Another Monday done

Got through another Monday.  Today when I went for my walk I noticed that there is a house that is being totally demolished.  At first I thought they were just doing a rehab including new roof.  But then when I walked by the other day I could see that they were taking the entire roof off.  Today nearly the entire house is gone, except one side (of brick) and a brick fireplace and a little bit of the demolished roof that was just hanging over like a tree that had its trunk broken in two.  Apparently there is a new house going up. I'm not sure if they are even using the same concrete foundation or not.  What's odd to me is that the house wasn't that bad.  It was a long ranch style house.  Nothing spectacular but certainly nothing that required full demo! 

Apparently someone purchased the house (for the land and location more than anything else) and are just going to build a new house on it.  I can't see the point.  I mean they had to have spent between $250,000-$300,000 just to buy the existing house and how much the new one will cost is that much more.  So how many years will it take these people to get any positive equity??  I know not my problem, and none of my business. I just shake my heads sometimes at how people around here don't fall in love with a house, buy it and spruce up things from time to time. I guess there is plenty of wealth around. So many buy houses then totally gut them and remodel them.  This is the first full demolition though that I've seen. 

I'm curious to see what the new house will look like. I'm sure it will be bigger and 'better' than the one they demolished. At least at this point as far as real estate around here is concerned nothing will surprise me anymore.

Yoga

I worked about a half a day today, laundry is on last load, and I'm on page 235 of my book...yes I haven't read any more of it yet.  I was going to read now but I decided to blog instead.

I bought a Yoga DVD and got it yesterday which I was glad because I wanted to give it a shot. It is titled Yoga for the Rest of Us.  It is meant for beginners and those of us not young anymore to twist up like a pretzel. :)  Anyway I could really tell my neck and shoulders are stiff.  When the lady said to put your head to the side (like your ear to the shoulder) I couldn't move it much at all without it hurting. And I also was doing the Yoga on the living room rug which of course gave me no traction at all. So I will have to move the rug next time I play the DVD.  The dogs also thought I was there to play with them. I can't blame them because the living room is often where we play.  Finally after about the 20th time of my saying "No", Ditzy stopped staring and me and then the ball.  Then during the stretch and relaxation breathing at the end, the dogs were going ballistic over some dogs walking by.  Yeah, I would say overall it was a good first time.  Oye!

Who would have thought?

I have struggled for months to find my mom the exact name brand and type of pantyliner that she wants.  I must have gotten her 10 different brands.  I asked her to please save whichever box or wrapper to the one that works the best for her so that I can take it with me so that I get exactly what she wants. 

So the other evening she showed me a box of the kind she wants. It wasn't anything that I have bought her. It is Always Dri weave panty lines unscented in a purple box.  I asked her if she knew how old that box was.  She didn't. So I started searching for that exact product to get her. I even went to the Always website itself.  No surprise, they don't make that exact item any more.  I knew if I got her anything different she wouldn't like it.  While expressing my frustration to my hubby today we both sort of mentioned doing a search for it on the Internet. So where do you go to find something you really want out there?  Why Ebay of course! :)

I actually found a (Vintage) unopened box of 88 (so pink not purple) Always Dri weave unscented but the rest is exactly what she wanted. Ordered!  If they don't work out, I give up.  And when they are gone...we'll I'm not going to think about that right now.  ;=)

Delayed blog...

I sat down in the chair, turned on my laptop and was going to start typing but little Ditzy came up on my lap and started licking my hand. So I let her lick it a while.  I don't think it had anything on it but who knows.  It was funny and cute. 

So I went and voted today as we had early voting this week.  I should have brought my camera and taken a picture of all the signs in the ground from the entrance of the building and across the front.  It was overkill. Trust me!  All of the signs were for Republicans though.  The democratic voting ballet only had multiple choice for President. All the other offices just had one name, no competition for any of the local offices.  I bet the Republican ballet had several names for many offices. I'm glad I went at lunch as I didn't have to wait in line and was done and back within 30 minutes. 

In my book I'm on page 235. The next book I read has to be either a love story or a good mystery or something.  I should have not picked non-fiction as my first book to read this year.

I got my Paparazzi order yesterday and there is some beautiful jewelry in it.  At only $5.00/piece the jewelry is incredible!

Yes!

Today I got two Paparazzi jewelry orders. One came FED EX and the other USPS. They both got here just fine!  So there UPS! :)

Long day at work but got a lot done.  I am planning on going out to vote tomorrow during my lunch period so that I get it done in early voting time.  Otherwise it is stand in line on March 1st. I'm not interested in doing that. Not even for Hillary. 

I finally scheduled my overdue 'womanly' appointment. It is next week.  Hope it goes well and that I get the all clear.  Have to get a mammo too so hope that is fine also.  Well I'm tired. Nite :)

Your Package was Delivered....NOT!

