I feel like if I haven't posted in 10 days that I ought to have this impressive list of all this crap I've gotten done. I don't have that much of a list. I have been busier than hell though, and it's mostly being a stay-at-home mom and errand girl. The other really incredible news is that this is going to be a semi-permanent condition. Mike got a raise of $10K and with the contract money and saved money on daycare, I no longer have to work, which means I can pretty much throw myself into taking care of my disease, quilting, school, and whatever else I come up with.

Things I've done lately include:

• threw party on weekend for friends and made a lot of food and cleaned the house like a banshee; collapsed in chair on Sunday
  
• made Genny Winnie-the-Pooh curtains
  
• designed futon cover for futon in livingroom, now have to sew it.
  
• cut out pattern for Russell's Harry Potter cape
  
• started new quilting class - have 10 of 49 nine-patches done; finally got instructions on how to make the goshfunnit paper piecing trees and can't figure out how to cut the damned background right
  
• went to my friend LaDawn's church and wasn't impressed with it much -- too preachy - going to check out the episcopal church instead
  
• walking, always walking
  
• saw volleyball game at local university and had a great time - will probably go again on Friday
  
• neverending stream of laundry
  
• working on contract stuff, but really hating it because there are too many bosses and no one to prioritize the work, but a lot of bitching due to too many bosses (round and round we go, where it stops nobody knows...)
  
• drove to UC Davis for contract; work sucked, but the trip to the local produce market made it very worthwhile
  
• cooking a lot more at home, which I really enjoy. This weekend I made apple crisp (low sugar), teriyaki sauce, and chili. We're still eating the leftovers.
  
• ending volleyball class this week which I'll miss a lot
  
• trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up
  
• will be taking the grant writing certification classes at the local community college next semester, probably close to full-time
  
• trying to figure out how to play with my kids and schedule my days with Genny, so I get work done and she gets play time; so far, she spends some of the day with LaDawn, and some of the day with me, depending on work
  
• fighting off a cold, but think I'm losing the battle and will probably have to take copious drugs to mitigate the damage to my ability to breathe
  
• awesome sugars lately
  
• took Genny to pediatrician because she's been a whiny butt and yes, she's got an ear infection (poor little thing!)
  
• noticed lately that Russell is such a wonderful kid and that we really need to get back onto the positive reinforcement strategy with him because he loves rewards; thinking we should call the therapist and start finding ways for him to self monitor
  

Okay, so it's not much of an update, but it's a start, darnit!

I'm so tired, I ought to be testing mattresses in a furniture store. I have this extensive list of things I should be doing, but oddly enough, I am not doing any of them.

I need to mow the lawn, finish my quilt, clean the house, do laundry, shop, bank, etc. pff.

Not happening.

Okay, so I canned like Queen of the Harvest this weekend. I made something like 12 - 4oz jars, 2 cases of half pints and 2 cases of pints of relish. I spent two hours cutting on Friday night and 5 hours hovered over various pots I tell you, I felt like a witch coaxing her potions to perfection and bottling them up for lovelorn men and women everywhere. Mike said we could market it as an aphrodesiac. I told him I didn't know if you could convince people that licking relish off of various parts was an appropriate use of my product. He offered to try it out, I suggested he barbecue sausages. He agreed, made sausages, and later I showed him the pleasures of NOT using relish.

I also went to Joann's yesterday and spent my budget because they had quilting supplies for 50% off. I think it's truly abysmal that they'd do such a thing to me, but what's a girl to do? Then I went to Kmart and they were having a sale on tomatillos, so I bought some cilantro and I'll be using what's left of my canning jars to can salsa verde. I'm a sick and wrong kind of cannin' fool.

If you're wondering what you're getting for christmas, you now have a really good idea. If I go and make little hats for the jars, you just better run away and shiver uncontrollably in a corner.

Of course, while I was at Joann's yesterday, I also bought about 5 yards of cordory to make Russell a Harry Potter cape. I'm making it several sizes too big because I plan on making him get some use out of it. I'm pretty sure he won't wear the clown costume again. Dammit. He was pretty pissed off I made him wear it last year, but I warned him he'd have to wear it if I was sewing it for that shindig in August. I'm a mean ole biddy, I tell ya.

I was too freaking tired to get to quilting class last week, so I figured I'd make it up this week. Well, I went and remembered upon seeing the near empty parking lot that one of the classes had been moved...and it was that one.

