Is this stealing?

I have a real serious question to pose to you.....is it stealing if you take something from a house that's been abandoned and is falling in on itself?  I have a long wish list of things Mark can make for me starting with a dough board for the stove so we went to several flea markets looking at old things that he can turn into something else.  We're looking for a large table that doesn't cost a small fortune that he can use....think cheap!  We drove home emptyhanded and by this old house that we pass almost daily when a lightbulb went on over my head...doesn't happen very often and is quite scary when it does happen!  LOL!  So I dropped him off at home and went to look at one last place when I decided what the hell I'll just swing by that house and see if there is any old wood I can repurpose.  I got about 10 boards and then decided to go home to get my work gloves and a pry bar.  When I got home, Mark said I was stealing and I just can't get that thought out of my mind.  I think I'm giving new life to something that is just sitting there rotting but his argument is that the house belongs to "somebody somewhere" so I'm stealing.  What do you think?  This is a really old farmhouse that seriously is collapsing in and did I mention it has some great doors and 2 old mantles just sitting there rotting away?  I love it and really don't think it's stealing but now he's got me thinking too much! So do you think it's stealing or bringing something back to life?  I'm really curious what everyone thinks about this matter.

On a different note Clarice has mastered the climb to the top of the christmas tree now.  I swear that by tomorrow she'll be knocking it over and stealing the star on top.  Mark's suppose to be looking at a way to secure it to the wall and I made sure to wrap all the ornament hooks around the branches so she can't knock them off.  But she's entranced by the extra large primitive candy canes and she wrestles them to the floor.  She's also discovered the Christopher Radko village and takes great pleasure in being Godzilla visiting the village!  She knocks all the brushbottle trees over and lays right in the middle of the village to survey her domain.  She's gonna be the death of me.  Let's see this time last year she weighed less than a pound and we had concerns that she wouldn't make it but now she terrorizes the rest of the house.  And truth be told, just allows Mark and I to live here with her because she really owns the house.

Alrighty, now I'm off to take my pills and dream about all the stuff I could make if Mark would just quit telling me that I'm stealing stuff.  Nighty Nite All.

Happy Turkey Day

Well almost turkey day.  We're spending it at home just the two of us in jammies all day long watching parades, football, ect.  I'm cooking a turkey breast since it will be just us but sure would have liked to go out to dinner.  Less mess but Mark decided that he'd just like to stay in so I relented and agreed to cook just a little.  Donna next door even made us a lemon pie since she knows that Mark's a Pie Man and I hate making them.  LOL!

We finished decorating the bank today since it was kinda a slow day.  I hadn't planned on doing it today but we needed the guys to help us with the tree and it just snowballed from there.  You know the drill...maybe just put the lights on the tree...ok now let's just put the garland on....how about seeing if we need any more ornaments, ect....next thing I know, I'm standing in the middle of the lobby with glitter covering me head to foot and I'm balanced on a rickety kitchen chair trying to get the bow on the top.  Crazy!  Oh well, Friday we'll only have a handful of customers and even less employees working so now I can just relax and study for my insurance test.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it no matter what my web browser shows or the battery on my kindle  ;)

Not too much going on around here but Clarice has recovered completely.  She cost us a small fortune but she's none the worse for wear.  Last night I was trying to take a long extra hot bath in hopes of staving off a headache when she came running in, jumped from the floor up to the top of the shutters and brought them down on top of me.  Mark managed to secure them again by baling wire and duct tape which is what all tools a southern boy needs to fix anything.  They must be positioned just slightly different because she fell of them twice this morning when we were getting ready for work.  Sure wish that would be enough to keep her off them because I sure would love to re-do those curtains but refuse to do it as long as she's laying on them like a hammock.

We went to dinner tonight and I had a couple of really good margaritas so forgive me if this doesn't make too mush sense.  I'm off to take my sleeping pills and snuggle into the bed with my christmas magazines and kitty so sweet dreams to you all.   Happy Turkey Day!

