Thank God this week is almost over. I've been up since before 4 a.m. grading papers, building email accounts for my afternoon students via gmail, and otherwise wearing myself out over these two classes. I was so stressed and exhausted when I got home last night that I just wanted to sit down and cry and then go to sleep. I went to bed about 6:15, and instead of getting up when Ken came to bed about 9 I moved over to my side of the bed and continued sleeping.
My morning class has settled out and they are super...they do everything they are supposed to do. My afternoon class is still a zoo. I'm down to 4 students in that class -- it's one thru Texas Workforce. Two of my students got jobs so won't be back. They wanted so badly to complete the course and were two of my three good students. Two of the students I have left will NEVER have a clue what we are doing and they slow everyone down so badly that we are now 2.5 classes behind. I have NO choice but to move on and leave them behind. These are the two who should have NEVER been in this class in the first place. One has a 5th grade education, and can't read/write well, and the other one is just totally scatter brained. Neither of them have the intent of ever using this information for work, so it's a waste of taxpayer money for them to be in the class! But they are hanging on because there is a computer awarded at the end of the class if they do!!!
Other than that, I am about to break. It is killing me. I will be submitting an email to the head of the organization to let her know that I will never teach at the Tx Workforce facility again. There is no support there, every day I have to hunt the computers (they are laptops that are checked out and back in every day), I requested internet for 14 days and finally had it yesterday but it kept fading in and out, we don't have desks to work at - computers are set up on tables which puts the students hands/arms at awkward positions - and teaching the class there is total stress. Every day when I get home I'm ready for a 6-pack of beer and I don't drink beer!!! Never again.
That's it. I'm exhausted, but it's now time to take a shower and get ready for work again.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Whew! I'm tired! What more can I say? It's a good tired, but I AM tired Oh, gad, I just THOUGHT my former employment was disorganized chaos!!!
My morning class is ok, but just barely. These people have never heard of being anywhere on time or early. I told them the first day that everyone needs to be AT LEAST 5 minutes early. They need to have the computers fired up and the required exercise completed prior to class. They all come dragging in at 10, 15, 20 minutes after class is to begin. We are currently 1.5 hours behind in our class! Part of that is because I can't get them to SHUT UP and listen or do what they need to do. And I have one young lady who just does whatever she wants to do instead of doing what she is asked (morning class). She has missed 3 classes out of 8 thus far and believes that's perfectly alright as long as she makes up her work. I have no idea what makes her believe that be cause she was told on day 1 that attendance counts!!
And the afternoon class is just a zoo. No wonder these people can't get jobs. My stars! They cannot follow instructions/directions. It's like herding cats and getting absolutely nowhere. I have a couple of students who shouldn't ever be in these classes, cannot imagine WHY their employment counselors put them in the class. And one of them complains constantly that she can't come because she doesn't have the money for gasoline. She KNEW before she started class that she lives on the north side of town and that the class is on the south side!!! WHY did she sign up. She's missed 2 classes this week. And I do not have the time to catch her up with her work. And she refuses to put in any extra time to do the required work she's missed. But she wants credit anyway. Isn't going to happen.
Other than that, I've been going to bed - or at least falling to sleep in the recliner -- every evening right after dinner. I haven't cooked a meal, haven't done anything except work, eat dinner, go to sleep. Up at 6, showered, dressed, out the door. I feel like I'm meeting myself coming and going.
Oh, well, time for bed...it's almost 9. (lol)
My morning class is ok, but just barely. These people have never heard of being anywhere on time or early. I told them the first day that everyone needs to be AT LEAST 5 minutes early. They need to have the computers fired up and the required exercise completed prior to class. They all come dragging in at 10, 15, 20 minutes after class is to begin. We are currently 1.5 hours behind in our class! Part of that is because I can't get them to SHUT UP and listen or do what they need to do. And I have one young lady who just does whatever she wants to do instead of doing what she is asked (morning class). She has missed 3 classes out of 8 thus far and believes that's perfectly alright as long as she makes up her work. I have no idea what makes her believe that be cause she was told on day 1 that attendance counts!!
And the afternoon class is just a zoo. No wonder these people can't get jobs. My stars! They cannot follow instructions/directions. It's like herding cats and getting absolutely nowhere. I have a couple of students who shouldn't ever be in these classes, cannot imagine WHY their employment counselors put them in the class. And one of them complains constantly that she can't come because she doesn't have the money for gasoline. She KNEW before she started class that she lives on the north side of town and that the class is on the south side!!! WHY did she sign up. She's missed 2 classes this week. And I do not have the time to catch her up with her work. And she refuses to put in any extra time to do the required work she's missed. But she wants credit anyway. Isn't going to happen.
Other than that, I've been going to bed - or at least falling to sleep in the recliner -- every evening right after dinner. I haven't cooked a meal, haven't done anything except work, eat dinner, go to sleep. Up at 6, showered, dressed, out the door. I feel like I'm meeting myself coming and going.
