Always something to clean

I continued the cleaning and organization kick this weekend.  I finally got the loft area and my craft closet finished.  Much of the stuff that didn't have any place to go is in the office/workout room.  I guess I'll get to that some day.  Tonight I cleaned the kitchen and living room though I still need to mop and do dishes.

I finally got my speeding ticket issue resolved.  I was going to mail it in but Matt said he would take it to the courthouse for me today.  He took it but was told that I had to give them a copy of my insurance as well.  There's nothing in the paperwork I received that I would have to resubmit my insurance as I already submitted it online.  He brought me lunch today and shelved books and then went back with the copy of my insurance.  He is playing Scrabble and watching football at a friend's house tonight.  Perhaps that's why I was somewhat productive this evening.

Well it's bed time for me.  My cat is curled up on the bed next to me and the dogs are somewhat sleeping in their beds on the floor.

It's Damn Cold

I really shouldn't complain after having lived in the Texas Panhandle for 41 years and suffering through many brittle, cold winters.  It hasn't even hit freezing yet - it started around 43 degrees this morning and was 36 when I left school.  I guess I've become acclimated to a warmer climate because it feels miserably cold to me.  At least it shouldn't last too long.  It's supposed to get back in the 50's next week and possibly the 60's the following week.

Tomorrow I may just stay in bed all day.  Matt wanted to go to church at 5:30, but I may just let him go on his own and I'll go sometime on Sunday when it starts to warm up.  I have a lot to work on this weekend.  I still have house cleaning/organization to work on as well as the online book club project.
I got more new books for the library today.  I love it when I get to have the first look and some of the books I ordered.  I just wish I had more time to actually read some of them.

Back to the Grind

It's difficult to go back to work after a long break.  My sleeping habits get out of whack so mornings can be difficult.  Thankfully, coffee helps a little.  I didn't get a chance to have coffee this morning though.  We are doing practice tests.  Thankfully my group was pretty good which was somewhat surprising.  I feel behind in work, but I'm trying to catch up as best I can.  Losing 2 1/2 hours of the day for testing takes it toll.  We are doing this for the next four days and I'll probably be called to do make-ups on the 5th day as well.  I have to start planning some special teacher training soon and I have to get an online book club started.

The weather is turning cold here.  We have a front coming through and a potential winter weather advisory for Friday and Saturday.  Matt was supposed to have this program at the library about the big snow storm of 1985 and ironically it might get cancelled because of the weather.  I don't think we'll get 10 inches like it snowed back then, but any freezing substance that falls from the sky basically shuts the city down and we go to almost 24 hour news coverage of the event.

 So I get home tonight and I'm chilled, but then I remember the Christmas present Josh got me!

They are USB hand warmers.  I'm wearing them as I'm typing this blog.  They work pretty well.  Tomorrow I'll have to wear a sweater.  Luckily winters down here don't last too long.  This is usually the coldest spell.  I hope it warms up before we go to New Orleans next weekend.  

Cleaning as a form of Procrastination

I've been on a cleaning and organizing binge for the last few days.  I'm really doing it because I don't want to be doing other things I should be doing - like stuff for school.  I've been needing to clean out closets and sort through stuff ever since I moved in two years ago and especially since Matt moved in over a year ago.  The house is still a mess - it always gets worse before it gets better.  There's piles of stuff all over the place - especially the loft area right now.  That will be the last room I tackle - I hope I get to it tomorrow.  My bedroom, the master bath, and my closet are clean.  The laundry room is clean and I've organized the storage under the stairs.  The kitchen is still a mess, but not as bad as it was yesterday.  I've discovered I have a bunch of blankets and am running out of room to store them.  I've been gathering a lot of ideas on pinterest and some of them I've already implemented.  The storage under bathroom and kitchen sinks is much better now.

I spent most of the day today at defensive driving.  I got a ticket back in October and I was getting down to the last minute to get it done.  I could have done it online, but I didn't think I would be disciplined enough to do it.  I signed up for the comedy course thinking it would be really funny, but it wasn't that great.  I didn't really learn anything other than I live in the city with the highest traffic fatalities in the state.  At least I got a decent meal out of it.

