What Did You Do Today?

[DianaB]

Plans have changed!!! Nancy had so much help moving out that they were done by noon!! So....Dae Lynn and Damon are moving today! When they came home and we started packing up I got teary. It's hard having them leave. Dae Lynn is so easy to talk to so it's like losing a girlfriend. At least it's not that far away.....it's just the empty nest syndrome AGAIN!! I'll survive!!

[Janet]

Yes you will survive and will remember how much you enjoyed having the house to yourself.......and Dean...lol. So glad they get to move sooner, Dae Lynn must be thrilled.

[DIANE W]

I am so happy for them, and you, though it is a little sad letting her go, you will get used to being quiet at home again. I think you will settle into a great pattern, having the kids lots - then waving them off again.

[gja1000]

For whatever reason I had a lot of energy today and got several things accomplished. I had soooo many errands to run and I was able to get everything done. I picked up around the house and cleaned out my closet floor and vacuumed. It had gotten cluttered and dusty. I baked a veggie lasagna to eat on for a few days.

I have a friend coming to town next weekend to attend a wedding in a town just north of Austin. She wanted to meet for dinner before the wedding and I didn't know any restaurants in the area so I ran up there and found a quiet little Japanese place.

I have a charity donation truck coming on Wednesday and I need to go through some things to donate. Maybe I'll get that done tomorrow.

Diana, I know it is bittersweet for Dae Lynn to move out. I felt the same thing when the girls were here a year ago. I was glad to have my house back, but it was sad to see them go.

I hope everyone had a good weekend!

[DianaB]

So quiet today!! I was going to go back over to Dae Lynn's today but naptime called my name!! She's off of work the next couple of days so I'll go over then and help. Mom and Art are here waiting for church this evening. Art's watching tv and Mom's crashed out on the couch. The house is a mess but, oh well.....it will eventually get cleaned back up!!

Wow, Gayle!! You do have a lot of energy!! Doesn't it make you feel so good when you can see that you've got a lot accomplished?

What a nice act to donate things to charity!! I'm sure that there are people who can really use some of Gary's things. We have a thrift store run by one of the church's in town. They mostly take clothes and sell cheaply. The money goes to missions so I don't feel bad donating to them. Then we have a man who will take your things off of your hands after a garage sale.....then he has a garage sale and the money goes toward something.....I just don't remember what. Both are really handy.

We have a wedding next weekend too. One of the girls from church (who hasn't been there for some time.....but is very sweet) is getting married to a neighbor boy that Glen knows. We weren't planning on going but the Mom asked me specifically to come next weekend so we will probably go. Things will have slowed down by then and maybe it will be fun.

[Janet]

I've had a really good weekend. Yesterday I went to an auction. There was so much beautiful glassware and since I love it so much, I bought alot and only spent $24. I just love the cut glass, I think that's what it is called. They had 3 rings going most of the day...that's how much stuff there was. Never been to one that huge before, but it was fun. The auction started at 9:30 and didn't finish till late afternoon. I left around 2:30 I think it was. So many nice things but they hurried the auction because of the size so everything went really cheap. Spent the rest of the day at home cleaning the items I bought and put them in my hutch and china cabinet.

This morning I went to the first service at church. I think I like the second service best because there are many more people, but I do like going early and having the rest of the day to do whatever. I guess I'm just not really sure which one I like best...lol. The preacher is young and really good, holds my attention. After church I was able to go get some groceries. We just haven't had the extra, but this week I decided I just didn't care. Tired of seeing an empty fridge and freezer.

This afternoon I am doing laundry and I mopped the kitchen floor. This week I have to take the cats to the Vet to get spayed, neutered and declawed...at Ricky's expense. He wants them, he pays..lol. They'll have to stay overnight and I'll pick them up on Friday. She sure looks pregnant again, so I hope it won't hurt her to have them aborted.

[gja1000]

Hi Guys,
I just wanted to say that I have felt more like myself this weekend than any weekend since I lost Gary. I've been busy, productive, and felt good. It just seems the past weekends here at the house by myself have been boring, sad, or just strange. But this weekend, I felt like I had purpose and I felt good. I hope I am beginning to find my way. I really don't mind being by myself, at all, but since losing Gary I guess I didn't quite know what to do with myself. It feels good!

Janet, I wish I could have gone to the auction with you! I would have loved looking at all the stuff.

Diana, I know you must be ready to get everything straightened out from all the hustle and bustle of moving and then getting everything settled again. I know you will enjoy some quieter time.

