Holiday Greetings!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas was quiet and fun with Molly home from college. We had a nice dinner and both girls boyfriends came over later.  Not sure what we are up to for New Year's Eve but it may be a movie marathon.

Hm... let's see, what have I been up to lately? As  most of you know I got a job. I start January 6 at UT Southwestern. It is the same type of work that I have been doing for the past 10 years and involves medical resident education. I am looking forward to getting back to work after 3 months of being off. I always thought I would like have a long break but this has been too much time off.

With all the time off I have had I have been looking for a condo to buy.  I looked at about 15 or so. Most condos around here are like apartments. Going from a house to a condo is tough enough without having someone either living below me or above me. I finally found a ranch style condo that I like a lot. It's about 1100 sq ft and has a nice big patio. The problem is that it is a short sale and someone else made an offer at the same time.  The bank has to review both offers and then pick one. Hopefully it will be me!! I should know in the next few days.

I hope the next time I post I will be a homeowner once again!

Stay safe and warm and have a wonderful 2014!

Continuing saga of Texas living....

Life in Texas is going about as you would expect. The weather has been mild until this week when most of the country got hit with cold. Since I have to walk the dog now instead of just letting her out the back door, this is not my favorite kind of weather.   We walk about 1.5 miles a day which averages out to about 10 miles a week, great when it's not rainy and cold. Not so great when it's 34 out!

The job search is moving at (according to me) a snails pace.  I have had three interviews. I have another next Monday and one of the places I interviewed wants me back again next week to meet more people.  All of the applications for every job are now on-line.  You can't apply any other way and you do not get a real person.  It's a lot of sit around and wait to see if someone calls. Well, that makes me nuts so I started looking up people on-line in the jobs I am interested in and emailing them my resume. This is the only way I got the interviews.

When I planned my moved I really thought I would rent an apartment for a year until I got my bearings and knew my way around. I had a change of heart and as soon as I get a job I am going to start looking to buy a condo/townhouse.  Rent for a small apartment is more than what a condo payment would be for me and I just can't help feeling I would be throwing my money way.  I am pretty sure I will be working in downtown Dallas and since I don't want a long drive I will need to live in the city where rent is higher. Plus, I was ready to redecorate my house before I put it on the market so now I have this unfulfilled craving!

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Texas Living

I am staying with my sister and her family until I get a job and find a place to live. We are in a four bedroom, 2000 sq ft apartment. I don't mind. I have my own space and the apartment is bigger than my house was. No, my issue is Gracie. For her entire 10 years of life she had a backyard to run around in.  I could just let her out and not worry about it. Now, in an apartment, we have to walk...and walk...and walk! In the morning I take her to the field behind the complex. She gets to sniff and run around until she gets tired.  In the afternoon we walk in an almost 1/2 mile circle around the complex and at night we do the same.  While she is getting exercise, I don't think she likes it.

She used to lay on the patio and guard her yard from invading birds, squirrels, rabbits and bugs for most of the afternoon. She would sit in the front window and guard her house against marauding mail men and kids on the sidewalk for the rest of the day. Here she doesn't have as much excitement so I think she is a little depressed. Also, when we got here I noticed she was missing a tooth. This lead to finding a new vet, an extraction of 10 teeth and over $900 in vet bills.  She just doesn't seem like herself.

The cat is doing fine! Ha ha .. I was more worried about her than the dog and she great.

I started looking for a job this week and have applied to about 15 openings.  I have an "at least one application a day" plan.   I haven't had to look for a job in over 10 years and the process has changed. Everything is on-line now. I tried calling a company but they directed me to their website.  If you know me at all you know I am very impatient so all this waiting around makes me want to pull my hair out!  Wish me luck!

Finally, I am on my last aligner with my Invisalign braces and will have to fly back up to Michigan in two weeks to get finished up and get my retainer. My teeth are nice and straight and I am happy with the results. I would post a picture but teeth are gross!

Finally in Texas!

This may be a long post since I haven't written in ages. I have been super busy.  I sold the house for cash so we closed within two weeks. My last day at work was October 4 and the movers came October 7. I had tons of help packing, my mom, my Aunt Rosalie, my niece Krista and her two little girls and my cousin Jackie but it was a huge undertaking. I was trying to pack up my house and finish up my work and train a replacement.  Nuts!

