Heat

My house is large, open plan without many doors originally.  We added a glass paned door between what used to be the dining room and kitchen.  We watch television in the "dining room" now because the great room off the kitchen (cathedral ceiling) is freezing cold at night.  The only way to warm it is to add to the oil heat with the woodstove. And the smoke from the woodstove (opening to add wood) gives me breathing problems ( like having a constant chest cold). This large room and the  attached kitchen have large skylights and southern exposure so they are usually very warm while the sun is shining. This is the room I warm with additional oil heat most often as it is where the dog and I spend our days.  This is zone one. This is where G wants me to add heat this winter.  And I probably will but there is no door to close the opening to the ice cold foyer.  I have insulated drapes over the doorway which keeps out drafts but is not retaining heat.  We have never figured out what zone heats the foyer, if any.

We added another glass paned door to the bedroom hallway to close that off so it could be kept cooler for better sleeping and because we are hardly down there during the day and the southern exposure keeps the rooms warm without heat on most days.  This is zone two.

The living room, dining room (L shaped room and we bundle up and watch televison in the dining room corner) and foyer to the hallways is difficult to heat.  North facing and without doors. I also have the doorway from the living room to foyer draped to keep out drafts. Zone three. I painted the walls a warm Tuscan yellow and this seems to give the room faux warmth.  The lights and television warm up the room which is very weird.  I turn up the heat in this room only when we are watching television and turn it back to 60 when we go to bed.

The upstairs bedroom suite has it's own zone now and is kept at 55 all the time as no one goes up there. I will eventually move my studio upstairs and then heat that space (south facing) when I'm up there and the sun isn't shining.

I have access to oil heat or propane.  The oil heat just for household water (those hot showers) and heating Zone one (kitchen) to 62 costs us $250 to $350 a month.  If I actually heated the other three zones above 60 degrees, I can't imagine what the monthly bill would be.

The two large (double) doorways to the foyer from the great room (south) and living room (north east) are the major cold spots without doors and with only insulted drapes keeping cold out and warmth in.  I had a builder here 20 years ago to see if we could install double French doors in both openings.  We could but the result would be expensive as the ceilings and moldings are barrel style and the doors would have to be custom designed to match the curve at the top.  We may have to add doors and not worry about the design elements.  Trim will have to removed in any event.  This could be the winter project.

So there you have the whole story on the cold temps in my house and the reasons why it isn't warmer here after dark.  it is plenty warm in here in the winter when the sun is shining.

Season Of Discontent

The Election Results are sifting through the "people".   The weather is changing.  Cold. Wet. Rain. Dark. Never a good combination when you have heavy thoughts on your mind. I turned on the furnace, had a hot shower and made some red raspberry sugar free jello.  Trying to stay away from the remaining Tootsie Rolls.

Today I foiled large floor sized house plants, unpacked two or three pallets of merchandise in the warehouse, broke down boxes, decorated Winter Boxes, had a loader boy set up tables for the classes on Saturday, stood behind the cash registers and answered the phones. I am a "multi-tasker" now.  I was promoted, without my knowledge, from my limited role (the past 2.5 years) of greenhouse/ perennials only.  The fact that I was asked to work in the "Christmas Room" decorating the Winter Boxes was super exciting.  And in daylight.  Winter Boxes are window box containers (green plastic) filled with top soil, then filled with evergreens (balsam, pine) wired pinecones, sweet spire painted white and winterberry branches which are placed on graves here in New England and sometimes used in window boxes on the house.  They get wet and freeze solid and last quite a long time.

Tomorrow is the Go Green Expo  at a local high school and I have a new company shirt (too small) to wear when I stand in the booth and represent the company from 1 to 3.  I am supposed to be very excited about doing this.  I was more excited about the chance to collect free samples from other booths: such as Gelato.  But the Gelato people are not coming this year.  I am also concerned about my lunch as I normally eat lunch around 1:30 or 2.  Can you measure my enthusiasm by my concerns?  We will be serving snack cups of deep fried, heavily salted, peanuts at our booth.  Gives "go green" new meaning, huh?

G just arrived home and was very pleased to find the furnace running.  I may decide that the winter of 2010/11 will be a winter when I increase our usual thermostat setting from 60 degrees all the time to ?? degrees.  G would like 68.  We could celebrate our 64th birthday year with 64 degrees but then G will vote for 65 degrees next winter.  I am pretty tired of being cold all the time, also.  I could ask at work and get an idea of where people are on heating their homes.  Or I could ask you.  What is your furnace set on for the winter?

We have Wreath Making and Kissing Ball Making classes on Saturday.  I usually make a small wreath for the Goddess on the front porch.  I think I should "sparkle" it up this winter.  Glitter and meter balls.

Time to fold laundry and think about dinner.  Take out sounds good.

The New "Bead" ?

I guess the bead I sewed to the 12 by 12 wasn't the "bead".  Comments from everywhere.  When you readers don't like a bead, you certainly are vocal.  Who knew?

Even G is getting into it and brought home a new "sparkle" for my art.  I think it fell off someone's coat and got stepped on.  All the jewels are still intact.  He handed it to me and I laughed out loud, because I had just finished reading Diane N's  "I don't like that bead".  And I was thinking, "Hey, Diane, what about this?"

