Thursday 12-1

It is the first day of December!  Oh my!  I am unprepared for Christmas and the New Year!  Sunday is the Christmas Concert.  That, I am some what prepared for.  I have the students Christmas presents, I just have to wrap them.  I wish I could get some plain white bags because that would be so much easier to use that to wrap them.  The gift they got is difficult to wrap.  I will find something that will work though.  I will stop by the craft store tomorrow to see what they have.  A cool stocking would be neat too.  Who knows?  I will find something.

My friend, Laura stopped by tonight.  She was picking up a lot of the raffle items for the event she is involved in this weekend.  I think I have about 10 violins left and I am very excited about that.  There are a couple that are not painted.  I may do the this winter.  I am not sure.  I will see how this winter goes.  I don't have to have them done and if I don't that is okay.

Choir went well tonight.  We are not singing in the Christmas Eve services.  I am relieved because I was planning on going to church with Kathy and family.  I think I should be able to be there Christmas Day though.  I will see.  I won't be there this Sunday but I should be there for the next two before Christmas.  We are singing some pretty awesome music.  We really are.  I like all of it.  This Sunday is the song "Joy, Joy, Joy" but I won't be there because of the Christmas Concert.  I have to pick up some black ink tomorrow too since I know I will be out before the end of the printing of the concert program.  I am going to begin the program on Friday and print on Saturday afternoon/evening.  I also will clear the dining room table on Friday or Saturday so it is empty for Sunday.  I hope to have a new table cloth for it too.  I am not sure, but I will try.

I was so tired this morning.  I am slept pretty well for a change.  I am hoping for another decent night sleep tonight.  I am tired now so I will be heading upstairs rather soon.  I did wake up once and had to come down and read for a few minutes but then I didn't wake up again for several hours, which is really awesome.  I will read for a bit to exhaust myself even more.  I have to go through my books and see what I don't want and what I do.  That will be the hard part, choosing books to donate or take to the used bookstore.  I like taking them to the used bookstore because then I get the lower prices of the new to me books I buy.  I won't go and get anymore right now, but eventually I will after the property taxes are paid.  I have another payment ready to go out tomorrow after I go to the bank.  It will be a big one and I am excited about it.  This will bring the payments close to what I was hoping for.  I am thankful for that. Only 3 more months of these huge payments to save for and then 2010 taxes are all paid for.  Then I can start on 2011, which I got a bill for today.  Oh my, the never ending property taxes!  At least it is less than last year's at this time.

I do hope you are having a good day.  It started as a not feeling so hot day to a better day.  24 days until Christmas!!

Some progress being made!

Julie came over this morning (yes, I mean the real morning, not after 12 noon) to help me with the family room.  We are making good progress.  Sometime this week, I am to go downstairs and start separate the books that I want from the ones that I don't.  I can do this.  There are a lot books down there.  I also found some nice Disney ornaments that I am putting on the tree this year and those that don't fit on the tree will be used next week.  This year, I am going to have the little one upstairs, but next year, I will put the little one on the fireplace or the sewing table and then buy a new, bigger tree for the living room.  In the spring we will go up to the attic and pull down what is up there and go through it.  I know there are a lot of Christmas boxes up there as well as two trees that I don't think are in good shape.  I could be wrong, but I won't know until we look at them next spring.  So we have designated some stuff to go to Kathy (2 boxes full of games for the kids, 2 that have never even been opened) and then some for donation in general as well as stuff to toss.  We have space on the floor that we haven't had in a long time.  I am very excited about that.  Once the books are out of the way and I know what I am keeping, then we will bring the bookshelf in the living room back downstairs where I like it.  the little bookshelf that was in the family room will go in the living room for the games.  i also found some Christmas Beanie Babies I didn't remember i had as well as this beautiful precious moment statue.  It is of Joseph as a shepherd.  It is wonderful.  We also found a Bambi Christmas Snow globe.  Lots of treasures found today.  It was very exciting.  I now can't wait to decorate the tree.  If they have time on Saturday, Ross and Julie will come over and then we can take some of the bar stools to the donation place.  I don't want them and I tried to sell them, but no one wanted them so that is okay, I will donate them.  They are in very good condition.  We also have craft and sewing things on the shelf unit on the round table side.  That is the craft room.  It is so nice to see the crafts and materials on the shelves.  It makes me smile because our room is getting back to normal and that is good.  The only thing I need to do in the family room with the lamps is see about getting new lampshades.  The old was are ripped a bit from childhood so that needs to be fixed.  We are starting with the family room, the working our way up the stairs.  Some of the dining room will be taken care of because the DVDs and the books will be going back downstairs where I like them as well as the tools that are sitting behind me.  I now have a tool box to put them in again.  I am very glad about that.

