Anyone Having a Good Year So Far?

We are. Near catastrophes have been averted. On New Years Eve Day our daughter tripped and lacerated her face. On January our daughter in law, who had just had our beautiful granddaughter had a stroke. She spent two nights in the hospital. My brother was weaned off the ventilator and is talking and eating. He was not expected to live.Our daughter's face is healing nicely. Our daughter-in-law is on a blood thinner. God is very good.

Alice, it seems the worst is over. Glad to hear the good news.

Good often comes in unexpected ways, I think, Alice.

One of my Christmas gifts was an Amazon gift card. I used it to get an upgrade license from Windows 7 Starter to Home Premium and a DVD/CD drive for my netbook, which does not have an internal one.

I was looking through the sale catalog for my favorite online department store and found that a piece of furniture I had been eyeing since I moved in to this house precisely 10 years ago was marked down to half-price as part of a clearance sale. I figured that it was probably being discontinued I could have said that was bad news, but, with the lower price, I could semi-afford it, so I ordered the kit for building it. Yes, it came in a kit full of many small pieces and vague directions for putting it together, which might also have been considered bad news, but I totally get a kick out of building furniture, and I hadn't done it for some time - so - good news.

My new drive arrived this past Tuesday, and I was able to load several programs that I had been missing since the death of my old computers this past spring and summer, which left me with only my netbook. Much of which could be considered bad news, but I could tell the old guys were checking out, and my kids, last Christmas, all contributed Visa gift card toward the purchase of this little lady of a computer last Feb.

Then, some potential bad news - I checked the tracking info for my upgrade. USPS had posted that it had been delivered, only it hadn't. This was not the first time that an Amazon delivery through USPS had gone awry, so I decided to hold off panicking, and started getting ready for Thursday's family dinner - our first for the year (another good thing). I slept a little later than usual Thursday AM (been doing that a lot lately), but got up with plenty of time to prepare my planned dinner - rotisserie chicken, artichoke hearts w/garlic and red potatoes in cream sauce, and arugula salad with red onions and cranberries. Lynn had given me a Christmas gift - a ceramic Brie warmer which came with several recipe suggestions including one that called for caramelized onions, fresh figs, walnuts and honey, which I chose to Christen the warmer. I spent a little time finishing putting away the Christmas decorations, which had stayed up and running until after the 4th, when Dave, Lyn, and Jaycie flew back to NJ. Just as I did so, the doorbell rang. I opened the door quickly, hoping to see my missing package. Instead, I saw a large flat box, app 4'x3'x6" - my new furniture had arrived several days early. Good news. I tried to lift it to bring it inside. It would not budge. I had to open the box on the porch (thank goodness the two-day drizzling rain had stopped, and brought the little pieces of wood and packages of screws, etc, into the living room. I quickly realized that I would have to stop preps for dinner and put the pieces together. (Did I mention? They were pieces of a corner dish storage cabinet that looked like this:
from the Brylane Home online catalog

I figured I would have plenty of time, based on past experience and perusing the directions. I got out my trusty Phillips-head and got started. It was a good kit. All the screws were easy to screw and the holes were in the right place. I was going quite well until I his a spot in the directions that was asking me to do something physically impossible. I tried for a while, refusing to allow myself to become frustrated, finally studied the directions and diagrams, and figured an easy way to get around the problem. I was relieved, when I checked the clock, to see that I hadn't lost too much time. The rest of the cabinet went together without incident.

I started moving the little kitchen TV and stand from the corner where I planned on putting the cabinet to a space about four feet down the wall. It was then that I realized that the co-axial cable which connected the U-verse box to the wall was about 18 inches too short. I didn't panic. I remembered that the cable connecting the bedroom TV to the wall was much longer than I needed. All I had to do was switch cables. Cool.