My sister and niece flew up to help with the move and I would not have been able to do this move with out my uber organized sis!! Also, I had wonderful movers, Foster Brothers. They are from Cadillac, MI and I would strongly recommend them to anyone. My mom and I drove my in my car and  I rented a Town & Country van for my sis to drive. We put the dog, cat and all my plants and any clothes I needed in the back of the van and left Michigan early morning, Wed., Oct. 9.

The trip went downhill right away. I had to stop, a lot, to go to the bathroom. By early afternoon I felt so bad I couldn't drive. We stopped in Bloomington, IL and I went to an urgent care. The nurse practitioner said I had a UTI, gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way. We decided to spend the night and get an early start on Thurs. morning. That plan went out the window when I was so sick in the morning I couldn't get out of bed. My sis and niece loaded the dog and cat in the van and took off for Texas. It took them 13 hours but they made it that night. I am very thankful they did because I ended up sleeping until noon that day before I felt well enough to drive again.  Feeling better, my mom and I drove to Rolla, MO and spent the night. I didn't feel great Friday morning but I thought I would make it. No such luck. I drove for about 2 hours, getting worse as we went. By the time we got to Springfield, MO I was looking for an emergency room.

I spent a little less than 2 hours in the ER and had lab work and an IV. They changed my antibiotic and sent me on my way!   My mom and I got in the car and hauled ass to Texas. It took us about 7 and 1/2 hours but we finally made it to Plano around 9:00 pm Friday night.

I didn't feel much better over the weekend and ended up seeing my sister's doctor Monday morning. After testing and a cat scan the conclusion was kidney stones! Not the best way to start the next chapter of my life!

 I am unpacking at my sisters and finding my way around. A job is next on the list. Stay tuned for the next exciting installment!!

Sold, Maybe!

I think I sold the house. After much angst about it not selling I decided to turn my house into a rental. This did not make me happy but the market in my neighborhood is still down and it was looking impossible to sell.  Seriously, I gave up. Last week, Rose, my Realtor,  called with not one but two cash offers! Cash meaning no mortgage. No mortgage means no appraisal. This was amazing news.

Now I wait. The buyers Realtor is young and seems inexperienced. They should have already scheduled the inspection and closing so Rose had to get after them to take care of this.  I think we are back on track, well, I hope so since I am packing!

I am having one last garage sale on the weekend of Sept. 13/14, plan to give my notice for my last day at work to be Oct. 4 and then get the movers the next week.

 "Man plans, God laughs" has been the theme of my life lately so I can't get excited yet... I will...soon....maybe...

The House Saga, cont.

I had three full price offers on the house the first week, all FHA. FHA lenders will only give mortgages if the appraisal is for the full price. This didn't happen. My house appraised for $25,000 less then what I owe! The problem is two-fold. The location and the market.

I am located in a city that is full of foreclosures, bank owned houses and rentals. There was nothing for sale in my price range for comparison. My neighborhood is nice but the surrounding blocks are starting to get run down (one of the reasons I am moving).  If I plucked my house up and moved it to another city in my area I could get $15k-25k more for it.

The other issue is the market here in the Detroit area. According to the Detroit Free Press,

"After a spell of dreary years, the metro Detroit housing market is finally regaining much of the value it lost in the crash. But many real estate agents and home sellers say the market’s comeback could be even stronger if it wasn't for what they consider overly conservative appraisals that lag the prices buyers are now willing to pay. No one is tracking how many deals are falling through because of low appraisals. But for some brokers, close to a quarter of their deals this summer have run into problems because the appraisal came in below the price that the seller and would-be buyer agreed upon, according to multiple agents interviewed by the Free Press.In a more typical “good” market, that figure is around 5% to 10%, they report.“The appraisals are really just killing things right now,” said Jason Matt, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel in Plymouth, who estimates that 30% of the 113 homes his team has sold in 2013 have encountered appraisal problems.Because lending institutions generally don’t write mortgages above the appraised amount, an appraisal below the agreed-to selling price will scuttle a deal, unless the buyer can bring enough cash to cover the difference between the sale price and the appraisal."

So, there you have it. I am stuck in the middle.  My house is back on the market for conventional or cash only. I am giving it until around Labor Day. If I don't get a reasonable offer by then I will turn it into a rental for a few years. This isn't my favorite solution but it may be my only option! 

The On Going Saga

The inspection on the house was last week and went off without a hitch. The appraisal was yesterday and I may not know the amount for up to a week. This is making me crazy. If the appraisal is too low it changes everything. Crazy market here in Michigan means not being able to count on anything.  If for some reason I can't sell this house without losing my shirt I may turn it into a rental.

