Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Wednesday, Work, work, work

     By the way the blueberry and pear pie is delicious. Only allowing myself one piece a day.  I could eat the whole thing, shameful.  

     I spent the majority of my time in the shop yesterday and will also do that today.  I do have a secret shop to do late this afternoon.

     My French dip sandwiches from the crock pot were delicious and I am using the rest of the roast in a stir fry this evening.

     Need to go out and check the tomatoes and pick what is ripe.

My first customer this morning dropped off over 200 worth of alterations, this is why I cannot catch up.

     Mom is still in a funk but I am working on her.

I must sit down and pay bills tonight and set up a new budget.  I have a mess of things from the summer remodel and plan on posting so I can be accountable and tick these things off to get  back on track.

Well I need to go clean up, carry down the laundry, and get some breakfast.  (pie?)

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Tuesday, cleaning up the leftovers

     Well when you come home from a trip you always have the unpacking and the mess.  I did not even try to touch the laundry, in fact most of it is not even downstairs yet.  I did get unpacked and those things put away.  Hubs and I had to strip the bedcovers as the dog had laid on them and they were dirty.  We usually shut the bedroom doors, but Lil sis must have opened them.  So I have mount wash more to face today.

     Mom is still in a rare mood but a we bit better.  Lil sis is angry and vengeful and I love my job as the arbitrator. NOT  We did not see lil sis yesterday which was probably a good thing.  I talked to her a few times and she was sloppy and tearful and ugly and way over dramatic.  But those are her feelings and not to make light of them, I just feel bad for her.  ( I really feel bad for me:)

     I had quite a bit of work come into the shop yesterday and I spent the day running up and down the stairs answering the door.  We came home with berries and peaches that had to be taken care of immediately.  There was also a 1/2 full bowl of over ripe pears, a clump of over ripe bananas, a few nectarines going bad, and at least a gallon of tomatoes that needed to be processed.  There was a gallon of plums that needed work and squash to be picked.

     We are trying to eat down out freezer and I needed room to freeze all this fruit.  So I spent the better part of the day in the kitchen.  I blanched and froze two 1/2 gallon bags of tomatoes, I blanched and froze 1 gallon bag of plum 1/2's.  I froze the bananas,  took out a roast for French dips and also chiabota rolls for the same.  We will have these for dinner along with the huge head of cauliflower I cooked up.  Also two containers of applesauce from last year will be eaten this week.  As I was working I cleaned and froze the blueberries we had picked last week and then froze them in 4 quart bags.  I took the 6 peaches and 3 nectarines that were turning and blanched them to remove skins, mixed up pie filling with some left over berries, also made a blueberry and pear pie with the 6 over ripe pears left on counter.  Made up a batch of 8 pie crusts, made two pies and froze the rest of the crusts.  Now the kitchen is a night mare.  So I cleaned that and scrubbed the floor.  Took me a better part of the day.

     We took the missionaries out to dinner at a favorite Pizza place of ours.  Mom went with and she stated out crabby and silent, but the spirit of the boys warmed her little heart.  She enjoyed herself and then enjoyed having a meal out and the left over pizza to take home.  We went home and had peach and blueberry pie.  Yum!

     Hub's and I went and bought a few groceries late last night and then I stayed up and worked on a beaded dress and another bridesmaid dress.  Did not get much sewing done bad me.  I will get that done today.  I really need to put out the work today.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, August 29, 2016

Monday, Had a great time!

     Well we are back and I am facing the firing squad.  Mom is furious with me as she found out, ( I use the words found out as a joke) that I was charging her RENT of $500.00 a month for her share of the house and food expenses.  I am there fore making money on her.  I did not want to take care of her I just wanted her money.  By the way these terms were set up by all my sisters and her in Missoula before she moved.  Sisters thought I should get much more and I said no just enough to cover her expenses and she is expensive.  But now she doesn't remember and she doesn't have any money and she is broke and we are all stealing from her.  We don't love her yada, yada.

