Steve and 17

What can I say about 17 of the best years of my life? Today is our 17th anniversary and it is both hard to believe time has passed so quickly and also hard to imagine my life ever without him in it.

Steve married me when he was 38 and had never been married. I had three children ages 7,4 and 3 and had been through two marriages already. His mother thought he had lost his mind, although I think I have definitely convinced her this is worth keeping over the years.

It's just good to come home to Steve. That's it basically. When anything happens to me or our children...good, bad or ugly, he is the first one on my list to call. I like going places with him, although I still have trouble convincing him that his hair really will NOT get messed up with the convertible top down! I like hanging out here at home and doing not much of anything. He has so many quirky little habits that I love and would miss them if he stopped doing them. He loves to cook and has always been a partner with the yard work and housework. He even does laundry and shops for groceries! (although I think he likes to do the shopping because he comes home with less than I do)

He is thoughtful and never forgets a special day. He doesn't like to send flowers much because he sees them as a waste...so I KNOW when he sends them he has really put some thought into it. He loves my children as if they were his through DNA and treats my family and friends with the love, patience and quiet regard that they deserve.

He has never fussed about a penny of money I have spent. He has never fussed if I go out with a friend to a movie and leave him behind. He has never said anything negative about my looks, not even as my weight creeps up to the point that I no longer feel pretty. He thinks I'm the prettiest thing on the planet. He's nuts.

He is a born shopper for a bargain and the kids have joked over the years about who was going with Steve to shop for my birthday and Christmas presents. They knew it would be a nonstop trip to find the best price.

He is so kind to every animal he sees. His voice can calm me even over the phone.

I have never picked up a glass, plate or dirty sock after him. For real.

I feel so lucky to have him in my life. I hope he lives to be 100 and that we celebrate many more of these.

I love you, Steve!!!

Saying goodbye to a house and becoming homeless...

It appears we have a contract on our house after just a few days. At least we have signed an agreement and they have stopped showing it...for which, we are forever grateful! Talk about an interruption in your life! We still have to survive the home inspection on Monday morning (he's coming at 8am on my only day off!!!). The house is over 60 years old, so you KNOW there's "stuff" that will be wrong with it. The guy is apparently an electrician by trade that will be doing the inspection....so let's not even think about what he will have to say about the antique fuses, posts and crap in the attic. Oh well! We will just have to wait and see.

It really hit me a couple of days ago when I was out mowing the lawn, which I've done a hundred times. I worked on those flower beds and everything over the years and it is just simply hard to think about not seeing them in my yard any longer! It really started getting to me, but then I realized later I just needed a good cry and felt better later. We never get too old for that.

We didn't expect things to move so fast. Yet, here we are looking at closing in August with virtually no place to go! Connie has graciously said we could camp out at her house, if we needed to. However, I think she will frown when time continues to move on and we haven't found a house to actually move into! Not very good for a continuing friendship, I imagine.

We scan through the listings in our area almost nightly, considering the good bad and ugly. There's a whole lot of ugly out there.

My house is not ugly. It has been a haven for three children and their friends, two different dogs and several cats. Memories warm my hands as I touch the doors and cabinets in their rooms. I can almost see them running around in their jammies when they were supposed to be getting into bed.

We've laughed and cried in this house. We've celebrated a wedding and been saddened when death comes calling. We've never really had "people over" like many couples do. I'm really not sure why except we were always working or going to "invite them when we get the kitchen remodeled." Time just came and went. This house would have liked it. It did host some fun birthday parties and sleepovers. Science fair projects were created in that kitchen and drill team practice was held in the living room. Steve and I practiced our ballroom dancing on the hardwood floors here.

The house hardly looks like it did when we bought it, with its TOTALLY beige wallcoverings and paint and the brown shag carpet over the hardwoods. What were they thinking??? Steve has spent so many hours working on this house, I cannot even imagine trying to add them all up.

Why is it that things only become precious to us when we know we are saying goodbye?

More thoughts about living

Doesn't it seem like there are periods of time where the events that occur seem to be sending you a message? Sometimes I realize this and just wonder how many times messages were profoundly placed in front of me and I missed them. For whatever reason, I missed them.

Steve's mom often says that it seems like people these days are so busy "making a living" that they have forgotten how to live. How right she is.

One of my brothers' longtime friends died in his garden with a heart attack yesterday and once again, we are all brought face to face with this thing called death.

It seems that death comes in bunches and then goes away to other families and friends for a while, making us think that perhaps it has forgotten about us. But that is just not how it is. It will be back.

