Full Moon

The Full Moon rising last night after dinner. The filter I used is called Plastic Wrap, and I think it works very well to show the textures of the Swamp, doesn't it?

So our guests arrived about 4:00pm yesterday. They flew down from Cape Cod. They visited some friends in central Florida, then drove up... to the old house. They forgot we moved. :0). So my Dad hopped in the car and drove over so they could just follow him here. Because after a bazillion times of telling them how to get here, my Dad just knew they were going to get lost in the nearly straight shot 5 miles south. :0)

My mother made a lovely dinner with pasta, pork, salad and fresh bakery bread. And then they went to catching up on what all their other old friends were doing. Good food. Good friends. Good times.

And I'm pretty sure nobody even took notice when I took this photo and went off to bed about 7:30!
Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Saturday Stuff

Happy Saturday! I really needed it to be the weekend. The last few weeks have been so hectic, tiring and stressful. I'm going to the yellow house this morning to pack up my Longaberger baskets and pottery and the rest of my wallhangings. There's still lots of stuff over there, especially in the garage. We'll get to it all eventually, right? Right.

Last night all 3 boys were in my office. Grayson asked to be in there. Silly boy. So it was just me and Gracie in the bedroom last night again. She was lounging on my bedside table, just looking around. I really like the perpective in this shot. She seems to be looking up at a towering glass of wine!

I've let the boys all out of the office this morning since they have been so good. No marking at all in the office. I am hoping for the best... but I am plugging in another Feliway diffuser to help. Both Gandalf and Whitey have been very good taking their Prozac for me, although Whitey is now very suspicious when my hand comes near his head. Bless his heart.

This afternoon we will be having company for a few days, some good friends of my parents. They'll enjoy their visit. A little bit of relaxation with good friends should be a most welcome change from the moving ordeal. Oh! And my mother found the power cord to the guest room DirecTV receiver this morning so they can even watch TV now, if they'd like. We looked everywhere and could not find it so I called DirecTV the other day to order a new one but it won't arrive until after Phyllis and Bill leave. My mother was positively thrilled about finding the cord at 6:00am this morning! It's the little things that make us happy!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Finally Friday - the 'In case you're sick of seeing my cats' edition

This morning is my annual Tax Man Commeth appointment with my accountant... also known as the Hold On to Your Checkbook appointment. In 37 years I think I have gotten exactly 2 tax refunds... both less than $100. Personally, I think I'm doing it right. I don't know why so many people choose to let Uncle Sam use their money all year long without paying them any interest on it, just so they can get a refund. A free Savings account somewhere, or even a CD if they have no self-dicipline, would at least EARN you something, albeit next to nothing nowadays! But next to nothing is still more than nothing, right? Right!

I took this photo of this happy Pit Bull who was sitting on a bench greeting each passerby during a monthly First Fridays event downtown. He should be the Poster Child for the well-behaved, well-adjusted Pit Bulls. There are many of them, but people seldom hear about them. The American Staffordshire Terriers take a bad rap because of idiot owners who train them to be fighters - aggressive and unstable.

The difference between Pits and American Staffordshire Terriers is a difficult one. Even breeders can't agree. The main difference is the bloodline. Amstaffs are show dogs and dog fighters won't use dogs with Amstaff blood. As time progresses there will be more of a difference. Many are duel registered as Amstaffs with the AKC and Pits with the UKC.

Well, I'm off to the shower and my appointment. Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Running

Jim of Jim's Little Photo and Poem Place suggested the prompt Running for One Single Impression community this week. It has been quite a while since I have contributed, what with all the remodeling and moving. I think I'm ready for a little 'brain workout' rather than the 'body workout' I've been getting lately!

Please, do feel free to do a little haiku, free form, acrostic or whatever poety form of your own choosing in the comments or you could do a post, visit OSI and sign the Mr. Linky! The more, the merrier!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Let's look back, shall we?

This photo was taken on 10/19/09, right after we began in the kitchen/living room. I called it "Dark and Dungeon-y" and I knew I had to brighten it up before I could live here. The cabinets were/are my most favorite change! The Hotpoint stove is original to the brick house, which was built in 1969. MotherDear and I both love the stove and we kept it!

