The Art of Learning Something New

Imagine it's early spring of a new year. You've moved, are living in a new home, and are just starting to get settled in. Then all of a sudden, every inch of the world is elbow-deep in a deadly pandemic. All social activities are cancelled and everyone is sent home to work. Everything changes in an instant and you realize you're an extrovert in an interesting situation. Nothing is the same and you need something to keep yourself busy; otherwise the alternative (for yourself, at least), is to waste away and be miserable for what quite possibly could be, a very long time. So you make the best of it and find a new hobby!

I come from a "crafty" family. My dad made his living as a carpenter. My mom sewed us little outfits as children, created beautiful (and intricate) cross-stitch art, then later in life picked up card-making and various other handiwork. My sister was born with an eye for art and drawing and working with her hands. And me? Working with my hands was never a fun activity. I'd rather read a book or hang out with my friends or, later in life, spend hours on the computer. I haven't really changed, honestly, but this pandemic situation gave me an idea and I ran with it!

It all started with a used piece of furniture, and thus far, the rest is history! I'm writing this blog to share my experience with furniture refinishing, both to help others if they want to try the same, and to keep a record of the details for myself when I'm old and grey and can't remember I did it! Each item below will include the tools and mediums I used, the approximate amount of time spent on them, lessons learned, and before and after photos.

The piece that started the fun this spring was a 4-drawer dresser. I found it on Facebook Marketplace for $40 and, although it needed work, I felt it was a great deal for a good-sized piece of furniture. I wanted to use it to store extra sheets and blankets, and the space it was going in would be perfect.

The dresser came without any hardware, but I recycled some old ones I already had at home. This piece took the most time to finish, and I used the largest variety of mediums. To start, I used an electric palm sander and a Dremel to remove the finish. I wanted to get this one down to the original wood or MDF rather than try to prime over it. 

Mediums Used:

1. Once sanded down entirely, I primed it with Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 Water-Based Primer. I did two full coats of primer before moving on.
2. I painted the dresser with Beauti-Tone Signature Series Semi-Gloss Acrylic in White. I didn't get it tinted at all, just went with the can as-is. I used two full coats of this one, and an extra coat on top.
3. To finish it, I used Varathane 3X Triple-Thick Clear Finish, just on the top, and did two coats. I first tried using a different product for the finish, but wasn't happy with it. 
4. The drawer pulls were, as mentioned, recycled. Under the metallic colouring, they're a dark brown wood. I used Rust-Oleum Aluminum Gloss spray paint in Metallic for these, taking them outside and making up a little spray station to keep dust and dirt from sticking to them.
5. Then the last thing to do, and completely optional but an added bit of fun, was to line the drawers with pretty paper. I found some Self-Adhesive Vinyl Contact Paper in a black floral pattern on Amazon.ca. It was a finicky job but worth it for the end result!
6. And I almost forgot: the drawer slides needed to be replaced on this dresser because the rollers were quite worn out. This was a frustrating item: I purchased the wrong ones first (long story), and this was only after installing them ALL on (that's 48 screws, by the way). Then the newly-purchased set still didn't quite work (again, not being smart and putting all 48 screws in first)... so I finally learned my lesson and worked on one drawer to get it right before finishing the rest. If you need any 12" brand new slides, I have a set of 4 available!

Time Spent: A lot!! It's actually quite hard to say with this one. I'd guess 3 hours of sanding, another 2-3 hours of painting, and another hour or so for the adhesive paper. Just the drawer slide debacle itself ate up 2-3 hours itself, so I'll leave that out and write it off as a major learning opportunity... Also, I don't want to talk about it!! HAHA

Lessons Learned: Sand between coats of primer AND paint. The internet was right, and I didn't pay attention to it. Sanding doesn't mean taking off all the work you just did; the step is there to smooth out any imperfections so you can end up with a really, really nice-looking piece. I only sanded after the first coat of paint, and by that time it was too late for a few spots. Oh well!

Okay, now the fun stuff!

Before

After

To see what the inside of the drawers look like, check out my link above for the adhesive paper on Amazon.

The second piece is an old headboard that has been in my family a long time. I don't actually know when it was first acquired, but my guess is the 70s.

I kept it incredibly simple with this one, using only two mediums. And since it was the most simple piece, it also took the least amount of time.

