:.Ongoing Saga.:

Today we bought solar panels!! One more thing to haul - but we need them as soon as we get there & this way we won't have to go hunting them down!! We have one deep cycle battery, but will probably be getting one more. We bought carpet runner for the stairs. Since it's not as wide as the stairs I will probably stain the stairs to give them a more finished look.

My list of things to take is growing! Time is running out (it seems to me!) and I'm starting to feel like I'm drowning! Could be it's just the drizzling rain of Memorial Day weekend. At any rate, it can quit any time - I've had enough!

I thought I had packed A LOT of stuff -- and by the looks of the shelves downstairs, I HAVE!! We went to the auction tonite - didn't buy anything - but wasted precious time I could have been packing. By the time we got home it was after 10:00 but I decided to start packing some stuff from the bathroom. Some of it will stay a while longer -- until the cabin is completed -- if we happen to come back to Lincoln we'll at least be able to shower!
Tomorrow I will start packing the kitchen: the canned / boxed food & spice cabinet. We've eaten almost all of the perishables so I'm hoping this will go quickly. Once that's taken care of I'll most likely begin packing clothes. The laundry is caught up -- with the exception of what we've worn since Sunday, a few towels & the bedding. The real fun begins next. I need to do some deep cleaning -- vacuum the area rugs then roll them up so I can dust mop the floors; kitchen & bathroom floors need to be swept/mopped; furniture needs to be dusted; fridge & stove need to be wiped down along the kitchen sink, cabinets & counters. I'm not sure what will become of all the eBay crap (er... I mean "stuff") that Jerry has sitting around. If it were up to me - it would go to the dumpster by the alley... but I'm sure that would cause me more grief than I want to bear right now!

I packed our new bedding along with the curtains & some decor in a large Rubbermaid tub. I figured it would be easier to do it that way than have to dig thru umpteen boxes/tubs to find everything that is to go in our room. I did the same with the "guest" room. Not sure we'll take that tub right away - but at least everything is together!


****this was started on 5/26.... don't know why I didn't post it... but hear you go!

Memorial Weekend

The past week has been rather hectic. Thursday Jerry & I had lunch with Alex... who thought he was supposed to head back to Iraq on Friday morning. Turns out... he was to return THURSDAY morning & had to scramble Thursday nite, after realizing his error, to find a flight out on Friday. Jerry & I spent most of Friday getting ready for a garage sale with friends. We hadn't really planned on it - but figured it was a good way to get rid of some stuff... and maybe make a little money.



Jerry's birthday party was Friday evening at Duggan's with the Blues Messengers playing. I had to leave a half hour into the party to drive to the airport to say goodbye to Alex. I hate goodbyes - especially when my kids are going back to Iraq!! Following the party Jerry & I went to the home of some friends to hang out for a while longer.


This morning Jerry & I went to a local lake to spend a few hours with friends Mike & Daryla on their new sailboat! It was a beautiful morning/afternoon for sailing despite all the motorboats & jet skis on the lake.

Tonite we're going to the home of friends Beth & Rob for yet another get together. Beth thought Jerry & I should have a proper send off... so the FRIENDS are getting together AGAIN for a potluck & more fun!



Tomorrow is Memorial Day. As a country - we have lots to be thankful for. If not for our men & women in uniform, the United States would not be the great country it is. If you're fortunate enough to go to a Memorial Day parade - remove your hats & stand proudly when the Colors are presented... and thank God that you're an American... able to enjoy the freedoms those who have gone before us fought to maintain!

America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the
Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!

Remember, Freedom isn't "Free" -- thousands have paid the price so you can enjoy what you have today. We're still the Land of the FREE because of the BRAVE! God Bless America!

To Everything There is a Season...

