Debauchery

One of those weeks again.

Every time I have to start thinking of finding a new job, I start feeling every variation of insignificance possible, and I immediately begin that emotional downward spiral...

I'm getting a lot faster at it these days - I can go from 0 to 500 in 2.9 seconds.
(Depression wise.)

I start thinking things like; I could take classes, or I could go back to school...
All viable options if I were... say, 20.

That thought leads me to the one that says; why bother?
By the time I could finish, I would be (x years old,) and will be only a few years from retirement age.
Why would anyone want to hire me then? Degree or no degree.

...Then I go back to knowing that the only thing out there for me is retail, and even that isn't the greatest option. All the specialty stores that would suit my experience are closing down. No one can afford hobbies anymore.
(Besides, it's hard work, and I'm no spring chicken.)

See what I mean?

Not many options out there for me.

So, I've been down in the dumps all week, and have been feeling completely useless.

Wednesday when we got up, we found that the electricity in the house had gone all wonky. We had power in some spots, and not in others.
(Some lights, but no heat, no refrigerator, and no stove.)

We called an electrician to come and check things out - three hours and $2,000 later, with an entirely new breaker system,we were back in business.
At least we thought...
(No power to the dishwasher yet.)

Hubby made a deal with the guy to come back on Friday and connect the wiring in the family room. (We've been without outlets and lights down there for as long as... well, forever.

So Thursday night, we tore up the entire family room (moved furniture, bookcases, etc.) to get ready for him.
He never showed.

Apparently there were power outages all over the North side of the county, and they didn't have anyone to spare until maybe Tuesday.

So, not only do we not get the dishwasher fixed, (with a week's worth of dishes inside,) but the entire basement is unlivable.

Swell.

Pile that on top of everything else, and it didn't exactly make for a happy week.

We were all so bummed today that we did nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I had my craft table set up in the living room so I could finish up my Disney pictures, but I didn't feel like doing that either - so I just played around and made a few cards, while the rest of the family camped out on the couch and the floor, and we watched videos all day.

Feeling very slovenly tonight.

Maybe tomorrow I'll pull up those boot straps and get this place in order -
Or maybe I'll just pull the covers over my head and stay buried there for a while...
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Down Time

It's been a quiet week.
The holidays are over, the winter colds have passed, and with no job to go to,
I've been suffering from post-holiday let down.

I finally got bored of myself moping around and ordered a stack of photos that would choke an elephant, and started a scrapbooking marathon.

I challenged myself to use only what I had on hand (I always buy a ton of stuff and then end up not using half of it.) I was able to finish seven 2-page layouts in 3 days!
...Without buying anything! (Except glue.)

That's some kind of record for me.

I put it away for the weekend, because I'm suffering from creative burnout and I need a break. Sad thing is, I still have so many photos left.
I guess I know what I'll be doing next week...

I ran to Wally World the other day to pick up a few needed items, and I ran into my (former) manager. He greeted me with not only a warm smile, but big hugs - told me how much I was missed.

I have to tell you - that felt so nice.

I was only there for 3 months, but people were so positive and friendly.
That feels so good after my last job. I worked there for 3 years - yet, the day I left I told several people how nice it was to have worked with them, and not one of them responded - or would even make eye contact.

I had to go back to pick up my final check, and the only person who said "Hi" and told me I was missed, was one of the new girls who was hired just before I left.

What a difference...

We went out to breakfast this morning, which is fast becoming a new tradition for us.

There's a little place in the next town over that we go to.
I'm not very fond of the town, but the people are so friendly and there's a sense of the old "community diner" that is kind of nice to be a part of.

The cook/proprietor knows us all by name - even customers who we don't know from Adam greet us and ask about our day.

I like that.

No big plans for the weekend - just tidying up and removing the last little remnants of Christmas from the house.
I like that feeling too - all fresh and clean and... open.
Time to clean out drawers and cupboards and declutter. BIG time.

Yeah.
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Resolutions and Other Myths (Fantsies?)

I couldn't sleep last night, so I went blog hopping.
(Or is that why I wasn't sleeping?)
Oh well, no matter.

A couple of my favorite blogs are ones with nothing but beautiful photos to look at with the occasional uplifting quote tossed in.

Here are a few of the treasures I unearthed...

Quote:

People who have only good experiences aren’t very interesting. They may be content, and happy after a fashion, but they aren’t very deep. It may seem a misfortune now, and it makes things difficult, but well—it’s easy to feel all the happy, simple stuff. Not that happiness is necessarily simple. But I don’t think you’re going to have a life like that, and I think you’ll be the better for it. The difficult thing is to not be overwhelmed by the bad patches. You must not let them defeat you. You must see them as a gift—a cruel gift, but a gift nonetheless.
—

Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron

This proves that I am on my way to becoming a fascinating person - who knew? ha ha

Someone is very creative - these moon shots really capture the imagination;





I would SO make this my craft room;


You would never know this by looking at my house, (I am not in control here!)
but, I adore wide open spaces and the fresh clean minimalistic look...



I love this - I would make it my front gate.
It tells people You're in my world now honey, deal with it.


My someday (in my dreams) beach house will look just like this:













Do people really live like this? ...Where do I sign up?

Sometimes life just flips you on your noggin'


These are just too dang cute;



I also ran across this:

I decided that this is as close to a resolution as I'm going to make this year.
It's bound to be a year of upheaval and uncertainty, so if I can manage this, I'll be doing good.

