EljayTalks

Slowly Slowly

That "transitional molding" takes longer than it looks.  You know this is the stuff you put down to go from laminate to carpet or tile or whatever.  You have to measure, mark, measure, cut, measure drill, measure, screw (attach with) measure, cut and finally if you are sure and you think you are ready you put the molding down.  But just in case you can measure again.  Jimmy is related to Elle, I am sure.

Then you go to the next spot.  Then you go to the next spot. Then you walk back and look at them again.  Bend down and shake, make sure it doesn't wiggle or move.  Then you consider them done.  Ok off to Home Depot for the baseboards.  Omg. 

Its now time for him to start replacing the door frames and replacing the doors.  Putting all the door handles back on is a 30 minute job because he lost the one of the handles.  He put it one place and all the other hardware somewhere else.  Anyway when the day was done there was a bathroom door and 2 closets have doors.  No baseboards. 

Today I am touching up the closets, and the bathroom.  I am painting the facings of Taylor's room (finished now)  and I have 2 coats of KIlz on both sides of his door.  It isn't dry or I would be painting it.

I interrupt this update to tell you all that Kip just called.  She is having a great time, loving it.  They had just left a resort that they went to for lunch and she said they were stuffed.  They were  going to thrift stores.  She said it was in the 20's and 30's and she was doing good.  No back problems to speak off with all the walking and inclines.  She will be home Wednesday, late.

Now when you are watching Vern or Tye or the rest of those redo your room, remodel a house in a day shows, let me tell you something.  They are misleading as hell.  I can hear one of them now going "now that was your table/desk/cabinet and we just painted it".  You just don't paint it.  They have some poor flunky shmuck down there putting 17 coats of primer and 4 coats of color on that thing.  Just paint sounds like one coat and ain't it beautiful.  I have been painting and painting and painting and I swear I can still see brown through. 

Taylor told me what he wanted for Christmas.  Carrie Underwood.  Unwrapped.  My 15 year old is all boy, what can I say. 

The other night, Friday night, out of the blue, he said Oh I like your hair by the way. Forgot to tell you.  What a good boy I have.  

Ok gotta go to Hilltop and feed the kitty, then head to King to get Rachel.

More Floor More Progress

By this time tomorrow night the floor will be completely done.  It is all layed now from the kitchen to Taylor's room, which was the last area to do.  Tomorrow the the molding for the floor will go down.  We will have to go and buy the baseboard and I will paint it while he is finishing the molding.  I have all the trim painted and the bathroom and linen closet doors finished.  We really need to get the bathroom door put back up.  We are yelling now "don't come down here I'm going to the bathroom (or getting a shower)"   whatever this case may be.  Really need the door hung. 

Taylor went to the gym.  I think he wants to look like Jacob from New Moon.  He is always telling me to feel his muscles.  He even choose a salad instead of fries.  I had steamed veggies instead of the fries.  Jimmy,  he had a loaded potato.  He could care less.

I wish the Gators had won.  I am sad and a bit depressed.  Its a good thing I was gone to get Outback when Tebow was crying.  Not a doubt in my mind who else would have been crying.  

Onward, tomorrow is another day.  Kathy is going to Disney, Kip is in NC wishing she could have thrown that snowball at one of us,  and Michele is in Georgia.  And I will be painting trim and doors and molding. 

But tomorrow night I will do the crossword puzzle as my reward!

Damp and Cold

Today is nasty.  Just wet and cold and not what Mary ordered when she signed up to go to Disney for her birthday.  Sorry Mar Mar.  I hope you manage to have fun and not get wet and sick. (Save me a piece of candy)

I have put Kilz on 2 more doors this morning. I am going to get a shower and take Willa to therapy and then I have a hair appointment.  I have to let Shaun make this gray go away.  Dang my hair grows fast. 5 weeks and I have sprouts around my temple and 1/4" line down the center of my head.

I'm sorry that my remarks about men cheating  may have resulted in disagreements. 

