Hope you've had a great weekend with your aunt and her husband. Sounds like they were pretty busy.

So far today I've gone to town to get some groceries and then very little else...lol. Guess I'm saving up my strength to tackle the work needing done in the rental house. I'll be heading in there tomorrow and not looking forward to it. I'm really trying to talk Rick into selling it. We won't get back what we've got in it, but I'm just not into taking care of it anymore. I'm worried it will become a money pit in years to come. Not sure what we'll do, but we need to decide something.

Diana, I bet you had a great weekend with your aunt. When you talk about her, I can tell how much you love her and love being with her.

Janet, I can only imagine how much you are not looking forward to going to the rent house. I think about our rent house too and feel so grateful that we have great renters. But I imagine when they move out, I will sell the house. I really don't want to be a single woman with rental property!

I've had a long and sorta lonely weekend. Actually I've done quite a few things, but when I'm home, I feel lonely. It's odd, but I know I'll feel better in time. My neighbor came over for a couple of hours yesterday and that was nice. Her dad (who lives in another town) used to have a car dealership, and now he helps people to sell vehicles and other things. She offered to have her dad sell the vehicles, trailer and boat. It felt really great to have options. She also knows someone who might be interested in the travel trailer. I have another friend who's husband might be interested in the boat. This is the part of all of this I really hate - selling things. I know I'll get through it, but it is just yucky!

You're right Gayle, I'm not looking forward to it at all. I do think I have Rick pretty much talked into selling. He's saying we should go ahead and rent it out but try to sell it at the same time that way it won't be sitting empty. We'll see, have to get it fixed up first.

I'm so sorry your weekend wasn't the greatest. Do you think you're ready to sell your camper? Mom pulled hers till she was 85 or 86 years young. She enjoyed camping so much and I know you enjoyed it too. I liked hearing about beautiful places you parked it. Take your time.

I have been wanting to ask you how Rex and Rowdy were doing. Are they sticking a little closer to you? You haven't mentioned them and I'm sure they miss Gary too.

You are so right though about selling things being yucky. I hated having the auction but I hate even more that I let my older brother push me to have it so soon. Oh well, it's over and done with now.....everything about it is yucky!

It was so nice having Marva and Jack here. The weekend seemed really short and they were busy with his class reunion so it didn't seem like we really had much time with them. Jack and Glen had some good visits so maybe next time Glen will go with me to Marva's. Jack's always been so busy with work but he recently retired so he's a lot more relaxed and more fun to be around.

Gayle, I hate to hear that you're selling the camper and stuff. I understand why.......I just hate to see it go. There's really not a reason to keep it if you're not going to use it though.

I'm glad that you're neighbor came and visited you. I hate to hear that you had a lonely weekend but sadly you're going to have those. Gary was such a huge part of your life and I'm sure you feel lost without him there with you. I think that you're handling everything so well.......I would be a basket case!!

Wheat harvest is a neat time of year! I love to see the fields ripe with the grain swaying in the wind!! This year is a bumper crop year. Everyone is having a really good crop this year which is really nice for the farmers. Makes us wish that we would have planted more. Glen and Feyn got done with our wheat harvest yesterday now we're ready to start planting soybeans.

Janet, I'm so sorry about your rental being torn up. I know that I've probably said that before but I know how hurt you are by it. I don't know about the housing situation there but houses aren't selling well here so renting may be a better solution for you right now. You should talk to a realtor about how things are selling. They should be able to give you an idea on what the market's doing. Is it something that Ricky would be interested in living in? I know that he's been looking for a house........how about a rent-to-own? It could be the solution for both of you!!

Nothing much going on here......again!! I think that Dae Lynn has some plans. She had enrolled in a jr. college to take a course this summer and since things aren't going to work out she has to go to the college to opt out in person. She'll be leaving after the kids go down for a nap. Then she's cleaning the church tomorrow......and on Wednesday she and Damon are going on a vacation to Branson with Damon's Dad, sister and her family. Dae Lynn's worried about how that will go but she'll have her car there in case she needs a break from them. We took a ski trip once with all of Glen's family and his Mom was a BEAR. I swore that I would NEVER do that again......and I didn't so I can understand her worrying about it.

Glen was going to Mermot Springs next weekend but we're not sure that they're going now. The water isn't very clear so the visibility isn't good so they might just go to Beaver Lake. In that case I'll just stay home and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I forgot to add that while I was having Dean take a bath this weekend.......I went in the living room to rest for awhile while he played in the water.........and he obviously gave my Kindle a dunk in the water. I keep it in the bathroom by the toilet and he had even set it back in the same spot that I had it. I found it after he had already gone to bed and water was dripping out of it. I poured some alcohol in it but the next day it wouldn't turn on so I've poured some more in it and Dae Lynn now has it in the refrigerator.........??????? Anyway I'll try it later but I'm afraid that it's shot. :(

I have been reading but I have been so busy I haven't posted much!!

