Appetizer
How fast can you type?

I am a very fast typist. I would say at least 90 words a minute...though I haven't been timed in years.

Soup
What is your favorite online game?

I don't play any (other than memes!) but I just got a Webkin : ) A black & white cat, of course! I haven't set him up yet but I hear that the games are fun...for adults as well as kids.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are?

It depends on what day it is, what time of day, where I am and who I am with!!! How's that for a circular answer.

Main Course
Name three of your best teachers from your school years.

Miss Rex in 3rd grade (best EVER), Mr. Lindaberry in 6th grade and it's a tie between Mr. Ritter (creative writing) and Miss M (newspaper) in high school.

Dessert
What are your plans for this upcoming weekend?

To get A LOT done! See the previous post for all the glorious (ahem) details.

Labels: Friday Feast

*Anyone know what song the post title is from? Hint: it's from my "heavy metal" youth...

I feel like I have been dealing with this basement thing for far too long. I've been completely exhausted and was totally shocked to find some energy last night to finally make sure there was no water in the tubs with my Christmas decorations (there wasn't) and tonight to move stuff around to make room for the rug to come back from drying on the trampoline (yes, you read that right!) at my dear friend's house and for the new dryer to arrive. Yes, the dryer is dead. The repairman came and charged my $70 to tell me that. And would have charged me another $275 to fix it. So instead, a new one is on it's way. I need to talk to the guys about getting some pallets or something to put it and the washer up on...and perhaps the freezer...in case of a future such event. Though, happily, the new sump is working well. I tested it by dumping water from the dehumidifier in it tonight when I was cleaning the last of the ruined stuff out and moving things around.

Now here I am, catching up on my bloglines and blog, and thinking of a million things I need to do this weekend, including my organizing project and some work I brought home. I completely lost all sensibility this afternoon and forgot several things I had said I would complete. I think I am just terribly tired and burned out at this point - oh, and on that, I sadly cancelled my June workcamp trip. I decided that I really needed that vacation time to relax and recharge. As much as I love workcamp (and am still going with the youth later in the summer), I just can't do two whole weeks. I was in tears when I got off the phone with them, though they were so understanding and kind and said this would not affect my ability to serve with them again in the future. I was just sad because I really wanted to do it but my job is just very demanding and the thought of no days off after July through the end of the year made me very upset.

Well, I should get myself to bed. This weekend has many projects on tap:

*Get new tires
*Organize the bedroom closet
*Catch up on work projects
*Go to the library
*Do the church bulletins and inserts
*Prepare for Sunday school
*Get the carpet back and put back in place before the dryer comes
*Shampoo the carpets where the firemen's sooty boots trod
*Organize my scrapbooking stuff
*and if time, finish last year's workcamp scrapbook so I can show the kids at church!
*Watch two movies I have had FOREVER from Netflix
*Finish my current book and renew another
*Stock up on supplies for an upcoming trip
*SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!! which is where I am headed right now. G'night!

Tammy over at Family Doin's was kind enough to let me partake of a random meme today - exactly what I need to get back in the bloggy swing!

1) If you could suddenly be transported into an old movie (as in 1965 or earlier) which movie would that be and why?

I would have to say It's a Wonderful Life. It's one of my very favorite films of all time. I would love to be there in the end, one of the people dumping my money into the fund to help George and seeing the joy on his face, knowing that so many love and care for him.

2)You're given plane tickets and told that you can pick any place to fly to. The catch is that you have to go completely by yourself and stay a month. Where's your destination?

I would fly to Maine and spend the month traveling up the coast, visiting lighthouses, reading and reflecting on the power of the sea and the beauty of God's creation.

3)Name one favorite childhood friend...and a memory to go with it.

Jess was my best friend. We met when we were eight years old and I remember it very clearly - she came over to my friend Michelle's house (she lived just around the corner) to see if we wanted to play. She and her brother (who just had a baby girl, by the way - congratulations, Matt & Skye!!!!!!!!!!!!!) had gum and they didn't share - and I decided then and there that I didn't like her. Thereby once again proving that my first impressions are generally always wrong!

4)Speaking of childhood, is there something special you have hung on to from this time...a toy... a stuffed animal...special book? If so, why is this item special to you?

My Huggie Bear. I've had him for 28 years. He is well-loved and worn, patches of fur rubbed off and holes in him, but he was a gift from my dad (I don't recall if it was birthday or Christmas) and I have always loved and slept with him snuggled tightly with me.

