Cedar tree bursting with pollen

For those who are unfamiliar with cedar fever, here is a pic of a cedar tree bursting with pollen, which can cause all kinds of upper respiratory issues.

Over the weekend, the 911 calls were astronomical.  People thought there were fires everywhere, when in fact, it was only cedar pollen.

Welcome to Cedar Fever Season in Central Texas.

The coming year...

This has been a year+ of overworking myself.  Thankfully, it will soon be coming to an end as we transition out of our position with Athens Foods, one of our last 2 clients.  We will keep Mrs. T's Pierogies until around November.  Of course, Gene can always change his mind and resign them earlier.  We have been working with Mrs. T's since Gene started his own business in 1996.  While I have only met one person from the corporate office in person, I feel like I am a part of their family.  Of all of our clients we have had over the years, I can truly say, Mrs. T's is a family oriented business.   They take very good care of their employees plus, they are also very community minded.  Good to know businesses like them still exist in this bottom dollar world.

I am still looking for another place of employment, knowing God already has something for me.  I just need to do my part, which is the looking.  With the backing of 2 CPA's and some friends, I will supplement my income with bookkeeping.  I do not do taxes and prefer not to do payroll.  The CPA's said I should just to the data entry part of bookkeeping.  One of the CPA's has some clients that need someone just to come once a week and do data entry into QuickBooks.  When I am ready, he will introduce me to them.  The downside is that they are a 1-2 hour drive away.  I know God will work something out.

I have been on a 2 week vacation; a 2 week working vacation I should say.  It has been nice not going into the office but I am looking forward to the time I can actually have a vacation and not have to work during it.

Waylon outdid himself cooking for Christmas.  We had brisket, glazed in Dr. Pepper Texas Style BBQ sauce, smoked on the grill.  My family likes the outside of the brisket to be blackened and crispy.  Talk about yummy!!!  We also had grilled corn on the cob with chipotle butter and I made some Green Chili Cheese Bread.  We ate until we were, as Waylon put it when he was little, "full as a dog tick".

For New Year's, Waylon is grilling baby back ribs and pork chops.  Not sure what sauce he will use or what sides we are going to have this time.  So glad we are going to have some good weather tomorrow.

In between office work, I have taken the time to reorganize the office space in my bedroom.  I have been using a small closet in my room to hold office supplies and pantry items (no pantry in my kitchen).  I bought a nice basket cabinet and now my office supplies have a home of their own and the pantry has room for all the BBQ sauce that is coming.

I made one more quilt, have 3 more to go.  At least the last 3 are not rush items.  I will try to get one more done before heading back to the office on Monday.

Today I travel to Davey's to do his month end work.  I decided to go today instead of tomorrow. I just hope he gets off work early enough that I can make it back home before Austin's New Year's eve traffic hits.  Tomorrow, after I download the daily reports and process them, I can have the rest of the day off, as Walmart and our clients offices will be closed.  Do I hear a hallelujah?????

Well, I am already well into my day and need to get more done.  It was nice stopping by and blogging. I miss it.

Happy New Year to you all.  May God continue to bless us that we may be a blessing to others.

Just a little news!

I made 10 Christmas stockings, just need to add the names. 

On Sunday, I made 2 loaves of Green Chili Cheese bread and 12 loaves of Hobbit Bread.  The GCC is for my boss for Christmas.  The Hobbit Bread is for all our friends and neighbors.  During our cooking marathon, mom's 1954 Sunbeam Mixmaster died.  It will be missed.

Waylon decorated the house today, getting ready for his sister and her 3 kids arrival on Friday night. We will have our Christmas with them this weekend.  I bought aprons for the kids to paint and then use on Saturday when they make their own pizzas for lunch.  Each kid has a snowman to paint plus we are all making mason jar snow globes.  Saturday night we will do our Christmas before they head home on Sunday. 

After Friday, I will get to work from home until after New Year. Not much of a vacation but I will take what I can get.

Grateful for the 70 degree weather we are to experience this week.  Unless Texas' changes it mind, we will have pleasant and warm weather on Christmas Day.  Instead of steak, we are smoking a brisket on the grill for our Christmas day dinner.  I will make some Green Chili Cheese bread to go along with the brisket.

Waylon took a 2 week babysitting job (4 kids).  At least during the day he will still be able to look for work online, although I doubt there will be much happening until January.

Life has slowed slightly.  I actually slept 6 hours the other night.  Best night sleep in a while.

Guess I best to get work on those 4 quilts that are begging to be sewed.

Just catching up!

I continue to work 7 days a week, although it is not all day long on Saturday and Sunday.  Hard to keep my mind off the job.  Hopefully working weekends will stop after Christmas.  My boss will retire November 2014 or possibly sooner.  I continue to look for work but nothing is available with the wage to even pay my mortgage.  Just waiting on God to provide one.  He has never let me down.  It is hard to even think about working someplace else after 17 years at the same job.  I love being a one girl office but it has its downsides.

