Thoughts on Life

I'm sitting in a quiet house this morning as Scott has gone to audit a class and Greg is still asleep. I have to be into work at 12:30 and will be off tomorrow. I have made a decision but am not ready to share here on my blog.

I've been thinking a lot about life in general and what really matters within it. Love and Family! Does it REALLY matter if you make a lot of money if you miss out on loving moments with your family. We are born into families to share love... thats how we are created... from love. If we are spending more time chasing money than with our families what is the point. There is important work at home too. I know that some money is a necessary evil to survive but how much are we working to pay off our own greed for "more". I'm basically at my mid-life - perhaps this is a crisis of sorts. Who knows but it has me thinking.

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DRAWING TODAY!

Change is GOOD

We have change in our future.... but doesn't everyone? That is what life is all about... change.

Another Short Night

I'm so exhausted - the nights are never quite long enough to feel completely rested. I wish I could take a couple days off to just sleep. Perhaps I will be able to get off at my scheduled time today and come home and sleep.

Scott got a bit of work that will last at least through Christmas. So that is good news. Greg is to start his new job this weekend so perhaps things are starting to look-up.

My regular Doctor is making me an appointment with a Urologist to see if they can find out why I keep having issues in that department.

It's always something; or so it seems.

THANK GOODNESS!

"They came home - they weren't ate by predators and now I can get some decent rest. Don't they know how much I worry?"

Greg said that while we were gone last night Tesla pined for us and went room to room looking for us. He has separation anxiety we believe.

Sunday Thoughts

Here it is Sunday morning and I am getting ready for work and wishing that I was staying home. Home is definitely where my heart is and I wish that I could stay here more. The day to day hassles of management and the daily drama is wearing me thin. I'm reaching a point in my life where I want to explore the Earth more and work a LOT less. At least for someone else. Working hard in my garden, cleaning my house and doing my laundry would be more full-filling to me. Watching things grow; sitting and talking with family and friends and just enjoying living each day.

My health is starting to cause me worry again and I think it's all from stress. Yesterday Scott and I went for a short walk by the River and sat and watched it flow by several times just sitting there holding hands sharing our amazement for the nature all around us. There were several Egrets fishing along the further bank and it was fun watching them and seeing how crafty they were about catching their prey. Having those moments with him was such a stress reliever. Tonight it will be dark when I get home and I will need to go right to sleep to get to work bright and early the next morning. Such is life at the moment. The first of the year I am thinking about making some changes in my work life.... if they aren't made for me before then.

Time to get this day rolling.

Coffee is GOOD this morning!

I am thoroughly enjoying my morning coffee while Scott is cooking me a nice breakfast. I don't know what I would do without his support.

I didn't sleep well last night just couldn't get work off my mind. It's going to be a ruff couple days and I'm so looking forward to being off on Wednesday. I will probably sleep most of the day away.

If I can get through until then I'll be doing good - stress level is WAY UP and I'm feeling it in my chest. NOT GOOD!

There is going to be several opportunities for fun stuff the next couple of weeks and I am hoping to get to do some of it; like going to see "Frankenstein" at the River-walk canal locks. It sounds like it will be AWESOME.

Whatever to be WILL BE!

I'm hoping for the best and bracing for the worst and whatever comes our way we will make it because we have each other.

Today HAS TO GO BETTER!

Yesterday was AWFUL! So Today MUST go better. Yesterday was full of one problem after another and then another. Felt like the hen that was left out in the rain looking for cover. GEEZ!

POSITIVES!...
I have 3 new people to start this week and am hoping that they can fill in the schedule quickly!

I'm enjoying knitting more than I ever thought that I would and wish I had more time to sit and do it.

Scott and Greg love and support me no matter what.

I have my Mom in my life and can call and talk with her anytime.

The crisp fall air is WONDERFUL!

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Walking into a lions den today

Two employees basically quit yesterday so today I have to call some people in for interviews and get some hired. Should be interesting. I didn't sleep much at all last night worrying about today.
Looks like long days ahead of me for the rest of October.

Knitting projects

A SIMPLE BABY PULLOVER free project sheet that I picked up at AC Moore -shhhhh don't tell anyone I knnow that I went there. LOL!



A dish towel in a waffle stitch which I found as a link on Down To Earths Blog.



