Do Something!

Bushism for Thursday, March 15, 2007
"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness." CNN online chat; August 30,2000

Now, there's some food for thought!

I have no clue what DUBYA was referring to in that comment but when I read it before posting it this morning, it gave me cause to think a lot, long and hard, about myself and brought me to the conclusion then that if that is the case, I am really an extremely trustworthy type person!

I'm always saying I'm going to do this, that or the other and all too frequently I quickly forget I planned to do those things too.

And, I have lots and lots of proof too of those good intentions sitting around my house.

My "good intentions" frequently come under the banner of things I think I will either knit or crochet or items I plan to sew. And, in preparation for any craft project along any of those lines, I have all kinds of yarns, stashed away in those big plastic toy box size containers just waiting for me to get the urge to pick up knitting needles and a pattern or a crochet hook and start working away. I think I have at least three of those big plastic bins pushed back in a corner in the basement at last count. (I also have a couple smaller containers of yarns shoved under my bed too, come to think of it.)

And fabric - do I have fabric? Oh my yes! I have three storage bins -at least - in the basement containing fabrics of many lengths, types, textures, another bin with nothing in it but vest panels ready to be cut out along with matching pieces and put together to make reversible vests. That bin is from about 8-9 years ago when I was on a kick making (and even selling) reversible vests.

Then, in my bedroom, I also have 3 more large bins filled to the brim of more fabric along with a stack almost 3 foot high of what else, but fabric that is earmarked to be made up into little things for the two younger grandchildren and an occasional larger piece of fleece fabric amongst the mix to be used to make sweatshirts for the older grandson.

Ah yes, Grammy J has grand visions of being the little old granny sitting contentedly at the old Singer just busy making pretty little things for the sweet grandkids to wear!

What Grammy J doesn't have is the energy some days to get busy and make these visions become a reality.

What Grammy J does have in abundance is the ability to procrastinate - profusely!!!

But, if DUBYA wants to call that trustworthiness, it's as good an excuse as any I'd ever be able to come up with to put a label on myself for my plans and my inactions too!

Whatever works - that's more or less my motto there in that respect!

"Hurry, Hurry!"

Several bloggers I visit regular do a thing called "Friday Feast" in which they select from a menu setup like a regular dinner type thing and post a comment pertaining to each segment of a meal. One of the questions this Friday was which language would you like to learn and why? If I were answering that one, I'd have to say Swedish because it is in my ethnic background, I have several things in the house that are written in Swedish but, I can't read, and also - if I ever hit the lottery, Sweden is where I'd absolutely love to visit so knowing a bit of the language would be a good thing.

But what does that have to do with my title today? Well, another thing about language came to mind and that was some remembering of the two years of French I had in high school. I don't remember how to spell the word correctly so will put it here in my phonetic spelling - veet - which in French as I recall means "Hurry." Our French teacher (Miss Radomsky) often used that word but in double - "Veet, veet!" and that is what I need to begin doing every day now - till the big Holiday gets here!

Last night, I got a small start on my sewing projects. I cut out ten bibs I will be making for the two younger grandchildren and got six (I think six) completed before my vision and energy level ran out on me at about 3 or 4 this morning. These bibs are made from either cute dish towels or fingertip towels and you simply fold one end of the towel down about 1/3 of the length, then fold it again but down the middle and cut down about 1 1/2 to 2 inches then at your foldline and cut a semi-circle for the neck opening. Then, using a knit fabric - preferably the rib trim variety - in a matching or coordinating color to make a crew or turtleneck closure and, after sewing this up, you then attach the "color" part to the towel and presto-magic, you have a really neat little big that pulls over the head, fits fairly snuggly around the neck and protects a multitude of the child's clothing then while they are eating! The dish towels work best for toddlers and the fingertip towels - if you can find any at a decent price - work better for babies. I've made many of these over the past few years and sold quite a few of them at craft fairs too because they are cute, but also are very, very useful. Just a thought there for anyone with little ones and who has a bit of a knack for sewing cause they are also very easy to make.

The "Hurry, Hurry" thing applies to me in lots of ways right now. I have a stack of fabric sitting in my room, with several patterns pulled out too, all ready and waiting for me to get busy and cut out some shirts, jumpers, coveralls and long pants things for Maya and Kurtis. The makings of some Christmas gifts there you know.

Then, there's the ham in my refrigerator that I have to cook off today and make up a big casserole of Ham and Bean Potpie for the church supper tomorrow that will be held prior to the St. Lucia Day celebration our parish has every year. I may blog more about St. Lucia - for those who don't know about her and this special day observed in Sweden and by many here of Swedish ancestry.

I have to finish addressing my Christmas cards too. Now there's one thing about Christmas stuff I really dread doing. My penmanship is terrible and after one or two cards, I start getting writer's cramp in my hand and my penmanship gets even worse then. Wish I had a Christmas Card Fairy who would show up here and take care of that task for me.

I don't have much left to do in the way of shopping - thankfully! Don't have much money to do any shopping with in the first place, so - well, that task will kind of take care of itself due to the lack of funding I suppose!