Oh, well, time for bed...it's almost 9. (lol)
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
What a tough week. Lots of issues in the class and people issues as well. In my morning class the young lady with the 5 month old continues to bring the child in spite of the fact that she has been told every day (by the executive director, not by me) that she cannot bring the child. She keeps saying she needs to get a "referral for childcare." Well, unfortunately, she does not realize that we talk to the counselors at her center and that we know she has had a referral for the past two weeks. It all came to a head in the classroom on Friday because we could not get work done because I could not teach over the baby and no one was getting work done. She became angry with me when I indicated we needed to talk. She grabbed up the baby and the baby's diaper bag and bottle and left the room, going down the stairs and outside. But she left her stroller. I called a 10 minute break for the class and the director and I met in her office. Fortunately the young lady came back but walked into the exec office and approached me wanting to know why I had not spoken to her that morning when she came in (late, class had already begun), claimed I said hello to another lady who came in late and told her what page we were on and what exercise we were working on, etc. I apologized, because honestly it was an oversight on my part, I never knew I did it! We want ALL of the ladies in the class and want to do everything we can to keep them there. Our goal is to help them, but they cannot bring their children to class! Anyway, the director told her she cannot come back on Monday and bring the child. We'll see.
There are different issues with the afternoon class, but the counselors and I are working on those. What a mess! But I'm learning! It's a learning curve for all of us. Hopefully we will all adjust soon. I was so worn out every day that I went to bed immediately after dinner. I woke up every evening about 9:30 p.m., took meds, did a few things, and went back to bed. I guess this is going to be my life!
Today being Saturday, we needed to do something different - I needed a break. We left Fort Worth about 9 this morning headed to WinStar Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. We played for a bit, then ate at the wonderful buffet. Afterward we played a bit more (penny slot machines), then headed back south on I-35. We stopped at Sam Moon where I got a new purse, a new clip-on hair piece for those "bad hair days," and Ken got his usual new belt and wallet. I also purchased an eight dollar pink plastic band watch because the Minnie Mouse watch that I wear a lot stopped running (needs a new battery). I wear it because it has a large face with numbers I can see. The new pink one does, too. And besides, it's pink and I wanted it!!
I specifically stopped at Sam Moon to look for a conservative color purse to carry for work to look a bit more professional. But when we first entered the store this pretty hot pink purse spoke to me! I searched thru the stack and found it in a conservative silver grey with brown handles, but just could not make up my mind which I preferred. I carried both through the store believing I would be able to convince myself to purchase the conservative one. When we were going to head to check out we went back by the original purse area and I made myself put the pink one down. However, there was a lady standing there going through the purses and I laughingly told her of my dilemma. She told me at our age we should get the one that makes us happy! I took the pink one!!! Somewhere in this house I have a boring black or brown purse I can carry for work. I've been carrying my red Texas purse. It just does not go with everything, so I will change that out tomorrow and carry my pink one. Not that it will go with everything either, but I mentally ran thru my wardrobe when I was making the choice and decided it will be fine. (Have I ever said how much I HATE purses?!! I despise them!!! I normally don't carry one, except a wallet on a string.) Then we headed south again to Joe's Crab Shack where we had one of those wonderful steam pots for 2! Yummy. Crab legs, shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, new potatoes. Very good. Then on to home.
I have worn a hole in the skin graft of the stump on my right foot again, so as usual when that happens I had to get out the foot soaking bucket and mix up some Epsom salt with warm water. I will have to wear the foot bandaged for the next couple of weeks while putting on the wound healing ointment and soaking it twice a day. I am SO tired of this. I just want to be able to walk like normal people wearing normal shoes and not live in constant fear that I will do something to cause the dang foot to rot off. Guess that's not going to happen.
That's about it. I'm so glad we went somewhere today. This has been one of those days when the longing to see my children and grandchildren has been to the point that I would have cried all day if I had stayed home. They mean the world to me.
There are different issues with the afternoon class, but the counselors and I are working on those. What a mess! But I'm learning! It's a learning curve for all of us. Hopefully we will all adjust soon. I was so worn out every day that I went to bed immediately after dinner. I woke up every evening about 9:30 p.m., took meds, did a few things, and went back to bed. I guess this is going to be my life!
Today being Saturday, we needed to do something different - I needed a break. We left Fort Worth about 9 this morning headed to WinStar Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. We played for a bit, then ate at the wonderful buffet. Afterward we played a bit more (penny slot machines), then headed back south on I-35. We stopped at Sam Moon where I got a new purse, a new clip-on hair piece for those "bad hair days," and Ken got his usual new belt and wallet. I also purchased an eight dollar pink plastic band watch because the Minnie Mouse watch that I wear a lot stopped running (needs a new battery). I wear it because it has a large face with numbers I can see. The new pink one does, too. And besides, it's pink and I wanted it!!I specifically stopped at Sam Moon to look for a conservative color purse to carry for work to look a bit more professional. But when we first entered the store this pretty hot pink purse spoke to me! I searched thru the stack and found it in a conservative silver grey with brown handles, but just could not make up my mind which I preferred. I carried both through the store believing I would be able to convince myself to purchase the conservative one. When we were going to head to check out we went back by the original purse area and I made myself put the pink one down. However, there was a lady standing there going through the purses and I laughingly told her of my dilemma. She told me at our age we should get the one that makes us happy! I took the pink one!!! Somewhere in this house I have a boring black or brown purse I can carry for work. I've been carrying my red Texas purse. It just does not go with everything, so I will change that out tomorrow and carry my pink one. Not that it will go with everything either, but I mentally ran thru my wardrobe when I was making the choice and decided it will be fine. (Have I ever said how much I HATE purses?!! I despise them!!! I normally don't carry one, except a wallet on a string.) Then we headed south again to Joe's Crab Shack where we had one of those wonderful steam pots for 2! Yummy. Crab legs, shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, new potatoes. Very good. Then on to home. I have worn a hole in the skin graft of the stump on my right foot again, so as usual when that happens I had to get out the foot soaking bucket and mix up some Epsom salt with warm water. I will have to wear the foot bandaged for the next couple of weeks while putting on the wound healing ointment and soaking it twice a day. I am SO tired of this. I just want to be able to walk like normal people wearing normal shoes and not live in constant fear that I will do something to cause the dang foot to rot off. Guess that's not going to happen.
