Play Time!

Last week hubby got another motor cycle a Vulcan 1,500 it's what they used to call an 88. He's happy and so am I. I've been riding his other bike calling it mine now it's a Virago 1,100. I used to ride my own machine all the time. . I had a virago 1,100 and a Vulcan 1,500 classic both. It's is like motor cycling is renewed
and it's new all over again how fun is that?

Life got busy the kids moved back home and grandkids arrived keeping me involved in their lives with granny duty for several years now the kids have moved out and the grandkids are in school. We bought a camper and then got the A.T.V.'s. Now I'm getting time to play!

We have a two bike trip planned for a mini vacation this month
while the weather is still good here.
We’re going to Idaho mountains up highway 12 to play will be fun.
Then coming home for a day and back out on the road towards Ore. to see more
scenery in the Wallowa lake area I love seeing all the trees.
Hubby wants to do some fishing. I'm looking forward to the down time
to relax read and do some sketching.

My e-mail is down.
We finally got my insulin dialed in; for now anyway the dosage is good.
I had high readings the past ten days or so and that was quite a challenge made me
irritable and not feel well and I slept a lot.
Today I woke up with an on target blood sugar reading yea!
I had a great dr's report yesterday.

Last night I was going through my books
trying to decide what to take to read on the trip.
With limited space I can take one maybe two.
I have a milk create on the rack for some of my stuff
on the back of the bike I'll be driving .
Hubby jokes that I have "baggage" now
with all my meds., I was teasing that I wanted to put
wheels on my easel and tow it behind so I could do
some painting while we are up there.

The other day I took the cook books that did not
have carb counts and nutritional info. in them to the library for their book sale
next month. My sis said mom had a blast at the book store and found
some with carb. info. and was going to send me some.
I found some at the thrift shop too.
So I'm looking forward to the holidays
can you say sugar free pumpkin pie?
The ast. mgr. at the store said he could order some in!
Trying to decide on peach apple or pumpkin maybe all three
for the freezer!

Getting My Life Back!

I’m getting my life back one day at a time.

Last weekend we went to the car show ‘n’ shine one day and
the next we went ATV –ing. I did great except for
over doing it on the snacks a bit.
I took a hike in the field today my activity level
is back up to what it was before I got ill.

My birthday day is this week we've been trying to make plans for this some snafu's and had to do a U-turn with one of my choices
because of too many carbs at one of our favorite Mexican eateries.

I've been doing some chores at home,
I mowed last week needed to get my blood sugar down,
dishes & laundry with trips up and down the stairs
is great exercise trying to get a few things done up
before next week if only they would stay done!
My blood is good my heart barely gets going until
I’m on a hill on my walks LOL!

I filled a journal last month and I was reading it and
over the past month have had a long list of answered prayers.
I got a good report from the dr. and have
progressed to the next phase of this;
moving off the sliding scale and on to carb. counting
for my insulin doses.

However the news is not all good;
the buyers of the house backed out they lost their jobs;
the local paper mill did not renew their contract
for these over the road truckers,
we know another family effected by this too
one of our son's good friends.

This past week I've decided to try a bit of sewing and
I was delighted to discover that I could see to thread the needle
on the sewing machine with my regular glasses and
I hemmed some pants, I also knit up a dish cloth, and
I'm crocheting up a puppet for dear grandson’s birthday
I was glad to get these things done.

My Life Flight!

After a visit to the dentist in August
I had to go in to the E.R. Hubby drove me after that
then things got pretty fuzzy for me.
I was life flighted to the nearest big city hospital;
my blood sugar level was 1,000 death was knocking at the door.
I spent a couple of days in ICU
they saved my life getting my blood sugar under control.
I was in the hospital nearly a week.

I have type 1 diabetes now a month out of the hospital.
This is not how I wanted to check helicopter ride off my
life goals list!

No surprise; as I had gestational diabetes and was pre-diabetic
our son has type 1 also so we knew the drill.
Hubby's granny was type 1 also he has been good with me.

I have insulin pens;
the worst part is having to wait to eat
take blood sugar tests, then give self shot,
count carbs. write it all down eat.

I have a diabetic refill pack of pages for tracking food, meds. & exercise
from the day runner co. for my planner.
Before that I was just using a mead comp. note book
it's a good thing I like to journal.

I had to wear two pr. of glasses for a while.
I'm so glad to be able to see with my regular Rx of glasses again.
I've been to the dr. several times; eye dr. and dentist more work needed
not looking forward to that.

I have new a.m. and p.m. meds. plus blood sugar tests, shots of insulin 4 times a day now. Hubby said I'm being cynical when I say after my shot
"I get to live another day".
Any day above ground with out I.V.'s in my arms is a good day!
I have such a different out look on life now it's just great to be here.

[I made it to our son's wedding three days after I got out of the hospital and did not faint that was my goal! I just had to show up!]

Help Grandma's Stuck in a Snow Drift on her AT.V.!

This week when we went on an A.T.V. outting
I got stuck in a snow drift; hubby said
“Well it looks like I’m going to have to winch you out with this ATV. "
A twinkle in his eye and a slow grin comes across his face!
I got to see how the winch comes out
and learned how to use the four wheel drive button
I’ve not used it much before.

The hitch was great to hook to for being pulled out from behind.
The camp ground we were headed for had four feet of snow still great big trees down so we had to turn around there and head back.
I got stung so I grabbed a hand full of snow to put on it;
that helped. It was great weather and perfect for riding.
No not to worry I’m not allergic to bees thankfully.
It’s only like a few miles [maybe four] to the ranger station
but that last four miles was not passable yet;
We had a blast!

