Just a few more hours...

...and I'll be right home to you... 4 weeks. It's not the longest we have been apart, but it's close.  It's also really hard.  I know there are lots of others who are in similar situations, or worse; it really makes my heart go out to them...

Old Business:

• Have read more in becoming wise
• Little bit more weeding to do
• Garage is always a mess
• Face soap made, now honey, pumpkin and lumberjack
• Gutter apron has been tested.  Made some additional modifications, and so far, so good.  Half the house is done, thanks to the help from my nephew.  Now just need to get the rest done
• Most of the tools are hung, just a few left; they also need cleaned
• Ramp, Stoop and Fence still need stain - probably get done this spring
• Roof is still a pain in my backside
• Still in the groove of some scrapping
• Lots of cross country!
• More magazines read; pile is getting whittled down
• Still working on massage promotions.  Landed a gig with a nursing home for staff - that was encouraging
• Progressive dinner was a hit - and fun!
• Desk is staying clean
• 013's bed is in place
• 013's bedroom still needs paint
• Kitchen ceiling still not done
• Flowerbeds over at dad's this weekend

New Business:

• Grow my business
• Get prepared for winter
• Work on old business

If you're gone...

...maybe it's time to come home... ah, but where is home.  I've lived so many places in my life, I'm not sure I know where that is.  I usually just tell myself it is where I am right now.  So I guess right now I have 2 homes.  And I guess that is OK.  I don't know why that song has been so big in my mind right now.  It is a chilly still summer morning, but we are definitely leaning toward fall.  And I suppose that makes me a bit introspective, and maybe melancholy too.  One more year coming to a close, closer to my goal, supposedly, but what is my goal?  I struggle with answering that.

Old Business:

• Still tabled becoming wise
• Weeding is done, now just maintenance.  Clippings are good in the bed, and now preparing for the winter decomposition, so that means building it up as much as possible.  Which, really, we have been trying to do all summer
• Garage, yup, still needs some tidying, but have become more regular at it, so it is more manageable
• Made some peppermint soap!  Now need to make more face, honey & oat, and pumpkin pie.
• Lost a couple more shrubs.  Think it is from drainage issues in the yard, and their feet are staying too wet
• Lost a dogwood, was able to replace it.  It is slightly bigger, hopefully this will help.  The one that I replaced this spring is doing OK, but I worry about it.  Having a hard time getting them to live past year 2
• Just when I gave up on the garden, whilst weeding, I found a tomato plant that must have survived being washed out as a seedling. We have enjoyed some very yummy tomatoes from it
• Have a test section of gutter apron done.  When I went do to it, realized this is what they tried to do to fix it.  So we did some modifications.  I need a good downpour. Probably not gonna happen until it is too cold to do the rest! LOL
• Shed trim is done! Yea!
• Tools still need rehung, but hardware is here for it
• Ramp, Back Stoop,  and Fence still need staining
• Roof is still problematic
• Two more layouts done, trying to get more consistent/habitual
• Less flying for me, now that school and cross country have started
• Lots of laughter during conversations.  Plus love hearing 016 becoming so much more like an adult with his thinking.  He is such an old soul
• Been to a couple cross country meets.  Always fun to watch all the boys & girls give so much of themselves.
• Fahrenheit 451 completed, but loving the notes in the back
• Have read more magazines
• Soap orders have increased
• Scrap orders have increased
• Massage appointments seem to have leveled off.  Been working on some promotions to attract new clients
• Church has been busy with district conference (making pie), a wedding, and summer speaking schedules

New Business:

• Make soap to replenish stock
• Make pies for progressive dinner next Friday
• Make promotions happen!
• Continue to scrap
• Continue to keep desk better
• Live in the moment more
• Get a new bed for 013 on his birthday
• Paint 013 bedroom for birthday
• Get kitchen ceiling scraped (another spot found and done, another spot needs done) so I can mud then paint
• Work on flowerbeds over at dad/s

Well, you don't know what we can see...

...why don't you tell your dreams to me? Fantasy will set you free....

Some do say I live in a fantasy world.  Sometimes it certainly feels that way when I look around at all I need to do and all I want to do, and all the places I want to go... But those are even more lists....  Tonight, the cicadas overpower the crickets and frogs, but I don't care, it sounds so much like summer still.  There is a beautiful sunset happening, and a nice cool breeze from the north.

