Do Any of My Canadian Blog Friends---


live near Alliston, Ontario?

The End of an Era


Hmm..sounds fancy for getting rid of an extra house.  I think today will be the last day at the old house before it becomes somebody else's new house.  It will make me a little sad but it definitely needs to go.  It is the house we moved into when we came to this town and I was glad to have it.  It is almost twice as big as our first house and worked well for two growing kids.  We would still be in the house if it wasn't for the deterioration of the neighborhood and the increased crime activity.  Every time I go there I think about what I would do to change things up -- a perpetual "project" -- no, I don't think I am into "projects" anymore -- we have done many.  So, I am spending the day there, picking up the last few bits of our "stuff" that I have no where to put and really no need for and do the last vacuuming before the realtor comes.  I think I am ready.

There are a couple of reasons why I am ready -- the first is that I am tired of dealing with, worrying about and feeling guilty over this other house.  It takes up too much time and thought.   The second reason is  that I am ready to get on with our new "retired" routine.  I don't really think it is going to affect my routine too much in the long run but for the last three weeks it certainly has.  What with trying to keep the hubs busy so he doesn't sit and stew and trying to get the other house finished, it is like we are on perpetual vacation and we all know what coming home from vacation is like -- piles of laundry and feeling completely out of kilter.  I am ready to be on a regular routine so things feel right again, I think that will go a long way to making me feel like this "retirement" is a bit less of a disaster.  I am also ready to be rid of the other house because I am planning a bit of a weekend getaway.  I am not sure when but I would like it to be as spontaneous as possible and I want to go to my favorite place in the Texas hill country -- Fredericksburg.  Fredericksburg is a neat little town and one that a lot of my family came from -- well, around that area anyway.  Just down the road is an even smaller town called Harper which is where my family really came from and it is just a short drive from Fredericksburg and a neat place to visit if you are into genealogy.  I am hoping to take a lot of photos, maybe eat some good German food and spend the night in a nice little B&B -- maybe even a Sunday House.  More on it later -- if we actually get there.

So, on that note, I am off to bring this latest project to a close and get it done before the 104 degrees kicks in.  More later!

Still here!

It has been a week since my last post -- things have been hectic here! After our abrupt change in status, we have been making a huge effort to pull things together -- i.e. get rid of the "other" house.  We have been sitting on this "other house" for six years.  It has been really convenient to not get on with the business of getting rid of the "other house".  However, now the push is on because we just need to consolidate so we can relax in our new retirement -- yuck.

So, anyway, we have been working on that for a week now and are pretty nearly done and ready to call in one of the investors that have been contacting us about it.  Hopefully the "other house" will be somebody else's home pretty soon. 

In the midst of all of this I have been able to come to terms with the retirement issue reasonably well.  It isn't half bad having the Hubs around, no long traveling assignments, no iron-clad schedule dictated by the powers that be -- uh, were.  All in all, I think he is doing pretty good and that is making me feel better about  it.  I have just this minute been told that we are taking a day off and going out and doing something "fun".  What that is I have no clue but in our 100+degree weather I hope it is indoors -- and not Lowe's or Home Depot.  Shhh -- I didn't say that out loud, did I?

Anyway, I don't have much going on here but packing things and vacuuming a vacant house.  I am still reading "Franny and Zooey"  -- only because I haven't had time to read in the last couple of weeks.  Hopefully it will be done soon because I am behind on my reading challenge and I am really wanting to enjoy another Aunt Dimity book -- they are such fun!

So, since I don't have any neat photos of my own (maybe that is what we should do -- go on a photo taking venture) I will direct you to my daughter's blog so you can see photos of my granddaughter and her own personal library.  Feel free to visit http://thewilcoxfamily.wordpress.com for some really cute photos -- no prejudice here at all!

