Author: Kay Krause

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!

Quiet day at home.  All four of my guests were up and out of the house before 7:30 this morning.  I didn’t hear the dad and son come in last night nor did I hear them leave this morning.  They are going to be exhausted as they had been out in this heat all week and staying up late and leaving early every day.

I have the two bedrooms and bathrooms refreshed.  Just waiting on the last load of towels to dry so I can get them put away and then the rooms will be ready for them all to return.  Not sure what their plans were for the day.  It rained a bit last night and so far it is nice outside.  Still have a chance for a bit more rain but not looking very likely at this point.  Only got 1/4 inch but I will take every drop I can get.

Have a guest coming in this afternoon for one night.  He is a returning guest and it will be fun to see him again.  Have another guest coming in tomorrow night for one night.  The dad and son leave tomorrow morning to head back to Tennessee.  I will have lots of cleaning to do in the morning.  The basement is pretty dirty.

I crashed last night and got more sleep than I have been getting.  I woke up a few times but was able to go back to sleep rather quickly.  Nice to get a good night’s sleep without taking a sleeping pill.

I didn’t feel very good last night.  I was bloated and gassy which is unusual for me.  Not sure what caused it.  I feel a bit better this morning but still not back to my new normal level of energy.  May need to move my body a bit and see if that helps.  I don’t have much motivation to do so however.  Maybe I can find some soon!

Have two more tea towels to finish and these two sets will be done.  May get them done today and two more sets stamped.  They have been my saving grace this summer as I feel like I get something done but don’t have to expend a lot of energy to do them.  I knitted during the meeting yesterday.  Finished a shawl and started a wash rag.  Had to rip out the wash rag as I dropped a stitch and couldn’t seem to get it picked up.  I wasn’t too far along and it was easier to start over than mess with it.  The tote in my closet is full of shawls and blankets and I don’t want to start a second one.  Need to find a home for them somehow.  Not to mention finding a home for all the tea towels I have made.

Still feeling a bit unsettled and ungrounded today although I am better than I was yesterday.  I keep coming back to my breath and centering myself when I catch my mind wondering down a lane I don’t want to go.  Playing the “what if game” is pretty pointless until I know something for sure.

Grateful for the bit of rain that fell on the prairie overnight, grateful for tea towels to embroidery, and grateful for sleep!

Cleaned the laundry room this morning and found way too much dirt.  I can’t remember when I last cleaned it – obviously I had waited too long.

Went to the board meeting at Pioneer Bluffs this afternoon.  Lots of things happening there right now – the board has really gotten engaged and are doing lots of work behind the scenes.  I did a much better job staying quiet today.  It was fun hearing all the committee reports and what all is happening.

Over 100 degrees out again today.  I was surprised how green the grass was at Pioneer Bluffs.  My yard has been burned up for weeks.  Their grass is still green and growing.  They have had lots more rain than I have gotten.  I do have a 50/50 chance for some rain tomorrow and the high is only going to be 90.  I will welcome every drop that comes my way.

My long-term boarder’s girl friend came this afternoon while I was gone.  I had told him to tell her to come on in and make herself at home.  They are resting so I haven’t got to meet her yet.  Not sure how long she is staying.

My little guest that is playing in the disc golf tournament had a good day yesterday.  I hope he places in the money today.  He is such a cute kid.  Lots of pressure to play in a big tournament like he is in.  He told me he had fun yesterday which is the important thing.

I took a nap yesterday so had trouble falling asleep last night.  Finally took a sleeping pill around 1:30 and got a couple of hours of sleep after that.  I could fall asleep right now if I would let myself.  Will try to stay up until at least 9:00 tonight so I can break this cycle.  Sure wish sleep wasn’t so hard for me.

Feeling a bit unsettled and ungrounded today.  I know what is causing it and I just need to keep reminding myself all is well and allow things to be what they are.  Need to stay present and not look ahead of myself.  Sometimes that is easier said than done for me.

Have a guest coming in tomorrow for one night and then another one coming in Sunday night for one night.  The dad and son check out Sunday morning.  Guess I will be doing lots of laundry and cleaning this weekend.  Kathy has a friend coming in Tuesday for one night.  After that I don’t have any guests for over a week except for my long-term boarder.  It will be nice to have some down time from guests.

Grateful for all the fun stuff that is in the works at Pioneer Bluffs, grateful for having a clean laundry room, and grateful all is well on the prairie today.

 

Have my to-do list done for the day.  The two bedrooms and bathrooms are refreshed.  Went into Cottonwood Falls to go to the bank and get a cashier’s check to pay my share of the Australia and New Zealand trip.  Went to Walmart and got cat food and lettuce. I vacuumed the steps leading to the basement.  Nothing else on my list for the day so guess that means I get to play the rest of the day.

Had an interesting couple of conversations regarding my hay yesterday.  My neighbor has burned it every spring until this year.  Not sure why he decided not to do so this spring.  As payment for burning it I gave him my share of the hay.  Since he didn’t burn it this year I decided to find someone else to cut it and take the hay in exchange for a promise to come do the burn for me next spring.  At the Moon Rising Party a local rancher that came to the party knew of someone who he thought might take that deal for me.

Yesterday someone was cutting my hay.  The rancher happened to be driving by and stopped to make sure the guy he had talked to about doing the job had gotten hold of me.  The guy had not.  Come to find out my neighbor had given the guy that cuts his grass permission to cut my yard.  The rancher talked to the guy cutting the grass and the rancher is now going to take my hay and will come burn for me next spring.  The guy doing the cutting will haul the hay to the rancher’s place.

My neighbor called me last night.  It was an interesting conversation to say the least. He had forgotten I had told him I was going to find someone else to cut and bale this year.  Oh well, it got cut and is going away and I have someone to burn next spring.  It all ended well.

Roxy had gained 15 pounds from her last year’s check.  Thinking not running the neighborhood is causing her to gain weight.  She behaved herself and was fairly easy to manage taking her in and out of the Vet’s office.  I did have to lift her up to get her in my car to take her to town.  She now weighs 80 pounds so that wasn’t something I would want to do everyday.  She got right in the car for the trip home.

I had to get HeartGuard and tic medication for both dogs this visit.  That stuff is expensive!  Spent almost $500 between the cats shots and medication and Roxy’s shots and medication for her and Star.  There goes my profits for the month.  Star went in January so I am set for the rest of the year except for tic medication for all four in October.

Still have an open week in July with no bookings other than my long-term guest.  I think I am going to block those days off and take some time off.  I am struggling a bit with keeping myself grounded and have a feeling of being unsettled.  I think I need a short break to see if that helps.  I have three weeks booked in August and won’t get much of a break then.

This heat hasn’t helped as I don’t go outside much.  Now that my yard is cut and baled I need to get out and do the hard mowing which is the areas in the very front yard the tractor couldn’t get to.  It is way too hot to do that mowing right now unless I am up and at it by 6:30 each morning and quit by 8:00.  I’ll see how next week unfolds and see if I can get out and get it done early in the day.

They were able to bale the grass today and they only cut it yesterday.  Usually it has to dry longer before they can bale it.  My yard looks completely yellow where they cut.  No green left in it to be found.

Have a meeting at Pioneer Bluffs to go to tomorrow afternoon.  Only have two more meetings after this one and my time on the board will come to an end.  I am not going to renew my term.  Board work is important work for a non-profit but it isn’t something I enjoy so I am not going to do more of it.  I like jumping in and jumping out on short-term volunteer projects and not knowing all the stuff that happens behind the scenes.

Grateful the yard is cut and baled and the hay is going away to someone who will burn my pasture next spring, grateful my to-do list is complete for the day, and grateful I can book myself time off when I feel the need to do so.

 

 

I am in a cranky mood today.  I finally fell asleep around 1:30 this morning and slept hard for five hours.  Maybe I got too much sleep?  May put myself in time-out and go back to bed for the safety of me and those around me.

I am taking Roxy in for her annual visit to the Vet this afternoon.  Trusting I can corral her and get her in the car.  She can be hard to handle at times.  Maybe since it is going to be hot again today she won’t have enough energy to fight with me.

Two of my guests are still here this morning.  The kid plays his first tournament at 2:00 this afternoon.  Both he and his dad are extremely nervous and a bit wired today.  They are out in the back yard warming up.  Dad brought a disc golf basket they are shooting at.  I wanted to tell Dad he needs to keep calm as the kid will feed off of him but it really isn’t my business to do so.

A friend sent me an email today wanting to do lunch sometime in August.  I talked her into coming out and spending a night during the Persoid Meteor Shower instead.  I love visiting with her and it will be fun to have someone to watch the Meteor Shower with.  Trusting the skies will be clear and we can see lots of them.  Two years ago I had a retreat designed just for Meteor Shower watching and it was an amazing night.  We saw one about every 30 seconds all night long.