Tomorrow is an A.T.V. meeting and I suppose they
will want a report on the roads and the conditions.
The only game we saw was a chicken crossing the road
that almost ended up in the chicken and dumplings pot that
we had for lunch!

Hubby fished a bit as I just sat and relaxed
taking in the view.

The creek is way up and brown from the run off.
Flooding in a few spots from beaver dams and
lapping inches from the bike path.
It’s a good thing that the weather is cooling off a bit.
We came home started watering it was 89* in the valley here;
the neighbor kids were splashing around in their pool.

Collage Graduation

Our son in an interview was on the front page of the
local news paper here is part of it.

A communications major, who is also student body president,
said he’s looking for a job in something that will pay back student loans.”

At 33 he said it took five and a half years to graduate because he
switched from a pre-radiography major early in his collage career.

It’s tough when you come back [to school] as a non traditional student with no saving account to speak of, still his two daughters 7 and 8 said they were proud of their dad and would be happy that he’d have more time to spend with them. “Some times he can’t come to dinner all the time,” the younger one said “He’s really busy.” She's looking forward to family dinners together again!

March is not for Wimps!

My word for 08: equip

In Feb. we staged the house,
it's scary when you have enough stuff to decorate two homes!
More open houses still waiting on a buyer.

March has been very busy here for us.
School spring concerts;
time change;
Easter was here we did a B.B.Q.
Add to the mix a couple of birthdays.

I got some precious solitude time
when Hubby went on a couple of group ATV rides;
one was in the snow at night! The other a day ride.
He went fishing a couple of times too.

Spring bloom has arrived here.
We are enjoying that.

I've been to the eye dr. for a new Rx;
good news my eyes have changed for the better!
I need to get used to these new readers and
see if they work before getting the others.
Readers are not so good for the PC keeping that in mind.
I ordered in cute frames in so that is good.
I'm frustrated at how long this takes.
I've been using an old Rx.

December / Jan.

Me in front of job site house
rock work is done
realtor's tour is over
septic system is in
mid. Jan. open house was a success
another open house will be in 2 weeks
people were out in droves we had great weather for this!

We finally sold this one and took it in the a$$ b/c of the down mkt.

http://www.tb.com/detail.asp?ListingId=312535&Mode=6
pics on inside at above link.

November Progress!

Garage Doors are in!
Kitchen floor is down too
but you can't see that from this picture.
Rock work is on.

Property is listed.
Carpet is down.
Tile is down and grout is sealed.
Counters are in.
Cabinets are done.

House is staged
tree is up.

Still to do
two towel racks
a few shelves
put gutter back up
septic system to go in
some clean up.
Take pics.

October Progress!

The back-hoe has been leveling the dirt digging
the trench for the water line and ready to
dig hole for the septic system to go in.

Most of the laminate flooring inside is down.
and it's looking great!

The flooring is glued down in laundry and main bath room
it looks wonderful; tile is down on the entry way and master bath room
it looks awesome lighting is working now too.

Picked out cultured stone to go on soon as it gets in.
Oct. was a productive month!

Custom cabinet guy hurt his hand so we had a delay
on those they should be done in Nov.
Gutters and doors have been ordered.
Delay on carpets.
Some of the subs. have been hunting!

Siding & Paint Progress to Report

This week:
Siding is to be completed;
sheet rock is up and done;
interior paint is done.
Exterior paint going on weather permitting;
order doors .

Realtor has people that want to see it
so they can pick the flooring etc. they better hurry.
We are getting positive comments about the floor plan;
and the large garage!

Next Month:
Custom cabinets are being built as I type this and
will be done by Nov. 1 that is the target date.

Roses With Roots

I'm doing great did get lots of gardening done today;
roses, berries, bulbs are moved;
and I planted new tulip bulbs in pink white and purple,
and onions by the three new roses I put in yesterday.

Last week I got two more fruit trees planted
a red plum and apricot.
Gardening is great exercise too!

Siding

More progress!
This is a view from the back
with the siding on.
The pluming is in now too.

Dream Home Pics.

Top:
Bay window framing is in and more roof trusses are up!










This is the back view of the house more trusses up over the dining room where French doors will be that open out to the deck patio area.
A patio or deck will be off the master bedroom.
It will be white with med. brown accents on the exterior
and earth tones interior unless some one buys it and
changes that. [People are already asking if the house
is for sale!]

Fire!

On my walk today I took this photo with my camera phone
in the distance you see smoke rising from
fire in the area from dry lightening we had last Friday
it's where we where we ride ATV's, and used to go boating
up Hell's canyon.

Garden Wedding

Over dinner for our 34th wedding anniversary was last week hubby and I were laughing because I told hubby I wanted to get married in a wheat field ie [stubble field] remember we are from the hippie days; I wanted a ring of daises in my hair. Hubby's family were farmers I thought it would be a nice touch. Mom vetoed this idea she was right. So I settled on a garden wedding. Boy was that a lot of work! Hubby said he got in on the preparation for that. Mom sewed the dresses and a lady from the church made the cake we used a recipe for the punch from my grandma's and & grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary celebration mom had to get the recipe from my aunt.

It was a simple affair 104 guests very memorable. T-storm the night before had us picking up tree limbs the morning of the event off the lawn.
My wedding bridal bouquet was not what I'd expected and I wept over them my aunts rescued them. Granny grew delphiniums in her garden those baskets were in front of the mock orange in the yard bloomed and were fragrant as we said out vows that we had written. The day was not too hot just perfect! The photographer, was a guy at the church that had been doing it for his work in the basement and the pictures turned out well.

