Monday, June 30, 2014

Monday, a free day?

     I know I have much to do, but I don't really care to do it.  We will leave for the coast on Wednesday morning. I need to do laundry and pack and plan, but I am just sitting here in la,la land. To night is our last night at the bank.  That alone is such a boon.  My eldest called me last night with a menu for the beach.  She is all grown up and I do not have to do everything any more.  How is that?  "Mom, should I bring my griddle or are you bringing yours?"  I no longer have to worry about every little thing.

     This morning I ran over and ordered meds at the pharmacy and I still have to pay bills, so that will take part of my morning.  Not much sewing that has to be done, except what comes in today and tomorrow and they will have to pick up quick.

     I just get the day to putz and do odd things to get ready, I do have a bride coming in at 1 p.m. and a set of dress blues coming in at 1:30.  My two favorite things........  Everything pending in the shop can be done after I return on the 7th.

     Last night Hubs and I boxed up the rooster and one of the hens to take to one of his employees in Orophino.   We cannot have a rooster in the city limits. He is so beautiful and he is getting very noisy.  We are going to get nailed.  We took an old laundry basket with a broken handle and put a plastic piece of netting on top.  Hubs was trying to tie it on by weaving it.  I finally took over and he was criticizing and I looked at him and said , "Who sews for a living?" He was quite after that.  Silly guy.

     Well I had better go look for something to do....

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sunday, home and happy!

     We had a wonderful 3 days but are very tired.  We took our dancer home to  a small holding outside of Chatteroy Washington.  Her parents bought an old Grange Hall and are in the process of refitting it to a community hall and bed and breakfast.  We were treated to the beautifully redone apartment.  So comfortable and nice.  We slept well , they had cooked a delicious  salmon dinner.  We took off the next morning to do a little shopping.  I bought a new bra with a racer back (hard top find in my size) at Ross for $4.00 also 2 new bread pans for $6.00 each.  I have two bread pans that are glass and they always make the crust a little too brown.  Bought Hubs new dark glasses as he had broke his good ones and also a few new shirts and a set of rain gear on a good sale.  We continued on to our good friends in Rathdrum Idaho.

     We went out to dinner and then came home to play Monopoly.  Laughed until we were sick.  Went to bed and went out to scout huckleberry bogs the next morning.  We found several loaded with green berries so we know where we will hit in August sometime.  Then we had lunch and Hubs and I got ready to go to a Wedding.  The Wedding was at a beautiful Garden (Victorian) in Deer Park Washington.  It was about 1.5 hours away from our friends and 2.5 hours from our house.  A beautiful scene, but I felt very over the top.  I just don't understand people who spend so much on a Wedding.  It is their choice, but it makes me sick. Every guest there was expected to drive 2.5 hours for a late afternoon wedding and with the drinking surely most stayed the night some where close.  That is one very expensive wedding trip along with the gift.  We were able to drive home as we do not drink, but we did not get home until after midnight.

     The Wedding had a dance and it was slow going after the bride and groom and father and mother dance. Hubs finally said lets get the party started, so we went up and did a couple of fast jitter-bugs (it almost killed me) but I smiled through it all. Kids started to join us and then the dance floor was full the rest of the night.  We almost won the couple married the longest dance but came in second to a couple married 55 years.  We paled in comparison with 36. All in all it was a very nice weekend.  Now we have to clean up and get ready to go to the coast.  I did not spend much money this weekend so I have money left over to add to vacation.

     Well I had better get ready for church.  We ate so much this weekend  that we are just going to have snack for dinner, and I do not have to cook!  Yippee!

Have a restful and peaceful Sabbath.

Kim

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Wednesday, Still floating on the clouds!

     I am still on cloud 9 around here, (where did that phrase cloud 9 come from?) although I have had terrible fevers and night sweats the last two nights and have soaked the sheets and my pj's.  I knew a flare was coming, eyes are goopy, jaw is tight, and this morning my hands are blown.  But I am still on cloud 9.  I took an anti inflammatory and I am going to work through this, this morning.

     Thank you for all the kind words and congratulations, I am in such a state of shock that I have decided to just cruise for a few weeks and come up with a plan.  Financial plan that is....  I have so many ideas running around in my head that I am in a dither.  It is fun to dream and plan although putting it into action is a different story.  I am going to take Sluggy's advice and talk to a financial guru.

     Baked 5 loaves of bread yesterday.  My big decision was to divide dough into 5 instead of 4 loaves as it fits in the toaster better.  I could not make bread if it wasn't for my bosch mixer.  It does all the work.  If I had to knead and work the dough I would be finished.  It would just be too painful.

