As quiet as a Mouse...........

My house...really! And I am not sure how to act...should I jump and shout? Should I sit quietly "in the zone"....???

Today was a busy day...we spent it on a run! After getting up and getting my coffee (trust me, NOTHING, NO ONE, moves far in this house, until I have had my coffee....I'm just saying.....)

It was "D" Day. Or, actually "E" Day....we got up and headed to Roseburg to the VA so that Max could get his ears. We have been waiting forever, and finally, today...it was time!!!

Now, for background? Max was in the Service, and between jumping out of planes, (parachute on, or so he says), and training and driving tanks, (pulling up between two tanks, and having their "cannons" go of simultaneously, causing his helmet to "leave" his head and fly out the thingy ma jobbie, like my technical babble?), causing his eardrums to blow...well, his hearing was a bit bad...and it was getting worse, and driving him nuts. (I am not saying a word here). So, after much paperwork, Dr. appts, and trips hither and yon......he got his ears!

Our drive home? It was a marvel of hearing! He has always been picky about his rigs, as a truck driver, and his life depending on the shape and condition of the rig (nothing like hauling 11,300 gallons of fuel down the narrow twisty highway that is known as "101", cruising behind all those Motorhomes driven by people who have never seen the Coast...not to mention the fact that the road turns on itself....and they just don't get it). But the car? He heard every sound! It about drove him nuts!!!!! (notice, still no words coming from my mouth?). The restaurant? Noisy as all get-out.......the clatter of silverware? The birds? The women BEHIND me?

When we got home, I stopped at his Mom's house...then came on in....and.... it.... was...... quiet. The TV? Hardly making a sound! Now, should I confess? I can hardly hear it! And the newspaper? It is making TOO much noise!!!! He just said: (and I quote), "If you can hear as good as I can right now? No wonder I drove you crazy".......Yep, Music to my ears!!!

So, should I confess something else? Yes? No? Maybe? No, really, I need to get it off my chest......the other day, I was talking to Brandi...and I gave her a "virtual" tour of the house. Walking through, describing everything that was everywhere. The couch? Scrapbooking and Cardmaking supplies.....Max's guitar.....Quilt pieces.......by my chair? Note paper, Penny Rug in progress.....basket of yarn...purses waiting to be felted. Scarves, (the cold weather is over...but, they'll be ready for next year!), my Country Sampler magazine, waiting to be read, Family Sheets to be added to the Genealogy.......on to the table? Are you brave? Early 1900 photos, card blanks, more felt....picture frame, punches...and on and on it went......Well, it suddenly occurred to me last night that we would be leaving today....on a trip...(three hours one way..so not a HUGE trip, but still......), and what if something HAPPENED TO ME???? And I died?????? And the kids came to help Max......and the girls saw the house? Then they would KNOW.....their MIL IS A SLOB!!! So, before bed last night, I ripped around the house, grabbing, stacking, hiding, stashing.....and then I went to bed, and got up, grabbed my coffee, and continued with the stashing.....I was BREATHLESS....and still the house was a MESS......and still, the worry...what if? HUH? Brandi and Livvy have never seen my housekeeping.....I am a clean person, but I am a cluttered person....I try...but the house is small, and I need to have a LOT of different things.....my attention span is short sometimes, and I swap things out.....of course, doing that this way means that when I finally finish things...well, I LOOK like I am terribly productive...and I just don't share that it has taken me yea......no, a LONG time to get to that place.....I believe that ignorance is bliss...it is my world..what more can I say? Now, this makes me remember my ex-MIL....I went to visit one day before they left for their vacation to AR....and she was SCRUBBING the stove....with all of her muscles...with all of her energy. And she had done that to the entire house! In a space of a couple of days. Now the funny thing was....she was a spotless housekeeper. When she saw me staring at her in awe.....she told me, in all seriousness...that it had to be clean. Because if they had a car accident? And she died? She didn't want the neighbors to see the house until it was SPOTLESS....didn't want them talking about her bad housekeeping ....(HA!)....I never understood that...but now, I do.......and it scares the holy heck out of me!!!

Well, it is late now, and I am exhausted.....and tomorrow is another day. And I can guarantee that by day after tomorrow, the house will be back to normal.....and the panic will begin again at a later date....such is life in the Franklin House.....

The Katie-Cam

I've missed you all!!!

My goodness....I just looked at the post below....I have been off for a month and a half! I am so far behind!!! I have missed everyone, and I am SOOOO behind on my blog reading...guess what I have planned for this week?

