daily 2007 august page

Kay's Daily Journal
August 2007

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2007 Old Farmer's Almanac Predictions for August 2007 in the Mid-Atlantic Region

Temp. 72° (2° below avg.); precip. 3.5" (1" above avg. north: 2" below south). 1-7 T-storms, then sunny, cool. 8-15 Hot; scattered t-storms. 16-21 Sunny, warm. 22-31 Showers; hot, then cool.

Important August Things

Holidays & Important Days:	Anniversaries:	Birthdays:	Miscellaneous:
August 6, 1945 - Hiroshima bombed	August 3 - Lex & Eunice	August 18 - Earl	Birthstone - Peridot, Sardonyx or Sapphire.
August 9, 1945 - Nagasaki bombed		August 25 - Laurie	Flower - Gladiolus or Poppy
August 15, 1945 - Japan's Unconditional Surrender			National Psoriasis Awareness Month
August 28 - The Full Sturgeon Moon			Women's Small Business Month

August 31, 2007 - Friday

I think the fact that I'm busy must be a good thing. I write up a list each night of what I want to accomplish the next day, the next week, the next month and so on. Each night I have to re-write the list, since I never actually complete all the items on it in a day. But that too is one of my enjoyments. The possibilities, the hopes, the dreams. Some might think that it would be discouraging to see what you haven't accomplished during the day. Not me. It's all how you look at it. Is the cup half empty or half full? If full is what you're looking for, the positive, then I guess I think of life as the cup is half full. Either that or I'm a half cup low in the brain department. Hey, don't go there.

Today was busy also, as my days have seemed to be as of late. Jim is finished with his long days up in DC for awhile, so he took today off to make it a 4-day weekend, since Monday is a holiday. Yes, Labor Day.

We just really took it as an "easy" day. We did a couple things around the house and hauled a truckload of garbage to the dump and picked up a few groceries. Watched some TV and enjoyed a cool, relaxing day inside. It was humid and in the upper 80's today outside. These HHH days are numbered! Fall is on the horizon!!!!! HALLELUJAH.

So what did I actually accomplish this month? Well, here it is, if you're interested.

Accomplishments for August 2007:

Bible Read: (NKJV-New King James Version)
     1st Thessalonians
     2nd Thessalonians
     1st Timothy
     2nd Timothy
     Titus
     Philemon
     Hebrews
     James
     1st Peter
     2nd Peter
     1st John
     2nd John
     3rd John
     Jude
     Revelation -- Finished on August 17th!!!!

Next month I'm starting all over again with the NIV (New International Version) of the Bible. As well as some study books to go along with the daily readings. I may be abit slower doing it this way, but feel like maybe I'll understand things better. Hopefully.

Home Studies:
Online SS Lessons (SDA): 2007-3rd Quarter
     08/03 - Moses and Zipporah: Relating With Relations
     08/10 - Samson and His Women: The Folly of Passion
     08/17 - Boaz and Ruth: Firm Foundations
     08/24 - Elkanah and Hannah: Fulfilling a Vow
     08/31 - The Jobs: Living With Losses

Audio Books Listened to:
     Mr. Perfect - Linda Howard

Movies & Specials on TV:
     Shenandoah
     Ghost Rider
     Buffy - Season 2
     Guarding Tess
     300
     One Night With the King
     Claire
     Zodiak
     National Geographic Specials (3hours) Spies, A-Bomb, H-Bomb & Cuban Missile Crisis - Can't remember correct titles.
     A Family Thing

Webpage Updates - kayurie.com
     Daily Journals (dailies)
          Added the Full Moons under important dates
     News Archives (end of month standard)
     Index (end of month standard)

Genealogy Projects:
     Research:  new contact with Kennard family members
     Requests:  2 Urie requests

Household Projects:
     Room by Rooms:  Sanded, Spackled, Re-sanded, Painted Seth's walls and ceiling. Moved some furniture around also.

Kitchen Projects:
     Experiments:  Walnut-Oatmeal patties, Cottage cheese casserole, vegaburger casserole.

Skywarn/NWS/KG:
     Reports: 08-09-07, rainfall = 0.6" (6/10ths)
     Reports: 08-20-07, rainfall = 2.7"
     Reports: 08-26-07, rainfall = 0.1" (1/10th)

Contests Mailings:    197
Contests Online:    101

Miscellaneous Projects:
     CD's to MP3's: 28
(These were ripped from old, well-worn CD's to PC for preservation and personal uses only.)

Note:
If you are interested in reading or listening or watching any of the listed items above, please check with your local library. Most of these books, audiobooks, CD's, cassettes or DVD's can be found on their shelves. The household, craft and hobby projects are my own and many can be found on these webpages under the same category. Last resort is to email me at the address listed at the bottom of this webpage. Hope you have enjoyed my entries.

