The last couple of weeks have been challenging to say the least. At every turn an appliance was dying or dead and it seemed like it was not going to end.
It's also been an expensive week.
First, the vacuum cleaner would not turn on at all. Nothing. Tried almost every outlet in the house thinking I had a blown breaker or something, but nothing. Ok.
Next, I'm baking my famous cherry chocolate bars when QH asked me, "Why is the light in the oven flickering like that?"
"Um, the light isn't on." I opened the oven door to witness sparks like the 4th of July spewing out of my oven element. We literally watched it spark and fizzle itself out.
The bars were finished on the grill and had that slightly smoky taste, but they disappeared just the same. Ok.
Then, the washing machine was in mid-cycle, when it started making a noise equivalent to someone dropping ball bearings on my tin roof. The repairman came out and diagnosed that my 9-year old washer blew the transmission and snapped off the motor coupling at the same time.
Cost for service call: $80.
Cost to fix the washing machine: $380.
Cost for a refurbished washing machine: $135.
Because QH went all the way to St. Paul to buy it, pack it in the truck and bring it home: priceless *
*(oh, wait, the equivalent to a 2009 Harley Davidson Ultra Glide)
Then our bathtub drain plugged up.
No, it wasn't because I shaved my legs, either!
We think a little plastic cap from the faucet washed down the drain and was plugging it up. The plumbers showed up and fixed it in less than 2 minutes. The bill went to my landlord. I don't even want to know.
So, I guess I shouldn't complain, because everything was fixable. The vacuum was dead because of a blown fuse, which my friend Jessi fixed for me (thanks so much).
The oven was replaced by one my landlord had in his garage (it was an electric oven and he replaced his with natural gas). I spent Saturday in the garage inhaling oven cleaner fumes, but after one and a half cans of oven cleaner, some hot water, and some hard scrubbing, it looks brand new. Mike revealed that he'd used the oven for 2 years, never cleaned it and then just put it in the garage. My shoulders are still sore!
Now we need a microwave, a small one, because the old oven had the microwave attached to it. (It was Kenmore that was about 30 years old). Hopefully, we have a friend who has a small one we can use. In the meantime the stove top is reheating everything.
Oh, and in my rush to get the oven clean, I threw the knobs in the bucket to let them soak. I then proceeded to take the bucket, dump the contents into the toilet and flushed said knobs down the toilet.
We made a trip to Menards and spent around $70 on knobs, drip pans for the burners and a new burner (one was broken).
I'm close to putting a donation button on this blog to help defray some of the costs of the last two weeks! Seriously!
I was starting to get down about all this. When it's one thing after another after another, it gets to you. I wanted to just make it stop. Enough already.
But I got a jolt of perspective yesterday when I read my email.
My dear friend and fellow writer, Sandy Lender, emailed to let us know that her scans came out all clear and she is now cancer free. I immediately burst into tears, and thanked God and all the saints and every good thing in the Universe that she is now 100 % healthy. I felt the same way the first time my mother was given the all clear following her masectomy and she has been cancer free for over 9 years.
Sandy has been through every circle of hell there is and still has that same sweet smile, still takes care of all God's creatures great and small, and thinks more of others than she does of herself. Through all of this mess, her heart has grown more and she is an inspiration to me and all who know her.
She's also a talented writer and her books are proof of that, just go to amazon.com and buy them and read them for yourself. I just have to warn you, make sure you have nothing else planned because once you start, you can't put it down!
You can read more about her at her website Today the Dragon Wins and her books.
Now, I'm going to stop whining, get the house cleaned and make dinner for my QH, and be grateful for all the good things I have in my life. Including my friend Sandy Lender and the fact I know have Fridays off.
If you really want to help, I do have a writing contest for young adult writers going on until June 1, 2009. Just go to my business blog at crawfordwritingservices.blogspot.com and check out the details. You can even enter via email and pay the $10 entry fee through PayPal.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Happy Birthday, Alex! (And Happy Cinco de Mayo, too!)
Twenty years ago today, I held a small little baby boy in my arms for the first time. It was 3:20 am at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and I was 19 years old and scared out of my wits.
The one thing that kept me from losing my mind was the faith that everything would work out, that somehow, someway, I would be able to raise a healthy child and raise him to be a successful and productive adult.
Everything did work out, and he is a wonderful person, pursuing his life on his terms.
Of course, I can't take all the credit. I did all I could to surround him with people who loved him, cared about him, and wanted the best for him. My parents, my brother and sister and their spouses and children, and of course, QH, who has been a wonderful father when his biological father made the decision not to participate in his life.
