Today is the last step in our house re-do. The carpet stretchers will come and stretch the bedroom carpet (the only carpet left downstairs) and will tack it down where it meets the tile.
To allow them to do this we had to unload the bedroom into whatever space we could find available. We didn't have to move the big furniture, just the things on top. Amazing how much stuff we had to move!! But, an opportunity for more cleaning! I am happy about that. Cleaning out and throwing away is wonderful, and it will all soon be over. Then I can relax a little. August has been BUSY!!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
It's Chili Time
Just came back from my local store with two bags of Hatch green chilies! I love this time of year.
I'll roast these and then freeze them to use during the months when chilies aren't in season. Some I'll stuff with cheese. Yum, Yum!
I'll roast these and then freeze them to use during the months when chilies aren't in season. Some I'll stuff with cheese. Yum, Yum!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Fire Bush
This is my fire bush in bloom -- the humming birds and the bees have really enjoyed visiting here. I had hoped to get a humming bird feeding but I have had too much to do to be able to sit out for a while. This is a narrow bed and it took a while to find something that would fit in the space. This one has worked out very well.
Doug has met the challenge of sharing expressions using the name JACK. He brings a British/Irish perspective. Still waiting to hear for others from English speaking countries.
Put on your thinking caps!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
A Challenge
I'm preparing a lesson for my ESL class which resumes Sept 9. I try to teach slang expressions because these are always hard for a non-native English speaker. I'm currently working on a lesson about the word "JACK' and all the many ways it is included in titles and slang expressions in English. I don't know why we use this name so much but we do....
in story titles.....Jack and Jill, Jack Sprat, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.
.... a game -- Jacks
.....expressions -- "You don't know Jack."
.....items -- a car jack, crackerjacks, a telephone jack
....animals -- a jack -- male donkey
Is this just an English thing? I know that some of this is found in England -- the expression that comes to mind is "Jacks the lad!" There was also Jack the Ripper.
What about other countries that speak English -- Australia, do you use the word jack in your figures of speech? What about English speaking Canada?
I'd like to hear from others out there in blogland -- lend me your "jack" expressions!
in story titles.....Jack and Jill, Jack Sprat, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.
.... a game -- Jacks
.....expressions -- "You don't know Jack."
.....items -- a car jack, crackerjacks, a telephone jack
....animals -- a jack -- male donkey
Is this just an English thing? I know that some of this is found in England -- the expression that comes to mind is "Jacks the lad!" There was also Jack the Ripper.
What about other countries that speak English -- Australia, do you use the word jack in your figures of speech? What about English speaking Canada?
I'd like to hear from others out there in blogland -- lend me your "jack" expressions!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Time has flown by and we are slowly returning our house to normal. Sweetie viewed the living room and smiled and said, "It is beginning to look like home again." I made Chicken Quesadillas for dinner last night, plus cream of potato soup. Since we have the dining room furniture back where it belongs it is much easier to get around in the kitchen.
.....A small amount of rain yesterday -- more than nothing but not nearly enough. I did get the front mowed before the rain came so it is looking nice outside. My fire bush is in full bloom and there are a couple of humming birds who are visiting it daily. I'll try to get a picture later.
.....Yesterday, after mowing, I was sitting in a chair out front and a hummer flew by to check me out. It reminded me of a day up in the mountains of New Mexico when I was trying to take a nap under a tree. I had covered my shoulders and part of my face with a table cloth with red flowers on it. The humming birds spotted the red flowers and were swooping in, trying to find somewhere to feed. If I stayed perfectly still they would hover right over my face -- eye to eye. It was amusing but did away with the chances of a nap.
Yesterday was the first day of school and my street was quite busy. I always enjoy early mornings during the school years. Children walking alone or in groups -- some dragging along still full of sleep, and others bright eyed and bushy-tailed.
.....Next door child started Kindergarten yesterday -- hard to believe! He and his Mama walked by -- he was carrying a bowl of Apple Jacks cereal and munching as he went. Behind him was a trail of brightly colored circles that the birds enjoyed later. Neighbor has one in K and one in first year of college! Quite a big gap. Better her than me!
