All Day at the Hospital: Day Three

The short version: DH's heart catheterization is scheduled for Thursday morning. The results will tell us if he can be treated with medication; with stints and angioplasty; with emergency bypass surgery; with non-emergency bypass surgery. I suppose his kidneys will also get a vote in the matter; the kidney doctor (nephrologist?) said that his kidneys are functioning at 18%, and are smaller than normal. That means the kidney condition is chronic, and would have gotten him sooner or later. He will need temporary or permanent dialysis after the procedure. Is he a candidate for a transplant? I don't know. We've just got to get through Thursday morning, and then we'll take the next step...

All Day at the Hospital: Day Two

I arrived at the hospital around 6:40 a.m. I brought gifts--two Krystals for DH to have before they brought his breakfast tray. When I got to his room, he was sitting on the side of the bed, wearing a heart monitor. He said that he was scheduled for a heart catheterization and he didn't understand why that test had been ordered (that also meant that he couldn't eat the Krystals...more bad news). In about fifteen minutes, a doctor came in that works with the cardiology group that is across the street from the hospital. He explained that the blood work indicated that DH has had a heart attack, and needs to have the heart procedure to see if there are blockages. However, the kidney issues mean that if they insert the dye into his bloodstream, the kidneys will not be able to pass it on through and they will fail. That will mean that he will have to be put on dialysis, possibly permanently. He suggested that we wait a few days and see if the kidney function improves, and we agree. He also tells us that DH is being moved to the Coronary Care Unit. I call my principal to tell her that I'll be out the rest of the week instead of just for two days, and then I start calling other friends and family.

They move him within the hour, but I don't get in to see him until the regularly scheduled 9:00 a.m. visitation. His son comes for that visit, as does DH's brother who works in the outpatient section of the hospital. DH is frightened, and we are all concerned. I stayed until the visiting time is finished, then make a Wal-Mart trip for groceries and other odds and ends. I went back for the 1:00 p.m. visit. They've done a Doppler test on his legs (checking on circulation and looking for blood clots) and scheduled a renal ultrasound for later in the afternoon. By the time I get back in at 5:00 p.m., he's had the ultrasound, but has had more breathing distress. The cardiologist came by and ordered a patch to help. The pulmonary specialist has ordered oral medication to help with the nicotine withdrawal, but in the meantime his dinner tray has arrived with no salt to season his food--that's right, folks, he's now on a low-sodium diet. The poor man has lost nicotine, caffeine, his over-the-counter pain medication, fat, and salt all within thirty-six hours.

We are blessed with so many people who have called or come by to see us. My school friends came right after school and stayed with me for about an hour. There were church friends who came starting at about 2:00, then again for the 8:30 visit. Two of the teenagers that have helped us with moving and other work at the new house came for the 8:30 visit, and one was there for the 5:00 visit, too. Four of our friends prayed over us during the 8:30 visit, and that will get us through this more than anything else.

I called my aunt on the way back for the 8:30 visit. I have thought all day about calling my mother, and then I remember that she won't be there to answer the phone. I will call my other aunts in the morning. They all love DH, and will want to know about his health. I am tired, and I am stressed. I will take a shower in the morning, I think, and wash my hair then. I have turned on the electric blanket and the dog and I will crawl in and try to sleep. It's just not the same with only two of us in the bed instead of three...

All Day at the Hospital: Day One

DH has been having trouble breathing for about six weeks. He had a cold or sinus infection, and hasn't been able to shake it. He had asthma as a child, and recurring bouts of it all along. He has been taking Primatene, and using an inhaler on a regular basis, but it hasn't gotten better. He started out for his Sunday School class (with teenagers at a local drug & alcohol treatment facility), but couldn't walk from his car to the building. He turned around to come back home, but couldn't drive all the way (about four miles). His friend that teaches with him called to tell me that DH was on his way back home, then DH called to say he couldn't get any farther than our church parking lot (less than a mile from home). I pulled on my clothes, locked up the house, made a few phone calls, and headed out to get him. When I got there and put him into his car (he was standing outside the car in the rain because he could only breathe while standing up), he got worse and we had to dial 911 for help. The fire station is only about two blocks from the church, so the fire truck was there just after I hung up, with the paramedic truck and ambulance not too far behind. I stood next to DH with the umbrella over him while they gave him oxygen and a breathing treatment.

