One of my flu shot clinics got off to a beautiful start this morning. I arrived at the retail store to discover that, oh, thank goodness, the self-assembly required signs were delivered today. I took my supplies and stack of bound signs to the clinic location and began to set up. Stumbling around to get started, because of course there were people waiting before I even made it to the table, I hear an employee of the store say, "You are wastin' somethin' outta there". I look around, wondering to myself what on earth that phrase could possibly mean. Finally, I gaze upon my water bottle, tipped over in the shopping cart with the supplies, leaking out all over the floor. At this point I am irritated but still amazed at that awkward phrase, "You are wastin' somethin'". Never in my life have I heard such wording to describe a spill.
Once every ounce of water was soaked up off the floor, I focused my attention on the giant blue signs, ready for assembly. The employees watched me as I struggled to pull them out one by one from the grips of a zip tie. Somehow, no one managed to produce a pair of scissors. I asked, but it was probably much more entertaining without them. I began to sweat as I assembled an approximately 7 foot trifolded sign. Just as I would accomplish tucking in a tab, another would pop loose and I would have to begin all over again. I am sure after this display of inadequacy no one was trusting me with a needle in his/her arm.
Perseverance prevailed and I made it through the beginning of a day which seemed more like a complex obstacle course than a clinic set up.
At the end of the shift, I went to the grocery aisle looking for ingredients in a risotto recipe. Really the only ingredient I needed was arborio rice. I didn't see it and was all out of ideas in my calorie deprived brain. I knew I wouldn't be able to think straight until I purchased a Milky Way and ate at least half. This proved to be true, and on the way home I felt as pleased as I ever do when I discover I don't need to purchase a thing. We had chicken, a can of baked beans, a large potato, and some bbq sauce in the fridge. So, our dinner consisted of bbq grilled chicken, home fries, and baked beans. I made the home fries by cutting the potato length-wise into several thin strips. I made a mixture of mayonnaise, seasonings, hot sauce, and bread crumbs, coating the potato wedges. The sliced potato went on a greased baking sheet and into the oven for about 40 minutes. Delicious.
The night ended with a yoga class on post. I usually feel like I need to soak in some epsom salt after yoga with Flora...in a good way. She challenges me to a level that causes me to feel growth and humility all at the same time. Each week I think I improve, and I am always learning a new way of doing things from her. As an aspiring teacher, I could not ask for a better guide. The verbal cues she gives for positioning and body alignment are great. It feels like a very intense but safe workout. I picked up a schedule before class and smiled with excitement to see my very own name on next month's schedule. To be able to teach and be able to learn simultaneously represents a principle I want to apply to all aspects of life. I want to learn, to grow, and to share forever and ever.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Finished
Woo hoo! Project complete, and I could not be happier. My friend Emily did a great job helping me distress each of the nighstands. I know I was testing her patience a bit as I worked in big chunks and slathered on too much brown paint. I asked her to go back after I was finished and fix a few places. She did, and now they match and are not overly done. She said, "You just want a sort of shadow" and you do, really. We did the technique using craft brushes and watering down the paint. You apply the diluted paint in areas that you have sanded (like the corners that would naturally wear) and then wipe the area with a lint free cloth.
Once Emily was finished, I told her she should put the hardware on so we could get the full picture (I, of course, was still slathering on excessive amounts of the brown paint). She put the knobs on and remarked, "Oh, how cute". She got to the handle on the bottom drawer and said, "Erica, oh no". Well, not being the type to measure, or the type to really think about this sort of thing, I purchased a handle with a width that did not fit the drill holes. All that matters is the look you are going for, right? Measurements come later. So, my husband had a little extra work with the drill. It turned out alright, I might go back later with some wood filler and smooth over those old holes.
