Today is the day....whatever is not done won't be done. Soon the boys and I, along with my best friend from OK (and official wedding photographer) will be leaving to meet the family for breakfast. My sister reserved a room at a local buffet place - my request. I figured since family is flying in that I haven't seen for some time I really wanted a meal together - busy and chaotic as it will be. Dresses are done, flowers will be arriving at the church at 12:30 (I think) and whatever else is NOT done won't be done. I've not had time to post pictures this week - and barely any time to stop and think. HA!
Hopefully next week I'll have time to simply stop and think for awhile. For now...I'm signing off. Happy Holiday Weekend everyone.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sunday Night
So Sunday night I had EMS on my property again - 2 ambulances and an unknown # of other responders - it was dark and I never did get a count of who all showed up. I've had a family living with me here this past summer (since June) - and their middle boy (13 - in 8th grade and a runner) came flying off the trampoline and hit his back and tail bone when he landed. No adults were home at the time - B and I were picking up my Squirrel from Bible study, Craig and Ginger were both at the house they are moving into (hopefully this week before the wedding!) Stretch was the oldest kid at home - inside on the computer. J & N (Craig and Ginger's boys) and Dipstick were out on the trampoline (instead of getting settled down for the night). Stretch called me - "Mom - J fell off the trampoline and he's having trouble moving"
Talk about sending fear into one's heart! Thankfully B and I were almost back to the house so I told Stretch to stay with J and tell him not to try to move. I assessed him with my limited knowledge - does this hurt, can you move this, rate your pain....and called my nurse neighbor and J's parents. From there I sent Stretch to call EMS - J was transported - with a neck brace on a back board to the local ER. Thankfully after all was said and done - X-rays, CT scans - J was sent home walking stiffly and sore but otherwise o.k. He's not to participate in gym for a couple of days but otherwise has no restrictions and no pain meds. Their insurance will pay all but $100.00 deductible for the ER and 10% of the ambulance bill.
I still feel stretched - like a rubber band that is about to snap. But I am rejoicing in God's protection - that J's injuries were not more serious and that they have good insurance. (I have home-owner's but no personal medical insurance). This week is going to be hectically busy - my dress for the wedding is not finished - nor is anyone else's. The gal doing the flowers backed out last Thursday night so I'm scrambling to get that covered - we will hopefully be able to use wildflowers and flowers from backyards. Family coming in this week - from pretty far across the US and Canada....B' s house is still no-where near finished - I suspect it will be close to 3 months at least before we can move in there. There is re-arranging to be done, food to be purchased... the list goes on. I want to enjoy this week...without feeling stretched the entire time.
Talk about sending fear into one's heart! Thankfully B and I were almost back to the house so I told Stretch to stay with J and tell him not to try to move. I assessed him with my limited knowledge - does this hurt, can you move this, rate your pain....and called my nurse neighbor and J's parents. From there I sent Stretch to call EMS - J was transported - with a neck brace on a back board to the local ER. Thankfully after all was said and done - X-rays, CT scans - J was sent home walking stiffly and sore but otherwise o.k. He's not to participate in gym for a couple of days but otherwise has no restrictions and no pain meds. Their insurance will pay all but $100.00 deductible for the ER and 10% of the ambulance bill.
I still feel stretched - like a rubber band that is about to snap. But I am rejoicing in God's protection - that J's injuries were not more serious and that they have good insurance. (I have home-owner's but no personal medical insurance). This week is going to be hectically busy - my dress for the wedding is not finished - nor is anyone else's. The gal doing the flowers backed out last Thursday night so I'm scrambling to get that covered - we will hopefully be able to use wildflowers and flowers from backyards. Family coming in this week - from pretty far across the US and Canada....B' s house is still no-where near finished - I suspect it will be close to 3 months at least before we can move in there. There is re-arranging to be done, food to be purchased... the list goes on. I want to enjoy this week...without feeling stretched the entire time.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Word picture from this morning:
Sun rising as a glowing orange ball. Dark shapes of trees and bushes. A calm pond reflecting it's surroundings. A solitary deer silhouetted by the edge of the pond getting a morning drink.
My morning bus route especially often leaves me longing for the ability to draw the scenes I see as I drive through the countryside. So far I've always been too much of a perfectionist to attempt to translate what's in my mind's eye to paper. But maybe someday...In the meantime I seek to remember the words to describe what I've seen.
