Claiming my happiness

I love the rain, but then it rains for 2 weeks straight, and when the sun finally returns I can rejoice in the big change. This is a metaphor for my life. It was dark and murky and now the light is on and Whamo! I can feel the major difference and am claiming it aloud. 

It may  have a lot to do with the clean house we now have and which I am pretty much keeping clean. I have a new routine, which is always a good sign. Get that Swiffer out daily and damp mop the kitchen floor before it gets crusty with dried goo. Get those dishes off the counter and into the dishwasher. I consider it a major victory when all the dirty dishes can fit in one load and I can press START. yay! Kelly my cleaner  has made my stainless sinks shine like brand new. A revelation.

The area downstairs that I laughingly call my sewing room has actually become just that. I rearranged, claiming the space as it should be, feng shui be damned, and finally got those curtains made for the upstairs bath and my bedroom. It was bliss to be sewing early one morning, with the sun blasting in directly onto my sewing machine, like a ray of God's love. Then I got a new iron, retractable cord, self-shut-off, teflon surface, under 20 dollars and I am ready to make something soon. 

Soon, as in first I gotta finish the church Lenten banners, which I will attend to this morning. Currently they are on the church sewing room design wall and are awaiting a trim, a rod pocket and hem. I feel victory approaching there too.

Yesterday Kelly came and did our gutters, yes, she is all powerful, and I took our big dawggie Chumley into the vet for a teeth cleaning, as well as a clean out of my bank account. O well.  It had to be done. Doncha hate spending on stuff that gives you no thrill? Not complaining, mustn't grumble.

Spring is coming in a hurry and I know because the ants have arrived. They've come upstairs and are showing up in crazy places, like my bathroom sink. I found one in my toothbrush. eeeeeeoooouuu! Don't worry I have a replacement ready always.

The vast rain puddles are drying up and a quick garden perusal shows my peonies buds have broken ground, lots of little leaves on the hydrangea and four out of five clematis show green. I am ready to have more dirt brought in and start with something radish-y, lettuce-y and chive-y. If I can only get NICK, my reluctant gardener, to return my calls or emails. 

Our church which is huge, historic, aka old and nearly empty of younger people (average age 70-90) is giving a shower for our one young engaged couple this Sunday. How nice is that? But what will I bring to give them? It dawned on me that the bride-to-be will be doing thank you notes for months, and I have made some so why not give them to her? Perhaps it will make writing those thanks a bit more fun.

I made a box out of painted watercolor paper, and filled it with 24 cards and matching notes.

The writing part is white, with only the occasional paint smudge, to show they are hand made.
I have a gift bag in red foil, and will stuff it with tissue and add a hand made gift card and I am done a roo!

One more thing...I found a new law mystery set to read. David Rosenfelt's, Andy Carpenter is the funny lawyer of the series and my little local library has the books numbered on the spine. I love that I can find them from #1 forward, for free. Libraries are such a gift!

Now that I've gotten you up to date, I'll just say that I am still knitting away and while my arm and hand are having a recovery day, I will be letting you know when your sweater is on the needles. Thanks for your patience/bad memory or whatever it is that prevents you giving up on me.

By the way, this long post is the result of watching Julie and Julia, again on Netflix. I realize that sometimes words are better than pictures and that's what I wanted to get back to doing.

PS. I found out yesterday that one of my big ol' quilts, Eternal Horizons is being accessioned by Indiana University to be hung in their soon to be built (3 years at least) new hospital. The previous owner has donated the big textile and called to tell me all about it. Yay! Public display is so wonderful.