We had a potluck after ward and people kept waiting for us to leave;
the photographer pulled us aside and said we should stage an exit even thou we were staying for the meal so I changed and we went around the block and came back for supper.

ATV Ride

ATV-ing was great fun for us this weekend. Hubby and I got separated and I found an awesome trail to ride on and picnic spot. We saw a dead rattle snake in the road on the way up; on my walk this morning I saw a humming bird; and some wild canaries up in the mountains, hubby saw an eagle some deer. The smell of the forest was great.

When we got home we cleaned up the ATV's and put them away and the stuff that we used for this picnic ride in Washington. Praising God for a safe return trip home after a close encounter with a deer hubby had to swerve to avoid. The huckleberries are not ripe yet but the blackberries around here are just now coming on.

Dear son and dear grand daughters came by for a visit. He loved hearing about our ride!

Dear son in law stopped by to deliver the trailer they borrowed for a camp out in Idaho by the one of the hot springs in the central part of the state. I got paid for some work last month so this is great.

Trusses are here.

Trusses were on time today.
Heat wave here makes morning work the best!
Pic. #1 & 2 are trusses that were delivered and set in place today.

Ground Breaking

pic #1. dear daugther helping to sight in the depth of the first digging.
pic #2 digging with small backhoe;
pic #3 # power is in

We broke ground on the property last Sat. the family was there. Dear daughter was helping with survey equipment. They had a small cat and bob cat to move dirt around.

The guys were excited dear grand son was playing with the water! Guys and gals all sizes love to play in the dirt and it was an exciting day for all of us! They have poured the footings did that last week; and foundation was poured today.

I've been working on the yard at home dug out a smallish apple tree that had bugs in in the trunk so it had to go. Doing granny duty so dear daughter can work at the job site doing concrete work. I've also been painting the stairway too.

What I Love About My Dream Job

That’s one of the things I love about my dream job of home designer the fact that my schedule is flexible and I can call dear daughter and if I need help on this too. It’s great to have family living close by. Riding motor cycle out to check on the water meter and power pole on the lot to see if they were in and seeing 4 deer just across the path!

I'm setting up a note book for this with 1-12 numbered dividers, some color coded ones and others with a-z tabs. We are in the design phase of this still the guys are working on securing the permits and doing paper work. I found a kitchen design note book and hubby and I agree we hate all the ideas in it they are off the wall and funky ideas to weird for around here.

I was hoping we could say we had broke ground by now. Hubby had to draw up another view for the house plans. And one for the floor joists. But those are done now so we are chipping away at the progress. I’m meeting new people and enjoying that part of it.

I’m keeping a log or journal of the progress each day. Adding to the contact list and hoping that helps next time we do this. Some days it like three steps forward and two steps back. But that’s how it is in life at times.

Checking In

Today I promised my self I’d update my blog so here goes!

Last weekend it was cold and we did not do much for the memorial day weekend. Thinking this weekend we could have a family gathering, but the weather is so nice that they are camping! Great idea it might be time for a tree fix for us too.

This week I mowed the back yard for my exercise and the roses and irises are great this year. I weeded the garden last night and the tomatoes are doing great in the new spot we planted them this year.

It was a good week here I marked a mile post three years on my weigh loss journey some thing to celebrate! I was at the local green house produce stand the other day and found a rose bush I will get to mark this occasion. While I was there I also found some peach jam with no extra added sugar I was excited about that! So I’ll get some of that too. The sugar free apple pie is gone, I have a peach one in the freezer. These are great in lunches I have wedge shaped containers for hubby to take in his lunch. He said he was forgetting to eat breakfast, so I tucked a plastic spoon in his Bible cover as a reminder this has been working great such a simple thing too!

I’ve been working on my card file putting verse of the day on file cards until I ran out of them. Making a master list of my favorite inspirational verses for a projects or two.
I’ve been working on outside stuff and the house shows it. I’m not doing as much with my crafts these days.

Next week I’m on carpool duty dear for grand daughter. That’s one of the things I love about my dream job of home designer the fact that my schedule is flexible and I can call dear daughter and if I need help on this too. It’s great to have family living close by. I went through the books in the book cases in the basement and weeded out a few and found one for kindergarten teachers addition that dear daughter can use for dear grand son. I’m glad I found it before he had out grown it! Dear grand daughters are past that phase now.

Progress on the house building project but it is a bit slower than we had hoped.

Books

My new book shelf is full! I've read half of a book, a novel last evening outside under the big shade tree in the front yard. It was very relaxing.
Now that the weather is warmer I can do that again!

I'm reading "The One Minute Millionaire" by Mark Victor Hansen co-author of "Chicken soup for the soul" and Robert G. Allen author of "Nothing Down" and "Creating Wealth". Lots of info. in this book is review if you've read any of the rich dad series. I love this book the right side of the pages are a fiction story that teaches, the left side is the info. and formulas graphs visual aids etc. my brain loves this format!!!!

I just finished reading "Driven to distraction" riveting reading! I have another A.D.D. book to read later on maybe in the fall called "Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder". It is fascinating learning how the brain works.

I have "Positive Thinking For a Time Like This" by Norman Vincent Peale in my T.B.R. pile, I enjoy his work. I have some Debbie Macomber light fiction novels I want to get to this summer in my TBR pile, I started Daily word prayer journal found it at a yard sale this weekend. I have one chapter left to read in "The Secret".

I ordered a Joyce Meyer Book and teaching series "Habits Of Highly Effective Christians" I'm looking forward to getting that. I've seen these on TV not really new info. in them but I"m looking forward to review and seeing if I can glean any notes tips and pointers from them. Last week I got T.D. Jakes "Reposition Yourself Living life without limits". There is a work book that goes with this book too.