Yes I didn't blog yesterday but there wasn't anything to blog about. Today is a different story.

 I just love getting emails from UPS indicating Your package has been delivered...at 1:29PM..at front porch, when I've been here the whole day working. And trust me, with 4 dogs, if the UPS man parks in front of our house and comes walking up the driveway, they will let me know about it!

There have been occasions where I've got this sort of email and it just wasn't delivered yet. Now I think they just must screw up and a neighbor puts it in front of our house when they've gotten it by mistake. This time I went ahead and went online to their chat to ask about it.  The person asked me about any other family member who may have gotten it or neighbors. Told him no other family here at the moment and no I didn't ask my neighbors. 

So while I still had this person in chat I threw on my sandals and went to the neighbor on the left, nothing in front of their house, walked back and past our house and then to the neighbor on the right. THERE it was. My package.  I could understand if the house numbers were not clearly at the curb AND at the front of the house (right next to our front door), or if we lived on a really busy city street where the drivers really have to hustle because they can't stay parked for long.  Nope...neither are the case. 

I came back and told the person that I got it.  It was delivered to the WRONG address. And asked that the drivers pay more attention and slow down (if they are too rushed). Sorry but lived here many years and gotten many UPS packages and to deliver it to the wrong house?  Not good.

8th Monday

Well the 8th Monday of the year is almost over. :0) 

Tonight I made my mom a fresh hamburger with grilled onions and mixed vegetables.  She ate most of it which made me happy as often she only eats part of it. She didn't eat any of the corn but we forgot that the mixed vegetable bags had corn in it.  She had enough room for pudding and whipped cream on top.

I got an email today from Barnes & Noble that a new Harry Potter book is coming out. It is also going to be a play as well (not a movie though I guess).  It is suppose to be 19 years later (than the last one). I don't know whether I want to get it or not.  It doesn't come out until July I think. By then I may be done this first book I'm reading. LOL.  I liked the Harry Potter movies though, never read one of the books. So I'm not sure.  Whatever I read next has got to be more interesting!!

Hubby isn't doing 100% better yet. Hoping that his body straightens out in the next day or two. He's giving MiraLAX a try and he did have a salad for lunch today. Now that is huge!

Sunday eve

I almost forgot to blog.  Hmm..we finally got a tiny bit of rain today, although not measurable. I forgot how it smelled outdoors when it was raining.  It was warm today too.  I hope winter is done for us.  I'm getting spoiled by these 70 something degree days again.  Fingers crossed. 

I just realized I didn't do any singing this weekend. I also don't think I got any reading done. Oh well there is always tomorrow, right? 

Evening tea

Well I already had some green tea but seemed to go with this morning's blog.  I'm happy to report hubby is still doing better although he felt a little nauseous after dinner but that may have been because he hardly ate anything the last few days.  I made one of our favorites - shrimp scampi. I do use a bit of garlic and red pepper flakes (and white wine) when I make it so that may have been a bit much for his poor stomach.  But he seems to be fine right now, just tired- no surprise there with what he's gone through.

I went to visit what I hope will be my wonderful new hairdresser today.  The salon she works at was really hopping and busy when I went but that is fine with me because it means people like getting their hair done there. We talked just a few minutes but I showed her the pictures of what I want and she seemed to think she can get my hair to look like what I'd like. So I am excited now for March 12th to get here. :)

I worked some today and have some tomorrow but that's okay.  I'm still getting some relaxation time and we're watching Pit Bulls and Parolees right now. No reading done today though.

Morning coffee

As I'm sitting here drinking my morning coffee, I just realized that I didn't blog yesterday. So that means two blogs today. :-)

I thought about it once last night but I got the pizza and went over to my mom's house by myself last night. Then when I got back it was about time for GRIMM to come on and well after that I just forgot about it.  The reason I went over by myself is that hubby had been feeling really bad the last 2-3 days. He didn't tell me until Wednesday night that he had not gone number 2 (trying to describe it delicately here) in 2 days.  For him that is really unheard of. He's one of those every day sort of people.

He was hurting so much he said his kidneys hurt, not to mention stomach, etc. He didn't hardly sleep at all Thursday night to Friday morning (yesterday).  He was getting chills, then hot. I told him if he wasn't better by Monday he needed to find a doctor and go. He's been taking ExLax for the last day and a half.  I was concerned he had a bowel obstruction (that was not going to go away).

Last night I got online and started looking up more home remedies, like baking soda and water, etc and he was going to try one of those today.  But when he came upstairs this morning there was a lilt in his voice.  He was finally going again!  Yippee!!

