Sunday, August 30, 2015

I'm packed and ready to go.

    It is late Sunday night and I am packed and ready to hop on the plane at 5:30 in the morning tomorrow.  As usual I thought I would have more done but well laid plans seem to go astray here.  Got a call right when we were sitting down to dinner that our cousins were still trying to finish up their move and were exhausted.  So we ran over when I was supposed to be cutting out another bridesmaid dress and basting it.

     We took three last loads to the new house filled the truck with cardboard and storage boxes and left it with them so they can take it to the dump all week long as they unpack.  Helped them unpack enough to live.  the three little boys were so tired and the parents were grateful.  Then back home to pack and get the house ready for the sitters.

     I threw together a bridesmaid dress yesterday.  It was a Vogue pattern but very easy.  It is just that the bodice pieces have to be cut our 5 times each.  I like to put interfacing on the inside of my linings and my materials, to give a really stiff professional look and then you don't have to where a bra if you don't want to because the back is low.  The sewing part took less than an hour.  Just have to hem the layers and put in the zipper.  I might put another underlining in the skirt.  We will see.  I have three more to go when I get home and wanted to get another cut, but that will have to wait.

     Our daughter #2 just landed in Seattle on the way back from Hawaii.  Her Wedding reception will be the end of October so we need to get working on that.  I will blog more about this fiasco when I get back.  Right now I am just happy to be leaving this smokey country to go see fresh air and my sissie.  We are going to get together with sluggy and who ever else wants to join the party in the area.

     Well I have hand work I want to finish on a regalia costume before I go to bed.

Have a great week I know I will!

Kim

Friday, August 28, 2015

Friday Where did yesterday go?

  Fed hub's some meat and produce out of the garden.  This is going to be my meal from now on.  He has lost 1 more pound so down to 208.  I am now married to a carnivore, who will eat a few veggies.  Since I have yellow, green, and red peppers I am going to do a skirt steak and make fajitas on low carb tortillas.

     Hub's cleans the church in the morning and I have a baby shower for a woman expecting triplets.  It is a diaper shower so I will stop and get diapers. ( Hub's bought $50.00 worth of diapers for the fire department last week to give out to family's running or evacuated from fires.)  I also hit a sale where onsies t-shirts the long and short sleeved ones were marked down to 25cents a package.  We know these babies will come early and they like to keep preemies in long sleeve for body warmth.  So I have several packages of white and colored preemie, and newborn to give to the mom.  I am on it.  I then have a bridal pick up at one.  We also have to go and help our cousins move into a new house in the afternoon, so our Saturday is planned.

     I have all the wedding alterations I need to do done.  I will come home to many, many more.  But I still have a huge pile of just regular alterations I need to do today.  I also must clean off my desk and pay bills.  Which I am loathe to do.  I have several errands to run, and I am going to do those things before I get really busy at my machines.  I can sew tonight.  I did get the pattern for the next set of bridesmaid dress's cut out and it looks like they will be pretty easy.  The cutting is the hardest part I think.

     Mom is calling me more frequently and she seems to be more anxious to leave now.  Her anxiety levels are high.  I hope once she gets here she can calm down a little.  Well I know she will, but I can just sense that this next 30 days with her are going to be hard.

     I am so excited to go and see my sister.  Hub's and I are going to tour Philly and I get to see Sluggy.  I am so excited.  I am going to make her take me to Wies?  Weis?  I am such a fun date.  I am having a hard time concentrating on my work because my mind is at my sissies.

Okay I need to get to work so I can leave town.  Yippie, out of the smoke and ash.

Have a great and productive day!

kim

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Wednesday, it is so quiet....

     I left my cell phone in Hub's car last night and it is so quiet this morning.  By now the phone would have rang at least 15 times.  I know this isn't good for my business, I can do nothing about it,but enjoy the quiet.

     I had to run to the church last night to teach a Swedish folk dance to a group of youth.  I noticed that my cell phone had slipped down between the seat and the passenger door. I did not take it into the church and when I came home I must have left it there.  It is such an aggravation to have to keep track of that thing.  I could have a home phone to eliminate this but I can hardly keep up with one phone let alone 2.  My ADD tendencies make it very hard for me to deal with a phone at all.  I find it stressful, like it is always pulling me away from what I really need to get done.  I actually don't like anything interrupting my work, once I get focused I want to be left alone.  Now I am left alone and I am uncomfortable with the guilt of no phone access.  I am being trained obviously, this is good for me.

     I am trying hard to keep up the house and laundry so I don't have a huge cleaning fling before we leave.  I stayed up late last night watching Netflix and ironing.  This had much more to do with I had nothing to wear in the closet.  I had gone past my 3 week time limit of clothes.  I have three Wedding dresses ready to go out and a fourth one will be done within the hour.  I also have two bridesmaid dresses, that need to be picked up.  Then a large pile of alterations, and I hope to get a pattern cut out for another set of bridesmaid dresses.  Four this time and yes I will be paid for them.  I don't plan on finishing them before I leave but I want to get one done and fitted so I know what the bride wants.

     My shop is a real mess right now and I need to go through and clean it up.  It was so nice last night to know that Hub's and I had the house to ourselves.  I never realized how much I value privacy.

     Our grocery adds just stink anymore.  We have a Winco, but other than produce I don't think their meat is any cheaper than any other store.  In fact I think they are pricier.  We have a large Albertsons and a Safeway they are owned by the same conglomerate, so the adds are almost identical.  Let's just say grocery prices here are crap as usual.  We are gong to eat down the fridge as we will be gone, but I would just love one time for the Wednesday adds to come out and see just one really good deal.