Oatmeal for breakfast today and I think I will make some soup.  I bought lentils when I was last in the grocery so there's that and I still have kale in the garden (frosted last night by a wave of cold temps) so it should have "sweetened" as gardeners say.  I have laundry to work on, sheets to change, duvet covers to fluff, shirts to iron and floors to sweep.  Dog wants a walk.  Quite a list for the day already.  I will probably return my reading books unread. Sigh!

G drove the truck home from work and parked it and in the morning when he tried to start it--realized he had absolutely no gas in the tank.  Nada.  The Toyota truck has no bells or whistles.  Crank windows. So no little bell and light to indicate the gas tank is nearing empty.  You have to watch the mileage to see where you are gas-wise.  He is amazed that he got home.  We are not close to any gas stations so the last of the lawn mower gas went into the truck. And then G flooded it.  I arrived home from work and the driveway smelled like a fuel leak.

We voted and I stayed up long enough to see John Boehner (pronounced Boner) get all "weepy" about his "big win" and the chance to be Speaker of The House and a Big Shot.  He must have campaigned in Ohio because he wasn't as orange skinned as usual.  Ohio doesn't have all that much sun.  Of course, he could be in Ohio all the time and just be "rusty".  Ohio is one of the rust capitals.  Anyway, I had to turn the television off at that point just in case that asshole Cantor was up next to giggle about being the "whip".  These two guys are so... can I say "gay"?  I know there are no conservative gay Republicans. Just regular guys who vacation with rent boys.  John Boehner's wife tried to kiss him last night after he spoke and it was just so delicious to watch him squirm out of her grip.  Backing his manly parts out of reach while pushing her away.  Would be a fantastic YouTube.

The Maine Governors Race is too close to call so they will have to count the absentee ballots. Did you know they don't count them unless the number of absentee ballots is large enough to change the outcome?  You vote absentee and in most cases your vote is never counted. Such an interesting government we have here in America.  The Election Board has discussed letting people vote early and letting them put their ballots into a voting machine (get counted) but they don't know whether they want to do that, either.  Like every other state, we have a Tea Party candidate.  He's the guy who plans to tell the President to "go to hell" if he ever sees him.  Nice.  Respectful.

Anyway, it's Wednesday, my favorite day of the week and it's November and I only have seven more weeks to work before being laid off for eleven weeks.   Seven weeks of work and 45 more posts to write.  And that will be the end of 2010.

The Bead & A Rant (at the very end)

So much interest in the "bead".  Move it, remove it, add more etc.  I am a reluctant embellisher.  I don't have many beads.  So when I looked in the jar.  Yes, THE jar.  I found only one bead that was the right color for the job.  And I placed it in several spots and where it is is where it looked best.  And I sewed it on.  I always knew it wasn't permanent as I remove nearly every bead I sew on a quilt, in time.

I have been asked about the bound edges.  Well, they aren't bound.  I don't even have a back on the last five of these 12 by 12 challenges.  I don't finish them.  There is no reason to.  I'm not writing a book or having a traveling show.  And, by only one artist, the collection is chaotic and unpleasant.  This piece would "play well" with the other twelve rusty pieces in an exhibit, but only solo anywhere else.  Someday, I may convince Deborah to show her pieces along with mine, here in Maine. Our chairs are very nice together.  FLASH!!!  Duh!  I should have used a chair theme in all these pieces this year.  Not flowers.

Yesterday our daughter came over and had dinner with us.  I made Mexican casserole.  A recipe my dad had in his recipe box.  Last night I made it my own recipe and added stuff and changed things up.  It was delicious.  Of course, before doing any of that, I had to drive to the grocery store for menu items.  My pantry items have been depleted over the summer of "no shopping" and "use what you have in the freezer and cupboards".  Now my freezer is filled with frozen tomatoes and for some strange reason, the pantry has only canned diced tomatoes and canned corn. Our daughter hasn't been over for dinner in a long time.  And it's been two weeks since she walked Riley on Saturday afternoon so he was "beyond" happy to see her yesterday.  Bouncing up and down like Tigger, showing her his new toys.  She'll walk him this coming Saturday as G and I will both be back to work.

I have an hour to get dressed for work, vote and then drop off Riley at day care.  The  remainder of the day should be very slow and boring.  I guess the crew dusted all day Sunday.  When the political ads started running, the economy came to a grinding stop.  Fear.  Everyone I talk to is afraid of what may or may not happen.  The ads on television are very dangerous.  And the shows like 60 Minutes are showing towns where no money is changing hands, jobs are being lost and towns that once were growing are now boarded up with For Sale/ Going Out Of Business signs.  Banks refuse to lend money. Unions refuse to back down on contracts that drain the blood out of businesses and schools.  Streets are full of unrepaired potholes.  Is this the America we want?  Really?  Do we really want anarchy?

