STREZZED OUT

Hard to believe that just a year ago yesterday I was 39 weeks prego and Mike and I were on our big last hoorahh trip to Boston. That little weekend escapade was so incredible and relaxing. Wish I could have done it again this year... unfortunately no time to take a day off. Not so much because I have a teething baby, although that doesn't help things any, but because work has been just overwhelming.

Plus I have so much personal junk that I just haven't been able to do because I need a day off from work to do it all and I haven't been able to take a day. And it's not that my boss said "NO" because he said "Sure, whenever you need to go." But I just haven't been able to. Too busy. I could take a day... but then that would mess me up on all these tight deadlines, presentations, shoots, and other madness I'm trying to juggle. It's getting so frustrating.

And in the midst of all this, there's a million events coming up I need to plan for. Bday parties, bachellorette parties, graduation parties, bridal showers, bike week, the annual dance recital we shoot for work.... So there's presents to buy, invites to send, RSVPing to do, babies to arrange.... I just can't seem to get a leg up on the pile.

So why am I taking the time to complain about it when in the time it takes me to write this blog, I could have made 5 phone calls, shopped online, printed some invites, and coordinated my calendar?! I dunno. Don't ask me stoopid questions right now. I'm too twazzed out.

As you can imagine, with a mental load like this, I've been less then proactive in the hacienda department. But, with this past weekend as rainy as it was, who really cares, right? Good time just to hang in and try to get a grip on yourself.

But our good friend Timmy who did the roof on our house stopped in to take some measurements out at the new garage addition and write up a materials list. He's going to give Mike a hand in building and roofing the roof, hopefully this Sunday if the weather holds out.

And as for the porch, I still don't know, but I'm beginning to think not, which is pretty disheartening. I think if I'd known that things were going to be this crazy now, I would have definitely shelled out the cash to finish the thing the same year we started.

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August = Ahhhh, Uuugh, Grrrr, Urg, Sh*t, Tired

The past few weeks have been nothing but pure unadulterated madness. And though I've said that many a time before, this is some kind of August super madness never before seen! I've been traveling for work, working early, working late, stressing out.... Meanwhile Mike's been taking guy's weekends, working mad side jobs, stressing out, going to dentist appointments, working for friends....

There have been disasters and emergencies too - just sprinkled in, you know, to keep me on my toes.

Here it is the 20th, and I've barely had time to count the minutes ticking by! Even now, I'm here working early, writing as I'm rendering, and dreaming of bad bad bad for me food. Not that it will help me get through this, another crazay day.

Back at home, everything lies in waste. The balusters haven't been attached to the stair railing. The bottom stair railing has not been started. Chad has not come over to give us an estimate on the roofing. And for once I can say that procrastination and lazyness have no part in the equation!

But last weekend being the tax free weekend - and me having several hours in between prepping for a little girls dinner party.... not little girls, little dinner party. Anyway, I had to make some sort of purchase to help out the economy. You know me, always thinking of the economy. =)

I would have liked to purchase all the roofing on tax free weekend, had I time to have planned ahead. But no dwelling on lack o' Chad for now, no time. So I purchased some wood blinds for the kitchen at Lowe's.

I was pleasantly surprised at the price - and they had my color and size in stock. I had decided, since the Lowes was in a brand new shopping plaza, I should shop around and see if any of the other stores had them for a lower price. Shockingly - no other store even had them. Not Target, Linens 'n Things, JC Penny.... at JC Penny you'd have to order them. Isn't that ridiculous? There was one lady ordering some blinds and I nearly told her to go over to Lowes. But, again, lack of time prevented it.

Now here's the really amazing thing - I went home and installed them myself and they turned out great. Normally, when I try and do anything I end up putting it together backwards or I have something upside down... it never seems to work out. But these are perfect.

That's my one story. I'm really hoping that things calm down and return to normal after this weekend.... I can't take much more of this.

Frustrations

You know of course that no weekend could be as productive as last weekend.... which has got me wondering, "Why am I so tired right now?"

I vaguely remember waking up from a bad dream last night - and although I can't remember the dream, I have a feeling it may have been Historical Commission related, or at least Historical Commission induced.

All weekend I felt stressed - for no particular reason I could figure out. Just a little of that dreaded free floating anxiety.... And I really believe it's all due to this upcoming meeting.

I'll catch you up if you've fallen behind - a new Demolition/Alteration bylaw requires us to appear before the Historical Commission before we can get our farmer's porch permit approved. That's the short of it. The stress of it is - Andersons. They're our neighbors and they don't like us. And they like to share their dislike of my husband and I (and our house) at public forums. Like this upcoming Historical meeting.

There's this little worried voice in my head that even worries about this blog. I mean, you can pretty much figure out who we are, what our address is, etc etc if you just put a few pieces together. And the pics don't lie either. Those Andersons could be reading this very sentence right now... as unlikely as that is. They're older and don't seem like the tech-savy type. But you never know.

And I realize that's probably silly. What could they say anyway? A farmer's porch is unhistorical? It's ruining the neighborhood? I can't even imagine...

I've got a girl friend (not a girlfriend, mind you) who's already got her farmer's porch half done. Sans permit. I'm so jealous I can't see straight. My carpenter and good friend TJ assures me that we'll get started ASAP once our permit goes through. And why am I in such a hurry - it's not even warm enough to go out and sit on it yet!

This is just all the mental madness I'm going through right now and it's exhausting.

That's why Mike is going to the meeting without me - I get waaay too mental if and when sh*t hits the historical fan.