Cranky, Irritable & Wondering "what next"

Well, it has been 10 days since my job announcement and I haven't had a call to work yet. I knew I would not get much in Jan because everyone is just back from the long holiday but I was hoping for a few days. The new pay period starts near the beginning of Feb. If I don't work a few days soon, I will be waiting until April for a paycheck. I have already missed one bill this month and soon I will be a month behind on all my bills. I was hoping to be able to tell them I could catch up after the first of March but it is not looking very promising.

I mentioned doing the yard sale last weekend. It left me in so much pain that I spent most of the week in bed. I was hoping to sell again this weekend but the temps dropped to the teens again and I was simply not able to do it. It was so cold yesterday, I spent the entire day in bed buried under as many covers as possible.

Did I mention the furnace went out? Yep, first cold spell about 2 months ago, it worked for one hour and then kicked off and never came back. I spent a few days last week researching thermostat troubleshooting but nothing I tried worked. Now the hot water heater has gone out. It warmed up to almost 40 today and I thought I better get a shower in case I get called in tomorrow. Well, all I have now is cold water so I guess I will be trying to boil some tonight.

Last year I was trying to keep an upbeat look at everything and kept saying, well at least I have heat and hot water. Sigh, both of those are gone now. I think I could fix it with new elements but there is no money left. I have $25 on one credit card and that is it. I have been trying for months to quit smoking and have it down to 7 per day. I will probably use the money to put $20 gas in the van and buy 2 packs of cigarettes to get me through a few more weeks. I am already 2 months behind on the phone bill and the internet will probably be gone by the end of Feb. I applied for assistance on my heating bill but they don't send it until Mar or April. Of course by then you have pretty much frozen to death. Makes a lot of sense, right?

Anyway, I am just ranting. I am in pain and the cigarettes usually help with pain and cold but I am having to do without them so I am feeling crankier than usual. Add to that no hot water and wondering what will go next and my mood is not the best.

Guess I will go check my eStore but, of course, I am sure I will find no sales so that is getting to be a tiresome thing too. I have lots of things to sell but it is mostly yard sale type stuff and not worth listing online. In the meantime, I am just too sick and cold to tackle the crafts. I wanted to make soap this week but the kitchen is like a freezer. The dogs water dish is frozen solid. I have a small space heater in the bedroom but I have on long johns, sweat pants, 3 sweaters and a hat and I am still shivering.

I Have a Job!!!!!

The Board of Education finally called this morning and I am officially hired. I pick up my I.D. badge Monday and can start teaching immediately.

No time to chat this morning. I am headed out to set up a yard sale at the crossroads. It is dreary and damp from all the rain last night but I am hoping to catch a few tourists heading to Gatlinburg. Tomorrow will be sunny and cool so I will try again. I need to build up a reserve for gas money :)

Day by Day

Monday was beautiful. I didn't make much money but the weather was gorgeous and I had a beautiful view of the mountains. Several very nice people stopped by to chat and it was all in all a good day. Of course, I was sore and exhausted yesterday and today after packing the van all day Sun and the unloading and loading Mon so I have spent most of it in bed. I am trying to get some soap made and make it over to a friend's house to borrow some cocoa butter but I seem to be moving slowly.

The dogs are happy. I took Pickwick's sweater off and he has rolled and played in the leaves and dirt until he is filthy. The last few days I made stuffing and mashed potatoes. The boys got the leftovers so they are happy about that too.

Well, I am still tired and sore so not up to posting much today. They are calling for rain tomorrow but nice weather again Fri & Sat so I am going to try selling again this weekend. I have lots of work to do tomorrow so I am off to rest.

Selling Day

Yesterday was light rain in the morning but not enough to get wet on the way to church. The afternoon was overcast and I spent it loading tons of goodies into the van so I can sell by the road. This is my main income and I have to take advantage when I get a nice day. Today the sun is shining, gentle wind and no rain so I am headed to the Cosby crossroads to sell. I am hoping the snow in Gatlinburg the past week brought in a lot of tourists that wanted to stay over and catch the last of the skiing. The temps were so high over NY's that the slopes had to close so maybe some of those people were able to come this weekend.

I have put the eStore on hold for the day and am heading out in about an hour. Pickwick is overjoyed to be outside again and the inside cat and dog are tickled he is gone. I changed all the linens last night because everything was definitely smelling like dirty dog peeeyeeeewww. I was planning to sell again tomorrow but it is scheduled to be high winds and rain with high winds and sunshine Wednesday. Guess I will be hanging over the tub washing the blankets and linens tomorrow evening. I can hang them out Wed and will need them for the weekend.

WOOHOO 30 Degrees and Climbing

The cold is breaking and I am feeling more optimistic. The snow is lovely but will be gone by morning. Rain tonight and tomorrow will wash it away. I have an electric bill and c/c bill due by the 15th so this is a blessing because I will be able to sell by the road Mon and Tues and hopefully scrape together enough to pull me from under the bus wheels for one more month :)

Even the mice seem to have fled the building. Bianca presented me with dead ones 3 mornings in a row but nothing this morning. They have probably headed back out to bask in the sunshine and forage in better pastures since I keep everything sealed in glass jars.

