CHCHCHChilly out!

It was in t he 20's this morning and now it is 5:30 pm the sun has set and it's chilly out. I helped hubby a little as he installed 5 storm windows this afternoon. I got frozen toes out of the deal!

I have been making beads and today worked on some murrini and wigwags which is stripes of color on a thin piece of glass that wig and wag back and forth. I will use them to add color to a set of beads. Hey, maybe I will even post pics so you get the idea!!

The great news is Erin got Todd's mailing address at Boot Camp. Now all the letters I have been writing can hit the mailbox and he can be flooded with love and support. It somehow makes it easier to know that those will reach him and hopefully put a smile on his face. It will be two weeks tomorrow, so 2 down and 11 to go!!

I still don't know if I will be able to make it to Todd's graduation. I would love to be there, but it's the absotoooootley worst time for us. Between after Christmas, with a big butt kicking tax bill due the end of February, and then a Van with wayyyyy to many miles on it. The $$$$ should really go someplace other than a trip to San Diego for me. I was really rooting for the East Coast for Boot Camp! That would have been just a long drive, but dooable! Before this all came up I was selling beads and things looked good. But since I have put a push on to sell beads, nada very little sales at all! Don't it just figure!!! LOL

OK....I have to figure something out for dinner, but first a cup of fresh coffee to warm up my toes. I think I will have it in my new mug that my Sis got me with a picture of Todd on it!!! I sure love my coffee mugs!

Have a good one everyone!
Dilly

Thanksgiving Eve

I just realized I have been running in 3 million directions and not one of them was in this direction to stop in and pay my respects!! Me Bad!!

My 4 days off last weekend, ended up on the road for two. Mostly to go pick up things for ourselves, storm windows and a small upright freezer! So my relaxing was to a minimum, and mostly filled with headaches and shoulder pain. This week will be all screwed up with Thanksgiving. I am afraid hubby will want to run the roads on Black Friday and I just shiver at the thought! Oh well the crowds shouldn't be in the stores we frequent!

Tomorrow we will be spending the day at Heather and Kirks, with family! Xavier has been busy helping Mom bake his Great, Great, Great Grandma's sugar cookies. Supposedly from reports he is covered in flour! Sounds like a grand time was had and memories were made and remembered! I am sure my Great Grandma Henderson is smiling and watching down as another generation devours her goodies!

Of course we will be missing the rest of our family. Miss Erin will be in Colorado with her family and Todd is in SanDiego in Marine Boot Camp. I hope he gets a decent meal in between running, marching and oooh raaaaaah's! We will be thinking of them and missing them around the table!

I am sure Randy will be running home and checking our our furry kids. Dozer weighed in at 73 lbs yesterday at his vets visit! Not quite 6 months old and he is growing like a hippo!!

Well I had better go check on the goodies simmering for the broth for the dressing I am making to take! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and blessings to all my family and friends!

Dilly

Thursday last day on the road!

Each day I have risen and said I wasn't going with Hubby on the road. I was going to stay home and take care of my cold. But, it's just hanging there, not horrible but enough to notice. So each day I bite my words and hit the road with him. I don't always get out at every store and have taken a good book with me. I guess riding along isn't to bad and a little help here and there.

The week is flying by and I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving already. I am thinking about some turkey and tatoes. Only potatos once in the last almost year! They are the only thing that still taste as good as I remember. Diet Pepsi.....UCK and I drank it for years and years! Only water, coffee, hot tea and an occasional ice tea now!

The good thing that came out of Todd trying to call me 3 times from the Denver Airport is that the first two finally showed up as voice mails on my phone! Now I can listen to him whenever I want. I feel bad that he obviously forgot the # or screwed up the call to Erin. I went on the forums and there were lot's of parents and family that didn't get their call. The ones that did could hear the DI screaming in the background. So the pressure must have messed up his dialing. The rule for bootcamp is no news is good news!!!! So now we just have to wait for an address and then I can mail all these letters I have been writing!! LOL

OK, we are off to the west side of the state today! I have my good book to continue reading, some munchies and then home and 4 days of working around the house and melting glass! Sounds like a plan to me!!!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Dilly

Sunday......I have had better days!