     I am sitting here with a wet head so I guess I had better go dry off and get to work.  Have to meet the board president for lunch as 12:30.

have a great and productive day!

Kim

    

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Tuesday, What happened to yesterday?

          When one starts to forget a whole day because the phone rings constantly, there is always someone at the door, you can't sit down and have a clear thought until late in the evening, it is time to get out of dodge.  You know I am self employed which could make me some what self empowered if I would let go.

     After Hub's and my busy and stressful weekend we decided it was time to take a trip before the studio opens.  I know I could stay here and get a lot done but I need to get away.  With Mom coming the end of September, this may be the last time we really get away with out either taking her with or making arrangements to take her somewhere so we can go.  Our lives are going to change.  I am not upset at all about this and look forward to having my mother, but let's be realistic it will be a big old permanent change and it will be hard. I am an optimist most of the time so be prepared to listen to me complain and whine:)

     The shop is so busy and mostly with Wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses, not so much alterations.  I will not take anything new in after yesterday so I can finish up what I have and get these things out and leave town.  I talked to mom last night and she was having a really hard time figuring out dates and messing them up with her date to move here.  She is really getting anxious, I think she is tired and having allowed her the time to live in that big house all alone I mean really alone for 6 months has been a good way to make her realize she needs to be cared for by someone else.

     I had bridesmaids, the bride, flower girls, grooms men, the groom in the shop all day Friday.  It was a very busy day but a very happy day.  I also had our problem basement child picked up by his grandfather and made him take all his things as he was not coming back.  His parents were due home Sunday, I was done and my bedrooms were full.  I made it clear to both him and his grandfather that he was not to come back.

     Hub's and I went out Friday evening in between Wedding fittings to pick up meat and groceries for a potluck for his Orchestra.  He had a concert on Saturday afternoon.  I tried to get some weeding done in the front yard and succeeded in getting two large beds clean out but then had to go in and clean up for the concert and the Wedding.  I really enjoyed the concert.  They played a variety of music.  After the concert we both came home to rest a bit and then we called the wedding party and were told to bring up a music stand and 20 bags of ice, so we transferred to the truck and headed up to the top of the Palouse. 

     We worked our butt's off from about 5:30 until 10:45.  $400.00 worth of wine had been left out of the Wedding order so Hub's had to go back into town and missed the ceremonies.  So here is this nice Morman man going to get the wine for the Wedding.  He is a good sport.  We were in charge of getting the food going and keeping it going.  Then in charge of clean up to a certain point.  It was non stop action but we even got in a few dances in our aprons.  On our way down the hill back into town I looked at my phone and a text came in at 10:03 from our derelict roomie that stated he was at our house.  Well it was only 10:45 so I called him 2x and he did not answer.  Sure enough when I got home his crap is all over the bathroom and he has trashed the guest room and is asleep with the TV blaring.  I went in and tried to wake him up and he would not wake.  I was so mad.  Hub's wanted to call the police, but I just had him go to bed and rerouted the bridesmaids to other rooms to sleep.  I was SOOOOOOOOO mad.  That little sh&^ is such a manipulative piece of work.

     Got up got all the bridesmaid 's off but one and went to church.  Came home and started to get ready for Hub's Orchestra to arrive for a barbecue and potluck.  I did not speak to the brat downstairs until late in the afternoon.  The fact that he was not upstairs in our faces told me he knew he was not supposed to be at our house. I went downstairs and told him to call or text his mother to see when they were coming into town.  He comes back with well it will be really late so I need to stay here.  Oh no I am not getting up at 6:00 tomorrow to take you to work and you can get your butt back to your grandparents.  I made him call his grandparents and they came and got him.  I really let him and his grandparents ( let's call them the coco puffs) know how inconvenient they had made the  evening before.  I did not mince words.  Of course apologies poured forth.   I was civil to the grandparents but I really let the young man have it with both barrels.  I would not be manipulated.  I realized  he did that to his mother and grandparents but I was not buying the song and dance.  He was no longer welcome here ever. I also had a real strong talk with my friend and I did not mince words.She needs to get him into a lock down program or society will do ot for her.  He will end up in prison, because he is harmful to himself.  He must be watched and controlled at all times, for the rest of his life.  This was not going to go away.  He can not be trained to act or think differently.  It was also not my responsibility, nor should it have been.

     So yesterday between the 6 brides and the 45 phone calls I booked tickets to my sister's.  Yippee!  I am leaving next Monday and will be home before the studio opens.  So I have a lot to get done. Sewing, house work, bills,ironing, you name it I am behind.  Well I do pay the bills on time.

Out My Window:  It is terribly smokey here, can anyone say inhaler?  Chickens are laying 5-6 eggs a day and we are giving eggs away like crazy.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim
     Hub's Orchestra potluck was very nice.  They are such a cute little group of misfits and we ate and laughed until late in the evening. 

Friday, August 21, 2015

Friday,breaking news:0 :)

     Hubs had bratwurst and salad for dinner, tonight he will take me or or die.

     I am going to be a Grandma again!  I am so happy, happy, happy!  We only have the one grandchild and he will be 5 so this is so exciting for us.  There are lots of details about this that I cannot share right now but I am bursting with joy. All the drama and crap of my life much of what I bring on myself all dissolves when I think that my life goes on in the next little soul that comes here.  I am just so happy.

