Final Countdown

In 24 hours, I”ll have my keys.

In 36 hours, the movers will be here. I’m not done. Nowhere near and I’m going to try to be at school early, although I don’t have to be there until 10 AM. Then again, I might just do that. Pick up my keys on the way in.

Crunch time…

Moving along

very quickly now. I hoping the majority of the house will be done by tomorrow night.

We went to Dunkin Donut and with their permission, got as many of their boxes as we could get. Also 3 more milk crates. I think we have enough boxes now. I’m in the living room just going from one side of the room to the other. Throwing away stuff, packing stuff. We have (I hope) plenty of packing tape and labels. Pictures are off the walls, music is packed, catalogs are trashed. I have shrink wrap for the big CD case. I’m not packing all of those – I’m just going to shrink wrap it. Shelving is coming down. The house is starting to have an empty feel to it.

We are cooking for the last time tonight. Gordon Ramsey’s Spicy Sausage and rice. We have stuff to grill for the rest of the week as well as a frozen lasagna and Tortino’s pizza. As soon as we’re done, I’m washing the last load of dishes and into the box they go! I’ve got Styrofoam plates, bowls, plastic ware and red solo cups to last us.

We still have a lot to do, but I think most of it will be done by tomorrow evening. I hope.

I hope.

Yeah! I do! He could PACK!!!!

Forgot

how nerve-wracking packing the china cabinet is. Sheesh.

For (((Guylty,))) who is packing and parting with things more precious than my china.

It’s GUY DAY!

A week from today, we will be moving, so there will be no Guy Day next week. Actually, there won’t be any ManCandy Monday as I start school and I’m commuting. Next week is just going to be heckers. I’ll leave at lunch on Thursday to get my keys, come back, have Open House until 6 PM. I’m hoping to have a car load of stuff so I can drop it off at the house, take pictures of empty house and then bring back 1 to 2 loads from the current home (more closet, bathroom, bedding, kitchen.) move on Friday, hopefully come back Friday afternoon and vacuum and maybe start on cleaning carpets. I’ve got a coupon for 2 rooms cleaned for 75.00 and I just might take whoever up on that! If they can do the living room and family room, that would be a huge, huge help. Or the living room and the dining room. Something I won’t have to worry about. Saturday, I’ll finish cleaning carpets. I have 2 holes to patch. Final walk through on Sunday afternoon.

Kids on Monday. I’m going to be living for the weekend after next. Big Time. Counting the days to Labor Day weekend.

I still have first week lesson plans to write.

Yeah. No Mancandy or Guy Day next week. Sorry.

SOOOOOO! Let’s have GuyDay TODAY!

Yes, I do. Set a date? I have my calendar right here!

There ya have it! Don’t be worried if I’m kinda scarce through the week and next weekend. The other thing we’ve had is we don’t know when we’ll get internet. If it’s a problem, we’ll be at Starbucks quite a bit after the move.

Have a great weekend!

 

Taking a break

I spent today in new teacher orientation in my new county. It was small – 25 of us. It was a tad unnerving when the school superintendent – who used to be the state superintendent – walked up to me and say – HOW do you pronounce your name? It was a good feeling.

I’ve never gotten so many welcome gifts – including one that was personalized – I don’t mean with my name, but with what I do! When I was perusing the goods, the one I got was set in front of me. I got excited – OH! That’s what I do!!!! He said – I KNOW that’s what YOU do! That’s why we made it!

I spent 2 and half hours in a school bus, traipsing all over a rural county with narrow, bumpy, dirt roads – this is where your kids live. And this is where your kids live. Here’s one of 2 grocery stores and here’s one of the 2 flashing lights – NO red lights in this county. OH! And here’s the smallest church in the United States. Seats 6. The owner of the property deeded it to God when she died, so the community takes care of it. A few years back, vandals broke in and tried to rob the donation box and when they couldn’t break into it, they burned the church down. The community rebuilt it. And here is the Methodist Church the Union Army tried TWICE to burn during the Civil War, but it refused to burn. Then we had a hurricane in 1890 and leveled it. The community rebuilt it.

I kept hearing that – the community did this. The community did this. The community isn’t rich, not by a long shot. But they rebuild things. And they step up to the plate.

They have a WIFI bus. They took one of the old buses they were getting ready to send to the bone yard and dropped a new transmission and new engine in it. They tore out the seats, built long siderails and outfitted it with wifi and 16 laptops. A lot of the neighborhoods don’t have internet so 4 days a week, this bus – which an artist painted on her own time – makes the rounds, along with volunteer teachers and parents, so kids can research and study, or even just read…

There is a professional football player – my brother will probably know who it is – who graduated from there.  every year, he comes home and works with the kids and supplies every single middle school student with loaded backpacks. All of them.

One of the stops was a drive by the pier for one of the coastal islands. Apparently, we have children who live on the island and come in on the ferry, which runs twice a day and if the ferry is late, the bus waits. The ferry is always late.