This one was taken on 10/27/09. We were doing some demolition. ripping out that built-in bookcase/half wall thing-y. Also, I see that I was still trying out different colors for the window wall in the kitchen. Al says that's the most painted wall he's ever seen. But I'm the one who painted it so that's OK. Actually, I do think I painted it about 6 times until I found the Raspberry Jam color, which totally worked for me right away. I still love it.

Ah... The striped walls. This was taken on 11/05/09. We decided to mud the paneling to try to cover/fill the paneling grooves and we still had not ripped out that hideous powder blue carpet. Never, ever try to mud paneling. In hindsight, ripping it out and putting in new drywall would have been much less work and given a much better result.

Let there be light! This was taken on 11/10/09. See the magic of paint? I just love paint! It completely changes the feeling in a room. And this was only the primer coat!

This one was taken the next day, 11/11/09, but looking into the kitchen and towards the mud room. Ladders and paint cans and power tools, oh my!

And I just took this a few minutes ago. One week after moving in. We're starting to get settled. We still have lots more rearranging and last minute details. All the stuff on my Bakers Rack is currently just thrown there to put it somewhere.

But we're getting there. Almost home.



Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Starting to see some daylight

I took almost all day but I finally got all the boxes in the guest room unpacked and put somewhere. That's the room we used as the staging area for everything. Boy, I'm glad that's done. We can actually fit a bed in there now!

This weekend I'll go back over to the yellow house and get all my Longaberger pottery, baskets and wrought iron. Then I'll have to figure out where all that is going. I use the large baskets for storage so there will also be some rearranging of stuff I've already put somewhere, but not the right somewhere, if you know what I mean.

I still have one very large container of stuff that came out from under my double vanity in my bathroom at the yellow house that I have no idea where it can go here as, alas, there is no double vanity in my bathroom here at the Swamp. I'll figure it out eventually.

I actually have no plans for today other than my regular office work. I actually DO have to work from home sometimes! Hopefully, I'll be taking some nice orders!

Gandalf Update: Today is Day 3 of Confinement. After a full 2 days confined to my office, Gandalf is surprising me. He seems relatively content to be there. Other than a few times in the first 2 hours he's been in here, he has not sprayed or peed outside of the litter box. Grayson has pawed and meowed at the door to be let in with us on all 3 days. All day long, Grayson and Gandalf are either on my desk or in the window sill looking out all day, content and peaceful. Works for me! At suppertime I've been putting Grayson out and Gandalf has the office to himself during the night. In the meanwhile, Whitey and Gracie have been soaking up sunshines on the patio. All is well in La Casa de Los Gatos today.

I did something yesterday that even surprised me! Y'all, I ordered a Litter Kwitter! I saw a video of one of the cat bloggers using it and I was totally impressed. It's a system designed to help you train your cats to use the toilet. Seriously. I am going to have a go at it. I would LOVE to say goodbye to litter boxes forever, so I have nothing to lose but about $80, which is the cost of 4 bags of litter!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Best Buds - Just like old times

So. Yesterday my Dad saw his regular doctor. The doctor seems to agree with the EMTs - perhaps a Vasovagal syncope. In other words, a sudden drop in his blood pressure caused him to faint. He had an EKG which was normal, some bloodwork and he is scheduled to have his carotid arteries checked again Thursday as it was back in 2007 when he had them checked last. I'll take that as good news and hope for more good news after the carotid arteries test.

Some of you may already know that I've just started limiting Gandalf to my office because of his recent marking behavior. I am surprised and quite pleased to tell you that he has adapted quite well and very quickly. Hooray! In fact, he seems to not mind all that much. It must be the extra Mom Time and scritches, right? That's what I think anyways!

And then yesterday afternoon Grayson asked quite nicely if he could come in to visit us, and he asked again this morning. So here he is visiting his brother Gandalf. Looks like old times to me!

Today I have a few errands to do and then some more unpacking. I am hoping to have the guest room sorted out by tomorrow as my parents have some friends coming this weekend for a few nights. They may actually want a bed to sleep on! :0)

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Awww...Mondays

PETUNIA

Today (it's still Sunday night!) I went to the yellow house and got more of my dishes, a few wall hangings, the collander (we had to borrow the neighbor's for pasta yesterday and my mother was all "Oh my God, I can't believe we didn't bring the collander!), my mother's favorite knife (because she was just about crippled in the kitchen and all "Oh my God, I can't do anything without my favorite knife") and the grill and grill utensils. My Dad cooked chicken legs and we didn't need the collander or the favorite knife.