     Then mom and Sis proceeded to get into a huge fight and terrible things were said.  Mom wants to move back to Missoula where she can rent an apartment and take care of herself for under 500 a month.  You go girl.

     In the mean time Hub's and I had a very nice if not time stressed vacation.  We had made a list of things we wanted to do and we did them but under too many time restraints.

     We drove the 2 hours to the Hiawatha trail on Wednesday and I really enjoyed having my own bike.  Seat was more comfortable, it fit my leg length perfectly.  I about had a break down ( mental) in the first tunnel as I had forgotten to take off my sun glasses and was riding in total darkness.  Scared me to death, when I finally could see I took off like a bat out of Hell or a tunnel, hub's could in no way keep up with me as adrenaline was on my side.  Then we realized that in order to catch the 2:30 shuttle we needed to get down the trial sooner than later.  This forced us to ride the 19 miles like we were on fire.  Both of us were so sore we collapsed when we got home.

     The next day we went to the blueberry files and the berries had come on early so we were really gleaning berries ad it was not worth the trip.  Sorry Slug thought I could send you some dried berries.  So we puttered at nurseries and bought a few plants for daughter.

     Friday we drove to the Upper part of Priest lake and it took about 1.5 hours longer than we thought it would.  Too much time in the car.  Finally arrived and launched the canoe to do the stream between the upper and lower lakes .  It was so beautiful and fun..  But again because of the long drive and we needed to get back to help daughter we had to really rush.  Which meant paddling like Olympians and we again were both exhausted.  I was especially sore in my shoulders and joints.  9 miles in a canoe in about 3 hours was more than I could tolerate.  Although we were able to keep up with the trolling boats in the canal.  I think they were shocked.

     We got home and daughter put me in a hot tub with Epsom salts and that helped.  The next morning we helped her get ready for our son in laws birthday bash.  We cleaned and set up.  I did three bathrooms and three bedrooms, sheets and all as new company was coming in.   Lots of laundry.  Hub's vacuumed and dusted  ( redusted) played with baby.  Daughter cleaned living area, kitchen, and family room, staircases.  Let me tell you the square footage of the stair cases alone is a job.  We were finally done by 2 and Hub's and I took off for home with a trip to the LDS Temple.  So quiet and beautiful.  Then home to the Sis and Mom show.

     The house is a wreck, the garden needs attention,  the shop is busy, lots of calls from new studio owner. The ever exploding situation between mom and sis is so hard for me It makes me realize that selling the studio was the right thing to do.  I could not have handled the stress of this mess and the studio.  I am grateful for the spirit that helps me to know what is right.  I tried to ignore it because I love my students and the art , but I had no idea that Sis would be coming here and bringing all her problems.  And let me tell you they are severe problems.  Not having to deal with opening the studio for the new year is a god send.  I am so glad that I listened to that inner voice. It reaffirms that I did the right thing, that there is a loving Father in heaven that hears and answers my prayers.

      It will be a busy last week of summer.  I just wish emotionally I did not have to deal with mom and sis.  For those of you who take care of a parent I need help and advise.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, August 22, 2016

Monday, Service work

     Spent Saturday morning cooking with mom.  We made cookies for the Salvation army.  We also made 5 pies.  One peach for our neighbor, and one peach and blueberry for us.  Then 3 rhubarb custard.  I got a call from the church that an older couple needed a meal brought in Saturday evening so I thought a rhubarb pie was just the thing. 

     Hub's and I then went to buy him some new pants.  The man took out three good pair of outdoor pants cutting down that old ponderosa pine tree.  It was very pitchy and he managed to cover three pairs of pants over the course of a month with pitch.  He is a talented man.

     I tried a new method for making peach and blueberry pie.  Add the blueberries frozen to the peach mixture this keeps the berries from dyeing the pie purple.  Just as delicious.  I know because the pie is gone, Sigh.....

     We still have the dehydrator going and have one more load of pears to go, then the neighbor will bring more, ugh.

Little Sis had one of her tantrums Saturday night, I stood my ground and she was all smiles Sunday.  Boy do I dislike that behavior. Of course I was thrown in the middle of her and mom.  Both of them are wrong, but it is the way it is handled that bothers me.

