Saturday

Not too exciting of a day here.  I had Rick's lesson, which was exciting as all lessons are to me.  I get excited and look forward to pretty much every single lesson I teach.  I was simply born to teach music.  Anyways, he had a very good lesson and he does seem to work pretty hard on the music theatre songs.  I love music theatre.  It is by far my absolute favorite genre.  I could listen and sing it all day and night and still not get tired of it.  Mom introduced me to music theatre when I was quite small.  We would listen to the records she had and I would learn a new song to sing all week long.  It drove my brothers absolutely crazy because I literally sang day and night.  One time, when we were coming home from Disney World (this was in 1973) I sang "It's a Small World" all the way home and we were driving!  Needless to say both brothers and my dad were rather annoyed at me by the time we arrived home.  To make matters worse, Mom had bought me the little record with the song on it!  I played that record over and over all the time.  I don't remember the drive home as I was 5 at the time, I just remember being told I did this by Mom.  It still makes me smile to think of driving my brothers crazy with that song.  Mom always encouraged music for us.  When Richard wanted to play the saxophone, she rented one for him and he joined the band.  He was quite good.  Unfortunately, he did quit due to other interests, but he was very good.  The Andrew wanted to play the violin, she got one for him.  That lasted a year then he switched to Saxophone and then to the Trumpet.  He played through junior high and then quit.  We still have (I hope) somewhere, the saxophone and the cornet.  I played the flute for my first year of band and then switched to the clarinet.  I still have both of mine and simply love them.  Mom also encouraged me to sing.  i remember I wanted to try out for a special choir in 4th grade.  Mom helped me practice my audition piece.  One of the things I loved to do was sing with certain singers and try to imitate them.  Mom reminded me that morning to sing like me and not anyone else and I would be just fine.  I got in the choir.  It was so much fun but I was sad because Kathy was not in it.  She didn't try out for it so we were apart for recess on Choir practice days.  I think that was probably one of the first times we did something separate on recess.  Fortunately, she was in band with me.  She played the clarinet too.  We used to practice a lot together as I loved practicing.  I would take my dolls and stuffed animals and set them in an audience style seating to play for them.  Mom also listen to me practice too.  Every so often I would hear, do that one again, it didn't sound quite right or she would come in to help if I had trouble with something.  Mom was very involved in my music and when I started dance at 16, she became pretty involved in that too.  She was never a stage mother, (thank goodness!) she just encouraged me to do my best.  She was thrilled when I started teaching.  In fact, Mom was the one who taught me how to write out lesson plans.  I had no idea as I was only 18 when I started teaching.  My dance teacher told me that she had signed up 2 young people for voice lessons and I was the teacher.  It was a shock let me tell you as I never had any intention to teach at that point.  Thank goodness she did that!  It certainly turned out well for me!

I have been reading an awful lot lately.  I just finished Shania Twain's autobiography.  It was good, at first I was unsure but as it went on it became very good.  I am going to start reading the Kristen Hannah book tonight.  I love Kristen Hannah.  She writes such good books.  I loaned Kathy a whole bunch of her books and so far Kathy has read 3 of them and she only got them last Saturday!  Kathy loves her writing as much as I do.  It is so nice to have a friend who has the same taste in books as I do.  That way we each can buy a different book and then switch them to read.  Saves money.

Tomorrow I am going to do some work downstairs in the family room.  I don't have any lessons tomorrow at all.  I usually don't on Sunday, but next Sunday and the following Sunday I will have lessons in the afternoon.  Makeups for Rick as he can't attend his normally scheduled lessons on Saturday for the next two weeks.  I also have to go and get a few important groceries tomorrow so that is on my list too.  I am out of a few staples that I must get.  I will do a good grocery shopping next week at the end of the week but I need a few things so that I will have enough until next week's grocery shopping trip.  It is just going to be a low key holiday for me, I think.  I am not really up to having extra company right now with being so extra tired lately.  I did wake up a bit earlier than usual this morning with somewhat energy so the three days in a row I have had better sleep has really helped.  of course, by this time of night, I am exhausted again.

another rainy and cold day

Last week at this time it was about 85 degrees with lots of humidity.  Today?  it is cold and rainy.  I am not sure what the temperature is exactly, but it can't be super high because I have been cold all day.

