Well, we had planned to have the garage sale from 3-6 on Thursday and from 9-6 Friday and Saturday. But by 1:00 today we were so picked over that we were selling .75 an hour and begging people to take things away. So I had Champs go take down all our signs and I started boxing things up. In the end, I went from 19 totes and more of stuff that I sorted through to four boxes of stuff to give away and ended the sale early. Not bad, really.
I've spend more time on the sale than my house this last week, so tomorrow will be spent reclaiming the house and putting away those things that I decided not to sell. After that I'll have maybe 4 or so boxes of nit-picky stuff to sort through and we will be truly "settled". Champs is overjoyed that his garage is finally his garage and he's out there as I type, reclaiming his space. There's a bit of stuff to store away, but in the end, we did really well at creating space for him - and my car! Not to mention that we made almost $500.00 in the process. Yeah, not bad at all.
My neighbor, Star, was invaluable through this. She helped me sort through boxes and kept saying, "do you really need that? Does it change your life?" Because of her I was able to really pare down on all the extras. I can honestly say that I won't miss anything I got rid of. Not only that, but she took Sweet Girl for an overnight and out for the day today so she and Comet could have some fun together. What a great neighbor!
There were three stories from the sale that taught me a lesson:
1. A woman came up to me and said, "See that lady over there? Well, I was picking out magnets to buy and she took two of them right out of my hand!" She didn't say anything to the woman, but I sure would have! Lesson here: If it's in your hand, it's your stuff. Protect it!
2. I sold a bunch of rubber stamp sets at a great discount. Most of them were brand new sets. I put a sign on the table that read, "Stamp prices are firm. Thank you." Well, I had a lady come yesterday and tell me how she was going to use them for her church, etc., etc. She kept talking, asking prices and adding sets while I was trying to help other customers. In the end, she talked me down to $20.00 for 5 sets; three of them really large sets. It turned out to be $4.00 each average price for brand new sets that I paid $14.95 -24.95 for. After she walked away and I realized, I was so mad at myself for letting her bamboozle me. She came back today and said she was back for "another good deal". I explained to her that I had already marked the prices down for today and she would have to pay the price that was marked. I further explained the average price she had paid yesterday compared to the new prices I paid and pointed out that she wasn't paying tax or shipping. She actually got mad at me and huffed away. Lesson here: Don't let people turn your head with their intentions for your stuff. If it's worth the price, charge it or keep it. In the end, I kept my other stamp sets and I'll e-Bay them.
3. Champs was my "advertising executive" in charge of placing our signs on every major street corner and on the way into our neighborhood. I think I made 22 signs for 11 locations (one on each side of the street sign or telephone pole). He did a great job of placing them and I actually had a lot of folks tell me what great signs they were and easy to see. Today, Champs went to the store for some bags and came back absolutely fuming. Someone had taken down our signs, turned them around and written an advertisement for THEIR sale on the back of OUR sign! Oh, he was P.O.'d!! Of course he took it down. Later, he went back to put our sign back up. On the way home, he found that they had torn down our signs on another corner. That did it; he went to confront them. They tried excuses, but he had them dead to rights and they knew it. Lesson here: Pay for your own posterboard. If you're going to earn a few hundred on a sale, you can spend a few dollars to make your own freakin' signs!
All in all it was a great sale. We learned our lessons, made some money, got our garage back and Champs is happy that he'll never have to move all that stuff again. We also met a lot of great neighbors with kids and learned about a bunch of churches in our area. I'm glad it's done, but boy are we tired!
Here are some comments from this post:
Carmi said...
Isn't it sad how people reveal their nastiness in different ways? Garage sales, for some reason, have always brought out the worst in folks.
Still, we'd do another one in a heartbeat. Because for every yokel who tries to rip you off with the "it's for my church" sob story, or who blatantly steals/defaces your signs, there's a good friend who looks after your child and supports you all the way through.
The good always manages to win out over the bad. I loved this vignette, Blond Girl.
moon said...
I can so relate to your *lessons learned...my last post was about how Rude ppl are becoming. It baffles me.
To take them out of her HAND?!
Turn your signs OVER! omg...where were these ppl raised? Makes one shake their heads and totally appreciate those humans left that know BETTER.
Loved the post.
Shane said...
i guess 2 magnets in the hand 'aint worth 2 on the table.
Star said...
You have a neighbor named Star? How cool. Glad the sale went well. Sounds like you are well settled in.
kenju said...
I have had 5-6 garage sales over the years - and it sounds as if you are already an old seasoned hand at it too. You are right about people trying to gyp you down on good stuff. I let a good leather attache case go for $2 because I misunderstood what the woman was asking about (I thought it was an old suitcase). You have to stay on top of thieves too!
Geekwif said...
Arrgh. How sad that people are so dishonest, nasty and cheap.
I gotta say I'm impressed with you though even if I'm not so much with a few of your fellow "OtherStateians". You sold $500 at a garage sale! I remember doing garage sales with my mom when I was a kid and I doubt we ever hit $100. You totally rock!
Next time you're back here can I hire you as my personal garage sale consultant/organizer? :-)
P.S. Sweet Girl's got mail coming soon. Watch your mailbox!
princssis said...
I, along with the others, cannot believe how rude people have become! We even encountered rude boy scouts at the campout we went to this weekend!!! Just makes you wonder how these people were raised! No respect.
Anyway, thanks for keeping an eye on Belle, even while you had your garage sale! Although, I was sure there would be a story here about her. And, where is she and CJ on your sidebar?????? (I just have to give you a little bit of a hard time.) :)
jsdaughter said...
I'm glad your garage sale went well. Every time I have one, I say I'll never do it again.. lol
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Good Morning Sweetgirlism
I need to leave for work in 26 minutes and I'm still in my PJ's, but I couldn't let this one pass.
This morning, Sweet Girl came to snuggle with me and Champs as she often does in the morning. It is a nice way for the family to wake up. As we were cuddled together, Champs let go a bit of a toot. "Sweet Girl!" he said. "Hey, that wasn't me!" she chirped.
"Mama!" he pointed. "Uh uh, innocent!" I protested, giggling.
"Well then, it must have been Gus", said my husband.
At this point, Sweet Girl sat up and proclaimed, "No, it wasn't the cat. Cats don't toot. When they need to do that, they go into the potty and make a fluff-up. I know they do. I know all about cats!"
And here are some comments from this post:
Geekwif said...
Too funny! So, is a fluff-up the same as a toot? I've never heard that one before.
Thumper said...
Heh.
She should come spend time with my cats. Max will not get on your lap, point his butt at your face, and cut loose. He *knows* what he's doing, and he's proud of it.
Maybe she can convince him a bathroom fluff-up is the way to go... ;)
Faith said...
Too funny. I always call a "toot" , "fluffing". As in " did somebody fluff"?
surcie said...
"Toot" and "fluff" up are much cuter terms than "farps", which is what my three-year-old son calls 'em.
This morning, Sweet Girl came to snuggle with me and Champs as she often does in the morning. It is a nice way for the family to wake up. As we were cuddled together, Champs let go a bit of a toot. "Sweet Girl!" he said. "Hey, that wasn't me!" she chirped.
"Mama!" he pointed. "Uh uh, innocent!" I protested, giggling.
"Well then, it must have been Gus", said my husband.
At this point, Sweet Girl sat up and proclaimed, "No, it wasn't the cat. Cats don't toot. When they need to do that, they go into the potty and make a fluff-up. I know they do. I know all about cats!"
And here are some comments from this post:
Geekwif said...
Too funny! So, is a fluff-up the same as a toot? I've never heard that one before.
Thumper said...
Heh.
She should come spend time with my cats. Max will not get on your lap, point his butt at your face, and cut loose. He *knows* what he's doing, and he's proud of it.
Maybe she can convince him a bathroom fluff-up is the way to go... ;)
Faith said...
Too funny. I always call a "toot" , "fluffing". As in " did somebody fluff"?
surcie said...
"Toot" and "fluff" up are much cuter terms than "farps", which is what my three-year-old son calls 'em.
Saturday, September 9, 2006
The Strength to Endure...
Yesterday, GiBee at Kisses of Sunshine related that she had visited Shalee's Diner. Shalee wrote a great post called "I Can Do All Things Through Christ". Shalee shared her month without coffee and challenged the rest of us to share how God has given us the strength to endure through... whatever ... and then to go to her blog and let everyone know we've posted. GiBee took the challenge and talked about her walk through infertility and the enlightenment she received at the end of the path.
Seemed like a good idea to me, so now I am accepting the challenge.
I have so many stories that I could share of God's mercy in helping me do "all things through Him who strengthens me". In hindsight, He got me through a painful, sometimes horrible, childhood without deep scars and with the understanding I need to forgive and, most of all, to not blame God for all that happened (just look at all the people shaking their fist at God because something devastating happened in their lives and you'll understand that this grace was a true gift to me).
I could share a lot of stories, but the one I will share tonight is how He gave me the strength to endure the longest - and possibly most misguided - wait of my life.
When I was a young child, I dreamed of becoming a wife and mother. Although I thought of careers (a journalist, medical examiner, teacher), the only skills I really pursued were cooking, cleaning, sewing and learning to run a house. I did this subconsciously for years and then, in my teens, fully acknowledged to myself that I really wanted, more than anything, to be a wife. At the age of 14, I was a Baptist and a new Christian. Our church held a missionary week event, where our pastor challenged us to get before God and find out what He wanted us to do - to discover our "calling". Now, I am sure he expected most of us to step forward to become a missionary or to serve the church in its missionary support, but I came away with something else. By the end of the week, I was convinced that God planned for me to become a pastor's wife.
No, I don't remember the particulars of that revelation.
Or how I came to the stunning conclusion.
But I knew it had to be a pastor for me.
From that time on, the only guys who I would even allow myself to become attracted to were those who were outgoing, evangelistic and who appeared that they might have "the call" upon them. I rarely dated. Part of this was because I was overweight and dumpy. However, the bigger part was because the guys were too "regular". My heart was reserved for only those guys who acknowledged a call of God on their life. The few times I let my guard down, I was pretty badly hurt and used, so that strengthened my resolve even more. I determined that I wouldn't date any man who wasn't clearly on the path, because every date that didn't lead to a commitment was just "practice for a broken heart".
From the time I was 18, I prayed constantly (ok, I probably whined more than I prayed) that God would bring me my pastor, already. Then something interesting happened. In my early 20's, I was very badly hurt by two pastors at my (independent charismatic, not Baptist) church. The rejection was cunning, complete and devastating. Not so much that I still didn't believe I was to be a pastor's wife, but enough that I no longer felt worthy to be anyone's treasured and respected wife. I was convinced that the man I married would be unfaithful, hurtful and a horrible husband, regardless of his life's calling. Not because he would be so horrible, but because I deserved so little.
But the desire to be married - and a pastor's wife - stayed with me. Kinda like an alcoholic's need for that next drink, I think.
In the aftermath of the season I'd been through, I attended a missionary college. Not to go be a missionary and not to find a husband, but just to refocus on God. While there, I met a guy who clearly had the pastor's call on his life - as well as the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen. I fell hard. He wasn't the one, though, and gave me a lot of flack once he realized how I felt. Even though he so clearly didn't want me, it took me four years to get over him - I was convinced that he was "my pastor" and that God only needed to open his eyes and we'd finally walk down the aisle. Once I got over him, I spent the next couple of years wanting to be married, but fearing most guys and being the "bodyguard" for all my cute friends when we went out.
Finally, I had enough. At the age of 32, I laid it all down. Actually, I threw it down. I might have even been a bit rebellious about it - but I don't think so. I just decided that I could no longer stick to something that I thought I had heard 18 years earlier. I figured that either:
1. I had been right all along and God would bring the pastor in His own time whether I fretted about it or not.
or
2. I was wrong all along and God was just waiting for me to get over my bad self and let Him do His thing.
Guess which one it was?
Yeup. Number two.
Still convinced that I didn't really deserve a good man or a good marriage and deciding that a sheltered heart is just as bad as a broken one, I decided to quit having an agenda and a list of criteria and just have some fun. I spruced up. I went on-line and talked to people. I joined a bulletin board discussion from my local newspaper and went to meet groups of people to discuss beer.
I dated.
Without evaluating the gentleman's "calling".
I even went out with a divorced guy, one or two non-Christians and a bee keeper from Fargo named Arthur (yes, he was a geek). None of them were planning to be pastors. I didn't plan to marry any of them and I did not evaluate their life's work in the course of one evening.
And you know what I found out? Going out on a date - a single night out with a nice man - is a great way to find out that perhaps you are not so unworthy, so ugly and so awful as you thought. For the first time in years, I felt free, pretty and even a bit vivacious. I've always been outgoing, but this was the first time I ever felt that I could just be myself around the opposite sex.
In short, I dropped it all at God's feet and went for a walk.
And one month later, literally, I met Champs.
No, he is NOT a pastor - and he never will be, thank God. But he has a kinder and more unselfish heart than ANY pastor I have ever met. He is quiet where I am loud. He is sweet and strong and faithful. He treats me like a queen and would never betray me as I have seen so many other spouses do. And he has blown to smithereens my old fear that I was doomed to have as abusive a marriage as my parents and as bad as some of the others I had witnessed.
Looking back, I realize that I would have made a horrible wife when I was younger; I had to get past the pain of betrayal and the fear of commitment. So, did God help me endure? You bet He did. And He waited for me to lay down my agenda and let Him get on with His. If I hadn't let go of my own plans and misguided interpretation of His will, I really think that God would not have brought Champs to me when He did, simply because I wouldn't have looked at him and seen what I see now. I would have discounted him, which would have been my own tragedy.
In the long run, I am a better wife for the wait... And I am stronger, too.
So, yes, I can do all things through God who strengthens me... Even lay aside my own misguided tenacity.
(P.S. The reward for waiting? Well, in addition to my wonderful husband, there is also our little 6 year-old pixie, Sweet Girl. That smile of hers is reward enough!)
Here are some comments from this post:
srp said...
What an inspiring post. My brother sang a song in church about Moses. Moses thought he couldn't lead, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything God asked. God told him to take his staff and throw it on the ground. When he did God changed it into a serpent. Moses realized that with God's power behind him, he could do anything. We have to do the same thing.
I believe the last stanza of the song goes something like this:
What do you hold in your hand today?
To what or to whom are you bound?
God waits to show you the way.
Give it up.
Let it go.
Throw it down.
Brony said...
What a wonderful story of growth and discovery.
It is funny, I don't normally write about God or religion, but tonight I to found myself talking about the way God works.
I've never really thought of myself as religious, more spiritual, but the more I listen to myself the more I hear myself say words like blessings or blessed or God has or God did or God is... I think part of it was that I had to stop blaming God and start accepted who I am. See that my illnesses are not a burden, but a gift.
Geekwif said...
Ah, yes, I remember the beekeeper from Fargo. Now there's something to be endured! :)
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
Jeana said...
Wow, you had me completely absorbed. Thanks for writing about this. Excellent, excellent point. "I was wrong."
Shalee said...
I am shaking my head with a slight smile only because I relate so well with coming to God with my agenda. Too often do I present things to God with my strings attached, not really giving God the "authority" to be sovereign over all (including me). You totally nailed it with, "In short, I dropped it all at God's feet and went for a walk." I bet you had the most refreshing, eye-opening, wonderful walk all your life. I'm thrilled that you opened your heart to God's will, saw your worth and let Him mold you into the woman you are today. The added bonus of a precious daughter is like the honey from the honeycomb!
Thank you for sharing one of your stories of when God gave you the strength to endure.
Susan said...
Oh my Gosh....you have no idea (wait, I bet you do) how much this touched me. At the end of your post, it was like DUH, give it to God.
I wish I was there to hug you and tell you thank you for sharing this. I felt like you wrote this just for me! ((((HUGS))))
Seemed like a good idea to me, so now I am accepting the challenge.
I have so many stories that I could share of God's mercy in helping me do "all things through Him who strengthens me". In hindsight, He got me through a painful, sometimes horrible, childhood without deep scars and with the understanding I need to forgive and, most of all, to not blame God for all that happened (just look at all the people shaking their fist at God because something devastating happened in their lives and you'll understand that this grace was a true gift to me).
I could share a lot of stories, but the one I will share tonight is how He gave me the strength to endure the longest - and possibly most misguided - wait of my life.
When I was a young child, I dreamed of becoming a wife and mother. Although I thought of careers (a journalist, medical examiner, teacher), the only skills I really pursued were cooking, cleaning, sewing and learning to run a house. I did this subconsciously for years and then, in my teens, fully acknowledged to myself that I really wanted, more than anything, to be a wife. At the age of 14, I was a Baptist and a new Christian. Our church held a missionary week event, where our pastor challenged us to get before God and find out what He wanted us to do - to discover our "calling". Now, I am sure he expected most of us to step forward to become a missionary or to serve the church in its missionary support, but I came away with something else. By the end of the week, I was convinced that God planned for me to become a pastor's wife.
No, I don't remember the particulars of that revelation.
Or how I came to the stunning conclusion.
But I knew it had to be a pastor for me.
From that time on, the only guys who I would even allow myself to become attracted to were those who were outgoing, evangelistic and who appeared that they might have "the call" upon them. I rarely dated. Part of this was because I was overweight and dumpy. However, the bigger part was because the guys were too "regular". My heart was reserved for only those guys who acknowledged a call of God on their life. The few times I let my guard down, I was pretty badly hurt and used, so that strengthened my resolve even more. I determined that I wouldn't date any man who wasn't clearly on the path, because every date that didn't lead to a commitment was just "practice for a broken heart".
From the time I was 18, I prayed constantly (ok, I probably whined more than I prayed) that God would bring me my pastor, already. Then something interesting happened. In my early 20's, I was very badly hurt by two pastors at my (independent charismatic, not Baptist) church. The rejection was cunning, complete and devastating. Not so much that I still didn't believe I was to be a pastor's wife, but enough that I no longer felt worthy to be anyone's treasured and respected wife. I was convinced that the man I married would be unfaithful, hurtful and a horrible husband, regardless of his life's calling. Not because he would be so horrible, but because I deserved so little.
But the desire to be married - and a pastor's wife - stayed with me. Kinda like an alcoholic's need for that next drink, I think.
In the aftermath of the season I'd been through, I attended a missionary college. Not to go be a missionary and not to find a husband, but just to refocus on God. While there, I met a guy who clearly had the pastor's call on his life - as well as the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen. I fell hard. He wasn't the one, though, and gave me a lot of flack once he realized how I felt. Even though he so clearly didn't want me, it took me four years to get over him - I was convinced that he was "my pastor" and that God only needed to open his eyes and we'd finally walk down the aisle. Once I got over him, I spent the next couple of years wanting to be married, but fearing most guys and being the "bodyguard" for all my cute friends when we went out.
Finally, I had enough. At the age of 32, I laid it all down. Actually, I threw it down. I might have even been a bit rebellious about it - but I don't think so. I just decided that I could no longer stick to something that I thought I had heard 18 years earlier. I figured that either:
1. I had been right all along and God would bring the pastor in His own time whether I fretted about it or not.
or
2. I was wrong all along and God was just waiting for me to get over my bad self and let Him do His thing.
Guess which one it was?
Yeup. Number two.
