Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Wednesday, New Years Eve

     Really no plans for tonight  we will see how it all works out.  We had dance people over last night to watch the cut video and it was very good.  I had planned to serve pizza and at the last minute got lazy and went to a local pizza place.  They had $8.00/ 3 topping pizzas large size.  Now large is really the small we grew up with as everything keeps shrinking.  So I ordered 3 my final total should have been around $24.00 plus tax.  When I got the bill it was $54.00.  Why?  The reasons given were so incredibly stupid I can't even write them down.  Needless to say I left and went to the restaurant supply as I needed a large bag of yeast, and I also wanted to get some soda.  There I bought enough pizza toppings for anywhere from 4 to 10 pizzas.  Enough meats for at least 10.  Total with soda and large package of yeast, $42.56.  Came home threw together my dough let it knead in the mixer and divided up the toppings, some to freeze for later.  Anyway 2 extra large pizzas and many more to come.  I just have to get mad to get motivated.

     I was able to get most of my due sewing done, and only have 4 shirts to complete today.  I also have to make a trip to the bank to pay a bill and that is it!  Hooray, I am looking forward to the New Year.

     My Sissie's mother-in-law is in the final stages of Alzheimer's and we will soon be going to Missoula for a funeral.  So my plans to take over the dressers has been delayed. I am not making two trips in bad weather.  I feel bad for brother in law, it is hard to lose a parent, even when they have lost their memory of you.

     Gas is $2.15 here, can you believe that?  What a blessing and I will take it for as long as it stands.  I have many plans for the New Year along with ideas to make my life easier and better and I will post all about them tomorrow, so stay tuned and have a Happy New Year's eve.

     Out My Window:  It is very cold here but sunny and clear.  We are big babies and don't like it below 40.


Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Tuesday, terrible headache day

     I do not know what caused it, but I had a bad teeth clenching headache for over 24 hours.  I am hoping for a better day.  The shop however was busy and I do have to get several things done today.

     Took down all Christmas yesterday and it is in boxes in the shop.  The car was in the garage last night making it impossible for me to pass with boxes and put away.  I want to do some rearranging in the garage and it will only take a few minutes to put away. The upstairs seems so large and bare without all the Christmas stuff. I need to do a quick run through and mop the Kitchen floor and it is really clean up there.  I was able to move all the rugs and sweep and clean all the floors even with my headache it just took all day into the night.

     All of the girls laundry is out of the laundry room and it is so nice.  I am taking a huge overflowing basket to the resale shop today out of my bedroom.  I just love the fact that I am getting rid of things.  It frees my soul.  I have several closets to tackle and hubs and I need to really cull our books.  We are such readers and lovers of books and they start to take over.  Maybe I can get him to do a thorough look at that on New Years Day. Our bedroom bookshelves are overflowing.

     Tonight I have our board President coming over with the official video copy of the Nutcracker and we will go over books and see what is needed for set up.  I know my books will not be closed out until the end of January, but that is okay.  We are having Pizza tonight and I have not decided if it is cheaper to make it or buy it ready made.  We have some really good specials going on.  I would need to buy cheese and meat.  I will probably make it, now that I think of it, it will taste better and I will have left overs.  So I must fit a trip to the grocer into my day.

     Desperately need to get my roots done but don't have the money as of yet.  I need to get to work earning money and quit put-zing around this house. At least one of my big goals is complete, as in put away Christmas!

     Tomorrow I am going to post about my New Years Plans as far as debt is concerned.  We will have many serious changes in the coming year and I hope they are for the good.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, December 29, 2014

Monday, plans changed.

     Well I was supposed to go to daughters last night but d#2 wanted to go apply for jobs in another area and needed to drive there, so we cancelled.  Don't worry the mess will still be there.  In the mean time I have plenty to do at home, like sew and put away Christmas.

     I have gained so much weight it is not funny, so I am on a diet of throwing away all Christmas goodies.  Well except the caramels, and the good chocolates and the rosettes and.... you get the drift.  I am going to try to get moving today as I have been a sloth  (I used to say slug but I just can't any more,"sniff") for a while and it has given me a bad headache.

     So this morning I have thrown away a plate of dried hardened fudge with about 5 pieces left as I found myself eating one last night.  I also rid myself of a plate of stale cookies and a dead poinsettia.  I might have found myself eating the  dead poinsettia last night:).   All the other Christmas goodies will be re plated for hub's office.  They have a big hearts game with all the old retiree's on New Years Eve and I will send left overs to them.  Can I ignore these for the next two days?  We will see.

     I have been getting inspired by blogs talking about goals for the New Year. Our talks at church yesterday were about goals.  I guess the Bishop must want us to set some.  I know I have some somewhere, at least I think about them and then go and eat stale fudge.  My usual goal is to survive the day:)

     The stew I made for dinner yesterday will suffice for dinner, so my day is complete.

