Changing Of The Guard

Christmas is over.  The trees and decorations are put away.  The roads are lined with dried out Christmas trees waiting for garbage collection.  And the shopping malls are in full swing Valentines Day.  We really don’t get much of a chance to relax anymore between one celebration till the next.  We will be receiving those credit card statements, to let us know how much we really enjoyed Christmas morning and now it is time to break those New Year’s resolutions and get back to normal.

With normal in my house it means holidays are over and we are back to Ontario weather and say good bye to sunny Florida (always brings a tear to my eye).  But this weather has been such a treat, I haven’t had to move any snow.  Was able to do a good poop scoop in the yard – all those turds just rise to the top.  Even had a couple of windows open over the weekend, getting some of those cold bugs out before they find us.  But with this warmth comes the price of mud, flooding, and wet basements.  At least in our neck of the woods.

Now that the last of the Christmas cheer is behind us, it is time to make plans for 2013.  For us this means renovation time.  We have been putting it off for way too long and I am sticking to my guns and getting the husband motivated to get my upstairs started and hopefully completed.  Master bedroom is going to gain 11 feet and spare room is going to gain 3 feet.  And we are going to be less an entire bedroom.  Our house will go from a 4 bedroom to a 2 bedroom.  Okay you are right if you do the math I have forgotten a bedroom.  The fourth bedroom has long been a large walk-in closet space and it eventually will become our upstairs laundry room.  Doesn’t it make sense to have the laundry room up where the bulk of the laundry is?  But that will be after the bedroom reno.

So lots of brain storming has been taking place, lots of dreams are going to come true – well only if it actually gets finished.  My husband is wonderful when it comes to getting projects started, even well on the way, but he has a hard time finishing them.  My living-room still doesn’t have trim and that is going on 16 years.  He always chuckles and says he is saving for his retirement, so he has something to do.  I think he gets bored and would rather move onto a new project rather than finish the one he already has going.  This time I have given the ultimatum!  Get it done or no Harley riding this year, I will hide the keys and make it unbearable.  You think I am kidding, well the look on his face said he knew I meant business.

Today I am clearing out one room to set-up a bedroom for us to sleep in while he starts with wall removals, so exciting.  I know it isn’t going to happen over night, there is going to be lots of head scratching, possibly some tears but I can already see our beautiful new master bedroom.  New floors, light fixtures, TRIM and even new doors.  And we will both have our own closet wardrobes, that our clothes can nicely fit into instead of crammed and stuffed into any available space.

Will I post pictures?  Fingers crossed I remember too.

Have you ever tried to sell something on-line?  Household stuff, furniture?  I can’t get over the responses I have gotten.  I have been trying to sell a futon and two chairs.  I had a dog crate that did sell, after a good price haggling.  People email or call and have the strangest requests.  How much to deliver?  Can you hold till Wednesday?  Will you meet me?  I am not asking for much, pieces are in beautiful shape, but people want something for nothing, and hey if that was the case I would give to Goodwill.  Not that I have any problem donating things to Goodwill, but this time I thought “why not try and sell instead of always giving away”.  Why would anyone ask to have something delivered that they haven’t even seen?  And oh they are willing to pay for the gas.  Now come-on here, I wasn’t born yesterday.  I am going to drive all that way and then they decide “no that really isn’t what I was after” do you think they are still going to pay for my gas.  I don’t think so!  Everyone wants something for nothing, and heck I am all for that too, but seriously.

Did your children go to school this past Friday?  My grandchildren did and they were each one of two in their classes.  Glad I don’t have children of my own still in school that I would be trying to juggle around for daycare at the last minute or not.  And no I am not saying that school is daycare, it is our children’s jobs currently.  And their bosses have unresolved issues that they can’t solve and others are involved that are trying to make things better for all those involved.  Maybe the bosses need to remember who their staff is – you know those little people who love to be there and don’t understand at all what is going on.  My grand daughter Thursday explained to me that her teacher told her there would be no school on Friday because she (my grand daughter) wouldn’t be there.  Well that is confusing?  I then explained that she would be at school on Friday if she was allowed to be there, but her teacher is the one who has chosen not to attend, therefore she can’t attend.  My grand daughter’s conclusion was that maybe her teacher was sick.  But as I said they did attend school on Friday after-all and no one was sick.  I just feel that something that is affecting our children’s futures should be better explained to them.  If you are making a decision to stand behind something, why not be honest with those who are directly affected and not sugar-coat or lie to them and not take responsibility but pass the buck.  And please before I really get going, these are my own opinions and sorry if I offend.  And I better stop right here and move-on.

And here comes hockey!  I guess they are going to start things up this weekend and play what is it some 48 games.  I know my husband is some happy about it.  I really don’t care, just go to another room and close the door.

If I forget, remind me I have a product review, that is worth the read when I write it.

Filed in: Family Life