I'm doing a major happy dance here in my little corner of the world.....I've just met with the new tenants of the other house, and we signed a one year lease, with the hopes they will be there 2 years.

I will sleep better tonight, knowing there is a team approach now, to fixing the place up. Just got an email from the previous tenants, letting me know they have it as good as it's going to get.....so Monday morning is the day I go to see the nasty place. The new tenants have all taken a week off starting Monday and are going to work with me, so it feels less overwhelming tonight. Thank goodness.......

We've set a goal to have it back up to par by the first week in November. With 5 of us working and a couple of my friends ...I think it's possible.

I think I've still got one beer thats cold, and I'm thinking my name is on it!
I'm done for the night!

Thanks to my dad & his years of hauling other people's excess lumber home; I've now got a stack of Free To Me lumber for the Navy man to create wonders with.

We went scrounging in the back forty of my parents home, an acre of stuff I just can't adequately describe here. Anyone remember the TV show, Sanford & Son?? Think that, but switch from auto parts & junk to lumber, anything wood and then some junk. All in piles, all covered, all in great shape.......and after 40-50 years, all really difficult to get to.

We worked hard for FREE this time. But, the lumber was in great shape, albiet covered with spiders & occasional critter droppings...the price was right.

The first item getting built here is a work bench for the garage. The framework is done, supposedly the top gets cut and attached this afternoon. I've got the vice and a grinder that will get put on and then we will be ready for inspection I think! Even the bolts for this event are from Dad's stash......we also poked around all of his shops and workbenches!!

My dad would be pleased to know some of his items are getting put to good use. He was a great one for 'seeing' the possibilities in found objects and just putting them away for later. No matter how long he worked each day of his life, he never did make it to the end of his TO DO list. We used to joke about it often!
It's going to feel good to use this work bench, long after the Navy gets done with his stint here..........

Watered my plants this AM and I was uncomfortably hot outside at 7AM! Didn't get to everything so I'll have to head out again. Trying to muster up courage to go outside...........

Who has our Pacific NW weather and when are you going to give it back? We're just not used to these kinds of conditions! No one out here as A/C, so the best we can do is plug in a fan, move the hot air around a bit and pay through the nose for the power to do that!

At least I don't HAVE to do anything today. I've got a stack of new books from the library as well as the DVD of The Education of Little Tree. (thanks to everyone who reccomended this) I'll alternate between the shower and sitting in front of the fan with a book; that won't get much done but who cares!

Another no spend day here; I should add them up for this month, as I'm pretty sure I'll be hitting a new record for me. Since I'm not spending anything but the have-to bills for housing and utilities I have mostly no spend days.

I am grateful I don't have a long list of payments to be made, as I've switched from an ample paycheck to this new method of scraping together monies from my plethora of part time efforts. No car payments (only did that once in my life and I knew then I wouldn't do that again. I sold the car right away, and divorced the husband person who bought the car with the excuse it was a Gift to me......just to make sure!!)

Again, if you've got Seattles rainy, drippy weather.........send it back, please. (heading to the shower again to cool off)

The differences are amazing to me. I used to be wound up pretty tight I guess, trying to 2nd guess what the autistic wonder child was going to find irritating next.

Now, my days just flow smoothly. I can't even think of anything that is difficult or could possibly make me cranky.

I am so grateful for this new found peaceful state here. But, just to remind me of what I'm missing; the kiddo still calls at least 3 times a day. Today he is actually getting moved into an adult home, with 24 hour staffing, so perhaps there will be more going on and a call to me won't be his high point any longer. One can hope.

I turned on my favorite radio station (classical) today while sewing and I spent at least 4 hours of uninterrupted time! What a treat!

I guess my biggest irritant these days are the numerous flies that are invading my house. With it being hot, the doors are open and I don't have a screen on the front door.... Thus, the flies. Thank goodness that is the biggest problem I have, huh??

I've got the best mechanics. They don't speak much English, and my Spanish wasn't good when I was taking it in school & is almost non existant now....
But, can these guys fix a vehicle and do they ever stick to a budget!

