Yahoooo! June 6^th 2015 I hit a hundred and fifty days without soda! So proud of myself! I have gotten to the point where I don’t really think about it. The only time I do if Jeff brings up yummy drinks to make with soda in it. That is the only real time I think about soda. I don’t even dream about soda anymore.

For my hundred and fifty days without soda reward I decided to get a cross stitch project. Okay this is strange. Was searching the internet for a project and I really wanted to do a history cross switch. Maybe a landmark or maybe people. Wasn’t sure. For whatever reason there isn’t anything really out there for historical things. I am surprised.

Anyways I have done some Posy collection pieces for my dad because he is really into history like me. He got me into history. I was looking on their website and found one I totally love. But get this instead of ordering it online you actually have to call. What? That is so old school!

I haven’t got it yet but I will take a pic when I get it. It’s really cool it’s four versions of the American Flag. Starts out with the British flag and the last one is the flag we have now. It’s so neat! I can’t wait to stitch it.

I am so proud of myself for making it this far. Next fifty days please!

Um…hi

Last Sunday May 24 2015 we met my father in law’s girlfriend. But first let’s do a back story.

My mother in law died three years ago. She was an amazing person. I loved her as much I love my own mother. We had an awesome relationship! I miss her very much. I guess I should say we all miss very much!

After her passing my father in law Ken told us that they talked about what would they if one should die before the other. The answer is to not live this life alone. We can’t argue that. It’s just I think that Ken should had a talk with Jeff about it. It’s not that Jeff objects to it, it’s just strange because Ken only waited a year after.

So about a year after her passing Ken had a brief relationship and we met her. Her name was Karen. This only a year! It was so very strange. I even felt awkward meeting her. I can understand Jeff being weirded out.

After Karen there was, get this. It’s strange. Caron another Karen just different spelling. They went for a while and we met her. She is strange. She really shy and that is not the reason why she is strange. You know with some people you get a strange vibe. Yeah I get that from her. Anyways she lets her daughter run her life. It’s so wrong. Her daughter and she live in a duplex side by side. Her daughter has a daughter and makes her mom watch or should I say raise her. It’s ridiculous! And she doesn’t stand up to her. Jeff and I just knew that Ken and she wouldn’t last because of that. Ken is in is mid-sixties. He raised kids all ready. Guess what? That is what it came down too. Ken had enough of waiting for her and her grandchild.

However they are friends. Even though when they are together and we see them. It seems like they are dating just how they act towards each other. It’s very strange but whatever. Oh and if she calls for anything, Ken is out the door really fast. I say the queen called and her royal subject better get over there. We laugh about that.

Then he went on some dates here and there. We started to lose track of all the dates. Till recently. This past weekend we had Monday off because Memorial Day. Ken was gone from Friday till Monday night. He is never gone that long. It’s not like we care. Actually opposite we could care less. It’s his life. Anyways we met his girlfriend Elena on Sunday. And I have to say she is a very nice lady. Older than the others but I think that is good thing. Ken and Elena are both in their sixties. I think that it’s great because they are closer in age. Can talk about more things.

I understand from Jeff’s perspective seeing his dad with another woman is strange. I think I would feel the same way if it was my dad with another woman. But I also look at how happy Ken is when they are together. And I think that if it was my dad. I would want the same. I would want him to happy too. So I think that it’s great that Ken and Elena are together. We will see what the future holds. But I have good feeling about her. And like I said she is a really nice and funny lady. Easy to get along with.

Why so annoying always?

For once in my life I would like to have neighbors that aren’t so annoying or mean. Just once, is that too much to ask for? I think not.

Have you ever live in an apartment complex? I have in a couple actually. Those walls in an apartment are thin you can hear everything! A neighbors having a fight? Yes and it felt like I was in the same room. This one apartment we lived in we swear that the guy was beating his girlfriend up or threw down the stairs more than once. The police would come over some of those times. Or they were throwing bowling balls down the stairs. One of those probably the first one. It was scary and loud. Same neighbor guy he would get so drunk and at three a.m. come knocking on all our doors because he couldn’t remember where he lived. Someone called the cops on him again.

A different apartment complex we lived in the lady who lived underneath us would slam her door. Every freakin’ time she would come and go. And at all times of the day and night. So one day early in the morning Jeff slammed our door really, really hard. So hard that she had people over and they all stared at us as we walked away. I am sorry but it was really funny. Come to find out her door wouldn’t lock and that why she was slamming it. After we did that though she finally had someone come over to fix but it was like a whole year of slamming the door.

