Hazy Shade of Winter...

Look around, leaves are brown...

I'm sure I've used that song before, but it is very apropos for today.  If it hadn't been for being on the receiving end of a massage, then YUCK!  But that made it all better!

Old Business:

• Got the storage area of the garage cleaned a bit, swept up cobwebs and insect carcasses.
• Still filing away photos.
• Reading is going OK.
• Breakfast bar remains mostly clear daily.
• Been studying my functional anatomy book fairly regularly.
• Contract is going well.
• Menu plan fell off for a bit.  Over the weekend I just decided to write down all of our faves.  Close to 30.  Something to use when I have no inspiration.
• Flowers are all planted.
• Talent show went well.
• Hoping winter project list proves to be better than spring/summer.  Not much done.  I've been dealing with some health issues that just zap my energy.
• Mowed the yard this weekend.  Got most of the beds covered. Need to do the front yet to see what it yields.  Then I can use the straw that my dad got me.

New Business:

• Busy this week and next with evening appointments of the massage and church variety.  Please pray for stamina for me.
• Visit doctor on Thursday to see what he wants to do based on the blood tests we had done last month.
• Trying to really watch my pace and GO....SLOW... BE...THE....SLOTH... because that is what I CAN do right now. I have the tendency to go like gangbusters when I have the energy, and then really pay for it.
• Working on Thanksgiving menu.  Gadget has put me in charge of it for his family this year.  I am very honored about that.  Trying not to go overboard, or keep it all to myself.  Being the control freak I am, that is hard...

Let's go fly a kite...

... up to the highest height....

It has been windy, and rainy, and sunny, and hot, and cold... It is fall time again in Indiana. Today, little breeze, but sunny.  And it is just a fun song.

Old Business:

• Have given away a few things out of the garage.  Cleaned up small areas.  It is always baby steps.  Always in progress.
• Pictures from 2014 are sorted, and starting to get filed away.
• A few bumps in the road with sharing the room.  I guess that is just life.
• Wood fence, stoop and ramp will have to wait until spring, due to it needing to be over 50 degrees.
• Brickwork still looks like a patchwork of color. Top cap is also done.  And another color. And can't seal until spring.  See comment above.
• Still reading fairly regularly.  Both my book and magazines.
• 015's birthday party is complete.  Even though it's not until Monday. But got the breakfast bar cleaned off, and have done really well at keeping it that way.
• Gave away a few things in the living room.  A dresser, a table, and some stuff back to my dad.  That feels good too.  Lighter.
• Contract is signed, contractors have been hired.  Have had a few bumps, but again that is life, and it is working out just fine - Thank you God!
• Menu planning going pretty well.  Been busy putting recipes we like in page protectors and in a binder. Organized by type.  And trying to weed out what we don't like or are duplicates.
• Scheduling is going better as well.
• Just a few more flowers to plant.  Maybe today.
• Doctor is so-so.  We will see. Nature of living in a small town??

New Business:

• Trying to stay on top of stuff that I like to do. It's recognizing the beauty of small steps and some progress vs. none
• Talent show at church on Sunday
• Getting winter project list lined up
• Making bread today to go with the soup
• Trying to be OK with reading just 1 or 2 blogs every day instead of cycling through the entire list, or worse, none.
• Need to mow the yard

Moving me down the highway...

Moving ahead so life won't pass me by.

Ah, it is almost fall... I can't believe it!  It seems this world spins faster every year.  I know it is just a product of 1 more year on the ride, but it is hard sometimes...

Old Business:

• Always the garage.  Spiders have been bad.  Projects have not helped.  Lots of extra stuff hanging around...
• Have put away memorabilia!  Working on pictures next...
• More bushes planted.  014 has been a huge help with this.  It's been nice to have my own personal gardener!
• Legos have been gifted to one of 014's friends
• Becoming at peace with sharing  a room again
• NYC was a hoot! I had so much fun, I learned so much, I WALKED so much!
• Wood fence, ramp and stoop still await my attention
• Wirecage and mortar is done on the front brickwork.  That was a long, hot, hard process!  Not sure I like how it looks, waiting for it to all cure and become one color instead of looking so calico.  I'll probably end up just sealing it this year, and then deciding what I want to do later.
• Reading regularly now.  1 magazine article a day (usually) and at least a couple pages out of a book too.  I know it doesn't seem like much, but it is a big deal to me.

New Business:

• Been working on a corporate chair massage gig.  Could mean hiring contractors.  I'm excited-scared and excited-excited!
• Today I'm building a mold to fix the concrete cap on said brick wall/flower box.  If I'm lucky, buying cement and pouring today too.
• Doing better at menu planning
• Doing better at keeping my schedule under control so I'm not working late every night. And building in days off so that I can get work done at home.  I know, for most people that is Saturdays, but most of my Saturdays during the warm weather months are already spoken for. And Sunday is my day of rest.
• Found a new doctor. Curious to see what he will have to say about my cholesterol, iron and thyroid.  He is an osteopath, so I'm hoping he feels free to use his "jedi" skillz on me...
• Trying to decide if I should buy a marketing package or is it just another gimmick for someone to take my money...
• Trying to be at peace with having a senior.  And that he will be gone after this May.  And trying to figure out how to spend a lot of time with him without smothering him.

Febuary 2017 Flickr Upload

Flickr Upload  to see the full feed.  You may have to "become my friend" or follow me here, due to some issues, I've been pulling back the security settings on photos.  Hope you understand...

