Two days of yard sale-ing netted us about $400 and we still have a garage full of stuff to categorize, enter into the donation app, and haul over to Goodwill. I think Wonderful Husband has concluded this was not worth the hassle; despite doing pretty good signage and posting about it on Craigslist, we didn't get anything like the traffic he was expecting.
We were originally scheduled to have our house photographed for listing tomorrow. Last night I put my foot down and said no. There was no way in hell we were going to have the house ready. We cancelled the appointment, to be rescheduled when we are closer to ready. But emotionally I am burnt out, drained to the point where I almost want to put this off for six months and list come spring or something.
That said, we used the slower stretches of time to clean out the garage quite a bit. We have two of these sets of shelves in the garage, and managed to tidy/trash the contents to the point where we effectively got one of them completely cleared. So, progress.
Cute things of the day to leave you with: as I was getting up at 6am, I heard Squiddle (in bed and sound asleep) clearly say "Okay, Google. Pause." I wonder what he was dreaming about? ^_^ (And I wonder if the dream paused. ^_^) And while Wonderful Husband was cleaning up the tool shelves, the power drill ended up on the floor. Jazzy picked it up and went "Vrr. Vrrr!" several times. He clearly knows how it's supposed to work. ^_^
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Monday, August 20, 2018
Discrete Goals
You would think cleaning up a house with the goal of photographing/showing it, and cleaning up a house with the goal of holding a yard sale would overlap a great deal.
Spoiler alert: they don't.
Today, I finished planting the bed in front of the garage and watered it in twice. Yay, all neat and tidy and curb appeal-y with white cora vinca, purple salvia, and red-gold lantana. I also planted three habenero plants in the side yard, replacing the ones that the 113 degree heatwave fried a month or so back. They are... charmingly mismatched with the habenero plants that were already there. I also transplanted the six surviving strawberries from the stackable planter, which is going in the yard sale pile.
Following that burst of morning energy, I worked on my side of the closet (warm clothing packed away, some things I don't wear much to the yard sale pile, and most of the hangers matching now). Then I took the boys to a thrift store and Costco, getting most of the grocery shopping out of the way. After lunch, I started in on the deep-dig project of cleaning the laundry room. It's... half-done? The shelves have been cleaned and the stuff we actually use placed back on them. All my gardening hand tools have been put in the bag they're supposed to go in. Work gloves have been mated, and the 2'x2' tool dungeon has been cleared out and swept and we've taken a look at what was in it. And this evening, Wonderful Husband mulched the rosebushes out front, which I need to prune back, but the yard waste bin is full, so that gets punted to tomorrow. Plus we made stir-fry for dinner and I cut up a quarter of a watermelon for dessert.
Tomorrow I have more cora vinca, salvia, and lantanas to plant along the front of the house proper. I need to prune the roses. I need to finish the laundry room. And I need to start pricing stuff for the yard sale!
Spoiler alert: they don't.
Today, I finished planting the bed in front of the garage and watered it in twice. Yay, all neat and tidy and curb appeal-y with white cora vinca, purple salvia, and red-gold lantana. I also planted three habenero plants in the side yard, replacing the ones that the 113 degree heatwave fried a month or so back. They are... charmingly mismatched with the habenero plants that were already there. I also transplanted the six surviving strawberries from the stackable planter, which is going in the yard sale pile.
Following that burst of morning energy, I worked on my side of the closet (warm clothing packed away, some things I don't wear much to the yard sale pile, and most of the hangers matching now). Then I took the boys to a thrift store and Costco, getting most of the grocery shopping out of the way. After lunch, I started in on the deep-dig project of cleaning the laundry room. It's... half-done? The shelves have been cleaned and the stuff we actually use placed back on them. All my gardening hand tools have been put in the bag they're supposed to go in. Work gloves have been mated, and the 2'x2' tool dungeon has been cleared out and swept and we've taken a look at what was in it. And this evening, Wonderful Husband mulched the rosebushes out front, which I need to prune back, but the yard waste bin is full, so that gets punted to tomorrow. Plus we made stir-fry for dinner and I cut up a quarter of a watermelon for dessert.
