Cold meds and jumbled thinking

The cold bug is taking hold of the house here. I am still battling the nasty little bugger and now Perry has been stricken down with it. Bob is starting to show signs himself but he never complains. He could have a ruptured spleen and we’d never know about it. You just kind of have to watch for the signs. Whether it is an old wives tale or not I am making up a big pot of chicken soup today. Couldn’t hurt right?

The weather is now at a point where I have to start a fire every morning. It also needs to be made every night before bed but last night by the time I got home from my meeting I was wiped and this is where Bob was showing those “signs” of not feeling too well himself because he opted to not build a fire himself. He isn’t prone to laziness and he definitely likes to save money so I know he would have built one if he had felt more energy.

Still reading up on the economy. Still depressing. And more people are losing their jobs. We know a number of them. Scary stuff. We continue on our path of thriftiness as a foundation for the what-ifs. Even our trip to Wisconsin was done very thrifty. We cashed in hotel points so we only had one nights worth to pay for and packed a cooler of food and one of beverage instead of frequenting restaurants. We did use restaurants five times but they were thrifty too. We felt pretty good about how cheaply we managed a weeks trip. It was less than just myself on my trip to Colorado in September.

The kids have recognized the importance of watching the pennies too. Perry had been concerned he wasn’t going to have the money for tuition again but the outlook is improving and he is feeling more confident about this. It has meant working more hours and spending way less than he used to but he is seeing it pay off. And the girls keep trying to bank every dollar they can. I am so glad they are not of the “entitled” set.

Even with illness and financial concerns there is still beauty all around us. We just need to open our eyes and appreciate it so it sinks in and transforms us. Here is yet another picture from Wisconsin. I love autumn.

Wisconsin

So, I just got back from a week in Wisconsin. I brought back a souvenir cold. It is the hardy Northwood’s Wisconsin variety and I question the ability for the east coast to handle it. You have to have strong Scandinavian blood running through your veins with enough bohemian to make it interesting.

Bob and I made this trip in the Yaris affectionately known as Lary. (Little Red Yaris) It is the car we purchased when gas prices started to climb and Bob is a commuter. He went from driving a truck that got 16 mpg to Lary who can give out 40mpg. Now we love that little Toyota but I have to say, for a car that is good on gas it is extremely hard on the ass for long distance. We got through it though and at a fraction of the cost it normally would have cost and we are nothing if not tightwads.

We both enjoyed our time with both of our mothers. We saw mine in the far north and were able to get some details taken care of for her that she has been wanting me to take care of for her for some time now and we saw Bob’s mother in Door County at an amazing rental property on Lake Michigan that his brother rented for a week and a half. In that case all his brothers and sister were able to make it so it was a whole family gathering with the exception of some grandkids.

We took advantage of the peak fall color time to drive around and get pictures of the autumn glory. I am a kid at heart when it comes to fall, I just love walking through the woods kicking up the leaves to just smell the season. Is there anything better?

Except for developing the cold the trip was nearly perfect. Bob and I enjoyed each others company greatly and had many good laughs. Oh, and we found the worlds greatest truck stop to eat too. If you are ever on highway 51 take exit 205, you won’t regret it. To pass the time we also grabbed real estate mags to peruse through while driving. Half way through one of them Bob was trying to figure out how one in the telecommunication field could possibly make a living in the Midwest. He would love to move back. I must admit…I miss the Midwest too. The whole pace of life is different. Plus it would be nice to be near family again. God will take us where God wants us or keep us where He wants us. I just pray we open our hearts to His will.

So now we are back home. I missed the kids terribly. It was great to get back to them and hear all their stories of what happened with them during the week. In fact the last couple of days have just been filled with conversation with them. Is it possible they missed us too? I am grateful, ever so grateful for family and home.

The picture is one we took on our journey. Isn't Wisconsin beautiful?

Tidbits

Isn’t October pretty? It has to be my favorite month. Yes, people can have favorite months, it’s allowed. As a kid I probably liked it only because it closed with guarantee of a bag full of candy but as an adult it is simply because it is so gorgeous. Be it the colors the scents or the fact it is the beginning of snuggle weather, it is just wonderful. This month feels like a gift.

