Our gas line was installed yesterday and today we didn't have hot water! He forgot to relight the pilot light on the water heater. He came this afternoon and did that. I went yesterday and ordered the gas range and it should be here in 7-10 days. Our cement guy will be here in the morning to start the patio so we are making progress.

I would like to welcome a two new followers to my blog. The first is http://calligraphycards-shazinoz.blogspot.com.au/and the second is http://susiesstamping.blogspot.com/. I'm so happy to welcome you both and I hope all of you can pop in and say hello to these great cardmakers.

Today's card is being entered at http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/. The challenge is to use the letter J. My very first thought was jelly beans and jaw breakers. Funny how my mind goes straight to food! No wonder I need the dog food. Anyhow, this is my depiction of the letter J. Be kind to one another.

It has been a busy week and I'm finally getting things done around here. I blame it on blogging. Since I have been reading blogs and making cards that's really all I want to do. I've gotten off my duff and cleaned the garage, the drawers, our closet and one pantry. I have the other pantry to clean out and lots of paper work to go through.  Then I will tackle the coat closet and the linen  closet in the hall and the one in the bathroom. The utilities are marked and our cement guy will let me know tomorrow when he will do the patio. I have the estimate for running the gas line, which is way more than I thought it would be, and the plumber will be here in the morning to run it.

Our dog, Molly, had an odor about her that a bath didn't help. She went to the vet Friday morning and they cleaned her teeth, said she is too heavy and her anal glands were infected. So when she woke up I went and got her. She is on a diet dog food, diet dog bisquits and an antibiotic. She should lose 7 pounds in a month and if that happens I will be eating that dog food too.  My granddaughter was here Friday and Saturday. We had a great time. We went to our mall Saturday and walked until my hips hurt! She found several things she liked and we laughed and laughed the whole time.  I love being with her.

I made a real quick card that I am posting on the http://casology.blogspot.com/Their word this week is run. I'm just getting in under the wire.  Since I used the cloud I think it will also go on http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/.  I hope to get better at making clouds. I will practice doing that before I make another card with clouds. Be kind to one another.

I'm getting the hang of this a little. I'm posting a card on http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge about faces. I've had this stamp for a long time and that's the first thing I thought of when I saw the challenge. I am also going to add it to http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/ since I used some grass left over from my dinosaur card. I think that qualifies. Be kind to one another.

I'm happy to say Mrs. A of http://itsanalienlife.blogspot.com/ answered my challenge question for her blog so I got busy and made a card to post on her butterfly challenge. I hope I can download it now! Thanks so much Mrs. A for your help. Be kind to one another.

Just popping in to say I'm still around. No card today tho. First off, I've been having trouble with my right foot and ankle swelling up every day. The left one a little but not like the right one. Went to Dr. He gave me water pills and said the deep veins aren't pumping the blood back up well and the fluid is building up and leaking causing the swelling. Well yuck. So I've been trying to keep my feet elevated. Also have developed a twitch in my right eye that is driving me crazy. Dr. gave me a pill to relax. When I took half of it I slept from 2:30 to 5:00 pm as hard as I could, then got up groggy. The next day I took the other half and did stay awake but it was a struggle. Dr. said even if we did nothing it would be okay, so I'm doing nothing about either thing since the cure was worse than the swelling and twitching!

It has been the best weather here. Very cool in the mornings and only in the 70's in the afternoon so I have been in a frenzy of cleaning. I kept saying I was going to do it but it was too hot. I've been in the garage cleaning and purging. I got rid of boxes of clothing that were stored and I can no longer wear. My cousin was having a garage sale and I hauled it all over there. When her sale is done she will take it all to the church sale. I hope they make some money for a good cause.

No one ever called me back from my calls to the Marine Corps. I sent a letter addressed to the Commandant explaining that we needed the DD 214 and I understood they have the records but I have not heard back. I sent it out on Wednesday and I received a call this Monday from them! An extremely nice woman said she was from the Marine Corps office in Quantico, Va and she had my letter and my husband's records right there on her desk. She said she didn't know where it had been since January but since the gentleman from the Marine Corps League here called on my behalf they have been working on it. It is half way completed and she said she is finishing it. They have the information they need all on reel to reel, micro fisch and cd's. It just has to be gone through and found and verified. She said it should be complete in a month and she will send it directly to me. I guess it pays to go to the top. I'm sure the Commandant didn't see the letter but at least someone did and they are taking action. I'm so relieved that someone is doing something. However, we haven't even started with the VA! I hope I have the stamina to do that.

So, that's what I've been up to. I have several drawers to clean out, the walk in closet in our room and one of the pantrys. In the fall I would like for our sons to come back and take everything out of the attic so I can go through it and get rid of it. I thought we did that when we moved here but somehow the attic is full again.

Once we get approval for the patio from the homeowners association we will move forward with that. I've put the rest on hold for now and will get back to it.  Thanks for hanging with me through this long saga.

I do have a question for you. My intent this year was to enter challenges. I haven't done that yet. When I look at the inspiration and then look at the cards I get a little confused. The cards don't always look like the inspiration piece. Is it okay to change things? Like if things are lined up straight across can you move them around in a triangle or square. Can you change a sentiment into an embellishment? That's what I mean. I'm not sure just how perfect it has to match what is shown for us to do. Do any of you know if that is okay? Would they just take my card out if it isn't right? Be kind to one another and pray for the victims families and loved ones of the Maylasia plane crash

I hope everyone had a happy, safe 4th with lots of food, family and friends. We spent the time with hubby's sister and her husband and two cousins. I can sit at my craft table and see seven different places setting off terrific fireworks. It was 11:20 last night before I could take Molly outside to wet. She is afraid of the noise. I hope no one had any damage from Arthur. I'm happy it didn't do as much as the weather people though it would.

I've had no return call from the USMC. Today I'm taking some advice from online friends and sending a letter to their website along with a snail mail letter to the Commandant U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico, Va. Can't hurt. May get some results although I doubt the Commandant will actually see the letter.

Today's card is for my girlfriend's birthday next week. She is one that I could send that to. I saw one like it online and I have gone to the Lawn Fawn website and looked through all their cards and I can't find one like I saw so if it was yours, please let me know so I can give you credit. Haven't been in the card studio other than that this week. It's been so nice here we have been outside working and I have been looking at counter tops and stoves. Also, had a fellow out to give us an estimate for a patio in back. We have a glassed in sun room, but it is so hot in the summer we can't use it! Since we are staying here we are thinking of making some improvements.

A new rant. It used to be you called someone and told them what you wanted and they took care of it. Not so much now. I picked out a stove. We have to have a gas line run for it. My dryer is gas and on the other side of the wall from the stove. Hook into gas line and run it through the wall and cap it off. Called the gas co. They don't do that anymore. Huh. I thought that was their job. Nope. You have to have a plumber do it. $230. to have that done. The appliance store doesn't do gas. You have to have a specialist deliver it and hook it up. $150. for that. Now we are into three people to get a stove and three different charges.

Counter tops. They will deliver and install if you take out the old counter tops and disconnect the water. $430. if they have to do it in addition to the small fortune for new counter tops.

Patio. The construction company will remove the old stoop and lay gravel and pour patio. You call the people to have them mark where the utilities are. Want a pergola. Nope, construction co. doesn't do that. You call someone else.  On top of the VA Marine thing I'm just not up to it right now.  I'll just stick to making cards. That's just me and the cardstock and stamps. No middle man and no new charges.  I guess I'm just to old fashioned and set in my ways but I can't seem to keep up with the new world way of doing things. I believe the term is "old fogie".  Have a fun weekend and be kind to one another.