Our first day on the trip to Bountiful...I mean Brookhaven. We have opted to take the slow and steady road trip and we are having loads and loads of laughs and fun. Oh yeah, we got serious once, but thankfully that moment passed. 8:00 am was our appointed time for Sequisha and me to pick up Dena. On time, loaded up Sequisha and down the road we went. Light traffic to Baytown, where we stopped for a few minutes to visit Dena's mom. A pleasant visit and then a much needed stop at Shipley's afterwards for sustenance. Ya need sugar to drive the likes of I 10 through Louisiana. My friend, the 18 wheelers were out a plenty and made driving interesting to say the least. Our first stop Sulphur LA at CB. We stopped to use the facilities and bought a few needed items for the trip and as is our custom went to the Chevron station nearby to gas up for the trip across the swamp bridge and into Baton Rouge. I have to report on myself that filling up the car was a comedy of errors. I think that Dena finished reading War and Peace by the time I topped off the tank. Our goal to get across the Mississippi Bridge in a timely manner. The later the day the farther the backup to go over the mighty Mississippi. We were not disappointed to wait but there have been other trips where the wait was much longer. Once we were on the bridge LSU was running their light sequences at Tiger Stadium. It was a nice way to pass the time behind an 18 wheeler and barely moving.
So today, I made another convert to Burger King. Dena did not know you can have the mayo cut and mustard added on Whoppers or Junior Whoppers, so we did a quick drive through and the sign above the drive-through was the theme of the moment..."you have clearance today to have it your way." So on October 31, 2014 she officially got the clearance to have it her way and this was also the first time Dena had ever gone through a Burger King drive through. She tried to throw growing up in Baytown under the bus...but I wasn't fooled for a minute. For a brief moment I thought we might have to stop at every Burger King along the road because Dena was delighted by the flame broiled taste.
We also did something that we have said on almost every trip we would like to do and since this is October 31st, what would be more appropriate than to take a trip through Baptist Pumpkin Center. Take it from me, don't waste your time...we can't get back that ten minutes or half a gallon of gas. Pumpkin Center needs a different name...we saw, no not one pumpkin...not one on a porch, not cardboard cut outs of pumpkins in windows, just a bunch of vote for______ signs. Discouraged we turned around in the Baptist Church parking lot which turned out to be ironic but we didn't know it yet. There was a guy weed eating the church lawn and we also noticed that the parking lot was drug free lot or so says the sign. We then made our way to Baptist Louisiana. I would like it duly noted that in Baptist Louisiana there isn't a Baptist church, a LifeWay Bookstore, Baptist college or univesity...there is a Jiffy Mart and a Dollar General Store which was our turn around point in Baptist. Being the litigious people we are, we called Jim Adler, the Texas Hammer, the tough, smart lawyer and asked that a suit be drawn up for deceptive name practice. No pumpkins, no Baptist, no Center! We have mental distress and mental anguish over this cruel, cruel joke of the promise and delivery of named things. You go to Sugarland, you can get sugar...you go to Baytown and you get bays, plural and a town..pumpkin center...you are out of luck. We were the Baptists in Baptist. Fortunately, Judge Judy had an opening to hear our case and even though we lost ten precious minutes of life, we did win a lesson learned and one item worth $5.00 at Dollar General or Jiffy Mart. So let me warn you, don't take the Baptist Pumpkin Center exit...it if full of woe and heartache. The sign on I 10 is the best part of Baptist Pumpkin Center!
Next on our schedule, a stop at the mall in Hammond. Actually, we only went to Books A Million and then had an early dinner at East of Italy because there is no place to eat in Brookhaven. We had salads and spilt a veggie pizza. Oh my goodness, delicious. We had a great waitress which made our visit fun. She even gave us this foccacia bread that was awesome and on the house. Brookhaven is only a little over of an hour away from Hammond. We checked in and have settled in for the night. We have snacky snacks for Fall Festival Night.
Tomorrow will also be a fun-filled day. We are stopping at Dreamland BBQ and meeting Hailey O'Neal and a friend of her choice for an all expense paid lunch. You always, always do that for college students, let them buy you lunch. It teaches responsibility! Ha, just kidding, it teaches them nothing...no not really, Dena and I are treating these fine, fine students of Sammy Fordy in the B'ham.
So for now, here's wishing you and yours a happy, happy fall festival day!
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
And We're Off...Later
Good Thursday Morning! I really should be finishing up getting ready for a quick trip to God's Country, but since I opted out of Bible study this morning...officially, like CBS, not totally all Bible study, I have a little more time. This trip I have been doing everything differently. I have taken care of all the little things that need to be done and packing clothes as the last. It isn't even over indecision but more for Buddy's sake. She knows something is up and she chooses night time, sleep time, to announce her displeasure. It is heart breaking... Thus, holding off as long as possible to pack.
My faux LSU family is coming off Sequisha today. I don't think it would be a good idea to drive through Mississippi with that much LSU stuff on the back of the car. Of course Mississippi State fans would just have good memories of their game against the Tigers. Besides one member of my fake family is trying to come off, no loyalty, what can I tell you?
Random thing...the Starbucks Keruig Cinnamon Dulce coffee is really, really...yes, really good. Target has it on sale this week.
My faux LSU family is coming off Sequisha today. I don't think it would be a good idea to drive through Mississippi with that much LSU stuff on the back of the car. Of course Mississippi State fans would just have good memories of their game against the Tigers. Besides one member of my fake family is trying to come off, no loyalty, what can I tell you?
Random thing...the Starbucks Keruig Cinnamon Dulce coffee is really, really...yes, really good. Target has it on sale this week.
Looky here...It is supposed to snow this weekend in the Asheville area. Mainly on Friday night and Saturday morning. I think we will miss most of it and Ray's weather says it will be a light dusting in Asheville. So, we are making some adjustments to our plans and route.
I will try to blog while traveling but sometimes good times override posting. We will go by the house we bought but not go in, unless I find something there and it needs to stay. Kate is wrapping things up there and I don't want to be a bother.
Dena and I are planning on meeting Hailey in B'ham for lunch and then we will meet Erin for dinner in Chattanooga. Saturday will be a fun day for sure. Of course I always dread driving through Baton Rouge and the traffic that comes to a stand still before the Mississippi River Bridge.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Fleeing From the Land of Entitlement
Sunny and beautiful Monday, how thrilling it is to be a part of this day. I am coming into the day a little battle scarred and weary but thankful for a good recovery. This weekend I went beyond my parameters on both Saturday and Sunday and I also took a trip to the land of entitlement. Both Sequisha and I made it out of there with nary a scratch but it was a good reminder once again, I feel good because for the most part I live within the parameters set for me.
Since Roy could not work on his laptop at the car dealership Saturday morning when he took Sequisha in for her maintenance checkup and LSU was playing Saturday night, so he stayed home from church Sunday morning to get some work taken care of. So I went solo to church and not really planning on staying for Life Bible Study but I checked the hours of Pottery Barn and saw they opened at noon on Sundays. So, I went but left early from LBS. Holding to the near and dear tradition of also being late for LBS with Peggy, we had such fun in the hallway meeting, greeting and talking with friends. Late for Sunday School but on time for the lesson.
So this week is the shopping card week and the parking lot in front of PB was packed! By the grace of God I was in the right place at the right time for a parking space and by the grace of God an associate at Pottery Barn Kids found me. NO, there isn't any announcement for the visit other than we are going with the corner unit/twin beds for Roy's man cave at PBK. LL Bean makes daybed covering out of sunbrella material which makes it durable for use as a couch. At first Roy didn't want anything in that room for sleeping but I convinced him when my girlfriends come to visit, we could use the extra sleeping room. Ordering didn't take anytime and I was off to PB with a quick stop into Anthropologie thrown in. Once again, I didn't wait for an associate at PB, one greeted me at the door. She was a newbie but that was unknown at the door. It was an exhausting and long drawn out experience but scanning the customers there at PB, I probably would be the most patient and forgiving of missteps and do-overs. That's not because I am a patient person, rather it is the reminder of first and new days in jobs over the years and the kindness extended to me by people I was helping. As the process took about an hour, some of the most entitled people and rude people approached the cash wrap and demanded to helped then or more importantly right now...the fact that all the associates were helping customers be danged! Yes, pushing return merchandise closer and closer to the register is the mature and right thing to do. Standing under the hot track lighting for over an hour put me outside the parameters. Thus, I probably looked like a crazed older lady sweating and trying to get her knees to unlock when leaving the store. In fact I was prepared to answer if asked anything while exiting that I was merely practicing for my costume for Halloween, Frankensweat. In the parking lot there were a few arguments going on with the police hired to control egress and access to the lot. I left quickly to begin the trip back to Rancho De Five where my darling hubs had BBQ ready for lunch.
So now it is Tuesday morning, the real morning not the store, and I made a foray into land of entitlement part 2 yesterday. Sunday afternoon the confirmation for the bed frame I ordered to go with the head and foot board hit the inbox with the date of delivery for 10/30/14 at our home in NC. No, no, no...This is supposed to be delivered with the bed! A call to customer service ensued only to find out it was too soon to change the order and it would be 24 hours before being able to do anything about it. Since I was meeting Cassi at Escalante's in Town and Country, I decided to make a quick trip into the PB there after lunch to ask for the best way possible to resolve the delivery. Having dealt with PB before when it comes to purchases made at other PB stores, I was there only for an opinion. Which I made clear when I first began the conversation with the associate that drew the short straw to help me. She asked several demeaning questions to which I was soooooo tempted to combat with a witty, yet cutting retort but a soft answer turns away wrath. If I responded in kind, it only makes the conversation escalate into higher pitches which makes usbitches. With the kindly help I immediately went out to Sequisha and canceled the bed frame order and I will re-order closer to the bed's delivery date. Then I pulled up my big girl panties and went into Williams Sonoma, another refuge for the entitled cook. No need to go into details but I was clearly happy to leave that land after making purchases.
Today, is a stay at home day for sure! I've got to get back into my parameters, keep my heart in rhythm and rest my weary knees. Just a week or so ago, I had decided as much as it depended on choices, that going back to the cult of Pottery Barn would not be an option but alas, they had just what we are looking for furnishing wise and there is a desk that has my attention for the living room...so much for that vow but even though I was at Williams Sonoma yesterday, it was to buy a gift and get holiday scented lotion and soap. I will not fall into the trap of, I just know when we move to Cinco Ranch or now Asheville, I will want to cook so much more. Because I just gave away purchases from that time of false thinking.
