My scarecrow moment

Have you ever had a moment when you felt like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz? You know the fellow, the one who is well padded, but missing a brain. Well, I had one of those moments after moving into my new place. I had to find out the best route to work and after consulting with Dad I figured it out. I drove the route on Mon. and didn't noticed anything. Tues., as I was driving to work something seemed familiar, but since I've lived in this town for almost 30 years I figured it would seem familiar. As I drove home on Tues. I started looking at the things around me and realized it was a very familiar street. This was the same route I had driven for 4 years when I lived at Grammie and Pa's house and worked at Franklin. The difference was I was driving a little further down the road to my place and I was going the opposite direction for the commute. So, for now on when I have one of these moments I will just say it was my "scarecrow moment."

My Car...

...finally got washed. It was starting to look brown, and I had a hard time seeing out the side windows. So, after work, I went to the car wash and then vacuumed it out. Now my car is clean and I feel much better looking at it. It really is quite amazing how much your morale can improve when the things in your life are clean. Since I was cleaning the car, I did decide to bring in all the stuff that's been sitting in it. Here's the list: one pair of clean socks, my tennis shoes, my Birkenstocks, a clean pizza box that's humongous (for my quilt projects), one gallon of apple juice, and 5 brown paper bags for recycling. But wait there's more, this list doesn't include the things I left in the car. I took a trunk full of boxes and one brown bag to recycling, then there's the hardhat that stays in the car, 2 pairs of winter gloves, ice scraper, can of antibacterial wipes, box of kleenex, trash bag, sunglasses, roadmap, and a stack of napkins. After typing this list I am very grateful I have a decent size car. Now, don't start laughing at me because I challenge you to clean your cars and see what you have in them!

Books I have finished:
I finished books 8 & 9 of the Pendragon series. I am now waiting for the 10th book, but it might be awhile, because a lot of people want to read it.
I also read the book of John in the Bible this weekend. We are going to go through the book for Bible Study and the first week we were challenged to read the entire book. I didn't know if I would or not, but once I started I kept at it. I read it over 2 days and can't wait to do an in depth study.
I reread The Chosen by Chaim Potok this weekend. This is an excellent book about two Jewish boys growing up together in the US during World War II. Each boy is part of a different Jewish sect so they don't know each other until they are 15.

Aye Matey

Today is pirate day. This is the day where it is okay to dress like a pirate and talk like a pirate. I have decided that my rum will come in handy as I sit and drink it while celebrating pirate day.

Walmart

I decided to go to Walmart this morning to return the silverware I thought I needed-but didn't- and to buy some things for the apartment. After hunting around for the receipt I was out the door. I got halfway to the store when I realized I didn't have the gift card. So, I turned around and searched the apartment for the card. I had put it in a safe place; it was there, but I thought it wasn't the one I was looking for. After 15 min. of searching, I called the number on the back of the card to verify the balance and it was the card I was looking for. Oh the joy of moving. I got to Walmart and remembered that this is the store I try to avoid on Sat. due to the amount of people and chaos that reigns within. Oh well, I was there and on a mission. I grabbed a cart, cleaned it with sanitizer and headed for the return line. Standing in line in front of me was a man with a gun on his belt. I truly hope it was unloaded, but that is not the point. People like that scare me. Why on earth would someone want to carry a gun around on their belt? After that shock, I had to rearrange my brain for shopping. The first item on the list was a toaster oven. I found the cutest one and it even shows that I could put a chicken in it to cook. Well, maybe it's a Cornish game hen, but we'll pretend it's a big chicken. Then I wandered the aisles and found the floor mats. I got a blue one to put inside the front door and found the cutest rug to put in the kitchen. For half a second I thought about sewing/knitting one and then I said to myself, "Kate, for $3.95 you can buy the rug and save the time and effort." I tried to find a S hook for my kitchen towels, but I'll have to go to Home Depot or Lowe's. Then I went in search of a bathroom scale. I wandered through all the aisles of the home department and finally had to ask for help. It was in hardware. I mean come on!! Who looks in hardware for a bathroom scale? Shouldn't it be next to the linens? After spending quite awhile on this side of the store, I wandered to the food section and found some food to buy for later this week and this weekend. I came home and promptly put my rugs into place. They look adorable.

Moved

I have been in my new place for a week. It is absolutely wonderful. The complex is fairly quiet and I can't hear my neighbors unless their dog barks. The unpacking is slow going, but seeing as how I've only been home two nights this week I'm okay with that. Carmen came over Wed. night and helped me hang pictures. For that I was extremely grateful as it feels more like home with pictures on the walls. I have also been able to purge some more stuff and that feels good. Carmen took most of it and I was glad to help her out. The best part was finding my graduation gowns from both high school and college. Since Melanie is graduating this spring and will need either a silver or black gown she now has one and won't have to buy it. My being a pack rat helped someone else, but I really do need to get rid of this stuff. I'll post pictures of the cute place when the boxes are unpacked a little more, hopefully next weekend.

