Author: Kay Krause

Hard to believe it is September already.  This summer went by fast.  Forecast shows rainy days ahead all week.  I welcome every drop of rain that comes my way.

I went into Prairie Past Times last night for Emma Chase Music night.  It was songwriters night so all the performers did their own original music.  My two favorite musicians were there and performed.  I tried to keep drool off my face when one of them sang.  He is so good – and cute!

The guest that has been here the last two weeks checked out this morning.  She said she felt like she was moving out of her home.  She thanked me for making her feel like family.  She is headed to OK to spend four weeks at another Airbnb.  She was a delightful guest – one that I will miss.

I have two more guests checking in later this afternoon.  I have the bedroom and bathroom cleaned and am washing sheets and towels.  Hopefully everything will be dry and put away before the next guests arrive.

Alarm bells are ringing in my head with my Match guy from CO.  Not big things but enough that I am hearing them ring.  Not sure on-line dating is for me.  How ever do you know if they are the real thing or not?  I don’t think I will even attempt to start a conversation with someone so far away again.  I need to see them face-to-face so I know if they are for real and who they are saying they are.  I’ll let this play out for a bit longer and see what happens but I have my guard up and my blinders off.

Maybe this whole exercise with on-line dating was to give me a chance to see if I am really ready for a new relationship.  I think I am but then I find myself pulling back and thinking maybe not.  Getting in a conversation with someone so far away was “safe” in many ways as the chances of us having much face-to-face time is limited.  It has been good practice!

I keep reminding myself my job is to take baby steps and not to worry about how a relationship will come to me.  I do have to show up and take action to make it happen though.

Have another quiet week next week.  Thursday I am going to Topeka to a KCC hearing on fracking.  Several friends of mine have been very active in uncovering some misdoings by the KCC and wanted a large crowd in attendance when a ruling is announced Thursday afternoon.  I was free that day so decided to ride along with them.  If nothing else I will get to spend the day with some friends and enjoy some good conversation.  Not sure I see myself as a political activist but all sorts of possibilities are coming into my life right now.

May try to get to KC Tuesday to do some shopping.  Later in the week I may be working on the Newsletter for Pioneer Bluffs if the printer gets it completed.  I am volunteering at an event at Pioneer Bluffs most of Saturday.  If I don’t make it to KC Tuesday I have most of the next week free too.  Nice to have lots of empty space on my calendar right now.

When I went to Walmart yesterday I found some Levi jeans for $20 a pair.  I tried them on and a size 2 fit – they are tight but wearable.  I still don’t see myself as that small.  I think companies must be making clothes bigger than they used to.  I have never been a size 2 before.  What size do skinny girls wear and where do they find them?

Learned something about myself last night.  I found another habit pattern that I need to give some attention to so I can break the range open on it.  I tend to isolate myself when I am feeling down and that shuts other people out.  Not sure that is always the best choice for me to act that way.  Now that I am more aware I am doing that I am now in a position to make a choice how I react and not allow my unconscious self run that pattern.  Love when I break another range open.

Life is a journey of self-discovery.  I now enjoy finding hidden patterns I run.  Once I uncover them my work is done.  I won’t keep running them unconsciously once I am aware of them.  I give them a little attention and when that situation repeats I then get to make a choice how to react.  Sometimes  reacting in the old habitual way is the best choice – but it only works when it is a choice and not a blind habit.

Grateful for the opportunity to learn more about myself through gentle life lessons, grateful for the guests that come to stay and the friendships that develop as a bonus, and grateful for my mentors that have taught me how to manage my life from a higher vibration and with a wider range of choices to play with.

 

Dinner was a success last night.  Three of the four guests had never had bierrock before.  They liked it!  The one that has had it before put salsa on it – I hadn’t seen anyone do that before.  Fixed a fruit salad to go with it so it was an easy meal.  Had some bierrock left over.  I froze 16 of them and one of the guys took the rest with him for his lunch today.

Have one bedroom flipped and cleaned this morning.  My guests made it easy for me as they stripped the bed and put the sheets in the washer for me this morning.  Sheets are washing from the other bedroom.  Still need to clean the second bedroom and the two bathrooms. Got my bedroom closet cleaned this morning.  Found lots of dirt in it.

Need to run into town this afternoon and get some groceries for the weekend.  I have two new guests coming in tomorrow afternoon and not sure I can get away while they are here.  They will be here until Monday morning and then my guys come back Monday evening.

Kathy got home safely.  It is nice to see her.  She had an amazing experience in Kentucky and is looking forward to moving the end of September.

I hit goal weight this morning!  It took me 202 days to release 41 pounds.  I still want to take three more pounds off so I have some wiggle room as my goal weight is the weight I never want to go over again.  I weigh now what I did when I got pregnant with Jason 43 years ago.

Now I get to start adding in more food to slow down and stop the weight loss.  Not sure what to add in as I don’t eat grains.  Sweet potatoes count as a grain so maybe I will add a sweet potato to my dinner each night.  I have already added some protein to breakfast and lunch.  Somedays I can’t eat all I am supposed to be eating.

I went down to clean out the chicken coop this morning but it was too windy.  I didn’t want to fight to keep the doors open so I could clean it out. The straw would have blown out of the wheel barrow faster than I could put it in it this morning.  It is to be nice and cool next week so I will wait for a day when the wind isn’t so strong and do it then.

Starting to make a list of things I need to get for my Australia trip.  It will be summer there.  The trail pants I bought to take to Spain no longer fit.  My swim suit no longer fits and I need to get a new one to take before they are not to be found in the stores.  I will need to go to KC in the next week or so and do some shopping.  I also need to get some sweaters and hoodies for the fall.  The winter coat I ordered fit so I am good to go there.

Becoming more and more aware of a shift that has happened internally again.  Not sure if I can find words to describe it though.  As I slowly step into accepting my right sized body I can feel the additional self-confidence it is bringing me.  Life seems to be lots more fun right now.  I am remembering to take time to play.  My guests are treating me so nicely and I have released the control of my kitchen to them.  That gives me more space to play.

Grateful to have hit goal weight (at least the upper limit of it), grateful for the internal shift that has happened again, and grateful for the fun that is finding its way to me.

 

I am fixing bierrock for dinner tonight.  One of my guests and I were talking about it last week and I decided to make it today.  The house smells really good right now.  Almost time to roll out the dough and stuff it.  I’ll eat the stuffing part but not the bread part.

Had lunch with a match from Match.com.  It was a fun two-hour lunch but there was no romantic spark for me.  He is a nice man and having some interesting awakening experiences.  Feel like I have a new friend though.  Can never have too many friends.

Haven’t heard from one of the guys that was sending me text messages everyday.  Not sure what happened but it is OK as I don’t think that relationship was going to go anywhere.  He didn’t seem to want to go very deep.

The other guy and I are still emailing, texting and talking on the phone.  I’m still interested in learning more about him.  Wish he didn’t live so far away.

One of my guys got called out to work storm damage in KC.  He worked for 20 hours, slept over in KC last night and then came back.  He is taking a nap this afternoon.

Nothing on my calendar for tomorrow except for flipping two rooms.  Have two more new guests coming in Saturday for two nights.  I’ll have three rooms full all week next week.

When I got the estimate for replacing the garage door I was very grateful for the income the Airbnb is providing.  It will take two months of Airbnb income to pay for the doors.  Grateful I don’t have to dip into saving to pay for them.  I checked with my insurance company this morning and my deductible is higher than the cost of the doors so no need to file a claim.

Grateful for meeting a new friend, grateful my guest returned safely home after working on storm damage, and grateful I have the extra income that takes care of unexpected household repairs.

Discovered one of my garage doors was damaged in the storm yesterday morning.  Not sure if it can be repaired or if it will need to be replaced.  Several of the rollers on the sides of it were pulled out and it is bowed out.  That was some wind that came through.  The garage door people are to come out either today or tomorrow to take a look at it and see what needs to be done.

Went into Emporia this morning to get groceries.  Glad to have that chore done.  I do not like grocery shopping or going into town.  Much prefer to stay home and enjoy the peace and quiet on the prairie.

One of my guests checked out this morning.   She will be back next Tuesday and stay until Friday morning.  I have the sheets in the washer and will need to get down and clean the room sometime today.  The other four guests are still here.  Three check out Friday morning and the last one Saturday morning.  Saturday afternoon two more guests check in for two nights.  Then my long-termers start coming back Monday evening and Tuesday evening.

Kathy will be back either Thursday evening or sometime Friday.  Sounds like she will get the job she wanted so will be moving out the end of September.

I will need to find someone to take care of the house while I am in Australia in November.  They will need to wash towels and clean the kitchen mid-week and then on the weekends strip all the beds, wash the sheets and towels, remake the beds plus clean the bedrooms and kitchen and feed and water the critters.  Anyone know of anyone that would be willing to do this?  Pay is negotiable.  Someone would certainly be welcome to stay at the house the whole time I am gone.  The guys said they would do the chicken, cat and dog chores for me during the week.  I will be gone November 2 – 19.

Still haven’t gotten back to doing any embroidery work.  These last two sets have been sitting around for a long time now.  Not sure why I can’t pick it back up.  Not very fond of either of the patterns I am working on.  I won’t let myself stamp a new one though until I power through these two and get them done.  Guess it doesn’t hurt anything that they are just sitting and waiting for me.  Kinda like dust – it doesn’t go anywhere and seems to wait for me to get to it.

Nothing else much on my calendar for the day except for cleaning.  That seems to be a permanent fixture on my schedule these days.  Today I don’t have a deadline to get the cleaning done so it will be easy to not get it done.  Glad I got my mowing done yesterday before the storm blew in.  I prefer not to procrastinate these days if I can make myself stay focused enough not to.  I sit and do nothing better when I know my chores are done for the day.

With the house full I am finding it easy to isolate myself again.  I have guests to visit with during the evenings so it is easy to stay home all day and not be around other people.  I enjoy the guests that I have right now and enjoy visiting with them.  Maybe that is enough social interaction for me right now.

Life seems light and easy right now.  It is fun talking or texting to the two guys each day.  Nice to start my day off with good morning texts from each of them.  They usually wish me a good night each night too.  Had a phone call from one of them this morning.  It is nice to make contact with someone else and take a few minutes and enjoy the company of each other.  I didn’t realize how much I had missed that.

My Note From the Universe this morning reminded me to stay focused on my long-term intention and not get caught up in how it is going to happen.  It was a nice reminder to myself this morning. If all of this is meant to help me find a life-long partner it will happen – how it happens I don’t have to worry about.  I just need to show up and take a baby step everyday.

Grateful for quiet and peaceful days at home, grateful for all the guests that come stay with me, and grateful for the fun and ease I am finding in my life right now.

After a not so good night’s sleep it has been a productive day.  I was up and showered before 7:00 this morning so I got the rest of my mowing done by 8:30 this morning.  Got the dining room and kitchen floors mopped.  It had been a bit since I had cleaned them more than a lick and promise.  Have a load of dishes going and a load of laundry running.  Not bad for it not even being 11:00 yet.

We had a nice little thunderstorm blow through this morning.  It was coming in as I was finishing mowing.  The birds started acted differently and I checked the clouds and saw it coming in.  It was sprinkling on my way up from putting the mower in the barn.  We must have gotten 60 – 70 mph winds as the swings were a rocking and rolling during the height of the storm.  For a short bit I couldn’t see the swings as it was raining so hard.  Have .7 in the rain gauge and water standing in the holes in the back yard.  I appreciate every drop!  Got some small hail for a minute or two.  Thankfully it was too small to do any damage.  The skies are bright blue now and the sun has returned.

Sure feeling like it is going to be a nap day.  I didn’t get much sleep last night.  Not unusual for me after getting a lot of sleep the night before.  Have a touch of a headache and am tired today.  I’m surprised I was able to get some stuff done anyways.

Need to run into town either today or tomorrow and pick up a few groceries.  The guest fruit bowl is getting low and I don’t have any more fruit on hand to put in it.  With five guests in the house the fruit disappears quickly.

The Vo-Tech student that started staying with me this week has two friends that are also interested in staying here.  If they decide to stay here too I will have five guests Monday through Friday every week.  If they stay I will block off the weekends and not mess with weekend guests.  I sure like the long-term people – it makes it much easier for me.

One of my disc golf buddies is coming back with two of his friends the weekend of the 14th of September.  It is always fun to see him.  He is an easy guest and fun to talk to.

Have some more housecleaning I want to get done today while I am in the mood to do so.  I’ll see if the mood laststo get me through it.  I also have a couple of phone calls to make if I find the energy to do so.  May have hit my limit of productivity for the day.

One of my guests put a pot roast in the crock pot this morning so they could have it for dinner tonight.  The smell of it is making me hungry today!  I keep looking at the clock to see if it is lunch time yet.  May run to town to get away from the smell.

Managed to get the pictures Nicole took loaded on to the Airbnb site.  While doing so I found the file I couldn’t find of the pictures from the Camino my friends from CA had given me.  I sat for a while last night and looked at those.  Oh what wonderful memories it brought back.

Grateful for a productive day, grateful for more rain on the prairie, and grateful for a full house of guests.

 

 

Sleep!  Glorious sleep.  I slept like a normal person last night.  Fell asleep around 9:30 and slept straight through until 4:30.  Woke up and went to the bathroom and was able to go right back to sleep.  Slept until 7:30 this morning.  Wow!  Can’t remember the last time I got that much sleep.  May it be the start of a new trend.  I think I could like night-time again if this happened more often.

I remembered to do chores this morning.  Kathy is gone for the week so the chores are on me.  Thought about setting an alarm on my phone to remind myself to do them.

Got the push mowing done last night.  I needed to get outside and move my body.  I am going out to do the riding mowing in a bit.  I need to go get some more gas so I will have enough to finish the job.  Only the first refill of my gas cans all summer.

I have officially lost 40 pounds since I started Bright Line Eating almost 200 days ago.   One more pound to go and I will hit the top range of my goal weight!  60 pounds down from where I was over a year ago.  Now the real work begins which is keeping it off.  I certainly am more comfortable being in a right sized body this time.  When I lost weight before I wasn’t.  Maybe that will help me keep it off this time.  The weight I shed feels like is was old baggage and the real me has been uncovered.

Still playing the on-line dating game.  I have regular contact via phone or text with two different guys going on.  Not thinking either of them are “the” one but it is fun to practice flirting.  One doesn’t like to go very deep but he is the one I am just texting.  The other lives in CO so it will be a challenge to develop a relationship with just through emails and texts.  He lived in Denmark as a child and English is his second language.  Sometimes I struggle to understand what he is saying which makes communication a bit of a challenge over the phone.  It is fun to laugh with him though.

I never dated much as a girl growing up and haven’t had much experience with it since.  On-line adds another dimension to it – are they really who they say they are?  Thinking the rules have changed since I was in High School an am not sure what they are.  Maybe my memory of those days long gone is not reliable either though.  Kinda fun to open myself to this possibility and see where it takes me.  May still end up alone but that is OK too.  I kinda like spending time with myself now.

Nothing much on my calendar for this week.  I will have five guests for the next two nights and then four through Friday morning.  Saturday one leaves and two others come in.  I’ll have three next week Tuesday through Friday morning.  I like having a full house of guests!

My three guests and I watched the full moon rise last night.  There were a bit of clouds on the horizon so didn’t get to see it come up but shortly after it was up we saw it rise higher and higher into the night sky.  It was a big and bright orange ball of light.  I watched it for over 30 minutes.  Maybe that is why I was able to sleep really good last night.  I will set an alarm on my phone so I can remember to watch it again tonight if the clouds stay away.

Wind warnings are back up for the rest of the day.  Most of the ten-day forecast calls for temperatures in the mid 80’s with some scattered chances of rain thrown in.  Much prefer the 80’s over the 90’s.  Fall is coming!  I smelled it in the air yesterday.  One of my favorite times of the year.

One of these mornings when I get up early and it is cooler out I will need to clean out the chicken coop.  I try to remember to get it done monthly through the summer.  When really cold weather hits I add fresh straw monthly but leave the old stuff in there.  That helps keep the chickens warmer in the winter.  Need to check to make sure I have enough straw to get through the winter months.  Won’t be long before I will need to hook up the heat lamp so there water doesn’t freeze.  Winter will be here before I am ready for it.