They put him into the ambulance and I took his car back to our house. My sister, who lives about half a block from us, met me at our house and took me back to my car. I headed for the hospital; DH's brother was also on his way (he works at that hospital) from his house. By the time they gave him another breathing treatment (at the hospital) and had him on oxygen for a little while, his breathing was easy and his oxygen level was back up to an acceptable level. During the course of bloodwork, etc., they discovered a problem with his kidneys that concerns the doctors about as much as his lungs. He has had trouble with dehydration for several years, probably because of the great quantities of caffeine that he ingests during the course of a day (in addition to the cigarettes that are the root of the breathing problems). They have admitted him, and he'll be there three or four days for tests and to get fluids into him.

I came home around 5:00 p.m. to check on the dog and the house. DH had found the Colts/Patriots game and was rooting for the Colts. He'd had dinner (and was so hungry that he thought the hospital food was great), and had not had a cigarette or a Mountain Dew since around 7:15 this morning. I had no desire to be around him during the first stages of nicotine and caffeine withdrawal, and I'm not really looking forward to tomorrow. I called my principal and she got a substitute for Monday and Tuesday, and we'll go from there. I'm hoping he'll come home Tuesday afternoon so that I can go back to work Wednesday.

The dog is missing him. She loves me, but she spends most of everyday with DH and can't understand why I'm here and he's not. DH asked his nurse if the dog could come to see him, and she said no...

An Embarrassment of Riches

My mother was a child of the Great Depression. She kept so many things...because she was afraid that she would need it later or that she wouldn't be able to get any more. She hated to waste food, and that means that she was probably hungry at some point in her earlier years...which breaks my heart for her, and makes me even angrier at myself (a subject for another entry). Over the years, I've tried to break some of the same patterns that I see forming in my personality and life. I've read the "Messies" series of books and a couple of books on OCD. I've watched Oprah help those people with stuff piled to the ceilings in their houses and I've watched Peter Walsh on Clean Sweep. I've made progress in the years that I've been married to DH, and even more progress when we moved to the new house. But my craft studio is another story...

There's more patterned paper than I can use up in a year or more. There's about a year's worth of cardstock, maybe more. There are more alphabet stickers than I can count (I try to justify them by telling myself that I don't buy many "other" stickers anymore). There are empty albums waiting to be filled, and three-ring binders waiting to be made into albums (with enough page protectors for all of them). As I look at the organizer on my desk (one of those flatware baskets for picnic tables), I see nine pairs of scissors. That doesn't include the Cutter Bee scissors, Queen Bee scissors (probably my all-time favorite scissors for big jobs), and Honey Bee scissors that are stored on my work desk (yes, I have TWO desks in my room--computer and work). There are pens, pencils, and markers in the organizer, and at least three other containers in the room with pens and markers. I've just placed an online order for about twenty more Galaxy Markers because I've fallen in love with them again after using them on my Christmas cards (and besides, I got them at a REALLY good price...30% off).

I spent about $60 at the Hobby Lobby half-price paper sale this week. I excused those purchases by saying they were for my albums that I'm doing for ME with pictures of my great-niece, and that I was spending some of the "mad money" that I've inherited from Mother. She loved my books, and would be pleased that I was spending "our" money on supplies to make me happy...but she was a fellow hoarder, and would help me excuse my behavior!

Last night, I surfed my favorite shopping places for chipboard letters. I have eight boxes of chipboard letters and shapes, in addition to a couple of zip-loc bags full, but there are more from a particular line that I don't have and think I MUST have. That same manufacturer has come out with two MORE lines of paper that have chipboard letters and shapes to match, so naturally I think I have to have those, too. I haven't placed any orders yet, but the day is not done.

I gave our youth minister $100 last week (again from my "mad money") to help with any young person who needed assistance to go on the summer youth trips. He was so appreciative of the money. How much more could I give him if I don't order everything I want when I think I MUST have it? Our financial situation is much better than it was a year ago (thanks to the lawsuit settlement and my inheritance), and I'd like for it to stay that way. I don't believe God will honor my prayer asking for the quick sale of the other house if I don't act responsibly toward what He has entrusted to me. DH wants a couple of mildly extravagant items, and he deserves them...more than I need ANOTHER chipboard alphabet!