That's about it. I'm so glad we went somewhere today. This has been one of those days when the longing to see my children and grandchildren has been to the point that I would have cried all day if I had stayed home. They mean the world to me.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Third day of back to work routine. Classes are going great. A few issues, but nothing that far out. We still have one lady in the morning class bringing her 5 month old baby to class, and she's been told every day that she cannot do that. It got a little tough to teach today. The baby is a good baby, thankfully, but she got very tired today and needed attention, so Mommy didn't a lot of learning accomplished today; and it was a distraction to the rest of the class.
The issue with the afternoon class is it is impossible to learn to type on the mini computers (netbooks) the students have been given. The keys are too slick for beginners. The keys are also too close together for finger definition. I've asked for keyboards - we'll see. Otherwise I'm going to purchase some cheap keyboards because there is no learning going on right now.
Ken volunteered to assist me with a fellow in the afternoon class. Mr. C. is 56 years old, is trying to get back on his feet, get a job, learn computers, and getting his act together. His means of transportation is the bus line. On Monday he needed to get downtown in the morning to get to the First Street Mission to get business/work clothes. He took the bus down, got off the bus, started to walk the distance from the bus to the Mission, but had an episode of heat exhaustion. He had to sit down (curb? I have no idea.), got himself together a bit, got back to the bus and made his way back to his place. He then caught another bus and made his way to the Texas Workforce site for the afternoon computer class. Bless his heart, the bus that comes by in the late afternoon to pick up from TWC broke down so he had to wait in the heat again for another bus in order to get back home after class. Ken and I decided to help him get down to the mission (since it is associated with the church where we are still members but don't attend!). Ken is familiar with the folks in the mission because we have worked with them previously, and Ken is part of the Stephens ministry. So today Ken came to TWC, met Mr. C., and then came back after class and took him home so he will know where he lives. He is going to go pick him up in the morning to take him downtown to the mission for clothes, and then drop him off at TWC for computer class. Yea Ken! Your good deed for today and tomorrow.
This getting up by 6 and out the door by 7:45 is painful, but means I'm in bed early. Today I came home, we ate dinner, I tried to check email and do personal stuff but couldn't - just too tired. I went to bed and woke up after 9 p.m. Had to get up to set up bills for payment! So now I'm headed to bed again.
Gotta run - I need to run through tomorrow's lesson in the morning before class, need to get there early to get attendance caught up to date, and need to get the class moving!!!
I am having a good time - enjoying what I am doing, but I am pooped!
The issue with the afternoon class is it is impossible to learn to type on the mini computers (netbooks) the students have been given. The keys are too slick for beginners. The keys are also too close together for finger definition. I've asked for keyboards - we'll see. Otherwise I'm going to purchase some cheap keyboards because there is no learning going on right now.
Ken volunteered to assist me with a fellow in the afternoon class. Mr. C. is 56 years old, is trying to get back on his feet, get a job, learn computers, and getting his act together. His means of transportation is the bus line. On Monday he needed to get downtown in the morning to get to the First Street Mission to get business/work clothes. He took the bus down, got off the bus, started to walk the distance from the bus to the Mission, but had an episode of heat exhaustion. He had to sit down (curb? I have no idea.), got himself together a bit, got back to the bus and made his way back to his place. He then caught another bus and made his way to the Texas Workforce site for the afternoon computer class. Bless his heart, the bus that comes by in the late afternoon to pick up from TWC broke down so he had to wait in the heat again for another bus in order to get back home after class. Ken and I decided to help him get down to the mission (since it is associated with the church where we are still members but don't attend!). Ken is familiar with the folks in the mission because we have worked with them previously, and Ken is part of the Stephens ministry. So today Ken came to TWC, met Mr. C., and then came back after class and took him home so he will know where he lives. He is going to go pick him up in the morning to take him downtown to the mission for clothes, and then drop him off at TWC for computer class. Yea Ken! Your good deed for today and tomorrow.
This getting up by 6 and out the door by 7:45 is painful, but means I'm in bed early. Today I came home, we ate dinner, I tried to check email and do personal stuff but couldn't - just too tired. I went to bed and woke up after 9 p.m. Had to get up to set up bills for payment! So now I'm headed to bed again.
Gotta run - I need to run through tomorrow's lesson in the morning before class, need to get there early to get attendance caught up to date, and need to get the class moving!!!
I am having a good time - enjoying what I am doing, but I am pooped!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Happy Monday night. Been a full day. Up at 6:30 a.m., out the door by 7:15, actually made it to Riverside before 8:00 a.m., stopped for gasoline and made it to TLA parking lot by 8:10. Doors don't open until 8:30 so sat out on the benches in front taking in fresh air and appreciating the early morning. Fairly pleasant except for the humidity. In these hot days of August we have to enjoy whatever "cool" part of the day we can!