     Hub's and I are leaving tomorrow for a short vacation.  We will go bike the Hiawatha
 trail, and canoe the stream between the lower and upper Pierce lakes.  Then we will pick some blueberries up by Sandpoint.  We will also see our grandson.  Probably come home on Saturday.

     I have a lot to do today finish up a Wedding dress and hem 12 shirts.  Then I must switch money around and pack oh also pay a bill.  Oh yeah have to hem a pair of pants for hub's  can any one say scotch tape?

     Better get busy.
Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, August 19, 2016

Friday, We are a bunch of fruits!

     Too much fruit coming on around here.  Hub's and I filled the new dehydrator with pears and plums.  We decided this morning that the plums are not what we want to dry.  The pears are lovely.  So we will do many more pears.  The dehydrator works so much better than the old one.  However the old one I bought for 5.00 at a yard sale and used for 15 years so well worth the purchase.  This new dehydrator was a gift.

     Mom was up early to start the peaches which was and is a pain for me.  I have two wedding dresses to press and I don't need the mess right now.  She does not move fast enough to skin peaches.  So I came into a kitchen with peaches that were boiling.  Now they are mush.  Burned myself trying to peel them.  She is so impatient and can't wait for my schedule and she can no longer do things herself.  Okay I will suck it up now.  SUUUUUUUUUUCK......

I am going to go upstairs after this post and clean my bedroom and fix my face.  It might take longer to fix my face.  Then I will knock out a few piecrusts if I can find enough Crisco.  That may be my saving grace I am out of Crisco.  I can put off the pie crusts until this afternoon.  Yeah!

     I need to get groceries for baking.  Mom has used my stock.  Now if only I could get her to pay for them. 

     Mom is going out to lunch with sister and an old school friend of sis's.  Then Hub's and I are taking an older couple out to dinner tonight for their birthdays.

     Well I need to go jump into my upstairs mess and then my fruity life.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Thursday, I did not produce yesterday

     I don't know what happened yesterday.  I did not get much done in the shop.  I did have many people pick up and few drop off and I had a bridal fitting, which always take time.  Maybe it was the distractions or the fact that I have been so busy all week.

     Made bean goulash for dinner, with mom's leftover tato salad and fruit.  We will have leftovers of that with a salad for dinner tonight.

     I wanted to get more weeding done but ended up going to Jo Anns to get mom more flannel and then over to sister's to help her hang curtains that I had fixed for her.  So I did get some sewing done.

     Today I have to get some fruit processed and I have to pick peaches.  Mom is making banana bread and I hope to get her to help me fill the dehydrator.  I need to make the crusts if mom wants to make peach pie.  I promised the neighbor a peach pie. 

     I also have had 4 pairs of pants come in this morning already that need to gout this afternoon.  I need to finish up a weeding dress for pick up tomorrow.  There for I cannot mess around today.

NO messing around.  I am great at messing around.  It is my favorite thing to do.

I actually had my little sister clean my kitchen and scrub the floor and I sewed her curtains.  See how much I wanted to clean that floor?  Now mom and I are going up to process fruit that should undo all the work my sister did for me.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Wednesday, so I thought would?

     I thought I would have a normal day.  Like that was going to happen, right?  Normal the setting on the dryer....remember?

     The shop was just busy, no way to catch up throughout the day.  I did get a few of the things done that I wanted.  Well and I did get my sewing done for the day so that is probably a win.  I don't know why I feel that if I don't get everything else done I have failed.  So stupid I am.

     Did get the window shades backup.  Sissie purchased these for me about 15 years ago.  They were expensive then, and I have taken them down and soaked them in the tub and then air dried them.  They have always come snow white clean.  Not this time, however.  A dingy grey and I do not have the money right now to replace them.  I wonder if I can lightly spray paint them?

