the emotional life of sølje

I don’t have much to blog, but thought I would at least check in with a post. I am trying to make changes to my inactive lifestyle, I have much to live for and want to be around to see it Kevin has been a bicycling fiend lately, and I have made it a goal that to be able to ride with him. I refuse to put my rearend on a bike seat just yet, but I do have the goal and am working towards it.

My 2007 Journal Quilt is a pefect example of this. How many diets has a single person been on in a lifetime? For me, many. I think an average gain of 10lbs with each one. So, I bought Bob Greene’s book and daily journal (advertisement time… for about $20 total at amazon! Send adv $$ my way please! LOL!), read it through the weekend (leading up to phase one), and began on Monday (uh, like I would start on a different day?) So the goal with phase one is moving more. That is what I am doing, dusting off the treadmill and walking everyday so far. I hope it gets easier and I “crave” doing it (what I hear so much from people who’ve been exercising).

Back to biking… Its a good thing Kevin has been riding to work on his bike (and now used to the travel), because his truck is currently in the shop right now getting some major repairs done on the engine. Could have been worse of course, so “it is good we brought it in now” they say. I am pretty impressed with his riding up our hill home though.

So that’s how the last few weeks have been in a nutshell. I hope to get back to creating and sewing again soon. I did make an awesome carrot cake a couple of weeks ago. That may go against this diet I should be working on though.

Tags: Thinkings and Thoughts // Add Comment »

I only answer the phone before 7:30ish AM if I see Kevin’s number on the ID, or an emergency services number. I know it must be something big if anyone dares to call that early–at least it better be.

Today, after another bout of early morning Florida Health Care phone calls, I have pin pointed WHY my number keeps getting called. When we began the adoption process for the second time, we were considering going through Lifetime Adoptions, out of California, who is basically a matching agency. Hopeful adoptive parents create an 800 number for interest and connection if one of the potential birthparents decide to contact us.

Today I asked the last caller what the number was that they were trying to call. It sounded familiar. I tried calling it and got the message that the person I was trying to contact was not available followed by a busy signal. So, I decided to find the link to our 800 number. Voila! Next, I googled Florida Health Care along with “mail order” as it seems to be connected. Sure enough, there is our 800 number–except it’s a local number. The people who are calling what should be the local number are adding the 800 instead of the area coade in front of the 7-digit number.

So what do I do now? Endure the EARLY morning phone calls till the last $40 runs out (its based on a 3cent per minute price, and we purchase x-amount of dollars. It can be automatically recharged, but I declined that), or cancel? I have been searching in vain to find the cancel section, but surprise! It appears that cancelling does not exist. ugh.

Any thoughts on what I should have the 800 number ring to? Perhaps I should tell Kev’s older boys to call more often on our dime until the thing runs out. That could be quick, but the thought of dealing with early morning phone calls until then does not sound attractive.

Case solved. What a PIA.

Tags: Thinkings and Thoughts // Add Comment »

I received a lavender order from Labyrinth Hill and I didn’t even have to see who it was from to know where it came from… the yummy scent gave it all away In the order was a how-to-care pamphlet, and directions for making a lavender wand. Never having made them before, I decided to give it a try. Being a visual learner, I had to go to the website to view the pictures: Directions Here I made two since I received my lavender bundles wrapped in a pretty lavender ribbon (and you thought it’d be a yellow ribbon?) As you can see in the pic below, I just couldn’t stop weaving at the bottom of the flowers… it was a bit addicting!

I gifted the magical lavender wands to two girls that live behind us that Daniel plays with often.

On the dog front, I go to pick Bonnie up in an hour or so (she had surgery to remove it this morning). I’ll find out next week what the growth was.

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Kevin worked on the deck railing this weekend. He is now to the far end of the deck railing-wise so he has to start thinking about what he is going to do for posts (that side did not have any posts dug on the outside of the deck area). The lattice skirting needs to also be finished when the posts are done, and then he’ll be able to get back to the railing part. I like how the arbor is coming together! On either side of the part that is up will be another arbor section that is a step down in height. That will probably be next weekend’s project. Also I think we’ve decided on doing some firing strips between the top and bottom boards of the railing. We were thinking more lattice, but have decided against that. I’ll be painting when the project is done (or close to it, depending on how the other end of the deck’s railing goes).

