My Weblog

approaching the end of another day........

I'll still be up or a good while, but, truth be told, I need a break.  I have now finished all the elements for the bright kit.  I don't dare do much more because I'm at 100mb of elements now.  I would still like to stick some greenery in there........  But tomorrow it's alphas and details and I've got another for the inventory.  Still no word from the store owner at the new store.  So I still do not have access to the store software to put any of my stuff on sale........  No doubt about it now, I will have to push back the grand opening another week.  She's already cost me a full month and I'm not liking it much.

So, since my last entry, I've stayed busy, not just with design but with other stuff too.  I got that sprinkler clock dealt with.  I don't mess with it often enough to remember what needs to be done so I have to read the instructions every time.  But we're now down to one watering a week!  Yay!  (I guess I should say we're now down to one watering a week if I did it right........)  I did not get to the rose garden.  I was practically fumbling in the dark by the time I got to the sprinkler clock.  I did go to el cheapo.  I am rethinking this whole dry milk thing.  I am buying two gallons of milk for $6 whether I buy it at el cheapo or 7-11.  I paid $6.98 for dry milk and when I got it home, I realized that is for 8 quarts (2 gallons).  How is it possible dry milk costs more than milk??????  So, unless I see a change in price in the downward direction I won't be buying any more of that!  I guess the Lord wanted me to have more oatmeal as it was on sale again, 3 boxes for $5 and a big display of it sitting right inside the door.  So, I got out of el cheapo for under $20.  That's really good news! 

What else have I done?  Well, I spent another 15 minutes on the surface of the desk.  It won't be long now til it looks like a sane person works here.  I paid several bills during that time as well as stuffing more into the trash can and filing a bunch of stuff.  I really need to do desk time earlier in the day.  Joe used to get upset with me because I didn't file paid bills immediately.  What I could never seem to get through to him is that I can't read the file labels once it's dark outside!  It has to do with the way my computer is set up.  But filing by the Braille method isn't all that efficient for me.  I've often wished for one of those miner's helmets with the light on it.........  I also got in 10 minutes of dusting here in the office.  I still need to do another 5 minutes.  I had wanted to do the entry way floor, but I'm not sure if I can see in there well enough to get it done.  I wish an electrician was in the budget.........  I'd love to get that overhead light in the entry way fixed for moments like this.......

I got in my time on the treadmill.  Sooner or later, my legs ought to be developing some muscle, I hope.  And, I did "school".  So, all that's left is 15 minutes on floors and 5 more minutes of dusting and I sure can't see well enough to vacuum anything but the office.  I think maybe I'll wash the hall bathroom floor instead.......

Oh, and my inbox is now at 1680.  It's not a lot of an improvement.  But it IS an improvement and if I had not gone after it diligently all day long, I guarantee you it would be way worse.

I'm either pooped or my blood sugar is in my toes.  I think it's probably that I need to eat.  This might be a good time to have some of that oatmeal!  Anyway, I'm off to go after that to do list again.  You have a good night in case I don't make it back here tonight.

 

Lunch break.......

I haven't gotten any food yet, but it won't be long.  I'm starting to get the shakes.  Forgot to eat breakfast and have been hard at work for hours.

Okay, just thinking about food did me in.  I now have a bowl of Healthy Request Chicken Noodle soup sitting next to me.  I don't much like Healthy Request soups and I've never been a fan of canned chicken noodle soup, but I own it and I'm going to eat it because it's "free".  Of course, somewhere in time, we bought it.  I'm pretty sure it is a Joe-shopping-mishap, but still it costs me nothing to eat it now, so I am going to eat it!

Progress has been made around here.  The kitchen is straightened up.  I have a glass tea kettle I'm trying to figure out what to do with.  Joe used it to make his iced tea and the inside is stained with tea.  I know what to do about that.  I can use some Comet or Ajax or something of that nature and my dish brush and clean that out.  BUT, he left it sit on the stove and never put it in the dishwasher or wiped it down.  So the outside is covered in burnt on grease from cooking that went on around it.  I've tried scrubbing it but that's not doing a thing.  I'm about to pull out the big guns and hit it with some oven cleaner.  I even went so far as to wipe down my stainless steel dishwasher with some Windex and paper towels.  It looks pretty good......