And a baby blanket that I started knitting. I got the pattern from Jo-Ann.com; BABY LOVE DIAGONAL BLANKET. Super easy and turning out so lovely.

Small Joys

I need to take the time to appreciate the small joys in my life... time spent knitting, sewing, quilting, gardening.... everything that used to fill my days. That includes housework, cooking and laundry too. I'm still in search of a balance.

I'm teaching myself to knit and right now I have 3 projects in the works - a baby sweater - that I have to rip out and start over as I dropped a stitch and now it has a hole there; a baby blanket that is working up quickly and a dishcloth. As usual I'm setting up to do a LOT on my day off - no rest really.

Last night went so much better than the night before. The night before I was awoke with the worst cramp in my left calf. I was crying out it hurt so bad. Scott was able to massage it some and get it to stop but oh my it hurt so bad. Then all day yesterday it was a dull ache that was nearly distracting. Thankfully it is feeling a bit better today.

Today and tomorrow are working days and then I'm OFF Tuesday and so looking forward to that.

Rainy Ride home from work

Today was cloudy followed by a very rainy ride home this afternoon. Tomorrow will be a BUSY day... and it will start early!

It's only 7:23 PM but I am exhausted! I'm going to call it an early night tonight.

RAIN and MORE RAIN!

OK... we needed some rain but now it's just getting depressing! I've been working on a batch of Chow Chow and am learning to use the pressure canner that I just bought at Walmart for $52 - YES I was in Walmart with my Mom. We rarely shop there at all but Mom said they would have the canning jars that I needed but they were out. Finally found some at Bi-Lo. The Chow-Chow smells delicious; I'm hoping it taste that good as well.... IT DOES! I had one 1/2 pint jar left over in the pot so we taste tested some... YUMMY!


Uncle Lenny's check up in Charleston went well. And they were back by 1 this afternoon. Mom stayed with me until they got back. We noticed she had a tire quite low so we went to Kershaw Tire and had them check the air pressure - turned out they were all low; less than 25 pounds of pressure in each one - kinda scary in this rainy weather. Then they told her that her brakes were nearly shot and not really safe for the road so she had them replace those. I felt better about their trip back.

I over bought on the canning jars but will hold them until we can find something else to make - and then we will probably have to buy more. I'm thinking yard sales and Free-cycle need to be hit up for some as they cost about $8.50 a case in the store.

Greg has a job interview and we are hoping that he gets it as he REALLY needs a job. His Insurance will be coming due soon and he needs to have spending money for gas and "girls". LOL!

Scott has a phone Interview this week... here's hoping they both get employment this week!

Not going there....

I could so rant about yesterday but am going to just leave it alone and move on.

I'm up a lot earlier than I had planned to be; just couldn't sleep anymore - or toss and turn. It's a wonderfully brisk morning here and the air is so fresh and clear. I am looking forward to spending part of the day tomorrow with my Mom. She is driving down here with Uncle Lenny and then Scott is taking him on down to Charleston to see the Cardiologist down there and Mom will stay with me. We may go out to the State Fair as it is opening day but a lot will depend on how tired we both are. We may just stick around here and do a little sewing. I almost NEED a quiet day at home right now.

Columbus Day!

What a rainy day for the last day of the Columbus Day sale - didn't slow people down a bit. We were busy is putting it mildly. I'm going to keep working hard and try to rest as much as I can when I'm off. The next couple weeks will be 6 day workweeks for me but I'll get through them. only 2 1/2 months until I can take a REAL break and am hoping that everyone will be able to keep things up and running so that I can take some time off.

Fall Cooking

There is just enough coolness to the air to make me get into a baking mood. We are to go to Scott's Moms' at 1 today for dinner and she is baking a ham so I thought pumpkin bread would make a nice add on that I could take. I just popped a loaf into the oven. We will be a few minutes late as it isn't supposed to be done until 5 minutes after 1 but we live less than a mile from her so hopefully we will get there by 10 after one. Here is the recipe that I used:

It's out of the Country Roads - A Collection of Recipes cookbook
page 100

PUMPKIN BREAD

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup solid packed pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350*F. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.

Combine pumpkin, sugar, milk and eggs in a bowl. Add dry ingredients and butter; mix only until flour is moistened. Stir in nuts. Bake in a well-greased loaf pan for 65 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Recipe by Nancy Browder (Mrs. Bryan)

This is a wonderful little spiral bound cookbook put out by the Chapin Elementary School Parent Teachers Organization, 1983.

