I felt like watching some trashy TV on netflix, so I started watching Army Wives.
It's surprisingly hard to watch, actually. A lot of it is way overdone and ridiculous but there are some awfully realistic scenes. Basically anything doing with deployment really hits home right now. I know for Ax and I it's different, and it's different because we're Navy and not Army.
But I'll be damned if I haven't had some tear-filled moments. And not many things make me cry.
I really miss Ax. It's only a few more months. I can do this. I will not quit or let it get the best of me.
Simon is currently sleeping with his nose smooshed into my thigh and keeps giving me a dirty look because he can't breathe. aaaannnddd he just farted. gross. ughhh.
I am trying to repair my mom's raggedy ann doll that her foster dog...ah...mugged. Poor Ms. Ann was decapitated and then lost half her face. Her dress was also torn, but it's so shredded I can't fix it. New fabric is on the way to make her a new dress. I'm kind of excited--I've never made any kind of clothing before! I'm still a bit apprehensive about giving Ms. Ann a new face. The original face was embroidered, and I've never done that either. Good thing I have a ton of muslin to work with. haa.
Other than that, not too much is happening around here. It rained for a solid 36 hours, which is...interesting. I have never seen it rain that hard for that long.
Time for some tea and then more puppy cuddles. as long as Simon doesn't fart more. p.u.!
Showing posts with label Ax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ax. Show all posts
March 24, 2013
March 20, 2013
Some rambling thoughts.
So I'm taking this writing class on coursera.org. I've come to realize I'm probably not as good of a writer as I like to think I am. My writing abilities are something I've always taken pride in, and now that the pride in those abilities is shaken I don't really know what to do.
Once again, the lack of gainful employment is leaving me in doubt about my worth in this world. Gotta love those mini life-crises...
Humpf. If Ax was here I probably wouldn't feel so shitty about it all. But he's not, so I just gotta pick myself up and carry on. I will allow this as a pity party day. What I will not allow is emotional eating. I can have all the tea I want, but there will be NO emotional eating. Not even allowing vegetables for emotional eating. I HAVE to break that habit.
On an unrelated note:
I can't believe it's almost April. Where has March gone? In fact, where did 2012 and the beginning of 2013 go?? Dear time, please slow down. I'm trying to keep up but you're moving faster than I am!
I kind of fell off the diet/exercise bandwagon. Today, as mentioned, is my pity party. Tomorrow I will get back to my calorie counting / primal diet habits and do some kind of workout. I haven't really gained any weight but I do feel sluggish and sad more than when I was working out every other day.
The FRG meeting last night was interesting. It was my first meeting, so I didn't really know what to expect. I signed up for the homecoming committee...I would have volunteered to be the head of the committee but I feel like I'm not quite qualified since this will be my first homecoming. We'll see what happens, I suppose. I added a few of the women on facebook. Now maybe I can actually make some friends instead of just seeing them at events and meetings.
April's meeting has a make it / bake it / fake it thing, which is an auction of sorts. I'm trying to decide what to make. I have just about a month to put something together. Hmmmmmmm.
With that, now I'm gonna go make tea and watch cartoons. Because I'm mature like that. Yep. Simon will continue to whine that he's not allowed out while it's raining.
Once again, the lack of gainful employment is leaving me in doubt about my worth in this world. Gotta love those mini life-crises...
Humpf. If Ax was here I probably wouldn't feel so shitty about it all. But he's not, so I just gotta pick myself up and carry on. I will allow this as a pity party day. What I will not allow is emotional eating. I can have all the tea I want, but there will be NO emotional eating. Not even allowing vegetables for emotional eating. I HAVE to break that habit.
On an unrelated note:
I can't believe it's almost April. Where has March gone? In fact, where did 2012 and the beginning of 2013 go?? Dear time, please slow down. I'm trying to keep up but you're moving faster than I am!
I kind of fell off the diet/exercise bandwagon. Today, as mentioned, is my pity party. Tomorrow I will get back to my calorie counting / primal diet habits and do some kind of workout. I haven't really gained any weight but I do feel sluggish and sad more than when I was working out every other day.
The FRG meeting last night was interesting. It was my first meeting, so I didn't really know what to expect. I signed up for the homecoming committee...I would have volunteered to be the head of the committee but I feel like I'm not quite qualified since this will be my first homecoming. We'll see what happens, I suppose. I added a few of the women on facebook. Now maybe I can actually make some friends instead of just seeing them at events and meetings.
April's meeting has a make it / bake it / fake it thing, which is an auction of sorts. I'm trying to decide what to make. I have just about a month to put something together. Hmmmmmmm.
With that, now I'm gonna go make tea and watch cartoons. Because I'm mature like that. Yep. Simon will continue to whine that he's not allowed out while it's raining.
March 17, 2013
I'm just too far, from where you are...
Hmm...where to begin today.
Well, Ax called again this morning and wanted to know if we could have a "wedding" when we go back to WI for the holidays. It's starting to creep me out how much we're thinking alike while he's gone. First similar dreams, now this? What on earth is deployment doing to us? haha. :)
So I spent a lot of today on theknot.com looking at stuff. My problem right now is I have TOO MANY ideas! I have settled on colors: navy blue (ish, I don't want true Navy blue!) and champagne. I wanted to stay away from the "traditional" reds and greens that come with winter weddings. I also didn't want to go too loud with the colors, hence the navy blue -- it's still "appropriate" for the season without being too christmasy.
Ax's sister is helping me compile a guest list for their mom's side of the family. With Italians, there's going to be A LOT--there's several I haven't met and I don't want them to feel left out. Even if they can't make it, at least they were invited. My mom is helping with my family, and I know most of Ax's dad's side already so that's pretty easy. When Ax calls next we need to hash out the date. Right now I picked 12/28 but to be honest I have no idea what day of the week that is. ha.
Outside of that, I'm still working on Ax's anchor quilt. Simon and I do a few blocks each night while we watch Netflix (currently going through American Dad, already did all of South Park and Family Guy). Simon and I went for a four-mile walk just a little bit ago, he's finally, FINALLY pooped out and laying down in his crate.