I had a semi decent sleep last night!  I was so excited when I woke up and realized I slept for 5 hours straight!  That doesn't happen too often with me.  this is also the second night in a row for this!  How cool is that?  I am praying for a 3rd night in a row!  I can only hope!

I have reread the Twilight series this week in preparation for reading the Short second life of Bree Tanner and the illustrated guide to Twilight.  They arrived yesterday.  I have already flipped through the Illustrated Guide and boy it is so cool.  I also ordered a couple of other books too.  I now belong to the Doubleday Book Club.  Dangerous I know, but the beginning orders are only $1 so how could I turn it down.  Then I will just buy 4 more books in the next 2 years.  I can do that.  There is bound to be at least 4 books that I want in the next 2 years not to mention there are birthdays and Christmas to buy for.

Calli and Acer had their lessons tonight.  They were a bit late but that is okay because I didn't have anyone after them.  Acer left his Fur Elise Music at home but he pretty much has it memorized.  He even does the parts that he learned last week playing both hands at the same time.  I couldn't show him the next two hand parts because, well, we didn't have the music and I don't have it memorized.  Calli started a new vocal song and it is one of my favorites.  She is doing well with her piano piece.  She counts very well.  I think we will be starting a bit more classical for her voice lessons this summer.  Not too much, just a bit.  I usually wait until they are about 12 close to 13 or 13 close to 14, but her voice is rather mature now and I think she could handle it.  All in all, both kids are doing very well and I am happy with their progress.  Acer is working on Candle on the Water for his vocal song.  It is so cute because he wants to learn whatever his sister learns.  She just finished Candle on the Water so it is his turn.  I wonder what he will do with the classical Italian music.  That will be interesting to see.  I look forward to hearing a 6 year old singing in Italian, because he generally knows his sister's music as well as his own.  They, like the rest of the kids, are such fun to teach.  I really like it a lot.

I don't have too many plans for the holiday weekend.  I was going to invite some people over, but I changed my mind.  I don't have the house the way i want it right now and I just am not up to being a hostess plus I don't have the money after all to pay for what I would want to serve.  I will wait and maybe have people over for July the 4th.  I will see.  I have one hour lesson tomorrow with Rick, one of my adults, and then Emily on Monday but nothing on Sunday.  I am pretty tired now, I wasn't earlier, but now I am.  I am just going to spend the holiday quietly and resting.  Soon, I will be starting to work in the family room.  I do plan, this weekend, to put all the VHS tapes in a bag ready for the thrift store.  When Kathy and I were there last week, I noticed they sell them so I am going to take them there.  Then I plan to put all the books that will fit back on the one set of shelves that is downstairs.  That will get rid of many boxes in the one side of the family room.  That is my goal for the weekend.  I think I can do that this weekend.

I do hope you are having a good day too.

more rain

Yup, more rain today.  no storms so far, but there are some expected tonight.  I went briefly out in the rain for a few minutes and then came right home.  I don't expect to be out in it tomorrow at all as it is expected to storm some more tomorrow.  Three days of storms is not a good thing for many people's basement.  Fortunately, flooding in my sub is rare and we don't have a basement so it would be the furnace room, the family room, and my office.  Boy, that would be bad.  But, like I said, it doesn't happen here too much in our little sub.  I also live 1/2 way up a hill so that helps too.  Thank God for huge favors like that.  I have watched so much flooding on the news that it breaks my heart.  And the tornadoes!  They scare me to death!  I can't imagine how those people do it, rebuilding their lives, but they are strong and they do it.  We had a tornado near our home last year, a couple miles a way, but we were alright.  It was the first time in many years that I saw so much hail.  It did frighten me and I had to close the drapes so Mom couldn't see it because she would have been a nervous wreck shaking and everything.  She was so terribly frightened of storms at that point.  If a storm happened at night I would always get up and see if she was awake.  Only 1 time was she awake and she was crying and shaking like crazy.  I just went and laid down next to her and held her until she fell asleep.  Then I covered her up nicely and went back to my bed.  Poor little Mom, it was so hard on her.  She was only afraid of storms the last couple years, before that they didn't frighten her at all.  Of course, she was so scared in general the last 2 years.  I can't even imagine what it must be like to lose your memory like she was.  It must be super scary.  At least, I would think it is.  Sometimes she would shake for no apparent reason and I would ask what is wrong.  She would just say I am scared.  I always gave her big hugs and held her at when it happened.  usually she would calm down and be okay, but boy, I just can't even imagine.

