Today I'm playing 'catch-up' with the laundry, seems it's never ending especially when there are bed sheets. I'm also cleaning up both my computers...getting rid of things I've saved and really don't need taking up space. Finally cleared out all 2009 pictures and put them on a CD.

I'm home alone today...Ricky working till 5 and Rick at some Cowboy shoot thing and won't be home till 4 or later. Just me and the doggies. I was planning on going to church today, but...nothing fits. I'm so upset with myself. I have no dress pants that fit and no dresses/skirts. I really need to shop for dress clothes....that...and get some of this darn weight off.

Today I have been bringing down Christmas decorations from the attic. I am making more work for myself lol!
Good luck with your weight loss Janet. So easy to put it on but so hard to get it back off. Very frustrating!

I went to the grocery store - tomorrow is Gary's birthday (62) and he wants chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and pecan pie. :p

Then I went to Home Depot - we have to get really serious about this moving thing. I have been purging - but when I look around it doesn't look like I have done very much! YIKES. I needed boxes, bubble wrap and packing tape.

Then we made a run to Goodwill with old suitcases and some clothes, flower vases and things like that.

Now, I am waiting for my college women's team to play basketball on TV. They are playing at Stanford, the #3 rated team in the country. We are going to get beat like a drum, but I still have to watch! :D

Sorry that I've been MIA. We've had a tough week. On Monday Glen and I and Dae Lynn and the kids all went out to Wichita to get the dishwasher that I bought. While we were out there Dae got a call that Damon was drinking. She had been worried about him because he was suppose to start a new part time job but when he got there they told him that they had someone else ( he hadn't kept in touch and it was his own fault) so we cut our trip short and headed home. We found out that, yes, he had been drinking but had gone to Glen's brother's house to talk to him and ended up giving him the rest of the liquor so he wouldn't drink it.

We got to Dae Lynn's house and Damon pulled in slowly with her car. He had a long talk with Glen before he came in the house but it was obvious that he had been drinking. We ended up leaving for home and stopped to check on Glen's mom. This one is funny.......Damon called Glen to come and get Dae Lynn because she had slapped him!!!!! Damon ended up not being happy because we didn't side with him over the slap!!!! It ended up that Dae Lynn and the kids came and stayed with us for a few days.

We all knew that there was something going on and that he was wanting to drink ever since Veterans Day. It ended up that Damon is going to get some help and talk to other people about what went on when he was in the war and our pastor is going to be there for him when he's wanting to drink........so hopefully we can help him to get better.

So....the night before Thanksgivng Dae Lynn and the kids went back home. Damon is in trouble for drinking but they're trying to work things out. He is a good man.....he just needs a LOT of help.

It ends up that my family is not so understanding and Glen and I heard a lot of complaints from the other kids. I'm pretty upset with some of them but I hope eventually they'll come around.

We had lots of food for Thanksgiving.......we had Dae Lynn's family and Amy's family for lunch......then Feyn's famiily and Jaci and Nate came in the evening. Things really livened up then and the girls and Nate got to cutting up!! I just love the noise of having everyone home!!!

I didn't do any sales but Amy and Dae did and picked up a couple of things for me.

We went to Wichita yesterday for a birthday surprise for an old friend that we hadn't seen for about 20 years. It was so cool how we instantly connected again and had the best visit. I met a friend of theirs named Theresa......and her last name was Baker!!!! She has yorkies and is on YT!!! I invited her to come here and check us out!! She and her husband were so nice!!!

Today's just a regular day.....Sunday school....church......lunch.....nap!!!!!!

I forgot to add that the dishwasher that I got such a good deal on......was a dud!!! Glen went to put it in and it didn't have several things with it to get it installed. Also, I was suppose to have gotten $30 off and I didn't get that either. He was already fustrated about Damon so he just loaded up the dishwasher and returned it.......then he went and bought me a new one......that's really nice!!! He got it installed and ready to use in time for Thanksgivng!!! He's such a sweetie!!!

