Tracie's World

I think I've probably told you all about the cranky old man who lives across the way, who is such a thorn in the side of the HOA Board. It seems like at least one of us, if not more, will get an email or a phone call from him every other day, arguing about the accounts, and stirring up the rest of the cranky neighbors. It is an ongoing saga. He sent a particularly cranky email the other night,  demanding to see our contracts with the landscaper and the Property Manager,  and it was all I could do to not reply back in an angry manner and just let him have it.  Believe me, I really wanted to, but I didn't. For the most part, I usually try to consider how the Lord would respond. And I never want to sink to the same level as the old man and be as miserable as he must be. So Friday morning, as I was thinking and praying about this, I felt inspired about how I should reply and approach it, kind of using the same model as D&C 121. So I sent him a reply, and copied the bo...

Spent a great morning in the Jordan River Temple yesterday. A good friend of mine who has struggled with addiction and was away from the Church for many years, was endowed and sealed to his parents yesterday. I was fortunate to attend both ordinances, and it was a wonderful, spiritual event. Several other members of our ward were also there, and it was great to be there with them as well. I know he felt happy and supported. It got me thinking of the story of the Prodigal Son, especially as told in the old LDS Church video. The video talks about how we all need the atonement of Christ. And how through the love of a family, and love of the Savior, we can all come to ourselves. Such a great message, and such a great day. I was so grateful to be part of it.

It's been another week of Home Improvement projects here in Tracie's World. Earlier this week it was all-new handles for the kitchen cabinets and drawers. At $4 per handle and 30 handles, this was a bit of an expensive undertaking. But I must say they really jazz up my kitchen and my totally tacky cabinets. Once I had the handles done, I thought it was time to upgrade the ridiculously old hinges. Not only are they old and tacky, but they're totally busted on the back. So I took a photo of the existing ones and set off for the Home Depot, only to find that they're so old and tacky they're impossible to match.  If I were to get new hinges right now, I'd have to putty in all the existing holes and drill new ones. All this for totally tacky cabinets? Not hardly. So I decided that much as I hate to let it go, I'll be waiting until next year so that I can fund all new hinges, and a refacing of my cabinets. If I play my cards right and weep enough, may...

The other night, my brother-in-law and my niece got free tickets from a friend to attend the Houston Rodeo. This particular niece is a big fan of horses and cowgirls, so it was a super treat for her. She got to stay out late and see all the horses and cowboys, but the main event was that she got to see the ultimate Rodeo Queen herself, Reba McEntire in concert! And not only that, but they had front row seats on the floor of the arena.  Now you all know what a huge fan of Reba I am. And although we are close personal Facebook friends (aka I follow her page), I've never been anywhere near that close at any of her concerts, so you can imagine that I am totally jealous. But by all accounts, our own little rodeo princess absolutely loved it (as you can tell from the photos my sister sent me), and so I'm also quite giddy to have a niece that takes after my own musical heart. YeeHaw!

This week I joined Twitter. As if blogging and Facebook aren't enough, I decide to throw another social media tool into the mix. Inspired by RootsTech on how social media can help with Family History, and seeing all the many ways in which my good pals communicate with each other and with the world, I decided to sign up. I'm still trying to figure out what it all means and what people/groups/sites are interesting enough to follow, but at least I'm giving it a go. And if you'd like to look me up and follow me, you can find me at my Twitter handle, @modernmormongal.

This month I'll be celebrating 2 1/2 years in my townhome. I have loved being a homeowner. When I first moved in, there were a lot of old fixtures, and minor jobs that needed doing. I've upgraded the majority of the lighting, installed shades to replace most of the blinds, replaced some windows, added insulation and installed a new water heater. I'd love to be able to rest on my laurels, but there is still a lot of work to do. And for some time now, upgrading my home has weighed heavy on my mind. It just has felt like it needs to be a priority. So with the few extra bucks left over from my tax refund, I got down to the Home Depot and went on a little bit of a spree. The fixtures on my upstairs bathroom are a mix of modern and not-so-much. And knowing that there is a lot of return in investing in bathrooms, I need to get that completed. So yesterday I replaced the existing chrome toilet handle, as well as the hook on the back of the door. Here is the finished product: ...

I'm probably jinxing things, but to quote Oscar Hammerstein II, the way things have been around SLC lately, "it might as well be spring". The disgusting brown ice piles have all melted, the sheet of ice known as my driveway is no longer a threat, and the temperature has been anywhere from the 50's to the mid-60's during the day. Indeed, the sun has mostly been out, people have been out exercising and breathing the inversion-free air, and I've been "restless as a willow in a windstorm". And thanks to Congress tackling the tough issues, next week brings us daylight savings time. Hoorah! The typical spring in Northern Utah is basically what I like to call "Winter, the Sequel", or "Winter, Redux". And when March arrived this weekend, it looked like it had every intention of being typical. It arrived overnight with a violent windstorm, and some rain, and the Lion was making an effort to roar. But today is practically lamb-like, and f...