Well, we got power back home in Jersey. My sis called yesterday and I guess we've dodged the horrors
of being without it for over a week. We will set out today going all interstates to avoid some of the road
and bridge washouts that happened throughout VT. The problem with hitting detours in VT is that you sometimes have to drive miles on dirt roads to get around the problem and back on the "main" road again and it is time consuming. It's been a really nice vacation. There's always things we didn't get to do(I took my golf clubs for a ride again and never used them), no matter how long we're here, but all in all, it's been great. I love New Hampshire more and more every time I visit.
Lots of folks living there from Jersey and other states, so there's many reasons folks live there. Being stunningly beautiful is just one. It was nice to visit Hillary, who looks great this soon
after transplant. Still can't believe her hubby spent his early childhood living within a half mile of Tim, and just 3 miles from where we live in the next town. There is nothing much in Tim's home town. Crazy to meet up with someone in NH who lived there. SUCH a small world. Gotta get packed and drag Tim and Liv outta bed now. Hoping to be home by dinner time.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Flood
Well, I'm up here in VT while half my home state is under water. Tim woke up with what I guess was
a wicked migraine, got sick to his stomach ,and I gave him an Ativan. He feels MUCH better. That stuff is awesome. His dad was walking around in a rotten mood, knowing his power in NJ was out, therefore his basement is taking on water with no pump running. I was tempted to slip him an Ativan!!! Olivia's friends were posting photos on facebook and even though we don't generally get water in our house or our 2 family, I have NEVER seen floods like this in my life. I started
to worry about my rental. A little river is right behind it but we are elevated from it quite a bit. Luckily, my sis and bro-in-law checked both houses and we are dry and I am so thankful. My downstairs tenant is "stuck" in Hilton Head and we had to check her apt. because part if it is on the basement level. All is OK. The river has greatly overflown its banks and is raging like crazy just about 30 or so feet from the back of the house so my upstairs tenants have a heck of a view, but as long as it stays out there, we look to be getting through Irene
in good shape. Feeling awful bad for those who aren't. My sis and bro-in-law went to check out my in-laws'
house down there, they have 2 feet of water in the basement and everything is being ruined. My father-in-law is taking it pretty well, now. It's a helpless feeling being 350 miles away, so I'm surprised he's behaving this well, and has not even cracked a beer all day. Kudos to Tim for being the one always thinking about property pitch and all that stuff with the houses we have bought. It never occurred to me at the times but one sees now how darn important it is. On a "lighter note", well.....kinda......maybe not, Tim's sis and family just lost their cat after 18 years.
They buried it in the back yard. Tim's sis had to jog across the yard to run down a flying umbrella(they are also flooded and bailing out their basement.) Suddenly, her leg sunk way down in the mud as she was running and she realized she had accidentally stepped on the new grave and sunk in. Pushed poor Sassy even further down, it seems. Poor kitty. She had to reach down into the mud to retrieve her clog.
Anyway, here is our PICKLE:
We have no electric back home. Tim's cousin, in Oregon, was watching a news feed from the NYC metro area and our little 2 mile wide town was actually listed as the worst hit in the area. Nothing like getting honorable mention in the "up shits creek" category. I'm hearing rumors we won't have electric until next week. Do we go home tomorrow as planned, to no lights, A/C, fridge, hot water, TV, or computer(GASP), or do we stay here in VT with all these modern conveniences?
I have every intention of starting a diet when I get home, but hunting and gathering wasn't exactly what I
had in mind! If I could shower, this would be a no-brainer, 'cause we are here with THE OUT-LAWS,
doncha know, so the other conveniences, like eating, wouldn't be so missed, all things considered!!!