Still convinced that I didn't really deserve a good man or a good marriage and deciding that a sheltered heart is just as bad as a broken one, I decided to quit having an agenda and a list of criteria and just have some fun. I spruced up. I went on-line and talked to people. I joined a bulletin board discussion from my local newspaper and went to meet groups of people to discuss beer.
I dated.
Without evaluating the gentleman's "calling".
I even went out with a divorced guy, one or two non-Christians and a bee keeper from Fargo named Arthur (yes, he was a geek). None of them were planning to be pastors. I didn't plan to marry any of them and I did not evaluate their life's work in the course of one evening.
And you know what I found out? Going out on a date - a single night out with a nice man - is a great way to find out that perhaps you are not so unworthy, so ugly and so awful as you thought. For the first time in years, I felt free, pretty and even a bit vivacious. I've always been outgoing, but this was the first time I ever felt that I could just be myself around the opposite sex.
In short, I dropped it all at God's feet and went for a walk.
And one month later, literally, I met Champs.
No, he is NOT a pastor - and he never will be, thank God. But he has a kinder and more unselfish heart than ANY pastor I have ever met. He is quiet where I am loud. He is sweet and strong and faithful. He treats me like a queen and would never betray me as I have seen so many other spouses do. And he has blown to smithereens my old fear that I was doomed to have as abusive a marriage as my parents and as bad as some of the others I had witnessed.
Looking back, I realize that I would have made a horrible wife when I was younger; I had to get past the pain of betrayal and the fear of commitment. So, did God help me endure? You bet He did. And He waited for me to lay down my agenda and let Him get on with His. If I hadn't let go of my own plans and misguided interpretation of His will, I really think that God would not have brought Champs to me when He did, simply because I wouldn't have looked at him and seen what I see now. I would have discounted him, which would have been my own tragedy.
In the long run, I am a better wife for the wait... And I am stronger, too.
So, yes, I can do all things through God who strengthens me... Even lay aside my own misguided tenacity.
(P.S. The reward for waiting? Well, in addition to my wonderful husband, there is also our little 6 year-old pixie, Sweet Girl. That smile of hers is reward enough!)
Here are some comments from this post:
srp said...
What an inspiring post. My brother sang a song in church about Moses. Moses thought he couldn't lead, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything God asked. God told him to take his staff and throw it on the ground. When he did God changed it into a serpent. Moses realized that with God's power behind him, he could do anything. We have to do the same thing.
I believe the last stanza of the song goes something like this:
What do you hold in your hand today?
To what or to whom are you bound?
God waits to show you the way.
Give it up.
Let it go.
Throw it down.
Brony said...
What a wonderful story of growth and discovery.
It is funny, I don't normally write about God or religion, but tonight I to found myself talking about the way God works.
I've never really thought of myself as religious, more spiritual, but the more I listen to myself the more I hear myself say words like blessings or blessed or God has or God did or God is... I think part of it was that I had to stop blaming God and start accepted who I am. See that my illnesses are not a burden, but a gift.
Geekwif said...
Ah, yes, I remember the beekeeper from Fargo. Now there's something to be endured! :)
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
Jeana said...
Wow, you had me completely absorbed. Thanks for writing about this. Excellent, excellent point. "I was wrong."
Shalee said...
I am shaking my head with a slight smile only because I relate so well with coming to God with my agenda. Too often do I present things to God with my strings attached, not really giving God the "authority" to be sovereign over all (including me). You totally nailed it with, "In short, I dropped it all at God's feet and went for a walk." I bet you had the most refreshing, eye-opening, wonderful walk all your life. I'm thrilled that you opened your heart to God's will, saw your worth and let Him mold you into the woman you are today. The added bonus of a precious daughter is like the honey from the honeycomb!
Thank you for sharing one of your stories of when God gave you the strength to endure.
Susan said...
Oh my Gosh....you have no idea (wait, I bet you do) how much this touched me. At the end of your post, it was like DUH, give it to God.
I wish I was there to hug you and tell you thank you for sharing this. I felt like you wrote this just for me! ((((HUGS))))
Thursday, September 7, 2006
13 Things I Love About Champaign
Welcome to T13Two. Last week, I wrote my inagural T13 and listed 13 things that I missed about Minneapolis. I got so many comments from people who thought that I sounded sad. I didn't mean to sound sad; just to acknowledge that my life has changed. However, I want to point out that we are happy to be here in Illinois. There are some fun things about this state and our new city. I hope this seems more upbeat to all of you. My entries may be a bit longer this time and I apologize, but I wanted everything to be well explained. Therefore, I give you (in no particular order):
Thirteen Things I Love About Illinois:
1. Having Champs' family nearby. I love it. They've really made us a part of their lives. Champs' brothers call a couple of times a week to see how we're doing and Champs' sister, Princsiss, has been by a number of times to help and to visit. In contrast, my two brothers have not called or emailed or responded to any of my e-mails at all. I guess they really miss me, huh?
2. Having Grandma Dee and Grandma Nee nearby. Don't get me wrong; I miss my mom horribly and we'll get Grandma Bee out here hopefully by spring and then I'll have them all. In the meantime, though, these two ladies are so happy to finally have their son back in town and to have their Sweet Girl within drop-in distance. They've both already taken Sweet Girl for visits, trips, etc. I love it, and so do Champs and Sweet Girl!
3. Our new home. Although I miss my home in Minneapolis (not the rental hell we were in before we moved, but our real home), this is the nicest place you could ever expect to rent! We have three bedrooms, a kitchen with a brand new floor and refridgerator as well as a family room with a fireplace. There is a lot of space and the layout is very family friendly. Not to mention that this place rents for 200-400 less per month than it would be in Minneapolis!
4. Sweet Girl's school. When we first arrived here, she was assigned the only seat in the district at a school in a "shifty" part of town. I really didn't want her to attend that school. Well, when we ended up here, instead of the "Croach House", I applied to have her transferred to the school two blocks away. She got it! Although we want to eventually send her to a private school, right now all we can afford is public school and we're very happy that this is where she'll be.
5. Sonic! Wow. We sure didn't have Sonic in Minneapolis, and I didn't know what I was missing. The burgers are pretty normal; the sides are the same as any other fast food place. However, the drinks are crazy! My favorite is the Diet Cherry Limeade. It's all lo-cal and made with real limes and marachino cherries. YUMMY!
6. The people at my new job. Yeah, the pay stinks, but the people are great and I'm enjoying getting to know them. See, here's the thing; I worked for The Big Company in Minneapolis. Now I work as an employee of an advisor for that company. So, I know the products and lots of the processes. I know the correspondence standards and lots of tricks that they've never even seen. They are really glad to have me as an employee (I'm known as "the Home Office Gal"), but they can't begin to pay me near what I was earning as a corporate employee. Eventually I'll have to do something about this, but for now, it's allowing me to be home with Sweet Girl in the afternoons and to finally focus some of my time on the family. It's the first time since Sweet Girl was born that I've ever worked part-time!
7. Sweet Girl's new friend, Comet! (If you think about it, you'll guess her name pretty easily :-) Sweet Girl has been pining to have a friend in her neighborhood; something she has never had before. She'll never forget her best friend, Snow White, back in Minneapolis, but she wanted a friend right nearby, as well. There is a little first grade girl just down the street. She's the cutest little pixie. The girls would spend hours each day together if we let them. As it is, they do spend a lot of time together and I love having Comet show up at my door asking if Sweet Girl can come out to play. Shouldn't every child have that? Oh, and Comet has the cutest baby sister. I'll call her "Twinkle" - because she does!
8. My new friend, Star - Comet's mom, of course! Star is a stay-at-home mom who works a few evenings a week at the local library. When Comet saw Sweet Girl and told her mom that there was a new little girl in the area, Star made it a point to find me and introduce herself. Turns out we have a lot in common; we love crafts, our kids, books, and... talking! We trade off taking the girls and we both love having another mom who we can trust nearby. I take the girls to school in the morning on my way to work, and Star meets them after school. Star is exactly the right name for her; she shines and just makes you have to look!
9. Our neighborhood. This area is so calm and clean and the people are wonderful. We've met bunches of our neighbors. There is a park nearby and the homes are well-kept. It's just a very nice place to live.
10. Our "friends by association". We have had many people who know Grandma Nee Nee come and help us, or call us to see how we're doing. They've been amazing!
11. E-mail and high-speed internet! It keeps my Minnesota friends nearby. I've been so busy settling that I haven't written many emails yet, but Geekwif and I are in touch and I know I will be with others soon. I promise! (oh, and along with that high-speed internet comes cable TV. I love Alton Brown and "Good Eats"!)
12. My laundry room. OK, it's not a laundry room, it is a laundry closet with doors. However, it is in my kitchen and it makes doing the laundry so much easier! Here in IL, it is very very common to have only a slab or crawlspace foundation. There are very few basements here, which means that the laundry is always on the first level. Since we're in a rambler, that puts it in my kitchen and makes it very easy for me to keep up with the laundry. I used to do the laundry every weekend, but now I throw it in every couple of days. It's lovely!
13. Being able to get anywhere in town within 15 minutes. Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs are HUGE. That means that you can easily travel 45 minutes away for "normal" activities. If there is traffic (and there almost always is!), even a short commute can take a lot of time. That doesn't seem to be a problem here. The population of Champaign is only 39,500 and the three main cities together (Champaign, Urbana and Savoy) are probably only 15 miles square. It is simple and quick to get anywhere. There is heavier traffic during "rush hour", but it is nothing like it was in Minneapolis. I may miss the city and I may miss all the shopping options, but I don't miss the commute!
Here are some comments from this post:
N. Mallory said...
Moving long distances is always so hard. It's good that you already have things you love about your new home! I definitely empathize.
Geekwif said...
Ahhhh. Much better. I was beginning to worry about you a bit. Now I feel like you're settling in. I miss you and would love to see you come running back to MN, but since I know that's not going to happen I just want you to be happy where you are.
Tracie said...
Sounds like you are adjusting well and have lots of good things happening. Especially you and Sweet Girl already having made some friends.
Gotta love Sonic!....have you tried the strawberry limeade yet? It's even better than the cherry one!
Carol said...
Oh yes. Sonic rocks! We have one every few blocks here in Texas. We be a thirsty bunch, I guess.
Barbara H. said...
It is so hard to leave one place and get adjusted to another -- but there are things to love about each place. Glad you're finding some!
Southern Girl said...
Sonic rocks!! I'm having to stay away from it these days, but sometimes their onion rings just call to me. ;)
princssis said...
Great list! Makes me feel a little better about your move here. I'm so glad you've found Comet, Twinkle, and Star!
Now, I do have to correct you on something. According to the 'net, Champaign is not as small as you think. It's population for 2005 was about 71,500! Now, Urbana, was more like 38,500 and Savoy, 4,800. So, since they all run together, it like a population of 114,800!
Also, Champaign is 17 square miles with Urbana at 10.5 and Savoy at 1.5. All together, that's 29 square miles, nearly twice as big as you thought. So, Champaign is small, but not that small. (wink)
Courtney said...
Whoa, I was just searching TT's and see that you're in C-U! I live in Montana now, but I grew up in Chambana! Have you had a monical's pizza or Jimmy John's sub yet? I miss those!
Great list, by the way
Thirteen Things I Love About Illinois:
1. Having Champs' family nearby. I love it. They've really made us a part of their lives. Champs' brothers call a couple of times a week to see how we're doing and Champs' sister, Princsiss, has been by a number of times to help and to visit. In contrast, my two brothers have not called or emailed or responded to any of my e-mails at all. I guess they really miss me, huh?
2. Having Grandma Dee and Grandma Nee nearby. Don't get me wrong; I miss my mom horribly and we'll get Grandma Bee out here hopefully by spring and then I'll have them all. In the meantime, though, these two ladies are so happy to finally have their son back in town and to have their Sweet Girl within drop-in distance. They've both already taken Sweet Girl for visits, trips, etc. I love it, and so do Champs and Sweet Girl!
3. Our new home. Although I miss my home in Minneapolis (not the rental hell we were in before we moved, but our real home), this is the nicest place you could ever expect to rent! We have three bedrooms, a kitchen with a brand new floor and refridgerator as well as a family room with a fireplace. There is a lot of space and the layout is very family friendly. Not to mention that this place rents for 200-400 less per month than it would be in Minneapolis!
4. Sweet Girl's school. When we first arrived here, she was assigned the only seat in the district at a school in a "shifty" part of town. I really didn't want her to attend that school. Well, when we ended up here, instead of the "Croach House", I applied to have her transferred to the school two blocks away. She got it! Although we want to eventually send her to a private school, right now all we can afford is public school and we're very happy that this is where she'll be.
5. Sonic! Wow. We sure didn't have Sonic in Minneapolis, and I didn't know what I was missing. The burgers are pretty normal; the sides are the same as any other fast food place. However, the drinks are crazy! My favorite is the Diet Cherry Limeade. It's all lo-cal and made with real limes and marachino cherries. YUMMY!
6. The people at my new job. Yeah, the pay stinks, but the people are great and I'm enjoying getting to know them. See, here's the thing; I worked for The Big Company in Minneapolis. Now I work as an employee of an advisor for that company. So, I know the products and lots of the processes. I know the correspondence standards and lots of tricks that they've never even seen. They are really glad to have me as an employee (I'm known as "the Home Office Gal"), but they can't begin to pay me near what I was earning as a corporate employee. Eventually I'll have to do something about this, but for now, it's allowing me to be home with Sweet Girl in the afternoons and to finally focus some of my time on the family. It's the first time since Sweet Girl was born that I've ever worked part-time!
7. Sweet Girl's new friend, Comet! (If you think about it, you'll guess her name pretty easily :-) Sweet Girl has been pining to have a friend in her neighborhood; something she has never had before. She'll never forget her best friend, Snow White, back in Minneapolis, but she wanted a friend right nearby, as well. There is a little first grade girl just down the street. She's the cutest little pixie. The girls would spend hours each day together if we let them. As it is, they do spend a lot of time together and I love having Comet show up at my door asking if Sweet Girl can come out to play. Shouldn't every child have that? Oh, and Comet has the cutest baby sister. I'll call her "Twinkle" - because she does!
8. My new friend, Star - Comet's mom, of course! Star is a stay-at-home mom who works a few evenings a week at the local library. When Comet saw Sweet Girl and told her mom that there was a new little girl in the area, Star made it a point to find me and introduce herself. Turns out we have a lot in common; we love crafts, our kids, books, and... talking! We trade off taking the girls and we both love having another mom who we can trust nearby. I take the girls to school in the morning on my way to work, and Star meets them after school. Star is exactly the right name for her; she shines and just makes you have to look!
9. Our neighborhood. This area is so calm and clean and the people are wonderful. We've met bunches of our neighbors. There is a park nearby and the homes are well-kept. It's just a very nice place to live.
10. Our "friends by association". We have had many people who know Grandma Nee Nee come and help us, or call us to see how we're doing. They've been amazing!
11. E-mail and high-speed internet! It keeps my Minnesota friends nearby. I've been so busy settling that I haven't written many emails yet, but Geekwif and I are in touch and I know I will be with others soon. I promise! (oh, and along with that high-speed internet comes cable TV. I love Alton Brown and "Good Eats"!)
12. My laundry room. OK, it's not a laundry room, it is a laundry closet with doors. However, it is in my kitchen and it makes doing the laundry so much easier! Here in IL, it is very very common to have only a slab or crawlspace foundation. There are very few basements here, which means that the laundry is always on the first level. Since we're in a rambler, that puts it in my kitchen and makes it very easy for me to keep up with the laundry. I used to do the laundry every weekend, but now I throw it in every couple of days. It's lovely!
13. Being able to get anywhere in town within 15 minutes. Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs are HUGE. That means that you can easily travel 45 minutes away for "normal" activities. If there is traffic (and there almost always is!), even a short commute can take a lot of time. That doesn't seem to be a problem here. The population of Champaign is only 39,500 and the three main cities together (Champaign, Urbana and Savoy) are probably only 15 miles square. It is simple and quick to get anywhere. There is heavier traffic during "rush hour", but it is nothing like it was in Minneapolis. I may miss the city and I may miss all the shopping options, but I don't miss the commute!
Here are some comments from this post:
N. Mallory said...
Moving long distances is always so hard. It's good that you already have things you love about your new home! I definitely empathize.
Geekwif said...
Ahhhh. Much better. I was beginning to worry about you a bit. Now I feel like you're settling in. I miss you and would love to see you come running back to MN, but since I know that's not going to happen I just want you to be happy where you are.
Tracie said...
Sounds like you are adjusting well and have lots of good things happening. Especially you and Sweet Girl already having made some friends.
Gotta love Sonic!....have you tried the strawberry limeade yet? It's even better than the cherry one!
Carol said...
Oh yes. Sonic rocks! We have one every few blocks here in Texas. We be a thirsty bunch, I guess.
Barbara H. said...
It is so hard to leave one place and get adjusted to another -- but there are things to love about each place. Glad you're finding some!
Southern Girl said...
Sonic rocks!! I'm having to stay away from it these days, but sometimes their onion rings just call to me. ;)
princssis said...
Great list! Makes me feel a little better about your move here. I'm so glad you've found Comet, Twinkle, and Star!
Now, I do have to correct you on something. According to the 'net, Champaign is not as small as you think. It's population for 2005 was about 71,500! Now, Urbana, was more like 38,500 and Savoy, 4,800. So, since they all run together, it like a population of 114,800!
Also, Champaign is 17 square miles with Urbana at 10.5 and Savoy at 1.5. All together, that's 29 square miles, nearly twice as big as you thought. So, Champaign is small, but not that small. (wink)
Courtney said...
Whoa, I was just searching TT's and see that you're in C-U! I live in Montana now, but I grew up in Chambana! Have you had a monical's pizza or Jimmy John's sub yet? I miss those!
Great list, by the way
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Blond Girl Update 8.4
I hope you all had a nice Labor Day weekend. It is past time for a Blond Girl update. I'll try to keep it quick, but it's been 4 weeks since my last update and I have a few pieces of major news. To avoid "favoritism", I'll give them to you in chronological order:
1. On August 12, I answered an ad, went for a visit and came back to Mom's house with... a cute little orange tabby kitten named Jack! We have known for awhile now that our cat, Gus, really needs a friend. The fact that he literally jumps up walls may have contributed to our decision. Champs is happy with us having another cat, but didn't want to deal with a kitten, Gus, and Sweet Girl's school schedule, so Jack is staying here with me until I go home for good in November. Until then, he's a little stowaway here at Mom's apartment. Mom's dog, Lucy, and Jack get along pretty well now, but you can be sure there were a few fireworks when the animals first met! Jack looks a lot like Gus, but with a white belly and legs, and with little mustache lines on his nose. He's pretty darn cute!
2. On August 17, Sweet Girl and I flew home to Illinois. I enjoyed a very busy weekend at home, getting our wardrobes switched from summer to winter and enjoying some time with Champs. We tried out a new restaurant, The Flat Top Grill. It was really nice – and a bit pricey. Like all good weekends, it ended too soon and I had to head home on Monday the 20th. The day was much like my mood – bleak and rainy! Even so, I got back to Minnesota safely and Sweet Girl got back into Illinois life with daycare and her friends. She started second grade on Friday the 23 rd – a date that seems early and foreign to most Minnesotans who are used to school starting after Labor Day. So far school seems to be going well for our little second grader. When I get home, I'm looking forward to setting up a desk area by my work desk so that she can do her homework after school while I finish up work.
