Tuesday, July 29, 2008

CATCHING UP & THIS and THAT

It just dawned on me that in all that has been going on in our lives this month I failed to mention that David moved out of the 5th wheel in our back yard and in closer to his work in Tulsa. He actually moved July 1st and Mickey & I took over the last load of his stuff on Saturday, July 12th.

Yesterday we had the carpets professionally cleaned and now the 5th wheel is in tip-top shape. Don't know yet what we are going to do with it: just let it sit where it is, try and sell it, etc. 3 of our 4 children have had occasion to live in it temporarily during the past 4 years since we parked it for good. Suzette & Dave for 3 months while their new home was being built, Jacque for a year after losing everything in Katrina, and now David for these 9 months. It has served this family well.....plus our wonderful years, and miles of travel all over (although all of that was not done in this unit).

We are going to miss having him right here with us and I especially will miss our long, meaningful talks but it truly was time for all of us for him to move on to the next step in his life.

Aric & Oksana's great-grandmother was in town this week, she lives in Texarkansas. She took all of us out to dinner last Thursday night to Te*xas Ro*ad*hou*se for a delightful meal and a wonderful visit. She was so surprised at how much Aric & Oksana had both grown. She had been here 9 months ago, right after David came from California, and we had taken all of us out to eat on that occasion. She is a delightful woman and has become a great friend of ours.

Monday I went back to the surgeon who did my knee surgery 3 months ago. He took x-rays of my knee, both ankles and looked at previous back x-rays and is satisfied all is well even though the lower part of my back is out of alignment by a 1/2 inch. I still have considerable pain, especially at night trying to sleep. Oh well. I've learned to live with it.

Last night our dear friends, Jack & Mary, had 5 of us over for one of Mary's gourmet meals. Always a treat and a wonderful time of fellowship. 3 of the 7 of us present have had heart surgeries of one type or another so there was much encouraging of Mickey about the upcoming event.

Today is election day in our little town. We are voting for a 1/2 penny sales tax increase. Our sales tax is already higher than Tulsa's but we are growing and there are needs to be met so we will vote for it. It is to be used for: 1) an additional fire station 2) new playground equipment 2) new splash park 3) additional police equipment 4) road improvements & 5 POSSIBILY lower home insurance rates (this is based on IF the added new fire station moves our town into a lower risk factor with the insurance rates).

I've told Mickey I want a clothes line. We talked about it 4 years ago when we came back home and have never done it. Don't know whether to get one of those purchased umbrella style bought ones or have him run some clothes line. He is in the "thinking about it phase". Do your husbands do that? Mine does on everything. I'd appreciate imput from those of you who have & use a clothes line as to what you like and think would be best for me.

I told you this was a lot of this & that!!!! Have a blessed day.

post signature

17 comments:

Shirley said...

HA - I have to laugh at this one. My husband is also a "think about it" - he thinks about it so long that it then becomes his idea :) I love him and kid him about it when it happens. Once it is his idea, we then do it. So, it's a win-win, I guess.
I do have a clothes line - my is just strung between the trees. I love it and wish it were longer. This is my first one and I find that I do laundry around the weather so that I can use it more.
Blessings!
Shirley

Simply Stork said...

I've been trying to get a clothes line put up too...spreading blankets out on all serfaces isn't working...just not sure where to put one...ross-e has a great spot right outside her back door...love it :o)

~simply~

Charlotte said...

Your husband sounds like me. I need to "think about it" for awhile. My husband is a doer - always has been. If I just mention something needs to be done, I know it's done. Usually he notices things before I do even. The clothes line idea? I haven't had one for about a hundred years but it's not a bad idea. I have a pole in my laundry room where I hang the things that need to not be put in the dryer. There I also hang things that need a little touchup ironing.

Jill said...

Count me in for having a "think about it" hubby. But once he's done thinking, he is a wonderful craftsman and carpenter. I'd vote for running a clothesline. I personally don't have one, but we had both growing up and I hung a lot of clothes and much preferred the long straight single line. And don't you just love how the clothes smell when you bring them in? Espcially sheets. **aaahhhh***

Anonymous said...

I love this and that posts!! =)

As far as clotheslines go, I've had lines in both my homes (during my first marriage) In my second home here in ABQ we had 4 ft fences and due to the homeowner's association could not have any type of line visible above the fence. So, I had my lines mounted at a 4 ft. height on the side yard. I tell you, people poked fun at me about that line!! =) And sheets I had to fold in half so they did not drag the ground. BUT, it made hanging clothes SO EASY, especially since you mention you have back pain. I have a bit of a problem with my back, and when I was hanging laundry on my mom's full height line last month, my back just ached!! So, that's my humble opinion on clotheslines!! =)

Jean said...

