Finishing Week 21

Today is the last day of the 21st workweek that we have been working from home.  Pandemic update:  everyone is well, has jobs, and the garden is thriving.  Our biggest crisis as of late was our HVAC (well, the A/C) dying.  Thankfully, we had just enough money to pay for a new one in full.   I am so grateful for that!

Now we get ready for Renee to go back to school.  Once she is set up back up there (not in a dorm, in an apartment), then I think there will be an overhaul of things.  This extended time that she has been home will more than likely be the longest she will ever stay with us ever again.  (She came home from spring break in early March and never left.)

Ted totally has a work at home station in the basement.  There are a few more things he needs to make it be more optimal.  I, however, don't have anything.  I've been working in a barrel chair from Grandma Mary and one of her old TV trays.  If I am to stay put (and I wish to), I need to figure out a workspace with 2 monitors, a docking station, a real keyboard and an office chair. That's a fall goal for sure.

I also need to redo Renee's room.  She knows I am doing this.  This is redoing the room for her to use and maybe an occasional guest.  She is not a neat freak so I think she will be happy that I try and make sense of it all.

The spare bedroom is painted a lovely spring green and is simply called the Green Room.  I got about 2/3 of the way through getting it set up when this all hit.  Then it became a dumping ground.  I need to get this back in order as well.  The goal would be to have this be a handwork / knitting / other crafts room and add a TV to it with an Amazon fire stick.

I really want to go through all of my clothes, be ruthless in regards to them, pack up a ton of them and just admit that I will be in comfy clothes for the duration.  Ted wants to paint the interior of the house, and I think our room will be purple.  This means new quilts!  HAHAHAHA!

This is more than enough home improvement to last me for a while.  Basically it's the empty nest makeover to make the house work to our liking.  

Anyway just a quick update that we are, in fact, OK.

Week 17

It's week 17 of working from home, and I'm hanging in there.  Just a quick check-in.

I've been creating all this time.  Some things are large, some are small, some are all new efforts, some are finishing up UFO's.  But a finish is a finish and so I will continue on this quest of one finish per week.

Stay cool.  Stay well.

Hello from the Flip Side of the Shit Show

There really is no other way to describe April from a work point of view.  Let me give a few disclaimers:  everyone in my house is employed.  We have housing, food, money, health and each other.  Seriously, from a pandemic POV, we are just fine.

All that being said, April was just a shit show with work.  First there was the concept of trying to co-own a program and all the work underneath it with another person.  Then add in the fact that the person you are working with is just disengaged.  So disengaged that he in face left the company mid-month.

So then came 2 weeks of hard core scrambling to get a mission and vision crafted for folks.  Got that done and signed off on last week.  Today, I got them to agree to stop 2/3 of work efforts to focus on a few key things.  The formal announcement of the idea that all work must flow through me and allowing me to get just get to work goes out on Tuesday.

I now can breathe.

On a crafty front, I finished 3 sweaters for Loopy Grad School.  I'm #9 on the queen's list so I need to finish a UFO ASAP.  I'm working on a braided throw rug using old t-shirts.

Renee is done with freshman year.  Ted's in a code freeze.  All is well.

Fab 4 and Masks

So my Fab 4 last week was:

Fab 4 - Quilting
Clue 1 - Quilted Twins - nope
Clue 1 - Quiltville Unity - starting today
Blocks 1 & 2- Laundry Basket Quilts - nope
Finish all fabric bowls lying around - nope

Fab 4 - Knitting
Tudor Tweed - Weave in ends, block - nope
Daffodil - Finish second sleeve through increases - done
Daffodil - Finish body and separate - done
Pink - Knit through separation for neck - about halfway

During the week, the decision was made that we need to wear masks.  I haven't sewn any up until then, and when the call came out, 3 people contacted me in 15 minutes.  So I finished cleaning up my sewing space.  I pulled fabrics for masks.  I made a prototype and people agreed.  This morning, I have enough cut out to make about 90 masks.  I do not have all the ties cut as of yet.  Thank goodness for The Ten Commandments, because I love that movie and I was working up until after the parting of the Red Sea, which is when I usually need to go to bed.

