Friday, May 30, 2008

Pack the Uhaul

I promise this will be a short one.



Looks like we are off on a new adventure.  

I start my new job, in a new city, in a new state, on July 14th.  

We told the kids today.  

They were a little sad, but said they would be okay.  

I feel exactly the same.


Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Twittering

I don't get it.  Everyone seems to be doing it, but I don't get the point.  If you do, please share.

The results are in.

I posted three times today, so if you want a chronological story read the bottom post first.  

Apparently, I am smart enough to figure out the right answers for the nut job test.  The results are in and they still want me.  I am waiting to find out if I will get an offer from the job that will not require me to relocate my family before we make any final decisions.  

This is really, really hard.  As I have said before, if it were just EB and I, we would be gone.  So many factors to consider.  I might just go with the coin flip.  

So much to do.

We are still pretending here, now it is Friday.  

EB and I took the day off to get started on the "Get the house ready to put it up for sale." thing. We have been doing this for the past couple of months, but we have major work to do this weekend.  

We started by stripping wallpaper off the paneling in our bedroom.  First we live in a really old house, we have been here for 12 years and there was wallpaper in every room in our house. Sometimes several layers of wallpaper.  I have been asking EB to strip the wallpaper off of our walls for 12 years. He never wanted to do it, said it looked just fine.  Last year I took a week off of work and did both of the kids rooms, stripped and painted.  Took me a week, yes it did.  It came off 3 of the walls pretty easily, but the 4th wall it took nearly as long to do that wall as it did the other three. We did manage to get one coat of primer on the walls as well.  We worked for about 10 hours doing just that.  Luckily we are still married.  

Let's just state the obvious.  Men and women are different!

Moving on to Saturday and the true reason for this post.  

Our friends D & P came over to help us get some more work done.  D & I worked on painting. The boys worked on replacing the carpet on the porch and the children all played nicely together.   

As I was upstairs working on painting the bedroom, D was downstairs painting the front door. Let's just say our bedroom is really small. We have a king size Tempurpedic bed, that can not be moved very far. Therefore, I was sitting very awkwardly in about a 1.5 foot strip of space between the foot of the bed and the wall when I decided that the carpet needed to be the same color as the walls.  I like to be color cooridinated.



I used language that I am not very proud of.  I am sure the neighbors a mile away said a couple of Hail Mary's for my soul.

It was one of those things, that you can see happening, but just can't stop it.  So D & P and EB all came running up the stairs and tried to help, but it was too late.  I had just opened the paint can and started painting, I lost about a 1/3 of the can.  Sad thing was,  I was mad because now I wasn't going to have enough paint to finish the walls.  

It was one of those, "God works in mysterious ways, things".  You see earlier in the day, I had gone to the mail and found out that we were being economically stimulated, which I was positive was not going to happen.  

EB said I did it subconsciously, because I have been saying all along that we needed to replace the carpet before we put the house up for sale.  

Sunday we went to Lowe's to pick out new carpet. We went to Home Goods and Joann's where I got a couple of great deals.  I picked up 3 nice size, outdoor, ceramics pots at Joann's for $36. They are beautiful and look fabulous on the front steps.  Curb appeal, baby.  I also got a nice size mirror at Home Goods for $39, what a steal. I forgot the most important thing, we went out to breakfast. Can I just say I love Bob Evans.  I had stuffed blueberry pancakes mmmmmmmm good.  

We finished up the bedroom, looks great.  EB says we should have done that a long time ago.  

Monday we spent the entire day from 8:15 am to 9:30 pm working outside.  Mowing, edging, replacing railroad ties, planting flowers, replacing grass and much more.  Looks fabulous.  Only a couple of more things to do and we will be up for sale.  

I don't believe I have ever been so physically tired.
 

Nut job questionnaire.

Where has the time gone.  I can't believe I haven't posted for a week.  So I am going to pretend that this is Thursday and I am going to post as if it is and I did what I said I would last Wednesday.  I don't want you to think I don't keep my promises.  Because I do, it is part of being a nut job.

So Sunday (pretending this is last Thursday, remember) I flew to PNJL (potential new job location).  Spent the day driving around looking at neighborhoods, talking to EB (who is on looking on realtor.com) constantly .  Lots of fantastic parks and biking trails, but very small yards.  This is going to be difficult.  