My problems with the van, were going to cost almost $500 yesterday, but when I called about it today, they said it was done & they didn't even need to do the brakes, it was just the light & the sensor. They opted not to fix it, since they knew I was only trying to get the thing ready to pass emissions and the difficulty was the Service Engine Now light. That they did fix. And, it was only $200. Very nice surprise.

Ran the van right through emissions and it passed there too. Another $15.00 gone. Now to mail in for tabs, another $35.00. Vehicles can sure suck up money!

I'm grateful for the friend who turned me onto the Mexican mechanics in the next little town here. What a find. They have kept my vehicle running smoothly for way less than half what I was paying. I can get it done faster as well as always being able get it in whenever I call. The only glitch is I'm pretty sure the whole crew isn't legal....

I have had a busy week here, for the first week of my so called 'retirement'. Two meetings, both way out of my area; so lots of driving. But, both were with adults!!! It felt so good to talk and share ideas (thank goodness I still have one or two, I was worried I couldn't talk of anything but Mr Rogers' Neighborhood!)

I remember being busy like this, but it has been 4 years with nothing but my disabled kids here. Yikes! Getting up to speed all in one week has been a shock. I'm pooped tonight.

One of the funny parts of both meetings was when other peoples phones rang, I could just smile and KNOW mine wasn't going to ring with a kid emergency. How many years has that been the case, I was always having to spend time out in the hall, smoothing things over with schools, talking to crisis workers, etc. I got to just sit and participate both days. Pretty fun!

And, I'm finding out the stuff I need to be doing on my own as of next week, is just too easy. And I get paid for it. And, it's all with adults. Not a kid in sight! I'll just try not to act too excited, lest they get the drift and decide not to pay me........

I did spend money this morning......had to fill up with gas before heading out, then I had no idea how early I should hit the freeway, so I arrived with time to spare. Went to a grocery store & picked up a yogurt for breakfast and decided to pick up a paperback (at full price no less) for something to do for fun prior to the meeting. Nothing else was open and I didn't know my way around well enough to go somewhere and be sure to make it back in time. I loved the book, a new one by James Patterson. Finished it when I got home this afternoon. Will list it on Half.com and see if I can make some of my money back.

A great couple of days. And, now the 2 easy boys for the week end, and it's payday week end for both of them too. Nice!

Wow, after a long afternoon, my last placement has moved out. His mother was an hour & a half late to pick him up, and naturally that left me seeing sewing customers with my guy here. (not as easy as it may sound)

Finally squeezed all his most important things into her little tiny car and off they drove. What a huge relief.

First thing on the agenda this evening was a shower. After loading that car, it was definately necessary, plus, showering is something I've had to do almost by appointment the last 15 years or so. All of my kids were in line of sight supervision when they were awake, so showering just didn't fit with that plan. It was absolute heaven not to have to fit it in a 30 second time frame~~

Passed along reams of paperwork too, which took a huge work load along with it. I won't miss working with Social Security one bit.

I can't wait to notice all the little things that I get to incorporate back into my life.........lots of things that I probably don't even notice any longer. One thing I can see just from sitting here at my desk, which is truly in what should be a dining room........is I have nothing...I mean nothing sitting around. When all the kids throw things, there really isn't anything here to pick up. A few pieces of furniture, but our house always looks like the people in it have not quite moved in yet. It does make cleaning easy, but it will be nice to bring a few of my things out of hiding and have them around me!!!

Such simple things are going to float my boat.

I got the official notice in the mail today.........It says "your account indicates that there has been a change in your energy consumption." Well, I should only hope so!

We've been trying every trick in the book, including all those mentioned on blogs here, and were just waiting for some sort of tangible reward. TA DA. Started at $150 monthly and they have refigured us at $105. monthly, beginning in Aug.

Of course, the next leap would be to get it below $100..... that number has already become the new challenge. What's $5.00 less anyway??

Not the electric bill, but the gas bill should finally be a zero.....as I bit the bullet and figured out how to turn off the pilot light to the fireplace by myself. I have no idea why that was such a hard task, perhaps because it was just very unfamiliar to me? I was more excited than necessary on this little task!! I have no idea how to re light this, so we should be saving money here!

