New Furniture!

REAL new furniture... virgin cushions that have seated none but our behinds! It is so exciting!

Himself and I went to Sam Levitz and bought a SET (I pushed for a set - loveseat and 3-seater couch) and they both have 2 recliners! (So that means 4 recliners in all :-) The love seat has a middle bit for storage of remotes etc... and a little tray. It's a 'aged-worn' brown Micro-fiber that we're having master-stain dipped, and, knowing how hard we are on the furniture, we bought the lifetime (10 year) recliner parts replacement deal.

We're going to get rid of two chairs (which I really love but they're way past their prime...), keep another comfy chair for the spare room, and himself has ordered a ceiling mount thingey for the projector. He built two additional shelves in the front closet, and we're slowly getting the laundry room so that it will hold spare kitchen appliances that we love but don't use very often.

Once we get the dining room table cleared off (this week), I want to get out the sewing machine (gasp!) and make some curtains... still not clear on what color scheme I'm going to go for in the living room -- we originally were going for a Movie House theme -- we have a couple movie-themed things that go on the wall, and we bought some classic movie posters, but I'm not sure...

When I get the Christmas Tree down (!) I'll really feel like we're moving along. I think the Christmas stuff is going to go out in himself's shed for the time being, until another shed can be built for a workshop for him. I have concern about Christmas stuff being outside in the summer...

Nothing like have people over to get your house in order!

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The trip to California was worth it. Giving my mom and myself a chance to hang out without our husbands.

I'm finally really angry at the entire house situation, and at how it has turned out. Mom's house hasn't sold yet, and L allowed the price to be reduced by $10,000 -- and they had an Open House on Sunday (don't know how that went yet), and we're really crossing our fingers it won't sell and she can rent it.

There's a lot going on there that isn't really for blogland, so please keep us in your prayers and good thoughts.

Mark Gungor ~ Laugh Yourself to a Better Marriage

You have to watch this -- 5:27 worth of funny funny truths.

I'm Back

Very Sleepy after the 12+ hour drive from San Jose to Cave Creek yesterday...

So thankful it worked out that I could go out for Uncle Bob's memorial.... seeing family, singing with other family at the funeral.... whipping my sister, brother and cousin in Hearts (only 'cuz I play the computer version every once in awhile...).

More later... home safe and sound and while very tired, I'm very thankful I was able to be a part of this gathering... and so very blessed and thankful to be a part of this amazing family.

Owwwww and *sniff sniff*

Well, my tooth extraction today turned out to be a "two for one" -- in that I got to skip 3 months of between time waiting 'cuz I got the post in the same day the tooth came out... er... disintegrated.

I still have 3 months for the implant to heal before getting the crown to cover the gaping hole... but it doesn't look any worse than it did before, which is good.

So that was the owwww. And yes, I've taken a percocet.


In other news that hurts, my great-uncle passed away yesterday. My late nana's brother, he was 89, and it is a miracle he lived as long as he did. He was affectionately known as SOB (Sweet Ol' Bob) and he will be missed. A large gaping hole will be in our family where he once stood as patriarch. He organized family reunions that kept the family together and are significant in my older-childhood memories, and his daughter is one of my favorite cousins. I cried buckets last night at work when I got the email that the doctor had said it was not good, and it turns out he passed away at 6:45 pm last night, right when I was in the flurry of tears.

Himself and I have the leather chair that was his a long time ago, and
it is kinda cool to have something of his in our house. He had a big booming voice, even when his health had declined so tremendously, and would call me "Carrie-Me-Back" (to old Virginie, I believe is the song...). He was punctual, a staunch Republican, traveled extensively with his wife and sometimes with his family; he was loyal, demanding and a force to be reckoned with. He was a pilot during WWII, and he and his wife dated two weeks before getting married back in 1945. He grew up poor, son of an Oklahoma sharecropper, and has written quite a bit about life with his 6 brothers and sisters during the depression - think "Grapes of Wrath."

I just accidentally deleted a memory of a long time ago... perhaps I'll write it again later.

A good man has passed away...

I've talked to me dad a couple times -- finally told him the 'drama that is my life' story, talked to my sister, and have talked to mom about driving out to N. California for the funeral.

There is so much going on at work right now though -- crucial things that need to happen that I'm in the center of or co-ordinating that I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to go. It will depend on how much I can get done tomorrow and Saturday afternoon after the TGC Auditions.

Not going to the memorial makes me feel ill.

A part of me knows it will be the last time I see branches and leaves of this part of my family tree... sad doesn't really adequately describe how that feels.

This is me and SOB in April 2005 ~ at he and CJ's 60th wedding anniversary. That wasn't the last time I saw him, but that was a great night of memories with the family.

A Story worth stealing (and posting on my blog from someone elses...)

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups -- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “Notice that all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it is just more expensive, and, in some cases, even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups, and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; your job, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The type of cup one has does not define, nor change, the quality of life a person lives. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”

hrmph

Went to bed at 10:30 -- almost asleep when himself came in at 11:30 -- could NOT go back to sleep -- got up and watched M*A*S*H reruns until 2:00 am.

So much for the grand "go to bed early and get up and be productive" plans!

Yeah Yeah.... make plans and God Laughs.

"Not Funny" as I used to say to my mom when she'd laugh at my 4 or 5 year old tribulations!

Busy Day Before Going Back To Work!

I got up early -- did dishes, loaded the dishwasher, turned it on AND emptied it all in the same day. This is a miracle, truly.

I emptied five boxes, arranged things in and on my craft shelves, went to Target to return the food processor that was missing a part, made meatloaf & broccoli with the last of the Christmas mashed potatoes (yummy), and even had bread and salad. AND made another meatloaf, uncooked which is in the freezer. AND cooked the rest of the ground beef and made taco meat.

I washed most of the dishes (I should really be 'shining my sink' a la Flylady... but my feet are killing me and I'm exhausted!), and looked at my "to do" list tomorrow -- which starts the beginning of my routine.

I resist routine -- in a big big way -- it rarely disguises itself as fun, and is usually something you have to 'get through' in order to get to the fun stuff. And I'm all about fun. [sidenote: I got one of those emails tonight that says should eat ice cream, don't put things off, spend time gazing at a butterfly's erratic flight through the flowers etc... well, I don't have a problem putting things off and spending time daydreaming, taking time to chat over coffee, tea and whatever fattening goody I fancy. My issue is being self-disciplined... following through. I'm so easily distracted by things that are more fun than swiffering my floors, picking up dog poop and emptying the garbarge!]

It is now 10:06 pm -- time to go to sleep so I can get up and accomplish most of what is on my list for my "morning routine."

Watching Movies...

Himself and I watched the original Sci-Fi channel's mini-series "Tin Man" last night (I love TiVo!) and it was quite good... Both himself and I love Alan Cumming (though he reminds me of a Scottish Pee Wee Herman), and I like Neal McDonough.

Tonight we watched "The Flying Scotsman" about Graeme Osbree, who achieved a variety of bicycle world records in the 90's. It also stars Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings) -- if you like Scottish accents and a good story - be sure and see it.

Today I talked to a number of family and friends I've not talked to in awhile, and started the initial stages of planning a "Quilters" (& Friends) Reunion in 2010 - 20 years after we performed the show at Pepperdine. For many reasons it was one of the best shows the Theatre Department ever put on -- and if it is done wrong, it could be slow and boring and suck, but the 7 of us who did it bonded in ways we never imagined, and the entire experience (which I almost missed out on) has become one of the most 'impactful' (I don't think that is a real word, but it's late and I'm being lazy) on me and my life.

One more day to do whatever I want, then back to work!