Trying not to be gloomy Gus

We may have had rain overnight, or at least it rained somewhere as I heard the local weather guy report rain was coming down in some parts of the viewing area. This was last night, but the remnants of that rain remain in the form of overcast skies. 

Earlier I saw one blue streak in the sky between the clouds but it could not hold its own against the greyness. Several people I spoke with today reported feeling quite groggy, as though not having gotten enough sleep or something. Glad it's not only me!

*****

Yesterday Connie told me about neighbors, Rose and Joe, having some bookcases they were giving away. I went up to look at them, and decided Justin and I would take the three items off their hands, and out of their foyer. Connie told me the hand truck was in the 2nd floor elevator cubby to help us move them. Justin had a very long work day Tuesday, so we decided to get them picked up this a.m. before he left for work.

I arranged with Rose to get them around 8:20 but Rose called shortly after 8:00 to report they were up, saying we could come any time we were ready. Good! I sure didn't want Justin to be late for helping his father today. We also returned the dehumidifier which belonged to them, had it here since last May when the tropical storms came through. I had tried to return it a couple times but they encouraged me to keep it---just in case. 

The one full-height bookcase is almost a perfect match to the one Justin already has in his room, and the shorter one, same color, will work, too. If he doesn't want that one, I might keep it for myself. Joe also gave him a piece of furniture which is actually a record cabinet, but more substantial than any I had seen. It might work as a coffee table in the house when they get settled. 

                                       

I was guiding the shorter shelves on the dolly as Justin carried the record cabinet, which was quite awkward, with no handles or anything. The elevator door opened and here came Connie to the rescue. She commandeered the dolly from me saying, "You don't need to be doing this, Miss Kim". So I tagged along behind as Justin and she got the rest of the stuff into the house. 

It's hard to remember the days when I did actual physical labor but I aver, I did it! Nailing floors, stuffing insulation, stringing wires, staining and varnishing the trim in the house and painting the walls...My family was there, too, they are witnesses---I used to do physical work. Plus worked at my full-time job whichever it was at the time. Later my time would be spent at the desk, when I wasn't packing boxes to move every few months or every year. Such was the nature of our business.

                                      

I told Connie how my sister said to me one time, "My furniture carrying days are over..." after she had struggled valiantly to help her husband carry a sofa from one level in her home to another. One day she could still do it, but after the sofa battle, no longer. Just.like.that! Yes, I reached that same point some time ago, too, but really, I had that dolly with balanced bookcase well under control. Connie loves to be a helper, though, so I won't take that away from her!

The yard sale saga

Oh, I am so cute sitting at my desk! That is my dinner in front of me. Justin got a new phone with the proceeds from the yard sale, which he used for this photo. He didn't waste one moment in turning that cash into a cell phone!

Justin put in a long day today getting the yard sale wrapped up, and all things put to right at the site of the sale. Jesse and he delivered some of the items to buyer's homes, then delivered some stuff for donation to the Quigley House.

When I got home from Ladies' Group, he presented me with the lovely ruby glass bowl I'd had my eye on since I saw it on the table. Yes! I am so thankful no one else bought it and that he gave it to his mama. Something was missing yet in my home, and the red bowl takes care of that!

This is some heavy-duty glass, but so gorgeous!

He also brought me, as a good son would, an emergency candle which will provide 35 hours of light. Justin seems to think that happens far too often here and wants me to have light when the power goes out. 

(Sunday we lost power while we were gone, due to a car striking a pole with a transformer on it, near the train tracks. When our gang was eating at Sam's St. Johns Seafood, the lights flickered. We were told this was the 3rd time it happened, and we diners hoped it was the last.)

Justin scored a few items from the house himself, including a marvelous book of Norman Rockwell pictures, marked suitable for framing. Tucked inside that book was what appears to be the immigration certificate for the man's father. ("The man" being the deceased person from whose home all this stuff came). It is really cool, but also somewhat difficult to read. Perhaps in daylight we can more readily make out the dates. 

Justin also took a coffee table book about WWII, which is made up of front pages of the New York Times. The headlines or main articles are about the war. Both Ron and he are fond of this type of thing. I wouldn't mind sitting down with it too some time. It does smell a bit like smoke, as the guy was a cigar smoker, but it wasn't awful.

While the two guys were thrilled with the proceeds from the sale, Justin was less than thrilled with the amount of time and effort involved. He was put off by the 'type' of people who came, not all of them, but "some people you can just tell..." 

