Long Day ... Long Post ... Puttering at its Best
Wednesday Night …
Good evening … Yeeks that sounds much too formal. This is just me and in case you wanted to know … that was our scrunched up still eating the last of the watermelon face
This is going to be a pretty short note, because its just after 7 pm and we should be heading to bed. Before the watermelon face, our sweetie was over for a couple of hours – the first time we’ve seen him for 8 entire days. Well, as you could imagine something happened moments after the door was open that seemed kinda steamy. Hehehe … YAYYYYYY s!
Um, well after that pretty much we had some sub sandwiches and a nice long talk. It was a little unusual, because I was looking forward to giving him the backrub part, but he said he had to go to a fishing meeting and he didn’t want to be sleepy. He says we do too good a job of relaxing him. Well, I didn’t like that idea of no massaging so much, but we still got to hear the fishy stories . There was some pretty good stuff. Mostly we just let him go from one thing to another … some questions … but, pretty much just listen enraptured by his ability to speak well about things that fascinated us. Probably regular guy stuff, but I could hear his excitement and enthusiasm and I thought Wow! Here is a person totally engaged with what he was doing. Pretty much it isn’t always the story per se, but more the spirit of the conversation that seems to sweep one away. That’s what it is like when I hear him talking about fishing. And, as you might imagine some of the stories were about the fishing, some about the people he was with, and some about how he was feeling and thinking as stuff was happening. Just can’t get any better than all that! I think he is having a great time with this group of people … umm, but in a guy way. A lotta things that go on literally I don’t really hear so much of. Like I know they ate one night at a Mexican restaurant and another at a family smorgasbord, but I don’t know the specific conversations. I’m just playing out my jealousy when I ask if the waitresses are pretty … sure, that’s true! Hehehe
Oh dear … that’s as far as we are getting tonight. Sleepiness is coming over us like a heavy thick blanket, soft to the touch, and easy on the eyes. Nitey nite!
Friday morning …
Good morning. And, an early morning at that. The kitties decided that it was time to be up and fed and that was that. I’m going to get dressed in a few minutes and go to the drug store to buy a can of coffee. It’s come down to that. This would be the third morning without. Sweetie-pie was going to pick it up last night, but it was forgotten … so I guess this is written up as backing-up the back-up. I need to think for a few moments if there isn’t anything else we’re going to be needing. I should pick up shampoo, a new tooth brush, and some tooth paste, hmm. That’s a pretty good idea. Hmm, anything else? Donuts come to mind. Hmm, wouldn’t hurt to get dressed now. Hold on.
Pshwoo that’s done … one more smoke. Ok, little rest … It was so humid outside and in the house, we turned on the AC. Didn’t make Chief real happy, because he was enjoying the outdoors. But, ya gotta do, what you gotta do. Did I mention that it is only 2 am now? Yeeks … they started all this anyway. Hmm, there was something else. I know … some kind of medicine for arthritis. The stuff we’re getting prescription isn’t enough, in that we’ve been having trouble with our fingers. They’ve been achy and pressing keys has been harder than normal. Feels as if they are stressed out. That makes a very unhappy situation. Best we try something with the medicine for arthritis just in case. I suppose we’d need to make another dr. appointment to check that out, but this is relatively new, so maybe it is just temporary. I’ve been without the braces again this last week too, so maybe that has something to do with it. I think I left them at work yesterday, so we’ll have to hold up on that one.
Ok, deep breath … don’t forget the money and let’s get on with this … without coffee we’ve been getting headaches and having trouble staying up. Need to fix that, right? BRB
Pshwoo back! That wouldn’t have been so bad, but for some reason, my credit card said to check for valid ID. Umm, I still don’t have my driver’s license … so, I’m arguing with this dippy woman about why she should let me have my tooth paste and such. HMPF!
Ahh now well past that. We got back and the V was up early too! Hehehe … we were looking at V’s last post and decided to add a picture to his to make his less scary. Then V posted the new picture at his blog!
We’re thinking yup yup that’s going to go into the next story book. Been dreamy for a bit now ourselves. We keep getting drawn back into the pictures. I’m not sure why that all became so important, but it did. We talked to our Grandma on Monday and again on Thursday. We had sent her the picture book as a 98th year old birthday gift. Her birthday is on June 1rst … I think that is next Thursday. I better check on that to be sure. AHA! And, that will be a Dr. M. day too. He’s been gone a very, very long time. Anyway, my Grandma liked the book a lot I think. She said she’d never seen one just like it. I think she had a hard time understanding though that the pictures she was seeing in the book, could be on anyone’s computer who looked. I think we’ll talk to her about this later.
Friday night … Hi …
Seems like one of those weeks where my feet didn’t touch the ground. It’s taken a while to get something down. Shoot not happening tonight either. Just got tucked in by Deb for the night … think we’re giving these poor bones a break. Nitey nite.
