I’m sitting here, munching on half of an apple (I gave the other half to Dude) and thinking about the french film that Kevin and I just watched in his instant Netflix queue. What is it about reading subtitles that make a movie so intriguing? Is it the fact that you have no choice but to pay attention and read the subtitles or risk becoming hopelessly lost within the story? Or does reading the subtitles put a voice in your head and make the characters just that much more interesting?
At any rate, the movie was Amélie and it was truly adorable. The character was adorably shy and you couldn’t help but love her. I’d recommend it but I warn you, there are boobs.
But it’s French, would you expect anything less?
It was a good day.
I met Kevin at his office and together, we worked on putting his office together. Not physically, but we ordered business cards (I ordered myself some too – from Vista Print, because they were free, except for the postage), I recorded the voice mail for his office, (because he thinks my voice sounds so much better than his even though it’s HIS office and HIS business), we brainstormed some ideas for his logo and even nabbed some pretty good design ideas for his website design. I reserved his domain name and we contacted the man who is in charge of putting up lettering on the business doors. We mapped it out, know where we want to put it and now we’re hoping the cost doesn’t give me a heart attack.
We even went to Office Depot and bought a “Will be back at such-and-such time” sign.
Things are moving right along.
I spent the entire day at the office with Kevin, and came home – Kevin had driven his truck so we had separate vehicles. I worry that we’re spending too much time together – living together, working together, but Kevin doesn’t think it will be a problem.
And I don’t either … right now. But since I don’t exactly fancy plotting his death some day because I’m so sick of being around him, I still plan on finding a little something-something for me to do just to put a little space between us. Kevin mentioned he saw a lot of clerical jobs available with the hospital …. Hmm … I never thought of working in the health care industry.
I like it.
Dude graduates in exactly 130 days. This thought is never far from my mind.
I use icicles on our Christmas tree. If you look at the ornament in the picture above, you can see them.
You don’t hear of people using icicles anymore. At least, I don’t. And I’ve been keeping an ear out – or at least, an eye out as I look at pictures bloggers post of their Christmas trees. (And it’s not like I go around and peer into people’s houses at their Christmas trees – though I totally would, because I’m super curious like that, if I didn’t think I’d be arrested for peeping tom-foolery).
But I use icicles. I like them. I don’t care what anyone says or thinks. We used them on our trees when I was a kid, and I’ve used them every year since being on my own.
*Side note: Why do cats love to eat icicles? They only throw them back up. I’ve always wondered.
I like icicles because they add a finishing touch to the tree. They make the tree sparkle and shimmer and give it an old-fashion feel.
My mother-in-law tickles me. She comes over, every year, and acts super impressed by our tree, every year.
Our tree is not impressive. It never really changes. It is, however, personal and well loved. Nearly every ornament on the tree is from a memory, whether it was given, or we purchased it or we picked it up at an event somewhere. There is absolutely nothing commercial about our tree. And we love it that way.
But my MIL comes over and oohs and aahs over it and ALWAYS, ALWAYS comments, in surprise, mind you, over my decision to use icicles.
*Side note: My mom used to save, and reuse, our icicles every year. I remember pulling icicles out of the box that looked like accordions some years because they were so crumpled. But we were poor, and my mom saved them so she wouldn’t have to spend another $0.25 buying another box. Kevin always laughs at that story. (Sorry mom, I couldn’t resist giving you a hard time about our recycled icicles. And I know, a quarter doesn’t seem like much, until you don’t have one).
I put them on the tree every year. There is no surprise. Perhaps she comments on our tree to make me feel good. Or perhaps she claims she loves it when she’s really thinking, “Gah. What an ugly tree.”
It doesn’t matter and I won’t apologize – our tree would not be complete without our icicles.
*****
I got mad at Kevin the other day.
I had to. He simply didn’t give me a choice. He wouldn’t take me, or the fact that he’s had a cough for a solid month now, seriously. In addition to his cough, he sounds congested and can’t smell anything. When he told me the other night at dinner that he couldn’t taste anything, that’s when I knew it was time to go to the doctor. (And if I were to guess, I’d say he has a sinus infection).
I made him go to the doctor.
Actually, we went to a clinic. We went to a different clinic than the one I usually use. We chose this clinic because it’s owned by his primary doctor. (Though that will change shortly. Under the new health care law, doctors are no longer allowed to own their own clinics. In fact, the clinic had notices posted about the impending sale. And given this economy? I’m betting the clinic probably WON’T sale, which means there will likely be more people out of a job. THANKS Obama).