Need to get up and move my body and work off some of this tension I am holding.  This week has had two surprises for me and I need to release them and remind myself all is well.  Sometimes it can be hard to hold my ground and center when life happens.  Allowing myself to feel what ever is coming up and staying present with what is.  And this too shall pass!

Grateful for a friend that is coming to visit in August, grateful for the work I have done with myself in the past so I know how to handle myself when life’s surprises happens, and grateful for a house that needs cleaned so I have a reason to move my body!

Have the two bedrooms refreshed and ready for the guests to return later this afternoon or evening.  Need to do some cleaning of my part of the house but not in the mood to do so – yet.  Maybe I can find some motivation to clean later today.

Got the two finished sets of tea towels pressed and tied and two more sets stamped.  Have three of seven of the first set completed.  So glad I have these to work on to keep my hands busy during this hot summer.  Sure haven’t had to do much mowing this year.

I am taking the cats to the Vet for their annual shots and check-up this afternoon.  Miss Ellie is so big it will be a challenge to get both of them in the small pet carrier.  I’ll have to go back to the Vet later this week or next to take Roxy in for her annual check-up and shots.  The cats and dogs need their tic medication this month too.  Good thing I have had some guests this month so they can help pay the vet bills.

Today is 150 days on Bright Line Eating Plan.  Tomorrow will be my fifth month anniversary on it.  I have lost 33 pounds so far – only 8 to go.  I went almost two weeks before I finally released a pound this morning.  At this rate it may be Christmas before I reach goal weight – if then.  Oh well, nothing changes much when I get to goal weight so it will be what it will be.

I will have to go shopping for some new clothes when I hit goal weight.  I don’t like shopping and I hate trying on clothes.  Anyone a fashionista and want to go help me?  I tend to buy the same old thing every time I shop.

Have been working on identifying myself as a person who has a right-sized body.  I still don’t see the weight loss in myself except occasionally.  I know other times when I lost weight I was so uncomfortable being thin that I regained the weight so I would feel more like myself.  I don’t want to do that this time so have been doing some reading and work on myself to accept myself as a person who has a right-sized body.  It changes a label I had identified as “me”.  Not sure I can fully claim being a thin person yet but am closer than I have ever been before to stepping into that and accepting it.

I have been able to identify myself as a person who no longer eats food that contains any sort of sugar or flour.  I also identify as a person who avoids processed foods. That makes it easier to resist them when they are offered to me.  Most people understand food allergies these days and I just say I have a food sensitivity to flour and sugar.  Not sure everyone understands it but most do.

Chase County is now in a burn ban until further notice.  We are also on water restrictions and are being asked to reduce as much water usage as possible.  This drought is starting to get serious.  No rain in the ten-day forecast and temperatures are to remain in the mid to upper 90’s for the foreseeable future.

Tomorrow is the drawing for a free night stay for two people at Starry Night on the Prairie.  To enter the drawing you need to go to the Starry Night on The Prairie Airbnb Web site and like comment and share the Airbnb link post.  This post has had more people look at it than any I have ever posted before.  Last count over 4,000 people had seen the post.  Thanks to all that shared it to help me get the word out about my Airbnb.  Business has been much heavier than I expected.

Grateful for Vet’s that take good care of my critters, grateful for 150 days of eating on the Bright Line Eating Plan, and grateful for all my friends that shared my Starry Night on the Prairie Airbnb website link on Facebook.

Both sets of guests showed up around 9:00 last night.  I sat at home all day for nothing!  One of these days I will learn to continue to live my life and not let my guests dictate what I do.   Didn’t do that yesterday but maybe I will remember to do so this weekend when more guests are checking in.

All three of them are out and about today and I don’t expect them back until late afternoon.  Nice to have an empty house during the day.

My long-term renter’s girl-friend is coming Friday and both of them are staying the weekend.  I think the plan is she will go back to MO either Sunday or Monday but their plans seem to change quickly.  Good thing I didn’t rent out the queen bed room for the weekend.  He ask if she could bring his dog with her.  I told him we could try it and see if it works.  The last time a guest brought a dog it didn’t work so well.  Maybe this one won’t piddle on my floor and bark all the time.

Went into Emporia this morning to get some groceries.  I picked up some jelly jars so I can make peach jam when the CO peaches come the end of the month.  I won’t eat it but I like to gift it to special friends.  I love making jellies.  Something so satisfying when the lids pop and seal.

I have the two rooms refreshed and laundry done and put away.  Running the second load of dishes for the day.  When five people eat and cook it creates more dishes than I am used to.

Almost have the last tea towel in another set done.  I will need to stamp two more sets this afternoon when I get it done and get these two sets pressed and tied.  I ask myself each time if I want to make more or not and so far the answer has been to make more.  They are piling up quickly.  I dropped my favorite needle yesterday and can’t find it.  I remembered to pick up some new ones at the store today.  My fingers are sore from adjusting to the different needle I have been using the last two days.  Trusting one of the new ones will work.  I have to get big eye needles as I have a hard time threading the needle.  I like a sharp point on the needle and sometimes the big eye ones are dull.

Should probably find something productive to do.  I have been sitting too much doing embroidery work.  My back has been getting sore from sitting so much.  Too hot to go outside and do anything and I haven’t been in the mood to clean.  The dust is thick again as it is so hot and dry outside.  I have made peace with the dust and almost don’t even notice it anymore.  You could write your name in the dust on my coffee table today – and probably on the floor too.  May be time to clean it up!

Getting into more of a rhythm with hosting.  Feeling more relaxed with each set of guests that comes.  Still can’t quite do my “normal” thing when guests are in the house but working my way towards that.  I don’t want to cross the line where I don’t keep the house really clean for my guests either.  It would be easy to slip into that mode.

Grateful for peach season, grateful for fresh peaches, and grateful for tea towels to embroidery so I feel like I am accomplishing something!

 

 

 

Happy birthday Jason!  You started out huge at over 10 pounds and have lived a huge life ever since.  Enjoy your day and many more years to come.

My guests checked out around 10:00 this morning.  Have the sheets in the dryer and the second load in the washer.  Haven’t heard from two of my guests as to what time they might be arriving.  The other two will be here around 3:30 or 4:00.  Should have plenty of time to get the two bedrooms cleaned and flipped before the guests get here.

My guests last night really enjoyed sitting out in the swings watching the sun set and the stars pop out.  The man knew quite a bit about the stars and enjoyed using my telescope to get a good look at the three planets he saw.  We enjoyed watching the Cottonwood Falls fireworks from the deck.  Several other people were shooting off big fireworks too so we watched those for a bit.  The family had s’mores before they came in.  The dogs and cats got lots of extra pets and hugs from the mom and the son.  They both volunteer at an animal shelter in KC once a week and love animals.  Not so sure the dad was as fond of animals as his wife and son are.

Once I get the rooms flipped and the guests checked in I have nothing on my to-do list for the day.  Loving all the empty space that has opened for me lately.  I had been missing it.  I am so much more grounded and happy when I have lots of empty space.

Haven’t lost any weight for 11 days.  I wonder if I will be able to lose the last 10 pounds I wanted to.  I would be OK if my body decides to stop where it is at now.  With my thyroid missing and my metabolism running very slow I don’t think I will get to add food in so I can stop the weight loss.  Time will tell I guess.

Had a power surge and lost what I had written. Guess that means it is time for me to stop writing today and go enjoy my empty space.

Grateful for having guests coming – even if it means more cleaning and laundry, grateful for the weight I have already lost, and grateful for the power returning quickly so the house will stay cool and I can get my laundry done.

Quiet morning at home.  My guests are on their trail ride at Flying W Ranch.  Kathy is at Pioneer Bluffs giving a tour.  It is nice to have a quiet, empty house this morning.

I have an issue I need to figure out how to deal with.  For some reason I have a strong, negative reaction when my guests get into my personal refrigerator.  Not sure why it triggers something in me.  I heard my guest this morning getting ice out of my freezer at 6:00.  I have a bag of ice in the guest refrigerator downstairs he could have used.  It really started my day off on the wrong foot.  Wish I could figure out why this little issue triggers me so much.  I tell my guests when I check them in  that my refrigerator is off-limits.  Some guests honor that but others don’t.  It doesn’t feel like it should be such a big deal – I share the rest of my house with no issues.  One of those things that make me wonder about myself!

Got invited to go to the lake tomorrow.  I have to flip two rooms so need to stay home and get that done.  Sometimes it sucks to work!  I still have trouble thinking of what I am doing is work – except when someone invites me to do something fun and I have to stay home to do laundry, clean and check-in guests.

Going to be yet another hot day on the prairie today.  No relief in sight as the ten-day forecast has all 90 degree plus days on it.  No chance of rain soon either.  I can’t remember a summer that has been this hot for so long.  Guess we were overdue for a hot one.  Wonder if that means we will have a long, cold winter?

