Time flies- it's already November!

Haven't been to the blog in awhile- today's the day! Alone in the house on a Saturday, and it's misty weather outside. Have learned alot these past two months, mainly how to manage (sortof) the five year old gestapo in the household. Basically a sweetheart of a kid, but then you say "no" to something and the other personality emerges. As long as you try to reason, or argue, you get nowhere. Other than prolonging the inevitable meltdown, it's a lose-lose situation. So, I've discovered that if I just clam up and walk away, she all of a sudden has no one to fight with. And I don't lose my temper and hate myself afterwards.
Our mornings (except for two) have been going ok. Getting lunch packed, breakfast, her ready to catch the bus, all things considered. I don't even start the process until her mom leaves for work, and before Grandpa Tom gets back from the YMCA. She's so cute when she's all ready for school, braids or ponytails and all smiles. Gotta love it. And when she gets off the bus with her backpack and is greeted by the dogs, it's really special to be there.
So, full-time Grandma is happy with her choice to be the one that gets to be here for the school days! I am still sorting through my "stuff" from Oregon and have managed to get all the boxes up off the garage floor and onto shelves. Today my two suitcases went out to storage and I can work on space in my area upstairs (office, closet, etc.)
My last trip to Baker was two weeks ago, and I had to say good-by to Rock Creek, leaving it for Dutch and Marna to move in there. They had to do alot to move all my bedroom things upstairs, as well and the leftover office stuff, etc. One day I will have to deal with all of it again. But for now, I at least have what I need here, and if I ever get to bring furniture to this house, then we will see what needs to come.
Tonight I'm going to Seattle and meeting up with Kaite and attending the Heather Tartan Ball and Silent Auction put on by the Scottish Association in Seattle. So, we'll see how that goes, hope the people are friendly! Will post more later.

Full time Grandma- week 3 Sept 19-25 2010

OK, I just posted, and it didn't publish any of it, no photo's nothing, just the Title. I'll be back, I'm a little torked just now! GRRRRRR!!!!

Well, I'm up early this morning, getting some pictures posted. Still learning, I see I have the school bus on there twice, and can't delete one. Oh well. Cara had school three days this week and now she's at her Dad's overnight. The mornings are becoming routine, we pick out the clothes the night before, to save arguments. Making breakfast, packing lunch, getting hair and teeth brushed consumes the morning before school! Heather leaves at 6:50 for her van pool. Glad I'm here to fill in the gap. School bus comes at 8:15 am. Tues/Thurs/ every other Friday. We will get used to the schedule eventually. Already have a play-date on Monday with Elliot, a little girl from church and school, lives about 4 miles away. Cara went there last Monday and played, Elliot's coming over here next. Hope it doesn't rain, but either way, it will be nice for Cara to have a friend over to play with. Heather coaches a Cheer squad, so she has a game this morning, and Tom's group at church has a BBQ at Kyak Point at noon. I need to check on the prices of my presciptions, as they will need to be refilled soon. Walmart or Cosco should be the best prices. I woke up at 2 am with a leg cramp, and have been up ever since. Will need a nap this afternoon! Cleaned out the bookcase and took some books to the used bookstore. Will be taking more, I am only keeping 1/10 of the books I brought as I gave Cara my tall bookcase for her room last week. So, I should have lots of credit coming, when I need a new read! Keeping Diana Gabaldon books, Harry Potter and Twilight Series, plus a few others. Still have lots of boxes in the garage to go through, as I make space, I go find something. When Tom gets the shed done, I can move some kitchen things in there. Hope to get to clearing out the outside storage areas soon! The house is getting better at least! Three generations in one small farmhouse, with no storage inside, it's a challenge!

Weeks 1 & 2 with Grandma Karen

Week 2 Grandma Karen

So, I'm already behind on my blog posting. Last Thursday was Cara's first day of KG at Lakewood Elementary School. Teacher is Mrs. Reynolds, who is very organized and has the best personality for the first timers! Cara goes all day Tuesday and Thursday and every other Friday. So last week she only went one day and had 4 days off! This week, three days, so we will see how she does. Came home Tuesday and was cranky and tired, took a two hour nap! She is excited in the mornings to get ready and catch the bus. I am so glad I am here for this! I am designated child care, and resident "Hazel" and it is great. Getting things squared away in the house is taking some time, and then I need to work on the outbuildings to make more efficient use of the storage. These last two weeks have been technologically trying. The router I put in for the laptop works, but my laptop will not connect to the network. so now, I have a 100 Ft. ethernet cord, wrapping along the dining room wall, and up the stairs to connect my laptop. Then today, needed to print for Tom, and printer would not work. Spent 1 1/2 hr on the phone with tech support, and they finally decided to send me a new printer. I did get a new cell phone provider, and finally got my old nuymber ported over, and my email accounts are working. That took about three days! So, hope to get all of that behind me and have a functioning office area.
Hope this is not too boring for anyone, but it's my life at the moment! I have loved being the cook, and maid for the house, met a gal yesterday at Winco Foods that has three children and her mom is the caregiver, and they all live together. She says she couldn't manage without her mom helping out. So, it's a trend. Hey, I'm trendy! Husband is still working on the little cabin, he's sure it is the answer, but it seems we all are doing okay in the same house, at least for now! I just need more storage, or at least a closet!