And last but not least...
5)You have just been informed that a Duke and his wife from a foreign country that you've barely heard of are visiting the United States and have picked your house at random to stop in for tea. They will be arriving in fifteen minutes.

What are the first five things you frantically do:

Vacuum!
And try to get the cat hair off the furniture, which is no easy task.
Swish & swipe the bathroom and put out clean towels.
Frantically come up with a snack that would go with tea (and not be too common so as to offend said Duke)
Put the kettle on!!

That was fun! If you'd like to play, I'll be happy to think up some random questions for you - just leave me a note in the comments!

I am left stunned and not understanding after hearing of this tragedy. Magazineman and his family just welcomed a new baby girl last week and now this. Please keep this family in your prayers.

I am completely exhausted. It was another busy week at work and my evenings have been consumed with basement issues. The washer works but the dryer appears to have bitten the dust. This makes me rather upset, because my renter's insurance doesn't cover flooding caused by water "that has hit the ground and come in the house that way" - yes, seriously, that is what I was told. I am going to try to get a repairman out here to look at it but my thought is the motor is burned out. I don't really have the funds to buy a new appliance right now and am not sure what my landlord will do, if anything. I guess I'll wait to see what the repairman's verdict is before fretting over this.

This week has really shown me that people do truly care about me and even crazy things like this. And that means so much to me! Three of my girlfriends from church came over Tuesday to help take stuff out and rangle the sopping carpet up off the ground. I can't even begin to say how much I appreciated that. I was totally at a loss as to what to do or where to begin. To a degree, I still am - there is still much to do down there - but I am so much further than I was then.

Then came last night's adventure. I knew I needed gas but I had to take the car to be inspected and was late for work. I rushed to the dealer, got a loaner and headed out to work. Afterwards, I needed to pick the car up, run home and then meet my girlfriend and her kids at Chuck E. Cheese for her daughter's birthday. I was very very low on gas, so I drove out of my way to gas station I knew to be the least expensive in the area. There were lines everywhere. I pulled in to the pump...and the fuel door would not open. I pulled the latch about 40 times. I tried wedging my credit card in the door and pulling the latch. A nice guy tried pulling on it while I pulled the lever.

Nada.

I was embarassed and frustrated and knew the others in line were frustrated with me, so I got back in the car and took off, praying I could make it to Chuck E. Cheese and my friend could help.

I made it. We partied with Chuck E. for a bit and then we loaded the kids up and searched the minivan for tools. Luckily, we found some needle-nose pliers. I wedged them in the door and she held it and pulled while I pulled the lever.

Success at last!!!!!!!!!! I drove quickly to the gas station with the fuel door flapping in the wind and filled up.

I did close it, however...so we'll see if it works next time!

Always an adventure, my life is.

Apparently, it burned out from all the work it was doing over the past two days. And our basement filled with 8 inches of water. And my neighbor could not find my cell phone number (I was at a meeting)...so I missed the whole thing - including the fire department coming, the heater apparently arcing, and the water being sucked out. My landlord's wife called right after our meeting finished and left me a message on my cell phone and I was in a complete panic. Stuff is stuff but I was primarily concerned with the cats and making sure they were ok and still in the house (I hate it when people come in without my knowledge and I can't account for them) and church stuff being damaged or ruined.

I flew home (literally) and immediately was relieved to find Norman and Ramona - terrified but ok. Nellie of course was nowhere to be found but I knew she would not ever leave the house. My neighbor came in and told me the whole story and I am thankful now that I wasn't here. I think I would have been even more panicked to have the firemen come and tell me to leave the house because of the heater arcing and the chance of fire. This way, all was resolved (except for the mess in the basement and trying to figure out what is a loss) before I even got here. Boy, does God know me! And I know that everything happened the way it did for this reason.

I was also so glad that my friend Scott came over and brought me their dehumidifier and a heater to start trying to dry things out. I think that will work well - and we'll see what can be salvaged and what can't. Again, though, it's just stuff.

Now I must do my taxes quickly, take care of some other things, and get to bed.

With all the has been going on as of late, I think it's time to refocus. I've seen this over at Overwhelmed with Joy (and she found it at Brady's Bunch).

1. The memorial yesterday. It reminded me that I am very blessed and have been blessed to work with some truly amazing people in the healthcare field, people who simply desire to improve patient care. It's easy to get mired in the politics of business and such, but I always need to bring my focus back to why I do what I do...and this is it.

