This Dry Land

 I know some of you out there are having the coldest winter you've experienced in decades, or maybe you're not that old and it IS your coldest winter ever, but out here in the west, and particularly the south west, it is warm and VERY dry.  We're still having "Red Flag Warnings" which means conditions are ripe for wild fires.

Backyard view from past rains

We've had less than half the amount of rain we usually have for this time of year.  It's brown and ugly, and dusty and there is so much static in the air, you can't touch the poor kitties without them shrinking away from you because with every petting stroke their fur just snaps, crackles, and pops.  My skin is like leaves that have been on the ground for days, dry, dry, dry.  We haven't had a drop in a month or more and this is winter, when we're supposed to get our rains.

I keep thinking of the line from this song, though the song is all about something else,  from back in 1967 by the Temptations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM7BRP7uzFk  I Wish It Would Rain and boy, do I ever wish it would rain!  

There are some clouds out there but no chance of rain.  The 10-day forecast on the weather channel online gives us no more than a 20% chance of rain on one day during that entire time...this is NOT looking good. It will make the summer fire season worse, and may reach the point of water restrictions if the northern part of the state doesn't get its share of rain and snow either, and so far, those points are also well below normal.  

Can I move back to the wet land yet...no, and Marty has a 7-week class he's starting here tomorrow for a new (near minimum-wage) 'career'.  I don't think this is his best choice but he's the one that has the final word on his career, so I do my best to accept his decision, smile and bite my tongue. On the upside of this, I'll have some 'just me' time, except that Nick is still on Christmas vacation until the 13th. 

Praying for rain!

Looking Up

Indeed, looking UP is what should always be part of my daily ongoing activities.  This morning before church, I found it necessary to take a Benadryl capsule due to wind-driven sinus allergies and nearly fell asleep mid-service, and found I wasn't looking UP very often.  The message was by one of our younger, but very gifted, associate pastors and I always appreciate his messages.

This week, we met with our financial planner and he seems to think we're doing "OK", so Marty shouldn't be worrying so much about finding a job right this minute.  The F.P. is a new one for us, well-regarded in our area and holds our same spiritual beliefs.  We'll have several more meetings getting to know each other and figure out how best to place our finances to make the best gains and least risk, since our years are less than if we were younger.  We've been lazy and have just left our investments where they were 15+ years ago, which has probably not been for the best, but at least we have something, and we praise God for that.

Marty was hoping to hear back from one company with which he's had three interviews but they still haven't decided.  Part of the delay is that they're putting together a team, all new hires to work together, so are trying to get the right mix with the right skills.  It's not to be discounted yet.  He also had an interview on Friday at a place about 46 miles from home.  Yes, 46 miles! It's right up his alley and he said he felt confident he could be getting an offer from them, but he's not quite sure what to do about the commute.  Although, he's already thinking we can MOVE closer to it.  Whoa, wait, what?  If I move, I don't want it to be just 46 miles away, I want it be 846 or more.  He says to me, "It'll be cooler there, you know, temperature-wise."  No, if I have to stay in this state, I like where I am...my friends are here, my doctors and dentists are here, everything I'm familiar with is here and the same for Nick.  I don't want to change that and then change again if we ever do move to that wet land I long for.  Well, when it comes down to it, it's not my decision; I can voice all my oppositions if I want, but the final decision is his.  There is an employee of that company who lives here in our town so perhaps they can carpool.  That company also does not have an option of telecommuting at all.  He has yet another interview on Monday taking up the entire morning and it's about 25 miles away.  That's about the same as the distance he was driving at his previous employment.  I'm thankful that many possibilities have been coming his way which is encouraging to a man who tends to see thinks from the worst negatives possible.  Great pair aren't we?

Washing the outside of the window.

