When You Least Expect It, Or, You Should Have Seen That Coming

Sleepy little girl. Snoozing Castle. She's about to lie down for a nap...

There are things in life that happen to us. Sometimes these things seem to take us by surprise. We are minding our own business, doing the things we do every day, when suddenly an event seems to fall right out of the sky, squashing is beneath its weight. We wonder why this is happening to us. We wonder why not someone else. We wonder, perhaps, why the powers that be seem to enjoy picking on us.

We didn't deserve this. We deserve better. This isn't fair.

Well, no, it isn't. But things aren't very fair to anyone else either.

I, personally, love the following quote from whom I have no idea. "Expect the unexpected, and the unexpected never happens."

It is simple wisdom I should follow that more closely than I have been.

Anything can happen at any time. Expect it to happen at some point, because really, at some point it will. Mentally prepare yourself for when something unpleasant pops up on your doorstep. But also know that unexpected good things will come your way too. This also merges with the concept of preparedness, making sure your stores are full, and you know how to use them.

Sadly, around my house, some of the household members are in the bad habit of not even wanting to think of something wrong happening. That would be unfair. Things should go smoothly because they deserve it. No hiccups. No side tracks. No plan 'B'. It WILL work because it simply SHOULD. No talking or thinking otherwise.

Now, there is positive thinking, and then there is simply putting blinders on. That has garnered more trouble than I could ever list. Just simply willing something to work for you will not make it so. The Lord will bless us for our faith, but after we have done all we can, and that includes preparing, physically and mentally, for the unexpected.

Things will happen as they will. Sometimes there is a greater purpose in things. Sometimes not. Expect it all to happen, especially the good. Prepare for the bad, embrace the good, and know that life has even more in store for us.

... Right against the one kitty who hates all the other kitties in the house.

She should have seen that one coming.

Lucky Girl

I've been very sick for two weeks now, and I know that is frustrating for my honey. He doesn't cook, and he works hard all day with frustrating people, so coming home and cleaning is an additional chore when he'd rather relax and try to detox. We've spent an obnoxious amount of money on eating out the past two weeks. He hasn't complained once about it. He's also kept the kitchen fairly clean (there have been small bouts of cooking to make it messy, plus just every day existing with a nine year old), as well as making sure the livingroom doesn't begin taking victims.

For Valentine's Day he cooked and cleaned especially for me. We had gone out together on Saturday, but that ended up being a little overwhelming for my system. So Sunday he decided he was going to make sure everything was taken care of for me. Even drew me a bath.

He tries so hard.

I'm very lucky.

I Needs Me Some Energy

I have been sick since Tuesday of last week. Well, I started feeling it then. It kicked into high gear on Thursday and is just barely letting go. Bronchitis is just evil. Not much has been done since I got sick because of the lack of energy and strength I have.

No Canyon, those sort of drinks are BAD for you.

I have all kinds of plans for when I am no longer hacking up my spleen and the effort of warming a can of ravioli nearly makes me faint.

Felted Slugs

Things have been a wee bit slow. Mostly my fault.  I just need to get some fire under my seat and get some things done. Like all those felted things I bought all that wool for.

I have a few things that are nearly done. But until they are, here is Hydra, probably asking the heavens why I pester her cuteness so much.

How can you resist those whiskers?

Not As Lemony Fresh

I have been cleaning the past couple days. I'm not nesting. I just need to get things under control once and for final before the mess grows a life of it's own and devours us all whole, kicking and screaming for help.

I just wish the cleaning aftermath didn't smell quite so... chemically. I should invest in more natural cleaners.

I wish it would smell more like lemons. Or oranges.

The Kitchen is almost all ticked off the list. Bits and pieces of other things that needed doing here and there around the house are getting done too. It will be nice when I can sit back and not worry about deep cleaning that needs doing, because it has already been done.

Her Highness

Gypsy views herself as queen of everything. She is very indignant despite her skittish nature. Everything and everyone is here to serve her, even if the people are not allowed in her illustrious presence.

Older brother Canyon is merely resting cushion.

Experimentations

Despite the previous post, I decided to try doing something new this evening...

Strawberry marshmallows dipped in chocolate. Oh so very healthy.

At least they make me smile!

