Ending the weekend (11.13.16)

First, an update on my Cherry Rose Quilt.  I am just completing my seventh square tonight.  About an hour of appliquing and it will be done.  I still am having difficulty in getting the right number of circles completed each time.  I think I forget about the "rose" in the center when I am calculating.  As of right now, I am planning on making nine squares then wide borders with the curved vine and three cherry flowers.  I would like for the quilt to come up and cover the pillows "old fashioned" style but it may make the design awkward.  Instead, I may design my own decorate pillowcases to be used as shams as I have now.  Here's a picture of square seven - almost finished.

As for other projects, I have about 19 six inch squares completed for my Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  I am trying to get at least one or two done each day.  I currently have two squares cut out and ready for assembly.  With this quilt, it will be the size of a twin bed with the squares on the flat areas and a small 6-8" border to fall down around the top mattress.  

I have a really good prospect for a job so I have been busy filling my pantry and freezer.  I've started shopping for Thanksgiving and I am considering early Christmas decorating - anything I can do to make the transition easier.  It should be part time at first.

Cherry Rose Update

It's been three weeks since I posted.  I had intended to post every Monday but I simply couldn't get it done.  At that time, I was just finishing up the third square.  In the intervening weeks, I was away for five days with very - very limited work on the cherry rose quilt.  Yet this evening, I have finished the sixth square.  Tomorrow, I will place these on the bed to determine if nine is still the same plan.

I have also completed 14 small six inch squares for the Farm Gril Vintage quilt.  This has been a good complement since the cherry rose is exclusively hand work and the Farm quilt is exclusively machine piecing at this point.

In other news, I think I may have a job which will start somewhere between November 14 and December 1st.  It appears that it will be part time at first but who really knows.  As a result, I have spent a good deal of my time trying to finish up some items and projects before this happens.

More to come ...

Oops, it's only been two weeks, not three so I have really been cranking out some work!!!

Cherry Rose

I started a new quilt a couple of weeks ago.  I was intrigued by many of the appliqued quilts I saw but never really found a pattern I was willing to tackle.  

One day, a lady posted a picture of a quilt she was working in called Cherry Rose.  It was two colors on white, two round shapes plus a leaf and a vine.  Very classic.

It took a while to order and get the book but it's just what I needed. Now that I knew how much fabric I needed, I was off to buy the red and green.  Since I had heard and noticed that the red fabric runs badly, I decided it needed to be pre-washed and since I wanted more smooth finish to the quilt, I decided to prewash all the fabrics.  This is a new process for me.

The book did not have an actual pattern, just the pattern pieces in actual size and then a placement diagram that was about four inches square.  I traced the pattern pieces onto some gridded Mylar then cut the actual paper pieces from old business cards.  I used these pattern pieces to draw up a life sized pattern on a piece of poster board - I also included a simple color coding.  From this board, I can mark up the white squares with a water soluble pen for the correct placement.  I hope this will ensure that all the squares are nearly perfect copies.

  I find that it takes about two days to cut the fabric and baste to draw the fabric over the paper pieces.  Then I steam press the pieces to crease the folds.  I don't remove the paper pieces until I am ready to actually place and sew them in place.  Normally, within a weeks time, I can complete one square.  The pattern calls for sixteen squares but I am currently thinking that I may reduce this to either nine or twelve with wider boarders.  It all depends on what fits a queen sized bed best.

As of today, I have finished three squares and have all the leaves basted for a fourth.  I have started on the small red circles.  I will probably need to make more bias tape (1/4 inch) from the green as I have used most of what I made in those first three squares.

I will update every Monday evening along with accomplishments and tips along the way.

I can't believe (10/23/16)...

I can't believe it's been so long since I've written anything for the blog - six weeks?  Wow!

In some ways, not much has happened and in other ways, so much.  I'm still looking for a job - although to be honest, not for the last couple of weeks as I was planning and then we went on a vacation.  I start the hunt again tomorrow and I am seriously thinking about applying for a part time job at Publix.  I think I need to get out of the house more and be "productive" at something different for a change.  

As I said, DH and I went on vacation this week.  We spent four - almost five whole days traveling around our area and seeing things and doing things that either we had never done or it had been a long time.  We probably spent way more than we should but everything will be covered by an unexpected income source.

I've also been neglectful in planning my days in the last couple of weeks and I plan to remedy that beginning tomorrow.  The new goal is one "project" every day - for example, tomorrow's project will be mopping the kitchen floor.  Add to that, the regular things every day (dishes and laundry), bills, shopping, etc.  With fall now here, it's time to start seriously thinking about the holidays.  I've decorated for Halloween and I have already pressure washed the sidewalk and driveway for any trick or treaters.  I still need to find some reasonable candy.  

I've finished two quilts for Christmas gifts.  They need to be washed soon to ensure all goes well. That may happen this week.  I have two small sewing projects that will also be Christmas gifts.  I have started a new "long term" quilting project that I will discuss in tomorrow's post.

Weekend Update 9.11.16

Saturday, DH and I went out on the motorcycle for lunch.  Let's just say that it is still to hot to be riding in town.  We did some chores around the house this weekend and generally took it easy.  Almost time for a new week.

(Thursday and) Friday Update 9.9.16

Early Thursday, I mowed the lawn, wacked some weeds, edged some and used the blower to clean off the driveway.  I washed some clothes, more clothes, and a car seat cover.

DH reported that he needed a new three-way bulb in his light but I didn't want to make a special trip so I swapped my lightbulb for his as a temporary solution.

I watered the house plants and herbs.  The squirrel were tearing up my basil plants so I protected the one remaining by using an oatmeal box around the plant.  I'm not sure why they can't be happy with the whole pecan tree but they needed basil too!  

I pulled more clothes for Goodwill from my closet.

Friday, I got all my resume uploads done.  I responded to a recruiter and I expect to hear more from him this coming week.    I got the car seat back together.  I painted on my Christmas ornaments again.  

I went to the grocery store and used sales and coupons to get a 33% savings.  I stocked up on canned tomatoes, olives, and broth.  All things we will need in the coming months.  I did not buy ground beef for tacos next week because they did not have any lean ground beef available.

I also cleaned a second pair of DH's work shoes with excellent results.  I replaced the fuel line on the weed wacked we are trying to sell.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 9.7.16

I think all I did Tuesday was wash clothes, not really but it seemed like it.  Actually, it was clothes and dishes.  I ran over to BJs to get a roast and while I was there, I picked up a few things: 10# potatoes, mints, tomatoes, etc.  I had wanted to update my resume but I never got to that.  I picked up my grandson from school and kept him until it was time to go to his baseball game.

Wednesday was much more productive.  First thing, I got the roast in the crockpot and started work on my resume revision.  I did get it done and started uploading it to the jobsites.  I also made a contact with the placement agency I have been trying to work with,

I put the camera bag back together and worked on a project to get DH's work shoes reconditioned.  I scrubbed off the dirt and cleaned with some saddle soap.  After that dried, I applied some brown shoe polish ove the toe scuffs, then some neutral polish over all the leather.  I finished it off by buffing, more polish on the toe and rebuffing.  The shoestrings were washed by hand.  The shoes are in good shape and this should keep them working for another six months or so.  I would guess that I saved $100-125 by cleaning up these shoes and reconditioning.  

I washed and dried all the shop towels, and replaced the rain gear for the motorcycle.  While I was being productive, I fixed a broken necklace and added the final elastic and snaps to the high chair cover I made.  I started painting the seven Christmas Ornaments for 2016.

Of course, others were more dishes.  Tomorrow .. Mowing.

What happened? I missed a whole week. update 9.5.16

Saturday and Sunday - regular stuff - laundry and dishes, sewing

Monday - more laundry, .. And dishes. Purchased batting for baseball quilt at 50% off

Tuesday and Wednesday - mended a nightgown (my favorite) and had lunch with a friend.  Scored backing fabric at Joann's for 50% off (great customer service), more dishes and laundry

Thursday and Friday - brought down and set up quilt frame, mowed the yard, posted items for sale, grocery store, DH MRI appointment, finish work on the website.

Saturday and Sunday - breakfast on the motorcycle (first ride on the new seat), shopping, grocery store, trip to Helen to visit with family

Monday (Labor Day) 9.5.16 - mostly a quiet day for the two of us.  Out for breakfast, chores around the house, Home Depot to get supplies for shelf in the garage, installed shelf and organized work area.  Sold the motorcycle Jack -$55!!  Recovered a chair (post coming soon).

Part of the reason for the increased laundry is that I am washing items that don't normally get washed.  For example, I have some riding items that we will be listing for sale so they got washed first.  I also washed a camera bag that we've had for 20+ years.  Never been washed and the leather accents were "smelling."  Stuck the whole thing in the washing machine and washed with regular detergent and some vinegar both I the wash and in the bleach dispenser.  Ran it through the dryer for a while then left it out to dry for a few days.  Also ran the strap (with leather pad) in the dehydrator for an hour or so.  It came out great.

