Sell! All! The! Things!!

 

A few weeks ago, I decided that I'd finally get around to selling some of my scrapbook stuff.  Yeah, I know, right.  So you're saying keeping it in a laundry basket in my scrapbook room blocking fire access is a *bad* thing?

 

Get out.

 

So I blew off the dust that collected over the past 4 years and took a few pics.  On facebook, for almost every town or area, you'll see a swap/sell group of some sort.  Some are just for clothes, or only for kids stuff, but many are just whatever.

 

Well, except for the tyrannical overlord owners making ridiculous rules, other than THAT you can list pretty much whatever.

I thought I'd take all my profits and buy myself a really expensive watercolor palette I've been wanting for about 4 months now but have been too cheap to buy.  Actually, on sale it's a pretty good deal, and it's super dreamy and worth it.

What I found out, was that it took just one day for me to make enough money for my palette.  It also took me about 3 days to make enough for my palette, my brand new dream porch swing and money left over.

Interesting.

I was making better than garage sale prices, and I didn't have to schlep all my stuff out to some tables and hope people show up.... then dicker over a quarter.

So I decided to set a goal for myself a few days ago.  Not only would I get rid of a bunch of crap in the house, but in return, I'd gain (hopefully) enough cash to buy the dream camera I'm wanting.  In theory, I could buy it now if I wanted (I've been saving for over a year for my studio, but since that's on hold I have the cash). 

However, I'm highly motivated by challenges and saving money by putting it in jars (that's for our hawaiian vacation someday), envelopes or savings accounts.  So instead I will become a minimalist.

If you come into my house and see strikingly less items, don't freak out (especially my family), I'm not losing my mind.  However, maybe this will keep that show hoarders at bay for a couple days.

Who am I kidding?  I've barely clawed my way out of the scrapbook room yet.

So, where do we stand?

On the porch I mean.  Yes... we get to officially stand on it, and even walk on it!

 

 

I haven't updated on the porch addition for over a month, I'm sure you've been waiting on pins and needles.

 

 Mid September we put in the last of the decking.

Let me tell you, what a happy moment.  That's me holding the last piece that goes on the corner near the house (we did diagonal decking).  See how happy I am?

It was short lived, this is not the last piece.  We forgot about the other corner on the other end that was screwed up.  I was mad when I got down there because it was cut all wrong (ahem husband cough)... so I ended up taking no photos down there at all.

So let's pretend this is it and we're happy.

 Gene drilling the "last" decking board.  We used over 1700 (about 10 pounds) of invisible deck screws.  I'm still finding them around the house in the bathroom, on counters, in drawers from when we dumped pockets.

This is the camo system and dude, it's awesome.  Do this!

 Boo approves of this decking.

I do too.  No worries about how it looks around the base of the posts, those are getting covered by trim work (which is partially done).  Hello winter that came faster than planned.

*insert a very long break here*

We really needed a break, but if we busted our humps for 2-3 days we'd be done.  Like DONE DONE.  Like, nothing else to do done. 

But we don't fly like that.  We prefer 92% finished projects thankyouverymuch.

We also decided to throw in losing a job and creating a business in there, so forgive us for maybe being a little busy.

However something awesome did happen.

This sign has been in my front door for 3 years.
No lie.

People have been directed to where the back door is for a while now.  Fed Ex and UPS really don't need to be told, they still go there.  I mean, it was obvious you weren't going in the front door, I just wanted to show them how to come to the back door so they can see my cat box and recycling as they enter!

But the exciting part is that we have front steps!!

They are just the side steps over the pre-existing sidewalk, but it's now fuctional!  These are the ones that most ppl will probably always use.

However, we have a set we'll be building (probably in the spring) that will be a nice wide, deep grand looking set of steps up to the front door.  I've wanted a set like that for years and years.

The cool part is, I taught myself how to cut stringers.  Stringers are the boards that are notched out on an angle that the steps (risers and runs) sit on and are attached to.  I think I did a pretty good job.  And really, it's not hard once you figure it out.

So you know what that means?
When you come to visit, please use the front door.

This is so I don't have to scoop the cat box for nuggets quite as often.

Thank.
you.
very.
much.

And just like that..... it was gone.

 We had a particularly brutal summer, most of it was pretty dry.  However, being down in the bottoms, we were the last ones to dry out so we had fully developed corn here.  I can't say the same for other areas, I saw fully tasseled 18" tall corn on our way to Colorado this summer.

In case you're wondering, that's really bad.

One thing I love about the corn is how it becomes this 8' privacy fence and the only people you interact with are the people that drive by or pull in your drive way.
I'm a loner like that.

GET OFF MY LAWN!

But because of the drought, we kind of got screwed out of our summer of corn.  It dried out more quickly than usual, so instead of harvesting in late October or early November, they came in and took it out in early/mid September!

Foiled!

Ah HA!  They didn't look very well, because they got part way through it and realized it was still pretty green so they left it to finish off.  So for a few weeks, we had a bit of a corn reprieve

 

 

 

But it wasn't long, until it was all gone.  Now I'm surrounded by corn stubble and critters large and small looking for an oasis in the corn desert.

 

They see my 2 acres and say "Oh look an oasis in the corn desert!"

 

Time once again to defend the homestead from mice, possums, raccoons and even the deer!

 

Who likes possum jerkey!?

 

Anyone?

hello?

Singing: "And that's why they call it the blueeeeesss"

 I've been meloncholy lately over my youngest growing up.

Which is completely out of my character.

