Saturday, August 30, 2014

A few finds

Hello all,
It's been awhile since I did a post that wasn't Wednesday Hodgepodge, mostly because I've been a little busy lately. We closed the library on August 17th and started to move the next day. As of last Sunday we had the whole collection moved, that's a quarter of a million items in about a week. Now, we have two weeks of training before we open on September 14th. I have been at the bookstore since August 11th. This last week, I worked about 50 hours between the bookstore and the library, I was a bit tired yesterday when I got done. On August 16th I went to the state fair with a friend, that was pretty fun.
My first set of pictures are from a sale I went to on my way home from the library last Friday. There's a church across the street that has a rummage sale every year. Here's what I got:
 These were from the free pile: some art pieces, some frames and a cute bookmark.
 An Easter bag, a couple magnets, some earrings and some wooden ovals.
I know I'm not supposed to be buying more art stuff, but I can't help it. When it's this cheap and I believe I'll use it, I buy it. I should make something completely out of my garage sale finds.
Last Saturday, there was a neighborhood sale that I went to, unfortunately it started out with rain for the day. I still went and found some great finds:
 a couple geese, a rabbit, a giraffe, cat and weird stuffed animal. The geese were in a box with the bunny, I really only wanted the bunny.
 A solar bee, two frames, a funky pin, another giraffe and some miniatures.
 A scarf (it's much brighter), a cute gift bag, wallhanging, and some kind of embroidery.

 This week, I had 3 sales on my list, everything here is from the first sale. They advertised for last week, but I guess she cancelled because of the rain.
 A cute blazer. It's a little tight when the button's closed, but I love the color and thought it might be nice for something dressy
 Another frame (you can't tell, but it's velvety), a cute bluebird painting, To Kill A Mockingbird and American Holocaust (I've seen students buying this book all week and I thought it looked cool, just not for $20)
beaded flowers (apparently I don't have any vases to put these in, I'll have to get creative), some ribbon and vintage jewelry (I LOVE vintage jewelry)

Next week starts training at the library and my last week at the bookstore.

Friday, August 29, 2014

It's Friday

I'm so glad it's Friday
  • I know I still have a 7 hour work day to get through, but I'm so happy it's Friday.
  • I was a bit upset on Monday when I was informed all the evening shifts were cancelled at the library
  • Though, now I'm ok with it. As tired as I've been getting off work and getting up the next morning, having 2 more 11 hour days instead of 8 hour ones would have been way worse.
  • The stress of the students arguing in returns yesterday really got to me.
  • I felt like I was going to the textbook office with questions for every return.
  • If people would just not open packages and keep things in the bags until they need them, my days would be less stressful
  • I texted my friends after I got off work asking about a distressing event, but no one was available.
  • Correction, one got back to me saying she was also tired, the other two didn't even respond.
  • I wish I had some exciting lunch to mark the end of the week, or even something exciting to do tonight.
  • I have a three-day weekend because my shift at the library was cancelled tomorrow, but I have nothing to do.
  • I might just be lazy all weekend.
  • I'll probably make something yummy for the Labor Day picnic on Sunday. And that will lead to free food on Monday.
  • Is it 5 yet?

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

A Tiring Hodgepodge

It's Hodgepodge time, head on over to Joyce's blog to see other people's answers.

1. As August draws to a close, share what's been your favorite weekend of the entire summer? I'm gonna say the weekend of the August 16th and 17th. On the 16th, I went to the state fair with a friend, on the 17th, the library had a book brigade to start the moving of the library.

2. Labor Day is marked in the US of A on Monday, September 1st.  What paying job have you held that you've loved the most? Liked the least? I loved my job at the library, and now I'm not happy with my job at the library.

3. Does the new school year start before or after Labor Day where you live? When do you think it should begin? There is much discussion now about older students having later start times to their school day...your thoughts? Before, when I was a kid the school year started about the same time as the university, now it starts even earlier. I liked the later start time, mostly because we could run away to Okoboji, IA for our last hurrah of the summer.

4. What's something you've worked at recently that could be deemed a 'labor of love'? Nothing

5.Which of the following work idioms can you most relate to right now...'A woman's work is never done.', 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.' 'Many hands make light work.Many hands make light work. The library moved back to it's new renovated location. We planned two weeks for the move starting last Monday, we finished moving the collection on Sunday. That's about a quarter of a million books in a week. Thanks to great volunteers and workers we got done well ahead of schedule.

