Living on one income...

We've done it before so I know that we can do it again. But I can't help feeling like we should have made some major changes about 3 years ago - like had this house ready to sell and sold and us moved up onto our property where at least we could supplement our income with a garden, chickens and perhaps a money making craft or hobby. I think we should be training our young people to be prepared to retire at 50 as no one wants you after that in the work force - or at least that is what we are finding.

Munch Munch Crunch

Sounds from the kitchen where Tesla is eating his cat food. Only the dog remains to be fed.

I've been up since about 3:30 this morning, tried to sleep a bit more in the recliner but didn't have much luck. I think the sound of the rain falling woke me. We really needed the rain here.

Last night Scott and I discovered that there are a few okra developing on our plants so hopefully we will get at least one meals worth off them before we get a hard freeze. Scott worked some at rebuilding one of the beds and has been shifting things about in the garden to make it more productive. I bought some onion sets from Gurney's and they arrived the other day and need to be planted. We are also planning to plant some salad greens. We can grow so much more - just got to learn when to plant for the best production. I need to keep a garden journal.

I could so sleep right now but I'll go jump in the shower to get woke up more as work is waiting. Hopefully today will be mostly guest service and less ladder climbing and freight hauling. I hurt my back a bit yesterday.

Friday all ready?

WOW! It is Friday all ready! Truck day at work and I'm aching in elbows and knees - wish I had schedule another manager for the delivery. Thankfully it is a smaller delivery and I will wrap my knee. Not sure what is going on with it but it's swollen and sore.

Scott's been applying for a bunch of jobs. I wish something wonderful would come his way that he could work another 10 years at and then retire to our land.

I'm really looking forward to Fall's arrival and the cooler temperatures. Warm soups and stews and corn bread for dinners. I made some delicious chili day before yesterday and took leftovers to work yesterday the girls had a fit - they said that it wasn't cold enough for chili. Perhaps it was my way of bringing on some cooler weather.

Time for coffee!

Surgery FINALLY

Uncle Lenny had his heart surgery yesterday and is now in Intensive Care at the VA in Charleston. They had to keep him on the ventilator overnight as he was having trouble coming off from it. Hopefully today they will be able to ween him off. The procedure went well from what they told Mom yesterday on the phone. I'm hoping that I am off for the day he is released from the hospital so that I can drive down to pick him up. Hopefully Mom will be able to come too as I know how worried she is about him; me too!

Sleeping in - 7 AM

I wonder if anyone else considers 7 AM a time they would "sleep in" to; it's better than 5:30 when I usually get up. I have to be into work at 11 this morning and work until close and then I am OFF tomorrow. Business is really picking up and sales have been great but I am SO TIRED and now I have a sore throat this morning. Not really sure if it's illness or those stupid cinnamon scented pine-cones that we sell. Yesterday it rained so we couldn't put the box of them outside on the sidewalk like we usually do and my allergies really kicked in about mid-day.

I bought 3 lottery tickets on Wednesday and had no winners. OH well - maybe I will try again in a month or two. We rarely play the Lottery - seems like a money waste to me. I bet I would feel differently if we had ever won anything but we haven't.

It feels like one of those days that you could get lost in a good book and nap well in the afternoon. I'm tired of the rat race and want to be home again. Working in my house and yard and cooking wonderful homemade meals. Fast food and eating out has become something I hate. I want to slow down and enjoy the days more instead of flying around keeping everyone else motivated and progressing forward on projects.

Princess Dress

I'm nearly done with Abby's Princess Dress for Halloween. I've got to install the zipper, hand stitch the lining down and hem the inner most skirt and it will be complete. I can hardly wait to see her in it.

Once we got up to Spartanburg and tried the dress on Abby I had to take it up another 6 inches. Sneaky Nichole took a picture of me sewing...

HOME!

Yeah I'm home today and tomorrow. I'm cleaning and sewing today and tomorrow we may drive up to Spartanburg to drop off a Princess costume and to pick up a load of saw dust from Uncle Lenny's. I talked with him this morning and he seems to be hanging in there. Surgery is now on Friday and it will be a Quadruple by-pass. He will have to shave his beard off and is not too thrilled about that but is ready to have the surgery done. He said that he is in good hands and has people caring for him and for us not to worry.

Scott is going for his monthly check-in at the un-employment office. He'll be the best dressed person there too... SHARP!

Large Loving Family

I am a member of a tremendously large loving family - I'm the oldest of 6 and one of 35+ cousins. We all seem to find each other when something happens to a member no matter where we are in the world. Uncle Lenny is now in Charleston and will most likely have his heart surgery today. I'm praying very hard for it to be a GREAT success and that he will get better quickly so that he can return to a more active life. He has been so ill the past 6 months to a year that he has not been able to do all that he wanted because he would run out of breath or his legs wouldn't hold him up. I know how hard it is for any man to feel that way. He's talking about helping us get onto our land so that we won't have to stay in the city any longer. I just want him better.

