Sunday - November 5

Dennis spent the morning upstairs removing base boards, pulling up carpet, and getting the master bathroom ready for the tile installer to come tomorrow.  Woooo, I can't wait!  We are having 16" Travertine tile set.  It's going to be so nice to have that carpet out of there.  I have regretted having carpet since we moved in this house.  The toilet compartment has tile but the largest area with the vanity, tub and shower is carpeted. 

We have to take out clothes for 2 days and our shampoo, towels, etc. because we won't be able to walk on the tile until it is completely set and the grout is done.  The whole job should be done by Wednesday.  Thank goodness we have two other showers.

After the tile is done, we will buy new carpeting.  Hopefully we will have that done before Christmas.  We are going to replace the carpet in our walk-in closet, our bedroom, the guest room and Cari's room.  Then all the carpet in the house will have been replaced within the past 2 years and we'll be set for a while.

I'll be posting pictures when the job is done.  I hope to make Martha Stewart envious.   LOL

We had a great birthday celebration for Bryan.  Our plans changed a little so I got out of buying cake and ice cream.  They came around 3:00 in the afternoon and visited before dinner.  We gave him his gifts and went to dinner at 5:00.  We went to a restaurant called BJ's (his initials) and had an hour wait for a table.  We were able to wait outside so the kids could run and play.  Once seated, we had a great waiter.  I think it helped that he and Sam knew each other from high school.  He gave us great service and he got a great tip in return.  The only bad thing was the place plays the music so loud that you must yell to be heard.  The noise level in the place was unbearable.  There was a small blessing to that, though, no one could hear Andrew's fussing about having to sit still above all the noise.  LOL

It was a clear, hot day here.  It got up into the low 90's.  From the top of the hill, you could see forever!  Awesome.  I got my grocery shopping done and a few loads of laundry.  I sat down and made my Christmas Card list and started to draft my annual Christmas newsletter.  I made a month-to-month outline of all that happened this year and I'm going to have to do some serious editing to fit it into a one page letter.  I don't believe in sending long, detailed letters that cause yawns and people to dread opening them -- just the highlights and a few pictures.  I refuse to be one of those who brags about every little thing and who goes on and on about how wonderful the family is and how the world is such a better place because they are in it.  LOL 

I looked at Christmas cards last night at one of the stores.  They averaged $14.99 for a box of 16 cards.  With my list, that would  be around $120 for cards and postage.  I'm going to have to find less expensive cards and cut that total way down.  I'm going to go out and look again tomorrow.  I think WalMart had some nice cards last year for a lot less than $15 a box.  I don't care if folks think "I Don't Care Enough To Send The Very Best".  

Our kids have abandoned us for Thanksgiving.  As soon as they found out my parents weren't coming, they all made other plans.  In a way, that gets me off the hook.  No big dinner to cook, no mess to clean up, and no left overs to worry about.  But on the other hand, it hurt my feelings that they didn't even ask if our plans changed because mom and dad weren't coming.  They just dumped us like hot potatoes.  I'm going to deal with them about this and let them know how I feel but the deal for dinner is no longer an option.  Dennis and I are going to Disneyland.  Screw 'em.   (I know that was blunt but sometimes I just have to be blunt.  No apologies there.) We are excited about it and plan on having a great time.

I feel better now.