So this week is the shopping card week and the parking lot in front of PB was packed! By the grace of God I was in the right place at the right time for a parking space and by the grace of God an associate at Pottery Barn Kids found me. NO, there isn't any announcement for the visit other than we are going with the corner unit/twin beds for Roy's man cave at PBK. LL Bean makes daybed covering out of sunbrella material which makes it durable for use as a couch. At first Roy didn't want anything in that room for sleeping but I convinced him when my girlfriends come to visit, we could use the extra sleeping room. Ordering didn't take anytime and I was off to PB with a quick stop into Anthropologie thrown in. Once again, I didn't wait for an associate at PB, one greeted me at the door. She was a newbie but that was unknown at the door. It was an exhausting and long drawn out experience but scanning the customers there at PB, I probably would be the most patient and forgiving of missteps and do-overs. That's not because I am a patient person, rather it is the reminder of first and new days in jobs over the years and the kindness extended to me by people I was helping. As the process took about an hour, some of the most entitled people and rude people approached the cash wrap and demanded to helped then or more importantly right now...the fact that all the associates were helping customers be danged! Yes, pushing return merchandise closer and closer to the register is the mature and right thing to do. Standing under the hot track lighting for over an hour put me outside the parameters. Thus, I probably looked like a crazed older lady sweating and trying to get her knees to unlock when leaving the store. In fact I was prepared to answer if asked anything while exiting that I was merely practicing for my costume for Halloween, Frankensweat. In the parking lot there were a few arguments going on with the police hired to control egress and access to the lot. I left quickly to begin the trip back to Rancho De Five where my darling hubs had BBQ ready for lunch.
So now it is Tuesday morning, the real morning not the store, and I made a foray into land of entitlement part 2 yesterday. Sunday afternoon the confirmation for the bed frame I ordered to go with the head and foot board hit the inbox with the date of delivery for 10/30/14 at our home in NC. No, no, no...This is supposed to be delivered with the bed! A call to customer service ensued only to find out it was too soon to change the order and it would be 24 hours before being able to do anything about it. Since I was meeting Cassi at Escalante's in Town and Country, I decided to make a quick trip into the PB there after lunch to ask for the best way possible to resolve the delivery. Having dealt with PB before when it comes to purchases made at other PB stores, I was there only for an opinion. Which I made clear when I first began the conversation with the associate that drew the short straw to help me. She asked several demeaning questions to which I was soooooo tempted to combat with a witty, yet cutting retort but a soft answer turns away wrath. If I responded in kind, it only makes the conversation escalate into higher pitches which makes us
Today, is a stay at home day for sure! I've got to get back into my parameters, keep my heart in rhythm and rest my weary knees. Just a week or so ago, I had decided as much as it depended on choices, that going back to the cult of Pottery Barn would not be an option but alas, they had just what we are looking for furnishing wise and there is a desk that has my attention for the living room...so much for that vow but even though I was at Williams Sonoma yesterday, it was to buy a gift and get holiday scented lotion and soap. I will not fall into the trap of, I just know when we move to Cinco Ranch or now Asheville, I will want to cook so much more. Because I just gave away purchases from that time of false thinking.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Saturdays
Today, once again I was reminded it is best when I stay in my parameters. Although, I didn't think beforehand I was stepping outside the boundaries. Dena and I went to the craft fair at the Equestrian Center today. This is one show I have been to several times and have always thought it was one of the best ones out there...until today. We so hope for cool days here in October but truthfully it was too hot to have the show in the arena with little to no air circulating except for a few fans here and there. Since this is in the arena carpet has been laid down over the uneven sand floor which added to difficulties if you have bad knees or backs. Lots of slow walking people, us included, in tight, uneven, hot space is a recipe for disaster. It did not take long for the heat to begin its work and as sweat dripped off my hair and neck, the beginnings of a heart going out of rhythm began. Fortunately this began just as Dena was wrapping up her shopping and we both agreed the time had come to leave and eat lunch. It could have been the heat but this year the show seemed redundant with so many booths looking alike with the same merchandise whether it was Christmas or jewelry or clothes. One booth in particular really was grinding because as people passed by the lady sitting at the front of their space rang a doorbell. Constantly...yea, that will bring me in, a constant ringing of a doorbell. Dena found a few nice things and probably if we weren't planning on moving a large portion of possessions to NC, I would have been a little more involved in the shopping aspect but there always in the back of my mind is, that will just be another thing to move.
Second time this week to eat at Jimmy Changas. It was just as delicious as the first time. The place was packed but the service was great. They have some of the best queso around. After lunch we headed over to the Ace Hardware store on Mason. I have never been to that Ace Hardware and now I can see why everyone loves it! Yes, I found a purse there. We had gone to Ace for light bulbs and when we got back to Dena's where I spotted her for safety on a ladder while she climbed up and down the ladder.
What a great win for LSU! I did my part by not watching the fourth quarter because every time I watched there was an interception or fumble. I got my news from Twitter and interpreting Roy's yells and disappointed groans. But smash mouth football came through with a victory for the Tigers in Death Valley.
Second time this week to eat at Jimmy Changas. It was just as delicious as the first time. The place was packed but the service was great. They have some of the best queso around. After lunch we headed over to the Ace Hardware store on Mason. I have never been to that Ace Hardware and now I can see why everyone loves it! Yes, I found a purse there. We had gone to Ace for light bulbs and when we got back to Dena's where I spotted her for safety on a ladder while she climbed up and down the ladder.
What a great win for LSU! I did my part by not watching the fourth quarter because every time I watched there was an interception or fumble. I got my news from Twitter and interpreting Roy's yells and disappointed groans. But smash mouth football came through with a victory for the Tigers in Death Valley.
Friday, October 24, 2014
This Listing is No Longer Available
The past few days have been quite social. On Wednesday I got to visit with long time friends. Visiting with CourtneyS, no make that laughing with CourtneyS was so much fun and a much needed catch up. We have shared many a good time, many a good memory and we have walked with one another in difficult days. She is one of those friends you are able to pick up where you last left off because we don't get to see each other as often now. We also have bonded over office supplies and the need for a good journal...or in my case mega journals. To be able to grab a little visit on a MidLink Wednesday was truly a gift...I remember all too well those hectic Wednesday afternoons.
Wednesday evening Dena joined us at Red River for a celebratory "we bought a house dinner." Fried shrimp seemed to say congrats. Roy and I love having dinner with Dena. Always a good time and she and Roy can talk office "shop" while I amuse myself with a salt shaker or a fork. I really miss that little animated space alien on my long time ago phone. His antics kept my interest.
Thursday morning, Bible study. Our core group is beginning to bond but I am not used to it taking this long of time. We have lots of women in our group with wonderful insights and stories of the Gospel in their lives and we are a good mix age-wise. Peggy and I went to lunch afterwards because it seems like we have not sat down and talked in the longest while. We went to Jimmy Changa's around noon and left a little after 3:00. It was really nice that we were in the last booth in the room so we had no distractions except the ADD ones we make ourselves. But really they are more like a turn in the road rather than distractions and at some point we will come back to the subject during the conversation. The chili con queso was fab.u.lous!!!! I am so excited that their annual girl's trip will be coming North Carolina way next year! Peggy is welcomed to come anytime. As much as she doesn't ever want to be a mentor, she has been a great example to me of using what God has given you to bless others and have fun at the same time.
Able and crew worked longer here on the lawn and shrubs than any time I can remember in the recent past. The flowerbeds look so good weeded. This weekend Roy and I need to put out some more mulch and some garden soil.
I have been busy today with projects, like getting our Thanksgiving/Christmas dishes packed up once it comes time to head toward NC on one of many trips taking things but there before we move quite a bit of furniture from here to there. I've also spent time going through bookcases.
The other night right before turning in, I looked out the front door. I hardly ever do that and much to my surprise there was a big box in front of our gate. It was so close to the gate I couldn't open it to see how heavy the box was. I hated to do it, but I woke up Roy because a big ol' box like that might be too tempting for a crime of opportunity. We got out through the garage and I don't believe he was fully awake, for one thing he hadn't put on his glasses and the other clue was he was pushing the hand truck around not in a straight path. He was a little woozy. We rearranged some things and put the box in the garage. It is a chair I ordered that is going to look so cute in one of the bedrooms. It was on Joss and Main, so you have to order things when you see them because they might not be offered again. The casita bedroom just might have to become a storage room for a few months.
Guess it is back to work, but I have a little spring in my step because....this listing is no longer available!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
From the Prairies to the Mountains
It is finished, the process is over...it is finished there will now be the store. Now to go to the Nord. It's actually official, the transaction has been recorded, wire transfers complete, checks have been cut and we are now owners of two homes...officially. Whew, what a process and even yesterday after signing here, here and here and initialing here, here and here with a few scattered date this here I was cautiously optimistic that every i had been dotted and every t crossed. This morning Roy received an email asking once again to provide the account statement that showed where the money was transferred from, so I guess they were saying show me the money! He faxed it to the attorney's office and we received written confirmation and then phone confirmation that the house is ours and well I guess the banks as well.
Honestly, the past month and a half time-wise has seemed like an eternity. I think adding to the seemingly slowness of the days has been all the twist and turns in the process in the paperwork. Appraisal, inspections and such were done so quickly and with good reports. Then the whole tax ID theft and fraud slowed the process and almost made it come to a halt instead of a pause, then thankfully, resume speed. We asked for two due diligence extensions and the seller graciously extended that to us. We had to totally change over our insurance provider in order to take advantage of discounts by bundling policies. It seems this past month has been extremely busy for Roy at the office and I have been dealing with a small heart issue that has been more of a nuisance than of great concern. Those middle of the night out of rhythm issues....isn't there an El DeBarge song with similar lyrics? Oh yes, it is the rhythm of the night. Stress related although I have remained calm during the whole house process...maybe the stress was due to dealing with fear. And then putting fear in its proper place. Also, the cold medicine I took contributed to the events too.
