Mothers Day.......A Week Later

Pics of my Mothers Day Loot:






Kylyn also got me a bottle of nummy champagne. I am a lucky woman to have such great kids!

Yesterday did not go as planned (what does?). I ended up having killer cramps for most of the day so we stayed in Bandon and went up to Lee's parents house with our dog, Ginger so that their dog, Gizmo, and two cats were not alone. Lee went out to the workshop and built me 5 beautiful planters for the store. I love them! (pics soon) While he was working on that I put myself in the house knitting and conversing with the dogs. I felt like crap because of the cramps, not really getting to spend time with Lee and because here he is outside working while I am sitting on my ass watching tv. He assured me that building things was like knitting is to me. Fun. After that I felt a little less guilty. We then went and picked out a bunch of plants to put in my five seven flower pots and three hanging baskets to add to the one hanging basket I already have. Should brighten the place up.
Lee threw his back out yesterday moving a tv for Tiff. It was huge and he is getting to old to refuse help picking stuff up. Arg.
Lee's dad was moved out of ICU yesterday, again. He does really seem better this time and seems to be on the mend. They may be home in another week. Kylyn is staying back at their house with the animals and Gail (his GF) came down with him this time. I am sure Dustin (his BF) will put in an appearence also. They have at least two game systems hooked up. lol
Well, I better get going, still gotta get dressed, walk the dog, pack my stuff for the day and pick up Tiff............off I go!

Holy Crap......Day Two Off.........What will she do?

To left: A usual day at the office (wee book shop). Doesn't look too bad, eh.


Ah, day two. Yesterday ended up OK, knitting buddy Lisa called me and we went a knittin' at the Wool Company and had a nice chat with Geri. Have not got to do that in at least a month. Ever since I decided to stop going to knitting on Saturdays and spend time with the husband instead (which has not been happening, either). Which brings us to today...............
Me and Lee are gonna spend today together, doing what I have no idea since we are flat ass broke. I need to clean the house and get the damn chair out of the middle of my front room. I need to get the hanging baskets and planters for the store done (actually, I want to do the flowers), but the hubby decided that cleaning the house was not how he wanted to spend his day with his wife. It isn't the way I want to spend any day.
Anyway, his dad is doing better. Our son is staying at their house to take care of the animals and we went over for dinner last night and if Ginger's friskiness is any indication, as she romped with the other two dogs and the toys, she is feeling much better!!
My wee book shop had a pretty good day yesterday. Thank God. Bring on the tourists!!!!
And now, a pic of our newly perky little brown dog:












And a pick of my hubby with his hair all crazy. Do you think I could spin this stuff?
















And a pic of my super duper kids on their trip to Florence.
More tomorrow..........

A day off........shucks, I kinda wanna go to work.

Something must be wrong with me. After nearly a month of not having time off, (except two afternoons-thanks Tiff) I have today and tomorrow off. I want to go to work. I remember when my kids were little and I was a stay at home mom I would wonder if I would ever want to work. And then, after a really bad string of jobs, like so bad you come home crying every night and wake up dreading everyday, I knew for sure that I DID NOT WANT TO WORK. Now, and even before, when the store wasn't mine, I have happily went to work, rain or shine, in sickness or health. Which, do not get me wrong, is great. But, what the hell do I do with myself when I am not there???
Lee's dad is doing better this morning. Ginger, the little brown dog, is perky and happy. It looks like it is gonna rain (which I love). And other than the fact that my house needs to be mucked out, and I have a huge recliner in the middle of my front room that I have to get rid of my couch to fit in, everything is just peachy.
I think maybe I will just wing it today. Maybe a couple walks with the dog, a movie, some popcorn and some knitting.
Sounds like a lovely plan.

Testing this mobile thing out...

Ta-Da....I Own a Bookstore!