Old Business:

• Still reading becoming wise but it has been tabled for a bit
• Still weeding and spreading clippings.  Hoping the flowers and bushes fill in more, so less will be required
• Given up selling the books on eBay, selling better on Amazon
• Garage is in a constant state of needing to be tidy.  But small changes are happening... No more painting station
• Would like to make more soap
• Still love studying muscles and learning new techniques
• Shrubs seem to be doing OK
• Decided to just remove the downspouts and let the others take care of it.  So far, so good
• Gave up on vegetable garden this year.
• Flower boxes will probably require rebricking
• Gutter apron needs installed
• Shed trim is 1/2 done
• Shed ramp still needs stain
• Wooden fence still needs stain
• Metal fence is DONE!
• Roof is still problematic
• One layout completed!  And more prints ordered that need put away
• Flying has been busy, and so good!  I always have so much fun, and we meet the most interesting people!
• We have bowled a couple of times
• We saw 1 movie on Mondays
• We went to 2 concerts in the park
• We've also had good conversations around the dinner table and in the car, full of lots of laughter!
• Doctor's visits done.  Included bloodwork and a tetanus/pertussis shot for me.  My arm still hurts!

New Business:

• Work on old business
• Finish Fahrenheit 451
• Continue to scrap
• Keep desk clearer
• Read more of my magazines

Dust in the wind...

...as I sit here and enjoy a nice northerly breeze through my window...  I have certainly been busy, but I'm not sure I got a lot done!  LOL

Old Business:

• Still reading becoming wise
• Still weeding & spreading clippings
• Still need to hem the drapes
• Probably ought to sell the books on Amazon instead of eBay
• Still need to tidy the garage...even though I did it...
• Ceiling sanded, but needs primed and painted
• Sudsy soap!  It's everywhere
• Love studying muscles!
• Had to replace another shrub in back
• 1 downspout is not attached to drainage system, need to troubleshoot that as it involves trenching under fence, and between carport & house
• Seedlings died, need to direct sow
• Flower boxes have been looked into, bigger problem than anticipated
• Gutter aprons purchased to fix drip edge, and eaves & such have been power washed
• 016's bedside table is done.  He did a GREAT job & I love how they look
• Shed has been painted.  Need to do trim and put hardware back on 
• Shed ramp needs power washed to be weather treated
• Wooden fence power washed, needs treated
• Metal fence is in the process of being primed before painting
• Roof is still problematic
• Scrapping still needs done, however, I've ordered prints & gotten lots of stuff filed away.  I've even gone through the project list to pull pictures

New Business:

• Finish some of the old business!
• Try to enjoy life & not just measure it by what I get done...
• Flying with the Hoolies
• Free movie Monday with the boys
• Bowling with the boys
• Concerts in the park with the boys

Summertime, Summertime, sum sum summertime...

It's a catchy tune, by The Jamies, if you need to have your memory jogged.  So we go from winter, to well, rainy, to summer!  We've had all of 'em in a month!  And I've had a lot going on, here's the recap!

Old Business:

• More weeding
• More reading becoming wise
• Drapery rod hung in laundry room, thanks to nephew, now need to hem the drapes
• More stuff listed on eBay, more sold
• My pants are mended, so are 013's!
• Garage, still.needs.tidying..... all.the.time...sigh (but it is a sign of getting stuff done, right? Right!)
• Shelves are hung in 016's room!  Yea!!  And he has put stuff on them!
• Kitchen ceiling is mudded, and ready for sanding.  016 also even taped off the walls for me today so I can get it painted!
• Lots of soap orders coming in every month!
• Always with the studying!  Cool!
• Bathtub repair is done!
• Flowers given to me are mostly planted!
• Tree & shrub in back have been replaced!
• Several mowings have happened, flowerbeds looking better!
• 1 downspout repaired, gutters addressed, more work on that to do
• Have 2x more massage clients each month now as last year this time!
• 016's dresser is sanded and painted, he did it himself!
• Grill cover has been repaired, and the damaged wheels replaced
• Laptop has been cleaned out and thermal paste replaced.  running much better
• Seedling shelf built; seedlings planted

New Business:

• 016's bedside table needs sanded/painted
• Kitchen ceiling needs sanded/painted
• Shed needs painted; hardware replaced
• Shed ramp needs stained
• Wooden fence needs pressure washed & then stained
• Metal fence needs painted
• Finish planting donated plants
• Seedlings need planted
• Fix flower boxes for leaking
• Fix drip edges that were not installed properly
• Replace roof on garage
• Continue to grow business so that I have on average 2 clients per day by the end of the year
• Get back into scrapping

I can whip all of that out in a week or so, right!??!