I've got a whole tub of things that can now be washed and put up for sale.  That happens when you have 20 years of motorcycle accessories that cannot be used on subsequent bikes.  These things are expensive so we're trying to recoup a few bucks.  I still have two sets of pipes to put up for sale, two bicycles, and probably some old Christmas decorations from my mother-in-laws old stuff.

It was a busy wee and I'm still not sure what happened to the routine posts but hopefully, we can be back in the swing of things.  

(Thursday and) Friday Update 8.26.16

Thursday, I ran the dishwasher three times.  That's what happens when we host family two nights in a row.  It always seems that I cannot get all the dishes in the one load and some carries over into the second night and then, of course, there's almost two loads by the time you add the nightly dishes.  I also tried to get the cast iron griddle and stovetop clean but that only lasts a day or two.

I washed some clothes and put them away.

I was also home to meet with the Direct Tv technician while he replaced our receiver.

I ran some errands in the most efficient method: first to the auto parts store to dispose of some old and unneeded oil, then to the grocery store to pick up a few things, then by Goodwill to make a weekly drop off and finally back home - a full circle.

Dinner was a beef pot pie made from the leftovers of Tuesday's dinner

Friday, I ran over to BJs to pick up a television bracket DH needs for work.  While I was there, I picked up a few items - pastries, cucumbers, bell peppers, beef for pepper steak, dried basil, and bananas.  I rather inexpensive trip to the wholesale club.

I mopped the very dirty kitchen floor (wow - was it dirty), hall floor and bathroom floor.  After that, I threw all the mop heads into the washer and ran them with hot water and a little bleach.

My project of the day was to change the lightbulb in the photoelectric fixture outside our garage.  I found a bulb we already had (it's a special fluorescent bulb) and set up the ladder.  I could not manage to get the cover unscrewed.  I ended up using some WD40 and after trying several gloves, finally got it off.  Then, when I tried to pull the bulb out, the glass part pulled away from the base.  I managed to pry it out of the socket by VERY carefully using a small screwdriver and a fine pair of pliers.  Next time this bulb goes out, we will replace the entire fixture with a led fixture.  Cost to repair $0.

For dinner, I prepared pepper steak of rice with a side of stir fried broccoli with water chestnuts.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday 8.23.16

Tuesday and Wednesday I worked to revise my resume slightly.  There were lots of dishwasher loads, laundry and th grass got mowed.  

I went with DH to the ortho Doctor Tuesday.  We have an MRI scheduled to find out what is causing the problem.  

Wednesday, I met a friend for breakfast and sent over to the bank to ensure that our CD will automatically renew.  

I've also been working on the baseball quilt - problem solving, sewing, and assembly.

Monday, Monday (8.22.16)

I was up early today and had a long list.  The long and short of it was that I got about 2/3 of the list done and added as I went.

I washed a load of clothes and ran the dishwasher.  Final undates to the website prior to it being presented to the client.  (I will not be presenting.)

I got several strips of the quilt put together and now just have to add the final pieces to get the size right.  I started working on the baseball stitching.  I was unable to make my own 1/4" bias tape so I bought some from Joann's and I bought a 1" bias maker.  I will be able to use the 1" bias maker to make the red stitching.  I will simply fold the 1" to make a 1/2" stitch.  

I clipped oregano again to dry and trimmed up the dead plants.  The house plants (on the front porch) also got watered.  I think the orchid may be sending out a shoot that will eventually bloom.  

I washed several item that we pulled from the garage while we cleaned up over the weekend.  

I may have one of the items listed on the Yardsale site sold, we'll see tomorrow.

Weekend Update 8.21.16

YSaturday, after breakfast, DH and I rode (in the car) up to the Harley Dealership to pick up a part he ordered.  On the way home we stopped at a farm stand I have been wanting to go to.  We got two pint jars of tomato jam and two pints of fruit jam.  

Taking the car turned out to be a great idea since it rained on us coming home,  I fixed us a grilled cheese for lunch then we went downstairs to work on the basement.  While I painted the next section on the wall, DH started putting things back into the relocated and washed cabinets.  As a side note, we've had these things at least 15 years and they are still in great shape.  Thankfully, I was able to get the wall section painted with the paint I had left.  (It was very close and I used every bit of paint.)

After spending a couple of hours on this, we went looking again for workbench options,  we found a couple in the $150 range but they weren't quite the size and quality we were looking for.  We ended up back at Sam's wholesale but we decided to get the work table and one rolling cart instead of the larger cart with the cabinets and drawers built in.  In the long run, this provides more options.  

We had help loading the boxes into the truck but getting them out was a different story.  We ended up having to tear the largest box open and taking the pieces out one at a time.  It took me less than an hour to assemble the table and it is very high quality.

Enough for tonight, more tomorrow..

Sunday after breakfast, we went right back to work.  While I assembled the rolling six drawer cart, DH put items back into the cabinets - purging and organizing as he went.  Surprisingly, it took nearly 3 hours to get this thing assembled but it's really nice.  Afterwards, we cleaned up (cardboard, styrofoam and garbage to the trash cans), swept the floor and moved the lawnmower and motorcycle back in place.

DH also ran to Home Depot and picked up two boards to use as a shelf over the two tall cabinets and some 2x4s we will use to top the concede wall.  I need to find or get some construction adhesive to get this accomplished.  

I was able to get a little bit of work done on the baseball quilt.  Tomorrow, I will stitch up the rows I have and see what size we are at.  I also need to find or secure some black fabric to use as the seams on the baseball and maybe a bias tape maker.  I will try to use a cardboard form first to see if I can get by with that.

(Thursday and) Friday Update 8.19.16

I goofed up by not keeping track of what I did these two days.  I know that I did not accomplish much on Thursday except to get a free sandwich at Chick-fil-a.  I bought lunch on Monday and completed a survey for a free sandwich.  When I went back to get it (my lunch was just $3 and change), I got another receipt with a survey.  I've already filled that out and have another free sandwich coming my way.  Three sandwiches for the cost of one!

I also tried to redeem a survey for Office Depot but I think I waited too long.  I need ink for the printer but I'm waiting on a good coupon to come along.

I got a bit tired of the mess downstairs and got creative about how to unload the two remaining cabinets.  I used a box, the wheel barrow and a clothes hamper to make it work.  Friday morning, I washed those two out and got them back in place.  We're ready for painting again.

I also got more aggressive working on the baseball quilt.  I have about 3/4 of the chevron done (just need to verify mattress size).  I was also able to pre-wash some white fabric and cut a 24 inch circle for the actual baseball.  I used some freezer paper as a stencil and then used fabric starts here (sizing) to help fold down the edges.  I will probably base these down as well since I will need to add some tiny black bias tape as steams and red pieces as stitches.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 8.17.16

MTuesday was a little slower pace than Monday.  My first task was to clean up those last items on the website and format the mobile version to format correctly.  This went much more quickly than I anticipated.  At this point, I am done until we get feedback or issues/changes.

I also received a letter in the mail regarding the registration on the car I no longer own.  I had sent them the apporipriate form weeks ago but apparently, they never received.  Instead of mailing it again, I took it to the local tag office and took care of it in person.  Issue resolved and I didn't have to pay any money, certainly not the $85 they wanted.

While I was on that side of town, I stopped at Sprouts - primarily for baking potatoes.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any so I picked up some random salad item instead.  I spent $14 and got a small melon, a red bell pepper, hello bell pepper, red and white cabbage, carrots, two avacados, two sweet potatoes, and half a dozen Roma tomatoes.  Dinner tomorrow night will be a chef style salad.  I will have to get some deli meat tomorrow and a loaf of Italian bread.

Dinner tonight was out of the freezer; smoked pork chops, baked sweet potatoes and fresh corn on the cob.  I also served some mashed potatoes leftover from Sunday.

Today/tonight I sewed more strips and set out the blocks as a test run to estimate how many blocks I need.  I would say that I have about half already and have five strips to sew and trim tomorrow.

DH and I cleaned out two of our plastic storage cabinets in the garage.  I will wash those off in the morning and have them dry during the day tomorrow.  Thursday, I hope to wash out the other two.  I would also like to paint another section Thursday if possible.

Wednesday morning, I scrubbed down the two garage cabinets.  Mostly, a good scrubbing with soapy water did the trick but there were a few places that need a squirt of bleach.  I left them outside to dry a few hours but pulled them in about 2pm because it was getting cloudy.  I dried them off with an old towel and left them open in the garage with a fan to finish the drying process.  

I went to the grocery store just before noon to pick up some things I needed for dinner (salad bar) and a few sale items.  I also got a cheap pizza to put into the vein for lunch.

Honestly, that's about all I did all day.  I didn't feel like it was very productive.  

Monday Update 8.15.16

Monday was a busy day.  It started with accompanying DH to his cardio appointment.  All was well and they have reduced one of his medicines.  I am hopeful that this will improve his tiredness after work.  