I am really exhausted tonight.  I will be heading to bed rather early with hopes that I will actually sleep.  I didn't sleep very well last night at all.  I don't know why, but I couldn't sleep and then I had nightmares in the morning before I woke up.  I hope tonight is not a repeat.  I don't think it will be, but I will pray that I won't anyways.  A little pray certainly can't hurt the situation.  One little chuckle we had this morning.  Julie found my etiquette book (one of several) and she opened to a page that said what to do in a certain situation, well I have a relative who is in that situation and I found it funny because Miss Manners says to avoid this situation at all costs!  We both chuckled at that one.  It was pretty funny.  I bought the books so I would be up on proper etiquette for email, messaging, and things like that.  I wanted my employees to be well mannered so that we all could get through any situation that arose.  It didn't actually always work, but I did get some of my points across.  A couple I bought because they were humorous books about etiquette, called "The Etiquette Grls" with the i purposely missing.  They were really funny and very helpful.  Mom and I enjoyed them.

I do hope you are having a good day.  The progress we made was wonderful although I should point out Julie did most of the work as I can't stand very well or go up and down stairs very well, not too mention walk very far.  I so appreciate her help with this project.

Monday 11-28

November is almost over.  It is almost December and with that comes Christmas!  It is weird to think that again I will be celebrating Christmas without Mom here with me.  It seems like a bad missing Mom day.  I have them from time to time and I probably will for a long time.  I dreamed about her last night for a bit and then I woke up.  It seemed so real to see her and hear her but it will be a while before I actually get to talk to her again.  It is just one of those days.

Monday is a busy day with lessons again.  I am very glad about that.  I actually cannot add anymore to that day, it is booked.  If I have anymore, it will overdo me and that would be bad.  I am looking forward to the concert on Sunday.  So far, all the students seem to be ready.  Two of my girls switched one of their Christmas Songs for a song they already know because they just switched to me (their teacher retired) so I said they could.  The other Christmas song for each of them was just not quite ready enough for them to feel comfortable performing.  Bob switched his 2nd Christmas song today from the Christmas Song to Winter Wonderland.  He plays both well, so it is not a problem.

I am freezing a bit tonight.  I am not sure why.  I keep the house at 73 degrees and yet I am still rather cold.  I have a sweatshirt on and everything.  If I need to, I have a hoodie handy to put on.

I bought some mini lights for the tree.  They are multi color but the ones that are on the bottom half of the tree are clear so I went back to the store and then didn't have any clear ones.  I have to try another store before Friday as on Friday I am hoping my friend, Heather B-T will be able to put them on the tree.  I am not sure when I am decorating the tree, but I would like the lights on to be ready.  I don't think it will be this weekend as the concert is on Sunday and I have some work to do for it on Saturday.  I have to create the program, which is a lot of fun to do.  I already told Aggie she will be near the end as she is one of the advanced students.  Brooke will be near the end too.  I try to put all my little ones first and then my middle ones, and then the advanced ones.  I also like to alternate between voice and piano with a tenor saxophone thrown in there too.  I have to buy a package of cookies this week for the concert too.  I will get some nice decorated Christmas ones.  They will work perfect.  I don't have time to make any this year plus I find I eat too many when I make them.  It is super annoying about that but I do it without even thinking.

My lovely neighbor/friend, Barbara Jean sent her 2 boys over to take care of my recycle bins.  For some reason, I have 2 of them.  Mom somehow got another one a few years ago.  One day, it just appeared so now I have 2 and they are super full.  I have boxes at my front door that need to go to recycling next week.  That should bring me up to date with my recycling.  Right now both my bins are at the end of driveway.  It is so nice to have the little car in the garage.  I get a thrill every time I open or close it when I am either leaving or coming home.  It is just so exciting.

Julie is coming on Wednesday to help me re-organizing my family room.  There are several things that are going to be donated or sold.  I only want the elliptical exercise machine.  I don't want the rest.  There is an old TV that still works with the new type boxes that will be donated along with its TV stand.  Then again, I am debating between keeping the smaller one and getting rid of the bigger one.  Julie and I will discuss this and see what is best.  I am anxious to have a sewing/craft room as well as the library/TV room.  I have a DVD player downstairs already as well as a VCR but I am donating the VCR because I don't need it anymore because I am giving all my videos to one of my friends.  I have many DVDs of the videos that I have so I don't need the videos anymore.  I am going to be saving for a Blue Ray player in the future.  It seems that some of the newer movies are not coming out on DVDs but as combo packs of DVDs and Blue Ray.  I don't know why, but that is the way it is.  I am glad that the Blue Ray players play DVDs too because to re-buy everything that I have on DVD would be so upsetting and not doable at all so I am glad they play.  I want the DVD/Blue Ray combo pack of the Harry Potter movie from target.  I plan to purchase it next week since I will be able to this month.  It is planned in the budget.