My goal is 3 masks per person.  One is not enough.  I assume the following:  You can only wear a mask out for one outing.  You don't do laundry every 5 minutes.  You might need to go out unscheduled.  So I assume one is in the laundry, one is the one you're wearing right now and you've got one in reserve if you need to run out.  

Anyway my revised Fab 4's:

Make masks for all 38 people (and one cat - don't ask) and get them mailed.

Fab 4 - Quilting
Clue 1 - Quilted Twins - collect clue
Clue 1 - Quiltville Unity - through clue 2
Blocks 1 & 2 - Laundry Basket Quilts 
Finish all fabric bowls lying around

Fab 4 - Knitting
Tudor Tweed - Weave in ends, block
Daffodil - Fish sleeves to desired length (before cap shaping)
Daffodil - Do fronts and back to 7.75 inches from armhole 
Pink - Knit through the front

Two Weeks In

We are all doing well, here in the Schwitzner Shelter.  (As an aside, I've been working on figuring out an alliterative word for home for like FOREVER.  Shack has been rejected for various reasons.  This situation presented Shelter as an option and so I claim it.)  We are all back home, moved out from university, offices established here at home, etc.  We have routines, etc.  Frankly, we do this every year-end around the holidays when the university (wherever Ted is working) goes into Shutdown.  I joke about it and call it the 12 Days of Shutdown, and right now we are doing the same thing, but without snow and winter weather.

We are equipped with 2 deep freezes and a pretty robust pantry.  I have spent more on groceries than I would normally but there is nearly no eating out, so it all evens out.  I am now grocery shopping only once every 10 days and I am the only one that goes to do it.  My CSA's are prepared to continue in these changing times.  My beef, eggs and chickens ones are arranging alternate pickups and the fruit and produce ones are also committed to getting us our healthy foods.  Food is somehow the one thing that worries me the most.  I don't know why.

Since I am working full time, I am not crafting as much as some people think.  I really did not get any more time back to my day by working from home.  (Ted gained 2 hours, one of which he uses for sleep.)  Luckily there have been 4 different quilting communities online who are doing online mysteries or Quilt A Longs (QAL's) to keep us sane.  I missed the first one, but the other 3 are in various stages and I am collecting the steps.  I also have a large knitting deadline on April 30, so I am knitting like mad to get this accomplished.

So now that I think we have a groove being home and I personally think we will be home for a lot longer than Easter, I'm going to start a Fab 4:

Fab 4 - Quilting
Clue 1 - Quilted Twins
Clue 1 - Quiltville Unity
Blocks 1 & 2- Laundry Basket Quilts
Finish all fabric bowls lying around

Fab 4 - Knitting
Tudor Tweed - Weave in ends, block
Daffodil - Finish second sleeve through increases
Daffodil - Finish body and separate
Pink - Knit through separation for neck

While knitting is all about finishing things, quilting is all about starting things.  I know I don't need any more new starts, but hey, this are weird times.  A few new starts will not be the end of the world, in perspective.

Be well.

WFH: Day 2 EOD report

Today went much better.  I felt the groove coming on late yesterday afternoon and then today it was finally in effect.  I can handle working from home for a while.  I got the phone thing figured out on my laptop, using my Jabra (best $75 office gadget I've ever bought!), and had successful meetings, in which I could KNIT.   That was 100% fab.

Got 2 meals on the table for us today, with breakfast being sort of DIY.  The only venturing anyone did today was for Ted to go vote; Renee and I voted last week.  I bet we should probably venture out to get the mail.

I'm slowly doing a set of kitchen cabinets every day, trying to get food put away and also to understand what I have to work with.  That also feels good, to get some needed organization accomplished.  I hope to do one such task a day and really have something to show for my time at home.

Crafty-wise, there was no sewing today, but I did work on Loopy Grad School Sweater #2, now to be called the daffodil sweater.  I'm nowhere near as far as I'd like to be on it, but I have a few milestones / goals in mind.  Sweater #1, called the Tudor Tweed, is at the point where I have to put it on waste yarn, try it on and make some decisions.  I hope to get that done this weekend.

We survived another day.

