Thursday, October 9, 2014

Trying to take it easy!

 Yesterday I sat down and tied a rug. 

It's exciting to finish :)  and I really wanted to work on another, but I restrained myself.

I'm glad I did, as I ended up having to ice my hand and wrist - after just one rug!

This recovery period is the pits.  

I don't seem to know what to do with myself.  

I'm bored, frustrated and maybe even a little blue.  

I guess that's probably normal, but knowing that doesn't make it easier!

I have made a list of things I can do, and should do, but it's hard to get started. 

I wish I had someone here to hang out with...

I'm really glad that my parents 'kidnapped' me a couple days after my surgery.

They loaded me in their car and headed off to see my brother and his family
in Canada.  Two days travel covering 1000 miles as you are recuperating is not exactly fun, 
but it's not like I would have been doing anything else!

He has quite the view from his deck! 
 He is living on a place that is MY ultimate dream....  
The place was built for horses - but he has cows!  I could handle either I guess LOL.

Too bad he's that far away.

We took it easy coming home and broke the drive into three sections, stopping in Minot, ND to attend Hostfest,  (hostfest.com)  a Scandinavian festival. 
Lots of fun and I had a nice time visiting with some extraordinary weavers.

Since I've been home, the Cooper dog and Polly cat are keeping very close!  
They must have thought i was never returning :) 

All for now,  JULIE

 



Sunday, September 21, 2014

laid up

i'm laid up.

that's reason for the weird typing style.

hunt and peck non dominant hand.





it was time to fix on some of the worn out parts.

carpel tunnel and the equivalent in the elbow.

had surgery 2 days ago - kinda drugged and very bored.

not gonna go back to work for awhile.

frustrating that i still cant do the fun things at home....

all for now
julie

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Get rid of it...

Out of sight is out of mind.

Most likely everyone has totally thought I've fallen off the face of the earth!

Still here -

Still have a loom, or two.  Weaving off and on just a little when I need the feel good therapy it provides.

Not sure what is with me - I have been in the 'don't need it' mode. 

'Bout time methinks.

Earlier this summer I dug out all the salvage type treasures stashed away in my garage and basement and took it to a flea market and sold the heck out of it. 

Weight lifted! 

Would you believe I even sold a loom?  No longer a Newcomb loom owner -- I just couldn't fall in love with it because it just didn't physically fit this short body of mine.  When I had an opportunity to sell, I did it without hesitation. 

Don't worry - Still have 2 unions and a structo.   I would probably take on more unions if they come my way, so don't worry, I'll be weaving awhile yet ;)

I've been picking away at little projects with the house - not as speedily as I want to be, but what ya gonna do when you have to work so many hours?  Yes.... still overtime. We just had 2 weeks of only 40 hours but back to 10 hour days tomorrow- 

I've got a little push going right now trying to get some things prepped for my upcoming carpel tunnel surgery - yup... worn out.  Have put it off for way long and it's past time to get it done. 

Today has been a 'clean the garage' day.  Around here we may start getting frost - and I want to be able to get the truck inside - and who knows how long I'll be laid up and can't do that job.  So today it is - wish I could be more focused, but I'm getting my exercise going up and down the stairs to the garage.  I catch myself on the couch and then kick myself back out the door!

Otherwise it's same old same old around here.

Not enough getting done, but still doing what I can.

All for now,
JULIE

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Missing in action -

Or so it seems anyway from your perspective. 

I'm still here - just finding my way through each day as best I can.

Working the overtime hours that are required leaves me little time or energy to do much other than work.

Kitchen is pretty much wrapped up and I'm currently trying to wrap up the remodel work in the entry that has been undone for nearly five years. 

I've woven some  but not what I'd like.  I've done projects, but not what I'd like.   Never seem to have time for what I'd like.

Current WANT is a proper barn for my pony girls.

We had weather this weekend.  Wind weather.

We got off VERY LUCKY  altho at the time it was terrifying.

My sweet girls were almost taken from me because of the weather - 

Yes, this has tipped over in the past - but there has always been warning and it's been almost slow motion when it does it.

This time -- not so.

I saw it happen --  in an instant, the shed was on it's side ON TOP OF two of my girls.  Here is where it landed on the first flip.  Thank God it then flipped again OFF of them!  And it didn't just flip...  It lifted off and landed a good 10 feet beyond where they lay.

Here's the lucky part.

Bug got some cuts and scrapes -

Buzz was never under the shed, but did get a good size cut-

Poor Dee Dee got the worst of it.  She has a few cuts and tears, but she was the one who took the brunt of the weight of the shed.  She got a little shocky on me - pale gums, elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, etc.  My vet came out to check everyone over and almost insisted I take her to his barn at least for the night.  She ended up staying two nights just to be out of the cold and wind and wet. 

WE ARE SO LUCKY

No broken bones, no stitches, no lasting physical effects.

Dee came home tonite, and everyone is staying pretty close - I think they missed her :)

Hope things stay a little more calm for awhile -  that took alot out of me...

All for now,

JULIE







Sunday, March 2, 2014

Update on the Remodel

Remember this?  I barely do :)






I'm basically done - 
Please excuse the stuff on the table -  I've got lots of organizing and putting away to do!





I've still got bits to do... outlet covers, caulking, touch up painting.  And the electrician needs to come put up the undercabinet lights that are ordered.

