Gaye's Muzings
March 2008
March 30, 2008
I always loved the story of "The Princess and the Pea". How I related to it and have spent my life remembering the feeling of fantasizing about being a princess. Not at all one of the monarchy, but a little girl princess. I have my princess wand in the motorhome as I type. Last night I finally reached the ultimate that I could reach in a motorhome. Besides the fact that I found a down pillow that was approximately $200.00 and got it for $68.00 some time ago and having a lot of funny conversations between us about my special princess pillow; each time the price going from $1,000.00 one time to $100.00 another. Half of the time I have trouble figuring out which pillow it is. I guess I will have to find a pillowcase that says "Princess" on it.
We have been buying beds for the house in T'gate (remember that is short for Twillingate) as I want new ones and we were looking for one of the Nova Foam mattresses for the motorhome but of course they were out at the Costco I was at and they told me they weren't going to be reordered at this time. Weeeeeeeelll, yesterday I just happened to find ONE queen mattress at the Costco we went to near the storage units to return some lights that I bought. First, it was snowing and hailing like crazy....yes piling up on windshields and people were scurrying around the parking lot like ants that have had their anthill stomped on. Now how would I know about that??!! We had worked all day freezing our what' sits off and were exhausted, the car was filled to the brim with trash i.e... cardboard tape, packing materials, etc. I had sent Chet to the food court to sit because he was at the end of his string and I, being the consummate shopper, had to do my walk through. There it was, our bed and the only one! I had to have it and the food we needed, 3 mattress pads, a set of sheets, and a book. I get checked out and my husband found me as we went outside to more hail and lots of rain. We couldn't put the box on top of the car as we were drowning and freezing so I put all of the trash in a shopping cart. I didn't like it but what choice did I have; the princess and her bed! We got home to the motorhome and had to figure out how to get the box inside before it got too wet and started to expand. We pulled and pushed until it got in the door and Chet was out of the rain. Then we had to roll it up and over the passenger chair. We did that and I made dinner but I was so nauseous I couldn't eat so I played Literati. This is where the ultimate princess part comes in!!! We had to put the mattress on top of our other one and I assured Chet it would only be that way until we got to T'gate. Let's see...March 29, 30, 31, April, and into a part of May. We could do it even though it hangs over the end of the first mattress about 6 or 8 inches as that one fits under the window area. The instructions said it would take 24 to 48 hours to puff up completely. There was a hump in the middle but oh well. Getting into my VERY high bed last night was quite a production as I have to step on a stool to get in normally. It was very difficult to roll over or move and it felt like our heads were lower than our feet even though I had 3 pillows under my head with the "special" princess pillow on top. You can't get up on your elbow to turn or move as you sink right in. I don't know how I finally fell asleep as I felt like my breasts were under my chin choking me!!!
I did survive as I am typing right now. I only scraped one knee trying to get up in the middle of the night and Chet so graciously let me in on his side as there is a step up due to the engine being there. I crawled across the bed and not only got twisted in my t-shirt I had a bar of soap under me instead of the "pea". Remember I have told you we sleep with bars of Ivory soap for foot and leg cramps and Chet's restless leg syndrome. Getting out of bed was easier this morning. It must have puffed up in the night. I talked to Carl and asked him if they had difficulty when they got their Tempurpedic. He said there is definitely a learning curve which they thought would take forever. That made me feel ever so much better as I couldn't imagine trying to take it out and returning it. It will be fine when we get the other mattress out at T'gate. I wonder what the border agents will think if they come in. I guess I will have to tell them that I have never really grown up!
This evening when we finished at the units we had to go to Costco so I could apologize for what I had done. I spoke to a lovely young man that had "bakery" on his name tag. He assured me he was a manager and had his old tag on due to the weather. He said it had been taken care of and that he appreciated my coming in. We agreed that I wouldn't do it again.................................................at that store <)8-( (;-)
All is well in my world at this exact moment!