Morbid Part II

top of the casket

Grammie's casket

Pa's casket

On Saturday Dad called and let me know that Uncle Jim had made in into town and he had brought the caskets with him. Dad had gone down to see them and was really pleased. The inside of each one is lined with a Navy blanket and I guess Pas has approved of them. Dad also thought I might like to lie down in one of them to make sure that I fit. (I told him it would only happen over his dead body. Think of all the years of therapy that would cost. That would add at least another 3 years to what I already have.)
Then Dad told me he was digging Bullet's (the dog's) grave. I said, "Bullet died? Why did you call me?" Dad said, "Oh, he hasn't died yet. I'm just digging the grave so I'm ready." Then I kid you not. In the next breath he said, "I have your furniture here at the house. It's sitting on my back patio. Do you think it will be ok for the next week?" Now, how is it, that the dog who is dying, has a grave already dug for him, but my wood furniture for my new house is sitting on his back patio and not in his basement out of the elements??? I can see that I rank below the dog in this matter.
Since I knew I would be heading over to school yester after school, I had been preparing myself all day to see those caskets. I took my camera to school because I wanted to be able to take some pictures since I had been told they were so beatuful. At 4:00, Uncle Jim said to me, "I have something I want to show you." We went down into the basement and there, lying on the floor between the pooltable and the wall with the windows were the two caskets. They ar two simple boxes that are absolutely gorgeous. As I stopped to look at the, Uncle Jim told me that the man who makes them goes into the forest, cuts down the trees, makes the caskets, and even makes all his own hardware in his blacksmith shop. The only thing th eman doesn't make is the nails. Then Uncle Jim says, "Here are the nails that we'll put into the top of the casket to seal it up. The holesa re already predrilled. It really is a shame to cover such beautiful wood with dirt." I was thinking, "Not only are we covering up some gorgeous wood with dirt, we are going to be burying our loved ones. They will be in that box!!!" Then he turns to me and says, "There might be left over nails if you want one for a souvenir." I thought to myself, "He didn't really just say that!!!!" I didn't answer and just took pictures of each of the caskets.
This afternoon I went over to Grammie and Pa's. I asked Pa how he was doing and he said that he was still here. I then asked what would happen if I walked in one day and he wasn't there. He said, "Well, my casket is already downstairs." I looked at him and said, "Pa, that is morbid." He just laughed and laughed. Then he said, "Well, I am that kind of person." I'm glad to know that Pa is happy with the caskets and that he doesn't mind the fact that they are in the basement.

Books I have finished:
Due to a request I will start telling a little bit about each book. :-) (Thanks Glo)
I have finished books 5,6, & 7 of the Pendragon series. I told you earlier that it was a science fiction series. This series is about a teenage boy who has been chosen to help save the different worlds from evil. The first book is a little challenging to get involved in, but after I was into it I was hooked.

P.S. Rachel said that instead of getting a nail from the coffin I should get a t-shirt that says, "I went to my grandparents funeral and all I got was the t-shirt."

moving, boxes

I have to say that moving should only be reserved for those who are desperate. No really, I have discovered that moving is a good way to dust/clean, recycle, and purge all items not necessary for everyday life. I once heard of a radio promo where people could pack up their entire house just to see how much their stuff weighed. I mean really, do they not have enough to do with their time??? The problem with this packing is that every time I turn around I am missing something. When I ask my very helpful roommate, Rachel, where it is; I hear, "It's in a box." I don't want to hear that phrase again for a very long time. As I was eating dinner last night I realized how challenging it was to eat at home when all the stuff is packed. I was finishing up my taco salad and I was eating it off of a paper plate with a plastic fork. Let me tell you, trying to stab a chip with a plastic fork on a paper plate is quite a challenge. And I do have to say, that eating Raisin Bran with a plastic spoon just doesn't have the correct taste.
P.S. I think I'm allergic to cardboard or maybe it's the cardboard box that's been lovingly contaminated with cat fur.
Note to self-when moving it is helpful to visit the local recycling center for boxes. The adventure of dumpster diving cannot be replaced. Either the bin is overflowing and it takes some talent/teamwork to remove that box that is 3 feet under or the box is at the bottom of a perfectly empty bin and that requires some long arms and some not so squeamish stomachs. :-)

Grammie

Last Friday I was keeping up my running one sided conversation with Grammie and I grabbed a Starburst candy out of my backpack. After eating it, I mention that a sign of a good kisser is being able to take the wrapper off of the candy with your tongue. Grammie just gave me the look. I quickly assured her that it applied to anyone under 80 and she just laughed and laughed. I decided to take the wrapper and make a paper airplane out of it for the fun of it. After I made this minute plan I showed it to Grammie and she decided to hold it. She can barely hold it due to it being so small, but it is now hers. I went to get her and Ensure to drink and shen I came back, Monk- the monkey- was in the right hand and the little yellow plane was in the left. After some coaxing I was able to place both things aside to have the hands free for holding the Ensure bottle.
Today when I arrived Grammie was sleeping, but Uncle Jim told me that Grammie had informed him, "Katie is coming this afternoon." I sat down next to her so she would see me when she woke up. After she did wake up I was adjusting the blankets and saw the little plane hidden in the sheet. When I commented on it Uncle Jim told me that it had been lost a few times this weekend, but luckily it had been found. Grammie has somehow hung onto it for days. I got the Ensure today and asked her for Monk and the plane. She said, "Don't lose that (the plane)." I assured her I would put it next to her water glass, but if it did get lost that I could make her a new one. Bless her heart.