The slam door lady was a smoker and we are not. She would smoke a lot and the wind would bring up the smoke to our apartment. At first I could ignore but everything in our apartment to started to smell like smoke. So was my bright idea. I took a can of Glade air freshener and just sprayed all of it out the window it was windy that day. So I know all that Glade went into her apartment. After that she smoked outside instead of inside of her apartment.

We also had a very old couple live underneath us and Jeff and I would love to Rockband. We would play till ten but anything after that we would get a broom in the floor. Yes they would use a broom or whatever and knock on our floor. We had a garage with this apartment. One day I was out there all by myself doing something with the car. When our old neighbor guy beneath us came over to see what I was doing. And also to flirt with me. This guy could have been my grandpa. Till Jeff came up and he backed off so fast. It was funny.

Then we lived in a duplex. The couple we rented from lived on the other side. They were so awesome for all about a couple of months. Then they sold to Jehovah witness family. They were so strange! They wanted our half but we had a lease. Also in the lease they had to shovel and mow the lawn. They would wait so long to shovel and wait even longer to mow the lawn to make us mad, I guess. We didn’t get all that mad. It was family that consist of two brothers and their wives, no children. One of the brother’s wife was confined to a hospital bed and all we heard all night and all day was her moving the bed. You know that mechanical sound. The other wife would write to Jeff and leave the letters on our doorstep. They were letters about her family or why she didn’t really like her husband. Weird shit like that.  Lady we laughed at you. Then when we moved they asked if we would keep in touch. That made me laugh even harder. Yeah right weirdos!

Then we moved to a house in the current small town we live in now. Our next door neighbor was nice but strange as well. Stu was his name. Anytime I would go outside he would want to chat for hours! And he kept telling me that I should marry the mailman. What? There was definitely some lose screws in that brain. If he saw Koko outside he would just come over and pet him. Then I will let Koko in and he would chat and chat on how he had dog. All the conversations were always the same. So boring. I started to make up excuses to leave.

On the other side of that house was wood man. We called him that because when it got warmer outside, he would chop wood at seven a.m. in the morning every morning. On weekdays! Can’t wait to do that on the weekends? Also our bedroom window was near his chopping block. What an asshole. The only reason we left that house is not because of the neighbors is because we got robbed. Went on vacation and came back with all our stuff missing. And guess what our neighbors saw nothing.

The next house we lived in was in a little small town just a little further then where we live now. The neighbors behind us would have loud parties a lot of the times. Also the neighbor behind us had a little girl that would just come over to our yard. Wanting to play with Koko. I am sorry the answer is no. I don’t know this little girl and I don’t want to be responsible for her. Not saying that Koko would do anything but still.

This house was the first house were our landlords were total assholes! We had to fight for everything. Our bathroom was leaky and had mold making me sick. They refused to redo our bathroom. We had to fight them and told them we will take them to court. So they fixed the bathroom. That house had no dishwasher. We asked if we can change or add anything. They told us yeah whatever we wanted. We added a dishwasher. When they came over to check on the bathroom the landlord threw the biggest hissy fit about adding a dishwasher when he told us that we could whatever we wanted. Then our fridge went out. All appliances they had to take care of. They had to replace the fridge. Fought them on that. When they brought over the fridge it was so filthy!

Two landlords’ husband and wife. The wife was a total bitch and was the instigator for the fights. When the husband was by himself he was actually nice. Finally we had enough of fighting with them. We wanted out of our lease and they agreed. Probably happy to get rid of us. They didn’t charge us for the rest of the rent. And we took out that dishwasher and made it like it wasn’t even there. We cleaned and then moved everything before telling them we wanted out. When they came back to do final inspection their faces were priceless! I wish I could have taken a picture. We had to do legal action like a certified letters to say they can’t come back at us for rest of month’s payment. They agreed. But their faces! So funny!

Now we live in this house. Still no luck for nice neighbors. Our neighbors that live one side she is a bitch! First time getting my mail and she was getting her mail at the same time. I went over there and introduced myself. She didn’t give her name. She just asked if we rent or own. I said rent. The is what she said “Well I hope you take care of the house and lawn.” And then she left. Who says that? Nice lady right?! (That is sarcasm.) They are so loud all the time. Always doing things in their garage and they like to chop wood in the early morning. What is with that? The window in our bathroom looks in our backyard but since it’s on the second floor they can look into the bathroom from their driveway. Our bedroom window faces their house we can see in their kitchen. It’s so very awkward. When the windows are open we can hear them and I assume they can hear us. Sometimes people walk around in their underwear in their kitchen we can see them. They can see us in our bedroom. That is why blinds is always good. We try to have those closed a lot. Or slink around in the dark. Also it’s so crazy. They come and go so often they can open their own cab stand. I don’t think any of their cars stay at their house for more than an hour during the day. I have never seen anyone come and go so often in my life.