Do the sweaters in my cart at Coldwater Creek count?

Cleaning Out Mother's House, Part 3

We didn't go back Sunday evening/night, but we got an earlier start Monday. My sister and I loaded about fifteen bags into DH's car for him to take to the Salvation Army. The bags were full of blankets, sheets, towels, pillow cases, and pillows. A lot of that stuff is probably being used at the shelter while it's so cold; it will be freezing or colder again tonight, with some rain and sleet.

We found another stash of artwork. This were mostly rough sketches, but some good things mixed in. There were at least four canvases that were done before she married Daddy, so they have to be more than sixty-five years old. There's one picture that is probably a picture of Mother and one of her cousins fishing from Mother's flat-bottomed boat. There's a darker-haired girl sitting in the front of the boat with a paddle, and that's probably Mother. The lighter-haired girl on the shore (about to get into the boat) is mostly likely one of her cousins (Jeanette, Nell, etc.). I was afraid to unroll the cavases, but they were all right. There's a little damage on a couple of them, but nothing major. I went by Hobby Lobby yesterday afternoon and talked to Mitch in the art/framing department. He confirmed what I knew--oil paintings are not to be put under glass, but the water colors, pen and inks, etc., can be shrink-wrapped for protection until we decide what to do. He says to let those canvases rest for a while, then they should be put onto stretcher strips in preparation for framing.

I think we've done a good job of clearing out the house. I was afraid that we'd treat it like a museum or shrine, and try to keep everything, but we didn't. There was furniture that we put onto the street, along with stacks of frames and all four of Daddy's beloved typewriters. Someone will get money from those as scrap metal, or from another typewriter collector at a flea market. They were all in working order, I think...I still have (even though it's at the downtown house, and needs to come up here) Daddy's old Royal typewriter that was the one I used when I was learning to type when I was thirteen years old.

Mother had wanted to keep the pump organ, but we don't have anywhere to put it and neither does my sister. I don't think we have enough of an attachment to it to put it into storage. I think Mother's niece gave it to her; it's not a family piece. We may put it up for sale after the house is empty, along with a few pieces of glassware (insulators, glass canning jars, etc.). I think the china has been put into storage, and there's a good bit of flatware that's still in the boxes. DH and Wanda cleaned out a lot in the kitchen, but we still need to go through those cabinets again. My sister suggested that we throw something under the cabinets to scare any possible mice/rats, and then fish things out using a stick. DH and Wanda got rid of the roaches last fall; we haven't seen any bugs while we've been cleaning.

We found my high school scrapbook in the closet in my old bedroom. I also found a photograph album from my junior high/high school years. Wonder if I can identify people in those pictures? Wonder if I'll have nerve enough to throw away the pictures with faces that are too blurred to identify? I must remember to tell DH that I found my ticket stubs from at least two of the WVOK Shower of Stars shows. My sister was so impressed that she called her husband at work to tell him what we'd found! Those are real treasures to those of us of a certain age...Paul Revere and the Raiders, Herman's Hermits, Lou Christy (sp?), Billy Joe Royal...

Cleaning Out Mother's House, Part 2

We worked for about five hours today, and my sister and I plan to go back later this evening for a few more hours. We think we have finally collected all of Mother's original art work into one central location. We'll each select things that we want, and the rest will go to the storage facility. We have also gone through almost all of the linens (Dan says there are more in the sewing room closet and probably in the front bedroom) and divided those into things that need to go into the trash, things that need to be donated, things that I am going to bring to my house, things that my sister is going to bring to her house, and items that are up for grabs or will go into storage. We threw out all the old blankets and pillows, and only kept the embroidered pillowcases. My sister is taking one of the velveteen quilts (I'll get the other or put it into storage) and the Sunbonnet Baby quilt. I'm taking the quilt with the tulips (pattern name?) and the Martha Washington spread...at least for now.