March 28, 2008
Hello and a good Friday to you!!!!!! We just got up, 10:50, and are moving around to get breakfast and get out of here to get our window shades for the house from Lowes, tires for the Jeep, get packing materials from the storage unit, and hopefully end up at Carl and Jeff's house to start packing the things that have been living at his house for several years. I sold them all of my Calphalon pots, pans, roasting pan, teakettle, etc., last year. This year I am getting them back...yipppppppieeeeeee. It's not that I used them all that much bout they sure looked good hanging from my pot rack! We dickered over the price and they threw them in when they purchase of my beautiful hutch that isn't going to move to T'gae with us. We got a card from our neighbors in NL and that's how Marilyn spelled Twillingate which is so much easier than typing the whole word! Your special info for the day.....
We were supposed to work at the storage unit today with Danny but it was snowing, yes, snowing.
We stayed up very late last night as we got our new phones from Verizon. They're so neat but as usual the learning curve is very high for me! Chet is still getting them set up. Samsung I760's are what we got. Chris, who waited on us and may I say with a LOT of attitude, wanted to know why I wanted that phone if I wasn't going to use the internet capabilities. I couldn't figure out why he had such an attitude problem as he looked "down" at us and almost fired back with a "none of your f...... business" but had just come from acupuncture and still floating from a post acupuncture high. He curtly told us something different from what I was told by Verizon a few hours earlier. I try to document all that goes on with them as the stories NEVER gel. I called them back and said that just once I would like them to do what they say they would do. Chris was rather snippy and after he talked to the lady I was talking to he snippily thought we were going to have to do what he said to get the 2 phones for the same price. Ordering them online was not an option for me as that is not what I was told sooooooooooo after a $50.00 credit on our account we left the store with our phones. You all know what I am talking about, especially those who crossed into Canada and were told there was no more North American plan and it would be 69 cents a minute to call the states. That whole story was addressed in a muze, I think, at an earlier time. That only took almost two hours. What an experience the cell phone companies are. Verizon just happens to have the greatest coverage and we need that for traveling. It was amazing how Chris's attitude took a 180 when the manager appeared and walked through a wall of tension. His behavior was not acceptable and the manager and I had a lovely talk after the transaction. Enough.
I'd better get started as I have a wonderful husband who makes me breakfast in the mornings. In 5 minutes it will be lunchtime......................
March 25, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET HUSBAND. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!! MY LOVE.
We are in the middle of relabeling the boxes and actually it isn't so bad. We have done a much better job of stacking boxes and tubs and ended up with more space. We finished the first unit and worked on 2 and 3 today but still have 2 good days of work in front of us. I am sorting treasures to go to Jon and Erin's and am able to let go as lot of them will grace the walls of their barn and I will get to visit them!!!!!!
We took Brett to get some shoes and then to our acupuncture. I will miss Laura so much when we leave.
My brother is doing fantastically and went out for a ride yesterday. This afternoon my nephew called and I really didn't want to call him back for fear of what I was going to hear. My sister had a breast removed several years ago and in the last 2 years she had something removed from her chin which they never figured out. Peter told me she has cancer on her chin and some nodes in her neck. Bless bless heart, she said she wasn't ready to die and wanted to do whatever she could. It is amazing all of the things she has had to deal with. She will be having her whole body scanned to see if it is anywhere else. At least she is in great hands at the City of Hope. Her family has been closely affiliated and have helped there as the Fox/Flyer family too. Oh my, it's been a hard few weeks. My hair falling out is okay compared to what my brother and sister have been going through.
We had a lot of work done on the Jeep yesterday, none if it being the front end that the Goodyear tire place insisted was bad and had to be replaced. We still managed to drop almost $1,000 and have to have the tires replaced on Friday. We will also be ready for an upgrade at Verizon on Friday so off to find ourselves some new Samsungs!!!!
Enjoy and cherish each and every day................................
