March 4, 2009

• Beautiful Wednesday

  It’s supposed to be in the mid 70′s today and the sun is shining brightly.  This is the day I take Rissy to the physical therapist for an evaluation.  In a couple more weeks she will see a neurologist.  Hopefully, this group of people will help her not have so much pain in her back and legs.

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  Big news flash!!!!  I GOT OUR TAXES FINISHED AND FILED LAST NIGHT!!!!!  Dinner was served at 8pm, but at least I finished our taxes and that job is behind me.  I have to recopy my notes containing HOW I arrived at the figures for property tax deduction, toll pike expenses, the price (and date purchased) of equipment for the lawn business, etc.  The refund amount is a nice figure, too!

  We’re still waiting for that check from the insurance company for our new roof.  Don’t know why they are taking so long.  The first check was lost in the mail.  They said they would stop payment and not only send that amount again, but the remaining balance – a couple of thousand dollars.  Our roofer is waiting patiently for the check to arrive, too!

  I feel like I can breathe again.  I hate stretching the budget until it’s so thin you can almost see through it!!!  I also hate procrastination – it makes me nervous – and I haven’t procrastinated on purpose, there’s been a lot of illness and other things happening in our family that made my desk work harder to accomplish.

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  Another big news flash!!!!  Sushi has graduated from her crate at night to a “bed” on the floor in front of Jesse’s night stand.  She did really well, last night.   I hope she doesn’t chew his waste basket like she did mine under my desk!

  The crate (and my messy bags of fabric!)                              Sushi’s new plush (and larger!) bed.
    
  I’ll still put her in the crate when we leave the house for errands, because I don’t trust her to not chew things.  Things like shoes, toys, furniture legs . . .

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  I didn’t teach yesterday.  That means we have ALL subjects today.  Language, math, health, science, history, and Bible/character development.  I will have to see how much time we have before and after the P.T. appointment.  I need to go to Sam’s to buy some ground beef.  We only have 4 small packages of ground beef left in the freezer.  I don’t have time to go to Sam’s AND run other errands on Fridays.  I like to buy food in advance too, and keep the pantry and freezers stocked.  Since today will be a beautiful day, I’m going to try to work that “meat run” into our schedule!

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  I had a Charlie Horse in my leg twice last night.  Both times I jumped up out of bed to stand on my leg.  The second time (get this!) I fell!!!  I remember standing up and then found myself falling and taking most everything from the nightstand down with me as I fell to my knees!  I don’t know if I wasn’t fully awake when I stood up and fell back asleep standing up (!!!), or if I stood up so quickly that my blood pressure dropped and, then, so did I.  It all made a terrible crash and Jesse jumped straight up out of bed, bless his heart!  I tried to retrieve my clock from behind my nightstand and succeeded in pulling more things (noisily) to the floor!  This morning he said he thought I had rolled out of bed.  I’m not sure which is more funny, me rolling out of bed or standing up and falling back asleep while standing!  At least I have a throw rug on top of our carpeting and it cushioned my fall.  All is well this morning and all body parts are moving as they should!

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  The dining room table is without home school stuff.  I had anticipated Don (the painter) coming today to paint the formal dining room and living room ceilings.  He has some car trouble and repairs he needs to make today, and he called Jesse to say he’s not coming.  Just as well.  I was feeling a bit of pressure to get things done quickly so we would be out of his way.
  
  I left the table pad on the formal table because I’m still seriously considering having school in the dining room.  I guess it really isn’t much bigger or brighter in the dining room than the kitchen, like I originally thought.  The dining room table is definitely bigger.  In fact, it holds one more leaf that is 24 inches wide!  I think I may just like the change of scenery by teaching in the dining room.  The girls may feel the same way.

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  Speaking of the dining room table:  right now, Sushi is circling it around and around at break neck speeds.  Poor Stormy is on a chair under the table.  Guess Sushi feels like she’s herded the cows and is now keeping the cows in one place!  Stormy isn’t thrilled with the maniacal circling, but Sushi’s not touching the cat!  Wish I could shoot a video – but that’s beyond my brain’s capacity!  Okay – nothing to worry about.  Stormy just jumped down and went after the dog.  I guess she can take care of herself.  Sushi is really leery of Stormy and runs from her frequently!  Pets are so much fun!

