Condo closing did not happen while Dean and I were in Florida but all the papers were signed in the lawyer's office and the closing happens sans everyone's presence the next week. $$ received and put in the bank. WE had a good visit there, nothing startling happened and had some good dinners out. Daddy using wheel chair as much as possible.
I arranged for him to get some physical therapy for his foot and also for an additional aide to come in from 4-8 p.m. This is to help them down to dinner, back up, and to get ma ready for bed - help her undress really.
Called them yesterday and told them I want to buy them a new mattress for ma so she could get into bed easier. She said no, she doesn't want to spend the money but I think I will do it next week when i go there anyway. She has given her bed to daddy since it is closer to the bathroom and he can hardly walk. So now she is in the even higher bed (the one with the castors still on).
Accidentally got up a 4? am this morning. Thought it was 6 am. Barn show today. I'm glad I decided not to be in it because something is causing me to have a runny nose. allergic to something going on in the air.
Breakfast room curtains came and I love them. For all the money I paid though, I think they could have been sewed a little better. I will not have this lady make me anything else. When the chairs come back from being re-covered and I get the pics framed, I will really like it. The can lights over the table are nice too.
Deciding not to take tile out of master bath as the headache of the actual picking out and work being done seems too too much to cope with. Will do the counter top, sinks, and sink and shower fixtures. (may change my mind heh)
Waiting for landscaper's bid. Will probably just do the front yard and maybe the side and do the back ourselves. We already worked in the back yard 2 afternoons and it already looks a little better.
I want to move to RI in a way but I don't want to leave my riding teacher. I will never find anyone else like her. She is so patient, so good at teaching! I can ask her anything and she will consider it and discuss it!!!! She has removed W's flash noseband at my request. We are working on my posting trot a lot and also the left shoulder problem. Another good thing is that she can demonstrate horse or rider's actions with her own body so that the problems make perfect sense. And never in a critical humiliating way. I wish I could be like that.
Back to moving, my greatest wish is to move near the kids. I miss them a lot. I would love to talk to them every day but haha, they have their own lives and so I leave them be for the most part. It's silly anyway, long distance sucks. But my parents are not long for this world and even though their physical needs are being taken care of (not sure what's going on with daddy's foot), they are all alone. The day after Dean and I came back from seeing them, Jeanne asked me what I had done because they seemed much more normal!! It was only the stimulation of family activity and being around people in a group. Plus they are spending a lot of money on things that J or I could do for them if we were all in RI.
Would I like the cold weather again?? It is so beautiful here in the fall. Perfect temp, not too many bugs, and now that I'm not working (YAY!), I have time to be outside and enjoy it. I have the feeling that I am on an inevitable path to move there now that it has been mentioned as a possibility. It does seem to make perfect sense. Lilacs, rhododendrons (sp?), beach, restaurants, Italian food stores, relatives I would like to get to know, helping J out with her life, pussy willows!!!!! I would have no hesitation if it were not for my riding and my ultimate goal of moving to CA. It would be so wonderful to be able to see all of them whenever!
OH is in MD visiting his mother and hopefully helping her sort out her financial situation. She stonewalls him tho and he is too meek to insist. :P:P:P:P
L's doctor thinks she has a spinal injury. I think she is glad to have someone finally figure things out so we will see what happens. Naturally, I wish I were there to give some support and help, but I'm in fucking Houston.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Middle of October now
What have I been doing? Riding lessons were going well til the last two. My left shoulder keeps going forward when it is supposed to be back! Being right handed, my right side is more contracted and also carrying a purse on left shoulder all these years probably contributes. Then last lesson, turning to the left in the saddle, my right side was collapsing, causing the horse to fall in. I tried it in walking by myself and it totally happens. Anyway, I rode A and had the best lesson ever. Part of it was A (most of it probably) but I was sitting up, looking up, keeping my hands still and my elbows back. Could do a great circle, good posting and sitting trot and had some good canters. yay!! Spoke to K about a half lease on W for November but I'm not sure I want to. I want to go to Bandera for a day and maybe I will just ride him a few extra times.
Tomorrow, Terri will pick up the kitchen chairs and Dean's father's chair to go get recovered. Some progress. I didn't even ask about the BR curtains.
We cleaned out and painted the garage room and bought some shelves and put them up and stuff on them. We really should paint the woodwork and door and use up some of the old paint we have sitting around that we can't get rid of.
Had a landscaper come to give an estimate but he is being very slow at getting back to us. Anderson R came to give an estimate on the MBR but have not heard back from him either. Jeff C came and said our project was too small for him - his original estimate was $26-28K and when I reduced the size of the project, he said no thanks. He did give me a couple of good ideas for the cabinets but Dean doesn't want to do them. He gave me a weatherstrippers name which I plan to call soon.
Electrician came and installed bathroom fan, fixed under counter light (wrong bulb) and installed 4 can lights over the kitchen table. Seems good.
Going to Florida on Tuesday for the condo closing. Daddy took the car so I need to hide it. Ma somehow got the stool that Jeanne put in the storage room (not their storage room either) and stood on it to get the meds that the aide hid in the front closet shelf. She had it all spread out so now I need to buy a strong box to lock it up in. Very sad. Jules is a godsend - she is totally taking care of their doctor appts, nails, hair, cleaners and all groceries. omg, I don't know what we would do without her. thank you thank you.
Then the week after we are going to SF and I'm really looking forward to it. Milo is so darn cute. We tell each other jokes over the phone and when he really gets them, he laughs his head off. He is doing much harder work now in 3rd grade so I hope he likes it. He keeps saying that he has good memories of his old school. I sent him some jokes and some 39 cent super hero stamps (stamps now 41 cents) and told him he could use them as stickers!! heh
Jack seems at a great stage also. 5 months is very cute. Can't wait to get to know him again - I wish he would remember me!! It took Milo forever to actually have any idea who I was. I hope they will try giving him a baby biscuit! Maybe I will bring some.
