I always wanted to do something a bit over the top. Kind of wish I had done it 30 years ago.
The little woman was happy with her dinner and her gifts. She spent an hour just playing with the LOL doll which was a puppy bank. It takes awhile to open all the little pieces and find the hidden pieces. She got an ice cream cake.
I've got to say how surprised I was by all her requests.....She has never asked for turkey before. She has always turned me down when I had offered ice cream cakes. She is so much more grown up now.
Happy birthday my darling granddaughter!
For the little woman's birthday I bought a magenta hoverboard. But I still needed to shop once I got here. Mike requested that someone buy a gift from him and Rebecca wanted to give her something. We hit up a few stores and found some clothes, tights and an LOL doll for her. Then we hurried home for nap time for the littlest man and me. Then the evening routine is homework, dinner, baths and bed. I like watching them all do chores and all helping with dinner.
All four of the kids are growing so much.
I had a nice quick flight to San Francisco. I had a little layover that gave me time to find something to buy to take with for lunch. And then it was on to the longer leg of the journey. Except naturally there was a small issue with our plane and we left almost half an hour late. Still arrived with five minutes of our arrival time into Indianapolis. Funny how that airport feels a lot like Portland. Anyway Cassie was on time picking me up. I could have climbed in the car and we could have been on our way before the little woman realized I was there. But I asked the littlest man for a hug.
Then we were on our way. Cassie didn't pay quite enough attention to what she was doing when she set the GPS on her phone. After travelling south for over 20 miles I looked at my phone and we got it all straightened out. There are many street addresses like hers and you have to watch your city designation. We finally got to her house at 9:30. The other two children were asleep although I did wake the little man up. He looked at me and it really took him a minute to realize he wasn't dreaming. I got the biggest best hug. I didn't think he was going to let me go, but then he did and went back to sleep.
I am again with my heart.
It has been an ongoing issue for some time. The mailman has decided that because we park on the opposite side of our driveway from the mailbox that we are blocking our mailbox. Now there are times where it legitimately is blocked and we are fine with not getting our mail on those rare occasions. But we are down to not getting any mail and it has been only being delivered once or twice a week for weeks now. My personal theory is one of the days we get mail is the substitute's day.
Awhile back someone (oh, I wonder who) made a complaint to code enforcement about cars parked in our cul-de-sac. The sheriff's dept. came out and marked a bunch of cars to see if they move. We checked with them right then about how our cars are parked by our driveway and we were told it was fine. We aren't parallel parking but kind of angle parking to get three cars where only two would fit otherwise. All our cars are tagged and in running condition and they move all the time as we go about daily life. A few days after that the mailman told me we could not park like that because we are impeding fire trucks from turning around in our cul-de-sac. And then he told me that if my mail goes missing because we are blocking our mailbox that it is on me.
Well we kept parking where we park. And we started getting pink placards about not blocking the mailbox. So I took a picture and took it to his boss. He said he would look into it. My point is and always has been.....how is it that he can pull right up to the mailbox to leave the placard with our mailbox blocked. We got another placard and then an actual notice from the postmaster. Oh you know it. I had watched him pull right up to leave the notice but he didn't leave any mail including a package that tracking said was out for delivery. I took a tape measure out and measured how far from the back of the closest car to the mailbox. 32 feet. Took another picture and again went to talk to the postmaster.
The mailman had also taken a picture that I did not get to see, but it showed a different angle. The postmaster seemed shocked when I told him I measured and what it was. He decided he really needed to come out and see because the mailman and I have two very different tales to tell. I can not ask for more and decided if the postmaster says we are blocking we will figure something else out, but I'm waiting for that. When I got home I checked my tracking on my package and the mailman scanned it as delivered. I took a screenshot and emailed it to the postmaster. That beyond pissed me off. It truly was no longer a test of wills between a man who thinks we and our neighbors should not park on the street and me.
Today the postmaster came out. I just happened to be walking outside. He looked at me and shook his head. He could see absolutely no problem with how we were parking and that our mailbox is not blocked at all. How it is is not how the mailman portrayed it to be. He also told me he asked about my package and got a hemhaw for an answer. Mail will resume tomorrow and there should be no repercussions to us. If there are we are to let him know. He does expect the mailman will take this issue to the union, but there isn't a leg to stand on.