August 30, 2007 - Thursday

Tomorrow is here and there were other mountains to conquer. But that is life sometimes. I've gotten other things done today that needed to be done anyway so that's a positive thing. I've always been an optimistic type person. Well, maybe not always. When I was a teenager I didn't feel like there was anything in this world to be optimistic about. But as I entered my 20's, my outlook on life improved and I began to see that life was precious and looked forward to each day. I still do. Some days are harder than others, God never promised us an easy path. But I've learned that the more I lean on Him, the easier and more enjoyable my days are.

With that said, tomorrow is indeed another day and we'll see if I can accomplish some things then.

August 29, 2007 - Wednesday

Man, I had good intentions today. I was going to really get some work done in my bedroom, movin' stuff around, cleaning. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

What I actually got done was some laundry and ironing, dishes and some contesting. And those in themselves were indeed some good accomplishments. Things that needed to be done. Things that are routine but require weekly attention. So I did accomplish something. Just not what I had planned.

Again with the Scarlet O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day. I'll think about it tomorrow."

August 28, 2007 - Tuesday

Somedays it just doesn't seem like you get as much accomplished as you would hope. It's not that I wasn't working all day, it's just nothing was completed. Today was that sort of day. But the day is almost over and tomorrow is another day. (Starting to sound like Scarlet O'Hara). But it's true. I've always been somewhat of an optimist. So today is over. Tomorrow is a new day. I'll get more done tomorrow. Absolutely.

No rain predicted until around Friday and temps are to continue in the upper 80's and lower to mid-90's for the next 10 days or so. I promise, fall is just around the corner. Please?

I honestly see the days getting shorter. It's darker in the morning and gets dark earlier in the evening. I love it! I've always loved the long winter nights, just like I love the cold weather. There are nostalgic memories of the spring days getting brighter and longer and that meaning the boys would be out of school for the summer which was always a treat for me! But also fall, when school would start and my gardening and canning was about completed for the season and the mornings were crisp. Fall and winter still win.

I ran my dishwasher while we were watching some TV last night!!!!! Ain't that the coolest thing? It was SO quiet, I couldn't believe it was running. And BEFORE bedtime, dishes were DONE!!! Absolutely the greatest thing!!!

The best is that the 747 engine doesn't keep me awake for 3 hours after I go to bed!!!!!

August 27, 2007 - Monday

We got a very mild storm that really just barely clipped us, it moved past to the north of us, at least the worst of it. Believe there was another one south of us also. We got 1/10th inch of rain and a little lightning and thunder but nothing close.

Can you believe that this month is almost over? I'm amazed. Yet happy as we're headed towards the cooler part of the year!!!! HURRAY!!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!! and all of that jazz! I feel like dancin' a-jig, I'm so happy that summer is almost over. It's not that I don't like summer, no, I used to love summers when the kids were home from school and no homework, no schedules to meet. And back then I didn't even mind the heat and humidity. But now, well, I LONG for cool weather!!!!

And it's comin'. It's a-comin' soon!!!!! YEAH!!!

August 26, 2007 - Sunday

We stayed up very late last night, or early this morning. Latest I've stayed up in years! Jim got my dishwasher installed and we ran one load in it just to try it out. We kept stopping it because we couldn't hear it running! What a difference!!! The old one sounded like a 747 had dropped an engine in my kitchen and it was still running! The engine that is. The dishwasher had stopped working completely finally and it was more expensive to fix it than to replace it. So it's done!!! And I love the new one so much better! Especially since I can run it in the evenings while we watch TV!!!

Jimmy and Jessica came over to visit and run some laundry today also which was nice. Jimmy had to leave for work but Jessica stayed with us and watched a movie with us while the laundry was running. We had a really nice visit.

We are under another severe thunderstorm watch until 11 pm. We didn't get one last night though we were also under a watch. So we shall see. I don't see anything headed our direction right now, but there is stuff around, so I guess it's possible for later!

August 25, 2007 - Sabbath

Happy Birthday Laurie !!!!

Hope you're having a great day!!!

I checked the average temperatures recorded for us here in King George. They must average the low and high temps for each day together. The almanac said we would be 72° average, which was supposed to be 2° lower than the normal average for this time of year. Well, guess what folks? We're currently averaging over 78° which is 4° higher than the normal average and 6° above what was predicted! That may not seem like alot, but you figure that it takes multiple days in the triple digits to raise that average needlepoint upwards. That's really saying something!

And here's another statistic for you. The same records state that the average, AVERAGE humidity for us in KG this month so far is 74.1%!!! AVERAGE. Yep. That's about right. Lousy humidity. 'Nuff said.

August 24, 2007 - Friday

I decided to do a little grocery shopping today. Of course I picked the hottest day this week to do it. When I got home it was 93° with a balmy 72% humidity. Yucky, yucky. Cut it with a knife to breath.

