It all started with a spark...

Or at least I assume it did. Almost a week ago, the house caught on fire. Here is my account of the situation:

I woke up to Todd making quite a ruckus with the blankets. I saw him and said "What's going on?" He replied, not calmly, that there was a fire and I needed to get water. That's when I noticed the fire at the end of the bed. I really honestly believe that I never saw it, heard it or smelled it before that. So I flew to the bathroom (I am assuming flight, because I have no memory of feet touching the ground.) I grabbed the trashcan, dumped the trashcan on the floor and tried to fill it up - I had a little bit of difficulty because I was still sleeping, technically and my shower includes a home built mechanism. When I finally did get it working, the water seemed pitifully slow. I ran the trashcan and threw the water on the fire. By now the fire is about the width of the bed and twice as high I would guess. I looked at Todd and he was dripping sweat. He has been trying to smother the fire with blankets from the beginning so I don't know why this comes as such a surprise to me. I yelled at him to call 911 and ran back for more water. When I came back I realized we really are not making progress. I more insistently told him to call 911 - we are giving up. I then went downstairs where the dogs are sleeping and get them outside and start to gather the cats. By the time I get the cats out, the dogs are back in and on the couch looking at me like I am an absolute nutjob. I get them locked out in the fenced area and follow Todd outside who is by that time on the phone with 911. I then realize I was sleeping in a short t-shirt and run back into the house to the laundry room to grab pants (I was soon wishing I had also grabbed shoes and socks for both of us. It was very chilly - hence the electric blanket.) Soon the firemen were there and they were doing that voodoo that they do so well.

Lessons learned:
Insurance is a pain in the neck... but when you need it, it sure does make things feel less desperate. We didn't have content insurance, but knowing that in a couple of weeks we will be back in the house, with a new floor and dry walls and ceiling... it is all gonna be ok. The stuff inside was either able to be washed and repaired, was extra stuff anyway or will be replaced with a little time.

I should always know where my purse is - I should always put it in the exact same spot... and maybe my laptop should also be put away in a carrier bag? But definitely know where your purse/wallet/cell phone is in the case of emergencies.

Also know where your pants are... and maybe keep them close to your bed.

Backup your hard drive. One of the things lost was Todd's laptop... the pictures will be replaced because most of them were emailed to him by his family in the first place anyways... but a back up would be nice.

When you are throwing water on a fire, don't panic so much that you don't aim. Apparently Todd wasn't sweating that bad - the 1st bucket of water went straight into his face.

Be able to laugh. The jokes about our bedroom being a hot place, him/me being so hot the bed catches on fire, friction jokes, my inability to aim and stay calm.... all of these things have definitely helped keep me sane (or relatively less crazy than a psychopath.)

Help from your friends and family can't be taken for granted. If I have to go through this - this is how I want it to happen. Mom and Dad have done so much for us - I can't even begin to list. Todd's mom and dad and family has been a huge help too - having you guys out there to care... just knowing that when I publish this blog or when I shared the pictures - there would be so many people concerned about us. I can't tell you how important that is. So grab the pictures? Grab your laptop? Maybe - those things are important AND hard to replace. But way more important that that - know who you can call that can help you by listening, negotiating the insurance path and smelling all your clothes. And grab your pants and aim the water, doofus.

Love you all - happy to be here to post a blog. seriously - I love you.

Last year at around Christmas time...

So last year, at Sarah's birthday visit in Gainesville, Steve made us some amazing prime rib...and broccoli... and just all around an amazing dinner. I crave just that dinner right now actually thinking of this. After I am done writing this insanely late blog, I am going to try (and fail) to comfort myself with a lunchmeat sandwich.

Dear Steve,

Once you made prime rib that has since ruined me for nearly any other food. I eat only to survive now. Occasionally, I eat something that I have cooked and try to pretend that it's as good as your prime rib. Only if I am drunk do I succeed.

Thanks for the blessing and the curse you gave us last Christmas.
Cassie

Potential progress

Time for a progress report:

Health
• Physical activity every day: So-so. I have been walking 2 miles at work every work day - and then usually doing something every day, but there has been a few days that I have been pretty lazy. But I think overall- B+.
• More Salads, less breads. C-. I have the stuff for salad - today I will be eating salad. Yesterday I ate half a loaf of bread.
• Cut out coke- 1 a week. A. :)
Overall Health goals met: B

Money
• Take back control starting next bank statement: Restarted my check book with a clean slate today with the arrival of the bank statement. A
• start a travel account: In my defense I literally have no extra money. I got paid on Tuesday and before that deposit I had $2.77 in my account. F
• I need to focus on my student loans: Well... not paying any extra... and haven't done some paperwork I need to do. C-
Overall Finances: D. yuck.