On this lot we have a lot of trees. One tree branches overlap into their driveway. Instead of coming over and asking nicely to have some branches removed. She practically wanted to start a fight with Jeff. Asking if she can call our landlord. Finally when the landlord told us they can do whatever. They butcher that tree. Now when I look at the tree, I feel sad. They took off almost of its branches up in the sky.

Our neighbor across the street is mean as well. They have two driveways. One that goes to their garage. And one that goes to the back of their house. We have huge windows in our living room. That guy will leave his truck lights on in his second driveway and shines in our living room and not only that sometimes high beams in the night. He knows it shines in our living and he still does it. What a nice guy. (Sarcasm again.)

Please, please let our neighbor in our new home be a nice neighbor. I want someone who is nice but will just leave us alone at the same time. I don’t think that is too much to ask for.

I can’t wait I have a lot of things going on this year. I will tell you about them now. Now that everything has been set up.

April 30, 2015 today they accepted our offer for the house we want! I am so excited! Now all we have left to do is close on the house. This is the first house I have ever own. Jeff’s third house. But Jeff and I have never owned a house together. I will be posting pics of the house soon.

I have decided to grow out my hair. I want to grow it to my shoulders. I haven’t had that long of that hair since high school. Right out of high school I chopped off my hair. In fact Jeff has never seen me in long hair only in pictures. Now it’s very short. Let’s hope that I can get past the awkward parts and not want to cut my hair.

This year I am getting implants…Okay get your head out of the gutter. Got you!

I am getting one dental implant a fake tooth in my lower jaw. I am missing two bottom teeth on the lower left side of my jaw. I haven’t’ been able to eat on that side for two years. You wouldn’t believe this but the amount of spit I have when I eat is insane! There is no teeth to block the spit when eating. It took a while to get use that. It’s a bit expensive and I can only get one every other year. My insurance will pay half, so that helps. I know it’s going to be painful but it’s going to be worth it in the end. I will also take pictures of this.

Many things to do this year yet.

Yes I keep talking about you.

Today April 23, 2015 we are making an offer on a house. I am truly excited to get this house. We went to go look at it on Tuesday April 21 2015. It’s so ugly!

At first I was like nope. But after going over the plans with Jeff and seeing what the potential of the house can be. I can totally see it now. This house will not be ugly after we are done with it. I am really excited for this house.

This house comes with a bonus. This house is not on the lake but near the lake. It’s also part of an association. Now my parents had a house that was part of an association and it was bad for them. But this association seems different then what theirs was. By being in the association we have to pay a fee but it’s a yearly fee. It’s not too bad. We get access to a private beach and a private club house. The association will also put a pier out for us if we had a boat. I am really excited about that because I love to swim! Plus it’s not that far of walk to go down there from that house.

The house is a lot smaller then what we were looking at. It only has two bedrooms and one bathroom. It’s very tiny on the inside. But what we have planned for it, it will look not tiny but grand on the inside. Basically this house is supposed to be a cabin but we are going to make it our home all year around. Also our next door neighbor uses his house only in the warm months of WI. So half of the year we will have no neighbor. So cool!

Also Ken Jeff’s dad said we can have Scotty. Since it’s his dog he is giving Scotty to us. I am excited for this because Koko and Scotty are brothers.

If we get this house I will take pics. Before, during and after we are done with house. Then you my blog can see what I am talking about. Or whoever is interesting reading you.

It’s going to be so much work but the result will be worth it.

Nope

Well we all were ready to move and accept our new home. But we couldn’t get financing because the home we wanted was a manufactured home. A manufactured house is a house built in a factory. The regular houses that everyone sees is called a stick built house.

What I learned is manufactured houses depreciate over time like a car. However stick built houses appreciate over time. Meaning you can potentially get more money when sold later. I also learned that our realtor should have been truthful and told us that it was a manufactured home. He should have told us that it will be hard to get financing for a manufactured house and we may have to pay more for insurance because it’s manufactured. This realtor is supposed to be the best in our area. I don’t think so. Will not be using that guy again. I learned not to use the same home inspector as we did. He really didn’t know about this one concerned we had about the house. Jeff found out more information on the internet than he could tell us. Not using that company again either.