I have a job interview tomorrow! I am excited at the possibility of getting back into the workforce. Right now I'm doing my nails so they look nice for tomorrow--green, of course, for st. paddy's day!
I'm also incredibly disappointed that they're getting rid of Google Reader. Whyyyyyyyyy? I love my Reader! It's how I visit everyone's blog at once! hnnn. Guess I'll start looking at alternatives...sigh.
And with that, off to finish my nails. Then perhaps relax with a small drankkk for the holiday. :)
March 7, 2013
My baby loves me just the way that I am.
Nothing like blogging and looking at quilty stuff with a nice hot mug of English Breakfast tea. om nom.
So the diet thing is going pretty well. I've been looking for a multivitamin that isn't as big as my dog's paw, and the nice guy at GNC found a liquid one for me. Next paycheck I'll have to stop in for it. The gummy vitamins hurt my jaw (TMJ), so perhaps this liquid will work. From what I read you can mix it into water or milk or just drink the capful plain.
I'm using LoseIt to track my food intake; I am SO deprived of protein it's almost sickening. Gonna have to think up more protein snacks. I already have a freezer full of chicken, but chicken gets boring. I don't really enjoy red meat either. And fish has an awful texture I can't get over. Perhaps some nuts? I'll have to google.
"Our" song comes on the radio here at random and I don't know how I feel about it. On one hand, I love it--the country station in Milwaukee almost never played it. On the other, it just makes me miss Ax so much more than I already do. There is a very precious memory attached to this song and often times when I hear it, it makes me long for those days before all this military business. (In case you were wondering, the song is "Would You Go With Me" by Josh Turner.)
On the job-hunting front, I've found a couple things to apply for. I think the trick to not getting discouraged is to only do the hunting every other day, or every two days. That way I trick my brain into thinking I haven't seen all the listings before, and I look at them with fresh eyes. That said, I have several applications sent in and a few resumes to drop off or fax tomorrow while I'm out. I'm hoping to get something local instead of having to drive to JAX...crossing my fingers! I'd really love the library position I applied for, but my hopes aren't too high on that one. I'm sure they have a lot of people applying for it.
We've gotten a couple calls from Ax the last few days! He called from the boat one day, and this morning I got a call before they were going out drinking. They've moved onto the boat but they're still doing work before pulling out of port. At the rate he's going, he'll still be sunburned when he gets back home. Sigh. He's been busy but he seems to be enjoying himself. I suppose if I went to school for an entire year for something, I'd be enjoying actually doing something related to that job as well, instead of standing around doing duty days or exploring a tiny tiny island in the middle of bumblefuck nowhere.
When he called this morning I told him about a dream I had: we were married, just like now. I don't recall if he was in the Navy or not, but anyway...he cheated on me with a girl we had met at a party. The girl felt bad and eventually came clean. I flipped my shit entirely. I was angry. I remember how angry I was--I woke myself up a little grinding my teeth!--and then she told me that she wasn't the only one. There were 18 other girls he cheated on me with in the span of two years. Then I really got pissed. I said something about how they were both lucky I didn't have a firearm--Ax would have been dead and I would have shot out her knee for hooking up with him in the first place. And then I woke up.
The whole thing is silly because Ax has said many times he has no skills with women. Considering i did most of the work to get our relationship moving, this does not surprise me.
What makes it weird is that Ax had a similar dream last night (well, last time he slept. they're half a day ahead of us)! Only he walked in on me in bed with another dude. I apparently crawled back and begged for forgiveness. He woke up feeling really sad. :(
No one warned me about the weird dreams that are had during deployments! That is the first time we've had similar dreams, and we spent a couple minutes when he called today reassuring ourselves that our marriage is fine and that we're completely loyal and faithful. I think after how real both of the dreams were that we needed that reassurance. Especially since we're so far apart right now.
Interestingly, time is simultaneously flying by and crawling. I can't believe we'll be entering the second week of March in a few days!
Time to go look at more quilting stuff. I wish I could win the lottery so I could have a huge fabric stash...haha.
So the diet thing is going pretty well. I've been looking for a multivitamin that isn't as big as my dog's paw, and the nice guy at GNC found a liquid one for me. Next paycheck I'll have to stop in for it. The gummy vitamins hurt my jaw (TMJ), so perhaps this liquid will work. From what I read you can mix it into water or milk or just drink the capful plain.
I'm using LoseIt to track my food intake; I am SO deprived of protein it's almost sickening. Gonna have to think up more protein snacks. I already have a freezer full of chicken, but chicken gets boring. I don't really enjoy red meat either. And fish has an awful texture I can't get over. Perhaps some nuts? I'll have to google.
"Our" song comes on the radio here at random and I don't know how I feel about it. On one hand, I love it--the country station in Milwaukee almost never played it. On the other, it just makes me miss Ax so much more than I already do. There is a very precious memory attached to this song and often times when I hear it, it makes me long for those days before all this military business. (In case you were wondering, the song is "Would You Go With Me" by Josh Turner.)
On the job-hunting front, I've found a couple things to apply for. I think the trick to not getting discouraged is to only do the hunting every other day, or every two days. That way I trick my brain into thinking I haven't seen all the listings before, and I look at them with fresh eyes. That said, I have several applications sent in and a few resumes to drop off or fax tomorrow while I'm out. I'm hoping to get something local instead of having to drive to JAX...crossing my fingers! I'd really love the library position I applied for, but my hopes aren't too high on that one. I'm sure they have a lot of people applying for it.
We've gotten a couple calls from Ax the last few days! He called from the boat one day, and this morning I got a call before they were going out drinking. They've moved onto the boat but they're still doing work before pulling out of port. At the rate he's going, he'll still be sunburned when he gets back home. Sigh. He's been busy but he seems to be enjoying himself. I suppose if I went to school for an entire year for something, I'd be enjoying actually doing something related to that job as well, instead of standing around doing duty days or exploring a tiny tiny island in the middle of bumblefuck nowhere.
When he called this morning I told him about a dream I had: we were married, just like now. I don't recall if he was in the Navy or not, but anyway...he cheated on me with a girl we had met at a party. The girl felt bad and eventually came clean. I flipped my shit entirely. I was angry. I remember how angry I was--I woke myself up a little grinding my teeth!--and then she told me that she wasn't the only one. There were 18 other girls he cheated on me with in the span of two years. Then I really got pissed. I said something about how they were both lucky I didn't have a firearm--Ax would have been dead and I would have shot out her knee for hooking up with him in the first place. And then I woke up.