Tomorrow I have more cora vinca, salvia, and lantanas to plant along the front of the house proper. I need to prune the roses. I need to finish the laundry room. And I need to start pricing stuff for the yard sale!
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Kristin Vs... The Kitchen
I've been on-and-off working my way through Secrets of an Organized Mom, by Barbara Reich, for a week or two now. This evening it inspired me to take all the house finishing stuff (mostly paint and its various accouterments) back out into the tool cabinet and the garage where they belonged. They had all been hanging out on the kitchen counter. Then, since I was in the zone, I got the kitchen counters completely cleared of everything but what's actually supposed to be in there. It's amazing!
And since the hallway closet got its new doors put back on today, the stuff that was in there got organized and put back in. And the doors (mirrored, because it's a dark hallway without the light on) got Windex'ed and I did the bathroom mirrors too while I was at it.
And since the hallway closet got its new doors put back on today, the stuff that was in there got organized and put back in. And the doors (mirrored, because it's a dark hallway without the light on) got Windex'ed and I did the bathroom mirrors too while I was at it.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Kristin Vs... The Desk
Blargh. I am engaged in the epic battle of me vs. my desk. I'm not sure which of us is actually winning, though I think I may be gaining the upper hand....
I did actually do some sewing today! Last night at guild, I grabbed a bag of bits-plus-instruction-booklet off the freebies table. It turned out to be a partially done Double Wedding Ring. After riffling through it last night, today I pressed all the bits and started sewing them together. I need to cut six more tiny pieces to make up the last arc, and sew the angled end bits onto the arc, but I counted and it looks like there's enough to make up a 4x4 layout. Three of the rings are already complete; I will, however, need to get more white for the background parts, and try to match the green and melon that was used for the end squares. Still, not bad - I transformed it from crumpled mess to workable project.
Now if only I can do the same for my desk....
I did actually do some sewing today! Last night at guild, I grabbed a bag of bits-plus-instruction-booklet off the freebies table. It turned out to be a partially done Double Wedding Ring. After riffling through it last night, today I pressed all the bits and started sewing them together. I need to cut six more tiny pieces to make up the last arc, and sew the angled end bits onto the arc, but I counted and it looks like there's enough to make up a 4x4 layout. Three of the rings are already complete; I will, however, need to get more white for the background parts, and try to match the green and melon that was used for the end squares. Still, not bad - I transformed it from crumpled mess to workable project.
Now if only I can do the same for my desk....
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Guild Today, Guild Tomorrow. Painting Always
I was painting the hallway closet interior literally until five minutes before I had to leave for guild this evening.
But! I won a door prize of three fat quarters of chicken print fabrics! *gleeful little dance*
The fishtank is moved back into the living room. The bathroom trims are finished. Wonderful Husband has completed the office closet. What remains to be painted is some trim in the laundry room, and the hallway closet interior. However much of the latter we decide to do. And in slightly less than two weeks we're getting this place photographed, listed, and shown. No panic! The to-do list flexes, waxing and waning without warning.
Cute moment of the day: as they are getting buckled into their car seats, both boys get an Oreo. Jazzy takes a bite out of his. Wonderful Husband compliments him on eating it the right way (like Daddy). Squiddle separates the top off his and eats that first (like Mummy). I smirk across the car at Wonderful Husband.
But! I won a door prize of three fat quarters of chicken print fabrics! *gleeful little dance*
The fishtank is moved back into the living room. The bathroom trims are finished. Wonderful Husband has completed the office closet. What remains to be painted is some trim in the laundry room, and the hallway closet interior. However much of the latter we decide to do. And in slightly less than two weeks we're getting this place photographed, listed, and shown. No panic! The to-do list flexes, waxing and waning without warning.
Cute moment of the day: as they are getting buckled into their car seats, both boys get an Oreo. Jazzy takes a bite out of his. Wonderful Husband compliments him on eating it the right way (like Daddy). Squiddle separates the top off his and eats that first (like Mummy). I smirk across the car at Wonderful Husband.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Fair Day!
