Meet Kiah - - The Dog.

     So, I did a thing.  This morning, our new puppy Rose was acting all hyper and she wanted to play with Ginger, but my old gal was just not in the mood. She continued to stress about it and finally she started barking and snapping at the puppy to the point that I could tell she wasn't a happy camper.  It's not that Ginger hates Rose, but the pup can be a little extra most of the time and Ginger isn't necessarily into playing...much. She played with Hugo, and I think maybe she over did it then. She's not been all that active since he has been gone.

    I did a thing. I went on Craigslist and put in the words "free to a good home" because that usually means you'll find a good dog or two. I found 12 of course, and some of them were pitty mixes which we can't consider at the complex where I live, and I can't consider it with the dogs and cats that I already have. Hugo was a bit aggressive, and he had to go - - there's no way I will allow a dog to become aggressive toward my other animals or to the people I live near.  We have boundaries.

    Craigslist had a dog whose owners were advertising but without photos. That always makes me wonder if they just don't know how to upload a photo or if they want you to fall for their scam - - you say yes, show up and they kill you! You know, something like that.  Well, I answered the ad and asked if they had photos and if they could tell me about the dog...well, the puppy. She's only about five months old.

    They answered me very quickly, saying she was five months, about 10 pounds and they didn't think she would get any bigger. She was a Jack Russell type but a mixed breed, not a full breed. They sent a picture and I laughed.  I laughed to myself, not to them.  I've been around dogs for a little over sixty-two years of my sixty-two years of life, and this was not a Jack. She was at least fifteen pounds and with those long legs and haunch, she was going to be a bigger dog. They had no idea what they had.

    I always ask the backstory if someone knows it, so I sort of have an idea of what the dog has gone through.  Kiah was abandoned as a very small puppy with her siblings in a box at the local Walmart in Chandler, OK where a soldier took them home and gave three or four of them away. He kept Kiah, but he called her "Puppy" (how original).  When he was deployed in May he gave the pup to his brother and his wife, but their dog simply did not want her near the family, and the new pup was forced to stay outside.  She found a good home with me. She'll be inside, with others, and they already love her.

    I agreed to meet them halfway, as they live about forty miles from where I live, and I gave them $20 for gas. They were pretty happy about it since they needed to come into the city anyway to do a bit of shopping.  They packed her up and brought her to me; we met at the mall.  When he pulled her out of the truck she was long, coarse-haired, and gangly, all legs and tail, her little head was buried in his chest. She's shy and she's a little awkward, but what puppy isn't?

    Immediately, I began thinking about the alternative breeds she could be. I laughed again inside my head and asked myself if I had just picked up a Scottish Deerhound.  Would she grow to be the size of a Great Dane soon? Would I be out of a couple of big bags of food each month? I hoped not, but then again, I really wouldn't be all that upset about it if it were true. She'll be perfect for Rose to play with, and she'll bring a big fat smile to my face in the process.

    Ginger, my little gal, isn't all that thrilled with Kiah, but she's learning to put up with the fact that her mom brings dogs, cats, hamsters, lizards, snakes, and other things home from time to time. She knows she's alpha, I don't have to convince her. She's already let the new dog know this fact.  Kiah (pronounced Ki-ah) is more than likely a Border Collie, Schnauzer, and other breeds. If you go look up the cross between Border Collies and Schnauzers you'll see a dog that strongly resembles Kiah. 

    I'm going to give her Valentine's Day as a birthday. She's a sweetheart and deserves it.  She's already begun to romp and run through the place with Rose, and she's already learned that Frodo has claws and isn't afraid to use them.  Bilbo has only watched from the safety of the countertops.  Though he realizes also that mom brings home whatever she pleases, he's never really been that excited about any of them - - he's that way.

    We're moving soon, and the backyard will be full - - that's the reason I got Kiah. I don't want any unwanted guests thinking they can just go into or through the backyard - - the people who lived there before were OK with it  -- I am not. I also want Rose to have a running buddy - - someone she can bark and run with. I achieved my goal.  Kiah will be a good investment - - well, she was free, but I did give them gas money!! (She'll be spayed in 2 months.  We take her to get her shots next week.) 

Photo Credit:  Me.

Gearing Up Mentally to Move!

 I wish it was this weekend that we were moving, I'd take off tomorrow, and make it a four-day thing.  This being July 4, we are actually working tomorrow (Friday) and of course, I'm off the following two days. I'll be taking off the 19th (1/2 day) and making it a 3-day thing since we get off 1/2 a day on the 19th. That should work out fine - - and if I can't move into the house until the next weekend, I'll take off that Friday instead.  I want the move to be done well and move very smoothly.

    I'm going to the store today to pick up more medium-sized boxes to pack the smaller things that could add up to space and weight if I put them into bigger boxes. The bigger boxes will be for the much lighter things - - such as linen, comforters, and curtains.  I don't really want to pour myself into lifting these boxes you know. I'm old...and I get a little grumpy when I have to do physical work. 

