Day 2 of 37

So, it is now day two of construction. Yep…. day two.

Maggie doesn’t know what to do with herself.




She sniffs. She howls. I can relate ~ I too have been sniffing and howling.

We have set up a makeshift cafeteria in the jewelry studio. We have the essentials – the microwave and the Senseo coffee pot. We also have miscellaneous items of interest on the top of the microwave, just in case you might want to stir your coffee. But, if you do, you have to wash the dishes in the bathtub. We are pretty much opting for disposables.





This is what I will be eating for the next 4 weeks (please note there are only 290 calories and is worth 6 points on Weight Watchers.)




This is what Jake will be eating for the next 4 weeks. Good thing he is a boy with an incredibly speedy metabolism. Can you imagine eating pizza rolls for 4 weeks?? Lordy…




Every night before I go to bed I will pray for the remodel event to be over quickly….amen.

Before and After

So all weekend was spent getting the kitchen ready for demolition. With the help of my son, I boxed everything out of the kitchen cupboards and got it out of the way. I found things in my cupboards that I didn't know existed. I found things in my cupboards that they don't make any more. Did you know that a 10 year old circus peanut shrinks to half its original size?

So this is my kitchen in the morning:
























And this is my kitchen this evening:










So I am gutted. Slit right up the middle and gutted. I no longer have a sink, a dishwasher, or an oven....but hey what is four weeks?

Ughhhhhh.

Taking one for the Team

Have you ever had to do a job that you really didn’t want to do? Well of course you have, we all have. Whether it was mowing the lawn (I never had to do this – that was a boy job), or picking up the dog poop (oh wait, I never had to do that either – another boy job), or maybe it was Spring cleaning (THAT I have done). Well today I am doing a job that I really don’t want to do.

The receptionist at my office works Monday through Wednesday. The back up receptionist is on vacation. Great – who is third in line? Me… well actually I am not third in line, I just decided that it was probably a good thing for me to sit up at the front desk and see what it is like to have a constantly ringing phone, and plastering that lovely “Good Morning” face on. You know, just basically taking one for the team.

I arrived bright and early at 8:00 a.m. at the front desk. The phone didn’t ring until 9:20 a.m. No one came to the front counter until the Fed Ex guy showed up at 10:18, then the mailman at 10:27. The phone rang a grand total of 26 times in the first 4 hours. What am I doing here? I have updated my Etsy shops. I have edited pictures for my Etsy shops. I have read through everything I can find to read through regarding updates to our health insurance, 401k, the employee savings and investment plan, and wellness plan. Did you know that there are 7 benefits to drinking water? It keeps your brain healthy, it flushes toxins, it regulates your body temperature, decreases the risk of heart attack, increases your metabolism, gives you healthy looking skin, and my personal favorite, it helps you lose weight.

So much for being in the trenches, taking one for the team, and all that bologna! What I learned today is:
1. If I were searching for a job and my three choices were:
a. Bus Driver
b. Dog Groomer
c. Receptionist
I would for sure go into Dog Grooming.
2. There are 29 sale pages on the Chadwicks of Boston Catalog.
3. I can think of 8 different ways to answer the phone with different intonation in my voice.
4. Handling someone else’s phone is gross.

All that being said, it takes a special person to be a receptionist – and I guess I am just not that special =)

Muah!

The Monster Under the Bed

Some time back I posted about taking a PMC (Precious Metal Clay) class from the master of the masters, Sherri Haub. Since that time I have made a few pieces, but I have always used a friend’s kiln to fire the clay.

I have always been seriously chicken of fire, flame, and okay I will admit it, anything that gives off heat. I quit using electric blankets because I was afraid they would catch the house on fire….

Well….my friend Marika has been torching her PMC since taking the class. She is all about the flame… She has taken some metalsmithing classes and can wield a mean Crème Brûlée torch. She has been gently coaxing me to try it…

So, at the last bead show I bought a torch and heat tile from the tool man. I kept it under the bed in my jewelry studio, but sticking out far enough that I could keep an eye on it.

Marika: Have you torched yet?
Cindie: No, I don’t have a fire brick and I don’t have butane.
Marika: You should get it. It isn’t that big of a deal.

So I went to Freshman’s downtown and bought the fire brick and butane. I stored it in a cool dark place just like the box said, right under the bed.

Marika: Have you torched yet?
Cindie: No, I have stored it in a cool dark place.
Marika: You should do it. I will send you a step by step guide.

I read through the step by step guide. It doesn’t say whether you have to set your flame at 2” long or 5’ long. After all I don’t want to get too close to the flame. Hmmm.. I don’t think I can do this.

Marika: Have you torched yet?
Cindie: No, I am trying to completely research it to make sure that I am doing it right.
Marika: You should do it. Here, I will send you a YouTube video on how to do it.

So I watch the video and see the flame thrower. Hmmm. That looks pretty scary. What if the butane leaks and causes an explosion? What if I accidently catch the desk on fire? What if my room isn’t ventilated enough and I die from inhalation? Geesh.

Saturday morning I wake up and decide this is the day I become a flame thrower. I prep the room. I get everything even remotely flamable off my table. I open all the doors and windows in the entire house. I crawl under the bed in the jewelry studio and pull out the beast – the monster of all monsters – the flame thrower. I read the instructions. I reread the instructions. I put butane in it. I put on my protective eye wear. I take off the child lock. Lord almighty, I am sweating. I pull the trigger. There it is - - the blue flame. I watch it for awhile. I hold the monster flame thrower in my hand to get used to the feel of the power in my hand. Then I turn it off. Whew. I pull the trigger again. I lit that little silver clay sucker right on fire and held that flame for two minutes. It was done. I torched.

Cindie: Guess what.
Marika: What?
Cindie: I torched.
Marika: You did???
Cindie: Ya, no big deal.

I am now officially over my fear of the monster under the bed ~ the torch.

Grandma's "C"

The other day I was sitting in my jewelry studio and there was a discarded piece of wire on my desk. It had a loop in the end and then it kind of curled around. Looking at the piece of wire, I was reminded of how my precious Grandma would write my name. She would loop the top of the "C" and loop at the bottom.

I took that discarded piece of wire, and formed it into my Grandma's "C". I hammered it into shape, added a crystal quartz rondelle to the bottom, and oxidized it. This is what Grandma’s “C” looks like.

I have always attributed my creative nature to my precious Grandma who nurtured it in me. She is the origin of many things good and right in my life ~ primarily my mother, but for many other qualities as well. When I wear my Grandma’s “C”, I will be reminded of her inspiration to me, her profound faith in God, and the beauty that comes with age.

Muah Grandma!