I'm in the middle of "Prophetic Evangelism" by Sean Smith; and found "Elements of the Writing Craft" by Robert Olmstead at the thrift shop so I had to have that one too! I am about half way done with "Time Out For Prayer" by Julie Baker this one is excellent!

I have started reading "Einstein's wife" to read a bio. I enjoy biographies!

New House Plans

We got the closing papers signed on the lot last week. Hubby drew up the plans for the inside of the house yesterday took longer than we anticipated, today he has to do the outside plans. He had some architecture in collage so he knows what he’s doing and learned some fun tricks to help with this. This week getting the plans drawn up is the goal and then getting a material supply list together and submitting them for approval. To make sure they are in accordance with the stipulations for the new subdivision. Hubby will be back to work this week after a week of vacation he his rested up and doing better.

Last night to relax I colored on a print that was some sepia brown and white and some color so it’s all colored now! That was fun! I’ve been reading and enjoying that. I’m reading one minute millionaire going now. I have a print to frame up also.

Dear daughter has an open house today. Dear son begins his new job tomorrow. Grand kiddos will be here tomorrow I’m excited as I have some new crafts to do with them.

I finished crocheting up a prayer shawl last night and have yarn for another one in lavender and white I’m looking forward to working on it. I have yarn for a larger project in aqua blue and sea foam green colors! That will be fun I’m wondering if I should knit or crochet it! I’m looking forward to discussing this with my friend we knit together and met every other week. Seems to be helping us both to discuss stuff going on in our lives. These days we both seem to have quite a bit going on.

Busy Week

I mowed yesterday for my exercise. It was 86* great weather. My plants trees and bushes are all still alive I’ve been watering them I need to get the sprinkler on the grass today. I felt great after that! I've been doing great at maintaining my weight loss.
Mowing was my exercise yesterday!

Last night we took a short motorcycle ride over to the lot and stopped by to see the grand-girls. That was fun! Went to the lot and saw a bull snake he lives there we’ve seen it there twice now. Hubby is getting stuff lined up to build a spec. house to sell. He wants to do that for his job/work after this fall. I’m over the fear part of it now. Yea that took some time.

We grilled patties in the carport last night. It was a bbq for two had family over for a pizza party on Monday for mom's day. The car is in the shop so there was extra room! Used my smaller folding craft table it worked great. I made scalloped potatoes from
a mix and they were awesome my new favorite dish to make for a b.b.q. now it’s much easier than potato salad.

My gratitude journal helps, and doing a card file or using a planner, or pc reminders helps with A.D.D. the book Driven to Distraction said, so I’ve already found what they suggest helps.

I got an unfinished book case six foot tall and I’ve been gotten it oiled and loaded with my books note books journaled mags. etc. help me making less clutter of books around and that has been my progress this week.

Dear son has found a job working for a pest control place. A guy he went to school with. They are excited it’s pretty good money.

Dear daughter had a Realtors tours twenty five Realtors were through the house on Tues. a.m. she brought Joey over they hung out here. The have their house listed and are excited to move again in the the new one they have built a one level home in a new subdivision with great views on some of the lots.

We watched the movie “cowboy up” it was good. Kiefer Southerland the guy in 24 was in it.

Community Event Week

I delivered donations to a church yard sale this week. Glad to get these items out of here. I cleaned the lawn chairs that were in the carport and picked up the yard. We are loving spring here the Dogwood festival and County fair are both this weekend. We went to the dogwood festival today and I got to go to the craft fair. Hubby went to the show n shine. So glad to have better weather and more fun opportunities to enjoy the great out doors. The scent of lilacs is lovely when I'm outside these days! Love that!

Hubby has recruited me to help in his new business he needed some one to delegate to run errands fetch parts and supplies and general go-for. Let the contracting begin! I did some errands for this that past two days when I was out and about any way. My dad was a contractor so this is not new to me.

My e-bay items did not go so I brought them back home.
Will be trying motor cycle parts next fender and muffler for 98 Vulcan classic 1500.

De-clutter mode!

We got our taxes off then did a clean sweep in the office went through papers worked on getting files purged and the filing system set up ready to go for a new year. There were files to put in deeper storage after the sale of the farm last year it was time to move some of the boxes again. Hubby was off for some dental work and had time to help me with this office stuff.

This week we are getting ready for a block yard sale. Dear daughter and family are getting ready to move and as she does she said it's double duty sorting for the move and for the yard sale. I cleared out the pool house and I'm going to be using it as a potting shed this summer.

Last weekend we got the news that our son has won the election for A.S.B. Pres. by a landslide victory! He said that he has some meetings this week in two other collages in our state. Prayers appreciated for them and my prayer is that they are able to brain storm some ideas for better safety and protection for schools collages all across the nation.

Giving E-bay a go!

I found a local movie rental store that will put items on e-bay for a reasonable fee. So I'm giving e-bay a go this week. They take the photos and ship stuff off so I don't have to run all over town to find packing materials and a ups site to ship from so it's worth it to me to try this!

The wooden decorative boxes they said weigh too much to ship so I had to go fetch them back home. Learning as I go here.

Yard Sale Or E-Bay!

Yard Sale List:

Our neighbors have recruited every one for a block yard sale.
These are great for generating 
higher traffic. 
 
Pick date for sale.
[Keep in mind higher value items for e-bay as you sort 
there is more than one way to de-clutter.]
 
