Sold!

Well it's official, the house sold in less than 24 hours. We still have to have the conditions removed which are the buyers financing falling into place and a home inspection. Very normal and it sounds like it should go smoothly. I can't believe what a state I worked myself into over this selling business and then to have it go so easy. Once again I underestimated God, I didn't even think to pray about it and yet he still provided. I don't know why I always forget to give my worries over to him. I really prefer to keep them to myself but he still finds away to work around me and despite me give me what I need.

I'm happy the process went well, I'm happy that I can move on but I'm sad to leave. Now it's time to pack, hire movers, do the paperwork and start a new life in Regina.

Crafty Goodness

Well as promised here's some of the crafty goodness I've been whipping up in the last little while. Sorry this will be picture heavy :D

This little house I made a while ago and it's been hanging out in my living room so some of you lucky folks may have seen it already. It just makes me happy to look at and there's no theme or anything just things I like all hanging out to make a house.

This little girl is my needle felted fairy :) I have some explanations of needle felting coming up with some pics and I'd like you all to note that no fairies were harmed during this photo shoot, the cat was just used for size reference.

This little house was a chance for me to experiment with a colour I don't usually use, which was the point of it, to stretch myself. I'm not completely satisfied with it yet and it really didn't want to photograph well sorry but it'll give you an idea of the piece.

This is a just for fun thing, a shrine to love. It's tin I've painted and glued a bunch of stuff on. I think it's really pretty but I may be biased.

I've been working on Artist Trading Cards and while I haven't quite gotten to actually trading them I've been building up quite a collection of my own and I needed something to keep them in so I took this old coffee tin and I painted and collaged onto it, added a label tag and voila a fancy dancy place for my ATCs to live. The picture on the top is a rubber stamp I bought in Stratford on Avon actually I bought several they are all female shakespeare characters and they are amazing!

Now needle felting, this is my new latest obsession. It's really easy you take raw dyed wool, it's very soft and fluffy, add a sharp barbed needle (very sharp my fingers can prove it). You poke the wool with the needle and it felts, if you poke too far you scream aaahhh dammit as you remove the needle from your finger. In the end you get a fluffy little chicken. I've been learning courtesy of joggles.com which has online classes in all sorts of crafts and has a great selection of craft stuff I love it.

Voila here's the chicky I made. He's perched on the awesome plate Monica gave me for my birthday and he looks pretty cute, although sometimes a little angry I got the eyes shaped funny. Next week's lesson is making a bunny rabbit. The fairy I made I totally made up myself.

The Selling Blues

Well a lot of hard work later and finally I'm ready to list the house...well sort of ready. Emotionally I'm not sure I'm ready but it has to happen. It's very bitter sweet to be bidding farewell to this place. While there's been a lot of sadness this last year, it was our happy home for quite a while. I remember the joy we felt when bought this place, the hopes and dreams we dreamt while we moved in, the memories we made in the following years. There were so many good times, now that's all gone. Leaving this place means leaving behind the good and the bad, moving forward but leaving the past behind. Emotionally I'm feeling very mixed feelings.

I'm also very anxious about the showing the house part. What to do with the kitties, what to do with me, keeping the place in show condition day after day, it makes my head hurt.

Oh well, it has to happen...so if you know anyone who would like a very nice well cared for bungalow with nice neighbors send them my way.

Connecting

Well my cold is just about gone, even the cough isn't too scary sounding, so I've actually been going out in public. Well actually mostly just to the hospital, my Dad is still at the UofA hospital and tomorrow is his surgery date. After finally agreeing to do an MRI they discovered he had torn 3 of the 4 muscles in his shoulder. This solved the "mystery" of why he couldn't move his arm side to side. From the date of surgery it's six weeks before he's supposed to put any weight on it. We're not sure what that means but it most likely means he'll be in the hospital for those 6 weeks since he won't be able to preform his transfers (moving from his chair to bed) so he'll need assistance although he's surprised everyone the last 3 weeks with how much he's been able to do through sheer willpower and adjustments.

