Are we having fun yet?

We are remodeling the kitchen and it is every bit as stressful and aggravating as I heard it would be.

Finding what amounted to a hole in the kitchen ceiling almost under the washing machine upstairs was the last thing we expected. It had been sort of covered up, and TR and K found it when they removed a section of ceiling drywall to repair a spot caused by a leak. Once upon a time there was a stairwell in the kitchen and when it was removed (or fell down?!?) someone took a piece of paneling and nailed it over the hole. So the joists weren't attached to anything in the area.

So we freaked out and started calling contractors. This time of year is very busy for people who build things. The only contractor polite enough to call back and ask about our problem immediately came over and freaked out too!

He gave us several options and a price that seemed fair and showed up exactly when he said he would with his crew and had the whole kitchen ceiling down, joists repaired, drywall up and mudded in two days.

We were so impressed that we asked him about our porch which has been slowly falling to pieces until this summer when the process accelerated a whole big bunch.

Took his crew two days to practically rebuild one whole end of the porch, paint everything and thank us very politely for hiring them. I am so impressed by this young man and his crew.

Anyway all that slowed down our kitchen remodel. I have kitchen cabinets in boxes waiting to be put together and a new floor to put down and all this is waiting for some plumbing and electrical work.

The plumbing we can do.

The electrician comes tomorrow.

I am actually getting tired of eating out and grilling hamburgers is really getting on my nerves.

Cabin Fever

Winter is so boring.

I have been out of the house twice in the past week and a half.

I have nothing new to read and only a few tv shows are showing new episodes. I am even bored with Sims2 this week. For some reason all my sims are being contrary, either starving themselves to death or arguing with every other sim within range. Maybe they have cabin fever too.

So I have been doing laundry and cleaning out drawers and trying to get our taxes done. Simple things, right? So you would think it wouldn't take long. But...

I have dogs, bored dogs.

Dogs who want me to open the door so they can see if it is still as cold and wet as it was the last time they looked, which was about 15 minutes ago.

Dogs who then want to look out the front door just in case there is different weather there.

The most excitement here is the mailman.

Snoozing dogs can apparently hear the crunch of mailman boots even in the deepest of naps.

They leap off the couch in full voice and slide around the corner to the door, where they yell at each other and the poor mailman, who by this time is about 4 doors farther down in what appears to be either one really big step or teleportation.

And they return to their warm spots with satisfaction at having routed the man who leaves bits of paper that make mommy mutter and mumble.

I bet the rest of his route zips by quickly on the adrenalin boost he gets here.

Today it has been raining and later when the temps drop again, we will have ice on top of the 5" we have on the ground from the last snow.

I wonder if they make earplugs for dogs?

Ahem...I'm back

Yeah, I know, I have been seriously underperforming here. Thing is, Christmas always sucks up my whole life until it is completely over.

The shopping, the money, the shopping, the cooking and the planning, not to mention the shopping. My mind goes into holiday mode and that is pretty much it for a while. If it doesn't pertain to that time of the year, it is pretty much not getting any attention until at least the middle of January.

We had a lovely time of it tho. A wonderful meal and and three of the kids here and grandkids too. They were so nice to us. My oldest girl and her husband gave me a silk rug from Afghanistan. It is so gorgeous.

Went to the doctor the 25th and discovered that I had lost 16 lbs. I was astonished to say the least and then depressed because I figured it meant I had some dire disease. Doctor said probably not. I am not real impressed with him so I did some research and I think that my thyroid meds finally kicked my metabolism up a bit.

My body temp is somewhat higher, still not normal and my hair and nails are growing again.

Go figure, huh?

Life - never a dull moment.

Red roses

We have been married 27 years and when you have been married that long, sometimes things, like anniversaries, can seem a little, well.... less exciting than when we were 30 somethings.

Out to eat, home for some ice cream and fall asleep in front of the tv. Our usual night out.

But this week, someone came home with flowers.

Red Roses

There is something about roses, their color and scent is so familiar and yet so enchanting. The scent takes over the entire house from kitchen to bedroom. They cast a shimmer over everything that happens after they are received. Roses make a statement.

And a promise.


We had a very nice Friday.

HO HO HO !!

A shopping I did go. Now I rarely go out after dark. Okay, I sound like a little old lady....well, actually, I sort of am a, uh, older lady, mature woman?

Darn, now I forgot what I was going to say. Definitely an older person moment.

Well, anyway, after supper Tom settled in his chair and I headed for the door. He was moderately surprised.

'I am a woman with money and lists of things to buy! I will return when I have crossed a lot of things off my lists. " He looked relieved when I told him to stay home and rest.

Walmart looked crowded.

It was crowded but not in the infants section for some reason. I found the perfect dress for the littlest angel on my list and set off to the music department.

Ack! That's where everyone was! Mostly in the video games section. Okay, I got to find Metallica, no problem. Pirates of the Caribbean, no problem. Sugarland, no problem. Tegan and Sara, um, okay how about Emery? No, and no family force 5.

Okay, tomorrow I am off to the Christian book store to see if they have these christian rockers.
And that place is always packed this time of year.

Oh well, I still have to buy for my mominlaw so maybe I can find something for her there too.

I did have fun shopping and listening to christmas carols and watching people. I have been making snowflakes online and I even got out the silver to polish tomorrow.

I hope everyone is having fun so far. I am!!

Menu for Christmas day

Prime rib
Baked potatoes
Corn gently steamed and lightly buttered
Gravy made from the richest pan drippings ever
Pecan bars and ice cream

And 14 people who are important to me.

Life is good.

Wish you could be here.

Insomnia - Ack!!

Yes, I have not been sleeping lately. My brain is fuzzy and my body is unwilling and I would really like to stop not sleeping!

I toss and turn until the dogs abandon me to go sleep with TR. He sleeps in the spare room because he has trouble sleeping with me and three dogs since his broken hip. He wishes I would sleep too so the darn dogs would leave him alone. They can't get in his room so they lurk outside singing the blues.

I read dull books and watch the weather channel until my eyes cross but sleep does not result.

I have tried everything I have ever heard. Meditation, warm baths/showers, hot milk (yuck), melatonin, backrubs from hubby, nothing has ever worked when the beast is active.


Until Tuesday.

I have a new doctor and after explaining my test results, he asked if I was sleeping well. I gave the usual explanation about my lifelong search for a good nights' sleep.

He was astonished. Have you ever tried this or that to sleep?

No, usually doctors tell me to take a warm bath and no caffeine.

Hmm, well, take one of these before bed and make sure you can sleep for 8 hours.

Okay.....

So at 9 pm I take one tiny pill. I go to bed and turn on the TV.

I remember getting up once for a bathroom trip. Hah, well, I'll be up the rest of the night.

Wrong.

The alarm went off at 6 am and I was awake.

Astonishing!! I wasn't groggy or wanting to hit the snooze.

I felt... rested!

And so it has been each night since.

I am amazed and grateful and probably sound like a commercial.

I don't care.

I sleep at night!

Yippee!