God Bless America, land that I love....From the prairie to the mountains... Well that is how we have to sing it because we are going from the flat prairie lands of Rancho De Five to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Talk about extremes, but we are perfectly happy with that. So now I can write of other things but I will still write about the adventure and timing of beginning on a new journey. I have not written of this and I won't now but I sense that God is confirming what He has put into my heart to serve Him on this new adventure and chapter of life. I am energized and excited about it and will continue to use the days ahead for clarity, wisdom and service as we pray and lay the foundation. During the time in August I saw with new eyes how I have lost the vision of my calling both by circumstances and by the opinions and decisions of others that are beyond my control. I want this season of life to be marked and known as my Psalm 92:12-15 time.
Yesterday, after I dropped Roy off at his office downtown, I headed over to church with a gift for some friends. While there, I dropped in the Education or Ministries Suite or whatever name it is called today, the growing room...the greenhouse....I dropped in where I used to work with seeing CourtneyS specifically. I learned that my name had been bantered around earlier in the day...in a good way, thank you very much. Ah the legacy of laughter... On the way out I saw Pastor Gregg and Stephen Smith in the narthex, vestibule, lobby, connection point...welcome center...the room with the comfy chairs. It was great visiting with them for just a few minutes. This also was my first opportunity to see the water wall and cross up close. Beautiful!
This morning as I looked over my homework the thought came to me, Jesus called us to be fishers of men and women, not fishers for information. Lots of fishing going on these days in both categories but the fishing for info has me amused. If you have a question about this house deal, ask me. But I will offer this info, Roy and I have grown even closer through this process and fun of looking for a house. We are not getting a divorce, we are more in love today than yesterday....but that is until tomorrow.... Oh the old ADD song wise is all over the place tonight.
There is more to write, but my eye lids are drooping more than usual, so I will sign off for now. But I will leave you with a song, yes another one.... our house is a very, very fine house....with two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard. But everything is easy cause of you....la la la la la la, la la la la....
Honestly, the past month and a half time-wise has seemed like an eternity. I think adding to the seemingly slowness of the days has been all the twist and turns in the process in the paperwork. Appraisal, inspections and such were done so quickly and with good reports. Then the whole tax ID theft and fraud slowed the process and almost made it come to a halt instead of a pause, then thankfully, resume speed. We asked for two due diligence extensions and the seller graciously extended that to us. We had to totally change over our insurance provider in order to take advantage of discounts by bundling policies. It seems this past month has been extremely busy for Roy at the office and I have been dealing with a small heart issue that has been more of a nuisance than of great concern. Those middle of the night out of rhythm issues....isn't there an El DeBarge song with similar lyrics? Oh yes, it is the rhythm of the night. Stress related although I have remained calm during the whole house process...maybe the stress was due to dealing with fear. And then putting fear in its proper place. Also, the cold medicine I took contributed to the events too.
God Bless America, land that I love....From the prairie to the mountains... Well that is how we have to sing it because we are going from the flat prairie lands of Rancho De Five to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Talk about extremes, but we are perfectly happy with that. So now I can write of other things but I will still write about the adventure and timing of beginning on a new journey. I have not written of this and I won't now but I sense that God is confirming what He has put into my heart to serve Him on this new adventure and chapter of life. I am energized and excited about it and will continue to use the days ahead for clarity, wisdom and service as we pray and lay the foundation. During the time in August I saw with new eyes how I have lost the vision of my calling both by circumstances and by the opinions and decisions of others that are beyond my control. I want this season of life to be marked and known as my Psalm 92:12-15 time.
Yesterday, after I dropped Roy off at his office downtown, I headed over to church with a gift for some friends. While there, I dropped in the Education or Ministries Suite or whatever name it is called today, the growing room...the greenhouse....I dropped in where I used to work with seeing CourtneyS specifically. I learned that my name had been bantered around earlier in the day...in a good way, thank you very much. Ah the legacy of laughter... On the way out I saw Pastor Gregg and Stephen Smith in the narthex, vestibule, lobby, connection point...welcome center...the room with the comfy chairs. It was great visiting with them for just a few minutes. This also was my first opportunity to see the water wall and cross up close. Beautiful!
This morning as I looked over my homework the thought came to me, Jesus called us to be fishers of men and women, not fishers for information. Lots of fishing going on these days in both categories but the fishing for info has me amused. If you have a question about this house deal, ask me. But I will offer this info, Roy and I have grown even closer through this process and fun of looking for a house. We are not getting a divorce, we are more in love today than yesterday....but that is until tomorrow.... Oh the old ADD song wise is all over the place tonight.
There is more to write, but my eye lids are drooping more than usual, so I will sign off for now. But I will leave you with a song, yes another one.... our house is a very, very fine house....with two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard. But everything is easy cause of you....la la la la la la, la la la la....
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Worlds Colliding...Worlds Coinciding
It was bound to happen and this morning it did. Roy had just left for the office and Buddy had cuddled up on my arm. My plans were to grab a little extra sleep before getting up. Buddy rarely sleeps with her face toward mine. I have read it is a great sign of affection and love when a cat puts their rear end toward you. I'm sure there are still studies right now of having a rear end in your face when people stow their carry on in the storage bin above the seats on an airline. Think we are safe to assume there is no love or affection in that, only the high possibility of someone, usually a man, fluffing in your face. Back to Buddy...anyway this morning she decided to sleep with her face close to mine. Cue a little Roberta Flack...the first time ever I saw your face.... Anyway, just as Buddy edged closer to me, her whisker went perfectly inside my nostril and you can imagine the scene...screaming, throwing off covers, getting tangled up in said covers, grabbing my glasses and a tickle inside my nose that I can still feel. I scared Buddy and she was running around the bed and concluded her fearful time with a perfect 10 dismount onto the floor. The Russian judge gave her an eight. So where was this Russian judge, sitting with Roberta Flack. Is someone's ADD all over the place this morning? Hmmmm.....maybe. With all the excitement the thought of sleeping longer wasn't a viable option anymore. Funny, how dreams and actual happenings can synchronize. In my dream, I was auditing a class at Rice University and was quite an avid student. The professor had just mentioned that I might qualify for admittance to the university and challenged me to be low key and unemotional in the pursuit of this and it was just at that moment whisker penetration to the nostril cavity commenced in real life. I feel certain I am not going to be admitted to the university now after that display. I am trying to remember what area of study I was so good in from the dream.
We've added a little mix to the bird feeder. This week we put sunflower seeds, already shelled, in the feeder and it is a bird free for all feeding frenzy. The mockingbirds have taken over which makes the doves watch and eat a little faster because no one knows when the mockingbirds are going to dive bomb the area.
This week in CBS we are in Luke 5. Luke 5 is in my top ten favorite chapters of the Bible. The stories in that chapter are so foundational and Dr. Luke gives good details in each one of them. There are several questions discussing the phrase fear not or don't be afraid. So far we have seen angels say this and now Jesus in the book of Luke. So after loving the homework, I got the opportunity to put what I had just studied into action in the fear and chaos of change verses resting in God's timing and kindness. We hit another snag in the home buying process over a little, tiny sliver of property and trying to define who owns it and does it change the appraisal value which means all the paperwork will have to be reworked and a new filing thus delaying closing. That opens the door for the seller to renege on selling, we lose $3000.00 and begin a new process of looking for a NC home. That 'fear' lingered a bit in the air and I had to decide how I was going to respond; shut down in fear or chose joy and continue on with the day. Good thing we had just studied Luke 4 and using the Word in those trying times. So I prayed and asked several friends to pray with us. Oh my, never doubt an encouraging response and word...I was so encouraged and lifted in spirit reading the faith filled words they wrote. Thus, I went about the day doing what I had planned which almost all revolved around preparation for getting the Alex home. Yesterday morning in my Bible reading, this verse caught my attention, "You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways over flow with abundance." Psalm 65:11
Funny just like dreams and real life interactions, so do blog writing and emails coincide. Just got more news... it is a process...it is a hard pathway...but Psalm 66:11 comes in, "For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke." Which reminds me of Eph 6:18, "pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion." If the Lord brings us to mind today, we'd appreciate the prayers.
We've added a little mix to the bird feeder. This week we put sunflower seeds, already shelled, in the feeder and it is a bird free for all feeding frenzy. The mockingbirds have taken over which makes the doves watch and eat a little faster because no one knows when the mockingbirds are going to dive bomb the area.
This week in CBS we are in Luke 5. Luke 5 is in my top ten favorite chapters of the Bible. The stories in that chapter are so foundational and Dr. Luke gives good details in each one of them. There are several questions discussing the phrase fear not or don't be afraid. So far we have seen angels say this and now Jesus in the book of Luke. So after loving the homework, I got the opportunity to put what I had just studied into action in the fear and chaos of change verses resting in God's timing and kindness. We hit another snag in the home buying process over a little, tiny sliver of property and trying to define who owns it and does it change the appraisal value which means all the paperwork will have to be reworked and a new filing thus delaying closing. That opens the door for the seller to renege on selling, we lose $3000.00 and begin a new process of looking for a NC home. That 'fear' lingered a bit in the air and I had to decide how I was going to respond; shut down in fear or chose joy and continue on with the day. Good thing we had just studied Luke 4 and using the Word in those trying times. So I prayed and asked several friends to pray with us. Oh my, never doubt an encouraging response and word...I was so encouraged and lifted in spirit reading the faith filled words they wrote. Thus, I went about the day doing what I had planned which almost all revolved around preparation for getting the Alex home. Yesterday morning in my Bible reading, this verse caught my attention, "You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways over flow with abundance." Psalm 65:11
Funny just like dreams and real life interactions, so do blog writing and emails coincide. Just got more news... it is a process...it is a hard pathway...but Psalm 66:11 comes in, "For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke." Which reminds me of Eph 6:18, "pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion." If the Lord brings us to mind today, we'd appreciate the prayers.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
NC and Kindness on the Brain
Of course the September sunflowers at the Biltmore are beautiful.
