It’s 12:20 pst, I’m supposed to get up in three hours and forty minutes and I still wondering about my packing. Do I have too much?What is too much? Have I forgotten something I really want/need? Will all three suitcases be over the weight limit? How much time will I read? How much time will I knit? I have to sleep sometime. I think I need to start all over with at least two of the suitcases, but will the third one feel left out, like I don’t really care about it or something.
As you can see, I’m much too tired and am probably making way too much about the whole thing. Margaret, will you come and pack for me?
(She has it down to a science.)
I am really excited about this trip. but it’s been along time since Elmer & I traveled with anyone. Will I be too close to the others or too aloof? I hope they understand I’m use to most of my waking hours being by myself . I wish I knew how to take pictures and down load them to the computer myself and I would show you what a mess I’m in, and then you could offer suggestions. But by the time Elmer gets up, I’ll have to be done. So I’m just going to shut my eyes, toss in everything and be done with it. Wish me luck. I’ll write tomorrow from somewhere other than Carmichael.
Are My Bags Packed Yet
My Birthday Gift
I have tried out spinning wheels at a few different stores and also when I took a class from Lizette of Spinglitz. The one that I liked the most was the Mach 1 by Spinolution. It was sturdy and solid enough that it wouldn’t walk away from me, it was a double treadle and the treadles were comfortably set apart. I also liked that it had been designed and made in California. So after much deliberation, I decided to get myself one. But they had come out with the Mach 2 – which was the Mach 1 but with some upgrades. The Mach 1 was not available anymore – so it would be the Mach 2. I ordered my wheel from Lizette of Spinglitz (dealer). And two weeks later, I got a call saying she had received my wheel. So I drove up to El Dorado Hills and came home with my Mach 2 and some “birthday fiber”.
And so the began t
he learning a new tool, playing with fiber – and seeing what I could create. I have learned that I can make a tangled mess faster w
ith a spinning wheel than with a spindle. But I can also create some pretty neat yarn faster also. Using my “birthday fiber” I spun it up and navaho plied it, ending up with about 75 yards of about a worsted weight of yarn. It is fun seeing the colors come together. I am thankful to be able to learn new skills and to have been able to get this wheel.
Watering Gardens to Make Beautiful Bouquets
This would be my six word Saturday after spending 4 days watering Elmer’s mother’s gardens, picking flowers and watching her arrange them into casual flower garden bouquets. She picks a few of this type and a few of that, some greenery for filler and like magic a $75.00 arrangement.
Today’s Writing Prompt: Warning
If you wore a WARNING sign that could be read by everyone who meets you and would warn them of something they should know about you, what would it say?
Beware of flying foot, destination mouth.
It’s hard to eat crow with foot in the mouth.
Today’s Writing Prompt: Swimming
Write about a memory you have that involves swimming.
I am about 7 years old – first day of swimming lessons. “I can swim>’
Run toward the kiddie pool.
Jump in – Sink – Swallow water – Choke – Fear.
53 years later, I still can’t swim.
Six Words a Day Late
Writing exercise, compact your Saturday into six words.
Arriving safe, I unpacked and went.
