I have learned that the first rule of home improvement projects should be "expect the unexpected"! You'd think I would know this after just recently having a siding/painting job increase in cost by $2,500 due to wood that needed repaired. However, I am just too optimistic!
Today, a contractor began the required prep work to re-tile my downstairs bathroom floor. Less than an hour into it, I received a call letting me know that when they removed a cabinet that I wanted removed... there was no tile beneath or behind it! The project nearly spiralled into a demolition of the entire bathroom - including taking down all current tile and replacing the bathtub! So, tonight I was out at Lowe's trying to match a plain, square white tile that I was ensured could not match. Well... who knew ... but, I did find something that I believe will work! Now, here's hoping that they are able to use my "find" to repair the tile that needs repaired without tearing apart my entire bathroom!
My husband also called me today to let me know that he found a guy that could re-sod our front lawn and someone else who could extend our blacktop driveway. I am a bit overwhelmed in house projects right now! And - the house is in great shape ... it is just all of the little decisions that literally cost thousands of dollars! Agh!
I'm trying to hang in there - still no trips down to the elliptical between birthday blahs and now home improvement nightmares!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Birthday Blahs
I think all birthdays go down hill after 21... at least that has been my experience. Actually, I did cry at 18 - maybe they all started to get worse then! Today is no exception.
I remember the days of my youth when I counted down the days until my birthday arrived... and then anxiously awaited the parties, and of course, the gifts. Now, my birthday just seems like any other day. I got up this morning and went through my typical morning ritual (which unfortunately still does not involve a workout) and left for work. I did leave work a bit early, only to come home to contractors still at my house (which is looking great!) asking questions about some details of a project. I decided that I was going to do something crazy and drag Jeff to the mall - which turned out to be a total bust. The only thing I really found was a new gadget at Williams Sonoma. Finally, Jeff and I went to dinner at a nice restaurant around 8pm. He was grumpy because he was determined that it was too late to eat. Halfway through dinner, he said he was feeling nauseous and went to sit outside. The waiter could only assume that we had gotten into a fight and he had left me sitting alone at the table. While sitting alone, I got to see another party sing happy birthday to a gal with cake and candles... how depressing for me! The waiter quickly brought me boxes and my check. I left with my boxed food to find Jeff sitting outside. After a drive home in silence... and now at 9:50pm, Jeff is in bed and I am checking email & writing this. In summary, birthdays are no longer fun.
I'm not looking forward to September 5, 2008.
I remember the days of my youth when I counted down the days until my birthday arrived... and then anxiously awaited the parties, and of course, the gifts. Now, my birthday just seems like any other day. I got up this morning and went through my typical morning ritual (which unfortunately still does not involve a workout) and left for work. I did leave work a bit early, only to come home to contractors still at my house (which is looking great!) asking questions about some details of a project. I decided that I was going to do something crazy and drag Jeff to the mall - which turned out to be a total bust. The only thing I really found was a new gadget at Williams Sonoma. Finally, Jeff and I went to dinner at a nice restaurant around 8pm. He was grumpy because he was determined that it was too late to eat. Halfway through dinner, he said he was feeling nauseous and went to sit outside. The waiter could only assume that we had gotten into a fight and he had left me sitting alone at the table. While sitting alone, I got to see another party sing happy birthday to a gal with cake and candles... how depressing for me! The waiter quickly brought me boxes and my check. I left with my boxed food to find Jeff sitting outside. After a drive home in silence... and now at 9:50pm, Jeff is in bed and I am checking email & writing this. In summary, birthdays are no longer fun.
I'm not looking forward to September 5, 2008.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Prepping for company!
I am thrilled to be busy these last few nights cleaning & cooking - the necessary prepping before my family comes to visit!! I am very excited to have my grandparents, parents, aunt and brother at my house for Labor Day weekend. I have been washing sheets in my guest bedrooms and setting up an air mattress in my office - and couldn't be happier to have a house full!
As I grow older, I find that I am more and more like my grandmother - and I really covet the time I get to spend with her in particular. I hate that I don't like closer so that I can spend time with her on a regular basis. We both LOVE to cook, decorate, entertain and just have a great time with friends and family. My mom and aunts say that it skipped a generation... although all but one (poor Syndy is a self acclaimed terrible cook) are quite good in the kitchen!