hmm, 11-27

Some many things are racing through my mind tonight.  I don't know why but they are.  Things I need to do, things I want to do, things I don't want to do, you get the picture.  There is so much I just don't know anymore.  I have so many questions about what to do with my life outside of teaching, that there is no question about.  I was born to teach and I love it.  I can't teach as much as I would like, but I am thankful for what I can do.  I think that is the biggest question.  I had to get up early about 5 days this past week.  I felt a crash and burn coming on with the bad headache that I would wake up with and the overall bad feeling.  Yesterday walking from the car to the movie theatre entrance, then to the ticket booth, then to the snack bar, and finally into our theatre was exhausting and painful.  By the time we sat down my legs and hips were burning.  Fortunately, it didn't last too long, but it was burning.  I think it was all a part of the about to crash and burn again flare.  Since I could feel it coming, I didn't set my alarm to go to church today.  I just couldn't because I really felt like I would have woken up to crash and burn mode and that generally means a ER visit.  I think I avoided it.  There are a couple of openings left for students and then that will be it unless one quits.  Thursdays are full to the rim but I do have one opening on a couple of other days.  I am almost to the limit.  Once i reach there, I will have to call the online company and let them know that until a student quits, I can't take anymore.  In some ways it is a nice feeling to know I am almost full, in other ways it isn't because I used to be able to handle 50 to 60 lessons a week without a problem.  Now I couldn't do it at all.  It is just too exhausting.  I really enjoyed myself this long weekend and I did pace myself as best as I could so I am pleased with that.  I just needed today to really rest and I did that.  I did have 2 lessons, but they were low key students and it was fun but the rest of the day is resting.  I am very glad that I had my students today because they allowed me to have the day off yesterday to be with Kathy and I am glad about that.  It just makes me wonder about a lot of things.  I no longer feel the crash and burn feeling and the headache is the normal headache now but what would have happened if I had gone to church?  I nearly passed out last week too so would I have had that happen this week?  I don't know but I wasn't going to find out either.  I don't know what is going on with this lightheadedness but no one seems to be too worried about it.  It doesn't happen all the time, but every so often.  I hope it goes away soon.

Aggie had her lesson today after not having one for a very long time.  I was happy to see her.  i copied her song on my computer for the concert so I now have it.  I have a copy of Breanna's song too.  I just need to copy it on the computer.  I need to put the concert in order.  I will do that this week.  I will be working on the program during the week but I won't be printing it until Saturday because if I print it earlier, than I always end up needing to print it again, this way, I don't.  i won't be going to church next Sunday because of the concert.  I will need the extra rest in the morning to get through the afternoon.  I know this from previous concerts.  I have about a good 5 to 6 hours a day and that is about it.  Anything after that is very iffy and I can't guarantee that I am with it or able to function.  I have a very limited window and that is just the way this illness leaves me.  I am glad I have that window though because some people I know, don't even have that.  After a couple of hours they are wiped out.  At least I get a good 5 or 6 hours out of it.  Camille also had her lesson today.  She graciously switched from yesterday to today so I could spend the entire day with Kathy and family.  We went over the jingle bells songs that everyone is singing at the end at the end of her lesson.  I think she enjoyed the singing.  Her piano pieces are doing well.  I am very pleased with her progress.  She doesn't want to go to competition this year either.  That leaves Aggie, Katie, and Rebecca for competition this year.  Calli is just too busy and so is Acer so they are planning to go next year.  Hey, what works for them, works for me.

I am going to get some dinner now.  I am kind of hungry.  Then I am going to do a bit of sewing, mostly cutting out the ornaments before I go to bed.  I am very tired tonight.  I foresee going to bed rather early for a change since I am so exhausted.  I am glad I didn't get the crash and burn flare that was coming or at least I hope I missed it by resting more today than usual.  I can always hope.

I do hope you had a good Thanksgiving weekend and are enjoying your day.

Saturday 11-26

I just got a crazy phone number.  Apparently, I qualify for a $125 gift certificate because I use my bank card a lot in the last 6 months.  I don't carry cash as it manages to disappear way too fast.  However, once I got to the "supervisor" he wanted the expiration date of my card, and the actual card number although he called it something else.  I am not giving someone over the phone my card.  It makes me wonder how many will fall for this and give them the number.  It was very scary.  I hung up on him.  I did say, no thank, goodbye.  Really!  I mean oh my gosh!  The scams these people have today.  He kept calling it the legal description (I knew I would remember somehow) to make it sound like he didn't want the number but that is exactly what they wanted.  Wow, that was a clever scam, let me tell you.  It is frightening that many people would fall for this.  It is crazy.

