Who stole my toilet paper?

A couple of months ago, we received a phone call from our superintendent asking when we had been down to our storage locker. It had been a little while because we don’t need the stuff we often put down there. She let us know that our locker had been broken into and someone had cut the lock off the unit.

The first thing that came to my mind was we had purchased one of the locks that was difficult to cut, so why would they spend the time doing that. I didn’t think we had anything visible that was worth stealing. After that quick thought, we headed downstairs to figure out what had happened and to check to see if anything had been stolen, so we could start dealing with that.

Sure, enough, when we got down to the locker it had been broken into and the lock that was on the door wasn’t even our lock, so that was something that we found odd. I looked around and didn’t see anything missing, and then my husband looked and in a tone of shock said, “They stole our toilet paper”. Yes, whoever had broken into our locker had taken the large package of toilet paper that we had down there in case of an emergency, given the shortage we had at the beginning of covid. We quickly locked the door with a spare lock that we had and headed up to talk to the superintendent and then go and get another lock that is hard to cut. Our lock was nowhere to be seen, so we figured we better go quickly and get a new one.

After getting our new lock, we went back down to the storage locker to put on the new lock, only to discover that they hadn’t cut our lock to break into our locker, but they had cut the actual loop that is on the locker wall. That is why our lock was missing because instead of cutting it they cut the loop so that they could bend it and get our lock off. That was a quick report to the superintendent, as that required property management to repair that so that we could then put our new lock on. Thankfully, we had a bike lock that we could use as a temporary lock until we were notified that the person was there to fix the locker.

Our locker now has the new lock on it, and we go down a little more often to ensure everything is ok. Now, a piece of advice for everyone, it doesn’t matter what you store in your locker, make sure that no one can see what it is. Toilet paper during covid was a big thing, but at least I know that the person that stole our toilet paper didn’t get the nice soft stuff, they got the rough toilet paper.

 

I miss you

This entry was written over a year ago while we were dealing with my dad having vascular dementia.  I wanted to capture some thoughts and feelings that I was going through at that time. We since lost him to dementia, and I still feel that empty place in my heart. We think we are now on the dementia journey again with my mom, and I am now trying to deal with those feelings.

I didn't know if I wanted to post this blog when I originally wrote it, but now I feel I want others that are going through this journey to know that they are not alone.

 

I know that you are still around, but I miss who you were.  I miss having those talks about everything and anything.  I miss putting my head on your shoulder and just sitting beside you.

You were there for me during a lot of the roller coaster that I have gone through in my life.  You were there when I faced some rotten challenges, but you were always there for me to lean on.  You taught me how to stand on my own and deal with things, but I knew you were always close behind me, being my support.  

You walked me down the aisle on my wedding day and made me feel very special.   You have always treated me like a daughter and never a step-daughter.  I remember you saying that you would never be our father, but you wanted to be our dad.  I can honestly say that you have been my dad and will always be.

You have learned to tell me that you were proud of me, and I remember some calls when I told you and mom something and I heard you yell “Congratulations.” Hearing you tell me you were proud of me was very important because I always wanted to make you proud.  I promise that I will continue to make you proud of me no matter what. Even now when I talk to you on the phone and tell you something that I have done, I hear in your voice how happy you are even if you don’t really understand or remember what I have said. 

You picked me up when I was down and taught me how to handle all those challenges and become stronger for doing that.  I know that life has been a challenge, and now you are dealing with some major challenges of your own, but I want you to know that I will always love you and am there for you to lean on. 

I really miss who you were, and I wish I could get that person back, but I know that I can’t.  I do know that no matter what happens, you have been my dad, and I am proud to be your daughter.

10+ years

May 27, 2011

Who knew that I would have been writing this blog for 10+ years? It doesn’t seem like it has been that long, and I must admit that I have loved doing this blog and getting the posts written. I have been able to have some fun and have also been able to share some sad things that have happened.

I started this blog to express some various thoughts, ideas, and feelings that I have had, and boy have I been able to write lots over these years. Of course, I know that I have been missing more than I wanted over the last few years, but I hope that I can return to posting a little more often.

There have been years when I have posted very little, then I had the time when I was posting lots, and that has all been based on when I have had the time and energy to write the different blogs. I know that I have missed writing here because I have had a lot of fun posting some of the things that I have done. I have lots of memories based on some posts and even how I have met people and been able to talk about this blog.

My funniest memory was when a friend was telling me about a follower that I had on another blog that I write, and she read what this person’s blog was like and did I follow this person. What was funny was this person was asking me if I read my blog, as she couldn’t figure out what I could write in two different ways for my two different blogs. It was fun explaining that yes it was me and yes, I do write two blogs.

I hope to continue working on this blog and hopefully before too long I can get back to writing most posts and getting back to enjoying what I have done here. Yes, the blog may change some, but I do know that I have loved what I have been able to accomplish here, and I am looking forward to seeing what is head for me and this blog.

 

Hermit weekend, what is this?

For cross stitchers, when you say it is “International Hermit & Stitch Weekend” you may get a few different reactions. For some it will be “what is it”, others will be, “oh I am working” and then there are those that say, “I am ready for it”. The description of this weekend is a chance for us to squirrel some time away for ourselves and “Hermit and Stitch”. It is a time set aside to take care of us and our love for stitching.

What this weekend is about is a chance for a stitcher to spend a weekend getting as much stitching done as they can. It happens on the 3^rd full weekend of each month, and it is something that you can do by yourself or with others. I know that my hermit weekend is normally done alone, where I can find the time to just put as any stitches in as I can.  Of course, there are times when I don’t have a chance to get any stitching done and other weekends where I can see lots done by the end of it.

What this weekend is about is taking a picture of where you are starting on your project and then at the end of the weekend take another picture and see how much you were able to accomplish. You don’t have to work on just one project, it is up to you want you do. I love the rules because each person can get what they want out of the weekend. People have knit, crochet, needlepoint and cross stitch on the weekend, and it is just getting some progress on something done.

I haven’t been able to participate each time, but I do try and make sure that I get a bit of time away during that weekend to get a few stitches in. What I normally do is pick the project that I am currently working on and try and see how much of it I can get done during this one weekend.  Of course, there are times that I get distracted on other project, so they get moved forward instead, but at least I am finding some time to enjoy my stitching and also make some progress on things.

Hermit weekend could be for anything depending on your hobby, so it could be hermit and read, hermit and binge-watch TV programs, it doesn’t matter. It is a weekend where you take the time for yourself and do what you want to do. I know for me the normal hermit weekend is curling up with my cross stitch, but there are also hermit weekends when I curl up with knitting or crocheting to see some good progress.

Why not try and get one weekend a month set aside where you take the time to recharge your own personal batteries and do something for yourself. If you aren’t single, try and schedule this weekend when the others in the house want to also hermit and do their own things.