I can't believe there's only one more day of vacation left.  I guess I need to make the most of it - which means sleeping in until as late as possible tomorrow.  We'll probably go to church at 1:00 and then I'll get back to cleaning and organizing.  I probably won't finish tomorrow, but I'll work in the evenings as much as I can.  We won't start band up again until the following week.

Matt I and are going to New Orleans during MLK weekend for a Scrabble tournament.  We are going to be able to stay with some friends of his which certainly helps with the travel expenses.  I haven't been to New Orleans since I was 19 so I think it will be a fun trip.

Almost killed a dog

So one of my readers laughed at my last comment on the year in review from the previous post:

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

Don't trust the dogs when you're gone.  

I guess I should have known better.  While Matt and I were at church this morning, Angie ate her way through the wooden gate at the top of the stairs.  I have not been this angry in a very long time.  I would have punched walls had I not wanted to damage them or my fists.  I did slam several doors and kick the broken fence.  I think the last time I was this angry was when I was married so that was about 14 years or so ago.  I stormed out of the house and headed to Target to see if I could find another gate.  My problem is that is has to be metal and fit an awkward space of 37 inches.  I didn't see anything at Target that would work.  I then went over to Petco.  They had a few choices but were really expensive.  one of the gates I looked at was priced at $79 but I found it online at Amazon for less than half that.  I didn't have time to wait for a shipment so I sat in my car and looked at Walmart online.  It showed they had a metal gate in stock at my local store.  I bought it, came home and installed.  I'm getting to be a pro at installing baby gates.  This gate seems to work ok.  It fits better than the first one I had, but the opening is not as wide as the second one that I preferred (before the dog tore it apart.)  It doesn't open very easily - it's more of a two handed job, but at least that means the dogs shouldn't be able to get through it.  Then again, I shouldn't assume anything.  I didn't think Mollie would figure out how to open the the first gate.  

I stayed angry with Angie most of the day.  She knew she was in trouble.  I spent the next few hours in front of the tv goofing off and somewhat napping.  I then focused on cleaning the rest of the bathroom, my closet, and the bedroom.  There's nothing like cleaning as a form of procrastination.  I should be working on stuff for work - like reading some books and doing stuff online, but I'm in a cleaning and organizing kick at the moment.  I went to Walmart yesterday and spent $100 on storage bins.  You should see the bottom cabinet in my bathroom now - it is amazing.  

I know I've been a bad blogger for a while.  I even stopped posting the quick takes weekly.  I won't "resolve" to do better, but I will say that I will try.  I do like it when I can go back and see what has happened over the past year and it's disappointing when I try to figure out something that happened and I don't have a post about it.  

I do like my new chromebook, but I have to go back to posting via blogger's interface instead of using live writer.  So far it's ok, but I guess we'll have to see how it goes.

2014 Year in Review

Here's my annual review.  I probably need to find some new questions for next year - some of them I've answered the same way for the past several years.

1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

Go to Niagara Falls.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't think I've ever made a resolution and kept it so I will probably not kid myself by making some for this year.  I still need to lose weight - maybe I'll finally come through on that.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope - all my friends and family are fairly old.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.  

5. What countries did you visit?

I saw Canada from the US side of Niagara Falls - does that count?  We didn't get passports so we couldn't go across.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2014?

Still would like to have a library assistant.

7. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 12 - the day I married Matt.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Marrying Matt.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Can't think of any major failures this year.  Perhaps letting the garage get out of control?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Got an eye infection on my honeymoon.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Though it was originally a wedding gift, I ended up buying a different version of the same thing - a gate for the top of the stairs.  The one I got as a wedding present didn't quite fit.  The second one, the dogs tried to chew through it (as it was wooden).  Regardless - it does work to keep the dogs downstairs when we are gone.  

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My husband and my son are still amazing.  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Matt’s mother - still.  I had hope when we got a note that said "Congratulations and best wishes to you both" shortly after he told her we were getting married.  We did send her an invitation to the wedding and she did not come.  She didn't even acknowledge with a card or gift or anything.  I had Matt send her a framed picture of us at the wedding for Christmas - still waiting to see if she will acknowledge the fact that her son did get married.  