3. I had a four-day weekend this last week; Friday was off for our entire class and then Monday, of course, was the Labor Day holiday. I really wanted to go home, but Champs and I decided that it would be better for me to stay in Minnesota and not spend 20 hours driving over the weekend and more than a hundred dollars on gas. As it turns out, I may as well have gone home. On Friday morning I had a two hour dental appointment during which I got a cavity filled and had a temporary crown put in. I'll get the permanent crown in two more weeks. On Saturday morning I went to go have breakfast with Geekwif and our friend Curly Girl (who was in town for the weekend). On the way there, I was tooling down the highway and suddenly realized I'd missed my exit. I was pretty much alone on the highway with no other traffic nearby to match and had my mind on other things and, you guessed it... I flew right past a state trooper. He hit his lights and I pulled over, gave him my license and registration, explained why and for how long I am in town and waited for the ticket - or, hopefully - warning to come. I knew I wasn't going that much over the speed limit.
Well, I waited and waited and it took more than 10 minutes. Just when I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to come back, a tow truck pulled up in front of my car and backed up, boxing me in! I was in shock! I knew that I hadn't done anything to deserve an arrest or tow, but I had no idea what was going on. The trooper finally came over my car and asked me when I had moved to Illinois. I explained that I moved on August 13, 2006. "Well", he asked me, "are you aware that your MN driver's license has been canceled?" I just looked at him, bewildered. "Well, yes, sir" I explained, "I had to surrender it in Illinois when I got my license there." He then told me to get in the back of the patrol car (on the traffic side, I might add; he had his uniforms hanging up on the safe side) and showed me on the computer that my license had been canceled on October 30 because I didn't have a physician's statement on record for my diabetes. I explained to him that I had received the form to complete, but since it was due after my move date, I simply informed IL DOT of my diabetes and they said they would communicate with MN DOT. I went on to explain that my license was canceled after we moved and after I had gotten an IL license and that neither Minnesota nor Illinois had informed me that I had any requirement to complete in Minnesota. Unfortunately, the officer was unmoved by my plight and obvious distress over the situation. He wrote me a $175.00 ticket for driving with a canceled license (never mind the fact that I am legal to drive in the other 49 states) and had my car towed away. I had to pay $158.32 to pay for the tow, Geekwif and Curly Girl had to come to my rescue and drive my car back to Mom's for me, and to add insult to injury, instead of the nice cafe where we’d planned to meet for breakfast, we had to eat at Denny's. Yuck!
I spent both breaks and my lunch hour yesterday working on having my driving privileges reinstated so that I can drive again and then have the proof of the administrative error that I will need to fight the citation down at city hall. I had to write a letter explaining that I am no longer a MN resident and I wasn't at the time my license was canceled. After that, I called the citation office to request a hearing. I asked the citation clerk today if, once the city dropped the citation, they would reimburse me for the tow. He explained that I will have to figure out which state is at fault, get written proof of the error, take the offending state to small claims court to sue them and then pay the court costs. In other words, NO. So now, I can't drive and I have no extra spending money because I had to pay off the Guido who towed my car. Needless to say, I was completely blindsided by all of this. Thank God for Champs and his calmness; his understanding of the situation made it so much easier to handle! Like I said earlier, I wish I had gone home for the weekend. I could have helped my sister-in-law, Princsiss and her family move into their new home and I wouldn't have added to the state trooper's fund raising efforts!
4. Saturday wasn't completely awful, though. Later in the day, a wonderful thing occurred: I became a great-aunt. My niece, Ami (who lives in Phoenix), gave birth to an 8 lb, 1 oz baby boy named Adam Michael. He was 20 1/2 inches long and is a big baby. He's just a cutie pie with long fingers, big cheeks and lots of dark hair. My mom is flying out to Phoenix tomorrow to stay with my sister and help Ami get used to mommihood. She'll be there until Mid-October and I will have her place to myself and the cat. My brother Pat will be watching Lucy. I wish I could go with Mom to Phoenix for a couple of days to meet him, but I'm sure she'll come home with photos and stories galore.
5. Labor Day was very nice; I went to a thrift store sale and got a lot of great deals for next to nothing - a good thing considering the money I had to pay the towing company to get the zoom-zoom care out of hock. Later in the day, Mom and I went to my brother Pat's house for a barbecue cookout. It was nice to spend time with all of my family - except my niece Caitlin, who had just moved out to the University of Minnesota campus and was getting settled in.
6. One last piece of news and then I'll wrap this up. Although Mom will be out of the state for the next 5 weeks, she is also moving out of her second floor, one bedroom apartment into a first floor, two bedroom apartment. Since she can't be in two places at one time, my brother's will move her stuff and I will be getting her settled. She's got it good... she's moving, but doesn't have to move! Watch for more of an update on this later.
Well, that's about all the news I have for now. Other than missing Champs and Sweet Girl like crazy and still trying to learn all the intricacies of my job, I'm just living life. Feel free to drop me a hello note if you want. By my best calculations, I expect that my training will take around 25 - 31 weeks. I'm not even halfway there yet, and I am already beyond homesick. Any news or happy thoughts are always welcome!
So for now, Blond Girl signing off... Hugs to you all!
1. On August 12, I answered an ad, went for a visit and came back to Mom's house with... a cute little orange tabby kitten named Jack! We have known for awhile now that our cat, Gus, really needs a friend. The fact that he literally jumps up walls may have contributed to our decision. Champs is happy with us having another cat, but didn't want to deal with a kitten, Gus, and Sweet Girl's school schedule, so Jack is staying here with me until I go home for good in November. Until then, he's a little stowaway here at Mom's apartment. Mom's dog, Lucy, and Jack get along pretty well now, but you can be sure there were a few fireworks when the animals first met! Jack looks a lot like Gus, but with a white belly and legs, and with little mustache lines on his nose. He's pretty darn cute!
2. On August 17, Sweet Girl and I flew home to Illinois. I enjoyed a very busy weekend at home, getting our wardrobes switched from summer to winter and enjoying some time with Champs. We tried out a new restaurant, The Flat Top Grill. It was really nice – and a bit pricey. Like all good weekends, it ended too soon and I had to head home on Monday the 20th. The day was much like my mood – bleak and rainy! Even so, I got back to Minnesota safely and Sweet Girl got back into Illinois life with daycare and her friends. She started second grade on Friday the 23 rd – a date that seems early and foreign to most Minnesotans who are used to school starting after Labor Day. So far school seems to be going well for our little second grader. When I get home, I'm looking forward to setting up a desk area by my work desk so that she can do her homework after school while I finish up work.
3. I had a four-day weekend this last week; Friday was off for our entire class and then Monday, of course, was the Labor Day holiday. I really wanted to go home, but Champs and I decided that it would be better for me to stay in Minnesota and not spend 20 hours driving over the weekend and more than a hundred dollars on gas. As it turns out, I may as well have gone home. On Friday morning I had a two hour dental appointment during which I got a cavity filled and had a temporary crown put in. I'll get the permanent crown in two more weeks. On Saturday morning I went to go have breakfast with Geekwif and our friend Curly Girl (who was in town for the weekend). On the way there, I was tooling down the highway and suddenly realized I'd missed my exit. I was pretty much alone on the highway with no other traffic nearby to match and had my mind on other things and, you guessed it... I flew right past a state trooper. He hit his lights and I pulled over, gave him my license and registration, explained why and for how long I am in town and waited for the ticket - or, hopefully - warning to come. I knew I wasn't going that much over the speed limit.
Well, I waited and waited and it took more than 10 minutes. Just when I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to come back, a tow truck pulled up in front of my car and backed up, boxing me in! I was in shock! I knew that I hadn't done anything to deserve an arrest or tow, but I had no idea what was going on. The trooper finally came over my car and asked me when I had moved to Illinois. I explained that I moved on August 13, 2006. "Well", he asked me, "are you aware that your MN driver's license has been canceled?" I just looked at him, bewildered. "Well, yes, sir" I explained, "I had to surrender it in Illinois when I got my license there." He then told me to get in the back of the patrol car (on the traffic side, I might add; he had his uniforms hanging up on the safe side) and showed me on the computer that my license had been canceled on October 30 because I didn't have a physician's statement on record for my diabetes. I explained to him that I had received the form to complete, but since it was due after my move date, I simply informed IL DOT of my diabetes and they said they would communicate with MN DOT. I went on to explain that my license was canceled after we moved and after I had gotten an IL license and that neither Minnesota nor Illinois had informed me that I had any requirement to complete in Minnesota. Unfortunately, the officer was unmoved by my plight and obvious distress over the situation. He wrote me a $175.00 ticket for driving with a canceled license (never mind the fact that I am legal to drive in the other 49 states) and had my car towed away. I had to pay $158.32 to pay for the tow, Geekwif and Curly Girl had to come to my rescue and drive my car back to Mom's for me, and to add insult to injury, instead of the nice cafe where we’d planned to meet for breakfast, we had to eat at Denny's. Yuck!
I spent both breaks and my lunch hour yesterday working on having my driving privileges reinstated so that I can drive again and then have the proof of the administrative error that I will need to fight the citation down at city hall. I had to write a letter explaining that I am no longer a MN resident and I wasn't at the time my license was canceled. After that, I called the citation office to request a hearing. I asked the citation clerk today if, once the city dropped the citation, they would reimburse me for the tow. He explained that I will have to figure out which state is at fault, get written proof of the error, take the offending state to small claims court to sue them and then pay the court costs. In other words, NO. So now, I can't drive and I have no extra spending money because I had to pay off the Guido who towed my car. Needless to say, I was completely blindsided by all of this. Thank God for Champs and his calmness; his understanding of the situation made it so much easier to handle! Like I said earlier, I wish I had gone home for the weekend. I could have helped my sister-in-law, Princsiss and her family move into their new home and I wouldn't have added to the state trooper's fund raising efforts!
4. Saturday wasn't completely awful, though. Later in the day, a wonderful thing occurred: I became a great-aunt. My niece, Ami (who lives in Phoenix), gave birth to an 8 lb, 1 oz baby boy named Adam Michael. He was 20 1/2 inches long and is a big baby. He's just a cutie pie with long fingers, big cheeks and lots of dark hair. My mom is flying out to Phoenix tomorrow to stay with my sister and help Ami get used to mommihood. She'll be there until Mid-October and I will have her place to myself and the cat. My brother Pat will be watching Lucy. I wish I could go with Mom to Phoenix for a couple of days to meet him, but I'm sure she'll come home with photos and stories galore.
5. Labor Day was very nice; I went to a thrift store sale and got a lot of great deals for next to nothing - a good thing considering the money I had to pay the towing company to get the zoom-zoom care out of hock. Later in the day, Mom and I went to my brother Pat's house for a barbecue cookout. It was nice to spend time with all of my family - except my niece Caitlin, who had just moved out to the University of Minnesota campus and was getting settled in.
6. One last piece of news and then I'll wrap this up. Although Mom will be out of the state for the next 5 weeks, she is also moving out of her second floor, one bedroom apartment into a first floor, two bedroom apartment. Since she can't be in two places at one time, my brother's will move her stuff and I will be getting her settled. She's got it good... she's moving, but doesn't have to move! Watch for more of an update on this later.
Well, that's about all the news I have for now. Other than missing Champs and Sweet Girl like crazy and still trying to learn all the intricacies of my job, I'm just living life. Feel free to drop me a hello note if you want. By my best calculations, I expect that my training will take around 25 - 31 weeks. I'm not even halfway there yet, and I am already beyond homesick. Any news or happy thoughts are always welcome!
So for now, Blond Girl signing off... Hugs to you all!
Sunday, September 3, 2006
Appearances can be deceiving
You've heard the cliches before; "look before you leap", "don't judge a book by it's cover" and the ever popular "things aren't always what they seem". As I have always maintained, cliches are coined for a reason - generally because they are TRUE.
I have had the truth of these sage words driven home to me a number of times since we moved. Well, three times, to be exact. I think you will enjoy these little vignettes (from Dictionary.com, " A short, usually descriptive literary sketch") of my education.
1. April Freshness Can be Overrated.
At the beginning of all the unpacking, I opened a box of bottled items, stashing everything away in their appropriate spots. One of those items was a bottle of liquid acetaminophen for adults. It is called Apap Elixer and is essentially a stronger version of kid's Tylenol. It is actually cheaper than Tylenol, works faster and is better for a gastric bypass patient such as myself. I've been taking it for so long now that I no longer bother to measure. I know that two swigs is exactly the amount I need for relief of whatever.
A couple of days into settling, I stepped off our front deck and onto a large, sharp wood shard . I lightly twisted my ankle and hurt my heel where I landed on the wood. My ankle was soon better, but the pain in my heel intensified. Finally, I decided that I needed some Apap. I went to the bathroom and knocked back a quick swig. Right away, I knew something was wrong. With my mouth full, I looked down into the bottle. Instead of cherry elixir, I saw milky green liquid. And then I remembered: When I was packing my cleaning supplies, I was down to only about two cups of Downy softener, Mountain Spring scent. I didn't want to pack the large jug or throw away the Downy, so I had poured it into an empty Apap Elixir bottle.
I spit out the Downy and spent the next 15 minutes brushing my teeth, rinsing out my mouth with Diet Coke and drinking anything to take the flavor away. Downy may smell wonderful on my clothes, but let me tell you that it tasted horrible in my mouth! April Fresh, my hiney!
Later, I found a new bottle of Apap that I had packed with the other bathroom supplies. I opened it and checked it carefully before putting it in the bathroom medicine cabinet. And that's when I realized that I should have found it odd that, in a box full of laundry and cleaning supplies, I found one random bottle of medicine. Too bad it didn't occur to me when I first unpacked it....
2. The Upside Down Cicada.
According to the internet, there are something like 17 varieties of cicadas. One is a brown variety that is loud and harmless - but huge. Another is a black and white variety - also loud, harmless and huge. According to my research, these are not locusts. The 17-year cicada is actually set to emerge next summer, so while we've had a few "early ones", next June should be very loud.
One morning last week, Champs and I were taking Sweet Girl to school when I saw a black and white cicada upside down in a lawn; like it was standing on its head. I assumed it was stuck and showed it to Champs so he could rescue it (sorry, I don't touch bugs). As he nudged it out of the lawn, it gave a loud raspy buzz and then fell back, dead. Sweet Girl felt sorry for the "upside-down cicada" (I had to explain to her that "upside-down" was a position, not a bug species).
The next day, as we walked Sweet Girl to school, we again saw a bug; this time it was a classic brown cicada laying on the sidewalk on it's back. We passed it by and took the girl to school. On the way home, I stopped to nudge it. Based on its position and our experience with the previous bug, I was sure this one was dead. It was huge and interesting, though, so I thought to turn it over and investigate it. I stooped low over the big winged thing and nudged it over with my toe. As it rolled over and its wings were freed and its legs hit the pavement, it let out a huge rasping buzz and took to the sky, flying up to a tree. I let out the most blood curdling scream and danced in place, crying out "Oooo, that one was ALIVE!". Champs, in direct contridiction to his marital vow to protect me, stood laughing until tears ran down his cheeks as I danced and shook on the sidewalk. From now on, I will not nudge upside down bugs, regardless of how dead they may appear to be!
3. Sweet Girl's Bad Dream.
One day last week as Sweet Girl was getting ready for school, I was brushing her hair and she gazed up at me in the bathroom mirror. "Mom", she said gravely, "I had a bad dream last night." I crooned sympathetically and asked her what she had dreamt about.
"Well", said she very seriously, "there was this monster crap and it was scaring everyone. Everyone was screaming to get away." I held my breath for a moment to suppress my giggles and then said, "well, yes, honey, I am sure that was very scary. However, you know we don't say that word. You should say a monster poop".
Sweet Girl wrinkled up her nose, turned to look right up at me and said, "no, Mom... A monster CRAB."
"Oh, well", I weakly replied. "Yes, I can see how that would have been much scarier".
Yes, my friends, things are not always as they seem... so keep your eyes and ears open, your shoes on and your medicine cabinet properly stocked.
This is one of my favorite posts and generated a LOT of comments:
Prego said...
Reminds me of when my sister (true story) mistook Krazy Glue for her eye drops. Haw. Haw.
Later. I have to go take a monster crap. Oh.. excuse me. monster poop.
here via michele today. nice to see you again.
jsdaughter said...
I'm laughing so hard I'm having a hard time typing this comment! Thanks for sharing. I too am in Illini Heaven.. Small world :) Here via Michele..
Azgreeneyes said...
I'm sitting here lmao! Thanks for the late night grins! Here via Michele's...
Carmi said...
You are a wise Mom indeed. That's sage advice...I'll never look at the Downy in the same way again.
Thanks for popping by my blog. I'l so glad you're settling in and things are going well.
Geekwif said...
Yes, you are indeed the master. I bow....
#1 - Eeewwww!
#2 - Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwww!!!!!
#3 - HA! There's a big monster poo chasing me! I've had some scary dreams in my life, but that's...well...that's just...well...I don't know what it is, but it made me laugh pretty darn hard!
Thumper said...
Oh man, my tummy was already a touch off before I read this...now, with the smell of Downy still in the air from my son's doing of his laundry, I'm really queasy... :)
kenju said...
I sure hope you had no long lasting effects from the Downy. I once read that you should NEVER pour anything that isn't edible in to a bottle that holds something edible. Good case in point!
Thanks for the visit, BG, it's been a long time.
vanx said...
Check, check, and double check.~,:^)
C said...
Monster poop would be much scarier.
MissMeliss said...
Don't feel bad about swigging Downey....I once accidentally brushed my teeth with Ben Gay.
Tracie said...
I will never look at Downy the same way again! I bet that really was gross.
Watch out-those "upside down" bugs are really dangerous.
Monster poop! Too funny!
Tia said...
Hi BG, and thanks for stopping by my blog with "name advice" earlier! This post was hilarious!!! I can't decide if drinking Downy or being chased by monster poop would be the worst?.....
HolyMama! said...
this was a delightful post, although swigging downy sounds so bad. so bad i almost felt guilty at giggling over it - almost. :D
Suzy said...
Thanks for the Downy warning. I tend to do things like what you did...lol. And then end up swallowing before I'm even aware that I did it. THATS the scary part. Oh, and monster CRAB....too cute!
Hope all is going well with the move!
Trish said...
This was hysterical!! wow girl do you have storiesto tell. You should seriously think of becoming a writer! way tooo funny!
I have had the truth of these sage words driven home to me a number of times since we moved. Well, three times, to be exact. I think you will enjoy these little vignettes (from Dictionary.com, " A short, usually descriptive literary sketch") of my education.
1. April Freshness Can be Overrated.
At the beginning of all the unpacking, I opened a box of bottled items, stashing everything away in their appropriate spots. One of those items was a bottle of liquid acetaminophen for adults. It is called Apap Elixer and is essentially a stronger version of kid's Tylenol. It is actually cheaper than Tylenol, works faster and is better for a gastric bypass patient such as myself. I've been taking it for so long now that I no longer bother to measure. I know that two swigs is exactly the amount I need for relief of whatever.