Garden Happiness

I have been enjoying a much needed Saturday at home. I woke up and looked out my den window to see a BEAUTIFUL row of Okra blooms and grabbed the camera to try to capture them. The flower on an okra plant is one of the most gorgeous blooms that I have ever seen and to have a row of them to greet my eyes this morning was a true gift from nature. I continued my walk around the yard and found butterflies feeding on the lantana by the light post and the start to the blooms on the Confederate rose bush. The picture I took was of two blooms side by side - it looks like a full chiffon skirt. BEAUTIFUL. Scott has been reworking the garden a bit and we have planted collards and onion sets. While out there I decided to go ahead and pick the remaining green tomatoes to make some relish. I also am sharing a couple pictures taken earlier in the month of our sweet potato harvest and our two spoiled wretches - I mean cats (Nick and Tesla).

Too Pretty a Day to be stuck at work...

UGH! I've got to go into work at 12:30 and all I really want to do is stay home. I could sit out in the yard and stitch - it's about the only place I can see to thread a needle anymore. The weather is just perfect for outdoor stitching too. I'm sorting through my projects in the Dining Room and am boxing some stuff up to take to His House for donation. Perhaps Scott could run it over there today and get us a receipt for taxes.

A fun Day at Home

Well most of it was here at home. I competed and mailed out 2 mini-quilts as well got another quilted and will have it ready to mail by the weekend and then I will have just one left to make, quilt and mail. I also mailed a box of "scraps" to a fellow blog keeper as she has a limited income but a crafting spirit. And I sent a fun package to the Spartanburg family - YEAH HALLOWEEN!

I also picked up my prescriptions at CVS and took Amelia for a ride over to the store when Lenora locked her keys in the office. Amelia LOVES riding "shot gun"; it's like she has a doggy grin ear to ear. If it wasn't for the seat alarm going off occasionally I'd let her ride up there all the time.

First thing I did this morning was to clean the den and re-arranged the furniture a bit. Which the cats did NOT approve of at all. But decided it will be all right as long as I'm home more to lay on.

The day I would like to have....

Sit here and listen to the rain fall all morning; perhaps read a book or magazine. Pet the cats. Work on Christmas presents for about 2 hours. Perhaps take a walk and then a nap in the afternoon if the rain lets up if not continue on indoor projects. Clean this front room up and get it pretty again instead of cluttered up with projects and junk. Take things to His House for donation. Just be a "home body" all day!

It's a good day for homemade soup and freshly baked rolls!

The Start to a new week

Wow... it's all ready day one of a new week and a new month has begun. I have ever so much to do at work and want so badly to have more time for family and friends. There really are not enough hours in a day.

One more night shift

I'm never working this many nights in one week again. It is absolutely killing me and I'm not able to get any of my office work done at all which is not good.

Greg just left for the Fort for his weekend drill. He is worried because they are testing his PT skills and he hasn't been exercising as much as he needs to. Hopefully it will go better than he thinks.

Scott had an interview yesterday and was told he was over qualified and they wouldn't hire him because he would just leave when something better came along. Their loss!

I have a cough this morning and am hoping and praying it's not the crud thats going around. My sister Robin and her daughter, Gwen have the flu and are home sick with it. So many bad cooties going around. And so many children hacking and coughing and sneezing with no instruction from parents to cover their faces.

Hiding Out

I have my phone turned off today and I'm going to leave it that way. I NEED a full day with NO WORK!
I have those little quilts to get finished and in the mail today and I have several other projects in the works. But for right now I'm sitting here with my first cup of coffee with several windows open so that I can listen to the birds starting their day. When we are on our land the animals will be about all we hear in the morning- no rail sounds, no planes taking off and no highway traffic noise either. My heart aches to be on the land.

The cats are content now that they have had their breakfast. I will feed Amelia in a little while and perhaps take her to the River Walk. We have been putting a tablespoon of olive oil on her food and it is helping her skin so much. She is soft again and her hair is growing back from the flea allergies. I will definitely be making a trip back to the vet for Comfortis tablets for fleas. Amelia feels so much better and is looking like my "puppy" again even with her premature gray. It just proves she is my dog.