...and a time for everything under Heaven!!
For the past year or so I've been checking my college alumni website in hopes of reconnecting with people I knew in music school. I continued searching for my college roommate, Sue, with no luck. A couple weeks ago I logged onto the website again... BINGO!!!! There she was! Not only was she there... but the address listed was in Lincoln... just on the other side of town!! No phone. No email address. So I sent her a note with my phone number letting her know that I'd be moving away soon & we should get together. She called & we've been catching up like crazy. Drinking coffee, chatting, crying, laughing, thrift store shopping. It's been 20 years... and it seems like yesterday. We just picked up where we left off!

Packing... is still underway... at least for me. Jerry hasn't packed a thing!! He has been working on getting our trailer ready - making side rails. Otherwise it doesn't seem like he's in much of a hurry! Argh! My list of things to take is getting longer. I'm just trying to take as much as I think we can handle in order to get as much done as possible without having to make a 1400 mile round trip back here for more.

Our friends are having their annual Memorial Day garage sale Saturday. In past years it had been a 3-day event... but we're all getting tired of babysitting the garage sale when we could be doing something fun... so it's become just a 1-day event. We're taking some things over to sell. I should probably be digging a little deeper for stuff... I KNOW there's lots more to get rid of!!

Mother's Day Surprise????

Mother's Day. A nice Sunday afternoon BBQ at the home of friends. It's about 5:30, the day is winding down. My phone rings. It's Lani wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. While we talk, my phone beeps to let me know I have a call waiting. I look at the number - don't recognize it & go back to my conversation with Lani. My phone beeps again letting me know I have a message. Lani & I say goodbye. I listen to my message. Some strange woman who knows my name - tells me my parents have been in a serious car accident on the Interstate. She tells me she is a nurse. She has listened to their heart & lungs... those seem fine. Mom is shaken up. Her chest hurts. Ambulance is on its way. The driver's side door is being cut off the car so Daddy can be removed from the wreckage. Sheriff's deputy says they're going to Y*** Hospital. The line goes dead.
I panic! Me: "Jerry, we have to leave now!" Jerry: "Why?" Me: "I'll tell you on the way!" I grab my purse. Barely say goodbye to our friends, let alone thank them for dinner! We leave. I explain the situation. I hit "send" to redial the number that called. She answers. Very vague information. Mom & Daddy seem okay... Daddy is bleeding from his head. They're both conscious!
We stop at home, feed & water Skeeter & put him outside. Off we go to the hospital. I'm calming down some. It's a quiet ride. As we come upon the site of the accident I see my parents' car on the flatbed trailer. It is horrifying! Behind it is a LARGE RV with an SUV in tow. I start falling apart again. I call my Aunt Kathryn's phone number - my cousin Glen & his wife Sharon lives there now. Sharon will call the family & Mom & Daddy's pastor.
At the hospital, they are in separate exam rooms but are next to each other. They've begun running x-rays & scans. Medical information has been given. Waiting on the back-boards with their necks in braces - they are growing impatient from the pain. Doc says there are no broken bones!! Mom has some cracked ribs. Morphine! Daddy has a cut on his eyelid & one below his eye, a few superficial cuts on his head, a cut on his elbow. His knee is the size of a VERY ripe canteloupe. The skin on his shin is gone. His glasses are broken (Mom had one lens in her hand) & missing.
Back & forth. Room to room. Talk to this nurse. Talk to the doc. Make a couple more phone calls to family. Surprise! Cousins happen to be in the vacinity & show up!
After what sems to be an eternity, both Mom & Daddy are taken off the back-boards, neck braces removed. The nurses wheel Mom to a room. Another nurse is still getting info from Daddy. Finally he is taken to a room directly across the hall from Mom. They're given something to help them sleep. We make the long drive home.
MONDAY: Jerry & I go to the junk yard to retrieve Mom & Daddy's belongings from what's left of their car & take some photos. Back to the hospital. My brother & his wife are on their way from Pennsylvania. Jerry & I spend the day with Mom & Daddy. Back & forth across the hallway visiting with them. They each go on a little outing with a nurse - up & down the hall with a walker. By 6:00 I'm pooped! Doc had told them they could probably go home tomorrow! They can't ride in our truck!! I start making arrangements to have them taken home.
TUESDAY: That's today! Doc says they can go home after lunch!! Showers taken. Lunch eaten. Dressed! Sharon & Shirley arrive to help with the transport. Parents loaded into the car. Away we go!
FINALLY HOME!! They arrive safe & sound. All they want to do is sit in their chairs & relax. A few phone calls from other relatives. By 7:30 p.m. both parents are medicated & tucked into their bed.

