Home Alone Blues

"I'm all alooone, there's nobody here beside me..." I dropped hubby off at the airport last Thursday. I had so much on my plate with end of the year taxes for the biz, end of the year reports for the town, a new payroll system, software updates, etc. etc. etc. that I was looking forward to having time to get it all done!!
Right after I dropped him off I headed to the town where I spent five hours before I packed up and headed home to my office to work more. I was able to finish the main report by 7:00 that night! I was so excited.
The next morning as I was having some morning Dunkies I started to get a taste of the downside of one adult in the house. There was a dog next to me squeaking away, a bird in the other room squawking for food/love, and three cats staring at me... boring holes into me is more like it.
So I patted everyone, fed everyone and then locked myself away in the office for the morning. Later that I day I also received my late xmas present. An HP Mini Netbook. Add that setup to the list and off my afternoon runs... I got our final reconcile done and some reports pulled for end of year taxes. I finished the job I started days ago of filling the bulk bin for the boiler, and take out all the trash around the house and basement. I also made up a floor plan layout for the new shop. I was pretty excited about that... although I think a move in date of June 1 is going to be a BIG challenge! After the pressure tank failed (or froze) and flooded the shop side of the property we started cleaning it out and filling the dumpster.
In just two days we have it mostly cleared out. One more day to take the walls down then Wil will come in to run electrical. Then we start dry-walling.

I am so excited that we are moving though. To finally be in one location instead of wondering (or having to go see) if something is at the other building, not to mention less rent, utilities, gas, time... I digress.

I spent the evening knitting a scarf that I have had on my roster since last year. I also pulled out a pattern for a beginner's sweater that came in my new knitting magazine. This year I finished a hat and scarf for myself, a hat with ear flaps for hubby, and another hat for me. I started working on a sock project with my SIL, but am stuck at the heal. So that will have to wait until we can catch up with each other again. I got some great yarn when we were in Ireland this past summer for a sweater for Art. While he would love for me to jump right in and knit a sweater for him, I thought I should start with an easy sweater for me so I can work the bugs out and figure out what I am doing with local (coupon purchased) yarn from Michael's before I use the fancy Irish wool yarn.

Today is day three. Thalia kitten woke me up at five am. She stands on the headboard (on the other side of the bed of course) and scratches at the wall. Whatever. I spend fifteen minutes shooing her away, but in that time she wakes the dog. Fast forward the fifteen minutes and now two cats are tearing around the room chasing each other, and the dog is breathing on me and squeaking. My Blizzie was also awakened so she crawled out of the blanket nest she had made herself next to me and now just sits above me on the headboard with a disapproving look. So I get up, throw the dog out on his chain, feed the monsters (and my Blizz), then start coffee. I cleaned up a bit, started some laundry, cleaned the cat boxes, vacuumed upstairs, fed birds and chickens, and tidied papers. In about an hour I plan to head down the hill where I will go to Target to get some cutting boards since the old ones look like they were put in a blender, get more yarn for my sweater with my Michael's 40% off coupon, and head to the shop.
Since we fired the loser thief last month MJ has taken over service. I get to try to help decode the loser's system and figure out what he did/didn't do/needs to be redone. Then I get to do a long awaited (but will be hated anyway) software update. The database runs SO much faster and cleaner, but you lose all sales data from the past. Pick your battle. They want clean and fast so they are going to lose some...
It has been a ridiculously warm and dry January. The sun has been shining which has been lovely but the snow is sad. I think we had one maybe two storms that resulted in all of three inches of snow. At this point the ground is exposed on roads and paths. Of course, there is a storm coming in tonight and tomorrow that will dump 6-12 inches on us (which I would normally love!) just in time for me to have to drive to the airport to pick hubby up. Going to take it slow. I will make a stop in Milford to transfer some $$$ for the town, then stop in Bedford for gas, then depending on how I do I will try to make a run for the airport. Stressed out about it already!
It will be nice to have hubby home again. I am glad to have all this work behind me, and now we can really ramp up activity at the new shop, and plan for some upcoming trips! :-)

Trip Within

2009 was a busy year. We traveled near and far going to Utah, Nevada, Vermont, New York, London, Dublin, and planned our final trip of the year in Colorado.
After two years of staying in New England for Christmas my Mom was glad that we were taking the trek to Colorado for the holiday. We are the only Aunt and Uncle to my brother's kids.




They are having a difficult time this year as their parents are going through a divorce right, and it isn't a cordial or clean one... We had a great time catching up with everyone and enjoyed spending extra time with my brother.
My maternal Grandmother who had been sick for a while, and in a nursing home since summer passed away just a few days before Christmas. So my Mom and I took a trip to Wisconsin in the middle of our trip to Colorado for her funeral. It was a little surreal. I hadn't been to Wisconsin since my paternal Grandfather's funeral four years ago. But my grandparents from both sides must have talked about it because everything was the same. Same chapel, same staff, same cemetery... even the place we all went to afterward was the same restaurant. I felt like I was mourning my Grandfather again while mourning my Grandmother. My Grandpa was doing well. He seems to be in pretty solid shape for his age, and mentally intact. He was glad that his wife was no longer in pain. It was good to catch up with my cousins while there. I have reconnected with them on facebook but there is something nice about visiting in person.


Our pellet boiler has been amazing for us. Hubby went around and addressed a few issues with our ancient distribution system and now the whole house is humming off of pellet fired hot water :-) I still turn the stove in the living room on now and then but it is nice to have the quiet heat all around. We even put our radiant floor on a programmable thermostat so it is always just right in there.
Our pet sitters were here to help as always! We could not travel the way we do without them. Everyone here loves them, and we are so greatful! They thought the little chicken eggs were a delight ;-)

Our chicken crew seem to be settling in. After the mink came in and dropped our population to three we picked up four bantams from a family nearby that didn't have a coop or indoor area for them... we got them the day before it snowed. All were relieved. We got two cochin bantams, and two frizzle bantams. A picture doesn't do our Little Miss Sunshine (frizzle) justice. She is so adorable! A little puff ball with backward feathers. Lou Lou La Roo is the leader of the pack. He is too secure to bother me but he keeps everyone else in line and love. But not in an Elliot I shall destroy you kind of way. Cuddles is just what her name suggests. Sweet and cuddly. Her buddy Sexy Frank is like a miniature fog horn leg horn. He is not much bigger than a cornish hen but has Elliot sized attitude. Little-man-itis reigns supreme. The three remaining older girls seem content with the new brood. Dorrie hasn't laid an egg after her core group got taken out in late September and as a New Year's gift she laid an egg for me yesterday! A good sign.
Winter has arrived in New Hampshire. We had a little early snow and a couple of little storms but not more than a few inches of snow on the ground. The day we came home it started snowing with little flurries, and has been slowly building over the couple of days. After four days we should have a fresh foot or two of snow on the ground. Polar is out on his deck accumulating and loving it. Hubby will probably head down to plow the new warehouse later. I think I will save shoveling until it is all done.