Christmas Decor Update

It's done!  That's my big update...LOL!  I started Saturday afternoon after Mark and I got back from running 5 million errands and I finished last night.  Now it'll be just little tweaks here and there....can any of us say we're extremely happy with the way everything looks the first time...of course not where's the fun in that?  I say I'm done but we're decorating the tree tonight.  We bought a smaller, lit tree because that 10 foot tree that we've used for the past 9 years is just too big for this house even though we've used it the last 5 years here.  Mark had to bend the top down so I could put the star on and it filled the entire corner of the room so now we're switching to a 7.5 foot tree that has lights already on it...wahoo!  Now I just hope all the ornaments fit on it.

We spent Sunday night at the ER with Clarice.  She woke me up Sunday morning bright and early throwing up.  I thought maybe she had a hairball or got into something that she shouldn't have when I was decorating Saturday so I wasn't too worried.  Then about 6pm she started vomiting blood so I snatched her up and off we went to the ER which is 3 towns away.  WTF!  They ran xrays, started iv and kept her overnite to the tune of $800 and we still didn't know why she was sick.  I had to pick her up before 8AM monday morning and drop her off at our cat vet so they could check her out.  Well that was another $250 and still don't know why she was sick!  They ran more xrays and sent her home with 2 different meds that we have to give her twice a day for 10 days.  Have you ever tried to give a cat a pill?  It ain't easy.  I'm glad that she didn't have to have surgery but sure would like an answer about what was wrong.  The vet told us they could run a barium test to trace her digestive track but that was an additional $400 and we still might not know what was wrong so Mark decided to keep that $400 in his pocket instead.  Doesn't Clarice understand that she's destroying my Jovi Concert Fund?

Ran to Goodwill yesterday at lunch and scored a couple of little things.  I got 2 black frames for my needlework for $2.50, 2 pantry boxes (repo) for $1.91 and the big score, a pewter teapot for  $3.51.  I was beyond thrilled with it even if it does have a couple of dings in it.  I already had a sugar cone, nippers and creamer set but no teapot so I snatched it up in a heartbeat.  I already starting prim-ing up the pantry boxes last night along with a shelf and wooden charger that I picked up a couple of weeks ago.  I just need to swipe some stain on them tonight and then I'll be ready to decide if I'm keeping them or listing on ebay.  Mark just keeps repeating that I started all this to clean out closets not aquire more stuff for myself.  Silly boy doesn't get it yet.

Well guess I need to study for my insurance test so I'll close for now.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

TGIF

Another week under our belts and only 40 minutes until quiting time.  Yabba Dabba Do.....I'd love to hear that whistle blow and slid down the dinosaur about right now.  Mark just called to ask if I wanted to go out dinner tonight and I tried really hard pleading that I'm just too tired but he's just craving sushi and since that's not something I can whip up at home, guess we're going out to eat.

I had such grand plans for yesterday but as usual the best laid plans always go awry.  Nothing big just everything takes twice as much time as I think it should.  I got my haircut yesterday and I love it!  I did a modified Diane Keaton's hairstyle in the latest movie that she's in with Harrison Ford....just too cute.  I have bangs which are something I don't think I've had since 5th grade and let's not even discuss how long ago that was.  I've got a new hairdresser and I think I'm gonna really like her.  If nothing else, she cut my hair then I picked Mark up for lunch and we ended up at the same chinese food place. 

The carpet guy came and it looks wonderful.  He couldn't believe that we'd never had the carpets cleaned and we've lived there over 5 years.  I asked how often you should have them cleaned and he told me every 6 to 8 months but he figured I could go at least 24 months between cleaning.   He said that I was a fantastic housekeeper and I just had to chuckle...nope Dulbia is  ;) 

