It's the most wondeful time of the year! I LOVE the first day of school! Jim and I were off today and as soon as Jasmine got on the bus it was celebration time! Our lil' princess rides the bus to school this year, has her OWN desk, and loves being in 1st grade. I'm so happy...

All is well in my little world tonight. I finally have my home office set up! I can function! I have room to breathe! MY SPACE! MINE...MINE...MINE... Girlie things like Hello Kitty (too kewl! I'm so 15!) My work tables, altars, LIBRARY (ok, just lots of shelves right now but still!). Did I say MINE?!?! My family has to make an effort to come and find me - out to the deck, down a flight of stairs, around and under the deck, and through my door...IF it is unlocked. I'll have curtains by week's end. I even have a microwave. And frozen pastries. And a beer buzz...a nice one. Alone, just me, wheeeee!

I'm a big girl now.

Sounds about right.....

In the dark ages, how would Tamar die?

You would be eaten by wolves while collecting firewood. Crap.

'How would you die in the dark ages?' at QuizGalaxy.com

It works like this: You reply to this post and I give you a letter ofthe alphabet. Then you dredge up 10 songs that start with said letter and put them in your journal (with these or similar instructions).


1. Money - Pink Floyd
2. My Humps - Black Eyed Peas
3. Mr. Brown - Bob Marley
4. Making Out - No Doubt
5. Misty Mountain Hop - Led Zepplin
6. Murder Was The Case - Snoop Dogg
7. My Name Is - Eminem
8. Music - Madonna
9. Miss Independant - Kelly Clarkson
10.Marble Hall -Enya

WooHoo! It's harder than you think!

This past weekend was great. It seemed what to be a typical weekend here at Caer Bradley. Chores got accomplished, Bri & Edweirdo came over (thanks to him I now have wireless hurray!), hung out with the family, had Hearth on Sunday. I enjoyed this very "normal" weekend.

My father-in-law seems to be curbing his attitude, I am so proud of myself for sticking to my guns and not giving in to his Eeyore attitude. I do have to keep him in check, Friday I was burning the midnight oil he came home pretty lit up - to the point of walking a little clumsy. Not smart driving home, he could have gotten a DWI or worse, hurt or killed someone. I wasn't about to lecture him when he was in that state of being, it would have only turned into a fight.
I think we had very different ideas of what living with each other would be like. The light at the end of this very long tunnel has gotten a bit brighter, the land surveyers are going to be out this week to get the ball rolling, let me stand up and do the dance of joy!

Sabre spent the night outside, by his choice. I'm such a worry wort, he hasn't been home yet - he's missed breakfast, I do hope he's alright.

The deer have migrated from eating blackberries outside the kitchen window to the field - must have some seasonal greens out there they like. Autumn is definately catching up to these warm summer breezes, I can feel it, I can't wait! Autumn is by far my favorite season. Sweatshirts, flannels, cider, trips to the pumpkin patch, apple pies, Samhain. I love all of it!

Of course, with Autumn comes Descent, oddly this year I am not dreading it. Since going to Wales I have a fresh look at life and I'm going to take the cards as Goddess deals them.

Hey Everyone: I am attempting to update my website, and I am in need of some pictures. I am looking for pictures that you took of your favorite flowers, herbs, plants, trees, and I will give you mad props on the site.
I know you got some...hit me up!

So, I went back to the doctor this afternoon, I was there a few days ago for a sinus infection and upon further testing it shows that I've got asthma. So now I'm on RhinoCort sinus spray, an inhaler, cough medicine to rest my throat from coughing every 10 minutes. I go to an allergy specialist September 1 for the full test to see what I'm allergic or not. Sooo right now I'm feeling rather crappy.

Like that Subject line? Straight out of a Pooh movie. I'm feeling a bit "pooh"ish this morning. I've got a rumbly in my tumbly and I don't know what I want to eat and I need to think...think...think...about all the stuff I have to get done.