This week at school will be some meetings and some orientations, both new students and new faculty. It will be busy but not crazy (at least I hope it won't be). School starts next week on the 29th, and my first class is on the 30th. I'm ready!

[Lindsey]

Gayle, I'm glad you are feeling more like yourself again!

I have been feeling robotic. My sickness is starting to lift a bit - I can breathe through my nose again finally, but the cough has gone to my chest and I feel like I can't stop coughing at all. I'm just kind of forcing myself to get up and get through each day. I haven't had time to rest and try to get over it because of my job...

I don't get riled up very often but I feel like I have to hold back from telling off one guy at work. I had issues with him before with his last project which was pushed on me at the very last minute. It is the same this time. It has basically had to be taken over by another guy because our department head has been getting so angry about everything being submitted late, because the two of us there who make the plans and drawings are never given enough time to get done what needs to get done. It is such poor time management on his part and it reflects badly on us. Anyways, I was asked to come in on Saturday, but my coworker needed my work to be done before he could work on his part on Saturday as well, so I ended up working on it all night Friday (until midnight) and then going back Saturday morning, and then bringing it home to work more on Saturday night. I took today off, because I think I need it before I burn out. I just get so angry even thinking about him though, and I think I might ask my manager to not be put on any of his jobs anymore. Not only does he not know how to manage time, he doesn't even know what he's doing to begin with. Just shows, I guess, that even if you have a master's degree from Harvard, you can still be a dumb*ss It just sounds good on paper!

[DianaB]

Janet, your auction sounds like it was so much fun!! I love it when things go cheap and you're so happy to buy things!! I wish that you would have gotten a picture of your new things!!

Gayle, I can hear in your posts that you're doing better. I'm so happy for you. It's been so stressful but you're getting all that needed to get done behind you and you're ready to move on. I'm glad that you have a little longer to get rested up before you have to be back to teaching again. Hugs!!!

Lindsey, I think that it's a good idea to talk to a supervisor just like you mentioned. There's no sense in working for someone who doesn't know what they're doing and dragging your work down with them and making everyone else look bad. Stand up for yourself!!!

It's quiet here......I'm hating it. Glen and I were talking this morning and I started crying. I know that it's that empty next syndrome......but I miss having the kids here making noise in the morning. That's what feels like home......all the noise not the quiet. Oh well....it's just getting used to it!!

I stopped by Dae Lynn's a couple of times yesterday and each time the kids came running...."Grandma" and I got big hugs! I think they are missing me too!! I've got some things to clean up here then I'm going in and helping Dae Lynn get things in order. Plus I've got to go by the hardware store....hopefully see Jaci there......and get some things for a light fixture we're putting up. We bought a new fan to go over our bar in the kitchen and I bought a separate light fixture on e-bay that was suppose to be NEW.....but it's not. I'm going to get some of my money back....it's fixable but I shouldn't have to pay as much as I did for it.

[Janet]

I wish you could have come with me too Gayle. I also wish the the auction was held when Diana was here. Diana you could have bought soooo much for $1.00 to sell in your flea market booth.

It's good to read that you're feeling better Gayle. Sounds like this week will be good too, you'll be busy.

Lindsey...I sure hope you can get something to boost your immune system this winter. You were ill so much last year. Maybe check with your Dr. and see if he can help you someway. Gotta keep our newlywed healthy!!

[DianaB]

I went over to Dae Lynn's yesterday and straighten up each of the kids' rooms. I'm not ready to decorate yet (I need to stay home to get things done so it's going to take awhile.) But the rooms are arranged and look nice. I helped to fold some laundry and put some groceries away. Jaci came by and Dae Lynn and Damon decided to go to Wal-mart but told Jaci and I that we were welcome to stay and visit. After Jaci left I cleaned up the living room and put out some throw pillows. Then they had two little end tables that they really didn't have rooms for so I put them together in front of the couch like a coffee table. I also arranged some things on a shelf that was in the living room. I took everything out that didn't belong and place it in Dae Lynn's room and a hallway to get it out of sight. It looked so nice. She called me when she got home and told me how much they liked what I did! It made me feel good!!

I have Karlie and Dean today. It's already been a challenge. I don't know what's going on with Karlie.....it must be the move, I suppose. It's a good thing that school starts tomorrow. I think that the structure of school is good for her and that she enjoys the challenge of it so that means I'll just have Dean. Dean by himself isn't a problem.