I have 5 more quilts to make but only one is needed before Christmas.  By the time these are done, I will have made 29 quilts. 

We are due icy road conditions for the next week, which is VERY UNUSUAL.  Most often we have 1 ice day and it is late January or early February.  Our little town is in the hill country and we are not setup for icy road conditions.  I am hoping I can work from home tomorrow, when it is at its worst and just go in later next week.   I take it we are in for a bad winter, which I know we need but I do not want.

I have 8 Christmas stockings to make.  Found some really cute OOP flannel portly penguins.  There is not enough for complete stockings, so I am having to get creative.  I sure have ordered what available when I first saw it but love getting creative.

Mountain cedar is starting to arrive which usually means a lot of breathing issues for all, especially mom and Waylon.

Mom's job ended when they put Kris in memory care at Arbor House.  Mom needed the break, after all, she is almost 80.  She still helps watch Pauline, who is 99, once or twice a week so her family can go grocery shopping etc.  Mom just needs to fix Pauline a meal, help her to the bathroom and read to her.

Waylon got laid off from the post office again and so he is back out looking for work.  So far, not much available.

It is now 5 am and I need to get ready for work.  I need some things from Walmart first so best get busy.  Praying my life priorities are able to get in sync after Christmas.

A little bit of news!

So little to say and so little time to write about it. 

Had my garage sale.  We were nickel and dimed to death but made enough to pay for 1/3 of the tree work I need done.  Thankfully the tree man is willing to let me make payments on the 10 trees that have so much dead in them to be removed.

I have sold 8 quilts and have 4 more to make (requested ones).  In cleaning out my storage room, I found 5 more containers of flannel.  I am checking to see if there is a local flannelaholics in the vicinity.

We harvested our first honey.  Here is our first jar. 

I have 6 more gift bags to make.  Waylon's co-worker wants ones with chickens but she also took this one.  Not sure where my friend bought this dog food but wish she would be buy more so I can have the bags.

 

Waylon helped me on a 2 week housesitting job.  Truthfully, he did 99.9% of the work, which enabled me to work late, go fishing and prepare for the garage sale. He did an excellent job taking care of the menagerie of animals plus keeping up with the plants and housework.  He got paid big bucks and most it has been applied on his car repair bills.

 

I got to fish for 1 1/2 days.  We got close to 100 cats but only 15 were keepers.  We had a fish fry with our neighbor and enjoyed the delicious fresh catfish.

 

The getaway was great, no phones, no computers, no office work.  The downside was that due to the drought, there are no boat ramps or docks in the water.  One of the campsites made a dirt ramp down to the water, which meant we could get the boat in but I had to jump into the boat from the water.  Hard enough when you are short, even harder when you are short and overweight.  I still have bruises on my legs.

 

I thank God for the time away.  First time in 2 years Davey and I have gotten the opportunity to go fishing.

 

More importantly, I thank God for the changes I am seeing in Waylon.

 

As always, work is screaming at me so best close for now.

 

 

It's all about....

Time for an every once in awhile update.

My work.  I have had a few weekends off so I have been able to catch up on housecleaning and the gathering of stuff to put in my October 19th garage sale. 

I am leaving to go fishing after work tomorrow morning.  YEAH!!!  Of course, drought conditions have the lake at an all time low, which should mean good fishing but not so good for maneuvering the boat.  We will have to really watch out for tree stumps etc.  I come back Sunday afternoon and head over to house sit for friends with a family emergency.  Waylon has been a blessing taking care of all the animals so I could work the hours I need in order to ensure being able to take off to GO FISHIN.

I have $$$$ in home repairs pounding on my bank account.  So much $$$ to remove the dead in my trees that could potentially do a lot of damage so I have been busy making rag quilts. I had enough scrap flannel to make 20 rag quilts.  YIKES!  That is a lot of flannel.  I have sold 6 so far.  I have one more commissioned one to make and then 3 to make for Christmas gifts.  The rest of the quilts will have to been made and sold at another time.  It has been rough getting up at 4am to sew.  I have also been bringing my stuff with me to work so I can get some sewing done at lunch.  But, the garage sale is upon us and I pray I will sell all the ones I have left.  I have also got a few feedsack tote bags made and this coming week, will be making more for the sale.

Here are a few pics of my quilts.

This one is made from old flannel shirts.

 

This snowman quilt is made from old bedsheets

 

Skittles (this one is sold)

 

I had enough material so I made 2 Trophy Buck quilts (both sold)

 

I make tote bags out of birdseed and deer corn bags.  The deer corn bags also make great gift bags for men's gifts.

 

 

 



The motor went out in Waylon's car and due to his ex wanting him to relinquish his rights to Devon, he now has to hire an attorney.  She will not even let him talk to Devon on the phone.  I think he should sue her for alienation of affection.  Anyway, I know God is at work in Waylon's life. At least now, he is willing to pray with us as a family.  YEAH!!!  I am so trying to keep my mouth shut and just let God work.