Nicole took some pictures of the house for me to add-on to my Airbnb site.  I tried yesterday and the pictures failed to load for some reason.  I was too tired to figure out what happened.  If I remember I will try again today and see what I need to do to fix it.  Some days I don’t have patience for technology and yesterday was one of those days.  Maybe today – maybe not though!

Sitting in my peaceful valley this morning.  Enjoying the peace and quiet of the house after the busy weekend.  The guest that is home today is quietly working downstairs and I won’t see much of her today.  The others are at work and won’t be back until early evening.  Good day to recharge my soul and enjoy the beauty around me.

Grateful for 40 pounds released in 200 days, grateful for living in a place that gives me a wonderful view of the sunsets and moon risings, and grateful for the many possibilities life has to offer me.

We had a delightful dinner last night.  I managed not to have a failure with anything I fixed to eat.  Everyone seemed to have a good time and most went home with leftovers.  I am still not used to cooking without taste testing things.  I didn’t try the dressing or gravy – it was eaten and people wanted leftovers so it must have been OK.

The two grandkids spent the night.  We played musical bed all night last night.  Tagen fell asleep easily but Ellexia had trouble falling asleep.  I laid down with her in my queen bed where Tagen was sleeping.  She finally fell asleep so I moved to the couch.  Thirty minutes later she comes out and joins me on the couch.

We moved back to the bed.  Rinse and repeat twice more!  She finally stayed in the bed and I got an hour or two of sleep on the couch.  Tagen fell out of bed at some point during the night.  He got up and got back in bed and went right back to sleep.  He doesn’t remember falling out of bed.  Both kiddos were up around 8:00.

I fixed breakfast for them and they played until Tim and Michelle came to get them after noon.  They ate several snacks after breakfast.  Tagen now weighs more than I do and is as tall as I am.  He is in a huge growth spurt.

Nicole left around 11:00 this morning to return home.  It was fun having her home for the night.  She likes to read on her trips so I sent home three paper grocery sacks full of books I had read.  I buy them at the library book sale twice a year for $5 a bag.  Nice to find someone to pass them on to.  I usually return them to the library so they can resale them.

I have done three loads of dishes today and three loads of laundry.  I got two beds stripped, washed and remade today.  The house is ready for my long-term boarders to return tonight and tomorrow.  Think I will do nothing the rest of the day.

It is nice to sit in the peace and quiet of my house this afternoon.  I love having the grandkids come play but I love when they go home too!  I tried to take a nap and coudln’t fall asleep.  It may be an early bedtime for me tonight.

Kathy left for Kentucky late morning this morning.  She won’t be home until Friday.  I will have to remember to do morning chores while she is gone.  She has spoiled me and takes care of them most mornings.

I forgot to eat lunch today until 3:00.  I only ate because I felt I should.  I couldn’t eat all of my salad.  That is rare for me.  I did eat some bacon this morning so maybe it filled me up and I didn’t need more.  I rarely cheat but indulged this morning and had three slices.  I love oven cooked bacon and rarely fix it.

Have been thinking about all the changes my family has had happen over the last several years.  Guess the only thing constant in life is change.  Sure is easier to accept change than to be in resistance to it.  Something tells me more change is coming!

Grateful the dinner went well and all the food I fixed turned out OK, grateful all the family was able to be together for a meal, and grateful for the peace and quiet of my house this afternoon and for a rare afternoon I get to be alone in the house.

Got up early and went into town to watch Tagen run in a practice cross-country meet.  Kathy rode along with me.  It was fun to watch the kids run and I love how they clapped for each other as others behind them crossed the finish line.  That is some good coaching!

Went into Cottonwood Falls for a bit last night to listen to the jam session.  There was a visitor there from CA that sang Mr. Bojangles and did a great job.  Last night was classic rock and roll and I knew most of the songs.  So fun to watch people who have a passion for what they do perform.

On Match.com my Pick of the Day is a 66 year-old guy that is married but his wife has medical issues and he is looking for someone just for sex.  A date with him has to be at the woman’s house though and he will not take you out or acknowledge you in public.  Supposedly he has his wife’s permission to do this.  Didn’t have to think about that one before I clicked the No button.  I looked for the Hell No button but they don’t have one.  Guess you have to give him points for honesty.

Put the turkey in the oven for our family dinner tonight.  I have the bread broken for the dressing and the vegetables chopped up for the roasted veggies I am fixing.  I still need to peel and cook the potatoes and get them mashed.  Then all that will be left to make is gravy and a fruit salad.

Got the guest bed refreshed this morning.  Still have one more bed to make up after the sheets are done drying and then the house is ready for my guests coming back tomorrow and Monday.  I will have a full house Monday through Friday again this week.  Love when that happens.

It is kinda hot to have the oven going all day.  When I decided to roast a turkey is was nice and cool outside.  Turkey and dressing sounds a bit heavy for a hot day but that is what I am serving anyways.  Too late to change the menu now.

Trying to talk myself into doing some more housecleaning but haven’t done as much as I had planned to do.  Guess I still have several hours before everyone comes so may get some more done.  Got the guest rooms cleaned and ran out of steam.  I do need to get my bathroom cleaned but everything else is optional.  Somehow dust seems to wait for me.

The moon was beautiful last night.  It will be full Sunday night.  I got up during the night and didn’t have to turn any lights on it was so bright inside.  I alway miss it when it is in the new phase.  Star gazing is better when the moon is on the other side of the world but I love looking at the moon.

Got asked to send a selfie to a guy.  That is like asking me to have a root canal without pain medication.  Not sure if I will find the courage to do so or not.  Talk about pushing me outside my comfort level!  I like breaking my ranges open but am not sure I am ready for that one yet.

Excited to see all the kids tonight.  It does a mother’s heart good to have all her kids come home at the same time.

Grateful for coaches that teach kids to support each other, grateful for people who share their talents with others, and grateful my kids are all coming home today.

 

Had a delightful, deep conversation with two of my guests last night.  I love when that happens.  We talked about life, death and everything in between.

Went into Emporia this morning to get chicken feed, dog food and water softener salt.  When I was getting the flat cart a worker from Bluestem came over and ask if he could help me.  He loaded all eight 50 pound bags onto the flat cart for me, pushed it to the check-out and then loaded my car.  It was an easy shopping trip for me.  I even found a pair of Levi jeans on sale for $7.00.

I am going to Pioneer Bluffs for a board meeting this afternoon.  Counting down my last few meetings as I go off the board in December.  Being on a board is just not my thing.

The rooster seems to do being OK today.  He is walking around and crowing loudly.  I found him upside down hanging off the fence last night.  He had gotten his talons stuck in the fence.  After I got him loose he was limping around and shaking his head.  Hard to know how long he had been trapped.  Wonder how he got in that position to start with.  Wished I had my phone with me to have taken his picture.  I thought he was dead when I first saw him.

Am flipping two bedrooms today.  Have the third load of laundry going.  Don’t think I will get the rooms cleaned before I have to leave for the board meeting.  I have all day tomorrow to finish one of them and won’t need the other one until Sunday evening.

My other guest is out and about today.  She took a vacation day and was going to go take a long hike at the Preserve this morning.

My baby brother called today.  He was at the gas station in Lebo and one of my linemen was there too.  They had traveled to several out-of-state jobs together fixing power outages.  It is a small world!

Need to get chicken chores done before I leave for the afternoon.  Best get at it as it is almost time to leave.

Grateful for my wonderful guests that are willing to engage in deep conversations, grateful for helpers at Bluestem that make buying 400 pounds of feed and salt easy, and grateful my rooster appears to have survived getting stuck in the fence – oh if he only knew about Operation Rooster!

Another 1 1/4 inch in the rain gauge.  The prairie is much happier with the rain it has received lately.  Another chance this evening and then mid-week next week.  We will take every drop we can get.

I was up off and on all night checking radar to make sure I didn’t need to get my guests into the hidey hole room for safety.  We got a bit of wind once in a while but nothing more severe than that.

Went into Emporia around noon and got groceries for the dinner I am fixing Saturday evening.  The grocery store was out of Fanestil bacon so I stopped at the Fanestil Market and got a 10 pound box for $29.00 as it was on sale today.  I divided it into 10 zip lock bags and stuck it in the freezer.  If I remember I will send a package home with each of the kids this weekend as I don’t need that much bacon.  My long-term boarders like bacon so I will let them have some of it too.

My two linemen came home mid-morning as their work got rained out.  They each took a nap and when I got home from the grocery store they were gone.  They had told me they had some errands to run – probably a trip to Bluestem.  They both love that store.

My neighbor has eggs for sale and I am going to run over and get some from her.  My chickens can’t keep up with the demand around here.  The two guys ate nine eggs for breakfast this morning.  I am completely out of eggs.

One of the guys gave Kathy and I and my other guest each a headlamp as a gift last night.  Those are the handiest things to have around.  I like to use them when I do my chicken chores, especially in the winter time.  Not sure why he did that but I appreciate it.

Tomorrow I will have two bedrooms to clean.  Luckily I don’t have guests coming in this weekend so no rush to get the rooms clean.  My other guest will be here for another week.  I do have at least two guests coming in Labor Day Weekend and possibility another one.

Feeling much more grounded and centered today.   The restlessness I was feeling yesterday is gone.  Today has been a productive day for me so far. I did my house-keeping chores this morning and am finishing up the laundry I needed to get done.  Groceries are bought and put away.  Need to get some thank-you notes written today but other than that my to-do list is complete for the day.

Looking forward to the weekend and having all the kids home for a meal.  We don’t do that often enough. Guess I should consider doing some extra house cleaning so the house will be cleaned for the kids.  I forget to clean for them!

Grateful for more rain falling on the prairie, grateful for neighbors that have extra eggs, and grateful for a productive day where I can get done whatever needs to be done easily.

What a wonderful birthday I had yesterday.   One of my long-term boarders sent me a bouquet of flowers.  We had a delightful dinner last night and two of my Airbnb guests did the dishes for me.  They are treating me very nicely!  I couldn’t have picked better guests.

Next week a third long-term boarder will start staying.  This one is a student at the Vo-Tech in Emporia.  She lives in Overland Park.  She is in a two-year program so she may be here for a bit.  That will give me a full house Monday through Friday every week.  Sure feels nice to fill the house up and make use of this space.  It won’t feel so lonely when Kathy moves to KY.

I have left open Friday through Sunday nights on the Airbnb calendar but may go ahead and take those off.  It is so much easier having long-term guests and not having to flip rooms so much.  I’ll see how it goes and decide what I want to do.  I may need my weekends free to get a break from having guests all the time.  Good news is all three will be gone during the day so I will have plenty of empty space then.  I enjoy their company in the evenings.

Am having conversations with four different men from Match.com.  Three live fairly close and the other in CO.  It is fun to get to know new people.  Not sure where any of this is going but reminding myself to stay present to what is and not have any expectations of the future.  If nothing else it is good practice for me.  The one from CO called me this morning and we talked for about 30 minutes.  Still in the small talk phase but touching on deeper subjects occasionally.  So far we are like-minded people.  He has to come to KC for a business project the end of September so the possibility of meeting him in person is there.  We’ll see if we are still talking by then!

Feeling as restless as a cat on a hot tin roof today.  Trying to think of some place to go or someone to go visit.  Having trouble settling and being today.  Knowing what I need to do is just sit with the restlessness and see what it has to tell me.

I was very aware yesterday of a shift that I have done internally again.  Not sure how to name it or even describe it.  The dinner last night was the easiest dinner I have ever fixed.  I allowed my guests to do the dishes and it felt like a gift from them to me.  I couldn’t before have accepted it as such.  I feel more open to receive and am very aware of the flow of life in a new way.  I felt so very blessed and loved yesterday from all the ways people recognized my birthday.  Each expression and well-wisher touched my heart deeply.

Maybe I am experiencing a wider range with restlessness on one end and deep abiding happiness on the other?  Something has shifted and I feel more wide open and more restless at the same time!  I’m sure it will settle soon.  This pattern feels familiar in a way.  I am stepping out of my comfort level and opening myself up.  That has to feel different – right?

Today and tomorrow is empty space for me.  Absolutely nothing that has to be done other than daily house-keeping chores.  Thinking it is time to do something for fun if I can think of something to do.  Anyone want to go do something with me?

Had some leftovers from the dinner last night and I told my guests to help themselves.  The fruit salad is already gone and most of the leftover meat loaf is gone. Glad it won’t go to waste.  I forget how much healthy men eat!  I’m sure I will have more leftovers for them to take care of after our dinner Saturday night.

I hadn’t gotten a bill from the garage door repair so I called to see if they had sent it and I hadn’t received it.  He didn’t have the job in his computer so he could bill me.  Darn, I should have not said anything – it might have been free!  He had the last job he had done in the computer as an estimate and he hadn’t recorded it as being paid.  He got that corrected as I had paid that bill from the estimate the guys had given me when they did the job.  Hope he gets his record keeping cleaned up so he doesn’t lose any other jobs.

Grateful for breaking another range open, grateful for each and every friend and family member that reached out with a birthday greeting for me, and grateful for the infinite possibilities that lay ahead of me as I learn to open my heart to receive and give love out to the world.

This has been the nicest day so far.  I have received phone calls, flowers, Facebook wishes, emails and cards celebrating my birthday.  The sun is shining and it is only to be 82 today.  Perfect birthday weather!

I am fixing dinner tonight for my three guests, Kathy, Tim, Ellexia and myself.  It will be fun to eat together.  I enjoy cooking once in a while and the guys especially will appreciate a home-cooked meal.

My guys told me last night they are no longer keeping guns in their rooms when they aren’t here.  I had told them they could but I would need to keep their rooms locked. They decided to keep them with them instead.  How very considerate of them to do that.

We sat and visited for over two hours last night.  They both treat me with much respect and are very considerate in many ways.  I am so glad I took a chance and allowed them to stay long-term.

One of the matches from Match.com ask for my phone number and we sent texts back and forth last night and he called me this morning to wish me Happy Birthday.  He lives in CO so not sure this is going anywhere but it is fun to see what happens.  He was most uncomfortable when I told him I never locked my house even when I am alone.  He had trouble understanding me letting strange men come stay in my house.  Not sure he will get passed that.

Got asked to go out for coffee by another match.  This one feels like it will be more of a friendship than a romance but I’ll see what happens.  I can always use more friends.

Pulled a trash sack full of weeds out of my front flower bed this morning.  It was good to get my hands in the dirt.  They pulled easy thanks to the rain we got Sunday.  Still have more to pull but my trash can is full.

One of the phone calls I have received today was from one of my aunts.  Come to find out she takes the same blood thinner I no longer take and she was getting ready to switch to something cheaper.  I quickly packaged up my leftovers and dropped them in the mail to her.  So happy I found a good home for them instead of having to throw them out.  Her timing was perfect!

Have my housecleaning chores done for the day so only need to get dinner organized later.  I am fixing an easy oven dinner and it won’t take long to get things ready to cook.  Haven’t decided if I am going to fix a dessert or not.  Not sure I have what I need to fix one and forgot to pick stuff for a dessert when I was at the grocery store yesterday.   I’ll have to dig around the kitchen and see what I can come up with.

Anxious to see how big my Social Security deposit is tomorrow.  They were to have deducted my Medicare and prescription premiums from my check starting last month and that didn’t happen so they may take two months worth out of this check.  I pay more per month now than before but have a much lower deductible and will come out way ahead at the end of the year.  It is nice to be 65!

Grateful for all the love being shown to me today in many different ways, grateful for the possibilities Match.com is bringing my way, and grateful I found a home for my medication so I didn’t have to throw them away.

 

Went into Emporia this morning to get my hair cut.  My hairdresser can’t figure out why the hair on the crown of my head is sticking straight up.  Even after he finished my haircut the hair was still sticking up.  He said he rarely has seen that happen before.  He decided it had to do with the weight loss and that my head must have shrunk and pulled the hair-line a bit.  A side effect of weight loss I hadn’t anticipated.  He said if i put some product on my hair and muss it up so no one will notice as much.  As if I care?  To tell the truth I hadn’t even noticed it.  I brush my hair after my shower each morning and never look at it again all day.

