Closing Shop

I admit it, I have become a Facebook addict. So I am closing this blog. Find me on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/beth.harris

Also, you can check out my photos at:
www.flickr.com/beth63111

Appliance Woes and Work Stuff

They sure don't make things the way they used to. My GE Profile dishwasher, which is less than 7 years old, died over the weekend. The control panel failed and it'll cost at least $300 to get it fixed. Rather than fix it, I just bought a brand new Whirlpool for twice that (delivery and installation on top of the cost of the unit itself was $130, but the unit was just under $500). Amazing that one can't even rely on major appliances to last 10 years anymore.

Aside from that, life's pretty good. I am enjoying my work. My job has new responsibilities, which is good, and it's much busier than before, which I like.

Not a Happy Camper

Work's Good

In this economy, I am really grateful to have a job -- I am even more grateful to have a job I like. Even better, I am getting more responsibilities on my job, which makes me happy and challenged. I am really appreciative that my manager is willing to let me stretch in my role. It's a good feeling to know that he's interested in my professional development and will take risks to allow me to try new things. Thanks, boss!

I love that new year smell

Thank goodness 2009 is here. It's just a relief to have 2008 behind me and the promise of a new year before me.

I've been thinking about resolutions -- I prefer to think of them as goals instead of resolutions. "Resolutions" sounds so absolute! One of the simplest goals this year will be for me to finally see Chuck Berry perform live. Although he is probably a pervert, he is a rock and roll legend who regularly performs live right here in St. Louis, so it would be a shame if I didn't see him.

Another goal I have is to get back into riding centuries this year (100-mile bike rides). I didn't do any centuries in 2008, but did 3 of them in 2007.

I will also continue working towards the home organization/cleanout efforts I started last year and continue keeping in touch with friends/family.

I've also been teaching myself new things in the kitchen. I have been moving into making yeast breads in 2008 so I want to expand on that this year. This week I made my first ever homemade pizza dough and baked it on the pizza stone I received for Christmas. Today we're expanding on those efforts and making calzones. The major baking goal for 2009 is to make my own pie crust instead of using the store-bought stuff.

Professionally speaking, of course the first priority in this economy is just to hang on to a job. Beyond that, I just hope to continue growing and always learning at my workplace.

Finally, I will continue to keep God at the center of my life.

May God bless you and have a happy and healthy new year.

2008's almost a goner

I really can't think of many years I have wished to be over as much as I have wished for this one to be over.

I hate to even say that because despite all the difficulties 2008 has presented, God has been pretty good to us personally. My husband and I both have jobs. We have our home. We have our health. We made some major home improvements this year by replacing our first floor carpet with laminate flooring and extending our patio in the back yard. We didn't take one of those crazy adjustable rate mortgages that so many people are trapped in now. I saw some really wonderful concerts this year: the Police, Michael Buble, Chicago/Doobie Brothers, Dave Koz, Harry Connick, Jr., and yes, even Barry Manilow. I also attended some good plays and musicals, so I am very fortunate in that I am in a position to do those things.

On the other hand, I was laid off from my contract with Anheuser-Busch and had to go through a 2.5 month jobless period while I conducted my employment search. The company I am now working at was bought by another company, so there is some uncertainty as to my future with the new organization. There are assurances from my company that things are looking good for our group here in St. Louis, but you never really know. I suspect I won't know much of anything for at least three more months. All that "job uncertainty" that we hear so much about in the news is exactly what I am experiencing right now. On top of all these things, my friend Kathy passed away unexpectedly on Thanksgiving.

I visited my friend Jan and our friend Amy on Christmas at Jan's home. I wore a pretty and cheerful reindeer pin on my coat lapel; I have worn it in my coat lapel every year since I received it as a gift from Kathy. Jan and Amy immediately complimented me on it; neither of them could restrain themselves from welling up with tears when I told them it was a gift from Kathy. It's been that kind of year -- that kind of holiday season.

Additionally, I am not at all happy with the existing administration, but am hopeful President-Elect Obama will be able to right our country's standing in the world after all the damage President Bush, Vice-President Cheney and crew have done to it over the past eight years. I am also hopeful that the environment will once again become top of mind for our administration and more importantly, our citizens. $1.30 a gallon gasoline is a relief from the $4 a gallon we experienced earlier this year, but let us not forget that our gas-guzzling ways got us to $4 a gallon in the first place.

So 2008, I won't miss you too much. Here's to a happy, healthy, and hopeful 2009!

The Joys of Home Ownership

We built our house and closed on it November 1, 2002. In that time, the house has behaved pretty well, though it's starting to show a little wear and tear.

So this year, we made a few improvements to the home. We took up all the carpet on the first floor and replaced it with laminate flooring. We also extended our patio in the back yard so that we have a very generous space for outdoor entertaining. Ultimately, we also plan to install a knee wall along the perimiter My brother-in-law also graciously put up chair rail in our dining room -- a project that had been languishing for about two years.

Well today we get the joy of having a plumbing issue that is somewhat frustrating. The soil stack (waste pipe) from the second floor bathroom has a leak in it some place. At first, we were hopeful the leak was somewhere in the basement, which isn't finished and would therefore provide easy access to the plumbing, but Murphy's law being what it is, unfortunately the leak is above the basement ceiling. So I am now listening to the plumber cut holes in our wall. I am hoping he at least can keep the holes in the hall closet instead of having to cut into the dining room side, which would then affect that fabulous chair rail!!!

We have had some wonderful times in this home and I am overall very pleased with it. There are a few things I would change about it, but it has been a place where we have loved, worried, prayed, laughed, cried, strengthened friendships and family ties, mourned the deaths of loved ones, and had wonderful parties and meals. God has truly blessed us with a good life in this home.