Yesterday, we spent a lot of time doing some of the remaining items for the quilt room.  All of the cabinets are on hold though, so I'm making do with what I have on hand for now.  Marty washed the outside of the window, having to climb the ladder and get onto the patio roof to do so.  While there, he trimmed the overhanging tree branch which doubles as an ant freeway to the house.  He also swept the roof of all the dead leaf debris from the past year, and crud from when he threw the old wall board out via the window in July (rather than drag the mess all through the house, hmmm, why couldn't I tell that from how the house looked with all the dust and mess?).  
 

Marking the placement for the blind holders.

The mini-blinds have been off this whole time, so I had him take them out and hang from nails under the patio to wash them, and when dry, he re-installed them.

We then took the three 2-drawer file cabinets and readied them to return to the room.  Two of them required being turned over and having the rust, from way back prior to the bathrooms remodel, sanded off and a spritz of new paint and then some of those felt pads stuck on so that the new flooring doesn't get scuffed up when they need to be moved.  My TV is back in and sitting on one of those cabinets and is operational.  
 

TV on file cabinet.  The big blank wall is where the design wall will be reattached.

Using the other two file cabinets, we cleaned off the Formica desktop that was saved from the dilapidated metal desk which was junked, and placed it atop them to serve as my cutting table and work surface.  

Ultimately, it will be attached to kitchen height drawer cabinets beneath it so that I can have an ergonomic height cutting table and it will be placed along the wall under the window rather than in the middle of the room where it is now.  I didn't take a picture of it.
 

Freebie desk presently holding printer and laptop.  Oh, look! Flame has a hidey bag :)

We moved the cheapo freebie 36" x  20" wheeled 'desk' up from the downstairs hallway where it was biding its time, and making use of it.  A much better typing height than the other work surface or the kitchen table.  It barely qualifies as a desk as you can see.  It would be better if the shelves were on the other side, and it looks like maybe they could be put there.  It's clearly one of those put-it-together-yourself things, but with no instructions, I don't want to dis-assemble it and try to get it to fit back together.  Maybe down the road.

Just getting started at putting my books back on it. Ignore that construction mess still sitting out in the hallway, and  the disarray of the stash closet, both are temporary.

I cleaned off and wiped down a bookshelf that had also been biding its time in the upstairs hallway.  It was once in this room but I'd taken it out years ago when I first started thinking about re-doing the room and it hung out there ever since, having moved from one end to the other.  Now, it's back in the room where it belongs and I'm unpacking boxes and a bag of quilt books and magazines and getting them back on the shelves where they belong.   I also brought my SewEzi portable sewing table up, but I'm not sure when I'll set it up.  The design wall still needs to be re-attached too. 

I'm starting to feel 'back home' with having my little sanctuary room back.  It's far from done, but it's my space, and I'm liking it, and I'm loving the newly painted walls and the fresh new ceiling, as well as a new, easy clean floor.  Even with the current 'furniture' in here, it still is quite echo-y so may still add a room rug, maybe 5'x7' or 4'x6', but will wait until the permanent cabinets get brought in after Marty regains employment.  Much will remain in boxes, but at least I have my basic workspace back, a place where I can go and not bother anyone else, and where no one will be bothering me...much ;)

Definitely, Looking UP!

Time to Pray

It's been just a couple days over a month since Marty lost his job.  In that time, he has gone through the initial shock of no longer working and bringing home a pay check, updating his resume and submitting it, maneuvering the unemployment system processes, contacting 'recruiters', passing an initial phone interview, fretting and stewing about whether he is still 'viable' as a member in the workforce, being 59 DOES make these times more uncertain.  

Today, in just under 20 minutes (@9:30 a.m. PDT) he has the face-to-face interview for the position of which he previously had the telephone interview.  He's nervous, on-edge, fearful....and yet knows God is in control.  And while he may not get an answer today, an answer will come.  He's had a couple other contacts as well.  I too know God is faithful and cares for His children, and will provide for our need in His time.

Prayer is needed though for Marty to have a calmness in this interview, an assurance in what he knows, the ability to convey that he would be a good fit for the position even if he doesn't immediately have all the specified qualifications...he can be a good learner, especially when it comes to software coding languages.

Your prayers are greatly appreciated.