cramerk

Janet, I'm so jealous, enjoy the concert. I didn't know they were still touring...does that make us old? One of my students 'facebooked' me, way cool. Yikes, just dated myself again. I won't add him as a 'friend' but it is cool to get messages from him. A new day! I hope the funds come in! I'm ready to get busy nesting my new home. Even though most of my possessions are still in boxes and 1/2 sitting outside in the rain, it feels like home. I like the grocery store, one of my favorite previous students works there. He gave me a huge hug, miss him. A true sweetheart. When he left my class he wrote me a letter telling me how much he learned & enjoyed my class. He is gay and from a influencial family, so school was rough for him. But I enjoyed every minutes of him. I guess I have been blessed. I need to remember these positive moments. I know I focus too much on the negative...I'm working on changing that. I have been given an opportunity to become part of a nice community! Who knows, maybe I will have a booth at the farmers market, my new neighbor makes awesome homemade bread, she sent over some when I was unloading stuff. Also there is community Bingo. I kind of like Bingo. Well I hope you all have a good day! TTFN

Well I am trespassing on my someday home. Everyone thought the $$ would arrive on Tuesday and the sellers gave me permission so I brought me & my toothbrush in for the night. The money is suppose to be on it's way but not by tomorrow. So now the hope is by Wednesday. Hope springs eternal. I'm tired, well exhausted actually, been sleeping on an air mattress and no furries to keep me warm. I really miss them. The mortgage co. has agreed to pay the kenneling costs since I am not charging them for 'room & board'. Now if they were really sorry, they would buy me a new fridge. I gave up a side by side for an old one that sings when it runs and it runs LOUD or a new stove, gave up a ceramic top for one that was new in the 70's. But I shouldn't complain. I don't know if I mentioned that in the moving DD#4 and friends broke the kitchen table leg off, they thought it was hilarious. I have officially cut her off in regards to $$. Not only did she buy a belly button ring, she went and got 'fake' nails while the rest of us were moving. I haven't seen her in 3 days. She is almost 24 and it is time that "I" stop enabling her. So no more gas money and as of May when she is out of school, I will no longer pay for her car insurance. I will have to make some decisions regarding medical insurance. I'm not even angry, I had an epiphany this weekend when she was 'unavailable' that this move to a new house is good, that this is MY home and no longer have to provide a home for anyone else. Candice, I'm glad your trip is going well. Phyl, sounds like the Jazz festival was great fun. I like music, but after students all day, I don't find it relaxing. Janet, what's up?

Morning ladies, hope today I find out when I have a home. Rained last evening, not good since about 1/2 of my possessions are outside. Phyl and Candice, have safe trips. Food yesterday was much better. Had a salad with chopped turkey and cheese with a small amount of light ranch and fresh strawberries. Dinner was 1 small piece of thin crust chicken pizza and 1/2 c of ice cream. Yep, I know I didn't need the ice cream, but ate it anyway. Be glad when I can get a fill. Not much else going on, TTFN

Janet, I'd take 40 year old eyes, it's the 51 year old ones that drive me nuts!!

I'm here, just lurking. I had to work at the nursery today. Got some planting supplies for the ladies that cleaned my house and a gift certificate for Dede who helped me move. Hopefully will close this week, it's killing me to not have my furries, too quiet. Even if we close, it will probably be the weekend before I can bring the puppies home. I will need to install the dog door and secure the yard. I am going to see if the mortgage co will pay for their kenneling since it seems to be their oops that caused the delay in closing. Janet, I'm beyond angry to just plain depressed. But this too will pass...or it won't. TTFN

I'm not dead, just homeless. Rural Development decided to do a formal review of my mortgage package at the 11th hour. Evidently Wells Fargo didn't get them the package until Thurday, even though it had been approved for 3 weeks and I had the package on Monday. Wells Fargo put pressure on RD and the did a rush job on the review. It got approved late on Friday, but now they have to request funds from the feds and that could take awhile. The manager of Wells Fargo called and appologized and is paying for a hotel and meals. The furries are at the kennel for at least a week. The kennel is not charging me for their stay. Three ladies came from school and cleaned the whole house so I was ready to move out by 9 am on Friday. The house is sold and recorded so that is a good thing. The last 2 evenings of moving where in a blizzard. I owe so many people for helping me. Food is horrid, eating way too much. Well need to get ready for work.