I really have a very bad headache.

Kim

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Sunday, Lazy life is nice....

     Living the lazy life is so nice, but I could not do it forever.  I slept until 10 yesterday and then by 1:30 was back underneath a blanket dozing on a bed.  Hub's cleaned all the gutters on this huge house and raked up 10 bags of leaves and cleaned the garage floor and driveway of leaves, no easy job.  I was napping.  He came by the bedroom on his way to wash out his gloves and said, "Kim, are you okay?"  Obviously not used to me laying around.  I cleaned a little and puttered on the computer. 

     I am going to put a stew in my Judy for dinner.  To night I am going up to University to be with girls as the youngest one is still sick and needs her mommy.  I really think she needs a clean apartment.  But I will go because I am her mom.

     In the next week I have major sewing to be done, I have to take all these dressers to Missoula and come back that will take at least a day.  I have to take down all of Christmas and put it away.  I also have to get down to the studio, which I have pretended didn't exist and get it organized and cleaned up.  Ugh.  No more laying around for me.  I have hit my 3 day limit of lazy.


Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Saturday, Yeah I mean all these things!

     Yesterday I took a huge load of old non working items (should have put spouse in there :) ) and garbage to the dump.  Just trying to free up space around here.  I think it is working.  Every drawer and nook in our master bedroom has been done. I must ruthlessly continue on the rest of the house.  Just too much stuff. 

     I had $160.00 arrive in the mail that I had forgotten about, that will go to the next house payment.  I have to remember that I will need at least $550.00 in a few weeks and must get to sewing.  This puttering around the house for fun must stop and real work must commence. Yeah I type that like I mean it.

     I have piles of paper garbage in the shop and computer room to clean up and must go through food in fridge and cull out the leftovers, downsize the trays of cookies.  I have gained so much weight and will need to do something about it after the See's chocolates and all the pecan caramels are eaten.  No use starting early.

     I just walk around and make plans and then it is too much work or effort so I go get a plate of goodies and watch netflicks.  I could get used to this life.  But I would have to buy new larger clothes and as I am not buying anything but necessities in 2015 will have to stay in old ones.  There is always a foil in my evil plan.
                                                                             Bliss
   Sitting in jammies,
drinking diet coke
on a Saturday,
during the Christmas season.

      My Christmas poem.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim                                                                      

Friday, December 26, 2014

Monday, On the 13th day of Christmas......

         Sing with me it will make you feel better.  On the 13th day of Christmas my daughter brought to me, 8 loads of laundry!  Yes only eight.  This is why she received 2 sets of twin sheets for Christmas because I do believe her old ones incinerated themselves from not being washed for a semester.  For a micro-bio /chemistry major she sure is a slob!

     Yesterday evening, I asked the two girls when they planned to leave back for the university, I did it sweetly like I was going to really miss them.....

     Hub's and I went to "Unbroken" last night it was very good. I am going to tool around my house and shop and get a few odd and ends done today, then just rest and read and have a long talk with my Sissie.
This is what Christmas break is all about.

     No after Christmas sales for me, no adding paper or tape or ornaments.  We are trying to use up what we have. I have no tags or bows,or ribbon and that is okay with me.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Thursday, Merry Christmas!

     I have eaten three huge orange rolls and I may have another.  I always make orange rolls Christmas morning. We have opened our gifts and everyone is in a Christmas coma.  I rec'd a new wallet which I desperately needed as mine is falling apart, also 6 shirts and a new pair of dankso clogs which I did not need but are a nice addition.  The girls are happy and we cut back again this year.  They each got a nice gift and then a few small things, like socks, a book, cheap costume jewelry, B needed new bed sheets, and S wanted a new blanket.  So things they needed.  It is so nice not to have the sick to my stomach feeling of not being able to deliver at Christmas or delivering and getting stuck trying to pay for it years later.

     We all ate our selves silly on sea food last night.  Girls opened their jammies and we watched TV together.  The best thing is that we have so many left overs from last night I will not have to cook for a couple of days.  It will be a lazy relaxing day of reading new books and talking to family.  I think S and I will walk the bridges later as it is about 50 degrees and we could use the 5 mile walk to work off the additional orange rolls I am going to eat.

     Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy!

Kim

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Wednesday, Christmas eve!

     Merry Christmas every one.  We Swedes actually celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve.  Christmas day is just a calm day of relaxing.  I will make orange rolls for breakfast and that is it.  Very quiet family time, with phone calls and naps. 

     The dresser was delivered last night and it is lovely.  Now I have two empty dressers and clothes all over the place.  Hub's dejunked a huge bag of stuff and I have been decluttering as I go and with what was taken out of renters room and our room I think we will have to make a dump run.  Definitely going to good will and the second hand resale store is in the plan.  So in essence we are getting rid of 5 large pieces of furniture and getting one dresser.  It is all about downsizing.