My bedroom TV sits inside a large and very heavy hardwood armoire. I have actually posted a picture of it here somewhere, but won't try to find it. All I need to say about it is to repeat that it is extremely heavy and hard to move. But it was not a job I could leave hanging, so to speak, so I went into my bedroom, braced my back against the side of the armoire, and pushed backwards. I succeeded in pushing the cabinet far enough away from the wall to be able to get to the cable connection. Kind of. It has been a long time since I regularly practiced yoga. I really need to take it up again sometime. Had I been practicing, the bodily contortions would have been easier to do. I did manage them, concentrating on the visions of what my dinner would be like if my guests were to arrive with the job undone and dinner unready.

But I was still able to complete the tasks and get the cabinet in place with time to shower, and even spen an hour with my feet up and a pillow under my back while I escaped into and hour of Gh which had been safely recorded onto my DVR before I had shifted the cables., and the TV was working perfectly. More good news. The ache in my back would go away eventually. It eased enough in time for me to put that carefully planned dinner together, and my guests accepted my reasons for the house not being at its best. Dinner was a success.

This morning I woke with very stiff hands and knees, but my back was a tad better. I was getting ready for an outing with Chris's parents when the doorbell rang. It was my neighbor with the missing package. I started the upload and went to my room to get ready to go out. I came back to find everything up an running, and even had time to set my computer's background to show a series of pics of Enchanted Rock. How good was that?

My plans with Chris's parents involved them taking me to see Les Miz one more time and then going to our favorite Italian restaurant - their gift for including them on the Thursday dinners.

I was feeling a little intimitated because this is a musical family - all are accomplished, and their preference is classical and opera, and the Les Miz stage musical was one of their favorites. I was concerned that the raw, live singing of the film might not be to their liking - especially where Inspector Javert was concerned. Some of Crowe's reviews have been downright tacky. While I had personally liked his performance, well, you guys know how I am about my muse.

Several times during the film I saw Linda wipe her cheeks, and the one time she whispered something to Clint, he just quickly said, "Hush, dear." The first thing Chris's dad said to me walking out of the theater was: "Russell Crowe was the perfect Javert!" and he went on to say that the interpretation of the character, and the way Crowe expressed it vocally, was the most heartfelt he had ever seen, that it finally gave the character the compassion that Hugo had given him in the novel. The first thing his wife added was that her only problem was that the score didn't give him the opportunity to show more of his lower range baritone, which had such resonance and depth in it, although his higher range was quite nice, as well.

And I can promise you, they weren't just being nice. They only do nice when they mean it.

Our dinner was as good as it usually is at that restaurant, and my only problem now is that I cannot stop reflecting on how good the start of 2013 has been. I really ought to go to bed - it is now 1:00am here in SA.

It's all about focusing on the good part and looking for the silver linings in the rest.

Oh, and I came home and stocked my new cabinet with my Naturewood stuff:



Still a lot of rearranging to do with the rest of the kitchen, but by tomorrow, my back should be close to normal after a few hours sleep.

A Good Year, I'm thinking so far.

Annie

Alice -glad your brother and other relatives are doing great. Ann -that was quite an accomplishment, putting that cabinet together! And it looks great in that corner. You must enjoy looking at it.

Today is a good day! I am writing about eight articles a month now for the Spotlight which helps in planning my budget. I picked up a couple freelance gigs that helped too. My mom is visiting and still in good health. We had a great time last night at an outdoor dining venue under the stars enjoying an Elvis impersonator and a good bowl of black bean chili. Today we are going to a Bach concert. So far, so good in my personal existence. My close friend is facing cancer treatment for the second time in two years - so we're all worried. She has such a grand attitude toward life in general, this discovery has, however, pulled her down.

Ann, your cabinet experience reminds me of my entire house. Ten years ago I was moving in here to get it ready to rent again after it was destroyed by horrid renters (horrid in the last three months and perfect the five previous years - his girlfriend left; he started growing pot on the sunporch and the rest...). Anyway, I ripped out the carpet, painted from top to bottom and inside to outside and put in serviceable floor covers intended for renters. I needed some furniture so I became good friends with Big Lots and K-mart and their do it yourself furniture on sale and discount.

