Happy New Year 2013

Hey guys. Yeah, it's me again Margaret.  What are you wearin'?  Seriously if you get that joke you're over forty, or boring, or both.  But you're in good company.  So how've you been?  It's been a while since I had a moment to sit down and sketch something out.  Busy busy right?  So, I just got back from le yim, wherein I did my very first workout of the New Year.  Which, since I was up so bright and early, and I figured in about a half hour the whole world would come unglued, I figured I'd better jot some things down before time got away from us again.

So here goes.  Well, first off, let me just put in a disclaimer.  About that workout I just alluded to.  I just want you to know this isnt another one of those flash-in-the-pan ideas of mine.  I've been working out pretty regularly for....well a while now.  But I've endeavored to be a little more responsible with my lunch money and goofing off throughout the week.  Which, sorta led to, how can we be more careful with our money, which led to some life decisions, which led to eating more healthy...really, it's a circle of sorts. I can sketch it out for you, but just take, The Circle of Life, and switch out, "Death" and, "Taxes" for, "Gas $", and "Dog Poop".

I should esplain.  So, you may have heard we found a new home for Maggie.  Broke my heart because I loved that dog, but every day I'd come home and she'd be out of water, the back yard would reek of dog-squeeze (huge piles of it too), the dog would come into the house to clean the floor after dinner, and go right back out again, then get relegated to the basement for the night.  Repeat this about 364 days a year for the past....well for a while now.  So, backing up even further (interesting choice of words), someone ran over the cat a couple months ago, and I had to put it down (with the .22 cal Euthenasia Kit).  This was of course AFTER the cat whizzed all over my ATV cover, the giant Love Sac bean bag, and I think on my stuff in the garage.  Anyhow, I wasnt all heart broken over that opportunity to be honest with ya.  So, then I sold the ATV (not because of the urine mind you) and garnered a whopping six hundred bones, which, a day later I had to hand back to Home Depot for an upright freezer after our chest freezer crapped out on us two days after loading it full of my elk, and half of Brandon's elk.  Wait, are we going forward or backward? I feel like Chevy Chase's character on Funny Farm writing about the perfect heist with poker buddies knocking over a casino....

Anyhow, so moving forward, with a new paragraph anyhow, I sold Big Green, and I landed myself a genuine Honda product for-to-which ta drive to work.  I've been very pleased with both Honda Pilots that Stacey's had, and so, foregoing all the bells and whistles (I'm cheap) I snagged myself a power-window, power lock, 40 mph Goober Mobile.  But the goodnews, is that at the end of the lease, should we decide to buy it outright, Josh will be driving, so I may as well let him and his siblings scratch the side of it up the next three years with their bikes.  Plus, looking at the thing, that back seat is awefully cramped, and barring him dating a Chinese Gymnast, it should be fairly ok to let him take on dates and what-not.  More of the, "not" and less of the, "What" mind you.  So, Big Green went the way of the buffalo, and along with it, any hope I ever had of retaining my masculinity I suppose.  Well until Spring.  I am still not sold on this Ford Excursion idea Stacey is cooking up, I think I'll finagle a way to replace the pickup with our taxes now that that whole pesky Fiscal Cliff thing has been put to bed.  Thank GOODNESS I'm not a top 2 percenter, THAT would suck!

Where were we?  Uh, anyhow, so, just plugging along.  Making plans, I'm going to call the septic tank guy here in a couple of weeks and get on the docket for putting that at the lot this Spring, then I'm going to try and bulldog the money I'm not spending on gas anymore away from Stacey and put a bunk house (aka "shed" if the County is askin') up there as well.  Maybe a nice concrete pad, bed bath and beyond...anyhow, we've carved ourselves out a pretty good couple of Saturdays.

So, meanwhile, we wait.  I've been reading my scriptures, I've been sayin' my prayers, doing my Home Teaching, paying tithing, all the stuff you read about in the manuals and life's still just as challenging as it ever was.  I think what I want to work on this year, (and this is NOT a resolution) is patience.   I just plain SUCK at patience.  Patience with my kids, patience with my spouse, patience at work...all of it.  I find sometimes I just plain go bonkers at home over things that are astounding that we're covering again for the 800th time again.  But I guess that's the Refiner's Fire I've heard so much about.  I'd like to be kind, like my Grandpa.  I'd like to feel like I have my good name again in the community.  I'd like to be someone people can rely on to do the right thing no matter what the personal cost, perceived or actual.  I'd like to have balance.  I'd like to learn to be thankful for what I have, and not upset that I don't have what I should have until I have it.  (read that two or three times to make sure it makes sense).  I'd like to be honest in all things. I've tried, and it plain sucks sometimes.  I'd like to not to judge people so harshly when the little B.S. Tachometer gets close to redlining.  I almost gave you an example which would, ironically, undo what I'm trying to do.  Anyhow, I'd like to be more thoughtful, more caring, more patient, more Christlike.  But believe me, I have a LONG way to go.  A LONG LONG way to go.

Anyhow kids, I better button this up and climb in the shower.  It's going to be one of those at-home family patience building Federal Holiday days again.  If I dont see you around, I'll see you, and if I do, I see you there too.

Anyhow, all the best to you and yours, warmest regards, and a pinch on the heiney 'cause I ain't fixed quite yet.

XxOo, xOOoXXO,


J