Liz is in China!!!! Blogher conference partly and I think part her other job. Her pics on flickr are super interesting and she looks happy in them.
Laura is now working part time Mon - Wed morning and Jack is at a nanny's. I need to talk to her soon and find out how he is doing. He is now eating rice cereal and making a giant mess of it - oh very very cute.
Read an interesting book sent by Liz about a guy whose goal was to wash dishes in all 50 states. Must find someone to give it to for Christmas.
The world series is on - it would be good if the Red Sox won.
Tomorrow, Terri will pick up the kitchen chairs and Dean's father's chair to go get recovered. Some progress. I didn't even ask about the BR curtains.
We cleaned out and painted the garage room and bought some shelves and put them up and stuff on them. We really should paint the woodwork and door and use up some of the old paint we have sitting around that we can't get rid of.
Had a landscaper come to give an estimate but he is being very slow at getting back to us. Anderson R came to give an estimate on the MBR but have not heard back from him either. Jeff C came and said our project was too small for him - his original estimate was $26-28K and when I reduced the size of the project, he said no thanks. He did give me a couple of good ideas for the cabinets but Dean doesn't want to do them. He gave me a weatherstrippers name which I plan to call soon.
Electrician came and installed bathroom fan, fixed under counter light (wrong bulb) and installed 4 can lights over the kitchen table. Seems good.
Going to Florida on Tuesday for the condo closing. Daddy took the car so I need to hide it. Ma somehow got the stool that Jeanne put in the storage room (not their storage room either) and stood on it to get the meds that the aide hid in the front closet shelf. She had it all spread out so now I need to buy a strong box to lock it up in. Very sad. Jules is a godsend - she is totally taking care of their doctor appts, nails, hair, cleaners and all groceries. omg, I don't know what we would do without her. thank you thank you.
Then the week after we are going to SF and I'm really looking forward to it. Milo is so darn cute. We tell each other jokes over the phone and when he really gets them, he laughs his head off. He is doing much harder work now in 3rd grade so I hope he likes it. He keeps saying that he has good memories of his old school. I sent him some jokes and some 39 cent super hero stamps (stamps now 41 cents) and told him he could use them as stickers!! heh
Jack seems at a great stage also. 5 months is very cute. Can't wait to get to know him again - I wish he would remember me!! It took Milo forever to actually have any idea who I was. I hope they will try giving him a baby biscuit! Maybe I will bring some.
Liz is in China!!!! Blogher conference partly and I think part her other job. Her pics on flickr are super interesting and she looks happy in them.
Laura is now working part time Mon - Wed morning and Jack is at a nanny's. I need to talk to her soon and find out how he is doing. He is now eating rice cereal and making a giant mess of it - oh very very cute.
Read an interesting book sent by Liz about a guy whose goal was to wash dishes in all 50 states. Must find someone to give it to for Christmas.
The world series is on - it would be good if the Red Sox won.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
projects!
Yesterday we washed the whole back of the house! Special trip to Home Depot to buy bleach and a pump spray can (which when we got it out and put together said, "do not use with bleach" but we did anyway). Took screens off, washed them, washed windows and doors, sprayed and then washed the house. Messed around with plants and also started cleaning out the area covered with rocks behind the pool where the pool equipment is. Nice sunny day, not too hot. Afterwards was very tired and lolled around in the spa and pool for a bit then blew off cooking the chicken (must do today). omg, also cleaned the outside fan which was a pain because even tho I was on a ladder, it was over my head. Dean planted some parsley because all but one pathetic plant has died. Too much going on vacation and OH not keeping up with things while it was super hot.
Today, a riding lesson. Last time we really worked on posting trot and I started doing much better. I need to go practice by myself a few times ($25 each time) but hesitate since W is such a pain when RI is not there. Maybe Monday. We discussed the carriage driving and I told her I still want to do it but had been concentrating on riding because of not wanting to be the worst one in the quadrille. We are only going to do the Q once a month. Right now one of her horses is lame and so she doesn't want to exclude anyone from riding - who would it be??
After all, I am succeeding in getting OH to help me with projects and have pretty much convinced him that we should make a push to get all the inside work done now and not stretch it out. I mean why not get it done?? This will be mainly a master bathroom remodel. Once that is done and the shoe racks are taken out of the closet floors, we can get the new carpeting (already picked out). Oh, and I want to have a headboard made and get new night tables and lamps for my room and then paint the whole room green instead of just one wall.
On the bathroom, we are undecided about leaving the existing tub and just getting new tiling and fixtures or taking the tub out and having a nice big shower. That is what we would like to do but for resale of the house, that would leave 4 bedrooms with only one bathtub. The sink area will be demolished and a silestone countertop with undermounted sinks will be used and then all the cabinetry will be redone to my special design. This will have deep drawers to keep all my stuff in and clear off the countertop. whew, I must come up with a design (have 2 magazine pics that are perfect except for they leave no room for a waste basket and that is where ours has to go).
Made plane reservations to go to Florida for the condo closing. OH coming too - that will be nice except that I will have to sleep on the couch and he can have the double bed. Last time we slept in it together but it was not very comfortable with 2 people!
For my parents, the aides and Jules seem to be working out nicely. We have pretty much decided to leave them in Fl. They are actually comfortable there and it will set them back to move them to a new place (where they may be separated).
That's all folks!!
Today, a riding lesson. Last time we really worked on posting trot and I started doing much better. I need to go practice by myself a few times ($25 each time) but hesitate since W is such a pain when RI is not there. Maybe Monday. We discussed the carriage driving and I told her I still want to do it but had been concentrating on riding because of not wanting to be the worst one in the quadrille. We are only going to do the Q once a month. Right now one of her horses is lame and so she doesn't want to exclude anyone from riding - who would it be??