But these hot days are numbered, at least for this summer. Fall is coming. There's already some trees turning red and yellow, amazingly. I look forward to cold weather.

Saw Jessica's car today, it's really pretty. Now she has "wheels" so she can get about easier again! Very cool.

Tomorrow is supposed to hit the triple digits again with heat indices around 105+. I'm actually surprised that the heat indices aren't going to be higher with the lousy humidity we've been having. Even on the days when the temps were in the 60's this week, it was awful since humidity was even higher.

Am I whining too much about the humidity? I'm sorry. It's worse here in the woods, since the trees hold in the humidity more than the open field areas. It's often not as bad just up the road at the neighbors business, since it's in an open field. So I'll whine abit then shut up for awhile about it all. Honestly, if I were thinner, it probably wouldn't bother me, as in years past it didn't. But I'm NOT, so it DOES.

Can you believe this month is coming to an end? I've actually accomplished a few things this month. Though most of you could do all of it in one day. But I'm talking about me, not you. So, regardless, I'm proud of my accomplishments this month. End of story.

August 23, 2007 - Thursday

Ran some errands in town today, so will concentrate on the housework tomorrow. I'm actually sore, muscle sore, from moving that little sewing desk on Wednesday. I Can't believe it! I've moved heavier stuff, did more physical labor when I was painting. Don't know why my muscles are so sore from that little thing. Unbelievable.

Been watching the special on CNN about God's Warriors. Recording the 2nd half so I can get some sleep. Very interesting. I'll reserve my comments until after I've seen the whole program.

August 22, 2007 - Wednesday

Jimmy started Orientation today and Jessica starts classes tomorrow! She got her car too so that's a wonderful thing!!!

Worked again on some contesting today. Now don't think that I just goof off all day. I also ran a couple loads of laundry, ironed some shirts, dishes, picked up the mail and moved my sewing desk and some of the sewing paraphanelia out of my bedroom. That was the big job. Oh, it's not done, but the desk and sewing machine are moved. YEAH! See me flexing my muscles!!! Now I just have to clean up the floor where it was originally and move my bureau etc. But that will be another day. I can only move one thing a day now. (the old gal ain't what she used to be!!!!) I do really feel like I'm cleaning when I move furniture around!!! Jim hates it.

Not the cleaning part. Just the movin' things around part.

August 21, 2007 - Tuesday

Stormed again last night between 9 pm and midnight giving us another 2.3" of rainfall. Total for yesterday was 2.8" rainfall. We needed the rain, but not quite that fast. It ran the lane abit but it's navitigable. Appeared to overflow a little at the place where it washed away the lane last year, but no severe damage right now. It will all have to be fixed sometime in the fall.

We picked up my dishwasher today, so Jim will install it this coming weekend. That will be nice having it back. It hasn't been a problem washing stuff by hand, just feel like the dishwasher uses hotter water and therefore cleans and sterilizes the dishes better than I can by hand.

Working on Seth's room and my room. Also working on my contesting again. Otherwise routine day at our house.

August 20, 2007 - Monday

Stormy night last night and supposed to have more this evening. Got ½" of rainfall between 4:30 am and 5:30 am this morning. I couldn't go back to sleep because of the thunder and lightning. Not bad, just there, so had a headache all morning.

August 19, 2007 - Sunday

Housework etc, routine day, busier than normal but that's OK too.

August 18, 2007 - Sabbath

Happy Birthday Earl !!!!

Hope you have had a great birthday, Earl!!!

How many days of the week do I start off my journal with "Routine day today..."??? Seems like I do that alot. But it's true. The only thing different today is we've been unable to surf online. Something with the ground station in TX, probably due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin dumping all that rain on the already soaked ground of the big state!

And who knows what Hurricane Dean will do? I'm not online right now so can't give you an update at this time. Also means that this journal won't get uploaded until tomorrow, if we're lucky.

All is well in the Price household. Seth, JoAnna, Joey, Jimmy and Jessica are all doing well to the best of my knowledge. Jim and I are also doing well, so what else could one ask for?

I have tons of plans for this next week, all things to be done around the house. Man, I am making headway!!!! I'll get my sewing machine moved and hooked up this week so I can catch up on some mending that has piled up over the last year!!! Well, there's not THAT much, but still.

I've also started my contesting again, so I've got some work to do with that also. Then there's routine housework, laundry, ironing, scrubbing, cooking, dishes and so on. Am I boring you again? I don't know why I'm so happy. It's crazy but I am. Guess because the family is all happy and doing well and I can concentrate on getting my house in order. Guess that's why I like being a homemaker.

It's a good thing, since that's what I am....

August 17, 2007 - Friday

Routine housework and laundry once again. Does it sound boring to you? Not to me. I feel like I'm catching up and gaining some ground on stuff that has needed to be done for a year!!!