.....One of the most pleasing things I see on school mornings is the large number of parents walking their children to school. Sometimes both parents, and sometimes just one. It seems to me that there are many more fathers walking their children to and from school than there used to be. I never had a parent accompany me and I usually walked both ways. I don't remember ever seeing a father taking a child to school. Fathers just didn't do that when I was a child.
.....YGD reported that she had a great day -- she likes her new 3rd grade teacher and she got to wear some new clothes, including her Miley Cyrus leggings. Her school is within walking distance from my house and sometimes she walks here for a visit after school. I can see her the entire time and when she crosses the street she starts waving, since I'm usually sitting in the middle of the sidewalk watching for her.
.....We were hoping to get some cooler weather this week but it never really got here -- the temp was in the high 90's yesterday but the heat index was 102 and it was quite muggy when I went out to mow.
.....Better get going -- there is much to do today. Hope all of you are having a good week -- please drop by for a visit when you get a chance!
.....A small amount of rain yesterday -- more than nothing but not nearly enough. I did get the front mowed before the rain came so it is looking nice outside. My fire bush is in full bloom and there are a couple of humming birds who are visiting it daily. I'll try to get a picture later.
.....Yesterday, after mowing, I was sitting in a chair out front and a hummer flew by to check me out. It reminded me of a day up in the mountains of New Mexico when I was trying to take a nap under a tree. I had covered my shoulders and part of my face with a table cloth with red flowers on it. The humming birds spotted the red flowers and were swooping in, trying to find somewhere to feed. If I stayed perfectly still they would hover right over my face -- eye to eye. It was amusing but did away with the chances of a nap.
Yesterday was the first day of school and my street was quite busy. I always enjoy early mornings during the school years. Children walking alone or in groups -- some dragging along still full of sleep, and others bright eyed and bushy-tailed.
.....Next door child started Kindergarten yesterday -- hard to believe! He and his Mama walked by -- he was carrying a bowl of Apple Jacks cereal and munching as he went. Behind him was a trail of brightly colored circles that the birds enjoyed later. Neighbor has one in K and one in first year of college! Quite a big gap. Better her than me!
.....One of the most pleasing things I see on school mornings is the large number of parents walking their children to school. Sometimes both parents, and sometimes just one. It seems to me that there are many more fathers walking their children to and from school than there used to be. I never had a parent accompany me and I usually walked both ways. I don't remember ever seeing a father taking a child to school. Fathers just didn't do that when I was a child.
.....YGD reported that she had a great day -- she likes her new 3rd grade teacher and she got to wear some new clothes, including her Miley Cyrus leggings. Her school is within walking distance from my house and sometimes she walks here for a visit after school. I can see her the entire time and when she crosses the street she starts waving, since I'm usually sitting in the middle of the sidewalk watching for her.
.....We were hoping to get some cooler weather this week but it never really got here -- the temp was in the high 90's yesterday but the heat index was 102 and it was quite muggy when I went out to mow.
.....Better get going -- there is much to do today. Hope all of you are having a good week -- please drop by for a visit when you get a chance!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
I forgot to mention that we did get some rain last night. We were out in the country and there was a bad storm out there -- high winds, lots and lots of lightening, thunder, and a good bit of rain. We could tell it had rained when we got back into our neighborhood, but don't know how much. Enough that I didn't have to water today!
A very good morning to each and every one of you. Hummmm, well, it may not be morning in some homes -- perhaps it is evening where you live. Greetings, then, and I hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing is making you happy.
We are still suffering from the whirlwind of floor installation. I love my new ceramic tile floor downstairs but it was left with some excess grout and the floor looks streaked, splotched, and marked with little things like the outline of the water bucket they used. I understand that an acid wash is an easy fix and the crew is coming this morning to do that. I do know that just mopping won't work and that while some hands and knees scrubbing will, but I paid too much money to now have to spend several hours on my knees scrubbing what shouldn't be there in the first place.
Once the floor is cleaned and is dry we can begin to restore the living/dining rooms to their normal state. That job will clear our kitchen and bedroom where everything is being stored, and should take most of the weekend since I need to go to a new ESL tutor training lunch today where my student will be honored. (She is the one who got her citizenship in July.) Sat evening we have a social event that will be fun and then Sunday morning is church, of course. So, we will have to fit the restoration into our busy schedule. The curtains need to be rehung and I am thinking about removing the mini-blinds that are much in need of a bath, and possibly replacing them altogether.