I am having trouble accessing my Airbnb calendar so I can check availability and block some days off for me.  I switched to guest and checked the calendar and it is showing I am fully booked beginning in August forward.  I thought it was strange I hadn’t gotten any more bookings.  I just sent a note to support to see if they can help me.  I haven’t accessed support before so trusting they will be able to resolve it easily.

My mind is so quiet and empty today I can’t hang on to a thought long enough to capture it.  Good thing I don’t have a busy day as I’m not sure how productive I could be.  Good day to sit and be!

Grateful for a quiet morning at home, grateful for tea towels to embroidery so I can keep my hands busy, and grateful for the fan blowing cool air on me today.

Went into Emporia this morning to pick up a prescription and some batteries for my bathroom scale.  Stopped and got a pedicure while I was close by.  She didn’t do a great job but my feet aren’t as rough as they were.  Maybe if I had a pedicure more than once a year they wouldn’t get so rough.

Made an appointment for next Tuesday to take the cats in for their annual vet visit. While I am at the office I will need to make an appointment to take Roxy in for her annual visit.  Decided not to try to take Roxy and the cats at the same time.  There is a limit to my madness quota.

Got my Visa for the Australia trip.  Nicole had reminded me yesterday I needed to take care of that.  Their website was easy and I got notification right away that I am set and ready to go.  It is a paperless Visa that is accessed via my passport records by Immigrations in Australia.  New Zealand doesn’t require one.  Now I need to transfer some funds from savings to checking so I can pay the balance of the trip.  It is due August 1.

Signed up to have access on-line for my new prescription and medical plans.  Now to remember user names and passwords!  Still not sure how my prescriptions get transferred to the new insurance but I refilled all of them this week so have some time to figure that out.  I will set an alert on my calendar extra early when it gets close to getting them refilled again so I have time to get refills of everything.  Still trusting that I can get off of some of my medication when I go see the Cardiologist in August and my family Doctor later this month.

Kathy cleaned out the chicken coop for me today.  She said she had been out exercising and was hot and sweaty so decided to go ahead and get it done.  I was up early enough to go out and do it this morning but decided to listen to a Webinar for a class I am taking and forgot about going out and cleaning the coop.  Thanks Kathy – I appreciate you!

Realized this morning it has been a bit since I changed the sheets on my own beds.  I make so many beds I forget the beds I am making and changing sheets on is not my own.  I love fresh linens on a bed.  Think I will treat myself today and get them washed up.

So far I have a very light schedule next week.  I will have three guests in the house all week next week but other than freshening up their rooms daily I don’t have much on my calendar.  It will be nice to have a quiet, slow week.  Feels like a long time since I have had empty space several days in a row.  Sunday will be busy as I have to flip two rooms but thankfully the guests coming in Sunday afternoon are both staying all week so I won’t have to flip the rooms again until Friday and Saturday.

My handyman is picking up the doors I ordered tomorrow and will stop and get the glass pieces and quarter-round on his way home.  I am getting excited about seeing the stained glass pieces up.

My other handyman has not come back yet to finish staining and installing the baseboard in the basement.  He put the piece in and said he would be back within a couple of days and finish it.  If he doesn’t come this weekend I’ll have to call him Monday and remind him to come finish the job.  I have already paid him for the work – thinking I should have held part of it back so he would have some motivation to come finish the job

Saw a beautiful rainbow last night.  We missed the pop up showers that were all around me.  The consultation prize of a rainbow is beautiful but I really need the rain.

Considering biting the bullet and ordering some sort of shades for the west windows in the living room.  I need to do something to reduce my electric bill.  Anyone have any expertise in shades and or blinds and want to advice me?  I haven’t done so before because I don’t know what I am doing and don’t want to ruin the look of the windows by getting the wrong thing.  Thinking they might have to be custom ordered due to the size of the windows.  I don’t want to order the wrong thing and be stuck with them because they were expensive.  Are their companies that would come out and measure them for me and help me pick out the right thing?

Still staying in my peaceful valley.  Had one day last week where I was grumpy and felt like I took a quick dip in the muck pond.  I was able to recognize I had fallen in and was able to regroup and get out of it quickly.

Grateful for kinda smooth feet, grateful for easy on-line access to get a Visa and information about my medical plans, and grateful for a clean chicken coop.

 

 

 

It has been a productive day for me today.  Got up at 6:30 and went out to mow.  Finished up around 8:30.  I couldn’t tell where I had mowed on the outer parts of the yard and decided not to go all the way to the edge like I normally do.  The yard looks better.  I found some grass that needed mowed – most of it is dust piles.

Went into Emporia with Kathy to get some groceries.  Remembered to get the girls a watermelon.  They need the extra fluid during this heat.  They love watermelon!

Went into Cottonwood Falls and got my driver’s license renewed.  Got to drop my weight for the new license by 60 pounds from the one I had gotten two years ago!  I had to take my passport, social security card, birth certificate, and an electric bill that proves my current address.  I will receive the new Real Driver’s License in about two weeks.  Wonder if I have to take the same documents next time when it is time to renew?  I’m glad I had changed my name back to my maiden name or I would have had to take a marriage license too.  I’m grateful the Chase County Treasurer could take care of it for me so I didn’t have to wait in line in Emporia.  Sometimes living in a small town pays!  No wait today.

Got the guest bedroom and bathroom cleaned and ready for the guests coming tomorrow.  Made the bed and swished the toilet.  They won’t get here until around 6:00 tomorrow evening so have all day tomorrow free.

Almost have the last tea towel in another set done.  I’ll stamp two more sets when I get this last one done.  Still enjoying making them so I will make some more.

Watched some fireworks around the horizon last night.  I enjoy them more from this distance rather than being around the loud bangs and pops.  Chase County is doing their display Saturday night followed by a street dance in front of the Courthouse.  I’ll have to remember to tell my guests about it as I bet their children would enjoy going to it.  Doubt if I go in.

I may go into Emporia tomorrow and get a pedicure.  My feet are rough and cracked.  They are catching in the sheets when I roll over at night.  I have been working on them to sand them down but they need some serious work done to them.  Anyone want to go with me tomorrow and get a pedicure with me?

If I wake up early again tomorrow morning I want to get out and clean out the chicken coop.  It is due for it’s monthly clean out.  Way too hot to do it in the heat of the day.  It was nice out this morning mowing as it didn’t warm up until around 10:30 or so.

I have enjoyed my empty space day with no guests checking in or out today.  I’m glad I have guests coming back though as I only need one or two days every so often with nothing on my calendar.  I can relish them more when they aren’t a daily occurrence.

Grateful for the ease I was able to get my driver’s license renewed, grateful the yard is mowed and I was able to get it done before it got hot, and grateful for this empty space day!

 

My guest checked out around 10:00 this morning.  She was a very pleasant guest.  I enjoyed the short visit I had with her this morning.  Found out she is 38 years old.  She looked like she was in her early 20’s.

Drove to Manhattan today to visit some friends.  I stopped at the Home Depot to look for oak quarter-round.  I found some that is 1/2 x 3/4.  I got enough of it in case it works.  I think it will work better than the 1/4 x 1/2 I had found in Topeka.  This is real oak and not polyurethane like the stuff I got in Topeka.  The strips were 13’ long so had to drive with my passenger side window open so they could stick out.  Stopped at the grocery store and found some cable ties to secure them a bit so they wouldn’t flap around in the wind on the way home.  It worked and I got them home with no worries.  If these pieces of quarter-round don’t work I give up.  I did hear back from the lumber yard in KC I had asked about them and they told me they didn’t have the right knife to cut them for me.  6 trips to the Hardware so far and I will have at least one more to return one or the other pieces of quarter-round.

Had a nice visit with my friends.  They are getting ready to go to Maine to their summer place.  I’m going to try my best to get out there to see them for a few days this summer.  I had planned on driving and taking a long road trip but with the trip coming up to Australia I decided I couldn’t do both.  I may fly out for a few days now instead.  I’ll see how booking go and if I can find five or six free days to get away.

Tomorrow I have absolutely nothing on my calendar.  No one checks in or out.  I will enjoy my day off!  I do still need to clean the room the guest checked out of today as I haven’t gotten that done yet.  More guests are arriving Friday so I will need to get ready for them.  Have another 17 day stretch of non-stop guests coming up starting Friday.

I am tired tonight.  I don’t think I will stay up long enough to watch for fireworks all around.  I heard some pops and bangs while I was in Manhattan and have heard some since I got home this evening.  Fireworks are not one of my favorite things.

If I can sleep tonight I want to get up early tomorrow and get out and mow the yard before it gets too hot.  I have patches here and there that need mowed.  I’ll probably end up mowing all of it.  I haven’t mowed it for several weeks.  Most of it is brown and dried up.  Sure haven’t had to spend much money for mower gas this year so far.

I have a very quiet mind tonight.  Thoughts come in and leave very quickly.  Can’t hold on to much.  I like when that happens!

Grateful for my dear friends I got to visit with today, grateful I may have found the quarter-round I have been looking for, and grateful for a completely empty space day on tap for tomorrow.