6 weeks before sale: 
 
Collect donations & yard sale items.
Find out local guidelines;
is it okay to post signs and have sales in your area?
Compose add for local adds in and classifieds 
nickel shopper, penny-saver, money saver add paper 
and area newspaper.
 
1~2 weeks before sale: 
 
Clear junk out of front yard this can be done earlier. 
Clean garage carport shed etc. sweep and set up tables. 
Clean tables and move to area where sale will be. 
Buy or make signs kids can help with this!
Wash sale items toss broken things 
Get change and move sawhorses to carport put plywood near by.
 
Week of sale: 
 
Clear & rope off area 
Cover items not for sale 
Bring boxes & bags & containers out of house for sale items. 
Get electric cord ready to test appliances.
Have adding machine or calculator handy. 
Put change in fanny pack  
set up till area table store bags & papers under table 
for wrapping breakable items. 
 
Day of sale:
 
Put out signs & refreshments if you are severing them,
Get change out use fanny pack.
Take signs down! 
Or you may be getting folks at ten o’clock at night; 
my friend said this happened to her!
Get Chinese take out or order in subway or pizza so you 
don’t have to cook. Having a yard sale is hard work 
like moving but it burns a lot of calories! 
Move cars out of the way if possible so customers can park!
 
After the sale:

Call for donations pick up after sale.

Son Runs for Collage A.S.B. President

I have news! Last week I found out our son is running for A.S.B. President. We will know in a few weeks if he got it or not. He is currently Vice Pres. a junior majoring in communications.

library thing

Easter Week

Yesterday one of my finds was a flower pot that had the words violet painted on it and a painting of some violets in bloom. I have lots of these in the yard so it will be great to put one in it. On the way home I stopped by the nursery and got two fruit trees a peach and nectarine and got those planted. Now I'm trying to figure out where to put an apricot tree! It was 29* here over night and I am SO glad I put the annuals in the play house. I just got them out for some sun. It's a lovely day here and will warm up through the end of the week.

I found a couple of books by a favorite author Emilie Barnes and a wire bound journal and a planner, planner size note book plus filler pages for these at the thrift shop. I like the bigger size rings in the planner and I'd been looking for one so I'm delighted with these finds. Speaking of books I found library thing web site and have most of my books there some I've read some to read some that I'm currently reading. See link in blog title for this post.

I've been getting ready for a block yard sale the weekend after Easter is keeping me busy I"m getting "stuff" rounded up for this. I went through the books last weekend. It feels good to get progress on this! Tonight is Family Dinner at dear daughter's.

Gardening News

Another trip to the garden store is on the docket today with the truck for trees this time. The herbs shrubs roses and grass seed is in, annuals are next.

Yesterday I got a fake rock planter with a hole in it for planting and put it by the front door, a cane bottom chair with a hole in it from the thrift shop will be holding plants soon. I'm finding gardening to be very therapeutic. I got some snaps, tall marigolds yellow and white, and purple and white pansies. Fruit trees are next nectarine and peach and I found some bulbs!

The other peach tree died well past it's prime of the life span about 25 years for fruit trees, with lovely blooms in the spring we enjoyed these! Last year we took out the apricot tree and pine they had bugs and the above ground pool went in now it's back to grass and this made room for the new tree additions.

Major Tweak!

Today I’m trying a new browser
Firefox I’m tired of the I.E. not working.
So going to give this one a go.

-----> Edited to add on 3/29
I like this it spell checks when
I post on message boards!
Also I can increase font size on them too.
Now I am wondering why I waited so long!
I love it!

-----
Our greatest glory is not in never failing,
but in rising up every time we fail.
Emerson.

Spring Fun!

Yea! I made it in to my writing blog; I've not been able to get in here for a while. So I'm happy to see that I can get in again. I've finished a green knitting project for March. We have been on an ATV ride it was so-o good to get out of the house and see the changes in naure after our ride last fall there was more burning and there were trees down. Some on had went ahead of us and move the biggest logs out of the way. I've been to a Business Boot Camp training also. We are having wonderful warmer weather here is was up to 70* on Saturday. The roads were drying out and dryer than we expected. Some snow is at the top in the shady spots. We saw a heard of elk, mtn. blue birgs and wild turkeys. Bulbs are blooming in our yard that makes outside work
much more fun again now.

Think Week

I remember an interview some one was doing of Bill Gates about this time last year I think it was. He was talking about having "think week". Setting aside time a week to read books, articles and go over other info. he does this three or four times a year he said. Julia Cameron recommends a going with out media for a week. So I decided to take their advice grounded myself from the computer last weekend. I got quite a bit of other stuff done, and made some decisioins I needed to consider and got some knitting, crafting reading and caught up on my off line journals.

Feels Like Spring!

The geese were honking over head again this morning. This week it’s been warmer fifty - one degrees yesterday and today it was forty - seven it felt like spring out. I resumed my walk on the hill by here and I’m in great shape I was rather surprised by this. Yesterday I did ten minutes and no ill effects, to today I bumped it up a bit and I did more 45 min. plus ten on the level I could tell I’d done more when I got home but it felt good. I picked up a bag of trash today as I walked, then when I got about a half a block from home I saw nine white tailed deer that was fun!

I called a friend and she said even though it’s been cold she is still getting eggs from her chickens. We had a great visit and it was good to catch up on news and compare notes on what we have been up to the past few weeks.

It has warmed up here 40* - 56* here for this week my walk was realy rather plesant today outside! I saw people hauling trash off to the dump, roses had been pruned, others were getting pedal bikes ready to use for spring and I saw a robin today too!