60 things
Sixty things You May or May not Know About Leslie
1. Likes yellow roses the best
2. Doesn’t like her feet messed with
3. Favorite meal to eat out Breakfast
4. First choice dark chocolate with almonds
5. Favorite vacation spot – ocean beaches
6. Next car Hyundai Genesis ( I’m hoping)
7. Loves to knit and challenge myself with new stitches
8. Determined to finish quilting projects
9. Would rather piece tops than quilt them
10. Happy my children live in Sacramento area
11. Been married 42 years
12. Born in Fresno, at St Agnus Hospital
13. Never lived more than 4 hours away from Fresno
14. Went to 4 grammar schools, 1 jr. high and 1 high school
15. Attended both ARC and Sac City jr. colleges for assorted classes
16. Could eat Chinese food several meals a week
17. Favorite color green
18. Favorite songs Not My Will and Every Need Supplied
19. Enjoys having stuff organized
20. but Procrastinates about organizing stuff
21. Volunteers in Kyle’s second grade class
22. Reads many types of books: mystery, science fiction, light romance, espionage
23. Grows violets, now that I know their favorite window, they bloom
24. Mistreats orchids and sometimes they bloom
25. Definitely a night person
26. Has seen sunrises and sunsets and knows the sunrises are not worth getting up for
27. Will get up early to see hot air balloons rise
28. Favorite holiday – thanksgiving
29. Enjoys being by myself
30. Enjoys just driving around for no real reason or destination
31. Loves to stop at yarn and quilt shops in new cities
32. Doesn’t really like garage sales
33. Knows that grandchildren are a special blessing from God
34. Loves black walnut ice cream at Baskin Robbins
35. Fascinated about how children learn
36. Knows audio books are the answer to how to anything and read at the same time
37. Thinks Bacon, tomato, Avocado sandwiches is a good breakfast
38. Must have lots of open (without curtains or blinds) windows in her house
39. Loves ironed pillowcases
40. Is learning to blog
41. Is being more open to people
42. Would like to go horse back riding on the beach
43. Collects thimbles from places she has been, has 30 (not all from places, some gifts)
44. Loves scissors that are less than 7 inches long
45. Thinks her children are wonderful, smart, beautiful and clean up well
46. Is a yarn and fabric fondler
47. Doesn’t have a passport, yet
48. Favorite scripture: Malachi 3:6a For I am the LORD, I change not;
49. Loves the fall because of the cool weather and the wind and the rain
50. Thinks she wants to own a dog
51. Would love to take a long road trip every year, home or abroad
52. Gets very frustrated with mechanical things that don’t work right, right now
53. Doesn’t really like to shop for clothes
54. Could not have picked more perfect daughter in laws
55. Volunteers at a school library one day a week during school year
56. Loves to look up words in the dictionary
57. Thinks thrift shops are okay
58. Would like to travel to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland
59. Is going on her first cruise this year,
60. August 16 is my birthday and I am 60 years old.
Offer #1
I did it, I put an official offer in on a house today. Yes, my only favorite out of the dozen that we have seen. It made me feel big. However exciting it is, it still is scary. Its official, I am really trying to do this.
Now I am beginning to feel a little anxious, I want to know how the offer goes on this house and I don’t really want to look for others. However, with this market, I don’t want to completely close the door to other opportunities. And it is a short sale, (in the second phase, whatever that means) and will take forever to decide on an offer to accept. Oh well, I will be searching for more houses to look at next week.
It is all in God’s hands and I know that he will work it all out to his glory. As I have said through this whole process is, He knows where I need to be when and for how much. I am glad that there is someone that knows what is going on.
I’m a big girl now.
On Wednesday Travis and I had an appointment with the insurance guy. To talk life insurance. This is something that Travis and I have talked about off and on. Not that we want to die an untimely death, but we do want our children to have something when we are gone. And yes, we know that money won’t replace us. But it would be nice for them to have something – to use however they wish.
So we talked about the difference between term life and permanent life insurance. And what kind of coverage they gave. And the advantages and drawbacks of both. And we talked about how much money we want to have for the kids. The kinds of things we want them to be able to do with the money – and what that looks like in terms of dollar amount – and how that translates to a monthly payment. And what that looks like in our budget.
Age hasn’t ever meant anything to me. It never meant that I was an “adult”. It just happened and I got to do different things – whether I wanted to or not. Some things one just doesn’t stand in line for in life (suicidal partners, cancer, death of a loved one, etc). But when we filled out these papers – that protect the children in the event of our death – I felt like a big girl. Like I was taking steps to assure my children had a better future.
It felt – good.
Responsible.
Like we were moving forward.
I like it.
Today’s Writing Prompt
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Today’s Writing Prompt: Poetry Review
Write a brief poem reviewing a book or movie you have read or seen.
2 ugly sisters
1 young maid
in the kitchen
there she stayed
then the mother
with the wand
and love came
until the beyond.
Em’s House Hunting Sidekick
I have had lots of fun being Em’s side kick on this hunting journey. Watching her: look through the houses, weighing the plus and minuses, can I make this work?, do I want to make this work? But the house just doesn’t say, Welcome home.
Until the house on Merton Way, eyes lit up and a little happy dance began in the way Emily moved through the house and studied each room. Yep, I could tell this one would be a keeper if it was the Lord’s will for her.
Thoughts of Grace 