One Of THOSE Days

Well, I am off and running this morning, and I am a little concerned. Irv and I got over to the blood donation center when I realized I didn't have my wallet. You have to have a picture ID. It was in my backpack from yesterday so we had to reschedule our appointments. We came home and I looked in my backpack and it wasn't there....oh, that's right, it was in the glove compartment in my car from last night when we went out....so we could have given blood this morning.

We get home and Wrigley had pooped on the kitchen floor! I grab some paper towels and pick it up. I didn't want to throw it in the garbage in the house, so I head outside to the garbage can. Open it up and it's empty. Don't really want to throw gross poop in the bottom of the empty can, so I head back in the house to get a bag to put it in....all the while carrying around a handful of poop in a wad of paper towels. In the house, get a bag, put the poop in it, back outside and throw the bag in the can.

We are going over to Michael and Bernadette's and I wanted to take a picture of how the craft show booth is coming along to show them, so I go in the house to get my camera. On the way I drop the rest of my blueberry waffle I was eating on the floor of the garage. I pick it up and head to the garbage can and smack my leg on the edge of the craft show booth. OUCH! Throw the waffle in the garbage.

I get in the house and my camera is not on the kitchen table where I was sure I had left it. Oh, that's right....it's already in the car with the stuff I am taking to Michael and Bernadette's house. Back out to the car, get the camera, take the picture and put the camera back in the car.

Irv has decided that he is staying away from me today because I am a bit "out of sorts". I am now headed to the fabric store to pick out fabric for aprons and tote bags. I have my list, but with the way things are going today, I am more than a bit concerned. Wish me luck! Ever have one of "those days"?

Perfect Timing

So, I'm doing my one mile walk/jog with Wrigley this morning at 5:45 a.m. and come upon a young couple in the neighborhood that are setting out things for a garage sale. The first thing I see the guy carry out is this wood bench. He sets it in the driveway and I immediately put on my brakes.......

"Whoa Wrigley. Hold on there a minute girl," I said coming to an abrupt halt.

"Is that bench for sale?" I asked.
"Yes, it is," the man replied.
"How much?" I asked.

The man looke at his wife (wise man) and she said,"Ten dollars".

I did an about face and head up the driveway. "Mind if I take a look? I asked. "This isn't what I should be doing right now. I need to get home and get ready for work."

"Sure, go ahead," she said.

I walked over to the bench...wiggled it around...it seemed pretty sturdy. I tipped it back a little bit so I could be sure nothing was cracked underneath.

I have this long naked wall in my kitchen that has been crying out for a bench for quite some time. I was really looking for an old worn white garden bench and haven't been able to find one....but this one definitely had some potential. A little sanding, some paint, a little more sanding in the right spots to make it look old and worn, a cute little cushion and presto! A great bench!

SOLD!!

Needless to say I was not carrying any money on me and I never have cash anyway, so she offered to hold it for me until Irv could come with the truck after work to pick it up.


Chee Hoo! I have a bench. If I had walked past their house even one minute sooner, I would have missed it! I'll post another picture when it's redone!

But I Don't Want To!

I don't sleep as well as I did even six months ago. For me it has everything to do with what I am eating and my emotional state. Some nights my brain refuses to shut off and I can't fall asleep. Then I wake up in the middle of the night and my brain picks up right where it left off when I did finally fall asleep. I ask the voices to stop...but they don't listen. Chatter, chatter, chatter!

This morning I woke up right before the alarm went off like I usually do, and I lay there for a moment thinking....."Did I wake up during the night?" Hmmmm...don't think so. I didn't even remember falling asleep! Wow! That's awesome!

I was so happy and felt so content and peaceful that I didn't want to get up...getting up meant twenty minutes of pilates, a one mile walk/jog with the dog, making some kind of healthy lunch, a shower and heading to work.

I lay there for what seemed to be a minute, but was actually about ten. "Oh, I wish I was off today."

I dragged myself to my workshop, turned on the computer and started checking e-mails and my etsy shops...still not entirely awake, but knowing full well that if I didn't get going I would never get in my pilates or my walk.

Ah, was that it? Was my alter ego trying to sabotage my "Healthy Eating and Workout Plan" during week three? Week three is when I usually fizzle out.....

By now I was twenty minutes behind schedule. Refusing to fall prey to my lazy, junk food eating alter ego, I quickly threw on my work out clothes, grabbed my mat and headed to the living room. I did my pilates under the watchful and very annoying eye of the dog.....who obviously knew we were twenty minutes late for her walk.

Threw on a little jacket, my hat, grabbed two little doggie treats for the walk, a bag for poop (just in case), my keys, my phone and out the door we went. "Maybe we better only do 1/2 mile because it's so late!" I thought.