14. Where did most of your money go?

The wedding - turned out to be more expensive than originally planned - go figure!  Just when I got a loan to pay it off, I get hit with the cost of surgery for my cat.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Getting married - what else?

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

Happy - by Pharrell Williams

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

happier or sadder? Happier – I got married!
- richer or poorer? Poorer - wedding costs and surgery for Lucy
- thinner or fatter? Definitely fatter - can't fit into what used to be my loose pants - time to do something about that I guess.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Reading - didn't meet my good reads goal this year.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Eating - still.

20. How did you spend the holidays?

New Years (2014) – with Matt at home since the party we planned to attend seemed to get called off.
Valentine’s Day – with Matt at home - grilled steaks and watched tv.
Easter – with Matt - can't even remember what church we went to this year.
4^th of July – with Matt – cooked out on the grill and then just hung o ut at home.

Thanksgiving – Just Matt and I - we went out to eat at Fogo de Chao

Christmas - spent the weekend before Christmas in Austin with family; spent the day at home with Matt and Josh and then went to the movies.

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?

Still in love with Matt.

22. How many one-night stands?

Do I have to answer this question every year?  I'm a married woman!

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Big Bang Theory is still a favorite.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nope - still like everyone I know.

25. What was the best book you read?

I didn't meet my Good Reads goal, but I did read 38 books this year.  Nothing major stood out but I did like John Green's Paper Towns and I found the book A Thousand Lives about the Jonestown massacre interesting.  Of course I still re-read the Harry Potter series each year.

26. What was your favorite film of this year?

Into the Woods was good though slightly disappointing.  I also enjoyed Mockingjay though I didn't really care for the book itself - at least the way it ended.  I guess that will have to wait for the next movie.  Matt and I also saw Birdman which was just weird.

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

I'm going to have to delete this question next year - nothing changes - I wear whatever fits these days.

28. Whom did you miss?

Miss seeing my dad I guess.  I keep trying to get him to come here to visit, but haven't been successful yet.  I also haven't seen my sister in over a year either.

29. Who was the best new person you met?

Some of Matt's family - a cousin and uncle who we met earlier in the spring and they also came to wedding this summer.

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

Don't trust the dogs when you're gone.  

Post Christmas Post

Let’s see – for Christmas, I got a cold.  I am sure I have my cousin’s kids to thank for that one.  I started feeling icky on Christmas eve and have stayed in bed mostly the past three days.  Matt and I did go to church on Christmas day and then I took a nap.  We went to see Into the Woods late in the afternoon.  I enjoyed it, but I was back in bed shortly thereafter.  Oh, I did make some tortilla soup.  It was my first attempt and I think it turned out fairly well.  It was really easy to make in the crockpot. 

Actually I did get more than a cold.  I already got the tv for the bedroom and Matt also ordered me a chromebook, but it won’t be available for pickup until this evening.  I got a Kohl’s gift card and Josh got me a cool Scrabble message center, Sailor Jerry Rum, and a dinner and a movie gift card.  My aunt and uncle gave Matt and I cash as well. 

Someone asked about the stray dog I took in – I did find her a home.  After I put up the flyers, a guy had called and said that she had been hanging out at his place earlier in the week and that if she didn’t belong to anyone, that he would take her. He picked her up a couple of days later.  He has kids so I think she’ll be in a good place and get a lot of attention. 

I got Matt tickets to the Spurs game tomorrow night so I guess I need to get well by then.  I’m fine as long as I’m asleep.  I guess it’s a good excuse to take a lot of naps. 

Are you ready for Christmas?

My shopping is done.  I bought the last of it online today (an Amazon gift card for Josh).  Everything else is wrapped and under the mini tree.  I opted for a small 3 foot tree on top of a table this year.  I figured that Angie would have eaten the ornaments (and tree).  I got a new gate for the top of the stairs since Mollie figured out how to open the other one.  I thought it was a really good choice.  It was more secure, had a wider opening, would stay open if desired and looked nicer than the other gate.  I set it up last week and it worked great all week.  We went out of town this weekend and when I got back, I discovered that Angie (most likely) had tried to eat her way through it as the main part is made of wood.  Luckily she didn’t succeed, but now it doesn’t look as nice.  It is still functional, but I’m very irritated with her. 