We moved a mattress and box springs to the street, along with a lot of other unwanted furniture items and four old typewriters. By the time we left for home, the only things left were the duct-tape encrusted office chair, the 1960s television, and the mattress and springs. One man filled up the back of his pickup truck, and said he'd be back. I hope he made it back before all the good stuff got gone. My sister mentioned to one of our teenaged helpers (he was new today) that my dad had picked up a lot of this stuff on the side of the road, and that it was going back to where it belonged. He laughed and said that his mother liked to pick up things, too.

Amanda says we should do an art exhibit with Mother's work. She did use a range of media--oil, watercolor, artist's crayon (pastels), pen and ink, and there are also some rather interesting pictures done with shells on wooden plaques (a roadrunner and an owl). She also did some pictures in which she drew and painted a picture (animals in this case) on canvas, then cut it out and glued it to a wooden background, which she embellished with other bits and pieces of wood. I didn't remember her working on those, but Amanda did. Mother was quite prolific in her output, which makes me begin to understand my great number of scrapbooks that I have either already completed or that I have planned for the future.

Cleaning Out Mother's House

We spent about five hours yesterday working at Mother's house. It was Daddy's house, too, but he's been gone longer than she has, so we started thinking of it as Mother's house. My sister and I started in Mother's bedroom, and made a lot of progress. We packed up all her clothes, and most of her shoes (my sister wears the same size). We found a box of old photographs, along with a big box of professional portraits of my sister and me, as well as our family. I remember having our pictures made at either Olan Mills or Tom Pogue studios, and Mother and her niece did some of the coloring with oil paints instead of letting the studio do it (for what was probably a big charge then). We found boxes of school papers and art work that Mother had kept--for all four of us (my sister, my niece, my nephew, and me)--in addition to newspaper clippings and pictures that she saved as possible art projects.

Dan worked in the kitchen for a while. He cleaned out the food that was still in the kitchen cabinets and the pantry. Daddy had made shelves by using crates turned on their sides, and had made labels to keep it all organized. Wanda and my DH had started this project back in the fall, and had accomplished a lot, including getting rid of the bugs that had overrun the place. Dan took several things out to the street, and they were picked up within five minutes. We'll do that again today; our teenaged workers are coming this afternoon, so we can clear off the porch and some other pieces that won't be put into storage.

We also went through the linens in the cedar chest, and found pieces of clothing that were probably my grandmother's and possibly some things Mother bought when she married Daddy. Then there were quilts and quilt tops--made by one or both of my grandmothers, and probably one that was done by Mother's favorite niece. There are also more unusual quilts that Mother did--the corduroy quilt and the velveteen quilt that she made for my sister. There are a couple of afghans that I probably made (since I'm the only crochet person in the family).

When we get to the lower part of the house--it is on two levels, with a one-foot step between--there will be more linens and all those books and magazines. I think Amanda and Dan are thinking about doing some E-Bay business with some of that stuff, and if they think they can do it, I'm all for it. The pump organ will go into storage, and probably most of the glassware. Mother and I intended to get it photographed and labeled, but never got that done.

Time to Bathe the Dog

Jill, our Jack Russell terrier (and probably with a little fox terrier mixed in), needs a bath. She doesn't have to be bathed quite as often since we've moved, but she is starting to smell like a dog. She doesn't like to be bathed, and she knows that if I take off her collar, it signals bath time. One time, I took off her collar, then started the bath water. I went back to get Jill, and couldn't find her. I walked through the house, calling her. DH and I checked the front and back doors to see if she'd been able to push them open and get out (escape?). I made another trip through the house, and this time, I turned on the light when I went into the front bedroom. She was on the floor, on the other side of the bed, and had not come when I called her. She knew what was about to happen, and wanted no part of it. I was laughing so hard that it was difficult to carry her to the bathroom. That was one of Mother's favorite Jill stories; at the funeral home, one of the ladies who had been in Mother's Sunday School class asked about Jill. That means that Mother had been telling "granddog" stories to the ladies!

We've had a busy two days back at school. I spent most of my planning period Monday working with my principal to get each year's budget work organized. I've been on the budget committee for five or six (or more) years, and I may have to answer some questions when the auditors come next week. That meant that I didn't have time to catch up my lesson plans (from the week after Mother's death), and get plans ready for this grading period. I did those last night, and used my new "jump drive" to take them back to school (Christmas gift from the children). I wear it and my identification badge around my neck like Mardi Gras beads...