     For those of you out there that think I don't learn I want you to have faith that I do, but very, very slowly.  I will not costume or have anything to do with our Civic theater unless it is my show, because of over work several years ago.  I just know I can't trust them to do what they say they will do and they take horrible advantage.  I learned to say no to them.

     I had a group of girlfriends that I did Christmas baking with and I love to bake at Christmas.  I drove myself and my family nuts and made myself so unhappy for years and at Christmas time. I actually have an e-mail I sent to my sister pounding out my frustrations.  I would send her an email crying every year.  But finally Sissie said never again.  I send myself this email every year on the first of December.  I feel the emotion and I have never done this again.

     I will never take on some one's child like this again.  First of all who would have the gall to even ask me to do this as busy as I am?  Is this a friend?  Where do these people come from and why do they always find me?  I need to concentrate on my family and my life.  I don't need to be selfish but there are other ways to serve.  The night my friend called me and yes I still call her my friend, I was overwhelmed asking myself really?  What would you have to be thinking to do this?  Was she just desperate?  Was she not thinking of how much trouble he is?  Was she just hoping that with me there would not be any?  I don't know, but I will tell you a come to Jesus meeting is in order and this will never happen again.

     My sick pregnant daughter came into the house last night about midnight after working a 12 hour day and had to sleep upstairs in the guest room that is much hotter than the basement because I had goofus is  downstairs.  He is going to his grandparents tonight and staying there until his folks get home.  I am done.

     Sometimes when I don't think ahead I hurt my family with my generosity.  This is wrong.

     I have a huge zit and I haven't had one of those in 7 years.  I used to have cystic adult acne and stress would make it much worse.  I also have a cold sore, I have had 3 of those in my life time and only in times of immense stress.  Having my hands and wrist blow as badly as they did last week was the first sign.  I know I am busy but I can't let this happen to me again.

     I resent the papers to the Secretary of State for the non profit, as they have no record of the first set, that I sent in April.  They know they had to have received them as they dissolved the LLC, but no letter was generated to me either yeah or nay.  One more thing to deal with, but at least this is mine.

     Yesterday, I did a couple of errands and I came home and got some sewing done, from the pile.  I also gave the mouse a cookie.  I was the mouse.  I tried to avoid the traps set all over the kitchen.  But when I went upstairs to finish cloroxing the kitchen  I thought well I should probably clean the disgusting fridge.  Then I realized I needed my nails done so when hubs came home and I had destroyed the kitchen, I took the car and left:). Some times mice leave disgusting messes. Had my nails done and then went to McD's and got an Oreo Mc Flurry for dinner and a diet coke.  Came home and finished the kitchen, changed another set of bedroom sheets and thoroughly cleaned the upstairs, the downstairs family room even vacuumed the stairs.
Watched a movie with hubs.

     I have already tried on 3 bridesmaid dresses for the Wedding tomorrow and only one needs altered (my daughters surprise, surprise) one of the flower girls has picked up.  It will be like this all day.  I need to thoroughly clean the guest bath and bedroom downstairs before this evening. Hub's has his quartet group coming over for a barbecue on Sunday afternoon.  It will be potluck, but we have to go get things tonight for that so I can be organized. Tomorrow is all day wedding and weeding.

     Now I need to get dressed it is noon and I am still in my p.j.'s.  I have scared several customers.

Have a great and productive day.

Kim

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Thursday, a little krank

     Yesterday was a blur of running and getting not as much done as I had hoped.  On the studio side  things got done, on the shop side not so much.  It was just one of those days where anything that could go wrong did.

Let's see, arthritis much better so I will add that first.  Daughter left her expensive cell phone at a pharmacy 250 miles away and I was trying to figure out how to find her and then realized she has a husband that can do that.  Why am I the one to the rescue all the time?

     Had a lunch appointment that I was late for as way to many customers in at the last minute.  High Puba of the Army in the shop with a serious back injury from falling off a truck during a fire watch, his uniforms all were burned so he was throwing together what ever he could to get to the office.  I was trying to patch together his torn up rank on a hat.  What a mess. This is a small thing but I feel like I just rescue people all day.  Nothing horrible, it just adds to my stress.  Or do I make it stress?

      Youngest daughter called, college starts next week and her computer has a bad virus so her boyfriend drops it at the house for me to take to computer doctor.  Daughter #2 wants me to go pick up a wedding band at the local jeweler.  Neither of these things got done.  I will add to today's list and I have a long list of things to complete from my meeting yesterday.  I also have a dental appointment today at noon.  However I ate a bad burrito (I think) and have been sick 3 times this morning, just really don't feel like going to the dentist and having things shoved in my mouth with this over active gag reflex.    Haven't worshiped the porcelain god since about 6 this morning so whatever it was has passed still don't think the dentist is a good move today.  I think they are upset with me, but hey I just can't handle one more thing right now.

     I was finally able to get to my sewing machine yesterday about 3:30 and I realized I needed to go up and get something rustled up for hub's dinner.  I have not been good all week with dinner and I am feeling a tad guilty.  When I get into the kitchen 2 mice dash out from under a cereal box and start to scatter over the counter and the clean dishes and the clean silverware tray.  I scream jump around and go back downstairs to wait for hubs to come home.  I am not afraid of mice but I don't like the idea that they have been all over my kitchen and they carried germs.  EEEEK!  Freak! Shudder!

     I get back downstairs and the young man that is staying with us calls me to tell me his bank accounts have been emptied.   This is exactly why he is staying here.  He gets taken advantage off by other people because he is not smart enough to realize what they are doing and he just wants friends so bad.  No matter what you tell him he just gets himself in trouble.  I don't even feel sorry for him because I knew it was going to happen by the way he was acting.  So I am on the phone with the fraud department at the bank when hub's comes home.  My stress level on this bullshit is over the top.  I am just so tired. 

