Today I felt a bit under the weather. I tried to do a stint on the Wii Fit, but my tummy told me that wasn't going to happen. Instead, I opted out of the computerized exercise in favor of the mountains of outside exercise I knew was to be tackled today.
Dustin and I donned our work gloves, grabbed some shovels, rakes and his Pulaski, and headed out. That garden plot wasn't going to clear and dig itself. So we started digging and rakeing. Dustin wound up grabbing my son and headed to Lowe's for a pitchfork. They also grabbed a pair of gloves for my son. We went back to work raking and shoveling and digging and throwing. It was discovered that the area consisted largely of rocks, so I got the gloves off and bent to the task of picking out all of those rocks and tossing them into a pile.
The entire idea of digging out this enormous area was looming over us as one daunting task. Meanwhile, we could hear our neighbor across the road on his backhoe or with his chainsaw, and by the swearing we would hear issuing from that area, it sounded like he was having a rough time of it. After eating a hearty breakfast of potatoes, eggs, pears and muffins I prepared, Dustin decided to take a break from the arduous task of our yard, and go over to see if the neighbor could use some help.
While I sat plucking rocks from my soon-to-be garden bed, I heard wisps of their chit-chat blown over to my ears by the breezes. Friendly talk of hobbies and other manly chat. I could hear them working together on whatever the neighbor had going on- backhoes digging, chainsaws buzzing, rakes being drug across the rocky ground. Then, I noticed the sound of the backhoe seemed awfully close.. and looked up as Dustin walked into the yard, the machinery right behind him. Apparently the guy was thankful for Dustin's help, and offered to come use his machine to clear our plot area.
I grabbed my gear and got the heck out of the way. I watched gleefully as he maneuvered the machine through the plotted area, clearing out all the overgrown weeds, brush and vines. Now my space is clearly defined, and the pile for compost is enormous! Work that would have been painstakingly long and blistering took him all of five minutes, and now we are able to concentrate on getting the beds themselves defined, and getting them ready for seed.
It is nice to see that there is still such thing as neighbors helping neighbors, and them giving in return. I hope he understands how much that little bit of his time saved us so much back break and sweat. While I do not mind the hard work, I am glad to be able to save my energies for the garden itself. Thank you, kind neighbor!
It is nice to finally have my heater turned on again. Nice to be able to sit in my chair somewhat comfortably, albeit if my toes are still a bit frosty. No matter- they always are. But the rest of me is comfortable, and that is just fine by me.
That wasn't the case over the past month. After our first electric bill here was $300- after retrieving our jaws from the ground below us and putting them back in place (making sure each had their own, and not the other's... how awkward would that be?), we decided to see just where that enormous amount had come from. While old, there was just no way we could figure how this little trailer was pulling that much energy usage.
We figured it must be the heater, and decided to try a little experiment. We turned it off for the entire month of January (well, end of December through yesterday). I spent 30 days frozen to my core. My body reflected the cold by how tense my muscles were- folding into themselves in so many ways it made my bones cramp. And it was constant. We had bought some little space heaters, but those eventually ended up in my kids rooms, since I could not bear them being as cold as I all night. So I bundled up as best as I could. I added a blanket to my bed, which was not enough. I piled on sweaters and socks and throws, gloves and hats. I bit down and bore the pain in my insides and rode that icicle all the way through that billing cycle..
Only to be snowballed by another $300 electric bill...
So, now the heater is turned back on, and we are thumbing our chins and racking our brains trying to discover what else could be drawing all that power out of my pocketbook. Our next thought is the hot water heater.... I should go take that hot shower now, while I still can!
My enchantment with the human race is slowly dwindling to a point of non-existence. Maybe it's because I'm off the happy-pills, so I am more agitated more easily. Maybe it's pre, during and post PMS syndrome... who knows. Regardless of the cause, people's stupidity is grating on my nerves at a near neck-breaking pace. The race car is the fingernail, and the wall the chalkboard, and that puppy is just flying those sparks down that sucker!
The school parking lot is probably one of my more illuminated irritants. The way these parents act is enough to turn my stomach into knots. The drive-by pick up I am part of, simply because I tried to park to go in, and when I tried to leave, I could not get out of the parking space. But I bring my book to read while I wait, and I am considerate and let people out when they are ready. Especially those who actually parked and went in. But some of these parents are just bullying for the front of the line, to jump up front and get out first. They block people in, do not let others who are finished out, and cause huge congestion areas in an already tight parking lot. Some parents will circle around in the thoroughfares way and stop in the middle once their child comes out. I cannot believe that the school employees (who stand with the kids) allow this. If I ran that school.. heck no. You must be in one of the designated pick up areas. That is for people who are leaving. NO BLOCKING! lol.