Still working on the cable and the cell phone bills as well as moms phone & long distance service, so there is still more money to be 'found' in the budget here.

I've been paying on the 2 CC's from the closing the business/icky sister situation now since Jan. and I can see some progress.

I started out with a tad over $10,000 and todays total is $8,472. Just paying the amount due on both, as they are both in zero int. accounts now. (until Mar next year) I don't use either account, so there will be no new charges on them. (grateful I have never been one to charge things if I didn't have the cash)

The 3rd account has been paid off and left open, so I can continue using it for the monthly regular charges and occasional online purchases. It is paid off each month at this point.

Just before there is interest charged on the first 2, I'll pay them off with money from savings and truly call that chapter of my life closed.

I just got a call from my autistic kiddo (who is with his bio mom today) and he was beyond communicating with. Mom took the phone & told me the raft they were in (river rafting down the Wenatchee River here in WA state) tipped over, all the people were in the river, everyone was rescued, mom lost her glasses, my kiddo lost his lunch....but they were safe, aide crews on the scene.

I'm glad I didn't schedule this event, it was moms idea.
I'm glad I wasn't along (no matter how good a swimmer you are, in a river situation, I'm not sure it makes a hill of beans of difference)
I'm glad I was here to answer the phone

I know Mom is going to have a hard time getting this kid to go on any sort of trip for years and years now.

I know I won't hear about anything else until Friday of this week when he moves. This episode will be in his continuous loop for a loooong time.

This whole thing makes me think of a piece I saw on TV this AM. About booking all of kids time (especially in the summer). This is the case with this little guy & his mom. I'm the opposite. We just sort of hang out here.......learning stuff from the things we do on a regular basis here.

His weekend started with taking the train from my place to Seattle to meet mom. Then, they went sailing on Puget sound with a handicapped sailing group she thinks my guy needs to be part of. Went out to dinner. Stayed all night at boyfriends place.
Got up at the crack of dawn, drove to Eastern WA & took the river rafting trip.
Tonight they are driving to meet a friend (fortunately this is the #1 person in my kiddos life). Staying in hotel.
Tomorrow, driving back to Western WA, renting moving truck & ocming here to move everything to Seattle.
It exhausts me to type this. I feel so sorry for him. I did get to talk with him and if he didn't sound so pathetic & sick, it would have been cute. I can't imagine how scared he was, he said he hoped he would 'feel better' tomorrow.

I've promised him some down time this week when he comes back on Tuesday. Cartoons, his videos, feet up as he calls relaxing time!

I'm all for some memorable times during the summers......but not quite like this week!! Everyone remember to just let kids BE. Even being bored is a good thing sometimes; it leads to people learning how to independantly entertain themselves...a novel concept these days.

Yes, there is an end to my foster parenting. I now have the schedule for the week....not a good schedule but I have something to work with.

Monday, he will be back with helpers & a moving truck..........need to have him almost packed. He will leave with the truck Monday night.... Returning by bus on Tues and staying with me til Friday night. I'm holding back a cars worth of his stuff, so he will be comfortable here during the week......... this is a kid that has to save all the bread tabs, pop tabs, bottle caps, empty water bottles.....and surround himself with them. So, I'm not looking forward to a week without his own bed, his own TV, and on and on.......... but, he will be moving out by Friday night!! Thank you Jesus!!

Somehow, I need to finish the customers sewing orders I have this week too....My machines are back from their overnight in the shop & run so smooth now... Waiting til tomorrow before I get to work on projects. Most important is a sequined blazer for the horse show woman this coming week end.

One kiddo this week end, my super easy guy too. Feels like a vacation already.

Just did my moms hair, so she can go to the ocean a week......and am dog sitting her best friends dog so she can go too. So far, her dog & mine are doing just fine.

A no spend day.........other than personal energy. I've been up since 5, and busy the entire time. Can't wait til I can go to bed!

Just got a notice I "won" something on Freecycle today........a planter of some sort, so I'm off later this evening to pick that up. Thinking it might work well for one of my moms free plants for her birthday next month.