Candice, thanks for the Skype, it helped. Phyl & Janet, I had my pity party and am a little better. Probably realized that sleeping Thursday night won't be an option. Steph, glad Martial Arts was fun! Just think of all the muscles you burned. I'm a little over half full, remember I only have a 4cc band, and unless I am stressed I can eat anything. Example, Friday, ate a 6 in sub from subway with everything but jalapenoes. Need a fill, but it will have to wait a couple of weeks. Only 48 hours and I'll be almost in my new house. There continues to be some iritating things, but nothing huge. Have to have a different internet provider, my current one does not cover the part of Stevi that my house is in, nor do they have any plans to do so. I have determined that if you throw enough $$ at something it will get fix/arranged. So will be hooking up to Qwest, not my favorite company, but they were the only ones that had high speed faster than a snail. I love how all the others say they have high speed, when all it has is 1.5 AND is charging close to $100. Qwest SAYS is has 7 and is only charging $50, still more money than what I pay now, 'ka-ching'. Phyl, it just seem a few weeks ago that you moved for the winter. 1st DRIVE SAFE. 2nd go ahead and cry, you will be missing some good people, 3rd think of all of us coming up in July!! Hope you got your crockpot. Tried to sleep through my alarm, good thing it was across the room. Normally, I am up before the alarm or it only beeps once. This morning I must have really been out, it went off for 5 min. before I even woke up enough to hear it. DD#4 didn't come home last night. 'Study Group', yeah right. DD#5 called and said she would be out on Friday, a little late for moving don't you think. The kicker...she doesn't even know the address of the new place. Could be interesting. I'm reminding myself to let it go. I AM an independent person and I DON'T need anyone. I'm being stubborn and not giving her the address until she asks for it. I know juvenile, but remember I work with juveniles all day, it is contageous. Have a good day, if I don't make it in tonight, know I am thinking of all of you. TTFN

Janet, I know Andrew doesn't look like you, but that he is beautiful like you. Got in a fight with DD#5 over the phone. I WON'T argue with someone on the phone. I had called her earlier and explained that we have to be out by thursday night and could she come out and help, she lives on campus a WHOLE 20 miles away. Told me she couldn't come Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, but possibly Thursday. Okay, I said that would be great. THEN she says, oh and I probably will come out on Saturday. I explained that would be great, BUT I would need some help moving furniture and that she couldn't just come and put HER room together. Upon which she said, "I don't need a lecture." I tried to say I wasn't giving her a lecture, but just explaining how it was. So she got pissy, which then made me tell her not to bother comeing out to help. Which is what she wanted anyway. Now she can tell everyone what a witch I am and how I always boss her around. Yeah, could it be that you are selfish? She will do anything for anyone else, but NEVER for someone in the family. The reality is that I don't even care anymore. She and I will never be close, so I have accepted it and in reality, moved on. Had no one to help tonight, so I loaded the truck and took one load to the new place and unloaded. Having a latte, then some dinner, then back to cleaning. I am really just fed up with everyone and everything. It just bites that all I seem to do is work, either at paying jobs or on the house. Okay, I'm having a pity party. I'm tired, I'm stressed, and I don't think things will be done by Thursday night. I can count the # of times I just sat outside in the sun and did nothing on one hand. I pretty much hate the world right now, sorry.

Well Janet, you ARE absolutely gorgeous, each Avatar is post is more beautiful!! You aren't aging, you are getting younger, I think I hate you. Not only is your outside beautiful, your inside gives you a knock out glow. I think I want to be you when I grow up. I love the picture of you and Anthony. Such a handsome young man, takes after you! Steph, I know, broom clean. The problem is that the buyer is a HS teacher at my school, and I am so afraid that she is going to move in and then tell everyone I am a slob. You all know that I'm a slob, but I don't want anyone else to know that!

