365-2 | Peaches Prattlings

{July 27, 2014} Whoever said Sunday was the day of rest…

Has never spent a Sunday at my sister’s house!

I talked to TS tonight and she said she thought it was just busy when I was here, special things going on, nope, just another day in this house!

The day started too early, about 7:30, but I decided to put my head back under the cover and not come out until 8:30/8:45, so there! Got up and GES was getting last minute things ready for EJS for camp, they were leaving about 1:30. ACS and MGS went to swim lessons while mommy showered and EJS and I headed over to S&L R’s house to pick up and old digital cameral for her to take to camp.

We headed back to the house then loaded GES and dad into the car and went out to meet ACS, MGS and S&B at Panera [I know, I know, you loathe all the initials] for breakfast so they could say goodbye before EJS goes to camp for two weeks. The girls got haircuts and dad and I went back to the house and I worked on printing labels for the letters from EJS at camp.

After we were at the house, the only thing left was completing the labels and envelopes, making sure everyone was covered. If they want to get access to the canteen…three letters a week. Sounds good to me, fingers crossed I get one! We even printed out fill in the blank letters!

Somewhere in there it started raining like crazy, so the girls went out and played until they were soaked and loving life. Then it was time to pack up the car and say goodbye to mommy, daddy and EJS, drop off is tomorrow at 10:30am and they’ll be back in the afternoon.

MGS, dad and I settled in, I made popcorn and we watched Kung Fu Panda, dad really liked it and the third time was cute for me. After that, MGS watched Dora the ‘Explorah’ and we got some stuff done like laundry, dishes, stuff.

When Dora was over, we got dressed, MGS determined she was going to wear pjs as her outfit, so she would be ready for bed, as she put it, headed out the door, grabbed her bike and away we went. She started riding and she didn’t want to stop.

About half way towards town, dad went back to the house for the car so we could drive home and MGS and I went about a mile, go MGS! Peddling her little heart out, so cute with her Sesame Street helmet!

We found a restaurant, Fuji, Japanese steak house, parked her bike inside the door and in we went. When we came out from the restroom, we found a family that lives down the road, good friends of the family and we sat with them for dinner, very small world.

After dinner, we went for frozen yogurt, came home and after about 20 minutes, MGS said she was ready to read stories and play a game, this was code for, it’s time for bed. I asked if she was tired and she nodded and the best part “I’m already in my pjs!” Very smart that niece of mine!

Up we went, ‘The Princess and the Pea’ on Popa’s iPad and Trouble with me and then it was nighty night. She was asleep in approximately 6 minutes, despite fighting me on it. I headed downstairs, checked some emails and then I talked to TS for almost two hours. I love those types of conversations!

Now…I’m talking to you, even though I thought about talking to you before 10pm, we see how far that got us. So, I will sign off and say goodnight, someone has to get up and take a certain wee tot to daycare.

Goodnight!

{July 26, 2014} Day two…hit the ground running and they’re off!

Another crazy busy Saturday happened and started at 8:30.

Just to clarify, it actually started several hours earlier because of certain little feet but I hell bound and determined not to wake up at 6 a.m.

GES found a free futon on a neighborhood site so we went and picked it up, which is wonderful to replace a pull out sofa bed.

After that it was again nonstop, yard sales, clean up, the girls were selling selling items they made, I got a fabulous grey duct tape purse/wallet.

There was lunch and final preparations for getting me ready to go to camp tomorrow for two weeks!

About 3:45 dad and i took the girls to the movies. We had popcorn and water and snacks and watched Planes: Fire & Rescue and it was awesome! All four of us, blog post review coming soon).

Next it was walking around the out door mall, got in the car to go to Orange Leaf for some froze yogurt and then home for dinner. Don’t you love how that works?

At home, there was dinner and playing and videos and then it was time for night nights. Books, a little silliness and then lights out.

Everyone was asleep and then mommy and day 5 got home with some family friends, SR and his lovely wife, LR.

Everyone finally confessed and now I can go finally go to sleep!

{July 25, 2014} Auntie J made it to Boston, finally!

The day started way to early… Six am to be exact.