     Today I am concentrating on laundry, ironing and sewing.  Tomorrow we are taking (Rose) the Irish teacher back up to her home as she has a wedding to be in and she usually takes a bus home.  We will stay at her studio's apartment over night and then we will do a little biking and shopping before we meet our friends and stay with them Friday. We also have a Wedding on Saturday in Spokane and will then come home.  I hope I feel better this weekend.

     There is a sprinkler head outside by the garden that is wonkie so I suppose I will be digging that up later this afternoon when is cools down, right now I am going to hook myself to my sewing machine. BLAH!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Tuesday, believe it or not?

     I am still in a state of shock and disbelief, but I received a letter last Thursday that stated I was to receive SSI benefits.  No fighting, no hassle, no reapplying, no lawyer.  I have applied 4 times in the past and have always cancelled as I went into remission and felt better.  I wold get really bad and say this is not going to get better.  I would apply and then boom I would be in remission.  About 5 years ago I had a really bad experience (personal) and I have never been able to get back into remission, it has been a steady downhill slope. But this time, I went through with everything.  Just fill out the paper work, phone interview, more paper work and I am done.  My biggest problem is and always has been that I don't feel I am disabled.  I know I have bad days and I try to work through them.  I know those days are becoming more and more common.  My doctors just want me to preserve the life I have left as comfortably as possible.  Slow down!  But I can't slow down because of debt.  I must work really hard and work through the pain and exhaustion to get my debts paid. I have really tried not to complain too much but I am so tired all the time.  Sometimes it is hard to convince myself to breath because I just want to go to bed.  It is not depression, but unmitigated exhaustion.

      This is going to change everything.  I feel so unworthy and yet so blessed.  I don't feel I deserve to take it easy, but I also know I must.  I think the biggest thing for me is that I now see my life as having possibilities.  I can see my way to my husbands retirement without so much fear and resentment.  My medical insurance issues will work out much more in my favor.  What have I done to deserve such a break?

     Now work is not over, but I certainly will be able to work much less.  The studio will be turned over to my daughter and into a non-profit.  I can sew when I feel good without constantly putting myself under so much pressure.  But I must be a wise steward the next couple of years.  I will need help putting together a new pay off plan that includes my two dreaded credit cards.  How can I do this with the least amount of interest and time?  Decisions, decisions.  When I get it all figured out I will list it and let you guys help me decide.  But you must be nice as I have very tender feelings. BLAH!

     Rose ( the Irish dancer) and I were able to put all the rock up around the pond yesterday so that is finally done.  Hubs could not do it and my hands were just not strong enough to do most of the rock, but with her help it looks great!  It was over 90 here yesterday and today it is cool and rainy.  Kind of nice.  I need to get the laundry caught up and make bread today.  I also have sewing to do, but I think I might be catching up?  I always say that and then I get bombed.  It is right before the 4th so I expect I will get vacation clothes for people.  We will see.


     So what do you guys think?  Freaky, scary, in denial that is how I feel.  I also love the feeling that my life will change for the better and with this new found hope I can be more of a blessing to others.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday, Big changes here....

     Hubs and I officially have turned in our notice at the bank!  We will no longer be cleaning after June 30th. It is funny but I just got this wild hair feeling over a week ago that I was just done.  I don't want to do this anymore.  The money we make does not even affect our budget as it goes right to daughters college account.  My accountant told me I would owe taxes next year and B's award letter was about $2000.00 less on grant money.  So earning this extra $6000.00 a year is really a wash.  Why are we doing it?  It is always hanging over our heads and I am so tired by this time of day.  Why now? 

     I think first of all I did not trust my self not to need the money.  Remember two summers ago when we cut back to 1/2 time.  I made myself go for three months without 1/2 the income to make sure we could do it.  It was the same when we turned the money over to college funds.  Well we have done it for two years.  B can just borrow money to finish.  I don't want her to have a huge amount of debt for an undergraduate degree, but we have kept that pretty low for her so far.  They say at our age it is better to let the kids go in debt and help them later than to access our earnings now.  I have read this and read this but have so far not taken the advice as we just worked harder, but that is over now.

     It is funny that when I finally made the decision I can now hardly make myself go to work.  I just don't want to be there.  I am so done with it all. 25 years of cleaning something and it is finally over.  I have proved to myself we don't need the money.  It is a weird feeling and I am going to like it!

