Ramblings of a 40-Something Empty Nester

Nasty weather out there...

2010-01-03T17:22:00.000-08:00

The snow blower wouldn't start., originally uploaded by dcfkaf.

Good day to stay in! It's very cold, snowy, blowy and nasty out there! Darryl usually clears nearly the entire block with the snow blower...but it wouldn't start today, so he did it all with a shovel...and we just looked out there and it needs to be done again. Although it's very inconvenient, and not how we want to spend the last day of our Christmas vacation, we really have had a very mild winter, which followed a very warm, mild autumn...we got used to it!

We made the best of the day...stayed in, he made macaroni and cheese, we drank a lot of hot beverages (decaf coffee and tea) and I even managed a nap! He watched football on the computer. (No cable...he found some site that shows most of the sports networks.) Not an awful way to spend a day!

Of course, being a perpetual child, I AM hoping the snow causes a snow day at school tomorrow, to lengthen our vacation by just one more day! It's not an impossibility, but perhaps an improbability. We're liking to get 1-3 more inches tonight, but they'll probably be able to clear the roads before it's time for the buses to go out. And it's calling for snow showers tomorrow, but I haven't heard that it's going to be a significant amount.

It was a very good Christmas break. Unusual, being that Devon doesn't live here and Kate was house-sitting...it was a sneak peek of things to come. Much quieter than we're used to. But that's not a bad thing!

We had a gathering last night...a post holiday dinner. Darryl made a big batch of soup and I made some bread. People brought other things. It was very nice. Very quiet and laid back. No photos taken, though. I meant to, but forgot.

I hosted the First Annual Girls' Night on the 1st. My little nieces and my cousin's little girl came over. Kate came over from house/dog sitting. We had a blast. There are photos from that, but I'm just not up to posting them here...you can go here to view them: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcfkaf/sets/72157622997497885/]

Anyway, 2010 has started off cold and snowy but quiet and nice. I'm pleased and can't complain yet!

Happy New Year!

2010

2009-12-31T12:10:00.000-08:00

To All My Flickr Friends, originally uploaded by dcfkaf.

Well, tonight ends 2009. It was an interesting year...mostly a good year, I think. Or I choose to remember it as such.

I look forward to 2010. I think there will be a lot of positive changes made in 2010. Or at least I'm putting that energy out into the Universe! ;)

Anyway, I'm wishing all my internet friends a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!

In Peace, Light and Love,
Kim

Busy Day After Christmas...

2009-12-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

We have company coming from West Virginia, to stay overnight, so we've been doing some cleaning/rearranging for their visit. Still have the bathrooms and foyer to clean/organize, but I'm taking a break to do some computering!

Anyway, here are some photos of what we've accomplished today:

Devon made up a bunch of peace cranes and I put them on the tiny tree on the front porch.

Since we're having company, I moved the small round table to the corner of the "summer dining room" and put plants on it.

Darryl brought up the banquet table from the basement...a fabric remnant on it and it's now a long dining room table! At least until the company leaves! (I don't know how long they're staying!)

The plants look good there! That blue window, leaning up against my photo window, is a future project...I've got plans for that one!

This is one of my favorite corners of my home...I love the glowy light here and the family photos on the backside of the hutch...and the mosaic top...makes me want to make more! (Bathroom floor and kitchen counters, look out!)

Well, that's all I have time for...need to get back to work. Hope you are having an enjoyable holiday!

From me, to you!

2009-12-18T22:32:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I quit!

2009-12-15T21:32:00.000-08:00

I just quit my part time job. I'm quite terrified. I still have my full time job and insurance, but the part time job brings in nearly $600.00 a month!

I have worked for years at the after school program, at my school. The director is never there and put me in charge while her husband was ill and dying. I took up the on-site coordinator for no pay. Then found out she was not only receiving director pay (WAY more than a first year teacher even though the position does not require a degree) but also on-site coordinator pay. That sucked. But I needed the money and continued to go above and beyond, doing WAY more than I was being paid for.

My daughter Kate has worked there for a couple of years and only stopped working there when she transferred to another college. We both assumed she'd be hired back during her break, when the three current college students from this area went home for their break.

Another after school program employee took an extended leave to go out of state to care for a sick parent. I got permission from the director to hire Devon, my son. He's done a fine job there, working with the most challenging students in the program.

Today, while I was at a doctor's appointment, the director told Devon he would no longer be needed after Thursday, as she promised a friend hours.

I called the director when I found out about this. She said she was hiring back a college student we had last year who was just awful! A kid stole a digital camera from the school and took pictures of other kids dancing on tables under this boys' watchful eye last year!!! Every adult who worked there last year complained to the director about this young man. Oh...did I forget to mention the young man's father is the mayor of the city we live in?! Yeah. You're getting the picture.

So I asked her about Kate returning to work...the director tells me she's thinking there won't be hours available for her. She has seniority over the mayor's son and all the other young adults that were hired last year.

So recap...I wasn't getting paid for the job I was doing...my son lost out to the mayor's son...my daughter isn't being hired back.

Yup...Mama Bear came out. I quit. No notice, which isn't like me. I bid her a good evening and hung up the telephone. Now I'm kind of shitting my knickers, worrying about finances.