Monday, got up showered, put on the new green suite and oh so cute shoes.  Decided to partake in the special continental breakfast at the hotel.  Nearly tripped just walking out of the room, in my oh so cute new shoes.  Apparently one of my feet, was much smaller than when I tried on the oh so cute shoes.  Decided I had better hit Target and find something to fix the shoe problem.  Fixed the shoe problem and then off the PNJ

Met with the consultant, Psychiatrist, for a 2.5 hours.  After a little chit chat and explanation of why I was meeting with her, I took a 5 minute math test and then a 5 minute verbal test.  Next I did a 45 minute reasoning/logic/valid argument test.  Then came the interview.  Finally I got to take home to Psychological Inventory tests which I had to send back to her.  I said I would do them on the plane and send them back to her on Tuesday.

Now lets step back to Saturday night.  We had spent the night with friends, one of whom is a Psychologist.  We had been laughing about my upcoming nut job test.  She said "Whatever you do if they ask you if you are fascinated by fire, say no."  While we are having this conversation we are sitting by a bonfire and laughing about how I love to play in the fire.  

Now forward to my plane ride home.  Are you still with me?  I am doing the first of the two test, 223 questions, where you answer agree, strongly agree...........  Lots of questions about poetry, I still don't get what that was about.  I know one poem only, and I learned it from the 80's flick/book the Outsiders. 

(I am going to have to jump off topic here and say. I just saw a tractor, pulling a car down my street.  HMMMMMM)

Back on subject.  The second test, 434 true/false questions.  

Here are just a few. (With my answers of course)

  • If the pay was right I would like to travel with a carnival or circus.  False
  • I think Lincoln was greater than Washington.  True
  • Sometimes I feel like swearing.  Hello, what do you think.
  • Sometimes I just want to get into a fist fight.  False/Okay maybe true, but that was a long long time ago.
  • I certainly feel useless at times. False/okay that could be true too, but I surely didn't answer it that way.
  • I liked Alice in Wonderland.  True
  • I have deliberately lied.  If you answer False to this, you just lied.  HMMM
  • Sometimes I have the same dream over and over.  Yep, it is about high school and not remembering my locker combination and not being prepared for my test.  I seriously have this same dream at least 2 or 3 times a year.  I kept that to myself.
  • Question # 105 I am fascinated by fire.  Yep it was seriously on there, and I nearly spit my diet coke onto my neighbors lap.  What do you think I said.
The whole thing was pretty weird, but I went in there saying to myself, I am who I am and that ought to be okay. Or not.



Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Again with the drinking

I am sorry, but I swear Paula is drunk every night on American Idol.  What are they doing tonight?  What is with the weirdo and the Marching band?

Tomorrow I will write about the test I took on Monday.  You know, the one to see if I am a nut job or not.   I didn't need to take a test to know the answer to that question.  

I AM A NUT JOB!  

Now we are just waiting for the experts to confirm.


Tuesday, May 20, 2008

A Double and 2 RBIs

Sorry, posting has been so intermittent.  Life is crazier than usual these days. I will post more on the job stuff later.  But this is the most important thing that could happen all week.

B got a hit!!!!!

This is the 5th week of baseball, and he had yet to hit the ball. Several strikeouts and a couple of walks, but not hits.  Well he has been pretty down and didn't really want to play anymore, but we have been practicing.  In fact my arm still hurts from pitching to him on Friday. 

Anyway, his second turn at bat came up.  They are in the 5th inning, there are two outs and two boys on base, the game is tied and he hits over the 3rd baseman's head.  The crowd goes wild! Seriously, every one was standing up and screaming.  I don't think you will be able to wipe the smile off his face for a month and I am sure he will be sleeping with the game ball for the rest of the summer. 

I have to say I have been really impressed with the kids on this team.  B is the youngest and littlest kid on the team.  This is his first year, whereas everyone (on his team) else is playing for their 2nd or 3rd year.  Every time he has struck out these kids have been so encouraging to him.  Telling him he will get better and to just keep trying. 