A couple of days into settling, I stepped off our front deck and onto a large, sharp wood shard . I lightly twisted my ankle and hurt my heel where I landed on the wood. My ankle was soon better, but the pain in my heel intensified. Finally, I decided that I needed some Apap. I went to the bathroom and knocked back a quick swig. Right away, I knew something was wrong. With my mouth full, I looked down into the bottle. Instead of cherry elixir, I saw milky green liquid. And then I remembered: When I was packing my cleaning supplies, I was down to only about two cups of Downy softener, Mountain Spring scent. I didn't want to pack the large jug or throw away the Downy, so I had poured it into an empty Apap Elixir bottle.
I spit out the Downy and spent the next 15 minutes brushing my teeth, rinsing out my mouth with Diet Coke and drinking anything to take the flavor away. Downy may smell wonderful on my clothes, but let me tell you that it tasted horrible in my mouth! April Fresh, my hiney!
Later, I found a new bottle of Apap that I had packed with the other bathroom supplies. I opened it and checked it carefully before putting it in the bathroom medicine cabinet. And that's when I realized that I should have found it odd that, in a box full of laundry and cleaning supplies, I found one random bottle of medicine. Too bad it didn't occur to me when I first unpacked it....
2. The Upside Down Cicada.
According to the internet, there are something like 17 varieties of cicadas. One is a brown variety that is loud and harmless - but huge. Another is a black and white variety - also loud, harmless and huge. According to my research, these are not locusts. The 17-year cicada is actually set to emerge next summer, so while we've had a few "early ones", next June should be very loud.
One morning last week, Champs and I were taking Sweet Girl to school when I saw a black and white cicada upside down in a lawn; like it was standing on its head. I assumed it was stuck and showed it to Champs so he could rescue it (sorry, I don't touch bugs). As he nudged it out of the lawn, it gave a loud raspy buzz and then fell back, dead. Sweet Girl felt sorry for the "upside-down cicada" (I had to explain to her that "upside-down" was a position, not a bug species).
The next day, as we walked Sweet Girl to school, we again saw a bug; this time it was a classic brown cicada laying on the sidewalk on it's back. We passed it by and took the girl to school. On the way home, I stopped to nudge it. Based on its position and our experience with the previous bug, I was sure this one was dead. It was huge and interesting, though, so I thought to turn it over and investigate it. I stooped low over the big winged thing and nudged it over with my toe. As it rolled over and its wings were freed and its legs hit the pavement, it let out a huge rasping buzz and took to the sky, flying up to a tree. I let out the most blood curdling scream and danced in place, crying out "Oooo, that one was ALIVE!". Champs, in direct contridiction to his marital vow to protect me, stood laughing until tears ran down his cheeks as I danced and shook on the sidewalk. From now on, I will not nudge upside down bugs, regardless of how dead they may appear to be!
3. Sweet Girl's Bad Dream.
One day last week as Sweet Girl was getting ready for school, I was brushing her hair and she gazed up at me in the bathroom mirror. "Mom", she said gravely, "I had a bad dream last night." I crooned sympathetically and asked her what she had dreamt about.
"Well", said she very seriously, "there was this monster crap and it was scaring everyone. Everyone was screaming to get away." I held my breath for a moment to suppress my giggles and then said, "well, yes, honey, I am sure that was very scary. However, you know we don't say that word. You should say a monster poop".
Sweet Girl wrinkled up her nose, turned to look right up at me and said, "no, Mom... A monster CRAB."
"Oh, well", I weakly replied. "Yes, I can see how that would have been much scarier".
Yes, my friends, things are not always as they seem... so keep your eyes and ears open, your shoes on and your medicine cabinet properly stocked.
This is one of my favorite posts and generated a LOT of comments:
Prego said...
Reminds me of when my sister (true story) mistook Krazy Glue for her eye drops. Haw. Haw.
Later. I have to go take a monster crap. Oh.. excuse me. monster poop.
here via michele today. nice to see you again.
jsdaughter said...
I'm laughing so hard I'm having a hard time typing this comment! Thanks for sharing. I too am in Illini Heaven.. Small world :) Here via Michele..
Azgreeneyes said...
I'm sitting here lmao! Thanks for the late night grins! Here via Michele's...
Carmi said...
You are a wise Mom indeed. That's sage advice...I'll never look at the Downy in the same way again.
Thanks for popping by my blog. I'l so glad you're settling in and things are going well.
Geekwif said...
Yes, you are indeed the master. I bow....
#1 - Eeewwww!
#2 - Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwww!!!!!
#3 - HA! There's a big monster poo chasing me! I've had some scary dreams in my life, but that's...well...that's just...well...I don't know what it is, but it made me laugh pretty darn hard!
Thumper said...
Oh man, my tummy was already a touch off before I read this...now, with the smell of Downy still in the air from my son's doing of his laundry, I'm really queasy... :)
kenju said...
I sure hope you had no long lasting effects from the Downy. I once read that you should NEVER pour anything that isn't edible in to a bottle that holds something edible. Good case in point!
Thanks for the visit, BG, it's been a long time.
vanx said...
Check, check, and double check.~,:^)
C said...
Monster poop would be much scarier.
MissMeliss said...
Don't feel bad about swigging Downey....I once accidentally brushed my teeth with Ben Gay.
Tracie said...
I will never look at Downy the same way again! I bet that really was gross.
Watch out-those "upside down" bugs are really dangerous.
Monster poop! Too funny!
Tia said...
Hi BG, and thanks for stopping by my blog with "name advice" earlier! This post was hilarious!!! I can't decide if drinking Downy or being chased by monster poop would be the worst?.....
HolyMama! said...
this was a delightful post, although swigging downy sounds so bad. so bad i almost felt guilty at giggling over it - almost. :D
Suzy said...
Thanks for the Downy warning. I tend to do things like what you did...lol. And then end up swallowing before I'm even aware that I did it. THATS the scary part. Oh, and monster CRAB....too cute!
Hope all is going well with the move!
Trish said...
This was hysterical!! wow girl do you have storiesto tell. You should seriously think of becoming a writer! way tooo funny!
Friday, September 1, 2006
13 Things I Miss About Minneapolis
Thirteen Things I Miss About Minneapolis:
1. Geekwif. Yes, I know she is not a thing, she is my best friend. Doesn't matter. I miss her and it's my list so there.
2. My Mom. Yes, she probably should have been first on the list, but I am working on a campaign to move her here to IL, so I know I'll have her back. Geekwif won't move to IL since she's busy building a new home in Wisconsin, so that's why she was first.
3. My job at The Big Company. I accepted a second part time job today. One will pay 13.00 an hour and the other 7.50 an hour. I'll work about 46-50 hours per week now and still come nowhere near to what I was earning at my old job. Yes, the employment thing is probably my only real concern in this move. Oh, and I miss my work friends like crazy, especially Smoothie and Naked Girl!
4. Benefits! Medical and Life Insurance! Auugh. Champs got a job with a sparse benefit package and it doesn't go into effect until 90 days. He has an eye disease and I have diabetes. As you can imagine, this leaves me a little, um, concerned. Again, miss the Big Company.
5. Tall buildings! The tallest building here is a 22 story hotel and it sticks up from the 3 and 4 story surrounding buildings like an obelisk. I grew up with a fantastic skyline, so this is still a bit of a shock.
6. The MTC public bus. Yes, I complained about it plenty when I was there, but it was relatively cheap and reliable transportation and gas costs money. We have the MTD here, but it is not as widely applicable as in Minneapolis. Oh, and I used to have the cost taken out of my paycheck at a great discount, and that's gone too. Bye-bye, MetroPass.
7. Money. OK, this one is temporary, since Champs is working now and I start my new part-time job on Tuesday. But we're paying rent on a deficit and it was really hard to watch a payday come and go without that happy deposit. Man, I love direct deposit! Especially since we are now three states away but still using our Minnesota credit union. I know, I know... I should change. But I've been a member there for 24 years and in this age of electronic everything, it should work once all the direct deposit is set up.
8. The worship at our church. Great musicians, great songs, great time to lose myself in gratitude to my God and to watch my daughter dance with joy. We haven't found that here yet, but we've only visited two churches, so I am sure it will take time.
9. Free local calls to my friends. Well, I have a cell phone with free long distance, so that's not too big of a deal - but I prefer the home phone over the cell phone, you know?
10. Cub Foods! The best supermarket ever, and about 21 or so in the metro area; 3 in close proximity to our home. County Market, which is owned by the same parent company, is a close second, but it's not quite as good.
11. Water! 15,000 lakes makes for a beautiful getaway at any time. I had two full-on lakes just a half mile from home in Minneapolis. Not here; they have a pond that they call a lake. It still makes me laugh everytime I see it.
12. Amy Monaghan (yes, you can follow the link to hear her music). She's an upcoming Christian artist who is wonderful. Her husband is in a great Christian rock band called the Wannabe Hasbeens (yes, songs there, too). I miss being able to go hear them perform. Amy's CD is wonderful, but I want to see her perform live again.
13. Multiple store branches. If you go to Famous Footwear in Minneapolis and they don't have the size you need, they call another store the next city over, have them hold it for you and you go get it. Not here. One branch. If they don't have it, you go to another store. It's that way with all the stores except Wal-Mart. We have two of them, one at each end of the city.
Well, that's my list. I'll post again soon with a more entertaining offering. I have some stories to relate, I'll tell you!
Here's some comments from this post:
Shannin said...
Hey, BG!! I miss our walks, too. And the weather is getting so nice! I remember when I first moved to MN how flat it seemed! I'm sure as you get to know more people it will become easier. Thinking good thoughts for you and the family...
Geekwif said...
Awww. You miss me? I miss you too. I want my friend back. And my goddaughter. I drive by your old house now and then and miss you. It's much sadder now than before. Then, I knew that even though you weren't in that house, you were just a few miles away. Now, you're WAY far away. :-(
As for #5, I'm not a huge fan of tall buildings myself. I prefer tall trees, but I must admit we do have a particularly lovely skyline here.
All in all, I believe this is a very nice first T13, even if it is a little sad. I'm looking forward to having you back in blog world (and many more Thursday Thirteens!) now that you're beginning to get settled in your new home.
Suzy said...
Awww.....I'll be praying for you, girl! I know, a move isn't easy, but God has big plans for you in this, right?
Your first TT looked great...loved the post and it make me feel so thankful for the blessings I have. Sorry that things are sad for you right now. It will come around. I know it will! =)
Tracie said...
Very nice first TT! Sad, but nice. I hope that you are able to get adjusted and that everything will fall into place for you all (especially with that whole direct deposit thing....no money stinks!)
Carmi said...
We added an unlimited long distance plan to our home phone. And when I'm feeling particularly geeky, I use Google Talk's voice chat feature. I'll be using it when I travel again next week. Freaky stuff!
This entry reminds me so much of when we moved to London. It was a strange city, far from home, and we knew no one here. It took a while, but eventually we grew roots and came to like this place.
Technology helps.
bluesphee said...
You should listen to Sufjan Steven's album Illinois. Then you'll think Illinois is cool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufjan_Stevens
1. Geekwif. Yes, I know she is not a thing, she is my best friend. Doesn't matter. I miss her and it's my list so there.
2. My Mom. Yes, she probably should have been first on the list, but I am working on a campaign to move her here to IL, so I know I'll have her back. Geekwif won't move to IL since she's busy building a new home in Wisconsin, so that's why she was first.
3. My job at The Big Company. I accepted a second part time job today. One will pay 13.00 an hour and the other 7.50 an hour. I'll work about 46-50 hours per week now and still come nowhere near to what I was earning at my old job. Yes, the employment thing is probably my only real concern in this move. Oh, and I miss my work friends like crazy, especially Smoothie and Naked Girl!
4. Benefits! Medical and Life Insurance! Auugh. Champs got a job with a sparse benefit package and it doesn't go into effect until 90 days. He has an eye disease and I have diabetes. As you can imagine, this leaves me a little, um, concerned. Again, miss the Big Company.
5. Tall buildings! The tallest building here is a 22 story hotel and it sticks up from the 3 and 4 story surrounding buildings like an obelisk. I grew up with a fantastic skyline, so this is still a bit of a shock.
6. The MTC public bus. Yes, I complained about it plenty when I was there, but it was relatively cheap and reliable transportation and gas costs money. We have the MTD here, but it is not as widely applicable as in Minneapolis. Oh, and I used to have the cost taken out of my paycheck at a great discount, and that's gone too. Bye-bye, MetroPass.
7. Money. OK, this one is temporary, since Champs is working now and I start my new part-time job on Tuesday. But we're paying rent on a deficit and it was really hard to watch a payday come and go without that happy deposit. Man, I love direct deposit! Especially since we are now three states away but still using our Minnesota credit union. I know, I know... I should change. But I've been a member there for 24 years and in this age of electronic everything, it should work once all the direct deposit is set up.
8. The worship at our church. Great musicians, great songs, great time to lose myself in gratitude to my God and to watch my daughter dance with joy. We haven't found that here yet, but we've only visited two churches, so I am sure it will take time.
9. Free local calls to my friends. Well, I have a cell phone with free long distance, so that's not too big of a deal - but I prefer the home phone over the cell phone, you know?
10. Cub Foods! The best supermarket ever, and about 21 or so in the metro area; 3 in close proximity to our home. County Market, which is owned by the same parent company, is a close second, but it's not quite as good.
11. Water! 15,000 lakes makes for a beautiful getaway at any time. I had two full-on lakes just a half mile from home in Minneapolis. Not here; they have a pond that they call a lake. It still makes me laugh everytime I see it.
12. Amy Monaghan (yes, you can follow the link to hear her music). She's an upcoming Christian artist who is wonderful. Her husband is in a great Christian rock band called the Wannabe Hasbeens (yes, songs there, too). I miss being able to go hear them perform. Amy's CD is wonderful, but I want to see her perform live again.
13. Multiple store branches. If you go to Famous Footwear in Minneapolis and they don't have the size you need, they call another store the next city over, have them hold it for you and you go get it. Not here. One branch. If they don't have it, you go to another store. It's that way with all the stores except Wal-Mart. We have two of them, one at each end of the city.
Well, that's my list. I'll post again soon with a more entertaining offering. I have some stories to relate, I'll tell you!
Here's some comments from this post:
Shannin said...
Hey, BG!! I miss our walks, too. And the weather is getting so nice! I remember when I first moved to MN how flat it seemed! I'm sure as you get to know more people it will become easier. Thinking good thoughts for you and the family...
Geekwif said...
Awww. You miss me? I miss you too. I want my friend back. And my goddaughter. I drive by your old house now and then and miss you. It's much sadder now than before. Then, I knew that even though you weren't in that house, you were just a few miles away. Now, you're WAY far away. :-(
As for #5, I'm not a huge fan of tall buildings myself. I prefer tall trees, but I must admit we do have a particularly lovely skyline here.
All in all, I believe this is a very nice first T13, even if it is a little sad. I'm looking forward to having you back in blog world (and many more Thursday Thirteens!) now that you're beginning to get settled in your new home.
Suzy said...
Awww.....I'll be praying for you, girl! I know, a move isn't easy, but God has big plans for you in this, right?
Your first TT looked great...loved the post and it make me feel so thankful for the blessings I have. Sorry that things are sad for you right now. It will come around. I know it will! =)
Tracie said...
Very nice first TT! Sad, but nice. I hope that you are able to get adjusted and that everything will fall into place for you all (especially with that whole direct deposit thing....no money stinks!)
Carmi said...
We added an unlimited long distance plan to our home phone. And when I'm feeling particularly geeky, I use Google Talk's voice chat feature. I'll be using it when I travel again next week. Freaky stuff!
This entry reminds me so much of when we moved to London. It was a strange city, far from home, and we knew no one here. It took a while, but eventually we grew roots and came to like this place.
Technology helps.
bluesphee said...
You should listen to Sufjan Steven's album Illinois. Then you'll think Illinois is cool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufjan_Stevens
Sunday, August 20, 2006
From the cat's perspective
This week has been hard on all of us. Champs' back and shoulder are beyond sore. My right heel is done in. Poor Sweet Girl just wants school to start before she dies of boredom (I mean it - I haven't found a box of her toys yet, so her world has been reduced to watching us unpack, helping when I can find a small job for her and playing with the amazing collection of McDonald's Happy Meal Polly Pocket toys she's collected since we left Minnesota).
However, if the cat were to posses the power of speech, I think he would have the most interesting story to tell. Since he doesn't, I'll just have to reach into my powers of empathy and tell you what we've put this poor animal through. It isn't pretty.
Prior to our move, I consulted with our vet about poor Gus. This cat does not travel well. The vet's office was only three blocks away from home and that short ride nearly sent the poor animal over the edge the few times he went. He would caterwaul the entire way there. Funny me, but I got to thinking that if I didn't enjoy the music the ballistic cat provided for a three-block ride, I really wasn't going to enjoy his company for a 550 mile ride! Thankfully, my vet agreed and prescribed a nice kitty downer. (Sidebar: At about this point in the story, people usually say "oh, benadryl, right? That's what they gave my cat to calm it down." No, my vet understood and proscribed a very real, very strong sedative. I really like that man.)
Since the house would be open all day Friday while we packed the moving truck, my mom came over to get Gus on Thursday. By now, I had packed half his stuff and reduced him to the "little" combo water/food bowl and the kitty carrier had been out for a couple of days, so he knew something was up (yeah, the growing pile of packed boxes probably tipped him off as well). Both mom and I agreed that six miles probably didn't warrant pulling out the stash, so she enjoyed (yes, I am an optimist) Gus' serenade on the way home.
On Friday, Gus was very clingy to my mom, thinking that I must have abandoned him or something. She said he barely let her sleep Thursday or Friday nights since he kept crawling up onto the bed and trying to sleep on her pillow. Silly cat; he didn't seem to realize her head was already there. Actually, I've noticed that fact seems to rarely deter any cat, does it?
On Saturday, we called mom before we left the hotel and she drugged the hungry and thirsty cat (nothing after midnight when you're drugging your cat, you know). Just like a surgery, "Operation CatMove" was underway. Our vet had said to give the cat a quarter of a tablet and if he didn't settle down in half an hour, give him another quarter tablet. He didn't, so we did. That cat didn't know what hit him; he was walking sideways and couldn't seem to focus. That seemed like the perfect time to start the trip, so off we went. We loaded Gus into his cat carrier (always a feat in mechanical engineering, since he hates that thing) and strapped him into the front seat.
Gus still serenaded me for the first 20 minutes of the trip, but it was very soft, as though he had switched from the hard rock station to easy listening. Eventually he settled down to sleep. Now, our trip should have been 10 hours. Unfortunately, we had truck problems, so when 6 hours of kitty nirvana had passed, we were still only 100 miles out of Minnesota and were getting the truck fixed. So I let the cat out to see if he would do his business. Yeah, right. Of course, I couldn't just let him walk away, so I put him on a leash, which he didn't like at all. He was having no part of the kitty box. All he wanted was to get back into his carrier. So, we gave him more drugs and let him go back (I think this will be the only time I ever see that cat voluntarily get into his carrier). We got back on the road and it was all good until the 12th hour of our trip, when the drugs wore off. Remember, the trip should have taken 10 hours. It took 15. I got three hours of one pissed off cat doing his best Alanis Morrisette impression in the front seat next to me. Yeah, that was one jagged little pill, all right.