Today was the first class for The Ladder Alliance. Oh, my. Talk about disorganized. Totally disruptive situation. Attendees with no respect for what time the class started, coming 15 minutes to an hour late, orientation taking up 2 hours of class time which should have been a total of about 30 minutes at the most. These people do not understand the concept of getting to class on time, don't understand that they have to attend every class period and do every bit of work assigned. "Well, I can't come because I've got so and so," or "On that day I have to be over here," or any number of excuses. And one lady brought her 5 months old daughter to class!!! She didn't understand that she's not allowed to do that!!! All-in-all, however, after we finally got down to brass tacks of talking about the computer and looking at the computer and what we are going to be doing, I think we are going to have a good morning class. I hope they all make it because if they do, they will get a very nice small laptop at the end of the classes.
Sharon and I quickly ate our lunches and then raced to the Texas Workforce Commission for the class that was to start at 1:00 o'clock. There were supposedly 12-13 folks signed up for the class; only 5 showed up. Of the 5, one was a man who was mad because he was there! He wanted to know why he had to attend the class -- after all, it had been about 23 years since his domestic violence abuse! Since we don't have anything to do with signing them up for the class, we were glad Julie of Tx. Workforce was there with us for orientation. It was handled very professionally and Julie got him to the correct resource to get him the appropriate help and guidance. Have no idea how he got signed up for the class, but we certainly were not going to make him stay in a class he didn't want to attend!
There were some issues today, but we knew there would be -- computers not initialized as they were supposed to be, Microsoft Office not downloaded onto the computers as they were supposed to be, students in and out, but most of all, not all students showed up. Some started calling wanting to know if they can start tomorrow. This means we have a lot of wasted time tomorrow to go through some orientation information again - which will be boring for those students who have already started the class. I think I'm going to give those who started today some typing exercises to do while the others are getting onboard.
Got home hot, tired, ready to rest. Got out of the car with all my junk, made it into the utility room and couldn't get into the house. First I was greeted by Lucy who apparently had looked for me all day long so I couldn't get passed her. And then I was blocked by K. who couldn't wait for me to get into the house, put my things down and get comfortable before he started in on what had gone on between him and the neighbor to the west today (we have fence issues -- they tear it up, we fix or pay to have it fixed, Ken approached them about it). I was still standing there in the utility room holding purse, bag, packages, and finally had to ask if I could just please get into the house. This is exactly how it used to be before I retired -- I would be hit in the face with problems before I made it into the house.
Of course K. had been hacked off because I left him a list of things to do today. I had already told him that if I had to go back to work again that it was not going to be a nice thing for him. I'm not the one who should be working - I've earned my retirement. But we (I) can't depend on him to work. We have had this conversation many times -- I supported him for 3 years while he sat on his behind getting well, playing on the computer all day, and going to breakfast and lunch with his playmates. I had already told him I wouldn't put up with that any more - that he had to find a job. So what did he do today when I went to work? Got PO'd because I left a list for him to get done today (nothing hard - fold the sheets and put them away, put in another load of towels, clean the kitchen). Also told him some things to get from the store. When Ken doesn't WANT to do something, he does a half way job of it, and that is exactly what he did today. Instead of doing the job requested and getting everything on the list from the store, he hurried thru everything, failed to get some of the things written down, and went to lunch with his buddies. Needless to say, momma wasn't happy about it. He should have been at Texas Workforce Commission getting help to find a job, going to the workshop that starts at 1:00 on Monday and Wednesday, and hassling Eddie about getting into a training program. He didn't do any of that.
Thankfully I had a nice Sunday before starting this hectic Monday. Yesterday the Lockheed Blanketeers met at Rachel's house for an afternoon of sewing and "group therapy." I just love going to these. I always learn something, always get ideas, and it kick starts me into getting some of my things completed. I'm hoping this next weekend to get the quilting done on the strip quilt I sandwiched on Friday. I want to finish it and get it sent to Miss Presley. That will be one down with many to go. Ooh, just thought of something. It would be so neat to embroider her name on this little quilt. I'll have to think about that.
Gotta go - it's almost 10 p.m. here. Need to take meds, get ready for bed, sleep fast so can be up by 6:30. Hugs, love to everyone.
Today was the first class for The Ladder Alliance. Oh, my. Talk about disorganized. Totally disruptive situation. Attendees with no respect for what time the class started, coming 15 minutes to an hour late, orientation taking up 2 hours of class time which should have been a total of about 30 minutes at the most. These people do not understand the concept of getting to class on time, don't understand that they have to attend every class period and do every bit of work assigned. "Well, I can't come because I've got so and so," or "On that day I have to be over here," or any number of excuses. And one lady brought her 5 months old daughter to class!!! She didn't understand that she's not allowed to do that!!! All-in-all, however, after we finally got down to brass tacks of talking about the computer and looking at the computer and what we are going to be doing, I think we are going to have a good morning class. I hope they all make it because if they do, they will get a very nice small laptop at the end of the classes.
Sharon and I quickly ate our lunches and then raced to the Texas Workforce Commission for the class that was to start at 1:00 o'clock. There were supposedly 12-13 folks signed up for the class; only 5 showed up. Of the 5, one was a man who was mad because he was there! He wanted to know why he had to attend the class -- after all, it had been about 23 years since his domestic violence abuse! Since we don't have anything to do with signing them up for the class, we were glad Julie of Tx. Workforce was there with us for orientation. It was handled very professionally and Julie got him to the correct resource to get him the appropriate help and guidance. Have no idea how he got signed up for the class, but we certainly were not going to make him stay in a class he didn't want to attend!