Nothing much going on or new.  Just painting doors and door frames and molding.  I am not sure if the trip to Atlanta to see Pioneer Woman is going to happen or not.  Stacy has a lot going on right now and so do I, so we might have to cancel.  We haven't decided definitely yet.  I wish she would schedule a Florida trip anytime but this week.  Borders is giving out wristbands as you buy the book beginning at 9a Monday morning.  She is then signing at 7:30 pm.  You cannot bring the book you have already purchased.  Which buying another book is not a big deal.  But I wonder how long she will sign Monday night and how many people will be lined up there Monday morning.  We were going to leave here Monday morning, which means getting to Atlanta Monday afternoon.  Oh the fanagling you  have to do to do it all!!

Shower time.  Hey its Friday, even the rain and the chill can't spoil that. 

Thursday

I don't have to take her to therapy today.  I will be painting all day.  Jimmy took down the frames around the bathroom door, and the closet door. He also took down the bathroom and closet doors.  So I will put plenty of KIlz on them and then paint them.  I do have to go buy the paint, which is a major irritant but if I want them done I will go buy the paint.

One last thing about Tiger Woods and his "marital transgressions".  I am convinced, without a shadow of a doubt, that given the right circumstances , a man will cheat.  I don't care who he is, how rich he is, how famous he is, how private he is.  Men cheat if they think they can get away with it.  Someone I married told me "A stiff penis has no conscience."  They don't think straight. They also convince themselves they will not get caught.  Men can be married to the most beautiful model and they will stray if given the opportunity.  They can be married to the richest and they will cheat.  They could be a DR. or a lawyer or a judge or a minister or bartender and they will cheat.  A man does not have it in his make up to turn down the offer of some strange.  So Tiger does what men do.  Tiger gets caught like men do eventually.  Tiger pisses off the mother of his children, his wife, his biggest fan, his most ardent supporter.  But worse than that he hurts his her.  He has betrayed her trust.  He could live with her to be 105 and she will never ever completely trust him again.

Call me cynical, call me wrong, call me burnt.  But I believe it.  Men cheat.

Driving Miss Daisy

Therapy day #2.  I got up this morning at 5:30 as usual  and got the men off to work and school.  I had until 9:30 before I had to take the MIL to therapy.  So I wasn't going to start the painting again.  I took a shower and layed down. I was tired and a bit sore.  It was about 7:30 and I dozed for about an hour.  I got up, got dressed and blowed my hair dry.  Here she comes. I load her up, get there and get her to the door of the office.  I told her I was sitting in the car as it was too distracting in there.  There was a parking place under a tree, facing the door of the office, and it was in the direction of the nice breeze.  I thought I had hit the jackpot.  I got the rug out and figured out the row I was on.  I finished that row, started on the next row.  I have now hooked 15 threads and I see her coming out. 

Her appointment is for 1pm today.  But they can see her at 12n.  We have to leave in an hour.

Quiz

  

Your answers to this will determine how long we are friends.  Not how long we have been friends, but how long we will remain friends.

 

You know those pictures you have hanging on your walls?   How often do you take them down and dust behind them?

1.   Weekly

2.   Monthly

3.   Yearly

4.   What they come down??

 

You know that little ledge above your door?  The top of the door facing?  How often do you dust it?

1.    Weekly

2.    Monthly

3.    Yearly

4.    When I have to paint

 

Do you think smoke detectors are ok the same color as your walls?

1. No that ecru they come is perfect.

2. The whiter the better!

3. The color of dust is a neutral color.

4. The wall color matches so much better.

 

If you answered # 1 or # 2 to any question,  its been nice knowing you.  We really didn’t have that much in common. I feel totally different about the whole cleaning thing than you do.  Good luck in all your future endeavors.  I bet you have to have allergy shots because your environment is just too healthy. 

 

I bet I have more fun.

 

Now lets talk about those Bell Ringers for the Salvation Army. 

 

This doesn’t have a right or wrong answer or a Mr Clean Trophy.  If you made it this far we will still be friends after this question.

