Monday, August 18, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Baby Blanket
Last spring, I made my first baby blanket for Jeff's cousin (the baby shower at the spa). I liked how it turned out, and when I heard that a former coworker was having a baby, I decided to make one for her. This time, I decided to take pictures as I went, and write up a real tutorial.
Warning: this is going to be a long post. All times are approximate, and seem way too long, but things always take longer than they should!
#1: Buy fabric. 1 1/2 yards each of a flannel (yellow print) and a flat cotton (solid purple). Last time, I made the blanket with flannel on both sides, and although it was nicely cushy, I like the contrast of textures better. Don't forget thread.
#2 Cut the main panels of fabric. A rotary cutter and straight edge really help here. I think I cut out 24" by 46", though that seems like an odd size. I tried to make it about crib sized. Time: 15 minutes
#3 Cut 4" squares out of both fabrics. Precise cutting makes a big difference. The first time I made a blanket like this, I cut the squares with scissors, while sitting on the couch. Did you know that a square that isn't square will not fold into a proper triangle? The cutting goes faster if you cut strips, then stack a few strips to cut the squares. Time: 45 minutes
#4 Iron the squares into triangles, wrong sides together, then into triangles again. Time: 45 minutes
#5 Sew the triangles together in a chain, alternating fabrics. Each one should overlap the other by about half. These are called Prairie Points. Time: 30 minutes
#5.1 Get distracted by younger daughter, who wants to make blankets for her dolls and Webkinz. Time: 15 minutes
5.2 Realize that you didn't cut enough fabric squares, and don't have enough Prairie Points to go around the fabric. Cut, iron and attach more. Time: 15 minutes
#6 Sew the chain of Prairie Points to the right side of one of the pieces of fabric. Pin very thoroughly. When you get to the end, the open end of the last point should fit over the closed end of the first one. You'll probably have to fiddle with it to get it to come out perfectly. Time: 30 minutes
#7 Sew the other piece of fabric to the side with the Prairie Points, right sides together. Be sure to leave an opening for turning. Time: 30 minutes
#7.1 Hunt for the batting that you know is somewhere in the house--I mean, you used it for that last blanket, so you know it's around somewhere, right? Time: 5 days
#8 Cut the batting to the same size as the fabric. Attach it, but don't sew all the way around--you still have to leave the opening to turn it right side out. I used a zigzag stitch for this. Trim the extra fabric close to the edges. Time: 30 minutes
NOTE: yeah, you could just layer the fabric, points, other piece of fabric, and batting together and sew it all together in one step. I'm paranoid and wanted to do each layer one at a time, so I could see it more easily.
#9 Turn the blanket right side out. Time: 5 minutes
#10 Now it's time to close up the opening. Turn the raw edges in, press them well, then top stitch about a quarter of an inch from the edge all the way around. Run out of thread 16 inches from the end, because you did everything in separate layers in steps 6, 7, and 8. Curse profusely, go to the store, and buy more thread. Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
#11 Tie ribbon through all thicknesses to keep the batting from shifting. I used an embroidery needle for this, because the eye is very large, which makes it easy to thread the ribbon through. I only did five of these, but that should be plenty. All I used was a simple square knot. Time: 15 minutes
Done! Total time: One Month
Here's the finished product, or at least a corner so the print is easier to see:
I'd love to be able to make money by sewing cute/fun stuff like this, but I think I'll stick to gifts for the time being. I don't know how Katie Fleck does it. It really was fun, and I think if I had all my crap together, I could do one easily in a day, as long as I didn't have anything else going on that day.
Warning: this is going to be a long post. All times are approximate, and seem way too long, but things always take longer than they should!
#1: Buy fabric. 1 1/2 yards each of a flannel (yellow print) and a flat cotton (solid purple). Last time, I made the blanket with flannel on both sides, and although it was nicely cushy, I like the contrast of textures better. Don't forget thread.