I've really begun to think about the people in my life and hoping that I have said and done all that I would want to say and do. I want to be prepared should anything happen to them, but also I want them to be prepared if anything happens to me.

Since my baby died so long ago, I think I've always viewed Death a bit differently from other people. I used to be scared to think about it, but not so much any more. As each year passed after his death, I would look around and see children that would be his age and wish he were here. When I was in the school cafeteria years ago and suddenly had a panic attack, I had to really think through it to realize that I was thinking of my son who would be preparing for his prom and graduation, just like the students there that day.

One of the oddest, but most meaningful dreams I've ever had (and those close to me know I've had PLENTY!) was after Steve's dear father, Jim, had passed away. One night I dreamed that he was talking to me and teasing me because I had sent him to check on my "baby" and he slapped his leg, as he often did, and said "he's not a baby anymore, he's a young man!"

That one dream made me feel better about the loss of both of them. Comforting, somehow.

I guess we don't really have an idea about what happens exactly when we die, except those with religious beliefs hope that we go to heaven. That would be my choice, although there is some concern that I will have to talk my way in!

I think it serves as a time for reflection and deep thought about what we can do to improve our own lives, how we live them daily, the choices we make and the impact we have on others. There's a poem written by Erma Bombeck, when she was diagnosed with cancer, that I love.

It really says it all.

If I Had My Life To Live Over

If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.

"There would have been more "I love you's"..

More "I'm sorrys" ...

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...

look at it and really see it ... live it...and never give it back.

© Erma Bombeck

Tribute to a Friend

It's always hard to say goodbye to folks, but when it is goodbye forever it is especially difficult. This weekend, I attended the funeral of Sonja Hix in Texarkana.

Her death was a shock and very tragic in the events that led to it.

Sonja and I were friends. We were not the closest of friends, like the kind that you call daily over your little ups and downs in life, but we were good friends. She was one of those you could go for days without seeing and then pick right up in the conversation and laughter as if it were just yesterday. She was the best kind of friend because she was true to herself and true to her friends, and even her enemies (which I doubt she had any).

I met Sonja through her son and my son while they were in school together. I had known her daughter Hannah through work with Key Club and Partners Club at Southside, where I taught. I came to know Ryan even more when he became a member of my board for Partners Club. Sonja was always supportive and eager to help, bringing pots of Rotel dip or whatever we needed. We really became close at the start of when her husband left and filed for divorce. We were hosting the Christmas Lockin when she told me the news. We were joined after that time by an understanding of what it feels like to be a single parents and scared to death all the time.

After retiring from her counseling job last year, she retired and moved to Texarkana to be near old friends and family where she grew up. She had bought a house and finally met a guy that sounds like he could have been a keeper.

Sonja and a friend went on a cruise together and she fell ill. She insisted her friend continue with the cruise while she was sent back to Cozumel and then flown to Miami. She never survived. It is unclear exactly what happened, but whatever the issue was, she is gone. There will be a hole in the world with her presence missing. She made us all better when we were around her. Her laughter and smile was infectious. Her forgiving nature was to be admired.

Friends are:

• someone that makes you a better person when you are with them
• someone that you can be yourself with and not have to filter your thoughts...they will love you anyway.
• the ones that can tell how you are doing just by looking at you...not requiring you to explain
• someone that would come help you in the middle of the night if you needed them
• someone that encourages you to reach out and go for something you may be reluctant to try
• someone that can just give you a hug without asking what it wrong
• people that you don't have to see daily to have a close connection
• people that you can almost enjoy their successes as much as they do
• people that you stay connected with, through email, cell phones, blogs or even the annual Christmas card. You just don't forget them.
• the ones that you miss when you find yourself having to delete their numbers from your cell phone because they will no longer be on the other end when you call.

Just another day in paradise

http://janetrichards.nwa.mlxchange.com/Pub/EmailView.asp?r=1346565216&s=NWA&t=NWA

So, there it is. I'm sure there is a way to make the link short, but being a self taught blogger, I have no clue how to do that!

Yesterday and today have been a whirlwind. I'm not sure how people keep their sanity that have their homes on the market for any real length of time. We've been out there for three days, and we are both exhausted. We are so tired that we don't even KNOW we are tired.

It gets interesting when you have pets to deal with while the house is being shown. For instance, we finally decided that Koko could be okay in the fenced backyard if the weather is mild. So, yesterday for the 4:00 showing that's what I did.

