March was one jam-packed month. It didn't go swooping by, but it is already well into April. I didn't blog in March because I was lying about munching on bon-bons, but because I was hit with a pretty hard dose of March Spring Cleaning Madness!! Hurrah for that, some years it doesn't hit, but this year was a different story. A good friend of Kelly's has already had 3 garage sales, so that bumps up the clean-it-out meter at our house, getting ready for the neighborhood sale in late May early June.
Aaron spent his spring break helping me retrofit a bathroom on Royal Oak. I traded him childcare for construction labor and we got along well. The project only needs vinyl cove glued on and one more coat of grout sealant and it can be added to the "completed" list! Hurrah!
Also finished a bride's dress and after wedding dress, have started to hit the mend-this-will-yah pile. Made James an emergency scrub the late night before his first Certified Medical Assistant class and finally got some window treatments on two of the rooms at Royal Oak. That all feels very good. I drug my sewing machine, a bunch of fabric, patterns, etc to Walnut Creek Ohio for a 3 day workshop. During the day, I studied to earn a Trained Sewing Instructor certificate and by night I finally got started on a wardrobe update for myself. James recently commented that most of the things in my closet I've had since before he was born (it's painfully true), so let the update begin. I finished a nightgown (because I forgot to pack one), a couple of comfy knit shirts and a pattern and two pair of work trousers. That along with learning the operating system on a notebook pc and planning a sewing lesson with pre-assembled examples was all I got accomplished on the trip. (well with a good sized chunk of Amish cooking and quilt show browsing...thinking "I can make that"). It was good to be away and good to get the certificate and good to finally start on the personal wardrobe.
I also did something I truly hate....cold call selling. I worked on a business plan at the workshop and applied it to the M-U-M division of StudioPro31. I coined the phrase "Personal Historic Preservation" in the shower one morning and want to make that available with digital publishing, hard bound publishing, storytelling quilts and surprisingly ...with scrapbooking binder covers. This last option came about during the dreaded cold call when I was told that my prices were too low, the quality was too high and I wasn't ready for prime time or to franchise (I mean....sheesh....I just want to make a living ...not become rich or stressed to the max-- but that's an entire story all of it's own). Anyway, that may be on the horizon....the binder covers. Interesting...
I'm one month away from a Masters degree and so far on schedule to get the work done. Graduation is May 9th, so that may have contributed to the spring clean frenzy. We have a house guest at the present time that is making for an interesting dynamic. We'll give this another month before sharing more. All the kids and grandkids are well and not in a static situation. Dennis is coming out of the winter funk that held him glued to his recliner for these past months. He's starting to tell a few jokes and has actually joined in some on the general clean up/fix it up around the house. He's starting to look at want-ads but we're still not sure he'll ever work again. So many systems were strained by the dialysis and diabetes. We're just glad for the health he's gotten back...sign those donor cards! It's the ultimate "green" experience.
I am at the present, avoiding starting a book report and a 25 page paper. Avoidance tasks are some of my most productive times. I can get more done trying to avoid paying the bills or starting a really nagging project than at any other time. Some of the drawers and closets are currently at museum quality just from avoidance time spent in them. It's called "mouse milking" you work very, very hard and have very little to show for it. The funny thing is that it's still a very productive time and a good precursor to that awful task you are dreading...I've found that when on "mm" duty, I still can mentally process what I'm avoiding and may have actually thought of an easier or faster way to go at it while milking the little guys. Ah the life of a dairy farmer.
Until next time....look for the great little details in life. Some of the best times are just a few seconds spent appreciating something tiny. Kendall (2 year old) was going on and on in a jabbery way about daddielions. Finally she asked where the mommielions were? She was looking hard for the details.
