Worth the wait

It's like our birthdays and anniversary all over again. Our new garage doors and garage door openers arrived! They were installed yesterday.

This is what we considered our birthday and anniversary presents combined -- so we've been waiting since the beginning of July. At first, I pooh-poohed the idea of something so practical. But, after nearly a year of only one "working" stall, it was a pleasure to press a button and be able to drive in today.

The old doors were so heavy that I couldn't even lift the one on the side that didn't work. Jim was the only one man enough to do it. Carter and I combined did it one time, but then my back regretted it immediately. So yes, it's a practical thing, but worth the wait.

And that's not all ...

As luck would have it, my (I mean our) Dyson finally went on sale today. So I am the proud owner of the dream of all vacuum cleaners. I worked hard for it, too. Seriously, I've been doing some freelance editing to afford this massive sucking machine. I earned it! I (I mean we) deserve it! Plus, now the cat gets to stay -- an added bonus.

And that's not all ...

At our company Christmas party last year, I won the grand prize: A gift certificate for Door County. (If you can believe, it has taken us this long to find a day we both can take off.) Jim and I will be cashing that in the next two days, treating ourselves to 18 holes of golf on the way up the peninsula, staying on Washington Island, then ferrying back on Monday morning for 18 more holes.

It'll be just the two of us so that could count as a belated anniversary getaway in conjunction with the garage doors. Does the excitement never end for us?! We did nothing to earn this one but, yes, I think we deserve it!

And ... if the Powerball numbers go our way tonight, we might just stay over there. Now that would really be worth the wait! For now, we'll take what reality gives us and enjoy it.

Signing off for a few days ...