Been over a month.. I know..

Sorry it has been so long since I've blogged.  Just when I thought I couldn't work any harder, I've been working day and night, sometimes forcing myself to stop after midnight as my brain refused to think any more!   This includes weekends too...even Labor Day!  

I worked yesterday too but got it all done so that I could have today off..finally!  

Spent some time this morning cleaning as the house really needed it!  If I'm working all the time, that means no time for even cleaning.  I'm lucky to get 7 hours of sleep some nights!

So .. since it is 911, I reflect back to what I was doing back then.  I had just finished my Diane's Mortgage Tips newsletter and sent it off to my subscribers and then saw what was going on at the twin towers. I was working from home underwriting back then too and was starting to work on my files. We had sent Stac off to school with cupcakes for her birthday as yes, 9/11 is her birthday and she was celebrating her 10th birthday that day.  Today she is 20, wow! My girls are now officially in their 20s!

At first I thought it was just a horrible plane accident, but then quickly realized it was escalating into so much more.  My brother who worked in NYC had missing the plane crash by about 15 minutes if I recall as he walked from the train at the World Trade Center as he did every day on his way to work.  I was so glad to know he was NOT in that or he surely would have been one of those who lost their lives there..

Back to the present...we have had a lot of wildfires in Central Texas over the last few weeks and last weekend we got two bins ready in case we would have to vacate.  Luckily none have hit our area so we haven't had to evacuate the area. At least I feel a little better that we are more prepared than we were.  We even have 5 leashes at the ready in the garage so that we would be able to get all the furkids out quickly if the need arose. It is incredibly dry here in Texas and it has been months if not over a year since we've had a good soaking rain.  And with all the fires recently the water having to be used to try to control them, has me worried that we will run out of water.  We conserve water and limit its use as best we can.  Our front yard is partially dead but it is expected as I do not believe in wasting a ton of water on keeping the yard perfectly green.  Water needs to be treasured!

Well we are going to watch a few movies today......so I will end this with a promise to come back before another month go by to blog again.

Oh..almost forgot..due to the hot, dry summer, I had to give up the garden as it was just dying. I do have 2 pepper plants that are still doing okay, but the rest has died.  I plan to start all over again later this month when we stop having 100 degree days and hope for a late fall harvest.  We'll see.

Nice weekend....

Got back from spending the night with my girls. Stac and I went up to visit my oldest before she moves back east.  It was great having time with both the girls.  With the way time is flying, it is going to become less frequent that we can get together like this and when I thought about that this morning while we were eating breakfast, it made me a little sad.  But anyway, we saw the last Harry Potter movie which we all liked and I for one was glad it was finally concluding.  I think too much time passed between the movies though because I had a hard time remembering the last movie and where it left off.   The ones I am really looking forward to are the last Twilight movies which is the last book they are splitting up into 2 movies. 

It was too hot (106 degrees) to be outdoors much yesterday afternoon but we got to eat in some nice air conditioned restaurants, went to the movies, and got some play time in with her fur kid and her friend's dog who really had us laughing.  Her dog tripped on a ball and fell over and we enjoyed watching them both want the same ball at the same time.

I will try hard not to be too sad that D is moving so far away. She will have what sounds like a great job and  will not have to struggle so much financially as she has been.  She still amazes me as she just randomly stood at the edge of her couch and brought her leg up to a 180 degree angle, like it was nothing. So flexible and graceful!

Tomorrow my youngest is headed back to college and at least she will be back home fairly often to visit and still has a few years before she graduates...  I hope the next few years go really super slowly.. 

Empty nest feeling .....again..

My oldest dropped some news on me that I guess should not have been a surprise, but nonetheless saddened me a bit. Even though she has technically been out of the house ever since she was still in college, she still was less than 4 hours drive away and somehow that made me feel like she still hadn't totally left the nest...just that the nest had a long bottom to it.. sort of like a rubber band.

