How quickly or slowly things change part 2

Well, seeing that I am updating this blog a bit after 5 years, I guess I should mention that I did indeed find my forever home. A brick ranch with everything except a pool, and a working fireplace, but I have a fireplace, nonetheless and I will have it updated to probably gas.  I saw the house for the first time October 7th, 2017.  I got the Keys on Nov. 10th and started staying here with the cats on Dec. 3rd 2017.  I had all my big stuff moved in Dec. 20th but I don't think I finished moving completely in until end of Feb and beginning of March when I finally sold the childhood homestead on the Creek. I am only a mile away from the old home.  I don't miss it like I thought I would though sometimes.  It flooded really bad there this past summer.  All of June we had rain and on July 8th there was so much rain that everywhere was flooded. My yard sits up pretty high but there is a ditch in the back that was flooded and the road that surrounds my house was flooded.
all the pictures of the old homestead from the realtor pictures.

How quickly things can change...

I found this in my drafts.  I don't know the original date I had written this because I accidentally published it.  I assume it was in October or November of 2007 since it was about signing the divorce papers.

After Mike came over last week I missed him through out until the next week when he came over. I had the papers signed.

My dream home...forever home...

I have it in my mind to have a small, brick ranch home.  Ideally it will have a front porch and a covered back patio.  A must have is a fireplace, preferably wood burning but I will take a gas fireplace too.  A two car garage and a walk out basement.  Flat yard and if not a two car garage, then maybe an out building.  I love my house, I do, but it is too big, too many steps (for future) and I like the idea of being able to keep up with a smaller house (both exterior and interior). It is my 7 year plan.

2013...what did I accomplish? 2014 What will I accomplish?

First, I did not make any resolutions for 2013 other than the same lose weight and save money blah blah blah.  I lost some weight, held steady and then gained it at the end of 2013.  I did not save money because I had stove and fridge issues, then a few major vet bills and my own health bills including renants of an emergency room bill, glasses and wisdom teeth pulled.  I also had the expense of the vacation which lead to about 5,000 dollars being spent

So, let's put all that behind.  What did I do? Not really that they were goals, but they were challenges of new experiences.
Went rappelling for the first time
Went out of the country, on a big boat, to the Carribbean on a trip that I planned on my  own (except for the boat part) and got to see and spend time with family that I haven't seen since 2004.  So it was good.  Very good.

No home improvement things were done, really.  I did plant tomatoes from seeds, a big deal for a girl with a thumb of death.  So, that leads to this year.   My goals for 2014.

1.  Work on sprucing up the front yard and cleaning up the back hill. (will become more specific later)

2.  Save money.

• reduced cable bill: done
• set an auto payment to savings: done
• reduce spending...working on.

3.  Basement:

• clean
• paint and polyurethane floor
• Paint walls
• Long term (not this year) buy furniture, cabinets, new sink, bar area, rugs, lighting.

4. paint bedroom  and closets (master and small guest room...maybe repaint the bigger guestroom and closets).

20 years...

The List
20 years ago 
Movies that were popular:
The Lion King
Santa Clause
Dumb and Dumber
Natural Born Killers
Pulp fiction
Forest Gump
Interview with a Vampire
The Shawshank Redemption
Speed

So hard to believe.

In 1994 mom got married to George and moved out.
Scott, my brother, lived with me.
I was 26.  The year after, I was 27 and in the best shape of my life.

This year should be my 20 year anniversary and lose the weight like I did then.

November 27th, 1996 I fell in love with my then, future husband.
November 27th, 2007, I was officially divorced from, what I thought was my greatest love.
11 years of connection total.
December 30th 2007 was the last time I saw him.
His mother died on October 9th, 2013.  I sent him and his homewrecking wife a card, which was more kindess than he ever showed me when my mother died. The extended olive branch, more for me than for him.  I never heard anything back from him...typical coward.

Thanksgiving 2013, and I am grateful for the life that I have and all it's ups and downs. I am grateful for the person I have become. I never knew it would be better, but it certainly is a beautiful life I am living.

Summer, it is a beautiful time.  I have spent my summer so far, recovering from wisdom teeth extraction which took about two weeks to fully feel better.  I then did some out of comfort zone adventures in the form of rappelling.  It was great but I didn't do the harder cliff.  I wasn't feeling that great and when I got home I was running a fever (diverticulitis flare up).  Still, I enjoyed watching and camping with my friends.

