I Hid in the Closet

Yesterday, I hid in the closet.

No, it wasn't part of a child's game of hide and seek. I am a grown up and I hid in the closet.

I hid because I needed to get away.

It's been a long week and a half that feels like three weeks. I had some issues at work that make me question my skills, who I am as a person and what choices I make in life. There are times when you can choose what your day holds, but most often you can't. You can choose how to handle it, and I chose to handle it in the closet.

Last week, my grandmother passed away. Ruth was the quintessential Grandmother. She always had a selection of home baked cookies for us; she'd welcome me and my brothers to her home any time with open arms; she'd hide Easter "nests" for each of us with the highest quality chocolate; she'd wear slippers that told you by sound when she was near; and she would always make us laugh. Grandma Ruth wore partial dentures. A couple here, one there, and some in the back. We would beg and beg for her to show us her teeth without the dentures and when she did, which was usually only once per visit, she would smile as if she won first prize in some toothpaste contest. It was great. That made me very happy.

I don't tell you that for your condolences, I tell you that as background, as what got me in the closet yesterday.

My mother in law went camping this week, which left me to request a few days off of work (poor me, I know). Yesterday, I had visions of me and the boys hanging out, playing outside, swimming, going on adventures. Those adventures ended up with me in the closet.

Boy #1 had an 'issue' that forced me to cancel our zoo trip. Not too fair for Boy #2, but when there is only one parent around, that is what we do. Tom and I try very hard to hold true to the consequences of certain actions. This, I had to do. However, Boy #2 did not agree. He cried. And cried. So loudly that I left the room and went into the basement, in the dark to switch out the laundry. I had wrongly assumed that he wouldn't follow me into a dark basement. There he stands red faced, tears streaming down, chanting repeatedly, 'mommy, mommy, mommy." My boys have been somehow trained to continue this chant until Mommy replies with "what". Sometimes, I can stare at them, they see they have my attention, yet they will not ask the question. And, when I am not so stressed out as I was yesterday, I'll replace their desired "what" answer with things like: "cheese" or "baseball" or "banana butt". This gets them more upset, but it humors me for a tad, so I use it sparingly.

So, this crying, whining chant continued for quite some time. I took the clean laundry to my bedroom and locked my door. Ran through the adjoining bathroom and locked that door. Unfortunately, the bathroom lock is on the bathroom side. The builders of this home didn't have children. Boy #2 is still crying and eventually unlocks and enters through the door. And cries. I tell him that there is no crying in mommy's room and will put him in a time out if he continues (no chance that after 20 minutes he will all the sudden decide to stop, he's on a roll). Into his room he goes, I lock his door, again, builders didn't have kids, the lock is on his side. It is now just a time waster for him to figure out which way the lock turns then he is out. Writing this, makes me see as a third person how ridiculous this scene had been.

Back into my room, bathroom door locked again. I hear the cries getting closer - he is out, faster than last time. And all I can think to do is hide in my closet. I jump in, but don't have time to close the door all the way. So, I stand. I wait, he really couldn't just stand there and cry mommy for much longer.

I was wrong.

As I peeked through the crack in the closet door, this little red-faced, now puffy, little blond boy gets his stool from the bathroom and places it in front of his father's dresser and gets up and reaches. He was reaching for the Bob's Big Boy Bank. The Big Boy Bank I bought Tom for Christmas long, long, ago, before little red-faced boys were around. After realizing he couldn't reach, he returned the stool to the bathroom and got back on point at the door, and continued to cry. Yes, he cried all the way through that exercise.

I came out seeing something funny I wouldn't have otherwise seen. I came out refreshed and armed with new tactics. I got Boy #1 to deal with and listen to the cries and treat this problem. And it worked. Crying stopped, #1 room was cleaned, Mommy got 34 minutes on Facebook, playing Farkle.

The most important lesson I learned is that sharing visits to the closet is okay. I'm not ashamed, I'm just being honest. If you are a mom reading this and surprised that I would hide in a closet, then this blog isn't for you. I hid in the closet. I needed it.

And I emerged from the closet with a fresh mind. Don't be afraid to hide in the closet. You might be surprised what you learn about yourself.

My Secret to [One Day Maybe I'll Be A] Success

My Secret to [One Day Maybe I'll Be A] Success

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Shop Update - Murphy Mullet

Just a quick note to let you know this guy joined the others in the shop. You can access the shop over there ---> on the right.