I may not agree with Hillary Clinton's politics or policies, but I do agree with her on one point: It takes a village to raise a child, especially now.
This birthday is a little strange and a little heartwrenching. This is the first birthday my son has had to celebrate without me. I know it may not be a huge deal to some people, but it is to me.
I can't send him a cake, or hug him or throw him a party. He's on an aircraft carrier in Virginia, serving his country in the United States Navy. Mail takes about 2 weeks to get to him, no matter what, and with the security measures in place what is sent is put through a ton of inspections. I don't think a cake would survive unless it was a pound cake! If anyone has any tips, I would like to know how to send stuff to those in the service that would hold up and survive security inspections! Please leave a comment here or email me at alsmom27@yahoo.com.
And then Mother's Day is this weekend too, so I'm trying to keep busy through the next few days, and shedding a few tears here and there, but I'll be fine. I have to be, I'm Alex's Mom, after all. And this situation is just temporary.
And to all of you, may you have a Happy Cinco de Mayo also! When Alex was born, I had no idea he was born on a holiday, and I think it's kind of cool.
And who knows, we may be able to spend his birthday together next year, maybe in Florida, on vacation as a family again.
I have faith everything will work out.
The one thing that kept me from losing my mind was the faith that everything would work out, that somehow, someway, I would be able to raise a healthy child and raise him to be a successful and productive adult.
Everything did work out, and he is a wonderful person, pursuing his life on his terms.
Of course, I can't take all the credit. I did all I could to surround him with people who loved him, cared about him, and wanted the best for him. My parents, my brother and sister and their spouses and children, and of course, QH, who has been a wonderful father when his biological father made the decision not to participate in his life.
I may not agree with Hillary Clinton's politics or policies, but I do agree with her on one point: It takes a village to raise a child, especially now.
This birthday is a little strange and a little heartwrenching. This is the first birthday my son has had to celebrate without me. I know it may not be a huge deal to some people, but it is to me.
I can't send him a cake, or hug him or throw him a party. He's on an aircraft carrier in Virginia, serving his country in the United States Navy. Mail takes about 2 weeks to get to him, no matter what, and with the security measures in place what is sent is put through a ton of inspections. I don't think a cake would survive unless it was a pound cake! If anyone has any tips, I would like to know how to send stuff to those in the service that would hold up and survive security inspections! Please leave a comment here or email me at alsmom27@yahoo.com.
And then Mother's Day is this weekend too, so I'm trying to keep busy through the next few days, and shedding a few tears here and there, but I'll be fine. I have to be, I'm Alex's Mom, after all. And this situation is just temporary.
And to all of you, may you have a Happy Cinco de Mayo also! When Alex was born, I had no idea he was born on a holiday, and I think it's kind of cool.
And who knows, we may be able to spend his birthday together next year, maybe in Florida, on vacation as a family again.
I have faith everything will work out.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
From Florida to Freezing
Yes, we are home.
We made it home on Monday.
When we stepped on to the plane in Ft. Myers, Florida, it was in the mid-80's for a temperature with mostly sunny skies. Three hours later, we stepped off the plane in Minneapolis and it was cloudy, windy and 46 degrees.
I'm still trying to warm up.
QH, in true Eskimo fashion, walked off the plane in his shorts and said, "I'm home!"
I've been trying to get my bearings since we got home, and trying to keep my spirits up because I'm feeling the drop in Vitamin D I was getting daily in the Sunshine State. In a way I am glad to be home, but it's hard to get back in the groove when you think of how long it took you to get on vacation and how fast it went by.
Today, I received a little insight into how to take things now that I'm home. It was a small gift from my fellow writing friend, the fabulous Sandy Lender, in her blog post today on her blog Today the Dragon Wins. Go to her site and check it out: www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com. She's had plenty in her life the last few years that has given her the wisdom and insight on how to take things when life piles on the issues and the problems and the obstacles.
Check the comments and leave one for her if you like. (Also, if you haven't read "Choices Meant for Gods" (go to her publisher's site for a great deal) or her chapbook, "The Choices We Made", and both are available at Amazon.com).
I come away with the knowledge that sometimes you just have to take things "one day at a time" as most of my family and friends who have gone through the 12 step programs recite to keep them from falling off track. I forget I'm not Wonder Woman with super powers and that in order to get more done, I need to finish one thing before I move on to the next. I have to check off the things accomplished on my never ending "To Do List" and try not to overwhelm myself. And try to keep the list manageable.