I think that might be the longest sentence evah!

I went to PetSmart at the mall for litter and more Feliway and spent another $200. Cats cost a bazillion dollars when you have more than two. Who knew?

And I took my mother to Bingo and neither one of us won.

It was an OK day.

Have an Awww-some Monday! Big hugs ♥xo

Oh. And be sure to visit Sandee for more Awww-dorable Awww...Mondays!

PHOTO CREDIT

My reminder of what is truly important

At dinnertime I had quite a scare with my Dad. I called 911. By the time the ambulance got here he was OK and fussing because my mother and I were fussing over him.

So today I am reminded of what is truly important. And I am so grateful to be able kiss my 81 year old Dad goodnight again.

Be blessed, y'all.

Big Hugs ♥xo

Synchronized Grooming

I got the dry foods put up in the pantry yesterday and did some laundry. This is the scene that greeted me as I stepped into the bedroom with the laundry basket. It was actually nap time for them but they were all on my bed grooming themselves. Together. It is the first time I've seen this. Progress, eh? And where was Whitey, you ask? Whitey was in his new favorite spot, sleepurring on the chaise lounge in the living room. What a life these cats have! I just hope all my working did not disturb my little darlings!

We are slowly but surely chipping away at the unpacking. I still have to go over to the old house on Saturday to pack up my wall hangings, dishes, baskets and pottery. I use to be a Longaberger Consultant and collector and boy do I have tons of Longaberger!

We are a bit under the gun for getting things into at least reasonable shape. Friends of my parents will be here for a one night visit on the 26th, and then my sister Lynda and BIL Rick will be here on the 8th for a week! Right now the guest room is the Staging Area for all the stuff that is yet to be unpacked. What a mountain yet to be climbed! It will all get down... eventually!

Well, back to it for me. Enjoy today's trip around the sun!
Big Hugs ♥xo

Brain Farts are Frustrating

So. The last few days have been rather full of tedious and exhausting chores associated with moving and unpacking. One of the things I like to do to de-stress is to play with photos so I've been taking a few of the cats and uploading them to the computer. Well, since Thursday the 11th, every time I have uploaded them I can never find them. They just all just disappeared into a black hole.

I have loaded some new software since then so I thought maybe some of my settings might have been changed by the new software so every so often I would try to find a quiet moment to figure out what's been going on with my computer, because it must be the computer's fault, right?

Anyway. Yesterday I was changing the setting on the camera to take a photo of Whitey and I noticed something odd. My camera said it was January 17th instead of February 17th. Either I went back in time or I had somehow changed the date on my camera. I went into January's photo folders and there they all were, tucked safely into the wrong month.

I don't know how I did that, but I am very glad the one week mystery of the disappearing photos has been solved. But... has anybody seen my brain?

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will try to remember to!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Outtakes

WHITEY, PLEASE STAY STILL, HONEY!

I took this shot of Whitey on the patio yesterday morning. Gosh, it would have been such a good one if only he had not turned his head at the last moment! You can't tell, but it was only 30 degrees! And by 2:30 in the afternoon, it had only gotten up to 41 degrees. Yikes! That is just way too cold! I am SO ready for Spring.

Our trash pick up is Monday morning here at the Swamp. Anybody want to guess how many big green bags of trash we brought out to the curb, NOT including the big plastic trash barrel the City gives us... Anybody? Four. That is all stuff we packed up and moved over here over the weekend that we knew right off we didn't need to keep! And we had only begun to unpack.

Honestly, we have way too much stuff. I have made a promise to myself to go through every drawer in my dressers and my closet again once we get settled and I am going to cull out more. A lot more. And kitchen stuff? We have at least two of every gadget and tool. My stuff is of better quality, but my mother prefers to use her "old faithful" stuff and I won't toss my stuff so we have two. Stubborn we are!

::shaking head::

I want to wish my awesome nephew Brian a very Happy Birthday! I think he's 29 today. Hold on tight Bri, they start going by faster and faster from here on out! I hope Anna makes you a nice Turtle Cake.

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

More TO-DOs moved over to the TA-DONE Column

So. Yesterday Al and I got a few more things moved over the the TA-DONE list, and by that I mean Al did the actual work and I handed him stuff. It's good to have really good friends, but even gooder to have really good friends who can fix almost everything! Al's THAT kind of friend. I could not have done all of this without him and I certainly appreciate him bunches!