Not much else has been happening.  I will be so glad when the garage sale is over and I can have a reprieve from sewing.  I go back to working 7 days a week (thank you Walmart reports) November 2.

At the end of this month, we pull honey from our beehive.  Getting excited over having some good ole honeycomb to chew.

I have been very disconnected from everyone while working and sewing but have plans to visit friends after the new year when I again have a reprieve from working 7 days a week.

I best get back to work.

Just some scribblings

I continue to work 7 days a week, although Saturday and Sundays are from my home and I just have to download the daily Walmart reports. 

A vicious bug hit our home.  Let's just say a 3rd toilet would have come in handy.  Mom brought it home from the couple she helps tend.  She was so weak she fell and bruised her rib cage area.  It takes both of my hands to cover the bruise.  Unlike mom and me, Waylon did not get the vomiting part.  Just so happens, he was off work during most of the worst of his run.  I was the last one to get the bug.   I lost 9 lbs in 2 days and couldn't eat for 3.  I am still not 100% but am close.

I am starting to look for a new job.  My boss is pretty sure he will be closing the office soon.  He said if I found a good job to take it.  Of course, most jobs are only part time and I would almost have to take a 45% pay cut, which means I could barely pay my mortgage.   I look back over the years and know, GOD is faithful.  I have not ever been unemployed or unable to pay my bills so why would I think he would stop taking care of my needs now??????

I sold my weaving loom and bought an 8' x 2' round stock tank for the backyard.  In the process of preparing the foundation, I smashed my finger and yesterday, the whole nail came off.  Was setting up this tank worth the lost nail?  Absolutely!  On hot, sticky days, it is refreshing to have a nice relaxing sit in the tank.

Waylon had an accident in my car.  Not his fault but it took over a week for an adjuster to come look at the car and deem it unsafe to drive.  Waylon even told the insurance company the car was not safe to drive with an oil leak and only one headlight (harder to see the deer) and that it was our only means of transportation.  The other driver hit the front passenger side of my car, smashing the headlight, hood and fender.  The hood cannot be opened and the car has a small oil leak.  Can't check the oil because you can't lift the hood.   Anyway, the adjuster deems the car unsafe to drive, knows it is the only transportation we have and still it takes 2 more days to get a rent car.  Go figure!!!

There is construction going on down the road from my house.  It would be nice if they could figure out a way to not drop their nails on the road.  Mom has had one nail removed.  I have had one nail removed and had to replace one tire.

Even though we have had rain, it is not sufficient to bring my fishing hole up enough to launch a boat.  BUMMER!

I have one side of my house and 2 sides of my storage room that get direct afternoon sun.  I had my house painted a few years ago and it is time to repaint, at least those sides that get so much sun.  I was excited when Sherwin Williams put my paint on sale for 40% off.  I got 5 gallons and got the sunny side of my house painted.  It has been hard since the winds and rain tend to come on my days off.  This week, no rain in the forecast, humidity down and winds lessening, so hopefully, every evening when the sun goes down, I can start on the 2 sides of my storage room.  Once those sides are done, I can gradually paint the shady sides.  Thankfully, most of my house is brick but my storage room is all hardy board.

My neighbor is planning a community garage sale in October.  My household is ready.  We have gathered and priced everything.  My boss has even sent some of his stuff over.  He wants it gone so why not.

We have7 mama deer coming to the feeders.  Sure hope they bring their babies soon.  We also have a spike and a 4 point chowing down.  Going to and from work, I pass a pasture of yellow flowers.  The other evening, there was a doe and her fawn standing in the flowers.  What a beautiful and serene sight.  You could barely see the fawn over the flowers.  Sadly, there is no place to pull over to get  a pic.

Baby squirrels are in abundance this year and I am sure it is due to the rain and availability of food.  We  laughed as we watched one baby squirrel playing on the hammock like it was a rope obstacle course. 

Due to the wildlife, mom's garden is completely enclosed.  We bought 10 x 10 dog kennels, linked them together and then covered the top with wire.  We put the bathtub filled with strawberry plants and the beehive inside the enclosure.  Mom put her bird feeders in there to keep the dove and the squirrels out of them.  A few small dove can get in and of course, the baby squirrels can too.  I looked outside one afternoon and here was this squirrel, grabbing strawberries, sitting on the tub and eating them.  There is now a frame with bird netting over the strawberries.  Mom has spent a fortune just to keep the critters away so we can eat the fruits of her labor.

We have been enjoying lots of summer squash, green beans and asparagus. The vines are full of cantaloupe.  Can't wait to bite into a juicy melon.  This year, we will not have to race the coons to see who gets them first.

My next door neighbor is retiring.  She is 79 and her health is getting bad.  She is not sure how long she can make it on her retirement income.  Her daughters want her to move closer to them, which is about an 1 1/2 away.  The thought of Miss Joan not being next door saddens me. She has been such a prayer warrior for my family. Waylon sees her as another grandma.

Guess I best get back to work.  My boss is out of the office until the 18th and now is the perfect time to get caught up from being sick and clean out old emails and computer files.