     Dinner turned out to be leftover's as I was out greeting and older couple that had gotten lost trying to find my place.  I noticed my neighbor struggling out by his truck.  Now this is the man that lost his left leg and half his right foot in Vietnam.  He had to have the other leg removed last year, so now two bionic legs.  He uses crutches a lot.  Did I just see a large cast on his arm?  Yes, yes I did.  He dropped a crutch and he was struggling to pick it up with a huge cast.  I told the older couple to go inside and I went over opened his garage door, where he works on cars, turned on the air conditioner and got him set up to work on an engine.  He had fallen and broken his arm and they had to do surgery.

     So I went inside and told mom to help me rustle up some dinner for him and his very crippled wife.  This is why I get nothing done.  His peaches need to be picked, ugh!

     I was able to get quite a bit of weeding done and will work more on that tonight.  It is very hot here and working outside is not an option.

     I think Hub's and I are going to take a few days to go up north and ride the Hiawatha bike trail.  Just get out of dodge.  We can stay with daughter and see our boy.

Well I have plenty to do today and will not add to my list.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Tuesday,helping sissie or myself?

     My little sister is trying to get her house set up.  I would love to spend all my time over there ripping wall paper and helping, but I have this shop to run.  It is 11:18 here and I already have had 4 people here and many phone calls.   Let's face it I also need the money.

     Last night I went over after dinner and helped her for a few hours, but I really need to be working on my own yard when it cools down.

  Neighbor brought over a huge box of large green pears and Hub's just picked at least another bushel of pears off our tree.  Neither batch is ready as they are too green, but if not picked will fall and be ruined.  I have a beautiful new dehydrator purchased for me by Hub's parents 2 years ago Christmas.  Hub's set it up but we will have to wait at least a week until these pears are soft enough to dry.

     Having a garden and processing your own food when available and it is free saves money.  We also supplement the chickens with our left over scraps and fruit falls.  This really helps cut down on the feed we buy.

    Neighbor has plums coming out his ears, I am trying to decide if I want to dehydrate some plums.  This is not a fruit we use in cooking and as I have no more kids at home do I need to waste the energy and time to do this?  I just hate to see food go to waste. Then again the sugar content of fruit that is processed is an issue.  Neither Hub's nor I nor my mom needs the added sugar.  Mom is diabetic, Hub's pre-diabetic and me a matter to time.  I was diabetic with my pregnancies.

     Things I want to get done today.

Weed at least one section of the back yard no matter how hot it is outside.
Get window shade back up in Master bedroom (I washed them a week ago)
Straighten and lightly clean the upstairs
Scrub the kitchen floor
Clean off the back deck
Plant mums
Take pictures of Kitchen as far as it is done a post on the blog:)

But first I must get my sewing done..  So off to work I go!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, August 15, 2016

Monday, yeah, yeah, I know, I have heard it before....

     So Friday night I went to bed about 12:30 p.m. after watching late night TV.  It was weird as I usually wake up every hour on the hour.  Like at, 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and then sleep solid until 9 and then get up.  Well I laid down next to hubs and all of a sudden the light was streaming in the windows.  It was 6:30 and I had not moved in 6 hours.  I mean not moved.  I had also had really weird rem dreams which is unusual for me.  Well isn't this great 6 straight hours of uninterrupted sleep, but hold on now I can't move.  My right hand is frozen stiff as I did not force it flat under something every hour and my left hip is on fire.  I actually started to cry when I forced myself to move.  This woke hubs for about 10 seconds.  He asked me if I wanted some kind of pain relief and I said no as I did not want an upset stomach.  I then let the throbbing subside and went back to sleep until about 11.  Big mistake.

     I woke with a migraine and tried to pretend that it would go away.  It was a hell of a day and I ended up having a melt down with Hub's who sent me back to bed.  Actually I lay in a dark cool room with my eyes close for 3 hours and that helped.  We went to a movie Saturday evening .  I really should have stayed home with my eyes closed.

     Sunday was a little better, but I still left church early to go home and sit in the dark.  The weekend was shot.

     So my dilemma.  Sleep or no sleep?  Wake up continually and move or wake up unable to move?

Isn't life grand?