     Hub's takes me out for a cheap burrito and we go get mouse poison.  Young man comes home and drives me nuts with his whining and he is hungry has no money, can't pack a lunch, can't find his laundry, he is in a complete meltdown.  I start to Lysol the kitchen and ignore him.  He needs to figure it out and he may never be able to but he knows that he was lying and that what he was doing was stupid.  I deal with enough of my own stupid, I don't need it from someone else.

     I have so many things to do today so I should just quit whining and go finish sanitizing the kitchen.  By the way Lucifer our huge black and white long haired cat is out in the back garden right now sleeping in the bird bath.  Yes the birdbath it is empty because I did not water yesterday and that is where he spends his time when he can instead of getting the mice out of my kitchen.

     I do have some really great breaking news that had made me very happy and I will blog about it tomorrow!

Have a great and productive day,  I am going to shave my head and become a Nun.

Kim
    

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Tuesday, a little better

     Hub's had leftovers for dinner, I have no idea what we will have tonight.  Don't care either.  How is that for an attitude?

     I felt a little better towards the end of the day yesterday.  I walked to an elderly neighbors house as she does not drive to pick up 3 pairs of pants to hem.  I also have a rest home visit this afternoon and I will stop at the grocer and pharmacy on my way back.

     This house is a wreck and needs love.  I think I am bored with the monotony of busyness.  Too many days of busy and I just get bored with it.  When will it end?  All I can tell myself to do is keep working and it will soon be done.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

     Hub's and I took a 4 mile walk last night and that was nice to get out.  The smoke had cleared some but looks like it is back full force today.  I slept late and I won't even apologize for that, I am still in my p.j.s and even greeted my first customer in them.  The privilege of working out of ones home.

     I cut out a small dress jacket I need to get done, it will take about 15 minutes and  I have a two year old dress to do that should take about an hour, then I am going to clean my shop and work on altering the bridesmaid dresses that are in there. Run to my rest home appointment, the store, pharmacy, make some kind of dinner.  Blah!

     I just keep telling myself it is almost over, I am almost done, I will be so happy and fulfilled when it is.  I will also never do this again.  Remind me, remind me.  Never again.  It is okay to do non gratis work but this was way overkill.  Of course my creative side also has to be held responsible somewhat.

     Just beat me up and remind me of this often so I don't forget.  Like labor when you have a baby.  I mean really how stupid am I?  Don't answer that.......

     Well I need to get in the tub and quickly clean up to face this day.  Hub's and I are noticing how much longer the groceries are lasting.  It is nice.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

    

Monday, August 17, 2015

Monday, Bad flair up!

    We had skirt sreak, tomato, cuke salad, watermelon and fried baby squash for dinner.  Then ran to some friends for dessert.  Left overs for dinner tonight.

     Hub's about drove me nuts on Saturday.  He took Friday off to help with the flood, so had an extra day to do nothing but gripe about me working.  His retirement looms and I think I will have to leave home:).

     My arthritis took a bad flare on Saturday.  My wrists ballooned, I was terribly achy and tired.  Got through the day and went to bed.  Did not go to church on Sunday but slept until 12:30.  Really tired all day yesterday and that is my worst symptom today is exhaustion.  I cannot stand feeling this way.  I try to fight it but find myself closing my eyes and nodding off as I sit anywhere.  The stiffness and pain I can work through but the tiredness is so hard.  I feel like my head is too heavy.


   We had three raccoon's  show up about 2 in the morning Saturday night.  The dog went nuts and got into it with them.  Fur was flying and I was so afraid that Sandy would be hurt, get rabies or and infection.  Although she has had her shots.  Hub's finally ran them off.  Sandy is limping but seems okay.  I will watch her.  Hub's will get bear spray to put around the pond to keep them  away.  They come in and eat the fish out of our pond, little buggers.


     The mess from the flood is cleaned up except for the smell.  It is still a little dank down here, so I have candles lit.

     I have a lot to do in the shop and hope to get somewhat caught up this week.  Yeah like that will happen.
Well is has to as I have no choice.  I need to really scrub bathrooms and clean the floors upstairs, but I think that will have to wait.  If I am not sewing I will be resting, just so tired.

Out My window:  I desperately need to weed the front and back flower beds they are a disgrace, don't really care right now.  I will wait until it is a little cooler.  Chickens are doing well.  They are so cute.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, August 14, 2015

Friday, not my finest moment....

     Taco salad for dinner, also made a meat loaf as I had the burger thawed out and it needed to be used.
Tonight meatloaf, fried squash, salad.


     Hubs was owly with me last night, I am sure from working in the excessive heat, he is hungry all the time and his weight has stayed the same for 10 days now.  It is way too hot and humid (we usually never have humidity)to exercise at night, besides the valley is so full of smoke the air quality is bad.  My asthma is chronic right now so I am staying inside.

     Well, he is tired of my trail of beads and sewing junk all over.  But with all the wedding dresses I am doing and I am not talking about the sacred 7, I am talking about the real money makers, I am spending a great deal of time in the family room and not in the shop.  I like to sit on the sofa and bead or do hand work and I watch netflix, or I should say I scan netflix.  It just makes the tedious go faster.  I swear I am the only one in a 250 mile radius that does military uniforms and wedding dresses.  I constantly have 4-5 wedding dresses at a time in the shop  and additional 4-5 bridesmaids also.  I just am doing a lot more hand work it seems.