I'm choosing to be optimistic about this and in some ways it's easier for me than the rest of my family. He's alive and this is a relatively minor hiccup and they've said it's a full recovery type thing so once he's recovered he can go on with life. To me right now it feels trivial but I know it isn't to him. It's inconvenient that he's stuck in the hospital, it sucks that he and mom had to cancel their holidays, the reminder that he's getting older wasn't really needed but I know he'll recover so I can be positive. I just wish I could share that with the rest of the family who after so many hits this last year and a half are reeling a bit and are very emotional. I don't want to trivialize their feelings because what they feel is important. I think I've hit the dead zone aka my emotional limit because this isn't phasing me too much or maybe I've finally learned to just roll with the punches. I do know that I'm sure it's the fault of someone in the hospital that I caught this cold (boo) but even a cold couldn't stop me.

My next post will have some craft photos I promise since I'm taking some online craft classes and I'm learning some new skills which are just feeding my need to create, but it may be a few days since I'll be at the hospital with mom tomorrow when Dad gets out of surgery and I've promised to take Grandma to visit Dad the next day so she can make sure her "baby" is fine. It's fun watching my Dad get parented.

I received the best inheritance you can ever get, a disk of 400+ pictures from my Grandfather Ginther's side of the family. These negatives were found in a shoe box in the back of a closet in my great aunt's house and one of my cousins took the time to scan them all into the computer and now we're sharing them amongst the whole family. These pictures go back to include baby pictures of my Grandfather, my great Grandparents as a young couple and even a few shots of my previously unknown Great Great Grandparents. It's strange to look through these photos and see people and places I know so well and to notice the things that tie us together. Several shots of the family surrounded by books gave me a thrill, there was proof I'd inherited my love of reading. A shot of my Grandma as a teen laughing with her peers, showed me the vivacious beauty my Grandpa first met. A shot of my grandpa on the tractor as a teen followed by a shot of his desk at home crowded with books reminded me of the things I loved best about him and want included in my life. Looking into the eyes of the Great Grandmother I only knew as an old woman trapped silent by Parkinson's disease and seeing her as a young wife and mother made her even more real to me. So many glimpses into life back then and being able to draw connections to my life now is an amazing gift. Scripture says the fruit of the fathers will be their children and their children's children, I realize that this is true I'm the fruit of all these people I carry bits of them in me. That's amazing to think of I'm sure my ancestors weren't fretting about what I'd turn out to be but I am the person I am today because of the choices they made. Someday I'll get to meet them in Heaven and truly know them but this small glimpse into their lives assures me we'll get along just fine because we're related you know :D

more soapy bubble thoughts

We'll I thought I would avoid cold/flu season but apparently some germs were just waiting for me to get back and settled in before hitting with a vengeance. The worst seems to be over now I'm just coughing and I'm hoping a hot bath will loosen the last of the gunk up. So I thought it's time for some random thoughts from my head.

1. Law and Order: Apparently this show is just the thing the doctor ordered, I've been watching tons of episodes and both the original series and the Special Victims Unit series. I've come to the conclusion I like the SVU cast the best but Lennie Driscoe is the funniest character. Do you watch? Who do you like? It's a lot of fun to watch the really old episodes some haven't aged so well and some are scary ahead of their time. I remember the first time I ever watched an episode. It was first year of uni and my one roommate was having a crisis of what to do when I grow up? After hours of Law and Order he picked Law. I was hooked by then and always fondly remember sitting on the couches at the LSM house eating lunch and watching the show.

2. Is there some law that cold remedies have to taste awful? Seriously they all taste horrible, Buckley's is the worst but at least they are honest about it, the others aren't much better. Even neo citran doesn't taste great, I mean who thought sick people would like hot lemonade flavoured remedies. It's funny because I try to only take remedies at bedtime to help me sleep during the day I self treat with peppermint tea, a spoonful of honey, hot baths, lots of oranges and juice...none of which taste bad and seem to work almost as well. What do you rely on when your sick?