 

Do you give one big donation, lets say $10 or $20 at one time and then

1.    Tell them you already gave (yesterday, last week or last year)

2.     Avoid eye contact, what is that on my big toe?  

3.    Keep a wad of $1’s in the side pocket and give them one each time you pass?

 

I really can’t figure out which is best.  I think I am going to go with #3.  At least I won’t think she thinks I’m lying about #1.  Then I could wear tennis shoes sometimes.

 

I want to show you something.   I take this to mean that I can't remember to get the olive oil on sale bogo. 

 

 

Day 1

Day 1 didn't exactly turnout like I thought it would.  Willa has physical therapy 3 times a week and I am now the "driving Miss Daisy" chauffeur. Which is fine, I mean I told them I would do it.  Kim (Jimmy's niece) has been taking her to all her appts for the last couple of years so I knew it was expected that I help out now that I am not working.  She has a 10am appt over by UCH, the hospital,  and it is an fast easy trip.  If you are in labor you can make it in 7 minutes, as I know what I speak.  Anyway we leave about 9:25 because old people have this thing about being late and being early.  (Right Teri?)  We get there and into the office and she begins to fill out the paperwork.  She has to fill new paperwork because she transferred from the Carrollwood office to the USF area office.  (I did insist on that,  because I was not driving all that way 3 times a week even if it is in a MIchaels shopping center)  The office has a small reception area with a tv, 2 receptionist types and an intercom.  As Willa is filling out the paperwork, she keeps watching Bonnie Hunt.   She gets finished and taken back at 10:20.  She comes out with a cone shaped cup full of water and hands it to me.  I said oh thats ok I have my coffee.  "oh no oh no I want you to have it"  so I drink the water.  I tell her I am going to bring the van right up to the door.  I have a stool to put down so she can climb into the van.  We have to stop at Dollar Tree to see if the bread came in. We have to go into Sav a Lot because bananas are .39 lb and there .79 everywhere else.  We have to stop in CVS and pick up 2 prescriptions. 

I got home at 12noon. 

And Jimmy..all these things he did that he didn't do yesterday.  Take out the garbage,  I took out the garbage for here and Hilltop.  He always picked Taylor up from conditioning and baseball.  Yesterday he had grades to get finished.

Then he comes in and says "So what did you do all day??"   Umm 2 1/2 hrs with your mother.  Filled out the paperwork and sent in my license,  filled out the paperwork for School Readiness,  called the Big P about school supply drop off,  called Temple Terrace Animal and Bird about giving them the blankets for the cages,  called the accountants off about an unemployment form, went to the post office, went to Publix, picked up Rachel from King, waited an hour and went back to King to pick up Taylor, and dropped of the School Readiness paperwork.  Then I took all the pictures off the walls and taped the door facings. 

Today I will paint the hall.  Ship some orders.  And that might be all I do. 

Tomorrow I get to take Willa to therapy. But it will be a bit different.  Ya'll remember Latch Hook Rugs?  I started one last week when I was working by myself. I am going to latch hookin it in my car while she is therapy.  That alone with make a ton of difference to my pschic-y.  

And the next time he asks me what I did all day I am ready.  I stuck one thumb up my butt and the sucked the other thumb.  Every 30 minutes I switched thumbs.

Sunday

Today was very productive.  I slept a little late, 9:45a but I was awake very late, 2 something and woke up at 7 and watched the news.  Then I fell back asleep.  I read most of the paper, drank some coffee, broke some eggs and made a list of things I wanted to do today.  I really work very well with a list.  I feel it is a great day if I accomplish all but 1 or 2 things on the list.  Ofcourse  that depends on the chores and the distactions.  Its not a good day if Facebook or Eggbreakers is the reason my list is not done. 

So I cleaned the laundry room, the kitchen, fixed the toilet, and got the christmas decorations out of the attic.  I was throwing stuff away right and left.  By this time Taylor and Jimmy were home and I was tossing stuff down saying "put it in the garbage.  Do not look at it, throw it away."  Man I will clean that mess out one of these days.  I will put it on the long term list.  Anyway I got all the decorations down and started unpacking.  With the family room redone, the stuff doesn't go where it used to.  So tomorrow I will put it out in its new spots. 