This morning Roy left early because it is his turn to fix breakfast for the men's Bible study. Buddy and I stayed a few more moments in bed and once again my thoughts turn toward the kindness of God. This morning some of the strangest memories came to mind and after thinking through each one at the end I could see God's kindness has been all over my life. Even in the worst of times and I wasn't thinking of bad times this morning, the evidence is there of His kindness. I don't think until this summer I have really ever thought about kindness whether it be God's or other people's. Throughout life kindness has had other names, nice, love, dare I even say it, sweet. If you are one who tends to reflect back on life and those reflections soon turn into bitterness over life dealings, think through them again but look for God's kindness. It is there.
Even with those stupid boxes from my father had God's kindness in them. Not in the junk or leftovers or in the pure trash contained therein, not in the few pictures but in God's kindness He used them to tie up a lot of loose ends and has answered a few of the remaining questions. He has given me new eyes to see the life my mother was forced into all those years. Like I have written before, all the bitterness and why me has long gone into a sea of forgiveness, yet knowing there is a rip tide in those waters...that can easily draw one back in, I stay away. This too is a kindness from God, being set free and wrapping things up before moving on into this next season of life.
Last night we met our friends David and Emily for dinner and then went back to their house for dessert. We had such a great time with them. It was an early evening for us because Roy needed to get back home to continue on some projects from the office. He is trying to do some of it everyday so Sunday doesn't end up being one of those work all day kind of things.
This looks to be a beautiful day. Go into it experiencing kindness.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
We've Been Approved!
So I have found a couple of new shows to watch, Southern Justice and Smoky Mountain Money. Southern justice takes place closer to the Tenn/NC/Virginia border areas. The counties are more northeast from where our home is. One thing for sure, there are a lot of places to hide on the dark back roads of the mountains. So glad for that street light on our road in front of the house. Then Smoky Mountain Money is about ginseng hunters and believe me, I do not want to be back in the mountains hiking...ever....or digging for ginseng.
After we close comes the busy season for me. Roy has been in the midst of all the prep and closing paperwork and I will need to see about movers taking some of our furniture that way and if we order furniture here and have it delivered and then take it up there. I know Roy and I will make several trips up there before spring. It is overwhelming to think of the months ahead, but overwhelming in a good way.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
A Brief Wednesday Word
Yesterday morning I was writing by 5:30 am and when I finished around 7:00 am and reread the blog post, I realized it had been a writing exercise for my my eyes only. At first I was a little disappointed in making that decision because it seemed to be some of the best writing I had done in a while but that's when I knew. The writing was too near and dear to my heart, even if it helped someone, it is not time to post it yet or if ever.
I also got caught up on homework yesterday morning. Sometimes I have to come back to the first day's questions so it is on to days two and three and then a return back to day one. It is more helpful at times to do it that way. For a needed break from writing and homework, a trip to Home Goods seemed to be in order. Apparently, many felt that way. It was the day after a three day weekend and moms were out in force shopping and on their phones talking. When it comes to Home Goods, it is a full attention store for me, don't want phone distractions.
This has been a week of scanning and returning. Another skill mastered this week. All kinds of papers in need of signatures for the new home. Hopefully, we hear something today as all systems seem to be go. Last night Roy had to write an affidavit explaining his last tax client from private firm days and for me, explaining the check of our one paying Mildred and Gertrude gig at Living Proof last December. It is a good thing our Pastor didn't want Mildred and Gertrude for the deacon's Christmas Dinner last year, because that would have been fun to explain as well to a lender. Roy did a really good job description because really, how do you explain M and G?
This past weekend the search and rescue for winter/fall clothes was on. Only Roy and Buddy are able to reach into the dark recesses under the beds. Thankfully, Roy is helpful while Buddy is not. Because of Roy's excellent arm reach, he found everything that has been stored under the bed. Now is the fun part of getting things switched out yet hanging onto enough when the temps go back up which will be sooner than later. The project is about halfway finished, but oh what to do with sweaters until the time they are needed?
Half the pantry has been organized and a few other projects have been marked of the to do list. Better review homework and no cooking....Roy's bringing home dinner.
I also got caught up on homework yesterday morning. Sometimes I have to come back to the first day's questions so it is on to days two and three and then a return back to day one. It is more helpful at times to do it that way. For a needed break from writing and homework, a trip to Home Goods seemed to be in order. Apparently, many felt that way. It was the day after a three day weekend and moms were out in force shopping and on their phones talking. When it comes to Home Goods, it is a full attention store for me, don't want phone distractions.
This has been a week of scanning and returning. Another skill mastered this week. All kinds of papers in need of signatures for the new home. Hopefully, we hear something today as all systems seem to be go. Last night Roy had to write an affidavit explaining his last tax client from private firm days and for me, explaining the check of our one paying Mildred and Gertrude gig at Living Proof last December. It is a good thing our Pastor didn't want Mildred and Gertrude for the deacon's Christmas Dinner last year, because that would have been fun to explain as well to a lender. Roy did a really good job description because really, how do you explain M and G?
This past weekend the search and rescue for winter/fall clothes was on. Only Roy and Buddy are able to reach into the dark recesses under the beds. Thankfully, Roy is helpful while Buddy is not. Because of Roy's excellent arm reach, he found everything that has been stored under the bed. Now is the fun part of getting things switched out yet hanging onto enough when the temps go back up which will be sooner than later. The project is about halfway finished, but oh what to do with sweaters until the time they are needed?
Half the pantry has been organized and a few other projects have been marked of the to do list. Better review homework and no cooking....Roy's bringing home dinner.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Rainy Days and Mondays...I'm Fine With Both
Because I know everyone wants to catch up with Whinetta, she is still hanging around and going through all her abilities to sound differently at will. In the dead of early morning I awoke thinking someone must have a soccer game on because the long strain of gooooooaaaaalllllll was in earshot. Neighbors watching soccer reruns perhaps? No, Whinetta showing off because she had already had gone through her rep of sounding like an owl and like Debbie Downer...wha wha wha.... Yesterday I thought it was clearly just a throat thing but it is looking more like a combo throat/nose kind of partnership. Whinetta is looking like she will be gone soon since she just shows up at night now, but it will be oh so wonderful when she is gone and this cold is gone and things get back to normal or as normal as things get around here.
This a total ease into the day kind of morning. Intermittent sun with overcast skies announcing and then unannouncing rain or maybe not rain. No matter, it is a great kind of day for one with a limited attention span. After all the closet cleaning, yesterday was more a day of rest except for changing out the purses from summer to fall/winter. During this process I was paid rather well finding $80.00 in a purse, $6.00 tucked away in the summer purse and this morning $6.00 in a pair of warm up pants that went through the laundry but didn't fall out of the pocket. This has been a very profitable endeavor. Since our garbage cans are pretty much full, I'm waiting to start my newest clean out project tomorrow with a fresh slate of garbage can room. Sunday truly turned to be a day of rest, which both of us needed. I started a new book since the last one was going too formumatic and it has my full attention, "a land more kind than home." A surprise in the book is the setting, it takes place in Marshall, NC and the surrounding area. It is easy to imagine the settings and recall some of the landmarks referred to in the story.
I did venture out last evening to grab a quick dinner with Dena. We chose to eat Mexican food at Tony's, the cousin owned one that is open on Sundays. It was delicious! It is always great to catch up with each other, to celebrate the victories, no matter how small or big, share the happenings of life and to laugh a lot.
The rain has begun with some lightning and thunder. I decided I better go get cleaned up to thwart a storm heading over us. It is a truth that only people dressed weirdly and with messy hair get interviewed in the aftermath of a storm or any kind of incident on TV. Now, I have a 50% chance because although I cleaned up, I still have Bozo the Clown hair rocking the casbaugh.
This a total ease into the day kind of morning. Intermittent sun with overcast skies announcing and then unannouncing rain or maybe not rain. No matter, it is a great kind of day for one with a limited attention span. After all the closet cleaning, yesterday was more a day of rest except for changing out the purses from summer to fall/winter. During this process I was paid rather well finding $80.00 in a purse, $6.00 tucked away in the summer purse and this morning $6.00 in a pair of warm up pants that went through the laundry but didn't fall out of the pocket. This has been a very profitable endeavor. Since our garbage cans are pretty much full, I'm waiting to start my newest clean out project tomorrow with a fresh slate of garbage can room. Sunday truly turned to be a day of rest, which both of us needed. I started a new book since the last one was going too formumatic and it has my full attention, "a land more kind than home." A surprise in the book is the setting, it takes place in Marshall, NC and the surrounding area. It is easy to imagine the settings and recall some of the landmarks referred to in the story.
I did venture out last evening to grab a quick dinner with Dena. We chose to eat Mexican food at Tony's, the cousin owned one that is open on Sundays. It was delicious! It is always great to catch up with each other, to celebrate the victories, no matter how small or big, share the happenings of life and to laugh a lot.
The rain has begun with some lightning and thunder. I decided I better go get cleaned up to thwart a storm heading over us. It is a truth that only people dressed weirdly and with messy hair get interviewed in the aftermath of a storm or any kind of incident on TV. Now, I have a 50% chance because although I cleaned up, I still have Bozo the Clown hair rocking the casbaugh.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Just Me and Whinetta....
This is sabbatical Sunday and in reality we haven't had one of these in a long time. Upon returning from NC, we have been in church every Sunday which before NC seemed to be an every other Sunday kind of thing. This wouldn't be sabbatical Sunday except for this cough due to cold thing, which seems to be diminishing each day. Yahoo! There are several choices in cold distractions. The desire to breathe through the nose, giving up carrying Kleenex everywhere and the strangest cold distraction this noise that comes out of the throat at the strangest times....most especially when one is trying to sleep. It is a high pitch whinny sound, not the usual wheezing. Maybe this comes with age because I have not experienced this before. At times when hearing that noise that can sound like someone talking in the distance does it finally occur to me, hey, that disgusting noise is coming from me. In the ranks of disgusting noises from one's person...this one would be the public noise of choice but it is nerve-wrecking when you are trying to fall asleep. Since this noise has been with me this week I have given it a name, Whinetta.