I really don't have any other news.  My life is on hold!

What a Week!

My house was listed Sunday. I had a showing Sunday afternoon and a full-price offer Monday morning. I had a showing Tuesday afternoon and a full-price offer Tuesday afternoon! I accepted the offer from Tuesday. Now comes the fun part. The person was supposedly pre-approved but my agent is still waiting for confirmation of that. Once this is confirmed an inspection will have to be done within 7 days and then an appraisal.  In the mean time I have a showing tonight! Keeping the house clean and picked up and worrying about the dog being home when the house is being shown is much more nerve wracking then I imagined.  The other issue is the appraisal. Houses are selling like crazy in my area but the appraisals haven't caught up to the market so I worry....

In other news. I am down 5 pounds and chopped off my hair!

Moving Right Along

Wow I didn't realize how long it has been since I posted!

 The house is going on the market tonight.  From what I have heard from realtor's houses are selling but the appraisals have not caught up to the market. I could get an offer soon but the house may not appraise so it's all up in the air.  The basement is cleaned out along with my closets, office and bedrooms. The moving company came last night to give me an estimate and by no fault of my own my work knows I plan on leaving. That in itself if a long story. Everything is on track so now I just need to get rid of the house!

Moving by myself is scary. I moved about 10 times in as many years but always had Bob as support. We thought nothing of just up and moving. Now I worry if I am making the right decisions. Well, the decisions are made so I guess I need to just get on with it.

I am considering giving my Bitsy cat to a good home. She is 12 and I worry about the trauma of moving, in a car, for 2 days, staying in a strange place (my sisters) with 2 dogs and then moving again when I get an apartment.  I am open to suggestions.

Wish me luck! I think I may need it for this crazy journey!

Updates

I have been riding my bike at least 3 times a week around my neighborhood. There is a lot of traffic so it's not easy but I try to go early in the morning on the weekend and later at night during the week. I don't enjoy it for exercise as much as walking but with my crazy foot I can't walk for exercise right now.  I also work out doing strength training for an hour a week and just bought new yoga and pilates dvds. I feel like I am getting in shape but....

...this would have been week 5 of the diet but I quit.  I was super careful about what I ate; measuring everything, exercising and only eating what I supposed to for over four weeks. I only lost a total of 4 lbs and that was during the carb-free portion of the program. I can't  live like this. It is not sustainable for me so I am modifying what I eat and still taking care to only eat "healthy" carbs.  I did blow it big time this week but I will stick to my new plan and let you know how it goes.

I am on track to put my house up for sale the second week in July. My sis is flying in next week to help me tackle a few of the bigger things that I need help with (can anyone say BASEMENT) and then I will call the realtor after 4th of July.  If all goes as planned I am hoping to move in September. I hope the house sells for a reasonable amount in a short time period but not too fast! I am not THAT ready! The biggest problem is my Invisalign braces. I was supposed to be done with them at the end of the month but my teeth are not cooperating. I now have until November!  It's a long story but the orthodontist and I worked it out a plan for after I move.

For those of you with father's or who are father's, enjoy your day!

Oh, the spellcheck button has disappeared! crud...

The Bike Story

Last year I decided bike riding would be easier on my foot then walking for exercise so I bought this lovely toy. It's an Electra Townie. The basket and streamers just seemed right some how (and were not included).  I love her! This year when I brought her out of the basement her tires were a little low so I figured I would load her in the trunk and go get air. Mind you, I have never had to do this before; up to this point I had an air compressor and a husband.  Sold one, lost the other.

It was a struggle but I finally got her in the trunk with the front tire hanging out. I had bungie cord tie down thingies to hold the trunk closed but my car doesn't have any place to tie them down. I looked all over, no latch, nothing!  I didn't think it was legal to ride around with my trunk open, looking for a gas station with an air pump, so back the bike went into the garage. You may not realize this but  there aren't many gas stations with air pumps left in my area!

I was wracking my blonde brain for two days for some way to get those tires some air. I called my mom and told her the story and she says, " walk it across the street to Belle Tire. I am sure they can put air in your tires!" DUH!

In other news, I didn't lose a single pound this week and I don't want to talk about it!

Hanging in there! Week three of the "lifestyle" change.