Wait...I need to back up some. Let's start with yesterday MORNING! I had come to the couch to watch TV when I couldn't sleep the night before. Steve woke up at 6, got dressed and was heading out to get the paper. He was greeted by the window/siding people! It was 6:15 in the morning!!!! They immediately began tearing out windows and causing havoc all over the house. I decided to go ahead and get to the office.

I had a break at 3:00, at which time I was planning to come back to the house, let the dog out, pack up the cat, double check the inside of the house and see if the workers were going to be finished before the 4:00 showing. I suppose I was so rattled that everything started going wrong. Zoe was unhappy as I wrapped her in a towel with her little leash on to carry her out. Then I realized I couldn't find my keys anywhere! Yikes! Time was ticking and the folks were due in just a few minutes. As I'm running through the house to find my keys, Zoe is meowing like a banshee and trying to get out of my grasp. The workers were not through yet, so I would have to take her in my car. Yes, Baby has officially become a cat carrier. The clock was ticking closer to 4:00 and I KNEW I had to be out of the house soon! I had to put Zoe down, but couldn't so I went and put her in the XTerra in the garage (windows cracked--the weather was mild, folks). Back inside I went to backtrack and find those keys!

Finally, I located the keys in the cabinet where I had the check to pay the window/siding people. I ran to get Zoe and head out to my waiting car across the street, dodging workers and their supplies. I saw Janet and yelled out "I'm so sorry I lost my keys and didn't get away when I planned to! The house is TOO clean!!" Right then I noticed the prospective buyers walking up. Later, Steve reminded me that there were so many worse things I could have been yelling to Janet, such as "We finally got all that water up in the basement!" Whew!

Zoe and I headed off to pick up Steve at the Bicycle Shop, with her steady meowing. He got in and after just a few minutes of riding around, where at one point Zoe climbed up on the dashboard in front of me while I was driving, Steve voted that we go get a pet carrier.

We continued to drive around for the hour that they were there, checking occasionally to see if we could go home yet. How DO people do this routine for weeks on end????

Today was another shuffle the pets routine, with Koko going in the backyard while Steve had planned to bring Zoe (our cat) to my office in the new pet carrier. I had an 11:30 lunch meeting, so I couldn't go by the house. The buyers were to be there at 12:30.

Well, at 11:50 our doorbell rings and Steve finds the buyer and her daughter there announcing they were a bit early! You think??? He suggested they wait on their realtor and came back in to get Zoe in the carrier.

Now, folks, if I knew HOW to do it I would put a recording that he left on my voicemail telling me that Zoe would NOT go in the carrier for him and that he had delivered her plus her carrier to my office to roam free! In the background you can hear a meowing, hissing Zoe. She is not happy. He said she nearly clawed him to death with her back claws. It is one of the funniest things ever...the recording, not the scratches.

I found her curled in one of my chairs asleep and when it was time to take her back home in an hour, she let me put her in the carrier and off we went. She did meow, but at least she didn't obstruct my vision!

There are people coming back tomorrow with their contractor to see it again. I guess we didn't scare them all off.

More later......and, by the way, I cooked supper now two nights in a row. It's a record.

I Want To...

Today has been a wash of emotion for me again. Will this ever end? Several things I want to post about, so things may seem scattered.

First of all, while looking through some random photos, I came across this adorable little guy standing in our front yard 17 years ago when we bought this house. Now we have a for sale sign in the yard, but the little guy is 21 now. He will die when he sees the matching yellow socks. Oh dear...what can a mother say? Was he ever really that little? What happened to the time here?

My day began with the drawn out process of a bone scan. Steve stayed home today to help me navigate that, along with the 10:00 showing of the house by our realtor's company...which meant ALL of the Realtors she works with would be seeing the house. You can only imagine the stress of wanting to get everything just right. I discovered something today that I hadn't realized before, but should have...Steve has a desire for perfection at times like this. It reminded both of us so much of the many times we went to prepare the lake house for rental, linens folded, spotless clean everywhere, furniture polished, etc.

So, we got up early since I had to be at the hospital at 7:30am for the injection, then come back 3 hours later for the scanning. It rained like crazy last night and sometimes when there has been rain like that for several days in a row, the basement gets some water on the floor. We thought there would be no problem, but alas, fate worked against us. Water was on the floor by the back door, which was odd since it had never gathered there. We both nearly had a stroke, with such limited time to wet vac and clean it up!
And I mean STROKE, people!

While Steve was gone to get the wet vac from the garage, I saw that the downspout outside of that backdoor had a hole punctured in it from the chain link fencing and water was coming out of that like a fountain in Vegas. And, guess where the water was going? Right at the stoop on the backdoor. There's our problem, but no time for repairs.