He also said that he is going to try to eat smarter, like have one burger not two and eat a salad a few times a week. His eating habits are really poor and except for dinner which I often add a vegetable to for me, we eat like opposites. He usually skips breakfast.  I always have something, Special K cereal or English Muffin and always a half an apple (helps prevent gall bladder issues), and milk. Occasionally on a weekend he'll have eggs (especially if we're making bacon too).  Lunch I have gotten into the habit of a salad every day and about 1/2 cup plain yogurt with a little honey on top. If he has lunch it is cold cut sandwiches.  You get the picture.  I'm sure years and years of eating like that isn't good for the body and eventually it will say "ENOUGH".  Well I think it did!

Will blog again later on...

Short update

I'm on page 214 of my book.  I think that is almost half way through. :)

Speaking of short I am thinking of getting my hair cut short again.  I have been letting it grow but it just doesn't grow fast (not nearly as fast as hubby's - I'll take a picture sometime of his). Anyway, last time I got my hair cut I told my hair dresser she could layer it some because the hair below my neckline looked so limp and thin especially in the back.  By the way I'm finding a new hair dresser after all these years because the gal I've been going to for a long time never colors my hair the way I want it. Most times the cut is not what I want either.

So anyway thinking of short and sassy again, like a short bob.  Here's a picture of what I have in mind. Something like this with yes a lot of blond everywhere except the back bottom area.  I put a call in to one gal that I've seen her actual work on Facebook (the salon has a Facebook page). It looks like she does great color and cuts.   I've yet to tell my current hair dresser and I'm not looking forward to it, but I really should be able to get what I want in a hair style and color.

 Okay that's it for now. I just finished work too so want to watch Shades of Blue. :)

Forgot to title LOL

I am on page 194 of my book but I may do some reading this evening yet as I don't think there is anything on that I really care to watch. We have American Pickers on right now.  Hubby is Oooohing and Ahhhing over stuff that I could care less about...old motors etc.  :)

Well except for now...they are showing an old pin ball machine. I used to love playing them back in my teens.Going to end this so I can get a little reading in, not much new to blog about. :)

Dog Ads

I was just looking at Craigslist as I sometimes do and was looking under 'dogs' in the community section.  There were several ads for dogs needing to be re-homed.  It really gets to me sometimes to read the reason for giving up someone's pet. This is a dog they may have had for a year or several years that did nothing but love them to pieces.   The excuses for getting rid of them ranged from...working too many hours (so what, your dog will get used to it and love you all the more when you get home), moving to another place (and why can't you find a place that allows dogs?, yes even Pits). I'm not saying it is easy but there are surely places out there that will allow them.

I'm sure there are reasons which are understandable. One of my kid's had a dog that kept getting out and running around a busy street, and her husband (at that time) didn't want the dog to be indoors, at least that was the impression I got. So she found her a nice home that was in a safe area and for that I commend her as I know it was hard for her to do it, but her poor dog would have likely ended up hurt or worse.

I myself had to find a home for a sheltie I had with my ex when we were splitting up.  He gave no indication that he wanted to keep her and I was moving to an apartment with my toddler and first grader that did not take dogs.  I checked out one complex that did take dogs but the quality of them were subpar and the area was not ideal. That particular time I had to think of my children first.  It broke my heart that I had to give Lady away but she did go to a great home and I actually got to visit her a time or two with her new owners.

So I guess until I put myself in the person's shoes who are trying to re-home their dogs, I don't know the entire story. But it is just sad to me that more people don't try a little harder to keep their dogs. I just hope that every dog that needs to be re-homed end up in their forever home.

President's Day

So who actually took time today to reflect back on the Presidents, specifically Washington and Lincoln. Yeah, thought so. Me neither.  So I agreed to work today even though it was a holiday and most others had off.  I sort of felt like the kid who made it to school on a bad weather day, and had to stay in school even though they cancelled it.  It was weird not getting bombarded with emails and such.  But I got through the day just fine and I do get a floating holiday since I did work.

This morning it felt very spring-like when I went for my walk.  It was fairly warm (in the 50's) and I heard birds, several birds.  I don't usually hear any when I walk or at least not noticeably so.  Today I did.  I wore a sweater loosely over my top and didn't wear a hat for once.  It was nice and refreshing. Spring is right around the corner here.

Reading update

I am on page 182 of the book, go me!:)  I am not quite half way done. I mostly relaxed in between laundry loads and read today.  It was nice having a relaxing Sunday.  I just turned my head away at all the dust and grime. It will be there again next week, and the next.  LOL!

Goal and The Year of Saving

At the beginning of this year I decided my theme or mantra for this year was going to be the Year of Saving. My goal is to save more and spend less. I managed to get through the entire month of January without buying anything extra for myself except one outfit and that is because I was helping out a friend's daughter who started a business selling a clothing line (on line).  So that was great for me!  I even managed not to place a Paparazzi order which is hard because I love the jewelry so much!

