Just a short post  Seems I have this thing about accomplishing something every day.  If I dont, I feel as though I've wasted the day.  Either I need to work on the house or produce a product.  When I take the time to work on "myself" it is when I am just sitting or talking to friends and feel as though I'm wasting time but in reality I know that I am not.  I think that I need more work than my house or the product so a lot of time is being spent working out the bugs in my life. 

There aren't too many left.  I  have come back from the broken relationship to liking myself again and am reasonably happy with my life as is.  I miss the companionship and the humor we shared.  I miss the time spent listening to music or watching musicians play their instruments.  I love that and unless I go out alone I don't have anyone to share that with anymore.  I will probably at some point take myself out and say the hell with it, go alone.  At least I know that I am comfortable doing things on my own again and my self esteem has made a comback.  Why I got lost in that relationship I do not know, but I did.

Time to make a gift for a girlfriend who's birthday is Monday.  Best get to it so I can get it in the mail to her later today.

These are the first "pair" of socks I ever knit.  I did knit an adult sock once and the colors are amazing, however, I did not enjoy it as much as people said I would and I couldn't figure out why.  Most knitters I know "love" making socks.  Why am I different?  I am, that's all there is to it. 

One day while perusing the internet I came across some baby socks that I just loved and thought, well, now that you have done one, (I never finished the other, but will eventually.) why not try a little one and see how that goes and maybe you will enjoy it enough to make two.  I did.  now I'm on to a sweater for myself for the fall.   Pictures later when I'm done with that.

In the meantime I am still working on the house as well.  Yesterday I cut and painted a shelf for my bedroom.  It is over the windows and will house some things I do not wish to part with.  I'm at the point where I don't want anything on the floor anymore so I can just dust mop and clean really fast so I have time to do "other" things.  Fun things.  Knit or paint (watercolor) or just hang out with friends by the river.

Now the shelf is up but nothing on it yet.  I want to give the paint a few days to really dry hard and then arrange items on top.  Pictures to follow.

Thanks for stopping by.

Had to take some time off work on the house to add some creative stuff.  A friend of mine needed a baby gift for a shower for a little boy.  I made this sweater for her to give.  Such an easy pattern and a quick knit.  Next I will work on the second of a baby sock which I will post soon. 

I had previously made this in a coral color and actually could not sell it in my Etsy Shop so I gave it to this same woman to give as a gift for a baby girl shower.  She loved it and said it was the hit of the shower.  I don't know about that, but I enjoyed making it so here it is again in a beige color.    The picture doesn't depict the color very acurately.

Hope to get some more knitting done along with the house before winter gets here.  We are experiencing an early fall-like weather pattern.  Cool nights and wonderful days with the temps in the 70's.  Couldn't ask for more than this.  Well we could but we'll have to take what Mother Nature gives us.

Off to check on other blogs.  Hope you are all well and enjoying your endeavors.

Well here it is 3 days later and I had to stop.  In order for me to insert the new pieces I have to tear out the rest of the floor as they snap in together and there is no way to "squeeze" a piece in.  Now my back has decided to act up from the work and I have decided since I have to move a lot of tools and work related items from the room itself that I will hire a friend to help  me finish this job.  I'm finding this work is very enjoyable for me, but my body says no, I can't do it anymore.  Sad. :-( 

So, concentrating on other things.  Started a pair of baby socks but got stuck at the heel and can't finish without my sister's help.  Have to wait for her to return home. 

  I'm trying very hard to live a positive life but the people in it are bringing me down and I can't let them.  Time to say goodbye to them. 

I have edited this post as it was very negative.  I was going through a spell where everything and some people in my life were giving me issues.  I decided to delete and keep with the program here.

The floor is definately trouble for me.  The first section went in very easy but I have to go around a cabinet and into another space and things are not lining up and locking into each other the way they are supposed to.  I've had to stop or get very frustrated in the process and leave it alone till I can deal with it.  I tried again today and made a little progress but not enough to say I've got it all straightened out yet.  Giving it a few more days or me a few more days to work it out in my head before getting back to it. 

I spent a wonderful day with art friends and then a wonderful day at my brother's camp for some R & R.  Hope this will help me on my next challenging day with the floor. 

Hoping your week is going the way you all plan and you have "none of this".

Wow.  I can't believe how much time has gone by and I have probably lost all my followers!  It's ok though. 

In my last post in Dec. 2012 I mentioned I hoped it would be a good year ahead.  Ha.  It is but it's been challenging to say the least.  Early in January I had major surgery to reverse a Colostomy and it was the most grueling surgery I've ever had and I've had many.  Recovery was to do virtually nothing for two months.  Then only to lift nothing more than 5 lbs.  Now I'm back to working on the house. 

There was a relationship that disintegrated in this time period too and left me devastated.  I felt completely ruined and had no motivation to work on my art, crafts, the house, or anything really.  I have been living off my savings and SSI and it's been a nice run in that I was able to pick and choose what I wanted to do on a daily basis.  Something most cannot do.  I am grateful for that.

Now I'm better and planning my next journey.  I am motivated to get the house done.  Then either a possible  move or other major change.  Sometimes I get it in my head that I need a major change.  I'm in that state of mind now.  Maybe it's because I've had several major changes in the last 5 years and it's become a pattern?  Hummmmmm, I'll have to think on that.  So that's my mindset, now back to the house.

Above, the picture is the tearing  out a portion of the floor that was put down because we had some flash flooding here and because I did not have my toilet installed yet in the small bath off the kitchen, the water came up and warped a portion of the "new" floor.  How frustrating and expensive.  Anyhow, I have just now gotten around to tearing it up so I can put down some new pieces.  Maybe today.

Much has been completed.  I won't bore you with the pictures of construction, but show you the end result.  Keep in mind I need to add some decorative touches that I will do over time when the finances allow.

This is my small bath.  The tub is original to the house.  I just had to save that baby.  I did not have it restored as I like it the way it is and it didn't have any rust spots or anything in it.  Just dull from use.!  I love it and I only have a shower in my master bath so it gives me the option of soaking when the muscles ache from the work.  Ugh!  Hooray!  Also, I'm trying to become a minimalist.  A collector becoming a minimalist.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?  I'm not sure it's possible but I'm trying.  Hopefully I'll end up with a few wonderful pieces and rid myself of useless clutter.

Next...  The small second bedroom I originally was doing for my grandaughter to come stay.  She's 17 now and not into "Grandma" like she used to be and that's ok too.  She's young, working, a great student and creating a (hopefully) great life for herself.  Just not at Grandma's which is as it should be.

My own bedroom is done but I'm living in it and it's messy right now.  I can't do it all all the time.......I'm 66 years old!  Give me a break!  Thanks.

So next is this closet I plan to put my stackable Washer/Dryer in.  I needed to put in a floor so I tiled it in white yesterday.

Today I might put down the Baseboard molding after I clean it and work on the kitchen floor.  Then all I have left is to put a second coat of paint on the walls, add trim, paint the built in cabinet, have a drawer made for it, paint the trim, find some money for cabinets, sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, stove, countertops  and I'm sure there are other things, but then I will be done. 

Of course there are other projects.  Like the front hallway entranceway.  It is still a mess and will be one of the last areas to tackle.

So there you have it.  Since I'm back to health and livng by myself, I plan to incorporate my art back into my life and never let it leave again.  That includes looking at other blogs and keeping a better contact with fellow bloggers and friends.  Thanks for looking.....