It was a good night.  Mom had just a few tears in her eyes.  BTW I took a picture of him striking out, but did I get one of his hit.  Of course not. 

Friday, May 16, 2008

There she blows

Yesterday I did some lunch hour and a half errands, Target and the party store.  I spent way to much money on I don't know what. Of course I couldn't leave without hitting the snack isle and the Diet Coke cooler.  

So I picked up a bag of Baked Cheetos.  And I sometimes wonder how I put on 15 pounds in the last year. Just think if I had picked up the regular Cheetos I might have gained 25.  

Okay back to my whole point of the story.  On my drive home I was, of course, eating my Cheetos and drinking my Diet Coke.  I had just stuck a handful of Cheetos in my mouth and had one hand on my Diet Coke and the other on my steering wheel, when I was blind sided by a giant sneeze.  Let's just stop the story right there.

Thankfully I have a container of wet wipes in my car, although they don't really work on glass.  

 BTW the same thing happened to me again when I got back to work.  I have two monitors on my desk.  Lucky me.  

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Is she a wackadoo?

Sunday I am flying North and West, thankfully not on Northwest. (Can I say that?) On Monday I am going to, what is most likely, my new place of employment.  I have to spend three hours with a consultant, who will be evaluating my math and verbal skills, as well as my management style.  (I think they are just trying to see if I am a nut job.)

That is why I am saying "most likely" my new employer and not just my new employer. It could all go terribly wrong. While I am confident that I will pass the math portion of the test, the verbal could be another story.  I still have to look up when to use who and whom.

You would think, since I have a degree in Journalism, that would be a piece of cake. Actually way back 20 years ago when I was in college, using my writing and editing skills regularly, it was a piece of cake. Now all I have in my head is air rocks numbers. 

Plus there is the whole stress factor. I am going to uproot my family and move my kids away from the only home they know.  More importantly, I have a pimple the size of Texas on my chin.  I asked for a zit zapper for Mother's Day but no one listened.  Maybe it is a good thing. Maybe the person will be so distracted by my distorted face, they won't be listening to me. How is that, for seeing the bright side.

I have a whole lot more to say, but EB says I have to go to bed.  American Idol is over. 

Good Night.  



Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Short term memory loss

It occurs so often, I am surprised I can remember my name.  Sometime today, I thought of something terribly funny, or maybe I read it on the internet or maybe somebody said something to me.  I really think that I had something I wanted to tell you all, but alas it is gone.  I got zip, zilch, nada.

I really think the lack of using my brain at work is really making my IQ drop.  I get up from my desk, start walking, but then I have no idea what I got up for.  It would be one thing if it happened once in a while, but it happens everyday, several times a day.

I am truly afraid that when I start a new job, where I am required to think, I will have forgotten how to do it.

BTW  only 32 days of work left! 

Monday, May 12, 2008

Almost free

A couple of weeks ago, I read on Queen B's blog that Adobe had exchanged her PC copy of Photoshop elements for a MAC version, for free.  So tonight I called Adobe and they are exchanging my PC version of CS3 for the MAC version. I am so excited.  All I have to do is pay $6 for shipping. 

I also managed to get in a run tonight, which I thought was going to be impossible.  

That is all I got, I am still tired from Saturday.  I really can not stay up past my bedtime.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

A great way to end the weekend.

Happy Mother's Day!

What a busy weekend.  Friday night I hung with old friends.  Saturday, took the twins to a birthday party, did some more work on the house, went out to dinner, and then over to a friends house for a bonfire.   It is sad when your 6 year old has to tell you at 12:15 am, that it is time to go home.  

Needless to say, we slept in this morning and didn't quite make it to church.  I actually woke up at 7 but, the kids barely got out of bed at 9.  They gave me fabulous gifts and wonderful cards that made me cry.  Then EB made me pancakes with cream cheese filling, then covered in blueberries and Redi Whip. MMMMMMMM Good.

The rest of the day we spent watching movies, playing Wii and just about doing nothing.

What a wonderful day!

Friday, May 9, 2008

I'm sorry. What did you just say?

Today we met with the realtor.  What a way to ruin a Friday.  

