So Spoiled

I've written before of how spoiled I am, like at Christmas when I got a KitchenAid Mixer and lots of accessories.  Like when I bought myself the new iPad.  I am spoiled by my parents and by myself. And I love it!

This time I am spoiled by my parents again.  At the beginning of July they called to say they were stopping by.  Now, they don't do that often so I suspected something was up.  Of course, I imagined they were coming to give me bad news.  Am I ever glad I was WRONG!  They brought this:

A BRAND NEW grill for my deck!!
Love it!  And I've used it almost every night since!

Then last week ESM calls to say she has something for me but she needs to get Dad's truck and Jakes muscles.

A Table with 4 chairs and cushions!
A good cleaning is all they needed.

I had an umbrella to use with the table but when I went to put it up, I found THIS:

so sad....

But when I bought it, I bought TWO!  They were half price and the other one had not been used!  WOOT! I just needed to get it out of the parents storage shed.

Impromptu dinner party with the parents and Jakes

I have spent a lot of last week on the deck in the chairs under the umbrella reading a book, snapping beans and stringing basil to dry.  I've also eaten most of my meals out there.  I love my outdoor space!  I am officially moved IN!

Decorations

My Best Friend Janet makes these beautiful wreaths.  She is SO crafty!  Her husband built this fabulous shop for her to use for her creations.

Here are some of her creations:

One for Fall

Halloween

She will customize just for you!

Here's one she did for me.....

its special for Autism

She got the special ribbon and even a cookie cutter in a puzzle piece!

I love it and hung it right on my front door!  

Thank you SO much Janet!

All Settled In

I think I'm all settled into the new place.  Everything is unpacked, pictures and curtains are hung.  I've had a dinner party!  Jakes comes over every weekend.

I LOVE it there.

This weekend I finally got a washer and dryer for the place.  This should be the last of what I NEEDED.  I still want to get a grill and patio table for outside.

They are HERE!!  So excited!

All in place and works great!

So if you hear of a good sale on a grill and patio table, let me know!

Tuesday Tidbits

I know, I'm not around here much.  There just isn't much going on in my life.  I'm sitting home enjoying the cozy warmth of my new place.  Got all the boxes unpacked and pictures hung.  It looks and feels like home.

Jakes is spending almost every weekend with me.  I had to tell him to stay home the weekend of the plunge and he got mad at me.  But he was over this past weekend and we enjoyed spending time together.  Jakes earned his phone back at his dad's, the report card was VERY good this marking period!  So proud of him!

We got a new kitten!  He's still hiding under my bed so I don't have pictures to share yet.  In time, he will come out and play with us.  Jaxon is very anxious to have a playmate.  He's sniffing all around my bed to find the little guy.

Jakes and I haven't decided on a name yet.  We are going to wait for his personality to come out and see if we can pick one that fits him.  He's all black with beautiful golden eyes.  He's about 6 months old and is all taken care of with shots and reproduction stuff.

Going to start shopping for a new washer and dryer set.  I hate going to the laundry mat.  Such a hassle!  Not for much longer though.....

I have lots of other things on the wish list.  Its going to be like Christmas for me!!

I am so sick of the snow we keep getting.  I mean, really?  Every other day?  and Sunday's storm was supposed to be a dusting.  Well, I measured 3 inches on my deck.  They LIED again!  

On the up side of this winter, we spring ahead on March 2nd!  Less than a month away!  I always equate spring ahead with SPRING!  I am planning my veggies and I can't wait to get my herb garden defrosted again.  I miss my fresh herbs for cooking!

Dad is hanging in there with the chemo.  Not having too many side effects and such.  The cold is really getting him, though.  Not only has he lost weight that could be insulation, one of the side effects of the chemo is a susceptibility to the cold. Dr. said he's not supposed to have ice in his drinks or be outside in the cold.  He could get frost bite VERY easily.  He's being smart about things for the most part.  He stays inside when its VERY cold, he covers up when he has to go out and he doesn't stay out for long.

That's about all on my front.....

Tuesday Tidbits

Its' snowing!  They are saying we are going to get anywhere from 5-10 inches of the white stuff.  I am going to retreat to my own little world where its 80 and sunny and there is a cute guy in the surf to watch while I read my book. 

Dad's at Chemo today.  Hopefully he will get home before the worst of the snow starts.  ESM is at work and hopefully she will get home safe and sound as well.

If you are in the projected path of this storm, I hope you are safe and sound as well.