And my poor Bonnie. She has a growth on her chest just after her front legs that is about in the middle of where her rib cage meets. When I called to make an appointment last Thursday, my hand could easily cup it (just smaller than baseball sized). It has since grown and I don’t think it’s looking good. We’ll see what a biopsy says.

Tags: A Family Affair // Add Comment »

I have been working on the “Satchel-It” pattern by Nancy Ota. I am making the small sized satchel, and am now to the point of adding the zipper. Guess what? I need to now go buy that zipper. Going to Joanns just isn’t going to happen right now. Maybe tomorrow during Darrin’s naptime. BTW, looking at the time, Joann’s isn’t even open right now… but I had this post written and ready to publish hours ago before my laptop decided to take a bothersome siesta and needed a little fixing. sigh.

I really like how this pattern is coming along, though I messed up the inner pocket… I don’t have finished bottom edges, but I think I have figured out a way to fix that problem–which I will do before adding the zipper.

I threw this other small mesh tote together last week. There are things I would change, like adding pockets and working on the top edge, but it is a good little bag for tossing toys and things in when I am running out the door with Darrin. I took it with me to Daniel’s piano lessons last Friday and the girl who has lessons after him thought it was a very cute tote, and was impressed that I made it. If she only saw the mistakes

Tags: Quilting // Add Comment »

We received cherries this week that were perfectly ripe in our CSA box. This is actually the third week of getting them, so I decided we need to try something different than simply eating them one by one. I didn’t have any cream, but I did use Golden Glen Creamery’s whole milk. Yum. We like our ice cream creamier, but the flavor for this cherry ice cream was really good.

Today I also received a letter from my sponsered Women for Women sister. Communication can be a little rough, because of translating letters the mail is delayed by a month or more. There are a lot of women being helped, so you can imagine the need the organization has for translators. Letters are highly encouraged, as it’s a personal link between the two “sisters”. The part that is bittersweet is knowing that after one year, my sponsored sister will be moving forward to the next phase in the Women for Women program–which means that our communication will likely also cease unless you know of someone who can translate for you/or if you learn the language to write. I don’t know if my next sister will also be in Kosovo, but it has been where my past three sisters have been.

My last letter was written right after Kosovo was declared separate from Serbia. Zyrha, in response to that letter, wrote in part:

We are very happy that we are free now because we have suffered very much during the years under the Serbian occupancy. Thanks to God that we had the USA by our side; the USA helped us during the war and supported us during the complicated process of declaring our independence. The USA used its influence over the other countries and helped to solve Kosovo’s case in our favor.

The Independence Day was the most sought-after day for ages. We lost most love ones during the war and many other are still missing. Our wounds will take time to heal especially the emotional ones.

I hope that we will never be forced to go through any other war any more.

I have a garden and now that is spring time I have planted many flowers and vegetables in it. I take care of them with pleasure. I am fifty years old but I have the strength of a young girl because I never get tired of working.

Zyhra had lost her husband and a son during the war. She has eight children, and 14 living in her household. When I think about drudgery during the day, I will have to think about all Zyrha has endured and how she has continued on. Time to count my blessings.

So, tonight I will write a new letter to Zyhra. I will talk about the cherry ice cream (milk) that I made today, and I will let her know that I wished she could be sitting with me here, enjoying the indulgence while listening to the rest of summer around us.

Tags: Cooking, Thinkings and Thoughts, Women For Women writings // Add Comment »

I lost something in the resizing, clicking through will take you to the photo’s home. This was our weekend project=power washing the deck and the start of our deck railing (the part not yet painted). Kev decided on a Sunday afternoon about four/five years ago to start ripping up the old decking. It took about three years to put down the composite decking, and about two years for the railing. Now that Darrin is walking (running!), it’s time to make sure he doesn’t take a header off of the deck (or, more like making sure MOM doesn’t take a header off the deck!). The power washing really took the grime and slime off, and now it looks almost like new again. I am planning to do some planting around the deck, thinking about a Primrose Lilac (which is yellow). I have a lilac that my mom gave me about 8yrs ago next to the stairs of the deck. I transplanted it there this spring and it seems to like it’s new location as the growth has come on. I am sure it will get huge, and we are ok with that (privacy).