We walked in around 1:00 – we didn’t leave until nearly 2:30. They took an x-ray of Kevin’s chest, gave him a breathing treatment, gave him a prescription for three different medicines and then sent him on his way.
They didn’t tell him what was wrong, what he had and Kevin didn’t ask any questions.
AARGH! Talk about frustrating!
They gave him a prescription for some Mucinex (which we actually bought over-the-counter), an inhaler for breathing treatments (which is the same medicine I have to use on Jazz when his seasonal allergies morph into asthma) and antibiotics.
I’m now thinking his antibiotics are not strong enough because he still can’t smell or taste anything.
It’s going on day three. Though I wouldn’t expect him to be 100% by this time, he should have at least regained his sense of taste. We may have to go to a different clinic and request a stronger antibiotic. We’re giving it a few more days.
But this experience sort of sums up what is wrong with our health care system. The doctor at the clinic went through the motions. He took an x-ray that probably wasn’t needed (and we’re only hypothesizing, we think getting the x-ray was a ploy to get more money out of our insurance – we’re only guessing, I mean, it might have been necessary, but Kevin doesn’t think so), they gave him a breathing treatment that did absolutely nothing for him, shoved a prescription into his hand and sent him on his way without talking to him about what he had and what he could do in the future to avoid getting it again.
*Side note: Some of the best advice I ever got from a doctor concerning my sinus infection was, “Have you ever tried nose spray?” Ever since then, I’ve used nose spray whenever I get clogged up and I haven’t had a sinus infection since. THAT’S the sort of advice that comes in handy – give patients tips on how to stay healthy.
It’s like, people go to the doctor expecting him/her to fix whatever ails them, and rightly so, of course, but instead of learning about their condition and being educated on how they can take care of themselves to avoid future visits, patients just expect some sort of drug to be prescribed. So, the doctors give them what they expect and send them on their way. As my dads says, “the health care industry is a business. They don’t really care about you as a person, they care about getting you out of their office as quickly as possible so they can move on to the next person.”
Like cattle.
I thought that was a cold assessment when he first said it, but the more I think about it, the more I think he’s right.
Feel sorry for me? I feel sorry for me. But it’s not like we ever have any big plans for New Year’s Eve – we stay home, watch a movie, struggle to stay awake until midnight, give each other a quick kiss and then go to bed.
But the fact that he won’t BE here is what blows.
But like he said, at least he’s getting paid and he truly loves playing so … such is the life of a rock star, I suppose.
I really want to work at Missouri State University (MSU).
I know you’re thinking, “what happened to the whole paralegal idea??”
Good question! I haven’t ruled it out entirely, but I got to thinking. Paralegals work long hours, especially when their lawyers are going to trial. They also have to travel to take depositions …
Long hours and travel … do I really want to be away from my family that much? BUT, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for opportunities.
In the meantime, I’ve been trolling the MSU website and have my eye on a receptionist’s job. I’m hoping that my Bachelor’s degree (that I earned FROM MSU), will help set me above the pack. Not to mention, I have excellent writing skills (naturally *snort*), and have excellent secretarial skills.
I want to work at MSU because I love the university AND because I’m hoping they offer discounts on classes … discounts that we might be able to use if the boys decide they want to go to college there. (OR for me – I would LOVE to get my Masters degree).
I’m tempted to apply. I’m ready to apply, but Kevin is vetoing it, for now. (The reason why will be disclosed in a later post).
The book store is booming. We’ve been selling a lot of books and the boys are raking in the cash. In fact, Dude has enough money saved up that he can build his dream machine – a gaming computer.
He and Kevin have been discussing the various components involved and where to get the best deal. I imagine Dude will be ready to order the parts in the next few days so he’ll have everything to assemble over Christmas break.
He’s on his own. Dude has been doing researching and comparative shopping all on his own. He’s been asking for Kevin’s opinion, but he’s making the final decisions. He’s also putting this computer together all by himself. It’ll be good practice for him.
To say he’s excited about this would be putting it mildly.
I’m concerned about Dude’s hair. It’s a rat’s nest and he never takes care of it, so it looks greasy and bad all the time. In an effort to condition him for the work world, I bribed him into getting a traditional “boy” cut, and then keeping it that way. I told him we’d pay $30 of the total cost of his computer and to my utter surprise, he agreed!
However. He has requested that we not get it done until after school on the last day before Christmas break so he can get used to it.
I’ll be posting before and after pictures, of course.
*****
I will also be posting video of Jazz’s Christmas concert at school next week, too. He told me that he volunteered for a solo and he’s quite looking forward to playing it for us.
