New addition downstairs

 

We finally found something to sit Dad's new TV into.  It was delivered yesterday.  It's still sitting out from the wall so this weekend when some of you are here we'll need help moving it back.  Also, with this purchase we were able to buy a ping pong table for a real deal, so we got one.  It is still sitting in the box and weighs a TON!  After moving this entertainment center, if someone wants the fun of assembling the game table, go for it!  Our big empty room is finally filling up.

Salt Sugar Fat

 

I usually don't write about a book I've read until after I've finished it....I'm currently on page xiii (still in the prologue!), and find myself wanting to start marking the things I'm reading in the book.  (Drats - I thought I was being so smart to wait for it at the library and save myself the cost of the book.)  My guess is that I'm going to find many things that I want to share with people I love.  How to do it without preaching?  Especially since I eat as badly as everyone else in the country, and I've done enough digging to know better.  When you are in a hurry it's just so much easier to eat fast, prepared food.  So, I'll just post things that hit me between the eyes, if you want to read and learn along with me - great!  I really hope you do.  If not, then I'm not forcing anything on you.

"General Mills was dominating in the dairy aisle, showing the rest of the industry just how easy it was to influence America's eating habits.  The company's Yoplait brand had already transformed traditional unsweetened breakfast yogurt into a dessert-like snack.  It now had twice as much sugar per serving as Lucky Charms, the company's cloyingly sweet, marshmallow-filled cereal.  And yet, because of yogurt's well-tended image as a wholesome, life-giving snack, sales of Yoplait were soaring, with annual revenue topping $5000 million.  Emboldened by the success, General Mills'  development wing pushed even harder, inventing a yogurt that came in a squeezable tube -- perfect for kids -- eliminating the need for a spoon.  They called it Go-Gurt."

My life

1.  Rental:  painting over at the new rental.  Currently trying to get the first white coat on to cover 4 rooms that have very dark walls.  Took paint samples over to the hardware store and we now have matching paint to paint the outside of the house - but the weather has been either rainy or too cold, so the paint is waiting.  Got the carpets cleaned, as well as the refrigerator.  Found a heavy duty weed whacker to borrow, hope to hack down the weeds next week.

2.  Quilts:  I can feel my busy season starting.  Already have a back log and of course I had someone come in with one that needs to be done right now.  She is a good friend, so I try to accommodate.

3.  Grandbabies birthdays:  Have 2 this month having their first birthdays.  Received a request for quiet books - which are super time consuming.  So, I wake up about 5:00 a.m. each morning and work on those before I start my day.  If all goes as planned I hope to finish them up today. 

4.  I had an insane urg to apply for a booth at our local Holly Fair.  And wouldn't you know -- I managed to get one.  Not sure if I'm happy or mad about it!!!  A friend offered to share it with me, so hopefully she'll do most of the stuff to sell and I can just advertise my quilting business, which was the whole idea to begin with.  Still have some things that I need to prepare for it,  not sure how I'm going to get it all done, but with the quiet books finished now maybe I'll work on this at 5:00 am!

5.  Our ward was divided the week before conference.  I kept expecting to get a call and given an assignment, but so far - nada.  Not complaining - not sure how I could handle trying to deal with a new calling right now.  This sunday will be interesting, though, since we are in the new ward and there will be lots of people we don't know and lots of sustainings going on!

6.  Piano lessons:  still going strong.  I'm still struggling with how to organize myself, trying to instigate new programs for sight reading, composing, playing by ear, playing lead sheets, theory games, ensemble playing on digital pianos, monthly incentive activities (what have I forgotten?).  Just finished Sept and made about 8 music themed light switch cover plates.  Never done anything like that before and it took me awhile but they turned out pretty neat, kids seemed to like them.  Have October's practice incentive game up and running, and trying to think ahead to Nov and Dec.  My head is just buzzing. 

7.  House cleaning and cooking - not happening.

#3 of 3 videos of interior of duplex

#2 of 3 videos of the interior of duplex

#1 of 3 videos of duplex interior

Having problems getting these videos to down load.  I have 3 of them and so far this first one is the only one I've gotten to go through.  So I'll go ahead and post it and keep trying on the others. 

The video ran out and I didn't realize it....so you don't get to see the lovely dark brown bathroom, with a really gross tub.

Our newest project

Signed papers  on this little honey yesterday, and now we start the fun of turning this "diamond in the rough" into something that sparkles.    (Why is this blue?)   We are giving ourselves a month to get this cleaned up and rentable.  We will get the yard de-weeded, but the landscaping will have to wait until next spring. 

 It really is a bit of a mess -- do we have "stupid" stamped on our foreheads?  Just you wait, this is going to be a great rental property when we get it fixed up.  Hopefully most of it will just be elbow grease. 

 I think half of the light bulbs inside are burned out, it was pretty dark in there, so I'll take pictures in there at another time.  The entire thing will have to be repainted, cleaned, etc.  And the back yard....oh a must see, the discarded washing machine back there is the highlight I think. 

 The other side of the duplex was purchased recently by people we know for rental property as well.  They had a real mess to clean up on that end also, but now have it rented to a nice young couple.  I'm sure they, as well as the rest of the neighborhood, will be delighted to have our side cleaned up. 

We spent a little while this evening, before it got too dark, cutting down enough weeds so it's possible to get through the front gate without having to push them aside.  We set out the garbage can (which was thoughtfully left by the previous people....full, and sitting in the garage with additional bags of garbage sitting around it) delightful.  I actually get a kick out of turning yucky into nice.  Unfortunately this is my busy time of year for quilting, so I would have preferred not to be doing this right now, but ya do what ya have to do.  We'll just need to be super organized to keep up with everything - some of our kids have said they'll come in a few weekends to help, so I think we have a good shot at meeting our goal.  Let the fun begin :)