July 2016 Flickr Post

Hey there, just a few more to finish up the month... I guess I got behind again somewhere...  Anyway, just some of the boys, and the baby shower.  You can check out the upload here.

Hazy shade of winter...

... even though spring is next week, we've had quite a wintery turn this week.  Yikes, it is cold!  Here's what's happened in the past month...

Old Business:

• Photos selected for about 2/3 of the project list.
• Stopping letters, at least for now.  Not getting much traction.
• Have done some weed pulling - can't wait for spring!
• Still reading Becoming Wise
• Laundry room - found curtains on clearance at Target, with drapery rod.  Need to hang.
• Bathroom - ceiling & wall are DONE!
• Listed a lot on eBay, a lot has sold.
• Pants still need mended, now so do 013's.
• Garage is constant need of tidying
• Shelves still need hung in 015's room

New Business:

• Kitchen ceiling needs repaired
• Big soap order made & shipped out.
• Study, study, study!  So many things to learn!
• New business partnership... more about that later
• Bathtub repair
• More to list on eBay

July Flickr Upload, Part 1

As always, you can see the entire upload by clicking here...  and here area  few of my favorites (that I have ready to go, so far!)

 We did a 2-ship flyover for a friend's party.  Tons of fun!

 Parade/Watershow Flyover in Monticello, IN.  That was very cool.   Lots of smoke!

 We were the missing man.  That was a very humbling experience.

Rejoin after the missing man... and we are outta here!

...just keep truckin' on...

Wow, long time no post!  I look back and see it was mid-October.  Shame on me.  Boy, I tell you, sometimes life gets in the way!!! So here's to catching up!

Old Business:

• Still no new layouts, but I do have a project list.
• Dentist letters out, now need to do doctors
• Mowing is done!
• Pictures are all filed - Yea!
• Still reading Becoming Wise - so good!
• Laundry room - last door painted, thresholds on both doors fixed, still need curtains
• Lawnmowers are done!
• Glider not done - springtime...
• Storm door done!
• October, November,December and January cards done
• More pictures are hung
• Garage sale did not go well, but done...
• Roof repairs done, need to finish ceiling/wall
• Car is in garage!
• Hall closet has a new shelf, rod is lower
• All hall closets (3) are painted, hall is painted, all closet doors have new hinges
• 015's room is painted, his doors have new hinges, and all outlets but 1 have been replaced
• Made soap!!!
• 015 sold several video games on eBay

New Business:

• Several things to list on eBay
• Bathroom
• Mending of pants
• Cleaning garage
• Hang shelves in 015's room

June 2016 Flickr Post

Well, somehow life has happened and I've gotten a wee bit behind again, but you just gotta keep truckin'!  As always, you can see the complete upload by clicking this link, and here are a few of my faves!

Here is 012 as my undersecretary.  He said that is NOT what he was, he was the assistant executive assistant.  Either way, it was actually fun to have him go with me and help, and I think good experience for him too.  And he made some money too.

Speaking of money, 015 had his first summer job this year.  He worked at the cemetery with my dad, on the trimming crew.   Lots of exercise, and a good amount of money too.  This was his first ever pay check!

The Hooligans did the flyover at the Belle Isle race again this year, very awesome to see the Detroit skyline!

The same day, the Hooligans also did a Wings of Mercy event in Muskegon.  Busy day but very fun!

015 lettered in track this year.  Totally cool!

Being my assistant also meant helping me at home.  So the family ride got a good bath.  And he did many other things around the house too, like helping me get the shed re-organized (you'll have to check the feed for that!) and many plants planted, and grass cut.

La Fontaine has a town festival every year, and someone got second place in the cornhole tournament with a friend.

Some brotherly love at the newly opened Curb-a-teria.  They were around when I was a kid, and then went away for a long time.  Someone was very fascinated by the spinny stool.

The youth at church also packed cleanup buckets for Church World Service.  They then distribute them to areas that have been hit by disasters.  It was quite the puzzle to get it to all fit in the 5 gallon bucket, but they were up to the challenge, and succeeded!