I folded the dry clothes and put them away and rebooted the dryer with the clothes I washed yesterday.  They should be dry soon.  I had found some things on the floor of Joe's closet a few weeks back and laundered them in preparation for donating them.  I got those into a donation bag and got everything added to the list (for tax purposes).  I kept one pair of fuzzy warm sweat pants since my selection of pants is dwindling due to elastic that needs replaced.  They're drawstring pants so elastic shouldn't be a problem with them.  I wiped down the counter in the master bathroom and caught that little bit of the floor I wanted to get to.  I cleaned the toilet in the hall bath and wiped up a bit of the floor.  I am dressed, my teeth are brushed, I'm wearing moisturizer, and my hair is "styled"--stick straight sticking out like "wings" is a style, right? 

I forgot to mention earlier that the "kids" went exploring on the computer desk again last night.  And, yes, they once again managed to knock loose the shelf with all the meds and vitamins on it.  I've about got that set to rights as well. 

I've finished up the ricrak for the bright kit and made a bunch of doodled buttons and frames and I'm working on bows now.  I'd say I'm pretty much on schedule with all that. 

And, last but certainly not least in my mind, I've trimmed the e-mail inbox down below 1700! 

I am going to have to visit El Cheapo sometime today.  I need milk.  I can get milk for a reasonable price at 7-11, but I also need powdered milk.  That I can't get at 7-11.  I had decided my grocery list for the next little while was going to be limited to dogfood, milk, powdered milk, NesQuik, butter, and instant coffee.  On thinking about it, I am going to have to add in the occasional loaf of bread as I have bazillion cheese slices in my freezer, left over from before Joe died.  I also own 2 large jars of peanut butter and at least one large jar of jelly.  So, I see a lot of PB&J's and grilled cheese sandwiches in my future.  I might add in some oatmeal if it is still cheap.  That's quick and filling.  Eventually, I want to get the freezer in the garage emptied out.  I think it might be using a lot of power, particularly in the summer months when it's quite warm out there.  So, I am going to be quite rigid about eating what is on hand.

Okay, I have managed to swallow that bowl of yucky soup.  Honestly, there is something pretty disgusting about noodles that have been sitting in liquid for Lord knows how long.  But, I'm full and that counts for a lot.  I'm also outta here and back on my to do list. 

Aiming for another "successful" day......

So, my to do list is no shorter than it was yesterday, but it has a few different things on it.  Mostly it's the same.  I need to fold the load of clothes in the dryer and move the load that's in the washer into the dryer.  I've hit about everything in the master bath in the last couple of days except the windowsill.  And I want to go back over a little bit of the floor.  This will be a good day to move on into the hall bath.  More time in the rose garden if it's not too cold.  My kitchen sink is filled with gunky stuff that has taken up residence there so I've got to clean that up.  And the 5 "habits".  I managed 3 of them yesterday, mixed in with everything else I did.  I dusted in the office, spent 15 minutes on the desk, and did "school".  Would love to hit all 5 of the "habits" today.  There's still some stuff in the van I need to carry in.  My arms were too full to manage it yesterday.  And.........so on........

Working on the latest bright kit.  Papers are all complete and I'm working on elements.  Don't have a lot done yet, just some ribbons and ricrak, but it'll get there.  Should be done tomorrow sometime, I hope. 

Still no response on my access to the new store.  I must have a mountain of patience poured on me from God because with everything that's happened and not happened and not happened in what I would call a timely manner (that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it), I am not yet ready to strangle anyone.  However, we don't want to mistake this for being okay with the whole process.  I am very not okay with it. 

I've bumped the thermostat down another degree.  If I keep doing this, I will have to dress in layers inside the house, LOL.  I know there's another shirt that goes with this pair of pants--someplace.  I do wish I could find it!  I am ruthlessly paring everything possible out of the budget.  I've started visually tracking back where I've been in the house to make sure lights are turned off.  I also turned off the power to the monitor and the EHDs and the EHD fan last night and I plan on continuing that.  It may help save a buck or two.  And, I'll be resetting the sprinkler clock today to go down to one day a week.  That will save some $$$$ and save me washing the entryway floor as often as the dogs run outside in the wet grass and then run to the front door with muddy paws.  I did not realize I was supposed to turn the sprinklers back at the beginning of the month, but I checked the water bill and saw it last night as I was doing desk stuff.

Several months ago, I wrote out a petition for the Lord.  It was a very bold petition but the Word does say we can approach the throne of grace with boldness.  I have a feeling that really means we don't have to grovel and be afraid, but I chose to reinterpret it.  I had the opportunity to give some money to a very worthy cause.  The ministry which has poured so much into my life has 40 years of sermons in various formats.  They wanted to convert these formats to put everything on their website, available FOR FREE around the world.  Do you know how few ministries make anything available for FREE?  Not many.  Somehow that irks me.  It seems to me that if you are in the "business" of leading people to Christ, it shouldn't cost them money to get there.  This seemed to me to be a way to reach people around the world and I loved the idea.  I paired the gift with a written petition for 100X the amount I was giving.  That is a very LARGE amount in my world and not one thin dime of it will be for anything frivolous.  The Word tells us to owe no man anything but love.  And I cannot get out of debt unless the Lord meets the need.  That was the basis of the petition.  I've "reminded" the Lord, numerous times, of my petition.  It hit me last night that while I've been faithful to remind Him (like He needs reminded?????!!!) I have not been thanking Him for meeting it.  So I had to repent and "change my tune".  So, I am now thanking God for meeting my need in response to my petition for a very LARGE sum of money.  It's a whole new perspective.  After all, He's promised to meet my needs.  I don't care whether it's with a full time job, a part time job, an inheritance, a gift, whatever.  He has a million ways to get me what I need and He is faithful to His promises.  It's a faith walk around here, every day.  This just requires more faith......

A good 25 years ago, I was dispatched to help with the audit of one of the big casinos here.  My audit partner was going through a bloody divorce and was worthless.  He was actually a drain on the audit as he chewed through the available time just by being there.  I was concerned.  This was the biggest audit I'd ever worked on.  I had a conversation with the guy who'd done the audit for the two previous years and he could tell I was on edge about the whole thing.  He said, "Don't worry about it.  It's just like any other audit, it's just more zeroes."  Yes, expenditures of $1 million instead of $10,000!  Well, thanking God for a 100X return when you are relying on His promises to make it happen is just more zeroes......

Blog train tomorrow and, yes, indeed, I will have a freebie for you!  It looks pretty good and it's quite large as these things go.

I think there is still more eyecandy with A Joyful World.  Let me go grab it for ya!

Lori did this page with a photo of her grandson, JT.  It was JT, his momma, and his daddy that Lori went to visit in South Korea recently.  I think he looks particularly cute in that Santa hat!  Love that beautiful cluster of floral elements Lori created in the upper right.  You can leave Lori some love here.

Okay, I need to get back at it.  You be blessed today!

Done, all but the shouting.......

Well, I did my 15 minutes on the desk.  I must have accomplished something worthwhile as the trash can is full.  Unfortunately, there is quite the stack of bills to pay.  I am blessed to have enough to pay them.  There will be lights and heat and water in this house for another month!

I also did the feather duster thing.  In fact, I'd committed to doing 5 minutes a day and I actually spent 10.  It does look better, but I can't say it looks good, just better. 

I got the last of the 2nd bag of dogfood into the can where it is stored.  The dogs eat for another couple of weeks!  This is good, LOL. 

While I was going through bills, I ran across the latest statement from my good buddies at Toyota.  When I spoke with them the other day, they told me there was 6 months left to pay on the balance.  Liars!  There are 4.4 payments left.  That is cheerful news.  1.6 fewer months to deal with them!  That will not balance the budget, but it should make the deficit significantly smaller.  That too will be good. 

Okay, I still have two things I want to do before I go to bed.  So, I'm done here for today.  Have a good night!

 

Taking a break.........

I've been hard at it for a while.  I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I had to just sit here, so I'm glad I have so many ways to amuse myself, LOL.  I have put the last load of clothes in the washer and the ones I washed yesterday are in the dryer or hanging in my bathroom (sweaters, don't want them in the dryer).  The van is several pounds lighter.  I pulled one of the outdoor trash cans over to her and just started pitching things in there.  Then I carried in as much as I could carry when my time was up.  There is a start on pruning the roses.  They'll need more work/more time.  I've done some cleaning in master bathroom--toilet brushed and shelves dusted.  Did some dusting here in the office.  This was the wipe it down with a wet cloth kind of dusting.  Still need to do some work with the feather duster.  I've paid some bills and will put in 15 on the desk when I'm done here. 

I've also been saving the papers I made today.  I've done the full 14 print papers.  I have been cleaning out e-mail as well.  At the moment I'm down to 1732.  It's progress..........  Like I said, a lot of them have to be opened and read just to see if they can be deleted or need to be moved to my personal filing cabinet. 

