The meeting went pretty well last night, I'm still mulling over the idea of taking on the job (Helping Hands coordinator for those of you still catching up). It's a lot of work, and more responsibility, but I think I can do it well. I want to give my answer Sunday. Right now I'm leaning towards doing it. For awhile this morning I was thinking I could just give them my database and that would put them ahead of where they are now. Anybody could run that. However, I have some other input on things that could make this ministry run smoother, and I'd like to be given a chance to try them out. I'm not a leader by any stretch of the imagination, but I am an excellent delegator (just ask the Russian ;) ).
So I'm almost through serging the last coolties out of the 39 yards of fabric I bought. I'm planning on these being the last coolties I make this year, but why am I feeling guilty about this? I've made almost 1000 of them so far, that's pretty good I think, but I know the need is so great it's just a drop in the bucket. I'd like to take a break and do some quilting and finish up my summer wardrobe, but I think once again that's going to get put on hold while I finish these up. Then I need to get started on fleece hats and scarves, so I'm not scrambling at Christmas to get as many done as possible. Ugh.
In other news, I learned something new about my serger last night. It was giving me some puckering, and since the tension is self-adjusting that just didn't seem right. I finally looked up my notes from the class on it and remembered that anytime you think you have a tension issue, check the needles. I changed them and sho 'nuf, that fixed the problem. Color me a believer.
Ok, going home to finish up cool ties and load up extra darkroom equipment to sell at the youth auction Saturday. Yay! Finally that stuff can go to a good home. And there's no reason on earth I need 7 enlargers, right? 4 should be plenty...:)
My whole week is messed up thanks to Monday being a holiday. I keep thinking it's Tuesday, and now I've said to 3 different customers that I would call them either tomorrow or Thursday. Oh well, I think they're used to me by now. They should be. :) Hard to believe I've been here for a little over 7 years. Time flies and all that.
So I got 70 cool ties in the mail this morning, and 3 emails yesterday from different soldiers talking about how they've saved lives already this year, from heat stroke. I'm so glad that there's something, anything, I can do to make life a little more bearable over there. I also got another 75 serged last night, and hopefully will finish up serging the last 200 or so tonight. I want to have them all ready to be stitched and filled on Saturday when I meet the girls at church.
Tonight is the Helping Hands meeting, also. Ack!
Went to my mom's this weekend, we left Saturday morning, came back last night. Both dogs and cats went, what a zoo!
Had a cookout at Mama K's this afternoon. Finally came home so she'd have to quit feeding us (eat! eat!). Gotta love Russian moms. :)
Friday night I attended the mini quilters retreat at Calico Heart. We had a good time, I finished up 40 cool ties that I'll get into the mail this week. Today I hit Joanns (2 stores) and Hancocks and started buying fleece. I think I got 18 yards or so, all solids. The prints are kind of ugly this year, I'm not sure what we'll do about that yet. I'm meeting with the girls from church on Saturday to work on cool ties, I'd like to get the last 300 I have started, finished. They really need to be in the mail by the middle of June, but I don't think we can get that many done by then.
This week on Wednesday I have the meeting regarding the Helping Hands ministry. I'm praying that I'll have a clear answer as to whether this is something I'm supposed to do. It's a big job, and I'm afraid it will cut into the sewing things I'm already doing. But if it's what I'm supposed to do, then that's what I want to do.
Wednesday was the Feitshans "thank you to the volunteers luncheon". I got to attend as part of The Fleece Project. I was surprised when I got there to see that a bunch of the kids from the school were there. I was more surprised when the 2nd grade class recited a poem about the hats and scarves we'd made. There were not enough Kleenexes in all of Sangamon County at that point! All of the kids were very appreciative that we'd made something for them, and all I could think of was getting to Joanns to buy 500 more yards of fleece for this year! I love that our church encourages reaching out with our talents to help others in our community. I had the opportunity to sit with our pastor's father (who was the previous pastor) and talk to him about the sewing projects we have going on. I think he was surprised that we're able to reach so many people via the Linus quilts, the cool ties, The Fleece Project, quilts for Juarez and the homeless. It's so worth it!