Love the color! I used to have a fleece coat in this color and my mom told me it looked terrible on me, which it did, I just loved that coat!

Woe is Me

Sitting at my desk. Attempting to work.

Laughing because it is impossible.

Last week, I developed a case of vertigo. The timing was terrible, I was getting ready to host a baby shower at my home and needed to clean and make the gift. If you've read any of the blog, you will know that procrastination is my middle name. I needed two nights to complete the gift, another three or four to have a house in the shape I wanted.

Vertigo sucks. That cut me down to three nights total. So, I decided that the gift will come a bit late, no big deal. She will understand. I used the motion sickness patch to combat the dizziness and reaped the full benefit of the warning: May cause blurriness. Yup, I was holding small print an arm's length away just to focus. I was removing my glasses to dial the phone.

The Friday before the shower I talked with the special person with child. I couldn't have her open a box of fabric scraps and thread. So, that night I cut the pattern. After the fireworks on Saturday, I sewed up a nappy bag. I went to bed at 3:13 am.

The shower went off without a hitch, luckily no one went outside to view my weed garden. One point for me.

The patch was itchy. I scratched. I didn't wash my hands after every itch. Missed the warning: Be sure to wash hands thoroughly after handling the patch, may cause dilation of eyes. Minus one point for me. Vision is now blurry AND I can't see because everything appears as a 100 watt bulb. Sunglasses at night, for me.

So, today my vision is getting better, still dilated, but at least they are equally dilated. Get both boys out of the house so I can focus on work. Reports are due. Phone keeps ringing, clients asking for "that report you ran 6 months ago". Slow computer.

Then I finally get on a roll and the painters are painting my front door. With the door open. First scraping. Then sanding. Now painting. With the music.

Classic rock. Come sail away, Come sail away, come sail away with me......

OMG


Woe is me.

I Am Pathetic

Really? How hard is it to post a little entry in a blog? I never stop talking in real life - why is it so challenging for me to share those words here?

We've done the zoo, forts in the bedroom, a sixth birthday, random fun and finished a bag.

Guess what I'll show you now?


Yup, the bag. This has two smallish handles because the one long one made little Frank really floppy and I didn't dig it. This does fit on my shoulder, but it is snug. The handles will stretch with the weight of the bag contents.

I will be listing him tonight...if all (boys) go as planned.

Frank or Snaggle or Vampaggle?

Fresh out of the washer. This is my first attempt at a mouth. The detailing in the lips are totally lost after felting. I'll try that again, though. I love the bottom lip! The ears came out nicely, too.

This is the first machine knit base that I did. I have been challenged by this AS Seen on TV product. I only frogged this red base 3 times. The biggest problem is that when knitting, it is so loud! If my kids were making the same sound I'd have stopped them after the first minute. Everyone complains about the noise. So, I set it up at night and at my lunch, I run to the table and crank it out, still having time for lunch, it is so fast.

I have learned that knit shrinks much more than crochet, but takes less yarn. Go figure. I have a mustard yellow piece that will become the next monster...growth begins tonight!

Hopefully, I will be able to list both (Olistrum below) of these tomorrow.

Update: Olistrum is moving away, he packed hiself and he is leaving for greener grass. Frank is having some issues...after he was fully dry, he couldn't keep himself steady. I need to fix-remake-reinvent the way he is carried.

7 Days

Olistrum

Since my last post...I'm getting better!

This guy came out of my washing machine late last night...he seems a tad angry. This is my biggest bag ever! It is three and a half skeins of yarn instead of my usual 2-3 skeins. We are talking 15" by 9" at this stage (drying may shrink a little, I may tug on it and get it a little larger). Either way, this is no itty bitty handbag.

I have another I am trying to get in the washing machine, it is rich red and is the first experiment on my new toy knitting machine.

Maybe next time, my post will be 6.

8 Days

That is how long it's been since my last post.

I think I fell into that blog slump. The one that makes oneself feel there is absolutely nothing to write about. Which makes me sad, because I started this blog with nothing to say and still managed to come up with a couple posts. If you are looking for a blog with daily updates, this one isn't for you. If you stop by every week, I'm more your speed.

Yesterday, I purchased a knitting machine. It will be here, hopefully, within the next three days. I am very excited at the potential increase in production. I look at my shop and sigh. If only I had more monsters.

