Catching up

So much has happened in the last month. Between closing the sale of the Kernersville house, and clinching the job with CMS, there were many "little things" to do.

We closed on the Kernersville house on May 25, the Friday before Memorial Day. With the money from the sale, I was able to pay off the VISA card, repay my sister for the money she lent me to replace the AC in my current home, and have the wooded area cleaned up along the left side of the house.

Having the lot cleaned up wasn't just for aesthetics, but for safety. There were six dead trees in that wooded area, one of them over 30 feet tall, too close to the house for safety. Having that side of the lot cleaned up really made a huge difference in the overall appearance of our property. I think the results were worth what it cost.

As for the job at CMS, they made an offer in early June. Then there was a lot of busy work to do before I could actually start working. There was a background check, fingerprinting, drug testing, health certification including a TB test, and a day-long pre-employment orientation session.

Although I didn't realize how much I had to do before actually being "cleared" to start work, fortunately I had requested my start date to be June 26 (this past Tuesday), so I had plenty of time to do all the CMS pre-employment tasks, plus take care of some things around the house that I'd been putting off for lack of money or motivation. Besides having the left side of our lot cleaned up, Frances and I also repaired the wood "skirts" along the bottom of the front porch posts.

Repairing the posts was the last task remaining to be done from the home inspection report I had done before I bought this house. The inspector noted that all of the posts but one had some wood that was rotting. The repairs weren't difficult, and we saved a lot of money by doing the work ourselves. Our friend Kerry helped by measuring and cutting the wood for us, and showed us what to do by repairing the first post himself. Then Frances and I took care of all the rest -- prying off the rotten boards, nailing up the new ones, caulking, and putting on primer. The only thing we haven't done is paint over the primer coat. I'm proud of the work we did.

As I've already said, my first day back to work was Tuesday. My first week at work couldn't have gone more smoothly. I'm riding the bus, and although I have to transfer buses downtown, the commute isn't as bad as I had anticipated. The morning commute, from the moment I step on the bus at home to the moment I step off the last bus in front of work, is less than 45 minutes. The evening commute is a little longer, only because of the timing of when the buses run, since I have to transfer.

As far as work goes, I feel really lucky. My team is one of those rare groups of folks who actually get along and pull together. There doesn't seem to be any sniping or in-fighting, so I feel truly blessed to have such a great working environment. These are the folks I'll spend most of my waking hours with, week in, week out, so how fortunate I feel to be working with them!

Menu Plan Monday

Wow, I can't believe so much time has gone by since my last entry. I've been keeping busy:

• following up on the pending sale of the Kernersville house. Negotiating with the buyers over repair costs; faxing urgent paperwork; keeping FedEx and UPS in business with overnight mailings. Still no closing date, but it can't come too soon!
• keeping my house cleaning business going until the job at CMS comes through
• submitting my application for the job at CMS (a story in itself, and probably not very entertaining except to those involved). I had an interview scheduled last Friday, but at the last minute, the manager had to cancel. Tentatively rescheduled for Wednesday (two days).
• organizing my finances in Quicken (checking account, VISA) and working out a budget. This was a lot of work, and this story needs to be told, as I hope others can benefit from some of my ideas -- separate post to follow in the next couple weeks.

Without further ado, this is what we have planned for this week. All the dishes were cooked yesterday, as usual, so we should stick to the plan, since all the hard work is done!

Monday: Szechuan beef stir fry ; rice; Indian-spiced green beans

Tuesday: Sausage and herb lasagna; tossed salad

Wednesday: Chicken Breasts with Italian Dressing; tossed salad

Thursday: Leftover stir fry

Friday: Leftover lasagna

And for dessert this week: Apple cranberry crisp

For more meal ideas, click here! to go to the Organizing Junkie's blog. Scroll down to "Menu Plan Monday" to see her menus for this week, and for links to see what some of the other ladies will be dishing up.

Soon we'll be "house poor" no more!