Once our bedroom is cleared the carpet stretchers will arrive. A man came yesterday and gave me a quote. He was a fount of information and I feel that I will be happy with his work. The best news is that he said we didn't have to completely empty the bedroom!
We need to see about purchasing paint -- I want to paint the kitchen and perhaps one wall of my bedroom and I really need to do some touch-up paint in the living room. I want to replace the plain board that was used around the tile on the front of the fireplace, with something nicer and we have a wood-working friend who said he would do that for us. The timing for all of that is undetermined since Sweetie and I have an adventure planned for the Labor Day weekend and afterward my classes will resume and my Mom is coming for a visit. (We might as well stay upstairs since we have to sleep up here while she is visiting since she can't climb the stairs.)
Such a busy time, but oh, so worth it! Once we are back in place I'll send pictures.
We are still suffering from the whirlwind of floor installation. I love my new ceramic tile floor downstairs but it was left with some excess grout and the floor looks streaked, splotched, and marked with little things like the outline of the water bucket they used. I understand that an acid wash is an easy fix and the crew is coming this morning to do that. I do know that just mopping won't work and that while some hands and knees scrubbing will, but I paid too much money to now have to spend several hours on my knees scrubbing what shouldn't be there in the first place.
Once the floor is cleaned and is dry we can begin to restore the living/dining rooms to their normal state. That job will clear our kitchen and bedroom where everything is being stored, and should take most of the weekend since I need to go to a new ESL tutor training lunch today where my student will be honored. (She is the one who got her citizenship in July.) Sat evening we have a social event that will be fun and then Sunday morning is church, of course. So, we will have to fit the restoration into our busy schedule. The curtains need to be rehung and I am thinking about removing the mini-blinds that are much in need of a bath, and possibly replacing them altogether.
Once our bedroom is cleared the carpet stretchers will arrive. A man came yesterday and gave me a quote. He was a fount of information and I feel that I will be happy with his work. The best news is that he said we didn't have to completely empty the bedroom!
We need to see about purchasing paint -- I want to paint the kitchen and perhaps one wall of my bedroom and I really need to do some touch-up paint in the living room. I want to replace the plain board that was used around the tile on the front of the fireplace, with something nicer and we have a wood-working friend who said he would do that for us. The timing for all of that is undetermined since Sweetie and I have an adventure planned for the Labor Day weekend and afterward my classes will resume and my Mom is coming for a visit. (We might as well stay upstairs since we have to sleep up here while she is visiting since she can't climb the stairs.)
Such a busy time, but oh, so worth it! Once we are back in place I'll send pictures.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Rachel is safe!
Rachel Hillsman is free however her ex-boyfriend and fellow police office shot and killed himself after a 6 hour SWAT team stand-off. Thanks to all who have been praying for her safety.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Please pray
We have received information and news reports through the day concerning an acquaintance -- a young mother who is a police officer for our local school district, who was abducted at gunpoint this morning around 6 am. We know this young woman and her family -- they were a part of the early days of our church.
The man who abducted her is an ex-boyfriend, also a policeman, with whom she has a child. We are fearful for the outcome of this.
Please pray for Rachel and her family.
The man who abducted her is an ex-boyfriend, also a policeman, with whom she has a child. We are fearful for the outcome of this.
Please pray for Rachel and her family.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Friends
A friend sent me this picture of two babies saved from the California fires. One is a fawn, of course, and the other a baby bobcat. They don't know they aren't supposed to be friends!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Julia and Julie was great! I needed the laughter. I recommend it -- a couple of coarse words I could have done without, but just that little bit.
.....Got the yard mowed this morning - the back had grown enough to mow back there, also.
.....The floor job is well underway -- my stove and my refrigerator (at least part of it) are in the dining room. The doors of the refrigerator are outside where they were taken to be washed.
The old floor has been removed and the leveling compound is now on the floor. I think that they will soon put on the new flooring.