Stopped and got some groceries before I came home.  Decided to fix myself a birthday dinner tomorrow night for my guests.  I invited the kids to come out but doubt if any come unless Tim and Ellexia come out.  Jason and Michelle have to work and Nicole is coming Saturday.

I told my long-term guy last night he has been here long enough I get to treat him like he is one of my kids.  He ask how old my kids were and was surprised some of them are older than he is.  He said he doesn’t see me as a 65-year-old.  Think he was buttering me up but it was nice to hear anyways.

Kathy is going to KY next week for her interview for the year-long volunteer job she wants to do.  She is excited they finally got back to her with an interview date.  If both she and they like each other she is hoping to find out next week when she will get to start.  It will be really different around here with her gone.  Glad I will have guests around so the house doesn’t echo so much with just me here.

Got a little under 1 1/2 inch of rain yesterday.  That is the biggest rain fall my corner of the prairie has had all year.  Forecast shows the possibility of more rain on Wednesday and Thursday this week.  Went outside for a bit last night and had to put a jacket on.  Wore a sweater to town today.  Fall is coming soon and I am ready for it.

Had a Match send me a message yesterday.  We are still going back and forth writing each other.  Only problem is he lives in CO which would make a relationship a bit of a challenge.  Fun to practice talking to a guy though.  It has been a long, long time since I dated – I think I have forgotten how.  I never dated much as a kid anyways.

You can leave a short quote of some sort that shares who you are.  I read one from a guy that said “I can’t take a bite of you anymore but I sure can gum you nice”.  Honestly!  I choose not to like that one but I did have to check out his picture.  Yep – he has no teeth.  I do give him points for honesty but not enough to click like!

Oh the world of dating.  Not sure I am ready for this yet.  Sticking my foot into the pond and testing the waters.  I may pull it out quickly though.

Nothing I have to get done this afternoon.  I will enjoy the empty space and do some embroidery work.  I can find a cleaning project or two if the mood strikes.

If Kathy goes to KY before I go to Australia in November I am going to have to find someone to come out mid-week to clean and do some laundry and then someone to house-sit and do some bed changes on the weekends.  The guys said they would do the chicken, cat and dog chores during the week.  Still more than two months out so I have lots of time to figure something out.

I am now two pounds from my goal weight.  I had been hoping I would be at goal weight by my birthday but that isn’t going to happen.  Down almost 60 pounds from a year ago.

The wind has returned to the prairie today.  It has been so calm lately that I forgot about the windy days.  It is to warm back up and reach the 90’s on Friday and then stay there for several days.  Trusting this will be the last blast of summer and fall temperatures will be coming in after this and staying around for a while.

Grateful for the rain the prairie received yesterday and the cooler temperatures that came with it, grateful for a haircut and the way it always cheers me up, and grateful for the change that is coming to my life on many different levels.

 

Rain!  Sweet, gentle rain is falling on the prairie.  3/4 inch in the gauge so far and the storm system is still overhead and hanging out.  This has the potential to give the prairie its biggest rain of the year.  Hope it pulls up a chair and stays all day.

Three of my guests have already left this morning.  I have the sheets from the bedroom in the dryer and the towels in the washer.  My guest coming today won’t be here until after 6:00 this afternoon so have all day to get the room flipped.  Have another guest coming in tomorrow afternoon but his room is ready for him.  Will have a full house all week.  Love when that happens.

Good day to stay home and do some embroidery work.  Don’t have anything else I have to do today once I get the rooms flipped.

Got my yard mowed yesterday.  I had to mow the whole yard and for 90% of it I could tell where I had mowed as the grass was tall enough.  I will have to get some more gas to mow again.  This will be only the second time this year I have had to buy gas for the mower.  Last year I had to buy it four times during the mowing season.  I sure bounce higher on the mower than I used to.

I thought I had bought the wrong sized bras as they were not fitting at all like the one I had tried on in the store.  I finally realized I needed to adjust the straps.  Viola!  They now fit perfectly.  Sometimes I am a little slow in problem solving.

Have a quiet week coming up.  Have to go into Emporia Monday for a haircut and buy some groceries.  Have a meeting to go to Friday afternoon and all my family is coming for a dinner Saturday night.  Other than that I have lots of empty space.

Sitting with a quiet mind today.  The rain is helping me mellow out today.  I keep catching myself just looking out the window and watching it rain.

Grateful for the rain, grateful my yard is mowed, and grateful for empty space so I can refill my soul!

So I got my pictures back already.  Not sure what to think of them.  I posted it on Facebook and am a bit overwhelmed with the nice comments I have gotten.  I do see more of the weight loss in this picture – especially when I compare myself to pictures taken over a year ago.  I am slowly stepping into and accepting that I am in a right sized body now – 60 pounds lighter than I was a year ago.

Now I get to focus on maintaining the weight loss and adding in exercise so I can firm up all that baggy skin that stretched outwards.

Had a delightful conversation with one of my long-term boarders and his wife this morning. Both of them were married before and we talked about the things we have learned about ourselves through our previous marriages and divorces and how hard it is to see the obvious about ourselves.  The best part of running an Airbnb is having conversations like this.

The other two guests that came in last night are gentle people.  They had six children and have 20 plus grandchildren with another due any day.  I sat out in the swings with them last night and we watched the sun go down and visited.  They came up this morning and fixed some eggs and joined in our conversation.

All four of my guests are out and about today.  Don’t expect any of them back until early evening.  I have done four loads of laundry today and waiting for the last load to finish drying so I can make a bed.  After I get the bed made my housecleaning chores are done for the day.  Tomorrow morning I will have a bedroom and bathroom to flip as I have a guest coming in that is staying for two weeks.  I’ll have a full house again Monday night when my other long-term boarder comes back for the week.

Have already run the dishwasher once today and am sure I will run another load later today.  Seems like laundry, cleaning and dishes are my main hobbies these days!

Rain is in the forecast for several days next week.  I welcome every drop we can get.  I may go out and mow this afternoon since all the guests are out and about and the mowing won’t disturb a nap for them.  Nice to have grass growing again.

I am out of eggs.  My chickens are not keeping up with the demand.  I had to buy a dozen at the store yesterday so we would have enough eggs for all.  We didn’t have to use the store-bought eggs today but am thinking we will tomorrow unless I get maximum production from my girls today.  That hasn’t happened lately.  I am grateful for every egg they give me – kinda like the rain – I always want more!

Operation Rooster was going to go down last night but I ask they not do it as I knew two of my guests wanted to sit outside and enjoy the sunset.  Not sure when Operation Rooster is going to go down but am grateful they agreed to put it off.  I don’t think I want to be home when it happens.

Sitting in my peaceful valley again today.  My bad mood from yesterday is gone and my headache is gone today for the first time in a week.  Things feel more possible today.  I’m not so tired and heavy feeling today.  It will do be good to get outside and bounce on the mower and get the last of the heaviness I was feeling yesterday out.

Grateful for deep conversations with guests that are becoming good friends, grateful for Airbnb and the people it brings to me, and grateful for endless possibilities that lay ahead for me as I open myself more and more.

Almost have the bedroom flipped and ready for the two guests arriving tonight.  Still need to swish the toilet and finish making one more bed when the laundry is dry.  I’ll get to do it again Sunday when these two leave and the next one comes in.

All I feel like doing today is going back to bed.  I didn’t sleep very good again last night. Yesterday wore me out!

A potential long-term guest is coming early afternoon to tour the house and decide if she wants to stay here Monday through Friday.  If she decides to do so I think I will suspend my Airbnb site and not take guests on the weekends.  That would give me some built-in down time which I will need.  If she comes she will be like my other two and be gone all day and only be here in the evenings.

Am working on cleaning out my closet and removing all the clothes that no longer fit.  Hard to know what I have and what I need with the stuff in the closet that doesn’t fit.  I need to make a trip to Goodwill next time I go to town.

Got less than 1/2 inch of rain with the storm systems that came through yesterday.  We moved my guests vehicles into the big barn last night when it looked like we were in for some wind and hail.  Thankfully the storm went around us and we didn’t get the rough stuff.  I appreciate the rain I did get but am jealous of those that got several inches.  I will need to mow next week after the next round of storms move through next week.

Going into town this afternoon after the potential guest leaves so I can pick up a few groceries.  Have another errand or two to take care of too.  I have guests coming between 4 and 6 so will have to get what I need taken care of and get home.  I have a haircut scheduled for Monday so will have to go back into town then.  Maybe I can stay home all weekend though.

I got the steps vacuumed and spot-cleaned with carpet cleaner.  It looked like someone had dripped something all the way down the steps.  Finally remembered to get it cleaned up today.

The dogs got into a mud puddle somewhere this morning and are now hard to tell they have a white coat.  Hope they don’t try to sneak into the house and track all that mud inside.  May need to hose them down later.

Someone recommended I have my picture taken by a professional photographer to help me see myself the way I am now.  I make an appointment with one and will have that done this afternoon.  I hate having my picture taken and have very few photos of myself.  Still not sure if this is a good idea or not but guess I will find out when he sends me the proofs of the pictures.  He only charges $15 to take the pictures.  Not sure how much the actual pictures are.  I won’t be out much if I decide I don’t want them.

I charged something using iTunes Store.  I can’t figure out how to get to the subscription page so I can make sure what I charged doesn’t automatically subscribe. Anyone know how to do that?  I didn’t even know I had set that up to allow for that.  I tried deleting my credit card information but it won’t let me do that.  Not sure I like that!

Liking the cooler temperatures forecast for the next ten days.  Some days will only be in the 70’s and the rest are in the 80’s.  I am done with the 90’s for the year.  I can’t wait until I can open the house back up and let fresh air in.

I’m in a weird mood today.  Restlessness in a different way for me.  Headache.  Grumpy.  Maybe I was more drained by the city energy yesterday than I realized.  Don’t feel like I have fallen into the muck pond but certainly don’t have much patience. I will limit how long I am in town as best as I can.  Not sure I am fit to be around other people today.

Grateful my closet is almost cleaned out again, grateful for what rain the prairie did receive, and grateful the bedroom and bathroom are almost ready for another guest.

One of my guests last night had his wife and daughter come see him.  They ended up spending the night.  Both were delightful guests.  It was nice they could see where their husband/dad is staying during the week.

I left for KC this morning before they came upstairs.  I went to Kohl’s to do some clothes shopping.  Their sizes run big!  I tried on a dress in a size small and it was too big for me. I am not that small!  Ended up with one dress, a skirt and some tops.  Went to Hy-Vee for some sheep’s cheese and diced beets.

Met my two dear friends for lunch.  We ate at YaYa’s Bistro.  I had grilled veggies with a piece of salmon on top.  Yummy and on plan.  We had a wonderful visit as always.  How I love these two friends.  So good to be able to have a deep conversation with two people who “get” me on many levels.

After lunch I picked Nicole up and we went to Victoria’s Secret so I could get fitted for new bras.  I am two inches smaller around and 2 cups sizes smaller.  My shirts look better with the new bras on.

We went to Costco and picked up a few things.  I found a couple more shirts and two pair of trail pants for our trip to Australia and New Zealand.  I like the prices they have on their clothes.  I tried on a size small down vest but it was too big.

Took Nicole home after Costco and I headed for the hills.  Dodged several thunderstorms on the way home.  It was fun to watch the clouds that were thankfully in the distance.  I was listening to the radio on the way home and the emergency alert kept coming on with different severe thunderstorm warnings in the area.

Another dear friend came over after I got home this evening and brought me a birthday present!  I have the bestest friends!  She is going to be gone next week on my birthday so dropped a gift off today.  That makes the second birthday gift I have gotten already!  I am a lucky lady.

Had a conversation with my guests tonight about guns.  We have agreed that there will be times when I lock their bedroom doors if others come over.  That way no one will accidentally stumble across a gun.  I showed them where I keep the room keys in case I’m not home when they come in.  That feels like a good compromise to me right now.  I may change my mind later but for now it feels right.  I shared with them my total ignorance about guns.  One of them is a trained gun instructor and he offered to give me lessons if I would like them.  Not sure I am ready for that and he seemed to understand that but I will leave that possibility open.  It would probably be good for me to have a healthier relationship with guns and at least know how to pick one up and handle it.

Tomorrow morning I will need to flip a room as I have two new guests coming in and staying until Sunday morning.  They don’t plan to be here until after 4:00 so should have plenty of time to get the room cleaned and bedding washed.  I will have to flip the room again Sunday as I have another new guest coming in that is staying for two weeks.  I’ll have a full house again next week Monday through Friday.

Grateful for the shopping that I was able to get done today, grateful for my dear friends, and grateful for missing the severe weather on the drive home.

Have three loads of laundry done and put away.  May not get anything done today.  No motivation to do anything again today.  It is cloudy and cool out today – may be a good day for a nap.

Have a long list of things I want to get while I’m in KC tomorrow.  I doubt I will cross everything off though.  City energy wears me out quickly and I will need to come home sooner rather than later.  I’m meeting two dear friends for lunch and then Nicole is taking me bra shopping.  That may be all I get done.  I may try to go up early and get at least one stop made before lunch.  Have a few things to get at Costco and really want to pick up a new skirt or two.

I did make a grocery list for the family dinner we are having a week from Saturday.  Deciding what to fix is always the hard part so I’m glad that part is done.  I am going to fix  something that I can eat along with some side dishes for the others.  Someone else is bringing dessert so won’t have to make that.  I let them know I wouldn’t be eating it – not because it isn’t good but because I no longer eat flour and sugar.  They called me weird!  May be true but weird feels good these days!

My guests shot guns in my backyard last night.  They are hoping to hunt coyotes.  Both have guns in their bedrooms.  Not something I am comfortable with but working on accepting it and not letting it pull me off-center.  If it continues to bother me after a few days I will ask them not to bring the guns into the house.  There is an old proverb that says what someone else does is none of my business and to stay focused on what I do.  Guns are something I am not comfortable around.  No real reason for that.  I was raised with guns in the house as my dad and brothers did a lot of hunting.  I understand guns don’t shoot people – people shoot people using guns.  Guns just represent what I feel is wrong with our society.  I dislike the whole concept of war and killing people just because they don’t believe what I believe.  I have yet to see violence solving any real problems.  Time for me to open my range around guns up and develop a wider tolerance for them.  Not that I ever plan to shoot a gun!

I get stuck in my own belief patterns sometimes.  It is good for me to use this as an opportunity to open another range as a reminder to myself to continue to observe other places that I have locked myself into a limited belief pattern and open it up.  They are hard to spot sometimes – easy for me to see in others but not in myself.  There is a good reason we call them blind spots!  You only know what you know until you know better!

Got a call yesterday asking if I had a room available for another long-term boarder.  I don’t right now.  This encourages me though that when these two leave I may be able to find a few more to take their place.  It sure it easier having long-term boarders than cleaning and flipping rooms daily.  It will be fun to see what business continues to come my way in the future.

Have a woman coming in Sunday that is staying for two weeks.  That will make a full house for me for those two weeks.  Sure have appreciated the extra income the Airbnb has provided.

Worked down in the storage room for a bit this morning.  I didn’t find much to get rid of though. I have two things to take to Goodwill and another thing to put in the recycling bin.  Still have an extra twin mattress and box springs in the room so it is hard to get to all the totes to see what I have.  Anyone need a fairly new twin mattress and box springs?

Grateful for an opportunity for me to open another range (I think), grateful for my Airbnb guests, and grateful for the rain the prairie received the last two days.

 

 

Got an inch of rain overnight.  Still have a chance for some more rain this afternoon.  Emporia got 3 – 4 inches.  An inch is better than none.  Grateful for every drop.

I forgot to get fruit for my guests and for the committee meeting I am hosting this afternoon so went into Emporia this morning to pick some up.  Still need to get my writing project completed.  Just wasn’t in the mood yesterday to do it.

Had a sticky situation and was able to communicate and work out a compromise with the other parties involved.  I haven’t always been able to do that before so I will take this as a huge step of progress for myself.  After almost 65 years I am finally able to speak up for myself – sometimes at least!