I had 13 days of wondering what we were going to do that day, with no plan or agenda, and it was wonderful.
True, we need to work and make a living, and be responsible and all that, but I'm not going to let my "To Do List" run my life to the point of hyperventilating if I don't get something done. And once it warms up here in the "land of ice and snow", I'm going to do more to have more fun and enjoy the weather and my friends and family.
In the meantime, I'm looking for my socks. My feet are cold.
We made it home on Monday.
When we stepped on to the plane in Ft. Myers, Florida, it was in the mid-80's for a temperature with mostly sunny skies. Three hours later, we stepped off the plane in Minneapolis and it was cloudy, windy and 46 degrees.
I'm still trying to warm up.
QH, in true Eskimo fashion, walked off the plane in his shorts and said, "I'm home!"
I've been trying to get my bearings since we got home, and trying to keep my spirits up because I'm feeling the drop in Vitamin D I was getting daily in the Sunshine State. In a way I am glad to be home, but it's hard to get back in the groove when you think of how long it took you to get on vacation and how fast it went by.
Today, I received a little insight into how to take things now that I'm home. It was a small gift from my fellow writing friend, the fabulous Sandy Lender, in her blog post today on her blog Today the Dragon Wins. Go to her site and check it out: www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com. She's had plenty in her life the last few years that has given her the wisdom and insight on how to take things when life piles on the issues and the problems and the obstacles.
Check the comments and leave one for her if you like. (Also, if you haven't read "Choices Meant for Gods" (go to her publisher's site for a great deal) or her chapbook, "The Choices We Made", and both are available at Amazon.com).
I come away with the knowledge that sometimes you just have to take things "one day at a time" as most of my family and friends who have gone through the 12 step programs recite to keep them from falling off track. I forget I'm not Wonder Woman with super powers and that in order to get more done, I need to finish one thing before I move on to the next. I have to check off the things accomplished on my never ending "To Do List" and try not to overwhelm myself. And try to keep the list manageable.
I had 13 days of wondering what we were going to do that day, with no plan or agenda, and it was wonderful.
True, we need to work and make a living, and be responsible and all that, but I'm not going to let my "To Do List" run my life to the point of hyperventilating if I don't get something done. And once it warms up here in the "land of ice and snow", I'm going to do more to have more fun and enjoy the weather and my friends and family.
In the meantime, I'm looking for my socks. My feet are cold.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
I Started A Writing Contest
Greetings from Florida!
I'm killing some time out here on the lanai, I'm not sure if I spelled that correctly, using a spare laptop that my friend Gayle has loaned me for the duration of our trip. We've been discussing all sorts of things, and marketing, and catching up on everything.
I got a wild notion to start a writing contest and posted the information on my blog crawfordwritingservices.blogspot.com. It's open to ages 16 to 19 and the entry fee is only $10. The Grand Prize is $500 cash! If you or anyone you know is interested, please click on over and check it out. I will also be posting the information here in another post.
In the meantime, I'm gettting the start of a good tan, the weather has been phenomenal, and we both are resting and relaxing and having a good time. I'll write more later, I'm meeting my good friend and fellow writer, Sandy Lender for lunch. I haven't seen her in a couple of years, so it will be good to give her a good Minnesota hug!
Hope you all have a good day!
I'm killing some time out here on the lanai, I'm not sure if I spelled that correctly, using a spare laptop that my friend Gayle has loaned me for the duration of our trip. We've been discussing all sorts of things, and marketing, and catching up on everything.
I got a wild notion to start a writing contest and posted the information on my blog crawfordwritingservices.blogspot.com. It's open to ages 16 to 19 and the entry fee is only $10. The Grand Prize is $500 cash! If you or anyone you know is interested, please click on over and check it out. I will also be posting the information here in another post.
In the meantime, I'm gettting the start of a good tan, the weather has been phenomenal, and we both are resting and relaxing and having a good time. I'll write more later, I'm meeting my good friend and fellow writer, Sandy Lender for lunch. I haven't seen her in a couple of years, so it will be good to give her a good Minnesota hug!
Hope you all have a good day!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Florida 2009: Tick, Tock
Yes, we are leaving in a few hours for sunny southwest Florida. I kept looking at the clock at work tonight which is a frustrating activity on the night before you go on a long vacation. I don't recommend it.
But it was more than the clock that was frustrating me. All day I was driving myself crazy trying to get everything done, as usual, and accomplishing zilch. Poor QH was home cleaning, doing laundry and packing and I felt like such a shit for leaving him home alone to do all that. I hate it when I do that. I want to rest and relax and be in a good mood when I go on vacation, not pissed off and frustrated. GRRRR.