Changes

Now that the weather has turned off mild again this week for a while any way, I am able to take my daily walks again now. I saw geese honk as they flew over head on my walk yesterday and several other days this week. They were out for their daily exercise too, they fly laps over heads circling the area. I see or hear them often. I enjoy watching the birds in the winter on my daily walks.

There have been other changes here as well, as grandchildren grow up go off to school and other activities there is not the need for me to do granny duty. I’m getting my life back so I’ve been tweaking my plans and getting some fun things back on to it that I like to do. I have been missing some of these things weaving, ladies groups such as Women’s Aglow, spinning and weaving guild meetings, life groups at church, it's time to call and order a book I've been wanting to read, walk at the beach and around the island where we camp, my list is growing!

No Escape from Cold!

Winter has a cold icy grip on our country from Washington to Texas there is no escaping it! I was remembering some of the winters we experienced as children. When I was three or four my granny knit me a two piece red snow suit! There are pictures of me trying to ride my trike with the red snow suit on. It was a sweater and knit pants. That took some time to make and what she did that long record cold winter.

Hubby’s family had horses and cows on the farm when they were kids. Feeding them was a lot of work in the winter keeping ice out of the water troughs. Hubby tells great stories of this and those 4-h projects that they did as kids. They raised pure bread championship Herefords the red cows with white faces. My stories of sewing aprons are not nearly as entertaining! We have some good times remembering when we raised rabbits.

We had a bad winter when were kids that was in 1963 with three plus feet of snow we made lots of snow forts, and played outside because of all the snow we missed a lot of school that year. Our mom’s had hot cocoa for us when we came back inside and shed the numerous layers of clothing, mittens hats and boots to dry by the stove.

In high school we rode a snowmobile, I think I enjoyed sledding more because it was quiet and no fumes. Many of us had sledding adventures some high school buddies were unlucky and crashed into trees with broken bones they had hospital stays and missed a lot of school. Back in those days if you broke a leg you stayed home.

We were talking about how much snow is on top where we were riding A.T.V.’s last summer and the snowmobile trails are busy on the weekends. This year I’ve been getting a lot of knitting done for grand children other family and myself members ski scarves, shrugs, prayer shawls, and ponchos! I’m SO glad I had just stocked up on yarn before this cold snap hit!

Furried and Feathered Friends

Our furry and feathered friends need to be remembered this time of year, with the cold snap in our nation birds and squirrels are in need of food and water too. Today when I was clearing some stuff off the steps I found the walnuts dear grand son and I had gathered on one of our summer walks. So I scattered some of them under the tree where a family of squirrels has taken up residence.

We’ve had many hours of entertainment watching them play. Scampering up and down the tree, teasing the neighbors cats, grooming and sunning them selves and even looking in the window watching us makes me wonder what they think of us when they peer in the window. One time they chased robins out of their nest and on a different day at a different house I saw the robins chase the squirrels out of the robins’ nest. So I’m adding this to my list to do at least while the cold weather is here and the nuts last.

Life Lessons 06

List a few of the things you won’t change this year.

1. I'm thinner fitting in to the size I wore in high school now!
Yea!!! Keeping on with my health and fitness plans!
To see what worked for me check out my yahoo group cyberhealthclub.

2. Stay organized ~ with my plan by using peelsplanner yahoo group I set up several years ago helped me and others to get and stay organized.

3. My airsplanner getting organized for the holidays yahoo group
helped me to stay sane on track with my plan for gifting all year round prep.

4. Myprayerplanner yahoo group goes in the category of spiritual growth.

5. I'm keeping my groups at least to the end of 07.
[I set a goal of 5 years to succeed with these and my 5 years is up! ]

6. Planning
We have planned our vacations out for the year and we are keeping what we did for last year it worked for us the past few years. So we will do that again.

Journaling b/c it's fun for me!
I want to do a couple of them; one sketch journal and
a leather journal they have been "too nice" or "too good" to start
but what the heck I"m not getting any younger!

I got a granny journal but it's geared toward remembering my youth and
I want to get down some of the fun things we do with grand kids around here. I'm going to rip out the pages with journaling prompts
and use the lined pages or just use a different one b/c I have another focus! More fun reading is going on my list this year.

Best purchase of 06 new ATV 's for us and a used caddie! [car]

List some things you will change!
Some of the changes I'm looking forward to for 07 are ~> read on...

I'm looking forward to getting a pc and camera this summer. What I'm changing getting a pc w/out a pen stylus. Hubby can use it, but I type faster than I write so I just do not use that feature it. My camera phone is not working using the pics I used to so will need a digital camera, I’m trying to do some research on that now. I did not want to rush the purchase until I checked in to these. I do not want to spend a lot in case some one dumps it in the lake like someone’s phone but at least that had a plan for replacement on it.

Survival Gear

It’s been riveting watching the search for hikers on the news this week-end. Some of the guys in the service are from Camp Pendleton that is not that far away from us. That got me to thinking about survival gear. When we were trucking hubby told me of some truckers that were trapped between two rock slides on the pass and could not get out for several days. We kept tuna in the truck for those just in case times. I keep boots and couple of blankets in the car.

One time hubby came upon a wreck and he gave a blanket to some on in shock they had gotten the person out and up by the road on a piece of paneling but did not have a blanket. One time we had a wreck in the truck swerved to miss a dear and spilled a load of lumber like match sticks all over the road. I ended up with a broken toe and had my foot soaking in a lunch box sized ice chest to prevent swelling. We had to kick out the front windshield to get out of the truck and I sat on a pillow with one of the blue jean quilts I’d made wrapped around me.