WFH: Day 1 wrap up

e survived today.  Ted went into work and then was sent home.  Renee slept past noon.  I worked and it was horrible.  I was super-fidgety.  But by the end of the workday, I had a plan set up for the next few days, so hopefully it will be OK.

My guild has just cancelled everything for the next 2 months, including our annual show.  Our guild year ends with the school year, so we are hoping to at least get to hang out for the last meeting before we break for the summer.  The other guild in town is the modern guild, and their calendar runs the calendar year, except for December.  I went to my first meeting in January.  February's meeting was cancelled due to snow (it was a sloppy ride home and Ted described it as one of the worst commutes he's driven).  March was cancelled last week.  We'll take it from there....

I did reorganize one set of cabinets this evening.  A lot of my groceries ended up on the kitchen table, and this week, my goal is to get them all away.  I did stock up on food as I would mid-December, when we are home for 16 days straight.  Then I also bought as if a blizzard was coming.  That means I have planned for a month of meals.  So I have more groceries than normal.

I did sew for 1 hour and 10 minutes today and now I'm off to knit!

WFH: Day 1

Late on Friday, after so very many people left, my employer decided to make  everyone who could work from home do so.  This is not my preferred method of working.  It comes in handy when you need it, but I really prefer to go in.  My commute is short and with my hobbies, home is so tempting.

Anyway, here I am.  I log into the network in about a half hour.

I have made a Plan of the Day (POTD).  3 meals and tea time planned.  Today, Ted is going into work and Renee is still on break, so dinner is the only meal we will have together.  I also have a variety of tasks to do and some crafting. 

Discipline will be key.   We will get through this.

AOG: 11/28 - 11/30

Yesterday I was thankful for the ability to craft.  I got in a full 4 hours at one crafting station and some more time with the crochet hook.  My crafting list for Christmas doesn't look too bad.

Today I am thankful that it is Saturday.  I kept thinking yesterday was Saturday, so today feels like a bonus!

AOG: 11/28/19

Hapy Thanksgiving!  Gobble til you wobble!

Today I am thankful for everyone being ready to go on time, for all the food finishing on time for us to go, for my great-niece to be in a great mood today and seeing Kim.

Harleigh was over-tired but very happy.  She interacted with all of us, which is progress.  She doesn't see us that more often, so we let her warm up to us.  We will be seeing her again at Christmas, so we will keep at it.

We had a great time.  We like to say that although we are a small family (only 8 of us), we are strong.

AOG: 11/27/19

Today I am thankful for insurance and a good checkup on Renee's dental implant.

(Now if the oral surgeon's office would settle the claim...)

AOG: 11/26/19

Guess who is home?  That is plenty to be thankful for right there!

AOG: 11/25/19

Today I am thankful for the process of government.  30 years ago today, Mayor Harold Washington died.  At that point in my life, there were Council Wars and all kinds of crazy things and politics were so damned interesting.  A few days after the passing of Harold came the famous late-night scream from Dick Mell that we had a mayor after he came out of the (honest to God) smoke-filled room.  My father was a life-long Republican / conserative.  My mother voted for entertainment value, and we lived in Cook County, where we vote both early and often.  We didn't live in the city, but it was the start of every newscast...

PSA:  Christmas is a month from today.

AOG: A Week's Worth! 11/18 - 11/24

Welp, I fell behind a bit!

Mon 11/18 - Both Ted and I were grateful for OSF On Call, a video call service you can do with a healthcare professional.  They got Renee diagnosed and on meds.  Ted did the call with her.

Tue 11/19 - My gratitute on this day was for friendly, helpful people at the bank when I closed my girl scout troop account.  There are always horror stories, and my experience was exemplary.

Wed 11/20 - While it's a guilty pleasure, I am always thankful for the TC show Survivor!

Thu 11/21 - On this day, I was so thankful for Ted!  He was home sick, but when I came home, he came outside and helped me with my tires.  Pro tip, when you have a tire rotation, the sensor system doesn't keep up, so the right front might now be the left rear. 

Fri 11/22 - On this day, I gave thanks for my country, and mourned the thought of yet another impeachment, the third in my lifetime.

Sat 11/23 - Yesterday we were thankful for good weather and the time and ability to check in on our girl.  She had been sick for the past week, and she sounded better on Friday, but we went and said hi after haircuts.