Awwww, Diana, Glen IS REALLY a sweetie! Gary would do that for me too! Although he would have trouble now that he can't do very much due to his heart - but that is absolutely something he would do!

I'm sorry you have been having so much trouble in the family. You are such good people to be there for Damon - he is going to need lots of help for a long time - alcoholism is hard as well as having PTSD from the war. But your family is strong and you all can do it!

I forgot to add that I have been shredding shredding shredding!!! I bought a new shredder yesterday from Office Max. It had been $139, and I got it for $79. My mom had a little shredder and I used it when she lived here. She's been gone 2 years, so you can imagine how behind I am on my shredding! Plus, we cleaned out mom's room from when she lived here (she'd left LOTS of things here) and now I'm shredding her 00, 01, 02, 03, 04 tax stuff. :eek: That's why I bought a bigger, medium duty shredder - I knew I had LOTS of shredding to do and I didn't want to burn it up! I also have old taxes in the attic that I need to shred, and not move - but I don't know if I'll get them shredded before the move, if not, I'll just do it after the move.

Happy Birthday to Gary!!! I would love to be sitting at your kitchen table for that meal. I love chicken fried steak and all the fixings you mentioned. AND well...our two pecan pies are all gone now. Yummmmmmmmmmy!

Diana....I feel so bad that Damon is still having trouble with the drinking. He seemed like such a nice guy and nice guys shouldn't have such bad demons from war...it's just not fair. Dae Lynn is a strong young lady and I'm so sure she'll be fine with you and Glenn as her parents.

Good luck to your team!
Happy birthday to Gary! When you said tomorrow was his birthday.........it made me think of last year when you fell with all of that food on his birthday! Be extremely careful this year Gayle! And if my memory serves me right.....you cooked that same meal for him then lol! Sounds yummy! Just don't want ya sliding thru the mashed potatoes lol!:D

You've been really busy Diana! It is so good to see ya back! I had been MIA too and I am back now as well. I miss it here if I'm gone too long!:)

PAULA! I had completely forgotten about that LOL LOL LOL!!!!! I'll try to limit my (ahem) "presentation" this year!!! Oh what a HOOT!

Tell Gary "Happy Birthday" from Glen and I!!!! Please don't fall this year!!!!

I really feel that Damon is going to be fine.......eventually. It's just that things are so up and down for him and Dae Lynn in so many areas of their marriage. I'm really praying that he's found some good help this time.

Gayle, tell Gary Happy Birthday and i hope he enjoy's his meal. "I'm so hungry LOL"


Diane, I am so sorry about what your family is going through with Damon, I hope he continues to get help.

I'm sure none of us can even begin to understand what these service men and women have gone through and then to try and come home and lead a normal life, it has to be so hard considering all the presure of todays economy and just day to day living.

I will be praying for him and Dae Lynn and of course you and Glen because it affects the whole family.

Thank you, Lynne. I don't know how much more Dae Lynn will take with Damon. It's not just his getting drunk but there's a real lack of maturity and responsibility as well and it's not like she's seeing any improvement on his part. I don't know what's in their future but I really don't think that it looks hopeful.

Diana, I hope they can work things out. But maybe what he needs is to see how much he will lose if he doesn't change. Maybe he just doesn't think he ever will lose it. But it definitely sounds like he needed that slap!


Today was Scott's first day back at his old office so I had to drop him off this morning and I will pick him up tonight. It's weird to me! Layla hated not being on my lap and she screamed my ears off all the way to my office.

I'm swamped with work so I will probably be taking a lot home with me tonight. Thank goodness I can take these little breaks or I'd lose my sanity!

We finished our outside decorations on Saturday and we did our inside decorations too, including our Christmas tree!