Jerry and I have a signed offer to purchase our house in Kernersville! Wait, it gets better... there are no contingencies and the buyer is pre-approved for financing, so this looks like a "done deal"! Can I get a "Whoo-hoo!"?

The contract states that the home inspection will take place by May 11, and we don't expect any surprises from that (except for maybe teensy ones). Remember last fall before we put the house on the market, we had a thorough inspection done and spent $$$$ to repair and spruce up the place.

It's too far off to have a closing date yet, but the contract anticipates closing by May 25. So it looks like, by end of this month, we'll be "house poor" no more! (And with the proceeds from the sale, I should be able to pay off my credit card debt, which I ran up to $$$$ while I wasn't working last year.) Thank Heaven!

All the latest news

Another Sunday afternoon, and I'm here with the news from this week -- as well as our meal plans for the coming week. Although I appreciate the "Menu Plan Monday" concept and eagerly anticipate finding out what some of the others have planned, Mondays just don't "work" for me. It's hard, getting back into the swing of the work week, without adding on one more "duty", like remembering to log on and update my blog. So I will continue to post my menu plans on Sundays, and then link to the Organizing Junkie's list of participants later in the week (as soon as the dust settles and I can remember to do it).

The first news from this week shocked and disappointed me personally. I can hardly form the words to tell you, but the firm that was providing me with most of my cleaning work has severed relations with me. Actually the firm is a sole proprietorship owned by "Beth". Beth farms cleaning assignments out to individuals like me, subcontractors. Roughly she works with about 30 subcontractors at any given time.

When I decided to start my own cleaning business, I chose to "play it safe" and find cleaning assignments through Beth's firm so that I would have plenty of work (and money) while I built up my own clientele on the side. As my personal client list has grown, I've been cutting back on the days when I was available to work for Beth.

After mailing my last paycheck 10 days ago, Beth has ceased all communications with me. She hasn't returned any of my emails or voice mails. I can't say why, because my work was always excellent and clients asked for me specifically. The big disappointment for me was the way Beth chose to end relations -- without a word. It's mystifying, although I can think of several possible reasons why she decided not to work with me going forward, perhaps

• because of the inconvenience to her, when I was injured and unable to work. It forced her to do a lot of juggling with other cleaners' schedules to fill in for me; or
• because I had reduced my availability to her while my own client list grew; or
• even because I set the standard "too high" for others to fill in for me. At least one of my clients wouldn't let Beth send out anyone else while I was injured. Other clients did have others come out to clean, but they complained that the others didn't clean as thoroughly (dusted around things, etc); or
• possibly for all of these reasons. I guess I'll never know, since Beth chose not to tell me.

Although this unexpected turn of events means I have gaps in my work schedule during the week, don't worry, this is not a devastating blow for me. I do have a few of my own clients, so I do have some work each week. I expect to get by just fine.

In fact, the way things have been going lately leads me to believe that I'm not supposed to stay in the cleaning business, but to go back to work for CMS. Here's the way I see it:

• The project that I will be working on first sounds like a real challenge, something I can really sink my teeth into. In other words, the work as described holds a lot of appeal for me.
• I felt that I hit it off with Kay, the hiring manager. I think we could work well together. I especially liked the way she spoke of her team, both as a group and as individuals. She spoke of them with pride and caring.
• Everything happens for a reason. Things have gone so well with my cleaning business. I feel confident, totally competent, and I've been enjoying working more than I have in a really long time. But then I had the thumb injury that kept me out of work for 2 weeks; then just a couple of weeks ago, the wrist injury that put me out of work for another week. No insurance, no paychecks, then:
• CMS contacts me from "out of the blue". I hadn't put out any feelers and wasn't looking for other work because I've been too busy building my business.
• Also "out of the blue" I received a $400 check from the attorney who handled the closing on my last house. Money that was set aside but then never spent, discovered while they were auditing their books.
• Plus a nice tax refund. Together with the $400 refund from the closing attorney, these monies have come just when I needed them most.