Mediums Used:

1. I didn't sand the headboard, but did prime it with the same Zinsser product. I believe I applied two coats, and they dry pretty quickly.
2. Then I used Rust-Oleum Multi-Purpose Paint in Semi-Gloss Black that most likely didn't even need a base-coat primer, but I wanted to make sure it stuck. The headboard was covered in a varnish, after all. I used two or three coats of this, and only to make sure that it fully covered the base coat and original finish.

Time Spent: Around 1 hour. It was mush easier to paint because it didn't have nooks and crannies and multiple sides. And honestly, I didn't entirely wait for each coat to dry to glob on another. I knew that it would look good when it was done, and wasn't intended to be a statement piece anyway.

Lessons Learned: Again, just sand a bit in between coats, at least between the primer and gloss.

Before

After

The third piece is a set of nightstands. I also found these on Facebook Marketplace, and also for $40. I wouldn't have spent more than this because they're the cheap kind of MDF that every piece of furniture is made with, and it doesn't last forever. But I wanted to get new ones because my existing set was far too big for the space, and it was time to get rid of them.

I'm sure you've all had (or still have) furniture like these: they're MDF (in case you didn't know, that stands for medium-density fibreboard, and it's just sawdust bonded together with glue) and finished in a kind of vinyl or plastic wood-look. Nothing about these is wood, to be honest. But hey, they were a good price and the right size and all it took was some time to make them nice.

Mediums used:

1. I also did not sand these because, again, MDF cheap crap with a vinyl finish. But Zinsser came to the rescue!! I did sand in between coats, a bit, but missed a few spots because I'm a messy amateur. I even primed inside the drawers because I had a plan to paint them too. I cannot stress the fact enough that they are MDF...
2. I also used the Beauti-tone Semi-Gloss white paint for these and did 2-3 coats based on what I felt they needed.
3. I painted inside the drawers this time! Not mentioned previously, but apparent from the photos, the room is a black, white and red theme. The outside wall is red, as is the closet (see the dresser photo above), so I wanted to bring a little more colour into the furniture. Inside the drawers seemed like an obvious choice, because it's hidden away but a nice little surprise. For this, I had leftover red paint from Dulux X-Pert. If you want the colour name, I'll look it up!
4. Then to ensure these new-to-me nightstands retained their finish after some use, I applied the Varathane clear coat to the top, using a full two coats.
5. Lastly, the brass handles that came with the nightstands were in great condition, just an ugly colour, so I used the same Rust-Oleum metallic spray paint on them. They turned out great! 
6. ***Not yet applied, but planning to: some Minwax Finishing Wax Paste to try to make the drawers run more smoothly. They don't have slides; they're just grooves, so the painted drawers now run a bit sticky. This finishing wax leaves a more shiny coating, without the stick, so I'm going to give that a try before we have guests over. I'll rub it inside the groove and hope for the best!

Time Spent: Best guess, including the handles? 5-6 hours. I found these pieces a bit more finicky because of the finish. You'd think it would be less, but I am an amateur and was learning as I went!

Lessons Learned: Primer is your friend when you are using a cheap piece of furniture. You'd never know they were MDF by just looking at them. And sand, sand, sand! Biggest lesson learned overall!!

Before

After

Last item!! This one was, by far, the most interesting. I knew I wanted to put a chair in the room and the universe found me one -- for free! -- one Saturday morning. Again, Facebook Marketplace was the locale, and the owner just wanted to get rid of it. It's a nice chair, with an ugly fabric, and perfectly-sized for my guest space! I consulted the internet the most before starting this one, and even got advice from a friend who has also done a lot of work on furniture. With my newfound knowledge, I set to work on it.

Mediums Used:

1. No sanding, yet again! I went straight for chalk paint on this one, using a spray version by Rust-Oleum. Actually, this was a bit of a fail because I used the entire can and didn't even cover the whole chair (less the fabric) with one coat. So I sanded down the terrible job I made with the spray, and went straight for the white version of the same semi-gloss used on the headboard: Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Multi-Purpose Paint. Surprisingly, this teeny, tiny can was all I needed, and I still have some left.
2. With that done, and finding out that I didn't have to recover the chair with new fabric, I painted it with the semi-gloss black! Yes, I painted the fabric! This took quite a bit of time because the fabric was quite thick. I did water it down to help it soak in, which worked really well AND saved me from using too much paint.
3. Then I tried using the Minwax paste on the fabric when it was dry. That was a mistake, because it left a weird finish from the cloth I used. So I painted it over with one more coat of the black, then left it that way.
4. To finish the chair's arms and keep them from being damaged, I used the Minwax Finishing Paste. Actually, I finished the chair second but wanted to leave the writeup 'til last here. So I had tried the paste on the chair before realizing it wasn't my best option for leaving a clear finish! That said, I did use it on the arms and am happy with it.