#2 Cut the main panels of fabric. A rotary cutter and straight edge really help here. I think I cut out 24" by 46", though that seems like an odd size. I tried to make it about crib sized. Time: 15 minutes
#3 Cut 4" squares out of both fabrics. Precise cutting makes a big difference. The first time I made a blanket like this, I cut the squares with scissors, while sitting on the couch. Did you know that a square that isn't square will not fold into a proper triangle? The cutting goes faster if you cut strips, then stack a few strips to cut the squares. Time: 45 minutes
#4 Iron the squares into triangles, wrong sides together, then into triangles again. Time: 45 minutes
#5 Sew the triangles together in a chain, alternating fabrics. Each one should overlap the other by about half. These are called Prairie Points. Time: 30 minutes
#5.1 Get distracted by younger daughter, who wants to make blankets for her dolls and Webkinz. Time: 15 minutes
5.2 Realize that you didn't cut enough fabric squares, and don't have enough Prairie Points to go around the fabric. Cut, iron and attach more. Time: 15 minutes
#6 Sew the chain of Prairie Points to the right side of one of the pieces of fabric. Pin very thoroughly. When you get to the end, the open end of the last point should fit over the closed end of the first one. You'll probably have to fiddle with it to get it to come out perfectly. Time: 30 minutes
#7 Sew the other piece of fabric to the side with the Prairie Points, right sides together. Be sure to leave an opening for turning. Time: 30 minutes
#7.1 Hunt for the batting that you know is somewhere in the house--I mean, you used it for that last blanket, so you know it's around somewhere, right? Time: 5 days
#8 Cut the batting to the same size as the fabric. Attach it, but don't sew all the way around--you still have to leave the opening to turn it right side out. I used a zigzag stitch for this. Trim the extra fabric close to the edges. Time: 30 minutes
NOTE: yeah, you could just layer the fabric, points, other piece of fabric, and batting together and sew it all together in one step. I'm paranoid and wanted to do each layer one at a time, so I could see it more easily.
#9 Turn the blanket right side out. Time: 5 minutes
#10 Now it's time to close up the opening. Turn the raw edges in, press them well, then top stitch about a quarter of an inch from the edge all the way around. Run out of thread 16 inches from the end, because you did everything in separate layers in steps 6, 7, and 8. Curse profusely, go to the store, and buy more thread. Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
#11 Tie ribbon through all thicknesses to keep the batting from shifting. I used an embroidery needle for this, because the eye is very large, which makes it easy to thread the ribbon through. I only did five of these, but that should be plenty. All I used was a simple square knot. Time: 15 minutes
Done! Total time: One Month
Here's the finished product, or at least a corner so the print is easier to see:
I'd love to be able to make money by sewing cute/fun stuff like this, but I think I'll stick to gifts for the time being. I don't know how Katie Fleck does it. It really was fun, and I think if I had all my crap together, I could do one easily in a day, as long as I didn't have anything else going on that day.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Did not see that coming.
The director for senior activities called me back just now. Apparently, they had computer classes for seniors in the past. Until some people started looking at porn, that is. She ended up pulling the Internet off the computers, which ended up causing issues with their phone lines, and she's not willing to put the 'net back on, because kids do use the computers sometimes.
So. That's the end of that avenue. She personally is interested in German, though, so that may open up something else.
That still leaves me with no income until October. Not acceptable. Time to go to Plan B.
So. That's the end of that avenue. She personally is interested in German, though, so that may open up something else.
That still leaves me with no income until October. Not acceptable. Time to go to Plan B.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
I Think I Made It
. . . if only by the skin of my teeth.
A few months ago, I hit on the great idea of offering German classes through our Community Center. I picked up the submission forms, and promptly lost them. I also got very bogged down in trying to pick and choose materials, especially for upper elementary grades. Jeff finally talked me down by reminding me that I don't have to act on every single idea I get immediately. In other words, ditch the upper elementary for right now, and focus on lower elementary and high school classes.
I had kind of dismissed to CC idea, and was just going to do classes here at home, even though it would be a lot more hassle. When I mentioned that at dinner last night, Jeff voiced concern about having a bunch of unknown people in our house.
So I figured I needed to give it my last best shot. I called the CC and asked when the deadline to get new classes in the brochure was. The deadline is tomorrow, so I printed my resume, and hauled myself down there to fill out the forms. It was no big deal, although I'm charging less that I originally anticipated, but as long as I get the minimum # of students, I'll still be making $20/hour, which I can live with. I also discovered that the CC does have a computer lab and projector, so in an hour or so, I'm going to call the senior director and see if she is interested in offering any computer classes. I've been teaching computers to seniors for about four years now, and it's usually gone pretty well.
So although I'm still in limbo, and likely won't start pulling in a regular paycheck again until October, I have considerably more hope that I will get regular work again.
A few months ago, I hit on the great idea of offering German classes through our Community Center. I picked up the submission forms, and promptly lost them. I also got very bogged down in trying to pick and choose materials, especially for upper elementary grades. Jeff finally talked me down by reminding me that I don't have to act on every single idea I get immediately. In other words, ditch the upper elementary for right now, and focus on lower elementary and high school classes.
I had kind of dismissed to CC idea, and was just going to do classes here at home, even though it would be a lot more hassle. When I mentioned that at dinner last night, Jeff voiced concern about having a bunch of unknown people in our house.
