Rocking on Along

Finally got to a stopping point that I am comfortable with at about 7pm last night. Sat on the porch and listened to thunder. I could smell the rain and I could see the rain but it didn't rain at the ranch. Town got about 1/2 inch from the reporters I talked to this morning.

My commute to town this morning was quite pleasant. Saw a handful of jackrabbits and cottontails hopping along the county road. Scared a herd of axis deer as I got closer to the highway. There was one really nice buck, some young bucks and does watering at a community stock tank in a neighbor's pasture.

The cats are driving me crazy and I'm afraid they are pushing Sam's patience. Gray Cat insists on jumping on the dining table and that's taboo. He knows better because we had to break him of it when we lived in town. Daisy wants to jump on the kitchen counter --- again, we had to break her of that bad habit once before. Daisy has this tone of voice that grates on my nerves when she yowls during the night. I did manage to coax all three cats outside at 3am. They wanted back inside by 5:30am. Simba has become extremely vocal since the move. All three felines find "hidey holes" and nap most of the day. But like vampires, they are nocturnal creatures and roam at night. Today is the first day they will be by themselves with Sam. They will have to understand that house rules are house rules.

I am looking forward to our 3-day weekend if for no other reason than to have some downtime. No plans to go to the river because of the water traffic our rivers attract during the weekend and especially during a holiday weekend. Just give me a good book and peace and quiet.

One Box at a Time

Saturday was tough but easier on the muscles. I diligently went through each box and found a home for my belongings. However, I still have about six more boxes to go through ---- I began with 25 boxes. Sam has been very generous with sacrificing space for my stuff.

The Kitty Kats are adjusting to their new home. Daisy and her baby, Gray Cat, slept under the bed most of the day. Simba stayed on Kris' bed and napped throughout the day. Ah, the temptation was great to walk by and poke at each one of them just as they were drifting off to Cat Nap Land. They would venture out for food and water at various times of the day as cats are prone to do. Daisy woke me up at 3:30am and I let all three cats outside. And all three were peering through the glass door at 6:15am when I wandered through the den.

I enjoyed the remnants of the sunrise with Sam on the front porch. He with his cup of coffee and I with my hot chocolate. Lucy, calico sister to Daisy, introduced her kittens to us this morning. She is the proud mother of three kittens all with long tails and big blue eyes. There is a black one with sporadic white hairs shooting all through his body, white tip on his tail and a white slash on his forehead. There is an orange kitten that is fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. And then we have one that is a mixture of orange and white and not quite so fluffy. And they all spat their "good mornings" to me as I rounded them up for inspection. Lucy wasn't too thrilled about the human touch and kept a close eye on me and her babies.

And now its back to the grindstone. I am going to rummage through the remainder of the boxes this morning while it is still below 80 degrees. Mike and Kris are both sleeping in as they got in early this morning from a Rex Kelly concert that was held in Concan last night. Kris and I will have to make one more trip to the town house to get the last of the little stuff and clean the house. New tenants will move in sometime after July 1st.

Oh, crap. I'm off to supervise the reaquaintance of Lucy and Daisy. It doesn't sound good from where I'm sitting!

Time for Organization

Son of a bitch, I have a lot of unpacking and organizing to do. Mike enlisted the aid of Bill and Greg to help move furniture and heavy stuff on Friday. There is no way we could've done it without their help. Kris and I kept shuffling the smaller items. It took us two trips (12 hours), 3 vehicles and 2 trailers but we got it all moved. Okay, so there are still a few random items still at the town house but it can wait until tomorrow. I enjoyed my cup of hot chocolate (not a coffee drinker) on the front porch and watched the hummingbirds this morning.

Kris helped me arranged furniture and make beds and we called it done for the day. We had to introduce the Kitty Kats to their new surroundings. Let's just say they kept me awake most of the freaking night. Daisy kept jumping from window sill to window sill to the bed to the floor and back to the window sill. She finally took a nap under the bed. The Gray Cat roamed around the entire house all night. He would cry when he got lonely or lost and I'd have to get up and find him. Simba, my great feline hunter, was the absolute biggest baby of all. He made sure he could keep a paw on me all night. If I shifted in bed, he shifted in bed. At daybreak, I let all three furballs outside. They didn't venture very far before wanting back inside. And all three of the damn cats are peacefully snoozing at this very minute. Gray Cat is on the floor beside my chair. Simba is in the chair next to me. Daisy has found a spot underneath the linen cabinet in the bathroom. Damn cats. I ought to wake them up just for the hell of it.

And so I have a full day ahead of me with at least 50 boxes of shit, er stuff, to find a home for. Cramming two households into one is a challenge. So while Sam is on the bulldozer, I need to get my butt in gear and be productive. And kick a cat in the process......

Took a Break

It didn't take much coaxing but Nancy convinced me yesterday afternoon to take a break. The thermometer was still knocking on 101 when we met at Copperas at 6pm. And what a wonderful visit we had sitting in the water with a cold beer in hand. Nancy and I have the kind of friendship that allows us to pick up right where we left off regardless of the time lapse in between visits. And so we soaked up some sun, drank some beer and left the world to tend to itself for a couple of hours.

