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Getting it done, part 14

Well.  Yesterday was an interesting day.

The dryer broke (it's shooting sparks!) (but it didn't start a fire!), so we'll be replacing the washer/dryer combo. Delivery estimate is 8 days.  Good thing we have a clothesline outside!  And, does this give me a reasonable excuse for not keeping up with the laundry over the next week?  I believe so. 

Also, Miss Middle has decided to act like she is four.  Not in a good way.  She is getting in to all sorts of stuff that she would have left alone before, and blaming her pretend daughter (Kelsin -- no idea where she got the name), and trying to skip her nap.  It is no good. (She will be four this summer, but I was not really mentally ready for this!)

And then we went to a graduation party for some family friends, and as I parked the car, I totally busted a tire.  The whole thing will have to be replaced.  One hundred percent my fault.

I have the best husband.  He didn't fuss at me (beyond the initial, didn't you see that before you hit it? which no, clearly I did not, or I wouldn't have hit it) but sent me and the kids inside and worked in the heat to put the spare on the van.  He tried to help me feel better about my (dumb, unnecessary, costly) mistake.

I also have the best parents.  My mom and dad are loaning me a car and will help me get my car to our preferred mechanic.  What a privilege, to only be inconvenienced (and out some money, too) but not to be totally stuck for this error/accident.

The "baby" has a fever and the gunk, so sweet hubby has taken him to the doctor.  I think I got out of doctor duty since it is mother's day. Small blessings!

There are only four more school days for Miss Middle and the "baby," so this fever could seriously limit my ability to finish the second yellow-to-grey chair conversion in a timely fashion.

Here's what I've been getting done:
1. Mending/child clothing fixing: Added bra-strap-snaps to a thin-strapped dress of mine; added new elastic to a skirt for Peanut; stitched up a hole in a different dress of mine.

2. Adding pockets to pocket-less dresses.  Bonus of upcycling too-small clothes into the pockets.


3. Ordered and pre-washed fabric to re-make a dress I like, but that is too short. Good thing I was able to shrink the fabric once before the dryer broke!  I might wait until the new dryer is here to re-pre-wash and shrink the fabric a few more times before I cut into it.  Or I might get impatient and start on it anyway.  Or if the "baby" is sick and home this week, it might get pushed much farther down on the to-do list.

4. Finished fabric removal for yellow chair number 2; cut out grey fabric; began sewing parts together. I'm anticipating re-assembly to be fairly quick -- the real challenge is finding evenings when my husband and I can work on it together.

Overall, I'm pleased with the number of projects I've been able to take on and finish throughout the first half of the year. Yes, I know May is only the fifth month, and that May is less than halfway over...but the end of the preschool school-year was set as my benchmark when the New Year's resolution was set in January, and we are only four days away from the end of preschool. I could still do better about doing "real" things instead of getting on my phone in quiet moments, but progress is definitely progress and I can see it and name it and give physical examples of what I have done with my time in a way I couldn't really do in the first half of this school year.  Though not perfect, improvement is noted, and improvement is inspiring me to continue moving forward, even if it will be at a much slower pace.

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