Alice got a new toy today. :) I was at Meijers early this morning and picked up some bubbles. Took her out later this afternoon and she had a blast chasing them. Had to come inside when I got dizzy from lack of air. Ha! She and Ralf had a great time at my mom's, Saturday night she let herself out of her crate and somehow opened the kitchen door. My mom woke up at 3:15 in the morning when she heard the dogs walking down the hallway. Later Sunday, she let herself out of the barn when she got tired of waiting for us to get home from church. That dog is too smart for her own good (or mine).
And on that note I need to get moving. She's filling up the bathtub to get a drink.
If you have a weak stomach, you probably don't want to read this. I'm mostly just chronicling the event for posterity. :P
So awhile back I killed a couple of snakes. Apparently we have/had a nest of them under our patio. This isn't surprising, every year I usually see at least one back there. Once we start moving around more out there I think they move out to greener pastures (i.e. the neighbor's yard). The first one I got right up next to the patio, except my shovel wasn't sharp enough and it was kind of a long, grueling death. I almost felt bad for it, but I Don't Like Snakes. It puked on the blade of the shovel, then finally Carl came out and stepped hard on the shovel to take it out the rest of the way. The second one was a little further out, I actually got it while it was partially in its hole. It was sunning itself in the grass, I had enough time to walk to the front yard for the shovel and when I came back it was still there. That one I got right behind the head, I'm pretty sure at that point it was mortally wounded, but again the shovel was dull, so I had to have Carl step on it. Woe to me for wearing flip-flops. Anyway, gross story, yeah.
Finally back online. Seems our isp changed phone numbers (yes, I'm still on crappy dialup) and the only way to find out was to call them or something. Anyway, I'm back! I know you missed me...
Let's see. Yesterday I got up early and went to the Farmer's Market downtown. Got an excellent buy on rhubarb (I think I ended up with ~10lbs for $6), spinach, red and white spring onions, plants, and of course pastries for breakfast. Met a couple of new vendors this year, one guy is selling knitted items from hemp. He had a washcloth that looked like it would be great for dishes, nice and scratchy but stronger than cotton. I might order some twine and make one for myself. For some reason I was thinking that the FM opened at 7, but it's 8. So I was there a few minutes before 7, which gave me time to walk down to the Livery and get something to drink and a paper, and then watch the art fair being set up. Fortunately the FM vendors don't mind an early sale so I was on my way back home by 7:45 or so.
We had breakfast pastries (outstanding berry focaccia, btw. The guy said he would have the mango-pineapple-coconut variety next week. We had that one last year, it's good also) on the patio and made up the garage sale list. Headed out in the little Jeep, I did pretty well. Picked up 9 yards of turban fabric, some quilting fabric, and one of those plastic containers you use to fill up the coffee pot.
We came home and both took a nap, then I started planting flowers, got through 30 containers but not without first killing 2 snakes (there will be a separate entry on that experience). The Russian's dad came last night and took away our old patio table and 2 chairs for their house, so after he was gone I hosed off the concrete and rearranged the furniture back there. I'm not sure I have it exactly like I want, but it's good for now. Need to do some weeding out front. I planted lots of coleus, sweet potato vine, geraniums, gerbera daisies, impatiens and new guineas, and spikey flowers (whatever it's called). I think that's about it. The tomatoes are already in their pots and they look pretty good. I'm hoping that, with more sun, the German Queen I bought will do better this year.
We were going to see a movie last night, but missed the window of opportunity. We also didn't make it to the art fair yesterday, so we're gonna go there after church today. We'll have lunch downtown and I might do the front garden weeding when we get home.
Oh, and I got some interesting news Friday. Our church has a ministry called Helping Hands, where someone from the community can call and say that they need help with replacing their roof, or fixing their porch, or painting, or moving, or what have you. It's mostly older people and single moms, the ones who really need our help. Anyway, the coordinator of that group is stepping down and they need a replacement. They looked through the Network books and came up with my name. So I'd be organizing folks into teams to work on stuff in the spring, summer and fall. It sounds like a really interesting job, and since Carl is already on that team, I know he would help me. Right, sweetie? :) I'm meeting with the current coordinator and some other people about it this week hopefully. Please keep this ministry in your prayers, that if this is what I'm supposed to do, we'll all know it.