Finally we arrived and you would think the poor cat's trials would be over. Not so. If you read my previous blog post, you know that we had to wait nearly a week for our house to be ready in order for us to move into it. So we stayed at my mother-in-law's house from Sunday to Friday. Not a problem except for two things: Grandma Nee doesn't enjoy cats much and she has a bird. This meant that, except for carefully controlled visits, Gus lived in one room of the house for a week. Needless to say, this didn't go over too well with the cat and he would sing about the injustice of it all every time we got near his doorway. I'm amazed he didn't wear out his meower, to be honest. Finally we got enough in the house that we were able to bring him home on Friday night. It was just in time, too. He had stopped eating and drinking, probably in protest or maybe out of boredom.
Now that we are home, Gus is in a place where he can roam freely, eating and drinking at will and taking the Nancy approach to drugs ("just say no!"). Of course, with all the boxes and upheaval around, not to mention a plethora of new smells, he is on full investigative mode 24/7. I haven't actually seen a lot of him, and he hasn't forgiven me enough to be willing to snuggle down and purr for me. Oh well, he'll come around. Eventually he's gonna want those ears scratched, and only Mom knows that one special spot.
All in all, he did really well and we survived. Now that we're here, though, I am wondering if we can find a vet just a block away...
Here are some comments from this post:
kenju said...
Hello! I love the new look for the blog, Blond Girl, and this post is very well-written and entertaining! Welcome back - it seems a very long time since we have seen you around at Michele's. She sent me!
colleen said...
Well, I'm glad the cat's off drugs and your moved in even if your shoulders are sore. Michele and are saying HI.
Carmi said...
I'm so happy that Gus is settling in and that he's past the kitty drugs phase of his life. When we moved - first from our little apartment to our first house across town, and then later to a city far, far away - we struggled with what to do with our beloved cat, Shadow.
The move across town was tough enough. We resorted to vet-prescribed kitty valium when we moved to a new province.
He, too, made the trip without too much damage, and was a happy part of our life for many years thereafter.
Congratulations on getting the worst of the move behind you. I'm so excited for you all!
princssis said...
Can you imagine the cold shoulder you'd be getting now if you had left Gus here for a month? I'm glad he's survived the trip and I'm sure he'll acclimate to his new surroundings quickly!
Geekwif said...
Glad to hear Gus is happy now...well relatively. Hopefully he'll be back to his purring self soon.
utenzi said...
You're an amazingly tolerant family, Blond Girl. I doubt Gus would still be with me! My girlfriend is like you though--and her pets (3 cats and one dog) are treated far better than I am. (dammit!)
It's good that Gus can finally get himself comfortable in a house once more. Poor Gus!
Linda said...
Oh my, I DO remember those days with my kitty. While I miss that kitty dearly (the ex got custody), I don't miss those dealings at all!
Good luck - Gus will come around and love you again!
Shannin said...
Love the new blog look - very you!
Sorry to hear Gus had a less than enjoyable trip. And to think I was the one who needed the Valium with a vodka back to get two dogs from Los Angeles to Minneapolis.
Glad you are getting settled... Thinking of you guys!
Tracie said...
I'm glad to see you back!! Sorry that Gus had it so hard, but don't worry-he will be back purring for you in no time.
However, if the cat were to posses the power of speech, I think he would have the most interesting story to tell. Since he doesn't, I'll just have to reach into my powers of empathy and tell you what we've put this poor animal through. It isn't pretty.
Prior to our move, I consulted with our vet about poor Gus. This cat does not travel well. The vet's office was only three blocks away from home and that short ride nearly sent the poor animal over the edge the few times he went. He would caterwaul the entire way there. Funny me, but I got to thinking that if I didn't enjoy the music the ballistic cat provided for a three-block ride, I really wasn't going to enjoy his company for a 550 mile ride! Thankfully, my vet agreed and prescribed a nice kitty downer. (Sidebar: At about this point in the story, people usually say "oh, benadryl, right? That's what they gave my cat to calm it down." No, my vet understood and proscribed a very real, very strong sedative. I really like that man.)
Since the house would be open all day Friday while we packed the moving truck, my mom came over to get Gus on Thursday. By now, I had packed half his stuff and reduced him to the "little" combo water/food bowl and the kitty carrier had been out for a couple of days, so he knew something was up (yeah, the growing pile of packed boxes probably tipped him off as well). Both mom and I agreed that six miles probably didn't warrant pulling out the stash, so she enjoyed (yes, I am an optimist) Gus' serenade on the way home.
On Friday, Gus was very clingy to my mom, thinking that I must have abandoned him or something. She said he barely let her sleep Thursday or Friday nights since he kept crawling up onto the bed and trying to sleep on her pillow. Silly cat; he didn't seem to realize her head was already there. Actually, I've noticed that fact seems to rarely deter any cat, does it?
On Saturday, we called mom before we left the hotel and she drugged the hungry and thirsty cat (nothing after midnight when you're drugging your cat, you know). Just like a surgery, "Operation CatMove" was underway. Our vet had said to give the cat a quarter of a tablet and if he didn't settle down in half an hour, give him another quarter tablet. He didn't, so we did. That cat didn't know what hit him; he was walking sideways and couldn't seem to focus. That seemed like the perfect time to start the trip, so off we went. We loaded Gus into his cat carrier (always a feat in mechanical engineering, since he hates that thing) and strapped him into the front seat.
Gus still serenaded me for the first 20 minutes of the trip, but it was very soft, as though he had switched from the hard rock station to easy listening. Eventually he settled down to sleep. Now, our trip should have been 10 hours. Unfortunately, we had truck problems, so when 6 hours of kitty nirvana had passed, we were still only 100 miles out of Minnesota and were getting the truck fixed. So I let the cat out to see if he would do his business. Yeah, right. Of course, I couldn't just let him walk away, so I put him on a leash, which he didn't like at all. He was having no part of the kitty box. All he wanted was to get back into his carrier. So, we gave him more drugs and let him go back (I think this will be the only time I ever see that cat voluntarily get into his carrier). We got back on the road and it was all good until the 12th hour of our trip, when the drugs wore off. Remember, the trip should have taken 10 hours. It took 15. I got three hours of one pissed off cat doing his best Alanis Morrisette impression in the front seat next to me. Yeah, that was one jagged little pill, all right.
Finally we arrived and you would think the poor cat's trials would be over. Not so. If you read my previous blog post, you know that we had to wait nearly a week for our house to be ready in order for us to move into it. So we stayed at my mother-in-law's house from Sunday to Friday. Not a problem except for two things: Grandma Nee doesn't enjoy cats much and she has a bird. This meant that, except for carefully controlled visits, Gus lived in one room of the house for a week. Needless to say, this didn't go over too well with the cat and he would sing about the injustice of it all every time we got near his doorway. I'm amazed he didn't wear out his meower, to be honest. Finally we got enough in the house that we were able to bring him home on Friday night. It was just in time, too. He had stopped eating and drinking, probably in protest or maybe out of boredom.
Now that we are home, Gus is in a place where he can roam freely, eating and drinking at will and taking the Nancy approach to drugs ("just say no!"). Of course, with all the boxes and upheaval around, not to mention a plethora of new smells, he is on full investigative mode 24/7. I haven't actually seen a lot of him, and he hasn't forgiven me enough to be willing to snuggle down and purr for me. Oh well, he'll come around. Eventually he's gonna want those ears scratched, and only Mom knows that one special spot.
All in all, he did really well and we survived. Now that we're here, though, I am wondering if we can find a vet just a block away...
Here are some comments from this post:
kenju said...
Hello! I love the new look for the blog, Blond Girl, and this post is very well-written and entertaining! Welcome back - it seems a very long time since we have seen you around at Michele's. She sent me!
colleen said...
Well, I'm glad the cat's off drugs and your moved in even if your shoulders are sore. Michele and are saying HI.
Carmi said...
I'm so happy that Gus is settling in and that he's past the kitty drugs phase of his life. When we moved - first from our little apartment to our first house across town, and then later to a city far, far away - we struggled with what to do with our beloved cat, Shadow.
The move across town was tough enough. We resorted to vet-prescribed kitty valium when we moved to a new province.
He, too, made the trip without too much damage, and was a happy part of our life for many years thereafter.
Congratulations on getting the worst of the move behind you. I'm so excited for you all!
princssis said...
Can you imagine the cold shoulder you'd be getting now if you had left Gus here for a month? I'm glad he's survived the trip and I'm sure he'll acclimate to his new surroundings quickly!
Geekwif said...
Glad to hear Gus is happy now...well relatively. Hopefully he'll be back to his purring self soon.
utenzi said...
You're an amazingly tolerant family, Blond Girl. I doubt Gus would still be with me! My girlfriend is like you though--and her pets (3 cats and one dog) are treated far better than I am. (dammit!)
It's good that Gus can finally get himself comfortable in a house once more. Poor Gus!
Linda said...
Oh my, I DO remember those days with my kitty. While I miss that kitty dearly (the ex got custody), I don't miss those dealings at all!
Good luck - Gus will come around and love you again!
Shannin said...
Love the new blog look - very you!
Sorry to hear Gus had a less than enjoyable trip. And to think I was the one who needed the Valium with a vodka back to get two dogs from Los Angeles to Minneapolis.
Glad you are getting settled... Thinking of you guys!
Tracie said...
I'm glad to see you back!! Sorry that Gus had it so hard, but don't worry-he will be back purring for you in no time.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Oh, WHERE do I begin?!?!
Hey all! Blond Girl is in the HOUUUUSSSSSSEE!
We are here safely in Illinois, but we have had a CRAZY week! First, I must give thanks and Kudos to Geekwif, who made this wonderful template for me as a gift. The exact type of gift I am not sure of; it is either a going-away present or housewarming present - but in anycase, she worked with me to give me exactly what I wanted and reflects my personality perfectly. Isn't it beautiful?!?!
Now, as for all our travails getting to our new home. Here's the looonng story short (Reader's Digest version, I promise!):
* Friday: We worked till about 6:00 getting everything done. We loaded a 26-foot truck with everything we owned and said goodbye to Robbinsdale, MN. Our eternal gratitude goes to our friends Mark, Steve, Paul, Dan and Tammy for the help. We would not have made it without them.
* Saturday: After a minor insulin scare (I realized I was out until my new insulin would be delivered to our new home, but my mother-in-law saved the day), we got on the road at about 10:00 a.m. Champs drove the truck and I drove our car with Sweet Girl tucked in back and a meowing, drugged cat riding up front (I still don't think Gus has forgiven me). What should have been a 10-hour trip became a 15-hour fiasco, thanks to a disabled truck. We spent a LOT of time in Eau Claire, WI getting the truck serviced (twice!) and finally arrived in IL, exhausted and disheveled, at 1:15 a.m.
* Sunday: After a nice breakfast at a local pancake house, Champs, Sweet Girl and I headed over to the rental house to clean before our friends and family arrived to help unload the truck. As I was cleaning in the kitchen, something was bugging me about the house. It soon became apparent that what was bugging me was... Bugs! The house had a very bad bug problem. The refrigerator had three dead bugs in it and one live one that wanted me to shut the door. The cabinets had little bugs crawling all over inside. The next door neighbor had a pest-control truck, so we went over and asked the man to tell us if what we thought we were seeing was valid. Turns out the kitchen and bathroom were infested with German Cockroaches (or "croaches", as Sweet Girl calls them). We packed up the few things we had pulled off the truck, called the landlord and told him we were not moving into that house. I explained that we would either need a better, bug-free house or we would need our money back. Later in the day, he met us at another available rental house which is beautiful. It's got more space, a family room with a fireplace, a brand-new refrigerator and kitchen floor, tons of storage space and a much nicer neighborhood - for only $70.00 more per month. So, we rented that, instead.
* Monday: Of course, with the house still being worked on, it wouldn't be ready for us until later in the week. The truck needed to be returned, though, so we unloaded everything into the garage of the new place (with invaluable help from my brother in law, Tank, and his friend, Eric. They are the ones who did all the update work on the house for our landlord). Then we went to return the disabled truck and sign a new lease - then contact everyone to tell them the change of address. Champs applied to SuperValu and hopes to have something come of that soon.
* Tuesday: I had a second interview with an Ameriprise Financial Advisor as a part-time para planner/project manager. I will meet with them on Monday to discuss final offer and compensation details, so my job seems to be settled, though I will still be looking into a few other things as I go.
* Today (Friday) and beyond: The house is finished and we started moving in today. Princsiss came and helped us clean; in fact, she got our stove looking stellar, but worked like crazy on it for hours. We joked that she'll be playing "the stove card" for a very long time to come anytime she needs or wants anything from me. We've got all the furniture into the house now, but this won't be the normally organized move that I am used to. The garage is a mish-mash of stuff, so it is going to be very interesting indeed to make sense of it all. Sweet Girl starts first grade on Wednesday, 8/23 and couldn't be more excited.
So there it is, in a nutshell. I left out tons of details. In the end, though, God is so good. We got a much better house than we had planned on, and we don't need to share space with "croaches". Hopefully we'll be completely settled in a month or so.
Here are some comments from this post:
Star said...
Boy, did you accomplish a lot. Glad to hear from you. Sounds like things are going well.
Ginger said...
LOVE the template!
Sounds like you've been having that wonderful, chaotic time that always goes with moving. Ugh. I'm always so happy when the things are at the new place and the settling begins. Glad you got into a much nicer place.
Linda said...
boy oh boy...I thought *I* had some moves from hades! At least you were able to get another place right away for a decent price. We just moved to Kansas, and it took us 10 days to find a place that wasn't WAAAAAAY overpriced. I spent a year in Germany prior to that (although my household goods only spent 6 months, traitors!). yeah...moves from hell just SUCK.
Glad you're getting settled and finding a home (and jobs).
Michele sent me today, but I think I'll be here regularly, I like how you write.
Geekwif said...
I must admit, I sort of skimmed this one because...
a) I know all (or at least many) of the details you left out, and
b) I got the email and read that one thoroughly.
I had to laugh when I read, "The house had a very bad bug problem." Okay, from what I heard, that is the understatement of the millenium!!! Just struck me as funny seeing as how you are not the understated type. :)
Missing you and your girl, though it's funny – I think we've talked more in the past week than we did in the entire month before that.
I hope you are unbelieveably happy in your new home. Wait, I take that back. If you're unhappy, maybe you'll come back to me...hmmm.
Nope. I can't do it. As much as I want you here, I can only hope you are happy where you are.
vanx said...
It was five years ago this month that we sold our home of 16 years and moved into our home of....five years. What an incredible experience. It was the beginning of big changes in my family's life. Some good, some bad. At any rate, the change was a symbolic juncture in our life. I think most big moves are.
srp said...
Here from Michele.
That moving with the U-haul can be so trying. My stuff is all in storage as I stay with my folks and I keep saying that when things work out and I again have a home, it will be like Christmas opening up all the boxes.
Good luck.
princssis said...
I know it's been a crazy week, but you've made it through and ended up with something better! A better neighborhood, house, school. What else could you ask for?
I welcome you here, but now you need to change your location on the sidebar to your new state! I know you'll always have Minnesota in your heart, but I know, with time, you'll bleed orange like the rest of us!!! Hee-hee.
utenzi said...
Holy Carp, BG. You and your family have been through a lot this past month. I hope the job change works out great for both of you and that your daughter loves her new school.
We are here safely in Illinois, but we have had a CRAZY week! First, I must give thanks and Kudos to Geekwif, who made this wonderful template for me as a gift. The exact type of gift I am not sure of; it is either a going-away present or housewarming present - but in anycase, she worked with me to give me exactly what I wanted and reflects my personality perfectly. Isn't it beautiful?!?!
Now, as for all our travails getting to our new home. Here's the looonng story short (Reader's Digest version, I promise!):
* Friday: We worked till about 6:00 getting everything done. We loaded a 26-foot truck with everything we owned and said goodbye to Robbinsdale, MN. Our eternal gratitude goes to our friends Mark, Steve, Paul, Dan and Tammy for the help. We would not have made it without them.
* Saturday: After a minor insulin scare (I realized I was out until my new insulin would be delivered to our new home, but my mother-in-law saved the day), we got on the road at about 10:00 a.m. Champs drove the truck and I drove our car with Sweet Girl tucked in back and a meowing, drugged cat riding up front (I still don't think Gus has forgiven me). What should have been a 10-hour trip became a 15-hour fiasco, thanks to a disabled truck. We spent a LOT of time in Eau Claire, WI getting the truck serviced (twice!) and finally arrived in IL, exhausted and disheveled, at 1:15 a.m.
* Sunday: After a nice breakfast at a local pancake house, Champs, Sweet Girl and I headed over to the rental house to clean before our friends and family arrived to help unload the truck. As I was cleaning in the kitchen, something was bugging me about the house. It soon became apparent that what was bugging me was... Bugs! The house had a very bad bug problem. The refrigerator had three dead bugs in it and one live one that wanted me to shut the door. The cabinets had little bugs crawling all over inside. The next door neighbor had a pest-control truck, so we went over and asked the man to tell us if what we thought we were seeing was valid. Turns out the kitchen and bathroom were infested with German Cockroaches (or "croaches", as Sweet Girl calls them). We packed up the few things we had pulled off the truck, called the landlord and told him we were not moving into that house. I explained that we would either need a better, bug-free house or we would need our money back. Later in the day, he met us at another available rental house which is beautiful. It's got more space, a family room with a fireplace, a brand-new refrigerator and kitchen floor, tons of storage space and a much nicer neighborhood - for only $70.00 more per month. So, we rented that, instead.
* Monday: Of course, with the house still being worked on, it wouldn't be ready for us until later in the week. The truck needed to be returned, though, so we unloaded everything into the garage of the new place (with invaluable help from my brother in law, Tank, and his friend, Eric. They are the ones who did all the update work on the house for our landlord). Then we went to return the disabled truck and sign a new lease - then contact everyone to tell them the change of address. Champs applied to SuperValu and hopes to have something come of that soon.
* Tuesday: I had a second interview with an Ameriprise Financial Advisor as a part-time para planner/project manager. I will meet with them on Monday to discuss final offer and compensation details, so my job seems to be settled, though I will still be looking into a few other things as I go.
* Today (Friday) and beyond: The house is finished and we started moving in today. Princsiss came and helped us clean; in fact, she got our stove looking stellar, but worked like crazy on it for hours. We joked that she'll be playing "the stove card" for a very long time to come anytime she needs or wants anything from me. We've got all the furniture into the house now, but this won't be the normally organized move that I am used to. The garage is a mish-mash of stuff, so it is going to be very interesting indeed to make sense of it all. Sweet Girl starts first grade on Wednesday, 8/23 and couldn't be more excited.
So there it is, in a nutshell. I left out tons of details. In the end, though, God is so good. We got a much better house than we had planned on, and we don't need to share space with "croaches". Hopefully we'll be completely settled in a month or so.
Here are some comments from this post:
Star said...
Boy, did you accomplish a lot. Glad to hear from you. Sounds like things are going well.
Ginger said...
LOVE the template!
Sounds like you've been having that wonderful, chaotic time that always goes with moving. Ugh. I'm always so happy when the things are at the new place and the settling begins. Glad you got into a much nicer place.
Linda said...
boy oh boy...I thought *I* had some moves from hades! At least you were able to get another place right away for a decent price. We just moved to Kansas, and it took us 10 days to find a place that wasn't WAAAAAAY overpriced. I spent a year in Germany prior to that (although my household goods only spent 6 months, traitors!). yeah...moves from hell just SUCK.
Glad you're getting settled and finding a home (and jobs).
Michele sent me today, but I think I'll be here regularly, I like how you write.
Geekwif said...