I could add much much more, but I don't want to be accused of overkill.
Maybe another time...

I'll just leave you with this one final thought:


Words to live by. :-)

**Note: All of these images were found on either Tiny White Daisies or Another Passenger. I'm so very sorry, but after going back & forth until 4 am, I lost track of which was which.
Go visit sometime - they're lovely places!
Always inspiring.
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New Year...

Taking a vacation over the holidays has really messed with my mind.

We got home on New Year's Eve, and were so tired we just crashed.
We missed it entirely - which is weird.

There are still snacks left over from the holidays, so I keep thinking we'll use those up for New Years Eve ...But wait, that's already over!

There wasn't any kind of party, so in my mind it never happened...

Moving onward -

I can't seem to get excited about making any resolutions either.
I've been thinking of a few small goals, but I've been sick ever since we got home, so I haven't had much energy to do (or even care) about anything else.

I have read 3 books this week though, so I guess that's something...

Poor hubby - he's been sick too, but he's had to work.

I ordered vacation photo prints the other day, and finally felt good enough to try to scrapbook a few of them tonight.

I am SO out of practice!

It took me hours and hours to do just 2 double layouts (and they're nothing fancy whatsoever!)
The challenge I gave myself was to use only what I already have.

I always get excited and go shopping when I get new photos, and buy all kinds of embellies, paper and such, and end up not using any of them.
Being jobless now, I can't really do that anymore!

I sorted through my stash and found all the Christmas themed papers - good grief, I think I could do every Christmas we've had since we were married before I run out!
The only thing I may run short on is card stock.

My daughter in law made me an adorable little album for Christmas, so I'll pick a few choice shots to fill it up too. It will be a fun reminder of our trip that I can leave out all year.

I flipped through my old vacation album trying to spark some ideas, and good grief - I have so many layouts that I never finished!
I never got the journaling done for the trip I took with my sisters to Arizona
(2 years ago?) Thank goodness I blogged that trip - I barely remember any of it!

...Anyway, we had kind of a nice evening - my oldest daughter and I.
Just the two of us home tonight, so she sat with me while I scrapped and we went through season one of Gilmore Girls together. She even ran out for tacos for us.

Chick night.

Just blabbering to myself - it's late now, and I tried to sleep, but sleep won't come.

I guess I'll go and finish book #4...
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Holidays 2011

I've been away for a while, so much catching up to do...
Where to begin?

The holidays were such a blur this year - many hours at work,
and much going on.

Grandma's Christmas party went off without a hitch again this year,
even without grandpa. He was missed though.


Had a very good turn out - most of the family was there except for a few out-of-state renegades...

Our little Christmas Eve gathering was less than perfect - a couple of the girls had the stomach flu, so they took turns leaving the room to... expel their demons (or, dinners.)



And we didn't do the annual Christmas morning breakfast, because we had to hurry and get ready for church.
(Our program was really nice though - even though Wayland got called out of the meeting to go with his brother to the hospital.)

Christmas morning



We spent Christmas day packing.

Early the next morning (we're talking 5-ish) we hit the road for California.
It was a long ride, especially with everyone in my son's family still sick. We arrived at our hotel around 4:00. We were all so beat, most of us went to bed as soon as we checked in!

But first thing the next morning, we were all raring to go!

Leaving the hotel Tuesday morning to catch the shuttle to the park.



Disneyland!



We rode every ride we could, from morning 'til night...

Jenny waiting to set sail on the pirate ship;


It's a Small World was by far the most festive:
(Hubby and I went twice)


Inside


We saw lots of celebrities:

Pooh Bear

Eyore

Tigger

Tinkerbell

Blue Fairy

Mickey


Photo opps a plenty;

Fairy door

Jeff meets White Rabbit;



The parade was exciting the first time we saw it, but after a few times, we started running whenever we started to see people line up - once you get in that mess of people, you can't get out!



You always expect to see strange animals in a place like this,
Santa's Reindeer



...but this poor house cat was definitely lost! (Spied him hanging out with the fairies.)


Random decorative shots:
Frontierland was very Christmasy;


New Orleans Square:



Chip & Dale's Treehouse:


Love Goofy's garden:


Always wondered where Santa goes when Christmas is over:



Millie got the chance to do battle with Darth Vader (which broke Arilie's heart when she wasn't chosen.)


The firework show was canceled for the duration of our stay, due to some insurance debaucle, but the lights at night were pretty;


I always wondered what Christmas time would be like in a place where there was no snow, but I think I could live with it...

We spent a little time at California Adventure too.
(But not much, totally different vibe there.)



Hubby and I left a little early on Thursday to drive down to San Diego to visit with his sister. The rest of the family joined us on Friday.
That afternoon, we convinced Kelsey (niece) to drive us to the beach.

At the beach at Del Mar:


We had so much fun, I'm so glad we took this opportunity to go. I don't think I would ever go at Christmas time again though - SO many people!

Melissa sent us a text telling us that she had seen on the news that Disneyland set a record this year for the most people in one spot at the same time. They were turning people away at the gate.
I totally believe it, it was crazy! We saw both of the football teams who would be playing in the Rose Bowl, (along with the rest of the world.)
I think it would be safe to say that every country, state, race and walk of life was represented there.

Well, that's our vacation in a nutshell. We arrived safe at home on New Year's Eve.

Not all is well though; note the sure sign that the end is truly coming in 2012...

Hubby drinking COKE! (California is NOT a Pepsi friendly state!)
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