Nothing Thread

[wtpclc]

Boy, who ever dreamed experiencing the great outdoors could be so expensive?

Have I told you about my parents' 37-foot trailer? They don't camp, though. They travel and take their own bed with them, as mom says.

Can you get a cover and keep it in your driveway? That is sooo frustrating!

Well, exciting plans for the weekend.....

Get up Saturday, eat, run, shower, pack, head for Saginaw. Family dinner in honor of chief dish washer. Woo hoo. Give shower on Sunday for SIL. FYI - MIL is NOT happy that we are doing this shower. We shall see how it goes. No matter how it goes, it will not be good enough for MIL, even though she did not want one to begin with.

Cleanup, come home, recover. Is that exciting enough for you? I'd rather be camping with Lisa!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

We belong to a homeowner's assoc. and the CCR's don't allow anything to be kept in the driveway (other than a car) or in front of the house. The lots here in WA are really small so we don't have room on either side of the house to put a pad behind the fence. Seriously considered looking for a lot to build (not just because of trailer), but our real estate market has skyrocketed over the last couple of years and there's hardly any land to be had unless we move to a rural area that would be pretty far out. DH already has a 45-60 min. commute one-way, so don't want to make it any worse. Contrary to today's modern beliefs...sometimes you cant' have it all!

 

[wtpclc]

Option 2 - Remote starter

That's my "garage". Keep the truck outside. Turn on defrosters full blast when you park you car. For less than $200, your windows will be cleared and car warm when you go out. Still have to walk through some snow, but it's cheaper than a storage facility.

 

[lllovell]

and this is where my life is so much easier in the winter huh? It is never actually so cold that I have to worry about such things here (ok - not never - but 99.99% of the time) Of course, you could fry an egg on the hood of my car today - so I guess its a trade off.

Woohoo *going to hide in the closet and read* New Property Management/Accounting program is in! I sure hope this baby was worth all the money (lol - I have already been asked about things like installing it and getting it running and when and how much work and will it convert - ACK!!! let me read the install and setup guide first people! Sheesh! ) Either way, I am stoked that its here.

(tomorrow - I will probably be using this smilie a lot hehehe but for today - I am thrilled with getting this new system! woohoo )

 

[gopherit]

In my little nook of the world, my kids went back to school today. I think I am actually more upset about this than they are, though not for the usual "oh my babies are growing up where did the time go" reasons. I HATE the school year, and LOVE the summer. Summer means no carpooling, no getting kid "A" to obligation X while kid B has to go to obligation "Y"... no parent meetings... no committees... everything just takes on an easier, more carefree pace. And I try realllllly hard to limit our activities / commitments, too -- like one sport per kid per season, etc. Now that I'm back to work full time (after 10 yrs on part-time while kids were smaller), I had to cut back on a few of my commitments. I'm a very dedicated (but obsessive!) person, and if I say I'll do something, I'll do it to the max and be very unhappy if it's only done half-heartedly. I am increasingly amazed at the number of parents who simply say, "No -- I can't help" over and over again, never volunteer, nothing. Not a single school party. Can't even be bothered to send in cash so others could do the job for them with their financial resources, LOL! I could shoot the author of that book, "SImplify Your LIfe" -- too many people took that book at its word and said, "Well, I'm simplfying my life -- I don't have to do this stuff!" That's great, but try reading The Little Red Hen instead -- SOMEBODY still has to gather that wheat, mill that flour, and bake that stinkin' bread... and educate your kid and be a scout leader and soccer coach and field trip helper and fund raiser and AUGGHH! You get the idea.