I have another adventure planned, my first cruise ever!  I am going to the Eastern Caribbean!  My step-mother is very graciously taking me and my sister! My sister so deserves this break and special treat.  I think I am almost more excited for her than I am for me.  I can't wait to see Kathy and family.  I haven't seen them since Ric's death in 2002 (though Mike and I made our last trip out there in 2004). 

Now that I have (or will have) some experience with planning trips, I am going to do it more.  So, yeah, it's been a productive and good summer so far, with more to come.

Learning to trust my equipment on a slight slope.

Over the hump and able to smile.

        

SPRING!

Happy first day of spring.  It certainly does not feel like it.  It's cold today highs will be in the thirties.  Last year it was in the 80s.

16 more days until my Spring break starts  I certainly hope that it warms up for Spring break.  I will be happy even if it is just in the 50s and 60s.  My plan is to clean the house for the first couple of days, then get caught up on some lesson plans and end of the year things.  Why?  because, when the end of the school year is here, I want to be done and out and ready to enjoy my summer without any burdens on my mind.

It will be a beautiful summer.  I have adventures planned.  I have my passport and every summer will now hold an adventure of some sort.  Lots of things to see simply in the US.  and there is Canada and Mexico.  I will branch out from there, but THIS summer, there is a cruise in the works.  

Source: multicityworldtravel.com via Kiki on Pinterest

Random thoughts and rants

What is the fascination with Red velvet cake or red velvet anything dessert?  It's food colouring right?  It's stupid.

Do zombies poop?

Some people think they're great cooks and get high marks from everyone.  I am spoiled by my mother's cooking and resent that I can't enjoy other people's cooking sometimes.

I hate that I can't fake through my disappointments.

less than a month to go for 2012

I have lived in my house 30 years last month.  My nephew will be thirty this month.
Last month I was divorced 5 years.  This month I will be living alone (happily) for 6 years.
October was 5 years of being smoke free.  This month it is one year ago that I contacted Frank to have my house redone.

I love it.  It's calm, peaceful, beautiful, and a reflection of my style for the most part.  My things are happy here.  I am happy here.  I have parties here and feel no embarrassment when friends and family come over.

It is getting to be close to Christmas break and I have lots of unstructured time coming up.  I need to keep from doing destructive things and plan some adventures.  I need to take care of myself inside and out.  This is what I hope to concentrate on in the thirteen.

Peace, love, adventure and health is what I hope for.

Will Frey the third and Austin Zehnder are rapists.  Will Frey even still has his facebook up.  Stupid and Cocky Rapist.  Thinks he's smart because he put his high school (Trinity) in Texas, yet in his friend's lists, he is friends with Freys and Zehnders from Louisville.    Savannah Dietrich is in trouble for tweeting the name of these old enough to know better young men because they not only sexually assaulted her but they also sent/posted pictures of it to their friends. Now THEIR images and names are spreading like wildfire.  Good!

https://www.facebook.com/HelpSavannahDietrich?ref=stream

Since May...

What have I done?
Home improvements are finished
I had a couple of parties here at my home...I want to have more.
Went back packing in early June...just a small little trip for me to get my feet wet in.
I went to Paddle fest in late June...lots of fun.
Paddled in a beautiful river in Troy OH (The Mad River).  The water was cold, and crystal clear, fed from a spring.
Painted my office and I am getting a futon for it so that I have plenty of sleeping space should I ever need it.

I really don't feel like I have done much this summer but it's not over yet. It has been a drought...again. Last year was so wet but the last 5 years has been more drought than not.

Some of the boats for paddle fest.

Cute dog named Layla.  She sat on her master's Kayak with a few dips in the river.

All the colours of the boats together...awesome.

Water station

Me at the finish on the Serpentine wall.

An italian Ice in a cincinnati reds hat cup.

Shark!  And pirate!

Paddle boards....Someday I would love one

Almost finished

My kitchen is fully functioning with lots of storage.  I love it.  Today I have been getting things back in order.  Putting the nice couch cover on (now that the dust is settling), getting the spare room set up (though Frank did a great job of putting things back in order) and doing all of the final things that need to be done.  