My second long-term boarder has decided to stay here for the coming months Monday through Thursday nights.  I blocked off those days for September on my Airbnb calendar.  I have a single guest coming in Sunday and staying for two weeks so he will have to use the room that shares the bathroom with Kathy for those eight nights.  After that I can give him a room with a private bathroom.  He is a very nice man and another easy guest.  I worry about him though as I don’t think he will ask if he needs something.

Never even thought about the possibility of having long-term guests when I switched to the Airbnb site.  They book directly through me so Airbnb doesn’t get a cut of their stay.  It saves my guests some money and I get all of their booking fees – except for the credit card fees.  Both plan on being here through December as they are on a six-month project.  I’m glad I took a chance and decided to give it a try.  It is working well for me so far.  Nice to have some company to visit with in the evenings.  Both work hard outdoors all day and both go to bed early. I don’t fix meals for them so it is easy for me.  My chickens do need to get on their egg laying duties though as we go through more eggs a day than the chickens are laying right now.

If Kathy moves out before I leave for Australia and New Zealand in November I will work out a deal with the two guests to do my chores for me while I am gone.  Nothing like having a built-in house sitter!  Not sure what I will do on the weekends if they aren’t around but I will figure that out when it gets closer.  I usually can find a house sitter willing to come out for a weekend.

Finally feeling better today.  Yesterday I had no motivation to do anything.  Still have a touch of a headache but it is slowly going away.  I used to have headaches all the time but they had pretty much stopped happening several months ago.  Still not 100% sure what brought this one on.

When I was putting my pills in my pill-box the other day I saw my Restless Legs medication.  I use a homeopathic medication that works fairly good.  I can’t even remember the last time I had to take it.  Magnesium is supposed to help Restless Leg Syndrome and I have been taking lots of Chelated Magnesium to help my bowels move.  Must be a side benefit from the Magnesium – I am grateful I am getting relief from two issues with one pill!

I had a toilet paper roll holder fall apart last week.  I put a new one up but needed a dry wall screw thingy put in to make it more secure.  My long-term guest told me how to put it in the wall last night.  I did what he recommended this morning and it worked!  First time I have ever been able to put one of those things in correctly.  I am overly proud of myself when I accomplish a simple task like that.

He told me the model and make of an impact driver that he thinks I could handle.  I had a very small cordless screwdriver but it was too small and didn’t have much power.  I had gotten a bigger cordless screwdriver but it  is too heavy for me to use easily.  I will look for the one he suggested and see if it is the right size.  I go to a Hardware store and look at things like that and get overwhelmed with all the choices and options and come home empty-handed most times.  I don’t speak Hardware language!

Sometimes it is dangerous for me to be successful doing a chore like this one as now I feel like I can fix anything!  I really do know better!  I have my handyman’s phone number on speed dial and usually come out much better off on many different levels to let him do it instead of me trying and really making a mess of things.

When I was in town I saw the Maintenance man who had worked for us at McDonald’s. He was out doing trash.  I stopped and asked him for some fry boxes.  He filled the back of my car with some.  I was out of them and they are the nicest boxes – just the right size for lots of things.  Nice to have a supply on hand again.

Still in my peaceful valley.  Appreciating the little steps of progress I am making and noticing with much gratitude the synchronicity of the Universe.  The more I notice – the more it happens.

Grateful I found my voice today and we were able to reach a compromise, grateful for a supply of fry boxes, and grateful I was able to fix a simple household chore without making a mess!

 

 

Woke up at 3:00 this morning and didn’t go back to sleep until after 6:00.  Slept for two more hours and then got up.  It may be a long day.

Went into Emporia to get some groceries.  Stopped at Bluestem’s and tried on some jeans.  I had in my head that Lee Brand Jeans fit bigger than other brands of jeans.  I was surprised that I was able to fit in size 4 in Levi’s.  Got four new pair of jeans.  Anyone want four pair of size 6 Lee Jeans?

Went to the mall and looked for some shirts but didn’t find anything I liked.  Bought groceries and came home. Wonder what it says about me that I now buy my clothes at Bluestem?

I have a writing project I need to get done this afternoon.  It is only 50 – 75 words so shouldn’t take long.  I have procrastinated long enough.  I need to have it to the committee chair before our meeting tomorrow afternoon.  Time to get it done!

I do want to get the floors in the main part of the house cleaned today.  I have been spot cleaning them and they are overdue for a good cleaning.

There is a good chance for rain over the next 24 hours.  Sounds like a system is coming in that may hang out for a bit.  That sounds almost too good to be true.  I would welcome any rain we can get on my little corner of the prairie.

I didn’t do as much embroidery work last week as I have been.  I am not even half way done with the two sets I stamped over a week ago.  For some reason I didn’t feel like working on them the last couple of days.  Maybe that project is going to come to an end soon.  I have way more done than I have a home for already but have more blank tea towels to work up.  Guess it won’t hurt them to sit for a while and wait for me.

My headache is still around but much more manageable today than it was yesterday.  Beginning to think it is the storm system that is causing it.  I wondered though if it was caused by something I ate Saturday night.  I did use table salt on my food that night and I am more and more convinced my body doesn’t like table salt.  I need to get a small container that will fit in my purse and carry my good salt with me.  I drank lots of water yesterday and that seemed to help the headache.  Maybe I was a touch dehydrated.

No news on the dating sites.  I get a weekly email message from Jack Armstrong.  He gets channeled messages and shares one a week.  The message this week was all about divine timing and trusting that the manifesting of my dreams are headed my way.  It was a message I needed to hear today!  I saved his message so I can go back and reread it often.  He said in the message the same thing Mike Dooley teaches which is also what my mentor teaches – feel what it is you want to come to you as if it has already arrived and then give thanks for it.  Don’t get hung up with how is it going to come in.  One line from his message grabbed me.  He said “in the uncertainty lies the infinite potential of the universe”.   That makes three teachers telling me the same way on how to manifest my hearts desires.  When I get the same message three different times I have learned to pay attention!  When divine timing is right it will be easy and perfect!

Grateful for the possibilities of lots of rain on the prairie, grateful for the many teachers and mentors in my life, and grateful for the way the Universe provides so many blessings for me.

Had a most delightful evening yesterday.  A friend from KC came down with her son.  She and I had dinner at Ad Astra and then the three of us went to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and sat on blankets in the middle of a pasture and watched the meteor shower with about 150 other people.  Unfortunately we didn’t see lots of meteors – certainly not like I had seen two years ago when I held a retreat.  It was still a wonderful evening weather-wise and was so fun to sit out and enjoy the wonder of the stars. There were telescopes to look at the stars with and someone pointed out some of the stars and named them for us.

One of the buffalo on the Preserve was up close to the fence and I walked over and watched him for a bit.  The rest of the herd was down the road a bit.  They are so fun to look at and try to imagine what it must have been like to see roaming the hills years ago.

We didn’t get back to my house until after 11:25.  We sat outside on the swings and watched for meteors for another two hours.  We decided we had as good if not better view from the swings than at the Preserve.  It was so relaxing and grounding to sit out and watch the stars.

The two of them spent the night and this morning we enjoyed a long visit before they left around noon.  They were going to go take a hike at the Preserve.   I so enjoyed the conversation I had with my friend.  I needed an evening of “girl” talk.  It fed my soul!

My other guests left mid-morning. He sure was an easy guest as he was gone most of the time.  I may see him again when he comes back to visit with his son.

I woke up with a bad headache this morning and after they left I took a nap.  Feeling a bit better now.  Not sure why I had such a bad headache and am grateful it is getting better.

The energy in the air today feels heavy and thick for some reason.  Beginning to think a big storm system is headed my way as the forecast is calling for rain for the next three days.  Not sure if it is the smoke from the wildfires out west or what but the air quality is poor today.  Kathy said she felt restless and heavy this morning too.

I went down to fix the shades on the chicken coop and for the first time heard one of the two baby chickens crow.  Kathy said she had heard him crow earlier but this was the first time he had crowed for me.  He sounds like a teenage boy as his crow cracked a bit.  Sure is a beautiful bird but not sure I need two roosters.  One of them just may find themselves outside the coop one of these days.  I had guessed from the beginning that this one was a rooster.  The other one appears to be a hen.

Got a fairy egg again yesterday.  I hadn’t gotten one for several months.  Sure wished I knew which chicken laid them and if that was the only egg she lays.  If so she needs to go too.  I don’t like free-loaders.

Have one more load of laundry to do and I will be done with that chore for the day.  Still need to make up the three beds that were used last night.  I have a guest coming in tomorrow late afternoon that is staying until Friday morning so will need to get at least one of the rooms cleaned before he gets here.  Don’t have anyone staying in the other room this week so I can take my time to get it cleaned up.

Tomorrow I need to clean the living room, dining room and kitchen.  I had been spot cleaning that area lately and noticed this morning how dirty it is getting.  Nothing else on my calendar for tomorrow so have plenty of time to get it done.

I’m going to KC Thursday to have lunch with two dear friends and am going to do some clothes shopping.  I need to get some jeans for the winter.  I put on a pair of jeans last night and had to remember not to put my hands in the pockets so I didn’t pull them off as they were too big.  I hate trying on clothes so am trusting I will find the energy to do so Thursday.  I may get a few new bras while I am shopping too – I’ll see how the day goes.

Grateful for a night outside under the stars, grateful for a friend I could have a deep conversation with, and grateful my headache is slowly going away.

Sat outside and watched for meteors for a bit last night two different times but didn’t see very many and the ones I saw were short, little ones.  Trusting tonight will be more active.

Have my housekeeping chores done for the day.  Both guests are out and about and won’t be back until mid-afternoon or late evening.  Kathy has to work today so it will be a quiet day around here today.  Not sure when my friend from KC is coming out.  It will be fun to have her to talk to this evening.

We decided we are going to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve tonight for their Perseid Meteor Shower viewing party.  They have less light pollution than I do.  ESU is bringing some telescopes and some star-gazing experts to educate us.  I need to remember to put on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt before I go so the mosquitoes don’t eat me for their dinner.

A friend’s husband and son picked up the extra twin bed this morning.  Good to have that out of my junk room.  I can almost get to stuff in that room again.  Still have another mattress and box springs in that room to do something with.  I need to call Affordable Room Groups and see if they were able to repair the frame.  If not, I need to sell the mattress, box springs and the head and foot board to get them out of my way.  I have some extra bedding I need to have go away now that I can get to it.

Nothing urgent I have to get done today.  I sure have enjoyed my empty space this week.  My guests this week have not needed much energy from me which makes my job very easy.  I do have a little writing project for Pioneer Bluffs to work on if the inspiration and mood hits.

May plan a trip to KC next week so I can do some clothes shopping and pick up a few things from Costco.  I have to be in the right mood to go shopping so I’ll see if the mood is right.  Other than that I have another light week ahead.  Do have a committee meeting that is being held at my house Tuesday afternoon to host.  Will need to get groceries again either tomorrow afternoon or Monday.

Went for a one-mile walk last night around sunset time.  I need to start moving my body again and walking seems to be something that my body likes for me to do.  I walk at a turtle’s pace but I am persistent  and will work up to walking ten-miles a day again.  I have the time to do so and the time for procrastinating is over.

Have a quiet mind again today.  I have been enjoying sitting in my peaceful valley again.  For some reason I have been very aware of the synchronization of the Universe lately and have much gratitude in my heart for the way things line up for me.  Life feels like it is full of many possibilities and much change is coming my way. I have finally learned life is much easier when I embrace change instead of fighting against it.

Grateful for the wonders of nature, grateful the bed is gone and will be put to good use, and grateful for my peaceful valley and all the synchronized messages I have been receiving from the Universe lately.

The second long-term boarder didn’t stay last night.  He hadn’t planned on staying over night the night before and needed to go home to get clean clothes, etc.  He did ask if he could stay next week Monday through Friday.  Nice to get a second long-term boarder.  That makes my job easy!

I finally saw my other guest this morning.  He has been going out the back door and I have missed seeing him come and go.  His son is being kept very busy at football practice at Tabor.  Dad has been busy getting stuff for his dorm room and watching practice when he is allowed to.  Not sure either of them are ready for Sunday when dad has to return to WA.

Not much on my to-do list again today.  Have a few loose ends to tie up but nothing urgent.  I have most of my housekeeping responsibilities done for the day.  Need to come up with something exciting to do today or maybe I will just enjoy my empty space.

I have been on Bright Line Eating Plan for 181 days today – it will be six months tomorrow.  Lost another pound this morning so am 4 pounds from the high-end of my goal weight range.  37 pounds down since February 11 and 56 pounds down from my all time high.  Parts of this journey feel like I just started and other parts feel like it has been a long time.  Still not seeing the weight loss on myself very often.  I do notice it more when I put on something to wear that used to fit.  I wore a swimsuit to the pool yesterday that was way too big on me now.  I put it in the donate pile after I got it washed up yesterday.  I almost flashed my boobs at the pool as it was so loose it didn’t keep me covered very good.

I have been eating the same thing everyday and once a week or so I introduce a new food to see how my body is going to react.  I have to be very careful about what fruits I eat as some are too sweet and give me a sugar rush.  I try things twice to see if the same thing happens the second time.  Beef doesn’t seem to agree with me any more – even my good local ranch raised beef I buy direct from a rancher.

I am finding bones in my body I had forgotten I had.  When I sit down in the bathtub at night I can feel my tail bone.  Haven’t felt it for a long time!  I think I have lost the most weight in my boobs.  I seriously need to go get fitted into a better fitting bra.  The ones I have now are way too big in the cup.  If I was redesigning my body I would have left some of the weight in my boobs and taken more off my waist and hips.

Almost time to start getting serious about adding in some exercise so I can start firming up my flabby skin.  Not sure how much I can fix that problem but will attempt to do what I can.  Contemplating if I want to go to a gym and hire a fitness trainer or if I want to do videos and do it at home.  Not sure which I would stick to the best.  Wanted to lose the weight before I added something else to manage in my life.  With fall and cooler temperatures coming soon I can start getting back outside more and walking lots.  Walking is my favorite exercise.

Had a weird thing happen on one of the dating sites.  I responded to a question a guy asked and then two days later another guy with the same name and exact same profile but with a totally different picture send a message under the same thread.  What is up with that?  I looked at the pictures to see if one was a recent update but the two guys don’t look anything alike.  Wonder if someone was hacked?

Looking forward to the weekend as a friend from KC is coming down Saturday.  We are having dinner at Ad Astra and then coming here to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower.  The forecast is still calling for clear skies so crossing my fingers and toes that we will have perfect viewing skies.  They are amazing to watch.  Come out and join us if you would like to.

Grateful for the 37 pounds I have released this year, grateful for easy guests, and grateful for the beautiful view of the night sky I have here on my little corner of the prairie.

Had an unexpected over-night guest last night.  My long-term boarder brought one of his co-workers home with him.  He had text me to ask if he could but I was out mowing and didn’t get the text.  The guy he brought home with him is from Hillsboro and knows a lot of my family from that area.  He is a very humble guy and may decide to stay here Monday through Thursday for the next few months.  He lives in Winfield and has been driving back and forth to work daily.  Not sure if he is staying tonight or not.

Went into Emporia this morning to help Michelle with a curtain issue she has.  I had ordered some curtains for some French doors I have when I though I was going to have the stained glass pieces put in my bedroom doors and was going to move the French doors to use as my bedroom doors.  The doors weren’t the same size so that plan didn’t work.  I forgot to return the curtains so I took them to town with me.  They are the perfect size for one set that Michelle needs.

I ended up bringing the kiddos home with me.  I fed them when we got home.  Ellexia had blueberry pancakes with scrambled eggs and Tagen had spaghetti and meatballs.   After we let the food settle and I did dishes we went out to Chase County Fishing Lake where Kathy was kayaking.  She put Ellexia in the kayak with her and took her for a ride.  Tagen put on Kathy’s life jacket and went out by himself.  They enjoyed their rides.

We then went swimming at the Cottonwood Falls swimming pool for an hour.  Ellexia went down the water slide by herself without her life jacket on for the first time.  She did it lots of times today and was very proud of herself for being brave enough to do so.  Tagen went off the diving board a lot.  They are both pretty good swimmers.  They had fun swimming.  I stopped at Casey’s for gas on the way home and they each got to go in and get a treat.  Came home and we each had a shower and then I took them home.  We had a fun afternoon together.