Seriously, since they were like 8, I was the mom that was always "so when are you getting a job?"  Totally ready for them to have some independence.  OK, *some* independence.  Always been a free range parent - I give you a long leash, but don't break it or there is hell to pay.  Then when there is "hell to pay" I probably go too easy.

However from the outside looking in, I'm often told I'm a "strict parent".
*insert confused face*.

Anyway, my "baby" (not jingles) is now 18.
I know!  Wtheck?

He's a good 6 inches taller than me, drives his own car, has inginuity and drive and pretty darn smart (when he wants to be).  It seems, I did pretty damn alright in the parenting department.

That's a success right?

I mean, I've said for years my goal is make sure they are raised and not a burden to society.  They can like me in the process... or not.  It's not a requirement.  But in the end, I'm pretty sure both of my kids like me.  (Well, I hope so anyway... Seth?  Tanner?  Hello?)

So far, success.

Tanner is a senior and that's where we get back to melancholy. I totally didn't expect that I would be sad to see him grow up and start thinking about the rest of his life.

Maybe it's because in my head he's still that little chubby kid that likes to hang out with mom and scrapbook with me sometimes. That he'll sit in his room and make some project for 7 hours straight without a word. Or that he tells me that when he grows up he'll never be a disagreeable kid (like his brother went through).
*snort*

I guess my reality is setting in. His time in school is coming to an end and maybe this is making me realize that I'm no longer a spring chicken.
shocking.

Time really does pass quickly - most especially the summer they go through puberty.  One week they are 5'1" and the next they are pushing 5'10". 
And shaving.

When I look at Tanner's band pics, this is when I realize how much he's changed over the years.  How grown up he looks in his uniform and how proud I am that he stuck it out all those years, even the years he wasn't enjoying it very much (before the current band instructor).

But it's this picture that makes me the saddest.  This is The Shouse.  He took on a band that used to be one of the best in the area but had been "defeated" mentally.  I told him right after he started he had a big job ahead of him and he just smiled at me like I was a nutjob and nodded.

He pulled it out, and the band has improved greatly.  But more importantly, all the kids really look up to him and admire him.  He is a wonderful role model for every single kid in that band.  Tanner thinks the world of him.  So seeing this pic, from the last home game (football) of Tanner's senior year makes me realize that soon Tanner will move on, and won't have the Shouse anymore.

He'll have to be a grown up all on his own without the Shouse, or grandparents, or dad.... or Mom.  And as the Mom that always said "do your thing, but don't piss me off in the process"... I get a little sad when I realized it worked.  And that in a way, I'm a Shouse too. 

Except I invested a lot more cash into him.

Maybe I did too good of a job?
Did I really want one of those little snively snotty kids that can't function without their parents?
Le Sigh.

Now please excuse me while I get back to measuring Tanner's room to design my fitness center.

Round and round

 

My life is like a wind turbine.  It just seems to be going round and round and round.

I guess that means it's October.

I've come to really hate October.  Everyone wants SOMETHING photographed that month, and then they realize the yearbook deadline is looming, the leaves are falling and damn is it cold or what?

The money is nice, but I like seeing my family sometimes - and my jammies.  I haven't figured out how these photographers that have 5-6 shoots a day do it.  I bow to their greatness.

To top it all off, we've started a glass shop, which every day is a new challenge.  It's one thing to walk into an established shop and be trained on the systems they run.  It's another to completely set up all the systems on your own.
yikes.

It's good it's a soft opening right now.  Easing into it.
We were so confident in our storefront that we had started using the address on a few pieces of info we had to put out there.  I guess that was enough to jinx it.  There are problems with the plumbing - we'll find out where we stand tomorrow.  But in the meantime, we're being proactive and there's a second location I like SO MUCH better (and have from the start).  Hoping that works out because if it does, it means I get a studio - a nice sized one.

Cross your fingers that works out.

Wanna see my new sunroom!!??

 

Exciting no?  Looks like a great place to hang out amiright?

 

Boo Kitty thinks so.

 

Actually what you're looking at is 9 thermal units (windows) that are almost 4 feet wide, by almost 8 feet tall.  We got them for a SONG.  No lie.  As soon as I found out about these units, FOUR YEARS ago, I wanted them for a sunroom addition.   We followed our normal plan of action which is... do nothing and wait.

 

No really.  It works.

 

We've found that when we decide we want something, we just wait (or try to) and the perfect thing will come to us when we're ready for it, and it will come at an absolute steal.

 

Well, it finally came.  Gene's former boss had these for years and finally decided to get rid of them.   When I worked in the glass shop, I wouldn't have sold these for any less than about $750 each.  That's about $7000 in glass sitting there.

 

Guess what my investment was?

Guess!!

 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

$225!

*for all of them*

eee!

 

I just saved $7k.

go me.

 

Of course, this means more labor, and another big project involving stuff I've never done before - like - set thermal units.  Good thing I'm married to a glass man right?

 

Speaking of which, big news on the homefront.

I've been wanting to share for a while, but needed to wait.

 

We're opening a glass shop!

 

Truck - check

Storefront - pretty much check

Computer - check

Software - check

Million other things that need to be done - not check.

 

I'll still be doing photography, in fact, we're trying to work out a deal where I can get a storefront too, at least temporarily.  I'll be doing most of the office work for the glass shop, which I'll be able to do editing while nothing's going on.

 

Hopefully, there'll be so much going on that in a year I'll be training my replacement.

 

Need glass?

 

Call Advantage Glass Experts!

(more interesting website coming soon, that's just a placeholder at the moment)