I see God's hand in all of this. Perhaps the cleaning business was only meant to be for a time, to rebuild my self-confidence which had gotten a bit bruised during the last few months at Wachovia. And laboring full time, cleaning houses, has proven that I have plenty of energy, enough for the most difficult of projects. Perhaps once God had shown me my strengths and abilities, he allowed these injuries to take place so that I would have time to examine my situation and be open to considering other possibilities (the job at CMS). Yet through it all, he has continued to provide for my needs (the real estate refund, the tax refund, and beyond -- keep reading).

The other really big news from this week is much better news: we received an offer on our house last night. The offer was about $6000 below our asking price, and our realtor recommended that we counter the buyer's offer. So right now, the ball is in the buyer's court, and we are waiting to hear her decision. I have to keep reminding myself to breathe, not to hold my breath!

And now, without further ado, this is what's on the menu for this week:

Monday: Greek Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Salad with pitas;
Tuesday: Chicken parmesan (from Volumetrics); baked potatoes; peas and carrots
Wednesday: Creole Meat Loaf; mashed potatoes; peas and carrots
Thursday: Leftover chicken parmesan with a side of spaghetti (leftover from Sunday); tossed salad
Friday: Take out or eat out
Saturday: Denver frittata; turkey bacon; fresh fruit
Sunday: Sub on a spud; tossed salad
And for dessert this week: Slow-Cooker Berry Cobbler

Followup on job possibility

Last Friday I met with a manager at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools about a job possibility. The job hasn't been posted yet; a mutual friend recommended me as a good fit for the job. Although my own business seems to be doing well, I realize I have a "long haul" ahead of me before I could expect my business to bring in the kind of money I could make at CMS. And I have a lot to learn about running a business, not to mention dealing with taxes, Social Security, private insurance -- all the things an employer like CMS will do "for" me.

So I decided to keep an open mind and find out more about the CMS job. So far, it sounds really interesting. They are facing a difficult implementation of a new software package with lots of customization, and an aggressive timeline that will require months of overtime (although it will be end of year before the overtime may turn "brutal"). You know me, a challenge doesn't scare me, hard work doesn't put me off -- and my skills seem to be a good fit. Best of all, I liked the manager, especially the way she spoke of her team.

I have a good feeling about this job possibility. Friday's meeting was strictly informal, but when the job is posted, I intend to pursue talks with the hiring manager. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Menu Plan Monday (ok, it's only Sunday)

It's Sunday afternoon, and Frances and I have just finished preparing the last of our meals for this coming week. Since we only prepared four dishes (three main dishes and one side dish/dessert), you'd have thought everything would have been ready in a snap. I don't know, maybe we just moved slower than usual today; no matter, we're done now and all week we can enjoy the "fruits" of our labor!

Two of this week's dishes are "new" recipes we're trying out. The vegetarian chili recipe comes from RecipeZaar, where it's the #1 rated chili recipe. For us, it's a "must try" since it's

• low-calorie
• low-fat
• loaded with vitamins (over 100% RDA of Vitamin C alone)
• AND made in the slow cooker! How great is that?!

Like lots of chili recipes, though, this one has a high sodium content. To reduce the salt, Frances and I drained the red beans and the chick peas, then rinsed, drained again, soaked in water, rinsed and drained them a THIRD time. Also I substituted frozen corn for the canned corn, which further reduced the salt content. Will let you know how the chili turns out. It won't finish cooking until 8:30 tonight.

I found the Italian chicken recipe last week when snooping around the Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday to see what some of the other ladies were dishing up last week. Thanks to Christy (Eat Well), who shared this recipe -- another "must try" for us because it's a one-dish meal with only four ingredients.

Monday: Granny's Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili ; corn muffins
Tuesday: Chicken Breasts with Italian Dressing; tossed salad
Wednesday: Lasagna (leftover from Sunday); corn on the cob
Thursday: Chili-topped baked potatoes (using leftover chili)
Friday: Leftover chicken and veggies
Saturday: Turkey picadillo tacos; Spanish rice
Sunday: Slow-cooker Italian Spaghetti Sauce; Spaghetti; tossed salad

And for dessert this week: Light Sweet Potato Casserole

Sad news

Some sad news: my sister-in-law Bobbie died yesterday. It was sudden, and unexpected. She was 65. Her daughter, my niece Felicia, found her. Please keep Felicia and her brothers, my nephews Jim and Bill, in your prayers.

