Doctor, cleaning and preparation

Good Morning!

It is a beautiful sunny morning and the birds are singing!

This was taken 2 years ago at sunset with clouds.

Today, Mari has a doctor's appointment, then we are going walking and get lunch.  This afternoon, the house is getting cleaned and then tonight, the people who are taking care of Sweet Pea, while we are gone are coming over.  I may go down to Sears and buy a microwave this afternoon, so that it can be delivered after we get back.

Mari and I left here around 10 and headed for the doctor.  Mari had her appointment, but we also discussed Marissa.  Marissa deals a lot with anxiety and the doctor feels like I should give her more responsibilities and there would be consequences for not continuing them.  She asked if Marissa had a pet and we said no, except for the computer.  Marissa has a tendency to do things for awhile and then reverts back to what she was doing before.  I feel like the doctor was asking what Marissa's reason for living was?

After the doctor appointment, Mari and I took a walk and then got lunch and then headed home.  After lunch, I tried to take a nap, but I had two interruptions, one was the painter, as they are painting the outside of our buildings and I was wondering when they were going to get to our building and the other interruption was Rory, wanting to know what the mail was.  I finally gave up and got up and got some things done.  The cleaners are here.

Argh!  When is Rory leaving?  I know he is nervous, but he is also not enjoyable when he is that way!  The cleaners were here this afternoon and threw away a 99% used tube of GelCam and he had fits because he could not find it.  Luckily Marissa found the tube in the trash can.  I know the cleaners were trying to be nice, but he has things planned to the nth degree.  He has a whole new tube of GelCam.  He still has fits, because he thinks someone took a beige jacket that supposedly his dad gave him.  I don't remember the jacket at all.

We have had dinner and watched some TV and now we are waiting for the cat sitter to get here.  Cat sitter has been here and gone.  Now I am just hanging out for the rest of the evening.  Going to make some crock pot oatmeal, before I go to bed.  I am tired tonight!

Going to watch Haunted Collector at 9 and then to bed.

See you in the morning!  Trudi

Continuation of kitchen remodel!

Another doctor day!

Good Morning!

It is a little cooler today!  YEA!  Rory has an appointment in Long Beach at the VA with the optometrist.  I get a little concerned when the department is called Blind Rehab.  He also has to have some lab work done for vascular medicine.  When Rory has to go to Long Beach, I drive, as that place is huge and Rory has a problem walking long distances.

Mari is off school, well sort of.  In order to raise her grade, her videography teacher wants her to do some extra work.  She is going to work on some things this summer, as a teacher, she had for one class challenged her class to collect some things that inspire them.  She is really going to find out more who she is and that is a good thing.

Yesterday, when Marissa and I went into the vet, Marissa was talking to the receptionist about starting a  pet sitting business.  She did register for the class, but that is as far as it has gone.  I have told her I want to talk to her after she has done Lesson #1.  This pet sitting business is going to have to be hers, as it is really not something that is my passion.  I would help her, of course, but I don't want to have it be me doing all the work.

This was taken two years ago at the Orange Empire Railway Museum.

Mari and I left about 10 to take a walk in Ladera Ranch.  We walked 3 miles and this is one of the flowers I saw on our walk.

Did some laundry and, oh my gosh, since I have the new washer and dryer, how much faster I can get laundry done.  Put the last coat of paint on my patio pot.  Mari and I got home, just in time for lunch and then Rory and I headed out the door about 1 to go up to Long Beach VA.  The lab part took no time at all, but then we had to wait for the eye doctor part.  Met a man, who was a veteran of Pearl Harbor and was 98 years old.  Finally left the VA about 5:30 p.m.  We had decided we were going to pick up dinner at Buca Di Beppa on the way home.  Came home and had dinner and watched TV with the girls.  Doing computer stuff and I am tired.

See you in the morning!  Trudi

A year ago today we started our kitchen remodel.

This was our original kitchen!  Follow along to see the final product!

Last day of school for Mari and 30 more days and I will have blogged for a whole year

Good Morning!  Another hot day!

Mari has her last class today and then she is off for the summer.  YEA!

I have some things to do today to get ready for our trip!  Our microwave bit the dust on Saturday.  As of right now, nothing else has broken.  YEA!  We had a 5 year warranty on the microwave and so I called, to see if someone could come out and check on the microwave.  The warranty service wanted me to fax the receipt and the warranty and then call them back and they would send me a $300 gift card.  I do not want to go back to Home Depot, as I have had some problems with some of their installation.  I am going back to Sears and get my new microwave.  I am back to cooking without a microwave.

Better get some laundry going and maybe take a nap.  Naps are so nice!  Took care of bank stuff and now need to make lunch.  Lunch done and Mari and I made a run to Staples.  Came home and worked on my plant pot and cleaned out a box from the storage unit to be used for mail while we are on vacation.  Made smoothies and then we took Mari to school.  Stopped at Trader Joe's on the way home, as well as the vet and Target.  Came home and now I need to make dinner.