This is SO not what I had planned for a Mother's Day Surprise!!

Windows to the soul

Yesterday Jerry & I made a trip to Menards. Jerry doesn't like Home Depot or Lowes so we're kind of stuck with Menards. We do like the store but the nearest one to us in Colorado is actually in North Platte, NE... there are NO Menards stores in the western part of the country.
Anyway ~ the purpose of our visit was to price windows. We priced them out of 6 windows... for around $500. We got two long, skinny windows for our bedroom window (they'll butt up against each other to make a big window facing the mountain); two more long, skinny windows for the living room (same deal - facing the mountain); and two "square" windows - one for the kitchen and one for the living room (facing the mesa).
We're toying with the idea of putting two windows in the kitchen - in the corner - one facing north, the other facing east - to let in more light. We'll also be getting another of these "square" windows for our bedroom (west) wall - facing the mesa, two more long, skinny windows for the spare bedroom, and a smaller window for the bathroom. We will most likely buy these later in the summer when we come back to Nebraska.

Out of Business

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms2b57MLqZs

Yet another video for you to check out. This one is a 30 second clip about Obama's National Healthcare Plan. Hello socialized medicine. (See my post from Feb. 11, 2009)

Coming Home for Mother's Day!

Alex is home from Iraq for a couple weeks. It's good to have him here. He missed our appointment to pick up Skeet from the vet & the story from the vet tech. It goes like this: Both vet techs have told me that Skeeter is one of their most favorite boarders... even tho' he's a bit high strung they LOVE his personality (or personality disorder? What he lacks in manners he makes up for in enthusiasm!). I didn't realize that the techs actually take the dogs for walks as part of their stay... but Sunday nite this particular tech took Skeet for a walk at the park across the street. She said he had his nose to the ground taking in all the smells... she noticed a "creepster" (her word) leaned up against a van watching her... and evidently Skeet noticed the creepster as well. She said the hair on his back bristled, he bared his teeth & was growling... loud enough the creepster could hear him. Creepster got back in his van & stayed there until she & Skeet left the park. GOOD BOY!!!
So... Alex spent some time with Skeeter... observing what he's learned during the 15 months he's been with me (sit, down, head in the dirt, wait, up, hugs, shake, other hand) and had a chance to play fetch with Skeet with his tires, sticks & tennis ball. We also took Skeet to a lake so he could play in the water.
Alex was talking about getting a house in Ft. Leonard Wood. I told him he'd have to have a fenced in yard for Skeet to run or he wasn't going. He got kinda quiet then said he wouldn't have the time to spend with Skeet like I did. He said "Ma, I think Skeeter needs to stay with you." So... I guess Skeeter is now an official family member! A great Mother's Day gift!

Christian Panties

A friend of mine sent me a link to this YouTube video. I just had to pass it along! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xv7REV2HEY It's SO funny! A great mid-week laugh!

The Weekend Report!

WOW! Here it is Sunday already! Time certainly flies, huh? Friday Jerry & I took a road trip with friends to a couple little towns in Kansas: White Cloud & Sparks - for a flea market. White Cloud is a tiny little hamlet near the river...the winding drive to get there is quite lovely! I'm not sure my traveling companions thought the same as there were comments made about the housing (shack, shack, tailer on blocks, shack, shack...) and "I think I hear banjos". One old abandoned house we saw was so creepy... we were sure it was from the 1980 movie "Motel Hell" - where people check in but they don't check out. Hmmmm! And the guy who ran the motel made the best grilled meat (I thought it was sausage). YIKES!!! (... there are LOTS of creepy old abandoned houses all over...so I'm not just picking on this one!)