I really am not sure what all has gone on around here...(okay, to be honest, I am pretty much at that particular place all the time.....but....in my defense, I live on the Coast, and the fog I generate seems to just blend in......)

Life has been hectic lately, or rather, a bit muddled, or, I guess a bit of both!

One of the girls was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in January, and that had us going...and still does....but she is doing fine. She had her surgery and they are doing genetic testing on her to see what the future looks like. Now, you would think that after my years in the medical profession...(an administrative assistant, receptionist and secretary, so no medical degree for this chickie...but I still fend conversations asking "I have a headache, what should I do? Should.......{insert problem}.......or maybe.....{insert a suggestion}...and no matter how many times I slap my hands in the air to ward off the questioner, they still ask), now where was I? OH! One would think that I would not jump to the panic mode so quickly...but I did. There is something about the "C" word that just scares the heck out of a person the first time. It did me, but right after that comes the knowledge that they have done wonderous things in the medical field towards healing cancers. And she is doing fine, like I said. It just is that she is one of ours, and we have had her for a LONG time! (Thank you Bob, for marrying her! Or maybe I should say "Thank you Christy for marrying Bob?!!!)

Then, the weather has been ICKY!!!!! Yes, I know, we have been and are sending it straight Eastward to you all, but I do so love to share...you did see on the news tonight that "giving" makes your brain feel happy? No? Well it was and they said it shows....sooooo, long story short? I want my brain to feel happy, and if this is the way to do it...well, I'm so on that!

Well, while the weather has been ICKY, Max has pretty much been bottled up in the house. Usually it is only for a few days, and he keeps himself occupied. However this time, he sent his eyes roving over the living room and kitchen. I hate when that happens....but this time, I actually am happy with the end result, which is/are:

My kitchen is now "U" shaped, and I finally have room to cook. Yes!!! One of the favorite places in the house for me is the kitchen, but since we have moved into the Park Model, I had NO kitchen. Really. Not kidding here. I could reach all my cabinets with one reach, and I can stir something on the stove while I wash dishes, and not even stretch the arm muscles....(which would maybe explain why no one is EVER going to see my upper arms again? Really, the breeze that is made when I swing my arms, well, it is just....well, remember that saying that a butterfly flaps its wings in Africa and a storm starts? Well, I'll just leave you with that image, why don't I?) So, now I have more storage, AND almost twice as much counter space. Cooking is actually becoming fun again!

And along with that, we moved one of my hutches, and while we were waiting for it to go to its new home....(my brother Craig? Well, I called and asked "you don't happen to need a hutch do you? His immediate comeback? "Looking for a place to store your hutch"? How well does he know me?!!). Anywhoooo, the hutch was sitting top half in the living room, bottom in the kitchen. Well, I hit my toe on it while I was cooking dinner.....and I, after yelling at Max, loudly, and receiving no response...(was he REALLY outside? hmmm? BEFORE I yelled?), I dragged that sucker out of the kitchen (the bottom of the hutch, not Max) and slapped the top on it....I can move when I have to, let me tell you........and well, we LIKED it. So, another call to Craig, (Did you REALLY want the hutch? huh? Did you get a place ready for it yet? Huh? Maybe I'll just keep it.......). The greatest thing about it, is that it blocks the Kitchen from the Livingroom. And I really like that! If I had my way, every room in the house would have its own doors....and be totally separate rooms. The cool thing is that now, Max can have his Antique Car Collection out. He is quite pleased with that. They have been packed away forever! I promised that I would NOT add any moss, or grungy-stuff to that particular hutch...but sometimes, when I walk past it, I just feel the need to.....well, you know....make it more homey? Maybe a bit more personal? But, I have been good....it's just that sometimes I just twitch.............

Along with all that, he has offered to "wax all the oak", He has to be busy, and I had forgotten how long a day can be...........and it is supposed to be rainy all week.....if this rain lasts much longer, I won't recognize the house!

I also spent several days looking for my fabric squares for my quilt.....turns out, I "Stored" them in the kitchen drawer....if I hadn't needed that potato peeler, well, who knows WHEN I would have found it!

We received another "Katie-Cam....check this out...(right above this post), she is just so darn cute! And, I have to say, Olivia made my day...she said, (and I quote)..."She is so funny!! I think she has you in her all the way! Brad and I both agree on this! Its a mini YOU and we love YOU! lol". I need to get all the new pictures saved, and then I will share them with you! This blogging business is even nicer than a "Grandma Brag Book"...of course, when a Grandma hauls out that book, her audience is captive...you all can run and hide!

Well, I am tired, and things are blurring! I will talk to you tomorrow (or the next day...we'll see how I do)!!!