I’m telling you guys, if Jazz keeps up with his grades and maintains his excellent GPA, he just MIGHT be eligible for a music scholarship.
Which is really stupid because there is really nothing in my life to cause this funk.
Kevin is doing well. He’s pretty much back to normal and though he had a pretty bad cold (more like the flu) a few weeks back and still has a cough (which I’ve been watching carefully and think he needs to go see a doctor about, though he refuses), he’s in pretty good physical shape. (In fact, he’s in the kitchen, fixing his lunch and whistling so he apparently doesn’t feel too bad).
The boys are well. Jazz is getting straight A’s and though Dude is not getting straight A’s, his grades are in pretty good shape (though there is a science class I’m a bit worried about but he assures me he’ll bring it up before the semester is over). They are in good health and seem to be well adjusted and happy – no troubles there (that I know of).
Our finances are okay. We could probably do a better job of watching our pennies, but we’re not squandering it and Kevin assures me that everything is fine on that front (though it makes me nervous that neither one of us is working … well, we’re working, we’re just not getting paid on a monthly basis but rather in lump sums).
There is really no excuse for my funky mood so … what’s the dealio?
I think it’s hormones. I feel restless and crabby and again, there’s really no REASON to feel this way, I just feel this way. I’ve been having hot flashes (sorry, probably TMI but let’s get real, I’m 45 and it’s TIME). And I’m having digestive issues again. They come and go. I made the mistake of Googling my symptoms and I think I have it narrowed down to either Crohn’s Disease or IBS. (Again, probably TMI, but well … ) I am thisclose to going to the doctor, if for no other reason than to KNOW, you know? I can’t stand not knowing what the heck is going on and if I know, then I can take preventative steps. I guess I’m scared (well, not really scared, apprehensive) to go to the doctor because I know they will have to do a lot of tests on me, the least being a colonoscopy and come on … EW. And/or they will try and ply me with a bunch of drugs when I’m pretty convinced (or I’ve convinced myself, take your pick) that it will probably boil down to watching my diet.
I’m keeping a food diary to try and figure out just what in the world I’m eating that is triggering this terribly painful, bloating and gas build up. So far, I KNOW that peanuts nearly kill me (seriously, it’s BAD), and I hate to say this but it looks like chocolate is also causing a reaction.
Maybe that’s the reason for my funk – I LIVE FOR CHOCOLATE.
*sigh*
At any rate, I’m about ready to throw in the towel and just go to the doctor already. I plan on looking for a job beginning in January (maybe that’s another reason for my funk – I’m nervous about getting back out into the working world?) and I honestly can’t afford to deal with this intestinal issue and work, too. If my self diagnosis is right, there is no cure for this type of thing, but at least I will have a handle on the triggers and can actively work on avoiding them.
This “issue” is seriously taking control of my life and it’s making me cranky. Damn it.
*****
Dude nearly has enough money saved up to buy a serious gaming computer. Actually, he wants to build it, from scratch. Kevin is in heaven. He loves that Dude has been researching what he will need and doing some comparative shopping on his own. They’ve been talking a lot about the possibilities and we’ve been impressed with Dude’s knowledge, which has far surpassed my own when it comes to computers. I’ve reached the point where I’m now asking HIM for advice and help on my own problems.
In fact, we were talking to Dude in the car after school yesterday and I mentioned something about him getting a job at this computer store that has opened up at a shopping center not far from our house. He could trouble shoot other people’s computers and fix them for them. To my surprise, he acted interested.
In fact, Kevin and I were at a computer store a few months back and out of curiosity, I asked the guy that worked there what one needed to do in order to get a job there. He said that they would have to be A+ certified. It looks like our local junior college has certification programs available.
At any rate, with him building his own computer, this might whet his appetite for a future in Information Technology – you never know.
We told him that he needs to start seriously thinking about what he would like to do after graduation – both career path wise and work wise. We told him that we are all going to sit down after Christmas break and have a serious talk about his future plans. Though we don’t really expect him to have a concrete idea at this point (did you know what you wanted to do with the rest of your life at 18? I didn’t. Hell, I still don’t), we do think he needs to have a general idea of which path he wants to start, at least.
We also have a vocational school nearby that offers classes in video games as well, so I’m sure we’ll look into that option, too. Maybe he’ll do both options AND work, who knows. All we know for sure at this point is that he will have to get a job after graduation. Ideally, he’ll work and go to school, but that will be up to him.
We told him that unless he’s going to school full-time (remember, he will be working regardless), he will need to pay us a little money for rent. I feel a bit mean for even bringing this up, but it will teach him a little responsibility and give him a taste of what the real world is like.