So me and this throat noise cleared out a few closets yesterday with long breaks of college football in-between. Whinetta and I started in the bathroom linen closet which contains linens but most shelves are filled with product. Oh mainly hair product, liniment, spray liniment, band aids, fragrance products, lotions but no potions. By clearing out old product there was room for more linens...i.e. towels. The collection of give away make up bags was thinned out to the bare minimum...which is about two at this time. Whinetta and I watched the MSU-Auburn game during cleanup breaks and we decided to root for the underdog MSU since both teams had beaten LSU. Next on the cleanup agenda was a couple of drawers in the bedroom where cleanup and watching meshed. By now we are watching the Baylor game and at times I had to look away because it was hard watching the Bears fall behind so early and so often. So it was back to the MSU game. By the time Whinetta and I hit the guest bedroom closet, Roy was involved in watching the games so we were at his mercy of which game we watched. The TV in that bedroom is hooked up to the same receiver in the living room, so you are at the living room viewers mercy. Work continued as stuff went into bags and containers for KCM. This is the closet of hopeful return, meaning smaller sized jeans made up a lot of the content along with season decor. I gave up hope and loaded those jeans up for someone else to enjoy because I know me, by the time I get back down to the smaller size, I will want to buy new clothes, not wear old clothes that has laid dormant in the closet and under the bed.
But the closet did not become the hopeless closet because buried under seasonal decor and jeans, a box, that had totally slipped from mind...full of pictures. Lots of pictures of my mom, brother, nieces, and Roy. And a few other favorites like the year my tennis ladies beat the church ladies at the Christmas Table Top event and Lisa P, Dena and I at Cafe Beignet in NOLA. The before and aftermath of delicious treats. I rejoiced in Baylor's comeback victory, I rejoiced that LSU had a walk off field goal at The Swamp and I rejoiced that I had more pictures than I remembered after the whole box debacle of 2014, the boxes from my father's house. God truly restores the years the locust devoured.
My One Word for this year is perseverance. It has been a word that has given me hope in desperate times and it is a word that perfectly describes so many events of this year...to pers-a-dang-vere as Beth Moore so aptly puts it. I have begun my search for the One Word for next year and I am leaning toward something light and airy....I think it's about time for one of those kind of years. I need to check with Whinetta first.
So me and this throat noise cleared out a few closets yesterday with long breaks of college football in-between. Whinetta and I started in the bathroom linen closet which contains linens but most shelves are filled with product. Oh mainly hair product, liniment, spray liniment, band aids, fragrance products, lotions but no potions. By clearing out old product there was room for more linens...i.e. towels. The collection of give away make up bags was thinned out to the bare minimum...which is about two at this time. Whinetta and I watched the MSU-Auburn game during cleanup breaks and we decided to root for the underdog MSU since both teams had beaten LSU. Next on the cleanup agenda was a couple of drawers in the bedroom where cleanup and watching meshed. By now we are watching the Baylor game and at times I had to look away because it was hard watching the Bears fall behind so early and so often. So it was back to the MSU game. By the time Whinetta and I hit the guest bedroom closet, Roy was involved in watching the games so we were at his mercy of which game we watched. The TV in that bedroom is hooked up to the same receiver in the living room, so you are at the living room viewers mercy. Work continued as stuff went into bags and containers for KCM. This is the closet of hopeful return, meaning smaller sized jeans made up a lot of the content along with season decor. I gave up hope and loaded those jeans up for someone else to enjoy because I know me, by the time I get back down to the smaller size, I will want to buy new clothes, not wear old clothes that has laid dormant in the closet and under the bed.
But the closet did not become the hopeless closet because buried under seasonal decor and jeans, a box, that had totally slipped from mind...full of pictures. Lots of pictures of my mom, brother, nieces, and Roy. And a few other favorites like the year my tennis ladies beat the church ladies at the Christmas Table Top event and Lisa P, Dena and I at Cafe Beignet in NOLA. The before and aftermath of delicious treats. I rejoiced in Baylor's comeback victory, I rejoiced that LSU had a walk off field goal at The Swamp and I rejoiced that I had more pictures than I remembered after the whole box debacle of 2014, the boxes from my father's house. God truly restores the years the locust devoured.
My One Word for this year is perseverance. It has been a word that has given me hope in desperate times and it is a word that perfectly describes so many events of this year...to pers-a-dang-vere as Beth Moore so aptly puts it. I have begun my search for the One Word for next year and I am leaning toward something light and airy....I think it's about time for one of those kind of years. I need to check with Whinetta first.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Quiet Saturday Mornings
A sunny Saturday morning with rain predicted for later today. It is quiet. Buddy has gone for her early morning nap and Roy is at Bible study and he is then running a few errands before coming home. I am in the coughing phase of this cold, so that means I am in the home stretch of getting this cold thing wrapped up.
Yesterday morning was the good old blonding up appointment at Emmanuel. Love the whole process of hair maintenance along with great conversation and wonderful products to choose from. I had been really good using up everything I had at home before purchasing some much needed items yesterday. I had plans to do a few other things after the appointment but the coughing jag sent me home and that was probably the best place to be. Infinity Water came and changed out the filter in our kitchen while I was going through and throwing away or recycling magazines. It was even more productive later in the afternoon when Roy went through his T-shirts and shorts and got several bags ready for KCM.
Thursday was brunch day at Bible study and once again I am in a group of excellent cookers. Several came up to me after teaching time and asked if I had brought grits because they wanted some, but I hadn't made them this time. This study of the book of Luke is a good one and the homework has been thought provoking.
Looks like the home buying process is back on track and hopefully will have a closing date sooner than later. The seller has been so generous with timing but we are fast approaching her closing for her new home, so our prayer is for everything timing-wise to go well for both parties. In retrospect I wish the decision hadn't been made to go with the first lender. It seemed like they didn't know much about a few things that are intrinsic to us or maybe Texas. They didn't know what a master limited partnership was, I mean really doesn't everyone know? Well, no, but if you are in the business you'd think there would be familiarity with them. It is puzzling that they would look at this one fraudulent tax return weighed against all the excellent reports still says they don't know what a master limited partnership is because they thought Roy owned about 25% of the company he works for....he told them if I did, why would I be coming to y'all for a home mortgage? We have had several positive signs that things are moving along now and we anticipate closing on our dream sooner than later.
Now to stay home, take it easy and get rid of this cough due to cold. This cold has put a damper on some of our weekend plans, so instead of being out and about with friends, I will concentrate on working around here and watching college football in between projects or between attention spans.
Yesterday morning was the good old blonding up appointment at Emmanuel. Love the whole process of hair maintenance along with great conversation and wonderful products to choose from. I had been really good using up everything I had at home before purchasing some much needed items yesterday. I had plans to do a few other things after the appointment but the coughing jag sent me home and that was probably the best place to be. Infinity Water came and changed out the filter in our kitchen while I was going through and throwing away or recycling magazines. It was even more productive later in the afternoon when Roy went through his T-shirts and shorts and got several bags ready for KCM.
Thursday was brunch day at Bible study and once again I am in a group of excellent cookers. Several came up to me after teaching time and asked if I had brought grits because they wanted some, but I hadn't made them this time. This study of the book of Luke is a good one and the homework has been thought provoking.
Looks like the home buying process is back on track and hopefully will have a closing date sooner than later. The seller has been so generous with timing but we are fast approaching her closing for her new home, so our prayer is for everything timing-wise to go well for both parties. In retrospect I wish the decision hadn't been made to go with the first lender. It seemed like they didn't know much about a few things that are intrinsic to us or maybe Texas. They didn't know what a master limited partnership was, I mean really doesn't everyone know? Well, no, but if you are in the business you'd think there would be familiarity with them. It is puzzling that they would look at this one fraudulent tax return weighed against all the excellent reports still says they don't know what a master limited partnership is because they thought Roy owned about 25% of the company he works for....he told them if I did, why would I be coming to y'all for a home mortgage? We have had several positive signs that things are moving along now and we anticipate closing on our dream sooner than later.
Now to stay home, take it easy and get rid of this cough due to cold. This cold has put a damper on some of our weekend plans, so instead of being out and about with friends, I will concentrate on working around here and watching college football in between projects or between attention spans.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Sliding, Signing, Surprising and Stuff
Roy so thoughtfully took Sequisha to Hula Car Wash this past Sunday. They always do such a great job and this time, the workers really paid attention to the seats. How do I know? Well, the cheese peanut butter cracker crumbs are gone and I'm slip sliding away...It is like a leather seat slip and slide. Today, I had to make a sudden stop and it felt like I might just slide right into the steering wheel and graceful dismounts out of the car? Nope, haven't had any of those since Sunday. Maybe I should sew some sandpaper onto my pants but who am I kidding? I don't sew and there isn't enough safety pins around here to do the job.
This spiritual cold I have, since I got it at the women's retreat, needs to run it's course quickly. It is now past sore throat and into cough and runny nose. Is it bad to take expired cold medicine? Well if it is wrong, I don't want to be right. I just want to be better. And where are the tissue boxes? Maybe Roy can shed some light on their location when he gets home. We agree on a lot but placement of goods is not one of our better agreeing points.
Today was an adventure day. This whole house thing takes many dips and turns in the course of getting to closing. The original lender decided the false tax return was the truth and stopped the process. The past few days we have been signing and resigning and initialing here, here and here till we both have writers cramp. Today, Roy was the first in line for the IRS office and we prayed and our friends prayed that he would have God's favor, Psalm 5:12 when talking to the agent. I even went so far as to ask God to give Roy an amiable agent and God answered that prayer. We were able to file our return and have the IRS validate and stamp every piece of paper that the bank might be interested in, most especially the ID Theft form. But, in the review of the loan papers we signed last night, several pages hadn't printed correctly, so we hadn't really signed everything. So I reprinted and resigned them and drove downtown to give them to Roy. He knew they all were to be signature pages, so as I drove around and he talked to Kent, we were finally able to get back to his office building where he went in and reprinted the forms. I hung out in the commercial parking lane, with the emergency flashers on...because you know those flashing lights tell the story of I'm not really parking here, I am just passing through. Once again, if I only owned an orange cone, I would have it made. Everyone obeys the orange cone. Roy called and I circled around and met him in another commercial parking zone where I signed and he reviewed pages. He was satisfied that we had it right this time, so I was free to go meet friends and he was free to go back to the office. I think in the long run, I got the better end of the deal.
