Friday, December 21, 2012

Fair weather blogger

I'm not sure why this is true about me, but I feel like I can't blog or write when life is kicking me in the shins.  I sometimes feel like since I started this blog to discuss house/home type things that I can't write when I am not really doing those things!
I feel guilty that I have cut and designed all the parts for the coffee table I am buidling, but yet I can't find the time to sand the legs and get it all painted.
In all, when I say life is kicking me in the shins, it's relative.  Life is pretty 'normal', but little things keep me too busy working, too busy caring for D-bear and too busy running to get it all done.
Somehow I miss the fact that every day I feed and care for 2 horses, 3 dogs, 7 hens and 1 cat.  Everyone is happy and shiny and fed.  I also manage to run a business, pay all the bills, raise a kid with significant special needs. I also get to the gym most of the time, ride my horse and even did a few shows last year.  I also manage to keep the floor swept, the dishes done, the laundry washed and everybody vertical on any given day.  Yet I feel guilty I haven't sanded those dang table legs!  LOL

I'm going to try to be less of a fair weather person.  I tend to get so caught up in 'perfection' that I fall victim to "why bother" mentality. 
This Christmas I was hating myself for only getting TWO Christmas trees up.  What is wrong with me?  that's two more than some people!  LOL  So...I am going to try again to focus on the moment...and if that coffee table EVER gets done I will surely blog about it.  If it doesn't, I'll just keep trucking.

Do yourself a favor this Christmas. Don't hold yourself to a higher standard than you would a friend!

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Inherited treasure


My Aunt calls me a few weeks ago asking if I want my grandmother's dresser.  I am thinking of the 1950's blonde set she had and wondering what possessed her to think I would want it.  Then she tells me it is an antique that was in the 'front' room, not grandma's room.
My aunt was bringing some other things from Jacksonville, so she could bring it to Southern Indiana and I could meet her.  I honestly didn't have memories of this dresser, as my mental picture is that blonde set and grandma's hairbrushes there.
  There are two stories on this peice.  The one my aunt tells is grandma bought it for 50c from my great great uncle and fixed the finish and some damage to it.  He then offered her $2 to get it back, she was offended.   My dad, however, says he remembers going with my grandfather to buy it at an auction.  Since, all firsthand parties are no longer with us, I may never know.
However, she fits nicely in my home.  I got her home, unwrapped the marble top and put her in place.  I quickly shoved a few items on it so it wasn't naked and snapped this picture for my aunt, so she knew it had gotten a good home!   The little guy on the right was my Dad's teddy.  I thought it only fitting!
I opened the drawers and was surprised to find I DO remember the shelf liner in the drawers!  Funny how memory works.  I believe every drawer in grandmas house was the bright stuff!
I love to have her dresser and cook with her wearever pans.  If I could bottle the love she gave me I would wear it everyday.  These pieces bring a little of it closer to home. 
I love my new/old gift from Grandma!  Thank you Aunt Barb for knowing how much it would mean to me!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Just Obstacles


It's one of "those" days.  I am feeling in a panic for no "real" reason.
Not that I don't have reasons to feel pressure.  I am running my business, raising my special needs teenager, caring for my menagerie and trying to keep fit and healthy.
I often feel one or more balls are falling while I juggle, occassionally clattering to the floor and rolling away from me.  I don't call it failure as long as I crawl under the sofa of life and grab the cobweb covered ball.
This weekend I have a Father's day gathering at my house Saturday and a horse show Sunday.  I am telling myself I am not worried about the show but I am having nightmares where my boots fall off while I am riding, I would say that's a sign!  Reminds me of the 'showing up to a final exam for a class you forgot to attend' dreams of my college days.

I realized today though, that like a jump course, you are never jumping 10 or 12 jumps at once you are doing them in sequence.  So, I am going to acknowledge my obstacles and start hopping over them.  I will get the house clean enough to have company, host a fun gathering, clean my boots, braid my pony and do my best at the show on Sunday.  I choose to see the blessing that is the life I am leading right here and right now!

What obstacles is making you overwhelmed and how are you going to tackle it today? 


