In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb

Good Morning,

Well, it isn't morning anymore here in TN  (12:07 p.m.)  but I guess it is morning somewhere.

We spent 6 weeks in a warmer climate last winter.  Spent the time traveling around the Mesa, Apache Junction, and Phoenix, Arizona area.  Just loved the desert.  It was dry and sunny most of the time.  No heavy dew every morning.  We plan to go back to AZ again next winter.  I will post some pictures about our winter experience at a later date

Did you notice I said last winter?  I will not allow cold weather anywhere near me.  Spring has officially arrived at my home.  The robins as well as other birds have been busy gathering material to build their nests.  Spring bulbs have bloomed in the front of the house.  I need to start a list of new plantings for my rock garden by the front porch. Some of the plants had been there for a long time and weren’t very nice anymore.  They are now gone thanks to my husband who did all the hard work digging and removing the dead foliage.  I have been thinking about using some small bushes with the bird feeder and clematis as the focal point.  I was hoping to get into the city and take a look at what Lowe’s, Home Depot and Ace Hardware have for sale.  Weather man is talking about some heavy rain and thunderstorms later this afternoon.  I will put that on my list of things to do tomorrow.  We have a new deck in the back of our house right off our kitchen-can’t wait to sit out there with a good book and a cold drink.  The old saying for March “In like a lion, out like a lamb”.  Mother Nature got the lion part right, let’s hope she gets the lamb part right. 

We went to the Court House Annex a couple of weeks ago and did the early voting thing.  Glad that TN has early voting-we take advantage of it every time.  No waiting in line to vote.  I hope everyone gets out and votes in all the primaries and general elections.  It is important and your vote does count.  Sure getting tired of the political ads but I guess that is part of the process.

Last week I finally said to myself.  “Self, you need a haircut-a short haircut.”  O M G!  I told the hairdresser I wanted it short and she really took me seriously.  I packed away the hats I wore during my chemotherapy treatments in the summer of 2009 but I think I will dig them out again.  I keep thinking it will grow, it will grow.  (deep breath)  Let’s see-hair is suppose to grow approximately ½ inch a month.  Looks like it will be a very long month.  All it needs is one month and then it will be OK.  It has been a week now since I had it cut and it is really beginning to grow on me. Ugh, I didn't really say that did I?  Seriously, I do like it now that I have had time to get used to this length.

I am busy working on our income taxes and really want to get them finished by next Wednesday.  We file electronically so if you file by Wednesday (your return has to process through two Thursdays) usually can expect your refund deposited into your account on the Friday after the second Thursday after you file.  Of course that is, if the government hasn’t gotten overwhelmed with the volume of returns filed that week, changed things or decided to take a closer look at your return.  Bite your tongue.

I have been working on getting my work room a little more organized so I can find things easier.  We were in Habitat for Humanity this week and I found some clear plastic containers that will work great for my finished inventory for my websites and eBay.They are about the size of a shoebox and have a lid that snaps on to keep things from falling out.  At 50 cents apiece just couldn’t pass them up.  They look like new.  Glad I haven’t taken time to buy new ones.  I always seem to find something I can’t live without when I go into that place.   No more scrambling to find that item that just sold.    Daryl just rolls his eyes and says "Can I help you find something?" or "Did you lose something?"   All I can say is, "I know it is in here I just seen it last week".  All I can say is sometimes it makes life real interesting.  Why would I want to be all organized?  That would make life boring.  It is my afternoon project.  I probably won't get it completely finished today but it will be nice to get a good chunk of it done today.  Will be listing some items on eBay this weekend and will make it much easier and faster.

Has anyone started going through your closet to see what your clothes inventory looks like?  I did and decided to donate some things to Goodwill.  I no longer wear a large percentage of the pieces so thought someone else could use them.  With all the destroyed homes in our county last week l am sure they will go to some needy people.

Thanks for visiting my blog, sincerely hope you enjoyed it and will stop back again.  All comments and criticisms are welcome.   Well, hopefully light on the criticisms and heavy on the comments. 

Have a great day, LinRae

www.linrae.etsy.com

www.linraevintage.com 

www.ebay.com/claire402            

Wednesday,April 27, 2011 - The day so many lives were changed forever.

This last week has been a very stressful one with all the storms we had in this area on Wed, April 27^Th.  A total of 5 tornadoes went through our county (Bradley).  Two were on the west edge of the county and went south to north parallel to Interstate 75.  Three others went from the SW part of the county and angled to the NE through the entire Bradley County.  285 homes totally destroyed, 195 with major damage, 176 with minor damage with another 120 affected by the tornadoes.  I’m sure these numbers will be adjusted as the clean up progresses.  The death toll now stands at 9 with one person on this list that is still unidentified.  A MI women here visiting her son was among those killed.  There is still 4 roads closed due to powers lines down or trees.  Our county is a heavily wooden area.  There is so many trees down everywhere.  Some homes seem to be untouched while all the trees around the house where blown downed by the storm.  Two elementary schools heavily damaged.  Only 3 weeks left of this school year so they are trying to get set up in temporary quarters to finish the year.  Electricity needs to be restored to some other school facilities before they reopen this coming week.  Went out into the city Sat morning to get supplies.  They don’t want people out and about if they don’t need to be.  The worst storm Wed evening came within half a mile of a new elementary school that is under construction but won’t be finished until sometime this summer.  It was amazing how the Cleveland historical downtown area and Lee University as well as the entire business districts were by-passed.  As bad as it is here it is much worse in AL and GA. with hundreds of deaths (more still  missing) and thousands still without electricity.  Stories can be read on the clevelandbanner.com website if anyone is interested.

It seemed that as each storm came through they were a little farther east until that last one was less than 5 miles from our house. We live in the very eastern part of the county (only half a mile from the Bradley/Polk County Line).  We had no damaged to homes in our neighborhood.

We all need to continue to pray for all those who lost loved ones, those that lost their homes and businesses.  They have had their lives changed forever by these storms.