a wicked migraine, got sick to his stomach ,and I gave him an Ativan. He feels MUCH better. That stuff is awesome. His dad was walking around in a rotten mood, knowing his power in NJ was out, therefore his basement is taking on water with no pump running. I was tempted to slip him an Ativan!!! Olivia's friends were posting photos on facebook and even though we don't generally get water in our house or our 2 family, I have NEVER seen floods like this in my life. I started
to worry about my rental. A little river is right behind it but we are elevated from it quite a bit. Luckily, my sis and bro-in-law checked both houses and we are dry and I am so thankful. My downstairs tenant is "stuck" in Hilton Head and we had to check her apt. because part if it is on the basement level. All is OK. The river has greatly overflown its banks and is raging like crazy just about 30 or so feet from the back of the house so my upstairs tenants have a heck of a view, but as long as it stays out there, we look to be getting through Irene
in good shape. Feeling awful bad for those who aren't. My sis and bro-in-law went to check out my in-laws'
house down there, they have 2 feet of water in the basement and everything is being ruined. My father-in-law is taking it pretty well, now. It's a helpless feeling being 350 miles away, so I'm surprised he's behaving this well, and has not even cracked a beer all day. Kudos to Tim for being the one always thinking about property pitch and all that stuff with the houses we have bought. It never occurred to me at the times but one sees now how darn important it is. On a "lighter note", well.....kinda......maybe not, Tim's sis and family just lost their cat after 18 years.
They buried it in the back yard. Tim's sis had to jog across the yard to run down a flying umbrella(they are also flooded and bailing out their basement.) Suddenly, her leg sunk way down in the mud as she was running and she realized she had accidentally stepped on the new grave and sunk in. Pushed poor Sassy even further down, it seems. Poor kitty. She had to reach down into the mud to retrieve her clog.
Anyway, here is our PICKLE:
We have no electric back home. Tim's cousin, in Oregon, was watching a news feed from the NYC metro area and our little 2 mile wide town was actually listed as the worst hit in the area. Nothing like getting honorable mention in the "up shits creek" category. I'm hearing rumors we won't have electric until next week. Do we go home tomorrow as planned, to no lights, A/C, fridge, hot water, TV, or computer(GASP), or do we stay here in VT with all these modern conveniences?
I have every intention of starting a diet when I get home, but hunting and gathering wasn't exactly what I
had in mind! If I could shower, this would be a no-brainer, 'cause we are here with THE OUT-LAWS,
doncha know, so the other conveniences, like eating, wouldn't be so missed, all things considered!!!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Now THIS is funny
If you ever met my sister's mother-in-law.....well...lets just say people cross the street to avoid running into her. I know, 'cause I've done it. She is just nuts, takes narcissism to a whole new level, and honestly, she will strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, start talking about her medical problems, and before long will be describing her bowel movements to them. Again... I know, 'cause....you get the picture. She almost destroyed my sister's marriage to her son because she could not let him go. She then thought she would raise their daughter too, when she was born. I guess it seemed natural to her since she treated her son like her husband. Mind you, her own daughter moved out of the house before she was even 18 and then left for Boston so she could stay away from her. Anyway, my sister at one point had to keep her out of her home for 6 months because the woman started a fight there right in front of her daughter. When she was allowed to visit again my sis and her husband told her that for now on, there would be boundaries that she would obey or she
would not be permitted to visit anymore. So, cut to a few weeks ago, she gets my 8 yr. old niece in her bedroom alone and procedes to tell her about her brother who was an alcoholic and committed suicide.
(sidebar here, her brother's widow then changed her phone number AS WELL as her daughter's cell # and told my sis' m-i-l they didn't want to hear from her again.) Then she started talking about how cigarettes cause cancer and kill you. My bro-in-law smokes and drinks beer so these really aren't things my niece needs to hear. Then she starting telling her about what happened in NYC about the kid that was grabbed and killed. When my sis found all this out after she left, she sent her an
e-mail and told her that this was inappropriate and the kid was freaked now. She needs to put it in writing and cc her husband or his mother will lie about what my sister said. I know Miss Paula may be bursting about now. BTW, Cathy's(my sister) m-i-l lives in Georgia now. So anyhoo, the m-i-l wanted to do skype with my niece now and my sis told her husband that is the only way they will talk now because this woman cannot be trusted on the phone to talk appropriately to an 8 yr. old. At least with skype, my sis can hear it all.
