9/28/20

It's happening!

They're working on the house and making good progress.  But, I didn't want to start my post with pictures of the house with the siding ripped off, so I'm starting with this thread painting I did in a class a few years ago.  It's double sided and I really enjoyed making it and have another one in mind of a leaf.  

I can't remember how much thread I brought to class, but it was a lot.  And I brought about a third of what other quilters brought.  She had given us some help, multiple shades of yellow and orange and white, black and a blue.  Lots of grays.  It was a fun class and I felt like I came out with a great project.  

I haven't done any sewing.  All our time has been getting ready for the house project.  We had rain last week that delayed the start, but they got here on Thursday and worked Friday and half of Saturday.  They got all the old siding off first, then started installing the new windows.  


On Saturday, they ran into a piece of rotten decking in the roof and the contractor is preparing a bid for that.  That's okay.  We knew there would be unseen things that would need repair.  But, where they found it was the opposite corner of the house from where I expected it.  

Here are the new windows in the dining room.  I had no idea our old windows were so fogged until they installed the new ones.  I can see.  And, the outside is a different shade of green than I thought it was.  


My perfectionist husband has been on the crew since they got here.  If they're listening, he's teaching them to do their jobs better.  They were going to install these windows at the angle the house had shifted into and he had them installed true vertical.  I probably would never have noticed, but he did and had it corrected.  He's also going to show them how to caulk, because they need it.  I went out and looked around our front door the other day and told Rob, they cut too much off the end of the caulk tube.  Their bead is too thick.  (If I could tell, then you know it was bad.  We spent two hours that night picking caulk out and the next morning, changed our work order to minimal caulk instead of full caulk.  I know they're talking about him behind his back, but frankly, I don't care.  The house is coming along GREAT!  I'm playing good cop.  I go out and tell them how nice everything looks and what good work they're doing.  all thumbs up and smiles.

That's a role change for us.

Everything in my studio was focused on the window, so to replace the window, everything had to be moved out of the way.  And, while it was piled in the corner, I looked at it and decided I wanted it to go back together a different way.  Most of it is in it's new place, but there's still enough piled in the floor that I'm not ready to show you a picture.  Just know that it feels a lot less crowded.  

I needed a present when I went to the grocery last week.  This little green and brown orchid was just the ticket.  This is before they replaced the window.  The factory made an error and sent the new window pebbled, like a bathroom window would be.  They installed it anyway and ordered new glass panels for it. So, now when I do dishes, there's no view except this little orchid.  


After spending Saturday putting the house back together, I spent yesterday in the kitchen.  I made banana bread, white bread, frosted half a cake I had in the freezer, tonight's dinner and a pizza.  By time I was done, I was pooped and we watched Enola Holmes.  Very cute little movie, if you're looking for something lighthearted and fun.  I'm really into escapism right now, so a fun movie was just the ticket.  


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I don't know what to say.  I feel like I'm watching my country fall to some kind of racist reich.  I'm planning to go to the polls on day three of early voting and if I need to, I'll stay there all damn day.  Do you have a voting plan yet?  

This shit is NOT OKAY and I'm just hoping there's still a chance an election and a mighty protest will save it.  

And, with that little bit of negative energy, have a good week!  Lane




9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I sent in for mail-in voting. I'm on oxygen and can't stand for a long period of time, so I figured that mailing in my vote would be best. After this weekend's news about his tax problems, I hope that people will change their mind about him.

BJ said...

I see the fascism coming too, and I think noooooooooo, I don’t want to live in a country like that. It kills me. And the Trumpers in my own family don’t want to talk about it. I have ordered a mail-in ballot and plan to drop it off at a polling place on Election Day.

Dot said...

I spent some time enjoying your thread painting. You have a very active mind to be able to picture so much detail and then be able to achieve it. Come to think of it, that seems to apply to so many other things you do - your work, cooking, raising Sydney, sewing shirts, etc.
Need to move on or this comment will be one long list.

We are old enough to be allowed to vote by mail. Our ballots came, we voted so very carefully (fill in those ovals COMPLETELY), and put them in the mail the next day. I am cautiously hopeful that we are seeing the winds of change, though it's hard to be too hopeful. I fell so far and so hard after the last election.

Debby said...

We got mail-in ballots, carefully filled them out and witnessed them, then delivered them to the courthouse 2 weeks ago. Now if I could just stop the hateful political flyers crowding my mailbox every day... Fingers crossed enough folks are able to see the light and get the country back on track.

LA Paylor said...

that's funny we just watched enola holmes and thought how entertaining it was, a modern youngster version of Indiana Jones. Lucky you to have a husband-who-knows...lucky workmen to learn how to do it right. You sure are a good baker... I am so tired of my own cooking. Agree on the political statement and I haven't rested well in 4 years. Imagine what we as a people could have developed learned and discovered if we hadn't spent the last 4 years worrying about the survival of democracy. I want to rest knowing my leader follows the laws of country and decency... crikey! LeeAnna from not afraid of color

ceblakeney said...

The thread painting is really cool! And the house will be also when everything is finished. It is never 'seamless' from beginning to end when doing home renovation (as in quilting, the 'seam ripper' often comes out!)

I am cautiously optimistic about the election. Just finished filling in my mail-in ballot and will deposit in a dropbox tomorrow (ballot said it should be installed be 9/30). Polling has Biden/Harris ahead in the battleground of PA. I'm in Maryland so blue is a given. We should be rightly suspicious of polls after 2016 but remember that they weren't actually wrong in 2016, as they aligned with the popular vote. However our prehistoric electoral college that favored slave holding states did not. And outside interference convinced a LOT of people to not vote at all, or vote against their own interests. I think this year more people will get off their butts and vote, even with the pandemic. Pissing people off tends to get them vertical and mobile!

Anonymous said...

Great post....little bit of everything....thanks for sharing. Mary

The Joyful Quilter said...

Everyone needs a little escapism these days, Lane. Cooking and a good movie sound just about perfect (if you like that kind of thing!) Looking forward to seeing how the studio gets put back together. Happy sorting and rearranging!

Gretchen Weaver said...

We've got the mail in ballots, will get them filled out and in the mail later this week.