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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

By the way...

BY THE WAY.... I am actually getting a few comments! Thanks to anyone who actually takes time out of their busy days to call up this blog and add a comment!

Hugs! Patti J.

Another one bites the dust....

Wow - another September come and gone! Where does the time go?

It's amazing how good a little bit of physical labor feels after you have been at a desk job all day!

I am very much enjoying my 'bathroom' time this week! I can't believe how many things that I think about while I am peeling tiny bits and pieces of paint off the walls. I think about the Wall Street fiasco, and the upcoming election. I think about how our 'freedom of the press' often is such a misnomer! Many times, I will hear a clip from a candidate, and stand back and shake my head, or get angry or sad. Then a bit later, I read the entire article on-line, or in the paper, and the clip means absolutely nothing like what the TV reporter made it sound. I was thinking tonight, how close we are to another Christmas! (And ice and snow!!!). I think about my BF who is going through some very serious and trying family issues right now, and pray for peace and good health for her and her family.

Mostly, I think about how blessed I am that I have such wonderful family and friends. There are times that I will, for just a split second, think, "gee, how would things have been different if I'd been a doctor"?, and then oh so quickly, I think, "gosh, I'm so glad that I'm just a simple secretary, and had time to be a good mom and hopefully, a good wife"! I don't know what I ever did to deserve such riches, but I sure am glad I did whatever it was!!!

Good night all - too tired to make any sense!

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~e.e. cummings

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Beauty is only skin deep...

So!

We have found out that when they say "Beauty is only skin deep", they must be talking about semi-gloss paint!

The newest adventure in the Gilliam bathroom remodel, is that it seems that the paint is determined to peel off the walls. This being said, today's job for PJ has been peeling paint! (After monthly reports were caught up!) It's not too bad, except for the places that have to be 'tweezered' off - lol. Most of it seems to be coming off in sections of inch by inch or two. If you lose me in a crowd this week, I'll be the one with the sore fingertips! Actually, I tried a heat gun, and it pretty much just gunkies the paint, so my preference so far has been just trying to peel.

My main man, Stan, has worked his little fingers to the bones! Quite literally, as he seems to have cuts and scratches nearly everywhere! He's been trying to get the subfloor up, which turns out to be a nasty particle board that is crumbling, and which they nailed down, (what's up with that? folks never heard of screws???) and of course, every nail is imbedded into the wood, making it necessary to utilize, hammer, nail board thingy's, prybars, you name it.

Oh well, if we have to get dirty and dusty, we may as well have an adventure while we are at it! In the meantime, in an effort to get the bathtub off the sunporch (lol), we now have a toilet and a vanity and HEAPS of drywall, 2 x 4's, subfloor, etc., out on the driveway - lookout Mr. Foxworthy - you and your redneck friends have competition!

I still haven't taken time to figure out how to insert my creations - please be patient with me!

We heard from both coasts today - the kids seem to be doing well. The Cardinal's won today - wahoo! (I'm also trying to figure out a way to insert a Cardinal's 2009 countdown to baseball season - if anyone knows how to do that, let me know!)

Hope you have all had a great weekend - tomorrow is back to work for us all - sigh!

Good night - Patti J.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

ewwww.....

So, tonight's 'job' was to go to the dungeon (oops, I meant the basement), and take down about 6 or 8 four by eight panels off of the ceiling to see what we are going to get into when redoing the plumbing and venting. Ewwww...... These panels have been there since about '70, and many little furry critters have apparently scurried around on them, leaving behind some unwanted souveniers. Needless to say, when Stan the Man said that I was no longer needed, the shower was next on my agenda! This new bathroom is going to be beautiful when it is finished, but God sure needs to send me some patience (NOW!) as twitching my nose like in "Bewitched" is not working! Will keep you posted as we progress!

G'night...Patti J.

~If you rest, you rust.
~Helen Hayes

Not Enough Hours in a Saturday!

I have tried and tried, but just can't seem to squeeze enough hours into a Saturday and Sunday to get everything done and still have time to be creative. If any of you have any suggestions, I am open to them!

It was a beautiful Saturday in Missouri - about 77 degrees, slight breeze, sunny - made you want to just sit on the porch with a cold glass of tea, and forget about chores, shopping, cooking, etc.

Speaking of cooking, the Lion's Club had a BBQ today, so I didn't have to cook!!! We picked up a couple of pork steak dinners, and they were very good!