Don't get all excited I am fine, just feeling a little blue. Today was that day I was bumming about for the last month or so. The girls, Xavier and Shawn came over before noon today. We all sat around and had a Skype visit with Todd and Erin. We said our teary Good Byes and Xavier said Bye-Bye Love You! You can't get much better than that. Todd said he will try to call tonight when he gets to his hotel in Denver. He has a phone card to use up before he gets to San Diego. His cell is out of commision until he is out of boot camp.

So now it's time to get in the snail mail routine. Start with the letters and cards and from what I hear it doesn't hurt to sweet talk my letter carrier too! Rabid Moms have been known to attack their mailperson when not recieving their weekly letter! I will try to be kind, Erin comes first but an occasional letter would be wonderful! I'll certainly do my part, I have prior experience with my sister and friends who served years ago.

I know Todd will do wonderfully and give them 300%. I just pray for good health and no injuries and a wonderful finish on the intended date of February 11th! To not even be able to wish him a Happy Thanksgiving or Merry Christmas will be sad, but this is what he chose and when he chose to do it! So, I will be strong and suck it up!!

That was the big news, the house is clean, it's cold out and I am not doing well with the time change yet. I am still waking up around 5:00 and doing all I can to stay in bed. It seems to have affected the dogs too! Hopefully this week will be better.

Enjoy your Sunday and stay warm after these beautifu days, you forget it's in the 30's out there!

Dilly

The last beautiful day before the crap flies again! LOL

It was 70 degrees yesterday, 81 in the sun according to our outdoor themometer! Wow, that was certainly a keeper. Today a little cooler with a chance of rain. But, then back to a real November with highs in the 40's, and the white stuff isn't far off. But, lets be real here, it is less than 2 weeks from Thanksgiving, Black Friday, etc and those are typical temps and weather predictions for this time of year. So this last week of beautiful was a blessing that was bestowed on us, I hope you all took advantage of it.

I have been outside already this morning cleaning up the stuff that needs to be put away for the winter. Hanging the bird feeders, emptying out the planters, putting covers over the fountains!! The stuff I should have done a few weeks back, but maintaining my procrastinator status is hard work. I wouldn't want to rush into this stuff!

We have enjoyed a couple of Skype visits with Todd over the last couple of days. Today he is a busy boy with his recruiter, making those teenagers look like sludge and spending the rest of his day with his wife and dog!! Since we can't be there to share this time with him and send him off in grand fashion we have decided to have our own party. Brunch tomorrow with the girls and their families at Mom's house. We will have skype visits going so we can all say our goodbyes, share our tears and wish our recruit the best. It will be rough, but together as a family we can handle just about anything! Todd will leave tomorrow afternoon to make the trip to Denver and on to San Diego on Monday! It's gonna be a long 13 weeks!!!!!

I found the coolest table Thursday, just a small one for a side table, and it's for the guest room. In case you haven't heard our guest room is being done in a cabin in the mountains theme. So the table a slab of wood with birch bark legs will be perfect. Just invision moose, boats, trees, all beside a huge lake with mountains and you pretty much got the idea. I have all the parts now, but the curtain valances and will be putting it together this winter. I am sure somewhere along the line I will post photos! But now, its time for the actual work! Wait until you see what we are doing with the upstairs bathroom!! I was inspired by a bathroom in a cabin in Colorado that we stayed in. Right now it is an almost unusable eyesore. But I have dreams!!! LOL

So I am off to go back outside and enjoy the sunshine as I work some more. Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

Dilly

Indian Summer continues!

We are being gifted with some beautiful weather. But like all good things, this too shall pass, until it does pass I am going to suck every last warm, sunny minute out of it!

This morning we are being treated to a wonderful start to our day with a visit from our Grandson Xavier. His Mom and Dad dropped him off a little after 6:00 a.m. Mom was suprising Dad with a Charter Fishing Trip early this morning. So we have Xavier until it's time to take him to Aunt Bobble Heads for a day of play and fun!




Today is the Marines 235th Birthday, so I guess I will really start paying attention to this since Todd ships out on Monday. I am still doing OK, but I am sure there will be a little waterworks as that day draws closer. Even though I can't say good bye in person I sure can stress myself out thinking about it! LOL I have studied all the info I can find on the net, so I know what he will be doing, what to expect and when to expect mail. It will be almost 4 weeks before he will get any from us. That's just the way it is. I will wait patiently for any word from him that Erin receives, since he only gets 1 phone call when he arrives. The message she will hear is typed out and printed above the phone he will make the call on. But at least we will know he is there and safe. Some parents actually let the call go to messages so they can play it over and over and listen to their childs voice. Since we have said goodbye to Todd many times, it's a little easier, but not much!!!