     Girlfriend and I made two batches of caramel yesterday.  One with pecans and one without.  We also did two batches of almond roca.   Then we made a batch of rosettes.   I had another girlfriend come over and I made 5 aprons and several pot holders with her for Christmas presents.  She ironed and cut all threads and I never left my machine.  It was like a factory and so fun to just work and yak with my friends.  I then ran to store to get holiday dinner fixings which are still in the truck.  Hub's helped me wrap presents last night so that is almost done.  We really cut back this year and that is wonderful.

     My hands and wrists are so bad today and I am a little worried I won't be able to get things done around here.  Everything left to do involves moving and lifting and I think my mover lifter parts are screaming.  Why today?  Still have not done the bills which is so stupid.  Well I did go to the bank yesterday and paid the rest of the payments for the month.  Will update later.  Right now trying to figure my game plan for today.  Where do I start and I am a little overwhelmed.

     Have a a wonderful Christmas eve my friends, may the light of Christ be ever in your homes and lives.

Kim


    

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Tuesday, I am an elf today!

     Did not get list done yesterday, surprise, surprise!  My new vacuum broke (it just quit working) while I was cleaning the last carpet in the basement, so the family room is not done.  I also did not pay the bills or wrap the presents.  Still need to call Sluggy but forgot the time difference here.  So will add those things to list today.

     I am wearing my elf outfit, of a red and white stripped where is Waldo shirt( think short Waldo)a green fleece vest, bright blue socks, and red shiny clogs with blue jeans.  Boy am I cute!  I am baking today with a girlfriend.

     Hub's went with me last night to exchange vacuum.  Then he put it together when we got home.  I think he knew I was at the end of my rope.  I stayed up way too late last night sewing, but it was fun sewing.  I was making aprons and I still have one to finish and then I have potholders to do.  I love creative sewing where I just get to mess around.

     After the vacuum went down yesterday, I went into the shop frustrated and started to tear into drawers.  I do not know why I do this.  It is my inner twin who is very organized.  I actually cleaned every drawer in my shop out and threw away over two large bags of crap.  I am giving my younger brother two large night stand/dressers that Hub's and I have had for over 25 years.  They were full of stuff and I cleaned them out and consolidated down to other drawers.  So these are ready to truck over to Missoula.

     The  man who has custom made all of our bedroom furniture called and our large bedroom dresser (which will replace 2 smaller dressers) will be delivered tonight.  I am excited.  It is Hub's and my Christmas present.  This will actually get rid of three pieces of furniture in our room and allow for a chair for hub's to sit on while he dresses.  So I will be cleaning more drawers this evening.  Fun.  We will take the two dressers and the large rattan chest over to brother also.  We purchased unfinished pine furniture 25 years ago and it is still in perfect condition although smaller than I would like.  We just take care of things, or maybe we are not hard on things.

     The lady who owns the dogs that killed the chickens came over with 8 dozen eggs yesterday.  So I have a stock pile of eggs!  It was sweet of her, she is still so upset.  I have moved on.  I still giggle when I remember those animals locked in the coop.

     I have a very busy day ahead of me but I am happy as I love the days I can just do things I really love.  I love to cook with friends.  I love to sew at whimsy, I love to purge my life of clutter, I love a simple Christmas season.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, December 22, 2014

Monday,making a list and it is too long!

     I know you all get sick and tired of my busy schedule, because I get sick and tired of it.  I feel like I am a hamster on a wheel.Christmas eve is 2.5 days away and I am not even close to ready.  Really don't care if I get ready.  Well I do care but can't seem to get off the wheel.

     After the dog incident yesterday, I bathed for church and the girls came in at the last second making Hub's and my blood pressure boil.  Hubs was to meet pianist at church at 20 to 1 with daughter #2 in tow.  They had to run through a piano, violin, vocal trio of a French Christmas carol.  Of course the beauty queen (daughter #2) skated into church at 15 till.  I could see hubs trying to do breathing exercises to relax.  Too funny, but not funny at the same time.  Why can't kids just be a little early?

     Anyway it went off beautifully, hubs played great and daughter was her movie star self.  Three verses in French and one in English.  We all ran home to get hubs birthday dinner going.  It was lovely.  I threatened both girls with severe harm if they did not go through all the clean laundry in the laundry room and take it up to college.  Also daughter #2 who spends a lot of time in town and stays here some nights, is a slob.  She lives I swear out of her car and bags and laundry baskets.  They are creeping through every room in my house and I can't stand it!  I made her go through everyone of them in every room,(yes I followed her like a baba yaga) Consolidate, put away and take away or else.  The washing machine did not stop until 2 a.m. last night.  Her dance bag, which is huge was disgusting, she had two theater laundry baskets full of (who knows what?)  Then shoes, and bags, and bags, and bags, of overnight crap.  It really drives me nuts.  She is like a hamster that poops in very room.  She was headed for the bedroom we have been renting and had already pooped in the bathroom (i.e. left her Sunday clothes all over and makeup and a huge bag of toiletries).  I stopped her with my magic mother super powers and banished her to Moscow.

