Life Changes

I’ve been gone for some time now, so I’m not sure who may actually read this.

I last posted in mid-July and since then I’ve had a lot going on.  I was stuck in a rut and I was deciding where I needed to go with my life from there.  I stepped back and really took a look at my life and decided that I needed to make some changes.  I realized that by taking dead end jobs, I have not been doing what was in the best interest for my family.  Don’t get me wrong, I love doing home care- it is rewarding and it is easy, but it was becoming apparently clear that it was not a job that was helping my family very much.  The pay is low and the daytime hours that I so wanted were just not there.  I could have taken all the evening hours that I wanted- I could have worked 7 evenings a week and make a better paycheck, but with the kids going back to school soon, that would mean that I would hardly see them.  That is just not an option that would benefit my family.  So I had to decide, ‘Where do I go from here?’

Probably the week that I wrote my last post, and the same time I was contemplating my next step, I received a catalog in the mail for adult education classes.  Something told me to really look at it this time, because they mail them out at least twice a year, and I always immediately throw them in the trash.  It did not take me long to put 2+2 together and realize that I needed to get specific training so I can really help my family and our finances.  There were a number of courses that I could take, but most would require me to take evening classes-again, didn’t want to be away from my family in the evenings.  One course really jumped out at me- Medical Assistant.  I have worked in health care for most of my adult life (except the 4 year stint that I was at Walmart) so medical assistant really appealed to me.  I read over the course description and realized that it was actually a DAY COURSE!   Monday thru Friday 9a-4p.  I could DO THAT!  So long story short, after a lot of discussion with my husband and the kids, I began taking the steps to try to get into the program. 

It has been quite stressful for us.  It was not something that was planned in advance, so trying to arrange the financial part is nerve-wracking, but I think we are going to be okay and I should be starting school in 2 weeks!  I have had to give up my job because I will need the weekends to study, spend time with family, try to keep the house in order, etc.  So it will make things tight.  Pretty darn tight around here- financially and time-wise- for the next 10 months.  I am not the most organized person, so I am a little scared.  I am doubting myself left and right with this decision, but I just have to keep thinking that God is in the drivers seat.  I am not looking forward to the struggle, but as long as I come out on the other side and finish the schooling successfully, my family will benefit greatly from the struggle to get there.

  All of my energy has been focused on starting school (mine and the kids), football practices (at 2 different times each day), and worrying about everything.  I have not touched a craft in weeks now.  I have several pieces that are still unfinished.  I just have not had the mental capabilities to focus on them!  lol  It’s hard for me to say right now what my life will look like in a few weeks, but I hope to be able to spend a little time on them.  I will know better in a few weeks.  God knows that I could use every penny that I could make by continuing to sell my cross stitch and crafts, but only time will tell what kind of time I will be able to put into making them.  I would like to imagine that my every waking moment will not include studying and trying to keep the house together, but for now I have to plan for the worse.  I am in the process of packing away my paints and fabrics (but not too far packed away) and making my work table for school use.  I will be keeping my cross stitch supplies and sewing machine out in hopes that I can stay acquainted with them throughout this whole thing.  Once I get most of that organized, I will try to get some UFO’s done and up for sale.  I have Fall and Halloween items that I need to get finished and sold, so if you may be interested, please bear with me a little longer and I hope to have them up for sale really soon. 

On a good note, the weather has been much cooler here the last two days- highs in the 70’s!- and my hair is finally starting to behave again!  lol  The heat and humidity we have dealt with this summer has been unreal!  I am loving this fall-like weather! 

On a bad note, sadly, Timmy has flown the coop.  He had been practicing his flying this summer and about a week ago, he left and hasn’t been back. :-(  Oh well, that is what we wanted.  For him to survive when we took him in and grow up to be a free duck.  Of course, we would have been fine with him being a ‘free duck’ on our pond, but I guess that wasn’t in the cards for him.  Perhaps he will find himself a mate and return with her one day.  Life changes for everyone :)

 

This is what I look up to as I am doing my dishes- a typical farmhouse window.  From the candle burning brightly, the tomatoes ripening on the sill, the moths and bugs looking for a way into my kitchen, and even the old wooden spoon propping it open.  Nothing is fancy.  Nothing is spotlessly clean after the day’s dust has settled.

What caught my eye was the little abode that some little spider had begun building from the candle bulb…

What a busy little guy indeed- this was not there the night before as I washed that night’s dishes.  How fast those little spiders can complete a job.  Does it ever make you wonder?  Do you think they are ever really ‘done’ with their works of art?  Or are they forever tweaking and changing things- much like we do with our homes?

Have a little makeover to show today.