Moving to Washington

It's been an interesting transition to full-time grandma! Left Rock Creek on Saturday September 4th, 2010 shortly after noon. Shed some tears. Pulling a 6x10 U-haul which was quite full, bigger than I had ordered, but all they had to give me. So, I had more belongings than I had planned to take with me on this first trip. GMC Envoy pulled it fine, but alot slower on the interstate, so I was looking at a ten hour (minimum) trip. Sweet Husband said that he would leave Arlington and meet me in Ellensburg, and transfer the trailer to his truck, giving me a break from towing. So, after 6 1/2 hours of travel, around 7pm. I met up with him and Cara at the Gas station and fruit stand outside of Thorp. They were so cute, standing by I-90 waving as I headed for the exit. Well, as usual, Murphy's law kicked in. We unhooked my rig from the trailer and he backed up. He had to take the ball off his stinger and use my two inch ball to tow. That was the first hurdle. First went upstairs above the Fruit satnd to the antique mall to buy a pipe wrench. Since it was an "antique, it cost about $30. Then he struggled with the pipe wrench and channel locks to get the ball off the stinger. It wasn't budging. So, now it's 8 PM. I'm wanting to just hook myself back up and get on the road. But, you know guys, they have to keep trying. So, I went back to the last exit to see if the truck stop had a 2"trailer ball. No such luck. Then I went downtown Ellensburg to Fred Meyers, to get another pipe wrench. Lo and behold, they also had a trailer ball. I got both, another $30 and went back to the fruit stand. Forgot to mention the wind was blowing gale force, and we were all in our sweatshirts and still cold. Now it's 9PM. Tom attached the ball and hooked up to the trailer. Plugged in the lights, guess what, his plug slightly different than mine, so no lights. I'm, again, ready to hook myself back up and just go! Tom stripped his plug and wires each one into the trailer wire separately. Finally,,,,,,,lights. It's 10 PM. Everyone went to the bathroom, got drinks for the road and we commenced on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass. About at the top it was raining and in a constructon zone with barrels and lanes narrowing, Tom decides that Cara need to switch to my rig, he exits, I'm too far behind navigating barrels to notice. So I had to go downhill to Denny Creek exit, and wait for him to catch up. It's midnight. Finally pulled into the driveway sometime after 1am. I have been awake since 4am, packing, loading and driving. Got to bed around 2am. Sunday church was at 9am and by the afternoon I was a zombie! But, Grandma Karen is in Washington to start her shift(13 years worth). HooRay!

Big Changes Ahead

Time is running out! In two weeks I will be leaving Haines, Oregon, the wonderful home and place for 28 years. Going to Arlington, Washington to be a full time Grandma to Cara. Leaving the Real Estate Business, two rental houses in Baker City and the home place in Rock Creek, and the job at the Chamber of Commerce/ Visitor Bureau that has been a lifesaver for the past 19 months. Also my church friends, the Eastern Oregon Celtic Society and the many clients who have become friends. But.... the pull to be there for Cara and Heather has been with me since the year 2000, even before Cara was born. So, It's been a long time coming!
Husband Tom made the move in January 2009, and has been struggling with his own trials and getting a business going in the bad economy where no one knows him.
Cara starts Kindergarten this year, and I have wanted to be there to get her on and off the school bus, not have her in day care before and after school, and grow up a latch-key kid when she's older. It's important to me, she's been in day care 3 years already, and it's time. Heather's done a great job juggling her job, child rearing and her life, but it will be good to add to the support.
Scary for me, I won't have a job. Want to go into the mini-donut business, so I can earn something to get by. Pray it all works out!!!!! We just have faith that this is the right thing to do and that we can manage to all live together somehow!
Speakling of the living situation. The farmhouse is really nice, but not all that big, and no storage at all. So my first month after I move is clearing out storage areas in the out buildings, and figuring out what I can move from Rock Creek . Then I'll come back to Haines and bring what I feel I need, store boxes in the attic for the future, and get rid of the rest. So, I'll be living out of stored tubs, boxes, etc. Definately a challenge and change of living situation. So, by fall I should be somewhat set up, and also move the two horses to Washington, another challenge.
So........for today, lots of empty boxes waiting to be filled an labeled! Wish me luck!