     I made this decision last Wednesday and called my supervisor.  I think he was surprised.  The next day I was hit with news that will really change my life for the better.  I don't even know how to go into it right now as I am still in a state of shock and disbelief also fear.  But I will try to post about it tomorrow, if I can bring myself to admit the changes.

     I had a good time with my girl friend lots of laughs.  She drove with me to Spokane to the Doctors without incident.  My joints were better so this medication is working.  They did blood work and I had a phone call for the results this morning which I missed, so hopefully they will call back.

     I picked up the professional Celtic dancer this morning and she is at the studio.  We have about 14 kids enrolled so that will break us even and bring in a little for bills.  I plan on paying the rest of Junes bills this afternoon. I will save whatever is left over for July. 

     I need to start saving for the house payment in July.  We will be on vacation July 2nd through the 7th and then I will need to come home and pay the house payment and some studio bills.  I need to get busy.  I hope I get a lot of work in like hems and vacation clothes the next few days and the first part of next week.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

     Out My Window:  Beautiful and I believe it will be hot today, which is fine with me!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Wednesday and Tuesday:) posting late...

     I got up a little later than usual and I had a bridesmaid dress that had to be let out to do a fitting at 11.  I was afraid I would not be able to make it big enough and would have to gusset it, but it zipped up fine.   I then had a lot of hemming to do, all the time I was trying to get laundry done and change sheets, press pillow cases, etc.

     I have a set of dress blues due out first thing in the morning and I still have not finished the bedroom or bath downstairs. So today is run, run, run.

     We are out of supplies at the studio so must go get water and toilet paper etc.  In between cleaning sewing and ironing. It is so nice to have the bedroom and bathroom clean to hotel stay worthy.  I love it and may it stay that way for a while.

     Our guests arrived about 7 last night and I slice chicken off the bone and fried up potatoes and made a frecetta salad.  Hub's and I cleaned the bank and then my girlfriend Joyce and I stayed up until about midnight so I could finish a set of dress blues.

     Today I have a lot of sewing to do and I started cooking the meat off of a chicken carcass so I will make a big pot of chicken soup.  Hub's came home very chilled yesterday so that will be nice for him and guests.  It is rainy and chilly here as I am back in wool sweaters.  But I have sandals on as I refuse to let it be nothing but late spring.  I have goosebumps on my legs so I may have to rethink my strategy.

     D#2 came over yesterday and took a huge container of crap out of the garage may it stay out!  I have not attacked the garage yet but that is coming.  I must pay a couple of important bills today and make a few phone calls.  I want to get all the sewing caught up as I have to go to Spokane on Friday for a doctor appointment and I won't be here for pickup.

     Hubby gets paid tomorrow so I can get ready to post new totals. Yeah!

Out My Window:  Rainy and cool, but the farmers need the rain for the spring wheat so I won't complain, plus I do not have to hand water things!  It is supposed to get very hot soon.


Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, June 16, 2014

Monday, Had a beautiful Father's Day!

     The weekend started out cold and rainy.  I sewed so much last week.  Thursday and Friday were hell!  My hands and wrists and elbows were so sore and inflamed.  Saturday was a bust because of inflammation.  Sunday the girls were coming over with their boyfriends and parents for dinner.  I woke up with a terrible headache.  I could not get rid of it.  I had the children at church singing for Father's day so felt that I had to attend to at least get them through their program.  Then Hub's took me home.  I went right to sleep in my church dress and heels and slept until 4:30.  I had so much company coming and I had to get up and be cheery.  Headache was better but not gone. 

     Finally about 9:30 I took a pain killer and it abated when I woke up this morning.  Hub's had a nice Father's day and our meal was lovely.  Girls got him an apple TV connection and hooked up a netflix account for him.  We have never had cable we just have an antennae so this will be nice for him.  We really don't watch much TV. 

     I had not finished the dishes from last night so I got up this morning and did them.  I have a great deal of sewing to do today and have already started on a military uniform, then I have at least 20 hems to do I think.  More bridesmaid dresses and more dress blues.  Just never ending. 

     I do have to go down to the studio tomorrow and teach for awhile and I also have people coming tomorrow so I need to clean up the basement  bedroom and the spare bathroom.  Need to run some errands and pay some bills ugh!

Running with scissors!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, June 13, 2014

Friday, still a little grey around here....

     I swear I did not leave the shop all day yesterday and the phone rang off the hook!  I will be busy today with pickups.  I still need to finish a little beading on one of the dresses and also hem two 3 layer bridesmaid dresses.  They will be picked up this afternoon.