    I can already tell that my room will have a ton of boxes probably, but I really want to have the strength and courage to either throw things out or give things away. If I don't use it, I need to let it go - - I'm thinking I'll be able to do that for 80% of it, but there's that other 20% that I really don't need. Why on earth do we do that? We keep things we neither need nor use. I don't understand it  - I really don't.

    Looking through my room I can say I'll be donating about 25 pairs of shoes, but then again, Laura and Caity may be the first vultures to land on that pile. I have bulletin boards that will be taken down, gone through, packed, and set back up again, hopefully with fewer bits and pieces of memory I don't need...or will I just keep those memories in a box for when I'm 99 and have a look-see to remember something? I have no idea.

    I have too many (way too many) CDs that will be boxed and stored, I won't get rid of them - - I did that back in the 80s with my LPs and regretted it - - not making that mistake again. I will start going through them and listening to them again. I don't listen to music as often as I need to. I find myself either working, writing, or watching Law & Order - - yes, it's that bad, yes, I am that pathetic.

    There are office supplies and school supplies that will be boxed and donated, I certainly don't need them anymore. To be able to say that makes me smile. I am genuinely not going to need either of those things again because I'm not teaching and I'm working from home with a company that doesn't require that I use any supplies. I have a notebook and pen! Besides my computer, I'm writing numbers down - - OK, to be honest, I have two clipboards too! Done.

    It's funny how time goes by and makes you realize that what you absolutely had to have one moment is useless and even in the way a moment down the road. Amazing, but true.  I don't need a file cabinet.  I don't need boxes of electronic cords and cables. I may have used those cords and cables at one point. I know I did. I have several MP3 players that are relics now by anyone's standards; why do I still have them? I don't use them. One I won't give away because it has a really cute sticker of my kids on it, but it's from 2005. Geez!

    I've asked myself if I'm keeping the art I have now, or if I'm giving it away and starting over. I really don't know the answer. I think I'll just keep it for now, and see how it works. It's not bad, it's not ugly, it's not dated. Two pieces were created by my daughter -  so they'll always stay. I am mentally moving things into closets. I am mentally storing them into boxes today, and making plans to do so in real life - - yes, I'm that pathetic. I also go to grocery stores to think about what I will buy soon. 

    OK, there is one thing that will go - - well, it will leave my room. I have a chair that I call the "Jeannie" chair because it is where she sits when she comes over. It will be out of my room and in the new office!! That's exciting. Ginger uses it to jump from the ground to the bed, but when I move I'm commandeering Laura's full-size bed. It's a platform bed, and doesn't use a boxspring - which makes it 10 inches shorter and I won't need the chair for Ginger! Done!

    I have a few stuffed animals, and I've decided that they will go into the office, not the bedroom. I have a good corner to put them into. It's the same corner where Jeannie's chair will go - - they can guard the chair; cute and efficient. Right now, there are things sitting on top of my dresser. That won't happen in the new house. I have a plan to have everything off the floor and nothing on top of the fridge, the table, the dressers, or the bookshelves that line the entry. EVERYTHING will be in its place when we move - - or it won't be in my house at all.

    I'm not saying the place will be a showcase; it won't be. I just won't live the way I've allowed myself to live because I don't have the space I need to spread out like I do now...or will when we move. The manager put my deposit checks through this week, and I've already put three of the four utilities in my name. I have to wait a week to do the electricity, it's their rule, not mine. I'm going to put in a change of address the week I move so that anything I get will go there, but the mailman is the same mailman and he'll hold it until I actually move -- he's hilarious. It's a good thing to know our postal people.

    OK, well, that's it. I'm planning to plan, and crossing all the T's as well as dotting the I's on this one.  I'm not sure if I'll leave the bed frame in the unit and let the maintenance people have it, or if I'll put it up on Marketplace for free. I won't carry it downstairs -- it's really a nice piece, but I've had it a long time and it's time to start over -- truly making the move to be both happier and content. I love content. Content is valuable. 

    Being content isn't settling - - it's being thankful and grateful for what you have now, and willing to be patient and work on your future self. That's where I am.

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

The New Book - - Has Started. (Officially)

 Today, because my internet went out on me, and I had very little choice but to play on my computer offline, I decided to write the first paragraph of the book so I could poke myself in the ribs and get started on writing the book in genuine. I have NO idea what is taking me so long to get into the mood to write this book, but I'm just not there yet. I will be. It will happen, but it's just not jumping out of me.

    The first paragraph turned out differently than I had first intended it to, but that's not really a surprise and it's not necessarily a bad thing either. I was going to go further, but since my internet was out I couldn't use the A.I. feature I plan on using for this book -- which will significantly impact what the book ends up being, if I had to be honest. I plan on using the A.I. feature I used while writing "Mesa", but of course, I'm changing up all of the scenarios, characters, situations, and more. It will be fun!

    One of the reasons I'm going to heavily depend on the A.I. is to see where it takes me; who knows what will happen? I'm going to wing it and see if I like it, and if I do, I'll keep winging; if I don't, I'll clip the wings and go back to thinking on my own. I like having the feature to goad me into thinking outside my little box of thoughts that I so often get trapped inside of. This thing really lights a fire when I ask it to. Sometimes I absolutely hate what it has created, but I do think even when I hate what it suggests I could learn from it somehow.