On a better note, I spent mostly the entire day with Kathy and family.  I arrived shortly after noon and then we had lunch, which was so yummy, let me tell you!  Kathy's Mom is a great cook!  So anyways, Kathy, her family, and I chatted away during the lunch.  I think I ate too much, although I did do very well with the choices I made.  I ate lots of vegetables (and I don't mean the mashed potatoes).  The mixed vegetables were particularly yummy and so was the corn on the cob.  The turkey and dressing were very yummy too.  I like dark meat so that is what I had.  After lunch, I helped a bit with the clean up.  I tried to be as helpful as possible.  I collected all the plates and cutlery that were on the table and took them to Kathy who would put them in the dish washer.  Kathy and I chatted a bit while I drooled over his Nook color.  She has some really interesting books on there and she said some were free even!  I do want one.  Now there are 2 things I want, a Blue Ray player and a Nook Color although a regular Nook would be nice too.  I am not that picky.  Kathy and I went to see Breaking Dawn.  Now, I still have not seen Eclipse, but I will watch it this week.  Breaking Dawn was very good.  I was not sure about it because the first 1/2 of the book doesn't have too much action after the wedding, but it was really good.  The downside is that we have to wait another YEAR before part 2 comes out unlike the 2 parts of Harry Potter, which came out 6 months apart.  I wish they would do that with Breaking Dawn, but they aren't.  I will wait as it isn't like I have too much of a choice but to wait.  I know am going to re-read the entire series as soon as I finish the book I am reading right now.

It is such a cool thing to have a car in the garage!  I get a thrill down my spine every time I open or close it.  I am just so happy about putting my baby car in the garage!  (It is amazing how the little things in life can make you happy)  It will be especially nice for Sunday mornings when I have to be at church so early.  No more scraping the car windows in the morning before church.  After church, well, then it doesn't matter if the car is covered in snow.  I want to move the round, card table that is in the garage.  Come this winter it will get awfully dirty being in front of my car so I will move it during the day tomorrow.  I so love that my car is in the garage!  I really do!

I have a bit of a bad headache now.  It is on the right side of my head.  I woke up with it but I wasn't going to let it get me down.  It was better this afternoon after I took my pain pills, but now it is back.  I am resting mostly this evening anyway so it won't interfere with anything that I am doing.

I am going to be starting the sewing tomorrow afternoon in between lessons.  I brought down the material this morning when I came down the stairs.  I will bring up the rest of the material tomorrow afternoon.

I went to go and get my hair washed yesterday but the salon was closed.  It was also closed when I went to check after the movie.  I am going to be brave and try to do it myself.  My shoulder seems to be doing okay this weekend, so i will try.  I usually have the local salon do it because of my shoulder.  It is very difficult to wash my hair and dry my hair with one arm that won't reach but I have noticed that it isn't as difficult to lift these past few weeks.  After my last lesson, Rebecca, I will attempt to wash my hair.  We shall see how well it works!  If it does work, I won't need to go and get it done for me although I will admit that I do like having someone else doing it for me!  It makes me feel important and a queen!  Mom used to do it until about 7 months before she passed away.  It was just one more thing to find another way to do myself or find another person to do it.  When I started getting it done, it was only $3 for the wash and the dry, now it is $10.  I think it is worth it.

The American Girl Place in Chicago commercial is on right now.  I can't wait for Kathy's girls to get into American Girl stuff.  I have been the store in Chicago about 2 or 3 days after it opened.  It was very busy that day but it was worth looking at.  I am hoping that if Kathy ever takes the girls, then I will go with them.  I love the American Girl stuff.  I used to get Samantha and Celia American Girl stuff when they were small.  They are my cousins.  Now they are 22 and 25 years old.  they grew entirely way to fast.  Celia is a parent now.  She has 2 small children, 5 and 3 (around at that age I think).

I forgot to gather the DVDs, books, and games that are going to Kathy.  I am loaning her some books and I am giving her the DVDs and games but I forgot to get them together yesterday.  I will give them to her at Christmas.  That will be the next time I see her, I think.

I do hope you have had a good day.  I sure did.  Pain level, while a bit higher than usual, didn't interfere with the day like sometimes it does.

The Day After Thanksgiving!

