My Life. Past, Present and Future

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Hilliard, oh., United States

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Dog Days of Summer

devil smiley faceBy the end of May the temperature reached into the 90 degree mark. I found it very difficult to keep a smile or even to concentrate. Hell was upon us here on earth. I knew something would have to be done to make my work conditions bearable or I may have to give up the idea of my shop within the dry cleaners. The last week of May saw me leaving work as early as 2:00 barely spending 4 hours in the shop. I had a client who left with the remainder of her alterations all because she was too sweaty to pull them on. What to do? How would I get the work done needed to make a pleasant working environment? The Man works, he could help me out but that would not happen without a lot of grumbling. I may work around the clock, he only wants to put in his 12 hours and be done with the day. Thank goodness I was about to have a visitor Memorial Day weekend. My younger Brother Dominic. Dominic has a construction business and was coming to town to paint my house in trade for a couple of old vehicles we had inherited. my phone 133 

My Brother, his lady helper and live in Margarita. Yes this is her name, for real. They are a team of sorts. I hadn’t mentioned to him my predicament, I didn’t know how long he could stay in town and I did need my home painted. The week past by and the days became hotter. In casual conversation I explained I didn’t think I would keep the shop and why, in this conversation I explained what I would need in the way of repairs in order to be semi comfortable, which in turn would generate and keep clients coming thru the door during these dog days of heat. I said “I wish the Man would help me out, the last thing he wants to do is come home and labor with tiring work so I will either have to suffer or move on.” My Brother needing money as well said “Sis, I will stay another week to repair your shop or anything else you need taken care of. I have no other business at the time. Let me help you.” We agreed upon an amount and within a few days walls were built, a portable air conditioner purchased, paint and new flooring happened. For three days the couple worked on the house and in the evening the second shift began, all but one night I helped and even the Man pitched in setting the air conditioning unit in place. All the work being done was a bit consuming and what I thought would be a week turned into two and a half. I got to know my Brother once again and fought on occasion with his lady. Never ask a sister to go against her Brother. I just don’t roll like that.

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camping 007

My shop now, where there once was not a room, we now have total privacy and a sound proof room, I kid you not. The floor is cleaner, the ceiling has tile, and the walls are painted white, creating a brighter work environment bouncing the light around the space without shadowing my work. The best part of all, the portable air conditioner and a fitting room you are not afraid to take your shoes off in.camping 010 I will admit there are days the air conditioner does not help me. When the humidity is high and the temp outside reaches into the 90’s. The curtain remains closed to cool the fitting room to at least 85 the lowest I was able to achieve on these extreme days of heat. I still ran fans 4 at times to generate a reduction in heat, this only seemed to blow the hot air around. One task accomplished at least. Clients could enjoy there fittings and be able to get there clothes pulled onto their bodies for the intended alterations needing done. Monies still made.

The customers of the http://drycleaningstationcolumbus.com are all very impressed in the room I now have and often express how nice it was for the owner to do this for me. I can’t help but wonder what they truly are thinking with this statement. For 17 years the fitter before me was allowed to suffer the summer heat without relief and they think I ranked higher that he would put up the monies for me. Who can say independently operated? I can. My response with these statements at times are. Thank you I (emphasis on I) had my brother build this room for me and you the client, I am so happy you like the work we did. Employees of the cleaners had hoped the improvements would spill over into the rest of the space, said to say it has not happened and never will. When you are close to retirement you hang onto profit, you don’t reinvest in a business you intend to give up. I felt guilty for their suffering for I no longer was. I am however over the guilt, they are not my employees nor my responsibility. SO SORRY for your suffering.

My home projects over, my Brother hit the road and headed back to Indy. A big Thank You Brother. We plan to hook up again for a vacation on the fourth of July. This will prove to be a test of our new found relationship. This is the year I am determined to reunite with all my siblings, those who have found their way back into the fold and those who are being shunned for others personal reasons. Family last till we are no longer, I say forgive and embrace. We are older and different and years have pass us by.

