The Dreaded Zipper Awaits

I’m a kinesthetic learner. I learn by doing. Tell me what to do and it just doesn’t register. Textbooks and manuals are a waste of paper for me. My brain has a hard time translating the words on paper or in my ear to the act of actually doing something.

I also like a challenge, when there isn’t much at stake. If I’m at work, I get stressed out about learning something new because my job, or at least my reputation, is on the line. But when I’m working on a sewing project, I welcome the challenge. Well, usually. Not this time.

Reading the instructions in a sewing pattern is like reading a foreign language. Add the illustrations to the corresponding descriptions and now you have a secret code. Many times, it’s undecipherable. So I just do. I do, and work on it like it’s a jigsaw puzzle of fabric. I make mistakes, rip the threads out, and try again until I get it right. Or at least until it looks right to the uneducated sewing eye – which is mine.

Zippers have always been my bane. I loathe them. They loathe me. And I am now at the point I need to put the zipper in Jenna’s dress. There are many challenges associated with this particular zipper and, although I’m dreading it, I will begin to tackle the zipper tonight. Hopefully, I will come out unscathed, with more knowledge and skill, and the zipper and dress will blend together as beautiful as the woman who will wear it.

Thank goodness there aren’t any buttons on the dress. I don’t even want think about button holes.

BTW, I started my beginner’s sewing class last night. I felt like I had to play dumb a little because I didn’t want to come across as arrogant. But I actually learned a thing or two in the first class. Yay!

Coffee Stains

Ever have one of those days where nothing goes right? Yesterday started off as one for me. It's really been a challenge to get myself and three kids ready and out the door every morning. Hopefully, Bob will get over the insomnia he's been having so he'll be able to help me more. Yesterday, no one wanted to get ready for school. Mondays can be like that. We all crammed into the little civic, not without some pinching and screaming. I was so irritated at how difficult mornings can be. I finally got Lili buckled in without anyone being seriously hurt and then drove down the street. When I came to the curve in the road we heard a very loud sound, like something hitting the side of the car. K-girl says, "Mom, did you have coffee?" Shit. I had left my coffee on the top of the car and we were running late so I didn't want to stop to get my cup. I called Bob and asked him to stop on his way out. I dropped off all the kids, breathed a sigh of relief, and then went to work. As I parked, I realized I had forgotten my mp3 player which meant working out to no music. Blech. When I got to my desk, I realized I had left my planner at home. I hope I didn't forget anything I was supposed to do yesterday. As I sipped the substandard coffee from the cafeteria, I decided I was done having a bad day. And so it got better. Today has been better, too. No one screamed or pinched anyone. I have my mp3 player and my planner is closer to me (I left it in my car). I still have to get coffee from the cafeteria because I'm out of milk/cream at home. And I forgot to get a clean towel so I can take a shower after I work out this afternoon. That's ok, though, because none of this is a big deal.

The funny part is, my 16 ounces of coffee left a huge stain on my street. It was there even after the rain. We saw it when we were going home last night.

Cheese, glorious cheese!

You know what parmesan cheese smells like, right? Some people say it smells like stinky feet. Personally, it reminds me of cat vomit. Regardless of what you think it smells like, it’s not a pleasant odor. Now imagine your house and how it smells. I don’t know what your house smells like but mine smells like cat vomit. Or stinky feet. Why? Well, because there is a 3 year old living there. A 3 year old who decided half a jar of parmesan cheese needed to be sprinkled on all the carpets. We vacuumed up all the cheese but I wonder how long the smell will linger.