I am better today.  Need to learn from this experience.  Obviously sleeping too much triggers a migraine.  Damn and I love being able to sleep in and I realize that 9 is late for most of you, but I am a night owl.  I have lived for the day when I did not have to get up and take a kid somewhere.  People with RA are generally light sleepers and are better morning sleepers so I do not feel bad about this.

Any suggestions?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, August 12, 2016

Friday, Well layed plans...

     Why?  why do I try to make plans for the day?  I mean really.  What makes me think I have any control over my schedule?  I run a walk in business.  So right after I get done blogging and I am in the shop I get a call from a girl who is about 40 miles away.  She has a matron of honor dress that was ordered on ETSY.  It is the wrong size.  They reordered and paid 2X the value of the dress for a new one with expedited shipping still no dress.  Wedding is on Saturday.  I told them to bring in the dress maybe we could do a lace up back to get her into it.  Supposedly this was a ETSY site where dresses were made to order by someone in the US.

     Well the dress was from some place in China.  It was a girls size 10 not a woman's size 10.  These sites send what they have in stock and not what you order.  Regardless of measurements.  So they had paid 150.00 for the first dress, and 298.00 for the second dress, that had not arrived.  The 298.00 was still in the pay pal account or that was the woman's excuse as to why the expedited dress had not arrived.  I immediately told the woman to contact her CC company and get that charge removed.  Which she did.  I got on the phone with her CC and told them that this was fraud in it's worse form.  They get 350.00 for dresses that are not even close to fitting and then do not take them back or return any money.

     So now we have a size 10 little girls grey dress that is also a mini skirt.  I knew I could make it bigger and do a lace up back, but we would have to add a new skirt.  So off to Joann's I run to buy 5 yards of grey chiffon and satin.  Oh to make things even better the Wedding is in Van Couver ? so they need to leave at 8:30 this morning as it is a 9 hour drive.  Can it get any better?  Oh yes this can!

     I get home from Jo Ann's about 1:30 and another bridesmaid that was to pick her dress up today and had dropped it off on Wednesday ( also too small ordered on line)  calls and says she just found out her in-laws were leaving at 3 that afternoon and not on Friday.  Can I get her royal blue dress done by 3?  Bang head here several times.

     I did the blue dress getting it done by 3:10 then started on the Grey.  I also had a Wedding dress that needed to be hemmed and bustled and pressed and steamed due out today.

    I never left the shop.  Sister came over about 5:30 and helped hem wedding dress. she also pressed and steamed it, and she did a lot of the cutting and back up work for the grey.  Finally at 8 p.m. I was so hungry. Sis made me a chicken sandwich, that wolfed down on a short break.  She had to go to work early this morning so I ran over to her house to help her take her new box springs up the stairs and set up her bed.  Then I ran home about 9:30 and I finished hemming the dress , putting in the zipper, and doing the hand work.  I was done at 11:30.  Then I stripped down to my underwear in the family room and let me tell you that is quite a site. I just wanted my clothes off and the pile of clothes is still there.

     So far this morning grey was picked up at 8:30 and wedding dress at 10:30, I am now going to do the sewing that was due out today and should have been done yesterday.
 
    We are finalizing all the paper work for the studio and I am excited to start the new year.  It is so nice to watch the new owner with her enthusiasm and drive.  I really do my best work when I am not in charge.  Creatively I am a great second fiddle and it is time for me to pass the reigns.  This is also hard for me but I know I am doing the right thing.

     I just hope today is a little less stressful:)

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Thursday, running around like a mad fool

     Our Civic theater was condemned yesterday.  This has caused problems that need to be taken care of immediately.  Like where will the Christmas show be held?  Parents calling my new owner in a panic.  Well it is taken care of by some fast footwork on Hub's and my part.  So we have been working on getting that fiasco solved.  It is always something.

     Mom is making cookies for the Salvation Army's soup kitchen.  Hub's is driving me crazy as usual.  He needs another project big time.  A project that does not involve me.