Made dinner and watched "Storage Wars" with Marissa.  Mari texted me around 7:30 and said she was done with school. YEA!  Drove down to Laguna and picked up Mari and then headed home.  Gave Sweet Pea her shot, Rory, his tea and making dinner for Mari.  I am headed for upstairs and turning out the light at 10.

See you tomorrow.  Trudi

Mother's Day, new things and when does it stop?

Good Morning!

It is bright and sunny with some heat clouds around and the birds are singing!

During the night last night, Rory woke me up and told me something was wrong.  We have a sleep number bed and I don't change the level on my side of the bed, but he changes it morning and night.  The battery in the remote went out and we did not have a 9 volt battery to replace it.  Wonderful!  So Rory had to sleep on a hard bed and I got to sleep on my nice comfortable mattress.  He was complaining for part of the night.  This afternoon after we have brunch, I am going to go run some errands with Mari.

This morning, around 9 a.m., my new washer and dryer came and the guys were really nice and now, I have a new washer and dryer.  Me very happy!  I have not had a new washer and dryer for a very long time.

We are leaving in a little bit to go to brunch.  I would really like to go with just the girls, but Rory wants to go and so Marissa is staying home and I accept that.  I know it is uncomfortable for Marissa when Rory goes out with us, but after Thursday, I will have the girls to myself, for about three weeks.  YEA! Rory does not take the girls out to buy me anything, so I usually do not get anything from the girls.  According to the girls, he got me something.  I really do not want anything, either.  The hard part with going out is we have to pick places that Rory likes.  There are places around that I would like to go to, but I know Rory won't accept.  The Sunday we get back,  the girls and I are going out for brunch to a place we want to go and Rory would not want to go.

Rory did get me some room spray and some small candles and a candle holder.  I am starting to redo the back patio in shabby chic and the candle holder fits perfectly in shabby chic!  We left about 11:30 and went to brunch.  Brunch was outside and it was very warm today.  We got champagne mixed with fruit juice and they had cheese and crackers to start.  The rest of the food was good and healthy.  After we ate, Rory decided to go home, as he was too warm and he really did not like the food.  It was nice to just sit and listen to music and drink some wine.  Dessert was served and then Mari and I left.  Such a nice afternoon and Mother's Day.  We came home and Mari got some things together and then Mari and I went to run some errands.  We got dinner while we were out and came home.  The girls and I are watching "The Impossible"

I did get the battery for Rory and we have a new washer and dryer.  Now I have to work on the microwave.  Going to get some more laundry done tonight.

Headed for bed at 10.

Good night!  Trudi

Unknown

Good Morning!

It is a beautiful, sunny warm day.  The birds are singing.  Supposedly today, Mari and I were going to the Mariachi Festival at the Mission and we were supposed to get our washer and dryer.  At this point in time, I am not sure if either are going to happen.  I contacted Sears last night and I contacted central delivery this morning and they did not have any record of my purchase.  I contacted the store again this morning and I am currently waiting for them to call me back.  Mari and I, both want to get out of here today.

I called Sears about 10:30 and the invoice was found and I needed to go down to the store and redo the transaction, as Central delivery had not gotten the invoice.  According to the sales person, I dealt with today, somehow, putting the information on the iPad, does not reach Central Delivery, but putting it on the cash register.  In regards to the store, everything is taken care of.  From there we went to In N'Out for hamburgers and then we headed for the train station.  We did get to the Mission for the Festival.  The Mission was crowded with people. I showed Mari somethings that I have been talking about, such as a swallows nest and the picture in Serra chapel that is going to be restored.  We ran into someone from one of my photo groups.  Took some more pictures and then decided to go to the 2nd Saturday art fair, then went to Starbucks and then the train station and headed home.

When we got home, made some brownies and dinner and then found out that our microwave has quit.  If it doesn't rain, it pours.  Luckily we still have a warranty on the microwave.  Call Home Depot on Monday and see if they can come out to fix it this next week.  I have a feeling, we may need a new one.  Sears did call about 5:45 and my washer and dryer will be delivered tomorrow between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.  Watched some TV and then at 8, Rory came down and I decided to have some quiet time in our bedroom.  Going to turn off the light around 10.

Good night!  Trudi

Fighting for my life!

Good Morning!

It is a beautiful sunny day and the birds are singing and I am fine physically!