I know, I should be more organized, and not try to leave everything to the last minute, but some things you have to. It's just that time moves way too fast when you are busy doing other stuff, and when you're not, you swear that damn thing is going backwards!
I have a few projects in the works, that will bring in some extra money and kick start my writing business (yes, I still have a writing business!). I need to take a breath, because since the first of the year, it's been one thing after another after another. Some good, some bad, and some fabulous. Ha! You thought I was going to say something else, didn't you?
It's been interesting, to say the least, but I need a little time watching the Gulf of Mexico, and the sun setting by the Naples Pier, and to hold QH's hand as we walk along the beach. We both need this so terribly bad, and I'm glad we decided that we would still go in spite of everything else going on. If you are under a lot of stress, working your ass off trying to make it paycheck to paycheck, or just having a hard time finding the fun in life anymore, then you need to take a break.
Everyone needs to run away from home once in a while. If you can't afford to go right now, then start a vacation fund. When you get enough, then plan on where you want to go. Get brochures, look on the Internet, and most of all DECIDE TO GO, NO MATTER WHAT!
Even if you just go to the lake with the kids, go play in the sand. It washes off, and you'll feel much better.
But it was more than the clock that was frustrating me. All day I was driving myself crazy trying to get everything done, as usual, and accomplishing zilch. Poor QH was home cleaning, doing laundry and packing and I felt like such a shit for leaving him home alone to do all that. I hate it when I do that. I want to rest and relax and be in a good mood when I go on vacation, not pissed off and frustrated. GRRRR.
I know, I should be more organized, and not try to leave everything to the last minute, but some things you have to. It's just that time moves way too fast when you are busy doing other stuff, and when you're not, you swear that damn thing is going backwards!
I have a few projects in the works, that will bring in some extra money and kick start my writing business (yes, I still have a writing business!). I need to take a breath, because since the first of the year, it's been one thing after another after another. Some good, some bad, and some fabulous. Ha! You thought I was going to say something else, didn't you?
It's been interesting, to say the least, but I need a little time watching the Gulf of Mexico, and the sun setting by the Naples Pier, and to hold QH's hand as we walk along the beach. We both need this so terribly bad, and I'm glad we decided that we would still go in spite of everything else going on. If you are under a lot of stress, working your ass off trying to make it paycheck to paycheck, or just having a hard time finding the fun in life anymore, then you need to take a break.
Everyone needs to run away from home once in a while. If you can't afford to go right now, then start a vacation fund. When you get enough, then plan on where you want to go. Get brochures, look on the Internet, and most of all DECIDE TO GO, NO MATTER WHAT!
Even if you just go to the lake with the kids, go play in the sand. It washes off, and you'll feel much better.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Ava Has Arrived
That beautiful baby girl is my granddaughter, Ava.
She was born on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) at 7:34 pm.
She weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. and is 19 inches long.
She's a good, strong, healthy baby girl. She has bright blue eyes and will grip your finger and smile, and look at you. She sometimes has a serious look, which to me, means she's going to be a thinker, and observer and will be trying to figure you out. She pays attention.
This little blessing came straight from Heaven and yes, Momma is doing just fine and the puppies are adjusting to her quite well. Brody (the Yorkie), is very protective. Tank (the Husky with one blue and one brown eye), is afraid of her. Both of them are right there when she makes the slightest noise.
This week has been one of great joy and great sadness.
While Ava was making her entrance into this world, my brother's wife, Lisa, miscarried last weekend.
I ask that everyone please pray for them during their grieving process.
The doctors are confident she will be okay to get pregnant again once she recovers from this, and they didn't really have an explanation as to why it happened, at least medically speaking.
I'm a writer, and while I work with words every day, I don't have words to convey to them. I did call them this week and let them know that we love them and hope they can find the strength to get through this.
In the meantime, this is the first weekend of Spring, officially, and I am happy it's here. Most of the snow is gone, and we had rain on Friday. Today was really nice and we sat out on the deck and "sunbathed" while we drank our morning coffee. Then we went to visit Ava and her parents. :)
I hope you all had a great weekend, and have a great week!
She was born on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) at 7:34 pm.
She weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. and is 19 inches long.
She's a good, strong, healthy baby girl. She has bright blue eyes and will grip your finger and smile, and look at you. She sometimes has a serious look, which to me, means she's going to be a thinker, and observer and will be trying to figure you out. She pays attention.