If you have room for a long staight line that is preferable in my opinion. I have always had clothes lines until we moved here and were not allowed to have one. I really missed having one to at least hang sheets on. The manager of our community said it would be okay to hang one between the sun room and our shed since it cannot be seen from the street, but it's so short I can't even stretch out both my king size flat and fitted sheets. My husband is in the thinking stage of hanging a second one next to it. Unfortunately he usually stays in that stage for a long, long time!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

I love a clothes line for my towels and bedlinens!

Dawn said...

My husband put up clotheslines for me years ago and I have to admit that I don't use them. I definitely should and now that I'm home, maybe I should do so again. I like the old fashioned kind, because it's very had to hang sheets on the umbrella kind - and sheets are the main thing I like to hang out.

Let us know what happens.

Anonymous said...

Susan, I would gladly take one of your prayer slots, if that would be OK!!!

Anonymous said...

We've been through Texarkansas many, many times. Maybe you should keep the trailer so I can come live with you for a bit. I need a vacation :)

I used to use a clothes line every day in the summer when the kids were young, just loved it! Even though it is economical it sounds like work now...ugh!

Oh, and David loves to ponder doing something for at least a season or two...ugh again!

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

I had a clothes line until we moved into our new house 3 years ago. We are still on the same farm but the clothes line got torn down when the old house did. I loved that clothes line. My hubby has yet to put a new one up so yes you could say he has to think about it....for a very long time! He's so busy with other things I just don't bother him with it and to tell you the truth, I don't miss mowing around the thing. But.....I do miss sheets fresh off the line...nothing better than the feel and smell of that.

What a blessing to have had the motor home for the kids to live in temporarily.

Crystal said...

Yeah - about the clothesline - we have all the parts for a pole system in the garage and DH is busy thinking too! DD and I got all the parts in May when they came home and now it's July already. My neighbor said it took her 15 years to get hers up so I could be in for a long wait. I try not to nag but I really would like to take advantage of the summer sunshine and fresh breezes, instead of increasing the electricity bill :((

Have a great rest of the week!

Unknown said...

Having a 5th wheel or trailer or motorhome around can be so handy. We have an old motorhome here on the property..it used to be my dads. My kids have used and used it to sleep in over the last few years. They have sleepovers in it a lot! Guests use it when they come. It has just been so handy.
I have a double clothes line just out my back door on my pack porch.
It is on the covered porch because we have so much rain here. This way I can still get in loads to dry in the spring and fall. I have also been asking for my hubby to get me an umbrella type for the hot summer sun days so I can dry even more. I think he hasn't even made it to "think about it" stage yet! My current ones can also come down if I don't want them up when guests come..although I have never taken them off and put them away when I did have guests...I am not too worried about what a guest would think about my drying laundry! My goal each day is to dry two loads on the line so I can cut down the electricity bill..if it is hot I can do a 3rd or
4th...but mostly it is not that dry here to do that.
Hope hubby can get it up for you!
Also I will be praying for your night time back pain.

Linds said...

The umbrella ones are great - I have always had those types, but a lot of my friends have the long ones. It is much easier if you have points to anchor them though.

My Dad made one for my Mum at our home when I was growing up which had 2 aluminium posts which were like a T bar, with 4 lines between them . That was the absolute best. Enough room for sheets and everything else too! If you need a design I can email it to you! Or rather, if Mickey needs a design! Tell him Mmy Dad thought about this one for years, so he can benefit from all his years of thinking and just make one!

Momma Roar said...

It is just so cool how God has used you and the fifth wheel to have your children closer to you!!

T is a thinker too!!

I love, love, love my clothesline. It is a wooden umbrella one (http://mommaroar.blogspot.com/2007/03/yay.html) that I can put away in the garage. It sits just off our back porch so I can still hang things out on a warm day in winter and I love being able to put it away so that it isn't in our way. You'll have to keep us posted!! I made a cute clothespin bag for mine too - I'm not sure where that post is...I'll have to check. But maybe I can find another one of Elle's shirts to make you one!! :D

Momma Roar said...

Found my bag: http://mommaroar.blogspot.com/2007/07/show-tell-5.html


:-D

Anonymous said...

Ooooohhhh. When you said "clothes line", I thought you wanted to become a fashion designer. I get it now.