I didn’t fall asleep until about 3 am last night and since I didn’t pack the night before, I requested a 6am wakeup Call So I could pack, pick up KLS head to the out airport.

Checking in was easy enough. Taking off was not as simple. Apparently there were technical difficulties, which, do we really want to know there was a problem with one of the engines? We took off about 1.5 hours late, only.

I fell asleep waiting to take off, giving up fighting with the woman next to me for the arm rest.

GES picked me up from the airport, so good for some one on one sister time. We went to lunch and dad met us there, good food and great company. Daddy and his girls.

We headed back to the house, GES had a conference call and at 4:15 we headed it to pick up EJS from the camp bus. She was happy to see us, yet cranky a little, that’s what happens after a long day playing in camp!

Shortly after we got home, there was a play date for EJS and a girl who will be in her bunk at camp next week. Then
ACS and MGS got home and we wrestled and played and tickled until it was time for dinner.

After dinner there were treats, I brought cookies from Cupcake Station in Ann Arbor, yum! Then it was stories, jammies and bed, for the kids!

Apparently I was tired because while watching a video with MGS she asked if I was asleep, she said I was snoring!

We had kisses and books and kisses and hugs and then it was night night.

After all that, I went downstairs and hung with my sister and brother in law for a while and here I am talking to you!

What does tomorrow hold?

{July 24, 2014} Wow, my friends are AWESOME!!!

I cannot tell you how amazing my friends are! Especially during this past week! WOW!

I know I’ve told you how great my friends are, last year when I was packing my house to move to Colorado, I had friends help me at different stages.

CA, SDL and CKM helped me paint the bedroom and bathroom so the house would be sale worthy. CKM also helped me pack boxes a few times and was with myself and DCM when we were having the yard sale and packing the truck in the same weekend. TS was there a few times to help me pack. It was a team effort and if I have forgotten someone from last years events, I APOLOGIZE!

This week was crazy too! And without my friends, I would probably not have gotten half as far! I got in Friday morning and got a few things done, but it was Saturday and Sunday that rocked! The first person to show up was TS, who brought her packing abilities and food! As she was leaving, RJS was came to help me pack boxes and move things around the garage. After she left, BG showed up and helped me move boxes and pack more stuff. This is just Saturday!

After BG left, I continued to work, moving boxes, packing and moving stuff around. About 9:30, I messaged DG across the street and he and his wife, CG were kind enough to let me shower at their house, as I had no hot water. It was FABULOUS! I talked to them for a while and then headed home to get some sleep, early day Sunday.

Sunday had me up early to get started on the yard sale. About 11, who drives up but TS, what? I wasn’t expecting her, but welcomed her! She came ready to pack and move and feed me, wahoo!

We went crazy on the garage, getting everything set up for the movers and packing her SUV to take things to Goodwill and that vehicle was packed to the gills! Eventually she left and DG came over to get his ladder and I asked if they could keep my artwork and plant and helped me find my house key, very important!

Now all I had to do was find movers, a storage unit and someone to be there to greet the movers, RS to the rescue! She was able to get the lock and key for the storage unit, meet the movers, take them to the storage unit, lock up after they go and supervise, thank you!

Tomorrow, my good friend CMD is going to be cleaning my house top to bottom so the new tenants can move into a clean house on Friday, as well as getting the rest of the stuff out of the garage for donation.

Do you remember the saying “it takes a village”? It really does! And without my friends, I would have been absolutely LOST!

To my friends, I say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I am so lucky!

{July 24, 2014} Crazy drivers

I’m so very glad I have good reflexes!

Tonight, one of my greatest fears almost came true and so glad it didn’t.

I was driving back to the hotel about 8:45 pm and as the light had changed for me, I drove forward, not expecting someone to run the opposite light.

Having quick reflexes saved me from being t-boned.

People, please see be careful!

{July 21, 2014} Jokes

Not all jokes are funny. It’s just a fact.

What’s funny to you may not be funny to me, c’mon, who’s kidding, I’ll probably laugh, even when it’s not funny. And of course, what’s not funny to me may be hysterical to you.

My dad cracks me up with the jokes he tells me, I get some good material from him and one of my favorite things about driving to LKs house is a pest control company that has a marquee with jokes, a lot of bug related jokes “What do you get when you mix an insect and a rabbit: bugs bunny!” “What’s smarter than a talking parrot: A spelling bee!” I’ll be here all week folks!