Here are my faves though, and maybe that is enough for you...

013 with his silly shirt.... come to find out, one of his teachers had the same.  And my Aunt and Uncle in the background!  I love that they can now be included too.

My younger brother, 043...

Dad, 015, 013, my Sis in Law, and my older brother...

043 doing something he loves, driving the lawn tractor around...

Finally working on the office at Gadget's house...

And oh yea, the year of fixing the bathroom....

My life flows on...

... in endless song...

It is summertime now, and it has been a bit since posting...

Old Business

• Garage has gotten more attention, and always needing more
• Still need to scrap
• Reading more frequently/regulary
• Memorabilia still sits there
• Bar stools done (even scotchguarded)
• Lamps are done (I only owned the shades for a year!)
• Woodpile containment system built
• New patio set up/carport cleaned out so 017 can park his car
• More bushes planted
• Marion Anniversary Cards mailed out

New Business

• Work on busting up Legos that 014 doesn't want anymore
• Tore down new room at Wabash salon. Long story
• Look for new place in Wabash, potentially
• Get brickwork repaired in front
• Prep for National Youth Conference - I'm an advisor!
• Stain wood fence, ramp and back stoop

January 2017 Flickr Upload

I'm back on the bandwagon... Oh, and I've had some trouble with pictures getting into the wrong hands, so I've changed security settings... You may have to request being a friend or family to see.  This month was a small upload....

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow...

...or when the valley's hushed and white with snow...

Unfortunately, we got more of that dreaded white stuff this week.  But it's gone now.  I'm getting itchy to get outside and get started on my gardens again.

Old Business:

• Garage has had some attention.  Could use more.
• Still need to scrap
• Magazine reading is slow, but trying to read more consistently.
• More memorabilia to file away
• Footstool is done
• Letterman jacket is done
• Bar stools are almost done (same fabric as footstool)
• Paint purchased for both lamps and chairs
• Puzzle is finished, and mounted, but having trouble with hanging mechanism
• New shower curtain rod hung
• New room in Wabash set up, still getting a few things here and there

New Business:

• Repair and paint lamps
• Paint and recover chairs
• Make wood pile area in garden

December 2016 Flickr Upload

As always, the full upload is here, and these are my favorites...

Collecting donations for the band...

Putting up the Christmas tree.  We decided it was way too big... This was the last year for it...

Opening presents...

Opening presents...

Millions of people living as foes ...

 Maybe it's not too late To learn how to love And forget how to hate ....

Oh, if only we could get the world to listen to those words...

Well, it is starting to warm up here, this week, we should get into the 40s fairly consistently.  That would be nice for a change!

Old Business:

• Done reading becoming wise.  So good.  Passed it on to 016.
• Garage, sigh, always needs tidying.  But I try to do a little bit before I start something.  And when I finish something.
• Scrapping still on hold...
• Magazines are getting read
• More massage promotions (Groupon, Radio Ad + Valentine give-away, MassageBook)
• Kitchen ceiling is done - yea!
• New printer is cool!
• Winter list - electrical panel is mapped out, and a good list attached to it
• Hinges are not going to be done by me.  I tried.  Too much effort.  Will bag up and take to Goodwill
• Need to get to scrapping again. 
• Memorabilia pile is put away. Pictures were ordered, now they need to be filed...
• Swiffer replacements (reusable) have been made. Even sent one to 022.

New Business:

• Next on the project list is getting my mom's footstool reupholstered.  Should be fun; I've never done it before. Although my gramma & aunt used to do it professionally.
• And the letterman jacket.  I need to get that done before he graduates!  LOL

November 2016 Flickr Upload

Stream is always here...

Faves are here....

021 and 015 during LAN Party

013 during LAN Party 

015 LAN Party

021 LAN Party

015 during Youth Service Sunday

013 during Youth Service Sunday

Time to remember repairing the roof leak over the bathroom

Two left feet? Yup, I always knew it, now my socks confirm it!

I was so hard to please, don't look around...

... the leaves are brown and the sky is a hazy shade of winter...

Oh, my does it look like winter around here.  Sub-zero temps and snow.  But it is supposed to warm up, so maybe that would be nice... Hopefully not turn things too swampy before the next snow....

Old Business:

• Still reading becoming wise
• No more weeding, for a long time...
• Did clean up the garage a small bit
• Pumpkin soap made, now honey & lumberjack to do
• Gutter apron is done. Will need to do new roof in spring
• All shed tools hung! YEA
• Scapping was on hold due to holidays
• Cross county on hold, next up, track!
• Magazines being read
• More massage promotions, holiday sales with Megan were good...
• Desk is always messy, then clean, then messy...
• 014's bedroom painted over Christmas break - YEA!

New Business:

• Kitchen ceiling restart on Monday
• Massage promotions - trying to get clientele to be more regular
• Had to buy a new printer
• Went through project list to determine what could be done over winter months

October 2016 Flickr Upload

Looks like I've missed a couple of months, but here are my faves, and as usual, you can see the whole lot here...

013's Jr. High Cross Country Team Party

015's High School Cross Country Regionals

022 helping me with the lawnmower - each year I think I'm getting a bit better at taking care of my equipment.

Becoming 013...

Moving into the office/laundry room... been a long time coming...

Asking for donations at the band concert...

Early start to shed remodel... rotting trim is removed...