Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Timing is Everything

Or not. We had decided that we didn't need a new car. We needed to pay for our children's education. That is our choice and we feel strongly about it. That said, we had told my parents when they were ready to get a new car let us know and we would buy their Honda. We thought this would happen in a couple years.

I got a call from my Dad bright and early Monday morning. He told me Mom had found a car that she really wanted, would we be interested in the Honda. I couldn't answer with anything other than I would talk to Steve and call him back. I talked with Steve and we decided that it wasn't a good time to get a car loan. My Dad understood completely. (When I talked to Mom she was surprised that dad thought she wanted it so bad, she told me she said she really liked it, yes, but didn't need a new car.)

Steve called me Tuesday morning within three minutes of leaving the house because he missed me so much and he had thought about the Honda. He asked how I felt. I could go either way, I could see the great deal we would get, but I could live with what we have. Well, we are getting a 2004 Honda Accord 4 door sedan. It has less than 20,000 miles on it and my Dad is great at taking care of cars, so we know it is in great shape. We will probably pick it up this weekend.

My parents would have driven their new 2007 Ford 500 home yesterday right after they test drove it, but Mom forgot to put the checkbook in her purse. Oops, but they probably are home with it this afternoon.

I'll post pictures later. (Oh, Steve informed me that this is his car, just for the record.)

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Great Day, Except

All in all yesterday was a great day. I got ready to go to the YMCA to teach my Pilates class and before I leave, every other Wednesday, Ruth comes to clean my house. YEAH!!! It makes me happy when she comes. This is partly because she cleans, and partly because I pick up to make it easier for her to clean. I know this is when Steve says, why do you clean so she can clean? Well, if all of our “stuff” is picked up and put away, she doesn’t have to move it to clean under it and it takes her less time and she can get more done in the time she is here. Steve really likes it when our “stuff” is put away sothis isn’t a complaint from him, just a comment.

I had a great class. After working with Michelle a couple weeks ago, I got some ideas of ways to keep my classes from being, I hope, too boring. I try to mix it up a little. Sydnee was there so we did Swan Dive, a more advanced move, just for her. My stretching class had about 11 people in it and I always love stretching for 30 minutes and relaxing.

When I came home, I went to my office and started to get things ready for Brenda to arrive. Brenda is my massage practitioner and I am her massage practitioner. We are also friends, so we both really look forward to every other Wednesday. Well, everything had not been put away after the floors were installed, so I was getting the room straightened up and ready. Steve had moved my stereo onto the top shelf of my bookshelf that is on the wall, and he had unplugged it. Well, I got it down, got the cord and was looking at the wires to the speakers and wondering why they were in front of the shelves…Oh well, I’ll move them later. I needed to move the dresser away from the wall to plug in the stereo and when I stepped to the side of said dresser I ran right into the shelf. Smacked my forehead but good. This stopped me in my tracks for two reasons. First, the shelf has been there for almost 19 years and I have never ran into it and secondly, it hurt really, really bad. My first thought was “That is going to leave a mark”, and it did leave a little knot that is sore. But, I have to laugh at myself, because I did worry about the floor guys running into the shelf but not me.

The day progressed wonderfully from there. The only problem I had during my massage was that it hurt my head to have my face in the face cradle, but I adjusted my position and was able to suck it up and enjoy my massage. Sydnee was here and we had a great dinner of roasted veggies; potatoes, carrots, radishes, garlic, cauliflower, green beans and corn on the cob with some grilled chicken on the side. Yummy. And our Bible study was rewarding as always. We are reading Anne Lamott’s “Traveling Mercies”. I like it and I like her style.

So, yesterday was a great day, except when I hit my head. Today I get to put away more “stuff” that Steve brought in from the garage. He wants to park in there again, so bags and boxes crowd around a few pieces of furniture. Oh well.

Be Free,
Lorri

Monday, August 20, 2007

Floors Only, Please





Please look only at the floors, the counters and table tops are full of things that need to be put away. Thanks, I knew you all would understand.

Be Free,
Lorri

Independence

Ok, the floors are in and most of the furniture and “stuff” is in place. It will still be a couple of days before all the dust settles back into a nice homey feel. But, the floors are beautiful, and I look forward to seeing them darken over the next six months.

The reason all the furniture is not in place is Robin is working at a camp in Stanwood and we picked him up Saturday morning to go to Bellingham to Summerstart. The campus is beautiful, Steve and Robin noticed that there were not only more girls to guys, but most of the girls were pretty. We picked up our respective packets and Robin got his picture taken for his Western ID card. He started chatting with a cutey in line. He is going to be fine.