So, one half done, another to go. Kevin is brainstorming a gate at the stairs.

I like how my tomatoes are looking so happy, and the blooms on Joseph’s Coat have opened up with many colors That name on the bottle of wine is about how I felt after I finally got it uncapped. It wasn’t even corked, and twisting it was impossible because of the thickness of the cap’s metal. Sheesh. It is tasty. A glass and a half was about it for me.

On the power washing… Kevin and I decided that we didn’t notice how hot it was over the last two days because of power washing the deck. The water did feel good!

Tonight we bbq’d some country pork ribs marinated in Bernstein’s Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic (I think was the name) salad dressing, along with some yellow and white corn and salad. Daniel thought there was something wrong with the corn with the different colored kernels

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I am having a Bree Van de Kamp/Hodge moment. For birthdays, hubby’s boss likes to bake cakes for those in her group. I was told by hubby that he said whatever she felt like baking, and that a lemon cake was interesting and would probably be the menu. And then… Kevin comes home with this cake container with a cake that is not light and yellow. It’s dark, with that distinctive coconut/pecan icing. Hmmmmm. Talk about a state fair bake-off moment.

When Kevin took his first bite yesterday of my cake, he said “wow!”. Is that “wow” good, or “wow” OMG this is awful and how am I going to survive this piece?

I thought it tasted ok. It should with whipped up this, grinding that, and constant stirring of the other.

First impression. She baked a three layer. I did a two. Hers appears much more moist, mine is moist too. I can taste a difference in the icing, I don’t think she used sweetened condensed milk, and I used Kevin’s sister’s pecans straight from her tree in Oklahoma (I get bonus points there)–and I finely ground them, I see chunks in the other. And could it possibly be a box mix? I don’t know for sure. If I didn’t like Kev’s boss so much, I would really go all out Bree… but, well, her cake is passable, probably even ok.

I don’t like state fair bake off moments.

Tags: A Family Affair // 2 Comments »

I am so excited to see flowers emerging on my tomato plants! I couldn’t get the heirloom tomato seeds to germinate this year, and on a whim, the boys and I went to Molbaks to pick up a couple of plants. We were in luck that there were two Charlie-Brown-Christmas-tree-type tomato plants left. We planted them, and Darrin and I have been touching (gently) the leaves every time we are on the deck. I tell Darrin to talk nicely to the tomato plants so that it could bring us lots of tomatoes (in a sing-song way. We are goofy). I am positive the tomato plants are growing well because we sing to them

Joseph’s Coat can be dramatic. I need to really trim it back this fall/winter and take care of it. I have neglected it, and it didn’t like the old location so this spring I moved it. The rose seems to enjoy its new location and has been giving me new growth and flowers. I really don’t know how to take care of climbing roses, so I ought to read up because obviously I haven’t been taking care of it right. It should be bushy

Here’s my weed watcher, Bonnie. She isn’t very happy with the new transplantings I have done in front of our deck this year, it has displaced her old sleeping locations

Its a good thing I don’t do advertising for a career, because the product placement obviously wouldn’t have worked for the advertiser in this pic Happy Birthday, Kevin! We enjoyed yummy rib steaks from our recent steer purchase, along with grilled corn on the cob, finished up with German Chocolate cake and Baskin-Robbin’s Rocky Road ice cream. The cake was a fiddly recipe, but it turned out really well. I have had some years where it was pretty questionable… but Kev would eat it with a smile. This year I think we’ll freeze most of the cake and enjoy it later through the year. It is a large cake and we are both doing well with our diet/exercising right now.

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I have been trying to convince Kevin that we should get some chickens… not a big flock, just 3 or 4 hens. And surprise! On King5’s noon news, they did a blurb about urban chickens! I had to call Kev about it, and he said that they were just talking about this at work… and he mentioned my chicken desires! LOL! I call this synergy!

