December Already

DYNAMIC DUO

So tomorrow is December ALREADY...I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by (don't they all).  I sent in my 30-day notice to vacate my house this morning.  I don't want to move, but they raised the rent $450/mo more (greedy, greedy), but the impetus to move is following Nettie and Aria to Ukiah.  Scott found a 2 bedroom townhouse, and is already in.  Nettie has been slowly moving her stuff, and should be in by mid-December.  I am waiting to hear about a house I applied for, and the agent yesterday said she submitted it to the owner along with about 5 other applications, and is waiting to hear.

In the meantime, I have been packing boxes (need to go buy more), and have a storage unit in Ukiah.  Scott has one also, and I asked him to keep it for December, just in case I don't have a place to move to I can store my contents until I find a place.  Last night when I went to bed, I found that I had been worrying about the rental place.  If I don't get the one I applied for, then I start all over again.  I decided to just give it to God and let Him worry about where He wants me to be.  He's taken care of me for 62 years, and I am firm in my believe that He will continue to do so.  So if I have to store all my stuff until I find a place, so be it.  That just means I will need a bed to sleep in until I get it, mail that will have to be moved twice, but hey, don't worry.  Easier said than done.  And because it's December and Christmas, I want to be moved by Dec. 18 because the next weekend is Christmas, and I need to clean after Christmas, so moving day is Dec. 17.  I asked the realtor to meet me on 12/31 to do the final walk through.  I'm hoping like heck I'll get most of my $2,000 deposit back (fingers crossed).

The positive side is that I won't have to pay rent for January and can save those funds for deposits.  Always look at the positive side, girl!  Life is too short to worry about what you don't have control (much) over.

So I have 3 things for Aria for Christmas, a pair of UGS boots, a bingo game, and a loom.  I still want to get her something else, but not sure what yet.  I also bought my white elephant gift for Christmas Eve at Rick's.  It's 2 tickets for making chocolate candies at Rachel Dunn Chocolates in Concord.  I got them through Groupon, and thought it was a good idea.  I still have to get something for Nettie, Scott, Braden and Rylynn.  Christmas is very frugal this year, and I won't be decorating, so it won't feel much like the holidays here in the house.  That's okay, because I have my cinnamon scent warmer plugged in and it smells wonderful in here, the heater is keeping it warm, and there's plenty of spice tea to be had, so it's plenty festive for me.

Well, off to buy some more boxes (I can't seem to find any free ones on Craigslist-drat).

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY TO ALL

Happy Veteran's day to all the men and women who have served (or are serving) our country.  We would not be here were it not for your bravery and your dedication to our beautiful country.  I thank you, and am indebted to you.  I've been watching some veterans who have been on talk shows receiving free homes, or free medical, and my feeling is that every person who serves or served this country should be taken care of for free by the government when they come home wounded.  I'm watching where people have poured in contributions, donations, various fund raising events, and am appalled that this great country does not give free health care and basic living to our returning veterans...totally appalled.  Vets should not have to worry how they are going to pay for a doctor bill, or prescription drugs needed, or have to pay to have their home equipped to accomodate them.  Other countries take care of their vets, so why don't we?  It shouldn't be an issue where veterans have to pay for anything to get treated for whatever wound they have, any upset caused by any war.  We never have taken care of our veterans...why.  I don't understand it.

I'm going to have a nice quiet weekend at home alone...my daughter and granddaughter left this morning to drive to Ukiah to 1) take boxes to my storage locker, 2) meet Scott for lunch, browsing local thrift shops, then dinner, and 3) spend the weekend with Scott and his parents in Clear Lake.  So I'm doing some internet browsing, blogging, baking, packing, cleaning...the thing is, I can do whatever I want.  I'm so excited.  I do miss them when they are not here, but I like the quiet and the not having to pick up after them.  So I'm making lists of things I need to do before I move, and will get a couple of them checked off this weekend.

I did find that when we were moving boxes I already packed to her car, that future boxes need to be packed "lighter".  They can get pretty heavy when packing papers and craft items.  So I told my daughter that future medium boxes would be packed lighter.  If it's difficult for me to move them on my own, they are definitely too heavy.