I won't go back. I can't. It's bad enough I allowed myself to be taken advantage of. I couldn't have my kids treated badly.

So my plan now is to have a quiet holiday and hit the pavement in January, looking for part time work. Horrible time to look for work, but what can I do?! I've got $574.00 to make up!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, so the first one isn't Christmassy...but Sophie was being so friendly and allowed me to get close with the camera...I had to take advantage of it and share the result!

The rest are photos of Christmas. We have yet to get the icicle lights on the house. Maybe today. Maybe not. ;) We'll see!

Enjoy the photos!

First snow storm of the season...

2009-12-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

...being that it's the first, it's beautiful! Here are some photos from last night and this morning! Enjoy!

Snow does make all the difference!

2009-12-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

We've had such a mild, gentle, pleasant fall. Here in Oneonta, no snow accumulation yet...which is unheard of for this area during this time of year!

I wasn't feeling much like decorating for Christmas, since it's been so warm and un-Christmassy. I had decided that if I decorate, I'll get more in the spirit. So today I sent Darryl to the basement, to bring Christmas up...I started decorating the front porch and hung the stockings on the mantel...and lo and behold...WE HAVE SNOW!! Not tons, which I don't want. But it's white on the ground and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Who knew all it would take is a bit of snow?! (Let's hope it STAYS "a bit" and doesn't go overboard!) I now have Christmas music playing on the computer and I'm mentally rearranging to make room for a tree. I do love a white Christmas! (After that, I'm good for another year!)

Just a couple photos, as I've only just begun.

Thankful for so much!

2009-11-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was so nice! Darryl made some vegetarian "roast" and gravy for Kate and me. I made a very tasty loaf of bread and we packed it up and went to my cousin's house for Thanksgiving. We met new friends there and had a fantastic meal. My cousin and her family had invited their friends, Brian and Jane (and their three kids) to Thanksgiving dinner, too. Very nice family. We enjoyed spending time with them very much. Sadly, no photos though. Not because I didn't bring the camera, because I did remember to bring it. But did NOT remember to take it out and take pictures! Oh well...next year!

Today has been great, too. I cut Kate's hair and then we went downtown for breakfast. Just the two of us. Then we went to the Salvation Army, where we each got some sweaters. (It's cold and rainy/snowy here...made us both crave sweaters!) I did remember to take out the camera on our walk home...got a couple of shots of Main Street.

(This is the Novelty. Never been in there...don't plan on ever going in there...but I do love the retro sign...it's been there as long as I can remember!)

(This is the front of Bresee's Department Store. The store closed in the 90's. The front on it was all sheet metal. Very new and hip when it was put up in the late 50's. Last weekend they took the front off, exposing the brick and old windows. I hope they're planning to fix up the unusable apartments and rent them out. The building front is beautiful!)

Now Kate's off with a friend and Darryl's napping...just the four-leggeds and me, cuddling on the couch. I'm wearing thick slippers, a thick sweater, a scarf and a dog blanket and I'm still cold! I can certainly feel the dampness out there!

Darryl and I made soap last weekend. We're going to make more this weekend, too. Christmas gifts. The first batch turned out well...smells fantastic!!!

We may be going out tonight to listen to a band. We've been invited, anyway. And since Darryl is currently napping, perhaps we'll actually make it out. (Maybe I should nap, too!!! Man, we're getting old, huh?!)

Tomorrow we're doing a Thanksgiving meal at my grandparents' farm. (My uncle and aunt now live there and are remodeling it.) I'll likely take more photos and perhaps blog on it tomorrow evening.

(This photo is just because...they're cute, huh?!)

Anyway, just wanted to share a couple of photos and wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving!

In Peace, Light and much Love,
Kim

Busy day today!

2009-11-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

We've had a very busy day today and it's not even 5 PM! We got up early today (don't know why...first time we could turn off the alarm and sleep in and we popped out of bed earlier than I normally get up during the work week), so we decided to go out for breakfast. We walked downtown to a little diner. It was nice! Then I ran some errands/shopped for some vegetarian needs for our Thanksgiving meals (yes, plural...one on Thursday and one on Saturday!) then Darryl and I took the dogs to the dog park, where they had a blast! They ran and ran and ran! We came home and raked the back yard and put the outdoor furniture away for the winter.

Darryl made some soup, which is cooking now. We have a gift certificate for a place that mostly specializes in beef, which I don't eat, so we're going there for a drink and dessert before going to one of the local colleges, to see a play!

Busy, busy day...but it's been a very nice one!

While out back, I took some pictures. Please enjoy them!

My faux "secret cottage" in the back yard...I thought the leaves looked so pretty on the ground that I wanted to get a photo before raking them up! The bike is an old one that doesn't work well, so it's propped up to look like someone's visiting the cottage!

Leaf piles all over the back yard. I'd guess it will take about 10-12 bags to remove all the leaves!

Daisy and Roxie, playing in the back yard!

We buried the Brussels sprouts in leaves, so they'll keep growing in the cold weather.

Last Saturday I had a friend come spend the weekend...we hadn't been together in a long, long time. It was so much fun. I made soup and bread for dinner and this was the table set, waiting for her arrival.