Today was the last day of my Amanda's voice lessons until fall.  I do hope she comes back.  She is such a nice young lady.  She practices a lot and works really hard so that is wonderful.  Amanda did a great job at the concert as did everyone else.  Acer did steal the show with trying so hard to reach that microphone during his and Calli's duet.  You just can't beat that picture.  You just can't.  Tomorrow is Calli and Acer's lessons and then I have one on Saturday.  Rick has moved from Tuesday to Saturday so that is good.  I don't have any plans for Sunday so I don't know what I will do.  Monday I have Emily's lessons but no plans for the holiday.  Without Mom here, there really isn't anyone to spend the holiday with.  I will enjoy the sleep in I get and then probably read a bit.  I may possibly do some housework.  I find if I do a bit everyday, it gets done and then the house is reasonably clean.

Lily will be out of school this coming week.  I bet she is excited.  I know I would be.  She is going to be an eighth grader in the fall.  Where has the time gone?  It seems like yesterday she was starting 1st grade and piano lessons.  Now look at her, she is growing up and a teenager now.  She is almost as tall as I am.  I expect soon she will be taller.  Both her sisters are, not by much, but they are taller.  Of course, I am only 5ft and a 1/2 inch tall so being taller than me isn't that big of a problem.  I only have had 1 student who didn't get taller than me.  She was only about 4ft 10 inches at 16 years old.  I think she has been the only one in 25 years.

The Muglia's newest little guy arrived on Monday.  Thomas Joachim was 7 pounds and 11 ounces.  He is adorable!  I have seen the pictures of him.  I will see him live and in person the first Monday in June when I see my girls for their lessons.  Wow, number 9 in the Muglia family.  I bet there is never a dull moment in that house with that many kids!  I have told the older girls that if they need peace and quiet they can always come here.  I have peace and quiet almost all the time!  A little noise would be nice during the day with them.

It has been an exhausting day.  I had to take a nap because I was so tired.  It is getting pretty bad again.  The exhaustion is overwhelming me at times.  I am going to go and make some dinner now.  I do hope you are having a good day!

Rainy Day

It has been raining all day.  Yup, ALL day!  With lovely thunder and lightening with it.  So lovely!  I woke up to thunder and lightening and I will probably go to bed to thunder and lightening.  The rain itself isn't so bad, it is needed usually, but it has been raining so much this season.  There is a lot of flooding in people's houses.  Fortunately, where I am, we haven't had that problem, and I hope we never do.  I am cold today too because the temperature has dropped a bit.  You would think that at 73 degrees in the house I would be warm enough.  NOT!  I have my Tinkerbell Fleece jacket.  I am just so cold today.  I get cold so easy.  It seems the older I get the easier it is for me to get cold.  I carry a jacket with me in the summer because I am often cold in the air conditioning.  Mom used to do the same thing and now so do I.  It is kind of funny now.  I have never been so cold until these last few winters.  The doctor says it is because of the blood thinners I have to take.  Before that I was hot all the time.  It is because I have such thin blood now or so I am told.  I believe it.  After the blood clot, I began being cold easily.  Anyways, i have adorable fleeces and hoodies to wear so I am fine.

