We Like Her: 05/01/2012

Monday, May 28, 2012

Boys and Games

It has been a couple weeks since I last posted and I have been thinking about it. The week before last we drove to North Carolina and that wiped us out for the weekend. So this weekend we wanted to do something fun. And the nephew said he wanted to go thrifting. Not that I am complaining since it has been a while. They overrode my idea to go to a festival. The boys are not big on festivals. I like free stuff and I like to look at stuff and people so festivals are a good match for me.

http://www.seniorhomes.com/p/retirement-communities/

So we went by the retirement community estate sale, but they were closing up. That was a wash out. We went to their Resale store and the husband got a deck of cards. The nephew wasn’t as interested in the elderly as I am. They are cute, drive golf carts all around their community and they hang around the thrift store drinking coffee. I can’t wait until Christmas so I can score cool ornaments for pocket change.

We went to the big city of Jacksonville to get some thrifting in. The first couple stops were a bust. We went to a little store that didn’t come up on my map. The husband found a giant pencil. He said it I more his size. We also found the card game Flinch. The game was from 1963. We are really on an old game roll these days. We also found a linen map of Ireland. Not sure where we will put that. Maybe on the wall of stitch.

http://www.geekeshop.com/unique-gifts-5004.html

http://www.thehouseofcards.com/rules/flinch-rules.html

The next stop the husband and nephew found nothing. I bought a book and a lamb planter. Yet again I think that reading blogs is influencing my purchases. The three plants in the kitchen are still alive. I am getting a greener thumb.

Then we went to MKB. The nephew finally liked a thrift store I dragged him to. He found a clicker counter and a clock. I scored a bread box. I have been wanting one. I couldn’t pass it up… $5. The husband found a roulette wheel (he plans on taking over his parents’ extra bedroom and making it a casino. He also found Gatoroploy for $4. That thrift is cool because it has a little of everything and you have to dig and look everywhere to find the gems.

I need to take more pictures. The husband took the wire that connects the phone to the computer. I need a before and after for this bread box. The husband is cleaning it up for me. So excited!

We also found where exactly the Goodwill Pound Store (aka Outlet) is located. Unfortunately it was closed. I noted the hours and the address so we can return on a specific trip there.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtown/2011/09/whataburger-planning-to-open-downtown/

He husband made us go to Whataburger for lunch since the one near us closed down. We came home and played Flinch, which is actually pretty neat. We broke out the UNO Spin and tried our best to team up on the nephew. Finally game nights at the house.

http://games.offkilterproductions.com/game.php?GameID=33

While out I saw some interesting things...

Angry Bunny. Maybe because he is sitting on a toilet.

The had top and bottoms. I had to take the bottom picture. I didn't check the price. This could have been painted and made into yard art.

I was mesmerized by the owl eyes. This was a huge picture. Someone needs to take this home. It was like $8.

Raggedy Ann's Grandma. She cracks me up.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Mother's Day

I have never been the biggest in every little holiday. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas (mainly for the lights and decorations) and Halloween is big for me. Since I have been married I have been celebrating Mother's Day more. The husband will usually get something for his mom or cook her dinner. Going out is not an option since A) it is crazy busy out in the world on that day and 2) his mother is super picky about where she will eat out.

Last year my mother died. I usually sent her a card on mothers day and would call since we lived hundreds of miles away. I had an interesting relationship with my mother. For the majority of my life I was the parent. Raising a mom is tough. They don't listen. They make all the wrong decisions. They don't do their chores. They are a handful. Especially my mother.

Even from a very young age I knew my mother was not like other moms. She was not too good at cooking or cleaning. She didn't make me bathe or brush my hair. She spent a lot of time laying on the couch. When your in elementary school you don't know about depression.

She had her moments too. She was funny. She would do anything for anyone. She was a good person, with a good heart. She drove a huge station wagon that would start without a key. She didn't yell a lot. She let us have a dog and a cat. She tried her best.

She also was physically and mentally abused by my father. Her depression was very deep. She always had to "lay down." I didn't know about abuse either since they didn't teach that in school. I realized that wasn't normal the more time I spent around other kids. I didn't have people over much. Eventually after leaving twice we were free of my father. Yet things didn't get to be normal.

It wasn't until I was in my teens that we got a name for what was different about my mother. She was diagnosed with Manic Depression (the 80s diagnosis) for what is now the trendy diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Throughout my childhood she was in a deep depression. In my teens she went to the manic end of the spectrum and was hospitalized in a CSU. Finally I had a name for it.