Had a very mild storm go through around 1 am last night. Just a few flashes of lightning and 0.04" rainfall (that's 4/100ths of an inch--not enough to lay the dust). Not very exciting.

I'm really glad that it is the end of the week! I'll get to relax a little over the weekend, hopefully.

August 16, 2007 - Thursday

Working on laundry and housework. What can I say? Under a severe storm watch until 11 pm. Extremely humid and the air is very unstable.

Can you believe this month is half over? Hallelujah, my favorite time of the year is just around the corner!!! Fall then winter. Cooler, then cold weather. Well, if you can call Virginia weather cold. It's at least colder than the summer!!!! And I love when the leaves turn fall colors and then when the leaves are all gone. Some people say that winter looks dreary with the bare trees. But honestly I think that is the prettiest time of year. You can see into the woods and see the deer and animals playing easier. You can see the shapes of the trees and the birds and hawks etc. And then when it may perchance snow abit, what is more beautiful than the white on the ground?

Ah-h-h--h, how I long for winter!!!!!

August 15, 2007 - Wednesday

Not only is there a Tropical Storm Dean but we also now have Tropical Storm Erin bearing down on the Texas Coast. Should make landfall tomorrow evening though they should start feeling the effects tonight. The water temperatures of the Gulf are very warm, so it's a fortunate thing that the storm doesn't have more ocean to move over before making landfall. It would make it a very powerful storm.

Now, TS Dean on the other hand could develop into a major hurricane. They are expecting it to be a Category 2 before it even enters the Gulf Ocean. This one will bear watching.

Routine day in the Price household. What news we have, those of you who need to know already know. I worked on laundry today. I also moved furniture back into place in Seth's room. Still have plenty more to do in there before I can start catching up on mending. But, it's getting there!!!

Next room I'm gonna concentrate on is our bedroom. No, I'm not going to paint that one, too much heavy furniture for me to do by myself. But maybe eventually, just not now. But there is alot of other cleaning and organizing that I need to do and will do next! I'll put the finishing touches on Seth's room, then reorganize my room. Then I'll work on Jimmy's room and on down the list! No end of cleaning and organizing that I need to do. Being out of commission all last summer and fall with my broken ankle and torn achilles caused me to slip way behind on stuff. I'm so excited to finally be able to catch up! Who says housework can't be fun????

August 14, 2007 - Tuesday

A judge in Richmond has upheld those outrageous fines for VA citizens. Things like if I forget to turn on my turn signal, I could face a several thousand dollar fine or jail time! This is CRAZY!!!! I can't believe they are doing this to the very citizens that put these politicians in office. How did they sneak this through without the public having any say in this STUPID law? I truly hope that they, the cops, pull over some of the politicians and lawyers and judges who snuck this ridiculous law through the system and they get fined or jail time. But you know that will never happen. It will be honest, tax paying citizens like me, who get pulled over and fined. You know what I say about all this?? Politicians, and we know WHO you are, be VERY afraid. Elections are coming and you can be VERY sure that you have lost MANY THOUSANDS of votes. I can PROMISE you that you have lost mine.

By the way, for those of you who do not live in the Commonwealth, don't worry. If you are visiting the state and break one of these normal traffic laws, fear not. These laws ONLY apply to us poor VIRGINIA RESIDENTS. But wait.....if the powers to be think this is sucessful in VA, YOUR state may be next!

Tropical Storm Dean has made his entrance, so we will keep an eye out on his behavior to see where he will go and what he will do. Did you realize that we'd had an "A", "B" and "C" already?????

This week I re-started some volunteer work that I helped out with all last winter. Sometimes it just feels good to do something that's not all about me.

August 13, 2007 - Monday

The last thing I do each night is make a list of things I want and need to do the next day, the next week and so on. It's true that I have to re-write this list often, since I rarely accomplish everything on the list each day. Some days are good and I get 75% of the list done. Other days, not so industrious, interruptions, unplanned detours, forgot that there was something else that had to be done first thing that involved going someplace or whatever. Those days, well, I just add that day's list to the next day's items to be done. Simple. But it works.

That's what being flexible is all about too. You can have your schedules and lists of things to do. But don't let that discourage you if you don't accomplish what's on the list. Just accept that some days are going to be THOSE kind of days where it's two steps backwards for every one step forward. We all have days like that. Just chalk it up as a day that other priorities needed your attention and tomorrow is always a new day. That's what I do.

Again? With the laughing????

I've always tried to have a positive outlook on things, even when they go wrong. I would say that I am definitely a optimist. No matter what happens, I always try to look at the bright side of it. Sometimes it's not easy to do that. Sometimes it may take me awhile to do that. But eventually, I always do. I guess that's something to be proud of, right?

Now about what I said earlier about sleep. I also want to add that I have found if I only get 4 hours of sleep I tend to make up that extra 2 hours sometime during the day. Sad, huh. But I try to avoid taking naps during the day because it gives me headaches and causes me to stay awake at night. And that is a bad cycle to get into. Avoid it at all costs.