In keeping with my theme, I have increased the amount of pay that I have slated to go into my 401K from 6% of my pay to 10%.  I am not getting any younger and when I see the pittance of retirement savings I have so far at my age, it is scary, to say the least.  So this should help me build up my retirement savings a bit better.  I really don't notice it either since it is taken out of my pay directly.

So, thus far this year I am feeling good about being on track. Today I got some work done and also got some singing done on SingSnap.  I thought for once I'd post some of the songs I sang (most of them duets).

If you care to listen, just click on the song.

Never Knew Lonely - Vince Gill
All I Have to Do is Dream - Everly Brothers
Need You Know - Lady Atnebellum
Bye, Bye Love - Everly Brothers

Not much

There is not much to say this evening. I had an okay day of work. It got nice in the 70's today and I tried to take a short break and sit on the back porch. But then Ditzy brought me a toy, and then the others barked because I threw it for her. And then she brought it back and it was getting dirty, so I decided not to throw it anymore.   Then it was time to go back inside.

See I told you not much to say. :-)

Nite!

Brain dead

I didn't get any reading done today as it was a long work day.  I did want to write that I was able to get my rubber bands in last night and already tonight, but NOT the way that gal instructed me.  That was impossible. I couldn't possibly hook a rubber band on a tiny wire hook on the side of the bottom back molar and then bring it forward and up and find the invisible hook that is part of the upper tray of Invisalign.  I tried but was getting a cramp in my hand.

So I took out the upper tray, put the rubber band around the clear hook, then put the tray in my mouth so that one part was already in. Then pulled the rubber band to the back molar and got it on the hook. Then I managed to get the other one done doing the first hook first (a little tougher as my tray was already in).

Tonight I put both rubber bands in the upper tray first, put it in and attached each bottom band to the hooks on the molars. Way easier than instructed.  So I'm proud of myself that I figured that out. Otherwise I probably would have given up.  :P

I'll take the Good with the Bad

Today I was sort of fretting my Orthodontist appointment as I was told that I would need to start wearing rubber bands. My appointment was at 8AM so I went straight there after my walk today instead of reporting to work first.

My orthodontist schedules 4 people in one time slot. I guess that is because we are not getting the same thing(s) done but it seemed a bit much to me.  An assistant (for lack of a better word) was going to put two metal hooks on my teeth.  I thought they were going on my invisalign or actually I thought they'd already be on them. Wrong.  I think she was fairly new at it because it took her a while to get these two little things on. With a contraption in my mouth to keep my lips out of the way, and a rolled up gauze piece and air hose, etc. it was a pain!!! And she dropped one of them when she was trying to bond it. Luckily dropping it on my shirt and not in my mouth as those things are small! Argh!

She then showed me how to put each rubber band on. I am to hook it to the bottom back where the hooks were put on my teeth on the outside of my very back molars. Then I am to hook it up on the upper tray where there is already a notch hook. Yah..We'll see.

So anyway the Orthodontist comes  over and asks me what I think or how it is or something like that and I told her I have a hard time opening my mouth (which I obviously know is from the rubber bands). So anyway, I then told her I was being like a typical kid and asked her how LONG I have to wear the rubber bands.  She didn't answer that specific question but told me I only have to wear them at night.  That's the good news! :)   She then proceeded to take out the rubber bands.  So I haven't tried to put them in yet but figured I would as soon as I'm done eating for the night (as opposed to bed time when I may just give up).  So hopefully I'll get them in okay.

I spent the afternoon playing with the new hooks that were put in (with my tongue). I sure hope I don't have to have anything more attached to my teeth!!

Wall Art

The first pictures are of our garage with the light streaming in this morning.  We have some pebble look film type of cover on the glass windows on  the garage door for added privacy. This morning I saw the sun shimmering through the film and also the shadow of the branches shown through and really looked nice so I snapped a few pictures. The pictures didn't turn out as well as how beautiful it was to the naked eye but oh well.

My hubby got some really cool antique doors that we decided we were going to just keep and put up somewhere.  Even though it looks like the paint started to be stripped on one door, we decided to keep it as natural as possible and left it just the way he got it.  All our regular wall space was taken up for something this size, so we got creative.  :-)


                                                                                           Yes it it is on the wall upstairs on the other side of wall from the washer/dryer room.

 We love it there!  And we're actually thinking of add to it with a mailbox on one side, house number on the other side and a porch light too (one that lights would be cool!).  We going to look for all antiques of course. So that will make it really look neat!!

Normal returns

Now THIS is more normal  ;)