Saturday morning … Ok, ok … we’re seriously going to finish a post this morning. Even Missy says so. She says, Pshwoo aren’t you ever going to get done … This is like taking the slow boat to China! Nothing worse than a kitty with an opinion. She’s stacked with them!
AHA! Someone’s been playing again … Good Chief picture this morning … hehehe umm nice curtain picture too I love them to pieces!
I’m still experimenting with the camera … I can’t figure out how to erase the pictures on the camera so I can start off fresh … the 1 GB card was too big, so I ordered a 512 MB I think with that I can take 150 pictures where right now I can only take 20. Hmm, seems like this is something I should be able to look up?
WooHOOO figured that out! Seems the camera has to be closed with the view finder or playback button on Ok, ok … much better now … I read the abbreviated 40 page instruction manual. I still don’t know optimal flash exposure or anything like that, but I am on my way. This time I recognized too when my batteries were running low and I started to recharge them … Hmm, let’s see that was about 7 am. So, should figure that out. I think I need to get a few more batteries to keep ongoing supply. Right now we only have four and the camera eats up two at a time. I have no idea what would happen if you were on vacation and wanted to shoot on and off all day. I did a lot of opening and closing and experimenting as we read … so thinking that tires batteries. (Post script … I remembered to finally check the camera about 10 am and they were ready. SOOO, that means less than 3 hours to charge. AND, we remembered we better charge the PDA too … still haven’t figured all that out as far as best use … put that on the agenda).
Yayyyyyy, I got the elusive MISSY!!!
Don’t let them fool you when they say they have a hard life around here! They’re such nifty kitties! As you can imagine having a balcony is quite the thing around here. I can’t imagine a life, where the kitties weren’t allowed to get some fresh air. I’ve felt bad before in that with an exception while they were really small, they’ve never been free to roam. BUT, I couldn’t imagine anything happening to them. I do know from when they were just baby kitties, they were so motivated as to be climbing trees. I’ve grown up with storybook images of firemen rescuing kitties from trees, and I wanted no part of that mess! Even if it means cutting short a few kitty dreams. As you can see from this last picture, the tree just past Missy is rather low. It holds a good majority of the bird sounds we hear. With kitty fine lens photography eyes, I bet you that mellows them out to pieces to be watching the birds so closely. And, fortunately they have only brought a few birds down and into the house with them. Pretty sure that’s not something I want a part of! HMPF! Birdnapping!! And for any of you that might worry, no the kitties will not fall off the balcony, or at least they have not tried that in the last six years. I guess three floors is a healthy balance between their creativity and my nerves.
Maybe if I can clean up a little around here … maybe this weekend we can show you around the rest of the place as well. Would mean some serious cleaning though, so it might have to wait a bit.
Ok, ok … we’ve had a serious change of heart … we decided to go ahead and publish as is … well, maybe we aren’t brave enough to do the picture of the kitchen table. Well, no honestly … I’m not up to the kitchen table yet. The Cooking part of the kitchen doesn’t look so bad, because sees to it that it gets straightened up. I liked the kitchen good enough when we came here, but after time we lost more and more ability to be using it. It took a long time to just do the microwave.
I like this part … it is the hall going into the kitchen the door you see goes into my real bedroom and that’s off limits, right now too! TOOO messy. All the pictures on this wall are of the boys when they were younger. I only have one or two pictures of them being older.
This picture has some calendars old ones when I was a kid, and the other wall facing it has another eight calendars. You can see a tiny bit of messy table, but that is enough of that!
You can see in this picture how the two walls connect. It is the long wall. And the room you are looking into is the back bedroom. You are missing another white furniture across from the bed, but that is like way too messy. We got the white desk and dresser from my daughter-in-law. It is the set she had growing up. I was glad to take it for her. I like it pretty good, but more than anything … it helped to fill up the room. One day I might have money to do it proper, but for now … I’m just glad to have something that Chief is comfortable with. Hehehe
So that is pretty much that. I’m getting closer to being able to put curtains in the back, but I figured out that I need some kind of bits or something for the drill. It will have to wait until after our vacation/meetings. We’re getting there though …
Pshwoo, it feels way different to have you seeing these other parts of our house, and in a great respect it is difficult for us to even look at these things. I am comfortable with my space here at the computer and that’s about as far as it goes. Working at getting comfortable with the balcony.
Ok, just one more picture. I don’t think you have this view yet. It is of the world we see most often.
