Friday, September 24, 2010

Meanderings

This is our second day of steadily dripping rain. I'm not complaining, because we definitely need it. The rain's not coming down hard enough that you can't slip on rain gear and do what needs to be done outside or spend two hours doing town-type errands such as I did yesterday.

The gray days have caused twilight to seem to come even earlier than it really does these shortening days. Last night, both of us were wound down and ready for bed a few minutes after nine.

Unfortunately, the Sandman was apparently off duty last night and I woke at 1:30 a.m., and I laid there until 2 thinking about things I would have been better off not thinking about in the middle of the night if I'd wanted to fall back asleep. When I gave up on trying to control my whirling mind, I trundled out to the couch to read until 4 a.m. Was I ready to get up and whip my weight in wildcats this morning? Ha! A bright, sunny day might have helped the situation, but I'm still grateful for the raindrops I can hear falling on the skylight on the back porch. (The talented lady carpenter who helped us with a lot of the work on our house after we ripped the structure down to the studs calls skylights "skyleaks." But despite her warnings and protestations, she did a good job of installing one in two different roof areas and fourteen years later, they're still tight.)

Where was I? Oh yes, my lack of ability to function on more than one cylinder today. Although I've vacuumed, cleaned the bathroom, scoured sinks and gotten a couple of other little incidental things done, I don't feel like I've had my morning caffeine yet. I have.

I want desperately to take a large mug of liquid libation and lock myself in my quilt studio today but . . .

. . . I've got a freezer (very old and soon to be offered free to anyone who can use it) that is stuffed full (and I do mean FULL) of things that need to be sorted and fit into the "new," more efficient freezer . . .

. . . we bought second-hand from a family moving to the Northwest. Truth to tell, it won't take that long if I just DO it, but for some reason, it's a chore I've managed to put off for several days. (Why do we do such things to ourselves? I know I'll feel so much better when the task is done.)

Gotta, gotta, gotta get going on a batch of fruitcake so I can generously moisten it with alcohol and get it "ripening" for the holidays. Who am I fooling? The first batch always gets devoured before it can barely absorb the booze.

I just remembered I've never posted a picture of the finished set-up of my new desk area. I put it off for a long time while waiting to find just the right lamp. On a trip to the big city over a month ago, I found one I really liked, but couldn't/wouldn't make the purchase until I came home and made certain of the measurements. When I decided it would work, arrangements were made with the store to hold it for us (after it was paid for with credit card, of course) until hubby could pick it up on a solo trip to the city a couple of weeks later.

Now it's here, hooked up and I'm lovin' it. Shots of the whole desk to come . . . uh, I'll post them soon if my weak brain can hold onto the thought long enough to do so.

Glory be, it's noon already and I still don't yet feel as if I'm awake. Time to go rustle up a couple of smoothies for lunch. I know, a gray, rainy, damp day like today is more suited
to some hot, homemade soup but we have so many berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries) in the freezer from our bountiful harvest this summer that it doesn't make sense to not keep working on using them. We'll save the soup for this winter when it's REALLY cold outside and a smoothie just won't do the trick.

Well, I'm back after breaking away for lunch and now I think I just heard the freezer that needs attention call my name. (Trivia: Who wrote "I Heard the Owl Call My Name"? No fair googling it!) If (WHEN) I get the freezer job done, I'm heading for my quilt studio.

6 comments:

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

At least you will get a good inventory of what is in your freezer as you make the switch. There might be stuff from the 80's in the bottom of mine. I just never get it completely empty before I have to start filling it again. You will feel so much better when its done.

Erin said...

I don't envy a night like that - I never feel quite right after being awake anywhere from 2-5 am! Love the desk, and that rain sounds nice, it's very dry here. My little deep freeze is on my list of things to do next week. All I can think about is this party tomorrow, and after that I feel like I can truly relax with no more big events on the schedule! The head count is now at 47 and climbing! This will break a record here, I think the most I've entertained so far is 31, I'm sure that post will be interesting on Sunday, that is if I can manage it after all the cleanup is done! Good thing is that I listed an end time for the party of 7 pm, so hopefully I won't be too exhausted! I need to make more soup and freeze it, your posts last year in the winter about soups inspired me to do more of them!

Mary said...

I've been enjoying reading your posts the last few weeks, so I thought I'd drop you a line to say, hi!

Mary

Mama Pea said...

jane - Freezer is done! And, yes, I did find a couple of little "surprises!" Never made it to my quilting but tomorrow's another day.

Erin - I thought I had more soup stashed in the freezer than I really did. (Who's been stealing my soup?) A soup re-supply day may be in my near future.

Will be thinking of you and the big party tomorrow!

Mary - Aw gee, thanks! And thanks for stopping by.

Jenyfer Matthews said...

What you need to do on those sleepless night is either 1) go quilting or 2) find an old textbook at the thrift shop and start reading. Reading a text book was always a sure fire way to put me to sleep, even in the middle of the day!

I envy you your freezer. I dream of having a garden and a freezer one day...

Mama Pea said...

Jen - I do go quilt in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. Problem is when I do that I get so involved that I never go back to bed! If I read for a while, I usually do get sleepy again.

My wish for you is a freezer and garden in your near future. There is something about gardening that adds a whole new dimension to your life. It's a creative endeavor, provides natural exercise and the freshest, most nutritious food for your family. Having a freezer and pantry shelves full of food you've produced yourself provides security and such a sense of accomplishment. Keep working toward it, my friend!