    The first paragraph of a book should tell you a little about the character who will lead you through the story. It should be gripping, interesting, and have some sort of hook to make a reader think rather than just react. I think I've achieved my goals with the first paragraph of the new book. I can't say that the entire book will be centered around it; that would be misleading, but I will say that it gives the reader insight to the kind of person the lead female character is - she's not the typical garden variety stock trader - - she has depth. I saw to it to add a little history about her so she's well rounded and has a little flavor. It's a good paragraph.

    I don't know yet how long it will take me to write the book. I'm hoping that I can just jump right in and start the process. I need to write it. I need to get it out of my head and onto the printed page -- and of course, because I'm putting all of my books online in eBook format, it will be digital as well. Yep! I hope to have it written before the end of summer so I can get going on the next two books that I plan on writing before the end of the year. It'll probably just be four books this year, but I'm OK with that - - I don't have any real deadlines; I just write.

    I'm moving in about four weeks or so, and that will certainly have a little bearing on the writing but hopefully not too much of a delay. I think I can squeeze it in between the boxes and the new deposits. I just set up my electricity and my gas today for the new place! That may end up being something that the character does so I can add this experience to the book - - it's not the first time I've put services in my name, but this time is going so much smoother than ever before. I love that.

    I know I'll write about Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy store. That will be in the book - - it's not in the first paragraph, but it may be in the second. You just never know. I could find my lead character roaming through Braum's choosing her favorite three-pint pack of ice cream while realizing that she needs at least three to have choices in her life. It could be that her grandfather kept her in ice cream and boots - - it could be that she has decided to go sugar-free and knows Braum's won't let her down if she so chooses!

    The book is on it's way to being written, and that's the point. It's on its way. it has begun, and I can sit back and wrap myself around the first paragraph to write the next, then the next, then the next until I fall head over heels into the mood and write the first chapter!  Like all the others, this one will be about 30 chapters long, about 360 pages, and it will include love, rumor, romance, challenges, sex, money laundering - - and...what? Oh, yeah, I did say that, didn't I?  Well, there you go, one big fat nugget for you!  

    I'll go to the fridge now and see what choices I have! I don't have to wonder too hard - - I bought three tubs of Braum's earlier today when my internet was down -- a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. It's 105 degrees outside!

Photo Credit: C&G Ford Parts

Books and Journals - First To Pack.

So, I am now in the mood to move - - I've packed three boxes of books, and am about to drive to Sam's Club to buy more boxes because my boxes are too big. I don't want to hurt myself carrying them down the stairs when I do move. I need about 20-30 smaller boxes, what they call "medium" boxes I suppose. They are 14"x 17"x 13" I think.  I need tape too. I want to be sure they are nice and secure; nothing like fearing your box bottoms will come out from under the weight of books.

    The books and the journals are the first things to pack, but this time I decided to throw out most of the books since I really don't read them. I buy them occasionally, and because I'm an author I get free books from other authors. I don't read them. I know, I should. I really do mean to, but I never do. I don't make the time, I don't have the time. I am either working, writing, or pretending. When is there time to read anything other than another Perry Mason novel?

    I just finished packing three boxes of journals and I have made a decision to not unpack them when I move but to store them in a good cool place like the storage room or maybe in the closet of my office.  I think we have an attic too, so depending on whether or not it has ventilation, I may store them there. I don't want or need them out taking up space even if I do love them all and hope someday someone reads them - - except when they do, I also want them to remember that I said what I said because I felt that way at that time - - keep reading, I probably changed my mind.

    I have about a dozen larger boxes that I'll use to hold stuffed toys, clothes, linen, towels, curtains, and other lighter things. I really don't want to strain myself when I go to move these boxes out of my apartment, down the stairs, into the car, out of the car, and into the new house. I'm giving away shoes, clothes, coats, and more so I don't have to carry them anywhere other than to the car to be donated. The Goodwill guys come to the car to take them from my trunk. I love that.

    I'm looking at my bulletin boards on my walls and I see a bunch of really fun and cool memories on them. I'll probably keep them, but I may get a few more cork boards to make a half wall of the stuff and have even more memories on them. That way I can spread them out a bit and it can make a bit more sense. Right now the hodge-podge resembles my brain at 10:30 p.m. just before going to bed. It can't make up its mind what it wants to think before retiring. It wants to think it all.

    Moving lets me clear my head, my mind, my body, my soul, my thoughts, my memories, and my space. I'm not going to take anything to the new place that I won't use or want.  There is going to be a lot of trash bags used in this move. I'll be going through the kitchen this week and then the living room. I'll do my bedroom this weekend when Jeannie comes over so she can be the one to do the casting - - she's really good at it. 