After all, I am succeeding in getting OH to help me with projects and have pretty much convinced him that we should make a push to get all the inside work done now and not stretch it out. I mean why not get it done?? This will be mainly a master bathroom remodel. Once that is done and the shoe racks are taken out of the closet floors, we can get the new carpeting (already picked out). Oh, and I want to have a headboard made and get new night tables and lamps for my room and then paint the whole room green instead of just one wall.
On the bathroom, we are undecided about leaving the existing tub and just getting new tiling and fixtures or taking the tub out and having a nice big shower. That is what we would like to do but for resale of the house, that would leave 4 bedrooms with only one bathtub. The sink area will be demolished and a silestone countertop with undermounted sinks will be used and then all the cabinetry will be redone to my special design. This will have deep drawers to keep all my stuff in and clear off the countertop. whew, I must come up with a design (have 2 magazine pics that are perfect except for they leave no room for a waste basket and that is where ours has to go).
Made plane reservations to go to Florida for the condo closing. OH coming too - that will be nice except that I will have to sleep on the couch and he can have the double bed. Last time we slept in it together but it was not very comfortable with 2 people!
For my parents, the aides and Jules seem to be working out nicely. We have pretty much decided to leave them in Fl. They are actually comfortable there and it will set them back to move them to a new place (where they may be separated).
That's all folks!!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
moving forward
What did I get done today???
1. Called a landscaper and he came over to look at the yard. Will get back to us in 2 weeks.
2. Sent Terri an email telling her to go ahead with my projects: breakfast room curtains and chair covers and new cushions for the old wooden chair.
3. Called electrician who will come out next Tuesday to install a new fan in the bathroom, fix (I hope) the under the cabinet light in the kitchen and take a look at the BR lamp.
4. Called a contractor to come give us some kind of ball park figure on re-doing the master bath. He will come out Oct. 2nd.
YAY!!
After all that is done I can get new carpeting upstairs!! omg
Cleaned the house today and made veal chops for dinner.
1. Called a landscaper and he came over to look at the yard. Will get back to us in 2 weeks.
2. Sent Terri an email telling her to go ahead with my projects: breakfast room curtains and chair covers and new cushions for the old wooden chair.
3. Called electrician who will come out next Tuesday to install a new fan in the bathroom, fix (I hope) the under the cabinet light in the kitchen and take a look at the BR lamp.
4. Called a contractor to come give us some kind of ball park figure on re-doing the master bath. He will come out Oct. 2nd.
YAY!!
After all that is done I can get new carpeting upstairs!! omg
Cleaned the house today and made veal chops for dinner.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
WE volunteered again at the RDA last night. Not quite so awfully hot but still -
I side walked 3 different kids. I am not totally happy with this place. It is kind of by the seat of your pants kind of organized. Plus, one horse called Sundance was practically gasping for breath and they still used him (after hosing him off). I was afraid he would drop dead and crush me. Also, the instructor for this student and the other side walker were very negative. The child riding was about 5 years old, I'm not sure she could speak (maybe tho) and had a plastic tube clipped onto her shirt by a cord that she was supposed to keep in her mouth (her "chewey" ugh!!). The problem was that whenever she got excited, she would bounce up and down on the saddle (lets face it, she didn't weigh much) and so the instructor and sw kept saying, "NO!! No Bouncing! NO!!" omg, so I started saying "SIT". Finally I just said, "Don't say the B word, just say SIT". Who am I to tell the people in charge what to do?? The only one with common sense at least! Whe I said "sit" to her, I would put on hand on her so she was firmly in the saddle. But it got worse, not only did they try to start saying "sit" but keep slipping back into "no, no bouncing", but practically everything else warrented a firm "No, No, No." She was only on the horse for about 20 minutes since she finally took her Very Ill-Fitting helmet off. Then they stupidly threatened her that if she didn't let us put the helmet back on she had to get off the horse, so of course that is what happened. If I had been the parent, I would have been furious. A totally negative experience.
I thought the instruction, on the whole to be almost non-existant. Granted, they are not really learning to ride, but in order to get any therapy out of just sitting and walking around, why not encourage the kids to sit up and look where they are going? The ones working on balance should be putting their arms out to the side, looking up, sideways and back, touching the mane and behind the saddle, etc. I am very disappointed.
On the plus side, OH sidewalked a very disabled boy about 12 years old who talked non-stop and was screamingly funny!!! Everything he said (told to me later by OH) was a riot. At the end, he said he was going to do an aerobic dismount - hilarious because he could barely sit up and could not walk.
Lets see, otherwise I am totally wasting my time. Spent all of Saturday sitting in/by the pool reading Georgette Heyer (omg, again). My stuff is all over the house and I have not been picking up after myself. I have worked on my needlepoint horse and all the background is done and now I have to work on the borders and the horses' manes.
Today is Hair Cut and Color Day! I'm terrified as I cut all the back off my hair last week and now it is pretty short. I just dread the stylist "evening it out" and making it way too short. And why can't anyone just copy a fucking picture and cut my hair the way I want it??? If I even see thinning shears - well, he'd better say his prayers. I do have some ideas for color that I think will be super cute.
OH has lost 7 pound in almost 2 weeks on our diet and I have only lost one or two. Could it be because he weighs twice as much as me but I eat the same amount as he does?? brainiac.
The Florida condo has been sold. It went on the market last year for $200K, was reduced to $175, finally listed with new agents for $143 and sold for $138. I don't care because the whole condo thing is driving everyone crazy. Plus ma has now misplaced the coupon payment booklet.
Ma has been to a neurologist, got only about 1/2 the questions in some kind of test right (got president right but not VP, couldn't figure out 100-7, etc.), and also had an EEG and MRI. We now await a report which will be sent to N. WE are leaning towards leaving them in Florida but are still not sure what would be best to do. Any move at this point is certain to set them back mentally. NOt that they have far to go.
that's all for now.