I have been struggling with uploads and such for the new store.  First of all, I found out I had to retitle all my zip files.  Then I found out I have to retitle all my previews.  In addition, I have to have previews in 3 different sizes!  I am stuck right now because the e-mail I received with my username and password for the store software is apparently wrong.  At least, after three tries, I am unable to sign in.  I've got an e-mail out asking about that.  I really had hoped to have the store open on December 3, but that is looking less likely all the time........

I am happy to report that my teeth don't ache and I can see just fine.  I can hear pretty well and I do not have a muscle spasm in my back.  My feet don't hurt, my legs don't hurt, my arms don't hurt, but I could use some prayer about this headache.  It is with me far more often than I can stand. 

Alright.  I need to quit this and get back to work.  I just needed a little break.  I might be back later, but if I'm not, you have a good night.

I forgot to mention.........

The other night I wrote a kind of negative post which I subsequently deleted because I didn't want to throw all that negativity in God's face.  Then I repented for my attitude.  But somewhere in that post, I commented about sitting here surrounded by what were once dual pane windows.  However, they're almost 30 years old and they now leak and my little corner gets really chilly.  I thought it was kinda funny to note that the following night, I LITERALLY felt a cold breeze, sitting here in my chair..........  Yes, I'd definitely say they leak some........

It's gonna be a great day!

I've been up and rattling around for about 3.75 hours.  I'm awake and able to blog coherently.  I held off a while because I thought "coherent" would be a nice change for ya!

I have been working on a new kit for a change, LOL.  After the kit I worked on the past few days, with very muted colors, I dove into something that is knock-your-socks off bright.  Well, it's not quite that bright, but it seems like it is compared to where I've been.  I kept seeing this itty bitty teeny tiny little photo of a bedroom done in brown, yellow, two shades of green and a reddish orange.  I kept following the link on FB and it did not take me to the photo!  Grrrrrr.  So, finally I decided to see what I could do with just the itty bitty teeny tiny little photo and I managed to pick a color scheme from it!  And I am off to the races.  I've already done 12 papers!  Lookin' good, mama!  Even better, I designed the patterns for two of the papers on the spur of the moment and used 3 more patterns from things I've designed myself over the last few weeks.  It's one thing to use someone else's stuff and make it look betterby adding color and texture; it's a whole 'nother ball game to make your own stuff and have it look good.

I've been reciting at least daily the blessings that inure to those who are obedient to God's word as enumerated in Deuteronomy 28.  There is one in there about Him blessing the work of my hands.  I swear it's working!  Starting on Thanksgiving Day, a day I thought I would be depressed, continuing through yesterday, another day I thought I would be depressed, and on into today, the kits have just flowed as if I'm on autopilot.  I am just amazed.  I LOVE doing this design stuff, but sometimes it's like trying to walk through quicksand.  Not so these last few days.  I'm beginning to wonder about designers (including me) who say they've lost their mojo.  First, maybe we get what we say?  Hmmmm, that's something to think about.  Or maybe with less complaining and more prayer and praise the bumps would even out?  I don't know, but I'm on a roll right now.  I read about another designer retiring and I realized I couldn't stop now if I tried!  I'm just having too much fun and it's the first time in my entire working life I've ever been able to say that about my "job".  Now, if I can begin to make some "real" money at it, I'll be the happiest little camper in the world!

It is supposed to get up in the low 70's today.  I will be throwing the door and windows open.  And, I think I will spend some time cleaning out the car and pruning the rose bushes.  I'd much rather do that on a day when the high is in the low 70's than wait til some day when it's in the low 50's.  Since there appears to be no wind at all, maybe I'll even throw a coat of paint on that gate I sanded down a while back.  It sure needs it! 

I should show you some more eye candy with A Joyful World. 

My buddy, Karen, a woman who will be on my CT for as many decades as she wants, LOL, is a hoot.  She is always incredibly busy and is even more so right now.  I am surprised when I look in the gallery and find a layout from her because she keeps sending me e-mail telling me she has this urgent project or that urgent project and may not be able to scrap until February or May or whatever.  Then I find a layout.  One of the things I find to be fun about Karen's layouts is that she never leaves my stuff alone!  She reworks the whole kit and then complains about not having enough time to scrap!  Do you think there might be a reason for that?  This time Karen had a photo she wanted to scrap that featured blue and red.  So she recolored all the greens to blues and nudged the red a little to the orange side and here's what we have now:

Why do I let her get away with this?  Because, in my opinion, it is a wonderful example of what a resourceful scrapper can do with ANY kit.  It just shows this kit doesn't HAVE to be for Christmas and I love that!  I've already told her I just might color pick this layout for a color scheme for a future kit.  It looks so darned good! 

Alright, it's one thing to talk about doing some outside work.  It's another to actually DO the work and I want to get started.  You be BLESSED today!

 

I did it!

It is the end of the day and I am not in the slough of despond.  How is that possible?  I think only through much prayer--my own and some others who have prayed for me.  I felt the prayers all day.  For a day when I feared I would sink into depression, I've done doggone well. We are now in the "safety zone" til December 18th but please feel free to continue the prayer support!  If the results are this good when you pray, I don't want to give that up!

Since I last updated, I've gotten the kitchen clean (I still need to get the sink clean, but that's not happening tonight!), washed the kitchen floor.  Cleared off the hot spot on my dining room table.  Spent 15 minutes on my desk paying bills and 15 minutes dusting in this office.  Cycled the laundry that was in the washer into the dryer and washed another load.  Then I met Jen and got a tour of one of the houses she's been looking at.  Then we went to dinner.  I had intended to do some more work around here but got caught on "chat" on FB with a new designer I've been helping. 

In the meantime, I finished absolutely everything for the kit I've been working on.  Then I dropped back and previewed the alphas on the adult snow kit I did last week and did all the detail stuff besides and got all the folders set up to upload! 

Could I have done more?  Yes, probably, but I think this was a pretty good day.  I'm even prepared to call it "successful".  It will be nice going to bed, thinking that, for once, I had a successful day!  Now to duplicate that tomorrow!  Things around here might actually begin to shape up!

Lunch time.........

I've got no clue what I'm going to eat for lunch today, but I'll go forage in the fridge soon.  In the meantime, the morning update.

I was reminded last night that it is I who gets to determine how "successful" my day is.  It was one of those bathroom conversations with Dad.  So, with that in mind, I've been hard at it.  I have now finished up everything but alphas, previews, and details on the kit I've been working on.  I've already got two alphas planned out and we'll see what the third might be......  The kit is really pretty.  I can say that even if it is not done in what I would call Marci-colors. Wish I could show you--I think you'd oooooh and aaaaah--but, of course, I can't.  Not yet.

In the meantime, I've cleaned the toilet and the bathtub and wiped down the counter top in the master bath.  I've washed a load of clothes.  I spent forever (13 minutes--yes I DID time it) wrestling the cover back on the featherbed and straightening the bed.  And I started on some minimal kitchen cleanup.  Now, this list of accomplishments in the house is nothing to write home about, but it's better than I have been doing so I'm happy about it, particularly considering the date.  I had a conversation with Dad about that last night too and I am determined to get through this day victorious.  The Word says I'm an overcomer and to be an overcomer, I guess I have to have something to overcome! 

I had 1765 e-mails in my inbox when I went to bed last night.  I woke up to 1785.  It now stands at 1752.  This is progress, but I'd be a lot happier if I'd made more progress on this.  Unfortunately, it is necessary for me to read some of it before I know whether to delete it or not. That makes it a lot more time consuming........  And, as I keep deleting, stuff just continues to slap into the inbox.  It gets pretty frustrating!

Okay, that's it for now.  I hope to have a lot more done around here and on that kit SOON.

I've also dealt with Toyota and Cox by phone this morning. 

So, all in all, I'm working on a "successful" day.

So many hungry children.....

could be fed on what some people spend thoughtlessly.  I subscribed sometime back to a mailing list for what I thought was a discount home furnishings site.  I continue the subscription only because it helps me in design.  Here are two of today's featured items:  duvet cover, regularly $700, on sale for $488.95; Euro pillow, regularly $335, on sale for $232.95.  I cannot help but ask myself how in the world could people spend this kind of money for percale.  Not gold, percale.  I think you could feed 24 starving children for a month on the money it would cost for these two items at their sale prices (I'm using Life Today's prices, $30 a month per child).   How do they ignore the needs of so many to buy such worthless stuff at such ridiculous prices?  And, if you don't spend $488.95 on a duvet cover, what DO you spend that could be used for far better purposes.  Think about it.....