All this hustle and bustle made me late for the surprise luncheon Paige had planned for Jason to help celebrate his birthday month. This was a special invite, only his former associates and admins came. I believe I still hold the record for working the longest for him and only quit because of my heart issues. I was able to get there for the last part and I brought him some Three Brother's Bakery cookies for his road trip to Dallas this afternoon to be there for his father's heart procedure tomorrow.
Roy just called and our closing date has moved from the 15th till???? We don't know yet, but it takes five business days for the loan application to be reviewed. Monday is a holiday, so it will be six business days. Hopefully this will work with the seller's schedule and it gives her a little more time, which she had wanted. She and I have been having a delightful email conversation these past few weeks. Peggy W told me on FB the camels that live just a few pastures over area Asian camels...yehaw or ah so....I think they are beautiful. Kate also sent pictures of the bison that live on a farm in the area and there are some blond bison. How cool is that?
The stuff that needs to be done before Chris comes tomorrow is calling out to me and I am not responding yet. Maybe Roy will help me with a few things....
This spiritual cold I have, since I got it at the women's retreat, needs to run it's course quickly. It is now past sore throat and into cough and runny nose. Is it bad to take expired cold medicine? Well if it is wrong, I don't want to be right. I just want to be better. And where are the tissue boxes? Maybe Roy can shed some light on their location when he gets home. We agree on a lot but placement of goods is not one of our better agreeing points.
Today was an adventure day. This whole house thing takes many dips and turns in the course of getting to closing. The original lender decided the false tax return was the truth and stopped the process. The past few days we have been signing and resigning and initialing here, here and here till we both have writers cramp. Today, Roy was the first in line for the IRS office and we prayed and our friends prayed that he would have God's favor, Psalm 5:12 when talking to the agent. I even went so far as to ask God to give Roy an amiable agent and God answered that prayer. We were able to file our return and have the IRS validate and stamp every piece of paper that the bank might be interested in, most especially the ID Theft form. But, in the review of the loan papers we signed last night, several pages hadn't printed correctly, so we hadn't really signed everything. So I reprinted and resigned them and drove downtown to give them to Roy. He knew they all were to be signature pages, so as I drove around and he talked to Kent, we were finally able to get back to his office building where he went in and reprinted the forms. I hung out in the commercial parking lane, with the emergency flashers on...because you know those flashing lights tell the story of I'm not really parking here, I am just passing through. Once again, if I only owned an orange cone, I would have it made. Everyone obeys the orange cone. Roy called and I circled around and met him in another commercial parking zone where I signed and he reviewed pages. He was satisfied that we had it right this time, so I was free to go meet friends and he was free to go back to the office. I think in the long run, I got the better end of the deal.
All this hustle and bustle made me late for the surprise luncheon Paige had planned for Jason to help celebrate his birthday month. This was a special invite, only his former associates and admins came. I believe I still hold the record for working the longest for him and only quit because of my heart issues. I was able to get there for the last part and I brought him some Three Brother's Bakery cookies for his road trip to Dallas this afternoon to be there for his father's heart procedure tomorrow.
Roy just called and our closing date has moved from the 15th till???? We don't know yet, but it takes five business days for the loan application to be reviewed. Monday is a holiday, so it will be six business days. Hopefully this will work with the seller's schedule and it gives her a little more time, which she had wanted. She and I have been having a delightful email conversation these past few weeks. Peggy W told me on FB the camels that live just a few pastures over area Asian camels...yehaw or ah so....I think they are beautiful. Kate also sent pictures of the bison that live on a farm in the area and there are some blond bison. How cool is that?
The stuff that needs to be done before Chris comes tomorrow is calling out to me and I am not responding yet. Maybe Roy will help me with a few things....
Too Much Formula
Besides a good Word and time with friends, I brought something else home from the women's retreat. No not the candle, because I totally forgot mine on the table Friday night...nope I think a cold has come home with me and it is not welcomed here. After a vigorous clean out of the guest bedroom yesterday, I lost all energy, began to feel the scratchy throat and a little bit of a runny nose. So to work on stopping it in its tracks and I hope my early defense will do the work.
I am up early this morning and started working on Luke homework since I am a tad behind this week. A verse totally jumped off the page and landed right in the good old heart, "At this time a message from God came to John, son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness." There seems to be so many in my circle of friends, including me, who are 'at this time' in the wilderness. Years ago our Sunday School class had a teacher that included the wilderness in her every lesson because she seemed to think that is where she lived, all the time, in the wilderness. Each lesson had sufficient unto itself lots and lots of sadness and spiritual stiff upper lipping but no victory, no this is what we learn from this time...because she was there all the time in the wilderness of her mind and had nothing to contrast a life of living in spite of circumstances, looking forward in victory. Her view seemed to be usually the blast from the past view. Right now I am fighting to find why wilderness, why now? But this morning...A message from God to John, son of Zechariah.... God knows who we are, what we have come from family-wise, and He knows where we are living. Such great hope! It seems to me, not a biblical scholar, that when John came out of the wilderness to preach, he brought some of his wilderness with him, mainly his clothes and choice of food, but when God had a word for him, a message, John left the wilderness and went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan preaching that people should be baptized to show they had repented of their sins and turned to God.
I am up early this morning and started working on Luke homework since I am a tad behind this week. A verse totally jumped off the page and landed right in the good old heart, "At this time a message from God came to John, son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness." There seems to be so many in my circle of friends, including me, who are 'at this time' in the wilderness. Years ago our Sunday School class had a teacher that included the wilderness in her every lesson because she seemed to think that is where she lived, all the time, in the wilderness. Each lesson had sufficient unto itself lots and lots of sadness and spiritual stiff upper lipping but no victory, no this is what we learn from this time...because she was there all the time in the wilderness of her mind and had nothing to contrast a life of living in spite of circumstances, looking forward in victory. Her view seemed to be usually the blast from the past view. Right now I am fighting to find why wilderness, why now? But this morning...A message from God to John, son of Zechariah.... God knows who we are, what we have come from family-wise, and He knows where we are living. Such great hope! It seems to me, not a biblical scholar, that when John came out of the wilderness to preach, he brought some of his wilderness with him, mainly his clothes and choice of food, but when God had a word for him, a message, John left the wilderness and went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan preaching that people should be baptized to show they had repented of their sins and turned to God.
Monday, I decided to tackle the ol' to be read pile of books. Before leaving for the month away in Asheville, I had started a book by an author of whom I have read before. Her earlier books were interesting with a good thematic thread, but the past few books have been more formula....more formula than John Grisham or Nicholas Sparks. Whatever story came first since I have read out of order the formula is this, four friends whose friendship is formed at college during the 60's. One has a secret, one seems to have it all together, one is an 'easy' girl and the other one is trying to find and make a way through the tremendous weight of naivety. They go through college together, stand with one another when there is a family crisis, in all the books I've read it is a distant mother and a loving father who divorce and it is the mother's fault the marriage has fallen apart, and all other life disruptions. They scatter to the four winds after college promising each other they will stay in contact. They don't and with little contact only to be brought back together by a reunion or a desperate situation. As I read yesterday afternoon all the above came to me because it seemed so familiar....I put the book down, there is too many other books of interest to read. Another book donated to KCM or Goodwill.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Mostly Monday
Sometimes when skipping around Sirius, I stop for a bit on the 60's and then the 70's music stations. So many times while running errands or going to the next stop on the list, a song will come up in the rotation and in a split second I can see the moment and where I was when the song playing made an impact upon me. Strangely enough, I can also feel the song in place and time. Songs like Cherish, at a boy/girl dance party, Jumping Jack Flash...playing the 45 on my record player in my room complete with dance moves and uncontrollable jumping, although not on the bed...severe punishment broke me of that habit after only one experience. Sometimes an oldie goldie from early Christian Contemporary affects me like secular music from the 60's and 70's but it is a rare occurrence. This weekend when I heard that Paul Revere, from Paul Revere and the Raiders, had died at the age of 76 and in my mind I was immediately transferred back to my bedroom with the wall of Paul Revere and the Raiders posters. Each night I kissed Mark Lindsey on a poster goodnight, because he was just so cute. Kind of embarrassing to admit now but while I am sharing I will also admit to entering a contest to win a date with Davey Jones of the Monkees when I was in the 7th grade. Little did I know I would tower over him in height if my essay had won the contest.
If I ever come home with more crafty stuff for artful journaling, I may just kick myself. Good grief, I have more stuff that I can ever use. This is a new past time for me so it came after the purging I did of stuff when we moved out here to Rancho De Five. I want some of this to go to our Alex House, that's what we call our home in NC, but storage is a bit more limited there than here. On a good note I found three candles that are mulled cider fragrance and that is just about one of my all time favorite scents. So I believe the house is going to be fragrance filled with the aroma of fall, even though it feels and looks like summer outdoors. My postcard collection was in one of the boxes, so those are always fun to go through. It felt like snack time, so this is the break time for apple slices and blogging some more. I'm gathering together journals I have bought and never used. I haven't even hit the mother lode out in the casita bedroom.
This afternoon we never had much rain but lots and lots of wind. In the midst of all that wind the power went out. This is the first time I have been home when the power goes out and the generator kicks in. It was really nice but kind of noisy but I am not complaining, a natural gas generator running the electricity for about an hour is something to be thankful for.
On a sad note, earlier today I heard a bird hit a window. We hear it enough but usually the bird is stunned and groggily makes its way to the air. Not today, I heard the bang but didn't realize until I went out the front door later, that the little dove had survived the impact. Peggy told me to call her when a dove does this and I texted her but she's not in the mood to fix dinner. So Roy, gets to have this lovely job when he gets home. I am sitting here crying because I am watching a lone dove look for its mate. It is more than the usual dove head bobbing, it is a bird going here and there looking and when another dove flies near, it cranes its head to see if it is their little love bird. I can't believe I am crying over this...I better move to another room so my tears can dry.
If I ever come home with more crafty stuff for artful journaling, I may just kick myself. Good grief, I have more stuff that I can ever use. This is a new past time for me so it came after the purging I did of stuff when we moved out here to Rancho De Five. I want some of this to go to our Alex House, that's what we call our home in NC, but storage is a bit more limited there than here. On a good note I found three candles that are mulled cider fragrance and that is just about one of my all time favorite scents. So I believe the house is going to be fragrance filled with the aroma of fall, even though it feels and looks like summer outdoors. My postcard collection was in one of the boxes, so those are always fun to go through. It felt like snack time, so this is the break time for apple slices and blogging some more. I'm gathering together journals I have bought and never used. I haven't even hit the mother lode out in the casita bedroom.
