Thursday, August 28, 2008

I knew that we wouldn't get through the summer without an ER visit...

Feeling pretty calm and relaxed right now. I am tucked into bed at 8:23 on a Thursday night, and feeling comfy and sleepy.

And the reason for this?

Weeelllll... I had to take a little ER trip today, as I was having shortness of breath, and a tight chest: basically what felt like an asthma attack that was not responding to my inhaler.


Verdict: anxiety attack.
Solution: relaxation medicine.

I'm going to sleep now....

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Frazzled.

I worked from about 8 to about 9 tonight, as I had to stay late to train new monitors. I didn't have time to eat supper, as I was rushing around Hy-Vee trying to buy snacks and pop for the training session.

I have 21 pearls left to sew on my red skirt, then I have to sew another trim to the skirt to tie it together visually with the bodice. I also have to sew lacing rings to the bodice, as we need the sleeves to lace on for the fashion show.

All of this, and nearly all prep work for Saturday, have to be done tomorrow night, as we will be at the I-Cubs game Friday night, to pass out fliers, and be background while the "King" throws out the first pitch.

We open Saturday, and I am really, really stressed out, and just starting to get that glimmer of excitement.

I think if I had time to sleep, I'd be even more excited...

Thursday, August 21, 2008

If there were ever a night I would sew through my finger with the sewing machine, it would have been tonight.

I am exhausted. Can hardly keep my eyes open. And to top it all off, my son has to get on the school bus before 7 am.

Oh, this ought to be interesting...

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Top Ways to Tell if you are under too much stress.

1. You keep forgetting key items before leaving the apartment, necessitating an about face halfway down the hall.

2. You leave to go run an errand, and realize halfway down the hall that you are still wearing your fluffy slippers (twice yesterday).

3. You have to write everything down, in order to make sure you don't forget to do something, bring something, or miss appointments. We have activities written on three different calendars at this point, and I have two little notebooks in my purse.

4. You make a list of things you need to get from Wal-mart over lunch, that you need for work that afternoon. You get to wal-mart, realize you forgot the list, and can only remember two of the three items on the list. After about 10 minutes, you give up on the third item, as you have to get back to work. When you get to work, and see the list on your desk, there are only two items on it. Both, luckily, are the items you actually bought.

And today's latest:

5. You feel all special because you planned a crockpot meal for dinner tonight. You got everything put together, crockpot turned on right on time. Then, you had to move it to make lunch. 2 hours later, you discover that when you moved the crockpot, you neglected to turn it back on. Dinner is ruined.

What is it going to be like when school and classes actually start????

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

What is the matter with this picture?

Animal rescue leads to child endangerment charges
ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) -- More than 360 domestic and farm animals, many of them emaciated, injured and suffering from mange and parasites, were rescued Tuesday from a filthy southwest Missouri property where they were hoarded and bred, authorities said.

Dogs taken from the Missouri property wait to be unloaded from a truck at the Humane Society.

The owner of the property was charged with child endangerment because six children, ages 1 to 11, also had been living in what authorities described as an unbelievable scene: 12 to 15 house trailers stacked to the ceilings with junk, trash and debris, crawling with cockroaches. The only water source was a bunch of garden hoses strung together.

"These homes are not fit for anyone to live in," human or animal, Polk County Sheriff Steve Bruce said.

The 363 animals include more than 70 dogs and more than three dozen cats, plus donkeys, rabbits, ducks, chickens and exotic fish. The Humane Society of Missouri and Polk County also found 12 to 15 dead rabbits, dogs, cats and poultry.

Authorities descended upon the property with warrants after the family who owns the land failed to heed warnings last month to begin providing proper care, said Tim Rickey, the Humane Society's director of rescues and investigations.


Nowhere else in the article are the children mentioned. Seriously. All sorts of stuff about the fate of the animals who they rescued, nothing more about the children.

Priorities, people.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Shot of reality.

Sigh...

I've already been on the verge of tears today about 10 times, and all of a sudden, another urge to feel sorry for myself just came over me.

Folks, in just over a week, I will officially be the parent of a high-schooler.