It’s strange because I could see ourselves living there but when I found out we couldn’t get it, I wasn’t all that sad. I guess, I realized that I wasn’t in love with the house. I wish it had a basement. Manufactured houses usually do not have basements. And I got a lot of stuff to put in a basement.

The search is still on. Who knows where we will end up? I really like a home we can invest money into because we found out our landlord is raising our rent. That sucks. I rather spend money on my house and not this rented house.

That’s me.

I have been thinking about doing an article on what I do for a living for a while. In my last blog I had an article on me being a homemaker. I am still a homemaker but I am redoing how I say it. I am fortune enough to be one. The sting of it is how people react to me saying that I am a homemaker since I don’t have children. If I did then it would be no big deal.

But since I don’t have children everyone wonders what I do all day while my husband is at work. I do plenty to fill eight hours and beyond. I love being a homemaker and not afraid to say that I am. I have to admit at first I had these feelings about it unsure, guilty, ashamed and sad. Not because I can be one because of how others reacted when I told them what I did for my job.

Now I no longer have those feelings. I feel happy, secure, and proud. Why should I let others dictate on how I feel about my job? It shouldn’t. The only person that I care about how they feel about is my husband Jeff. I told him that I wanted to be one if we could make it work a long time ago. When I met Jeff I had job. It’s not like I have never worked in my life. When I was younger I would have two jobs at one time. I know what hard work is but this is the job for me. I get to be my own boss.

I even put myself on a schedule just like any other job. Except most jobs have days off where my job, I have no days off. I am a maid, laundry attendant, dogs caretaker, poop clean up, garbage woman, lawn service person, driver and grocery shopper. I think there is more but can’t think of everything right now. To make a point I do a lot.

Just think of all those trades I mention and paying each individuals to do those. Lots of money spent there but I do them for free. The thing is I don’t really mind doing any of those jobs because it’s my job.

My name is Danielle and I am a Homemaker. I am proud to be one.

Guess what?

I made it a hundred days without soda today April 14 2015! I am very proud of myself. I have to admit though I still think about drinking it. Now I know that I was addicted to soda.

It has become easier to say no to soda. Still a bit hard when we go out to eat but when I am at someone’s house, I don’t even have the urge to drink the soda they have. I even made it through Easter without drinking soda. That is an accomplishment.

However I do dream about drinking soda. That is sad to say that. I was that addicted to soda to think and dream about it. This has been very hard for me, especially when Jeff drinks soda or buys soda at the store. I like it when he buys the soda I hated drink anyways makes it easier to say no to it. It’s when he buys the really yummy soda that I know I love. But I am determined to not drink soda for the rest of the year. I want to say for the rest of my life but I have no idea what the future holds. I am going to try my hardest not to drink soda as often as I was.

My plan is not to drink soda just because or just because it’s there. Maybe for a treat but that is it. I really don’t want soda to ruin my life anymore. It’s hard on my teeth and already have horrible teeth problems. I dislike how it makes feel. I am really hoping that I can do this for the rest of my life, not drinking soda.

I am giving myself rewards that is not food or other drinks to encourage myself to make it to the next step. For making it fifty days I got Metro Last Light for my PS3. This time I will be getting Metro 2033 for my PC.

Let’s go for a hundred and fifty days!

Talk about themselves.

I have fallen in this trap, you know being human and all. I try not to talk about myself all that much. I actually encourage people to talk about them and keep the focus off of me. But what I hate the most is when I find out we have something in common or I want to ask a question. I can’t either say or I say and they just continue about themselves, ignoring me completely.

This happens to me all the time mostly with family. It’s quite annoying but I guess I am a bit to blame because I keep them talking about themselves. And let me tell you people love talking about themselves!

I noticed this happens a lot with younger people but also this happens when I talk to my parents. I did have one hurtful thing my mom did say. She told me that I talk about myself too much and about Jeff. Well I am sorry he is my life and I like to talk about him. I know what she was getting at and it’s always the same with her. I only want to hear if you have children and only about them. She never says that to my older brother and sister because they talk about their children all the time. For someone who doesn’t have kids it’s really stupid conversations or I should say one way conversations because that is what they are. I am sure if I ever have children I will talk about them. But I will try to remember not to talk about it so much if people don’t have children because I have been there.

