JANE!!!

 Jane Ballard arrived yesterday, beautifully wrapped with paper and ribbon, packaged well.  She's a big one.  I unfolded the chart, and unfolded the chart, and then unfolded the chart.  Twelve sections on one sheet!  I'll be folding to 11 x 17 sized sections, or 8 1/2 x 11,  or 8 1/2 x 14,  while standing at the copy machine in Staples.  Some smart ass will hold up a smart ass phone and film me wrestling with it. Folding and unfolding trying to get all the pages, until a temper tantrum erupts and a piece of paper larger than a sixth grader goes flying.  I wonder if they will have audio.  Hope not.  This won't be easy and I need to be careful so I don't damage the chart.  I color them, use highlighter, make notes, and do a bit of damage to the original which is why I copy more involved samplers.   Even if I didn't, this would be too unmanageable for me and my Magma.  My Magma and I.  Might be a song in there.

Here's progress on Eliz - got to the unusual letters and the thread's shading is coming out better than I expected.  Working on her a little at a time.  I'm really exhausted from pushing and pulling that machine up and down.  My sister's did me in too.  I can't even explain and don't want to. Suffice it to say that when I went to the second level of her cape cod to check out storage space, I was speechless.  Wearing heavy knee high rubber boots, I made at least 30 trips up and down carrying heavy loads of "stuff".  Two days of this and only a small dent.  Didn't even begin to clear her first floor bedroom or treat the fleas.  Came home and worked on the leaves afterward so I am really beat.  Many of us have attics and basements filled with items we don't want to give up, but when is it too much?  Just because we have the room for storage, does that give license to pack it full?  If we don't need it, don't use it, why keep it?  Because our moms taught us to never throw anything away?  Donating is not trashing it.  Let it go!!!  Everything I brought down, she had to "go through".  NO.  If I am working my ass off to clean (I would need a high pressure fireman hose for that and I already have the boots)...(a fireman would be nice too), I will determine what goes.  Sheets and blankets that don't fit your bed - gone.  Mom's tablecloths that are stained - gone.  Books from school - gone.  Afghans, comforters, clothes you never wear - gone. Your son's, grandson's, and ex DIL's old stuff - gone. Junk - GONE!  Her heart valve and knees have prevented her from climbing stairs for many years so if it's been up there that long, she hasn't needed it, she hasn't missed it - GONE!!  I honestly don't know if I can continue because it's overwhelming and she is too involved and slowing me down.  This is not a weekend project.

 To treat my aching body, I fried myself two day old donuts which I haven't done in quite some time.  You see that shine?  That's a thin crispy crust.  Heaven.

Mark is off Thursday and Friday so I'll relax a little and maybe go for a ride to enjoy the sunshine that is forecast.  Carole got her monitor's report and they are still leaning toward the AV node ablation.  Family doc recommended a trip to Cleveland Clinic, I say Pittsburgh.  We'll see.  She wants to wait a while before making an appointment. That's right Carole.  Wait until the middle of winter when the roads are covered in ice and snow is blowing sideways, and then ask your afraid to drive paranoid panicky directionally challenged menopausingly bitchy sister to be trapped in a car for hours while she preaches about your messy house.  A trip to remember.

 

Enjoy what's left of October and have a safe weekend.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

 

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