Finally a bit of good news!

Well, the truck (pick-up) finally got here. They fixed a "module" for about $23. The next thing will be a complete go over to make sure everything is in good working order. It needs the timing set and some newer tires. Now we have to get a trailer. We could easily get one that is basically the bed of a pick-up, but that will be too little. There is an other one that we think is big enough, but we are not sure we can get it. Keep in mind this is all free stuff. So it is conceivable that we will be moving by the end of the week. However, I'm not going to hold my breath. Every week since the end of January we have thought we would be able to move by the end of the week. (sigh)

My list of things I'm taking with me is getting smaller all the time. I still need to get into the shed and see what is salvageable. But chances are I'll be leaving most of it here. I want to find my books, and a few other things. But I don't need most of that stuff, I've become accustomed to having it. So I'll be taking my Queen size bed (mattress, box springs, frame and headboard), Aidan's twin size bed (mattress, box springs, frame, headboard and footboard) my two dressers, the china cabinet, filing cabinet, art cabinet, a small desk, 3 small tables, a small bookcase, 2 TV's , computers, 2 lamps, microwave, various boxes of things, our cloths, Aidan's toys, and a few other small odds and ends of things.

Aidan LOVES the truck. The first night it was here he got mad when we brought him in. He wanted to sleep in it! So it has become known as "Aidan's truck". Here are a few pictures of it with Aidan playing in it today.

It's not a very pretty truck.

A few updates.

Here's an update on that weight loss study: My anonymous commenter is probably right, it is a scam. I got a call yesterday, it seems that they are not taking any more people into the study. Now they are offering a discount to actually get all the stuff. Hmm ... If I can't get $150 in order to make $1000 why do they think I'll be able to pay even a discounted price? Oh well, it would have been nice. I would like to loose a lot of weight, and the $1000 would have been great, but since anyone can qualify for the so called test, and they are already selling the product that was being studied just last week (not enough time to collect necessary data) I'd have to agree that this is a scam. (sigh)

I don't know what is happening with the move. I guess there is a 1978 Dodge truck that is supposed to be here any time now. It needs some work, but if the problem is what Jimmy thinks it is it won't cost much to fix it. There is also a trailer, kind of a boxed in truck bed with a roll up door, that we are also supposed to be getting soon. So ... I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, but IF it all works out the way Jimmy says it will, it will be wonderful!

Aidan was sick a couple of days ago. It seemed like everything he had to eat or drink would come back up in just a few minutes. Twice it happened in the car, and once it happened all over me. My stomach was irritable for two days after that and then I had a day of sitting in the bathroom almost all day. Today I'm feeling pretty good, except that I'm tired. Oh and allergies, but those are normal for me around here at this time of year.

Yesterday I asked Aidan to be quiet. He has started to repeat everything anyone says. But when I told him that I didn't feel well, he came over to me, put his hand on my cheek and said "Oh, poor little Mama." It was so cute. He sounded so concerned.

Mommy blog entry.

Yesterday while shopping Aidan was looking at the wall in Food 4 Less, pointed and said "Black Q." You know what? He was right! I didn't know he knew what a Q was! Today I cut a piece of toast in half, corner to corner, and he said "Triangle toast." Wow! I didn't know he knew what a triangle was either. He is finally starting to talk a lot, almost able to hold a conversation, and coming out with suppressing things. He is still fairly well behaved, but is starting to say no or just ignore what we tell him to do. Luckily for him it's only a once in awhile thing.

He only has melt downs when he is tired, but now that he is trying to skip the afternoon nap that happens regularly. He is also starting to sleep in later. No more waking up a 5 AM, he will now sleep until 7, or once in awhile even 8.

Right now he is talking to the TV, it's the Backyardagains. He really likes them as well as Dora and Diego. Of course Sesame Street is always something he will sit still for. (Probably why he knows about Q's and triangles) During most of his "Shows" he will be playing, pretending to read, drawing, or some other activity. This is a new Backyardagains, so he is interested more than normal. The kids are having a race "around the world" they were snowboarding down a mountain and Aidan was telling them "Be careful, don't crash." He had to say it 4 times, once for each of the 4 characters that are in this adventure.