We're having a bit of hot for us weather here in WA........supposed to hit 90 the news said, but we're only 73 here at my place so far. Heading out to water the gardens and walk the new dog.

Wow, what an amazing day here. First & foremost, my kiddo is out of the house, not to return til after dinner. Very relaxing.

2nd: I've just put another van's worth of freecycle plants in the gound. Pooped, but I can't wait to see these take hold and transform a flat, plain space into a jungle of plants.

And.........I just got an email from the person I'll be working with on the new part time job... Nope, switch the words there...the person I'm already working with. They are paying me since June 10th, they said. What?? I didn't even know I was working! I just got my confirmation to the website, so I can access the data base and get going. Got a schedule of meetings I will need to pick & choose....getting myself to at least 2 a month. Woo-hoo. I'm off and running here. Now, I just need to locate, schedule and speak at a meeting a month touting my dog & pony show of Foster Parenting to one and all throughout the county.

If that weren't enough; I did have a new sewing customer today too.....and he will be a regular. I can always tell when someone HAS to use me. This man is so tiny, all his clothes will need to be adjusted to fit. Too bad for him, but regular $$ for me. Thank goodness he told me to call him when his order was finished. My plate is getting a little full this week.

Can't decide what job to do tonight!
Better get busy with something however, my free time is almost over for the day; and then I'll be back to work at my full time job.

Seriously cutting expenses here. I thought we had done that already, then some more.....and again and again. But, here we go again, cutting out the unnecessary.

Today's change......Netflix bites the dust. We haven't even noticed not watching. Forgot there were 3 movies here. So, off they go, along with an email to cancel membership.

Did just pay for annual AAA membership for myself (housemate person paid her half this time for the first time!) This is one I won't cut ......hopefully, won't have to. I've saved the cost of membership each year, and since we drive older vehicles and don't do any of the maint. ourselves......this is a good value IMO.

Checked Paypal account, should be a deposit soon from a product testing event that I just finished. Think this one is $15.00
Also finished up a product test this AM on email, another $6.00. Love these.....gives me something to do and think about other than caring for the kiddo here. And, I get paid for it. And, someone out there thinks I can still think! That's the amazing part!

The influx of boys starts again this afternoon.........all 3 here this week end. I'll be lashing myself to the kitchen and cooking/cleaning/cooking/cleaning for the next 3 days. I'm looking forward to this after the full time kiddo leaves, he is just way too complicated to then add the other 2 in to the mix and hope I have brain cells by Monday. This should be the last time I have all 3 at once. Praise God!

Time to go get busy in the kitchen....with a quick detour to the freezer to haul out supplies. Thank goodness for well stocked freezers & pantries!!!

I ended up spending a few dollars on fast food. Who woulda thunk?

I had 3 checks to go into the bank, and I convinced the autistic kiddo to get in the van and go to the bank with me.... Wonderous event all by itself!

After we did the drive through, we were near the Dairy Queen & I had the Entertainment book, for a 2 for 1 treat...... I let him choose, (a new skill for him too) So, the total was $3.79. While there the woman helping us recognized me & said Hello! I had to ask her who she was... Turns out she grew up next door to my last house, I ended up buying their place after her parents' nasty divorce. She is now single, a mom of 4, 2 living with their dad....and working at Dairy Queen. Gads, what a hard life she has chosen. Seems wrong, but I feel so blessed to NOT be in her shoes.

Came directly home, didn't spend anything else.........the $3.79 was it for the whole week I think.

Called Verizon to discuss transferring the kiddos phone to his moms bill when he moves out. Approved. Nice...... That will leave me with my phone & the one I got for my mom. We can switch to a plan giving us each 25 min a month, which might work. Much cheaper than what we're now on. But, I'm going to wait one more month before switching, to see if the part time job causes me to need the phone more than 25 min. All this comes from someones post here (sorry, I forget who??) about the total cost of communication/tech bills. I was shocked to see how high mine were (over $3000 annually) so have been chipping away at them since then.