I know people are angry and afraid, but you have to work to repair what is wrong.  Not destroy everything.  Not reward someone like John Boehner who has said "no" to everything this Congress has tried to do.  Even to unemployment checks.  John says "no".  Take care of yourself.  And the Tea Party will.  With guns.  When the power goes out, no gas is available, no Social Security or Medicare checks are in the mail and we are all barricaded in our houses with loaded guns, remember  November of 2010 and say "thank you" to the Republican Party.  They have never wanted to take care of any of us. Reagan said that homeless people LIKE living in cardboard boxes.  And the Democrats need to stop trying to take care of everyone but the people who actually go to work and earn a living. Even I am tired of supporting welfare programs.  Okay, I'm done.

Friend of Twelve By Twelve- November

I enjoyed painting the fabric for this Colorplay challenge.  And that was all I enjoyed about it. I handstitched for about 3 or 4 hours on this piece to add some texture.  It still has no focal point and isn't artistically complete.  But I am finished with it for now.  I'm just showing it to be done.  Acrylic paint on bleached muslin with ribbon, floss, tulle and silk embellishments.  One bead.

Here's a detail shot of the added embellishments.  I was going to add some "flowers" along the line but no matter how much lipstick you add, a pig is still a pig.

I read on the 12 by 12 blog, that members of the group are also having trouble with just being given a set of colors and no theme or subject.  It's all too loosey/goosey for me.  When I was making a still life with a vase and flowers (and why did I stop doing that?) it was "okay, now a pink vase"  But, I think the use of my more complex painted fabrics is making my artistic life more complicated also.  I couldn't find a place for a vase or flowers in this fabric.  I have more, so I can keep trying.

A Spooky Night

I opened my pumpkin from the bottom and could then just set the carved pumpkin over the candle.  Having a pumpkin on the porch seemed to work some Halloween magic.  I had two sets of 6 to 8 Tricker Treaters. Riley barked and then just watched.  He seemed to enjoy the excitement.

Happy Halloween - Post 951

I started the day's "to do" list with some pumpkin carving.  And now that I have pumpkin seeds I can roast them in the oven for a wonderful salty, crunchy snack while watching Sherlock on PBS tonight.  After I work on my 12 by 12 for the reveal tomorrow. Busy.

G, Riley and I have just gotten home from our walk in the woods.  Colder than Friday but by the time we got home, I was sweating. And my tummy was rumbling for lunch.  We have leftover pot roast and leftover Thanksgiving dinner to finish for our lunch today.  G has end of the month this afternoon so Riley and I will be Tricking & Treating on our own later in the day.  I may have to give away some of my Tootsie Roll minis. Boo!

Today is also the first day of deer hunting season, but no hunting on Sunday.  The hunters will have to wait until tomorrow to start shooting in the woods and we will have to dress in DAYGLO ORANGE for the next 30 days.  What a waste of a good month for the rest of us.  Though it's been years since a non hunter has been shot in their own yard it still could happen. We used to hear the automatic rifle fire in the woods behind the house in the first 5 or so years we lived here.  Pretty scary. I think there are rules, but when you are drunk--the rules don't seem to matter.  Drunk hunting is pretty much the deal the first week.

I opened my journal this morning to write something.  I have been neglecting the art journal this month and the pages I have worked on, aren't all that arty.  So, I'm going to try and do a better job in the pen and paper journal in November.  In that journal I can say all the things that aren't PC enough for the blog.  On the blog I have to censor myself. Like I could say worse stuff about the hunters.

G asked me to make him a floral arrangement to take to work today to replace the Spooky House which has been on the end of the service counter all of October.  I wanted a turkey but couldn't find a fake one in the house. Ha!  So I ended up using a black and gold crow cart (Big Lots circa 2002?), finally found some styrofoam (looking in attic for what seemed like an hour) and clipped some yellow, white and gold silk mums short and made an arrangement.  Added the two large turkey feathers I had over the wood stove.  So, in a strange way, I "found" a turkey.  I mentioned to G that one of the crow legs on the cart was loose.  I glued it but these Chinese made things don't seem to like Elmer's glue.

I have had about 20 Tootsie Rolls and about a dozen pumpkin seeds since eating lunch at 2 pm.  Seriously.  And I decided my 12 by 12 idea wasn't very good once I started actually laying pieces of fabric next to each other.  Too matchy matchy.  This is what happens when you are given a specific color combo and not a theme that lets "you be you".

I viewed the working process of Susan Shie on her blog.  Using the air brush and paint to create the entire thing and then it is quilted.  Interesting.  Not the way I thought it was made and not the size I thought the pieces were.  And somehow I had gotten the idea that she was nearly blind and her husband helped with the work.  He doesn't.  Or at least he didn't with this work.  At all.  Where did I get this idea???  Anyone know?

Well, the 12 by 12 is calling and I have a missing brown wool sock.

Walk In The Woods

Yesterday, Friday, I walked in the woods with Riley and G, getting used to Riley off leash.  He stayed close to G and on the path in front of us, mostly, but veered off a few times but never out of sight.  When I let him off leash on another path (just Riley and I), Riley ran off, out of sight and I was afraid I had lost him each and every time.  Finally, I treated him and leashed him on one of his dashing returns.  He didn't seem to mind.  I felt better and we finished the walk.  G says that's the way it began for him, also.  Heart stopping fear, blowing the whistle for a "return" and being thankful to see the dog running to him.  And leashing him.  Riley now is more concerned with losing sight of G.