......The name of the new floor is Pumpkin Patch and by the time today came I had imagined it to be as bright orange as a pumpkin. It really isn't. I tend to distort things in my mind, especially colors and patterns, over a period of time. I think it will look very nice, but even nicer when I get rid of the pink & blue wall paper that is in my kitchen. I have lived here for 13 years and hated the wall paper all 13 years. I do believe that now I'm going to do something about it! If I had a room with normal shaped walls I could hang the paper myself. Alas, I don't. I'll have to pay to have it done.
.....We have an ice chest in the larger room of our en suite master bathroom. For lunch I took some leftovers to the neighbors and borrowed their microwave to heat them. (pulled a microwaveable dish out from under the bed to put the leftovers in!) I ate leftovers and Sweetie made himself a sandwich. Seems odd to be eating out of the bathroom -- I guess I could have had a snack when I went in for my shower!
....This is a wonderful time for cleaning -- with the stove pulled out I could wash the sides. Same with the fridge. Washing inside and out since it is empty. It looks like new!
....Sweetie and I am looking for a computer program that seems to have been misplaced. I have the book but not the disks. If I don't find it I'm hoping I get a new program for my birthday, which is coming up soon. I have hinted and dear Sweetie said, "Why wait -- you need that now -- go and get it." We'll see. While Sweetie and I looked we found quite a few old software manuals that we could dump (they become obsolete so fast) so the cleaning is happening upstairs, too. I am a bit of a pack rat so I save things that I'm sure we will find a use for later. Sometimes we never do! I just feel uncomfortable doing away with something that I might need later. Do you ever feel that way? Do you run out of places to put things? Surely I'm not the only one!
LATER UPDATE: The floor is finished and it is beautiful. The refrigerator is back in place and I'm restocking it from the ice chest. I have to admit, it is so nice and clean and empty that I hate to put stuff in it again. Stove and baker's rack and kitchen table are also back in place. Sweetie and I have rehung the pantry doors and the refrig and freezer doors. Unfortunately, everything is covered in a fine dust. Not much sense to dust, however, since it all starts over on Tuesday.
Wishing you all a wonderful Lord's day tomorrow!
.....Got the yard mowed this morning - the back had grown enough to mow back there, also.
.....The floor job is well underway -- my stove and my refrigerator (at least part of it) are in the dining room. The doors of the refrigerator are outside where they were taken to be washed.
The old floor has been removed and the leveling compound is now on the floor. I think that they will soon put on the new flooring.
......The name of the new floor is Pumpkin Patch and by the time today came I had imagined it to be as bright orange as a pumpkin. It really isn't. I tend to distort things in my mind, especially colors and patterns, over a period of time. I think it will look very nice, but even nicer when I get rid of the pink & blue wall paper that is in my kitchen. I have lived here for 13 years and hated the wall paper all 13 years. I do believe that now I'm going to do something about it! If I had a room with normal shaped walls I could hang the paper myself. Alas, I don't. I'll have to pay to have it done.
.....We have an ice chest in the larger room of our en suite master bathroom. For lunch I took some leftovers to the neighbors and borrowed their microwave to heat them. (pulled a microwaveable dish out from under the bed to put the leftovers in!) I ate leftovers and Sweetie made himself a sandwich. Seems odd to be eating out of the bathroom -- I guess I could have had a snack when I went in for my shower!
....This is a wonderful time for cleaning -- with the stove pulled out I could wash the sides. Same with the fridge. Washing inside and out since it is empty. It looks like new!
....Sweetie and I am looking for a computer program that seems to have been misplaced. I have the book but not the disks. If I don't find it I'm hoping I get a new program for my birthday, which is coming up soon. I have hinted and dear Sweetie said, "Why wait -- you need that now -- go and get it." We'll see. While Sweetie and I looked we found quite a few old software manuals that we could dump (they become obsolete so fast) so the cleaning is happening upstairs, too. I am a bit of a pack rat so I save things that I'm sure we will find a use for later. Sometimes we never do! I just feel uncomfortable doing away with something that I might need later. Do you ever feel that way? Do you run out of places to put things? Surely I'm not the only one!
LATER UPDATE: The floor is finished and it is beautiful. The refrigerator is back in place and I'm restocking it from the ice chest. I have to admit, it is so nice and clean and empty that I hate to put stuff in it again. Stove and baker's rack and kitchen table are also back in place. Sweetie and I have rehung the pantry doors and the refrig and freezer doors. Unfortunately, everything is covered in a fine dust. Not much sense to dust, however, since it all starts over on Tuesday.
