I'm pretty excited that this just might get done by Easter. However, since I have no idea how I want to finish it I suppose it's just one more project that is still at risk of not having those last stitches completed. I purposefully chose this fabric because 1) it's a fiddler and therefore very easy to stitch as opposed to the linens I have going which are hard on my eyes and 2) I like this color and I am using it on a Bastin landscape that is so big I had to buy a roll of fabric to get enough, so I have lots. The problem is, it's hard to envision the fiddler sewn into anything (like a pillow or wallhanging); linens work so much better for that.
I'm getting into a new routine in the evenings. I absolutely hate the things my husband watches on evening television (except The Daily Show - that's our 8:00 pm date Mon-Thu) so I usually spend the evening here on the computer. My new routine is to throw a dvd into the laptop next to me or plug in some music on the ipod to drown out the sound from the TV while I get some stitching done. It's quite amazing. As long as the frogging gremlins don't come in and rip out what I've done (hasn't happened yet, knock on wood), then the piece grows a little each night. What a concept!
My school district has a relocated Lincoln Birthday holiday today and I looked forward all year to going to Disneyland (along with the rest of our town, I'm sure). But as I look at this week I realize that I need to stay home and finish the projects to be ready for the puppy to arrive. He'll be here Friday and I still need to clear stuff out of the kitchen and family room. I also need to go to the hardware store for temporary fencing materials. We have a small pond in the backyard. It's only 18 inches deep but is steep-sided and plastic. Add a lab puppy to the mix and there's a very scary possibility of drowning, so we're going to surround it with a fence, at least until Dodger is big enough to haul himself out if he jumps in. I've thought about making some kind of cover for it to keep debris and raccoons out and will pursue some ideas but for now, temporary fencing seems the proper response to the need.
I've been working on cleaning out some spaces in the garage. People (mostly my husband and son) have been stacking crap where it's easy and convenient rather than make an effort to put it where it belongs. Over time it got to the point that there is just a narrow path through flotsam to the washer and dryer (on the other side of the garage). There was no place to put a bag of dog food out there, much less the metal canister I will need for it (so as not to attract rodents). Meanwhile, the garage space where this stuff actually belongs (paint from refurbishing my son's room last year, his golf clubs, the 3-gallon plastic water containers we used before we got the filtering system, a small table that belonged to my mother-in-law and so on) has filled over the years with - well - rubbish. DH bought a deep fat fryer almost five years ago and the product and shipping boxes he apparently just threw on The Pile. As the boys have moved around, they've just thrown stuff on The Pile. To make a long story short, I just dragged The Pile onto the driveway, rearranged the space so that it made more sense to me for long-term storage and rescued what I wanted to bring back into the house (I found some quilt squares I've been looking for, DH's inherited Chinese rug and my Brooklyn Dodger jacket.) There were a half-dozen boxes and another four bags of mystery stuff that I brought into the house. Yesterday I went exploring and re-packaged what I wanted to keep. Most of it is put where it should be, but I still need to deliver some books to the library bookstore and figure out how and where to store a couple of things. I found a decent comforter that we can use with the aerobed when we have guests, but I have to figure out how to store it. There are a couple of things to go to the storage unit, and a couple more destined for my classroom. Once this stuff is all disbursed to their proper homes I can finish the final preps for the puppy.
It has all the prerequisites we had talked about. Large and with a removable, washable cover the same color as the dog's fur. $19.64 is more like it. I grabbed the only one with this light cover and didn't realize until I got it home that the other fabric matches my family room very nicely, so that was a bonus.
I guess I'd better finish this up and go to work.
I'm getting into a new routine in the evenings. I absolutely hate the things my husband watches on evening television (except The Daily Show - that's our 8:00 pm date Mon-Thu) so I usually spend the evening here on the computer. My new routine is to throw a dvd into the laptop next to me or plug in some music on the ipod to drown out the sound from the TV while I get some stitching done. It's quite amazing. As long as the frogging gremlins don't come in and rip out what I've done (hasn't happened yet, knock on wood), then the piece grows a little each night. What a concept!
My school district has a relocated Lincoln Birthday holiday today and I looked forward all year to going to Disneyland (along with the rest of our town, I'm sure). But as I look at this week I realize that I need to stay home and finish the projects to be ready for the puppy to arrive. He'll be here Friday and I still need to clear stuff out of the kitchen and family room. I also need to go to the hardware store for temporary fencing materials. We have a small pond in the backyard. It's only 18 inches deep but is steep-sided and plastic. Add a lab puppy to the mix and there's a very scary possibility of drowning, so we're going to surround it with a fence, at least until Dodger is big enough to haul himself out if he jumps in. I've thought about making some kind of cover for it to keep debris and raccoons out and will pursue some ideas but for now, temporary fencing seems the proper response to the need.
I've been working on cleaning out some spaces in the garage. People (mostly my husband and son) have been stacking crap where it's easy and convenient rather than make an effort to put it where it belongs. Over time it got to the point that there is just a narrow path through flotsam to the washer and dryer (on the other side of the garage). There was no place to put a bag of dog food out there, much less the metal canister I will need for it (so as not to attract rodents). Meanwhile, the garage space where this stuff actually belongs (paint from refurbishing my son's room last year, his golf clubs, the 3-gallon plastic water containers we used before we got the filtering system, a small table that belonged to my mother-in-law and so on) has filled over the years with - well - rubbish. DH bought a deep fat fryer almost five years ago and the product and shipping boxes he apparently just threw on The Pile. As the boys have moved around, they've just thrown stuff on The Pile. To make a long story short, I just dragged The Pile onto the driveway, rearranged the space so that it made more sense to me for long-term storage and rescued what I wanted to bring back into the house (I found some quilt squares I've been looking for, DH's inherited Chinese rug and my Brooklyn Dodger jacket.) There were a half-dozen boxes and another four bags of mystery stuff that I brought into the house. Yesterday I went exploring and re-packaged what I wanted to keep. Most of it is put where it should be, but I still need to deliver some books to the library bookstore and figure out how and where to store a couple of things. I found a decent comforter that we can use with the aerobed when we have guests, but I have to figure out how to store it. There are a couple of things to go to the storage unit, and a couple more destined for my classroom. Once this stuff is all disbursed to their proper homes I can finish the final preps for the puppy.
I had such a nice date with my son last week. I was sitting here doing some genealogy data entry when he poked his head in the door and asked if there were any plans for dinner. I said I hadn't decided what to do yet, and asked if he would like to go out to eat. He got a twinkle in his eye and said, "We could go puppy shopping and then go to dinner." So, off we went! We had a delightful hour or so at the local PetCo. It has been over five years since we had a dog (15 since we had a puppy) and I got the giggles over some of the designer stuff. I mean, really? $21.00 dental chew treats? Venison and blueberry bits? I guess I shouldn't laugh: we did buy not one but TWO Dodgers collars for little Dodger Blue.
I drew the line at the $129.00 dog bed, however. I knew I'd seen them at Costco, although I didn't remember how much they were. When I did my weekend shopping I found this one.
I drew the line at the $129.00 dog bed, however. I knew I'd seen them at Costco, although I didn't remember how much they were. When I did my weekend shopping I found this one.
I guess I'd better finish this up and go to work.
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