My little red car is in the garage.  I am so excited about that.  The boxes that needed to be moved, are moved.  The scooter has it's own place as does the lawnmower, edger, blower, carpet cleaner (which will be moved back into the house soon.  I don't like it in the garage when it is to clean inside carpets), and the snow blower, which I am not sure if it works either.  Anyways, i am super thrilled with the garage and the fact that my car is inside of it.  Now it can snow.  My car is ready for the winter.  I am not ready for the winter, but the little car is.  My friend and neighbor's children came to help and they did a great job.  I even have stuff to donate.  The sad thing is I must have donated the snow globes that I thought were in the garage last spring.  They are not in any of the boxes we looked at.  Oh well, I hope whoever has them is enjoying them.  I did really like them, but these things happen.  I just checked the Disney website and they don't have the ones I have anymore.  I didn't think so as the Beauty and the Beast one was about 15 to 17 years old and the Mickey Mouse one that was Mom's was about 5 years old.  I am sad over them but not too terribly sad because I do have plenty of Disney stuff in the house and in my room.  The kids also took several of Mom's boxes back into her room so I can put her stuff back up.  Why they were taken out in the first place, I don't know but they were and now they are back.

I am going to the Hubel's for dinner tonight and for a movie.  I am not sure what we are going to watch, but it will be kid friendly and fun.  It was so cute because Carolyn came in the house and said I was coming to their house at 8 pm for dinner and movie.  I was like, okay, sounds fun to me!  I really appreciate the help they gave me.

Tomorrow I am going to Kathy's parents' house for the day and then she and I are going to see Breaking Dawn.  All this excitement is going to totally wear me out by Sunday but I am enjoying it.  I do have 3 lessons on Sunday, Aggie, Camille, and Rebecca.  Katie will have hers on Tuesday so that will be good.  I wonder if I can have Callie come at that time or if it would be too late for the young lady.  She has to get up quite early for school.  I shall see on that one.  My Emily will be here shortly.

I do hope you are having a good day.  I am very excited over the garage!  That has made my month.

Thanksgiving Day 11-24

I had a really good day.  I went to my friend, Jennie's Mom's house for Thanksgiving.  It was wonderful!  The food was abundant and delicious!  I brought rolls.  You wouldn't think that choosing rolls for the dinner would be difficult, but there are so many to choose from.  I finally chose the Hawaiian sweet rolls.  They looked really yummy and let me tell you, they sure were!  All of Jennie's siblings, Kate, Chaz, and Margie, along with their families were there.  They were also celebrating two birthdays, Jennie's daughter, Mary, 2, and Chaz's daughter, Liz, 6.  Both girls got some very nice presents.  I was sitting in the back because I wanted the family to see better.  Liz brought me all her presents to show me.  She also changed out of the dress she was wearing into the new dress that Grandma got her.  It was a kind of dress I would have worn as a small child!  It was so beautiful.  She looked like a little princess.  It was nice to see all of Jennie's nieces and nephews as well as her children.  She has 4.  The oldest 2 are 10, then 8, and finally, 2. I must say it was very nice to be a part of a big celebration.  I will also have a nice celebration at Kathy's parents with her and her family on Saturday.  We are going to see Breaking Dawn too.  I have not seen Eclipse yet.  it isn't looking like I am going to before Saturday either.  I will actually see the movie when i am not "prepped" to see it.  I have read the books, but I meant to re-read them and re-watch the movies before I saw "Breaking Dawn" but that is just not going to happen.  I have sewing to do instead.  I am planning to start tomorrow after the kids come over to help me for a bit in the garage.  Tomorrow night my can WILL FINALLY be in the garage!  It can snow after that because my baby will be in the garage all snug and safe!  I am very excited about it!  I really am.  This particular car has NEVER been inside the garage and now it will!  Woo-hoo!  I have great neighbors and friends.  I really do.  My friend, Jennie also said today to let her know if I need any help with anything around the house. I can't think of something right now, but I am sure something will come up in the future.  Like I said, I am so thankful for my friends.

Tomorrow after the kids come for helping in the garage, I will cut out all the ornaments.  I am putting up one of the portable tables up so in the living room for sewing.  I don't want to have the sewing machine on the dining room table because the table is very old and while it is solid now.  I don't want the slight shaking of the sewing machine to loosen the table up.  Bill just tightened in a few months ago for me.  I was so happy that that was all it needed and I didn't have to buy a new table set.  This winter I will re-glue the chairs.  All four of them need it.  Right now there is only 1 dining room chair at the table.  Two of the chairs are the folding type and where I sit is my office chair which will hopefully go back down into my office sometimes this winter or spring.  Either way is fine for me.  I am not in a hurry.  Eventually, I will get the downstairs all taken care of.

