Inspiration Alley

Long Drive

After work yesterday, we drove up to Sorrento to the "new" house.  We didn't leave work until almost 7PM, and it was a long drive, so we didn't get in until close to 1AM.

Hubby was towing a car on the trailer, and I was following in the El Camino.  Once we passed the Palm Beaches, it started raining and didn't stop until we made it to the house.  So, I'm driving an unfamiliar car, after dark, in heavy rain, and add to that we were trying out a new route (because with the trailer taking the turnpike costs $25.oo each way).  I only freaked once (OK, maybe twice), but that's what happens when smoking isn't allowed in the old cars.

In any case ... we made it safely, and didn't even get lost.

The previous owners are the sweetest people.  
We opened the fridge and found OJ and muffins for the morning with a little note that said welcome home.  Not only that, they left set ups for the two of us - a couple of plates and cups, a set of towels, extra bed sheets, it was almost like walking into a hotel room. 

It's going to take some getting used to.  It still hasn't sunk in that the place is ours.

 

25 years ...

It all started with a blind date.

25 years ago, I had been to a psychic, she said I needed a horseshoe ring for good luck, I went in search and ended up at a jewelry store in the Falls, that ordered the ring for me.  When I finally went to pick it up (after several weeks of dropping by to check on it), the store manager asked if I'd be interested in going on a blind date with his roommate and called his roommate so we could talk, while I was there in the store.

We set up the first date for the coming Saturday, which was Feb 7th.  The rest as they say is history.

He is my husband, my best friend, my greatest supporter, my confidant, my protector, my daily chauffer and well ... my soulmate.  Because we work at the same place, we are together almost 24/7 and it works.  I look forward to the next 25 years of our life together.

Meow Monday

Just another picture of my little guy (who is not so little anymore).  I told you he has a thing for paper towels, so here, he has unrolled all of them and is playing in the pile on the counter.  That's my boy!

Just got the word ...

that the previous owners of the house are just about finished moving out.  We allowed them to stay until the 10th, so they're out early.  Next weekend will be the first time we're there and it'll actually feel like it is ours.

I found a better picture of the house, since the other one I posted was from much farther away.

I can't wait.  I want to be up there sitting on my porch enjoying the quietness of the area.  Won't be long now.

My boy has done gone crazy ...

This is a funny picture.  This is my cat Maxwell.  He has a thing about paper towels - he likes to attack and destroy them.  So in this picture, (once you get passed the glowing evil eyes from the camera reflection), he has wedged himself into a package of paper towels ... all the better for shredding.  Ahh ... yet one more item that I have to keep behind a closed door so he can't get hurt.

Changes and books

Spent some time updating the blog.  All of a sudden I looked at it and thought how dark and dreary, so changed it to something a little brighter and cheerful.  Also updated my books.  I track all the books I've read, wow ... 2012 will be my 6th year.  I have to track, or I forget what I've read and buy them again (not a bad thing).

My goal is 50 books over the year and for the last several years I've fell way short of that goal.  So far this year, I'm right on track.  Let's see how I do closer to the end of the year.

Along those lines, I am reading a book by Sibel Hodge called The Fashion Police (An Amber Fox Murder Mystery).  If you like the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, I think you'll like the Amber Fox series as well.   The main charactor is an insurance investigater who gets into all kinds of funny situations while investigating the cases.   A little murder, a little mayhem, a little romance, and enough comedy to keep it light and fun.   The author is British, so sometimes things are referred to by the British description rather than the American description (like Bonnet rather than Hood).  Not a bad thing ... it just fits.

To my reading buddies, many of you like the same type/genre of books that I do, so don't pass this one up.

Groundhog Day

I've previously stated that I wanted to one day go to Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney PA to see Punxsutawney Phil do his prognosticating.  I think I've had this dream since seeing Bill Murray in Groundhog Day (one of my favorite movies).   Well, I've found something that will be "almost" as good.

So the "new" house is up in Lake County, and is very near Mt. Dora.  Well wouldn't you know that Mt Dora has Mt Dora Mike and Mt Dora Millie.

"Mount Dora Mike & Mount Dora Millie move out of their winter hibernation from a palm tree stump to give prognostications of long awaited information like when winter will end, how many hurricanes we will be affected by this season, and the Super Bowl prediction.