Tomorrow, the teenager starts marching band practice, and the beginning of a fairly busy week before school starts. We had the band parents meeting this evening, and got a chance to meet the directors. Monday, I took my son to get a hair cut and to buy something to wear for his school pictures on Friday. He would not budge on the style, which is the same he's had since he was 4, nor could I convince him that a little hair gel wouldn't kill him. Pick your battles, right?* He also determined that black and dark charcoal gray look best on him, which gave him a huge boost of confidence. He was also shocked that there was no school supply list, really, and that he pretty much got to choose what would work best for him, rather than someone else's idea of what works best for many. I think he's ready for this, but I really am not.

I am trying to get the schedule worked out, three calendars so that I can try to impress into my brain and into his how many different places he needs to be in the next week. I am afraid we're going to miss something...

Anyway, part of the reason that I am feeling a bit teary-eyed and nostalgic for his younger years, has to do with this:

Someone reminded me recently that in four short years, I will be an empty-nester.

Part of me had to laugh, but the other part felt incredibly old at that point, even though I generally don't feel old enough to even have a kid in high school. In four short years, he'll be starting college. I'll be forty.

What a cheerful thought.

Okay, I have to get some sleep so I can lug around equipment tomorrow again. Night folks!

Saturday, August 09, 2008

So, what the heck have I been doing lately?

Sewing. Rehearsal. Work.

That's pretty much it. It occurred to me just a bit ago that I haven't linked to my latest project. Awhile back, I started a sewing blog on wordpress, mostly because I had a super-secret project I was working on that I wanted to share with people, without the recipients getting wind out it. This is also why this summer has been light on blogging. I've been sewing and trying to occasionally update the sewing blog. And I just kept forgetting to link to it.

So, without further ado, here is the link to my sewing blog.

The Clumsy Seamstress

A sketch of my current project:



Concept sketch of the queen's gown for the royal wedding at the Des Moines Renaissance Faire, 2008.

So now you know why I've been so silent this summer. :)

Thanks for the heads-up on the broken link, griff!

Monday, August 04, 2008

Wow. I feel really special now.

I finally received my copy of the "Who's Who" spam...

Dear Candidate,

If you have received this email previously, we apologize. Our service provider had a small technical issue that has since been resolved. You were recently appointed as a biographical candidate to represent your industry in the Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals, and for inclusion into the upcoming 2008-2009 "Honors Edition" of the registry.

We are pleased to inform you that on July 9th, your candidacy was approved. Your confirmation for inclusion will be effective within five business days, pending our receipt of the enclosed application.

The Office of the Managing Director appoints individuals based on a candidate's current position, and usually with information obtained from researched executive and professional listings. The director thinks you may make an interesting biographical subject, as individual achievement is what Who's Who is all about. Upon final confirmation you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in the Who's Who Registry. There is no cost to be included.

We do require additional information to complete the selection process and kindly ask that you access this form on our website by Clicking Here.


How in the WORLD could I EVER ignore this exciting opportunity to be in a book full of people who also paid to have their biography published in this book?!?!?!?

Trust me, when I finally decide to sit down and write my biography (and there would have to be a serious amount of money involved), it won't fit into four paragraphs.

And no, I did not click the link in the email. I feel dirty just for having opened the message...

p.s. This is blog theme is starting to irritate me... Can that quote text get any more yellow-green?

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Busy day.

Worked like crazy on my friend Lynne's new gown. I got tons of work done on the bodice, including cutting and smoothing all of the boning.

Things of beauty:


Sewing the boning channels.



Nice and smooth edges!



Front of the bodice lining. Pretty! And this is only the lining.


Time to put the project aside. Sewing after 10pm never ends up going well...

Saturday, August 02, 2008

I hate it when this happens!

I overslept by about 2 HOURS this morning. I even went to bed early last night, because I was exhausted due to a very busy day at work. I obviously turned off the alarm at one point, because I didn't move until 10, when I heard my son close the bathroom door.

I hate oversleeping on Saturday, because it pushes back all of the chores, and steals time that needs to be spent sewing. Luckily, we don't have rehearsal until later this afternoon today.

Okay, time to get off of my chair and get to work on the laundry and picking up the house, so I can get to the real work I need to do today.