Anyway she has decided grad school is too costly for whatever value it could give her which I don't blame her for, but she has decided to move back East and work there.  So..she won't be somewhat close to me anymore and that is what makes me sad.  She is all grown up though and has a mind of her own so, all I can do is hope that she is happy and does well there.  Her dad at least still lives back East so he will be lending a hand and at least I know she won't be there totally by herself.  I plan to go visit her with the youngest before she leaves next month.

This weekend I didn't have to work and it was such a nice break from working all the time I felt like I was on vacation. I even didn't mind cleaning all  2 1/2 bathrooms, and scooping poop in the back yard. It was just so nice giving my brain and eyes a break from the computer.  

We watched some movies this weekend too, some were good, others were not.  These were all rentals.  Planning on seeing the last Harry Potter movie when we go visit the oldest. I am really looking forward to it! 

See??

I said I'd write before another long period and I am!

Happy what's left of 4th of July!  I actually got done working all weekend before Craig Ferguson was over.  No, I'm just kidding....or ammm  I?... ;-)


It is very nice having a few hours off for the 4th of July.  Here is a picture of some our my very own lettuce from my balcony garden that we used for salad with our spaghetti tonight. Yum!

Of course the balcony garden was planted before I got really busy!  I'm hoping the cucumbers, zuchini and pole beans survive the heat. We've been having several days of 100 degree weather and that is not great for vegetable gardens.

I checked out the filter in the A/C unit and after only 3 weeks it was really full with dog hair and such. Ick!  Hubby went and got a new filter for me.  Hard to believe it barely lasts 3 weeks!  Well with 5 furkids and needing to run the air every day nowadays it is no surprise.

Not going to try to catch the fireworks tonight, it will be really crowded for sure because there aren't many towns that are having them with the drought we are in.  We're watching Eagle Eye right now and I haven't seen it before but it really is action packed at least so far.  Going to get back to it and enjoy the rest of my evening.

Well I was hoping...

to have posted this yesterday so that it wouldn't look like quite so long since I've blogged. 

But just to let you know I am fine, just working alot.  How much ? Well in the work I'm in it is feast or famine and I have been working 16 hrs days, (trying to) sleep 7 hours and just goofing off the other hour per day.

Luckily I still manage to keep in my exercise and then there is the power walk in the evening with my youngest (and oldest when she is visiting), so despite all the work I have probably never been in better shape since pre-baby!  And yes I am working this weekend all weekend as well, but hey sometimes we do what we have to do...I keep playing the lottery but until my luck has turned..I am a slave to my work.

I'll definitely stop back sooner than a month later!  But just wanted to blog a keep in touch.. entry...
Hope everyone has a great 4th of July !

Is it summer yet?...

No?...Well it sure feels like it. I think this is going to be a hot summer this year. We've already had a few days hit 100 or more and it isn't even officially 'summer' yet.  Not complaining though, I much prefer heat to cold so bring it on! :)

I have been so busy as of late with work that I haven't had time to write here.  When I say busy, I mean working some nights until Craig Ferguson is on.  I was lucky today and got done at a decent time...time enough to go for a long walk with my youngest who got off work earlier than normal (had an earlier day) too so that worked out nice. We caught the first half of So You Think You Can Dance, also.  Love that show!  Probably because both my girls are dancers, especially my oldest who loves it so much she is getting a Masters in it. 

Between work and trying to help with my mom, I don't have much me time.  I've been at least doing some singing while I work to keep my voice in half way decent shape at least...never know....maybe someday. My mom has had health issues and her back is hurting her again. I may be taking her to get an x-ray sometime tomorrow, not sure.  Her bones are very brittle and she is getting really frail. I think the zest for life has left her poor body and it is sad to see her not really enjoy anything as of late. I am proud that my dad still gets out and plays bridge and makes lamps as he is even slightly older than she. He tries to help her with whatever she needs, but sometimes I think she just needs a new body, and with that no one can help.

Some days I sure wish I'd win the lottery.  Then I could do so many thing I'd like to do, enjoy life more and have the option of working be just that...an option.  At least I am playing once in a while now so there is always that chance! :)

Happy Memorial Day..

Hope everyone had a Happy Memorial Day and took time out to thank our troops both present and past for all that they do!..

Will blog soon.. worked all weekend...