     I constantly have a pile of scraps, scissors, needles, beads, pins, etc in a pile on the side tables, not to mention, my snack plates, soda cans, glasses, Popsicle wrappers, you name it.  I am like a bunny rabbit, I just leave a trail of sewing droppings every where I go.  The carpet in the family room is constantly covered with little scraps and crap.  I have been so busy I have not bothered to be neat and hubs likes neat.  So we had a little battle of the wills last night as I told him to go shove it.  In the mean time he stomps off to the porch to read and I decide to give the very wilted garden a hose down.  The sprinkler system is just not cutting it right now.

    A girlfriend calls and is desperate for someone to watch her 26 year old son..  The people who were coming to do this backed out and they are leaving tomorrow for 10 days. Her son is handicapped, but not so severely that he cannot keep a job if watched all the time.  He is also very strong ( imagine Lenny in Of Mice and Men).  He has a really good job at the mill doing what they call shut down work which is excessively physical.  He works 12 hour days.  But he cannot drive.  They live about 15 miles out of town.  He has to be to work at 7 and gets off at 7.  He then eats and goes to bed.  The mill is about 7 minutes from our house.  Can he stay with us until they get back?  I knew she was desperate as she knows how busy I am and would never ask me to bear this additional burden unless she had called everyone else.  So she brings him over and I am trying to get him into bed and I forget about the hose.

     5 hours later, hubs has gone to bed grouchy and I go into the shop and water is pouring out of the downstairs bath across the floor.  The room the young man is in has about 2 inches of water on the floor.  I don't want hub's to know as he has done this before and I have about killed him, plus I am already in the dog house.  I get the carpet cleaner out to suck up the water.  It only works for one pass and I have to get hub's to get the shop vac out.  He didn't yell or say a word.  So good of him.  Young man wakes up jumps out of bed and the water covers his feet.  He freaks out because he thinks he has done something wrong.  I send him up to the spare room upstairs and hub's and I sucked water until 1 p.m.  We had to lift all the furniture onto blocks so it would not suck up water and warp.  I have a huge trunk from Sweden in the room that could easily hold two dead bodies.  It was full to the brim with china so had to be emptied so we could block it up.  It takes two men to lift it empty.

     Hub's goes to bed and I stayed up to continue to suck water where it was coming in from the wall.  Needless to say I did not get much sleep, then I had to be up to take young man to work.  We get all the way to the mill and he says he forgot and lock he needs at the house.  So we go back and get it, these are the kind of things he does regularly, but then I am the one that left the hose on so how really different are we?  Hub's is too tired to go to work, and he knows we need to get another fan. Besides he is reveling in my "I Love Lucy " moment and has to keep splaining to me how to clean up the mess.  Remember Lucy needs to be splained to a lot. But he did have me go back to bed for a couple of hours and he continued to work on the mess and also went and picked up another fan.

     Now the basement is a disaster.  I have so much sewing to do and bills to pay and I am a wreck.  The wash machine is going non stop with wet things and I think I am on my last load.  I can't put anything back until; the carpet dries.

     I love my life!

Back to the Salt Mines.

Kim

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Thursday, okay heat, it's time

     Made Hub's a big old main dish salad for dinner.  After all it was 107 when he pulled into town.  We actually went grocery shopping last night. It was nice to buy things and know that they were going to stay in the house for a few days. Tonight I plan taco salad for dinner.

     I have not discussed this on the blog before because I feel I am infringing on some one's  life, but we have had major disappearing food issues here for a long time.  I mean huge amounts of food.  Way more food than a human could consume in a week.  It was quite obvious to me where it was going.

     It is a delicate subject.  People with anorexic issues also turn to bulimia.  They are hungry, even to the point of starving and one way they control that hunger is to eat and eat and eat.  Then they force them selves to get rid of the food.  This causes major plumbing issues,  (Gee have we seen this before?)  I just did not know what to do or how to handle this.  We rent the basement bedroom and bath to a college age student and get $400.00 a month.  This includes, Internet, tv, laundry privileges, off street parking.  They may cook upstairs and we have a mini fridge and they can use the downstairs fridge in the garage for over flow.  Now we are very generous and they are welcome to any leftover's and are invited to eat with us on many occasions. Anorexics never allow you to see them eat.

     I talked a lot about the condition to our renter and thought I could help.  It just got worse.  Money was flying out the window and with Hub's on this low carb diet, the foods were expensive.  Two packages of low carb tortillas and  a large jar of peanut butter gone in two days.  Sugar free ice cream was impossible to keep in the house.  Sugar free ice cream treats 2 boxes gone in a day.  I would but a large package of string cheese and it would disappear over night.  How does one eat 24 pieces of string cheese?  It just kept getting worse.  As the bulimia obviously was increasing boxes of cereal were disappearing.  All the milk was gone. I stopped buying certain things and then other things went missing.  I would hide and squirrel away things and they were always found and eaten.  Who does that?  I was frustrated as we had lowered the rent on the bedroom by $100.00 a month and now we were feeding our toilet and the studio toilet hundreds of dollars worth of groceries. The studio toilet was also having issues.

     The spare bath is off my shop and used as a dressing room for my clients if they need it.  I had beautiful guest towels hung that we never used and additional towels for use.  These towels were grabbed so many times to clean up the backing up mess that they were constantly in the wash.  Soon they were not even rehung, because I would notice they were in the wash.  I think it is the sneaky thing that gets me the most.  All the tricks to make me think nothing was happening.  If I don't put the towels back up she won't notice they are down again.  Well these towels are ruined.  They have been washed to the point of rags.  I have to have a professional come in and really clean the carpet because the toilet and sewer back up.  Now this was clean water but it leaves its demarcation mark.

