It's All Good

Today's photo...

2012-01-01T18:48:00.003-05:00

Yes...two posts in one day! Shocking!

I've tried to do a photo a day a couple times and I just lose steam and inspiration, but I do need to post more of the pictures I actually do take to inspire me to keep snapping.

Today's picture was the pile of papers, embellishments and planners/journals for the year. I've managed to create the cover and fill in the pocket pages for the My Planner calendar and I'm trying to figure out what to write in my new One Line A Day journal that John got me for Christmas. Oddly, I feel more pressure to write just one line than I do when I need to fill a page. Seems like it needs to be something important and some days, life is just not that interesting.

Off to finish up filling in the calendars with birthdays and days off...

Farewell to 2011...Bring on 2012!

2012-01-01T16:38:00.002-05:00

Time to say goodbye to last year and begin anew. I wish I could bottle these feelings of wanting to accomplish lots of things and dole it out throughout the year. I'm so energized by the possibilities of a brand new year and empty calendar. I made the best of 2011, but it was a hard year in some ways and I watched a couple friends go through some very hard times. I'm ready for an upswing in life. I'm ready to embrace the possibilities and opportunities given to me and make something magical happen this year. 2012 is going to be good!

I've participated in the "One Little Word" challenge the past several years and I'm jumping on the bandwagon again this year. I thought I had my word for the past month or so, but when it came time to commit to it, it just felt a little off. I couldn't come up with one word that rang true with me. So instead of one little word, I've picked three: Go. See. Do. This sums up my dreams and plans for 2012. I've had this song by Asha Ali playing in my head for days: The Time is Now. I am a procrastinator of the highest order and that needs to change. Life is moving fast and putting things off is not how to achieve the life I want to live. I'm inspired right now to change things up and I am hoping I can keep this momentum up for a while. I know it will wax and wane throughout the year, but I have found having my one little word mantra has been helpful in the past. I'm taking this class again too: One Little Word with Ali Edwards. It's a once a month reminder to stay on track.

I hope that 2012 is more than you hope it can be!

A farewell to Enzo...

2011-10-02T17:43:00.004-04:00

Today I lost my big guy who has been with me through all the ups and downs of the past 13.5 years. He was one of the constants in my crazy life during that time. He was my first dog. He was my pride and joy...even if he slobbered more than I would have liked. He made me laugh. He frustrated me. He kept me company when I was at my loneliest and he comforted me when I was sad. No one gave a good sloppy kiss like that boy!

We spent the last week treating him like the king of the house and the last two days being spoiled rotten. I was inspired by this article that I saw on Friday and did a bit of shopping on my way home to make it happen for him. Lots of good food and treats and lots of love and even more pictures. I hope that we made him happy.

We are very grateful that the vet came to the house. There was so much less stress this way. We took him out and let him take a last long walk around the yard without having to worry about tiring him out or his legs holding up enough to get him in the house. He dragged me all over chasing new smells and exploring. When he was tired, we settled him on a blanket and loved on him. It was peaceful and loving...like it should be.

He was very loved. He will be so missed. RIP my Enzo.

One year and one day ago...

2011-08-14T17:08:00.005-04:00

This was what I was doing...

(all photos courtesy of the wonderful Sierra Kristen Photography)

One year and one day ago, I married my best friend (cheesy but true!). It has been a wonderful year and I am looking forward to many, many more with John. He has been a bigger blessing to me than I could have ever hoped for and I am thankful every day for his presence in my life. There is no one I'd rather take this journey through life with.

(P.S. I really did create a list of 48 things before 48 and have been working on them. Already missed a few of them and have achieved a few of them. I'll post it soon!)

Forgot to post this about yesterday...

2011-05-03T05:18:00.003-04:00

Somehow I forgot to post the magic that took place in my yard yesterday morning! When I let the dogs out there were some very small birds darting about and they were moving to fast for me to get a good enough look to identify them. Totally intrigued, I put the dogs back in and went outside to see if I could get a better look. And I was delighted to find a hummingbird flying by me on its way to my flowering quince bush for a little taste...

It flitted about the flowers for a few minutes, taking time to rest and be still on the branches a couple times, while I tried to will my camera to come to me! It was so lovely to watch and a gift to get to see it for so long. She was beautiful and I hope to see her again soon!

A little later in the day, we were packing up John for the trip to Maine and I heard a little bit of bird chatter. I looked around and found 3 Baltimore Orioles having a little party in the same flowering quince and my maple tree! They were flying all over the place! I am usually lucky enough to see one of these beautiful birds once or twice a year in my yard. I have never had 3 of them at one time and never heard them chatter the way they were. It was awesome!

I'm off to a good start for this spring's bird sightings!

Oh, and soon, we're going to have baby robins! They have built a nest on top of the rear wheel of John's 4-wheeler that's parked next to the shed. Yes. On top of the wheel! There are 2-3 eggs in there and we figure they'll hatch some time next week. I'm going to try to get some pictures without upsetting the mother bird. Wish me luck!

Now it's time to get ready for the big day at the new job...

Changes in my life, in the world...

2011-05-02T18:30:00.003-04:00

But first a peek of spring from my yard:

(I have approximately 10-12 different kinds of daffodils in bloom now - the yard is just beautiful!)

We woke up to the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden. And for some reason it made me cry. I really don't know why. I have friends and family that were so very close to being lost in NYC on that day. I am appalled by the violence and ugliness that was perpetrated by that man and his followers. I am sad that there is ugliness like that in the world. I hope that this death will mark a new and better, more understanding time and that there won't be 10 new people stepping up to take his place. I hope and pray for peace for all. Maybe the tears are because remembering the past 10 years and all the lives lost and lives shattered has made my heart heavy.

Tomorrow I will start a new job. For the second time in just over a year. I feel like a kid going to a new school. Will they like me? Will I wear the right clothes? What if no one wants to be my friend? And to make it even a little bit more interesting, I took this position on a temp-to-hire basis. Scary. But I was assured that they are anticipating the temporary part to only last 3-4 weeks - just enough time to confirm that I'm a good fit for the team. My fingers are crossed that I can prove myself to them and that it's all set in 3 weeks so. That would mean that I mailed my last COBRA payment check today and my finances will start returning to normal.

Today I went to the temporary company that contacted me and found me the job to complete my employee paperwork. And in order to make that less of a hassle, John and I went to the RMV this morning and I officially changed my name. I had changed it with Social Security back in September, but held off changing it everywhere else until some things with my father's estate were settled.

In other news, my cousin and the kids (and my aunt and uncle) are off having fun in Disney without us. We had planned on going, but John talked me out of it because I was job hunting and he didn't want it to be an issue if I found a job. And look how right he was! But I am more than a little bit jealous and so wish I was in Florida with them.

John left this morning for a week of working in Maine. Of course. It's almost like the company scheduler knows when he would most like to be home and that's when he's shipped out of town. He feels bad about not being here for me, but I think I'll be fine and he's going to miss tomorrow morning's panic attack. And that's not a bad thing.

Now it's time to go change the purse/tote to the new one I got to celebrate the new job. Coach had the foresight to send me a coupon good for last week and John had the wonderfulness to encourage me to get myself something to give me a smile and make me feel good when I show up at work tomorrow.

So...fingers crossed for a good day tomorrow! I've got to go get my outfit and lunch ready too!

Popping back in again with good news...

2011-04-29T20:47:00.001-04:00

I never came and posted the "to do" list for this year. I wrote it out and I've even started crossing things off. Now I just need to type it out and post it. That's on the schedule for this weekend.

Today, after 4+ months, I am happy to say that I will become gainfully employed again next week. I am so very relieved and excited. I'm even more relieved and excited that I was able to find a job in my chosen field in a law firm that has been voted as one of the Best Places to Work 3 years in a row - and they've only been in existence for 5 years. I think that's really great. The office where I'll be working is incredibly cool. It's the top floor of a renovated locomotive factory. Lots of exposed brick and high ceilings. Windows that actually open! The decorator/designer had fabulous taste in furniture and the artwork is gorgeous. Fingers crossed that this is a good fit and that I won't be job hunting again for a very long time.

I have much to catch up on here. I haven't wanted to post anything because I felt I didn't have a lot of positive things to say. The last month has been particularly difficult on my self-esteem and attitude. I felt like I was perpetually blue and couldn't find a way to snap out of it. I've learned some things about myself during this period and that's not a bad thing. Now I can use that information going forward and work on a better me.

Off to bed to try to turn off the whirling dervish that is my brain right now. Tomorrow morning I'm going to the airport to see my favorite kids off as the family heads to Disney for a week. Without me. But there will be pictures and memories that they can share with me when they get home. I'm looking forward to seeing it through their eyes.

See you soon!

47...

2011-03-29T19:53:00.004-04:00

Today I am 47 years old. Unfathomable and hard to comprehend. I could swear that I just turned 25 a couple years go. For sure I can't be more than 32, can I??? This is a crazy number and I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I am just that old.

It's been a good day even though all the plans I made didn't actually happen. And I think one of the best things I've learned in all these years is that you just have to roll with what life gives you. I did that today and was rewarded with some good memories.

Tomorrow I'm coming back with my "48 before 48" - the list of what to do before the next birthday. This seems so much cooler (and easier) for those bloggers doing this in their 20s. But this old fogey is going to give a try herself and see what happens.

Off to finish the list and start a new book. See you tomorrow!

Walking in a winter wonderland...

2011-02-10T15:38:00.002-05:00

This is my yard on Tuesday morning after we had about 1" of beautiful, wet, sticky snow. I love how everything looks magical and the hush that the snow brings! Lovely. Just lovely! (And you'll be happy to know that I ventured outside in my pajamas again without incident LOL!)

I've been spending the past few days going through my kitchen cabinets, reorganizing them and cleaning them out. The ones over the refrigerator were like an archaeological dig - I am sure there were things that I put up there 14 years ago when they were installed and that I haven't seen since. It was good timing. On Tuesday morning I put 2 boxes of kitchen things (and 2 boxes of books) out for pickup by Big Brothers/Big Sisters. I have freed up some space and given some things a new shot a life.

As a reward, I finally got myself a Magic Bullet blender so I could make the smoothies I really want without having to clean the big blender. I tried it out this morning and it's love! So simple and easy. And even easier to clean. This morning's smoothie was created with some Oasis strawberry/banana smoothie mix, some frozen mixed berries and pineapple and a splash of orange juice. It was yummy! This is going to be wonderful...and good for me!