I side walked 3 different kids. I am not totally happy with this place. It is kind of by the seat of your pants kind of organized. Plus, one horse called Sundance was practically gasping for breath and they still used him (after hosing him off). I was afraid he would drop dead and crush me. Also, the instructor for this student and the other side walker were very negative. The child riding was about 5 years old, I'm not sure she could speak (maybe tho) and had a plastic tube clipped onto her shirt by a cord that she was supposed to keep in her mouth (her "chewey" ugh!!). The problem was that whenever she got excited, she would bounce up and down on the saddle (lets face it, she didn't weigh much) and so the instructor and sw kept saying, "NO!! No Bouncing! NO!!" omg, so I started saying "SIT". Finally I just said, "Don't say the B word, just say SIT". Who am I to tell the people in charge what to do?? The only one with common sense at least! Whe I said "sit" to her, I would put on hand on her so she was firmly in the saddle. But it got worse, not only did they try to start saying "sit" but keep slipping back into "no, no bouncing", but practically everything else warrented a firm "No, No, No." She was only on the horse for about 20 minutes since she finally took her Very Ill-Fitting helmet off. Then they stupidly threatened her that if she didn't let us put the helmet back on she had to get off the horse, so of course that is what happened. If I had been the parent, I would have been furious. A totally negative experience.
I thought the instruction, on the whole to be almost non-existant. Granted, they are not really learning to ride, but in order to get any therapy out of just sitting and walking around, why not encourage the kids to sit up and look where they are going? The ones working on balance should be putting their arms out to the side, looking up, sideways and back, touching the mane and behind the saddle, etc. I am very disappointed.
On the plus side, OH sidewalked a very disabled boy about 12 years old who talked non-stop and was screamingly funny!!! Everything he said (told to me later by OH) was a riot. At the end, he said he was going to do an aerobic dismount - hilarious because he could barely sit up and could not walk.
Lets see, otherwise I am totally wasting my time. Spent all of Saturday sitting in/by the pool reading Georgette Heyer (omg, again). My stuff is all over the house and I have not been picking up after myself. I have worked on my needlepoint horse and all the background is done and now I have to work on the borders and the horses' manes.
Today is Hair Cut and Color Day! I'm terrified as I cut all the back off my hair last week and now it is pretty short. I just dread the stylist "evening it out" and making it way too short. And why can't anyone just copy a fucking picture and cut my hair the way I want it??? If I even see thinning shears - well, he'd better say his prayers. I do have some ideas for color that I think will be super cute.
OH has lost 7 pound in almost 2 weeks on our diet and I have only lost one or two. Could it be because he weighs twice as much as me but I eat the same amount as he does?? brainiac.
The Florida condo has been sold. It went on the market last year for $200K, was reduced to $175, finally listed with new agents for $143 and sold for $138. I don't care because the whole condo thing is driving everyone crazy. Plus ma has now misplaced the coupon payment booklet.
Ma has been to a neurologist, got only about 1/2 the questions in some kind of test right (got president right but not VP, couldn't figure out 100-7, etc.), and also had an EEG and MRI. We now await a report which will be sent to N. WE are leaning towards leaving them in Florida but are still not sure what would be best to do. Any move at this point is certain to set them back mentally. NOt that they have far to go.
that's all for now.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
September 2nd! Yesterday was my mother's birthday. She is now 88 and dementia is taking over. "If you have a dollar and you spend 7 cents, how much do you have left?" Sorry, it's NOT 3 dollars!!!!
I have now arranged to take 2 private lessons a week and join in the quadrille on Sundays. Last Sunday I rode a horse called Faja who was trailered in by another student named Diedra. Faja was an arab mare and very nice. We were all constantly screwed up the whole time because of miscommunication and bad riding. heh
OH and I both went to volunteer at the therapeutic riding center. I was a side walker for a little boy about 6 years old. I had to stay away from the horse as otherwise, he would jump off into your arms. He did fine but it was very hot. Note to self: next time get on the inside of the horse so i'm not running around when he trots. Parker (the kid riding) was chewing the loose end of the helmet strap and all of a sudden I noticed that blood was dripping down his chin.
Dean started out leading a horse and then when the designated leader actually showed up, he changed to be a side walker. One girl in his class fell off but was not hurt. Rudy the pony spooked when a bucket dropped. I think the whole thing is kind of chancy - much opportunity for accidents.
Bought all new dishes at anthropologie. Must get some glasses also. Need juice glasses and medium glasses. Cleaned out entire kitchen. The only things left are cleaning the hood vent grill and the actual oven (just need to turn it to clean, lol). I also cleaned out the downstairs bathroom drawers and underneath the sink and one drawer of the planning desk in the breakfast room. I'm just doing this little by little when I feel like it.
We started kind of the south beach diet. No starch for 2 weeks. Today I ate:
-scrambled eggs with broccoli and cauliflower
-a can of tuna packed in water with celery, parsley and diet mayo; pickles; and an ounce of cheddar cheese
-a hamburger with low-fat swiss cheese; a salad with lettuce, tomato, cuke, feta cheese and kalamati olives
I'm completely stuffed. You must also drink lots of water. I have not been completely following the diet as I have had yogurt with a sprinkling of granola the last 2 days (not today). It's not a hard diet and I just want to jump start a weight loss of a few pounds. I've been at 119 for a year and it's way too much. If I get to 112 I will be okay but more would be nice. Just because one gets older it doesn't mean that I should weigh so much more than I ever did. It's all flabby, wiggly fat. I exercise and take vitamins and have a pretty health diet but cutting down on tons of pizza, bread, pasta and rice (oh god all my favs) is not that bad. I mean I'm not going to starve myself or get super thin!!
The hardest part of being retired is going to be not being pulled down by OH's inertia. This coming week I have:
Tues - yoga class
Wed - riding
Thursday - haircut and color - must drive into town
Friday - riding
Sunday - riding
OH has nothing. He does not even go to the gym unless I make a point of going. But he can only go MWF and Sunday and Sunday is the only day I can go in the morning (which is the only time he will go).
