It's Late

How's that for a title, well it is late, 12:30 a.m.  Not feeling very tired right now, kind of in knots..Does that make sense, probably not...Out of sorts..I guess that's what it is..

I've had all this stuff going around and around in my brain tonight..feeling a little weepy..just a little..like I said I feel a little out of sorts..It's been an emotionally hard week for me..I need to concentrate not on anger but forgiveness..wow, that is not always the easiest thing to do, especially when that forgiveness needs to be about an ongoing situation and a relationship that will never be OK again..I know I sound flaky..if I could spill my heart out in public, I would..But that's not my way.

As thankful as I am that we have been able to rent our neighbors furnished home until our new home in Reno is completed in January (hopefully), its still not easy..Most of our belongings and furnishings are in a storage unit not far from our new place, and except for a garage of miscellaneous items and out bedroom set and mattress, we are pretty much living out of a few boxes and suitcases..We did bring our pots and pans and silverware, four mugs, four glasses and a couple bowls and plates with us..and our own linens..We've been here since the first of September and have probably a couple months to go..The holidays are coming, my holiday boxes are in storage..so I will miss having some festive décor..anyway, like I said my mind is wandering and and I am rambling!

45 days.  The builder will give us a 45 day notice until we can close escrow and move in.  I would be happy to have that 45 day notice yesterday..We have a lot to do once we get the word..our mortage company will need to finish up our loan, we'll need to pack up the few items we have here, and it's probably more than I think.  Boxes everywhere!  Arrange for a moving truck.  And pray for good weather.  January.  Reno. Snow..hmmm...this move will be different, the last few moves have been in blasted hot weather, at least this one will be cooler..can anyone say blizzard??  To be continued...

Barb

FACEBOOK, ETC..

Hello friends!  Well, three posts so far this week, I almost think I'm finding my blog voice..maybe it's like the more you do something, the easier it is..I've never been much of a writer..some folks just make the words flow, me, not so much.  I was never interested in the creative writing type classes in school..so I think what I am best at is just telling it like it is.  You know the old saying, What You See is What You Get.

I'm taking a Facebook break.  It's time.  Facebook should be fun and informative.  Friends reaching out to friends, enjoying bits and pieces of each others lives..Lately I'm finding it more political, folks bashing each other in public, and personally being dragged in the mud.  I don't deserve to be drug though the mud.  It's such a long story but what I will say is in most things in my long (62 years) life, I have tried to do the right thing and whatever I have taken on I have done the best of my ability..No one is perfect, and I surely am not.  But when I find myself on the receiving end of crap, well it's time for a break!  I don't know how many of you are Facebook friends with me, but please I need to stay in touch, so shoot me a message if you need my email or cell number..I treasure my Facebook friends..and I'll be back at some point.. Think this is a good time to do some more reading than I have been, do some sewing that is calling my name, and spending quality time with my husband withoug having my nose buried in my laptop or my phone..time is too precious to waste and that is what I am going to say about that!

Today is Veteran's Day, and my dear husband Carl is a veteran of the Vietnam era..He served in the Army from 1966 to 1969, I have always been proud of his service, which he was in way before he met me.. He never talked much about it, and being busy raising our sons, working and just trying to keep out heads above water, his time in the service just didn't come up much.  In recent years he has been diagnosed with PTSD, and thank goodness for the VA.  The VA gets a lot of flak, but in our experience it has been a godsend with good doctors and therapy..He is doing much better..and is a proud veteran!  Hope everyone had the opportunity to thank a Veteran if one is in your life today.  And I did what I always try to do, take him for a special Veteran's lunch.  Today we went to Chili's.  They had a special menu for Veterans, and wow was that restaurant full of proud veterans and their spouses, or significant others.. Nice camaradie!  Many restaurants celebrate our Veterans, so different when these service members, especially those who served in the Vietnam era, were treated when they returned home.. We are thankful they are now celebrated as they should be.

There is my handsome hubby, many moons ago...

I did survive the dentist yesterday..I have a wonderful student dentist and he always makes me laugh..and when I left yesterday he gave me a big hug.  His name is Douglas and his family is from Kenya..I am going back next week, and I'm sure I'll have at least one or two more appointments before Christmas, and I am definitely going to find him a gift.  He truly is enjoyable and his stories just crack me up..

Well, time to settle down and enjoy some tv this evening.  I dug out my kindle and it's battery is dead, naturally, so need to charge it.  I have a couple books in it that I've been wanting to read...now is a good chance to do that!

Love you all!

Barb

A late good evening to you all..I am about ready to head to bed, but wanted to just pop in and say hi.

It's been a nice day, weatherwise, in the desert..high temp was about 70 degrees, and right now it's about 58 out..that feels cool to those of us who live through the blasted hot summers here, I think our skin really does thin out.  Too bad my hips don't!!  Ha ha..actually we are probably going to freeze in Reno until we become acclimated to the weather there..it's been snowing there all day and evening and our friend Ruth took some pictures in her yard and posted them on Facebook, it looks pretty..Ruth and her husband Bill live a few miles from where we will be living..So nice to already have good friends who will be nearby..Carl and I are pretty friendly, it won't be long until we meet new neighbors..Probably shoveling snow, lol.

