Tis the Season.......

No....not that season.  You know......SPRING!!  Yes, dear friends, we finally got Spring!!  And the adrenalin is pumping!

A belated very Happy Mother's Day to you all.  I sure hope you enjoyed it whichever way you wanted.

So, you know we're hoping to sell our home by October and move into this fabulous apartment we saw last Fall and I absolutely fell in love with it.

Now the fun begins.  BH has been working over in the old farm house for over a month.  Sorting, bagging, boxing, burning and dumping.  I finally got the wallpaper and paint....yeah....about a month ago.  And last Monday I started peeling off the old paper and borders.  Took me 4 days.  I do not work fast.  Nor do I work all day, stop for supper, and go back at it again in the evening til 10:00pm.   Those days are long gone....as well as my energy level.

But at least I do get at it.  Just finished putting the second coat of paint on the spare room and the one length of the hallway.  The other length, the one facing the addition the previous owners put on, will be done in that wallpaper that looks like plaster.....and then you paint it.

We are also in the midst of preparing for the BIG Yard Sale to be held on Memorial Day weekend.  Providing it doesn't rain.  Because we don't have a garage.  The bad news is we have to post the ad in the newspaper this Friday, pay for it, with the written caveat that if it rains, said sale will be held the following weekend.  Providing it doesn't rain.

I have to give BH credit.  He has done most of the gathering.  I just have to sort it out, clean it up a bit and put the price tags on.  Our 3 sons (not to be confused with the TV show "My 3 Sons") will be coming up next Friday to help haul out the tables and all the crap  collectables and desirable articles.

Also that weekend, one son will be installing a new kitchen window for us.  Can't wait for that being that the present one opens just about 4 inches -- and that's it.  Our windows are the crank-out kind and I do believe the crank is worn out.

The other son doesn't know it yet (he probably plans on going fishing) but BH needs help cleaning up all the hay on the north side of the house.  Not a task to be taken lightly.  Nor quickly.  Son is in for a big surprise!

And we expect that 3rd son will be working on his second car that he's been trying to get back in shape to sell since last Fall.  This is my "motorhead".  Bought a brand new Focus in 2001 and within the year, started ripping things out to boost power and make it more of a sports car.  High performance this and that.  So now the intention is to restore it back to "stock".   This needs to be done.  He needs to get it up and running and out of here because.......we're moving.

So in the meantime, the gardens have not been cleaned up.  The yard ornaments and solar lights are not outside yet.  There are no planters with beautiful flowers in the front flower bed.  The weekwacking needs to be done.

Our winter clothes are still in the closets and drawers.  I just pray that we don't go full swing into summer within the next 2 weeks.

BH still needs to get to the big box home improvement store.  He has to replace the skirting on one side of the mobile home.  And we need to replace 2 doors in the house.

The only super big job left inside is to fix the ceiling, caulk the moulding and re-paint the family room.  After that, and once we're signed up with the Realtor, I will be taking one room at a time and cleaning thoroughly, packing up unnecessaries as I go.

BH will be cutting the grass.  And sorting and packing  everything else in the farm house that's going into the roll-off dumpster that we need to rent.  After Memorial Day weekend. 

Our granddaughter graduates high school the first Friday in June.  6:00pm.  900 graduates.  Yes.  You read that correctly.  900 graduates.

It might be adviseable to bring flashlights.

And then she leaves for Basic Training with the National Guard on July 29.   I hope we'll be able to spend a couple of weeks with her before that.  She won't be home for 9 months.  They're shipping her off to Tech school after she graduates Basic.

So that's my story.  Don't know when I'll be back here again.  Maybe some rainy, dark, cold day.  That's my day off.  My adrenalin does not pump on those kind of days.

Happy Dance!....Happy Dance!......Happy Dance!

Oh yeah, baby!!!  We're gonna have Spring this weekend!!  Today I went outside at 8:45 am and started taking down the mini lights and the brownish garland on the deck.  AND.....no jacket!!  no sweater!!  no sweatshirt!!  short sleeves!

Also took 2 storm windows down....the bathroom and the kitchen.  I wish they all could come down, but as I was futzing with the kitchen window, BH calls..."here's the weather forecast for next week".  And like a fool, I go and look.  Wellll.......from Monday through next weekend, we're supposed to have high's only in the 40's.

"How the hell did that happen?  What happened to the extended forecast yesterday that called for high 50's, low 60's next week?"