Career
• Get back in the game: I have applied for about 5 jobs in the past 2 weeks. I feel like I'm doing almost all I can in that department. A-
Overall: A

House issues:
• I need to finish my projects: Haven't continued any of the projects I've started. F
• I also need to be better about chores: I think I'm actually doing pretty good on this one. B+
Overall House: C-

ADVENTURE section (This is my second favorite!)
• I want to be a ‘Yes’-girl: I think I'm pretty much game for anything I can afford :) B+
• Start doing things from that bucket list! Skydive? Bungee? Eskimo kiss?: I did do some eskimo kissing... C
Adventure overall: B-.

Personal and family goals
• I want to blog, email, call and basically communicate more in general: I feel like I am doing better - 3 blogs, 0 emails, 1 call to Molly, 1 call to Mike. Attending family night, visiting Grandma in the hospital. I'm gonna say.. A-
• I want to rekindle my hobbies. I have had a very busy week, but I've managed to do some hobbies: walking, reading, cupcakes, and I put my bunnies together today for several hours (babies?!) I give myself an A.
Overall: A


So some areas need a little more attention, but I am proud of the efforts :)

Love to all!

cuppy cakes!

So we have family night every Friday night (most of you know this because you are there!). Anyway this weekend Todd and I made adorable bowling alley cupcakes. To me they weren't delicious - too sweet! But the again I had to eat my ridiculously frosted one so maybe the others were better. Anyway - pictures to follow. In other news, progress made - the house is clean and I'm keeping it that way. That makes Baby happy - she hasn't has to wear the muzzle in a couple days now because there is nothing to chew up.

Still failing in the bread and money departments.


These are fish bowl cupcakes that we make for one of Todd's best friend's mom.


The front one is my ridiculous pin.

These were inspired by Hello, Cupcake and Laura Judy. There are bound to be more - hopefully improved cupcakes in the future because that book is absolutely adorable!

Goals and shit.

Ok so I’m sitting at work – and I’m blogging. Not really. What I’m really doing is just typing – later I will put it on the blog, but I can’t log into the blog here. Not unless I want the bosses to potentially read it. This wouldn’t necessarily be terribly bad, except that later I talk about quiting my job. That’s right; I already know where this blog is going. I’ve had it planned for weeks, and my lazy bum has just now figured out a way to fit this into my oh-so-busy schedule. I definitely hope you can see the sarcasm there. In reality, I’ve been working, hanging out with Todd and doing the bare minimum of anything else.

(Why do they make the plastic and aluminum covering on yogurt and fruit cups adhere sooo tightly that you squirt the juice on yourself when you open it? For convenience food, it’s definitely not very convenient. I’m gonna send that Dyson guy a letter and see if he’s done with the vacuum cleaner and fan and can help the Dole with this problem.)

So I said I’ve been planning this blog weeks in advance and I have… in fact, I wrote up an outline! (Cassie is so OCD… how OCD is she, you ask? Well, this morning – she hung her laundry on the line… so far so good…. and tried to group similar colors together! OCD.) So here it is … my last blog promised goals or choices or a bucket list tone. I think I’ve accomplished all these.

First, now that I’m 30(!) I have to take better care of my health.
• Physical activity every day. Even fishing counts or doing chores (Ah! 2 birds, meet my 1 stone!) It doesn’t have to be P90X, although… I did buy all those DVDs…
• More Salads, less breads. Ouch, that hurts to even say. This morning I had toast, bread at lunch and you can be guaranteed that this girl is gonna eat bread when she gets off work. This may be the hardest goal. I need to learn how to make truly delicious salads, like Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion!
• Cut out coke- 1 a week. I’ve already pretty much accomplished this – I’ve been drinking lots of tea, since caffeine isn’t the problem, it’s the sugar. I love you almost as much as bread, Coke.

Second goal is equally serious – my finances.
• Yuck. First I have to admit that I have lost control. I don’t do paperwork, I don’t balance my checkbook, I don’t write anything done. The truth is I don’t want to know. I have to get over that….starting next bank statement.
• One great idea I got when I was thinking about my finances was a travel account. I want to save and save – and probably use my tax refunds to start a travel account and I want to spend it all every year. (See ADVENTURE section)
• I need to focus on my student loans. I say that when I am in a job with little to no discretionary income and I still want to have some fun.