He is counting objects now. Ducks in a book, pieces of tomato, and movies in the book case. He counts in Spanish up to 7 sometimes too, thanks to Dora and Diego. I'm going to see if my Dad would mind teaching Aidan more Spanish.

He brought a stuffed toy to me with a shirt to wrap around it, then he carried it like a baby, patted it on the back and then put it to bed. It was so cute, he doesn't know any babies right now, so maybe it's just a natural nurturing part of his personality. He knows almost all his body parts, and can show them to you as well as name them. His Daddy and I are having a disagreement about the words for his behind and his penis. Howard wants to say Butt and for some strange reason feels weird saying Penis. I want to say Bottom and Penis, because I think they will be more acceptable at school when he goes. Howard doesn't think that the word Butt will get Aidan in trouble. So I guess he will learn both and I'll have to tell him not to say Butt in public places like school and the Grocery Store.

All in all I'd say that Aidan is making a good amount of progress learning things. He may still be behind kids his age in some things, but I think he is catching up fast and is actually ahead a little bit in a few others.

Howard's birthday.

Howard's birthday was Saturday the fourth of March. The day started out sunny and warm. He wanted to BBQ in the park so that Aidan could play on the slide he likes. So he called a friend and invited him and his wife to the park with us. By the time Howard got the hamburgers on the grill it had become overcast and cold. We toughed it out until after we had eaten, because Aidan was having such a good time. And because having people who aren't family to talk to can be interesting sometimes. Howard said that the day was a good one for him, because we were together, Aidan was so happy to be playing in the park, and we had some nice conversation.

Here are some pictures I took of Aidan, my batteries died early, so I only got about 4 or 5 pictures.

Still in California.

Well, there is still not much news about our move. There is a possibility of a u-haul type truck that we could get for next to nothing and we would be able to keep it. But I don't know how that is going to work out. There have been a few people who have looked at the house. Yesterday one lady actually said that she would get the money and come back, but she didn't. I'm hoping that she will come back with the money eventually and that we will get that truck. Howard says that we will be leaving before the end of the month. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but I really need to get out of here. It took me a while to get to this point. I was looking for another house or something, because we didn't have any money, Howard needed to get a job up there first, I needed more of a long term plan. But now that I've gotten past that particular set of worries, I and very anxious to get going. So far 2 months of wanting to finally leave, and still there isn't much progress. I'm sure that when it's the right time it will happen. Howard has more possibilities for jobs now than he did a couple of months ago. He's talked to people in Coos Bay and Albany, just recently. So maybe it's a good thing.

Worrisom survey results.

It's a little worrisome that only one in four Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. But more than half can name at least two members of the Simpsons, according to a survey. I'm ashamed to say that I can only name 4 or the 5. I remembered Freedom of Religion, Freedom of the press, Freedom of speech, and Freedom of Assembly, but completely forgot the Freedom to petition for redress of grievances. Could you have named them before today? Do you know what the other Amendments are? If so you are ahead of me, I can't remember most of them. This bothers me some what, because I think we should all know and understand them and yet here I am one of them many who don't know. I'm not even sure if I've ever studied them. Maybe I should study them on my own.

Diet study

There is an interesting study going on right now, about weight loss. They think they have come up with a perfect weight loss program. It sounds interesting, you diet one day and eat what ever you want the next day. They have a vitamin crystal you take on the "Food Days", which is supposed to help with energy. On the "Diet Days" you eat only fruit and vegetables, drink water and eat these wafers which are made from a root and expands somewhat in your stomach. The only exercise you have to do is walk 30 to 40 minutes a day. At the end of the study they will pay all who have made it through the whole study $1000. The only problem I have is they want a $150 deposit, which you will get back eventually, to make sure "only those who are truly serious about loosing weight" get in. I'm probably more serious than anyone else in their study, but I don't have that right now. My credit card is maxed out right now, and ever penny we get we have to either save for the move or get things we need. So I'm not going to be able to do the study. But maybe there will be a second study with a smaller deposit, or maybe we will have money soon and I can still sign up. Oh, if you are interested or know someone who might be interested their web site is http://dietstudy.com Let me know if anyone does it and how it works out.