2. The baseball game was postponed. I really was looking forward to it but I knew my fibro would not stand for me sitting in the cold rain for any length of time today. And boy, is it raining! I ran errands after church and was completely and utterly soaked. I had to change clothes when I got home and actually towel off and blow dry my hair! Which brings me to my next gratitude...

3. My sump pump. In the four years I've lived here, I'd hear it turn on now and again but today it has run absolutely non-stop. And I just checked - no flooding. Yay, sump pump!

4. Even though I knew the weekend would be crazy, I chose to go to the scrapbook class on Friday. It was really very neat what she demonstrated but I'm not sure how I'll incorporate it yet. The best part was that my dear friend Nan ended up coming at the last minute and it is always so nice to spend time with her. I need to figure out how to do that more often, with more regularity. We have known each other since we were five years old and I am so thankful we are still friends after all this time.

5. I've been working on my finances and over the past few weeks, have put some things in place to free up a little extra. Not much, but I hope at least it will help me not be in such dire financial straits each month...and maybe get a new pair of shoes or suit for work some time in the near future.

6. Time to nap today. I don't get nearly enough sleep during the week and haven't had the luxury of sleeping in on a weekend for some time, so it was nice to snooze this afternoon...thought I did sleep way to long and ended up not getting anything else done. The traditional Sunday afternoon nap is always a double-edged sword for me! : )

And another weekend draws to a close.

Yesterday was a long day. The memorial service was wonderful - many old friends telling stories, laughing, and sharing memories with those gathered. I'm glad that we went. What stuck me most, and saddened me most, was when his daughter said that the one thing that made her most angry in this time was that he had spent his life working against the very demon that in the end took his life - cancer. It is a terrible irony, a terrible injustice. He was only 69.

Last week was a whirlwind. I didn't do well with any of the habits, so this week, I'm going to just try to maintain. I am really going to try a children's vitamin - at least I'd be getting something and maybe I could stomach that better. Wish me luck!!

Labels: SMART Habits Saturday

I missed last week...and ended up eating out virtually every night. Not good!!

Getting back on track...

Monday - pizza
Tuesday - Italian chicken with chick peas - I love chick peas!
Wednesday - Salmon with corn & black bean salsa
Thursday - spaghetti
Friday - Chuck E. Cheese for Leah's birthday!
Saturday - leftovers

Labels: Menu Plan Monday

There is something to be said for being so insanely busy you cannot think straight or remember what you were doing 2 minutes before, let alone two days ago. At least the week flies by. But by the time I get home and eat dinner, my only desire is to get into my bed.

This weekend will be a hectic one. Tomorrow I have a client meeting in the afternoon and then am going to a scrapbooking class. It's called Word Art, which is fairly intriguing for the likes of me!

The medical director from my old job passed away last week and K and I are going to go to his memorial service Saturday. It is at a wel-regarded social club and I am not yet sure at all what to expect.

On Sunday I am teaching Sunday school and then am supposed to go to my first major league baseball game. Well, that's not entirely true - I once saw the Brewers in Milwaukee but I've never seen our local team, even having lived within a short commute of their playing field all my life. I'm really excited but apparently we are to get a Nor'easter???????????????????? I don't know what will happen then. I'm not terribly keen on sitting out in the freezing rain for a few hours. I guess if the game gets called, we could use our tickets whenever they reschedule for...but if it is Monday, I'm out. We have a pastoral search meeting and I cannot certainly miss that for a baseball game...no matter how much I'd like to go. :(

I can't begin to thank you enough for your nice comments on my previous post. Things have been very hectic at work this week and I haven't had any time to check in until tonight...and it was so nice to find those encouraging comments!

I am feeling a little bit better than I did then but there are some areas in my life that I really need to just give up to the Lord and stop fretting and stressing over. Tonight I caught a little bit of an interview that Anderson Cooper was doing with Sanjay Gupta on CNN about his new book, Chasing Life. I missed the beginning but from what I understood, the book examines some people in different geographic locations who live longer than others and ideas as to why this is. Dr. Gupta said that people in a certain area were predominantly seventh day adventists who strictly obey the sabbath. He joked that he sometimes thinks rest is found in changing activities - for instance, going from a neurosurgery to being on CNN (in his case!)

This really struck me, though I am not entirely sure why. Maybe it is partially because I know I have not been taking care of myself lately. I am allowing stress to get a stranglehold on me in a major part of my life and I am not sure how to rectify the situation...or if it even can be rectified. I am staying up late reading, because that is my escape and my stress relief and I enjoy it but then I pay the price when the alarm goes off (or the cat frantically jumps on me). I'm eating ridiculous things and eating all the time with little or no regard. (I am happy to say my menu planning has been going well, however, and for once I cannot say that I am completely and utterly not exercising - I quit the Y on Saturday (finally) but bought a pilates ball and have been doing some of the exercises the trainer had shown me.)