Once he was off to work, I got busy on my project of the day.  I painted about a 10-12 foot section of the basement/garage walls.  It took about 2 1/2 hours to get done which was much faster than I anticipated.  I cleaned up and ran an errand to Walgreens to pick up prescriptions (we're moving all our prescriptions to them) and over to Chick-fil-a to get some lunch,

Back at home, I finished up most of the items I had to do on the website.  (We took it live over the weekend). Later that evening, DH and I discussed the website and came up with a few more items to fix tomorrow,

I did two loads of laundry today and ran the dishwasher. I ran some items I had for the boys (leftover from their spend the night) over to DD.  I finished up the binding my whole cloth quilt and got it washed - more on that later.  I also did a test run on the strips for the baseball quilt.  They worked well and I have a 6.5 inch square that will make trimming easier.  I sewed up three strips today.

DH had a very busy day and we did not eat until after 8.  Fortunately, I knew this was a possibility so we had a quick fix dinner of Tortilini and salad.  

Weekend Update 8.14.16

Saturday after breakfast, DH and I pulled everything out of one corner in our garage.  It's part of the garage that we have never addressed.  First task is to paint the walls and reorganize there, then move to the left and back to the right.  We'll be working on the garage as part of an on-going project, at least three to four phases.  I sprayed down the corner with a bleach solution (as a precaution) and set up the fan to dry it thoroughly.

We ran a few errands (DH got a replacement batter for his weed eater for free!) and when we returned home, we worked on the website together a few minutes.

Saturday night, we had three little boys come spend the night with us.  They were very good except for the little one who took a nap then decided to stay up until 2am!  Thankfully, I was not as tired as usual.

Sunday morning, I made us breakfast: waffles, eggs, hash browns, and bacon.  Each of the boys got a quick bath and before long, their Mom came to pick them up.  I had two loads of clothes to wash after they left (their dirty clothes, towels and the sheets I slept on - I like to keep clean sheets on the guest bed).  I got the laundry done.  DH and I went to Home Depot to get our paint  for the garage and then we went to the grocery store.  

While I got dinner together, DH took a stab at the website to figure out what I could not.

(Thursday and) Friday Update 8.12.16

I was asked to pitch-in Thursday and help DH by shipping off a piece of equipment (business/job related).  This would help him enormously since he could devote his time to his workload while I trekked down to the Fed Ex office and shipped the package out.  I was over there by 11:00 am and got the package sent off without issue.

From there, I stopped by the dollar store and picked up a package of ponytail (elastic) holders.  I used these to complete six additional door sleeves for DD to use at school.  It was a quick and easy project once we knew what size would work.  I used some black corduroy I had in my stash, the ponytail elastics and thread I had on hand.  My total cost was $1 for the elastics.

I also worked on the website project a good bit today trying to get some issues resolved.  Dinner was a chef salad with crescent rolls.  After dinner, I made us a few sugar cookies from a break and bake package.

Friday, I had my second workshop (this time on resumes) from 9-11:30 am.  Afterwards, I stopped by CFA on the way home and picked up a sandwich for lunch.  I got a couple of ideas about my resume and I plan to email the instructor to see if he will give feedback on my resume.  The next two sessions are on interviewing.  I generally think that I have decent interviewing skills so I'm not sure how much I will get out of it.  At this point, I might as well go to the last two sessions - unless something comes up.

Immediately after eating my sandwich, I started working on the website again.  There are still a few things unresolved but it is looking better.  By the time DH got home, we quickly looked at it, made a few changes and took it live.  Over the weekend, we will look at it one more time and fill in any blanks and clean up any formatting issues.  The only remaining item will be the mobile version which will be streamlined.

We went over to Wallmart afte dinner (BBQ sandwiches and potato salad at home) and I got a new broom and a wider quilting ruler.  I have a 3 inch and a 15" square.  This one is five inches wide.  It will  be very helpful in cutting strips that are more than three inches wide as will the strips for Ryan's quilt.

I only have about 24 inches of border left to quilt on my whole cloth.  I should be finished tomorrow night or Sunday at the latest.  Then I just have to trim, make a binding and sew it on.  I'm excited to see what this will look like after it is washed.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 8.10.16

It was mostly routine house items on Tuesday, laundry to wash, dishes to run.  Today I had some "personal assistant" issues to deal with: making medical appointments, etc.

I was able to get strips cut for the door handle project I am working on.  I need to find 12 ponytail holders so I can finish this project.  

I reinstalled the toddler car seat and headed out about 3:30 to pick up the boys.  Its parent orientation at school tonight.  We got back home and rested a few minutes,  (It's quite a chore to wrangle three little boys!). They all (including the 11 month old) wanted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. Easy and fast enough.

Wednesday, I had two medical appointments back to back.  They were in the same complex so it worked out well.  

The website I have been working on has become a priority and a draft/first pass is due Monday.  Our garage/painting project is on hold for now.  Tomorrow, I will revisit the site and see what I can do.  I want to make a list of what I think needs to be done and what I need assistance with.

Monday Update 8.8.16

Our day got off to a rough start.  I went with DH to his cardio appointment only to find out that it had been rescheduled for next Monday.  We just grabbed a quick breakfast and he headed to work.

I had a fairly long list for the day and managed to get most of it done.  I applied for two jobs.  Not much to do on the website.  Need to set aside some time to sit with DH to get information in the photos.

I mowed the grass early Monday morning because the weather people were saying we would get rain all week.  It looked like it could be the only opportunity but we really haven't had much rain.

I pulled some more items for Goodwill from my closet.  My methodology is to pull 4-6 similar things to check out just after I've had my shower.  I can quickly slip on and if it's too small, it automatically goes in the give away pile.  Usually about 80% of what I pull gets given away.  

I ironed my new fabric and it is ready to start cutting.   I also ironed a couple of shirts while I had it out.

Weekend Update 8.7.16

We spent most of Saturday going around to different shops looking at televisions.  Not for us, but for DH's conference room at work.  Surprisingly, it took us most of the day - we ate lunch out, just a quick sandwich. We finished up the day with a trip to BJ's.  Along with a few normal kind of things, we got a rotisserie chicken that we ate for dinner.  Our movie night was courtesy of RedBox - Criminal.  It was very interesting.

Sunday, while DH took a ride up to the motorcycle dealership, I ran over to Joann's primarily to pickup a small quilting hoop.  They did not have a small quilting hoop but I picked up a wooden embroidery hoop that is working.  While I was there, I realized that I could use four coupons I had to get the material for Ryan's quilt (Christmas gift).  Half of my coupons did not work but the cashier worked with my purchases to give me the same discount I would have received with them.  It was frustrating for her and for me but it all worked out.  When I studied the receipt, I noticed that one of my coupons did not get used but my purchase was within a dollar of what it should have been.  

I got 2 3/4 yards of a light gray, 1 1/2 yards of a medium royal blue and a yard of red 100% cotton.  I also stocked up on thread (2 spools of gray all purpose and 4 spools of quilting glazed cotton thread). since I had a 50% coupon.

(Thursday and) Friday Update 8.5.16

OThursday was a much better day - they always seem better (and more productive) if I get up early and stay up.  I was able to get breakfast early and put in a few minutes of quilting before I colored my hair.  Gasp!  You didn't know?  Really.

Afterwards, I did a quick search for newly listed jobs and again, found nothing.  It is very disappointing.

Then, I moved on to some miscellaneous items I needed to do on the website.  I uploaded 50+ pictures to the website and put them on the gallery page.  Later in the day, I got 10 more but these came in as .bmp files so I had to do a two step process on these.

I cleared out 6 dresses from my closet, all of the graduation gowns I had, some miscellaneous clothing items and a toy and bagged it up for Goodwill.  While I was out, I returned the library books I checked out yesterday.

I managed two small loads of laundry and, by the end of the evening, two loads in the dishwasher.  I decided to re-imagine our leftovers so I headed over to the store and picked up a really big green pepper and some jambulia mix.  I turned our leftover smoked sausage into stuffed green peppers and served it with a can of green beans cooked with sauted onions.  DH said it was delicious.  

I had a busy day Friday.  It started with a job workshop where the instructor provided some insight into what HR departments look for in applicants.  I decided to sign up for the following three workshops as well.  Afterward, I met a couple of former coworkers for lunch,  I always enjoy getting together with them.  We had a lovely, if not brief, visit and caught up with what was going on with each of us.

I returned home and did a few small things around the house.  Dinner was chicken fajitas with all the fixings including margaritas.  

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 8.3.16

ROne down side of having a really productive day is that the following day tends to be a dud.  Today got off to a slow start thanks to a migraine that hit even before I got out of bed.  I decided to just sleep in a bit to coast my way through.  I was able to get up and move through the day without migraine medicine but I did require a couple of Advil.

I found it difficult to stay on task today especially after looking at job postings.  They appear to be many jobs, just not what I'm qualified to do.  So, no resumes sent today.  I did register for a workshop being held Friday that should give some insights into what HR departments are looking for.

