raindrops

my new pal Thelma and I are going to go goof around this afternoon.  Thelma is 84 years young, has gorgeous snow white hair......she used to create and sew wedding dresses......she no longer sews or drives, but she is lively and kind.

my friend Helen left for Modesto on Monday to spend a month or three with another daughter.......I will miss her very much.  God has given me such a heart for these ladies......feel that God has gifted me these friends since Grandma passed away.  Grandma and I were always close, she always inspired me.......she was kindness personified.......Thelma and I chatted after Owls on Wednesday......she likes to get out......but without being able to drive it's harder for her now.  There is no local transportation in our area.....we plan to run a few errands, go out for a late lunch and visit a thrift store or two.  Plan to have her back home before it gets dark.......wish me luck finding her apartment.  I am not good at finding new places, but we have a plan.  I'm to drive to the apartment complex community center and call her, she'll come out and show me where she lives.  Love having a solid easy plan!

stella came to clean yesterday.......my living room furniture is in a new configuration which makes life more fun at home.  i can't change the furniture in the bedroom or the kitchen but the living room is doable and so we did!  she also helped me put two $20 plastic shelving units together for the garage and then we spent a good while tidying one side of the garage.  so happy to get so much done, super grateful to have Stella's help!  she is very organized and so fast!  she was gently fussing at me .....wait Ruthie, I'll put those shelves together.......and I said No, I am a grown up girl my friend, I can do this!  I sat at the front of my recliner seat and put those bad boys together!  Ha, lots of things I CAN DO!  And so I did......

I gave Stella a white side table as partial payment, we barter a bit to bring costs down.......she's always admired it.....I love it too but so rarely use it.......it will bring her pleasure so why not give it a good home! She went through my donations and chose a small wooden easel, some outdoor pillows and such. 

I'm sore but feeling better than I expected to.  Continue waking up anywhere from 3 am to 5 am......this is not good, I end up going back to sleep eventually but I hope this is a glitch and not the new sleep pattern here. 

This morning I took the items off the overhead shelf in my laundry room and organized it.  Ahhhhh, so much better.  My plan for Operation Help Yourself is coming along........sure there are days and weeks in between but it's humming along, I feel lighter with every improvement.  Next time Stella comes we're going to go through the lower kitchen cabinets.  YAY!

So far I've done the following at home:

Kitchen drawers, upper kitchen cabinets

Laundry room shelves and three cube storage piece

Bathroom drawers, medicine cabinet, vanity and antique bookshelf filled with baskets

Bedroom - two shelves in the armoire, one drawer

Nightstand closest to my side of the bed

Still have the other nightstand, two more drawers to go

All the drawers in the triple dresser and most of the closet.  I went through 2/3 of my shoes and stopped. 

But I will get there, the exercise is good for me........it's hard, have to pace/rest.......wait and wait and wait, but I like to move if I feel purposeful........I don't like to do exercises really.......I like to exercise in the pool, walking through stores......does that make sense?  I like to have my brain engaged on a project while I move.  Still remember after the kids were born going to exercise classes with pals and HATING IT!  That whole Jane Fonda organized exercise stuff is torture to me.......TORTURE!   Dumb perhaps, true?  Totally!

I need to get a shower, put my blouse in the car.......got a blouse for Thanksgiving and it's so long!  The back goes to the middle of my knees........ugh.  I like longish blouses, but this just looks too weird to me.  So I'll head to the dry cleaners close by, they said they can have it back to me before Thanksgiving next week.  Great!

After that I'll head to Thelma's.......see her place, chat awhile, then head on to Winder.  I accidently left my recycling bin at the thrift store donation drop off yesterday.  Called them, a young lady named Destiny has it up at the front by the register waiting for me.  So glad they have it still......it's owned by my waste management company.  I slid it into the car and filled it with donations, meaning to ask for it back.......but FORGOT it.......doh!!!!!!! 

After that we're going to visit a newly opened Goodies and go into Bealls also........then lunch.  She likes to eat a big lunch/early dinner around 2 pm.....she would like to either go to Applebees....she said she's always wanted to go to one, but never been or she wants to go to IHOP for a waffle.......works for me.  I'm not a big fan of Applebees, but I can handle a meal there now and again.  I suggested Fatz Cafe and she said nooooooo, I don't like that place at all. So that's out! 

Wow, I'm all of a sudden tired, think I've probably been repetitive here, if so, sorry!  Need to grab a shower and get dressed......hang in there with your life and times..........hugs, ruthie