 

 

My long-term boarder gets to have the rest of the week off after today so he checked out this morning and won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.  After working so many hours last week I am sure he will appreciate an extra long weekend.

My other guest got in last night a little after 7:00.  She is a very lovely young woman from Germany.  I couldn’t see her picture very well on the Airbnb site and for some reason had thought she was going to be a he.  It was a surprise to see a woman when she came in.  We had a nice conversation this morning over breakfast.  She is out and about seeing the Flint Hills Tallgrass Preserve today.  She was a foreign exchange student when she was in high school and is going to visit the family she lived with while she was in school tomorrow.

No other guests coming until Friday afternoon so I will have a couple of free days this week.  That will be a nice break for me.  I have the two rooms refreshed and flipped so once the towels are out of the dryer and put away my hosting chores for the day are done.

I did get another booking for the last weekend in July.  The Airbnb site has finally started to raise the rate, especially for weekends.  This will be my first booking at the higher rate.  Glad to know people will book at that rate.

My feet ached last night for the first time in a long time.  Not sure what caused them to hurt.  I finally got up and took some Advil so I could get them to quiet down so I could sleep.  I didn’t get much sleep but at least got some.

Got my electric bill yesterday.  Ouch!  I don’t remember one as high before.  We didn’t catch much of a break from the heat for the last 30 days.  Can’t remember a summer as relentlessly hot as this one has been.  No end in site yet either.  Time to turn up the thermostat a degree or two to see if I can somewhat limit the damage for next month’s bill.

Not much else I have to do today.  I have been sitting way too much lately doing my embroidery work but nothing else seems to make me want to get up and do something else.  Too hot to go outside to do anything.  I can always find some cleaning to do but I have to wait till the mood hits most times to do that.

May run over to Manhattan tomorrow to visit some dear friends.  I’ll see what time my guest leaves tomorrow.  I have until Friday to flip her room so should be able to get away for the afternoon.

Still trying to find some real red oak 1/2 inch quarter-round.  A lumber yard in KC said they could make some for me but I have to go sign the purchase order and pre-pay for it and then would have to go back in 15 days to pick it up.  Not sure it is worth two trips to KC to get.  He is to give me a price quote so I can decide if it is worth it.  I’ll check with the hardware store in Manhattan if I drive over there tomorrow to see if they have any.  Who knew it would be so hard to find.

Got a notice from Social Security that the Medicare charge will start being deducted from my July Social Security check.  Not sure why they deduct it early.  I’ll have to pay that plus my health care insurance payment for July.  That along with the high electric bill will take my extra spending money in July.  Good thing I have lots of guests booked for July – I’ll need that income to keep the lights and A/C on.

Wish I could find some motivation to do something.  It seems to have evaporated in the heat.  Evidently the lazy days of summer have found me and I have stepped into embracing being lazy these days.  Guess if something exciting comes up I will get motivated to do something.

Grateful for a couple of free days on the calendar for this week, grateful for the lazy days of summer and the rest for my body they provide, and grateful I can afford to keep the lights on and the A/C on!

 

Came home from the concert just as it was starting.  I was peopled out.  They really didn’t need me to help – everything was under control.  I helped clear plates from the tables for a bit but couldn’t see anything else that needed done.  The mosquitos were starting to come after me so I decided to come home.

My guest was here when I got home.  He is only staying until Tuesday this week.  Since the holiday is in the middle of the week the crew decided to take a long weekend and hit it hard next Monday.  I have a guest coming in this evening who is staying until Wednesday morning.  That will give me Wednesday and Thursday evening free with no guests!  Friday starts another long 15-day stretch with no break from guests.  I am ready for two days of no laundry or cleaning required.  Of course, someone can always book those days without notice but I will cross my fingers that the two days stay free.

Got the two beds that were used Saturday night washed up and remade this morning.  Am waiting on towels to dry and I will be almost ready for the guest to arrive this afternoon.  Need to run a broom over the floor, dust and swish the toilet yet.  The rugs are in the washer.

Went into Emporia early this morning to get a few groceries.  I wanted to get that done before it got hot and the store got crowded.  They didn’t have much lettuce for the chickens so I will have to go back mid-week to get some more.  The girls don’t have to have their daily treat but they seem to enjoy it.  They need to up their egg production or I will cut them off of from their daily treat.  It is put out or shut up around here!

Want to finish getting my business records caught up today.  The house is quiet today and it will be good to get that project finished up before I forget about doing it.

Feeling a bit drained this morning.  Am going to try to drink several bottles of water today and see if that will help.  I feel bloated which is unusual for me.  I didn’t sleep very good last night again.  Maybe I am just tired.  I need a quiet day with no one around I think.  I feel a bit talked out and like I have been around people too much.  Time to recharge and refill.

Grateful for a quiet day at home with no demands on my time, grateful for fresh, clean water to drink, and grateful for the beauty of the prairie around me today.

My first guest was gone by 7:30 this morning.  I have her room flipped and ready for my long-term boarder to return later today.  The other two guests are still here.  I have until tomorrow afternoon to get their room flipped so no worries.  The two of them had stayed here before when I had the retreat center.  I always fixed breakfast for them as part of their stay.  I had totally forgotten to get things to fix breakfast for them this morning.  Good thing my granddaughter likes pancakes and I keep mix on hand for her.  I fixed them bacon, blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Got the two sets of tea towels pressed and tied up this morning and two more sets stamped.  I have been sitting and doing embroidery work most of the day.  My little guest has enjoyed watching me do it.

I am going to Pioneer Bluffs around 4:00 this afternoon to volunteer for the concert that is happening there this evening at 6:30.  My long-term guest called and said he was on his way to my house.  I will be gone by the time he gets here so I told him to come in and make himself at home and I would see him later this evening if he is still up.  He leaves for work around 6:00 so he may be in bed before I get home.  So nice to have guests I can leave alone in the house and not worry about things disappearing.

We got 1/2 inch of rain on the prairie overnight.  Every drop is very welcome. It is only forecast to reach 88 today so a little break from the extreme heat we have been having.  It will make sitting out and listening to the concert much more enjoyable.

Got a notice from my Veterinarian that the cats are due for their annual shots.  I will call tomorrow and get an appointment for them.  Roxy is due the middle of July for her shots too.  I will need to buy flea and tic medication for all of them this month.  I know where my profits are going this month!  Grateful I have enough guests to pay for the Vet needs this month.

Got my prescription plan information in the mail Saturday.  I will need to find a quiet hour and read through it so I can learn how to get my prescriptions transferred in a timely fashion.

This week is fairly empty at this point.  I have a guest coming in tomorrow and staying until Wednesday morning and then two more coming in Friday afternoon.  Other than that not much on my calendar.  I am so ready for a quiet week full of empty space.  I feel like I have been on the fast track since I have been back from Italy.  Time to slow things down – real slow!

Worked on catching up the paperwork for the Airbnb.  Not done but got a good start on it.  I need uninterrupted space to do it and it looks like I will have some time this week to finish that little project up.  Makes tax preparation time so much easier if I keep up with recording my data at least quarterly.

I changed out the trash this morning and noticed my trash can is not very full this week.  I need to get down to the barn tomorrow and find somethings to help fill it up.  Some weeks I fill it with trash and don’t have room to get rid of old records.  I am getting close to having all the old records out of the barn.  I have a second trash can full of branches my nephew cut down for me last week.  I will roll it down and see if my trash man will take them.  If he doesn’t I will have to figure out a way to get them taken some other place.

Felt very light-headed this morning.  Took my blood pressure and it was 90/70.  I skipped my blood pressure pill this morning.  Am thinking with all the weight I have lost I may not need as strong of pill as I have.  I will keep an eye on my blood pressure and if it remains low without the pill I will make an appointment with my family doctor and see what he recommends.  It sure would be nice to get rid of some of the medication I am taking.

Grateful for the rain the prairie received last night and the cooler temperatures today, grateful for a quiet week ahead full of empty space at last, and grateful for a chance to be in service this afternoon at the concert.

 

Damn it!  I called Home Depot in Topeka today to see if they stock 1/2 x 1/2 oak quarter-round.  The guy on the phone said they had it in stock.  I told him how much I needed and he said no problem – they had plenty on hand.  Drove to Topeka this morning and found out they didn’t have it in stock.  You have to special order it.

Found some 1/2 x 1/4 inch oak molding that might work although it is polyurethane and not real oak.  Picked it up in case it will work.  If not, I will have to special order the real thing.  I hate shopping for stuff like this as I don’t know what I am doing.  Doesn’t help when the clerk at a store misleads me.

Stopped at Hy-Vee and picked up a few groceries and drove home.  I forgot grapefruit so will now get to go to Emporia to get that.  Some days are harder than others!