I wanted to be so precise with time and money spent. I worked in good faith, but cannot deliver. Instead of keeping a log, I allowed the time portion to blur together, and I currently do not feel up to looking at past blogs for a budget analysis. I believe it is approximately $80.00 a nightstand. I think they look great and will serve as furniture that will last us through the years. Many times I have a very specific picture in my mind of what I want for the house. Being able to refinish something gives me that opportunity and can potentially save money. Do not, however, plan on saving any time. If it is a hobby, then the time spent is like a bonus. If you need a quick fix, you might not find this sort of thing so satisfying. I would say I probably put 4 hours worth of work into the project...maybe a little more.
The other images are from a baby shower I had for a friend. These are a few simple yet elegant solutions for decorations. They also cost next to nothing. I borrowed the vases from a friend. She bought a collection of them from a thrift store and split the cost with someone. The different shapes and shades of blue look beautiful grouped together. The tulle at the bases had already been purchased for gift wrapping purposes. The shower was for a boy, and I felt this elegant look still took on the title of decoration without being "cheesy baby". The frames were from around the house. I removed the pictures, cut scrap sewing fabric down to size as matting, and printed the words out on the computer. Simple, chic, affordable.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Well, I happen to have several thoughts today. None of them really go together, so just keep reading and maybe at least one thing will peak your interest.
I saw a sticker on an Escalade that passed in front of me at the Commissary. It said "Escalady". The woman's car was tattoed with a few other over-sized messages. These sorts of things give me the silent, inside laughter.
Once I was inside the store I started to notice that I wasn't having to squeeze down aisles past other people and desert my cart to walk to a section that was overcrowded to get something. "This is really nice," I thought to myself. The other thing I began to realize was that because I wasn't so rushed and squashed I had time to do a little price comparing. I usually try to do this with each shopping trip anyway, but sometimes it is easier to accomplish than others. So, this is my recommendation: if you have the flexibility and leisure in your schedule to grocery shop at different times during the weekday, take advantage of it. The more time you have, the more money you will save. Also, if the agitation of an overcrowded aisle is not biting away at your patience, you are more likely to remember what you came for, find the best deal, and get the item into your cart instead of giving up and saying, "Oh, forget about it. I'll just come back later".
When you get home with your groceries, it is the perfect time to do dual duty and clean out the fridge as well. Pull your trashcan over and rid yourself of those week-old leftovers while making space for the new things at the same time. Today I found three old bananas in the fruit basket that I just could not bare to throw away. They were in the perfect condition for banana bread, and I have such a simple and delicious recipe for it. The recipe is from Paula Deen, and I want to share it with you here in hopes of giving a second life to old bananas everywhere. You don't even need an electric mixer!
The recipe yields 1 loaf
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar; mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 50 minutes.
This is from "The Lady and Sons, Too" cookbook which has many other simple and delightful recipes.
Unrelated to baking, and maybe will make you not want to eat anything at all, is a thought about a smell. I was getting wafts of it from a man the other day while giving flu shots. After thinking about it for a moment, I almost opened up my mouth to ask him, "Do you have cats at home?" but then thought better of it because how could I explain why I asked that question? Short of saying, "Well I just thought I could smell it," what would I do? So, I kept myself quiet and decided that you probably shouldn't ask a person that question...ever.
I saw a sticker on an Escalade that passed in front of me at the Commissary. It said "Escalady". The woman's car was tattoed with a few other over-sized messages. These sorts of things give me the silent, inside laughter.
Once I was inside the store I started to notice that I wasn't having to squeeze down aisles past other people and desert my cart to walk to a section that was overcrowded to get something. "This is really nice," I thought to myself. The other thing I began to realize was that because I wasn't so rushed and squashed I had time to do a little price comparing. I usually try to do this with each shopping trip anyway, but sometimes it is easier to accomplish than others. So, this is my recommendation: if you have the flexibility and leisure in your schedule to grocery shop at different times during the weekday, take advantage of it. The more time you have, the more money you will save. Also, if the agitation of an overcrowded aisle is not biting away at your patience, you are more likely to remember what you came for, find the best deal, and get the item into your cart instead of giving up and saying, "Oh, forget about it. I'll just come back later".