Zeke is outside all by his little self this morning, my cat Sabre is supposed to be minding him out there however, I think Sabre has ditched his little brother once again. Zeke is almost 12 weeks old, he has learned a few basic commands including: come, come inside, sit, and potty. This weekend will will begin working on "sit - stay". I'm so grateful that Boxers are easily trained and eager to learn.

Like Brigid, I too have been working on my office space. The upper main portion of the house is coming along nicely, we're taking our time renovating until Jim's father gets his house built, which is ALSO coming along nicely. I think we are all in agreement on that one!


So my office is chock full of boxes at the moment but as soon as I'm unpacked I will have room to store all of The Owl Nest extra supplies and decorations, Sisterhood Of Avalon products, I will have a workbench for my aromatherapy/elixir/soap crafting projects, a small library reading area and a place to set up my Reiki table for in home appointments.

We've also decided that after Jim's father's house is complete we are going to replace the tin roof on the cabin and build the addition onto the deck so Jim and I will have a 20X20 master suite, and a completed basement as a family room. I'm so excited!

I've also been looking into renovation and preservation of the origional cabin. I didn't realize that a 200 year old house would need so much TLC! We are so in love with this place! As soon as I find the cd of the pictures of the house I will upload for all to see! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being blessed with this amazing home.

The new part of the house we are decorating very contemporary and the old cabin we are making very witchy. Did I mention the foyer is being decorated around a Mabanogian Map I bought in Wales?
I could be projecting - but the feeling of my property reminds me a lot of the Welsh landscape, maybe because it's such an old farm and the property is so established, or maybe goddess is blessing me with a gift that keeps giving - the opportunity to have gone to Wales with the most AMAZING women ever, and to capture that feeling and keep it with me all the days of my life. Geesh, I'm sounding like a soap opera!

12 days until school starts, and not a minute too soon! I am taking Jas out school shopping at the Gettysburg Outlets this weekend, just us girls and a whole lotta shopping! We are very excited!

I see the light at the end of this very long tunnel - it's a matter of getting there with my sanity. We recently purchased land with my father-in-law and the plan is to subdivide our lots and build him a home about 2 acres up in the field. In the meantime, we are co-habitating together as best we can, the best I can.
When we started this endeavour Glen was single and 100% committed to us (Jim, Jas and myself). Within a couple of weeks moving in he found himself his "woman" and she seems nice enough. Glen likes rough redneck biker chicks but at least she "seems" to have herself together. My latest problem is she has a dog that she adores as she should and while I was in Wales Glen let her bring the dog over and into the house with my two cats. When I returned I told him I didn't want other people's dogs in my house it has always been my rule. I've always allowed dogs over if they stay outside. I told Glen it would be fine if the dog came over and stayed outside and he said he wanted Angel (the dog) to come in because "she's a good dog". I told him I didn't want the dog inside because if anything happened to what little nice stuff I own or heaven forbid one of my kitties I'd be very upset. At that point he seemed to understand and the subject of Angel coming over was dropped.
Well...now Donna's son is in CA for 6 weeks at school so she is solely responsible for taking care of her dog (again as it should be). Glen told us he'd have to spend a lot of time over at Donna's house helping her out and visiting since Angel isn't "allowed" over. Excuse me, I said she wasn't allowed in the house - I didn't say she wasn't "allowed" over! So last night, he brings it up again now that we have Zeke. He's carrying on how Angel could be a mother to him and how he needs the social interaction, blaugh, blaugh, blaugh. Did I mention I went to college and have a degree as as Vet Tech? BTW, if Glen wasn't so toasted he' might remember!
SOO I told him, we have a full house and I don't want to add to and it's hard enough training a puppy without another dog who is still a puppy around. I stood my ground and told him NO, nicely with reason. Now I'm the bad guy. I also told him when his house is built Angel can come over to his place and spend the night every night. "But that could be a year or more" he replies.
Sigh...ok from my point of view Donna and her dog weren't even in the picture when we came into this together - it's funny how a piece of ass makes a man act.
I'm really putting a lot of energy into the Universe that his house gets built as soon as possible because I'm realizing the father-in-law I love is somewhere in the shadows of this alcoholic that acts like a 20 year old boy who never grew up.
I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and there's nowhere to go.