I am thoroughly enjoying no longer having the kindergarten shuttle to run - not because I minded the little ones but because it's really nice to have 5 hours time at home during the day. I feel like I'll actually be able to get something accomplished during the day. So far today I've cleaned and cleared off all the kitchen counters and most of the dining room table. Laundry is put away (at least in the owner's rooms) while more is done in the washer. My bedroom is finally getting some much needed attention as is the family room. I've also laid down and closed my eyes for a bit, dealt with a couple of phone calls and looked at recipes for apple butter (canned) and apple pie filling. I have 4 good sized bowls of mealy looking apples on my counter top waiting to be dealt with. There are plenty more on the trees mostly out of my reach - the hope is to get at least one batch of apple butter and enough for several pies put up. I'm honestly not sure what type of apples these are - some look a lot like granny smith while others have a reddish tint to the skin....We will see how they turn out.
I've been busy picking out colors for the house - it's not ready to be painted yet. However I've had several people ask me about how I'm going to decorate it so I figured I'd better get some ideas going. (B has said painting and color choices are completely up to me!) It really is coming along - and is exciting to watch. Saturday B and I put wood panels (otherwise known as car-siding) up in the 3 season room. We got one wall done and another one partly done - the panels are pine and really light in color. I will seal them somehow which will darken them slightly. I really like the way it looks already - even with power saws and other construction equipment still in there. And it was really a lot of fun to learn to run two different kinds of power saws - I've always wanted to learn to work with wood. The challenge was just getting stuff cut exactly right - fortunately it wasn't too difficult most of the time.
Yesterday afternoon on my bus route I was handed a bag from a couple of the moms along with a note. It was a wedding and appreciation gift for my putting up with their kiddos on the bus - beautiful handmade ripple pattern throw - just perfect size to snuggle up under on the porch or in the 3 season room. The ripple pattern is my favorite crochet design and one that I've never successfully made.
Ok...time to scoot. I really want to get a bit more done on my bedroom before time to get on the bus this afternoon. We are in the final countdown for the wedding and things are still very much in progress rather than finished. I've delegated more stuff to more different people - and am having a relatively easy time saying "ok it's yours - I'm not going to worry about it now except to answer questions".
Sun rising as a glowing orange ball. Dark shapes of trees and bushes. A calm pond reflecting it's surroundings. A solitary deer silhouetted by the edge of the pond getting a morning drink.
My morning bus route especially often leaves me longing for the ability to draw the scenes I see as I drive through the countryside. So far I've always been too much of a perfectionist to attempt to translate what's in my mind's eye to paper. But maybe someday...In the meantime I seek to remember the words to describe what I've seen.
I am thoroughly enjoying no longer having the kindergarten shuttle to run - not because I minded the little ones but because it's really nice to have 5 hours time at home during the day. I feel like I'll actually be able to get something accomplished during the day. So far today I've cleaned and cleared off all the kitchen counters and most of the dining room table. Laundry is put away (at least in the owner's rooms) while more is done in the washer. My bedroom is finally getting some much needed attention as is the family room. I've also laid down and closed my eyes for a bit, dealt with a couple of phone calls and looked at recipes for apple butter (canned) and apple pie filling. I have 4 good sized bowls of mealy looking apples on my counter top waiting to be dealt with. There are plenty more on the trees mostly out of my reach - the hope is to get at least one batch of apple butter and enough for several pies put up. I'm honestly not sure what type of apples these are - some look a lot like granny smith while others have a reddish tint to the skin....We will see how they turn out.
I've been busy picking out colors for the house - it's not ready to be painted yet. However I've had several people ask me about how I'm going to decorate it so I figured I'd better get some ideas going. (B has said painting and color choices are completely up to me!) It really is coming along - and is exciting to watch. Saturday B and I put wood panels (otherwise known as car-siding) up in the 3 season room. We got one wall done and another one partly done - the panels are pine and really light in color. I will seal them somehow which will darken them slightly. I really like the way it looks already - even with power saws and other construction equipment still in there. And it was really a lot of fun to learn to run two different kinds of power saws - I've always wanted to learn to work with wood. The challenge was just getting stuff cut exactly right - fortunately it wasn't too difficult most of the time.
Yesterday afternoon on my bus route I was handed a bag from a couple of the moms along with a note. It was a wedding and appreciation gift for my putting up with their kiddos on the bus - beautiful handmade ripple pattern throw - just perfect size to snuggle up under on the porch or in the 3 season room. The ripple pattern is my favorite crochet design and one that I've never successfully made.
Ok...time to scoot. I really want to get a bit more done on my bedroom before time to get on the bus this afternoon. We are in the final countdown for the wedding and things are still very much in progress rather than finished. I've delegated more stuff to more different people - and am having a relatively easy time saying "ok it's yours - I'm not going to worry about it now except to answer questions".
