My Weblog

Progress--no perfection here

I've just finished chewing on a rubbery bagel.  It was frozen and I nuked it, wrapped in a paper towel.  I thought the towel would help, but, boy, that bagel gave my jaws a workout! But I am about to indulge myself in a rare treat.  I have coffee brewing in the french press.  I haven't had a cup of homemade coffee in weeks........

I now have a much cleaner kitchen floor.  I wouldn't want to eat off of it yet, but it is in better shape than it's been since the middle of tax season.  It could stand another going over.  Why the heck do they make linoleum with all those stupid little dirt grabbing grooves?  Well, maybe I can take a few minutes and go after those tomorrow.

And I have a load of clean laundry.  That's it for around here today so far.

I called the "first" of the medical creditors from Joe's hospitalization.  They were "first" only because they were on the top of the pile.  So far, knowing I did not have the money to pay the bills, I've filed them and that's about it.  So I called the ambulance company.  Their best offer today is $50 per month in payments or a 10% discount for full payment.  Well, that's pretty steep for my blood.  So, we'll call someone else tomorrow and see if they're more interested in negotiating.   Of course, I've always heard that ambulance companies were impossible........  I did learn something interesting.  Apparently the ambulance was called to the airport to transport Joe to the hospital.  Because Joe's stuff ended up in the employer's lost and found, I'd always assumed he had taken the cab back in and been transported from there.  But the bill distinctly says he was transported from the airport.  Funny the things you can learn when you read!

I found an old mini-series on Netflix that I was thrilled to find.  In the 80's a mini series of the same name was created from Herman Wouk's The Winds of War.  I don't think it has been rebroadcast in the intervening years but maybe once or twice.  I had attempted to tape it way back when, but wasn't successful in catching it--no TIVO in those days, LOL.  Anyway, I don't remember how long it is and I'm not going to stop episode 1 to try to find out, but the first episode is 2.5 hours long.  This should keep me amused for quite some time. 

So, this curtain hanging thing has me a bit offput.  Don't worry, I will rise to the occasion.  However, it HAS been more than 8 years since I've been allowed to touch my drill.......  What if I've forgotten how?  So, in the meantime, I've been trying to formulate a plan for the hall bath.  I think that is the first room to be tackled after the gate. 

I will need to acquire a sander between now and the time I am finished with this house, so I think I may try to do that up front.  I know which one I want, but it remains to be seen whether I can afford it.  If not, I guess I'll be doing my sanding by hand in the meantime.  I will need to sand the frame of the door some and perhaps even the door.  At some point in time, Joe had the brilliant idea of locking Max in the bathroom when clients/visitors were here.  Of course, with Max's history of being abandoned and nearly starving to death in a forecosed house, that was a very ill-advised decision.  Poor Max was frightened half to death and attempted to claw his way out.  So, sanding will now be required. 

The next step would be removing the wallpaper that is up.  It's not much wallpaper but may require a steamer.  I don't remember that it is peelable, but it would be wonderful if it were.  If I have to rent a steamer, then I'll go ahead and steam wall paper in the hall and master bedroom.  There is also wall paper in the guest room that will eventually come down but that's way down on the list.  But, if I'm going to sink money into renting a steamer, then I'm going to steam everything in sight til it's time to take it back!

Then, I want to do a light sanding where there were the holes in the wall, from towel bars and such.  And, at that point, a can of that orange peel paint might come in handy to fix the texture in the wall.

There may be another step in here.  I'd very much like to get a new countertop and sink.  And, I definitely want to be in position to use a different style of mirror.  This would involve removing the mirror from the wall and the counter from the vanity as well as the little "backsplash" behind the counter.  While I am filling holes and using orange peel paint, this would be the time to do this if I am going to be able to, financially. 

Next up, taping off the tile and certain other surfaces to protect from paint that doesn't belong there.  Then, finally, I can begin slapping white paint on the ceiling and beige paint on the walls. 

Once the walls are painted, I think it would be time to do the vanity.  I am not sure I will try the Rustoleum product I read about.  It is so new on the market and I don't know I want to risk doing a lot of work with a new product.  But, Zinsser has a primer that will adhere really well to laminate which is what most of my vanity is made of.  I would expect to need one coat of primer and at least two of paint.  Then everything would need to be sealed with a polyurethane. 