I don't know how to do the stuff I need to in order to finish my quilt. I'm thinking I'll just fake it. I can call the instructor, but I already got the commentary about how everyone else had finished quilts with the idea that I must suck because I don't have hours upon hours to devote to said quilt. Somehow for one lousy credit, you'd think they'd be a little laxer. I tell ya.

I'm working on it best I can and I'm going to see if I can find someone who can show me how to paper piece (flip and fold) and I'll be hunting things up on the web, too.

*sigh* In two weeks, I start the perfect point star quilt. I suspect strongly that it'll be a little less than perfect, but rather than doing my fancy schmancy star quilt, I'm thinking I'll go cheap and easy and make a Christmas Star quilt and call it good. That way I have one to screw it up with.

I finally found the business cards of the people who interviewed me for this state job as a help desk tech and a web tech. The interviews were absolutely fun. I have never had an interview where everyone was busting up and laughing and having fun and yet, still remaining completely professional. I called the manager person and left a voicemail to let him know I was unemployed and he called me back soon after to tell me that I should talk to this other person. I called her and she said on the 21 and 22 they are calling folks that they interviewed way back when to offer them jobs doing the web tech stuff and I was at the top of the list. She also said she didn't think they had to reinterview, but that they'd let me know. This position would extend from November possibly into July. After which, I could file for unemployment until it wound around back in November again. I'd have the option of staying home with the kids during that time, pursuing more education through this professional networking group because they'll fund it. All the way around, it's a no lose deal for me. I not only get back to the webmastering stuff, so I can learn new stuff and keep up-to-date, but I get a job with bennies (it's with the State).

Whee!

Oh, and my gosh, the COYOTES around here. Last night, Mike tried two or three times to get Kittygirl in and she didn't come. I went out and called for her and usually, that produces little Miss Fuzzybutt, but she didn't show. So we're laying in bed and we hear that eerie coyote "Ar-ar-oooooooo" and I said,"I'll go get Kittygirl." I called her and she came prancing up and was very happy to see me and get crated up. She knows coyotes EAT kitties. Mike and I are pretty sure she probably saw Cowboy get killed. Whereever he was, she was not far behind. I'm just glad the coyotes didn't know that because she's a sweet old cat.

CC the bunnyboy is just as cute as a button. I think that Kittygirl might have taken a paw swipe to him because he's got a scab on his butt. She was doing that paw in the cage thing, so we gave him a place to hide, but last I saw, Russell was holding CC on his lap and Kittygirl jumped up and tried to get in on that loving thing and CC kicked her off Russ's lap. Russell was laughing his butt off. I love holding that bunny and he tolerates being pet to death pretty darned well, so it's a win-win thing for sure.

I've got to finish some quilting work today, so I'm off to do that. I still have to finish my canning which will be tomorrow's job. I actually will probably get the relish fermenting tonight and can tomorrow. Last time it was pretty watery, which wasn't bad, but it seemed a lot less relishy and a lot more saucy. I also have salsa to can. I've got to pick up cilantro and some supplementary roma tomatoes. My garden tomatoes were all big round juicy ones and not the pear-shaped meaty ones. And I still haven't figured out jars yet, so that and quilting are today's projects.

I know, long time no post.

I've been kind of busy. This whole unemployed thing takes so much time out of your schedule. You know, harrassing former employers to provide appropriate severance agreements, tracking down leads, interviewing for jobs I don't get, that kind of thing. And this week, I'm doing the mommy thing.

Genny has learned a new word this week.

For example, "Genny, please come here. You're not supposed to be in brother's room, taking all his toys and destroying his magic cards, you Satan worshipping crack addict, you!" "NO!" Of course, as I read that over I am thinking, okay, is she saying no to the Satan worship, the crack addiction (just say 'no!'), or to coming out of Russell's room?

Being that I have not found a pentagram, nor her stash of drugs, I'm thinking that leaves only one option.

I have managed to run the account about $700 into the hole. What's worse is that despite my joblessness, we can actually recover from that. Wow. I'm feeling pretty grown up all the sudden. I think I am going to start taking out my cash that I am allowed to spend in a given period and leaving the rest in the bank. I need to leave in about $50 for Mike for gas and snacks, but I can keep the rest as grocery money. When it's gone, it's gone, is all.

Fortunately, I do qualify for unemployment and with any luck at all, I'll be able to find something that will make me happy in the interim. I'm not betting big bucks on that, but we'll see. Mostly, I am looking to see if I can take the things I like and make money at doing them. I'll start researching the small business grant soon. Mostly, I need to find smaller canning jars. *sigh*

Off to research things on the net.