Monday, August 18, 2008
Huge Relief
Huge sense of relief this afternoon. - no more kindergarten shuttle. I loved the little ones - and there were only a few so that was nice. However with getting married and moving it's just too much. My afternoon bus route went fairly well - except for missing a stop. But I was done by 4:15 for the first time since school started last week - that's an improvement. All the kids on the bus belonged on my bus route - unlike Friday when I had a "stray". Apparently this girl likes to just ride the buses so periodically she will sneak onto one and ride until she's found - easy enough to do at the beginning of the school year when one is still learning faces, names and stops. I still have one mom who really would like me to not drive her children anymore (to put it politely). However I have support from my boss and the superintendent so that helps.
I started feeling much better from the strep throat within 24 hours of starting the antibiotic - I still sometimes get tired but that's normal. I still wanted to hibernate last week - crawl into a hole and pull covers in after me - could feel myself withdrawing from stuff around me. Having the computer go down again did not help at all as it leaves me feeling isolated and cut off from the "wider" world when I can't blog or check email. I spent over an hour on the phone with the telephone company yesterday and was able to get that sorted out. The other major reasons for the withdrawal was the huge mess in the house, boxes what seems like everywhere and people around all the time.
Supper is ready....Stretch should be calling for a ride home soon so I'd better post this and do more another time.
I started feeling much better from the strep throat within 24 hours of starting the antibiotic - I still sometimes get tired but that's normal. I still wanted to hibernate last week - crawl into a hole and pull covers in after me - could feel myself withdrawing from stuff around me. Having the computer go down again did not help at all as it leaves me feeling isolated and cut off from the "wider" world when I can't blog or check email. I spent over an hour on the phone with the telephone company yesterday and was able to get that sorted out. The other major reasons for the withdrawal was the huge mess in the house, boxes what seems like everywhere and people around all the time.
Supper is ready....Stretch should be calling for a ride home soon so I'd better post this and do more another time.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Challenges
Well...now I'm being treated for strep throat - woke up yesterday with a painfully sore throat that hopefully will begin feeling better by this time tomorrow. Normally I try really hard to wait a week or so before going to the doctor to make sure that whatever I have at the moment is not a virus that will clear up on it's own. Not this time - what with school starting on Thursday, a wedding in less than 3 weeks, knowing I'd been exposed to strep and everything else going on I figured I wasn't going to mess around - I don't have time to be sick. So today I'm officially not attempting to accomplish anything because I simply can't. And tomorrow instead of going to MI to get with Mike's cousins for the day I will be doing everything I should have accomplished today. Fun fun.
In the meantime, Dipstick was sent home from school today- his first day - with 101' fever. I haven't seen him yet - probably won't today. Hopefully it's not a relapse but we will have to wait and see. B is discouraged - the siding that was supposed to be installed on Saturday was the wrong color and will take 3 weeks to come in. That means that the "siding party" that was scheduled for Saturday will have to be rescheduled - basically the house is not weather sealed yet either. I'm hoping that other work can be done during those 3 weeks rather than it being at a complete stop but I don't know enough to be certain if that will be the case. I'm certain that this is one of the joys of remodeling rather than starting over new.
I'm off to my couch for now - will hopefully come out of hibernation in a day or two with pictures and something lighter.
In the meantime, Dipstick was sent home from school today- his first day - with 101' fever. I haven't seen him yet - probably won't today. Hopefully it's not a relapse but we will have to wait and see. B is discouraged - the siding that was supposed to be installed on Saturday was the wrong color and will take 3 weeks to come in. That means that the "siding party" that was scheduled for Saturday will have to be rescheduled - basically the house is not weather sealed yet either. I'm hoping that other work can be done during those 3 weeks rather than it being at a complete stop but I don't know enough to be certain if that will be the case. I'm certain that this is one of the joys of remodeling rather than starting over new.
I'm off to my couch for now - will hopefully come out of hibernation in a day or two with pictures and something lighter.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Yeah!!!
Yeah!!!! I'm back!!! Not that too many people even knew I was gone...but I sure missed having good access to the computer. It's so nice to have the computer working much better than it was...and faster. Now I just have to get all my files backed up onto something else - especially my pictures. The laptop - while it worked to check one email address - really didn't help too much with anything else.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Computer issues, Wedding Plans & stuff
ARGH!!! I hate not knowing enough about computers to be able to fix stuff without having to call someone for help. To me if I can't click on something it's not worth my time. Now I'm suspecting that my desktop (which I'm not using at the moment) may have caught (is that a valid description?) a virus. I'm running my spyware program and will run my virus program and hopefully both will work. I've also called my brother-in-law in Chicago who is my computer guy who will do some research and get back to me. In the meantime I either have to go somewhere to check email and blogs or hope the laptop will work. On the plus side...having to babysit the desktop while it's doing this means I've got time to compose a blog post.