So this year, I received the news too late, and didn't take the day off work to go up.  But next year, look out!  Groundhog day is on a Saturday, and you can bet I will be in town to see Mt Dora Mike and Millie (who are not even groundhogs) do their stuff. 

Yes, I still want to see Punxsutawney Phil, but that will have to wait for a wee bit. 

February already ?

February already ?  Where does the time go.

December and January were a whirlwind for me because we were buying a house, which if you haven't bought one recently, takes quite a bit of phone tag and follow up. 

We closed on January 11th, and can't wait to actually spend some time there.  We allowed the prior owners to stay for a bit until they got their relocation plans sorted out, so they have until Feb 10th.  We've been up a few times, but it still doesn't feel real, if you know what I mean.  With them living there, it feels like we're visiting someone elses home.

Here's the picture of the main house.  The walkway is really not that long, it just looks like it because realtors use those fish angle lenses when they take pictures.  Anyway, it's all brick and even has a real brick fireplace, something I've never really experienced before.  Yeah, I've been in places that had fireplaces, but in Miami, we've never had the need for one, not my current home, or the homes I grew up in, so it'll be a new experience. 

I'll post some more pictures as things unfold, and of course, I've already started an album.  I'm pretty sure I want to do some before and after looks.  I've been really good, and haven't started buying stuff (well not too much stuff anyway), but can't wait to get in there and start making it ours. 

Crowns

I have crowns.

The kind on your teeth, not the gold ones on your head, although that would be kindof nice if I had one of those considering the market value of gold - but that's another story.

My first crown was when I fell off my bike in 4th grade and broke my front tooth off (on Labor Day weekend no less), and it's pretty much been the story of my life.  Anyhoo ... one of mine has come loose.  I called for an appointment and they wanted me to come in right away.  I said I'd wait until his next Saturday appointment (the 19th).  

She said, you can't it's "dangerous".

I said "dangerous, how so"

She said: " You might swallow it"

This being said to the girl who HAS swallowed one before and knows what happens once you do (don't ask ... you do not want to know).  

I also once lost one in the Atlantic Ocean (Ft. Lauderdale Beach) within hours of it being cemented in - wen't down with a wave, and I came up with no tooth.  I'm pretty sure it was that same front tooth.  

When we lived in Ft. Lauderdale (a time I don't remember), our family dentist was our neighbor, so when we moved to Miami, we still drove up to Ft. Lauderdale for our annual office visits.  It would be an event.  After the dentist, we'd go to the beach.  My mom would pack up 5 kids and all the beach supplies in the car, we'd drive the 45 minutes to the dentist office and all get our cleanings and any work done, then we'd spend the rest of the day at the beach.  I know many people are afraid of going to the dentist, but I've never seen it as a "bad" thing, for me, it was a fun day at the beach and the dentist was just something you did before you could have that fun.

No Caramel Apples for me at the moment, and in a week I'll be fixed up good as new.

 

 

Schedules and Scheduling

Do you keep busy.

Do you have to keep track of your schedule, your husbands schedule, and maybe even some kids ?

Do you have a smart phone ?

If you do there is a very cool app called Cozi.

It's a Calendar/Schedule.  It's a To Do List.  It sorts by person.  It sends you message alerts.  You can keep your shopping list on it - in fact, several shopping lists.  You can work from your phone, or work online.  If you do FlyLady (it's a housecleaning thing), you can import your FlyLady Zone tasks and create daily lists.

I've been working with it for several months now.  I don't remember how I found it, I might of been playing around and downloading apps just because they sounded cool.  It doesn't really matter.  If you coordinate lots of appointments and schedules for yourself and or your family then check it out.  

Right now I've got the scrapbooking weekend crops for 2012 loaded (just the ones I'm pretty sure I can attend), plus birthdays, holidays, doctor appts, pretty much everything I need (although I haven't added daily work stuff yet).  I've always worked with a planner, so it's taken me some time to transition from paper to smartphone, but it's almost the same and now I don't have to carry my day planner with me.  

Check it out - the best part ...it's a free app.  (you can upgrade later if you want)

( for the record, I'm in no way getting paid for this - these are unsolicited comments - I like the product, it works for me, so for what it's worth, I pass the information on to my family and friends.)