So my sis and her family just went to Lake George for a week. They take my b-i-l's father, who is divorced from his mom, YA THINK. His mom is remarried. They would never take his mom though. There's no way theywould let her ruin their vacation. So Chris(my b-i-l) has a brother who at mid 30's has his first girlfriend ever. She is a really pretty school teacher but Mike refuses to even tell his mother he has a girlfriend after seeing what she did to my sis' relationship with his brother. They've been dating since Dec. and his mom has NO idea. So Mike last minute decides to rent a cabin with the woman and go to Lake George with everyone else. The cabin was disgusting but they stuck it out. He asks my sis not to tell his mom about his girlfriend. She says,
"no worries there Mike but all bets are off with a 4 and 8 year old." He said, " I know, but just make sure you and Chris don't slip." So cut to a skype conversation that just happened a few hours ago. My 8 yr. old niece, who thinks she's 30, told her grandma that she doesn't want her talking about anything violent to her anymore. Then Bobbie( the name grandma made up because she doesn't want to be called grandma) says,
"Ya know what Sierra? someday, me and Dino(her husband) would like to come to Lake George with you guys." (My sis almost chokes and is reaching for her blender and margarita mix at this point) Bobbie says,
"we wouldn't stay in the same house, we'd get our own place and just stay for 3 days or so." So with that Sierra says, "Well OK Bobbie but whatever you do, don't stay in the place Mike and Dana stayed in!" Cathy and Chris are like OH NO and they quietly get her attention and say "Sierra!" and start giving the slash across the throat sign to get her to stop saying this, to which Sierra says, "Uh Oh Bobbie, everyone is doing this to me now" as she shows Bobbie on skype the universal "cut" throat slashing motion. Bobbie is on her skype down in Georgia silent with her mouth hanging open. She's in complete shock and Cathy says to Chris, "MAY DAY, hurry up and call Mike with a heads up!" Now I don't know if this reads funny. I can tell you that if you knew the characters in this little ditty, you'd know how doggone funny this is. My sis just told me on the phone and I am still chuckling. I tell ya, kids are a riot. My condolences go out to Mike tonight who is NEVER going to hear the end of this and is probably on the phone now getting the lecture of his life. When his girlfriend mentioned to Cathy once that Mike doesn't seem to want her to meet his mom(she hasn't a clue why), my sister told her she understood his reasoning and she'd ride that as far as she could if it were her.
would not be permitted to visit anymore. So, cut to a few weeks ago, she gets my 8 yr. old niece in her bedroom alone and procedes to tell her about her brother who was an alcoholic and committed suicide.
(sidebar here, her brother's widow then changed her phone number AS WELL as her daughter's cell # and told my sis' m-i-l they didn't want to hear from her again.) Then she started talking about how cigarettes cause cancer and kill you. My bro-in-law smokes and drinks beer so these really aren't things my niece needs to hear. Then she starting telling her about what happened in NYC about the kid that was grabbed and killed. When my sis found all this out after she left, she sent her an
e-mail and told her that this was inappropriate and the kid was freaked now. She needs to put it in writing and cc her husband or his mother will lie about what my sister said. I know Miss Paula may be bursting about now. BTW, Cathy's(my sister) m-i-l lives in Georgia now. So anyhoo, the m-i-l wanted to do skype with my niece now and my sis told her husband that is the only way they will talk now because this woman cannot be trusted on the phone to talk appropriately to an 8 yr. old. At least with skype, my sis can hear it all.