Friday, May 18, 2012

So many projects so little time

Well, this is the start of ONE of my projects.  In the back are jump poles (think horses) that I painted.  I have cut this old door down (Was glass at top) and am making my new coffee table.  I have spindles from my Dad's old house to build the legs.  THey are also cut.  Now the question of the hour:  How do I find time to sand the spindles, paint the parts, paint again, distress, assemble etc. ?  I need a maid and a yard guy so I can do more of these projects!  LOL   But then I would have to work MORE hours to pay them.  Vicious circle.  I often wonder how other bloggers get so much stuff done.  I am picturing some sweat shops in their garages, honestly! 

I am always proud of my projects when they are done, but sometimes they feel daunting when I start.  I remind myself that I planted roses this weekend, filled out rest of front garden, weeded and put mulch around the property.  I can do it...one step at a time!

HOpe you guys are are all conquering your PILE of projects too!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Mother's Day gift to myself!

I should probably NOT be going on Craigslist and typing in things like "buffet" or worse yet, for me, "Horse".   I did it last week though, I didn't buy a horse or even tall boots, I found this lovely buffet.  I have been desiring a sideboard/buffet for a long time.  I got the price I wanted for her and after some planning to go get her (an hour away).  She came home.


She isn't without "issues"  Slightly too large for where I wanted her, I chose another wall, and if I center her under the windows you might not make the stair corner with a load of towels in a basket!  While watching someone else flip over a buffet might be good slapstick, it's not most realistic for daily living.  Well now she is just not quite right here.  I will figure it out.  Maybe moving my "almost finished" china cabinet to the right. (That's another story!).  Then there is the "What color do I paint her issue?"  I love the white, love grey, contemplated a bright undercolor with grey or white over and let life distress her.  
Then there is that SHIP!  Look at the top pic!  A lovely ship is on the bottom drawer!  Do I make a circle around it and not paint that section.  If I do that do I refinish the top to match?
Also she had been in storage for awhile so I had to scrub her pretty good and I am gonna do the insides with a dilute bleach solution again to get the "storage" smell out of her.  By the time she is painted and refinished she is going to be JUST what I wanted.  Now, can I buy TIME on CL?

Tell me what you think!

 By the way, MARY some of the goodies you gifted me when I first moved are in the cabinet to the left see if you an find them!  Proof that the picture wasn't staged is the dust on said items!  LOL

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Beauty

It's all around. Sometimes hiding. Sometimes in things others don't see. This was all in my back pasture.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Stepping

I am again glad I chose "Baby Steps" as the name of my blog.  It is definately the only way things seem to get done in my world! 
The above photo is the front of my house the day I put the offer in.  The plants in front of the wall are in pots, and there is nothing but dusty dry soil below.
That was three years ago.  I have wanted to do something about it for all those years.  However, feeding living beings, mowing grass, riding horses and raising my son have eclipsed this "job". 
This weekend I finally got some horse manure toted up there, ran a tiller and dragged the stone up from the barn (one wagon at a time).
It isn't done, plants come next, but again my steps are baby ones....but I refuse to stop stepping! 

This photo is horrendous, but you get the idea.  I can't wait for it to be full of hostas and impatiens.  Looks alot more like the cottage I am growing it into.  Now I just don't know if I wan to sit on my back deck or in my front yard more.  It's a good problem to have!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

I promised more

A few posts ago I promised I would tell more about my "rewarding" work. It's basically done now! I rebuilt my back deck. My husband helped some and my neighbor helped with the last few boards, but I claim many miter cuts and much of the labor. I have to admit that tearing out old wood, ripping up nails, cutting with MY compound miter saw etc...
I love the feel I did something tangible!
Now for the flowers.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Going mobile

If I can post from my iPhone I might become quite a prolific blogger!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Rewarding work


I will post more later, but this is what I did for Easter!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Piles of Paperwork