So I figured I needed to give it my last best shot. I called the CC and asked when the deadline to get new classes in the brochure was. The deadline is tomorrow, so I printed my resume, and hauled myself down there to fill out the forms. It was no big deal, although I'm charging less that I originally anticipated, but as long as I get the minimum # of students, I'll still be making $20/hour, which I can live with. I also discovered that the CC does have a computer lab and projector, so in an hour or so, I'm going to call the senior director and see if she is interested in offering any computer classes. I've been teaching computers to seniors for about four years now, and it's usually gone pretty well.
So although I'm still in limbo, and likely won't start pulling in a regular paycheck again until October, I have considerably more hope that I will get regular work again.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
More Jammin'
So when I left off, I had made my first batch of sour cherry jam, and it was awesome.
Having been bitten by the berry bug (yes, I know cherries aren't berries, but I wanted to get some alliteration going on), I decided that blueberries were next on the list.
We went with some friends to a local orchard, and spent an afternoon in the orchards. While we were there, I saw that they not only had a section for "pie cherries," they had a pitting machine. Cherry jam without having to pit them myself? I was so there!!!
Once we got home with our loot, I got to work (yeah, ok . . . it was the next night by the time I got started). I made another batch of cherry jam, which also turned out wonderfully, although the pitting machine had left a few pits.
A few days later, I turned to the blueberries. I had let the kids eat some of them plain, but most of that afternoon's work went into a pot with pectin and sugar. And that jam turned out . . . not so well. It tastes ok, but the texture leaves something to be desired. It's not that it's grainy, like the sugar didn't dissolve. But it isn't smooth, either. In a word, it is disappointing.
I don't know if I'll try blueberry jam again next year, because that was an awful lot to "waste." Not that we can't eat it, but it just isn't as good. If I'd known, I wouldn't have bothered with making jam, but frozen all of them to use in pancakes and ice cream toppings for the rest of the year.
Having been bitten by the berry bug (yes, I know cherries aren't berries, but I wanted to get some alliteration going on), I decided that blueberries were next on the list.
We went with some friends to a local orchard, and spent an afternoon in the orchards. While we were there, I saw that they not only had a section for "pie cherries," they had a pitting machine. Cherry jam without having to pit them myself? I was so there!!!
Once we got home with our loot, I got to work (yeah, ok . . . it was the next night by the time I got started). I made another batch of cherry jam, which also turned out wonderfully, although the pitting machine had left a few pits.
A few days later, I turned to the blueberries. I had let the kids eat some of them plain, but most of that afternoon's work went into a pot with pectin and sugar. And that jam turned out . . . not so well. It tastes ok, but the texture leaves something to be desired. It's not that it's grainy, like the sugar didn't dissolve. But it isn't smooth, either. In a word, it is disappointing.
I don't know if I'll try blueberry jam again next year, because that was an awful lot to "waste." Not that we can't eat it, but it just isn't as good. If I'd known, I wouldn't have bothered with making jam, but frozen all of them to use in pancakes and ice cream toppings for the rest of the year.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Friday, August 08, 2008
Thursday, August 07, 2008
"Already I am zee (hic!) pickled."
Another confluence of events happened this week.
As I said before, I generally don't care for dill pickles. My Grandma's bread and butter pickles are a different story--now that's a recipe I need! But as I was cutting up the dill and garlic, and putting it all together, it all smelled so good! I thought, "Mmmm, I'm going to have to try these!"
The whole thing also reminded me of one of my favorite Bug Bunny cartoons, quoted in the title here. It's on YouTube, and still as much fun to watch now as when I was a kid. And I know I'd love to have the recipe for Louisiana Back Bay Bayou Bunny Bordelais' ala Antoine.
I let them sit for just a day before I decided to see how they were. I was just about to leave for work (hi, Jill!), and I fished one out of the brine and took a bite.
O.M.G.
It was disgusting! Salty and garlicky and nasty! On a chance, I offered the rest to Sarah. "Yummy!" she said, popping it in her mouth as she ran out the door. Since I didn't hear any exclamations of revulsion, I paused. Maybe they aren't terrible. Maybe it's just me. Then the babysitter came over (hi again, Kelsey!) and I told her about them. She took a bite and as her eyes rolled back in her head, she said, "These are amazing! I have more cucumbers; will you make some for me, too?"
So . . . just me, then. I'm glad, but also kind of let down. I was really looking forward to those pickles, but at least I know someone likes them and I don't have to throw away the whole container.