I Won't Lie

but I am a bit more than down in the dumps.  The last week has been monumentally challenging.  A week ago at this time, we were dealing with the realization that my husband was newly retired.  Then we took the car in for routine maintenance only to have to buy a new battery since the old one died in the parking lot at the shop! I guess I could look at that as providence -- it could have died in the grocery store parking lot.  I am trying for the half full glass here. I was also dealing with the fact that in one weeks time I would be doing more major dental work. So, the rest of the week was spent as I usually spend it -- laundry, cleaning, sewing -- nothing new here except trying to deal with all the drama that descended upon  me rather quickly.

Well, here I am a week later.  The Hubs seems to be doing quite well -- he has been doing some yard work -- good exercise for him.  I looked at him today and he looked really good -- his face was lineless and he didn't have that tense, stressed look about him that had become the norm.  He was surveying all his gardening and he seemed ok -- no, more than ok.

The car is in good working order and seems to like her new brakes and new battery.  Yes, my car is a girl.  If she had a name it would be -- well, I don't know what it would be -- so many possibilities.  Maybe Giselle.  Hm...I have to think about that.

I, on the other hand, am not too happy.  I sat in the dentist chair for two hours as he drilled away a brand new crown, destroyed a relatively new crown and removed the tooth with the fractured root.  It was difficult.  I thought it would be easier but I was wrong.  It is sore and will be more so tomorrow but the thing that is really hurting is my tongue! Don't have a clue why but it is killing me and I am just not feeling well.  It makes me wish it was autumn and I could curl up in a nice, warm robe, dose myself up with something painkilling which I could do anyway but it isn't quite a nice without the nice, warm robe.  I would put a fire in the fireplace and just sit.  However, it is 103 outside so no fire and no robe.  A cup of tea would be nice but ice water is more appropriate.  So, here I sit -- not at all happy but I am sure things will get better.  The last time I did all this dental work -- about six weeks ago -- I lived off chocolate malts but I am going to try to do better this time.  Chocolate malts don't really fill you up, just out.

On a different note, however, there is much news out of Texas this week.  Glenn Beck is moving here and starting a new television station.   I know, I know, but I like Glenn Beck.  I don't always agree with him and don't always listen to his radio program but I find him to be entertaining.  Who knows, I might even run into him say at Home Depot or someplace.  After all, he is moving close to my daughters neighborhood.   In more disturbing news, rumor has it that Casey Anthony might move to Texas.  Disturbing.  Very Disturbing.  And...Texas is fighting for the lowly incandescent light bulbs.  Actually, Texas is fighting against what it sees as too much Federal Government intervention into our lives.  We will see how that works out.  Could create jobs if we open up a bunch of light bulb factories.  Who knows what turn it could take. 

So, with that I am going to make that cup of tea, put on a nice, summer duster and curl up with my book "Franny and Zooey" and read.  After another dose of Advil and a good night's sleep I think I might be ready to get back into the business of life.

Yes, Dear, It Is Saturday

Yes, it is Saturday, the only day this week I actually recognize.  The past week is sort of a blur -- it seemed to whiz by and yet stand still.  It was confusing from the beginning and no, I am not getting senile.  So for today, Saturday, to look normal is a huge blessing and relief to me.

It all began on Monday, July  4th.  A Monday holiday throws the whole week off from the beginning in my opinion although it was a lovely day.  Some of the kids came over for hot dogs and we had a lovely time.  Missed the ones who couldn't be there but we understand.  Unfortunately, we couldn't see any fireworks.

I was still dealing with the toothache and got up Tuesday morning, which felt like Monday, and headed to the dentist.  He discovered that I have a fractured tooth root -- very strange, probably broke it on a popcorn kernel.  Ok, so I scheduled an extraction (there is nothing that can be done -- I mean, you just don't amputate a root!) and prep for a bridge.  Yay -- just did this last month on another tooth.  I went to the  desk to make the appointment,  they gave me the estimate and told me that I had maxed out my insurance.  I said I really wanted to get all this done before my husband retires -- haha -- LOL!

