testing publishing my blog from email

So much has happened in the last two weeks. I'll give you a high-level overview of what's been going on.

1. My house is on the market, posted the sign in the yard on 8/15. Haven't had too many people come through the house just yet, but with school getting ready to start, I understand how busy people are. Hopefully, it won't be too long. In the meantime, they have cut down all the pinoaks in the yard next door and are still cleaning it up. The yard next door is bare and now the house shows the wear and tear and all the work that needs to be done. Gutters, roof, chimney caps, yard, painting, wow! Sure is exposed now.

2. My job has gotten better. In fact, it a very cool gig. I'm busy now and have a pretty interesting project to work on. I'm learning about manufacturing and printing. It's a different industry than any I've worked in before, so I am learning alot. It's great, you know I totally love to learn new things at work. I'm glad that I'll be here long enough to deliver my part.

3. My romance is great. I just went out to see him 8/19 and stayed for the weekend. And as soon as I got home on the 23rd, he insisted that I come back out for Labor Day weekend. So, I'm heading back to California on 9/1 until 9/5! It will be great seeing him again. I can't wait until I'm there all the time, it will be very satisfying to be together. He already got our apartment. I is beautiful!! Vaulted ceilings, balcony in both the front and the back, 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, wonderful kitchen, fireplace, garage, on a lake and a beautiful oak tree outside of the living room window and balcony!! We both fell in love with the place!!  Then, we went shopping for new furniture while I was out there. It was very fun shopping with him for something that will be ours. Amazing how all of this is coming together.

4. My son is going to head out to the Phillipines sometime later this year or next to do a mission trip. He wants to attend Bible College there and then help start a 24-hr prayer center. It's very dangerous, but if he really listens to God, he should be ok. As long as he doesn't mix in his own wants and desires with God's plan, God will protect him. I love him but I understand where he's coming from and honestly, I've expected this from him since he was born. I had my doubts for a while, but as he got older, I knew there was a calling on his life. I've just been waiting for the day. Well, I will just be strong and let him go. It's the right thing to do, to support him emotionally, in a loving manner, to educate him of the dangers and to rely on God for everything. I trust that even if it gets hard - I will lean on God for understanding of however it turns out.

5. My oldest daughter is definitely getting her shit together. She's in a great relationship and finally is getting some support from her partner's Mom. This is really important to me, since I'm leaving her behind. They are building a house in the suburbs and should be moving in by the holidays this year. They will have more responsibility than ever and I sincerely hope she shines!! She won't have me to lean on any more, so it's a good thing! Definitely a good thing!!

5. My youngest daughter is leaving for California on Sept 11th. She's flying out to Fresno to find out about jobs, school, begin her quest of residency, see what is going on with starting her life in California. She's going to stay in the apartment, have her car shipped to her so she can get around, find her way and make new friends and a new life. She's really excited and I just hope she will stay excited until I get there.

6. So, that will leave me home all alone. I don't remember a time when I lived all alone. I have always had a boyfriend, kids, friends, roommates or something. I just don't think I've every lived all alone. I have lived without any adult companionship and I have lived alone in the sense of not being in a relationship, but I've NEVER lived all alone day in and day out. That's kind of strange to imagine that I haven't. Even when I first moved out of my mom's house, I lived with my current sweetheart way back then, I lived with him for 3 years, then I moved out, got an apartment with a friend, roomed with her for a year, then into a relationship, had my daughter and have always had 'someone' living with me. Wow, I never thought about this before right now! Bizarre! So I am really looking forward to living alone for a while, even if it's a short while.

7. I had a birthday this past week - it was a big one! Quite the milestone!! Luckily, it was uneventful, it came and went and the world did not come to an end. I had lots of wonderful well wishes for my birthday and of course I had a great present from my sweetheart when he came out to Cincinnati earlier in the month!! But the best present of all was:
He bought me round trip tickets to come back out to California this weekend coming up - Labor Day Weekend. I'm going to leave this time on Thursday late afternoon, stay out there with him until Monday evening and take the red-eye home. I'll get there about 7:30pm which is earlier than the other flight that I have been taking, so that will give us a couple more hours together. That will be nice.

8. A new service that Blogger is offering is allowing me to update my blog from an email. So, I'm testing that today, see if it's working. I hope it does. It sure will make things easier because I can update my blog from my blackberry from anywhere, then I can write something every day!! Which is the idea, right!?!

--  "If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?" ~Anon  

Nice Neighborhood

It's been perfect for me!

I live in a really nice neighborhood. Middle class, 1/3 acre lots, nice neighbors - some grandparents, some young parents, some families like mine - nice wooded area, lots of trees. Of course at one time this used to be a farm and I'm sure it was a nice farm. It's got rolling hills, good soil, lush green grass and flowers and vegetables thrive here. It's a little bit of heaven on earth.