It looks a little dark, but I’m sure you get the idea. We’re still wasting space on the table In that I’d have more room if I pushed the screens back. Ok, did that. I can still read everything fine although it is a bit of an illusion at this point to have the words being typed so far from the keyboard. Just in the respect that the view takes in more of my fingers as well as the screen in front of me. Most the time we’re typing, we are looking at the smaller screen in front of us, with just a quick glance left which fills up most of our eyes radius. I think the only solution to getting the desk more decluttered would be to place the CPU and woofer down on the floor, but it wouldn’t be very convenient to use or vacuum. Hmm, we’ll figure it out sooner or later. Hehehe part of what is really confusing now is that I have the black framed screen in front of me, I am looking at the picture above of the station, and glancing left I have a bigger picture of the station, and each of the last two images have double sets of screens within them! Maybe we’re going to need closing down a few things. Sure a good thing the table is a nice size.
Hmm, its interesting … I’m getting rid of the extra pictures I didn’t want and I got up to the one of the messy table. At the original point it seems too threatening of me to approach. But, maybe if I approached in small steps. What could I do with it? What doesn’t belong. Ok, the Nyquil, tummy stuff, mouthwash and a few of the extra bottles could be put in the storage closet with the towels. Empty cigarette boxes, the aspirin bottle box, bag and loose garbage stuff thrown away. That lighter hasn’t worked like it doesn’t no more … no reason we couldn’t throw that away. 14 of the bottles have to stay on the table … oh oh … someone didn’t take medicine this morning. Then there is the seasoning stuff. I think our friend likes that, but we don’t … ok, we’ll put that on top the microwave. Candles? Hmm, we only need one, we can put the other in the spare bedroom on the desk. Our hand braces. We’re going to need them in a little bit. There’s that envelope with the extra money for the trip … Does that have a place it could go? I know maybe on the fridgerator. Maybe you can help me remember then. Coffee mug, glasses and ashtray should go in the dishwasher, right? Then the biggest problem is that people keep bringing me all those envelopes of stuff. I don’t know what to do with that? If I put in the spare bedroom (been there, done that), then I just forget … Hmm, seems like maybe to get it off the table, which is helping it look scary, I am going to have to file it or throw it away. Hmm, we got filer places in the back bedroom and here next to the computer. But we don’t want to mess with tabs, cuz we don’t have enough. Ok, maybe that’s a small problem? Maybe we have some other kind of labels. Lets go see. K??
AHA! I present before and after pictures. Next, maybe the floor. Lordy knows how long that fork has been sitting on the floor with the dust bunnies! I think having a camera must be a good thing … it gets us to take a look with what we’ve been too scared to face in real time. Usually, I see this kind of mess developed and I just want to run away and hide as fast as I can. I’m not sure why, cuz … when we broke it down there wasn’t anything too hard to handle, except we only skimmed through the mail before bagging it and putting it on that maroon chair in the back. I think we’re going to need ’s help for that. But, as you can see the result of 10-15 minutes work is AMAZING! AHA!
I sure would like to put my curtains up though … and there’s some big stuff that needs to go down to the garbage. That area back there is like a waiting zone. And that stuff above the air conditioner? That’s the hardware for the curtains. You see … I’ve got the stuff, now I got a drill, just need drill bits … we’re getting there. Hmmn, forgot to take the medicine again. We’ll wait a little bit for the table to dry, then we can get our medicine. This time, we placed it on a place mat, so we can just slide it forward or back.
Can I tell you something else? I’m afraid to even say this for fear of who in our head is listening. But, umm when we were skimming the mail? We found a check from our school that has been sitting there over a month. It is another check for $1850. Our minds are already trying to figure out how to spend it. We’re going to hold off though with the exception of making sure our friend is paid up for groceries, and then we are going to get our car cleaned out maybe with our friends help, maybe today. Then we are going to get the fluids changed, and the car washed inside and out, and then we’re going to make an appointment with the car fixer people to check the car out proper for traveling long distance. I’m pretty sure that God is looking out for me. I would feel much much better to drive in our car knowing that its safe to drive rather than to spend the $300 on a rental car. That’s a canceled deal. Just gotta make the call. AND, the day that we take care of the car?? We’re also going to make sure we can get our drivers license that day. If I was extremely well fortuned, I’m afraid to even say this, but if I could only get my friend to take off part a day, I know we would be able to get this done. There is only two weeks to finish all this. I think that is going to need being impressed pretty hard on him today. It’s the first time I’ve allowed myself even to think of it. I couldn’t figure out how to get the car fixed up and have food money while I was gone at the same time IF I paid bills. Maybe now I can do all three and have extra money left over. AND, maybe we can address the matter of the car air conditioner not working for the third or fourth year in a row.
It’s funny. If I wouldn’t have taken that picture of the messy table and felt so guilty, I would have gone right along thinking all that mail was just garbage. Yep, yep … pretty sure there is a God.