Once the vanity is complete, I could have someone install a new countertop if that is part of the final plan or if God rains one one me from under that open heaven, LOL.  Otherwise, I would have to make do with the UGLY countertop I have for a while......

Final step would be to hang towel rods, and reattach switchplates, etc.  Then on to sewing some simple curtains and a shower curtain. 

I guess next I'll have to look at a time line and a realistic estimate of cost for a countertop.  I just took a flying guess at it and it looks way too pricey, but I know I estimated high on the square footage. 

Phew!  That's a big job.  And, when I'm all done with it, those guys from work had better come do the floors!

So, enough of all that.  I need to get back to work on what I currently have, making it cleaner and better organized.  Back to work........

Here we go again!

Well, here in the desert, we are headed for a high of 80 degrees but the next few days will be in the low 70's and WINDY.  Yuck on the windy!  Hooray for cooler days!

So, the computer is fixed.  And it is fixed for free.  It was the fan on the processor.  She's acting a little funny this morning, but I can't tell if it's the computer, the router, or the internet.  I think AOL has been on again, off again 3 times in the last hour.  And Firefox had a hard time making connections.  And, somewhere in the night the computer rebooted.  Of course, I lost part of a kit when it shut down unexpectedly yesterday afternoon, so the middle-of-the-night reboot is less upsetting than usual.  I am just hoping it had nothing to do with the trouble from yesterday.

So, by virtue of not getting to bed til after 1AM I have opted not to go to the office today.  I would not get there til "late" which would muck up the day.  I'll try again tomorrow. 

An uninterrupted day at home.  I think it is time to do some laundry.  And perhaps I can run the vacuum cleaner today.  And finally get that curtain rod up and a curtain or two hanging from it! And, I guess I will rework the stuff I lost for the new kit.  Doggone it! 

In the meantime, I am due to post a layout here.  I thought we'd take a look at Linda's layout with Grandma's Quilt.  I haven't posted many of Linda's layouts here, but I intend to correct that.  I liked the way Linda grouped the photo with elements from the kit to create a vignette.  Truthfully, when I first saw the layout, it looked to me as though you might arrange these things together on a shelf for display purposes in your own home.  I also liked the simple way she created a "border" for her page by layering a solid paper over a print paper, leaving just enough print paper showing on one side to look as though there were a border on the page.  Anyway, let me stop talking about the layout and actually show it to you so you can see what I mean.  This, by the way, is a photo of Linda's great grandparents.....

If you want to leave some love for Linda, go here.

I should show you the kit this layout came from.  It's called Grandma's Quilt and it looks like this:

Grandma's Quilt is available in my ACOT store.  And, with all the crazies around here, my sale price is still in effect there........  Just sayin'........

Alrighty, I need to move on.  I've got to use this day to its best advantage.  You have a blessed day.

 

She will live!

The patient, my computer, will live!  I am back working at my own desk on my own keyboard connected to my own computer.  Praise be!  I may not know how to fix 'em, but I know how to diagnose 'em.  He had an idea of what could be wrong.  He mucked around with that for a few minutes and decided that wasn't it at all.  It was the fan connected to the processor, exactly as I thought it was.  So, we have a new fan and although it's midnight and he just left about 20 minutes ago, he didn't charge me.  How cool is that? 

I had hopes of going to the office tomorrow morning, but that is looking less likely than it did when I worked out my plan for the week on Saturday........  Oh well, I guess I'll work Thursday and Friday instead of Wednesday and Thursday as I'd hoped.  I kinda don't think I'll be in shape for an early wake up call.

Speaking of early wake up calls, I want to get to bed.  As always I have a to do list as long as my arm and I can't afford to sleep to all hours of the morning.  Night all.

Under ordinary circumstances

I'd be getting ready to go to bed.  However, no ordinary circumstances in THIS house.  No sirree!

So I went to work this morning and that went well.  Accomplished some good stuff in spite of the fact that I couldn't get the printer to work.  Hopefully, it is simply because we're out of colored ink........