I love what I do for a living. I am a self-employed Pet Stylist. I love MOST dogs and MOST owners and I enjoy making a silk purse from a sow's ear on a daily basis. It is rewarding, busy and I make a good living while being able to raise a special needs child. I don't know what I would do if I didn't groom. I'm even pretty sure I would do it if I was "independantly wealthy" all the sudden. Maybe not the grumpy dogs or clients.
The thing I hate is paperwork. Every year this time I ask myself who this "Uncle Sam" guy is related to and how to I disown him? I have no problem paying taxes, putting my money to the building of roads, educating the future generation etc.. What I hate is the tediousness that goes along with tax time.
Every year I swear I will "do better" and keep receipts in my computer program on a monthly basis and so on. Every year in April I am already 4 months behind for the current year as I pound away on my keyboard for little 5 and 6 dollar cash receipts. You would think I could remember cotton balls when I bought bleach, but apparantly not.
This year has added to my problems. I got a letter from the IRS saying they never received my 2009 taxes. WHAT? They cashed the check that was in that mailing, weird how that happens. So, I have to redo that paperwork. Then I realize while doing this years taxes, that I also have an itemized expense that I hadn't been taking. It is a significant number so I need to refile back to 2008. I have until the 15th of April to get 2011 and 2008 taxes in to the IRS. Then I have to refile the 2009 ones, and file 2010 in order to get the deductions I was due. In the end it will likely get me money back and be worth it, but as I dig through my files all I can think is I wish I had someone else do this. I would much rather be under piles of dog hair that paperwork.
I'll see you again after the 15th!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Earning his keep

A few months ago I visited the Humane Society looking for a "tough looking" dog to make would-be theives consider other homes. The dog I went to look it refused to even look at me when I said his name. I started walking the aisles. This goofy Coon dog mix begged me to let him out. I really considered that insane, but did it anyway. He was silly, hard to focus and such a puppy. He was skinny as a rail, had tattered ears and did I mention SILLY? I liked him, but wasn't sure. While I was thinking my son, Duncan, grabbed the dogs cheek. It wasn't the kindest of grabs, Duncan was stressed and overwhelmed. The dog wagged his tail and kept "smiling" away. I looked the dog in the eyes and said "welcome to the family".
We picked him up a few days later from the neuter surgery. We renamed him "Moves Like Jagger" He is goofy, annoying and needy, but he LOVES his boy. He kisses Duncan goodnight each night, he let's Duncan walk him in the woods and he is patient when Duncan is overwhelmed. If Duncan says "Jagger" or "Wags" he comes running. His only job is to be Duncan's dog so he earns his keep. He was meant to belong to my boy! He also is a heck of a snuggle buddy and I kind of like him!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Just a couple of reasons



I won't use the word excuse, because I don't ever feel sorry when I am trucking along. I did miss my blogosphere and the people in it.


So on of the reasons I was absent for so long are horse-related. The mare above, Chai (October 2010 this photo) ended up very lame this summer and I considered euthanizing her, found her a good farrier and kept her going.


Another reason I have been absent is I am spending more time in the gym. By more time, I mean I was basically NOT fit or active as of November 2010, I had already lost 30 or so pounds by then, but not adding nearly enough activity. I joined the gym and even hired a trainer. The work has been hard, gruelling and honestly I Love it now. It is weird to be THAT person, the one who LIKES the gym, but I am! I am now 70lbs down in total and forty or so of that since last November.


So here is part of what I have gained by missing my blog:


My fit and happy 20 year old mare as sound as she ever has been and a new fitter body to fit into the saddle. It's a weird world when a friend can snap a photo and I not immediately say "if you put that on facebook I will hurt you". I have a few more pounds to go (20 or so), but I weigh what I did in college and feel amazing.


Funny thing is I would have NEVER posted that before picture until now. Now it isn't who I am, it's who I was and that seems less awful!


I'm glad to be back, but the gym is calling so I am out of here!




Thursday, March 1, 2012

Is this thing on?

Okay, I am sure you have assumed I died, was maimed, moved to an island with no internet or worse! However, I am alive and well. Alot has happened in the months since I was a routine or semi-routine blogger.


It's feeling like SPring in Indiana so I am cleaning out the garage, sprucing things up and generally getting back into fixing up the house, so I might have some things to share.



For today I share that I found a lovely peice of Junk: An old Door!






I had a few ideas of what to do with it, which color to paint it and dragged it home. Then I just liked it's old patina so much I have left it for now. It isn't a door, or part of a project. For now, it is a peice of art, history in and of itself. I like it. The problem is that all the "ideas" still want a door, so now i have to find MORE of them! :D