6. Crab or lobster or thanks, but no thanks? Favorite way to have your choice prepared? I like lobster. My parents and I went to Red Lobster a few weeks ago, I ordered crab legs, I decided it was way too much work for the meat. It also was very salty to me, I didn't like it. I really like their lobster tail and steak.

7. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, 'Three rules of work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.' Which of the three do you consider to be the most important? Share one of your own 'rules of work'. That is way too much thinking for me right now. I just finished an 11 hour day, and my mind will not produce an answer for me.
8.  Insert your own random thought here. We did finish moving the record time wicked quickly, unfortunately that meant that they cancelled two of my shifts this week. I was supposed to work a total of 58 hours between my two jobs this week and I was dreading it a bit, but I really need the money. There's no way I can make up the hours because I'm at one job all day, I only had evenings to work at the library, so I'm a bit perturbed about that.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Friday Confessional

It's Friday, I think I'll do a Friday confessional.
I confess....
  • I want to go to an exciting garage sale, but I'm going to the state fair tomorrow, I'd rather spend my money there.
  • I'm so excited to go to the fair, it looked like it wasn't going to work with my schedule this year, but I'm not working tomorrow, so a friend asked if I wanted to go.
  • I'm going out to supper with my parents tomorrow, I'm kinda dreading that.
  • I've loved not living/speaking with my parents. It's so nice to have them off my back, I'm wondering what they'll bring up tomorrow.
  • 3 more days until the library moves!!!
  • I'm not as tired as I thought I would be. I know next week will be much worse, I have a few 11 hour days coming up. I'm trying to just focus on one day at a time so I don't become overwhelmed.
  • It's payday today!!!
  • I'm enjoying the fact that it's so quiet downstairs I can read my books and not be interrupted.
  • I really hope the fair is as exciting as I want it to be.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Is it time to panic?

It's time for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Head on over to Joyce's blog to read other people's answers/


1. The best part of waking up is the prospect of a new day. I'm always hoping something exciting will happen.

2.  Given a choice, which animal interaction would you most like to experience (or for those non-adventurers...which would you dislike the least?)- Swim with the dolphins at one of several locations in the Florida Keys, a lion encounter ten minutes from Victoria Falls (Africa), or a day at a remote base camp high in the Big Sur wilderness via the Ventana Wildlife Society helping track California condors? I think I'd swim with the dolphins, at least they'd be gentle. I love lions, but they're dangerous and condors have big talons, so dolphins win, plus swimming in the ocean, what's not cool about that?

3. What is something you fear about 'old age'? What is something you look forward to? Some times I already feel like I'm old. I have enough things that hurt I'm worried about more things that hurt, or that I'll strain something that will take longer to heal because I'm older. 
A better job and more money. I'm also hoping to have settled into my own house that I get to decorate, that would be great.

 4. Hot sauce...are you a fan? If you answered yes, what's something you make/eat that must have hot sauce? On a scale of 1-10 how hot is too hot? No, just no. My taste buds are extremely sensitive to spicy and salty things.

5. It's been said that children learn what they live. What do you think children learn at your house? Children don't come to my house, but if they did, they'd learn that keeping things clean isn't that important, as long as it's not gross. I would also hope they learn to keep things around them that make them happy.

6. What's your favorite movie with a number in it's title? Let's see, 44 minutes is pretty good, but so is 9 to 5. Those would be my two favorites.

7. Saturday (August 16th) is National Tell a Joke Day...share one here. What's brown and sticky? A stick.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. Next week, the library starts to move back home. This week I start at the bookstore. It's going to be a very busy and tiring 3 weeks. One of those weeks I'll be working 58 hours. I keep thinking about it all together and how strenuous it will be. I really need to look at it as one day at a time and I know it won't seem so bad.

Friday, August 08, 2014

Friday Confessional

I saw this on one of the blogs I read and decided to join in:

I confess....
  • I'm so glad the university president cancelled VEISHEA. It seems the students and other people who come to celebrate VEISHEA do something bad (like rioting) and the celebration is scaled back for a few years and then they do it again. It's an annoying cycle. I didn't think changing the name, or having things only during the day would stop this cycle. It's sad, because it's been going on for 92 years, but sometimes you just need to realize it's been too much and needs to stop.
  • I'm loving that the house is sold and the new owners are here. It's so quiet downstairs. I always had to compete with my dad's screen reading software and his TV/radio. I've read so many more books in week than I normally do.
  • I haven't talked to my parents in about a week, and I really like it. I feel so stressed around them because I know I'm not living up to their expectations and I feel like I can't relax around them. Like I said above, it's so quiet here, and I'm so less stressed knowing they're not even in the house.
  • I'm a little worried about the upcoming weeks, especially the last week of August. The library is moving back to its original home (I'm not worried about that part) and I'm working at the bookstore for RUSH. I'm working a lot of hours. The last week in August I'm working 40 hours at the book store plus another 18 at the library, and I'll be on my feet the whole time. I try not to think about it, and I know I'm doing it to myself, and I need the money, it's just like a giant thing looming at me.
  • I'm worried about my job at the library after the move. We got re-organized and I'm not very happy with my job right now and I know it's only going to get worse after the move.
  • I really don't want to look for jobs, but I know I need more money, now that I'm paying more in rent and I really do need another/new job.
  • It will be fall soon, and I need winter boots. Specifically I need black boots to wear to work. I got rid of all my winter/work boots this spring because they didn't fit, were leaking in water, gave me blisters, or weren't comfortable. I don't want to spend money on boots, and the stores don't have them yet, I'm afraid I'll forget about it and then freak out when I need them and don't have them.
  • Even though I won't admit it to my parents, I am looking forward to the vacation in Charleston this winter.

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

It's finally quiet

It's Hodgepodge time. Check out Joyce's blog to see other people's answers.

1. What would you say is the key to success? Never stop learning.

2. Have you ever been to the Florida Keys? Any desire to visit that part of the US of A? I have not, I've been to Florida, it was pretty cool. I'd like to go back there some day.

3. When and where did you last see a real live donkey? Monkey? Turkey? Whenever I went to the Des Moines Zoo a few years ago.

4. An old Portuguese proverb says, 'Beware of the door with too many keys.' What do you think this means? Share an example of how this has proven true or false in your own life. Honestly, I have no idea.

5. Besides your home, vehicle, and special jewelry, what is something you keep under lock and key? My fabric book:
 
 It's my favorite piece that I've made. It's made with various pieces of fabric, doilies, trim, hankies, scarves, dish towels, and other bits and pieces I had around my apartment.
Someday, I plan to make another one, but everytime I think about it, I also remember my hand cramping up from the sewing, so it may be awhile. I might just make pages for awhile.

 6. When did you last get keyed up about something? Lately it seems to be work, I won't elaborate.

7. Who thinks we need an easy one right about now?  Key lime pie...yes please or no thank you? That sounds yummy, yes please.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I'm loving not living above my parents. They always called me every day with little things, and wanting me to do stuff for them. I haven't talked to them since Saturday, it's really nice. I love not being under their watchful eye. I'm also loving the quiet. My dad's 'rec' room was under my living room and he always had something on, his computer with screen reading software or his TV, or his radio and I could hear it through the floor. The new owners have a 3-year old and I can here her running through the house sometimes, but it makes me smile. For some reason, when they make noise, it doesn't bother me near as much. I know the floors/ceilings are thin, but I don't hear them as much.

Saturday, August 02, 2014

Buttons

So, the house changed hands yesterday. I went to go garage saleing yesterday morning, and this is the end of the garbage from my parents moving out:
 Ever feel like you're not finding something, so when you do, you buy a lot of it? I've been feeling like I've had button withdrawal lately, so when I saw an ad that listed buttons, I made sure I went to it. And I found quite a few, the first bunch was worth it, I'm not so sure about the second one. I'm keeping all these.
 The metal ones, I couldn't pass by. There are a few with people riding reindeer, some with ships and one with a moose. The shinier metal ones near the top have dragons on them.
Here's the other ones. I really shouldn't have bought them, they're mostly extra buttons from clothes. There were a few neat ones in there, but not worth the price.
 The heart in the bottom corner looks handmade, it's got buttons, a thimble charm, a safety pin and a tiny spool of thread on it.
Here's my last sale from yesterday:
 The cup shows our city hall, it was once a high school, I love the stick pin and I thought I could use the earrings in artwork.
While wondering on my walk I happened upon this bubble poking out of a fence.
 Today I got up and went to more garage sales, six in total. I got to one and they had a 25 cent bin, it's all downhill from there, here's what I picked up:
 Very cute, I don't know what I'm doing with them.
The last sale was across the street from my house, I stopped there on my way home from the farmer's market and grocery store.
There's always one of my pictures that's crappy. If you can see I picked up this mix because of the umbrella and purse pin, way too cute.

After all that, the new owners were outside, so we chatted. I like them, I think we'll get along great.
My legs are tired, between the two days I walked 9 miles, and tomorrow I have to take a jaunt down to Target for stuff.