Over the years she was in and out of CSUs, or as she called it, her vacations. She continued to be up and down through the years. She got to the point where she couldn't care for herself and at age 65 she went into a nursing home. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Towards the end of her life she became very delusional. We thought it was her mental illness since she had delusions over the years. At the end the delusions and the Parkinson's got her. She was ready to go. She was in pain, she was tired, she was wanting to die.

Almost a year ago my mother died. I didn't talk to her much in her last year due to the delusions and the nursing home taking away the phone due to her falling out of bed repeatedly to reach it. I did have a good talk with her about 6 months before she died. She was lucid and in between hospital admissions. I will always remember something she said when we were talking about my husband. She said, "I wish I could have gotten to know him better." She only met him once and she loved him. I agree, I wish she could have gotten to know him. But she knew he was a good guy or else I wouldn't have married him.

Although it was incredibly sad and difficult for the whole family, in the end my mother was ready to go. She had a hard life, at least during my lifetime. She had multiple medical problems. She wasn't able to get around due to her hips. She was not herself once the delusions took over. That is why I think about how she is better off now that she is not suffering. Sometimes when our littlest dog starts acting funny and like something has scared her I wonder if maybe she is haunting us, in her own way.

I have this witch puppet. When I saw it in the store I thought it looked like my mother - the grey hair and large nose. I sent her this picture of it I found on the company who makes them's website and she thought it was funny. If only I could mimic her voice then the puppet could come to life.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Our new arrival

This has been an interesting week. Well, many of my weeks are interesting since I am easily amused. But this week we got a new arrival earlier than expected.

We had planned to pick up my husband's nephew on our way back from where he has been staying for the last few years in North Carolina. Since his sister decided last minute to come visit she brought him down. So a month early we had a boy. Okay, a 23 year old adult, but it is still a big change to our household. See, it has been my husband and I along with the cats and dogs ever since we have been together. We both had offered our niece and nephew a place to live. Finally someone took us up on the offer.

I thought I had another month to clean out the second bedroom. We had to quickly clean out most of the bedroom and second bathroom. The husband was in charge of the bathroom since he has been using it as a shed and later as his hair grooming area since we moved in 2 years ago. He took it upon himself to put some peel and stick tile we had found a deal on in the bathroom. Then he finished cleaning out the shower that still had some shed items in. Then he scrubbed the whole bathroom. I was quite proud of him. Therefore I was in charge of finding places to put the stuff that was taking over the bedroom. I put what I could in the closet. The nephew says he doesn't even hang up clothes and only came with limited belongings so he didn't need a closet. Good things since I can't put the things in the closet into the actual shed.

I put some stuff in our bedroom closet. It is getting full in there. I put a couple things in the shed and the dining room. Now all that is left in the second bedroom are shelves filled with toys and cars. The nephew has requested that they are put up to. I know, he is so high maintenance. I told him I would clear them out when I get storage containers for them. Maybe if I could sell some more of my books I can put them on those shelves.

The nephew also asked for a door. The room has never had a door. We did put up a curtain. I can understand him wanting an actual door since the dogs find it entertaining to wake sleeping humans. They get me every weekend. If I move or breath or they think it is around 7 am they start to bark and fuss. We can easily do a door. We found a bi fold door at the flea market to cover up the AC unit by the laundry room. That was a good $5 deal. I figure we can measure and then find something at the flea market or maybe the restore that would work.

So the nephew is here and moved into the room. Of course my first thought was feeding him. I have it covered for me and the husband to eat until the next payday but now we have another mouth. He has been cooperative so far. Ends up he doesn't like pork chops and the husband isn't big on chicken, so there may be some chicken and pork chop combo days. I am the least picky. Thank goodness the husband and nephew both like peanut butter and cereal. I may need a cow for all the milk they will go through. It's times like these that I miss the husband being a milkman.

So I got over my concerns about the room and bathroom. Still in need of organizing though. Then the door and the room definitely needs paint (which the husband has gotten on the marked down shelf). It also need flooring (which we have and need to put down. Plus this is a pay week so I can get more food for the boys. Remember, I am the easy one who eats left overs and soup all week at work.

The husband had the serious talk with the nephew about what his plans are. He wants to get a job as soon as he can. He has to get his license. He wants to go back to school. He knows he has to clean up after himself, etc etc. The husband is happy to have him here. Like I am with my oldest niece, the husband feels like his nephew should have been his kid. It think its awful sweet. The husband is so great with kids (and animals). He spent a ton of time with his niece and nephew while they were growing up.