  Originally, not my style.  Of course, you would think that by now, I would know that when I have a vision of making something over, I would immediately take a picture of it.  I do have a pic of the shade which shows the coloring of the whole lamp pre-makeover…

It was fake looking rusty with black speckles and had moose, pine tree, and bear cutouts around it.  Cabin themed.  Again- Not my style.  A little trusty black spray and it is now suitable to my taste.

Very cute now.

My worktable is full of things that need finished!  I am proclaiming today to be ‘Sewing Day’ and hope to get these things stitched and stuffed and ready to sell!

I have staining to do to the white ones, first.  I don’t think that I will ever buy white linen again.  Ever.  Although looking at the bottom left one, it does stain up rather nicely. 

And as you can see, I’ve been dreaming of Fall.  The cooler temps would be enough.  I have had enough of this dang humidity.  Do you know what humidity + naturally curly hair =’s???  Mess.  That’s right.  One   big   frizzy   mess.  Hate it.  For all of you girls with poker straight hair who’ve dreamt of having naturally curly hair….be glad your dream is not my reality. lol   Sure, in the 80’s, big curly sky-high hair was in.  That era has long since passed.  The grass is definitely NOT greener on THIS side of the fence.  I live with the ‘just rolled out of bed’ look… all…day….long.  Ugh.

Sorry for the poopy mood.  That is just how I have been feeling lately.  So much stuff clogged up in my head and I can’t seem to get anywhere.  And the not-so-funny part about it is that I can’t really put my finger exactly on why I keep feeling this way.  If anyone has any good thoughts to send my way, I’d really appreciate it!  For now, I am going to get to my sewing and finishing.  It will make me feel better to get something accomplished :)

A Visitor on the Pond!

Looked out the kitchen window this morning as I was pouring my coffee to see that Timmy has a friend!!!

Timmy is on the right.  I know because when I called out to him, “Tim-Tim!'” in my squeaky Tim-Tim voice, he popped his head up like he always does :)

Could it be that Mama has come back to stay?

We don’t know if it is her….yet.  She’s still out there, so I will test her later by throwing some bread out in to the yard.  If it’s Mama, she should come away from the pond to get it.  If it’s not her, well, that is why I am waiting till later.  I don’t want this new duck to be spooked by thinking we are trying to lure it to us.  I’m thinking it’s a new duck just for the fact that it has stayed pretty much in this very same spot all morning…like it’s not comfortable moving around the pond area.  I guess time will tell.

My house is a wreck.  It is absolutely beautiful outside today, but I am going to stay inside and clean, clean, clean!  I don’t get in this mood very often, so I need to take advantage of it! lol  Gannon left Shrek on the t.v. in the living room, so I restarted it to have something to listen to as I go.  I love that movie :)  Hope you all have a wonderful and beautiful weekend!

The Heat is Off- I hope!

At this time yesterday morning, I looked at the t.v. to see that it was 86° and like 150 % humidity or something crazy like that.  At 9 a.m. this morning, the t.v says it’s 72°.  Whew.  I’ve been looking forward to Friday all week long- and not just because of the normal TGIF reasons.  Today we are supposed to be granted some relief from this heat wave and we actually got a little rain this morning.  All I know is it feels much better now.

This is what the boys have been doing to beat the heat this past week…

   Gan was so funny- he couldn’t figure out how to get on the raft without having to step in the water.  The water is fine, but the bottom of the pond is not-so-fine ;)  He was so excited because I wouldn’t let him float on a raft on the pond last year.  It’s really only 4-5 feet deep in the very middle, but he really couldn’t swim last year.  He still technically can’t ‘swim’, but he can doggie paddle and is able to swim underwater for short distances.  Enough to get out of the middle if he were to fall off there- which he didn’t, thank goodness.

Ah HA!

Timmy enjoyed the company for a little while.

He is a big duck now.  Still so cute.  He stays at the pond and does not wander up to the house like I was afraid he would do.  Well, not usually.  Yesterday, I was so disappointed that I didn’t have my camera outside.  Our outside cat, Tarus, was walking around the yard and laid in the grass near the pond.  Well, Timmy must have thought that he was coming to visit him, so he got out of the pond and walked up to Tarus.  Tarus didn’t like that, so he got up and walked about 5 feet toward the house and laid back down.  Timmy followed.  Tarus got up, moved another 5 feet.  Timmy followed.  It was so funny because Tarus was so obviously peeved with his ears back and he kept glancing back at Timmy while he walked.  LOL  Timmy kept following Tarus almost all the way up to the patio where I was sitting.  I started talking to him and he hung out for a minute and then walked back to the pond.

Wow. So that’s it, huh?  Nothing else to talk about today. lol  My life is so unexciting.  I guess sometimes I like it that way :)

A visit to a frontier village

Last Friday, the boys and I took a trip back to the State Park that we visited the weekend before- had to retrieve the forgotten fishing pole.  I took my camera because I wanted to get a few photos of the frontier village that we didn’t have time to look at the day we were fishing.

When we arrived, the volunteer Blacksmith was just opening up his shop!

(this pic was taken as we were leaving the park- he had a small crowd at that point :)

We were the first to wander in as he was preparing to start his fire.  He was very nice and we got to talking.  Turns out that the man that has been the Blacksmith in that shop had passed away, and this guy was the new volunteer.  He had only had 2 lessons in blacksmithing, and said he had more questions than answers, himself!  I got to talking to him about how we were just at Williamsburg and he was interested in how their shop was set up.  I happened to have the pics on my camera still!  He was such a nice man.  The shop was so neat…

loved the hitching block and watering trough outside the door!  I just have a ‘thing’ for cut stone and foundation stones!  lol

This thing would sell for a fortune!

( I want that wheelbarrow!!!)

He was the only building that was open, but he did tell me that on the first Saturday of every month, ALL of the frontier village is open!  I am so excited to make it back down!  I couldn’t wait, and after peeking in the window of the church and messing with my camera setting, I was able to get a few shots inside of them.

Beside the blacksmith was the church.

The windows were old blown glass.  They did leave one clear pane which made it easier to see inside and take pics through.

A few pics of the Gaston’s Mill.  Can’t wait to be able to go inside this!

Front

Backside where the water wheel was…

Then we walked across the little bride and up to hill to circle around to the other buildings.

The school house

Teacher’s desk

Student desk

Then we walked back to the Williams house.

This house is shown by appointment only.  I am definitely going to be making an appointment to get inside this one!  Now remember, I was taking these pics through (dirty and fingerprinted) windows and I had to shade my camera to reduce glare, but you will see what I mean!

a sitting room

looking into the kitchen…

I had to come off the front porch to see if I could get a better look at the kitchen!  This great water pump was located off of the kitchen porch!

I looked in the back door….Oh be still my heart!!!

the ‘sink’

the stove!!!

the table and laundry area!!!…

Oh- and the floor!!!

It was seriously almost too much to handle not being able to go in and sit down to soak it all in!!

We went around the back of the house and I got pics of the other rooms.  This was the parlor?  That is the front door.  I couldn’t get a pic from the front porch b/c of the lace curtain.  The bedroom is to the right.

I was able to get pics of the bedroom from both the front and back windows.

Back

and back at the front porch to get pics of the other side of the room…

It was cute that they left the bed ruffled…like it was hurriedly made up that morning  :)

We then walked up to the Trading Post.  It had some awesome stuff inside, but also a lot of modern stuff.  I would love to go in and explore.

The porch was just awesome.

Wouldn’t you love to decorate this??

A few shots inside…

 

Next we walked back down the hill to the last little cabin home.  I can’t remember the name of this one.

Oh, I see it was the Floyd Lower Cabin :)

Just look at that stepback and fireplace!

See that fence?  That is the barrier.  It looks like you walk in the door and stand in that area to see both sides of the cabin.  All of the buildings had some sort of barrier area except the Williams house.  That must be why you need an appointment there.

The bedroom area was fantastic here too!  Pic is blurry, but on the left is a ladder to the loft and in front of the window is a spinning wheel…

I was trying to get pics around this darn lamp that was sitting in the window.

I was trying to get a better pic of the rope bed and stuffed ticking mattress.  This cabin was beside Gaston’s Mill.  This is the last side of the mill.  It has a bridge walkway on this side.

Tired of bad pics yet?  lol

Last 2 areas worth mentioning is the covered bridge and the lock bedside it.

This was the back side of the bridge.  We walked over to it after visiting the blacksmith.  He parked his truck right in front of it- lol

The lock was also very cool.

The lock gates.

Well that was about it for the window tour around the frontier village.  Someday I will make it down to actually get inside these beauties and share some better pics of them.

I’m sure most of you are dealing with the heat and humidity we are, so I hope you are staying cool!  We don’t have air conditioning in this old house, so we are ‘sweating it out’- to say the least.  I am almost ready for Fall!  I’ve been stitching up a storm and have 3 Fall themed offerings stitched and waiting for finishing.  I should have them ready for my selling blog in the next week or so.  My neighbor has been cutting down trees and I have a big bag of fresh sawdust waiting to fill pinkeeps and pillows.  You may find me sitting in front of the fan stitching today, or on the patio later on, laying in the hammock…

(That tree is sooooo  tall! )

or you might find me sitting in here with Gannon!

after I put fresh water in it :)

Enjoy your day-  I’m gonna try!