A Long Busy Year ;-D

Well, here it is the first of November and I haven't done anything with my Blog all year. Winter came and went without incident and when spring came I worked a bit out in my yard at the duplex that I was renting.

A friend of mine bought a little house nearby and I spent the better part of two months this summer helping him paint the inside of his home. He had been living in a Mobile Home about two blocks from me and wasn't allowed to sell it because it was so old, built in 1977 and pretty hammered on the inside. The Mobile Home Park only wants newer mobile homes and so they made a ruling that you couldn't sell the older mobile homes but had to move or shall I say remove them out of the Park. My friend convinced the owner of the Park that because they have so many empty lots that if he removed his home, that would mean one more empty spot for them. He asked if he could give his home to me. They agreed and so he started moving his things out of the home in August and Sept. He was out of it by October which is when I started paying rent on two places (Plus a new car payment).

In September while my friend was living in his new home and still moving things from the Mobile, I started working to get it cleaned up. I started by just tearing out the discusting carpeting that he had where the dogs had ruined every inch of it and urine even soaked into the subfloors in all the rooms. That would mean I had to tear out the subflooring also and replace that. Well one thing lead to another and I ended up taking out the entire kitchen and laundry room area. After that was done I took up all the carpet in the entire mobile along with the family room that had been added to the side of the mobile home behind the carport. It was devistating knowing that I couldn't just replace the carpeting and move in. So much work was laying ahead of me but there was just no way that I could just live in it the way it was, the floors were horrible.

I think I should name my new place 'My Phoenix' because I have literally gutted the poor thing and am in the middle of putting it back together again. It is going to be a long process because I have to wait until I can move into it in order to have the money to buy any more materials. I have replaced the subfloor in the family room with two layers of 3/4 inch OSB and done one layer so far in the kitchen and back bedroom. There have been wonderful helpers here and there with much of the work, I couldn't have gotten where I am now without it and I love them for it.

Knowing I have to be out of my duplex by the end of November and not wanting to leave my Iris and Strawberries behind, I started doing some work on the outside of the Phoenix. I also have one shed on the property and moved the second that was over by the duplex that was built by a friend for me. I had to paint that one and put a roof on it. I then turned my attention to the little shop area that is beside the Phoenix and behind the added family room. I painted the two walls that could be painted and am having to redo the patio blocks that were not even that made up the floor. I have really done a lot for the short period of time that I have been working here and it will be great when it is all finished.

I will try to post the work as I go now so that I can keep an actual record of everything. I love it here and so do my two dogs, Zander and Nala. I have even given them a wonderful bath to make them all pretty so that they can sleep indoors now when it is cold at night. They are good companions and Nala, the Shar Pei, is my protector.

Well, it is time to get going to work so will post again as I go ;-D

Only 9 degrees last night with an inversion ;-l

The weather is really cold outside but I am an extremely happy person. I have been putting out the vibs for a life changing event in my life and it has come my way. I am so very blessed that I have had this opportunity come into my life. I am now a Charter Founder of Opportunity Zoom that is associated with Digital Video Tech. LLC. They handle advertising on YouTube and this will give me the opportunity to create a better life for myself.

I have had a very busy Christmas and New Year so far and am looking forward to getting on with everything that the Lord has in store for the future. Though I am a seasoned personage upon this earth it doesn't mean there is any time for me to slow down. I have a lot of work to do on the earth and I must hit it full force.

I also know that it is important to stay focused on my family and the plan of salvation so I will do everything with that goal and direction in mind.

I will be back and go over everything in more detail that I am involved with right now. I will be sending out love to my family and wishing them all the best through my prays and good vibs (I will be doing some research on another way of putting the vibs thing).

Christmas Party last Sunday ;-D

Sunday was a very relaxing and peaceful day. The first thing on the days agenda was going to Oliver Olsen's blessing at Jeff's Parent's house. It was really nice to get to hold my little grandson after the blessing. He is such a sweetheart and I haven't been able to spend enough time with him because I have felt sick the past couple of months. It turns out I was working on an ulcer and I thought it was some kind of extended swine flu. Well, once I knew what it was, I was able to combat it and know that I was not contagious with something that would get my grandchildren sick.

After the blessing I went straight to church and set everything up for my little Primary class. We had a very special lesson on the Christmas story and the birth of Jesus Christ. I team teach the little 3 year olds and they are very precious to me.

After church I went home and had a bite to eat and got out the computer and started to work on my Geneology. Kristy called me from England and it was really wonderful because she has been doing some Geneology also and helped me find a marriage certificate and Census record that had one of our great-grandparents on it. I love the computer and all of the wonderful information that it has with the ability to not only stay in touch with the family that we have, but to find our distant relatives and to get to know them. Kristy and I were on the phone for over an hour working and talking girl talk ;-D

I got to the Christmas party a little late and there were a lot of people there, with more coming. It was held at Gary's house and it was really crouded but there was lots of love with children and grandchildren everywhere. Rory, Erika and their family drove all the way from Texas to be there and will be here until the Jan 2nd.

It just makes me want to spend more time with individual families because they are all growing so fast. I get so busy with work and the things that need to be done around the house that I never get to see many of my family members as often as I would like. That is something I plan on changing this coming year though.

Well, it is time to get ready for work and I want to get something done around the house too. I also need to get my little white-elephant gift ready for work today.
Chow

'Avatar', my new favorite movie....

Last night I went to the movie 'Avatar' with my daughter Katrina and her son Travis Ray. It is a really wonderful movie that helps to uplift the spirit to a stronger place. There is so much to face out in the world and so many times we feel outnumbered and helpless. This movie helped to bring a sence of hope and strength to the soul.