I realized this afternoon that I spend an awful lot of money going out to eat.  I will be cutting way back on that.  I could have paid a few bills with the money I spend.  I know at times I have to leave the house because I am going stir crazy, but those days are not as often as they used to be.  Since summer is traditionally lower income because of students who stop for the summer and many vacations, I have to tighten the belt a bit more.  This is the way to do it.  I feel really good about this decision.  I will be able to get through financially speaking, to fall where lessons traditionally pick up.  September and January are when new students start.  yes, there are the students who start other times, but the bulk of new students happen then.

My little guy, Carson, had the stomach flu today so he had to cancel lessons.  Poor guy, that is just no fun.  Beth had her lesson though.  She was about 15 minutes late because of the weather.  I actually expected it because of the weather.  We lost power a few times for a few minutes each time, but that was about it.  I am hoping that we won't lose power anymore with the storms that are supposed to be here tonight, all day and night tomorrow, and during the day of Friday.  I think I will be hiding inside from the storms these next few days.  I did go out this afternoon in between storms for lunch and then I realized, I have lunch ingredients in the house.  I have good buns, yogurt, cereal, soups, why did I feel the need to go and Burger King?  Really?  What was I thinking.  I wasn't, that's what.  i just went out of habit.  It is a bad habit that I will be working on.  I have really good soup here at home.  I also have yummy yogurt that I love but still, I went out for junk.  I will work on this.

Anyways, Beth is getting ready for her audition for the Music Man on June 12.  She is doing very well.  She knows the songs pretty well and is really working hard.  I am so pleased on this.  Tomorrow is Breanna's and Amanda's lessons.  I am looking forward to them.  Bre takes both piano and voice and Amanda takes voice.  Amanda is stopping for the summer but I think Breanna is continuing except for when she is on vacation.  I think so anyways.

Richard will not be coming for Andrew's graduation.  I am disappointed but there isn't I can do about it.  Maybe I should have waited to ask him.  I am not even sure that the graduation is on that day.  Andrew hasn't given me the exact details.

quiet evening

I had Charlie's lesson and then I decided to go to Chipotle's for dinner.  I was feeling a bit Mexican and since I don't cook Mexican food, that I needed to go and buy some.  Tomorrow I have 2 one hour lessons that I am looking forward too.  Charlie did well at his lesson.  His Tenor Saxophone reed was a bit squeaky for the first part of the lesson so he switched.  He was fine then and the rest of his lesson went well.  He finished a few exercises and started a few more.  We are working on Articulation and that is one of his weak points however, with as many exercises we have done, he is doing much better.  I am a stickler for Articulation.  There are teachers who are not, I don't know why, a slur should be slurred, a staccato should be staccato.  It drives me nuts when musicians ignore articulation.  I mean, if the composer didn't want a specific articulation, then they would not have written it that way.  I always had teachers who were very particular on that.  I did have some teachers who worked for me who blew it off for beginners.  Unfortunately, I had a few of them for students after the other teachers and found it very difficult for them to learn a new habit after blowing it off for the first few years.  It is part of the reason I don't play with the student during their lesson.  Every teacher I know who doesn't focus on articulation plays with their student.  My theory is they can't hear what the student is exactly doing because they have to focus on what they are doing instead of just on their students.  I don't play with my students because I never had a teacher who played their instrument with me.  I need to focus on my student and what they are doing.  This is just my OPINION but I am not sure I am giving my full attention if I must also focus on what I am doing.  Like I said, this is just my opinion.

I am watching, as usual, NCIS!  Yes!  It is Tuesday!  That means it is time for NCIS.  I won't be, however, watching NCIS Los Angeles because the finale for Dancing with the Stars will be on and it is the day we find out who wins the mirrored ball trophy.  I don't know who is going to win.  This time, it isn't clear on who will win.  They are all good and I like them all.  That is the hard part, I want them all to win.