Focus on work hasn't been the greatest and it's suffering but all I can think about is my family and how I wish I was more available to them instead of working. I'll hang in there though as we need the income and the insurance. I do my best no matter where I am and hope that it is good enough.

My 2 orange feline cats are smacking their lips - breakfast must have been really good this morning. Gotta feed Amelia (dog) and get some breakfast myself.

Uncle Lenny having triple bi-pass surgery

The VA is sending Uncle Lenny to Charleston for triple bi-pass surgery. We will go get him from there and bring him here or home to Spartanburg. We are praying for the best.

Another day has arrived and I will be going by the V.A. Hospital to check on Uncle Lenny. They don't have an open bed in Charleston for him so he is having to wait at the V.A. here in Columbia until one opens. I hope it's soon as I know how uncomfortable he is up there waiting.

Tuesday AGAIN!

Here it is Tuesday again and I'll be leaving for work shortly. I woke up with severe cramps in my left calf. OUCH! And yeah I get to spend 9+ hours on my feet. I so want to stay home and sleep today instead of working but no rest for me.

Last night Scott and I went over to his Mother's to eat as she had cooked a yummy meal and we couldn't resist. Then we drove down to the boat ramp to see how many folks were out in boats last evening. There weren't as many as we expected and on the way in there we saw 4 deer just standing at the edge of the woods - all does. They didn't seem to be the least bit afraid of us either. It won't be long until we won't see them at all as it will be hunting season again and they will be hiding in the deep woods.

Labor Day Again....

Here it is Labor Day again and I won't be celebrating it at all as they don't believe in it down here in the South except for a way to make more money with yet another sale. We are open regular hours today - no time for family and friends. No time for fun and picnics and barbecued chicken and ice cream. Just another day to work to make someone else rich. UGH!

I know I sound dismal and should be glad I have a job but I am missing the days of hard work on the farm all summer long and then the Labor Day picnic in my home town. People are watching the parade and the hose fights will start soon. Friends and Family will gather at the Ball Flats for catching up with each other after a long summer of hard work. There will be kiddie rides, art shows, quilt and afghan raffles, barbecued chicken, ice cream from the girls Field Hockey team and fireworks this evening. Classes will gather for reunions and classmates will be talking about their lives and sharing stories from high school as well as talking about their children. Labor Day was always a day to regroup, reconnect and have fun.

Today I will be going into work and answering for the failings of others and myself and trying to come up with new approaches to get the same things done better,

Up Before the Sun

I'm up before the sun on my day off - I guess I'm going by Grandmas' saying about being up for the best part of the day. Perhaps I will get a chance to catch a nap later this afternoon. The neighborhood is very quiet right now. I have an insistent cat next to me that thinks he is starving to death and wants to be fed right now. And my eyes still feel extremely heavy so perhaps I won't stay awake much longer.

I bought a couple more costume patterns yesterday. One is a fairy costume and the other a medieval princess gown. I keep thinking about ways I could make money in a business of my own. I love the idea of making costume wear and children's clothes.

Working on the BAD side of town

I enjoy my job but HATE the location.I get something stolen EVERYDAY I'm sure of that and then there is the vandalism that occurs. Someone took a cutter and cut up 2 expensive spools of embroidery thread and left it at the back of the store for us to find later... but wait they didn't stop there they then went to my $16.99 a yard vinyl and cut through about 5 layers of that and THEN went to a brand new bolt of drapery lining and cut through about 12 layer of that. I'm sick of this... it makes me feel like I am working for nothing. What makes people do things like this? I am so glad that I stayed home and raised Greg to be a good citizen and to know right from wrong.

Words of Wisdom from my Grandma

I've been thinking about the sayings I would hear all the time from my Grandmother....

* If you want something done right - do it yourself.
* Don't cross your bridges before you get there.
* Never burn a bridge as you might need it to get back home.
* I'm not going to live forever so you better start learning to take care of yourself.
* Never cry over spilled milk.
* Get up before the sun and work "the best part of the day" and then rest.
* Tea at 3.
* Always turn the other cheek.
* Clowns and Jezebels/Harlots wear makeup. - (Probably why I don't wear much if any makeup - tried it as an early 20 something but then got sick of the expense)

I'll think of more and add them to this post.

Some my Mom remembered....

How about these;
The Lord helps those that help themselves.
THAT GUY IS AS SLICK AS SNOT ON A DOOR KNOB.
If you live long enough, you'll know it all, don't try it as a kid.
If you're going to do something.,do it right.
Treat others as you want them to treat you.
If you saw someone jump off a cliff, do you have to follow them?
Those that have to say the last word usually find themselves standing alone.
You see that woman over there smoking a cigarette, she doesn't look much like a lady does she?
Do it today then you'll have time to do other things tomorrow.
Make your bed well, you're the one that has to sleep in it. (she wasn't talking about a bed).
If you want to know what someone is doing, go ask them.
Rumors have wings.
If you do something right, no one will say anything to you. Do it wrong and you'll never hear the end of it.