A little under the weather but with a purpose...

So as some of you may know - I have been feeling a bit rundown lately.  A little overly tired, etc.  But as I was overjoyed to discover, I don't have the flu...or some other form of creeping crud.

I'm pregnant!

Woohoo!  And while I may whine and complain about how I seem to need to sleep 12 hours a day now, how I am nauseous 24 hours a day, and generally feel like someone is beating me with a stick...at least it's for a good cause.

So all is well, I'm taking those horrible smelling vitamins and trying to still get some work done between naps.  The fuzz people who sleep 20 hours a day are bad influences...Munchkin especially.

Other moms assure me that this will all pass in a few more weeks...let's hope, because you know me...if I am not doing 10 things at once whilst thinking about 4 more, I'm not a happy camper.

On the plus side, apparently I now have bionic hearing and the ability to smell what my neighbor 4 houses down is cooking for dinner.  Weird.

SNOW DAY! aka: Is it ever ever EVER going to stop snowing?!

So yeah...it's another snow day! Between Sunday and this morning, Omaha got over a foot of snow. No lulls, continuous snow...without stopping...ever.


Hubby and I were out there like 3 times yesterday shoveling and you still can't tell we even lifted a finger. Today, it's not actively snowing...but we're looking at temps in the negative numbers with -25 degree wind chills. Brrrrr....

So for those of you enjoying balmier temps, here are some pics of what's outside my door. Enjoy whilst I look up pics of tropical climes.

Movie Saturday, other goings on, and random picture

So Thor and I ran a bunch of errands today in kind of a random circular motion, first going to the Post Office.  Had 2 international packages to go out and AGAIN I had to wait till I got to the counter to ask for customs slips since they never bother to stock the forms in the lobby.  Frantically filled those out so I wouldn't have to get back in line, hopefully they are somewhat legible. 

From there our quest for a larger tackle box for our jewelry tools led us to the mecca of all outdoor stores...Bass Pro Shops.  Ok.  So I get that we are in kinda a hunting/fishing/yay guns area of the country...but I was not prepared for the sheer MASSIVE size of that store.  I did like the sign over the door - it made me laugh.

"Welcome all hunters, fishermen and all other liars."

So we go in and I stopped in the middle of the entryway, staring at the multitudes of people SUPER excited to be in that store on a Saturday.  I felt completely out of place and like I had a giant blinking sign over my head, "*cough* Bass Pro Shops virgin. *cough*"  Plus I think I was the only one not wearing flannel and gum boots.  lol

After the successful mission to find a larger tackle box for class, a Starbucks run (because the Bass Pro Shop had one randomly to one side next to the live bait section), and stop for those heavenly candied warm almonds...we were on our way back to Omaha to hit up Target for catfood.  Before Munchkin staged a full-scale revolt and hostile take over...because he's fairly certain he might die of starvation if he is not fed every 25 minutes or so.

Cat food in hand, we then began a journey to the new Aksarben Cinema that was just finished last month.  We found UNO, found it again...got lost, found it again...and then finally stumbled upon the movie theatre.  Sadly, we were like an hour early so we had a look around at the "shopping center".  That took up about 10 minutes...and then we went to Jones' Cupcakes to kill some more time. 

Ok, I really do not understand the cupcake restaurant business model.  Who the heck wants to pay 3 bucks EACH for a cupcake?!  And a whopping $33 dollars for a dozen.  A DOZEN?!!  What kind of lunacy is that?  Buy a cake mix and a can of frosting - make a dozen yourself for like what, 5 bucks?

So then we were off to see Season of the Witch.  Thank goodness the theatre had a military price, because there is NO reason a movie in Omaha costs $9 per person.  Are you serious?  So anyway...the movie...yeah, it was ok until the last 15 minutes or so.  Classic story - great buildup, climax more of a muted fizzle instead of a bang.  A little heavyhanded with the "moral" of the story...felt a bit like a Sunday School comic book for naughty children.

Weather Men calling for either 50 degree weather or 12 inches of snow.  Can I barter for something in the middle??  Temps in the 30s and like 5 inches of snow?

And here's that random pic I promised you.  Because this is the weather I WISH we were having in January.  Of course the pic is from a cruise I took down to Mexico at the time like 4 years ago.  Balmy 80 degree weather, sun shining, ocean, warm sand....*sniff*

And now that I am thoroughly depressed, I have pics to edit for new products.

Home again...home again...jiggety jig - aka. My trip to Keystone

So, some of you may know that I was out of town for the last couple weeks.  And some of you may remember when I was a full time travel agent.  This trip had me pulling my travel agent cap outta storage to be dusted off for the week and change.

