typing' away...

Feel like the clutter is weighing you down? Have no idea where to start? That's me every time I tackle household chores. It was easy when it was just you, but when you've got a family of six (if you count the two dogs), a full-time job and a always gone spouse...finding the time, energy, or even the drive to organize is a challenge. Some days, I'm in a roll, then before you know it it's all a mess again! I have no clue how people do it.

Perhaps we just have too much crap!  Kids have too many toys, clothes. Donald's got too many uniforms, socks, t-shirts. And just lots of little knick knacks that just collect dust.

Or perhaps I'm just inept when it comes to anything that deals with household organization. I can keep my office pristine, but I wish I could do the same with my home. I can't work when things are disorganized, but I'm forced to live in a house that never feels like the home I want it to be. Who would have thought that raising two kids as a surrogate single parent and providing a well-kept and organized home was such a challenge. My mom was must have been supermom to have kept such a tight operation at home. Wish I could have taken a little bit more of that from her.

The clutter is just overwhelming and I just want to throw all the junk away, instead of trying to find a way to store it in our no-closet/storage-space home.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Stumbled upon this website that I'm hoping will help me out. http://www.lifeorganizers.com/

Or maybe it's time to just move.

So I received great news the other day from the station manager. I was the one selected for the position! YAY! I was so delighted to hear the news. Though the hubby never had any doubt that I was going to land the job, I wasn't overly confident (you just never know). So now, as long as my background check clears, I should be receiving an official offer over the phone at probably some ungodly hour. So first great news....

Second great news...I got a phone call from a friend and former Atsugi neighbor about coming down as a Mary Kay consultant during one of their last organization's meetings. I was a little bummed because with the potential new job, my Mary Kay business could only be conducted over the weekend. But I thought about it, even if I couldn't make it to the event perhaps I could just leave my business cards and schedule facials at a more convenient time. SO DUH! The lightbulb clicked! I'm going to leave my business cards and some brochures and basically raffle off some spa goodies! So you have to sign-up for a free facial to qualify for the free products! That's what I did at the organization's last event, which generated lots of new clients for me. This time, I just won't be there to physically talk to people or have samples out. But my friend and president of the organization, is totally hooking me up! She's gonna leave my stuff for me to help me out.

I've realized that it's not about the money or the fancy things. It's about who you know and the connections you make. The hubby was also able to use his connections and ask for a favor to bump the kids up on the waiting list for full-time care. And now, I've got an appointment with CDC about making it happen.

Three great things....if I hadn't gone back to volunteer, wouldn't have had the opportunity for the job. If I had not met or worked with the people within the organization, I don't think I would have landed the job. If it wasn't for my friendly hook-up with AOSA, I wouldn't have the practically exclusive selling rights to all those people in Atsugi. And if it wasn't for Ms. Jackson putting in a good word and working her magic, we'd be waiting for another year before the kids get close to being on the top of the enrollment list.

Things come in threes....and today, I'm feeling quite fortunate.

I did it! I applied for the open Field Office Coordinator. We'll see...hopefully I'll get at least an interview. Wish me luck! Also on finding FT care for my little Maddy, too (that is if I happen to get this job). Keeping my fingers crossed.

Original recipe can be found in RecipeZaar.com. Cooking in the oven as we speak. Will let you know how it turns out.

Ingredients

Place pork chops in a 9x13 baking dish. Season to taste. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Poor over chops.
Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

They sure do feel like hurricane force winds. The house is shaking with each gust and the shutters are rattling like crazy. Don't think I'm going to be able to get much sleep tonight. Not sure how the kids are sleeping through it. That's what happens when your japanese house is made out of sticks. ;)

I better check that the car hasn't rolled out into the street. Our BBQ grill has probably flipped over and our bikes are on the ground. Wonder what other things of ours are floating around.

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally, unfortunately, my wife is like most women ---she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from Wal -Mart.

After being married for 40 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, "Honey, 40 years ago we had a cheap apartment, a cheap car, slept on a sofa bed and watch a 10-inch black and white TV, but I got to sleep every night with a hot 25-year-old gal.

"Now I have a $2,000,000 home, a $145,000.00 car, nice
big bed and plasma screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 65-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things."

My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go
out and find a hot 25-year-old gal, and she would make sure that I would once again be living in a cheap apartment, driving a cheap car, sleeping on a sofa bed and watching a 10-inch black and white TV.

Aren't older women great? They really know how to
solve a mid-life crisis...