This morning, I went to work thinking that I was going to take the really great job in another state.  In MY mind, meeting with the realtor was really just a formality to go over when, how etc. I mean we met with him just a little less than a year ago. 

So we go into the meeting, make a little small talk. Then we start talking about the price of gas and how our house is a little far out. (Price just dropped) Gas isn't getting any cheaper (dropped a little more) and people just aren't going to want to spend that kind of money to drive that far(Can't go much lower).  

Next we talk about how only 4 homes have sold in the last two years in our little town (price is plummeting).  We have yet to talk about how our little house is a lot nicer than most of the other houses like ours in our neighborhood.  

The conversation continues in the same vein for the next 10 minutes and then he tell us that we will be lucky to sell our house for $40K less than he told us a year ago, and back then we were just barely breaking even.  Now we would walk away still owing money on a house we wouldn't have.  That would be something I could understand if I had been in my house 5 years, but we have been here 12 years.  YES 12 years.  

I went back to work and hit the vending machine.  At least today it had enough sympathy for me to actually gave me my Twix bar.  

We are back to square.  I am not sure there are enough Milkduds on the planet to make me feel better.   

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Highway robbery

The highway is literally robbing me blind.  It is happening to us everyday.  Every mile we drive in now sucking more money from our wallets, than ever before.  Tonight I filled up my car, 56.32. EB filled up earlier this week for 82.00.  This will last us not quite one week.  I keep complaining about it just like everyone else, but I haven't really done anything about it.  

I think we are going into debt due to the price of gas.  What I mean is, I haven't stopped spending what used to be my extra/fun money, but I truly have a lot less extra money. Where is the extra $250 a month we are spending coming from?  

I have tried to limit my extra driving, like getting groceries on my way home from work rather than going on Saturday.   I could really be trying to find someone to carpool with, but that is just so inconvenient.  As they have been saying all along, at what point do we break.  When do we actually start to make changes in our lives, due to the price of gas.  We are going to have to start cutting, but I haven't made the commitment to stop spending yet.  

I know we are all feeling it and all probably sick of talking about it, but it gets worse everyday!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

I would never hurt a flea!


But right now I would like to take out some deer, rabbits and squirrels.

Last year, this flower bed had about 50 day lily stems packed in there like sardines. They had been growing and multiplying from 4 plants I bought several years ago.  I had bright red, orange, yellow and pale peach ones.  

One day late last spring I went out to leave for work and noticed that the flowers were just about to open.  I couldn't wait to get home.  I love to cut a bunch off and put them on my desk. When I got home that evening I was in a state of shock, all of the flowers were gone.  I am not exaggerating.  There were two flowers that had not been eaten.  Many of the plants had been knocked over and the bulbs pulled out.  Had I been blogging then, I would have photographic evidence, but you will have to take my word.

Later that day I was chatting with our elderly neighbor, who said she saw some deer out there earlier in the day.  I couldn't believe it, we live in town albeit a small one.  I know we are a mere 5 blocks from the woods, but still in town.

So I hung my head low and cut off all the rest of the stems and buried the bulbs, thinking they will be fine next year.  They'll come back better than ever.  Well you see what I have.  2 hardy stems and one that will be dead tomorrow.  Saturday I said to EB, they probably just haven't come up yet.  So I dug in the dirt and there was not one single bulb in there.  OOOOOOOH I am so very angry and those darn animals.  

Monday, May 5, 2008

Somebody slow the world down, I need to get off.

Did you know that Mother's day is Sunday.   I have heard that a million times in the last couple of weeks, but it just hit me right now.  I am not the only mother, I have a mother. I have not even given one thought as to what I should get my mother.  Or will I pull a lame duck daughter move and just send her a card.  

Sister, if you are reading and have any grand ideas, please call me and share.  

I am not only a bad daughter, but I am a bad mother.  In 17 days the twins will be 7.    I kept telling them we would have a party in the backyard ..... and I would rent one of those jumpy things ..... and they could invite a bunch of their friends.  Not going to happen.  Now I am trying convince them that it would be just as fabulous to have a party at the bowling alley. they can invite their friends and mom won't have to do any work.  

Z is good with it.  His best buddy C's birthday is just a week before his, so his mom and I are contemplating having a group party and inviting most of their class.  G is not so good with it, but I think I have convinced her that if she does this, I will take her somewhere girly and do something fun another day.