Finishing up week three of the diet from hell...or as my sister loves to remind me, my new lifestyle. The first two weeks were very hard. No sugar and no carbs means no life. Cutting sugar was the hardest thing I have done in a long time. It was like when I quit smoking but I almost think it was more difficult. I didn't want to smoke any more. I really want sugar!  This week I added back on carb and one serving of fruit. I feel better!  The total weight loss for the first two weeks was 4 lbs. If I can lose one lb a week from here on out I will hit my goal in ...oh....5 years!ha ha  If I actually do lose one pound a week I will hit my goal in August.

I spent the rainy Memorial Day at a barbeque with old friends. A few years ago  it was all adults and now there were a bunch of little munchkins running around. We ate great food, drank good wine and had a wonderful time.

If the promised rain shows up tomorrow I plan on working inside the house. I have spent the last few weekends outside planting and digging and weeding.  If I ever expect to sell my house I think I need to tackle the dark hole that is my basement.

Have a great weekend!

This week

It's been a busy week. Bitsy, my cat, has been throwing up for a few weeks. So far it has been $300 at the vet to figure it out. She is 12 years old and has always been small but she only weighs 6 lbs right now. We are trying various things to get her to stop but while the amount and frequency has gotten better, she is still throwing up.

My mom was supposed to have gallbladder surgery today but the surgery schedule got messed up and now she isn't having it until next Thursday. Poor thing was already to have the surgery and now has to psyche herself up again next week.  Next week works better for me but I already moved my schedule for this week around. Now I move it back and adjust next week because, hey, it's all about me!

So the diet from hell.... I have 4 more days of Phase 1 (no sugar, no carbs).  I am not sure it's working. I have not cheated..well I did have a few Hersey's kisses... but I have been eating veggies and meat and cheese and eggs in various ways for 10 days. I thought no sugar no wheat, carbs whatever was supposed to make you feel good. Not so much.  I will weigh myself Sunday and  can start adding "healthy" carbs back in to my diet Monday.  The other thing is not eating sugar and carbs is supposed to "cure" you of the cravings. Again, not so much. I would kill for a Starbucks Chai!

 I am off for a four day weekend with no plans!  I am going to try to go see Iron Man and I do have gardening to do but I like being able to just do whatever I want and go with the flow for four days.

Have a safe and Happy Memorial Day!

No looking back.

I started a diet today. First time ever. Over the past 18 months I gained five pounds which is understandable since I was going through some tough crap but add that to the five or so extra pounds I was already carrying and I was feeling a bit voluptuous. I knew I was getting heavier but my clothes still fit so hey, whatever....until I saw this picture!  Where the hell did that padding around the middle come from?  

The South Beach diet has three phases that all seemed reasonable to me. Phase 1 consists of two weeks of no carbs; just protein and veggies with no sugar at all. This phase is to help get over the cravings. Phase 2 is adding foods back and Phase 3 is maintenance. I thought about Weight Watchers but all that keeping track of everything little thing would make me crazy.

Phase 1 is going to be difficult for me because I always like something sweet after I eat. Even if it's only one piece of chocolate or one cookie, eating without sweets will be tough.

I had to seriously prepare myself for this. I made lists, bought cookbooks, threw out food and asked the pizza neighbor to stop bringing me pizza every week. I eased up on the sugar in my morning tea and...sigh....gave up my crack...er...um....Starbucks.  I am as ready as I will ever be.

So that's it. I have a 10 pound goal.  I am back to gym starting Wednesday and I will post my progress here every week.  Wish me luck!

If the boot fits...

I am sporting a mighty fine looking boot for the next 3 weeks! In an attempt to avoid surgery for the severe plantar's faciitis in my right foot, my doctor gave me this lovely accessory and told me to wear it all day. I can take it off to drive and sleep but that's about it. It's better than the cast he wanted me to wear and I wouldn't have been able to drive in a cast.  I was sort of feeling sorry for myself (I have a nasty cold this week too) but then I thought of those people who suffered such damage in Boston and my poor niece whose foot was crushed in a car accident a few weeks ago. She had surgery and will be non-weight bearing for 3 months and then in PT for at least 6 months...so hey, this is nothing!

My vacation in Dallas was great. I loved seeing my nieces and sister.  I also got to have dinner with old friends and spend a couple days with my girl Nancy! The weather was warm and sunny and the entire trip cemented my decision to move to Dallas. It was a tough decision to make alone. Bob and I used to move frequently but thinking about doing it by myself is daunting. I checked out pricing on condos and duplexes while I was there and have a list of all the hospitals to apply to. It will probably be fall before my house sells, which is a better time to move then in the middle of a hot Texas summer!