Wishing you all a wonderful Lord's day tomorrow!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Good morning all. . . . . or good afternoon. . . . or good evening,. . . .not being sure what time it will be where you are when you read this.
The last day to prepare for the marathon of floor installations. YD is coming over later to take some of the things out of our refrigerator. We will only have to have it out for a couple of days, I think. There is consideration, however, that our old refrig will not survive this event so it could be that we have to buy a new one. more money! I'll pray for a speedy recovery for this one.
. . . For the second day downtown Houston has gotten rain and we haven't. Hardly seems fair!!
Last night was an ice cream party out at Cross Creek and it did sprinkle on me as I drove out, but nothing fell at my house and it is just looking dryer and dryer. Sometimes when I try to water outside the water pressure seems really low. We are on voluntary restricted watering so I'm doing the minimum. The bit of rain we got last Sunday went really fast but we did see a little growth in the grass this week.
. . . In spite of the work to be done Sweetie and I are going to see a movie this afternoon -- Julia and Julie. I've heard it is really very funny and I need to see/hear something funny. The economic news isn't funny. Supposedly the recession is almost over but people are still losing jobs and businesses are still closing. Makes retirement plans seem very risky. However, I KNOW not to put my trust in the things of man so we will step out on faith and I an sure we will survive!
. . . I plan to do some sewing while the kitchen floor is being done -- my sewing area is upstairs, as is my laundry and office, so I can stay busy up here while my kitchen is beautified!
. . . . take care, all
The last day to prepare for the marathon of floor installations. YD is coming over later to take some of the things out of our refrigerator. We will only have to have it out for a couple of days, I think. There is consideration, however, that our old refrig will not survive this event so it could be that we have to buy a new one. more money! I'll pray for a speedy recovery for this one.
. . . For the second day downtown Houston has gotten rain and we haven't. Hardly seems fair!!
Last night was an ice cream party out at Cross Creek and it did sprinkle on me as I drove out, but nothing fell at my house and it is just looking dryer and dryer. Sometimes when I try to water outside the water pressure seems really low. We are on voluntary restricted watering so I'm doing the minimum. The bit of rain we got last Sunday went really fast but we did see a little growth in the grass this week.
. . . In spite of the work to be done Sweetie and I are going to see a movie this afternoon -- Julia and Julie. I've heard it is really very funny and I need to see/hear something funny. The economic news isn't funny. Supposedly the recession is almost over but people are still losing jobs and businesses are still closing. Makes retirement plans seem very risky. However, I KNOW not to put my trust in the things of man so we will step out on faith and I an sure we will survive!
. . . I plan to do some sewing while the kitchen floor is being done -- my sewing area is upstairs, as is my laundry and office, so I can stay busy up here while my kitchen is beautified!
. . . . take care, all
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Mother's Button Box
Those who really know me know that I love tea. I drink cold tea and hot tea, NEVER COFFEE!
I collect tea infusers.
I love tea -- but, I mostly just love plain Lipton tea. Sometimes I will drink the flavored teas, but mostly I stick with the plain Lipton tea.
I also love tins and boxes.
So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I LOVED my Mother's button box. It was an old Lipton Tea tin.
I encouraged her to give it to me for years but she said she liked it, too. Finally, after many years, she gifted it to me! Hooray!!
(It even has a few buttons in it -- mostly small shirt and blouse buttons.)
I thought I'd share it with you so it is pictured below.
The box held 15 orange pekoe and pekoe tea bags.
There are three emblems on the front testifying that Sir Thomas J. Lipton, tea planter and tea merchant by appointment to
T M The King and Queen of Italy
King George V
H M King Alfonso
Inside the lid are the instructions...
IMPORTANT
The tea in these bags is Lipton's Famous Yellow Label Blend, the World's Finest Quality. Use boiling water.
One of these (Large Size) Tea Bags will make at least two cups of delicious Lipton's Tea. The strength of the brew can be varied to suit individual taste.
The same Tea is also sold in 1-lb, 1/2 lb, 1/4 lb, and 10c packages.
