ILUVTN

I can't believe that October begins tomorrow. It just seems like yesterday that Jim and I were moving into the house. Man time sure does fly.

The weather is getting a little bit more nippy. I actually had to close the windows this week. I also had to put the electric blanket on the bed.

Brrr! The holidays are just around the corner.

Well, let's see what happens to tonight at the big debate. John Kerry was "preparing" for the debate at a private resort in Wisconsin. Oh give me a break. Since he was lagging in the polls after the Republican Convention was over I don't think that he should be at a private resort. I hope that President Bush just walks all over him tonight. Will serve that Yankee right. The more I look at him the weirder he looks.

They were talking on the radio this morning about his "orange glow". Could it have been a ketchup malfunction?

Well it is Thursday afternoon and our trip home to Tennessee has been postponed. We got a phone call on Saturday to let us know that Jon's mom had emergency surgery on Saturday morning. Jon flew up on Saturday to Chicago.Well it wasn't good. She was in a drug induced coma until Monday, the hospital changed her sedative and she was a little coherent. Jon was actually able to talk to her. We got another call yesterday. ( Wednesday) She passed away. Cindy flew out today with the boys. Jon's boss told her that her ticket was taken care of and not to worry about anything. She was to be packed and ready to go this morning, they were going to send someone to take them to the airport. We will see them on Saturday. John (Jim's brother) will be flying out tomorrow from Nashville and we will take him back to the airport Saturday night after the service is over with.

I have never been to a non-Christian funeral. I have also never been to a cremation ceremony. It will be an education. I was raised in the church and do not have any qualms about believing in God and Jesus. If others have their own beliefs then so be it. I am not going to push my religion on someone else. I just feel really sorry for them because they won't be going to heaven. I can look around and see what God has made and I do believe that Jesus died for our sins. I don't think I want to know what happens to people that are not Christians.

Should have done this on Saturday night while the excitement was still fresh!

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS 30
FLORIDA GATORS 28

Great game, had some scary moments there. But the boys pulled it out at the end!

GO VOLS!

Jim just sat down at the piano. The pups start "singing" when he is playing. We haven't decided if it because they like it or if they don't.

Bumper and Tipsy are such good puppies. Jim was picking out "Hawaii Five-O" on the keys and Bumper decided he needed to "play" too. Jim taught him to play the piano a couple of years ago. Well I went in the kitchen to get a treat for Bumper and Tipsy followed. I asked her what she was going to do for a treat and she started barking. I figured she needed to roll over. So she must have been paying attention to Bumper. The first couple of times she needed a little help. But not the 4th or 5th time after that. She was doing so good. Of course Bumper is rolling over and over and over. It's like "okay, Mom" " I have rolled over several times and you are behind on your treats".

They are so funny. Jim said last night that he couldn't imagine living without them. He told me the same thing.

The weekend with the in-laws went really well. Jim's mom told him that she really liked the house. She said that she feels like this is our home. She said it feels right. So I am glad she understands and is glad that we are back up here. I am still adjusting.

I was in the grocery store the other day and saw a older lady with Kerry/Edwards shirt on. She looked so cute. Too bad she was wearing an icky shirt. When Clinton was running for president, I told Jim that I didn't trust the guy. Jim said how can you not trust him you don't know him. Well, I have an 6th instinct about people and the first time I saw him my 6th instinct told me not to trust him. I feel the same way about Kerry. I don't know why, it is just a gut feeling.

I am so glad that we live in a country that we can speak our minds and not get punished for it. I am glad that I have an array of friends. I don't hold it against them if their opinion differs from mine. They are entitled to their opinion just as I am mine. They don't slip off my friend list just because they believe that Kerry is the best man for the job. You just don't talk about it.

Well the weekend has come and gone. It was an eventful one. Friday night and Saturday morning was spent doing a garage sale. ($16.75 was what I made but I enjoyed the fun with the other girls.) Saturday afternoon I took some time to finish my Stampin' Up! stamps that I received in the mail on Friday.