I am chair for Academic Boosters at our school (a post I love); was on the school Board but got out of that after 3 years (a post I loathed!) I am director for religious education in our parish and also teach CCD to 5/6th graders (pretty good most of the time!) I am co-leader of my dd's Daisy troop. I was a cub scout leader for a few years -- had to drop from that, though I still am a frequent parent volunteer as needed. DH is soccer coach for two teams (head coach for dd U6-soccer and assistant for ds U10-soccer). He is also sec. of his investment club. OUr kids are in soccer this fall, and scouts, in addition to school of course. The boys are ball-boys for the HS soccer team (something they LOVE doing). Winter will mean basketball (and scouts). Spring will be either soccer or baseball -- their choice. SUmmer is usually baseball and vacation (but no scouts, usually.) We never push any activity on them -- we usually have to LIMIT them (ds often asks to do extra basketball during baseball season. I drawthe line at traveling teams -- I could NOT manage that at all! Families here drive all over creation with their young kids for swim and soccer meets all over the state -- I can't imagine!) I would love for them to take music -- but WHEN? I think middle DS would like karate -- but WHEN? And dd wants to take dance and join a swim team -- BUT WHEN?!?!? When did life get so CrAzY -- and is anyone else feeling like this?

Oh -- back on topic -- we have no big plans for the wkend. DH was going to take boys to high school football game, if it doesn't rain. I have to clean out my supplies closet at church to get ready for another year of CCD classes there. DH wants to mow the grass and I need to clean the house. (Does ti get any sadder than THAT for weekend plans, LOL?!?!) (Next wkend we do have plans to go to a friend's house for a party / pig roast, if that sounds anything more like a "life", haha!)

 

[wtpclc]

Hope your new things work better than my new things Laura!

 

[wtpclc]

gopherit - YIKES! ven with the limits you put on your ckids, that sounds crazy! It seems to be life, though. BTW - I give anythign for weekends at home cleaning the house. I am usually out of town and it's killing me! Yes, I'm seeing more reasons why I don't have children. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my oown life. Kudos to the parents!

 

[wtpclc]

PS - NOthing is off topic on teh Nothing Thred, IYKWIM.

 

[lllovell]

Holy moly Gopherit! I am pooped just reading all that!!! I understand all of your points though. I try to do things at school as often as possible, but I am a big fan of trying to find the things I can do on my own time and take to the school later because I just don't have all the free time I want. I was about to offer to be the bookclub mom for my youngest's class this year when "hellooooooooo - you will have an infant in 2 months" popped into my head, so I told the teacher if no one else would do it, I will, but I better sit out the extra duties for the fall quarter this year.

That said, we haven't even started ball or many other activities at my house. Asked my 5 year old this spring and he wasn't interested, but I see fall ball in our future. The most wonderful thing to me is that they are offering gymnastics (the little genderless versions that teaches coordination and other skills through play) at their school this year. It was something I wanted them to start doing back in the spring, but when hubby was jobless, it didnt make good financial sense. Now, we don't even have to schlep them around to do this. The Gym South people are coming to the school one day a week after school and doing the classes there! Yeah! If we had done it on our own, it would have been on Saturday, seriously limiting our weekend plans. I love traveling even if its just an overnight trip on Sat once a month or so...haven't done that much since the little one took up residence, but I can't wait to get back to it after Christmas and our SSR trip in December so I didn't want our Saturdays taken up EVERY week.

So, even though I think my schedule is overrun, I know that until they are bigger, I haven't even really begun to feel it. You rock for doing so much for your kids!!! (and apparently everyone else's kids as well!)

Laura

 

[jnrrt]

Whew, Gopherit, you made me tired. And yes, I can relate. My daughter starts back on Monday, younger daughter in a week, and there is only ONE schedule on which my son can take naps, not including soccer for both the girls and swimming for both the girls. So he had better not even try to switch to one nap - who knows what we'll do in the spring, because if he does, the longest nap he can have is 1 and a quarter hours, and goodness knows, there will be no happy baby then. And no happy baby means no happy no one. Plus my job, and I'm in the middle of recording an album, which is crazy, and have to start writing the next play. But I'm guessing it will just get crazier as we add years, so I'll be happy now.

Okay, Carrie, how come your MIL doesn't want you to give a shower for the SIL? And why should it matter how she feels about it? Just curious. Shouldn't you SIL be making the decision about whether she wants a shower or not? Just ready to be all indignant on your behalf.