    The clothes will all be donated. I don't want to throw out good wears if someone else can use them. I've mentioned it, but my shoes have dust covering them. I don't wear shoes unless I take the dog out or go to the store, and believe me, I can get rid of 28 pairs and I won't miss them because I don't wear them - - ever. I used to wear them. When I worked out of the house I wore them. I wanted to have all these nice things and there they sit - - not being used. They will be given away. Someone will want them.

    The bathroom stuff will be 90% thrown out before I travel to the new place because I want to start over! I'll keep what I can, but most of it will hit the skids.   I have about 200 copies of one of my books that I'm thinking of donating too. That way if they sell people will have donated the money to the Goodwill and have a book to read that's new. I'm not going to sell them at a book signing. I just won't do that, and they can be sold for $5 or something and be useful to the charity.

    Maybe if someone really cool buys one of my $5 books at Goodwill they can tell a friend who will look them up on Amazon and buy more! That's a good plan. What do you think? I do a lot of pretending, so why not pretend that works? I think it could; why not?  Stranger things have happened. Besides, books in the closet not being read is silly -- giving them away to a charity that I believe in is a better option.

    Boxes and boxes and boxes  - that's the plan for the next few weeks.  When I hire the people to move my things I want to be able to rent a U-Haul and have all my boxes loaded before they have to load the heavy stuff, so that it goes easier, smoother, nicer, and lovely - - they load the heavy stuff, take the heavy stuff out first, and I unload the boxes, and drive the U-Haul back. It makes perfect sense to me.  

    This move should be economical in the sense that a U-Haul will cost about $77-80 for the day, and the guy(s) helping will be paid about $200.  The only other expenses for moving will be the couch and chair I'm ordering online and that's free shipping. (I will tip)

    I figure, if I get it all packed and ready to load it will take about an hour to load, and an hour to unload, and I'll take the U-Haul back within four hours which could actually cut the cost down, but even if it doesn't, I'll be in and out soon. I don't want to bring anything whatsoever that I'm not going to use. It's time to get serious about clutter - - I'm not that bad in the first place, but it's gotten worse in the past few years.

    I have a ton of LITTLE things - - little boxes of jewelry, little boxes of trinkets. I don't need them. I really really don't. I hate to say it, but I'm probably just going to give most of it away and be done with it -- I'll keep a few pieces I love. I just don't wear jewelry - - I don't go anywhere to be seen with it. I have 1000000000 CDs and that will probably not change. I will probably end up keeping them. You just never know when you may need to pop in a CD and chill to something ancient and Celtic  -- I'm lying, I actually do know when to do that.

Photo Credit: Me.

Preparing the Move! (about a month away)

 We have about a month before we move into the new place.  It would be great if we knew exactly how many weekends we have, but it is what it is. We have put up with the way management is where we live for over eight years this time and several other times that we have lived in the complex. It's a unique experience to say the least.

    We are at the end, however, of an era. Our manager will be stepping down -- or sideways really. Her daughter-in-law will be the new manager, and since she's in her 40's I think, she'll be around for the next 30 or 40 years probably. Our landlady, or the manager, will remain on site two or three days a week because she'll come up and visit with her kin. She's like that. We'll see her, hug her, talk to her, have coffee or tea with her, and remember to remind her to remind her daughter-in-law that we're still her favorite.

    The weekends will be our purging times. This weekend I'll make a decision to plan out all that I'm going to purge, and then next weekend, when Jeannie comes over, I'll do the first round of clothes and shoes and whatever is under the bed. Whatever is under the bed turns out to be more clothes; mostly t-shirts that I've rolled up and stored away, thinking I would rotate them into what I end up wearing. I'm not kidding, I think I own more than 100 t-shirts. That needs to change.

    I glanced over at my shoe rack today and noticed several if not all of them were covered in dust. There's a reason for that; I don't wear shoes. I do own shoes! I own a lot of shoes. I own a lot of boots too - - that has to change. I don't need them, I don't wear them, I don't use them, they need to find good homes. This time next week, they will be donated. I will have so much more space -- and so much less to take over to the new house.

    By this time next week, I'll have walked through the new house without all the things that were in it when I first walked through it. The old tenant is gone, the house has been sanitized but still may need to be fixed. The electrician and plumbers are coming out in a week or so to go through it and see if they need to do anything. I'll take a boatload of photos of every corner of the place to better pretend! I love pretending. It's what I do, and I do it well.

    I'm going online now and finding the right sofa, chair, nightstands, and curtains. I'm thinking of when I'll go to Sam's Club and buy things in bulk that I can store in the storage room; toilet paper, paper towels, Tootsie Pops!! Who am I kidding the Tootsie Pops will be stored in the pantry in the kitchen for easier access!!  I buy them in big boxes on Amazon for $15 for 100 suckers - - it's a very good price for a very good product.

    It won't take long to pack up the rooms either. We're already collecting boxes and trimming down. We see something we don't need or want to bring over to the new place, and it goes into the donation boxes in the living room. They're filling up quickly.  I won't decorate the same either; things will go away and new things will appear in their place. We've stared at the same art for over 8 years - I brought some of it with me from God knows when - - one piece in particular is over 30 years old. I love it, but it will be donated. 