Time Spent: Including the bad start on this, it probably took 4-5 hours. I got lost in the amount of time it took, to be honest, as I painted it entirely outside on some beautiful weekend days, and I enjoyed the time quite a bit.

Lessons Learned: Don't bother using spray paint on a piece with so many nooks and crannies! I should have gone straight for the Zinsser primer, or even just used a chalk paint that doesn't require priming. And again, sand a lot. I did need to sand this piece more because of the grooves, but you can still tell, by looking at it up close, that I'm an amateur. That's okay, it has charm! I also learned that the particular type of fabric on the chair was too long to paint directly. I should have trimmed or shaved it down first, as the end result isn't exactly what I'd planned. If the chair was being sat on regularly I'd care more, but it's not, so I don't.

Before

After

Check out the pattern on the finished product! Since the fabric was a fairly high-pile, it retained the print afterwards!

Other stuff: I used the paint I had to finish a few other accessories, like hooks I picked up at Walmart, and a plastic tray from Dollarama. I also put the same floral adhesive paper inside a little shelf that's on the wall by the door.

I spent a little bit of money on these projects, but not as much as you'd spend buying new. And now I have a personal stamp on nearly everything in the room!

Curious what's next? Me too! I'm not quite finished the room, and got sidetracked with a few other projects elsewhere, but I'm thinking about what else I can do. I even had a few asks about doing pieces for other folks! Once I'm more settled into our home and finished with my own things, I may take them up on it!

My family was a little surprised about what I was undertaking, until I explained the reasons why and it was clear how excited it got me. I don't think I'll ever perfect this art, but I can at least enjoy it. I could never get into arts & crafts projects with my family because none of them meant anything to me, but as soon as I had a little motivation and a lot of time, it made sense to try something new. My husband helped a bit, when needed, but I otherwise did everything on my own.

Like anything a person starts and finishes on their own, there's a great sense of satisfaction that comes with it. And God only knows how long we'll be in a pandemic, so I might as well learn a new skill and keep myself entertained!

My Ketone Experience

Months ago I was intrigued by something Ana Justice posted on Facebook (no idea what it was, but I know her from way back and trusted what she was saying), so I bought a week of samples and tried Keto//OS out. I'm not sure I felt anything different at the time, perhaps because I took it so slow. But I wasn't ready to give up on this supposedly-amazing product.

I bought my own box and started having one drink a day, again not really feeling anything different. I kept being exposed to positive feedback on Pruvit and Keto//OS through social media, however, so remained interested in how it could help me. All I wanted to do was get back to my TOPS goal weight (about 15 or so lbs to lose), but that wasn't coming to fruition yet.

When there was a product sale, I jumped on it and bought enough to get me started more "hardcore" than before. I researched what I should eat and gave it a solid go for about a month. Alas, I still was not seeing results.

Less than two weeks ago I had a little chat with Ana about my lack of progress. She immediately suggested I track my food intake (yuck). My head said "no!", but my body said "yes!", so I went all in. With MyFitnessPal's premium subscription, I could track the exact percentages of carbs, protein, and fat required for the calories I felt were appropriate for my sedentary lifestyle. I recorded my weight and started tracking everything. Sure, it was hard to stay exactly within my limits for the day, but I can honestly say I gave it my best shot.

Since May 19th, I've lost 8 lbs. I can finally feel my waistline coming back. Most days my brain feels ultra-clear and focused. I sleep better. I don't crave carbs and get full quickly. I get to eat butter and cream and bacon and all the things that other "diets" shake a finger at! I actually have trouble some days getting to my fat goal, so my catchphrase has become "guess I'll just add butter".

I have been drinking a keto kreme in the morning with coffee and a chocolate swirl in the afternoon or evening for "dessert". Some days I just do two O/S instead. And sometimes I just eat what I want because you can't deprive yourself entirely!

I hesitated sharing much about my "keto journey" because I wasn't seeing results, but finally feel I am getting somewhere! I know that everyone is different, and therefore reacts differently to Keto//OS, but I now truly believe it is working for me. I probably could have lost weight without it, but the positive effects it has on my body make it entirely worth it.