Hmm. And, I just took my pills and am eating a bowl of cereal … I had felt too nervous to eat before. Feeling much better now. Shoot … our mind is in that dangerous place. Thinking Joe could use some money, but I don’t know if his Grandmother didn’t give him some after spending time together in Texas. I’ll have to figure that part out. Ahh, I see his computer is on-line … thinking its kinda early on a Saturday morning though. Hmm, not responding … V would say … unusual. Hehehehe. We’ll leave him a note.
Might be kinda long for him to read it all the way through … we’ll see.
Aynetal3 (9:56:05 AM): Joe?
Aynetal3 (10:00:00 AM): Joe, I need to talk to you about money. I would like to know your set for next semester, if you’re back from TX, if your ok with your dad til back in to summer school, if your grandma gave you some spending money, and if you got enough to make it to your first school paycheck. I think if you are in need, I could get you a couple hundred dollars. We had a surprise check. Let me know ... if you don't need it, we'll withdraw it from the bank to save for later. We still need to get our car checked ... leaving for OH in two weeks. CALL! The Mom
Ok, if he reads it … pretty sure that will catch his attention. What red-blooded college kid couldn’t use a little more money? Hehehehe I feel Mom-like when I can do this kinda stuff.
*SIGH* This is tough being me. There’s so much stuff to think about. I know that I’m losing school time, so we’re going to concentrate on finishing the writing pretty soon. We IM’d with our friend earlier this morning.
Sweetie Pie (7:51:03 AM): Hi
Aynetal3 (7:51:16 AM): Sweetie Pie!!!
Sweetie Pie (7:51:22 AM): what if I come by today about 3 to 4
Aynetal3 (7:51:36 AM): what happen I think that's a pretty nice idea!
Sweetie Pie (7:51:51 AM): good, might bring dinner too.
Aynetal3 (7:51:59 AM): WooooHOOOOO!!!!
Aynetal3 (7:52:04 AM): Barbeque?
Sweetie Pie (7:52:27 AM): I have two games today, I thought it might be appropriate for bbq
Aynetal3 (7:52:36 AM): OH MAN!!!!!!!
Sweetie Pie (7:52:47 AM): going to get busy here in a minute so I might have to run
Aynetal3 (7:52:52 AM): You better come in real needy for back rub then!
Sweetie Pie (7:53:09 AM): 4 games in 24 hours could provide that
Aynetal3 (7:53:16 AM): AWE...
Sweetie Pie (7:53:29 AM): I am OK though, feel strong
Aynetal3 (7:53:32 AM): Maybe if we got a warning call, we might jump in the shower and meet you at the door
Sweetie Pie (7:54:01 AM): I might have to shower myself when I come in.
Aynetal3 (7:54:17 AM): I'll have a fresh towel waiting ... maybe can dig up mint?
Sweetie Pie (7:54:27 AM): :-)
Sweetie Pie (7:54:44 AM): I am going to run, read my mail and get ready for my games
Aynetal3 (7:54:54 AM): ok smooching you a lot!
Sweetie Pie (7:55:00 AM): see you later
Aynetal3 (7:55:03 AM): :-*
Sweetie Pie (7:55:05 AM): :-*
Sweetie Pie (7:55:10 AM): O:-)
Yup, yup life is looking pretty good. I think before we dive into school there are just a few more notations. This week we had a big event at the Center. I think we’d talked before about Sr. doing the movie of the center. Well, V. was wrong … it’s harder to find in my memory now than he might suggest. Thinking, thinking. The first thought is that they put powder on my face as they were doing the interview. Next thought was how cool the interview was … not that I answered spectacularly … just kind of gave mindless answers to her interview questions, so I’m pretty sure I’ll just get like maybe hopefully one appearance in the video. She was asking the same questions to many people, and they will take the ones with the better answers. BUT, the most amazing thing is that they redid the room entirely as if it were a studio. I’m very sure there was mega money put into their equipment and such. It was so well done that overlooking the interviewers was the couch (they filmed in living room section for Group 4) had throw pillows on it with stuffed animals sewn on front, they highlighted that with special spotlights and they highlighted the artwork from the group on the closet doors in back of that. When you entered the room there was cords everywhere! They had cords running from other rooms that were taped down there was so much power being used by the equipment. And, they had those nifty screens and umbrellas and huge, huge cameras. It was all just amazing. We reminded Sr. Tess in time that she got pictures from her small camera of them taking pictures. WOOO HOOOO!!!