I know I have to give this thing up to God and just try to do my best to make it through. I have to pray too that he will help me to manage the day to day of it until things improve...

He is risen indeed!

I want to post something inspirational this evening but I am really just not feeling it. I had a good weekend and a lovely lunch today over at Nancy and Jerry's house (thank you!!) but now I am just feeling blue and I haven't a clue why. I am desiring that some things be different, and trying to figure out how to make them so. I know, this is a recurring theme with me...but I need to be honest about it, and so it comes out here.

Before I became a Christian, I always wondered why today was called Good Friday. Was it good because the people who hated Jesus got their wish and he was killed? Was it good because his suffering was over and he was in heaven? To our family, Good Friday has never been "good" in any way. When my mom was but two years old and her father was in his early forties, he had a massive heart attack and died on Good Friday...and the pain of that day stayed with his wife, children and grandchildren to this day, nearly 54 years later. I know of him only in pictures and occassional antecdotes my mom tells me to tie me in with the family at large; recently, we were talking about my obsessive love of peanut butter and she said I got that from him and from my grandmother.

But back to the topic at hand. I understand now what is "good" about it. Jesus died, yes, and died a horrible death on the cross, after being beaten and flogged and publicly humiliated. He could have been spared this all but for the fulfillment of the prophecy to come...he was pierced for our transgressions, he died not because he sinned but because we sinned and still do. Each and every day. The "Good News" of "Good Friday" is just that - that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that we might live and have eternal life (paraphrase of John 3:16).

It leaves me in complete and utter awe to think of this.

Today, Michelle, David & I visited a local church to participate in their reflection stations they had set up. When you first entered, the room was dark, lit only by hundreds of candles throughout. Various stations were set up, designed to make you read the scripture as it related to the crucifixion, reflect and pray. At one station, you wrote a sin you struggled with and nailed it to a wooden cross - I have done this before in various other settings and always find it very powerful. The most moving station for me, however, was the station lit by candlelight and full of mirrors. You were to look into the mirrors and remember that God made you in his image and reflect on what that means in regards to Good Friday and Easter.

I have been dealing with some serious self-esteem issues for some time now and this station just caught me off guard. As I stared at myself in the mirror and prayed, I told God that I did believe I was made in his own image and that he knit me together in my mother's womb. He knew I would have a curved spine and need surgery in my teens or I would die by the time I was 21 - he made me that way. He knew I would struggle with physical pain and bad skin throughout my life - he made me that way. He made me in his own image, just as he made his son, who came down to earth and died for our sins. In his own image, I thought, me? Me. How can it be, though I know in my heart of hearts it is true. He said it, so it is truly so.

And I praise God through it all. I am who I am because of how he made me. And he knew all along how I would turn out. He knew that I would enter that small chapel on just this day, feeling small and unattractive, and come upon that station, look at myself in the mirror and feel something begin to move, to change, within my own spirit.

Labels: Reflections

It's been a bad week for the habits.

I totally blew the newest one - as you can see, since I am posting at 1 AM. My week was hectic and it just seemed that the only time I could get online was 10 or later.

The vitamins are out the window. I may try some Flintstones or something and just see. Maybe children's vitamins would agree with me more.

The others are going fairly well - I may not be completely where I would like to be but I am trying! The weekly home blessing is about 3/4 finished. I got embroiled in much needed laundry-doin' and didn't vacuum or dust. But I can do that another night. The menu planning is going well, as long as I remember there is only one of me and I make much more than a meal for one each time...allowing for lunches and leftovers for dinner. The water drinking is much improved but I have also been indulging in some soda, which is in no way good for me.

So for this week, I am going to start fresh - sticking with what I am working on and maintaining.

Labels: SMART Habits Saturday

Appetizer
When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?

I am a control freak, so I prefer driving. I can't sleep in any moving vehicle anyway (again - control freak - as though I could stop a plane from crashing or a train from derailing or who knows what, simply by BEING AWAKE, but whatever. I'm a little quirky).

Soup
Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?

Only those I knew in person before they started blogging!

Salad
When was the last time you were really, really tired?

After the most recent youth retreat. I was really, really, really tired. I think I was in bed that night by 8:45.

Main Course
If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?