I’ll tell you one thing, the cooler weather is making it easier to do the exercise. Big girls don’t like heat. At least this big girl doesn’t. It has helped make my choice a bit more comfortable. I never did finish sharing about the weight choice last night. It is choice. It feels exactly like it did when I made the choice to quit smoking all those many years ago. Just like I finally saw how damaging the cigarettes were for me I have come to the same realization about Hershey bars. Time to step away from the buffet and belly up to the treadmill. I have some travel coming up and I even have planned to pack some hand weights with me so I can continue what I’ve started while on the road. I know from history if I let myself lax at all I will be right back to my unhealthy actions. This feels good. I also prayed about this and I can feel God giving me the strength to follow through. Praise goes to God.

The one tricky part of my goal is the word “diet”. I am watching my portions and am being a bit more selective about what I eat BUT……there is always one to be found….I’ve not been able to follow a structured diet in some time. Even Weight Watchers caused problems for me. The doctors are not sure why but every time I start the “diet” part of weight loss my potassium levels fall and I start teetering with seizure symptoms. Now what good is a diet if you end up flopping around like a flounder on the pavement? Not very attractive. So I’ll do what I can and try to be patient with that. Patience is NOT one of my gifts. OY!

Haven’t mentioned our budget lately. Well it is going just grand. We started the envelope system a month ago and all the credit cards are back to zero balances and we haven’t gone over on any of our categories. Bob looked like he might develop a tick the first few weeks without a credit card but now he has settled into the plan quite comfortably I think. It feels safe to account for all our incoming and outgoing. Before we just kind of bought what we bought without a lot of thought. We just figured we pay everything as we should so why worry? Well we should worry because we were not being good stewards and also saving like we should. Doing what we are now will give us the emergency savings we need and more to invest later on. Don’t even get me started on investments right now. Oy, the stock market.

Kelsey, our resident hippie and environmentalist, has discovered the book “Reuses”. Now this book was written in 1982, most of what they have you recycling in there isn’t even around anymore. Things such as pull tabs. Ahhh….the 70’s. Her excitement level rose when she saw that they recycle neckties by making them into skirts. You’ve already figured out that Kelsey has gone through Bob’s necktie collection haven’t you? I will keep you posted on her progress and hopefully will have a picture in a week or so for you.

Well I guess I have been just jabbering here with not much to say. Just kind of a grocery list of thoughts and doings. Nothing deep and profound…..just content and warm.

Here is praying the same for every one of you. HUGS!!!

Weighty Issues

Okay, I’ve made up my mind to do something about this first grader I have attached to my butt and thighs. That is how much extra weight I am carrying around. Good grief the family gene pool runs deep and THICK in this area. My father died at age 53 from a heart attack. I really truly believe it was largely in part to the fact that he was an obese man. Couple that with his type A personality and you have a powder keg. BOOM! Well I’m 48 you do the math. I have dreams of being around for the day I become a grandmother God willing. I’d like to see all four kids grown and married…God willing. I’d like to make it to a 20 year wedding anniversary for the first freaking time. LOL Again, God willing.

So what got me started? Stacking wood this week. I was reintroduced to muscles I had forgotten I had. So now I want to build some momentum with that. I’ve even started using that torture machine disguised as fun the Wii Fit. It looks so innocent and easy until you get a lard butt like mine up on it. OY! And it has become a source of amusement for my teens to watch me struggle on it. I’m thinking the humiliation will be character building as well.

Anyway, I am now keeping a progress ticker onsite so that it gives me an accountability of sorts. I could care less if I get the bod I had when I was 20, I just want to be able to see 60.

Some People Who Make Me Smile~of course this isn't ALL of them

Slideshow

The BIG Bang!

Erin sent some pictures about how she spent part of her day yesterday. I did get her permission to post these before doing so. Doesn't this make the typical day at the office seem a little less dramatic?

A quote from my daughter: "Yesterday I got to go blow up crap. We had to dispose of 4000 40mm grenades. Oh, it made such a sweet fireball and a nice boom. The crater it left was probably a good 4 feet deep and 8 feet across. There is nothing like playing with a little C-4 to make your day just a little bit better. LOL"

Blessed

What a beautiful morning. My old body is screaming in pain over the labor of the last few days, which just speaks loudly to how out of shape I am, but my heart is pushing forward with the tasks at hand. I thrive in the autumn season. Which, at my age, I am living out now as well.