I am feeling a bit better about the holidays this year.  Last year I was so sad that I couldn't even imagine how to get through them.  I survived though.  How, I am not sure, it is a blur.  I do know that my cousin, Cathy, came to see me for the week of Thanksgiving and I spent Christmas Eve and Day with Kathy and her family.  That helped.  This year, being with Jennie and her nice, big, extended family was wonderful.  It is hard without my mother as we have never been separated, physically, for this long ever. Even when I was a child and went to camp, I wasn't gone too long, just 6 weeks so to be separated for 13 months, is a lifetime to me.  I am not always so sad these days, although I have my moments.  I try to think what Mom would want me to do if I ever would have left her tell me.  I couldn't handle her talking about when she wasn't here.  I should have let her because I don't really know what Mom would want me to do.  She did say she wanted to be strong and not fall apart.  Well, I didn't.  I planned everything and was strong.  It was the hardest thing I had ever gone through.  Lily and Julie decorated last year for Christmas.  I think they will help me again this year.  I do want to get the box that is in the crawl space though because it has more Christmas stuff in it of mine.  I bought some new window clings for the living room and the dining room.  They are so very cute.  I have some old ones too but I don't know how well they will work since they have been used over and over.  I will see which ones are still usable.  I like the window clings.  I have other window clings that I found recently.  I think they are the Winnie the Pooh and friends.  I plan to put lots of Window clings on the dining room and the living room's windows.  Next summer, I am going to go and see what is in the attic.  I know that there is a lot of Christmas stuff including two trees.  the trees are so old now that they probably aren't any good and I don't need them either but there are some ornaments that I do want up there.  The ones I don't that are still good I will donate next fall.  I am not sure exactly what is up there though.  I know there are some toys but I don't know which ones.  I will find that out too.  I love the Christmas Season, I always have.  There was a time that I hated the actual holiday itself because of family strife, but the Season was usually good.  Mom made a lot out of the Christmas Season when we were small.  When Richard moved to North Carolina, we started spending Christmas at Richard's house so we didn't decorate as much here at home.  I won't go all out, but I do want to have some decorations out this year.

I hope you had a good day, I did.

procrastination of Heather 11-23

I have been procrastinating on my sewing project and it is weird because I love to sew so I am not sure why I am procrastinating on it.  I haven't even cut the ornaments out.  Nope, not even one little ornament.  I am behind my own schedule and I have no reason, no excuse, no nothing, just good old fashion procrastination.  I am sort of disappointed in myself because I have been procrastinating on this sewing, but on the other hand, I just haven't been in the mood to sew.  It is weird.  i haven't really done any sewing for just over a year now.  I plan to cut them out on Friday because I will have 10 days to make 25 ornaments.  Oh my!  I know that I can do it though because they aren't super complicated and I have made them before so I know what I am doing.  I am just wishing I started at the beginning of the month like I had planned.  Oh well, too late to worry about that now!

Beth brought her Jekyll and Hyde music tonight.  We went over several songs so she would be prepared for rehearsal on Tuesday.  I am so proud of her.  She has worked very hard with voice lessons and it has paid off.  Allison is doing rather well with her Christmas Concert music.  I think all the students are pretty close to being ready for the concert.

I am not shopping on the day after Thanksgiving.  I am just NOT stepping in a store this weekend.  I will go to a movie, but I will not go in a store.  I also have no reason to go to a store since I am making the gifts I am giving this year and I already have the supplies, I have no need to go.  Thank goodness!  I can only imagine how crazy it will be, it will simply be a madhouse.  Last year, my cousin came over and she went shopping on black Friday.  She didn't go to bed on Thanksgiving.  She fell asleep until the afternoon when she was done shopping.  I was glad she had a good time and was able to get a lot of Christmas Presents.

My head is a bit more sore than usual tonight.  I don't know why, but then again, my head never needs a reason to do what it wants to do.  Even the hair on my head is making my head hurt.  I am also rather tired right now.  My left shoulder is a bit sore too.  I hope it is cleared up by tomorrow.

I hope you are having a good day.

Tuesday 11-22

I am watching NCIS Los Angeles right now.  I spoke to Georgette for about an hour and a half.  She is doing well and was anxiously awaiting her Daughter, Emily's arrival home from college.  Georgette is a fellow piano teacher.  I met her years ago when I starting taking my students to the Michigan Music Association Competition.  This is the first year she may not have any students attending.  There is a big basketball tournament that many of her students will be attending the same weekend.  I have about 3 going this year.  Many of my students are brand new and not ready for the competition yet.  Maybe next year.