Left work and headed for DMV.  And drove directly past the place that does the insulated shutters.  I HAD to stop.  It was probably the cure for what ailed me........  I went in and just briefly asked what it would cost to put a shutter type apparatus on that half round window.  I was given an estimate--somewhere between $560 and $660.  Phew!  That's pretty pricey territory for my budget.  I had hoped for something more in the range of $400-$450.  It would be a good long while before an expenditure that large would pay for itself.  I guess we'll try the DIY curtain thing......

I was pleasantly surprised at the DMV.  I found a parking place, turned in the license plate for the old clunker and was on my way in under half an hour.  I was hungry and the wind had been blowing the pollen around all morning so I was more than happy to head home.

I just got to my "mandatory" design work when my computer just stopped.  It shut off.  I turned it back on.  It shut off.  I turned it back on.  It shut off.  And I've been waiting for the computer repair guy for the last 6 hours.  I have managed to dust the tables in the living room in that time.  And install the new intake filter.  And drag a full trash can outside.  And clean my computer desk.  And clean my desk.  And finish emptying the credenza behind my desk.  And pay a bunch of bills.  And, now I am doing this.  I guess the next step is to pack up the stuff from the credenza.  I'm afraid I wasn't ruthless enough about throwing things away while I was pulling it all out of the credenza.  But, I'll get a second chance at it as I fill a box.  

Do I need to say I was unable to do my "mandatory" design stuff?  Darn it.  I am really frustrated about that but I honestly don't see what I can do about it.  Perhaps, if the computer can be fixed, I can do it before I go to bed.  Otherwise, it's really going to throw a monkey wrench in the works.  I'm over working on Joe's old computer, but I sure can't design on this baby.  It has to be a good 6 years old and is slow as molasses.  No way it would handle my graphic files in any reasonable amount of time.

I just sent an e-mail to the woman who owns the store where I'm supposed to be opening this weekend, announcing that I cannot, as of this moment, complete my "mandatory" mission.  Between this and my questions over the weekend, I certainly hope she is a patient person, LOL.  Not like there's much I can do about it, but.........  

Well, Mr. Computer Repair person just called and he's on his way.  The outside lights are on, but I have to put Parker in the crate lest he make the poor man crazy.  He is convinced that anyone who darkens our door is here to love on him........ 

So, I'll sign off for now.  Pray for my poor old computer.  I figure there has to be a reason that God gave me a computer repair person as a new client yesterday.  Hopefully, this dude is straight from God, sent to breathe life into the old girl.

Restoration

As usual, sleep and a little time with Jesus have been restorative.  I am getting ready for another day.

We are supposed to have a high of 78 degrees today with gusting winds of 20-30 mph.  I can see the trees really blowing outside my window. 

I am still celebrating the appearance on my doorstep of that little box of meds.  What a wonderful thing that is! 

I am most likely having dinner or at least a very late lunch out today.  My friend Glori took two ladies to my church Sunday night for the final performance of the Easter play.  The church always puts on a big deal this time of year.  This year, oddly, they repeated a play they did last year which Joe and I attended then.  So, I didn't go this year.  Glori saw it last year too but decided to go again and invited two friends to go with her.  The play was over and the altar call was being given.  Her friends, a mother/daughter team, said "Let's go" and she thought they wanted to leave.  Instead, they "turned right instead of left" to quote Glori and went to the altar and gave their hearts to the Lord.  So, these two will be with us today, I think.  If so, it will mean, I think, that Glori and I have a couple of "babies" to raise.  Please pray for me in this because I want to be faithful to what God has called me to do and if this is part of that call, I don't want to screw it up.  I've dropped the ball in this area before, and I would like to get it right this time! 

Years ago, I had a "big brother" in the Lord named Stephen.  Actually, I met him through Jennifer.  She was attending the youth group and Stephen had been volunteering.  At the time, he seemed to feel he'd screwed up terribly in raising his own children and wanted to help other people's kids.  Anyway, Stephen and I became close friends.  He has the biggest, most loving heart I've ever seen.  We used to joke about how, at our lowest point, God would send someone to us for help whose need was greater than ours.  And, as we dug deep to help whomever God had sent, we were blessed.  So, I'm looking for a blessing!  Of course, in the past, at times like this, Satan has pulled a full-on attack..........  So, I shall have to be armed and ready for whatever comes......I will need God's protection against whatever scheme ole slewfoot thinks up so I would appreciate your prayers.

