My Random Thoughts

So I get an email tonight - my PMP status has been suspended. I completed my PDU’s, but PMI has yet to mail my application for renewal. How am I supposed to renew in time if I can’t get the application from them? It’s enough to make you want to scream!

No, I’m not kidding - December 30 and a tropical storm has formed. The water shouldn’t even be warm enough to support this.

It’s 1000 miles south-southwest of the azores. No threat to any type of land that I’m interested in, but still - will this hurricane season never end? It’s only going to get warmer from now on. Can’t wait to see how early the next one starts. I knew I should have been a meterologist. This would be some heady stuff right about now. I could see myself as a storm chaser. As long as my home base wasn’t in trouble, I’d be cool.

I’m still amazed and shaking my head. I really need to study how these things happen.

So - the day we were leaving for home, I wanted to clean up the house a little bit for the girl’s food slave (Krista). I started in the bedroom, and while moving the sweeper across the tile to the living room I felt myself walking on some dirt - apparently the sweeper wasn’t sucking - or rather it was sucking because it wasn’t sucking. As this was becoming more and more of a common problem, I decided that I had enough. Thursday was garabage day and I told Jeff I was tossing it out. He said okay - I said I’m not kidding - he said, ok! So out to the curb the sweeper went. It must have been picked up - Krista didn’t ask why the sweeper was at the end of the drive when we talked to her.

Now we must undertake the job of getting a new one - and quickly. I’d like to sweep the house. I want a Dyson because it says it sucks so well (which sounds very funny). According to consumer reports the Hoover Wind Tunnel is tops. I guess we’re going to have to go to Lowe’s or Best Buy tomorrow and see what we can find. I want the one specifically made for pet hair, but I’d like to find out what makes it specifically for pet hair first. Too much research and too much to do. As fun as it was to be home, I’d like another week off at my home to do all of those projects. At least I’ll still have 4 more days!

I’m thinking of all of the little projects I want to get done - painting being one of the bigger little projects. I think i’ll try to finish the bathroom ceiling this weekend. Jeff doesn’t think it’s going to turn out okay - i think it will turn out just fine. If that works out I’m going to work on the walls in my craft room. I also need to clean the closets and take down the Christmas decorations. I think that is ambitious enough for one weekend.

I’m looking forward to getting home and starting on some of those. Too bad I’ll get home so late and won’t be able to harness this energy I have right now to do them!

Speaking of getting home — we’re in first class on the way back - YEEHAW! I’m so looking forward to that. I know, it’s not all that - bigger seats and I get to board first, but hey, I get to board first and sit in a bigger seat. Oh and they’ll hang up my coat. Right now that is a big deal for me. It doesn’t take much to amuse me right now.

Merry Christmas! And to my Jewish friends - Happy Hanukkah!

What a merry day it’s been - we started this morning with the stuffing fiasco at my house - the seasoning packet wasn’t included. We managed to remedy the situation. We went to Jeff’s house for dinner and gifts. I think the dog made out the best - she has all sorts of new toys to play with.

Then back to my house for gift exchange and a second dinner. I got some fun stuff - teapots for my teapot collection and money - love money! What am I going to buy with it? Right off the bat we’re getting a new vacuum cleaner to replace the one that I tossed out Thursday. Now I have to research sweepers!

Mom made my favorite dessert - Strawberry pretzel salad type thing. The crust is crushed pretzels with a layer of cream cheese and cool whip topped with strawberries in jello. That is then topped with another layer of whipped cream. It is very yummy.

I decide to have a piece tonight, When looking in the fridge I see a couple of containers of coolwhip. Taking one out, I was actually surprised to find cool whip in the container. They make great storage containers for leftovers and mom has used them as such for many years - as many people do, I would suspect, but somehow ‘You might be a redneck……’ popped into my head, making me laugh. No, she does not have a set of salad bowls with cool whip on the side. We don’t go that far, but cool whip tupperware, well……

So I made a pizza for lunch today - nothing special about that. I read the box - don’t ask me why, it just seemed like the thing to do. Keep frozen. Ok, I can understand that, you might think you could just toss it in the fridge, so that’s logical.