    I'm purging the mugs in my kitchen. I'm buying new ones, and making new memories. I'll take the pots and pans I have, but soon buy new ones and donate the others. That's down the road as far as purging is concerned. I am mostly getting rid of things I don't use that someone else could use. I use my pots and pans every day - - there is a difference. The fluff goes first. I have six coats and I think I use one. I mostly wear hoodies in the winter, but I will keep one coat in case of emergency.

    Since both Laura and I work from home, there's no reason to have fancy dress clothes hanging in my closet. I don't go anywhere and I'm not returning to the classroom or an office anytime in my lifetime - - those clothes will be donated. It's amazing how much I accumulated when I worked out of the house; I wanted to have different clothes to wear. I not only managed to have different clothes, I have so many things that I could work two months without wearing the same thing. That's not necessary. 

    I know this will be my last move too; unless my books take off and I need to move to a place I find more interesting. Since I believe this is my last move, I want it to be fast, smooth, and easy. I have a month to plan that, and that's what I'm doing. I am hoping to make quite a few trips to Goodwill for the clothes and items, but we also have a method here at the complex where we leave good items we don't want and someone who lives here may want them.  We put them in the laundry room and if they're not gone in a couple of days, we take them to the trash.  That will happen first probably, and then Goodwill.

    Planning is my forte. I love it. My plans have plans. I write about planning - - like I'm doing right now.  I am in a great mood!! I think I'll run over to Home Depot and find the plants I expect to buy later and the cleaners I'm planning to use - - it's all a part of the mind games and pretending. You can't know how happy it makes me to do this!!

Photo Credit: Reddit.com

    

    

I Did it!! I Joined Sam's Club!!

 Sam's Club is about a mile from my house, maybe slightly further, but I won't be measuring - it's close to my house. I decided to join it so I could buy really cool stuff at a reduced price, but also so I can walk the place about 8 laps a week and get my steps in. If it's hot outside I stay cool and if it's cool outside I stay warm. Sam's Club is going to be an even 70-72 degrees; so yeah, it's a good bet I'll be happy during my walk.

    I joined at the regular club price of $50 a year so that I could buy stuff at a reduced price and since I don't live that far away, I don't have to have it delivered. If I did want to have it delivered, I could have joined with the premium club option and paid $100 a year, but still -- that's amazing considering the free delivery! They don't want you just getting a couple of items of course, but it's a good thing when you order 10 bags of this, or 12 boxes of that - - which again, I won't need to do.

    Their dog food is good actually, it's manufactured by another recognized brand, but sold in a Sam's marketed bag - - the same food, literally 1/3 less the cost. I'm OK with that, but more importantly, Ginger is OK with that. The 25# bag of jasmine rice will have to wait until I move so I don't have to lug it up and down the stairs -- I can wait on the 52# bag of cat litter too!

    Some of the things I will buy from Sam's include packages of meat, larger blocks of cheese (I can slice it), and big boxes of breakfast bars. Today, because I could, I bought a big bag of cheesy garlic bread flavored Lay's potato chips - yes, I did! I almost bought some walking shorts, but they were all too short! What's up with these marketing people thinking we all want to show off our butt cheeks? I don't want shorter shorts because I don't want to burn my legs on my car seat! It's a real thing here in Oklahoma...heat that is, heat is a very very real thing.

    You know you're in Oklahoma when you see people fighting for the shady spots in the parking lot, not the slots closer to the door! We think down here!  Something else I really liked about joining Sam's was the big box of coffee creamer - - you heard me, the BOX of coffee creamer. It's a half gallon of the stuff, and it's only 35 calories - - and dang good!! So very very good. It was $3.42...which is unheard of in most parts of the world; not the price, but the coffee creamer! Coffee creamer is unheard of in most of the world! Crazy people.

    Hamburger meat is $4.48 a pound, you buy 3 square pounds at a time, freeze them, and you're good. The bread comes in two loaves, use one, freeze one.  They have these massive beef franks that were 12 for $10.42 - - each one of these hot dogs would go for $6.00 in a stadium somewhere - - on a bun of course, but that's just such a deal. I bought a box of Bevita dark chocolate sandwich cookies (breakfast) for $12 I think, and I think ( I want to say ) it has 24 cookie packs and there are 2 sandwiches in each - - so 48...I was wrong, I looked. It's 25 packs of 2, so 50.

    A huge bag of Seattle's best coffee is $12.48 and 3 pounds. Yes, three pounds of coffee made from Starbucks - - because Seattle's Best Coffee is manufactured by Starbucks. The same size bag of Starbucks Verona style is $17.48 - - it's the SAME THING!  I'm not trying to support Starbucks, but I will buy good coffee when I see it - - we bought a big box of Chex brand cereal too; Strawberry and Vanilla flavored. Crazy? We think not. I bet I end up loving it.