- I brought the jar of kosher dill pickles to the table for dinner only to discover that there were two left. It wasn't a big jar, but Jeff hadn't had a chance to have any, and I don't like dill pickles, so my two lovelies must have been inhaling them.
- We got a bunch of smallish cucumbers from our neighbor (hi, Kelsey!).
- I saw this blog post.
As I said before, I generally don't care for dill pickles. My Grandma's bread and butter pickles are a different story--now that's a recipe I need! But as I was cutting up the dill and garlic, and putting it all together, it all smelled so good! I thought, "Mmmm, I'm going to have to try these!"
The whole thing also reminded me of one of my favorite Bug Bunny cartoons, quoted in the title here. It's on YouTube, and still as much fun to watch now as when I was a kid. And I know I'd love to have the recipe for Louisiana Back Bay Bayou Bunny Bordelais' ala Antoine.
I let them sit for just a day before I decided to see how they were. I was just about to leave for work (hi, Jill!), and I fished one out of the brine and took a bite.
O.M.G.
It was disgusting! Salty and garlicky and nasty! On a chance, I offered the rest to Sarah. "Yummy!" she said, popping it in her mouth as she ran out the door. Since I didn't hear any exclamations of revulsion, I paused. Maybe they aren't terrible. Maybe it's just me. Then the babysitter came over (hi again, Kelsey!) and I told her about them. She took a bite and as her eyes rolled back in her head, she said, "These are amazing! I have more cucumbers; will you make some for me, too?"
So . . . just me, then. I'm glad, but also kind of let down. I was really looking forward to those pickles, but at least I know someone likes them and I don't have to throw away the whole container.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Meant to Be
Last week, I got an email coupon from Borders for 30% off any item over $10, and $5 Bonus Bucks. The Bonus Bucks are good all month, but the coupon expired Saturday. I couldn't decide what to use it for: more German stuff for the kids, homeschool resources for me, or a cookbook. I was leaning toward the cookbook, but didn't get it in time, and the coupon expired.
Sunday, I got another Borders email coupon, this time for 40% off an item over $20; it expired Tuesday. By then, I was really leaning toward the cookbook, even though I usually get most of my recipes off the Internet, and I also like checking cookbooks out of the library, because it is really good--I've already used a couple recipes from it. But finances started to mount when I realized that there were a couple bills I hadn't accounted for, and I dropped $50 for my first month of Weight Watchers. Also, the dryer has stopped working, so that will be a few bucks. So I regretfully let the coupon expire.
Then last night, as I was checking email before bed, I saw that I got a special offer from America's Test Kitchen. The book that I wanted, for 50% off. This coupon lasts until the 15th, and since I'll get paid before then, I'll definitely get the book.
It feels like I'm really supposed to have it, and who am I to argue?
Sunday, I got another Borders email coupon, this time for 40% off an item over $20; it expired Tuesday. By then, I was really leaning toward the cookbook, even though I usually get most of my recipes off the Internet, and I also like checking cookbooks out of the library, because it is really good--I've already used a couple recipes from it. But finances started to mount when I realized that there were a couple bills I hadn't accounted for, and I dropped $50 for my first month of Weight Watchers. Also, the dryer has stopped working, so that will be a few bucks. So I regretfully let the coupon expire.
Then last night, as I was checking email before bed, I saw that I got a special offer from America's Test Kitchen. The book that I wanted, for 50% off. This coupon lasts until the 15th, and since I'll get paid before then, I'll definitely get the book.
It feels like I'm really supposed to have it, and who am I to argue?
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Mystery Post, Week #1
Not a great picture, but it gets the point across. It's going to take quite a while to finish, so I'm planning to post a picture every Monday of my progress. Yes, I know today is Tuesday. I took the picture last night, which works for me, thanks.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Jammin'
Back in 2003, we first picked cherries from our neighbor's tree. That day got me one of my favorite pictures of the girls ever.
I love the expression on Sarah's face, and that the colors really pop. Lauren is just being cute. Sadly, this scanned image doesn't really show the crystal clarity of the prints.
That first year, we took all the cherries and made a pie. And that was one tasty pie. But eight servings later, it was gone. No more delicious cherry goodness. There was much sadness.
Last year, we picked cherries again (if they don't get the net on the tree soon enough, the birds devour the cherries in no time flat). I knew I didn't want to do a pie, but I didn't know what I did want to do with them. So I froze them. Sadly, most of them are still in the freezer. Sure, some of them made fabulous cherry lemonade slushies, and I wanted to do muffins with some, but I never got to them.
This year, I had a plan. I wanted to make jam. So the kids and I went over and picked for a while. It was difficult, getting around under the net, and it was hot. Sadly, I didn't get any classic pictures that will go
down in my memory as Top 10, but we did get a fair number of cherries.