     Yesterday Rucifee(Lucifer) my large 7 toed long haired cat came merowling (yes that is the word he says) down the stairs.  He would not shut up all the way down and then down the long hall to the shop.  I knew he had something alive in his mouth as this is his way of sharing with me.  He had obviously come from the back yard.  I jumped up from my beading to head him off at the shop entrance, what ever he had , had a long flippy tail and I was not going to have whatever it was loose in the shop.  I stopped him at the door where I had unfortunately place 7 large tutu dresses on a chair.  He immediately lost whatever his prize was in the tutus.  Gross!  I picked up a broom and started to lift tutus one at a time waiting for creature to spring while Ruce waited patiently for praise.  Finally I spotted a 4 inch long black and white striped salamander crawling quickly through the dresses.  It finally crawled high enough in a tutu for me to whisk it out in the garage and let it escape.  It had a bright blue almost florescent tail.  Never saw one like that.  Ruce continued to look for his treat for an hour.  I am so blessed.

     I had two other emergency sewing calls after my blog post.  One was easy, but one was a full suit obviously the man was a (no neck) undercover something.  His luggage had been lost coming into this small airport.  He looked D.C. to me so I told him his luggage had probably gone to Lewistown, Montana as that is where my husbands always went when he flew out of the capitol when he was in the military.  The no neck just looked at me.  Anyway he had purchased I am sure what was the only suit in Lewiston that would fit him.  It was a nice suit but needed cuffed.  At least that is what he told me when he called me in emergency state using the police chiefs recommendation.  I do all the police uniforms and sometimes things have to be done stat.  Well the pants were too large, the sleeves were too long, he had to wear the suit for at least two days until his luggage showed up.  He said he would just cinch up the waist if I could just cuff the pants.  So my response was,  "You want to look like you are from around here?"  Just walk around in an obviously new ill fitting suit.  I then asked him if he wanted an SSS panel put in the lining to hide what he was packing if he had to reach his arms out?  He just looked at me and said, " yes, mam."  So I had to completely tailor a suit and put a heavy buckram panel inside the lining to stiffen that part of the jacket.  It is referred to out west as a shoot, shovel, and shut up panel.   He will pick this up anytime now.  So that put me a little behind on the dresses.

     I have to finish the two dresses steam them and then I have one more suit to alter and I am done until next Monday.  The shop is still full but my elbows are shot and I need some time off.  I did not get any house work done yesterday except one load of laundry and the vacuum pulled out into the middle of the floor.  That counts right?  Because it looks like I tried to do something?

     I am heading for the shop,pray for me.......

Have a great and productive day!


Kim

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Thursday, grey weddings!

     I thought bridesmaids were bad but this week it has been groomsmen.  I think every wedding I have done in the past month has been grey.  Yesterday I had to tear a apart a bridesmaid dress that should have been ordered in a size 8 and was ordered in a size 2.  I will have to re bead the whole side.  I had to actually make a slit up the back of the netted back insert and then steal bead patches from another area under the arm and sew a patch over the slit to cover the big hole in the back to make dress fit this girl.  Now know one will be able to tell, but order with your measurements and if you are getting dresses from overseas take your chances and always order larger!

     This is the 3rd too small grey dress I have rescued this month.  Then there are the 5 groomsmen and the groom dressed in you guessed it Grey!  Shorten sleeves, take in pants, hem pants.  Not a problem.  Until, they started to come in from out of town.  One suit was to be a 43 waist and it was labeled 43 but measured a 34, poor Marine couldn't even get the pants past the thighs.  Next was the 48 long coat that was to be a 44 long again mislabeled.  We had one white dress shirt that was big enough to fit a large clown.  So groom called (Men's Warehouse)  they were argumentative until I took the phone away and said I was a professional tailor that had recommended them all the time and their stuff was all miss labeled.  I had a wedding to get done in 2 days and what were they going to do about it!  Well I received a new coat, a new shirt and a new pair of pants over night delivery from 3 different locations.  Now all of these suits were charcoal grey but all slightly different weaves so we will return different pieces.  They did not even argue with me and did not ask groom for a credit card.  I thought that was pretty good service.  Since these pieces were not tried on there was no way for store to know they were miss sized.  This morning I had last groomsman come in and I will be sewing on grey all day!  What a nightmare!