When you get home with your groceries, it is the perfect time to do dual duty and clean out the fridge as well. Pull your trashcan over and rid yourself of those week-old leftovers while making space for the new things at the same time. Today I found three old bananas in the fruit basket that I just could not bare to throw away. They were in the perfect condition for banana bread, and I have such a simple and delicious recipe for it. The recipe is from Paula Deen, and I want to share it with you here in hopes of giving a second life to old bananas everywhere. You don't even need an electric mixer!
The recipe yields 1 loaf
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar; mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 50 minutes.
This is from "The Lady and Sons, Too" cookbook which has many other simple and delightful recipes.
Unrelated to baking, and maybe will make you not want to eat anything at all, is a thought about a smell. I was getting wafts of it from a man the other day while giving flu shots. After thinking about it for a moment, I almost opened up my mouth to ask him, "Do you have cats at home?" but then thought better of it because how could I explain why I asked that question? Short of saying, "Well I just thought I could smell it," what would I do? So, I kept myself quiet and decided that you probably shouldn't ask a person that question...ever.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Another Visit to Lowe's
I am sad to say that I had to spend a little bit more money. The stain just wasn't going to work for the furniture, so I had to get some paint. Hopefully someone else can eventually use the stain. Or maybe I will find something else for which it would be appropriate. The total cost was $47.30. I ended up purchasing a gallon of Valspar paint, another can of primer spray, a Valspar sample size of paint, a paint can opener (tired of using the flathead screwdriver), another drop cloth (probably unnecessary, but the least of my expenses), a set of hobby brushes, and a mini paint roller.
I have to say, though, that those should be the last of the purchased items. I remain very pleased with a price of approximately $85.00 a nightstand. I have still seen much more expensive and substantially less quality pieces for double the price. Plus, it gives me something to look forward to and something to do with my time. The hobby brushes and sample size of paint are for the finishing details. My friend Emily is going to help me use the brown paint, "bark" to be exact, around the trim with a dry brush. In fact, she was over today and said she has several brushes she could bring. She has a vision for these things, and her excitement was contagious and now I am excited.
It was officially baby shower weekend this past weekend. Went to one on Friday and had one myself here on Sunday. I love events like these. Friday night we played several fun games. One was a "guess that tune" sort of thing. Every song that was played had baby or a version of that word in the title. We had to guess the song and the artist. I won't go through all the games, but they were fun and different. The woman who had the shower had her mother in town for the event. It's strange how even just having someone else's family member visit makes me feel at home and at ease. I have especially noticed this to be true with moms. A mom just seems to set the tempo for comfort and relaxation. The other thing I find almost equally comforting is a good fall candle. The scent of cinnamon pumpkin reminds me of moms and clean houses and Sunday naps.
Tonight I was in the garage, finishing up the last little bit of painting. I turned my head sidways to get a better view of the underside of the drawer I was working on (yes, inconveniently enough, the drawers don't come all the way out). When I was upright again, I felt something drip down. Illogical thought #1 "It is raining". Illogical thought #2 "I am bleeding". Third time was the charm...ding, ding, ding, it is paint. My hair was pulled back, however, it is so layered that a large chunk from the top landed itself right in the paint can that I had setting oh so close to me. The worst part really is that my favorite gas station t-shirt from Florida has paint on it now. Maybe it will come out in the wash. Really I just liked it that I thought it was raining. I even stopped what I was doing to listen for it.
Just thought I would also let you know that I continue to prove sewing is not my forte. I wanted so desparately to make a beautiful baby blanket for my friend's shower today. I planned to work on it Saturday because I expected that sewing two pieces of material together would probably only take about 30 minutes maximum. From the time I woke up that morning until about 8 o'clock at night I attempted just to make something presentable. How could a person make this sort of task so difficult? I still have no idea. My only excuse I will allow myself is that one of the materials was thicker and a little bit slick. There were many choice words, moments of just stretching out on the floor and closing my eyes, a time where I told Jacob he needed to leave the house, and many fuzzy red pieces stuck in the carpet after four times of cutting off the parts I had sewn. There were also tears. A couple of times. There is no greater frustration than not being able to master a skill.