Full day today with work, then a trip to DMV to finally get rid of that license plate.  Next up, some mandatory design-related work that must be done today.  And, then I am going to dig out all these medical bills and see if any of these doctors would like to forgive or reduce what is owed.  I figure I can call one or two a day and be through the list in a week.  Time to get started.  All that and a little housework should just about take care of my day.

I haven't put those curtains up yet.  I need to get on that before we run out of 78 degree days.  At 78 degrees, the a/c isn't likely to come on.  But the rest of the week is forecast in the 80's and that WILL cause the a/c to kick on.  Truthfully, my friend who wants to tell me what colors I can and can't paint my house has somewhat shaken my confidence about these curtains which is silly.  I didn't buy these curtains because I thought they were perfect for my "decor".  I bought them specifically to decrease my power bill.  They may work out with a great deal of gray paint between them and the sofa/loveseat.  Or I may decide they are just not working somewhere down the road and get something else and use the fabric from the curtains for some other project.  But, in the meantime, I bought them to help with the power bills and they aren't going to help much in the package.  The least I can do today is find the drill.  So pray that nothing falls on my head or smashes my foot as I dig around in the garage for that drill, LOL.  Yes, it really IS a pit out there.........

Alrighty, I don't have time for more today.  I've got to get ready for work.  I hope you have a blessed day!

The mysteries of life as I know it.......

The sun has officially set and I plan on going to the office tomorrow so I'm going to be on my way to bed soon so I can get up at an early hour. I feel as though it's been a wasted day........

First, God has once again answered prayer. On April 6th I ordered meds from Mexico. Days and days and more days passed and my check did not clear the bank. Finally, I called them to find out why. Well, apparently they had increased their "shipping" charge and hadn't told me. In dollars it was a big enough increase; in percentage it was a 75% increase. That's a pretty big increase! However they'd failed to tell me about the increase when I called to price products. So, they sat on my order........ I called them and pointed out to them that part of what they were NOT shipping was my blood pressure meds. Without them, I was risking a stroke or damage to my kidneys. Well, though they made no promises, my meds (most of them) arrived today. And, yes, the blood pressure meds were in the package, thank God. It looks to me as though they held back a z-pack and a bottle of erythromycin and sent the rest, using the cost of the meds they didn't send to "supplement" what I had sent them for "shipping". AND, they sent the package priority mail. Though I am not happy about the increased cost for "shipping" and I am not happy to be shorted a bottle of erythromycin and a z-pack, God be praised that they figured out a way to send what they thought was fair and what I REALLY needed NOW. Believe me, I prayed most fervently that God would find a way and He has.

So, I'm unhappy about the erythromycin. I am STILL dealing with this infected sinus cavity. Happily, the face ache didn't get going in earnest until around 5 today (as opposed to 1PM yesterday). Nevertheless, I hate having to use a z-pack for this. But, I only have 4 erythromycin pills left.......I'm thinking unless this thing is healed, I don't have much choice..... But, at least, one of the included meds in the package was a bottle of mega Ibuprofen. That means I should be able to get functional instead of being paralyzed for hours by the pain.

The mail also brought me what looked like a check from Travelers Insurance Company. Back about 6 weeks or so ago, I spent HOURS on the phone with GEICO working on moving my homeowners insurance over to them (provided by Travelers) and getting my auto insurance trimmed down as much as possible. I was quoted a certain rate for Homeowners Insurance. However, apparently, that went up $200-$300 between our phone call and the actual billing to my mortgage company. I still have a substantial savings, but the price increase, you must admit, is substantial. It made me angry, but I know it is because a lien has been filed against me due to some past due taxes that were owed the government when Joe died and which I just cannot pay. That lien mucked up my credit rating and that is their excuse for raising the rate. I haven't called to ask, but I've had my insurance license in the past, so I really don't need to call to ask. Here's what torques me about that: who pays my homeowners insurance bill? My mortgage company. So, please tell me what my credit rating has to do with that...... If Bank of America's credit rating went down, I'd understand Travelers' concern because Bank of America is my mortgage company. But I don't get the logic in all this. So, when I saw what looked like a check in the mail, I was pretty happy, convinced this overbilling was about to be reduced to some logical amount. Yeah, right........... The refund check was for $5.00. Yes, you read that correctly--five dollars. It's almost, but not quite, laughable.

