UPDATE To My House Blog

Hey - - slip on over to my other blog, "Escape From the Money Pit" - -

LOTS of good stuff going on . . .

I'm not going to tell you what all is happening - - you need to go over there and see for yourself! :-)

(I'm such a tease, aren't I?)

We Interrupt This Program . . .

We interrupt this blog for a special entry.

Today, September 11, 2006, marks the 5th Anniversary of the World Trade Center disaster at the hands of terrorists.

That was a day from Hell for me. You see, I have a large Italian family in New York City, and a lot of them work or go to school in Manhattan.

I think you can see where this is leading.

I was at work and listening to the local radio talk show when I heard the report of a plane hitting one of the towers. The local host was unsure at the time if it was a small plane that crashed, or what the situation was. Then came the report of the second plane in the second tower.

Uh-oh - - this was not sounding good.

Reports started coming in about another plane smashing into the Pentagon. Then a 4th plane crashing in a field in Pennsylvania.

I was worried sick about my family. I called my Mom, who lived about 30 miles south of me, and she told me she had not been able to get through by phone to anyone out there. I told her we probably wouldn't be able to, because I'm sure the whole phone system was gridlocked.

Our office's Field Manager moved the television to the Break Room so we could watch the news coverage. I sat there, worrying and praying, watching the horror unfold.

When the first tower fell, I was stunned beyond belief. I got up and left the room; I could NOT watch any more.

Since we were a State office, the Governor closed all offices in the State. I went home and kept trying to reach someone out East. First my "land line", then my cell phone. I kept trying both of them periodically all day long, hoping one of my calls would eventually make it through. Mom kept trying also, and we kept in touch with each other during the day.

That evening I had a Psychology class out at the College. As I pulled into the parking lot and parked, I decided to try calling out East "one more time". My call went through! As I heard my Cousin Kitty's voice on the phone, I started crying. We were both crying and talking at the same time.

She told me Cousin Eloise, who worked in downtown Manhattan, had been on the Metro, and it had been stopped. She had to get off the train, and walk 2-3 miles through Manhattan, across the bridge back into Brooklyn, where people were using their cars to get them back to Crossbay Blvd. to catch buses and eventually get back home. She made it back home late that afternoon.

She told me Chris' children, who attend a school in Manhattan, were safe. One of their neighbors, a policeman, was able to obtain permission to pick the children up, and was able to get them out of Manhattan and back home to Queens.

Paul and Ginny were out on Long Island and were fine.

Rocky was working for the NYC Street Dept., but was not in the area, and he was fine.

Kitty was fine.

The only one I did not know about was Chris' husband, who was a police officer in Manhattan. With all the reports of the killed and missing police and firefighters, I was a wreck.

But - - it was almost time for class. I gave Mom a quick call to let her know what I had found out, and headed into the building.

Everyone in class was quiet; everyone seemd just - - "stunned" - - including our instructor, who was usually very vocal and upbeat. He spoke to us in a low tone of voice about the tragedy that day, and how he was reacting to it, as he was sure we were all going through it also. He then did something I appreciate to this day - - he said, "I am sure you do not feel like learning today any more than I feel like teaching. Go home." Bless you, Tim!

When I got home, I tried calling out East one more time. This time, Kitty had good news - - Chris' husband was okay!

Now that the last piece of the puzzle was in place, I could relax just a little. My family was okay. I called Mom, let her know the good news, and went to bed.

Not everyone was this lucky - - my Cousin Rocky's neighbor lost his brother on 9/11. He was in the Command Center when the tower fell on it. They never recovered him. May he Rest In Peace.

NEVER FORGET!!!!!

"Catch Up", Part Six -- Weight Watchers and Misc.

Weight Watchers has been a bit of a struggle this time.

I don't know if it's because I'm older, or if it's because of the season - - being summer, there are all kinds of things to do, and it's kinda hard to totally follow program sometimes. But I'm trying.

So far I've lost 10.2 pounds, so I must be doing SOMETHING right!