    Besides the Oil of Olay bath wash that I have my eye on, and will buy when I move, there are just so many other things at the store that kept me thinking I made the right decision today. I may not buy gallons of olive oil or ranch dressing, and I may not buy 15 pounds of ground beef at once or a variety pack of 60 cookies (think party or Vacation Bible School) but I will buy some of the lesser bulky things - a sack of potatoes is $4.36 for 10 pounds. I can split that with a friend. I will end up buying my Rx glasses there - - if I ever order them. I use readers.

    Basically, Sam's is there to help me lose weight, have fun, and shake my head at the free demonstration foods on Saturday - - I could make a meal of it every week! I may make a meal of it every week. You just never know, and they give free stuff away to members during the hours of 11-2 so yeah -- I'm there! I'm doing it.  Call me suburbanized - - it's a real thing - - another real thing. 

Photo Credit:  The Oklahoman

Pretending!! (New House Stuff)

 OMG...I am very happy!! We got the house!!  It was about 99% sure, but now we're sure-sure.  The landlord is putting the deposit check through, so that means it's ours. I can't wait!! As usual, when these things happen in my life, I start thinking of all the things I won't miss - - and this time is no different. I say this time is no different, but here I am not counting Laura as one of the things I'll not miss because I'm dragging her with me!! That's right, the woman is still going to be my roommate!!

    The other two children who I gave birth to think Laura and I should split up and live separately, but every time I tried Laura either lost her job, or I lost my job, or both of us lost our jobs at the same time - - making it virtually impossible for one or the other of us to split off. It wouldn't have mattered, we would have needed to stay with each other to help the other one out. We're pathetic...I know, but she's the one with the loaded guns and she's really scary in the early mornings. 

    Well, turns out Laura is a great roommate. She pays half the bills, or just about half, and she's really good at taking out the trash, putting things together that I buy that need to be put together, and she's even halfway decent at cleaning parts of the house that others see. Her room is still a disaster zone, but who really cares? She can close the door. Well, NOW...she can close TWO DOORS!!

    The house has three bedrooms and a really cool storage room that is actually larger than any of the three bedrooms. It doesn't have a window, which in the UK would make it a box room. It's 14' x 14' whereas our bedrooms are all 12' x 12'. We each have our own bathroom too, but we will have to share the common rooms. The house is made of stone, has a very good interior and exterior structure, and has been remodeled about two years back, making it really modern and really nice. 

    We have a backyard for the dogs and for my new plants, a carport for my car, (Laura doesn't drive), and a driveway for Jeannie! I'll actually end up parking in the drive unless and until we have bad weather; then it's inside the carport for me. There are other really cool features that we simply don't have at the apartment, and those are a garbage disposal, washer and dryer hookups, a larger-than-necessary refrigerator, an extra bedroom, an extra bathroom, and the extra storage room for sure. 

    Because the floors are heavy laminate, I'll buy a Roomba-type vacuum cleaner and watch the thing chase the cats! That should be fun. I can mount a laser pointer on it for extra giggles. The back door opens to the backyard, so I won't have to take the dog down a flight of stairs 8-10 times a day, and though it doesn't have a dishwasher, I don't use one. I wash my own. There is, however, an actual pantry for my food. This apartment has one too, but for 9 years I've used it for other bits of storage. 

    I'm going to have a real-live dining room-- one I can put a table in with chairs, runners, centerpieces, and yes, food on plates and force my roommate to eat with me. I can force her by threatening not to feed her -- she typically complies. She'll be on one side of the house, while I'll be on the other, and let me just say I can't be more thrilled...well, I mean sure, I could be, but I love having her as a roomie because it gives me someone to complain to. The poor dog shouldn't have to hear that from me. 

    I've been on Amazon for a couple of days now simply pretending and taking snippets of literally all the things I think I want to buy - - but you know me, I'll end up not buying most of it, talking myself out of it for whatever reason. I'll have a clean house finally, not a stuffed-to-the-brim house. I have been looking for a good reason to get rid of 30% of what I own and just live like I know I should. I don't need so much of what I've accumulated...this weekend and every weekend until I move, I'll make trips to Goodwill..this makes me happy.

    Each bedroom has two windows I think, and each bedroom has a good-sized closet with wonderful shelves. I checked with the electric, gas, and water companies today to get an average of what the bills have been over the past two years and it really is within our budget. Two people lived there before, so it should be about the same. I do shower and bathe a lot, and I do end up cooking a great deal of the time, but I think we'll be able to pull this off with grace and love.

    If Laura ever does decide to leave me she'll have to find her own place to live - - I think I'm going to stay put until Jesus comes back. That's the plan anyway. Good plan.

Photo Credit: MentalFloss.com 

The New Book - - Outlined.

 OK, I have the new book outlined and I've sent it off to Charlie Garrett to see what he thinks about it.  Normally, I wouldn't really do that, I've never done that in the past, but he's a central part of this book, so yeah...I want his opinion.  I think he'll like it.  I like it.

    The new book has a title, but I'm not telling anyone (except Charlie and my kids, and my best friend) what the title is. I think it will make a statement and I want it to be a good statement when I release the book. Today is the day I start it officially. I'm going to rest now that I've done the outline. I'll pick up the writing this week, and maybe get a few chapters in before next week.

