TODAY MAY BE THE DAY!

Today is Friday! Friday is the last day of this week, well almost anyway. Saturday is the last day and it is a work day for me and mine.

It looks like the kids apartment may be ready at last! This may be the last day they are here, or maybe tomorrow. I think they like being here, of which I am glad. I am glad my home is such that people can come and stay and enjoy themselves. But there comes a time when I need my house back! Okay, okay, I know I could kick them out and say enough already! But I want them here! I love having my grandkids come in and kiss me good morning and say "have a nice day!" I love that Emma came to me crying this morning and just needed a hug. I love having them here!

But in the greater scheme of things, I need my house back. I need to get started cleaning and getting ready for company. I have deep cleaning to do in both rooms that are occupied. Today will be cleaning in the garage and outdoors. Tomorrow will be cleaning in the bathroom, changing out faucets. We have a problem with the faucets in the front bathroom. So....I have purchased new faucets and hopefully, they will improve the function. I need to clean the closet in there and the shower and tub and especially the floor. I need to clean my own bathroom.

I think it is funny how that as we live and do our everyday things, the room can get filthy around us and it seems to creep up on me. I know I should do somethings every day, some every week but sometimes it is several weeks before I get around to it. And then when something like Rita comes along, it may be more than several weeks! So......I have a lot to do.

I have only about two and half weeks before Thanksgiving! I spent time Wednesday looking at tile for my kitchen. I think insurance is going to pay for our kitchen damage from Rita afterall. We spoke with our agent and he agreed that it should be paid for. Our deductible is large, but it should be enough to finish out our deductible and still get some cash to do the job. I have to get our receipts copied and faxed to them. I don't want to be greedy but I do want to get what is coming to me from insurance. Afterall, I have been paying into Farmers for 35 years and have only had a few claims in all that time. This is ligitimate damage and they should pay us for the damage.

I found a pretty porcelain tile. Wouldn't you know it is more expensive than ceramic! But it is so pretty and goes well with the laminate flooring in the den. It will allow us to replace the kitchen and still have continunity into the den. I think it will make a good flow. Tollie is even talking of replacing the carpet in the hall and bedrooms. That would be great, but I don't want to use all of our funds up. It has been nice to have surplus these last few weeks. We need to keep it that way. You never know what may come up!

I spent some time yesterday getting recipes off the internet to make bar cookies. I want to make up some batches this weekend and get ready for my Christmas baskets. I think this year, instead of doing several things, I am just going to make all kids of different bar cookies. I think it will be fun to try different types and variations and then make a basket of them. You see, every year I make up baskets for those people at work. I have done this for several years and now I can't not do it. Mr. R would be so disappointed if I didn't do it. He looks forward to it every year. I have always, in the past, made a loaf of homemade bread and then added some homemade pear jelly to it. But this year, I think I will do something different and make the various cookies. It will be fun to see how many different types of cookies!

Have a great weekend. I plan to work, work, and work some more and get ready! The holidays will be here before we know it.

PS Haven't heard from my dad, yet. He should get the package today or tomorrow, hopefully!