     I did get some sewing done yesterday and have to really work today.  I had a girl friend stop by yesterday about 11:00.  She was from out of town and her husband had a meeting here so she came with him.  She has some pretty severe mental issues she deals with but is so talented and kind.  I just love her.  I wonder why the most wonderful people have to deal with these kinds of problems.  She stayed the afternoon while I sewed.

     After dinner (stir fry delicious) I went over to another woman's house in our church.  I do not know her very well, but she had back surgery and had to have someone help her into bed and do a few things for her.  Her husband was out of town for 3 days and is due back today so we had shifts to get her up and down.  I took her to the store and then helped her do a series of exercises, packed her in ice and put her to bed.  Then I had a little alone time that I desperately needed.  Just walked through a few stores by myself.  Purchased 4 pairs of really nice wool socks marked down to .70 a  piece at TJ Maxx.  Love getting really nice Christmas gifts for pennies.

     Need to go pull chicken out of the freezer for dinner.  Then off to my machines.  I am doing white today.  Curtains, wedding dress, lining a dress, white zipper.  You didn't realize that I color co-ordinate my days, did you?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Wednesday, thanks for the comments

       I just feel better when I get a comment or two.  I am trying to stay positive but life is hard here or has been hard here.  Just too much, emotionally, financially, physically.  I am some what of a Pollyanna and try to see the positive but in reality life is hard.  Then I chastise myself for becoming ungrateful and I think of people who are so much less fortunate than I and tell myself I am selfish and I need to get a life.  This then leads to more bad feelings.  I don't know why a comment or two from people I have not met means so much to me.  Maybe that we are not alone in the universe.  I don't know I am just weird.

           I paid as many bills yesterday as I had money to do that with.  We are a sad lot here and need to pay attention and be careful.  You should see the floor around my desk.  It is flooded with trash paper from cleaning off the desk.  Why do I let things pile up like that?  I hate to face reality in some aspects of my life.  It is just that simple.

     Really need to sew today as the bookkeeping kept me busy most of the day. Hubs has been in my face all morning and all yesterday and I can't figure out what he is thinking.  Drives me crazy.  Try living with a genius.  NOT FUN.

     Will make a stir fry tonight to use up left over steak and so much squash from garden.  Hub's and I need to get back to work on the kitchen.  I am afraid we will have to finish it mostly ourselves.  He has to over think and do everything the hard way.  Right now it is hammers.  He cannot use a hammer unless it is the right kind.  Is that a framing hammer?  That is not the right kind of hammer. Really?  I have been pounding nails into my walls with the side of a meat tenderizer for years.  Oh know I have done it all wrong everything will fall off the walls and the world will come to an end.  See what I deal with every damn day, no wonder I get a wee frazzled.

     Well I am off to my machines.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Tuesday, I feel trapped in the shop

     It has just been so busy here that it is almost impossible to get away.  I was at my machines from 11:00 until 4:00, then I tried to leave to go help my sister and bride came and I had to turn around.  Then I left again and another man came.  I  sometimes want to get out of here for and hour and I can't.  Whine, whine.  Ignore me I need the work.

     Today I am going to clean my desk and set up a budget system for the house.  The studio will go into the new owners name on the first and I need to get my act together.  This summer has been so chaotic that I have been blowing the money right and left.  I need to concentrate  and get my act together.  Not having the studio will really reduce my bookwork and bill paying.  Just the peace of mind will be nice.

     I am going to set down at the first of the month and pay everything for the house and stop running and paying when it is due.  Just too frustrating and then I am late because I just don't get to it or I forget.  I am never late on bills I will get a charge on however.  I have learned that lesson.  The hard way, over and over.  I was a slow learner.

     So I am off to get something done.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

    

    

Monday, August 8, 2016

Monday, already irritated.....

     Mom has pushed my buttons about 10 times this morning, I keep telling myself I can do this. I had a fight with my internet and mom's phone company already this morning, I am ready to cash them in but quick.  I just don't like it when Monday's start out like this. 