    My daughter and I are planning to move around the end of July, so hopefully the book will be finished by that time. It will give me a goal anyway. I can write five or six chapters a weekend and do the rest in the middle of the week. It should be good. I wrote out the book today in outline form and believe it or not, it did take a couple of turns I wasn't expecting it to take, but given my penchant to include both murder and romance, I see where it happened the way it did.

    Like the storyline of "Bay Sorrel Ranch", there is a murder, it does take place, but it's not central to the entire book. In fact, in "BSR" the murder is more talked about than it will be in this book. The focus of this book will be the unseen, the unhung, the unnoticed, and the unwanted. There will be talk about why people do it, why they want to remain anonymous, and how they will go to great lengths to make that happen in some cases, whereas in other cases, they truly want to be noticed but can't make it happen. 

    I could call the book "Paradox" but that's not the title.  It takes place mostly in Sarasota, Florida, so I'll need to do a bit of research of the area. The other two main characters are from just outside of Dallas, and from DeQueen, Arkansas, where my daddy was born and raised. The heroine, Leigh Avery Madsen, is from DeQueen and she finds herself moving to New York City for work  -- Mathew James McConner, one of the two leading men in the book, is about six or seven years older than Leigh, he's about 38 or so, probably. He's from Decatur, Texas, and was working in Dallas before going to Chicago to become a top-tier chef.

    They both end up in Sarasota, years apart, and they know or have known Pastor Charlie Garrett, who by the way, is my real-life preacher! I can't tell you how excited I am that he's allowing me to use his real name, likeness, and personality for the book -- he's gifted and wonderful, and I love him and his precious family. His wife Hideko will be in the book as well, and their eight Chihuahuas....you have to include the dogs!

    So, this is it. This is the start. I'm turning the pages soon, and making it happen. This is a drama, a book that will include romance, murder, deep discussion, appreciation, awareness for self, and there may even be a recipe or two since Mathew is a chef. It only makes sense. I'll even throw in a few tips for trading on the FOREX since I like to do that, and Leigh is a trader herself. She scalps! Woot!  This will be fun. 

Photo Credit: iStock.com

    

New House Excitement - - Can't Help it!

 OK, I'm trying really hard to not get too excited and to not think I have the house yet  -- I have filled out the application, I've turned it in to my landlord - - and I've paid the deposit. The fact that my landlord knows me, and has known me for over 15 years helps. I've lived in this complex five times in my life; she's been the landlord of the complex probably since 2006 - - so we've known each other that long.  I was here in 2006 as well as now. I moved out in 2008 and came back in 2014 and again in 2016. 

    I'm just going over the possibilities of the whole thing and getting really happy thinking about cleaning the house, decorating it, buying furniture, curtains, and things to put my small appliances in. I'm thinking too much, and I know it. But, the alternative is to not be happy and no one wants to do that. If she says no I'll be uber surprised, but it will be what it is  -- she knows if she tells me no I'll leave and probably never speak to her again. There's that.

    If I made a list of all the things I love about it I would have to include things like, there are no stairs. We live upstairs now, and I won't have to do that if I live there. I'll have a carport to put my car under when there's bad weather. Currently, I move my car to the parking garage behind my apartment unit. It's never been a problem, but I won't have to do that. More big things are that there is a washer and dryer in the house! I have walked my laundry downstairs, and around the corner (and paid for it to be washed) for nine years! I won't have to do that if I live there.

    There are no neighbors!! I love my next-door neighbors, you can't get better neighbors, and to be honest, we're probably the loud neighbors if I'm being honest - - but one of our neighbors either forgets or intentionally leaves the front door to the building open and unlocked. Another one smokes and it drifts up to our place...no neighbors is really a blessing. That, and there are 10 windows in the house!! I counted. I love the light. The house was darker before, but recently they opened up the space and added new windows, drywall, flooring, quartz counters, great sinks, and faucets; they even put in new kitchen appliances. (a French door fridge with ice and water in the door, too.)

    Another HUGE thing (and difference) is the fact that the house is totally floored with hardwood (no carpet) there is tile in the bathrooms. We can get a Roomba.  I'm looking forward to it actually.  The back door opens to the backyard and I can just open it, and put the dogs out!! That is so big - - you may not think so, but we literally have to walk down the stairs 8-10 times EVERY DAY to walk the dogs. This is going to be a game changer and I simply can't wait - - and I pray it goes through. Like I said, if it doesn't, I'll leave. I think it will go through.

    I will mount a flag holder and fly the American flag outside. I will feed the birds from a couple of bird feeders, and I'll decorate the house every season - - beginning with Autumn!! I am too (very very) excited about that, and Michael's and Hobby Lobby will see a lot of me soon. It will be so obnoxious. You'll see it - - you'll love it. It will win awards.  I'm not going to do the inflatables, no, that's my son's thing  -- I will do the standard cute to the max thing -- it will be glorious. I will sit on the side porch, drink tea with my friend, and watch people.

