Merry Christmas to Me

Ok. I hope this works. I've tried everything I can think of to eliminate the cigarette smoke from my space. I still have a little trick or two up my sleeve. But tonight, I bought my Christmas present to me: a Whirlpool Whispure 450. Not inexpensive by any means, but when it's your livelihood at stake, you make trade-offs.
Not to mention your life.
I've managed to keep fans blowing out slightly opened windows, but the end of this week, it's supposed to turn COLD. I can't keep that up all winter. So this little baby, which is supposed to work miracles, if the reviews at Consumer Reports and on the internet are to be believed, has come home to make my life healthier.
Keep your fingers crossed?

Teabird's Aspirational MEME

An aspirational meme
(picked up from Melanie and I thought it fit nicely on this blog...)

What part of the past would you bring back if you possibly could?
My mother. I would spend the years I lived with her as an adult and as her friend once again and forever. I miss her dearly. We did everything together and had so much fun!

What character trait would you alter if you could?
My chatterbox syndrome...I can talk you to death. I can talk the walls to death. I think best aloud, so I run off at the mouth constantly. Don't get behind me in the grocery store...you will be amazed!

Which skill would you like to have the time and energy to really work on?
Organization, of my work/living space.

Are you money poor, love poor, time poor, or freedom poor?
Energy poor, I'll ditto Melanie, and add in money poor, which will cause a draught of energy. Because the funding issues are a challenge, I am also time poor, because I have so many money-earning projects going it's hard to find time for quiet relaxation, which also contributes to being energy poor.

What element of your partner's character would you alter if you could?
MFMPPF is inclined to put everyone else in his life ahead of himself. While I value his sense of loyalty and desire to support those he loves, I'd like to see him value his own feelings enough to come first on his own list.

What three things are you going to do next year that you've been meaning to do for ages but never got around to? Organize my closets to accommodate stash yarn and fabrics as well as my clothes! Knit a gossamer lace scarf/shawl. Two new products for Nana Sadie Rose (shhhh...it's a secret!)

If your fairy godmother gave you three wishes, what would you wish for?
Health, a secure retirement, MFMPPF to feel he deserves to be happy (preferably with me in the picture, long-term!).

What one thing would you change about your living conditions?
A home without health risks imposed by other people (like downstairs neighbors who smoke!)

How could the quality of your free time be improved?
By having more of it at a longer stretch...

What change have you made to your life recently that you're most proud of?
I still count "recently" to include 3 years ago when I quit smoking. Oh, and that Nana Sadie Rose thing...too!

If anyone decides to tag herself, please share -

A Time to Turn Inward...

Today I cleaned up the balcony garden (yes, sometimes things get away from me, and this one did!). Yesterday was 75 degrees. Today is 48. But the sun is bright. And it was time to clear away the deadwood and make way for the quietude of winter.

First, tho', will come the lights and fun of the holidays, and of course, Nana Sadie Rose is busy busy busy putting the finishing touches on Christmas orders, and preparing for the last of the craft shows before the Winter Holiday gift-giving season commences.

But more and more, I'm finding myself wending inward. Closing up windows, closing inward with emotions, shutting down early, as darkness falls sooner and sooner...

I'm having a struggle here. A new neighbor has moved in below me. She is a heavy smoker. Those of you who know me, know that I struggled to quit smoking and have been very successful in staying quit these last few years. After my heart attack and by-pass surgery, and now with Lupus and the lung issues associated with that, the protection of my heart & lung health is one of my major priorities. My aunt recently died of lung cancer after having NEVER smoked, but she did live with a smoker for the first years of her marriage...then he quit. Second-hand smoke is deadly.

My landlady has indicated that there is nothing she can do beyond asking the neighbor to please take it outside or to use an ionizer (which I've read actually isn't beneficial because of the release of ozone into the air). She says that she cannot tell her what to do in her own home...

While things are a bit better this weekend than last, there is still smoke in my apartment, once in awhile, enough to upset me.

I want to poll my readers about a couple of things from your own experience, so would you leave me comments or email me at nanasadieroseATcoxDOTnet?

What air purifiers have you had success with? What costs did you not anticipate? I've been looking at the Whirlpool Whispur 450 specifically...

What, if any, legal issues do you see with smoke invading from another apartment, after years of residence (I've been here more than 5 years...the previous neighbors did not smoke, the landlady knew of my health issues, this is a large complex, and this is a Big Tobacco State - tho' the governor is more amenable to anti-smoking legislation that previous ones have been!).

I've done some preliminary research on the net, but you know, I'm under a time crunch with other things right now. I need to buy an air cleaner/purifier right away, and don't want to make a costly mistake!

All your info will be greatly appreciated...
(((hugs)))