Last night we were watching the Grey Cup (our team lost :( )and I told Scott "Remember one year ago, the new laminate had JUST been put in the condo, and we put our papasan chair cushions on the floor to watch the Grey Cup because we had all our furniture stacked up in another room?" and we both laughed and thought how weird that we never thought a year later we'd be in a different home in a different town!

LOL! Lindsay, I just have to laugh at your musing about the turn of events in your life. Gary and i just closed on our house today, so here we are just like you, never dreamed that we would be living in a different house in the near future. We are excited, but it is so scary at the same time to own two houses! The market is really down right now, thus, we could get the new house at a great price. It also means that we won't be able to sell the old house for a while now, but that is OK, (I think). It is OK, but all this change is just so scary to me. I've often thought for awhile now, that we should buy a second property for an investment, but when it comes down to doing it - it feels so scary! :eek:

We ordered the floor (tile and wood) today. Here is a link to the wood floors http://www.shawfloors.com/hardwood-f...4-Antique_Gold The color is Antique Gold. We would never have picked that color, but we were limited by the color of the library paneling in the living room. The floor looks great with the wood paneling - I hope it looks good installed.

We are putting tile in the kitchen, dining room and bathrooms. It is just a multi colored beige, brown, gold color. It is pretty, but nothing too fancy - my budget is almost broken! LOL! They may start the tile this week, and then do the wood next week. We could move by the middle of December! YIKES.

We also have to have a bunch of fence put up - the fence guy is coming out tomorrow. I'll be glad to get this all DONE!

That's so exciting you closed today! I'll be excited for you while you are scared lol. I like that color of the wood floors, I'm sure they'll look great installed! You're smart to do the renovations before moving in. I hate living in a construction zone!

Scott wondered where we'll be a year from now and I told him I really hope we're in the same place! I have moved TOO many times in the past couple of years!

Gayle...I think all you're going through with the houses and moving just sounds so exciting. After being here for 30+ years....I would really love a change, but know it won't happen unless the marriage is dissolved.
I've so looking forward to see pictures of all the changes you're making.

They took out all the carpet and linoleum today and got about half of the tile installed (not grouted, just laid down). I had class this evening, so I haven't seen it. I asked Gary if he liked it and he said, "Well, it is pretty busy"! I sure hope it is not too busy! :eek: I think it will be fine - our tile here at the house has a VERY busy pattern, and it hasn't bothered me at all. I also think the busier it is, the less things it will show and goodness knows, I am NOT a good housekeeper!!! http://www.fastfloors.com/lp_18738,0...roduct.htm#NAV The link shows the tile color, Marrone Chiaro. The color in the picture is not quite right, it has more gold in it than you can see in that picture.

Tomorrow they will grout the tile they laid today, lay the rest of the tile, and finish the grout work the next day (Thurs). The wood flooring is supposed to be here (from Dallas) on Friday, so maybe they will get everything done by the first of next week.

WOW! That means that I have to MOVE - OH NO!

I looked at the tile this morning and it definitely looks darker in the house than it did in the store. But it is not too busy and it looks great with the cabinets so I am relieved! I worried most of the night that it was not right.

Gayle, I don't think the pattern is too busy and I'm sure it will hide dirt well :D That's what I love about our house! The wood floors are 100 years old and look it, so you don't really notice when there's a little extra grime lol!

Have you started packing yet?

No, we haven't started packing yet - we've just been purging and giving away/throwing away things that we have accumulated that we don't need. Also, we have to decide what we are taking and what we are leaving at the old house. My daughter and granddaughters may need to live there in the spring, so we have to leave some things there. The new house is smaller than the old house so we can't take everything anyway. I have to decide though, and mark what we are taking so that I can get an estimate from the moving company. We'll be packing everything, but they will be moving it.

I think your flooring choices are really pretty Gayle. Wish I was there to help you....I love doing that kind of thing.