After picking, the cherries had to be pitted. And, since I didn't get to them that very same day, or even the next day, they had to be sorted to get rid of the ones that had gone bad. That was absolutely the most tiresome, annoying part of the whole process. I don't have a pitter, so I used a paring knife, and ended up giving my thumb some shallow cuts in the process.
Once that was done, I mashed them up a bit, threw them in a big saucepan, added some pectin, and brought it up to a boil. Then I added the sugar, let it boil again, and ladled it into the (already prepared) jars. Hot water bath was after that. The cooking part of it didn't take that long, and wasn't hard at all, but was really hot from the steam.
The next day, I tried some of the jam. Heaven! It was SO good, I couldn't believe it. Sweet and tart, clear gel with chunks of whole cherries floating in it. I have one of the jars to our neighbor (I'm not even sure if they got any of the cherries themselves).
To be continued tomorrow . . .
I love the expression on Sarah's face, and that the colors really pop. Lauren is just being cute. Sadly, this scanned image doesn't really show the crystal clarity of the prints.That first year, we took all the cherries and made a pie. And that was one tasty pie. But eight servings later, it was gone. No more delicious cherry goodness. There was much sadness.
Last year, we picked cherries again (if they don't get the net on the tree soon enough, the birds devour the cherries in no time flat). I knew I didn't want to do a pie, but I didn't know what I did want to do with them. So I froze them. Sadly, most of them are still in the freezer. Sure, some of them made fabulous cherry lemonade slushies, and I wanted to do muffins with some, but I never got to them.
This year, I had a plan. I wanted to make jam. So the kids and I went over and picked for a while. It was difficult, getting around under the net, and it was hot. Sadly, I didn't get any classic pictures that will go
down in my memory as Top 10, but we did get a fair number of cherries.After picking, the cherries had to be pitted. And, since I didn't get to them that very same day, or even the next day, they had to be sorted to get rid of the ones that had gone bad. That was absolutely the most tiresome, annoying part of the whole process. I don't have a pitter, so I used a paring knife, and ended up giving my thumb some shallow cuts in the process.
Once that was done, I mashed them up a bit, threw them in a big saucepan, added some pectin, and brought it up to a boil. Then I added the sugar, let it boil again, and ladled it into the (already prepared) jars. Hot water bath was after that. The cooking part of it didn't take that long, and wasn't hard at all, but was really hot from the steam.
The next day, I tried some of the jam. Heaven! It was SO good, I couldn't believe it. Sweet and tart, clear gel with chunks of whole cherries floating in it. I have one of the jars to our neighbor (I'm not even sure if they got any of the cherries themselves).
To be continued tomorrow . . .
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Update
Wow; it has been over a month. I really didn't realize it had been so long!
The month blazed by, but I didn't get nearly the stuff done I wanted to. Shrug. There's plenty for me to work toward in August!
I do have some specific things to blog about, so I can promise with certainty that it will not be a month before I blog again!
The month blazed by, but I didn't get nearly the stuff done I wanted to. Shrug. There's plenty for me to work toward in August!
I do have some specific things to blog about, so I can promise with certainty that it will not be a month before I blog again!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Goals
Summer is almost a third over. I don't care that the calendar says that summer starts June 21. Summer = June, July, August. Now that most of my classes are done, and dance is done, I'm going to be home a lot more. I'm planning to take it as an opportunity to get a lot done around.
Big, Vague, Long-Term Goals:
Big, Vague, Long-Term Goals:
- sew
- websites
- clean house
- clean out basement
- Community Center classes
- walk
- school
- sew summer outfits for the girls (had the patterns & fabrics for weeks)
- get the Bathliners website posted; develop price/service list for other potential clients
- thoroughly clean out one of the three bedrooms
- spend half an hour every day working on the basement
- set up a meeting with the CC people about classes (develop class list)
- walk half an hour every morning
- get back on track with Science, Spelling, Social Studies, Math and Reading schoolwork
Monday, June 23, 2008
Opportunity + Nerves = Excitement
My crazy schedule is about to slow down to almost a complete halt. Two of my classes finish this week, along with dance. My last class will continue for 4 - 6 more weeks, but sporadically. This is good, because I'll have more time. But the other side of that coin is that I'll be bringing in less money.
I've been trying to figure out how to generate other income streams. One way (that will hopefully pay for our vacation in September) is to create small, basic web sites for local businesses. No e-commerce, no inventory. Just basic, informational sites that don't need frequent upgrades. I've been working on one for quite a while, but there have been a few hang ups. Hopefully it will be ready to go live soon. Then I'll be able to use that as an example of what I can do. If I can get five clients, that should cover us.