The filming people were in a team of three … the woman who set it up, the camera man, and the guy that was moving around the equipment. They were there before I got there at 7:30 and after I left at 4 pm. They took pictures of people coming in the door and leaving at the end of the day. They took pictures during the chapel service, of people doing exercises with the dance teacher, eating, working out in the community, doing art, cooking, maybe workshop, and small manipulatives like pouring water for the lowest group. That was mostly done before lunch. Oh and in the garden too! During the afternoon is when they settled in the living room. I was the first, Yeeks! I thought I was going to have to remember something, but I couldn’t remember the first line. But, she said she would talk us through it. I which I hadn’t been so nervous, I don’t think I will be usable. After me was sweetie pie, then three parents, the other Q, and then finally Sr. The’ve got sooooooooo much footage to include on this bitty production hehehe I don’t know I sure hope it is going to be a great video. Sr. says that each of the parents and staff get one copy free. I don’t know how many extras she is going to have made. She says they’re putting them on DVD’s and she’ll sell them for like $10, which I think is a super deal. I think we’ll get like 4-5 copies … We’ll want to send one to V … SHHHH … don’t tell him. And then, to each of the boys and my Grandma. I don’t know if Tanner would take one, but we’re going to send one for him just in case. I’m PRETTY sure it will turn out great. One of the staff umm talked to the camera people about using their slimming lens hehehehe.
I’m not sure if I will be able to publish it on the blog. Sr. said they are for anyone and everyone to help promote the center. I only have a few people who would watch it, and I’m thinking it might be too long and not sure Debs and Christina’s dial-up would take it. I’d have to check. That’s it … about covers my whole little world. I suppose I could send one to my mother, that would be fair, but we’re still thinking … eh, she could see my grandmas’ copy. I am thinking that’s the way to go.
AHA! First we caught son #3 and now we’re going to catch son #1! He’s going to call this direction in 5 minutes.
Jacob, of course, is always a pleasure to talk with. We didn’t talk long enough to find out how his trip went, but when I asked him if his Grandmother had given him any money, he said $20 and that that was about the amount of money he spent while in TX. He didn’t sound so happy that he made it in the good graces of his cousins. He said they are only 15-16, but that they were way wealthier than him. That didn’t make me feel so good. We try to ask him directly how it is going so he doesn’t feel guilty in letting people know he’s having a pretty tough life. His father let him work for the few days he’s been home, and Jacob said he should make just a couple hundred dollars to hold him up until he gets paid from school. He says he’s going to be something like a camp counselor at the University. I figured it must be for kids who are prospective students. It’s a good job for him and will pay some cash, but most important it pays room and board for over the summer. YAYYYY!!! Jacob wasn’t sure if he could remain employed over the last semester, but we’ll hope for that chance. He’s going to need some kind of money. When I asked about room and board for next year, he wasn’t sure how that was happening yet. He hadn’t talked to his father. They were going to buy a new house. If they can afford a new house, they can see him through a few more months school. Pshwoo.
Anyway …we worked out something for tomorrow. He’s going to stop by here and I’m giving him a couple old laptops that don’t work for me, but might for him. If I planned real carefully, when we go out to lunch, maybe we could stop at Best Buy or circuit city for a sound card. He thought most likely that’s what the static is all about. We told him he could have one set of speakers, because it was worth the stress not to have to send them back and pay a little out of pocket. He says his speakers are six years old and are the one thing he hasn’t been able to budget enough money to improve. YAYYYY!!! And, we’ll give him a little extra. Probably in a check though until the money clears proper. It sounds like he is going to be going back to cheerleading for the last semester, and I think that really excites him. So maybe the money will go toward whatever that cost is. They might have to buy their own uniforms or something. I wish I had a zillion dollars to give this kid.
Hmm, turned on the AC … it had gotten warm in here. Shut the curtains too, because we are dizzy. ACK!!!! 1:30! We forgot lunch _~!*()#%&_!#($& diabetes!
Ok, ok … been there, done that.
Macadam always talks volumes when we get a chance to be with him. He talks fast, though a little defensive. I think we asked a couple of bad questions. One for sure. We asked about him getting into debt again. What I’d forgotten to remember was that Lee was out on maternity leave for 5 months instead of working. I guess that would do some damage to a credit card. Interesting, but I figure that’s about the same amount of time that Macadam started trading less than well. For the most time on the phone though, we listened to all that he’d done over the last couple of weeks. There has been a lot of phone calls, resumes, letters, etc. He went to a job fair, which didn’t pan out … too many sales types jobs, but he went to three or four interviews either down at the Board or somewhere close to it. He said it looked more like he was going to be the one who would be able to choose which company, and I’m going to knock on wood here AND say a little prayer, because we’re hoping he gets one of the couple that he likes best. I had trouble sorting them all out … he talked about percentage the company was willing to go … it sounds like that was the split the broker worked out as to their cut and his cut of the success he might have. He talked about different training programs the companies had and whether or not they would want him to trade his way, their way, or a new way combining both. He talked about whether or not there were more or less traders and even if the had amenities like kitchenettes. One of the jobs he talked about was in the older section. Shoot, to hear it explained that’s where I would want to be. He says everything is wall to wall wood and there were the old fashioned big heavy wood desks. Another consideration was to work with family or not. One of his second cousins is offering job potential. Another consideration was of course the salary, and another consideration depended on what kind of markets the company sold. I know Macadam sold S & P something, but he said he could trade about 15 things and there were like 150-200 things that could be sold, though maybe more. In consideration of management/sales work, I think he is holding it as an option, but right now not the best option. He wants to go somewhere he would be excited to get up for every morning. He said that he was offered more money with the sales job, but he didn’t trust the set-up would be less money getting started than what they had quoted. Bottom line is he didn’t want to get stuck at this point in his career doing work he wasn’t thrilled with, though he will cover the family expenses.