The whole thing is silly because Ax has said many times he has no skills with women. Considering i did most of the work to get our relationship moving, this does not surprise me.
What makes it weird is that Ax had a similar dream last night (well, last time he slept. they're half a day ahead of us)! Only he walked in on me in bed with another dude. I apparently crawled back and begged for forgiveness. He woke up feeling really sad. :(
No one warned me about the weird dreams that are had during deployments! That is the first time we've had similar dreams, and we spent a couple minutes when he called today reassuring ourselves that our marriage is fine and that we're completely loyal and faithful. I think after how real both of the dreams were that we needed that reassurance. Especially since we're so far apart right now.
Interestingly, time is simultaneously flying by and crawling. I can't believe we'll be entering the second week of March in a few days!
Time to go look at more quilting stuff. I wish I could win the lottery so I could have a huge fabric stash...haha.
March 5, 2013
And the world flips upside down again...
As I'm talking to my sister-in-law. She is dating a Sailor as well, and he moves to Virginia sometime this year...and she plans to move with him. Nevermind that he might not be able to live off-base until he makes a certain rank, that she may not find a job, that she might not even be accepted to any schools down there... (up there? idk how to phrase it)
Just...what the fuck? We move away and everything is jumbled like a game of Boggle.
I understand both the cousin and sister are old enough to make their own life decisions, but DAMN. Did I start a trend by marrying Ax??
Don't get me wrong, it'd be nice to have some part of the family closer (though VA is still a solid day's drive)...but Jesus Christ. Seriously?
I'm trying to be supportive for my sister-in-law (maybe I relate to her better), but even this is hard not to criticize her for her choices. I think I'm a bit hesitant to be happy because I know how much shit goes into moving ALL of your stuff across the country--and neither of them have a car to speak of so that's gonna make it even harder for them.
I'm not saying they can't do it. I'm sure they can make it work. It's just the getting from WI to VA that's gonna be most problematic for them. I don't know that either of them realize how much work it's going to be. That's all.
Time to go reload the dishwasher...I need some time to process the bombshells I've been under attack from. How do I even explain this to Ax? Jesus...
Just...what the fuck? We move away and everything is jumbled like a game of Boggle.
I understand both the cousin and sister are old enough to make their own life decisions, but DAMN. Did I start a trend by marrying Ax??
Don't get me wrong, it'd be nice to have some part of the family closer (though VA is still a solid day's drive)...but Jesus Christ. Seriously?
I'm trying to be supportive for my sister-in-law (maybe I relate to her better), but even this is hard not to criticize her for her choices. I think I'm a bit hesitant to be happy because I know how much shit goes into moving ALL of your stuff across the country--and neither of them have a car to speak of so that's gonna make it even harder for them.
I'm not saying they can't do it. I'm sure they can make it work. It's just the getting from WI to VA that's gonna be most problematic for them. I don't know that either of them realize how much work it's going to be. That's all.
Time to go reload the dishwasher...I need some time to process the bombshells I've been under attack from. How do I even explain this to Ax? Jesus...
February 24, 2013
The days are better, the nights are still so lonely
Deployment is officially underway, as far as I'm concerned. I've heard from Ax sporadically, which helps. I may not be able to see his face or hold him but hearing from him reassures me he's safe. Well, I was told he got sunburned already somehow...so...safe enough, at least? LOL.
Simon and I have been doing okay so far. We keep ourselves occupied enough I think. I try to play with him more now that I have less household stuff to do (the bills pretty much take care of themselves, there's only one person's laundry to do, etc.). It's been nice enough after dinner but before dark that we play outside. And by play, I mean: Simon grabs his toy and runs around the yard at a full sprint. I clap at him or fake-chase him once in a while when he wants to play chase.
It's hard to sleep. For me anyway. Simon doesn't seem to have a problem zonking out wherever he's laying. ha. I usually write down what I've done during the day--which is a challenge in itself, as the notepad only has so much space per page! definitely encourages me to use my vocabulary-- then play games or browse reddit until I fall asleep holding my phone.
The anchor quilt needs to be spray-basted...as much as I dislike it (it irritates my lungs hardcore), this quilt is just too big to baste with thread. And I want to be able to start hand-quilting it on the double! I'm hoping to have the quilting done by the time Ax returns. Ambitious, as it's a queen size...
I've learned that Simon is afraid of ice cubes. I tried to be a nice mommy and put a few in his water bowl, only to have him refuse to drink from it until they melted. He is also afraid of tall grass (like prairie grass) swaying in the breeze. Thunder is the enemy and must be barked at in the most vicious manner! He hated having his nails clipped at first, though we've made quite a bit of progress with it. I trim the back paws and then it's belly-rub time! Then the front two, a quick ear rub, the dew claws, and we're done.
(As I'm writing this, Simon is on the other end of the couch grumbling and grrrrr-ing in his sleep. It's so damned adorable. He often wakes himself up by "talking" in his sleep. Cracks me up every time! He also runs in his sleep and manages to hit himself in the face with his paws, due to the way he lays....)
So I figure I'll take this first deployment a day or week at a time. The weekends seem to be the worst so far, although I've read that feeling that way is common since that's when you spend the most time together as a couple. I'll just have to come up with other things to do instead! It doesn't help that almost NOTHING is open here on Sundays. Being an atheist in the south is a challenge...oy.
I have a freakin' laundry list of stuff to do while Ax is away:
And probably other stuff I'm not even aware of right now. Ha. But there you have it...I guess? I miss Ax terribly. I know he misses me as well, although I'd bet he's excited to finally be deploying after a year of schooling. He's a pretty pasty boy by nature, I can only imagine how see-through he'll be after months on a boat! ;)
Simon and I have been doing okay so far. We keep ourselves occupied enough I think. I try to play with him more now that I have less household stuff to do (the bills pretty much take care of themselves, there's only one person's laundry to do, etc.). It's been nice enough after dinner but before dark that we play outside. And by play, I mean: Simon grabs his toy and runs around the yard at a full sprint. I clap at him or fake-chase him once in a while when he wants to play chase.