When Joe died, he had one credit card. God help us, it was with Capital One. And, of course, in that he is deceased, he hasn't been paying his Capital One bill. The balance is under $300. Capital One has called and called and called and called for days. It's gotten so bad that I've started answering their calls with "He's still dead". You see, they call and ask for him. And some of them are fluent in English and some of them are not. I've even talked to their "probate department" which was supposed to guarantee the cessation of the calls, but I received 2 calls this morning before 11AM. Perhaps the "probate department" finally did their job and removed me from the dialer as I arrived home from an appointment with a client around 3PM and I haven't heard from them again this afternoon. Geez........It is terribly upsetting to be the recipient of collection calls of any kind, but when they call many times a day and you tell them repeatedly that their card holder is dead, it just rubs you raw emotionally.

So I met with the new client today--the one with 8 non-filed returns, once again reduced to 7. Seems he filed for one year he didn't remember......... Anyway, they were supposed to bring me at least one year in workable order so I could get started. The IRS has only given us 4 weeks to do 4 returns and then 4 more weeks to complete the rest. Did they bring what I asked them to bring? No, of course not. The records are sorted into "categories" like all the receipts for gasoline and meals are in one envelope and all the receipts for utilities are in another and so on. But there are no totals. Now, certainly, I have worked from worse packages of documents, but I don't want to make a career of these tax returns. And, with the IRS all over him, he can't afford for me to make a career of these tax returns. So, I ended up coming home with nothing to start on. Am I frustrated? You betcha. They have yet to accumulate or even request missing bank statements. Worse, the IRS has used the information they had at hand and prepared tax returns for him with the highest possible tax, of course. These returns will have to be amended as the IRS does not pull numbers out of the air to represent business expenses when they do these returns. He has not requested transcripts either, so I have no idea which returns the IRS has messed with or what numbers they've used. It's gonna be mighty hard to change their numbers to correct numbers if I don't know their numbers in the first place....... Bah! And, he got himself talked into some screwball scheme which was supposed to help him reduce his tax by forming a corporation which just endlessly complicates matters. I can see now why my CPA friend referred this guy to me many moons ago. I'm trying to figure out if there's someone I can refer him to? Except, of course, I happen to like the guy and so I feel sorry for him and don't want to send him off to some lunatic.....

Well, that about does it for my day. Gee, didn't I have a fun day? Well, the most important thing is that I have blood pressure meds for another hundred days! Now, I'm going to do a bit more around this house and then flop into bed. I'm worn to a frazzle, mostly because of emotional crapola. A little time with Jesus is called for!

I figured it out.........

People who blog are notorious in my book for shutting down one blog and opening up another.  Part of the reason (the part that's stated) is that they want to add functionality to their blog.  So, they'll usually switch to a different blog provider and re-direct everyone to their new blog.  The other (unstated) part of the reason, I think, is to help their stats. 

There are bloggers who make money from their blogs.  They have sponsors with whom they enter into a sort of symbiotic relationship.  The sponsors provide freebies for blog readers which builds readership and pay a royalty to the blogger for allowing them to advertise on the blogger's blog.  The blogger advertises the sponsor's product and may even link up to the sponsor's store, making it easier for the blog reader to shop for the sponsor's products. 

Well, if you wanted to make money from blogging, you'd want sponsors.  And would want some evidence that somewhere out there are folks that actually read your blog.  Now for a LONG time, no one but my mother and my daughter read this blog.  But, as time has passed and there have been quite a few freebies offered here to scrappers, my blog readership has increased.  I'm getting lots more hits every day that I would have a few years back in a month.  However, my "average" hits are still pretty low, less than 1/4 of my daily readership.  Why?  Because included in the history of this blog are all those early years when I set this blog up merely to provide information about my family to my family.  If I started a new blog, all you newer readers would (hopefully) follow me.  I'd start off with a base of LOTS more followers and be much more attractive (blog-wise) to sponsors.  And there you have it. 

No, I'm not looking for sponsors........Just in case you were wondering.  But, if the Lord wants to help supply my needs through something I do anyway, well, supply away, Lord.  Send me a sponsor or two....  I find blogging much more fun these days than tax!  According to research women normally speak about 25,000 words per day.  Around here, my allotment is much smaller.  I say things like "move", or "sit", or "no" or "bad dog" or "Do you want a treat?" and that's about it, LOL.  So blogging helps me move up a bit closer to my 25,000 allotment!

