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Archive for the ‘Everyday’ Category

Technology, Wax, And Dolphins

Posted in Everyday, tagged , , , on June 2, 2014| 6 Comments »

OK, you’ll all be very happy to know I conquered the technology problem I was having the other day.  I still can’t tell you what the project is, and I can’t take all the credit for solving the problem as Husby and Charlotte helped me with ideas, but there’s nothing better than figuring out something you know nothing about.  I had to figure it out by trial and error too, because by now manufacturers of technology devices assume everyone knows the most basic concepts of technology and those concepts aren’t covered in the instructions.  I believe, however, that I learn and retain things much better with the trial and error method, even though it’s frustrating and takes a long time.

In other news this week I’ve been spending some time in Craftland pouring candles like mad.  I was thinking about the time I put into that project too, which is a lot.  But you know what?  I really like doing it.  I screwed up a beeswax candle yesterday, but that’s the beauty of wax.  Just remelt and pour again!

And then there’s this other thing I have to tell you about.  You know the photo site Flickr?  Every time I get on that site a song comes into my head.  Flickr sounds a lot like Flipper, doesn’t it?  That’s right, the theme song to the ’60s TV show gets into my head the minute I log into Flickr and doesn’t go away.  Like, ever.   Then I get all discombobulated because the song is so…untrue.

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning*
No one you see, is smarter** than he***
And we know Flipper lives in a world full of wonder**** 
Flying***** there under, under the sea!******

*  A dolphin is not capable of swimming faster than lightening.  I’m just saying.

** I’m pretty sure Einstein was smarter than a fish. (OK, I know dolphins are mammals, but guess what? I bet Flipper doesn’t know that, so I guess even I’m smarter than Flipper.)

*** The dolphin that played Flipper was, in fact, a female.

**** I’m on board with this line.

***** Flipper swims and doesn’t fly. Everyone knows that.

****** When swimming under the water are you in fact under the sea? In the sea I can agree with. But if you were “under” the sea wouldn’t you be in the core of the earth and therefore being burned up by the magma contained therein?

So now, because I’ve incorporated the photo of this post from my Flickr account I’ll be thinking of this song all week.  And now I’m going to make you think of this song for at least a week, because I’m kind of mean and hateful that way.

Happy Monday, everyone!

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Lazy Days Of Summer?

Posted in Candles, Everyday, tagged , , , on May 27, 2014| 12 Comments »

It’s after 9:00 p.m. and I should be in bed.  But you know how it is when you have all this stuff to do right when you come home from the day job and then spend some chatty time with your spouse or kids or partner or housemate or even yourself over dinner and then have a bunch of other stuff to do after that?  It’s 9:00 p.m. before you know it and there was no relaxing time at all.

I love relaxing time.  I need relaxing time.  I’m kind of lazy that way.

But tonight I was on a mission.  I can’t say too much about it because the person for whom this mission must be accomplished might read my blog and it’s a surprise for him/her.  Suffice it to say the mission involved technology, and with that I stink.

Stink, I say.

Needless to say the mission was not accomplished, but I haven’t lost hope yet.  When it comes to computers and digital devices I’m usually determined to figure it out even if it takes me months.  Unfortunately in this case I don’t have that long, so I better hop to it.  Tomorrow I’ll give it another whirl.

And tomorrow will be Wednesday already!  I had a nice, long weekend for Memorial Day, thanks to a government job that gives me national holidays off.  I wouldn’t say the weekend was particularly relaxing either, because I went to the family cottage and there was a lot to do to open the place up for the summer.  Charlotte did most of the work though, because she’s disciplined that way.  There were windows to wash, an outhouse to scrub, cobwebs to brush away, dusting to do, animal gnawings to repair and a bunch of other stuff that we all pitched in to accomplish.  It was a fun weekend though, spending time with everyone.

Because tomorrow is Wednesday I’ll be doing some craft work to get ready for the show at Chateau St. Croix next month.  (Wednesdays are devoted to craft work for me.)  There will be some candle pouring and product pricing done, and that always makes me feel productive.  I’ll also have to get back to that technology project and see if I can figure it all out.

Lazy days of summer?  I’d like proof of that, please.  I’m rarely lazy during the summer months because the summer months demand a lot of activity, especially in places like Minnesota where half the year we’re snowed in.  That’s when we’re supposed to be lazy, but it doesn’t seem like I am then either.

With that report I’m going to sign off and go to bed.  I hope the sleep is good because I have to be awake and pay attention for the next twelve weeks or so.  I’d probably sleep a lot better if I knew I could figure out this dang technology project.

I’ll keep you posted.

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Springing

Posted in Craft Business, Everyday, tagged , , , , on May 12, 2014| 2 Comments »

It’s a misty evening, overcast and humid.  There was a bit of rain, and when I looked out the window I noticed the lily of the valley sprouts have shot up at least two inches since yesterday.  The hummingbirds have arrived with their shiny green and red feathers.  The snow is gone and the grass is green.  I believe spring has finally sprung.