I did get a few things done today including vacuuming out my car.  It does look so much better.  I just need to wipe down the dash tomorrow and I'm done.  I cleaned out another drawer today - small steps.  I threw away a small trash can full of old items that I no longer wear.  (My goal is to do one drawer a day until my dresser is done.  Then I will move to my closet.  That may take a few days and may be more difficult to make decisions about what can go.). I will be making a trip to Goodwil on Thursday.

Well, if Tuesday was a bummer, then Wednesday was a bust.  I got up early and prepped breakfast for DH but I was so tired, I laid back down and went to sleep.  Needless to say, that blew my morning.  I got breakfast and a quick shower, then proceeded to look quickly at the job boards - nothing.  Then, I moved on to the website.  I was able to capture 75 photos off the new Facebook page.  (This was the most productive thing I did all day.)

I don't think I did anything on my to do list for the day.  I did head over to Sam's and wandered through the store for a while just to improve my outlook.  I picked up the bacon I went for and only added a package of fresh green beans and a head of cauliflower.  

Back home, I piddled at a few things including loading the dishwasher but really accomplished nothing.  Before I knew it, it was time to prepare dinner.  We had smoked sausage, baked macaroni and cheese, and broccoli.  After dinner, I unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded it with the dinner dishes. 

That was it.  Then, I sat down and worked on my whole cloth quilt.

Monday Update 8.1.16

I started the day off with a very long "to do" list.  I now I'm not likely to get it all done but I will do as much as possible and continue tomorrow.  It's two o'clock and I've run the dishwasher once and the washing machine just finished its third load - one more to go.  That's a lot of clothes to fold and put away.

I found a coupon for two boxes of DD Kcups for $12.99.  I went immediately over and bought them since we are out and that is a $5 savings!  

I did get most of the things on my list done, what a surprise.

Here's the menu for the week:

Sunday - hamburgers and three bean salad

Monday - brisket and gravy over whole wheat noodles, green beans (freezer)

Tuesday - salad

Wednesday - smoked sausage, baked macaroni and cheese, broccoli

Thursday - Manwich, tater tots, three bean salad

Friday - chicken fajitas

Weekend Update 7.31.16

BSaturday we took a motorcycle ride up to Alpharetta for breakfast at the Original Pancake House.  This was one of our favorite restaurants when we first moved up here (different location) but it burned down after about a year and we only eat at the other location maybe once a year or less.  It's rather pricey but they have the best foods.  I had potato pancakes and bacon.  DH has eggs, home fries and toast. Yummy!

It was warm even at 9am so we hustled home just barely beating a brief rain storm.  We spent an hour or so just chilling out and then had a hot dog for lunch.  DH has had a lot of difficulty with his cell phone.  It's too large to fit in a pants pocket so he is always leaving it in the car, etc.  We went over to the AT&T store to see what options we had.  Ultimately, we decided on a iPhone 6 for him and I would get the 6+.  It took an hour or more to get all this accomplished.  We also picked up an iPad mini which they had on a special promotion - $99 plus $10 a month for cell service (for 24 months).  DH will use this mainly for business purposes.  It was a bit of a splurge considering our reduced income but the net increase each month is about $40 which will be offset by a per diem he will be receiving for cell service from work.  Our out of pocket expense will only be for the $99 iPad mini.

We stopped at Publix and the BBQ place on the way home.  One pound of BBQ meat, package of buns, ice cream, tater tots and lemonade.  Tomorrow, I will make a list and go to the grocery store.  I suspect I will have a small list and subsequently small purchase.  

When we arrived home, we found that the freezer (upstairs) was still not closing properly and we had to unload the whole thing and reload to get it to close.  I threw away several items that were old or unidentifiable.  I now have a better idea of what is in there.  I will be cooking from that freezer stash as much as possible this week.

Sunday we started the day with some lawn work, DH ran the weed eater and I mowed the grass.  It probably took about 40-45 minutes and it was done.

We treated ourselves to lunch (we really have to stop this!) and then went to Target to pick up a couple of items while we still had the no tax sale going.  Then we went to BJs and bought some items that I needed for the week: lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, dishwasher detergent, mushrooms, and salad dressing.  I wanted to get bacon bits but they no longer sell the Hormel brand and the BJ brand was too fatty.  I will have to go by Sam's sometime this week.

Afterward, I went to Publix.  I had a small list and mostly stuck to it, aside from an apple and English muffins.  Dinner at home wrapped up the weekend.

(Thursday and) Friday Update

Thursday was designated as movie day at Nana camp. The theatre down the street was offering a kids movie at 10am at a special discounted price.  

Before the movie DDIL picked up my little camper and took him, along with her kids, to a nearby park for play and exercise.  In the the was gone, I was able to move some things for my kitchen freezer down to the main freezer and clean the stovetop and pizza stone.  I was also going to clean the microwave but I ran out of time.

I met them at the movie theatre and we went in for the movie, $7.50 for both of us with popcorn and drinks!  Afterwards, we saw the the high school band was practicing outside so we stopped for a few minutes to listen.  I was hoping that they would also be marching but we didn't catch any of that.

At home, he read another book aloud (second one this week), we had a hot dog for lunch and then sat down for some quiet time. Before I knew it, he was asleep.  While he slept, I did some hand quilting and then sewed up another high chair cover.

I had planned to make cookies but the afternoon went quickly and before we knew it, it was time to deliver him to his Mom.  We stopped quickly at the grocery store on the way for three items I needed to finish out the week.  I think I did great to avoid the store this long this week.   I spent under $10 and now we should be set for the weekend as well.

I was thinking about a return trip to the pool tomorrow but there is a possibility that I will have the baby as well, so we will see what happens.  I do want to get at least one more book read tomorrow.  Maybe we will make some cookies.. Or paint some Christmas ornaments.

Well, the baby was well enough to go to school so it was just the two of us.  We headed out early to meet and greet at his school (school starts Monday).  It was busy and very warm at 8am.  After we finished the, I was thinking about some place else to go that early when my DDIL called to ask if he would like to go to the park again, which he did.  Off he went for a couple of hours to play.  I was able to get a little cleaning done and get a quick job search done and pay a few bills.

I had promised him that we would go out to lunch on Friday (all our other meals were at home) and it was all I could do to keep him awake through lunch.  He ate well but as soon as we got home, he was out for a nap.  I quilted a bit, sewed a bit, etc.  I had planned to make fajitas for dinner but realized after 2pm that I had never taken the chicken out of the freezer.  Fortunately, I found a gift card and we went out to dinner instead - only spending about $14 (including tip) for two dinners, drinks and a special appetizer.

It's been a good week.  We went to the library, farmers market, blueberry picking and muffin making, swimming at the local pool, park and movie matinee, and finally the school greeting, park and lunch out.  Add to that the two books he read to me, the one I read to him, herb picking, laundry folding, etc. that we did.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 7.27.16

COur activity for Tuesday was blueberry picking.  There is a small farm very close to us that was open for picking.  I knew as hot as it had been that we would need to be there early so we were there at 8:30.  Their blueberries are not sprayed so you can eat right off the bushes.  Of course, the downside to that is that there are weeds in the bushes and around.  There were plenty for us to pick and still many unripe ones still to come.  Unfortunately, most were higher and further in the plant so I ended up picking most while my helper carried the bucket.  After about an hour, I was incredibly hot and knew it would only get worse.  We checked out finding that we had picked about a pound of blueberries.  (More than enough to make blueberry muffins a couple of times.). Our cost was $2.11 including tax. [Agriculture]

I stopped by my polling place to vote on the way home and he got to watch and see how the process worked.  We were in and out in just a few minutes. [Civics]

Once home, we both bathed and changed into clean clothes.  I believe there was some poison ivy but we were careful where we stepped and what we touched.  We washed ourselves and our clothes just to make sure.

Picking blueberries makes you very hungry so we ate lunch a little early.  (Leftover spaghetti.). After lunch, I found him asleep in the chair.  He proceeded to take a two hour nap because I simply couldn't get him up.

After his nap, we made blueberry muffins, chocolate chip muffins and pecan muffins.  We discussed fractions ( 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cup measures) and he measured most of the items and mixed the batter.  He scooped the batter into the muffin cups and we cooked them.  [home economics, math, fractions]

By that time, it was time to head home so I dropped him off at his Mom's school with a container of muffins to share.

Our activity for Wednesday was a trip to the local pool.  I've never been there so it was a first for me.  I would like to have gone earlier but open swim was not until 2:30.  We spent a quiet morning and my charge read me a book while I set the table and loaded the dishwasher.  He's a good reader.  We have three more books to get through in the next two days.

I needed to go to the drug store today so we headed that way late morning.  He asked for a toy but I said not.  I did agree to a small bag of candy that he could have after lunch.  When we returned home, I made us a grilled cheese sandwich and we had a bag of chips.  He ate some of his candy and saved the rest until after the pool.