Also when people talk about themselves too much and you have nothing in common with them. The conversations are so boring. I think to myself “wow this person is so boring. Wish I could leave this.” However if the person is older or likes to travel their stories are very interesting. I love hearing about the old days and how things use to be. Or where someone has been, what they have seen on their travels. They are very interesting. Sometimes I want them to talk for a long time. When this happens I ask a lot of questions to keep the conversation going.

I have to remember if the conversation is boring try not to ask too many questions. Sometimes I forget and the conversation goes on forever or becomes awkward. I hate awkward, I prefer forever boring conversation.

However I am not talking about conversations that are interesting those are the best but for me I seem to be talking to people who I have nothing in common with.

Always an adventure

I got to hang out with April on Thursday March 26 2015 to Saturday March 28 2015 and I can say it was quite an adventure.

First of all she was on time! What? We are rarely on time to hang out with each other. I figured out I haven’t been to April’s house since last year. That is a long time.

Let me tell you a little about my friend April. April and I met in high school. That would be in late nineties. April and I have been friends for almost twenty years. I can’t believe it! We always have the strangest and funniest adventures together.

It’s kinda funny because we gave her this cat when my mother in law died. I can’t have cats because I am allergic to them. I can be around them for a little while before hives attack me. Anyways the cat’s name is Dee. She knows me but when I came over a couple of times she would hide. This last time I came over she was out. I couldn’t pet her but she let me see her. Oh wow! That cat is a princess for sure. It’s funny! Also April has this Pomeranian dog name Marty. He is a funny little dog because he gets SO excited to see me and he runs around in little circles. Marty has the cutest fur too. He is just so cute! I love petting him. Now don’t get scared but April has pet rats. At first I was like what? But they are just so cute. Unfortunately I am highly allergic to them and can’t touch them at all even though I want too. They are the sweetest little animals. They have the tiniest hands awe! Yes April has a dog, cat, rats and they all live together in harmony. It’s cool!

April gave me my birthday present and last Christmas present. Wow! I got some cool stuff! Look I got Sherlock Cludeo which the British version of this game Clue. One of my favorite games to play. Also a Sherlock companion book, Doctor Who mug and Doctor Who necklace. Very cool gifts this year I got for my birthday from both of my friends.

April and I love Sherlock and Doctor Who. But April is a bigger fan of Sherlock which is good. This means I can learn things about Sherlock that I never knew. I have never read any Sherlock books only the one with the baker street irregulars. Those books are really good. However I have seen a lot of Sherlock series on TV and not just the one that is on now. And of course some movies including the ones with Robert Downey Jr.

On Friday March 27 2015 we were got up and had some gross cereal which is funny. I mean it wasn’t super horrible but it wasn’t good. We had Special K strawberries and chocolate. First there were hardly any chocolate pieces and the strawberries were freeze dried. They were gross! It’s funny because we both had huge bowls of it and we both hated it. Yet we ate some of it. Then we had to wait for her mom to be done with work. That was a fiasco!

April can’t drive so no car to go anywhere. And she like me lives in a small town no bus system. Anyways her mom comes in and tells us she can’t takes us anywhere because Heidi needs to go to the doctor. Heidi is Aprils little sister who is in her late twenties! Anyways April’s mom had to take her to the doctor because she wouldn’t go with her husband. What the hell! Because Heidi is too shy to go by herself. It did work out though. April’s mom took us to the places we needed to go and then we went with them to Heidi’s doctor appointment. But we didn’t have to wait with them. April’s mom dropped us off at a huge thrift store. I love thrift stores!

Since we hadn’t eaten anything since gross cereal we were starving so we walked to McDonald’s. It was the coolest McDonald’s I have ever seen. It was retro in there like from the sixties or seventies and it was the cleanest McDonald’s I have been in. Also everyone was super friendly. The McDonald’s near my house they aren’t the friendliest and it sure isn’t the cleanliness. Our McDonald’s floors are always sticky.

This thrift store was nice! I found some really cool items. But of course there are always weird people. April and I met a strange guy. He was talking to himself and then when he wanted to pass us. He tipped his hat and something in French. I am convinced I attract weird people everywhere I go.

I was on hot streak. Every game we played I beat her and that is rare because I hardly ever win at board games. Also I rarely win at Monopoly and I won. It was fun for me.

On the last day I helped her and her mom put together a Doctor Who puzzle that was fun. It was a cool puzzle and I don’t even like to put puzzles together.

It was a fun time and we had some neat adventures.