    The renter's room has to be cleaned and refurbished as in washed down and made ready.  All I have left to do in there is vacuum. I have a to sweep and scrub the floor in renters bath.  So today I have a long list of to do's to get ready for Christmas baking with a girl friend(tomorrow)and Christmas with my family.  That is Wednesday eve right?

     1. Run through up stairs and finish vacuuming.
     2. Vacuum downstairs bedroom ad assemble.
     3.Clean floor and assemble downstairs bath.
     4. Take all gifts to be wrapped upstairs to master.
     5.  Dust and clean family room. Brand new vacuum died as I was cleaning!
     6. sew all the things left in shop and pray no new comes in before Christmas.
     7.  Pay  all bills for the rest of the month
     8. Wrap presents
     9.  Get organized for tomorrow (baking)
     10. plan Christmas eve dinner and make shopping list for Tuesday.
     11. CALL SLUGGY!
     12.  Get dressed

These are not necessarily in order:)    Really need to get a nap in there some where.

Out My Window:  It is a beautiful sunny, cold winter day.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim


..

    

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Sunday, woke up by local police!

     I was up last night because I could not sleep.  You know how I love my insomnia.  Finally at 5:15 ,yes 5:15 I was able to sleep.  I woke at a little after 10:00 to the front doorbell.  We are farmers by nature and don't use the front door except for company that does not know us.  There was Ian our local policeman and a young woman with two dog leashes.  She was crying.  Her dogs had gotten into our chicken coop and killed our chickens.  I was somewhat confused as to why she had leashes and no dogs.  Well the dogs were locked in the coop surrounded by dead chickens.

     They had managed to find small break in the wire and forced it open.  Quite tenacious dogs as the break was about at my waste and very small.  These were large beautiful pure bred Husky's.  They looked at us like ,"well see what we did it was so fun!  But now can we please get out? " The owner was told that the dogs could  at our request be taken and put down as they were proven killers.  She was hysterical as I would have been.  Hubs and I tried to calm her down.  DOGS kill CHICKENS.  It is their natural instinct unless they are trained otherwise.  We assured her  that we were not going to press charges, we felt bad about the chickens but we felt more bad for her distress.  You can replace chickens for about .96 cents apiece in the spring.  One of the chickens was almost 2 so she was coming to the end of her laying cycle.  One of them did not ever lay past the first dozen eggs.  They were kind of a lame batch.  They were pets and we do know someone who would give us chickens if we really needed them.  I just felt so bad for this woman.  Her dogs were really far away from her house she had been driving all morning looking for them.  I told her they were safe as they were locked up.

    As this next year is our year of not buying anything we do not need, we will not replace them.  We are seriously talking of downsizing, if not the house at least our lives. The chickens do not pay for themselves they are just unique pets.  We would have had to find them homes in about a year or so.

     What an exciting way to start a Sunday.  I am going to go up and bake Hubs a birthday cake.

Have a wonderful and peaceful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Saturday, Drum Roll please!!!!!!!!

     I am below $100,000.  I did it!  Before the end of the year!  As the studio is going non-profit they will have to assume the CC debt and any other debt I do not have listed.  I am not sure how this will all work out but I am feeling pretty positive.  I have not posted the car payment or the sewer payment yet so this will go down further.  I also have more money to apply to debt but at this time I want to see where all bills fall.  I do not want to pay-off Studio lock only to turn around and borrow from it again. 

     I really have concentrated on the house as it is our largest debt with a monthly payment of $1450.00.  Our next largest was the truck which was studio debt but in my name it was a $500.00 a month debt.  So that will free up money for other debts and help me pay them off faster.  So nice.  Now I am going to look at that total below $100,00 and concentrate on that.  I would like to see it go down this year by at least $3000.00 a month and I think that is doable.  Maybe concentrate on my car (that I never get to drive) as it is a $350.00 payment and that would be nice to get rid off.  Maybe by next Christmas 2015 we will have no vehicle payments.  How nice would that be?

     I only have one more present to buy to finish Christmas.  We are celebrating Hub's 64th Birthday tomorrow, as he turned 64 yesterday.  They sang to him at the Wedding reception.  We drove all day today to get home.  About 5.5 hours.  Roads were a little snowy and foggy so we took it careful.

     Our boarder is out of the house and I will miss him.  We are seriously thinking of taking another to help pay down debt.  We will see.  We have the room, we just need the right person.

     My house is a wreck!  Every room but the formal front room is a disaster.  Laundry,dust crap, beds need changed, vacuuming needs to be done.  Packages need to be wrapped.  The shop is a pig-sty and I have too much to do.  I want to sleep and rest but don't see that happening before Christmas.