Believe it or not, I had to replace every one of the hoses on my fridge, washing machine and dishwasher before we could hook them up. Drip, drip drip is all we heard every time we hooked one up! It's good to have a plan and think you're all prepared but sometimes, things don't go as planned and you have to make a new plan! But they are all hooked up and I am a happy camper now. And we also got my over the range microwave installed yesterday. That little jewel is my favorite appliance! It is up and out of the way and it makes the most awesome popcorn ever!

As you can see by today's photo, I've been de-stressing by trying to learn another new technique in Photoshop. This isn't quite what I was going for but I still learned a thing or two so that's OK!

Well, time to get cracking. I am supposed to be at work now and I'm still in my jammies! hahahaha!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Awww...Mondays

ARIA WINTER 2009

My grandniece Aria, who I am pretty sure is the cutest baby girl on the planet!

Let me tell ya, I sure am glad it's Monday because that means I have to work today, which means I can rest a little bit. Moving is a lot of things: exhausting, stressful and enlightening, just to name a few. I moved just four years ago and I was amazed at what I found! I think that people should have to pack up and move every year or two so they would know with both hands and both eyes how much stuff they really have and where all the icky, fuzzy, scuzzy dirt hides, no matter how clean you may think you keep your home. Yuck.

Enjoy today's trip around the sun!
Big Hugs ♥xo

Welcome Home

Here's a before photo to remind you of what I started with back in October. Powder Blue carpet and paneling. The cabinets were almost done in this photo, but we were just about to tackle the paneling and rip out the carpet.

BEFORE

I took this photo a few minutes ago. It's still dark outside so you don't get the full benefit of natural light in this shot but I think you can still see quite a change. I can't wait to get my wall hangings and photos up to "cozy it up" a bit! And one day in the not-too-distant future I'll be replacing the 40-year old white laminate counter-tops. :0)

AFTER

Yesterday was a VERY long day for everybody. I didn't get the food into the fridge and freezer until 8:30. By then my Dad had long since gone to bed.

My mother and I had a glass of wine and foolishly thought we would watch a movie to unwind before going to bed. My mother snuggled on the lounge with Whitey and I curled up in my recliner with a fleecy blanket. We lasted minutes!

Today the DirecTV guy is coming between 8-12 and I hope to get a few more things put up before watching the Daytona 500. No more moving today, even though there is still SO much cah-rap left at the other house! We all need a rest before we tackle the rest of it.

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Moving Day, Part Deux

One last moment of peace and quiet before the craziness begins! The plan is to start about 9:00-9:30. We have a few extra helpers this time and I am very grateful to have them! Many hands make less work? Well, it should at least go faster!

Today's collage is Whitey, basking in the glory of what is one of his favorite things... purring on my desk within inches of my hand, just in case I should want to scritch his head! He's always ready for that!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will be glad to be on the other side of it!

UPDATED: We actually did get SNOW last night! Not much, but it is rare to get snow here so it was exciting and pretty! It started about 7:00 and lasted only a short while. Here's the link out of this morning's paper.

Big Hugs ♥xo

Snow? In south Georgia?

It snowed in the late 70's in Tampa, FL when I lived there... no more than a light dusting and it was gone by sunrise. I never thought I'd see that again, but this is our forecast for tomorrow. Snow. Who'da thunk it?

Hold on. It's going to be bumpy ride! :0)

Big Hugs ♥xo

Waning Crescent Moon over the Swamp

The view from my screened patio this morning as I watched the sun come up with my coffee and the cats. It's right chilly here - 31 degrees! But after watching the news last night of the Blizzard hitting all over the northeast, you won't hear a single complaint from me! My nieces and nephews had a snow day, even though they were only getting rain while waiting for the snow to move in.

Today is more preparation for moving my parents in. They're at the old house in the Pecan Orchard packing while I am at the new house at the Swamp. Al and I are still working at emptying it of all the power tools and miscellanea that accumulated over the past 4 months of remodeling. I also hope to get the cabinets cleaned of sawdust, nails, paint sticks and such.

Oh. And get some orders. Yeah. That would be nice. I do have a business to run and I gotta make some money, too! :0)

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

Today's post is brought to you by our friends, BIG and Small

So I was on the phone and looked up from my computer and saw this. I just hoped they wouldn't move long enough that I could grab my camera. Seriously... is that adorable, or what?! After just a few days, too. I swear, I think Grayson could make friends with anybody. Well, except Whitey. Lord knows what's up with that.

