Three Week Combo GBE2

Since I've been away from my blog site for a few weeks now, I hardly know where to begin to get back in the swing. I have decided to just wrap up my month in what I hope will be a somewhat entertaining (if not the promised brilliant) post. I have laughed a lot this past few weeks. I have stressed a little and I have cried a few tears. All in all, a typical month in the life of me.

February started out pretty bleak, weather wise, and as most of you know, that does most assuredly slow me down and create a less than productive period. However, the sun decided to pay us a visit at various points and as could be predicted, I responded with bursts of energy and managed to accomplish some important tasks!

We are beginning a long reno job in the basement or lower level of our home. Currently the entire area is 4 rooms. There is the tanning room, the bedroom, the furnace/play room and the kitchen/family room. In a few months we will have a bathroom, laundry room, bedroom, furnace room, utility room, tanning room and the very open kitchen and family room.  All of this area will have ceilings, which currently are non-existent.

In preparation for this giant undertaking, I first called my guy, Ron. He is our handyman, contractor and friend. He walked through it with me and made a few suggestions (most of which I took) and  made a guesstimate and then proceeded to create the materials list and give me orders. Like, what I needed to shop for and what I could just pick out and he would pick up later. From there, Roomy began the destruction of the current tanning room which will become the beautiful new bath. I began the emptying of cabinets that will be eliminated or moved. Then together we attacked the garage to make room for the cabinet and counter top that will be moved out there and cleared enough room for the materials to be stored once they are delivered. My van will be sentenced to the outside until completion of phase one, the bathroom.

Those jobs were finished on the sunny days and talked about on the dismal days.  That's life with me. Poor Roomy.

Next undertaking, getting Momma's carpet repaired from the burning of the fibers by me trying to clean one small spot of wax that I missed when she accidentally spilled half a jar candle from the table. My first cleaning with the paper towels and iron went very well. She saw a spot I didn't quite get and it all went down hill from there. I left the iron too long or didn't wait long enough between swipes, not sure, but I burned a 4 to 6 inch spot and it was awful. So it had to be cut out and repaired from a piece out of a closet. Our magic carpet man did a wonderful job and it looked soooo good that we now decided the room had to have the rest of the carpet cleaned. Since the entire apartment is carpeted except the little kitchen and big bathroom,  actually the whole apartment would be cleaned.  It was long overdue anyway.

That required Roomy and I moving her furniture out of the living room so they would clean the entire room and leaving the other rooms to be cleaned only in the open areas.  We all decided that would work out just fine. I did not know I would have to get up in the middle of my night to do this, at that time.

So 9 am we moved all the remaining furniture, she had moved all the little stuff before we arrived. She IS a morning person. Then breakfast uptown and back to our house to hang out until the hair appointment and then back to my house for dinner, which I had not started to plan, let alone cook.

Long day for her, but everything got done and it looks great now!  *smiling here*  Never a good thing to be on your Momma's "what the hell have you done to my house" list.

Our only grandson turned 4 this week and he requested a gun that shoots something!  I am not a big gun person, but as the mother of sons, I am aware guns that shoot something are cool and so off to the store to test all the guns for 4 year old ability to load, cock and shoot without assistance. Nerf had a great automatic foam dart shooter with 20 darts! SOLD!  (He loved it and I am very happy about that.)  Another get up in the middle of my night brunch birthday party for him. GREAT food and wonderful people whom I adore. Worth getting out at 9:30 am to attend.

Finally, we received news of a very dear friend who is nearing the end of her time with us at the hands of that demon cancer. She has 3 daughters, a loving husband and a boatload of loving friends. She has lead a good life and had many trials along the way. She has mothered her girls with nothing but unconditional love and support a good dose of discipline. Her grand children have been given the same. Having beaten cancer twice, this last onslaught was very aggressive  and had taken over her body before she could fight back. It is winning. We went to see her and her family as soon as we heard and though I am grateful for the chance to say goodbye, I am saddened so deeply at this pending loss. She will forever be near my heart. Praying God will give us all the strength to allow her to go home in peace and with her heart so filled with love that even He will be surprised. I shall miss knowing she is among us and will rejoice in knowing her spirit will never leave my heart.

As per a very resent request, this masterpiece of a blog will include Anita Crawford. She has requested to be part of my masterpiece (the one I sat here to create) and she will and is now, in fact, part of my creation. If you don't know who this fun loving woman is, perhaps you might like to visit her and friend her because she has some lovely photos and shares her walks in the wilderness with us on a regular basis.  She is a fun friend!

So with all the GUSTO of a disorderly CROWD of cheerleaders, I submit this make-up blog as my current masterpiece for GBE 2, covering three prompts in no possible way except to use the prompts here in this closing paragraph.  One must draw creativity from DREAMS or wherever one can find it and I found it, well, lacking as I wrote. Therefore, it has reared his cute little head here in the closing. Peace, love and laughter to each of you as you walk your own paths.

Jo