Things are not moving very fast.

I'm still not sure when we will be moving to Oregon. We haven't been able to sell the house, I don't think any work has been done on building a moving trailer, and Jimmy wants to tow the trailer up there for us, but I don't think I'll be able to afford to pay for gas. I'm getting worried, I don't want to be here any longer, but it looks like we may be here for another month anyway.

But there is a possible bright spot, Howard has talked to someone in CoosBay about a job. It pays about $2000 a month, gross pay. Not too bad, I think. If they like his resume he could have an interview in a couple of weeks. Coos Bay isn't my first choice of places to live, but it's better than here. It's getting depressing not knowing if will be able to leave this month or not. I'm about half packed and I don't feel very encouraged to pack any more. I could get quite a bit packed and still be able to live day to day, but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it.

I am getting rid of a lot of things, well actually I'm just going to leave them here. Maybe someone can use them. We are going to take the beds, two dressers, the china cabinet, the art cabinet, the filing cabinet, computers, cloths, Aidan's toys (although many of the older ones are not going with us), about half the dishes and pots and pans, about half the boxes of things I've been moving with us, the desk, a lamp or two, and maybe the freezer. Hopefully the trailer will be done soon and I can start to move things out there to get them out of the way. If I keep Buddy close to the trailer no one will be getting into it.

I've been feeling very tired a lot lately. I'm not sure why. But I need to fight it, and get busy around here. It's a challenge to do things like pack and clean with a busy 3 year old trying to "help" or thinking he can get away with doing things he would normally get in trouble for. He naps only half the time these days, so I can't count of that time to do things. Howard gets too involved in his computer or TV and doesn't' watch Aidan well enough (or maybe I'm just being too critical, thinking I am the ONLY one who can watch Aidan well enough).

Keep good moving vibes coming my way, okay? I don't want to have to pay rent for March.

Happy Birthday Valentines Boy

Today my sweet little boy is 3! How did the years fly by so fast? WOW 3 years already!

Dear Little Valentines boy,

I love you so very completely. It's hard to believe you are already 3, and yet it seems as if you have been part of me forever. You are growing bigger and bigger all the time, and learning new things every day. You are talking more now days, but still not as much as what I've heard others your age are talking. You know how to make your wants known, you can tell your Daddy and I that you love us, and you have a good memory for people and their names, so I think you are doing pretty well.

You enjoy playing with computers, any computer will make you happy. You like books, trucks, cars, red things, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, you cat named Ti, and your dog Buddy. You are 39 inches tall (at least as far as I can tell with the growth chart I have, when I can get you to pass by it slow enough for me to see it).

You can count to 20 with only a few skipped numbers, a few mispronounced, but you know what they mean. You like the ABC's, but refuse to say them.

You are well behaved, for a child your age, you listen to me and usually do what I tell you to do. You go to bed easily, and sleep pretty good, for your nap and at night. You are trying to skip the afternoon nap though.

I want you to know just how happy I am that you are in my life. You can make me smile when I'm in a bad mood. I don't know what I'd do without you.

Here is your birthday cake, you liked it because of the trucks. You didn't care about the candle or eating the cake however.

Happy birthday my little love!

Childhood memories, updated.

One of the bloggers I like to read, lives in the area that I grew up in, down in New Mexico. She has a flickr photostream as well. Part of me wants to ask her to go and find the place we lived when I was a child and photograph the house. Part of me is afraid that if she did that I'd be disappointed or upset by what she would find. Even if I actually asked her and she should agree I'm not sure I could tell her how to find the place. It would be interesting though, to see how close my memory is to how the house actually is. If it's still there and if they hadn't done much to change it in the ... 32? ... years since we left. I guess it's unlikely that things would be the same as when we left, all these years would have brought changes, even if only small ones. Maybe someday I'll go back there and see for myself, if I could find it that is.

Birthday wishes

Today is The Girls birthday. I would like to be with her today, to help her celebrate.

Dear little Sister-friend,

I love you! I feel so lucky to have you in my life, even though we don't see each other very often. I wish you a day that is as special for you as you are special to me. Have fun, play, enjoy.