SIBLING DUTY: TO LOVE AND FORGIVE AS THE ELDEST SISTER, I PROMISE TO DO SO!shannas bday 030 

an Uncle gets to know his grown Nieces. what could be better?

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

God’s Gift

Cali trip, Easter and more 053God gave me the gift of the love from my children, and a Man who is the best Father and husband he can be. Believe me, we are a handful at times with big personalities. I was honored with the company of my oldest and youngest daughter on Mother’s Day along with my cutie granddaughters. I spent the morning uncovering gifts hidden about from the Man. Each gift I stumbled upon was a true surprise and unexpected. Started out with reaching for a cup for coffee only to find a box of Ghirardelli chocolates, and ended with several gifts of jewelry, each placed about the house to find as I cleaned and baked a cake for the day. My favoritemy phone 092, this lovely sterling silver with a turquoise resin base. Jewelry is always a nice gift and I love contemporary casual designs. My gifts started coming two days before. I arrived home to find a package from Cali girl, a framed picture (holding it in upper pic) along with a lovely picture card awaiting inside. Later that night a doctor client pleaded to stop by for a quick fitting. Knock, knock, I answer the door, there she stands holding a gift. Cali girl had set up for her to deliver this gift to me.I had wondered why my Cali girl seemed so desperate to contact her. Too funny, and so sweet of her to take time out for me on a Friday night. Inside the gift bag she delivered was a gift certificate for Botox or whatever cosmetic procedure of my choosing. I have yet to use this gift. I am patiently waiting till Cali girl can come home for a visit, hopefully in November so she can view in person the results. I am really not vain but as we age, why not, every girl needs a little tune up and these procedures do not last long, so I wait for her visit. I miss my Cali girl daily. 

The cake baked and frosted all from scratch waited begging to be eaten. Cherry cordial devils food with maraschino cherry frosting. Yummy. The youngest daughter planned dinner and was not allowing me to cook. Her gift to me.

 

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Dinner first, daughter dear  my phone 097then we will let them eat cake. It is sad though I have racked my brain and I can not remember the meal prepared for me this day. I remember making out the grocery list for the Man to fetch so we could have this dinner, but poof, gone out of my head. The cake however was scrumptious.

Time to relax and allow others to pamper me. This is a hard task, for I tend to take the lead and control these events. Glass of wine? I thought, yes please, and then I spied the remnants left from Soldier son’s previous visit.my phone 093Dude vodka, a lemon lime flavored vodka, had to have a glass just for him, poured and uploaded photo to his phone letting him know he was present with me. I just can’t help myself doing these little things in hopes of making me feel better not having all my loves present at these special times. It truly helps me and warms my heart keeping the sadness at bay. It doesn’t matter if anyone else finds it endearing or funny, for i laugh to myself and at times outloud.

Gifts Momma,(as the grandbabies call me at times still learning grandma as my name, for sometimes they even call me Mom.) You may think I am crazy, but the best gifts inCali trip, Easter and more 054 my mind are the things you need and keep intending to buy but for some reason you use this money for things that are not a necessity. My oldest often gets frustrated when helping me in the kitchen, knives are not sharp, glass measuring cups no longer have readable lines for they are faded. Need I say this was her gift to me? Utensils I needed to replace and some I have always wanted to buy. Cali trip, Easter and more 058

I was so tickled, some of the items were just too funny, for I had always wanted to buy a few she purchased and never did.

So, we had good eats, good company, phone calls from those who could not be with us.

I cherish these moments, for as time goes by and my children's lives change as their children get older my moments with them will become different. I know this, for my Mother’s Mom day has changed as far as the things I do now from years in the past. It doesn’t help I live in another State and our relationship is in a different dimension. I love you Mom, sorry if I disappoint,  you are special to me, for you are my Mom as I will always be my adult children’s Mom. We only have one Mom who remains the Mom, Matriarch, glue that binds, holding Families together.

