Hanging in there

Doing my thing, just like always.
Things are beginning to go more smoothly. School is settling down, although I was late to my math class, because I mistakenly thought it was at eight am, instead of seven. I was half an hour late! Doh!
Anyway, I am doing well in my classes at least. And getting the hang of the schedule.
We did microscopes in Lab the other day. It was fun, I guess, but I got a dud. There were only two little crawlies on my slide that I made with pond water. This one guy had everything in his slide, from algae to creepy-crawlies. I had scratches. And a worm thing. And another small little swift bit that was too small to describe.
The professor is great though. I like her.
All my teachers are pretty cool. I am enjoying my English class (remember, it is Developmental Writing II) and my Beginning Algebra class teachers as well. I haven't had much of a chance to get to know my Bio teacher, as I have only been to class once. Next week I will get to know him better. He seems pretty cool.
My projects are under way. I did a dresser, the little blue one that we found on the curb. I did it in a Twilight Gray color, and sanded it down to show a bit of wood and old paint. It matches my bedroom perfectly. I couldn't have done it to match more if I had done it on purpose. I also replace the knobs. George helped me, by carrying the old knobs all over the house. Still finding them.
George is doing well. He has a LOT of energy and tends to kill his toys if he gets bored. Also he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth. His favorite game is to carry clothes or books or whatever he can get off the floor around the house while running. My house has never been cleaner. :) So far he has only managed to ruin a few things. We like to keep him occupied with his swimming pool, and games, like finding a treat under a series of bowls and then trying to get it out from under the correct bowl. He LOVES that one. He figures it out pretty quick. Also, he gets walked two to three times a day. He is learning to behave on the leash pretty well.
The boys are good. Jeremy is doing well in school. He decided against Marching Band this year. He is going to seminary as well. Dylan is still looking for a job.
Richard is home for a couple of weeks. It is a nice change. He has traveled a lot this year. Every month, for at least a week.
I have been having health issues. I won't go into them, they are not important. I am getting them in control. I hope. I am excited to begin losing weight. I wish it was easy. Man. It has been tough. Most of you have seen me lately and know that it is not going fast AT ALL. I am very strong though. And I have stamina, which is new for me. I am also sleeping less and eating less.
Gotta run.

I went there.

Over on the left, there is a link to Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords.
I have been following this blog for many years. Probably 9. Maybe 10. A long time, in any case.
It is about a father, who has a disabled daughter. Mostly he talks about his daughter and how they try to help her find her place in the world.
This latest post, however, has questions from readers and Schuyler's answers. Go there now and read it.
I don't agree with this guy's politics or views on religion, at all, really. But I love how passionate he is for his daughter, and not in a perv-y way at all. I love how he tells the truth as he sees it, whether it makes the rest of us uncomfortable or not. I love how he expresses himself, in a very readable and down to earth way, which makes him easy to relate to. He is a normal schmuck, like the rest of us, but has been given two very valuable gifts. Those gifts are his family and his ability to write. He combines them in an awesome way.
I promise you, whether you like him or not (and I do, by and large), you will become addicted to reading about his life and his daughter. Especially his daughter. After you finish reading his blog, go out and buy his book. It is called Schuyler's Monster, and you will love it. If you don't want to buy it, come borrow it from me first or get it from the library.
I can't say any more about how much this little (not so little anymore) girl and her mom and dad have touched me. Changed me, made me more aware of others' feelings and circumstances.
Go on now. And take some tissue with you. you will need it.

Remember the last post? When I said I loved to get ugly furniture from good will and make it look nice? This is one of the things I bought this morning. Richard said if I wanted to furnish the front room, I needed to get it from goodwill or garage sales. So this morning I went to goodwill and found this footstool and chair for 25 dollars total! I bought the fabric from hobby lobby on clearance the other day, thinking I would redo my window valances. I decided after I bought the footstool and chair that I would flip the fabric over and put it underside up on the footstool. So the brown velvet would be on the design, and the cream color would be the background. I liked it. I hope you do too, but I will live if you think it is too busy, or not pretty. Because, you see, I love it. And it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. I added the trim to cover the staples, as I couldn't take the legs off. It is a sturdy little thing.

This is what it looks like now.

I like it alot. Tell me what you think, unless you are being mean.