But I have 13 pounds to go . . . *sigh*

******************

Our booth at the antique shop is doing well. I get up there every 2-3 weeks and putter around. It's fun, and very relaxing. Also, Tuscola is a neat little town, and once I'm done at the shop, there is always something to do. I'm really enjoying myself! :-)

********************

I'm signing up for an online teaching class through ION (Illinois Online Network) to learn more about online teaching. Not that I want to ever be a teacher full time, but it would be nice to have the knowledge in case any opportunities ever come my way. You never know when the short courses I teach periodically may have a virtual section, and I would like to be qualified to teach it. Or you just never know when some other opportunity may come along, and I may need that extra knowledge under my belt . . .

I'll keep my progress posted.

************************8

Well, that is basically it for "catch up" - - I will try to be on here more frequently, especially now that summer is over and real life has started up again with a vengeance!

"Catch Up", Part Five - Back to School

Ah yes - - school time.

Kids in the hallway - - some returning and familiar with the place - - some so lost they are just totally confused.

I like to work the Help Desk the first week of school during the 7:30-8:30 a.m. slot, espeically the first day. You get some good ones!

The hallways are packed with new faces - - some a little "stranger" than others, such as the one with lip piercings (yes, plural!) and green hair, but hey, I was young once and did stuff to get attention, although dying my hair green was never one of those things, and I hate needles so I would never get a piercing or tattoo (heck, getting my ears pierced was traumatic enough!)

It's kinda neat to drive up and see the parking lot full and know that classes are in full swing. It also means it is again time for me to park WAYYYYYYY out in the North 40 to keep my Jeep from being smacked by other car doors! Oh well - - good exercise for me!

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

"Catch Up", Part Four - Nothing to Celebrate

For the past 21 years, the first full weekend of August always brings the Decatur Celebration to our fair city. It's a street festival that is billed as the "World's Fair of the Prairie", encompassing 22 blocks of downtown, with 12 music stages, over 60 food vendors, over 100 arts & crafts vendors, roving entertainers, a huge carnival for the kiddies . . . and attracts approximately 300,000 people during its three-day run.

Dear Hubby and I have worked stages for the Celebration for 18 of those 21 years now, and have stories about some of the entertainers that would curl your hair. We have never - - NEVER - - missed working a performance on our stage, regardless of weather, scheduling, anything.

Until now.

Our perfect record has been broken.

This year, we became victims of food poisoning. I don't remember when we have ever been this sick!

Dear Hubby and I decided to do a bit of a "walk-about" right after the parade finished Saturday morning, to see what all was there this year. One of the things on the agenda was to grab a bite to eat before heading back to our Stage, because it was anybody's guess when we would have our next chance to eat. As we were walking around, we saw a booth for Smoked Pork Loin. We LOVE us some good smoked pork! So we decided to stop there and have a sandwich.

Tasted good at the time, but - -

But that evening, I was sick and had horrible stomach cramps. I told Hubby I needed to go home. Since he drove, he gave me his keys and told me he would get a ride home from one of the stage hands who lived out by us.

That was a rough trip home. From the time I left the Stage to the time I pulled in to the driveway was only about 20 minutes, but I was PRAYING THE WHOLE WAY that I would not have to pull over somewhere and get sick!

When Hubby got home, he told me I had not even been gone 10 minutes when it hit him also. By the time he was finally able to make it home, he was in just as bad of shape as I was. (Thank goodness for a house with 2 bathrooms!)

We called Kurt, our Stage Manager, the next morning and told him what was going on. We were too weak the whole day to get out of bed other than go to the bathroom, and even that took all our energy.

The following day (Monday), we were both on vacation from work, but it was spent - - you guessed it - - in bed, still very weak, still not able to eat anything but some crackers and possibly sip som Sprite.

Tuesday we both made it to work. Hubby was still pretty shaky, but he made it through the day with lots of breaks. He told his boss what had happened, who told him to take it easy.

I, on the other hand, was not so lucky. By 11:00 a.m., I was back home and in bed.

Basically, it was the next Friday - - nearly a full week from when it all started - - that we were finally feeling halfway human and weren't scared to try to eat!

What a ride. And we do NOT care to experience again soon!

"Catch Up" Part Three - Something Old, Something "Odd" . . .