I met with Rosemary today for lunch.  I went up to Tim Horton's and she was already there.  I was pleased to see her.  I have been wondering how she is doing.  It has been a few weeks since Irv passed away and right now she is so busy with paperwork that she is doing okay.  She did say it is hard getting used to stay in the house at night by herself.  I know what that is like.  She is working on her garden which I am sure is therapeutic.  My mom said that working on her garden was soothing for her.  I wish I could garden and be soothed but I don't have a green thumb.  Mom had that and I did NOT inherit it.  My brothers were better at yards and gardens than I am.

I have also realized that even though I want to go and see Richard, even if he sends for me, I can't really afford to go.  I need all my lessons to pay the bills and with summer comes more absences.  It would be best for me to go at Christmas when I save more money to pay the bills when I am missing lessons.  However, I don't expect Richard to send for me.  He is so busy right now that I just don't expect him to have time.  I am hoping that he will come and see Andrew's graduation next month.  We shall see.  I miss my brother.  maybe I will get lucky and he and his family will come to town this summer.  That would be the best plan.  They could stay here.  I have enough room now.  Between my room and the guest rooms, there is plenty of room for the family.  I would really like to see Jennifer and the kids.  I haven't seen them in 3 years.  I need to see my niece and nephew more than every three years.  They are now 10 and almost 12.  It is crazy how fast they grow up.  I do want to see them again before they are 18 and in college.  That would be nice.

It has been an okay day.  Weather wise it has been simply wonderful!  It is so beautiful out.  Perfect temperature.  Pain wise, it is okay, nothing too different than usual.  the headache is the same as usual, nothing worse than normal.  Only the fatigue is higher than usual, which has been the usual for the last few weeks.  Only a few more weeks until is see the arthritis doctor and hopefully a few answers.

I do hope today has been good for you!

ahhhh

I had 2 lessons today, Bob and Emily.  Both were doing very well.  Bob has started a new Sonatina.  I told him to go home last week and try each movement, then decide which movement he wanted to start with.  He chose the 1st movement.  It is simply wonderful.  I loooooove Clementi.  i would have to say he is my favorite composer.  His sonatinas are simply delicious and I could go on and on about them.  I made a comment last week about Clementi being my favorite and Bob chuckled.  He said I figured that out a long time ago as we visit his music quite frequently!  Silly me!!!  I guess I should know I am transparent when it comes to loving certain songs.  Every student when they get to a certain level learns Clementi's Sonatinas.  The Muglia girls just learned their first one.  I think they really enjoyed it.  Emily is learning skipping notes.  She just started learning how to read music a few weeks ago, so she is doing very well with it.  I think I may copy some music for her to really make sure she understands note reading.  She is in 2nd grade and simply adorable!  She is such a cutie and so interested in learning piano.  She seems to really love music.  It is fun watching a young one learn music.

I am still feeling some weakness in my arms.  I mentioned it to my rheumatologist.  She didn't really say anything about it.  I will mention it again when I see her in a few weeks for the results of the X-ray and the blood tests.  I am a bit nervous about it.  The fatigue is really getting to me.  I mean, I slept most of yesterday away.  I could have done that again today.  I am tired of being tired, I really am.  It is worse than some of the pain at this point.  At least with the pain, I can take some pain medicine, but with the fatigue, there isn't anything to be done about it.  Sometimes, I am so tired I go to lie down and when I am lying down I am more awake than when I am sitting up.  It makes me wonder should I just do things while I am lying down?  I just don't know anymore.  I really don't.  I am hoping for some answers from the doctor on the 13th.  That is the day!  I can only hope that there are answers.  I am tired of not having any, we all know what that is like!  It gets frustrating when you don't get any answers.  I also have had my hands going numb again, that is fun, NOT!  I also mentioned this to the doctor too.  If necessary, I will mention it again.  My left hand is going numb as I write.  I had to move my hand to wake it up again.

The newest Pirate Movie came out this weekend.  I plan to see it someday, just not this weekend.  Maybe Lily would like to see it.  It is possible.  She is out of school next week.  I saw the other 3 with Mom and it makes me sad to plan to see the newest one without my movie buddy.  At least if I see it with Lily, it will be good.  Lily and I have seen a few movies together.  We were supposed to go a few weeks ago, but we couldn't because of the funeral and viewing of my friend and neighbor.

