31 Day Blog Challenge...

The other day I had a new visitor (Pamela) leave a nice comment.  I had to go check out her blog (and started following).  She is participating in a 31 Day Blog Challenge which I found appealing, so I decided to jump in and play without trying to catch up.

Day 9: Piercings or tattoos?

No tattoos.  Ears are pierced just the once.  The most interesting thing about them is that I had them pierced in Mexico when I was ten.  My mother and sister were having theirs done as well, but they made me go first, figuring that if I didn't go first I'd back out.  

The jewelry shop owner sat me down on a stool.  She rubbed my earlobes with alcohol for maybe 30 seconds or a minute.  Then she manually shoved a stud post right through my earlobe.  The first time was okay, I wasn't expecting it.  The second time I jumped, and it went in a little crooked, so it's always a little difficult to get an earring in to this day.  

The piercing was done.  I got up and began looking at jewelry in the display case.  My sister sat down for her turn.  And I keeled over in a faint.

Next thing I know the women in the shop were buzzing around, sitting me down, telling me to put my head between my knees, take a deep breath.  The shop owner's husband quite generously asked my mother if they should give me "a leetle tequila" to which my mother looks at him and says, "She's TEN!"  LOL  

We used to have some interesting trips to Mexico.  Sadly it's not exactly a safe day trip over the border any longer.  sigh 

Seven random thoughts on the 7th...

1.  Quite chilly out today...I have chili in the slow cooker...only mild chile added, as the husband doesn't do spicy.  Just being silly with chilly/chili/chile.  :)

2.  I wish they would call about our countertops tomorrow.

3.  Action for today:  My coffee table sees a lot of hard use: lots of coloring, stamping, game playing, and quite often usually meal eating.  Since we are still without kitchen (!) we are using paper plates and bowls as much as possible.  Some of my family members, who shall remain nameless, have been bad about setting bowls of soup or plates of hot food on the table.  It has been accumulating cloudy marks in the finish from the moist heat through the paper plate, but today I took care of that. 

Took less than five minutes by doing this with a damp cloth and an iron.  I tried a dry cloth first, but had no effect till I slightly sprayed the cloth with water.  Table could still use a good polishing, but I can't wait for Carey to notice I got the marks out.

4.  New calendars for purse and wall.  I love a blank slate.

5.  Hot chocolate.

6.  Hot bath.

7.  Clean super-chunky flannel sheets on the bed tonight with a down blanket.  Aaahhhh.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Faraday Girls by Monica McInerney

As I was on my way to the airport recently to pick up my sister, I realized that I had forgotten to put my Kindle in my purse.  I was due to arrive early and would have time on my hands, so I quickly pulled in to Half-Price Books which was on my route.  I chose this book purely based on the cover.

Stopping for reading material was a wise decision as there was a missed connecting flight, and I had a long wait.  I never mind long waits as long as I have something to read.

I am enjoying it, but it is taking me forever.  I haven't had a lot of reading time lately, and this one is over five hundred pages.  Five sisters in Tasmania band together to raise the illegitimate baby of the youngest sister.

Great writing.  Likable characters.

Making it Monday...

In November of 2000 (!), a dear friend handed me a quilt top that was pieced by her grandmother, and she asked me to quilt it.  I bought the fabric for the borders, and then put them with the quilt top in a drawer where they have since resided.  (I took the precaution of placing them in a pillow case, with a note pinned to the case saying whom to return it to...you know, just in case I died or something before I got around to it!)  About five years ago she came to visit, and I profusely apologized for not having it quilted, and practically begged her to take it back and find someone who would actually get it done for her.  She refused...it was me or nobody.

Today was quilting day at the library.  And look!  The borders are on it!  I cannot tell you how many times this has been on my to-do list.  But being that this is my Year of Action, there has been real progress made.  I was hoping to get it basted today as well, but I talked too much and sewed too slow.  

Here are my marching orders to myself...Jan Monthly Goal, 3 Major Weekly Goals, and General To-Do's.  It felt SOOOOOOO good to scratch through 'borders on quilt' at long last.

Carpet stain removal action...

 Here's one of those things that I have been intending to do for months:  carpet stains.  As usual, I forgot to take a before photo till I was almost done.  So you'll just have to take my word that I started with the worst stain, and it looked great after treating.  When I thought about taking a pic, all I had left to photo was the least noticeable stain.

Before

 

After

I've been checking out homemade carpet cleaner recipes for awhile now.  It seems like most of them suggest at least a little dish soap in the solution.  I've always heard that any kind of soap or detergent will clean the stain, but will leave residue that will actually attract more dirt over time, so it ends up looking worse.  Therefore, I nixed all the ones with soap/detergent.  

I ended up using one part white vinegar and two parts water.  I poured a little on the stain, rubbed it in with my fingertips.  Then I scrubbed it a bit with a white towel to absorb the excess liquid and dirt/stain.  I covered the area with a clean white rag, then with my iron on a medium setting I ironed over the area.  I continued rubbing with the clean white towel until as much liquid was absorbed as could be.

Yea, me!  The stains are off the carpet, off my to-do list, and off my conscience!  :)

Texas Caviar...

Action, schmaction.  It can wait till I indulge in a quiet house to myself and left over Texas Caviar.  

Blackeyed peas have been the bane of my existence for my entire life, but when I found this recipe, I actually started looking forward to the traditional eating of black eyed peas on New Year's Day.  

Happy New Year!...

I wish everyone a fabulous new year ahead!  

My word for this year is 'action.'  

I spend entirely too much time doing nothing...or at least having nothing to show for my time.  Pablo Picasso said, "What one does is what counts, not what one had the intention of doing."  Nailed me with that one, Señor Picasso.

I can clearly remember a group discussion from about twenty years ago.  We were in the middle of a lesson, and the study question asked, "Are you a dreamer of dreams, or a doer of deeds."  My answer was, "I am a dreamer of deeds."  But for THIS year, I want to be a DOer, because--let's face it--I'm not getting any younger.  If not now, when?

Here are my goals for the year:

Write down my weekly list of goals and to-dos...and DO them!
Drink more water.
Quilt.
52 letters in 52 weeks.