CLUTTERBUSTERS - MARCH

Good Morning,

You are doing so great with Clair's rehab! You are almost there! We are having magnificent weather also!

Furniture: DH went out bed shopping and has ordered a new bed, which arrives tomorrow. Not sure I've mentioned he has chronic back pain, and I am always flexible for the more most part with him selecting the beds. We got a type, that each has it's own side of firm/soft, I did go try after he'd narrowed the scope. It will set in our current bedframe/headboard situation and will actually probably look better cause it's a normal height.

Cooking Extravaganza: Well it took me the entire rest of teh evening to do the Shepherds Pie, which I would totally make again, DH and DD loved it, and it really was pretty simple! Never had done before. Then the three steps, Irish Car Bomb cupcakes. Very messy, I do no enjoy dealing with frosting, this all got done and I got the kitchnen 50% back before bed. This morning I recovered to about 90% Delivered excess cupkakes to two different location this morning, attempted a third...lol.

Today's agenda is, take kitchen rest of the way, crochet a couple rows, get my walk in work on the head in sand project.

Hope your day is off to a good start!

Z.

Good Morning,

I'm glad your getting stuff done and great job with your steps! My exercise/steps is much improved these last two weeks and the scale is chinking downard again.

Multiple things going on at home, adding detours, time, and distraction from my head in sand project. DD is here, there is a lot of physical and mental disarray associated with this which I'm editing. Today DH leaves on a trip for a few days. I have to go get my mom tomorrow morning, take to an appointment in her town, bring her to my town, go facilitate the car purchase, get extra keys made, drive it around, she will be here a few days. WIth this, after DH leaves, I will move DD's mess into an area in the MB (Because it's near the laundry room mainly I'm sure there is dirty laundry in this stack of stuff, so it's out of the den which is where the Murphy bed is my mom sleeps on. There's also been multiple phone calls, information gathering surrounding these steps and additional cooking meal planning and what not for the rest of the week. I did grocery shop and made a good dinner last night.

Landscaping: They were supposed to come apply a final spray to the bank area but did not show up, did not call till very late, then I had to call the landscaper and advise on that, not happy. I also called Monday, sent follow up e-mail yesterday to the rock person because I still had not formal bid on that situation. This should be coming together soon, I told the spray people I'd already told the other people related to the job that was going to happen and so I expected we would be first on the schedule this morning, not last (they ran out of product to spray yesterday!) So hopefully this happens. Then I have to call the landscaper, because apparently he was going to show up and start doing work today, but had not even told me. So that's fine, but I expect to know when people are going to be here doing work.

Bed: Bed was delivered, old taken away, I think DH and I both going to love the bed for different reasons. It's an adjustable one, each side has it's own thing. all the base bedding for the mattresses got laundered and all fit well , the thing got made and they hauled the old away and I threw the old matteress covers in the garbage can! I will have to figure out storage for one largish thing that was under the bed, so I'll have to see about it.

Creative: I just want to talk about this! So, I completed my Scottish Westie dog beach scene, replacing the cat. ADORABLE! There is a third Cat themed thing, tropical which I "Think" could be hilariously cute, I won't know till I try it. Again, tho I mentioned before, I truly think as these things are not "real" location, they are general scenes/settings that appeal to some people. Not all people, like my friend who said, "lose that cat and I'd stitch it." lol....I was not offended. I might actually do a plain scene without an animal in it also. But the appeal is they are cute, serene settings, general, non specific, so anyone can have it. You don't have to have been "there". I think it's a thing and I'm rolling with it.

Head in sand project...there are other issues surrounding this project, for me, which will make it easier for me to work on when DH is not here. THere is no intererence, he will ultimately help me, but I have to get to certain point first, and I'd rather have privacy while I do this. Plus I'm so excited to get painting these canvases, but this must get done first.

That's all, I'll get my walk in after I "KNOW" the spray guy has been here this morning and is finished. Then I will touch base with the landscaper and discuss communication expectations for presence on the property.

Z.

So you are retiring?!? Exciting news!!! Wowza that’s major stuff!
I hope your paperwork requests flow in smoothly!

Things are not going great here, too many plates in the air, I’m hiding in my room now watching Miss Marple cause, well it’s been a taxing couple of days.

Z

Good Morning,

My goodness! I do love reading about your dogs. They are really smart and you work with them so well! They are hilarious! I'm glad you're getting extra help and moving forward with your office items.

Yesterday was a day of what I'll call decompression watching Mrs. Marple all day after people left. Yes, it's Agatha Christie, and while these are not favorites with me, sometimes the mystery part actually drives me insane, what I do like is the English countryside, homes and period costumes along with the story.