Your flooring is really pretty Gayle! I am looking forward to seeing pix of the house when you get all settled in.:)

Today I got my Christmas tree decorated and now I just need to vacuum up some stuff off the carpet. Everything turned out really pretty I think. I decorated more this year than I have in the past. I don't know why:rolleyes:just felt like it I guess lol. I got my Christmas cards a couple days ago for our exchange.:) I'm really looking forward to that!:)

It was way too cold for me to do anything...lol. So I stayed in where it's warmer. Didn't really accomplish much, but did have a nice phone conversation with my dear friend of over 30 years.

Spoke with Mom too. She's having more problems with her balance. She has lost the hearing in one ear and tells everyone that is the reason why. I don't know if it is or isn't, but I would think she would be use to it now. Gayle...you probably know more about this. Poor Mom...I just call her Weebles.....only in her case...she does fall down. She has an appointment with her regular Dr. this Friday. I sure hope she can help Mom and figure out exactly what is causing it.

It could indeed be something in the inner ear that has caused the loss of hearing as well as affecting her balance. Or it could just cause hearing loss and the balance issue is completely due to something else. It's hard to tell. I guess she is still in IN, and hasn't gone to FL yet?

Yes...she is still in Indiana, but from what I hear....my 'bad witch' sister-in-law is taking her down after the first of the year. I have a good sil and a bad sil so I call them the good witch and the bad witch...lol.

Well, Janet, at least you can be thankful that she is not driving herself.

I have been keeping myself busy. I have started running on my treadmill again, but not in the evenings because I don't have the time or energy! So I'm getting up at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday to run before I get ready for work. I also try to do at least one run on the weekends. I haven't checked my weight or anything but it is making me feel a lot better! I have also started taking a multivitamin again because I don't eat that well sometimes. My doctor wanted me to start on Vitamin D pills too so I've started that finally. It is pitch black when I drive to work and when I drive home, so I'm not getting any sunlight these days! I am having more blood tests later this month to check everything again.

Scott is going to the doctor today too, so we're leaving work early. I'll pick him up and take him over there and stay in the car with Layla until he's done. Hopefully over his lunch break he'll be picking up some gifts for the exchange we will do at my work Christmas party this weekend. We can wrap them tonight.

Busy, busy, busy!

Tonight Gary and I painted the quarter round that will go on the baseboard in the rooms with new wood flooring.

ALL OF THE NEW FLOORING WILL BE DONE TOMORROW! I can hardly believe it. The fence should be done tomorrow too! WOW! Everything is almost done! I'm certainly not ready to move - but the house will be ready to move into after the weekend. I have LOTS of dusting to do as they kicked up lots of dust when they removed the carpet and cleaned and scraped the floors.

Oh, there is someone coming out tomorrow to give us a bid on putting a doggie door into our sliding glass door. Here is a link to show what they do. http://www.petdoordesign.com/default.asp I hope it is not too expensive - cuz my boyz have GOT to have a doggie door - they don't know how to ask to go out and I can't have them pottying in the house with the new floors! HA!

I have to agree with Gary that the tile is darker than I would have liked. It is fine, and I will get used to it, but I wish it were a bit lighter. I do not like really light tile - so I guess I went a bit too far in the other direction - but I SWEAR, the sample in the store was NOT this dark. Oh well, it won't show a THING - and since I am NOT Suzie Homemaker - this tile will not show a thing! LOL!

The wood floor is GORGEOUS! I absolutely love love love it! I will try to remember to take pictures over the weekend.

I have never seen a doggie door like that. Looks very convenient too. I hope it's not too expensive too, from the video..it looks like you'd like it real well.

That doggie door is really nice! I hope it doesn't cost too much.

I went and bought groceries today, and that's it. I have had a busy week, but a good one. Next week is even busier! Christmas parties and such. I really have a good time once I get there, but the truth is that I don't care for parties and so much socializing. I have to push myself because I am basically a loner, but I do want friends. I haven't been going the last few weeks, but I think I better get my butt out the door!

