Dear Diary: It’s An Aberrant Life – July 10, 2011

I wish I had something really interesting and well researched ready to go for a post this weekend. But I don’t. I do have some posts in the works, but they are not ready yet. It’s been a long week, that was at the same time too short. I’m tired AND I didn’t get enough done, dagnabit. (How do you spell that anyway?)

SO how did this week go? Well, though I got a lot done, less was physically about getting closer to moving and more was about catch up on regular chores and paperwork and such. Which always leaves me dis-satisfied.  Chores never stay done.  Neither does paperwork it seems.

Dear daughter had her 14th birthday on July 4th.  We got together with family and friends to celebrate our nation’s and our daughter’s births, as always.  Sunday before I met with my fellow crocheter from NY, Maven who happened to be in Austin visiting family.  We’ve chatted with each other for a couple years now online and we finally met in person over coffee.  That was very enjoyable.  Saturday before that we spent time with extended family for a baby’s 1st birthday.  So the weekend was lots of family and friends with packing and demolition interspersed.

For those new here, we’ve been in the process of getting the house on the market this summer.  I update about our process occasionally and will be writing about our experiences.  We want to sell our two-bedroom home of 15 years even though we’re supposedly in a real estate slump.  They say it will be very difficult, we’ll see if we can beat the pattern anyway.

Tuesday I was a domestic goddess of power, accomplishing a weeks worth of catch up in mere hours.  Wednesday I was a handicapped dial-up modem as punishment, complete with blue screen moments.  There’s always a sacrifice, isn’t there?  What happened to my super-woman youth?  Oh yeah.  Lost her in college.  Why on earth didn’t someone tell me that it was not physically possible to hold down four jobs and 18 credits without breaking.  Until the day I woke up and couldn’t get up. Not sure I would have listened back then.  At that time, it seemed the only way to make it. Now I know better to appreciate my limitations and work with them, not against.  And to sleep.  That is a story for another time though.

The kids were incredibly helpful too, especially dear daughter.  I wrote out a huge list of items that needed attention, cut them out and created a job jar with some old party favor balls we bought one year. We each drew two at a time and tackled them until dinner.  Family teamwork is awesome when there’s no homework. I love summer.

During the kids’ piano lessons, I worked on another crochet shape for this square vintage pin I have.  I think I like this shape better for it.

Thursday I had to tackle repairing the upright piano again.  The kids can’t practice if the keys don’t work.  😦  The action had come apart on another key and while I was in there I found I needed to re-repair one I did a few months ago.  I guess Liquid Nails is not that great on an old piano, because it did not stay glued.  So I went with classic wood glue this time.  Back together again.  Back to working.  I tried to see if there was any way I could fix the baby grand too, but it appears a hammer broke off and fell deep into its bowels.  After taking everything apart that I could right here in my living room, it became obvious to me that the only way to fix the permanent sustain (a broken hammer piece is keeping the sustain engaged full-time) is to pull the harp, or pick up the piano and shake it and see if it will fall out, whatever is more likely possible.  😉  So back together it went and will have to wait until after we move, hopefully soon.  Oh and if you didn’t catch on, I’m talking about two different pianos.  Yes, I have an upright and a baby grand in my two-bedroom house. I did have a drum set too, but it’s packed now.  The guitars aren’t though.

Friday was put the house back together and have family for dinner day. Hubby fixed his most excellent smoked salmon served with brie and yummy rye.  So very yummy!

Saturday hubby worked on his closets while I worked in the garage.  We need to replace carpet in at least two rooms.  Whether we replace with more carpet, or go with the old original wood floor, we need to move furniture out of the rooms to do it.

After working out in the garage for the afternoon yesterday, I had a touch of heat exhaustion to deal with in spite of drinking a lot of water and wrapping my head in a Chilly Pad.  Wondrous things those, btw.  There is nothing like Central Texas heat to make mush of your body and brain.  Having the experience has made me think on writing an article about dehydration and heat exhaustion.  I wasn’t exactly very educated on these things as a kid and thank god to know better now.

Today, I’m trying to piggy-back off yesterday.  Trying to complete the tasks we began yesterday and get ready for our daughter’s week of National Ocean Science Bowl meetings.  And new contractors with new quotes. Hopefully more timely than the last.

My week in review. Ending the day with Tai Wraps and about 5 minutes of rain (finally). It was a celebration.  I’ll have to post some photos tomorrow.