Rainy days and Sundays.....

It hasn't been a bad weekend, I'm just having issues trying to stay interested in anything. Yesterday was gorgeous and hot. Today it's cold and rainy. I heard the rain and thunder twice during the middle of the night. Didn't realize the cat was still outside (Sorry Max). No worries though folks, we keep the garage door open so that he can get in and I'm sure he was toasty and warm (probably not completely comfy as he doesn't like noise...but then what cat does?).

 I went to the farmhouse and checked on Dad, took him some lunch and have made my way back home. I was walking the dog (in the rain) and looked up into one of the huge oak trees to see where the branch that is just barely hanging on (about a foot long) was located. I didn't want to be standing under it if it decided to let loose. Just at that moment, a HUGE water droplet landed in my right eye. Kind of freaked me out, but just a bit.

We went into Dad's Motorhome which was interesting, because for some reason or another Chaos has decided that he doesn't like the motorhome. I think he doesn't like that Dad smokes (who likes that? Other than Dad? = No one). Anyway, we stayed in there for a few then went over to the den in the farmhouse to visit (since more room to move around and Dad can smoke without causing any stress for Chaos).

Dad ate the lunch I brought him (Beef-a-roni) and I ate a couple of spoonfuls of it myself. Gave Chaos some of mine and then we hung out a while longer and then came home. So now, I'm lying on my bed and catching up on the freebies sites and thinking how I need to be organizing my computer including checking accounts, etc and getting ready for another big week at work.

The weekends just fly by (and kiddies....this gets worse as you get older!) I feel like I'm always working. The good news is the tax refund comes back sometime next week. I have two bills to pay off with it and then put some in savings. I'm going to go to Walgreens or Walmart and buy the 'MagicJack' (and I'm going to keep my same phone number). I recently changed my phone line back from one with all the bells and whistles to what is called a POTS line. This is telephony language for Plain-Old_Telephone_Service. Meaning a dial tone plus the taxes and surcharges (another name for taxes). When I go to Magic Jack, the original cost is '75.00' I think and it will plug right into the telephone system and let me use my current phone number. Then I'm going to call the phone company and tell them to turn off their land line services (POTS line) and with Magic Jack I will have all the bells and whistles again. I've actually stopped answering the phone because I didn't know who is calling me. Caller ID rocks....and I look forward to having that back. 2nd order of business is to get rid of the Internet bill. It has gone up again and it's ridiculous to pay enough to take a cruise (yearly cost) for tv. So -

I'm going to be looking for an antennae (will take it to the farmhouse when I move) and/or a tuner box that will take the place of the cable box and then we can watch free tv channels with the tuner/antenna and I can either buy Roku or use the new desktop for HULU and watch TV shows. Any of the shows I live to watch like the food channel, and HGTV...I can catch thru Roku or HULU and use the TV screen (which is really just a big screen monitor). Then, as stated before, I'll take my current phone number and my free tv to the farmhouse with me when I move. One of my major goals going forward is to take back from the utility companies. I hope that in the future years, I'll be able to buy some solar panels to use for some of the electrical at the farmhouse.

 If I could at least handle the hot water heater and the pool....that would be a winning situation. Needless to say, I'm beginning to feel hopeful again about life. I've gathered (not on my own) too much debt and I'm starting to figure out a way to get rid of it. I'm going to be diligent and I'm going to be completely debt free within two years. And along the way, I'm going to figure out ways to make money. I'd love to be able to put in geo-thermal heat at the farmhouse.

A friend of mine does this and he gets money back by selling energy to the county. THAT would rock. We've done all we can to make things as green and energy efficient as we can. I'm tempted to take my Jennaire stove from this house with me when I leave. It has gas top and the oven is electric. I would be comfy with that...but have to have cabinets made to fit it. LOL! So on this note, I will go for a while and see what I can get done to organize. First year in a while I'm getting anything back on taxes.....and I need it. I'll be paying off a couple of bills. ONE that I abhor the idea of paying off. Gregg went to the ER several years ago and had a catscan. My insurance company paid it, then took it back 2 years later. So - now his insurance company says no. OH IF YOU SEE KAY! Insurance companies suck and with OBAMA-SCARE it's going to get worse. I hate not being rich! I'm working on it though. This girl is going for a new job (at the same company).....got to get some bucks!! :)