I was busy shampooing, 2 rooms totally packed and empty. I just don't know how in the heck I'm going to get everything all done. I'm panicing, I have 2 more evenings and still haven't found someone to move my shed!! Did get all the utilities, etc changed. Still have to pack up the gardening/yard stuff, that is at least 2 loads, then the garage, then clean the rest of the house. Ah hell. Best get going, check in tomorrow.

Denise, your lavender rose is probably Blueberry Hill, one of my favorites. I recognize Janet's rose, but the name escapes me and myj rose books are packed. I grow mostly miniatures, they are a little hardier than teas. I also grow some floribundas and shrub roses. My favorite miniature rose is Jeanne LeJoie. It is a climbing rose that is a abundant bloomers. I grow them on a couple of abolisks that I built. When I first moved back to Montana I had over 100 roses and was active in the rose society, but here I have only about 20, and when I move on Friday I have only 3 that I bought from the nursery to plant, 2 Jeanne Lejoie and 1 Cocoa Bean. Cocoa Bean is a gorgeous red/brown, almost a bronze. Back to school today, bleck!! Don't even know what we are doing in 6th grade, so I guess we will do a little 'winging it'. I need more sleep than Karri. Hope to get bedrooms shampooed tonight. Janet, you take such beautiful pictures. TTFN

Candice, you are right, I forgot that Connery was Scottish, I knew it was one or the other. Cleaned, packed, moved, packed, cleaned... only 4 days to get it done, yikes, don't know if I will get it, but I don't have a choice. I haven't even thought about school stuff. the list of things to do is at least down to one page, but that is only because I condensed somethings and because it doesn't include all the phone calls to disconnect & connect stuff. Sounds like you all had a nice Easter. I had a mcDonalds hamburger, whoop. Talked to my mother, it sounds like she has been able to sell some of dad's guns for a decent amount. She has let me choose one of his hand guns, a 350 something. So I figure I will go take some shooting lessons. Have a good evening.

I didn't even get to the store to buy my kids anything. They will just have to forgive me this year. I kindof forgot that Easter is tomorrow. I hate that about myself, that I don't honor holidays, especially Easter and Christmas, I believe in God and have faith. But I get so wrapped up in survival, I should put more trust in God and stop trying to take care of everything myself. I hope you all have a good night sleep. The hangy outies are still really hurting, as soon as I get moved I need to get to the doctor. I can barely lift anything. See you all in the morning. TTFN

So where is everyone? Easter celebrations? None for me. Did you all know that the top of your kitchen cupboards are disgusting? Yep, 5 years of crude, thank goodness for Krud Kutter!! It is my new best friend. I think my fingers are perpetually shriveled. I am NEVER moving again!! I still have all the yard stuff to move and I am only 1/2 way through the kitchen. I'll spray the oven tonight and then clean it tomorrow. I wish I didn't know the people buying my house so I could just leave my dirt. I probably still wouldn't, but I am sick of it all. Steph, how is it going? food okay today, but I am being lazy and eating 'easy' food. I don't even have the energy to chew. So I'm going with Soup tonight. Candice, I know my house will still be a disaster when you get here. I'll find out if there is going to be Irish music at one of our local pubs. A couple of our teachers play. One goes to Ireland every years to take drum lessons. I would love to go to Ireland, no big cities, I'd just like to walk the highlands and live in a small village. Maybe kiss Sean Connery. He still has it! Well they came and took another Water sample to see if my water is clean. I have been running a hose for almost 24 hours now to get rid of the chlorine. It better pass, otherwise we do this again. Hey I miss you guys!!! Come and play!