There were several vendors there Friday... we shopped a bit then headed back to Mound City, MO to eat dinner at Quackers Steak House and to get a good night's sleep at the Super 8.



Yesterday morning we got up & drove back to White Cloud. More vendors had miraculously appeared overnight! White Cloud is a hilly little town... there is very little parking on the main street so parking / walking / carrying treasures to a vehicle parked on a hill is equal to a good aerobic workout! Buns of steel here I come! I was really surprised that the main street was not closed off to traffic... but I don't recall seeing another way to get into town besides the main street.

One building in town was absolutely FULL of stuff... so full it looked like the place where garage sale & auction rejects go to die. This place also featured a "wall of wigs". Again, to be fair, it wasn't the whole wall... but we were walking thru the cramped aisles and looked up to find at least 25+ wigs on styrofoam heads stuffed into cubby holes on a wall. We secretly wondered where the bodies were!

Local dogs ran up & down the street... between shoppers... in & out of booths. And there were a few shoppers who brought their dogs - on leashes - because their dogs like to shop? (I just don't get it!)

Our friends shopped and bought LOTS of stuff that they collect... we, on the other hand, have 1) become very selective, 2) are too cheap, or 3) plain just don't want to move more stuff... and didn't by much at all. (My vote is for #3!) I did, however, find two more large cream enamel pans with green trim (I just love this stuff - but really don't know what I'm going to do with it all! Surely it will have some function!); Jerry bought some bullets and another kerosene lamp (how many is that now?). While we were walking / shopping we came across a man who was selling a flatbed trailer. Did I mention we'd been looking on Craigslist, BuyItNebraska, the American Classifieds & the local newspapers for a trailer... and had friends & family watching for one as well? It was a deal too good to pass up & Jerry made the deal... and we are now the owners of a trailer!



Around noon Saturday after some BBQ we felt like we'd shopped all we could in White Cloud... and drove a few miles down the road to Sparks, Kansas. Sparks is barely a spot in the road... literally a ghost town...(although we did notice on trailer house with a mailbox in front... and a guy who actually looked in it & went back into the trailer house. Maybe he's the caretaker?) Two weekends a year the abandoned houses & buildings (there's a church & bank and a few other "public" buildings) are opened up for shopping - some are crammed so full of stuff one has to wonder where it all came from, how it got there & how long it's been since any of it was dusted! A lot of the offerings resembled things we've thrown away because they were in such bad shape... but people are funny (strange?) & will sell and/or buy anything! In between the houses & buildings there were tables & tables of stuff. People everywhere... and DOGS!! Why do people HAVE to drag their dogs along to things like this?? It was really quite overwhelming! We walked the grounds... lost each other... found each other... bought a few things (not us but our friends)... and finally decided about 5:00 that we were exhausted & we'd done all the damage we were going to do.

We headed back to White Cloud to pick up our trailer. As we were leaving town... a voice came over the PA system... swearing up a storm. It seems that while he was outside "messin' with m'dogs" someone stole the money out of his strong box. In several colorful words he explained that this happened to him last year as well... losing $3500 for his weekend of selling. You'd think that he would have learned a lesson from last year... don't bring the dogs and keep your money on your person instead of leaving it unattended!

We got back to Lincoln about 8:45... just in time to park the trailer in the driveway and head to the airport to greet my son Alex! He is home on R&R for two weeks after being in Iraq for a year. He was glad to be back on American soil... and happy to see his family! Sounds like he will be coming home a month earlier than expected - July instead of August.

After all this excitement... I'm pooped! Tomorrow Alex & I will go pick up Skeeter from the Doggie Hotel (aka the vet) so he can see "his" dog.