When my fiancee arrived for the first time last week, he loved it. He told me that I would miss all this green and trees and quiet. The house is kind of big, but not too much - it's a ranch approx 1600 sq ft on each floor. Please of room to have some privacy without having to clean for days to get the whole place done!! I have a wood-burning fireplace which I love! I love to burn as much as I can.

Anyway, each morning that we ate our breakfast together on the deck we enjoyed the quiet, the breeze, all the trees and shade. It is very nice. Again, he was worried that I would be disappointed in California because there is no place like this there.

Next door to me used to live the kindest, sweetest older woman. Her name was Hazel. We became instant friends and really enjoyed each other's company. Turned out that I knew her daughters who were my age, but didn't even realize who they were in relation to her. I would go over and help out as often as possible and really liked to hear the stories of the neighborhood but more importantly, she had 5 majestic pinoaks in her yard that reached high in the heavens and were over 135 years old. She told me the history of them as well as she knew it, as it was handed down in the neighborhood. They are the oldest trees in my neighborhood. They provided shade for her entire house and half of mine. They shaded my lot and I designed my landscaping to accomodate the beautiful trees. The trees were part of the appeal of my house, even though they weren't on my property, I benefited greatly from their loving shade and breezes.

The squirrels loved them mostly. They were full of acorns annually and fed the squirrels for the entire winter. Squirrel nests abound in the trees, high at the top where squirrels like to live. The trees helped to create a balanced eco-structure in my neighborhood and I was proud to live by them and was always in awe at their beauty.

In the fall and spring they caused some work because of all of the leaves that would fall. But they also made the season. My yard would be full of oak leaves and I would reminisc the days when my children were younger and had we lived here then, they would've built the biggest pile of leaves and ran and jumped into them. They were those kind of big fluffy leaves that all kids adore playing in! The trees have become an intimate part of my life, invoking memories of not only them, but of other places I've lived with trees I've loved, but none as majestic as these mighty oaks.

A few years ago, Rainman and I took 2 seedlings to his condo park in Dayton, Ohio and replanted a couple of those trees there. We carefully picked places in the tree line where we thought they would get enough sun and rain and thrive into full adulthood. I haven't checked on them in quite a long time, I really hope they have survived.

In fact, if I find anymore seedlings in my yard, I'm going to take them to a park somewhere and transplant them, or even try to plant one in my yard before I go. I am such a NATURE GIRL that I do find it important to be surrounded by live plants, trees, flowers, vegetables and if possible the mountains or somewhere to get to nature. So I understand why my boyfriend is concerned about my missing this wonderful little space that I call home.

UNTIL THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK!!

In an instant, it all changed!!! You see, my wonderful neighbor, Hazel, died earlier last year. And when she died, her daughters kept the house as long as they could until they could figure out what to do with it. I was hoping that one of them would decide to move in, but they didn't. They decided to sell it. So, it turned out that they sold it to another older couple and their granddaughter. The granddaughter is in her 20's and they are in their 70's or maybe even close to 80. First off, I didn't realize that banks loaned money to people that old, but hey, who knew!?!

So, here they are, they told me how much they loved the lot and the house when they first moved in. And here we are, maybe not even a year later, and they are annoyed (or maybe even surprised) that they have to maintain the trees. They have to pick up sticks, will have to rake leaves, clean out their gutters, etc. The thing is that I wonder about is didn't they think about that when they bought the house. I mean we are talking 5 huge pinoaks reaching high into the heavens!!

So, Thursday, I came home from running errands with my sweetie and they were cutting them down!! It's terrible!! It's a sin! I'm so disappointed but now, I have to look at the whole situation and realize that the timing of my moving to California and their cutting down the trees is unreal - that God knew how disappointed I would be and how I would not want to live here any more because the trees were so much a part of the charm of this house and the neighborhood.

As an era comes to a conclusion for me and my family living in Reading - an era that has been for 12 years. So comes a 135+ year legacy for 5 healthy majestic pinoaks and a neighborhood that will not be the same without them. It's amazing to me that some people will move on this street and never know these trees, never experience their grandeur. I feel blessed to have shared my space with them for the last 5+ years.

And is there a Karma lesson for my neighbors coming down the road? Possibly. Destroying a piece of living history has to come with a price. I'll leave that one to nature.

Goodbye old trees.......you will be missed.

It goes so fast

the week's already over :(

I just can't believe it! It's already another Saturday and this time instead of heading to the airport to pick him up, I'm heading to drop him off. It's really hard for me because I'm going to miss him so much. I am so in love with him and enjoy his company.

The kids had the opportunity to meet him and they really love him too. He's done so many nice things this week for them, he's taken the time to talk to them and get to know them. My daughter is amazed at how generous he is. My son likes that he is so quiet and introspective. I just like how he interacts with those that are important to him. He's just the way he was 33 years ago and I can bank on that to last for the next 33 years and beyond!!

It's been a great week and we've gotten alot of the things done that needed to get done. The house got all cleaned up, garbage out, decisions made, plans put together, the house is ready for the "For Sale" sign, I get to put it in the yard tomorrow at dark!!