The high school has very nice bathrooms. I know because I was jumping around towards the end of the tour and they made a pit stop for me.

We drove by the new townhomes being build on the harbor. Gorgeous. There are a dozen. Start at 450K. Not for me. Too rich for my blood.

Most of the residents are not year round residents. Most of them are retired Yankees who own homes there as retirement, summer homes down there.

We were shown all of the great eating places. Apparently one of the seafood places – is noted in the top 10 best seafood restaurant in the nation. IF you want to eat dinner there, be in line by 4 PM. There is another called – It’s a hole in the wall, with old nasty carpet out on the parking lot and you don’t know what you’re going to get, because the cook will just send out a platter with whatever he feels like you need. We drove by the wine bar and were gently reminded that if we visit the wine bar after school, we were not supposed to come back for PTO or football games. Oh and on the last day of school, the wine bar is pretty full with teachers. PS remember your kids talk. And most of them go to the local Church of Christ and they will talk there. Just a friendly reminder.

School closes for hurricanes, snow, and heavy rains. The county is low and a lot of dirt roads bog down.

100% on free or reduced lunch. And yet the county is considered one of the wealthiest because of all the valuable beach property –

That the feds and the state own. One third. Untaxable land that the county can’t obtain income from.

Shrimping is the main economy generator, followed by tourism.

When we lived further south, there were days I’d come home just… done. So done. I taught middle school. I loved them dearly,  but there were days my last nerve was trod on and I would go home just gritting my teeth and Spawn would take the keys and drive us up to the harbor, to sit and watch the shrimp boats come in and out or just bob on the water. It was my peaceful place. That and the beach. Funny, I’m now teaching half a mile from there.

I guess what I’m saying is even though I’m now stepping away from the known and into the unknown,(always an uncomfortable feeling) I’m feeling better and more confidant about this decision I made. I’m feeling God’s hand more and more, guiding each step. As I was driven around a largely rural county, with the school superintendent playing tour guide – yes he and the assistant superintendent both were on that bus showing us the things they were proud of – including the family abode who we were told we WOULD get to know – I began to get a warm, fuzzy feeling about not only my new digs, but this new place with students I’m pretty sure I”m allergic to and will have one serious round of asthmatic bronchitis within 2 weeks. I’m ready to fall in love with all of this.

Spawn is having a rough time of it. He doesn’t move or do change well. I”ve decreed this evening as a break from packing.

And I’ve been in the mood to do something I’ve not felt like doing in quite a few months. No, I”ve not bought a thing and I can’t. I have a move to fund and a few credit cards to pay down and off. But still…

Pretty, right???

Here’s something else that’s pretty!!!

You’re welcome

Today’s progress??? Not so sure.

My day started at the doctor’s office – who is mildly perturbed that I still have blood sugar readings in the 250’s. I reminded him that I”ve gotten it in the 130’s, I’m moving and right now, I’m not really paying attention to what I’m supposed to be eating as we’re trying to eat out the cupboard and refrigerator so we don’t have to move that much of it.

He wants to talk cholesterol meds. I don’t. He also said my blood pressure was normal. Gee, I wonder why???

I woke myself up this morning, hacking up a lung. Got to the doctor, he said breathe deep and I hacked up the other lung. He stepped back and said – dust.

I received a robo call from my former principal reminding me of the Student Expo coming up the weekend I move and to please be there to represent our school.

I laughed and laughed and laughed. If I get another phone call, I’ll have someone gently remind her that I’ve found happiness elsewhere.

I’m still packing like crazy but I’m afraid we won’t get done. I still have books, I still have cd’s… Things are coming off the walls. Tomorrow, when I get home, I’ll pack the china cabinet and the kitchen and then it’s just toss it in a box. I have a good dent in the books tho –

 

I”m worried about the upcoming school year. This is the cold winter year and also the year where I tend to get sick. Not to mention, I’ll have new children and I”m allergic to them and have to build up immunities to them. Means I’m going to be a sick puppy! I”m already doubling up on Vitamins – including Vitamin C, as well as my inhaler.

I had to unpack the electric can opener. Neither one of my handheld openers are worth a hill of beans – which is why I bought an electric can opener. So the handhelds have been trashed and the electric can opener will be one of the last things to be packed.

I have found things I didn’t know I had!

Apparently, I’ve USED it, the black markings are fading off, but dang – that’s been sitting on a top shelf and I”ve been clueless!!!

Also – this!

Was in a cabinet over the frig! NO EARTHLY CLUE!!!!

I cussed out a robo caller. IN the last 2 or 3 days, I’ve been getting a shitload of telemarketers. It pisses me off because I stop what I”m doing to look. I don’t answer. However this one number had called me THREE times today! I picked it up and she starts on some healthshit and I told her to STOP calling me. She then told me to press 1 to get off their call list and about that time, I erupted with some ugly words about how I never ASKED to be on their list and to take me off or else.

I have new teacher orientation tomorrow. I have to be out between 6:30 and 7 AM. I’ve got a couple of RA-read audio books to listen to. see if that makes the commute easier!