Humbled, humbled, humbled, until the day was done. I was exhausted, but I was not going to give up. And I finally told myself, this is something you wanted to do, something you wanted the baby to have and love. Quit putting all your pity and anger vibes into this blanket (my friend Anne Marie, whom the blanket was for, knows a lot about vibes). So, I finished it up with a little bit of patience and the most loving attitude I could muster at that point in the day. Today I was proud to give it to her, but I wish I had known it wasn't going to turn out closer to perfect. I would have definitely gone the store route and saved the craftiness for a rainy day and a project that wasn't a gift.
I have to say, though, that those should be the last of the purchased items. I remain very pleased with a price of approximately $85.00 a nightstand. I have still seen much more expensive and substantially less quality pieces for double the price. Plus, it gives me something to look forward to and something to do with my time. The hobby brushes and sample size of paint are for the finishing details. My friend Emily is going to help me use the brown paint, "bark" to be exact, around the trim with a dry brush. In fact, she was over today and said she has several brushes she could bring. She has a vision for these things, and her excitement was contagious and now I am excited.
It was officially baby shower weekend this past weekend. Went to one on Friday and had one myself here on Sunday. I love events like these. Friday night we played several fun games. One was a "guess that tune" sort of thing. Every song that was played had baby or a version of that word in the title. We had to guess the song and the artist. I won't go through all the games, but they were fun and different. The woman who had the shower had her mother in town for the event. It's strange how even just having someone else's family member visit makes me feel at home and at ease. I have especially noticed this to be true with moms. A mom just seems to set the tempo for comfort and relaxation. The other thing I find almost equally comforting is a good fall candle. The scent of cinnamon pumpkin reminds me of moms and clean houses and Sunday naps.
Tonight I was in the garage, finishing up the last little bit of painting. I turned my head sidways to get a better view of the underside of the drawer I was working on (yes, inconveniently enough, the drawers don't come all the way out). When I was upright again, I felt something drip down. Illogical thought #1 "It is raining". Illogical thought #2 "I am bleeding". Third time was the charm...ding, ding, ding, it is paint. My hair was pulled back, however, it is so layered that a large chunk from the top landed itself right in the paint can that I had setting oh so close to me. The worst part really is that my favorite gas station t-shirt from Florida has paint on it now. Maybe it will come out in the wash. Really I just liked it that I thought it was raining. I even stopped what I was doing to listen for it.
Just thought I would also let you know that I continue to prove sewing is not my forte. I wanted so desparately to make a beautiful baby blanket for my friend's shower today. I planned to work on it Saturday because I expected that sewing two pieces of material together would probably only take about 30 minutes maximum. From the time I woke up that morning until about 8 o'clock at night I attempted just to make something presentable. How could a person make this sort of task so difficult? I still have no idea. My only excuse I will allow myself is that one of the materials was thicker and a little bit slick. There were many choice words, moments of just stretching out on the floor and closing my eyes, a time where I told Jacob he needed to leave the house, and many fuzzy red pieces stuck in the carpet after four times of cutting off the parts I had sewn. There were also tears. A couple of times. There is no greater frustration than not being able to master a skill.
Humbled, humbled, humbled, until the day was done. I was exhausted, but I was not going to give up. And I finally told myself, this is something you wanted to do, something you wanted the baby to have and love. Quit putting all your pity and anger vibes into this blanket (my friend Anne Marie, whom the blanket was for, knows a lot about vibes). So, I finished it up with a little bit of patience and the most loving attitude I could muster at that point in the day. Today I was proud to give it to her, but I wish I had known it wasn't going to turn out closer to perfect. I would have definitely gone the store route and saved the craftiness for a rainy day and a project that wasn't a gift.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Just takes awhile
This morning I went out to the garage to work on the nightstands. The challenges for me have been 1. The weather and 2. My patience. My patience should probably actually be number one. I love projects, I really do. It's just that I have this picture in my mind when I buy a piece, and I wish it could instantly become that imagined image. The work usually only becomes gratifying for me when it is all finished up and I can begin using the furniture. So, I guess I write this to encourage and not discourage. Just wanted people to know that even those who love projects grow impatient with them at times. And also, anyone can do this. I would not call myself John handy man or anything extreme like that.
Working on them this morning probably only took about 40 minutes. God bless the spray cans of primer. I find them to be so much less hassle than a brush and a can. The only thing I can't decide is if they prime the piece as well. After it dried, I had to go back over the wood with a sanding block a little bit because it appeared that there was still some peeling. Primer is always an exciting part, I think, because it's the first time the object looks fresh, clean and ready for a new start. The shape, which is the reason I usually choose a piece, becomes pronounced because you are no longer distracted by the ugly color, the old peeling finish, or the damaged areas. You can just have a glance at the potential and really see it taking on a new life. It is a fresh breath of air every time.
Reusing feels good to me. It feels economical, it feels creative, it makes me feel connected. I like using something that someone else had. One of my favorite things is guessing where it came from and what it was used for. I especially love very old things, things from family members, and stuff that smells just a little bit like grandma's house. Looking for this stuff is like a continual treasure hunt. What I find in thrift stores has a 100 times more character than what I can pick off the shelf at a superstore. Not to totally discount superstores, because a lot can be found there as well. I just have a passion for reinventing and recycling. I love taking the bare bones of a project and creating it into something that merges the old look with my own style.
Things with a distressed finish are also very military friendly. We could move a million times, most of our furniture could be dropped or bumped each time, and it would only come out looking better and more authentic.
Working on them this morning probably only took about 40 minutes. God bless the spray cans of primer. I find them to be so much less hassle than a brush and a can. The only thing I can't decide is if they prime the piece as well. After it dried, I had to go back over the wood with a sanding block a little bit because it appeared that there was still some peeling. Primer is always an exciting part, I think, because it's the first time the object looks fresh, clean and ready for a new start. The shape, which is the reason I usually choose a piece, becomes pronounced because you are no longer distracted by the ugly color, the old peeling finish, or the damaged areas. You can just have a glance at the potential and really see it taking on a new life. It is a fresh breath of air every time.
Reusing feels good to me. It feels economical, it feels creative, it makes me feel connected. I like using something that someone else had. One of my favorite things is guessing where it came from and what it was used for. I especially love very old things, things from family members, and stuff that smells just a little bit like grandma's house. Looking for this stuff is like a continual treasure hunt. What I find in thrift stores has a 100 times more character than what I can pick off the shelf at a superstore. Not to totally discount superstores, because a lot can be found there as well. I just have a passion for reinventing and recycling. I love taking the bare bones of a project and creating it into something that merges the old look with my own style.
Things with a distressed finish are also very military friendly. We could move a million times, most of our furniture could be dropped or bumped each time, and it would only come out looking better and more authentic.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
I thought I won something
Dear Real Simple Magazine,
Probably shouldn't e-mail those who have entered your essay contest with a message entitled "You have been selected" only to inform them that they may receive two free issues of People Stylewatch. Just saying. It felt like the time that Jacob and I thought we won thousands of dollars from the McDonald's monopoly game.
I worked another 45 minutes on the nightstands. Night time is the right time; it is so much more enjoyable with the decreased heat. With my best judgment I have decided to paint them rather than attempt to stain. The sides of the tables are not real wood, therefore, the chemical stripper removed their finish as well as their wood grain. I just don't think stain would end up looking right. So, instead, I am going to paint them a buttercream color and use a dry brush with brown paint to distress them a bit. I just need to get on it and finish them! Can't wait to actually have matching pieces on either side of the bed and for each of us to have our own drawers to put our books and magazines in. It's the little things.
Probably shouldn't e-mail those who have entered your essay contest with a message entitled "You have been selected" only to inform them that they may receive two free issues of People Stylewatch. Just saying. It felt like the time that Jacob and I thought we won thousands of dollars from the McDonald's monopoly game.