I bought Stephanie a mixer for her wedding reception. We are going on Sept 21-24. Kids and everyone are going so I'm happy about seeing them. Will I see Paul?? For the first time since high school??? omg, it will be hilarious.
Funny about re-connecting with Jane after all these years. She is super nice. Of course I don't pretend or put on airs or anything so there is nothing for her to do but be natural also. I called U. Bob the other day to give him a ma update. He's very nice too and has a superb sense of humor.
I chopped off the back of my hair today. Hairdresser will probably brain me when he sees it. I think it looks good tho. Right now it is a a good stage where I can just let it dry and it goes into a nice curly shape. Too bad there is an inch of grey showing!!!
We had the trees trimmed at a total of $1400.00. God, I'm sick of this house and all the fixing up it needs. The whole yard is getting landscaped this fall if I can manage to pry some $$ loose from someone. The master bath- take out the tub and put in a cool, large shower or be cheesy and just leave the tub and replace the tile and fixtures??? If I leave the tub, I can get the silestone countertop. And then my closet is just too awful to attempt.
It's late and I want to go read my Georgette Heyer book. bye
I have now arranged to take 2 private lessons a week and join in the quadrille on Sundays. Last Sunday I rode a horse called Faja who was trailered in by another student named Diedra. Faja was an arab mare and very nice. We were all constantly screwed up the whole time because of miscommunication and bad riding. heh
OH and I both went to volunteer at the therapeutic riding center. I was a side walker for a little boy about 6 years old. I had to stay away from the horse as otherwise, he would jump off into your arms. He did fine but it was very hot. Note to self: next time get on the inside of the horse so i'm not running around when he trots. Parker (the kid riding) was chewing the loose end of the helmet strap and all of a sudden I noticed that blood was dripping down his chin.
Dean started out leading a horse and then when the designated leader actually showed up, he changed to be a side walker. One girl in his class fell off but was not hurt. Rudy the pony spooked when a bucket dropped. I think the whole thing is kind of chancy - much opportunity for accidents.
Bought all new dishes at anthropologie. Must get some glasses also. Need juice glasses and medium glasses. Cleaned out entire kitchen. The only things left are cleaning the hood vent grill and the actual oven (just need to turn it to clean, lol). I also cleaned out the downstairs bathroom drawers and underneath the sink and one drawer of the planning desk in the breakfast room. I'm just doing this little by little when I feel like it.
We started kind of the south beach diet. No starch for 2 weeks. Today I ate:
-scrambled eggs with broccoli and cauliflower
-a can of tuna packed in water with celery, parsley and diet mayo; pickles; and an ounce of cheddar cheese
-a hamburger with low-fat swiss cheese; a salad with lettuce, tomato, cuke, feta cheese and kalamati olives
I'm completely stuffed. You must also drink lots of water. I have not been completely following the diet as I have had yogurt with a sprinkling of granola the last 2 days (not today). It's not a hard diet and I just want to jump start a weight loss of a few pounds. I've been at 119 for a year and it's way too much. If I get to 112 I will be okay but more would be nice. Just because one gets older it doesn't mean that I should weigh so much more than I ever did. It's all flabby, wiggly fat. I exercise and take vitamins and have a pretty health diet but cutting down on tons of pizza, bread, pasta and rice (oh god all my favs) is not that bad. I mean I'm not going to starve myself or get super thin!!
The hardest part of being retired is going to be not being pulled down by OH's inertia. This coming week I have:
Tues - yoga class
Wed - riding
Thursday - haircut and color - must drive into town
Friday - riding
Sunday - riding
OH has nothing. He does not even go to the gym unless I make a point of going. But he can only go MWF and Sunday and Sunday is the only day I can go in the morning (which is the only time he will go).
I bought Stephanie a mixer for her wedding reception. We are going on Sept 21-24. Kids and everyone are going so I'm happy about seeing them. Will I see Paul?? For the first time since high school??? omg, it will be hilarious.
Funny about re-connecting with Jane after all these years. She is super nice. Of course I don't pretend or put on airs or anything so there is nothing for her to do but be natural also. I called U. Bob the other day to give him a ma update. He's very nice too and has a superb sense of humor.
I chopped off the back of my hair today. Hairdresser will probably brain me when he sees it. I think it looks good tho. Right now it is a a good stage where I can just let it dry and it goes into a nice curly shape. Too bad there is an inch of grey showing!!!
We had the trees trimmed at a total of $1400.00. God, I'm sick of this house and all the fixing up it needs. The whole yard is getting landscaped this fall if I can manage to pry some $$ loose from someone. The master bath- take out the tub and put in a cool, large shower or be cheesy and just leave the tub and replace the tile and fixtures??? If I leave the tub, I can get the silestone countertop. And then my closet is just too awful to attempt.
It's late and I want to go read my Georgette Heyer book. bye
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Here is the wallpaper I am putting up today in OH's closet. He is totally against it but I'm doing it anyway and getting him to help. It's easier to cutely decorate a small space. I am intimidated by a large room. I have lots of furniture and clutterey personal stuff but the whole thing doesn't come together well. Anyway, yesterday I put sizing on the wall and waited an hour, got all my stuff ready to wallpaper, but realized that the wall was not yet dry.
Today our house is getting power washed. This was put off from last week because of hurricane Erin.
I joined the quadrille practice on Sunday. First time for me, second time for group. I rode General, my old lesson horse. He has arthritis and so owner gave him some bute. He was favoring his right hind for the warm up and beginning of the lesson and was very sluggish. He did, however, get better and join in the group nicely. It was fun and OH filmed Next week, if it's good weather and we have the lesson, I will ride one of K's horses. However, I just saw a special for flying to Florida and if I go, I will miss the lesson. What to do???