I had my first dinner party at the new place.  My parents came over for dinner on Friday and it was a success!  Good food, good family and good laughter filled the house.  Hopefully we will have lots more of those parties.

I'm planning to invite the girls I work with over for a dipping party.  They have been so supportive of me during my time of need.  They have offered advice and listened to me flip flop on making a decision.  I'll post some pictures from that get together.

Its crazy time again!  in TWO weeks, I will be swimming in the Atlantic Ocean for the Delaware Special Olympics.  This will be my 6th year of doing it.  Neicy and I are going to spend the night before down there and do a little partying.  Its going to be a blast!  The only hicup in the plan is that neither Neicy or I have anyone who can stand on the beach and take our pictures.  But the people we team with should have someone who will take them for us. It will all work out.  I can't wait!

Singing has been on winter break since the Holiday concert.  We're supposed to start back tonight and practice for the spring concert.  I'm not holding much hope that we'll start tonight.  But I have next week to look forward to!

Time for me to gather up the grant I'm writing.  They are not going to extend the deadline for weather so I think I will still be spending my afternoon off typing.

Be safe if you are affected by this storm and the coming cold blast!

So Many Benefits

This will be the last post I make on the benefits I've seen since moving, I promise! Next week, I'll start telling you all about the good things happening in my life.

Before I moved I post a list of things I was looking forward to when I moved.  Here are some examples:

One that I am loving is not being woke up in the middle of the night.  The other day I woke up and couldn't figure out what day of the week it was.  I had slept THAT good.

Green veggies in the house has made for some very yummy dinners.

Me and Jaxon have been singing while we make dinner most nights.  I love music!

There is a benefit to moving that I didn't anticipate happening.

Jakes is spending more time with me than he was!  I've been in the new place for three weekends and he's been with me for all three weekends.  He actually spent a WHOLE weekend with me, which he hasn't done in a very long time.

This week, he's off school and is with me for those days off too!  He's spending FIVE consecutive days with me, even though I have to work!  When he asked me to come and get him, I wanted to cry tears of joy.

I am SO happy that he loves being at the new place and it shows that he does love me, even when we fight.

If there were no other reasons for moving, this one is the BEST.  Having my son with me as much as he wants is paramount to me and my mental health.

Adjustments

With the move I think Jaxon has had to make the biggest adjustment.  He doesn't have a lap to sit on all day long.  He doesn't get to go out and chase the ball several times a day.  BUT even with all the things that are changing for him, he is still the best doggie ever.

He doesn't like mornings

The first week or so, I walked him on a leash. I wanted him to know where his boundaries were and we are now living on a very busy road.  Can't have him dashing out into traffic.  He graduated to walking with me carrying the leash.  Now I can put him out for potty without even leaving my deck and he doesn't wander too far.

I've been going home at lunchtime to walk him until he gets used to being left alone during the day.  I hate to leave him for so long but it can't be helped.  Also with going home at lunchtime, I can throw the ball for him.  And he LOVES to chase it.

Jaxon does love it when Jakes comes home.

As far as adjusting to the new place, he was afraid of the boxes in the kitchen but they are gone now.  He is still figuring out how to chase the ball in the house.  There a no long hallways but lots of little places a ball can hide.  He loves trying to dig it out of the corner, its in his breed to dig.

As the weather improves and there is more daylight after work, Jaxon will get more exercise and loving.  With all that has happened in the past month, the fact that he hasn't used the house as a bathroom or chewed up the furniture makes me proud of him for his ability to be flexible.

I love my Jaxon!

Letting Go and Moving On

As I've posted in the past, I've moved. When I moved, I also severed all ties to AZ.  His lifestyle and morals are so far from mine that there was no middle ground to meet on.  There was no respect for each other, and there certainly wasn't love in the relationship.

But I am still MAD as HELL at him for putting me through all that he did while we were sharing the house and for making me have to move and change my life.  I am so mad that I want Karma to come down and give him what I consider "Just Desserts".

I want his life to crash and hit bottom like mine did.  Its only fair, right?

There are so many things that he is doing that are illegal and immoral and all it would take is a couple of phone calls on my part to cause trouble for him.  But is he worth it?  Nope.

If I cause trouble, that opens me up to Karma b*tch-slapp me in the future.  I am trying to remind myself that what comes around, goes around and he will get his come-up-ance in time.  I just am having a hard time leaving it up to the universe.

But its just so hard to let go of that anger that I have at him.  Its not keeping me from living my life, but whenever I have down-time, my mind wanders to revenge and being pissed at him (and myself) for the way I was living my life for so long.

