Horatio

The renovation continues... oh my!!! Dust, dust and more dust! I am so tired of sheetrock dust! But, this is the small, or should I say huge, price to pay for living where your renovation is occurring. I am so happy for this weekend!!! Now for photography class... this is such a fun class!!! I am glad that the professor has decided to allow us to turn in our homework on Tuesday. I took too many photographs, and think I could have done much better. So, this weekend, I plan on taking more photographs. Perhaps I can do much, much better.

Decided to take a digital photography course at Memphis College of Art. Really terrific professor, who has been teaching this course for over ten years and continues to do so because she enjoys the involvement with the community. Our homeword on Tuesday was to take thirty photographs of something in our house, that we could view from the sides and top. Keep the shutter speed and the ISO at the same setting, but vary the aperature. Very, very interesting. Of course, if thirty photographs work good, then one hundred thirty will work that much better. OUCH!!!!! I decided to pick up some exotic fruit from Whole Foods. I loaded a wire basket with the fruit and placed it outside on the table. Waiting for the sun to set, I decided just to leave the basket outside. When I went out later, there was a squirrel sitting in the basket having the feast of his life. Of course, he scampered off before I could take a great picture, but it was a terrific visual sight! Unfortunately, the squirrel took bites in all the wrong places. So, my next set of photographs will be the basket with "bite-mark" fruit! On another note, the police were across the street from our house yesterday. The construction workers doing my renovation mentioned that they noticed the three police cars there almost all day. In jest, I said "we do not have crime here, the only reason the police come out is if someone has passed away." Well, I am sad to say, my friend Mrs. Ann Brown, passed away. I know that she is in much better place. She had been having some health problems and this was very tough on her. May Mrs. Brown rest in peace.

Today was an incredibly beautiful day!!! I goofed off all day... enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather!

Hooray!!! Today we made progress on the kitchen! We have moved all the wires, insulated the walls and tomorrow we are ready for the sheetrock installation. It will be so exciting to have the walls finished just prior to installation of the cabinets. Pictures to follow when the walls are complete.

Wednesday update... the dumpster was full and it is now gone. The old kitchen cabinets were donated to a person who had no kitchen cabinets at all. The dishwasher and microwave went with the cabinets. The refrigerator will go to the same person as soon as the kitchen has been completed. The stove was given to a different person who needed one desperately. Overall, I am quite pleased as everything is being reused. From the bathroom, the old bathtub and vanity counter were given to someone. The only thing that went into the dumpster was the vanity bottom which had water damage and fell apart as we were removing it. Nice. I am still boxing. Oh my... this is so, so boring and tedious. You have to know that I am very, very tired of boxing. Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean ice cream sure does make me feel happy! As for other news, the daffodils began poking the heads out of the ground. What a glorious sight! I was supposed to plant my seeds, and procrastinated, so now I am making sure we do not have any more freezing temperatures, before making a commitment to place these seeds in the ground. My hibiscus is struggling to make it indoors, but it is still hanging on. The goal is to take it to Florida, perhaps in a couple months. My pitcher plants are beginning to show lots of new growth, so hopefully, I will be able to transition them to Florida as well. The Norfolk pine is still pretty happy, so not worries there. This tree will be planted along the river in Florida where is should be extremely happy. Hoshe the hamster has worked hard to train me correctly. She gets into her ball twice daily and in the morning we play a game where she gets into the ball, back into her cage, back into the ball, back into the cage, until about noon. She is supposed to be nocturnal, but I am unable to convince her that she really wants to go to sleep in the morning. That is about all the news. I am looking forward to warm weather!!!

Happy Groundhog's Day!!!!! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today! We can hope for an early spring!

The movers came and the movers left, with two more "mini" moves to go. I have the balance of the condominium, which should take about two hours, then when the time comes, move out of my room into a hotel. This should take about two hours. Hopefully the last part of packing to do for the next three days. After all this, I realized that the most important container with my clothes for the month, went into storage. AAAARRRGGGGGHHH! And they placed those containers at the very, very back of the storage unit. Oh my!!! How frustrating!!! I believe there is no way I can get that continer out. *cries*

Dear Jesusfreak, We want to wish you a most wonderful and happy birthday! You day should be a fantastic celebration of your birth! Of course, we have baked a beautiful birthday cake, with lots and lots of candles, so please, make a wish, blow out all the candles and let the party get started! HAPPY HAMMIE BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY HAMMIE BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY HAMMIE BIRTHDAY DEAR JESUSFREAK, HAPPY HAMMIE BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! Wishing you all the best! Horatio

Update to the update to the update... Today the movers are coming, again. This is move number four or five. We have had so many mini-moves that I cannot remember how many we have had. Yesterday was a fiasco. Nothing went right, save my morning coffee. More boxes were to be delivered, but that failed. The driver said he needed a smaller truck to get into our location. What is so strange, the three previous deliveries were all accomplished by an eighteen-wheel semi. That tractor-trailer driver had no problem whatsoever getting in. So, they have my stuff on a "smaller" truck for delivery today. The delivery window... late morning, early afternoon. Do I believe this????? NO! My feeling is that the truck will arrive after the movers have come and gone. Ouch! I already have aggravation, and it started with the first phone call, which arrived before seven in the morning. I want to crawl back into bed, but this is not an option. Ideas anyone?