     I never caught this person getting sick, I never heard a thing, and vomiting is noisy.  By the end it was laundry every night.  Dump my laundry into a basket let it wrinkle and do tier laundry. One person should be able to do laundry once a week. Let's not even talk about toilet paper, constantly out of toilet paper. More than likely towels that had been hidden so they could be washed at night.  I had a way out as my mom will be coming and we needed the room for her, but I wonder who is going to supply all the food for this poor person to vomit?  They won't buy it themselves that I know.  I just feel so bad but I am also relieved.  I cannot afford to counsel and care for and feed someone with these major problems.  I tried and it back fired.  I am beyond disappointed, but I also realize that this individual is sick and needs help.

     Well that money drain (pardon the pun) is gone, I miss the individual, but hope the grocer budget goes down.
Out My Window:  Hot, Hot, Hot  I love the heat but even I am melting under this 6th week of double digit's we have had this summer.  We now have 5 chickens laying eggs.  Come on the rest of you get with the program.

     I need to get to my sewing.

Have a great and productive day.

Kim

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Wednesday,I can feel your love:)

     Hubs came home after all and I had nothing for him.  It was a scrounge.  Today I will take some meat out of the freezer and get a salad of some kind made.

     I have all the dresses put together except for hems and zippers.  Hemming is fast, press it up and blind stitch, cut tulle underskirt to length.  I can actually hem 6 of the dresses.  I can put zippers in all but one, then a little hand work and I am done.  I would say about 3 hours to complete all.
Dress #1
  So I cannot figure out how to rotate this because I am a seamstress.  Any way first, off the shoulder with scallop ballet neck.  All the dresses have the exact same bottom.  A silk shantung with the dull side out on the pleated and then gathered skirt. Underbodice is strapless boned with the shiny side out.  Each dress has a cummerbund of silk with a bow.  Bows are coming back.  All have a tulle under skirt attached to under bodice. The under dress is very fitted with the lace stretching over the top of a strapless gown.  This way each girl has her own look and I can take into consideration each body type.  

The back of Dress #1 goes to a V neck with beaded motifs

Dress #2 scoopneck and neckline back finished with bias and beaded
Are you tired of craning your head ?
Okay crane head again Dress #2 back these look better on as the cummerbund is stretched out and tight.
 
Dress #3 strapless so cute!

Dress #4 thin straps made of tulle cut motifs and beads

See detail, this is really cute on.  Girl has narrow shoulders so the crossed straps leave no doubt plus looks nice.



Dress #5 This was for a very Tall girl had to add 2 inches to bodice length.  Her strap is wide and goes from one shoulder over to the other in back.

Dress #6 Halter strap for girl that had brood shoulders this will bring in the line to make them look narrow.

See how the fabrics catch the light?

Detail on halter strap dress #6.
Detail on shoulder strap dress #5






 Detail on Dress # 4 straps.
Dress #7  This bridesmaid very busty so High neck top will cover cleavage which can be hard in a strapless gown.
Bead work This dress is really flattering.


So now you can see why have been in a nightmare.  These dresses will be worn with flesh colored high heels with rhinestones on the toes.   So the clear beads and purple toned beads will compliment the stones on the shoes.  I will be glad to be done with purple for a while.


  There is a terrific thunder and lightening storm outside right now.  I wonder what Hub's is doing?  I have a meeting with board President in about 45 minutes so I had better get my ducks in a row.  Then I will come home and do a little house work, as in laundry and dishes which are in sore need of doing.

    I have a flower girl dress to fit this afternoon a huge pile of alterations and 4 more bridesmaid dresses to hem and alter a little.  When I do custom work I get nothing else done so that is a frustration.  Then I am playing catch up on my regular work.  Blah!  I know, I know I can hear my Sissie yelling at me right now!

I need to go get some makeup on and check on my chickens.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tuesday, I need more Cheerleaders, please!

     Thanks to all of you who cheered me on, but I need you to keep going and I need more added to the flock.  I need to feel the tension.

     Hub's had to fend for himself last night as I was stuck at my machine. 

I was able to get another two dresses ready for zippers and hems.  I have one more to cut out.  I ran out of interfacing and beads.  Two more bridesmaid dresses and a wedding dress came in yesterday, along with other things.  Sob, cry, sniff.

     Hub's emailed me and said he was stuck in the office and likely would not be home as fires are popping up all over from last nights storm.  August 11th and 12th are D-Day for fires.  If they can get through these two days more than likely they will not have a bad a season.  But unfortunately mother nature was true to form  with a bad dry lightening storm passing over Idaho, and Montana.

      A huge maple tree in my mom's back yard was hit by lightening last night and split.  It is laying in her backyard.  This is the tree we had the tire swing on all the years we were growing up.  She called me from the cell phone I insist she carry around her neck and I pay for.  She was sitting on the front porch as it was getting dark.  She could not see anything inside the house.  As I was talking to her a neighbor came over with a flash light and helped her find a flash light in her house so she could get through the night.  I am so blessed by great neighbors that watch her and think of her in the instance there is trouble.

     I hope by tomorrows post I have all 7 of these bridesmaid dresses done to the point of last minute alterations and tweaking. I also promise pictures.

     I have already been to JoAnns this morning to get the things I was out of and a myriad of other items I needed.