Out My Window :  I had better go check on my chickens and where is my dog?  Oh there she is asleep at my feet almost stepped on her!

Have a great evening, I think I will be cleaning.....yuck

Kim

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thursday, In Nampa at in-laws

     We drove to Nampa which is 15 miles from Boise today.  Arrived about 5 their time and we did a little Christmas shopping.  I got B done and have to find at least 2 gifts for S.  Then I am Done!  It will be a really cut back Christmas but the girls don't care they are happy to just be together.  Hubs turns 64 tomorrow so I told his niece if she wanted our wedding gift she had better have a cake for him at the reception.  I didn't care if it was a hostess cupcake.

     The Wedding is at 11:00 tomorrow and then the reception is at 6:30.  So between I will finish up Christmas at the Boise Mall.  This is great as we have no shopping in Lewiston to speak of and when I get home I can wrap packages and sew and rest.

     By the way, just for a small drum roll I paid off the truck today!  I will not update things until I get home, but I will have more pay off results when I can get the figures together.  Trying so hard to pass up Sarah and I could only to spiral right back into more debt so I must be cautious and be satisfied with what I can do.  Remember this year was about not over paying my debt and failing to keep enough to live on and be somewhat comfortable,  I really wanted the truck paid off as this years goal and I made that for sure.  I am making progress that is what counts.  Perhaps when all the dust settles I can pay off something else.  We will see.

     I am so excited!

Kim

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Wednesday, on my way to Mothers.

     We are up and packed and waiting for daughter to arrive to come with me to Missoula.  I dread the long drive but it must be done. Must gas the car up on the way out of town, by the way gas is $2.39 here.  What is it in your neck of the woods?

     I should be home early evening and I hope to be able to rest in the car on the way to Boise.  It is finals week and I have not heard from the youngest,  No melt downs.  Is that a sign she is growing up?  Really too tired to think, but will check on her today.  I will call sissie when I get to mother's.

     The only really good thing about having to go to Boise is that I have done no Christmas shopping and I will have some time to hit the Mall there, so I should be able to complete what I need to do.

     I paid the teachers last night for December as we have a two week vacation.  So that means that all monies that come into the studio in January will not have payroll out and I should be able to get some money in savings for taxes.  Or maybe apply it to some debt?  How nice would that be.

     I can't wait to post when I get home and report on my finances.  I did not update last month so you are all going to see a big change.  I am so tired it is hard to be excited.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Tuesday, things are going to change so stay tuned....

     Well I settled with the theater last night and I held them to their contract which they breached at least 15 times in the first dress rehearsal.  As we are used to running our own shows we were able to pull together and make things successful.  I did not post a lot about it as it was too aggravating and confusing, complaining to you guys would just have made the wound bigger.  I was more interested in making the show a success and harping about things I could not control or people I could not control would not change the outcome. 

     However working hard on the things I could do led us to 6 out of 8 sold out performances, and the biggest money maker for our theater this year.  They were thrilled and they were also embarrassed about their staff and volunteers and how we were treated. We were supposed to walk into a fully staffed theater that was clean and ready for us.  We had several meetings and stated specifically what we needed from them.  Nothing was ready or done.  It was a nightmare, so as parents and teachers we banded together and made it work.  A community is a powerful thing.

     Our split was 30/70 us taking the 30.  I renegotiated after showing them how much more money I had to spend compared to them because they did not have their people in the right spots.  We then split 50/50.  Go Kim!

     So you will soon see come changes to my bottom line. Right now I am very behind in my shop and I have to take mom home tomorrow.  Another all day drive.  Then Thursday we have to take off for a Wedding in Boise and will be home on Saturday afternoon.  I am so looking forward to just staying home and enjoying my family.  I want some quiet afternoon naps and to get a few projects done.

     Jane has inspired me to declutter and go through my house as we really want to downsize or rent the house out in about a year and all of our things will need to go into storage.  Less is more in my book right now, except for money of course:)

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, December 15, 2014

Monday, I'm free, yippee!

     Well not really, but I am free of the Nutcracker for about 48 hours!  Exhausted, and happy it is over.  I actually slept really well last night and went to bed about 11.  Now I get to deal with a torn up house and a really torn up studio.  But I don't even care.  I feel free and I can do what I want when I want.  (We all so know that that isn't true, but let me dream my fantasy for a little while) 

     Okay that is over.  I have a few hours today to get some housework done before I have to meet with the theater President to go over books, which we will do at 3'oclock, then daughter and I are going to help decorate the stage for a Christmas concert that will be held next weekend for a charity organization.  They are desperate and behind on oleo acts and even though we cannot help with the onstage performances as we will be out of town at a wedding, we can get them up and running, by doing all the things they need to get the show off the ground.  It is our Christmas act of charity (or stupidity I haven't figured it out yet)

     The mom that owed me money paid me $400.00 so I was able to pay my house payment.  God is good and I consider this a true miracle and blessing. Money I was going to have to scramble to get just appeared when I needed it and I am grateful.