This brings us to 3rd goal: career.
• Is it time to get back in the game? I say this with a question mark. I have been working, but they have been jobs that I could get with a high school diploma. And I’m not trying to sound the least bit snobbish…but… (toot, toot) I have a lot more education to use (and pay off). If I don’t get back in the game, what will I do? I guess (toot, toot, toot) I think I’m pretty smart and personable and probably need to find a job that is more – more than just a job? Maybe. Definitely more that what I have now. I’ve applied for a couple of jobs in Manhattan, KS. I am hopeful.
• If I’m not going to go corporate, I need to figure something out. All I’m doing right now, both financial and professionally, is slowly drowning. I make it month to month barely. Ugh. This is unpleasant to think about and even more unpleasant to admit. Don’t judge me too harshly.

Goals pertaining to the home:
• I need to finish my projects. Do you know that the bathroom floor is only 90% scraped because it got hard? Well, I’m not going to finish it right now because it’s too hot. But I really should someday.
• I also need to be better about chores. If I do just one chore a day, or part of a chore even, then there wouldn’t be a Hell day after two weeks of avoiding anything even resembling a chore. (Mom, I know you’ve been telling me that for years, but please don’t rub it in!)

ADVENTURE section (This is my second favorite!)
• I want to be a ‘Yes’-girl… to a degree. I want to do almost anything I can do. I wish I could’ve been a Warrior Dasher.
• Start doing things from that bucket list! Skydive? Bungee? Eskimo kiss?
Almost anything is possible (if I get off the couch, eat more salads and start that travel fund.) I know one thing for sure – both hammocks have been lost to poor maintenance and weather. I need to replace my hammock. (Although… then that’s one more thing I have to get off of before the ADVENTURE begins!)

Personal and family goals are, by far, my most important.
• I want to blog, email, call and basically communicate more in general. I hardly ever actually speak to you guys in Georgia or any friends in Colorado. Everything has been boiled down to Facebook. That’s one reason why I wanted to get back to blogging. Even though it’s one extra step to tell a story – I can tell the full story, not just “What’s on my mind?”
• I want to rekindle my hobbies. I want to practice guitar. I know I will never be
great, but it’s cool and relaxing. Making cards, walking my dogs, camping, going to the lake. Make my bunnies make babies, dammit! I really enjoy all these things and I get bogged down, or stuck on the couch and I don’t do them. I don’t have to do them all everyday or even every week. But wouldn’t it be nice to get a homemade card from me?  Everyone loves mail!

I guess that’s it. Ha. I feel like I’m 30, I should have my life in more order. I don’t have a lousy boyfriend or husband holding me back. I have a great support structure right now… I have to be brave. So now you’ve seen my goals. Help hold me to them. Haven’t heard from me in awhile? Drop me a real live email. Have an adventure? Ask me and see if I don’t join ya. Want to pay off my student loans? Feel free.

Love.

PS. Just reread this blog. More overwhelmed than ever. Should’ve left it in outline form. Can’t wait to go home, eat bread and lay on the couch.

20's Retrospective

So I'm officially 30. Can't beat around that anymore - but here's the thing - I'm actually kind of excited. I wasn't looking forward to the actual turning of the calendar page and considering I'm dating someone now 8 years younger than me I had to take a little shit today. But my thirties! It's almost like moving to a new city! I can ignore all those silly things I did in my 20's (wedding? South Korea? poor choices in general?) and say "Ah, I was sooo young!" And smile at how cute my poor choices were. And pretend to myself that I am obviously making much wiser decisions. Obviously.

So that being said - I am going to make some goals. Nothing crazy. Nothing toooo "New-Year's-Resolution-y" but something to keep from being that 60-year-old woman that clearly learned nothing from her silly 20s. Hopefully I will not only have the guts to tell you at least some of the goals, but also to keep you up to date with the carrying out of said goals.

um... hi... miss me?

So today I was reading old entries. Wow. I really missed 'talking' to you. All of you readers are on Facebook, so you kinda know what's going on with me. But it's just not as conversational. I'm thinking I will try to get back into this - maybe it will just last a month (but what a month it will be!) or maybe I will get back into the swing of it and it will last longer. I don't have the campground to rely on - so there will probably be less adventures and the adventures I do share will probably be a lot more mundane.

I'm going to be egotistical for a minute here - when I used to re-read my blogs immediately after writing them, I didn't really see the appeal. I did them mainly for you guys to keep up with me and thought they really weren't that entertaining. I only re-read 7 or 8 of them, but I was laughing. I really am a pretty entertaining writer if I do say so myself.

Anyway, this month is a good month to share stories because I am turning 30 in 7 days. Good time to be a little introspective.

Please to enjoy.