This is day 140 on the Bright Line Eating Plan.  I have lost 32 pounds since I started February 11 and 52 pounds from a year ago.  Nine more pounds to go to goal weight and then maybe three more pounds after that to reach the lower level of a three-pound target weight.  When I get a bit closer I will start adding food to slow the weight lose.  As slow as I lose it I may wait till I am much closer to goal weight. With my low functioning thyroid levels taking off weight is hard.

Nothing else on my calendar that I wanted to get done today.  I may take a nap today.  I have not slept very well the last several nights.  I was on a roll for a bit getting five to six hours of uninterrupted sleep but that hasn’t happened for almost a week now. I am back to sleeping for two hours and then laying in bed awake for two to three hours.  On a good night I get another two hours of sleep but some nights I haven’t been able to get the second sleep.  It is harder to deal with less sleep now that I remember what it feels like to get more sleep several nights in a row.

Have two more tea towels to embroidery to complete another set.  When I get those two done I will need to stamp two more sets and press the completed two sets.  They are starting to pile up but as I am still enjoying making them I will continue to do so.

My guest is a very pleasant young woman.  She went for a long hike at the National Prairie Preserve this morning.  Last night she enjoyed the Cowboy Music Jam at Emma Chase Friday night music.  She is headed out to go explore Manhattan in a bit.  She leaves in the morning.  Love guests like that who are not in the house much and when they are they are quiet and fun to visit with.   I have two guests coming in early evening that are only staying one night.  I’ll have lots of laundry and cleaning to do tomorrow afternoon.  Only need to make sure one of the two bedrooms are flipped by evening tomorrow so have extra time to get the second one done as the next guest to use that room doesn’t arrive until Monday afternoon.

Need to take some time soon and get my book work for the Airbnb caught up.  I have a bunch of receipts I need to get recorded so taxes are easier to do next year.  I realized I have my sales records on Notes on my iPad and probably need a back-up copy of that in case Notes fails.  Can’t believe it is mid-year already and time to get that stuff organized.  I try to do it at least four times a year so it isn’t such a big job come tax time.  It is easier for me to do when my memory can kinda help me a bit.  I have a poor relationship to time these days and anything that happened in the past is gone from my memory.  I can’t tell you how long ago something happened with any degree of accuracy anymore.

I get to deduct household repairs and utilities from my Airbnb income based on the number of nights guests stay.  Those expenses are also easier to track if I record them quarterly. I didn’t do any business the first quarter of this year so didn’t bother to record those expenses so need to do six months to get caught up.  Projects like that go easier if I am in the right mood.  Maybe the mood will strike soon and I can get it started.

Got my medical ID card from the Medicare Supplement program I enrolled in.  Noticed on my mail digest I am getting my new prescription information in the mail today.  Nice to get confirmation that I am ready to go August 1 with those two companies.  My Medicare on-line account is not showing I have made my choices yet.  I’m sure it will get updated soon.

Still basking in the glow of the energy of the full moon.  The moon was really bright again last night.  I had left the outside lights on for my guest last night as she wasn’t home yet when I went to bed.  When I woke up around midnight I thought it was so bright out because I had turned the lights on.  Got up and turned them all off and it was still bright outside.

Grateful my Medicare supplement enrollment process is completed, grateful for 32 pounds released this year, and grateful for having enough business with the Airbnb that I need to record tax deductions and income.

 

What a beautiful evening we had last night.  There were six of us for dinner and then two more beautiful young women joined us for the sunset and moon rise part of the evening.  The sunset was a bit disappointing to me as there was a cloud bank just above the horizon so we didn’t get to see the sun slip into the horizon.  However, the moon rise made up for it as it was glorious.  We sat out for at least an hour after the moon came up basking in it’s beauty.  Got out the sage stick and those who chose to were smudged.

The two young woman who joined us later in the evening spent the night camping out in the yard.  They slept in the swings for part of the night and in their tent for the rest of the night.  I was afraid they were going to get eaten by the chiggers which are really bad this year so I showed them the beds in case they wanted to come in.  They stayed outside all night.

One of them was from Lincoln, NE.  She and her friend had planned to spend the weekend together and she had searched for a full moon event on Google.  It didn’t turn anything up close enough for them to attend so she searched Facebook and found my party.  Her friend is going to Vet School at K-State.  Both are in their early twenties and have such beautiful souls.  It is always refreshing to me to see young people who get it.  Gives me much hope for the future of our country.  We had a good conversation about energy work and about life and death and our beliefs about it.

My long-term boarder got here last night around 7:30.   They had managed to restore power to all the customers in the Eureka area.  As he had worked 40 hours in three days they gave him Friday off.  He packed up and headed for home last night.  His fiancé had been on a trip to England for three weeks and he was anxious to see her.  He will be back Sunday evening.

Have a guest checking in this afternoon between 3 and 4.  She is staying until Sunday morning.  Have two more guests coming in tomorrow evening and staying until Sunday afternoon.  Have another guest coming in Monday that is staying until Wednesday.

I have the queen bedroom cleaned and the bed made.  Towels are washing.  The guests coming in tomorrow are using the same room she used last night so I don’t need to clean that room.  The kitchen is cleaned up from the dinner last night and the house is back together again.  That was easy!

The doors I ordered for the stained glass are in already.  I need to find the oak quarter-round pieces so my handyman can get started on that project.  Nicole has a friend that does woodworking and he was going to check out a place in KC this weekend to see if he could find what I need.  I’l slip up there sometime next week to pick the pieces up if he can find what I need.  I will also make some phone calls today too to try to track down where I can find it.  Topeka or Wichita is closer than KC so may go there instead.

My nephew is here finishing up some yard work for me.  Glad it is a bit cooler today although I’m not sure it is that much cooler.  I will be glad to have the projects he is working on done.  Feel like I have crossed off lots of things on my to-do list this month.  Love when that happens!

My heart is full of gratitude for the beauty of last night.  I don’t know anything I love more than having friends over to share the beauty Mother Nature displays out here on my little corner of the prairie.  It reminds me each time I have friends over to slow down even more and take the time to sit and enjoy the gifts in front of me.  Living here it is easy to take for granted my view and forget to stop and enjoy it.

Grateful for the two new friends I made last night, grateful for those that came to see the full moon rising, and grateful for the guests coming and going.

My long-term boarder didn’t get in until 10:30 last night.  He had left to go to work at 1:30 in the morning!  What a long day he had.  He was out again and on his way to work at 6:00 this morning.  I didn’t talk to him when he came in.  I figured the last thing he needed was conversation after that long of a day.  Trusting today will be a bit shorter for him – especially since it is to be over 100 again today with a heat index of 108.

Set everything out for the Moon Rising Party tonight.  We are going to eat inside and then move outside around 8:00 when it cools down a bit.  I will talk someone into grilling the hot dogs on the little BBQ grill I have.  We can do s’mores while we drum if we can handle the fire pit being turned on.  I’ll make lots of extra iced tea and get lots of ice this afternoon. The sunset last night was beautiful and the full moon was glorious.  Glad it will be a bit darker when it comes up tonight so we can see it better.  Come join us if you can!

Had a request from a man who has a 12-year-old daughter to spend the night tonight.  I told him I was full as I didn’t think I could offer a peaceful retreat for them with a house full of guests.  Still may have all the beds full – haven’t heard for sure from two women that were thinking of coming.  Have guests coming and going all weekend long.

Next week I need to find a day to run to KC to get some oak 1/2 inch quarter-round.  So far I don’t have any guests next Thursday so will probably go then.  The doors I ordered should be in next week and need to get the quarter-round so my handyman can start working on the stained glass pieces.  I’m excited to get them up.

Summer days like today will keep me busy making sure all the critters have fresh, cool water.  I will dump out the chicken water two or three times today and replace it with cool, fresh water.  The metal tins that hold their water heat up along with everything else on days like today.  The dogs are chilling in the garage while I charge their collars.  The cats are hiding some place outside and aren’t moving around much.

I mowed the little fenced area this morning.  It has been bugging me for several weeks and with guests coming to watch the moon rising tonight I decided it had to get mowed.  We will be out on the deck watching the moon rise and wanted it to look a bit better.  I need to tend to the flower beds but thinking those will have to wait.  I can’t grow flowers in them as the rabbits and other wild life eat them as quick as I can plant them.  I tried planting shrubs and even those got eaten.  Best I can do is keep the weeds out of them and put fresh mulch down occasionally.  I didn’t lay any new mulch this year.  Maybe this fall I will get to it.

Called Medicare yesterday to make sure I was enrolled in the prescription plan.  They show I am however I haven’t received any information from the plan.  I got a copy of my application from the Supplement Plan Company but I haven’t received any more information from them either.  Trusting it will all get sorted out and I will not have any hiccups come August 1 when I switch coverage.  Medicare didn’t have record that my Supplement Company had enrolled me yet.  When I get the information from the prescription company I will need to get all my prescriptions transferred so I can get timely refills.  I will make sure I have refilled them all before August 1 so I have time to get through the change without running out of medication.