There were some issues today, but we knew there would be -- computers not initialized as they were supposed to be, Microsoft Office not downloaded onto the computers as they were supposed to be, students in and out, but most of all, not all students showed up. Some started calling wanting to know if they can start tomorrow. This means we have a lot of wasted time tomorrow to go through some orientation information again - which will be boring for those students who have already started the class. I think I'm going to give those who started today some typing exercises to do while the others are getting onboard.
Got home hot, tired, ready to rest. Got out of the car with all my junk, made it into the utility room and couldn't get into the house. First I was greeted by Lucy who apparently had looked for me all day long so I couldn't get passed her. And then I was blocked by K. who couldn't wait for me to get into the house, put my things down and get comfortable before he started in on what had gone on between him and the neighbor to the west today (we have fence issues -- they tear it up, we fix or pay to have it fixed, Ken approached them about it). I was still standing there in the utility room holding purse, bag, packages, and finally had to ask if I could just please get into the house. This is exactly how it used to be before I retired -- I would be hit in the face with problems before I made it into the house.
Of course K. had been hacked off because I left him a list of things to do today. I had already told him that if I had to go back to work again that it was not going to be a nice thing for him. I'm not the one who should be working - I've earned my retirement. But we (I) can't depend on him to work. We have had this conversation many times -- I supported him for 3 years while he sat on his behind getting well, playing on the computer all day, and going to breakfast and lunch with his playmates. I had already told him I wouldn't put up with that any more - that he had to find a job. So what did he do today when I went to work? Got PO'd because I left a list for him to get done today (nothing hard - fold the sheets and put them away, put in another load of towels, clean the kitchen). Also told him some things to get from the store. When Ken doesn't WANT to do something, he does a half way job of it, and that is exactly what he did today. Instead of doing the job requested and getting everything on the list from the store, he hurried thru everything, failed to get some of the things written down, and went to lunch with his buddies. Needless to say, momma wasn't happy about it. He should have been at Texas Workforce Commission getting help to find a job, going to the workshop that starts at 1:00 on Monday and Wednesday, and hassling Eddie about getting into a training program. He didn't do any of that.
Thankfully I had a nice Sunday before starting this hectic Monday. Yesterday the Lockheed Blanketeers met at Rachel's house for an afternoon of sewing and "group therapy." I just love going to these. I always learn something, always get ideas, and it kick starts me into getting some of my things completed. I'm hoping this next weekend to get the quilting done on the strip quilt I sandwiched on Friday. I want to finish it and get it sent to Miss Presley. That will be one down with many to go. Ooh, just thought of something. It would be so neat to embroider her name on this little quilt. I'll have to think about that.
Gotta go - it's almost 10 p.m. here. Need to take meds, get ready for bed, sleep fast so can be up by 6:30. Hugs, love to everyone.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
News about great great nephew Isaac is good. He's a miracle child. Isaac was born prematurely about 15 months ago, and has been fighting a battle ever since. He has never been able to leave the hospital, and has been at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas all of his life. Only recently was he able to experience leaving his bed/room. He is still on a respirator, and a couple of weeks ago they were able to start weaning him from it for a bit. He was up to 6 hours off of it, and he was permitted to go outside for the very first time. The last time I checked with my nephew, Issac was up to 15 hours per day off the respirator. We are all hoping and praying that it won't be long before Isaac's lungs and diaphragm/muscles are strong enough that he can breathe on his own. He has fought a good fight, is a happy baby boy, and everyone is excited that he may get to leave the hospital "soon." It's been an uphill battle sometimes, and I have no idea what the medical costs are or have been or will be in the future. There is no way it can ever be repaid. But here's hoping that Isaac will be off the respirator very soon and that the process of strengthening all his body can take place. We look forward to the day he can finally leave the hospital.
Thrilled that I accomplished something today! Several months ago I took a quilting class and used my Brother 5130 for the class. At the end of the last day of class I was attempting to change out the bobbin and accidentally hit the release button for the whole bobbin mechanism. I wasn't able to get it put back together during class so brought it home that way. It's been in the roll around carrier ever since waiting for me to "get to it." I DID IT!!! Happened to look around the sewing room and saw the carrier and it dawned on me what was in it. SO, I pulled out the Brother and put it back together. Yippee! Now it's ready to go to another sewing gathering - although lately I haven't bothered to take a machine...just too much effort for the short amount of time available to sew.
AND, I think I've made a decision about my other Brother machine. It's a 651 Charger. I traded a television with my cousin Judy for this machine. It had lived a rather sad life. I think it was originally a portable and someone had put it in a very cheap flimsy cabinet, badly wiring it into a knee depressed system. Wiring was bad, covered with electrical tape, and the machine had been in the garage for a while because it "needed something done to it - maybe a part for the tension." K. and I researched it, discovered it is one of the machines made after WW II when almost ALL sewing machine production went to Japan in an effort to assist Japan in kick starting its economy. So, these machines were badged under many different names - Brother, Kenmore, J. C. Penney, and others. This is a nice "robin egg" color, depending on the light. It looks blue to me in the house, green outdoors.