     Actually it is my old August dilemma.  August is a hard month financially with the studio.  No matter how much I save and look ahead I run out of money in August.   I have had to pay studio bills with personal money many times in August but personal money has run out because of the hot water tank dilemma.   All I keep telling myself is that this is the last time I will pay this bill.  As in last week I wrote two checks for a work shop.  I did not lose money on it, but I made no money either.  I am just so looking forward to teaching my kids and not having the whole financial thing to worry about.  I will pay my two debts that the studio has and that will be it.
 
     Hub's has decided to play in the pit for OLIVER so that will take up about 6 weeks of his evenings.  Nice for me as he is out of my hair and not nagging me to go some where.  Al though I really want to get down to Southern Idaho again and see my grandsons.  Eldest thought she might fly them up to Spokane over Labor day weekend.  We will see.

     I am eating out of the freezers because they are so full.  I told mom no groceries in the freezers.  We had steak, new potatoes, broccoli, tomato, onion, cucumber salad for dinner yesterday and there are plenty of left overs.  I also pulled a pie crust and some frozen rhubarb out of the freezer and made a rhubarb custard pie for dessert.  Really nummy and easy.  Recipe below.

one pie crust
4 cups frozen rhubarb chunks
1.5 cups sugar
3 beaten eggs
3 tlb. tapioca
one cup sour cream

Mix together, pour into shell sprinkle with cinnamon, bake at 400 for 15minutes then lower to 350 for 30-45 minutes.  serve with ice cream or whip cream.

Well I am looking forward to a more positive day.  How about you?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Thursday, spraying, spraying

     I just can't seem to get myself organized.  I do a little here and a little there every day.  By the way the vacuum cleaner belt broke so that had to be fixed, at 11:00 o'clock last night.  That is so I could vacuum the hall rugs.  Because every one cleans house at midnight right?

     Hub's is home from daughters and is outside chopping up the tree we had taken down.  I am going  up to daughter's tomorrow for a day.

     The Salvation Army needs cookies for its free meal program.  I will put mom on that. She needs something to do.

    I swear I will get the bathrooms done upstairs today if it kills me and it just might.

     Still behind in the shop and it is my fault as I had a girl friend stop by yesterday and we talked for 2 hours and then I took a nap late in the afternoon.  It was quiet no one here  to bother me.

Anyway today I will pay for that little adventure.

I am off like a prom dress!  To my sewing room I will go.

Let's see I have to get two dresses done (hemmed) and 2 pairs of pants before I go upstairs to clean the 2 disgusting bathrooms!


Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Wednesday,another day to myself:)

     Yesterday was so weird.  I am not really sure how it worked out the way it did.  Maybe the fact that I was alone in the house all afternoon.  Sis came to get mom later than she said, but that is not unusual as Sis has her own time frame and agenda.  Mom was on me to vacuum the basement as Sis's dog had chewed up and ice cream container all over the carpet.  Mom started to pick up the pieces and of course I could not let her stumble around doing that so I took over.  I dragged the vacuum downstairs thinking this will take a few minutes.  The vacuum was clogged again.
      With both my sister's here I really have not had to do a lot of house work, but neither of them realized that if my vacuum is not spinning it is clogged.  They had both complained about it but they said it had suction.  So I start to vacuum and realize that I will have to tear into it.  This is no easy job.  I have never see dog hair come out of a vacuum like that before and it almost filled a small trash can.  So when I took one pass with it on the carpet downstairs it was full again.  I had to empty the canister 10 times I kid you not the carpet was so clogged with hair.  Disgusting.  Well this was a give a mouse a cookie scenario and I started to clean.  But not in an organized way just spraying all over the house.  Now Mom is nagging me about my shop.  ^%$#@ Finally Sis comes to get her.  Good I can vacuum her room and take all the rugs up in her bath and bedroom where Sis's dog has been.