I have to admit that I am kind of bored staying home. I need to ignore OH who is constantly turning on the TV and it distracts me. Today I will do my own thing. I also must go to the yoga class at the gym tomorrow and find out when the sire classes start. I plan to go to the first few just to watch and get to know people. I didn't see any kindred spirits there when we went but u never know.
I have several projects started. I must keep jettisoning all my stupid junk. I plan to give away all my hotel pads. OH had the idea of giving them with gifts to other people to use as note pads and I think I will do it.
Must get wedding gift for steph. I would like to get her the same salad bowls I got myself. Well, they are really rice bowls but I like them as salad bowls since they are big enough for a decent portion of salad. You do have to wash them by hand - would that be a problem?? I guess I will ask her and see if she is registered at Target again. Maybe she would like something else.
I need to get on the phone and straighten out my start date at the city of houston. crap, I hate trying to figure out who to talk to and now I have no fax.
Coffee pot broke and we got a French press which is irritating. We didn't get a coffee pot because it was tax-free weekend and the thoughts of going toward the mall was appalling.
Still waiting for Terri to get back to me with the heinous price of the breakfast room drapes. I will get those done, the kitchen chairs covered and Jack's chair recovered and then that's it for Terri. In future, I will use Ethan Allen people I think.
I want to figure out what to do with my closet, get rid of more clothes, figure out what to wear to steph's wedding reception, and call a bathroom remodeler. Anderson remodeling I think. Also, must get the picture framing under control, choose a carpet for upstairs and pick out some paint for my room. I need to get rid of the area rug in the dining room too. I could put an ad in the HH. Kind of sad to see it go but the bottom of it has left a stain on the current carpet. I could roll it up and save it for some future house, but where would I store it??
blah blah blah
Today our house is getting power washed. This was put off from last week because of hurricane Erin.
I joined the quadrille practice on Sunday. First time for me, second time for group. I rode General, my old lesson horse. He has arthritis and so owner gave him some bute. He was favoring his right hind for the warm up and beginning of the lesson and was very sluggish. He did, however, get better and join in the group nicely. It was fun and OH filmed Next week, if it's good weather and we have the lesson, I will ride one of K's horses. However, I just saw a special for flying to Florida and if I go, I will miss the lesson. What to do???
I have to admit that I am kind of bored staying home. I need to ignore OH who is constantly turning on the TV and it distracts me. Today I will do my own thing. I also must go to the yoga class at the gym tomorrow and find out when the sire classes start. I plan to go to the first few just to watch and get to know people. I didn't see any kindred spirits there when we went but u never know.
I have several projects started. I must keep jettisoning all my stupid junk. I plan to give away all my hotel pads. OH had the idea of giving them with gifts to other people to use as note pads and I think I will do it.
Must get wedding gift for steph. I would like to get her the same salad bowls I got myself. Well, they are really rice bowls but I like them as salad bowls since they are big enough for a decent portion of salad. You do have to wash them by hand - would that be a problem?? I guess I will ask her and see if she is registered at Target again. Maybe she would like something else.
I need to get on the phone and straighten out my start date at the city of houston. crap, I hate trying to figure out who to talk to and now I have no fax.
Coffee pot broke and we got a French press which is irritating. We didn't get a coffee pot because it was tax-free weekend and the thoughts of going toward the mall was appalling.
Still waiting for Terri to get back to me with the heinous price of the breakfast room drapes. I will get those done, the kitchen chairs covered and Jack's chair recovered and then that's it for Terri. In future, I will use Ethan Allen people I think.
I want to figure out what to do with my closet, get rid of more clothes, figure out what to wear to steph's wedding reception, and call a bathroom remodeler. Anderson remodeling I think. Also, must get the picture framing under control, choose a carpet for upstairs and pick out some paint for my room. I need to get rid of the area rug in the dining room too. I could put an ad in the HH. Kind of sad to see it go but the bottom of it has left a stain on the current carpet. I could roll it up and save it for some future house, but where would I store it??
blah blah blah
Thursday, August 16, 2007
a long time later
I haven't posted in a long time. Since then:
I've retired from my job
My second grandson was born
My parents have gotten very senile and my mother keeps falling
Daughter has hurt her back and is using wheelchair again
I've switched riding instructors and actually have a good one now
Retirement- a huge relief. I got the company to hire someone new to replace me and did 3 weeks of training with him. I wasn't too keen on this guy but now I don't care anymore. He is the person the other 2 librarians chose so they have to work with him. I think the whole office is falling apart anyway. At first, it's all I could think of but now it has faded to a distant memory. My replacement has never called me with questions and never answered my phone call. I will miss Bloomberg and my printer (Sudoku books!) but not any of the people except Pat and I will probably see her. No more dressing up, no more commute on the bus, no more sitting at the computer all day (well, not too much anyway), no more interacting with a bunch of people that I have nothing in common with, no more faking that I know what I am doing a lot of the time.
How to structure my time now?? I have not been home enough to get into a routine. First, 3 weeks in CA, then home for a week or so, then FL for 2 weeks. This week, I have felt kind of sick with a cold or allergy (most likely) and have slept the last 2 afternoons. I keep waking up at 4:30 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep. I would rather get up than lie there thinking the same old thoughts. Haven't you ever wished that you could just get your own thoughts out of your head????
Main projects: horseback riding, get house organized, plan trips, get parents situated, exercise.
Exercise, have not done much. Planned to go to the yoga class at the gym yesterday but it was at 9 am and I went back to bed and woke up again at 8:45. Instead, I boxed up a bunch of things I had to send out in the mail, went to the drugstore and bought some baby wrapping paper, came home, finished boxing and then went to the Hallmark store and mailed. OH came with me and did our car registrations and then we got a few groceries. That was pretty much the end of my day as I slept all afternoon. Did watch a DVD by Mark Rashid called Finding the Try. Be gentle with your horse and only ask for what he can give, set him up to succeed and reward every try on his part.