Have been enjoying my empty space the last few days.  Something has shifted in me and I can now sit with being and not feel any pressure to do.  Trust that will continue.  It feels like it has taken me a long time to be able to step into empty space with a grateful heart and enjoy the space.

Grateful for the beauty of the full moon last night and looking forward to sharing it with friends tonight, grateful for a quiet, peaceful spot to sit in and relish my empty space today, and grateful for the friends that are coming tonight to enjoy an evening on the prairie!

My four guests left very quietly this morning.  Neither one of us heard them leave.  They were very polite and quiet.  The two kids were well-mannered.  The husband said he wished they had planned to stay two nights as he loved the views and wanted to spend more time looking in the area.  Maybe they will stop on their way home.  They had driven in hard rain for several hours today and had come from just outside Detroit.  The A/C in their car had gone out and they were hot and exhausted.

Didn’t get much rain last night.  There was a beautiful full rainbow in the front yard. It looked like one end of the rainbow was in my yard.  We watched the clouds come and go but thankfully all the strong stuff stayed south of me.  There was a tornado in Eureka for the second time in three years and El Dorado received some impressive sized hail.  Glad I got the consultation prize and saw the rainbow instead.  Sure need rain though.

Have the two bedrooms put back together again.  Working on doing my personal laundry now.  Sometimes I forget to do that.

My long-term boarder got called out at 1:30 this morning to go help restore power in the Eureka area.  His work project is on a strict deadline but they must have some sort of contract that requires them to lend support in case of a disaster.  He had come home from work yesterday exhausted and had gone to bed early.  Glad he got a bit of sleep before he had to go out.  I don’t expect him back in until late tonight.  Such dangerous work linemen do.  I’ll breathe easier when he is back safely.

Going to be over 100 today and tomorrow.  Not safe for anyone to be out working in. Don’t plan to leave the house today again.  I will need to run into Strong City tomorrow morning to get some ice for the Moon Rising Party.  May need to move the first half of the party inside.  It always cools down outside about an hour before the sun sets.  We may eat inside and then go out around 8:00 to drum.  No use sitting in the heat when the house is nice and cool.

Finished another set of tea towels last night.  Need to press them though.  Have started another set.  When I get this set done I will stamp two more sets.  Sure enjoying working on them.  It makes a cool project to do when it is so hot outside and yarn feels too hot.

Nothing more on my to-do list for the day.  I got the basement cleaned and beds made so have my chores done for the day.  Even got my own bathroom cleaned this morning.  I didn’t sleep very good last night so may end up taking a nap.  I feel a bit hung over for some reason this morning.  Probably due to the storm that passed through last night.  The energy in the air was really heavy for a while.

Got another Airbnb booking.  This is for July 2 – 4 by a man from Germany.  I had hoped I would get a four-day break next week but guess not.  When I give up my time I remind myself every booking pays a bit more towards my Australia trip and it makes it easier to accept them.

Nicole called me yesterday and we got our trip to Australia booked.  We leave November 2 and return November 20.  Takes two days to get there and we get home before we leave!  That time thing is interesting!  Reminds me what an illusion clock time is.  We chose to add most of the optional tours.  We skipped the sea food buffet cruise as neither one of us will eat sea food.  Nicole is allergic to shrimp and I don’t care for it.

The trip to Italy gave me confidence that I can travel and stay on plan.  By then I will be on maintenance and will have more wiggle room in what I eat.  We will probably do lots of walking again which helps.  I also learned in Italy what food I need to take with me to supplement in case I can’t find BLP food.

Got a notice that Strong City is asking it’s citizens to voluntarily restrict water usage.  Not sure if that applies to me or not as I am on Rural Water.  I do try to be careful how much I use.  I sure do a lot of laundry though.

I continue to sit in my peaceful valley.  Life feels so simple and easy for me right now.  Last year was a year of chaos for me and it is nice to have found some quiet, peaceful space this year.  I will anchor in to this space so I can come back to it when life happens again.

Grateful for quiet and easy guests, grateful for the rainbow the storm gifted me with, and grateful for the peaceful valley I am in.

 

Met my potential long-term boarder last night.  He is very polite and nice.  He joined my son-in-law, granddaughter and I for dinner.  I ask my son-in-law to help me change a high ceiling light bulb and the guest ended up doing it with my son-in-laws help.  They tied some yarn around the suction cup and were able to get the suction cup off easily.  Think I might enjoy having a man around for a bit!.  He is staying through Friday this week and will be back next week.  He still doesn’t know how long the job will last so we will play it week to week for a bit until he knows.  I took the queen room off the Airbnb site and will add it back on when he is gone.  I think his staying here will be a good fit for me.  Trusting within a week or two we will both be comfortable with each other and adjust to each other’s preferences.

Have four guests coming in this evening to stay one night.  They plan on leaving early in the morning.  They are traveling through and only need a place to stop and rest for the night.  That will be an easy visit for me.

So far I don’t have anyone but my long-term guest for Wednesday night.  Have at least one and possibly three guests coming Thursday night.  All will be checking out Friday morning.   Another guest comes in Friday night and is staying until Sunday.  Two more are coming for one night Saturday.  Another busy weekend on the prairie!

Joined Kathy’s walking group this morning for a three-mile walk.  I could tell I haven’t been out walking for a bit but I was able to keep up and finish the walk without feeling out of breath.  Felt good to get out and walk again.

My handyman came last night and brought out the baseboard to install.  He is coming back over the weekend to stain it and to fix the leaking kitchen faucet.  He does nice work and is easy to talk to.  So grateful to my friend for hooking me up with him.  Seems like little projects beyond my skill set pop up frequently around here and it is nice to have someone I trust I can call to come fix them.

The garage faucet that was dripping has stopped dripping.  I still may have my handyman take a look at it.  I don’t want it to break off in the winter time when the garage freezes.

So far the forecast is still for sunny skies Thursday evening so we should have a beautiful, clear view of the moon rising.  Come if you can and join us.  Think we will turn the drumming circle into drumming for rain.  Last time we did that it worked.

A couple I met while I was serving a dinner at Pioneer Bluffs called me last night.  They want to come stay for three nights the end of July.  I referred them to the Airbnb site and they are to call me back if they have trouble getting signed up so they can book that way.  They were really fun to talk to and I will enjoy seeing them again.  They do have two dogs they want to bring with them.  Trusting their dogs will behave better than the last dog a guest brought.  If not I may not allow dogs again.

Need to give the bedrooms downstairs a lick and promise and make sure they are ready for the guests arriving later today.  I will have all day tomorrow to flip the rooms to get them ready for guests arriving Thursday.  I like when that happens as it gives me lots of time to get everything washed up and replaced.

My Cardiologist office called this morning to give me the results of the heart stress test.  I called them back and had to leave a message so haven’t talked to them yet.  I saw the written report and think I understood it to say they didn’t really find anything.  It will be good to get verbal confirmation of that though.  Still hoping he will take me off the blood thinner when he calls or at least at my visit in August.

We are in a thunderstorm watch for the next couple of hours.  I keep checking radar hoping to see some red and yellow areas in my neck of the woods but so far it is all way southwest of me.  Think all I am going to get is high humidity and even higher temperatures.  It is like a steam bath outside today.

Listened to a live Facebook feed from one of teachers today.  She put into words what I had experienced in Peru when I did the San Pedro Plant Medicine.  Always helpful to understand what happens and why.  It was a good thing and something she recommends all women need to do.  Most women tend to hold stuff that is not theirs and we need to find ways to release it.  I am really starting to tell how beneficial that trip was and am reaping the benefits of it in deeper ways each day.

Grateful for all the guests that are finding their way to my little corner on the prairie, grateful for my handyman and his repair skills, and grateful for all my teachers and their words of wisdom that help me make sense of how life is unfolding for me.

Got another booking for this week last night through Airbnb.  A mom, dad and their two children will be spending the night tomorrow night.  They are traveling from Ohio to New Mexico.  She said they would be leaving very early Wednesday morning to complete their journey.  Should be easy guests as they won’t be here very long.

Am taking a short break from cleaning the house.  I have the floors in the kitchen, dining room and living room done.  Need to dust and wash down countertops and those three rooms will be clean.  Have four bathrooms I still need to clean today before I can finish my to-do list.

The handyman I hired came out yesterday and fixed the deck board.  He even put stain on it for me.  That was easy!  He is to come out sometime later this week to install the missing baseboard in the basement hallway.  He ordered a part for my leaking kitchen faucet and will fix that when the part comes in.  I’m grateful I found him as he does nice work and is easy to work with.  I will keep his number on my speed dial.

Ellexia came out and played yesterday afternoon.  She might be calling me later this morning to come pick her up so she can come back out later today.  Her mom had to work last night and tonight and needs to sleep all day.  Ellexia gets bored when she doesn’t have someone to talk to.  Invited Tim and the other kids out for dinner tonight but not sure anyone but Tim and Ellexia can come.