Sun 11/24 - Today I am thankful for rest.  I am truly getting into restful mode, which is hard for me to do.  Ted asked me my agenda for the day, and I replied, "No pressure!  I'm on vacation!", which made him laugh.  My to do list is a mile long and oh well to that!

AOG: 11/17/19

Today (hey, I'm on time!) I am grateful that I can sew.  I was able to make the child on the Angel Tree a pencil pouch in her favorite colors.  I'm also working on Christmas gifties, making 30 bowl cozies, plus a stocking and a coloring bag for one niece.

AOG: 11/16/19

Yesterday I was thankful for Old Navy!  I was able to cash in on a sale and get Christmas presents for the 3 little ladies in my life.  I  really did very well price-wise.

When Renee was little, there was nothing that I was more thankful for than clothes.  I try and pay that forward when the kids are little.  The 3 little ladies are the only little ones left - the boys are all adults now.

AOG: 11/13 - 11/15

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday...

On Wednesday I was very thankful for my massage therapist.  I go every other week or so.  A completely wonderful use of funds.

On Thursday, I was thankful for the chiropractor.  She works in conjunction with the massage therapist, and because of this, I am doing well.  Things still lock up and get stiff, but they get things unjammed and I am ready to go!

On Friday, I was grateful for choicetime.  My employer offers 3 hours of flexibility to your week and I used all of banked time earlier this week to come home on Friday and take a nap.  I feel exhaustion coming on and I am taking off the week of Thanksgiving, but that still means that there's one more week to power through.

AOG: 11/10 - 11/12

We had snow and ice and sleet and horrible wind.  Yes I know I live in Illinois, but even we say this is about two months too early.  Anyway, back on track here:

11/10 - Thankful for my ability to knit.  Long story about how I got there, and if you go back to the beginning of the blog, there is an emotional post about knitting.  Anyway, I am grateful that I can knit.  I made great progress on a wool sweater for me and blocked Harleigh's hoodie.

11/11 - Always grateful for the service of our veterans.  My dad served in peacetime, between WWII and Vietnam.  He drove a tank on Czech border. 

On this day, I also took some time to look up community projects on my guild website and saw that they had FINALLY put up all the efforts and their requirements for which we are sewing.  I noted that I could finish up On Ringo Lake as 2 laprobes and a wheelchair cover, with one orphan block left.  That certainly beats the big quilt, which had no home.  I would love to get these 3 smaller quilts to the hand binding stage by Thanksgiving!

11/12 - I am thankful for American Express points that can be used on Amazon.  I just spent only $22 out of pocket for holiday gifts for a child on the Angel Tree at work.  I did buy about $15 of things for myself, so basically the gifts were free.  All I need to is to make a pencil pounch in her chosen colors and the gift will be complete.

Aalso grateful for a husband who will drive me to all of my evening errands tonight.

AOG: 11/09/19

Today I am still thankful for my job.  I'm writing the post from my desk at work right now, taking a short break while I weed through tons of paperwork to make sense of it.  My team is 10, so I am constantly interrupted.  Sometimes I need to come in on a weekend and sort through the stuff that needs quiet thought and contemplation.

Also thankful for Amazon Music, which is blaring through my phone right now, keeping me company.

AOG: 11/06/19 - 11/08/19

I've missed a few days so here they are:

11/06/19 - I am thankful for my guilty pleasure of Survivor.  I'm in two polls and while I am out of one, I still have a remote chance in the other.  Also, homemade spaghetti.

11/07/19 - I am thankful for my quilt guild.  I haven’t been faithful in going, so I am making a push.  Now as an empty-nester, I need to make sure I rebuild my friends group and this is one way to do so.  Last night it was great to see a young man (10?) show his first quilt and then have the featured speaker be another young man (25?), who is a well-known designer.

11/08/19 - I am thankful for my job.  I worked 83 hours this pay period (usual is 77.50) and while it seems strange to be thankful to be working unpaid overtime, I am.  My team and I figured out on that afternoon we accidentally screwed something up and now we can figure out how to resolve.  We used that quiet Friday afternoon to make some serious headway.