I think I'm back.  I just spent some time updating the look and my info so at least one new post is called for.  I'm still alive, still married and still have pups and hoard paper.  There have definitely been some changes - both good and bad - but life continues on and I'm still doing my best to enjoy the ride.  A girls' weekend (me and the pups) is beginning, so I'm sure I'll be back again soon to share what's going on here while we embrace the beginning of fall and the rhythm of a new season.

2014 Week 7...

Ummm...more and more and more snow.  And to make it even more fun...a now broken snowplow so it's all shoveling all the time until there's a warmer day to work on it.  Good times here in Central Massachusetts.  Another good stock market week making that huge project bearable (and thankfully it's almost done).  Lots of good food.  And an excellent shopping trip - $37 of stuff for $9!  I had coupons for almost everything I bought and they took them all!

Finished my second book of the year - Six Years by Harlan Coben.  Great read!  Trying to decide what to start next.

2014 Week 6...

Snow, longer days, snow, a surprise for my sister (tickets to see Bret Michaels a few days after her birthday), snow and some baking.  A good week for us in the stock market made the HUGE project I'm working on a little more bearable.

2014 Week 2...

An expensive week - oil delivery and new tires for my car (and just realized yesterday we need propane too...ugh), but overall a good one.  Missing a couple pictures from John, but I am trying to get a good schedule groove going, so I'm posting without (Sorry John!).

2014 Week 1...

A good week to start the year.  Blizzard.  Extra day off.  Relaxing.  Good food.  Time with friends. 

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

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...

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! ;)

Looking for some reviews...

Does anyone have this printer? It's the HP Photosmart A826 Home Photo Center. I have an HP portable printer now, but it's life expectancy is almost up and I want to start researching it's replacement ahead of time. I'd love feedback on this (or any other portable printer you love).

Last night's commute was a BREEZE! I got home earlier than normal! It seems that everyone stayed home and only the people who love winter like me (and aren't afraid to drive in it) came to work. :)

I'm going to see if I can upload some of my pictures for Project 365 today. I was one of the lucky ones who actually got this:

It should arrive at my house this week. I love this kit and I can't wait to dig into all the little goodies! I did my own Project 365 last year and never finished the book I started for it (heck...I still have MONTHS of pictures to print!). One day soon I'm going to have to take a whole day and upload my photos to http://scrapbookpictures.com and place a huge order. At least then all the 2008 pictures will be handy to work on when I have a few minutes.

Is anyone else doing Project 365? I'd love to hear how you're documenting it!

I really love winter...

Really. Truly. I love snow and the cold and the quiet that happens this time of year. The only thing I don't love is the commute home and the short days. We've had plenty of snow here this winter so far, but today was our first "wintery mix". Not as much fun or as pretty as snow. And it tends to make my usual 1 hour commute something horrific. So please keep your fingers crossed that I'm home at some reasonable hour tonight.

And if you need a smile today, this article had me giggling at my desk:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/01/hungry_seal_hit.html

Very resourceful little critter! And too, too cute!

Goals and a working dryer!

I know...odd title line! LOL!  But today I got my dryer fixed.  It's been broken since April and while it was easy to be green and line dry the laundry all spring and summer, it's been weekly trips to the laundromat to dry since October.  I've been doing the happy dance all afternoon listening to the beautiful sound of that dryer doing it's thing!  And it only cost me half of what I thought it was going to!  Life can be good indeed.   :)

Now for the planned post...goals for 2009.  John and I wrote these down on Thursday night (without seeing what the other was writing) and we're putting them on the refrigerator as reminders to help us stay on track.

Me:

1.  Re-do the bedrooms (new wallpaper and accessories)

2.  Develop good housekeeping habits and find a schedule that works

3.  Try 20 new recipes

4.  Clean/organize front porch and shed

5.  Work on yard - plant berries, plan/plant front bed and fix front path

John:

1.  Be better with keeping the house clean 

2.  Organize and clean shed

3.  Improve gardens and yard

4.  Work on pickup truck 

5.  Do things to keep the romance alive

LOVE his #5!  I'm a lucky girl!

Tomorrow I'm off to help do inventory at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, Mass.  This is one of my favorite scrapbook/stamp stores and I was thrilled to have an excuse to take a road trip out there (it's over an hour away) AND get paid for fondling papers (which I do for free every other visit! LOL!).  

Off to watch Peyton Manning do his thing and cuddle with the man on the couch.  

Fun times...

I had an unusually good weekend...lots of lucky shopping, laughs and good times.

Saturday I went to Target to get treats for Enzo and decided that I'd wander the store a bit since I had some free time. I actually found jeans that fit (and were on sale!), got a new backpack/purse for my trip to the Simply Southern Scrapbook Convention, http://www.simplysouthernscrapbook.com/, a couple new tops and some presents for John. Unbelievably good shopping for me! Then it was off to Wright's Farm for dinner - YUMMY! And we ended the night with John giving me a tour of Woonsocket and his "beat" from when he was on the police force there. Let's just say it was very interesting. Saw some things I hadn't seen before and will be OK not seeing again. But it was nice to get to see where he lived and worked for 13 years.

Sunday was apple picking day with my girls, DJ and Shelly. What a gorgeous day we had and all the kids were in good moods! The only "bad" part was that I forgot my camera in the car and didn't get any pictures of them actually picking the apples. Bummer! But we had a great time, picked about 40 lbs. of apples and stuffed ourselves with fresh kettle popcorn! Then it was off to meet John for lunch at McDonalds (part of the tradition), visit Grampa with all the kids - so good to see him smile and laugh with them - and a quick trip to PetCo and Michael's at the girls' request. And after all that, I parked myself on the couch and John and I watched TV and relaxed the rest of the day.

Life is good! Pictures of the fun to follow...

So many changes...

It's been a very interesting few months in so many ways. I know I can't cover it all, so I'll just give the highlights...

First and most important...there is now John. A man who was my best friend many years ago and who is my best friend again. There is a very cool story to go with this, but that 's for another time.

New furnace (ugh!!!) coming next week. Should be interesting to see how they get the old one out and the new one in. Remember, I live in the house that Bubba built. Seriously.

I finally got the desk from Pier1 that I've been drooling over for a couple years! Love it! And a really nice leather club chair from Target that fits my living room perfectly.

I blew a head gasket on the Tahoe. Enough said about that one.

Been struggling with my grandfather getting cancer (on top of his other health problems) and getting the right care for him. Not fun at all.

And struggling with the stupid things your family does when things like that happens. Somedays it's not so bad to be an only child I think.

Ok...gotta run for now. Be back soon. Really!