The morning was indeed cool enough that I got to build the first fire in the stove this morning. The whole house is getting a cozy feel and smells absolutely wonderful. I’ve been hanging laundry out on the line watching the steam rise off the wet clothes in the chill while tendrils of perfect smoke are curling out of the chimney making the whole outdoors even more delicious in the autumn scents. I have to walk past the woodpile on my way to the lines and I make a point of deeply inhaling as I do that earthy, woodsy, musty smell that I wish they could bottle. Yum.

Kelsey is a bit concerned over the fire in the stove right now given this is her cat, Pickles, first introduction to fire. I’m fairly confident that given Pickles’ demeanor and curiosity that we will be seeing singed whiskers before the close of the week. The dogs are already vying for who gets to lie in front of the stove.

In an email from Erin the other day she was celebrating the fact that the temperatures had dropped below 100 that day. It actually got as low as 95. She said you would be amazed at how comfortable that temp is after living in 120 degree days. Can you even imagine? Add to that the fact that they are covered head to toe in the uniforms and Oy vey!! Is it no wonder that her number one request of items to send her is body spray.

Erin turns 27 next Tuesday. To those of you nice enough to think such a thought….yes, I am that old that I have a child that age already. Twenty-seven was a good year for me even with all that happened that would appear to have been negative. It was the year I can look back and see the hand of God at work. I didn’t give my heart to Jesus until I was almost 42 but it was the beginning at 27. It was then I had God in mind and felt Judaism was my link. Funny thought process. But through it all……..I did finally make it. Even with all the valleys I’ve journeyed through….it has been a blessed journey with God.

New Stuff

Hey Ya'll....don't forget to periodically look up and down the left side of the page. I've begun adding little links (Crown Ministry feed for one) and I have a poll you can all give feedback to and now I also have some YouTube with one of my newest funny ladies Mrs. Hughes. I even set it up so you now can subscribe to the blog. (Lets see how THAT works out)

Like I said...check once in awhile and see what has been added.

Hugs!!!

Ordinary?

It has been a satisfying day thus far. I pray for the remainder to be likewise. After finishing my morning coffee I threw on some work clothes and headed to the backyard to tackle the other half of the woodpile that needed stacking. We ordered two cords of wood this year and the gentleman we ordered it from prides himself “on a FULL cord of wood and it ALL being oak”. His full is overflowing bless his heart. So the rest of the first cord was stacked this morning with another cord to arrive probably within a week or so.

It felt good outside that early. I had to throw on a barn jacket to find some comfort especially since Zoe and I were seeing our breath as we labored. I have always enjoyed piling wood. Bob thinks I’m a bit whacked in the head but there is something so satisfying about being outside and working the muscles putting up something that is meaningful and necessary. It helps with the heating bill and the added bonus is it just plain makes the house cozy and inviting to have a fire built. Plus who cannot love the smell of the cut wood on a crisp fall morning?

I had already finished dishes and general housework before starting on the woodpile and once done with that I took on making some bread and some pumpkin bars. The girls always yell out “I love you’s” when I get to baking up a storm like that. I don’t dare tell them I had considered making caramel rolls too but by then the ache in my arm muscles was making it hard to lift my coffee cup to my lips. The rolls will wait until later in the week.

I got to thinking about the word “ordinary”. I even looked up the definition to reinforce my thought process. Take the time to look it up yourself. Then ask yourself why we ever came up with such a ridiculous word. How can it possibly be used in ones life? There is nothing “ordinary” about any given day. Right from the start you never know what you are going to wake up to and you know from experience that every sunrise is unique. You never know who will cross your path throughout the day or what news will make itself known. As hard as the weather men try to predict the weather it is always a grab bag of surprises. There might be a new person you meet or a maybe a new flavor of ice cream is found in the freezer section. Hey, a rock may hit the windshield or a stray cat scoots up to the window to say hello while you are busy with school. See, everything, no matter how one may think it is trivial, insures us that there is nothing “ordinary” about our day. Just like there is nothing ordinary about each one of us. We are all unique and gifted in our own special, God given ways and have the ability to make effects to the days and people around us anything but ordinary. In fact…with that in mind, the only way “ordinary” can be used…..is in how extraordinary every day and person is.

They say it is going to drop to the 30’s tonight. I can’t wait. I’m itching to build a fire to snuggle up next to.

Erin finally sent pictures so here is one!!!

Erin is the one on the right.