Harry Potter comes out in July.  It is supposed to be in 3D.  I do know they will show it in 2D too so that is the one I plan to see it.  Pirates is also in 3D but I will see it in 2D.  I just don't like 3D.  I can't stand stuff flying at my face.  It really bothers me.  I have never liked it.  The only time it didn't really bother me was when mom and I went to Henry Ford Museum IMAX theatre and we saw an ocean movie.  It was really good and they didn't have things flying towards your face so I totally loved it.  The ones in Disney World aren't too bad either, not too much flying in your face.  However, I think that Pirates and HP will having things flying at you so I won't take that risk.  It seems weird that I go to see movies without Mom, but unless I never want to see another movie again (ooh, that would be awful - I love movies) I have to learn to go without her.  I have seen movies by myself before.  When the Return of the King came out, I was there opening day all by myself.  My brother, Andrew couldn't believe I went alone, but I did.  i was enthralled by that movie!  I looooove the Lord of the Rings Movies.  They were and are so wonderful.  I loaned them to the Muglia's this past summer so the girls can see them.  They loved them too.

Pain wise the day was normal.  However, fatigue wise, it was pretty bad.  I will be heading for bed very shortly because I am so tired.  As far as numbness, that hasn't been too good either today.  All around, not a great day except for the lessons.  They were great.  I do hope your day was better than mine!

summer weather has arrived

Okay, I guess weather is just going to do what it wants despite what I want.  Yesterday was simply wonderful!  Quite beautiful and perfect temperature!!!  I really loved it!  However, today is a bit too humid.  Without the humidity, it would be beautiful, but it is a bit too humid for me.  I do have my shorts and t-shirts ready for the warm weather though!  I have them clean and ready to put on should I need them tomorrow.  (which I probably will because it is supposed to be hot and humid again before a cool down).  Yesterday was simply the best day to clear out the storage unit.  Why I am so tired today is a mystery to me.  It isn't like I actually did much of the work.  I mean really, the whole reason I had to have help was because I couldn't do it myself.  Tony did most of the work as Kathy and I watched.  We (Kathy and I) did help a bit, we just let Tony do all the big boxes.  I am just relieved that it is so over.

I am completely exhausted today.  I got up and about an hour or so later, I was back taking a nap for about 3 hours.  I could go back to bed now and stay there all night, but I am going to stay away a bit longer so that I will sleep all night through.  I find on Sundays I am often sleeping an awful lot.  I think it just all catches up on me and I crash.  Last Sunday I was in bed by 7 pm because I was so tired.  Tomorrow begins another good week of teaching!  I don't have any real plans for the holiday weekend next week.  I don't really know what I will do.  I have no lessons on Saturday and Sunday.  I am not sure if I will have Emily for her lesson on the Monday or not.  I do hope so because that would leave me 3 days in a row of no lessons and I am not used to that anymore.  I am hopeful she will have her lesson on Monday night.  I will find out next week.  I have (as of today anyways) 11 lessons this week.  5 of them are one hour lessons.  I love my one hour lessons because often it means the student is taking both voice and piano although 2 of them are just one hour lessons of voice.  They are adults and have interest in community theatre.  I am thinking that maybe I will get involved in community theatre in making of costumes.  We shall see.  I have plenty of time, but I am also hoping to get involved in writing again.  So far, I haven't written any fiction yet.  Who knows?  I don't know what summer will bring this year.  It is hard to believe last summer the little lady was here with me.  It has only been just over 7 months since she left me.  I just miss her a lot all the time.  My goal this summer is to finish the family room off.  Other than that, I don't plan to do anything else to the house.

I have the first step done for the house, now on to step two.  That will happen in June once the kids are out of school.  Julie will be coming over to help me with it.  I am very glad about that.  By fall, the house will be sparkling and every space will be functional.  That excites me.  I just wish Mom was here to enjoy it with me.  I am sure she is watching from Heaven.

