Tag: Errands

Done…

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

The semester is done.  I think I’ll end up with one A and one B.  If I’m lucky the B might be an A-.  I’m glad it is done and I learned nothing from my science class that I will use or remember and some good things from my Prose Stylistics which I’ll use when I’m editing.

Yesterday was a busy day with errands and running around.  Ken helped Dominic unload from his move up from Indiana and I hung out.  I wrote in my journal for the first time in forever – that felt really good.  I have to type up a poem I wrote while I was waiting. 

One of my essays was published in Circle Magazine.  They contacted me for some they could use so I sent them in a few.  It was a one page essay that I wrote a while ago. 

I have to make a list of deadlines I don’t want to miss for writing.  There is a grant I want to write for and a few competitions I want to enter.  There is also a few publications I want to look at their guidelines.  Yup – there is definitely a to-do list for the summer.  It should keep me busy and out of trouble…well at least busy.

Vicki has made a very successful start to her job.  She is busy from the moment she steps in the door until she leaves.  She is even taking work home with her already. 

Now that Ken and I are on our own, we have a few things to get done – like rearranging things in the house, the basement fixed and so on.  It is nice to settle into a schedule with him and getting used to there being no buffer between us. 

I’m getting shots in my knees for the next two weeks.  I started last week and it was interesting to say the least.  I nearly passed out on the nurses – I guess I should actually drink water before I go to these appointments.  Fortunately, I’ve noticed a decrease in pain this week for my knees and I’m hoping the other two shots will keep that going in the right direction. 

The next couple of weekends will be busy with a visit to Vicki – Gin and Stephanie are coming up from Georgia so they can see her new place – and helping Kelly and Dominic move to their new house.  I’m excited for both.  We haven’t seen the girls in a while and it will be a quick visit but we aren’t going to do a lot of running around but just hang out at Vicki’s apartment and be together.  Kelly and Dominic will be moving into the next stage for them.  While I’ll miss them living near us, I’m happy for them to be on the same page and moving forward.

After that I’m hoping for a slower pace so my weekends will be less hectic and more about writing and relaxing…

She Got IT!!!!!

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Vicki got the job!  Friday she was bummed by the time 4:00pm rolled around because Indiana is Eastern Daylight Time it was close of business hours.  She hadn’t heard anything and was on the downward slope of “why haven’t they contacted me” and “I must not have gotten it.”

Yesterday we ran to do errands as we normally do on a pay week.  It was all about grocery shopping, UPS, and the pharmacy.  We got home and had lunch.  The whole day she didn’t check her email as she had been the whole week before. 

As we were getting ready to go to the open house for my niece who just moved back from Arizona (welcome back Cristi!), she checked her email, saw an email from the HR guy and figured she didn’t get the job.  Then she opened it and read the offer!!!

She laughed and cried all at once.  She was shaking with excitement.  I opened the netbook and logged into her email so we could read the offer.  It is a good offer and a good job.  I’m so happy for her and she is very excited. 

Yesterday – after the party – we came home and looked at apartment complexes.  Kelly and Dominic’s friend from Fort Wayne had very nicely sent us a list of good and bad complexes to look at.  We have a spreadsheet started and will call a couple of them today.  She will call and ask questions of the others on Monday as well as setting up appointments. 

With the end of the semester, Vicki’s move, and all the stuff going on at work I am going to be very busy over the next three weeks.  I am sure it will all get done but at the same time I am sure it will be crazy!  Crazy in the best possible way though!!!!

Eventful Week

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Tuesday, Ken was on his way to work and got hit by a snow plow.  Don’t worry he is fine.  His truck is dinged up.  We all stayed home to keep an eye on him.  Fortunately, he had no negative side effects. 
The rest of the week was quiet for the most part – thankfully.  I got a lot done yesterday though.  Chapter for science – done.  Taxes for Alicia – fixed, accepted, and done.  Errands run with Vicki – done.  New cell phones ordered – done.  Genealogy looked up for a cousin, editing job, and FAFSA – done, done, and done.  These are all checked off my to do list this week. 
Today, I’m going to sit and watch some dvr programs with Ken and crochet.  Also on my list is to help Vicki make some of her homemade products that we are selling.  We have a list of mostly organic items that we are selling because we have found they work wonderfully for us (yup we were the guinea pigs) and now we are going to sell them.  There are scrubs, lotions, face wash and a variety of other products.  I’ll post a link when we get that far.  We are also making a big batch of carbonara and marinara, so I’ll be assistant chef to Vicki and Ken will be canning the results for the marinara and we will freeze the carbonara. 
I’ve tried a new stitch called crocodile crochet.  I love how it looks and it is fun to make.  I bought a slipper pattern that looks fun.  I’m also working on an ascot for Vicki (yes Kelly she gets another one).  I’m hoping to finish that today while we watch dvr stuff. 