My order from Joanns.com was delivered at about 7:00 p.m. by UPS. I ordered the Far East 12 X 12 stack and the 8 X 8 stack. I had bought two of the matte stacks at HL (half-price), but they never seemed to have the larger stacks. Joann's had 30% off everything in the Scrapbook section, so I yielded to temptation. It is such beautiful paper, and such a nice weight and texture. After I bathe the dog (she's already getting suspicious), I'll work in the studio for a while. Boston Legal is a new episode tonight, so I need to get a shower after the dreaded dog washing session...

The Rain Keeps Coming Down...

DH got the chimney fixed, after two trips to Lowe's. The first trip was to pick up the chimney cover, and the second trip was to return the first cover and get one that was the right size. He should have sent Jacob up the ladder to measure before they went to Lowe's, but the second trip gave them an excuse to stop by the little diner down the road and get their lunch. They could have eaten with us, but I think DH is getting a little tired of raclette. He's planning to cook a chuck roast in the crockpot tomorrow while I'm at school. That will be dinner for two days (sandwiches the second day), and lunch for me for a couple of days.

It has rained, and rained, and rained. We are in the middle of our block, and the road slopes rather steeply (or at least a lot steeper than at the other house). We get drainage from the two houses above us, and then it runs off toward the house below us. If it ever gets dry, DH needs to check on what can be done about the water that's getting into the basement. He thinks there's something that can be painted on the inside of the foundation that will keep it from coming through...but where does it go then? It sounds like a waterfall when we stand on the deck.

I've started working on the baby's ABC album. She's already seven months old, and I think she and her mom have started looking at books. I gave her a Barnes and Noble gift card for Christmas instead of buying books. There's a B & N just up the highway from their house, and that way my niece can pick out books that they don't already have. I thought the gift card was cute--had Curious George on it (but don't think I saw The Man in the Yellow Hat).

The students come back tomorrow. We have to get everyone's books to the correct owner, and then settle down for the second semester. Testing will be in April, and there's still a lot to be done and taught before then. The audit is next week, and the pressure will ease up afterward. I should have worked on lesson plans this weekend, but I didn't. I have everything ready for tomorrow so I can spend my prep period getting the plans caught up and turned in to the office.

Raining Down the Chimney

I woke up to the sound of rain, and it was louder than I thought it should be. I was right...there's rain coming in the chimney in our bedroom. DH is leaving after teaching his Sunday School class and going to the hardware store to see what to put over the chimney. We may have to get some "real" help in the next few weeks if we want to be able to have a fire when it rains...his teenaged assistant will come over and help. It's probably not a good idea for DH to climb up the ladder and walk around on the roof.

I'm coming home early, too. The children are here from Georgia, and we're eating lunch at our house. We're using the raclette grill (again!) and they will enjoy it. They were here for a baby shower and party; the baby went to the baby shower and then stayed with her grandmother (my sister) during the party. DH and I went to dinner at the home of friends, so I couldn't help spoil the cutest baby ever born.

I hit Hobby Lobby yesterday afternoon, and bought around $120 in merchandise for $38. All the Christmas items were 80% off. I didn't buy anything for us except one card of gold garland, but I spent $10 of my sister's money on three Christmas stockings, 8 Christmas napkins, and a package of the ornaments that she uses on the tabletop Christmas trees she makes. Where did the other $28 go? My HL has moved the clearance section from the back of the store to the front (at least for now), and most of the scrapbook items were 66% off. A girl can never have too many alphabet stickers, especially ones from K & Co. that were originally $3.99 and now marked down to $1.32. My favorite HL cashier was working, so I went through her line. She told me that she always likes to see what I'm buying! She said she had three daughters, and two of them have been scrapbookers. She bought a kit for the third daughter, and wanted to go back on her break and check out the clearance aisle again for things her daughter might like.

I got the baby's 5 X 7 picture into a frame last night after we got home. I matted it on a piece of cardstock that I trimmed to 8 X 10, and made a border with those DCWV border sticker strips. DH even agreed that it was cute, and he really liked enlargement of the picture of his son that I took when his family was here for our Christmas luncheon (December 30).