Gotta get ready for church, my hair is a fright ;)
Radiohead - The National Anthem.
I have really tried to like this song. And I really like Radiohead as a whole, but they have to stop with this one. I can't take it anymore.
Nothing much bloggable has happened in the last 12 hours. We're going to the art fair downtown tomorrow, I guess, and probably will do some gar(b)age sale-ing. I want to see the Springfield Stallions play tomorrow night, it's a home game, so we might head to the convention center for that.
My laptop keeps losing the wifi signal. Not sure what's up with that.
Going to be a beautiful weekend here in Springpatch, good for a bike ride and little jeeping. I can go home in 6 hours. :) Maybe I'll take Alice downtown with me in the morning to the farmers market. She's a good lil jeep rider, even if everybody on the road stares at the giant dog with the even bigger lips flapping in the wind. She's a cutie :)
It's looking like a trip to So IL is in store for next weekend. Need to fill up the big jeep before gas hits 3.50.
Radiohead - The National Anthem.
I have really tried to like this song. And I really like Radiohead as a whole, but they have to stop with this one. I can't take it anymore.
Nothing much bloggable has happened in the last 12 hours. We're going to the art fair downtown tomorrow, I guess, and probably will do some gar(b)age sale-ing. I want to see the Springfield Stallions play tomorrow night, it's a home game, so we might head to the convention center for that.
My laptop keeps losing the wifi signal. Not sure what's up with that.
Going to be a beautiful weekend here in Springpatch, good for a bike ride and little jeeping. I can go home in 6 hours. :) Maybe I'll take Alice downtown with me in the morning to the farmers market. She's a good lil jeep rider, even if everybody on the road stares at the giant dog with the even bigger lips flapping in the wind. She's a cutie :)
It's looking like a trip to So IL is in store for next weekend. Need to fill up the big jeep before gas hits 3.50.
At the Chatham library. Had to bring back the Greys dvds I'd borrowed from Decatur and figured I might as well do a dling from here while I'm at it. I like to spread my IPs around. ;)
Rough day at work. Cliffy moved my pc to the new domain, and it did not go as easily as he had promised me. He must be punished. Ha!
The locals are swarming mad. Something about the pile at public works still burning since Saturday. I swear these people don't know what a fire is. It's a good thing none of them have ever lived out west, where a fire out of control can BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN. If I hear one more crack about "aren't we supposed to have a smoking ban?" I think I'll scream.
Guess I should get moving. I need to get home and let Ralf and Alice out, the Russian has one of his Old Man Meetings (tm) tonight, so I'm on my own.
Should be picking up a new stereo for the little Jeep over the weekend, possibly. This is good news. My mp3 player quit working with the last one.
Ok, going. Just as soon as Technologic ends. :) Can't wait to see that one at Lolla.
No plans for the weekend yet. I haven't checked the auction list, but the art fair is going on downtown. I need to hit the farmers market early Sat morning, otherwise we're free. I think.
Ok, going for real this time.
So, my mom is back on the road to Southern Illinois, the in-laws are home, and I have accomplished absolutely nothing since they all left. I think a nap is going to be next on the agenda.
Got up this morning and went to Lowes and then Meijers, took my mom out for breakfast. Got a really pretty basket of petunias at Meijers. It's absolutely gorgeous here today, sat outside for lunch.
Chicago was fun, glad to be home. I bought a few pairs of shorts and some shoes. Had lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe over Talbots on Michigan Ave. The Virgin Megastore is really something, I'm planning that Carl and I will go back while we're in town for Lolla. Still glad I don't live in Chi-town. I think my mom's favorite part of the day was the train ride there and back.
Ok, time for that nap.
Yep, it's really prior to 7am and here I am.
Couldn't sleep again, so I got up and straightened up the house a bit. My mom is coming in tonight, white glove and all. *rolls eyes*
I finally found cushions and an umbrella last night. Shopko of all places, but they look and feel like they should hold up ok. The umbrella is way cool, it's rectangular, so should fit with the new table well.