Have a great weekend. It looks spring may finally be making it's way to Michigan!

Ready for vacation!

Vacation time! Yay!  I am looking forward to getting away. My dog won't go outside in all this rain so I have to stand in the door and boot  her out with my foot. Plus, she eats toilet tissue and drags it all around house every time I leave.  My bathroom looks like a frat party when I get home from work. My cat...let's just call her Pukey, throws up every blasted day. The vet isn't sure what is wrong with her but the barf is the same color as my carpet so I start my mornings with a nice surprise.

I wanted to go some place tropical this spring but I couldn't find anyone to go with me...which leads me to dating, well, not dating. I haven't even met anyone.  It's all very weird. When I was married I thought I looked pretty good for my age and really didn't care much about the wrinkles and little tummy I had. Now that I am single, dammit, I think I look old and fat though my friend and I look at Match.com (I haven't signed up but can look). If these are my choices it looks like I am going to be single for the rest of my life.  It will be a year and a half this weekend since Bob died. I am "carrying on" and all that crap but I sure didn't think I would be single in this stage of the game.

Stay warm and enjoy your weekend. I will be back next week and I am sure I will have a few pictures to post.

Is this Spring?

I think we are finally seeing the light at the end of the looong dark winter tunnel. It's been sunny and in the 50's the past few days. My tulips are trying hard to pop up and all the trees are budding. I don't want to get too optimistic since last year we got a late frost that did a ton of damage to the blooming trees and plants but it's hard not to perk up a little bit in the sun.

So... guess where I will be going next week?  I am off to the Big D to see my sister, nieces and bestie, Nancy! My 17 year old niece, Paige, was in a car accident last week and her foot was pretty much crushed. She had surgery yesterday and all went well but I want to see for myself!  Her sister, Molly, is in college and I haven't seen her in about a year and a half. I miss them and need to load up on hugs and kisses. I haven't been down there in awhile but considering I plan to move there in a few months I guess I should go look around!  Hopefully the weather will stay in the 70's!

I am considering taking a blog break. Seriously, I don't have much going on right now. I am only posting every other week or so as it it. I need a little motivation to clean out my basement and if it is warming up I need to clean up my yard. I don't plan on planting a garden this year but I do want to put a few veggies in pots and it's about time for the lettuce to go in. I guess I will take it week by week but for this week, this is all I have!

Have a safe weekend.

Musings..

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" ~Mark Twain

These are what my peonies looked like last year. Oh when oh when will they show their fluffy white heads this year?  60 degrees one day, snow flurries the next. Bleck!!  This really has been a long cold winter.

My foot, part II.  I went to an orthopaedic surgeon for a second opinion and he wanted to put me in a cast! I asked him to wait until I get back from vacation in a couple of weeks. The plan is, a boot for 3 weeks and then reassessment.  If my foot isn't better I am probably going to need surgery and then a cast for 6 weeks!  Not only do I have plantars faciitis, I have some weird thing called Baxters' Nerve. Baxter can have it back!

Hmm...let's see what else I need to up date you on....Oh I am going on Invisalign number 11. All tolled I have 18 sets to get through. I am hoping to be done by the beginning of July.  I think this summer is going to be a busy one. I need to get the house in order to put it on the market and we all know how busy trying to sell a house is. I will be finishing up my braces and all this foot stuff.  I am trying not to plan my summer away before it even gets here!

My garage door opener died. When the guy from Sears came to install a new one he had to have a long talk with me about my garage door. Poor thing was on it's last leg. It is originial to the house so over 40 years old and I guess I was lucky it lasted that long.  I have to take a day off because it takes 5 hours to install a new one!

Not much else happening around these parts. Have a Happy Easter!



Almost Spring!

I was creating a calendar for work and just noticed that it is almost Spring! 20 days until this long, cold, snowy winter is over. I know we get nasty weather in March but just the thought of Spring being on the way cheers me up immensely.

So why the fridge you ask?  I cleaned out mine yesterday and threw out about $100 worth of old food. This is getting ridiculous.  I buy food with all of the best intentions. I am going to make dinner, I am going take my lunch to work every day instead of buying the gross stuff that passes for food in the cafeteria, I am going to master a great low-fat recipe for my favorite scones dammit!!   For the 27 years I was married I cooked at least 4 or 5 times a week.  For the 1 1/2 years I have been not married I have cooked, MAYBE, once a week. I like to cook. I love to bake so what the hell is going on? 