I have at least 10 more lbs to lose and have no worry that I won't make it. I'll just keep tracking my intake, eating appropriate keto-approved foods, and supplementing with my Pruvit products! Thanks to Ana for being so supportive thus far!

For more info go to:
https://dnairn.pruvitnow.com/ca/

Friendship

Have you ever lost a friend? I don't mean losing them in a shopping mall, but losing their friendship, rather. Maybe you or they moved to another city and found it difficult to keep in touch. Or, you had a disagreement that was simply never resolved. Either way, sometimes certain friendships are never fully lost and you can find yourself holding onto the last thread just in case it is ever resurrected.

There are certain secondary school friendships I miss having today. I often wonder what it would be like to have a personal relationship with some of those girls and guys today -- not just through Facebook -- and if we'd have anything in common any more. I also wonder if I would be friends now with people I didn't care for so much back then! I imagine it's quite possible.

Certain friendships last a lifetime. No matter how far away you physically are from each other, or how infrequent you communicate, that moment you meet again feels like you were never apart. I have one of those. It's literally been more than four years since I've seen her yet know we're still close deep down.

I recently started rekindling an old, long-lost friendship after a nearly 3 1/2 year "split". It was actually really hard to make the effort to reach out to see if there was anything there. Luckily, I was met with open arms (c'mon, not literally, give us some time!) and am enjoying seeing where things go. It's really weird starting up an old friendship, though. Other than knowing a lot about this person, it feels like we just started dating. Neither wants to wreck the "new" relationship but both want to re-get to know each other. The good news is, we seem to have even more in common now than before, so I feel very happy with and optimist of the situation thus far.

I found an excellent quote to sum up my feelings:

Great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget. 

Dreams Can Come True

Over the years, I've done a little research on the interpretation of dreams. It's usually prompted by the occurrence of a dream strange or disturbing enough to warrant investigation. Since I don't blog much anymore, you've probably guessed that one such dream must have crossed through my unconsciousness mind last night. You'd be right.

I'm not going into details regarding the dream itself. I can tell you that it bothered me enough that I decided to write about it with minutes of waking at 1:30 am. I also knew that the issue presented within the dream would need to be addressed in "real life". There clearly is an underlying fear within me if I'm 1. dreaming about it, and 2. very bothered by seeing it vividly expressed in my thoughts. My main concern was that at some point in my life it might come true, and my primary emotion over that thought was a deep sadness. I'd rather not experience that, if I can help it.

Whatever you're trying to imagine it was about, don't bother. It's nothing earth shattering; just something I feel strongly about having stay within my dreams. I'll also research what it could possibly mean, although I'm pretty sure I already know. I'll take this as an opportunity to make a change now while I can.

As I lie awake last night pondering the dream, pondering life, and pondering why the dog likes to steal my covers, I was appreciative that dreams existed at all. Otherwise, I wouldn't have a new blog post for you today... or a subsequent one, because I already thought of another idea :)

Resignation Tendered

I officially emailed in my resignation today. No, not for my job! I decided that with all my competing priorities, I needed to drop something. So, TOPS it is.

Being area captain was something that I really wanted to excel in but it's just not working out right now. If you read my prior blog post, it's pretty clear that I have a full plate. I'm only one person with only 24 hours available in a day. And I need to sleep!

I haven't heard back yet from my coordinator in response to stepping down from the position. All I can hope for is that she understands I simply have other things going on in my life that I need to take more time for. At least with one thing off my list I feel like I can breathe a little easier. That is to say, until I pick something else up in its place... Just kidding ;)

"Sure, sign me up!"

I guess I haven't posted anything in quite a while, eh? I wish I could say that it's because I'm boring and have nothing to write about. On the contrary, my life has started to burst with extra-curriculars. With that realization, I also decided it was time to start saying "no" to things. Here, just so you know what I'm talking about...

