Weekend in Review: Spring in January?

What an odd winter we have been having!  This past week we had some 70 degree days with more forecast for the coming week, and Friday was warm enough for me to be outside doing some yard work.  I cut back the two crape myrtle bushes in front and washed all the windows on the outside.  When Ornery and Elizabeth got home, we went back out and took care of some more trim work in the front and back on trees and another crape myrtle.  Elizabeth and I also cleaned out the back flower bed.

These projects were all on lists I made while having breakfast by myself at Panera Friday morning.  I made five separate lists in an hour and then went home and set about crossing some things off.  Laundry was top on the list, then finishing off some little dresses and making them into cards, and getting my hair trimmed.  This time I went cheap at Super Cuts and am more pleased than I have been with the last several trips to the trendy (spendy!) stylists!

Saturday, all three of us worked out in the garage.  Ornery worked on the big loom, Elizabeth went through the remainder of her boxes and we managed to get them emptied and out of the lawn equipment area.  I went through (with his supervision) all of Ornery's camping gear and listed the things he wanted to get rid of on Craigslist.  I sold a backpack, sleeping pad and trekking poles and gave away a stuff sack full of other little odds and ends.  I still had the mummy style sleeping bag for sale, and the tent which was scheduled for pick-up on Sunday.  He plans to use the funds for a router table--either homemade or bought, he hasn't decided which just yet.

We took the things (mostly kitchen items) that Elizabeth didn't put in the cedar chest or her room and stored them in the newly emptied huge camping totes.  I need to do the same thing with her "garage sale" items as I did with Ornery's camping stuff and see if I can't alleviate the need for a torturous day long sale and still bring in a little cash for her.  She doesn't really have much stuff to get rid off, and a lot of it is clothing which I plan to wash and take to a resale shop.  Really, I'd do just about anything to avoid having a garage sale!!

We all took naps in the afternoon, then Elizabeth finished weaving the shawl she had on the loom.  By the end of the day, it just lacked about 1/2 the fringe and taking it off the loom.  Ornery watched a new DVD that came in the mail on building furniture and I watched a movie and read a book.

Sunday morning we got up and listened to a sermon and discussed it for a while, then Ornery went back to bed and Elizabeth and I finished the purple shawl and she started on another one, which I am sure is going to be my favorite of all.  She is doing a random pattern of two different green yarns.  Later we went to Lowe's for garden dirt and rat traps after Ornery saw a rat scurry past the door inside the garage while he was out there working.  He took photos of my latest creations, I listed them on my etsy shop, then the buyer for the last of the camping equipment arrived.

He was actually only planning to buy the tent, but when he asked about what other stuff we had, we sold him the sleeping bag as well.  He was a very nice man, and even sent me a message later thanking me for selling the stuff to him!  As long as we don't consider how much money was invested in the things we sold, we are happy to trade out things that were no longer being used for some cash to enhance Ornery's tool arsenal, especially when people are so happy to share their stories about how they will use them.

I planted some clearance priced pansies in the front bed, then Elizabeth planted the daffodils and iris I had bought last fall--belated, but at least done!  Then we filled a bunch of pots with soil and planted some seeds in them.  I had quite a pile of seed packets collected over the past couple of years, and I figured we may as well try them.  Mostly we planted flowers, but some herbs and even some scallions.  I brought a table into the studio to put some of the pots on.  This room is the sunniest spot in the whole house, and I keep the curtains open all the time so it will get sun all day plus I won't forget to water them since I am in here every day.

Ornery felt crummy all day with general malaise and a headache that wouldn't go away despite numerous doses of "faith enhancers" (aspirin) and a hot bath.  He was in and out of bed several times throughout the day and consequently didn't finish the large loom as he had planned.  He is down to the nail pounding part, but I think 600 nails is an overwhelming job!  His uncle passed away Sunday morning after a long illness so he is planning to go to Austin for the memorial service which is tentatively scheduled for next weekend.  He will travel with his sister and mom.

One of Elizabeth's friends came over both days, Saturday to use Ornery's tools on a wood project he is starting on, and Sunday just to have the company.  He has offered to help us with the flooring project and I think is mostly just in need of some friends.  He says he keeps coming because he laughs his head off when he is with us.  :)  We are certainly a different family from his experience, and I think we will expand his horizons in many ways.

Now on to a new week.  January is almost over and in just a couple of days we start into my birthday month!  :)  Those lists I made are slowly but surely getting lots of black marks on them and I hope to add a few more this week.  I also start my "twinks" class this week and plan to get some of the cool weather crop seeds planted and start on the eBook editing.  Maybe Ornery will also catch a rat so I won't dream about them like I did last night!  Hopefully the internet will settle down and decide to give us continuous service.  We have certainly had some outages lately!