He also talked about how things were managed with refinancing the house. I don’t think he got as much as he wanted to cover his debt, but Macadam is always thinking six steps ahead. He’s a smart person … I just know he’s going to figure out what’s right for him and his family. I’m not sure if they are always agreeing between husband and wife what is right and wrong, but it is up to them as a team to work that out and I have all the confidence in the world, they can do it. I never thought being young was easy. And, somewhere in the middle of all that Granddaughter #1 figured out we were on the phone, so I got a phone smooch too! WooHOOOO!!!! And, it turns out, she still loves us! YAYYYYYY! There has been a tremendous amount of tension and change for them, it seems from the time Macadam’s Grandfather died through now. And, I’m pretty sure that having babies is one of the most demanding changes anyone could make. I’m very proud of them.
Looking over the last week from what we can remember, I think you have most the highlights. Maybe not enough’s been said about our fishyman, but maybe there’s not too much that has changed there. We’re still madly in love with him. I’m thinking that not so much is getting done with school though and there is only a small amount of time before our friend comes. What we’re thinking is that we should do some more picking up. To do that though we are going to need leaving the computer. Not so sure that would make us real happy. The hardest part is to figure out the electronic boxes and the clothes situation. We’ve fallen back to laying out the dresses worn on the back of the couch. AND, we think that a fair amount of that’s been done in the bedroom too, because I know there’s stuff about. Like we’ll get the towels to the cleaners, but then they sit folded in a plastic bag on the tread mill and there’s other piles of loose clothing. Does stuff like this happen to other people too? And, there are extra pillows and blankets tossed one direction or another. Maybe that is going to need fixing too. I know I wouldn’t have to pick up our bedroom for son #3 to stop by, but it would make us feel better if it were done. PLUS, a certain sweetie pie would be thrilled we invested some more time into the project. Theoretically, we’re back to knowing it would take less than an hour, but we need to motivate ourselves first. Hmm, would feel good to do it for the others. Can we make it good for ourselves? AND, if all went well, could we get back up on the horse and walk again AND do school!?? Shoot that would represent a lot of change. AND, we haven’t been able to think Dr. M. thoughts for a while again. Thinking for a minute here of our Grandmother. She said that the management doubled their normal amount an increase in rent costs and her and her friends got together and protested. They all wrote the same angry messages when the company sent out their normal evaluations. Hehehe … the tenants won! The management company came down in rent cost. That oughta prove that sometimes right wins over wrong. My Grandmother said she tried to keep a low profile though, because theoretically after you hit the age of 95, they can terminate the lease. They haven’t bothered her yet, but she’s worrying rightfully over it anyway. I thought it seemed pretty unfair, but she said they probably thought that by the time people are 95 they need to be in a nursing home. But, she’s not that kind of a Grandma. HMPF!
Ok, ok … if my four days away from 98 year old Grandmother can make the bed and keep her living room picked up … then surely I must be able to as well. Ok, girls … finish that smoke, and we’re going to have at it. We’ve left a couple of pictures up with the kittie cats. One where they are preemptively looking out the balcony door, one where Chief is coming in and the other where Missy is sitting out. I feel really good about being able to take those pictures. The one with Missy doesn’t even look so dangerous, but I know it still feels like it. I’m very comfortable with the living room being so dark, but I’m thinking we’ll have to turn on a light. Maybe we gotta do it like the kitchen table. Need to think our way through it. Let’s start by turning on a light, k? Not a big deal.
WooHOOOO … and we changed a light bulb in a second lamp. Pretty good I’d say … We got dizzy standing up though. Not sure why that happens. And, my hearing gets messed up … It’s like the sound of the air comes rushing at me in spurts. Until we can relax a bit, we can only see a little bit at a time. Like we are not able to stand at one end of the room and glance over the whole thing without sitting down. I can do it physically, well ‘cept the dizzy part, it’s just that I get overwhelmed by it easily. It doesn’t matter if its picked up or messy. Same goes with the floor. I know in my head besides the clothes on one corner of the couch, I have to straighten pillows and pick up four blankets. And a few books on back of the couch. Then the living room will be picked up. See … so it shouldn’t really be a big deal. We’re going to try blowing off the negative thoughts we feel thinking that it would be childsplay to do that little.