Wedding plans are coming along I think. I probably really need to get some phone calls made nd and possibly visits to a couple of people who are helping me today. I still haven't decided 100% whether to have the reception at the church or to try to have it elsewhere. Invitations are mostly sent - that was finished yesterday. There are a few that I didn't have valid mailing addresses for that I still need to send. However those should be done today I think. I need to finish cutting out the last dress and find out how the "sowers" are doing. I need to firm up what's needed for the reception and when it will be purchased...
School starts in a week or so. Last night was registration for Dipstick - it didn't feel well-organized at all. I went along to help and learn but didn't bother to stand in the transportation line as his bus was listed on his paperwork. B was thankful I was there as he finds it overwhelming. I suggested he ask Stretch how I reacted when we registered him for 6th grade - in a new school system without Mike. I'm much better able to handle things now. Of course it helped that we bumped into someone from church and she helped us get started. Tomorrow night is Squirrel's orientation - he is so excited! He's looking forward to learning to play trombone - we still have to get one. He's been trying to teach himself to play my old clarinet in the meantime.
Craig and Ginger have found a place to move to - it needs work but the rent is affordable and it's in their desired location. I'm not sure when exactly they will move but it won't be this weekend as they will be in Chicago at a conference. I'm watching their two boys from tonight until Saturday.
This weekend is the annual father/son campout and canoe trip that one of the men from church heads up. My boys have gone for the past 3 years - they've been "adopted" for the weekend. This year Stretch can't go because a youth leadership retreat was planned for the same weekend and he's one of the youth group leadership team. Squirrel doesn't want to go because Stretch can't go - even though B and Dipstick will be there. I'm a bit torn - this is the one night/weekend a year that I normally have no responsiblities to the kids - I get to sleep as late as I want, clean, stay up, watch whatever movies I might want to watch...s o selfishly I rather look forward to this. However this year I'm watching Ginger's two boys so would have some responsiblities anyway and it might be beneficial to have Squirrel home to play with their oldest. I really could use some wisdom right now that I don't have.
Other than that there's not a huge amount of stuff going on. I've got to spend some time with my bus route - learning it and contacting riders to let them know what time I'll be there in the morning. It seems that the summer has just flown by.
Wedding plans are coming along I think. I probably really need to get some phone calls made nd and possibly visits to a couple of people who are helping me today. I still haven't decided 100% whether to have the reception at the church or to try to have it elsewhere. Invitations are mostly sent - that was finished yesterday. There are a few that I didn't have valid mailing addresses for that I still need to send. However those should be done today I think. I need to finish cutting out the last dress and find out how the "sowers" are doing. I need to firm up what's needed for the reception and when it will be purchased...
School starts in a week or so. Last night was registration for Dipstick - it didn't feel well-organized at all. I went along to help and learn but didn't bother to stand in the transportation line as his bus was listed on his paperwork. B was thankful I was there as he finds it overwhelming. I suggested he ask Stretch how I reacted when we registered him for 6th grade - in a new school system without Mike. I'm much better able to handle things now. Of course it helped that we bumped into someone from church and she helped us get started. Tomorrow night is Squirrel's orientation - he is so excited! He's looking forward to learning to play trombone - we still have to get one. He's been trying to teach himself to play my old clarinet in the meantime.
Craig and Ginger have found a place to move to - it needs work but the rent is affordable and it's in their desired location. I'm not sure when exactly they will move but it won't be this weekend as they will be in Chicago at a conference. I'm watching their two boys from tonight until Saturday.
This weekend is the annual father/son campout and canoe trip that one of the men from church heads up. My boys have gone for the past 3 years - they've been "adopted" for the weekend. This year Stretch can't go because a youth leadership retreat was planned for the same weekend and he's one of the youth group leadership team. Squirrel doesn't want to go because Stretch can't go - even though B and Dipstick will be there. I'm a bit torn - this is the one night/weekend a year that I normally have no responsiblities to the kids - I get to sleep as late as I want, clean, stay up, watch whatever movies I might want to watch...s o selfishly I rather look forward to this. However this year I'm watching Ginger's two boys so would have some responsiblities anyway and it might be beneficial to have Squirrel home to play with their oldest. I really could use some wisdom right now that I don't have.
Other than that there's not a huge amount of stuff going on. I've got to spend some time with my bus route - learning it and contacting riders to let them know what time I'll be there in the morning. It seems that the summer has just flown by.
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