Lady bug invasion!

Howdy, folks! Glad you could make it back by. 

Yesterday several of the locals noticed that there seemed to be lady bugs everywhere. I even saw several buzzing around the kitchen light at the cabin. I woke up this morning to what looked like a lady bug war zone below a window in my room at my daughter's house. 

I was not aware of a 'leak' at that window, so they must have come in through the doors, which were all open to let in some cool air last evening when it was so hot and muggy. They must have sensed this cold front that is plowing through the nation. Let's pretend they settled in my room because I am so sweet. Right. I thought these poor lady bugs were dead. 

When I finally got home this evening they were still there, lying on the floor in poses of lady bug rigor mortis. Now, at bedtime, there is a miracle going on. They are crawling up onto my bed, flying around my monitor and sitting on the pillow beside me, looking for all the world like they are reading as I write. I hope they aren't harsh critics! My theory is they came in to escape this cold front that is blasting through, but got too cold during the night, going into hibernation. They must have heard the heating pad turn on when I got home and are crawling up here to share the heat. That's okay, too. I ain't afraid of no lady bugs! 

It is nearly time for me to move into the cabin to live. Sunday is moving day; I think I told you that last night. So far, that date is holding. Tonight when I got out to the cabin with my third (or fourth, I've lost track) car load of possessions, I made sure the floor in the front room was cleared. When we get my rug out there it can be laid down and my bed set up while I have helpers around. 

All clear! I even walked around the room, making absolutely sure all the spots of wax and soap, lotions and potions were gone, and am happy to report the floor is ready for that rug.

The kitchen had to be cleared out as well. My daughter is donating a kitchen table and chairs to the cause, so a spot must be made for those. How about right by the window?

Everything here got moved to the back room on the other side of the house in anticipation of starting work there once I am settled. The huge trash can, the mop bucket, and the organizer full of rags and towels; even the box with nails and such, all went to the small room on the other side of the house, since that is where I will begin the reclaiming of this house. 

Now, isn't this better?

It is amazing how much the stains on that partition stand out on the photos. It doesn't look nearly so bad in person, so to speak. That partition will eventually be taken apart and removed, so I am not too worried about cleaning it thoroughly. After the table is in, I will clean up whatever is obvious around it, then not worry about it until I start taking the thing apart. I hope I can salvage the wood out of it for some other project, but will just have to see as I go along.

Unloading the car was a real chore.

This is just part of the load I brought in tonight. All these boxes go under my bed. Photo albums, scrapbook boxes, my PROM dress (yes, we had proms in the Dark Ages, my dears). My daughter suggested I put these boxes in storage, but I can't. If I do, what will I put under the bed? I must have that space filled, so the maniac that escaped from the insane asylum can't crawl under there. Remember that old campfire story? Yep, must fill up the space under the bed with something!

The landlady has a new mattress and box spring for this house that need to be stored. It is too big for the room I will start out in, so I can't just set it up and use it. I had a bit of a problem trying to decide where to put it until I have room to set it up. (It will go in the room where all the soap factory stuff is stored now). There is no place that it will be safe and I surely can't be moving it around by myself. What with painting and cleaning going on all the time, I fear having it out there. I thought on it for over a week before the solution came to me. You see, I want to close off that front room, especially when cold weather comes in, like tonight. What I finally figured out is to use that mattress, etc, to block as much of that front room door from the entry way as I can, and then hang a curtain to keep the higher portion of the doorway blocked, as well. No sense in wasting electricity heating that area of the house, after all, when no one is going to be in it.

The problem is that I had stacked empty boxes in the corner of that front room, blocking the door to the back room; saved for use in packing up the things in the front room as I get time. So this is what it was looking like.

Moving the boxes out of the way was not a problem. Finding somewhere else to put them was. Isn't it always the way that when you move you feel like you are playing one of those tile games, where you keep moving the tiles around until you have a picture? I shuffled things around in there until I had a spot for the boxes. I think it looks better now.

The door out to the entryway can now be blocked off, as we will have access to the front room when needed through this door between the two 'bedrooms'. Ta-da. Give me a little time and I will figure it all out.

Tomorrow after I get off work I am going to go wander around Texas again, but will be back and raring to go Sunday morning. I have one truck lined up for sure, another that is a maybe at this point. If you aren't busy Sunday, come help me. There isn't much furniture, but man, I keep adding to the pile of boxes that have to go! (I need to find the hand mixer. How can I make cookies without a mixer? This is why I keep adding to the list. It is the fault of the cookies, I swear.)

Happy trails until Sunday evening, when I write the next blog entry - the first I will write AT the cabin! Have a good week, y'all!