Despite the amount of sleep I have had today, it has been an alright day.  I do hope your day was good too!

the unit is closed!!!!!

The storage unit (which I have had for 3 years) is officially closed and empty!!!  Kathy and Tony graciously came out to this end of the state this weekend to help me close it.  Well, this afternoon we did!  it is empty and the boxes are gone to the respective places that they need to be at.  Most of the stuff was donated and that is good.  Some of the stuff was not able to be donated so I need to ask my Katie about that because she mentioned the library she works at wants old reference books and boy do I have them.  The business boxes and a few treasure boxes of mine are all in the garage along with a few boxes of books.  I am thrilled to have them.  Tony, I must admit, did most of the work.  Kathy and i watched.  He is very good at seeing where things will fit and how they will go in (unlike me!)  He did a fantastic job.  We had 2 loads to go and that was it.  Having a van really made the difference, I think.  We used both my car and the van to bring stuff to the donation center.  I am just so happy that this is over.

After that Kathy and I went to get some blizzards from DQ.  I don't know why, but I had a taste for one so we went and got one.  Then we went to the thrift store so Kathy could look around.  She found some really cute things for Jacob and the girls.  Unfortunately, she didn't find anything for Matthew (who is now taller than his Mother!)  We went back to Kathy's house for dinner and enjoyed hanging out and talking.  Dinner was wonderful, it was pizza and it was something I haven't had in years!  It was very good.

I must say it has been such a good day!  We accomplished a big task that was looming over me like a dark cloud and now it is gone!  Tomorrow is a day of planning and rest!  Time to plan the details of the rest of the house.  I do hope your day is good and that it is sunny for you too!  (It was here all day!)

Friday

I woke up later than I expect today but that was okay as I didn't have anything scheduled that had to be done at a certain time until the later part of the afternoon.  I went for the regular hair wash before I took a run to Walmart to pick up my medicine and a few items (like Milk).  As usual, I went to get 3 items and came out many items and dollars later.  Someday I am going to be able go in and only pick up what I plan to get, until then, I will just try to do that.  I am not to hopeful that will ever happen as I always remember I need a few other things before I get to the checkout.

This has been a decent month for me.  I have been able to pay all of my monthly bills (except taxes) and with the closing of the storage unit tomorrow, it should be even better for me.  I am thankful for that.  God is really helping me by providing what I need just in time of me needing it.  I am doing better with just giving the financial worries to God.  He hasn't let me down yet, so I don't think He will.  I just have to keep believing that it will happen.

I think I was missing Mom more last night because I had seen a few neighbors that I hadn't seen in a while and they were asking me how I was doing since Mom passed away.  That was nice that they asked, but it made me miss her more.  It was the first meeting without Mom that I have gone to for the subdivision.  It was a nice meeting.  We had some nice snacks and caught up with neighbors.  I met our newest neighbors, Eliza and her husband.  I invited Eliza to join my book club.  I do hope she does.  I hope she calls me.  She has 2 little ones and moved in on the next street over from me.  I sat with my neighbor, he has an almost 5 year old and was inquiring about lessons.  His daughter is adorable and his wife is very nice.  Barbara Jean also sat at our table.  It was a nice night.  i spoke a bit to Barbara Jean about my plans after the meeting.  It is hard for her right now as she was very good friends with our friend and neighbor Irv who passed away a few weeks ago.  Her children called him Uncle Irv and they simple adored him.  He was a very nice man who would do anything for a friend.  He helped me her too and one time was able to rescue Mom when she left the house looking for me.  I was in the house sleeping and he and Rosemary brought Mom back home.  It could have been a terrible situation as I had no idea Mom left the house, but thankfully, they saw her and immediately realized I was not with her so they took action that kept her safe and sound.  I am thankful that I have neighbors that look out for my family and me.

Acer had his lesson today.  We started Fur Elise with two hands.  I am hopeful that this will be wonderful for him.  He even used his thumbs!  I was so excited.  He has decided that the next vocal piece for him will be Candle on the Water.  Acer did pretty well with it today.  A few words he needs to learn, but over all, he did great!  It was nice to spend some time with the Little Man alone.  He is such a Joy, he really is.