I love you!

The big move, an update.

It looks like we will have to wait until next month to make this move. The house didn't sell, and I don't think it will. So now we have to find a trailer, maybe Howard's cousin Jimmy can build one for free. The main problem with that is that he wants to tow it up to Hood River for us, I think he trying to save my car for me. I'd rather have a truck to tow it ourselves. It's very nice of him, if I'm right, to think of letting me keep my car. Oh well, we will see how it all works.

It gives me some more time to go through things and pack stuff up, so maybe a blessing in disguise. If we get the trailer, and a lock, I can load some stuff up early as well.

Still waiting, yuck!

Well, we didn't see them yesterday. We will have to pay the rent on the space when we get paid tomorrow. So they have until tonight and then they will have to wait until the end of the month to get the house, if they still want it. So the search of a truck and trailer is on. Jimmy thinks he can build one for us, and maybe we can get a truck. He also has a King Cab, I think, truck that needs a little work, but he could take us up to Hood River, towing a trailer, in it. Not what I'd want, because I'd like to have transportation once we are up there, but if that is what we have to do then that is what we will do.

I'm slowly progressing with packing up those thing we don't NEED for everyday life. I am also deciding to get rid of almost half of the things I have. Some things will go in the dumpster, some will go to whoever wants them, some we might be able to sell. Of course we will have to speed things up if they come over with the money tonight. (We might have missed them yesterday, because we went around to get my Wheel of the Year photos, so we were gone for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. Then from 6 to about 8:30 we were at Denny's for dinner with Jimmy, his wife, sister and mother.)

Waiting, I really hate waiting.

Well, I will know tomorrow if we actually have this house sold. Keep your fingers crossed for us. I really want to be in Oregon for Aidan's birthday. I don't want to sell my car, which I will have to do in order to get the money to move if the house isn't sold. I'd rather not pay space rent here this month if I can help it. Maybe I can find a truck and trailer to trade my car for. I am really feeling stressed over this. I don't normally stress very much, but this move has become much more than just a move to me. It's a going home. Once I decided that we were actually going to do it now, rather than sometime in the future, it became much more important than any other move I've ever made. Now all I have to do is survive until tomorrow, and then do whatever I have to do to make it happen as soon as possible.

Picture collages I've done.

Moving?

It seems possible that we will be moving back to Oregon next month. We need to come up with $2000 for the move. We might have this old house sold for $1500, and we will have the other $500 on the third. But, the lady who MIGHT buy the house has to talk her daughter into moving into it. And from what Howard said the Daughter is reluctant at best. I might be able to sell my car for $2000, but I'd rather keep it if possible. If we can't sell the house this month, I guess we will just have to wait until March. I'll pay as little as possible on the bills in February and save every penny I can. Hopefully Howard and work enough for Jimmy to get the rest of what we will need.

So I'm pretty sure that we, Aidan and I, will be in Hood River with my Parents before summer. I'm kind of torn about it however. I have been feeling rather lonely lately. I miss my family and friends, and haven't made any friends here except for Howard's family. I also, for the first time, felt like the poor relations who are included in family gatherings only because they are family this last Holiday season. No one was mean or rude, but I felt like we didn't fit in at all. I was sad for Aidan, although he didn't notice anything, because all the other kids have Grandma's and Great-Grandma who dote on them. Aidan had only Howard and I. The other kids got presents from their Aunts and Uncles, we even gave each one a book, but Aidan didn't get anything. It's not that I think presents are important, but more that everyone else was opening presents and Aidan didn't have any. But at his age he didn't notice. If we lived some where away from any family or friends we already have I wouldn't feel so bad. Because there wouldn't be anyone to be compared to. Do you understand?

On the other hand, Aidan has a real connection to Jimmy and Buna. He loves them SO much, and he will miss them very much when we leave. I am sad that he will have to go through that, but again he just might not be bothered as much as I worry he will be. It will be easier for him now for two reasons. One, we will be moving up to my Mom and Dad's so he will have plenty of people who are "his". Two, he will be only 3 in just 26 days, so he won't remember much of it, and he's always been an easy going child. He takes change well, so I'm sure he will be fine. I still worry that he will feel sad about it though, and I know that I'll miss them myself. But in the end, I really want to move back to Oregon.