Last week for my birthday, I told Scott not to do anything or get me anything because we are saving for the wedding. He texted me at lunch and told me to come let him in the side door of my office. Well I have to go through two doors to get there and the first one locks and I didn't have my keys with me so I told him I can't go that way. I said just come in the front door! He texted and said come to the front door, he's waiting outside. I was getting annoyed becuase I was working through lunch so I could leave early! Anyways, I got up anyway and walked to the front door. He wasn't there. He wasn't outside. He wasn't down the side of the buildling. I came back to my desk, confused, and I was going to text and tell him to just come in by himself becuase he's obviously not here yet. But when I got to my desk, there was a vase of bamboo and flowers, a birthday card, and a jewelry box. My boss was laughing and said he saw him the whole time! He was hiding behind a pillar in the office when he was texting me, and I walked right past it on my way out the door!!! He left immediately after putting it all on my desk :) Oh and in the box were a pair of diamond stud earrings!!! I told him not to get me anything, and he gets me DIAMONDS??? I mean, I'm not complaining, but I didn't need them lol. They are beautiful though :) I am wearing them right now.

On the weekend we went down to visit his parents and attend a friend's wedding. While we were there, we bought an SUV lol. We decided it was our wedding gift to each other!!! It's an "ice blue" Lincoln MKX with black leather interior. It is MORE than what we wanted! It has a vista sunroof, 6 CD changer, bluetooth, voice commands, rear dvd in the headrests, heated and cooled front seats, heated back seats, power everything, memory seats, backup sensors, tracking headlights that turn when you turn the steering wheel!!! It's all so cool because I always drive cheap vehicles lol! And even better - this one cost LESS than the Ford Edge we were going to buy a week earlier!!! It's a year older and does not have navigation which the Edge had but still, it's affordable and not something we thought we'd ever be able to have!

Scott even let me drive it home last night! I put Kash and Lucy's crate in the back, and Layla on the floor of the back seat. Layla was crying most of the way. She got quiet for awhile and I heard her scratching, and then I couldn't feel her anymore. She started screaming again, and I realized she somehow wedged herself under the seat and then cried because she was stuck. I had to signal to Scott to make an emergency pit stop in a Walmart parking lot to squeeze her out! I have no idea how she got under there in the first place. We couldn't get her back out that way! Scott had to pull her out the side with the door open. He took her in his car for the rest of the trip and said she was a perfect angel for him. Of course she was! Wouldn't you be, sitting on front seat after that trauma? Lol.

We got home really late last night. I didn't get to bed until midnight! I hate getting home that late on weekends and then having to go to work in the morning again. It feels like I didn't get a weekend because there wasn't even time to wind down at home!

Scott is a definite keeper!! How sweet!!

I saw a picture of your car on FB.....VERY nice!!! I'm so happy for you!!!

Poor Layla.......I wonder how she got stuck? At least she was able to let you know that there was a problem. Poor little girl.

Since Ricky was off today and I had already cleaned and rearranged his room, we went through the closet and drawers. Something's we are saving and are packed up, the rest we are selling at the flea market.

I did find someone to paint the rental house next weekend. Rick will be there on Saturday while I'm at the flea market and then we'll both be at the house on Sunday. I'll be painting the lower kitchen cabinets and try to get as many windows cleaned as I can. After the painting is done I'll clean the carpets and have the new bedroom floor installed. I'll be so glad when it's done and we get it rented until we (Rick) decide to sell it or not. Way too much work.

I just can't seem to do much anymore without getting so sore I can hardly move. It's got to get better. The rest of today, I just gave a quick walk through in our house, made sure things were where they should be. Tomorrow I have to go buy all the paint and supplies and take them to the house. Sure hope there is some summer left for me to enjoy.

You are soooo busy, Janet!! I'm sure that you'll have everything back to better than it was in no time!! You are so good at setting goals and doing them!!! I wish that I was better in that area.

GOOD NEWS.........I got my Kindle to turn on and work again!!!! I kept trying to turn it on yesterday and had pretty much figured that it was shot. I kept looking at it to see if there was a reset button but I couldn't find one so I just held the button that turns it on and off down and just held it there for a long time and pretty soon it turned on!!! I was so happy!! I really like my Kindle and really didn't feel that I had the money right now to replace it........and I sure didn't want Feyn and Tammy to find out that it was ruined since they were the ones who had gotten it for me. Yay!!! I'm so happy!!!

Dae Lynn has gone into the church to clean so I just have Dean for awhile. He's so good you hardly know that he's here........except when he's getting into things!! :)

Glen's trip to Mermot Springs is changed to Beaver Lake because the clarity of the water is better at Beaver Lake so Janet and I won't be able to meet after all. I'm just going to stay home and enjoy the peace and quiet while everyone is gone. Actually, if I can get my carpet shampooer back then I think that I'll shampoo carpets while Dae Lynn and the kids are gone. They look really, really bad.