I never got to pulling out the christmas stuff yesterday because I got a wild hair that I should clean the laundry room and kitchen cabinets.  Hello, where does this crazy idea come from?   Anyhoo, I cleaned, reorganized and staged it so we can get it sold...oh wait  that's a line from one of my fave shows, Sell This House.  No, we're not selling the house, I just wanted to get my cabinets straightened out so I can find things.  I even cleaned the dreaded kitchen junk drawer.  I decided to buy these little stairstep shelves to use for my spices so in order to do that then the shelves must be higher so I might as well move those, clean the inside of the cabinets....well you know how projects get derailed.  I was up on the countertop trying to wrestle the shelf out of those stupid little plastic clips that keep in stable and I had a little bit of an issue.  I thought I was going to knock it upward with the heel of my hand but instead managed to hit it with my wrist.  OMG!  I broke the blood vessels and it immediately started swelling up and bruising.  I started crying and the carpet cleaner guy about fell trying to get downstairs to find out what I had done.  It's actually laughable now but at the time I felt so stupid!  So the moral of this story is Never Clean Your Cabinets Out On Your Day Off! 

Hump day

Well another week is half over and I just took my Halloween stuff down last night!  That class last week really threw me for a loop and I really need some recovery time with a good smutty book, martini and a bath.  Oh wait, I forgot chocolate!  Dulbia was coming to clean the house today so I took down all my stuff and left the house a blank slate for her to clean.  The smell of lemon pledge, clean counters and freshly cleaned mirrors just make me smile like an idiot.  I love Dulbia and do a happy dance on the days that she's coming to the house.  I know that I fought Mark really hard on getting some help with the housework because frankly, I felt there are only 2 of us and it's kinda partly my duty as the woman to get the house cleaned but I'm so happy that he went behind my back and hired her.  This working 6 days a week thing is for the birds and I just couldn't keep everything up so now I get the fun part of playing  house and it gets really clean every other week.  I don't say this often but he was right and I was wrong.....don't you dare tell him I said that.  For his birthday one year he's only request was that for an entire day I say "Yes dear" and "You're right and I'm wrong" all day long.  Needless to say that wish didn't come true and has about as much of a chance of me wearing a cheerleader uniform for him.  Bet that's a mental picture that you didn't need, huh! 

I'm off work tomorrow and I should be studying for my exam but instead I'm getting my hair done, meeting the carpet cleaners and decorating for Christmas.  I know it's too early but we don't have any family coming for Thanksgiving so I'm gonna just skip fall stuff this year.  Hey, next year when I pull it all out it'll all be new to me.  My memory suxs and I suffer from CRS!  This is how bad it is....I bought the exact same book 3 times before I realized I had already read it.  Mark will never let me forget it either.

I'm excited about getting my christmas stuff out and sorting thru more junk.  I did a pretty good job with halloween and weeding out things that just didn't suit my style.  I even sold most of it on ebay and made $100 so now on to christmas stuff.  I have a hard time separating the memories from the things so I can sell them but I'm kinda on a roll now so hopefully it'll be easy.  I cleaned my craft area on Sunday and found 3 sets of silver that Mark's mom gave me when we got married.  Now we've never used it just moved it from house to house so I thought I'd do a little research to see if it's worth anything or not.  I found one set is quite good so I'm gonna clean it up and sell it.  The teaspoons are selling for $30 each and I have a place settings for 12!  Wahoo more cash in my Bon Jovi fund.

Speaking of Bon Jovi, the newest cd came out yesterday and it's great.  It's got all the hits and 4 new songs which I love already.  They did a 1 night movie that was played on Monday so of course I went.  Maria and I just planned a girls night of laughing, catching up, eating and best of all singing along to our fave band.  The movie was really a concert that they did in Giants stadium last year and Maria and I wanted to go but couldn't so this was almost the next best thing.  I'm sure the dvd will be released in time for christmas since Jon is such a marketing guru and I'm sure his kids need new shoes so he won't miss the chance to sell it. 

I made the banner on the fireplace with scrapbook paper, newspaper and a pre-printed Happy Halloween scrapbook set.

Kitchen China Cabinet

Luv,Luv the peel and stick Haunted words and bats. I also got hooked this year on making little ruffled skirts for all my candle lights by sewing on crepe paper

My newest display and runner

Games!