I ordered a couple of xmas gifts for Aria today, a bingo game, and a loom.  Something to keep her busy over Christmas when they visit with their cousins who are coming to spend 10 days for Christmas in Clear Lake.  Aria's list for Santa has grown quite long...we let her watch regular cartoons on television, rather than PBS stations, and they run all the commercials, so everything she sees, she wants to put on her list.  We explained that Santa doesn't bring ALL the things on the list, he is choosey, and besides she has to be a good little girl, otherwise Santa doesn't come knockin'.  Christmas this year will all be in boxes since we are moving, so no decorating this year.  I don't think anyone will miss it...we'll go to Rick's for Christmas Eve, and the kids will be in Clear Lake for Christmas, I don't yet know where I will be.  But no decorating...woot woot!

Better go, I've got some serious "alone" time to enjoy, so I'm outta here...

Beautiful Tuesday!

It's a sunny, bright day here in northern California.  We had some nice rain (finally) yesterday (Halloween) and early this morning.  I think I actually brought it with me yesterday.  I got up and drove up to Ukiah to secure a storage locker before my move there.  I left home right at 9:15, made no stops on the way and got there at 11:20.  Not bad, no traffic, light drizzle part of the way, but a lovely drive.  Got to the storage place and took, I believe, the last storage space available in Ukiah.  Bob, the manager, told me when I commented about there not being any available units at any of the 9 or so storage places, that because of the fires the last 2 years in the Clear Lake area, all the storage units are rented.  I had not thought about that, but was so grateful to have a space.  It's a 5 x 15, which square foot wise was what I wanted, and I only plan on putting my craft boxes in there for now.  Scott drives down here after work every weekend, and when he goes back Monday morning, I can load his car with a few boxes and he can drop them off for me, since he is there every day.  That will work great.

Then once I was done at the storage place, I called Scott and we had lunch at Schat's Bakery (they are located in the Friedman's store).  Great little deli/bakery, scrummy food, reasonable prices.  It rained pretty good while we ate.  After we were done, Scott went to look for a few supplies he needed to take back to work, and I headed out to look at some rental houses.  One out of three was not a good fit, but the other two were nice looking.  This morning, I noticed that one of them is rented and off the rental site.  I know looking at these places now is futile, as nobody will hold it for 2 months until January 1.  I started to drive up to Willits to look at a 4 bedroom for $1,500 (wholly, molly, what a deal), but after about 10 minutes, decided Willits was too far, so around I turned and headed home.  I brought the rain with me.  It always hits in the north bay first, so it came with me.  But I left it in Santa Rosa until I got home.  I took 116 towards Sonoma/Napa, and that was a nice route to take, green hills, farmland, vineyards, not bad traffic.  Then to hwy 29, and home from there.

Got home around 5 hoping to see Aria before she went out trick-or-treating, but I missed them.  She dressed as a princess this year, of course.  Nettie had to work until 6:30, so Aria was at the quad with mom until then, then they went out to a gated community.  Aria filled her pumpkin before it started to rain, so then home they headed.  She was asleep by the time they got back home around 9:30, and off to bed she went.  I hope Mom took pictures.  I bought wax lips (anyone remember those?) from Cost Plus at the beginning of Halloween season, bought one for each of us.  So Sunday I gave them to everyone, and took a pic of Miss Aria.  Told her to roll her eyes, so this is the shot I got.  She doesn't know that she can chew them up after she's used them all she wants, that's the fun of them!

So today I'm doing a few chores around the house, paying the rent, packing a couple more boxes, working on an altered rolodex project (I have a double rolodex with 1000 cards that I will be altering/painting and making beautiful over the next year or so.  I wanted the 3 x 5 cards, but OMGosh are they hard to find.  I finally got some on EBAY, but can you believe the prices?  Ridiculous...I also ordered some new flour sack towels and am embroidering Monday-Sunday patterns on them.  My current flour sack towels are desperately in need of throwing away, but they are just too cute, I can't bear to throw them away.  Once they get so many holes, they are not good to use anymore, so I do need some new towels, and since I am packing away most of my craft supplies for now, I need something to work on in the meantime.  So embroidering new flour sack towels it is.

I can't believe it's already November 1!  My this year has flown by.  I have not accomplished nearly as much as I wanted to, but then I never do, as life gets in the way.  Having to move (not my choice) is a big pain in the butt, and not something that is fun to do just before the holidays, but there it is.  I have enjoyed my retirement, time spent with Aria and Nettie, being available to go to lunch with someone when I want, going to Cabo with Nancy and Joel in February.  I love my life now (well, I always have, but especially now that I don't have to work).  So glad to not have to work anymore, so thankful that God takes care of me daily.  I am truly blessed, so I will end this post with that for now.  Have a blessed day all!