Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Down To Earth Optimism

My happy napkin fabric. My Google home page horoscope suggests that I will be applying "down to earth optimism" to my long term goals today. Not "pie in the sky" dreaming. I find that interesting as I am hardly ever optimistic about long term. I always worry that the money we have saved won't last our entire lifetime. So I am loathed to spend any of it on: a new bathroom, roof, kitchen remodel or vacation. Not what I would call "pie in the sky" dreaming.

The dog is sleeping on his dog bed. I woke up at 6 and tried to fall back to sleep. Must have managed because a phone call woke me at 9 am. A friend wants my company on a car ride to Portland later today. Note: I went to get a cup of coffee and dog woke up and decided to go outside to play. It's sunny outside and warmer than the past week. I weeded and moved things in the garden yesterday and really want to get the pansies in their new home today. G is out of bagels for his breakfast and I think he needs orange juice also. He works next door to a large grocery store but never thinks to get these things himself.

I have books to return to the library and since the library is next door to the grocery, I will stop in for a few items. I need more lettuce for my lunches. And soy milk. My lower digestive tract is more "regular" now that I am having soy milk with my shredded wheat instead of cow's milk.
I may or may not carve a "poop" stamp for my food diary.

My online class is moving forward without me right now. I am sitting here looking at the three assignments I should be working on. I chose three that I actually have an interest in doing. The majority of Lesson Three is taken up with printing fabric in the photocopier in strange and complicated ways. I don't want text that much. I have to WANT the end product in order to do the complicated work. So, I have printing on waste copies, cutting letters out of printed fabric (wonder under) and ironing the letters on another fabric, cutting out paper letters and pasting them on printed paper. I will do those three things. I might also do the watered down glue and tissue paper experiment. I think it's called "making paper fabric". Not much is being downloaded onto the website. Either people are dropping out or they aren't doing any work, hard to say from where I am sitting. I expected more input from the instructor as we worked. And the lists of supplies needed in the coming lessons is huge.

My philosophy has always been, "if I can't do something with what I have already, then I don't need to be doing it." I will go out and buy supplies that have multiple uses. I do buy brushes, paint, crayons and paste. They last forever. I started using Elmer's School glue (which washes out) to attach fabric pieces to my quilts when I ran out of Wonder Under. And that was the last time I ever bought WU. I stitch all the edges down with invisible zigzag. I know M never does that, but my quilts aren't stiff as a board and they can be washed. And they don't take 20 minutes to slap together. Meow.

I agree with everyone who commented yesterday. Kate's dance was horrible. Her dress was a BAG. And her patent attempt for "sympathy" -- "I had 8 little visitors and decided to spend my time with them instead of practicing" means-- go home, spend time with them there. The three nannies, the security guard and all the camera men will "help" you take care of everyone. Did all of you know that Kate is being PAID $75,000 per episode of DWTS? (Could her agent have negotiated with a set number of episodes in the contract?) And that she now has a contract with TLC for another reality show "Twist of Kate", which she got after the first airing of DWTS. I look at her fake smile and the vacant eyes and I wonder about those 8 children. What happens when they are no longer "cute as a button"? What happens if she actually has to do laundry, cook and clean up after the eight of them? And not fly across country to "appearances", get plastic surgery and dash around with her "body guard". Anyway. We'll know tonight.

3 comments:

Paula, the quilter said...

I, too, love Elmer's School Glue. I have always disliked the fusible stiffness. But I still have some and hope to use it up. Or I can donate it to the guild garage sale. Hmmmm...

dee said...

Our #1 worry is outliving our money-it's the main reason that keeps us from doing things like you mentioned.

Thanks for the Elmer's tip. I'm out of WU
Kate is a moron and how can ou not think of those children. They've got a double dose of awful to overcome. Maybe they'll get lucky and some wonderful nanny type will make a difference.
The poop stamp amuses me.

Mary Lou Weidman said...

I wish I could buy yard's of that napkin (if it was fabric! Lovely. I watched Kate in person on Dancing with the Stars last week and she was the only one who had NO smiles for the audience when the camera was off and she kept mumbling and whining as she walked. This woman needs depression pills and therapy-her poor kids. Glad she is off the show. Everyone else on there was wonderful. Poor Tony, he was wonderful with the audience too. Love your blog!