Cook before serving. I have a frozen pizza in my hand and what, i’m just going to toss it on the table? Here ya go! Have at it. I want to know what happened that caused those instructions to have to be on the box in the first place.

I also would like to know what caused the warning labels on hair dryers - do not use while asleep. There are some mornings that I feel like i’m walking in my sleep, but I am most definately awake. It goes along with the cups marked that the coffee you’re about to drink is hot - I certainly hope so, I didn’t pay for a cold coffee - unless I ordered a cold coffee in which case the coffee wouldn’t be hot.

It’s craziness I tell you!

Yes, it’s almost that time of the year. My friend Keith had a great way of dealing with resolutions, he resolved one year to never make any resolutions - he’s probably the only person i know who has kept them!

I am going to be foolish enough to make more this year. One thing in my favor, the new year starts on a Sunday. I don’t know why, but I start things better on a Sunday. Somehow it seems fresh and ready.

So, for 2006 I hearby resolve:

1. Fitness - I’m old enough, I have GOT to get this together. I don’t know exactly what this is going to look like, but by the end of 2006, I’m going to be in better shape than I am right now.

2. Creativity - I am a creative being and I’m going to concentrate on this mainly in the areas of writing and photography. Jeff found his old tripod and I’ve been going to town recently. I really enjoy it, and I want to do more of it. Digital photography allows you to not have to worry about how much film you’re using to get those shots.

As for writing - with three novels down and more ideas on the brain, I have got to do something with them. They aren’t that bad and with some editing and tightening, they can be awesome. Watch my sister blog (www.andshewrites.com) for some samples of such.

I think if I can manage to stay on those for 2006, I will be able to say I’ve kept my resolutions. I’m excited about those and I will post here how I’m doing and what I’m doing about them. If anyone actually reads this, let me know what your resolutions are! I could use the company

I know, it’s 7am, I should be awake, but I am having such a hard time waking up this morning. It’s the week before Christmas and all through the house the decorations are up, but it’s way to warm in SoFla to think of it being Christmas time. The carols on XM have helped, but I’m looking forward to going north for the holiday. I’ll probably be ready to leave when it’s time to go. Oh, wait, I’m moving back to that climate. Silly me, better get used to it. It will be nice to see four seasons again. I’ve missed that. While I will miss the diving and my swimming pool, as long as there is an airplane, I can get to tropical diving. Won’t be as easy as shlepping my gear in the truck, but Those are the compromises one must make. Anyway, the first order of business will be a hot tub - THAT I can used in the winter! and there is something about sitting in a tub of hot hot water watching the snow fall on your head. So there are give and takes to everything.

Had a fun brunch with the girls yesterday. The place needed to take a good look at their flow, but the food was good and plentiful. Oh and the champagne didn’t stop flowing and was included in the price - that you can’t beat! I may have to go back for the mimosas!

The decision has been made - back to PA we go. In looking at our total situation, it makes the most sense. And now that the decision has been made, I feel much better about it.

Got pre-approved for the mortgage - things will change till it happens, but we’re on our way, so that’s good. We’ll get a rate close to what we have now, so we’re really going to gain. Now it’s time to call a realtor and get moving on listing and doing stuff to get it picked up and put in order. I need to call Dana - and I want to call some of the low cost realtor’s as well.

That didn’t take me long, did that and I think I’m going to list with Dana. Jeff may disagree, but I don’t want to have to work that hard to sell this home and I’d like to have someone I trust work it out. SO - here we go!

Trying to get motivated on a Monday is a bit of a challenge. I think I need to do something with this room, in that I’m not completely motivated to work here and that’s a bad thing. I just don’t know how I’m going to re-arrange it to suit me.

Moving is still on my mind. I don’t know what to do, I wish I could wave a magic wand and know.