I think we just have a very sad mailman who needs some joy added to his life. But obviously that isn't happening. I just want my mail and I don't want to argue about it.
Cassie and David bought a new to them minivan. They did it on their own, other than the push from me to make a couple phone calls. I could feel the pride from Cassie when she messaged me. She was happy to accept help if it was needed, but more happy that it wasn't. They keep growing in positive ways and I love to see it.
Cassie is procrastinating a bit on looking for a new car. She is sure they will be turned down for credit. And that may be, but she won't know till she asks. So we talked about that. And all the different ways it could work out. Now it is up to her. I'm totally planning on helping if they can't figure it out on their own. I also think they will be happiest if they do it on their own. It is that growing up stuff.
So she had found one online that might work. She actually called and I think the one she wanted was already gone. But they had others. And they told her they were more than willing to work with their credit issues. They are just starting to really build their credit and that takes time. So now we will see what happens.
The little woman had a birthday party today. Cassie's friend helped her with her costume of being Chucky. She looked so cute. All indications from the pictures was it was a successful party. Every one sang and I bet the little woman liked it as well as didn't.
It makes my heart so happy when I see these things. I did a lot of things with the kids, but I never would have put a party together like this. It isn't in my DNA to be able to do so. I love all their new experiences.
One of my favorite things to do is to play in the fire. A burn pile makes me happy. So when Betty had commented about burn piles and probably not being able to do them herself.....
I got up and ready and headed over. I got all my supplies and tried to start a pile. I worked on it for a good hour. And it burnt but only as I fed it small piece and bunches of sequoia needles. Betty realized I was out there and suggested I work on a pile near the blueberries.
And so I moved and worked on getting that pile to burn. For an hour. I totally was beginning to think I had lost my knack for burning and was ready to give up. Naturally that is when the pile decided to burn. Betty brought over a couple of wheelbarrows full of old cuttings. Mostly we got the pile burnt.
And we had a lot of time to just gab. I think she was very appreciative of the fact that I had brought a chair with. I, myself, am past the point of wanting to stand around for the whole period of several hours while I burn.
Jodi and went to the Farmer's Market. There were more vendors than last week. No rain this weekend. Must be the difference. Anyway we were sure the market must be about done for the season. Technically it has one more weekend I think. But then there is going to be a fall market. It will only be on Saturdays and shorter hours. We are so excited to be able to continue shopping the market.
Jodi never found any more of the good apples she likes. I think that means their season was done. Now there are tons of Fuji's at the market. I bought a Thai dipping sauce. I was intrigued a couple of weeks ago and then the vendor wasn't there last weekend. Now I need to make something to try it on.
After the market we were going to check out the new Hobby Lobby, but there was a line to get in and Jodi is not patient enough to do that. It was still a nice morning.
Monsta got her grooming done this morning. She looks and feels and smell so nice. While she was at the groomer I went to Betty's. Seems to be my thing to do on grooming day. I would have enough time to go home, but it feels like the time is better spent checking in with Betty.
We talked about mortality and having our affairs in order. She keeps asking me if I have gotten my will fixed yet. No, no I have not. She is trying to get the twins' trusts finished. I just finished my last one. This came up because we both talked to one of the twins in the last week.
She had commented about feeling better before her surgery. It is taking a long time for her stamina to come back. She has work she wants to get done, but just doesn't have the gumption most of the time. One of the sequoia's had broke during our wind storm. She found people to clean it up, but it left many burn piles. She doesn't feel up to burning yet. I am welcome to do it if I want to.
Somehow I had gotten it in my head that Monsta's grooming appointment was on the 18th of Oct. Really her last appointment must have been on the 18th. So the week gets here and I'm doing my thing and thinking about that grooming appointment. I realized that the 18th falls on Sunday so there is no way that is when her appointment is. Then I'm hoping it wasn't the 13th because that had gone by. This sends me on a search for the appointment card.
Well good thing I found it. Her appointment is tomorrow the 16th. The little dog doesn't even feel the least bit shaggy yet.