I got a mini nap (maybe 10 minutes) while he played a game on the iPad.  At two, we dressed for the pool and headed that way.  We probably spent 40-45 minutes in the pool but I could tell that he was getting tired.  He won't sit on the side of the pool and he won't float so he's constantly treading water or dog paddling,  I tried my best to get him to work towards swimming but he just wouldn't do it.  He needs a group of kids to encourage him.

After swimming, we headed back home and both got showers/baths.  He dosed off while I started dinner.  

Monday Update 7.25.16

Today is the first day of Nana Camp.  Ha!  My six year old grandson is spending the days this week with me.  He starts school next Monday but his Mom, a teacher, had to start today.  His little brothers go to a day care that starts along with the teacher schedules so they are set.

I have tried to schedule one activity each day to keep us "doing" something.  I was limited in what was available today but here's what we did.

Early am, I spent a few minutes searching the job websites (probably 15-20 minutes) while he played a video game.  Afterwards, we washed clothes and folded.  He was a good helper bringing the clean clothes from the dryer to me.  Mid-morning, we headed over to the library to pick up some books.  He selected four books for the week.  I looked for one for me but they did not have it.  We spent a few minutes on reading but we will come back to that later in he week.

We (technically, he clipped) clipped new oregano and rosemary from the bushes and then put the dried oregano in the jar.  

After lunch, he had a little quiet time while I browned some ground beef, green peppers and carrots and made spaghetti sauce.  I out the sauce into a small crock pot and left it on high while we headed over to a local Farmers' Market.  We looked at all the booths and selected some fresh, locally grown tomatoes and peaches.  (The peaches are beautiful and huge!)  By the time we finished at the Farmers' Market, it was time to get him home.  We took a scenic trip back to his house.

When I got home, I made a small salad and started the water for the pasta.  Dinner came together quickly and easily.

Weekend Update (7.24.16)

It was another really hot weekend.  We started out with our usual Saturday morning breakfast and DH left to join a group ride to lunch, the original plan was that he would be back by early mid-afternoon and we were going shopping at Fry's for some things he needed at work.  Well, his short lunch ride turned into a longer ride than expected due to the fact that 80 people showed up for lunch and it took much longer to get served.  He also ran into showers coming and going.  We postponed our shopping trip til Sunday and elected instead to go the the movies Saturday evening,

Sunday, we had breakfast at home then we went to Fry's just after noon.  We stopped at Chili's to have some chips and queso dip.  Then we stopped at DD house to drop off her key and finalize plans for kid drop off tomorrow.

I did very little this weekend in the way of cleaning, cooking, etc.  

(Thursday and) Friday Update

MkI was afraid that Thursday was going to be a dud.  I started out great with a healthy breakfast (old fashioned oatmeal) and I got right to work doing some chores/tasks.  I put the vintage toys away (actually, I packed the like items together in zip lock bags so it is very neat and organized) and started a load of laundry pretty early this morning.

I did some job searching but didn't find anything today.  I worked on the website for a little over an hour but I'm running out of things to do.

I did make an appointment for a checkup and a mammogram on the same day.  I was trying to verify which facilities were covered with my insurance company and found that to be extremely difficult.  Trying to deal with insurance companies and providers is like a shell game.  You're nevertheless REALLY sure.

Then, I went to the grocery store to pick up a small amount of deli meat (for dinner) and to find a mailing envelope.  DH sold an item on eBay and I need to get it in the mail tomorrow.  The envelope at the grocery store was way less expensive than a similar envelope at the UPS store.  Score!  I had intended to make this a no spend week but I've had a few things that I needed to buy:  $1.30 at the post office, $6.50 at the pharmacy for a prescription, and then <$5 at the grocery store today.  I'm really going to try not to spend anything else until I buy groceries this weekend and I will be paring down that list. 

Next week, I will be cooking out of the pantry and freezer.  I'm still trying to figure out what we're eating on Friday.  Fajitas would be great but I would need jalapeños and cilantro.  I think I could do spaghetti with what I have on hand.  Still thinking on that...

I also mowed the grass today and repaired the two t-shirt quilts.  Yes!  

I took the day off Friday.  No job searching and no working on my internet gig.  Instead, I worked on things that absolutely had to be done (time sensitive) and things I wanted to do.

I ran the dishwasher and cleaned out my car a bit (still needs to be vacuumed).  I ran a package down to the post office, fed and watered the dogs, and filled up my car with gas.  Got lunch from Chick-fil-a.

I stopped procrastinating on the "slip cover" for the high chair.  My problem was I couldn't decide what fabric to use.  First I thought about terry cloth or an old towel, then flannel, then muslin but I finally decided to use some gingham I had on hand.  It's nearly 100% polyester so it's not suitable for any quilting project.  DD used this gingham to cover her bulletin boards several years ago.  When she pulled it down, I washed the fabric and put it away.  The only piece of green gingham was enough to cut two slip overs.  This fabric will be easy to wash and quick to dry and will likely be wrinkle free.  It may not absorb as well as some cotton material but I believe that solids and slimy things will be more of an issue than liquids at this point.  

I was able to make the one slipcover and return the high chair to her house today when I visited with the dogs.  Once I know it works, I will sew up the second one.  (I already have the pieces cut.)

We broke my no spend rule and went out to dinner.  I guess I have no willpower but I will try to make up for it by using freezer items and keeping my grocery expenses as low as possible this week.  I will make a list tomorrow using the sale flyer as a guide.  I already have several items for our Wednesday dinner so I won't need to buy those.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 7.20.16

I had an extensive list for Tuesday and I managed to get everything done except mending the two t-shirt quilts.  That will be on my list for Wednesday.

In addition to dishes and cleaning the cast iron items, I packaged some meat to go into the freezer.  I also watered the veggies and the house plants and clipped oregano to dry.  The oregano wants to bloom so I'm keeping it clipped every other day.

I applied for a job today and worked on the website for an hour.  I managed to get to the post office to mail a form to the DMV.  They "suggested" proof of mailing which was a real pain.  I don't own the car any longer and frankly, I don't care if you suspend the registration.  But, filled out the form and mailed it in today - three weeks to spare.

I'm also pet "watching" each day - making sure they have food and fresh water and they haven't escaped or destroyed the house.  I'm also picking up the mail.  I think I need to do this through Friday evening or Saturday afternoon, they should be home later Saturday.

I posted some vintage toys on a Facebook site to see if I can get a buyer.  Tomorrow, I will list it (along with some other things, on a second site and then if it doesn't sell by Saturday, I will probably list it on EBay.  I also have a couple of bicycles to list and I have a desk I would like to list but I need a chest to replace it, so that might wait a while.

Wednesday was not as productive.  I did manage to find a job to apply for.  It looks promising and it is close to home,  I also spent an hour and a half working on the website.  Today, I fixed the text alignment issues I've been dealing with.  Every time I tried to remedy the issues, they reappeared.  Today I deleted the copied text and re-typed all the text.  Now I have no legacy formatting to deal with.

I listed some of my items on new Facebook pages and did a few random things.  I checked on the dogs and gave them more food and water. 

Our DS, DDIL and kids went to Florida for a few days so we have no guests for dinner.  I elected to make a pot of steakhouse noodle soup and a small salad for dinner.  (What I like to call, something from nothing.)

Monday Update 7.18.16

Today was a pretty busy day.  I spent time checking the job sites (no luck) and a couple of hours working on the website gig I have.  I have some work to do on the "projects" section and some general clean up; then, I anticipate a team work effort to add captions and titles as I simply don't know those things.  Finally, we need some more photos and text to round things out.

After the office work, I did a little clean out outside.  DH pulled some weeds yesterday and they needed to be swept up and thrown away.  I also sprayed our walkway to kill the weeds that are always sprouting up there.

Finally, I went on an errand for DH.  He needed a fan for his new office so I went shopping at Target.  The one I picked was a little pricey ($50) but it is a known name brand and it is all metal.  DH really liked the look of it.  It was assembled and running when he got home.

Dinner was smoked pork chops, baked sweet potatoes and sauted brussel sprouts.  It was simple but yummy.  I've had a change to plans for Wednesday.  We will either have no guests or only one due to some spontaneous travel.  

I also pulled out some vintage toys I had and did some research to see if there was a market and if it was worth the time to list it for sale.  Turns out it may indeed be marketable.  I assembled and took some photographs today.  I will take more photographs and inventory tomorrow so I can write up the description/ad tomorrow.  I think this is something that will sell in the $150 range - give or take.

I ran laundry twice and the dishwasher.  

Weekend Update 7.17.16

Saturday, after our usual breakfast, I went with DH to help him get his office in order.  We spent a couple of hours getting his computer hooked up and his stuff back in place.

After which, we decided to get some lunch on the way home.  The restaurant we decided on was unexpectedly closed so we had to pick another.  We selected a pasta restaurant in a restaurant group we have frequented.  We elected to have a dinner sized meal because it was a better bargain.  We each brought him leftover pasta and some salad.  For dinner, I added some lettuce, cucumber and tomato and made each of us a generous salad.  I heated up the pasta as it was and we enjoyed a free leftover, restaurant quality meal.

