I have a pretty full couple of weeks ahead of me, so I’m thinking that I may need a list, just to help me keep track of things here. I’ve been so scatterbrained the past few days, I’m sure it has something to do with the changing of the seasons & the change in our household, Troy’s new medications, the falling economy & Rhi’s diagnoses and that it’ll pass when I adjust. I’m not checking the ‘net for term life insurance quotes or anything, just some stuff that needs to be done around here.

1. Finish the signs I started for the apple festival.
2. Decide which stock is going with me for the apple festival.
3. Price the stock.
4. Pack stock.
5. Ask to borrow an easy-up from someone.
6. Remind Troy to see about a shift-exchange for that day.

I knew I was forgetting to look at something when I was out at the hardware store yesterday with Rhi. We went to look at paint samples, since she’s wanting to paint her bedroom & thought maybe there would be some more choices in her preferred colors. We wandered around, looking for the shelving & never found it & I had meant to pop over & look at the faucets, because the one in my kitchen is leaking & I’d really love a new one. I completely forgot all about it, even though it was in my mind when we pulled up & parked. I really hate when I do that, but fortunately, it doesn’t happen as often as it used to. I’d rather go when we have money for a new one, anyway.

I bought a bunch of plaques to make some more of my little smart-alecky signs on for the apple festival. I haven’t heard anything from anyone, but I’m still assuming we’re doing it. I have them sanded & holes drilled for the wire hangers. I plan to put the white base coat on all of them tonight & tomorrow, while I’m sitting around. I’m free this evening until about 10, then I have to pick Rhi up from work. She moved back in with us last week, so the last several days were spent running back & forth to pick up the forgotten shampoo, conditioner, acne treatments, clothes & what have you that she missed when she was moving out.

Hopefully, she’s settled inhere now & I can have a bit of time to myself again. I’ve gotten a little bit spoiled with everyone moving out & I’m having kind of a hard time getting used to them both being back. It’s okay, don’t get me wrong, because I’m not actively parenting either of them anymore and we’re all getting along swimmingly, I just got used to being alone.

In one month, I’ll be making my list for Christmas cards. So, what that means to all of you, is that if you’d like a card from me, you need to let me know. You don’t have to send me one in return if you don’t want to, but if you do, let me know & I’ll send you my address. So, if you want a card, drop me an email at dyanemcsATgmailDOTcom & let me know, make sure you give me your name & mailing address & let me know if you’ll be needing my address, too.

I’m starting all of this so early because I’m using the Christmas Countdown planner over at OrganizedChristmas.com and it starts the week of October 26, and that week I need to make my card list. I’m really excited for the holidays this year. We’re cutting back on spending & trying to get back to focusing on our family & spending time together. I’m making some nice gifts for several people that I’m really excited about, I may even make one ofthem for myself. I like feeling like I may have a grip on the holidays this year without getting completely overwhelmed.

About 3 years ago, I was working at an arts festival up on Brian Head. We were operating the inflatables, you know, those giant slides & bounce houses & such, so I didn’t get much of a chance to go & look at anything. I did manage to have a break when I had my lunch, so I went wandering around, just to stretch my legs. There was this craftsman that made furniture out of lodge pole pine, and he had stuff I’d never seen before. Pretty much everyone around here has seen the beds, my best friend even has one, but I had never seen couches, tables computer desks or chairs made from them. They were just gorgeous & if I’m ever able to afford brand new furniture, I think I’d choose lodge pole pine, it’s just so unique, I’ve never seen two pieces that were the same. They just have a charm that mass-produced furniture never seems to have anymore.

I’ve always wanted to be more responsible for my clothing. I don’t mean taking better care if them or anything like that, I mean making them. I never seem to sew anything, but garb, that I actually want to wear. I’d love to sew my own swimsuit or underwear, but I know I probably wouldn’t ever wear them. I’ve bought pattern after pattern and either what I made didn’t fit me right, or I never got around to making even cutting the pattern out.

Do any of you sew your own clothing? If so, what patterns do you like? Do you change them or adjust them to fit you, or what? Are there any really nice plus size patterns out there? If so, which comapny makes them?

We were asked the other day, if we’d be interested in bringing the booth to the New Harmony Apple Festival in October. We’ve talked about doing this event since we started out, because most of us will be there anyway & it’s one of those nice, small town festivals that everyone loves to go to. I went & bought some supplies for making my small signs, since those sold pretty well at Faire & I think they will at this, too & now I’m trying to decide what, exactly, to bring to this one.

I thought about leaving the soap behind, but Troy thinks it might sell better at something like this, so I’ll bring it along. I think I’ll bring all of the fairy stuff and everything that’s handcrafted, too. I’m looking forward to it, it should be a lot of fun, even if we don’t do a lot of business.

On another note, don’t you hate it when you’re trying to find out the purpose of some item, like say spring plungers, and no matter where you look for an answer, it assumes that you have a basic knowledge of the item in the first place, so you’re just as lost after you read it? Don’t make it so complicated that a buffoon like me can’t understand it, please!

I had a dream a few weeks ago about something I think would be a lot of fun. It was something about Renaissance Faire-type cruises. Everyone was in garb and in persona anytime they were in the public areas of the ship. All of the food was faire style and there were little shops to buy cool things in, too. I know this could never happen in reality, the logistics are just too crazy to get it to work, but wouldn’t it be fun if it were true?

I know I’d want to save up our money & go, for sure and I’ll bet all of my friends would want to go, too. There are a lot of themed cruises out there, for all I know they have one like this, I doubt it would match up to my dream (nothing really ever does, right?), but it would probably still be a lot of fun.

I’m so hungry for the past two days or so. The closer we get to payday, the less food we have in the house & the hungrier everyone is. I think a lot of it is that I’m not used to shopping for three anymore, since Rhi moved out in May & Erin wasn’t here then. Now he’s back & I’m not used to it yet. At any rate, I’m, not tempted to find out what the best diet pills are these days! I think I’ll go heat up my last frozen meal & see if that does the trick.

I need to get together with Dawn this weekend sometime and talk about what we want to do with the booth. I know that I’d like to continue with it, even if we don’t have an abundance of handmade crafts next season. Her pouches didn’t sell really well this year, but I think a lot of that was the way she put the belt loops on and maybe the combination of fabrics she used this time around. I think they’d sell if she fixed those things.

My signs sold alright & they’ll sell again next year, I think I’ll add a few more styles to the mix & repeat more of them in different colors. The soap barely sold & the bath salt didn’t sell at all, so I think those are both out, unless I decide to make two or three batches of fragrances like Dragon’s Blood and such. I’d love to get a hold of an incense distributor and sell that, because no one has been lately & I know it always sells. I’m also wanting Vicki to sell candles again & if she doesn’t want to, I’d like to, maybe in decorated canning jars.

I’m going to need a good wrinkle cream by the time I’m done worrying about all of this and planning, I swear! At least next year, I’ll have my lap top with me to help keep track of sales & such, which should make things a lot easier that way.