Speaking of monsters...it was a busy morning for the boys. Today, this little guy left for his first day of preschool/daycare. I am fighting every urge to call the school and see how he is doing. But there are only two hours left and they would have called me if there was a problem.

And then his brother had a "Sing a Long and Author's Tea" at kindergarten today. We have learned that Sam isn't a singer. He stood there, behaved nicely, but didn't really participate. Some of his faces were pretty funny. The cafeteria was crowded with standing PTA moms and grandparents all standing up to take a photo of their pride and joy. I tried to hang low, peeping between heads and elbows.

Sam wore a white polo type shirt with his clip on tie. (Sam, you are a very handsome boy!) He wrote some amazing things in his writing portfolio.

I am very proud of both my boys. Wait, all three. The big guy's pharmacy intern license came today.

We are a third of the way through June and I feel as if it just started. The calendar is filling up, the summer is approaching and I hear monsters in my head, begging for life.

Assembly Line

Nameless Nellie

Wash My Cloth is perhaps headed in a different direction. One not planned or seen a year ago, or even eight months ago. The monster purse business seems to be an untapped market. Who would have thought that such a varied array of customers would appreciate a monster on his/her (I don't discriminate) shoulder? I have been concentrating on the monsters as nothing else seems to be moving out of the shop. Since each bag is made by hand crocheting, each purse can take up to 10 hours just to create the bag itself, without the personality of a face.

Etsy.com (please shop there!) has a section called 'Custom' where one can request a special item from an Etsy seller, imagine them as want ads. I placed an ad for a couple swatches of Machine Knitted wool. This gal bid, I accepted, and she had the swatches done in a matter of an afternoon - amazing. I am considering purchasing a machine to create the base of the bag. I estimate that this purchase could cut down my production time to nearly a quarter of the current time it takes me to create the base.

I have my fingers crossed that when I test these swatches, they work with my technique perfectly. I'd be happy to accept other fingers and toes crossed, if you don't mind.

Am I cheating if I use a machine to do the dull part?

Eyeless Pictures

A picture tells a greater story when you are missing information. Like a book, a picture without eyes leaves the story to the viewer.

And when you are at the beach, remember your watercolor paints, paper and of course, yarn to make it all happen.

Old Time Amusement

Do you know that feeling when you get a great deal?
The euphoria of saving more money than spent?
Finding a gem in a world of mud?
I dragged the kids to Olcott Beach on Sunday. It was a long drive as we had several stops on the way. We were even stopped by a parade.
When we arrived, we got to the Beach and it was closed. Who closes a beach? I understand the no swimming type of closure, but the gate was closed. Closed.
I fought off the whines and whimpers of a closed beach. Then, we turned our bodies in another direction and found this place.
A place with fresh fun. Few people. But plenty to smile about. This little corral had six kiddo rides, rocking chairs to rest upon and ice cream to enjoy.
The best part, though. Each ride was only 25 cents. No gimmicks, no minimums. And, if your child was crying, they stopped the ride. Where else can you get (all volunteer) service like that for a mere quarter.
25 cents.

A New Addition

This is what a monster purse looks like fresh out of the bath. He needs a shave, for sure. Add in a couple shaping episodes and perhaps a highlight or two.

He appears to have a lazy eye, which is quite unfortunate for him. He can compensate by showing off his horns.

I'd estimate his appearance in the shop in less than a week.

Flat Breads (Kind of)

Gluten free baking is hard. There are many things that can go wrong. Slight variations can compromise the entire batch.

Last night was pizza night. I've talked about this before and I told you I found my crust, which I did, Chebe. However, as I was making my dough last night, I was missing the oregano-pizza smell. I realized I opened and successfully mixed a bag of bread dough instead of pizza dough. Not a big deal, but disappointing. Why are both bags green? Help me, Chebe, how about blue?

So after I made my crust, which came out just as well as the pizza mix, I decided to try the Savory Chips. I made mistakes. I didn't add onion to the mix, I used a full egg as wash, not just the whites, and I only had poppy seeds. Thought I had onion flakes at least. Then I put my poppy and onion powder on before the egg wash. Eee gads. But, for the love of Chebe, they came out.

They are delicious (unfortunately I thought plastic wrap would be sufficient and today they are on the stale side).

Now...how do I use these in my daily or party repertoire. I bet they would be delicious with cinnamon sugar instead of the savory spices.

Thanks Chebe!