Quality Control - Process Process Process

The middle of the week has come and gone. This has been a decent work week with much accomplished. I had a meeting today that I usually am so busy that I don't get the minutes out until the next meeting (two weeks later). Minutes are done and have been sent out. YAY! I finished my documentation for another group and have one more document that has to be completed asap. Tomorrow I will work on our new process that we are implementing later this month. I need to create a flow chart of my responsibilities and go over all the documentation I have to ensure I have what I need to create my job. We have a process document of high level responsibilities but I will be creating the flow chart and the process document in a step by step manner of how I expect my job functions to be. Should be interesting. I'm hoping it will help me to identify gaps beforehand. I still have so much to do at home and tonight I was so exhausted that I just fell asleep on the bed when I got home. Sucks to be old. Pray that tomorrow night I get home and get all the tax work finished (as the deadline is upon us), plus work on organizing my paperwork and life. I have been so disorganized the past year or two...that I'm struggling to get ahead of the game again. I fear something happening to me and leaving a mess for Megan to figure out. Well, it's late...and I will be sleepy tomorrow. Got to get some shut eye. Later

What to do? What to do?

Last week while at the beach, my neighbors decided to have their storm windows changed out for new energy efficient vinyl windows. I can't blame them. It should help their energy cost and the windows look wonderful. They already replaced the ones around the main part of the house. These were large storm windows that were a part of the sun porch. I spoke with Edna the other day and when I found out they had new windows on the sunroom, I asked what they would be doing with the windows. Edna said they were throwing them away. This included a really nice storm door in good shape too.

I'm always on the lookout for a good window or door for the farmhouse, so I asked if I could have a few of the windows. She said "Sure, they are behind the garage". So - I've walked outside with the dog and these windows and doors are lying on the curb on the property beyond their house. I walked out to make sure I was seeing windows and a door and there they were. So believe it or not, stupid me picked up the big heavy storm door and manhandled it back to the house. Now I'm trying to decide whether to take the car over and put them in the back of the car or just get up early in the morning and let Steve know I'm getting the windows. I want 3 of the windows to use as a green house. You know, build a frame open on 3 sides (use the windows) with wood at the back. Put shelves on the back wall....to start seedlings or have plants in. These neighbors are immaculate in cleaning and preserving the things they have so these windows and door are like brand new.

Guess I'll wait till tomorrow morning, get up an hour early and go over and get the windows. Maybe Dad can use them on the small house to cover up the area that is now just broken windows. The only problem is those windows are tiny..... so we may need to go ahead and cut the window larger, create a window frame and put these windows in temporarily until we can put new vinyl windows in and vinyl siding on the house.

I'm not sure if I can put these windows in the trunk of my car without causes breakage or scratches, so I'll probably hitch up the trailer to the lawn mower and go get them that way.

Anyway, I know my neighbors are going to wonder about me when they look on the carport and see that heavy storm door leaning against my wall. HA HA!

I've got a feeling that storm door is going to work nicely on the back door of the farmhouse. The front of the farmhouse has two 36 inch doors (yeah - wide), but they aren't regular height. I can stand on the threshold and there is about 3 inches above my head....so height is under 6 feet. Dad has to lean over going in those doors.

Wish me luck!! :)

What a crazy weekend!

Saturday was just an awful rainy and yucky day, that I stayed inside and worked all day on personal stuff and cleaning. Yes, the never ending cleaning. I ended up staying up till 2am Sunday morning to work on paperwork and things that were so very far behind. I think often that I will never catch up. Oh well.

So today was crazy, I got up late (again up till 2am). So - I went to the Grocery store and purchased lots of groceries. Managed to spend $37.00 on the dog and cat for their food. Wish I could claim them on my taxes. Anyway, picked up a birthday card for Jason as Megan was going to Memeaw's for lunch. Returned home, put away the perishables. Cooked something for Dad and then Chaos and I took it to Macclesfield. Stayed for a while and chatted. Called my cousin Willie while I was there to settle some questions about the garden we are planting next weekend. Left there and drove to Speed NC to pick up some bricks and a few odds and ends I'd negotiated for on www.freecycle.com. Picking them up and putting them in my car (yes my car) wore me out.

I arrived back at home, and cleaned the carport of that nasty yellow pollen we'd been dragging in. Then I managed to clear out a flower bed that had this awful sticky green plant that left sticky pills on your gloves. I then removed a nasty wasp (and killed him) from my bird feeder and filled it up so the birds can use it...not the nasty wasps. After that I moved my car to the backyard and removed all the bricks and cleaned it out.

I then pulled the umbrellas from the garage and put them on the back deck. Next I went inside and helped Megan cook dinner. I ate, cleaned the kitchen, put a load of clothes in the washer and then got my shower and played on FB for a while. I ordered a free 8 x 10 collage from Walgreens and now it's time for bed. I'm just amazed at how much I got accomplished today.

In order to celebrate, I'm going to sleep and pray that this old body will forgive me and get up without too much pain in the morning.

Good Night All! Superwoman signing out! :)