This afternoon we never had much rain but lots and lots of wind. In the midst of all that wind the power went out. This is the first time I have been home when the power goes out and the generator kicks in. It was really nice but kind of noisy but I am not complaining, a natural gas generator running the electricity for about an hour is something to be thankful for.
On a sad note, earlier today I heard a bird hit a window. We hear it enough but usually the bird is stunned and groggily makes its way to the air. Not today, I heard the bang but didn't realize until I went out the front door later, that the little dove had survived the impact. Peggy told me to call her when a dove does this and I texted her but she's not in the mood to fix dinner. So Roy, gets to have this lovely job when he gets home. I am sitting here crying because I am watching a lone dove look for its mate. It is more than the usual dove head bobbing, it is a bird going here and there looking and when another dove flies near, it cranes its head to see if it is their little love bird. I can't believe I am crying over this...I better move to another room so my tears can dry.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Quiet Sunday
Good Sunday morning! It must be due to the fact I went to bed at 8:30 last night that has offered the opportunity to arise so early this morning. The college football world was shaken up yesterday with top teams tumbling down. LSU is in a rebuilding year. The game was a total opposite of last year when Nick Marshall had the deer in the headlights look with all the noise in Death Valley. Brandon Harris had the same look at Auburn this year. Baylor beat Texas so the day wasn't a total washout football wise for us. Oh and Alabama lost...that is a cause to celebrate anytime that happens.
Another women's retreat is in the books. It had something for everyone, lots of laughs, sentimental tears for those who love to cry, great worship music, a powerful message from Kelly Matte and Debbie Stewart brought the Word in a powerful and funny way. Laughter and joy are change agents for the heart...it is biblical, good like a medicine. And when laughter and fun have opened the heart, the heart accepts the truth it needs to hear and the seed planted is not soon lost to the cares of this world. I only got caught in one surprise table talk thing but for once I wasn't at the table with someone strange and odd who ruins the whole experience. For me, the Word I heard confirmed the changes that are on the horizon and just like the Chariots of Fire guy, I felt God's pleasure in His confirmation of life ahead. Thank goodness I didn't have to run like the Chariots of Fire guy to know God's pleasure.
Dang, nobody told me that the word sweet was going to be replaced by the word amazing at the retreat. I can't complain, I will take amazing over non descriptive sweet any day of the week.
After church we ate at Goode Company and made our usual stop at The Fresh Market. Loaded up with meals for the week we came on home. We are having a quiet Sunday afternoon and Roy just left to go go Lifetime and Sprouts. My knees are recovering from wearing a shoe with a slight heal to church. This week as I go through shoes, I'm going to keep my mamaw flat shoes and give away all the rest. My niece is claiming a pair of my cool boots. Yep, it has come to this day....all flats and tennis shoes. Asheville is such an eclectic area you can wear just about anything and fit in...I am so looking forward to that freedom. It is also that time of year when my usual uniform of linen gives way to winter wear, except there isn't any winter around here, so there are the awkward few weeks of what goes in this season wear. Of course there is always the go to of black pants, skirt or dress with a jean jacket, my winter standby.
Several books and projects are waiting on me and guess I should begin my Bible study homework sometime....
Another women's retreat is in the books. It had something for everyone, lots of laughs, sentimental tears for those who love to cry, great worship music, a powerful message from Kelly Matte and Debbie Stewart brought the Word in a powerful and funny way. Laughter and joy are change agents for the heart...it is biblical, good like a medicine. And when laughter and fun have opened the heart, the heart accepts the truth it needs to hear and the seed planted is not soon lost to the cares of this world. I only got caught in one surprise table talk thing but for once I wasn't at the table with someone strange and odd who ruins the whole experience. For me, the Word I heard confirmed the changes that are on the horizon and just like the Chariots of Fire guy, I felt God's pleasure in His confirmation of life ahead. Thank goodness I didn't have to run like the Chariots of Fire guy to know God's pleasure.
Dang, nobody told me that the word sweet was going to be replaced by the word amazing at the retreat. I can't complain, I will take amazing over non descriptive sweet any day of the week.
After church we ate at Goode Company and made our usual stop at The Fresh Market. Loaded up with meals for the week we came on home. We are having a quiet Sunday afternoon and Roy just left to go go Lifetime and Sprouts. My knees are recovering from wearing a shoe with a slight heal to church. This week as I go through shoes, I'm going to keep my mamaw flat shoes and give away all the rest. My niece is claiming a pair of my cool boots. Yep, it has come to this day....all flats and tennis shoes. Asheville is such an eclectic area you can wear just about anything and fit in...I am so looking forward to that freedom. It is also that time of year when my usual uniform of linen gives way to winter wear, except there isn't any winter around here, so there are the awkward few weeks of what goes in this season wear. Of course there is always the go to of black pants, skirt or dress with a jean jacket, my winter standby.
Several books and projects are waiting on me and guess I should begin my Bible study homework sometime....
Friday, October 3, 2014
A Process-Righting a Heart and a House
Friday morning...it's beautiful. From all reports the weather is going to be fall-bulous this weekend. Thus I will be scooting out early of the Women's Retreat this weekend.... I hadn't planned on going and had turned down several roommate invites, but I was persuaded to attend while relaxing on my sabbatical. I will be a glass half full kind of woman and think about the things I like about retreats because there are a few like seeing friends and I do like hearing the speaker for this weekend. But retreats are mini versions of going to the Holy Land...you are up early, stay up late and have a million things crammed into the rest of the time and it isn't till you get home and think on these things that you truly appreciate what and where you have been. It would be fun to play a drinking game at this weekend's retreat...having to drink a shot of something, Diet Coke, water or coffee every time the word sweet is used. Ugh...it is the least descriptive go to word in women's ministry or used by women in general.
Happily I am able to write that my heart has seemed to go back into rhythm. Around 5:30 yesterday morning I stopped feeling the jumping and vibrating in my chest. Throughout the day I could tell it was not all the way back and it wouldn't take much for it to jump out again, so I took it easy. Because I feel like I have run a marathon, without the benefit of burning calories, I stayed home from Bible study and I really don't like having to miss CBS. But I texted my core group leader and Peggy to let them know...and I went back to bed. In the afternoon I worked in my closet again but no heavy lifting. This morning Roy has ten bags of clothes for KCM that he will drop off today for me.
While trying to maintain yesterday, the world of buying a house was a roller coaster world. Back in May we found that someone had tried to file on our tax return for the refund. Ha ha....the joke is on them because we owed money. Now if they are willing to pay that for us, well...isn't that sweet. Gulp a shot of hot coffee.... At the time Roy called the IRS and they told him what to include when he filed the return. This $56,000 kept showing up as income to our lender as they pulled financial records and now we know what it is; it is the amount that the fraudulent filer used as income hoping for our return to be deposited in their account. So on one of the most stress-filled days for Roy at the office and in my quest to keep everything in beat, we calmly approached and discussed everything with each other and the parties involved in the process. I think we have answered and provided proof for everyone involved but Roy has all the records with him and is prepared to go to the IRS this afternoon to get the situation resolved for progress to continue. I can say in all honesty this morning I have never been so glad to have to pay taxes in all my life. In doing research yesterday I found out this is the wave of the future in theft. One official said this is why the statistics for street crime goes down, because filing on tax returns is easier and can be done from home. For every ten fraudulent returns filed, they are hoping for one to bingo for them. Most of the SS numbers filed for returns are taken by tax preparers or stolen from patients in nursing homes and from people in prison.
With this feeling of fall in the air, I cannot help but think this time next year I will be in fall heaven. Kate, the seller, described the maple trees in the view from the house in an email this week.
Now I need to go look at what I'm wearing this evening. Casual for sure, something I can easily take off and not have to embarrass myself with my flabby arms or keep on because hotel ballrooms are either hot or cold. Half empty/half full/isn't that sweet/why did I say I would go? Oh yes, to have fun with friends and to hear God's Word. All the rest is just fodder for a blog post in the future....I mean a topic for the future.
Happily I am able to write that my heart has seemed to go back into rhythm. Around 5:30 yesterday morning I stopped feeling the jumping and vibrating in my chest. Throughout the day I could tell it was not all the way back and it wouldn't take much for it to jump out again, so I took it easy. Because I feel like I have run a marathon, without the benefit of burning calories, I stayed home from Bible study and I really don't like having to miss CBS. But I texted my core group leader and Peggy to let them know...and I went back to bed. In the afternoon I worked in my closet again but no heavy lifting. This morning Roy has ten bags of clothes for KCM that he will drop off today for me.
While trying to maintain yesterday, the world of buying a house was a roller coaster world. Back in May we found that someone had tried to file on our tax return for the refund. Ha ha....the joke is on them because we owed money. Now if they are willing to pay that for us, well...isn't that sweet. Gulp a shot of hot coffee.... At the time Roy called the IRS and they told him what to include when he filed the return. This $56,000 kept showing up as income to our lender as they pulled financial records and now we know what it is; it is the amount that the fraudulent filer used as income hoping for our return to be deposited in their account. So on one of the most stress-filled days for Roy at the office and in my quest to keep everything in beat, we calmly approached and discussed everything with each other and the parties involved in the process. I think we have answered and provided proof for everyone involved but Roy has all the records with him and is prepared to go to the IRS this afternoon to get the situation resolved for progress to continue. I can say in all honesty this morning I have never been so glad to have to pay taxes in all my life. In doing research yesterday I found out this is the wave of the future in theft. One official said this is why the statistics for street crime goes down, because filing on tax returns is easier and can be done from home. For every ten fraudulent returns filed, they are hoping for one to bingo for them. Most of the SS numbers filed for returns are taken by tax preparers or stolen from patients in nursing homes and from people in prison.
With this feeling of fall in the air, I cannot help but think this time next year I will be in fall heaven. Kate, the seller, described the maple trees in the view from the house in an email this week.
