Tag: Flooring

Putting the House Back Together and Eating Good Southern Food

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized6 Comments
Fancy, Mom’s Dog

The weekend was fabulous. Getting up Saturday morning with a whole two days ahead of us. My sights had been set for Saturday to be a “home day” getting the house put back together. We have it somewhat back together, but not quite. I will take my time to move Nic Naks and china and glassware back in. But it was NOT gonna be THIS weekend. But the furniture is back and place and some of the things are where they go. I think I managed to knock all the essentials off the list anyway, except for getting George’s hair cut in and I’m hoping we can squeeze that in o the back porch tonight before I set into cooking our taco salad. Mom and I are doing some cooking this week, giving George a break.

You can see from the menu board that we have quite the “good eatin'” going on this week. I’m doing cilantro lime chicken taco salad and Mom is doing spaghetti. I’ll pick up another night of doing chili. I’m going out to eat with a friend on Friday night. Wednesday is up for grabs as that is carpet install day. Since they won’t be in the kitchen but in the back bedrooms, George said if he gets to work from home we will fix something good. “Something good” usually means something that we can fix for a couple of hours, instead of quick.

“100 Year Old Meatloaf”

George found an old cookbook and fixed meatloaf “the old fashion way”. Its pretty good. I need to fix my meatloaf one night. Haven’t fixed it in a long while. It’s on the summer bucket list.

George fixed shrimp and grits last night and it was really good. It’s a shame that only family and good friends get to eat George’s cooking. He could easily have a restaurant and be swarming with folks.

I think most of Saturday I spent doing laundry – I washed not only our clothes, but Rogers blankets and some of his pillow beds that we had around the house. Fancy has taken to one of his beds so we placed it in the den. She sits with Mom but when Mom is cooking or in the kitchen she likes to lay in it where she can see Mom.

So you can see that we have furniture back in place, but I wouldn’t say that our house is clean yet, lol. The floors are for sure! But we are very “lived in” right now but let’s just say “functional”. And “functional” is what it always has to be right? Still lots of “stuff” laying about.

I mean until October we will likely have food in containers in our living room, lol. So see what I mean. Oh, I told Mom. “Don’t Tell George but the new floor is making me want white “farmhouse” curtains, LOL Wouldn’t they look good in here? But I’m not gonna think about that for a long while. At least not until after we have Mom all set up. The Burgundy served its purpose since 2008 but I think a textured white – off white – would look good! See all the food containers on the left side here. All lined up on the sofa. Might be hard to tell but you can make out a couple.

I noticed a couple of guitars took up residence in the dining room.

And one hid itself, lol, behind the wine rack.

Ohhhhhh ya’ll, guess what??? The flooring guys DID NOT DO THE FOYER! They were about to leave and “the boss” called and asked George how it was going and if we were satisfied. George said “all’s well but the foyer”. I think there was some confusion. You know how he teased me and said it was too expensive to do? I think the guy took that as a “no we are not doing the foyer”. So I’m not really sure if it was quoted or not but the boss made them stay and do the foyer instead of coming back. It only took 1.5 hours but I felt so bad for them. It was Friday and I know they wanted to go home. I brought water to them and said thank you and told them it looked “bueno”. They did not speak English – or not much anyway. Then boss came to check it out. I am so happy to get the Foyer done! I was a little worried. George had me confuses as I MYSELF did not think I was getting the foyer done. Mom told me I was one day and I said “no, he said it was too expensive”. Then George clarified and said “yes you are getting the foyer”. Then they didn’t put it in and I was thinking “what is going on? What planet are we on? Are we getting the foyer done or not?” LOL. Finally there it is. So happy with the new.

I CANNOT TELL YOU how “over the moon” excited I am about the flooring. It just makes me happy every time I walk across the floor.