     I already received a $5.00 tip this morning and of course it went right into the pink pig bank. It was a nice way to start the day.  A gentleman needed 2 pairs of pants hemmed while he waited as he was flying out of town.  I put 6 white Mirella tutus that I had soaking in Biz for the last 3 days out on the fence in the front to continue bleaching in the sun.  We purchased these Dress/tutu's 8 years ago and they are so yellowed and dingy, but when I soak and then sun bleach they really come clean.  It looks like fairy land out front.  Tutu's all over the fence.

     I think I am almost to the bottom of the girls crap in the spare room downstairs.  Now I don't mind my girls who have not yet bought permanent homes storing things here but when they come and dig through their stuff and leave a big old mess I object. I have been in messy upheaval for the past 3 months waiting for both the youngest to get settled and I think we might be there.  Maybe?

     Baked 4 loaves of bread last night and plan to do some cleaning today around the basement.  I had better get busy.  Just got a phone call from a panicked bride (Wedding tomorrow)  bridesmaid dress is not fitting.  I asked her if the dress was grey?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Wednesday, moving along.

    Woke up today with a bad backache.  Now what is that about as I really did nothing strenuous yesterday but sew?  I am slowly plugging along on this months bills.  Managed to get 2 big studio bills paid and my house payment.  I am pretty much flat broke now so have to work at getting rent for studio paid.   I did find out that I am ahead on a few bills and will not have payments due until the end of July.  Hub's gets a bonus and a small raise and an extra paycheck in July so we should be okay and play catch up.  I dislike playing catch up but at least I have the option so I should be grateful.

     My biggest problem is that I see these large sums of cash come into the shop ($185.00 on Monday) and ($195 on Tues.) and I want to put the money away or have some fun.  But in reality it immediately has to go to the bank to pay a bill.  Someday I will be able to keep this money but not today.  It is frustrating. I have two large bills that are due some time in July also one is for $500.00 and the other is for $1195.00.  I will need to find a way to pay these. Right now though I am going to worry about my studio rent and nothing else.  I can do this.

     The house is a pig sty especially the down stairs so that will be my focus today along with my shop.  I also should set up a June budget and get the desk cleaned off.  Just because I have no money does not mean.  I need to be a financial slob about my paper work.  I also need to bake bread today we are out.  Hub's ate took the last piece in his lunch last night.  I also need to find something for dinner.  I think I will take chicken out of the freezer.

      I have some paper work to file with the Secretary of State, so I will say goodby and get to work on that before I start my whirlwind cleaning of this house.

Out My Window:  Beautiful blue bird days, but we need rain.  Warm, sunny perfect weather.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Tuesday, Pain or exhaustion ?

     I just figured out something about myself I don't' like pain,  who does?  I hate exhaustion.  It is okay if you have worked hard all day long and have a reason. I get hit with exhaustion from my arthritis once in a while.  I would rather have pain.  I can usually work through pain.  I just keep slowly moving the joints until the are lubricated and take an anti inflammatory.  Exhaustion is a different matter.  I just can't work through it well.  No matter how much rest I try to get it does not go away.

     I was able to sew $115.00 yesterday and should have done more but too tired.  I am up earlier today as I need to take truck to the dump and get some things done around the house.  I have to complete several pieces for a home bound client and deliver to two different clients today. 

     Yesterday enough money came in to cover the grocery check I wrote last weekend and to gas up Hub's car.  Now I need to add to my sissie fund which should have $500.00 in it by the end of the week. I am just picking bills off one dept at a time.  This is way it will have to be.

     I do have a lot of sewing in the shop to do today so I will get busy and get my other things done so I can hit the machines.  I think I will feel better when I see more money coming in, when I have a slush fund with at least $500.00 in it I have less angst.  So let's work toward that by the end of the week.  I want $700.00 in my slush fund by Friday.  That will give me enough to pay the studio rent.  It will leave me totally broke but I will have paid the two big bills.  I also need to pay the truck soon, like maybe today?

     On  happier note.  I have a 401K savings that I opened over 20 years ago.  I have put money in it off and on over the years.  It is small only about $22,000 but it is growing right now at over $500.00 a month and I am not doing a thing.  The power of compound interest.

I am plugging away.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, June 9, 2014

Monday, a little depressed.

     I did nothing in the yard this weekend.  After helping the girls until late Thursday and Friday night I was just too wiped out to really do anything on Saturday.  I kind of had the attitude of who says I have to work every single second of every single day?  But unfortunately the studio upper studio and costume closet were looming in the background.  I have been avoiding this as it is hours of back breaking work.  Finally at 6 p.m. Saturday night I knew I had to get down there.  D#2 met me with her boyfriend and we worked until 11 p.m.