We found some open Chestnut casings.  There is a small "stand" of Chestnut trees in the woods we call the Town Commons.  They grow to a certain size (saplings) and then die of chestnut blight.  There is a new variety of Chestnut planted (by someone else who thought, thinks, our property is his property) and we are watching to see if this tree survives.

Yesterday, Friday, G and I worked in the garden doing pre winter cleaning and planting.  I finally planted my garlic.  G planted the tulips and today he is planting some crocus.  Then we cleaned ourselves up and went out to a nice "early bird" dinner.  Drinks, food, coffee and Creamsicle Cheesecake.  A shared piece.  Then we went into Reny's and bought SmartWool socks for $2-3 less than anywhere else.

Today, Saturday, I woke up at 5 am and then 7 am.  I needed to be at work at 8 am.  I taught my final class of the 2010 season on Putting the Garden to Bed.  A very senior citizen held her hand up at the very end and stated, matter of fact, that in all the 6 or 8 years she has been coming to "these classes", (and this is where my anxiety levels went on alert), I was by far the best instructor my employer had ever had.  Wow!!  And they even said the same up front at the cash register as they bought things. I had lunch and watered the greenhouse completely, ordered flowers for Monday and the left at 2:30 for the day.  I now have the next two days off.  I told everyone at work, I was practicing for being unemployed.  And laughed out loud.  It felt good to laugh like that.  Joyfully.  Fully engaged.  Been a long time.

Life is good today.  I have lots to do, but I'm not here alone.  Being here with someone else (G) is always better.  We'll take a Sunday and Monday walk together with Riley in the woods.  I'll cook or we'll go out to eat.  We'll enjoy life.  Together.  Because we work to live.  We don't, any longer, live to work.  That makes a difference.

And a bit of a rant:  I am DISGUSTED that the judges gave the Project Runway win to Gretchen.  As soon as they announced it, I turned the television off.  I may not watch in future.

Tootsie Roll Thursday

G went shopping today and brought home two bags of Tootsie Roll Midgees.  I've eaten six.  It takes me longer to open the wrappers on these tiny candies than it takes to chew and swallow them.  I thought they would be larger.  A serving is 13 pieces for 140 calories.  All sugar.

Today I was out in the perennial yard all day.  I didn't even water the greenhouse.  I had to sort, hunt down, package on trays, all the perennials we have left and get them ready to go back to the big greenhouse where they will spend the winter.  Some guys came and blew out the irrigation system today.  Winter is really arriving whether we want it to or not.  I had yogurt and fruit and cereal with soy milk for lunch.  Just right.

G and Riley have gone out to order takeout Chinese for dinner.  Today is the first day of G's "Four Day Weekend" and we haven't had any take out or restaurant food in a good long time.  He's tired and so am I. It's been a long week. I nearly fell asleep in the wonderful hot shower.

We had a gorgeous day today.  It was dark and very foggy this morning.  The only way I knew that traffic was oncoming was when I finally saw the headlights shining thru the fog.  It was like the clouds had come down to touch the earth.  It started warming up around 10:30 and by 2 it was sunny and very warm (70's). Tomorrow will be chilly and 55.

The election commercials and the robot phone calls are getting on my nerves.  Enough already.  We get several pieces of expensive mail from candidates each day.  Hope this is helping the US Postal Service pay it's bills because it is going, unread, straight from the mailbox into the garbage can.  And I hang up on the phone calls.  I used to waste my time saying I refused to vote for whomever was calling.  They don't care.  The callers are more than likely being paid per call or by the hour and have no interest in the candidate in any event.  I have even less interest.  The only thing I wish: that I was registered to vote in Ohio so I could vote AGAINST John Boehner.  This guy is never in Ohio and is living like a fat cat on special interest $$$'s.  You can't have a 365 day a year tan in Ohio.  Or is the orange really RUST?

I must make drinks.  The arrival of the take is imminent.

Peanut Frying

If ever there was a job that I never wanted to do, it was this job.  Ed usually fries the raw peanuts in the little dry-ish area in the cellar of the gift shop at work.  In two very old Fry Daddy wanna be's.  He has been out sick for two weeks and C and I were recruited to "learn" the business.  Three and a half hours of running down to the basement every fifteen minutes to pull peanuts out of the fryers and then add more raw peanuts to the fryer, salt the hot peanuts, set the timer and go back upstairs. Tomorrow we will package peanuts in one pound bags.  For sale.

The first thing I did when I got home, was take a shower and wash my hair twice.  Hair absorbs odors and there were a multitude of odors.

It wasn't a bad job.  Cleaning out the water plants tank was much worse.  But can you see the chain of "bad jobs" that I have been assigned since I asked for that raise????  I'm wondering if there is still something worse on the horizon.  I know that I will have to wash all the peanut cooking equipment and the cooling pans tomorrow and then use the plunger to clear the sink drain.  That's pretty bad.

