Woes

I’m having one of those weeks:

Monday – got up early, the day was starting off splendidly.
*Took the dog for a pleasant walk, had a great breakfast, headed upstairs to take a shower and really start my day.
*The bathtub backed up (while I was taking a shower) causing the drain pipe to leak onto the floor and through the floorboards. So naked with wet hair, I'm kneeling between the sink and the tub, bailing the tub out and shoving towels under the leak.
*I called my brother (the plumber) and asked him to check it out after work.
*Went out to Juli’s for dinner, hanging out and TV watching
*Came home at 11:00 to no drain pipe attached to my tub, no note from my brother and the realization that there would be no morning shower. A plan to get up early was created.

Tuesday – woke up late.
*The dog decided that she was going to drag me all over hell’s half acre before doing her business and heading home (45 minutes later). I know you’re saying “I wouldn’t have put up with that”, but I couldn’t leave her home alone for almost 10 hours without her doing what she needed to do – lest I want to clean up the mess she would leave me on my dining room rug. YUCK!
*Forgot about the lack of shower, had to wash my hair in the kitchen sink and run upstairs to wash and get dressed in the bathroom.
*Was late for work.
*Forgot my dress shoes and had to wear clunky winter boots that squeaked on the floors whenever I walked.
*Talked to my brother, who assured me the tub drain would be fixed that night. It just needed a new pipe.

Wednesday – dragged into work at 7:00 am looking like I’d just been dragged from bed (which is sorta true) with a backpack full of toiletries, a bag with dress shoes, my purse and the day’s business attire on a hanger.
*Showered in the Legislators private bathroom (which is like showering in a very sterile hospital or school bathroom, only you don't share it with anyone)
*Dragged all of my stuff back to my office and stuffed it under my desk
*Went to lunch, only to find out that my check card would not work, that the number had been stolen when that processing center’s computer had been compromised. Thankfully the woman behind the counter knew me, took pity on me and told me to pay her tomorrow.
*Called my bank, who told me that the account was fine, but they cancelled the card and would issue me a new one within the next 10 business days.
*Had to leave early from work to run to the bank to take out money to get gas because most gas stations around here don’t take checks.
*Talked to my brother again, learned that I have a “special” bathtub (it’s a really old and wonderful claw foot) that requires a pipe that is inch and three eighths in diameter. Pipes don’t come in that size anymore, they all come in quarters now (you know, inch, inch and a quarter, inch and a half, etc.)
*Physical ailments cropped up making me feel ill and I just wanted to crawl under a rock.

Thursday – still feel like death, go to work anyway.
*My brother says he’s going to try to switch out the drain on my tub with an old one he had.
*This doesn’t work and come to find out, the tub drain pipe needs to be replaced all the way to the chase…through the floor boards…meaning the floors have to come up.

My friend Fran believes that we draw negativity to ourselves when we have a bad day because we are focusing on the fact that we’re having a bad day. We relate to others how much our day is sucking and the more we talk, the worse we feel and the more negativity is draw to us. If something crappy happens that threatens our ability to have a good day, we need to let it go, to say “Okay, it happened, it sucked, but I’m over it” and focus on something good that’s happening…even if it’s something as miniscule as our hair looking good, our clothes fitting right, how great that cup of coffee/tea/juice tastes, etc.

Today is Friday. The week is done. The problems are stopping right now! I’m focusing on only good things to bring positive energy to my bathroom and to my life.
So, yesterday I told Marcia I’d be late to work this morning and I slept in.
*Sadie took the super shortest walk she’s ever taken (thankfully, as it was -19 degrees with the wind chill).
*I headed to my sister’s to use her brand spankin’ new shower with the killer water pressure in the bathroom that her husband just finished. I was in my glory! It was like having a massage at 7:30 in the morning.
*My hair came out just right
*I got to see my sweet little Molly dog!

I’ve focused on these things all day and you know, it’s been a really good day and tomorrow, my brother and I will be ripping up the floor in my bathroom and replacing the drain pipe and it will go smoothly, with no problems whatsoever! By Sunday, I will have my shower back and by Monday, my morning ritual will be back in full swing. God I’m such a creature of habit!

Have a great weekend, all!

Surprise!

Do you ever surprise yourself?

Something happens and you react and mentally you’re surprised at how you reacted. Or you say something in a public situation that sounds absolutely brilliant and profound and everyone around you is nodding or commenting about how right you are. Or you happen across something you wrote, a piece of art or a craft project that you made and you surprise yourself with how amazing it actually came out and think that you couldn’t possibly have written that, painted that, created that…“the symbolism, the color, the flow…did that really come from me?”

I’ve been having these moments. I was reading a book and I was relating to someone about how much of a social commentary this book was, how it could be related to the “invade and assimilate” tactic of British rule in Africa and India which directly links to how the US is doing relatively the same thing in Iraq. And an intelligent conversation ensued. In my head I was thinking, “Whoa! Where’d that come from? I actually sounded like I knew what I was talking about!” Color me surprised.