Also see Richard’s back in England and running that fine ass of his up and down streets. Yummy! Just Yummy! Speaking of…. here!

I’ve promised Spawn an evening out… at Starbucks!!!

State of the Union

Okay, not the union and not my closet, but the packing!

1. The Milk crates are GREAT! I just might go snag some more, we’ll see.
2. My back hurts!
3. ALL of my albums are packed – I was right, took 2 more crates! I have vacuumed where the albums were and will soon start stacking boxes there!
4. All of my sheet music is packed! YES!
5. My back hurts
6. All of the DVDs are packed
7. my back hurts
8. I’m getting ready to go to work on the cross stitch. I have another square milk crate and 3 long ones, which should be more than enough!
9. My back hurts
10. If I can get the cross stitch, the books in the family room and living room, and the cookbooks packed today, I will consider today a success. The first success in packing.
11. My back hurts
12. Spawn got a clue. He’s got his television on in his bedroom, but he’s packing. Yay! I told him his room HAD to be done today!
13. My back hurts. I’m not stiff yet, but it hurts.

I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning. Good thing they called, I completely forgot.

This is the point where I say ‘Have some Richard’, but I need some Richard myself, so please, come along for the ride

Now I know

why I’m all nipple-perky for THIS guy…

ahem

Could be could be.

Also, I came to the conclusion today that if I could get my books, albums and sheet music packed, that would be 90% of my packing done. Behold…

I’m guesstimating that I have probably 2 more milk crates of albums alone. I have GOT to get a move on it. Have to! We got all of the broken down and empty boxes out of the garage today – we can now NOT get through the dining room. I’m just packing stuff up. I’ve been through 4 things of packing tape today. I need to buy some more tomorrow.

My back hurts. I’m taking some tylenol, stabby stabby and going to bed.

ManCandy Monday

Hello week, how are you?

I fear I’ve come down with FeelSorryForMyself-itis. Nothing online pleases me, I’m bored, my kindle fire will no longer load books, putting a halt to my reading until I get a replacement. I MUST have this house packed in one week and I’m telling you folks, I”m way behind. I’m NOT doing well! I’m forgetting my meds, sleeping all day, tossing and turning all night. FatBoy thinks the boxes are his personal scratching posts – I’ve had to repack one box and toss the leftovers for one – a NEW one, so I’m rather riled. Tomorrow, Spawn and I will spend the morning taking packed boxes to the garage!

Life is just sucking massively. But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, right?

So as I will probably be crazy tomorrow, here’s ManCandy today. I did a hunt…

There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Fabio!

And this man too!

I found his stock photos on Instagram! Whoo hooo!

Hello! Who are you????

 

iaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam a lumberjack…

Son… thos aren’t tidy whities you’re wearin’!

Day-um

I think he’s padding.

He’s shown up on quite a few of my books as of late!

There ya go. Again, I might be scarce to midland for a week. Have a great one!

Happy Guy Day!

And how are we all?

My toe is sore and much blacker today. Taping it is useless and I’m taking Tylenol (Genevieve’s gateway drug!) so that’s how it goes.

Spawn and I went into the garage yesterday afternoon and pulled out the majority of the empty and broken down boxes. I must say there are fewer boxes left than I originally thought. Question however, will we be able to get them all on the truck after we load furniture. Prolly not.

Blood sugar this morning was 224. Bad, but not AS bad as it’s been, so we’ll go for that.

Today’s project – just pack. Really. I’ve made a huge dent in the kitchen and today, I’m going to go into my cave; the family room. I have 2 partial bookcases, albums galore and dvds. We went to the pharmacy yesterday and drove around the back – and found the MOTHERLODE of milk crates. We snagged 11. I’m hoping these will contain my records and my sheet music. Might be enough for my cross stitch magazines. hmmm mmm. We need to get a move on. I have New Teacher Orientation next Thursday. I really want to be pretty much DONE by then. Don’t know if I”m going to make it or not!

Cats are being complete pills. Complete.

And now – Guy Day. Warning- August 2nd, I doubt there will be Guy Day. Just be prepared. Also don’t think there will be ManCandy on the 5th. First day of school. I have a friend, her system’s first day is Friday. FRIDAY! What kind of crazy bullshit is that?

GuyDay!

I love that smile. I do.

I know many don’t care for his look here – sweaty, unwashed… but I remember the most beautiful thing happening here – that man come into his own! And yeah, he was sweaty, unwashed but he was becoming!

Kinda reminds me of Trevor Belmont, y’know?

Okay. I’ve been a free scrapbook whore this morning and I need to finish downloading my spoils. And then – to the family room!

If I’m scarce this next week, please understand. I don’t pack fast. I’ve been working my tail off and it just doesn’t feel like I’ve gotten anywhere. My house is an obstacle course and I’m thinking we just might start hauling packed boxes into the garage and bring them BACK when we’re done and vacuumed.