Dumpster Filling

It's been awhile ... so much to tell ... so little time ...

This past weekend we had a great time working hard. By we, I don't mean me and the cats, but friends, family and me! I do so love to accomplish things. I feel like I'm going to be all right when I complete some huge task. I feel like this dark path I'm on will lead into some sunshine after all. The past month has been very difficult emotionally. I've had some anger issues (I am grateful I didn't need to use sister, Deb, for therapy on anger management, not yet anyway :) ). And I've struggled with "God's Plan" ... pretty sure this wasn't God's plan, but I do think and know that God is carrying me through this dark moment.

THIS PAST WEEKEND:

Six friends, two family members, and I accomplished much. Are you ready to hear about the greatness? It is amazing what can be accomplished by many hands.There was much laughter, a few tears and as I said, what we got done was amazing. (Leaving out last names to protect the innocent)

Our "cup" runneth over!

Steve, being the logical one, said, "Since we are going to put away outdoor stuff, maybe we should start cleaning out the shed." I'm not sure he had a clue what he was getting into. At this point the dumpster was two-thirds full. We started pulling out everything, bikes, garden junk, mowers, hoes, homemade lawn edgers, and old boat motors. Kari came out to join the fun! She and I thought we should keep something and Steve quickly vetoed it (sometimes). I thought we should throw something, like say a bird feeder, and Steve said, "You can't throw that!" ... We laughed as we kidded each other about who had the power :)

While we were cleaning in the shed, Deb was cleaning all the fans in my house. There are 5 or 6 floor fans and 6 ceiling fans. Not a fun job. Keeping her company in the house (and outside too) was Bill, with his dirty bucket of water as he washed out windowsills. Then the fun began, Bill washed every window in my house. Wow, do they glimmer and shine. He was assisted at times by Kari and Steve.

Mark on the shelf peekin into
the garage rafters.

While Steve, Kari, Deb, Bill, and I were busy with those jobs, Cody got the gross job of cleaning gutters, Jordan was elected to help Mark in the garage. Oh the treasures we found. We mustn't leave out Joan, she helped sweep out the shed, carried much junk to the dumpster, and carried garden pots to the garden, dumped them and put them away for the winter.

In the midst of all this fun, Deb prepared lunch for us all. I'm not sure they were truly the best burgers ever, or if all that work just made us all so hungry. She put out a feast for lunch, we ate to our fill and then some. We were like a well-oiled machine, everyone having a chore to do, everyone laughing and working hard.

After lunch some had to skip off to a party (Joan, notice I didn't say any names on that one), Bill went back to finish windows with the help of Kari and Steve, Deb cleaned up the lunch mess, then headed out to the garage, Cody got my Christmas lights around the house working, Jordan, Mark, Vickie, Kari and Deb ended up in the garage, going through cupboards, corners, and just about everywhere. Goodness my sweet husband was such a "controlled hoarder" as Deb called it. Mark played chemist as he dumped old oil, gunk, and stuff in a container to dispose of. Joan and Kari swept and swept and swept and swept. There's one pile of stuff for the kids to sort through, one pile for the junk man, and lots of clean areas for the car to fit.

Back side of the dumpster junk!

When the windows were done Steve and Bill went to work on new locks and handle on the door. Along with a peephole, that works much better when you put the pretty side out ... right Bill? Ha! The broken windows were loaded up somewhere and are getting fixed, the broken window in the garage is replaced, and the fountain is covered and in the shed.

WE ACCOMPLISHED so much in 8 little hours one Saturday. I am blessed to have such amazing friends and family. I am thankful for the spirit of love, help and generosity. I am grateful I didn't need to do it all myself, I'd still be in the shed. There was so much knowledge and ability in one day ... As you can see by the dumpster picture there was also so much useless JUNK. Feels good to more in control of what is out there.

Until Soon,
Vic

A Giggle for you

A little glimpse into how my poor brain works ...

I sent this email out at work this morning to family and friends ... thought perhaps my faithful readers might like to see how my brain works sometimes! (Warning, there is a curse word or two in here)
This is what I sent out:

Good Morning All,

Thought you might enjoy a little peek into my life these days (well just yesterday and today).

• Wednesday, 5 p.m. – Pulled into the alley, see a huge amount of dust, think for a brief moment, what the heck! Pull up to my yard, see John Brighton, mulching my mountain of leaves. Pulls at my heartstrings just a bit, as that is generally where I found Doug at the end of the day in the fall.

• Wednesday, 5:30 – Start emptying pots and containers outside … such a sense of accomplishment.

• Wednesday, 10ish p.m. – Messaging with April on the phone just a little bit … both of us exhausted and not yet unpacked from the amazing wedding weekend.

• Wednesday, 10:41 p.m. – DOORBELL RINGS – yep, you guessed it, I froze in the chair, if I pretend it’s not happening it’s not … RIGHT? … WRONG

• Wednesday, 10:42 p.m. – Peek out front window, doorbell rings again, go out back, see a van in the alley, don’t know the vehicle.