So today I scrubbed the kitchen floor where the dishwasher used to be as well as the rest of the kitchen floor. (Hey, while I was at it, why not???) I painted the baseboard and window frame in Seth's room and put a second coat of antique white on the outside wall. After it had dried the other day, I saw spots that needed a second coat. Also required more trim work at the ceiling and baseboards, as well as the edging around the closet and window. I also installed the last curtain bracket, hallelujah.

August 12, 2007 - Sunday

Another busy day in the Price household. We pulled out the old dishwasher and hauled it to the dump. I did some ironing and bagged other garbage to go to the dump also. Jim cut grass and did some other work in the basement, besides the kitchen too. Never suffer for a lack of things to do! But that's a good thing! I like being busy. Again, that's why I'm never bored. When I worked full time and was about to quit and become a fulltime homemaker when my first son was born, I had a co-worker tell me that I would be bored and back to work in six weeks. That is what had happened to her. Well, not to me. There's just so much so see and do and try and read about. How can you ever be bored????

That's what hobbies are for. That's what housework is for. That's what being a homemaker is all about. Bored???? Not a chance! Working at a full time job was the ultimate frustration for me. Yes, I liked having the extra money, who wouldn't? But it cut into my time so badly and also caused me to need more sleep. Which also cut into my time, frustrating me enough so that I couldn't think clearly, there were just so many things that needed to be done, let alone things I wanted to do. A job really stifled my creativity!

Yeah, go ahead. Laugh it up.

Jobs are necessary and I'm not saying that you shouldn't work. Quite the contrary. I truly loved working, kept me busy, gave me a little extra money so that I could get some hobby things to try. I'm a firm supporter of hard work and being able to take care of yourself and your family. That's real important. I'm just saying that if you can be at home, it doesn't mean that you get to sit all day and watch TV or read. It's still a matter of working and keeping busy and doing things that need to be done. And I'm not going to preach on this issue either. Do as I say, not as I do.

OK, I know you're laughing again. Tee hee hee. Anyway....

My problem is sometimes I get frustrated because there are SO MANY things that I want to read about, try and do! I know that I have the same 24 hours in a day that everyone else has, but it's NOT ENOUGH!!! That's what is frustrating! I really wish sometimes that I didn't have to sleep. It seems like such a waste of time, but I also am old enough to know that if I don't sleep, I pay for it later.

When I was younger, I was a person who needed 10-12 hours of sleep a day. That was frustrating! I'm so happy to report that now that I'm older, I only need 6 hours and I'm good. If I'm sick with a cold or flu etc, then I might require more, but that is rare thankfully. I really love that I don't need as much sleep anymore. Ain't that just the GREATEST????

August 11, 2007 - Sabbath

It was a little bit cooler today, hovered around 89° and the humidity was down quite abit also, which made the day more tolerable. I suppose the heat and humidity will creep back in later this week, they're even talking about chance of thunderstorms tomorrow, so we shall see.

Not much else going on around our house. We watched Breath of Life with Walter Pearson today. I really enjoy his preaching. We have our routines over the weekends, Friday evenings we catch Jesse Duplantis and Riverview Live with Phil Baker, both very good speakers also. Besides our own preacher, Charlie, I like Walter Pearson as 2nd place, Jesse Duplantis as 3rd place and Phil Baker in a close 4th place. If you ever get a chance to hear any of these guys, they are worth listening to. Of course our preacher's sermons are on the church's website at Promised Land Praise and Worship Center also. Phil Baker at Riverview Live is filmed in Austrailia and can be seen on DISH-SkyAngel-1 on Friday evenings, 8:30pm EST. Jesse Duplantis is on both DISH and DirecTV on TBN and other religious channels. We catch him at 6:30 pm EST also Friday evenings. Breath of Life is on Sky-Angel, TBN and other religious channels as well as the Adventist satellite programs. Enjoy.

Finished the book of James last night and will start 1st Peter tonight. I picked up a new Bible this week, got my NIV version that has a built in Study Guide. It's a Scholfield so I didn't know that this was the guy that really promoted the Rapture, so his notes on some texts may be off. However, it should prove to be an interesting version to read through starting in September and for the next year! I actually have the next few years planned out, God willing, on different versions of the Bible that I want to read from Genesis through Revelation. I might even get faster and start doing two different versions a year. Time will tell. I also want to read it so I understand and absorb some of it, so maybe two versions a year is abit much. We shall see.

I also picked up a couple of small study guides on Daniel and Revelation. I'm so fastinated with the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation. I want to understand it as much as possible.