  I found Stormy in our bathroom this morning.  Back paws on the toilet lid and front paws on my sink’s counter.  Nope, I have no clue why.  From the look in her eyes, something must have caught her attention!!!  She just stood there like that for a while!
  

  Then, there’s this little guy.  Luci was trying to redirect Chirper when I went into the den.  Why?  He wanted THIS!!!
   
  Children and pets.  They definitely keep my life interesting!

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  I’m listening to “Hymns of Faith” by the Antrim Mennonite Choir.  It’s all a capella and the voices are beautiful, as are the lyrics.  Very relaxing!

                                 

  Soon (VERY soon) I will have to think about Annamarie’s birthday.  It’s the 29th of this month.  Since I’m having that biopsy stuff done on the 18th, I may not feel like shopping and running around for a week until the incisions heal AND I can were my underwear again!  I hate to procrastinate on stuff like that (birthdays) and will have to make a concerted effort to order online or shop while we are out over the next two weeks.  It’s getting harder to hide things when the girls are with me.  With Rissy, I was honest and just told her to state put in the toy section (WITH her sisters) while I shopped for her. What I bought was small and could be hidden under my purse.  I’ll have to see with Annamarie.  The sooner it’s done, the sooner I can cross it off of my “worry” list!  At least she won’t be having a huge party.  The last of the big parties happens on their 8th birthday.  Next special party will be when they turn 13, 16, and 21.

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  My laundry is almost done and one basket of the children’s clothes will be next.  I guess I let a few days go by without washing someone’s clothes and now we all have laundry baskets vomiting clothes up and over the top!  I’m on the last load of my clothes, which are in the dryer right now.

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  Rissy got some birthday money from my Aunt Doris and Uncle Howard (her great aunt and uncle).  She’s debating putting it in her savings account or buying something.  There really isn’t much she wants or needs, so she is thinking the savings account idea might be the best for her gift money.  She’s in the kitchen writing them a thank you note.

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  I, personally, am chomping at the bit to go to Barnes & Noble.  Stupid, when I can order “like new” books from Amazon.com.  I just received two books that were each 99 cents plus $3 shipping & handling.  The price, NEW, would have been around ten dollars each and then S&H would have had to been added. I don’t know why I don’t utilize the library more.  Maybe I liking having my own “library” on my bed room bookcase and no time constraints on when I have to read and return the book.  I don’t even save most of them – I pass them on to other people.  It’s taking me forever to read the book I am currently reading.  I’ve been too sleepy at night to read and have too much going on during the day to find the time to read. 

  Part of what I knocked off of my nightstand last night was a slew of Pathway Publishers’ magazines.  “Family LIfe,” “Blackboard Bulletin,” and “Young Companion.”  Maybe I need to start on those stacks.  I never seem to read magazines on a regular basis as they come in, and these are a perfect size & weight to stick in my purse when I have to wait at the girls’ medical appointments.

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  Luci woke up like a bear this morning.  I don’t feel good either.  Cough, sinus pain and drainage . . . I think she has the same thing.  She stomped her foot at me a couple of times and then did the exasperated, rolling her eyes, “All right!” with me.  I sent her back to bed with her screaming in protest.  She’s now asleep.  I gave her a Tylenol and some Sudafed and maybe she’ll wake up in a different frame of mind.  I HOPE she does!

  You’d never know she was feeling poorly from this morning’s photo of her wearing a huge toothless smile!
    

  Today’s To Do List:
  *  Take meat from the freezer for dinner (done, 2 packages of ground turkey)
  *  Teach a bit
  *  Start on someone else’s laundry
  *  Rissy’s physical therapy evaluation this afternoon
  *  Sam’s for 20 lbs of ground beef
  *  Fill out forms for cancer and pre-cancer grants that will pay for my medical stuff
  *  Clear desk of tax info and file them in file cabinets
  *  Pay a few bills online
  *  Continue to maintain my sanity and praise God for helping me remain sane

  By the way:  I didn’t eat that whole birthday cake yesterday!!!!  There is just enough for the girls and me to have a small piece after lunch!

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 12:46 pm
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