Rob Gordon (John Cusack's character in High Fidelity...of course, I'd also dine with Jonathan Trager, Vince Larkin or Lloyd Dobler...)

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see _______________.

my Grammy in heaven.

I know I'm breaking my after 10 PM no computer rule but I wanted to make sure to get my organizing challenge post up!

My bedroom closet has become quite a problem area. In it, I keep clothing, sheets, blankets, scrapbooking materials, photos, memorabilia, bags/purses, shoes and various other things. The closet is NOT large enough for all this - it's not even a walk-in closet. But yet, all of it is in there! Here are my before photos:




It's not pretty.

But it needs to be tackled. And I know that I can do it in the next 30 days. I learned a lot through Laura and her advice for me on taking care of my office and I think I will attack this area in much the same way.

First, I will remove everything - and I mean everything - from the closet. I'm sure it needs to be vacuumed and wiped down, so I'll do that as well. Then I will sort everything out. Things I absolutely need right now; things to be given away; things to be thrown away; things that need a new home. I want to put shelves or drawers up on the left side (I have drawer on the right already) and get something to help me divide the top shelf up better. I am also considering possibly installing a second shelf up top but that is still up for debate.

So there you have it! Happy organizing to everyone participating in the challenge!

Labels: Organizing

Tomorrow begins the 30-day Organizing Challenge over at I'm an Organizing Junkie's place!

Last time, I was a coward. I wanted to organize my office but was overwhelmed and afraid I couldn't conquer it in 30 days so I didn't participate. Laura was a wonderful help to me anyway and encouraged me in my office re-org - and presto! A mere four month later, it's 2/3rds finished! I'm really very satisfied with the results - everything has a place, clearly labeled, and put away. It's functional - which is the very best part!





I still need to clean out the closet (but that is not in too bad of shape) and set up my scrapbooking station, but the bulk of it is finished. Yahoo!

And now I am ready for the new 30-day challenge. I have two "trouble" spots I am going to focus on. My bedroom closet and my bathroom medicine cabinet. Let the challenge begin!!

Labels: Organizing

Look at me, sticking to my goal of menu planning yet another week!

Monday - Tater tot casserole
Tuesday - pasta & shrimp scampi
Wednesday - leftovers
Thursday - out with friends
Friday - out scrapbooking (and they feed us at the crop!)
Saturday - chicken enchiladas
Snday - Easter...not sure yet what my plan is...

Labels: Menu Plan Monday

This pet food recall is freaking me out. I am not sure what the best thing to do is at this point. I thought I was safe with Purina products but now they've recalled their Alpo wet dog food. Their website said their recall does not include any dry food or cat food but I am still concerned. Pounce treats are also being recalled, which thankfully I switched from a while back, but what's to say the treats I give them every day after Ramona's shot won't be next? I almost feel like I should find a way to make their food from scratch. I had looked into this before but it's difficult to get them the appropriate vitamins and minerals that way. I guess I will have to look into it further. Any suggestions from the pet lovers out there?

It has been a good weekend. I was still under the weather Friday night for scrapbooking but I went anyway. I made sure I came home at a somewhat reasonable time and went directly to bed and woke up feeling much better on Saturday. I'm still a bit raspy and stuffed up but much better!

Scrapbooking was great - I got 27 pages completed in my travel album, which includes my first Workcamp. I was so excited to get that completed. We are scrapbooking again this Friday evening, so hopefully I'll get started on Workcamp from last year. I'd really like to get caught up before I go to San Diego on my next trip.

Now I am doing dishes and laundry and trying to get caught up here at home while watching my boy Junior lead the race. Yahoo!! It would be great to see him win today!

It's time for SMART Habits Saturday! I have to admit, I've done well with my meal planning and better with my water drinking, but not so hot with the vitamins. I think I only took them once last week. I have such trouble with them making me feel sick; I wonder if some people just can't take vitamins?

Unfortunately, my Weekly Home Blessing fell by the wayside last week too with the coming of my horrible cols but I did pick up and start it today (and will hopefully finish).

So with these still in play, this week I am going to add another one that may sound odd. No computer time after 10 PM unless it's an emergency. (Emergency? you are probably wondering...well, I handle the email prayer chain for my church and if I got a call asking for congregational prayer after 10 PM, I would certainly log on and send it out. Or if I had a work deadline I had to make. Other than that, nothing.) I really think that being on the computer stimulates the brain too much and then it's hard for me to fall asleep. I know this is probably only a very small part of my falling asleep problem but it's something I want to try.

So there you have it!

Labels: SMART Habits Saturday