Or for instance, right now, as I sit here, there is a parent, who is letting their child - who cannot be more than 2-3- run unattended through the library while they mess around on the computer. This child has run through the back area here twice now, almost ran out the front door (right into the street), and is running aimlessly throughout inside. He is talking to everyone, which normally isn't a problem as long as there is supervision. I like to think the library is a safe place, but you never know. Through all this, the parents have made no notion of noticing the antics of this young man, and it worries me to think about what could have happened if none of us had been standing up front and seen him almost dart out the door (it was one of our employees who stopped him, not the parent). Sadly enough, this is not the first time I've witnessed this kind of "parenting", nor do I believe it will be the last.
Just driving is enough for me to tear my hair out. Just being around large groups of people. The lack of attention, respect, consideration. It blows me away that my children act better than some of these "grown adults" I run into. What happened to compassion and camaraderie? A thing of the past, it seems, and it's sad. I hope that I have brought my children up to at least be somewhat aware and mindful of others. To think before they act, and take into account those around them.
Ok, that is my rant for today. It was something for me to write about, so I got that out of the way. I really need to go work on some of my actual story telling. But I've come to a place that reminds me of dirty water. If that makes any sense. But I will try.
I subscribe to a couple different "word a day" feeds. Each day, I get a new word advertised on my iGoogle homepage, and another one emailed to me. Two different places each giving me a different word to remember in an attempt to broaden my weakened vocabulary.
The problem I am having is what to do with this plethora of new words I am obtaining. And many of them are in fact new to me. How do I retain these words and their meaning into my brain to pluck out and utilize in some fantastic way? Do I write daily definitions ten times over? Do I work them somehow into my "daily writing"? That is what my original thought was, but many of them are words that I do not really have a topic that fits. And trying to create a topic out of some of them is enough to bang my head against the wall and scream obscene amounts of profanity. Not conducive to my word flow.... well, at least not anything I would want to post publicly!
So now my idea is that I will get index cards. With the same procedure I did while memorizing all those drug names, etc, I shall put the word on one side, and the definition on the other, and test my knowledge regularly! Then, I will try my darnedest to incorporate those words into my daily writings or talkings as much as possible... so much that people get sick of my "big talk"!
Ok, so since I am at work (apparently inspiration strikes me here too!)I should probably stop doing this and do something I am suppose to be doing. :)
I've decided I need a truck. It is just not possible for me to be a good homemaker/gardener/whatever without one.
I'm a frequent visitor to Craigslist- I'll admit it. People sometimes want to get rid of some fantastic stuff. One man's trash is another man's treasure and all that jazz. I got my daughter a beautiful purple touch-lamp for her room. It has a pretty butterfly on it. The color matches her decor perfectly. It was all of maybe $5- and a touch lamp is something she had been asking for for many a month. How much better could it get?
Well, I keep seeing some of the bigger things I want at ridiculous prices (as in cheap. Omg.. I have to get it cheap). Things like new couches and chairs, a computer chair, desks, etc. Things too big for me to put in the car. It makes my tummy hurt, some of the things I've had to pass up.
The biggest ones are the beds I see that I would love to get the kids. I really want to get them new beds. Not necessarily the mattress, but just the bed. Right now, they are sleeping on their twin mattress, on top of a half of a queen size boxspring (you know, how they come in twos..). The boxspring is too big for the bed lengthwise, and a bit too small width wise. It doesn't make thier bed making skills increase any.... Nor can it be very comfortable.
I'd love to get my son a captains bed, and my daughter a trundle bed, which is what they want. I've seen them for sale, but there is no way I'd be able to get them home, and that frusterates me beyond all belief. My kids deserve real beds. I guess I'm going to have to just save up and fork out the extra and get them some new ones delivered.
But now, if I had a truck... they would already have nice new beds, and a desk, and we'd have new living room furniture, etc etc etc. Not to mention the items I've seen that would be lovely out in the garden I plan to put in this year.
Oh.. to have a truck. And now, the truck itself.. well, if I'm going to dream, I'm going to have what I want, no? Something big. I'm a fan of those Dodge Rams. They have such presence. Jacked up on some monster tires, of course. None of these sissy lowriders. I want something I need a ladder to climb into. I want a nice long bed, and extended cab. When I'm on the road, people are going to pull over in fear. Not that I am mean, but because I have presence! A truck that is shiny black, with that silver chrome linings... something that turns heads and keeps 'em looking long after I've gone. Yeah... one of those trucks...
