Dumb Luck

There are times that I realize, on occasion, I just lucked out. I post this here instead of my blog, because I know that my father rarely checks this. And I am fairly certain I would get a well deserved lecture involving fume hoods, dust collectors, proper chemical handling, ventilation and keeping in mind what and where all possible ignition sources are.

In my defense, I had actually planned this out. Sort of.

I had laid down plastic in large quantities to contain the dust and fall-out. I wore the proper safety equipment including protective clothing, goggles, gloves and face mask. I made sure that the area was cleared for several feet on either side of the project and that the cat was safely put out of the area. So really, since I couldn't go do anything today, it was perfect for sanding down and staining the coffee table in the lab.

Children, please note:
Sanding any wood surfaces should not be done in an enclosed space. Sawdust and sanding dust can be incredibly flammable.
Chemicals should always be used in a well ventilated room, because fumes can build up and can be volatile.
All heat, flames and potential ignition sources should be kept at a great distance to prevent accidental fireballs.


So, being snowed in, in a mostly underground room with one small window that was blocked by 2 feet of snow, was a poor location choice. Running the electric dryer in the same room at the time, was really bad timing. Trying to shrink a wool hat in the dryer thus producing enough static electricity to power the X-mas tree in the next room probably should have waited to another day. The fact that I had a wood stove in the next room was, well...

I had already rigged the stove this morning using tin foil and other non-flammable materials due to the poor installation of the contractor. The fumes that the stove has been giving off all day because the contractor used spray paint to "refresh" the old stove, might have affected my thinking. But I did have the fans on to keep circulation going through the room. I was however, worried enough about the stove this morning that I brought down the fire extinguisher. Which I now think is a good thing. Because I have added sawdust, acetone and varnish fumes to the vapors already emanating from the stove. And I can't open a window. Not, "don't want to," can't.

And the potential danger suddenly makes its self aware through the fog in my head. CRAP!!
I manage to heave all chemical laden towels, jars brushes, etc.. out an upstairs door. And letting in about 4 gallons of snow. After vacuuming for a very long time, I managed to get most of the dust up. Wet towels are cleaning an wiping up the rest. The dryer is off. The stove is not, because really, I have no idea yet how to do that. But I feel safe enough now that I am reasonably certain that my house will not light up the snowy night in one huge fireball.

Therefore, I get 10 points. For shear, dumb luck!

As the year turns

Tonight begins a whole new decade. A new year that we can explore, expand and enjoy life. A shiny new beginning and a new year as yet untarnished with our human flaws. A year filled with hope. With understanding. With hopefully, a little more wisdom.

2009 rings out, and I can safely try to block out blunders from the past year. Ah, all those many horrid "first dates." I can officially try to expunge them from my memory. Along with other embarrassing moments. The recent hunt for the famous "Mrs. Smith's Cherry Pie" being one of them. Feeding my friends Crab Jello Salad being another.

I will try in the new year not to start a major project 2 days before guests arrive. Something for which I've become famous for. Guests? Sure! Let's destroy the house just to make that 11th hour cleaning all that more memorable. Because really, I need a little more challenge in my life. It is a new year to make a bunch of resolutions to try to keep. Me? One word: LAUNDRY.

But I did keep some Resolutions from last year, or made a valiant effort. I stopped waiting for prince charming to achieve my goals. I bought a house and survived. I told people how I felt regardless of embarrassment or possible familial backlash. I did it for my well being, so I know I was honest for myself as well as others. If tomorrow is my last day, at least I was honest and said so. I finished the scarf from last year (or 2) that was never going to be done. I cleaned out my cosmetic hoard. (gasp!)

So this year, I make all the usual resolutions. And promise to myself to keep striving for life, love and happiness. I will try to be a good person. I will attempt to actually follow a pattern's directions to the letter, without modifying the hell out it. I will keep my house reasonably organized and the dust bunnies to a minimum.

I can do this. After all, I have all year to clean the bunnies from under the bed. Right?

Holy Grails and other missing Artifacts

Some of you may not know that I have a degree, a BA. Others of you may not know what it is in, Anthropology. And most of you are unaware what that entails or what my specialties were/are. While my primary focus was cultures, cultural interactions, societies and structuring of cultural-socio belief systems, and I was also trained in Archaeology. Yup, just call me Indie and I have worked on an official dig and everything. (no bad guys in sight, only a bunch of 5th graders)

Since the move in to the new house, I feel as though I am stepping back into that archaeology mind-set. Why, you ask? Because I can't find a damn thing!