     It was so fun to be with our grandson and daughter this weekend.  We bought him a police car that makes all sorts of sounds and he was thrilled.  He loved the Nutcracker and stayed awake until the coda at the very end.

     I have not really thought at all about Christmas, and I need to get busy and get a few things done in that respect.  But right now, today, I am going to enjoy the fact that I have a big load gone out of my schedule and just be happy about my life, I am blessed and I am a blessing to others.  I have a dirty house, but it is mine and it is beautiful.  I have a very sick demanding mother upstairs, but I also have the love of my family who are a great support to me. I am in debt, but I have paid my bills up through today.  Today, just for today I am okay and deserve to be happy.  Problems will come, things will go wrong, but I deserve to be happy.

Out My Window:  Oh my goodness I need to go check on my chickens!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, December 12, 2014

Friday, late afternoon

     The show was a huge success last night.  We had the stage manager play Mother Ginger which is typically played by a male dancer on stilts because the costume is so heavy.  I was up about 3 1/2 feet on a roller cart, but my neck was just too sore to stand the weight of the harness.  It was hysterical and about brought down the house.  We did not tell the kids under the skirt that I was not playing the part.  They enter the skirt in the dark so had no idea it was a grown man with a beard.  Too funny the little girls would dance and then look up at him like,"What the heck?"

     Got to bed too late last night and slept in this morning also too late.  Daughter and I were to meet a man at the studio at 10:30 to tear down a wall on the back of the costume loft.  This would free up another whole area for sets and costumes we have not been able to utilize. Dirty messy work, but it was down and loaded into a truck in about 1.5 hours and then we took scrap to the dump.  This will make it so much easier to tear down set and move it home as we will have places to put everything and a lot more storage.

     My eldest daughter and her mother-in-law and grandson are here for the show.  It will be so fun to watch Danny at the performance.  I am excited.

     I had a mom that owes me several hundred dollars call and she wants to pay up.  What a blessing, now if she just does it!  Paid almost all bills and I am flat broke.  Oh no I just got $10.00 in the shop:)  I can go a long way on that.

     Well I have 1.5 before I have to be at the theater, here we go again.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim


 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Thursday, Pain in my neck!

     I am not talking about my mother, but I have a pain in my neck!  Running down the right back side. It hurts to turn and to swallow sometimes.  Last night was miserable as I could hardly sleep.  But this morning is better.  I will not be doing Mother Ginger tonight because of it and have refitted the costume for another.

     Ten hours in the car yesterday probably did not help.  Long day and mom was asleep in bed when I got home from the theater. She is so thin, it is like she is wasting away, but she seems happy and she was ready to go when I got to her place.  This means she flew home on Tuesday and got in at 10 p.m. and did not unpack her suitcase was up and ready for me to pick her up the next afternoon.  Pretty good for a sick old lady!  Now you know where I get my stamina.

     I have a lot to do today before I hit the theater.  Mostly sewing, laundry and general cleaning up.  Where does the laundry come from?  I mean I feel like that is all I do.  I guess two sweaty dance bodies a day?  I don't know and maybe the clothes are heavier as it is cold outside.  I also did all the bedding on two beds so that will contribute,  Blah!

     I must pay a few bills today, money is so tight that I am paying as I go what has to be paid. I am so afraid of not having enough when something crucial arises.

     I am going to get mom busy cooking or I should say baking some Christmas things. I have all the ingredients so that won't be a problem.  I am just so happy she is here.

The bathtub is calling and I have already had two customers here.  I am in my pink stripped jammies and I am not cute.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Tuesday,company coming

     Yesterday was a blur as I felt like I was in between worlds.  My Nutcracker theater world and my real world.  I did make sure that both my checking accounts were balanced as I have been really sloppy and costly there lately.  I also cleaned off my desk and caught up on show expenses to turn over to theater.

     I really did not do much yesterday, a little sewing, a little cleaning, a little book work.  It was a nice pleasant day of putzing.  I don't get many of those.  I was able to talk to my Sissie with out too many interruptions.

     Today I am going to clean the upstairs and the downstairs a little.  Get some sewing done as I need the money to make the house payment.  I need to get my nails done, haven't done that for a month.  I actually woke up this morning with very little stiffness so that was a positive.

     I have to go pick up my mother tomorrow in Missoula.  Not looking forward to a 10 hour drive but oh well.  Daughter #2 will go with me.  I hope the roads are good.  We will leave here about eight or nine and then get there about noon to turn around and come back as we want to be here at about 5 in the afternoon for rehearsal.  Fun, fun, fun!

     So I had better get then house ready for company as after mom comes, Eldest daughter, her mother-in-law and grandson come.  It will be a full house.  Everyone is coming in for the Nutcracker.  So let's get ready for company.  How does one do that?

