What's Missing?

If you've never been to my house, you might not be able to tell. This is still a work in progress. The checkerboard cat "quilt" will be reworked somehow to cover up all the cables. I think the TV needs to be lowered some more, but I have to convince the only other person around who can "help me" move the dang thing! Blinky is useless.

Deal of the Day (from yesterday)

Many years ago, I purchased some everyday cloth napkins that were sort of a sage green and white check. They matched my dishes, and they got a lot of use. So much use, that the checks have pretty much faded away, and all that remains are multiple tea stains from upset glasses at the table. Today, I went back to Old Time Pottery to shop for more napkins. I don't go there very often (not even once a year) because it's not close by. They didn't have any green napkins that I liked, so I decided to go with this:

The match is not perfect, but it's good enough for me. When I chose the napkins, I couldn't find a price on them anywhere. I did see this sticker, though. I knew all the Christmas merchandise was majorly discounted, but these napkins weren't with the Christmas stuff, so I wasn't sure what the price would be. Do you want to venture a guess? I couldn't believe it when the price rang up at twenty-five cents. I bought twelve for $3.00.

Do Not Adjust Your Set

This really is lime green, approaching day-glow lime green even. I had lime green in mind for my sewing room, so the curtains are indeed lime green. There is a black ceiling fan remaining in the room, and I inherited a set of clear plastic bins with royal blue tops, so I wanted the valance I planned to make to have lime green, blue, black, and white, but not be a floral print. The only other criteria for the valance fabric is that it has to make me happy. This does.

If Ya Gotta Work...

... it may as well be fun. Phillip called last night to say what a fun time he's been having on his new job. Night before last, he called to tell me that he'd driven a bus -- just in the parking lot since he doesn't have his CDL yet. And he didn't hit or run over anything. Last night, they assigned him bus number 2704 to complete the ascribed minor, routine maintenance, in this case new A/C belts, a replacement sun visor, etc. He said that he's having so much fun that it doesn't feel like a job; it feels like a group of friends getting together for their weekend hobby of working on cars. It seems that he's found his career niche, just like Emily found hers: talking all day, an audience who's required to listen, and getting paid for it.

Lost and Found

I've been thinking this week about how wonderful it is, especially in this economy, that Phillip found a job so quickly after graduation. I'm happy to be finding a sewing room. He's probably happy to lose his dependence on his parents. Sometimes we like to find things; sometimes we like to lose them. Here's my short lost and found list.

Things We Like to Find
Money in the pocket of a seldom-worn coat
Just about anything at a half-price sale
A ready-made meal lurking in the back of the freezer

Things We Like to Lose
A pound or two (or ten)
A bad habit
A neighbor with a yappy dog

Things We Don't Like to Find
Gray hair(s)(s)(s)(s)
Mold
A nail in a tire

Things We Don't Like to Lose
The car keys
Our youth
A beloved pet

Thanks for finding my blog. I'm furiously agitating the brain cells so that you don't lose interest.

It's Been a Long Time

I haven't sung in a choir in seven or eight years, but tonight that will change. For a long time, I didn't sing because of problems with a TMJ disorder. Although I enjoyed singing and being part of a choir, it wasn't worth the physical pain it generated. However, I believe now that a big part of the problem was related to an imperfectly arranged desk environment at work. Before I retired, I changed the position of my computer monitor so that I was looking a little bit down instead of up, and that made a big difference. Now that I'm doing only minimal work at home (though I do spend a good bit of time at my computer), I rarely have the headaches that used to plague me almost daily. Also, at Midway PCA, we will soon occupy our new sanctuary with the choir in the back in the balcony and with a pipe organ, which I'm sure I will love. So, I'm looking forward to my first choir practice in a long, long time. I've just committed through May as a sort of trial run, so here goes. Bring on the music!

The Problem with Blogging

The problem with blogging is that you have to think of something to post every single day, or nearly so. There's only so many pictures of my cat people want to see, and I probably exceeded that number some time back. So, I have a problem. Here are some other real-life annoyances. I'm sure you can relate. (By the way, I'm convinced that most of us handle the big problems well; it's the little things that drive us crazy!)

