First Sign...

Rita was out doing her morning business this morning (I managed to sleep to 5:30 a.m....woo hoo!) and we noticed this sign of the changing weather...beautiful in the morning light.

Happy Sunday!

5 on the 5th - Happy Birthday to Me!

Okay, so I originally chose Five on the Fifth because, as luck would have it, my birthday is on the fifth. I think of it as sort of my lucky number though I will say lots of wierd things in my life have happened on the fifth. Anyway, here it is.

The Fifth of September, 2009. My 49th birthday. Pretty darn quiet but sort of nice....

5. FOOTBALL...yes the official beginning of the college football season which included a victory by my alma mater (if you can call a 63-0) blowout a victory...ugh!)
4. A bone for Rita - hey she is my best companion so I thought she deserved a present.
3. Phone calls and well wishes from lots of people from all areas and times of my life!
2. a lovely dinner of steak, potatoes, and a savored bottle of 7 Deadly Zins
1. a leisurely day of crafting, shoppping, tv watching and not much else....not a bad way to start my 49th year!

Serious Catch Up

Wow...it has been quite awhile. And I think it has been quite an August. Loss, change, new opportunities, housework...you name it. Too much to cover in one post so we'll start somewhere. Let's start with the general theme: change. As my friend LCB said yesterday, "God was showing me the signs and I was not getting it so he took matters into his own hands...". Well said. That was definitely the case at State Farm and likely the case at United. I could not let go on my own so he rolled me right into the RIF.
But hey...because he did that I managed to do the following in August:
- participated in a craft fair and found out about some others
- went home for my dad's birthday and hung out with Shella
- found a storage place and moved all of my empty moving boxes there
- was able to open some of the other moving boxes and find long lost items
- cleaned and cleaned and cleaned
- continued to clean and engage in a serious bout of mice wars (more on that in another post..)
- did some beginning organization of said possessions
- went two days early to Creative Escape and hung out with Amy and KAK and Kim and just had fun...umm..and did some shopping too (cough cough).

Of course now it is September and now I seriously have to get my act together. But at least I had an August which allowed me to regroup a little. Right before my 49th birthday. More about that later :-)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

In the sense of equal opportunities, Happy Birthday to my dad. Rita and I travelled down the road a piece this weekend to swelter in Dad and Ann's house (apparently one must swelter a bit before one can turn on the air!) but otherwise enjoy a semi relaxing weekend. A few highlights:

- dinner with Shella....our favorite Chinese!
- a few new pieces of paper and some Tim Holtz stamps
- hanging with the kiddos
- helping Dad with the computer
- finally pizza and salad with everyone...
- a long drive home behind semis and motorcycles and other crazies...oh well!

Good weekend and happy Monday. More photos soon..

This is starting to look familiar

In the great book holding the grand plans for all of us, someone is turning a page again. Below is the picture of my fortune at the Chinese restaurant last Sunday. I picked two out of the basket and gave one to Donna. This was mine.

I get it, God...or chinese government, one of the two of you.

Behind

Behind is what she tells the Orkin man when he looks at the piles of paper and boxes he wants her to clean up. Behind she tells the landlord when he asks how long it has been since she mopped the back hallway. I tell the dog, my friends, my neighbors...the list is long and ugly.

On August 5th, we are in the beginning of recreating our life again. But more on that later. And more on the new inhabitants of our house too. For now, it is simply five on the fifth.

5. Delightful weather. I did break a bit of a sweat today (not a real sweat but a baby sweat) - today was 81. which brings us to number 4
4. Upcoming 90 degree plus weather. bring out the water and the beer :-)
3. New phone...how the heck do I check messages.
2. Cleaning and more cleaning. Mice pee stinks.
1. Getting ready for Katydid Designs. May she at least not stink.

5 on the 5th - July

Life seems to speed by faster than the speed of light. The last two weeks have been incredibly hot and then cool, crazy at work, crazy trying to finish up things for my Flea Market debut (more on that later). In the end the weekend was different, not at all like I planned, but still fun. Happy Fourth of July Weekend all! Let Freedom Ring!

5. Sleeping till 9 a.m....how did that happen?
4. Brunch with my dad on CJ's outdoor patio...watching the airplanes and talking about life and cameras
3. Driving through the countryside, looking at our old homes, with the top down in the red convertible
2. Driving home through a different countryside...watching the barns and the flags and the awesome spirit of our state
1. laying in bed, drinking a cold beer with a happy puppy by my side!