I want to mention that though I get in funks, procrastinate horribly on some things, I always appreciate you're not minding (at least I can't tell you do) my posting about it, don't admonish me ,and usually only encourage with your own experiences of sticking to tasks, accomplishing things, beginning where you are and the rest. I read all of this, even if I've read it before, it does help, I always find it motivating to read how you keep at things and make progress! Cause even if I'm not, choosing not to, whatever the reason, it gives me hope and helps refocus my thinking quite a lot of the time. I don't need admonishing, I get enough of that from other persons (not DH!!!) and I just don't need that. But I do need/benefit from typing here whether I'm actually getting what I'm supposed to be working on or not. So, thank you!

I have moved my bookkeeping job and related items about the house about 5 times now, thinking, "I will do it here!" "I will do it there!", etc. part of this is just me, part of it stemmed from having two more people in the house than usual. I thought I would have time while they were here, but it was too much distraction, taking care of other jobs, errands, cooking, cleaning, and mental distraction of other things surrounding these persons, nothing was done. I believe I took positive steps in trying to help problem solve and be of help to these persons, whether appreciated or not. 

Creative: Yes, so I can sit down at the computer and mess with that software very quickly, as it doesn't require set up, getting out of supplies, cleaning paint brushes and what not and crank out more of these designs. The latest all involve cats, black, white tabby cats, in beach setting, but also living room scene. Then I realized once I got the basics done for that, I could change a few accent items in the picture and it could also be a holiday scene, with different colors on upholstery, change in potted plant, snow fall out the window. So, yes, all of that got done in procrastination distraction state of being and it appears now that I have almost 10 again that I could submit in another bundle, all having to do with cats and they are seriously adorable. I have a saying, "Fire Burned Out" I think though I don't that I'd go as far to say it's burned out on making these designs as it is quite fun. BUt I think having 40 (omg, compulsive me on the run!) designs submitted for certificates is quite a lot and I there could be a serious break taken from that and move on toward actually canvas painting.

Crochet: I'm still doing a row or two on the blanket here and there when I need a break from whatever else I'm doing or early, early in the morning with coffee. I'm almost ready to change color again to do the opposite end portion of it, which is like the last quarter or third of it. THe whole thing looks good and there is only one uneven place I can see, which I think I know enough, I could add stitches to w/out issue to bring the edge out further in that spot. it would not be that noticable when I get to the part where you put a surrounding border on the thing.

Bookkeeping: I've moved everything back to the den, and am setting up now to begin in earnest and get through this today. Then DH will look at it and help me make corrections, etc...and it will hopefully be overwith!

Hoping your day id off to a good start!

Z.

Update:  Dealt with three annoying phone call situations this  morning, long.   I think with good result, and one very good unexpected result.  So that is good! 

Good Morning,

Hoping things continue to go well with Clair's PT! You are on it!

I did move everything back into the den and did start yesterday, though I'm not sure "great" progress was made, at least I started. This morning I'm working through a bag of I'm not sure what all, but I know it's receipts, and I printed receipts from my Amazon purchases as well. DH went through this with me last year, you'd think I'd know how to address all, yet, I kind of forgot, did not keep up with it obviously, so I'm sort of in the same state as last year, excepting a few nuggets of knowledge. So...the goal is to finish logging the receipts, then weed out what doesn't apply, then get down to my COGS of items I actually sold. Then I will present this to DH, who will review, hopefully with the same patience he usually does, and get to the nitty gritty. Then I will try to do even better this year, with keeping up with things monthly! This is the goal. I need to make a lot progress today cause I have to go get my mom again tomorrow, bring back to house and then take care of car stuff....again.

Onward!! Hope your day is off to a good start!

Z.

Good MOrning,

Congrats on your HIS VICTORY!!!!! Yay! And good work plowing through the paperwork inflow! I hope you find that paperwork.

Yesterday, and day before, I spent all day, both days, with den door shut, getting through the paperwork in the way I need to, to understand it. Also, in what I think is a more organized way to forward to DH, (hopefully) who has been very patient about waiting. So, got through it all, just finished up last two things this morning, and sent him via e-mail. Fingers crossed he thinks it's better than last year. Sigh. Oh well, it's over. So that was an eye opener, as it always seems to be, in not a great way. But what's done is done. All I can do is try to do better moving forward. I've asked if he could create a sheet for me I could just plug the necessaries into as I go, but this seems to not be offered, or I get a very complicated response. I'm not sure I've mentioned that he's a numbers, finance genius, not joking. So I just have to go back to how I can do it and then send it to him to do "clean up on aisle 9." This is as term I use for lots of situation. Please cross fingers for me it's better. Also, I will do better, I vow it, this year! Also I found two charges one was mine and one is DD's that we needed to cancel happening every month as well as reduced a third charge by a large amount.  The Vendor Mall and some things that happened at the craft fair  with stuff not working right also caused more complications.

Yesterday I also had to drive to get mom, we have her car appointment today and also crossing fingers that is a good and not a debacle. I've already had calls about this of not a good nature and have received a credit of 2K on her behalf off the price for the non refundable vehicle transfer fee. I did not ask for this credit, but I suppose what I complained about had merit, because they issued it without asking. There's some small thingssurrounding this situation, editing.