It's hard to sleep. For me anyway. Simon doesn't seem to have a problem zonking out wherever he's laying. ha. I usually write down what I've done during the day--which is a challenge in itself, as the notepad only has so much space per page! definitely encourages me to use my vocabulary-- then play games or browse reddit until I fall asleep holding my phone.
The anchor quilt needs to be spray-basted...as much as I dislike it (it irritates my lungs hardcore), this quilt is just too big to baste with thread. And I want to be able to start hand-quilting it on the double! I'm hoping to have the quilting done by the time Ax returns. Ambitious, as it's a queen size...
I've learned that Simon is afraid of ice cubes. I tried to be a nice mommy and put a few in his water bowl, only to have him refuse to drink from it until they melted. He is also afraid of tall grass (like prairie grass) swaying in the breeze. Thunder is the enemy and must be barked at in the most vicious manner! He hated having his nails clipped at first, though we've made quite a bit of progress with it. I trim the back paws and then it's belly-rub time! Then the front two, a quick ear rub, the dew claws, and we're done.
(As I'm writing this, Simon is on the other end of the couch grumbling and grrrrr-ing in his sleep. It's so damned adorable. He often wakes himself up by "talking" in his sleep. Cracks me up every time! He also runs in his sleep and manages to hit himself in the face with his paws, due to the way he lays....)
So I figure I'll take this first deployment a day or week at a time. The weekends seem to be the worst so far, although I've read that feeling that way is common since that's when you spend the most time together as a couple. I'll just have to come up with other things to do instead! It doesn't help that almost NOTHING is open here on Sundays. Being an atheist in the south is a challenge...oy.
I have a freakin' laundry list of stuff to do while Ax is away:
- hand quilt the anchor blanket
- puzzles!
- find a breeder; we would like another dog and Ax wants a purebred Golden Retriever.
- I signed up for some Coursera courses in writing/composition. I figure if I'm not working I gotta keep my brain fresh somehow!
- Get paperwork from shelter to be a foster doggie mommy.
- File state taxes. We're filing in WI, but for whatever inane reason they won't accept the damn thing online. Why can't it "just work"??
- Find Simon an obedience class. Not only to work on his commands but to help him have some "dog time" too. Sometimes I feel bad that he's stuck with me for X amount of months and has no other dogs to play with regularly.
- Make a small curtain for the window in the garage (yeah, we have a window in the garage. Sometimes I don't even.)
- READ BOOKS! I haven't had the time in so long. ;_;
- Keep trying to find a job. TRYING.
- Bake lots of yummies and send them up to WI! :)
- Take Simon to the beach a few times
And probably other stuff I'm not even aware of right now. Ha. But there you have it...I guess? I miss Ax terribly. I know he misses me as well, although I'd bet he's excited to finally be deploying after a year of schooling. He's a pretty pasty boy by nature, I can only imagine how see-through he'll be after months on a boat! ;)
February 22, 2013
Sprechen Sie English??
Ax asked me for a quick tutoring session in German, since one of his shipmates is fluent and he just wants to dick around with the guy once in a while. But the kicker is I had to write it down phonetically. VERY very difficult! I gave him the super basics like counting to 10 (and how to say 11, 12, 13, 14, etc.), yes/no, how to ask where the toilet is, how to ask someone's name (and say his name), how to introduce someone, and of course, how to order a beer. LOL.
He'll butcher the hell out of the language even with my phonetic spellings, but hopefully this guy has a sense of humor and can understand at least a little bit of what Ax says.
With that said, I wanted to show the rest of the boat blanket I was making for him. It's done! He loves it! I think it's utter shit but it's also my first completed quilt and full of flaws. I will say it is SUPER freakin' comfy though. If we still lived in WI, that could probably be an emergency blanket for the car and you'd never freeze under it. Wool, cotton, fleece, and flannel.
My husband agonized over the layout for hours. I'm not even joking. Here is the top that he picked out. If you'll notice, there is a row that is backwards...I ripped the seams and fixed it. Someone was quite agitated about it--BUT he helped me piece the rows together so he can't complain!
Because Ax is so damned tall, I added another row. The very top row in this picture are extra blocks he didn't use, flipped around to the "wrong" side with some embroidery-ish stitching on them in the square pattern. There was some concern on his end because now the cornerstones don't line up but I told him to shush or I'd cut his legs off. HA.
Here it is laid out on top of the fleece "batting" (two throw blankets sewn together for length--5$ total at walmart). The excess length is folded under to help keep his feets warm. Ax has shitty circulation in his feet (despite being entirely healthy otherwise), so hopefully this helps!
I hand quilted the blanket; the couch became the workstation so I could watch netflix and have a comfy seat...our dog, Simon, thought the part I wasn't sewing on at the time was a great pillow.
All quilted, now it's laid out on the living room floor to be trimmed and bound!
In addition to being a pillow, it also makes an excellent doggie playmat?? (sigh.)
The first two edges bound; Ax picked out the flannel backing. It's a baby blue/brown/gold zigzag. It bunched up on me a little bit as I was quilting, poo.
Binding the rest on the machine!
Having the feeling that submarine laundry facilities are rough on fabric, each edge of binding has three separate stitch lines. Also in this photo is the kind of "U" shape I quilted.
After two washings and dryings, here's the finished boat blanket! It's somewhere between a lap size and a twin size. We have a twin size bed in the guest room and it doesn't quite cover the entire mattress.
And there you have it. My first completed project as a quilter, and the reason I haven't updated since the beginning of the month--every spare moment was spent working on this! I have Ax's OTHER quilt (a queen size, roughly) spread out on the living room floor right now, trying to baste it together. Simon thinks this is also his personal bed and chewing space...oy. and it's not like he's on the other side from where I'm working. No, no. RIGHT next to where I'm stitching. Or he steps on the thread. Or he tackles me trying to get me to play.
DOG. Please stop. go chew your bone quietly ON THE COUCH OR SOMETHING PLEASE KTHX. lol. He's a goofball and just loves his mommy, so I don't really get too mad.
