Hi Ya

I have been busy with budget mania at work, a stubborn back problem, and a few other non-essential activities. To bring you up you date...

The Steer candle sticks in my previous post sold for almost $50.00! Go figure. I bid on it in the beginning thinking that it would be a great gag gift for Frustrated Writer, one of my Texas blogger friends. After it went over ten dollars, I figured I would have to come up with something else for a joke. Rachel wants me to buy the frogs for Cliff Morrow, but I can't seem to find them again. Sooo sorry Cliff!

I have made a few "marvelous" purchases on E-bay recently. I found two terrific potters... one who specializes in Raku and one who does beautiful functional wheel thrown pieces. I used to do wheel thrown pottery, so I am a soft touch for good pieces. Son Matthew will benefit from one purchase for his upcoming birthday, but I am not sure that I will be able to part with the other pieces. I probably need a twelve step program for being a potteryholic, but I have yet to hit bottom. Until I do, I will fondle my wonderful new purchases. I may take some pictures so that you may ogle them with utter envy.

L and her younger sister will be over on Saturday to help their needy mom with the utility room as well as to go through the china and silver cabinet to stake their claim to some of my nicer things. L is going to take my good china as she is fond of throwing dinner parties. I only use it once or twice a year. If I need to borrow some I can always give her a call. I would much rather see her using and enjoying it than have it sitting in the china cabinet. I have some other things as well I will be giving to the girls. The boys are really not as interested in such "stuff." There will be other things for them down the road that will be of greater interest to them. Anyway, all this will insure that I have room for my pottery addiction.

Once we are done divvying up the spoils, I am going to serve the girls some tea and scones with clotted cream. L discovered clotted cream on a trip to Ireland, and I have been looking for some ever since. I found a British tea shop online and ordered some along with some Devon cream for a treat. I'll let you know how it tastes after our tea party on Saturday. I wonder if L will wear one of her hats? She'll have to wait to don it until we are done in the utility room, though.

So have you investigated E-bay for purchasing yet? You really can buy anything on E-bay! Now if someone will come up with a solution to dealing with all of this packing popcorn...

Proof That You Can Find ANYTHING On Ebay

I was innocently looking at candlesticks on E-Bay...

I Have Survived!

Yes! I have survived another year of "spring ahead" and I don't even have to figure out how to change my clock in my car! I refused to change it in the fall. Thanks to modern technology, my cell phone, computer and cable box clocks have magically made the change without my help. I shall not recognize the fact that I have "lost" an hour. I absolutely refuse. Who is responsible for this whole stupidity anyway?

Smarter Than The Average Beast?

One of my frequent reads is Wee Little Beasties. A recent post contained an article about some new findings in rat cognitive abilities. I knew they were smart!

Risotto With Wine and Whine

The other night I had a cooking lesson from my fabulous Italian friend Rosie who is a wonderful cook. I can testify to this because she and her family feed me quite often! This particular cooking lesson consisted of the proper way to prepare Italian Rissoto which is made with Italian Arborio rice. It was yummy!

Rosie and I spent a few minutes discussing all of the wonderful things you can put into this dish. This time we put in garlic, mushrooms, onion and white wine. I'm hooked, and I cannot wait to have a chance to try it on my own. Which brings me to the other topic of this post...

I woke up the other morning almost unable to get out of bed. Once I took a very long hot shower and relaxed the muscles in my back I was able to drag myself to work. The last few days have been the same, except that each day it has gotten a bit worse. Last night night I knew I was in for trouble when my right leg started aching and getting shots of pain. I guess all of the lifting and moving that I have been doing is finally catching up to me. All it took was sleeping in the wrong position and wham!

I got to meet the new young chiropractor who bought out my old chiropractor recently. I expected him to be young and probably a bit different, but I didn't expect him to look like he had just graduated from high school! Any concerns I had about his youthfulness went away quite quickly once he started working on me. He is very good.

So I spent the rest of the day today at home resting my back in hopes of a quicker recovery. I go back to the "young fellow" on Wednesday and Friday if necessary. I'm guessing Friday will be necessary as these old bones don't like to cooperate.

Beware The Idles Of March

Yes, March can be a month where there is a lull in the hurried madness of reports at work. Pension reports, W2s, 1099s, etc. ,etc... are completed. This is generally a time when I can catch up on filing and routine office cleaning. We are in the midst of Lent before the preparations for Easter celebrations begin.

This year is a bit different for me. Not only do I need to reinvent-the-wheel with so many of my Excell files at work, but I am also needing to keep the house as neat as possible for any potential buyers that might possibly decide to look at the house. I also need to get some things finished on the house so when those potential buyers come through, they like what they see. It is like living in a fish bowl... especially since the livingroom sheers are still to be rehung. No more nekkid trekking in the front of the house. The neighbors can look in at night and see whether or not the kitchen table is clear, the dishes are done, and what I am doing at my desk in the family room. Can fish have curtains?

January was absolutely crazy with getting things moved to storage, throwing things out, giving things away, and coughing up both lungs. February was pretty much the same thing. Now here is March.

March things to get done ASAP:

• reinvent office files
  
• finish removing wallpaper and paint main bathroom
• paint livingroom
• paint 3 closets
  
• get Himself's remaining "stuff" out of the utility room
• get Himself's remaining junk out of the back and side yards
• get Himself's "stuff" out of the barn in the back yard
  
• paint utility room
• fix lawn and landscaping near front door of house
• replace mulch in front garden beds
  
• get non-working doorbell replaced
• get rid of extra patio furniture and clean back porch
  
• get remaining boxes out of 4th bedroom
• replace flooring in 4th bedroom
• get paperwork to tax accountant
• get cats to vet for annual checkups and shots
  
• go to bed earlier
• get up earlier
• eat better
  
• exercise more
• lose weight
• fight global warming
• establish world peace
• stop plate tectonics
  
• ok, enough

I have already redone some of my Excell files and am continuing to work on the rest. In a few weeks I will need to be ready to engage the frenzy of finishing up the budget. Himsef is supposed to come by this weekend and remove his remaining "stuff" as well as mow the grass and fix the doorbell. I had lined up a couple of people to finish removing the wallpaper and to paint the livingroom and bathroom for me. They came by to get a look at what needs to be done and were supposed to call and give me an estimate. It has been two weeks and no estimate so I am looking for someone else to do that work. I am going to paint the closets myself. In my spare time. Sigh.

Yup, I had better stay on top of things this year. No time for idleness this March.