Entry Hall

Well that's about all the news so have a great week and I'll see if I can't attach a couple of halloween shots to this post.

Insurance License Hellweek

OMG!  I'm gonna lose my freakin' mind before this is all done.  I swear I didn't know there were so many types of policies and I think I could have blissfully lived my life without knowing it too!  I think my head my explode before I finish this class not to mention actually taking the test.  When did bankers become insurance "producers"?  To quote Cher... If I Could Turn Back Time...I'd find a way to strangle the first banker that thought this was a good idea.  Or let's be really honest, If I Could Turn Back Time, I'd have the body of a 20 year old  :)  Seriously, 45 years old women don't comprehend all this stuff in 4 days of sitting in class from 8-6 with only 2 ten minute breaks and a hour for lunch!  Doesn't this guy know that after 1 1/2 hours all I can think about is my full bladder and I shouldn't have drank that bottle of water?  Hello????  See all of us 'just older"women fidgeting in our chairs and announce a potty break.  I'm really dreading taking this test and I swear the more practice tests I take online the worse my scores get.  Trust me if I'd had really any choice in pursuing this I wouldn't be sitting there trying to learn about insurance.  I guess I should consider myself lucky because they started the next round of layoffs yesterday and I haven't gotten a phone call to report to headquarters yet.  My heart really goes out to all these people because they have truly given blood, sweat and tears but we're part of a larger business now and it's streamlined.  We lost couriers, proof operators, bookkeeping, human resources, accts payable, loan processors, collections, ect....you get the idea...if you weren't frontline employees then it's all handled in Mississippi so we don't need GA folks.  We all knew it had to happen but thought most everyone would be spared until after conversion which is set for Mid January as of this moment.  I just got a text from corporate telling us that 41 people were let go today and that would have been just a little under half of the entire staff.  Wow!

Ok enough negative, I started ebaying again and happy to report that I made $109 last week.  I even managed to pick up a few items at goodwill for re-sale and they are already sold.  I scored Hallmark ornaments still in original boxes from late 90's and only paid $1.50 for them which I promptly turned into $25...i love it!  I got a few items that I'm primming up and then they'll be off to new homes unless I decide that I just can't part with them.  Mark keeps reminding me that I'm doing this to clear stash not drag more into the house.

Not too much stitching going on because of the long days, nites of studying and then collapsing into bed because I have to get up at 5:00 to start my day all over again.  Atlanta traffic suxs!  I'm leaving the house at 6:00 because class starts at 8:00 and if you are late, he sends you home and you'll have to take that morning's session at a another time.  Now, I'm not headed back down another negative rant so I'll tell you that I finished Trix or Trick from Blackbird Designs over the weekend.  It looks great if I do say so myself.  I started The Primitive Needles halloween design in the Just Cross Stitch mag from a couple of years back.  I know, I know...I'm obsessed with halloween but I just can't help it.

Speaking of Halloween, we had over 300 Trick or Treaters Sunday night!  I made treat bags as did Donna next door and they were all gone by 8:30.  The guys set up a firepit, I put out homemade goodies and guys put out a mini keg of beer which attracted the adults to the house in droves.  Yes, we checked ids.....as I roll my eyes at all you grownups thinking that I'd give beer to minors.  I found the greatest napkins that had a woman drinking a martini saying "Yes, you are so scary now get off my property so I can enjoy my drink"  too perfect for me to resist.  I want to know what is with kids ringing the doorbell after you turned off all the outside lights!  Were they raised by wolves and don't know any better?  We finally turned off all the inside lights as well and snuck around the house until after 10:00.  Ever try to sort laundry in the dark?  It ain't easy. My granny is rolling over in her grave thinking I've been married way to long if all I'm doing is laundry with the lights out.  She was quite a gal.

On that note, I'm off to cuddle my kitty, kiss my hubby and take my sleeping pills.  Hope everyone has a great week and remember only 2 more working days this week!