I have come to the conclusion that there will be no more German Shepherds in my future.  This shedding thing is just a killer.  I cannot control the hair........  I just can't!  I have a door on my kitchen.  And, the dogs are not allowed in there.  If I don't close the door tightly, they know how to open it and they sneak in there, but that happens rarely.  Maybe once every two or three months.  But, the amount of dog hair that makes its way into my kitchen is amazing.  I know some of it gets carried in there on the soles of my shoes, but how the rest of it gets there is beyond me.  I have struggled and struggled trying to remove that little bottom panel on the fridge because I know there is probably enough dog hair under there to at least build a poodle.  I can't get the darn thing off and have had to content myself with wiping down the panel, complete with whatever soggy dog hair (all together now:  ewwwwwww) I can remove.  So, I am ready to give up on long-haired dogs.  I have two pit bull mixes and I could brush them for two weeks straight and never fill up the brush, but, then there's the German Shepherd..........

Speaking of the German Shepherd, I've started feeding him yogurt with active cultures.  He has always had problems with his digestive system.  If I had to guess, I'd guess maybe it was something to do with being starved in the past, though there have been hints it's breed-related.  I was advised a while back to give him a Metamucil-type compound with his food.  Consequently, I buy the BIG size of Metamucil at least quarterly--for my dog!!!!  But, it hasn't helped a whole lot and the advice as to what to do in that event was to feed him yogurt with active cultures.  I may break down and buy some of the pricier stuff that is sold in health food stores, but for now, I'm using what I have--plain unflavored yogurt.  Oddly enough he loves the stuff.  He growls and eats, more or less simultaneously, warning the other dogs to stay away.  And when he's done, the dog food that had the yogurt poured on it is gone!  Now, if it helps his diarrhea, I'll be one happy woman. 

Well, all the dogs are barking.  That must mean the yard guy is here.  I thought he only came every two weeks, but it's Monday and it's about 7:30 and the dogs are carrying on something fierce.  Gotta be the yard guy.......  I know he was here last week.  I was so exhausted from my middle-of-the-night patrols that I slept through it, but I saw the bags of grass clippings at the curb.  I think he must bring grass clippings from other customers just to make it look good around here.  NO WAY he's getting that many grass clippings around here.  I am watering very little, just enough to keep everything alive, so there's really not much growth. 

One of the things I'd like to do is replace part of the grass with rock.  I've always held out against that because I love the green of the grass, but.........it would cut the water bill and that would be a good thing.  Our water bills are set up so that the more water you use, the higher the rate.  The biggest drawback to doing the whole rock thing is the upfront cost.  But, the Water District, in an attempt to conserve water, gives a credit or some sort of payment when you convert an area of grass to rock.  So, that would help.  My second problem with the rock thing is that everywhere I see rock, I see weeds.  They're supposed to put down plastic and then cover it with rock.  One would think that the plastic, blocking all sunlight and water would cause the weeds under it to die.  However, somehow, those weeds grow right through the plastic.  I can just see me out there trying to do stoop labor, pulling weeds.....  With THIS back?  Not hardly! 

It looks like I am in the market for a new blender.  The old one hasn't given up the ghost yet, but it's starting to smell "hot" when I use it.  I guess I will start shopping the internet for a new one.  I actually use the blender twice a day so I don't want to be without one.

Alrighty, I've got things to do and I need to get at it.  Hope you have a wonderful, blessed day!

 

Winding down

It started out as a good day, but as the clouds moved in I developed a "headache".  It was really more of a "face ache", but while that is more descriptive, it's not an expression most people would understand.  But, the pain was entirely centered behind my right cheekbone.  It's better now, but still lurking, probably just waiting for the Ibuprofen to wear off.  Yes, indeed, I weakened and took Ibuprofen.......  I can tell the infection is still there too.

I DID get all of the 5 kits into the new store.  I am familiar with the software in the store, but it seems that each installation in a different store carries with it some quirks.  I ended up having to bother the store owner three different times with questions, but, finally, emerged victorious.  But, it was a bit of a fight. I still have one more step that has to be completed to make the kit available to the site CT.