I have been commenting about my heart being in Indiana. And it is. Where my little honeys are is where my heart is.
So I'm less than two weeks till I fly to Indianapolis to spend the little woman's birthday with her. And as it gets closer I feel more and more guilty. The plan has been for Pat and I to spend Thanksgiving in Mexico. That means I would not be going to Indiana for my little man's birthday.
Well Pat and I missed the good price on flights. So we have cancelled that plan for this year. That opened me up to go see my boy. So I booked a flight the day after Thanksgiving. I don't want to intrude on the new traditions too much. I will spend about five days there on that trip. I almost just decided to stay through xmas, but didn't.
Last week I decided that I should rent a car while in Indiana this month. Cassie thought that was a good idea because she thinks the transmission is going out in her minivan. I started with a car from the airport and back. Then I looked at a car in Kokomo. Then I looked at a car in Kokomo and ending at the airport and amazingly that was the cheapest route. Some of these things make no sense to me. But that is the route I went.
Well then the transmission did go out in her minivan. Oy. I was fully prepared to change my car reservation and just get it at the airport. But she told me she already had a ride for me so we are sticking with my plan. She was just happy that the kids have no school this week as she transports the kids back and forth.
I've kind of known for awhile they were in need of a different vehicle. But I waited to see what they would do. And they have a plan. I'm not sure how good of a plan it is but it is workable. I told her we would look when I was there. Because she needs something reliable and I can help with that. And of course they may just do something before I get there and that is all right also.
I had found myself getting more and more annoyed. Stupid stuff. I made changes so that particular stuff could not annoy me anymore. Then I would just find something new to be annoyed about. Seemed like a circle.
I think part of it is this covid restriction which is really starting to grate. I finally have some freedom to do some new things and yet I can't. So boredom maybe.
Then I found the opportunity to volunteer on the farm. I did that four weeks in a row and it was a blessing. Good work, nice produce to take home and a break from my mind. I realized what I needed was a change in my own perspective. I allowed myself to be annoyed. And probably a symptom of my boredom.
I made a true effort to not be annoyed and it worked. Looking at life from more of a place of acceptance and what I can do to make a difference to those around me. Just a small change of perspective. And Paris will wait until France says I can come. ;p
Loren came out in the afternoon. Pat and Rene had already spent a few hours putting on shingles on the front. They made a good start. Every one is worrying about rain. They wanted to make sure that the tyvek was on. After that it is all good. The back is almost completed except for a couple of errors that will be fixed later. The front is all tyveked and the first section that Pat and Rene did is done.
Great progress today.
Every person who has worked on this roof, who claims to know what they are doing, complains about all the others. And the errors are always blamed on the others. No one cares who is at fault (well maybe Pat cares a bit), we just want it fixed and the roof completed.
We also want people to show up when they say they are going to. I waited all afternoon today for Tanner. No show. No call. The excuse comes as he got in a fight with his girlfriend and she broke his nose...the night before. Okay.
Tomorrow a guy who has actually done roofing for 25 years is coming back and getting us on track and hopefully finished before the rain comes.
My brother was getting a bit frustrated this morning. No one showed up to help and no explanations. Then Dale came and then Rene showed up. They made a lot of headway on the last of the non-shingling part. The tyvek is almost all installed and most of the flashing. And who knew there was that much flashing. Anyway Pat felt better and said maybe he should have only had three all along after the tear down of the roof. Hindsight.
Tanner came after he got off work and he spent most of his time still fixing the errors that were made. But now it is going to go quicker. Tanner wants to be the only one doing shingles so there is no more time spent fixing them. Says he should be done by Thursday. He has a normal job that he goes to first so that says he is quick.
My understanding is my ceiling will be the last thing fixed. ;p And hey at least most of the shingles got cleaned up. Maybe tomorrow I can run the magnet and pick up some nails and staples.
Still making repairs and trying to get flashing finished and paper all rolled. Tanner came after work and found that there was work done wrong and so now had to be fixed. That slows the job down. We are all watching the weather forecast. Rain is coming and so far it looks like it is Friday.