"I don't know", he says.  "But there it is".   Son...of....a....b......

So, needless to say, there won't be anymore storm windows coming down lest we get a major blizzard the first week in May.

Leaving for daughter's today.  She called yesterday to inform me that her legs have been going numb and her feet tingle.  Apparently this has been going on for a couple of months.  "Mom, there's something I have to ask you about....."  so I told her to schedule a doctor's appointment that morning.  The appointment is today.  She asked if I wanted to spend the night.  I didn't really.  I hate being away from home.  But....seeing that we haven't spent any time together since Christmas, I said sure.

Anyway, the weather is supposed to be gorgeous...mid 60's/high 60's through Sunday.  Maybe she and I will take a little ride...find a little mall, do a little window shopping; go out for breakfast or lunch tomorrow.  It sure beats washing windows, blinds and curtains, which is what we should be doing in her apartment.  But, geezzz, it's gonna be cold again next week. 

So Spring isn't really here, right?

Hope you all are blessed with beautiful weather this weekend and get to do something really fun!

Two Things........

First, I've been eyeing the Fair Isle sweater sitting in the basket, as I work on the pair of socks.  Something just doesn't feel right.  The other day, all the paraphernalia was gathered in anticipation of working on the steeks and cutting them.  I keep looking at the sweater. I'm. not. sure.

Just doesn't seem right.  One thing or another came up over the next few days, putting the sweater on hold.  I keep looking at it.  Picking it up; straightening it out; it just doesn't seem right.

Love the colors, love the pattern.  However, I did discover that it is highly doubtful there's enough charcoal Shetland to do the sleeves.  This is a problem.  The project was not intended to be a vest.  The neckline is all wrong.

Well, by this morning after examining it again, checking my stash box to see if I didn't miss a couple balls of charcoal (I've already checked 3 times)....and I didn't.  Nada.  The decision had to be made.....Frog It!!  The last thing I want is to cut the yarn, hate the sweater/vest and have dozens of wound-up teensy little balls of yarn.  No sir.  No way.  Not good.

It's in the process of being ripped.....1/2 done.  And I feel much better.   Crap.

I think I'll just stick to Fair Isle ear flap hats for a while.

Ok.  The second thing........
So....BH has remarked to me over the past month or so how we haven't seen evidence of any critters in the house.  "Mickey", to be precise.   "I think those sonar thingies we bought in the summer have been doing the trick", says I.  He readily agrees.

He made the same comment to me just last week.  Well.......while walking through the utility room this morning, I find the bag of dog treats (for the neighbor's dog) laying on the floor.  Hmmmm...how did that get there.  I pick it up, put it back on the bookshelf......and now I notice little pieces of the bag on the floor.

Yep.  It seems Mickey has found a way in.  And the sonar thingies be damned!!

There's a footnote to this story.  Last week while housecleaning, I run the dust mop behind the entertainment center.  Whoa....what's that.  A small dark blob on the floor.  Further inspection reveals that it's the piece of steel wool that was plugging up the hole where the TV cable comes in from under the house.   Hmmm.....I must have pulled it loose with the dust mop.

Now I think the real cause was Mickey.  That little bugger pushed the ball of steel wool out of the hole.  Not so unbelieveable when we think of all the times the mouse traps haven't been sprung, but the cheese is gone.  Or when we heard the "snap" of the trap late at night.....only to discover the next morning that the varmint had wrangled himself loose and is gone.

So today, we will re-insert the steel wool, maybe seal it with duct tape, and see what happens next.

I just hope he found his way out of the house this morning so he doesn't have to search for another escape route.

Something Old......Something New........

Noooo....no wedding here.  It's (gulp) the weather.  Again.  That's the "old".

Update:  12" of snow fell between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.  Accompanied by strong - very strong - winds.  BH went out to shovel and said some of the drifts were up to his thighs.

ooohhhhh, le sad.

Anwho, Thursday I decided to make a Blueberry Sourcream coffee cake.  Had the blueberries in the freezer; had the sour cream, which was getting near it's expiration date (how do you know when sour cream goes bad??)  So I looked for a recipe on the internet.  Found one quick and easy.  It turned out deeelicious!

Then I've had this hankerin' for Peanut Butter cookies.  I'm not one to make cookies other than the obligatory Christmas baking, especially since there's no one here anymore to eat them except BH and me (emphasis on "me").  But, mmmmmm, I love Peanut Butter cookies.  It's my grandmother's recipe.  I've had it since she passed away 50 years ago.  And it is hands down the best!  My hands, anyway.

