12.26.09
Posted in Daily Musings at 3:44 pm by Kim Joy
We had the biggest attic clean up ever at our house. We rent and the past renters have all left stuff in the attic. I contacted the landlord to find out if he had anything up there or if he wanted any of it, his brother let me know that it was a no I don;t have anything. So…. one 48 yo, and three18 yo cleaned out 18 large black bags and two rolling dumpsters of stuff out of the attic. There were old photos, notebooks from school, bags and bags of clothes, yucky magazines and lots of empty boxes. We did not save anything except stuff from Margie… her wedding album, journals and photos so we are trying to track her down to give her the stuff. It was sad to see so much stuff left behind. The amount was unbelieveable.
Now that there is a clean attic we can store our Christmas stuff up there along with Michelle’s stuff she is storing here. She is going through it and trying to down size. We had to give up the storage unit so everything has been stored in dining room until the attic was cleared.
No photos were taken to remember the event as it seemed personal to those that left their stuff here, some dating to 70′s and 80′s.
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12.25.09
Posted in Daily Musings at 12:56 am by Kim Joy
Michelle came home from Tampa Monday. It is so good to see her, I miss having her around to talk to and do stuff with. Tuesday she got the last two of her wisdom teeth pulled. She flies back next Tuesday morning, boo hoo.
Well it is Christmas Eve and we are going to go to bed soon to wait for Santa. Watching Australia with Michelle and Meagan while the pumpkin pudding is steaming. I also made pumpkin muffins from the Wayside Inn cookbook, Christmas tradition. Every Christmas and some birthdays we have pumpkin pudding. The recipe is my Mom’s and making it brings back memories of Christmases past and people who have passed on. I do miss my Mom and Dad so much. I think they would love the new house and where we are in our lives now. I wish I could talk to them face to face, I talk to them when I work in my studio and when I want to share something special, but there are days when I really need my father or my mother. I have some great slides from Christmas when I was little and I really need to put them thru computer and get them on a CD.
My sister Jane is coming tomorrow from NY and Pamela is coming to sleep over on the way out of town. It will be fun to have a full house. This is what Christmas is all about. I do wish I had made cookies but with the french door repairs and work I was swamped and never got around to it. I mailed Christmas cards today, that is how behind I am! Nobody will care as long as they get them. I got a phone call from an old friend from the past and it was so good to catch up, plans for a trip to Spain in the future! Can’t wait.
Well off to wrap presents and put cookies and milk out for Santa. No fire in woodstove tonight so Santa can come down the chimney. Firewood beside stove for morning.
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12.13.09
Posted in Daily Musings at 12:29 am by Kim Joy
Today was an awesome day. I was woken up to go for a walk by Nanook at 5:50am. We did a good walk around the neighborhood then back to bed! I mean it is Saturday after all. When I woke up again both Nanook and Wesley were in bed with me and the house was quiet and chilly. We stayed in bed talking about what we had planned for the day. OK I talked and then listened. We got out of bed and did the usual morning routine… coffee, emails, shower. Then I went to the studio to work on taking the panel with 25, which turned into 30 broken pieces by end of day (dirt covered many breaks) apart. After a couple of hours Meagan rolled in to talk. We ended up putting the lights on the front of the house, hanging the IKEA ball light and moving the deer further out in the yard. I raked the front gardens and took the leave piles from back yard to giant leaf pile in the way back. Then in the house to hang the lights in front windows. We were going for gingerbread but it is far from that. Looks good in the dark. Then I drove Meagan to a friend’s house and stopped by Higginbothams House for quick visit. Home again to work on panel. Patrick and I had pizza for dinner and watched Santa Clause 2. A good kid day- time alone with both and everyone happy. After movie back to studio to finish, yes finish taking panel apart. I am one day ahead of schedule! All this time we have had a fire going in wood stove as it is cold out. Meagan came home and said it looked bad with smoke in front yard, guess there is a low ceiling keeping the smoke low and carrying it across the street. Eerie looking when you go outside.
I am so glad to be done taking the panel apart, it is one of a 2 door set. The other one had 7 broken pieces, had counted 5 before I cleaned the panel. I guess they had been in storage and were covered with a stoot like film, hard to see breaks. Tomorrow I can start cutting the pieces. This has been a hard job, matching the glass was impossible as a lot of art glass was used. I matched color pretty well but back side texture no match. I will be glad to have this done.
Studio Guardian... Bunny my Dad made for me when I was little.
The Workhouse Arts Center is holding a Exhibition of New Works by Faculty, Students and Staff January 6-30, 2010. I have spoke with my students about submitting there pieces. I will need to make something new as all my pieces here now are old and have been seen. This is very exciting to have students exhibit. And more exciting is that the Workhouse wants me to come back to teach in 2010. This is an honor when you see all the artists at the Glass House that could be teaching but that I get to be the instructor there is a kick in the pants. I do love the classroom and I have had great students. I hope they come back in January to make lamps like we talked about at class’s end.
I am working on a design also for the New Works Exhibit at Del Ray, pieces need to be in by January 3. Will let you know more in a few days, it is still gelling in my head. I need to workout the design with a 3D insert.
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12.12.09
Posted in Daily Musings at 1:15 am by Kim Joy
What am I most happy with about my life now?
I am happy at the place where my life has taken me to this point. After many ups and downs over the past few years I am now happy where I am. I have learned much about myself and my family. The kids and I have grown so much closer and now are more like a family than we were before. I went from a wife and mother to a single mother, which took alot of adjusting but now looking back it was a blessing. One day I hope to look back at the divorce and feel no anger but it will take some time.
Back to the good part…. I have learned to take care of myself, take care of the kids, take care of the home, take care of the vehicles and still be a person. Forced to do it all makes you wake up quickly. I have tried things I never would have felt comfortable or capable to do before. The kids have stepped up also and I really appreciate that.
I am lucky to be the person I am, to have the children I have and the wonderful friends I have and the opportunities that have been given to me.
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