Headed to Keystone, CO to play travel agent for Specialized Bicycles annual Dealer Event.

Here are some snapshots I took around the resort...had a difficult time with the altitude so kept to the "lower levels". 

Lots of mountains and water...things I miss from home now that I live dead center in the country.

Enjoy!

New Books - a Saturday stop at Barnes & Noble

This morning the fuzzy horde woke me up an hour before I wanted to open my eyes and so I resigned myself to running my errands bright and early.

The bank, then Petco to get the fuzz people a new cat castle so Pig would stop trying to sharpen his on my bookcases.  And so Munchkin would stop using the rug as a scratching post.  And then to Barnes & Noble to check out some new books.

Found something for both me and Thor - it was a great visit.

For Thor -


 













And for me -

 

Just not feeling much like blogging these days...

I keep trying to put "pen" to paper - so to speak - and end up just staring at the screen for a long time. 

Blank screen. 

Not inspired to write....nothing much to report.

Hubby homecoming heading into the 2 month-ish mark.

Plans to start working on the dining room in the next couple of weeks.  Have already found a new rug and stencil for the accent wall - and am contemplating new chairs...as Thor hates the country-fied ones I have with a fiery passion.

My mind keeps racing with Fall/Winter designs - and my wish list of gemstones is piling up.

And that is all...

Excuse me while I fall apart for a minute.

It's 92 days left, give or take - and some days I deal better with Thor being gone than others.  I really don't like whiners and so get especially mad at myself when I get maudlin like this...because I am a grown woman and I knew what I was signing on for when we got married.

But let me be the first to tell you - being a military wife sucks.  SUCKS.  Sucks bigtime.  For months at a stretch you have no idea if you will ever see your husband again.  You wait, trying not to hold your breath and hyperventilate between phone calls and emails.  You get bad feelings in the middle of the night and then wait to hear anything...hoping that it's just an email from your husband telling you not to worry.

Actively trying not to worry while you are slowly losing your mind with WORRY.  Personally, I try to cram every waking hour with projects and running around senselessly.  Since I've already spent 6 months working on projects in our new house...I am fast running out of them.  So, to fill the gaps, I've started working out 5 days a week instead of 3.  But, the oddest times I will just start crying.  Painting a wall in Thor's office - tears.  Carrying laundry downstairs - tears.  Sitting watching a silly movie on TV - tears.  Driving to work - tears.

Geez, when did I turn into such a pussy?! 

It's the little things that get to you at the oddest times.  When a big empty house seems to echo and there's no smile and kiss on the cheek when dinnertime rolls around.  No rushing to take a basket of clothes from me because he's sure I am going to pitch down the stairs because of my clumsiness.  No talking to the TV while that silly movie is playing.  No foraging for snack food in the middle of the night.

Ok. Now, I'm even more depressed.  And since I don't want depress my lovely readers, I am going to go back to my corner to stew.

Running out of projects...but gaining a lot of light

So to try and pull myself out of my dull-drums I worked on painting the hallway the same color as the living room...a lovely warm peachy tan.

Still have some trim work to do - but instant improvement.  OMG...the people who owned this house before had the absolute worst taste in color.  But, thankfully, they didn't paint over the majority of the original woodwork.

Small favors....and all that.

My lovely staircasing is pictured to the left here with some Photoshop liberties taken with it to make it look like an old hand-colored photograph.

Thanks to the lovely ladies in my Etsy Homefront group for listening to my whining and moping and sending me some great words of encouragement.  I know that I am allowed to have a meltdown every once in awhile...but the stubborn redhead in me wants to scream and throw a tantrum about having a meltdown.

Ok, that makes no sense whatsoever.

Anyway...I'm still here and post-mope if you will.  My neighbors have been pounding and pounding on the exterior of their house all day and I am trying to work around it.  However, trying to be inspired about jewelry so I can compel people to buy with my descriptions...takes a serious hit what with the constant pounding.

But I will soldier on.

The rainy day blues...aka. I miss my husband so much it hurts

So this isn't going to be a dose of my usual random redheadness, sarcastic shenanigans, etc...so if that is what you are looking for, you might want to save this entry for another day.

It's a rainy day here in Omaha...a rainy, stormy and dreary day spent under a quilt with the fuzz people.  A day spent missing my husband...an ache which seems to spread from under my ribs out to my fingertips.  It hits and for a moment I think I might be having a stroke.

But no...it's just my body manifesting the loneliness that I can usually keep at bay with one of my many, many projects.  But some days, like today, the weather seems to make my usual frenetic energy slow down until all I want to do is sleep. And mope.  And cry. And feel sorry for myself.



On our first date in SF.