Today we all took the day off from moving chores. I had lots of "work" work to do, Al had some of his own stuff he wanted to do and I think my parents are napping after a full day of packing yesterday! hahahaha!

I did a tiny bit of blogging today and I hope to do more when I get up tomorrow morning. I just love having my internet and computer back full time again. 4 months is a LONG time. As much as I ♥ my iPhone, it's no fun to use it all the time when you want to read some of your favorite blogs and catch up with your family and friends on Facebook!

Well, gotta scoot. My parents have invited me to dinner tonight for country fried steak and I've got to feed the babies before I head out!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo

The sun rises

It was cold outside, but lovely. Whitey actually stopped hissing and growling. Well, for a few minutes anyway.

Yesterdays move? Exhausting, but at least we had a little bit of help! The week ahead will be rough getting ready to move my parents and the rest of the household over to the Swamp. Then we have to get organized and get ready for our first guests! My sister Lynda and brother-in-law Rick are coming March 8th for a week. No pressure though, right?

Grayson and Gracie are about as content as cats can be. I knew Grayson would be. He is such a mellow fellow, and let me tell you… I really appreciate that about him, especially this week! Gracie is a kitten; inquisitive, playful and brazen! She just about went out of her mind when the couch and lounge were set down! She was all “We have furniture? No way!” And the bed? Well, the boys do not really allow kittens on their bed yet! I’ll bet she’ll win them over in no time.

Gandalf was all hissy and hiding when he first got here last night, but once he saw his bed and then his condo out on the screened patio he was 95% better. He’s still not happy about that Gracie Girl, but really, he’s not doing badly at all.

Whitey? Well, Whitey has been hissing and sending out that really menacing growl since he got here last night. Funny, to think that he just loved it here only 6 or 7 months ago. I’m giving him a wide berth, too, because a few times I actually thought he was going to bite me. I’m glad they have a week to settle down before my parents move in.

Today they are moving the piano in and a few boxes and who knows what other stuff. I probably will not be able to visit today, but the good news is that I have my computer back so I can visit and comment a little before bed and when I wake up again! Woo Hoo!

Have a lovely day. I’m sure going to try!

Super Bowl Sunday for some...

But for me and my 3 boys, Gandalf, Grayson and Whitey, it is Moving Day!

At least it is for my bedroom and living room. My parents won't move until probably next weekend. We're all old and so we have to take it in bits. We do have 4-wheel dollies, hand trucks, straps and some slighty younger muscle to give us a hand and so there will be very little actual lifting.

We begin after church gets out, and hopefully have it done before Kickoff Time!

Today will be the first day da Boyz are all faced with the fiesty kitten, Gracie! I'm hoping that the newness of the Swamp and the screened patio will take the edge off the new reality of 4 cats!

Ba-bye Pecan Orchard... Hello, Tall Georgia Pines! Wish me luck and say a prayer for a smooth day with no injuries! Be blessed, y'all!
 

The murmur of water?

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. -Sir J. Lubbock

Of course, this photo of Gandalf enjoying the luxury of being stretched out in the fresh grass is from last March, not today. Today we have rain, and boy howdy, is there a lot of it! I missed a phone call because I couldn't hear the phone ring for the rain pounding down when I was sitting out on the patio.

Al went to the City Maintenance Department and loaded the truck up with sand bags to try to keep the garage from flooding again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will sure try!

Big Hugs ♥xo

The Screened Patio is coming along

We've got it all framed and just started screwing on the spline backers for the screen. Once the screen is rolled in, then a white cover goes over the black backer to finish it. I can't paint the pressure treated wood for at least 3 months, but it will be very functional right away. When I do paint it, it will all be white!

The lower deck is only partially roofed and so I decided to just screen in the upper deck, which is fully under-cover. It is about 14 feet x 12 feet. We put a 6" shelf all the way around it for the cats to perch on, which will also serve to strengthen it and afford somewhere to set a drink for anyone not sitting at the table in the center.

The cats will enjoy it even more than I will! They haven't been allowed Outside since July, so I know they're going to be out there almost all of the time! And they will be safe, which is my primary concern.

Well, it's back to work for me! Enjoy today's trip around the sun! I know I will!

Big Hugs ♥xo