It was also wonderful to see Travis after not having seen him in awhile. He is such a fine young man and he is getting very tall. I sure do love him and am sad about what the family is going through right now. I know that the decisions that parents make affect the children in very powerful ways. Katrina and Bryan are no longer together and that fills my heart with an extreme hollow feeling. I want to stay close to both of them even though I will always support my daughter in the decisions that she needed to make.

Yesterday was a normal working day and I am thankful that I have my job, and that is what it is, a job. I would rather have a career that is fulfilling but I had 10 children instead, forgoing the schooling that it would have taken to get a job that really pays enough to do any good.... I still look at all options though and know that I will move forward to a better life.

Today is Saturday and this morning I am going to a friends house, who is moving, and pick up some furniture that she is selling. I will have to put it in storage until I can get it into my home though. Still have to get moved in, it has only been three years and all my time has been spent on the outside of my little place. It is now time to get things squared away on the inside of my little rented duplex. I haven't bought a home but this is a good place to be until I can get into something that I can feel is my very own....

Shopping Saturday

Well, yesterday was a nice Saturday because it actually warmed up a little bit. I had a really relaxed day. Worked on the computer for awhile in the morning then went to Lowes to buy an outdoor heater that is run off a propane tank. It is just a small radiant heater that I can use when I am out in the shed area. It just needs plenty of air so it can't be in a totally enclosed building.

Then on the way home I stopped off at the DI. I found a small life jacket to add to my collection of boating supplies then I found some nice pots and pans because mine are in sad shape. I then went to the book section and found some books to add to my collection of classic hardbound books. I have found so many great books there. The books I bought were still $8. a piece but would have been a lot more new from the bookstore, and they were in prestine condition. At the checkout stand I saw Sterling and Shawnee picking up a few things. It was great to see them, it has been a long time.

When I got home I realized that I needed some groceries so I headed over to Smiths and picked up a few things. It was nice to get all of that accomplished and then to finally get home when I was all finished running around.

It has warmed up so much that there was a light rain instead of snow coming down. It was warm enough that the snow on the ground started to melt and I decided it would be good to do some shoveling so that I could get the accumulation of snow off the blacktop driveway that we have between the duplexes. Last year that was the area that my car would get stuck in because the snow would build up and there was no one moving it out of the way. I wasn't able to move much but I wanted to free the area behind my car so that I can have a start in the mornings when I am going to work. I priced snowblowers at Lowes but they were just out of my price range.

I also decided that it would be good if I moved the snow away from the patio area over by the shed. Then it would be dryer when I decide to go out there to do the work that I need to do.

The day just wasn't long enough because it got late and it was time to go in and take it easy. I watched a video and took it easy for the night. It doesn't seem like much of a day but I was able to take it easy and get a few things done that really needed to be done. There is always another day to do more.

Freezing morning with Clear skies.... ;-D

Well it is Zero outside this morning and I am really glad that I have a nice warm home. I feel very bad for those that are not as fortunate as there are many homeless people in the world.

Yesterday was a relaxed work day at Zrii with their Christmas celebrations. We had the owner of the company come to Corporate and talk to us at noon with a healthy lunch served afterwards. Than at 4pm we left work and went to a movie about the Football player, Michael Oher, called 'The Blind Side'. It was a wonderfully touching story and one that I will buy when it comes out on DVD. I love the people that I work with and I am very thankful for my job that is just what I wanted when I went looking for a new place to be.

It was late when I got home last night and I was very tired so I didn't go out to see my little pups. I have it so nice for them though that they are fine. I will spend some time with them before I go to work. I will take more water out to them because they drink a lot of water and I am glad that I have a bowl that keeps it from freezing. I can't imagine how it must have been for little Nala before she came to live with me. I know that last winter I used to see her out in the cold with no real shelter just curled up by the duplex she lived behind. I would pray for her with my heart breaking because she was so miserable. She is such a good dog and I am so glad that they gave her to me when they moved away.

Yesterday I started my 'Bucket List' and have put many things on it, even things that I want to do at home and in the area. I still have lots of things that I want to do and the first part is getting my home in order. I am still not all the way moved in with many things still in boxes and in my storage unit. I have spent a lot of time outdoors in my little yard, which I love very much but there is still much to do.....

Today is going to be a good day at work, it is dress-down day because it is Friday and I have also signed up for additional work time around Christmas and New Years because I need the money. Today is also payday and I am thinking I need to buy a heater for the outdoors so that I can work in my shed area in the winter and be warm. I have lots of work to do out there and it is just so very cold. I would like to find one that I don't have to use electricity with so that I can keep warm when the power is out. --Well, I must get ready for work now--

-2 degrees outside this morning....

I am so glad that I have a nice warm place for my little dogs to stay while it is so cold outside. I have a really nice dog-run that has a deck in it that covers the entire thing except for a little corner that has sand in it. The only thing with the sand is that Zander loves to dig and sends sand all over the place. After I swept the sand off their deck, i covered the sand corner because they don't need it to go to the bathroom because they feel this is their home and they keep it really clean and wait until I come and let them out of the run in the morning. I don't keep them in their all the time because I have a great little yard for them to run around in.

I also put a roof on the run with a tarp over the whole thing for the winter months. I put a heat light in their and have a water bowl that plugs in so that they have plenty of fresh water, and a continual feeding dish with the best natural dog food that you can buy. I think they are better off than me at this point. I will post some pictures when I get a chance.