This pushing your child out of the nest thing is HARD.
*****
Jazz’s school band is scheduled to march in the city parade next Saturday.
And I just checked the weather – RAIN AND SNOW!
Oh, COME ON!!
They didn’t get to participate in the parade last year because of bitter cold temperatures and icy roads and they may not get to participate this year, either.
I haven’t been to the city parade in years so I’m REALLY looking forward to going, not only to see Jazz, but to watch the whole thing.
I really hope they get to play next weekend. And of course, if it happens, I’m sure I’ll have a ton of pictures to share with you because it’s also BLOG FODDER!
*****
I have a hankering to make some videos … but doing what?
The small, insignificant, day-by-day things that happen in my life.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Took Jazz to his orthodontist today. They had to snip a few wires that were hanging over his teeth (his teeth get pushed together and the brackets get pushed together, leaving the end of the wire exposed. It’s kind of cool when this happens because you know the teeth are shifting).
I stayed in the car with my laptop and worked on my NaNoWriMo project. I actually got a lot written. The car is so quiet.
Jazz has to go back next month so they can change out three brackets. I have to take him out of school. I hate doing that simply because I’d hate having my day disrupted like that. And I know it’s probably hard for Jazz to go back to school afterward.
Kevin and I returned a picture today. I think we’ve both about had it with this decorating the house thing. We’ve been working on the bathroom and I think it’s coming together nicely. We painted the walls a rich wheat color and yes, it’s as bright as it sounds. But, we’ve toned it down a bit by putting some black wrought iron decorations on the walls.
Okay, it sounds weird, but it looks pretty nice. Here’s a pic:
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Thursday, November 4, 2010
Did something different with Dude today. He drove us up to the salon and I waited in the car (I took my laptop again and wrote a blog post this time around mooching off the salon’s free WiFi) and he went in, checked in, got his hair cut and paid the gals all by himself. I’m trying to break him in this whole independent thing slowly. He did great. I think he really enjoyed being his own man, too.
Next time, he’ll do the whole thing by himself. I asked him if he was getting embarrassed that “mommy” was doing this stuff with him and he said, “not really.” But truth be known, I’m starting to get a little embarrassed, the kid will be 18 in a few short weeks – it’s time to start doing some of this stuff on his own.
Even though he said he wasn’t embarrassed to be seen with me, I really do think he enjoyed getting his haircut on his own.
I think we’ve passed through yet another maturity door.
Speaking of birthdays, I was asking the guys (both Dude and Kevin have the same birthday) where they wanted to go for their birthday at dinner tonight and Jazz and I started talking about his birthday (his is in March). We’re planning on getting his driver’s permit on his birthday. I can’t believe it’s nearly time to teach Jazz how to drive. *gulp*
Friday, November 5, 2010
Kevin’s got a gig tonight. No. I didn’t go. It’s sort of boring for me, actually. Even though Kevin’s parents usually show up and keep me company (which is sweet, but a little uncomfortable), it’s sort of lonely. And I stress about his playing, though I wouldn’t know if he messed up or not, I stress for him because I know how important it is for him to play well.
Dude forgot his sweat jacket at the salon yesterday. We made him drive back up there, by himself, to get it. I tried not to show how nervous I was for him, but I was a wreck until he made it home safely. He’s a good driver, I’m not worried about him, per se, but I worry about the other drivers. We’ve got some pretty bad drivers in this area and … well, I have mixed feelings about him driving on his own now. I know it’s inevitable, but I’m relieved that the boy is happy to stay home most of the time.
I tried to encourage him to stop by a convenience store and grab himself a Mountain Dew and/or a candy bar, but he didn’t want to.
~*~*~*~*~
Saturday, November 6, 2010
I was sitting at my computer when I heard someone on our front porch.
This immediately makes me cranky. It drives me CRAZY when people come over without calling first. I just think that’s the epitome of rude and 9 times out of 10, I won’t even bother opening the door. (It’s usually a salesperson and rarely anyone I know anyway).
So, I just sat there. And continued doing what I was doing.
The person rang the doorbell and then stepped off the porch.
Cool. Delivery, I thought.
Kevin came out of his office to answer the door. It was a package, for him, but he wouldn’t let me see what he had bought.
I shrugged, thinking it was something for my birthday (which is in a few days) and I didn’t want to see anyway because I don’t like to spoil surprises like that.