Tomorrow I have a couple of make up lessons for Thanksgiving.  Brooke and Brianne are going to have their lessons before lunch so they can take off to go up north as soon as their Dad gets off work.  Then I just have my usual 2, Allison and Beth.  I had to go and pick up a few things tonight.  My milk will expire on the 24th so I had to pick up some because there is NO WAY I am going to go to a store on Friday.  i also would be out of pop at that point too.  It was pouring rain too when I went.  Yuck!  I left a few of the groceries in the car because it was raining so hard.  I grabbed the milk and my medicine but I left the rolls, pop, and bread.  I will get the them out of the car tomorrow when it isn't raining.  I figure it will be okay overnight.  I also need to call the scooter store about my scooter.  The batteries don't seem to be holding a charge so I think I will need new batteries unless they say there is something else wrong with the scooter.  I am hoping not.  I really hope it is something simple like needing new batteries.  That is an easy fix.  I will find out shortly when I talk to them.

I am watching House Hunters and I am, as usual, amused at how people want certain things in a house but they don't want to pay for it.  They want everything updated and fixed the way they want it right away.  First thing they usually do is start saying what they will need to change, they always need to change, like an updated kitchen.  It is very amusing.  I get good giggles out of it.  I know my house people would want to change the bathrooms.  They have not been updated and won't be anytime soon.  The kitchen was redone in the late 90s.  We don't have stainless steel appliances, but we have nice white ones.  Our carpets are old except for the family room.  However, since I am NOT selling the house anytime soon, it isn't something I have to work on.  I remember the realtor that was here and she was saying how I had to allow a carpet/flooring allowance.  No I don't.  She also wanted everything off the walls and for me to repaint everywhere except the family room.  Well, I wasn't going to do that.  The new owners would repaint anyways.  However, I knew at that time I was not moving.  People in the family wanted me too, but I didn't want to.  I wanted to stay here and I am glad that I did.  I have everything I need here.  My doctors are all here and that is very important.  I didn't want to have to get new doctors.  I finally have doctors that I like and can work well with that I don't want to start over looking for new ones.  Anyways, I am glad for the decision I made.

I am going to read for a bit now.

Monday 11-21

It hasn't been too cold out yet this late fall.  I am thankful for that.  Friday, the neighbor's children will be coming to move a few things around in the garage and taking the table and chairs out so my lovely little car will FINALLY be in the garage!  I can't wait for that.  I really can't.  I do need to charge my scooter before that.  I am going to do that right now.  For some reason, it won't charge.  I have it plugged in but it won't show that it is charging.  I will have to call the scooter store tomorrow about this.  I think it means I need new batteries.  They are 5 years old and they say that is about when you have to change them.  I am kind of bummed because they are very expensive.  I have a good place to buy them from though so that is good.  They are cheaper there than from the scooter store.  The scooter store is very expensive.  I think I will have the repairman come and look at it though.  I am doing this now because I don't need the problem at competition.  That would be horrible!  I so need the scooter then.  I will get this fixed.  Ugh, more expenses!

I am not as tired as yesterday, but I am still very tired.  I slept pretty good for a change last night.  I don't recall waking up a lot for a change.  I usually wake about every 2 hours to roll over because of pain.  My bed wasn't too messed up either so I must have slept a bit better.  I am hoping for a repeat experience tonight.

So far, it looks like I will have Charlie tomorrow!  I can't wait!  I haven't seen him for at least a month!  It  has been too long!  Just way to long!  I think we will have an hour lesson for the next month to make up what we have missed.  I like how he make up his lessons instead of just missing them.  With the concert in 2 weeks, this is especially good!  I want him to be super prepared for the concert.  Isaac has decided to only sing at the concert.  I told him that was just fine, and it is.  I don't think it is my place nor something I want to do, to make or force a student to perform.  I will encourage, but that is it.  If a student doesn't feel that he or she is ready, then that is okay.  He did just start piano a few weeks ago, so I am not surprised.  We also went through the group song, Jingle Bells, boy, am I glad we went over it because there are parts that a slightly different from the regular one.  For example, the Oh is held for 3 beats instead of 1 and the intro is a bit longer than usual.  I also don't know the second verse very well.  All my singers will be going over it in the next couple of weeks.  This way, there will be enough students who know it to help the ones who don't.  I will also be there to help the students.  They will all have music too so it isn't like they will be in the dark about the song.