Ken and I took it out of the cabinet (yea!), did a bit of cleaning on it, disengaged all the horrible wiring connected to it, saw that it would run, found a copy of the manual for it online, and decided it was worth saving. We took it to Mr. Bruner who fell in love with it, went through it checking it out and fixed the few things wrong with it. He ordered a foot controller with connecting lines for it, put on a new belt, and it works great! We elected to ditch the cheap cabinet and ordered a custom wood tray box for it from our supplier friend, Cindy Peters, of Wisconsin. She sent us the perfect one. The machine fits in it very well.
The different thing about these machines is the needle is left aligned, not center aligned. But it zig zags and does some "fancy" stitches, and according to the manual it's possible to do free motion on it. It has a drop feed on it. We don't have extra feet/accessories for this machine, but I am assured we can get them - thru either Cindy or Jenny (http://www.sew-classic.com/). So now what to do with the machine? I've been wavering on whether to keep it, sell it, or give it away. The truth is, I don't need it.
Here's a picture of it...hoping I find someone who will love it. The original idea was to fix it up and give it to a cousin for his wife who wants to learn to sew. However, when I mentioned it to him he wasn't real gungho about a vintage machine. I think they want one of the modern plastic models. So now what to do with this one. I'm thinking I'm going to put it in the car tomorrow and take it with me to the quilting bee and see if anyone wants it. Or maybe I'll just ask at the bee. I don't want anyone taking it who is just going to put it in the dump or Goodwill. I may need to offer it to one of the fellow members of the Vintage Japanese Machines on Yahoo. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagejapansewingmachines/) Hmm, what to do, what to do!! I don't want to leave it setting for a long time - that's not good for these older machines.
Thrilled that I accomplished something today! Several months ago I took a quilting class and used my Brother 5130 for the class. At the end of the last day of class I was attempting to change out the bobbin and accidentally hit the release button for the whole bobbin mechanism. I wasn't able to get it put back together during class so brought it home that way. It's been in the roll around carrier ever since waiting for me to "get to it." I DID IT!!! Happened to look around the sewing room and saw the carrier and it dawned on me what was in it. SO, I pulled out the Brother and put it back together. Yippee! Now it's ready to go to another sewing gathering - although lately I haven't bothered to take a machine...just too much effort for the short amount of time available to sew.
AND, I think I've made a decision about my other Brother machine. It's a 651 Charger. I traded a television with my cousin Judy for this machine. It had lived a rather sad life. I think it was originally a portable and someone had put it in a very cheap flimsy cabinet, badly wiring it into a knee depressed system. Wiring was bad, covered with electrical tape, and the machine had been in the garage for a while because it "needed something done to it - maybe a part for the tension." K. and I researched it, discovered it is one of the machines made after WW II when almost ALL sewing machine production went to Japan in an effort to assist Japan in kick starting its economy. So, these machines were badged under many different names - Brother, Kenmore, J. C. Penney, and others. This is a nice "robin egg" color, depending on the light. It looks blue to me in the house, green outdoors.
Ken and I took it out of the cabinet (yea!), did a bit of cleaning on it, disengaged all the horrible wiring connected to it, saw that it would run, found a copy of the manual for it online, and decided it was worth saving. We took it to Mr. Bruner who fell in love with it, went through it checking it out and fixed the few things wrong with it. He ordered a foot controller with connecting lines for it, put on a new belt, and it works great! We elected to ditch the cheap cabinet and ordered a custom wood tray box for it from our supplier friend, Cindy Peters, of Wisconsin. She sent us the perfect one. The machine fits in it very well.
The different thing about these machines is the needle is left aligned, not center aligned. But it zig zags and does some "fancy" stitches, and according to the manual it's possible to do free motion on it. It has a drop feed on it. We don't have extra feet/accessories for this machine, but I am assured we can get them - thru either Cindy or Jenny (http://www.sew-classic.com/). So now what to do with the machine? I've been wavering on whether to keep it, sell it, or give it away. The truth is, I don't need it.
Here's a picture of it...hoping I find someone who will love it. The original idea was to fix it up and give it to a cousin for his wife who wants to learn to sew. However, when I mentioned it to him he wasn't real gungho about a vintage machine. I think they want one of the modern plastic models. So now what to do with this one. I'm thinking I'm going to put it in the car tomorrow and take it with me to the quilting bee and see if anyone wants it. Or maybe I'll just ask at the bee. I don't want anyone taking it who is just going to put it in the dump or Goodwill. I may need to offer it to one of the fellow members of the Vintage Japanese Machines on Yahoo. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagejapansewingmachines/) Hmm, what to do, what to do!! I don't want to leave it setting for a long time - that's not good for these older machines.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Today was Project Day for the quilting group I belong to. I wanted to take a peach cobbler, so set the alarm for 6:30 a.m. so I could make the cobbler, have time to get ready to go, and have time to drive the 35 minutes to get to the location.
Disaster! I used my fail-safe recipe for the cobbler - been using the same recipe since the 70's -- just change the fruit if want something different. Cobbler never fails. Ha! It did! The dang cobbler NEVER set up correctly, and the "cobbler" part was either loose dough or in the lower part of the dish like biscuits!!! I have no idea what happened. It will be good for us to eat around here but no way was I going to take that to this gathering of talented sophisticated women! Jeepers, I already feel like a pair of brown shoes worn with a tuxedo. So, got ready to go and put stuff in car and stopped at Albertson's. Picked up a peach pie and some strawberries and headed out.