For the book I’m writing, JSAC suggested I use some of the jokes as chapter headers, what a great idea. Something to make you laugh, hopefully without crying after.

Do you love going to comedy clubs or watching comedians on tv? I do! Do you get some good material to share with friends? Where else will you learn?

As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, same thing with jokes, right? So, what makes you giggle, snicker, laugh, guffaw, crack up, snort? Please share, I love to laugh!

{July 20, 2014} Mixed emotions..the end of an era

So to speak.

As I mentioned, I went to Atlanta this weekend to try to sell my furniture so that the renters can move in on Friday! What? wow that was quick! Well, that’s what I said anyway.

I drove to my house Friday and it hit me, this was going to be the last two nights I was going to spend in that house.That was a big revelation.

I keep hearing that I can always go back and I can, but…I live in Denver now and really like it and if I moved back to Georgia, i don’t think I’d live in Loganville, I’d live closer to downtown, ITP or Inside The Perimeter. But..as I said, i like Colorado and I don’t see myself moving back, I feel at home there.

In addition, the house has been rented, for at least a year, hopefully two, maybe even longer or maybe at some point it will get sold, but I don’t live there anymore. I had been ok packing last year, I don’t think I really had time to get emotional, it was all happening so quickly. This time, I was still moving fast, but over the last year, I’ve spent a bunch of time at the house and now, that’s not going to happen anymore.

When I packed last year, I didn’t feel anything sad, i was moving to something new and I had already removed most evidence of the wasband. This time, it was a little weird. I was taking things down for the last time and as I did that, the walls got more bare and things started to hit me a little. Nothing major, just a little here and there. There were one or two moments as I was packing things or moving them I thought to myself, “if it wasn’t for the wasband, I wouldn’t be here doing this or by myself” and then i got over that post haste.

I can tell you seeing the walls bare was a little unsettling, almost as if the life I built never happened, like a clean slate. But then I think about being in Colorado and Michigan and all the amazing experiences I had in Georgia and that house and what my life is like now and I’m happy.

And the best part…I will have more financial freedom, I say that I work a corporate job to pay for my house and to a certain extent that is true. When I go to Atlanta, I will be able to couch surf and see all my friends and family that I want and not have to worry about checking on the house or driving all the way out there. There have been some very bright spots.

Luckily, I had to rush to get to the airport or I probably would have thought about it even more, but I have my memories and a whole mess o’stuff! besides, it was just a shell, it’s what we put into it that counts. And, as my friend JSAC says, “It’s all good”

{July 19, 2014} What a day!

Today started early and it’s now wrapping up, may I pass out now?

Today started at 7 AM, and I’m getting into bed right now. 6 am will be here before you know it!

I have so many things to tell you about, but you’ll just have to wait!

{July 18, 2014} My day: Travel, boxes, moving, dinner, packing, surreal

Today started normal enough, for a travel day.

I was wide awake at 6:45, of course, since the alarm was set to go off at 7:30, sure, why not. I got up, got motivated and out the door at 8am for the airport. I dropped off the car, fingers crossed I get another Beetle on Sunday! The flight was uneventful, after dealing with the car and finally getting to the terminal, I got to my gate in time to board, don’t you love that, no waiting. This was after getting a yummy egg mcgriddle from McDonalds, yum! Eggs, pancakes, syrup all in a neat sandwich, what could be better?

Saw JCT’s brother GC at the airport, he is a manager with Hertz, and we caught up for a few minutes, I haven’t seen him in a few years, it was nice. Then pick up my car from Avis, $20 a day, not bad! But $36 in taxes and fees? what? Oh well. It’s nice, an upgrade to an SUV, can’t beat that!