And… then I see Seattle Tilth is doing a COOP TOUR THIS WEEKEND! I really think the forces are in my favor for starting my own flock of city chicks in Bothell. So with this, I have to also do a blurb about one of my favorite blogs I enjoy: (not so) Urban Hennery

Now I need to find a cute chicken picture to add to this blog…

This really old chicken UFO quilt top should work Until I get my real hens

Tags: A Family Affair, Quilting // 1 Comment »

The SeaFair Pirates typically show up at our Bothell 4th of July Parade… and this year was just as exciting with them Daniel was even given a pirate’s coin! I told him to watch out for those surly characters… that he might get stolen and made to swab the deck

Unfortunately I took the video when they were further down the route, so they aren’t as clear. There are pirates on the ship, and of course land roving pirates… but the boom wasn’t missed in the video! I think their “ship” is named the Moby Duck.

Tags: A Family Affair // 1 Comment »

Darrin with his first Webkinz. I let the boys pick out a Webkinz today on the way to pick up our weekly produce box. Darrin hasn’t let his puppy go since picking him out.

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I posted about my progress on this bag at the WASIQ list over the last couple of days. It was frustrating, and I even threatened the bag with being burnt and offered to the great quilter gods in the sky. Today I ripped the entire bag (it wasn’t really a bag yet, just a long panel) apart and essentially started over (got rid of the batting, back layer, and few quilting lines).

Instead of batting and quilting, I used Fast2Fuse (like TimTex) for the sides and bottom. I actually did this last, as an afterthought and had to cut into the lining to add (at least it was on the inside and the fix isn’t noticeable). I also couldn’t find swivel clips to add for the long strap, so I sewed the straps into the bag’s seam. It will be easy to remove if I decide to. Anyway… I like how it turned out, we’ll see if I use it.

Directions here: images.onesite.com/mycraftivity.com/pdf/q_Quilter_Travel_… I’m not sure who the designer is (probably at the link and I missed it.

I am really proud of my outer pocket. I am pleased that it turned out as it did. The way this bag was working at first, the potential was looking pretty terrible.

Opposite ends of the bag. Laurel Burch’s cats were used in the centers of the stars.

Tags: Fiber Art that doesn't fall into one catagory, Quilting // 4 Comments »

Did you know that today is the last day of Pollinator week? By proclamation, Washington’s Governor Christine Gregoire declared June 22-28, 2008 Pollinator Week in the State of Washington, signed February 11, 2008.

Neither did I. But Daniel and I signed up to be a part of the Great Sunflower Project, a bee counting project. Our sunflower seeds never germinated, but when we went to Molbaks last Monday, we bought one that was already in bloom and will be using that one to count our bees from. I think if this had been a “great lavender project”, the bee counting would have been big… they love our lavender that we have in bloom at the moment.

This morning Daniel was upset that our sunflower was laying on it’s side. It seems that one of our brilliant dogs decided that area was the coolest spot to lay down on since I had just watered there. Now our sunflower is caged in with a tomato cage. Hopefully the dogs will be detered, if not, we’ll move on to a “great lavender project”.

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So what do you do when the weather is hot? Make salsa of course!

The yellow heirloom tomato was a pretty pinkish/yellow inside… and so sweet and tasty. The larger green jalapeno on the bottom of the pile ended up not being used. As Kevin was rinsing out the seeds, I could feel my throat starting to burn–and I was only next to him dicing tomatoes! He did a taste test and it barely got past his lips. Yep, a little too hot for our liking.

We also made some guacamole, but I don’t think the avocados were to the totally ripe stage yet. It should be a good mix to use with the salsa though.

Kev’s pictures of the pre-salsa more than likely turned out better than mine. Click through Rocky Raccoon to see pics of the raccoon that our neighbor’s dog treed this afternoon after the salsafest Usually the raccoons don’t come out of hiding in the middle of the day, so I was surprised to have caught it running down our street about a half hour ago.

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