I am missing Mom a lot tonight.  I think it is because of the holiday coming up.  She made such a big deal about holidays.  She wouldn't allow any hint of Christmas before the day after Thanksgiving.  She also said that Thanksgiving deserves to have it's own day and not share it with the season of Christmas.  When I was small, we always dressed up for the dinner.  I only wore dresses until about 6th or 7th grade so Mom would make me special dresses for the holidays.  Christmas was always a Mother/Daughter dress.  I loved wearing dresses like my mom.  We kept up the tradition of dressing up until a few years ago when Mom became less aware of the Holidays.  I miss that tradition at times.  I miss having a nice dress that is similar to my mother's.  She was such a good seamstress.  I am good, but not as good as her. Her tailoring skills were awesome.  Momma made many suits for not only herself but for my brothers and the fit was amazing.  She also was the best at fittings.  her fittings were second to none.  I know if she had wanted to, she could have been a very important designer but that was not her dream.  Mom always said she loved sewing clothes for me because I got so excited about them.  I remember that too.  I cried the first time I had to buy store bought school clothes.  Anyways, I digress, I just miss her a lot tonight.  I am so thankful she was my mother.  Yes, we had some rough times, (doesn't everyone) and at times they were pretty bad, but overall, she did her best to raise us and stand by us whenever we needed her.  That is what a mother does, I think.  It is kind of funny because I don't remember too much of the bad stuff anymore.  It is amazing how that just fades away.  I am glad, I don't WANT to remember the bad times anymore.  I only want remember the good times.

I hope you are having a good day.  Pain wise, it is a normal type day.  My shoulder is a bit sore along with my left arm but that is really nothing new.  My shoulder has bursitis so this is normal for me.  My head is normal pain today so everything is pretty much the usual amount of pain.  I am just a bit more tired but not as tired as yesterday.

Sunday 11-20

I think I am closer to being ready for the Christmas Concert.  Calli was here for an extra lesson.  She is almost ready now with her piano piece and her duet.  We had a good time.  Rebecca was here for her lesson and we have made the choices for her competition music.  She now has her Classical, Broadway, and Inspirational pieces.  I am pleased with her choices.  Her mom and I spoke about a great many things after the lesson.  It is hard to believe that Rebecca is 10.  I remember when they brought her home from Russia.  Next week, Aggie will have her lesson and we will choose what she will sing for competition.  Katie needs to make some decisions too.  She has picked her Classical piece, Se Tu M'Ami, which is one of her best pieces ever, but Broadway and Inspirational is still up in the air.

I am so tired today.  I think I am a broken record with always saying how tired I am.  Today is one of the super tired days, not just the usual tired days.  I missed church because I didn't feel well at 6:30 this morning.  It sort of improved by 1:30 but then I went downstairs and sat in my chair with my feet up in the living room and the next thing I knew it, it was 3 pm.  Yeah, I went and got something to eat and sat back down to rest some more.  I just couldn't keep my eyes open.  Fortunately, by the time Calli arrived I was a bit more perked.  After Calli came Rebecca.  I am finished for the evening now.  I am going to get something to eat and then take my nighttime part 1.

I am watching Law and Order SVU.  It is an old episode, I think from the first season, but it is a good one.  I like this show a lot and the regular Law and Order.  I did like Criminal Intent but I don't know when the show is on so I miss it a lot.  I also liked the one that was on for a short time.  I can't remember the name, it wasn't the Law and Order LA one, but another one.  It ended because one of the actors passed away.  The guy who played Lennie Brisko, however you spell it.  I haven't seen a lot of the newer episodes because Mom was afraid of the show so I haven't seen it for about 3 years now.  I try to remember to watch it on Saturdays when it is on but I sometimes miss it or forget it was on.  It is usually on Wednesdays at 10 pm.

I have been thinking about Thanksgiving much more than I usually do.  I think it is because lots of people are blogging about it too, not just me.  Mom would always have us say one thing we were thankful before we ate dinner.  Sometimes it was hard to think of something because it wasn't something we thought of often.  Be thankful?  We were children who didn't really think about things like that, not until we were older.  I don't remember what I said when I was young.  It was so long ago that I just don't remember that far back.  I do know what I am thankful for now.

Here is my list:
1.  Jesus.  Without him, I would be nowhere.
2.  Kathy.  We have been friends for so long that I don't even have to say hello when I am crying she knows who it is immediately that is just one of thousands of reasons why I am thankful.
3.  Family.  Sometimes you love them, most of the time I don't understand them but when push comes to shove, often they are there.
4.  Friends.  I am very blessed with the friends I have.  They have really helped me not only with the passing of my mother, but before she passed away.  I am thankful for both my bloggy friends, facebook friends, and all the rest of my friends.
5.  Mom.  Even though she is in Heaven.  I am so thankful she was my mother.  I love her so much.  Who else but Vivian A. Paxton could raise me?  She knew me better than anyone else and she stood by me through everything.  When I first became ill at 16, she was there, when I was ill in my mid 20s and was thinking I was going to end up bed ridden, she fought for me.  We had a lot of fun together too.  We would vacation together.  I have so many memories of us together.

  What about you?  what are you thankful for?  One of my bloggy friends challenged her readers to come up with 5 things you are thankful for.  I am thankful that she did because it really got me thinking about thankfulness.

In this week of Thanksgiving, we have much to be Thankful for.  I do hope you are having a great day.