The top shelf of the fridge is clean as a whistle.  I found a number of "science experiments" on that shelf so the kitchen trash is pretty darn full.  That trash can I brought in here will go out tomorrow morning, loaded. 

I'm about to crash.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a more productive day, work-wise.  Goodnight now.

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

Happy Resurrection Day!  I hope you are blessed with the reason for this day and not just with chocolate bunnies and jelly beans.

We so often hear that Christ died to bring us salvation.  And that is true.  But, the Greek word we translate as "salvation" is "sozo".  And "sozo" has a much broader meaning.  "Sozo" includes, according to the Greek Lexicon, to save from peril or injury, to protect, to restore, to heal, to deliver.  That's a pretty big payload!  Through Christ's death on the cross and victory over the grave, we receive all of the above as a free gift, ours for the taking.  If you believe, tell someone.  If you don't believe, tell Jesus.  If you don't believe but would like to, ask God to make Himself real to you today in a very special way and I assure you He will.  You don't have to wait til your life is "cleaned up" or until you are in a church.  This is a come as you are party!  All are welcome.

I am spending a quiet day, alone with my Savior.  There is no better company.  We spend every day together and will for all eternity.  They say you can know a person by his or her friends; I hope so!

Well, good progress has been made in the kitchen.  I even dry mopped the floor yesterday.  Today or tomorrow I'll be working that mop all over again, this time wet.  I lowered the level of "stuff" on my desk yesterday significantly though there is still a ways to go.  I drug another outside trash can in and between refrigerator stuff and desk stuff and whatever else caught my attention, it's almost full again.  No, I haven't finished the fridge though I've made it 2/3 of the way.  I'll try to get the rest taken care of today.  There was only so much bending I was willing to do yesterday.  But, where I've worked, that fridge sparkles like a new one!  If it were empty, you could put it on a showroom floor and it would sell quickly, I think.

I even managed, more or less to get one product in the new store though you can't see it yet until next Saturday when I open there.  I needed a little help with the one so I held off to do the rest.  I'll get those done today. I will be opening with three new kits and two I am bringing over from ACOT.

Around the house, I will be concentrating today on making the rest of the fridge sparkle and then sorting through the great mysteries of life currently housed in the freezer.  Maybe I'll even get to that floor.  My second area of concentration will be my bedroom which has accumulated a fair coating of dust during the last part of tax season.  And, if there's extra time, I'll head into the master bath.  I've got some heavy duty "spring cleaning" type jobs I want to do in there.  Once I hit the master bath, the steam cleaner will get a workout!  Oh, and I have to go on a treasure hunt for the drill and get those curtains hung in the dining room.  Hopefully, yesterday will be the last day the house takes on significant heat from that window!

I did some more design work on that kit I keep chipping away at.  Papers are done and I am working on elements.  Should finish that up today or tomorrow. 

So, I hope you have a blessed day!  Truly it is a day to celebrate, even if you celebrate by making "all things new" in your kitchen, like me! 

Let's see if you think this is funny........

When Joe died, I discovered that there were any number of bills on which we were behind.  Kind of important bills like the power company and the gas company and others.  I called the gas company and informed them that I would pay a certain amount every month until the arrearage was paid off.  It was several weeks til tax season started and the usual turnout in February is largely short forms, meaning small payment for me.  I had no real idea how I was going to pay that amount I promised to pay, but as things worked out, I've been able to keep my promise.  Of course, the gas company has charged me a late payment fee every month.  Today I received TWO envelopes from the gas company.  I had a rather sinking feeling when I saw that........  I opened one envelope to find I was being advised I'd made 3 late payments.  BUT, by making future payments by the due date, I would avoid late fees and the need for a security deposit on my account.  That still sounded ominous to me. 

I opened the second envelope to find that I still owe them $18.64 from the prior bill.  In otherwords, the only remaining arrearage is $18.34.  The late charge is .79.  Now, I try to be faithful in the small things, but, honestly, how concerned should I be about $.79?  And I have paid them exactly what I promised to pay them til the arrearage was liquidated.  I don't know whther to laugh at them or what.  Anyway, I'm pretty sure I can handle that $18.64 and the current bill so maybe they could just relax? 

Is that a waste of paper or what?