, coffee travel mugs. Throughout the years we have mainly acquired them as give a ways, some came as gifts and I think only one out of the large group was bought by us. I know we went through our collection about a year and a half ago and got rid of a bunch of them. Seems like in those dark, corner cabinet recesses, those travel mugs have been taking seriously the command of being fruitful and multiple. I'm embarrassed to admit that also stuck back in that corner cabinet were several packages of DIY dry cleaning kits. I don't think they even make them anymore. Obviously, we can't do away with clothes that need to be dry cleaned for Roy, but I have been on a quest of not purchasing clothes that need dry cleaning for me. This kit was for my clothes as I would rather a professional take care of Roy's. Apparently, my quest for non dry clean clothes was successful, thus the unused kits.
We heard from our builder that the one remaining window should be installed this week. They are still predicting that the house will be finished by the end of July. The new setting for our master bathroom bathtub should be installed this week as well. They cut for a 5' tub and we had ordered a 6'.
After dinner last night, Roy and I made a Costco run. We only needed a few things and we stuck with our list pretty much. The temptation is great in Costco. We saw a patio dinning table that we loved, a slate top. I don't know, but for me slate is my new favorite stone. But reality of moving the thing hit when we tried to lift it up. Not that we would be trying to move it all the time, but you have to take into account you know, hurricane force winds. While going through the kitchen, I've decided we need glass storage dishes and get rid of all the plastic. We looked at what Costco had and kept on rolling.
Well, my lunch break is over. I need to continue on with the work at hand.
Yesterday, I began going through kitchen cabinets. I think we have not only cornered the market on camisoles and sunscreen found on previous packing days, we also have cornered the market on travel mugs. More specifically, coffee travel mugs. Throughout the years we have mainly acquired them as give a ways, some came as gifts and I think only one out of the large group was bought by us. I know we went through our collection about a year and a half ago and got rid of a bunch of them. Seems like in those dark, corner cabinet recesses, those travel mugs have been taking seriously the command of being fruitful and multiple. I'm embarrassed to admit that also stuck back in that corner cabinet were several packages of DIY dry cleaning kits. I don't think they even make them anymore. Obviously, we can't do away with clothes that need to be dry cleaned for Roy, but I have been on a quest of not purchasing clothes that need dry cleaning for me. This kit was for my clothes as I would rather a professional take care of Roy's. Apparently, my quest for non dry clean clothes was successful, thus the unused kits.
We heard from our builder that the one remaining window should be installed this week. They are still predicting that the house will be finished by the end of July. The new setting for our master bathroom bathtub should be installed this week as well. They cut for a 5' tub and we had ordered a 6'.
After dinner last night, Roy and I made a Costco run. We only needed a few things and we stuck with our list pretty much. The temptation is great in Costco. We saw a patio dinning table that we loved, a slate top. I don't know, but for me slate is my new favorite stone. But reality of moving the thing hit when we tried to lift it up. Not that we would be trying to move it all the time, but you have to take into account you know, hurricane force winds. While going through the kitchen, I've decided we need glass storage dishes and get rid of all the plastic. We looked at what Costco had and kept on rolling.
Well, my lunch break is over. I need to continue on with the work at hand.
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