I’m indulging in the leftovers of Mother’s Day.  I hosted a group of eight for the occasion including Charlotte (the mom of two wonderful nephews) and my mom (the mom of Charlotte, me, and Diggy) and everyone else in my immediate family.  Right now I have some champagne in my glass, a nice hostess gift from Charlotte, and a piece of red velvet cake.  Mike Oldfield and Jean Michel Jarre are on the stereo and I am just about as content as I can be.

My Etsy shop is now on vacation and the next couple of months loom before me.  They’ll be a busy couple of months, so I’m taking advantage of some down time until I need to be “on.”  Right now the craft business is secondary, family is first and foremost.  One thing I’m really looking forward to (and Husby is even more) is our upcoming getaway to Door County.  “What’s the big deal,” you may ask?  “You go to Door County at least once a year.”  This time our trip won’t include a craft show.  This is a good thing.  Husby and I are looking forward to a little R & R without one thought of Auntie B’s Wax.

After our trip to Door County we have a few events to attend, one of which is the spring festival at the Chateau St. Croix Winery.  It will be my first show of the season and we’re really looking forward to seeing the gang at the Chateau, as well as seeing returning customers and meeting new ones.

The summer is sprawled out in front of me, busy, as summertime in Minnesota usually is.  With all the activities and celebrations awaiting I look outside my window tonight and shrug my shoulders as sigh.  It’s a quiet night, one to relish in anticipation of an action-packed summer.  All is good.

And the night falls.

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My Boyfriend

Posted in Everyday, tagged , , on May 2, 2014| 2 Comments »

The jacket.  As far as I know the jacket has been around for about thirty-five years.  It first belonged to Husby, and now it belongs to me.

The jacket has belonged to me for a long time.  Just how long I don’t know for sure, but at least fifteen years.  Maybe longer.  I wear the jacket a lot.  To the day job, running errands, to social events.  I always wanted a jacket like this but never had one growing up or in my young adulthood.

Husby said I could wear the jacket and I’ve been wearing it ever since.  It’s like when your boyfriend in high school lets you wear his letter jacket…only I get to wear my boyfriend’s jacket forever.

Happy birthday to my ever-lasting boyfriend.

 

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Things Were Kind Of Miserable Today

Posted in Everyday, tagged on April 23, 2014| 5 Comments »

Today. It started last night, actually. My sleep was interrupted with hot flashes and adrenaline surges at least once every hour. But I went to the day job like a real hero in spite of the fact that I had about three hours of sleep.

Then, at the day job there was absolutely nothing to do. Okay, that’s not entirely true, but being the efficiency warrior that I am all the work I had to do was done within three hours. That left six hours to stay awake, occupy myself, look busy and stay awake. It was the challenge of the century. On top of that I have this thumb thing going on, which makes gripping, including a computer mouse, nearly impossible. But guess what? I did it. I finished out the day. When 3:30 rolled around I was ready to scream out of the office and back home again for hours upon hours of sweet sleep.

Except The Pod (my car, which looks like a space pod) had less than half a tank of gas, and being the responsible motorhead that I am I decided I could spare ten minutes at the gas station to fill up.

So there I was, responsibly filling up my gas tank, kind of dozing as I did it, knowing the click of the “full tank” would alert me to hang up the nozzle and walk into the station to pay my bill, which I really had no energy to do. Except guess what? The click didn’t happen and gas came spilling out of my tank, down the side of my car and onto my pants and  shoes.

What the fffff…? Well, trying to look on the bright side I was happy I wasn’t wearing my favorite black suede oxfords; instead I was wearing my tennis shoes, which have a meshy top and allowed the gasoline to soak all the way through to my socks…and feet.

I got into The Pod and knew the gas on my shoes and pants would immediately stink up the car, and it did. When I got home I stripped off my shoes, socks, and pants and treated them as necessary. The shoes are still soaking in a bucket of soapy water, and I washed the pants and socks, twice, but I still smelled the gasoline on them. So they’re on a hanger outside, as I hope a fresh breeze will take out the stench. However, it’s raining, so the pants and socks won’t dry.

While I was in the midst of my two cycles of clothes washing I decided to make myself useful (as I didn’t do much of that at the day job) and cleaned out one of my kitchen cabinets. I felt greatly accomplished.

Now I sit in my little art deco chair in the rumpus room with a tray full of candles burning on the hearth.  My little laptop (which is essentially you guys) is keeping me company. I look out the window and see green, for the first time in months, although it’s a very wet green, and there, on a plant hanger, are my pants and socks getting drenched. Hopefully the smell of gas will leave them by tomorrow at this time.

It’s a day I’m glad to see end. I’m going to take a hot bath and crawl into my cozy bed and read some Jane Eyre, a book I’m reading for the first time and am loving. Tomorrow is another day, and hopefully I’ll finish it up a little less stinky than I did today.

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