I have borrowed a nook from the library to try.  i am excited about it.  I, of course, have to figure out how to work it, but I am sure I will figure it out tonight.  I am really happy to be able to try it out before I buy one.  This way, I will be able to know for sure whether I really will use it or not.

I remembered to do some laundry today.  Sometimes I forget, but today I didn't!  I have summer clothes ready too for warmer weather.  It is supposed to be mid 80s with high humidity on Sunday and Monday with the possibility of rain but tomorrow is supposed to be mid 70s and no rain.  That will be perfect for closing the storage unit.

I do hope your day is going well and hopefully nicer weather too.

I am missing my mom a lot tonight.  More than usual.  I think I will go and look at some pictures and then read for a bit.  I really miss her.

Wonderfully Busy Day!

The day started with Breanna's lesson, then lunch, then a nap, then Amanda's lesson and soon the subdivision meeting.  It will be the first one I have been to without Mom.  Seems kind of strange to go to one without her since technically, her trust owns the house, not me.  While I can still live her, it is strange (although I am getting used to it) living here without the little lady with me.  I can't say I like it any better, I am just getting used to it.  I was dreaming the other night that Mom was still her and calling my name.  She used to do that all the time.  You would hear "Heather" hollered from another room all the time because she had to know where I was at all times.  (this was the last few years of her Alzheimer's)  She would get so frightened if she didn't know where I was even if I was at the store and she was with me.  I quickly learned to leave her a note if I went upstairs to do some work or just brought her up with me.  She liked to help me and since she was a good filer, hey, I had her do some filing for me or some other job like that she liked.  After we lost the store, it was easier for her to keep track of me.  Although I will say about 1 1/2 years ago, I think about December 2009 to January 2010, she would stand at the top of the stairs (where she was gated in) and holler my name at 7 in the morning.  Yup, she did this for about 2 weeks straight.  I was totally exhausted from that.  Fortunately, I was able to break that habit, just took 2 weeks to do it.  I had her anxiety medicine changed and that did it.  She was calling me because she couldn't see me when she left her bedroom.  My old bedroom was in front of her but my new one is in the corner so when she would come out of her room she would turn and miss my room.  Those were two very long weeks for me.  It definitely tested my patience and sometimes I would lose mine because I was so tired.  Thank goodness that stage went quickly.  After that she would come into my room in the morning and sit on my bed until I woke up at around 11 or so.  Then it gradually went to where she just stayed in her bed laying down until I got her up.  I didn't mind when she would come into my room while I was sleeping.  She never bothered me.  She would just sit at the end of my bed until I woke up.  I have no idea what time she would get up because at that time she would sleep in past 7 am.  (Thank God for that one!)

So tonight we will be electing a new subdivision president because Irv, my friend Rosemary's husband, passed away a few weeks ago.  She had originally thought she would go to the meeting but when I called her today she changed her mind.  Hey, I don't blame her.  It has only been a few weeks for her and I know how tough this new life is.  It has been 7 months for me and I am barely used to this new life.  To have to see us elect a new president because her hubby is gone would be a bit much I think.  I don't think I could take that either.  Next week she and I are going to go to lunch together.

I am borrowing a nook from the library!  This will tell me whether or not I want one of these things.  I love reading so we shall see.  I am excited to try it out.  I get it tomorrow when Heather and kids come for their lessons.  It should be awesome.  I plan to try it out tomorrow evening.  I will be ready that is for sure.

I am having a good day.  I am glad I am busy, it makes the day go faster.  I did take a wee nap before Amanda's lesson.  i am just super tired lately so when I need a nap, I take one even if it means less sleep that night because sometimes I just can't keep my eyes open.  Pain wise it is an okay day.  My headache is it's normal headache so that is good.  Outside of weak arms again, I am having a normal pain day.  I do hope you are having a good day with less pain too!