I cn't believe I totally forgot to post this the other day. My mother-in-law came to spend the night on Friday, Jim took her for a ride on his Harley. Before they left I casually said, "when you get back I'm going to the beer store." Jim and his mom take off and about half hour later they roll up the driveway - Karen (my mother-in-law) has a box on her lap. I walk over and say, "what in the world is that?!" She smiles, opens the box and inside was three six packs!
She told me when she was with Jim's dad they always picked up been on the bike.
My mother-in-law is too kewl!

I am registering Jas in her new school this morning. Only 27 days until school starts, summer is flying by! Although this heat wave seems to be slowing time down.
I got her list of supplies she needs, I think I'm going to prance down the isle with my cart and chant, "It's the most wondeful time of the year!"
Only 27 days until sweet freedom!

Happy Birthday Bri! Even though it's your birthday (heee...hee I said Burfday), whooo! Me & Sharoneeeee & Breezy Bri be havin' fun up in n'here!
Cackle...cackle....cackle...

The wonderful thing about motherhood is we forget about all the stages our babies go through. My sweet boy is teething super hard, learning voice commands, and being potty trained as well as trying to make nice with the two cats. It's been 10+ years since I had a puppy and had forgotten all the little joys, like waking up at 4:30 in the morning to let him out. Waking up at 6:30 when I heard him chewing on the nightstand. Getting up at 7:30 to take him out again, and to come in and find a pile of poo. Sigh...he's great!

I had an Xray done of my ankle/foot yesterday. It isn't broken (thank you goddess!). I hobbled in to my chiropractor and he realigned my foot and I was able to walk out flat foot. I swear the man is brilliant! He said I had pulled a ligiment and rolled my ankle (the obvious).

I must say, I am loving LJ. Thanks to all the sisters who participate, this is the most I've journaled in YEARS. I remember my first diary: it was pink and it had a lock. I waited until New Year's Day to make the first entry and kept up with it for a while, then I suppose the teenage years got a hold of me and I stopped. I've done more journaling since I've been in the SoA. It's more like jotting down thoughts, symbols, insights than journaling.
I think I enjoy writing in LJ because I am up alone in the morning and it is the only time I can sit in complete silence and type. I can't wait for school to start again! I've enjoyed Jasmine's company this summer, but often she's bored and misses her friends. She never complained about being bored during the school year - there was always something going on. I told her this afternoon instead of working in the yard, we will set up her computer in her room so she can "www" as she calls it. My baby is growing up. She wants a cell phone but I told her she was too young. Inside I was screaming "Hell to the No!". There are these phones that kids can use which holds 4 programed numbers and has a GPS system on it that can link to my phone. I think it's a great idea once she starts doing more outings on her own.

Sabre and Luna (my two kitties) are still not thrilled with Zeke. Luna has taken up living upstairs in Jasmine's suite (she has the entire top floor which consists of two bedrooms, lucky girl!). Sabre just looks disgusted everytime he sees Zeke. Zeke got ahold of Sabre's beloved Beanie Baby and I thought Sabre was positively going to vomit. The look on his face! Sabre is definately 100% Garfield, if I knew then what I know now I probably would have named him Garfield. Sabre feels the same way about his little BB Fox as Garfield does with Pookie.

Mercury must be easing up because I'm just flowing with random nonsense this morning. We have been in touch with the county about building my father-in-law his dreamhome about an acre up on our land and we've been having decent luck with call backs and answers. It looks like the surveying can take 3-6 months, then we have to pull plumming, electric and septic permits, THEN we can begin building. I keep reminding myself that there is a light at the end of this tunnel, everyday I take a step closer. I love my father-in-law he's the best, I just miss having my cozy family to myself. Soon enough Caer Bradley will rise.

Well, that's all for now! TTFN.

I was doing some research on naming the property and I am sure I have the PERFECT name for our property.

Caer Bradley

Caer means "fort, stronghold"
Bradley means "broad clearing"

I can't wait to tell Jim!