Now talk about confusion. At dinner the other night George told me to order the vacuum I needed. I did the next day or two and then told him and he didn’t remember telling me I could order the vacuum. Geeeshhh. Oh well. It’s on the way and arrives today. I’ll let you see it. I ordered a canister and it has bags. If you have followed my blog, you know that I am a “bag” person when it comes to vacuums. I know you have to order them and keep them on hand and if it ever goes defunct you might not be able to get bags in, but the way things are manufacturing and as hard as we are on vacuums, it won’t last but 3 years anyway, lol. But I don’t like the bagless as that nasty stuff goes everywhere when you go to empty it. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE what all is in my floors and carpet after I vacuum. Let it stay and the bag and neatly be disposed of instead of flying around the kitchen area while you dump a bagless container. Yuk.

So the canister type of vacuum has the longer wand pole and can reach under and behind. I’ve never had one. Mom tried to talk me out of it saying you’d beat your furniture up with it. George told me later they had one and it never beat their furniture up. lol Anyway, that is what I got b/c it seemed that is what we needed. It’ll do flooring and carpet. I still think we will have to steam mop or something? I have to find out what is good. But I tell you what. I do not and will not accept having sticky floors after a mopping. CANNOT STAND that.

Yesterday we went to church, grabbed a Wendy’s meal, went to get George’s oil changed, and went to Walmart which was very crazy busy and it was not pleasant shopping b/c everyone was in your way and you were in everyone else’s way. I like to coast along at my own speed, read labels, and not be having someone behind me waiting on me to move every two seconds. And then also having to wait in line to get what you need to grab. Very annoying. And they were out of a lot of my stuff and couldn’t find the other half. I’m not used to shopping at Walmart, but it’ll be a while before I go back, lol.

Then yesterday I had to iron A LOT! I did get a birthday gift and card sent out and took some time to “re do” the long term to do list updating it for the week and beyond. Life moves so fast. Need more time.

We were invited to go to East TN for the weekend, to our nieces birthday party – 1 year old! We have not even met her yet! But it’s 4 hours there and back. I think we are not able to do this. But we may FaceTime in or Zoom in or something. I would love to go but it’s just not good timing and too short notice. Of course if we’d had longer notice we’d have said no b/c we’d have had Roger or thought we would have and we wouldn’t have left him nor taken him. But anyway one day we’ll be able to do more, but these days are tough right now with a lot going on while we work FT.

Ok so I need to get my hair and make up done and head out the door. I’m behind, but it’ll just have to be what it is. I worked over a lot in the last two weeks trying to get quarter end done having been given the data at the very last minute. It’s risky doing that b/c if there had been an emergency – —- oh well, it wouldn’t have been done on time —- at least not by me.

Another busy week this week but another fun one. No doc appts and nothing to miss work over except if George can’t work from home ALL of WED when the carpet people come, I may have to go in late and fold/stuff checks from home that morning. One of us needs to be here I think. I mean Mom could handle it but one of needs to kind of monitor the moving of the furniture and watching our things and making sure they have the right carpet and such. Mom just can’t see all that well and someone needs to kind of keep an eye on things you know? Or at least get them started.

So we’ll see what happens. This week I’ll likely do my “every other day” blogging. I tried to blog more, but I’m missing being able to work on the videos. And I just don’t get much any other time as we are so dang busy with stuff going on. But, this week I’ll be having to move my Mac out so —–it may be later in the week before I will be back. If I can pop in a mobile entry from my phone I will though!

Ya’ll have a superb week! Over and Out.

Sneak Peeks of Our New Flooring Giving a Farmhouse Feel

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized11 Comments

I was on pins and needles all day. I watched them arrive after getting an alert on my phone from the camera that someone was at the front door. They unloaded supplies and worked fast. They got way more done than I expected. They still have to do the foyer, part of the den, and do the quarter round and the transitions. I’m over the moon thrilled. I was so afraid when I got home and pulled in. I was very nervous “what did it look like and would I like it, would the grey just not work with the other colors”. I was fairly confident in my decision but what if they had laid it sideways or something, lol. You know me and my worries! So I walked in and was just absolutely FLOORED! Sorry, had to say that. I absolutely LOVE IT.