It has been a good weekend overall. Except that the printer crapped out on us. So it was off to Best Buy tonight to purchase another one. How long are printers suppose to last anyway?It just seems like not too long ago that we bought the HP. This make printer #3, so we went with Epson this time.

I thought that after we moved in that things would settle down. Was I ever wrong! It seems that there has been something going on every weekend since we have moved. Don't ask me what happened in August. I do know that September weekends are booked and it looks like October is going to be the same way.

The first weekend of September, Jim and I spent the weekend trying to do some things in the house. The second weekend (just passed us), his mom and dad were here. The third weekend is the big garage sale in Mahomet. It is "city"-wide. The fourth weekend I am helping with a picture studio to take pictures at a Homecoming Dance. I volunteered because for one I will be meeting new people and the other is that we can have pictures done really inexpensively. I figured it was time for professionals again. We haven't had any made in 10 years. Oh no, I take that back, we had some made when Bumper was just a pup.

Well that is our September...on to October. the first weekend we are going to Tennessee for a family reunion, the 2nd weekend is tentatively scheduled for a weenie roast and pumpkin carving in the neighborhood. The third weekend back to Tennessee only to Nashville this time to see the neice and new newphew. I think the 4th weekend Jim's sister and family will be here on the way to Chicago.

Geez...I hope November is a little bit slower. I have to get Christmas cards made.

Well as you know Jim's mom and dad are going to be here today. I am so excited that they are coming up. The house is not spotless, but an organized chaos. It could be worse. They should be here about 6. That means I have to get grocery shopping done and home before then and I don't get off until 5.

We spent last night cleaning and putting up new shelves in the master bedroom closet. I haven't had a walk in closet since we moved out of the apartment in 1990. I am looking forward to getting everything organzied. Now maybe I can see what I have and don't have.

The front bathroom is back together. Going to put up a border of magnolias in there after the in laws leave. I love magnolias...they remind me of home.

I told Jim the other day that we are going to have to make a trip to Nashville soon. We became an aunt and uncle again in July and still have seen the little munchkin. From what I have heard he is absolutely adorable. Why wouldn't he be? He's an Alvis. All the Alvis men are good looking.

I thought it would this month that we would get to Nashville, but no such luck. There is something going on every weekend this month and October is getting to be just as full.
And here I was worried that I would be bored and lonely up here again.

Keeping busy has been good for me. Trying to get settled with moving and a new job. I still miss Tennessee and the family. Leaving them and my best friend Jennifer was the hard part. I told Jim that I do want to go back to Tennessee again. I would be happy if we could retire. At least then I know that I have something to look forward to.

Gotta fly. I am writing this on my lunch hour and it is almost over.

Take care,

Beth

Well, its been a long weekend. Friday night I went to my first stamp camp with 2 of my neighbors...Kim and Brooke. They were so much fun. We made Christmas cards to take with us. It was so cool. Now we (Kim Brooke and I) have to decide when and where we are going to get together to make our Christmas cards.

Saturday morning I got up and undecorated the front bathroom.(Mom and I decorated it when she was up here last month.) I put a coat of primer on the walls in the bathroom, after I taped everything up,so I wouldn't get paint on the fixtures and the base boards. (Yeah, right)

Sunday we went to Champaign to do some shopping. We bought new cabinets and a counter top for the garage. New shelves for the walk in closet. While Jim and Doug went back to Champaign to exchange one of the cabinets, I cleaned out our closet. When Jim saw what the walls were going to look like, we decided we needed to patch holes. So at 10:30 pm we are patching holes.

Monday, I got up early...8:30, after snuggling with pups for about 30 minutes. Then I started on the bathroom again. 2 paint coats later, I am finally done with it. The only thing that is left is to put the wall plates back on. That will have to wait...I am going to get new ones for the bathroom. We are going to start changing things in the house one room at a time.

The only thing left to do today is sanding the closet. The rest will have to wait until tomorrow after work.

We called about a pool table Saturday. The seller called us back yesterday and talked to Jim. Jim seems to be interested. Will keep you posted...

Jim's mom and dad will be here on Friday. So I have to get the bathroom finished this week and get the closet done so we can get the spare bedroom cleaned out. Looks like its going to be a long week.