A child's love is the Greatest Gift of All Cherish This

The end of May hits hard with heat from hell and a Brother’s visit which turns into a 2.5 week stay, story to come. Hope you stay tuned.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Stepping back in Time

 

cali trip 108This memory is embedded in my brain helping me through those days of weary and stress. Time has past since this trip to Cali with many events of Family gatherings and a rekindling of a lost relationship with a sibling who was one of my best friends during our teenage years blossoming again. The end of April brought me home to a wonderful surprise. (I know this was many, many months ago. It is also something I would like to document and just have not had the time to do so.) I stepped off the plane to be driven to see the Grandbabies where low and behold, my Soldier Son was hiding waiting to surprise me. I laughed and cried at the same time, how nice of him to journey home to be with his Family. I couldn’t stop smiling, and it no longer mattered that my time clock was off from travel. God had blessed me, seeing me safe on my Cali journey to be with my Cali Girl and kept me safe for my journey home to be with my three for the celebration of our Savior Jesus Christ.

my phone 054Cali trip, Easter and more 014We dyed our eggs for the next days hunt. This was the reason I went for the visit. Oh how it is all coming back to me now. Easter Sunday was a great day with our first egg hunt with the babies, with the in laws help of filled eggs from a rained out hunt they had planned to have.

With Easter behind us May would quickly approach bringing Mother’s Day two weeks later and my work room screaming for me to get busy on the Prom dresses needing their special touches for the right fit to be worn for a very important night. So many to tend to, and I had a heavy work load, along with the prom dresses. I felt a bit overwhelmed. Wanted to be back in Cali at this point playing. my phone 073 

Six of over a dozen I altered within a months time. I had a few favorites that sewed up easily, a few drastic changes were made creating headaches and in the end making nearly no money, due to the time spent on the alteration. Dresses were not the only headache I had at the time. I also had promised a big job of reupholstering and creating new cushion covers for a boat. Most definitely did not charge enough for that job. I Would not have made this deadline if the Man had not pitched in and helped me out. Thank You to the Man. Love you long time.

my phone 077beforemy phone 079aftermy phone 085hell dress

Cali trip, Easter and more 044boat cushion project over 15 cushions and 30 yards of suede cloth was used. The reupholstering was quite tough and a lot of the arm cushions had the oddest shapes. Tore apart each cushion cover making notations on each piece in order to reassemble hoping I remembered the order and direction correctly. The date kept getting pushed up by the client putting more pressure on me to find time I did not have. Heck it was rainy and cool in May who was taking a boat out? In the end they loved the job and paid me extra, for they realized I underestimated the pricing for I was not informed of the reupholstering jobs. Good clients. Will I except this kind of job again? H to the big fat NO!!

May arrives and still I am a bit overwhelmed. Two jobs, my shop, and the work load continues to be heavy from the shop I help out. http://alterations-station.net  Employees working on an hourly wage can and do take time off for vacations when there are other employees to pick up the slack. This hard work would prove to be needed for the extra income (little did I know) would be ear marked for home improvements at the end of the month. Now to fit into this schedule as well the tear apart of a BCBG dress, salvaging the fabric to up cycle it into a skirt. I put this customer off long enough and the job needed to be done. I was very pleased with the outcome and also skeptical of restitching the label back in to a garment that had been changed. I did the label reattachment any way due to the fact the fabric had come from the styling's of a baby doll dress constructed by BCBG manufacturers. Fit was to a tee and the customer did not mind she had to wait over a month for her new garment.Cali trip, Easter and more 069 

Once a dress, now a skirt with shirred waistband and side tie. I would have saved this beautiful embroidered fabric myself if I had tired of it being a dress. Always keep in mind, garments can be restyled into a different garment if you search for a Tailor with the talents and knowledge I possess. Anything's possible.

Work load wrapped up, now a little time to celebrate me. Mother of 4 giver to all. The end of May will send us into Hell with heat, and a brothers visit to remedy my hot working environment.

Hope you, my readers tune back in for the documenting of my past months.