As for the review on the Chai Tea Latte concentrate recipe, here it is: It was a bit time consuming (not to mention a bit expensive to get stocked up on the spices) and some of the measurements were a little vague, but it was fairly easy and good. I think next time I might put a little less orange zest and a little more of the spices. I was comparing it to my favorite from Starbuck's, so maybe my judgment was a little off. But it was good and I can see myself keeping it handy for an afternoon treat.

The job hunting is going as expected. Slow and painfully quiet. Some of these online applications are so very long and time consuming. And some are completely redundant. Upload your resume and then fill in all the information anyway on their online form. Ugh. I am not cut out for this modern way of getting a job. I miss the days of just visiting a placement firm and having them do the work. It just doesn't seem to work that way any more. I am not a good salesman. And I am even worse at selling myself. But I will persevere and try to get better at it. I am also feeling a bit guilty about limiting my search to jobs outside of the big city. I cannot go back to that commute (leave at 6:10 am and get home more than 12 hours later) and I so very much want a job closer to home. But that's not where most of the jobs are and I feel guilty that I am not applying for everything I am qualified for despite it's location. I need to get over that. I need to remember that I deserve some quality of life and that I'm not abusing the system by trying to find a job that fits me and my goals for my life.

I should hear about my unemployment claim next week and hopefully there will be some income coming in soon. I filed my first weekly "claim" this week and have to remember to make that part of my Monday morning routine now.

This morning I finally got around to writing the "To Do/Wish List" for what I'd like to accomplish during this "sabbatical". It's remarkably long. And optimistic! But it was good to spend some time this morning doing this. I don't want to waste this time. So it's good to have a list and it's good to get some projects done.

Tomorrow I'm going to force myself to stay off the computer most of the day and tackle one or two things on that list. And I know that it'll make me feel good.

Sharing a embarrassing moment....

2011-02-05T13:33:00.004-05:00

What? Why yes...those are my crocs full of and covered with snow. How did they get that way you ask? Well, as I was letting the dogs in I thought I would take a moment and see if I could clear some of the ice on the front porch. So, I let them in and pulled the door to close it enough to stop the cold from coming in. It's got an automatic lock on it, so I'm always very careful not to pull too hard. But I must have forgot what I was doing and the next thing I knew, it was closed. Very closed. And I was on the front porch in my pajamas and crocs. And the only thing between me and the inside was a 15' walk through snow that comes up past my knees. Did I mention there were no boots anywhere? And it was at least 40 minutes or so until John would get home. And the dang dogs have yet to learn how to open doors (gotta teach them that!). So I gave myself a little pep talk about how it would be over really quick and started off. And the crocs came off in the snow at least 4-5 times while I tried to make it to the driveway. Snow on bare feet is COLD! But I did it and said a little prayer of thanks that there was a hidden spare key for the back door that I could get to. I am happy to report that the feet have almost thawed. LOL!

Just before that incident, I was making this: Spiced Chai Concentrate from Tasty Kitchen
I just strained it and will be having some a little later this afternoon. Review to follow...

New love/addiction...

2011-02-05T06:57:00.003-05:00

In an effort to avoid reality and get some inspiration to get moving here, I have become very strongly attached to playing here: Pinterest. What a fun place! I am totally enjoying the beautiful pictures and great ideas here! If you find yourself interested in maybe getting yourself a new addiction, let me know and I'll send you an invite. :)

And the first rejection is in...

2011-02-03T16:47:00.001-05:00

Dang. I thought I did so well on the phone interview. This is going to be a long road to employment I think...

There's a robin outside my window!

2011-02-03T13:53:00.002-05:00

(and no SD card in my camera!)

Maybe Puxatawney Phil got it right! I always consider seeing my first robin a sure sign of spring. Admittedly it's usually the first week or 2 of March when that happens. So maybe, just maybe, we've crammed winter into the past few weeks and spring is coming sooner rather than later!

A girl can dream can't she...

Snow Angel and...

2011-02-03T12:47:00.002-05:00

and Snow Licker...

Her new favorite thing. And always with the same look: "This stuff is awesome! You don't know what you're missing. You should get some of this!"

At least one of them is embracing the snow. LOL! The old boy is just frustrated because his yard has been significantly reduced in size and there's no place to wander.

And yes, I made that snow angel myself! The fall wasn't so far now that the snow in the yard is up over my knees! It was more like sitting down and making one.

For simple updates, I've got these:

Unemployment applied for
Several more jobs applied for
First phone interview done and hopefully leading to a real interview
New job searches created and set up for daily emailing
Much soul searching about where to go from here
Still keeping up with a little journaling every day in my super cute Moleskine calendar books
Mastering crossword puzzles on my Nook
and the best...There's going to be a new baby in the family this fall. YIPPEE!!! And no it is NOT me! Unless it's twins and I said I'd take one of them off their hands. ;)

Now I'm really going to make myself do something with the scrapbook supplies and pictures sitting on my table. Promise!

I think I'm going to need smelling salts!

2011-01-31T16:09:00.002-05:00

The predictions are getting worse. We moved up into the grey area in the last 2 hours. Now it's looking like OVER a foot of snow for us!!! Thank goodness we just spent some time doing some additional cleaning and clearing of the pretty white stuff. We dug out the trash barrel from last week and moved it to somewhere that the company can get at it. We took a quick store run to make sure we had necessities for the next couple days. Thankfully we didn't need much and the stops were quick.

I suspect that we'll break the '95-'96 winter snowfall record tomorrow. And we'll have done it in slightly more than 1 month v. the entire snow season of that year. Woohoo!!! ;)

Thud...

2011-01-31T12:33:00.003-05:00

We live right on that line dividing orange and red. Which, loosely translated, means another foot of snow. Again. Oh my...

I don't even know what to say except...More Snow???

2011-01-31T08:00:00.002-05:00

[insert horrified smiley here!]

Yes. More freakin' snow! I know I said I love it. And I really do. But my driveway resembles a luge course and pretty soon I'm going to be able to climb UP and out of a window. I've lost the bottom steps on my stairs. The dog area is now like a fenced-in yard and we can actually put them out without leads or leashes. They can't go anywhere. The little one can't even stand up high enough to get to the top of the piles! And it's taking money out of John's pocket. He's had to lose 3 work days this month due to the snow and it's looking like he's going to lose at least one more. This is causing him lots of stress and for that reason alone I wish we could catch a break. You know...maybe the next few storms only bring an inch or two. Or we get a few warmer days in between to allow it to melt a bit and people to clean things up a little more. But that's just wishing and the reality is that today I'm going to bundle up and see if I can move at least a little of this stuff and make a little more room for it. John is going to try and widen the driveway a bit if at all possible. And I'll be chipping at the ice mounds on the steps to try and get rid of some of that. Good times. Good times.

On a positive note, I have a screening call for a job that is 20 minutes from home today! A bit excited about the prospect, but daunted knowing that this is just the beginning of the process. A 10 min. call today that will hopefully lead to an actual interview in a week or two, to be followed hopefully by a second interview in a week or two after that. If all goes remarkably well, the actual job offer will come in a month or so. It's such a slow process when all I feel is urgency. I'm trying to convince myself that it's a good lesson in patience...one I need and should embrace. And I'll keep repeating that to myself.

I'm also filing for unemployment today and starting that process. I hope that it goes quick and that the wait for the money to start won't be too long. Off to get that started...

Ummm...snow yesterday....more snow today...

2011-01-26T09:35:00.004-05:00

The forecast for today is somewhere around 8". On top of the 2" we got yesterday. On top of the 327" we've had since the beginning of the year. (that might be a SLIGHT exaggeration, or not!) I still love snow, but even I, a die hard fan, is having a bit of a tough time with the sheer quantity of it that's been coming our way this year.

I've started researching health insurance plans on the possibility that I may still very well be unemployed at the end of February when my COBRA kicks in. I haven't received the official COBRA letter from my last job, but I suspect it will be more than I can reasonably afford and I'll need to find another alternative. Unless Congress restarts the subsidies from last year. Or John's company magically gets a decent plan that allows for an "individual plus 1" plan (because it's silly expensive to add me to his plan - it has to be a family plan for the 2 of us). And for the first time in my life I have a pre-existing condition and a state law that says I must have insurance, cost be damned.
I've been watching the progress of the icicles on the house lately. They are a dangerous thing of beauty to me (one almost fell on me the other day!). I love how clear they are and how they are all different. So pretty!
A shot of the temperature on Monday. At 9:30 in the morning. Which means it was about -10 when I let the dogs out at 4:30 in the morning. And it warmed up to a whopping 5 by the end of the day. Thank goodness there was no wind! Good times! (NOTE: While I love snow, I don't like really cold weather)
And this is the nut that still crams herself under the coffee table and then tries to stuff her big head through the opening to chastise us and get us to play with her. She's doing her weird growl/chatter in this photo and won't stop until someone acknowledges that she's there. And she'll move from the opening near me to the one near John just so no one feels left out! She's just not right...

John is heading back from Maine today. It was just an overnight, but it was good for me to have some alone time. The past few days have been hard and I'm struggling with the situation I find myself in. The call about a job that was set up on Friday never came. And that was OK because I really suspected that I wasn't truly qualified for the position. But I have applied for a few jobs that are just what I used to do and have heard nothing. I know the process is slow, but it's hard to wait right now. I want to work. I want a job that I can enjoy. I want to be a productive member of society. I am feeling frustrated because it seems that all the jobs are at least an hour away. I don't live in a rural area. It shouldn't be this hard to find a job that doesn't require me being out of the house 12 hours a day. I'm mad because I feel that all my prior work experience means nothing. I worked so hard to get to the level where I worked for the key people in a firm. I am by no means an entry level candidate. But the pickings are slim for anyone who wants to make more than entry level pay. ARGH! I know that things will turn around and that these feelings are just part of the process of dealing with the changes, but I want it all to be better now.

There is a bright part to this time off. This time I have been good about using the time wisely. My kitchen cabinets are on their way to being spectacularly clean and organized. I've taken care of a pile of personal filing that has been growing for a year. Yesterday was the first day in a week that I've kind of dropped the ball on productivity. I ran to drop off John's work FedEx and get a few things at the grocery store. And then it was home for too much computer time and getting set up to do some scrapping. I didn't do much more than organize the things I want to work with, but it's a start and I'll take that.

Today, it's job applying/following up and working on this project: Special Delivery: Share Your Love. I can't think of a better way to use some of my downtime.

Sorry for the epic (and mostly boring) post. It'll get better...

Some visitors from yesterday...

2011-01-22T17:04:00.002-05:00

This mountain ash is just outside the window in front of my desk and all day long I get visitors. (The feeder is just around the corner, so it's not really me they're coming to see!). Sometimes one of them will actually sit on the window ledge looking in, but, of course, there's never a camera ready when that happens.