• Not only do I attend my weekly TOPS meetings, I'm an Area Captain for eight chapters. That means I communicate with them regularly, prepare the occasional newsletter, and have to visit them in-person at least once each per year. That's only since starting July 1st. And I have to remember to submit my monthly report to my regional director!
• I'm on Viterra's Social Committee. We plan an event every month or so, including the annual "Holiday Party" that just took place this past Friday night. It also involves monthly meetings. Thankfully those are during work hours.
• I'm a member of the CPA's (Canadian Payroll Association's) Regina Branch and meet every month or so with the other members. I also need to attend one to two PDS (Professional Development Seminars) per year as the volunteer in addition to helping out at the annual certification luncheon and National Payroll Week breakfast.
• Also with the CPA, I'm a registered Subject Matter Expert (SME). My most common duties in include the review of payroll guidelines, certification program content, and exams. I did two reviews within a few weeks of each other in November.
• Paul and I attend a once-monthly meeting for the Son's of Scotland (SOS), a non-profit group made up of Scottish members (duh) that plan events with each other and participate in local functions. I just signed up to help plan the Christmas party, even though I just found out that we won't even be able to attend it because of another function that means more to us.
• In addition to the "Christmas Party Committee", I joined the "Burns Night Committee", also for the SOS. The grand even takes place on or around Robbie Burns' birthday each year; this time it's January 25th. Who knows what I'll need to do to help out with that one!
• Each year the city of Regina has a multicultural festival called Mosaic. I decided to sign up for a committee with the Scottish Pavilion this year, specifically the "Publicity and Sponsorship Committee". We've only had one meeting as of yet, but there's another tomorrow night and many more to come. My main job will be to obtain sponsorship monies from companies in the area so we can afford to put on the event. We'll also be publicizing our pavilion through local media prior to May when Mosaic is held.

What am I missing? Oh yeah...

• I'm on the worship team at church so volunteer my singing talents once or twice per month.
• I do the books for Paul's business, keeping track of all his income and expenses so that at tax time, the accountant doesn't have to ask me for much. That and if I didn't help Paul out, he would forget to withhold taxes each pay period, and not know how to calculate his input tax credits for his GST return each quarter.
• I'd still like to further my education and get my Certified Payroll Manager (CPM) designation. Maybe in the spring...?
• Like the good little wife that I am, I do all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I've tried to get help but the truth is that I do it best and I'm actually quite happy after it's done. There's just something so satisfying about having a clean house with food in the fridge... And anyway, Paul does his share with the dog so I let him off.
• Don't forget I work full time and have a high-intensity workload at the moment. Keeping up with my own work and still being able to help my co-workers with their issues is tough. I keep reminding myself that, at the end of the day, I really do love what I do.

I think that's all, but who knows. I probably forgot something because I'm so overly organized that I need an organizer for my organizer and things get a little messy sometimes.

Good thing I signed up for Wednesday noon-hour yoga class! Ohhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm...

Obsessive Personality?

Sometimes I wonder why my brain acts like it does. Is it heredity? Am I just bonkers? Did something in my upbringing cause me to act a certain way? Who knows, but these questions will occasionally pass through my consciousness.

Specifically, I have issues with obsessing. It can be over any sort of thing; such as seeing a Dairy Queen commercial on TV and thinking about a sundae for days until I get one; or dwelling on something someone said until some new thought or situation deems it null and void; or needing my desk to be in a certain order or organizational pattern. Often I need to snap myself out of a thought pattern to realize that what's going on inside my brain is ludicrous and just plain stupid.

This trait of mine can be quite annoying. I not need the material goods or food I dream of, or have the right idea about what that person said or did. My visions are not reality. My wishes are false. I just need to keep reminding myself of that and use good judgement, self-control, and objectivity to straighten my brain out.

I'm sure this all sounds quite silly, but if you struggled with it you would really want to know why it even happens in the first place. Some so-called professional wrote a short article regarding "The Obsessive Personality". There were maybe two or three points I felt were valid; otherwise it was a bunch of hooey and absolutely did not apply to me. I do NOT think I have a serious obsessive compulsive type of disorder, but I do feel that I need to be very aware of my thoughts and feelings and be smart in my decision-making.

Time for an Upgrade

For Christmas in 2002, when I was living in my very first "real" apartment (not just a basement suite), I was blessed with a beautiful new Eureka Whirlwind vacuum. It served me well over the years, even after bringing pets into our home and getting fur clogged in it. Unfortunately, however, when I was emptying the dust cup last week, the piece that keeps the cup on the vacuum itself broke off. When I went to use it today, I found that the piece really was extremely important so I now am without a vacuum.

Ever since seeing a Dyson commercial on TV for the first time, I've dreamed of owning one. They aren't cheap. They are really good at what they do, however. Since my Eureka died, I decided it is now officially time to splurge and just go buy one. With a five year warranty and positive review upon positive review over the entire line of vacuums, I can't go wrong. The decision to buy one was made easy by my old one dying; the decision as to which one to buy proved more difficult than expected!