Today is home in the morning and then, the girls of us are headed for Laguna later this afternoon.  Last night, I decided to start the pet sitting class that Marissa and I are doing and realized that, if we were to do a pet sitting business, I would just be doing the same thing I do at home, but with pets of other people.  I don't mind being a caretaker for my family and my own cat, but to do it, for others, is not really what I want to do.  Where I really want to go is being a tour guide and exploring history and possibly some writing.  I have a feeling that if we were to do this, I would be the main person doing this and that is not what I want.  I want this to be a partnership.  Rory, also tries to control my life and I have enough of that.  I feel like I have always done what everyone else wanted me to do and now, I would really like to do something I want to do.  I am doing that with my docent program and I know, I have a responsibility to my family.  I know Marissa likes animals, but is this something she would do and stay with.  I don't know!  I have asked Marissa not to read my blog until she does the first chapter and we can really discuss this.

It has been an interesting start to a day!  I decided I was going for a walk right after breakfast.  Mari went with me and we decided to go to Ladera Ranch.  I know the phone reception is not great in certain areas of Ladera Ranch and when I looked at my phone it said no service.  So we decided to go across the way to another shopping center and still no service.  We kept driving and still no service.  I said forget it and we went to an AT&T dealer and I told the woman behind me, about it and she asked me if I ever turn off my phone, which I don't and really don't know how.  I do now!  Turned the phone off and turned it back on and all fixed!  Mari went to Starbucks, while I was in AT&T, so I went over and met up with her.  A woman was in Starbucks and I started talking to her and found out that she knew the people who are going to take care of Sweet Pea, while we are gone and she gave a positive review.  YEA!  Came home and dropped Mari off and told Marissa I was going to Target and she decided to go with me.  When we turned onto Bake from Portola Parkway, there was more traffic than normal and I thought there might be an accident, but didn't think to much about it.  We went into Target and I was looking for something, two sheriffs  came walking down the main aisle, definitely looking for someone and found out later that the traffic jam was from a hit and run accident and one of the people in the accident had been seen running towards Target.  Exciting day!  Came home, making and eating lunch and then going to take a nap.  Let's see what else the day brings!

Got my nap and when I got up, Rory was downstairs.  I decided I was going to call Rory's mom, as today was her birthday.  This is something else I deal with and that is feeling like I belong.  My mom and dad are deceased and my sister and I do not speak.  I have relatives on the East Coast, but we don't really keep in touch and Rory's family, really doesn't keep in touch.  For awhile, Rory's sister was coming out to see his mom, but now that has stopped.  I have friends, yes; and I have two wonderful daughters, but in regard to family, I don't really feel like I belong anywhere.

I working on my patio and want to do the colors of the pots in blue and green and possibly do the decor in shabby chic.  I finally got to spray paint one pot, at least one coat of paint.  We then left for the bank, as Mari needed some help with some money.  The graphics design department was having a get together at Treasure Island in Laguna, but Mari needed to stop and see a teacher before we went.  As we were getting on the 133, we saw an overturned cement mixer truck on the opposite side of the freeway.  After Mari's get together, we were meeting a friend for dinner, which was enjoyable.

Sears is supposed to be delivering my washer and dryer tomorrow.  They were supposed to call tonight to confirm what time tomorrow they would be delivering the machines and they never called.  I called Sears and somehow my order had fallen through the cracks.  I told them it was an emergency and they are telling me it will be delivered tomorrow.  I really hope so!  I really feel like I have been battling a lot of things lately.  I am exhausted tonight.  I am really glad I had an enjoyable afternoon and evening.  Rory was telling me how he would have done it and why did I not wait for him to go with me to choose the washer and dryer and why I did it so quickly.  When the washer goes out and you are leaving on vacation in about a week, don't you go order it, like now.  Argh!

See you tomorrow, I am going to bed!  Trudi

This is the way I feel tonight-I look to the Lord!  This was a statue at the park we went to this afternoon.

Last tour for May and hopefully some peacefulness this afternoon

Good Morning!

 It is a beautiful sunny day and the temperatures are heading upward.  UGH!  I do much better with the mid 70's and the temperatures this weekend are supposed to be in the 90's.

I am doing my last tour today, before we leave on vacation.  This afternoon, I plan to do some things around the house and Mari and I may take a walk, using Map My Walk.  Rory is going to be doing his own thing and going to a wine class tonight.

An egret at Dana Point.  I, also, saw one flying across the tollway yesterday, as I was driving to the Mission.

Went to the Mission and did my tour.  I actually saw a swallow and a swallow's next near Serra Chapel.  Stopped by Goodwill on the way home and dropped off some books.  Came home, had lunch, got a nap, put away laundry.  So looking forward to getting my new washer and dryer on Saturday.  Did some financial stuff and then Mari and I took a walk in Mission Viejo.  Came home.  Mari is making dinner and I am doing filing and some computer stuff.

Much more relaxed day and it felt good to get some things done.  We had nothing around here for dessert, so Mari and I decided to go out and get cupcakes from a place that we have been wanting to try.  YUMMY!  Just enjoying the quietness of the house until Rory gets home.

I am going to bed around 10.

Good Night!  Trudi