About thirty minutes later, Kevin is in the kitchen, working on this little beauty:
He’s been obsessed with cuckoo clocks for the past several weeks. It all started when he was hunting for a new clock face for our grandfather clock (his dad gave us one he made for Christmas and Kevin painted it black and wanted a white clock face – it looks really nice). In the middle of this search, he stumbled onto a cuckoo clock and hasn’t been able to get them out of his mind ever since.
I had been able to talk him off the buying ledge for those weeks, but I can’t watch the man 24/7 and well, now we’re the proud (?) owners of a cuckoo clock.
The boys think it’s charming and I have to admit it’s cute, but the cuckoos every hour / half hour are enough to, well, drive a person cuckoo. 😀
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These entries are raw, immediate and from the heart. Thanks for reading.
ADDED: Kevin took a video …
Tell me that doesn’t drive you bonkers! Good thing we can latch the little doors and trap the birdies.
The insurance adjuster and the roof guy are here to assess our leaky roof.
Our roof was fine, until this past spring, and suddenly, we started noticing water stains on our ceiling. The fireplace has always leaked. Especially when the weather changes – the water seeps through the rocks, which tells us that we probably have a leak around our fireplace chimney, but the ceiling stains? Those were new.
In case you’re just tuning in, we’ve been pretty busy with home improvement projects: replaced old carpet with hardwood floors, bought new sofas, a new media center, painted the bathroom, (will) paint the foyer, replaced plumbing … when you live in a 40-year old house, there are always maintenance issues.
And at the bottom of the list? A new roof. We had talked about getting someone out here this next spring to take a look. But a roofing company made a cold call on us the other day, inspected it, said it was pretty bad (which what else could they say, they want the business, but the ceiling has been leaking and it’s 18 years old, we figured it was time anyway), and called our insurance company to come take a look.
That insurance guy is here now walking around on our roof. I’m curious to hear what he says about it. Is it as bad as the roof guy said? And more importantly, how much will they pay for a new one?
ADDED: The insurance company is recommending a new roof. Though it’s not as bad as the roof guys made it out to be (which is not surprising), it does have problems and of course, it’s leaking. So … looks like we’ll be getting a new roof in the next few weeks. It’s always something.
*****
We ordered Dude’s cap and gown the other day. I had to measure his height and weigh him in order to get the correct measurements for his gown.
I can’t believe this is happening. Graduation is that milestone, that light at the end of the tunnel you tell your kids they are working toward, the end goal, and here we are, being blinded by that same light because it’s that close.
I opted out of the graduation announcements. They were ugly. (No offense to anyone who orders their announcements through their schools). I will most likely go through Tiny Prints for his announcements. Which means, Kevin and I need to take Dude out to take some pictures so I have some good options when it comes time to order them.
After I placed Dude’s order, Kevin and I got to talking – did we pay for our cap and gown when we were in high school? It seems to me they were borrowed … we used them for the ceremony and then returned them? Does that sound right? I don’t remember paying for our cap and gowns, but then again, I likely wasn’t the one who paid for it, my parents did. I’ll have to ask them because now I’m curious.
*****
Dude’s 18th birthday is coming up soon. I’d like to do something special for him, but I have no clue what that might be. He hasn’t really asked for anything special … maybe I’ll shop some bakers and order a really nice cake this year as opposed to the cookie cake I normally order.
Or maybe I’ll do both. HEY! I’ll order a nice cake and then order Dude his very own cookie cake …
I don’t know. I’ll have to Google some ideas.
*****
The book business is booming. One week, I mailed off close to 30 books!! The boys are being paid for the books they cataloged and if they sell any, then they are responsible for packaging them. If Dude sold more, then Dude drives up to the post office, if Jazz sells more, I take Jazz to the post office.
Orders are slowing down now, but I have about twenty more books to input (Kevin and I bought a bunch from the library book sale) and whenever I add books, that seems to trigger another round of orders, so we’ll see.
We are very grateful to my dad for giving us these books. We’ve made some pretty good money on the venture and though the boys haven’t been paid yet (it’s only a matter of days now, Amazon has started the transfer process, but it usually takes a few days for it credit to our account), I know they really appreciate the opportunity, too. Dude already has plans for some of his money, Jazz hasn’t really said much. Which is weird, because Jazz is usually the kid who can’t stand having money, it burns a hole in his pocket and he can’t wait to spend it.
Maybe he’s outgrowing that impulse. I hope so.
At any rate, the book store has been keeping us really busy.
*****
My main computer has been acting really squirrely, as in, it automatically reboots at random intervals, and now it reboots, but not completely before the system shuts down and starts the process all over again.