     Hauled a truck load (yes the truck is loaded again) of crap out of the attic and went through every costume to see what we wanted to get rid of.  We have two racks of costumes we are going to sell at a street sale.  We did not finish and I got up on the (Sabbath, yikes) and went back down and finished the upper two rooms.  Then D#2 and boyfriend and I went back down about 7 p.m. when Hubs had Orchestra rehearsal and finished.  The place looks great.  It was so nice to have a strong man to help haul things around.  I even redid the windows.

     I told my ballet Mistress she could do a workshop to help pay for her honeymoon.  I was not going to pay her wages like I did last summer as I lost money, but she could do her own advertizing and arranging and getting teachers down there.  We have had to pull hens teeth to even get 10 people to take a 2 week workshop.  I don't know what she did but she has at least 20 kids down there and I should have paid her.  But when I do that I feel that I have to stick around and I really make so much more money sewing.  I hate to leave the shop day after day.   It is a catch 22.

     I need to make a trip to the dump and then hit the shop hard.  I have already sewn about $40.00 worth today.  My finances are very scary right now and I need to see what I have to do to get some bills paid.  The house payment is paid but that is it.  The studio accounts are broke and I need to pay some bills.  I don't for see money coming in until the Celtic workshop and then I have to pay the professional that is coming in.  I will have to borrow money again and it is only June.  Usually this happens in July or August.  I knew this was coming, so frustrating.  I work so darn hard and just never seem to get ahead down there.  We are seriously considering  turning to a non profit status.  I just want my debt paid off and then I don't care who takes it over.  I am tired.  As much as I love my students and the arts I just want to be done.


     I am not very chipper today, sorry.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, June 6, 2014

Friday, I miss my Udy...

     I am really missing Udy and some of you that used to post regularly, get with it will ya!?  Worked until almost midnight last night at apartment and got a lot done but not finished.  Mostly clothes and laundry.  I don't think D#3 did laundry the entire year.  Now I know she did but what a mess of clothes.  Mostly bed linens.  So hub's and I and D#2 will go up again tonight after he gets off work and Hub's will hang pictures and curtain rods and put a bed together.  We should be done this evening and it will be a nice place for them to live.

     D#3 is getting massive hours at her new job and they are training her in all areas.  This is good as it gives her so much experience at different skills, which will make her life easier.  Like learning to cook.  I think d#2 and I filled a dumpster last night with junk.  It was amazing and she said she gave away and threw away so much before she moved it down.  We Americans have too much stuff.  We always think we need more .

     I am mowing through laundry right now and doing the ironing pieces as they come out of dryer.  I was able to transplant several plants this morning that needed to be split and move them around the pond area.  I need to run to the studio and get something and leave a check for a teacher and then get home and hit the sewing machine.

There went the buzzer on the dryer!  Have to run!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Thursday, a little slow today.

      My scale is loving me right now, but I am a little under the weather so that makes it easier to not eat.  I don't know if it is the introduction of too many veggies or what.  Hub's and I took a long bike ride on the levy last night and I did a couple of hours of hand work on a Wedding Dress.  I sewed $155.00 in the shop yesterday and I will be very busy today.

   I am going into finish pressing the Wedding dress.  It has lace all over that has to be starched stiff.  Then I will steam the body.  I also have to alter the bridesmaid dress before 2 p.m.  Just so much to do in there, I am gratful but don't know where to turn next sometimes.

     I did not do much in the yard this morning due to how I feel.  I have one large bed in the back to weed and then rearrange the rock in the pond and take a load to the dump.  Hub's will have to help with the pond. I cannot move all the large rock up by myself.  So I came in and took a hot bath:)

     Tonight I am going with D#2 up to her apartment in Moscow to help her organize and clean after her move.  We will be up there until about 10:00 and then come home.  She has agreed to help me clean the studio costume closet this weekend.  Oh what a wreck.  I have put it out of my mind for the last 2 weeks.

     Well I am off to the Salt Mines!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim             

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Wednesday, we got the pond running!

     I am so proud and happy we got the pond running with out the help of a plumber.  Hubs and I hooked up the new pump last night.  I was able to spend about 3 hours yesterday cleaning in and around the pond and this morning I cleaned all the rock. It took me 2 hours.  Ugh I hate picking twirly gigs out of rock.  I still have a big mess to take to the dump and a couple more hours of weeding and cleaning in the back before I can say it is done.  But it is truly never done as you go back to the beginning and start all over.