We watched a rental movie for entertainment.

I was able to get a cover off of a high chair and get it washed.  Then I reassembled after I traced a pattern so I can create a slipcover that can be quickly taken off for washing.  

Sunday ended up being a day at home for little projects.  Linens and pillows were washed along with two loads in the dishwasher.  I checked and added air into the tires of my car.  DH reset the TPS so the little light would go out.  DH listed some items for sale on EBay and I listed the same item on the Facebook Yardsale site.  I now have 7 items listed.

I went to the grocery store - with a list - and stayed on track.  Here's my meal plan for the week:

Sunday - steak, baked potato, caprice salad (sirloin was on sale)

Monday - smoked pork chop, sweet potato, brussel sprouts

Tuesday - veggie dinner ( Mac and cheese with bacon and veggies)

Wednesday - Greek chicken, roasted potatoes, and salad (with optional feta and katamata olives)

Thursday - salad

Friday - tbd (steakhouse noodle soup, spaghetti, etc.)

I bought one boneless sirloin steak and cut two individual steaks and the remainder was grilled for soup later.  It was $5.99 a pound which is lower than I've seen in a while.  

(Thursday and) Friday Update

HThursday I spent a good deal of time working on my website gig.  Some things are really easy and other things are fairly complicated.  I have a stack ready to go to Goodwill tomorrow - I'm trying to have a goal of taking something every week.  This week, I have a few men's shirts, a pair of men's shoes, a leather tray, 31 CDs, a random remote controller, a ladies sweater, and some reusable bags.

I mowed the grass around noon.  It was hot but bearable.  It took three pulls to get the mower started - probably because it had not been cranked in a while - but it's been weeks since it was cranked.  We have a tremendous amount of weeds.  Maybe as many as early spring before I reseeded.  I'm thinking that we will weed kill and then reseed again in the fall but I'm not sure.

Friday, I was up early to make DH some breakfast.  I washed a load of dark clothes and a load of light colored clothes.  The dishwasher has been unloaded and relapoaded - ready to run.

DD brought over the high chair she has.  She cannot get the plastic, padded cover off to clean.  The goal is to get it clean and maybe make a cover of two that can be washed.  After studying how it was assembled, I did manage to get the cover and all the straps off.  I had to rip some stitches on the strap that folds the unit.  If I can't get it reassembled with the original cording, I may have to replace that cording with new.  Right now, all the pieces are in the washer.  I'm thinking that the straps may need to be soaked as well since they tend to be the messiest part of a high chair.

I mad a trip to Goodwill to drop off some things and then over to the bank to deposit a refund check we received.  While I was out, I went in Walmart to kill some time.  They had no clearance fabric but I did pick up a few things there that I can't get elsewhere: light cheddar cheese, taco salad shells, and then some other random things - canned beans and corn at a good price, antacids, and a bowl and lunch sized plate to match my dishes (I'm trying to get at least eight of all items and the lunch size plates and pasta bowls were not included in the boxed sets).

DH was at work exceedingly late due to a delay in getting their furniture moved so we decided to go out to dinner.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 7.13.16

Tuesday I had a three year old and a ten month old all day.  Whew!  Am I tired.  Seriously, they go take a lot of energy.

I managed to get a little quilting done in the hour that they were both asleep -at the same time.

Fortunately, dinner was leftovers so that was pretty easy to pull off.  I heated the meatloaf in the microwave for three minutes then placed the glass dish - with plastic wrap covering it - into the crock pot with some hot water.  It worked out really well.  I will use that trick again.

I was up again at 6am on Wednesday and made DH his breakfast.  He seems to like this and it gets me going early.  Three of the grandchildren came over early and I dropped them off at VBS so their Mom could take her Dad to medical appointments.  It was just down the road so it was no big deal.

I came back home and spent a couple of hours on my website gig.  I was pleased with what I was able to do but also frustrated that I could not capture some of the images and logos that I wanted to incorporate.  I will be working on that again tomorrow.  I had leftovers for lunch and ran over to our neighborhood product market.  I picked I up five or six fresh tomatoes (what you get in the grocery store just doesn't compare), a few peaches, and a half head of red/purple cabbage.

It was a quiet afternoon with a little bit of quilting and some tv.  Tonight, I will spend another hour or so on the quilting as well.  I also now have the two t-shirt quilts to repair.  I may try to get that done tomorrow but I really haven't decided if this will be a hand repair or machine repair.

Tomorrow will be a more structured plan with a to do list.  I need to work in mowing the lawn and it will be hot.  I may try to tackle that late afternoon just before dinner time.  

Monday Update 7.11.16

I started something new today, getting up early at 6 am and staying up.  I got DH some breakfast cooked (scrambled eggs and toast), two loads of laundry washed, dried and folded, and showered and dressed before 9am.  I did a quick look through the job boards, paid a few bills and had breakfast.  

The two little ones got here a little after 9 and we played until about noon when DD returned from her shopping adventure.  (The baby napped for about an hour.). I went with them to lunch and we stopped at Publix to pick up a couple of things we both needed.  I was back home by 2pm and very sleepy.  I took a 20 minute nap but found that I was so sleepy I could not get up.  I ended up sleeping about 40 minutes before I finally forced myself up.  I will try not to nap tomorrow.

I spent a few minutes tidying up and starting dinner then working on the label for the Minecraft quilt which I was able to finish.  It is sewn on the quilt and ready to go.  I may try to wash it as we get closer to the holidays.  That's the first Christmas gift done.  

I'm making salad for dinner (quick and cool) since I have fresh bread ready to go.  Those nights when the oven is not needed for supper are so much cooler.  I worked a little on my whole cloth tonight - maybe 2 1/2 hours.  Dinner tomorrow will be leftovers from Sunday.

Weekend Update 7.10.16

Saturday was a pretty typical summer day around here.  DH and I started out with our usual breakfast out and then he went out for a short ride.  I expected him to be gone 2-3 hours but he was back in less than two saying it just was too hot.  We did some work around the house.  He gathered up some things he wants to sell, I washed some clothes and ran the dishwasher.

We spent some quiet time (he playing a video game and me sewing and putting the binding on a quilt).  I finished up my Starburst quilt which was very gratifying.  I spent most of the afternoon and evening sewing on my whole cloth.

We were out of TP so we went to Sam's to pick some up.  DH wanted to look at what they have available for workbenches.  While we were there, we got a four pound package of ground beef (90/10), a 3 pound package of bacon, guacamole, strawberries, tp, and a package of smoked pork chops.  We also ran over to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things and see about a movie to rent.  He didn't find anything in the redbox so we just ended up watching Bullitt from our "library."  

Dinner was a chef salad with some five grain bread from Publix and a Pina Colada!  Yum.

Sunday, DH was up early to head out on a club ride.  I slept in which I don't get to do much on the weekends.  While he was out, I cleaned up some and generally goofed around.  DD, DSIL and their boys came over for dinner - meatloaf, mashed potatoes and veggies.  Now, my challenge for this week is to create a menu using our leftovers, what we have on hand and what is in the freezer.  I may need some deli meat and some milk for the week but I'm hoping that is all.

It will be another busy week.  I have two little boys for a couple of hours tomorrow morning and then those two again most of the day on Tuesday and carpool from VBS for all six (maybe).  I need to work on a website, sew a bed skirt, and look for a job.

Tentative Menu:

Sunday - meatloaf

Monday - salad

Tuesday - leftover meatloaf

Wednesday - Tacos or chicken fajitas

Thursday - veggie dinner or spaghetti

Friday - stuffed bell peppers, Chinese chicken and lo mein, etc

Still needs a little tweaking.

(Thursday and) Friday Update 7.8.16

I lost my post and I don't remember most of what I said.  Here's the down low:

Had a phone interview for a job that sounds great and would be a good fit.  They won't me to move, not happening.

More cleaning and organizing in the sewing/guest room,  Took two large bags of stuff and a big bear to Goodwill.  Went through a paper box full of CDs to sort out what we don't want to keep.  Posted a new item on the garage sale site,  more to come. I have the room clean enough now to see the floor and the bed,

Hot, hot hot here.  

Working on a label for a Minecraft quilt, a teal starburst quilt needs a binding and I am working on a white whole cloth quilt.  Busy, much?

Pizza at home for dinner tonight.  DH brought home a bottle of wine and flowers.  So sweet.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 7.6.16

LI had a to do list for Tuesday but, after running the dishwasher, I found myself consumed with my construction project.  I've been trying to organize my sewing closet and get rid of some things in there. I've put the two kitchen carts and my dehydrator up for sale.  I put four shelves up on the sewing side of the closet.  With this new arrangement, I can store my cake decorating items and my fabrics in a small space in this closet instead of all over the room.

The cost to install the shelves was about $30 which included a 25 package of wall anchors which I used to ensure that the shelves would be ultra secure and hold whatever weight was added.  I did all the measuring, cutting and installing.  DH graciously set out the chop saw because it was too heavy for me to lift alone.  I will probably come back and paint the shelves and supports at a later time.