I've always been an avid reader. That's probably why I'm never bored. How can you ever be bored when you can read? And there are SO many books out there to read. Bookstores, libraries, books on tape, even online these days! I think, hope, it keeps your mind sharp to continue reading. My eyes aren't what they used to be, not only am I nearsighted, but now, being older, I'm farsighted as well. But I still keep reading. And when I'm in the car, I listen to audiobooks also. (when I'm not singing). Nah, I'm never bored.

August 10, 2007 - Friday

I braved a trip into town today to pick up some groceries and other miscellaneous items. It was extremely hot and humid. Everything I did caused sweat to run down my face, into my eyes. So my eyes are burning tonight. I really, really, really hate this humid hot, humid hot weather!

Jimmy called me while I was out and about and asked if I needed help unloading groceries, which I gratefully accepted. It was SO APPRECIATED!!!!! Thanks Jimmy!!!!

I was really glad to get back into AC at home, but exhausted I am. Heat, humidity just really drags me down. Never bothered me when I was young and thin. Sure gets me now. Come on winter!!!

We got .6" (that's 6/10ths of an inch) of rain with the storms that went through last night. We had the first storm pass through around 4 pm then it started rumbling again around 10 pm. It continued until I fell asleep. We lost power about 4 times during the first storm and it flickered abit later, but never any long losses. Just on....off....on.....off type stuff. We were fortunate. No other problems.

My dishwasher finally "bit the dust" so I'm doin' things the Old Time Way, washing by hand! I feel like I'm back in the 70's, isn't that a hoot! Well, we've been in our house for 10+ years so things are getting old. Since most things aren't American made anymore, things aren't made to last like in the "old" days. So many things have to be replaced every 10 years or so. Foreign made stuff just isn't as good, guess that's why we're the "throw away" generation, huh? I could go on about no industry in this country and how we're so dependent on imports these days, but I won't. At least for tonight.

August 9, 2007 - Thursday

So I've done pretty good this last two weeks while sanding, spackling and painting without making a huge mess. Today, while climbing down from the ladder to move it one last time for the edging of the last 3 feet around the ceiling I blew it. I lost my footing going down the ladder, hooked into the drop cloth and pulled the ladder, paint etc all down. I had about a cup of paint in a small container. You cannot imagine how much mess that small amount of paint can do. It covered the wall, ladder, outlets, drop cloths and me. Fortunately only a small drop made it to the carpet. Thankfully I used two drop cloths, a plastic one underneath and a cloth one on top. (I know me) Most of the paint went on the cloth one. What a royal mess. So....I spent some time cleaning up that mess before I could finish the edging and then roller-paint the last wall. Hallelujah. It's done! Well, I still have to gloss paint the baseboard and window frame and touch up a couple little spots on the ceiling and wall. But the big stuff, the hard stuff is done.

I started this morning first installing another curtain bracket, then sanding the last ¼ of the ceiling, then edged it. Then I roller-painted the ceiling. Cleaned up the roller and brushes etc, then I edged the antique white around the outlets, window, baseboard and ceiling. Made my mess then cleaned that up. Then roller-painted the walls. Then it's cleanup time once again. Just in time for a nice thunder-boomer outside. It got black as night, but we didn't get any wind. We got ½" of rain and lots of lightning, lost power about 4 times briefly, but it came back quick each time.

Well, tomorrow, I still have another curtain bracket to install (the last one). I will paint the baseboard and window frame with the gloss white. Then I'll shift furniture back in position. And I will call that room done man! (Well, almost - still have curtains to make). It took me two weeks, but it was the hardest one to do. All the rest should be easier. No more ceilings. Think I'll take a week off to get this room cleaned up and organized again!!!!!!!!! My arms and shoulders are sore, as well as my legs and back. All that reaching, sanding, up and down the ladder, moving the ladder, moving furniture, etc. Good exercise, but man I'm sore. It's a good sore though.

Finished Hebrews last night, will start James tonight. On track to finish the whole Bible this month!

It was cooler today, only hit 99.8° midday. Then the storms came along and lowered it to a balmy, humid, very, very humid 84°.

Now, I'm tired, I still need to cook supper and dishes so will quit for tonight. I am sleeping good these days, that's for sure!

August 8, 2007 - Wednesday

We had a record 107°F today with 101°F in the shade. The weatherlady on the DC news said that Fredericksburg had 104° with a heat index of 121°. Unbelievable. What is this?

Today I installed a pair of brackets to hang a small curtain. I spent alot of time trying to install the shade brackets but had no luck with those. Then I had to spackle and resand the areas where I tried to install brackets to be repainted when I open the antique white paint again.

Installing the brackets was extremely tiring since I have to climb the ladder and dropped each of the mounting screws several times, as well as the hammer, screwdriver and punch, and a couple anchors. I am a patient woman.

Two steps forward and one step backwards.