      I guess I do have to clean!  Darn I was hoping for another lazy day.  Maybe bake bread, and a little something, something.  As my Sissie would say.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, December 8, 2014

Monday, $507.13 in my pig!

     Yes that was the grand total!  This is my Christmas money.  I could hardly carry the money down to the bank it was so heavy.  It is my best year yet and now I have started all over with new change in the pig.

     The show is going great, I am very, very, tired.  Grateful for a few days off  so I can catch up around here.  I also have a house payment due and I have no money saved toward it so I need to get busy.

     We sold out at the the theater on Saturday and Sunday and the shows are selling fast for next week.  Looks like a good run.  Board director and I decided not to do a Celtic show this year but to take the kids to schools and do assembly performances.  I don't make any money on the show and it is so much stress we will take a year off and just do community service and concentrate on our spring production.

     Bad news is my arthritis is blowing big time.  I have a call into the doctor and am going in for blood work.  Wrists and one ankle very affected. So that means the other ankle will go soon.  Night sweats are awful, waking up soaking wet and freezing.  I would like to blame the weather but we all know that is not the reason.

     Hub's and I got up Saturday morning and he cleaned the chicken coop and he and I took a load of yard and chicken waste to the landfill and then went to the city dump to drop off an old microwave and some large garbage.  When we got home all covered in yuck, we decided to pull the 7 boxes of Christmas decos out of the garage.  The boxes were covered with dirt and spider webs as we did not completely clean the garage this year.  So now we were doubly dirty.  Our plan was to just pull the boxes and then rest before going to the theater at 5.  I did not want to leave filthy boxes all over the upstairs so we emptied said boxes and took them back down to the garage.  Now Christmas had thrown up all over the front room.   So hubs put the tree together and I started to put things where they belonged and 3 hours later our house was done except the tree was not decorated.  Daughter and I came home from the theater at 10 p.m. and decorated the tree.  The house is ready for Christmas!  I downsized 2 whole boxes of Christmas ornaments and things and will do more after we pack them up.  I just want to be down to a few boxes.

     I put a big roast and veggies in my Judy on Sunday and had a nice dinner after the show.  It was so nice to sit down to the table and have a meal.  I feel like all we have done since Thanksgiving is eat on the run.  We have a lots of leftovers for tonight.

     I am going to get into a hot tub and see if I can get my joints to loosen up and then run through the house and set down and look at my books.  Pay as many studio bills as I can and then try to figure out where I am financially for Christmas.  It is going to be a light one and I don't even care.  The kids are old enough to understand money and that I don't have any extra for extravagance.  But we will have a nice Christmas all the same.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, December 5, 2014

Friday, We are open!

     We are open and not soon enough.  I am beat and just want to sleep.  So happy show is up and running it takes off a lot of stress.  It was a small house last night but enough to give the dancers a sense of an audience which is what they needed.  We had a bunch of memorable snafu's, but all in all everyone was laughing most of the time.   We of course had to make a few last minute changes that added to the drama.  Our stage manager has obviously not run a dance production before and was having some trouble, but she will get the hang of things I think.  If not she will get voted off the island I am afraid.

     Parents were very helpful and we had lots of help, mostly because daughter had a meltdown fit on stage during dress rehearsal.  Oh living and working with artists, is not always pretty.  Mother Ginger about killed me, my legs were shaking when I was lifted of my platform.  You know how your muscles start to shake when you have done way too much?.  And of course the stage is 2 flights of stairs up from the dressing rooms, then the theater entrance is 2 floors down from that.  If you want to get up to the  back stage dressing room it is up a flight of stairs.  So if I was to get from the theater audience level up to say the ballet Mistress dressing room I was running 5 flights of stairs. Yikes I am not sore today but my mouth is covered with cold sores inside, so I must have been pretty stressed last night.

     I have a dental appointment this morning to get my teeth cleaned, fun.  I must come home and finish my list from yesterday.  Then I am open my pig bank.  So today's list is shorter but I am also a little more worn out.

1. straighten upstairs
2. start a stew in my Judy  (why does that always sound so bad?)
3. Clean, dust and vacuum downstairs.
4. clean shop
5. Make snow Queens, arm ruffles (she don't tell I forgot these no one noticed)
6. Clean and straighten fridge
7. Continue with laundry started yesterday
8. Open my PIG!

On your mark get set....... snore

Kim

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Thursday, show opens!

     Well dress rehearsal was a complete disaster, which is good as it means we will have a great opening night.  I am too tired to really care right now.  I am sitting here typing in my night gown, I have already been to Mc Donalds in my night gown for a soda as we are out of Diet coke I and I needed a pick me up.  Customers will show up and I will be here wild haired and smelly.  At least I took off my Mother Ginger makeup from last night.