I will be moving all three table leaves into the left closet and continue to work towards getting the closet cleaned out.  There is a whole tub of stuffed animals and some other stuff that will likely go to a thrift shop.  There's also some vintage (80s) toys that may have a market.  

This week's goal is to get the room back in order even if there is a single pile of stuff to go through.  I have a sewing project (paying) that I need to start working, a couple of quilts that I need to put the finishing touches on, and a computer gig that I need to work on.

Wednesday I got almost everything out of the closet.  I have a load going to Goodwill on Friday, a box of pictures to go through, a box of CDs to go through and a tub of toys/dolls that need to be sorted.  

I made an exotic dinner, poblanos stuffed with shredded chicken and jack cheese.  Everyone like it except the peppers.  Next time I will just make it lasagna style and save a lot of time.

I applied for a job that sounds like it would be perfect for me.  Once I got the confirmation email back, it says .. Relocate to ...   What the !  

Happy Fourth of July

Today has been a busy day and the rest of the week looks like the same.  Being a holiday, DH and I started our day with breakfast at home.  He then went out for a ride (couple of hours, it's still hot) and he was back before 2!

While he was gone, I was able to get a few things done around here:  glued his sunglasses back together, watered the house plants and the vegetables, and washed a load of clothes and folded two loads.  I was able to get the stovetop cleaned and the cast iron cookware.  

When he returned, we took his truck over to the Home Depot and picked up a few pieces of wood.  I'm going to be working on getting some shelves put into the sewing room closet.  The goal is to install 3-4 shelves perpendicular to the closet on the right end.  I will put my cake decorating tote on the floor and then have these shelves to store bolts of fabric (I have four currently and they are difficult to store) and assorted charm packs, fat quarters and scraps.  The shelves should also be the right size to hold plastic shoe boxes should I need more of those.  I hope to get the boards cut for those tomorrow.

My Misto sprayer has not been working for a while.  I neglected to clean it and it was gummed up.  I researched how to clean it and it turns out that alcohol (the drinking kind) will dissolve the gummed up oil.  The next problem was that I couldn't get it to pressurize.  Somehow, I had lost the o ring or gasket that allowed it to seal.  DH had a neoprene washer that I was able to trim and now it works perfectly.  These aren't expensive items but the company does not make/have the replacement parts.  I save it from the trash AND it's working again.

I put a brisket in the crockpot this morning and we had that along with some mashed potatoes and fresh green beans for dinner.  We will likely be eating that for dinner tomorrow night, too.  

I'm off to sew on my whole cloth for a while.

Weekend Update 7.3.16

Saturday, DH and I took a ride about 45 minutes north to have breakfast at the Midway Mealhouse.  We rode on his motorcycle as we are taking longer and longer treks out.  It was already quite warm by the time we rolled home about 10-10:30 ish.  Later in the day, we went over to a cycle shop that sells accessories.   We decided that the first thing I need (I already have a helmet and a leather jacket) is a mesh jacket for warm weather riding.  I tried on six different jackets and decided on one that seemed to have the best fit.  It fits well and has a quilted liner for cooler riding.  The next thing I need is summer gloves (I have winter gloves) but that can wait till next week or the week after.  Shoes will come when the weather gets cooler and fall styles/boots are in stock.

We had a sub from Publix for dinner and watched "Gods of Egypt" for movie night.

Sunday, DH went out for a short ride. It's still very hot so most of the rides right now are a few hours, not all day.  Just regular things happening around here.  We had dinner at a new Greek restaurant and shot off a few firecrackers as it got dark.  For a patriotic movie, we watched "The Patriot" for movie night II.  

I started working on a whole cloth quilt (crib size) this weekend.  It is quite addictive.  These are very, very tiny stitches 8-12 an inch and both sides need to be finished quality.  Knots must be buried inside and there are NO seam lines.  

(Thursday and) Friday Update 7.1.16

MThursday I applied to a part time job that is very close to home.

I also went to Joann's in search of a crib sized batting package.  Thy had everything except what I needed.  Frustrated because I wanted to get started on my whole cloth, I bought a twin sized instead since it was 50% off.  I used a gift card that I had had for some time.

In an effort to see what products Hobby Lobby carries, I stopped by HL on the way home.  I was very surprised that they had the actual item I was looking for AND it was on sale at 30% making it just a dollar more than Joann's was charging.  I also priced their batting off the bolt and it is $12.99 compared to Joann's price of $19.99 a yard (90 inches wide).  I will be shopping there more often.

After I returned home and had a quick PB&J sandwich for lunch, I was able to get all the internal quilting completed on the Minecraft quilt.  I hope to trim this quilt and the starburst quilt tonight and start preparing the binding for both.

I also finished the book I was reading, "Americas First Daughter."

Friday, I got a little paperwork done including making sure all of June's bills were paid and setting up a new auto payment for a new bill.  

I did a mega load of dark clothes through the washer and dryer and a light load is going in.  The dishwasher was unloaded after washing most of the glasses by hand.  (Sometimes the dishwasher just goes off the rails and leaves all the glasses with a nasty film or gritty residue.  They only way to get it off is to scrub the glasses with a rough sponge or bottle brush.)

I was able to get the gray binding assembled and sewn onto the quilt.  Now, just hand stitch the binding to the other side, clean up any stray threads and it's done.  

We had a spaghetti pie for dinner.  Next time, I will mix the noodles and sauce and top with. Hesse instead of keeping the noodles separately.  It was good.  Perfect with a small salad.

Update:  The binding is complete on the Minecraft quilt and it is therefore essentially finished.  I've decided to make a label about 3x5 inches to sew onto the back.  There is a small area at the bottom center where there are a couple of "gathers" and a small label of matching material will cover it nicely.  I will hand stitch the label, hem by machine and then hand stitch it in place.  

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 6.29.16

I had a long list for Tuesday and got through most of it in some form or fashion.

I washed two loads of clothes and a load of dishes very early this morning.  I searched for jobs but had no luck.  One part time position I inquired about has so few hours and such a low pay rate that it isn't even worth the time.  

Mid morning, I ran a few errands including picking up a row by row pattern from the nearby quilt store, shirts for DD at a sports printing store and a few things from the grocery store.  Speaking of which, I love finding good things on the clearance table there.  This week, I have gotten two good seasonings carafes (with two envelopes of dressing each) for only $1.50.   We had this with our salad last night and it was really good.  Tuesday, I used it on some pasta salad.  I want to start using homemade dressing more and store bought dressings less.  I also got two packages of peppered bacon for a little over $1 each.  This will tide me over with bacon bits until I can get back to the warehouse club.

I have started working on the machine quilting of the Minecraft quilt.  The first row or two of stitches was a little iffy and I did take some of it out.  Once I got more pins in, it went along better.  As soon as I can get all the safety pins out of it, I will sandwich my whole cloth and start work on that.  Somehow, I need to squeeze in the binding on the starburst quilt.  Oh my!

I did a title bit of everything Wednesday.  I sewed at least an hour on the Minecraft quilt and got about half of the inside quilting done.  I was able to get some paperwork sent to the rightful owners and get the balance of it into a storage box.  

Monday Update 6.27.16

I had lunch with a friend today.  While she was finishing up her appointment before lunch, I did a little window shopping.  After lunch, I went into Sprouts and picked up a few things: avocados, green onions, bell peppers, etc.

While I was out, I decided to pick up some batting from Joanns.  I was able to get what I needed and used a 60% coupon.  Score!

I sandwiched the mine craft quilt and trimmed it off.  I will add a few more pins and start machine quilting tomorrow.

A reasonably successful day.

Sunday Update 6.26.16

It's been a really hot weekend here.  Sunday, I offered to keep the baby while DD and family went to the ball field.  We had a good time playing with some toys and crawling around on the floor.  He's really moving now and it won't be long til he's up and walking.

While he napped, I loaded and started the dishwasher and put two loads through the wash.

After I took him home, I went to the grocery store and picked up a few things.  As it turned out, I forgot the bread so it looks like I will be going back today.

I was also able to finish enough of the quilting on my starburst quilt (on the frame) to be able to take it off.  The rest (a single line of stitching around the perimeter) will be done off the frame and then it's ready to bind.  This really helps a lot because I felt like I had too many projects half done.

Saturday Update 6.26.16

DH and I ate breakfast at our usual place then he ran to the motorcycle shop and I went to Walmart.  I had the idea to use a plain sheet instead of batting on the Minecraft quilt.  Walmart (at least mine) does not have a 100% cotton flat sheet unless you buy a set.  They also had no wide fabric and no suitable batting.

I returned home and found a full size sheet in my linen closet.  I sewed the batting together creating q center seam.  Then, I decided not to use the sheet and go with my normal warm and natural batting.  I will go to Joann's tomorrow.  It's more than I wanted to spend and it will be a little warmer but I know what to expect.

DH and I took our first two-up ride on his motorcycle to lunch.  All was good except that it was extremely hot today - too hot for more than a quick trip.