Plan trips: one planned and tickets bought to go to LA for niece's wedding reception. Must buy gift. Go to SF in Sept when la is back at work? That would be 2 trips in September. Go to parents in October? go there for Thanksgiving/Christmas? sigh
Get house organized: must get rid of junk, organize the rest, and follow thru with the decorator on the drapes. Have lots of plans but it is hard to get started. Have thought about it so much I know what I need to do but getting OH to part with money is like pulling teeth. He has a point but we do live here and it would be nice to have a comfortable, FUNCTIONAL place to be. Must get paperwork under control. This would just be so easy if I would just sit down and do it. Plus I am a saver. We got rid of the old herculon sofa and hideous large, square, chipped formica coffee table. So in the room upstairs, there is only 4 bookcases and a rocking chair (bought when la was born to feed and rock her in). So we bought a cheap ($40) folding plastic 6-foot table and it is up there with 2 of the dining room chairs and has a bunch of recipes on it that we have spent 2 sessions organizing. Set up a cardboard file folder thing and have broad categoris of food groups. Have stacks of cooking mags to go thru still (about a third done). Will finally get the ones I usually use into a separate folder or notebook so they will be handy.
Still thinking about buying my china and actually went to purchase but was giving the run around by the salesperson and so have put it off again. Do I really need it? no no no. Do I want it? yes yes yes. But I am trying to simplify with the goal of moving to CA some day. Okay, I could get rid of the stuff I am currently using and just replace it and use the china every day. Does anyone do this? If something breaks, I could just replace it. Should I buy some of it at a time and mix it with another pattern that I have seen that I like? Should I just get real and admit that it's a waste of money and my lifestyle doesn't admit to using china??? the whole question is so pointless.
Horseback riding: Finally went to the RDA training and it was cool. Well, it was actually sweltering but I mean I enjoyed it. Will they ever call me since I just put myself down as a substitute? I wanted to be a barn buddy and just go be with the horses but you have to have worked there for a year first.
Lessons: How in the world did I ever stay with Janice for so long??? What a bitch. What must my self-esteem be like to have put up with her-
K is the best person ever. She is such an excellent teacher. Always encouraging, makes the lessons fun (that's what it's all about for me), and has a good sense of humor!!! When I apologized for not wearing jods but always wearing jeans because I had "outgrown" all my jods, she said, "Did you get taller?" hehe
Anyway, last lesson I had with Marlene, she had us do a pas de deux. omg, it was sooo cool. We sucked of course, but it was our first try. Then Sunday, I had my long reining lesson at 8 am and then at 9, she had all her other students do a quadrille. There were actually 5 people but there was no horse for me so I just watched and took a few pics. I h ave asked Gretchen if I can use General on Sunday and she said yes! I used to ride General a lot in my lessons with Janice. I had my best canter (in the arena) ever on General in my last lesson before leasing hunni. I have to sort out a saddle tho. Alternatively, I could use the horse of one of K's other students which she would bring in along with her own for the lesson, but if General works out, maybe I could 1/2 lease him from her and have a horse to practice on. I could ride W (my usual lesson horse) an extra time a week, but he is a little nappy and spooky and it would not be much fun. I will see how it goes with General and go from there.
Parents: ma is falling and has basically no balance and no sense of safety and is forgetting words so it's hard for her to have a conversation. Daddy seems normal on the surface but doesn't know wtf is going on. We are seriously looking at moving them to RI but N is being a stubborn ass about it and from talking to several homes there, it seems that ma would just about qualify for an actual nursing home and they would be separated which would be the end for both of them. As it is, I have set up an aide to come in from 9-12 every day to give her a shower, get her dressed and give her her meds and breakfast. The aide also cleans up the kitchen, does laundry, etc. to keep herself busy since ma then proceeds to watch TV. She broke a rib in her fall 3 weeks ago and finds it hard to bend over. Plus her back hurts all the time and the physical therapy the back doctor recommended has only happened once because then she fell and now her rib needs to heal. We have Jules coming in once a week to go over the groceries, clean out the fridge and shop and re-stock. She does the cleaners and is taking them to all dr. appointments. This way, they do not have to take the bus anymore. In a way, this is a negative since it takes away some of their independence, but ma is too unsteady to risk the but thing and J has to make several phone calls for each trip reminding ma when to get the bus. Daddy could never go on the bus alone since he is in wtf land. He had a key made for his car and has tried to drive. I told him I was going to park the car someplace he couldn't find it but totally forgot to do it so I hope he doesn't get the idea of driving somewhere.
Well, that's where I am. I feel quite overwhelmed with the parents frailties looming over me constantly. If it were not for that, I could get a grip. Oh no, I was up at 4:30 again this morning. Will I make it thru the day without falling asleep? Lesson tonight but I think it will be stormy and so said lesson may be called off. Big storm coming thru.
Must get to my paperwork today and fill out some forms to roll over my City of Houston pension stuff to my new Fidelity account that I rolled my Jefferies ira into. money, lovely money, can't have too much.
I've retired from my job
My second grandson was born
My parents have gotten very senile and my mother keeps falling
Daughter has hurt her back and is using wheelchair again
I've switched riding instructors and actually have a good one now
Retirement- a huge relief. I got the company to hire someone new to replace me and did 3 weeks of training with him. I wasn't too keen on this guy but now I don't care anymore. He is the person the other 2 librarians chose so they have to work with him. I think the whole office is falling apart anyway. At first, it's all I could think of but now it has faded to a distant memory. My replacement has never called me with questions and never answered my phone call. I will miss Bloomberg and my printer (Sudoku books!) but not any of the people except Pat and I will probably see her. No more dressing up, no more commute on the bus, no more sitting at the computer all day (well, not too much anyway), no more interacting with a bunch of people that I have nothing in common with, no more faking that I know what I am doing a lot of the time.