My best piece was the dining set - eventually - though the chair fell apart under my neighbor who went home in the middle of dinner and came back with his electric screw driver.

The worst was the futon. It took me twelve hours and the springs nearly killed me; my body was ripped and torn, but it still works and has been handy.

For a little bit of nothing I put together "temporary" furniture that became "permanent" and is still functional. Some pieces (the futon in particular) were major challenges. However, though I won't make Home and Garden, I do make home comfortable. That's what counts. I thought I was putting together serviceable furniture I could leave behind as soon as I moved - but the move never arrived!

Yes, today is a good day and good memories. It's a "vignette" day - so much of life is challenge that we need to treasure the good vignettes, "the vignettes of joy."

So far it's been a GREAT NEW YEAR for me!

I'M STILL ON TOP OF THE DIRT!

I figure cremation will take care of that - no under the dirt for me - sprinkled in the swamp to be picked up and scattered in the breeze and part of the regeneration of life there. Hopefully, the spiritual part of me, if there is such a part, will find its way to its eternity.

Alice,

I hope it is all smooth sailing from here as you've had your share of rough waters for the whole year early! God Bless you and yours the whole year through!

Ann,

There is nothing you can't accomplish with perseverance and hard work. You've done more this year thus far than I will accomplish through Spring. And I agree with LC--the cabinet looks great. Your photo is far better than the catalog shot--just lovely.

I'm with Don as to the best thing of this New Year. So far, my wife has been nursing a very bad cold she caught from a good friend on New Year's Eve that won't go away. I have a mild version of the same. My body wants to sleep, eat and sit around with work slated for this break remaining mostly undone. To quote my favorite philosopher, Charlie Brown, "My stomach hurts. *SIGH*"

Enjoyed reading all the comments. Ann's accomplishment at putting together the cabinet requires an applause .
Cleaning up after bad renters left the house like a pig pen is a tough job, as DK experienced. I went through that twice. The damage they did cost more than the back rent they owed. Evicting renters is not an easy matter. That is when one is lucky not to own a gun. Getting rid of the frustration can be too costly.

I'm with Don on still being above the dirt. Sometimes I think I hear someone yelling, "Hit the dirt". Even with that, being on top is preferable.

Quote :

your cabinet experience reminds me of my entire house. Ten years
ago I was moving in here to get it ready to rent again after it was
destroyed by horrid renters

So did you rent it again? It sounds like you stayed there.

My parents have had rental property for over 30 years. To me, it seems more trouble than it's worth.

[quote="dkchristi"]I figure cremation will take care of that - no under the dirt for me - sprinkled in the swamp to be picked up and scattered in the breeze and part of the regeneration of life there. Hopefully, the spiritual part of me, if there is such a part, will find its way to its eternity.[/quote]

I'm hoping it will be legal to sprinkle me into Sabine Lake - where the river flows into the Gulf. My grandfather had a houseboat that we would tow into the lake on weekends. My mother spent every weekend she was carrying me on that houseboat. I can actually prove it:


(That's my mom, on the houseboat, which was still docked in the bayou, just before heading out to the lake. (I am the baby-bump you can see under her overalls.)

After I was born, I learned to swim, to fish and crab, and I watched my aunt cook crab gumbo, which was a big part of my training to learn how to do it on my own, all on that houseboat in the middle of the lake.

My second date with my children's father was a sail in his daysailer - on that lake. We spent most of our weekends there for several years.

( see "The Flying Scot" in the poetry section.)
We sold the Scot and bought a Pearson Ariel - a 26 foot MORC (Midget Ocean Racing Class) sloop, and spent, not only days, but nights on the lake as well. There is nothing better than lapping water to lull one to sleep ( as DK knows).

I wrote this poem after we won a race sailing the new boat.

I can think of no better place for my ashes. Hopefully, I, my true self, will be off and about, doing whatever my "new thing" will involve.