Things take time and even if the relationship sucked BIG time, its still the death of a relationship and I am allowed to grieve for it.  I am grieving for what I thought I was going to get when he moved back here from AZ and wanted to be a couple.  I am grieving for the man who is wasting his life in a stupor because he is afraid to face life sober.

I am grieving for all the time I spent trying to make "it work". 

I am trying to tell myself to move on, to let it go and live the life I am meant to live.  I am unpacking, hanging pictures, enjoying time with my son and friends and parents.  I am finding and loving ME again.

I am trying to move one.  One Day At A Time.

Friends Who Are Nominated for SaintHood

I've been friends with Janet and Phil since High School, when they were together in high school and I have been friends with them separately as well.  Janet did my hair for my wedding.  Phil was good friends with my ex.  There was a time when I lost contact with both of them, but as with true friends, when you come back together its like you've never been apart.

Phil and Janet

Janet and I have gotten closer since I've moved to the same town where she's lived.  We've made yummy chocolate and caramel snacks together, tried new cider vodka drinks, and of course went shopping together at Christmas time.  She and Phil have jet ski's that we've taken out on the river this summer.  

When it came time for me to move to a second floor apartment, I knew I would need strong helpers. Janet's son is 23 and has lots of strong friends.  Janet volunteered Jason to help me.  Don't ya love how that happens?

Janet and Phil also have a truck, trailer and van!  Janet volunteered to bring the truck, trailer and van to help along with my Daddy's truck and trailer.  Janet also volunteered Phil's help.  giggle.

Phil and Me on New Years Eve

On Saturday, we all showed up at the house to start loading my stuff.  The original plan was to get most of the stuff and leave the heavy lifting for Jason and his friends on Sunday.  But since the weather was looking like crap (up to an inch of rain), Phil decided to see how much we could get done on Saturday.

Phil and Jakes teamed up for the heavier lifting and moving of furniture while Janet and I focused on boxes and packing anything that was left.  By 1:30, we had the house emptied and all the vehicles full.  Anything that didn't fit in the vehicles this trip was left on the back deck at the house until we could empty the vehicles and come back.

After lunch, we headed back to the house for the final stuff.  Jakes and Phil muscled my fridge up the steps, along with everything else.  They really made a good team, Jakes and Phil.

Janet and me New Years Eve

When we finished unloading the second time, Jakes had to go home so Phil and Janet helped me to set up Jakes bed and put the doors on the fridge.  They finally left around 6:30 to head home.  

It was a long day and I love them for all their help!  They did so much more than I expected.  I hereby nominate them for SaintHood for going above and beyond the call of duty!

I love you guys and ANYTIME you need ANYTHING, I'm there!

The New Place

I am in the New Place and I love it.  The Holiday Season wasn't very relaxing for me but there were things to be done.  I had to get out of the house with AZ.

The police are watching the house and I cannot afford to be caught up in their illegal doings.

Jakes, Jaxon and I spent Christmas at my parents house and they loved having us.  It was lovely to be in a place where I didn't have to worry about my stuff being stolen or my privacy being invaded.  I didn't have to worry that the police would be breaking down the door to arrest whoever was in the house.  Jakes didn't have to share the bedroom with a 45 year old man, who was drunk all the time.

Yes, things at the house are THAT bad. But I am gone from there and am moving on.

The weekend before Christmas, Neicy and I went into the new place and painted all the walls and ceilings.  I love Neicy!  All I had to do was say, "let's paint" and she was there.  She lifted a 5 gallon can of paint off the counter and pulled a muscle in her back.  She still painted with me though.  We finished up the walls and ceiling on Sunday and I went back to paint the trim on Monday.  I did a little bit of stuff at the new place on Tuesday but tried to relax until it was time to get Jakes for Christmas.

We celebrated Christmas and I didn't go to the new place AT ALL on Christmas day.  Thursday, Jakes cleaned the carpets and I cleaned the kitchen and bathroom in the new place.  The landlord finished up everything necessary for the CO inspection.

Here are some pictures of the new place before I moved in.

My deck.  I'm getting a table and chairs to put my umbrella up. Its going to be a wonderful place for dinner and sunsets.

The Kitchen.  Its a good size and very functional.

Bathroom.  I love the shelves in the shower! I've filled them already. :)

The Living Room is also a good size.  I'm still experimenting with how to position the furniture.

My Bedroom.  I love the windows!

That's the new place!  There are still boxes every where and I have some projects that need to be done.  Tonight I will be finding Jakes's bed so he can sleep in it this weekend.