How to structure my time now?? I have not been home enough to get into a routine. First, 3 weeks in CA, then home for a week or so, then FL for 2 weeks. This week, I have felt kind of sick with a cold or allergy (most likely) and have slept the last 2 afternoons. I keep waking up at 4:30 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep. I would rather get up than lie there thinking the same old thoughts. Haven't you ever wished that you could just get your own thoughts out of your head????
Main projects: horseback riding, get house organized, plan trips, get parents situated, exercise.
Exercise, have not done much. Planned to go to the yoga class at the gym yesterday but it was at 9 am and I went back to bed and woke up again at 8:45. Instead, I boxed up a bunch of things I had to send out in the mail, went to the drugstore and bought some baby wrapping paper, came home, finished boxing and then went to the Hallmark store and mailed. OH came with me and did our car registrations and then we got a few groceries. That was pretty much the end of my day as I slept all afternoon. Did watch a DVD by Mark Rashid called Finding the Try. Be gentle with your horse and only ask for what he can give, set him up to succeed and reward every try on his part.
Plan trips: one planned and tickets bought to go to LA for niece's wedding reception. Must buy gift. Go to SF in Sept when la is back at work? That would be 2 trips in September. Go to parents in October? go there for Thanksgiving/Christmas? sigh
Get house organized: must get rid of junk, organize the rest, and follow thru with the decorator on the drapes. Have lots of plans but it is hard to get started. Have thought about it so much I know what I need to do but getting OH to part with money is like pulling teeth. He has a point but we do live here and it would be nice to have a comfortable, FUNCTIONAL place to be. Must get paperwork under control. This would just be so easy if I would just sit down and do it. Plus I am a saver. We got rid of the old herculon sofa and hideous large, square, chipped formica coffee table. So in the room upstairs, there is only 4 bookcases and a rocking chair (bought when la was born to feed and rock her in). So we bought a cheap ($40) folding plastic 6-foot table and it is up there with 2 of the dining room chairs and has a bunch of recipes on it that we have spent 2 sessions organizing. Set up a cardboard file folder thing and have broad categoris of food groups. Have stacks of cooking mags to go thru still (about a third done). Will finally get the ones I usually use into a separate folder or notebook so they will be handy.
Still thinking about buying my china and actually went to purchase but was giving the run around by the salesperson and so have put it off again. Do I really need it? no no no. Do I want it? yes yes yes. But I am trying to simplify with the goal of moving to CA some day. Okay, I could get rid of the stuff I am currently using and just replace it and use the china every day. Does anyone do this? If something breaks, I could just replace it. Should I buy some of it at a time and mix it with another pattern that I have seen that I like? Should I just get real and admit that it's a waste of money and my lifestyle doesn't admit to using china??? the whole question is so pointless.
Horseback riding: Finally went to the RDA training and it was cool. Well, it was actually sweltering but I mean I enjoyed it. Will they ever call me since I just put myself down as a substitute? I wanted to be a barn buddy and just go be with the horses but you have to have worked there for a year first.
Lessons: How in the world did I ever stay with Janice for so long??? What a bitch. What must my self-esteem be like to have put up with her-
K is the best person ever. She is such an excellent teacher. Always encouraging, makes the lessons fun (that's what it's all about for me), and has a good sense of humor!!! When I apologized for not wearing jods but always wearing jeans because I had "outgrown" all my jods, she said, "Did you get taller?" hehe
Anyway, last lesson I had with Marlene, she had us do a pas de deux. omg, it was sooo cool. We sucked of course, but it was our first try. Then Sunday, I had my long reining lesson at 8 am and then at 9, she had all her other students do a quadrille. There were actually 5 people but there was no horse for me so I just watched and took a few pics. I h ave asked Gretchen if I can use General on Sunday and she said yes! I used to ride General a lot in my lessons with Janice. I had my best canter (in the arena) ever on General in my last lesson before leasing hunni. I have to sort out a saddle tho. Alternatively, I could use the horse of one of K's other students which she would bring in along with her own for the lesson, but if General works out, maybe I could 1/2 lease him from her and have a horse to practice on. I could ride W (my usual lesson horse) an extra time a week, but he is a little nappy and spooky and it would not be much fun. I will see how it goes with General and go from there.
Parents: ma is falling and has basically no balance and no sense of safety and is forgetting words so it's hard for her to have a conversation. Daddy seems normal on the surface but doesn't know wtf is going on. We are seriously looking at moving them to RI but N is being a stubborn ass about it and from talking to several homes there, it seems that ma would just about qualify for an actual nursing home and they would be separated which would be the end for both of them. As it is, I have set up an aide to come in from 9-12 every day to give her a shower, get her dressed and give her her meds and breakfast. The aide also cleans up the kitchen, does laundry, etc. to keep herself busy since ma then proceeds to watch TV. She broke a rib in her fall 3 weeks ago and finds it hard to bend over. Plus her back hurts all the time and the physical therapy the back doctor recommended has only happened once because then she fell and now her rib needs to heal. We have Jules coming in once a week to go over the groceries, clean out the fridge and shop and re-stock. She does the cleaners and is taking them to all dr. appointments. This way, they do not have to take the bus anymore. In a way, this is a negative since it takes away some of their independence, but ma is too unsteady to risk the but thing and J has to make several phone calls for each trip reminding ma when to get the bus. Daddy could never go on the bus alone since he is in wtf land. He had a key made for his car and has tried to drive. I told him I was going to park the car someplace he couldn't find it but totally forgot to do it so I hope he doesn't get the idea of driving somewhere.
Well, that's where I am. I feel quite overwhelmed with the parents frailties looming over me constantly. If it were not for that, I could get a grip. Oh no, I was up at 4:30 again this morning. Will I make it thru the day without falling asleep? Lesson tonight but I think it will be stormy and so said lesson may be called off. Big storm coming thru.
Must get to my paperwork today and fill out some forms to roll over my City of Houston pension stuff to my new Fidelity account that I rolled my Jefferies ira into. money, lovely money, can't have too much.
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