Although Bobbie lived in greater Atlanta, she wanted to be buried beside her husband, my brother James, who died 13 years ago in Michigan. The funeral will be Wednesday (in Michigan). Since Bobbie was a Christian, we take comfort that her spirit is with the Lord now.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday afternoons my sister Frances and I are in the kitchen, fixing most, if not all, of the dishes for the coming week. Although it takes a couple hours of our treasured weekend, we think it's time well spent, since it makes it a "snap" to get dinner on the table weeknights after work. Other than tossing a fresh salad or cooking some rice, all we have to do weeknights is take the food out of the fridge and warm it up.

It's been a year since we made a lifestyle change to reduce fats in our everyday diet, and to eat between 5-7 fruits and veggies every day. Having dinner ready to heat and eat means we eat healthy meals, rather than reaching for convenience foods or going for take out if we're "too tired" to cook after a hard day's work. Here's what's on the menu this week. Since I didn't publish our plan last week, this week I'm starting with tonight's dinner:

Sunday: Fragrant spiced vegetable curry ; rice; garlic-roasted carrots
Monday: Szechuan beef stir fry ; rice; Indian-spiced green beans
Tuesday: Chinese chicken fried rice ; leftover green beans
Wednesday: Fresh corn on the cob; leftover vegetable curry
Thursday: Leftover beef stir-fry and chicken fried rice
Friday: Take-out or eat out
Saturday: Last of the leftovers!
Sunday: Sausage and herb lasagna (Mayo Clinic recipe)

And for dessert this week: Apple cranberry crisp

For more meal ideas, click here! to go to the Organizing Junkie's blog. Scroll down to "Menu Plan Monday" to see her menus for this week, and for links to see what some of the other ladies will be dishing up.

Job possibilities

What a week! I started back to work on Tuesday and frankly, I was concerned whether the hurt thumb would be a hindrance. Other than aching a bit the first couple of days, fortunately the thumb wasn't much of a problem. I have to avoid using the thumb when lifting, for example, lifting the vacuum cleaner. But it doesn't slow me down too much, so I really can't complain.

With my house-cleaning business keeping me busy and going so well (I've even had to turn away customers there's so much business), I haven't been looking for other job opportunities. But sometimes opportunities present themselves, often when you least expect them. A friend of mine from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools alerted me to a job opening that she thought might be of interest. On Friday, between customers, I chatted briefly with the hiring manager, and actually the job sounds quite interesting.

Right now, I aim to stay "open" and see what happens next. Having my own business has been very enjoyable, and it feels like I'm living the American dream. Financially, short-term, I'm making enough to pay the bills; long-term, the rewards could be really great. I like being able to set my own hours, and I thrive on the customer interaction. But of course I have a lot to learn about running a business, and at this point I'm "flying by the seat of my pants" more often than not.

Much as I'm enjoying being in business for myself, I don't want to close myself off to other job possibilities. I believe everything happens for a reason; even "bad" things like cutting my thumb. I think the Life Lesson to be learned from cutting my thumb was "slow down", pay attention, don't be in such a hurry. So yes, I want to find out more about the job at CMS. If the job turns out to be a good fit, wonderful, but if not, well, I'll just keep pursuing that old American dream!

Menu Plan Monday

This week I am participating in Menu Plan Monday for the first time. What is Menu Plan Monday? Once a week, the Organizing Junkie hosts dozens of bloggers who share their meal plans for the coming week. The participants cover a wide range of dietary needs and choices, including vegetarian meals, low carb, and even cooking for two! So far Menu Plan Monday has helped me find a couple of recipes that I plan to try soon. Click here! to go to the Organizing Junkie's blog, then scroll down to "Menu Plan Monday" to see her menus for this week, as well as what some of the other ladies will be dishing up.