     Well I am off, I need to hear cheering and nagging from afar.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, August 10, 2015

Monday, no more mister nice guy, to myself that is

 We had steaks, corn, fresca salad, fried young squash for dinner Sunday.  I don't know what I am having today.  I don't care either.  What a great attitude to start the week with don't you think?

     Not feeling my best.  Dry hacking cough, deep in the chest.  Just a little off.  But I don't care I will get those bridesmaid dresses done this week if it kills me.  No more complaining only progress.  I am actually going to take pictures of them when they are ready for zippers for the blog.  I want a crew of naggers.  This means nagging me to get them done.  I need serious Jewish mother guilt.  Come on Mysti you of all people can do this.  Help me. I'm your fwiend.

     I ate really bad all weekend.  Lot's of candy and crap it was fun but right now not so much.

     My ballet Mistress moved out over the weekend so we can free up the room for mother.  I will miss having her here in many ways.

     My yard is a mess, my laundry is a mess, there is an empty yogurt cup under the sofa in the front room.  Isn't that where you keep your yogurt cups?

So now I am off to the shop to get dresses done, come Hell or High water.  (favorite phrase of my mother's)  Hell is usually here so I will fear the high water:)

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, August 7, 2015

Friday, sloggin through the pile

 Found chicken legs not eaten in the fridge, I thought Hubs had taken for his lunch, so I whipped up a chicken salad, made a green salad, cut up a cantaloupe and practically threw it at him when he came home.  I want4ed the kitchen cleaned up and was on a mission.  Don't get in my way when I am on a mission.  So tonight we will have the steaks, I think.


     I ran like a woman on fire yesterday, not once did I stop drop and roll.  I was able to get the last three bridesmaid skirts cut out and basted.  I had so many interruptions in the shop yesterday.  There was constantly someone picking up or dropping off.  I have a small pile of things that need to go out today but the first thing I have to do is get to JoAnns and Wal mart and get more ribbon for a ribbon regalia costume I am making for someone in the tribe.

     The board meeting last night was great.  We got a lot discussed and some things decided and some things not.  The schedule is up and that is a good thing, it is the reason we are raising tuition that I am struggling with.  I have been giving my time away for years and cannot get myself to charge for my talent so to speak.  The board is great about trying to get me to see the worth of the business.  I am just such a softy.  We are also going to computerized billing.  I will no longer be hounding parents for money.  It comes right out of their checking account or their credit card.  I will believe this when I see it.

     I can't imagine on the 1st of the month just having all the money I need to pay the bills and maybe pay off some debt.  What will that be like?

     Well gotta run, I am sitting here with a wet head, no makeup and I have a load of work to do.

Have a great and productive day.  See I am back:)

Kim

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Thursday, still frustrated and resentful

Salad, blt's with avocado. Tonight steaks I found on sale when I had to go buy more low carb tortillas at the last minute.  (Grrrr another aggravation and story)

     I am starting to feel resentful and that is not a good feeling.  I realize that the cause of this resentment is mostly my fault.  I take on too much and then complain when I am overloaded.  Some of the factors are out of my control.  I can't control my daughter, I can't control the credit bureau, I can't control my renter's behavior, I can't control the weather, I can't control my mother's aging process.

     I can control, the amount of work that comes into my shop.  I have not been good about this.  Three more bridesmaid dresses came in yesterday.  Now this would be fine if I did not have these other dresses to get done.  I am making progress all be it slowly.  I am not a slow person.  I like things in and out quickly.  Done off my plate onto the next thing.  Even hubs is getting tired of the same project every night and he just has to look at the color.

     The main problem is I have to make a living and then fit these damn dresses into the cracks and I don't have very many cracks of time, right now.  The house is big and dirty, the laundry never ends, meals to cook and the garden and yard to take care off.  Hub's does mow and help with the chickens, he also takes out all the garbage and recycling, but let me tell you he could do a lot more.  He did go on a 1.5 hour bicycle ride last night by himself and did not nag me to go along, I think he knew that ship had sailed.  However when he got back I was a little jealous as I really would have loved an hour and a half bike ride down by the river.  See you can never make a woman happy this is proof.  How many men are reading this blog?  There is your proof. You have always wanted it and I have given it to you.

     I have a board meeting tonight here at the house at seven, which means I need to clean up the house,put together some kind of treat, get my paper work done and continue to sew like a she devil.  This would not be that hard except my mood is so off.  I like trying to be a happy person.  I feel like this little black cloud is following me around and giggling at my frustrations.  Heavy sigh......

     My hands hurt from all the hand sewing, but as soon as I start really working it will go away.  So where do I start today?  House? paperwork? shop?  Hmmmm?  Which will force me to work the fastest and get the most accomplished out of desperation?

      Let's see....... Shop get pink bridesmaid dress done, rip and baste salmon bmdress.  (Bridesmaid dress abbreviated is bmdress, Hee Hee about explains how I feel about them) get tails done for 4 bows, cut out and baste three more skirts.

     Get paper work done for studio meeting.

     Then put laundry that is done away, water,straighten upstairs. Take paperwork to be copied, pick up something for a treat for meeting.

On your mark, get set, call your mother.....
 Have a day, just a day, survive the day.
Kim   

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Wednesday, still grumbeling

     Thanks for the moral and mental support, I did nothing to resolve the problems yesterday after I realized that my identity had not been stolen.  I need to go down to my local credit bureau and they will help me.  I will try to do this Friday.  Because it is obviously a credit bureau error they are much more likely to help fix this. 