Tomorrow's post: Friends Who Are Nominated for Sainthood!

Looking Forward to the New Year

I am moving right after Christmas.  If all goes well, I will be ringing in the new year in my new place.  While I am resigned to moving, I am still scared and worried about how to make this work on my own again.  I know can do it, its just in my DNA to worry over things.

Its going to be just me and the dog, with Jakes on the weekends.

Things I am looking forward to:

Being able to sit in the living room and watch TV without having to listen to people snore.

Being able to walk from the bedroom to the bathroom in the middle of the night without having to fully dress

Being able to cook spicier food.

Being able to have green veggies in the house.

Being able to have fruits in the house.

Being able to sing and play my music whenever I want.

Being able to sleep through the night because stupid people won't be walking into the bedroom at 2:30 am for their fix.

Being able to have friends over without being embarrassed by someone passed out on the couch.

Coming home at lunchtime to see my puppy. (The new place is closer to work!)

Not having to pick up after everyone in the house, just me and the dog.

Not having to worry that someone will overdose during the night.

Not having to worry that someone will wreck their vehicle when they are driving under the influence.

Not have to worry that the gas stove is turned off when someone is done with it in the middle of the night.

There are so many reasons to be happy with this move. Just getting through the stress of the next couple of days is going to be hard.  I have made plans so that I won't have to spend much time at the house until its time for me to show up with a truck to cart my boxes out the front door.

Its Time to Quit

As you might have noticed, I haven't written too much about things in my household.  Mainly because things between me and AZ haven't been going well at all.  Yes, there have been pockets of good, like date night to see Catching Fire.

In October, I was ready to leave and start life anew.  AZ talked me into staying, saying things could and would be different. And they were.  For about a week.  And then he went back to the Drs and got his prescriptions renewed.  He promptly started using again.

 For two weeks, I had the man I care about, then man I can talk to and enjoy hanging out with. Only for two weeks.  Then for Thanksgiving he was stoned on his medications, again.  The only reason he didn't face-plant in his food is because I kicked him under the table.

So, its time to leave.  I am not changing my mind, I am not going back on my word this time.  I am leaving and not looking back.  I have found a place and will be moving in after Christmas.

I will be starting a new life in the new year.

The New Neighborhood

I'm a country girl. Always have been and always will be at heart. Growing up, we had a garden, a pool and lots of land around us.  We didn't even have our own police department! 

At the compound there was a river out front and a marsh out back; houses on either side. We knew all the neighbors and they knew us. They usually knew our news before we did.  A close knit place.

AZ and I decided to move, get OUR place and start our life together.  We moved to what I consider "City."  It is considered a city within the county but its not a city like Philly or NYC.  We are surrounded by houses; in front, behind, side to side.  That's different for me.  There are streets with stop signs.  We are 5 minutes from most stores.  I can run for eggs in 10 minutes flat!

Our House
Jaxon LOVES the bay window

We haven't met our neighbors yet, just a wave here and there.  On either side of us live police officers.  That can come in handy with two teenage boys!  HA

We are about a half a block from the River still.  Jax and I love walking up there to check things out.  There's lots of new things for him to sniff.

The view.  We are closer to the Bridge leading out of the state

The View looking toward the Compound.
Can't see it but its that way.

I am adjusting to living in the city. I do like the closeness of the stores and especially Redbox!

Checking in

Yes we were among the thousands of people on the east coast that got it by that amazingly powerful line of storms that blew through on Friday. We finally got power back last night. I'm very grateful to have it and pray that those who are still without get it back quickly. I'm sure the power crews are working hard to fix everything.

AZ is my hero. He and jakes worked hard about the compound to make sure everyone had water for flushing (river water works great!) and fridges hooked to generators. But by Saturday evening it was clear we weren't getting power back that night. We both needed showers and were hot and tired from being up most of the night before so we packed bags, Jakes and Jaxon and got a hotel room. That shower felt heavenly!

Sunday we came home to see what was going on around here. Dad had the RV running on generator and it was nice and cool in there. After going to get water for drinking and washing, AZ headed out in search of a generator for the well pump and maybe our AC unit. He found one!! Once he had it all hooked up and running, the power came back on. HA! Perfect timing!!!

Our theory is that if he hadn't hooked it up, we would still be without power. Besides, AZ's heart was in the right place!

For those without power still, be safe and cool and I am saying a prayer for quick restoration.

We got the keys to the new house today so I will be very busy in the next couple of weeks and don't know how much posting and reading I will be doing! I will be back! I'm just out living life outside the screen!