We cleaned up the water and left quickly for the hospital. Got my injection and headed back to check on the floor and pick up the pets. (for the showing) A bit more water had arrived and seeped in, so Steve vacuumed some more.

Quickly we checked all the rooms and grabbed Koko and Zoe to head out. Now please remember that Zoe is an indoor cat. By that I mean she hasn't been outdoors but a couple of times over the last two years. She was mortified...even more so by putting her in the Xterra. (that's right...no pets in Baby) We drove around and ran some errands while Koko barked and Zoe "meowed" constantly for an hour.

Then, Janet the realtor called to tell us we had damp carpet at the backdoor downstairs. No joke! What we DIDN'T know was that ALL of those Realtors are polite when they enter a house to tour and TAKE OFF THEIR SHOES AT THE DOOR!!!!!! So, someone must have felt damp carpet and it was all over. We had disclosed this, of course, but did not have any plans to have a total roomful of Realtors to discover it TODAY!!! I cried. Yes, I did. And felt better.

The bone scan thing for my back was not a big deal, but I won't know any results until I see Dr. Jones in a couple of weeks. But, after everything that morning I was totally wiped out after I got home.

I found my way finally to the couch about 3:00. Janet called at 3:30 to say someone wanted to see the house at 5:30 today...could we manage? Of course! So, here we go again getting everything ready again. Both pets in the XTerra. Zoe is definitely wondering what she did to deserve this and Koko is wondering when she is getting shots!

Tomorrow the window and siding people come, so I imagine there will be another interesting story to tell about how I will manage to see 6 clients while running back and forth to the house.

You all will have to suffer if I suffer.

From Rachel I have taken her topic of "I Want" .....

I want to be remembered.

I want to be always loved.

I want to spend more time enjoying what I work for.

I want to remember more about when my children were young.

I want people to understand me and what is important to me.

I want to take better care of myself.

I want my parents to share all of their stories with me.

I want to be more patient and understanding.

I want to dance.

I want to have no regrets.

I want my children to always know unconditional love.

I want to know what Heaven is like and how my son is doing.

I want my friends, old and new, to feel I am a true friend.

I want to scrapbook most of the millions of photos I have.

I want to be "running when the sand runs out"

Longest Blog in history!

Wow! What a whirlwind we have been in recently. For a couple of real hibernators, we have been out and about and so busy! You may go to sleep before completely going through the photos and all of this blog post today.

First of all, our house is OFFICIALLY ON THE MARKET! Woohoo! They came to photograph the whole thing today and the Realtors from King Realty will all be here tomorrow to walk through it. They do this each week with their new listings. I found myself with such mixed emotions this morning with the preparations. First of all, like everyone that sells their home, we wonder why we haven't gotten it in this kind of shape before and perhaps had time to enjoy it in years past! (most likely I would imagine this is typical) Second of all, I found myself wanted to memorize some of the little things about the house to remember...the things that hold memories. If these walls could talk sort of thing. When we first moved in, Mary Beth and Greg shared a bunk bed in the small bedroom upstairs with little bears that I painted on it to match their border on the walls. I remember what a big day it was when Rachel got a phone in her bedroom that she had waited for. Easter egg hunts, Christmas Eve fun, birthday parties and sleepovers. Riding bikes up and down the dead end street, riding that blasted yellow Little Tyke car down the inclined drive as fast as they could, picnics on the patio, Steve grilling out, and of course working on the flower beds that I started all over the place. Graduation celebrations, first cars and driving lessons, drill team practices in the living room, and of course, Greg melting Army men in the driveway. And then there were the parties they had here as they were older while we were out of town!!!

We always found out, but they had to try!

It seems the house was in a constant state of improvement. When we bought it, an elderly couple had owned it and so everything was beige. I mean everything! When we pulled up the carpet, there were the beautiful hardwood floors. Amazing!

So, here we begin. Today we have the sign in our yard. I really am excited.

This is my exhausted look. I'm gorgeous inside????

Our family room...emptied and spruced up. Notice the pillow and throw strategically placed where Mary Beth burned not one, but two, holes in the chair on her wedding day with a curling iron! Here we go with memories again.
I still have my desk area. It seems to fit in the corner really well.

Front bedroom that has belonged to all three children at one time or another...my mom says it's her favorite because it gets so dark and quiet in there.

We left the famous photo hanging with pictures of all three children growing up.

