hump day

Well I am really enjoying these longer days and warm evenings and so are my tomatoes!

I just hope they actually produce some good tomatoes.  I learned the hard way last year not to get water on the leaves and burned up my tomatoes last summer.  We just got a few really puny ones.  But our cherry tomatoes have always produced by the bucket-full.  This year our cherry tomatoes (on our deck) aren't doing anything.  I would have figured it was the frost we got in late April, but we also bought some decorative grass from same store that is not doing anything either.

Has been pretty hot and humid until late last week.  The heat and the work computer being down all last week promted me to find something inside to work on.  I have been wanting to streamline my home and reduce clutter (have been doing this for 10 years!).  I have a nice sized home, and love our high ceilings, but we still have to much stuff to comfortably store/access/clean around...so I have been doing another round of clearing stuff out. I work in a tiny office and am lucky to have high shelves, but wanted to put extra throw pillows way up high...so I had do something with the heavy boxes of pictures/letters/cards on the higher shelves.  Plus, I am liking my idea of storing light stuff up high.  

So I decided to go through the boxes and scan the photos and keepsakes I want to retain electronically and other than a very few printed out photos, burn all the originals.  I know it would be impossible for some people to do this - burn a picture.  But DH and I have no children so pass this on to.  Most of it is just personal stuff for me.  But photos of relatives and my family I am passing on to my sister and my niece and nephew.  

I even did my school year books, all 13.  I am only going to retain my senior scrap book and yearbook until my 40 high school reunion (God willing).  It has been a long job.  I just did a little everyday.  But I am going to have a cathartic burn pile when I am finished this week!

This plus another crate I will burn in my fire pit Friday or Saturday.  This is all I have left to go, a small pile of photos/cards and 4 more year books.  

I have gone from 4 of these big heavy boxes to 2.  One for me and one for DH.  His is FULL.

I am taking another car load to my sister in laws store to sell.  The house is looking clearer and more streamlined, easier to clean around and all the rooms function in at least one way - some two.  For example in my sitting room I can do yoga, or crafts, or just sit and watch TV.  The closet in that room is my "office".  I took the door off and fashioned a "desk" out of the lowest shelf.  Above the shelf to save space a strung led string lights.  2 shelves above that are my office supplies and the unit hanging behind my paper/envelope holder.  I have a chalk/board/metal magnet holder and a cork board next to it.  I LOVE the coziness.  Anyway, I usually work in the breakfast nook in the mornings enjoying the east view and the yard/birds/watching my dogs play.  Then in the afternoon I move to my closet and can darken it and have the ceiling fan to help keep that room really cool.

Hope you are staying cool and enjoying some fresh produce!  I cooked up a big bunch of rainbow chard last night.  Tonight we are having salad.  The lettuce is going crazy and will wind down in the next couple weeks.

More Heat

First, I just want to say my DH and I are so happy the soccer kids and their coach were rescued!  So much bravery.  I am humbled and grateful for soldiers and civil servants who take risks everyday to help other people.

I keep thinking that I should be adapting to life in the Extended Stay and be able to sleep, but in practice...not so much.  Was up several times last night, mostly because of the limited space trying to sleep.  I usu sleep really good after sweating so much in hot yoga.  We are used to a  queen.  When we prepaid back in March for our hotel, we asked for a queen or double bed.  They never explained no queen, only double beds - as in full size.  But some rooms have 2 beds, which we would be ok with.  We also asked for 1st floor for ease in walking the dogs and wifi. 

We got none of these things!  We are on the 4th floor next to fire escape stairs where doors are always slamming.  We have a single full bed and the wifi is non existent.  After getting moved in, we asked for a week about getting a queen bed moved into our room - no one ever got back to us - it seems no one there knows much of anything, they all refer to the "manager".  So, when i finally spoke to the one manager, he said no queens exist.  OK, what about a 2 bed room - well, they are all taken and no way to know when one is available till the people leave.  Then, 2 days ago, they offered us a 2 bed room - but just on the 3rd floor.  DH said he wanted to wait to move all our stuff when a 2 bed room is on 1st or maybe 2nd floor.  Uggggghhhhh.  I will just continue to enjoy the air cranked wayyyyyyy down and very cool room.

Supposed to be 98 and 99 through Monday.  Tues high 80s.  We are going to RH this weekend to relax and spread out, do some cleaning and laundry.  We will enjoy taking our smaller car rather than our ginormous older SUV.  We have taken the SUV every trip to RH for the past year and a half.  It costs nearly $100 to fill it up with gas versus $40 for the car.  So, that is nice.  All we have left to move to RH (4hours away) is what we are currently using in hotel.  So, that is a nice thought.
Stay cool and enjoy your Wednesday!

Fri-Yay

Super busy at work.  Yesterday I finished my annual continuing ed, so that is a huge relief.  If one plans ahead they can get much/all of their cont ed free - I got half of mine free.  So all finished until next year.  Then I came home and loaded last of the big content (bunch of kitchen stuff/clothes/misc still) in suburban.  It is simply amazing what that thing will hold.  We are really pleased that we have been able to pull of this move all by ourselves for only the money we have put into that used suburban (too much).  Then I fixed dinner and sat for few minutes and then I walked as the temp had dropped to a lovely 91 degrees!  My stop and smell the roses moment was sitting and visiting in the driveway with our dear neighbors Wed night, after hanging out with my Granny.  Then Thurs it was going to bed early.  I was so tired that I fell asleep as my husband was trying to talk to me...ooops.  We have this last large load to unload in the heat tonight (and find places to put!).  But at least I can unpack/organize mostly inside in the AC.  We also get to ride together this trip - my DH is glad because he usu makes me drive!  I am right on budget for everything.  I am actually little under b/c DH paid for my probiotic supplement and his rx and gave me some extra money since he is not paying any house payments now!  I immed pigeon holed it for savings!  Have a wonderful Friday!