And my bummer of news for the day is I think I have to have surgery on my hand. And have I mentioned that I'm a professional musician, as in, playing the piano is a major part of my living? Oh yeah, and I'm recording an album right now? So when I mention to my (new to me) hand surgeon that I'm pretty particular and paranoid about my hands, he's pretty condescending and says, "Well, they are everyone's living, not just yours." This is true, but not everyone's living is somewhat dependant on how fast they can move each of their fingers. Scar tissue is scary. I do not like this. Aargh. Not to mention that I will probably have to reschedule recording, and it's taken me forever to set up studio time with all the musicians. Yuck.

Sorry to gripe. Got any chocolate in the closet?

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

Wow....here I am barely coping and varsity basketball for DS16 and choir for DS13 haven't even begun yet!! I know just what you mean about liking summer more than school; I just can't help it! I really like that I don't have to make lunches during summer too. My kids decided to veto school food about 3 years ago

Work is fulltime and I have to be available during off time also Speaking of this weekend, I have to work as the loan officer on duty in a subdivision Saturday afternoon. What great weekend plans The upside of my job is because I am straight commission, I set my own hours for the most part. I can get off early for basketball games if necessary, and I can work out at home each morning before work. I just show up usually between 9 and 10. Gopherit has definitely kicked on my guilt buttons because I have trouble even keeping my house clean much less be a volunteer at school!!! Oh well, I've tried to accept my imperfectness

 

[wtpclc]

There is ALWAYS chocolate in the closet!!!!

I'm sorry, I use my hands a lot at work, but my typing skills could deal with a hand being slow. (OK, my typing skills stink, but my point is that I could make due). A pianist having surgery on your hands? I am sooo sorry. PS - Your doctor is an idiot!

My SIL wants a shower. SIL2 wants SIL1 to have one, even though she did not get one. MIL feels that instead of getting a shower, SIL would "do better" if MIL just buys gifts with teh money she would have spent on a shower. (ie, people won't spend enough to make it worth it). She does not understand that it's about celebrating the baby coming. It's just how she is. Now SIL2 and I are bad. Well, neither one of us has ever been hig in her book anyway. I am of the wrong religion adn took her firstborn away from her. SIL2 was pregnant at a young age, she will never recover from that. (No, I wish her life could have been different but holding it against her for the rest of her life does not help anything.)

On teh bright side, SIL1 and SIL2 have never gotten along. Things have been better the last couple of years, but this shower is really helping that. It is a good thing. As dh says, though, no good deed goes unpunished. (especially in his family) Sorry you asked? BTW - SIL2 infored me 40 peple will be attending adn they have all been very excited. Guess what, many of the close family friends did not even know SIL1 was pg. Hmmm....another reason for having a shower. I don't really care if I'm the black sheep, but for both SILs I really hope things go well. Perhaps some Pixie dust if you think of it.

Toy update. Blade came. Blade worked. Life is good again. Iposted a thread with the pages I used it on on the CCS if anyone is dying of curiousity.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=9701157#post9701157 I'm no pro, but the letters it made are way cool!

 

[jnrrt]

There is ALWAYS chocolate in the closet!!!!

PS - Your doctor is an idiot!


Toy update. Blade came. Blade worked. Life is good again. Iposted a thread with the pages I used it on on the CCS if anyone is dying of curiousity.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=9701157#post9701157 I'm no pro, but the letters it made are way cool!

Good to know, life is better with chocolate!

And yes, I hope his surgeon's skills are better than his people skills. I hear he's a very good surgeon, but I'm checking with my doc again who I trust completely. And his sister is a prefessional musician as well, so he always takes that stuff very seriously, and wouldn't steer me wrong (we hope!)

I hope your shower goes great! And I will definitely send you !

And, maybe I'm not as smart as these boards, but I clicked the link, preparing to be impressed, (and not to post on forbidden board ), and didn't see it. Help!

And WithDisneySpirit, I think our imperfections are what make us interesting. At least, that's what I keep telling myself!

 

[wtpclc]

The link worked for me. I don't understand. It's not THAT impressive. But the letters were cool. BTW - I posted your rant over they and they loved it, or at least identified with it in a huge way!