Walk, jog, walk, jog....1/2 mile done. Look at the time on my phone.....it's late. Crap! No excuses...let's go! Jog, walk, jog, walk.....one mile done!

Make my lunch...
Hit the shower...
Make up on...
Hair done....
Clothes on....

"Be good girls!" and out the door and off to work!

I didn't want to get up this morning...but I did.
I didn't want to exercise this morning...but I did.
I didn't want to walk a mile this morning...but I did.
I didn't want to go to work this morning...but I did.

All I can say is CHEE HOO! I am so proud of me....

I did want an extra Starbucks Chai Latte this morning...and I did...and it was oh so good!!

Healthcare Confusion

Do you understand the Healthcare Plan that our President is proposing? I don't.

Every day I hear some new horror story about what's going to happen if it passes. No one will be able to get in to see specialists. The government will practically decide if you live or die. Assisted suicide will be discussed with the elderly...and on and on and on.

Now I believe very little of what I read in the paper or hear on the news and none of what I read on the Internet, but the fact that I don't understand what it's all about does bother me.

I wish I could find a reliable, unbiased source that really "gets it" and could condense it down to about three pages for me to read, so I could "get it" and then decide it I am in favor of it or not.

I know that our system is a terrible mess and it does need an overhaul, but I don't know if what is proposed is the answer.

Do you get it?

The Reunion

So Irv and decided not to attend our 40th high school reunion which takes place this weekend. In all honesty, if I am going to spend $200 on anything, it's going to be for paint and some new stuff for my house.

Irv and I had a very small social circle in high school, and I've only kept in touch with a few people over the years...and those people I would really like to see. We knew a lot of people and got along fine with everyone, we just didn't have a lot of really close friends.

I'm just not really not sure how I feel about reunions. I am not that person anymore, and I don't know that I want to share the person I am now with a bunch of people I don't know. Does that make sense? I love who I am and where my life has taken me. I have never been happier...but do those people really care? Probably not. I am just concerned that the whole thing is a lot of fake smiles and hellos and that just isn't me.

Some of the people we went to school with live 5 miles from us. If we all wanted to be friends....wouldn't we be?

I am not trying to be negative, in fact I've never felt so awesome in my life. I'm just trying to be honest. Is it wrong that I don't care about seeing people that I haven't seen in 40 years or people that I went to school with but have no idea who they are? UGH!

There is a get together Friday night at a local restaurant, and I think we are going to go to that so I can see the few girls that I would really like to see. I will let you know how it goes. :)

Have you gone to any of your high school reunions? How was it?

Yummy in Your Tummy

At 2:20 yesterday afternoon I was starving! I had lunch already, but I was really hungry again. I headed into the kitchen to see what might do the trick. I ended up with a bowl of Barbara's Bakery, Ultima Organic Pomegranate Cereal with rice milk. I love cereal. I have always loved cereal. I could eat cereal almost any time of any day and for any meal.

I have made the change though from things like Frosted Flakes and Captain Crunch to Ultima and Organic Brown Rice Crisps. I don't feel guilty snacking on cereal, because most of what I buy is actually pretty nutritious.

Sometimes I will grab a piece of string cheese or a yogurt with granola and occasionally some chips if I really need some "feel good" food.

So, if it's SNACK TIME!!! Whatcha eatin'?????

The Business of Being In Business

Gee, I have had 3 sales in 9 days....that is very unusual for me. The funny thing is that once again I have been totally absorbed in preparing for the September craft show, and the only etsy thing I am doing is making sure that I renew things that are about to expire. That's it.

I sold a photo note card and a photo from FourDogDay and little planter from MyOtherShop. I would show you pictures of what I sold, but for some reason blogger won't let me upload any at this time......UGH!

When I think about my etsy sales, I certainly wouldn't mind more, but for someone that works a full time job and does this evenings and weekends, I think I am doing okay. I have sold things to family and friends and the transactions didn't take place through etsy, and I have had sales at the two craft shows I've done...so all things considered...I am pleased with where I am at.

I know I am a much happier person now than I was before I started my business. It has filled a tremendous void for me. I didn't realize how much I missed crafting until I started doing it again. Now, I don't know what I would do without it.

I said before that I have tried so many different things from the cards, and jewelry to decoupage and now to the aprons and totes....and it isn't that I am indecisive...it's that I haven't found my niche yet...although I think I am getting close. I am finding the most satisfaction with the aprons and tote bags and can't wait to make some place mats and napkins. It's the fabric thing....I really have a thing for fabric. :)

I don't worry any more about how much money I am or am not making....it's all about what it brings to me on a personal level....my goal is to have my crafting supplement social security when I retire...so I have plenty of time to grow my business as I find my way.

If you have your own business, how long have you had it? What expectations did you have when you started? Have they changed? What does owning your own business mean to you?