We are having Thanksgiving Dinner again tonight.  Turkey from the grocery store deli, Stove Top, baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.  I may open another can of jellied cranberry sauce.  It has been raining, dark and grey all day and this is such a comforting meal on a day like this.  And today's turkey is fresh from the oven, not cold, refrigerated turkey like last time.

Survivor tonight and a chat with my friend K in Atlanta.  She is just back from a gambling weekend with her 80 year old mom and K's sister.  Mom likes the flashing lights, buffet meals and the slot machines.  K and her sister like the free drinks.  Mom is a difficult woman. Drinking helps.

I have all my work clothing in the washer with Simple Green sprayed over the greasy spots. Work again tomorrow.  And then G and I both have Friday off.  He has Saturday off.  We both have Sunday off.  And I hope we both have Monday off as well.  I asked.  G has had only one other four day weekend off in nearly 18 months of working for this company.  Because I am teaching a class on Saturday, I had to work. He and Riley can sleep in and do "guy" things.

Time to get dinner on the table.

Toasted French Baguette

Breakfast this morning.  Toasted baguette with a tiny bit of butter and my very own Concord grape jelly. The second jar opened.  We are actually eating it this time and not "saving" the jelly for some special breakfast occasion.  An event that hardly ever happens around here unless I bake biscuits and with the weight gain, I try to never bake biscuits.

I was up earlier than expected this morning (I thought I had slept longer), trolling through the blogs, which I reach from my own site.  And I realized how many times I accidentally closed the site and had to reopen. So, most of the 47 visits a day are my very own self.  Duh!!!!  And if you see Winsocki, Vermont as a location for a visitor, it's me.  In Maine. Comcast.  The gift that keeps on giving.

G arrived home yesterday with a lovely thank you note from a recently departing employee.  G had spent a great deal of time developing this guy into a McD's manager and depended on him.  The guy felt the work was way too hard and left for a job that was easier.  His note thanked G for changing his life and increasing the quality of his life.  I smiled as I read and mentioned that the only employee G had ever failed to manage successfully, was me.  G nodded and said that was true.  And that's the way it is.

We are closing things up at work.  Yesterday the guys took down seven outdoor display tables and stacked the cement blocks they sit on, onto a pallet and lifted it with the tractor forks.  "someone" will get to rack all the gravel and stone today.  I ordered trays for all the remaining perennials (even though my manager never asked me to do so).  And someday carts will arrive, empty, and I will lift and load all the perennials.  After a good rain.  So they are wet and heavy. They are always wet and heavy and the day I load is always dark, damp and depressing.  One of these days a team is showing up to recover the Annual greenhouse with new plastic.  And yesterday the family handyman was trying to install a new pump for the fertilizer dispensing system.  Which hasn't worked all season.  He made four trips to the hardware store before I punched out for the day.  It could be working. It could still not be working.  A Dosimeter.  I've been dipping a paper coffee cup into the concentrated fertilizer and pouring it into filled watering cans and feeding the plants.  That's the way I roll.  My manager never suggested doing that.  I'm a rebel.  You can see why G never had any success with me.

I have leftover cherry tomato pasta for lunch today and I am exceedingly happy about that.  We are having leftover pot roast and mashed potatoes for supper tonight (I get home at 6:30) and it's tough to decide who should go home on DWTS tonight.  So many awful performances.  NCIS tonight.  I will try and stay awake.

Looks Like A November Colorplay

My birdbath. Filled with pine needles.  I was out walking the yard, while Riley chewed on things, looking for something interesting to take a picture of for the post.  And it was nearly 4 pm.  The light was not the best.  This may give someone an idea for their 12 by 12.

Yesterday's post has been deleted.  My friend and I have explained ourselves to each other and all is well. Timing is everything.  Say "something" at the right moment and it's good. At the wrong moment, not good. Same "something".  Life.  And no one ever said friendship (worth having) was easy.

I have finally turned the furnace on.  It may be my age or something, but I am COLD.  Yesterday my shoes (not CROCS) kept my socks from drying at work.  So, I had wet feet all day.  Cold, wet feet from watering the greenhouse and cold hands from cutting back all the perennials in the yard at work.  I surrender to the need to be warm.  After I get warm, I turn the furnace off.  I've already had my shower (5 pm) and have my pajamas on.  Sixty four.  Who knew what a difference a year would make?

I had almost nothing to do today and tried to go to lunch at 11.  Then at 11:30. And finally at 12.  I was starving.  Or so I thought.  It was like kids on a field trip, wanting to eat their packed lunches as soon as the bus gets to wherever we were going.  I got tired of saying "no, it's not lunch time yet" and just let them eat their lunches at 10:30.  Everyone was happier that way.  They were 8 or 9 at the time. All boys and "gifted" which usually also means "strange".  I was the only mom willing to supervise them, my own son included in the group.  Well, they did annoy the gorilla  at the Chicago Zoo. Gifted and creative.

Riley has eaten and I am about to embark on making some cherry tomato spaghetti for supper.  We had Panini yesterday, on the couch at 7 pm, while watching television.  Anyone else watch Masterpiece's Sherlock?  Did you like it?