March 20, 2008
And a happy and remarkable day it is!! Happy that Brett is here with us.....remarkable that my brother had his bypass surgery on Monday and is home already. Oh, I can't find the words to express my relief and gratitude!!!!!
Tomorrow the slide motor is going to be replaced in the motorhome and Monday the Jeep is going in to be checked. Saturday we start the unreal task of opening and labeling all the boxes we have to send to Newfoundland..
Ugggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...................
March 19, 2008
It is time for the daily newz!!!! My brother is going home on Saturday he thinks. He feel very well and walked the hall today. I just keep saying thank you. He is alive and well.
We have been working so hard and it seems to rain on the days that we do our hardest work. Being outside at the storage units has been brutal and we thought we were starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Chet finally got a real person on the phone at Canadian customs today and we have to open all of the boxes and tubs and label the contents. It feels like some kind of torture but we have to do it. There are only about 150 boxes and about 90 plastic tubs. Think of us 8-(.
Brett will be here tomorrow at 10:45 and as usual I cannot wait to see him. We have to stay one extra week we think to finish. Just keep walking through it.
Everything else is fine except we went to get tires today and there is something wrong with the Jeep's front end and have to get that repaired first. Does it ever stop?
Have a fine day. I did!
March 17, 2008
Waiting is such a difficult thing. I realize that the time is right here and now but not being able to talk to my brother and tell him I am with him and love him as he is still on the operating table. I want them to get his heart all fixed and for him to live. I want the phone to ring with good news from Lynne. I want to be able to talk to my sister and have her remember the sentence we just finished. Her Alz...is progressing so rapidly that it hurts me to talk to her. My mom was very different.
We just came back to the motorhome...the phone just rang and my brother is fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The doctor didn't even have to use the heart lung machine as he was doing so well and should be able to take the breathing tube out in about 2 hours. Thank you, thank you, thank you! THANK YOU! We didn't get to talk too much as when Lynne heard my voice crack she lost it too and had to hang up. Relief is so fine and the tears feel so good. I'm sure we have all shed them in our lifetime more than once.
I was saying I had forgotten my American Express card and had a return to do, so we had to came back to find it.
I need to digest right now and let my tears of happiness fall.
Have a Happy St. Patrick's day and drink a green beer for me (8-)!!!!!!!
March 16, 2008
Hello my family, friends and those of you who read this whom I don't know. It has been difficult to write as we have been so busy trying to get ready to go.
Today we took the day off from moving and kicked back a bit. Tomorrow we have to get back on the moving train. It has been raining since we started the heavy moving. Before that it had been so beautiful. Rain is expected to continue for many days to come.
I am living in abject fear of the telephone calls from the moving companies with their estimates. I had better be next to a chair or a wall!!!!! Oh my, there is so much and this is my third downsize. A lot of goodies are going to Jon & Erin's for the barn they will be building. I will still get to visit it (8-).
We will be changing our trip plans a bit and heading to N. Carolina to see my brother before going to NL. His surgery is tomorrow morning so hold him tightly for me and his family.
We took our kitties to the vet for their yearly visit and got a good health report. We have a lot of medicine for the two old men in case of problems.
We are trying to find tires for the Jeep right now as they have done us well and are tireD.
You all have a great day....Randy, Tracey and Cal, thank you for your help, it is so appreciated.
March 10, 2008
We waken each day with plans of what we are going to do. The reality of it is that the power greater than myself whom I choose to call God may have different plans.
I received a phone call from my big brother, Craig, and we had the sweetest talk about what we both were doing, what a beautiful day it was in Wingate, N. Carolina; cold and clear, about the horses that are at my niece's farm, the pigs, chickens and all of the eggs Kimberly had collected. He couldn't ride his horse as it needs a pedicure and a new shoe. I know how that is as I love my pedicures and oh how I love my shoes!!