Dear Hubby Steve and I love going to antique shops, and make a point of stopping at them wherever our travels may take us. It's always a kick to go to some little "spot in the road" town in the middle of nowhere, find a small antique shop, and walk out with a "treasure" that you would never find anywhere else.

We had also been kicking around the idea of renting booth space in an antique shop for at least a couple of years. I have a lot of antiques from both sides of the families, plus TONS of "stuff" from Dad's basement that has been down there for at least 50 years - - in fact, some of it was probably already there before he and Mom bought the house almost 55 years ago! A lot of the antiques I have are treasured family heirlooms, and will NEVER be sold in my lifetime. They were very special to my grandmother, or my Mom, and they stay. Period. NO amount of money would make me part with them. So take your wallet and GET OUT.

But then I have so many other things just stored away in large plastic totes - - around 9 totes at last count, I think . . . plus more "stuff" to get out of Dad's basement this coming weekend . . .

SO - - one Saturday in mid-July, we got on the road and made the rounds of antique shops in the area to see what booth space cost, and what was available.

Talk about an eye-opener!

Some shops charge so darned much for booth rent, you would be selling your antiques and collectibles to just be able to pay your rent!

WELLLLL - - excuse me, but I'm no dummy - - I want to sell my "treasures" for fun, and of course a little profit on the side, thank you very much!

One shop we went to is on Interstate 55, and gets LOTS of traffic. We started there, thinking that would be a good location. It is, but you pay dearly for all that traffic . . . $140/month, plus you have to work a minimum of 2 days a month in the shop; if you don't want to work the 2 days, they charge you an extra $40/month.

That's ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS a month, folks - - because this place was too far away for me to be able to make it over there to work 2 days every month.

I don't think so!

So it was off to another place, closer to home - - which was $180/month.

THIS was getting frustrating!!!

Finally, we went to Tuscola, which is abot 35 miles from home, and with all the Amish crafts and businesses in the area, AND with Arcola, the home of Raggedy Ann and Andy, just down the road, AND having a HUGE Outlet Mall, AND being right off Interstate 55 - - it seemed like a possibility.

I walked in to Paddy Wagon Antiques . . . and felt like I had come home.

I had been in the shop before, when it was under the previous owners, and was not real happy with the place. But it had changed hands, so we decided to check it out. I am so glad we did! The booth rental is very reasonable, you are not required to work in the shop any days during the month, and Sandy, the owner, is a total jewel.

So Dear Hubby Steve and I spent lots of time getting displays painted and ready to set up, and sorting and pricing some of my antiques and collectibles. Then one Saturday in July, we headed up to Tuscola, with BOTH trucks loaded down to the max, and got moved in. I have been back quite a few times since, arranging, re-arranging, adding, sorting, checking price guides to help find values for some of my "stuff" . . .

It's a lot of work, but I'm enjoying myself immensely.

I am SO happy to be there!

"Catch Up", Part Two - You Call THIS a Vacation????

Summer was a BUSY time for us this year. We are still working at getting things in and around the house fixed up and made "pretty" in anticipation of being to put it on the market next Spring or Summer.

The biggest project was the driveway. FORTY-EIGHT TON of white rock was delivered mid-July. That was our "vacation" - - leveling out FORTY-EIGHT TON of white rock. Here's a pic of Dear Hubby Steve riding the bucking bronco (a.k.a. "Toro Wheel Horse":


Unfortunately - -this was also the week we had the "Horrendous Heat Wave of 2006" . . .

It was HOT. We are talking heat index of 110 plus.

The only reason we did the rock was because previous arrangements had been made. SO - - We took lots of breaks, drank lots of water, and finally got it finished.

But the heat wave prevented us from doing anything else outdoors, so all of the projects we had planned to do that week were put on hold. *sigh*

The driveway looks GREAT, though! :-)

"Catch Up", Part One - Alma Mater Time

The end of June brought my Class Reunion. Our class has maneged to have one every five years. I know a lot of people don't like going to these things, but it's kinda fun to see all the people you knew from First Grade through Graduation, and how the years have treated them.

Our Reunion consists of a two-day deal. Friday evening is a Social Hour at the Country Club. It's a pretty relaxed, informal time, with lots of "catch-up" and good conversation. Saturday morning is a Golf Outing for those who are into "Pasture Pool" (Dear Hubby and I are not), and Saturday evening is the dinner and dance, which is sometimes held at the Elks Club, and sometimes at the Country Club.