Of course I’ll do before and after pics (I took some before pics even though they were messy, lol). But once we get things back in place I will do proper shots but just wanted to share what we have so far. All the furniture still moved to the middle til they get the edges done.

So carpets will be put down next Wed in the bedrooms. So we will have to move some things (Nic Nacs and other items that are on top of the furniture) this weekend. It’s going to be a VERY busy weekend. But we also have Mon night and Tues night too for final things to be moved.

All in all it’s been an easier process than I thought. That said we DID work hard to get a lot of things moved, but spread out over a few days, we managed it.

I’m super excited to start putting our house back together once it is finished.

Blog Milestones and “VLOGGING Plans”

Well, the blogging milestones are happening! I had a notice I had a lot more traffic than usual and I have also had a lot of new followers. The blog is growing. I appreciate all of you who come and read this daily or every few days. Several of you engage with me with your comments and I really like that most of all. It makes the blog worth doing. I really started blogging to park my feelings, to document our life, and to meet the need that I have to write. I begun to learn to share my life and open up to the world all the details of my day. And in sharing the things I experience and do. Some things we struggle with. Some things we excel at. Some things we experiment with but all the while learning and growing – and if not – accepting, LOL! So once again thanks for reading, and I wonder how many blog posts I’ve done in my life as a whole? I have had several blogs in the past. Blogging has been a consistent activity in my life.

And now we are VLOGGING and that is a whole ‘nother animal that I’m loving even though I don’t have time for it. And with Mom here I’ve not done any filming in the house. There’s just too much happening, not much time, too much trouble to set up the lighting, but…..I can still do some videos of this summer because we have had some excursions and lots of photos even if I just do some voice overs. It’s all gonna be fine. But I am looking forward to being able to film in the house again around October and will order my ring lighting soon and plan to ask for a lighting ensemble for Christmas (umbrella diffuser and such – a kit I found on Amazon that is phbbbbth – very inexpensive.) So once things get a little more settled I’ll begin using the camera again and setting up some scenes. I just figure Momma doesn’t want to be in the videos – it’s kind of a George and Sonya thing. So excited and looking forward to that once “the coast is clear”! lol But….no worries, I’ll still be doing videos of some sort just none with me in the house much. Can’t wait to get cranking on the next one once we get the house settled. That is first priority now so we can LIFE FUNCTION in the house!

Books I’m Reading

This one I’m almost finished. It is going to be a movie! I have 3 hours left in my audio book. I love a good audio book where you can’t wait to get in the car and drive to work, lol.

I started reading this one. I read the first couple of chapters a few weeks ago. My friend Judy gave me the book so I was wanting to get a feel for it. It sounded intriguing. Last night after eating pizza I had an hour before bedtime and we sat in the living room and read since the den sofa was not available for sitting and TV watching. I read quite a few chapters. The chapters are short and I like that. I end up reading more and even reading more often when I know there is a quick break. It pulls me in b/c I think “oh I’ll just read a quick chapter”.

It’s different, and I think it’ll be really good. It is so far.

I’m also still reading the Bible. And it’s amazing how every time I read it through, I get different things from it or learn something new. I think the most important thing is that when YOU read it through YOURSELF as a book, YOU LEARN the NATURE of GOD. A lot of the questions you have about life, are answered here within these pages, not only with the words that are written but with God’s spirit that guides. The words speak to you. His Word is ACTIVE and ALIVE. “The Word was God and the Word was With God” comes to mind as I said that!

I read TWO Chapters a Day. I actually do a prayer journal after my shower and along with my cup of coffee. I thank God for all the things the day before. Blessings and what He helped me with. I also let Him know my worries and concerns and ask for help for the day I’m in or upcoming big events that are warping my mind with worry. I pray for family. I ask for needs too. Then I close the prayer and begin reading my 2 chapters. This all usually takes 15 minutes maybe less. Two chapters is not much but it allows you to SCOOT through the Bible pretty quickly. I may not finish in a year’s time but it’s fairly quick considering that all the years of my life I’ve only read it through twice. Oh sure I’ve studied it here and there a LOT but just reading it as a book – only in my 2nd time. But this time I’m reading the chapters backwards. You know me and my silly ways. It’s actually been nice to do that.