John is home from Maine, the driveway has been plowed and the kitchen cabinets are almost all scrubbed. I installed many new fonts on the computer, did a little filing of recent downloads and purged a bunch of emails. Signed up to take Mouse, Paper, Scissors at Jessica Sprague.com so I can finally learn how to use PSE the way I've wanted to. A productive day that feels good!

Tomorrow John is threatening a visit to the gym for us and then maybe a Sunday drive to an antique store or two. We'll see how cold it gets and how much we feel like being out and about in single digit weather. Maybe I'll do a little scrapping instead, while he plays with the Wii. Lots of possibilities for how to spend the day.

Off to get dinner started (baked fish, couscous w/pine nuts and snow peas). Yum!

A good day...

2011-01-21T17:02:00.002-05:00

Despite getting 8" more of snow (the pretty fluffy kind this time) and more or less being stranded until John gets home tomorrow, it was a good day!

I was "crowned" Blog Commenter of the Year at the blog for Meyer Imports. And I'm getting a box of glittery sparkly goodness for it! I'm honored and really would like to look like the lovely girl in the picture they posted! If you love bling, their glitter is amazing and their blog has lots of great ideas and tutorials.

And even better...I was contacted by a recruiter for a very large company that has a location near my house and they are looking for an Intellectual Property Assistant to work with the lawyers there! I've got a preliminary call on Monday. Not getting to excited because even though it's a job in law, it's not my specialty (I've done pretty much all real estate and commercial work), but I'm a quick learner and I've done lots of project management at my prior jobs and that should help. But it felt good to be "found" and even better to have a call set up. The ball is rolling now!

Working the new morning routine...

2011-01-21T06:35:00.002-05:00

Coffee, computer, job applications and bickering pups...oh and a bit of snow falling outside. :)

(The pictures came out looking kind of cool - not technically perfect though. I was just playing around with some of the settings and these are what happened when I did. I like how they came out and that I accidentally captured that bird coming in for a landing!)

Oops...maybe I should stop saying how much I like snow!

2011-01-20T18:14:00.003-05:00

Just checked and the estimates have gone up. I am very grateful that I don't have to commute right now. And I'm very grateful that I have a bunch of treats in the house and streaming Netflix so I'm all set for the next couple days!

The view from my window...

2011-01-20T16:54:00.002-05:00

Sunrise on the snow while I was having my coffee and reading the want ads. Beautiful!

I had a good, productive day yesterday getting things done around the house and applying for a few more jobs. I never turned on the TV for background noise. The quiet was lovely. I started watching a movie that's been on my list forever (Sex and the City) and enjoyed a lovely dinner with John. He left for Maine for 3 days this morning.

Today was running errands and making sure I was stocked up for the snow (yes more snow!) coming tonight in case I can't get out tomorrow or Saturday. The Smart Car may be stinkin' cute and wonderful on gas, but it is not good about getting out of the driveway that has snow on it. UGH! Normally this isn't an issue, but John's work car is out of commission right now and he has the SUV with him in Maine. So it's hunker down time for me! My big plan is to clean out/rearrange the kitchen cabinets. It's long, long overdue and much needed. Wish me luck!

A much needed laugh...

2011-01-19T06:36:00.002-05:00

This was the message that came up when I clicked on a job posting this morning:

We are currently upgrading the treadmill that powers the TweetMyJOBS engine, and looking for a replacement hamster. We should be up and running shortly.

Another beautiful snowy day and the job search is on...

2011-01-16T15:45:00.004-05:00

It's snowing out. Beautiful, big, fluffy flakes of gently falling snow. It looks like a winter wonderland out my window! I'm enjoying the quiet (I love how the world sounds so "soft" when it's snowing outside) which is only broken up by the sound of the "noisemakers" (see earlier post this month) and my sick husband snoring away. LOL!

Here's a little update on what's been going on.

Friday I went to the office and picked up my things before everyone got in for the day. There wasn't much since I'd only been there 9 months. Made me a little sad because I really liked the people I worked with. I had a nice chat with the CFO and I'll head back next week to have lunch with everyone. I consoled myself with one last trip to Panera and drowned my sorrows in a frosted valentine's shortbread cookie and bought John a couple of his beloved cheddar & jalapeno bagels as a treat. Then it was time for a little retail therapy at Michael's and AC Moore because I won't get to Bellingham any time soon and they're both on the same exit. I was pretty well behaved and didn't go over my budget! Yeah! For dinner, John and I tried calzones from the new pizza place we're test-running (because our favorite place became just awful when the owner stopped supervising). They were delicious and huge and are now going to be a Friday night regular. :)

Saturday I got to have some fun with my friend Julie. A girls' day! So long overdue and so much appreciated! We took a drive through the backroads of CT and MA and headed to Woodstock and Putnam for a little antique shopping and lunch. Of course, since I had given myself permission to get myself a little something, the only that I saw that I really, really, really wanted was a vintage letterpress draw filled with letterpress alphabets and numbers...for $375! It was a thing of beauty and was screaming "take me home...you know you want me...c'mon you can do it!". It took all my willpower to not buy it and justify it as a gift to make up for a difficult past year. I'm still thinking of it and hope the desire for it fades soon! I also updated my Monster.com resume posting and crossed my fingers that someone will see it and find it interesting enough to contact me (besides the insurance sales people from last year).

Sunday was just a lazy day at home with a sick man and lots of tissues and TV. I did a quick Wal-Mart run to stock up on medicine and supplies and then it was quality time on the couch and taking care of John.

Yesterday I got to babysit the 3 girls for my cousin. The little dude is sick (double ear infection) and he had a doctor's appointment. It was not one of my best times with them. I was not in the best of moods (bad, bad morning with the dogs getting up early, one big accident from the old guy and hitting that angry phase of getting through the layoff and the new hand of cards I have to play in this life) and I was short with G when we were playing Sorry. I need to work on that. But overall we had fun playing with the crafting kit I got them for Christmas and just being silly together. John got home early so we got to have lunch together and then it was just more relaxing so he'd relax and get better.

Today I'm going to do some laundry, make my wish list of projects to accomplish with this unexpected time off, update my journal and clean up the bedroom to get it ready for the new bed coming later this month. John's home today so maybe we'll head out for a bit to take some pictures and enjoy the pretty winter scenery.

Here's to a productive and good week for me. I've got some following up to do on the 5 jobs I've applied for and more to apply for. Fingers crossed...

Some pictures from this morning...

2011-01-12T07:31:00.003-05:00

Olive and Enzo demonstrating how they plan to spend the snow day...

Doesn't the Smart Car (that snow pile in the middle) look like it's been breathing through those 2 little holes in front?
The bird feeders and one of the many visitors this morning...
John trying to make some headway at the end of the driveway with our redneck plow...
Stuck in the snow trying to make it to the street...
It's going to be a great day for pictures I think!

I got my wish...

2011-01-12T05:58:00.002-05:00

There's at least 8" of snow out there this morning and more on the way! It was too dark for pictures, but I wish I could have got a few of Miss Olive venturing out into snow that came up to her chin. She was NOT happy! Enzo is used to it and just went about his business. Miss Olive...not so much. Came running back in and waited until I went out to shovel a path for her. Then she wasn't pleased with the size of the area I cleared and kept trying to venture out farther only to freak out when the snow covered her face. It's going to be a long day with her. LOL!

John won't be working today (no place for a private investigator to park during a snow emergency) so we're going to watch movies, eat some junk food and enjoy the day together.

Happy Snow Day!

Day One of the next chapter in life...

2011-01-11T05:17:00.002-05:00

I think it's pretty interesting that it's happening on 1/11/11!

Last night I got laid off. Again. By email. Which wasn't as bad as it sounds. This layoff wasn't entire unexpected (I'd adjusted my schedule/pay to 3 days a week to avoid it recently), so getting the email (with a text alert that I should check my email) allowed me the opportunity to have my little breakdown in private and to talk to the boss when I had pulled myself together and could do so calmly. And it helped me avoid her having to do it in her office which is a fishbowl and everyone would have been able to see it. And I would have had to try to control the mess I would be while saying goodbye to people I really liked and enjoyed working with each day. So as of today I have a little less than 3 weeks to find a job or file for unemployment. I'll go to the office later this week to pick up my stuff and say goodbye. And I don't have to worry about getting to work tomorrow during the Nor'easter heading our way!

I'm working on updating my resume and there were several good prospects I found today. So I'm going to hold onto the belief that my job is out there waiting for me. The one where I don't dread going in each day and the one that doesn't make me feel dumb all the time. The one that challenges me and allows me to use and expand my abilities. The one that I'll be at until I retire. (That's my dream right now.)

I am lucky to have very supportive friends and family (and an amazing husband). I'll get through this and come out better off than today. I have faith.

And to make sure I really try to get that job so I can start saving money again, I made big travel plans to celebrate John's 50th birthday with our good friends. We're going to Disney and we're doing it right! 2 years to save...gotta get that job soon!

And now on to daily life. I ran a couple errands this morning and got the supplies to get snowed in for a couple days (another small dream LOL!). I've got plenty of scrapbooking projects to play with, Netflix movies/streaming and good food/junk food a plenty. Bring on the snow!!!

Checking off my "To Do" list...

2011-01-10T08:23:00.003-05:00

and making the best of having today off. So far I have ordered copies of some family pictures from the photographer's website, finished and ordered an 8x8 book of the wedding from Shutterfly, undecorated the Christmas Tree and put it away, and had breakfast (not on the list, but important to do!). All of this productivity brought to you by John having to leave just after 4:00 am this morning and the dogs thinking this was a good time to get up! I also edited the picture of my cover for the One Little Word class I'm taking at Big Picture Classes so I can post it (part of keeping myself accountable for getting things done this year). It definitely needs something else, but that can come later.

Yesterday I made reservations for John and I to go visit Rockland and Camden again. We're going to be staying at the Samoset Resort in Rockport (between Rockland and Camden - I still don't get why there's a Rockport and a Rockland next door to each other). We drove by and checked out the resort on our way home from Wedding Week in August. It's a lovely place with a fabulous location. We can walk to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse and there's lots of beach area to do some beachcombing. We're hoping to get some kayaking in and definitely dinner at Prism again and lunch at Cappy's. If we can fit it in, we also really want to go back to Brevetto. Ok...there's a food theme here as you can see! Some of our favorite places to eat are in this area and it's always hard to choose among them. We can't wait to get back up there for a visit!

Time to walk away from the computer for a bit. House cleaning and laundry are calling me...

A new love for me...