Here is a picture of Dear Hubby and I, taken at Dad's house as we were getting ready to leave for the Dinner Saturday night:

It was a fun time! :-)

"Catch Up", The Series

Now that I am FINALLY back on track - - well, maybe just a little - - I will be writing a series of posts as to what all has been happening this summer. It may not seem like a lot, because I will be making them pretty brief . . . if I typed everything that happened to us the past few months, my poor little fingers would fall off!

Stay tuned - - more to follow . . .

LOOOOOONG Time No See

Yes, it has been a LONG time since I have been on here. Summer has been - - umm - - "strange" to say the least.

In the next couple of days, I will be doing lots of "catch-up" to update everyone on what has been going on.

Stay tuned - - I am back . . . :-)

Weight Watchers, Week 2

I have lost another .6 pounds!

It may be a SMALL loss, but it is STILL a LOSS, and that is a GOOD thing! :-)

I have now lost 4 pounds total, with 19 to go.

Wish me luck!

Home

FINALLY back home, and exhausted.

We had SUCH fun and spent lots of time with good people.

But now, I need to unpack, and get things ready for work tomorrow.

And get some SLEEP.

I'll post about the trip a little later . . . *yawn*

But as always, thanks for stopping by! :-)

Missouri Bound

Dear Hubby Steve and I are going to the St. Louis area this weekend. Some family friends are having a Graduation Party for their oldest son, and it should be a good time - - these people, like Steve and I, are just a little "off center", which always makes for a fun time!

We are pulling out Saturday morning at 5:00 (yes, that is A.M., unfortunately!) and heading down to Perryville, Missouri first, on a little 'shopping trip' to Stoney's Meat Market, and then heading up to our hotel in Festus, Missouri, then heading to the party in Arnold, Missouri.

Unfortunately, we will not have a chance to visit my favorite place, The Hill (the Italian neighborhood) this trip, but there will be other chances this summer for that.

On the way back, we will stop by Dad's and take him to dinner for Father's Day. I'm looking forward to spending some time with my Daddy! Yes, I definitely AM a "Daddy's Girl! :-)

I'll write all about the trip when we get back. As always, thanks for stopping by, and your comments are always welcome! :-)

1st Week's Results

Tonight marks the end of my first Weight Watchers week. Meeting and weigh-in time was 5:30.

I was a nervous wreck!

All I could think is, what if I didn't lose any weight? What if I had actually GAINED weight? What if still being on this medicine prevents me for seeing any progress? (more on the meds later).

As it turns out, there was really nothing to fear. I had followed program all week, watched my portions, counted my points, got all the foods in all the categories like I should . . .

And it paid off.

I lost 3.4 pounds!!! YIPPEE!!

Yesterday at my Dr. appointment, we decided it actually was time to wean me off the meds. He, like me, did not like the excessive weight gain they caused. So over the next 2 weeks, I will be cutting back the dosage until I am totally off them.

I'm hoping that will also assist my weight loss!

I'll post my results every week - - and as always, THANK YOU for stopping by, and please feel free to comment!

Love and Hollyhocks

There is an Amish settlement near where I live, and I noticed there are always lots of Hollyhocks on the Amish farms.

When I once asked one of my Amish friends about them, this is what I was told:

"Where the Hollyhocks are in bloom,
There is love in the home."

WELL THEN - -

All I can say is - - there must be LOTS of love in my home! :-)

More Scenes From the Vow Renewal Ceremony

I have finally gotten to the point where I have been able to go through all the pictures, do so cropping, resizing, etc., and now finally have some to post for you!

Cindy and Jerry hamming it up before the Ceremony.
I don't want to tell you what Jerry has in his hand - -
It was a joke gift we all gave him, and is a story in itself!