When we were motor cycling we kept cup-a-soup with us fast and just boil water and you had a meal. I’ve been known to back up biscuits and take them. Not a munchy food but work in case of an emergency with cheese it’s nearly a meal and some peanuts raisins and trail mix. Water of course, if you are in the cold keep a bottle of water with you in the sleeping bag so it does not freeze over night. I learned that on a show about camping in the artic must have been the travel channel.

The guys keep weights like cinder or cement blocks in the back of the pick up and bags of sand in case they get stuck, chains of course. I take my cell phone charger so I can recharge it in the car. The guys keep jumper -cables in the trunk with a tool kit. In the camper we keep a first aid kit. I have a list around here some where I need to go take a peek at it.

Snow Cave

I remember when brother in law was in boy scouts and he was talking about camping in the winter and they build a snow cave he said they could stay comfortable if they lit a candle for warmth it was amazing to me. I've never tried it but it's pretty common knowledge in these parts here in the Pacific North West.

Wind Storm

The winds slammed in here and woke me up around mid night the first time. And then at the peak of this wind storm at four in the morning I had the rude awakening of the winds gusting between forty and forty-eight mph blasting the house, it creeks when the wind gets above thirty or thirty five miles an hour.

Today I’m I'm up and it's quiet the winds finally died down about some time between four and six yesterday afternoon. Hubby said at work they were with out power for a while and the dispatcher was using the CB [2way radio] in the work rig to dispatch from, and the mechanics were working on trucks in the yard [parking lot] because there was not enough light inside the shop with out power.

At home I had power, and the cable and inter net were both working all day. Yea! We lost a small tree branch that was already dead but it did not hurt anything or anyone when it fell. I had to move it before I could get out of the drive way to do my errands.

Motor Cycle Parade

We went to the toys for tots motor cycle parade this weekend while we were on a date that was fun! We used to do this when we had bikes. This weekend we will take soup the weather is going to turn cold we will drive around and see the holiday lights in the area and take a stroll at the locomotive park. Other holiday happenings here. The house lights are up, the packages have been wrapped and shipped in transit. Cards have been mailed. Tree is up and decorated. Nativity set is up and lights are around it.

Still to do stockings to stuff, holiday tea menu final tweaking, then food shopping list for holiday tea to make out. I've had a menu change I was going to have ham but decided on chicken fried steaks I can use my new gravy boat! Little smokies are still on the menu and I'll be making up a cheese ball. I need to go over my notes in my note book from years past menus and meal suggestions, it will be in the evening or at dusk so we can enjoy the lights.

[Wind warnings for the next couple of days we are between storms at the moment here. ]

How Do I De-clutter?

To answer your question Annie How do I de-clutter?
Here are some things I've done when de-cluttering my home.

Set up a sorting station: For my De-cluttering sorting station: I get a couple of saw horse and ½ sheet of ply wood and a good lamp and trash can garbage bags, boxes and radio, cd, movie. I like to do this in the morning when I'm fresh, kids can help too. First I round up supplies get kids parents or older grand kids to help me haul in the saw horses and ½ sheet of ply wood, then I get the lamp and movie or music going, after we are fed and the dailies are done, work on this a while several times a week and one room at a time. When you are done think of some type of reward that works for you, maybe going to the library.

Use your timer! A fresh approach, I used to set the timer with my kids for home work 20 min. on each subject. Did this for chores too. I would work on fixing dinner while they did spelling, math or what ever. (No TV so we could concentrate.) Do you de-cluttering in the morning right after daily chores.

Make it a game! How much can you get done in a TV commercial? Have kids pick up after when they are done, every 45 min. or so, stop and change actives then it's not so over whelming. If they play in the play room it's just too over whelming for them and me to cope with. I have been there often with what you say about home work! This is one solution for home work and art craft supplies: I had to get a shelf / dresser for the crafts papers books and supplies for the grandkids to use, the younger ones use the bottom drawers. I get the top ones.

Do one room a month. I worked on one room a month in those days that worked for me, no I can go through the house in about six weeks, it does get easier!

Get a buddy! I used the buddy system and we set up card files to gether and had great fun working at it together. We worked at it together with accountability, phone calls, and going out for a soda to plan for the next week mostly the rooms or areas we would work on in the coming week. Now I do it on the pc in my outlook the reminders nag me! I have a new de-cluttering buddy now and I called her the other day.

Giving Box: We talked about stuff going on here and that I heard a speaker talk about having a giving box. I have done this before, one a week that's fifty two boxes a year of stuff gone! I got some more boxes at the store when I was over town last week. These are to fill up and give away. I'm about to start on the toys. Also the storage area needs my attention. Plus hubby is on vacation again in a few weeks, and we will be getting out the holiday stuff too put up the tree and the rest of the decorations. All plans are subject to change for me most of the time. There are many forms of cyber nagging groups these days.

Focus on main living areas first pick the smallest room. I've had to learn to just take life as it comes and focus on the main living areas, first; plus one zone or room at a time. I work with the grandkids in a room when they were here we seem to get more done that way. Unless it's paper work, hubby does it now. Touch one thing in there and a whole pile comes tumbling down. Paper tiger! Does your office look like that?

Get family to help. Last spring going to the farm is a great example. I was going to do some of the craft stuff but ended up painting fence. Guys idea for de-cluttering: Hubby and brother have decided to have a bonfire for old warn out furniture at the farm in the spring it was sold sale. I have a box to go to the thrift shop, kids will haul it off for me. So maybe you can ask the kids to haul off a few things for your. Dear son put a love seat at the office in the collage last year where he worked. His girlfriend took another one. I just said I had a _____________ to find a home for and asked about three people, the it went bye - bye, I put a dead line on it too like by next Fri. it's going going gone! I've called the salivation army or other favorite charity for pickup too.