So my sis and her family just went to Lake George for a week. They take my b-i-l's father, who is divorced from his mom, YA THINK. His mom is remarried. They would never take his mom though. There's no way theywould let her ruin their vacation. So Chris(my b-i-l) has a brother who at mid 30's has his first girlfriend ever. She is a really pretty school teacher but Mike refuses to even tell his mother he has a girlfriend after seeing what she did to my sis' relationship with his brother. They've been dating since Dec. and his mom has NO idea. So Mike last minute decides to rent a cabin with the woman and go to Lake George with everyone else. The cabin was disgusting but they stuck it out. He asks my sis not to tell his mom about his girlfriend. She says,
"no worries there Mike but all bets are off with a 4 and 8 year old." He said, " I know, but just make sure you and Chris don't slip." So cut to a skype conversation that just happened a few hours ago. My 8 yr. old niece, who thinks she's 30, told her grandma that she doesn't want her talking about anything violent to her anymore. Then Bobbie( the name grandma made up because she doesn't want to be called grandma) says,
"Ya know what Sierra? someday, me and Dino(her husband) would like to come to Lake George with you guys." (My sis almost chokes and is reaching for her blender and margarita mix at this point) Bobbie says,
"we wouldn't stay in the same house, we'd get our own place and just stay for 3 days or so." So with that Sierra says, "Well OK Bobbie but whatever you do, don't stay in the place Mike and Dana stayed in!" Cathy and Chris are like OH NO and they quietly get her attention and say "Sierra!" and start giving the slash across the throat sign to get her to stop saying this, to which Sierra says, "Uh Oh Bobbie, everyone is doing this to me now" as she shows Bobbie on skype the universal "cut" throat slashing motion. Bobbie is on her skype down in Georgia silent with her mouth hanging open. She's in complete shock and Cathy says to Chris, "MAY DAY, hurry up and call Mike with a heads up!" Now I don't know if this reads funny. I can tell you that if you knew the characters in this little ditty, you'd know how doggone funny this is. My sis just told me on the phone and I am still chuckling. I tell ya, kids are a riot. My condolences go out to Mike tonight who is NEVER going to hear the end of this and is probably on the phone now getting the lecture of his life. When his girlfriend mentioned to Cathy once that Mike doesn't seem to want her to meet his mom(she hasn't a clue why), my sister told her she understood his reasoning and she'd ride that as far as she could if it were her.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Doncha just love rain? NOT usually
pick it up for him and bring it to my house until they get back from VT. HA! Sure thing!!! Actually, if you've
ever driven one of these, then you know they are a bit tricky. No power steering, the gears are not syncronized, it has a bar for a gas pedal, the tires are so wide that all the pedals are shifted to the right, and the darn thing does 60 mph in 1st gear and I have a helluva time finding a place to "open her up" around here
what with all our Jersey traffic! ;o) Then there's the problem of his father's driveway being a VERY short, but VERY steep hill. I drove nothing but clutch cars for 20 years but not all clutches are the same and
you CANNOT accidentally pop the clutch on something with this kind of horsepower or you'll find yourself in the next zip code in a heartbeat. I drove it once years ago, but will admit the idea of getting up that driveway without any chance to get used to the car had me in a bit of a sweat. But, I did fine and after a few blocks of getting re-aquainted, I thanked GOD it was a Sunday 'cause the lack of traffic gave me the opportunity to have some fun. The low, sexy roar of that engine is unbelievable.
So much fun to have that kind of power underneath you. Rich let my dad drive it once and they were going over 100 mph on the highway. I'm too chicken for that, which is probably why Rich asked me to drive it as he knows Tim is totally NOT. I better hide the keys because if Tim took this baby out, I'd be paying off the tickets and insurance points for years. ;o) My driveway looks like that old game they played on Sesame Street, I think it was. There was a song that went, "one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn't the same." You had to pick which object was different than the rest. I've got a work van that needs replacing, a mini-van that desperately needs a coat of wax, and replacing soon enough, Tim's pick-up truck and a flashy red Ferrari just like the one above. Maybe I'll put the mini-van back in pop's garage and see if Rich notices.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
TWO WEEKS
It's been a long time since we took a vacation this long. We're leaving this Wed. for Vermont. Spending 5 days there and then 5 days in Meredith, NH by Lake Winnepesaukee. My in-laws are gonna keep the dog
in VT with them while we go to NH. I'm a bit nervous about this and may have Liv write reminders to hang on certain doors so they remember to close them so Lacey doesn't make a break for it. They love the dog but, of course, are not used to having her underfoot. We will spend the last leg of the vacation back with them. Olivia has orientation
for her new school (the high school!!!!!!) the day after we get home. She is already starting cheerleading practice this Monday so the summer, unbelievably, is already in "wrap-up" phase. As always, it is going
by crazy fast. I went for my massage and facial the other day on my birthday. Man do I love a massage.
I actually know people who feel sick after them. My sis-in-law got sick to her stomach after one, once.