Justin is the more 'personable' of the duo and loved to chit chat with the customers as well. As upset as he got with some portions of the sale saga, he said they might have another opportunity for someone else's estate sale, claiming their pricing was so right on. 

Justin goes from claiming he'd rather be doing yard work to 'we might get to do this again!' in one sentence. It is good networking for them both, though, with one being in real estate and the other a born salesman!

"Here am I, send me, send me"

Today's mail brought me a package from Linda containing the next couple months worth of calendars to go in the holder she gave me for Christmas. She makes the calendars using Stampin' Up equipment combined with her skills. Each month is a work of art! February is St. Valentine's Day themed, March has St. Patrick, and April has birds in a birdbath. Lots of saints and baths coming up!

In the packet was a lovely greeting card embellished with a peacock complete with jewels on his feathers. Inside a message is stamped "You are such a blessing in my life" and "Thinking of you!". What a nice card she made! She also included the service folder from the installation of their new pastor. The school children, the senior choir, and the Hmong ladies choir took part in the service as well. It must have been lovely and edifying. Part of the readings included the "hear am I, send me, send me...". Would love to have heard that sermon and been part of the service!

             Photos of the pelicans outside my windows

As I write this, a pair of pelicans are bobbing around in the very calm water outside my window. This is thrilling to me since rarely have I seen them this far inland. We also have ducks and the other day I heard geese honking again. When I hear sea gulls, at first I like them, but then get annoyed because they are so pesty. They poop all over people's cars!!!

Justin is thrilled to pieces over the success of his yard/estate sale. Jesse and he spent the first part of today delivering sofas and other larger pieces to folks, and arranging for donations to the Quigley House. He just popped back in for a second to check in with me and report his plans to go and count their booty from the three day sale. Bet he already knows the exact amount in his head!

            

Saturday night Justin informed me that the closing of the house is now scheduled to take place in two weeks. That remains to be seen, but I am optimistic for this finally taking place. After that time, the carpet will be replaced and some painting taking place to ready it for move-in. The way it looks, Justin might be gone before Linda arrives, with 'might' being the working word here. If he is gone, Linda will help ease my Empty Nest Syndrome. If not, we will have a great time with the three of us here while it lasts!

At a loss for words!

This afternoon, I was watching a movie on TBS after Fox News Sunday got done. It is a movie I actually own and Justin teased me that I like the commercials so much, which I why I watch on TV. I really don't mind too much and it was fun to have on while chatting with Linda. It was in English, which worked out nicely since I speak English, or a version of it, anyway. I would switch back and forth, in man-style, to a Law & Order episode on another network. 

                                  

What I noticed on TNT was added 'conversation' to the episode. At first I thought my ears were deceiving me, but no, there was 'help' going on in addition to the close captioning which is always in place. An example is, "Jack approaches the bench with evidence bag..." or "Adam crosses his arms in front of him...". This must be for non-sighted people, in addition to the captioning being for the deaf. 

                                       

Last night I was watching reruns of "Big Bang Theory" before going to sleep and all of a sudden, they changed to speaking Spanish! The captioning was still in English but the language was Spanish. That got old fast, so had to find something else to lull me to sleep. I wonder if I should try unplugging my cable box for a few minutes to allow it to refresh itself. One of us needs refreshing, that's for sure!

At the desk

After all my carousing was done yesterday, I spent some time at the desk, sorting through papers and such. I have resumed my role of secretary for the Ladies' Group. After sending the Minutes off to Terri T. for her perusal, I got my copy into the binder. It took some shuffling and regrouping of the items which had been added to the binder since I had handed it over last year, but now I've got it straightened away. How hard is chronological order anyway????

My next project, now that space has been cleared at the desk, is to mount the photos taken for church's Flock Board. When Lonnie constructed the board, beautifully done, the opening for the 4 x 6 photos was a smidge too large. I have to add a piece of cardstock behind each picture in order for it to fit snugly in the slots. An extra step not expected which is holding up the show of getting them in place. Today is the day for readying them for display!

As I moved papers and such around on the desk, I came upon a business card of a man I met at the airport a few years ago. I was seated in the wait area on my birthday, facing delays in departure. Justin was going to pick me at the airport and take me out to eat for my birthday. 