BUY A PACKAGE TOMORROW
Somehow, my Lipton tea bags in the pantry just aren't as romantic in their cardboard box as these would have been.
Thank you, Mom, I love it!
I collect tea infusers.
I love tea -- but, I mostly just love plain Lipton tea. Sometimes I will drink the flavored teas, but mostly I stick with the plain Lipton tea.
I also love tins and boxes.
So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I LOVED my Mother's button box. It was an old Lipton Tea tin.
I encouraged her to give it to me for years but she said she liked it, too. Finally, after many years, she gifted it to me! Hooray!!
(It even has a few buttons in it -- mostly small shirt and blouse buttons.)
I thought I'd share it with you so it is pictured below.
The box held 15 orange pekoe and pekoe tea bags.
There are three emblems on the front testifying that Sir Thomas J. Lipton, tea planter and tea merchant by appointment to
T M The King and Queen of Italy
King George V
H M King Alfonso
Inside the lid are the instructions...
IMPORTANT
The tea in these bags is Lipton's Famous Yellow Label Blend, the World's Finest Quality. Use boiling water.
One of these (Large Size) Tea Bags will make at least two cups of delicious Lipton's Tea. The strength of the brew can be varied to suit individual taste.
The same Tea is also sold in 1-lb, 1/2 lb, 1/4 lb, and 10c packages.
BUY A PACKAGE TOMORROW
Somehow, my Lipton tea bags in the pantry just aren't as romantic in their cardboard box as these would have been.
Thank you, Mom, I love it!
Monday, August 10, 2009
This and That
I told Sweetie that I needed to post something so people wouldn't think I'd died!
Things have been busy, busy at our house, and are getting more so every day.
Before I list all our chores, let me shout one word of praise. . .
IT RAINED!!!!!
Yes, we got about an inch of rain Sunday. I think it rained three times. One thunder boomer that came over woke me from my Sunday nap. Lightening and thunder were simultaneous and about scared me out of my skin!
Now, back to the chores.
We are getting our new kitchen floor on Saturday so I'm busy moving the kitchen furniture somewhere else. I have a baker's rack and it is loaded with collectables, dishes, appliances, etc.
They all have to go somewhere before Saturday. I also have to unload the refrigerator/freezer and the bottom of the stove (I have a storage drawer underneath.) The fridge has to be lifted over the counter/bar because it will not fit through the only opening. We are hoping that it will survive being turned on its back twice. It is rather old. The stove has to come out and also the table and chairs. A lot of work but, oh so worth it! I've wanted a new floor for ages and ages.
Then, after the new floor is in place everything has to be put back and the house readied for stage II, which will start on the following Tuesday.
We are doing the downstairs in ceramic tile (all except for the master bedroom and the kitchen.)
Everything has to come out -- the home entertainment center all un-pluged and unloaded, the china cabinet unloaded, all pictures, lamps, etc., moved out. The sofa and the love seat and the recliner and the dining table and chairs and the end tables, etc., etc., etc. The workers will only move furniture AFTER each piece is unloaded so that job is ours. We have to make room in the garage for the furniture. I think we will just move ourselves upstairs and use our bedroom to store the smaller pieces during the project. After the furniture is moved the carpet has to come out and the two small areas of tile will have to be removed so they can be replaced with the new.
The tile should take several days and I'm told that it is a dusty process so anything left inside will be very dusty afterward. What fun -- well, I guess this will be "spring cleaning" in the the summer!
There are two possibilities. One is that I will be stuck upstairs with lots of time on my hands and I can sew and blog, and the other is that I won't have lots of time on my hands. I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens. So, you may hear from me and you may not. Only time will tell.
Last note, YD lost her job. We are praying that she finds one VERY soon. She is a single mother and the sole breadwinner.
Things have been busy, busy at our house, and are getting more so every day.
Before I list all our chores, let me shout one word of praise. . .
IT RAINED!!!!!
Yes, we got about an inch of rain Sunday. I think it rained three times. One thunder boomer that came over woke me from my Sunday nap. Lightening and thunder were simultaneous and about scared me out of my skin!
Now, back to the chores.
We are getting our new kitchen floor on Saturday so I'm busy moving the kitchen furniture somewhere else. I have a baker's rack and it is loaded with collectables, dishes, appliances, etc.