On the way to my house, I stopped for something I know I shouldn’t have, but I was craving it and by gosh, I wanted it and so I got it! Fellini’s Pizza is on the way and it’s near my first solo apartment in the Virginia Highland area of Atlanta. I used to go all the time and then it became a tradition after I moved to the burbs to stop there on the way home from the airport, so why break tradition? A NY style slice and a coke, both a BIG NO-NO to my stomache, but it was so worth it! And no, I did not use the knife and fork, they bring those with every meal. I got some grief on FaceBook for it, but I can assure you “No self respecting NY’er eats pizza with a knife and fork!” you fold the slice! http://www.fellinisatlanta.com/fellinis.html

Then home to see what the situation was like and then to Walmart for supplies. I don’t know if I’ve told you, I found a renter for my house! WAHOO! That’s the great part, the ugh part…they wanted to move in TODAY! What? Not happening! We moved it to next Friday, so…I have to get EVERYTHING out! Not a huge deal since I moved almost everything when I went to Denver last year, but all the stuff for staging and furniture is still here! Oh my!

I am selling almost every piece of furniture [bedroom, living room, dining room, office, you name it!] The only pieces I am keeping are my armoire and roll top desk. Whatever doesn’t get sold is going to consignment or donation. I already sold my kitchen table and chairs! Go me! [she’s interested in the dining room, fingers crossed!] If you’re wondering why I don’t want any of it, it’s furniture I bought when I was married, don’t need to take it with me and someone else may love on it! It’s great stuff! I am hoping to have to sleep on the floor tomorrow!!

The rest of the stuff are the knick-knacky things I had when the house was staged for sale, we see how well that worked out! So, tonight, I pulled everything out of cabinets, shelves, drawers, you name it, it’s all on a table, chair, middle of the floor! I am finding more things I want to put up for sale, isn’t that amazing!

Tomorrow will be selling and showing and packing what’s in the garage, tomorrow afternoon, after the sale will be packing the boxes of stuff for storage. I am going to rent a storage unit here until I can get everything back to Denver.

I took a break to head downtown to meet JCT and AB for dinner at the Brick Store Pub, a place I love and haven’t been to in a while. It’s a great ‘English style neighborhood pub’, loud, friendly and with great food. So good to catch up with friends! http://www.brickstorepub.com/intro

On the way downtown, I dropped off some pieces to a neighbor who had bought them last year and I promised to give them to her when the house sold or rented, there you go! The best part is she is fostering kittens and brought me in to look at the five week old babies! OMG! SOOOO cute! tiny and furry and sweet and wanting to play! I got out of there quick or I would have left with some! Two is enough! I told you…more than three and you’re the crazy cat lady, especially if you live alone!

After I got home, I got to work, continuing to move the things off the walls and shelves, ready to be packed and that will be tomorrow and Sunday.

I was going to talk about my feelings and how it is being in the house for the first of the last two nights, but I’ve talked enough and I’ll tell you more tomorrow. Besides, I have to get up in a few hours to get ready!

Wish me luck, send me good vibes and make all this stuff go away!

Good night!

{July 17, 2014} Art Fair 2014

July 16-19, 2014 brings over 500,000 people to Ann Arbor, MI for the 55th year of Art Fair.

This is one of the largest art festivals in the country. Their mission “To increase public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and fine crafts by creating opportunities that connect artists, the Ann Arbor community and the general public to their mutual benefit, culminating in a top quality juried street art fair.”

If you have been to an art festival anywhere, you have an idea of what this festival was like. Tent after tent after tent of photographers, jewelers, sculptors, metal workers, painters, clay, mixed media, glass, wood, if you can think it, it’s probably there, not to mention food and music. They closed off all the streets in the center of Ann Arbor and the surrounding streets and the tents went up, it’s crazy! There is something on every street and street corner.

Not only tents went up, but businesses opened their doors and put up their own tents and extended their stores to have some fabulous sidewalk sales.

When friends from all over, who went to undergrad or graduate school at U of M or were from Ann Arbor, found out I was in Ann Arbor for a few months said I had to go to Art Fest, must go to Art Fest, it’s a huge deal! And I was so excited that I would be here and here I am!

I didn’t buy very much, as I don’t have anywhere to put it, but I still had fun “window shopping”. I bought two things for myself and explored some of the alleys that the town has to offer. I thought about and thought about and thought about the Storm Trooper Sugar Skull, isn’t it the most! To say the least?

I hope if you’re in the area you have a chance to get out and check out the 55th annual Ann Arbor Art Festival!

http://www.artfair.org/

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