I was at a friend’s house this past weekend and in her room there are a few little things that I painted on the walls, things that I painted forever and ever ago. One was a very small scene of a winter tree with moonlight behind it, the other were apothecary jars and bottles. She used to have her dresser sitting in that corner and I painted the jars to look like they were sitting on the dresser (now they look like they’re floating in space), but it surprised me how much attention to detail I paid, the reflections of light, the depth and design of the bottles…it reminded me that there were so many things that I once knew but have since forgotten.

And this isn’t all; I’ve been running across so many things. Things I wrote a hundred million years ago (it seems), quilt tops I’ve made but never backed, pictures I’ve drawn and hidden away. It’s like the Universe is bombarding me with things that creatively make sense or show me that when I take my time and get into my Zen space that I can create and create well.

These little surprises are making me feel overwhelmed in a way, though. They are testaments to my ability when I get all doubty and encouragement when I need it, but they’re giving me the itch to create…All. The. Time. And I’m finding it so hard to motivate myself to focus on one thing. I want to do so much, but the Zen space in my head is just beyond my grasp at the moment. On top of that, I’ve received a few magazines in the mail that have so many ideas that I want to try (let’s heap on more things that have me itching to create). I’m trying to be good, I’m trying to focus. I’m trying my hand at a quilted floor covering that will eventually be a gift for a friend, but I stare at it and think of so many other things that I want to do and then I get resentful of the little tiny batik squares (that used to be swatches) that I have to sew together to make strips, then sew the strips together to make the background. I think I just need to slow down and not force myself onto any one project. Maybe I just need to start a bunch of different projects and float with my mood.

I can’t wait to get my studio space up and running. Unfortunately, it has to wait until the new bedroom is rewired, sheet rocked, painted and carpeted for me to move in there and turn my existing bedroom into my “Creative Space” (and there may be some rewiring going on this weekend, if I can convince my Dad to come for a visit!) It’s slow going, but I’m diligent in my renovations, but like my creative moods, my renovating moods come and go too. I think I need to do a little meditating and get back in balance. That always helps! And despite this lack of balance, I’m not in a bad mood or feeling lost. Strangely, I feel very happy, fairly organized, just a little out of focus. How weird is that?
Anyhoo, have a fabulous Thursday, my friends! I hope everything is in balance for you.

Mmmmm...snow day

A little bit of this:

And a little bit of this:

Throw in a quilt, a cup of tea & a good book and that's it for me folks!

Whenever it snows and I'm at work, I think..."Oh, if I were home now, I'd just curl up in front of the woodstove with a book." And of course, on those days when I am at home and it snows, I do housework. Well not today. It's Martin Luther King Day, it's a holiday here in Maine and it's snowing, so I'm taking full advantage of this.

I've got the Chai steeping, the stove crackling, a copy of Wicked next to my chair and a quilt ready to be thrown over my lap. I'm so ready...after I catch up on some blogs!

Feeling out of touch

I feel like I'm missing so much...you see, I really haven't had time to check out many of my fav blogs in the last 2 weeks, or even really keep up with my own.

My job went from zero to chaotic in no time and my desk has been moved and rearranged, so I'm no longer hiding at the back of my office, where I could sneak quick reads of everyone's blogs with my officemates being none the wiser. Now I'm front and center and there is no sneaking. And I didn't get moved because I got into trouble or wasn't doing any work, it's just that I was really rather hidden and people tended to forget I was back there, so now I'm right in the open where anyone who walks past me can see what I'm doing on my computer, despite the privacy screen - which is a bit annoying, especially when I'm doing something with my boss' schedule and a member of the Press (nosey little buggers) is gaping over my shoulder.

So I apologize that I'm being such a slack blogger/blog reader. I need to take time out on the weekend to catch up...which I will try to do...promise! Maybe Sunday night when we're supposed to have a horrific mess by way of weather (I'm hearing snow, sleet and freezing rain straight through to Monday, yikes!)

Dechristmafication

How I spent my weekend...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

My house is officially de-Christmafied and I have space again!

Yippee!

Happy New Year...3 days late

Change is in the air my friends! With the new year comes many new things...at work it's the start of a new (and always crazy) session and at home, I've adopted the mentality of "Out with Old and In with the New".

2007 will be:
* the Year of the New Couch (to replace the shabby, uncomfy one I currently own)
* the Year of the New Bedroom (that I started on last year)
* the Year of New Kitchen Flooring
* the Year of a REAL Creative Workplace - an actual studio where I can have my computer right handy, my sewing machine always ready to be used, my easel set up with paper and charcoals really nearby, all my craft, art and fabric supplies organized for easy access and an inspiration wall (inspired by this)!

2007 will be the year of many things, but these will be the majors, the things I really would like to get done.

Happy New Year everyone!