3. More thoughts on wanting what you can't or don't have? Why is it so hard to let go of things. I could save a lot in rent if I could just downsize enough to fit into a 2 bedroom apartment but that would mean letting go of a bunch of stuff. Suddenly I'm reevaluating what I want in the future, do I really need to hang onto a house full of furniture even if I like it. Would my life be better with or without it? Traveling lightly seems a good idea especially considering in 3 years I'll be moving again to who knows where to do my masters. In India I saw how little people truly need to survive and they seemed happy. Yeah you can say they don't know better but really is anyone in North America happier because of their stuff? See I always have lots of questions but no real solutions.

4. Skin hunger...I'd never really heard about this before but this last year I've suffered this. Our society is one that doesn't encourage casual touch between people especially as we become more and more germaphobic. As part of a couple you get used to a certain level of touch in your life, after the death of a spouse I guess you could say you kind of go through a withdrawal period.

5. For the Ladies: I have found the best product ever, I took it with me on my trip and it was amazing. It's a little awkward to share but you need to know about it. It's called the Diva cup and it is a menstrual cup that's reusable. So you never need to buy another tampon or pad again just pay the 20 bucks for this product and you are set for life. It was a lifesaver in places where you can't even flush toilet paper, also it's light to carry and takes up very very little room. I know you're thinking yuck I'd have to wash it, isn't it messy and hard to use. I know you're thinking that cuz I thought that when a good friend told me about this product. I'm here to say it isn't messy, it's easy to use and yes you have to wash it but really it's not gross and if you're in a place where washing it isn't feasible just give it a wipe. Want to know more? Here's a link to the products website: http://www.divacup.com/ I seriously wish I'd heard about this sooner and tried it sooner.

Well these thoughts weren't as light as bubbles but things I've been wanting to share for a while. Enjoy

Drumroll Please....

Well it's officially the end of my contest and we have a winner! I put all your names in a bowl shook it up and picked one...the winner is....Michelle S. ! Congrats!! Thanks for everyone for stoking my ego and responding; it was fun to see how many read my blog and to hear that everyone would tell me if my breath stinks. LOL Tyb and Adrianna were excited to help prepare the prize, they thoroughly inspected it and deemed it a worthy prize!

Today I helped my sister Natalie and her husband Mark move into their new place and it is a beautiful townhouse. I have a little house envy because it's exactly the kind of place I'd like for myself. I'm really pleased for them :D Also, I'm pleased because I came away with a car load of boxes so I can finish cleaning and the last of the packing around here and then actually get unstuck and list this place.

I had a busy weekend visiting with lots of friends which was great! I'm trying to get out more and being more proactive about reaching out to friends with plans to get together. Today I am really tired so I'm relaxing by watching more episodes from season 3 of the muppet show. I adore the muppets and the muppet show is still the funniest thing. It never seems to get old and I can never decide which is my favorite muppet.

I'm sorry officer

Today was a good day, yes we said goodbye to my Great Aunt Rena today but she was remembered very fondly and after 92 years you feel like it's okay to say goodbye for now, we'll miss her but since she'd been in care the last 8 years most of those paralyzed with Parkinson's it was more of a celebration of her life than a sad event. It was nice to visit with my cousins, watch their kids play, tease each other fondly and share remembrances.

Also the weather was beautiful today I put the top down on the car and enjoyed the sunshine. This is the type of day I'm glad I have cruise control. The sun was beating down, the tunes were cranked and I was singing along...and thankfully the cruise control was set. I could've driven for hours and it's just too easy to speed on days like this.

Now I'm sitting in the backyard, sipping iced tea lemonade, watching the kids next door play, with some tunes and debating what to do now. I could clean house (blah), work on the crazy quilt I started yesterday, photograph and post some older projects, veg in front of the tv, go to a movie. Just not sure what to do, maybe I'll just sit here and enjoy the weather and be glad it's not my kid throw the temper tantrum next door :D LOL!