I also picked up a hanging geranium basket and some tomato plants for the patio. I hung the geranium next to one of the hummingbird feeders in the hopes that I'll attract more of those beautiful little birds. No new signs of the mysterious blue bird, but I do have great news! I'd kept noticing this broken blue egg shell on the sidewalk by the west side of our house. Last night I finally got a chance to look around for the nest, and it's in the bushes right outside our dining room window! Mama is sitting on one live baby bird (tiny!) and another egg that hasn't hatched yet. She gets understandably stressed when we go out the kitchen door, so I'm putting the kibosh on that for awhile until the little birds can fly. Anyway, we have a perfect view right down into her nest from our dining room window. We can watch her and her babies without disturbing anyone. How cool is that? She's really close to the feeding stations on the corner of the house, and I'm sure that's why she put her nest so close.
In the meantime, the windows are open and all I can hear are the sounds of birds outside, cardinals seem to be the loudest. I've heard the great horned owl several nights this week, I think he's on the prowl for a girlfriend. I hope he finds one soon.
I didn't get my pots painted last night, but at least they are scrubbed down. I think I'm going to plant a couple of them with flowers just for some extra color. Our patio gets full sun, it's the only spot in the yard that does, so I'd like to make the best use of it.
7am, time to wake the giant and get ready for work.
WTH is up with c4pda.com? I've been trying to log in there for 2 days and apparently they're upgrading their message board, but it's been stuck at 11% both days. I know they get a lot of messages but c'mon! I need access! *crazies* Let me in!
Work sucketh very much bad today. What would I do without Disaster Radio? Why I'd be even loonier!
Chicago's high on Saturday is 65. With chances for rain. I don't even care, if nothing else I'll hole up at Elizabeth Arden and not leave until they make me. And then I'll head to Nordstroms shoe department. I have such a weakness. You know you have a problem when the shoe clerk calls you at home to see how you're enjoying your purchases. *ducks*
I need a nap. I haven't been sleeping well for the last couple of nights, and tonight doesn't look promising. There are only 40 things on my to-do list.
Got a new patio table last night, shopping for cushions and a new umbrella today. I decided I really just wanted a bigger table instead of a whole new set, and I still really like the chairs we have. Target to the rescue! Crammed that in the big Jeep and hopefully it will get put together tonight. I'm considering some funky new dishes as well. This is how it starts...oh, sweetie, I just need to get something where we can seat more people. Just a table, really. And then the next thing you know there are cushions and the umbrella and new lights (already purchased for the as of yet non-existant new umbrella), new tableware including placemats, plates, glasses, etc., and why not one of those deck boxes to store everything in when it rains? Oh well, at least his grill is safe, it's planted and hooked up the natural gas. Not a whole lot I could do with that on my own.
I just wanna say, network chat is the debbil! I think productivity has seriously tanked in the last week.
Yep, I'm still around. Still recovering. Still coughing.
Other than that things are mostly boring at our house right now. We worked at the church Saturday morning and missed out on a couple of auctions. Having a bbq Sunday afternoon, training to Chicago Saturday with my mom for some shopping. That's about it.
The Russian is expending huge amounts of energy getting rid of a nest of wasps that's residing in our grill. So far he's mostly been playing what he calls "the thermostat game", where he turns the gas on and lights the grill. They still come back! Stupid wasps. Not sure what his next plan of action is. He mentioned something about gun powder last night, and I'd swear gasoline, but he has to know better...right? :)
I have hummingbirds! Looks like they've finally made their way to central IL and are thirsty and hungry as usual. Usually I put out a wave petunia or three for them, but I think this year I'll just stick with more feeders. Need to move one out front so they don't fight too much.
That is all.
Ugh! This svcks!
Bronchitis was the diagnosis today. 2 prescriptions and a breathing treatment later (not to mention the 3 hours I spent at the clinic) I was on my way back to work. Still coughing, still can't breathe, still can't pop my ears, head still throbbing.
The weekend was pretty uneventful. Went to 3 auctions, the Russian bought some little stuff, I mostly went along for the ride and looked pretty. :P (pretty awful...I'm sick, remember?)
Otherwise I've spent the last week trying to contaminate as few people as possible (unless they were bidding against Carl. Kidding! Kind of...) and still working.
Back to bed.