Odds and Ends

Its mid July now. I think its been a very productive month. The house is back to normal. I think it was worth the work. One of the things that happened while we were unhooking my computer and moving it back and forth during all of this painting project was my old computer, didn't like it much. Ron was afraid it was just going to die. I thought it was normal to get the black screen of death, every time I turned the computer on and then have to wait until it booted up. Like turn it on, go clean the house and come back and it might be on. I thought that was normal. It would take me so long to write a post. Sometimes things would go all wonky and I not being a power user just went on my merry way forgetting I was writing a post. Ron bought a new computer for me last week, so I had to wait until everything was moved over to the new one. Today is the day. I am back online.

I came in the morning to write this blog, and I turned on the computer, it was on. I touched the key board and I was into blogger. Just that fast. I went to find my pictures and again uploaded as fast as I can type. My goodness, I am just amazed. I don't normally like new tech but I think I am going to like this. 

 

I still continue to be enthralled with my sunflower. So are the bees and butterflies. Its just a wonderful thing to take pictures of each day. So you will see a bunch of photographs of my sunflower. This last week was fun because I got to play house. I have never been much of a decorator. Its not a skill I ever developed. I like a house that is comfortable and you feel like you can rest and put your feet up and stay and visit for awhile. I have always been about comfort rather than what is in style. I found a nice cover for my sewing chair. I just couldn't get rid of it. It looks nice now. 

I don't know why  I never thought of it before. I got my rug hung over the mantel too. I like it. Its different from my regular style but it is okay. Its what I wanted.

I read about Rugs and Pugs second day of her rug camp and Monochromatic rugs. Using one color and different variations. I really like that idea and I originally thought about it but because I have never gone to a rug camp, didn't really know how to go about it. I do now and I might try it in the future. I really like that idea of using one color. When I did my whale rug, I would only let myself use three colors and it worked.

That was last year about my fireplace. We had such a hot summer last year, I just wanted cool and ocean and it was so miserable. This summer is just the opposite. What an nice summer this has been. Hardly the heat that we have had in past years. But August is coming.

We cleaned the garage yesterday. I cleaned my laundry room and I am coming down to where I have almost reorganized my whole house. Have you ever heard of the book Swedish Death Cleaning.

I read it when we were selling our other house. I needed strength to be able to get rid of 8 peoples things and by far the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I still wake up sometimes because I had to get rid of the kids things. It still breaks my heart. I begged and begged them to take it and they kept saying they didn't have room or didn't want it. So I did, but it was terrible. So now when I am de-cluttering, I remember how I felt and I don't want my kids to have to do it. It strengthens my resolve. Or, just go watch an episode on You Tube of  hoarders and it works the same way. I know I have hoarder tendencies. I still need to be more ruthless on myself. A friend of mine was having to clean out her Mom's house. She had 900 boxes of dishes. I kept asking her, 900 boxes? She kept answering yes, and looking at me like I was hard of hearing. That was just dishes. When they had a yard sale, they had 200 tables of stuff in the front yard and the inside was filled. She had one whole room of nothing but children's tea sets. I know that person lives in me. I have more rug hooking frames than I need. I have two wool cutters. I would buy an Townsend in a New York minute. So yes, its there.

I should stop, do you remember writing letters? Or journals? Remember when you had a really good pen and it felt so wonderful to use it and keep writing. That is how this new keyboard is, I could just keep writing and writing. Plus the zippy computer helps a whole lot. 

I really need to go for a walk and water the garden before it gets to warm. I go back to work August 23rd. I really, really hope I can do it all this time. Not disappear for months.

I hope you have a lovely mid July.

~Kim~

"Just to know you could. That was enough." ---The Indian in the cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks, 1980