Taylor wanted to rent something Bastards, said he had watched most of it on the computer when they were in hotels but he wanted to rent it and watch it together.  He asked me how New Moon and The Blind Side was.  I said lets go see it. (Blind Side)  He said really?  I said get your homework done and we will.  He enjoyed it.  I loved it again.  Cried only 2 times this time.  We were sitting there and the couple I sit with at the football games came in with their boys so they sat with us.  Everyone loved it.

I am doing the laundry they brought home now.  Tomorrow I have to take Willa to her physical therapist.  I have to go by the school to talk to the Big P about giving some stuff to the Library, the art teacher and the pre 4 and Kindergarten classes.  I have a lot of books, a lot of construction paper, glue, craft stuff, etc that I am getting rid of.  I also have to get the hall ready to paint. Tomorrow I will take the stuff off the walls and wipe them down,  tape some areas.  Painting will happen Tuesday. 

Boy JImmy is going to love this me being home stuff. He will get the idea he doesn't have to do anything around here.  Not! 

Ok I am going to go cut some paper for a craft project I am going to do.  Have a great night.

Leftovers

Oh that Black Friday that I have never done because I always had to work the next day.  It was a very good excuse, one that worked well and was very true.  For the last 15 years or so I have given my employees off Thursday and Friday and paid them for both.  I wasn't really into getting up early and it was normally a very light day.  For the parents that were off, most of them would keep their kids home.  Those that worked had to make arrangements as our hours were only until 2. 

So what happened this year?  Well Julie was having a midnight sale of 40% off most stuff and Wal Mart had the Cricut Expression on sale.  Miss Elle wanted to go to Julie's and WalMart to get one. I really don't like Miss Elle out at that time of the night alone.  So I told her I would go with her to Julie's then I would go home to bed and to work.  As we talked about meeting there, following etc,  I just decided to go pick her up.  There was still some talk about what she would do afterwards.  I was about half committed to hanging out until Wal Mart opened up.  I picked her up, we stopped at Starbucks, and headed to the Scrapbook Shoppe.  About 2 am we left there and went to WalMart on Dale Mabry and 275.  It was very orderly, too orderly in there.  Too many security people, bossy men telling you not to stop, you have to keep walking.  You could not go down most aisles as they were roped off or had clerks blocking the lanes.  They must have had 75 people "guarding" the aisles, most of them young girls.  They were in position at midnight.  We found the Cricuts and moseyed around. There was nothing to do so we decided to go to the Ghetto Wal Mart. It was definitely not as orderly.  There was people lined up for the "prize" products.  At 3am they began giving out coupons for the hot laptop $198.00.  You got a ticket and you still had to stand in line.  We could not find the Cricut anywhere.  Elle had the manager, the assistant manager and a clerk looking.  We decided we better go back to the other Wal Mart. 

When we got back there, the scene had changed alot. There were people with some 32" Bravia TV's in their carts already.  Alot of the doorbusters were being plucked up fast. Parking spaces were scarce, shopping carts not to be found.  I went to ask about a ________ and was told it was not a hot item and not a worry just go through the line and ask for it at the register.  In the meantime I was looking for a buggy.  I went all the way to Best Buy and were none.  Not a one in the cart corrals in between cars, no where.  You literally had to follow someone out to their cars, help them unload to get the cart.  I finally got one and took it to the Cricuts where Elle was hunkered down with our Expressions. 