A good night's sleep has revived me and I woke up with a better attitude this morning. Even packed up a few more boxes so I can make a run to the country this evening. The big move was originally planned for Saturday but Mike and I agreed to get started tomorrow. I hate to ask kids to give up their Saturdays so I'm hoping we'll get it all done tomorrow. I can already feel a whole new set of aches and pains heading my direction. Wonder in which box I packed the Aleve?

Still Moving Crap

Burning the candle at both ends is kicking my ass. My house is in disarray and so is my mind. And I woke up feeling like oatmeal today. My body just isn't acclimated to moving a household in 100 degree weather.

The heat is tremendous by 5pm and my carport is always a few degrees hotter than standing in direct sunlight. I flirt with a heat stroke every evening as I load my vehicle with another load of boxes. And each box seems heavier than the previous box. I've knocked the skin off the knuckles of my hands from grazing the doorframe as I lug out another box. You'd think I'd learn after a few times to go through the door at a different angle.

I have cleaned out closets and donated a good portion of clothing and shoes to people who are less fortunate than we are. And that's a good feeling. I wouldn't say that we are spoiled but we do have more than is necessary. The rule should be "buy a shirt, get rid of a shirt", "buy a pair of shoes, get rid of a pair of shoes", etc. Let me know if that rule works for anybody.

All things considered, I am almost ready for the big move on Saturday. And then the fun will begin. I will have to unpack boxes at the ranch and put things in their perspective places. I am not as spry now as I was 20 years ago and am learning that I have to move at a slower pace. And that annoys the hell out of me.

The river is calling my name and I'm very tempted to take a break this evening from moving. My body is screaming for some down time. Sure hope I haven't already packed my river gear.

Moving

.....is a bitch. Good grief! How can two people accumulate so much crap in such a short amount of time? Even my eyelashes hurt from packing and moving boxes of stuff.

In light of moving to the ranch, I have rented out my house and have to be out of it by June 30th. WHOA. I was originally planning on moving sometime around mid-July and being out for sure by July 31st. Well, as fate would have it, my plans have changed. We got Kris' stuff moved yesterday which leaves the rest to me. Mike will line up a couple of his friends to help us move the heavy stuff --- appliances and couches and recliners. The big move will be on Saturday. I have been carting boxes to the ranch at least twice a day.

In going through storage boxes and desk drawers I have come across from as far back as 1987. Just what in the hell do I need with an insurance card from 1987? And expired policies from 1991? And let's not forget about the grocery list I made for Kris' 4th birthday party. Now that's important. I have filled up 10 Hefty bags for the dump. My trash dumpster runneth over on Day One of the Move which was June 16th.

And speaking of "trash", Sam and Kris are the worst about going through the boxes that I have set aside for Goodwill or GoodDump. "Why are you throwing away this canteen? I can take it with me when I'm working on the dozer." "Mama, why don't you want this bowl anymore?" "Robin Irene, I can't believe you'd throw away a perfectly good (insert noun) when there is somebody who can probably use it."

Kris is in Austin with her dad until Thursday. She plans on coming back to help me finish packing and cleaning the house. This is an event we will have mixed emotions about. She is giving up her room in which she spent her teen years. It isn't so much about losing anything but we have a lot of memories in this house. We made it into a home in which we enjoyed especially our patio in the backyard. But we are each embarking on a new chapter in our lives. I will be living at the ranch and she will begin her second year at Baylor in August.

Oh, hell. Speaking of moving, we get to move Kris' stuff to Waco....I vote we get a UHaul for that job.

God Almighty, IT IS HOT!

And it is only June. I dread seeing my electric bill. I keep the thermostat on 80 during the day and 79 at night. Ceiling fans are on high and I also set up an oscilating fan in both my room and Kris' room for use during the night. I love the summer season but only when I'm inside an air conditioned establishment or sitting in the river.

And summer is not the time to be getting sick. Mama has already suffered through a sinus infection. I was diagnosed with strep throat on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, I made a heroic effort and went to the local ballpark to support the crazy people playing in the ANGel Classic tournament. A couple of hours into the afternoon found me wilting underneath the pecan trees. Thank God I am too old and too fat to be playing softball anymore. I visited with some friends that I only get to see a couple of times a year so it was well worth braving the elements. I believe it was 104 on Thursday, 103 on Friday and Saturday and today is only supposed to be 99. Must be a cold front coming through if temps don't reach 100.

The cats stay inside all day long now. Daisy moves only when her stomach growls or her tongue is parched. Gray Cat moves from air vent to air vent which are located on the floors throughout the house. I can usually find Simba in my bathroom in the shower stall. It is soooo f-n hot that the birds aren't even singing.

And it's only the middle of June......

Post It Notes

In looking at my desk, I am in awe of the amount of "sticky notes" that are stuck on my desk. Every so often I have to perform a little housekeeping and figure out which notes need to be kept for future reference and which ones I can throw away.