WithDisneySpirit - My house isn't clean and I don't have kids. Once again, I don't knw how you workin gmoms do it!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

The link worked for me...those are too cute!!! Better not let my DD see it or she will be DIS green w/envy.

 

[wtpclc]

Lisa or anyone else. If you tell me approx. size of letters, I'd gladly print a title and send it out.

ETA: jnrrt - maybe I was editing it when you tried the link.

 

[jnrrt]

Well, now I'm bummed. Tried again, and there were two more links to try (maybe you were editing) but neither of them show the pic because they say they contain errors. So I'll just think in my head how cool they are!

 

[wtpclc]

Just when you think you've got it all figurecd out. :confused

I fixed it, but I have no idea how long it will stay fixed!

 

[gopherit]

I saw the mickey head letters -- very cool! I have lots of "scrappy friends" (LOL) who would go wild over those! One of which is heading to WDW in just a few weeks to take advantage of the dining plan (and don't THAT make my brown eyes GREEN!) You know, my pals tried to get me into scrapping a few yrs ago. They told me to bring all my photos to a crop session -- that I'd finally be rid of all those shoeboxes in my closet and put my photos to use! I'm all about utility and consolidation so I was game! Two months later I still had 10 shoeboxes of photos... plus 2 huge Rubbermaid bins full of scrapping stuff!
I do still use the scrap stuff now and then (I love the paper cutter I bought -- kids llike using all the scissors for school projects. ANd I made some VERY NICE autograph books using downloaded DIsney images and borders, so the tools of the trade didn't go to waste, haha!)

Anyway -- since then, being the techno geek I am, I have gone totally digital and use various photo sites to create hard-bound books of photos. I made a Disney for my SIL/BIL and their family for xmas using photos I took during our last trip, and also made one of all the grandkids at the beach for my MIL/FIL. Calendars, too. THis year, I'm doing a HHI book for the kids and some DVDs for family. I am SUCH a geek! BTW -- my favorite sites for stuff like that are Shutterfly (for the books), Sony (for the calendars - you can put dates and birthdays in and everything), but I'm always game for a new one! Itried York for some photo prints once and got varied results. I use Ofoto for my screen saver (SO nice to have our WDW pics as our screen saver with their program - easy to use, too.) Anybody got any other good photo sites?

And also -- chocolate is kept on top of my dining room hutch, out of kid-reach, if ya need it. Help yourself -- it's the "good" stuff (Swiss).

 

[gopherit]

I think I am living in an episode of Seinfeld!

I moved to a new job on July 1. Or so the paperwork said! Every week I meet with the person whose job it is to get me integrated into my new position...and every week, jussssst when I think I'm going to get a "go-do", I don't! I have read through all the literature they gave me weeks ago (twice!), I have conducted lit searches on the net to see where other businesses are in the same areas, I have moved all my stuff into the new office -- but I have NO IDEA what they want me to do! I have been to meeting after meeting with all sorts of action items -- but nothing yet assigned! MEanwhile -- they still haven't given me a backfill for my old job. I formerly worked part-time (60%) doing a split assignment between 3 roles. THey said they will probably fill the job with 2 people... I fluffed my feathers and jokingly said, "Yeah,that's right, you heard 'em -- it takes TWO people to replace HALF of me, haha!" (The area super who is also my friend added, "Well, YEAH -- we don't want to make the same mistake TWICE!" Everyone's a comedian!) ANYHOOOOOO.... so I'm supposed to be in my "new job" by 70% as of now... which means 70% of my week is spent wondering what the pooh I'm supposed to be doing. I really had to laugh last week when the person mentoring me in to the new role advised me that a particular assistant was becoming available due to a transfer of her leadership, and I should ask management to assign her to me because I'll need her expertise to get my job done.....(and what, pray tell, would THAT be?!?! ) Just call me George Costanza, sharpening my pencils!

I am sure that 6 mos from now, when I'm neck-deep in work, I will look back at this time longingly and say, What was I in such a hurry for?!? But for now -- I'm getting pretty frustrated!