I didn’t have much I needed to get done today so was fun to take a play day.  Still working on getting all the dishes and laundry done but that seems to be a never- ending life chore.  I have most of the day tomorrow completely free so I can get what I was going to get done today done then.

My other guest slept in this morning.  Good thing he was up and moving by the time I came back to the house with the kiddos as I don’t think he could have slept through the noise they make.  He went back over to Hillsboro late morning and I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.  He came in after I went to bed last night.  Makes for an easy guest when they are out and about most of the time.

I keep checking the forecast for Saturday.  For a bit today it was showing cloudy skies but the forecast has changed back to sunshine again.  I sure trust the skies will be clear after the sun goes down so I can see the Perseid Meteor Shower.  If anyone wants to come join me and watch them you are welcome to come out.  Best times are between 10:30 pm and 2:30 am.  I don’t have extra beds but I have some couches if needed.

There were some little showers around the area again today and again we didn’t get any rain. Maybe early next week it will be our turn to get a couple of inches.

Sitting with a quiet mind again today.  Hard to hold a thought long enough to know what I was thinking.  It has been a fun, relaxing day with the grandkids.

Grateful for the time I spent with the kiddos today, grateful for another possible long-term boarder, and grateful the curtains I ordered and didn’t need have found a use.

 

 

The Cardiologist was running over an hour behind this morning.  He gave me really good news as I get to go off the Xarelto (blood thinner).  He has decided I did not have Atrial Flutter the ER in Emporia diagnosed me with.  He could find no evidence that supported that diagnosis.  He isn’t sure what the correct diagnosis should be but all three heart tests I had done after the ER visit shows my heart is in good shape with no evidence of concern.  He has discharged me from his service although I am welcome to come back if something develops in the future.

Bad news is I just spent $105 to get a 90 day supply of Xarelto (20 mg) and I no longer need them. If anyone knows someone who takes it and can use it have them get in touch with me.  I hate to throw them away if someone else can use it.  Without insurance a 30 day supply is over $500.  Sure seems like there should be a way to get these in the hands of someone that needs them instead of in the landfill.  He didn’t tell me I needed to gradually stop taking them so guess I just quit them today.

My BMI officially has dropped below 23 – it was 22.8 at the Doctor’s office.  At home this morning my scale showed my BMI at 21.9.  Can’t figure out why the difference but guess it really doesn’t matter.  I had lost 17 pounds since I saw the Cardiologist in May.  He didn’t say anything about my weight loss.  He did tell me to stay physically active and keep moving my body.

Stopped and picked up a few groceries and came home.  The house is empty and quiet.  Have one more load of laundry to do and then my chores for the day will be complete.

My father/son guests sat out in the swings for a long time last night talking.  Dad is dropping his son off at college today and they won’t have the opportunity for one-on-one time for a bit.  They said they had never seen so many stars before.  It was a perfect night to sit out and star gaze.  They must have slept in as they weren’t up and moving when I had to leave at 9:30 to go to town so I could go to my doctor’s appointment.  I left stuff out for them in case they wanted to cook eggs for breakfast but they didn’t do so.  The son had to check-in at college at noon today.  Not sure when to expect the dad back tonight.

My long-term boarder came back last night.  I got to see pictures of his big wedding day and hear all about it.  Sounds like it went over as planned and everyone had a grand time.  He showed me a four-generation picture of his twins, his self, dad and grandpa.  I had to show him the five-generation picture I have.  We both decided we have special photos that not many families can have.

My old refrigerator went away last night!  The twin bed will be going out this weekend.  Love when stuff I can no longer use leaves the house.  After the bed goes out I need to go through the room I have it stored in and see what else I can get rid of.  Can’t get too much in that room right now with the bed parts in the way.

Nothing on my calendar that I have to do the rest of the day and nothing for Thursday or Friday.  Need to knock one or two things off my to-do list but that requires making some phone calls.  Maybe I can find the energy to do that later today.

Nothing new to report from my on-line dating adventure.  Several matches have been made when we both like each other but neither one of us have reached out to start a conversation except for one guy.  I answered but haven’t heard back yet.  Not sure what the rules are (if there are any).  Back in my day the girl waited for the guy to make the first move.  That rule may no longer apply.  Guess if I found someone who really peaked my interest I might break that rule – hasn’t happened yet though.

Wondering if I had a panic attack or anxiety attack when I went to the ER.  I have had a few mild ones since that felt similar to what I felt when I went to the ER.  Good news is they won’t hurt me.  I’ll need to read some more about them and learn ways to calm myself if it happens again.  Sure wish I knew what was behind them and why I would start having them now when my life is pretty smooth and calm.

Grateful to get off the blood thinner medication, grateful for the beautiful night sky last night, and grateful for the empty space that awaits me for the next couple of days.

 

Had a slight change of plans yesterday.  Got a last-minute booking for last night for a family that has two children.  They didn’t get here until after 7:00 and then left to go eat dinner.  By the time they came back it was shower and bed time.  They left around 8:00 this morning.  That was easy!

They had never stayed at an Airbnb before and ask me what they were to do.  I told them to pretend they were at Grandma’s house.  When the kids left this morning they ask me if they could call me Grandma!  None of them wanted to leave but they are moving from MN to TX and needed to drive seven hours today.  They might stay again as they will need to go back to MN a couple more times to complete the move.

Have the downstairs cleaned up already this morning.  Just waiting on the three loads of laundry to get done so I can get the beds made up and towels put away.  Then I will be ready for my guests that are coming in late afternoon.  Two that are coming are a college student and his dad.  The college student will only be here for one or two nights as he is moving into the dorm at Tabor College in Hillsboro.  Dad is staying for five nights to make sure his son has what he needs and gets settled in.  They are from Seattle, WA.  My long-term boarder will be back late afternoon too.

I don’t have another guest free day until September 8!  And that weekend is only free if my long-term boarder goes home that weekend.  Oh my!  Most of that time I am double-booked with additional guests besides my long-term boarder.

Got over 1/2 inch of rain last night.  The wind blew hard for a bit.  I heard water running and got up to see where it was coming from and found the back door had blown open.  Luckily the wind hadn’t blown rain in.  Every drop of rain helps so grateful for what we got.  I am enjoying the cooler temperatures today.  It is only going to be 89 for the high today.  Back up into the 90’s for the rest of the week though.  Still forecasting clear skies for the Perseid Meteor Shower this weekend.

Need to run into Emporia this morning and pick up a few groceries.  I have to go in tomorrow for my Cardiologist appointment so may wait and get groceries then.  I’m not out of anything I must have before then.  I might check with Ellexia and see if she wants to come out for the day today or tomorrow.  I haven’t seen her for over a week and haven’t seen Tagen for quite a while.

I’m going to go ahead and accept the roofing bids from the company that mailed the bids to me.  I still haven’t heard from the other roofer.  He won’t answer his phone and his voice mail box is full.  I don’t like not being able to get hold of him easily.  I’m ready for this project to be done with so I can cross it off my to-do list.

Sold my twin bed yesterday.  Someone who reads my blog sent me a message about it and decided to buy it for her grandson.   That was easy!  They are picking it up this weekend.  Yeah!  Have my fingers crossed the refrigerator will go away this evening. Then I can cross two more things off my list.  Love when that happens.

Another quiet mind type of day.  Have enough energy to do what I need to get done today thank heavens.  So far it has been an easy type of day.  Trusting it will stay that way.  I didn’t sleep very good last night and feel a bit tired today.  I’ll see if I need a nap later or not.

Grateful for easy guests that felt like they were at Grandma’s house, grateful I have the twin bed sold, and grateful for the rain the prairie received last night.

Lazy day on the prairie today.  Decided not to even look at my to-do list today and take the day off.  I am getting good at doing nothing!  My next guest doesn’t come in until late afternoon tomorrow so have all day tomorrow to get ready for him.  I need some groceries but I am putting that off until tomorrow too.

Got two sets of tea towels pressed and tied and put away.  Have started another set.  Stamped a second set this morning while the iron was hot.  Still waiting until the fun goes away from making them – hasn’t happened yet.

Someone wants my old refrigerator.  They were to have come get it yesterday afternoon but had a flat tire and didn’t make it.  They are to try again tomorrow evening.  I don’t have good luck on the Buy Sell or Trade Sites – people say they want things but then have trouble showing up to get them. Two other people are interested so if they don’t make it tomorrow night I will move on to someone else.

Still have a twin bed I need to list and get out of here.  The matching twin bed is still in the shop getting fixed if possible.  I have two mattresses and two box springs stacked in my storage closet and I can’t get to things in that room right now.  Need to get them moved out so I can finish sorting in that room.

Cloudy hot day on the prairie today.  60% chance of rain for overnight tonight.  Crossing my fingers and my toes it rains all night.

Still showing clear skies for Saturday night so the viewing for the Perseid Meteor Shower should be good.  I love watching the meteors streaking through the night sky.

Still haven’t gotten a bid from the second company for the two roof jobs I need done. The owner is hard to get hold of.  Thinking I will just go with the other company that has done what he said he would do promptly.  My business partner recommended him so I know he is reliable and does good work.

Got a booking for five nights the first week of October yesterday.  So far this is the only booking I have for after September 3.  Maybe the ice has been broken and others will now start booking.  Fall is a beautiful time to come to the Flint Hills.

Have been noticing I have been getting a headache about every afternoon lately.  I used to have headaches all the time but they had gone away for several months.  Wonder why they are back?  Most days they go away and I don’t have to take anything for them.  Somedays they seem to intensify and I have to take some Tylenol to get rid of them.

Have been experimenting with my diet as I am five pounds from goal weight.  I am to start adding some food so I can coast into goal weight and not go below it.  I had a peach for lunch today.  About fifteen minutes after I ate it I had a hot flash that lasted several minutes.  Thinking it was a sugar rush.  Not sure I want to do that again!  I want to see if fruit will trigger my sugar cravings like they did earlier in the diet.  So far that hasn’t happened today but I sure didn’t like the hot flash.  Not sure the peach was worth that.

Still thinking I won’t get to add much food back in with my slow metabolism.  My weight loss has slowed way down already without the additional food.  Ever so close to my goal yet it feels so far away.

Still working on figuring out the whole on-line dating scene.  Not sure what the rules of dating are these days.  Do I make the first move or do I wait for the guy to? Someone had sent me a message and I waited a day to reply and by then his profile was inactive.  Another guy wanted my email address so he could give it to his friend who isn’t on the site – I said no thanks.  Not impressed yet but it has only been two days.

I either need to get my body moving or go take a nap.  Not sure which I want to do.  I keep nodding off sitting in my chair.  Must be the cloudy day making me sleepy today.  Good nap day!

Grateful for a day off with nothing that I have to do today, grateful for the possibility of rain tonight, and grateful for an October booking.

 

 

Had a fun afternoon at Pioneer Bluffs.  I didn’t get to listen to the Heritage Talk or the music as I was downstairs working.

Met a local life-long Chase County lady that knew some of my mother’s family.  I wasn’t able to follow her story but what I got was a house that was built by her grandfather is a house my great-grandparents lived in.  She knew my grandmother and her siblings.  We decided we were family!  She had a Chase County historical book with her that had a picture of my great-grandparents and my great-great grandparents in it.  I gave her my address and she is going to mail me a copy of that page from her book.  It is a small world we live in.

One advantage to living in Chase County is finding people who have been here a long time and remember my family.  There is a spark of connection when ever I find someone who knew the Patton’s.

Have my last batch of peach jam in the water bath.  Five more minutes and that job will be done for the year.  I ended up with 46 – 12 oz jars.  Should be more than enough for the gifts I want to give.  Sure smells good – hope it tastes good too.

This afternoon I am going into Prairie Past Times for Art Day.  It is good for me to get out and visit with other people.  I came home exhausted yesterday after spending the afternoon around people.  If I get tired today I will leave early.

Got one of the two bids I requested to replace the roofs on two of my rental properties.  My property manager said not to replace the guttering as a few dents won’t keep it from working properly.  I’ll give the other guy another two or three days and if I don’t hear from him I’ll accept the other bid.  Insurance paid for about half of the cost which was about what I expected.  Sure hate to spend money replacing roofs but know what will happen if I don’t and that would end up costing even more.

Successfully pulled the jam out of the water bath.  The tongs pinched my finger but I didn’t burn myself.  I will consider that a successful batch!  Glad that project is completed for this year.

Have nothing on my calendar for tomorrow – empty space returns!  Think I will stay home all day and enjoy the quiet.  Nothing I have to get done tomorrow so may take a PJ day and do nothing.

Feeling a bit restless today – not sure where that is coming from.  My mind is quiet but underneath is a touch of nervousness for some reason.  I’ll sit with it and see what it has to tell me.  Nothing going on that I am aware of to make me feel that way.

Grateful for meeting new “family” and the connections and memories we shared, grateful for completing my peach jam project for the year without any major disaster, and grateful for empty space tomorrow – my soul needs it!

 

Got up before 7:00 this morning.  Took my shower and ate breakfast and then made a big batch of peach jam.  Got 12 12 oz jars filled and sealed.  Love how the house smells when the jam is cooking.  Managed to not burn myself today.  I did have a boil over but got the razor blade out and got that mess cleaned up.  Have enough jars and peaches to do one more big batch and then I will be done with that project for the year.

Had two very nice guests last night.  They were a mother and daughter who enjoy each other’s company.  We sat outside and watched the stars come out for over two hours last night.  They enjoyed s’mores around the fire pit.  I came in around 10:00.  The two of them sat out a while longer.  It was the perfect night to star gaze.

My new refrigerator got delivered this morning.  I have the refrigerator part of it filled.  Need to do some shelf rearranging but that can wait until I use it for several days and figure out how to rearrange them so it serves my needs better.  Going to keep the frozen stuff in the cooler for a bit until the freezer gets cold enough.  Need to get a picture taken of the old one and get it listed for sale when I get home this afternoon.  I also have a twin bed I need to list.

Going to Pioneer Bluffs this afternoon for the heritage talk, ice cream social and classical guitar music.  If they don’t need my help I will come home early.

Having some low blood pressure today.  Have been working on drinking extra fluids to see if that will help.  Kathy said she was light-headed this morning too.  Wonder what is up with that?

I joined two different on-line dating sites.  May not stay for long but decided it was time to put myself out there.  There is an interesting assortment of men to look at.  How ever does one do this though?  Dating is not something I was ever good at and not sure that has changed much.  The funniest part to me is the whole age thing.  The guys that are most attractive to me are in there 50’s and most of them are looking for a woman that  is in her 40’s.  I don’t feel like I am almost 65!  I’ll see where this all goes!  Not even sure I am ready for a relationship – would enjoy a new friendship though.

When I get home this afternoon I have a bedroom and bathroom to clean.  My next guest doesn’t arrive until Tuesday so have some time to get the rooms cleaned and ready.  A guest that was coming for next weekend cancelled this morning.  That will make next weekend easier for me.

Have a fairly quiet week next week.  I go see my Cardiologist Wednesday but he will be in Emporia so I don’t have to drive to Topeka this time.  Sure trusting he will let me go off the blood thinners.  Have my long-term boarder coming back Monday evening and then another guest checking in Tuesday and staying until Sunday.  Have a friend coming for Saturday night so we can watch the Perseid Meteor Shower together.  Other than that I have nothing on my calendar.  Will be nice to have lots of empty space again.

Grateful another batch of peach jam is in the jars, grateful for a beautiful evening spent star gazing, and grateful for the possibilities life has to offer me!

 

 

Just got a phone call letting me know my refrigerator is being delivered tomorrow morning.  That was easy!

Went into Emporia this morning and got another box of peaches plus five pounds of peaches in a sack.  I didn’t have any left over to eat last box and didn’t have enough to do two full batches so got a few extra this morning.  Stopped and got a few groceries and then came home.  The peaches are not soft enough to make jam today so will have to wait until tomorrow or Sunday to make it.

Tomorrow there is an event at Pioneer Bluffs I may go help with if my guests get gone in the morning and I get the refrigerator transfer done.  Someone is coming to Pioneer Bluffs to do a talk at 1:30, then they are having an ice cream social followed by classical guitar music.  I have heard the guy that is playing the guitar play before and would love to go listen to him again.  I’ll see how my day plays out and will see if I can make it happen.