2011-01-09T07:47:00.002-05:00

I was so excited when I saw them for 50% off when we were checking out at Barnes & Noble last night! I wanted them, but couldn't justify the $40 just in case I wanted to try and journal every day for 2011. But I've been doing it every night on scrap paper and this weekend my project was to find/create something to keep by my bed. The rainbow of color just makes me smile to see it and the books are beautifully made. They were a great deal at $18 (love my member discount)! In case you're loving them too, they seem to be sold out online, but check your local Barnes & Noble store.

And as a follow up to yesterday's post, I woke up this morning to 2-3" of beautiful white fluffy snow! My world is covered in a lovely white blanket!

Have a beautiful Sunday!

It's snowing...

2011-01-08T07:39:00.004-05:00

(picture from last year)

I'm going to just say it and run...

I love, love, love snow! I love how the world looks fresh and clean. I love the way it makes the world sound softer. I love watching the dogs play in it. I love looking out my window and just watching it fall. I hope this time we get more than a dusting.

Noisemakers...

2011-01-05T08:06:00.002-05:00

This is what's laying at my feet. Snoring. Kind of loudly. Too cute!

Still dark outside...

2011-01-05T06:09:00.004-05:00

I love getting up early, but sometimes I miss the summer when it isn't so dark outside. Sometimes it's a little bit odd to see the night sky when I take the dogs out, but I do love looking at the stars and searching for that elusive shooting star. And since I tend to keep farmer's hours and go to bed long before everyone else does, the winter mornings are the time for me to do my star searching. I need to give myself some kind of reminder to take my phone outside and use that Google app so I can learn the names of the constellations I'm seeing. Maybe a big post-it on the door will do the trick. So now here I sit waiting for the sun to come up and catching up on blogs I read and email and message boards, listening to the dogs bicker over who's getting which bone, and enjoying my coffee.

This week I start my new temporary (hopefully only for January) work schedule of 3 days a week (I had Monday off and today off). It was 4 days a week for November and December. That was nice and I was OK with the pay hit in exchange for the time off. This month I think will be a bit tougher. It's hard to get a good work groove going when it's in one day, out one day. But I'm going to try to make the best of the extra time off and find creative ways to save money so that the pay hit doesn't feel so bad. I know in these times that I need to be grateful that I have a job. I need to be grateful that even though I'm not working as much, I don't have to be out there looking for a new one (at least not yet). And that even though my hours have been reduced, they are still covering my health insurance. So I will look at this as an opportunity to cultivate some of the habits/projects I have on my list for 2011 and do my best to look on the bright side of this gift of extra time.

A good Sunday...

2011-01-02T18:21:00.004-05:00

Dinner with the family yesterday was good. The turducken was yummy and the fixin's my cousin and aunt made to go along with it were delicious. And any time I get to spend playing with the kids is a bonus. Nothing makes my heart happier than seeing the little ones come running when I come in the house. Love, love, love them!

My friend Dawn and I went to Topsfield to help do inventory at one of our favorite stores, Absolutely Everything. We did a little shopping, a LOT of counting, got a nice paycheck and had a good time chatting and laughing. We got a bag of vintage mica flakes to split and I can't wait to use it on these snowflakes for next year's decorating:

I grabbed 3 boxes of these on Friday at Crate and Barrel on clearance. $9 for 72 ornaments! They're lovely now and will be even prettier (I think) when I'm done giving them a little bling.

John is still suffering with a wicked cold and I'm still chugging AirBorne like it's my new best friend. So far, so good. I hate being sick (even more than John). Fingers are crossed to see if I can miss out on the fun.

Off to relax a bit, maybe play a crossword on the Nook and listen to the dogs snore. It's a good Sunday.

And this year's word is...

2011-01-01T14:37:00.003-05:00

Cultivate

Wasn't even in the running until I saw this blog post from Becky Higgins. It summed up perfectly what I was reaching for.

Now it's time to get the title page for my 2011 journal for this class done.

But first it's time to get ready to go to my cousin's for turducken for dinner. Yes really. Turducken. A turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken. With sausage stuffing. (This was a gift to my aunt from a colleague - not something we bought).

We're starting 2011 on an adventurous note!

A new year, a new decade...and a new post!

2011-01-01T11:43:00.003-05:00

Clearly the summer plans fizzled out...my life is just not that interesting! Here's how I'm starting this new year...

Playing with Wordle to create something fun and inspiring while I try to narrow down my One Little Word for 2011.

Reflecting on the past year and dreaming of the new one.

Being grateful for all my blessings and for all the hardships during the past year. They are all part of the journey.

Wishing everyone a joyful, healthy and prosperous 2011!

Day 10...

2010-06-09T20:36:00.002-04:00

I got nothing for today. Nada. Cold and rainy. Not a summer thing anywhere for me (although the Geberas are still making me smile when I see them). And the not so fun week keeps rolling on. My "rolling with the changes" muscles are getting a great work out this week. But I'll keep rolling and keep doing my best to smile.

I wonder what Day 11 will bring...

Days 6, 7, 8 and 9…and my 100th blog post

2010-06-08T20:33:00.003-04:00

Well it’s been a less than stellar few days (just those days where nothing goes right no matter how on your game you are) with very little summer inspiration, but I’ve been able to laugh it off (mostly). So here’s the summer days recap…

Day 6 – first summer cookout in honor of my friend’s daughter’s graduation from high school. Way too hot and way too humid = not feeling too well for this pasty white chick. In bed by 7:00 and slept all the way through.

Day 7 – Serious summer thunder storm with threats of tornadoes! After going to the gym and running the couple errands we had, we got home before the storm hit and just before the cable/internet kicked out and hunkered down for an NCIS-Los Angeles marathon to catch up on this season.

Day 8 – Off to a seriously bad start with the big guy Enzo scaring us by not getting up and having an accident in his bed. I know he’s getting old and that every day is a gift, but I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for when it’s his time. But he was better as the morning progressed and a reprieve has been granted us. However, the day never really got any better and as long as you can accept that it won’t, it was survivable. And a brownie with coffee ice cream and raspberry syrup goes a long way to making up for some of the not-fun things.

Day 9 – A beautiful spring day! 72 degrees with a nice breeze and sun! The perfect day and what I would love for most of the summer. My Gerbera Daisies are blooming and I love the color! I posted some pictures of my other flowers on Flickr today which always makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. And although the week is continuing on in the manner of Monday, there were some things that went right today (meeting with the estate attorney and a “pup” that’s feeling a bit better today) and for that I am grateful.

I feel like I should do or say something momentous to commemorate this blogging milestone, but since I’m really the only reader here (except for those few who somehow find their way here and wonder why I even bother with this given my sporadic posting) I think it would be a bit pretentious. So I think I’ll just show a quick recap of life’s happenings since I started this little blog.

I moved back to my house after getting divorced and living with my Dad and sister while it was going on so I didn't displace my stepdaughter until they had a new place to live.
I became a total blog addict...I love reading them and I follow more than I can count. Some for inspiration, some for art, some for the people who write them. I love how big...and small...the world can be.
Lots of scrapbooking, classes and conventions. Most of the time spent with very good friends who share the same lovely hobby.
The beginning of me and John and the life we are building.
Began my love affair with Flickr and having a place to put my favorite pictures.
I've lost two loved ones - my Dad and my Grandfather. Two of the best men I have ever known and the rocks I relied on the past many years. I was blessed to have them in my life and I treasure the time I was able to spend with them.
I added a super cute little Smart car to the driveway! Love it still!
I've been blessed by a crazy good investment that actually grew in these horrible economic times that paid for that little car and a new roof (coming soon!).
My cousin was kind enough to give me another niece! Little Miss Brenna Diane. Named after my mom. Makes my heart hurt...
I've spent lots of good times with the little ones in my life. There is nothing like the wonder that is a child and the way they see the world.
I've learned some good life lessons.
I was laid off completely unexpectedly and in a rather not nice manner. And I survived and grew from it.
I've started a new job in a new field and I am enjoying the experience.
I've started exercising fairly regularly.
John and I went to Disney for a fabulous week. It's also where we got engaged. At Animal Kingdom. At the main gate. At park opening. Enough said. LOL!
We've taken a couple road trips to Maine to plan a wedding. And now we're dreaming of retiring there.
I've joined the texting generation and can finally see it's use. Still think it's WAY overused, but there is definitely a good side to it.
I've won some cool scrapbooking goodies as a result of my silly blog addiction.
We added a little bulldog to our family. Princess Olive Mae Wigglebottom now rules the roost!
I've actually done some paid teaching of scrapbook classes. It's a good thing to share my hobby and it's been fun.
I've become a lover of all things from Etsy. I just love browsing all the beautiful things people create. This month I purchased my first custom orders and LOVE that there are people out there with talents I don't possess who are willing to help me create a dream.
I graduated to a big girl camera. And some day I'll actually learn how to really use it!
I took some mad money and fed my Coach bag habit. LOVE the 2 new bags and they make me smile every time I use them. Now that's a good investment!
I honored the 20th anniversary of my mother's passing.
I dealt with an unexpected appearance of my "real" father with as much grace as I could muster and I'm proud of myself for handling it.
We experienced some vandalism at the house (cable wires cut) and a couple of car accidents that ended up on our property.
I tried lots of new recipes and found a few favorites. I still have a ton more I want to try.
I've tried to live each day with an attitude of gratitude and to roll with the changes. I've done my very best to not sweat the small stuff and I think I'm doing good at it. I've celebrated the blessing that is my relationship with John and made my peace with relationships that will never be what I had hoped or what they could be. I have learned to live and let go. I have grown. I hope that I continue to grow. I want to enjoy the ride.

To anyone who actually reads this, thank you! I hope you’re enjoying your 100 days of summer and that your week is better than mine. And if not, let's meet somewhere for a picture of margaritas!

Day 5...

2010-06-04T19:29:00.003-04:00

The best summer inspiration today came in the form of news from the new boss that:

(a) I could leave an hour early today

(b) In a couple weeks, I can leave a few hours earlier on Friday....just because!

and (c) Starting mid-July we will be having regular "summer hour Fridays" for the rest of the season!

Yippee!!!! Time to make some plans...

And tomorrow is a big day. I'll be making my 100th post!!! Finally!!!

Day 4...

2010-06-03T20:15:00.002-04:00

In celebration of the start of summer...Olive got a really good shower today. Lots of scrubbing and now she's all pretty and cranky. :) And covered in little red bumps where she was shaved for the pain patches, so we'll be calling the vet for a visit.

I got to have lunch at my new favorite restaurant near work...3. I love when clients come into town for meetings! And the boss had me drive him there in the Smart car to see if he'd fit - he was 6' 4". And he did. No one wants to believe how much room there is in that little car!