3 versions of the Boy with an apple photo.

These are the pictures I tried to post last month. I still don't know why they wouldn't post, but they do now so here they are.

The first has the back ground blurred a little bit.

The second is Black and White with the apple the only touch of color. The color of the apple is too dark though and I can't seem to be able to fix it.

The third has an old photo treatment done to it, sepia toned, softened a little, blurred edges, and rounded corners. You don't see the rounded corners very well except for the lower right corner.

My Fear and Panic in the fog.

I really really hate fog! It scares me if I have to drive in it. I tense up and get panicky. Tonight it made me cry. We were going to a friends house for dinner and a good visit. The fog didn't seem too bad at first, I thought I could drive through it and I thought everything would be okay. But after missing the exit twice, once going north the other going south, and then not being able to see more than a few feet ahead of me I started to shake, and my hands stared to hurt from squeezing the steering wheel as if that would help me to see better. Finally, when I couldn't find the next road we needed to take I felt I had to give up. We were after all only about 1 mile away from Atwater, about 20 or so away from our destination. So I told Howard that it was over and I couldn't do it any more. He wanted me to let him drive, and I wanted very much to let him. But he is excluded from my insurance, because he doesn't have a drivers license right now, so I couldn't allow it. Finally we were home, we were safe, and I could let go of the tension. I, of course started immediately started to cry. Poor Howard didn't know what to do to make it better. He told me that we were all home safe, and that we could see our friends another time. I am feeling better now, we have been home for about 45 minutes. I'm still shaking a little bit, and my back hurts from the stress, but I'm not overly emotional any more, thank goodness.

Wheel of the year photos.

Here are the photos I choose for the Wheel of the Year project.
The first one is the temperature at 1PM on the first. It was pouring down rain, and the wind was blowing fairly hard. It felt a lot colder than this.

The second photo is of Aidan's dinner plate. This is what we had for dinner on the first. It's a pork, potato and onion Southwestern hash, if you look really hard you can see the steam from his corn.
The third photo is the view out my bedroom window at 6PM, the little lights are about a block away.

The fourth one is of the arbor/arch in the little park down town. It's going to be covered by what I think are climbing roses in the Spring.

The fifth is of our tree, the one in the front yard. It was raining so hard I got drenched taking it.

The sixth is the Moutain range I can see from around here. They finally have snow on them. I took this today, while at the lake.

The seventh is Yosemite Lake. It had more water in it a couple of summers ago when we were there, the water came up to the concrete edge and was about 2 feet deep there. As you can see the level is quite low today. It was a very beautiful day to go to the lake today.

The eighth is my current project as is on the first. It's going to be a hat, if/when I finish it.
The ninth is the main street into the park here where I live. If you turned right here, you would see my house. Taken today to avoid standing in the rain.
The tenth is Aidan sleeping the night of the first, he wouldn't co-operate with a picture of him in front of his growth chart, so ...

The eleventh is an Orchard over in Winton, not far from here. I don't know what kind of trees these are, maybe peach. I took this today. After all the rain it was almost a perfect day.
The twelfth, is a local construction site, I took this on the third while it was still raining.

The list

I think I've finalized my list for the "Wheel of the Year" project. It's been storming here since New Years Eve, so I'm going to have to wait to get all pictures. The outdoor ones are going to be the worst at this point. I think they will all transfer fairly well when we move to Oregon. Here's the list, the ones in Green are already taken as of today, the rest will have to wait for the weather to co-operate a little more.

1) The nearest tree.
2) A sign that shows the temperature between noon and 1 PM.
3) Progress on the project I'm currently working on.
4) What's for Dinner?
5) View out my bedroom window at 6 PM
6) Good Night Aidan (Aidan sleeping)
7) A construction site
8) An Orchard
9) Down the street (a shot taken from the corner toward where I'm living)
10) Mountains (The mountains range I can see from here and then Mt. Hood in Oregon)
11) A Lake or River (The lake here, and probably the Columbia River while I'm in Hood River then whatever river or lake is nearest)
12) The Park