I must admit, I sort of skimmed this one because...
a) I know all (or at least many) of the details you left out, and
b) I got the email and read that one thoroughly.
I had to laugh when I read, "The house had a very bad bug problem." Okay, from what I heard, that is the understatement of the millenium!!! Just struck me as funny seeing as how you are not the understated type. :)
Missing you and your girl, though it's funny – I think we've talked more in the past week than we did in the entire month before that.
I hope you are unbelieveably happy in your new home. Wait, I take that back. If you're unhappy, maybe you'll come back to me...hmmm.
Nope. I can't do it. As much as I want you here, I can only hope you are happy where you are.
vanx said...
It was five years ago this month that we sold our home of 16 years and moved into our home of....five years. What an incredible experience. It was the beginning of big changes in my family's life. Some good, some bad. At any rate, the change was a symbolic juncture in our life. I think most big moves are.
srp said...
Here from Michele.
That moving with the U-haul can be so trying. My stuff is all in storage as I stay with my folks and I keep saying that when things work out and I again have a home, it will be like Christmas opening up all the boxes.
Good luck.
princssis said...
I know it's been a crazy week, but you've made it through and ended up with something better! A better neighborhood, house, school. What else could you ask for?
I welcome you here, but now you need to change your location on the sidebar to your new state! I know you'll always have Minnesota in your heart, but I know, with time, you'll bleed orange like the rest of us!!! Hee-hee.
utenzi said...
Holy Carp, BG. You and your family have been through a lot this past month. I hope the job change works out great for both of you and that your daughter loves her new school.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Signing Off for a Few Days....
Hello friends!
Well, the big move is almost here. Today was the last day at our jobs for me and Champs. Sweet Girl is at Grandma's for her last "overnight" in Minnesota and Champs and I are finishing up the packing. Our friendly computer is about to be lovingly nested in packing material, so I have to sign off for a few days. Tomorrow we load the truck, Saturday we drive all day and Sunday we unload. I'll be back to my blog as soon as I can be, on that you can bet... and, I might have a little surprise!
In the meantime, I want to say "thank you" to all of you who have offered up your best wishes, prayers and help. Every word means the world to us. If you've left me a comment with a "good luck" message that I haven't responded to, be assured that I've read it and I will respond soon. I haven't yet just because I've been running at mach 3 to get everything done! :-)
TTFN - my next post will be from Hometown City, Another State (otherwise known as Illinois)...
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Awaiting your arrival! Hope the packing and driving all go well! We'll see you Sunday!
Geekwif said...
Have a good trip. I'm gonna miss you!!!
(Guess I better get to work on that "surprise", huh?) ;-)
HolyMama! said...
hi! looking forward to that surprise. happy homewarming, blond family!
Well, the big move is almost here. Today was the last day at our jobs for me and Champs. Sweet Girl is at Grandma's for her last "overnight" in Minnesota and Champs and I are finishing up the packing. Our friendly computer is about to be lovingly nested in packing material, so I have to sign off for a few days. Tomorrow we load the truck, Saturday we drive all day and Sunday we unload. I'll be back to my blog as soon as I can be, on that you can bet... and, I might have a little surprise!
In the meantime, I want to say "thank you" to all of you who have offered up your best wishes, prayers and help. Every word means the world to us. If you've left me a comment with a "good luck" message that I haven't responded to, be assured that I've read it and I will respond soon. I haven't yet just because I've been running at mach 3 to get everything done! :-)
TTFN - my next post will be from Hometown City, Another State (otherwise known as Illinois)...
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Awaiting your arrival! Hope the packing and driving all go well! We'll see you Sunday!
Geekwif said...
Have a good trip. I'm gonna miss you!!!
(Guess I better get to work on that "surprise", huh?) ;-)
HolyMama! said...
hi! looking forward to that surprise. happy homewarming, blond family!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
What a difference a year makes!
One year ago today, I had the (I still pray) last major surgery to correct a string of recurrent incisional hernias from my gastric bypass. I fought the insurance company for six long months to give me the surgery, since it included a tubal ligation, hernia repair with gore-tex mesh and, most of all, a panniculectomy (which is pretty much a tummy tuck on steroids). In spite of the in-depth research that I did to prove the long-term success rate of such an approach, the insurance company didn't want to spend the money and it took them awhile to understand that spending $25,000 once would be far more economical than spending $15,000 every three months to repair the hernias that re-opened. Thankfully, they finally listened and I had the surgery. I was in pain! You can go here to read a bit more about it if you're interested.
Now, one year later, I am in a completely different place; one that, back then, I knew was coming but didn't really spend a lot of time contemplating. Two weeks from today we will be leaving Minnesota and moving to Illinois. I've got the truck rented and I'm desperately searching for available friends to help us load a truck on a Friday (sigh!). I weigh about 13 pounds more than I did after surgery, which is a bummer, but I haven't had any hernias, which is wonderful. I'm glad, too. I don't think I could handle it if that happened again. I'm leaving my job with my wonderful benefits for the unknown and it is somewhat unnerving to me.
I know my post isn't making a lot of sense. I guess that should be too much of a surprise; it was over 100 degrees today and I packed a ton of boxes in a house with no air conditioning (well, a tiny unit in the bedroom but that doesn't count for the rest of the house) and no screens on half the windows. Perhaps my brain is fried. Or maybe I am on auto pilot, trying to avoid the reality of the emotional pain of leaving my friends, family and city. Or maybe I'm just really glad that I'm not spending tonight lying in a hospital bed, pressing the morphine button to try to stop the pain of three operations in one.
Oh well... Time to take my confused brain to bed. Nighty night.
Now, one year later, I am in a completely different place; one that, back then, I knew was coming but didn't really spend a lot of time contemplating. Two weeks from today we will be leaving Minnesota and moving to Illinois. I've got the truck rented and I'm desperately searching for available friends to help us load a truck on a Friday (sigh!). I weigh about 13 pounds more than I did after surgery, which is a bummer, but I haven't had any hernias, which is wonderful. I'm glad, too. I don't think I could handle it if that happened again. I'm leaving my job with my wonderful benefits for the unknown and it is somewhat unnerving to me.
I know my post isn't making a lot of sense. I guess that should be too much of a surprise; it was over 100 degrees today and I packed a ton of boxes in a house with no air conditioning (well, a tiny unit in the bedroom but that doesn't count for the rest of the house) and no screens on half the windows. Perhaps my brain is fried. Or maybe I am on auto pilot, trying to avoid the reality of the emotional pain of leaving my friends, family and city. Or maybe I'm just really glad that I'm not spending tonight lying in a hospital bed, pressing the morphine button to try to stop the pain of three operations in one.
Oh well... Time to take my confused brain to bed. Nighty night.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
My heart is a pendulum
I've never thought much about pendulums before... Except in terms of really pretty grandfather clocks and financial matters. A heavy brass marker keeping time. A seller's market responding to inflation and becoming a buyer's market.
But these days, I feel that I am a pendulum, swinging between nostalgia and excitement. I want to move to our new home but I don't want to leave this state. I want to be hired at a new job but I don't want to leave my job at The Big Company. I want to get everything packed, but I want to sleep. Although I am not manic depressive, I find that I am beginning to understand a bit more how it could affect a person.
Our move is three weeks away. I have so much work to do and I worry if I can get it all done. I'm really looking forward to getting to Champaign and getting our truck unpacked and our home settled and our new lives started.
But until that time, my emotions are swinging... A pendulum going back and forth, back and forth until life slows down and the pendulum settles in the center of my life.
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Just take a deep breath and relax for just a moment. Then, get back to it! I find when I make the decision to finally delve into something, I actually can get things done faster than I thought.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll get it all done. You have to, right? Anyway, we're all waiting patiently down here for your arrival.
See you soon!
kenju said...
That is typical, Blond Girl. Fear of the unknown is always uppermost in our minds. But try to picture the family in the new home, meeting new people, settling in to life in the new place, and you will be motivated to do each day what needs to be done.
Shannin said...
I know what you mean - when I was getting ready to leave California for here I was a constant bundle of emotions all the time. The worst was Don was here...
Chrissie said...
Hi Blond Girl,
Couldn't let you get skipped....
I have moved 42 times 20 years - yes, tis true. I'd find the link to my list of moves, but I'm just way to tired to dig it up - but it's there, somewhere on my blog - within the 80 something posts I've posted.
Each time I feel the pendulum. I don't know why I do it.... I think I was a gypsy in my other life!
But these days, I feel that I am a pendulum, swinging between nostalgia and excitement. I want to move to our new home but I don't want to leave this state. I want to be hired at a new job but I don't want to leave my job at The Big Company. I want to get everything packed, but I want to sleep. Although I am not manic depressive, I find that I am beginning to understand a bit more how it could affect a person.
Our move is three weeks away. I have so much work to do and I worry if I can get it all done. I'm really looking forward to getting to Champaign and getting our truck unpacked and our home settled and our new lives started.
But until that time, my emotions are swinging... A pendulum going back and forth, back and forth until life slows down and the pendulum settles in the center of my life.
Here are some comments from this post:
princssis said...
Just take a deep breath and relax for just a moment. Then, get back to it! I find when I make the decision to finally delve into something, I actually can get things done faster than I thought.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll get it all done. You have to, right? Anyway, we're all waiting patiently down here for your arrival.
See you soon!
kenju said...
That is typical, Blond Girl. Fear of the unknown is always uppermost in our minds. But try to picture the family in the new home, meeting new people, settling in to life in the new place, and you will be motivated to do each day what needs to be done.
Shannin said...
I know what you mean - when I was getting ready to leave California for here I was a constant bundle of emotions all the time. The worst was Don was here...
Chrissie said...
Hi Blond Girl,
Couldn't let you get skipped....
I have moved 42 times 20 years - yes, tis true. I'd find the link to my list of moves, but I'm just way to tired to dig it up - but it's there, somewhere on my blog - within the 80 something posts I've posted.
Each time I feel the pendulum. I don't know why I do it.... I think I was a gypsy in my other life!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Adjusting
Training is going well. So far it's been a lot of "rah rah sis boom bah" - which The Big Company excels at. It's fun, but trust me, the real work is just around the bend. I now know that the specific area of phone service that I will be in is equity trades. I'll actually be using that NASD Series 7 test that I worked so hard to pass back in 2004!
I've been meeting up with old friends and that's been a lot of fun - but it could get me in trouble! My biggest problem has been that I get to talking to my friends and that has made me late from break a couple of times. My trainer has made it beyond clear that this will get me in big trouble if I am not careful. I used to be a salaried employee and I didn't have to worry about being a few minutes late from break - especially since I usually worked more than 40 hours and I didn't get paid OT. Now that I've taken a grade decrease and gone to a phone queue, I am back in the realm of being watched all. the. time. I can't let this be a problem, so I went out and bought myself a hanging watch that I can put on my badge. I'm not a wristwatch type of girl; I just really don't like them. But this should work well for me; it will just hang on my badge and keep me on time.
Another adjustment was that I went out and bought an airbed to use while I'm staying with Mom. She only has a little one bedroom apartment and I was sleeping in her double bed with her, but it didn't work. Hubby, yes. Mom. No. 'Nuff said. Now her room is wall-to-wall bed and I'll share this bed with Sweet Girl until she goes home, but I think it's for the best... at least I know I'll sleep better tonight.
The one thing I don't think I'll adjust to... I MISS CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!! I'm still so grateful for this opportunity, but Oh, do I miss my man!!
The comment:
Paul said...
I'm sure it's tough, but I hope the time goes by fast for you--and Champs. Chin up.
I've been meeting up with old friends and that's been a lot of fun - but it could get me in trouble! My biggest problem has been that I get to talking to my friends and that has made me late from break a couple of times. My trainer has made it beyond clear that this will get me in big trouble if I am not careful. I used to be a salaried employee and I didn't have to worry about being a few minutes late from break - especially since I usually worked more than 40 hours and I didn't get paid OT. Now that I've taken a grade decrease and gone to a phone queue, I am back in the realm of being watched all. the. time. I can't let this be a problem, so I went out and bought myself a hanging watch that I can put on my badge. I'm not a wristwatch type of girl; I just really don't like them. But this should work well for me; it will just hang on my badge and keep me on time.
Another adjustment was that I went out and bought an airbed to use while I'm staying with Mom. She only has a little one bedroom apartment and I was sleeping in her double bed with her, but it didn't work. Hubby, yes. Mom. No. 'Nuff said. Now her room is wall-to-wall bed and I'll share this bed with Sweet Girl until she goes home, but I think it's for the best... at least I know I'll sleep better tonight.
The one thing I don't think I'll adjust to... I MISS CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!! I'm still so grateful for this opportunity, but Oh, do I miss my man!!
The comment:
Paul said...
I'm sure it's tough, but I hope the time goes by fast for you--and Champs. Chin up.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
This world has nothing for me
Have you heard the song "Rescue" by The Desperation Band?
Here are the lyrics:
You are the source of the life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
I will follow You
My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
I put my trust in You
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
Capture me with grace
(won't You) Capture me with grace
I will follow You
I will follow You
Jared Anderson© 2003 Vertical Worship Songs/ASCAP
I have loved this song since the first time I heard it; everytime it is played in worship I am there, full on. Even so, I heard it on the radio today on my way into work and it totally stopped me in my tracks. Before I even was aware of what was happening, I was in tears. You see, the one part of the song that I never quite connected with was "this world has nothing for me" - because it does! So much of who I am and what I present to the world is tied up in what I do everyday. I am a Communication Specialist. A Toastmaster. A choir member. A daughter. A friend... you get the point.
But we are moving soon from Minnesota to Illinois. We're down to weeks on this move and I am realizing more and more each day just how many changes are in store for me. So much of what goes into "identifying" me will be stripped away. I will be reduced, temporarily, to the three most important roles I hold in this world: Child of God, Wife of Champs and Mother of Sweet Girl.
As I go through these changes; the laying down of roles, duties, perceived obligations and work to make a new life in Illinois, the only constants I will have are Jesus, Champs and Sweet Girl (well, death and taxes, too, but we won't look at them now :-)
Today, for the first time as I sung the song, I understood what "this world has nothing for me" means to me. Yes, I am still in the world. I will find a new job, new friends (yes, I am keeping the old friends too!) new church - the world will indeed be a part of my life. But this stripping away has brought me to the one true relationship, Jesus, and the two He has placed in my life - my husband and my daughter. Other than that, this world has nothing for me. I am marking time at my job. I can't wait to leave the little place we rent. I am giving away stuff that no longer seems to matter.
It hurts right now to be laying everything down. I'm a security girl; I like my job and my benefits. I like the reputation I have created for myself. I've worked hard to become someone in people's eyes. Right now, my heart is crying out "I need you Jesus. Capture me with grace". and with that cry comes the assurance "I won't be left behind. No one else will do. I will follow You. This world has nothing for me."
Let me not soon forget this moment of Grace, oh Loving God. Thank you.
Editor's Note: My thanks to Margalit, who made the following comment on my meme below, in response to the question, "Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?" Margalit's response was, "I guess so, but it isn't going to make you happy. I get VERY uncomfortable when I go onto sites and see the assumption that everyone walks with Jesus. I don't, I'm Jewish and it makes me a bit skeevy to read posts like your first one.'"
Margalit, thank you for telling me what you think. I understand the "skeevy" feeling; it's the same one I get when I go to people's blogs and it appears that they all assume I hold the same political beliefs they do.
However, in response to your comment regarding this particular post, I didn't write it assuming everyone walks with Jesus. In fact, I didn't write it hopeing it would cause someone to want to walk with Jesus. You see, I come from a family where most don't (and wonder why I do) and I work in a company where most don't (and don't understand why I would choose to). But I do walk with Jesus.
I am going through a particularly trying time in my life right now and my faith is a great comfort to me. I assume that yours is to you, as well. I would expect that if you were going through changes and stress, that I might come to your blog and read, possibly, how the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the observance of Passover brings you the comfort of knowing that Yahweh brings his people out of bondange. I guess my point is, that everyone, whether we agree with them or not, needs to be free to turn to what helps them, and express gratitude for that help. I didn't write this assuming everyone would walk with Jesus. I wrote it because today I walked farther with Jesus. And no, you didn't offend me or make me unhappy. You made me thoughtful.
Thank you!
Here are some comments from this post:
Beverly said...
I've always lived basically in the same place, except for college years and the few years after that. When I married, I lived in the same city that I grew up in. All my roots are here. It would be hard to have to move.
I will think of you and pray for you as you make this move. Someone gave me a little plaque once that said, "The grace of God will not lead you where the grace of God will not keep you."
1:43 PM
Blogger Geekwif said...
He is the only sure thing. Even more than death and taxes. I think it is hard to understand that line now because there are things that we connect ourselves to here. However, I believe there will come a day when we'll understand that line in a way that we cannot now – when we'll say, "Wow, compared to this the world really held nothing for me." Only the things that really matter will be there because they are the only things that are eternal.
Oh yeah, and I'd just like to say that I expect to be part of your life in this world after the move too. Just add me to the list please..."Child of God, Wife of Champs, Mother of Sweet Girl, and Friend of Geekwif". ;)
P.S. That is one of my very favorite songs too. It's a very good car song.
Pearl said...
Wise response.
I write to myself as the first audience, not to convince anyone else. I sometimes forget readers are out there.
Thanks for stopping by my place.
Warm thoughts your way in these days to learn from.
Carmi said...
I'll be thinking of you and wishing you only the best as you make the trek to your new life in Illinois.
As someone who's done the big move, I can confirm that your identity will remain intact. Who you are is dictated not by where you live, but by what you do when you're there. Since you're already a builder of family and community, I suspect your identity will survive and thrive just fine.
rampant bicycle said...
Hang in there! I've made a big move too (Texas to Canada!) and can speak to exactly how uprooted you feel when you do it. The good news is...you can still build once you're there. :)
Shane said...
change is always good -- maybe inconvenient at times -- but there's always silverlining on every black cloud.
did i just write that horseshit? heh heh
Suzy said...
BGirl, I sooooo have loved that song for quite some time now! It brings me such peace inside. Have you heard Jeremy Camp's 'Walk By Faith'? It's my favorite right now because it talks about... 'because this broken road prepares Your will for me'. Comforting!
Glad I stopped by today....I didn't know who sang the 'Rescue' song. =o)
Here are the lyrics:
You are the source of the life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
I will follow You
My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
I put my trust in You
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I will follow You (This world has nothing for me)
I need You Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
Capture me with grace
(won't You) Capture me with grace
I will follow You
I will follow You
Jared Anderson© 2003 Vertical Worship Songs/ASCAP
I have loved this song since the first time I heard it; everytime it is played in worship I am there, full on. Even so, I heard it on the radio today on my way into work and it totally stopped me in my tracks. Before I even was aware of what was happening, I was in tears. You see, the one part of the song that I never quite connected with was "this world has nothing for me" - because it does! So much of who I am and what I present to the world is tied up in what I do everyday. I am a Communication Specialist. A Toastmaster. A choir member. A daughter. A friend... you get the point.
But we are moving soon from Minnesota to Illinois. We're down to weeks on this move and I am realizing more and more each day just how many changes are in store for me. So much of what goes into "identifying" me will be stripped away. I will be reduced, temporarily, to the three most important roles I hold in this world: Child of God, Wife of Champs and Mother of Sweet Girl.