In answer to your question LC, I had just left a great job in the Florida Keys due to their budget cuts (I was number 2 in a family business that needed all the money for number 1 after losing a state contract) at the same time my tenant was three months behind in the rent. When I got to the house the yard was weeds two feet high and blooming with old furniture and metal stuff buried in them. Previously that same tenant had kept the grass so perfect he put a fake gravestone in the middle of the front yard reading, "Here lies the last dog that shit in my yard."

The inside was always immaculate. They had rented very classy furniture for five years to that date (minus the 3 months no rent, no girlfriend and a new pot-smoking/growing hobby). Old beat up trucks were in the driveway and as I got out of my car he yelled at me to get off HIS property or he was calling the police. Another equally threatening man came out the door and I left to the sheriff's office. Finally after great trouble, they were gone. The door locks were shot, the window locks were shot, the house was full of trash and the paint was colors of black, navy blue, etc. The carpet was shot from his two gigantic dogs that had never been allowed inside by his girlfriend - and the back yard was wild and looked like a dump. The water feature was putrid, overgrown and had a layer of mosquito larvae.

I had no job, no tenant and house payments and the utilities for three months. I simply dug in - and when I did, my neighbors came to the door so glad the previous tenant was gone, asking if they could help clean up the yard!!! It made a middle class neighborhood look blighted!

They cleaned up the yard, sodded, filled in the water feature and planted some always grow plants around the house and only asked me to pay for the sod and the plants!

While I was painting and tearing out and garbage filling, I was hired in a low-pay university job not far from the little house. By the time I had the house liveable, I had a better job and was accustomed to walking on the beach, five miles away; swimming in the community pool a block away and being close to major cities north, south and east (after stuck in Key West where everything was in Miami except the Gulf and Hemingway got old).

For the first time in my life (I moved every 1 1/2 to 3 yrs because I wrote and managed time-limited grants) I was here for over 3 yrs, then 5, etc. I had family issues and one thing led to another and I'm still planning to rent this little place and move...or maybe not.

I need a handy person to help with house maintenance; things always go wrong in a house and mostly I rented a place to live and used this house as a rental and my renters were always handy...now things going wrong are up to me and it was built in 1987. It needs a new roof, the ceiling fans are letting loose for some reason, I think there's a sewer problem and the carpet is disintegrating - I guess from the humidity though I keep it air conditioned. It's literally dissolving into constant dust.

So, LC, a longer story than you asked. Sorry, that's the writer in me. Need to explain it all in detail. :-) So, I feel temporary though here for ten years...and I'm not in love with the house but it's actually over what I need. After living on a 70' yacht for 3 years with a 15 ft. beam and 55' length for living - anything more is too much. This house is 2000 sq. feet counting the closed in porch. It has a split plan - master & bath on one side and two bedrooms and bath on the other with kitchen and living and porch in between - very good for company. Most times, I only live in half the house. I'd prefer a little two-bedroom villa on a lake - or a small cottage on a river. Won't happen though as I am getting to set in things remaining the same.

Ann, please write a short story about life on the houseboat and your first love - third person. It would be fun to read. I love the picture of your mom - I'd put it on the cover.

LMAO about the graveyard marker.

My guess is your renter got involved with drugs. People do a 180 in personality when they get hooked on those.

Renters and rental property are a PITA, even the good ones. I'm not interested in participating in that at all.

At the moment, I don't have the energy to write my bad renter story.
I would not advise renting to anyone without a complete background check and references from previous landlords. Secondly, absentee management doesn't work .

We learn from our mistakes, or should. We like to think that our renters will care for the house like we would, but that is just a fantasy. I think it is much like owning a car and renting a car. Does one treat them in the same manner?

I should know. When I was first married, in my twenties, we had a cute Garden Grove ranch house in a neighborhood of "don't get drunk or you'll pick the wrong house," and six foot cinder block fences between each one. My neighbors, a young couple struggling with three babies, bought a house to rent trying to get ahead. They rented it to a nurse who checked out well. They got a complaint from the police department. She moved in her Samoan Islander relatives who cut holes in the walls so they didn't feel so separated, drained the pool and did all their pig roasts in the fires they built in the pool. Several of the women were pregnant and some law forbade eviction while they were in that condition.