I just scanned for viruses today and found a few suspicious-looking things that I was able to clear off my hard drive, but I think I actually messed it up when I reformatted last time. I get a little delete happy and I tend to delete items that are necessary to the operating system. It’s never really acted right since I reformatted last time.
Then again, the power supply has been making some pretty weird noises, so it could be that. (I’ve been having terrible luck with power supplies lately).
So … now what? I will likely try and reformat the stupid thing again (doing it right this time) AND buy a new computer. The one I’m using is about five or six years old, which is ancient in computer world.
Now I get to transfer all of my important files to my laptop so that I can work on client sites. Like I really had time to fool with this right now! Aargh!
Technology is great … when it works, right?
*****
Kevin went to the doctor today. He said it was a bit stupid because they didn’t x-ray his pelvis or do anything other than watch him walk and ask him questions.
I was disappointed. I was hoping we could see how much he had healed in the past months, but no luck.
He’s no longer taking pain medication (actually, he hasn’t taken any pain meds in quite a few months – nothing stronger than an Ibuprofen), and walking a lot better. He still has a problem with his foot drop (he can’t bend his right foot as much as his left foot), which causes him to sort of clip-clop as he walks, but it’s getting better and I’m quite sure he’ll be walking normally again very soon.
In the meantime, the doctors don’t have to see him anymore, that was his last visit.
He was given a clean bill of health, which is pretty amazing considering the man was immobile a mere six months ago.
We have God to thank for his speedy recovery.
*****
Speaking of Kevin’s accident …
Kevin noticed that the woman who hit him and left him for dead? Was charged with a DWI back in August (the accident occurred in April).
We’re not really sure what’s going on, but it sounds like this woman, this dangerous woman who has no business being on the streets and still driving, is out there, free and roaming around.
She had a warrant out for her arrest at one point, but that has since been removed, so we don’t know if this means they have the woman in custody or just what the heck is going on.
Kevin signed some medical release forms so that the prosecutor could have his records on file and use against the woman who hit him, but again, we’re not even sure if she has formally been charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
Kevin has called the prosecutor several times, but they have never returned his calls.
We just want this trouble maker off the streets. She’s obviously a menace and needs to either have her license revoked and/or some jail time.
We just pray she doesn’t kill anyone before that happens.
… is the top of our media center (which is a fancy label to say “entertainment center”).
I’m somewhat obsessed with this mantle clock. I have no idea why. Maybe because Kevin and I both Googled the crap out of trying to find a clock that wasn’t too tall for this space and wouldn’t cost us an arm and a leg.
(Have you shopped for clocks lately? Have your smelling salts handy).
Also?
I love my elephants.
They’re actually book ends. But I love them. I think they’re adorable. I think I might have bought them from Pier One and … now that I think about it, I think Kevin actually bought these elephants. Because he’s the one who usually thinks outside the box.
Me? I’m lucky if I dare to open the lid far enough for a peek. That’s how unimaginative I am when it comes to house decor.
But, I’m liking our media center, I think it turned out nicely.
(Feel free to look a little more closely at the left and right sides, if you want).
I feel like I’ve walked into a showroom, only the stuff on display is MY stuff and it feels personal and …
… I have an unhealthy attachment to my media center. Just humor me, okay? 😉
******
I found out today that my mom was able to switch with someone at work and is now free to drive up to St. Louis with me on Saturday.
YAY!
My mom hasn’t had a chance to watch Jazz’s band perform so she is in for a real treat. I’m also looking forward to her watching a few other bands, which are equally awesome and quite spectacular.
It’s amazing how much talent these kids have – and I’m not just talking about Jazz’s band, but all of the other bands in these competitions, too.
It’s really quite mind blowing.
Also? I haven’t had a chance to spend any time with my mom for, geez, this past year really, so I’m looking forward to having a little girl time with her.
(Kevin has a gig so won’t be going. And I think Dude has had it up to his eyeballs with marching competitions).
It really blows my mind, actually. These textbooks, that my dad so very graciously let us take off his hands, have been selling like hotcakes. One day, I mailed EIGHT.
The post office people are starting to recognize me. (And the lady who usually helps me is actually pretty cranky with other people, but she’s nice to me. Probably because I have everything ready to go and make her job easier. It amazes me the number of people who show up at the post office ill prepared. As in, their item isn’t even packaged).
But it’s getting old. I’m tempted to put my account into vacation mode just to take a break … but I won’t.
There is money to be made (and I need to get rid of these books. They’re taking over the garage).
[I didn’t even finish typing this entry and we sold another one. That’s 31 32 books in seven days. I’m tired just typing that].
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Speaking of books …
The Fall library book sale is this week. I want to go. I shouldn’t go.