Now let me back up and tell you something that was terrible.  When we were at this Wal Mart the 1st time, in front of the Cricuts, there were these young girls standing as aisle guards.  We talked to them and joked with them.  Well it was mostly me.  I couldn't believe they had to stand there from 12midnight until 8am.  That was a boring ass job.  Just stand there.  Anyway when we got back there I was talking to them and told them I was going to go get them a some candy to keep up there strength.  One of them was so tired, so bored she was about to fall out.  Well I went and got 2 packs of Baby Ruth bars. They were these little 2 bite things.  So I gave 7 of them out to 7 girls standing around us.  2 girls I had to throw them 20 feet to get them to them.  There was a lady, in a yellow vest there and her job was to hand out tickets to people who wanted a Kodak camera on sale.  So she saw me do this.  In a bit here comes this man and he walked right up to me and said you need some help?  what do you need?  I said I don't need any help, I need a shopping cart, so unless you have one of those in your pocket I am fine.  Now he was a little too close to my face, in my face.  So he turns around and points to 3 of the girls, the closest ones to me and said ya'll come with me.  I said to one of them OMG that ______  told on me.  Sure enough 2 of them come back and tell me they were fired for eating a Baby Ruth.  Can you believe it?????  omg I was so pissed I was livid.  But I couldn't say anything or show my butt.  Elle was off looking for the DS and I wanted to get an Expression not kicked out of the store.  But I did tell everyone in ear shot, what I thought about her.  And the 4 girls closest to her that ate the candy bars she didn't tell on. Hell if she would have wanted a candy bar I had another pack not opened. 

Anyway Elle went to the Garden Center to stand in line for the DS.  I went and got her a crock pot and then to the Electronics dept to get my _______ .  I was finished about 5am.  I took my Cricut to the car and went back and waited on her.  People watching is one of my very favorite things to do.  If people would go stand and watch people file out of there you will never believe we are in economic stress.  You would not believe we are in a recession, or have the highest unemployment rate in recent history.  There was a boat load of money spent in that store, that night.   

That sale paper had a Saturday only sale but that didn't mean Sat. only.  It meant Friday but how was I to know?  I mean when I asked if I got there at Midnight would that mean they would be for sale they said yes.  So when I get there they are all gone.  Oh well we will find another sale this week.

Another thing that is hard to believe is the number of people that have small children out at 4, 5am in the morning.  People who can't understand why a child is crying, grouchy at 5 am.  Now that is just not right.  Those babies and I do mean there were babies, toddlers, young kids not school age out all night in that madness.  That should be neglect. That was not in the child's best interest.

Now Miss Elle and I have decided that coupons and discounts are too complicated and restrictive to hardly be worth it.  JoAnn's and Michael's must employ a bunch of lawyers to decipher all the loopholes.  Anything worth buying is on sale.  Anything worth buying is restricted.

Now let's talk about this dang Tiger Wood mess.  Now my mama told me that nothing good happens after Midnight.  I heard an opinion on the radio today that was interesting.  This dj thought that the good Tiger and the beautiful Elin were having a domestic situation.  The Big Cat decides to leave.  The demure Mrs. obviously didn't want him to leave and decided to show him she could swing a golf club too. So while busting the rear windows out, the Fab Feline is distracted by the Missus going all Twanda on him and he hit the hydrant and a tree.  Realizing she may have killed the Big Meal Provider she freaked.  Now Mr Kitty can't talk because of swollen cut  lips and she isn't saying a word.  The DJ didn't exactly describe it as I did but he insinuated it and planted the seed. 

Oh my last day at work yesterday??  I had no kids.  Not a one.  Half expected 4 last kids.  I got there  and as the morning progressed I decided I would stay until 10am.  I was bored and tired. I was ready to go to bed.  I mean if I would have had kids I would have done it, obviously.  And we would have had fun. I had some Christmas projects ready.  Oh well,  my last day was a bust.

Today I put up the tree, got my phone activated and data transferred and went to JoAnn's and Michaels again. I am finished with those 2 stores I hope. 

What about that Gator-Seminole game?? was that not just the best?   Tebow is the complete package.  He is a great student, a great person, a great player.  His parents are very proud and as well they should be. And he's not too hard on the eyes either.

Have a great Sunday.

On the agenda today- tree up and decorated, go to Verizon Wireless to transfer data to new phone, order some stuff, mop floors, go to postoffice to mail orders out, replace toilet mechanism and gather christmas cards to see if I have enough to send. Should keep me out of mischief a while.