     Needless to say I just want this over.

     On a good note I have no costume mending or fixing today.  I mean I left the theater with nothing.  I do have an order coming in today and have to run buy some back up tights but that is it.  This almost never happens.  On a bad note, I am a stinky mess and my house is a disaster.  I think there might be laundry molding in the washer.  We have been out of bread and milk since Sunday.  Papers everywhere and I am sure there is a mouse living around the computer from all the dropped popcorn and chocolate I have been nibbling the last few week.  I still have Halloween and Thanksgiving decos all over.

     So my goal today, is to of course clean up and then gut the upstairs and the family room, my shop and the laundry.  My reward if I complete my tasks in a timely manner is that I get to open my Pig bank I have been saving my change in all year!  Yeah what a fun reward, but my list is ominous......

1. bathe, dress, get ready to meet my public
2. clean master bedroom and bathroom
3. clean spare room
4. clean spare bath
5 clean kitchen
6. clean out fridge and organize
7. take program to theater whenever the call comes in.
8. go pick up spare tights at stores.
9. clean and dust family room
10. put away all Halloween and Thanksgiving crap.
11.  All this has to be done while I am working on laundry
12. Dust and clean living room
13. clean off front porch
14. check on chickens
15. open Pig bank!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay on your mark get set go!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Wednesday, dress rehearsal

     Tech on the second night went better, but I am dreading tonight as the crew is so lame.  The dancers are fine we have rehearsed to death, but moving all the set pieces is scary.  I have so many costumes to tweak I don't know if I will get them done.  But I will work like a demon.

     Daughter was called into work at an office the next three days.  She has worked so hard at the theater and was afraid I could not finish up.  I have to laugh at her as I think she forgets, I have
 done this on my own for years.  As I let go of the reigns my staff begins to think I can't do things anymore.

     Last night the Spanish dance couple were having trouble coming out of a double spin lift and I told the male dancer to drop his partner a 1/4 sooner so she could continue to spin coming out as the momentum would keep her going.  Oh that is how you do it?  How did I know?  Not my first rodeo guys.  Many, many moments like that.    Makes me smile.

     I put a mom on collecting money duty and she has done great.  I was able to pay a few bills yesterday and I will have enough to run payroll.  Still not out of the woods yet, but at least not panicking.  This is also a 3 paycheck month so we will be okay if I can just keep expenses down and we have no disasters.

Well I have to run.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Tuesday, barely hangin on.....

     I was able to juggle around money yesterday and get the studio CC paid by the skin of my teeth.  That is how it is gong to be for the next few days.  Today I will go to the bank and pay 5 more smaller bills.  But those add up after a while.

     Tech run through of the first act was a nightmare.  But they always are.  I hope tonight goes better.  I think it will.  Trying to stay positive at this point.

 Too much work came into the shop yesterday, can you believe I said too much work?  My sissie called me and made me laugh, she is so annoying sometimes, I was too busy to stop and laugh, but I did.  The thoughtless wench.

     Much to do today, little things but a long list of little things. The father that is becoming my Board President is too funny.  His e-mail comments to me from last nights tech were too good.  Just the sarcasm alone was worth the read.  I love to get e-mails like that.  He told me he was going to sell his antique gun collection as his bucket list was getting too full.  What do you mean, and he said he has a bucket list inside his head of people he would like to take out to make his life easier.  I know this is crude with all that goes on in our country with guns, but I had to laugh at him..  As I have never seen him lose his temper or even swear. He is such a goody-goody.

     Well I am off to do errands and then return and sew until I have to be back at the theater.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, December 1, 2014

Monday, I hate it when my sissie is right!

     Financially my Sissie is always is always right.  How does she do it?  She knew my finances were going into the shi**er just by talking to me.  I did not realize it.  But my (soon to be) board President told me that I spent a lot this month on show materials that would be reimbursed and he was right.  I guess I just panicked and did not think of that.  All I saw was empty check books and no money to pay regular bills as I have never been able to replenish the saving this year.

     At least I know where the money is, so I will pay the bill that is due today, and then tomorrow, and then the next day!  I will work it out I think.  Must stay positive.

     Went to theater at 2:30 after church and cleaned and swept and moved crap that should have been put away by them.  Then had a music, tech, light rehearsal.  Video man set up his cameras.  Pulled costumes and tried to see what we still need from studio.  You think you have it all and you don't. Secured a professional ball room dancer for my daughter as her partner went south. Pressed the Mother Ginger skirt no small feet I can tell you.

     I must get milk and I am going to buy some bread (shhh don't tell) just do not have time to make it.  Need to pull something out for dinner, have no idea what. We will be lucky to have clean clothes this week.  I have a great deal of sewing in the shop and more coming in today.  I also have to do the books although I am so scared, but I will be strong.

Out My Window:  Freezing!  Which reminds me I have to check on the chickens.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim