Clean freak 2

O.K. it's been so cold here that I am reluctant to step outside. So what do you do. I've been trying desperately to clean up. Ha! You know me I start with my studio, and get easily distracted. So now I've found a few more projects that are must dos this winter. I must say for such a mess, I'm really not that unorganized. But then there are the books, and you know that you can't just toss out everything. So I read somewhere that(probably in my own new years resolution list) that if you don't like more than one thing in a magazine or cookbook, you should donate it. I'm not doing well. I haven't even been able to part with my old macrame books. I wish I had kept my macrame kitchen curtains, they are back IN. I'm sure I'd find my cat hanging from them at some point. But in all this clean up I can't help thinking I need to design something for my niece's first baby. Any ideas. I don't think she has a "theme" yet, or at least I'm not aware of one. Her sister liked the idea of Noah's Ark, but I don't want to do that again. I'm thinking Humpty Dumpty. Just because she's such a good egg. This Video is Leslie and I on our adventures, it seems that it is always SO Much snow. We are collecting hearts for our gallery picture book, for Valentine's Day.

Will I live long enough?

Well last night I completed removing furniture/wood pieces from my mothers home, with help from my brother-in-law and my grumpy husband. I could see things painted on each piece and therefore could not just throw them out.(My husband is having a fit). Like the bookcase that we had as children(which we hated) I could see a fox hunt scene across the front of it. The wood bed frame, well that will have to be a continuation of Noah's Ark. And then there is that table that would be great as a chess table. I'm just thinking I'm not sure I'll live long enough to paint all these things. Oh well I'll be signing up for studio painting beginning Wednesday, hope I can accomplish some of these tasks. And then of course there is upholstery...oh yes, and the knitting machine, and all that silk embroidery.............................. I even have the fur to make this lovely muff for my cat. Imagine that!

Just what the Dr. ordered

In my profile you'll see that I've been married to the same man for thirty years. I didn't tell you he's a "Polka Groupie" Yes Polka's. Not the kind you hear usually. They are hip and now or so I'm told. They are Chicago style or Pennsylvania Style or something of a combination of both. It's sort of a secret underworld in music. Awhile back we did a major reno in our home, seems that's all we do. So I packed things up, including all the Polkas and when "the room" was ready, told my husband he had to re-organize and fit into the space allotted. |"If a man's room is his castle, let him clean it." Well I could take the dust no longer, not to mention that I needed more room for car parts,and in my attempt to clear away more space for myself thought I would push the envelope a little. I made him file his notes from conferences. He damn near died. And then there were the CDs. He conveniently had to go to the washroom, and then he never came back. Got a phone call and off he went.(I actually think he phoned himself.) So I guess I had to finish. Well at least it was a good laugh. Being a student in secretarial and library studies, volunteer as those posts might have been, I need to alphabetize. So my son and I had quite a laugh. The photo insert is a favorite band. Creative name and all. We didn't listen to any of the tunes but I'm sure they are GREAT. So we not only fit into the CD cabinet we have extra room. And only tossing a few "don't belong to this cabinet" out. You must think "What state is this woman's home in? that she is still sorting out." Well let me tell you if we had a fire, we'd never get out. So I continue today. Keep warm and have a laugh. I'd have loved to link you in for a listen to Dr. Kielbasa, but I'm not that technically capable. You think I'm kidding? So I'll entertain you with some home grown talent from Hamilton. If you watch carefully you might see my husband dancing by... I do notice that Canadians hop a bit more the our U.S. friends. They sort of slide and relax. Check out the guy in the middle playing the trumpet (I think) having a great ole time, I may ask him to dance next time, forget his name.
Photo of album cover I own.

I can't believe it....

I can't believe I've published over 100 posts. I know I always have too much to say, but I've actually taken the time to say it in writing. Today is no exception. My sisters and I did a scrapping session at my mother seniors residence, she was terribly uninterested. All she wanted to do is complain about the very small desserts she was getting. She told me that she told them they could keep their little cookies, she has boxes in her room. But, I got some serious sorting done. I should be working a little harder at that and today seem like it got me on track again. I have this fear of not living long enough to finish scrapping my photos. I'm off again on a cleaning and sorting binge tomorrow. How sad. Hope I find some treasures to tell you about.

Antiques Road Show

Often when I'm in control of the T.V. remote, I get to watch the Antiques Road Show. Usually I have Sasha's laptop with me and am eager to look up things. One of the things I looked up was an artist that I could swear my mother had hidden in her moldy basement. The excitement mounted as I took my bus to her house to pull it down from the wall and out of the frame anxiously looking for the # I had researched to see if it was a treasure. Alas it was a five and dime copy. I am so amazed that people don't know what valuables they have in their basements. I'm sure there are couple of other goodies down there. Not sure if I'll benefit from the hunt, but it can be exciting. And what would I do with such treasures. I like treasures with history, I don't think that's what the experts call it. Like the clock that my mother use to have in her living room, it belonged to a lady named Zofia Jendreczyk, she wanted my mother to make her more than one dress and this was the payment. I don't think it ever chimed, (my father being on night shift too often). One day when Zofia's husband got wind that she was trading off his antiquities for designer garments(my mother's designs)he dropped in and paid the bill and asked for his clock back. What a shame, I wonder where it is now, since they have both died, no kids. Probably at some Goodwill. I'm always looking there too. I have a couple of vases that Pani Kowalski talked me into buying when I was a starving student, she was working at Mills ( the china store) and I kept looking at them when I waited for the bus to go back to my dorm room, she convinced me that they would be worth something someday. It was a consignment. I loved them, and she let me put them on layaway. Imagine that, the bill totaled $30 and I put them on layaway. I still have them, Daniel plans on buying himself a Lamborghini when "I no longer need them" not a bad investment. Anyway I hope everyone looks at their treasures a little closer before you get ready for the garage sale. Like my crochet/embroidery treasures, I can picture Pani Dubiel crocheting, my sister Donna sleeping by the heat knitting, such memories you can't buy those. You could however, scrap them.

Raining again...

There is something about continuous rain that gets people down, and we ought to get out from under. I've been trying. Once again sorting and cleaning is on my agenda. I've been working on my heritage pictures. I came across a letter my sister Barb and I had written to our uncle in the states (not mailed, just written) we were on a great high and thought he could help us with our genealogy. The date on the letter is July 20, 2006. I didn't even know I had it. I assumed Barb had mailed it. I was thinking he didn't want to help. Now I'm afraid he may not be able to. His health has changed considerably. The moral of the story is, mail every letter you write, and don't wait to talk to someone it might be too late. It is much the same story with my mom, she always meant to write down where she and my dad traveled throughout the war, it never happened. As my dad has now been dead for 30yrs. and my mother is no longer able to give the information the attention to make it accurate, that avenue into our family history is closed.We can only go on what history recorded for us, and some tidbits of information we got during late night sewing. (My mother was a dressmaker and made us help her when she was running late on a project, to keep us awake she would tell us these very dramatic life situations.)

See what happens when it rains, you clean and find all these things that lead yet in another direction. I haven't lost my way, I just don't want to clean anymore. Now that we have been talking about rain, I can only think of a song by Roberta Flack,... raining again I ought to get out from under. Now that's another mess to clean up (albums many many albums.)

Holiday Monday

I know many of us bloggers are stumped on Monday and even though it is not a holiday until tomorrow, I always feel sort discombobulated on these days. You know no plans just a whole list of things to do. I usually wash windows, well that has now been put off until tomorrow. I did some gardening. I cleaned the garage, around the car parts. I seem to have a lot more garbage on long weekends. But otherwise it's only another Monday.

Saturday Morning Rush

A number of years ago we were told that in the computer age things would be so fast that we would only need to work four days a week. Well for most of the work force that has not happened. We seem to do more and more all the time. We keep ourselves busy, we keep our kids busy and then when they grow up they keep us busy. Saturday morning use to be clean the house for moms and dad would cut grass, or do household repairs, kids would watch cartoons. Well I don't know about anyone else's house but that does not happen in my house, anymore. For years now my eldest son has had a job, and when he didn't he always had somewhere he needed to be. Now my youngest is off to work on Sat. morning, yes it's just a part time job but, my nest is getting emptier and emptier. My husband and I hustle around me making lunches, Andy driving them to jobs, or trains or something. But there is no such thing as a relaxing Saturday morning, or any morning anymore. We all sort of crash on Friday night from the school week, and then it's Saturday already. Where is our four day work week. I could go for a Ninja Turtle or Ghostbuster cartoon right about now. And a few little toy cars around the house, instead I have rearend coil sitting in my kitchen, for a full size vehicle. I've just finished empting the bumpers in my backyard of rain water, and I guess I'll have to drop a mosquito puck in so I don't get West Nile Virus. Yes Saturday Morning is a Rush, and so is every other day of the week. We could sure use an eighth day couldn't we. I think I might start a campaign. I shall be accepting suggestions for a name. How about Sloday? No stores would be open, no schools, and no one would be able to leave their homes. They would be forced to watch cartoons.

Rain, Rain go away...

The last four days have been clean up days. Those of you who are familiar with my housekeeping will know that I don't worry about a little mess. I have certain criteria, NO BUGS, not too much dust, clean towels, sheets and dishtowels (especially dishtowels). When my husband is home I must use 12 dishtowels, during a one day, for some reason he thinks they are paper towels. Since I'm attempting to be environmentally friendly I don't use paper napkins or paper towels. So I wash a lot. Beyond that if my kids are fed and loved I'm happy. My friend read someplace that you should clean for 45 min. then take a rest for 20 min., and then45 min. work again and so on. Being the godmother of our resident scientist, I decided to experiment. It is supposed to be most efficient. I'm trying really hard to keep the schedule. During my rest periods I have tried to hoe out my excesses of magazines, paperback books, and sort through paper. Because I find this task very relaxing I did it during my rest period. WELL!
I discovered a leak in my studio. Now all of you who know my husband, know he will not hire someone to fix-it. So that means I have to move everything within 50 feet,( even though the room is a max of 12ft. x 18ft.) because you all know I will need new dry wall and carpeting, and possibly new electrical and plumbing work. So off I go moving all this fabric, wood, paper, paints, canvas, tables, upholstery projects etc. Since it's been raining pretty well the last few days we thought we would be able to narrow down where exactly this leak is. By now all the ceiling tiles are moved (in no orderly fashion) and there is a garage full of tools on the floor, all around the ladder. Well thank goodness the rain has continued today, and we were able to narrow the drip down to the pipe where my in house plumber used to put in the new taps. He was cutting corners I suppose and needed to put some plumbers crap around the connection. So the drip could possibly be fixed within the next month. Andy time, you know. I did however, in my 45min. work sessions clean an awful lot up. I vacuumed, connected wood pieces to patterns (in an attempt to reduce my clutter). I feel suddenly inspired to make a little girls dress. But first some alterations, I keep growing. So now the rain can go away, I'm ready to pull weeds.