Bishop Jerry Wood of the Diocese of St. Francis,
United Independent Catholic Churches of America



Bishop Wood officiating the Ceremony
Left to right: Curt, Steve, Liz, Bishop Wood, Judy



Another picture of the Vow Renewal party



View from the other side of the Garden Arch



Another picture from the back of the Garden Arch


Jan (left) and Cindy (right) looking on



The Vow Renewal party


Another picture of the party


Bishop Wood (left) with the happy couple



Steve, Bishop Wood, and Liz


Cindy, Jan, and Judy even gave us a Wedding Cake,
complete with topper!


The traditional cutting of the cake

So there you have it - - it was a wonderful ceremony, with our special friends there with us to help us celebrate.

Looking back over these pictures, I'm reminded all over again how truly blessed Dear Hubby Steve and I to have these wonderful people as friends. They enrich our lives in an undescribable way. Our lives would not be near as good without them!

Thanks to my dear friend Judy for standing up with me; to her husband Curt for standing up with Steve, to Cindy and Jan (and Judy also) for all their hard work making a beautiful reception for us, and of course to our dear friend Jerry, who did a wonderful job of officiating the Ceremony. It was heart-warming and touching, and we could not think of anyone else we would have wanted doing it.

Steve and I love you all!!

Time To Get Serious Now

I am overweight.

Not by choice, mind you - - almost 2 years ago, my family doctor put me on a medicine to help with anxiety attacks I had been having. They started a year after my Mom had passed away, and that, combined with worrying about Dad, things at work and at home, losing a dear friend to a particularly nasty form of cancer, and other dear friends with serious health problems, really did a number on me. The medicine really did the trick . . . unfortunately, the side effect was weight gain.

About a year ago, the doctor tried to reduce the dosage, but apparently my body was not ready yet, because the attacks starting coming back, and they had to increase it back to my original dosage.

We also tried another med for about 6 months that would not make me gain weight. It didn't, but it also didn't help the anxiety attacks. I was ALWAYS "edgy", and not sleeping well at all; when I finally DID get to sleep, I had terrible nightmares and wake up exhausted. So we went back to the original med. *sigh*

I have been fortunate to have such an understanding spouse through all this! Dear Steve, thank you for standing by me during this time - - love you, babe! :-)

Now, here it is, another year later. For the first time in 2 years, I am actually feeling like it is time to try standing on my own two feet, and taking back control of my life. I have an appointment with my doctor next week, and I am going to tell him how I am feeling about this - - that this is the first time I have felt confident in myself and my ability to "handle things" in life, and the first time that I have felt "ready" for it.

Things in my life are SO much better than they were back when I started taking the meds. Dear Hubby Steve and I are at the best place in our lives that we have ever been. I have gotten to the point at work where I don't let all the lousy stuff bother me any more I am so blessed with the best friends anyone could have. Dad still misses Mom terribly, of course, but overall is doing well, and is getting out and actually enjoying himself with friends and family members, and some short trips periodically.

SO - - it's time. I'm ready.

AND - - another big thing I'm attempting - -

I rejoined Weight Watchers tonight.

I achieved my Lifetime Member status in October 2001, when I lost nearly 25 pounds. I kept most of that weight off ever since then. Well, there was about a 3-4 pound fluctuation that was always going on - - first I would put it on, then take it back off, but I kept off 20 or more of the pounds I had lost.

Until recently, that is.

SO - - since I am talking to my doctor next week about getting off this medicine, I also decided that now was the time to start getting those blasted pounds BACK OFF MY BODY!

I will be going to my meetings on Wednesday evenings, and will share my weekly progress with you on here. It's not going to be easy, but I'm determined to do this, and be successful.

Wish me luck . . .

The Next 20 Years

I have gotten lots of good comments from friends about my post about our 20th Anniversary vow renewal. Most of them have been very complimentary.

But then there are some of the other comments . . .

The following is the vision of one of the "cast of characters" in my life (who has too much knowledge of computers, and obviously wayyyy too much time on his hands!) of Dear Hubby Steve and I in another 20 years:


Apparently we never got our house built, hence the trailer ("It Ain't Home Till You Take the Wheels Off") - - and don't you just love Dear Hubby's hairstyle??? And MINE???

Ahhh, friends - - what would I do without them?? :-)

Thanks for the laugh, Paul! :-)

Away From the Rest of the World

Everyone needs their own little hideaway - - a place where they can get away from all the stress and pressures of the world around them.