I whipped out a good chicken quesadilla dinner on the fly last night, reclaimed the kitchen this morning, ran two loads of laundry yesterday.

I will update the DH feedback later. But at least now I can think about other things.

Z.

Creative:  Now I can move on with life.  My friend, who sews, is learning how to do the "Finishing" on the needlepoint ornament she stitched.  She sews, she understands is learning, and if she can learn it, it will save her a lot of money.  However, it is wierd, complicated, and other than seeing the thing when she's done, I want to not really be involved.  She has completed her angel, and done the finishing and it's super cute!  She will now "Finish my twin sisters angel, which is a larger angel, but still within a 4" round, it just fills more of it.  I already knew, could see from photos sister sent that she'd stitched it incorrectly on the surround as it was all wonky, too many rows on the bottom/side, missing rows on the top side.  We'd discussed but my sister was not interested in correcting any of this for reasons I understood, if it involved ripping out stitches.  HOwever, it seems that if additional stitches were added to the top where missing, this would decrease the uneveness w/out ripping out anything.  So my sewing friend has asked sister to send her the canvas and the thread, she will add the stitching, and then attempt to do the finish work on that one.  But then this lead to unsolicited advice from my friend about the size of that angel and how close parts of it came to the outer border and that I should change, x, y, and z and why.  I'd already discussed the margins from image to outer border with my sister who is the more experienced stitcher and was told that there was "enough"  to not lose parts of the angel when it gets "finished".  When you cut around the design once the stitching is done, the finisher wraps an inch or so of empty canvas around a base and batting, attaches it, adds decorative cording around the outside, and so what can happen, if it's wrapped too much/far, some of the design, like parts of the wing, furthest out could end up getting wrapped underneath, or the cording could cover it.   But I'd already discussed all  and created designs accordingly for that not to occur.  ALso I created to them to be a 4" round, which seems to be a very common round size for the 18 mesh canvas things.   So my friend was asking/suggesting  me to change everything.  I politely, but firmly said I would not, that I'd planned for all those things and that if an experienced stitcher worried about not having enough border area, they could simply add/increase it on their own by adding stitching, but that didn't mean I had to change my whole design and make a wierd sized, not normal, industry normal sized chart, and that in my opinion there was enough border allowance for this to be a non issue.   So, we'll see if she can get my sister's thing symmetrical and what happens with it.  Thanks for listening.  It's been a process.  I've purchased a couple of PDF files and reviewed what needlepoint sellers are offering as "charts" only as downloadable PDF's.   I can't always "see" the sales, what is actually making up their sales, like are they actually selling those charts, or is mainly painted canvases.  So, I think painted canvases outnumber chart sales, but still, some charts do sell.  And so creating a downloadable PDF is really just time, no supplies on my part, and then offering for sale.  I don't really know how people who are not super experienced stitch from only a chart.  But I've also seen where people that buy the charts, then use them to paint their own canvas, then stitch it.  Interesting.  So  I do think offering some charts is good, would be interesting to see if they sell, but I don't think they'd be a huge seller.  Now that my bookwork is done, unless a needlepoint company pays me for licensing fee and assumed the responsibility of producton painting of ordered designs, I'm not sure, don't think, I'll be paying for any type of "production" work this year.   I need to try to sell what I have.    Research continues.  Thanks for reading.

GEtting ready to deal with car situation now.

Z.

Good MOrning,

Great work on the organized focus you give your office work! You're so good at streamlining processes! Also on the home chores! I hope the AA can help a lot today!

Thursday I took mom to the car appointment and we got the car. This took hours. The reverse lights were not functioning and there was a bit of a go round about that, me with the rep. And this is what I find frustrating. If company has a 125 point check list for vehicle readiness, I'd assume that would include stuff like, do all the lights work. Im editing this. THere was some ridiculousness that got addressed and we got it, it drove nicely, I think she's happy with it and was thrilled that they take care of all the tax/licsensing for customers. Plus they gave us a HUGE credit, which I'd not asked for, but I did call and complain that I suspected that some of their advertised processes never took place prior to listing vehicel for sale, or shipping it, then there was some unexplained delay after it arrived here.

Landscape: I tried to follow up with both the landscaper and the rock delivery company yesterday. I'm not feeling encouraged right now and I'm editing this also. I"m just hoping things come together with a good timeline and that I've not made a mistake with who I've hired. I don't think I have, but there's just a been a couple things that have me feeling like "What?" It's supposed to start happening on MOnday.

Crochet: I'm stitching the border on my blanket now and will be excited to be done with this! I have enjoyed it, but would also like it to be done.

Creative: I've done three more designs that are spring, related on my bear sweater. They are adorable. So these, along with the cats, beach, living room, bench, and a dog, yes, I have ten more, and I will go ahead and submit those, then move on with other processes. I'm hoping today or tomorrow to be able to do the preparation steps on multiple canvases so I can begin painting! I'm excited for these next steps!

Okay, so That's about it, lots of things planned, hope to make a lot of progress different areas.

Z.