Just about time to put on makeup and dress for church. I'd really like to get in one of the recliners and take a nap, but that's in the same room as the fireplace, and the rain coming in the chimney would make me worry. I can take a nap this afternoon after everyone's gone home--either in the recliner after DH works on the chimney, or in one of the club chairs...or maybe on the loveseat. Choices, choices, choices...

Friday Night at Our House

I got home from school around 3:30. I had promised DH that I would make him a homemade pizza (using a lot of the ingredients I had chopped for our raclette meal). I did the pizza while he took a shower; he's working the clock tonight for the church league basketball games. There are four games tonight--5:30 is the first game, and 8:30 is the last game. That means that the dog and I will be here alone until around 10:00. I miss having DH in the house, but my mother encouraged my sister and me to be able to entertain ourselves, so I'll read, watch some television (Friday nights means Close to Home and Numbers, and House reruns on USA), and spend some time in my studio.

I have thank you notes still to be done. My school friends gave me several housewarming gifts when we moved, and with Mother's illness and death, I've gotten behind on notes. I think I've finished all the notes from Mother's passing, and I have just housewarming and Christmas to do. I used the Autumn Leaves Quote, Unquote books to make up a lot of card inserts to use all during the year when I make birthday, friendship, etc., cards. One of my New Year's resolutions is to be better about making and sending cards; I always get such positive remarks when I send one of my handmade cards, and I enjoy making them.

I also have pictures that I need to send to be printed. I have DH's family Christmas photos, and I'm going to enlarge a picture of DH's younger son to 5 X 7 and put it in a frame on the entertainment center in the living room (the entertainment center is actually a hundred-year-old sideboard that belonged to my mother's mother). I think I've given away all the pictures I took of my great-niece and her uncle (my nephew), so I need more of those. I need to do my own album of great-niece pictures, since I've done three for other people.

Tomorrow is Saturday, which means a little more time for what I want to do. Since we've worked on the budget to make it possible for us to have weekly cleaning help, I can spend more time on craft projects and less on housework. I also eliminated a lot of clutter when we moved, and we've done a good job of keeping everything picked up and returned to its "home" (our cleaning/organizing lady told us that everything in a house has a "home" and that "home" should be what is logical and convenient for us; that will make us more likely to return things to their "home").

Think I'll go make a pot of coffee, and fondle some alphabet stickers...

The Raclette Grill

Nine years ago, my sister and I went on a handbell mission trip to Germany. We stayed with various host families, both in (the former) East Germany and West Germany. The economic differences were still quite apparent, and while we were in the former West Germany, we stayed with an affluent German family. Our friend Judy stayed with close friends of "our" family, and during our two nights with these families, "her" family joined us for a special dinner.
The hosts told us that we would be having raclette, and that the children in both families were excited because this would be the first raclette party of the winter months. We told one of the other members of our handbell group about the party, and she said that it was traditionally a skiers' meal, and that it was an honor to be included in a raclette meal.

The raclette grill was set up in the middle of the dining table, and there were bowls all around with various toppings: tomatoes, cheeses, mushrooms, pineapple, onion, meat, and probably more things that my sister and I can no longer recall. Boiled potatoes were kept warm on the top of the grill, and each person had a small wedge-shaped pan that fit under the warming plate. A layer of cheese was placed in the pan, then a sliced boiled potato, and then the toppings of one's choice. The pan was then placed under the warming plate, where the heating element served as a broiler. The pan was left under the broiler about ten minutes or so, melting the cheese and warming all the toppings together. While eating the first potato, a second potato and toppings would be heating. It was a wonderful evening, and made a strong memory for my sister and me.

Fast forward to last fall...I finally ordered a raclette grill from Amazon.com, and opened it up for use last night. I invited my sister, her husband, and his sister to join us for dinner. It was just as wonderful as we remembered, and everyone else seemed to enjoy it as well. I wasn't able to find raclette cheese at Wal-Mart, but the cheeses that we used suited us just as well. My DH said it reminded him of a fondue pot, and that he had always liked fondue (I think there's another story in that remark, but I'm not sure...DH had a rather colorful life before he married me). I have enough toppings left over to use the grill again this evening with our friends from down the street. They'll be here around 4:30 for an early dinner.