Since the last time I wrote on this thing, I have purchased the bookstore that I worked at. I LOVE MY BOOKSTORE! It is in the Continuum Mall in Old Town Bandon, Oregon and is called Kimberly's Book Nook. Since I took over February 1st, I have added more books and am trying to have a more eclectic and unique stock along with the usual paperbacks. I sell Book-bags by Donna, my daughter, Tiffany is selling bookmarks, I am still selling reading glasses and may soon be selling dolls in the children's section. Come on in and say hi!

In other news..........
My hubby's father ended up in ICU with congestive heart failure and stage three kidney disease. This is not the first problem with the heart, but it is with the kidneys. He had 10 hour open heart surgery day before yesterday and is doing OK, though it has been pretty up and down.
On Mothers Day, which was lovely, after getting great gifts (Son got me a bottle of champagne and a beautiful bright orange flower, daughter got me a stuffed crab, a pair of earrings I had been wanting, and a purse that I was in love with, Hubby got me a hanging flower basket to hang outside my we shop where I can watch it blow about fetchingly in the sun, rain and wind) going out to dinner at La Fiesta and coming home for a little chat before everyone went their seperate ways, somehow we started talking about finding people on the internet. Before we really knew what was happening my daughter had typed in the name of my sons biological father on myspace and, lo and behold, there was his picture. I had not seen him in 22 years. Surprise. My son had not really felt the need to look him up before, but there he was right there in front of him, along with four half siblings, so it kinda made him have to reassess the whole thing. He has written him an email and we shall see what happens. Freaky.
Oh yeah, last month after 18 years of marriage I moved out for what ended up being two weeks and stayed at my daughters house. We had a couple dates.......and well here I am, back in the house. What can I say, I love the guy. We just had to take a break and remember to not take each other for granted!
One more thing, in the week before taking over my wee shop, my bestest friend in the whole world, my dog Coyote died. After 17 years of life with us, I came home to find him in very bad shape. After discussing it with the vet, we decided to have him put to sleep. He was surrounded by my husband, my daughter and myself as he went and it was so fast. He did really seem like he was ready to go. Even as I type this months later it makes me cry. So here is to one hell of a smart dog and one of the most complicated relationships I have ever had. I loved that damn dog.
Our Little Brown Dog, Ginger, is now an only child. This is a first for her and other than getting lonely while we are at work , I think she is rather enjoying it. We have gotten her on some meds for her skin and hip problems, though we are having some issues with them right now, and she seems to be in her second puppy hood. I never thought I would see my 15 year old dog frolic again. Will wonders never cease. Well, I better get going.........gotta open the store!

Crap on a Cracker! It's been a while......Lotsa stuff has happened!