Three guests are coming this afternoon around 6:00.  It is two college aged girls and the mother of one of them.  They enjoy being out in the Flint Hills and wanted a last weekend away before the two girls start college in a week or two.  Should be an easy night for me.

The house is ready for the guests to arrive as I got it cleaned yesterday.  Nothing on my calendar that I have to do the rest of the day so guess I get to embroidery.  I need to go take a walk but it is too hot out to do so.  It was nice and cool when I went into town this morning but it is warming up again today.

Sunday is another Art Day at Prairie Past Times I may go to.  I enjoy sitting and visiting with the women that come.  Does me good to get out of the house to be with other people.  I can always make the peach jam when I get home if the peaches get ready.

Woke up at 4:30 this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep.  It may be a long day unless I take a short nap in a bit.

My left eye has been having trouble focusing and letting me see clearing out of it today.  It does that every once in a while.  Never sure what causes it to happen.  I have had it checked out and they never find anything wrong with it.  Maybe it is still tired today due to lack of sleep.  If I forget to take a break from the embroidery work it struggles to see clearly then too.  Must be getting old!

Only have two more tea towels to do to finish the second set I am working on. Will need to stamp some more this weekend sometime.  If anyone wants a set they are $45 for a set of seven.  Let me know if you want one and I will send pictures so you can choose the set you like the best.  The tea towels are 33” x 38” and of a high quality cotton fabric.  They even have a tag on them so you can hang them up if you like to do that.

I watched two episodes of the Waltons last night.  I remember enjoying that show when I was in high school.  It is still fun to watch!  The Waltons and Mash were my two favorite TV programs back then.  Sure beats what is on TV these days.  Only one of the many reasons I no longer have a TV.

Still in my happy little peaceful valley.  My energy level is good today and I feel grounded and could probably get something productive done today if I have something I needed to do.  Don’t always have days like this so probably ought to find something that needs done so I can take advantage of this energy.  Maybe something will come to my attention yet today that I can get done.  Just can’t think of anything that needs done right now.

Grateful for a day full of empty space with nothing I have to get done, grateful for Kathy cleaning out the chicken coop for me this morning, and grateful for the peaceful valley I find myself in today.

 

1. Got the two things I wanted to do done today.  I voted and bought a new refrigerator.  The refrigerator will be delivered sometime next week.  The one I wanted had already sold but found one for only $100 more.  I was disappointed that there was not a Democrat to vote for in every race.  This was one year I wished I had stayed registered as a Republican so I could have had a vote for the Governor’s race.  There is a very slim chance that a Democrat will win that one come November.  Just can’t make myself identify as a Republican these days.  Hard to claim I am a Democrat though too.  Both parties need some serious overhauling done to them to return to being a party of the people and not of the big businesses and the rich.

Finally released another pound today after not doing so for over two weeks.  Was beginning to think I was not going to lose any more weight.  Ever so close to my goal weight now. Five more pounds to go to reach the upper limit of my goal.  36 pounds released since February.  55 pounds released since a year ago.

Didn’t do anything else in Emporia except buy the refrigerator.  I am going back to town in the morning to get another box of peaches and will need to get a few groceries when I go in then.

Need to get the bedroom downstairs cleaned and ready for the guests that are arriving Friday late afternoon.  I already have the other bedroom ready for them.  It won’t take long to get the bedrooms and bathroom ready as I already have the beds made.  These guests are only staying one night.  I have a guest coming in next Tuesday that is staying five nights and my long-term boarder will be returning either Monday or Tuesday next week.  The following weekend I have people coming and going all weekend.

Hard to think that it was just a year ago Nicole and I went to Japan.  That was an amazing trip even though we didn’t accomplish our goal of walking the Kumano Kodo.  I was surprised by how much I loved Japan.  I would love to go back someday and see more of that beautiful country.  I especially loved all the temples and how quiet the people are.  I felt very safe there and it is so clean.  Wasn’t a fan of the squatter toilets though!

Have a quiet mind today.  Hard to latch on to a thought and keep hold of it.  Feel very grounded and centered today.  Back in my valley of peace and joy.  I am grateful to have found my way back here.  The last two weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions for me.  I got stirred up by two different things at once.  Finally have been able to release both situations and allow them to be what they are.

Grateful for the people who run for public office, grateful for guests coming, and grateful for my memories of days gone by.

 

I am finally on Medicare!  I turn 65 this month so my Medicare coverage begins today.  It is a relief to get off of Affordable Health Care Coverage and their income policies.  I am very grateful the AHCC was there though as it saved me thousands of dollars in insurance premiums.  I still have to watch how much I make as I took early Social Security and have a limit as to how much I can make before they start taking back some of my Social Security income.  Feels counterproductive to me but I have to play by the rules.

Decided which refrigerator to buy.  I called the store and the guy that helped me yesterday is off today.  Debating if I need to wait until tomorrow to order so he can get the commission.  Probably will wait.

My two guests kinda checked out this morning and went off to paint. They left some things here and will be back later today to pick them up.  I stripped their beds and am washing the sheets and towels but can’t clean their room until they pick up the rest of their stuff.  No guests coming until Friday so have plenty of time to offer them this extra courtesy.

One handyman showed up this morning and finished the baseboard downstairs.  The baseboard has been missing since December 2016.  It is nice to finally have it replaced.  Cross one project off my to-do list.

My nephew called looking for some odd jobs to do.  I need to put on my thinking cap and see if there are any other projects I need done around here.  I don’t always get someone so easily to do things around here.

Got two more bookings for August yesterday.  Down to four days in August without guests booked.  Still no bookings for September and beyond yet though.  Maybe I am to take some time off this fall.  I am thinking I will be ready for some time off soon.

Have lots more energy today.  Getting some things done around the house easily today.  Love when that happens!  Sure wish I knew what causes my energy level to fade away some days.  I can’t seem to pinpoint why it happens.

The heat is to return later this week.  The ten-day forecast is calling for 90 degree plus days for the whole ten days. Yuck!  I really enjoyed the cooler temperatures we have had the last several days.  Unfortunately there is no rain in the forecast either.  The yard greened up a bit with the bit of rain the prairie got the last two weeks.  Won’t stay green long though if we don’t get some more rain soon.

Found my center place of joy today.  So very grateful when that happens.  Someday I will be able to find it upon demand.  Someday…..

Grateful for being old enough to qualify for Medicare, grateful for my handyman completing  a project, and grateful for dropping into my center place of joy today.

 

 

Had another rough night for sleeping.  I took a nap yesterday – big mistake!  I have guests coming this afternoon so no time for a nap today.  Maybe tonight is the night I will get a good night’s sleep.

Went into Emporia this morning to deposit the insurance checks for the rental property’s roofs.  Stopped to talk to my business partner and got the name and phone number of two other roofing companies so I can get two writtten bids.  Called one of them when I got home and ordered the bids.

Stopped and looked at a new refrigerator while I was in town.  Samsung wants $500 to do the repair to mine and I can get a new refrigerator for $1,500.  Think I will do that instead and then sell my old one.  Am trying to decide if I want an ice maker or not.  I will measure my old one and then decide what to do.  The ice maker adds $500 to the cost.  Not sure it is worth it as I don’t like the taste of refrigerator ice.  Not sure I want to put too small of refrigerator in the kitchen though as I think it would look weird.  Beginning to think I am over thinking this!

Called my handyman to see what the delay is with the base board.  Had to leave a message.  Trusting he will call me back.  He has already been paid for the job.

I was able to make two phone calls today – must be feeling better!  Not sure why making phone calls is beyond my capabilities somedays.  Today I can do it so need to take advantage of that energy and put it to good use.

I get a little saying each day from Gratefulness.  One that I have been pondering on said “We crave that deep place within that cannot be touched by the ups and downs of life, but rather just IS – connected and whole”.  The quote is from Katie Rubinstein.  She really captured something I think about often.  I can get there but have trouble staying there and really can’t tell you how I get there.  Sometimes I feel like I stagger around blindfolded trying to get there.  It feels a bit like I am playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey.  I so relish that place when I can find it.  Maybe I need to add getting there and staying there to my 70 things to do before I turn 70 list.  What I give attention to on a regular basis seems to eventually show up for me.

Got the two sets of tea towels I have finished earlier pressed and tied this morning.  Almost have another set finished.  Still have one more set stamped and waiting for me.  Making jam last weekend took away some embroidery time.  Am going to make more jam this weekend too and then that project will be completed for the year.

Grateful life doesn’t feel as heavy and dark and sad to me today, grateful for my business partner, and grateful for that deep place within that is connected and whole.

 

 

 

My long-term boarder left this morning and won’t be back for one week.  He is getting married Saturday and wanted to spend the rest of the week and early next week with his new bride and family.

Went into Emporia to run a few errands this morning.  It sprinkled on me while I was in town.  Hopefully the sprinkles will turn into heavy rain sometime today and fill my rain gauge.

Stopped at Hobby Lobby to get some embroidery floss.  It was on sale today – how lucky was that?  Went ahead and got a few more than I had planned to get but didn’t get very many.

Got enough jars and sugar to do two more big batches of peach jam.  I’ll go into Emporia Friday and get another box of peaches.  I made a second batch last night.  It was easier than the first batch and I didn’t burn myself this time.  I love to hear the jars seal when I am done making it.  All the jars in both batches sealed.  I have 22 12 oz jars made.  Someone ask if they could buy some from me – sure – it is $10 a jar.  Let me know if you want some.

Picked up a prescription at Walgreens this morning.  It will be my last prescription from them as I have to switch to CVS for my new insurance August 1.

Have some house cleaning to do today in preparation of the guests that are coming tomorrow.  I have two loads of laundry done and one more to do.  The guests coming tomorrow ask if I had a menu so they could decide what they wanted for breakfast.  I told them there was a diner in Strong City that they could eat at as I don’t cook food any more.  So glad I am out of the food business.

Got an email from Airbnb telling me two different sets of guests had booked with someone else as their rates were cheaper.  They recommended I lower my rates.  Not going to happen!  I think my rates are very reasonable and I won’t lower them.  I have found that the guests that are more concerned about price versus quality are not the guests I prefer to have anyways.  When I look on the Airbnb site I can’t find anything cheaper than my place.  Wonder where they booked – maybe they went outside this area.

Loving this dark, rainy day today.  Matches my mood!  Feel like curling up in a ball and crying myself to sleep.  Not sure where the sadness is from but doing my best to allow it to be what it is.  When I can remember to do that it passes rather quickly.

Heard back from my roofer.  He is in Mexico on vacation and will get me a bid when he gets home later this week.  I still need to find a second roofing company and get a second bid.  Maybe I will feel like making some phone calls later today.  Not in the mood for conversation right now.

Grateful for the rain, grateful for sadness as it reminds me there is a range between sadness and joy and the deeper I can feel sadness the higher I will feel the joy when it returns, and grateful my errands are done and I can stay home the rest of the day.

Have almost 3/4 inch in the rain gauge from the storm last night.  Had some very strong wind as part of it.  Grateful for every drop of rain I received.  Slight chance for some more rain overnight tonight.

Went into Prairie Past Times for Art Day this afternoon.  Took some tea towels to embroidery.  It is fun to sit and have conversation with others.  Always fun to see what others are working on or visiting with those that come just to visit.  Reminds me I need to get out more.

Got two more sets of tea towels stamped but haven’t pressed the other two sets yet.  Need to go to Emporia tomorrow to pick up a prescription and will need to get some embroidery floss.  I don’t have two colors I need to do the two sets I am working on now.  I have been doing my best to get what floss I have on hand used up but am running out of certain colors I like to use.

Need to get some groceries while I am in town tomorrow.  It has been nice to stay home for several days and not have to go into Emporia.  I have two guests checking in Tuesday afternoon and need to pick up a few things for them.

I have a gap between two teeth that I need to have checked out.  It flares up and gets really sore.  I’m getting tired of having to keep dental floss near by when ever I eat so I can clean it out.  Not sure how a dentist would fix it but need to have it checked out.  Wondering if it is infected as sometimes it throbs with pain.  I use the Technical School to have my teeth cleaned so don’t go to a regular dentist any more.  One of the  Dentist from the school filled a tooth for me a year ago and I really like her.  I think I will see if her office is accepting new patients.  I don’t have dental insurance so what ever she decides needs done will be on me.

Feeling a bit better today.  Not as grumpy and down as I was yesterday.  Still don’t have as much energy as I would like to have but have more today than I did yesterday.  Starting to wonder if I am having some low blood sugar episodes.  They can cause anxiety I found out today when I googled low blood sugar symptoms.  I have several of the symptoms listed.  I’ll start tracking when the episodes are happening and if they start increasing I’ll have to report to my doctor to get checked out.  I am so over doctors!  Trusting this will dissipate and I’ll get back to feeling much better soon.

Need to get the rest of the peaches made into jam yet today.  A friend is going to come by and sample my first batch so I can adjust the recipe if needed before I make the second batch.  Don’t have enough peaches left to make a triple batch this time.  Not sure if I will get another box of peaches next week or not.  I’ll see how I am feeling.  Peach jam does make a nice gift to keep on hand to give away.

Grateful for the rain the prairie received last night, grateful the wind didin’t do any damage, and grateful for the friends I spent time with this afternoon at Prairie Past Times.

 

My guests decided not to stay last night.  They called me around the time I was expecting them to be here and told me they decided to drive on home instead of stopping for the night.  That was the easiest guests I have had yet.  They won’t get a refund and I will get paid even though they didn’t stay.

Got a booking for next weekend for one night for three people.  I had been surprised that weekend was still open – guess it was waiting for this group to book.  I like when there are more than two in the group as I make more money that way.

Woke up in the middle of the night feeling weird.  Not sure what was going on and not sure I can find words to describe how I felt.  I took my blood pressure and it was a touch high but not dangerously high and my pulse was below 60 so I was not having an atrial flutter episode.  In the light of day I wonder if I was having a panic attack of some sort.  Not sure why these have started to surface lately.  I really don’t think I am stressing over anything.  Life is pretty damn good right now.  I’ll see if it happens again before I do something about it.

Finally got back to sleep after being up for several hours and got a second sleep with the help of a sleeping pill.  I don’t like taking them as I feel hung over the next day.  Don’t have a lot of energy again today.  This roller coaster I am on needs to stop and level out.  Wish I knew what was going on.

Not much on my agenda today.  I feel like running away some place for a night or two but can’t think of anywhere to go.  I have two guests coming in Tuesday for one night so couldn’t be gone for long.  I have been isolating myself again and not sure that is in my best interest.  Just haven’t felt like being around people much lately.  Starting to need some interaction with others though.

May make my peach jam this afternoon.  Not sure the peaches are soft enough though.  I hate fighting with them to get the pit out.  I can’t remember which recipe I used last year – I had a good batch last year and would like to repeat that success.  Can’t remember if I used a recipe that had Pectin in it or not – thinking not but the lemon juice doesn’t sound familiar either.  Sometimes it is hell to get old and not have a sharp recall.

The chance for rain has gotten pushed back to tonight.  Sure crossing my fingers and toes that the rain will come and stay for a bit.  We are back to extreme drought status and desperately need a couple of inches of rain.

Working on finishing the second set of tea towels I have stamped.  Have one and one-half tea towel to finish and then I will need to stamp two more sets.

Still haven’t heard from the roofer so I can get a bid and get that job finished up.  Haven’t heard from my two handyman on the projects they are working on either.  Good thing there is no rush for any of the three projects I have pending.  Just like to get things done – more of my preference than a necessity though.  Must need another lesson on patience.

Feeling a bit like I have taken a slip into the muck pond today.  Reminding myself to not be in resistance and to allow what ever it is to be.  Been a bit tearful today for some reason too.  Need to get outside and move my body and see if I can move this darkness away.  Could be the effect of the lunar eclipse and the full moon.  I seem to be growing more and more sensitive to the effect of the full moon lately.

Grateful for another booking, grateful for knowing at some level all is well, and grateful for a new day coming tomorrow!

Got up this morning and took my thyroid pill and then cleaned my very dirty bathroom.   Ate breakfast when I was done and then went into Emporia.  Picked up a full box of peaches, got a new pair of sandals and came home.  The peaches need to ripen for a day or two so won’t start making jam until Sunday or Monday.