I've settled on the DC37. With Ball™ technology, the new DC37 Turbinehead Animal vacuum cleaner turns on the spot and follows easily, without the awkward moves. It's the only canister vacuum with an articulating central steering mechanism. The brush bar is powered by air instead of a motor, making the cleaner head light and easy to maneuver. DC37 has also been engineered for reduced noise levels.  http://www.english.dysoncanada.ca/vacuums/ball/dc37_canister_vacuum.asp 

Like I said, they don't come cheap but I am very excited to finally, once and for all, rid my home of unwanted pet hair. Honestly, I can't wait for someone to come visit so I can show it off!

Long Time No Write!

Wow, has it really been three weeks since I last posted? I guess my mind is so full of other items that I haven't been able to bother it to blog. I mean, the last three weeks have flown by so fast that I've already been home over a week since my work trip to Minneapolis. It seems like yesterday.

I'm trying to relax a little, and unfortunately was caused to by a sudden bout of exhaustion/sore throat that came over me on Sunday night/Monday morning. I'd rather not be sick, but at least it has caused me to do mostly nothing the last two days. There's still much to be done, but sometimes the body just demands I cease action. Although I keep pretty healthy, there are still times when others' sickness and overwork can get the best of me.

Other than succumbing to a short malady, things have been pretty good at Chez Nairn. Our future home building is often on the brain; when the time is right, we'll know. Before that happens, however, our current home renos need to be completed. I'm still without a second shower (I'm blaming my "lazy once he gets home from work" husband), but am willing to pay a plumber to help out. It just needs to be finished so we can get on with the other jobs. I really dislike home renovations so the sooner they're completed the better.

Paul's truck is due to be fixed starting next Tuesday. I pray it doesn't take them too long because we'll be renting a truck for him to use for the time it's in the shop. Quite an expensive accident, eh? Too bad we don't know who did it because it's 100% not Paul's fault but he's left to pay the deductible. All his hard work just to go down the drain into a stupid hit-and-run.

Once that's all done with we can start planning our trip to Scotland. It's somewhat scary to think about the things I want to do and the planning that's required (oh yeah, and the money we need to pay for it all!), but I'm going to try and enjoy it. The best part will be the trip itself and I'll forget about any stress I incurred beforehand.

Maybe I'll have more exciting things to share soon. Or not. I guess it depends on how busy I am!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Apparently I've been so busy I haven't blogged in ten days. I was going to say that "I have no life", but that would be the complete opposite. I have so much going on in my life that I haven't had time to blog about it!

Since mom and dad came for a visit (a nice one, with plenty of delicious food and fun involved), I've been extremely preoccupied with work. This time of year we're dealing with retroactive pay for pay increases that go in for last November, as well as the annual incentive (aka bonus) payments. Other than last night's two hours of overtime, I haven't had to work past 4:30 pm. I'm super happy about that, but the hours I am at work are 100% chock full of hard, brain-draining work.

Next week I fly to Minneapolis to spend time with the payroll person down there. Since I took over helping her out with exiting-coworker's workload, it's necessary that I go down there to figure things out properly and help get a good handle on their processes. Although I wish I could have Monday off like the rest of my Regina peeps, I'll just take another day off sometime later.

I really don't have much else to say. I'm just busy. Paul is also busy. We are still smiling though!

The Joys of Home Ownership

Owning a home can create mixed emotions. Sometimes it's the bee's knees, and often times it's the cat's pajamas. Then there are those other times when it's the dog's breakfast, like when you have to pay to repair something. Ah, the joys of home ownership: having to spend money unexpectedly because something's broke and it's got to be fixed!

Such is the story of our kitchen sink, currently. It was fine this morning, however upon attempting to clean a few dishes while I was cooking, I found that it was actually clogged. As Paul wasn't home yet I proceeded to use the plunger on it. I mostly got wet and dirty and angered the dog. When he arrived he tried the pipe snake on it. Even after going fifteen feet in, we still have a problem.

Paul will be in contact with a plumber friend he has, but it's still frustrating to have these things happen. If there was a magic repair fairy, I'd definitely be wishing for him/her to come visit me right now.