This week I am starting back to work after being out of work the last two weeks after gashing my left thumb with a chef's knife (the knife slipped). Last Thursday the stitches came out. The thumb is healing nicely, but it was a deep cut, which the doctor says will take another month to finish healing. So I'll keep wearing a splint to protect it, and be careful not to do any heavy lifting with my left hand, but otherwise I'm looking forward to getting back into my routine.

The best part about coming home from a hard day's work is knowing that dinner is ready (or nearly so). On Sundays, my sister and I prepare most of the dishes for the week ahead, so weeknights we don't spend much time in the kitchen, other than warming up meals, tossing a fresh salad, cooking rice and other quick side dishes. Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday: Blackeye peas with sausage and tomatoes ; cooked cabbage
Tuesday: Smoked turkey sausage; cooked cabbage; scalloped potatoes
Wednesday: Sub on a spud; tossed salad
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Take-out or eat out
Saturday: Turkey Picadillo tacos; Spanish rice
Sunday: Easter at my nephew's house. Will be taking a dish.

Looks like I've got some 'splainin' to do

One of the most memorable quotes from "I Love Lucy" is Ricky Ricardo's line: "Lucy, you've got some 'splainin' to do." Since I haven't written in months, it looks like I've got some 'splainin' to do, too.

The last weeks of 2006 and the first few of 2007 were an uneasy time for me personally. I wasn't depressed, but I wasn't happy, either.

• First I was worn out from laboring on the Kernersville house, getting it ready to go on the market. At the beginning of December, Jerry and I signed the paperwork to list the house. It's still on the market, but has had lots of showings. Yes, I'm anxious about selling the house, but feeling hopeful since spring is here, and March through June are when the greatest number of prospective homebuyers are in the market.
• Second I suffered a big disappointment: I didn't receive the job offer I was expecting from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Frankly, it wasn't my ideal job, so it's probably all for the best, but all the same, it was disappointing at the time.
• Suddenly I needed to start a new job search, and the timing stunk. For one thing, my mother had just come for a two-week visit, and I didn't want to shortchange our time together. She stayed until after Thanksgiving. After she left, I knew from personal experience the challenges I faced, looking for a job during the holidays. I felt pessimistic about my chances. So I set a goal for myself to submit 2-3 job applications every day, Monday through Friday. Doing this kept me focused and gave me a sense of accomplishment every day. I only applied for jobs that really interested me, but there were no lack of interesting positions available.
• As the end of January approached, I was getting low on funds and had to tap an IRA. I hadn't gotten a single interview resulting from the job applications I had submitted. Although I had gotten a couple of calls from contract firms, none of those jobs appealed. And I needed a job right then.

That's when I decided to start my own business, cleaning houses. Starting a house cleaning business doesn't take much money up front. My only real concern when I got started was that I have never really enjoyed housework; it always seemed like drudgery. Right away, though, I discovered that cleaning is not drudgery when you are being paid well to do it. Also, cleaning is a form of therapy, and leaving behind neat, clean rooms is very satisfying. Best of all, I am my own boss. I set my own hours and I get at least one check every day. As for job security, there seem to be no limits on the opportunities out there, and one thing's for SURE: they can't outsource housecleaning jobs overseas!

I've been in business for about 6 weeks, and I am enjoying the work. Surprisingly (to me), most of my clients are home when I'm there. Since I'm a people person, that's a definite PLUS for me. I like getting "face time" with my clients. It's my chance to build and strengthen relationships, and at heart, that's what business is all about.

The only "negative" so far is that I'm learning as I go; that is, I did some minimal research before getting started, but not to the nth degree as I usually do. So in addition to building a new business, I'm having to research legal and tax requirements a little here, a little there, as time permits. It's been keeping me busy nights and weekends, but I'm not overwhelmed, never fear. Overall, I feel happy and fulfilled... and so expect to hear more from me, very soon!