Unfortunatly we got news that will keep my dad in the hospital longer. He needs to have surgery and an MRI so he'll be at the UofA for most of this month we think :( A simple dislocated shoulder seems so much more complicated when your arms are your primary form of motion. I was teasing him that he with his one good arm and the guy on the ward with only one good leg should pair up :D LOL He's actually doing pretty good now but he was pretty sick earlier with an infection which caused all sorts of problems. I know my mom is strong but I can see this wearing on her. So please keep them in your prayers. I feel guilty cuz I'm not working I feel I should be at the hospital visiting but seeing Dad there reminds me so much of his accident and brings so many emotions back so I struggle to go and that's not fair to him. I did earn major Grandma points because I took her with me on Wednesday to visit Dad. Sometimes it's such simple things that bring her such joy but they seem so hard to fit into a busy life.

I've been struggling lately really feeling stuck. I haven't got the house listed yet not because of any major reason just my inability to do the last few things and take the last few steps needed. I realized as much as it pains me to be here alone without Armin it's a bit of a safety net too. As long as I'm here I still have that life, this house holds so many memories. As stupid and illogical as it is to say as long as I'm here there's still that feeling he could walk in any minute and that brings me comfort and torments me at the same time. We were so happy here and selling the house means admitting and closing the door on that. I'm really looking forward to school and excited about the possiblities in Regina but first I have to close the door all the way on a major chapter of my adult life. These last few steps are the hardest for me, they're so important and I need to do them but right now I'm a little stuck. There's been a lot of soggy pillow nights since I've been back. Someone rightly said too that it's also post trip readjustment and that also is true.

Part of me wishes I could just pay someone to do all these last things for me and that I could just jump right into the next steps but I can't skip the emotional work either. Add to this the stress of Dad being in the hospital and I've been a bit of a wreck the last few weeks. I'm proud of myself that I'm able to be honest about this and I've asked a friend for some help with some of these last steps giving me that gentle kick I need to get them done, unfortunately we were supposed to do them today but they were postponed due to the funeral being today. I've also been struggling with a resurgence of my labrythitis so I'm mildly dizzy and nauseous all the time which isn't much fun. Thankfully I've dealt with it before so I know it will pass I just need to be patient and this time is much milder.

This was supposed to be an upbeat yeah for the nice weather post and I can't believe it was snowing last weekend and now I'm outside in shorts and turned into a poor pitiful me post. Life is good, there are some bumps in the road but that doesn't mean the journey isn't fun or bad. Today is a good day a sit in the sun and enjoy the weather kind of day...a just breathe and enjoy the moment kind of day...and aren't those the best kind of days. I'm going ignore the housework it'll be there tomorrow and enjoy this first really summery day no matter what. I hope you get out and enjoy the evening as well.

Prize Time

Aren't you excited? Here it is all finished this evening! I'm a little disappointed that the pieces warped so it doesn't fit quite right back together but all in all it looks pretty good. This was my first and will be my last altered puzzle unless I get paid lots because it's very finicky work and time consuming but I like the quilt effect it ends up with. It was a good way to experiment with new techniques and it pushed me to find ways to keep trying to use the same supplies in different ways. So it was a good experience builder for me.

The star craft supply I used for this project was the Tim Holtz Distress Ink's...wow...they do so much to age and change the appearance of papers. I also got a special book in the mail last week it was my copy of Tim Holtz's book signed to me!!! If you craft I have to say he has some of the most interesting supplies and is one of my top picks when I'm trying to find interesting new products.

I didn't say last post but you have a week to comment to be considered for the draw! Hope you're as excited as I am. I'm going to try to post more of my crafts here on my blog it helps keep me motivated and working on new projects.

Tybalt the flower arranger

Don't you all wish you had a furry flower arranger like mine? This is my goofy kitty who copies me :D If you click on this picture you can see him tasting his creation.