Still, I need to see if the bowling alley is available, send out invitations and perhaps buy them a birthday present.  I am truly pathetic terribly busy. There is a present for each of them in the basement, unfortunately they are not from me.  That would be the sister, mentioned above.  She is so good.  

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Happy 40th Birthday EB

We survived the day!  

We started out with a morning run.  Next was opening day for baseball, including a parade and a couple of scrimmages.  

A quick trip to Target, Best Buy and Dairy Queen (Blizzard® cake for the birthday celebration, you know).

A little painting and a lot of cleaning.  

A little beautifying.
 
Then off to G's dance recital. They were so cute as usual, although not quite as together as last year.  The little girls (3-4 years old), were dressed as the Disney princesses. They were adorable and of course one little girl was out in the middle of the stage and rolling all over the floor, while the rest were all in their line attempting to follow their teacher.

Then back to the homestead for cake and ice cream cake with friends. Yes we had two cakes.  I do not really like ice cream so i made a cake as well.  Not that EB would mind, he loves all things sugar.

So I would say a good day was had by all, and I am really tired.
  

Friday, May 2, 2008

DTE 0

My car has the fabulous Distance to Empty reading on my overhead console.



I love it.


I rely on it.


I take it as the absolute truth.


Yesterday on my way to work I looked at my gas reading and it was at a little over a 1/4 tank. My DTE said I had 110 miles. Perfect. I thought to myself, I can drive to work and back and even out to lunch and then EB can get me gas when he gets home. (He likes to do that, I don't ask him.)



So I drove to work, went to lunch with girlfriends (see note at bottom) and was about 12 miles from home when my gas light came on. No big deal, when my gas light comes on my DTE usually reads about 32. I always check it though, and look at my gas gauge. Gas gauge is at 1/8 of a tank. Perfect. I will make it home. I drove about 2 miles and hit the DTE button again, because I am obsessive that way.



22 Miles.



What the heck. Now, I know that DTW and MPG change regularly depending on how you are driving, but I wasn't driving any differently than I was 2 minutes ago. I decide to leave the DTE reading on. I drive another 1/2 mile, it drops to 11. What is going on. I had just turned down the dirt road (I am going to let me friends dog out before I pick up the kids).



6 Miles.


Drive another 1/2 mile. Gas gauge drops to below empty and my DTE turns to


0 Miles.


WHAT THE HECK. SERIOUSLY how can it change that quickly, while I am watching it. I am 4 miles from the nearest gas station. Cr.. I turn off the air, drive a little more slowly, and debate whether I should stop and let the dog out or just try to get to the gas station. I mean if I stop does it take more gas to re-start the car or should I leave it running. What if Rosie takes a long time to go.


I decide to stop and turn off the engine. Rosie was quick about her business and I get back in the car. Now, does it really matter how quick Rosie is, I mean if the car isn't going to start, it isn't going to start whether it is off for 2 0r 10minutes. Anyhoo. I head down the dirt road, and then get stuck behind someone taking a Sunday drive on a Thursday afternoon. I don't know why I am in such a blasted hurry, if I am going to run out of gas, I am going to do it whether it takes me 4 minutes or 5 to drive to the gas station.


I do make it to the gas station on what feels like fumes. Fill up the tank. 16.22 gallons, I won't even write what that cost. Wait I only have a 16 gal tank don't I. That was pushing it but all is good. I made.


I have learned my lesson, I am going to fill up when the tank says a 1/4. Really I am.



Okay that was until today. I decided to really see what my gas tank holds. Apparently it holds 20 gallons. So I was worried for nothing. I mean I know they build in a stupidity or may stubborn factor when they gauge the DTE, but still.


So now, will I really wait until way after my gas light comes on. How far will I push it. I mean I hate to spend all that money on gas, so I just wait as long as possible. I know it doesn't matter whether I fill up sooner or later I am still spending the money.
PS. Advice: Lunch with friends. If you are contemplating a big change in your life, such as moving to another state. Do not have lunch with your friends and then go back to work and listen to the Carpenter's Greatest Hits. There are not enough tissues for that.