I just finished a card swap, and am beginning to think about the one that is due the end of October. It will be a Christmas card swap, and I'm already anxious to see what the others do. There will be 12 of us for the Oct. swap. It's always fun to do a swap - you end up with 12 totally different techniques, colors, stamps, etc.

I also need to begin planning another class. I had to turn away about four people last time, and promised to schedule another class soon. Since we have begun this bathroom/kitchen remodel, it seems sinful to be gone on a Saturday when I should be here helping Manley Stanley in his intensive labor projects!

Today we bought the faucets, and they are SO un-us!!! I'm excited about them. They are a Tuscan look - very dark, with a trim of a coppery edging on them. We have always had silver or gold, and these are very unique. I know it's going to be many weeks before we are done, as we can only work a few hours a week, and I'm trying to be patient, but I am SO excited!

I must be signing off for now - going to work on some boards!

Have a good night - Patti J.

~Give someone a smile and a compliment today - you will make two people happy! (unknown)

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Almost Friday!

Well, Thursday is much closer to Saturday than is Monday! - It is almost the weekend - hooray!

Poor Stan the man has a leak in Branson, and they have to locate and isolate it prior to his even starting the trip home. He never seems to catch a good break (no pun intended, really!). It's going to be a very late night for him. Send up a few prayers!

Meli's 'big event' that she is moderating is tonight in Brooklyn. Send up a few prayers for her as well. She seems a wee bit nervous! I'm sure that these folks would much rather see her moderate than I. lol

It really has the beginnings of a 'fall' feel here. It's still very warm, but the grasshoppers, spiders, flies, etc., all act like the weather is about to change. We (well at least one of we - the great hunter Stan) killed a ginormous black fuzzy spider on the carport on Tuesday that was probably 4" in diameter. Yuk. I have very much enjoyed driving home from work this week with the top down on the little car. Some days it is just too nice NOT to go topless!!!

I hope to figure out how to insert some of my creations into this blog. Hopefully, I'll find a few minutes to practice over the weekend in between monthly reports (egads, can't believe it's that time again!). I would love to share some things with my out of town family!

I am currently reading the newest John Grisham book, "Playing for Pizza". It's pretty fast reading, and pretty decent so far. It's about an NFL player who really botches a championship game, and ends up having to travel to Italy to play football. Apparently the football players in Italy play mostly for pizza, and rarely for money! Anyway, it's a good read so far - I'll let you know in a day or two if it's worth the purchase!

We are in the midst of a bathroom remodel, and Momma Pat is so excited! It seems almost surreal, as we have talked about it for several years, and suddenly it is beginning to happen! It's exciting, frightening, and expensive! However, I am very sure that the jets in the tub, and the ambiance of the new room will have me soon worrying less about the cost, and more about the urge to get water wrinkles!

I'm off to work in my craft room for a little while. Blessings to anyone who is bored enough and brave enough to log on and read my ramblings! I love you all!!!

pg

"Life was so much easier when your clothes didn't match and boys had cooties!" ---Unknown

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Much too quiet

It's been a very tough week for me at work this week.

As always, in any business, change is a prevelant factor.

The 'change' this week in our workplace, included part of our program moving into other buildings within the district. This move is a good thing for the students involved, as they will certainly have more resources than we can offer, but I have to be honest when I say that I already miss the little stinkers terribly! Some have been with us a long time!

And...of course, as well as the students moving on, the staff did as well. My BFF, was one of the gals to move on. I'm excited for her, but selfishly sad for me! We have worked together since 1996, and a very close friendship came out of our working together. It was so quiet with them all gone today. I know it will be okay - I firmly believe the saying that "if God takes you to it, He'll take you through it." It's just going to take some time.

As we head into another Homecoming weekend, memories come pouring back into my mind, of our kids when they were younger. So many festivities - spirit week meant coming up with tons of 'costumes', float building meant many late nights in town at the armory, the parades included band, football, and queen candidate entries, and then there were the football games, dances, etc. When we were in the midst of it all, it seemed overwhelming. Now, looking back, it was so enjoyable! We miss those days!

Well another day has come to an end! It's going to be tough getting up tomorrow if I don't get some rest. My prayers tonight are that John is safely returned from his trip to Colorado this week, that Melissa finds some peace with her job situation (or that I get to 'slap' someone in her office!), and that my dear man Stan makes it home safely from his travels tomorrow night.

Good night all - sweet dreams!

Patti J.