Well I am off to make eggs and sausage for Xavier, and get breakfast over so we can hit the road today. Have a wonderful one, huggies all around!

Dilly

Monday, Monday, Sunny Indian Summer!

Yup.....they are calling for at least 4 days of Indian Summer. Temps to be close to 70 and the sun shining! Time to wrap up the yard work and get ready for the colder temps that will follow.

We did manage to complete our new back steps from the sun room down to the back yard. Lot's of staining and painting for next spring, but the dogs can go in and out without us having to take them down to the basement and back up through the walkout steps. YES!!!!



Now that the steps are done it's time to work on closing up the house. All that winterizing and making everything is ship shape for the "S" word!!! Then I can get going on the upstairs rooms which will be our main focus for this winter. Lot's of paint and hanging murals, closet organizers, and moving crap here and there and back again. It's on a Domino theory, you must do this, in order to do that, and finally you will be able to do the other thing too! LOL

We are down to 1 week before Todd ships out to San Diego. I have been doing pretty good, but I fell apart this morning and had a crying jag. I took Kylee upstairs and she loved me up while we laid on my bed and just got the crying part done. I wish I could hug him one more time before he becomes all military. When he left in September after his visit with us I had no idea this was all official so I never got to properly give him his civilian goodbyes. So I am sending cyber hugs to him, and with a little luck and major $$$ I will be able to see him graduate! That one is still up in the air (which of course is not anyplace you will find me!!! UP IN THE AIR).

Dozer is growing like crazy he is much more Great Dane than Bulldog. He is getting some wrinkles on his forehead lately. But, that is the only thing that resembles Bulldog. He is closing in on 60 lbs and is just 5 months old. Lord his feet are almost as big as Kylees!!! No matter what he ends up looking like he will be a big, big boy, thusly named after a bulldozer!!! LOL

I am off to work on my beads. Yes my thumb has healed enough for me to work on melting glass again. I am trying hard to get back in the swing of things and let's be honest if I am going to make some money I need to melt glass!

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!
Dilly

Wednesday on the Road!

If this is Wednesday we must be heading to Kalamazoo to run the treasure trail. This is a relatively run short compared to a Grand Rapids or Lansing Run. So I am looking forward to being home at an earlier time.

I put homemade chicken noodle soup in the slow cooker to greet us when we get home. That ought to smell wonderful when we walk in the door.

It's going to be very chilly for the next two days. Then a little warmer, so it's time to organize the garage and get all the yard stuff put away. Hubby has to break down the outside aquaponics unit too. The leaves are mostly down, but our front tree refuses to loose it's leaves so the raking is still ahead of us. We did manage to finish the back steps from the Sun Room down to the back yard last weekend. All we have left, is to rebuild a smaller gate to go in and out of the back yard to the driveway! It is so great to just let the dogs out the back door, rather than traipsing up and down through the basement. Color me a happy camper.

The dogs continue to be our entertainment and provide a lot of unconditional love. They both hit the Vets last week and are now up to date on their shots and anything else. Kylee hasn't gained any weight and still weighs in as a small 117 lbs for a Great Dane. Dozer, now he is a different story. AT 5 months Mommas big boy is at 53 lbs and eating like an elephant. Notice I didn't say horse, that's just way to small to compare him to! His feet are as big as Kylees and I had better keep walking him on his leash. He does way better than Kylee doing that. I need to keep him that way if he is going to be the big hippo I think he is!!! I have to say the next sentence quietly....I set an appointment for Dozer to be fixed on December 7th. Snip, snip my poor baby lets just keep it between us!!

The beads have been selling and I need to get back into a better work mode. I need to stash some money away for all kinds of different things!



Well we are closing in on our son taking off to San Diego as a Marine Corp Recruit. November 15th. I can't say it's been the easiest thing to accept. If it had been handled a little bit better maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. But I am sure we still would have been up in arms. But, our boy is not a boy anymore and if this is what he wants I want him to be the best he can be and go as far as he can!! I know he will give it his 300% that is just the way he is. So I am learning to live by the Marine Creed and be the Best Mom I can be and be "Always Faithful to my boy" Semper Fi!!!! I am proud of you Todd, run like the wind, Don't let the Basxxrds get you down, and know that I will always Love You ROTW!

Huggies all around for everyone!
Dilly