    Too make a long boring story short, I actually got no sewing done until after dinner.  B came and I needed to take her for a boob check-up and then we went to the Bon to return some things for my twin.  Then back to Sis's as B and my niece want to spend time together.  They are going to have a drink and will come to my house for dinner.  So I run home, get brats out of the freezer. I picked some corn, and put a spaghetti squash onto bake.  Made a cucumber and tomato salad.  Now we wait.  I was not feeling well and realized I had not taken my meds and I cannot do that it makes me very sick.  So I was struggling to deal with mom who does not wait well, and Sis who is not very considerate when it comes to making you wait.  Between trying not to throw up and my head exploding in pain, I just started to sew a little here, sweep a little there.  Anything to avoid mom (*&itching at me.  If I had laid down which I wanted to do all hell would have broken loose.

     Sis and the crew showed up at 8 p.m. and they still had not gone out.  I just had dinner and continued to slop around the house here and there until after they left.  So now I have piles of dirt swept up all over the house, rooms 1/2 done.  The guest room is cleaned and the sheets changed, but everything else is a work in process.

Now today I really have to get my butt in gear as I did not get all my sewing done yesterday. Yikes!

Have a great and productive day.

Kim
    
 

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Tuesday, Lil Sis is home!

     Well Lil Sis pulled in about 6 p.m. last night .  I had a crew from our church there at 7 and we were done unloading at 8.  Mom is relieved.  We missed her.  She is coming over to get Mom at any moment so I will be sewing here today without interruptions.

     Mom baked about 8 apple cakes yesterday.  Then she baked 7 dozen cookies for her church and the men that helped Sis move in last night.  We had cookies and ice cold water bottles.  I sewed like a mad woman yesterday and have two more wedding dresses done. Yippee!

     Today will be military uniforms.  Yuck really not my favorite and I also have one more Wedding dress and bridesmaid dress I would like to get done today.  That is as far as I have thought ahead in my mess of a life.

     Wow I get a whole day without mom and without Hub's in my face I am so tickled.  I think I might really get some motivation to get a few more things done around here as far as cleaning this filthy house.  Well the kitchen and the dining room are clean but that is it!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, August 1, 2016

Monday, August 1st

Wow, what happened to summer? 
     I haven't even had a vacation yet.  Well I have no money for a vacation so that is settled.  Hub's drove to Spokane last night to stay with our William for the next 3 days.  Daughter could not find a sitter and husbands work schedule had changed unexpectedly.  Mom was in rare form last night after Hub's left, I thought I would take a nap.  This pissed mom off and she went stomping around like a spoiled child.  Finally she hollers up the stairs," KIM are we going to water Kelly's flowers?"  Mom has been watering these herself but today the one day I will make myself rest she is incapable.

     So I get up cheerfully, but underneath I am smoldering.  I take her to sis's and we water the flowers.  Then I fill my car with gas as the light is on and I don't know how long it has been like that.  She wants a cherry empanada so I take her to get one.  I know it was the Sabbath but I did not want to incur the wrath of the crabby mother. Now I am trying to think of what would make her happy.  I had torn into the garden Saturday night and had a big mess in the back yard that needed to be bagged, so I suggested that she set on the deck and boss me as I cleaned up that mess.  She loves to boss me. So I (we) worked out there until dark and then came into the kitchen and put away all the produce we had picked.  She had me pull out all the different things she needed to make Swedish apple cakes.

     I realized that she wanted me to look at everything she was pulling out.  She wanted the ingredients ready.  She had almond extract rather than vanilla.  Her sight is so bad in small print.  She was so happy to have a project ready to go.  This morning she was up by nine and just happy as a clam to be messing in the kitchen.  Gives me something to think on.  We can't have her baking constantly as we can't eat all of it.  But she is happier when she is busy.

     My little sis will be in town this late afternoon with her moving truck.  I have several men from the church coming at 7 to unload her big stuff.  She has to be to work tomorrow.  The piano mover will be at her place at 2:30.  So I hope she can be there when that happens.  Her piano is worth a great deal and I don't want to be responsible.

     Just got a call for Hub's to play in pit for upcoming musical "Oliver".  I had to ask did they want violin or viola?  He has now taken up the cello for his small orchestra group and he was whining that he will never get to play the violin again.  They want  the violin so that will make him happy and keep him busy.

     Well I have two wedding dresses due out today and many other things so I should get to work.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim