Slowly becoming comfortable.
I'm really beginning to like it... the single life. Not that I'm becoming some kind of social butterfly though.... actually, it's turning out the opposite. I'm glad I decided to start living right away!
I got the local class schedule this past week. Sure enough, cooking classes, crafting classes, even a real estate class that I'm VERY interested in... except, they're all an hour's drive away and start at the moment I get off work (yep, I live in the boonies). So, for now, classes are out of the picture.
But yesterday, I noticed something. I REALLY look forward to going home to my "zoo" every day! I've gotten into a routine - get my mail, let the dogs out, organize their food bowls, feed the cats, start cooking for myself...
Cooking - well that's still a challenge, lol. But I'm getting better at it - I've only had a disaster once a week now, instead of every other day. And I'm beginning to explore food more. No more binging to make myself feel better (or comforted) and then hating myself for it, but instead I've set myself on an eating plan/schedule so that I can enjoy the flavors more, and be more in tune to experimenting with different recipes. FEEL the hunger and play with it...
And then there's crafts. I do just about EVERYTHING - knitting, crocheting, quilting, woodworking, painting, just to name a few. And in the past week or so, I've noticed that my creativity has TAKEN OVER. I "see" completed projects when I'm cooking and have to rush over to my note pad to write them down... I "see" new designs when I just glance up at what's hanging on my walls. So I'm using that... I have a pile of UFO's (unfinished objects) and last weekend pulled them out, sorted what I could complete right away and got to work. A "Let It Snow" wall quilt is just about finished (and yep, it started snowing just as I pulled it out, lol - just in time to go skiing this weekend!) I've framed a cross stitch I did last year and have it sitting in my laundry room (looks VERY nice). My home is beginning to look like a country magazine layout, lol. Last night, I cut up an old comforter (I can't stand to throw stuff away - just end up recycling it into something else), and began making dog beds. There's enough material there to make THREE of them and I should have them finished tonite - they match my current bed comforter, will be set on the hard floor and make everything in the room match. Then, I'll finish 2 Christmas and Halloween table runners, 6 snowman pillows (they just need buttons). And then, I plan to finish 3 painting projects that are also just about finished, , and then my "TO DO" basket will be empty. And not only will my craft room be completely clean, but I'll also have enough to sell at next summer's craft shows! And THEN...
It's "work on the house" time! When I refinanced the house, the bank put funds into an escrow account to repair my roof - it's not bad, just some shingles curled on the West side (the rest of the house was done 2 years ago). And the bank put 1 1/2 times more than the estimate into the account. So what this means is that when the roof gets done, the remaining funds in that account will come to me. YAY! And my roofer is EXCELLENT (when I can get ahold of him, lol) and has NEVER gone over estimate, so I should be getting a good chunk back. He sent me an email last week that he had to order the shingles, and plans (weather permitting) to get it done in about 2 weeks. COOL! So, what that means is that I'm going to have some extra cash - enough to do something about my carpet. My hideous pink (why the heck did they put pink - so light pink that it's almost white - in a rental house?!) (and darn it guys - the dogs and cats - do you really have to puke up/pee on the carpet every time?!), yep, that HIDEOUS pink carpet is going to get TORN OUT and REPLACED with a laminate floor. Hello, SWIFTER! It's intimidating - there are ALOT of corners to cut for and I'm not great with the measuring part - but it's also a CHALLENGE. WHEN I get it done, not only is my house going to be AWESOME, but I'll have so much more confidence in myself! And THEN...
I plan to get some walls up in my basement - get my craft room/art studio finished, new lighting, and that flooring I mentioned in a previous post. Add in some homemade built in cabinets for storage, making it all WELCOMING to work in. AND...
... there the fitness thing! Now that I've got the food issues in line again, I'm really doing well on my workouts, getting fitter, feeling stronger. I'm planning to do a 5K in May, doing a 50 mile mountain bike race in September. I've got LOTS of work to do, but I've done it before and KNOW I can! So this is TRAINING time! And in addition, I'm hiking with people with our local hiking club again this weekend, so I'm not isolating myself completely and did someone mentioned overnight hikes this summer? Hey - going through my cookbooks yesterday, I found trail food books! Hmmmmm!
This year is going to be SO fun... I can't wait!
I got the local class schedule this past week. Sure enough, cooking classes, crafting classes, even a real estate class that I'm VERY interested in... except, they're all an hour's drive away and start at the moment I get off work (yep, I live in the boonies). So, for now, classes are out of the picture.
But yesterday, I noticed something. I REALLY look forward to going home to my "zoo" every day! I've gotten into a routine - get my mail, let the dogs out, organize their food bowls, feed the cats, start cooking for myself...
Cooking - well that's still a challenge, lol. But I'm getting better at it - I've only had a disaster once a week now, instead of every other day. And I'm beginning to explore food more. No more binging to make myself feel better (or comforted) and then hating myself for it, but instead I've set myself on an eating plan/schedule so that I can enjoy the flavors more, and be more in tune to experimenting with different recipes. FEEL the hunger and play with it...
And then there's crafts. I do just about EVERYTHING - knitting, crocheting, quilting, woodworking, painting, just to name a few. And in the past week or so, I've noticed that my creativity has TAKEN OVER. I "see" completed projects when I'm cooking and have to rush over to my note pad to write them down... I "see" new designs when I just glance up at what's hanging on my walls. So I'm using that... I have a pile of UFO's (unfinished objects) and last weekend pulled them out, sorted what I could complete right away and got to work. A "Let It Snow" wall quilt is just about finished (and yep, it started snowing just as I pulled it out, lol - just in time to go skiing this weekend!) I've framed a cross stitch I did last year and have it sitting in my laundry room (looks VERY nice). My home is beginning to look like a country magazine layout, lol. Last night, I cut up an old comforter (I can't stand to throw stuff away - just end up recycling it into something else), and began making dog beds. There's enough material there to make THREE of them and I should have them finished tonite - they match my current bed comforter, will be set on the hard floor and make everything in the room match. Then, I'll finish 2 Christmas and Halloween table runners, 6 snowman pillows (they just need buttons). And then, I plan to finish 3 painting projects that are also just about finished, , and then my "TO DO" basket will be empty. And not only will my craft room be completely clean, but I'll also have enough to sell at next summer's craft shows! And THEN...
It's "work on the house" time! When I refinanced the house, the bank put funds into an escrow account to repair my roof - it's not bad, just some shingles curled on the West side (the rest of the house was done 2 years ago). And the bank put 1 1/2 times more than the estimate into the account. So what this means is that when the roof gets done, the remaining funds in that account will come to me. YAY! And my roofer is EXCELLENT (when I can get ahold of him, lol) and has NEVER gone over estimate, so I should be getting a good chunk back. He sent me an email last week that he had to order the shingles, and plans (weather permitting) to get it done in about 2 weeks. COOL! So, what that means is that I'm going to have some extra cash - enough to do something about my carpet. My hideous pink (why the heck did they put pink - so light pink that it's almost white - in a rental house?!) (and darn it guys - the dogs and cats - do you really have to puke up/pee on the carpet every time?!), yep, that HIDEOUS pink carpet is going to get TORN OUT and REPLACED with a laminate floor. Hello, SWIFTER! It's intimidating - there are ALOT of corners to cut for and I'm not great with the measuring part - but it's also a CHALLENGE. WHEN I get it done, not only is my house going to be AWESOME, but I'll have so much more confidence in myself! And THEN...
I plan to get some walls up in my basement - get my craft room/art studio finished, new lighting, and that flooring I mentioned in a previous post. Add in some homemade built in cabinets for storage, making it all WELCOMING to work in. AND...
... there the fitness thing! Now that I've got the food issues in line again, I'm really doing well on my workouts, getting fitter, feeling stronger. I'm planning to do a 5K in May, doing a 50 mile mountain bike race in September. I've got LOTS of work to do, but I've done it before and KNOW I can! So this is TRAINING time! And in addition, I'm hiking with people with our local hiking club again this weekend, so I'm not isolating myself completely and did someone mentioned overnight hikes this summer? Hey - going through my cookbooks yesterday, I found trail food books! Hmmmmm!
This year is going to be SO fun... I can't wait!
Replies
Wish I could join you for all that fun! Sounds not only fun but worthwhile! I like accomplishing more than one thing at a time. When you are crafty not only do you enjoy that activity but you have something to make your home look attractive and special. Doing the construction on your studio, etc. sounds really interesting, but a) I don\'t have a house to work on and b)my trailer doesn\'t have the room for anything else! But there are many times I wish I could have been given the house I had, by now it would be looking really good! I used to have the yard looking very nice, now it is a dump. Oh well once I have a true wage earning job maybe I will find a place to buy. Any who keep up all this good work! and this year is going to be SO fun! (((Hugs)))
Don\'t pop open too many projects! (ha ha - now the really question is - why would someone like ME give this kind of advice!) I suffer from the same overdrives of possibility. I may not be making the same sort of home projects but I have been popping off far too many projects lately and I\'m going to try to shut a few down so I can stand back and enjoy their completion. Right? (Excuse me while I step aside a do a little self talk: I\'m going to do that - Right?, Oh screw you always telling me what to do!)
Well there you have it! I\'m going to chronically be right there with you with a zillion & one ideas going a million and one MPH! ;) Enjoy.
Oh boy you sound just like me!!
I am also growing to love this single life. It is so incredible to love coming home and to feel so comfortable in my own space at last.
I think I had better take a leaf out of your book, and start finishing some of my own half finished craft projects. Have dozens of those...I am ashamed to admit. Also have dozens of sketches and ideas for new ones too.
Oh my gosh and when you said you cannot throw anything out, I had to laugh...........oh that is me down to a T....I am always recycling stuff and trying to think of and find a new use for old things. Have the hardest time throwing anything out that could possibly have a use.
We will have to swap some cooking ideas sometime. I am forever experimenting with different ingredients and playing around with new flavour combinations. I usually only use recipes for reference and then change and modify them to suit what I have available. The internet is awesome for finding recipes too - there are literally millions available at one\'s fingertips.
Life is so much fun!! I never believed it would be this wonderful again........enjoy your newfound freedom too!!
You guys make me feel hopeless. I can sew and crochet but this farm takes all my time. I\'m working on several farm projects. I\'m getting ready for the summer horses to get here in April.
I need to change the footing in the wash rack and put mats down. I have to put mats in another shed today. I\'m planning on a hay barn and another field fenced in. NO, I can do some of that but not all. I will have to hire someone for the barn and fencing. Then I do the small things that finish it up.
I have some carpet to tear out too. My Dal, Millie would get vindictive when the ex would go back overseas and take it out on the bedroom carpet. Something Max would never do. In fact he came into the living room last night looking a little distressed and when I said outside he ran for the door. He\'s hates puking in the house. He\'s fine this morning.
You have so many wonderful talents and plans. Those remind me of things I used to do. Maybe I can get motivated to sew clothes for baby Zoe. I made most of my older daughters clothes. I need to get back to some of this.
How about checking out some online classes. I could be going to school locally for free but I can\'t fit that in.
Thanks, guys! And Trisha - I grew up surrounded by farms. I must be the only person who enjoyed mucking out stalls - I\'d actually volunteer! So I understand how much the farm is a part of you. But if you really want to start crafting again... just do it as a winding down part of your day. There are times I only have 30 minutes prior to bedtme, but that\'s when I work on stuff the most. There are even times where I find myself dozing, with the needle still in my hand.
And regarding school.... my job may be changing in the next few years. So I\'m going to get things at the house finished first, see what happens, and keep the school thing in my mind for the future.