TBFOF!!!!! You drove back across the country and did not stop in Memphis so we could have coffee together????? New York City is the greatest city in the world! No other city compares to New York! To me, the best part of this city is the culture. I can never get enough of the cultural aspects, museums, arts, music, theatre... just to start. I love opera, ballet and plays. I could very easily live in New York City if I could afford it. I love Paris, love Berlin, London, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Miami, Hong Kong, Tokyo, but no city is as wonderful as New York City!!! You are going to have a fantastic time living there! Take your time, save up some money at home, and when you are ready, you will find the perfect place. Thank you for the update!!! As for me... we have had two homes. One in Florida and one in Memphis. Time to consolidate to just one place. We worked in Memphis and lived in Florida. It will be nice to pay just one bill for electric, one bill for cable, etc.. I am looking forward to having all my life in one spot.

Today is Monday and the boxing continues. I still feel as if I am behind in boxing. No matter how many hours each day I put in boxing, it still feels like I have accomplished so little. The good news is that the completed box total is increasing. The ultimate feeling of accomplishment will occur when the house is ninety-nine percent empty on Thursday. Only the room I am sleeping in and the bathroom will be occupied. Everything else should be completely empty. That is my goal!!!

Happy Sunday... Today the boxing continues. So slow... so very, very slow. If I am able to complete a large number of boxes today, I will be very, very happy. The mover comes again on Thuirsday. Hopefully I will be ready. Anyone volunteering to help?

Update to the update... It is Saturday, and I am still boxing. HELP!!!! We started to redo the bedroom, and that is when everything went downhill. We redid the ceiling with new sheetrock and it looked great. Then as we were re-insulating the attic, one of the workers fell through the new sheetrock. Luckily, no one was hurt. But... we now had to re-do a few pieces of the sheetrock. We moved onto the bathroom and started the demolition there. Well, back to packing.

Moving day #3... I am not ready for this!!!

Tomorrow the mover's are coming and I am still not completely ready. GGGGGGRRRRRRRRR! I can see another day of the mover later this week or the first couple days in the following week. UCK!!!

Hawaii... my new location for the winter months! (I wish!) It is really difficult for cars during the winter when the temperatures are so cold. I am looking forward to summer!

These birthday greetings are a double wish to Dog_lover and Arkcher.. HAPPY HAMMY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TWO, HAPPY HAMMY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TWO, HAPPY HAMMY BIRTHDAY DEAR ARKCHER AND DOG_LOVER, HAPPY HAMMY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TWO! I hope you both had a fantastic celebration of your special day. May this birthday grant you all of your birthday wishes!!! I have made you a special double cake, so please make a wish and at the count of three... blow out all the candles! Ready? 3... 2... 1... GO! May you both have the best birthdays ever!!! Horatio

Ohhhhhhhhhhh nooooooooooo... Today did not go as planned. We only moved 80 percent of the boxes. The mover brought the "small" truck and did not have room to move the rest of the boxes and the furniture. So, my fears were realized... we are finishing the move on next Tuesday. Boo Hoo!

Today is moving everything into storage day. AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!! It is really, really cold and you have to keep the door open. Not enough hot coffee to keep me warm.

WOW!!! I read what my count was two years ago. Today, I have a frog count of 32,125 out of 36,800. I am getting very close to completing the game!!! Then, what will I do?????

Wonderful seeing you stop by!!! Please let us know what is happening with you! Are you good? Is life treating you well? What are you doing? Please do let us know!!!

Hoshe...

For people in Memphis, this is miserable weather. For people who get lots and lots of snow, this is absolutely nothing. For me, I went to Whole Foods, bought some gluten free bread and soup and went back home. Still really, really cold today! I am anxiously awaiting summer.

Your niece is adorable!!! Thank you for the great photographs!!! I think the little thing she is sitting on is a great invention! You can push her around on the ice! Nice!!! Did your plants miss you??? Good to hear that they were all in great shape when you arrived back. That means your study is right on track. A few less headaches for you to deal with. So good to hear that you made it home safe and sound. In MIchigan there was a minivan that rear-ended a semi-tractor trailer. The weather conditions were snow and ice. The driver of the tractor trailer had no idea that the trailer was dragging a minivan that had gotten wedged under the back end. The driver of the minivan called the 911 emergency number and after sixteen miles of dragging the minivan, the police were able to stop the tractor trailer driver. Today in Memphis the temperatures dipped down to -12 degrees Centigrade. We also had some snow flurries, that did not amount to anything, but the drivers here are not accustomed to driving in winter conditions. Every time there is rain, black ice or snow, there are hundreds of accidents. When there is fog, no one slows down and it is really a mess. There was one six mile stretch of road where there were over 115 accidents in eight hours. Additionally, the road is an interstate freeway, with very few curves. New Year's Eve was a stay at home night. Nice and quiet. I would like to be in a community where everyone uses a bicycle. Now that would be fun!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! All the best to everyone in 2015!!!!