I’m also still reading one of the Deadliest Catch people’s books. I’m just having a hard time with that one. They are bragging about how “bad” they are and all the stunts they pulled. I guess I had hoped for a more genuine book about the trade and not so much about all the wild personal things the guys did. Anyway, I am going to give it one more shot as I’m half way through.

I grabbed a hold of what I thought was my key chain yesterday and pulled out Roger’s collar. 😦 Things hit you at the strangest times. We had named him “Pumpkin” and then haphazardly after tossing names at him just for fun discovered his name was “Roger” or “Dodger” as he would answer to that. So we inscribed Roger above Pumpkin. Katy always got irritated that we changed the name after she would name a pet. lol. She originally named Tugie “Sandy” b/c she was the color of sand. But the little thing was so cute I kept calling it “Sugar in baby talk and it came out “Tugie”. And she began answering to that. I couldn’t quit calling her that. So we officially named her Katy’s Sandy Tugie on the poodle registration. But called her Tugie. I miss my little Tugie, and my Maisy and my Roger.

So now we have dog friendly flooring and don’t own a dog. But….you know me and my plans. Not this year…maybe not next year (or if so after a trip or two) but 2023 could be the year. We’ll see. I don’t think I have ever planned anything two years out except for graduating from college, ha!

Well better head in to work. It’s Friday and I’m so excited. I was able to get most of the quarter end stuff out of the way. Only two returns I’m working on – one of them is paid already but the information I was given was incorrect so I’m filing an adjusted return. The same state on the transport side of the business, the numbers are not working out either, so that one needs to be resolved today. I’m not sure what the deal is with that but suspect the numbers I’ve been given are wrong – maybe didn’t have the right allowable base or something – it’s unemployment taxes. So I’ve asked my boss to look at where the numbers are coming from in the transport system. Anyway, no work tomorrow. I don’t think I’d be able to anyway as we have to put our house back together this weekend so we can function. I was able to shower this morning but had to squeeze by closet doors that were leaning against the shower stall. lol

Ya’ll have a good weekend. Back later…..

The Mess Before the Beauty, Clay Pot Chicken, and Other Craziness

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized6 Comments

Ohhhhh ya’ll! I’m so glad I started moving things Sunday night. Not having any time off and trying to do all this after work has kept us busy. I thought I’d share the “mess”. We’ve moved everything into the sun room and the bedrooms so they can move furniture with ease when they put the flooring down. I’m very excited. Have waited for such a long time.

I have to laugh, this card table almost looks cute with it’s flowers, bird house and boat. What am I saying? lol.

And George moved a lot of stuff to his bedroom. I had decided to split Mom’s food b/w all the bedrooms. George is like “what ARE ya Doing?”. He already had plans for the space in his bedroom. lol. However, we managed to maneuver around. I have to remember the dirty clothes basket is in the sun room, LOL.

What a mess our bedrooms are.

We tried to keep too much out of Mom’s room so she didn’t trip over it. George put this box there and she can’t get to her chest of drawers, LOL. SMH. (Shaking My Head for those that don’t know what SMH means!)

Anyway, despite all the moving stuff around on the final day of it yesterday for the flooring guys coming today to put the wood laminate down, George was determined to cook a full ON meal!

It wasn’t ready until 8:30 last night which actually is my bed time – or at least when I start to get ready for bed. It was really good. He cooked it with potatoes and celery. He thought we had carrots but none were to be found. We are in such disarray I think that we don’t know whether we are coming or going. I think we have enough to have leftovers for tonight, but not sure. I’m not sure we’ll even be able to get to the kitchen. I don’t know anything about this type of flooring and if we have to minimally stay off of it for a day or so or if we will be ready to move everything back.