We went to Austin this weekend to meet up with my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins.  We headed up Friday evening and came home this morning.  My cousin works at a Hampton Inn and we got a rate of $29 a night.  We went to a musical of A Christmas Carol on Saturday night.  It was… interesting.  It incorporated a lot of jazzed up Christmas songs and pop music – kind of like Moulin Rouge.  Josh didn’t care for the music.  The music was ok, but I thought the performers were very talented. 

On Sunday afternoon we went to see the one man show performing “This Wonderful Life” which was basically a performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life” by a single performer.  I saw it last year and enjoyed it again this year.  Josh liked this show much better than the one the night before.  After that, we headed to my cousin’s apartment for Christmas dinner with the family.  It was a bit crowded – a one bedroom apartment with 11 people, but it was nice to hang out with everyone. 

Matt had to head back early this morning at 6:00 a.m., but Josh and I slept in and didn’t leave until around 9:30.  I’m making spaghetti for dinner tonight.  I guess I tend to cook more when Josh is home visiting. 

Our Christmas plans are to have steaks for lunch and then go see Into the Woods at the movie theater.  Matt probably wants to go to midnight Mass, but I think I’d rather just go on Christmas morning. 

Call me Sucker

So when I got home from work yesterday, there was a dog in the middle of the street.  I opened the garage and pulled in and the dog came up the driveway.  She came right to me and was very friendly.  She didn’t have a collar so of course I can’t just say “hi” and let her be on her way.  She came into the garage so I let her in the laundry room and gave her some food.  She scarfed it down.  She isn’t really thin, but she was obviously hungry.  I let Mollie and Angie meet her and they seemed ok with her.  So she stayed the night and I put up flyers on the postal boxes this morning to see if she belonged to anyone.  So far nobody has called.  Of course this means that we may be keeping her… unless I can find another home for her.  She is slightly bigger than Angie and they seem to enjoy playing together. Mollie just gets jealous and barks. 

So here’s a picture and video for you.  Any name ideas in case she stays?

Still here

Our Thanksgiving was uneventful.  We went to Fogo de Chao for dinner.  Food was good and filling, but it was kind of disappointing to not have anything for leftovers.  Matt bought one of my Christmas presents early.  He got me a new 40 inch tv for the bedroom.  We then had an adventure trying to find a new tv stand for it.  We got the tv discounted at Best Buy because it was an open box.  We discovered that the stand was broken.  Instead of taking it back, we decided to get a new tv stand so we could mount it.  I found one I liked at Walmart but couldn’t find any in stock.  We tried three other Walmarts that night but couldn’t find any.  I looked online and it showed that my local Walmart should have had some.  We went back the next day and found a manager but he said that in spite of what it indicated online, he didn’t have any.  We took a chance on driving up to Austin to find one and as luck would have it, we found it.  It was even cheaper than the online price.  So now I have a nice new Samsung Smart TV nicely mounted in my bedroom.  I hardly left the room all weekend. 

I still have to get Matt’s big present.  I’ll probably go to Best Buy and get it tomorrow so he can have it early as well.  I still have some other things that he can open during Christmas.  I have a couple of things to order from Amazon for Josh, but most of my shopping is done. 

We haven’t put up the tree yet.  It’s going to be a busy weekend with Matt playing in a Scrabble tournament and me playing in a band concert.  I’m kind of worried about putting the tree up with Angie around.  I might have to wait until just before Christmas when I’m officially on vacation so I can make sure she doesn’t eat it or the ornaments. 

Work has been busy.  I spent most of today really cleaning my library as I will have visiting librarians at it tomorrow.  I’m helping them work on their wiki pages.  I’m glad it’s Friday though.  My library has been freezing all week.  Today I wore long johns and some layers which made it somewhat bearable.  I’m not sure why the district can’t seem to heat our building.  The temperature inside today was 62.5 and it was warmer outside.