Nice you can visit your Mother and have such a good time. She is near my age, 82.

Sue

Been trying to get some cleaning done around here. Laundry needs done once again. Seems there is always things that need done.

On top of the daily grind? Yard work, yard work, yard work. Several hours of it each day: Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Saturday I planted a hedge getting ready to put up a fence. I'm tired of everyone acting like my yard is community property, so I am laying down the law. Hope the hedge gets them ready for a fence. That was a couple of hours. Sunday, we attacked the massive nandina which is now three shrubs in my side yard, and two large potted up for my neighbor to add to their yard once they finish their remodel (we talked about this). It took two of us three hours to hack it to smithereens and yank out all the root ball that was at least two feet across. Monday, I took off to be with my son and we did play together, but he wanted to take a break after bicycling and go inside, and I didn't. I fixed the grading in my yard some. Another three hours. I've worked so much, I've been able to go WAY over on my daily limit of calories and still lose weight. Hard work!

I just went for a walk and stopped at the library to pick up a reserved book. My important task today is providing moral support to DH who is dealing with the frustration of fixing a leaky dishwasher. Gotta have that dishwasher working again!

I have been working on a rug and tearing strips for it. Now I will try to get the strips ready for the rug. I also cleaned the bathroom. I still want to clean out under the kitchen sink. I bought some baskets at a thrift store to use under there.

Dealing with both the Long Term Disability Insurance carrier and the advocate handling my SSD claim. Both very frustrating. The SSD is typical government red tape, and the "claims specialist" on my long term disability is apparently just inept. Took a much needed nap after I finished with that. It would be so easy, if all I had to do was get well. :)

Walked/jogged 5.5 miles. Planted a ton of lily bulbs and pulled grass out of the flower beds to make room for them. I've got half a salmon sitting out defrosting for dinner. Working on installing 3 flush mount hallway lights. More lights just arrived. I stopped to make a mug of Inka. The cat is outdoors on his leash hunting mice at the wood pile. No rain yet, but expecting it.

I went to a meeting this morning, Aldi's this afternoon and finished my book. I was going to go walk, but I just heard thunder and see raindrops on my window. Dh wants me to do P90X with him later, but I am not sure that would be the best thing for me. I might try it, but if there is too much twisting I may have to bow out. Just having leftovers with some steamed or roasted broccoli for supper.

It's pouring rain today (rain from Cyclone Debbie is coming along the jet stream and dousing us, I hope those in it's path are safe) but went for a run anyway. We turned around when we hit snow in the trails as it was really icy.

Had coffee with a friend, just got back from Costco, the dishwasher is running, a load of laundry is on, and now it's time for lunch and coffee and seeing what's going on here. :)

If the rain & heavy winds would stop knocking down trees we could get other things done. The trees have to be taken care of as most times it breaks the fence which has to fixed right away because of the cows. I did order pink mondo grasses for one of the beds & it will be here on Thu so I have to get that bed ready for them.

Let's see. I have folded laundry, colored my hair, studied for my next Spanish lesson, made oopsie rolls (low carb bread substitute), tidied up the house, watered my herb seedlings and am about to head downstairs to my studio. I have two necklaces to finish, one necklace to alter and a pair of earrings to finish.

I am also waiting for my Spring swap partner to open her package which arrived today but she is too busy pickling eggs and it doesn't seem to bother her that I am sitting her waiting and waiting and waiting... *sigh* ;-)

I agree with you Marilyn Sue about raccoons and small print!!! Both are bad!

Took the dog to the dog park, then lots of gardening clean-up as the wind blew leaves and sticks all over last night. Knitting now.

In Florida, packing to head home to Michigan. Hate the packing, but miss my house!

Battling a cold the last few days and the kitten didn't want to help with it. He knocked over the humidifier so a gallon of water went onto the carpet. I was just about to doze off last night, heard the crash and thought the sound was just the child gate being knocked over so I wasn't going to get up and check. Then I thought maybe it was some water bottles and decided I'd better check on it and that's when I saw the humidifier on the floor. So, I sopped up the wet carpet in the middle of the night and have had the dehumidifier and a couple fans going. The little dude knew he was in trouble and has been kissing up a bit since. He also didn't like walking on the wet carpet. Pretty much dried out but I'm going to let it go for a while longer to be sure it's dried out. Then I'll probably try to take a nap

Still having my antibiotic IV's twice daily. I'm spending a ton of time online trying to finish details of my trip to London in early April, and trying to find a car - all sorts of problems with dealership not finding what I want.

I'm trying to get caught up on laundry - the IV antibiotics pretty much flattened me the first ten days - still not up to speed. I HAVE to go to the grocery store tomorrow - have no idea how I'll get it in the house and up the stairs - just not 100% yet.

VERY bad timing on all this!