I spent the biggest part of the day with Mom in the hospital again. I'm so tired. I'll write more about it in the thread about her.

Janet I'm so sorry about your Mom. I sure hope she gets better soon.

Today I went to the store. It has snowed here all day but it has been a beautiful snow. I love watching it snow but I don't like having to go out in it. Anyways... I am keeping my Mom's two yorkie boyz while she is away singing in a revival at my brothers church. I have 5 yorkies in the house but it is working out just fine. Other than that.......haven't done much at all. I made home made veggie soup for supper:)

I am exactly the same way Judy, I don't like parities, unless I know everyone there - and know them well - and then I don't like it very much. I just feel so uncomfortable at parties, especially where I only know the hostess. I was just invited to one like that where I will only know the hostess. She is a good friend of mine, and I really should go, but I will feel so uncomfortable. And just like you Judy, if I go, I'll have to force myself.

MMMM Paula! Vegetable soup sounds WONDERFUL! It has been really warm the past few days, but a cold front came in this evening, so maybe I'll make some vegetable soup. That sounds so good!

I washed down all the woodwork in my new house today. It was all covered with dust from putting in the new floors. I'm so stiff tonight! I need to get more exercise. LOL! I also vacuumed and swiffered all the floors. Everything is clean now and ready to move in. We won't move till the week of the 13th, but at least everything out there is ready.

Gary sat out in the backyard most of the day. He is completely exhausted from being out there with the floor and fence people for 4 days this week. It was so beautiful outside today - about 75 and bright sunshine. He sat under a big tree, and we decided we need to put a picnic table under the tree.

There were all manner of pretty birds in the big bushes at the back of the yard that we could see while sitting under the tree (I took my breaks out there). I've got to get some bird feeders out, because there were cardinals, and several other really pretty birds out there.

Today I finished cleaning and then headed to the hospital to see Mom. I'm really tired, lack of sleep mostly, but that is going to be cured while I'm off at Christmas time. Tomorrow I hope to get a couple of dogs bathed.

I'm PACKING :( It's hard when you haven't done this for 25 years!!! I just know I'm going to pack something that I NEED!

The best thing is to label...label...label...so you know where everything is. Good luck...wish I was there to help...it's 5 degrees here.

I wish you were here too! But you can keep the 5 degrees up there, thank you very much!

I had a busy weekend! Layla got her gift exchange gift Saturday morning from YT :) So we spent the morning opening and getting pictures and posting online. Then we went into the city to attend a giant craft show that I go to yearly! We got quite a few Christmas presents there.

Saturday night was my Christmas party. It was our first party where the owner of the company made it here, at least since I've been working for this office. It was nice to see him and his wife there and he made an effort to talk to everyone which I think was really good of him. Later in the night, Scott and I got sucked into playing Cranium with a few people that I do enjoy spending time with. Unfortunately, one guy brought his girlfriend who always causes problems and she got us all kicked out of the venue. I mean, screamed at, and kicked out, and probably not welcome back. We will also be fined for what she did. I was pretty mad about that, even though it was late and everyone was leaving soon anyway. It wasn't a great end to the night, and I wish we would have left sooner. I hate being in the last groups to leave, especially when that kind of drama happens!

On Sunday we got ALL of our Christmas shopping done! Woohoo!!!!

Sorry your party ended bad Lynsey! But I'm to that you got your shopping done! I bet Layla got some cute stuff from the GE didn't she?

Gayle......I agree with Janet....label every box!

Today..hubby and I went to Walmart:eek: We found out yesterday evening that my stepdaughters want to have our Christmas this coming week-end! I had only bought a few things so needless to say.....we had no choice but to start our shopping! The crowd was horrible.......we stood in line to check out for at least 45 minutes:eek: and didn't get all of what we needed! Oh well.........we will try some different stores tomorrow. I usually do most of my shopping online but I don't have time now to get things shipped before the weekend.