They all have to go somewhere before Saturday. I also have to unload the refrigerator/freezer and the bottom of the stove (I have a storage drawer underneath.) The fridge has to be lifted over the counter/bar because it will not fit through the only opening. We are hoping that it will survive being turned on its back twice. It is rather old. The stove has to come out and also the table and chairs. A lot of work but, oh so worth it! I've wanted a new floor for ages and ages.
Then, after the new floor is in place everything has to be put back and the house readied for stage II, which will start on the following Tuesday.
We are doing the downstairs in ceramic tile (all except for the master bedroom and the kitchen.)
Everything has to come out -- the home entertainment center all un-pluged and unloaded, the china cabinet unloaded, all pictures, lamps, etc., moved out. The sofa and the love seat and the recliner and the dining table and chairs and the end tables, etc., etc., etc. The workers will only move furniture AFTER each piece is unloaded so that job is ours. We have to make room in the garage for the furniture. I think we will just move ourselves upstairs and use our bedroom to store the smaller pieces during the project. After the furniture is moved the carpet has to come out and the two small areas of tile will have to be removed so they can be replaced with the new.
The tile should take several days and I'm told that it is a dusty process so anything left inside will be very dusty afterward. What fun -- well, I guess this will be "spring cleaning" in the the summer!
There are two possibilities. One is that I will be stuck upstairs with lots of time on my hands and I can sew and blog, and the other is that I won't have lots of time on my hands. I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens. So, you may hear from me and you may not. Only time will tell.
Last note, YD lost her job. We are praying that she finds one VERY soon. She is a single mother and the sole breadwinner.
Tis Finished!
It is finally finished, and delivered! The baby quilt was delivered to baby on Sunday morning.
The pictures below show the quilt and then the mama/baby with quilt.
Baby has an older brother so I made him a little bag (last picture) and put in some colors, a coloring book, and some stickers, all having to do with trucks. They were a hit!
This is the first bag I've made and I learned a lot from doing it. You can see that I have raw seams inside -- I should have made the inside, attached it outside, then turned it in so the seams didn't show. Yep, I should have. Maybe next time.
Gosh, I've worked on this one so long that I'm almost lost without having it to work on. Never fear, however, I have plenty to do!!
The pictures below show the quilt and then the mama/baby with quilt.
Baby has an older brother so I made him a little bag (last picture) and put in some colors, a coloring book, and some stickers, all having to do with trucks. They were a hit!
This is the first bag I've made and I learned a lot from doing it. You can see that I have raw seams inside -- I should have made the inside, attached it outside, then turned it in so the seams didn't show. Yep, I should have. Maybe next time.
Gosh, I've worked on this one so long that I'm almost lost without having it to work on. Never fear, however, I have plenty to do!!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Thinking about randomness
Randomness , hummmm. I describe my blog as being "random thoughts about life in general," yet I am not a random person! I know this about myself and I generally tuck that knowledge away and don't dwell on it. However, I recently found myself laughing at myself and my inability to be truly random.
Let me explain.
During the quilt show I recently attended I sat in on a demonstration of a technique known as SSS -- I think that stands for Sort, Slash, and Sew. Those three words, I believe, but perhaps not in that exact order. It was one woman's method of using up scraps left from many sewing projects. She reminded us that each one of those scraps cost us about $9.00/yard. Yes, after the big, beautiful quilts are sewn, the leftover fabric costs us just as much as the fabric we used.
Her solution was to sort the fabric into groups.....perhaps one pile of brights, one of reproductions, one of calico, etc. Then, taking one pile we were instructed to start sewing them together, using The Outback's mantra "No Rules, Just Right." No worry about seams matching or seam size, or grain -- fabric to be picked up and sewn without paying attention to matching of colors, sizes, patterns, etc. Totally chosen at random. The piece she sewed as she spoke turned out to be about 3' long, and varied in width from 6 or 7 inches to 3 or four inches.
Then, at some point she would stop and cut a block in the size she had previously determined to be the right size, (she suggested that you use one of the smaller square rulers to determine the size, audition the fabrics through the ruler, make your cut, set the block aside and then sew the small remainder scraps from the cutting to the larger piece and just keep going, adding more fabric.)