So even with my trepidations with having someone else in the house (I am a little funny about my home, but who isn't), I like the nephew and we get along. Plus people took me in at his age and gave me a roof over my head so I could go own to have my own home. We still would love for my oldest niece to come here too. We just don't have the room. I told the husband we need to start adding on rooms. I think at least 3 would work - 2 bedrooms and a pantry/storage room. I'm still working on having my own children one of these days.

Friday, May 11, 2012

12 in 2012 Update - Overdue

Update #4

Somehow I forgot all about this in April...

1. Lose weight - I lost 12 pounds, then I gained back a few when I stopped doing the daily calorie counter through the app on the phone. The husband stopped entering his all together. The past week I have been good and ate lots of fruits and vegetables. I haven't weighed in weeks, so lets hope it helped. I do feel pretty good.

2. ~~Get to selling~~ - Selling on Etsy, Half.com and ebay. I have sold 38 items all together since January. I have had the least sales on etsy (4 I think). Maybe the products aren't wanted, maybe the pictures aren't beautiful or maybe I am just not the etsy type. I ended up lowering my prices like crazy before a good chunk of the items ended their run. Still no more sales. Oh well. I have been seeing a lot of 8 tracks and some books. I am taking the paypal money and using that for the vacation money for next month's trip.

3. Pay off my mom - Still sending in payments. My other family members haven't sent any money in. The funeral home hasn't credited me two months of payments. When I called they were indifferent. I wrote a letter to send asking for this to be resolved and stating when the checks cleared. My mom won't be paid off by next month for her one year anniversary/our trip up north as I was hoping. I will keep plugging along paying her off.

4. Put down flooring - We are now up to 4 rooms with flooring. The husband just finished putting down the peel and stick tile we bought for my house in the second bathroom. The nephew is coming to stay with us and he gets his own bathroom. It looks very nice in there now.

5. Paint 2nd bedroom - Ok, haven't painted it yet. But the husband keeps bringing home reduced/returned paint. I have 4 cans waiting for us. The bedroom will most likely be half grey and half azure.

6. Paint and try to start redo on the kitchen - The kitchen just needs to have the cabinets moved, everything cleaned off and smothered in paint. The husband found the bright blue paint for $5. I just need to get the white paint. I better start looking for sales since after vacation we should be painting for days straight.

7. ~~Get the shed out of the 2nd bath~~ - With the nephew arriving the husband cleaned out the bathroom. It is completed and looking awesome.

(http://paxtonprints.com/index.php?x=process_image_multiple_times)

8. ~~Green it up~~ - I think I can count this as completed. What the heck. I have three plants in the kitchen by the window and a bathtub planter outside with tons of sprouting wildflowers. If I come across space to put them or something cheap to hang them in I will get some more plants.

9. Take care of the finances - I made the last payment on the main bill I have been working on for a year. I will count this one as completed because this payment will mean that other payments will be taken care of. I also finally applied for the loan forgiveness. Since I work in an area that meets qualification for a loan payoff program I could possibly be approved for all of my student loans to be paid off if I work where I already am for another two years. I could do that standing on my head (I hope).

10. Do more, compute less - I am still on the computer too much. I read three books according to my last update. Definitely need more reading. We are still playing games once a week with the in-laws. We found some more old games at the thrift store to add to the pile of games that are almost to the ceiling. Poker Bingo was fun.

11. Downsize - I have another box full of things to give away and this weekend the organization we wanted to give to are having a sale. So we can drop it off this weekend. Yeah!! Plus with the nephew coming we had to clean out most of what was in the 2nd bedroom. He gets the room, minus the shelves filled with cars and what not. We stuffed a lot into the closet until we can find a place for them or get more storage containers to go into the shed.

(from http://inhabitat.com)

12. Sew something - I sewed the first pile of darning. Now I have 2 shirts and a pair of pants that need a button. This one will keep going I am sure. I also put all the fabric and sewing stuff into a cool storage box so they are nice and organized.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Cool Site: Hep Cat Restorations

I read far too many blogs. I read the highlights and ogle the pictures. People who go places I have never been. Individuals who have more craftiness than I could even imagine. People living their dreams.

The find of today is:

http://hepcatrestorations.com

This guy has a eclectic home and does his own restorations. I have the utmost respect for that. I have been paging through months and months of posts. Impressive. While his wall decor is mot my style I love his furniture. He does great revamps on all types of things. Even if you aren't into retro/vintage decor you can read this blog for a trip down memory lane.

The blog is by Shane and Mel who are always looking for vintage, retro, atomic etc. They do a great blog with pictures of the restores and the before and afters. Definitely worth a look.