Feeling a bit disappointed in someone today.  They lied to me about something very minor and it feels like they have something they are trying to hide from me.  Life sure is easier when people are up front and honest – even when they think it is something you don’t want to hear.  Guess their behavior is a good reminder to myself to just put stuff out there – even when it is hard to say.  Truth is always easier than lies.

Don’t have many people coming to the Moon Rising Party.  Lots of people have expressed interest but haven’t committed.  Hard to know how many hot dogs to buy. Guess they freeze well so if I have leftovers they won’t go to waste.

The man who might be staying here for several months is coming tonight to see the house and for us to meet and discuss the possibility of his staying here longer-term.  He sounded really nice and easy to deal with when I spoke to him on the phone.  I’ll see where this goes and if Kathy and I both feel comfortable with him.  Having someone stay here three to six months feels like a long time and I want to make sure both sides will be comfortable.

I haven’t heard from Sutherland’s yet about the special order of the doors that the stained glass will go in.  If I go into town to pick up Ellexia I will stop by and see where they are with it.  I need to get some groceries for dinner tonight so will have to run in sooner or later today.

Finally got an inch of rain last night.  First real rain I have gotten for over a month.  My part of Chase County is in an extreme drought condition again.  One inch of rain won’t change that but it is a start.  It might help lessen the chance of wildfires for a day or two.  Supposed to warm right back up mid-week and get back into the upper 90’s.  Is it time for fall yet?  Not a fan of extreme hot temperatures!

Grateful for the rain the prairie received last night, grateful for my handyman and his very competent work, and grateful I decided to join Airbnb and the extra income it is bringing me.

I had a delightful time at the Core Star Reunion last night in KC.  I got to see some friends I hadn’t seen for a long time.  Two students from my class were there so I got to catch up with what is going on in their life.  One of them told me I looked ten years younger than I did when she saw me last five years ago.  Maybe I am doing the reverse aging thing and didn’t know it.  I’ll take that!  It is always good to stop and take time to reconnect to friends.

While I was in KC I stopped at Costco for a few things and went to Kohl’s.  I got two new pair of pants – size 4!  Holy smokes!  I don’t feel like they should fit me but they do.  Several people at the reunion almost didn’t recognize me – it was fun to watch them do a double-take.  Maybe someday soon I will feel at home in my smaller body.

Stopped at Sutherland’s on my way out-of-town yesterday afternoon to order the new doors that the stained glass will go in.  I had called them earlier in the day to see if they had them and they said I had to come in so I could pay for them before they could place the order.  When I got there the guy looked up and found what I needed and then told me he would have to write out a purchase order and get it approved by his manager and I would need to come in Monday to pay for it so they could order them.  Now why didn’t he tell me that over the phone?  Guess I get to go for trip number 4 on Monday.  I need to take some stuff back anyway so I would have had to go back sooner or later.

My guests checked out around 9:00 this morning.  I will spend most of the day doing laundry and cleaning.  I have been spot cleaning the house the last week or so and it needs a deeper cleaning.  I have my potential long-term guest coming in tomorrow afternoon.  Not sure if he will begin his long stay or if he will leave on Tuesday.  He didn’t know his plans yet as he has a business meeting Monday that will give him more details about the job he will be doing in this area.  If he checks out Tuesday I will have a couple of days before my next guest arrives Thursday evening unless someone books between now and then.

Other than the Moon Rising Party Thursday evening I don’t have much on my calendar for this week.  I do want to clean each room really good this week but other than that I have lots of empty space.  I will cherish it as it seems like it has been a while since I had several days of empty space in a row.

The rain missed us again last night.  Forecast shows 100% chance of rain for later tonight so crossing my fingers and my toes we will get a measurable amount of rain.

I have a faucet in the garage that has decided to drip constantly.  Will have to get someone out Monday or Tuesday to get it fixed.  It is right above the dog’s water bowl so at least the drip is good for something as it fills the dog’s bowl up once or twice a day.

The guests that checked out this morning were dreaming and trying to figure out reasons so they could come back out here to visit.  Two of them said they had slept better here than they ever do at home.  One wants to bring his wife out for the meteor shower in August.  I’ll see what happens but it is nice to know they would be willing to come all the way from New Jersey to stay here again.  They did say if I was full they didn’t think they would come to another disc golf tournament here as staying here was even better than the tournament was – what a nice compliment!

Feeling a bit scattered-brain today.  I am tired as I woke up at 5:00 and couldn’t go back to sleep.  May need to take a short nap today – going to and from KC in the same day always wears me out.  The drive home went really fast but it is still tiring.  I can always relax better when the house is empty of guests too.  Even when the guests are not needy I stay on alert to make sure their visit is going well.

Grateful for the Core Star Reunion last night and the chance to reconnect with friends, grateful to fit into a size 4 pant, and grateful for a day of empty space and nothing urgent on my to-do list that needs to be done today.

 

Dang!  My plan to use the bedroom doors for the stained glass won’t work.  The hinges are 1/4” lower than the doors in the library.  The hinges are reset and can’t be moved without looking weird.  I’m glad my friend thought to check it before we proceeded with removing doors.

I am going into town this afternoon and ordering two new doors from the hardware store in town.  I was going to try to find some in KC but then I would have to drive a truck back up there to pick them up.  If I get them in Emporia my friend can pick them up in his pickup for me.  Not sure I want to know how much they are going to cost.  I also need to order some oak quarter-round.  I had picked up pine and my friend told me it would be very hard to get it to match the doors as pine stains darker than oak does.  Oh the things you learn when you attempt to do a project.  I am also going to return the nails I got as he wants to use the air gun to put the nails in as it won’t leave hammer marks.  Trip 3 to the hardware store coming up!

I had ordered curtains and rods for the library doors so when they got moved to my bedroom I could have privacy.  Guess I will return them unopened when they arrive next week.  Won’t need them now.

There was another huge storm system that came through KS last night and we got barely a trace of rain.  I was watching radar for a bit and the storm seemed to split just outside Strong City and go around us.  We have another chance on Sunday for some rain.  One of these days we will get lucky and get some rain.

My guests were up and out before 8:00 this morning.  They didn’t even fix breakfast before they left this morning.  They enjoyed Kathy’s hot tub last night.  The storm was coming in while they were out in it.  Not sure I would have been sitting in it during the lightning that was going on.  It is under the deck and the chances of getting hit were slim but I wouldn’t have taken that chance.

Two loads of laundry are done and put away.  The last load is ready to go in the dryer.  I’ll have more to do tomorrow after my guests leave.  Not sure how early they will be leaving to start their long drive back to New Jersey.  They seem to have enjoyed their time on the prairie.

This afternoon I am going to KC to go to a Core Star Energy Healing School reunion.  It will be fun to see some people I haven’t seen for quite some time.  It is a picnic so thinking I will eat before I go.  That way I know I can stay on plan and will spend my time visiting with others instead of worrying about eating.  If I can’t get what I need at the hardware store in Emporia I will need to do some shopping before I go to the picnic. Have a few things I need from Costco but not sure it is enough to fight the Saturday Costco crowd.  I’ll see how much I can people this afternoon.

Finished the set of tea towels I was working on. I stamped two more sets and still need to press the two sets I just finished.  I am always surprised at how fast they work up.  The stack of finished sets are piling up.  I’m sure I will eventually find a home for them and repay myself the cost of the materials I use making them.  Not thinking it is a get rick quick process!

Don’t forget about the full moon rising party coming up next Thursday.  We are eating around 6:00 – hot dogs and s’mores – drumming at 8:00 and the full moon comes up at 9:30.  I still have beds available if you want to make a night of it.  Bring a covered dish or a bag of chips and if you want an adult cold beverage bring some with you.  Forecast shows sunny skies for that day.  RSVP appreciated but not required.

Tomorrow is an empty space day for me.  The guests will be gone in the morning and no one else checks in until Monday afternoon.  I always appreciate a free day when I have no where I have to go or anything I have to do.  Since I have started working more I have fewer of those days.  Makes me appreciate them more when they appear.

Grateful for empty space so I can recharge my soul, grateful for my friend’s expertise and help, and grateful for a chance to get to reconnect with old friends.

 

 

For some reason this feels more like a Saturday instead of a Friday.  Thinking it is because my weekend guests came in on a Thursday.  When you don’t do much everyday blends into the next and it is hard to keep track of what day it is.

Two of the three guests arrived a bit early yesterday.  They checked in around 1:15.  They had driven straight through coming from New Jersey.  The other one arrived around 2:30.  All three are very nice and I have enjoyed their company.  They fixed dinner last night while I was with some friends in the library.  They managed to find everything they needed to cook with.  They also cooked breakfast this morning and enjoyed some fresh eggs.  We sat outside around the fire pit for quite a while last night visiting.  They stayed up later than I did so they could enjoy the night sky.  Two of them got in Kathy’s hot tub and relaxed.  They are easy guests and are the type I can leave alone in the house.