Next I moved furniture around to the east side of the room, which is hard since some of the furniture is really heavy. Next I spackled the 4th wall which will need to be sanded etc tomorrow. I still need to sand the ¼ section of the ceiling, do the edging and roller paint it, then edge the walls, roller paint those and then gloss paint the rest of the baseboard and trim around the window. Then install another pair of curtain brackets. Oh Joy.

Don't know if I'll get it all done this week, since I also have other housework I'm working on such as laundry, suppers, vacuuming and this journal. The old gray..er..blond..gal, she aint what she used to be..... Ok, it's brown right now but it will be blond soon.

Back on July 27th I predicted a week to paint a room. So far I'm coming up on two weeks on the first room. I have six more rooms that I want to paint. No more ceilings. Thank goodness. Hallelujah. So maybe, just maybe it won't take quite as long. Plus four of the rooms are much smaller, so that ought to help some too. Time will tell. I'll see how long it actually takes me to do this. If it doesn't kill me, I'll be real proud of my accomplishments. That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Yep. I believe it.

August 7, 2007 - Tuesday

Temps were predicted to be around 100° today. I painted the baseboards on 2½ walls, the window trim, the door trim and closet door trim. I also painted ¾ of the ceiling today. Enough for one day!

Jimmy & Jessica have two new little kittens! They are only 4 weeks old, from a friend who's mama cat wouldn't take care of them so Jessica is bottle feeding them a special formula. Adorable!

August 6, 2007 - Monday

Busy day! Did the 2nd coat of antique white on two walls and another ½ wall. Then I sanded half of the ceiling and painted the edging white around the same ½ ceiling. That may not sound like alot to you, but for me, going up and down the ladder to move it every couple of feet is a ton of work. Add to that moving the ladders and stuff off the drop cloths and shiftin them... Well, it took me all day. Add to that the frustration that the edger no longer works. The pads won't stay on the edger. Nothing more frustrating than using an edger on an extension pole and the pad staying up on the wall when you take the edger down. Then when you move the ladder there and climb up said ladder and the pad falls to the floor just as you're reaching for it.... Well, you get the picture.

I'm tired, got to start supper, do dishes and put these aching bones to bed! Another busy day tomorrow.

August 5, 2007 - Sunday

Feeling better still this morning. Folded several loads of laundry that had been washed but not folded and put away. Collected garbage and ran that to the dump. Then we came home and ate lunch, watched a movie and did some more stuff around the house. A thunderstorm passed close to our north causing alot of sharp lightning but no rain. Lost power once for just a few seconds but it fortunately right back on. Otherwise a routine day.

I'm well on my way to successfully reading the whole Bible through in one year. I started last September with Genesis and I'm currently in Hebrews, but will hopefully finish Revelation by the end of the month. For this first time through I used the New King James Version (NKJV). Starting in September I'm going to read the New International Version (NIV). There were so many things that I didn't understand while reading, so I figure if I keep reading and using different versions each time, maybe somewhere along the way, it will all "click" in my brain. Worth a shot anyway!!!

Tired, got alot of painting and trim work and ceiling work to do tomorrow and the rest of this week so not going to stay up late tonight. Can't wait to get things done so I can work on a little sewing again! It will be nice to have my sewing desk freed up for mending and such.

August 4, 2007 - Sabbath

So, here are the links for the Chinese Weather makers:

Click Here to read the article from CNN.

and

Click Here to read the article from World Peace Herald.

Jim sent me those email and I thought I'd include them so you'd know I wasn't makin' this stuff up!!!

I was very sick last night almost like a flu. Sugar also was running 194 just before bed. That's kinda high for me. But it was probably because I was feeling so sick. Or maybe I was feeling sick cause my sugar was high??? Who knows? The good news is that I feel better this afternoon.

Our outside temperature gauge is reading just over 100°F. So that's pretty hot. The long-range forecast (10 day) is predicting 100° for Tuesday & Wednesday. That means we'll be about 105° or so if it holds true. Ugh. Winter, please come soon!!!! I'm not asking for a bunch of snow, though it would be nice for a couple days. I'm just asking for bug-killing, spider-freezing, coat wearin' cold air. That's all.

August 3, 2007 - Friday

Happy Anniversary Lex & Eunice !!!!

I'm really glad the weekend is here, cause I'm really tired. Don't ask me why, cause I don't know. I just know I'm tired. Today I worked on laundry, vacuumed and other routine housework. Then I cleared another part wall of posters in Seth's room and sanded from floor to as high as I could reach without climbing on a ladder. Still need to sand up above, like the last two feet or so, up to the ceiling. But I'll work on that next week. Then it's back to painting again. First I need to re-trim around all the outlets, wall and window frames, ceiling and baseboard and then re-roll the first wall and two half walls that need the second coat of paint. Then I'll move onto the new wall that I sanded today. It's a slow job, especially with me at the helm, but I'm getting there.

I really would love to have this room done in the next couple of weeks. Time will tell. I already have the paint for the laundry room and the small bathroom. I'll just be the little engine that could..... I may be slow, but I'm determined.