This is Chief and us trying to work through it. ‘Cept he gave up first and decided to rather lay down and get some more of that good petting. If V were here, he would say maybe just another excuse not to be doing something we should be doing. As soon as he gets in our arms, he curls up in the most cutest ball of fluff. Just not fair that this be working again our weakened resolve. Ok, ok … we’re shoosing him off … we can and WILL do something good for us!
PSWHOO! That’s done! At least the living room. Our back hurt pretty bad though right before sitting down. But, we got the whole thing picked up … Maybe 10-12 minutes top, probably less time. We’ve made definite progress. Maybe we’ll spend some time now in the living room with said mushy friend. AHA! I glimpsed at the bedroom. I think that is going to take up to three times being up. There’s hanging up clothes a few items to the laundry basket. And, at least two times up to make the bed. TOO MANY LAYERS! There is at least four sets of pillows and they fall off the bed one side or another, so you gotta go back and forth. Ok, ok … we’re letting us talk ourselves out of it again. Thing is … just got to rest the back, and then go back in there. I think we are now hanging clothes in the back bedroom too, remember? Just swoop em up and get them to the other room. C’mon we can do this, right? A woman who can clean her own kitchen table must be able to do, darn near anything! BATHROOM???!!! Way out of line with that smirky remark!
Well, yes, the living room does look nice, BUT let’s not get carried away. Ok, ok … 1 ½ minutes. You can do this! Our friend is supposed to give us a call first so we can jump in the shower. Need that kind of heads up … He’ll probably call 15-30 minutes away, so we’re going to need getting going, k??? I know … I know … Shoo!
Oh oh … Friend just walked in … Double oh oh … he wanted to get on the scales and he’s weighing in at 3.8 pounds less than me. I knew that was going to be trouble. He’s in the shower first. He’s done 4 games in 24 hours. I watched him undressing ;) … he was sorta slowwwwww. Ok, serious here … gotta go!
Ahh, this is the happy one because she’s just spent the last 4 ½ hours with her umm friend and 9/10’s the time there was nakidity involved. YAYYYY B-day suits! Sure been a very nice afternoon. Yep, yep, yep … see that’s the problem of having kids around … not enough nakidity. Shoot, I’m such an imp!
There is plenty of time to talk too, but today I did more talking, maybe even Steven before … umm I’m sorry just thinking out loud. ‘Scuse me.
You saw those nice kitty pictures, earlier then? We can talk about anything and frequently do … my eyes get a little watery as we think so many times what a wonderful wonderful person he is. I spend so much time studying every movement of his face, such as a tilt of the head, a raised eyebrow, his confident-knowing sighs, his gorgeous crystal clear blue eyes. Sometimes he just leaves me breathless. Sometimes I cry because he’s so beautiful to look at and touch and know. I think he’s surely the reason the sun rises and sets. He deserves every smidgeon of happiness that can possibly find its way into one perfect soul. How lucky, lucky I am to have him for my friend. My very, very good friend. It’s funny … this line of thinking sometimes leads me back to an instance of childhood. I’m not sure the age or situation exactly, but I remember laying on the floor in front of my bedroom door (inside of the room), and I made a solemn pledge that if God just gave me the chance for nothing else, to please find the perfect person who would love me as much as I loved him, and if God could do that for me, I would try as hard as I could to be the good me he wanted me to be. Somehow in that instance I knew I could never have a gift more fortunate than the insight of being loved by a love more special than could ever be dreamed. And, then somehow magically, our friend and us connected. I’ve felt ever since that God must understand me better than I could ever all by ourselves. He must be a God who really cares.
Ahh Chief has come to get in on this very good mood.
*Giggle* well, that was all pretty good too! We slowed down and did some good two-handed petting. I think he was either trying to remind us that it was near bedtime, or to reassert himself as the true master of the flat.
Hmm, we seem to be fading off here … not so much writing … more just letting our mind wander as it will … The pictures had a big part of the day before sweetie pie got here … and tomorrow needs to be about school and Jacob coming. I think he’ll be here around noon or 1 o’clock because he said something about lunch. Time passes so fast. I did want to say one more thing.