Chet and I went to the big tent sale at my favorite plumbing store and the bomb hit when I answered my phone. It was my sister-in-law and she told me Craig just had a heart attack as he was digging a small ditch at the farm. He evidently drove himself to the hospital and was airlifted to the big one in Charlotte. I spent the rest of my day curled up in my bed as it felt like the safest place to be. They did a cath today and his 2 year old stent failed so he has opted for surgery and I just found out it will be done next Monday so we need all of your prayers whatever the may be. Lynne just called a few sentences ago and let me talk to Craig. She couldn't have given me a bigger gift.
I signed papers for the two houses I sold today and had a nice visit with Carl my friend and broker. We were going to go to dinner later but we all were just a little too exhausted. He is a dear friend and was playing with my knitting the other night at his house and said when he was a little boy he always wanted a tail. Well, that's all I needed to hear and made him a long tail that Chet will post soon. He has been wearing it as a scarf. I wrote a note to him that every little boy's dreams should come true. It was great fun watching him as he opened the package. These are the things that make my life fun!
Well, on with my day which will probably include a trip to Home Depot.......may your day be blessed as was mine when I heard my brothers voice.
March 7, 2008
Where is the time going?????? I watch it fly by my eyes...whoooosh!
We are packing boxes and trying to get information about shipping and duties. I was playing a great game of Literati and winning then bango the connection to the internet failed. How unusual, it is raining in Oregon. Grrrrrrrrr I will have to see how many points I lost.
I just want you to know that nothing special is happening and I won't forget you!
Please don't give up on me......
March 4, 2008
See how very interesting my life has been????!! We have been gathering things together from several houses and moving them to the storage place. We have to buy tires for the Jeep and possibly the beast! Ouch.
I applied for a new passport, started boxing some dishes, made an appointment for the cats to go for their shots next week, bought some shoes, vitamins, we've been to acupuncture, the post office, tomorrow I get to go for a pedicure,mmmmmm good, made reservations for brett to come up here next week, made reservations for him to go to NL in July for 55 days, (which is still not enough for me!), are waiting for a new slide motor and on and on!
I just want to let you know I am still functioning. We have had dinner with Carl and Jeff and had a great time and I get to buy back my Caphalon pots and pans that they bought last year at our most unsuccessful garage sale in 108 degree weather. It will cost about a dollar a pound to ship our things to NL so that is how I am figuring out how badly I want some things. Jon is taking a lot of my "treasures" for his ranch. My last set of leaded glass windows that I made will grace his home. I will have to take my Dynasty range with me tho. Oh, and of course my family of mannequins!!!!!!
I can't figure out how to work spell check as Chet had to disable my mouse pad on my computer because I was getting into too much trouble. Will keep you up on all of the pertinent information.
Have a sweet day!
February 25, 2008
I don't really want to write tonight but Brett has been hounding me now that he has finally caught on to the muzes! Hi Brett...hi Carl, Leslie, and all of you who follow us. Hello Jon.
We arrived in our park at 5:30 p.m. and all Chet has done is hook up the electricity as I still have to go through my placement anxiety and see what else is available. That doesn't mean we will move it just means I have to have all of the answers first.
It was a beautiful drive into Portland proper. It always gives me a thrill near the river. It is so pretty. There has been a ton of building going on and the whole waterfront coming into town has changed dramatically. We got a bite to eat and were astounded at the amount of traffic that was NOT the freeway. I wonder if it is the gas prices. We'll see if it stays the same as it is usually pretty backed up to get to the island where we stay. It's right off Interstate 5 at the Columbia River.
Tomorrow the fun begins as we have to shift into work mode and start the packing process for NL. Oh my, it is reality. Wowzers!!!!
We walked by one of the two houses I just sold and drove by the one that is left for this year. I was a bit anxious about how I would feel and all I could do is ball up my fists and say YEAH. It felt sooooo freeing. May the right person walk into #3 very soon and buy it....yes!
Well my friends and darling family I will say bye for now and play some Literati early as going to bed at 3 or 4 in the morning as I have done for the past 3 nights just doesn't cut it.....