Today I'm working on my house while watching the kids. It's such a mess and I really need to get things organized and cleaned up. Glen and I have decided to turn the bedroom that the kids were in into a multi-purpose room. I have a nice roll top desk that's in his office but it's just buried under stuff. Whenever Glen cleans his desk it all goes right over to mine so it's unusable. Then we have a hide a bed in the basement that we're going to move up. We very seldom need both bedrooms when guests come but we'll still be able to use it as such with the hide a bed in there. I'd also like to put a small tv in there and the kids could watch movies in there. And I could do my crafts or whatever in there.....so the room could be a lot more usuable. It's going to take awhile because I need to paint it and Dae Lynn still has some things to get out. In time.....in time........

[Janet]

Wow Diana...you've really been busy. Wish Rick (not Ricky) would move out so we could have an extra room...lolol. I would love to have one for crafts and sewing that way I wouldn't have to get stuff out all the time. When you're done painting there, could you come back and paint here? If the guys would just keep there hands off the walls it would look so much better.

Today I made a basket so that it would hold artificial flowers. When I was at an auction a few weeks back I bought 3 big boxes of silk flowers to use on the gravesites. Today I was cutting the stems down to the urn size so they wouldn't stick out so tall. When I was done I was carrying them back out to the garage and promptly FELL OUT THE BACK DOOR! Not sure how I did it but ended up scrapping the skin off my left knee, hurt my little toe, hit my hip on the thing that holds the door open and somehow scrapped the inside of my right thigh.

When it first happened, I just layed there and cried. I was so afraid I had broken something and I was here by myself of course. It was so scary. I came in and cleaned it up a little and couldn't stop shaking so I called Diane. After she helped get me calmed down, I cleaned it up better and bandaged my knee up. It was so gross with skin hanging off, almost made me sick and things like that usually don't bother me at all.

One of my friends from work said she would check in to getting me one of those alert buttons...lol. I ran my afternoon route and wasn't hurting too bad, but now the pain is starting to set in so I guess it's time for some Tylenol or Ibuprophen. Just one thing after another.

[gja1000]

Well dang it Janet! You had a close call. I know that knee is going to hurt and the rest of you is too. I'd take more tylenol than ibuprofen - tylenol won't contribute to bruising, but ibuprofen might. However, the ibuprofen will work better. Maybe in a day or two take ibuprofen.

A concept that I use a lot is called vigilance. When we are distracted, we are not as vigilant regarding our surroundings. We just walk or move and don't thnk about what we are doing, where we are going, and what obstacles might be in our path. I think its really important to bring vigilance to the forefront of our mind, really consciously try to remember to think about what we are doing, especially when moving. It's so easy to just mindlessly move through our day, but vigilance can be our friend!

[Janet]

That will be a hard one fore sure Gayle. We are so use to just doing what we need to do and not really thinking about it unless there is a big danger to us. Just walking or going down steps does not seem like something we need to think about but as we age...you're right we to bring vigilance to the forefront of our mind.

I'm a little more sore and my knee has swollen just a bit where the skin was torn off. I'm sure it will be okay. I cleaned it real good and put an antibiotic cream on it with a bandage. Getting older just plain sucks...lol.

[DianaB]

I'm glad that you're alright! I know that falling for some people is really hard on them. Just take a little something for the soreness and you'll be fine.

We had an interesting evening last night.....we had Kera's boyfriend, Jordan, call and ask if he could stay with us. He's been having problems with his Mom and spent the summer with his grandparents in another town. He came back yesterday and his Mother didn't want him to stay at her house. I had told him awhile back when he was visiting that he was welcome to stay with us if he needed to. After he called and called Glen and told him. He wasn't too happy about it but said that he could stay temporarily. So I went in and had to clean up everything that Dae Lynn had left behind and underneath the bed and change the bedding. I imagine that the last few things I'll have to pack up and take to her. That's how she usually does it.

Anyway.....Jordan spent the night. He seems like a nice boy but from what I understand he's had some problems in the past but is doing better now. School started today and so Amy came and picked him up and took him. He has the money to pay for his school fees and supplies because he worked for his Grandfather during the summer. He said that he's also going to go and look for a job this afternoon. He took all of his stuff with him so I don't know if he'll be back or not. He's going to try and talk to his Mom again and see what she says.

Amy lives really close to us and with Jordan and Kera dating it makes them nervous having them so close together all the time. I can understand because Kera isn't the most trust worthy. Anyway....we'll see what happens next.