A Renewed Outlook

I'm not one to write too much about things that haven't occurred yet, so all I will say is that it feels really great to finally be recognized in some fashion for the hard work I've been doing. I may not yet be getting the monetary reimbursement that I've been longing for, however I am getting other things in lieu. It's really difficult to work so hard for something and then have to wait so long to get anything positive out of it. Making up for my efforts by granting me non-monetary items has given me that visibly reminder of my value. I still have hope and faith for more great things in time, but the not-so-distant future holds some excellent opportunities for me. It's amazing how a little verbal recognition and positive feedback can give one such a renewed outlook on life.

...Patience is definitely a virtue I could write a book on though!

Happy Day

After all my stressing, I happily found out that my employer "approves me to take time off" to attend a few days away in Toronto this April for a CPA (Canadian Payroll Association) thing. It's being paid for by the CPA, so I just have to work out the time away from my normal job for a few days ahead of time. As long as everything gets done or is accounted for, everyone will be happy. They should be glad I have this opportunity: I'm going to be a very valuable asset to the team with all this knowledge and experience I'm gaining!

I also had a lovely massage today. It was a nice break from the cold, harsh day.

And then I lost 1.75 lbs when I weighed in after work. A good end to Hump Day, that's for sure.

Now only a few days to go, complete with some cleaning, grocery shopping, and puppy class to attend. Then the parental units will be here for a little visit and some fun. May the rest of the week turn out just as positively as today!

And Lately.

I guess I haven't shared what's on my mind lately. I guess that means either nothing is on my mind (not likely), or that I don't wish to share it (more likely). The same is true for when I don't post on Facebook for more than a few days. Some things are just kept private or, like mama always said, "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all".

After some pondering, I do have a few things on my mind, like the earth sure is round. And my backyard sure is going to be a mess in the spring. And my dog sure is a smart cookie (and very much likes flyball class and hot dogs). And I hate excuses. And the word "sorry" should not be used to try and smooth over a situation if not entirely appropriate. And proper spelling and grammar is very important to me (just not in my blog, apparently, because if it mattered that much, I would not continuously use the word "and" at the beginning of my sentences). And I'm really happy my ex-manager in Manitoba suggested (more than once, and probably more than twice or thrice) I look into a career in payroll. And although I love a clean house and get a really great endorphin rush from performing general household cleaning duties, I really don't have any motivation to do it (don't worry, mom, I will have de-furred my furniture before you arrive).

All that said, I guess I do have a lot on my mind lately! Don't go far, more mind-altering thoughts may be headed your way soon.

Dental Distress

My husband has a mouth full of crap, or so I like to say. Obviously not literally, but his teeth are pretty bad in many ways and cause him more problems than not. He blames bad Scottish dentists. I blame his poor dental hygiene, or lack thereof.

He has a few specific things planned for his mouth, such as a bridge and some crowns, but just last week he started having a lot of pain in a new spot. Of course he did! This is why I say his mouth is full of crap. Luckily the dentist office we go to has more than one available to see, so he got in on very short notice. It ends up that he'll need a root canal. This isn't the first, as I'm sure you can imagine. The dentist drilled out the nerves and such and packed it all in until his appointment on the 24th. Unfortunately, Paul has been in a lot of pain since.

No over-the-counter pain medication seems to help and it's a wonder he's been sleeping decently. I told him to just call them back and get in to see that dentist again, if even just to get a prescription for something stronger. They were able to get him in this afternoon and even better than pain meds, they made the pain go away. The funny thing is, the only thing that would work was to NOT pack the tooth up. He now has a hole in the tooth itself. Gross. I don't want to look in there. I've never had a hole in my tooth for any reason so I'm not going to start now nor do I want to look at anyone else's. He even has this gross little metal pick to stick in the hole in case something gets lodged in it. GROSS.

I'm just happy that he isn't in pain anymore. To put it bluntly, I simply wasn't enjoying living with an asshole. He knows he was being a jerk because of the pain, and he admits to it and apologizes for it. All this because he's not good at brushing and flossing. Sheesh. Good thing I have a good benefit plan!

Mother(in law)ly Love?

The results are in and what I've assumed for the last ten years is now confirmed to be true: my mother loves my husband more than she loves me! *GASP* Well, she must, because he received a little package in the mail from her today. Inside was Turtles chocolate. Nothing for me, just a cute little package addressed to him with a little note saying she "couldn't resist sending some love". *DOUBLE GASP*

Now, I know he's extremely handy when it comes to physically demanding jobs you have for him, but I'm your daughter! I'm your flesh and blood! He's just an import and many times I tempted to send him back to where he came from (apparently the Scots come with defects but I took too long and my warranty lapsed. Who knew?).

