It All Started When We Took That Wall Out

It all started when we took out a wall; the wall between the living room and the dining room.  Did you know if you take out a wall, the footprint of that wall remains?  You know what that means?  New carpet!!!  Not that I necessarily want carpet for I would much rather have wood floors, but marriage consists of many compromises.  This is one of them...........therefore, carpet. 


You know what new carpet means?  It means you need to paint.  So painting has begun.  We started in our closet which meant taking everything OUT of the closet.  This needed to be done a long time ago........the culling, that is.  We have too many clothes.  As we were taking the clothes out, we started talking about tornado shelters and that this closet would be perfect for that. 


So.............we stopped everything and headed to a safe room fabricator.  Oh man.........this was perfect.  It really was.  The safe room could be covered over to look just like the existing closet, however, the closet space itself would be 4 or 5 inches less on each side.  Doesn't sound like much, does it?  But that would reduce the closet width by almost 10 inches.  Now you can really understand how this will impact our space.  Still, we were pretty much sure we were going to do this when we left the store.  Once we got in the car, I voiced my concern.  I told my hubby that most likely we would only use it for a tornado shelter maybe once a year, but we would use it as a closet constantly.  I would open and close that closet at least 4 times a day..........at least.  And let me tell you, that door is heavy.  Oh I could shut it without much trouble now, but what if I get sick?  What if I don't have the strength to close it four times a day? 


So..............back to our original plan.............paint.  The closet was a cinch to paint and only took about an hour.  But while we are in the closet...........why not add a new shelving unit.  We'd never had floor to ceiling cabinets as most houses do................so off to Home Depot we go where I found something that would be perfect for our closet.  The hubby put it together while I prepped the hall for painting. 


I have always prided myself in a lot of DIY projects, painting is one of them, but I must tell you I HATE PREPPING.  I HATE IT!!!  Did you know I worked at least an hour last night and about 2 more hours this morning just to GET READY TO paint that stupid hall?  Then I think (right there - that's a bad idea--me thinking) before I paint the hall walls, why not paint the ceiling.  Let me tell you something!  That is hard, hard, hard work.  POPCORN ceilings........whose idea was that?  They are horrible to paint.  Good thing that paint was pink or I would never have known where I painted and where not.  Don't worry, it dries white.


By this time, the hubby felt sorry for me and came to my rescue.  We finished the ceiling by 12:30 and finished the hall walls by 3:00.  It is DONE!!!!    Sort of...........


Now we have four bedrooms to paint, and two living areas.  BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO PAINT THOSE CEILINGS.  NOPE..........NOT GONNA DO IT!!!!!!  If you come over don't look up cause the paint will be not be fresh.


So.............after a couple days


..the closet is painted.
..we have a new shelving unit
..we have newly painted ceiling
..we have newly painted hall walls
..we have our clothes back in the closet
..I have a sore neck!!!!!!!!!


There's a good chance I am going to be sore all over tomorrow..........but now I am thinking about painting the bathroom...........sucker for punishment!!!  It all started when we took that wall out.


I love you.

I Can Almost

I can almost......................

Early this Sunday morning, I walked up to see how my tomato plants are faring after the gorgeous rain we had last night.  The sun is intermittent, but when it does break through, it is quite glorious.  Memories of my childhood flood back with a force that could almost transport me to 1960. 


........the stillness in the air


........the high humidity


........the wet grass fresh from the rain


........the smell of the wet dirt, yes, I call it dirt, not soil as people say today


........the wildflowers


........the lovely scent of wild honeysuckle


........the rabbit (get out of here, rabbit!)


........the weeds that need to be hoed


........the anticipation of a beautiful day


I can almost hear momma calling us to help her pick the green beans.  I can almost smell the bacon lingering in the air after breakfast.  I can almost hear my sisters giggling.  I can almost hear my brother asking if he can go fishing at grandma's.  I can almost.....................


I love you.

It's Just One of Those Days

How many times have you heard that phrase?  Usually I hear it regarding what a lousy day folks are having.  How often have you seen a FaceBook post saying just that; It's just one of those days.  Well, today, I am using that phrase to tell you how wonderful things are going.


It's just one of those days; a perfect day for me.


It's just one of those days.  It's neither too hot nor too cold.  I have my sunroom doors open and a gentle breeze keeps the room almost cold (can you believe a gentle breeze as opposed to strong sustained 40 mph winds........in Oklahoma?)  In fact, I just closed the north doors because it is just a bit chilly.......light throw is good.


It's just one of those days.  The honeysuckle is starting to bloom and when I walk outside my sense of smell is filled with the most wonderful aroma, honeysuckle and fresh air.  I wish I could have this uplifting scent in my house throughout the year.  I wish I could describe it to you.


It's just one of those days.  I have a friend coming to my house for lunch tomorrow.  That spurs me on to clean.  My little granddaughter will be joining us tomorrow and that will make having lunch with my friend even a little more fun.  I will love showing her off. 


It's just one of those days.  The fighter jets seem to be showing off in the sky this noon.  They are sure noisy, but at the same time, around this area of the country the noise is such a part of our lives that we miss it when they are NOT flying.  We definitely notice it. 


It's just one of those days.  Finally after a week or more of not feeling all that great, I am on a couple of antibiotics that are actually making me feel better.