I worked another 45 minutes on the nightstands. Night time is the right time; it is so much more enjoyable with the decreased heat. With my best judgment I have decided to paint them rather than attempt to stain. The sides of the tables are not real wood, therefore, the chemical stripper removed their finish as well as their wood grain. I just don't think stain would end up looking right. So, instead, I am going to paint them a buttercream color and use a dry brush with brown paint to distress them a bit. I just need to get on it and finish them! Can't wait to actually have matching pieces on either side of the bed and for each of us to have our own drawers to put our books and magazines in. It's the little things.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Little bit of this, Little bit of that
Well, I finally did it. Cleaned the car out of the last remaining little bits and crumbs that my nephew left in the backseat. It's funny how it hurts to do strange things like that. As neat of a person as I enjoy being, I think cleaning up the mess meant admitting the visit was over. It's funny how a leftover juice box in the fridge or a certain smell or a travel bottle of shampoo in the shower can make your heart twinge a bit. The remnants of visitors, if left unattended for only awhile, puts my mind at ease. These things will still be waiting here because they are not gone. It always takes a few days for these irrational attachments to crumbs or inantimate objects to subside. The last sparkly horse bracelet was recovered from under the TV stand. The trip is officially over.
On a humorous note, the bowling alley in town proved to be a real gem of a find on a Friday night. Between the over aged bra-less woman in a white spaghetti strap tank and the young gentleman in the over-sized jersey with a miniature ghetto follower, I was set for the night. The older lady flew the double bird at the lane once shouting to her little grandson, "The damn nine pin. I'm tired of it. Tired of it." And boy could she get a little dance move going.
Actually, a lot of people here thought they had the gift of dance. I suppose alcohol factors in to this a bit, but boy were some booties bumpin'. The bowling alley is the new club. With great hits like "Fancy", "Don't Mess With My Man", "Lollipop", and "Air Force Ones" how could one not bring their A-game grinding skills? The room was full of free entertainment and plenty of people who should not have been providing it. The man and little gangster follower were reclined back, one in front of the other in chairs at a table, representin' with the one hand back and forth gyration.
I bowled a 108. Just thought I would throw at least one neutral statement in here.
On a humorous note, the bowling alley in town proved to be a real gem of a find on a Friday night. Between the over aged bra-less woman in a white spaghetti strap tank and the young gentleman in the over-sized jersey with a miniature ghetto follower, I was set for the night. The older lady flew the double bird at the lane once shouting to her little grandson, "The damn nine pin. I'm tired of it. Tired of it." And boy could she get a little dance move going.
Actually, a lot of people here thought they had the gift of dance. I suppose alcohol factors in to this a bit, but boy were some booties bumpin'. The bowling alley is the new club. With great hits like "Fancy", "Don't Mess With My Man", "Lollipop", and "Air Force Ones" how could one not bring their A-game grinding skills? The room was full of free entertainment and plenty of people who should not have been providing it. The man and little gangster follower were reclined back, one in front of the other in chairs at a table, representin' with the one hand back and forth gyration.
I bowled a 108. Just thought I would throw at least one neutral statement in here.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Started It
I reserve the right to recant the following statement at any point and time; a Walmart nightstand is looking pretty good right now. It probably didn't help that I decided to begin the nightstand project in my Alabama garage at high noon. I really wanted to try to follow the directions with this one, as I rarely do. I removed the hardware on both nighstands, spread out my plastic drop cloth, and wiped the furniture down. In order to apply the chemical stripper it says to wear heavy duty gloves (this stuff burns). After about 30 minutes of scraping and sanding I cried uncle and had to take a break inside. As I removed the gloves, sweat dripped out from the inside. That's when I knew I was done for the time being. It will be much more productive to work in the evenings. Maybe the gnats and the mating flies will not swarm me at night time. Let's log about 1 hour of work for today.
Dinner last night had the potential to make me puke in my mouth. It was a crab bisque from Paula Deen. Paula obviously did not make the error. This girl here misread some measurements and ended up with 42 ounces of crab meat in a small amount of broth. Very fishy. Very thick. Very unappetizing. I felt a little bit uneasy as I kept manually opening and draining so many cans of crab. This couldn't be right I thought, but pressed on anyway. The whole thing went down the disposal. I asked Jacob, "Could we have this again? I think it could be really good if it was made correctly". He said, "It will have to be awhile. We need time to forget about this". Haha.