The other thing I've been giving a lot of thought to is classes through our community center. I'd like to do German, Computers, and seminars for parents who are interested in improving their kids' educational experiences. I've also thought about Reading classes, but those are a much larger amount of work.
The issue right now is that the community center doesn't have much of a computer lab. The computer classes that I'm teaching right now (through a community center for a neighboring suburb) got a grant, and they have a very nice computer lab, even though there isn't a projector, with does make things more difficult. Anyway, I saw in the paper that Jenny Jones (of talk show fame) was giving out grants of $25K each. That would definitely be enough to outfit a rockin' computer lab, as well as pay for a Nerd Herd guy to do maintenance, and an instructor or two. I have a feeling that free computer classes (for kids and adults) would fill up pretty quickly, you know?
I'd still have to charge for German and anything else I wanted (unless I could get another grant, hmmm).
I still need to talk to the community center some more about my plans and ideas, but I think this could be a really good fit for me. Now I just need to make it happen.
I've been trying to figure out how to generate other income streams. One way (that will hopefully pay for our vacation in September) is to create small, basic web sites for local businesses. No e-commerce, no inventory. Just basic, informational sites that don't need frequent upgrades. I've been working on one for quite a while, but there have been a few hang ups. Hopefully it will be ready to go live soon. Then I'll be able to use that as an example of what I can do. If I can get five clients, that should cover us.
The other thing I've been giving a lot of thought to is classes through our community center. I'd like to do German, Computers, and seminars for parents who are interested in improving their kids' educational experiences. I've also thought about Reading classes, but those are a much larger amount of work.
The issue right now is that the community center doesn't have much of a computer lab. The computer classes that I'm teaching right now (through a community center for a neighboring suburb) got a grant, and they have a very nice computer lab, even though there isn't a projector, with does make things more difficult. Anyway, I saw in the paper that Jenny Jones (of talk show fame) was giving out grants of $25K each. That would definitely be enough to outfit a rockin' computer lab, as well as pay for a Nerd Herd guy to do maintenance, and an instructor or two. I have a feeling that free computer classes (for kids and adults) would fill up pretty quickly, you know?
I'd still have to charge for German and anything else I wanted (unless I could get another grant, hmmm).
I still need to talk to the community center some more about my plans and ideas, but I think this could be a really good fit for me. Now I just need to make it happen.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Dance Preview
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
They look way too old to be my children.
By the way, the car is going to cost $800 to fix. Don't know that it's worth it to get the insurance company involved.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Not the worst Father's Day Ever
That honor, of course, still goes to 2006.
2008 is now #2.
It's a tradition with us to go to a baseball game on Father's Day. If we can't get Tigers tickets, we go to Lansing or Toledo. This year, we headed south of the border. On our way there, the hood of our Corolla, which has been rusty for a long time, but getting much worse lately, unlatched in the wind and blew back up in front of the windshield. Luckily, there wasn't tons of traffic, and Jeff was able to get us to the side of the highway. It blew back so hard that it cracked the windshield and even dented the roof a little bit. Also, the hood itself has been dented/popped out (kind of like an umbrella).
We called his parents, and while we waited, talked about what we were going to do. Should we have it towed someplace close by, or pay extra to have it towed closer to home?
Luckily, we called Jeff's dad instead of my dad, because when he showed up, he got out some tools and took the hood right off. No tow truck needed! He drove our car home, and we took his Durango the rest of the way to Toledo. We saw the second half of the game (Mudhens lost to the Syracuse Chiefs, 5-3), then came home.
I have no idea how much all of this is going to cost, and thinking about it tires me out. But no one was hurt, so this falls into the category of "expensive inconvenience" instead of anything worse.
2008 is now #2.
It's a tradition with us to go to a baseball game on Father's Day. If we can't get Tigers tickets, we go to Lansing or Toledo. This year, we headed south of the border. On our way there, the hood of our Corolla, which has been rusty for a long time, but getting much worse lately, unlatched in the wind and blew back up in front of the windshield. Luckily, there wasn't tons of traffic, and Jeff was able to get us to the side of the highway. It blew back so hard that it cracked the windshield and even dented the roof a little bit. Also, the hood itself has been dented/popped out (kind of like an umbrella).
We called his parents, and while we waited, talked about what we were going to do. Should we have it towed someplace close by, or pay extra to have it towed closer to home?
Luckily, we called Jeff's dad instead of my dad, because when he showed up, he got out some tools and took the hood right off. No tow truck needed! He drove our car home, and we took his Durango the rest of the way to Toledo. We saw the second half of the game (Mudhens lost to the Syracuse Chiefs, 5-3), then came home.