I have to leave here early, about 6:15 am, in the morning..I have a dental appt. at the Dental School at Loma Linda University, which is about a 50 mile drive each way.  Carl and I started going to the dental school about 3 years ago..they do take our dental insurance but what we have to pay is so much less than going to a 'regular' dentist..Carl had quite a bit of work to be done, and he is pretty much finished except for the twice yearly cleanings, but my dental work has gone in spurts..I've been limited the last couple years as to when I can go due to caregiving for my mom and dad..I could really only go on my brother's days off..so I've gotten really behind..I think I will get my new bridge tomorrow, but sometimes I go and I find out what they're doing when I get there..I would like to get my dental work finished before we move up north, that is probably not going to happen..I can always fly back here and stay with my son or my girlfriends Denise or Eloda..I just think I am going to run out of time to get my dental work finished before we go..It'll work out somehow.

Boy is it windy out tonight..I hear it whistling out there..

Well, heading to bed, chat later!

Limitations

Well, it's me.  Yes, the former blogger.  I have no explanation why I stopped regular blogging..I lost my voice..my inspirations...I don't know..I guess I just felt I didn't have much of interest to blog about, which says more about me than anything else..  But I have been challenged by my dear friend Anne, at Phamilyblog, to try again...at least she misses my blog posts!  I just need to find my blog voice again.

We sold our house this summer.  Yep, we did.  It basically sold itself, it was a very stress free transaction and we have sold enough homes to know what a nightmare it can be..then we were lucky to have a neighbor rent us his furnished home for a few months.  He lives in the Los Angeles area and comes out to his house every few weeks, but he was gracious to agree to rent to us..so hopefully this works out well for both of us..It's very hard to find a furnished place with a yard, and again most folks won't rent to people with dogs.  So we are very blessed indeed.

Where are we going, you might ask?!  Well, after trying to figure out our future for more than a few years, we are going to Reno, Nevada..we were visiting our friends Ruth and Bill in Reno this spring and went out looking at some areas we might like.  Found it on the first day out..and after a few years of no homebuilding, the developer was just starting to build again.  We put our name on the interest list and to be honest, kind of put it in the back of our minds after we got home..other things going on and such...a few weeks later we get a call from the developer and are we still interested?  We talked finances between ourselves, and most important, what we were looking for in a new area...Reno seemed to be our answer.  The best part is no more 9 hour, 520 mile drives to see the grandchildren near Sacramento...Reno is only 115 miles.  That has been our goal, to get closer and be more involved in Gracie and Jack's lives..Be there if they need some childcare, watch their little soccer and t ball games.  Plus it's Reno, an area we have always liked.. We put our deposit down on a 1596 square foot house in late April, picked options in July, and hoping for a move in date in January..Seems like the waiting has been going on forever..I guess it has been.

Other news, we lost our dear Dalmatian, Gracie, in September a couple weeks after we moved into this rental home.  Kidney failure, she was almost 13 years old and it happened suddenly..We are still brokenhearted and she is badly missed and will be.  She was a big brat sometimes, but she was loved and is really missed.  She was definitely one of a kind..Always remembered, as are all of our departed dogs..

India is now 13, and doing ok.  She has really bad arthritis in her legs, but we try to keep her walking around in the house..Has good days and not so good days.  She has a huge kind heart and always a smile.  She has been a huge blessing to us all these years..

Halo is also 13.  Still stubborn and at times, ornery..but definitely slowing down.  He had some disc problems a couple months ago, was taking prednisone and pain meds, but off those now and we just kind of hold our breath.  Dachshunds tend to have back and disc issues as they age, he is no different.  He can also be a big baby...He is my buddy and is loved..

My mom is not doing well at all, has taken a turn for the worse since the summer.  I won't go into all the details but please keep her and my dad in prayer..this is where limitations come in.  My siblings and I have been taking turns caring for mom for the past two years and as hard as I've tried, I have physical limitations..My fibromyalgia and fatigue are not getting better as I get older..limitations.  I can only do so much physically for them.  It hurts my heart.  But I have to deal with it..I cry at times more than I smile..I have guilt that I carry..probably that I shouldn't have..anyway, it's been probably the hardest couple years of my life, so hard to watch them age and have all these problems..I pray a lot.  God is a good God..I know he is watching over all of us.

Our sons, Dan and Scott are doing well..both have beautiful ladies in their lives and we are so grateful for that..and the grandchildren, what can I say.  Gracie is now 4 1/2 and Jackson is 3 1/2..What a pair they are!  They are in preschool now 3 days a week, and Grace will be in Kindergarten next fall.  I was blessed to spend a few days over Halloween with them and oh so fun.  I now know that when Jack eats too much candy, he can't stop talking.  Literally.  My daughter in love and I were trying to watch a movie that evening after trick or treating, Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler, and Jackson could not stop talking.  It was pretty funny.  Finally he crashed and he and Gracie both went to bed and just dropped.  Yakety Yak!

Well, that catches me up a little bit.. I will try to post some pictures on my next post, which is hopefully not a year from now.

I've missed you all!