We are in Colorado with DD awaiting her first child. We're also building a house here and I work some remotely. So between helping keep the house for DD, cooking so she doesn't have to worry with that (she is still working), my own work and trips to the build to answer questions, I am pretty busy. Oh, and DD has been craving sausage balls so I made some using maple sausage, a grated Granny Smith apple, cheese and buisquict. They were good and I froze some for after the baby comes, DH has a procedure on his back out here tomorrow, so that will take some of the day. But it is really nice to be out here altogether in one place.

I worked all day. Had to visit several clinics so lots of driving. It was sunny but cold. I took our lab to doggy day care for a play day. I got home a little over an hour ago with the dog. Fed her and now my DH is walking in the door. I do have some laundry to start and the dishwasher needs to be emptied, but that only takes a few minutes to do. After that, we will enjoy what's left of the evening together.

Congratulations on the soon to be new grandchild, Mojomom!

I am still working on the fence project. I moved a 45 foot section of fence, now I'm putting a coat of stain on the fence, picnic table, bench swing, that will take a few more days to finish. I think it is one of those 'give a mouse a cookie' situations.

Hoping the weather stabilizes. With wind and rain we are unable to complete projects we are in the middle of. This weekend promises to be a good one to paint the spare room that I use. Then the new bed can be put together and we will gain a little breathing space in the warehouse like environment our house currently resembles. Meantime I am being good to myself. Got to finally have all the family together last week for my birthday month. Treating myself for the rest of the month. Time with grand kids yesterday. Thinking I need a beach day or a horseback ride. Both would be excellent. Late night movie tonight. Also started eating healthier again. Warmer weather brings me out of my lethargy. Got my bicycle out and getting ready for evening bike rides.

Everyone is working hard already. Soon I'll need to get out there too - winter vacation is over for us gardeners!

I went to the hardware this morning and bought a carbon monoxide detector and a carbon monoxide/gas detector. Put the first one in my bedroom and the second in the kitchen.

Been feeling so lousy with allergies this Spring, the worst ever. Plus the weather here today is grey and dreary and chilly, so that doesn't help. Mostly I just lulled about until time to take both cats to the vet for shots.

The youngest one at 21mos. has never been to the vet except when neutered at six months by a lo-cost spay/neuter clinic that makes the rounds of communities so many times a year. I wasn't even sure I'd get him into the carrier, but I was sneaky. I already had a carrier hid in the bedroom. Then I picked him up and covered his face with my hand and before he knew it he was being put into the carrier. He was not happy! He thought he could dig his way out. lol But he was surprisingly good at the vet's, didn't act all wild or anything. He was give a leukemia shot and has to go back in three weeks for a booster. I never heard of that before, but apparently if a cat has never had one before it has to be "boosted" later.

Then while checking out the other cat's teeth, the vet noticed both his big canines on top were broken off! More than likely from fighting, even tho he is neutered he still gets into brawls with other toms. He showed me where dark spots could be seen in each tooth, which were the blood supply. Because this makes them prone to infection, they need to be pulled. ugh. I told him I needed a little time to save up for the surgery.

Came home and basically lazed about on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon.

I baked a pound cake last night to take to my sister today. She has a little trouble getting around, so I baked it for her to cut up and freeze for her afternoon tea. Then we joined our sister-in-law for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. They make great salads. Now I am crocheting a baby blanket with the baby's name spelled out in blocks of puff stitches for my son's friend.

Socks- I made a thread for you.

Today I did yard work and spray painted some pots. I also found some great old books at the Thrift store! I went to the gym as well. It was a great day here.

Just got home a little bit ago from work. If you want to call it that. Early week nights are slow at my new job. It's hard to learn new things after working on the same unit for over 13 years. I keep wanting to answer the phone "3N" and I've picked up the hand set a few times (supposed to use the headset and push a button to answer). Had to put a sticky note on the hand set with "NO!" written on it tonight after I did it twice. lol. Have to stay up for a couple more hours so am not sleepy when I get off tomorrow night and drive home. I sprained my ankle back in early November and it is now finally feeling great. Almost no pain, still a little swollen but not horribly so.

Turned Val out in the pasture with the other horses and spend most of the day watching him. The first time out, he tried to jump a fence....well, he did jump it but then jumped it again and got his leg hung up and cut it. Not horrible...but bad enough. Thank goodness, it wasn't barbed wire. Yesterday my bull dog got loose and went out in the woods with some of my other dumb dogs and cornered a hog. One of the dogs, Butter, got his abdomen ripped open. The skin laid back as big an area as my two hands, and a puncture into his abdominal cavity and his intestines were visible. Another dog, Ringo, came up with his face all swollen and I thought he had been snake bit but it must have been a bee sting because he is okay today. I was in such a panic about Butter, I didn't get to look at Ringo for a few hours and then it had gone down. Today it is almost back to normal. Took Butter to be stitched up....stapled the skin, actually. I am stressed out........need to sit quietly somewhere in a dark spot for a few hours. Have 14 baby possums on the tube. Too many to count in cages. A lot of them will be going to the wildlife center as soon as I can arrange their transport.