www.paperartistsonline.com

Gosh it's quiet here.

My plans are to stay off the road, don't even think about Hurricane crises, put together a costume for Monday, charge my camera batteries so I can take pictures, read, do laundry, and sleep. Maybe even catch up with some of the things I've recorded to watch. The past two weeks have been exhausting - mentally, emotionally and physically.

I'm going to start unpacking all the stuff I packed up pre-hurricane.... and then I want to play with all the stamps and goodies I bought at that show last weekend....

and do laundry and dishes.... if hubby's able to clear the drain clog tonight.... keeping fingers crossed....

I really hope to spend some time outside. We need to go buy some hardwood for the hallway. Now that the bathroom is about 50% complete, we have a bad case of the "while-we're-at-it". Oh - and buy a new toilet. yay.

I was wondering the same thing all day. I figured you were all out doing early voting-again and again! I do jest, and, no, I don't want to start a political discussion. I'd rather not know how people here on PAO vote, I like you too much.

Our big news is I did a load of laundry today!!! We've been home almost 3 weeks and it's the second load. Good thing we came home with clean clothes and apparently we have a lot of underwear

Our septic system is not working and has not worked properly since a week after we left-2 months ago. Our 3 sets of cat sitters/house exchangers hobbled along with it and it has been drained twice. It will be due again next week. We are waiting for approval of a new septic tank that we have to have because we are in the Critical Chesapeake Bay Area. Since ours is 30 years old, there are new ones that we have to get no matter what the problem is. And, we can get funding for the $11,000 it costs, so we are waiting for that approval.

In the meantime, we are not putting much water down the drains....

But the sun is shining and sewing machine still works and I am making quilt blocks and digging up my daffodils over the drain field so they don't all get bulldozed 6' under....

We are driving to Gillette, Wy to watch our youngest granddaughter run X Country. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive one way for a 20 minute race! she loves it when we come watch her so we're ok with it. It's Regionals so it's an important race. Nationals are next weekend in southern Kansas. Won't be going to that one. Then her X Country Season is over and they go right in to Indoor Track. When that's over its Outdoor Track. No rest for the weary.

Oh no Marianne! No fun whatsoever. Hoping and praying the funding comes through. We keep hoping ours makes it until we sell and move away.

Have fun Debbie!

It's been my birthday week and I've been a bit AWOL having a great time. Lots of birding, stamp shopping and just general nice time. Last night Bob, Charley and his GF Jess took me out to dinner...in a downpour. Poor Jess was at the restaurant for 30 minutes before we showed up. It took us an hour to get to what normally takes 25 minutes max. I can't totally blame it on the rain. We have a new arena, Golden One Arena that just opened and last night was the King's first home game (lost of course) but our route takes us right into the main flow of traffic from the south. IT. WAS. A. NIGHTMARE. Those city officials that pushed for this building downtown really didn't think the traffic problems, parking, etc through. Can you tell I was not in favor of this boondoggle?

But tomorrow I will be enjoying the last of 3 birding field trips that have been part of a 3 week class I've been taking. Rain or shine, it's a go. Good thing I have full rain gear. An incredible rain storm just passed through over us. It dumped a lot of water. The ducks and geese will be thrilled. Sunday I have no plans but I am sooooo behind card commitments I am hoping I can clear a spot on my disaster desk and complete something.

In the meantime I am enjoying the last glass of a Round Two Sirah which was a birthday gift from my neighbor. Yum and Cheers!

We have a full weekend planned. Spent time with my DIL today, she's such a sweetie. We hit Michael's and the thrift store and then treated ourselves to lunch. We've had water problems at home this week which are now resolved. But I wasn't able to wash clothes so I have load and loads for tomorrow. Maybe between loads I might get a chance to play with several new stamp sets I've gotten recently. Then tomorrow night I will probably go with the two youngest grands to the Fall Festival at church. Sunday after church we're going to our daughter's to celebrate our grandson's 10th birthday.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Sleep. Sleep sounds good. I'm in the throes of new characters wanting to be written, which has pretty much taken over my free time again.

We have soccer all weekend...go figure. State Cup starts today so everyone is stressed. I'll be driving back and forth to Burlington (2hrs) today and tomorrow, then from Burlington on Sunday go to Winston Salem for Ry before coming home and it being Monday again.

I'm managing both girls teams this year and when I had agreed to it I had no idea how much work it entailed.
Between that, and Shai coming back and forth to apartment hunt and wedding plan, Plus the fact that 2 of Steve's coworkers are on maternity leave which means 3 people now covering 5 so in house call every other day has me feeling like I am literally running in circles some days.

Oh and Halloween is Monday. For the 1st time in 3 years I actually have R's costume done already. She is Spock from Star Trek

The good news though is Shai's fiancee took a job right here in Charlotte with Amazon so no moving far away. One less worry for now.

Fingers crossed for your funding Marianne. My parents had to do the septic tank thing a few years ago.

Yesterday I met some friends from out-of-town for an annual shopping and lunch get-together at a new outlet mall just over an hour away. For me it's more about catching up with everyone than shopping but I did manage to buy a birthday present; Cameron turns 13 next month. Tomorrow evening I've got a repertoire meeting before choir rehearsal, and it's my turn to bring treats so there will be some baking involved in the afternoon. I'm not a fan of candy corn but I did buy a bit to decorate the treats on my new black platter with the spider on it, picked up from the dollar store. I believe pumpkin carving is on the agenda for the boys this evening, seeing as we brought 6 of them home from the pumpkin patch. I'll be the official photographer I am hoping to get at least one page put together by tomorrow, although not the one that's started on my desk as I want something seasonal for Shimelle's challenge.

I'm hanging with the grand daughters! Today Kate &I went to the park , I wore shorts as it was in the upper 70s here today. We got a good rainstorm Thursaday.

This is Melanie Joy... All 6 lbs10 oz of her! Birth weight was 7 lbs.

She's beautiful!

So happy for you Nancy (and the whole family). She's beautiful!

Awwwwww
Nancy she is adorable!