The Two Lists

I have two "to do" lists on my desk.  They share a few items but both are full of tasks that involve a great deal of work.  Not in the actual doing; but in the prep work for the doing.  In order to move plants upstairs, I have to clear spaces upstairs.  By the way, isn't that painted fabric fabulous?

This morning (late start due to inability to fall asleep last night -- those lists?) I have managed to make two pieces of toast and eat them with the gorgeously delicious grape jelly I made; brown, nicely, a large on sale chunk of pot roast for a proper dinner tonight with mashed potatoes and gravy and dig around in pants pockets to find my lists.  I make lists at work.  Sometimes I stand by the phone, and even hold it to my ear, while I make lists or stare out the back doors.  This morning I have had 1.5 cups of coffee and plan to have another even though my heart rate feels a bit jumpy.

Riley gets a walk today.  I owe him a good walk.  And I do want to visit the library to get G a new book to read.  He's almost finished with the book he has and I don't think I have any reserves ordered for him. I had wanted to make another, final garden produce, pan of zucchini brownies since I found four tiny and one small zuke under the frosted zucchini leaves on my last garden visit.  I also have chard to saute.  These things aren't on my lists. Now they are.

Weeding violets out of the garden is on my lists as is planting tulip bulbs. Which will wait until the sun comes out a bit more strongly.  It's still cold out there.

I decided I want one of those instant hot water things that gives you as much hot water as you want in the shower.  I don't want it hooked up to anything but the showers.  I want to be able to stand in the hot water until I am ready to be done and not have to stop because the water is getting cold.  And because it will be producing hot water for only two showers a day, I don't care what it costs.  It's not like it will be on all day, sucking energy like a starving vampire.

And I have a final design plan for the master bathroom.  Fitting in all the parts that need to be in there and making it a nice, elegant master bath (except for the washer dryer stack).  I see, on other blogs, that it is best to do both baths when you decide to do one.  They are next to each other.  Good thing we have a third, full bath upstairs.  I need to ask around for recommendations for someone to do the work.  I want in floor heat. Tile. Glass doors instead of shower curtains.  Bowls instead of sinks.  The hall bath just needs a new tub and faucets, new floor and lighting.  New paint.  The master needs a complete tear out and rearranging of everything but the area with the double vanity.  I think I need the professional for the tile, floor heat and plumbing.  G and I can manage to install the vanities, sinks, lighting and faucets ourselves.  Unless we get something complicated in the showers and I will let the plumber do that.  I think warm floors is the way to go in Maine.

A commenter mentioned her two weeks in Maine and the large amount of lobster she ate while here.  It made me sad.  I never had a lobster in 2010.  Not one lobster roll this summer, even though I mentioned wanting one several times.  I'll just have to have twice as much next year, huh?

Other commenters mentioned the lack of respect for older Americans.  I find the lack of respect interesting since the Baby Boomer generation (of which I am one of the earliest members) is LARGE and we learned from our parents to save money and live well.  We are also one of the best educated generations with more college educated members than ever before us.  I think, IMHO, that WE should control more of what is going on, our interests should define television and politics and not the interests of our teenage grandchildren (who seem to be the advertiser's darlings) or the under educated Christian right.  I am not interested in vampires or werewolves. Not interested in whatever "hiphop" is.  Or Rapping. I know how the earth was created and it wasn't in seven days.

If I could JUST decide on a new fridge this easily.

Gathering Lost Fragments

Clementines.  These are tiny ones that come in a bag and not the larger ones that come in those wooden boxes.  Harder to peel but spicy, sort of, and very good.  Clementines are the transition fruit for me. It is now nearly Winter, even though the grocery still has peaches, plums and mangos from California and Chile.  I am taking a big handful to work today, to perfume my day with citrus aromas.

Diet.This morning, before my first cup of coffee, I had two thoughts.  One, taped a note to the dryer (at eye level) that reads: Do Not Wash Dog Towels with People Clothes.  G.  Second: During 8.5 months of the 365 Day Diet, I didn't eat more than two meals a day.  I would eat breakfast very late, go to work at the library (1 to 4 or 1 to 5) and then eat dinner with G at 6:30 or 7.  I would have a good breakfast and a good dinner and still be under 1200 calories for the day.  If I did eat lunch out with a friend, I skipped breakfast and had a salad for dinner.

Now: I am eating lunch and not having time each day to walk 3 miles with the dog.  Guess what? I am gaining weight.  It's freezing cold this morning but I may dress and walk the dog and then go to work.  It's hell on the knees and hip but it has to be done, right?  The reason it's hell is the concrete floors at work and the fact that I am always standing or walking at work on those unforgiving floors.  And I'm 64.  I was 59 when I was on the diet.  And taking pain pills each and every day I walked the dog.

Art. The 12 by 12 challenge is due November first.  I painted the fabric weeks ago and have a scattering of ideas on what I want to make.  Today I may dig into the shiny fabric drawer and see if I have anything that makes me interested in using it. And look into the felt bag.  I am thinking of several different textures this time, different surface levels.

Television and Books.  I am caught up on Fringe episodes.  Good Stuff.  And G managed to stay awake to watch NCIS, Castle and House from this week.  I still have two Wallander's from PBS to watch and my Peter Hoeg book, Borderliners.  Danish author.  I need to reserve some books for G this morning.