I've never held a 5 lb baby until today. Little E. is just over 5lbs now and sooooo tiny. No clothes fit, they just flop around with his whole little self in where the body of the outfit is. Too cute....but oh, so tiny. Thankfully, he's doing just fine. The kids need to rent a baby bed for the car, as a car seat won't work for him at this weight. He slumps down in a car seat and then quits breathing! They've had some unexpected expenses with him being so small........as well as some things they had to buy without looking for the best deals, as the baby was already here!

The rest of the day has just been filled with work here at home. A no spend day again. Mowed some of the yard, am holding back on mowing all the outer areas, as we're still planning on moving horse fencing and letting the critters take care of more of the yard.

Cleaned out the fridge, as it has become a nasty place....with me gone so much, there is no one else taking on that chore. Housekeeper today, so everything is spotless.......nice.

I need to spend some time creating a resume to put on file at my new job. My last one was done in the early 80's, so this will be a task! Can't come up with more than 10 minutes to work on it in a row.......as the kiddo is home now, non stop. Found a resume wizard thing on line, but I can't get through more than a section of it before an interruption here.

We have a visit scheduled with the new grandbaby boy today........also get to see my foster dtr. She lived with me since she was 11, so she's pretty much mine! Looking forward to seeing her & the baby......even if I'm not really a baby crazy person.

We're going to have to squeeze the visit in here, as it is Happy Houskeeper Wednesday here at our house...........and school is out, so the autistic wonder boy is home too.
Fortunately, this young lady of mine is very familiar with the craziness of our house....in fact, hers looks pretty much like this now!! (I find that facinating, but I feel honored she is using my life as a map of sorts. )

No spending today............I do need to head to the sewing room when it calms down here, as I've got a fitting tomorrow to get ready for. So, there is money 'in the bank' so to speak. Will get paid for this job before the end of the month, as she needs to wear it on July 1st.

Still no Move Out Day on the calendar for the autistic kiddo. I'm soooooo tired of the constant drain here. He's only been back from his camping trip since yesterday & I'm already feeling like I have no reserves. Not Good. Tried to get a date yesterday when I talked to his mother, but no, there is nothing concrete yet. I was hopeful & thought a real number on my calendar would help. Not to be yet.

Better get a move on here..........I've got more than a days worth of work to do & just one day to do it in!!!

Excited here.......... I just got an email saying "You're Hired". Woo Hoo..

I had received an email from a list I'm on locally, read it at moms over the week end, about a job opportunity. I quickly responded, as it was almost the same thing I've been doing for an organization here, but I've been volunteering. They had just had a staffing change, so in the shuffle, I had not been a top priority, but they are now sending me my application, etc so I can get paid. Not much, social services isn't ever a big money deal..........but it will be $400. additional a month and I'll be doing most of it from home.

I haven't seen the official job description yet, but it will be 10 hours a week, as a recruiter for foster parents here in my county. Attending local meetings, groups, etc.........speaking about foster care.... Using the computer to guide potential foster parents through the licensing process, and answering questions until they are on their own. Too easy! And fun!

I'm going to paste together an income here one way or another!!

Our baby really rushed things and arrived this morning at 3:05AM........a full month early. So far all's well, but they will be in the hospital a couple of days just to make sure.

It was an exciting day, as the baby decided he was going to be born during his parents trip to Canada for a week end away! HA, ended that in a hurry, with an ambulance and all sorts of drama.
They did make it back to the states and all the way to their hospital and Dr of choice prior to the birth. Not sure I would have done things that way.....
I must really be getting old; excitement and drama are two things I tend to steer clear of!

I'm gathering up my brain cells after a horrid week end with the autistic one. Have escaped for some R & R at my moms house........No phone, no cooking, it must be heaven.

We've got our TO DO list pretty packed again, but it is all different stuff than I would be doing at home, so it is a break.

I'm giving my mom a perm tomorrow AM. I've been doing this for her since I could barely reach the top of her head when she was sitting down. She really wanted to save some money!!!! To teach me how to do her hair ...I must have been about 6??? we figure. Anyway, it has been decades now, and I'm pretty good at it these days. I should figure out how much money she has saved over the years! Too bad she never learned how to cut my hair, now that would have been a deal.