Took the pink strip quilt I made as a test of the continuous 2.5" strip method, along with the backing I prepared earlier and the batting. This is for great niece Presley and I've been dawdling with it for a few months. Need to get it finished and sent on its way so I can work on something else. I was planning to use a couple of tables at the church to lay out the sandwich. But I hope no one noticed how badly I was struggling when I got there. I wasn't quite "with it" and couldn't figure out why. Had a tough time walking from the car to the building, but thankfully found a 4-wheel cart at the entrance. I placed my stuff on it and managed to wheel it to the room we were using. It was nice to have something to hang on to. While I was taking it back, sweet Sheila set up an extra table so I could have enough room to lay out my stuff. I think I was encroaching on Susan's area a bit.
Fortunately after a bit I was doing better and managed to press the backing fabric I had sewn together. Then I was able to tape it down to the table and place the batting over it. I used the spray basting and Susan voiced my fear for me -- was I going to asphyxiate then with the fumes? I was beginning to think so myself! But I was able to spray the adhesive "between" the sandwich layers for the most part in an effort to keep it contained. Finally got it all put together, used some of the "flower" straight pins on top as well just for a little added bonding. Trimmed off the true excess batting because it makes it easier to work with the quilt top once I start machine quilting it, folded it up and moved on to my little sunbonnet sue cross stitch project. The floss I'm using on the current sue is terrible. It's silky stuff of some kind and I hate it, but it is the "purest" red I saw at the shop, and I wanted a red sue. Learned a lesson - will never buy the same product again! I think after this sue I have 3 others to cross stitch the main sue, and then can start on the flowers and framing cross stitching. Maybe I'll finish it before I die!!! Maybe not.
Today was wonderful because I think it lit the fire under my butt that I needed - got me motivated to get back to work on these projects. I think after doing cleaning and laundry tomorrow I'll oil up the main machines and get projects moving again.
Other than that? Let's see. I put in a call to Sharon of The Ladder Alliance when I got home. Had to confirm we are actually starting classes on Monday. Looks like it's a go. We'll have 9 students at the TLA site, and 12 at the TWC site. I had wanted incentives for the students at TWC since they cannot participate in Success Dollars (TLA "money" that can be used at the clothing store maintained by TLA). Turns out Sharon went above and beyond the call of duty...the TWC students will have monetary incentives. Plus they will get netbook computers at the end of the program. All of our TLA students get a computer at the end of the program, but TWC's will get the netbooks. Pretty neat. Tomorrow I'm going by the party store to get packages of things like the small squishy balls...these are for hand exercises. We'll also do some wrist exercises and start with a little relaxation therapy. It's going to be fun.
We went to Mexican Inn in Burleson tonight for dinner. AWFUL! We love MI but usually got to the one on Camp Bowie. We like the chips and salsa at MI. But the chips tonight were not good. They were shaped like the ones we normally have, but definitely were not made from the same products. And the tortillas were bad, too. Not made from the same products, doughie (is that a word?), and not cooked. Ken had shrimp tacos with rice and beans; I had one tamale, one enchilada, with no beans. I had a 'rita on the rocks; Ken had a frozen 'rita. We came home and that's about it.
Gotta go get shut eye -- need to work my buns off tomorrow to get things done around here, because on Sunday I want to go to the quilting bee, get my clothes ready for work (so I don't have to think about what to put on early in the morning), and study for teaching the classes on Monday. Looks like here we go again! Yea!
It's been a great Friday - hope it's been good for you, too.
Disaster! I used my fail-safe recipe for the cobbler - been using the same recipe since the 70's -- just change the fruit if want something different. Cobbler never fails. Ha! It did! The dang cobbler NEVER set up correctly, and the "cobbler" part was either loose dough or in the lower part of the dish like biscuits!!! I have no idea what happened. It will be good for us to eat around here but no way was I going to take that to this gathering of talented sophisticated women! Jeepers, I already feel like a pair of brown shoes worn with a tuxedo. So, got ready to go and put stuff in car and stopped at Albertson's. Picked up a peach pie and some strawberries and headed out. Took the pink strip quilt I made as a test of the continuous 2.5" strip method, along with the backing I prepared earlier and the batting. This is for great niece Presley and I've been dawdling with it for a few months. Need to get it finished and sent on its way so I can work on something else. I was planning to use a couple of tables at the church to lay out the sandwich. But I hope no one noticed how badly I was struggling when I got there. I wasn't quite "with it" and couldn't figure out why. Had a tough time walking from the car to the building, but thankfully found a 4-wheel cart at the entrance. I placed my stuff on it and managed to wheel it to the room we were using. It was nice to have something to hang on to. While I was taking it back, sweet Sheila set up an extra table so I could have enough room to lay out my stuff. I think I was encroaching on Susan's area a bit. Fortunately after a bit I was doing better and managed to press the backing fabric I had sewn together. Then I was able to tape it down to the table and place the batting over it. I used the spray basting and Susan voiced my fear for me -- was I going to asphyxiate then with the fumes? I was beginning to think so myself! But I was able to spray the adhesive "between" the sandwich layers for the most part in an effort to keep it contained. Finally got it all put together, used some of the "flower" straight pins on top as well just for a little added bonding. Trimmed off the true excess batting because it makes it easier to work with the quilt top once I start machine quilting it, folded it up and moved on to my little sunbonnet sue cross stitch project. The floss I'm using on the current sue is terrible. It's silky stuff of some kind and I hate it, but it is the "purest" red I saw at the shop, and I wanted a red sue. Learned a lesson - will never buy the same product again! I think after this sue I have 3 others to cross stitch the main sue, and then can start on the flowers and framing cross stitching. Maybe I'll finish it before I die!!! Maybe not. Today was wonderful because I think it lit the fire under my butt that I needed - got me motivated to get back to work on these projects. I think after doing cleaning and laundry tomorrow I'll oil up the main machines and get projects moving again.