And then there are those notes I have made that simply don't make any sense to me:

"Texas AgFinance - orig stock retirement"

"August 10-21, August 18, August 24" (oh, just remembered this are teacher inservice days and 1st day of school)

"215 KC 275"

"Jarrod's wife - flower shop - veridian"

"T-19 and need new survey"

"7195, HC08"

"20/1st page and 4/thereafter"

"fidelity/simpson -- 50/50"

"Schedule B items on Kraus?"

Guess it will be safe to recycle each one of the above sticky notes because nothing is jogging my memory in what the notes mean. Besides, it won't take me long to clutter my desk with new notes......in a week they won't mean anything to me either.

Stress Buster

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of video games. I played pinball at a local dive during my junior high days but never mastered Pac Man or Space Invaders. I saw it as a waste of time and money. Oh, and there were those hand-held computer games that consisted of red dots and lines that were supposed to resemble football and basketball players. I can't even remember the brand name of those games but they were popular when I was in high school.

Along came Nintendo and something about the Mario Brothers. I attempted to learn how to play by watching my brother and sisters master the many levels of the game. I either fell into a well or got burned by a dragon on the first level. Bah, humbug. I'd rather be outside. Next to be introduced to our society was PlayStation. Kris never indicated any interest in any of the video games so I lucked out in having to spend hard-earned money on the devil's handiwork.

And now we have Wii. I have been ignoring the commercials for a couple of years. Lo and behold, Kris arrived on the doorstep from Austin with a Wii under her arm. Said she bought it so she could utilize the Sports package that includes an excercise workout program. And she does use it. Bah, humbug. I'd rather do my walk-about in the neighborhood or jump on the treadmill.

Last night, Kris turned on the Wii and showed me how it interacts with the television screen with a gadget you hold in your hand. For example, she went to the tennis program and "played" a game. Okay, so now she has sparked my interest but only a little. After watching her "play" a couple of games, she offers the gadget to me and says, "Here, Mama. You try it." And so after 10 games, I finally understood the logistics of the silly gadget. So I try the "boxing" program which requires two hand-held gadgets. Not only did I break a sweat after 14 rounds of "fighting" but I used muscles in my arms and back that I did not know existed.

Upon plopping down on the floor underneath the ceiling fan, I realized that I thoroughly enjoyed knocking out Steve, James, Ben and some Asian guy whose name eludes me at the moment. Ladies and gentlemen, I have discovered one of the best stress busters ever. And Kris has discovered that it is quite entertaining to watch her mother look like an idiot punching air towards the television and yelling, "Get up you son of a bitch!"

20 More Random Thoughts

1. Mrs. Roberts was my favorite teacher EVER!
2. I love listening to Kelli tell stories about her kids -- especially Kyler.
3. "A man's soul is judged by the way he treats his dog."
4. Today is Erin's 16th birthday.
5. My mother wants a motorcycle.
6. Liver and onions --- why?
7. I got my first speeding ticket in Johnson City when I was 19 years old.
8. I'm listening to an online radio station located in San Diego, CA. Traffic reports hourly.
9. When driving down Main Street, I might recognize one out of every ten people I meet.
10. "You ugly people are nice but you gotta go."
11. Paula Deen is probably my long lost aunt; it's all about the butter.
12. Santa brought me a purple bicycle when I was eight years old.
13. Its only June 3rd and Little Town is already being invaded by river rats.
14. There really is such a thing as "rock throwing" contests. I've not entered one. Yet.
15. My mother washed out my mouth with Lava soap when I called Marshall a "dummy head."
16. Sharlotte sends me goofy text messages that make me laugh.
17. Standard birthday fare was chocolate cake with chocolate icing and Hawaiian Punch.
18. You can't throw away stuffed animals because they have eyes.
19. A massage a day would be a good start on world peace.
20. I'm getting married!

Weekend Fun

We survived another high school graduation last Friday. Andrew received his diploma and will be gearing up to attend Texas Tech in the fall. Last year, Kelli surprised Kris by having family members wear pink t-shirts with blue lettering "WE LOVE YOU KRISTIN" on the front of the shirts. This year, we wore bright orange t-shirts with blue lettering "WAY 2 TO A.J." on the front. (See pictures on Flickr.)

Saturday, we celebrated Kyler's fifth birthday by having lunch and cake at Mama's house. Sadly, my camera went "PFST" and so I don't have any pictures to post. I borrowed Kris' camera and will try to remember to download pics from her computer. We ended up going to the creek for an afternoon of water and sun. Kole located a cedar branch that he used attempting to spear carp. The smaller kids caught minnows and searched for shells. Mama wandered around the gravel bar looking for.....I'm not sure what she was looking for. Fossils, maybe? We cleaned up and attended a BBQ at Marshall and Lisa's house in honor of Andrew graduating. Great food and great company; it doesn't get much better than that.

Sunday found us moving rather slowly. Kris left for Austin where she begins a Spanish class today. She will be back on Friday for the weekend so I won't have time to miss her much. Kelli and her kids will be here all week which is always entertaining. Those kids go ninety to nothing all.day.long.

Off to post pictures....enjoy!