The Nicholson Chronicles-Day 5

A self portrait. Today was a lazy day. I left the house only once to go get fresh supplies. Bertie stopped by to drop off some more of her stuff in preparation for her big move back home. This house is not so much a home as a warehouse. Actually, when all is said and done, a house is really just a place to store your stuff. And we got a LOT of stuff. We are very stuffy people. I have a lot of memories and sentiment tied up in my stuff, but otherwise, it's all pretty worthless. A clean, neat home would be nice, but I don't think I could live in a sterile environment. I need all this stuff to nourish my creativity. It's like fertilizer. And these days, I'm up to my ears in fertilizer. This is my last day as a 54 year old woman. Tomorrow I shall be a 55 year old woman. Wow. Who ever thought I would live so long...

Chronicles: Day 4. I fall down go boom

Actually, I didn't "fall" down. I was knocked down. Early was romping and when he gets going he is like a runaway train. He side-swiped me...I went down like a bowling pin. I think he must have broken my fall--I heard him yelp. Still, I hit the ground pretty hard, kind of like a sack of wet diapers. I think my spine telescoped in on itself.
Another new development...so it turns out no one wants to live in the camper. The compromise is this: Bert moves into Jon's room, which used to be Mal's room and Jon moves into the living room. The TV goes into my bedroom--which I'm NOT thrilled about since Miquel stays up until 2 or 3 and I get up at 6. Anyhow, I DO get to keep my hidey-hole craft room/studio, which used to be Bert's room, which then became Jon's room. When we're done playing musical rooms, everyone will have his/his own personal space. Of course, I'm now stuck with a camper. HEY--maybe I'll move out!

The Nicholson Chronicles-Day 3

I did leave the house once today...went to the grocery store. Do I know how to party or what?! I finished reading the book about those Chilean miners. Excellent. Spent the rest of the day working my way through a "to do" list and watching "Doctor Who." Miguel has started teaching band camp at Carrboro Parks & Rec, so I have the house to myself during the day. That's a weird experience. I'm dieting as hard as I can. I need to lose about 20 pounds in the next couple months. Fat chance of that (pun intended). One good thing--there is an abundance of fresh fruit and veggies right now. I have just about OD'd on watermelon. Then I get plenty of exercize running to the bathroom. Tomorrow I'm having lunch with some friends from church. There's this wonderful little grill on the main drag in Pittsboro. Any cafe that still has pimento cheese and fried bologna on the menu is A-OK in my book. But, keeping the diet in mind, I suppose I'll be limited to water and iceberg lettuce.

The Nicholson Chronicles--Day 2

So..I've started my vacation. Since I'm not going anywhere, I guess it's really more of a STA-cation. Let's see, yesterday I washed the dogs and put some cinderblocks up under the trailer. Then I had to rest from all the excitement. Today, I went to see Dad after church and picked up some tomatoes and okra. Then went to see a friend, Sunnina, who has been having health problems. She gave me a lovely necklace for my birthday. I roasted the okra for dinner. Delicious. My current favorite TV show is coming on in a few minutes--Breaking Bad. I think this may be the last season. I guess there's only so much you say about a guy who cooks meth for a living. Tomorrow I will see Mal, who needs money for some classes this semester. I'd probably never hear from my kids if I didn't have any money. Just kidding. They like me, even when I don't give them money.

Improvements

I finally resigned myself to the fact that some of these trees near the house needed to come down and that I was going to have to pay someone to do it. A couple of them were already dead inside and it was only going to be a matter of time before a storm or strong wind knocked them over and sent them through my roof. So, I consider this rural renewal. I wish I could tap into some of that gov'ment assistance money, a grant or something. The other new development: so, Mal moved to Carrboro with an old friend of his to be closer to his job and further from his parents. I was so sad to see him go that I moved Jon into his room and took back my crafting hidey hole. WELL, then Bert got accepted into the ultrasound technology program at Johnston Community College and decided it would be financially prudent to move back home for a couple of years. That's all well and good, but I refuse to relinquish control of my newly re-acquired personal space again. We considered putting her in the living room, which we had done once before when we had all the kids living here. That didn't work out for a couple of reasons: 1. the TV had to go into the bedroom and since I go to sleep at 10pm and Mike likes to sit up and watch TV until 2 or 3 am...the arrangement was not conducive to good marital relationships. And 2. Bert likes her evenings quiet for study and reading, so when Mike is recording bands or rehearsing in the studio, the noise level is pretty intense. To make a long story short (too late!) we had to add a new room. Of course, the addition had to be within our very limited budget. Hence, the acquisition of a FABulous new (used) camper. I'm sorry to say Bert is horrified at the prospect of living in a trailer. I think she needs to get over herself. The girls has champagne taste on a beer budget. As my father has often said, "Poor people gots poor ways." So true, so true... Once I get the pink plastic flamingoes and garden gnomes it will look great and everything will be just fine.

More animal pictures

Once upon a time, Mikey and I would go out to eat or whatever without the kids, and would spend the whole time talking about the kids. Now, whenever we go anywhere, we spend the whole time talking about the dogs and cats. Yep, we're a couple of weirdos. But that's okay. I am working from home today, nursing a head cold. Everyone seems to have some form of cold, allergy or cough right now. Even the dogs are sneezing. Happily...the sun came out after a rainy morning. It's lovely outside.

Memorial Concert

This past Sunday would have been Matt's birthday, so his family, friends and fellow musicians had a memorial concert and benefit at the Haw River Ballroom in beautiful downtown Saxapahaw. It's a small community north of Chapel Hill on the Haw River. The old textile mill shut down years ago and has been converted into shops and a music venue. Most of the bands that Matt played in performed. Mike played in 3 of them on Sunday...the Kinksmen, the Venables and Stratocruiser. It was a wonderful tribute to a really great guy. It sounds so cliche but Matt was full of life. He was fun-loving and playful. And what you saw was what you got. No pretense whatsoever. He was taken too soon. He is truly missed.