My brother is also coming up from Camp Lejeune, NC. He re-joined the Marines after 3 years of civilian life. He is a completely different person now that he is back in. He is just a marine through and through. He now has purpose and perhaps more importantly, an identity. It will be good to see him as well! He is bringing with him a marine friend that was wounded in Iraq. I'm very happy to have him - but am a bit nervous about how comfortable he will be at my house with lots of stairs and people. I'm not exactly sure how well he is able to get around... but am hoping that Tony would not put him in an awkward situation as he knows my house and his friend's capabilities.
The other interesting thing about this weekend is that my brother is picking up my car. I have transferred the lease to him so that Jeff can get a new car. He hated mine because it was a manual transmission and he is not great at driving it. He hasn't picked out anything yet - so, I am a bit nervous about how long we are going to be down to one car! Not that it is a huge deal... we carpool downtown together and tend to do pretty much everything together. I just feel like sharing a car will be losing a bit of my freedom. Crazy huh? But, I do enjoy car shopping - so, it will be fun to go find something new!
The other fun thing about Labor Day in Cincinnati are the WEBN fireworks (http://webn.com/pages/FWX.html)! They are fantastic - and now I get to share them with my family who has never been down for them!
As I grow older, I find that I am more and more like my grandmother - and I really covet the time I get to spend with her in particular. I hate that I don't like closer so that I can spend time with her on a regular basis. We both LOVE to cook, decorate, entertain and just have a great time with friends and family. My mom and aunts say that it skipped a generation... although all but one (poor Syndy is a self acclaimed terrible cook) are quite good in the kitchen!
My brother is also coming up from Camp Lejeune, NC. He re-joined the Marines after 3 years of civilian life. He is a completely different person now that he is back in. He is just a marine through and through. He now has purpose and perhaps more importantly, an identity. It will be good to see him as well! He is bringing with him a marine friend that was wounded in Iraq. I'm very happy to have him - but am a bit nervous about how comfortable he will be at my house with lots of stairs and people. I'm not exactly sure how well he is able to get around... but am hoping that Tony would not put him in an awkward situation as he knows my house and his friend's capabilities.
The other interesting thing about this weekend is that my brother is picking up my car. I have transferred the lease to him so that Jeff can get a new car. He hated mine because it was a manual transmission and he is not great at driving it. He hasn't picked out anything yet - so, I am a bit nervous about how long we are going to be down to one car! Not that it is a huge deal... we carpool downtown together and tend to do pretty much everything together. I just feel like sharing a car will be losing a bit of my freedom. Crazy huh? But, I do enjoy car shopping - so, it will be fun to go find something new!
The other fun thing about Labor Day in Cincinnati are the WEBN fireworks (http://webn.com/pages/FWX.html)! They are fantastic - and now I get to share them with my family who has never been down for them!
Monday, August 27, 2007
The best intentions...
I feel like all of my good intentions are once again exposed for what they really are - just good intentions! This morning, I completely hit my snooze alarm, despite such brave words about getting up early and working out. I told myself - "face it, you are just not a morning person" and then convinced myself that I would work out this evening.
As it would happen, I received an email from Jeff in the middle of the day informing me that he had invited his dad for dinner. Meaning - that I had to make dinner. Not that this is a huge deal... but, it means that I can't just warm up the leftovers from our wonderful dinner last night because there is only enough for the two of us. So, I had to rush home and make the dinner I had planned for Tuesday. No worries, really.
Except - as I was getting ready to serve dinner, the phone rings. Jeff answered the phone and it was actually someone from work who had tracked me down needing a marketing plan urgently for a morning meeting. So, immediately after eating, I traipsed upstairs and pulled out my work laptop (which I try to NEVER do at home - and instead choose to log-in to my work email from my home laptop... it feels less like "work" and more like leisurely checking life at P&G) and started working.
Now, it is 10pm, and all intentions to work out have seeped out of me. I am presently wracking myself with guilt thinking - if only I had got up this morning!
I have got to figure out a way to become a morning person! Or at least to be open to activity in the morning. Last year, I was walking Nash with my neighbor every weekday morning at 6:30am. Now, she has gotten busy - so, I have no accountability. So, I need to work on being a morning person by myself!
Well, here's hoping for tomorrow!
As it would happen, I received an email from Jeff in the middle of the day informing me that he had invited his dad for dinner. Meaning - that I had to make dinner. Not that this is a huge deal... but, it means that I can't just warm up the leftovers from our wonderful dinner last night because there is only enough for the two of us. So, I had to rush home and make the dinner I had planned for Tuesday. No worries, really.