     My Sissie chastised me for not getting my sewing done as she knows I am a putter/disorganized/procrastinator.  So about 11:30 yesterday I came in and started to sew.  She called and chewed on me and had me call her back with my results.  Then she would say do 5 more items.  But I did end up with a $255.00 afternoon so she is on the money.

     Last night for supper I had hubs do chicken breasts on the grill and we had beet greens from the garden.  A huge salad and radishes from the garden and some green beans.  I am down 10 lbs officially from my all time high.  So I am happy about that.  But Sissie says I am chubby.  She is a mean old slave driver.  I really want to lose this weight so I can fit into my clothes as I am too cheap to buy new ones and I need to keep weight off as it exasperates my arthritis.

     Hubs and I went on a bike ride last night that about killed me.  We decided not to go to the levy and ride around the neighborhood.  Big mistake as it is all hills.  He kept saying."Use your gears, gear down!"  I didn't want to tell him I was in 1/1 (Jane don't read this)  and I could hardly keep from falling over.  So until I get a little bit better in shape we will stick to the levy.  I just can't believe how out of shape I am.  It is disgusting.  But that is what happens when you really just get through the day for a year.  If all goes well with this new med this year I will try to get in better shape.

     I have a meeting with the Civic theater today.  It is to plan the Nutcracker.  I am meeting a few people at Applebees for lunch at one then I plan to come home and sew like a demon as I have a lot to do.  I must do at least $255.00 or Sis will come and get me.

     The house really needs love, when I spend so much time outside it shows.  I have worked like a dog outside these last two weeks and I feel like I am on the home stretch and hub's asks me when I am going to paint the deck?  They are now looking for his body in 2 states.  (SHHHHHH Don't tell)


Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Tuesday, I was bad yesterday

     I just could not make myself sew yesterday like should have.  I puttered in the yard.  Actually I worked really hard around the stone walk and the pond.  Both the neighbor and Hubs reminded me about how sick I got several years ago cleaning the pond by ingesting an organism.  But I do not have the money to have it professionally cleaned and hubs can't do it.  This would involve bending over.  I have him on a diet and he is a grouch.  I actually took two pieces of strawberry/rhubarb pie out to the chickens so he could not come home and eat it.  I am evil.  My scale likes me again and I have lost 3 lbs so far.  I am 9 lbs away from my goal.

     I had a ton of work come in yesterday so I really am going to get into the shop today and get busy.  But I love being outside and it is such a chore.  I have almost got the stone walk done, I just have one more bag of sand to get into it.  I also have cut and trimmed everything around the pond.  I have the skimmer emptied.  Now I have to clean up all the trimmings and I hope hubs will help me with that tonight.

     We went on a bike ride last night on the levee and tonight I think we are going to do the loop.  It is so cool and nice down by the river and the breeze blows in your face.   I am getting used to the new gears on my bike.

     We had a big thunder/wind storm with very little rain last night and the yard is now kind of a mess with limbs and leaves all over.  All the patios and walkways are covered, but I decided to finish around the pond and clean up at the end.  Then is can all go into the truck and out to the dump.   I am a sticky dirty mess right now from crawling around in the muck, so I had better go clean up so I can greet my public.

     I took out a large lemon balm plant and hubs is going to have to pull out the roots for me with a Pulaski as I am not able to do it.  I want to plant a few more blueberry bushes as the ones we planted a few years ago are doing great.  One thing about being so busy is that I don't spend money.  I did get a ton of bills in last night, so sad.

     Out My Window:  It is beautiful outside and I want to stay out there and bask.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, June 2, 2014

Monday, How can I do this?

     June is here and so are Junes bills and I don't know how I am going to do this month.  I think I can get through but it will wipe out every penny I have.  I am a little scared.  Maybe I am just being pessimistic and I don't want to look because I am afraid of what I will see.

     I am going to go ahead and pay the house payment on the 6th with hub's check and my (sissie) savings.  I will put an additional $100 into this and by the 13th I should have $500.00, this will put me short $200.00 but with all the wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses I should be able to come up with an extra $200.00 in the next 2 weeks.

     I just hate going into summer with not enough money.  It is so scary and then I dwell on it.  I have to go back to my Mundis approach.  I have food to eat, clothes to wear, and a roof over my head.  I am fine.  I work hard and I will get through this. Right?

