We have a busy day ahead of us today. First there was the blood test at our family doctors. Both Mom and I had to have tests. Next up is Mom's visit with the arthritis doctor. She sees her about once every six months. Not really too much can be done, as hers is mild and over the counter seems to working okay. Then off to knitting with a lesson thrown in! I can't wait for that part of the day, it is my favorite as I get to hang out with two awesome kids. Calli missed her lesson on Monday because of camp so we are doing it today. It works out well.

Tillie is coming over tomorrow afternoon. She will probably be here before we get back from sewing, but that is okay as she has a key to get in. I have to remember to remove the bad milk from the fridge and clear the table tonight before she arrives. I do like to have things cleared up before guests arrive. Most of the house is still clean from when Maia and Tillie cleaned it. With Mom not being herself, like she used to be, nothing gets pulled out for a new project anymore. That means a cleaner house for us. She used to rip apart one room, get it 3/4 of the way finished and then start a new room. Throw a fit the day before a holiday (because it always took until the holidays) throw stuff in another so she could pretend we were the perfect little family. Used to drive me crazy. I hated holidays. The boys would be fine, but I would be hollered at the night before and the morning of if one little thing wasn't where she could find it. Since she never cooked, she never knew where anything was. I would even leave maps for her and she still couldn't find the stuff she needed. Thank goodness we don't go through that anymore. For years I hated every holiday, major or minor, because for me, it wasn't any fun, I was too busy getting screamed at from her (and she yells rather loudly). One time, Andrew woke up and yelled at her to leave me alone for a change. She glared at him and continued to yell at me, because I moved a salt shaker from the counter to a cupboard. Like she couldn't open on to see it? It was in the front of the cupboard. It was ridicules, simply ridicules. This mellow mom is much better and somewhat easier to deal with. She mostly does what I ask and sits there quietly. I prefer her this way than the way she was when I was growing up. If she was like that, she'd be on her own and I wouldn't be taking care of her.

Our subdivision is having garage sales this weekend (which is why Tillie is coming earlier than originally planned - hey - whatever works for her, works for me). I was going to have one, but we haven't finished the house and although there are a few things I'd like to sell, I don't have a lot right now and our garage is completely full of junk like the rest of our house was. My little red car has never even been in the garage because it is chucked full of crap. We have the boards for the bar that Mom built for the family room in there. I am not putting the bar back up in the family room. We don't spend enough time down there for that and really, there isn't the room for it. We have patio furniture in there, bikes that don't work in there, along with so many empty cardboard boxes. It is quite annoying that I can't fit my little car in there. yes, I know, I have about 11 boxes of my cookbook in there too. Those could be piled up on one side and then move the rest of the stuff so my car would get in. It would be nice to do this before winter next year. That is my goal. We also have lots of tools that we will not use again, as I am not planning any major work to do in this house. Not to mention 2 lawn mowers that don't work. Mom kept everything and I am going to get rid of everything. She isn't here enough to know what stuff is hers and what isn't. After we finish the family room and office, we will head outside to the garage. That will be fun. I can just see the stuff now leaving the garage and my baby car driving inside to keep out of the rain and the snow. What a beautiful thought. Of course, if interest rates sky rocket we won't be in this house so none of that would matter. But let's think positively that interest rates will stay the same.

Well, we are off to the Arthritis Doctor's office now. I hope you are having a great day!