Countdown begins - 10 days

10 days and I will have a housefull. This house is not ready. I am sure my blood pressure is up. All I am getting from the males in the house is, "we're working on it". I dunno what they are working on. All I know is that there is still so much left undone. People are staying away from me now or giving me the trite: "Yes dear". No clue why.

Today I cleaned and oiled all the kitchen cabinets, washed walls in the laundry room, washed sheers from the family room, kitchen, and laundry room, cooked dinner for the past 3 nights in a row, did the billing for the week for 2 clients and waiting for the other client to send hers, washed all the bedspreads, comforters, sheets, plus the laundry from the week. Kitchen counters totally cleared off. Silverware drawers cleaned. Bathroom walls washed. Closets cleaned. Put more things in the pile that will go to the dumpster.

What's funny is that I am the handicapped one. I can't walk that well. In fact, I honestly don't know what shoes I will be able to wear because I am lucky to get on a walking shoe but can't lace the right one together and that is the morning when the swelling is down. It swells according to how much I am up on it, which I have to be so by the end of the day the cankle could pass for a thigh.

My dress is not in so no alterations done yet.

Countertop postponed yet again. Measurements now Monday and installation Friday. I threw one huge hissy fit. They obliged and rearranged their schedule to calm the crazy lady screaming at them.

Carpet cleaners due Monday the 28th and when I went to confirm them yesterday, their number is disconnected. I think I have their cell at the office and will check that tomorrow.

Tomorrow evening daughter and I go shopping to finish picking up a few things. Finally found the 1980 penny.

My stuff is done. Waiting on the males here one more day and then I say to hell with it and call someone. The bathroom sink and countertop upstairs is in my breakfast room along with the new light fixture, shower rod, shower rings, and shower curtain. I am waiting for the 2nd coat of paint to go on for 3 days now.

Table arrangements made. Final count 284. We crammed everyone into 30 tables with 2 head tables on tiers. We put people with people they did not know. We totally mixed everyone up. Daughter and I made the placecards this weekend. Wedding rings were picked up from jewelers. Church programs done. Reception programs done. Wedding dress to be picked up next Saturday for final fitting and I get to learn how to bustle it.

I have this problem though.....my list keeps growing instead of shrinking.

**sigh**

Dumpsters - The New Fascination

What is the fascination with dumpsters? Ours was delivered this morning at 8:00AM. We started hauling our stash out of the living room around 9. Between 8-9 the dumpster had 5 cars stop and look inside. Now I ordered a 30 yard dumpster so said dumpster is huge and one end opens so you can take things in all the way to the other end, which of course is where we started putting things.

People didn't bother us all day while we were loading it although our little street got a lot of traffic, much more than usual for a street which has a dead end at either end. We don't usually get any traffic, only locals. Today I counted 64 cars passing by the house looking at the dumpster. I made dinner around 5p and in the past 2 hours, I think all of those 64 cars plus a few more have stopped and gone through our dumpster trash.

One couple hauled off a queen size mattress and box spring. I think the wife didn't want it after she smelled it. Neither would I which is why I threw it out (our cat who we passed a couple of weeks ago used it as a litter box). The man however, thought it was his prize possession and quickly tied it to his roof of his station wagon and they sped away.

Another hauled off a bookcase that had long ago lost its shelves. Wonder what they will be used for?

Guess what is one man's junk is another's treasure.

Organized Clutter and Chaos

16 days to the wedding...actually 15 for me since I have people staying here at the house the day before. Yep list is made. We are now down to finishing the projects in each room so I have an organized clutter. Hubs calls it chaos.

I don't know about any of you but when we have a family function and it involves people at our house, it's the exact same time we decide to do some major changes. Usually in my typical fashion we start a week before. I will have you know that this time I started earlier......yep last fall!

Last fall: new roof, new landscaping

Winter: Ripped son's carpeting out of his room, patched his walls and ceiling (don't wanna know how or why or the wherefores there) and have finished painting it blood red. Yep it's red. Very red. I picked up light gray room darkening drapes for him. (Did I mention that to walk to son's room, one has to negotiate all his furniture - double bed, 2 dressers, desk, computer, TV, and clothes - which all happen to be in the hallway to said room.

Guest bathroom: walls patched, counter top and sink ripped out and discarded, on 2nd coat of light gray paint. Already have new light fixture and new counter top that includes a sink along with new faucet ready to go in once the paint is dry.

Daughter's old room: Still currently has sugar glider in her cage but the room has been cleaned out and ready to wash walls after glider is back in son's room. Old queen size bed out of room and into living room (that story coming a bit later). So waiting to wash the walls and carpet and then hang the drapes from the master bedroom, move our king size bed from master into that room, and put in girly smelling things to cover the musk of sugar glider smell.

Spare room: Currently son is sleeping there so until I get him moved back to his room, can't do much there. But the curtains that were in daughter's old room are going in this room so they have been laundered and are ready to hang.

Our room: not a thing is being done for the wedding. I plan on closing the door and putting a lock on it. We are planning on taking delivery of a new king sized mattress next week so when we do ours will go to daughter's old room. But in reality our room isn't that bad. Now it just needs a design since we are putting the bedspread and curtains in daughter's old room but haven't found anything I like.

Now most people would think....that's a lot to do yet. But it really isn't. The most work is still downstairs on the main level. Here's where we get to the interesting parts.

