Sunday, July 27, 2008

Fun weekend

It's been a fun weekend so far. I've been fairly productive and yet had fun at the same time. I've been enjoying a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon on DVD. I had season 1 already and just ordered and received seasons 2 and 3. I really miss this show. It was so cool!

As far as the productive part, I've cleaned out two tubs of stuff (magazines and books) and have done several loads of laundry, moved my bed, cleaned up most of the living room and currently have a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup simmering on the stove, minus the noodles cause it's too early to do add those just yet.

While I watch season 2 today, I'm going to continue to go through magazines - cutting out the parts I like and tossing the rest. I also hope to finish cleaning the living room, clean the cat boxes, finish the laundry and continue setting up the blessings altar I started yesterday. Lofty goals and aspirations, I know. At least I'm trying to be productive instead of just sitting here doing nothing.

Gotta check the soup and get back to the projects.
Blessings,
~*~

Saturday, July 19, 2008

You Must See...

... this movie! Un-freakin-believable!

Blessings,
~*~

Friday, July 18, 2008

things not to do in a garden...

It has been a very busy week, both at work and at home. I think I mentioned in my last post that Saturday was garden cleanup day. Here is a photo of what NOT to let your garden become:



While that doesn't show the whole garden, it does show what we didn't get to on Saturday. And, it was in the worst shape. So, on Wednesday Mum and I had another garden party. 6 and 1/2 hours. I thought I was going to die. It was not a cool day at all and for the most part in the sun. After finishing the garden it was also mowing day. I'm still not sure how I survived. :-)

How did it turn out? Well, I still need to get straw to put down, but it is much, much better.

So, a note to anyone who might want to start a garden and mostly a note to myself...

This is a much better way to garden:

In my garden, I have 4 zucchini plants, 3 yellow crookneck squash, 1 grape tomato, 1 better boy (i think) tomato, 1 jalapeno, 1 habanero, 1 bell pepper and 7 or 8 rouge tomato plants. I also have several of last years freaky plant that showed up in the garden. The spot up front that is empty, is probably going to be filled with collards as soon as the time is right to plant them.

Enough about the garden, I have a question. I'm thinking of re-opening my other blog. Honestly, I miss it. I started that blog, because I needed to explore my "lighter" side. I'm a Gemini and have the expected two sides that come with being a Gemini. I've always felt that this blog represents my darker side. I like it better with the dark background and talking about darker stuff. Where as, the light and airy side wants clean, crisp lines and lots of light. It is a battle that I wage every day. Which side will I show today or even each minute. (It can change, minute by minute, believe me!)

So, if you have read both blogs or if you haven't but would like to check the other out. I'd really like to know what you think. I kind of gave up the other because I felt I was spreading myself too thin and running out of things to say. I have finally realized that I don't have to post every single day. Wow, what a concept!

Anyway, let me know, if you have an opinion. It doesn't mean that I'll take your advice, just that it would be nice to have it. :-)

With that, I'm off to get ready to head out from work. I think tomorrow I will be hitting the theater to see The Dark Knight. I'm absolutely can't wait!

Oh, and Happy Full Moon!

Blessings,
~*~

Sunday, July 13, 2008

I need a time turner...

There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to do all the things that I want to do. I need a time turner, like Hermione had in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I need to be able to extend time so I can get it all in.

I'm not one of those people who can go on just 2 or 3 hours of sleep. I do have periods where I get so wound up that I don't sleep for days. But for the most part, I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night. (I never get it, but not for lack of trying!)

I work about 10 hours a day, throw in the swimming and I'm leaving the house at 4:45am and returning at 5:45pm. Then I'm so tired, that I can't get much done. I have a ton of books I want to read, movies I want to watch, I need knitting time ( I realized the other day that I haven't even touched my needles in over 6 months), I need time for my crafts (the wreaths, candle making and other things that I'm working on). Then there is time needed for cleaning, decluttering, cooking and gardening. Not to mention all the blog reading time. I could spend days just reading all the wonderful blogs out there.

I just feel overwhelmed!

So, my question to you, all three of you that read my blog :-), how do you get everything done? Do you have a schedule? Do you just work on one thing until it is done and then do something different?

Blessings,
~*~

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Pretty...


Lookie what I got at the craft store!! I can't wait to open the paints and get started! :-)

Whew...I'm glad that is done!

So yesterday turned out to be a banner day. After my counseling session on Monday, I felt such relief and set about turning my place/life around. Yesterday, I took the day off, only half a day really as I was getting the other half already, and got my car fixed, mowed my yard, ran tons of errands, did laundry and cleaned the kitchen.

I also talked to my neighbor about the latest goings on between us. She said her dad did all the work and he owns the house and she would talk to him. So last night he showed up and we had a nice conversation and I think we are both okay on where the line is and all that. I'm hoping things will improve between my neighbor and I and that I will be able to stay where I am.

I still want the house in the country and to live there, but it just doesn't seem very practical right now.

I did have one big scare yesterday, when I came home from running errands, I came in and put my stuff down and Dylan was not at the door to greet me (very unusual). I went to the bathroom and saw him lying on the bed as I passed the bedroom and thought that he would jump right up.