Victor,
Hope you and your wife are much better by now.
Ann, Love your cabinet.
Everyone else, Thank you for your contributions to this thread.

Quote :

Several of the women were pregnant and some law forbade eviction while they were in that condition.

If they have kids you can't get them out. If they're disabled you can't get them out. If they've declared bankruptcy you can't get them out. At least within a year, maybe more, plus thousands of dollars in expenses. Which don't include expenses repairing the damage they do to the home.

On a tangent, a more recent development is the "adverse possession" scam. There's some law that says if property has been abandoned for 18 years or so you may be able to stake a claim on it, but scammers have been selling property they don't own while the owner is on vacation or even in the hospital, telling their dumb buyers that they can get it so cheap because of "adverse possession." And the returning owners then can't get back in without thousands of dollars in expenses themselves (google Troy Donovan in Colorado; his house was sold by a now-unlicensed realtor to an illegal alien family who dug their heels in and wouldn't leave without a lengthy fight; they even declared bankruptcy to prolong it).

What a nightmare. Renting is the pits.

Back to having a good year...

The humongous box my corner cabinet came in was one of two such boxes, the second, much smaller and somewhat lighter, I was able to move a few feet, out of the way to open later. Its contents were the pieces for a kitchen trash bin that matched the cabinet. I was somewhat disappointed, when I ordered them both, to find they no longer sold the bin I had wanted - a double one for both organic and recyclable trash. The one I did get was smaller, and I figured I would be able to find a plain white plastic one for the recyclable stuff. I keep the official recyclable bin in my pantry since it is a ghastly blue with that triangular arrow thingy on the side. It isn't really large enough, and I wanted a second one that I could keep out at the back of the kitchen for smaller stuff.

I didn't find the right size plastic one, but I did have a cardboard box that was perfect. I pulled out my last roll of Naturewood shelf paper that I had hoarded away, knowing it was the last, as nobody makes that pattern anymore. I very carefully cut pieces off one end of the roll and used them to cover the box, and put a disposable liner inside. I brought a small white chest of drawers from the hall closet and placed it against the wall between the new dish cabinet and the old TV stand. I will replace the brass pulls for wooden ones soon, so that all the pieces will look more like a set. I shifted some of my wall prints around to go with the new room arrangement. I rearranged all of my dishes, etc; and cleaned out the hall closet and the kitchen pantry. While I was in that mindset, I also completely rearranged my clothes closet, shifted the bed, end tables, and chairs several inches and am now working on the bookshelves in both the bedroom and my office. Once that is done, I plan to work on my office files. I should be completely done with these projects by tomorrow evening.

Once done with these tasks, I will be ready to get back to work. I am setting up a new schedule for "office" time and household time. I want to get back the feel of "going to work" everyday, keeping my writing and household work as separate as possible to cut down on the distractions caused by household chores that result from working at home. By the end of this first month of the so far very good year, I should be ready for a more productive year, including getting Daniel's Daughter finished and a Kindle/Nook version of A Myth in Action available.

Starting around last September, there has been so much stuff going on, both in the world out there and inside my family and my own head that I am not at the place I had hoped to be at the end of 2012. Taking this month to clean, clear, and polish everything up has me really eager to get back to work.

(pics to follow)

Annie

The kitchen pics:

The new bins:


The breakfast area rearranged:


These prints were originally where the corner cab is now. I moved the picture that Jaycie painted for me while I was visiting her this summer from this wall to the wall above the bins in 1st pic.

How tasteful! I love your décor.

Thanks, Alice. I've had a good time putting that room together from the day I moved in, and now I feel like I have it "finished." Well, except for that antique TV. I hope to replace it before long - one of those little white ones with a built in DVD player?

Annie

Jaycie is artistic!

Very nice, Ann. I can see your handiwork in style and decor.