I don't do yard sales for only $25.oo I made it's just not worth my time! I don't keep that stuff around. If you have stuff that you think you might need some day it goes in the give away pile. That is a major problem for most people, they think they will use it but don't.

On hoarding if you can figure out why you hang on to things this might help. I had trouble understanding I've moved on to a new things like crafts and letting go of those were hard; but once I got to the point where I could let go it helped. I found new things came in that were much more fun and better. I had to make room for the supplies for the new hobby.

This time of year it's so easy to be over-whelmed because of the extra stuff with the holidays I have heard it recommended put off craft projects on hold until after the holidays. Of course I’m still knitting . . . others recommend doing a couple batches of cookies each week Sept. – Dec. for the holidays all that ever did for us was make us fat! So I crossed it off my to do list.

Pray: Last but not least pray for divine intervention, inspiration and help from God! Pray for order to be restored in your home and to learn what works for you and your family and to be free from the prison clutter that can imprison us.

Turkey Day Memories

Back in the day most of the moms and grannys did not work. My granny was a cook at the mill. She was a home style cook not a chef or gormet style.

To get ready for Thanksgiving she would cook all week for turkey day pies, and cinnamon rolls early in the week then it was the breads for stuffing. On turkey Thursday I would go to grandmas house who lived next door she woud entice me with the TV and turkey day parades. We did not have a TV until I was six so this was before then. I helped set the table and do other "go-fer" tasks. I can still remember that the Yummy smell of turkey and watching the parade on the ole' black and white TV!

3 lbs.

More winds headed our way tonight. Time to secure anything that might become airborne.

Last night I watched a new show 3 lbs. I think it refers to the brain weighing three pounds but I’d think that each brain is different in weight according to the size of the person maybe not.

The show was about surgeons and high tech. medical brain equipment, patients and the way they deal with surgery. Amazing how they can resolve stuff in an hour on the TV. I enjoyed this show.

I tried to flip back and forth between the Unit and House. I don’t think I got much out of either of those two shows.

The Power of the Protecting Hand of God.

Have you ever known that God protected you without a doubt?

I was woken up today with a phone call at 5:30 a.m. on a dark Monday morning. It was hubby saying that the gale force winds had blown the truck he was driving over but he was okay. This is not the first time that this has happened. The last time it was on the front page of the local news paper.

He called from the cab of a fellow driver who stopped and they were waiting on the state trooper to show up. I suspect that they will close the roads until these winds slow up some. That is their normal case of action.

The Calico Bears

I have two calico bears that I have collected on my rounds they have been among my “finds” over the years. One is a Christmas print and he had to go to the bear doll hospital. After his leg was fixed he was good to go on the Christmas quilt that Mom made one Christmas for me.

This year I made addition of a bear with a pink rose calico print bear she wears a pink calico hat. The dear grand daughters like to play with them and made a bed for them to sleep in on the floor with the afghans I keep on the couch. So for now the bears are happy at granny’s. I just hope that they can get along with the calico bunnies okay when I put them in storage. Maybe I need to separate them.

Buffet

We got a lovely walnut table the table was nearly a hundred dollars off and cherry buffet over the weekend at the antique shop 20% off. We are using chairs we had here. The buffet [aka side board as granny used to call them] has a reddish accent that goes with the piano in the living room and the ten dollar solid wood door I got at the thrift shop a few years back that hubby refinished on his vacation one year. I think I remember him promising never to do that again!

I had to go to four stores for old English dark furniture polish for the table and the buffet. I worked on cleaning and polishing them up this week end. I've been getting the Christmas tree dishes up stairs and clean up put them in the buffet. The candles are out and I have the lights on the front rail of the house now too.

Book Wish List

My book wish list from the North light book club catalogue

Colored pencil techniques the complete guide

Painting people
drawing & Painting buildings
By Richard Taylor

Great portrait drawings & Paintings

The artists complete guide to drawing the head
William L. Maugham

The artists guide to perspective
Janet Shearer

The colored pencil solution book
by Janie Gildow & Barbara Benedetti Newton

Painting with your artist’s brain
Carl Purrell

The watercolorists Essential note book: Landscapes

One stroke brush rest

Tom Lynche’s 100 water color work shop lessons charts flip chart lessons

Drawing mastering the language of visual expression
by Keith Micklewright

School Canyon Fire

School Canyon Fire two years ago

was here. 50,000 acres were burned

in Eastern Washington.

It was in Oregon too.

The bend in the road

The bend in the ATV road
less traveled and it's lots of fun
to leave the cob webs in the brain behind
after a day in the fresh air!
That's all for now folks!

The road less traveled!

The road hubby said put on of the road up!
So here it is
not a very wide one at that
dirt and rocky it gets narrower in spots up the road a ways.

The Photographer!

Dear son the photographer on the ATV ride in Oct. this fall.
What a blast to do this check out that back ground scenery!

Ready to roll

Unloading ATVs ready to roll!
This is always an exciting moment getting
ready to ride! We secure the cooler, gear and bags
with bungie cords so we don't loose any thing.
Most of the time it's is successful but a pair of boncoculars went
airborne this trip and dear son had to stop and get them.

Elk

Elk are at the top of the hill lots of them.
Dear son took a lot of pics.
on the atv ride he used my machine.
Had a blast too!

Wild Turkeys

Dear son took this pic. of wild turkeys on a ride last month
with his dad on my machine. More pics to come laer
it takes a while to upload them so I can't do them all tonight.