Okay, so it has beean a bit since I have written, but inspired by the delightfully wonderful movie that I have just seen, Julie and Julia, and because of the confusing, weird crazy shit that has been going on, I am once again commiting to writing this thing. Also, I think I may now have internet at work which means I can do something there besides knit in my free time.
So, the wonderful son moved out of the house and in with his girlfriend about six months ago. The delightful daughter got her own place about four or five months ago. Then was promptly laid off from one job and then her other. Thank God she had some money stashed, though that is quickly running out.......ugh. Me and the Hubsand promptly took to the car for two days of couples time road trips. Very enjoyable, though we quickly found out when your children fly the coop, it is not all road trips and happy time.
Recently I have been presented with the opportunity to purchase the book store that I have set up, been managing and already, for all practical purposes except the financial ones, think of as my own. I LOVE this store. I LOVE working there. I LOVE that I can walk to work. I LOVE that I can knit at work. I LOVE my customers and I LOVE books. I love the smell of them, all the different titles and covers. I love that every single book that you pick up, good or bad, no matter what genre, has its own little world ready and waiting for you. Isn't that a beautiful thing.
So, to sum up, one could say that the book store is my passion. So how often does one get the chance to follow ones bliss? Sure, it is a little higher than I would like to pay, but I am getting great terms from a boss/friend that I really trust. Sure, I will be taking over the business in the month of January when no one is shopping for anything, especially in a tourist town. I am sure I can probably weather Jan., Feb. and March. And, should I ignore that the last two winters have not been kind to my hubsand regarding work? That he has been unemployed off and on and if I buy the store, we will be without half of my income (I will still keep my two other jobs). How about the fact the we are helping my daughter out until she gets back on her feet. Or that if I buy the store we will probably NEVER have health insurance. Or that we pretty much, in a good month with all of our income, live moment to moment. Savings? Hah! That went last year when poor hubsand was out of work.
These burning questions have kept me up at night, left me crying at odd times and nearly sent me to the phone to call and say the deal was off. Except I have not. I really want it. I know that it is not going to be a business that will make me rich, but I really want it. It is never even probably going to be enough to live comfortably off of it alone. I do not care. I want it.
Now, if you knew me at all, you would know that I am not financially reckless. Yes, if someone screams road trip, I am in the car ready to go faster than they can dig out their keys. Yes, I was engaged two weeks after meeting my husband and we were married after knowing each other for a month. Yes, I am a spur of the moment, fl by the seat of your pants kind of gal. Except when it comes to money or financial decisions. Plus, I have this great sense of reposibility and a feeling that no matter what, I must make sure that EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY. What a pain in the ass.
Now, bear with me becuase I am coming to the funny part. Not funny, haha. But funny as in, "What is someone trying to tell me!?!" So here goes. I have, as mentioned, been a little stressed about buying the business and being able to pay our household bills without my income. So, I decided to pray about it. I am not really a religious person, though I do beleive someboday smarter and wiser than I am is out there and I like to think he/she is looking out for my best interest. So I ask for some knid of sign. Is this the right thing to do? Am I putting the well-being, both financially and mentally, of my family at risk? The answer I got back? Well, this is the funny part..........
I thought I got a GO FOR IT!! I felt calm and settled in my decision. I felt excited about changes I could make to make it better for my customers, All-in-all, I felt happy and a sense of well being. I felt courageous. Like, for once in my life I should take a financial risk. I should jump and trust that if I tried really hard, everything would be okay. I was ready.
And Then......
My daughters four pound dog jumped out of the car wrong and broke her leg. Off for an emergency vet call. Bright neon pink cast and a lovely vet bill to go with it. Perhaps even orthepedic surgery in the future. I had to get a special credit card to pay for it. Started feeling like perhaps my feeling that I was getting a cosmic high five to proceed with buying the bookstore was a little off. Went back to work and started feeling palcated again. BOOM! Less than a week later, I got home from work and my 15 year old puppy had a prolapsed rectum (HORROR of HORRORS). Off for an emergency vet trip and middle of the night rectum surgery with a two night stay at the doggie hospital. Oh, yeah, they also found some kind of tumor on her stomach. Could be fatty, could be cancer. Separating out the emotional side of this (of which there is a lot since I love my dogs like my children) just what excactly is he/she trying to tell me???
I feel like someone might be playing with me and / or I am to stupid to get the message. Is it the sense of well being that is the right message or the horrid pet emergencys causing financial ruin that is the answer?
Any Ideas?
P.s. I promise it will not usually be this heavy, or lengthy. And usually will probably have more to do with happier subjects. Like knitting.
Have a great day!

Makin' an effort......

I think we are having left over rice for dinner....rice is nice. I will probably just announce that it is get it yourself night. I get to do this now that the kids are older. I did not work at all on the daughters x-mas present while she was away at work today, dang it. I could have got a lot done. It is now almost 6 pm and I have to go feed the bookstore kitties (and hopefully get some really cute pics of them), walk the dogs, and pick up the daughter. The son went to Ashland today with a friend and the ex-gf to see a play and the hubby had to unload someones rotting refridgerator. Ick. All I accomplished today was going through a really large stack of neglected mail, my daily chores, knitting on my afghan swap square and watching TIVO'ed Samantha Brown shows. I swear to god that woman has my cute wardrobe and my globe trotting life! Toodles for now!