This room has also gone through all three at one time or another. Now it hosts a twin bed and Steve's official office, plus some of my scrapbooking supplies. Hopefully, SOMEDAY, I will be able to get back to that hobby!

The biggest change was in our bedroom, with a wall color change and taking most of the furniture out, hanging just white sheers on the windows and de-cluttering.

The basement, which has served also as a bedroom to each of the kids as the older one graduated and went to college. I think Mary Beth actually packed Rachel up to get her moved out so she could move her stuff in!

Another shot of the basement.

The hallway now hosts some of my generic photographs, instead of the numerous family photos.

Now for chapter two of this blog. My oldest brother, Richard, Dickie, Hounie, Doc Brown...whatever you choose to call him turned 60 (today actually) and we celebrated this weekend. Steve and I met Connie there on Friday to surprise him. Lots of fun for sure. I had printed off about 20 old photos of him growing up, which we taped to the wall for everyone to enjoy. This ignited a trip down Memory Lane for us as we shared memories of family members, aunts, uncles and grandparents over the years. We DO have quite an interesting family tree!

Here's Hounie going through a bag full of old photos I brought for him, including the enlargements I had made and many others.

Notice the Lab outside looking in...more about her later.

The party was a 60's theme, since he graduated from high school in '67. Steve and I dressed up on Friday night, but Steve really made everyone laugh with his bandanna tied up on his head and his "special" tie tack on his pocket. Connie said he looked like a cancer patient, which led to some interesting ideas about what he'd wish for if he were given a wish from the Make A Wish Foundation....use your imagination! Flash, the basset hound, enjoyed the party too!

Opening gifts is fun regardless of your age. Itunes, movie rentals, incense, photos collages, and even moonshine!

Everyone has a good laugh when he opened the peach moonshine from Linda.

We made him take the first sip and when it didn't kill him, we all tried it. Not bad actually!

Megan made a collage of family photos for him, which he immediately hung near the table.

Their deck is tree covered and the perfect place to relax...especially since the weather was so mild this weekend!

Donna and Craig, friends of Hounie and Glos, take the rock from the cute Lab that found her way to our deck each day. We named her "Roxie" because she LOVED for people to throw rocks for her to retieve. She could find them even in the dark. And would bring back the same rock each time!

Haley and new boyfriend, Ty, joined us Saturday morning.

Here I am with two of my favorite men....they have both spent a lot of time in their lives taking care of me and making me feel loved.

Here's a better shot of "Roxie".

Now for Chapter three in this odyssey. The wedding. Mary Beth's brother-in-law, Chris Williams married Courtney Beaty Saturday night. Beautiful wedding and fun reception.

Jon and Mary Beth were both in the wedding.

Steve and Mary Beth cut a rug. I think she enjoyed this reception a lot more ....I know I did!

Jon and Mary Beth enjoying a dance.

Jon's grandfather got in the middle of a dance circle and cut a rug. What a cutie! He told me Mary Beth is precious and I agreed with him.

Here we are. Late in the night, the hair and makeup just go away.....

Mary Beth and her father in law, John Williams.

Everyone, including Jon and Mary Beth, enjoyed dancing to "SHOUT!"

Then it was time to call it a night and start getting the house ready for listing it today.

Wish us luck and I will keep you posted!

Funny thoughts

It's almost Friday and since we are heading out of town tomorrow, today was REALLY my Friday. I'll take it any way I can get it.
I had a funny experience yesterday that changed my day and made me realize the HUGE impact others have on us. I have, of course, always been sensitive about what people think about me and how I look. We can all try to sound noble and say that we really don't care, but I dare you to find ten women out there that truly do not care.
I was with a client that is 16 and Hispanic. She brought her mother to the session with her since that was her ride. Mom spoke only a couple of words of English...hello and goodbye. Very sweet lady, but it reminded me that I really would like to look into becoming at least mildly proficient in Spanish! The daughter was good about translating and we got along well in the session, I thought.
After a bit, the girl giggled after her mother had said something to her in Spanish. I asked what was so funny and she said, "My mother wants to know if your teeth are real." Cracked me up! I've never been asked that in my entire life!! I told her yes and her mother then made another statement, which translated to "My mother thinks you have beautiful teeth and a very pretty smile." I thanked her, but after the pair left I felt like I should have given her a hug. The resulting boost to my self esteem was amazing. I had a lift for the rest of the day. It has been a long time since someone randomly said something like that and I felt like it was genuine and innocent.
That lady left my office not having a clue about the impact she had on my life. Had I made one on hers or her daughter's as well? How often have I stopped to say something nice at random to someone?
I think I want to be that someone that makes people feel better, just like that worked for me.