They say it can release toxins in your body. I must me less toxic, 'cause they can rub me all day, I feel terrific afterwards. I wish I could bring myself to spend the cash to have them more often. They really do help with my neck(old whiplash injury) and stress level. I may FORCE myself to start going once a month. I still find it so hard not to worry about finances because of our "situation." There's just no way of knowing how long Tim will be able to work and if we'll be able to afford to live in this expensive area with less income.
I certainly don't see us moving either so somehow, we've got to make it work when that time comes. Oh well, as my sister always says, "jump off that bridge when you get to it." ;o) So off to do a little more school shopping with Olivia. Am I the only woman who HATES shopping? UGH! Most days, I'd rather stick needles in my eyes. And shopping with a 13 year old...double UGH!!!
in VT with them while we go to NH. I'm a bit nervous about this and may have Liv write reminders to hang on certain doors so they remember to close them so Lacey doesn't make a break for it. They love the dog but, of course, are not used to having her underfoot. We will spend the last leg of the vacation back with them. Olivia has orientation
for her new school (the high school!!!!!!) the day after we get home. She is already starting cheerleading practice this Monday so the summer, unbelievably, is already in "wrap-up" phase. As always, it is going
by crazy fast. I went for my massage and facial the other day on my birthday. Man do I love a massage.
I actually know people who feel sick after them. My sis-in-law got sick to her stomach after one, once.
They say it can release toxins in your body. I must me less toxic, 'cause they can rub me all day, I feel terrific afterwards. I wish I could bring myself to spend the cash to have them more often. They really do help with my neck(old whiplash injury) and stress level. I may FORCE myself to start going once a month. I still find it so hard not to worry about finances because of our "situation." There's just no way of knowing how long Tim will be able to work and if we'll be able to afford to live in this expensive area with less income.
I certainly don't see us moving either so somehow, we've got to make it work when that time comes. Oh well, as my sister always says, "jump off that bridge when you get to it." ;o) So off to do a little more school shopping with Olivia. Am I the only woman who HATES shopping? UGH! Most days, I'd rather stick needles in my eyes. And shopping with a 13 year old...double UGH!!!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Taking stock at 46
Tomorrow is my b-day. I've been taking stock this morning of just where I'm at these days. I've been trying to pick myself out of somewhat of a slump these past months. As a caregiver, and really....I've been one my entire life in one way or another, I've come to realize I absolutely stink at taking care of myself. I'm not getting away with that
unscathed, unfortunately. I'm at the age when hormones are going willy-nilly. I'm gaining weight and feeling sluggish. I keep saying I'm going to put myself somewhere on the priority list, but somehow, I just never do. I know that I need to exercise everyday. I know that I should be doing relaxation stuff(meditation, yoga) to try to get my blood pressure down and relax more. I have started to take some small steps towards getting myself in a better place, both healthwise and emotionally. I'm taking meds now for what seems to have been a longtime undiagnosed case of a "cough variant" asthma. It's working....a little. I'm going to try AGAIN to make myself start an exercise plan. I may even go check out the gym up the street. Maybe if I spend money, I'll make the effort.
I actually started seeing a therapist. She's from the UK originally(so she can't be all bad RIGHT?!!!) I like
her but to be honest, I've always vented plenty, and I'm not sure there is too much she can say to make a difference. The problems in my life are not going away. I know what I SHOULD and should not be doing. She did tell me that I have to try very hard not to live in the future and worry about what MAY happen. She said, take care of practical matters of course, financial planning and whatnot, but then
try "not to go there" when I find myself worrying or playing out scenes in my head. She said it does nothing but ruin the quaility of your life now. This is not something I didn't know, but I guess having someone else say it makes it
sink in a bit more. She has given me some tips and said a few things that really made me stop and think about stuff going on in my life, so I guess there is something to be gained here. I'm trying to "dance in the rain" as the saying goes. Count blessings and all that jazz. Plan vacations and remind myself to be present in the moment.