Day 3...

2010-06-02T20:27:00.004-04:00

Today I broke out the new white sandals and embraced summer! I love that I can wear jeans and cute shoes to work! The picture was taken with the fab new application I got for my cellphone - FX camera. I LOVE the look of Polaroids and this has some fun options! I took almost all the pictures of our recent trip to Camden, Maine with this app and the pictures are great! I'll be sharing them soon!

And I got to save my summer idea from yesterday for a day that I have no inspiration for. Bonus!

Day 2...

2010-06-01T20:24:00.002-04:00

Nothing summer inspiring here today...muggy, thunderstorms and just a Monday masquerading as a Tuesday! :)

But you know, thunderstorms are very summery and I'm going to go with it. I got up at 2:00 am (with a little help from Enzo) and got to see the spectacular light show nature put on. And then I calmed the big guy down and went back to sleep through the rest of it. The storm this afternoon was mostly just noisy.

I have a good idea for tomorrow. I hope I can get it done.

Long time, no post and 100 Days...

2010-05-31T19:09:00.002-04:00

It's been a crazy few months.

New job in a new (sort of) field. And I think it's going to be good.
Serious accidental injury to little Miss Olive that consumed a month of our lives.
LOTS of wedding planning.
A lovely weekend in Camden, Maine to finalize said wedding planning.
Fun and wonderful engagement photography shoot with Sierra Kristen Photography.
Many, many pictures taken with my many cameras.
New family phone plan for John and I (BIG step!) and cool new smartphones...and texting.
Some serious yard work being done in reclaiming the pretty that used to be here.
Actually going to the gym on a regular basis...and enjoying it.
Making peace with some changes in friendships and the ups and downs in these relationships.
Serious decisions made about the house we live in now and where we want to retire.

Those about sum up the what's been going on.

And for what's happening now... I'm going to try to inspire regular posting with documenting my 100 days of summer 2010. Maybe this simple concept can help me build a good habit of regular posting and documenting life. Maybe not. But I'm committed to trying.

To kick off Summer 2010, John and I did LOTS of yard work this weekend (36 bags of mulch spread over Saturday and Sunday and one of the major garden beds was weeded). And for the first unofficial day of summer, we put the grill into use and had a lovely dinner. And I planted many, many seeds in hopes of a small garden, some sunflowers and some cosmos.

I wonder what I can do tomorrow that will be summer inspired?

Still waiting...and regrets...

2010-02-02T10:33:00.002-05:00

I've two wonderfully productive days helping a friend do inventory. It's been great to keep my mind occupied while waiting for news on a job I interviewed for. I love projects that require that level of concentration when I have a lot on my mind. So grateful that this project and the waiting were aligned at the same time! :)

Still no word about the job, so today I'll be trying to keep the mind occupied on my own. Scary! I know I'm not good at it and it seems the more I try, the harder it is for me to get lost in something. Suggestions anyone???

As for the regrets...something happened with another friend yesterday that is weighing heavily on me. A discussion that took an unexpected path. And then fell right off a cliff. It makes me terribly sad that it happened and even more sad that I'm not sure I can "fix" it. I'm spending lots of time replaying and analyzing things and trying to determine what I could have done different. There will be much self-examination resulting from this and I'm going to try and find the opportunity for personal growth from the experience. Hugs to my friend...and apologies.

A good Saturday...

2010-01-31T07:14:00.005-05:00

Crazy cold here yesterday, but I needed to go grocery shopping so I bundled up and headed out to Trader Joe's to stock up on some favorites. And to get the things I needed to make these Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Muffins:

I used a Trader Joe's Extra Dark chocolate candy bar for the chocolate in the recipe and extra berries. They are delicious! The batter is wonderful (love that it's got yogurt in it) and I can see lots of options for add-ins and new combinations.

I wanted to share this little project I made in an effort to help keep myself organized better this year. Receipts are the bane of my pocketbook...they're everywhere and it takes forever to find one if I need it. I've tried neatly organizing them in my wallet, but they quickly take over and make it too bulky. So I bought 12 of these 6" x 9" envelopes and used my Bind It All. Now I have a spot to keep the receipts organized by month. Perfect!

I'm off to get ready to help my friend do inventory. I'm bringing some of the muffins for some energy!

Happy Sunday!

Is it Monday yet? No....

2010-01-30T09:03:00.003-05:00

Patience is a virtue I sometimes struggle with. And right now I'm struggling to wait for news that's coming on Monday. Which seems about 1000 days away right now. I really, really wish I could channel this nervous energy into something good...housecleaning, creating something (a layout, a card...anything), a nice long, energetic walk. I'm going to head out in a bit to do some grocery shopping...which I love and which will keep me busy for a bit. And trying to stay warm in this lovely arctic chill we have will take up some time too. :) Tomorrow I'm helping out a friend do inventory. Hopefully that will wear me out so I'll be able to sleep tomorrow night. Monday though...it's going to be ugly. I know I'll be up early. Way to early for any reasonable person. And then it'll be a long day of staring at the phone and checking email. I'm going to try to come up with a project that will at least keep me a little distracted. Maybe I'll finally get going on the classes that I've paid for and been waiting to start over at JessicaSprague.com or clean out, rearrange and organize my kitchen cabinets and refrigerator. Any other ideas?

The Glue Incident...

2010-01-27T06:48:00.004-05:00

Yes...there was a Glue Incident during one of my classes last weekend! Someone's liquid adhesive exploded when she tried to unblock it. It hit the ceiling, the rug, me, her, the project kit she had just laid out so prettily on the table. It was EVERYWHERE! Who knew that glue could fly like that! I was still finding glue on my face and in my hair when I got home that night. LOL!

I taught 3 classes, my friend Julie taught 4 classes and our friend Liz was our shared assistant. We were crazy busy all day and a few of the classes went over their end time (which was expected). But everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and were happy with their projects. My brain was officially mush at the end of the weekend. There was so much preparing and organizing and running around the days leading up to it. Everything that could go wrong did. By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around and we could relax, we didn't have the energy to do anything more and chat with the ladies cropping at the store. I had all kinds of good intentions about completing a couple small projects that I brought, but they just stayed all nice and snug in my bag waiting for another day. Maybe this weekend...

My unemployment was all squared away at the end of last week and I've received my first couple checks. YEAH! So yesterday was errands and grocery shopping. Lots of fresh veggies in the house again. :)

Today I've got a second interview. I'm nervous and not all at the same time. I'm confident in my abilities, but so unsure about starting a new job. Some days I'm still stunned that I'm not at my old job. But change can be good and I'm doing my best to remember that. I will believe that I will make a good decision about this next chapter in life and which direction to choose. I've thought long and hard about the choices I'm going to need to make and I'm getting comfortable with the concessions I will need to make to get what I want. So...fingers crossed for a good outcome today!

Tonight is my first meeting for the year-long challenges group I joined. We'll be meeting monthly and doing the challenges in the 52 More Scrapbooking Challenges book at my LSS. Tonight we're doing 4 challenges and I hope that I'll actually get 4 pages done. I've made my notes, taken my pictures and now I just have to print the pictures and gather up some supplies to take with me. Should be fun!

Busy, busy...

2010-01-20T16:12:00.006-05:00

It's been a busy week. I've been preparing three classes that I'm going to teach this weekend for my scrapbook store at a scrapbook get away in town. So I've been playing with paper and glue and typing instructions. It's good therapy and keeps me occupied. Here's a little peek...

Yesterday I got a call back for a second interview for a job. So next Wednesday I will get to dress like a grown up again and give it my all. I'm excited. :)

And on a more somber note, yesterday morning I went to my aunt's funeral. She was an amazing and inspiring woman who overcame obstacles that I'm sure would break my spirit. She was incredible and she will be missed. You can read about her here.

Today will be a good day...

2010-01-16T07:14:00.004-05:00

I had plans for today that changed, so I'm going to be creative and inspired and happy. I'm making this choice today and I believe that I can make it happen.

Here's a picture for today. This is the view from my desk a few days ago at sunrise...

May your day be all that you want it to be too!

Waiting and (a lack of) productivity...

2010-01-15T09:03:00.002-05:00

Waiting...for anything...is generally not fun. I knew the schedule of the hiring process when I walked out of the interview on Tuesday, but that's not stopping me from worrying about it one little bit! I know that even if I make it to the second round of interviews, it won't happen until the end of the month. Still worrying. I know that they interviewed candidates until Wednesday and that they then had to present the possibilities to the CEO and that would take place during the next week. Still worrying. I know that the interviewer is going on vacation next Wednesday. Still worrying. I am, without a doubt, my own worst enemy! I need to find a way to turn this worry into productivity! Yes, that's right. I want to be one of those amazing, awe-inspiring people who turn anxiety and stress into fabulously clean homes and organized lives!! It's my fantasy. But in reality, my stress reducer is staring at this computer screen aimlessly hoping for something to grab my attention and hold onto it...while simultaneously wishing the house cleaning fairies would show up and work their magic. I know that I would feel 100% better if I did something (I've done it before. I know it works). But right now, I am struggling to turn my attention away from its current path of job hunting/income producing obsessing. I find myself melancholy for my old job and having somewhere to go each day. I've definitely learned that I function best with a pre-defined schedule. I wish I could be just as productive without one, but I'm not. So, here I sit. Worrying. Hoping. Struggling.

Time to get off this seat and get occupied with something else. Or at least time to really try.

Pictures...

2010-01-12T06:09:00.006-05:00

I keep meaning to add pictures and I keep forgetting! So today they get their own post! Here's a couple of my favorites from Christmas. Hope they make you smile.

Luck and serenity needed...

2010-01-12T05:58:00.002-05:00

Now would be good. I've been up since 4:30 with alternating versions of interview responses and silly Lady GaGa songs running around in my head on a collision course. I have started the process of getting ready for the interview. Yup. 5 hours should be enough time! I've polished the jewelry (although I'm struggling with the idea of my "diamond" studs or the pearls that were suggested by my job coach). I've make some little piles of things that have to go into my purse/tote. I'm getting ready to print my resume and list of references. I've more or less decided on an outfit. I keep reminding myself that this is my "rebound" interview. I most likely will flub something, but it's perfectly normal and expected. I have been trained as well as I can be and did very well on my mock interview with the job coach late yesterday afternoon. I'm just going to BELIEVE that I will do my best and that they will be lucky to have me work there. I am totally capable of making their world a better place!

