Tag: life

Oh NO! Again?

~ JodiLea ~ Leave a comment

I knew it was too good to last. As soon as the weather turned slightly warm, the utility company sent trucks to invade our neighborhood. These trucks had large equipment and assorted other machines that I did not recognize. Five (possibly more) crews of road workers have claimed the streets that I use to get to town.

The normal orange signs are posted:

This sign is new. They are posted on every street, multiple times. There is usually a crew for trenching, and one of them serves as a flagman. They are very casual about the major disturbance they are causing.

I was at a stop sign, wanting to turn left. My signal was on, so he would know what I wanted to do. After a few minutes, he waved me on, indicating I could turn left.

As I turned the corner and saw the road’s condition, I looked over at the guy. He nodded his head yes and waved me on impatiently. I just knew that this was a mistake!
Only half the road was available due to the massive machines lined up on the left. The road that I was supposed to drive on had a trench, and to the right of that was a pile of asphalt. My little Subaru was going to get dirty and possibly stuck.

I know that I had a wincing look on my face. I had to negotiate the road by driving split. The left tires rode inside the trench. The right tires flattened piles of asphalt. My car jumped and bucked like a rodeo bull. Had I not been driving, I would have been car-sick. Why people like off-roading, I will never understand.

All this roadwork is giving me flashbacks of last summer. Plenty of trenches were dug, but they blocked the road or put metal plates over them. Those trenches were 4 feet deep. And yet, no signs warned us back then.

Last week, I was a prisoner in my own home. I woke up to the sound of asphalt being scraped up and spewed into the back of a truck. This is not the sound one expects to hear when living in the forest.

The view is taken from my front porch. The noise is muted for the reader’s sake.

The following afternoon, another crew showed up and paved over the entire cul-de-sac and partway down the road. When we built our house and moved in the Summer of 2012, the road was falling apart. Fourteen years later, it is finally smooth and new.

I am expecting an Earthquake or a tornado any day now.

TTFN

Enough Said…

~ JodiLea

When I read this, I giggled. Then I realized it described my current state of mind. I am always busy juggling different projects. However, this week has been a torturous stream of events gone wrong.

It began with my computer getting hacked. Those terrorists are really improving their game, and I got caught off-guard that morning before I had my coffee. I won’t go into the blow-by-blow account of it all here. I became unglued, got professional help, and all is well now. (How is that for brief?)

The remaining hours of Monday went by in a blur. In fact, Tuesday through Thursday were blurrisome (A new word meaning “annoyingly vague”) also.

It was Friday that was vivid. A trainer at our new gym had to cancel our orientation appointment, so now we must wait until Thursday to learn how to use the equipment. Sigh. My plan to work on a baby quilt was delayed due to phone calls, emails, and snail mail having to do with either my medical situation or a quilter wanting or needing something. I don’t mind helping my fellow quilters, but everything takes time. Somehow, I don’t have enough time.

I get up early and go to bed late. I do not fiddle around. I need more sleep. I fall asleep in the weirdest places. Like my keyboard, at the dinner table. I should go to bed now, but I have some things to finish. That’s how it starts. Then I get to bed after midnight. Did I get a lot accomplished? Heck, no. I was too brain-dead after 10:00 pm. I do my best work in the mornings, so I will sleep on time and get up early. It won’t give me more hours, but I think they will be happier.

We will have to see about this…

Let the Games Begin!

~ JodiLea ~ 2 Comments
Bloganuary writing prompt
Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.
View all responses

Ever since I can remember, family gatherings meant playing games- cards and dominoes. After Thanksgiving dinner, we would work on a jigsaw puzzle. I say “we,” but I wasn’t much help when I was a kid. I was not included in all the games that were played. I would hang out in the family room regardless, just to listen. You never heard such arguing! My family was the original “Family Feud.”

Meanwhile, in a different town in California, my hubby’s family played games, mostly cards and dominoes. They were different from the ones my family played but just as competitive and loud. At the first gathering, my hubby took me to, I must have learned 7 new games. I was also told that to be in their family, I had to play pinocle. After many painful attempts to teach me that game, an exception to the rule was decided. I believe that not playing with me made the game fun for them again. I truly sucked.

Fast-forward to the present, and our kids and their kids are continuing with this tradition. The games have changed over the years, especially when hubby’s Uncle taught us ‘Hand and Foot.’ Everyone loves to play that one. I recommend that anyone not familiar with that game Google it. There are a million variations, but decide on one and have a blast!