Some day I'll have one. Except I'll never be able to drive it, because gas prices are going up again, so I won't be able to afford it!
I've never been a fan of the "New Year's Resolution". Sure, it seems fine- giving yourself one goal to accomplish by the year's end. However, people (at least myself) tend to set unrealistic goals, or goals that are too broad. And when the end of the year rolls around, and that goal has not been achieved, you leave that year with a sense of failure.
That said, I am still a fan of using the mark of a new year as a chance to put behind us all the negativity of the past year, and to look forward with bright eyes and a hopeful heart. I relish it as a time of renewal- not just of the year, but of the self.
An esteemed collegue of mine blogged not of a single resolution, but of a variety of goals he would like to acheive over the course of 2009. I thought it was a grand idea, and have adopted it for myself. How much more accomplished it will feel to look at what I was able to check off, rather than woe on what I never did.
So here I go, with a list of 25 Things I'd Like to Accomplish in 2009.
1. Write more. I keep saying this, yet don't do it. It would be easier if I had someone to keep me accountable for it, but the only person I have is myself, so I have to be firm with myself and make sure I do it. I want to write daily, but even every other would suffice to quell that screaming demon in my head.
2. Read more. You would think that working at a library, this one would be a cinch. Problem is, I tend to bring home books on crafts, or for my kids. I don't really bring home actual stories for myself, and when I do, I don't take the time out of my day to devote to them. Perhaps a scheduled time for the entire family to turn off all the t.v.'s and computers and use the time to read is in order.
3. Learn how to use my sewing machine- without breaking it. It seems that every time I turn it on, it breaks somehow. Maybe I just need one that likes me.
4. Expand my vocabulary. I feel like I'm in a vocab rut, using the same words over and over. I've signed up to 3 different word-a-day feeds to assist with this one.
5. Find some new parks. The ones I know of in the area have become dull to me, and even my kids. Time to move on to new and fresh.
6. Spend more time outdoors. With the garden on it's way, and an actual yard to play in, that will be much more feasible than before.
7. Go camping. I cannot remember the last time I went, and I miss it.
8. Start actually doing all those crafts I bought all the supplies for.
9. Cook in more- eat out less. We spend way too much money on going out to eat. I've decided to start planning my dinners for the week ahead, and be prepared with everything on hand. I'm also striving to be more realistic in planning my meals with our schedules in mind.
10. Eat healthier. That will be easier when added to the whole "eat-in" aspect as well. Plus, once the garden comes in, it will be easier to get those veggies in us!
11. Exercise more! I got a Wii and Wii Fit for Christmas. I've been using it. Who knew a video game could wear me out so much!?
12. Plant my garden, and keep it tended. There ya go.. one that ties in to many of my other ones! I'm actually really excited about this one.
13. Go out with my family at least once a month. By family, I mean my brother and sisters, and mom and dad. We don't spend as much time together as we use to since I quit partying. I need to have them for dinner, or whatever. I'd also like to start implementing monthly dinners/nights out with my friends.
14. Plan and implement more family activites. We tend to be one of those families who sits at home and veg on the computer. I don't want to do that anymore.
15. Enroll my son (and possibly daughter) in karate.
16. Enroll my daughter (and possibly son) in some kind of art class (dance, painting, choir, guitar, etc).
17. Sing more! I need to stop caring that I sound horrible and do it anyway, because I love to!
18. Attend some concerts. I love going to see live music. It doesn't have to be the huge production concerts (although I want to make it to some of them too), but even supporting the local music scene!
19. Get the animals to the vet.
20. Get the kids thier orthodontic work done. Especially my son, before he's too old.
21. Recycle more, and do more to help the enviornment. I thought about doing one of those adopt-a-street/stream/etc. things. I'd also like to get the kids involved in this.
22. Obtain medical insurance. I need to feel ok with going to the doctor if I need to.
23. Meet my neighbors. Maybe I'll plan a neighborhood summertime BBQ.
24. Drink more water.
25. Get a membership to the zoo/aquarium/etc and actually USE it thorughout the year. Even if I just go myself and work on photography.
Ok, so that is what I have so far. I am hoping to add to it, because the more visible my goals are, the better I am at it. And the more I have, the more I can get done, and the better sense of accomplishment I will feel.
**Update**
I've thought of a couple more things to do
- Sign the kids up as volunteers for the library
- Stop biting my nails
- Go greener. I want to try making my own cleansing products, as well as some of our own personal sanitary products- like shampoo and lotion, etc.