Life.  It seems good right now if I don't fret about the size of my rear end.  We are all counting down to Christmas Eve as the last day we work (anticipating the winter layoff).  G and I are having a good year, relationshipwise, but G has asked how much longer he has to work (Medicare!!)  Dog is good.  The house needs updating if it's to be sold and make us money.  New bathrooms, carpets, windows and kitchen floor. Paint.  We aren't planning to sell and move, but still, we need to think ahead.  2010 brought a new roof and new front steps. Sleeping more.  Tired more often.  Still wish I got more email from interesting people.  (I know, I need to send more to get more).  Good haircut this time.

Blog and Work.  Sixty more posts and I will have my 1000.  I so look forward to typing these inane sentences for you to read.  Taking pictures.  Being connected to people.  Being myself.  At work, no one cares to know anything about me. Really. They know nothing and that is fine with them.  I stood at the back door to the greenhouse on Tuesday, thinking about just walking out, getting in the car and driving away. Not saying anything to anyone.  I stood there thinking about how long, if ever, before anyone realized I was gone. Not just out of radio contact. Gone. And would it matter to any of them?

Everything French

The soup.  Four pounds of thinly sliced onions makes four nice crocks of delicious soup.  I thought that I had never attempted French Onion Soup before, but as I ladled the first spoon into the little crock, I remembered that I HAD made it once before.  Not as wonderful as it was yesterday.  Yesterday, it was incredible and G suggested I make it again today.

Today I worked instead.  And was cashier all day (after watering one half of the greenhouse). I managed pretty well at a job I do very infrequently.  I got into and out of trouble 75% of the time.  Better than usual odds. BUT, I packed too small a lunch and my tummy was rumbling by 11:30 and I knew my tiny lunch wasn't going to do the job. Sigh.  I stopped at the grocery after work for three apples and a bag of tiny Clementines.  Good snack food for tomorrow and Sunday.  The Clementines are so pretty.

The shower is calling my name.  And the couch.

Halloween/Christmas

The retail world rushes holidays along.  Halloween is on sale and Christmas Trees are being decorated at work this week.  Ornaments, Santas and boxes of lights.  No wonder I am never ready for any "actual" holiday.  This weekend we are having Pumpkin Carving Classes.  This means you can buy a half price pumpkin and make a mess carving it in the greenhouse and not at your house.  I worked carving day last year, but this year I am not.  So no pumpkin seeds to roast.

Today I get my haircut.  And it really needs to be cut.  It's a shaggy, lopsided mess right now and no amount of wetting it down and adding product makes a bit of difference.  I look frumpy.  And old.  Change of seasons (fall to winter) always makes me feel old and frumpy.  The heavy clothing.  Always being chilled.  Feeling like my "to do" list is always the same five items which never get done.

And added to that, a "new" something.  After my shower each evening, I have about an hour of opportunity to read the paper or watch the news before I fall sound asleep.  Normally, I am awake till midnight or 1 am.  Now I am sound asleep at 8:15.  I missed ALL of DWTS on Monday.  Slept through the whole show, even though G tried to wake me for the dancers I enjoy watching, and at 10 I got up and climbed into bed and slept till morning.  I have ALWAYS had a very difficult time falling asleep. This is very strange.  Permanent???

Accordingly, the TiVo is full.  I will try and watch a few hours of recorded stuff this afternoon so there will be room for more recording.  I have two Wallanders (PBS), two Fringe, and a bunch of other things that only I watch.  I save the other stuff for when G watches with me.  Usually, we catch up on shows on Friday and Saturday when there is nothing to watch in real time.

I have been working.  The greenhouse is cold in the morning and hot around lunchtime and then cold and dark by closing.  We have mealy bugs and whitefly.  The mums are just about finished and the poinsettias are just about ready to arrive.  Winter flowering stuff is arriving slowly.  Christmas cactus and citrus trees.  Clivia, jasmine and gardenia should be coming soon.  Amaryllis is always late.

We have been eating soup, pasta and pizza.  Easy to make and plenty of leftovers for other dinners and for my lunches at work.  I want to make French Onion soup today and need to buy a loaf of real bread that won't go soggy in the soup.  I have several choices near the salon where I get my haircut, which reminds me that I need to get dressed and GO.  Appointment is at 10.

Still Life With Citrus Rose

I had very strange dreams last night.  We fell asleep watching television and then went to bed at 1 am.  That could be why I felt like I was hallucinating most of the night.  It's now almost 10:30 and G has left me a note that he will return shortly with breakfast.  I read the note an hour ago. I have a slight sinus headache this morning, usually caused by changing weather.  Clouds are building in my sinus cavities.

It is cool today, not raining, the sun peeks out every once in awhile to light up the yellow and pale orange of the maple trees.  Not as brilliant without the blue, blue sky.  The recent rain and wind has loosened great piles of pine needles onto the lawn and of course the maple leaves.  The oak leaves are holding steady and the trees are releasing only acorns right now, nuts that roll beneath my feet and send me skidding across the wet grass.  I think I will be outside raking today.  If breakfast ever arrives.

