aearwen | Another week gone by...

Daughter Súl returned from her week up in Oregon visiting brother Squeek, and I guess things went well enough for them. While he was at work, she had the use of his car, so was able to get about and see a few things on her own. She says it's very pretty up there, and a nice, laid-back feel to the town; but if she had her 'druthers, she'd say it's a nice place to visit, but she'd prefer to live where she's at and "No, Mom, you're not getting rid of me that easily." :-D

That's ok. She's redecorated the apartment that was my parents' so that it looks fantastic, and she said at one time she'd always dreamed of living in that apartment. So I'm happy that she's happy here, because our two households work together as well as when it was our household and that of my folks. We keep a closed door between us, so that the integrity of the individual domiciles stays intact (and to keep my cat from getting into her stuff and breaking things, no doubt!)

I worry about her, though. She was suffering from a fairly bad case of burn-out by the time she headed north - a combination, she claimed, of financial worries (tax season got to her), getting too many "You should" comments from her clients on how to continue with her weight-loss (she's lost about 180lbs over the last nearly two years) and having to work very long hours without much of a break for necessary snacks (now that she's lost the weight, her body has no reserves, and she tanks easily into hypoglycemia.) She seems to be constantly tired - which isn't surprising, considering she's up at 5AM for a solid hour of strenuous exercise at the gym from 6 to 7AM, then works anywhere from 6 - 12 hours, then drags home.

Her personality has gotten... sharper, less patient, more snippy. She's a kind and very caring person, but she no longer handles the trials and tribulations of daily life well anymore. I fear that she may have become clinically depressed, and she doesn't feel in a good enough position financially to pay for a therapist. While I celebrate her new look - which is REALLY fantastic - I miss the "old" Súl with her easy-going attitude.

On other fronts...

Hubby and I went to the town south of us (which we think of as "Little Mexico City", especially after dark!) to the carpet place and have made arrangements for the new carpet in the living and dining rooms to be installed a week from this coming Monday. The ratty (but formerly very nice) forest-green hi/lo is going bye-bye (along with all the dust and 42 years worth of junk that has settled into it) to be replaced by a beige and dark-flecked low shag that nearly matches the beige that went into the bedroom hall and my bedroom. We'll also have a linoleum entry right at the front door, where folks can take shoes off before tracking in yuck onto the new carpet. I've always wanted that - and now we get it.

Sooooooo... That means that between now and next Monday morning, we have to pack away all the stuff left unpacked from all the previous work being done, and find places for the larger pieces of furniture by next Sunday nite. That way, the rooms are utterly empty, and the guys can come in, jerk the old, put in the new, and be finished in just a few hours. It's hard to believe that this house won't have that forest green flooring anymore. With the light mahogany paneling, it had been a very "nature-based" look for the place - but the green, when old and ratty, looks really crummy now. I'm hoping the lighter color will lighten the place up some.

Moving on...

Heard from my brother, who has now moved into the new place. Seems that one of the extra bedrooms in the place will become his new train room - not as big as the last, but still... So his mood is leveling out as the problems he was facing slowly start to resolve themselves. He's hoping the insurance company finally pays off the replacement vehicle he had to buy after having his car totalled when he was rear-ended; and he's seen both of the medicos associated with the Social Security Administration this month in the process of applying for permanent disability (heart problems serious enough to not entirely be resolved by a a pace-maker, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic depression, arthritis in his knees and that arm that never healed right make for a substantial list of things wrong with a person!) When everything has finally settled down, I will be heaving one huge sigh of relief.

He's convincing himself that the Universe - or whatever else you wanna call it - was getting him out of that house before some really MAJOR repairs needed to be made. The sewer line beneath the cement slab of the driveway has broken, and the cement will have to be torn apart to fix that. Also problems are arising with the filtering/heating components of the swimming pool. Now that he's officially been foreclosed upon (the bank nixed the short sale and will put the house up for auction) all of these issues belong to Bank of America, not him. I think he's found a coping mechanism that will serve him well.

And finally...

The music book I ordered that contains the bulk of the songs the little group of singers/musicians will be turning into a musical review for this summer ended up back-ordered, of course. I got an email this past Tuesday that claims it has shipped, so it's coming -but won't be here tomorrow, when I really wanted to have it on hand. I have a few songs that I ended up downloading seperately, and one that I've had to craft the piano arrangement from listening to a YouTube production, so our singers won't be utterly without something to work on, but I'm still a little bummed that the book has been delayed.

Tomorrow will be fun, but very busy. Pancake breakfast at the local grange to start the day, and then a arts & crafts faire to walk through on the cliffs of Shell Beach. Musical program rehearsal starts at 1:30, and then choir rehearsal at 3. I'm hoping to be home around 4PM and climbing into LOTRO so I can have fun with

engarian again - although it may be too late for her, drat it. Ah well - can't be helped.

My arm still hurts like the mischief. But I'm gonna have to learn to work around it, because NOW summer plans include not only the ragtime and musical review program, but a classical music recital that will have me playing piano/organ duets AND doing at least one solo piece (I'm thinking Debussy's "Girl With The Flaxen Hair".) So I have plenty of practicing to do to prepare myself for that. I just wish Vicoden was OTC!!!! :-p

'Til next time...