Yesterday was one of the most productive, organized days I've ever had! It was wonderful! I ran errands with a purpose and actually got them all done. I was only an hour or so over my estimated time of return home and that was because when I finally found shoes that were interview perfect, I was unsure about what size to get...a little tight (because my feet were a bit swollen) or the ones that were a bit loose that I could add a little cushion to to make them fit better. The loose ones at the first store were "wrinkly" near my instep (not a condition I found on the tight ones). Wrinkly is not pretty on patent leather shoes and I knew that I would totally obsess over it while the interviewer would most likely never notice it. So it was off to another store of theirs (20 miles away) that had the same shoes in the bigger size. But this girl was smart! I bought the tight ones just in case and it turned out to be a really smart move! The loose ones at the other store had the same "wrinkly" look to them! ARGH! So hopefully I won't have to do a lot of walking around until these new shoes break in.

Ok...off to shower and get it going. Wish me luck!

Busy day planned today...

2010-01-11T07:28:00.002-05:00

Lots to do, many places to go! I've already made my unemployment call-in certification for last week, created my on-line unemployment account and arranged for taxes to be taken out of my benefits. I've had 2 cups of coffee and taken care of the dogs. Soon, I'll be getting dressed and ready to run errands (list was started yesterday and is sitting here in front of me for last minute additions).

Most important errand for today? Shoes...specifically "interview" shoes. Somehow missed that I needed these in the frenzy of clothes shopping the past couple weeks. I've assembled a totally grown up and professional bunch of clothes to replace/supplement the casual office wardrobe I've had for the past 19 years. But shoes never crossed my mind. I have 2 pairs of very nice black flats, but they don't scream "interview" nice. And the only heels I possess have open toes. Not fun when it's supposed to snow tomorrow and be in the 20s. So today I am in search of shoes that I will most likely not find: sensible mid-heel (kitten heel would be fab!) pumps. HAH! In this day of gladiator pumps and 4" heels this is going to be a difficult mission. Cross your fingers for me!

This afternoon, I'm going to do my nails, organize my papers for all the unemployment stuff, print off my resume on very nice paper and generally get myself ready to rock out that interview tomorrow. All the while battling a tremendous case of anxiety as only I can create. Do I want to work for a bank? Am I completely delusional about my qualifications? What if I actually get offered the job and they only offer minimum wage - then what the heck do I do? Will I even like working in a small office after working in the behemoth big city law firm? Am I going to be able to pull off the super-talented, very professional working woman image I want to present? Heavens - what if my outfit is all wrong for this job??? And so on, and so on...

Off to get this Monday started!

Today is a good day...

2010-01-10T15:26:00.003-05:00

I've found the top of my desk (haven't seen it in months!). I've been uploading current pictures to Scrapbook Pictures in anticipation of actually printing some of the hundreds of photos I've taken in the past few months. I've done some dishes and laundry. I've refrained from harming the dogs (who are doing their absolute best to incite some sort of reaction from me!). I've started organizing my job hunt/unemployment paperwork into a binder so I can find it when I need it without going through piles of paper. I updated my profile photo to one that is only 5 months old! LOL! And I've done all this in my pajamas. A good day indeed!

Ok...unemployment all set...

2010-01-09T09:28:00.003-05:00

Only 1 hour 20 minutes from beginning to end. Not bad I think. And I had a really nice representative which helped a lot. So I should start getting my checks in 3-4 weeks. Unless I manage to land a job. Fingers crossed!

Beginning the unemployment dance...

2010-01-09T08:29:00.002-05:00

Today I am signing up for unemployment (yes...that's one of the updates I owe). It's a bit frustrating that it takes almost 4 minutes (and entering data) to find out that the call center is too busy and you need to call back. I finally got to hold after 6 phone calls. My estimated wait time: 23 minutes. 23 minutes of muzak, announcements and requests to continue to hold. Ugh. But I am grateful that there is a system to help people this way so I'm going to try to not complain about the process. But I'm going to document the process so I can remember this.

Here's to hoping (1) that it doesn't take 4-5 weeks to process my claim and (2) that I get a job soon so I can feel a bit more normal.

A little good news...

2010-01-08T17:40:00.002-05:00

I've got an interview. Finally! It would be so, so cool to have a 7 minute commute! I'm keeping my fingers crossed (and it's going to hurt by the time Tuesday gets here I bet!).

Today's little project...

2010-01-04T09:09:00.003-05:00

Check out the cute printable calendars at Lollychops! I love the tiny one. I had purchased a mini CD case type calendar holder (2 1/4" x 3 1/2") that I wanted to make for my desk but I was having a hard time finding a printable calendar that fit. Thanks to Lollychops, today I'll be making it!

Just wanted to share a photo that makes me laugh...

2010-01-03T12:00:00.003-05:00

Olive was passed out and snoring like this. Notice the tongue sticking out. This puppy makes me laugh out loud every day. She's a nut.

Log Your Memory...

2010-01-03T09:50:00.003-05:00

I just ordered and downloaded Real Life Challenges 2010 from Log Your Memory. I've started printing it (LOVE that my printer does double-sided printing) and when it's done, I'm going to make chipboard covers and bind it. I can't wait to start putting all the stories I want to save in one place instead of always thinking "I need to write that down so I don't forget, but where to write it so I don't forget???". Now I've got a place that has some great prompts to help me along.

It's still snowing here...has been since Friday night! We don't have a huge accumulation, but what's here is starting to drift a bit with all the wind that came last night and this morning. The view from my window is just beautiful. But that thought may change once I have to go out in it today! And we do have to go out. The dogs need food and I need to get a Staples fix. I saw a great idea on a message board about making a receipt holder for the year. My purse is drowning with receipts and I hate it. I'm going to try this project and I'll be thrilled if it helps me keep that little bit of life organized.

Off to bundle up!

Intentions for 2010

2010-01-02T17:00:00.002-05:00

John and I wrote out our intentions for 2010 (doesn't that sound easier to achieve than resolutions???). We read them to each other and then toasted to the new year. Just a little tradition, but one that has a lot of heart behind it.

A new year begins...

2010-01-01T18:29:00.003-05:00

With many changes and new paths to find. Lots of things that should be updated and I'll do that soon. Today I just wanted to start the new year with a simple post documenting my anticipation of all that 2010 will bring and my resolution to embrace the changes that life has thrown my way. My word for 2010 is BELIEVE. This word just resonates with me lately and it seems to be perfect for the upcoming year. I will believe that there is a reason why things happen and that it will be revealed in time. I will believe that change can be good. I will believe that I can achieve my desires and dreams. I will believe.

And I will remember...It's all good!

Happy New Year! May yours be blessed with health, laughter and magic!

For John...

2009-09-23T16:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Engagementaversary baby! One year ago you made me so very happy (with MANY witnesses and photographic evidence to prove it!). I love you!

(still owe an update post, but that's for tomorrow...)

21 day challenge with Rhonna Farrer...

2009-09-11T06:50:00.003-04:00

I'm taking part in Rhonna's 21-day challenge that is now on Day 4. I'm not doing an art project for it, but I am trying to work on a habit that I want to change. With a new puppy, an older sick dog, John's job giving both of us lots of stress and just having a lot of things to do with deadlines, I really feel a need to work on being patient and rolling with what life gives me in the best way I can. So far, so good. Things have been especially stressful since I started this (isn't that always the way? decide to work on patience and suddenly there are MANY things that require just that!) and I've been really happy with the way I've handled things. I've resisted the urge to let anger or frustration get the best of me. And it feels good to succeed. I'm hoping that 21 days of concentrated attention to this will build a good habit that I can maintain.

Thank you Rhonna for doing this challenge again and for the beautiful artwork you're posting every day to encourage everyone!

Meet Miss Olive Mae

2009-09-05T10:29:00.007-04:00

She's the newest addition to the family. She's a 3 month old, potty-trained, crate-trained bulldog. She's the most easy-going puppy I have ever met. She was an immediate member of the family...accepted almost immediately by Enzo and loved immediately by John and I. She's wrinkly, funny looking, snorty and a total love. We are so lucky to have her.

Love these faces...

2009-09-01T14:54:00.007-04:00

Only the little one didn't make a crazy face for the camera...but I'm sure that phase is coming soon!

Check this out...

2009-09-01T14:53:00.002-04:00

There's a very cool give-away at Skip to My Lou. You can see it here. I love these canvases. Very different and fun!

Cool...

2009-08-28T09:44:00.001-04:00

This post is so inspiring me today! And I totally want the key ring and keys.

Older...

2009-08-26T11:39:00.000-04:00

My baby brother turns 40 today. Happy Birthday Pooh (he'll love that!)!

But stop getting older NOW. It makes ME feel ancient!

Signing contracts...

2009-08-23T20:17:00.002-04:00

Well, it's officially official. We've signed the contract for the place we're getting married, picked the photographer (and should be signed up with her this week) and tomorrow John's calling the officiant to reserve him. Wow! It's come together pretty quickly and we're loving what we've got planned.

The weekend flew by. Saturday is a blur and today was almost as fast. For fun (not really!), we gave Enzo a bath this afternoon. I had the leash and the treats and John was the scrubber. And we all got nice and wet. LOL! But the beast is all pretty and nice smelling. Not too happy with us, but he'll get over it. Until tomorrow when the vet comes to the house for a visit! There's a new local vet that makes house calls with a tricked out box truck. They can basically perform surgery on your pet in your driveway! This is a god-send since the beast loves getting in the Tahoe to go for a ride, but has LOTS of issues about getting out of it. I was really surprised that the cost is really comparable to taking him to the vet we've used in the past. It's worth the extra few dollars to not have to drive the 45 mins. to the vet's office (there are others closer, but the one we used was good about volunteering with the local shelters and I wanted to support them). I'll let you know how he does...and if he gets revenge by not letting us sleep.

Time to head to bed. Gotta work tomorrow. Unfortunately.

It's been a busy couple of weeks...

2009-08-19T10:41:00.008-04:00

Making plans for the wedding, telephone calls to get paperwork and contracts, and spending some serious quality time with Charter Cable trying to figure out why they are so incompetent! We also took a quick overnight road trip to Augusta and Camden, Maine (business for John and pleasure for us) and I've spent the past couple weekends having fun hanging out with friends. I've created a wedding planner/scrapbook that I love and I'm having fun filling it up. I've figured out how to shut off the flash on my camera. I've taken a few pictures and even uploaded them to Flickr and Facebook! We've done a good cleaning of the kitchen, taken out the old cafe table set and set up the rolling countertop/cabinet. It's been crazy, fun, frustrating and all the little things that everyday life can be.