    I am going to work outside by the pond this morning and then come in and sew.  I just need to be out in the sun and lift my mood.  Hub's is on a diet with me and I hate my scale.  It is too honest:)

Out My Window:  Beautiful blue sky, warm weather, what more could you ask for?

Have a great and productive day!

kim

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Saturday, so grateful

     The young man (soldier) that has been held by the Taliban for the last 5 years was released this evening.  He is from Hailey Idaho and this has been an ongoing struggle for all of us here.  I am so excited for his parents and loved ones.  He is in Germany now at a Hospital undergoing treatment.  Can you imagine losing 5 years of your young life to this?  Just so many prayers have been answered.  I am so grateful.

     Hub's and I worked all day in the yard.  He actually had the mowing done before I was up.  I did a quick run through of the house upstairs and then hit the yard.  Hub's hit a sprinkler head and has decided to put up an 1 or two brick high wall in the back of one of the 100 foot beds in the front yard so the mower can sit on the wall as he mows.  We went and priced brick and took measurements.  But we had so many other projects today we did not get any bricks to start.

     We took a big load to the dump, then stopped at the sprinkler store to get a larger head, that actually will hit more of the flower bed and more of the yard.  We found a pond pump at the sprinkler store.  I will go back on Monday to talk to the pump man as he was not in today.  I still have about a $170.00 credit with the plumber so I think he can set it up for me.  Hub's and I then went to lunch and bought him some new high top light work shoes.  We had to get oil for the truck so he could change it as it is due.  We purchased chicken feed and dish soap.

     Came home and I started to plant the final plants I had purchased on sale and hub's fixed the sprinkler head while I put a batch of bread together.  While it was raising, I pulled everything out of the shed and swept it out.  Hub's started cutting branches off of the trees that are making it hard to mow.  I was able to consolidate some weed and feed containers and also Preen all the flower beds.  Hub's carried up the last two bags of bark for me and I finished the bark in front.

      There wasn't a lot to throw away in the shed, but I did find a big bucket of Rabbit pellets that were old.  We had 4-h rabbits about 16 years ago.  How did we miss that?  Lot's of old junk and garbage, scraps and containers thrown out and then I put the snow tires in the corner that have been sitting out in the driveway.  I put away the snow blower and ice melt that have been on the back deck.  I put away the spreader that was on the back deck.  I put away the  pressure sprayer that was on the front porch.  Then I put the tiller away so that it can be taken out quickly to till between rows on the garden.  Whew!  Hubs has a lot of tools and he does not put the large stuff away it drives me crazy.

     Hub's had a truckload of branches from the dogwood, oak, ash and blue spruce tree.  The lawn will get so much more water with these trees pruned.  He should have done this a long time ago, but was afraid I would get angry as I love my trees.  But I did not realize it was causing him trouble to mow.  Hitting the sprinkler made me realize he was ducking under branches.  Oh and I found a big bag of sprinkler heads in the shed as I was cleaning.  So we did not need to go and spend $14.63 on a new head, we must have at least 10 of them, but I did find a pump at a much cheaper price so maybe it was okay.

     I had hub's help me take apart the small chicken coop and I washed it out and collapsed it, ready for the next batch of chicks.  It is put away in the shed and I cleaned all the chick feeders and roosts and put them in a bin in the shed.  Then I cleaned out the chicken coop and put fresh straw in the nesting boxes.  By the time I was done, hub's needed help loading branches into the truck.

     We went to the movie Maleficent tonight and I really liked it.  It was a fairy tail with a twist.  Then we went a got a few groceries for dinner tomorrow.  I stocked up on chicken breasts that were on sale.  It was a long day, but I got almost everything done I wanted done and then some.  Did not get the canoe put away, but I will even if I have to get one of the boyfriends to do it for me.  We were able to add a few more stacks of wood to the wood pile with all the branches hub's cut down.  He did however nick the extension cord for the chain saw with the saw.  He was trying to cut up branches.  So our 100 foot heavy duty cord is kaput.  We bought this back in college to plug our car in at night during the sub-zero temperatures.  It is so old it doesn't have the proper 3 prong ends.  I was glad to see it go.

     The yard is looking better.  I did not get to touch the rock path I have torn up or the pond area and the garden needs to be weeded again.  Ugh, no rest for the wicked.  I will just keep at it a little everyday.  I will need to get the truck emptied again as the bamboo and pond clean up and the rest of the weeding will fill it
once more.  By the end of this coming week I hope to say the yard is done for the season except for the normal round of weeding.

I am going to bed, I need to rest!

Kim