For Steve and I, it's our patio and garden.

A couple of years ago, our dear friend Jerry (yes, the same Jerry in the previous post - - who married us again) helped us design a garden off our patio. He worked many long hours - - digging, hauling dirt, and getting the design "just so". He and Steve and I then made sure the walkways were laid out straight, and were evenly set in the ground. We set around concrete benches, a wrought iron archway, and a fountain. Jerry then helped me select planters and flowers, and we had our garden!

I then picked out patio furniture, added a few more planters to the patio, and our own little personal paradise was complete.

Here are some pictures of our "hideaway" - -

View From the Patio:

This shot shows the walkways and the layout of the archway,
the fountain, and planters along the retaining wall.

Hollyhocks:

My Mom and Grandmother always loved Hollyhocks,
so I planted some in their memory.
They are doing great! A couple of them are as tall as I am already!

The Fountain and Fu-Dogs:

This is an Antique Cauldron Fountain, complete with river rock accents.
It's a beauty - - and believe it or not, I found it on "Clearance" at K-Mart!

An Angel for My Mother:

My Mom absolutely loved angels, and had quite a large collection of them.
I put this angel statue in my garden in her memory.

View From the Garden:

This is the patio, as seen from the garden.
You can't really see the umbrella table very well, because it's a little dark in that corner.
We usually have the gas grille to the left of the umbrella table, up near the retaining wall.
We like to cook out during the summer months,
and it's nice to eat outside in the shade of the big umbrella!

The twin swing on the left also has a canopy that goes over it,
but it's inside for repair at the moment - - a slight tear that is being mended.
The seats on the swing also fully recline!!

Another View of the Patio:

This view shows the steps leading up to the yard.
The yard is higher than the patio and garden,
and the retaining wall goes all along the back of the garage and house.

The pole light (center) was an actual street light
from the Square in Downtown Taylorville, Illinois,
where I spent a lot of time when growing up
(we had family friends that lived there, and visited often - -
I also lived there after high school).
It's really bright, and lights up the whole back yard!
It really sets off the park bench and hanging plants up there.

Well, that's our little private personal space. We love it, and enjoy entertaining friends and family members back there.

Thanks so much for stopping by and going along on my little "garden tour", and as always, comments are ALWAYS welcome!

Will You Marry Me . . . Again?

ABSOLUTELY!!

Twenty years ago on May 24th, Dear Hubby Steve and I professed our love to each other in front of our loved ones. We promised to love, honor and cherish each other, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, for the rest of our lives.

The past twenty years have shown me that LOVE and MARRIAGE are not for the faint of heart - - it takes real effort and a willingness to work hard to make it all work out. There have been some bumps and rough patches along the way, but our deep love and respect for each other have gotten us through. We are stronger now than we have ever been. And when we look back on the past twenty years, it is totally amazing to us just how much we have grown - - how far we have come - - how much we have accomplished . . . TOGETHER.

So here we are - - twenty years later. Steve and I decided to do something special for our Anniversary . . .

We decided to renew our vows, and re-affirm our love for each other.

So, Saturday evening, in the formal garden in our back yard, in front of a small group of dear friends, we did just that.

Our dear friend Jerry, who is a bishop in an independent church in Springfield, officiated the ceremony. He did a wonderful job, and made it perfect for us.

Our dear friends Curt and Judy were our witnesses. Steve and I could not imagine anyone else we would want standing up there with us. Their presence made it perfect.

Our dear friends Jan and Cindy created a wonderful reception for us, complete with a wedding cake (with a topper and everthing!), punch, nuts, mints, candles - - the works. It was absolutely beautiful, and their efforts made it perfect.

Jerry's parishoner Jeff, and Jan's friend Don, also were in attendance, and their presence and friendship helped make the evening - - well - - perfect.

What else can I say? The WHOLE EVENING was a dream come true - - we were there with dear friends who love us, and we love them. Steve and I are truly blessed to have these wonderful people in our lives!

So - - in closing, I have a couple of pictures to share with you:

THEN - -

And NOW- -



Here's to the NEXT twenty years - - I'm looking forward to the journey. As long as Dear Hubby Steve is by my side, I know it will be perfect!