I want to conclude with a neat thing I got from a friend that's a Probation Officer (yes, I've gotten to know several of them personally in this job of mine) and I love it....George Carlin was awesome.

Enjoy the ride; there is no return ticket!

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?

If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. 'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half.

You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back.

You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. 'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!'

You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life!

You become 21.

Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Ooooh, what happened there?

Makes you sound like bad milk!

He TURNED; we had to throw him out.

There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling.

What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa!

Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away.

Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!

After that it's a day-by day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.

And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'

Then a strange thing happens.

If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height.

Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever, even ham radio. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'

And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on.

The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves.

Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it.

If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

I'm sooooooo tired!

The last week is simply a blur to me. I have totally (well, almost) lost contact with other humans. I have become a cleaning, packing, moving machine. If my back were well, this would have taken half the time! Steve is just crazy full of energy! We are buzzing around trying to get our house on the market, like, yesterday. The house we really wanted is not going to be available until we can make an offer without the contingency of selling ours. So....that is the plan now. Get ours sold quickly and then we can make offers on that one or some other "dream house" that is out there somewhere waiting for the Baers! I truly changed clothes 3 times on Saturday because we were sweating so much taking crap to storage (see photo below and the packed XTerra above) that even every thread of my undies were soaking with sweat! You would think I would lose weight in all of this, but alas, I'm sure I have not.

This is the smaller of the two storage units we have rented. Lordy!

Okay, so now you see the photos of the "staged" dining room. Woohoo! Yes, I'm responsible for the empty wine glasses...but it was good!

A view from the newly remodeled kitchen from last summer. Remember???

The breakfast nook in our kitchen...sits where the washer and dryer were originally. I mean, really, what man planned that out years ago for a woman to be in the kitchen and able to keep the laundry going at the same time????

A view of the house from the back...all azaleas. I will miss this tree for sure. It is a sweetgum and for punishment, I used to send the kids out with a Walmart sack that they had to fill with those sweetgum balls. I'd probably be taken away in handcuffs if I did that now.

Crepe myrtle blooms. I love them!

The Japanese maple has grown a foot since I've been fertilizing everything. We even have grass this summer! There is no telling what our water bill will be this month.

Ahhh...the patio. Notice the freshly power-washed patio..you can actually see the exposed rocks now!

That is it for now dear friends and family. Steve is home the next two days trying to finish up our bedroom...he's painting it to "neutralize" it. Then there's the new shower door for the front bathroom. I will post more photos in a day or two. If I'm still alive.

Packing, Moving, Cleaning...these are a few of my favorite things!

Okay, so if Rachel can show off her flowers, then I will too. These coneflowers are one of my very favorites. And they are so easy to re-seed too! I just save the cut off blooms and plant them next year. Did I hear my girls ask for a share of them?

Moving and staging to get the house ready to put on the market next weekend. Poor Greg gets called on anytime there is moving involved. I think he's planning payback in a few weeks when he moves from an apartment to a house, hopefully.

Big strong men. That's what I kept telling them as I held the door.

And what would we do without Bert's trailer that we borrow anytime we need to move anything? He also loaned us the power washer...more about that in a minute.

This, by the way, was how the three of us celebrated the Fourth of July!

Where does it all come from? We just keep trying to clear out closets and get it ready to move out and if we leave the room...it laughs and multiplies!

Greg poses for the camera as Steve is powerwashing the house...and who says Mary Beth is the only one that ever likes to pose for the camera? She came over all afternoon Sunday to help pack up. That girl is like a fireball of speed. Did I ever work that fast?

Steve's Topsy Turvy Tomato plant. We have it hanging on the back porch usually, but while the guys were "power washing" they moved it to a safer location. Poor Greg lost a tomato in the process....I thought Steve was going to cry. Not really.

I know. I look like a fashion diva here. Just had to show you that I worked too! Look at the sidewalk where I have been as opposed to what has not been washed yet. That thing is amazing! And that's just with water...no detergent!

The pile of old lumber and stuff we pulled out of the garage. The garage is like a new place. We can actually park in there without fearing for our lives!

Now doesn't that just LOOK like a place people would want to buy?????

I don't remember being this tired in quite a while. The last time I moved I was 35 years old. There is a LOT of difference from then until now. I would like to say there aren't any Barbie Dolls or Legos to move...but that just isn't so. We will have to have the king of all garage sales when we buy a house and get moved.