I’m hoping for a quiet day today – mostly.  I’m also hoping for a less eventful week next week

Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

Bills are paid.  Grocery shopping is done.  I’ve done a small amount of homework.  However, I have two very long to do lists which aren’t getting done as quickly as I’d like.  I know I push myself (sometimes too hard) but I have a lot on my plate right now. 

Went shopping with Kelly yesterday and had a bit of fun wandering around the craft store, this was a good break for me as I was in a slump on the homework end.  It was good to get out with her and Vicki to shop in a craft store. 

Today is a study day.  I have a long list of homework I need to get done.  I also have to get some of my writing stuff done.  I want to finish off my grant and get it submitted so I can just be done with it.  I found another grant I want to work on but the deadline isn’t until June so I have lots of time to work on it.

One of the publications I have submitted to in the past contacted me to ask for submissions.  I’m going to get two or three things done for them this weekend.  Unfortunately the only payment I get is free copies of the magazine but it is publications on my resume.  I have at least one other submission to make today because the deadline is looming.  The articles all need editing and I have final edits on the grant material to do.  The other submission I think is ready to go – I just want to read through it once.  After I get these three things done, I’ll be switching over to homework and hopefully making good progress.

I’m supposed to go to my sister’s house today for a birthday thing for my nephew but it really depends on how much homework I get done.  If I make good progress I’ll go – if I don’t, I won’t be able to as I have so much to do. 

I did finish the capelet I was making for Vicki – I just have to sew the closing on it that we picked up yesterday.  I also worked on Kelly’s scarf that I ran out of yarn for.  I think by tomorrow I’ll have that done. 

I know it sounds like I had a tedious weekend but I had fun with Kelly and Vicki.  I also am getting stuff done which always makes me feel good.  Now if I can get just a few more things crammed into the too short weekend I will feel like I can tackle the week without a giant weight on my shoulders. 

Busy Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized

I had a busy weekend planned.  Friday was errand day.  Vicki and I got an earlyish start and went to the Staples, Walmart, bank, mom’s, bookstore (for schoolbooks), two buildings on campus to check out some things, out to lunch, Sorgs, Janesville library, home to dump things, Woodman’s and finally a trip to the Dane County Humane Society. 

By the time we got home I was in pain from all the walking and exhausted.  I’m normally in a pretty steady level of pain so a bit more you wouldn’t think would bother me.  This time though it was really messing with me.  Sasha, Vicki’s new baby, decided to sit on my knee which was really hurting.  She spent a bit of time just laying on there.  Whether it was the warmth from her body or her purring when she hopped off my knee was no longer at an extreme level of pain. 

All right I know that when I have a day as jam packed as my Friday the judicious thing to do is relax the next day and not do much.  Nope, I was super busy yesterday.  We went over to Fort Atkinson to visit a cemetery there.  Both sides of the family are buried there.  So I spent a few hours wishing I’d brought my computer and writing information I’d found.  I will be going back. 

While I’m sitting in the office doing research on the family, Ken, Vicki, Beth, Alicia, Mom, and Jake wandered around the cemetery looking at graves, writing information, and taking pictures.  I was thrilled to find the gravestone of my great, great, great grandfather and mother’s graves.  There were also two of their children listed on the gravestone who’d died as children.  I have a lot of information to work through and some pictures to look at.  A cousin of mine requested information on some of these same ancestors so I’ll be forwarding them to her as well.

After the cemetery we went back to Staples (need more printer cartridges) and got lunch.  Then I hung out with mom showing her some of the things I’d found in doing research.  I also printed out some information for her. 

We talked to the Gin and Stephanie.  Mom, Alicia, Beth, as well as my household got to chat with them.  We think we have our vacation planned out. 

Ken and Vicki have been having problems with their phones so we went to get different ones for them.  After that we went to Mounds to get food for the cat and a few goodies. 

We went to supper with Beth before taking her home.  We tried to pick up some stuff from mom but they weren’t home.  It was home to take more drugs – oh yeah I’d resorted to drugs for the pain by this point – and hit the recliner in the hopes the pain would go away.