I have no idea how much all of this is going to cost, and thinking about it tires me out. But no one was hurt, so this falls into the category of "expensive inconvenience" instead of anything worse.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Know what these are?
These are pictures of my babies breaking boards. The one of Lauren is really blurry, but I only got one chance--that's why I don't have actual video up.
Friday was their last night of karate, and they tested for their first belts: white with a yellow stripe. Jeff said he was a little worried about them making it, but--cynical me--I told him that it was in the teachers' best interests that the kids be successful, so they'd want to continue. And of course, they all were successful, both with the test for the belt and breaking the board. Still, the looks on every child's face was a priceless, "Wow, I really did it!"
During the class, the instructors passed out information about the school itself. The classes we've been taking are an introductory thing through our rec center. They're very cheap: $40 per kid for 8 weeks. Continuing on at the dojeng (it's Korean karate, so not a dojo) is considerably more expensive: $80/month for 1 child, but $140/month for 2 or more.
Both girls have liked karate, although Sarah is a lot more focused and generally does better. Jeff said that if they wanted to continue, he'd do whatever he had to in order to make that happen. While I applauded his commitment, I can't conjure up and extra $140 a month. I said that we'd see just how interested they were before committing to anything more.
As it turns out, they're both more interested in gymnastics. There is a summer intro program, again offered through Parks & Rec, but our summer is plenty busy already. Scouts is almost over, but we won't be done with dance for a few more weeks. Golf starts for Sarah in a few weeks, and we're already starting to think about swimming. VBS is in July, and I'm still working a fair bit, at least for the rest of this month.
Although the intro stuff would probably be cheaper through P&R, I think we'll wait and sign up in the fall with our homeschool athletic program. It'll probably be a little more expensive, but it'll be during the day, so it'll fit better into our schedule. Part of me wishes they'd find/pick one thing to love and stick with it (they're both in their third year of dance, but that's as much my choice as theirs), but I'm glad they're dabbling in lots of different things, to see what suits them best.
This is them with their teacher, holding their boards back together.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
I Can't Drive 55
Twice a week, I have to drive about 75 miles (almost all highway) round trip for a class. It generally takes about 45 minutes each way, and easily a quarter of a tank of gas. It's costing about $60 to top up the tank these days, so the extra money that I'm getting paid for a class that's outside of my usual range isn't going as far as I'd hoped.
I usually set my cruise control to 70, and don't mind when I get passed, which is pretty often. I've been reading a lot about how lower speeds can improve mpg, so I decided to slow down even more. Yesterday, I set the cruise for 65 for most of each way.
It's hard to tell if I did save much/any gas, but I was getting passed even more than before, if that's possible. If I'd tried to go 55, I'd probably get in an accident. I remember back in the 70's, when Carter first established the 55/hour speed limit, it was to save gas, not lives. Saving lives was just a bonus. I read about one guy who went 45 on the highway, and got truly phenomenal mileage, but he said that he didn't recommend it.
Even with gas prices going crazy, I don't see a lot of people slowing down, and I wonder why that is. Habit? Time being more valuable than money?
We're planning on driving to Florida in the fall, and going straight through instead of stopping half way, as we did the past two times. I'm wondering about the value of getting there as quickly as we can versus saving some money. We'll have to see what the situation is like in a few months.
I usually set my cruise control to 70, and don't mind when I get passed, which is pretty often. I've been reading a lot about how lower speeds can improve mpg, so I decided to slow down even more. Yesterday, I set the cruise for 65 for most of each way.
It's hard to tell if I did save much/any gas, but I was getting passed even more than before, if that's possible. If I'd tried to go 55, I'd probably get in an accident. I remember back in the 70's, when Carter first established the 55/hour speed limit, it was to save gas, not lives. Saving lives was just a bonus. I read about one guy who went 45 on the highway, and got truly phenomenal mileage, but he said that he didn't recommend it.
Even with gas prices going crazy, I don't see a lot of people slowing down, and I wonder why that is. Habit? Time being more valuable than money?
We're planning on driving to Florida in the fall, and going straight through instead of stopping half way, as we did the past two times. I'm wondering about the value of getting there as quickly as we can versus saving some money. We'll have to see what the situation is like in a few months.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Boycotting Subway
This just doesn't make sense to me.
Subway is having a "Every Sandwich Tells a Story" contest. Yeah, that part I get.
At the bottom is the disclaimer.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted.
No home schools? Why not? I'm going to email them and ask why, but until then, no Subway for us! Quizno's, here we come!