When I was talking to Justin on the phone, the guy seated across from me heard my lament about possibly missing my birthday dinner. After I hung up, he smiled at me, and asked where I lived. When I told him Jacksonville, he laughed and said he lived at the Beach. How fun is that! 

This handsome young fellow, a Black man, was an artist, having a shop at Jax Beach. I told him I was a member of the OP Art Guild and we chatted about art while we were delayed. When we stood to at last board the plane, he handed me a business card and told me to come to his shop. He was going to give me a painting for my birthday, to make up for missing my dinner with my son! Isn't that sweet? I never did collect on his offer, being more flattered by the offer than anything else.

Justin is having his yard sale today and again tomorrow. Jesse and he made some good money yesterday without selling much of the furniture. Their hopes are that today and tomorrow people will be beating down the doors, so to speak, for the used furniture. It is my opinion that the prices are high but the market will determine what the items go for. Justin did get to remake the acquaintence of a young man he'd met when working for the Romney campaign. The fellow nows works for a friend of ours, through Travis, my former neighbor, who is now a state Senator. Those are good connections for Justin to make, so he fixed the fellow up with a small table at a good price!

Panoramic view of some of the stuff

The guys are thinking that they will do this again in two weeks if there is stuff leftover Sunday. Gotta love their optimism! Many hours have gone into this project and they are now selling for profit, having made enough to cover the cost of the rental truck. The majority of items sold yesterday were chotchkies and books. He was amazed at the way the books went. And, on a sadder note, they got ripped off a few items, because their eyes could not be everywhere. I feel badly about that for them, but that is a consequence of such an open sale. The curio cabinet remains unsold....

A marvelous Friday

Yesterday when driving back from Bible study and lunch with Justin, I remarked to him that I had a free schedule from that time forward until Wednesday night. Justin said, "Wow!" but then I remembered my Breakfast Club Friday morning. Well, that's not really the same as other types of commitments. 

This a.m. I drove over to The Club because I was going to the bank afterwards. Sure, another item on my empty slate! Randy came for breakfast but not Carol this a.m. as she was tied up with something. Tina and little Gracie did come, and I gave Tina my DVD "Waiting for Superman". She asked to borrow it, as she is exploring options for her kids for school. 

Before I left home this a.m., my friend, Amanda, reminded me via Facebook that it was Women's Heart Health Day so I should wear red. I was already wearing layers because it was so cold out. I assured her I was in red, and going to The Club to eat bacon! In fact, before the buffet was cleared away, the ladies made it possible for me to more readily access the teeny pieces of bacon. The Club gets the bacon so crisp, in the oven, that it breaks up when using the tongs to pick up a piece. I love the schnibbles that fall through the mesh thing in the roaster. When I got home, Justin asked me what special dish they made for me today, as Wednesday night they made the "Kim Burgers" for me only. Nice!

After my bank run, I was heading for home when my phone went off. It was Judy C., asking if I had lunch plans yet. In fact, I did not so we made some! We hadn't done this for several weeks and it was great to have the time. Great meal at Pengree's, with us both having the country fried steak. I ate all the steak but left some of the mashed potatoes and green beans. We talked for an hour and a half before parting company.

Olivia, Justin, Owen, and Sandy Hilchey

Before I left for lunch, my friend, Sandy H., called to chat. She is with her daughter, Olivia, in TN, where she is finishing her degree. Olivia will be starting a job with Miami University-Ohio after graduation. She still drives my big red car, my Durango, which has 230,000 miles on it, and Sandy said it looks great yet. 

As I was leaving, Chad, the handy man arrived to put the finishing touches on my living room for me. He had to add another coat to the bottom half of the wall, plus caulk around the French door where the water poured out during the tropical storms. Hopefully there will be no more of that! Chad did not need me to oversee him and simply let himself out when he was done. It is so nice to have this done, with Marlena coming back Monday afternoon to finish the clean up of the dust.

How's that for a quiet schedule? I really have nothing planned until church on Sunday morning, with lunch afterward, I expect. No party planned this year for Super Bowl, with one reason being not sure if the repairs would be done in time. I am not all that excited about the game this year, as you know, the Packers are not in the Super Bowl. I have to watch, though, as Justin would expect me to review the commercials and rate them. I will do my best!

That darling boy, Angelo

Grandma Lynn sent me this cell phone photo taken of Angelo, modeling his favorite pair of Mr. Potato Head glasses. Doesn't he look smarter in eye wear???? So amazingly cute!!!