Out with the old

The end of the year comes and I 'freak out' with ideas. I guess it's a good optimistic thing to do. Of course the big 'D' is coming; not sure how that is going to affect out night out at Moe's once a week. I'm not going to freak out about that though-everything in moderation, right?!
Of course I have lots of new projects and ideas swimming in my head and I am itching to sew really bad since everything I have done the past month is for customers and gifts. I want to sew and create and make pretties for me! I have ground myself from buying any fabric after the 1st of the year again; I did it last year for 3 months but that was a bet. I really don't need any and I have been a bag girl and have spent a lot recently on it. So I will be good an pay off my credit card.
I have been cleaning and reorganizing. Hey, this is my vacation, I thought I was supposed to relax and do fun things! My room looks like a bomb went off in it. Of course I have that 15 foot quilting machine in there so that doesn't help, but there are sewing things all over- as always, but added to that is receipts and wrapping paper and bags...
So on Christmas Day, after Tina and I exchanged gifts, ate and visited, we went up to my room while I picked up and sorted and she watched tv in my bed. It was nice to have the company, makes mundane tasks more bearable.
I am moving things around my room to make more space and organize better. I have a 4 tiered metal shelf I keep my customers quilts on. In front of that is my little sewing table with my sewing machine on it. Also in the room are 2 big closets. One is full of Christmas stuff and junk. So my mother and I had a date this morning to go through it. If it were left up to me, nothing would be left! Behind my door is a 2 drawered filing cabinet which has mom's stuff in it. I wanted to put that in the big closet and put the shelf in it's place, then move the sewing table flush against the wall where the shelf is. So the closet had to be cleaned out to start that chain reaction.
I am happy to report the closet is done, the shelf is moved, and the table is flush against the wall. The bad news is that the hall is full of stuff that is from the closet which will be given to people or the salvation Army, and the sewing items are all over the place and need to be put back.
There are also hundreds, like maybe 200, CD's in storage units that are in my room because they have been moved to make room for other things. Many of them are 80s metal that I really don't listen to. I called a music place that will give $2-$3 per CD but will go through them title by title and may not want all of them. So until I can do that, I have to put them someplace in my mission of reorganization.
I am on a break right now having some soda and calming down my nose. I was sneezing terribly from all the dust. After typing all this, I am tried thinking of what I have done and what I have left!
Although I am off till Tuesday, I am helping my boss move and unpack tomorrow; she had lost her home in the flood in June and just bought a house. So even though I have a tons of stuff to do myself, it's nice to help her get settled and move on with her life.
I also called my priest today and offered my services Friday since we do not have a secretary any longer. He will let me know Friday if he needs any help. Well I guess that's it for now, I better get back to work!

I do it to myself

I do it to myself every year. I tell myself I will start earlier, shop earlier, wrap gifts as I buy them, bake earlier. Well I had good intentions. What I've bought is in a box, in one place. I had planned on giving the nieces and nephews $20 each and the pillow cases with their names on them I made. Nope, they want embroidered sweatshirts that I do. It's much easier to give the money! I didn't bake but I had most of my shopping done early. The quilting was busy. I don't seem to know what I did with the money! That's gone too!
My friend is going to Las Vegas the 2nd week of January. He invited me along, but it's business for him; he is also going with 4 of his mangers. Since there is no pool available at this time of year and he will be busy most of the time, I opted not to go. I can't get Tina to go with me, so I would spend way too much time in the casino, losing money I don't have. But I could win money too :-) I had a dream last night that I won $221,000 on a $2 instant ticket. I rarely buy instant tickets. But it was a nice dream.
Tina also reminded me of our trip to New Hampshire in April. There is that free tour of Budweiser where you get 2 beers at the end.
I was at Barnes and Noble last night and saw stuff on Italy. I love Italy, I'm drawn to it. So when I got home I was searching for flights. When I went, about 5 years ago, I got a great flight,$365. The ones I see now are over $800. I really want to go back. I have 18 extra days of comp time and it burns me up that I am so dedicated to a thankless job. I could ramble on and on, but I have to go to work! More later.....

naughty or nice?

I was a naughty girl today because I went to the quilt store and spent $359 but I was nice, because I spent it on me! That's more than my car payment. And I just spent $300 to fix the machine and $140 to ship it out. Well, I do plan on grounding myself from buying fabric after the 1st of the year. Besides, all my Christmas shopping is done as well as Tina and mom's birthdays.

baby's home

Well my baby arrived home today. I put it back together with Tina's help. I finished the 1 row left on a quilt. My baby purrs. I've never heard it sound so good. I had such a hard comparing it and the best I could come up with was it's like going from riding a tricycle and then driving the most luxurious car you ever drove. Most people can tell when something is wrong by a sound. You know if your car sounds funny, or your child's cry. Well apparently mine machine was sick for awhile because I don't ever remember it sounding so good. Needless to say, I am very happy. Now the next week will be even crazier than I imagined. I thought I was out of business for the rest of the year. I have a lot to catch up on!

coming home

Well, my baby is on her way home today. Probably sitting alone in some warehouse or truck, by herself, in the cold. But she is fixed and shines like a new penny I bet. The repair bill is a hair under $300. I can live with that. Their shipping back is only $28. They ship exclusively with 1 company and get a huge discount....so they tell me.
I expect her home Thursday, but won't get to assembling it till Saturday. Meanwhile the calls are still coming for quilts, which is good, but I don't think I can get them done by Christmas. Here's a tip: don't wait until the month before Christmas and expect your quilter to get your quilt done in time! I know of a place where their deadline for Christmas is October 1st.
Well that's the good news I have! Now I can go get new glasses and contacts; I haven't had new glasses in 6 years and can't see so well out of these because they are so scratched up.
Remind me to tell the story of being Santa this week.