Janet, we use to have a Big Lots, I found some nice buys, but that also would be why I have so much crap. I am trying to make myself be more patient. I am so tempted to just haul everything to the dump, but a better option is to accept the clutter and as I put things away, create a 'yardsale' pile and sell stuff. what doesn't sell, goes to Goodwill. It would mean living with extra stuff until school gets out. I don't know if I can handle it that long. But the money would come in handy. Today, no moving stuff, just packing and cleaning. My new friend Dede (roofer's wife) is going to help me move the washer and dryer tomorrow along with anything else we can think of. Stevensville (where I'm moving) has Bingo, I may have to go once in a while. It also has a great Brewery and tasting room, only a block from my house. Candice, I hope Peter feels better, you didn't food poison him?? hehe Janet, me and hotdogs...not my favorite. Ice Cream...oh yeah!! Well, best get busy...TTFN

Phyl, the best place to order your beading material is Fire Mountain. Excellent quality and decent price. In fact that is where my local beading store orders from. Here is the link: Wholesale Beads and Jewelry Making Supplies - Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Moved most of the big stuff, did I mention that I have a lot of crap. How many people do you know that have 5 book shelves? 2 desks, 6 dressers, 6 bar stools (and I'm not talking about the little ones), a couch, a futon, 4 livingroom chairs, 3 with ottomans, AND that isn't taking into consideration the 5 REALLY big storage cabinets for my sewing stuff. Once I move I will have 2 washing machines. The owners of the house where there finishing up some last minutes stuff and the husband said, "Man you have a lot of stuff, when you find out it isn't going to fit are you going to back out of the deal?" TV's...5 of those (mainly little ones). I am majorly down sizing!!! Yard sale, here I come. Found out today that my well didn't pass the Water quality test. So there goes $250 to have someone come out and sterilize the well, which means...no flushing, showering, drinking until tomorrow. Good news...Friday is the OFFICIAL closing date! Friday night I will be sleeping at my new house, I may not be able to walk through it, but I'm just praying nothing else comes up.

Very sweet quilt Candice, I'm jealous, I sure wish I could be working on something. Have a tentative closing date of next Friday. I have permission to move stuff into the house this weekend. Technically we are suppose to start until Saturday, but hey Saturday begins at midnight, right. DD#2 and my someday SIL are coming up tonight so we can move things tomorrow. I am just going to have to move and then say oops sorry, I misunderstood. Need more coffee, be back in a few.

Morning ladies, Steph, have a safe drive to Billings! It will be okay. DD#2 is coming up tonight and we are moveing everything to storage. I am hoping the sellers of the house I'm buying will let me move the big stuff in, since we will be closing POSSIBLY next week when no one can help. I am going to offer them some $$ for the privilege and hopefully they will go for it. The Radon test came back high, so I am asking for a long term test with possible remediation if it comes back high. I'm beat and sore from working in the nursery. I haven't been doing anything heavy, just cleaning up 4 inch perenial pots. But it involves sitting on a 5 gal bucket and lots of bending over. Unless things start feeling better, I am going to have to go to the docs and see about a peccuary, not what I want, but if it ends the pain, it will be worth it. I'm sick of the pain and of not being able to urinate (yep TMI) I am going to have to take Friday off, I know my boss won't be thrilled, but I don't have any other options right now. Hopefully she will understand. Life has gotten so crazy. DD#4 didn't come home last night (at least she called), so I had her furry in bed with me, but he whines when she isn't around, so not much sleep. Once I get moved I'm going to take what time I have left for personal days, and get the house together and SLEEP. I'm tired. I know it seems like all I do is talk about me, sorry. Yesterday, I was really missing my dad. All these decisions to make without his advise AND I have NEVER moved without him and his horse trailer. I want him here. It seems so weird not to have him around. Most the time, I just don't think about it. but right now I want him. The other day when I talked to mom, I heard him. I know just my imagination. But I wish I could talke to him. He always had such good advice. Oh well, life goes on even when we don't want it tooo. I can't even think about going back to work right now. Only 9 weeks left. Well best get going, TTFN