Hot, hazy and humid again. Storms once again fired up to our NW with a bead on our county then fizzled when they entered the north end of the area. I've decided that it's not a force field over the county. It's that stupid incinerator in the north end of the county that puts tons of smoke into our local atmosphere year round. That incinerator burns stuff from all over the East Coast. We have become the "garbage dump" or the East coast "incinerator". It must put stuff up into the atmosphere that is changing our weather locally. No kidding! Like the last few winters, everyone in all local areas got more snow than King George. Our temperatures here are hotter in the summer and winter than locally. Has to be bad for your health too. What particles of NY garbage are being shot up into our atmosphere locally that we are all breathing???? Makes one wonder......

And you've heard that the Chinese have Guaranteed, yes, I said, GUARANTEED rain-free days for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing??? They claim to be able to seed the clouds and atmosphere, so that there is NO rain for the days of the Olympics. HEY PEOPLE. QUIT MESSIN' with the weather! There are some of us that would love to have some snow. There are some of us that REALLY NEED the rain. Incinerators, seeding the atmosphere, what will they all think of next?

Like today all the Democrats were whining about the money being spent over in Iraq. It's not money being bagged and sent over on ships. It's spent in America on American-made products and by American laborers in American industries who pay American taxes to help our American soldiers preserve American freedoms and helping our fellow man. Besides, what would the Dems do with the money? I'll tell you, they would send it all to people like the mayor of New Orleans or DC or name a city to spend and it wouldn't be spent on the people who really need the help after Katrina. It would be spent on illegal immigrants to give them free medical treatment and free education while the rest of us have to work hard to get it. I could continue on this, but I'll sum it up by saying where it wouldn't be spent would be on fixing up our country's bridges and highways and helping the REAL citizens of AMERICA that really need the aid. Unless it could possibly buy some votes? Nah. It's all just talk, not real help.

Then there's that Edwards fella from SC who says that FOX news is prejudiced against Democrats and it ought to be stopped. What is he, NUTS? Where has he been? CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and all the other networks out there are pretty prejudiced again Republicans. The news media are the most biased people I've EVER met. They will spin a story so fast....well, guess I just won't go there for tonight. It raises my blood pressure enormously everytime I hear them drool for Obama, let alone believing and reporting this type of garbage. Un-freaking-Be-Lievable!

I gotta quit watchin' the news.

August 2, 2007 - Thursday

Had to pick up a prescription today that I had run out of just about. Otherwise, routine day. Didn't get to the work in Seth's room today but hope to do a little more tomorrow. At least take another wall's worth of posters down and put them away, spackle the holes and sand it to be ready for a coat of paint next week.

I had made a pot roast earlier this week in the slow cooker, so today I made a big pot of vegetable beef soup! That will keep me through half of next week!!! I probably should freeze part of it, but this isn't the best time of year for soup. I usually prefer soup in the fall and winter, but I just had a hankerin' for it!

Otherwise just a HHH day in August. Weather people are watching two areas, one in the Carribean and one in the Gulf to see if they develop into something Tropical. I haven't decided whether they will or not (like I have any say in the matter....) Just watching the weather systems to see what develops right now. Just too early to tell.

How about that bridge collapse in Minnesota? Wasn't that awful? My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy. It's scarey to think about some of these high old bridges when you see something like that! I don't like going over them anyway, but now even more so!

August 1, 2007 - Wednesday

Wow! This summer is just flying by. Not fast enough but it is going fast. I only say that because of the stupid heat and humidity. Give me that dry old cold north wind, please!!!

Today I re-sanded some spots on the walls in Seth's room. Then I re-spackled them. Then I re-sanded them. Finally, I started painting with the Antique White. It will take two coats to cover that awful Illusive Heather. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, you will need to look at my July Journal in the Archives section.

So the East wall and half of the North & South walls now have the first coat of paint. I will work on more trim work tomorrow and hopefully put a second coat on the walls on Friday morning. After that, next week, I will work on the half of the ceiling which is going to be rough. But I figure while all the furniture is on one side of the room, do it all man! So....this is going to take awhile. Ya think???? I will also hang the shades and curtain rods on one window on this half of the room and later do the other half when it is all painted. The good news is that I really love the antique white. It looks like a soft creamy pale yellow and matches the maroon carpet much better than I ever imagined! So this will work!

Can you tell I'm excited about it? Finally feeling up to doing something, after over a years of not being able to do much! Somebody please knock on some wood that I don't have anymore accidents while doing this stuff. Yep. Clumsy in the dictionary also has my photo by it. I can't understand why I do these things, must be for attention or something.... Anyway, so far, so good!!!!!

And here we go, the dog days of summer are upon us. And just so you know I haven't forgotten.......

.........there's only 145 shopping days left before Christmas!!!!!!

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