I watched a few videos on deconstructed screen printing this morning.  I now see how it works.  I have a few very old bottles of dye powder and a box of small containers of various dye products.  I will have to examine the box and see if I have the proper chemicals to screen print.  And then, I must make a screen.  I did all this ages ago in college.  I made my own screens but hadn't a clue of what to print with them.  This was before Warhol.  I adore Warhol.  I'm not sure we even mixed ink colors much in class. It was all so basic and quite boring.  Or perhaps, it was ME who was basic and boring back then.  I certainly wasn't an art rock star.  Then or now. I remember being taught how to make the screen, paper or glue resists, squeegie the ink and that was all.  That was how every art class was taught in the 60's.  You either WERE already an artist or you WERE NOT.  There was no effort wasted on teaching anyone to be one as there is now.  Now we are all artists.  And the art isn't as wonderful.

Our bird class went off beautifully yesterday making both N & I very happy.  I have only one more class to teach in two weeks.  Beds to Rest.  How to bed down your plants, garden beds and roses for the long cold winter.  Halloween follows the next day and then the rush to Thanksgiving and Christmas and then Winter.  It will fly by as it always does and I will be unprepared as I always am.  I know that I should be making cookies between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Well, RIGHT AFTER Thanksgiving dinner is the time to put together cookie doughs for Christmas.  By December 6th, it's all too late.

Right now is the time to be filling the Advent calendars for my two adult children.  Buying or making gifts and making holiday decorations. I need to decide what I will be doing for my limited edition of ten Christmas tree cards this year.  I can think about these things while I rake up pine needles.  And visit the grocery store as we are OUT of nearly everything and need FOOD.  G seems to be home.

Perks Of The Job- Flowers & Lucy

Flowers.  A broken Market Bouquet.  The Floral person had to break a bouquet open to remove lilies for a funeral basket and we can't sell the remainder.  I was the lucky employee who got to take the rest home.  The light here isn't so good and the colors are sweeter in person.  I like it.

Today's Birds In The Backyard class went very well.  The class had a good time, took notes and asked productive questions.  I enjoy teaching with N.  We compliment each other.  My Top 10 list had only 8 items.  Duh!  They liked the little pine cone gift and bought large amounts of product. N says bird supplies are one of the biggest markets.

Later in the afternoon, D brought her new puppy, 10 week old Lucy, to see us.  G & I sold D Riley's old kennel and his baby gate for D to use with Lucy.  And Lucy has Riley's little Kong chew toys.  Lucy is so sweet.  And she fell asleep on the Christmas work table while we were talking.  And Riley smelled all my clothes because Lucy's scent is all over me.  I know how to play with a puppy now.  Sad to say, but I didn't know when Riley and Reny were puppies.  I missed out on a whole lot of fun.  Lucy is a yellow Lab.

We had hardly any customers all afternoon and N and I sorted Christmas ornaments and chatted.  So it was a good day at work.  And I got paid yesterday.  And there was snack cake to eat today after class.  And now G has gone to get Chinese take out and I am going to take a shower.  And I think I will probably fall asleep in front of the television pretty early.

Friday Rain

Riley is huddled into the dog bed with a big stuffed dinosaur in his mouth, comforting him.  The wind is blustery and it's cold and wet.  These are things my hunting dog doesn't like.  He likes sunshine and soft warm breezes.

From the sounds roaring past the house during the early morning hours, I thought the trees out back would be bare of any leaves by the time I finally dragged myself out of my own bed.  My dog and I have a few things in common.  But the golden yellow maples are still full of leaves.  This year I have taken the time to notice the many maples on my property.  I would have sworn that all the trees were pine or oak.

I found out yesterday that N and I will be teaching the Backyard Birds class.  Short notice again.  We are going to discuss habitat and plants and not much about birds themselves, which I know next to nothing about.  When our son was still living here at home (long, long ago), he kept a bird diary of the different birds he saw outside.  It was fun discovering who they were. Bluejays, Finches, Catbirds, Flickers and one elusive Hawk.  And we heard but never actually saw the Woodpeckers.  I have his bird list around here somewhere.  I should find it.

I am working today.  You can't imagine just how cold and unpleasant an outdoor, unheated job can be on this kind of October day.  Or you can.  Just think about standing outside in the rain and wind and then being wet and cold inside for a few hours.  Shivering.  I am pouring the remainder of the pot of coffee into the Thermos and reheating it at work (if we have power).  The lights are flickering here at home. I guess I will have soup again, for lunch.  Or I could have chili beans.

My nose is running, I have a rubbing irritation in my left eye, my pants feel too tight (all my clothes feel too tight today) and I have a list of undone projects hanging over my head for this evening.  A good day to call out sick.  But I won't.  We are too short staffed and it just makes it harder for everyone else at work.  I hate when a call out makes my day at work more miserable.  Hard to do it to others.

Mission Accomplished

640 pounds of tree and shrub mix (16 bags) and 9 cubic yards of peat moss hauled, lifted, broken up and spread over 6 of the 8 raised beds.  And the hose circled.  I've taken a pain pill, a hot shower, made dinner and finished reading my book.  That's enough for one day.