But yesterday I got a reality check and a reminder to make sure I do my best to enjoy every day. I witnessed a horrific motorcycle accident that was caused by some kids driving recklessly. I know they didn't set out to hurt someone, but someone was seriously injured because they were playing. It was like watching a stunt man in a movie...only he didn't have a mat to land on. Hopefully the motorcycle rider will be OK (there's nothing in the local papers about it yet...I'm taking that as a good sign). He was conscious and in pain when they were putting him on the board to move him into the ambulance and he did try to move before we stopped him, so hopefully his wounds are the kind that will heal soon. It was just so scary to watch.

And so I don't leave this post ending on a sad note, here are some pictures from Camden. The day was overcast, but it was warm with a lovely breeze....

(p.s. can someone/anyone please tell me why my pictures always load at the top of my post instead of where the cursor is? I have to drag/drop them and for then delete a bunch of returns inserted randomly between paragraphs. Help!)

Wedding Site Available...Check!

2009-08-06T16:28:00.002-04:00

I called today to check with the people at the place we'd like to get married about availability and was happy to find the day we picked is wide open right now. So we'll be making a visit soon to see it in person and make our reservation. Exciting!

I've been having lots of fun checking out wedding planning blogs and photographer websites and surfing Etsy. I've narrowed down the photographer to a couple to talk to and then it's on to flowers and reserving the place where we plan to stay for the weekend. John is going to line up the officiant (very cool prospect for this...hope he's able to do it!).

And those are pretty much all of the things I need to worry about now. The rest is little details that I have plenty of time to figure out.

All this planning is making my inner "Julie, your Cruise Director" very, very happy!

First dilemma arises...

2009-08-01T09:33:00.005-04:00

Apparently I jinxed myself saying how making decisions were just coming easy for me. Although I don't plan on shopping for a wedding dress until closer to the wedding, I wanted to get an idea of what was available in the price range I wanted to spend. And the first time I visited JCrew I fell in love with these two looks:

And then while I was surfing some wedding blogs, I saw this:

Completely different styles, completely different feels. But man oh man, I seriously love those polka dots! And I really didn't want a strapless dress, but I'm obsessed with that skirt. The lovely 1950's poofy look of it. The layers. The dots! It is so different from what I was sure I wanted (see those first two dresses - my vision come to life).

Looks like this decision is going to be tougher than I though...

So much inspiration...

2009-07-31T16:28:00.003-04:00

The web is just an amazing tool. I have spent the last few days surfing wedding blogs and sites and I am overwhelmed by the inspiration I have found. So, so many cute ideas and beautiful photographs. My Blog Reader list is getting huge! It's going to be a fun ride planning this day. :)

Easier...

2009-07-30T11:36:00.002-04:00

It's funny how much easier making decisions is the second time you plan a wedding. I'm finding that there's much less hemming and hawing over something...I either want/like it or I don't. And it's definitely easier eloping! :)

Witnesses...check!

2009-07-29T14:59:00.003-04:00

The plans are starting to roll along. We are eloping with friends so that our witnesses won't be strangers. Today we told them the news and we're good to go! It was fun to start talking details and be sappy about good friends and reminisce about life and it's twists and turns.

In completely unrelated news, I won a prize on the Making Memories blog. I love the new travel line and this will complete my collection! LOL!

Off to work a bit and surf a bit. :)

Almost forgot...

2009-07-28T16:04:00.002-04:00

Happy Anniversary John! Thank you for two of the best years I have known. You make me laugh every day and show me all the time what's important. You are my safe place, my friend, my love.

A peek at where...since when is a secret!

2009-07-28T15:09:00.002-04:00

It's lovely, it's surrounded by beautiful grounds and it's outside. Perfect...just perfect.

Time to plan...

2009-07-26T20:54:00.000-04:00

There's been lots of fun things happening lately, but finally I've got something big enough to get me to writing. John and I made a big decision today. We picked the when and where to make it official. And since we're eloping and surprising people, this is all I get to say. But I wanted to document the news and share with friends that the planning is beginning. Kind of nervous, kind of scared, very happy. I picked up my first (and most likely only) bride magazine - Martha Stewart Weddings - Do It Yourself Style and the binder to make a planner/notebook.

....scroll down a few posts to see my Etsy mini for some of my new favorites! ;)

Life is good and the journey takes a new turn.

Dang it...missed my Wednesday post...

2009-04-16T15:19:00.003-04:00

But I have a good excuse...Dad was admitted to the hospital yesterday and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure today. Lots of homework to do about this... But his spirits are very good and everything else is good. So...one day at a time.

In an effort to make me smile, I found this cute Etsy store with fabulous wall art. Check it out!

Wednesday Inspiration...

2009-04-08T15:22:00.007-04:00

It's been a crazy week. I was able to get a couple days off from work last week and get my scrap area in MUCH better shape that it's been in a long time and start on my NSD classes for Sturbridge Scrapping Corner. Here's a peek:
I got to spend some quality time with the man which is hard to come by lately. And on Saturday, we babysat five...yes FIVE...children for my cousins so they could go out. We had a blast! Pizza and YooHoo for everyone, making cookies, enjoying tiny little cups of Haagen Daaz and Ben & Jerry's ice cream and watching Madagascar 2. Lots of laughs, giggles and pictures.

The little one thought it'd be fun to take a nap from 9:30 - 11:00 and then get up for some serious play time! Silly, sweet little girl! Making googly eyes at John and chattering away!

Now for the inspiration part of the post...although somedays those kids are inspiration enough. :)

Loving the color inspiration here.
Fun projects here.
Dying to get my hands on some of this.
I love to wander around this blog for inspiration: http://danielleflanders.blogspot.com/
And I’m looking forward to playing with this soon!

Scrap Etc. giveway!

2009-04-01T11:25:00.001-04:00

How cool is this news... Scrap Etc. is giving a way 5 spots to their event! Check it out here. I'd love to win a spot!

Wednesday Inspiration...

2009-04-01T10:56:00.002-04:00

Her photos totally inspire me...I can't wait to take her photography class (and get my DSLR when I finally make the cut!).

Really cute new spring/Easter releases here.

Loving this jewelry.

The projects on this blog.

Last night I heard the spring peepers for the first time. I would have loved to have been able to sleep with the windows open so they could peep me to sleep. And this morning the birds were singing like crazy. I love spring!

Just a quick post...and an updated number...

2009-03-29T20:13:00.003-04:00

45. Yup I'm 45 now and amazed that I'm that old. Where did the years go? It's absolutely true that the years go by faster the older you get. I swear I was just 40 and it was just a blink or two before that that I was 35. But I'm grateful for the time and I'm doing my best to spend it well. So...

Happy birthday to me! Here's to many, many more. :)

Etsy...

2009-03-25T08:54:00.003-04:00

I love this site and think that there are some amazing artists here. Etsy created this new toy and now I can share this:

Etsy
Buy Handmade
iScrap

New look, Life and Twitter...

2009-03-22T15:39:00.004-04:00

Ok...time to embrace spring and the changing of the seasons. Today's projects are updating the blog to something pretty (check), getting a new haircut (check), a bit of cleaning (working on that check), and switching to my pretty new green purse (that'll happen tonight while catching up on the shows I've recorded).

I am so happy to post that Dad is doing good and is the proud owner of a lovely new pig heart valve. His surprise surgery was on Wednesday morning. Which I didn't find out until I was already at work an hour away. Lovely. But thankfully there was a train I could take that would get me close the hospital and get me there before the surgery was done. It all worked out well and I was there with plenty of time and able to see the surgeon after the procedure. I got to see Dad right after and that was comforting even though he was still knocked out. The past few days have been hard on him, but today he's feeling better and not sounding as depressed. Hopefully he'll be home in the next day or two and we can get him well again soon. This experience has more or less changed some family relationships for me and made me realize what some people are made of. And it's all sad. Another tough lesson learned.

Yesterday Dawn and I helped out the ladies at Sturbridge Scrapping Corner with their yard sale. It was a fun but exhausting day! We arrived at 7 am, moved all the supplies for sale outside to the parking area (WOW there was a lot of purging of scrap supplies by their customers...Dawn being one of the best at that) and helping keep watch over the yard sale while Julie handled the register and store. Then later in the day we moved what was left after the morning/lunchtime rush back inside. I am thrilled to report that I made over $300 with the things I put out for sale!!! And if you think that's amazing, Dawn made close to $700!!! And the sale was still going on today. I can't wait to get my final total. We get store credit for our sales and the money I've made so far will pay for the balance due on the October crop weekend in Vermont that I've registered for and give me plenty of spending money on account. Goodie!!

There's a new item on my sidebar now too. I've joined Twitter nation! Cathy Zielske is teaching a class in May at Big Picture Scrapbooking. It's only been a couple days, but "micro-blogging" is definitely easier than coming up with a regular blog entry for me. Hopefully I'll find a happy medium between the two.

I'm going to power down the time-sucking toy that is my computer and see if I can squeak in a little scrapbooking this afternoon. John is working 2-10 (ick) today, so it's just me, the dog and a pile of goodies to play with.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Updates and another new look for the holiday...

2009-03-17T11:24:00.002-04:00

I've been itching to change the blog look recently and was trying to hold off for Friday so I could celebrate the first day of spring with a bunch of new things (new blog look, new lovely green purse...). Thankfully the ladies at House of 3 created a cute background for St. Patty's day! Love it.

Updates:

Dad is in the hospital waiting for heart valve replacement surgery. He's been in since last Wednesday and the surgery has been scheduled for Monday, today, and now "maybe" Thursday. It's just one thing after another that keeps delaying the surgery and making every day interesting. They think I'm crazy at work because I keep scheduling the day off and then leaving a message the night before saying I'm coming in. Fun times.
John is having his very own personal problems that are making his life less than fun right now. The two of us are one heck of a party couple this week.
Had a very fun lunch with some old friends last week. It was greet to see everyone and catch up on life.
Loving the warmer weather and all the sunshine. I can't wait to open the windows and air the whole house out.
I've started working on two classes I'm going to teach for National Scrapbook Day at my LSS. I just need to find more time to get them done.

Happy St. Patricks' Day to all!

Wednesday inspiration...

2009-03-11T08:10:00.002-04:00

I think I need a "theme" kind of post for this lonely little blog, so Wednesday inspiration it is!

And that was inspired by this video. Crazy beautiful family. I've been lucky enough to take a couple classes with Emily and she is such a genuinely sweet and insanely talented person. This video really makes me want to go play in a field and take Tara with me!

Cute crafting inspiration here and here and here.

If you've got something that's inspiring you today, I'd love to see it!

Completely random info...

2009-03-10T14:23:00.001-04:00

But just in case it's helpful to someone else...

The "generic" brands of the Alka-Seltzer cold medicine taste much better than the "real thing". No aftertaste at all either!

There. That's it for today. :)

I love New England weather...really!