Wednesday rolls around, the tooth is still hurting and hubs came home and said they offered him early retirement and he took it.  Major reorganization, it seems and I just don't think he wanted to be a part of that.  Well, I can understand that but let's see, just how quickly can we throw Melissa into a tailspin?  Pretty darn quickly, actually.

So, Thursday and Friday have been spent getting things in order, had a little bit of banking to do and was actually waiting for a day when he would be home because he needed to be able to go with mee so we got that done.  The car maintenance was due so we scheduled that for Friday.  Took it into the shop, got the necessary stuff done, we were told that the factory battery was about the give up the ghost but we said we would look into that later.  Well, later came sooner than we expected because when we went to pick up the completed car, the battery wouldn't turn over so we spent another 20 minutes of our life waiting for them to put in a new battery.  So far, Friday wasn't looking so good.  We spent the rest of the day at our former abode getting things ready to sell it.  We got a lot done but it seemed like a comedy of errors, for sure.

That brings us up to today -- the only normal day this week.  I spent my morning cup of tea time out on the patio just trying to take stock of all that happened this week  -- trying to figure out a new routine -- trying to convince myself that retirement is not just another word for old age.  Of course, I do need to remember that the Hubs is the one retired -- so far my job description hasn't changed one whit.  Considering that I am not a flexible person this is probably a good thing.

NOT HAPPY

I was fine Friday.  I woke up with a slight toothache on Saturday that just continued to get worse.  I went to the dentist today and learned that I have a fractured root on one of my molars.  This will result in the loss of the tooth and another bridge.  The tooth is currently crowned with the second crown of its life and this crown is only about five months old.  I usually have a very high pain tolerance but not doing so well with this one.  I have seven days of antibiotic to take and then the .... well, I will spare you. Ok, taking a nap now.

I don't really know if this counts but  my latest acquisition is

I received it in the mail yesterday and looked at it today.  I mistakingly reported it, in a previous blog, as 350 recipes but it is 300 and each one looks wonderful.  I have a bread machine that I have had for years and years but have only started using it on a regular basis for a short time.  I do like it and I have one white bread recipe that is a hit at every dinner I serve it.  I am thinking that trying one recipe a day, give or take, would be a great blog entry -- sort of like the girl in Julie and Julia sans pearls.  However, to start today would require that I go to the grocery store and since it is my anniversary and it is only 7:37 a.m., I think I will just pass on that and maybe start on Monday!  We will see.

Size Matters


I would estimate that my library consists of about 2500-3000 books.  This is the largest it has ever been and I HAVE downsized some.  I have a weakness for craft/stitching/sewing books and have even received two new ones in the mail this week -- thank you Amazon.com.  I also seem to have much more of a "thing" for cookbooks than somebody should who doesn't like to cook -- received one in the mail this week --- thanks again, Amazon.

The only reason that I don't have more books is because I have no more space, hence the e-reader.  I don't even know where I am going to put the three new ones.  Right now they are next to my chair.  The cookbook will probably stay in the kitchen since it is a bread machine cookbook and I LOVE my bread machine -- 350 recipes, a new one each day! Wow, that sounds like a challenge.  I digress.

I would naturally assume that  my childhood library was the smallest but I have no idea how many books I had.  I will say that my mother had to get my grandfather to build bookshelves on one wall of my room to hold them.  We were big fans of books clubs -- The Best In Children's Books and Nancy Drew were two of them.  I still have many of those books and some that I inherited from JLSHall -- mostly Bobbsey Twin books.  I also liked the Honey Bunch books and have actually acquired a few more of those quite recently.  I still love children's books and I still buy them. 

So, that is about the size of it for my library -- haha! As much as I hate to admit it, I have no control over my buying habits and, at my age, I probably won't even try -- I have a great idea for closing in the patio for a nice little sun porch/reading room completely with -- yes, more bookshelves!