Continually Evaluating Life

Each day brings new things and people to evaluate into our lives and I find myself spending a good bit of my quiet time reviewing them. What makes something or someone "quality" in my mind - you know those that you want further contact with to delve deeper into to learn more and to get to know better to call friend not a mere acquaintance.

I just got back yesterday from 2 more days in Fayetteville at the store there helping to clean it up to Company standards. I met quite a few new people while there and was around some of the same that was there last week as well. Some of which have hit their mark in my heart and soul.

Marty a wonderful NY gal from the Winston-Salem store was there and I could spend days and days with her talking about her life in NY and after. She has led an interesting full life with loads of wonderful stories and she has the most outstanding personality. I love her straightforward frankness and her smile that warms your heart from across the store. Her work ethic is impeccable.

Bill the manager of the Wilmington store is always fun to be around. He is such a character and finds something fun in everything. He is very approachable and willing to help with any questions I have. We share the same interests in types of shows on TV.

Denise road with me up and back and she and I talked about all sorts of things. I learned a lot more about her and would enjoy traveling with her again. We worked well together cleaning up the scrapbook section of the store and share the same thoroughness.

Tim my district manager is another interesting person that I look forward to getting to know better. I admire his work ethic and drive to get all his stores to Company standards as well as his willingness to help all of us learn more to be successful. I also admire his faith and his love for his family which is evident in how hard he works to provide for them and how much he stays involved with his children's activities even with all the traveling that he does.

Most of all I am truly thankful and blessed to be married to my best friend, Scott. Scott's birthday is Sunday and I'm trying to think up a special way to celebrate it for him. I've scheduled myself off for the day so we could start the day with some fantastic omelette's or french toast. As far as a gift - hmmm! That I will have to think on some more.

Intensity!

The last week and a half has been pretty intense with a trip to Fayetteville, NC and Cary NC stores to learn about merchandising properly and to get to know the other managers a bit better. I will be going back up to Fayetteville Tuesday morning and will return home Wednesday evening; hopefully not too late as I don't like driving after dark much.

On the home front it's been just trying to get enough sleep to get through the next day and doing laundry. Scott has been so wonderful! He had dinner made for me last night and it smelled so heavenly when I came through the side door. I'm so tired of take out and restaurant food.

Our yard needs some attention badly and so does the house. I used to keep such a pristine lovely home and now it just depresses me. Seems I give ALL of my self to my job these days. I've got to find a balance somehow.

Back to work

Today is my first day back to work; the vacation was nice even though it was about half a vacation not a full one with them calling nearly daily. Oh well it was still a nice break. Tonight is the set of a new sale ugh! Hopefully Amanda will get it all signed correctly at the 5 foot height with all the correct signs hung. I may go back over tonight to help her as it all has to be signed before they leave.

I've got to get gas and take Greg to work so I better get him rolling.

Sleep Study Results

Today Scott will be seeing Dr. Bogan for the results of the sleep study. I am hoping it will prove to be a beneficial appointment. Scott has been saying it's a waste of time. I know that he and I would both sleep better if we were each 50 pounds thinner. I think I will start recording everything that I eat again and start walking once more.

SAD!

Scott returns to work today and I will miss him immensely. We've had such a fun time together doing things like we used to. The den to dining room project is coming along nicely and we are so glad that we made the decision to start on fixing the house up. The sooner we get it ready to sell the sooner we can get a Deltec home built on our land and move out of the city. YEAH!

Den to Dining!

We are progressing now! From ripped out shell to NEW SHEETROCK!

Progress?!

Birthday Bowl

It's been awhile but I mentioned that I would post a picture of the beautiful bowl my sister, Robin made for me for my birthday in March. Scott is making breakfast and using the bowl to scramble the eggs. Isn't it lovely?

Day 3 of vacation

Yesterday we went to Mid Carolina Steel for some steel strips to reinforce the den ceiling by the fireplace - DON'T ASK! We took Amelia with us on this grand adventure in the truck and she loved spending time with us. It got awful hot and with no A/C so we were glad to get back home. OH we also went to Harbor Freight to buy a special drill for tight places. Once we got home we thought it was too hot to work in the attic space so we drove to Spartanburg to see Mom and to give her the wind chimes that I got for her for Mother's Day. She made German potato salad with sausage and green beans for dinner. Her A/C was also broke so we got heated up again but it was nice to see her and Dad as well as Uncle Lenny and Uncle George; Kayla and even Charles for a few minutes.

Today we will work on the den project and I may actually get into my sewing room for awhile as I remembered last night that I need to get a baby gift put together for one of the girls that works for me. I think I will do up a couple double flannel baby blankets with crocheted edging for her.

After breakfast I think we should take Amelia for a walk. Scott and I need the walk as much as she does. Too much sitting yesterday has led to some stiff achy bodies this morning.

22 YEARS! TODAY!

Today we are celebrating 22 years of marriage - how will we spend it... oh just putting up new drywall and ripping out more paneling.

Last night I finally hung the bamboo shades in the dining room - soon to be office and they look right nice. And what a bargain; I got them at Jo-Anns when they were 75% off the pink stickered price so about $2 a shade. Next I will need to find some striped home-dec fabric to make some tab topped curtains that preferably have a squashy yellow in it and red. Our entry is that squashy colored yellow and I love it! It took awhile to "grow" on Scott.