We're off to the thrift stores again tomorrow afternoon, mom got a bunch of bargains last week end and she is anxious to try again. We're searching for some odd things to put in her new gardens...... Garden art sorts of stuff.

We're using my entertainment book and planning to go out to dinner tomorrow night... just haven't decided where yet. Then, Tuesday, we have an appt with the financial advisors at our bank, to discuss where she should/could put the procedes from the 2 lots she just sold.

If the weather cooperates, a little gardening is on the agenda too, hoping to set up a tiny water feature for her. If so, I've got my camera & will post pics. She is pretty wow-ed when it comes to seeing any of her garden on line. Too fun!

Going to continue to take total advantage of my break.....don't need to be back home and at work til Wed noon. (I do need to get a jacket cut out and basted while here....a customer is coming for a fitting right away on Thurs morning.)

I've got another sewing customer!!! I've been on the phone and have the appt set up to meet & get started on a custom riding blazer, with sequin trim no less. Too fun. ( I used to design & manufacture dance costumes, so this won't be much of a stretch!) Feel like I'm getting into familiar territory, since this customer was a referral from my first customer already. Nice. Can't beat that word of mouth advertising.

Have a customers order half done this week, need to finish tomorrow as she is picking it up (and paying for it) on Thursday.

It's been so long since I've been able to sew; either for myself & the household.....or for others professionally, that I have almost forgotten how much I love doing this! Getting very excited about building this up! One of the phone inquiries I got today was from someone in Seattle, quite a drive from my place, but she said she hadn't been able to find anyone closer. I was concerned about how far off the beaten track I am these days.....

Again, I'm grateful I have a skill that is marketable. And, for the woman I worked with decades ago at a Singer retail store in Seattle. She told me how she had earned enough money to pay her way to America from Switzerland as a young woman, all with her sewing skills. Then, she convinced me to try the same thing! I did & quit the Singer company pretty darned quick!! Loved being able to sew enough each month to pay for my bills.........and then have free time too. Looking forward to capturing that same feeling again.

Surprised myself and actually did some on line shopping today. Thought it was a no spend day, but had time to put one of those deals together so many here have talked about.

Used My Points to get books from Barnes & Noble, also paid for the memb. bit from there.........and cashed in my g/c I had redeemed from my points for B & N. Managed to find what I needed to get shipped, went just over the total necessary for free shipping and I think it is going to work. Shipping books to an incarcerated person, I can't ever ship things that aren't new, must come from the company, etc, etc. I was determined not to spend any more than I had to, and now I've got more points to redeem another g/c........so I think it is almost going to be a wash. Amazed myself that I got this accomplished. We'll see if it all goes to where it needs to go....I haven't been too successful in the past.

Down to 2 kids this evening, feels like a vacation!

Had a drop in visitor, another person who is willing to rent space from me & live on the back 40. We're meeting again tomorrow when I don't have 3 boys milling around asking me a thousand questions.

All my little ventures might add up to enough income to make this new retirement "plan" of mine work. (thank you to all of you who have given me encouragement to just keep waiting for the windows to open here)

The "plan" as it looks from here:
-have current house mate pay more than her share for the first time in decades so I'm not really paying for housing.
-new housemate paying rent starting 7/1
-monthly rent from parking boat
-1/2 the power bill paid from "Navy" person staying on the property
-monthly income from 2 part time clients here on week ends
-monthly income from antique booth
-monthly income from boarding the 4 horses
-brand new income from sewing customers (have no recent numbers from this, but I was always able to make as much as I wanted when I did it before.)

So, with all these taken into account, I'm only using the figures I know.....I'm less than $100 off what I will be giving up in income as of July 1st. Not bad. I just need to come up with a little more sophisiticated accounting system here, so I can keep track of who has paid what!!

Feeling quite positive tonight! Grateful I have a piece of property I can MAKE money from, as well as some talents I can get paid for.

And, just to put the whole thing over the top, the whopping 1 book sale a month from Half.com!!!!