Except - as I was getting ready to serve dinner, the phone rings. Jeff answered the phone and it was actually someone from work who had tracked me down needing a marketing plan urgently for a morning meeting. So, immediately after eating, I traipsed upstairs and pulled out my work laptop (which I try to NEVER do at home - and instead choose to log-in to my work email from my home laptop... it feels less like "work" and more like leisurely checking life at P&G) and started working.
Now, it is 10pm, and all intentions to work out have seeped out of me. I am presently wracking myself with guilt thinking - if only I had got up this morning!
I have got to figure out a way to become a morning person! Or at least to be open to activity in the morning. Last year, I was walking Nash with my neighbor every weekday morning at 6:30am. Now, she has gotten busy - so, I have no accountability. So, I need to work on being a morning person by myself!
Well, here's hoping for tomorrow!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
A great weekend
This weekend served as a great time to relax and finish my "re-boot"! Tomorrow I am planning to be up early to establish a new "routine" now that I don't have to worry about the school/work mix. While I was in school, I was also working from my home office every Monday. Now, I am planning to actually join my team meetings in-person vs. via conference call. I'm hoping that it will be a good change for me to really connect with the teams I am leading. There has been a lot of change with projects at work (which are all on very tight timing) - so, I think it will be good to be there and feel like I'm really part of the team as we battle through obstacles.
Today, one of the ladies in my Bible study hosted us in her home because she has a 3-week old baby! He is absolutely adorable - and was sooo good. I was afraid to hold him though - he is soo little and fragile looking! I still can't get over fear of babies. Maybe some day...
And, I made key lime pie for the first time this weekend. Well... I actually made it twice. For the first go, I followed a recipe (from my favorite recipe book) that called for meringue on the top. It looked great - but I was concerned about the texture of the meringue when I took it out of the oven... I wasn't sure if it was over or under cooked. So, I made Jeff try it. He seemed to really enjoy it - but I still wasn't sold. I decided to make the second one with just home made whipped cream topping. It was excellent, and all of the ladies at my Bible study really enjoyed it!
Today, one of the ladies in my Bible study hosted us in her home because she has a 3-week old baby! He is absolutely adorable - and was sooo good. I was afraid to hold him though - he is soo little and fragile looking! I still can't get over fear of babies. Maybe some day...
And, I made key lime pie for the first time this weekend. Well... I actually made it twice. For the first go, I followed a recipe (from my favorite recipe book) that called for meringue on the top. It looked great - but I was concerned about the texture of the meringue when I took it out of the oven... I wasn't sure if it was over or under cooked. So, I made Jeff try it. He seemed to really enjoy it - but I still wasn't sold. I decided to make the second one with just home made whipped cream topping. It was excellent, and all of the ladies at my Bible study really enjoyed it!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Back to work & more
So, the progress against my goals to date has been
1. Making dinner with Jeff tonight; and
2. Scheduling happy hour tomorrow with a group of gals to catch up
So far, so good... and, if I get really ambitious, I may try out that elliptical before bed!
As I was trudging through my workday today, I had to remind myself that when I left there, my evening was my own! It was very exhilirating. Perhaps one of the best parts that I kept remembering was the ability to come home to my sweet labrador! When I was going straight to school until 9:45pm, I didn't get to see much of Nash! Now, it is so nice to be welcomed home by the yellow monster. He is so very happy to see me. It is such a wonderful feeling to come home to a lab!
On another note, I've been struggling with something. The leader of my Bible study group has taken a job out of state to be closer to her family. She initiated the wonderful study group, full of wonderful women from P&G, that has been my only "small group" of christian women since moving to Cincinnati. It is a fantastic group and I was bummed to hear that she was leaving, thinking that the group would dissolve. While I was on vacation, she sent me an email asking me to be thinking and praying about taking leadership of the group. I am still in a bit of shock - and have enrolled Jeff to help pray about this. It feels like such a huge step (although I've co-led a couples' Bible study in the past with Jeff) and HUGE shoes to fill (the current leader is wonderful!). So - I'm praying through it.