He had a little trouble registering. He had to get an over-ride code for his accelerated Calculus class; he didn’t apply for the Honors Chemistry because he thought he could just register for it. You can’t. He will apply, but in the meantime he registered for an ancient civilization class and an anthropology class. He had 15 credits from Running Start at Pierce College, 10 of which satisfy GUR’s and he scored a 5 on the AP calculus test which explains the accelerated calculus class he will take this year.

We took him to the camp he is working at so he could show us and then we went to dinner with the couple that he is staying with. Joe is going to introduce him to the person who runs the challenge course at Western.


I will add pictures of the floors later today.

Be Free,
Lorri

Thursday, August 16, 2007

More Day Two





They are done for today. They will return tomorrow morning and finish the floors, put the baseboard back up and finish anything else that needs to be touched up. YEAH!

Day Two





Here are pictures from the morning of day two, I'll add more later today.
Be Free,
Lorri

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Floors In Progress

Here are some before pictures and in progress.
















The guys: Jeremy, Mike, Jason, and Tyler are so nice and they are very careful about doing a good job. It is refreshing to have a craftsman doing the floors. The cool thing about the Brazilian Cherry is that it will darken for about six months, so the color it is now is not the color it will be. COOL!

I’ll keep you posted. (Megabitch is on the way out)

Nerves

I am so nervous. The floors are going to be started today. I am stressed from all the moving. I need to clear some things up. I have not moved EVERYTHING. There are a lot of big pieces that Steve moved and some he had help from Robin with. There are even a few things that the floor guys are going to have to move. While I stress about it Steve has been so patient with me. I become the “Megabitch” when I get stressed and let me tell you she hasn’t left the building yet.

I admit to having a hard time with change and excitement. I tend to deal well until it is gone and then I crash. I survived Bob being here, but dropped after he left, only to get cranked up to move the house into the garage. I expect after it is all done and moved back, I may crash. BREATHE.

Update on Bob: He had surgery on his knee to repair a ruptured quadriceps tendon. He is in a soft cast and using crutches for two weeks until he goes back to the doctor. He is taking Tylenol with codeine, so I imagine he can rest with the meds on board. He said when they wear off, he hurts. He also thought he might need a personal trainer and a therapist.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Moving

Ok, we aren’t moving, it just feels that way. The time draws close for Jeremy and his guys from Barker Homes to come to the house and install the hardwood floors. Even though I knew this, the realization that I have to remove EVERYTHING that is on the floor in the kitchen, dining room, living room, office and hall is totally overwhelming. I have dug in my heels and I am resisting big time. Why? Because we (I) have a lot of stuff, most of which is in the garage right now. I have a couple more days to move the rest of it.

I admit it, I tend to make piles of papers/stuff. I recognize this and have worked on decreasing the size and number of said piles around the house. I still have work to do. As I was moving something from the office my first inclination was to put it in the dining room, and then it dawned on me I would have to move it from there too. So instead of moving it twice, I found a place to put it with its friends from the office. It is safely stacked or piled or in a bag in the garage.

My biggest concern about this process is my computer. In addition to being tied to my email I am the editor of our church’s newsletter and it will need to be printed this coming Sunday or Monday. Usually I don’t have all the information until Friday and put the finishing touches on it on Saturday. My office will be packed in the garage until the floors are done and (a big and) we make the time to put everything back into the house. We will be busy on Saturday with Robin doing college prep stuff, so…

Ok, let it go….breathe…. relax your shoulders….it will all work out. This is my mantra for the week. As they say, “resistance is futile”.


Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
-Anonymous

Be Free,
Lorri

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Hearing vs. Listening

Steve and I have talked about this many times. We hear differently. I think the filters we all have from the experiences in our lives are very different for Steve and I. I know I go into an automatic mode when we talk sometimes, so I hear what I expect to or I interpret it as if it we speak different languages. I usually hear things as a negative about or towards me. I’m not sure if Steve hears things in a consistent way or not.

Last night the doctor’s office called regarding the results of Bob’s MRI. They asked that he come into the office today to talk about them. The nurse told him to stay off his leg and they could have a wheelchair available when he arrives. I interpreted that and stated “there must be something that needs to be fixed”. Steve heard me say “there must be something really wrong”. I suspect he was concerned something is wrong with his dad’s knee, but I didn’t speak those words.

I guess since we are humans, we won’t listen. I am focusing on thinking about what I am hearing to determine if I am really listening. I am listening from “hear” on out.