Still need to clean my bedroom, living room, kitchen and dining room today.  Also need to check downstairs and see if I need to do anything down there.  My guests aren’t arriving until after 7:00 so have lots of time today to get everything done.

When I was trying on sandals I realized how big my bunions are getting.  I had to be careful what type of sandal I got so the bunions had enough room.  Mine are still not near as bad as Nicole’s and Kathy’s are.  Must be an inherited condition.

Feeling a bit better today.  Have a touch more energy than I have had for the last several days.  I’ll see how long it lasts.  Hopefully I will get some stuff done today.  I have not done much the last several days.

Got an automated call from the new pharmacy I will be using August 1.  They had received the new prescriptions my doctor had sent Wednesday and will fill them August 1.  I just filled all of mine and don’t need refills yet except for one that the doctor changed from a 30 day script to a 90 day script.  It was a recorded message so I couldn’t talk to anyone.  I will go on-line August 1 and see if I can get them stopped.  If not, I will be well stocked up.

Have a chance for rain overnight tonight.  Keeping my fingers and toes crossed it will happen.  Sure liking the cooler temperatures that are in the forecast for the next several days.

Still sitting with a touch of restlessness.  It feels familiar to me.  It had quieted down for several months but seems to be back paying me a visit.  It usually stirs up the inner child in me that questions if I am good enough and if I am doing enough.  Helps that I can now recognize it and not feel like I have to do something with it.  Sitting with it and allowing it to be is getting easier for me.  I still find myself wanting to scratch the itch it creates – until I remember I don’t dance to that tune anymore.  I am enough!  I am good enough!  I am allowed to “be” and not “do”.

Grateful for a clean bathroom, grateful for fresh peaches, and grateful for learning how to “be” and not chase my tail like I used to trying to prove something to myself.

 

Got most of the mowing done this morning.  Loving the temperatures in the 70’s today.  Didn’t get much rain so the grass wasn’t wet.  It is nice to get a short break from the 90 and 100 degree days we have had lately.

Now to find some motivation to get some cleaning done inside the house.  My bathroom and bedroom are first on the list as they are really dirty.  Have guests coming tomorrow night so will need to do the living room, dining room and kitchen tomorrow before they arrive.

Feels good to be able to stay home today.  The pest control guys came while I was mowing and the garage door fix-it guys are here now replacing the rollers and bearings on the two garage doors.

Got the insurance company’s hail damage report.  I now need to get two bids and see how close they are to what the insurance company is paying.  The insurance company did say if their payment is too low to submit copies of bids and they will consider adjusting it.  I called one company to request a bid but haven’t heard back from them yet.  Anyone have a recommendation of someone so I can get a second bid?  The insurance company is sending me a check for their part and will at some point in the future send someone out to make sure the repairs were done.

The friend of Kathy’s that stayed overnight last week sent each of us a bouquet of flowers yesterday.  Kathy got hers in the morning.  Last night my neighbor called and told me I had a box on his front porch.  What a nice thing for Kathy’s friend to do!  Totally unexpected and unnecessary but much appreciated.

Tomorrow when I go to town to get peaches I need to get some new sandals.  The padding around the heel in the pair I have now is starting to peel away and hurts my feet.  I was hoping to get through the rest of the summer in them but they aren’t going to make it.  Trusting the shoe store still has some sandals left in stock.

Need to track the dogs down and give them their tic medication and charge their collars.  I’ll need to wait until the garage guys are gone so I can lock the dogs in the garage while their collars charge.

Feeling a bit down today for some reason.  I have been extra tired this week but not sleeping very good.  Almost feels like I am fighting off an infection of some sort but not sure yet.  Maybe a day at home will be just what the doctor ordered  and I will be back to feeling better tomorrow.

Grateful for the cooler temperatures today, grateful the hard mowing is done for the year without me damaging my mower, and grateful I get to stay home all day today and recharge my soul.

This has been a busy day.  Had a doctor’s appointment at 10:00 this morning so headed to town around 9:15.  The nurse called me back at 10:20 but I didn’t see the doctor until 11:15.  He didn’t drop off any medications but he did reduce to dosage of my blood pressure medication.  He sent new prescriptions for all of my medications to the new pharmacy I will be using August 1 with my switch to Medicare.  I don’t need any of them refilled very soon so have some time to get the kinks worked out if there are any.  Medicare told me to give my doctor my new Medicare card numbers before August 1 but the doctor’s office didn’t want to take them today.  I go to the Cardiologist August 8 so I will give them the new information then.

Stopped to get the girls some lettuce and some lettuce for me and came home.  Ate lunch and then took my car into Cottonwood Falls to get the oil changed.  Good news is they don’t think the tires need replaced yet.  Glad I can put them off for a bit.

Other than unloading and loading dishes in the dishwasher and three loads of laundry I haven’t gotten anything else done today.  Feeling a bit tired again today as I was awake from 12:45 to 4:45 during the night.  Grateful I got a second sleep between 5:00 and 8:00.  Don’t have much motivation to clean house but maybe once I sit and relax for a bit I will find some.  Would like to get at least one room a day detailed cleaned.

There is a slight chance for some rain this evening and into tomorrow.  The forecast is showing some cooler temperatures for the next seven days.  I got a bit of hard mowing done last night.  Would be nice to get that finished if it cools down some.  Came in very dirty from mowing as I stirred up the dust more than I chopped grass mowing.

Had two people book a room for next week for one night.  Still don’t have any bookings past September 2.  Not sure why the bookings dried up but it might be nice to have a long break.  That doesn’t pay anything but thinking it will pay off in a more refreshed me.

Noticed my BMI is 1% higher at the Doctor’s office than it is based on what my scale says at home.  Wonder why that is?  My weight was the same both places.  Good news is I had lost 6 more pounds from when I saw the Endocrinologist in June.  I have reached another plateau and it may be a bit before I release any more weight again.  That seems to be the pattern I follow.  Getting ever so close to my goal weight yet it still feels a long ways off.

As far as I know I get to stay home tomorrow.  This week has gotten too busy for my liking and I have made too many trips to Emporia.  Time to stay home for a bit and slow things down again.  I have two guests coming in for Friday night but they leave Saturday morning.  My long-term boarder is staying over the weekend as he is only working Monday next week  and then taking the rest of the week off as he is getting married Saturday.

Peaches from CO are to be at a fruit stand in Emporia on Friday so will go in Friday morning and pick up a case so I can get my peach jam made next week.  Apples should be ready sometime in August so I can make apple butter.  Wonder if the apples will be really small this year since it has been so dry.  The peaches on my tree are very small – not sure they will be worth harvesting.

i gave up and took a short nap.  Woke up to rain!  Almost didn’t recognize the sound it has been so long.  Radar doesn’t look very promising but I will take every drop I can get.

Grateful for a short nap today, grateful I got to reduce my blood pressure medication dosage, and grateful my tires don’t need replaced immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

Ellexia text me this morning that she wanted to come out for the day.  So around  9:30 I went in and picked her up.  Fixed her blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs when we got home.  She tried out the game Kathy created for the event Kathy is going to Saturday.  Ellexia loved playing it.  After lunch Kathy and I took Ellexia to the Cottonwood Falls swimming pool and we all swam for 1 1/2 hours.  I am ready for a nap.

Haven’t gotten much done today but making the guest bed.  It has turned into a play day.  I have been tired all day so the timing was perfect to have a do nothing day.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with my family doctor to see if I can adjust down the dosage or stop taking some of my medications.  In the afternoon I am getting the oil changed in my car.  Need to buy some groceries before I come home from my doctor’s appointment and then maybe I won’t have to go to town for several days.  I have made too many trips to town this week already.

I need to get the yard mowed again and the flower beds weeded.  It is to cool down later this week so maybe I can get some outside chores done.  It looks a little rugged outside around the house right now.  It has been too hot to weed eat and pull weeds.

Need to start detail cleaning the rooms upstairs.  I did the upstairs guest bedroom over the weekend but the rest of the upstairs still needs done.  The basement is done.  It will be nice to get the rest of it finished.  I found lots of dirt downstairs so it has been a bit since I cleaned really good.

Tim is coming out to pick Ellexia up.  She decided not to spend the night.  I hope I can stay awake until at least 9:00 tonight.  Sure could fall asleep easily right now.

Quiet mind type of day.  Hard for me to concentrate on anything for very long.  Nothing seems to be sticking in my head today.  Good thing I didn’t have anything important I needed to do today.

Grateful for swim time with Ellexia today, grateful I could turn today into a play day, and grateful it is almost bed time!

 

Almost ready to go back to bed and try this day again.  I got started off on the wrong foot and can’t seem to get back into a good rhythm,  I woke up before 6:00 this morning hearing a beeping noise.  I had two guests trying to sleep so went on a mission to find the cause.  It was not coming from the basement.

Finally found the beeping noise in the garage.  I didn’t know I had a smoke detector in the garage and last time I changed all the batteries I didn’t change that one.  The only problem was the ceilings are tall and I couldn’t reach it.

I messaged Craig around 9:00 and ask if I could borrow his truck and ladder.  He has a step-ladder that is taller than the one I have.  I had to wait for my guest to leave at 10:00 before I could go pick it up.

I thought I was going to have to put the ladder in the bed of the truck and reach the smoke detector that way.  I tried to back the pickup into the garage and get it where I needed it but that is easier said than done.  Decided to try with the ladder on the floor and if I stood on the next to top rung I could reach the smoke detector.

Got the smoke detector opened without issue and put in a new battery.  The damn thing still beeped.  I climbed back up and took the battery back out and put it in the other way.  It still beeped!  This time I couldn’t get the battery case open so I pulled the whole damn thing out of the ceiling completely.

By then Kathy had come out to see what all the cussing and beeping was about.  She noticed a CO2 Monitor I didn’t know was in the garage and found it beeping.  I replaced the battery in it and it still beeped.  WTF!

Took the batteries out of both of them and put them away.  I will figure them out another day!  Still not sure if both were going off or if the smoke detector wasn’t even beeping to start with.  Things like that drive me crazy.

Took Craig’s pickup back to him and stopped at Fanestil’s to get some snacks for the meeting today.  I thought I had some Ritz crackers stashed away but I can’t find them.  Guess I will serve cheese and summer sausage without crackers as I am not going back into town for the third time.

I have to go into town this evening to meet the insurance adjuster for my two rental properties to see if insurance will pay for part of the roof replacement.  Three trips to town in one day is my limit!

Had another nice guest last night.  I had a chance to visit with him briefly before he left this morning.  He had enjoyed staying here and had found it very peaceful.  He loved on my cat and dogs last night and again this morning.

The committee members that are meeting here this afternoon will be here in about 30 minutes.  Best get the house ready for them.  I didn’t get the cleaning done I was going to do this morning as I got distracted with the damn beeping noise.  Oh well, it is what it is.

Grateful Craig loaned me his ladder, grateful the f*^*ing beeping noise has stopped, and grateful I had a chance to calm down before my afternoon company comes.

I had a good time at Pioneer Bluffs serving the dinner last night.  The only dish I brought home empty was the crock pot that had been full of BBQ Meatballs.  Not sure what I am going to do with the other leftovers.  I will offer them to my long-term boarder when he returns tonight.

Got a last-minute booking for tonight.  The guest won’t be here until 8:00 tonight and has an appointment in the morning to look at some property so he won’t be here long.  I’m glad I had gotten that room cleaned and flipped last week.  Not in the mood to clean today.

Came home last night bloated, swollen and not feeling good.  Feel a bit better today but not back to myself yet.  I’m still feeling very tired and have very little energy today.  Not sure what caused it.  I haven’t eaten off plan.  I wonder if I got a touch dehydrated.  It was pretty warm while I was running around the barn at Pioneer Bluffs yesterday.  Trying not to give in and take a nap this afternoon.  That seems to be what my body wants me to do.  I hate to get that cycle started though as if I nap I will have trouble sleeping tonight.

Have some people coming over for a Pioneer Bluff’s committee meeting tomorrow afternoon and then at 5:30 I am meeting my rental property manager and the insurance adjuster to see what the insurance company is going to cover so I can replace two roofs.  Other than flipping the bedroom that is all that is on my calendar for tomorrow.  May try to get some housecleaning done in the morning if I have the energy and motivation to do so.

The kids are driving home from their vacation to Tennessee today.  Glad I don’t have to travel 13 hours today.  Sounds like they have had a wonderful time and the kiddos got to see and do some things they have never done before.  What wonderful memories they created!

Finally got the last two sets of tea towels I had embroidery pressed and tied up.  I had stamped two more sets Friday but didn’t take the time to press the two I have finished.  I wanted to get the ironing board put away so I got them pressed this morning.  Always feels good to get them pressed and put away.  Sure wished I knew what I was going to do with them.

Have been having some low blood pressure lately.  When I go to my family doctor Wednesday I am going to ask him about decreasing my blood pressure medication dosage or even possibly stopping it for a trial run to see what happens.  I skipped my pill this morning as my blood pressure was 85/65.  Didn’t think I needed it to go any lower.

Craving an adventure and the trip to Australia seems a long ways away.  I only have two or three days in a row I can get away and go somewhere.  Just can’t think of any place I want to go that is not too far away.  There are a couple of places in KS I want to go see so maybe I will do a day trip or two.

Having trouble keeping my eyes open.  Best get my body moving or I am going to fall asleep typing.

Grateful for the gathering last night at Pioneer Bluffs, grateful for a bit cooler temperatures outside today, and grateful for another guest coming today.

 

 

 

 

Have everything I am taking to the dinner tonight at Pioneer Bluffs ready to go.  Kathy saved the eggs and peeled the rest of them for me.  She was more patient than I am and they were good enough that I could make deviled eggs.  I also made a potato salad, chicken salad, and BBQ meatballs.  Not sure how many people are coming tonight but hopefully I will not have to bring any of the food home with me.

When I was having lunch yesterday with my friends I figured out why the guests getting into my refrigerator bothers me.  My mentor had taught us about request and demand and how the two feel differently in our bodies.  When the guests get in the refrigerator without permission or ask for extra food ingredients I get triggered if it feels like a demand.  When it is a request I can handle it easily.  Now to figure out how to respond to a demand.  One step closer to having that puzzle solved.

Realized today I have lost 15 pounds since I returned home from Italy the middle of May.  Only 6 pounds from goal weight now.  I have been doing the Bright Line eating plan for 160 days.  Trusting it will be the way I eat for the rest of my life.  I am gradually adding in additional food so I can coast into goal weight and not drop below it.  So far the additional food hasn’t slowed my weight lose which surprises me.  My body tells me rather quickly if it likes the additional food I add.  Grains create a gas problem for me so think I will continue to avoid them.  I have been adding more fats and proteins and a few more vegetables.  I feel much more satisfied with the additional fat and protein I have added.

I didn’t sleep very good last night.  I woke up at 3:00 after going to sleep at midnight and I didn’t get my second sleep.  It has been a long day already today.  The two nights before that I had gotten four or five hours of sleep straight.  Not sure why I couldn’t do that last night.  I may have been over tired.  May try to take a nap this afternoon so I can people this evening at the concert.

Ran into Emporia this morning.  My girls were out of lettuce.  I thought I saw that the CO peaches were going to be for sale today but if they are they have moved where they normally sell them at and I couldn’t find them.  Got lettuce, filled my car up with gas and came back home.

It was nice today and yesterday to not have a guest in the house.  I could relax and enjoy the peace and quiet without fear that someone would need something.  Still have some house cleaning I need to get done tomorrow morning before my guest returns tomorrow afternoon  Not in the mood to do any cleaning today.  I have already run the dishwasher twice from the kitchen messes I keep making and still have some more mess to clean up.

Have a Pioneer Bluff’s committee meeting at my house Monday afternoon. Maybe that will motivate me to get my dining room and living room floors done.  They are overdue for a good cleaning.

Grateful for friends who help me figure out answers when I get stuck, grateful I was able to get food prepared without a major oops, and grateful I have the luxury of taking a nap this afternoon if I am able to sleep.