After taking care of business, still no Dylan so I went into the bedroom and looked at him, and I swear he was not breathing. There was no movement at all. I said his name a few times and there was no response, I started to panic and yelled his name and up popped his head and he jumped down and came to me. I guess this means his hearing is starting to go. I have noticed I have to repeat myself when I call him or speak a little louder. He also can't see at night. If it is dark, he walks into everything, including me. Oh my.

Now I am back at work and things are not as great as they could be. Hopefully, if I can continue to keep this good attitude, I'll be able to make it a little better.

Now for a picture...


This is also a photo from the beach trip... there is just something about the lights on the water that gets me on this one.

Back to work now...

Blessings,
~*~

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Silent Sunday...

Everything seems so silent around here today. It has been a very quiet day with hardly anyone around. The shop was pretty quiet today and I only had two reading requests. Even the grocers seemed emptier than usual.

I went by Michael's Crafts and picked up a bunch of paints for a new project I'm working on. I tried getting back to work on them the other night, only to discover that the paints I had were very old and dried out. I got a lot of pretty colors and can't wait to see what I can make out of them.

It is pretty dark outside right now. I heard some thunder rumbling by a little bit ago. I think we are in for a few storms tonight. According to the last forecast I saw, we may have storms every day. My poor yard may never get mowed at this rate and my garden? Poor, poor garden... it is so overgrown with grass that I don't know how anything else is growing. I haven't been out there in a few days, so I have to go tomorrow and see if there is anything to be picked. Last time I was in the garden, there were a few jalapenos almost ready to pluck. I'm sure with all this rain, they are ready by now.

I'm still trying to make up my mind about the neighbor/move situation. Yesterday I received a letter in the mail from work, indicating that my pay grade has been increased and I'm now making about $150 more. That does not include whatever pay increase the state deigns to give us this year. My salary is pretty good and with gas prices the way they are, I don't know if moving farther out is going to help things. Trying to find a new job and start over is seeming very overwhelming. December marks 10 years at my company, I'll start getting longevity checks and as my mum says, if I can just hang on for another 20 years, I'll be able to retire, at 59. So, do you see my dilemma? So... c.o.n.f.u.s.i.n.g!

Anyway, I'm off to put away the stuff I bought today and see if any laundry needs to be done. I am very sleepy and really could do with a nap. Oh, and I've got to make some business decisions too, I need to figure out setting up an online shop and how to accept payments, etc. :-) Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Oops... I almost forgot the daily photo. Today's photo is from the beach and is of a brown pelican I saw while on a dolphin tour.


Blessings,
~*~

Saturday, July 05, 2008

slow saturday...

It's a slow day today. I was supposed to spend the day working in the yard, but couldn't get out of bed this morning. We had some big storms yesterday with lots of rain and the yard is still very wet. I've not done much today except play on the computer. I've gone and joined the myspace world and have been getting familiar with it and playing with it.

I spent several hours yesterday clearing out magazines. I have hundreds of magazines that I just haven't been able to get rid of. I have lots of Martha Stewart's, Country Living, Country Living Gardener, and Victoria magazines. It is very hard for me to through them out. They are so pretty and I like looking back through them from time to time. So, what I've been doing is going through and cutting out things that I want to save, pretty pictures, decorating ideas, recipes, anything that catches my eye; then I dump the rest of the magazine for recycle. I just don't know what else to do with them. I don't have room to keep them and they are taking up valuable and needed bookshelf space. I have moved several batches of them into plastic tubs, but then the are just there and I forget about them, etc. Cutting them up seemed like the best solution. :-(

Oh, I made up a recipe last night that turned out to be pretty good. I will tweak it a bit the next time I make it, but I really enjoyed it. I took pictures as I made it and will post the recipe and pictures later.

I'm going to try to be productive today, I'm doing readings tomorrow and will not have much time tomorrow for household stuff.

More later... maybe ;-)

Oh, here is another photo from the beach trip, while fishing on the pier, several schools of stingrays came through. It was so magical to watch these beautiful creatures glide through the water...



Blessings,
~*~

Friday, July 04, 2008

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Today is cleaning day for me, I'm working on rearranging my bedroom and need to get it all cleaned up. I also want to get two new altars started. I'm in need of a blessings altar and I really want to set up a love altar.

I need a run to the craft store for paints and fabric, but that may have to wait until Sunday, I'm doing tarot readings at my friends shop that day and will have to go out anyway.

Tomorrow morning is yard day with my mum. Last Saturday we worked in the front yard and got it looking pretty good. I cut back some bushes and we scrubbed down the front porch. Tomorrow we are going to finish the side and then weed the garden.

I've picked three squash from the garden and I'm planning to experiment with an idea I have for a squash and chicken casserole. If it goes well, I'll post it here.

I'm getting distracted from my focus on my bedroom by Psychic Kids on A&E. It is very interesting.

Well, I need to get back to work.

Here's another photo from the beach trip.


Blessings,
~*~

Thursday, July 03, 2008

something beautiful...


...sunset over the sound...