As I go through these changes; the laying down of roles, duties, perceived obligations and work to make a new life in Illinois, the only constants I will have are Jesus, Champs and Sweet Girl (well, death and taxes, too, but we won't look at them now :-)
Today, for the first time as I sung the song, I understood what "this world has nothing for me" means to me. Yes, I am still in the world. I will find a new job, new friends (yes, I am keeping the old friends too!) new church - the world will indeed be a part of my life. But this stripping away has brought me to the one true relationship, Jesus, and the two He has placed in my life - my husband and my daughter. Other than that, this world has nothing for me. I am marking time at my job. I can't wait to leave the little place we rent. I am giving away stuff that no longer seems to matter.
It hurts right now to be laying everything down. I'm a security girl; I like my job and my benefits. I like the reputation I have created for myself. I've worked hard to become someone in people's eyes. Right now, my heart is crying out "I need you Jesus. Capture me with grace". and with that cry comes the assurance "I won't be left behind. No one else will do. I will follow You. This world has nothing for me."
Let me not soon forget this moment of Grace, oh Loving God. Thank you.
Editor's Note: My thanks to Margalit, who made the following comment on my meme below, in response to the question, "Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?" Margalit's response was, "I guess so, but it isn't going to make you happy. I get VERY uncomfortable when I go onto sites and see the assumption that everyone walks with Jesus. I don't, I'm Jewish and it makes me a bit skeevy to read posts like your first one.'"
Margalit, thank you for telling me what you think. I understand the "skeevy" feeling; it's the same one I get when I go to people's blogs and it appears that they all assume I hold the same political beliefs they do.
However, in response to your comment regarding this particular post, I didn't write it assuming everyone walks with Jesus. In fact, I didn't write it hopeing it would cause someone to want to walk with Jesus. You see, I come from a family where most don't (and wonder why I do) and I work in a company where most don't (and don't understand why I would choose to). But I do walk with Jesus.
I am going through a particularly trying time in my life right now and my faith is a great comfort to me. I assume that yours is to you, as well. I would expect that if you were going through changes and stress, that I might come to your blog and read, possibly, how the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the observance of Passover brings you the comfort of knowing that Yahweh brings his people out of bondange. I guess my point is, that everyone, whether we agree with them or not, needs to be free to turn to what helps them, and express gratitude for that help. I didn't write this assuming everyone would walk with Jesus. I wrote it because today I walked farther with Jesus. And no, you didn't offend me or make me unhappy. You made me thoughtful.
Thank you!
Here are some comments from this post:
Beverly said...
I've always lived basically in the same place, except for college years and the few years after that. When I married, I lived in the same city that I grew up in. All my roots are here. It would be hard to have to move.
I will think of you and pray for you as you make this move. Someone gave me a little plaque once that said, "The grace of God will not lead you where the grace of God will not keep you."
1:43 PM
Blogger Geekwif said...
He is the only sure thing. Even more than death and taxes. I think it is hard to understand that line now because there are things that we connect ourselves to here. However, I believe there will come a day when we'll understand that line in a way that we cannot now – when we'll say, "Wow, compared to this the world really held nothing for me." Only the things that really matter will be there because they are the only things that are eternal.
Oh yeah, and I'd just like to say that I expect to be part of your life in this world after the move too. Just add me to the list please..."Child of God, Wife of Champs, Mother of Sweet Girl, and Friend of Geekwif". ;)
P.S. That is one of my very favorite songs too. It's a very good car song.
Pearl said...
Wise response.
I write to myself as the first audience, not to convince anyone else. I sometimes forget readers are out there.
Thanks for stopping by my place.
Warm thoughts your way in these days to learn from.
Carmi said...
I'll be thinking of you and wishing you only the best as you make the trek to your new life in Illinois.
As someone who's done the big move, I can confirm that your identity will remain intact. Who you are is dictated not by where you live, but by what you do when you're there. Since you're already a builder of family and community, I suspect your identity will survive and thrive just fine.
rampant bicycle said...
Hang in there! I've made a big move too (Texas to Canada!) and can speak to exactly how uprooted you feel when you do it. The good news is...you can still build once you're there. :)
Shane said...
change is always good -- maybe inconvenient at times -- but there's always silverlining on every black cloud.
did i just write that horseshit? heh heh
Suzy said...
BGirl, I sooooo have loved that song for quite some time now! It brings me such peace inside. Have you heard Jeremy Camp's 'Walk By Faith'? It's my favorite right now because it talks about... 'because this broken road prepares Your will for me'. Comforting!
Glad I stopped by today....I didn't know who sang the 'Rescue' song. =o)
Saturday, July 1, 2006
Body Worlds... Amazing
Have you heard of Body Worlds? It is a traveling exhibit of "plastinated" human beings. There are three exhibits that travel around; the original one is here in my hometown at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Champs and I went last Saturday night and I must say that, while it was an expensive date; OK, a REALLY EXPENSIVE date, it was also really worth it.
First we attended the Omni Theatre for a movie called "The Human Body", which showed many functions of the body from the inside on a 6 story screen. Pretty cool! The sections on reproduction and the blood were fascinating. It's amazing to see a million tiny red blood cells from wall to wall above you!
After that, we went into the Body Worlds exhibit, where there were portions and entire bodies of more than 200 people. The plastinates, as they are called, are people who donated their bodies to be plastinated after death (you can read how the process is done here) . The tour starts small with individual bones and body parts, then moves to a full body. The muscles are so red and the inner organs are the greys and reds you would expect. Apparently the plastination process does a good job of retaining the colors as it stops decomposition.
The first full body was of a man who had been a smoker. His muscles and portions of his ribs were removed so the lungs would show through. They were amazing - black and putrid. Nearby, you could see the lung of a non-smoker and the difference was profound. It reminded me of when I was a child and saw "Casey Jones" (a Minneapolis children's show) feature two lungs like that. I was five at the time and despite the fact that both of my parents and later two of my siblings smoked, I never once lit up; and I never will, due to that sight.
Anyway... The exhibit continued on with bodies in various poses designed to highlight certain body systems. A man playing chess to show the brain and nervous system. A man's skeleton separated from his muscles to show both systems in their entirety. Perhaps the most profound body was one of a woman who died of a fatal disease in her 8th month of pregnancy. Her baby could not be saved, either. She arranged before her death to be plastinated with her baby. The exhibit of her leaning back on her elbow with her uterus exposed and the babe curled within is so breathtaking... And so sad.
One of the things that I found interesting was the fact that there must have been at least 200-300 people milling through the exhibit and yet, it was so quiet in the room. There was a hush that acknowledged some unspoken rule that the plastinate's humanity and final gift must be treated with reverence.
Near the end, I started to be a bit done with the exhibit. Although it was really interesting, I began to get to the point where I could no longer see them as impersonal. There was one body that had been cut from top to bottom in about 5-6 sections and posed one in front of the other. However, the cuts were not always straight through. The heart, for example, was left whole and mounted in one section, with a corresponding space where it would fit into the slice in front of it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but he was like a standing human puzzle. The problem is that, unlike almost all of the other subjects, they left his skin on. And he had tattoos. And pubic hair. And a balding head. Seeing the tattoos and hair really kind of did me in. After that, I was ready for it to be done.
I am really glad we went, though. The secrets of the human body are fascinating, mysterious and beautiful. If you have a chance to see this exhibit (and you won't have squeamish nightmares, as some of my friends would), then I recommend you go see it. It truly is amazing.
This post created a LOT of comments:
Heather said...
Okay. I am a nurse and there is NO WAY I would go to that exhibit.
Geekwif said...
I'm glad you were able to see it and that it was so fascinating to you. I am just as glad that I didn't see it as I would have been completely overwhelmed by it.
Ravvy said...
it was here in Adelaide, AUSTRALIA for like one day *or one day that i knew of anyway* and i heard that it was even on on the day that it was happeneing and it was so popular, i would've just loved it completely as im a bit of a freaky geek when it comes to the human body and blood and arty stuff like that... so i woulda loved it and been totally facinated! Unfortunately at the time i had no moolah and was unable to go at all.. i really hope it returns...
Great Blog!!!
Here via Micheles Via AUSTRALIA!! :)
utenzi said...
I've read about this in several of the magazines I get. As much as I like science, even forensics, I don't think I want to see this exhibit. It's just a little too visceral to me. It does sound incredible, and I'd have loved to see it when I was in my teens or 20s but I've gotten more sensitive to "death" in my advancing years. Now I think it'd bother me to see such "real seeming" dead people.
Jean-Luc Picard said...
That sounds really creepy. I don't think I'd be keen on going there.
bobealia said...
Wow! My husband is a Med student, and I think he would love that.
I am guessing you didn't mean to say Palistinians... (when you were talking about the pregnant lady) it confused me for a few good seconds. LOL!!!
How expensive was it?
bobealia said...
That is an expensive date!! It was a super cool one though, sounds like...
kenju said...
That's a great idea, and I would definitely go.
panthergirl said...
It really does sound fascinating. I'm sorry I missed it when it was here...although I'm sure I would not have taken my son to see it. Were there kids there?
Sparkling Diamond said...
Wow, how fascinating! I would love to see something. I have always been so intrigued by the human body and I think it is so amazing that we can do something like this. If donating my body could help science learn something new or save someone's life, I'm all for it!
Shane said...
i always thought this process was quite amazing. i know it's controversial among some sects. People need to learn how to lighten up. I just read a post about someone who was outraged over the Geiko caveman commercials -- get a life (rolling eyes)
David said...
uggh real corpses,, dont think I would pay for that - I also dont watch tv, day or nighttime
Tracie said...
I have heard of this exhibit and read about it in several different places, but I am not sure that I want to go see it for myself.
Dara said...
I don't know how I would have felt about that exhibit. I think it's fascinating that we have the technology to do that and use it as a learning tool. Thanks for stopping by.
The Flamingess said...
I've heard about the plasticised bodies, but your description was very enlightening. I'd definitely go. No idea what the highlight woul d be, but I know I'd be faciniated by the technology. I feel donating ones body to science is is an excellent use for the vessel when we are done with it.
First we attended the Omni Theatre for a movie called "The Human Body", which showed many functions of the body from the inside on a 6 story screen. Pretty cool! The sections on reproduction and the blood were fascinating. It's amazing to see a million tiny red blood cells from wall to wall above you!
After that, we went into the Body Worlds exhibit, where there were portions and entire bodies of more than 200 people. The plastinates, as they are called, are people who donated their bodies to be plastinated after death (you can read how the process is done here) . The tour starts small with individual bones and body parts, then moves to a full body. The muscles are so red and the inner organs are the greys and reds you would expect. Apparently the plastination process does a good job of retaining the colors as it stops decomposition.
The first full body was of a man who had been a smoker. His muscles and portions of his ribs were removed so the lungs would show through. They were amazing - black and putrid. Nearby, you could see the lung of a non-smoker and the difference was profound. It reminded me of when I was a child and saw "Casey Jones" (a Minneapolis children's show) feature two lungs like that. I was five at the time and despite the fact that both of my parents and later two of my siblings smoked, I never once lit up; and I never will, due to that sight.
Anyway... The exhibit continued on with bodies in various poses designed to highlight certain body systems. A man playing chess to show the brain and nervous system. A man's skeleton separated from his muscles to show both systems in their entirety. Perhaps the most profound body was one of a woman who died of a fatal disease in her 8th month of pregnancy. Her baby could not be saved, either. She arranged before her death to be plastinated with her baby. The exhibit of her leaning back on her elbow with her uterus exposed and the babe curled within is so breathtaking... And so sad.
One of the things that I found interesting was the fact that there must have been at least 200-300 people milling through the exhibit and yet, it was so quiet in the room. There was a hush that acknowledged some unspoken rule that the plastinate's humanity and final gift must be treated with reverence.
Near the end, I started to be a bit done with the exhibit. Although it was really interesting, I began to get to the point where I could no longer see them as impersonal. There was one body that had been cut from top to bottom in about 5-6 sections and posed one in front of the other. However, the cuts were not always straight through. The heart, for example, was left whole and mounted in one section, with a corresponding space where it would fit into the slice in front of it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but he was like a standing human puzzle. The problem is that, unlike almost all of the other subjects, they left his skin on. And he had tattoos. And pubic hair. And a balding head. Seeing the tattoos and hair really kind of did me in. After that, I was ready for it to be done.
I am really glad we went, though. The secrets of the human body are fascinating, mysterious and beautiful. If you have a chance to see this exhibit (and you won't have squeamish nightmares, as some of my friends would), then I recommend you go see it. It truly is amazing.
This post created a LOT of comments:
Heather said...
Okay. I am a nurse and there is NO WAY I would go to that exhibit.
Geekwif said...
I'm glad you were able to see it and that it was so fascinating to you. I am just as glad that I didn't see it as I would have been completely overwhelmed by it.
Ravvy said...
it was here in Adelaide, AUSTRALIA for like one day *or one day that i knew of anyway* and i heard that it was even on on the day that it was happeneing and it was so popular, i would've just loved it completely as im a bit of a freaky geek when it comes to the human body and blood and arty stuff like that... so i woulda loved it and been totally facinated! Unfortunately at the time i had no moolah and was unable to go at all.. i really hope it returns...
Great Blog!!!
Here via Micheles Via AUSTRALIA!! :)
utenzi said...
I've read about this in several of the magazines I get. As much as I like science, even forensics, I don't think I want to see this exhibit. It's just a little too visceral to me. It does sound incredible, and I'd have loved to see it when I was in my teens or 20s but I've gotten more sensitive to "death" in my advancing years. Now I think it'd bother me to see such "real seeming" dead people.
Jean-Luc Picard said...
That sounds really creepy. I don't think I'd be keen on going there.
bobealia said...
Wow! My husband is a Med student, and I think he would love that.
I am guessing you didn't mean to say Palistinians... (when you were talking about the pregnant lady) it confused me for a few good seconds. LOL!!!
How expensive was it?
bobealia said...
That is an expensive date!! It was a super cool one though, sounds like...
kenju said...
That's a great idea, and I would definitely go.
panthergirl said...
It really does sound fascinating. I'm sorry I missed it when it was here...although I'm sure I would not have taken my son to see it. Were there kids there?
Sparkling Diamond said...
Wow, how fascinating! I would love to see something. I have always been so intrigued by the human body and I think it is so amazing that we can do something like this. If donating my body could help science learn something new or save someone's life, I'm all for it!
Shane said...
i always thought this process was quite amazing. i know it's controversial among some sects. People need to learn how to lighten up. I just read a post about someone who was outraged over the Geiko caveman commercials -- get a life (rolling eyes)
David said...
uggh real corpses,, dont think I would pay for that - I also dont watch tv, day or nighttime
Tracie said...
I have heard of this exhibit and read about it in several different places, but I am not sure that I want to go see it for myself.
Dara said...
I don't know how I would have felt about that exhibit. I think it's fascinating that we have the technology to do that and use it as a learning tool. Thanks for stopping by.
The Flamingess said...
I've heard about the plasticised bodies, but your description was very enlightening. I'd definitely go. No idea what the highlight woul d be, but I know I'd be faciniated by the technology. I feel donating ones body to science is is an excellent use for the vessel when we are done with it.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
I missed the one-year mark! Auughhhh!
I should have written this post on Monday, but I just didn't realize. I am 6 days late. That's appropriate, I guess. I am always late. Heck, I was two weeks and 48 hours late for my own birth, so my continued lateness should be a surprise to no one. I guess my only comfort is that Geekwif is late, too.
But I digress.
I am late for my one-year blogiversary. I started my blog on June 19, 2005. Through this year, I've blogged about funny things, heartbreaking things, exciting things and mundane things. I've met new friends and acquaintances and I've forged closer relationships with my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law in Illinois.
I started my blog as a way to chronicle our transistion from living in Minnesota to Illinois, and continued it when it became apparent that we would not be moving to Illinois as quickly as we has planned. Since I started my blog, I've had a major operation and we have done a home remodel project, sold our house and moved into a rental property. When I started my blog, I expected to choose a school for Sweet Girl to attend kindergarten in Champaign - and she just completed kindergarten in Minneapolis. When I started my blog, my mom lived with us and now she has her own apartment and is living by herself for the first time in her life.
Yes, it has been a year of sweeping changes, unexpected delays and unavoidable frustrations. It has also been a year of growth and joys. I know I haven't been very consistent with my blog, but I will remain committed to it. When we do move in August, it will allow friends and family here to remain connected with us. And when I need to cry or laugh or just shake my head at all the changes life is throwing at me, I know my blog - and all of you - will be here to listen and help me renew my perspective of thankfulness and joy.
Happy year to you all! And happy blogiversary to you, Geekwif!
But I digress.
I am late for my one-year blogiversary. I started my blog on June 19, 2005. Through this year, I've blogged about funny things, heartbreaking things, exciting things and mundane things. I've met new friends and acquaintances and I've forged closer relationships with my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law in Illinois.
I started my blog as a way to chronicle our transistion from living in Minnesota to Illinois, and continued it when it became apparent that we would not be moving to Illinois as quickly as we has planned. Since I started my blog, I've had a major operation and we have done a home remodel project, sold our house and moved into a rental property. When I started my blog, I expected to choose a school for Sweet Girl to attend kindergarten in Champaign - and she just completed kindergarten in Minneapolis. When I started my blog, my mom lived with us and now she has her own apartment and is living by herself for the first time in her life.
Yes, it has been a year of sweeping changes, unexpected delays and unavoidable frustrations. It has also been a year of growth and joys. I know I haven't been very consistent with my blog, but I will remain committed to it. When we do move in August, it will allow friends and family here to remain connected with us. And when I need to cry or laugh or just shake my head at all the changes life is throwing at me, I know my blog - and all of you - will be here to listen and help me renew my perspective of thankfulness and joy.
Happy year to you all! And happy blogiversary to you, Geekwif!
Moving: A Nice Idea if You Can Handle the Stress!
Our family is moving to Illinios in August. The second week of July we are heading down for a week to try to find a place to live and, hopefully, get some jobs lined up. We're driving in two vehicles; our car and Champs' truck with a U-Haul trailer filled to the gills. We're going to get a storage space and drop off all the stuff until we move. Then we're going to leave the truck at Princsiss' home (Thanks sis!) until we move.
We're hoping to also take our cat down and leave him with someone for the month. The move will be a four day process; two of them driving. The cat doesn't travel well. Our vet is two blocks away and he caterwauls the entire time! We'll have to drug him for the trip, so it would be easier and better for him to be drugged for one day instead of two. Also, we don't know for sure if a hotel will allow the cat overnight. We want to get another cat to keep Gus company, but it's too much work figuring out how to move him, much less move two of them. We'll get another cat in Illinois, probably.
We'll move in Mid-August. That will be, as I mentioned, a four-day process:
Day one: Get the 24-foot truck and load it.
Day two: Leave very early and drive to Wisconsin Dells and spend the afternoon playing and get some good sleep.
Day three: Finish the drive to Champaign (Champs will drive the truck and I'll have Sweet Girl in the car) and start unloading the truck.
Day four: Finish unloading, get our stuff from the storage space, and return the truck.
I was saying the other day that the stress of this move is almost doing me in. I figure, what with arranging the move and then getting everything settled and starting a new job, etc. I should be almost back to normal in, oh, say... October - just in time for the holidays.
I am trying to be positive and upbeat about all of this, but there is just so much going on and so many details to see to - and it seems to be all my responsibility. Champs is on the road three days a week, so I am taking care of the small details. Thank goodness I have him to help with the heavy lifting! haha!