Before deployment started Ax and I went to the beach. We walked probably a good two miles, collecting sea shells and people watching. There was an adorable setter running around digging holes and playing in the surf. I'll find a nice day and take Simon just to see what he does when presented with moving water (instead of bath water or rain water) and sand. We didn't take him with originally since we weren't sure if the beach was a dog-friendly one or not. Anyway, it was a great time with him. We made sure to do something special before he left.
So here Simon and I sit (well, he's laying but whatever). I gave up on this queen quilt for now--the minute I go sit back on the floor and work on basting he'll find a way to be exactly where I need to be. LOL. Tomorrow if it's not raining we'll go for a walk and maybe to the pet store to get a special treat for him. For now, more South Park and maybe I'll work on my Super Mario Galaxy puzzle my brother bought me for xmas.
He'll butcher the hell out of the language even with my phonetic spellings, but hopefully this guy has a sense of humor and can understand at least a little bit of what Ax says.
With that said, I wanted to show the rest of the boat blanket I was making for him. It's done! He loves it! I think it's utter shit but it's also my first completed quilt and full of flaws. I will say it is SUPER freakin' comfy though. If we still lived in WI, that could probably be an emergency blanket for the car and you'd never freeze under it. Wool, cotton, fleece, and flannel.
My husband agonized over the layout for hours. I'm not even joking. Here is the top that he picked out. If you'll notice, there is a row that is backwards...I ripped the seams and fixed it. Someone was quite agitated about it--BUT he helped me piece the rows together so he can't complain!
Because Ax is so damned tall, I added another row. The very top row in this picture are extra blocks he didn't use, flipped around to the "wrong" side with some embroidery-ish stitching on them in the square pattern. There was some concern on his end because now the cornerstones don't line up but I told him to shush or I'd cut his legs off. HA.
Here it is laid out on top of the fleece "batting" (two throw blankets sewn together for length--5$ total at walmart). The excess length is folded under to help keep his feets warm. Ax has shitty circulation in his feet (despite being entirely healthy otherwise), so hopefully this helps!
And there you have it. My first completed project as a quilter, and the reason I haven't updated since the beginning of the month--every spare moment was spent working on this! I have Ax's OTHER quilt (a queen size, roughly) spread out on the living room floor right now, trying to baste it together. Simon thinks this is also his personal bed and chewing space...oy. and it's not like he's on the other side from where I'm working. No, no. RIGHT next to where I'm stitching. Or he steps on the thread. Or he tackles me trying to get me to play.
DOG. Please stop. go chew your bone quietly ON THE COUCH OR SOMETHING PLEASE KTHX. lol. He's a goofball and just loves his mommy, so I don't really get too mad.
Before deployment started Ax and I went to the beach. We walked probably a good two miles, collecting sea shells and people watching. There was an adorable setter running around digging holes and playing in the surf. I'll find a nice day and take Simon just to see what he does when presented with moving water (instead of bath water or rain water) and sand. We didn't take him with originally since we weren't sure if the beach was a dog-friendly one or not. Anyway, it was a great time with him. We made sure to do something special before he left.
So here Simon and I sit (well, he's laying but whatever). I gave up on this queen quilt for now--the minute I go sit back on the floor and work on basting he'll find a way to be exactly where I need to be. LOL. Tomorrow if it's not raining we'll go for a walk and maybe to the pet store to get a special treat for him. For now, more South Park and maybe I'll work on my Super Mario Galaxy puzzle my brother bought me for xmas.
January 29, 2013
A fresh start
For both this blog and my sewing room. I revamped the way this blog looks so it's not so...dreary. And you should be able to use RSS feeds to follow me now. If it doesn't work, let me know!
At my parents' house I was stuck sewing wherever there was space...so either my bedroom, the living room, or the sunroom. Here in GA, I have an entire room for sewing, thanks to my hubby! :)
Since the rotary cutter accident a little while ago, I've taken a break from cutting and piecing new projects to focus on some other stuff. Namely, rearranging the room so that I can navigate it easier, and cleaning up my fabric stash so it's not so wrinkly (amazing how stuff gets smooshed when you move!) and is easier to peruse. I think my next project will be making a cushion for my chair, it's hurting my butt! haha.
I took some pictures with my phone along the way. May as well upload them! We rent our house currently, so there's not much I can do with the boring walls or gross carpeting (I HATE carpeting). I still have some pictures I want to hang...I just need to find cheapish frames to fit them. :p
When I'm in here during the day, Simon enjoys sitting at the window and watching the world go by. He cries when the kids next door are out playing basketball. Today he's enjoying the nice breeze by sticking his nose against the screen and sniffing away. :)
Here's my very first sewing machine, thanks to Ax! It was a christmas present, along with the table it sits on. I had to make a point of mentioning that I would need a table to put the sewing machine on, or sewing on it would be very difficult. Anyway, it's a Brother CS-6000i. So far so good! It's a happy little machine. I should name it. Hmm.
At my parents' house I was stuck sewing wherever there was space...so either my bedroom, the living room, or the sunroom. Here in GA, I have an entire room for sewing, thanks to my hubby! :)
Since the rotary cutter accident a little while ago, I've taken a break from cutting and piecing new projects to focus on some other stuff. Namely, rearranging the room so that I can navigate it easier, and cleaning up my fabric stash so it's not so wrinkly (amazing how stuff gets smooshed when you move!) and is easier to peruse. I think my next project will be making a cushion for my chair, it's hurting my butt! haha.
I took some pictures with my phone along the way. May as well upload them! We rent our house currently, so there's not much I can do with the boring walls or gross carpeting (I HATE carpeting). I still have some pictures I want to hang...I just need to find cheapish frames to fit them. :p
This is a shot of my finger now that the cut has mostly healed. I have to wear a bandaid when we go out, or else it looks silly that I have every nail except that one painted. Plus it snags on stuff sometimes. Owies. :( ROTARY CUTTERS ARE SHARP YOU GUYS. No joke.
When I'm in here during the day, Simon enjoys sitting at the window and watching the world go by. He cries when the kids next door are out playing basketball. Today he's enjoying the nice breeze by sticking his nose against the screen and sniffing away. :)
Here's my very first sewing machine, thanks to Ax! It was a christmas present, along with the table it sits on. I had to make a point of mentioning that I would need a table to put the sewing machine on, or sewing on it would be very difficult. Anyway, it's a Brother CS-6000i. So far so good! It's a happy little machine. I should name it. Hmm.
This is a different angle of the table--if you came into the room this is how you'd see it. That's a giant pile of scrap fabric I ironed last night. Now it's in a shoebox! Anyway, that's the chair that is hurting my toosh. And next to it is a 3-drawer cart. The top drawer is "in progress" stuff--I actually have some squares cut from when I was in college that I think I'm going to do something with...sometime. Yeah. Sometime. Second drawer is the "fat quarter" drawer. Some of the medium scraps are also folded and put in there. The bottom drawer has my scrap shoebox, paper for doodles or notes, and a roll of tape. Strangely, I've used scotch tape before during quilting. ha!
My meager fabric stash...although it's much neater now than it was! The mess in that corner is gone; I shoved our file cabinet over there and another 3-drawer cart filled with other craft supplies. There's two more shelves to the wooden structure as well, but they're mostly knickknacks and the like.
This was Simon last night during my ironing, chewing on his bone. He does that once in a while...he'll go from hanging on the couch with Ax to coming in here and chewing on one of his toys. Then he'll wander back to Ax, and back to me, etc. It's kinda cute, like he's trying to split his time with us. haha.
Some of the "not quite fat quarter" pieces I was talking about. And three real-rabbit-fur pelts that Matt had, which I have NO idea what to do with. The small box on the table holds all my Christmas fabric. Which is a surprising amount, since I don't even like the holiday that much.
And the scrap pile after ironing. Ah. So much nice pressed fabric. The bottom-most layers were still warm this morning when I went to put them away. Probably because they were sitting on the rabbit fur. Mmm, warm fabric. :D
Well, I think that's it for now. I have some trash to take out, a dishwasher to unload, a bed to strip of its sheets to be washed, and a dog to take for a walk.
January 22, 2013
Deployments and owies.
I think this upcoming deployment is starting to get me anxious. I lack motivation, just want to sleep, my heart acts up (I have a heart condition), etc. I'm not so much stressed about Ax actually being gone. More stressed about thinking about everything that could go wrong while he's gone. Which is strange because I have POA and can get stuff done on his behalf. So idk.
It doesn't help that I seriously sliced my finger on a rotary cutter over the weekend. No stitches, thankfully. I was cutting some backing fabric for a stupid little project (ugliest doll quilt I could come up with...LOL) when the cutter jumped and sliced my middle finger. I felt the cut and calmly walked to the bathroom with my palm cupping underneath my middle finger. All I said was "well, that's not good" and Ax was up and running to me with the first aid kit. Strangely, the sight of my own blood made me puke. Blood and gore -- mine or anyone else's -- generally doesn't bother me. We just assume that I scared myself sick. Ax was understandably concerned about how I would have handled that if I was home alone. I probably could have taken care of it without much difficulty. And if I couldn't have gotten the bleeding to stop, I would have gone next door and asked for a ride to an urgent care or ER. The neighbors kinda look out for us since we're new here; I'm sure they would have given me a ride no questions asked. Just the way I sliced my finger would have made driving myself dangerous and really difficult.
I sliced not only the "meat" of my finger, but into the nail as well. I'm hoping it heals enough by our anniversary that I can paint it along with the rest of my nails. If not...well, then I'll use a bandaid so it doesn't look so damned silly.
My finger is extremely sore (I can't type with it, too much pressure on the owie), still a bit weepy when the scabs come off from hand washing or showers, but it doesn't look infected which is good. After my showers I've been taking a qtip doused in peroxide and gently swabbing it to keep it clean. It's kind of funny to look at; compared to my other middle finger there is a giant flat spot on the injured one.
This is not the first time I've seriously cut myself; back in high school I wrecked my left index finger on a mandolin slicer. It took almost four years for the fingerprint to grow back. And if you poke at it some days, I have no feeling in the fingertip. hahaha.
I am extremely lucky I didn't do more damage with the rotary cutter. There was a post on reddit.com a while back of a woman who lost about half her finger (vertically speaking) from one. These things are INCREDIBLY sharp. Be careful out there, crafters!
It doesn't help that I seriously sliced my finger on a rotary cutter over the weekend. No stitches, thankfully. I was cutting some backing fabric for a stupid little project (ugliest doll quilt I could come up with...LOL) when the cutter jumped and sliced my middle finger. I felt the cut and calmly walked to the bathroom with my palm cupping underneath my middle finger. All I said was "well, that's not good" and Ax was up and running to me with the first aid kit. Strangely, the sight of my own blood made me puke. Blood and gore -- mine or anyone else's -- generally doesn't bother me. We just assume that I scared myself sick. Ax was understandably concerned about how I would have handled that if I was home alone. I probably could have taken care of it without much difficulty. And if I couldn't have gotten the bleeding to stop, I would have gone next door and asked for a ride to an urgent care or ER. The neighbors kinda look out for us since we're new here; I'm sure they would have given me a ride no questions asked. Just the way I sliced my finger would have made driving myself dangerous and really difficult.
I sliced not only the "meat" of my finger, but into the nail as well. I'm hoping it heals enough by our anniversary that I can paint it along with the rest of my nails. If not...well, then I'll use a bandaid so it doesn't look so damned silly.
My finger is extremely sore (I can't type with it, too much pressure on the owie), still a bit weepy when the scabs come off from hand washing or showers, but it doesn't look infected which is good. After my showers I've been taking a qtip doused in peroxide and gently swabbing it to keep it clean. It's kind of funny to look at; compared to my other middle finger there is a giant flat spot on the injured one.
This is not the first time I've seriously cut myself; back in high school I wrecked my left index finger on a mandolin slicer. It took almost four years for the fingerprint to grow back. And if you poke at it some days, I have no feeling in the fingertip. hahaha.
I am extremely lucky I didn't do more damage with the rotary cutter. There was a post on reddit.com a while back of a woman who lost about half her finger (vertically speaking) from one. These things are INCREDIBLY sharp. Be careful out there, crafters!
July 19, 2012
Two weeks and counting...