Expanding

I just weighed myself for the first time in a long time. It wasn't pretty. However, the upside to this is that it has solidified my resolve to not cringe when I think of the scale and use it as a tool in my personal challenge to become healthier.

Yes, I too made one of those resolves to become healthier. I figured I would not worry so much about the aspect of the weight, but focus on the healthy and strong aspect. I am going to be walking, hiking, eventually running, cycling (once the bicycle fairy visits), swimming. I am going to kick some arse!

Shrinking in pounds and inches would be a bonus.

Procrastiblogging

We've all done it.

Told ourselves it was okay.

Committed to work it out.

Later.

Procrastination.

That has been the word for today. And yesterday actually. If you recall I made a list of things that needed to be done. Not all in one day mind you, but I had hoped to cross off at least two or three things. I can barely call one of the things done. Well, yes, my house is a mess. It has a way of looking like it barely survived a natural disaster, but just barely.

We, the husband and I, however, have been working on that. Storage bins are a wonder. It's amazing the stuff that can be kept off the floor, raised surfaces, and ceiling fans simply by putting it into a storage bin! Hallelujah! The hallway is now cleared out, and the bedrooms have that to look forward to (see the previously posted list). With the other cleaning we have been doing, the kitchen monster is now whimpering instead of heaving its deafening roars. The bathroom goblins are close to extinction. And the living room, well, that's sort of a constant battle, just as easily won as lost.

However, instead of raising my battle cry at the top of my lungs yesterday whilst running headlong into the fray, I sort of muttered and schlumped slowly forward into the fringes. But, I did get a lot of the scary things that were clawing their way out of the sink defeated, and I believe I have all the dishes in check now. I even get a life mushroom for cleaning the microwave. Yesterday wasn't a total loss.

Today is sort of looking the same. I'll get things done. It will be slowly though, between blogging, reading blogs, laughing at blogs, and cruising through blogs.

And I didn't really want to get out of bed either.

Looking at little Jupiter so warm and cozy is making me want to go back to bed...

Because I'm Magically OCDelicious!

I have a thing. It's a thing for lists. I need lists. I discovered this working as a gas station attendant right after high school.

See, I am quite certain that while I was blessed with certain gifts (the ability to cry no matter what I am feeling and how much I don't want to, the talent to slaughter simple drawing paper with pencils and paints on occasion, etc.), our kind and gracious Father In Heaven opted not also bless me with much of a memory. And before you start, I KNOW you can work on that, improve your mental prowess by doing various brain exercises. However, my brain is about as lazy as the rest of my body.

Hence the need for lists.

I learned very quickly, from the aforementioned job, that if I did not write down everything I needed to do in order to have the store ready to close for the night, invariably I would forget something. Mopping the floor. Dismantling the soda machine. Cleaning the vile cesspit called the men's restroom (though I wonder if my brain was working on behalf of my olfactory senses on that one). And in forgetting to do that in a timely manner, I would remember to do it just before they demanded I clock out. Misers hated to pay over-time.

Now, if these were things to be done directly after closing, it would not be much of an issue. However, the majority of these things needed to be done before closing, and in needing to be open whilst I did this, it ensured that customers would interrupt with needing their $50 bucks worth of individually picked Lotto tickets and scratch-offs, four cartons of Marlboro Reds hard pack, and oh yeah, toss this magazine in for good measure.

My brain simply cannot handle maintaining a list while trying to count out change, watch gas pumps, and wonder what that shifty looking, pimply teen is doing over by the specially bagged 'naughty' mags.

It made life so much easier once I started keeping a list on paper. This continues to hold true.

This is my list for the day. Things that need to be done, things I want to accomplish, and some stuff I need to purchase at some point. I find that this sort of list helps me keep a little more focused on what is screaming at the top of its lungs for attention.

That and I also secretly hope that this will motivate the husband to know what needs to be done. Hasn't worked in 10 years though. I should give up on that. He does work on dishes frequently, and occasionally vacuums. I'll take that and run.

***********************************************

On a side note, I would like to state that apartment living offers up many advantages, as well as dis-advantages. I can only assume the following people were doing this because of the apartment living dis-advantage of not having an actual yard.

Why yes, that IS a Lowe's cart with a cardboard sign taped to it saying 'YARD SALE'!

What's that?

Oh, yes, they are staked out roadside in the middle of a shopping/industrial area!