...and the weeks just fly by!   Things here are very busy of course.  Work is still really really busy but I will say that with my new boss and new team I feel SO much less stress and therefore so does the entire household.  

Updates!

I'm now 1/2 way through my mountain dulcimer class and I am very much enjoying it and learning a lot.   It has only been 3 of us max and usually just 2 of us.    We are averaging 2 songs a week although I'm happy if I kinda get the jive of just one of them at a time.    I realized this week that some of it seems to actually be getting easier and I do need to get on tonight and see what resources were posted for us from last week.

There has been some hanging about and for some of us even napping.

I am also trying my best to get back into some routines.   One thing I've been missing a great deal is getting out and walking.  Mind you it is horribly icy here and looks like it will be for some time but I'm determined to make it happen.   I did my first few days  with my micro spikes but have found that those throw me just enough off balance in my body to make things go out of whack.   So the past few days I've been picking my way around without them.   I try to get out at that sweet spot of time where the ice isn't slush and the mud isn't melted.     I'm also trying to get Sterling down the road and back at least 4 times a week although that crazy dog still doesn't get the concept of ice!  I don't want him hurting himself even more (old bones).   I've been happy that we've had a bit warmer weather to get out.

As you can tell we've had some sun and Sterling would much rather sit and watch the goings on via the front door.   None  the less, the two other crazy dogs and I did have a fun photo walk.

Josie doesn't go every day as her feet aren't as tough and honestly, spending 30 minutes dressing dogs and me to walk for 30 minutes isn't very productive.   Still she does get to come along  some days.  Epic has tougher feet so often can go without boots which makes it quicker.    We also acquired a new "toy" and the story is that I saw this laying on the road back last summer as I drove by.  Thinking some child probably lost it I put it up in the pine tree along the road at windshield height - seriously - not like it was invisible.

As we walked down the road I decided IF it was still there I'd give it  to Epic to bring home - which he very happily did.

Hoping to get back into the habit and my body and brain are thankful to get fresh air and some exercise - however slow.  It also makes the dogs happy (and tired).

Weekends have been spent (since it has been almost 40 most weekend days) firing up the heater in the trailer and working in there.   I got to pondering my table situation and had  gotten the parts for it (aluminum and connectors).  As I spent some time in the trailer thinking about what I wanted and designing in my head I just was constantly bothered by the jack-knife couch situation as it sat about 6" lower than the other bench - so problematic for the table situation.   I knew eventually it was going to come out as it was hogging up possible storage space under it that wasn't usable AND they are NOT  comfortable to sleep on.  The other reason I hadn't dealt with it was that I didn't want to have to commit to creating cushions for a replacement.   Then the revelation.......I measured the 5' space  and was looking around my house and realized that maybe, just maybe I could  use  some of the ottoman  cushions I had in "spare ones" in my house.   I found that a long one and short one fit PERFECT!   So out to the garage to determine if I had parts and leftover tubing I could use.  I did!  Halleluiah!   So jack-knife replaced - for "free".  Okay I did buy baskets to go under it.

I will say right now, I have more storage than I know what to do with although it won't last to be sure.   I still am unsure if there may end up being a crate under there.  Yet to be determined.    Dog approved.

On to the table.  I originally was thinking a drop leaf design, with a hinge but realized that since the table is in the very back  of the trailer, the bumping was going to be extreme so that wasn't a great idea to have that much bouncing on a hinge.   So decided to leave the leaf loose (it is a 2X3' piece) and figure out how to put it on when needed.  The back shelf is 3X1' and will be stationary.    Here's where I landed....and of course decided to have a lovely fake planter back on there just to make it a bit homey.  That is attached with magnets so can easily be removed.

Of course working out in the cold weather with aluminum is not ideal and I did  manage to break one of the hinges on the the leg (ordered a couple spares now) but it is in and I'm very happy.   There are wood guides on the bottom of the big part to straddle the leg and then ta-da! binder clips to the rescue to hook it to the back and stabilize it.   We won't  be sitting on it after all so am hoping they'll work.   The leaf will be put under my bed mattress when not in use.   I will say that my supervisory crew though felt I was taking too long working out there but they happily used the bed.

Other items completed were removal of the bathroom door.  I realized that if the door was shut you literally couldn't turn around in there (till the vanity comes out) and it opened  into the narrow hall right by the kitchen sink.  Not ideal.   So a white shower curtain, some magnets and a curtain rod and we now at least have flexible elbow room.   Love those earth magnets and good old steel washers!    I also got the ugly blue undercounter led lights out and wired in new let strip lights that run along the ceiling in the kitchen and across the back.   Also pulled the ones under the bed out and think I may see about wiring in a plain old DC outlet there as there aren't any of those in the trailer.  Yet to be determined.

Still have lots of storage organizing to do and have the wire shelving to cut up and hang in some of the cupboards to give more storage options.   Those are always my biggest obstacles - figuring out what goes where.    Then on to the outside storage issues.   As things warm up that is!   Good news is the propane furnace seems to work well and the thermostat works as advertised - unlike my old trailer which we never got resolved.    

Today I forced myself to stay OUT of the trailer and worked on things like taxes.  BLECH!  They are done and that is a relief.  Now I need to start working this week on just getting some things in this house squared away me thinks andddd away we go to start yet another week!