2009-03-09T14:39:00.002-04:00

Yesterday: 60 degrees
Today: Snow, sleet and rain and 35 degrees.

Welcome to New England. :)

I'm holding off a full-blown cold and wishing for more sleep. This Daylight Savings Time spring ahead always knocks me out.

I had a fun weekend going through my ridiculous scrapping supply stash trying to get organized for a customer yard sale at my LSS on the 21st. I have a HUGE pile of paper and a tub overflowing with embellishments waiting to be sorted out. It feels good to get rid of some stuff and it was inspiring to go through some of my older papers and get ideas to use it again. Tonight I'm going to try and sort through my collection of paper flowers and make up lovely little assortment bags to sell.

Only 10 more days until Spring!

Happy Birthday to the man...

2009-03-03T15:10:00.002-05:00

It's John's birthday today and we're going out tonight for Mexican food. Please see the earlier post about the lovely iPod touch to see what John got for his birthday from me (and him). And he's loving that iPod more and more every day too!

I'm loving the new layer of snow we got yesterday. Everything looks beautiful and clean again! Although I am kind of itching for spring to get here...maybe see some pretty green colors popping up...flowers...and the warmer weather so I can get outside more often. Someday...

Searching for spring...

2009-02-28T08:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday's warm weather (it was still 55 degrees out when I left work!) is making me long for spring. So in an effort to get ready I did a little shopping. Meet the new spring bag that will be arriving soon...

I had a gift certificate to Ann Taylor and they had a great sale code so really, I only paid $16 for this and a white t-shirt (the Loft has the best basic t-shirts). Hopefully they'll be in soon!

Holy moley...I WON!!!

2009-02-27T19:49:00.002-05:00

I actually won the Housewarming Prize from House of 3!!! (I'm still jumping up and down!). There is an amazing book project that I can't wait to make and some gorgeous papers to print. And fabulous frames. Gorgeous quotes and lovely swirly things all over all of it! Thank you so much Heidi, Rhonna and Janet! Be sure to check out their blogs (see my links) and their books they created for the housewarming. I can't wait for the party to start tomorrow...I've got a printer full of ink, some great matte photo paper and all day off. Perfect!

Dreaming...

2009-02-27T16:24:00.002-05:00

Of this:
My tax refund came in today and I had promised myself that I'd order this the minute I got it. But I'm feeling a bit guilty after buying the iPod Touch...which I love more every day! My little pocket Canon isn't dead yet, although it has started acting a bit wonky at times. I think I've made my peace with putting the money away for this and waiting until I actually NEED to replace my camera. Until then, I plan on spending my time playing with the Photoshop Elements 6 upgrade I recently got and taking a digital class or two at http://www.jessicasprague.com/ (these were my Christmas presents to me!).

It's a beautiful day here in NE (almost 60 degrees!) and I never got outside! I hate when that happens. And, of course, we're right back to cold winter weather for the weekend. It's the perfect excuse to stay in my pajamas and play all day. :) Maybe I'll even get to upload some recent projects I've done!

Happy weekend!

Updating the look, checking in and wishing for Spring...

2009-02-25T08:46:00.004-05:00

Loving the new freebie blog look from House of 3! And the fact that it could win me some goodies...even better!

Life has been really hectic and crazy and annoying and fun lately. Here's the quick and easy update done in lovely bullet form:

John's car finally dies...60 miles from home...at the end of January. The "red devil" (his name for it, not mine!) has 190,000 miles on it and was definitely past its prime. This was the kick-off for the past few weeks and set the tone of dealing with/putting out of fires.

I learn that my perfect man has an amazing flaw...car buying completely freaks him out! He was a wreck and had a real hard time finding the fun in the reality of "you have to get one, so enjoy the process". He is now the proud (and happy) owner of a beautiful 2008 black Chevy Trailblazer. Love it!

Without giving TMI...I had a really, really bad monthly happening. Not loving this getting older and all the joys it can bring. It set me back a couple days of feeling lousy. And John proved his wonderfulness all over again.

We had a accident/health scare with my dad that was just too scary. Thank goodness John was able to come get me and bring me to the hospital (a lovely 2 hour drive for him) and that it ended up not being too serious. He's getting old too and he isn't a healthy man overall. His medications got all screwed up, he thought he had a bad cold (turned out to be an issue with a medication that mimicked a cold), was chugging Nyquil to get some relief, not eating and generally just not paying attention to things and it all came to a head and he had an accident with his truck...luckily in his driveway and the neighbor saw it and was able to help him. Hopefully he's on the road back to feeling better after a long visit with his doctor and readjusting of his medications. Did I forget to mention the joy of dealing with siblings and all their lovely quirkiness throughout all of this???

We noted the 20th anniversary of my mother's death. I can't believe it's been that long. And that it can still be so painful sometimes.

Out of the blue...and I really, really, really mean out of the blue...I get a casual "Friend" request on Facebook from two people from my past who are best left there. One was an old roommate/good friend that I had a terrible experience with involving her second husband that resulted in the loss of the friendship and the other was...are you sitting down and ready...my biological father. Really. Couldn't make this up if I tried. Talk about opening up a whole, old, yucky can of worms and sending things spinning for me. I cannot even fathom the thought process for him that this was the way to contact me after almost 20 years. No email through Facebook, just a "Friend" request. I still haven't been able to respond to these and I'm not comfortable just ignoring them or rejecting them. Hopefully soon I'll find right words to send.

John and I celebrated Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day by playing hooky from work on the 13th and going shopping and getting a nice lunch. Here's what we brough home:

I have forgiven myself for falling off the Project 365 wagon this year. I did it all last year and I have come to the conclusion that my life is just NOT that interesting...even to me! LOL! Maybe I'll get recharged to start again when I get a new camera.

I think this post is long enough for now! Back soon with photos and hopefully an updated blog topper with fancy fonts!

Uh oh...Someone please talk me out of this...

2009-02-03T14:55:00.002-05:00

Love, love, love this bag! This site is cool! Check it out: http://jilliwillie.com

So many bright, fun and colorful goodies! I think I've found a home for some of my tax refund!

MIA...blog loser...but boy I'm lovin' the new look!

2009-02-03T09:16:00.003-05:00

Isn't this blog purty now??? Love, love, love this new set up I got from http://houseof3.com/. It's got some VERY cool goodies and 3 of my favorite, fabulous designers! I've already picked out my new blog spring look and 4-5 more I'd love to use.

(Anyone know how I can change the font/location of my title using html??? Help!)

Life has been somewhat crazy the past few weeks...teaching...cleaning...dealing with broken down cars far from home...buying a new one...

A more detailed update to follow soon!

More Project 365 pictures and a new addiction to share...

2009-01-16T13:31:00.007-05:00

Another exciting post for all my fans! LOL! I think I really want to keep the pictures here, as well as in my album. I like the idea of being able to see the year this way too...

January 16 - This morning on my way to work riding down Route 12. And yes - that is a -7 showing for the temperature!

January 15 - We're being good and making the bed every day...one day my bedroom will look all put together. But for now it just looks warm and cozy!

January 14 - The new Vera Bradley Spring lines (such fun bright colors!) and a magazine cover that I find super inspiring. I LOVE that bouquet and the colors.

January 13 - The Project 365 kit arrived! Just as good as I expected and packed with all kinds of things to play with! I'll be posting my pages soon I hope!

Is anyone else addicted to the new show "Leverage"? I love it! Another great addition to TNT. I think I only watch them and USA now. The best shows are there. Especially for someone like me who really, really doesn't like reality TV.

Off to count the minutes away until I can go home and start the weekend. :)

I have to wonder why...

2009-01-14T15:35:00.003-05:00

I got an interesting call from John yesterday when he got home. He said that the cable was working all wonky and that the phone was dead. Then he called back and said that the wires outside the house had been cut and that the wire was all nicely coiled up and near the pole across the street! What??? Yes...the bill was paid (I should own that company by now!) and No...I hadn't asked them to cancel service. So he called the police, had a nice visit with the local officer and then (because I begged him) he made the dreaded call to the cable company. And they confirmed everything (bill paid, service still in place) and set up an appointment for Thursday to come fix it. We think we know who did it (think bratty teenager), but really can't prove it. It's just annoying and stupid. And childish. And wrong. Somedays I just wonder what people are thinking when they do things like this. ARGGGGHHH. But it will all be fixed tomorrow and until then, the DVR is working perfectly and we can catch up on things.

On a happier note, my Project 365 kit came yesterday and it's just wonderful! Love the contents and I'm really looking forward to the long weekend and getting it started and organized.

May your cable stay attached to your house! ;)

Project 365...so far

2009-01-12T15:20:00.017-05:00

Here are the pictures for 2009 so far (boring, but a slice of my life...):

January 1 - just a beautiful winter day. I love the shadows from the trees in my back yard.

January 2 - Practicing my word for 2oo9 - Simplify. I'm packing up old/unused scrapbooking supplies to be donated to the Boys and Girls Club.

January 3 - The lovely receipt for getting the dryer repaired...finally! I'd forgotten the absolute luxury of NOT going to the laundromat to dry my clothes.

January 4 - One of my favorite scrapbook/craft stores - Absolutely Everything! I volunteered here to help do inventory...and make a little spending money. See my post about the lovely, EXPENSIVE day I had! LOL!

January 5 - A fun order of new papers and ornaments to make for next year from my new favorite store! Look at that packaging! Check them out: http://www.emmaspaperie.com

January 6 - I've gotta get all that stuff out that WAY too big pocketbook and into the normal one I should be carrying!

January 7 - John hit the Paycheck Lottery (long story and not about a real lottery) and to celebrate he made this lovely dinner with stuffed pork chops...YUM!

January 8 - My monthly dose of happy and inspiration...my Studio Calico kit! Always fabulous and always fun! Check it out at http://www.studiocalico.com

January 9 - The ugliest building in America - Boston City Hall. Not so too bad with the pretty lights. It's across the street from where I work.

January 10 - Working on a calendar class for my local scrapbook store (Sturbridge Scrapping Corner - http://www.sturbridge-scrap.com/) while I'm at a crop in Southbridge. It came out cute...photo to come later. :)

January 11 - Critter tracks in the fresh snow this morning. Very creative little one - it traversed the yard going under the vehicles...and then back to the woods again.

January 12 - I love Fanueuil Hall. It's such a beautiful building. This is just next door to the office. It's been the site of lots of political doings and I've seen some interesting people there.

I had a fun time scrapbooking with friends at a hotel this weekend. Low key and productive with lots of laughs...perfect! I finished a couple projects which I'll share soon.

Ok...back to work for me. ;)