• Wednesday, 10:43 p.m. – Strain to see out back, to see who’s at the door, can’t see, go and BRAVELY open the door, cell phone in hand. NO one THERE!

• Wednesday, 10:44 p.m. – Heart racing, hand on open door, doorbell rings again  … I walk SLOWLY to the front door, can’t see because it’s dark, flip on light, peer through window at the landing. Some lady is standing there. I open door, she tells me I’m parked in front of her garage, she’s renting from the neighbor.

• Wednesday, 10:45 p.m. – Go outside in my robe, tennis shoes, move car, and hope the cold night air will jump start my heart that is pounding.

• Wednesday, 10:51 p.m. – Sitting in chair, major meltdown, oh yes, MAJOR … quite amusing even to myself. Because who’s going to save me from the boogie mans now, who’s going to answer the door in the middle of the night (yeah it rings so often), who’s going to find the flashlight when the electricity goes out, who’s going to be my protector and hero … oh yeah, I was a great mess … seriously, you have to giggle, because it is kind of funny the dither I got myself worked up into!

• Wednesday, 11:30 p.m. – Make decision to ask Steve to put a peep hole on front door as well as back door.

• Wednesday, 1:11 a.m. – Shut off light, put down phone, and hope sleep overtakes the OVER-ACTIVE imagination!

This brings us to Thursday … yes today!

• Thursday, 6:45 – Shut off alarm, roll over go back to sleep

• Thursday, 7:00 – Must have shut off second alarm, go back to sleep (not on purpose)

• Thursday, 7:30 – SHIT … I’ve overslept

• Thursday, 8:32 – Walk out the door, cute, but still very late!

• Thursday, 8:32.5 – SHITTTTTTTTTTTTT … I don’t have my car keys, they are inside, along with my HOUSE KEYS, PANIC PANIC PANIC … if only I’d listened to Steve and hid a key so I could get back into the house … dang dang dang … I hate admitting someone is right, I’m wrong, much less a MAN!

• Thursday, 8:34 or 8:35 – Another little bit of what I like to refer to as a MELTDOWN

• Thursday, 8:36ish – Kicking myself, trying to decide what to do … hit the door in frustration … and IT OPENS … Uh huh … that door doesn’t always pull shut.

• Thursday, 8:37 – In car, thinking I’m going to be OK

• Thursday, 9:04 – In work parking lot, in car, putting keys safely in purse … NO PHONE … second time in one month … NO PHONE … not sure if it’s still on the bed, in the bathroom, on the counter, in the fridge, perhaps in the bread drawer … but it’s NOT with ME!

• Thursday, 10:00 a.m.  – done confessing … I do feel much better, whew!

Hope you all had a great laugh, a few giggles, and a little glimpse into the life of Vickie … hmmmmmm what’s the saying when someone has it easy, “You live the life of Riley” … well I have a new phrase … when life is good, but there are huge bumps and U-turns, “Hmmmmm, you live the life of Vickie.

Hope you have a fabulous day … I know mine is on its way to being BETTER!

Until Soon,
Vic

Five Months

It's been five months today ...
In those five months we've experienced the lowest of lows, the saddest of sads, the happiest of happies, and every emotion in between.
In five months I've:

• Learned of a strength I didn't know I possessed
• Experienced a panic attack for the first time
• Cried more than I thought humanly possible
• Missed him more the past 3 or 4 weeks than I thought possible
• Figured out the new evening times

BUT in five months I've:

• Stopped counting weeks (about 3 or 4 weeks ago) ... I remember counting days, then weeks ... now I just thought about it today, it's 5 months today.
• Watched NCIS, Castle, and a few other shows that have violence in them (I was frightened to do that before)
• Put on about 6,000 miles on my car ... all by myself
• Lost almost 40 pounds (in a healthy way)

AND in five months I've:

• Been amazed at the friends who have been there at every turn
• Been overwhelmed by the generosity of people ... because they can
• Been blessed with an abundance of help, love, cards and prayers
• Been shocked that "I'm ok" ... not great, sometimes good, but truly OK
• Been challenged by God's "plan" ... for He does have a plan for me, plans to prosper and not harm

AND in five months I've had you, my blog readers, lifting me up in prayer, sending me messages of support, and truly blessing me in ways I never dreamed of.  SOOOOOOOOOO blog readers ... what would you like to see on this page, this site? DO you have questions? Do you have thoughts that could spur me to write? Do you have some blog ideas for me? I love blogging, but not sure where this is going.

Here's some ideas I have ...

• Wedding NEWSSSSSSSSSSSS ... my son married his beautiful, stunning, best friend ... and she is truly a perfect fit
• Intention ... with intention we included Doug in the celebrations
• Stages of grief ... not really a stage, more of a journey up a mountain road, filled with switchbacks
• Quilting anyone?

Leave a comment or two ... let me know what you think.

Someone said on Doug's birthday, can you imagine your first birthday party in heaven. Wow, thank you Leslie. But I've also thought, can you imagine how crazy Doug must be making God ... can't you hear him saying, "I can fix that!" Missing you sweet love of mine ...

Until soon,
Vic