 

I feel like I have been on a treadmill all day today going fast but not really doing anything.  I detailed cleaned my boarder’s bedroom this morning.  He has had poison ivy so I looked up on-line to see if I needed to wash the bedspread and blanket.  I do.  Poison ivy can stay on blankets for up to five years.  Glad I looked it up.  I would hate for him  to have it flare up again.

Went to KC and did my monthly Costco run.  Stopped at Sprouts to get Real Salt and at Hy-Vee to get a few things.  Met two dear friends for lunch.  They surprised me and bought my lunch as we probably won’t see each other again until after my birthday next month.  One of them gave me a thingy that helps smooth rough feet.  Didn’t know they made such a thing.  I will try it out tonight.  Love my friends!

On the way home the garage door repairman called and said he was headed my way.  By the time I got home 15 minutes later he was already done fixing them.  He did say the garage doors need new rollers and bearings.  He is going to order the parts and then come back and install them another day.  It will be nice not to have to cross my toes and eyes to get the garage door to open.  Kathy won’t even have to get out of her car and hold the button inside to close her door any more.

Took me a while to get all the stuff I got in KC put away.  I bought a bunch of chicken tenders and portioned them out into baggies so I could freeze them.  I pull one out each day and have my dinner protein serving measured out and ready to cook.

Have eggs, potatoes and chicken cooking for the stuff I am making to take to Pioneer Bluffs tomorrow.  I like making the potato salad a day early so it has time to mellow.  Trusting the eggs will peel easy today and if they do I want to make a bunch of deviled eggs.  Found out we aren’t expecting as many people to come as we had hoped so am not going to fix the broccoli salad and cabbage salad.  I can’t eat either one and leftovers would go to waste so happy not to fix those two.

I am really tired tonight.  City energy wears me out quick!  Glad to be back home on my beloved prairie where it is nice and quiet.  I have had the house to myself this afternoon since I have been home.  Have enjoyed every moment of it!

Looked at the tires on my car today and realized they are going to need to be replaced before winter.  It is time to get them rotated and I’ll have the tire guys confirm they are needing replaced.  Sure seems easy to find things to have to spend money on.  I have 45,000 miles on them so was expecting them to need replaced soon.

It clouded up in KC while we were having lunch but only got a few sprinkles on the way home.  If it rained here today I can’t tell it did.  Slight chance of rain is in the forecast for next Monday.  Crossing my fingers and toes we get more rain.  My front yard has greened up a bit where they cut the hay.  I may need to mow again sometime next week to level things out again.  Some of the weeds in the yard grow faster than others.  Not much grass left this year.

Have a couple of busy days coming up.  I sure have enjoyed my empty space this week and will look forward to it again when it returns later next week.  Sometimes I think I could become a hermit rather easily these days.  I enjoyed seeing my friends today but I sure enjoyed getting home too!

Grateful for my two dear friends and the conversation we had today, grateful for my trusted garage door repairman, and grateful for the peace and quiet of my home this afternoon.

 

 

 

Called the insurance company yesterday afternoon and filed the two claims for roof damage on my rental properties.  I panicked for a moment as I couldn’t find the insurance policy for one of them.  The guy I was talking to so I could file the claim on the first property said he didn’t have record of me having the other property insured with them.  I did some digging around and found the policy and called back and filed the second claim.  An adjuster is to call me within three days to schedule a time to come look at the roofs and see what they want to do.

The garage door fixer guy is to come out either today or tomorrow and do some adjustments on both garage door openers.  Neither are working as well as they should be.  I went out to the garage this morning and used the leaf blower and blew the dirt out of the garage.  It was looking disgustingly dirty.  Still not completely clean but looks much better now.

Nothing on my calendar that I have to get done today.  I may try to get the great room downstairs hand-scrubbed.  I got the second bedroom and bathroom scrubbed yesterday.  I also need to clean my own bedroom and bathroom.  I tend to forget those two rooms.  My long-term boarder is going home this weekend so I will try to get his room and bathroom detailed cleaned this weekend too.  I enjoy having the whole house really clean.  Just wished it would stay cleaner longer.  I fight a never ending battle with the dust out here on the prairie.  Right now the dust is winning.

I am going to KC tomorrow to have lunch with some friends.  I have a couple of stops I need to make either before or after lunch.  I need to remember to take a cooler so I can get some frozen and refrigerated foods at Costco and Hy-Vee.  I have been enjoying the sheep’s cheese I got last time I was at Hy-Vee and want to get some more of it.

Saturday is a concert at Pioneer Bluffs.  We are serving a dinner before the concert and I am fixing a bunch of dishes to take to that.  I’m glad I booked off the weekend so guests couldn’t come as I will be in the kitchen all morning Saturday fixing food.

It is going to be another hot day on the prairie today.  The rain that was forecast for yesterday never happened.  You could break an ankle tripping in the deep cracks in my yard.  The pond behind my house gets lower each day.  I’m surprised they haven’t had to pull the cattle off the pasture yet.  Not sure there is much grass left for the cattle to eat.

Ellexia FaceTime me last night and gave me a video tour of the cabin they are staying in while on their vacation in Tennessee.  She sure looked happy and like she is having fun.  I’m glad the grandkids get to see new parts of the country this year.  There is so much to see and do in the USA.

Need to take my car in next week and get the oil changed.  The car wash has been turned off due to the drought so they won’t be able to wash my car for me.  That is that part I like best about getting my oil changed.  Maybe they will still vacuum the inside.  I took Roxy to the Vet and have dog hair all over the back seat and trunk area.

Almost have the second set of tea towels done.  Doubt if I will get around to stamping two more sets today and getting these two sets pressed and tied.  May have to wait until Sunday as I will be busy tomorrow and Saturday.

Still sitting with the restlessness.  At least I know what is causing it and am allowing it to be what it is.  That is progress for me!  Getting up and moving my body and doing some deep cleaning helps keep it manageable for now, at least.  The situation that is causing my restlessness should be resolved one way or the other within the next two or three weeks.

Grateful for getting my phone calls made and action started on several issues I need to get done around here, grateful for another bedroom and bathroom deep cleaned, and grateful the grandkids are having a fun vacation.

 

 

Got some of my to-do list done today.  I called the garage door opener repairman and he is coming later this week to see if he can make some adjustments so the openers work easier.  Called the roofing guy to have him check out the roofs of two of my rental properties.  My property manager had asked me to have that done as there was a hail storm earlier this spring and lots of roofs in the rental properties neighborhoods had major damage.  Unfortunately both roofs need replaced.  I will have to call and file an insurance claim.  Not sure they will pay much as both roofs were rather old to start with and I have a high deductible.  OUCH!

Went into Emporia and got chicken feed, oats, and dog food.  As I was pushing the flat cart out the door at Bluestem a worker there offered to load my car for me.  I ask him if he would come home with me to unload too.  Dropped Craig’s garage door opener off at his house.  Feels good to get some things crossed of my errand list today.

Kathy’s guest is leaving around 1:00 so after she leaves I will need to get a bedroom and bathroom cleaned.  I don’t have any other guests coming until the 27th so have lots of time to flip the room.  Still need to detail clean the other bedroom and bathroom downstairs and hand-scrub the great room.  My knee is almost healed from the blister I got scrubbing floors last week.

I sent a question to my mentor to answer for me on his monthly phone chat he does as part of the class I am taking.  I am struggling to see myself as a person in a right-sized body.  He said I don’t have a reference point for being thin in my mind’s database.  He explained it is kinda like getting old.  One day you look in the mirror and wonder what the hell happened.  It is hard to see the daily changes to ourselves.  He didn’t really offer me any advice as to how to help that process along.  Last time I lost weight I was very uncomfortable being thin and gained all the weight back.  At least this time I am very aware of the disconnect and am not allowing it to throw me off my path of living in a right-sized body.  Sooner or later I will look in the mirror and see the difference.

Not much else on my agenda of things I want to do today other than calling the insurance company and filing the two claims.  I hate to talk on the phone and have already made two calls today.  This needs to get done so I am going to have to dig deep and find the whatever to make the call.

This has been one of those days where I felt like I could get some things done.  Don’t always have days like that so have been taking advantage of it.  Loose ends feel uncomfortable to me for some reason right now.  Not sure why I am feeling that way right now.  Sometimes I get subtle hints from the Universe to get my self together and get things done. Feels like one of those.  I have learned it is usually in my best interest to listen to them and do what I need to do sooner rather than later.

Grateful for the helper at Bluestem today, grateful for my mentor and his lessons and teachings, and grateful for days where I feel like I get something accomplished.

 

 

Another 1/4 inch of rain in the gauge.  I was very hopeful for a bit that we would finally get a really good long rain but it didn’t last long.  I am grateful for every drop we received!  The yard is turning green a bit.  This will make doing the hard mowing easier.

Had lunch with a dear friend today.  Always great to spend quality time with a friend and enjoy some deep conversation.  I need to remember to book more time with friends.

I am on the last tea towel in the set I am working on and ran out of the color of embroidery floss I need to finish it.  I will have to run into Emporia this afternoon or tomorrow and see if I can find some more.  Not sure what I will do if I can’t find the right color.

My long-term boarder came back to the house late morning.  They can’t work outside doing electrical work when it is lightning out.  He took a nap and then is going to do homework.  Good day to take a nap!

Kathy has a friend coming sometime this afternoon to spend the night.  After she leaves tomorrow I have a ten-day break from guests except for my long-term boarder.  I want to do some more deep cleaning downstairs during this break.  It is nice to be able to relax and be “off duty” during the day and evening.  I enjoy my guests but I enjoy the quiet without them just as much.

Have some phone calls I need to make if I can people this afternoon.  Not sure why I don’t enjoy talking on the phone but at times I can’t make myself do it.  Have a list of errands I need to run in Emporia but not sure if I will go this afternoon or tomorrow morning.  Not in the mood right now to go to town.

Got notice my new prescription coverage will be deducted out of my Medicare check.  Nice not to have to worry about paying that bill each month.  The Plan G is automatically deducted from a checking account so that is taken care of too.  So far the transition has been smooth.  I go to my Family Doctor July 25 to get new prescriptions for the new pharmacy I will be using.  I see the Cardiologist in August and will find out then if I have to stay on the blood thinner.  I’ll have to email my Endocrinologist around the first of August to get a new prescription sent for my thyroid medication.

I will be paying more each month for the new coverage but have a much lower deductible and will come out ahead at year-end.  Nice to be turning 65 and getting lower cost medical coverage.

Put on my raincoat today for the first time since I wore it in Italy.  I had gotten it to take to Italy and it was a bit tight on me when I went to Italy.  I had decided to go ahead and get the small-sized one instead of the medium which would have fit me better then.  I’m glad I got the small sized one as it fit a bit loose on me today.  I sure can’t see the weight lose on myself except when I put on clothes that used to fit and find out they are too big now.

Still sitting with a bit of restlessness today.  It hasn’t taken me down into the muck pond yet and I am aware of what is causing the unsettled feeling.  I consider it progress that I can accept it for what it is and not let it throw me off my path.

Grateful for the rain the prairie received again today,  grateful for a dear friend and the conversation we had today, and grateful I can stay home if I choose to the rest of the day.

Had an unexpected guest last night.  The guest that I extended late check-out privilege to had a long day yesterday due to the rain delay.  He decided to go ahead and spend another night.  He came in after I went to bed at midnight.  I had told him I didn’t have anyone needing his room for Sunday night.  I was surprised to see him this morning!  He is a sweet kid and I’m glad he felt comfortable staying another night.

My other guest works for the State Department.  She was most pleasant and we enjoyed visiting with her as we sat in the swings and enjoyed the sunset last night.  She was hoping to see the stars but there was too much cloud cover for her to see most of them.

Both were gone before 10:00 this morning.  I stripped the two beds and threw a load of laundry in the washer then went into town to get some groceries.  The sheets are now drying and the towels are washing.  One more guest tomorrow night then I will have a break from guests for over a week except for my long-term boarder.  After the guest leaves Wednesday I need to hand-scrub that bedroom and bathroom floor. I have two sore knees from yesterday – I rubbed blisters on both knees.  I ended up hand-scrubbing the coffee-room too as it was really dirty.  Still need to do the great room downstairs – maybe I can do that Wednesday after I get the bedroom and bathroom done.

It is nice to have lots of empty space on my calendar this week.  Hopefully I will have some extra energy and get some extra cleaning done for the next wave of guests coming in.  I have three weeks booked already in August.

Got 1/2 inch of rain yesterday afternoon and only light sprinkles this morning.  Every drop helps.  Slight chance of rain yet later today and tomorrow.  I invite the rain to come stay and play on the prairie.

Had to buy store eggs today.  My last guest wanted to fix eggs this morning and I only had one egg left in the basket.  I walked down to the chicken coop while it was raining this morning and picked up another egg for him.  I am fixing stuff for Pioneer Bluffs for Saturday and didn’t have enough eggs for what I want to fix and take there.  Hopefully we will get enough from my chickens so I can have real eggs for breakfast everyday.  The chickens have cut their egg production to about half of what I was getting when it wasn’t so hot.  With the water restrictions I haven’t been running the sprinkler in their pen to help them stay a bit cooler.  My guests sure enjoy eating fresh, country eggs for their breakfast.

I didn’t sleep very much last night so may end up taking a nap today.  I was up from 3:00 to 6:00 this morning and was finally able to get two more hours of sleep before I got up at 8:00.  Getting harder for me to manage my day on only four or five hours of sleep.  It is a cloudy, damp day out and is perfect weather for napping.

Feeling a bit of restlessness for the first time in a long time.  I know what it is from and am using it to remind me to stay present and not get ahead of myself.  Sometimes I am able to stop the monkey chatter for a bit the restlessness causes.  I’ll take that as a sign of personal growth.  My mantra right now is “right here – right now – all is well”.  What more can a person ask for?

Grateful for pleasant and fun guests, grateful for the bit of rain the prairie received yesterday, and grateful for every egg my chickens decide to gift me with.

 

My dad and son guests were on their way back to Tennessee by 6:30 this morning.  Both gave me a big hug before they left.  I have their room ready for the guest arriving this evening.  I hand-scrubbed the floors and have the rugs in the dryer.  Beds are made and toilet swished.  That was easy!

My single guest was up and out of the house by 7:30 this morning.  He didn’t get here until after 10:00 last night.  He is playing in a disc golf tournament in Cottonwood Falls today.  He is coming back late afternoon to take a shower before he heads back to KC this evening.  Since I don’t need his room tonight I gave him special late check-out privileges.

The other two guests left for Mass at 8:30 this morning.  I’m not sure what their plans are for the rest of the day.  I think they were going to go ride the bus at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve at 11:00 so they could see the buffalo.  Haven’t heard yet if the girlfriend is heading back home today or if she is staying for a bit.  They sat out in the swings last night and watched the sunset and then got the telescope out and enjoyed the stars for a long time last night.  It has been a relaxing weekend for them.

Need to do some more cleaning upstairs and I also need to clean the coffee- room downstairs yet today.  I have the essential cleaning done already so what ever else I get done will be a bonus.  Found more dirt than I expected to in the bedroom so I must be overdue for a good cleaning in the rest of the house.

Have a friend of Kathy’s coming in for Tuesday night than I have a ten-day break from other guests except for my long-term boarder.  It will be nice to have a break.  I don’t really have anything much on my calendar but am feeling the need to be able to completely relax and not be “on duty”.

I am going to KC Friday to have lunch with some dear friends and do a Costco run.  Saturday I am volunteering again at Pioneer Bluffs for a concert.  I am making chicken salad, potato salad, broccoli salad and a fruited cabbage salad for the dinner we are serving prior to the concert.  I booked the weekend off so I wouldn’t have to work around guests.  I haven’t cooked much for the last five months so wish me luck!

It has felt good to move my body today and clean the house.  I have been sitting way too much lately.  Finally feeling good again today and have more energy than I have had for the last couple of days.

Got two more sets of tea towels pressed and tied and two more sets stamped.  May need to get some more embroidery thread soon.  I still have a lot but not two of the same color.  Good thing embroidery thread is cheap.

Best get back to cleaning before I lose my motivation to get it done!  Gotta strike while the iron is hot!

Grateful the guests are out of the house and the bedroom is cleaned, grateful for the energy to get some cleaning done today, and grateful for the hugs I got from three of my guests today!