It's just one of those days.  The hubby went to lunch with a friend.  Don't get me wrong, but I love it.  I have the house to myself for a while.  Sometimes that is important to us retired folks.  I don't want him to stay gone too long, but an hour or perhaps a day really is nice.  I get to do what I want, not that I don't when he is here; it's just different.


It's just one of those days.  In the near future we plan on taking a teeny-weeny trip.  That will be fun for us and something long overdue.  Perhaps this summer we can make a much longer trip; a week or two might be in the cards.  If not, we will just have to set up the grandkids' swimming pool and splash.  Better get the atlas out.


It's just one of those days.  I almost have all the laundry done.  I love the sound of the washer.....crazy as that sounds (pun intended).  It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something, but I am not lifting a finger.  Far cry from my mother's laundry days way back before she got her automatic washer.  Remember when washers were called "automatics"?


It's just one of those days.  Today is the day we put up the umbrella and hung the hammock.  Now it seems like we are ready for summer, but we'll keep these cooler days a little longer.


It's just one of those days.  I look out and can see my blooming annuals,  I see the water whirling over my tomatoes.  I see the squirrels playing tag.  I see the fountain splashing in the pond (might not want to look at that.......need serious overhaul), but the sound is nice.  My azaleas are still bright pink; sure hope they last till tomorrow.


It's just one of those days.  Since the hubby is gone, I had an apple strudel.  The taste still lingers.  I needed it.  It's just one of those days.


It's just one of those days.  Laundry done, house clean (almost), feeling good, energetic, patio straightened, squirrels scampering, trip on the horizon, house to myself, perfect weather, flowers in bloom, baby granddaughter, daughter, and a sweet friend coming to lunch.


I love you and hope It's just one of those days.......a perfect one.............for you.

And Now I Remember

And now I remember.......


Today I colored my hair and got all dolled up (as dolled up as a retired 65 year old can get) for a quick trip to Tinker to get another retirement badge.  You see, someone, a retired person, told someone, who told someone, who told me that if I go through the Tinker gates the guard will tell me to get another badge.  I had waited for perfect timing of "want to" and "looking decent" to make this trip.  Today, the timing was perfect!  I didn't want to be caught in a deadline crunch lunch date with my friend and be turned away at the gate.  So off to Tinker I went.


I pulled off the interstate at the gate directly across from J C Penney's.  Landmarks nowadays are shopping related as opposed to Tinker gate names.  Anyway, the building just outside that gate is the last place I went for a badge before I retired so it probably still is.  Wrong!  I got in the far right lane to pull right up to the building and lo and behold, that building is surrounded by a fence.  Well.............I guess things have changed.  Not a biggie.  I'm cool!  I'm all for change.  Tinker is growing, after all.  It must be at the Air Depot gate.  I then remember the new building just outside that gate.......must be the place.........makes sense...........outside the gate to the officer's club.  Yes.......


So I make a U-turn across three lanes (remember, I was in the far right hand lane) making sure there wasn't a cop nearby.  I zoom on down 29th street.  Making the left turn on to Air Depot street, I noticed the building and pulled into the lot feeling very smug that I found the Pass and ID building without calling or texting someone about the location.  I march right in and right off, I locate the big sign that says "BADGES".  I am going to get this done and done today.  Feeling really good, I march right up to the military woman (I didn't even notice her rank), pulled out my old badge and asked if this was the place to get my new badge.  She told me no.  They must not have been busy because all three people behind the counter got involved and told me that I needed to go to the Headquarters building for my new CAC card.  Sounded strange to me that I needed a CAC card, but who am I to know.  Okay, I will go to the Headquarters building.  I'm cool!  They asked me if I was familiar with the base..................as if................I wanted to tell them all I had spent 27 years on that one base.........many more years than any of them, I am sure.  Nonetheless, in order to make sure they hadn't torn down the Headquarters building and built another elsewhere, I asked if it was just inside the shopping center gate.  They assured me it was.  I then asked if that gate was closed.  Again, they assured me that it was open until 15:30.  They were very adamant about that!  15:30!!!


So I leave the parking lot, get back on the interstate and pulled back off and pulled up to the CLOSED gate at 13:00!!!!!!!  I'm not too cool at this point, but I am dealing with it.  I make another U-turn and head back down 29th Street to the Air Depot gate.  I turn left and head right to the gate, this time bypassing the building.  Finally, after waiting for the 12 cars in front of me to go through the gate, I reach the guard.  I pull out my retirement badge and tell him I that I need a new retirement card.  He looked at it closely and said that I didn't...it wasn't expired.  I told him that someone told me I needed a new retirement badge.  He backed off a little and said that if someone told me I needed one, then I needed to get one.  I told him it was another retired person, not anybody at the gate.  He said again that I didn't need one.  I, then, point blank asked him, "If I want to pick someone up for lunch would this badge would work?" "Yes, no problem", he assured me.


So I make another U-turn, this time on the inside of the base, and get back on the interstate, pulling off again at the shopping center gate exit.  This time I turn left instead of right..........right on over to Target.  I know Target.  I don't know Tinker anymore.


Now I remember..............I had forgotten what some days were like at Tinker..............  "She said, he said."  I guess we will see what happens the next time I approach the guard.  Will I be turned away for a new badge?  Will I miss my lunch date?  I will let you know.


I love you. 
(Dolled up--daddy used that term a lot when talking about Mom...warm sentiment to me.)