We are coming up to a working with Dr. M. week. He’s been in our dead zone for most this last couple of weeks. It’s again a space where we don’t usually get much farther in progressing thoughts toward him, except to say that he’s not here. We’re going to need opening up that door and being not so afraid to look within it. The pictures to the story book helped a lot. They made us feel good about ourselves even though he wasn’t here. I think that all has something to do with him. We felt him to a sense of while we were doing the book, if it were something that would make him smile. By now you all know that he is usually one smile after another anyway. We feel a bit distanced from the out of control feelings we had before the appointments stopped being normal. We’re still having trouble with school and we miss our talks in that his person is so good to be with. When we are with him, we sometimes try to think of a harder and harder question to ask him, or question him more in-depth. There is usually some sense of wanting to know or understand more. Now it seems as if school had been put in that same dead zone. All along we think we want to be in school with all sincerity. It’s just that when we try to concentrate on working at it, it seems like a million miles away. By this time, we feel no repoir with either the teachers or students. It’s like a vague memory to think of the best known personality in the student lawyer.
We told our friend tonight that we were pretty far behind. He wasn’t into one of those moods where he appeared overly concerned. He stated like V so often does, let’s not worry about this one being perfect, let’s just get this one done and over with. I can hear V. already … that Rich, he’s quite some guy. Thinks like me! We talked about a little with our friend as well a sort of summary of this past space in time, where we had first gotten the screen and PDA, then went right away to the web cam, then got the memory, and established ourselves with the camera. We’ve always had trouble carrying a purse and for periods of time, we’ve gone through the small briefcase, grocery bags, and cloth bags given by “The Arc.” The newest thing is to carry the small cloth camera bag. It fits the camera and the PDA, the cord connecting the camera to the computer, plus our flash drive, a couple spare batteries, our regular cards, and loose bills and change. We’ve spent considerable time condensing our documents both at home and work. It had taken primarily two complete days to do the one work computer. There will be a couple more hours left to do the laptop. And, we straightened out the couple of files we’ve held over on Sister’s computer. We stayed at work Friday until 6 pm finishing our tasks. Part of it was running updates to Microsoft on the laptop, but the majority of time was finalizing the work with the big computer. I’ve got it so when you open up “My Documents.” You can see each of the years since 1999. There are several files for the “My stuff.” And a file each for CARF 2004 and now the 2007. In each of the year files, there is another index level where there are files such as Administration-Staff (Training), Individuals Served, Reports, Meetings, Advocacy, and such, then another level on some of them, like on the Individuals served for each year there are sub-files of 30 Days-Annuals, goals and objectives, Qnotes, Behavior, intake and such. I’ve gone through and taken out anything personal out of “My documents” and hid it on the C drive. CARF was further filed under each of the main categories such as input, accessibility, health and safety and so forth, and then there were files each for the performance analysis and business improvement reports. Lastly, if the file wasn’t tossed, or easily recognizable/in format, we would change the name of the file, so that it fit our design. It was a lot of work, because there were about 700 files and folders and each one, except the real obvious, had to be looked at to carefully screen where it should go.
When we had gotten done, we backed-up the work computer alongside our personal computer on the flash drive. We’ll wait for the other computers to be organized before we add them. I had completed all of the work folders to begin with the name Ann thinking that if the other administrative secretarial folders were added to the drive, we would want to differentiate the folders. Plus, we wanted some separation between home and work folders and file in case we ever needed to reload them on the work computers. All in all we are feeling pretty good about the total effort and effect. The other major projects this last couple of weeks were the picture story, the Tech report, finishing the performance analysis outline and data gathering plan, staff training in computers, and training work done with the intern on Annual reports. Other than school, I would say that it has been a pretty good effort. I wish we would have gotten to the bedroom, but maybe we’ll try that again in the morning. What we were able to get done was in the shadow of Dr. M. being gone. So, we’re figuring we must be doing better than not, right?
I think it is common when we start getting overwhelmed to put in a Herculean effort into things being ordered again. It felt great to sit back late Friday night and look over what we’d done with the folder/file organization. It seems to have the affect of simplifying our life at work. Because in reality … the effort can be summarized literarily into a certain small category of folders. Like I can look at CARF in general and see just so many actual reports that need to be written. And, we’ve put good effort into both the reports for tech and performance analysis. There was a little additional work with Sr.s normal set of tasks, but nothing really out of the ordinary. The work of the newsletter, coverage in the front, and even the movie day were each relatively small, plus we got credited for the meeting we just attended/passed for learning how to train QMRPs (QHSP’s). And, we worked hard at not missing a beat as Sr. threw down her few serious inquiries asking if we hadn’t started work on the center’s annual report. Like, man-o-man! Has the center got needs! I don’t know maybe this is just a covert way of saying, ok we’ve been working, but things aren’t perfect yet. Maybe we should get to bed soon. I’m afraid that this post will still have to wait one more day, because in totality … I can honestly say, “We’re BEAT!” Nitey nite!
Hmm, is that a kitty waiting on the chair for me? ACK, ok really gone now.
posted by Ann Marie @ 5/28/2006 03:59:00 AM
Comments: 4