We’re going tomorrow.
Kevin and I are planning on making a trip over there tomorrow after lunch. I think I’ll focus on trying to find nonfiction books as those seem to be selling better than my fiction ones.
Kevin doesn’t know about this plan, by the way. I’ll have to take out the trusty charm, dust her off and see if I can’t blind him with my sweet smile.
I’m trying not to panic about that little fact, but …
… I’m a bit panicked by that little fact.
I have done nothing.
Let me repeat that ..
N.O.T.H.I.N.G
I have a germ of an idea … and by that I mean,
“Oh, this idea might make an interesting story”
and that’s it. That’s as far as I’ve gotten. I have no idea where that idea might go – right now, it’s dangling on the end of a string surrounded by nothingness.
It’s quite sad, actually.
But never fear, I will come up with a tentative outline (and I say outline in the loosest sense of the word because I’m what you might call a “pantser” sort of writer – I write by the seat of my pants) before midnight, October 31st.
(Okay fine, it won’t even be then, it’ll be WHILE I’m writing utter nonsense).
Last year I wrote a series of short stories and vowed I would never do that again (I’m sort of notorious for saying “I’ll never do THAT again and then a few years later, I do it again), this year, I’m thinking of writing two novellas and somehow connecting them in some way.
I sort of have a fascination for stories that are written to go together but could easily be read separately and still be understood. I’d like to try that again, only on a larger scale this time.
I think Kevin and I will also drop by Staples tomorrow so I can pick out a fun binder to put my project in.
Can you believe that was on the front page of Yahoo today??
AND …
Did you know that “The separation of church and state” is NOT in the constitution? That the amendment that everyone (and by everyone, I mean liberals) refers to actually says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The phrase -‘separation of church and state’ – originated from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to a persecuted Baptist minority group in 1802 entitled “A Wall of Separation.”
And this little constitutional lesson stems from this little tidbit in the news today and from the fact that a prominent blogger brought this issue up in a very snotty way on Twitter today and snickered about how smart Christine O’Donnell was in that she didn’t know anything about our constitution.
*pause for dramatic effect here*
Spin is such a nasty little tool, isn’t it?
******
And that’s all the brain power I can muster at this late hour (it’s 11:34 p.m.).
Good night.
Sleep tight.
Don’t let the bed bugs bite.
Ugh. That saying has such realistic ring to it nowadays, doesn’t it?
If you don’t know? I’m not the biggest fan of shopping. In fact, it’s pretty safe to say, I loathe it.
But here’s the thing, we’re hosting Kevin’s family for Thanksgiving dinner this year (we switch off with his two sisters, so this means we host dinner every third year), it’s our turn, and we use these dinners as an excuse to spruce up the house a little bit.
We did the kitchen back in March, now, it’s time to turn our focus on the living room and dining room.
After we finished our weekly grocery shopping torture errand, Kevin and I went to look go look at “our” sofa and love seat. We’ve been looking at this one set for a few weeks now and we keep coming back to it.
And the cherry on the milk shake? The set was on sale. In fact, if we paid cash, they would knock an extra 20% off the price.
*ZOINKS!*
But still, we hesitated. We hadn’t checked out one last furniture store and Kevin, being Kevin, would never let me live it down if we bought this set and then we saw something else we might have liked better. (And yes, we would known about it because even though we buy something, Kevin still looks for that object long after the transaction has gone through. It drives me nuts! And then, God forbid the thing goes on sale – I never hear the end of it!!).
So, we went and looked. And Kevin actually saw a few sets that he really liked. But none of them were recliners, and the set we’ve had our eye on is not only a recliner in the sofa, but in the love seat, too. Which is a huge plus. (I didn’t tell him this, but I personally didn’t like what he picked out and they were so not comfortable, but when we’re out looking, I’ve learned just to keep my mouth shut and let the man look. He ultimately comes around to my way of thinking sooner or later. HA!)
It was time to pick the boys up from school by the time we finished looking at these sloppy seconds (*ahem*) and we took the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of all of the sofas we looked at at this point.
By the time the boys walked up to my car, we had decided to go ahead and buy the set we liked and take advantage of the sale price. (The sale ended at midnight tonight).
We dropped the boys off, went to the store and bought our set. Kevin feels pretty good about it (the price was still a little high, but I’m El Cheapo and really, anything over ten bucks is too expensive in my book) and it will take about one or two weeks before they come in.
Which works out perfectly, because we need time to get our floor installed.