Anyway, I’ve learned lately to just take one day at a time. I mean I definitely PLAN for the future on the important things – and try to sneak in some fun things – and some goals. But as far as trying to figure out the details of some things – my head will just explode, so some things just have to roll on by themselves and I have to let go. I think that my head tries to explore so many futuristic possibilities on every part of my life that I often exhaust myself trying to think of a master a plan. And George is already a step ahead of me most of the time. But sometimes I have TOO many thoughts and TOO many plans. It’s fun, but it’s frustrating when there is not enough time to finish a thought.

Awwwww….Fancy Lou (Mom’s dog). I call her “Fancy Lou” but her name is really Fancy…..she just came back to see me this morning and say “hello”. That means a lot when a dog comes and seeks you out lol.

Sweet friends sent cards to us on our loss of Mr. Roger. I appreciate that so much and so does George.

So now that Roger is gone, I have to remove him from the video intro. But I will not do it until I’m caught up with real time. My next video will be spring. I haven’t decided if I will do a real time update. But likely I will put a black screen with a picture of him saying Roger passed on July 24, 2021. We will do a special little tribute to him as well on one of the videos either in real time or at the point in time we catch up to now on the videos. I’ve not had time at all to work on the videos this week. I’m having to stop to work on files and I don’t like to be interrupted and have to go to work while I’m in the middle of it. It’s too hard to try to remember where I was and it breaks my stride. So I’ll have to have a chunk of time to work on it.

Quarter End is a little Tootie Fest! Some things happened that make it harder this time even though it was supposed to be easier. :::sigh::: Oh well. I’ve prayed that God helps. I hope I can get finished Friday. I think I will be with the important stuff. I am really going to need to be here this weekend at home if I can. There is one state however that I’m having to hand enter every employee that has worked for one state and it’s the state with the biggest turnover, so lots of people had wages and I’m having to hand enter everyone. Yes, see why it’s a Tootie Fest. <—–It’s better than saying a few choice words that OTHERS would and have used! But I will go to work, put my earbuds in, get it done and be the little robot that I can be. The problem is that my arm is hurting from moving and lifting all this stuff around, so the arm that bothers me sometimes is not really in condition to be having to do a lot of data entry. But I can wear a brace if I need. Right now it hurts at the top and radiates down to my elbow. I’ll be glad when this week is over. But it will take me through next week and maybe the next one since the upload didn’t take and I have to hand enter everyone’s wages. I’ve paid the tax already so no late charges, but that part I have to send in and it will be there in a couple of weeks, likely. (I was given the wrong info to upload and now I have to manually key it all but with the correct info). The problem is that I also have to go in and type in what we incorrectly sent too, ::::sigh:::: yes, it’s a Tootie Fest already. Welcome to my world. At least we can laugh and call it names! It makes one feel better. And certainly it could have been called worse. And probably has – but not on this blog. I won’t say for sure! lol

Oh and it’s Month End already now and I need to be working on that but at least I have til the 15th. It’s pretty easy to get through the monthly paid taxes. No crazy Tootie Fests for that! lol lol lol

And it is HOT as Hades on a Firecracker this week. We have heat warnings out. I do not like summer after July 4th, lol. I don’t much care for August either. But it’ll all go by fast.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Ok over and out ya’ll. Gonna hop to the day and see what it brings. Oh and I’ve not even had time to look at my lab report and doc notes that were sent. I figure I’ll wait til the weekend when I can log in and download it to compare with past reports. I think he may have scheduled me for a hearing test which I cancelled as it was this week. I have to set my own appointments and frankly I really don’t have time for my own appointments unless they are just really necessary. Having to put some of those off til next year. We have too many irons in the fire this year with Mom and house sale, house moving, house building, and all her medical appointments. So maybe next year can be the year we re-align our own health. There is just no time to sneeze anymore. But we will figure it out and then later in life we’ll be like “remember that ONE year” —“yeah that was a big bad busy Bertha Butt year”. I’m not sure why I feel the need to name things: Tart Farts, Tootie Fests, and being Bertha Butt Busy. I guess I just really have no other words. lol

Ok over and out for real.