The living room has become the dumping ground. I had son push all the furniture in it to the far side and are using the other half as a dumpster (well the dumpster is coming Saturday and then that stuff will be carted out to said dumpster) but I had to have a collection place and that was the biggest area.

Family room has become the sorting room. There are piles everywhere. Piles for each room upstairs or downstairs once the said room is ready for its pile.

New granite counter tops for the kitchen are being put in next week along with a new counter top and sink for the downstairs bathroom. I cleaned out the laundry room and pantry closet today so I have piles again on the counters. They will be gone tomorrow.

So does my house look like I could qualify to be on Oprah for clutter bug? You betcha! But it is an organized clutter. Unless of course..... the dogs and cat, hubs and kid get in the piles and mess them up then it will be chaos and you will be able to hear me many miles away!

Mother of Bride Dress

Ok another item checked off the to-do list. Ordered my dress this afternoon. It will be here in a week. Yipeeee.......

Here is the dress:


A closeup of the bodice of the dress:


Here is a color chart and I got the dress in the color called delphinium which is the 2nd to last one on the left column of colors (it's a bluish purple color). Daughter loved it on me and hubs loved the cleavage part. Shoes will be the problem as I don't know yet what I will be able to wear.

This and That

Wedding update: 24 days to go. Change in colors of flowers a bit. Handled that yesterday. 3 days to go before RSVP's need to be in and there are 1/4 yet to respond so looks like I will be spending the weekend on the phone. Then it is table arrangements....one of the biggest nightmares. Daughter and I have already fielded phone calls: "I can't sit next to so and so". "Don't put so and so next to me". "I don't want any bratty kids next to me". "What do you mean we are not at one of the head tables? I am her godfather." **sigh** I still think my idea of putting one member of my family and their family with one member of the groom's side at the same table will solve all issues.

Ankle: I have been walking now a week. Each day it gets stronger however, I still walk like an old lady and cannot climb stairs without taking each stair at a time. I need to be able to light the unity candle elegantly. Inside incision still open but down to a pinpoint.

Health: I finally succumbed to the upper respiratory virus currently in our area. I figured when everyone in the office had it, I would get it. But I will say my immune system held out for quite a while as I am the last person to get it. I am still down one girl to tonsillitis. I am working but in a mask.

Mother of the bride dress: Still looking. Going out tomorrow with daughter again.

Bachelorette party and bachelor party: All went well with both; well, for the most part. Some drama but nothing that wasn't handled. Nicest thing: we got the granddoggies for the entire weekend.

Home repairs: Coming along. Painting son's room.

Weather: Typical Chicago spring weather. Temps up and down. Rain. But we had thunderstorms so things are now greening up. Robins were spotted; however, snow is called for this weekend.

RIP Gizmo! Poem - A Pet's Plea

Gizmo was 18 years old and was put to sleep at the vets this morning in her mommy and daddy's arms. She has lived with us for almost all of those 18 years - we found her when she was 4 weeks old, abandoned behind our office in a box with 8 other kittens. She was the only one to live. She never meowed like other cats. She beeped and was a huge cuddler for a female calico and especially loved men. I was probably the only female she ever liked and would let hold her. She is at peace now and so am I knowing she is no longer suffering. It's always a hard decision to make.


A Pet’s Plea
Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick, for although I should lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will quickly teach me the things you would have me learn.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the world’s sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce purring and excitement when your footsteps falls upon my waiting ear.

Please take me inside when it is cold and wet, for I am a domesticated animal, no longer accustomed to bitter elements. I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting in your lap. Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.

Feed me clean food that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life, should your life be in danger.

And, my friend, when I am very old, and I no longer enjoy good health, hearing and sight, do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having any fun. Please see that my trusting life is taken gently. I shall leave this earth knowing with the last breath I draw that my fate was always safest in your hands.

Author Unknown

Happy April Fool's Day!

Ever wonder where April Fool's Day came from?

Straight from snopes.com

It has become tradition on the first of April to pull jokes of the harmless variety on those near and dear to us. We plot and we scheme, and often the yuks are funnier in our imaginings than how they play out in reality, but that doesn't stop us from sending the little kid in us out on a rampage. Even the most staid among us have been known to indulge in a practical joke or two, so beware of trusting anyone on that day.

How the custom of pranking on April 1 came about remains shrouded in mystery. Wherever and whenever the custom began, it has since evolved its own lore and set of unofficial rules. Superstition has it that the pranking period expires at noon on the 1st of April and any jokes attempted after that time will call bad luck down the road onto the head of the perpetrator. Additionally, those who fail to respond with good humor to tricks played upon them are said to attrack bad luck to themselves.

Not all superstitions about the day are negative, though - fellas fooled by a pretty girl are said to be fated to end up married to her, or at least enjoy a healthy friendship with the lass.

Now aren't you glad you asked? This year hubs got me at 3am. He woke me up stating that the power went off during the night (we did have thunderboomers) and that I had to hurry and get ready or we would be late to work.

Tis ok. I got him back. I had preset the sprayer on the kitchen faucet so when he went down to make us coffee, and turned on the faucet, he got sprayed straight in the face.

Past pranks we have done: gotten the kids up on a Saturday morning and said it was a schoolday and we were late and had to hurry. I was rushing them and said they didn't have time for breakfast but threw them a banana to eat on the bus. I drove them to the bus stop where my husband was standing with a sign that said, "April Fool's Day - there is no school. This is a Saturday." We all went out to breakfast then. Every year it was always a contest to see who could get who first. Nice memories.