And then, there's the Christmas baking to consider. In years past, I have been known to take several nights in a row, stay up all night mixing up upteen batches of cookies and getting them all baked for the holiday. It used to be nothing for me to have baked anywhere from 15-20 different types of cookies - some in double, even triple batches too - and have every freaking tupperware container in the house filled with cookies! This year, I doubt I will go that crazy with the cookie list, but I am hoping to get at least 8-10 different varieties baked off. And, while I am baking, I will have to make several loaves of Limpa Rye bread for the family and also, enough extra to give to some of the elderly members of our church who can no longer bake breads but who I know love this particular type of bread - just a little thing I can do for them and it helps put me in a better spirit mode for the season that way too.

Yep - so much to do, never enough time! There'd be more time available if I would ever get myself organized but at this stage of my life, I doubt seriously that is going to happen!

So, in the meantime - as the title reads, for me it will be "Hurry, hurry" over the next 2 weeks! Hope your life isn't too stressed out and jam-packed with all kinds of things to be done to make it a pleasant holiday. Still have to remember the reason for the season while doing all this too, you know!

Till later and off to "hurry, hurry!"

Sing Along With Me Here

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, all around the house!" Are you with me there? On key too? Remember my voice - which used to be at one time a very nice, sweet alto but is now raspy from a bad cold/sinus infection and extremely nasal too - also probably a tad off key as well - but humor me, and come on in, sing with me.

Except - for right now, change the words to "It's beginning to look quite messy" because there's boxes all over the living and dining room, gift wrapping paper containers sitting in the middle of the mess, silver garland flung about everything and well, just in general - the room which Mandy had gone to such pains just two hours earlier to sweep, then mop the floor here, picking up all traces of a 3-year-old and a 7-month-old and now - it looks like a freaking hurricane just came through with a vengance.

What's going on you ask? Well, the house trimming has begun!

Yep, I just got shoved out of the way so Mandy can drap some of that garland along the shelf on the wall beside my computer - the shelf that is lined from one end to the other with photos - all framed of course - of all three of my grandkids and the three stepgrandkids too!

Earlier, she and Katie took a big piece of cardboard, taped some really pretty gift wrap on it and then some ribbon and a bow to make it look like a big gift package and put it up on the mantle, above the fireplace. I have to admit their idea looks pretty nifty there too. Being very uncreative myself, I would never have thought to do something like that to "decorate" the room but I'm glad Mandy and Kate thought of that number.

And prior to getting into this end of the decorating, Mandy also hauled out a couple boxes from my hiding places in my room - boxes packed with handmade aprons I had sewn up when I was making them and selling them, along with another box with baby bibs I had made too - using holiday print terrycloth dishtowels and putting a cut in them to make an opening for a neckline which I then sewed knit rib trim to this to make a turtleneck. Voila, nifty large bibs that cover just about the entire kid and that you pull over their head and with the rib trim, they fit snugly against the neck as well! Mandy was thrilled to find several bibs she liked too and removed them from Mom's stash to use for the two little ones here! Glad to be able to oblige, my dear!

She decided when she dipped into the box of aprons I have done up that she is going to wear some of them to work with the idea in mind that maybe she can interest some of her co-workers to purchase an apron or two - or more - for themselves or for neat little stocking stuffer type gifts. These are the "butcher" type aprons and have two large pockets across the bottom with a strap that goes around the neck and they tie in the back. Neat, because they really do cover just about your entire front! Although I haven't sewn any aprons this year - just have my "inventory" that is leftover from what I made last year, if anyone is interested in purchasing one, I sell them for $12 each - $10 for a pinafore type for little girls (roughly a size 6X) can be bought if they are special-ordered as I don't have any of them left in my inventory right now. The baby bibs I mentioned that I make are also something I made and sold at craft fairs - $4.00 for a large big, $3.00 for a smaller one.

And, while I'm sort of advertising my "wares" here, if anyone would like to purchase a furry boa type knitted scarf, I think I have around 20 of those puppies in my stockpile as well - they are priced at a bargain basement rate of $12 each as well!

Wow, how could a shopper go wrong with nifty little extra gifts like these, huh?

The only problem here being I have no photos of the items to show you - just have to use your imagination and allow me to tell you what prints and colors I have done up in the aprons and what colors I have in the scarves that are all knitted up too.

But if you are - seriously now - interested in any of these items, let me know and I'll give you further instructions for payment and will also ship them to you at no extra cost - my Christmas gift in the bargain just for you! Actually, it would be considered a favor to Mandy if folks would clamor to order these items and get them the hell out the way here so she will have room to stash stuff she picks up at all the yard sales she frequents at every opportunity.

Or, I would have some extra space to use to go out and purchase more yarns or more fabric to use to do more sewing or knitting of some type - sometime in the next decade or two - as slow as I am at making stuff sometimes!

Merry Christmas - a little early - but by darn, I think I've got it now - or am getting it at any rate - THE Spirit, that is, of Christmas!