Other than that? Let's see. I put in a call to Sharon of The Ladder Alliance when I got home. Had to confirm we are actually starting classes on Monday. Looks like it's a go. We'll have 9 students at the TLA site, and 12 at the TWC site. I had wanted incentives for the students at TWC since they cannot participate in Success Dollars (TLA "money" that can be used at the clothing store maintained by TLA). Turns out Sharon went above and beyond the call of duty...the TWC students will have monetary incentives. Plus they will get netbook computers at the end of the program. All of our TLA students get a computer at the end of the program, but TWC's will get the netbooks. Pretty neat. Tomorrow I'm going by the party store to get packages of things like the small squishy balls...these are for hand exercises. We'll also do some wrist exercises and start with a little relaxation therapy. It's going to be fun.
We went to Mexican Inn in Burleson tonight for dinner. AWFUL! We love MI but usually got to the one on Camp Bowie. We like the chips and salsa at MI. But the chips tonight were not good. They were shaped like the ones we normally have, but definitely were not made from the same products. And the tortillas were bad, too. Not made from the same products, doughie (is that a word?), and not cooked. Ken had shrimp tacos with rice and beans; I had one tamale, one enchilada, with no beans. I had a 'rita on the rocks; Ken had a frozen 'rita. We came home and that's about it.
Gotta go get shut eye -- need to work my buns off tomorrow to get things done around here, because on Sunday I want to go to the quilting bee, get my clothes ready for work (so I don't have to think about what to put on early in the morning), and study for teaching the classes on Monday. Looks like here we go again! Yea!
It's been a great Friday - hope it's been good for you, too.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Dog days of summer! Dang heat makes it miserable to go anywhere, so I don't. Haven't been out of the house in several days except to take the doggies out to the back yard. The heat doesn't seem to bother K. so much so he has done all the running for us.
We didn't go to the Chick-Fil-A thing yesterday, even though we both support the guy's freedom of speech to say what he believes, along with his freedom to use his money to support whatever he wants to. Our beliefs align with his as we believe what the Bible says is true. Several folks have said they intend to show up at the Friday "Kiss-In" by the gays to show opposite behavior via heterosexuals. I think the entire idea is disgusting. I am so tired of having the gay lifestyle shoved down my throat. I don't care what they do; it's their choice. Just keep it away from me. It's as perverted as anything else - prostitution, child molestation, incest, etc., so no matter how one tries to dress it up, it's still perverted.
So, on to other things. Been a good lazy week. Got a lot of work done on family research...spent a lot of this week back in the late 1700's and 1800's studying various family branches/members. Amazing how much information is online now days. Certainly a lot different from when I started research back in 1981 by going through roll after roll of microfilm!
I had to run the oven on "clean" this week. Surprisingly after dreading it for a couple of days it didn't cause that much difference in indoor temperature. We turned it on about 8 o'clock in the evening on the 3 hour setting. Worked like a charm! All I had to do was wipe it out with a damp paper towel the next morning. A great improvement over our previous self cleaner that made a mess of the entire kitchen by exploding mess all over the sides, cabinets, walls and floor, and ruining the seal around the door.
So, today I gotta go get the face cleaned up (straw beard has to go), go get a new FWISD badge made (my first name is misspelled on the current one), stop by the grocery store to get fixings for a cobbler for project day tomorrow, and then take life as it comes. Well, I DO have to hang up laundry today! And I hate that part of it.
Gotta run. Not much going on in our world. K. looking for a job. That's about it.
We didn't go to the Chick-Fil-A thing yesterday, even though we both support the guy's freedom of speech to say what he believes, along with his freedom to use his money to support whatever he wants to. Our beliefs align with his as we believe what the Bible says is true. Several folks have said they intend to show up at the Friday "Kiss-In" by the gays to show opposite behavior via heterosexuals. I think the entire idea is disgusting. I am so tired of having the gay lifestyle shoved down my throat. I don't care what they do; it's their choice. Just keep it away from me. It's as perverted as anything else - prostitution, child molestation, incest, etc., so no matter how one tries to dress it up, it's still perverted.
So, on to other things. Been a good lazy week. Got a lot of work done on family research...spent a lot of this week back in the late 1700's and 1800's studying various family branches/members. Amazing how much information is online now days. Certainly a lot different from when I started research back in 1981 by going through roll after roll of microfilm!
I had to run the oven on "clean" this week. Surprisingly after dreading it for a couple of days it didn't cause that much difference in indoor temperature. We turned it on about 8 o'clock in the evening on the 3 hour setting. Worked like a charm! All I had to do was wipe it out with a damp paper towel the next morning. A great improvement over our previous self cleaner that made a mess of the entire kitchen by exploding mess all over the sides, cabinets, walls and floor, and ruining the seal around the door.
So, today I gotta go get the face cleaned up (straw beard has to go), go get a new FWISD badge made (my first name is misspelled on the current one), stop by the grocery store to get fixings for a cobbler for project day tomorrow, and then take life as it comes. Well, I DO have to hang up laundry today! And I hate that part of it.
Gotta run. Not much going on in our world. K. looking for a job. That's about it.
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