And miss him.  And worry that every time the phone rings...it's bad news.  Horrible news.  And then yelling at myself for worrying when I get his latest email.  During the wait in between contact...chanting to myself: he's ok, he's ok, he's ok....over and over again.

Normally, I like storms - the days when you curl up with your loved ones, warm and safe at home.  But while he's gone...they seem to taunt me with loneliness, make me realize what I am missing.

Oh, don't listen to me.  I'm just feeling sorry for myself.  And now that I have depressed everyone...I'll call it done.

                                                                                            A couple months before our wedding.

Faerie Wings....or the shedding Tree caper

I happened to look up from my desk while working and saw this shower of yellow coming off a neighbor's tree...so I went out to take a peek.

I found these on my porch railing and all over the ground - they look like faerie wings. 

Of course they are not really faerie wings...but a seed pod of some kind.  This is the tree they came off of. 

Not a botanist or tree expert - so if any of you lovely readers know what tree produces these "faerie wings" I would be interested to know.

It's silly I'm sure...but the floating and spinning of these little yellow pods appealed to my sense of whimsy.

Pig is highly entertained because they are spinning close to his favorite window, I think he thinks they are bugs.  So there is clicking and quacking from that part of the house and then the sound of galloping wee fuzzy feet as he runs back and forth from the window to the front door trying to "catch" them.

He's not the brightest bulb....but he's cute while he's being less than smart.

And so with that note of random musings...back I go to website work.
Happy Spring!

Insomnia bites...someone tell me why I should change outta my PJs...

Was wide awake this morning at 3am - wide awake, alert, staring at the ceiling wondering why I was awake...staring at the ceiling.

Well not this ceiling - this is the ceiling in St. Peter's in Rome.  But hey, it's a ceiling...you get the idea.  Babbling....

Got about 4 hours of sleep and am dragging ass.  Still in my PJs and trying to work up the will to accomplish something today.  So far, I've accomplished making a breakfast burrito and babbling on here.

I should be working on my website, I should be taking pictures of new product, I should be painting my walls or cleaning my house...but I am struggling to keep my eyes open.

Calgon...take me away.  Or rather Benadryl take me away.

Even the unsentimental ones can get SAPPY...

Took a short run to Michael's today for 26 gauge wire and as always I take a peek in their dollar section.

Found a wooden puzzle in the shape of a lobster and started tearing up.  Lobsters are kinda mine and hubby's private joke.  He's my lobster...from Friends...anyway...  So I got annoyed with myself for tearing up...cuz that's not really my thing.  I mean, yes, it sucks big time that he is gone for months at a time...oh the joys of being a military wife.  But I am the oddity it seems, well generally, in that I don't fall apart as soon as he deploys.

I hate every shrieking second that he's gone, would rather have him home, etc, etc, etc...but I knew what I was getting into when we got married.  And I am used to living alone.  It just catches me off guard lately at odd moments.

It's not too much longer...a few more months.  That I will jam pack with every project I can: painting walls, re-arranging furniture, organizing and purging, doing shows, even got a part-time job...along with my vintage hunting and fuzzdom tales...

So after all that...I bought the lobster - first item for the next care package.  I'm averaging about 1 care package to him a month. 

So here is Mr. Lobster.  Hopefully he will make hubby smile when he lands in the sandbox.

Suddenly Springtime...there is much rejoicing!

Hi all -

Today was a short day at the show - doors closed at 4pm and so was home by 4:30pm and decided that since it was such a pretty day I would take my IPod and wander about the neighborhood.

What a change!  Spring has finally arrived.  It almost doesn't seem real, like Mother Nature will yank it all back with a cackle and say, "oh, yeah...here's 6 more months of snow.  Enjoy!"  But the trees are blooming...gorgeous pink and cream magnolias make me smile.  The bulbs have popped up, rainbow colors, nodding in breezes almost whispering at passerbys.

Norah Jones was crooning in my ears as I walked through the neighborhood, just breathing and enjoying the scenery...the crazy mixture of house styles, colors, landscapes, people.  Met a new friend...6 month old Hank (a cutie-patootie Boxer puppy) tangled up in my legs and proceeded to smother me with kisses.  The IPod earphones are a little worse for the wear...but still seem to work.  hahaha.

When I got home from my walk I continued my mad-scientist experiment with PMC silver.  Fires like a dream, but am still working out the kinks with thickness for different ideas I have. 

Plans for the rest of the day include working on new designs because sales have been good and have to keep inventory up since I have 2 more shows immediately following this one.

So Happy Springtime everyone!  Take time out to take a look around sometimes. 

Sometimes the best time is spent doing absolutely nothing.
Leah :-)