This little blessing came straight from Heaven and yes, Momma is doing just fine and the puppies are adjusting to her quite well. Brody (the Yorkie), is very protective. Tank (the Husky with one blue and one brown eye), is afraid of her. Both of them are right there when she makes the slightest noise.
This week has been one of great joy and great sadness.
While Ava was making her entrance into this world, my brother's wife, Lisa, miscarried last weekend.
I ask that everyone please pray for them during their grieving process.
The doctors are confident she will be okay to get pregnant again once she recovers from this, and they didn't really have an explanation as to why it happened, at least medically speaking.
I'm a writer, and while I work with words every day, I don't have words to convey to them. I did call them this week and let them know that we love them and hope they can find the strength to get through this.
In the meantime, this is the first weekend of Spring, officially, and I am happy it's here. Most of the snow is gone, and we had rain on Friday. Today was really nice and we sat out on the deck and "sunbathed" while we drank our morning coffee. Then we went to visit Ava and her parents. :)
I hope you all had a great weekend, and have a great week!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Snow, AGAIN! GRRRR!!!
It's January again.
Ok, it's March, but it FEELS like January. Snow piled up again, with below zero temperatures. But the weather people are telling us that by the weekend it will be 4o degrees ABOVE ZERO. I have a hard time believing people who get paid to guess for a living.
Sigh. I have cabin fever. I have spring fever. I want to be outside walking and getting my flower garden ready. I long to hear the frogs singing in the evening. I want to be out writing in my gazebo or "relaxing" in my patio chairs with Cannon, sipping iced tea.
The bugs can stay gone, especially the mosquitoes. Bumble bees and butterflies are welcome anytime.
I'm trying to keep positive and counting the days to vacation. We leave for Florida on April 15 and come home on April 27. With this year starting out so crappy, a little fun and sun in Florida is something we both need. We have friends in Naples that we are so looking forward to seeing and spending time with, no agenda, no itinerary. We just go where we want, and hang out and people watch at the beach. Anything else we do will be a bonus.
Last weekend we went to Iowa to see QH's son Andy. He left yesterday for California with his roommate, Mitch. They are driving to Long Beach to catch the cruise ship for the Mexican Riviera for a two week vacation. We wanted to see them before they left.
We left Friday and four hours later we were in 65 degree weather! Man, what a boost to my attitude! Unfortunately, it rained Saturday and Sunday and when we were on our way home, we hit snow and rain mixed, but just being able to get out of town for a little while was a much needed break.
Now, I just have about 30 days before we can get to Florida, and counting.
In the meantime, I have a great project I'm working on that will help keep me busy until we leave. And I hope make the time fly by.
Watch for an upcoming announcement. It's going to be a lot of work, but it's also going to be challenging and I hope, a lot of fun! And I hope to do a lot of good at the same time.
I'll keep you posted. :)
Ok, it's March, but it FEELS like January. Snow piled up again, with below zero temperatures. But the weather people are telling us that by the weekend it will be 4o degrees ABOVE ZERO. I have a hard time believing people who get paid to guess for a living.
Sigh. I have cabin fever. I have spring fever. I want to be outside walking and getting my flower garden ready. I long to hear the frogs singing in the evening. I want to be out writing in my gazebo or "relaxing" in my patio chairs with Cannon, sipping iced tea.
The bugs can stay gone, especially the mosquitoes. Bumble bees and butterflies are welcome anytime.
I'm trying to keep positive and counting the days to vacation. We leave for Florida on April 15 and come home on April 27. With this year starting out so crappy, a little fun and sun in Florida is something we both need. We have friends in Naples that we are so looking forward to seeing and spending time with, no agenda, no itinerary. We just go where we want, and hang out and people watch at the beach. Anything else we do will be a bonus.
Last weekend we went to Iowa to see QH's son Andy. He left yesterday for California with his roommate, Mitch. They are driving to Long Beach to catch the cruise ship for the Mexican Riviera for a two week vacation. We wanted to see them before they left.
We left Friday and four hours later we were in 65 degree weather! Man, what a boost to my attitude! Unfortunately, it rained Saturday and Sunday and when we were on our way home, we hit snow and rain mixed, but just being able to get out of town for a little while was a much needed break.
Now, I just have about 30 days before we can get to Florida, and counting.
In the meantime, I have a great project I'm working on that will help keep me busy until we leave. And I hope make the time fly by.
Watch for an upcoming announcement. It's going to be a lot of work, but it's also going to be challenging and I hope, a lot of fun! And I hope to do a lot of good at the same time.
I'll keep you posted. :)
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