• Discovering you have no wallet (cash, checks, credit/debit cards) after the cashier has rung up a cart full of groceries
• Finishing the laundry and having one unmatched sock
• Not finishing the laundry because the washing machine has quit... full of water and wet clothes
• A rattle in the dashboard of the car
• Plastic, "clam-shell" packaging that cannot be opened without doing yourself bodily harm
• February and March (the dead time between the end of football season and the beginning of baseball season)
• Having a recipe half prepared only to find that you're missing a key ingredient
• Taking an envelope that has to go out immediately to the mailbox and seeing the mailman halfway down the street... past your house

Have I missed a biggie?

Maniac Monday

It's been a crazy Monday, even if I didn't spend it at work. I left home this morning, and before I returned, I made eight stops. Here's stuff I got for free... hmmm... open package of cookies...

Here's stuff I got dirt cheap. I paid 50 cents each for the Excedrin (going in the give-away box), 15 cents each for four Powerades, and 30 cents each (I think) for three brownie mixes. The Powerade was on sale at Kroger for $1. I bought three, and used three 0.40/1 coupons that Kroger doubled, making the net cost 0.20. Then I also had a buy 3-get 1 free coupon, so the fourth was free, bringing the final total to 0.15 each. Whether or not anyone in this house will drink the stuff remains to be seen.

Here's today's rundown:

• Kroger - saved 60%
  
• Publix - saved 69%


• CVS - saved 67%


• Walgreens (times 2) saved 79% at one; 81% at the other


• Walmart - got a free bar of soap, plus three packages of Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers (vegetables) for 0.50 each, plus some bananas and a couple of other things. A pox upon Walmart for not accepting printable coupons.


• Went by the in-laws' place for them to sign some forms (nothing saved, but they did give me coupons from their paper and I dug through the recycling basket in the activity room and gleaned a few more); and finally...


• Went to the bank (nothing saved, but a check deposited)

I'm not going to mention the 75% off Christmas chocolate that I bought, but someone shoot me if I bring home any more chocolate! (At least before the post-Valentine's Day sales.)

Worship God or...

Since Sunday is worship day, I thought I'd share this bumper sticker that we saw in Tampa. Human beings were created for worship, and if they don't worship God, they will worship something. Dirt is just about as good a substitute as anything else.

From Sunshine to Fog

We're back home and officially empty nesters. Here are some pictures from our final day in Tampa.

We went to Ybor City to roam around and have lunch. It's a nice place by day, but if you're not into partying, it's probably a place you don't want to be after dark.

Several methods of transportation we saw.
We drove by the shipyards and aquarium.Finally, here's the Tampa skyline at sunset as we headed to the airport.

Fly Away

We're in the Tampa airport (with free wifi) about to head home to foggy, cold Atlanta. I have a few more pictures, but not enough time to upload them now. We'll see you soon!

Mission: Tampa

We left home yesterday morning before daybreak, but here's what dawn looked like out the truck window.There was no question about the team loyalty of this truck's driver. We arrived in Tampa with Phillip's gear about 3:15. The truck was completely unloaded by about 5:30, and the Uhaul location here was open until 7, so we didn't have to keep the truck overnight. Here are some pictures as we were just getting started sorting through everything. The living room.

The kitchen and dining area.

The bedroom.

Private dining for three.

This morning while I was doing more unpacking and organizing, guess what the guys were doing...

They were actually trying to get the wireless network working. Of course they succeeded.

Later in the morning, we took a lot of trash to the dumpster, and walked the entire circle around the apartment complex. James took his fishing pole and wet his bait periodically.

Although fishing is permitted in the pond, we're not sure there are actually any fish in it. But there are lots of birds.

Here are some attractions for the Vrekens:Phillip wanted to take me to the cool mall about three or four blocks from his apartment. Plus, we were pretty much at a standstill in organizing his place until we picked up a few things (found at Goodwill, Dollar General, and Walmart -- not the mall).

Something I have never seen before -- a double-decker carousel.

Here's a closer picture of the upper tier of the carousel.
And here's the double-decker stroller.
One of several fountains.The food court had several little tables for little diners.After Phillip and I finished the shopping, work on his place resumed. Here are some nearly-finished rooms. About the only thing left to do is hang pictures on the walls.
Here's one of Phillip's decorating ideas. If you'd like his help at your place, let me know, and I'll pass on your request.