OK -- I can do that and I have a lot of scraps!
But remember what I said at the start of this. I AM NOT A RANDOM PERSON!
I pulled out a big pile of scraps. I started sewing. Oops, another purple, let me see, perhaps a pink instead? (What happened to random?) I sewed and sewed and then left it all and fixed dinner. Later, with a lot surging through my brain, I returned to my SSS project and started sewing with half a mind on the fabric and the other half on some current situations.
Finally, I made a finishing seam and held the project up to be evaluated. With my random sewing I had made a rectangle -- sides quite perfectly matched. Oh, I had pieces of different sizes, shapes, and going in different directions, but it wasn't a long variable string of fabrics. I had sewn a rectangle about one foot by 2 feet, with harmonizing colors. I JUST HAD TO LAUGH AT MYSELF. I AM NOT A RANDOM PERSON! I don't think there is much hope for me. I can cut my blocks on the diagonal, and that will change the overall view of things, but random it isn't.
I had this same problem trying to do a brown paper bag quilt -- I cut the squares up, put them into the bag, shook them up, and then pulled two out and started sewing. True randomness lasted about 12 inches and then I started worrying about fabrics being sewn to colors that didn't match and patterns that clashed or repeated and it all went down the tubes from there!
I told my husband this story -- about laughing at myself -- and he just sat and looked at me with his brain grinding away. Finally he said, "It is sometimes scary how much we are alike!"
So, dear blog pals, perhaps my blog is made up of random thoughts but that is about all of me that can be random!
Let me explain.
During the quilt show I recently attended I sat in on a demonstration of a technique known as SSS -- I think that stands for Sort, Slash, and Sew. Those three words, I believe, but perhaps not in that exact order. It was one woman's method of using up scraps left from many sewing projects. She reminded us that each one of those scraps cost us about $9.00/yard. Yes, after the big, beautiful quilts are sewn, the leftover fabric costs us just as much as the fabric we used.
Her solution was to sort the fabric into groups.....perhaps one pile of brights, one of reproductions, one of calico, etc. Then, taking one pile we were instructed to start sewing them together, using The Outback's mantra "No Rules, Just Right." No worry about seams matching or seam size, or grain -- fabric to be picked up and sewn without paying attention to matching of colors, sizes, patterns, etc. Totally chosen at random. The piece she sewed as she spoke turned out to be about 3' long, and varied in width from 6 or 7 inches to 3 or four inches.
Then, at some point she would stop and cut a block in the size she had previously determined to be the right size, (she suggested that you use one of the smaller square rulers to determine the size, audition the fabrics through the ruler, make your cut, set the block aside and then sew the small remainder scraps from the cutting to the larger piece and just keep going, adding more fabric.)
OK -- I can do that and I have a lot of scraps!
But remember what I said at the start of this. I AM NOT A RANDOM PERSON!
I pulled out a big pile of scraps. I started sewing. Oops, another purple, let me see, perhaps a pink instead? (What happened to random?) I sewed and sewed and then left it all and fixed dinner. Later, with a lot surging through my brain, I returned to my SSS project and started sewing with half a mind on the fabric and the other half on some current situations.
Finally, I made a finishing seam and held the project up to be evaluated. With my random sewing I had made a rectangle -- sides quite perfectly matched. Oh, I had pieces of different sizes, shapes, and going in different directions, but it wasn't a long variable string of fabrics. I had sewn a rectangle about one foot by 2 feet, with harmonizing colors. I JUST HAD TO LAUGH AT MYSELF. I AM NOT A RANDOM PERSON! I don't think there is much hope for me. I can cut my blocks on the diagonal, and that will change the overall view of things, but random it isn't.
I had this same problem trying to do a brown paper bag quilt -- I cut the squares up, put them into the bag, shook them up, and then pulled two out and started sewing. True randomness lasted about 12 inches and then I started worrying about fabrics being sewn to colors that didn't match and patterns that clashed or repeated and it all went down the tubes from there!
I told my husband this story -- about laughing at myself -- and he just sat and looked at me with his brain grinding away. Finally he said, "It is sometimes scary how much we are alike!"
So, dear blog pals, perhaps my blog is made up of random thoughts but that is about all of me that can be random!
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