Update: apparently, the grand prize is $5,000 worth of sports equipment for the winner's school. They don't want to award all that equipment to an individual family, which I understand. But even though we don't have a school to give the equipment to, we do have our co-op, as well as our Homeschool Athletic League. Either would be thrilled with a donation like that. Though some homeschoolers do operate totally independently, there are many of us who are part of various programs.
Subway is having a "Every Sandwich Tells a Story" contest. Yeah, that part I get.
At the bottom is the disclaimer.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted.
No home schools? Why not? I'm going to email them and ask why, but until then, no Subway for us! Quizno's, here we come!
Update: apparently, the grand prize is $5,000 worth of sports equipment for the winner's school. They don't want to award all that equipment to an individual family, which I understand. But even though we don't have a school to give the equipment to, we do have our co-op, as well as our Homeschool Athletic League. Either would be thrilled with a donation like that. Though some homeschoolers do operate totally independently, there are many of us who are part of various programs.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Trying to Do It All
We've been here before . . .
My work schedule currently:
This takes me to 18 hours a week at least (including drive time, it's 27 hours out of the house). That's a lot for me. But it will get better in June, and a lot better in July, and after August, the only class that I am likely to have will be the T/Th nights.
So when I got the email this morning that there's another German class open, of course it's tempting me. I feel like I have to enjoy this summer bounty while it lasts, because--like tomatoes--they won't be around forever.
This class isn't so far away--about 30 minutes--but the pay rate is less than the other German classes. After taxes, paying the babysitter (she's saving for a car and is happy to come over as much as I want, and the kids love her to bits), and the extra gas for the car, I'd bring home about an extra $50 a week.
I don't know if that's worthwhile. Yeah, over the course of the summer it would add up, and German classes are generally easy and fun, but it's still time out of my life. I actually found myself thinking, "Are you sure Sarah isn't old enough to watch herself and Lauren for a couple hours?" before NO came crashing in. She isn't. If I want the class, I'll pay for babysitting. In a few more years, it won't be an issue, but not now.
The question is, do I want it. We always need the money. I already have too much to do and can't keep my life straight. That's really what it always comes down to: Time vs. Money. Too Much Time = Not Enough Money. Plenty of Money = Not Enough Time.
Obviously, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Again. As usual.
Edit: That was almost too obvious. While I was talking to Jeff, I realized that although I can't take on anything else right now, once the afternoon computer classes are over, I'll have a little more time again. The question now is whether the student is willing to wait three more weeks for class to start, or if they can find another instructor who can start sooner. Either way, I'm satisfied with the outcome.
My work schedule currently:
- Monday & Wednesday: German; 5 - 7; 45 minute drive (ends no later than August, possibly sooner)
- Tuesday & Thursday: German; 7 - 9; 30 minute drive (ends in June, but might be extended)
- Wednesday & Friday: Computers; 11:45 - 3:15; 15 minute drive (ends June 4)
- Tuesday & Thursday: Computers; 6:30 - 8:00; 30 minute drive (starts next week, ends June 19)
This takes me to 18 hours a week at least (including drive time, it's 27 hours out of the house). That's a lot for me. But it will get better in June, and a lot better in July, and after August, the only class that I am likely to have will be the T/Th nights.
So when I got the email this morning that there's another German class open, of course it's tempting me. I feel like I have to enjoy this summer bounty while it lasts, because--like tomatoes--they won't be around forever.
This class isn't so far away--about 30 minutes--but the pay rate is less than the other German classes. After taxes, paying the babysitter (she's saving for a car and is happy to come over as much as I want, and the kids love her to bits), and the extra gas for the car, I'd bring home about an extra $50 a week.
I don't know if that's worthwhile. Yeah, over the course of the summer it would add up, and German classes are generally easy and fun, but it's still time out of my life. I actually found myself thinking, "Are you sure Sarah isn't old enough to watch herself and Lauren for a couple hours?" before NO came crashing in. She isn't. If I want the class, I'll pay for babysitting. In a few more years, it won't be an issue, but not now.
The question is, do I want it. We always need the money. I already have too much to do and can't keep my life straight. That's really what it always comes down to: Time vs. Money. Too Much Time = Not Enough Money. Plenty of Money = Not Enough Time.
Obviously, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Again. As usual.
Edit: That was almost too obvious. While I was talking to Jeff, I realized that although I can't take on anything else right now, once the afternoon computer classes are over, I'll have a little more time again. The question now is whether the student is willing to wait three more weeks for class to start, or if they can find another instructor who can start sooner. Either way, I'm satisfied with the outcome.
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