Sunday, I swore I wasn’t doing anything.  I was going to work on cleaning my desk and getting ready for school.  So I got up and started on my desk.  I got some stuff done.  I filled out some paperwork and a package all ready to mail, shared breakfast with Vicki and went off to run errands.  We went back to Mounds to get a few more things for Sasha, the grocery store to pick up some stuff we forgot.  Then it was home to make lunch.  After lunch was in the oven made deviled eggs.  Vicki also mixed up her pumpkin spice cake.  We also did prep for lunches this week.  I should be able to grab and go for the week. 

All of that leads to me probably hitting the recliner soon to read while listening to music.  Not sure as I’m sitting here the genealogy and my messy desk are calling to me to work on it.  I don’t think I could cram much more into my weekend.

A Good Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
Saturday was spent doing errands, placing orders, and getting things checked off my list.  When I went to bed on Saturday night I felt like I’d accomplished a number of good things. 
Sunday I was slow to get out of bed.  I just wanted to laze in bed.  When I did finally drag my sorry bum out of bed, I showered and sat at my computer doing non-thinking things like playing on Facebook.
After a while, I went to the kitchen and cut up melons and prepped things for lunch (hadn’t had breakfast but hey it was Sunday).  The rest of the day I spent watching DVDs or DVR programs.  I crocheted a bit – the afghan is coming along nicely.  It’s about half done I think.  I spent time with Ken and Vicki.  At some point I felt a bit slug like but decided that was what Sundays are for. 
The only thing I didn’t really get to this weekend is writing.  I’m hoping that with six days off this next weekend I’ll be able to get a good bit of writing done. 
Somehow I managed to get a lot of stuff done this weekend and still feel like I got a weekend.  This is a good thing because it allows me to go back to work rejuvenated and refreshed – at least till I get to work and realize all the stuff on my desk…

Three Day Weekend!!!

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
Three days off in a row!  This means I get to enjoy the weekend right?  Nope.  Tomorrow is errand day as it is pay week.  Now mostly I just do the driving and Vicki runs the errands but still it takes time.  I also have my second round of shots tomorrow.  This is good and not so good.  Hurts like the dickens but helps so much it is worth the pain.
I have to say that I had my first shot last Friday and I’m already noticing an improvement.  This is a huge encouragement to going forward with the next two shots.  My knees haven’t locked up at night once this past week.  They still hurt and the weather still bothers them a lot but I can SLEEP without pain. 
After the shots I’ll be pretty much recliner bound.  I am hoping to talk the hubby into doing a rotisserie chicken on Saturday.  That will be really nice because we can have one meal on the whole bird fresh off the grill and a second meal off the left over chicken in a wrap or quesadilla. 
I have 45 pages left in a manuscript to edit.  After I get the changes in the computer I want to see how large it is.  I want to pair it down a lot so the next step is to look at each chapter and determine how vital it is to the entire story.  This is where I am bad because I want to tell a well-rounded story and everything seems vital.  I’m going to have to shift my mindset though and work hard at it. 
There is a point in this particular story that I really like the book but there are parts in the beginning that I just think are rough – even though I’ve edited it LOTS.  That is where my red pen will be used a LOT (well okay it is a pink pen but still…)
Vicki mentioned something about baking this weekend and wanting help.  I keep telling her I don’t know how to bake but she doesn’t believe me.  I guess I’ll help her with the baking.  I think my faculty will be the ones benefiting from it.
Seems like a full weekend.  I wonder if it will all get done….

Errands

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized

Today is errand day for me.  I’ve got an appointment and I’m running errands after that appointment.  Then when all the hassle of those errands are done I’m going to write.  I have this week off and I’m hoping to get a lot of writing done. 

Christmas was bearable.  Thankfully no extra drama.  It was wonderful to see my brother at a family function.  It was also nice to have a fairly quiet day with the family. I had some lovely conversations with two of my nieces and some others.  Those sparkling moments made the day but I am glad it is over.  The anxiety of the day has faded.

I look outside my window this morning and I have a white overcast day with white snow on the ground and except for the stark gray/brown of the trees, deep green of the evergreens, and the houses I think it would all be white out there.  The bare trees stand out against the white like sentinels demanding we pay homage.  Father Winter is definitely in his prime. 

We are past Mid Winter now though so the days grow ever so slightly longer each day.  We have just a minute or two more of daylight every day to encourage us to keep looking forward.  This is Wisconsin though so who knows how long winter will last….