 Had polish sausage, salad, stir fried veggies for dinner.  Also cantaloupe. Tonight we will have BLTs wraps on low carb tortillas.  I will make a salad out of the garden.

     Well my aggravation level is down a little and I was able to get the two wedding dresses done and one is picked up.  Now I have two done and ready for pick up.  I think there is one more but it is an easy bustle so the wedding dresses are off my plate for a dew days.  It is getting these da&* bridesmaid dresses done.  I am almost done with # 4 and have three more to go.  Because these are (non gratis) I only work on then after I get my daily work done.  The problem is the daily work is never done.

     Last night out of desperation, I really cleaned the kitchen and mopped the floor which so needed mopping.  I also did the laundry which I will hang and put away today except for ye old ironing.  I went out and really watered everything by hand because it is so hot and picked all the produce from the garden.  I have to spend time watering every day.  It takes time.  Just taking care of this house and yard is time consuming and I am neglecting it to get other things done.  The studio right now really needs my thoughts and attention. 

     I am having lunch with the board president today to try and knock out some of these issues.  The nice thing is once they are decided I can give some of the busy work to parents who are willing to help to get ready for the new year.  The hours and hours I spend doing a mass mailing can be delegated.  I just want to get it off my mind.

     Until these dresses are done it is all I can think of and I just need to knock them out and quit belly aching about them.  Blah, blah, blah....  So my strategy is to do the 4 bows and the three cummerbunds that I have left, as I hate that part.  If I get the dreaded part done than I can whip out the rest.  Yeah I say that like it is so easy.I have beaded the straps for the next dress, so if I can just get my butt in the shop and cut out another one it will pull together in about an hour.  Just give me that hour without interruptions.  That is not going to happen but a girl can dream can't she?


     Out My Window: Still very hot here, chickens are producing about 4 eggs a day.  So I don't know who the 3 slackers are yet.  We are out of food as I used the rest of the 25 lb bag last night that means a food run.

I am still a little put out and grouchy, about my life right now.  I think I need a wake up call on gratitude.

Have a day.........

Kim 

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Tuesday, failing on so many levels.

Did not make dinner as I was in a stupor when Hub's got home.

     Went to the bank to figure out how to pay the rest of August bills for the studio.  I have had to borrow money in the past and pay it back in September many times.  September has enrollment fees that are higher and there is no payroll to take out so it is a good catch up month.  I could have weathered through by calling people and telling them that we would just be late, but that stresses me out and right now I cannot handle any more stress.  Between Mom, my daughter,( a story for another time ) my shop, the bills, I am at overload.  So I decide to take the weight off my shoulders and do a quick 30 day turnaround loan.  My credit report was pulled and I do keep a close eye on this.

     Did you know that I took a $60,000 home equity loan out last month?  That I also have 8 other revolving CC's with huge balances?  Well if you didn't know neither  did I !!!!!  They were shocked, I was shocked and I spent the rest of the day trying to call these companies and get a human on the phone no easy task.  This was all very upsetting.  The funny thing is that even with this mess the bank was still willing to give me a 30 day loan.  What a joke.  Now I get to clean up yet another mess.  It looks like this all is a reporting agency error and not that my identity was stolen.  I mean really anyone that looks at my life should be running in the opposite direction.  It was just very, very upsetting. It will continue to be upsetting.

     Hub's was very nice and supportive about it but the studio does aggravate him in the fact that it was so expensive and I spend so much time worrying and juggling our money to pay the bills.  Hub's took me on a forced march last night for a third night in a row.  He is down under 210 now.  I love his enthusiasm, and I have always been a supporter of his efforts but his expectations of me can be a little rough. I don't want to walk 5 miles every evening right now.  I want to spend time in my shop getting caught up.  Yesterday was a total wash for sewing with the bank fiasco. Today I need to get two wedding dresses done and more steaming and bridesmaid dresses cut out.  I just need time.

     My real feelings are to just crawl in a hole and be left alone.

Kim

Monday, August 3, 2015

Monday, very behind!

Made chicken in the crock pot yesterday, new potatoes, corn, and salad from the garden.  Will have enough chicken left over to make chicken salad on low carb tortillas.  Will do this in a wrap and make a salad with cucumber and tomatoes.  I do need to go to the store and get a few groceries.  We did not grocery shop this weekend.

     Hubs and I each took a vehicle and moved B into her last college apartment we will help with(we think). It took most of the day Saturday.  Before we went up hubs cleaned the church and I went to get new cell phones as I had washed mine earlier in the week.  I was able to keep it running and thought I had dodges a bullet but Saturday morning it would not wake up. Dang!

     Saturday night we walked the 5 mile loop around our bridges.  This is what we do for date night.  So romantic and sweaty.  That could so be taken the wrong way......

     Sunday Hubs did not have quartet practice so we walked the loop again.  He is trying so hard to lose weight.  It is about killing me. I really don't need to do 10 miles in less than 24 hours thank you very much.  But I feel like I need to support him.

     I really have to sew like a demon this week.  I am very behind on bridesmaid dresses.  Also my house is very dusty and dirty and the laundry is behind.  I did however get all my ironing done Friday evening as hubs and I watched a PBS special on young pianists.  It was very good and my guy won.

     Right now I am going into the shop and getting my butt in gear.  No more procrastination!

Out My window:  It has been in the triple digits here again for a few days but a cooling trend is in the forecast.  Only have 4 chickens laying eggs so far.  This batch was out of about 3 hatchings so they will probably be off by 3-4 weeks.

Have a great and productive day.

Kim