I'm excited about the move, but I'm not happy about leaving my job and my family. What I am excited about, though, is the change in pace for our family. Hopefully Champs will have a normal, in town job that will let him come home every night and I am hoping to start a new business. So it isn't all bad. It isn't all good. It is all busy, and all stress, but when it's done, everything should be right where it's supposed to be.
We're hoping to also take our cat down and leave him with someone for the month. The move will be a four day process; two of them driving. The cat doesn't travel well. Our vet is two blocks away and he caterwauls the entire time! We'll have to drug him for the trip, so it would be easier and better for him to be drugged for one day instead of two. Also, we don't know for sure if a hotel will allow the cat overnight. We want to get another cat to keep Gus company, but it's too much work figuring out how to move him, much less move two of them. We'll get another cat in Illinois, probably.
We'll move in Mid-August. That will be, as I mentioned, a four-day process:
Day one: Get the 24-foot truck and load it.
Day two: Leave very early and drive to Wisconsin Dells and spend the afternoon playing and get some good sleep.
Day three: Finish the drive to Champaign (Champs will drive the truck and I'll have Sweet Girl in the car) and start unloading the truck.
Day four: Finish unloading, get our stuff from the storage space, and return the truck.
I was saying the other day that the stress of this move is almost doing me in. I figure, what with arranging the move and then getting everything settled and starting a new job, etc. I should be almost back to normal in, oh, say... October - just in time for the holidays.
I am trying to be positive and upbeat about all of this, but there is just so much going on and so many details to see to - and it seems to be all my responsibility. Champs is on the road three days a week, so I am taking care of the small details. Thank goodness I have him to help with the heavy lifting! haha!
I'm excited about the move, but I'm not happy about leaving my job and my family. What I am excited about, though, is the change in pace for our family. Hopefully Champs will have a normal, in town job that will let him come home every night and I am hoping to start a new business. So it isn't all bad. It isn't all good. It is all busy, and all stress, but when it's done, everything should be right where it's supposed to be.
The Last Heartbeat
My grandmother, who I loved more than anyone can imagine, passed away of pancreatic cancer when I was 17; one week before Christmas. My mom and my aunt were with her when she passed. Mom told me later that she laid her hand on Grandma's chest and felt Grandma's last heartbeat. She described it as incredibly peaceful as Grandma's pain and suffering were over.
The image has never left me and 23 years later I still feel the impact. Most people I know find it comforting to lay their head on someone's chest and hear the strong heartbeat of their loved one. Not me. When I lay my head on my husband's chest, it isn't long before I begin to think of the last heartbeat. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to feel it. So I move my head to the crook of his arm and rest my ear on his shoulder. His shoulder can't pull any surprises on me, right?
I have no fear of death in terms of what will happen to me after I die; Jesus is my Lord and I am confident of His promise of Heaven. I have to admit, though, that the process of getting there does scare me a bit. The thought of my husband or daughter dying scares the bejeebers out of me. So much so that my best friend, Geekwif, convinced me that I needed to stop watching "ER". All those emergency room scenes had me completely worked up over my family!
I wonder what my life would be like without the assurance of Heaven? Without the bone-deep awareness of God's grace? My niece is right; life is short - the promise of each heartbeat fleeting. How wonderful that we can look beyond our last heartbeat on earth... to our first in Heaven.
The image has never left me and 23 years later I still feel the impact. Most people I know find it comforting to lay their head on someone's chest and hear the strong heartbeat of their loved one. Not me. When I lay my head on my husband's chest, it isn't long before I begin to think of the last heartbeat. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to feel it. So I move my head to the crook of his arm and rest my ear on his shoulder. His shoulder can't pull any surprises on me, right?
I have no fear of death in terms of what will happen to me after I die; Jesus is my Lord and I am confident of His promise of Heaven. I have to admit, though, that the process of getting there does scare me a bit. The thought of my husband or daughter dying scares the bejeebers out of me. So much so that my best friend, Geekwif, convinced me that I needed to stop watching "ER". All those emergency room scenes had me completely worked up over my family!
I wonder what my life would be like without the assurance of Heaven? Without the bone-deep awareness of God's grace? My niece is right; life is short - the promise of each heartbeat fleeting. How wonderful that we can look beyond our last heartbeat on earth... to our first in Heaven.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
300th Post (when it was on my old blog)
Editor's Note: This was the 300th post when it was on my first blog. Here it's about the 70th or so, but it was still worth retaining, so here goes:
Have you ever let the weight of expectation build up to the point where a reasonable task becomes an insurmountable task and you don't get anything done? Well, that's what happened to me. This is my 300th post and I've wanted it to be really special. Fantastically special. I couldn't come up with an approach that met my hopes for a great post, so I never wrote anything. The sad part of this, aside from the fact that I let the weight of expectation rob me from reflecting on some really great events lately, is that I have pretty much decimated my readership. Used to be that if I missed a few days of posts, I had comments from people asking where I was. Oh well. Who knows who will read this?
There is a certain sense in which maybe it doesn't matter for now, though I want it to. Our family's move to Another State is getting closer than ever and there are days when I feel like the stress of it all is more than I can take. I have so, so, soooo much to do before we move and I'm not sure I can get it all done. That being the case, I'm note sure how much actual blog writing I'll be doing for the next couple of months. Once we move, however, I'm sure I'll be back with a vengeance as I sort out the new chapter in our lives.
But, this is my 300th post, so I do have to write something. Let's go for my 30 top 10's from recently.... These are in no particular order; more a stream of conscienceness posting, OK?
1. I just got an insulin pump! It is so cool and it will really help to control my diabetes. It is the coolest thing and it can calculate exactly how much insulin I need for each meal or anytime. I must say, though, that it is really weird having something attached to me 24/7.
2. Sweet Girl just turned 6 years old. This is a post in itself, really. We had a wonderful party and she enjoyed every minute of it.
3. Champs may soon move from a 3-day trip to a 2-day trip. Or, his boss may make it a 2-day trip just before we move, so we'll see....
4. Sweet Girl got a free swingset. She loves it. I painted it blue and Champs worked like crazy putting it together. Again, a post in it's own right.
5. Sweet Girl is done with kindergarten and couldn't be prouder of herself. Shortly before school ended, she was tested at a third-grade reading level, so we couldn't be prouder, either.
6. I had a third Longaberger party since January. While it was very successful, I think I am basketed out for awhile!
7. I have a possible job interview on Tuesday morning. Well, I do have the interview, it is the job that is possible. It would be a virtual job, allowing me to work evenings, weekends, from home, etc. I'll know more on Tuesday.
8. I am so happy that "Last Comic Standing" has returned! Love that show!
9. You know, salvation belongs at the top of every "top 10" list, so please pretend that was right up there.... I am beyond grateful to Jesus for His grace.
10. I have a new boss at work and I love her. She is supportive, flexible and understanding. She's also helping me cope with the changes that are coming with great humor.
11. I bought the cutest black high heels in the world and believe it or not, they are comfortable! And soft! And I bought them on clearance!
12. I recently discovered Myspace.com. I must admit that it is a bit confusing, but I'm learning. I need to borrow a teenager to give me an instructional tour.
13. My Longaberger consultant is retiring after 20 years. She had a sale of TONS of baskets and pottery that have piled up over the years. I bought some wonderful pieces at a great price. Of course, I could have spent much, much more. I'm actually proud of myself for holding back.
14. Sweet Girl starts new daycare on Monday. I was blessed to find a great daycare provider whose husband is a teacher. They're a great couple and will work to keep Sweet Girl's learning up over the summer while ensuring she can run around to her heart's content.
15. Today is Princssis' birthday! Happy birthday, pretty lady!
16. I have an idea for a business when we move to Another State. Everyone I've told it to thinks it is a great idea. Now I need to create my business plan, etc. Nothing like a little goal to keep you motivated.
17. Our zoom-zoom car (97 protege) is heading to the 94,200 mile mark and doing wonderfully. I love my zoom-zoom car!
18. Champs, Sweet Girl and I are heading to Hometown City, Another State the second week of July. We are hoping to have job interviews and to find a place to live. We also want to get a storage place for some of our stuff and hopefully find someone who will watch our kitty, Gus, for a month between our visit and our move date. Again, a post in and of itself.
19. My dearest friend, Geekwif, is getting a puppy and she and the Geek are beside themselves with joy over little Razz.
20. Speaking of the Geek and the wif, they are Sweet Girl's godparents. They gave her the most lovely kid's bible for her birthday. This is an easier version for her to read, and it should carry her through to her early teen years. She loves it. Way to go Geekwif!
21. My friend, Amy, has a great website where she's promoting her new CD, "Sparkle". It's Christian pop/rock and a great album. Sweet Girl is Amy's biggest fan and can sing along to almost every single song. I just got a signed copy of the CD today for Sweet Girl. Though we've already got the album, she'll love having her own copy.
22. The local wading pool just opened. It's about 2 blocks away and Sweet Girl can't wait to go. It has a fountain tree for the kids to play in.
23. I was told today that I have the two most important features a woman should have; a great personality and a great pair of legs. Since it was my husband's co-worker and he said it in front of Champs, then there is no guilt and I can just enjoy the compliment. I needed that!
24. We took Sweet Girl to the build-a-bear workshop for her 6th birthday. You've never seen a child have so much fun! The best part: she choose a velvet bear and dressed her in a purple dress. The voicebox she chose? A lion. So my girl has a sweet bear dressed in purple who ROARS! Tell me, what does this say about my daughter? I'll tell ya - Helen Reedy better not stop by here!
25. Champs bought me the most beautiful diamond "mother and child" necklace for mother's day... Now if I could just pick a great present for him for this father's day...
26. I found the cutest frame in the store the other day; it is decorated with daisies, buttons, denim and lace. It says "Sweet Girl". Well I had to buy it! How could I not?
27. When we move to Another State, hopefully (and most likely), Champs won't have a traveling job. Oh, it will be so nice to have him home all week! It's been three years now that he travels three days a week and it is wearing on him, me... even Sweet Girl.
28. OH! I almost forgot! Champs saw his eye Dr. today and though his right eye is still rejecting the transplanted cornea, the rejection is getting better and the doc feels strongly that it will be completely done rejecting in in the next few months. Woo Hoo!
29. My brother-in-law, Tank, is home from Iraq and he is safe. We are proud and truly grateful.
30. The last of my 30 Top 10 is just this: I have so many people who I love and who love me back. They make my life complete and give meaning to all the crazy things I do. Champs, Sweet Girl, my mom, Geekwif, my brothers and sisters, Champs brothers and sisters, friends from church... There are so many. When life gets to be too much (as it has lately), they really anchor me. Thanks, all.
So that's my 30 Top 10. Hope that suffices for a 300th post; the weight of expectation aside. I have to admit it took a lot of thinking, especially near the end of the list, but I think I'll come back soon and talk about a few of these. Night night!
Here are some comments from the post:
Geekwif said...
Yay for 300! Sorry I didn't finish that little project in time. I actually am working on it, believe it or not. Time is just very limited.
A few comments on your top 30 -
#7 - New development? This is news to me. I must know more!
#12 - I've checked out Myspace a couple times, but can't get over the teenie-bopper aspect of it. I think I'm getting old.
#20 - While we would be proud to be parents of such a beautiful little girl, you may want to add the letters g-o-d to that one to avoid any confusion. :) Glad you like the gift.
#24 - Ha! Hear her ROAR!!
#30 - You are always welcome. It goes both ways.
Blond Girl said...
Yeah, Geekwif, Champs saw that about #20 and advised me to change it before you saw it... We were laughing that, if you did see it before I fixed it, you would be soon calling to see when we were dropping Sweet Girl off to her new home.... I've fixed it now. And yes, you are the most wonderful G-O-D-parents!
I'll tell you about #7 soon. We need to get on the phone!
princssis said...
Congrats on #300! Great list, especially #15! :) Thanks!
Have you ever let the weight of expectation build up to the point where a reasonable task becomes an insurmountable task and you don't get anything done? Well, that's what happened to me. This is my 300th post and I've wanted it to be really special. Fantastically special. I couldn't come up with an approach that met my hopes for a great post, so I never wrote anything. The sad part of this, aside from the fact that I let the weight of expectation rob me from reflecting on some really great events lately, is that I have pretty much decimated my readership. Used to be that if I missed a few days of posts, I had comments from people asking where I was. Oh well. Who knows who will read this?
There is a certain sense in which maybe it doesn't matter for now, though I want it to. Our family's move to Another State is getting closer than ever and there are days when I feel like the stress of it all is more than I can take. I have so, so, soooo much to do before we move and I'm not sure I can get it all done. That being the case, I'm note sure how much actual blog writing I'll be doing for the next couple of months. Once we move, however, I'm sure I'll be back with a vengeance as I sort out the new chapter in our lives.
But, this is my 300th post, so I do have to write something. Let's go for my 30 top 10's from recently.... These are in no particular order; more a stream of conscienceness posting, OK?
1. I just got an insulin pump! It is so cool and it will really help to control my diabetes. It is the coolest thing and it can calculate exactly how much insulin I need for each meal or anytime. I must say, though, that it is really weird having something attached to me 24/7.
2. Sweet Girl just turned 6 years old. This is a post in itself, really. We had a wonderful party and she enjoyed every minute of it.
3. Champs may soon move from a 3-day trip to a 2-day trip. Or, his boss may make it a 2-day trip just before we move, so we'll see....
4. Sweet Girl got a free swingset. She loves it. I painted it blue and Champs worked like crazy putting it together. Again, a post in it's own right.
5. Sweet Girl is done with kindergarten and couldn't be prouder of herself. Shortly before school ended, she was tested at a third-grade reading level, so we couldn't be prouder, either.
6. I had a third Longaberger party since January. While it was very successful, I think I am basketed out for awhile!
7. I have a possible job interview on Tuesday morning. Well, I do have the interview, it is the job that is possible. It would be a virtual job, allowing me to work evenings, weekends, from home, etc. I'll know more on Tuesday.
8. I am so happy that "Last Comic Standing" has returned! Love that show!
9. You know, salvation belongs at the top of every "top 10" list, so please pretend that was right up there.... I am beyond grateful to Jesus for His grace.
10. I have a new boss at work and I love her. She is supportive, flexible and understanding. She's also helping me cope with the changes that are coming with great humor.
11. I bought the cutest black high heels in the world and believe it or not, they are comfortable! And soft! And I bought them on clearance!
12. I recently discovered Myspace.com. I must admit that it is a bit confusing, but I'm learning. I need to borrow a teenager to give me an instructional tour.
13. My Longaberger consultant is retiring after 20 years. She had a sale of TONS of baskets and pottery that have piled up over the years. I bought some wonderful pieces at a great price. Of course, I could have spent much, much more. I'm actually proud of myself for holding back.
14. Sweet Girl starts new daycare on Monday. I was blessed to find a great daycare provider whose husband is a teacher. They're a great couple and will work to keep Sweet Girl's learning up over the summer while ensuring she can run around to her heart's content.
15. Today is Princssis' birthday! Happy birthday, pretty lady!
16. I have an idea for a business when we move to Another State. Everyone I've told it to thinks it is a great idea. Now I need to create my business plan, etc. Nothing like a little goal to keep you motivated.
17. Our zoom-zoom car (97 protege) is heading to the 94,200 mile mark and doing wonderfully. I love my zoom-zoom car!
18. Champs, Sweet Girl and I are heading to Hometown City, Another State the second week of July. We are hoping to have job interviews and to find a place to live. We also want to get a storage place for some of our stuff and hopefully find someone who will watch our kitty, Gus, for a month between our visit and our move date. Again, a post in and of itself.
19. My dearest friend, Geekwif, is getting a puppy and she and the Geek are beside themselves with joy over little Razz.
20. Speaking of the Geek and the wif, they are Sweet Girl's godparents. They gave her the most lovely kid's bible for her birthday. This is an easier version for her to read, and it should carry her through to her early teen years. She loves it. Way to go Geekwif!
21. My friend, Amy, has a great website where she's promoting her new CD, "Sparkle". It's Christian pop/rock and a great album. Sweet Girl is Amy's biggest fan and can sing along to almost every single song. I just got a signed copy of the CD today for Sweet Girl. Though we've already got the album, she'll love having her own copy.
22. The local wading pool just opened. It's about 2 blocks away and Sweet Girl can't wait to go. It has a fountain tree for the kids to play in.
23. I was told today that I have the two most important features a woman should have; a great personality and a great pair of legs. Since it was my husband's co-worker and he said it in front of Champs, then there is no guilt and I can just enjoy the compliment. I needed that!
24. We took Sweet Girl to the build-a-bear workshop for her 6th birthday. You've never seen a child have so much fun! The best part: she choose a velvet bear and dressed her in a purple dress. The voicebox she chose? A lion. So my girl has a sweet bear dressed in purple who ROARS! Tell me, what does this say about my daughter? I'll tell ya - Helen Reedy better not stop by here!
25. Champs bought me the most beautiful diamond "mother and child" necklace for mother's day... Now if I could just pick a great present for him for this father's day...
26. I found the cutest frame in the store the other day; it is decorated with daisies, buttons, denim and lace. It says "Sweet Girl". Well I had to buy it! How could I not?
27. When we move to Another State, hopefully (and most likely), Champs won't have a traveling job. Oh, it will be so nice to have him home all week! It's been three years now that he travels three days a week and it is wearing on him, me... even Sweet Girl.
28. OH! I almost forgot! Champs saw his eye Dr. today and though his right eye is still rejecting the transplanted cornea, the rejection is getting better and the doc feels strongly that it will be completely done rejecting in in the next few months. Woo Hoo!
29. My brother-in-law, Tank, is home from Iraq and he is safe. We are proud and truly grateful.
30. The last of my 30 Top 10 is just this: I have so many people who I love and who love me back. They make my life complete and give meaning to all the crazy things I do. Champs, Sweet Girl, my mom, Geekwif, my brothers and sisters, Champs brothers and sisters, friends from church... There are so many. When life gets to be too much (as it has lately), they really anchor me. Thanks, all.
So that's my 30 Top 10. Hope that suffices for a 300th post; the weight of expectation aside. I have to admit it took a lot of thinking, especially near the end of the list, but I think I'll come back soon and talk about a few of these. Night night!
Here are some comments from the post:
Geekwif said...
Yay for 300! Sorry I didn't finish that little project in time. I actually am working on it, believe it or not. Time is just very limited.
A few comments on your top 30 -
#7 - New development? This is news to me. I must know more!
#12 - I've checked out Myspace a couple times, but can't get over the teenie-bopper aspect of it. I think I'm getting old.
#20 - While we would be proud to be parents of such a beautiful little girl, you may want to add the letters g-o-d to that one to avoid any confusion. :) Glad you like the gift.
#24 - Ha! Hear her ROAR!!
#30 - You are always welcome. It goes both ways.
Blond Girl said...
Yeah, Geekwif, Champs saw that about #20 and advised me to change it before you saw it... We were laughing that, if you did see it before I fixed it, you would be soon calling to see when we were dropping Sweet Girl off to her new home.... I've fixed it now. And yes, you are the most wonderful G-O-D-parents!
I'll tell you about #7 soon. We need to get on the phone!
princssis said...
Congrats on #300! Great list, especially #15! :) Thanks!
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