Today we went to the Orange County Fair. Well, I say we, but we took two separate cars. I was there by 8:30am to help set up and work the Orange County Quilters Guild booth. I got there about 45 minutes before my guildmates (there was a freeway closure issue which I did not have to deal with and they did) so I got my Singer 301 set up and just spent the time sewing on the giant flying geese for the block exchange. I also brought the pieces for the block of the month samples, and that big bag of partial jelly roll strips I got at Costume College. I liked the peace and quiet of the opening shift - even if the stand for the Opportunity Quilt kept collapsing on one side. Wonderful Husband and the boys arrived around the end of my shift at 11:30am.
It was hot and sunny today, and we had no hats. And unfortunately, Wonderful Husband had been up until 3am primer'ing the newly restored office closet, so somewhere in the 2 o'clock zone he just crashed. But the boys played in the splash zone for a while, Wonderful Husband got to check out some VR gaming, we went and looked at the livestock, and Squiddle and I rode the big Ferris wheel. I also found Nancy's Quilt on display (alas, no awards) and enjoyed looking at the crafts entries. So all in all a good day. No deep-fried anythings, unfortunately; the booths that had the deep-fried cheesecake also fried pecan pies in the same vats. Good way to kill people with a nut allergy....
It was hot and sunny today, and we had no hats. And unfortunately, Wonderful Husband had been up until 3am primer'ing the newly restored office closet, so somewhere in the 2 o'clock zone he just crashed. But the boys played in the splash zone for a while, Wonderful Husband got to check out some VR gaming, we went and looked at the livestock, and Squiddle and I rode the big Ferris wheel. I also found Nancy's Quilt on display (alas, no awards) and enjoyed looking at the crafts entries. So all in all a good day. No deep-fried anythings, unfortunately; the booths that had the deep-fried cheesecake also fried pecan pies in the same vats. Good way to kill people with a nut allergy....
Monday, August 6, 2018
Heatwave, Construction Wave
We finish one phase of getting Greenwood (the house) gussied up, we start moving back in... and the the next phase starts. Well, at least the back-breaking sofa is back in the living room; the only thing to be relocated back in there now is the fish tank. But now the hallway closet is being redivided to its original configuration, with half of it a hallway closet and the other half a closet into our office, so it can be a bedroom again. All of which demolition and construction is very hot, so I took the boys to the aquarium today, and renewed our membership for another year.
I'm also starting to work my way through my Costume College loot fabric. I've sewn up one pillowcase so far and am working on another two. It's too hot to contemplate quilting other than maybe some piecing....
I'm also starting to work my way through my Costume College loot fabric. I've sewn up one pillowcase so far and am working on another two. It's too hot to contemplate quilting other than maybe some piecing....
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Moving Back In
We're still hauling furniture back in from the garage following the whole floor refinishing debacle. Yesterday saw the return of the coffee table (though not yet the sofa), the boys' bookcase (and its contents) and my grandmother's sewing desk. We also hauled the 4x4 Ikea Kallax unit back out of the office and into a new location, and I did a sort/purge of some of the toys in it. Those in the cull pile that haven't been played with by the end of today go in the garage sale pile. All that remains now is hauling the sofa back in (ugh) and moving the fishtank back to the living room as well.
After running to Office Depot (more packing tape, and some labels for the boxes in the Kallax unit) and picking up a rug for the cat box, I went and picked up my 401. I'm going to put it back into my grandmother's sewing desk, and it will be so nice to sew again! (Though, as it's a slant-shank machine, I have neither a walking foot nor a darning foot for it, so quilting is right out.)
Then, this afternoon, I took the boys up to the splash pad area we discovered up in Fullerton. I'd forgotten the Fullerton farmer's market is Thursday afternoon/evening, and it was all around the splash pad! So I read and watched them set up while the boys played, and we bought some kettle corn and peaches on the way out. ^_^
After running to Office Depot (more packing tape, and some labels for the boxes in the Kallax unit) and picking up a rug for the cat box, I went and picked up my 401. I'm going to put it back into my grandmother's sewing desk, and it will be so nice to sew again! (Though, as it's a slant-shank machine, I have neither a walking foot nor a darning foot for it, so quilting is right out.)
Then, this afternoon, I took the boys up to the splash pad area we discovered up in Fullerton. I'd forgotten the Fullerton farmer's market is Thursday afternoon/evening, and it was all around the splash pad! So I read and watched them set up while the boys played, and we bought some kettle corn and peaches on the way out. ^_^
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