I am going to take an hour or two to "play in my sewing/hobby room organizing things so that I can actually make things in there again. I definitely want to finish the scrapbooks for my siblings this year as Jack's wife loves photos as much as I do. And the rest will enjoy looking at the albums with their children I'm sure.

Back AGAIN!

We went back over to Home Depot for another 13 boxes of laminate flooring, more glue and some sheet rock screws. We also bought a couple container garden's one for me and one for Scott's Mom. Hopefully she will like it. We have our work cut out for us now! Will post pictures as progress continues.

UGH! How much DOES a sheet of sheetrock weigh?!

We bought 10 sheets of sheet-rock and 7 boxes of pop in laminate flooring - we need to go back to Home Depot for another 13 boxes. UGH!

Day One of vacation

I'm just surfing the web and catching up on emails and reading. I have to take Amelia (dog) and Tara(cat) over to the West Columbia Animal Clinic at 9:40 but thats my only set appointment or task for the day. THANK GOD! The rest of the day will be spent cleaning and doing laundry I'm afraid but it HAS to be done. I may even sit down and catch up on the bill paying as well. Scott will be home with me tomorrow so we will probably work some more in the den; I will post pictures if we do.

Gypsye just ichat'd me about doing coffee later - sounds good to me!

Loretta Lynn

Scott and I thoroughly enjoyed her show at the Koger Center on Sunday evening. It was a real pleasure to experience her presence and hear her sing. She was so sweet to the audience as well asking what we would like to hear and involving those on the front row in conversation throughout the show.

Chilly morning~!

It certainly doesn't feel much like Spring this morning... quite chilly and I am debating how warm to dress; I think layers will be my best bet. I awoke with an awful headache this morning perhaps while I am on vacation I will go in to see the Dr. First I have to take Tara, Tesla and Amelia into the vet. I think rest and vegging around will do me a world of good. I think Scott and I have nixed the idea of going out of town this weekend as we are both committed to the den to dining room conversion now. Knowing us it probably won't stop there even if it should as the kitchen will be next on the list and it is attached to this room we've started. And Scott and I are both bad about going full throttle into anything we do... we will probably hurt our middle aged bodies too; we still haven't learned how to pace ourselves too well. Time to get into work.

Little Nickie - HOME!

Well Little Nickie has a couple severe bite wounds and will be on antibiotics for awhile. He stinks SO BAD! He will be staying on the porch for another day or two. Hopefully I will be able to get him in to be neutered while I am on vacation as well... that'll chill his jets! Perhaps he'll stay in our yard a bit more and a little less with the nasty harem down the street.

Today and Tomorrow

With any kind of good luck I will get thru the next two days and then it's VACATION TIME!Yeah!I really need to get my desk cleared off and things in the right place just in case auditors show up while I am off. Which is entirely possible. All I really want to do is start vacation NOW!

I had to run Greg's cat, Little Nickie over to the vet as Saturday night he showed up back home all wet and beat up with blood EVERYWHERE. We have kept him confined since then so he wouldn't get in anymore fights. But he will require antibiotics and attention from Dr. Kelly. She is so GREAT with our animals. I am only hoping to find a vet near the property that is as good or better than her. Wednesday I will take Tara over for shots and to see why she is wasting away. Not sure if it's parasites or the fact that she is getting old. Poor girl looks so bad! Tesla and Amelia also need shots and checkups. I may end up sending a small fortune over there while on vacation but everyone will be up to date. Well the Vet's office just called and Nick is ready to come home.

Remodeling Underway!

Scott and I emptied the book cases in the den yesterday and we have a lovely stack of books to be donated to His House or Children's Hospital and now we have begun ripping out the shelves. It sure will open things up and the change will be fantastic! We plan to put in some glass fronted cabinets with space above for a couple antique mirrors or framed art on each side of the fireplace.
Here are a couple photos of the progress thus far - don't you love the 1960's Robin Egg blue?!

Rosewood Market

Well Scott and I went out to the market and no flower show so we went on to Rosewood Market and bought some organic foods and had lunch there. YUMMY! Then we came home and started to unload the shelves in the den as we are planning to rip them out and install new cabinets before we turn that room into our dining room. So far my discard pile is bigger than Scott's but thats ok... as long as we are down sizing a bit. I love our books but do not want to move that many when the time comes. We are thinking "total enjoyment"... if we don't get a response from an article it's out of here. No point keeping EVERYTHING! Too much "stuff" leads to a cluttered overwhelming life... got enough of that at work. It's been so nice having today off.

Saturday OFF!

Yeah! A Saturday off to spend the day with my husband. I've turned my cell phone off as I really need the time and day away from the store completely! I work 3 days next week and then start my vacation... YEAH! I'll be able to clean and organize my sewing room and perhaps even get a bit of sewing done. If I do sew up some goodies I will try to post some pictures. I have some fabric that I bought to make a suite out of perhaps I will get that done while on vacation.

It's looking like rain for today and I wouldn't mind that a bit as we need the rain badly. Well Coffee is ready!

DUM DUM DE DUM!

Today's my first Regional Visit and I am just hoping to survive the day.