School is almost over and it's been a very warm and early spring.  New house, soon some rest and reflection on how I want my life to go.  I am ready to make a new start.  I have my grown up home now.  It's reflecting me and my style and now I need to redo some things about myself, physically and mentally that reflect my true self.

Dick Clark ....

Dick Clark died today.   He was 82.

 My mother should still be alive.  6 years ago was the start of all that was wrong.  Danny's child Nick died.  Mom was too sick to go to the funeral.  I went to the funeral by myself.

6 years ago was the worst year of my life.

Today I found out how luck I am.  How my marriage was based on more than the lies of how I thought we were a happy couple.  Fidelity.  Trust.  honesty.  None of those existed as I thought.  It makes me feel just fine to know that now.  I can take him down from that pedestal that I know he didn't belong on anyway.

Amazing.

Yes, I know him

No, i don't want to make him my friend.

I am ready..

For the home improvements to be finished
for the school year to be finished
I am ready for summer fun and relaxation.  Visualizing a finished home...organized life...healthy and stress free.

What I envision...

I look at pictures of happy couples with their 2.4 kids and their over priced professional staged pictures capturing that sugary sweet halmark moment.

What does it sound like in between?  Kids screaming, husband yelling at the wife to watch the kids or sitting there looking disinterested until it's time to smile.  Can he wipe that smarmy look off of his face?  Or does he have to be posed strategically so that his face is not showing.

I know that look.  The over reaching attempts to create the Martha Stewart family time.  The gatherings with matching sweaters and pajamas.  Look at us, we're solid.  We're a family.

She got what she wanted...maybe.  The beautiful house, the kids, the...husband?  Or is he just a wallet.

He got what he wanted...The beautiful house, the prestige of a high position job (with an education bought by his former wife).  He also got to play the passive * life just happens* card in case something goes wrong.  Then he can say he didn't have a choice and he had to make the best of it and face his responsibilities.  His friends already say this for him.  He has their sympathy.  They're foolish too.

Things are looking beautiful

Hall bathroom is finished
Crown moulding and the baseboards and trim are up
Kitchen cabinets and the flooring are in progress...Hopefully they should be ready to be filled up this week and I can start getting organized with all the junk lying all over the place.  I feel like I am living in an episode of hoarders.
still need to get the counters ordered and my master bath needs to be done.  Maybe about 3-4 weeks to go?

I am ridiculously happy about the changes being made.

teachers getting plastic surgery as perk...

http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/teachers-upstate-york-enjoy-plastic-surgery-job-perk-1036103

I would definitely love this perk.  What I would do...Rhinoplasty, breast reduction, and maybe see if there would be any way to fix the lopsidedness of my eye since I had the Bell's palsy.  All that would still be less than if I used my insurance for the choice to have a child.

Perhaps that's what they should do for insurance.  Anything that is medically UNnecessary (such as plastic surgery or pregnancy) should be offered as a choice.  If you choose to have plastic surgery, you can't have kids for 5 years.  If you choose to have kids, you can't have plastic surgery until after 5 years of your child being born.  So that way, you could either choose to continue having children, or choose to continue having plastic surgery procedures but you could not do both one on top of another....maybe. That way everyone gets to have elective procedures (and yes, parenthood IS an elective).

A little blue today....

I suppose it's being anxious about the home improvements being made.   The house is in disarray and it's stressing me a little.  I am off tomorrow and I think I will get some stuff caught up then.  I kind of piddled around to day and didn't really do much.  Went for a long ride.  Thought about the up coming lenten season and what I was going to give up and take on.  I need to really think about that in the next couple of days.

Feeling anxious about my job and what is to come.  Me, teaching things that are outside my comfort zone.  If I can't teach art I always said I wouldn't be a teacher.  Reality, time off...benefits...steady work...I really couldn't beat it and I need to just simply be thankful that I have a job.

I was feeling a little regretful of things I had done.  Things that I had said. Things I can never undo.  I need to let it go.  I usually can but today I had a day of wallowing.  I was angry today.  Angry at HIM, angry at her (my mother).  Both for leaving me.  I have a hard time getting close to someone.  I need to work on being a better friend, letting myself be vulnerable.  That's hugely frightening.  I've come sooo far.  Sooo  far.  I can keep going.