I think part of my issue is I don't eat much processed foods. I don't buy canned anything nor do I buy much frozen food. After Bob had his heart surgery we completely re-vamped how we ate and now I see salt in everything. The other bigger problem is cooking for one seems like such a waste of food. I steam corn and eat a serving and waste the rest. I make a pot of stew and end up freezing most of it or giving it away though my mom is eating better and my freezer is getting full! The last issue is I go to the gym twice a week after work and it is easier to pick up a salad on my way home.  So what is the solution?  How can I eat healthy and now waste so much food? I don't have a clue but I am open to suggestions.

Enjoy your weekend and stay warm. Spring will be here soon, really!

Great week!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends and family. Not my favorite holiday (that would be July 4) but I wanted to share, again, my favorite poem.

“This paper boat”

Carefully placed upon the future,

it tips from the breeze and skims away,

frail thing of words, this

Valentine,

so far to sail. And if you find it

caught in the reeds, its message blurred,

the thought that you are holding it

a moment is enough for me.

 

- Ted Kooser, 13th Poet Laureate of the United States

In the top 10 of my favorite days of the year is Puczki Day which is tomorrow!! YAY! I have to limit myself to one but oooh do I savor that one!

The rest of my news for this week is my brother, sis-in-law and their kids are coming for a visit from Seattle and I  haven't seen them since November. We Skype and chat on the phone but I really need to gets some hugs in.



Have a great week!

Big doings..

Hi all! I haven't posted in a while because I am actively trying not to be busy so I haven't had anything to talk about... a first for me! I fill up my weekends with errands and appointments and outings and then I don't get anything done at home so I am trying  very hard not to fill up my weekends.

As many of you know, I have plantars fasciitis and have had it for over 4 years. I have had injections and therapy and inserts and exercises and shoes shoes shoes and nothing has worked. Today my podiatrist told me he thinks surgery is my last best option.  It is an outpatient procedure and I won't bore you with the details but it means being out of work for a week, having an attractive boot for 3 weeks and then some kind of soft shoe. My doctor says 8 out of 10 of his patients have the fasciitis go away and the other 2 have some relief. I really don't want to do this but my pain is not getting any better. I may schedule this for April or May and you know me, I will make sure everyone knows!

The other item on my agenda has been cleaning out my basement, hence the staying home thingie. I have done some work but not as much as I hoped.  I am 97% sure I am selling my house around June or July. I am waiting to hear exactly when the end date on the braces is (I am on the 7th of 18 sets)before I decide when to move because...drum roll please... I am 95% sure I am moving to Dallas. I have a few things to work out but it looks like this may be the time to go. I used to pick up and move very easily but now that I am on my own it sort of sucks to even thing about but my new motto is "If not now, when?"

 I read this very interesting article by life coach Martha Beck. Below is a portion;

"You can gain more clarity by getting into the habit of imagining the choices you'd make if you had no fear—of failing, of losing, of being alone, of disapproval. Take a minute now to practice: What clothes would you wear tomorrow if everyone were sure to approve? What music would you listen to today if nobody else were around—not even in your mind? What books, movies, or food would you enjoy if no one ever judged you?
Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Leaps-of-Faith-Living-Without-Fear-Martha-Beck#ixzz2JgB0N3dK    I am going to Dallas in April to visit and look around a bit so I guess we shall see....
I don't have any other news this week. I know, I know you are all surprised!

Back to work!

While I don't want to go back to work this week, I am ready! I have soup in the freezer, a cake in the oven and a roast ready to go in after it. I cleaned out my pantry, closets and most of my home office. I started my 2013 budget and hopefully I will hit my savings goal this year.

Having two weeks off gave me time to visit family, read and de-stress. I have a few big projects coming up that are due in February and March so I needed this time to get back on track. What I didn't do was work out. I gave myself the time to just be. When I don't go to the gym I feel very guilty and it adds to my stress so at the beginning of my vacation I decided I am not going to go to the gym if I don't feel like it, and I wasn't going to worry about it.  I met my trainer once last week but haven't done anything else. The funny thing is that by taking the time off I am ready to go back. I feel more motivated then I did before the holidays. I hope this break help to keep me moving forward. 

Next up; the basement from hell!  I can't figure out how but I think the junk down there multiplies when I am not home.  I really can't have ALL of THAT?