We headed to Micheal’s next. (Micheal’s is a craft store). I’ve been toying with the idea of painting our front bathroom and doing sort of a sunflower theme in there. (Hence, the sunflower picture you see above). I have no idea where the sunflower idea came from, but that’s what I’m shooting for now. We bought four really big sunflowers for our over-sized vase (and they were 40% off – SCORE!). I’m even thinking about buying a few prints off istockphoto.com and getting them framed, but Kevin thinks this might actually end up costing us more than simply buying ready-made art. I’m not so sure – I have a few ideas up my sleeve on how we could possibly make it affordable, but again, we’ll see.
After Micheal’s, we went to Kirkland’s to try and find a funky mirror to put over the new table in the foyer.
No luck. We saw several interesting pieces, but nothing that was our style (whatever the heck that might be – I KNOW our style, I just can’t put a name to it). We did see one really thought-provoking piece though. In fact, Kevin spotted it and sort of talked me into being interested. I might talk more about this piece in a few days, it all depends on whether we buy it or not. I think we’re leaning toward buying it right now and if we do, we will be taking about two giant steps out of our comfort zone – it’s that out there. But we both like it, in a “let’s do something surprising” sort of way, so we’ll see how we feel about this piece after a few nights of sleeping on it. (I was actually going to link to this piece through Kirkland’s website, but I couldn’t find it so – BOO!)
Next? We went to Lowe’s to try and find a paint color for our living room. Unbeknownst to my sister-in-law, the color she picked out for our walls almost perfectly matches our sofa and love seat and I can’t quite visualize how that might look – khaki walls, khaki furniture, won’t that look just a little TOO perfect? But my sister-in-law is assuring me it’ll look fabulous (matte walls against glossy furniture) so AGAIN, we’ll see. I think Kevin and I are going to try the color and just see where it takes us. It’s a bit darker than we’re used to, but I trust my sister-in-law’s taste, so we’ll …
Well. You get the idea.
(Side note: I did find a mirror that might work over that foyer table, though).
Ugh. My brain is spinning from all of the home decor ideas swirling around. It’s like one big echo in there (because we all know my brain doesn’t take up too much space). I think if we can get this thing to come together, it’s going to look awesome. I hope.
******
I finally made an appointment to get Dude’s senior pictures taken today. We only have until October 15th to turn in his senior portrait in order to make the yearbook deadline so we really need to get this taken care of.
Dude has flat out refused to do the whole 50 poses-changing clothes thing, so we’re just going to get some head shots. I’m disappointed, but not surprised. Dude is my low-key sort of son. He likes to keep things simple and unassuming.
His appointment is this coming Tuesday at 4:30. (I was surprised that they were able to get me in so soon). We’re going through About Faces Photography (love that name) and though I’m looking forward to getting some really good pictures of Dude, I’m not looking forward to the process. The package we’re paying for only has between 5 to 10 poses, so I’m sure it won’t take that long to get through, I just don’t know how comfortable (or terrified/annoyed) Dude is going to be.
The gal told us that we will pick the photos we want right after the session. They are familiar with the school’s portrait requirements for the yearbook, so we won’t have to worry about that part. All we’ll have to do is pick out the best one and preen like proud parents. I’m sure we’ll buy extras.
So that’s something else I need to do this weekend – take Dude out to buy him a new shirt. Preferably something a little nicer than a plain t-shirt, which is his style of choice.
Dude also had a senior meeting this past week at school. I’ve yet to figure out what that was all about, so we’ll likely sit down and talk about that, too.
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Kevin is playing at a private birthday party tomorrow night, so I will be taking that time to get some work caught up. I have a feeling I’m not going to have a lot of time to get any work done this next week, what with us moving furniture and getting ready for the floor guy.
******
We also need to hem Jazz’s band pants. Though he doesn’t have any idea when he’ll be required to wear his uniform for the first time, experience tells me it’ll probably be the next football game, which is this coming Friday.
******
Two of my four textbooks have shipped. Yippee! I hope the other two get here in a timely manner. I”m really looking forward to starting this class.
******
I caught Kevin looking at help wanted ads today. I talked him off the edge. I really think he should be the stay-at-home dad for a while and let me bring home the bacon.
Don’t laugh. It’s gonna happen. 🙂
******
I’ve been drinking the Reliv. Actually, it’s one scoop of Reliv and one scoop of some sort of protein powder that Kevin drinks. I have to say, I do feel like I have more energy.
But it’s early yet. Let’s see how it performs, long term.
I had been able to talk him off the buying ledge for those weeks, but I can’t watch the man 24/7 and well, now we’re the proud (?) owners of a cuckoo clock.
Write From Karen 