Now I need to go look at what I'm wearing this evening. Casual for sure, something I can easily take off and not have to embarrass myself with my flabby arms or keep on because hotel ballrooms are either hot or cold. Half empty/half full/isn't that sweet/why did I say I would go? Oh yes, to have fun with friends and to hear God's Word. All the rest is just fodder for a blog post in the future....I mean a topic for the future.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Up Late and Out of Rhythm
It is 1:45 am and I have been asleep for a while but the irregular beat of my heart woke me up. Dang! Was it the heat yesterday? Was it overdoing it with the boxes? Or is it the stress I tried not to experience from the whole boxes from my father debacle? Who knows? Could be a combination of all three or it just could be the little episodes that happen from time to time. It has been since April since the last episode. So, I got up and prayed and now I am writing on the blog trying to get my heart settled down and back into a normal rhythm.
Yesterday, I spent time cleaning out my side of the closet. It is almost, but not quite time to do the whole seasonal rearranging of clothes but it seemed like a good idea to get some of my linen pants stored away for next spring. Apparently, I have a lot of linen pants but actually, I keep wearing the same ones over and over. More times than not all the Flax I own has been purchased on sale but I was a little taken back how many pairs of Flax linen pants I have in a variety of colors and neutrals. I also discovered I have way too many pairs of black jeans. How did that happen? Another brand I try to buy on sale is CJ Cookie Johnson jeans. They are long enough so I can wear boots with them in the winter. Yes, the bane of my tall life has been from the beginning, pants long enough to wear heels and boots and not have the high water pants look. Fortunately now that can be the style but my high heel days are in the past. The drawback to CJ jeans is most of them are a low rise jean...which means for this non low rise body that shirts I wear with those jeans have to be long enough to cover my continental divide. Then I found that NYDJ brand jeans had a higher rise and since I am not as tall as I used to be, they work length-wise. Funny, with CJ jeans I had to wear Not Your Daughters Underwear...meaning not my usual kind but with NYDJ, what I wear is just fine....and no I do not wear granny panties. Haute Look, Rue La La and My Habit will run online deals for NYDJ and I think I got so excited to find $120.00 jeans for $35.00, I ordered without really thinking or looking at my closet. So this winter if you see me in black jeans all the time, the chances are good they are not the same pair I am wearing over and over and over again. While I am confessing, I have too many pairs of regular jeans too.
Of course I know where this whole way too many clothes thing comes from...of course childhood. But I need to grip on things. I have made a lot of progress over the years but I need to get a better handle on this. Of course I could justify all the jeans because, you know, now I am wearing for two...different homes....no, I didn't think it would fly. On a positive note Katy Christian Ministries is getting lots and lots of stuff.
Maybe my heart is out of rhythm thinking of all these linen pants and black jeans?
Yesterday, I spent time cleaning out my side of the closet. It is almost, but not quite time to do the whole seasonal rearranging of clothes but it seemed like a good idea to get some of my linen pants stored away for next spring. Apparently, I have a lot of linen pants but actually, I keep wearing the same ones over and over. More times than not all the Flax I own has been purchased on sale but I was a little taken back how many pairs of Flax linen pants I have in a variety of colors and neutrals. I also discovered I have way too many pairs of black jeans. How did that happen? Another brand I try to buy on sale is CJ Cookie Johnson jeans. They are long enough so I can wear boots with them in the winter. Yes, the bane of my tall life has been from the beginning, pants long enough to wear heels and boots and not have the high water pants look. Fortunately now that can be the style but my high heel days are in the past. The drawback to CJ jeans is most of them are a low rise jean...which means for this non low rise body that shirts I wear with those jeans have to be long enough to cover my continental divide. Then I found that NYDJ brand jeans had a higher rise and since I am not as tall as I used to be, they work length-wise. Funny, with CJ jeans I had to wear Not Your Daughters Underwear...meaning not my usual kind but with NYDJ, what I wear is just fine....and no I do not wear granny panties. Haute Look, Rue La La and My Habit will run online deals for NYDJ and I think I got so excited to find $120.00 jeans for $35.00, I ordered without really thinking or looking at my closet. So this winter if you see me in black jeans all the time, the chances are good they are not the same pair I am wearing over and over and over again. While I am confessing, I have too many pairs of regular jeans too.
Of course I know where this whole way too many clothes thing comes from...of course childhood. But I need to grip on things. I have made a lot of progress over the years but I need to get a better handle on this. Of course I could justify all the jeans because, you know, now I am wearing for two...different homes....no, I didn't think it would fly. On a positive note Katy Christian Ministries is getting lots and lots of stuff.
Maybe my heart is out of rhythm thinking of all these linen pants and black jeans?
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
What's Up Wednesday?
The morning has the look of the Smokey Mountains but has the temps and feel of summer in Texas. I'm thankful to be in an air conditioned home which combats the summer feel. October 1st, somewhere in the world people are experiencing fall.
I need to finish up Luke homework today. Just have day 5 to complete. Chapter 2 begins with such assurance in the heart of Mary and we know via Matthew in the heart of Joseph but by the end of the chapter, they have lost Jesus. They retrace their steps back to the Temple and find Him there. I love the joke about this from the play Late Night Catechism; the reason we don't hear of know anything about Jesus from age 12 to age 30 is....Mary so grounded Him. I wonder if by age 12 Mary and Joseph thought Jesus was going to be the Messiah that frees them from the oppressive world of the Romans and not remembering the big picture....who knows? Well God does, but once again CBS has created a wonderful study.
It's all about staying in parameters and I forget sometimes that if I go outside of the parameters...I stop feeling so good. Yesterday, I took a walk on the wild side...I became a parameter perp while moving large boxes that had been delivered yesterday and left by the front gate. Two of the boxes, desks for the Alex house, were not too bad but the last box of library inspired bookcase shelving, did me in, even using a hand truck or dolly....whatever they are called. My fear was fainting and the shelves falling down on me. I barely got the heavy, awkwardly long box into the garage and I struggled to find something to lean on while gathering my wits and strength. Also, I would like to mention the beads of sweat streaming down my forehead and into my eyes brought back PTSD of the Bataan Death March of Chattanooga in 1999. It took the rest of the afternoon and evening to recover but happy to report I awoke this morning bruised from woman-handling boxes but I woke up refreshed and back into parameter living, with a heartbeat in rhythm.
Since the Dr isn't in on Saturday and neither is either one of the cat whisperers, I took Buddy today for her mani/pedi. She wasn't all that happy about it. This morning I quietly closed the guest bedroom door where she will sleep and it makes it nearly impossible for me to get to her under the bed. Mission accomplished. She was fascinated with the birds today, so it was easy peasy picking her up and putting her into her crate.
As things are getting closer to closing, it is so much nicer having Roy talk to all these people and not be cc'd on many of these emails. It is getting down to the last technical portion of everything but my part in all this has already started in some ways. As we think about what stays and what goes, I am also using the opportunity to clear out closets and drawers. It is amazing the amount of stuff we have accumulated in three years. When we moved from the condo to the prairie, we had done a huge purge of things. Of course this isn't a total move but you think through things that you don't want to have double of, and of course there are those things you have to have double of, but it will soon be time to go through books and the like.
We got the measurements for the bonus room and the family room. So now I'll wait to see what Sandra and Fay put together. I think we should go smaller on the couch and chair in the bonus room so that Roy can have the other things in his man cave that he wants. The entrance to the room is about 7 feet long and 6 feet wide. We like how the seller has a recumbent bike in some of that space, so we will duplicate the look.
So that's what's up on a Wednesday. I finished my homework and packed away clothes for the spring in the Appalachians...so it's all good.
I need to finish up Luke homework today. Just have day 5 to complete. Chapter 2 begins with such assurance in the heart of Mary and we know via Matthew in the heart of Joseph but by the end of the chapter, they have lost Jesus. They retrace their steps back to the Temple and find Him there. I love the joke about this from the play Late Night Catechism; the reason we don't hear of know anything about Jesus from age 12 to age 30 is....Mary so grounded Him. I wonder if by age 12 Mary and Joseph thought Jesus was going to be the Messiah that frees them from the oppressive world of the Romans and not remembering the big picture....who knows? Well God does, but once again CBS has created a wonderful study.
It's all about staying in parameters and I forget sometimes that if I go outside of the parameters...I stop feeling so good. Yesterday, I took a walk on the wild side...I became a parameter perp while moving large boxes that had been delivered yesterday and left by the front gate. Two of the boxes, desks for the Alex house, were not too bad but the last box of library inspired bookcase shelving, did me in, even using a hand truck or dolly....whatever they are called. My fear was fainting and the shelves falling down on me. I barely got the heavy, awkwardly long box into the garage and I struggled to find something to lean on while gathering my wits and strength. Also, I would like to mention the beads of sweat streaming down my forehead and into my eyes brought back PTSD of the Bataan Death March of Chattanooga in 1999. It took the rest of the afternoon and evening to recover but happy to report I awoke this morning bruised from woman-handling boxes but I woke up refreshed and back into parameter living, with a heartbeat in rhythm.
Since the Dr isn't in on Saturday and neither is either one of the cat whisperers, I took Buddy today for her mani/pedi. She wasn't all that happy about it. This morning I quietly closed the guest bedroom door where she will sleep and it makes it nearly impossible for me to get to her under the bed. Mission accomplished. She was fascinated with the birds today, so it was easy peasy picking her up and putting her into her crate.
As things are getting closer to closing, it is so much nicer having Roy talk to all these people and not be cc'd on many of these emails. It is getting down to the last technical portion of everything but my part in all this has already started in some ways. As we think about what stays and what goes, I am also using the opportunity to clear out closets and drawers. It is amazing the amount of stuff we have accumulated in three years. When we moved from the condo to the prairie, we had done a huge purge of things. Of course this isn't a total move but you think through things that you don't want to have double of, and of course there are those things you have to have double of, but it will soon be time to go through books and the like.
We got the measurements for the bonus room and the family room. So now I'll wait to see what Sandra and Fay put together. I think we should go smaller on the couch and chair in the bonus room so that Roy can have the other things in his man cave that he wants. The entrance to the room is about 7 feet long and 6 feet wide. We like how the seller has a recumbent bike in some of that space, so we will duplicate the look.
So that's what's up on a Wednesday. I finished my homework and packed away clothes for the spring in the Appalachians...so it's all good.
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