I've had a good day! I had class this afternoon and my students are just so sweet. I always feel so much better after spending the afternoon with my students. This evening an old friend called and we talked for an hour. She lives in Oregon. We went to grad school together in the early 90's and we only see each other every few years, but when we talk, it's so nice, especially tonight. She lost her husband very suddenly and unexpectedly not long before we met.

It's so good that your students make you feel so good Gayle. You must be as special to them as you are to us. Isn't it great to have friends from way back and when you speak...it's like you meet with each other all the time.

This morning I took all the boxes of items for the flea market to the garage with the other stuff. That way it's all there and ready to load into the van on Friday. Everything is priced and ready to be sold. Only thing left is to take my desktop computer out there, I bought it in '92 so it's time to say goodbye to it...lol. I've already taken everything off of it that should be taken off.

Then...I dusted and ran the sweeper and as usual, doing laundry. I'm trying to keep everything done up since I'll be busy over the weekend. I'm tired just thinking about the weekend. Sure hope I don't forget anything .

I did find someone to paint the inside of the rental house for me. I've known her since we were little. She was in my younger brother's grade at school. I trust her completely and know she'll do a good job. Rick will be there with her on Saturday because he has to re-set the toilet and do other odds and ends. We'll both be there on Sunday and I'll be painting the lower kitchen cabinets.

It's been cooler and just beautiful out the last few days, but still so dry. We haven't had any rain since the first of May and are not expecting any until maybe next week. I love sitting out of a morning drinking my coffee.

Spent much of the day "on hold". I called the federal retirement personnel dept, social security, and the VA to report Gary's passing. I'll tell you, that is not pleasant. But I will say everyone I talked to was really nice to me. An interesting note regarding the VA. The recording said there was unusually long phone waits and did I want someone to call me back. I had just done that with social security and they called me back in 10 minutes. When I said OK to a call back from the VA, I got a message to say that someone would call me back JUNE 19th at 11:15AM :eek: are you kidding me! What if you really needed some information quickly? I'm not in any hurry, so I took the time, but I think waiting 6 days for a call back is ridiculous.

Most people you speak with on the phone are so compassionate, at least that is what I found out. Waiting that long to get a call-back is ridiculous, but what can you do?

Guess I'm ready to start my day. Need to run to the bank and get change for the flea market and I just thought I'd buy a small roll of small trash bags to use to put items in when sold. Then I'm not sure what I'll do, maybe start loading the van up...I don't know.

I hope you have a fun time at the flea market and sell lots of things. I think it's cool that you have that option!

I have class this afternoon and I'm feeling really tired today. I slept OK last night, not sure why I feel so fatigued. Oh well, I'll get through it. I have a guest speaker for the first hour, then I will present for about an hour, then I'll have the students work in their groups for the rest of the class, so it won't be too fatiguing.

My kids are coming tomorrow! YAY! We have a long list of things to accomplish this weekend, but it's not so much that we won't have time to play a bit.

This morning I went to town to get change for the flea market. Then I went to the rental house and trimmed all the bushes. Got most of it picked up, but I was hurting and shaking so bad so I went home. The renters left an old refrigerator so I posted it on FB that if anyone wanted it to contact me. Someone did and I drove back to town so they could pick it up.

Came home, took out the two back seats and loaded up all the flea market items in my van, then took a nice long shower and then ate some spare ribs that I had in the crock pot. They were soooo good.

Now I'm sitting in bed wishing I wasn't so sore, whenever I move.

Gayle, your students sound so nice......and I'm glad that your friend stopped by. You both have a lot in common right now and can be support for each other. You'll have a nice busy weekend with your kids there. I know that you need them around to help you out......both mentally and physically.

Janet, wish that I could run up to your flea market!! It sounds like fun!! You've got everything under control with the rental and soon you'll have it all ship-shape!!

I have plans of cleaning while everyone is gone. Today I'm shampooing carpets. The kids have been so hard on them and they look just awful. A couple of days ago I picked up twigs and sticks out of the yard and started mowing yesterday. I didn't get done so I have that to finish up. Then I also started cleaning off my desk in the office. It is stacked HIGH with stuff. Glen takes whatever he doesn't want on his desk and turns around and stacks it on mine. GRRRRRrrrrrrrr!!!!! So I just leave it a mess......but I started cleaning it off a while back and didn't get it finished so I'm trying to finish that job. It won't stay clean because Glen will still pack stuff on it but, Oh well.........

I have some other jobs I wanted to get done as well but I'll be doing good to get them all done. I am so enjoying the peace and quiet and having time to myself. I didn't realize how much I was missing it.