Mom, all I can say is, it's a good thing he loves ME more than YOU and is going to share those delicious little chocolates!





Disclaimer***If you didn't laugh or even giggle at this, you took it way too seriously. It's a joke! She did send him the chocolates, with nothing to me, but I'm not angry at all. I just thought writing this blog would be fun.***

Thankful

I'm thankful that...

I was born on the prairies and have a true appreciation for a real prairie winter (and enjoy it).

God created snow because without it, where would the fun be at this time of year?

I have generous grandparents that just give away certain snow removal implements to needy grandchildren when they themselves no longer require them.

I learned to drive in the snow in the middle of winter.

there is such a thing as pizza delivery because nights like this are meant for remaining indoors.

Sorry for the poor quality and backlight, but the point is that this is our backyard currently. The snow is nearing the top of the fence and the lowest part is at Paul's knee. He's not short! We now have to blow out certain parts just so the dog can do her business. And she still has a nice "racetrack" around the whole thing. I heart winter!

Hit & Run = Worst Luck Ever

Paul's truck was hit while parked at the job site today. How unfortunate. This is me trying to be indifferent about it when I'd much rather scream at the UNKNOWN person that did the deed, "WHY WOULD YOU JUST HIT HIS TRUCK AND DRIVE AWAY?!?! WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE YOU?!?!"

It happened some time this morning, between when he arrived at the site and parked the truck, and when he went outside to get his lunch. The houses he's working on are in a newly-built residential area with lots of traffic in and out due to continuing work being done by all sorts of companies and trades people. It could be anyone. The only saving grace in this situation is that the paint left on Paul's white truck is green. He says there are a few green trucks regularly around, but none seem to have any damage on them.

Regardless of the details -- I could go on and on -- I'm just so saddened by the whole thing. I'm angry at the person that hit and ran. I'm angry that I was stupid not to get a package policy added (I had planned to for the last four months). I'm angry that Saskatchewan has a stupid insurance company that has a ridiculous $700 deductible that WE will have to pay. I'm angry that Paul will have to miss work to have his truck appraised for the damage and for the truck to be fixed. I'm just plain angry.

We literally have had the work luck ever in Saskatchewan when it comes to our vehicles:

1. our 2003 Chevy Optra was vandalized outside our "hood house" just a few months after moving to the city. It was written off completely.
2. after only one week of owning my new 2010 Dodge Journey (the replacement for the Optra), I was rear-ended only a few blocks from prior-mentioned "hood house". The entire rear door and muffler had to be replaced and I had to use a rental for a month.
3. now this delight with Paul's four month old 2012 Dodge Ram

I can only pray that my own new car remains out of harm's way. We've had enough bad times with vehicles and I do not wish for any more to occur. I did say a prayer quite shortly after finding out when I got home today, that the person responsible would find it in their heart to come forward about what they did. If not to Paul, then to SGI.

This is, that's what!

Hello, 2013! I took a week long break from blogging to breathe and relax and now here I am, back at it. Don't expect a daily blog, however! If you're curious about the title of this blog ("What's On My Mind"), I stole it from Facebook. Yes, I'm a thief! Ha! Okay I'm not really, but when I was trying to figure out what my next blog's "angle" would be, all I could think of was posting on Facebook.

They've changed it slightly, but if you're on the site you know that they used to get you to post a status update by asking "What's on your mind?" in the update box. On Facebook I shout out what's on my mind, as well as what I'm specifically up to. I figured that writing my blog in the same fashion couldn't be a terrible idea. So, that's where I came up with the name.

What you'll read or see if you follow me: updates on my life, fun things I've done, personal thoughts and feelings, and pictures of things I like. This isn't entirely different from my last blog, it will just be less frequent, much like my posting on Facebook. When I feel the urge to write, I will; if I don't, I won't. I hope that this blog will last more than a year if it's generic enough to withstand the test of time.

Today my pastor said something I have to mention because I really stuck with me. He said that, "2013 is going to be a great year". I agree. It feels different and I'm excited to see what will come of it. It feels like this year will be a positive stepping stone to the rest of my life. It feels like my mind will grow and expand and be filled with lots of new and interesting things!

Happy New Year!