As far as studies go, Jeff and I are planning to re-join the group that we had to leave in December of last year. We were leading the group and our schedules were getting out of hand with his travel and my school... we were really bummed to let it go, and have really missed it. Although the group has evolved since we left with the loss of old members and the addition of new ones, Jeff and I are really excited to get back involved with a couples' Bible study again! I have found that small groups are a great way to connect with other folks - and even with each other. Reading a Bible study together provides a great topic for communication. So, I'm really looking forward to next Tuesday!
1. Making dinner with Jeff tonight; and
2. Scheduling happy hour tomorrow with a group of gals to catch up
So far, so good... and, if I get really ambitious, I may try out that elliptical before bed!
As I was trudging through my workday today, I had to remind myself that when I left there, my evening was my own! It was very exhilirating. Perhaps one of the best parts that I kept remembering was the ability to come home to my sweet labrador! When I was going straight to school until 9:45pm, I didn't get to see much of Nash! Now, it is so nice to be welcomed home by the yellow monster. He is so very happy to see me. It is such a wonderful feeling to come home to a lab!
On another note, I've been struggling with something. The leader of my Bible study group has taken a job out of state to be closer to her family. She initiated the wonderful study group, full of wonderful women from P&G, that has been my only "small group" of christian women since moving to Cincinnati. It is a fantastic group and I was bummed to hear that she was leaving, thinking that the group would dissolve. While I was on vacation, she sent me an email asking me to be thinking and praying about taking leadership of the group. I am still in a bit of shock - and have enrolled Jeff to help pray about this. It feels like such a huge step (although I've co-led a couples' Bible study in the past with Jeff) and HUGE shoes to fill (the current leader is wonderful!). So - I'm praying through it.
As far as studies go, Jeff and I are planning to re-join the group that we had to leave in December of last year. We were leading the group and our schedules were getting out of hand with his travel and my school... we were really bummed to let it go, and have really missed it. Although the group has evolved since we left with the loss of old members and the addition of new ones, Jeff and I are really excited to get back involved with a couples' Bible study again! I have found that small groups are a great way to connect with other folks - and even with each other. Reading a Bible study together provides a great topic for communication. So, I'm really looking forward to next Tuesday!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
I've finally done it!
After many long years, I've finally accomplished what it takes most people 4 years to get through. I completed my last undergraduate class last Thursday!
The celebration began with a weekend adventure with Jeff. It was so nice to finally have some time to reconnect with him without worrying about school ... and work! I do admit that I did do a bit of work while out of town, but I was very good about getting my priorities in order. Speaking of priorities, I now have to re-think everything! While in school and working full time, my priorities were focused on being successful at both. Now that I only have work - I'm wondering what I will do with the rest of my time! First and foremost, I'm going to take the time to be a wife again - and a dog mom! Sadly, I have neglected both duties for at least the past 8 months while I focused on finishing school.
So - this begins my list of things to do with my new-found spare time:
The celebration began with a weekend adventure with Jeff. It was so nice to finally have some time to reconnect with him without worrying about school ... and work! I do admit that I did do a bit of work while out of town, but I was very good about getting my priorities in order. Speaking of priorities, I now have to re-think everything! While in school and working full time, my priorities were focused on being successful at both. Now that I only have work - I'm wondering what I will do with the rest of my time! First and foremost, I'm going to take the time to be a wife again - and a dog mom! Sadly, I have neglected both duties for at least the past 8 months while I focused on finishing school.
So - this begins my list of things to do with my new-found spare time:
- Long walks & talks with Jeff & Nash
- Cooking & eating dinner together with Jeff
- Coffee on Saturday mornings to catch up with friends
- Trips home to see my parents & grandparents
- Dinner parties -- chez moi!
- Lots of reading... books that actually interest me vs. my professors
- Re-join a weekly couple's Bible study with Jeff
- Finally get to use that elliptical machine I bought in January!
- MBA? I know - sounds crazy... but part of me feels like I am already "in the mode" and should just do it while I still have the energy
- New Job/Career? I like my current job... but I don't love it. So far my degree has not limited my advancement there. However, I just have to wonder what else may be out there.
- Relocate? Jeff has a national job and can live anywhere in the U.S. If the right job were to come up - we would be open to relocating to a new city (despite all of the $$s we've poured into our lovely home)
- Kids? This seems very daunting to me - but, something that Jeff and I would eventually like to have around (ps - neither of us have ANY experience around kids)
So, there you have it. I'll let you know how I am progressing against my lists. I'm sure that they will grow as I continue to ponder these questions during all of my new found spare time!
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