I'm tackling some projects to get our house done too. After 17 years, I've realized that Tim really has no intention of finishing it, so I have to stop waiting for him. I built new back stairs.(Real women do carpentry in flip flops!) The guy at the lumberyard screwed up when he ordered the railings but the new parts should be in this week so it should be done soon. I'm proud of myself and was THRILLED to carry the horrible, "temporary" set out to the curb for trash pick-up.. I'm going forward with ordering all new interior doors and I'm going to write my own punch list and try to keep plugging along towards my goal. I'd be really ticked if we did all this and never got to enjoy it being all done. The next owners would reap the benefits of all our blood, sweat, blown-out backs and marital discord and that isn't fair. The summer is going WAY too fast, as is the norm. We may get a 2 week vacation this month, which would be cool, as long as the hot weather in New England is gone by then. Hot flashes and no A/C? I'll be sleeping in a bathtub of cool water every night. We'll go to VT and I just planned a side trip to NH again. Staying in Meredith by lake Winnepesaukee. Can't wait!!! I LOVE NEW ENGLAND!!! Can't get enough. 14 years ago today, our little girl was created. I wanted to tell her this this morning in a way that, um, spared her the visual, shall we say, so I told her God created her 14 years ago today. Seems like eons ago now. Time flies by too darn fast. So, in conclusion, trying to make this coming year at least a little bit about me. I seem to have lost myself in the shuffle of taking care of everybody else. Might even get myself a massage and facial tomorrow. What the heck, I'm worth it. ;o)
unscathed, unfortunately. I'm at the age when hormones are going willy-nilly. I'm gaining weight and feeling sluggish. I keep saying I'm going to put myself somewhere on the priority list, but somehow, I just never do. I know that I need to exercise everyday. I know that I should be doing relaxation stuff(meditation, yoga) to try to get my blood pressure down and relax more. I have started to take some small steps towards getting myself in a better place, both healthwise and emotionally. I'm taking meds now for what seems to have been a longtime undiagnosed case of a "cough variant" asthma. It's working....a little. I'm going to try AGAIN to make myself start an exercise plan. I may even go check out the gym up the street. Maybe if I spend money, I'll make the effort.
I actually started seeing a therapist. She's from the UK originally(so she can't be all bad RIGHT?!!!) I like
her but to be honest, I've always vented plenty, and I'm not sure there is too much she can say to make a difference. The problems in my life are not going away. I know what I SHOULD and should not be doing. She did tell me that I have to try very hard not to live in the future and worry about what MAY happen. She said, take care of practical matters of course, financial planning and whatnot, but then
try "not to go there" when I find myself worrying or playing out scenes in my head. She said it does nothing but ruin the quaility of your life now. This is not something I didn't know, but I guess having someone else say it makes it
sink in a bit more. She has given me some tips and said a few things that really made me stop and think about stuff going on in my life, so I guess there is something to be gained here. I'm trying to "dance in the rain" as the saying goes. Count blessings and all that jazz. Plan vacations and remind myself to be present in the moment.
I'm tackling some projects to get our house done too. After 17 years, I've realized that Tim really has no intention of finishing it, so I have to stop waiting for him. I built new back stairs.(Real women do carpentry in flip flops!) The guy at the lumberyard screwed up when he ordered the railings but the new parts should be in this week so it should be done soon. I'm proud of myself and was THRILLED to carry the horrible, "temporary" set out to the curb for trash pick-up.. I'm going forward with ordering all new interior doors and I'm going to write my own punch list and try to keep plugging along towards my goal. I'd be really ticked if we did all this and never got to enjoy it being all done. The next owners would reap the benefits of all our blood, sweat, blown-out backs and marital discord and that isn't fair. The summer is going WAY too fast, as is the norm. We may get a 2 week vacation this month, which would be cool, as long as the hot weather in New England is gone by then. Hot flashes and no A/C? I'll be sleeping in a bathtub of cool water every night. We'll go to VT and I just planned a side trip to NH again. Staying in Meredith by lake Winnepesaukee. Can't wait!!! I LOVE NEW ENGLAND!!! Can't get enough. 14 years ago today, our little girl was created. I wanted to tell her this this morning in a way that, um, spared her the visual, shall we say, so I told her God created her 14 years ago today. Seems like eons ago now. Time flies by too darn fast. So, in conclusion, trying to make this coming year at least a little bit about me. I seem to have lost myself in the shuffle of taking care of everybody else. Might even get myself a massage and facial tomorrow. What the heck, I'm worth it. ;o)
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