I was careful when I labeled the boxes. Locations and a brief description of what is inside to jog my memory when the time came to unpack. So it's been 18 days WITHOUT a hair dryer. The yarn I bought for specific Christmas projects and gifts went MIA. I know I have more than 6 pairs of undies, but I can't seem to find them. (thank god the washer and dryer work!)

I have been systematically searching boxes based on a nice grid search using key clues to track down the items that are buried in the boxes and disorder. I have been rationally dissecting where I would have packed these items. They were held out until the last moment for use, then pack for the move the night before. With all my logical labeling and rational, this should have been a simple task. Uh-uh.

Last night it came to a head with me completely loosing myself in a frustrated predatory hunt through the house for the missing items. The cat hid under the sofa and cringed back from the gleam of madness in my eyes. The neighbor's dogs bayed in warning and fear at the scent of the wild beast that had entered their territory. The glint of the box cutter flashed as paper was strewn through out the house, pitiful discarded remains of the rage, the battle.

By the end, no box stood whole. The complete and utter chaos that best describes the savage scene, lay waiting in tension. Waiting to see if the beast had finished it's rampage. The air was still. All grails were uncovered but the ever elusive hairdryer. Logic had failed to find it. Shear animal-istic hunting instincts failed to find it. All hope was lost. It was time to admit defeat. I went into the master bath to prepare for bed and wash the remains of battle from my face. While drying my face with a towel, the cat appears, looking at me to check the level of sanity in my eyes and then proceeds to paw open the cabinet under the sink. A favorite past-time of hers. She gets the cabinet door open...

There it is. My pink hair dryer. Put away where it belongs.

The last place I would have looked.

Housewarming gift? Asprin

So, tonight I will be washing the dinner dishes by hand.

"Why?" you ask? I have just bought a new house. The house has a dish washer. A theoretically nice dishwasher, correct? The one that the inspector said seems to be in working order and the sellers said was brand new.

Well, if I didn't already know it, the sellers are full of shit and the inspector can't test the heating coil in a 4 minute test. Does the water run? Yes. Does it drain? Yes. Is there any reason why a seemingly brand new machine would have a bad coil? Most likely not. Unless it was bought off a truck and/or defective sale, floor model thing.

And yet, something is not right. I looked through all the paperwork that they left me. Stove, oven, Microwave and fridge were all accounted for. But not the dishwasher. Hmmmm......

So this has been added to the ever increasing amount of things that need to get fixed. Sealing the grout in the showers, snake the one upstairs toilet, shoe molding on the vinyl floors, bottom of cabinet in the Lab that fell out, master light switch that makes crackling noise when turned on, various window issues, the stairs on the deck that aren't as safe as they should be, poor jointing on the wood stove that smokes out the rec room .....

And THAT DAMN FENCE between me and the redneck sheriff so they can park their car on my front yard. It is so clearly not on the property line, that it literally annoys all who see it. Except the neighbors.

But hey, it's mine along with the house. Maybe I'll paint it rainbow.....

Tiny bit of funny

So, today is painting day and I feel incredibly unprepared. Yesterday I spent hours and hundreds of dollars getting what I should need for today. Many of my wonderful friends will be coming over to paint the new house.

So going to bed tired and stressed last night on a chaise lounge surrounded by unwashed fleece in my home office, was really bound to make for some interesting dreams. Smelling raw fleece all night and having paint anxiety do not go together. I'm sure most people's minds can work out some interesting ones at the with little effort. It was the wake up that did it.

I can feel someone watching me. The sheep are safe next to me and the paint is locked safely away from thieves.

Someone is watching. I can feel it. No, no I am safe from the furniture salesmen. But I can feel the watching. Maybe if I peek they won't notice and I can tell if and where we need to run to. Just a half-eye-open peek.

Slowly opening my eyes, I see a dark shape with green eyes in the haze of sunrise peering at me. Unmoving. Green eyes.

Okay. Maybe the creature is friendly or trying to tell me something. I'll open my eyes again to see. maybe it just wants to communicate.

The dark form takes shape of a four legged creature. It slowly gets up while still staring at me from what I now realize is the desk. Slowly rising, it suddenly pauses, eyes going wide. The creature then begins to "spin" like the Tasmanian Devil of cartoons. Dangerously close to the edge of the desk, heedless of the risk of falling off. Spinning faster and faster. One foot goes off the side and the creature in panic uses the other 3 feet to launch it's self off the desk on to me. Never slowing the spinning.

I, finally, am awake and grab for the furry monster before it accidentally rips into the bags of raw fleece. And I discover the cause for the panic.

While the cat was stalking me sleeping from the desk, she sat on a piece of tape.

Dangerous stuff that.