The fun stuff will begin soon as I start unpacking - There are boxes I never unpacked when I moved here.  Mostly decorative things that I can't wait to see again :)

I am now on a search for something to use as an island workstation.  The extra 30 ish square feet I gained almost makes it necessary!

Of course the dreaded remodeling 'creep' happened and I'm finishing up my entry way. And I think I'll go ahead and replace the wall of paneling in the living room with sheetrock now. 

And if you think that finishes up this house....  I've got a deck to put up this spring. 

After that I can start thinking about the lower level -  bathroom and bedrooms and a large family room.

It feels like it will never end. 

All for now,
JULIE

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Pluggin' Along

Still over here workin' on the remodel.

The appliances are all in.

The plumbing is done.

Just a little bit of electrical left yet to do.

I've paid the carpenters and sent them on their way, and now it's up to me to take care of the little details.

Today I worked on the backsplash.

I made the design decision, so now it's just time to get it done. 

Got about 1/2 way tiled today.  We'll see how much I get done during the week.

Back to 50 hour weeks again, so each night is iffy as far as energy left from the day. 

We'll see, I guess!

All for now,
JULIE

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

I DO do stuff around here, sometimes...

I never get enough done around here...

That's what I think anyway - others tell me my plans are too big -I'm too hard on myself.

It's just there is so much to do, and not enough of me to go around :)

Anywho -  I've got some rugs finished and to the store!

I'm trying to finish off the black and white warp that never ends.  And so this is how this cute rug came into being.  Using up some random fabrics and just going with the flow.

Here's another rug that I made while expecting the warp to run out.  This one is wool I think.  Mystery fabric from who knows where.  Some of my stash I don't have a clue where it came from and when...

A chenille bedspread made up into two rugs.  'Twould be cute in a baby girls room, or a bathroom!

I basic white chenille rug, with hemmed edges.  I really should do more hemmed ends, but I don't think of it very often.

And then some rugs from the newish greens and browns warp on the Union.

A corduroy pants rug - this one more green...

And one more browns.



Coordinating rugs from some drapes... different sizes but all the same fabric.

And lastly...

A smaller rug made from burlap.  Very scratchy - good to wipe the mud off with!

I've been weaving on these rugs for awhile, here and there. 

Working the day job- 50 hour weeks again. 

Remodeling the kitchen. 

Finally some light at the end of the tunnel! 

I may wait a bit for update pictures... Or I might take some tomorrow.  Who knows :)

All for now,

JULIE




Saturday, January 18, 2014

Am I cursed?

Why is it that I feel like if I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all?

It was a week of highs and lows...

Tuesday was delivery day for cabinets and countertops.

Delivery time was between 7 and 12.  I had asked for an afternoon delivery but 'that isn't available'.

So I took PTO for the morning and for ease of paperwork, and for easy sake, I wrote down the whole day planning to cancel the time when I would show up after the delivery.  I was hoping for a 1/2 day off only...

Delivery time?   1:30 PM.   I could have taken 2 hours of PTO and taken care of the delivery, but instead I ended up using a full 8 hours.  Not that I have alot to spare.   GRR

I could go through the whole story, but it just makes me crazy :)

Anywho, then the guys came to install.

Here it is.   Unfinished.





Why is it unfinished, you ask?

At some point it looks like someone stuck a fork lift thru the back of this one.  Apparently chose to not deal with it.  Now I get to wait 3+ weeks for a replacement.  I asked if they'd give it to me free and I would patch it but no deal.

But the bigger issue was with the countertop.  Somehow, they put the sink hole in the wrong place.  So now I get to wait for a new piece there.

Whee!  isn't this fun???

So issues on the bottom and the top.

Gotta love remodeling.

All for now,

JULIE






Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Kitchen remodel update

I've been plugging away at the kitchen redo

This morning I got up and instead of going to work, I grouted the tile floor.





I got the walls and ceiling all painted on Friday and Saturday,  added tile to the hallway you see in the photo, and made a trip to the store to purchase more 'stuff'. 

Now I'm waiting on the delivery of the cupboards and countertop.

Hoping they will pull in soon ~  then I can go to work for a 1/2 day and save some PTO.

I'm getting too old to do this stuff!

My knees are killing me :)

All for now

JULIE

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Prepare

Trying to prepare today -

The weather has been weird here in South Dakota.  The other day it was -26 degrees actual temp, then the next day it was someone said 40 degrees above. 

Now yesterday, it was 25 degrees and it was raining.   Imagine the slippery :)

Now today, it's just a typical South Dakota day.

It's somewhere in the range of 10 above and the girls are hydrating up after the thawing of the waterer.  I've not had to do that too much yet this winter. 

They better get their fill because if what they are saying is coming comes ---  It WILL BE frozen again.

Tonite we are to start experiencing Siberia like conditions...  Supposed to have wind chills in the -50 to -60 degree range.

Oh my poor ponies....

I've done what I can -

The neighbor with the large equipment came over and we 'added on' to the shed. 

The all you can eat hay buffet is now also shelter.  They won't have to move far into the wind to get their fuel to warm themselves.

They should be fine, they are all healthy and pleasantly plump.  They have good hair coats and some shelter.

Still makes me want to bring them inside the house with me tho :)

I believe I will be staying put myself - And the Cooper pup?

He says he will be cuddling with me -" it's too cold out here for me."

All for now, 
JULIE