As soon as I get a closing date, I'll give my notice at work, have the final MOVING SALE, finalize our plans to leave and go to California to start my new life with my old love. It's so exciting.

For those of you that know me, you know that I sometimes have a difficult time making decisions and for really big decisions it takes me quite a while to come to the final decision point. For example, it took me over a year to even start thinking of looking for another job even though I was not happy at the time. It's all in the timing. And this timing is perfect!! I'm very confident in my decision, I have no qualms at all, no second thoughts, no fear! It's great!

I'm not sure what job I'll have in California, but whatever I do, I'm sure I'll find something that is the right skill level and I'll do fine wherever I land. If anyone has connections in Fresno California for an IT or Business project manager, please let me know. I would really appreciate the lead and recommendation.

Hey, I hope he had a safe trip and I am waiting to hear from him now to be sure he got home ok. I'll be going out there next weekend to help move into the new apartment! Yippee!! It's gonna be a blast!

He's on his way

to spend a week with me!!

He called me this morning to let me know that he has been checked through on all of his flights and will be here around 5pm today. He tried to get on an earlier flight, but it was all booked. :( Oh well, it's ok, it would have saved him 3 hours and an extra connection. He really doesn't mind and neither do I. I have plenty to do before he gets here.

Today, I'm having a piece of carpet repaired by the front door and by the fireplace, if possible. The problem started when I got Thor. He sheds like most of the year, the only break I get from dog hair is in the dead of winter when he's packing it all on and then starting in January, he starts shedding and it doesn't stop until the first freeze!! Therefore, I vacuum ALOT! So it has caused the carpet to fray in 2 spots. Nothing bad, really minor. My realtor says it's an easy fix and my carpet guy thinks so too.

Then we are going to measure the basement for the possible installation of some carpet that Sherry brought me. I hope it will work, it will save time.

The rest of what I had planned for today is just cleaning the house in general so it looks ok when he gets here. My house has been torn apart for 3 weeks now, there have been boxes and stuff all over the place. Dog and cat hair in the mix and packing materials everywhere too. But, I have packed 24 boxes so far, most of them are small. I've gotten rid of everything else, cleaned out every closet, sorted through all of my personal belongings, and pitched a ton of stuff. I've donated gads and gads and have a car load to drop off today.

I'm totally excited about him coming to see my house. I'm kind of nervous, hoping he will like it. Of course, it isn't all here and many of my personal touches are gone. But he will get an idea of how we live by what's left.

I've rearranged my bedroom, made an office in my son's room, rearranged my family room furniture and think it's all coming together. So things are on track for the move.

Tomorrow, a bunch of my good good friends are coming over to help out with some cleaning: wash baseboards, walls, windows, blinds, move some furniture out, touch-up some spots of paint where pictures once hung. I have to paint the baseboards in the bathroom and the kitchen. Well, get it all done easily tomorrow. Maybe even able to start on the basement. In trade, I'm going to cook, make mimosas, and have everyone meet him! I hope that everyone sees how wonderful I think he is. I hope that he likes them as much as I do. It's all important.

Well, I've got some cleaning to do before the carpet guy gets here - so I'm off.

LIfe is Good

everything is coming together!

I've waited for a long time in my life for everything to come together. I've worked really hard, went back to college and gotten it together on my career and have been very successful as a result. I've gotten it together on parenting, I've been a single-Mom off and on for 29 years. I didn't do everything perfect, but my kids have turned out great and are on the right path for their own successful lives. (well, maybe not my oldest daughter, but that's another story!!) I budget so I can afford a house, car, vacations, some of life's extras and save for retirement. I have learned to take better care of my health so I can live longer and happier with less complications. I eat better, I exercise more (finally) and I quit smoking 14 years ago, so it's as if I never smoked!! I don't do drugs, I drink socially and feel on top of my game!

The only part of my life that wasn't too great EVER was the relationship front. For the most part, I've always chosen guys that are "easy" to be with, not challenging to me at all. They were always behind me in maturity, career goals, personal acheivements, etc. I don't know why I chose them that way - maybe I needed the extra strokes to feel good about myself - who knows! I'm not a shrink and I'm not going to over-analyze myself!!

I do know that my guy in California is perfect for me! He was back in the day and is in this day!! I'm so happy to have him back in my life and to be planning a life with him. Then that will round out my successes in all areas of my life. He and I are putting together a nice life full of love and romance. We will be partners! The one thing that I NEVER had!! He's so wonderful.

He's coming to visit me on Saturday for a week! I can't wait. We do have quite a bit of things to do to the house to finish it for the sale, but in between working we are going to spend some quality time together. I have to work every day while he's here, so he'll work with one of my friends and the kids on getting the house done. He's going to teach my daughter how to do some simple maintenance to her car and just hang out getting to know the kids. He's great, I'm telling you!! I couldn't be happier!!