I am still at my moms, taking a break from my usual routine. Did things today that are really so simple, but impossible at my house.
-Enjoyed going back to bed after getting up to walk my dog......how indulgent!!
-Sat & visited with mom over & after breakfast.......in jammies......until almost 11AM Very relaxing!
-Had my son in law come over & fix a couple things on moms PC that I couldn't get to go.....definately an operator difficulty here. (me) We got to sit & visit with SIL for hours, had him stay for lunch. No kids in sight....again, very unusual
-decided on the spur of the moment mom & I would go out to dinner. Really nice, chose a great little local diner type place....cheap & good. More relaxed visiting.

Don't want to go back home and back to work tomorrow.....whining a bit here. We had a great mothers day break; early but just as nice.

I'm off to pick up a dresser from Freecycle this AM.......it is supposed to be a "project" dresser the ad said. Just perfect for what I want. Freecycle; better than any mall in my opinion. If I was a gambler, this would be a great substitute for my vice...it is a gamble of sorts when I reply to a post; will I get it or not??? Hopefully, I can clean this piece up and haul it in to the antique booth as a display piece for my antique linen "dept". I have them scattered about now, but they look so much better sort of spilling out of drawers.

Since I have to go out for the dresser, it is automatically "errand day" also. A run through the bank and library are on the list.....and a hardware store to continue my quest for the little peg things to hold up shelves in a book shelf that somehow lots its pegs during the move. I need somewhere to store my books I have listed for sale online and the huge bookcase is still peg-less...no help at all organizing my stash.

Still need to do my customers order for this afternoon..........heading to that project right away. Usually keep things about a week, giving me time to work on them, but I'm leaving for 3 days this week, so crammed her in today. Being able to leave is such a different thing for me; haven't been able to do this for decades.

Lots on my list today; none of which gets done when I'm sitting here!!! Off to work!

I've already called in the totals for the month, so May's check could be in the mail today. Next check comes this Friday, then the rental check on the 10th. Makes me love the first of the month!!

I do need to talk with the "horse lady" here. She didn't get her money in for boarding in April, and the May payment will be due by the 12th. I am horrible with this kind of thing. Not a huge amount of money, but at this stage of things here $125 a month would handle a bill of some sort.

Happy Dancing Here.......... Just answered the phone and it was my first appointment for alterations. Tomorrow!! The ad has been in 1 month now and I've finally got someone on the calendar! Since I love to sew and it costs me no money to do this it is a definate win, win for me. I'm getting way too excited for my own good here re; this. I remember how much money I used to make sewing .......It was always my travel money, I sewed my way to quite a few other countries~

My mom told me she was planning to deposit interest from one of her investment accounts into my account monthly. Amazing gift. I will continue to visit her every other week, staying over a few days each time, so I can earn my "gift". I would do it anyway, but now it is more of an arrangement.....at least to me. She is just glad I'm no longer going to be dealing with my kiddos meltdowns and the constant on edge feeling there is here at my home.

Had a talk with 'john', the formerly homeless gentleman, sharing my new retirement status here........he told me he would start providing me with rent for his space this month too. Not confident this will actually happen, but it was a nice thougtht.

Grateful I have so much.........grateful I have so many options to make this new stage in my life work. And, grateful for so many safety nets if all my plans don't work out. Feeling pretty blessed today.

I ponder that thought and wonder what my actions would be if I truly was homeless and had to rely on my wits (if I had any left) and the kindness of strangers.

"john" makes me shake my head.

He is the carpenter who became homeless after I hired him to put up the clothesline and build a chicken coop here. Tonight, he asked if he could wash a load of laundry.........Told him the laundry room was all his.

He washed his laundry & proceded to run it all through the dryer. I don't know if I would do the same.... Would I want to dry my clothes in the descreet darkness of the dryer drum rather than hang them outside for anyone here to view? Probably. If I was homeless, I'm pretty sure my laundry would not be all lined up like my mother taught me to hang it. All the towels together, ranked by size, all the shirts hung the same direction, socks matched and hung in a row....nothing out of place, everything in good repair.

I don't think he even caught the irony of it all. I listened to the hum of the dryer, surprising myself by not turning it off to save the electricity. I'm glad I have a choice of where I can dry my clothes. I'm glad "john" has clean clothes tonight. (and dry ones.....) I'm glad I can think of other ways to save money.