    I'm already picking out bathroom mats! I'm buying towels in my mind, and I've decided to put the bookshelves in different corners and not have them flanking the TV as they have been for 9 years - - new house, new stuff, new adventures for sure. I'll definitely get better renter's insurance. The house is detached, so I don't have to worry about neighbors and their candles or cigarettes, but I will want to fully cover my contents and give me that peace of mind from having it.

    I won't say wish me luck - - that's for the Irish! I am born again, I say, pray! Thank you.

Photo Credit: Me. 

Probably Gonna Do it !! (Gonna Move to a House!)

 A house has come up for lease and Laura and I have already put our deposit down for it, and we've filled out the application. Since it belongs to the apartment complex we currently live in, and have lived in for almost 9 years, it should be a shoo-in that we get it. I won't hold my breath, but I think I could actually hold my breath. I think we'll get it. I'm hoping so, and I'm praying so.

This morning, when I heard about the house being available, I practically met my landlord at the office before she could set her coffee down! I had already texted her and told her I was going to give her the deposit today and fill out the papers. She agreed to let me see it - - it's being moved out of, and the lady who is moving out is just such a wonderful lady!!  So kind.

    Laura and I walked the house today and were just really surprised at how new and bright it looks. The outside is older stone and mortar, but the trim is really pretty. The windows are all nice. It has two separate porches, one on the side, and one on the front. There is no garage, but a built-in carport, not one that sticks out like an awning. The backyard has a locked gate on both sides. Because it is next door to the apartment complex, many tenants used to walk through the backyard, but thankfully that's been shut off from public use.

    There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living, and dining room, a good hall, and deep closets. there, in the carport area, there is a storage room that is 16x16 and Laura will keep her office in it. We'll get a fireproof door for it, It's heated and cooled, so she'll be fine. The washer, dryer, and extra refrigerator are in that room. We'll store the water in that room, but that's where Laura will office, play, dance, sing, workout, and basically live.

    My side of the house has two bedrooms that are about 12x12 and both bathrooms. Laura can claim the one with the bathtub, and I'll take the one with the shower. The hallway has another closet for linens and towels, and the entire house has hardwood flooring...so nice.  The ceilings are 9' or even 10' in some spaces. TRULY love the space. TRULY hope it goes through and goes well. I paid the deposit, and hopefully around July 20th or so we can start the move. I'm off the 19th, so maybe that weekend.

    Let's just say, this is a God thing. It really is, and I really hope we get it. The rent is cheaper than if Laura and I lived separately, and we get more rooms, more closets, a washer, a dryer, a garbage disposal, a driveway, a carport, and a backyard.  We're over the top happy about it. There are a few really cool things that I'll go ahead and talk about it - - I really do think it will happen, so I'll say it is!

    The living room is smaller, but we don't use ours now. I have a chair I sit in to write, but I don't watch TV. I'll end up buying a nice chair and a nice couch, and we'll set up the TV in that room just in case we do decide to watch it - - but the really cool thing is the dining room! It is a big, fat, open, airy, dining room that my dining table and 4 chairs will look wonderful in; and I will keep it so seasonally decorated!! YES, I will!!  The front and side porches will be seasonally decorated as well. 

    We'll move in the first of August, or the last of July, but come Autumn...that house will be poppin' with color and really cute -- cuteness! Laura can keep her room as messy as she wants to, but I'll let her use my office closet if she needs one to store her stuff in. We have an attic too, so it could be that she just pops her leftover things into buckets and stuffs it up that way - - I'll just have to remind her from time to time where it is.

    Ginger and Rose will LOVE the backyard. It's going to be so wonderful - - and get this, because it is part of the complex, the maintenance is FREE!! The bills are about the same as they are in my apartment now, as they are now. The electricity runs about $150, the gas about $75, and the water about $60.  I only pay electricity where I am now, but Laura and I would be paying $1350 a month if we had two separate places, and mine would only be a one bed - - this is too too too much better.  I'm very excited and hope we can do it. 

    The lady that lives there was saying that the light from outside the window may be too bright at night, but that's OK, we have that now too - - and we have neighbors, stairs, bad carpet, old cabinets, and people who can't remember to keep the doors locked (main door to the building). We won't have that there. It's a detached house! It has a backyard to throw the dogs into, and with the extra refrigerator that I'm storing in Laura's cave, we'll have plenty of cold drinks (water) for the summer!!

    The paint on the walls are great colors - I won't change them. The blinds will be changed later, but not now. They are new, just plastic...I want the wooden blinds. I will buy a few rugs to put under the furniture so the dogs and cats don't slip, but let me just say - - it will be so very wonderful to have a carport for the car during storms and a really good interior closet for tornadoes! It is really an amazing house...the address is not that exciting, and no, I won't give it out, but it's not as cool as the house  -- we'll just say that. 

    I'll find out Monday or Tuesday if she is going to allow us to move there, but she accepted my deposit, so if she puts it through I'm pretty sure it's ours!  I'm not posting photos of the outside, but I'll post the inside soon.

Photo Credit:  Craiyon.com (not actually the house I'm moving to....LOL)