Until we find out where the first duty station is. Ax is extraordinarily nervous; I think it's because once we're there, it's the REAL DEAL and not just "pretend" anymore. No more school, now he actually has to apply all that knowledge he's learned over the course of nine months. I'm anxious because I want to start looking for jobs (there's no way we can afford all the bills on an E-3 salary). And I want to start looking for a doggie to adopt. Ever since we put Sarah down in March, my life has had a gigantic hole in it. :(
To try and fill in that hole temporarily, I'm headed to the local Greyhound rescue on Sunday to welcome in a new herd of hounds. I would LOVE to adopt a Grey when we move, but all sorts of doggies need forever homes...so whoever attaches themselves to my leg will come home.
 |
| My Treeing Walker Coonhound, Sarah. <3 |
To try and fill in that hole temporarily, I'm headed to the local Greyhound rescue on Sunday to welcome in a new herd of hounds. I would LOVE to adopt a Grey when we move, but all sorts of doggies need forever homes...so whoever attaches themselves to my leg will come home.
---
I'm part of the Groton FB page, where a bunch of wives/moms talk about their Sailors and yadda yadda...one of the Sailors is being separated from the Navy for a failure to adapt. He had ALMOST made it through schooling too. He hates being away from his family so much that it's affected his ability to do his job. Where he is originally from is really struggling economically right now so he likely won't have a job when he gets back home. It's disappointing, to be honest. Ax called him a "shitbag", which I have noticed is a common term for people who are not good at their jobs, but I think that's a bit harsh. I imagine the Navy (as well as other branches of military) realize that there are going to be people who will just not fit in after trying and pushing through most of their training. People who are on a boat against their will (more or less) are dangerous and he's honestly better off elsewhere. I was hoping they'd transfer him to surface ships, but I guess they decided to cut ties with him entirely.
On a sadder note, this thread on Reddit (yeah, I reddit) made me cry. A poster submits a photo of his brother who was killed two years ago today by an IED. Someone from the brother's outpost in Afghanistan posted more photos of them during their tour, with stories/background for each one. It was really really touching. I don't normally cry at ANYTHING, much less a story on the internet (as cold-hearted as this will seem, servicepeople die all the time over there)...but something got to me in this one.
And now, I return to my NCIS mini-marathon. Mmmm Gibbs. ahahahah.
July 5, 2012
I'm gonna love you forever & ever, forever & ever amen.
Okay but seriously now, getting back into this. Navy life is gonna get more interesting in another month or two and I want to be back in the habit of writing so I can track it. My memory is for shit, honestly, so if it's not written down chances are I won't remember jack.
I'm planning on importing my posts from my previous blog during the weekend...hopefully I remember to backdate them so they appear in order.
For now, to keep my mind moving a bit before bed, I'll jot down what I remember from my trip about a week ago to visit the Ax.
As you may or may not know, the Ax is in CT right now going through A-School. Last I heard, he was top of his class with a roommate of his being right behind (cue gay Navy joke, ba-dum-tish?).
Out of the three or four schools he's had while in CT, it doesn't seem like any of them were too terribly hard for him. Which is good. He's a smart kid, he just doesn't always apply himself (much like me). Although now he has to, or he's out of a paycheck and a job. He takes his role as a financially supportive husband fairly seriously, so he's certainly going to do whatever the Navy asks. "Jump!" "HOW HIGH?!"
Back to the trip...flew out on a Thursday, which was his duty day. Long story short, rental car companies suck ass at renting to people under 25. After finally getting a rental, I checked into the hotel while he did GMT and then we hung around base for a while. We got subway, he showed me his new barracks (he moved since the last time I was there) as well as some of the other parts of base I don't normally drive past.
Friday he had school, so I picked him up a little while after that. General husband-wifey time, then we got dressed for dinner and headed out. I'm glad we left a bit early, as it was rainy and gross (why does it always rain on my birthday? did that last year too--in an entirely different state!) and the parking garage was almost full.
We were originally going to eat at Michael Jordan's steakhouse, but apparently they do not serve ANYTHING to a patron under 21. If you're confused by this that's okay, because we were too. So we walked down the hall and ended up at Bar Americain, a Bobby Flay restaurant. GORGEOUS. The food was amazing (would you expect less from a Flay establishment?), we ate until we could eat no more. My birthday "cake" was like an upside-down smore, except the chocolate was pudding and the "marshmallow" was rum-infused whipped cream. And the graham cracker was wafer-thin with powdered sugar on top. And my candle was wedged into a little blackberry! It was almost too cute to eat. But I ate it. Despite the dairy and my lactose intolerance. Ate that smore like it was going out of style. He bought me a Kershaw for my birthday. I love it! and the mushiest card he could probably find in the NEX, but I'll find a way to outdo him for his birthday....WATCH OUT HUBBY. I'MA GETCHU!
Saturday....I forget what we did, honestly. Probably a lot of nothing because we're generally broke after paying for a car, the flight, and a hotel. Next time I'm driving my own car, that'll save at LEAST 200 bucks if not more. We had applebee's for dinner, and I got to say hi to Brony, who is one of the Ax's friends from RTC. Brony is a guy who loves My Little Pony. I think he is the most adorable thing on the planet. I would take him home with me if I could!
Sunday was our emo day, because monday meant less time together which meant tuesday (the departure day) was right around the corner. But we wandered the Olde Mystick Village, had brunch at our usual establishment, and later on that evening saw Brave. Cute movie! Kind of your stereotypical disney plot (treat others as you would be treated, family is important, etc etc), but cute characters and a lot of funny moments.
I honestly don't remember what i did Monday while Matt was in class and PTing. Haven't a clue. I remember I was really sad that I couldn't see him until dinnertime, but I suppose with inspections on Tuesdays he was trying to get some stuff ready.
Tuesday I only got to see him for lunch, and I was sad. Really sad. It honestly breaks my heart to leave CT, because all I see in his eyes for the last time is how sad and lonely he is already. Yeah, he's got buddies and he's active on base with sports and whatever, but it's different than having your best friend and your spouse there.