Phyl, I think the serpentine belt is a long belt that runs more than one item in the motor, it's like a fan belt plus, RV won't run without one. I bet you are exhausted. Janet, so was Idrise still trying to convince you that food can't be an addiction? We all know that it is, people that don't have that addiction don't understand. It's like offering a drink to a recovering alcoholic. It is only in our lifetime that alcoholism was considered a disease, eventually food addiction will be also. Our country is proof of that. I bet there are more people with food addiction than there are alcoholics. The huge difference, an alcoholic can avoid alcohol, a food addict doesn't have that choice and THAT is the problem. I can NOT eat very well, have done it many times. I can live on 200 calories a day, for weeks. But eventually the body rebels and has to have food. Ah my kingdom to be able to urinate, sorry TMI. Too much bending yesterday and certain organs are rebelling. Hope you all have a good day, ttfn

Thanks everyone!! Worked at the nursery, then home for a hot shower and a latte. Have talked to all my girls, mom & sister and now all the wishes from you all. Nothing planned, in some pain right now from the hanging outy parts. I had to spend most of the day tagging bareroot shrubs. Hopefully tomorrow will be easier. Phyl is homeless right now, no RV & no computer, I don't think I would like that. Steph, I love to paint, especially if I can add some stencils or faux textures. Oh, when you come to pick me up in July, can you bring me bag of kettle korn? Well need to go get some dinner, think I'll just have cereal, too tired to eat. Check in later, TTFN

oh, naturally I want to stop at a quilt shop or twelve. I can pack my featherweight Steph, if you want a few lessons. any news on a treadle? Also I would love to hit an antique store. I have a real weakness for antiques. Steph, you mention having some big crocks, I would like to buy one from you, it you wouldn't mind getting rid of one.

I plan on being there unless something comes up! I LOVE the beach, some day when I am rich and famous I want to live there. If someone gives me the dates I can make sure I request the time off from the nursery! Steph, I will take you up on the ride. So far the only thing going on in July is to scatter my dad's ashes on his birthday, but that is the end of July. Dad's family (he was one of 10) want to have a shinddig, but it is really going to tick him off. He didn't want any celebration. I know I mention that dad visited DD#1 after he died. I swear when I was talking to mom this week that I heard him on the phone. I know it was my imagination, but it is going to suck not to have him on my birthday. I'm majorly stiff and sore today. I guess I have been a slug. I'm feeling really old today, could have something to do with doing little manual labor, that or hitting 51 today. Just looking at the # makes me irritated.

First day back at the nursery and I'm beat. Cleaned the pruned Water plants. We were able to overwinter a good portion of the plants (water lettuce, spider lily, black taro), so it is money in the bank. Some voles got into the cattails and water lily's so not too many of them let. Steph, hang in there, there will be good times & bad. Take it in stride. The zanax, really helped. I think I will take some tonight. The house passed the appraisal and has gone to one level of underwriters, one more level to go. My realtor doesn't think it will happen this week. That will give me time to get things done, but next week just really won't work for me. End of quarter so grade need to be done. I'm tired, so I'll check in later. TTFN

It seems strange that I have known all of you for only a year. You are closer to me than most of my biological family. Phyl you must be torn, leaving your winter friends, but excited to go back to your summer friends. I don't know if I could do it. I looks like I will be working in the rain. I don't mind the rain, other than it is cold. I hope I haven't packed my rain coat, but I think I did. Can't seem to find my sun hat either. The day will go fast though, I'm sure I'll be planting perenials, etc. I will have to resist taking them home, no place to plant them. Candice, don't forget to pack some handwork for the trip and a stack of books. If you don't to much handwork, I will show you how to make a 'Promise' quilt. There is a whole lot of 'folklore' that goes with them, but I usually don't pay much attention to the lore. Mainly because the local Promise Quilt Guru, kicked me out because I asked too many questions and didn't follow the rules. But the process is portable and relaxing. I have made about 8 of them and it is all handwork. I like to have it when I travel or watch TV. Well need more coffee and then get ready. I'll check in when I get home, TTFN

I like colored undies myself, bra's I'm pretty boring, white or beige. I don't wear white trousers. I had a parent complain to the principal once that I wore white spandex to school. 1st the only spandex I own is my undies & bra, 2nd I don't wear white except maybe a top. I am a slob with everything. I always get something on my clothes, pencil, markers, coffee. I use clothes and makeup as a shield for my insecurities, so if I have something on them, I feel out of control. LAME