I put my dehydrator on the yard sale site today.  If it can get over $200, I've decided that I will sell it and get another later if I need one.  I haven't used it in at least two years.  It lists for $350, currently on sale for $299.  I think that's a fair price, just not sure if I will find a buyer.

I still want to put the bicycles on the site as well and DH wants to advertise his electronic drums.

Right now, my primary problem is that there is too much clutter around and I have to many projects half started.  Until I get the batting and can move forward with the Minecraft quilt, I will be working on the Starburst quilt.  I'm almost done with the horizontal stitching and then I will do around the borders.

(Thursday and) Friday Update 6.24.16

Not much to report on Thursday.  I was still recuperating from a long, long day and night.  I managed to get a load of laundry done and the dishwasher run.  

After lunch, I sanitized all the door handles, remotes, etc. and cleaned up in the bathroom.

Friday, I was feeling much better.  I still wasn't very motivated but I got a few things done.  I picked up a shirt for DD and after lunch, I headed over to her house.  We were able to get my pants and her two skirts pinned for hemming.

I also purchased the bathing for the Minecraft quilt I am working on.  Used a 50% coupon.  Still undecided about the batting.

I tried to spend some time organizing and cleaning up the sewing room but, I think it is actually worse. I have everything pulled out of the sewing closet and it is scattered all over the room.

(Tuesday and) Wednesday Update 6.22.16

NTI took a brief break from job hunting today.  After a disappointing email Monday night, I felt like I needed to walk away and start fresh Wednesday.

I spent most of e day with DD and her boys.  She needed to run a couple of errands so I rode along and waited in the car while she went in.  It probably saved a bunch of time and aggravation.  Afterwards, we stopped by the dwarf house for lunch (Chick-fil-a) and then over to Sam's.  I kept my purchases limited buying some lean ground beef (90/10), a big can of peanuts, and a head of cauliflower.  I cooked a little over a quarter of the beef for dinner Monday night (taco salad) and put three packages into the freezer.

I also ran over to Publix to pick up a few things: tomatoes, taco shells (free with coupon), milk, hash browns, sour cream, etc.  I found some Mounds shredded coconut on the clearance table for .91.  I made a small batch of macaroons after dinner.  Delicious treat with a cup of tea.

Not much got done today except a load of dark clothes, unloading and reloading the dishwasher and getting the trash to the curb.

Wednesday started out great.  I found a job and applied for it.

I was able to unload and reload the dishwasher, water the veggies and house plants, and clipped oregano to dry.  Then, I stopped for lunch.  I made myself a good salad with lettuce, cukes, Apple, strawberries, raspberries, and pecans with a sesame dressing.  I was about finished with it when my tummy started hurting and not long afterwards, lunch came right back up.  Now, I just feel yucky.

I was able to pull my kitchen carts out and photograph.   I placed the on a Facebook page for sale.  First of several items.

Unfortunately, the day went south pretty quick.  I was sick all afternoon and until about 3 am.  Still not sure what caused it but I'm glad it's over.  

Monday, Monday 6.20.16

I applied for a new job today and finished up my application on another from last week.  I think I must have lost internet connection on that one before it finished on the other end.  Any way, they are both done and I have a confirmation email on both.

I washed a load of clothes earlier and tipped over the rain barrel to empty it (it's draining now) and I will go out later and try to wash it out.  The spigot is clogged and needs to be cleaned out.  Next up is a dishwasher to empty, reload and run.  I washed the dinner dishes by hand.

I tried to buy some file boxes at Target (they didn't have any) and Office Depot (only large quantities).  The sales rep offered a couple of paper boxes to try.  It may work, we'll see.  The boxes didn't work.  I will have to go to Walmart to see if they have any boxes. I was able to get through two storage boxes and have eliminated at least half of the paperwork.  My goal is to get everything that needs to be kept into one box.

I probably have quilted on my starburst quilt about two hours total today.  It has occurred to me that I am over halfway done and I could be finished with what I'm currently doing in a day or two.  I still need to quilt around the perimeter - in the borders.  

DH and I discussed some items we want to put up for sale: drums, bicycles, kitchen carts, etc.  these are things that we are NOT using and could generate some income while also eliminating some clutter. We're doing so long term thinking/planning realizing that we will probably be downsizing/right sizing in the next five years.  Ultimately, we will be looking for one or two levels versus the three we have now, maybe cutting back to two bedrooms.  We still want a generous garage and a garden would be lovely. We also have an awful backyard and would like to have a space we could enjoy more - maybe a patio with a fire pit?  It could all be wishful thinking but we're thinking and if we make the move in a few years, we want to move less.

Menu finalized for the week:

Sunday and Monday - beef ribs, side and corn on the cobb

Tuesday - Taco Salad

Wednesday - Breakfast

Thursday - Chef Salad

Friday - Chicken Fajitas 

Weekend Update

The weather Saturday was fabulous.  After breakfast with DH, he took off to ride his motorcycle up north.  I headed back over to the ball field for a 10:30 game.  It was overcast and cool.  After this first game, I took the middle child back to my house and we had lunch then we headed back to the ball field for a 1:00 game.  The weather was still nice but we did have some bursts of intense sun and I got a little pink on my arms.

While I was dirty and a little sweaty, I just went ahead and mowed the yard.  

After touring three states in one day, DH returned home after his enjoyable ride.  We had a chef salad for dinner and then stopped by the grocery store to pick up a movie rental and a few things for breakfast/dinner tomorrow,

I need to work on a menu for the week that will utilize some things from the kitchen freezer.

We were up early Sunday to get a small breakfast before we headed over to church.  Three of the kids were performing in a retelling of the Joseph story.  It was quite enjoyable and I had no idea we had been ther two hours when we left. 

After a quick lunch at a fast food place, DH headed out for a short ride and I proceeded to put the beef ribs in the oven.  He had requested beef ribs for Fathers Day.  I had never cooked these and it had been a long time since I had made any kind of rib.  I used a premade rub on the ribs Saturday and they stayed overseed in the  fridge about 24 hours.  I tightly wrapped the ribs in foil and put them in the oven at 265 degrees for about five hours.  Then, I drained any liquid and placed them on a pan, brushed them with barbecue sauce and put them under the broiler.  After about 10 minutes, the sauce was bubbling on top.  I squeezed a little more sauce on the top and ten more minutes under the broiler.  Done!  Served with fresh corn on the cob and some buttered red potatoes, it was yummy.  Leftovers tomorrow.

While I waited on the ribs, I cleaned up the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded some cloths and tidied up.

(Thursday and) Friday Update

I could only find one suitable job to apply for but one is bettere than none.  I like the way this one sounded and its in a good location.

I unloaded andreloaded the dishwasher but I am only running it at bedtime now.  This should accomplish two things:  keeping the house cool during the day and lower electric rates for running it at off peak times.  I am also trying to limit my laundry to one load a day, washing early and drying before noon.

I also clipped the oregano plants, washed and set it out to dry.  I've been very successful at growing oregano year round.  For basil and cilantro, not so much.  The cilantro doesn't grow and the basil usually gets dark or the squirrels eat it  or dig it up before I can.

I continue to sew on the Minecraft quilt.  I will have the top finished tonight if all goes well.  I went shopping at Hancocks today for either a Minecraft or plan backing - they had neither.  I'm also considering using flannel as the batting but they didn't have that in white and the beige they had was just as expensive as Walmart even with their going out of business sale.

Friday I found another job to apply for but I could never get my log in to work.  Late in th afternoon, it finally clicked when the problem is.  Monday I will apply for that one plus double check on the one from Thursday.  I got an email saying it was incomplete.  I don't really understand that but I will go back in and check.

Not a whole lot going on Friday around here.  A little of this and a little of that.  We had another thunderstorm (two this week) in the early afternoon.  I pre prepped dinner cutting up my verge tables and marinating the chicken.  DD stopped by about four and left the boys while she ran a couple of quick errands on this side of town.  They ate a CFA and headed to the ball field.  I put our dinner together and we were able to get over the by the 7:30 game.  The weather was wonderful.  Cool with a slight breeze.  

(Tueaday and) Wednesday Update

After spending an hour and a half applying for the one job I found today, I tackled some minor but necessary things.  Garbage to the curb including two cans of paint (hardened), unloaded the dishwasher, load of light clothes washed and dried.

Lunch (leftovers) at home followed by a trip to the post office to mail a belated Mothers Day gift, and a stop at CVS to pick up a prescription.

We had a heavy thunderstorm here after lunch so I headed to the sewing room where I got sashing cut and sewn on some of the quilt squares.  

Pulled out my Singer to hand down to DDIL and granddaughters.  I'm trying to organize my sewing closet better.  I have two rolling carts to sell.

On Wednesday, I found two jobs to apply to.  In addition, I started working on some boxes that need to be sorted and purged.  I hope to get this task completed by the end of next week.

I cooked dinner for seven and baked a cake.  It was a bit of a slow day but productive none the less.