I went back to the Village to kill some time before my flight, and bought mom her birthday gifts. Two jars of handmade jam and a new set of coasters. It WAS her birthday, after all. She was really excited to see me when I got back to the Cheese state...not that I didn't miss her, but CT is kind of home now. I am a military spouse and the base happens to feel most like home.
So yeah. Overall that visit was probably my favorite. I always worry on the flights out to CT that I'll be met with a husband who is vastly different than the previous time I was in his arms...but I am always unsurprised when he hasn't changed a bit. More disciplined? Sure. Less full of beer? Definitely. But he's mine, still, and I couldn't ask for more.
---
Orders should be picked pretty soon...if he's still at the top or near the top of his class, I believe he gets first dibs. Honestly I'm getting a little anxious to know where I'll be spending the next year or two of my life. Anywhere would be okay with me, honestly. Hawaii, while AWESOME, is a bit far from what little family I am close to....but I think I'd manage. I'm also hoping he picks a boomer instead of fast attack. Weighing the pros and cons on my own, I'd much prefer he play around on a boomer.
After orders comes his birthday, his A-school graduation, a little bit of leave, and then PCSing to a duty station. THEN comes a place to live, a dog (or two), and me finding a job/some kind of paying activity.
Life's reasonably quiet now....it's just a matter of time before it's turned upside-down again. And with that, I sign off for the evening since I work early early early tomorrow. Plus it's going to still be hotter than Satan's asshole.
I'm planning on importing my posts from my previous blog during the weekend...hopefully I remember to backdate them so they appear in order.
For now, to keep my mind moving a bit before bed, I'll jot down what I remember from my trip about a week ago to visit the Ax.
As you may or may not know, the Ax is in CT right now going through A-School. Last I heard, he was top of his class with a roommate of his being right behind (cue gay Navy joke, ba-dum-tish?).
Out of the three or four schools he's had while in CT, it doesn't seem like any of them were too terribly hard for him. Which is good. He's a smart kid, he just doesn't always apply himself (much like me). Although now he has to, or he's out of a paycheck and a job. He takes his role as a financially supportive husband fairly seriously, so he's certainly going to do whatever the Navy asks. "Jump!" "HOW HIGH?!"
Back to the trip...flew out on a Thursday, which was his duty day. Long story short, rental car companies suck ass at renting to people under 25. After finally getting a rental, I checked into the hotel while he did GMT and then we hung around base for a while. We got subway, he showed me his new barracks (he moved since the last time I was there) as well as some of the other parts of base I don't normally drive past.
Friday he had school, so I picked him up a little while after that. General husband-wifey time, then we got dressed for dinner and headed out. I'm glad we left a bit early, as it was rainy and gross (why does it always rain on my birthday? did that last year too--in an entirely different state!) and the parking garage was almost full.
We were originally going to eat at Michael Jordan's steakhouse, but apparently they do not serve ANYTHING to a patron under 21. If you're confused by this that's okay, because we were too. So we walked down the hall and ended up at Bar Americain, a Bobby Flay restaurant. GORGEOUS. The food was amazing (would you expect less from a Flay establishment?), we ate until we could eat no more. My birthday "cake" was like an upside-down smore, except the chocolate was pudding and the "marshmallow" was rum-infused whipped cream. And the graham cracker was wafer-thin with powdered sugar on top. And my candle was wedged into a little blackberry! It was almost too cute to eat. But I ate it. Despite the dairy and my lactose intolerance. Ate that smore like it was going out of style. He bought me a Kershaw for my birthday. I love it! and the mushiest card he could probably find in the NEX, but I'll find a way to outdo him for his birthday....WATCH OUT HUBBY. I'MA GETCHU!
Saturday....I forget what we did, honestly. Probably a lot of nothing because we're generally broke after paying for a car, the flight, and a hotel. Next time I'm driving my own car, that'll save at LEAST 200 bucks if not more. We had applebee's for dinner, and I got to say hi to Brony, who is one of the Ax's friends from RTC. Brony is a guy who loves My Little Pony. I think he is the most adorable thing on the planet. I would take him home with me if I could!
Sunday was our emo day, because monday meant less time together which meant tuesday (the departure day) was right around the corner. But we wandered the Olde Mystick Village, had brunch at our usual establishment, and later on that evening saw Brave. Cute movie! Kind of your stereotypical disney plot (treat others as you would be treated, family is important, etc etc), but cute characters and a lot of funny moments.
I honestly don't remember what i did Monday while Matt was in class and PTing. Haven't a clue. I remember I was really sad that I couldn't see him until dinnertime, but I suppose with inspections on Tuesdays he was trying to get some stuff ready.
Tuesday I only got to see him for lunch, and I was sad. Really sad. It honestly breaks my heart to leave CT, because all I see in his eyes for the last time is how sad and lonely he is already. Yeah, he's got buddies and he's active on base with sports and whatever, but it's different than having your best friend and your spouse there.
I went back to the Village to kill some time before my flight, and bought mom her birthday gifts. Two jars of handmade jam and a new set of coasters. It WAS her birthday, after all. She was really excited to see me when I got back to the Cheese state...not that I didn't miss her, but CT is kind of home now. I am a military spouse and the base happens to feel most like home.
So yeah. Overall that visit was probably my favorite. I always worry on the flights out to CT that I'll be met with a husband who is vastly different than the previous time I was in his arms...but I am always unsurprised when he hasn't changed a bit. More disciplined? Sure. Less full of beer? Definitely. But he's mine, still, and I couldn't ask for more.
---
Orders should be picked pretty soon...if he's still at the top or near the top of his class, I believe he gets first dibs. Honestly I'm getting a little anxious to know where I'll be spending the next year or two of my life. Anywhere would be okay with me, honestly. Hawaii, while AWESOME, is a bit far from what little family I am close to....but I think I'd manage. I'm also hoping he picks a boomer instead of fast attack. Weighing the pros and cons on my own, I'd much prefer he play around on a boomer.
After orders comes his birthday, his A-school graduation, a little bit of leave, and then PCSing to a duty station. THEN comes a place to live, a dog (or two), and me finding a job/some kind of paying activity.
Life's reasonably quiet now....it's just a matter of time before it's turned upside-down again. And with that, I sign off for the evening since I work early early early tomorrow. Plus it's going to still be hotter than Satan's asshole.
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