I have found my Germany negatives (I've run across them several times), and my notes from the trip. I started on a scrapbook years ago, and I want to get back to it this year. That was a special time in my life, and I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to travel abroad again. But I'll always be able to pull out the raclette grill and reminisce.

Vacation's Almost Over

I have one more day off before I go back to work. We have two days of inservice, then the students come back on Monday, January 8. That's a full week, then we're out January 15 to celebrate Dr. King's birthday. My sister, her children (and I include her son-in-law in that group; he's a treasure), and I have scheduled a work weekend at Mother's house. We hope to get some things into the storage building and maybe get rid of some other things. I am still waiting on the death certificate to be ready--there's so much to be done, but nothing can be done until it's official and legal. We have insurance claims to file, assets to transfer, and property to sell...but it's still hurry up and wait.

I have a few more thank you notes to write. It's taken longer than I planned, but I made all the note cards. I don't think I had as many to write as Mother and I did after Daddy died, but there are also Christmas notes to be written. I hope to get that done today and have all that ready to go out in tomorrow's mail. I want to get started on my great-niece's album of pictures made with her Gran--Mother was so pleased that she lived long enough to see her first great-grandchild, and I took as many pictures as I could of the two of them. I have one of those Kodak 11 x 8.5 landscrape albums that we all found at Big Lots for $5.00, and I've picked out twenty pictures of Mother and the baby. In fact, I think I already have the background papers in the album, so the next step would be picking out mattes for the pictures (I have a compulsion to mat every picture that I put into a scrapbook). The journaling will be facts about Mother that the baby needs to know as she grows up, and I probably need to print some pictures of Mother and Daddy together, too.

My new photo printing service is Walgreen's. The first reason is because they are one of the default choices that came with my new computer. The service was fast and reasonable, and one of our local Walgreen stores is near Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Office Max (what more could I ask?). The third--and possibly best--reason is that my BIL works at the other local Walgreen store. He and my sister live less than a block from DH and me, and BIL will bring my pictures home to me if I call him and tell him that they're being printed. That's like home delivery without having to pay delivery charges.

Time to put on "real" clothes, make a pot of coffee, get another load of laundry started, and get my digital camera workshop ready for Thursday (or is it for Friday?).

Happy New Year!

I think I remember hearing as a child that it was bad luck to leave a Christmas tree up after New Year's Day. I don't believe in luck, and my tree is still up. I am beginning to pack up some of my other decorations, and my Christmas sweaters and sweatshirts have been put into a box to go back into storage for another year. The runner is off the table, but the centerpiece is still there, and because it is my house and because I like the centerpiece, it might stay there for a while longer. I unpacked part of my Santa Claus collection to use, and those fellows will probably get to stay, even if they get moved to different spots.

My mother would be pleased to see us using her dining room suite. We even eat at her table, and I can't recall the last time anyone ate a meal at her table when it was still in her house. Before she passed away, Mother's house had gotten so cluttered and filled with "stuff" that the table was barely visible. It is a beautiful piece of furniture, and should be seen and enjoyed, along with the server (the other home picture). Maybe I'll get around to posting a picture of the buffet and china cabinet.

The other picture is a picture of a table that I decorated for a dinner theatre fundraiser at church. My DH (and that does stand for dear/darling most of the time) volunteered me for a table, and told me about it two days before it was to be set up. He also told me while I was putting on my makeup in preparation for going to work. I had planned to purchase Christmas dishes for the new house, and I found a set of plain white dishes that came with red chargers. I bought Santa Claus dessert plates for half-price at Hobby Lobby, a few new Santa figurines at Dollar Tree, a runner for half-price (love HL), and green placemats on clearance at K-Mart for 29 cents apiece. I was pleased with the way it turned out; I don't have a lot of confidence in my decorating ability.

We've been in the new house for almost two months, and sometimes I still feel as though I'm on vacation and will have to go back to the other house. I miss the convenience of the other location, but it was time for us to move. The conveniences of THIS house include: a dishwasher, an indoor laundry room, two bathrooms, adequate water pressure, a craft room/studio with adequate heat and cooling, two storage buildings and attic storage. We are about two minutes from church, and DH's best friend lives at the end of the block. Now we must pray that the other house sells QUICKLY...