Dinner last night had the potential to make me puke in my mouth. It was a crab bisque from Paula Deen. Paula obviously did not make the error. This girl here misread some measurements and ended up with 42 ounces of crab meat in a small amount of broth. Very fishy. Very thick. Very unappetizing. I felt a little bit uneasy as I kept manually opening and draining so many cans of crab. This couldn't be right I thought, but pressed on anyway. The whole thing went down the disposal. I asked Jacob, "Could we have this again? I think it could be really good if it was made correctly". He said, "It will have to be awhile. We need time to forget about this". Haha.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
A More Personal Note
I had a dream two nights ago that all my sister-in-law, Audrey, needed were two bags fulls of socks. The specific request was, "any color, any texture, and they don't have to match". That's all I remember about it.
My waking life has lately become as random as this dream. I have learned to knit, sew, play golf (very poorly, I probably shouldn't even count this one), instruct yoga, fish, cook, and refinish furniture. Every minute of it has been an adventure. Will I ever rediscover a practical side to myself? I suppose I still clean and clip coupons. Those things seem to be practical.
One dream that I specifically want to accomplish is to have a published piece of writing before I die. Whether it be a research article, something submitted to a magazine, or a book, I don't care. I even have a concept for a children's book that I should probably just draft for the fun of it. So many ideas, so much nonsense.
I've spent a lot of my life thinking that new ideas and creativity were for other people. What's the hang up?
My waking life has lately become as random as this dream. I have learned to knit, sew, play golf (very poorly, I probably shouldn't even count this one), instruct yoga, fish, cook, and refinish furniture. Every minute of it has been an adventure. Will I ever rediscover a practical side to myself? I suppose I still clean and clip coupons. Those things seem to be practical.
One dream that I specifically want to accomplish is to have a published piece of writing before I die. Whether it be a research article, something submitted to a magazine, or a book, I don't care. I even have a concept for a children's book that I should probably just draft for the fun of it. So many ideas, so much nonsense.
I've spent a lot of my life thinking that new ideas and creativity were for other people. What's the hang up?
Supplies
Went to Lowe's yesterday. Had a male non-employee approach me and tell me he was "pretty much like an employee" because he was in the store so often. Hence, his offer to help me find whatever I needed for my project. He didn't completely creep me out, but it was a little strange. Luckily a female, who was actually an employee, came to the rescue and accompanied the two of us as we searched for the supplies. Yes, I said the two of us because the man continued to follow us around the store. The following items ended up in my "buggy" (the southern term for shopping cart):
1 quart of wood stain
4 knobs
2 handles
1 quart of chemical stripper
2 sanding blocks
1 package of lint free wiping cloths
2 foam brushes
2 plastic drop cloths
1 11.5 ounce can of satin polyurethane finish
1 biodegradable paint tray
1 pair of heavy duty gloves (so as not to burn my skin)
Grand Total: $67.39
I have to admit I was a little disappointed at how much I spent. However, if I need no additional supplies for the project, I will have managed to only spend approximately $64 on each night stand. Not bad. I will also take into account the time it takes to complete the project. As we all know, time is sacred and, therefore, must be documented to give an honest representation of how much this is all worth.
1 quart of wood stain
4 knobs
2 handles
1 quart of chemical stripper
2 sanding blocks
1 package of lint free wiping cloths
2 foam brushes
2 plastic drop cloths
1 11.5 ounce can of satin polyurethane finish
1 biodegradable paint tray
1 pair of heavy duty gloves (so as not to burn my skin)
Grand Total: $67.39
I have to admit I was a little disappointed at how much I spent. However, if I need no additional supplies for the project, I will have managed to only spend approximately $64 on each night stand. Not bad. I will also take into account the time it takes to complete the project. As we all know, time is sacred and, therefore, must be documented to give an honest representation of how much this is all worth.
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