I am going to have a friend help me slipcover the chair.

I love having this obsession.

A new look

I am obsessed.
I am utterly and completely obsessed. I am constantly jones-ing for this new hobby. I love to pour over catalogs and blogs and get ideas for it.
It is, in a word, refinishing.
I love to get cheap and ugly (at first glance) furniture from curbs and garage sales and thrift stores. I have received things from friends as well. I like to paint them and make them fit in my home. I am obsessed I tell you.
Also, I have a new favorite color for furniture. Get ready for this--it is GRAY. Such a non-color, right?
But there are so many shades of gray, or grey, depending on what you prefer. I am currently smitten with a light grey, "quiet rain". It is soft and silky. If butter were grey, this would be what color it was. (Gray butter? Yuck.)
Anyhoo, there you have it. Grey furniture. Weird, I know. If you know me, and most of you do, you know I like neutrals, darks, and pops of vibrant colors. But I am falling in love with this chic, smooth, glossy world of whites and greys, and mints, and pale blues. Cool and comfy, modern and romantic. Clean straight lines and voluptuous finishes.
It all started with white bed linens. I then painted my room a vibrant blue. Which I still LOVE. I mean, I LURVE this color. So to make it fit with grays and whites better, I am going to get an allover wall stencil, and stencil a gorgeous damask pattern over it to lighten it up and bring in the new colors. Well, the new grey. I am going to reupholster the head board.
I have SO many ideas, ya'll. I gotta get them on paper and get moving on them.

Books

I received my college books today. I went and got them first thing this morning. I want to open them A LOT. But I have to wait until class starts to see if I really need them and have the right ones. Grr. Can't return them unwrapped.
I am getting a new cpap machine. I am excited. I got a new mask today, and I can't wait to try it out. It has nasal cannulas, sort of, and i should be able to sleep with it better than the face mask.
George is doing well. He misses his dog family, I think, but he is doing all right without them. HE likes to go to the pet store, and he likes to walk. But only once a day. He is good on the leash for me, but not as good for Richard. He is off his food, kinda. It takes him a long time to eat. I think he is adjusting to being the only dog. And to being in the house. I think he is going to be a great pet. He is a sweet boy, and tries very hard to be obedient. He likes to chew, which so far hasn't caused too many problems.
D is looking for a job. He doesn't want to do fast food, but I think he won't have to. He has applied at all kinds of places.
J just started school this week. He likes it so far. He has decided not to do marching band. He missed most of the practices this summer, and feels like he will have too much on his plate. So next year we will make sure he gets to go to summer practices and band camp. Hopefully he will want to do it next year. He is still going to be in the regular band, though.
The Man is working hard this week. Trying to catch up from being gone so long.

Jiggety jig

We are home, finally, and I am getting into a routine. Such as it is. I won't really be able to get into a routine until school starts, but I am all caught up on laundry and dr. visits, for the most part.
I had a session the other day and thought I was going to die. Today, I wish I had. I am so sore. And I have a headache. I will get over it, of course.
George is a remarkable dog/puppy. He is very well behaved and sweet. The vet fell in love with him, and said that he will be about 60 pounds full grown. Which will be in the next few months. He is tall and gorgeously sleek. Short hair! Like a pit bull, but feet like a Lab. We love him very much and he is taking to his new home really well.
So far, no barking at the doorbell. Although, I have to say, we have trained everyone really well. No one rings the doorbell anymore. They just knock or come in through the garage. It is funny to me. George is learning that the noise of knocking means some one is coming in, because he runs to the front hall and waits. He is a very patient puppy. He doesn't bark at the door yet, and doesn't rush the door like Marvin. Like I said, he is very well mannered.
School starts soon, and I am nervous. I am taking eleven hours this semester. I am also excited. The only day I have off is Friday. And Sunday of course. I have a Saturday morning class, Essentials of Biology. The rest of my classes are Beginning Algebra and Development Writing II.
I have two classes on Monday, and one class on each of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I will also still have my training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. I wish I would lose weight faster.
Sigh.
I have decide to do couponing. Not extreme couponing, but regular. My sisters told me how they do it and I will do a conglomeration of their two styles.
Gotta get ready for dinner, we are having guests!
Let me know how you are doing, and what you are up to this fall.
See ya!