Got the stained glass pieces all cleaned up.  They are shining again!  My friend is going to pick them up this afternoon and get started putting them in the doors.  I ordered curtains for the doors that will be moved to become my bedroom doors.  I don’t usually like curtains but will need something so my guests won’t have to see me sleeping and getting dressed.

Finally lost another pound today.  Down 30 pounds from when I started Bright Lines on February 11.  11 more to go to get to goal weight and maybe another three after that.  I’ll see what my body wants to weigh when I get there.  I would be happy at my first goal weight.  The last three would give me some wiggle room.  I have found on this plan my weight tends to go up and down one or two pounds frequently.

Nothing on my calendar today once I finish laundry and put away the guest towels.  The rest of their rooms have been tidied up.  I am going to have lunch with Kathy and a friend of ours.

Tomorrow afternoon I am going to KC.  The school where I went for energy healing training is having a reunion and I am going to the picnic they are having Saturday evening.  It will be fun to see some of my classmates and other friends I have met through Core Star.  May go up a bit early and do some shopping if I can think of anything I need.  If not I will just drive up for the picnic and drive home.  Nicole is camping this weekend so won’t get to see her.  I will probably end up driving longer than I stay in KC.

Loving the cool weather we had last night and this morning.  Almost had to put a jacket on to sit out on the swings last night.  After so many days in the mid to upper 90’s it is a big relief to have a bit of a cool down.  It is forecast to be back in the 90’s by Tuesday and then stay there for another long stretch.  Wish we had gotten some rain with the cool down but I will take the cool down anyways.

Had a beautiful Summer Solstice ceremony last night with a dear group of friends.  We celebrated our own lights and the progress we each have made.  Sometimes I forget to look back and fully appreciate how far I have come!  I tend to focus on how far I still have to go.  I barely remember how I used to be 10 years ago now.  I don’t recognize that person any more.  I like where I am now much better.  I have so much more joy and peace in my life now.  My mood is much more stable.  I can now practice a pause most times and not rush into things where I don’t need to go.

Grateful for friends I can celebrate Solstice with, grateful for easy guests again, and grateful for empty space on my calendar today – I will cherish it today!

 

Went into Emporia this morning to pick up the quarter round my friend will need to install the stained glass pieces in the doors.  Got the amount he recommended I get.  On the way home I remembered we forgot to double it as he will need it on both sides of the glass.  Went back and got some more.  Two trips to the hardware store and counting!  I did remember the first time to pick up nails so he can attach it.  Got two different sizes as I’m not sure which he will want to use.

Picked up some Brasso while I was at the Hardware store and have been working on getting the stained glass pieces cleaned up.  They had been stored in a basement and have tarnished on the lead parts.  They are cleaning up nicely but it will take lots more time and patience to get them completely clean as they have lots of little groves to clean out.  I finally decided to lay them flat on the dining room table instead of pushing on them while they were standing up.  I was afraid I would snap them in pieces.

We are going to put them in the bedroom doors and then move the library room doors to the bedroom and put the stained glass pieces in the library room.  They will be pretty when guests come in the front door.  Too bad most of us go in and out the back door!  Using the bedroom doors will save me from having to find and buy new doors to use.  I looked on-line last night and was having trouble finding plain solid oak doors.  Most of them have panels of some sort on them.  Found some out-of-state but the shipping cost was almost as much as the doors are.

Finished the set of tea towels I was working on yesterday.  Still need to press them.  Have another set stamped so I will start working on them.  I sure enjoy making them.  Not sure yet what I will do with them but I’ll figure that out sometime or other.

Got enrolled in my Medicare drug coverage plan this morning.  The site kept kicking me off last night but I didn’t have any trouble this morning with it.  Only going to be $25 a month for drug coverage – one of the drugs I currently takes cost $510 a month.  Think I will come out ahead on this deal.  Cancelled the medical insurance I get through the Affordable Health Care Act effective August 1.  I think I am all set and ready to go for the switch to Medicare come August 1.  Good to have that decision made and taken care of.  Trusting I did it enough in advance that I will get insurance cards by August 1 so the transition will be smooth.

Need to finish cleaning the rest of the house for the three guests that are arriving later today.  I have the beds all made up and ready.  Kathy cleaned the big areas downstairs this morning for me.  Won’t take me long to finish the upstairs.

Have a long-term guest coming Monday.  He may be here for three to six months.  His finance will be staying with him part of the time too.  He lives in MO but has a contract job in Emporia starting next week.  He is coming out Monday night to stay one night and we will discuss arrangements and if we both feel comfortable will proceed from there.  He may be going back to MO on the weekends sometimes so that would free that room up occasionally too.  That would solve my desire to double-book rooms as he will book directly through me instead of Airbnb and the other two rooms would be listed on Airbnb for others to book.  I changed my listing to only show four beds available in two bedrooms.  It will be an experiment to see how I like having a long-term boarder.  I will discuss with him a way out on both sides in case it doesn’t work for either side.  I plan to put him in the room upstairs with the queen bed.  That way if I have female guests they might feel more comfortable not having him on the same level as they stay.  Since he will be working long hours during the week he really won’t be around very much, especially if he goes home on the weekends.

It is always a learning experience running an Airbnb.  This is the third long-term request I have received but so far the only one that has gone this far.  The other two backed out before we got this far.  I will appreciate the guaranteed income and trust it will work out for both of us in a fun way.

Grateful for almost being old enough to switch to Medicare, grateful for the potential of a long-term boarder, and grateful for figuring out a way to get the stained glass windows up without it costing so much!

Woke up in the middle of the night hearing the wind blowing.  Checked radar in case I needed to move my guest to the tornado safe room.  The storm was still quite a ways from me.  I was surprised when I woke up later and realized we hadn’t gotten any rain.  It was a big system that seemed to be heading my way.  It must have fallen apart before it got here.  Only got a few sprinkles late morning from the other system that passed by.  If you got rain today, consider yourself lucky!

My tea towels came in last night so got two more sets stamped.  Pressed the set I had finished earlier in the week.  The set I am working on now is going quickly and should have it finished by tomorrow.

Went into Emporia a little after noon to finish up getting enrolled in my Medicare supplement plan.  Accomplished that!  Still need to finish up the drug plan D.  Everytime I hit the enroll button it kicks me out of the system and I have to start over.  I will try again in the morning and if I can’t make it work I will have to call them.  I’ll be glad when this process is finished up.  I need to notify my current insurance to terminate my coverage the first of August.  Then I should be all set and ready for Medicare!

I had ordered a chocolate basket from the Sweet Granada yesterday so I stopped and picked that up and took it to the family that returned my stained glass pieces to me.  I so appreciate their generous gift.  Took a dozen eggs to a friend that delivered the stained glass pieces to me yesterday as a thank you to him.

As I was pulling in to the driveway when I got home my guest was pulling out.  She hadn’t been able to reach her in-laws today and she was worried about them and decided to check-out early and go to KC so she could check on them.  I was sorry to see her leave as she is the type of guest that I would like to stay for a long time.

A dear friend came over this afternoon to see the stained glass pieces and help me decide where to hang them.  We made a plan.  I need to go get some material and then he is going to come over and do the work for me.  I have the best friends!

Today is day 130 of Bright Line Eating.  I have lost 29 pounds so far.  Haven’t lost any weight for eight days now.  I stalled out like this one other time.  I keep telling myself if really doesn’t matter what I weigh today as if I stay the same or lose nothing really changes in how I eat.  I plan on eating like this for a long time.  My body will decide at some point what it wants to weigh.  Still thinking with my thyroid issue I will not be able to add much food back in once I get to goal weight.

Have three guests coming sometime tomorrow.  They haven’t let me know yet when they are arriving.  I might send them a message and see if they can give me an approximate time.  If they respond I might have time to go to Topeka and get the material I need so my friend can get the stained glass pieces up for me.

Sometimes I wonder about myself.  I started a load of laundry this morning and as I was walking out of the laundry room something made me look again.  I had put the dirty clothes in the dryer with a packet of soap instead of in the washer.  Glad I noticed it before the heat of the dryer melted the laundry soap packet.  Not sure I have done that trick before – trust I won’t again!

Got the chicken feed and oats put into the smaller containers this morning.  Lifting three 50 pound sacks was my exercise for the day. I had also gotten a 50 pound sack of black oil sunflower seeds but didn’t have enough empty buckets to put those in.

This day has gone by quickly.  I need to do some cleaning so the house is ready for the guests coming tomorrow afternoon.  They will be here until Sunday and then I will have a few days free before the next set arrives next Thursday.

Still in my happy, peaceful valley where problems seem to be easily solved.  I don’t have much monkey chatter in my head right now.  Some day I will figure out how to stay in this valley.  Guess when I do leave it I appreciate it all the more when I am able to return to it.

Grateful the Medicare enrollment process is almost done, grateful for a kind friend who volunteered to hang my stained glass pieces, and grateful for my happy, peaceful valley.