So yesterday was another baking day.  A double batch, thank you very much.  Because if you're going to go through all that trouble, and if you have a freezer, always bake double.  Your cravings will thank you in the long run.  Mmmmmmm.......deeeelicious!!

Oh, something new........

Well, I took pictures!!  

See....I wasn't foolin'.  And just to think, last week most of the snow was gone and we could see ground.  Ground that was beginning to green up.  Geezzzzz.

Ok, so there's the Blueberry Sourcream coffee cake; Yummy.

Then the Fair Isle sweater in progress.  Finished knitting; now get up the courage to cut the steeks.  Gulp.

The tube socks.  I really kinda like these.  Started another pair; first one on the needles.  Plus, because there's no fiddlin' with the heel and gussets, it goes really, really fast.   I'm partial to things I can get done really.....really fast.  I'm getting old; time is running out!

Oh, I think I forgot to tell you about the robins.  Yep.  We had 4 of them in the yard last week....before the return of winter.  And they were very plump!  Beautiful big red breasts.  However.  They're gone now.  Maybe never to be seen in these parts again. 

Hey, if you could fly off to warmer climates anytime you flapped your arms.......would you?

Yep. Same Ol'......Same Ol'.........

There's about 3" of fresh snow on the ground.  Another 3" expected by the time this is over tomorrow.  The winds are supposed to be 30 mph, gusting to 50-60 mph tomorrow.

Paint and wallpaper are sitting idly by.  Waiting.  Waiting for sunshine.  Waiting for warmth.

The storm windows are still up (thank God); and the once-fresh pine garland and mini lights still adorn the deck railing outside.

It's April 18th.  2 more weeks and our town has its "Clean-Up Day".  You can bring anything that's not household garbage, toxic chemicals, tires and some appliances.  The city will dispose of it for free!  This is done every other year.  How fortunate that this is the year.......the year we're planning on moving.   And we have tons of crap to get rid of.

My granddaughter posted a picture of herself in her Army uniform.  I wish she had her hat on to complete the outfit.  I love this kid.....I mean, beautiful young lady.  She leaves for basic training at the end of July.  She'll be gone for 9 months; being sent to Tech School right after basic.  I'm going to miss her terribly.

 

 

 

Anywho, I'm keeping myself busy.  Still knitting the Fair Isle sweater.  Just about ready to decrease for the front neck opening.

 

A little apprehensive, but I'll approach it slowly.  It'll work out.

 

Hope you all are comfortable;  a little sunshine?  a little warmth?  Some green on the ground?  Little shoots of flora popping up here and there?   Ahhhhhhh........some day.  Some.  Day.

 

 

 

And On and On It Goes..........

Did I tell you this already?  Can't remember.  Brain frozen.  Last Thursday and Friday, a total of 7" snow.  Very windy.  Very cold.

Saturday.....beautiful day.  Later in the day.  High was about 38.  Took daughter out to Olive Garden for her birthday dinner.  Birthday was actually a week ago.  The weather. 

So......yesterday, cold, grey, damp and heavy winds.  Last night, heavier winds, snow and sleet.  Lots of sleet.  Pounding on the windows with the heavier winds. 

Today..... cold, grey, damp and more snow.  High's in the low 30's.  Tonight....more snow

Tomorrow.....sunshine!

Wednesday, Thursday......more snow.  And cold.  Always cold.

Yeah.  Just wanted to put it out there.

2 steps forward........5 steps back.  And on and on it goes.

Exactly.......

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa.............

 Yes....laughing and laughing.  Why?  Because it's the only way to keep my sanity, or what's left of it.

A major snowstorm moved in yesterday morning.  Snowed all through the night and is still snowing now.  It looks like about 8" of the crap at this moment.  Don't know how much longer it's going to snow.  All I know is that last week most of it was melted.  Driveways, sidewalks and roads were dry.  A couple of days, temps got into the mid 50's and I had a couple of windows open.

But.....that's gone.

Then BH informs me that Tuesday next will be the only decent day for the week.  More snow coming in through the weekend next week. 

Thank you.  Thank you, dear, for that weather update. (Said through clenched teeth)

"Hey, I'm only telling you what I read" is his response.

Yes.  Thank you.  Very much.