School starts back next Monday and, hopefully, I should get my certificate and I.D. badge by the end of the week. I'll be able to start teaching as soon as those arrive but I won't get a paycheck until Mar so I better get over to the website and get some more items listed. I have been too cold the last few days to meet my 5 per day/5 days a week NY resolution so maybe I can catch up.

I was going to make a pot of sphagetti and bake a loaf of bread today but a friend mentioned chili and cornbread so now I am drooling for it. So I will make chili, coleslaw and cornbread today and bake a lemon pound cake. I'll bake the bread tomorrow evening and save a few fat slices to make Texas toast to go with the leftover chili when I come in from selling Monday night. Maybe I will make the sphagetti tomorrow to have leftovers when I get home Tuesday night.

Stay warm,
Linda :)

Brrrr It's Cold

It's 10am and the sun is just beginning to peek over the mountain. We have been warm most of this winter, mostly in the mid 40's to 60's, even a few days in the 70's. We've only had a few days here and there of high 20's at night so we have been spoiled. Tues night it dropped to the teens and we got about 1/2 inch of snow. It stayed in the low 20's all day yesterday and continued to snow off and on all day and back to the teens last night. The real problem has been the wind which has wind chill factors in the single digits.

Since I won't have an income until Mar, I cut the furnace off and have been trying to live in my bedroom with a small space heater. I moved my computer in here and the dogs and I have been huddled under the covers while the cat sleeps on top of me LOL. I am bundled up under 4 sweaters and still keep shivering and have to keep stopping to warm my fingers but I am loving the view outside my window. It is all so white and beautiful. As the sun climbs, it is beginning to glisten and the snow hides all the unfinished projects piled around the yard :)

My cat, Bianca, is loving the cold. When it reaches the 20's, mice seem to think I have sent out an invitation for them to come in for shelter. Bianca is my bouncer and disposes of them immediately. The last cold snap, she took out 3 in one night. Late Tuesday night she marched into the bedroom carrying a gate crasher in her mouth. I keep a plastic bag on the floor for her to play with and she dropped her catch on the bag and played with it for almost an hour. This morning I found another dead mouse on the bag that she nabbed sometime during the night.

Part of me wants to jump up and down and shout "WOOHOO!!! Bianca caught some mice!!". The other half of me is totally creeped out and thinks "OMG there were mice in the house!!!" I know, can't have it both ways and so I guess I will remain proud of her for keeping the place critter free.

They are calling for it to warm up today but be back in the teens again tonight. Guess, it will melt all the snow off and be back to the nasty brown of leaves and weeds with all those piles of goodies reminding me I have work to do *sigh*. Tomorrow will be a day of slipping and sliding on all the ice when I walk the dogs. Which reminds me, I better put some more salt on the steps so I don't break my butt again.

Oh, and I have already broken my NY resolution. I resolved to post at least 5 new items per day in my webstore at least every Mon-Fri. Well, I haven't listed a thing. My fingers and brain are just too frozen LOL.

I am off to read some emails and figure out what I am going to cook. I was going to bake yesterday but settled for noshing on some nuked chicken breast tenders that I tossed in the microwave. I popped some popcorn for supper and watched a movie. Guess I am going to stay a day behind all this year LOL.

Stay warm,
Linda B:)

Happy New Year

Just popping in to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I planned to make some popcorn and see the NY in with a movie but I stretched out about 830p and woke up at 330a. So I guess I missed it. Tough to be an old biddy LOL.

I've spent the day working on my website and learning about Google Analytics and Attributes. I must be getting old because my eyes are spinning and my brain is in a fog. In the background I have been half listening and watching the Monk marathon. I was hoping for another Clean House marathon like last NY's but they did play it a lot on Mon. I am hooked on that show LOL. I love Nicey from Reno 9-11 and the rest of the cast. Plus I am absolutely fascinated that people will let them into their homes when they are that messy. OMG I can remember when I wouldn't open the door if the house wasn't perfect. Now I have my living room turned into a shop with shipping containers and clothing racks. I shake my head everytime I crab walk through it all and wonder what happened *eyes rolling*.

I forgot to make a pot of blackeyed peas yesterday so it seems strange. My grandmother always made blackeyed peas, rice and greens for NY's. I settled for sausage and cabbage. I was going to make cornbread but my hips will be grateful for my laziness.

Well, now that it is dark and cold, Miss Bubbles has decided she wants to head outside. They have been threatening us with snow the last 2 days. We haven't seen any yet but it is very cold out. Supposed to go to 20 tonight. Guess I better bundle up and head outside since she is hopping up and down.

Wishing everyone a wonderful year of great health, happiness, love and much more,
Linda B:)